bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
POWER OF NANOPORE ANALYSIS FOR SUSTAINABLE AND EFFICIENT DIAGNOSTICS
Authors: Soldanescu Iuliana , Dimian Mihai
Published: April 2024

Nanopore technology has become widely used because of its ability to analyze molecules at an individual level, so we are seeing a dynamic development in the use of nanopores to analyze biological molecules. In 2014, the first commercial nanopore-based device capable of sequencing long strands of DNA or RNA. While the system appears to be working well, signal analysis still has barriers. The main advantage of nanopore sequencing is that it can study the structure of a single molecule and generate reads many times longer than genotyping methods. The nanopore analysis technique is low-energy and consumables are minimal, as samples in the order of tens of microliters are used, significantly reducing reagent requirements compared to traditional methods. In addition, the technique is targeted at the single molecule level, which can make it an accurate diagnostic method. Another advantage of nanopore analysis is its portability and the variety of samples that can be analyzed, making it a versatile technique for different areas of research. Using nanopores as a diagnostic tool can provide rapid diagnosis at the point of patient care without requiring significant material resources. This method is also environmentally sustainable, as it uses low levels of electricity and material waste, and could help reduce medical laboratories' environmental impact. Clinical laboratories are a factor that negatively impacts the planet's ecology, using equipment with a significant amount of electricity, chemical reagents, and disposable containers. Approaches to solving the problems are minimal, probably because it is difficult to do without certain facilities when it comes to health. We aim to highlight the importance of reducing energy and consumables consumption in medical laboratories by introducing an innovative solution, the nanopore analysis technique which has multiple benefits in terms of both medical and energy efficiency.
PRELIMINARY RESEARCH REGARDING THE IMPACT OF MOISTURE CONTENT ON NUTRITIONAL PARAMETERS OF NETTLE POWDER
Authors: Velciov Briana - Bianca , Rada Maria , Virgil -Dacian Lalescu , Stoin Daniela , Suciu Aliodor Marius
Published: April 2024

Nettle leaf powder is an excellent source of nutritional compounds (proteins, minerals, fibers, carbohydrates) and biologically active compounds: terpenoids, carotenoids, fatty acids, various polyphenolic compounds, essential amino acids, chlorophyll, vitamins, etc., essential for the health of the human body. Therefore, nettle powder could be used as a nutritional supplement. The nutritional quality of the nettle powder can be influenced by the drying technique of the nettle leaves, respectively by the water content of the final product. This study aims to evaluate the nutritional content of nettle powder obtained by drying nettle leaves through three drying processes. Basically, the variation of moisture, ash, protein, fiber and carbohydrate content of nettle leaf powder obtained by drying was observed in case of fresh leaves of wild nettle (Urtica dioica L.) from the spontaneous flora, using three drying methods: shade drying (SHD), sun drying (SD) and oven drying (OD). The obtained results show that the nettle leaf powder obtained under the conditions of this experiment contains important amounts of nutritional compounds. This research provides evidence that nettle leaf powder contains greatly increased amounts of nutrients compared to fresh leaves.
QUALITY EVALUATION OF FUNCTIONAL BREAD DEVELOPED FROM WHEAT FLOUR AND MALTED BARLEY FLOUR MIXTURES
Authors: Stoin Daniela , Jianu Calin , Velciov Ariana , Negrea Monica , Poiana Mariana-Atena
Published: April 2024

The use of some non-wheat raw materials in the form of flours, extracts, and malts has always been of interest to food producers. The objective of this study was to evaluate the nutritional potential of some types of malted barley flour (MBF) to develop a range of breads with improved sensory, nutritional, and technological qualities. Malted barley flour (MBF) contains health-promoting compounds that enhance the nutritional value of bakery products when combined with wheat flour (WF). Two types of MBF (Amber and Chocolate) were used to replace WF in amounts of 10, 20, and 30%. Bread with 100% WF serves as a reference sample. Proximate composition, physical characteristics, sensory characteristics, total polyphenol content (TPC) and antioxidant capacity (AA) of bread samples were evaluated using standard laboratory procedures. Following the evaluation, it can be observed that with decreasing the percentage of WF and increasing MBF percentage, the studied bread samples showed changes in the analyzed characteristics. Centralizing the results obtained regarding the sensory analysis of the bread samples, it can be seen that the bread sample with 20% Chocolate MBF was the most appreciated by the evaluators (flavor - 7.62 and taste - 7.45, overall acceptance - 7.87). The results also showed an improvement in the nutritional profile of the breads proportional to the increase in the proportion of MBF (30%) in the composite flour blends in terms of protein, fiber and mineral content, as well as a significant increase in functional attributes such as TPC (12.04mg GAE/g) and AA (92.24 mg TE/g). Therefore, MBF can be considered a wholesome raw material in bakery production
RECOGNISING DAIRY COWS' BEHAVIOUR WITH LSTM MODEL TO IMPROVE FARM MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
Authors: Dineva Kristina , Atanasova Tatiana
Published: April 2024

