Search

Vasorelaxant and antiplatelet agents play an important role in preventing and combating endothelial dysfunction, atherosclerosis and a plethora of associated cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). CVDs are the leading cause of death worldwide and nowadays occur not only in developed but also in developing societies. They include, among others, coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease and peripheral artery disease. Due to their high prevalence, it is important to seek efficient preventive measures, such as lifestyle changes and the implementation of appropriate herbal dietary supplementation and treatment alternatives. Plant-derived quinones have recently drawn researchers' attention due to their interesting biological potential. Embelin and rapanone are two plant-derived benzoquinones with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Embelin has already been shown to have vasorelaxant and antiplatelet activity, but little is known about rapanone in the context of CVDs. Therefore, we decided to comparatively evaluate their activity in a specially designed experimental protocol. Following the isolation of both benzoquinones from plant sources (rapanone from Ardisia crenata leaves; embelin from Lysimachia punctata roots), their effects were comparatively assessed in a biofunctional study on isolated rat aorta (precontracted with phenylephrine) and in vitro on platelet aggregation. Both benzoquinones showed 50% vasorelaxation in an NO-dependent manner. Interestingly, rapanone was slightly more effective as an antiplatelet agent than embelin. The antiplatelet effect of both benzoquinones was specific, as no cytotoxicity towards platelets was observed at the concentrations tested. This is the first report on the vasorelaxant and antiplatelet activity of rapanone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genipin is a non-glycosidic iridoid isolated mainly from the fruits of Gardenia jasminoides and Genipa americana. It is the active ingredient in extracts from these plants, responsible for their anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective effects. In several in vitro tests, its anti-proliferative activity against tumour cell lines has been demonstrated, and due to its ability to specifically inhibit the UCP2 protein and inhibit STAT3 activation, a significant increase in the cytotoxicity of several anticancer drugs was observed in co-treatment with genipin. In recent years, the importance of genipin has increased due to the possibility of using this iridoid as a biocompatible and low cytotoxicity potent crosslinking agent in the manufacture of dressings, in tissue engineering, as a component of a drug carrier system and in the production of food packaging. Genipin is also a substrate in the production of a blue pigment used as a food additive and fabric pigment, and other applications. Due to documented cases of hepatotoxicity, genipin and the blue pigment derived from it are being investigated for effective and safe therapeutic and non-drug use. The current paper discusses selected aspects of chemistry, activity and use of this interesting compound. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants from the Amaranthaceae family are a source of oleanolic acid (OA)-type saponins with cytotoxic activity. Two known OA-type saponins, calenduloside E and chikusetsusaponin IVa, were isolated from the roots of Chenopodium strictum Roth. Their structures were confirmed using MS and NMR techniques. This constitutes the inaugural report of the saponins in Ch. strictum. Both the isolated saponins and structurally similar compounds, momordin Ic and OA, were compared for their cytotoxicity against various cancer and normal cell lines (including skin, breast, thyroid, gastrointestinal, and prostate panels). Their effects were dose- and time-dependent, varying with the specific cell line and compound structure. A chemometric approach demonstrated the effects of the compounds on the cell lines. The study discusses the structure–activity observations. The key structural elements for potent cytotoxic activity included the free carboxyl group 28COOH in the sapogenin structure (OA) and the presence of a sugar moiety. The monodesmosides with glucuronic acid (GlcA) at the C3 position of OA were generally more cytotoxic than bidesmosides or OA alone. The addition of xylose in the sugar chain modified the activity towards the cancer cells depending on the specific cell line. OA-type saponins with GlcA (particularly calenduloside E and momordin Ic) represent a promising avenue for further investigation as potential anticancer agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the phytochemical composition and biological activities of hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) leaves, flowers' methanolic extracts from the Sofia variety, and its sprouts cultivated under different light conditions (natural light, darkness, blue, and white LED light for 5, 7, and 9 days). Phytochemical analysis using HPLC identified four key polyphenolic compounds in sprouts' extracts: chlorogenic, caffeic, and gallic acids, and myricetin, with a predomination of the chlorogenic acid. In contrast, leaves and flowers' extracts contained cannflavins A and B and chlorogenic, p-coumaric, and ferulic acids, with a significant