Contemporary Crises and Sustainability Indicators

Following six decades of fastest economic and technological development in history, the current crises have been triggered by collapse of unsustainable financial systems. The extent of these contemporary interconnected crises of economic, societal, environmental, financial and other systems has also shown a need to reevaluate the measurement of sustainable development. Although the existing sustainability indicators are very complex, interdisciplinary and multidimensional, they could neither predict the onset of the crises nor their extent. Therefore relations between indicators of sustainability, technological development and happiness are presented and discussed also in terms of some of the current crises. Some possible solutions are also presented, which could be used for better measurement of life quality and could potentially replace the Gross Domestic Product as the prevailing measure of development

Dependence of radon levels in Postojna Cave on outside air temperature

Postojna Cave is the largest of 21 show caves in Slovenia. The radon concentration there was measured continuously in the Great Mountain hall from July 2005 to October 2009 and ranged from about 200 Bq m<sup>−3</sup> in winter to about 3 kBq m<sup>−3</sup> in summer. The observed seasonal pattern of radon concentration is governed by air movement due to the difference in external and internal air densities, controlled mainly by air temperature. The cave behaves as a large chimney and in the cold period, the warmer cave air is released vertically through cracks and fissures to the colder outside atmosphere, enabling the inflow of fresh air with low radon levels. In summer the ventilation is minimal or reversed and the air flows from the higher to the lower openings of the cave. Our calculations have shown that the effect of the difference between outside and cave air temperatures on radon concentration is delayed for four days, presumably because of the distance of the measurement point from the lower entrance (ca. 2 km). A model developed for predicting radon concentration on the basis of outside air temperature has been checked and found to be successful

Multivariate analysis and artificial neural network approaches of near infrared spectroscopic data for non-destructive quality attributes prediction of Mango (Mangifera indica L.)

There is a need for fast and reliable quality and authenticity control tools of pharmaceutical ingredients. Among others, hormone containing drugs and foods are subject to scrutiny. In this study, terahertz (THz) spectroscopy and THz imaging are applied for the first time to analyze melatonin and its pharmaceutical product Circadin. Melatonin is a hormone found naturally in the human body, which is responsible for the regulation of sleep-wake cycles. In the THz frequency region between 1.5 THz and 4.5 THz, characteristic melatonin spectral features at 3.21 THz, and a weaker one at 4.20 THz, are observed allowing for a quantitative analysis within the final products. Spectroscopic THz imaging of different concentrations of Circadin and melatonin as an active pharmaceutical ingredient in prepared pellets is also performed, which permits spatial recognition of these different substances. These results indicate that THz spectroscopy and imaging can be an indispensable tool, complementing Raman and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopies, in order to provide quality control of dietary supplements and other pharmaceutical products

Fractal Effects in Magnetic Resonance

Effects of fractal structure on the magnetic resonance phenomena are discussed. Fractal theory is a mathematical tool used to describe geometrically complex disordered systems. In principle, one can get characteristic information about a fractal system via measurements of the relevant spectroscopic parameters, which are related to the fractal structure and fractal dynamics. Here, it is demonstrated that the surface fractal dimension, frac- ton dimension and the random walk dimension can be measured by means of nuclear magnetic resonance and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. It is further shown that nuclear magnetic resonance relaxation data allow determination of the non-exponential correlation functions, which reveal the fractal structure of the potential and of the corresponding free energy. The concept of the time fractal sequences of events, leading to the stretched exponential correlation functions, is also discussed

