Showing papers by "University of Ljubljana published in 2022"
TL;DR: A review of 715 laboratory studies published on microplastics in the last five years to provide recommendations for future laboratory research is presented in this paper, where the majority of microplastic particles used in laboratory studies are manufactured spheres of polystyrene ranging in size from 1 to 50 µm.
38 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a review of cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) and their potential roles in cancer immunotherapy and diagnostics is presented, highlighting some of the most recent achievements in selective delivery of anticancer drugs to a range of tumor cells both in vitro and in vivo.
30 citations
University of Seville1, University of Almería2, Texas A&M University3, University of Granada4, University of New South Wales5, University of Padua6, University of Monterrey7, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University8, University of Toronto9, Lebanese American University10, Ağrı İbrahim Çeçen University11, Mehmet Akif Ersoy University12, University of Minho13, Polytechnic Institute of Viana do Castelo14, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology15, Kozminski University16, Tanta University17, University of Batna18, University of Nigeria, Nsukka19, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo20, Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology21, Rutgers University22, Tarumanagara University23, Claude Bernard University Lyon 124, Dr Emilio B Espinosa Sr Memorial State College of Agriculture and Technology25, University of London26, Örebro University27, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg28, Pathumwan Institute of Technology29, University of Ljubljana30, National Research University – Higher School of Economics31
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the role of different psychological coping mechanisms in mental and physical health during the initial phases of the COVID-19 crisis with an emphasis on meaning-centered coping.
29 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors studied the wall heat flux partitioning during the pool boiling of water on thin metallic surfaces and showed that the mechanisms of heat transfer on substrates of small thermal capacity are very different compared to substrates with large thermal capacity.
22 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigated how export market orientation and marketing capabilities relate to export venture performance and found that a responsive and a proactive market orientation have different effects on pricing and product development capabilities.
22 citations
TL;DR: In this article , a non-singular modification of the Kerr geometry, dubbed the "eye of the storm", is proposed, which is a rotating regular black hole with an asymptotically Minkowski core.
Abstract: Abstract We analyse in some detail a highly tractable non-singular modification of the Kerr geometry, dubbed the “eye of the storm” — a rotating regular black hole with an asymptotically Minkowski core. This is achieved by “exponentially suppressing” the mass parameter in the Kerr spacetime: m → m e - ℓ/r . The single suppression parameter ℓ quantifies the deviation from the usual Kerr spacetime. Some of the classical energy conditions are globally satisfied, whilst certain choices for ℓ force any energy-condition-violating physics into the deep core. The geometry possesses the full “Killing tower” of principal tensor, Killing-Yano tensor, and nontrivial Killing tensor, with associated Carter constant; hence the Hamilton-Jacobi equations are separable, and the geodesics integrable. Both the Klein-Gordon equation and Maxwell's equations are also separable on this candidate spacetime. The tightly controlled deviation from Kerr renders the physics extraordinarily tractable when compared with analogous candidates in the literature. This spacetime will be amenable to straightforward extraction of astrophysical observables falsifiable/ verifiable by the experimental community.
21 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors analyzed the most frequent combinations of coping strategies used by general population during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in a sample of 1347 Slovenian adults.
15 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors developed an original framework that identifies three kinds of wrongful activities: stealing, lying, and harming, and defined cybersecurity as the absence of the three wrongs across the four kinds of elements: information asset, material asset, person, and system.
15 citations
TL;DR: Wang et al. as mentioned in this paper have studied general cybersecurity frameworks, cybersecurity standards, research literature, and first principles of systems theory and process engineering, and developed an original framework that identifies three kinds of wrongful activities: stealing, lying, and harming.
15 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a trinickel disulphide (Ni3S2) formed on a metallic Ni nanoparticle supported by vertical carbon nanotubes (VCN) backbone was tested as anode for lithium-ion batteries.
14 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors used information quality (IQ) as an instrument to investigate how users can detect fake news and investigated how users perceive fake news in the form of shorter paragraphs on individual IQ dimensions.