This paper focuses on recognizing the activity of dairy cows using a non-invasive approach that monitors four key behaviors: licking, feeding, standing, and lying. The study used IoT devices with accelerometers and gyroscopes attached to the cow's neck to continuously monitor its movements. The data collection process aimed to capture the dynamic and static nature of dairy cow behaviors, providing a valuable data set for subsequent analysis. To efficiently process the raw data, we analyzed it and then used long short-term memory (LSTM) neural networks, a type of recurrent neural network (RNN) suitable for sequential data processing. The LSTM model was trained on the collected sensor data to recognize and classify the four target activities. The model achieved an accuracy of 96%, indicating its robust ability to accurately identify dairy cow activity. Furthermore, the model consistently maintained a low loss value hovering around 0.25, demonstrating its generalization and predictive performance. This research has important implications for dairy production and animal welfare. Accurate real-time recognition of dairy cow activities can help improve farm management practices, enabling timely interventions when needed.
ROSEHIP CHUTNEY - A VALUABLE SOURCE OF ANTIOXIDANTS
Authors: Moldovan Camelia , Popa Viorica-Mirela , Borozan Aurica Breica , Raba Diana-Nicoleta , Dumbrava Delia-Gabriela
Published: April 2024

The new tendency of consumers and processors in the food industry is to use organic products. Because intensive crops involve the use of pesticides and fertilizers, a bio alternative to tomatoes can be the rosehip from spontaneous flora. In this study, four variants (control, sweet, spicy and hot) of rosehip chutney were prepared as an alternative for tomato ketchup. The sensory characteristics were evaluated (by hedonic scale). The vitamin C content (by titrimetric iodometric method), polyphenols content (by Folin Ciocalteu assay) and free radical inhibition activity (by DPPH assay) were determined. Our results did not show significant differences in vitamin C content between the analyzed variants (81.20?0.67 -81.80?0.34 mg/100 g). The highest polyphenols content was detected in the "hot" chutney version (56.90?3.11 mg GAE/100g DW) in direct correlation with DPPH free radical inhibition activity (91.61?0.22%). The degree of the rosehip chutney acceptability and its chemical composition confirm that rosehip chutney can be successfully used to replace the tomato ketchup.
STUDIES REGARDING BIOACTIVE FINGERPRINT OF CAULIFLOWER VERSUS BROCCOLI
Authors: Radulescu Laura , Tarkanyi Patricia , Megyesi Corina Iuliana , Velciov Ariana Bianca , Bordean Despina-Maria
Published: April 2024

This study aims to determine the specific fingerprints of cauliflower and broccoli available on the Romanian market based on mathematical models and chemical analysis (moisture content, minerals content, total antioxidant capacity and total polyphenols content). These vegetables (cauliflower and broccoli) are considered essential for the human diet due to their bioactive content and nutritional value. The content of minerals and antioxidant compounds varies depending on their varieties, environmental conditions, ripening stage, collecting and storage methods. The studied vegetables are high in essential micronutrients copper (Cu), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), nutrients which are associated with enzymatic activities. Research shows that eating cruciferous vegetables brings many health benefits due to their active sulfur and nitrogen-containing compounds. The obtained results were compared to literature and database data and the graphical fingerprint were created. The generalized linear model was applied for analyzed vegetables, cauliflower and broccoli samples and the correspondence equation were obtained. The Mantel correlogram was used to test the hypothesis that innovative food products and or diets can be created based on the nutritional content of the vegetables and the nutritional needs of the consumer.
THE CRAFT BEER - AN APPRECIATED SUSTAINABLE BEVERAGE
Authors: Reitano Matilde , Chinnici Gaetano , Bracco Salvatore , Selvaggi Roberta , Pecorino Biagio
Published: April 2024

This study aims to provide an overview of the craft beer industry and consumption in order to identify consumer preferences. More specifically, it aims to identify a target group of consumers and their willingness to pay (WTP) for craft beer and to enrich knowledge about consumer preferences and the product attributes that influence these preferences. Data were collected through a questionnaire completed by 231 participants. To evaluate the WTP for a 0.33 cl craft beer, they were asked to choose from five price levels starting from �> 3 and less than 4 euro� with an increase of 1 euro for each interval. To assess the influence of intrinsic and extrinsic characteristics of beer quality on consumer choice, a Likert scale was proposed on: color, transparency, alcohol content, consistency, aroma, bitterness, raw materials, provenance, brand, price, label, market availability. The results of the study reveal that the majority choose to consume craft beer because they believe it is of higher quality and tastes better, which is why they are willing to spend more than on industrial beer. Consumers' preferences regarding craft beer attributes highlighted as most significant: body, aroma, brand and price. No recent studies have examined a model comparing these aspects, so this study could contribute to the development of new knowledges. Moreover, craft beer is more sustainable than the industrial one, so consumers attitude to buy and drink it should be encouraged.
THE EFFECT OF BLUEBERRIES ON PHYSICAL, CHEMICAL AND SENSORIAL PROPERTIES OF TURKISH DELIGHT
Authors: Lupu Maribela Ioana , Canja Cristina Maria , Maier Alina , Padureanu Vasilie , Branescu Geronimo Raducu
Published: April 2024