presence of isochlorogenic acid. Antioxidant capacity, assessed by FRAP method, revealed higher antioxidant potential in leaves compared to flowers and sprouts, with sprouts grown under blue and white LED lights exhibiting the highest activity. Cytotoxic activity was evaluated on human colon cancer cell lines (HT29, HCT116, DLD-1) and normal colon epithelial cells (CCD 841 CoN). Results demonstrated significant and selective cytotoxicity against cancer cell lines, with leaves showing more pronounced effects than flowers, and sprouts only moderate activity. All samples revealed an anti-inflammatory effect in vitro. To conclude, sprouts, leaves, and flowers of the Sofia hemp may be considered promising products for chemoprevention in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a comprehensive review of recent advancements in computational methods for modeling, simulation, and optimization of complex systems in materials engineering, mechanical engineering, and energy systems. We identified key trends and highlighted the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) with traditional computational methods. Some of the cited works were previously published within the topic: "Computational Methods: Modeling, Simulations, and Optimization of Complex Systems"; thus, this article compiles the latest reports from this field. The work presents various contemporary applications of advanced computational algorithms, including AI methods. It also introduces proposals for novel strategies in materials production and optimization methods within the energy systems domain. It is essential to optimize the properties of materials used in energy. Our findings demonstrate significant improvements in accuracy and efficiency, offering valuable insights for researchers and practitioners. This review contributes to the field by synthesizing state-of-the-art developments and suggesting directions for future research, underscoring the critical role of these methods in advancing engineering and technological solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants from the Fabaceae family are widely distributed around the world, especially in Europe, Asia and North America. They are a rich source of isoflavones, compounds with estrogen-like activity, which are suspected of having a chemopreventive effect against hormone-dependent cancers. Following the PRISMA guidelines, we conducted a systematic review aimed at assessing the impact of Fabaceae plant extracts on hormone-dependent cancer cells and the content of active compounds in plant raw materials. We analyzed the results of 63 articles from in vitro and in vivo studies describing the effect of plant extracts containing isoflavones on cancer cells, along with their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant potential. In the process, we determined the research limitations and future research directions. The collected results indicate the plant species with potentially high contents of phytoestrogens and anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and cytotoxic properties. They point to the potential use of plants in the diet as a source of compounds offering cancer prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adsorption cooling and desalination systems have a distinct advantage over other systems that use low‐grade waste heat near ambient temperature. Since improving their performance, including reliability and failure prediction, is challenging, developing an efficient diagnostic system is of great practical significance. The paper introduces artificial intelligence (AI) and an automated machine learning approach (AutoML) in a real‐life application for a computational diagnostic system of existing adsorption cooling and desalination facilities. A total of 1769 simulated data points containing data indicating a failure status are applied to develop a comprehensive AI‐based Diagnostic (AID) system covering a wide range of 42 input parameters. The paper introduces a conditional monitoring system for adsorption cooling and desalination systems. The novelty of the presented study mainly consists of two aspects. First, the intelligent system predicts the health or failure states of various components in a complex three‐bed adsorption chiller installation using the extensive input data sets of 42 different operating parameters. The developed AID expert tool, based on selecting the best from 42 models generated by the DataRobot platform, was validated on the complex, existing three‐bed adsorption chiller. The AID system correctly identified healthy and failure states in various installation components. The developed expert system is very efficient (AUC = 0.988, RMSE = 0.20, LogLoss = 0.14) in predicting emergency states. The proposed method constitutes a quick and easy technique for failure prediction and represents a complementary tool compared to the other condition monitoring methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable development policy focuses on reducing the carbon footprint generated by the global industry and energy sector. Replacing conventional energy sources with environmentally friendly ones requires advanced research to increase energy efficiency and reduce the instability and intermittence of renewable sources. Moreover, adsorption chillers are an opportunity to introduce