Abstract: Digital information exchange enables quick creation and sharing of information and thus changes existing habits. Social media is becoming the main source of news for end-users replacing traditional media. This also enables the proliferation of fake news, which misinforms readers and is used to serve the interests of the creators. As a result, automated fake news detection systems are attracting attention. However, automatic fake news detection presents a major challenge; content evaluation is increasingly becoming the responsibility of the end-user. Thus, in the present study we used information quality (IQ) as an instrument to investigate how users can detect fake news. Specifically, we examined how users perceive fake news in the form of shorter paragraphs on individual IQ dimensions. We also investigated which user characteristics might affect fake news detection. We performed an empirical study with 1123 users, who evaluated randomly generated stories with statements of various level of correctness by individual IQ dimensions. The results reveal that IQ can be used as a tool for fake news detection. Our findings show that (1) domain knowledge has a positive impact on fake news detection; (2) education in combination with domain knowledge improves fake news detection; and (3) personality trait conscientiousness contributes significantly to fake news detection in all dimensions.
TL;DR: In this paper, a method for identifying the frequency response function of a pressure measurement system in the high-frequency range using an independent, traceable pressure step signal generated in a shock tube as the reference input signal was proposed.
TL;DR: In this article, the relativistic topological descriptors of the zeolite RHO structures were derived by graph-theoretical cut methods that reduce the complex structures with tunnels and cages into simpler graphs.
TL;DR: The presented study enables not only the identification of creeps groan, but also the automatic classification of its manifestations in real-time, and therefore provides further possibilities for creep groan control methods.
TL;DR: For example, in this paper, the authors divide the extremotolerant and extremophilic fungi into (i) ubiquitous and polyextremotolerants generalists and (ii) rarely isolated specialists with narrow ecological amplitudes.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors define cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs), give short overview of CPP history and discuss several aspects of CMP classification, and present different cargoes that can be transferred into the cells by CPPs and briefly discuss the effect of cargo on the rate and efficiency of penetration.
Abstract: In this introductory chapter, we first define cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs), give short overview of CPP history and discuss several aspects of CPP classification. Next section is devoted to the mechanism of CPP penetration into the cells, where direct and endocytic internalization of CPP is explained. Kinetics of internalization is discussed more extensively, since this topic is not discussed in other chapters of this book. At the end of this section some features of the thermodynamics of CPP interaction with the membrane is also presented. Finally, we present different cargoes that can be transferred into the cells by CPPs and briefly discuss the effect of cargo on the rate and efficiency of penetration into the cells.
TL;DR: In this paper, a new model of cholesterol-dependent fusion pore regulation was proposed to explain the role of cholesterol in the formation of fusion pores in lysosomal storage diseases.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigated the efficiency of a pinned disc rotational generator of hydrodynamic cavitation in waste activated sludge and found that the results of physical and chemical evaluation showed a reduction in mean particle size up to 88%, an increase in specific surface area up to 300% and an increase of soluble COD, NH4-N, NO3-N and PO4-P up to 155.8, 126.3, 250 and 29.7%, respectively.
TL;DR: In this paper , the extraction efficiency of natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) based on choline chloride as a hydrogen bond acceptor and five different hydrogen bond donors (HBD; lactic acid, 1,4-butanediol, 1 2-propanediol, fructose and urea) was evaluated for the first time for the isolation of valuable bioactive compounds from Achillea millefolium L. The results were compared with those obtained with 80% ethanol, 80% methanol, and water.
Abstract: In this study, the extraction efficiency of natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) based on choline chloride as a hydrogen bond acceptor (HBA) and five different hydrogen bond donors (HBD; lactic acid, 1,4-butanediol, 1,2-propanediol, fructose and urea) was evaluated for the first time for the isolation of valuable bioactive compounds from Achillea millefolium L. The phytochemical profiles of NADES extracts obtained after ultrasound-assisted extraction were evaluated both spectrophotometrically (total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant assays) and chromatographically (UHPLC-MS and HPLC-UV). The results were compared with those obtained with 80% ethanol, 80% methanol, and water. The highest TPC value was found in the lactic acid-based NADES (ChCl-LA), which correlated with the highest antioxidant activity determined by the FRAP analysis. On the other hand, the highest antiradical potential against ABTS+• was determined for urea-based NADES. Phenolic acids (chlorogenic acid and dicaffeoylquinic acid isomers), flavones (luteolin and apigenin), and their corresponding glucosides were determined as the dominant individual phenolic compounds in all extracts. The antibacterial and antifungal properties of the extracts obtained against four bacterial cultures and two yeasts were evaluated using two methods: the agar dilution method to obtain the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimum bactericidal or fungicidal concentration (MBC or MFC), and the disc diffusion method. ChCl-LA had the lowest MIC and MBC/MFC with respect to all microorganisms, with an MIC ranging from 0.05 mg mL-1 to 0.8 mg mL-1, while the water extract had the weakest inhibitory activity with MIC and MBC/MFC higher than 3.2 mg mL-1.
