Artificial Intelligence for Energy Processes and Systems: Applications and Perspectives

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

Constant activity of glutamine synthetase after morphine administration versus proteomic results

Glutamine synthetase is a key enzyme which has a regulatory role in the brain glutamate pool. According to previously published proteomic analysis, it was shown that the expression level of this enzyme is affected by morphine administration. In our study, we examined the activity of glutamine synthetase in various structures of rat brain (cortex, striatum, hippocampus and spinal cord) that are biochemically and functionally involved in drug addiction and antinociception caused by morphine. We were not able to observe any significant changes in the enzyme activity between morphine-treated and control samples despite previously reported changes in the expression levels of this enzyme. These findings stressed the fact that changes observed in the expression of particular proteins during proteomic studies may not be correlated with its activity

Game Based Learning on Urban Sustainability: The "Sustain" Project

SUSTAIN is an ERASMUS+ project with an innovative perspective on urban sustainability. Its target is to promote the importance of sustainability on the everyday problems of the cities among the students of higher education, which are the policy makers of tomorrow and the ones that will shape the future. In order to achieve its goals, the research team will develop a course that will be based on an interactive game with an analytical style of education. This game will allow students to learn about transportation sustainability and societal metabolism through playing. In addition, the research team will develop small and illustrative simulation models, which will make the definitions more concrete and allow students to experiment in a consequence-free environment. It is a quite innovative and hybrid perspective way of learning, in the sense that it will combine game-based learning with a cognitive and analytical style of education

Minimally-destructive atmospheric ionisation mass spectrometry authenticates authorship of historical manuscripts

Authentic historic manuscripts fetch high sums, but establishing their authenticity is challenging, relies on a host of stylistic clues and requires expert knowledge. High resolution mass spectrometry has not, until now, been applied to guide the authentication of historic manuscripts. Robert Burns is a well-known Scottish poet, whose fame, and the eponymous ‘Burns Night’ are celebrated world-wide. Authenticity of his works is complicated by the ‘industrial’ production of fakes by Alexander Smith in the 1890s, many of which were of good quality and capable of fooling experts. This study represents the first analysis of the inks and paper used in Burns poetry, in a minimally destructive manner that could find application in many areas. Applying direct infusion mass spectrometry to a panel of selected authenticated Burns and Smith manuscripts, we have produced a Support Vector Machine classifier that distinguishes Burns from Smith with a 0.77 AUC. Using contemporary recipes for inks, we were also able to match features of each to the inks used to produce some of Burns’ original manuscripts. We anticipate the method and classifier having broad application in authentication of manuscripts, and our analysis of contemporary inks to provide insights into the production of written works of art

Immunological mechanism of action and clinical profile of disease-modifying treatments in multiple sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a life-long, potentially debilitating disease of the central nervous system (CNS). MS is considered to be an immune-mediated disease, and the presence of autoreactive peripheral lymphocytes in CNS compartments is believed to be critical in the process of demyelination and tissue damage in MS. Although MS is not currently a curable disease, several disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) are now available, or are in development. These DMTs are all thought to primarily suppress autoimmune activity within the CNS. Each therapy has its own mechanism of action (MoA) and, as a consequence, each has a different efficacy and safety profile. Neurologists can now select therapies on a more individual, patient-tailored basis, with the aim of maximizing potential for long-term efficacy without interruptions in treatment. The MoA and clinical profile of MS therapies are important considerations when making that choice or when switching therapies due to suboptimal disease response. This article therefore reviews the known and putative immunological MoAs alongside a summary of the clinical profile of therapies approved for relapsing forms of MS, and those in late-stage development, based on published data from pivotal randomized, controlled trials

Effect of pre-drying temperature on content of glycoalcaloids and nitrates (V) during laboratory production of dehydrated cooked potatoes