net-zero emission technologies to the refrigeration, air-conditioning, and desalination industries. Adsorption devices could be popularized if a method of effective heat transfer in the volume of the adsorption bed is developed. The innovative concept of introducing fluidized beds into the adsorption system can achieve the most promising results in improving energy efficiency. To confirm the adopted assumption, heat transfer coefficient calculations for the packed and fluidized bed were carried out in this paper based on experimental tests and literature data. The empirical research aims to extend the fundamental knowledge in the implementation of fluidization under low-pressure conditions, characteristic of the adsorption systems' working cycle. Experiments were conducted on a unique test stand equipped with the Intensified Heat Transfer Adsorption Bed (IHTAB) reactor prototype. Five adsorption bed samples were analyzed. The reference sample consisted only of silica gel, and the subsequent ones contained aluminum or carbon nanotubes with 5 and 10% additions. In the case of samples with admixtures, the fluidized state increased the heat transfer coefficient on average from approx. 36.9 W/m2 K to approx. 245.4 W/m2 K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hidden hunger, also known as micronutrient deficiency, is a form of undernutrition, which is exacerbated when food security is fragile. However, the amount of phytonutrients in the diet can be increased by using underutilized species, such as fresh mint greens (Mentha). These plants have a high biological value due to the high content of biologically active substances. Plants of the genus Mentha, however, differ significantly in their chemical composition and, thus, nutritional value. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the content of phytonutrients in different Ukrainian species of mint: peppermint (Mentha piperita), horsemint (Mentha longifolia L.), silver-leaved horsemint (Mentha longifolia S.), and spearmint (Mentha spicata L.), and to determine their stability after drying and freezing. After studying the chemical composition of fresh, dried, and frozen plants of these species, it was established that Ukrainian mint species offer a robust set of phytonutrients and can be used as ingredients of the so-called "functional foods." The biologically active substances in mint are concentrated during drying. Moreover, such raw materials are easily stored and used as an ingredient. However, the losses of ascorbic acid due to drying mint reach 70%; of carotenoids—approximately 10–15%; of chlorophylls—21–38%; and of phenols—19–29%. Peppermint and spearmint were observed to have higher stability of biologically active compounds. As for the freezing, the best stability of the chemical composition was demonstrated by field mint and spearmint samples. Therefore, a targeted selection of mint types and varieties prior to processing will allow preserving maximal preservation of a maximum amount of biologically active substances, increasing the content of phytonutrients in finished products, and preventing the development of hidden hunger. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents an innovative concept of the fluidization of an adsorption bed carried out under low-pressure conditions. Additionally, different bed mixes were used to test the effects of the bed composition on fluidization. Fluidization was caused by the pressure difference and the velocity of the flowing water vapor. These features make the research presented in this article significantly different from other studies known in the literature and constitute the main novelty of the paper. Silica gel with a particle diameter of 200–250 µm (Geldart group B) with aluminum and carbon nanotube additives was fluidized under reduced pressure (10–25 mbar). The pressure difference results in the flow of water vapor and, consequently, induces fluidization. The pressure in the evaporator was approx. 10 mbar, while in the reaction chamber it was approx. 25 mbar. The pressure difference of about 10–15 mbar allows for a flow of water vapor between the evaporator and the reaction chamber. During the tests, the pressures, temperatures and mass were measured. The pressure drop in the bed was closely related to the mass change in the fluidized bed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-term forecasts indicate that the annual increases in electricity demand by 2030 will be approx. 2 ÷ 3% a year. At present, 40% of the world's electricity is produced using coal-fired power plants. Forecasts indicate that coal will still be the predominant fuel used to produce electricity and thus any actions aimed at increasing the efficiency of electricity production are purposeful. Enormous amounts of waste heat, which is not sufficiently used, are released during the process of electricity production. One of the ways to manage it is to use refrigeration systems based on adsorption chillers which would use waste heat to generate cold that would be employed for air-conditioning or process purposes. In this paper, the cycle of a conventional coal-fired power plant was modelled and then the possibilities of using waste heat for generation of cold as well as the impact of a chiller on the operation of a power unit were analysed using IPSEpro software.