TL;DR: In this article , the authors used Retje karst hollow (Loški Potok, Slovenia) as a representative site for mountainous and hilly rural areas in central and south-eastern Europe with residential wood combustion.
Abstract: Abstract. Residential wood combustion is a widespread practice in Europe with a serious impact on air quality, especially in mountainous areas. While there is a significant number of studies conducted in deep urbanized valleys and basins, little is known about the air pollution processes in rural shallow hollows, where around 30 % of the people in mountainous areas across Europe live. We aim to determine the influence of ground temperature inversions on wood combustion aerosol pollution in hilly, rural areas. The study uses Retje karst hollow (Loški Potok, Slovenia) as a representative site for mountainous and hilly rural areas in central and south-eastern Europe with residential wood combustion. Sampling with a mobile monitoring platform along the hollow was performed in December 2017 and January 2018. The backpack mobile monitoring platform was used for the determination of equivalent black carbon (eBC) and particulate matter (PM) mass concentrations along the hollow. To ensure high quality of mobile measurement data, intercomparisons of mobile instruments with reference instruments were performed at two air quality stations during every run. Our study showed that aerosol pollution events in the relief depression were associated with high local emission intensities originating almost entirely from residential wood burning and shallow temperature inversions (58 m on average). The eBC and PM mass concentrations showed stronger associations with the potential temperature gradient (R2=0.8) than with any other meteorological parameters taken into account (ambient temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, wind direction, and precipitation). The strong association between the potential temperature gradient and pollutant concentrations suggests that even a small number of emission sources (total 243 households in the studied hollow) in similar hilly and mountainous rural areas with frequent temperature inversions can significantly increase the levels of eBC and PM and deteriorate local air quality. During temperature inversions the measured mean eBC and PM2.5 mass concentrations in the whole hollow were as high as 4.5±2.6 and 48.0 ± 27.7 µg m−3, respectively, which is comparable to larger European urban centres.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors propose a general methodology to define specific engineer archetypes as technical competences from educational - Semi Structured Intended Learning Outcomes (SS-ILO) and occupational - European Skills, Competences, Qualifications and Occupations (ESCO) frameworks.
TL;DR: In this paper , the authors synthesized and characterized three compounds with N,N,N-trimethyl-2-oxo-2-(2-(1-(thiazol)-2-yl)ethylidene)hydrazinyl)ethan-1-aminium chloride (HL1Cl) by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, IR spectroscopy, elemental analysis and DFT calculations.
Abstract: In this paper, Cu(II), Mn(II) and Zn(II) complexes with N,N,N-trimethyl-2-oxo-2-(2-(1-(thiazol-2-yl)ethylidene)hydrazinyl)ethan-1-aminium chloride (HL1Cl) were synthesized and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, IR spectroscopy, elemental analysis and DFT calculations. In all three complexes, a ligand (L1) is coordinated in a deprotonated formally neutral zwitterionic form via NNO donor set atoms. Cu(II) and Zn(II) form mononuclear penta-coordinated complexes [CuL1(N3)(CH3OH)]BF4 and [ZnL1(N3)2], respectively, while Mn(II) forms a binuclear [Mn2L12(μ-1,1-N3)2(N3)2]·2CH3OH complex, with unusual distorted trigonal-prismatic geometry around the metal centers. The antimicrobial activity of these complexes was tested against a panel of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, two yeasts and one fungal strain. The binuclear Mn(II) complex showed antifungal activity of similar intensity to amphotericin B. Based on the results of the brine shrimp test and DPPH radical scavenging activity, the most active Cu(II) and Mn(II) complexes were selected for evaluation of cytotoxic activity against five malignant cancer cell lines (HeLa, A375, MCF7, PC-3 and A549) and one normal cell line HaCaT. Both complexes showed significant activity. It should be pointed out that the activity of the Mn(II) complex against the MCF7 breast cancer cell line is only slightly weaker than that of cisplatin, but with selectivity to the tumor cell line in comparison to normal HaCaT cells, which is non-existent in the case of cisplatin.