Turkish delight (lokum) is a sweet product originating in Turkey made from sugar, food flavors and starch. The delights dates back more than 300 years and is one of the oldest sweets in the world. Technologies have evolved and with them the demands of consumers have also diversified. People are in search for everything new and healthy in terms of nutrition, this being the reason for the development of a new kind of Turkish delight. The aim of this study is to analyze the physico-chemical and sensorial properties of two types of blueberries Turkish delight. First type is made from the culture blueberry and the second one is made from the forest blueberry. The physico- chemical properties analyzed for both varieties of blueberries and as well on the finished products are: pH, total acidity, viscosity, dry substance, moisture content, protein, ash, total polyphenol content and the antioxidant activity. It was determined that Turkish delight sample containing forest blueberry it has a greater amount of active biological compounds. According to the results, for the raw material, the pH values indicate that cultivated blueberries are less acidic than wild blueberries. And as for the finished product, compared to the control sample, it is found that due to the thermal process and the concentration of sugar present in the blueberries, the pH value decreases for the two varieties made. Regarding the acidity, it was found that cultivated blueberries have a medium acidity, and forest blueberries have a low acidity. And for the finished product, the Turkish delight obtained with wild blueberries has a higher acidity. From the point of view of sensory analysis, the product obtained from cultivated blueberry puree has higher sensory properties than the one obtained from forest blueberry puree.
THE ENHANCING IMPACT OF FOLIAR FERTILISERS ON QUALITY INDICES OF WHEAT
Authors: Crista Laura , Radulov Isidora , Berbecea Adina , Crista Florin
Published: April 2024

Achieving profitable crop production milestones hinges on the establishment of a robust soil fertility program. Such programs demand foresight and meticulous planning. To ensure the profitability and efficiency of wheat cultivation, it is imperative to provide the right amount of essential plant nutrients precisely when and where the crop requires them. The application rates of fertilizers hold little significance if these vital nutrients are not distributed at the appropriate locations and times. Wheat, in particular, exhibits a heightened sensitivity to fertilization, responding favorably to the application of fertilizers. This is due to the fact that grains consume relatively modest quantities of nutrients, primarily because their roots explore a smaller volume of soil. Additionally, they possess a limited capacity for solubilizing and absorbing nutrients in highly soluble forms when compared to other crops. The influence of foliar fertilizers on various plant species is diverse and contingent upon the specific plant type and even its variety. Foliar application can offer the advantage of improved nutrient accessibility for crops, ultimately leading to higher yields. The judicious fertilization of wheat crops, contingent upon soil fertility, significantly contributes to the quality of grain production. The presence and balance of both macro and microelements play a pivotal role in crop nutrition, ultimately leading to higher yields. The primary objective of this study was to assess variations in several wheat quality indicators under conditions of varying nitrogen (N) levels.
THE EVOLUTION OF SOME VEGETATION INDICES ON PERMANENT GRASSLANDS IN TIMIS COUNTY (WESTERN ROMANIA)
Authors: Claudia Durau Carmen , Doina Mihut Casiana , Codruta Chis Ana , Alina Urlica , Daniela Scedei
Published: April 2024

The areas occupied by permanent grasslands constitute one of the most important ecosystems of the Earth, occupying almost half of it. The use of land covered by grasslands and climate changes are the main stressors of grass communities and implicitly of grassland ecosystems. Its multifunctionality (food source for ruminants, insect habitat, means of soil and water conservation, as well as outdoor activities, etc.) is gradually affected, thus diminishing the mentioned functions. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the evolution of some indices characterizing permanent grasslands over a three-year period 2020-2023. Observations were made for three years on two permanent grasslands located in the vicinity of Hitia? and Capat (belonging to the same UAT Racovi?a). The monitored indices were the agronomic ones, namely the pastoral value (PV), the grazing capacity (GC), as well as the ecological ones (the Shannon-Weaver and Simpson indices). For each analyzed permanent grassland, three analysis points were taken and the resulting data represent the average. The analysis methods were the linear one to study the vegetation and the indices, and correlation analysis was used for the statistics. Thus, it may be concluded that there are differences from one year to the next in the structure of the vegetation and in grassland communities. This aspect is also reflected in the agricultural fodder potential of the studied grasslands. The results of this study enable starting points for urgent measures to improve these permanent grasslands
THE REVOLUTION OF FUNCTIONAL FOOD: A MARKET ANALYSIS (THE FUNCTIONAL FOODS MARKET REVOLUTION: MARKET ANALYSIS OF FUNCTIONAL FOOD)
Authors: Pistorio Enrica , Chinnici Gaetano , Zarba Carla , Bellia Claudio , Pappalardo Gioacchino
Published: April 2024