More efficient use of the primary energy contained in fuels translates into tangible earnings for power plants while reductions in the amounts of fuel burned, and of non-renewable resources in particular, certainly have a favourable impact on the natural environment. The main aim of the paper is to investigate the contribution of theuse of adsorption chillers to improve the production energy efficiencyin combined cycle gas turbine. Simulation calculations were performed using Sim tech's IPSEPro software.

According to predictions, electricity consumption in developed countries will increase three times by 2020 compared with 1970. In contrast, in developing countries, where the population may double by 2020 relative to 1970, there may even be a twentyfold increase in electricity consumption [1]. Other sources predict that increases in electricity demand by 2030 will be approx. 2 ÷ 3% a year. With such a high rate of development of the world economy, the electricity demand will be increasing. Thus, using only renewable sources to satisfy the demand for energy is insufficient and will remain so in the near future. Coal will remain the predominant fuel used to produce electricity. One of the ways to reduce the adverse effect of fossil fuels on the natural environment is to increase the efficiency of use of primary energy. Electricity production is associated with large losses, including in the form of heat which can be used to produce cold with adsorption chillers that can be powered by low-temperature heat. The paper presents the possibility to employ adsorption chillers in power units in order to increase the efficiency of electricity production. Simulation calculations were performed using Sim tech’s IPSEPro software.

An innovative idea, shown in the paper constitutes in the use of the fluidized bed of sorbent, instead of the conventional, fixed-bed, commonly used in the adsorption chillers. Bed–to–wall heat transfer coefficients for fixed and fluidized beds of adsorbent are determined. Sorbent particles diameters and velocities of fluidizing gas are discussed in the study. The calculations confirmed, that the bed–to–wall heat transfer coefficient in the fluidized bed of adsorbent is muchhigher than that in a conventional bed.

Adsorption heat pumps are becoming increasingly popular. Due to their design, they enable application of low-temperature heat sources. Evaporators for adsorption chillers make one of the basic design elements determining the correct operation of these devices. The specificity of operation in low pressures and temperatures is the reason why their design significantly differs from that of conventional evaporators. The pluralities of existing solutions as well as the lack of a systematic review of them cause difficulties in correct evaluation and choice of design. The paper presents the current state of art as well as a review of the existing solutions of evaporators used in adsorption heat pumps. The purpose of the review research is to present various solutions of evaporators as well as indicating their advantages and disadvantages in order facilitate the choice of the optimal design.