Late Republican Nauportus: the Stara pošta site

V letu 2016 so bili na Vrhniki, na levem bregu Ljubljanice tik za poslopjem Stare pošte (znana tudi kot Lavrenčičeva hiša, ki leži na območju Cankarjevega trga 1c), raziskani sledovi poznorepublikanske naselbine. Ugotovljene so bile štiri faze človekove aktivnosti. Prva faza je povezana z urejanjem (sekanjem in čiščenjem) nabrežja reke Ljubljanice, drugo predstavljajo naselbinske plasti, v tretji fazi pa je bilo obrežje utrjeno s kamnitim nasutjem. Vse tri faze lahko na podlagi drobnih najdb in rezultatov naravoslovnih analiz umestimo v čas od konca 2. st. do sredine 1. st. pr. n. št.V četrti fazi, po sredini 1. st. pr. n. št., je bil prostor opuščen. Pri Stari pošti je bila tako odkrita najstarejša rimska naselbina na območju Navporta. Novo najdišče leži okoli 350 m južno od avgustejske utrjene postojanke na Dolgih njivah in od naselbinskega območja na Bregu. The 2016 archaeological investigations at the Stara pošta site (building also known as Lavrenčičeva hiša, at the address of Cankarjev trg 1c), on the left bank of the River Ljubljanica in Vrhnika, central Slovenia, unearthed habitation remains from the Late Republican period. Four phases of human activities have been identified. Those of the first phase involved clearing the bank of the Ljubljanica. The second phase is represented by settlement layers. In the third phase, a layer of gravel suggests that the bank was reinforced and levelled. Small finds and 14C dates place these three phases between the late 2nd century and mid-1st century BC. After the mid-1st century BC, this area was abandoned (Phase IV). The site revealed the earliest traces of Roman habitation in the Nauportus area. It lies some 350 m south of the fortified Augustan post at Dolge njive and settlement at Breg.

Fractal Effects in Magnetic Resonance

Effects of fractal structure on the magnetic resonance phenomena are discussed. Fractal theory is a mathematical tool used to describe geometrically complex disordered systems. In principle, one can get characteristic information about a fractal system via measurements of the relevant spectroscopic parameters, which are related to the fractal structure and fractal dynamics. Here, it is demonstrated that the surface fractal dimension, frac- ton dimension and the random walk dimension can be measured by means of nuclear magnetic resonance and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. It is further shown that nuclear magnetic resonance relaxation data allow determination of the non-exponential correlation functions, which reveal the fractal structure of the potential and of the corresponding free energy. The concept of the time fractal sequences of events, leading to the stretched exponential correlation functions, is also discussed

Consumer behaviour of black americans during the covid-19 pandemic

Potrošniško vedenje zajema vse odločitve, ki jih posamezniki sprejmejo, da kupijo ali ne kupijo izdelka ali storitve. Na vedenje potrošnikov vpliva mnogo dejavnikov. Sem uvrščamo situacijske, osebne, psihološke in socialne dejavnike. Eden izmed dejavnikov, ki je v veliki meri vplival na vedenje potrošnikov, je pandemija covida-19. Slednja je na svet vplivala v mnogo pogledih. Ljudi je prisilila, da so spremenili svoja življenja. Samoizolacija in previdnostni ukrepi so povzročili bistvene premike pri vedenju potrošnikov. Strah pred okužbo s koronavirusno boleznijo je povzročil panično in impulzivno nakupovanje dobrin in povečanje spletne prodaje. V diplomskem delu smo se osredotočili na temnopolte Američane in vpliv pandemije covida-19 na njihovo potrošniško vedenje. Zaradi hitro rastoče populacije, nizke povprečne starosti ter večanja kupne moči in stopnje izobraženosti temnopolti Američani predstavljajo pomembno skupino potrošnikov, tako v analognem kot digitalnem svetu. Pandemija covida-19 je temnopolte ameriške potrošnike prizadela na veliko načinov. Vplivala je na močan porast brezposelnosti in zniževanje plač, kar je spremenilo potrošniško vedenje temnopoltih Američanov. Prav tako je privedla do zaprtja številnih podjetij v njihovi lasti. Temnopolti ameriški potrošniki so v času pandemije covida-19 nakupovali premišljeno in stroškovno zavestno. Izogibali so se nakupovanju v fizičnih trgovinah in oklevali z nakupi večjih vrednosti. Osredotočili so se na nakupovanje nižjecenovnih izdelkov in izdelkov s popusti. Pandemija je privedla do povečane uporabe digitalnih naprav, kot so mobilni telefoni, televizija, igralne konzole, radio in predvajalniki glasbe. Temnopolti ameriški potrošniki so digitalne naprave uporabljali za iskanje informacij, spletno nakupovanje, poslušanje glasbe, uporabo družbenih omrežij in učenje. Skoraj polovica temnopoltih ameriških potrošnikov je v času pandemije covida-19 nakupovala na spletu. Na ta način so nakupovali predvsem oblačila in obutev, izdelke za zdravje in lepoto ter živila in zdravila. V času pandemije so veliko časa preživeli na družbenih omrežjih, kar jim je omogočalo povezovanje s prijatelji, deljenje vsebine in iskanje novih informacij.Consumer behaviour includes all the decisions individuals make when choosing whether to buy a product or service. Consumer behaviour is influenced by many factors, including situational, personal, psychological and social ones. One of the aspects that has greatly affected consumer behaviour is the COVID-19 pandemic, which has transformed the world in many ways and forced people to change their lives. Self-isolation and precautionary measures have significantly altered consumer behaviour. The fear of contracting coronavirus has led to panic and the impulse purchasing of goods, as well as an increase in online sales. In this thesis, we focus on black Americans and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their consumption patterns. Due to their rapidly growing population and increasing purchasing power, as well as their educational attainment and low average age, black Americans represent an important consumer group in both the analogue and digital worlds. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected black American consumers in many ways. It has led to a sharp increase in unemployment and lower wages, which has changed their consumption patterns. It has also led to the closure of many businesses owned by black Americans. During the COVID-19 pandemic, black American consumers made informed and cost-conscious purchases. They avoided shopping at physical stores and were reluctant to make large acquisitions. They focused on buying low-priced and discounted products. The pandemic led to an increased use of digital devices, such as mobile phones, televisions, game consoles, radios, and music players. Black American consumers used digital devices to search for information, shop online, listen to music, use social networks, and learn. Nearly half of black American consumers made online purchases during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the most frequent types being clothing and shoes, health and beauty products, groceries, and medications. They also spent a large amount of time on social networks, which allowed them to connect with friends, share content, and find new information

