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Weldability of pipe grade polyethylenes as realized from thermal and mechanical properties assessments
PublicationSince polyethylene (PE) has been widely accepted for the production of high-pressure fluid conveying pipelines, studies devoted to weldability of PE connections were always of major importance. In this study, two industrial PE grades designed for pipe production, namely PE80 and PE100, were injection molded, cut, and then welded as PE100-PE100, PE100-PE80, and PE80-PE80. The heat-welded joints were assessed by differential scanning...
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Untargeted Lipidomics Reveals Differences in the Lipid Pattern among Clinical Isolates of Staphylococcus aureus Resistant and Sensitive to Antibiotics
PublicationStaphylococcus aureus resistance to antibiotics is a significant clinical problem worldwide. In this study, an untargeted lipidomics approach was used to compare the lipid fingerprints of S. aureus clinical isolates that are resistant and sensitive to antibiotics. High-performance liquid chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry was employed to rapidly and comprehensively analyze bacterial lipids. Chemometric...
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Studies of the separation performance of silanized silica gel for simulated distillation
PublicationWe present the results of investigations of the chromatographic (sorptive) properties of silanized silica gel as a stationary phase for gas chromatography used for simulated distillation. Commercially available silanized sorbent (particle diameter range 63–200 m, average pore size 60 Å) was sieved to obtain the 80–100 mesh fraction (180–150 m). The obtained results revealed that silanized silica gel allows the complete separation...
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Bacterial community succession in an Arctic lake–stream system (Brattegg Valley, SW Spitsbergen)
PublicationThe factors affecting prokaryotic and virus structure dynamics and bacterial commu-nity composition (BCC) in aquatic habitats along a ca. 1500 m of the Brattegg Valley lake–stream system (SW Spitsbergen) composed of three postglacial lakes created by Brattegg Glacier meltwater were examined. A high number of small-volume prokaryotic cells were found in the recently-formed, deep, upper,...
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Analytical progress on emerging pollutants in the environment: An overview of the topics
PublicationThis overview discusses the ideas behind a collection of articles by invited authors on a diverse range of complex chemical mixtures and analytical methods which represent some of the most relevant and interesting issues on emerging contaminants of environmental health concerns. These chemicals, including those in high volume production, are released on an ongoing basis as a result of various human activities. Moreover, these emerging contaminants...
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Determining an Architectural Character for Durban Residential Streetscapes
PublicationIn the current global context and in consideration of the Sustainable Development Goals, there is a strong need for urban densification. However, this development is also driven by processes linked to the idea of capitalism and 'economic growth'. Such development often leads to the loss of the 'genius loci' of a place and sometimes even overlooks the fact that the quality of the built environment greatly influences the health and...
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A stochastic approach for the solution of single and multi – objective optimisation problems of biological processes in sequencing batch reactor
PublicationThis paper investigates the impact of implementing single and multi-optimisation solutions on the biological treatment process in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR). The research is based on a case study of the water resource recovery facility (WRRF) in Swarzewo, Northern Poland. The paper introduces the adaptive extremum seeking control (ESC) method for dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration control and places it in a layered control structure....
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Fracture surface topography measurements analysis of low-alloyed corrosion resistant steel after bending-torsion fatigue tests
PublicationIn this paper, an assessment of a topography measurement method for fracture surfaces of 10HNAP steel after bending-torsion fatigue tests was performed. Surface roughness was measured by using a non-contact Focus Variation Microscopy (FVM) technique in which the non-measured points (NMPs) and outliers (spikes) were removed by the application of general methods. The results revealed, that the optical measurement method introduced...
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Quinoline-based thiazolyl-hydrazones target cancer cells through autophagy inhibition
PublicationHeterocyclic pharmacophores such as thiazole and quinoline rings have a significant role in medicinal chemistry. They are considered privileged structures since they constitute several Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drugs for cancer treatment. Herein, we report the synthesis, in silico evaluation of the ADMET profiles, and in vitro investigation of the anticancer activity of a series of novel thiazolyl-hydrazones based...