TL;DR: In this article, the deoxidation effect of a non-thermal dielectric barrier discharge plasma in an Ar/H2 gas mixture at 100hPa and 20h°C was investigated on copper surfaces with a native oxide layer.
TL;DR: In this article , the ReSoil® platform was used to remove toxic metalloids and metals from soil by washing with oxalic acid, Na-dithionite and EDTA solution.
TL;DR: In this paper, a multi-method design integrating techniques from systematic literature review, process mining, and statistical analysis is used to identify the similarities and differences of the different methods and uncover similarities in different methods contingent to the factors industry, objectives and whether a method is proposed or applied.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors presented an energy yield model for planar perovskite solar cells based on the combination of advanced optical modeling and extensive opto-electrical characterization and took the geographical location and the orientation of the device into account.
TL;DR: In this article, the Morlet Wave Damping Identification (MWD) method was used to identify damping from high-dynamic-range and low-noise piezoelectric accelerometers.
TL;DR: In this article , the authors investigate the geodesics in some detail, in the general situation demonstrating the occurrence of “ultra-elliptic” integrals, only in certain special cases can the complete geodesic integrability be explicitly cast in terms of elementary functions.
Abstract: Recently, the current authors have formulated and extensively explored a rather novel Painlevé–Gullstrand variant of the slow-rotation Lense–Thirring spacetime, a variant which has particularly elegant features—including unit lapse, intrinsically flat spatial 3-slices, and a separable Klein–Gordon equation (wave operator). This spacetime also possesses a non-trivial Killing tensor, implying separability of the Hamilton–Jacobi equation, the existence of a Carter constant, and complete formal integrability of the geodesic equations. Herein, we investigate the geodesics in some detail, in the general situation demonstrating the occurrence of “ultra-elliptic” integrals. Only in certain special cases can the complete geodesic integrability be explicitly cast in terms of elementary functions. The model is potentially of astrophysical interest both in the asymptotic large-distance limit and as an example of a “black hole mimic”, a controlled deformation of the Kerr spacetime that can be contrasted with ongoing astronomical observations.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors measured the breakdown voltage of planar lipid bilayers with varying cholesterol concentrations under electric field and found no statistical difference of cBLM between the cholesterol concentrations, in fact it reduces by 20% of the Ubrmin at 50 mol% cholesterol concentration.
TL;DR: In this article , two protocols for the green in situ synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NP) on cotton with the aim of developing sustainable cotton fabric with an ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) were presented.
Abstract: This work presents two protocols for the green in situ synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NP) on cotton with the aim to develop sustainable cotton fabric with an ultraviolet protection factor (UPF). The protocols differed in the order of immersing cotton fabric in reactive solutions of three batches, i.e., precursor (0.1 M zinc acetate dihydrate), reducing agent (aqueous extract of Japanese knotweed leaves) and alkali (wood ash waste). The scanning electron microscope (SEM) results showed that ZnO-NP were successfully synthesised on cotton using both protocols; however, only the protocol where cotton was first immersed in alkali, then in the precursor and, lastly, in the reducing agent enabled very high UPF and higher amount of Zn present on the sample. Due to the different order of cotton fabric immersion in the reactive solutions, dissimilar morphology of the ZnO particles was observed, which resulted in different UV blocking abilities of the samples. The antioxidant analysis (DPPH) showed that the natural reducing agent prepared from Japanese knotweed leaves has very high antioxidant activity, which is attributed to phenolic compounds present in the plant. The reflectance spectroscopy results confirmed that the colour yield and colour of the samples did not influence the UPF value. This protocol is an example of green circular economy where waste materials of invasive alien plant species and pellet heating was used as a natural source of phytochemicals, for the direct synthesis of ZnO-NP to develop cotton fabric with UV-protective properties.