Analitički studij kapitalnog restrukturiranja procesa metalurških tvrtki u svijetu i Poljskoj

The article presents the most common directions of changes in capital groups in the sector of metallurgy around the world and in Poland. During the observation of the restructuring activities in metallurgy the attention was turned to the integration of the capital groups, capital outsourcing and contract outsourcing, creation and the takeover of the dependent companies. The meaning of the capital consolidation was underlined on the global metallurgy market in order to gain competitive advantage through the increase of manufacturing capacity. The overview of the rating of the global steel producers in years 1989-2009 was conducted with this article in mind and it has shown the changes in the participation of particular capital groups in the world production of steel.Članak iznosi najvažnije zajedničke putokaze izmjena glavnih skupina proizvođača u metalurškom sektoru u svijetu i Poljskoj. Tijekom motrenja restrukturiranja aktivnosti u metalurgiji, pozornost je usmjerena na integraciju glavnih skupina i međusobnih ugovora, zatečeno stanje zavisnih tvrtki. Nakana glavnih konsolidacija je bila podređenost globalnom metalurškom tržištu sukladno konkurentskim prednostima kroz povećanje kapaciteta proizvodnje. Glavni pogledi na procjenu globalnih proizvođača čelika u godinama 1989.-2009. su pokazani u ovom članku uz ponašanje i izmjene sudjelovanja pojedinih glavnih skupina u svjetskoj proizvodnji čelika

Analitički studij kapitalnog restrukturiranja procesa metalurških tvrtki u svijetu i Poljskoj

The article presents the most common directions of changes in capital groups in the sector of metallurgy around the world and in Poland. During the observation of the restructuring activities in metallurgy the attention was turned to the integration of the capital groups, capital outsourcing and contract outsourcing, creation and the takeover of the dependent companies. The meaning of the capital consolidation was underlined on the global metallurgy market in order to gain competitive advantage through the increase of manufacturing capacity. The overview of the rating of the global steel producers in years 1989-2009 was conducted with this article in mind and it has shown the changes in the participation of particular capital groups in the world production of steel.Članak iznosi najvažnije zajedničke putokaze izmjena glavnih skupina proizvođača u metalurškom sektoru u svijetu i Poljskoj. Tijekom motrenja restrukturiranja aktivnosti u metalurgiji, pozornost je usmjerena na integraciju glavnih skupina i međusobnih ugovora, zatečeno stanje zavisnih tvrtki. Nakana glavnih konsolidacija je bila podređenost globalnom metalurškom tržištu sukladno konkurentskim prednostima kroz povećanje kapaciteta proizvodnje. Glavni pogledi na procjenu globalnih proizvođača čelika u godinama 1989.-2009. su pokazani u ovom članku uz ponašanje i izmjene sudjelovanja pojedinih glavnih skupina u svjetskoj proizvodnji čelika

Coopetition as a development stimulator of enterprises in the networked steel sector

The article deals with the problems of coopetition, i.e. simultaneous cooperation and competition between enterprises. This phenomenon is becoming more and more common in the steel industry, initially in the dimension of individual alliances, and currently it takes a form of network connections. The different groups of enterprises are involved in these networks: global players, regional champions, as well as niche specialists. Through the coopetition companies achieve benefits (both internal and external) which are becoming the stimulator of survival and growth in a highly competitive steel industry

Extending the Breakthrough Listen nearby star survey to other stellar objects in the field

We extend the source sample recently observed by the Breakthrough Listen Initiative by including additional stars (with parallaxes measured by Gaia) that also reside within the FWHM of the GBT and Parkes radio telescope target fields. These stars have estimated distances as listed in the extensions of the Gaia DR2 catalogue. Enlarging the sample from 1327 to 288315 stellar objects permits us to achieve substantially better Continuous Waveform Transmitter Rate Figures of Merit (CWTFM) than any previous analysis, and allows us to place the tightest limits yet on the prevalence of nearby high-duty-cycle extraterrestrial transmitters. The results suggest $\lesssim 0.0660^{+0.0004}_{-0.0003}$% of stellar systems within 50 pc host such transmitters (assuming an EIRP $\gtrsim 10^{13}$ W) and $\lesssim 0.039^{+0.004}_{-0.008}$% within 200 pc (assuming an EIRP $\gtrsim 2.5 \times 10^{14}$ W). We further extend our analysis to much greater distances, though we caution that the detection of narrow-band signals beyond a few hundred pc may be affected by interstellar scintillation. The extended sample also permits us to place new constraints on the prevalence of extraterrestrial transmitters by stellar type and spectral class. Our results suggest targeted analyses of SETI radio data can benefit from taking into account the fact that in addition to the target at the field centre, many other cosmic objects reside within the primary beam response of a parabolic radio telescope. These include foreground and background galactic stars, but also extragalactic systems. With distances measured by Gaia, these additional sources can be used to place improved limits on the prevalence of extraterrestrial transmitters, and extend the analysis to a wide range of cosmic objects.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures, 3 tables. Accepted by MNRA

Micro-endoscopy of the human vas deferens: a feasibility study of a novel device in several ex vivo models

