1. Groundwater is a hidden global keystone ecosystemMattia Saccò, Stefano Mammola, Florian Altermatt, Roman Alther, Rossano Bolpagni, Anton Brancelj, David Brankovits, Cene Fišer, Vasilis Gerovasileiou, Špela Borko, Maja Zagmajster, 2024, pregledni znanstveni članek Povzetek: Groundwater is a vital ecosystem of the global water cycle, hosting unique biodiversity and providing essential services to societies. Despite being the largest unfrozen freshwater resource, in a period of depletion by extraction and pollution, groundwater environments have been repeatedly overlooked in global biodiversity conservation agendas. Disregarding the importance of groundwater as an ecosystem ignores its critical role in preserving surface biomes. To foster timely global conservation of groundwater, we propose elevating the concept of keystone species into the realm of ecosystems, claiming groundwater as a keystone ecosystem that influences the integrity of many dependent ecosystems. Our global analysis shows that over half of land surface areas (52.6%) has a medium-to-high interaction with groundwater, reaching up to 74.9% when deserts and high mountains are excluded. We postulate that the intrinsic transboundary features of groundwater are critical for shifting perspectives towards more holistic approaches in aquatic ecology and beyond. Furthermore, we propose eight key themes to develop a science-policy integrated groundwater conservation agenda. Given ecosystems above and below the ground intersect at many levels, considering groundwater as an essential component of planetary health is pivotal to reduce biodiversity loss and buffer against climate change. Ključne besede: groundwater, keystone ecosystem, surface-subterranean connectivity Objavljeno v DiRROS: 07.08.2024; Ogledov: 93; Prenosov: 104
Celotno besedilo (8,83 MB) Gradivo ima več datotek! Več... |
2. Recent changes (2013-2017) in scyphomedusan fauna in the Boka Kotorska Bay, Montenegro (Southeast Adriatic)Ivana Violić, Tjaša Kogovšek, Branka Pestorić, Vesna Mačić, Ivona Milić Beran, Davor Lučić, 2019, izvirni znanstveni članek Povzetek: A semi- quantitative time series (2013-2017) was used to present the recent events of scyphomedusae appearance and abundance in the Boka Kotorska Bay, Montenegro, Southeast Adriatic. Six meroplanktonic species were recorded: Aurelia spp, Chrysaora hysoscella, Cotylorhiza tuberculata¸ Discomedusa lobata, Drymonema dalmatinum and Rhizostoma pulmo. Among them, C. hysoscella and D. lobata dominated in the water column during winter and spring, forming dense aggregations in March and May, and February to May, respectively. Our description of the D. lobata blooms are actually the first known records of blooms for this species. C. tuberculata was observed in the Bay principally in August and September. The bloom was occurred only in 2017, being the first information of C. tuberculata mass appearance in this area. We hypothesized that global warming phenomena could trigger the observed changes, and in this respect, long-term trends of sea surface temperature (SST) fluctuations were analysed. The scyphomedusae blooms coincided with high positive SST anomalies, noted in the last seven years for this area. To better understand the mechanisms underlying changes in their phenology and abundance, detailed studies on benthic stages in the Bay are essential.
Ključne besede: jellyfish, blooms, phenology, sea surface temperature, Mediterranean Sea Objavljeno v DiRROS: 31.07.2024; Ogledov: 143; Prenosov: 117
Celotno besedilo (1,46 MB) Gradivo ima več datotek! Več... |
3. Biofilm surface density determines biocide effectivenessSara Baš, Mateja Kramer, David Stopar, 2017, izvirni znanstveni članek Povzetek: High resistance of biofilms for chemical challenges is a serious industrial and medical problem. In this work a gradient of surface covered with biofilm has been produced and correlated to the effectiveness of different commercially available oxidative biocides. The results for thin Escherichia coli biofilms grown in rich media supplemented with glucose or lactose on glass or poly methyl methacrylate surfaces indicate that the effectiveness of hydrogen peroxide or chlorine dioxide and quaternary ammonium compounds is inversely proportional to the fraction of the surface covered with the biofilm. In areas where biofilm covered more than 90% of the available surface the biocide treatment was inefficient after 60 min of incubation. The combined effect of oxidant and surfactant increased the effectiveness of the biocide. On the other hand, the increased biofilm viscoelasticity reduced biocide effectiveness. The results emphasize differential biocide effectiveness depending on the fraction of the attached bacterial cells. The results suggest that biofilm biocide resistance is an acquired property that increases with biofilm maturation. The more dense sessile structures present lower log reductions compared to less dense ones. Ključne besede: biofilms, E. coli, biocide, antimicrobial, surface coverage, viscoelasticity Objavljeno v DiRROS: 24.07.2024; Ogledov: 249; Prenosov: 119