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Compatibility of Sustainable Mater-Bi/poly(ε-caprolactone)/cellulose Biocomposites as a Function of Filler Modification
PublicationDespite their popularity and multiplicity of applications, wood–polymer composites (WPCs) still have to overcome particular issues related to their processing and properties. The main aspect is the compatibility with plant-based materials which affects the overall performance of the material. It can be enhanced by strengthening the interfacial adhesion resulting from physical and/or chemical interactions between the matrix and...
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Band Gap Engineering toward Semimetallic Character of Quinone-Rich Polydopamine
PublicationSemiconductor|melanin interfaces have received increasingly more attention in the fields of photocatalysis and applied electrochemistry because of their facile synthesis, unique electrical properties, and strong capability toward photosensitization. In this work, we describe the electropolymerization of quinone-rich polydopamine (PDA) on the surface of hydrogenated TiO2 nanotubes with enhanced photoactivity in the visible spectrum....
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Magnetic hydrophobic deep eutectic solvents for orbital shaker-assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (MAGDES-OS-DLLME) - determination of nickel and copper in food and water samples by FAAS
PublicationIn this work, a cheap and widely applicable dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) method was developed for the extraction of Ni(II) and Cu(II) from water and food samples and analysis using flame atomic absorption spectrometry. DLLME was assisted by orbital shaker, while ferrofluid as an extractant was based on deep eutectic solvent (DES). This ferrofluid was made of hydrophobic DES (hDES), composed of lauric acid and...
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Removal of Arsenic from Wastewater Using Hydrochar Prepared from Red Macroalgae: Investigating Its Adsorption Efficiency and Mechanism
PublicationArsenic (As) is a prominent carcinogen component produced via both geogenic and anthropogenic processes, posing serious risks to human health. This study aimed to investigate the potential of hydrochar prepared from red macroalgae for removing As from synthetic wastewater. The hydrochar was produced through 5 h hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) treatment at 200 °C, and then, chemically activated with ferric chloride hexahydrate...
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Fabrication of high-density nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center-enriched diamond particles through methyl trityl amine (C20H19N) seeding
PublicationDiamond particles (DPs) show promise for advanced applications in bioimaging and quantum sensing due to the presence of defect centers. This work reports a unique growth process for diamond particles composed of nitrogen-vacancy centers (NV-DPs) using a methyl trityl amine (C20H19N) diamondoid seed, which acts as a nitrogen source for NV creation. Growth was performed via microwave plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition in a...
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Advanced oxidation processes for the removal of mono and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons – A review
PublicationAromatic hydrocarbons (AHs) are toxic environmental contaminants presented in most of the environmental matrices. Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) for the removal of AHs in the account of complete mineralization from various environmental matrices have been reviewed in this paper. An in-depth discussion on various AOPs for mono (BTEX) and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their derivatives is presented. Most of the AOPs were...
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A novel (Ti/Ce)UiO-X MOFs@TiO2 heterojunction for enhanced photocatalytic performance: Boosting via Ce4+/Ce3+ and Ti4+/Ti3+ redox mediators
PublicationTitanium-substituted cerium-oxo-based UiO MOFs with terephthalate linkers modified by various groups (–Br, –NH2, –NO2) or their derivatives (N-heterocyclic or biphenyl groups) were combined with titanium dioxide in a multistep route to obtain a core-shell-like architecture. DFT simulations showed that Ce- and bimetallic Ti/Ce- MOFs exhibited different charge compensation. Extended characterization revealed the formation of heterojunctions between...
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Sonocatalytic degradation of tetracycline antibiotic using zinc oxide nanostructures loaded on nano-cellulose from waste straw as nanosonocatalyst
PublicationThe aim of the present investigation was the combination of ZnO nanostructures with nano-cellulose (NC) for the efficient degradation of tetracycline (TC) antibiotic under ultrasonic irradiation. The removal efficiency of 12.8% was obtained by the sole use of ultrasound (US), while the removal efficiency increased up to 70% by the US/ZnO treatment process. Due to the integration of ZnO nanostructures with NC, the removal efficiency...