Consumers are changing their food preferences in favor of healthier foods that have a beneficial effect on health and that embrace sustainable consumption patterns. To meet the demand of modern consumers, the food sector is undergoing a major revolution as more and more new products are appearing on the market. This trend has encouraged the food industry to develop a new category of food products, which is 'functional foods�, characterized by the presence of one or more bioactive compounds having beneficial effects on the body. Therefore, functional foods represent a technological progress offering an important strategy to combat nutritional deficiency and diet-related diseases thanks to the presence of one or more bioactive compounds, can provide a benefit to the body. To distinguish such products and highlight their beneficial effect, claims are made on the product packaging about nutritional indication and about potential disease risk reduction. Such claims increase consumers� awareness about the benefit of these products hence can influence the consumer�s purchasing decisions. The aim of this work is to analyse the market size of 'Health and Wellness' foods, and in particular 'Functional Foods', over the last four years (2019-2022), using Euromonitor's database. A worldwide analysis has been carried out to identify the geographical areas with the greatest market activity and the European countries with the greatest economic importance. The analysis of the different food categories and the fortifications of greatest interest for the functional food market has provided an overview of the market for these foods.
THE VARIOUS STEPS TO PRODUCE BIOPLASTICS AND MEMBRANES FROM INSECTS OR CRUSTACEANS. APPLICATIONS AND GREEN METRICS.
Authors: Ribeiro C. , Abreu B. , Afonso B. , Santos B.
Published: April 2024

Chitin and chitosan, which due to their wide applicability and abundance are of increasing interest to industries. Chitin is extracted from a wide range of living things by a variety of methods, which may be chemical or biological. Chitosan is obtained from the alkaline deacetylation of chitin by chemical or enzymatic processes. Due to their different polysaccharide chains, chitin and chitosan have different properties. Chitin is thus an insoluble polymer in most solvents, while chitosan is a soluble polymer in acid solvents because there is protonation of the amide group of this polymer, which makes it soluble in acid solvents. The source from which the greatest extraction of chitin occurs is from crustaceans such as shrimps, crabs, lobsters, crayfish, and clams. Extraction from crustaceans is an economical process, but seasonal, since most crustaceans are species that only belong to one season of the year. Since crustaceans are living beings that are not in abundance in the environment and in all seasons of the year, insects have been the subject of study for the extraction of chitin, since they exist in abundance in nature, throughout the year and in various parts of the world, being an excellent resource for a large-scale production of chitin and chitosan. Chitosan is the base for bioplastics and membranes.in this work a review of the existing methods and applications will be surveyed. Also, some green metrics regarding the synthesis of chitosan will be presented and discussed.
THUJA OCCIDENTALIS AND PLATYCLADUS ORIENTALIS ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY
Authors: Floares Doris , Obistioiu Diana , Hulea Anca , Alexa Ersilia , Radulov Isidora
Published: April 2024

The rise of bacterial resistance to currently employed antibiotics is causing growing concerns for public health. The emergence of highly resistant bacterial strains results in the ineffectiveness of antibiotic treatments against many bacterial infections. As a result, there is an ongoing quest for new antimicrobial agents. This pursuit can take two main directions: one involves the design and synthesis of novel agents, while the other involves exploring natural sources to uncover previously undiscovered antimicrobial compounds. Herbal medications, particularly, have garnered renewed interest due to the perception that they tend to cause fewer adverse reactions when compared to synthetic pharmaceuticals. Moreover, the lower costs of producing plant-based preparations make searching for natural therapeutics appealing. This study aims to assess the antimicrobial properties of Thuja occidentalis (TO) and Platycladus orientalis (PO) against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria using specified reference strains: Streptococcus pyogenes (ATCC 19615), Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923), Listeria monocytogenes (ATCC 19114), Bacillus cereus (ATCC 10876), Clostridium perfringens (ATCC 13124), Shigella flexneri (ATCC 12022), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853), Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922), Salmonella typhimurium (ATCC 14028) and Haemophilus influenzae type B (ATCC 10211) Additionally, we determined the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). Following ISO 20776-1:2019 guidelines, we assessed the antimicrobial activity by measuring the reduction in microbial mass through spectrophotometry to determine changes in optical density (OD). Our findings indicate that the TO and PO extracts inhibit Gram-positive bacteria, particularly at the initial concentration tested.
VOLTAMMETRIC BEHAVIOR AND DETERMINATION OF NICKEL IONS USING BIOPOLYMERS FOR RECEPTOR IMMOBILIZATION
Authors: Anchidin-Norocel Liliana , Gutt Gheorghe , Amariei Sonia
Published: April 2024

Voltammetry is an electrochemical technique widely used in quantitative analysis to determine nickel ions in food samples due to its excellent stability. Knowing the exact applied levels of metals such as nickel in different food samples is very important to prevent high nickel consumption, especially in people with allergies and nickel excess. Electrochemical analytical methods appear to be an alternative with many advantages, including high sensitivity, low detection limits on the g/L scale, ease of use, and simple sample preparation. This study describes the voltammetric behavior of nickel biosensors using biopolymers such as agar, chitosan, alginate, and carrageenan, to immobilize the receptors and investigates the analytical performance using three biopolymer concentrations. The analytical performance of screen-printed carbon electrodes (SPEs) immobilized with the biopolymer-biosensor combinations was analyzed by linear sweep voltammograms (LSVs). The voltammetric behavior favored the method using carrageenan in terms of linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) performance characteristics with sensitivities of 6.79 for 0.5%, and 6.87 for 1% (?A Mm-1 cm-2).
ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS OF MANAGING SECONDARY WASTE FROM INCINERATION PLANT IN CONCRETE - CARBON FOOTPRINT AND ABIOTIC DEPLETION.
Authors: Poranek Nikolina , Lazniewska-Piekarczyk Beata , ikon Krzysztof
Published: April 2024