Saponins are plant metabolites that possess multidirectional biological activities, among these is antitumor potential. The mechanisms of anticancer activity of saponins are very complex and depend on various factors, including the chemical structure of saponins and the type of cell they target. The ability of saponins to enhance the efficacy of various chemotherapeutics has opened new perspectives for using them in combined anticancer chemotherapy. Co-administration of saponins with targeted toxins makes it possible to reduce the dose of the toxin and thus limit the side effects of overall therapy by mediating endosomal escape. Our study indicates that the saponin fraction CIL1 of Lysimachia ciliata L. can improve the efficacy of the EGFR-targeted toxin dianthin (DE). We investigated the effect of cotreatment with CIL1 + DE on cell viability in a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, on proliferation in a crystal violet assay (CV) and on pro-apoptotic activity using Annexin V/7 Actinomycin D (7-AAD) staining and luminescence detection of caspase levels. Cotreatment with CIL1 + DE enhanced the target cell-specific cytotoxicity, as well as the antiproliferative and proapoptotic properties. We found a 2200-fold increase in both the cytotoxic and antiproliferative efficacy of CIL1 + DE against HER14-targeted cells, while the effect on control NIH3T3 off-target cells was less profound (6.9- or 5.4-fold, respectively). Furthermore, we demonstrated that the CIL1 saponin fraction has a satisfactory in vitro safety profile with a lack of cytotoxic and mutagenic potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, artificial intelligence has become increasingly popular and is more often used by scientists and entrepreneurs. The rapid development of electronics and computer science is conducive to developing this field of science. Man needs intelligent machines to create and discover new relationships in the world, so AI is beginning to reach various areas of science, such as medicine, economics, management, and the power industry. Artificial intelligence is one of the most exciting directions in the development of computer science, which absorbs a considerable amount of human enthusiasm and the latest achievements in computer technology. This article was dedicated to the practical use of artificial neural networks. The article discusses the development of neural networks in the years 1940–2022, presenting the most important publications from these years and discussing the latest achievements in the use of artificial intelligence. One of the chapters focuses on the use of artificial intelligence in energy processes and systems. The article also discusses the possible directions for the future development of neural networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twenty-five years have passed since the discovery of the orexin system, during which time we have learned more and more about it. A number of studies have been conducted showing the role of the orexin system in insomnia, as well as its potential use in the treatment of obesity and depression. In this review, we present the role of the orexin system in the development of depressive illness and show the characteristics of seltorexant, a potential drug for the treatment of depression. This review describes the structure and synthesis of the compound as well as its pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics. Pre-clinical and clinical studies are also described, including side effects. There is evidence that the use of seltorexant is considered safe, with no clear or major clinically significant side effects, which makes it a promising candidate for the treatment of depression and anxiety disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cuphea P. Browne (Lythraceae) is a monophyletic taxon comprising some 240–260 species that grow wild in the warm, temperate, and tropical regions of South and Central America and the southern part of North America. They have been valued as traditional medicinal remedies for numerous indications, including treating wounds, parasitic infections, hypertension, digestive disorders, cough, rheumatism, and pain. Modern pharmacological research provides data that support many of these traditional uses. Such a wide array of medicinal applications may be due to the exceptionally rich phytochemical profile of these plants, which includes bioactive compounds classified into various metabolite groups, such as polyphenols, triterpenes, alkaloids, and coumarins. Furthermore, Cuphea seed oils, containing medium-chain fatty acids, are of increasing interest in various industries as potential substitutes for coconut and palm oils. This review aims to summarize the results of phytochemical and pharmacological studies on Cuphea plants, with a particular focus on the therapeutic potential and molecular mechanisms of the action of polyphenolic compounds (especially flavonoids and tannins), which have been the subject of many recently published articles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inflammation is a response of the organism to an external factor that disrupts its natural homeostasis, and it helps to eliminate the cause of tissue injury. However, sometimes the body's response is highly inadequate and the inflammation may become chronic. Thus, the search for novel anti-inflammatory agents is still needed. One of the groups of natural compounds that attract interest in this context is lichen metabolites, with usnic acid (UA) as the most promising candidate. The compound reveals a broad spectrum of pharmacological properties, among which anti-inflammatory properties have been studied both in vitro and in vivo. The aim of this review was to gather and critically evaluate the results of the so-far published data on the anti-inflammatory properties of UA. Despite some limitations and shortcomings of the studies included in this review, it can be concluded that UA has interesting anti-inflammatory potential. Further research should be directed at the (i) elucidation of the molecular mechanism of UA; (ii) verification of its safety; (iii) comparison of the efficacy and toxicity of UA enantiomers; (iv) design of UA derivatives with improved physicochemical properties and pharmacological activity; and (v) use of certain forms or delivery carriers of UA, especially in its topical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A distinct advantage of adsorption chillers is their ability to be driven by heat of near ambient temperature. However the performance of the thermally driven adsorption systems is lower than that of other heat driven heating/cooling systems. It is the result of a poor heat transfer coefficient between the bed and the immersed heating surfaces of a built-in heat exchanger system. The aim of this work is to study the effect of thermal conductance values as well as other design parameters on the performance of a re-heat two-stage adsorption chiller. One of the main energy efficiency factors in cooling production, i.e. cooling capacity (CC) for wide-range of both design and operating parameters is analyzed in the paper. Moreover, the work introduces artificial intelligence (AI) approach for the optimization study of the adsorption cooler. The Adaptive Neuro – Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) was employed in the work. The developed ANFIS model can be applied for optimizations purposes and may constitute a submodel or a separate module in engineering calculations, capable to predict the CC of the re-heat two-stage adsorption chiller.

Waste heat utilisation and its reclamation is important for increasing the efficiency of the electric power production and for decreased consumption of primary energy. Waste heat can be utilised for the electric power production or for manufacturing and processing purposes. According to long-term forecasts, the consumption of electric power with current consumption of about 150 TWh, can be increased to about 230 TWh in around 2040, what may lead to the increased energy consumption from fuels and the increased emission of harmful contaminants to the atmosphere. The cement subsector, next to the glass industry, is among the most power-consuming industries, and it consumes about 12-15% of total energy consumed by industry in total, whereas the CO2 emission from such industry exceeds about 5% in worldwide scale. In the cement sector, there is an increasing need for useful reclamation of waste energy, in order to obtain high energy-saving factors, and hence the financial and environmental benefits. In this paper the chances for waste energy reclamation from a rotary kiln are presented, with means of the used adsorption chillers.