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A fast start-up of the organotrophic anammox process inoculated with constructed wetland sediment
PublicationOrganotrophic anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) bacteria can utilize small volatile fatty acids with nitrate as electron acceptors with less energy consumption and no biomass production. To achieve a faster and stable start-up of organotrophic anammox process, in this study, the growth of organotrophic anammox bacteria seeded from hybrid constructed wetland (CW) sediment under different TOC/TN ratios and different chloramphenicol...
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Active Site Architecture and Reaction Mechanism Determination of Cold Adapted beta-D-galactosidase from Arthrobacter sp. 32cB
PublicationArthbetaDG is a dimeric, cold-adapted beta-D-galactosidase that exhibits high hydrolytic and transglycosylation activity. A series of crystal structures of its wild form, as well as its ArthbetaDG_E441Q mutein complexes with ligands were obtained in order to describe the mode of its action. The ArthbetaDG_E441Q mutein is an inactive form of the enzyme designed to enable observation of enzyme interaction with its substrate. The...
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SnO2 nanoparticles embedded onto MoS2 nanoflakes - An efficient catalyst for photodegradation of methylene blue and photoreduction of hexavalent chromium
PublicationIn this work, a molybdenum disulfide/tin oxide (MoS2/SnO2) composite was successfully prepared via a hydrothermal method. The MoS2/SnO2 composite was used as a photocatalyst for photoreduction of hexavalent chromium and photodecomposition of methylene blue. It exhibited higher photocatalytic performance under simulated solar light irradiation than MoS2 itself. The obtained material was characterized by several spectroscopic and...
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Antibacterial properties of laser-encapsulated titanium oxide nanotubes decorated with nanosilver and covered with chitosan/Eudragit polymers
PublicationTo provide antibacterial properties, the titanium samples were subjected to electrochemical oxidation in the fluoride-containing diethylene glycol-based electrolyte to create a titanium oxide nanotubular surface. Afterward, the surface was covered by sputtering with silver 5 nm film, and the tops of the nanotubes were capped using laser treatment, resulting in an appearance of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) of around 30 nm in diameter...
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Enhanced stability of electrochemical performance of few-layer black phosphorus electrodes by noncovalent adsorption of 1,4-diamine-9,10-anthraquinone
PublicationIn this paper, the novel noncovalent functionalisation strategy of few-layer black phosphorus by 1,4-diamine-9,10-anthraquinone electrode was proposed and studied. The degradation of few-layer black phosphorus under exposure to oxygen and water is a significant obstacle to its use as an electroanalytical electrode. The anthraquinone compound adsorbed at black phosphorus flakes results in improved prevention of the phosphorus surface...
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Electrostatic Zipping Actuators—Analysis of the Pull-In Effect Depending on the Geometry Parameters
PublicationContinuous work on a new generation of actuators, referred to as artificial muscles, resulted in the initiation of work on electrostatic zipping actuators, the concept of which is derived from micro electro-mechanical devices. Despite partial knowledge of their basic operating parameters, a question remains whether electrostatic zipping actuators are able to meet the expectations in the context of generated forces and control possibilities....
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Partial inhibition of borohydride hydrolysis using porous activated carbon as an effective method to improve the electrocatalytic activity of the DBFC anode
PublicationCarbon materials are commonly used catalyst supports in various types of fuel cells. Due to the possibility of designing their properties, they seem to be attractive and functional additives. In Direct Borohydride Fuel Cells (DBFCs), the electrooxidation reaction of borohydride competes with the undesirable hydrolysis reaction, therefore our work aimed to modify anodes based on a multi-component hydrogen storage alloy with a small...
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Cooperativity of Halogen- and Chalcogen-Bonding Interactions in the Self-Assembly of 4‑Iodoethynyl- and 4,7-Bis(iodoethynyl)benzo-2,1,3-chalcogenadiazoles: Crystal Structures, Hirshfeld Surface Analyses, and Crystal Lattice Energy Calculations
PublicationSeveral new 4-iodoethynyl- and 4,7-bis- (iodoethynyl)benzo-2,1,3-chalcogenadiazoles were prepared, and a comprehensive analysis of the most prominent secondary bonding interactions responsible for the crystal self-assembly was performed using X-ray diffraction. The presence of both the iodoethynyl and chalcogenadiazole moieties allows an evaluation of the preference of these molecules to aggregate through either chalcogen- or halogen-bonding...