The use of secondary waste from municipal solid waste incineration plant in concrete has been studied for its potential to reduce the carbon footprint and abiotic depletion associated with traditional concrete production. Fly ash is a hazardous waste and it can be used as a substitute for cement in the production of concrete. Bottom ash can be used as a substitute for light natural aggregate, which was previously soaked in water for internal treatment of concrete. The composition of concrete includes: CEM I 42.5R, CSA, basalt, sand, zeolite, additives and admixtures. Studies have shown that concrete with secondary waste can decrease CO2 emissions and abiotic depletion compared to traditional concrete. In the article 4 scenarios are introduced (1 - concrete with fly ash, 2 - concrete with bottom ash, 3 - concrete with both secondary waste, 4 - reference concrete). The tests were performed for 1 kg of concrete, in the cradle-to-gate range, excluding transport. 4th scenario has the biggest carbon footprint and abiotic depletion influence. The least impact on environmental has 3rd scenario. Closing the loop by managing secondary waste in concrete fits into Circular Economy and Sustainable Development Goals, especially in SDG 12 � Responsible Consumption and Production and SDG13 � Climate Action.
APPLICATIONS OF THE TEMPERATURE STEP METHOD FOR DETERMINING THE SPECIFIC HEAT CAPACITY OF BUILDING MATERIALS
Authors: Gendelis Stanislavs
Published: April 2024

Properties of building materials include many properties, the most important are mechanical, thermal, chemical, and economic. The most important thermal properties that characterize the total heat losses and thermal inertia of materials are thermal conductivity and specific heat capacity. The first one describes the stationary heat transfer through the structures, but the second describes the ability to absorb and release the heat energy with temperature change dynamically, and it is related to a unit mass of the specimen. The specific heat capacity can be measured directly using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), the most common method of thermal analysis. DSC method uses the heat flow principle and homogeneous heating. Sensors with high sensitivity, short time periods and a small-sized chamber guarantee high detection sensitivity and stable, reproducible results. There are two main disadvantages which prevents these approaches from being widely used in the field of building physics � relatively small sample dimension and high equipment costs. Sample size limitation is very critical in the case of non-homogeneous building products. A so-called temperature step method is being studied as an alternative approach for quick and cheap measurements of the heat capacity for building materials. Principle used in such measurements is a rapid temperature increase in a closed large-sized insulated chamber with the dynamic analysis of generated thermal information considering the thermal mass of the plates. In general, this method is based on measuring the heat amount required to heat a sample with known mass from one quasi-stationary temperature equilibrium state to another in an insulated chamber with calibrated heat losses. This approach has been tested on several heterogeneous building materials, including samples with phase change materials with subsequent calculations of latent heat, showing good accuracy compared to the DSC method, as well as reducing the required measurement time. The use of this approach will make it easier and cheaper to determine the unknown or assumed only theoretically heat capacity property of building materials.
FLAME-RETARDANT TREATMENT EFFEECT OF WOVEN FABRIC USING HANJI YARN FOR CAR SEATS
Authors: Soun Jung Jin , Joo Shin Eun
Published: April 2024

This research aims to contribute to the development of eco-friendly car seats using hanji yarn by examining the flame-retardant treatment effect of two types of hanji yarn fabrics woven with polyester warp yarn and two different types of weft yarn: hanji- polyester blended yarn (76:24) and 100-percent hanji yarn, respectively. In terms of the flame-retardant treatment, NICCA FI-NONE PD-38 was used as the flame retardant with the concentrations of 10, 20, and 30 percent, and a flame resistance test was conducted in accordance with MS 300-08, the flame resistance standard for car interior materials. The test results show that the fabric untreated with flame-retardant chemicals completely combusted while the fabric treated with a flame retardant exhibited self- extinguishing properties, regardless of the concentration of flame-retardant chemicals. In an analysis of the thermal stability of the two different types of hanji yarn fabrics, the fabric treated with flame-retardant chemicals exhibited thermal stability by forming a carbonaceous layer faster than the untreated fabric. In an analysis of the changes of functional groups, conducted by infrared spectroscopy to examine the chemical structures of the flame retardant used in the research, the P-OR ester peak and the P-O peak were observed in the spectral range from 900 to 1,000 cm-1 and from 725 to 845 cm-1, respectively. This suggests that the flame retardant used in the research is a phosphorus compound.
FOAM GLASS GRAVEL - GREEN LIGHTWEIGHT FILLER FOR NATURAL HYDRALUC LIME-BASED PLASTERING MORTARS
Authors: Pivak Adam , Pavlikova Milena , Pavlik Zbysek
Published: April 2024

