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212. Enhancing magnesium bioactivity for biomedical applications : effects of laser texturing and sandblasting on surface propertiesMarjetka Conradi, Aleksandra Kocijan, Bojan Podgornik, 2024, original scientific article Abstract: Magnesium and its alloys, valued for their lightweight and durable characteristics, have garnered increasing attention for biomedical applications due to their exceptional biocompatibility and biodegradability. This work introduces a comparison of advanced and basic methods—laser texturing and sandblasting—on magnesium surfaces to enhance bioactivity for biomedical applications. Employing a comprehensive analysis spanning surface morphology, hardness, wettability, tribological performance, and corrosion behavior, this study elucidates the intricate relationship between varied surface treatments and magnesium’s performance. Findings reveal that both laser texturing and sandblasting induce grain refinement. Notably, sandblasting, particularly with a duration of 2 s, demonstrates superior wear resistance and reduced corrosion rates compared to untreated magnesium, thereby emerging as a promising approach for enhancing magnesium bioactivity in biomedical contexts. This investigation contributes to a deeper understanding of the nuanced interactions between diverse surface treatments and their implications for magnesium implants in chloride-rich environments, offering valuable insights for prospective biomedical applications. Keywords: biomaterial, microstructure, hardness, friction/wear, corrosion Published in DiRROS: 18.10.2024; Views: 91; Downloads: 12357 Full text (3,46 MB) This document has many files! More... |
213. Seepage detection using passive temperature measurements by fiber optic DTSYaser Ghafoori, 2024, other scientific articles Abstract: This article is an extended abstract of the doctoral dissertation “Optimization of early seepage detection in embankments using a distributed temperature system based on fiber optic sensing” [1]. Distributed Temperature Sensors (DTS) measure temperature precisely with high spatial resolution, enabling seepage flow detection through the interpretation of temperature measurement. Active DTS measurement which introduces heat into the soil to monitor its dissipation, has been extensively studied for seepage detection. However, the potential of passive measurement, which measures natural soil temperature, for seepage detection demands further exploration. The doctoral research investigated the capability of passive DTS measurements for seepage detection. The findings show that passive DTS detects very small temperature variations as a result of the seepage flow. Additionally, the results offer valuable insights into the coupled hydro-thermal behavior and the influence of seepage on heat transfer. The thesis classified and compared different techniques for temperature data calibration and interpretation. Furthermore, an interpretation approach based on numerical simulation and a fully dynamic calibration technique was developed. Keywords: optical fiber DTS, soil, emperature, seepage Published in DiRROS: 16.10.2024; Views: 108; Downloads: 32 Full text (155,89 KB) This document has many files! More... |
214. Crack size in coating and moisture problems comparing thermally modified and native spruce window frame profiles using hygrothermal simulationGregor Vidmar, Rožle Repič, Boštjan Lesar, Miha Humar, 2024, original scientific article Abstract: Fungal growth and degradation of wood may be caused by damage in the surface coating. The larger the cracks, the greater in principle the possibility of moisture-induced problems. Measuring basic unknown material parameters and employing hygrothermal simulations, the suitability and the maximum acceptable vertical crack size in the surface coating for a given bottom window profile made of thermally modified (TM) spruce(wood) with that made of native spruce were compared for location Ljubljana. Validation with the field test data was the second objective of the respective research. The average calculated maximum moisture content in TM spruce is about 4% (kg/kg) lower than that of native spruce. The 3 mm wide crack in the surface coating of a window frame made of native spruce is of the highest concern, whereas a 9 mm wide crack in the coating of a TM spruce profile is still acceptable. As far as moisture content is concerned in our study the TM spruce window frames were proved to be significantly more suitable for installation than the corresponding frames made of native Norway spruce. It was shown that isopleth, VTT and biohygrothermal models for mould growth do not properly capture the comparison between both materials, mainly because they classify both in the same material class/substrate category and they do not consider the material moisture content. Keywords: hygrothermal simulations, mould growth modelling, cracks in surface coating, thermally modified wood, wooden window frame Published in DiRROS: 16.10.2024; Views: 101; Downloads: 313 Full text (1,48 MB) This document has many files! More... |
215. The abdominal adiposity index (a body shape index) predicts 10-year all-cause mortality in elderly active non-obese subjectsAlessio Nunnari, Filippo Giorgio Di Girolamo, Kaja Teraž, Nicola Fiotti, Boštjan Šimunič, Filippo Mearelli, Rado Pišot, Gianni Biolo, 2024, original scientific article Abstract: Background/Objectives: A Body Shape Index (ABSI), which accounts for waist circumference relative to mass and height, shows a robust association with mortality risk. The present study evaluates the effectiveness of ABSI as a predictor of 10-year all-cause mortality in physically active, non-obese elderly individuals. Methods: This prospective cohort study included 159 volunteers (94 women, aged 60–80 years), recruited in the frame of the “Physical Activity and Nutrition for Great Ageing” (PANGeA) Cross-border Cooperation Program Slovenia–Italy 2007–2013, and followed for 10 years. Baseline characteristics included anthropometric measurements, bioelectrical impedance analysis, and cardiovascular fitness tests (VO2max). Statistical analyses (Cox regression, Kaplan–Meier survival) were conducted to examine the relationship between ABSI and mortality. Results: During the 10-year follow-up, 10 deaths (6.7%) were recorded. ABSI (adjusted for age, smoking, comorbidities, and therapy) was an independent predictor of mortality (hazard ratio = 4.65, p < 0.001). Higher ABSI scores were linked to reduced VO2max (r = −0.190, p = 0.017) and increased systolic blood pressure (r = 0.262, p = 0.001). An ABSI-based predictive model showed strong discriminatory power (AUROC = 0.91). Conclusions: ABSI is a reliable predictor of 10-year mortality in active, non-obese elderly individuals and may improve risk stratification in clinical practice. Keywords: ABSI, a body shape index, body shape, fre fat mass, sarcopenia, prognostic index, elderly, mortality Published in DiRROS: 16.10.2024; Views: 98; Downloads: 244 Full text (1,91 MB) This document has many files! More... |
216. Influence of the oxidizing technique on the biocompatible and corrosion properties of Ti6Al4V in a physiological environmentMirjam Bajt Leban, Tadeja Kosec, Aleksandra Kocijan, Marjetka Conradi, Ita Junkar, Janez Kovač, 2025, original scientific article Abstract: This work aims to evaluate the corrosion and biocompatibility properties of oxide films generated on Ti6Al4V alloys using both traditional and novel methods. Oxide films were generated by anodization and plasma treatment to achieve a blue surface finish. The oxide films were then characterized and compared to a native film formed on the Ti6Al4V.
