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Synthesis of a magnetically heatable ceria–supported ruthenium catalyst via deposition of nanocrystalline ceria on silica-coated magnetic iron–oxide nanoparticles
Get PDFWe report the synthesis of a ceria-based catalyst support containing embedded magnetic iron–oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) that enable heating under a high-frequency alternating magnetic field. The ≈11 nm IONPs, synthesized by co-precipitation of Fe2+/Fe3+ ions at room temperature, were coarsened to ≈18 nm through subsequent hydrothermal treatment at 120 ◦C and then coated with a ≈2 nm silica layer. The catalyst support was prepared by depositing nanocrystalline ceria (CeO2) onto the IONPs via controlled precipitation of Ce3+ ions in the presence of hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA) in aqueous suspension. When deposited directly on the iron oxide, ceria formed small agglomerates of ≈10 nm octahedral nanocrystallites, whereas deposition on silicacoated IONPs produced a homogeneous 3–6 nm-thick shell composed of ≈3 nm globular crystallites. Special attention was given to elucidating the mechanism of shell formation. The magnetic catalyst was obtained by precipitating Ru nanoparticles (1–2 nm) onto the ceria support. Morpho-structural characterization was performed by XRD, TEM, and aberration-corrected STEM. Static and dynamic magnetization measurements at room temperature were used to assess the magnetic and heating performance. At low field amplitudes (<15 mT), catalysts prepared with IONPs of both sizes exhibited similar specific absorption rates, whereas at higher amplitudes the larger IONPs demonstrated superior heating efficiency. The catalytic performance was demonstrated in the magnetically heated hydrogenation of the bio-based compound 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural to 2,5-bis (hydroxymethyl)furan, showing high activity, 100 % selectivity, and excellent stability upon recycling
The economic importance of language
No full textV pričujočem prispevku izpostavljamo pomen jezika in njegovo povezavo ekonomskimi aktivnostmi v obmejnih področjih, kajti ta predstavljajo posebne vrste »naraven laboratorij», kjer je večkulturnost oz. večjezičnost objektivna realnost, ki jo je potrebno razumeti in spre-jemati kot rezultat številnih različnih zgodovinskih in političnih dogodkov. Jezik v obmejnih območjih ima komunikacijsko in simbolično dimenzijo, jezik je poka-zatelj raznolikosti, prav tako pa jezik ni vedno najpomembnejši simbol, ki zaznamuje mejo med skupinami, toda je pomemben pokazatelj statusa posamezne skupine in odnosov med skupinami. Empirični rezultati raziskovanj so pokazali, da vprašani, ki so sodelovali v različ-nih raziskava v zadnjih 20 letih ne pripisujejo velikega pomena znanju jezika sosednje države (ki je v nekaterih mejnih področjih tudi manjšinski jezika) za družbeni ugled posameznika ali pa za komunikacijo v EU ali pa za usposabljanje in študij. Znanje jezika sosednje države je pomembno za zaposlitev v sosednji državi, istočasno pa se posameznik prav zaradi znanja jezika lažje prilagaja drugemu okolju in je zato tudi bolj uspešen. Rezultati omenjenih razi-skovanj so potrdili, da ekonomske spremenljivke vplivajo tako na izbiro kot na rabo jezika v specifičnih, z ekonomsko kategorijo zaznamovanih situacija
EITRM118891 D4.4.1
No full textThe Geological Survey of Slovenia (GeoZS), with the assistance of the ENALOS Research and Development (ENALOS), the Slovenian National Building and Civil Engineering Institute (ZAG) and the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL), has compiled a report documenting the demonstration and application phase of the project.