In view of the growing population and urbanization, it is necessary to ensure the development of advanced building materials capable of ensuring the quality of living conditions with as low energy consumption as possible. A proven way to achieve this is to create a composite material with a lightweight aggregate. However, the use of lightweight aggregate could also affect other material properties, such as mechanical strength or water absorption. In this study, the silica sand aggregate was partially and completely replaced with foam glass gravel in the composition of natural hydraulic lime plasters in order to reduce thermal conductivity of the material. The use of foam glass is also profitable with regard to the environmental aspect, due to its recyclability. The effect of application of glass gravel on the structural properties, mechanical strength, thermal properties, and water transport parameters was studied for 28-days cured samples. According to the results, the application of foam glass gravel significantly reduced the thermal conductivity of the plaster while maintaining its sufficient strength despite the increase in high porosity, even when the silica sand aggregate was fully substituted. Based on the data obtained, it was concluded that the use of foam glass as a filler is beneficial in improving the thermal properties of plastering mortars.
FROM NEARLY ZERO ENERGY BUILDING (NZEB) TO ZERO-EMISSION BUILDING (ZEB) - CONCEPT ISSUES EMPHASIZED THROUGH A PARADOXICAL CASE STUDY
Authors: Magurean Ancuta Maria
Published: April 2024

A case study for a public library which aim to become nearly Zero Energy Building (nZEB) is presented. Due to building�s location in the city center of a medium sized municipality from Romania, important site limits have to be considered, as well as other pre-existent conditions. These conditions significantly limit the technological options that can be implemented to ensure nZEB compliance. Also, the destination itself of the building (library with free access to the shelves), imposes a specific energy profile (considering the intrinsic energy demand for its normal operation) and is limiting the inclusion into a very specific nZEB benchmark. Between obligations and possibilities, a cutting-edge package of technical solutions is detailed, which allows the building in operation to produce final energy almost as much as it consumes. However, a paradoxical situation is identified, in the sense that the building does not fit into the nZEB benchmarks, nor into the outlined ZEB benchmarks if the total primary energy is considered (both from conventional and renewable sources), although the implementation of the technical solutions actually lead the building to inclusion towards a CO2 zero-emission building (with a calculated value for the CO2 emissions of 5,26 kgCO2/m2.year and significantly reduced final energy consumption). Thus, a structural problem in the nZEB and ZEB concepts (as defined in the EU framework) is identified, especially in the context of making these concepts mandatory in the EU member states.
MANAGEMENT OF BUILDING MATERIALS TECHNOLOGICAL LOSSES IN CIRCULAR ECONOMY
Authors: Popescu Marian-Valentin , Stoian Madalina , Grecu Andreea
Published: April 2024

This paper is structured in two directions. The first one presents issues related to technical losses within a construction project. The second one analyzes the integration of technical losses resulting from building materials in a circular economy, as they occur from 2 projects. Each project assesses costs and specific situations for each type of material based on the profile of each presented project. Benefits of technical losses management from building materials and waste are identified as they can be engaged into the circular economy, exemplified for the 2 analyzed projects. In the case of concrete, we bring to the attention of readers that its casting in the elements of site's evolution must be closely correlated with the casting of the elements of the site organization, for the 2 budgets to overlap and only one expense is made. For concrete steel it is important that its optimization is made from the shaped iron fasteners as they are part of the purchase cost, therefore they do not represent a supplementary cost for the project�s budget. The importance of finding the optimal solution for reuse of used materials or technological losses brings us to the point in which the construction industry needs to change its approaching strategy on materials consumption.
NATURAL FIBRES AS A SUSTAINABLE ALTERNATIVE FOR REDUCING CONCRETE MICROCRACKING
Authors: Fuentealba Cecilia , Cesar Andres , Ramirez Fernanda , Pradema-Miquel Mauricio
Published: April 2024

The incorporation of natural fibres as reinforcement of concrete is attractive from a sustainable perspective. In fact, natural fibres improve the deformation capacity and increase the ductility of concrete. In addition, natural fibres are lightweight, renewable, less expensive than man-made fibres and locally abundant. However, in order to determine their use in different concrete applications, it is necessary to know the impact on the mechanical properties and the benefits that can be obtained by incorporating the fibres. In this regard, the objective of the present study is to determine the impact of incorporating 0.5%, 1.0% and 1.5% eucalyptus fibre on the workability, compressive strength of concrete and the ability to control the development of micro-cracks. The results indicate that as fibre percentages increases, the workability decreases. However, for all the cases evaluated, the reduction in workability was not significant. Additionally, in all cases, higher compressive strength was observed at 7 days of age compared to the control sample without fibre. This fact may represent constructive advantages from a construction time optimisation perspective. Finally, the samples with fibres decreased the length, width and number of cracks generated in the concrete. Therefore, eucalyptus fibres are suitable as an alternative to control micro-cracking, which can increase the service life of the structures and save maintenance costs.
THE EFFECT OF CALCINATION TEMPERATURE AND DURATION ON THE COMPOSITION AND MORPHOLOGY OF SYNTHESIZED C3A
Authors: Scheinherrova Lenka , Benes Michal , Steffek Milan , Krejsova Jitka , Cerny Robert
Published: April 2024