Electrochemical tests, incorporating potentiodynamic tests and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, were employed to define the electrochemical resistance of oxides in an environment simulating biological exposure. In vitro tests were conducted to study ion release and biocompatible properties over a 6-week period of exposure to a 0.9 wt% NaCl solution, at body temperature. Various spectroscopic techniques, including ToF-SIMS, XRD, and Raman analysis, were used to study the structure and chemistry of the oxide films. The sub-surface layer was analysed by microstructural investigation.
The type of oxidation was found to have a key influence on the oxide composition, especially with respect to the depth distribution of the individual alloy elements through the oxide film. The oxidation process determines which of the alloying elements are released into the environment, as a result of the corrosion reactions. Keywords: oxide film, biocompatibility, surface characterization, ion release, simulated body fluid Published in DiRROS: 16.10.2024; Views: 100; Downloads: 156 Full text (8,67 MB) This document has many files! More... |
217. 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 studyJacek Barańczuk, Grzegorz Masik, Katarzyna Barańczuk, Cécil J. W. Meulenberg, 2024, original scientific article Abstract: In 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. Keywords: climate change, resilience, multicriteria analysis, ecosystem-based adaptation Published in DiRROS: 15.10.2024; Views: 103; Downloads: 47 Full text (653,63 KB) This document has many files! More... |
218. Suicide in the Austrian Littoral at the turn of the 20th centuryUrška Bratož, 2024, original scientific article Abstract: The paper seeks to examine the social image of suicide at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, focusing on the case of Trieste as a major Austrian urban centre, where the suicide rates were visibly increasing from at least the 1870s onwards. The perception of the growing presence of suicide in society made it possible to observe the reflec-tions on suicide from the last quarter of the 19th century, originating from different parts of Europe (Morselli, Masaryk, Durkheim), and at the same time how the discourses around suicide shed light on a somewhat broader picture of society, including its fears (of social problems and change, not least the potential threat of the imitative effect that the daily press was believed to create by reporting on suicides).The newspaper discourse usually followed the scientific publications of the time, and the contemporaneous observations on the mass of suicides were confirmed through statistical analyses and medical, sociological, philosophical, and other debates, while raising many other social issues with which suicide in urban areas could be linked (alcoholism, the growth of the proletariat, poverty, changing values, etc.). All these factors shaped the public debate on suicide as a problem of modern society, with an emphasis on (big) cities, where the prob-lem of suicide was much more pronounced than in smaller, non-industrial towns, or in the countryside of the Austrian Littoral. Keywords: suicide, cities, modernisation, 1870-1910, Trieste, Koper, Austria-Hungary Published in DiRROS: 15.10.2024; Views: 96; Downloads: 49 Full text (272,65 KB) This document has many files! More... |
219. Fotokatalitski heterostrukturirani nanomateriali za izkoriščanje sončne energije : zaključno poročilo o rezultatih raziskovalnega projektaAndrijana Sever Škapin, Peter Nadrah, Miran Gaberšček, 2024, treatise, preliminary study, study Keywords: fotokataliza, heterostrukture, TiO2-CeO2, TiO2-Cu, sokatalizator, photocatalysis, heterostructures, co-catalyst Published in DiRROS: 14.10.2024; Views: 152; Downloads: 0 This document has many files! More... |
220. Thinking Togetherness : Phenomenology and Sociality2023, scientific monograph Abstract: The scientific monograph THINKING TOGETHERNESS. PHENOMENOLOGY AND SOCIALITY, edited by Dr. Andrej Božič, comprises the contributions of 32 scholars from the field of phenomenological philosophy. The international and intergenerational configuration of the whole, within which the chapters are meaningfully arranged into seven thematic sections, imparts upon the volume the character of a panoramic scrutiny of the phenomenological manner of confronting the question what co-constitutes the fundamental traits of inter-personal co-habitation with others. The volume offers not only a historical account with regard to the development of phenomenology, but also quite straightforwardly concerns its relevance within the philosophical research that deals with the contemporary problems of society. Keywords: Society, Sociality, Social Phenomenology, Phenomenological Sociology Published in DiRROS: 11.10.2024; Views: 173; Downloads: 127 Full text (34,85 MB) |