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Distillery Fusel Oil as an Alternative Carbon Source for Denitrification – from Laboratory Experiments to Full-Scale Applications
PublicationIndustrial waste products may be a viable alternative to commercial external carbon sources, such as ethanol. In this study, the properties of fusel oil (distillery waste product) were investigated in terms of temperature dependency of denitrification, acclimation period, and the effects on NO2-N and PO4-P behavior. Furthermore, results obtained during three different full-scale trials were used to verify similarities and differences...
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4-Point beam tensile test on a soft adhesive
PublicationAn adhesive butt joint with a soft bondline has been studied. A series of experiments was conducted on test pieces constituted of aluminium adherends bonded with a low modulus epoxy adhesive, ScotchWeld™ 2216. The joint was subjected to four point bending, in tension/compression loading, under constant deflection rate, with the bondline being parallel to the applied load. The objective was to examine and evaluate crack nucleation...
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Instrumented end notched flexure - Crack propagation and process zonemonitoring Part II: Data reduction and experimental
PublicationA mode II instrumented end notched flexure three point bending (ENF) adhesion test is described. The adhesive joint consists of two aluminium alloy (AW7075-T6) plates bonded with a structural epoxy adhesive (Hysol EA 9395™). Strain gauges are attached to the outer surface (backface) of the substrates in the lengthwise direction to measure local surface strain during crack propagation. Simultaneously, load/displacement measurements...
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Structure and Molecular Dynamics in Renewable Polyamides from Dideoxy-Diamino Isohexide
PublicationThe chemical structure, the conformation, andthe flexibility of the polymer chain fragments present in thepolyamides synthesized from 2,5-diamino-2,5-dideoxy-1,4;3,6-dianhydrosorbitol, 1,4-diaminobutane, and either sebacic orbrassylic acid have been studied by liquid-state 2D NMRspectroscopy viz. correlation spectra (COSY) and heteronuclearmultiple-bond correlation spectra (gHMBC), by 13Ccross-polarization/magic-angle spinning...
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Objectivization of Audio-Visual Correlation analysis
PublicationSimultaneous perception of audio and visual stimuli often causes the concealment or misrepresentation of information actually contained in these stimuli. Such effects are called the ''image proximity effect'' or the ''ventriloquism effect'' in literature. Until recently, most research carried out to understand their nature was based on subjective assessments. The Authors of this paper propose a methodology based on both subjective...
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Implication of the disulfide bridge in trypsin inhibitor SFTI-1 in its interaction with serine proteinases
PublicationFourteen monocyclic analogues of trypsin inhibitor SFTI-1 isolated from sunflower seeds were synthesized by the solid-phase method. The purpose of this work was to establish the role of a disulfide bridge present in inhibitor's side chains of Cys3 and Cys11 in association with serine proteinases. This cyclic fragment was replaced by the disulfide bridges formed by L-pencillamine (Pen), homo-L-cysteine (Hcy), N-sulfanylethylglycine...
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Synthesis, Molecular Structure, Metabolic Stability and QSAR Studies of a Novel Series of Anticancer N-Acylbenzenesulfonamides
PublicationA series of novel N-acyl-4-chloro-5-methyl-2-(R1-methylthio)benzenesulfonamides 18–47 have been synthesized by the reaction of N-[4-chloro-5-methyl-2-(R1-methylthio) benzenesulfonyl]cyanamide potassium salts with appropriate carboxylic acids. Some of them showed anticancer activity toward the human cancer cell lines MCF-7, HCT-116 and HeLa, with the growth percentages (GPs) in the range from 7% to 46%. Quantitative structure-activity relationship...
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Fertility rebound and economic growth. New evidence for 18 countries over the period 1970-2011.