Green building materials are gaining attention for achieving carbon neutrality in civil engineering. To reduce CO2 emissions from cement, using low-cement or cement-free materials with local supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) is promising. Blended cements with SCMs enhance long-term strength, but low-clinker blends often have low early strength. To address this, understanding the hydration of ordinary Portland cement is crucial. While C3S has been studied, the role of C3A, the most reactive component of cement, has been explored less. This study aims to produce C3A in laboratory conditions, assessing the effects of calcination temperature and time on its composition and morphology. The C3A samples are prepared using the empirically computed amounts of CaCO3 and Al2O3. The proposed design aims to produce pure cubic C3A, with up to 3 wt.% of unreacted CaO and no mayenite C12A7 as side products. The results obtained demonstrated that the duration for which the maximum temperature is maintained before extracting the samples from the furnace is a crucial factor that exerts the most significant influence on the presence of mayenite in the C3A structure. The synthesized C3A will then be added into blends, and its impact on early strength will be evaluated. The findings from this study have the potential to provide valuable insights for designing and producing more environmentally friendly cements, with a specific focus on achieving superior early strength performance.
THE INFLUENCE OF POLYPROPYLEN FIBRES OF CONCRETE PROPERTIES
Authors: Hrabova Kristyna , Lanik Jaromir , Cibulkova Magda , Lehner Petr
Published: April 2024

With the development of concrete technology, the polypropylene fibers have been extensively used in concrete structures for property and durability enhancement. The polypropylene fibers have significantly low cost compared to steel, the use of macro polypropylene fiber could achieve a similar level of reinforcement in concrete at a half price of using steel. The article focuses on the influence of polypropylene fibres of concrete properities. The aim is to compare the basic material properties of concretes with the same composition but with the addition of polypropylene fibres of different lengths and in different proportions. Polypropylene fibres of 54 mm, 38 mm and 19 mm length were used as dispersed reinforcement.
BLUE-GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AS A TOOL FOR CONNECTING AGRICULTURAL AND URBAN LAND
Authors: Pagac Jakub , Adamec Samuel , Kiss Vladimir
Published: April 2024

Urbanization and expansion of urban territory is a global trend that affects all major cities in the world. For this reason, the quality of the urban environment is increasingly important for human health and well-being. One increasingly popular element to improve and address the challenges associated with a warming urbanized landscape is blue-green infrastructure (BGI). Blue-green infrastructure is mainly associated with the urbanized landscape and its integration into the urban environment. In our post, we will focus on the agricultural landscape, which is in close proximity to the city of Trnava, Slovakia. The administrative territory of the city of Trnava is characterized by a low degree of ecological stability with a lack of natural elements of the landscape structure. Current vegetation in the territory of the city of Trnava (7,153 ha) is divided and represented into landscape - outside the built-up area (2.18%), urban - in the built-up area (35.40%) (Department of Spatial Development and Concepts of the City of Trnava). The aim of the contribution is to present solutions in the "Strkovisko" district, where we proposed a network of natural and near-natural measures to mitigate climate impacts related to climate change for the construction of BGI. The proposed location was designated as arable land with an area of 11.91 ha, which will be transformed into a plot of land with purpose-built agricultural protection and ecological greenery against erosive measures and measures to ensure the ecological stability of the territory. The article introduces the reader to the benefits of BGI and describes the proposed elements to mitigate climate change with an emphasis on landscape activities.
CASE STUDY: MONITORING AND ANALYSIS OF TRAFFIC BEHAVIOR IN A SMALL-SCALE CITY
Authors: Kraus Michal , Kankovsky Ales
Published: April 2024

The contribution unveils the outcomes of a case study conducted in Chotebor, Czech Republic, highlighting the pivotal role of long-term traffic analysis in fostering sustainable urban development. It exemplifies how cutting-edge technology and data can be instrumental in formulating more streamlined and eco-conscious urban blueprints. Within the framework of this initiative, surveillance cameras and traffic analysis software were deployed, yielding profound insights into the city's present dynamics and prospective demands. The findings of this case study signify that well-conceived urban infrastructure encompassing bypass routes and traffic optimization can notably amplify urban efficiency and sustainability. The study underlines the necessity for adaptability and flexibility in urban planning to effectively address unforeseen challenges. In its entirety, this research stands as a beacon of inspiration for municipalities aspiring to harness data and contemporary technology to steer towards sustainable and future-ready urban development.
IDENTIFICATION OF URBAN LANDSCAPE UNITS BASED ON SENTINEL-2A SATELLITE IMAGERY AND ILLEGAL LANDFILLS: CASE STUDY FROM VELINGRAD CITY (BULGARIA)
Authors: Tcherkezova Emilia , Zareva Elitsa , Stoyanova Velimira , Vassilev Dragomir , Georgieva Rositsa
Published: April 2024