Worldwide tendencies in the scope of environmental protection demonstrate the requirement for the limited carbon dioxide emission, that influences on the development of greenhouse effect. As a result of coal as a basic fuel used in the professional power industry, this industry sector is the greatest CO2 polluter and it means that works on the reduction of carbon dioxide in such industry are completely justified. In the IPSEpro programming environment, a reference block model for a conventional coal power station was elaborated, including the CO2 separation unit basing on the adsorption methods with the CO2 preparation installation to liquid state. Simulation researches were conducted with means of numeric techniques, that enabled the system analysis for the CO2 separation unit with the CO2 preparation system to the liquid state, as well as analysis was made for the use of chiller systems, basing on the adsorption technology for waste heat use originating from the compression of CO2 in a cascade system, as well as for potential opportunities for further exploitation of the produced chilled water in the CCS cycle. We analysed in these papers the opportunities for chiller systems application, based on the adsorption chillers in the CCS installation used for the reduction of CO2 emission in the coal power station and its influence on the operation of a power station cycle.

Computational methods have been widely applied in conjugate heat transfer analysis. The very first and crucial step in such research is the meshing process which consists in dividing the analysed geometry into numerous small control volumes (cells). In Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) applications it is desirable to use the hexahedral cells as the resulting mesh is characterized by low numerical diffusion. Unfortunately generating such mesh can be a very time-consuming task and in case of complicated geometry - it may not be possible to generate cells of good quality. Therefore tetrahedral cells have been implemented into commercial pre-processors. Their advantage is the ease of its generation even in case of very complex geometry. On the other hand tetrahedrons cannot be stretched excessively without decreasing the mesh quality factor, so significantly larger number of cells has to be used in comparison to hexahedral mesh in order to achieve a reasonable accuracy. Moreover the numerical diffusion of tetrahedral elements is significantly higher. Therefore the polyhedral cells are proposed within the paper in order to combine the advantages of hexahedrons (low numerical diffusion resulting in accurate solution) and tetrahedrons (rapid semi-automatic generation) as well as to overcome the disadvantages of both the above mentioned mesh types. The major benefit of polyhedral mesh is that each individual cell has many neighbours, so gradients can be well approximated. Polyhedrons are also less sensitive to stretching than tetrahedrons which results in better mesh quality leading to improved numerical stability of the model. In addition, numerical diffusion is reduced due to mass exchange over numerous faces. This leads to a more accurate solution achieved with a lower cell count. Therefore detailed comparison of numerical modelling results concerning conjugate heat transfer using tetrahedral and polyhedral meshes is presented in the paper.

The simultaneous production of electricity, heat and cooling, the so-called trigeneration, allows for substantial savings in the chemical energy of fuels. More efficient use of the primary energy contained in fuels translates into tangible earnings for power plants while reductions in the amounts of fuel burned, and of non-renewable resources in particular, certainly have a favourable impact on the natural environment. The main aim of the above-described project was to analyse the influence of use adsorption contacted to conventional CHP power plant. An adsorption chiller is an item of industrial equipment that is driven by low grade heat and intended to produce chilled water and desalinated water. Adsorption chillers ACH can by used for utilization heat from many industrial process where temperature medium is too low for use absorption chillers. In this article modelled the cycle of a conventional heat power plant integrated with an adsorption chiller-based plant. Multi-variant simulation calculations were performed using IPSEpro simulation software.

Adsorption chillers can be a promising part of sustainable development concept of the global economy due to the utilization of low grade thermal energy sources for cooling production. Therefore, research aiming at improving their performance i.e. Coefficient of Performance (COP) by optimizing the heat and mass transfer condition in the adsorption beds are crucial. Innovative modification of the sorbent layer structure are proposed in the paper in order to improve the heat transfer characteristics in the heat exchanger boundary layer. The analysis of desorption conditions in the parametric model of a coated adsorption bed construction is presented in the paper. The computational fluid dynamics with conjugate heat transfer analysis are used to determine the crucial input parameters for further analytical calculations. The heat transfer condition in novel coated design and a conventional fixed bed are compared in the paper. The developed computational model consisted of three subdomains representing heating water, heat exchanger material (copper) and sorbent (silica gel).