Celotno besedilo (3,08 MB) Gradivo ima več datotek! Več... |
4. Multi-platform, high-resolution study of a complex coastal system : the TOSCA experiment in the Gulf of TriesteStefano Querin, Simone Cosoli, Riccardo Gerin, Célia Laurent, Vlado Malačič, Neva Pristov, Pierre-Marie Poulain, 2021, izvirni znanstveni članek Povzetek: Abstract
Although small in size, the Gulf of Trieste (GoT), a marginal coastal basin in the northern Adriatic Sea, is characterized by very complex dynamics and strong variability of its oceanographic conditions. In April–May 2012, a persistent, large-scale anticyclonic eddy was observed in the GoT. This event was captured by both High Frequency Radar (HFR) and Lagrangian drifter observations collected within the European MED TOSCA (Tracking Oil Spill and Coastal Awareness) project. The complexity of the system and the variety of forcing factors constitute major challenges from a numerical modeling perspective when it comes to simulating the observed features. In this study, we implemented a high-resolution hydrodynamic model in an attempt to reproduce and analyze the observed basin-wide eddy structure and determine its drivers. We adopted the Massachusetts Institute of Technology General Circulation Model (MITgcm), tailored for the GoT, nested into a large-scale simulation of the Adriatic Sea and driven by a tidal model, measured river freshwater discharge data and surface atmospheric forcing. Numerical results were qualitatively and quantitatively evaluated against HFR surface current maps, Lagrangian drifter trajectories and thermohaline data, showing good skills in reproducing the general circulation, but failing in accurately tracking the drifters. Model sensitivity to different forcing factors (wind, river and tides) was also assessed. Ključne besede: Adriatic Sea, surface circulation, HF coastal radars, Lagrangian drifters, wind-driven currents, ocean circulation models Objavljeno v DiRROS: 19.07.2024; Ogledov: 102; Prenosov: 90
Celotno besedilo (7,95 MB) Gradivo ima več datotek! Več... |
5. Characterization of micro-threaded stem taper surface of cementless hip endoprosthesesDrago Dolinar, Boštjan Kocjančič, Klemen Avsec, Barbara Šetina, Aleksandra Kocijan, Matjaž Godec, Marko Sedlaček, Mojca Debeljak, John T. Grant, Timon Zupanc, Monika Jenko, 2024, izvirni znanstveni članek Povzetek: We investigated micro-threaded stem taper surface and its impact on premature failures, aseptic loosening, and infection in cementless hip endoprostheses. Our study focused on the fretting, and crevice corrosion of micro-threaded tapers, as well as the characterization of the microstructure and surface properties of two new and three retrieved Zweymüller stem tapers. The retrieved samples were selected and examined based on the head–stem taper interface being the sole source of modularity with a metallic component, specifically between the Ti alloy taper stem and the ceramic head. To determine the surface chemistry and microstructures of both new and retrieved hip endoprostheses stem taper titanium alloy, scanning -electron microscopy (SEM) was employed for morphological and microstructural analyses. Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) was utilized for characterizing chemical element distribution, and electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) was used for phase analysis. The roughness of the micro-threated stem tapers from different manufacturers was investigated using an optical profilometer, with standard roughness parameters Ra (average surface roughness) and Rz (mean peak to valley height of the roughness profile) being measured. Electrochemical studies revealed no fretting corrosion in retrieved stem tapers with ceramic heads. Consequently, three retrieved tapers and two new ones for comparison underwent potentiodynamic measurements in Hank’s solution to determine the corrosion rate of new and retrieved stem taper surfaces. The results showed a low corrosion rate for both new and prematurely failed retrieved samples due to aseptic loosening. However, the corrosion rate was higher in infected and low-grade infected tapers. In conclusion, our study suggests that using ceramic heads reduces taper corrosion and subsequently decreases the incidence of premature failures in total hip arthroplasty. Ključne besede: total hip arthroplasty, stem micro-threaded taper, taper surface morphology, microstructure, corrosion, Ti implant alloy Objavljeno v DiRROS: 06.06.2024; Ogledov: 210; Prenosov: 206
Celotno besedilo (8,47 MB) Gradivo ima več datotek! Več... |
6. |
7. Understanding carbide evolution and surface chemistry during deep cryogenic treatment in high-alloyed ferrous alloyPatricia Jovičević Klug, Levi Tegg, Matic Klug Jovičević, Rahul Parmar, Matteo Amati, Luca Gregoratti, László Almásy, Julie M. Cairney, Bojan Podgornik, 2023, izvirni znanstveni članek Ključne besede: cryogenic temperature, surface chemistry, microstructure, atom probe tomography (APT), scanning photoelectron microscopy (SPEM), small angle neutron scattering (SANS) Objavljeno v DiRROS: 08.03.2024; Ogledov: 416; Prenosov: 418