Celem pracy było określenie wpływu różnych temperatur podsuszania, stosowanych podczas laboratoryjnej produkcji suszu z ziemniaków gotowanych, na zawartość glikoalkaloidów (α-chakoniny i α-solaniny) i azotanów(V) w próbach pobranych z poszczególnych etapów doświadczenia technologicznego. Materiałem badawczym były ziemniaki pobierane bezpośrednio z przechowalni zakładu produkcyjnego. Z ziemniaków otrzymywano susz metodą laboratoryjną. Z każdego etapu produkcyjnego pobierano próby do oznaczeń laboratoryjnych, czyli: ziemniaki nieobrane, po obraniu, po blanszowaniu i schłodzeniu, po parowaniu oraz po wysuszeniu. Próby, oprócz ziemniaków wysuszonych, liofilizowano przy użyciu liofilizatora firmy Edwards. W ziemniakach, półproduktach, w produktach finalnych oraz w liofilizatach oznaczono suchą masę metodą suszarkową w temperaturze 102 ºC. W gotowych i zliofilizowanych produktach oznaczono zawartość azotanów(V) metodą kolorymetryczną, a zawartość α-solaniny i α-chakoniny metodą chromatografii cieczowej HPLC. Stwierdzono, że proces laboratoryjnej produkcji suszu z ziemniaka gotowanego miał wpływ na zawartość glikoalkaloidów i azotanów(V) w ziemniakach. Najwięcej glikoalkaloidów i azotanów ubyło po procesie obierania, blanszowania i suszenia. Ubytki glikoalkaloidów po procesie obierania ręcznego wynosiły 49 %, po blanszowaniu 7 %, a po wysuszeniu 10 %. Natomiast zawartość azotanów(V) po obraniu zmniejszyła się o 28 %, po blanszowaniu o 16 %, a po wysuszeniu o 17 %. Podsuszanie ziemniaków w różnych temperaturach wpłynęło na zmiany zawartości glikoalkaloidów w próbach. Najwięcej tych związków ubyło w temperaturze 160 ºC. Różnice pod względem zawartości α-chakoniny wynosiły 19 % (między produktem podsuszanym w temp. 130 i 160 ºC), a α-solaniny 23 %, natomiast temperatury podsuszania nie wpłynęły na zawartość azotanów. W gotowych produktach pozostało około 22 % początkowej zawartości α-chakoniny, 25 % α-solaniny i 28 % azotanów.The objective of this research study was to determine the effect of different pre-drying temperatures, applied during the laboratory production of dehydrated cooked potatoes, on the content of glycoalkaloids (α-chaconine and α-solanine) and nitrates(V) in the samples taken from individual phases of the technological experiment. The research material included potatoes taken directly in the production plant’s storage facility. Dried potatoes were produced using a laboratory method. Potato samples for assays in the laboratory were taken from every individual production phase, i.e.: unpeeled potatoes and potatoes after peeling, blanching, and cooling, as well as after steaming and drying. Except for the dried potatoes, the potato samples were lyophilized with the use of a liophilizator made by an Edwards Company. The content of dry matter was determined in the potatoes, semi-finished products, ready-to-eat products, and lyophilized products using a drying method at a temperature of 102 ºC. The content of nitrates(V) in the ready and lyophilized products was determined using a colorimetric method, and the content of α-solanine and α-chaconine therein by a liquid chromatography method (HPLC). It was found that the process of laboratory production of dehydrated cooked potato impacted the content of glycoalkaloids and nitrates(V) in the potatoes. After the peeling, blanching, and drying processes, the decrease in the content of glycoalkaloids and nitrates (V) was the highest. After the manual peeling process, the decrease in the content of glycoalkaloids was 49 %, after blanching: 7 %, and after drying: 10 %. However, the content of nitrates(V) after blanching decreased by 28 %, after blanching by 16 %, and after drying by 17 %. The pre-drying of the potatoes at different temperatures impacted the changes in the content of glycoalkaloids in the samples. The highest decrease in the content of those compounds took place at a temperature of 160 ºC. The differences as regards the content of α-chaconine were 19 % (between the product dried at a temperature of 130 ºC and 160 ºC), and as regards the content of α-solanine, those differences amounted to 23 %; yet, the temperatures did not impact the content of nitrates(V). In the ready-to-eat products, the content of α-chaconine remaining after the processes performed was ca. 22 % of its initial content, the content of α-solanine was 25 %, and of nitrates(V) was 28 %