This report contains a technical analysis on the materials produced as well as an economic analysis, and thus more accurately calculates the financial benefits of the technology
Matrix Fejér-Riesz type theorem for a union of an interval and a point
Get PDFThe matrix Fejér-Riesz theorem characterizes positive semidefinite matrix polynomials on the real line. In our previous work this was extended to the characterization on arbitrary closed semialgebraic sets by using matrix quadratic modules from real algebraic geometry. In the compact case there is a denominator-free characterization, while in the non-compact case denominators are needed except when is the whole line, an unbounded interval, a union of two unbounded intervals, and according to our conjecture also when is a union of an unbounded interval and a point or a union of two unbounded intervals and a point. In this paper, we confirm this conjecture by solving the truncated matrix-valued moment problem on a union of a bounded interval and a point. The presented technique for solving the corresponding moment problem can potentially be used to determine degree bounds in the positivity certificates for matrix polynomials on compact sets
A language-independent hearing screening self-test at school-entry
Get PDFThe usage of a tabletbased languageindependent selftest involving the recognition of ecological sounds in background noise, the Sound Ear Check, was investigated. The results of 692 children, aged between 5 and 9 years and 4 months, recruited in seven diferent countries, were used to analyze the validity and the cultural independence of test. Three diferent test procedures, namely a monaural adaptive procedure, a procedure presenting the sounds dichotically in diotic noise, and a procedure presenting all the sounds with a fxed signaltonoise ratio and a stopping rule were studied. Results showed high sensitivity and specifcity of all three procedures to detect conductive, sensorineural and mixed hearing loss> 30 dB HL. Additionally, the data collected from diferent countries were consistent, and there were no clinically relevant diferences observed between countries. Therefore, the Sound Ear Check can ofer an international hearing screening test for young children at school entry, solving the current lack of hearing screening services on a global scale
Multicriteria analysis as a method for engaging stakeholders and citizens in activities aimed at supporting climate resilience and adaptation to climate change – Gdansk Coastal City Living Lab case study
Get PDFIn this study, we aimed to present solutions to mitigate the effects of climate change, summer torrential rain, and pluvial flooding. Within the Gdańsk living lab, a multicriteria analysis (MCA) was performed to assess the implementation of ecosystem-based adaptation (EBA) options for the city of Gdańsk. The results show an assessment of the stakeholders’ acceptability and local knowledge of selected EBA options including rainwater gardens, water parks, retention ponds, green roofs, green walls, community gardens, urban farming and tree plantation. All the proposed EBAs were generally accepted during an online living lab stakeholder meeting. However, EBA solutions that were less intrusive on the natural landscape were preferred over large structures. Yet during the consecutive physical workshop with identified stakeholder composition, there was a higher level of approval for large structures to reduce the level of flood risk, indicating that face-to-face meetings significantly influence the choice of measures during MCA procedures. This has highlighted the importance of physical meetings of MCA for selecting proper implementation options
Tribological performance of Ni-based self-lubricating claddings for high temperature forming of lightweight alloys
Get PDFA fuzzy hypergraph-based framework for secure encryption and decryption of sensitive messages
Get PDFPaleoecology of Early Ladinian low-diversity radiolarian fauna from Mt. Svilaja (External Dinarides, Croatia)