Celotno besedilo (20,08 MB) Gradivo ima več datotek! Več... |
8. Influence of oil viscosity on the tribological behavior of a laser-textured Ti6Al4V alloyMarjetka Conradi, Aleksandra Kocijan, Bojan Podgornik, 2023, izvirni znanstveni članek Povzetek: Laser texturing with a dimple pattern was applied to modify a Ti6Al4V alloy at the micro level, aiming to improve its friction and wear resistance in combination with oil lubrication to optimize the performance in demanding industrial environments. The tribological analysis was performed on four different dimple-textured surfaces with varying dimple size and dimple-to-dimple distance and under lubrication with three different oils, i.e., T9, VG46, and VG100, to reflect the oil viscosity’s influence on the friction/wear of the laser-textured Ti6Al4V alloy. The results show that the surfaces with the highest texture density showed the most significant COF reduction of around 10% in a low-viscosity oil (T9). However, in high-viscosity oils (VG46 and VG100), the influence of the laser texturing on the COF was less pronounced. A wear analysis revealed that the laser texturing intensified the abrasive wear, especially on surfaces with a higher texture density. For low-texturing-density surfaces, less wear was observed for low- and medium-viscosity oils (T9 and VG46). For medium-to-high-texturing densities, the high-viscosity oil (VG100) provided the best contact conditions and wear results. Overall, reduced wear, even below the non-texturing case, was observed for sample 50–200 in VG100 lubrication, indicating the combined effect of oil reservoirs and increased oil-film thickness within the dimples due to the high viscosity. Ključne besede: oil lubrication, surface modification, Ti-based alloy, tribology Objavljeno v DiRROS: 01.02.2024; Ogledov: 422; Prenosov: 158
Celotno besedilo (4,00 MB) Gradivo ima več datotek! Več... |
9. The impact of Al2O3 particles from grit-blasted Ti6Al7Nb (alloy) implant surfaces on biocompatibility, aseptic loosening, and infectionBoštjan Kocjančič, Klemen Avsec, Barbara Šetina, Darja Feizpour, Matjaž Godec, Veronika Kralj-Iglič, Rok Podlipec, Andrej Cör, Mojca Debeljak, John T. Grant, Monika Jenko, Drago Dolinar, 2023, izvirni znanstveni članek Ključne besede: Ti6Al7Nb implant alloy cementless hip endoprostheses, roughness, Al2O3 grit blasting, surface and subsurface implant contamination, cytotoxicity, aseptic loosening, infection, osseointegration Objavljeno v DiRROS: 01.02.2024; Ogledov: 422; Prenosov: 178
Celotno besedilo (16,21 MB) Gradivo ima več datotek! Več... |
10. Overview of the thermal properties of rocks and sediments in SloveniaDušan Rajver, Simona Adrinek, 2023, pregledni znanstveni članek Povzetek: The use of geothermal energy, which comes from both deep geothermal systems and the shallow underground, has been developing rapidly in the last few decades. The purpose of the paper is to present the results of measurements of the thermal properties of all rock samples and sediments that were available from boreholes, two tunnels and numerous surface locations in Slovenia in the period from 1982 to the end of 2022. In relation to the shallow geothermal potential, a special effort is needed to characterize the thermal properties of the rocks and sediments and to implement thermal energy transfer technology. In this sense, knowledge of the thermal conductivity of rocks and sediments is required to assess the possibility of low-enthalpy heat exchange in a given local area. The largest number of measurements was taken to determine thermal conductivity. Determinations of thermal diffusivity were carried out on a much smaller number of rock and sediment samples, as well as determinations of radiogenic heat production in rocks. The results of thermal conductivity measurements on 430 samples from 119 wells, 20 samples from two tunnels and 156 samples from surface locations are shown. The highest thermal conductivities are shown by samples of dolomite, quartz conglomerate and conglomerate, phyllonite, quartz phyllite and gneiss, while the lowest are measured in sediments such as clay, lignite with clay, peat and dry sand. The determined radioactive heat generation is the lowest for milonitized dolomite and highest for dark grey sandstone with shale clasts. Our results are comparable to those already published worldwide, and they could be the basis for the possible future Slovenian standard for the thermal properties of measured rocks and sediments. Ključne besede: thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity, borehole, tunnel, surface, rock, sediment, radioactive heat generation, Slovenia Objavljeno v DiRROS: 15.01.2024; Ogledov: 363; Prenosov: 187
Celotno besedilo (6,03 MB) Gradivo ima več datotek! Več... |