The variety of urban landscapes, especially of urban green spaces provide a wide range of human well-being opportunities, physical recreation, sport activities, and urban heat mitigation. Therefore, there are many studies applying remote sensing and GIS methods, which were related to the sustainable city development focused on the �green network�, �green spaces� and land use. Conversely, illegal landfills in and around settlements and rivers have a negative anthropogenic impact on the environment. Therefore, their study is crucial for sustainable planning and landscaping. In this work, the study on urban landscape units and illegal landfills in the Velingrad City, Bulgaria is presented. The following main urban landscape units (ULU) were identified using remote sensing and GIS techniques for calculation of several vegetation and built-up indices from Sentinel 2A satellite imagery (Date: 2023-02-14) and Mean Shift segmentation: 1. Green areas; 2. Residential area/ Impervious surface; 3. Industrial area; 4. Stadium; 5. Broad-leaved forest; 7. Coniferous forest; 7. Mixed forest; 8. Grass/ Pasture/ Shrub; 9. Arable land; 10. Complex cultivation patterns/ significant areas of natural vegetation; 11. Water body/ River Bank Trees; 12. Lake, and 13. Bare Earth/ Paths. The illegal dumps have been investigated in the summer of 2023. The results show that the main types of unregulated landfills in the city of Velingrad are household, construction/ industrial and plastic waste. They are distributed in the river and the riverside, near construction areas, hotels and restaurants, as well as in Lake Kleptuza, and most of them can be cleaned, re-cultivated and landscaped. The methodological approach and obtained results in this work will be further used to elaborate models of anthropogenic impact at river basin scale.
LAND MANAGEMENT FOR INCREASING OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY OF DISTRIBUTION ELECTRIC NETWORK COMPANY IN LATVIA
Authors: Virkavs Maris , Pukite Vivita
Published: April 2024

In order to reduce the costs of AS ?Sadales tikls', the largest distribution electric network company in Latvia, within the framework of the work efficiency improvement program, the facilities of the support bases where production resources were concentrated - people, equipment and materials, and the geographical location of real estate - were analyzed. A real estate survey of the company's support bases was conducted and the efficiency of use was assessed. The geospatial analysis included the distance and time on the way from the support base to the repair facilities, the risk of damage to the distribution network. As a result, the optimal geographical location of support base objects in Latvia was determined and the number of real estate properties was reduced as a result of the study. At the same time, the company's performance in preventing damage in the event of a power failure was maintained.
LOCATION INTELLIGENCE APPLYING ODDS FOR SHAPING SUSTAINABLE SMART CITIES
Authors: Begov Andreea , Tulbure Ildiko
Published: April 2024

By steady scientific research carried out in the last decades was possible to register wanted technological advance oriented also to succeed in shaping sustainable smart cities. Nowadays several cities on European level and not only are starting the implementation of smart city design strategies, which are foremostly developed by access to needed databases as well as by specific approaches related to location intelligence supporting by this shaping appropriate policies on local level. Smart cities imply effective integration of physical, digital, and human systems to ensure a wanted sustainable, and prosperous future for their citizens. Location intelligence represents the ability to visualize spatial data to identify and analyze relationships and trends on local level, answering questions regarding available infrastructure, as well as roads with highest priority for maintenance by minimizing potential traffic disruptions. The more location intelligence offers diverse odds for an efficient urban planning by considering precise historical and present traffic patterns with the goal of designing short- and long- term urban development strategies for the benefit of citizens. The five Green Initiatives for Location Intelligence will be presented as well as a case study as an application example of applying location intelligence in a Romanian city with the goal of assuring best strategies for shaping sustainable smart cities.
NONVIOLENCE OR REVOLUTION. TOWARDS A HYBRID AND ANTI-SPECIESIST ARCHITECTURE
Authors: Antiga Tommaso
Published: April 2024

In 1923 Le Corbusier�s Vers une architecture was published for the first time, maybe the most influential essay for the discipline ever. Imprinted on the title page of that first edition was the photo of the deck of the steamer Aquitaine, at the time the most up-to- date result of the industry: from there, the �machine� became the model for a radical renewal of architecture. Nowadays, in 2023, who would ever dream of presenting the latest cruise ship or a super-jet as a paradigm for a renewed architecture? In fact, in the meantime a century has passed and a turnaround has taken place. The current environmental crisis, with ever more violent and frequent extreme events on the one hand and an increasingly widespread rampant eco-anxiety on the other, is changing our sensibility. The paradigm for the architecture-to-come that is starting to glimpse in this first part of the XXI century is hybrid, �monstrous�, made of vegetable and animal matter: it is more similar to a tree than to an airplane, more similar to an animal than to a ship; finally, more similar to Buddha than to Christ. This article will try to argue how and why Buddhist nonviolence can be assumed � in an ecological key � as a revolutionary posture to try to access in a new era, also for the discipline of architecture.