PublicationLong-run impact of economic growth on fertility trends is ambiguous and sensitive for in-time variations. Noticeably, over last decades, economic growth has led in many countries to significant falls in total fertility rates. However, recently, in high-income economies a kind of ‘fertility rebound’ emerged (Goldstein, 2009; Luci and Thevenon, 2011; Day, 2012), which supports the hypothesis that reversal trends in total fertility...
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α-Pinene, 3-carene and d-limonene in indoor air of Polish apartments: The impact on air quality and human exposure
PublicationMonoterpenes are among most ubiquitous volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to be detected in indoor air. Since the quality of indoor air is considered important for inhabitants' well-being, the present study aimed at investigating impact of human activity on levels of selected monoterpenes applying passive sampling technique followed by thermal desorption and gas chromatography coupled mass spectrometry. One of the objectives of...
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A study on the interaction of rhodamine B with methylthioadenosine phosphorylase protein sourced from an Antarctic soil metagenomic library.
PublicationThe presented study examines the phenomenon of the fluorescence under UV light excitation (312 nm) of E. coli cells expressing a novel metagenomic-derived putative methylthioadenosine phosphorylase gene, called rsfp, grown on LB agar supplemented with a fluorescent dye rhodamine B. For this purpose, an rsfp gene was cloned and expressed in an LMG194 E. coli strain using an arabinose promoter. The resulting RSFP protein was purified...
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The impact of slowly biodegradable organic compounds on the oxygen uptake rate in activated sludge systems
PublicationThe hydrolysis process of slowly biodegradable substrate (Xs) have impact on the efficiencies of nutrient removal in activated sludge systems. Measurement of OUR and corresponding COD is accepted as a very useful tool to reflect the consumption of biodegradable substrates. The influence of the readily biodegradable substrate (Ss) in biological wastewater treatment systems has been extensively investigated, but little is known about...
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The impact of slowly biodegradable organic compounds on the oxygen uptake rate in activated sludge systems
PublicationThe hydrolysis process of slowly biodegradable substrate (Xs) have impact on the efficiencies of nutrient removal in activated sludge systems. Measurement of OUR and corresponding COD is accepted as a very useful tool to reflect the consumption of biodegradable substrates. The influence of the readily biodegradable substrate (Ss) in biological wastewater treatment systems has been extensively investigated, but little is known about...
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The Impact of Homogeneity of High Modulus Asphalt Concrete Layer on Low-Temperature Cracking
PublicationDuring winter season of 2012 numerous transverse cracks developed in high-modulus asphalt concrete (HMAC) base of newly constructed motorway. Pavement cracked both in transverse joint locations and in the area between them. Research which was conducted during investigation of the causes and mechanisms of cracking consisted of: field examination, laboratory testing of specimens cored out of the existing pavement, computational analyses...
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Investigation of Air Quality beside a Municipal Landfill: The Fate of Malodour Compounds as a Model VOC
PublicationThis paper presents the results of an investigation on ambient air odour quality in the vicinity of a municipal landfill. The investigations were carried out during the spring–winter and the spring seasons using two types of the electronic nose instrument. The field olfactometers were employed to determine the mean odour concentration, which was from 2.1 to 32.2 ou/m3 depending on the measurement site and season of the year. In...
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Performance of extended Lagrangian schemes for molecular dynamics simulations with classical polarizable force fields and density functional theory
PublicationIterative energy minimization with the aim of achieving self-consistency is a common feature of Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics (BOMD) and classical molecular dynamics with polarizable force fields. In the former, the electronic degrees of freedom are optimized, while the latter often involves an iterative determination of induced point dipoles. The computational effort of the self-consistency procedure can be reduced by re-using...
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Influence of separation gap on the response of colliding models of steel structures under seismic and paraseismic excitations
PublicationAs a result of high urbanization, the need to erect closely-spaced buildings forces designers to consider collisions between structures taking place during ground motions. Experimental and numerical studies have confirmed that such collisions (often referred to as structural pounding) may cause serious damage to the structural elements and even lead to total collapse of colliding structures. The main reason of earthquake-induced...