The aim of this study was to show limitation as well as potential of micro-endoscopy techniques as an innovative diagnostic and therapeutic approach in andrology. Two kinds of custom-made micro-endoscopes (ME) were tested in ex vivo vas deferens specimen and in post-mortem whole body. The semi-rigid ME included a micro-optic (0.9mm outer diameter [OD], 10.000 pixels, 120 degrees vision angle [VE], 3-20mm field depth [FD]) and an integrated fibre-optic light source. The flexible ME was composed of a micro-optic (OD=0.6mm, 6.000 pixels, 120 degrees VE, 3-20mm FD). The ex vivo study included retrograde investigation of the vas deferens (surgical specimen n=9, radical prostatectomy n=3). The post-mortem investigation (n=4) included the inspection of the vas deferens via both approaches. The results showed that antegrade and retrograde rigid endoscopy of the vas deferens were achieved as a diagnostic tool. The working channel enabled therapeutic use including biopsies or baskets. Using the flexible ME, the orifices of the ejaculatory ducts were identified. In vivo cadaveric retrograde cannulation of the orifices was successful. Post-mortem changes of verumontanum hindered the examinations beyond. Orifices were identified shaded behind a thin transparent membrane. Antegrade vasoscopy using flexible ME was possible up to the internal inguinal ring. Further advancement was impossible because of anatomical angle and lack adequate vision guidance. The vas deferens interior was clearly visible and was documented by pictures and movies. Altogether, the described ME techniques were feasible and effective, offering the potential of innovative diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for use in the genital tract. Several innovative indications could be expected

A hydrodynamically optimized nano-electrospray ionization source and vacuum interface

The coupling of atmospheric pressure ionization (API) sources like electrospray ionization (ESI) to vacuum based applications like mass spectrometry (MS) or ion beam deposition (IBD) is done by differential pumping, starting with a capillary or pinhole inlet. Because of its low ion transfer efficiency the inlet represents a major bottleneck for these applications. Here we present a nano-ESI vacuum interface optimized to exploit the hydrodynamic drag of the background gas for collimation and the reduction of space charge repulsion. Up to a space charge limit of 40 nA we observe 100% current transmission through a capillary with an inlet and show by MS and IBD experiments that the transmitted ion beams are well defined and free of additional contamination compared to a conventional interface. Based on computational fluid dynamics modelling and ion transport simulations, we show how the specific shape enhances the collimation of the ion cloud. Mass selected ion currents in the nanoampere range available further downstream in high vacuum open many perspectives for the efficient use of electrospray ion beam deposition (ES-IBD) as a surface coating method

Site-specific O-glycosylation on the MUC_{2} mucin protein inhibits cleavage by the porphyromonas gingivalis secreted cysteine protease (RgpB)

The colonic epithelial surface is protected by an inner mucus layer that the commensal microflora cannot penetrate. We previously demonstrated that Entamoeba histolytica secretes a protease capable of dissolving this layer that is required for parasite penetration. Here, we asked whether there are bacteria that can secrete similar proteases. We screened bacterial culture supernatants for such activity using recombinant fragments of the MUC2 mucin, the major structural component, and the only gel-forming mucin in the colonic mucus. MUC2 has two central heavily O-glycosylated mucin domains that are protease-resistant and has cysteine-rich N and C termini responsible for polymerization. Culture supernatants of Porphyromonas gingivalis, a bacterium that secretes proteases responsible for periodontitis, cleaved the MUC2 C-terminal region, whereas the N-terminal region was unaffected. The active enzyme was isolated and identified as Arg-gingipain B (RgpB). Two cleavage sites were localized to IR↓TT and NR↓QA. IR↓TT cleavage will disrupt the MUC2 polymers. Because this site has two potential O-glycosylation sites, we tested whether recombinant GalNAc-transferases (GalNAc-Ts) could glycosylate a synthetic peptide covering the IRTT sequence. Only GalNAc-T3 was able to glycosylate the second Thr in IRTT, rendering the sequence resistant to cleavage by RgpB. Furthermore, when GalNAc-T3 was expressed in CHO cells expressing the MUC2 C terminus, the second threonine was glycosylated, and the protein became resistant to RgpB cleavage. These findings suggest that bacteria can produce proteases capable of dissolving the inner protective mucus layer by specific cleavages in the MUC2 mucin and that this cleavage can be modulated by site-specific O-glycosylation

Developing benign Ni/g-C3N4 catalysts for CO2 hydrogenation: Activity and toxicity study

This research discusses the CO2 valorization via hydrogenation over the non-noble metal dusters of Ni and Cu supported on graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4). The Ni and Cu catalysts were characterized by conventional techniques including XRD, AFM, ATR, Raman imaging, and TPR and were tested via the hydrogenation of CO2 at 1 bar. The transition-metal-based catalyst designed with atom-economy principles presents stable activity and good conversions for the studied processes. At 1 bar, the rise in operating temperature during CO2 hydrogenation increases the CO(2 )conversion and the selectivity for CO and decreases the selectivity for methanol on Cu/CN catalysts. For the Ni/CN catalyst, the selectivity to light hydrocarbons, such as CH4, also increased with rising temperature. At 623 K, the conversion attained ca. 20%, with CH4 being the primary product of the reaction (CH4 yield >80%). Above 700 K, the Ni/CN activity increases, reaching almost equilibrium values, although the Ni loading in Ni/CN is lower by more than 90% compared to the reference NiREF catalyst. The presented data offer a better understanding of the effect of the transition metals' small metal cluster and their coordination and stabilization within g-C3N4, contributing to the rational hybrid catalyst design with a less-toxic impact on the environment and health. Bare g-C3N4 is shown as a good support candidate for atom-economy-designed catalysts for hydrogenation application. In addition, cytotoxicity to the keratinocyte human HaCaT cell line revealed that low concentrations of catalysts particles (to 6.25 mu g mL(-1)) did not cause degenerative changes.Web of Scienc