Life cycle assessment of refuse-derived fuel production from mixed municipal waste

The aim of this study is to identify and assess the potential environmental impacts caused by refuse-derived fuel (RDF) production from mixed municipal waste, in a mechanical–biological waste treatment plant in Krakow, Poland. The study is based on life cycle assessment methodology, employing EASETECH model. The system boundaries include only those operations which lead to the production of RDF. The adopted functional unit is 1 Mg of mixed municipal waste generated in Krakow, which enters the mechanical–biological waste treatment plant.     

Comparative Evaluation of Sucrosomial Iron and Iron Oxide Nanoparticles as Oral Supplements in Iron Deficiency Anemia in Piglets

Iron deficiency is the most common mammalian nutritional disorder. However, among mammalian species iron deficiency anemia (IDA), occurs regularly only in pigs. To cure IDA, piglets are routinely injected with high amounts of iron dextran (FeDex), which can lead to perturbations in iron homeostasis. Here, we evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of non-invasive supplementation with Sucrosomial iron (SI), a highly bioavailable iron supplement preventing IDA in humans and mice and various iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs). Analysis of red blood cell indices and plasma iron parameters shows that not all iron preparations used in the study efficiently counteracted IDA comparable to FeDex-based supplementation. We found no signs of iron toxicity of any tested iron compounds, as evaluated based on the measurement of several toxicological markers that could indicate the occurrence of oxidative stress or inflammation. Neither SI nor IONPs increased hepcidin expression with alterations in ferroportin (FPN) protein level. Finally, the analysis of the piglet gut microbiota indicates the individual pattern of bacterial diversity across taxonomic levels, independent of the type of supplementation. In light of our results, SI but not IONPs used in the experiment emerges as a promising nutritional iron supplement, with a high potential to correct IDA in piglets.     

Silicon carbide matrix composites reinforced with two-dimensional titanium carbide – Manufacturing and properties

Within this paper, it is explored how two-dimensional Ti₂C sheets addition affects silicon carbide matrix composites in terms of the microstructure and mechanical properties. In order to consolidate the powder mixtures, powder metallurgy processing followed by Spark Plasma Sintering was performed to prepare the sinters. According to our knowledge, this is the first attempt to apply delaminated MXene phases as a reinforcing phases of ceramic matrix composites. The delaminated MXene phases were characterized using a high-resolution transmission microscope (HRTEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Significant improvement of the fracture toughness and hardness for the composites reinforced with 1.5?wt% 2D Ti₂C compared to the reference sample were observed. It is expected that the applied reinforcing phase will have an influence on the fracture mechanism, and so this has also been investigated. Two of the main mechanisms of crack propagations (crack deflection and bridging) were observed.     

Identification of house price bubbles using robust methodology: evidence from Polish provincial capitals

This article aims to check whether there has been a price bubble in the Polish major housing markets in recent years. To accomplish this goal, the log price-to-rent ratios in Polish provincial cities were analysed. In order to avoid incorrect conclusions, the log price-to-rent ratio using the instrumental variable estimation and ordinary least squares methods was decomposed into two components: fundamental and non-fundamental. The latter was then examined using the Phillips, Shi, and Yu procedure to detect explosive and downward movements. The results of the study showed that, in general, over 2011, actual log price-to-rent ratios in the analysed cities were below their fundamental values, i.e., a negative price bubble existed. However, more or less since the beginning of 2013, the surveyed markets have seen an increasing level of the non-fundamental component of the index under study, and its particularly explosive movements are visible in the first quarters of 2014. Finally, this analysis indicated future research directions and study implications for Polish policy-makers, housing investors, and households.

     

Fast eyes detection in thermal images

Multimedia Tools and Applications - In recent years many methods have been proposed for eye detection. In some cases however, such as driver drowsiness detection, lighting conditions are so...     

Model of Environmental Membrane Field for Transmembrane Proteins

The water environment determines the activity of biological processes. The role of such an environment interpreted in the form of an external field expressed by the 3D Gaussian distribution in the fuzzy oil drop model directs the folding process towards the generation of a centrally located hydrophobic core with the simultaneous exposure of polar residues on the surface. In addition to proteins soluble in the water environment, there is a significant group of membrane proteins that act as receptors or channels, including ion channels in particular. The change of the polar (water) environment into a highly hydrophobic (membrane) environment is quite radical, resulting in a different hydrophobicity distribution within the membrane protein. Modification of the notation of the force field expressing the presence of the hydrophobic environment has been proposed in this work. A modified fuzzy oil drop model with its adaptation to membrane proteins was used to interpret the structure of membrane proteins–mechanosensitive channel. The modified model was also used to describe the so-called negative cases—i.e., for water-soluble proteins with a clear distribution consistent with the fuzzy oil drop model.     

All That Glitters Is Not Silver—A New Look at Microbiological and Medical Applications of Silver Nanoparticles

Silver and its nanoparticles (AgNPs) have different faces, providing different applications. In recent years, the number of positive nanosilver applications has increased substantially. It has been proven that AgNPs inhibit the growth and survival of bacteria, including human and animal pathogens, as well as fungi, protozoa and arthropods. Silver nanoparticles are known from their antiviral and anti-cancer properties; however, they are also very popular in medical and pharmaceutical nanoengineering as carriers for precise delivery of therapeutic compounds, in the diagnostics of different diseases and in optics and chemistry, where they act as sensors, conductors and substrates for various syntheses. The activity of AgNPs has not been fully discovered; therefore, we need interdisciplinary research to fulfil this knowledge. New forms of products with silver will certainly find application in the future treatment of many complicated and difficult to treat diseases. There is still a lack of appropriate and precise legal condition regarding the circulation of nanomaterials and the rules governing their safety use. The relatively low toxicity, relative biocompatibility and selectivity of nanoparticle interaction combined with the unusual biological properties allow their use in animal production as well as in bioengineering and medicine. Despite a quite big knowledge on this topic, there is still a need to organize the data on AgNPs in relation to specific microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses or fungi. We decided to put this knowledge together and try to show positive and negative effects on prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.     

Influence of Yb3+ ion incorporation in the structure of Yttrium Divanadate(V) on the properties of a new ceramic solid solution Y8-yYbyV2O17

New substitutional, limited solid solution of the formula Y_8-yYb_yV₂O₁₇ where 0 < y ≤ 2.0 was synthesized by the high-temperature reaction in the air from mixtures of α-Y₈V₂O₁₇ with Yb₈V₂O₁₇. The new Y_8-yYb_yV₂O₁₇ were characterized by powder XRD, DTA–TGA, IR, UV–vis-DRS and SEM methods. The structure, thermal stability, unit cell volume, band gap energies as well as the position of the IR absorption bands in the spectrum of Y_8-yYb_yV₂O₁₇ were determined. The solid solution was established to have the same structure as β-Y₈V₂O₁₇ and it was found that with increasing concentration of Yb³⁺ ions in its crystal lattice the volume of its unit cell decreases along with its energy gap decreasing to 2.4 eV (for y = 2.0), while the IR absorption bands are shifted towards higher wavenumbers. The morphologies of the high temperature polymorph of Y₈V₂O₁₇ and solid solution were analyzed.