1871. An Ex Ante approach to the resilience and recovery plan’s impacts on sustainable tourism in Algarve and AlentejoBernardo Valente, Erika Džajić Uršič, 2025, original scientific article Abstract: The European Union has been trying to adjust its tourism policy in response to the challenges posed by the recent COVID-19 pandemic. The funding of the EU Cohesion Policy has been one of the primary mechanisms guaranteeing that all regions can be prepared to receive tourists and cope with the sustainability challenges the pandemic has raised. The recovery and resilience plan (PRR) is the most recent instrument created to help economic growth in most European Union countries. The implementation of the PRR in Algarve and Alentejo has been fundamental to understanding the Portuguese tourism sector, as these regions are heavily dependent on tourism sector revenue and were hit hard by the consecutive lockdowns in recent years. Therefore, this policy, in brief, critically assesses the tourism-related projects that received funding from the PRR until November 2023 (ex ante) and their potential to guarantee long-term tourism sustainability in Algarve and Alentejo. Despite not achieving the expected efficiency results due to delays in project execution and low investment, the PRR is still a positive upgrade for tourism-related policy in Algarve and Alentejo.
Keywords: sustainable tourism, EU cohesion policy, recovery and resilience, Algarve, Alentejo
Published in DiRROS: 19.06.2025; Views: 408; Downloads: 266
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1873. Industrial symbiosis networks supporting circularity : understanding complexity, cyclicality and resilienceUrška Fric, Zoran Levnajić, Dolores Modic, Borut Rončević, 2025, original scientific article Abstract: The aim of this study is to provide a more nuanced understanding of the industrial symbiosis networks supporting the circular economy. We do so through an evolutionary dynamics lens, viewing these networks as adaptive complex systems. This approach allows us to address the limited research attention that has resulted in insufficient understanding of the underlying net works in the circular economy literature, particularly regarding collaboration for waste resource exchange. i.e. the circular economy closing of the resource loops. This paper draws on empirically obtained data from industrial symbiosis networks in five countries: Croatia, Slovenia, Austria, Denmark and Finland. Through network analysis, we find that the structure of these symbiosis networks has evolved to varying extents. This evolution takes into account the complexity of leveraging opportunities based on waste resource exchange, cyclicality with numerous feedback loops, and resilience against disruptions and failures. Based on these findings, we propose three types of symbiosis networks that support circularity: mature, evolving, and emerging. Concur rently, we further develop conceptual and empirical diagnostic tools for future research by showcasing the utility of newly developed measures. Additionally, we outline several practical implications for both system-level, and organization-level managers.
Keywords: circular economy, industrial symbiosis networks, typology, complexity, cyclicality, resilience
Published in DiRROS: 19.06.2025; Views: 523; Downloads: 306
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1876. Development of a gold nanoparticle dispersion for plasma jet printing on solid substratesLan Kresnik, Peter Majerič, Darja Feizpour, Rebeka Rudolf, 2025, original scientific article Abstract: Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were synthesised using ultrasonic spray pyrolysis (USP) with the addition of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as a stabilising agent and subsequently dried via lyophilisation. The resulting dried AuNPs were redispersed in ethanol and homogenised to ensure uniform dispersion. This AuNP dispersion was then deposited onto a ceramic substrate - aluminum oxide (Al2O3) - using plasma jet printing. Comprehensive characterisation of the dispersion, AuNPs, and the resulting printed lines was performed using the following methods: inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis), dynamic light scattering (DLS), measurements of dispersion viscosity and printed line roughness. ICP-OES confirmed consistent gold content in the AuNP dispersion, while the SEM and EDS analyses revealed predominantly spherical AuNPs with minimal aggregation and similar size distributions. TEM, SAED, and STEM/EDS confirmed that the crystalline structure and elemental composition of the AuNPs had diverse morphologies and strong gold signals. The UV–VIS, DLS, and zeta potential measurements indicated moderate colloidal stability, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) verified the AuNPs dispersion’s composition. The AuNP dispersion exhibited thixotropic behaviour favourable for printing applications, while confocal microscopy confirmed smooth, uniform printed traces, with an average surface line roughness of 1.65 μm. The successful use of plasma printing with the AuNP dispersion highlights its potential for functional material applications in electronics.
Keywords: gold nanoparticles, ultrasonic spray pyrolysis, dispersion, plasma jet printing
Published in DiRROS: 19.06.2025; Views: 488; Downloads: 302
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1877. Plasma-assisted synthesis in aqueous solution to prepare Ir-based nanocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction in acidic conditionsAlexey Treshchalov, Heiki Erikson, Milutin Smiljanić, Milena Šetka, Lazar Bijelić, Marjan Bele, Martin Šala, Siim Pikker, Peeter Ritslaid, Nejc Hodnik, Kaido Tammeveski, 2025, original scientific article Published in DiRROS: 19.06.2025; Views: 463; Downloads: 255
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1880. From crisis to routine – standardization of SARS-CoV-2 genome detection by enhanced EQA schemes in a scientific pandemic networkMartin Kammel, Hans-Peter Grunert, Anika Zimmermann, Annemarie Martin, Vanessa Lindig, Mojca Milavec, 2025, original scientific article Abstract: In the beginning of 2020, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic led to a crisis in which diagnostic methods for the genome detection of SARS-CoV-2 were urgently needed. Based on the very early publication of the basic principles for a diagnostic test for the genome detection of SARS-CoV-2, the first noncommercial laboratory-developed tests (LDTs) and commercial tests were introduced. As there was considerable uncertainty about the reliability and performance of different tests and different laboratories, INSTAND established external quality assessment (EQA) schemes for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 starting in April 2020. In close partnership in a scientific network, the EQA schemes were enhanced, especially the April, June and November 2020 terms. The enhancement included: (i) immediate provision of suitable virus including variants of concern at the beginning of the pandemic outbreak, (ii) short frequency of EQA schemes, (iii) concentration dependency of the testing and sensitivity check, achieved by using SARS-CoV-2-positive samples from a 10-fold dilution series of the same starting material, (iv) specificity check of the testing, achieved by using SARS-CoV-2-negative samples containing human coronaviruses or MERS CoV, (v) revealed samples for orientation on test performance during an ongoing or at the start of an EQA scheme using a pre-quantified SARS-CoV-2-positive EQA sample with a low viral RNA load of only 1 570 copies/mL assigned by digital PCR (dPCR) in June 2020 and (vi) quantified reference materials based on the experiences of the first two EQA schemes with dPCR-assigned values in copies/mL beginning in November 2020 for self-evaluation of the applied test system. This manuscript summarizes the results of a total of 13 EQA schemes for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 between April 2020 and June 2023 in which a total of 1 413 laboratories from 49 countries participated. The qualitative results for the detection of SARS-CoV-2-positive samples were between 95.8 % and 99.7 % correct positive, excluding extremely low concentration samples. For all SARS-CoV-2-negative EQA samples, the qualitative success rates ranged from 95.1 % to 99.4 % correct negative results. The widely varying values for the cycle threshold (Ct)/crossing point (Cq) reported for the different target genes and test systems were striking. A few laboratories reported quantitative results in copies/mL for several VOCs with an acceptable rate of over 93 % correct positive results in the majority of cases. The description of the enhanced EQA schemes for SARS-CoV-2 detection in terms of timing and scope can serve as a blueprint for the rapid development of a quality assessment of diagnostics for an emerging pathogen.
Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic, SARS-CoV-2, virus genome detection tests, reference materials, external quality assessment, laboratory medicine, epidemiology
Published in DiRROS: 18.06.2025; Views: 528; Downloads: 467
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