The genus Atriplex provides species that are used as food and natural remedies. In this work, the levels of soluble phenolic acids (free and conjugated) and flavonoids in extracts from roots, stems, leaves and flowers of the unexplored Atriplex sagittata Borkh were investigated by LC-ESI-MS/MS, together with their antioxidant and antihyaluronidase activity. Phenolic acids were present in all parts of A. sagittata; and were most abundant in the leaves (225.24 μg/g dw.), whereas the highest content of flavonoids were found in the flowers (242.71 μg/g dw.). The most common phenolics were 4-hydroxybenzoic and salicylic acids, kaempferol-3-glucoside-7-rhamnoside, kaempferol-3-rutinoside and the rare narcissoside, which was present in almost all morphotic parts. The stem extract had the highest antioxidant activity and total phenolic content (611.86 mg/100 g dw.), whereas flower extract exerted the most potent antihyaluronidase effect (IC50 = 84.67 µg/mL; control—quercetin: IC50 = 514.28 μg/mL). Phytochemical analysis of the flower extract led to the isolation of two triterpene saponins that were shown to be strong hyaluronidase inhibitors (IC50 = 33.77 and 168.15 µg/mL; control—escin: IC50 = 307.38 µg/mL). This is the first report on the presence of phenolics and saponins in A. sagittata. The results suggest that both groups of metabolites may contribute to the overall activity of this plant species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experimental results presented in the paper and achieved using real datasets from Shanghai Telecom indicate that DQN-ESPA outperforms state-of-the-art algorithms such as the simulated annealing placement algorithm, Top-K placement algorithm, K-Means placement algorithm, and random placement algorithm. High-performance supercomputers and emerging computing clusters created in research and development centres are rapidly increasing available computing power, which scientists are eager to use to implement increasingly advanced computing methods [[1]]. Thus, computationally demanding artificial intelligence algorithms and computational fluid dynamics methods are used more widely to consider complex engineering issues and verify and provide new information on entropy or information theory concepts [[2]]. As can be seen above, the original research articles, as well as review articles focused on optimization by artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms on computational and entropy issues, have been submitted to the Special Issue. [Extracted from the article]

Nowadays, stressful situations are an unavoidable element of everyday life. Stressors activate a number of complex mental and physiological reactions in the organism, thus affecting the state of health of an individual. Stress is the main risk factor in the development of mental disorders, such as depression and other disorders developing as a result of addiction. Studies indicate that women are twice as likely as men to develop anxiety, depression and therefore addiction, e.g., to nicotine. Even though the data presented is indicative of significant differences between the sexes in the prevalence of these disorders, the majority of preclinical animal models for investigating stress-induced disorders use predominantly male subjects. However, the recent data indicates that this type of studies has also been launched in female rodents. Therefore, conducting research on both sexes allows for a more accurate understanding and assessment of the impact of stress on stress-induced behavioral, peripheral and molecular changes in the body and brain. In this manuscript we have gathered the data from 41 years (from 1981–2022) on the influence of stress on the development of depression and nicotine addiction in both sexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advanced possibili ties of using the fini te element me thod (FEM) in the process of designing a mobile chipper were presented. The usefulness of vibration analysis with FEM in assessing the stability of a structure subjected to forces of variable and undetermined frequency was demonstrated. Based on hybrid analytical and numerical calculations, a, the proper accuracy of the calculations was shown and justification of using FEM to calculate the structure loaded with periodically changing forces was confirmed. Advanced possibilities of using the finite element method (FEM) in the process of designing a mobile chipper were presented. The usefulness of the FEM analysis of vibrations in assessing the stability of a structure subjected to variable and unsteady frequency excitation was demonstrated. On the basis of the hybrid calculations - analytical and numerical, the proper accuracy of the calculations was demonstrated and the purposefulness of using the FEM method for the calculations of the structure loaded with periodically changing forces was confirmed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]