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Expedited Simulation-Driven Multi-Objective Design Optimization of Quasi-Isotropic Dielectric Resonator Antenna
PublicationMajority of practical engineering design problems require simultaneous handling of several criteria. Although many of design tasks can be turned into single-objective problems using sufficient formulations, in some situations, acquiring comprehensive knowledge about possible trade-offs between conflicting objectives may be necessary. This calls for multi-objective optimization that aims at identifying a set of alternative, Pareto-optimal...
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Homoisocitrate dehydrogenase from Candida albicans: properties, inhibition, and targeting by an antifungal pro-drug
PublicationThe LYS12 gene from Candida albicans, coding for homoisocitrate dehydrogenase was cloned and expressed as a His-tagged protein in Escherichia coli. The purified gene product catalyzes the Mg2+- and K+-dependent oxidative decarboxylation of homoisocitrate to alpha-ketoadipate. The recombinant enzyme demonstrates strict specificity for homoisocitrate. SDS-PAGE of CaHIcDH revealed its molecular mass of 42.6±1 kDa, while in size-exclusion...
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Mapping of Flood-Prone Areas Utilizing GIS Techniques and Remote Sensing: A Case Study of Duhok, Kurdistan Region of Iraq
PublicationOne of the most common types of natural disaster, floods can happen anywhere on Earth, except in the polar regions. The severity of the damage caused by flooding can be reduced by putting proper management and protocols into place. Using remote sensing and a geospatial methodology, this study attempts to identify flood-vulnerable areas of the central district of Duhok, Iraq. The analytical hierarchy process (AHP) technique was...
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Numerical Analysis of Turbulent Flow over a Backward-facing Step in an Open Channel
PublicationComputational examinations of the flow field in an open channel having a single Backward--Facing Step (BFS) with a constant water depth of 1.5 m were performed. The effects of the expansion ratio, and the flow velocity along the reattachment length, were investigated by employing two different expansion ratios of 1.5 and 2, and eight various flow velocities of 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7.5 and 10 m/sec in the Computational Fluid Dynamic...
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Synchrotron radiation photoemission spectroscopy of the oxygen modified CrCl3 surface
PublicationWe investigate the experimentally challenging CrCl3 surface by photon energy dependent photoemission (PE). The core and valence electrons after cleavage of a single crystal, either in a ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) or in air, are studied by keeping the samples at 150 1C, aiming at confirming the atomic composition with respect to the expected bulk atomic structure. A common spectroscopic denominator revealed by data is the presence of...
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Innovative Urban Blue Space Design in a Changing Climate: Transition Models in the Baltic Sea Region
PublicationWaterfront areas in cities are subject to constant changes. The desire to integrate the transformed waterside areas with the urban fabric involves shaping high-quality public spaces related to water, which are often referred to as urban blue spaces (UBS). The aim of the research was to examine the transformation processes of urban waterfront areas in the Baltic Sea Region and identify emerging transition models and types of blue...
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Artificial Intelligence Technologies in Education: Benefits, Challenges and Strategies of Implementation
PublicationSince the education sector is associated with highly dynamic business environments which are controlled and maintained by information systems, recent technological advancements and the increasing pace of adopting artificial intelligence (AI) technologies constitute a need to identify and analyze the issues regarding their implementation in education sector. However, a study of the contemporary literature reveled that relatively...
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AutoCAD: Examination of Factors Influencing User Adoption
PublicationThe primary purpose of the research is to examine and validate determinants of user intention to use AutoCAD software, utilising the constructs from prior studies in a more integrated model. The paper proposes a revised Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) for measuring the adoption of AutoCAD. In the study, a latent construct PPA (perceived physical accessibility) was added to the proposed research model as a new determinant of AutoCAD...
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An in-depth look at the tire rubber hardness influence on tire/road noise measurements
PublicationWhen assessing the acoustic quality of a road pavement with the close-proximity (CPX) or the on-board sound intensity (OBSI) method, the rubber hardness of the reference tire substantially affects the measurement. Practical experience shows that measurement tires can get significantly harder within a single measurement season. This is why one would like to normalize measurements to a reference rubber hardness. The recently published...