Get PDFDark-grey cherty limestone from Mt. Svilaja contains moderately well-preserved radiolarians of unusually low diversity. Nineteen genera were encountered, namely, only one fourth of genera known from the time equivalent Buchenstein Formation. Based on conodonts, the studied interval is assigned to the Lower Ladinian Budurovignathus hungaricus Zone. Ammonoids and allochthonous fossil elements (calcareous algae, corals, brachiopods, bivalves, benthic foraminifera, terrestrial-plant remains) from the same interval were previously reported. Facies and organic-matter analyses support the interpretation of depositional setting in a semi-enclosed basin with oxygen-deficient bottom waters. The radiolarian assemblage consists of spherical Entactinaria (Pentactinocarpidae, Heptacladidae, Hindeosphaeridae) and Spumellaria (Archaeocenosphaera, Paurinella, Triassospongosphaera, Spongopallium), and monocyrtid Nassellaria (mostly Hozmadia). Among Pentactinocarpidae, Lobactinocapsa ellipsoconcha Dumitrica is abundant and characterized by considerable variability of the cortical shell regarding its shape (ovoid to spherical), wall thickness (single-layered to spongy), and number of external spines. Eptingiidae, Oertlispongidae, Relindellidae, and all multicyrtid Nassellaria, common in the Buchenstein Formation as well as in radiolarian cherts associated with ophiolites, are missing. Similar, although less drastically reduced radiolarian fauna is known from the coeval San Giorgio Dolomite, which was also deposited in an oxygen-deficient intra-platform basin. The San Giorgio fauna lacks multicyrtid Nassellaria but still contains abundant Eptingiidae, Oertlispongidae, and Relindellidae. The likely factor reducing the diversity in the intra-platform basins was the vertical extent of the oxygen-deficient lower water column. Only surface-dwelling radiolarians were successful in stratified basins with expanded deep-water hypoxia
Business performance of slovenian construction sector in the last decade
Get PDFDinamika poslovanja v gradbeništvu je v zadnjem desetletju dosegla lokalno dno v letu 2016, potem pa je pričela močno naraščati. Leti 2022 in 2023 sta bili po rasti izjemni leti, predvsem zaradi rasti del, financiranih iz kohezijskih sredstev in Načrta za okrevanje in odpornost. Leto 2024 je bilo spet nekoliko šibkejše, predvsem zaradi padca gradbenih del, kar je bilo povezano z zamudami pri izdaji gradbenih dovoljenj na upravnih enotah. Rast gradbenih del je sovpadala z rastjo števila gradbenih podjetij, katerih povprečna velikost, merjena s številom zaposlenih, je sčasoma vseeno nekoliko porasla. Dinamika črpanja kohezijskih sredstev je pomembno vplivala na dinamiko poslovanja v gradbeništvu. Gradbeništvo je predstavljalo okoli 6 % ustvarjene dodane vrednosti v slovenskem gospodarstvu, s čimer se je slovensko gradbeništvo uvrstilo na enajsto mesto med 27 EU državami. Prejemki zaposlenih so v zadnjem desetletju naraščali hitreje kot v povprečju in so bili v letu 2024 le še za desetino nižji od slovenskega povprečja. Kljub visoki rasti plač se je z izzivom pomanjkanja usposobljenih delavcev v zadnjih treh letih (2022-2024) soočala že polovica gradbenih podjetij. To zelo verjetno vpliva na nižjo produktivnost dela in na visoko rast plač oziroma stroškov dela na zaposlenega. Zaradi visokega deleža stroškov dela v dodani vrednosti gradbena podjetja ne morejo dodatno dvigovati plač, kar bi prispevalo k zmanjševanju primanjkljaja ponudbe delovne sileThe dynamics of the construction industry over the past decade reached a local low in 2016, after which it began to rise sharply. The years 2022 and 2023 were exceptionally strong in terms of growth, mainly due to construction works linked to the EU Cohesion Funds and Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF). The year 2024 was somewhat weaker, primarily due to a decline in construction activities caused by the delay in issuing building permits by administrative units. The increase in construction activities coincided with the growth in the number of construction companies. Their average size, measured in terms of the number of employees, has increased slightly over time. The dynamics of drawing cohesion funds has significantly influenced the business performance in the construction sector. The construction accounts for approximately 6% of the gross value added in the Slovenian economy, which places Slovenia’s construction sector in 11th place among the 27 EU countries. Earnings of construction workers have grown faster than the average earnings over the past decade and were only a tenth lower in 2024. Despite high wage growth, half of construction companies have faced a shortage of skilled workers in the last three years (2022–2024). This most likely affects lower labour productivity and contributes to the high growth in wages or labour costs per employee. Due to the high share of labor costs in gross added value, construction companies are unable to increase wages any further, which would help reduce the labor supply shortage