Normative regularity of undercover investigative measures which mean a commission of an apparent criminal offense

V magistrskem delu so obravnavani prikriti preiskovalni ukrepi. Rdeča nit pričajočega dela so ukrepi, ki pomenijo navidezno storitev kaznivega dejanja in so navedeni v 155. členu Zakona o kazenskem postopku. V boju proti organiziranemu kriminalu, ki predstavlja najhujšo obliko kaznivih dejanj, mora policija uporabiti posebne ukrepe, da bi ta kazniva dejanja odkrila in jih omejila. Problematika ukrepov 155. člena Zakona o kazenskem postopku se kaže v tem, da predstavljajo moralno – etično dopustnost izvajanja kaznivih dejanja s strani predstavnikov države. Policija mora delovati zakonito in legitimno in ne sme na kakršenkoli način osebo napeljati , da bi izvršila kaznivo dejanje, to bi pomenilo, da država sodeluje pri izvrševanju kaznivega dejanja. Sodišče je tisto, ki ugotavlja ali je pri izvajanju ukrepov prišlo do policijske provokacije oziroma entrapmenta. Na podlagi subjektivno – objektivnega testa, ki ga je slovenska zakonodaja povzela po ameriški zakonodaji, mora presojati ali je bil storilec napeljan k izvršitvi kaznivega dejanja. Če sodišče ugotovi, da je bila izzvana kriminalna dejavnost, je to okoliščina, ki izključuje kazenski pregon za kaznivo dejane, ki je bilo storjeno na podlagi prikritih policijskih ukrepov. Zakonska ureditev omenjenih ukrepov bi morala biti bolj specifična v delih kjer se nanaša na policijsko provokacijo in napeljevanje, predvsem bi moral biti opredeljena definicija policijske provokacije. Ker je bilo ameriško sodišče prvo, ki je uporabilo entrapment obrambo, zajema pričajoče delo tudi analizo med slovenskimi in ameriškimi sodbami Vrhovnih sodišč. Primerjava daje vpogled v dojemanje policijske provokacije obeh sodišč.The master\u27s thesis deals with covert investigative measures. The red thread of the present thesis is measures that constitute a fictitious commission of a criminal offense and are listed in Article 155 of the Criminal Procedure Act. In the fight against organized crime which is the worst form of a criminal offense, the police must take special measures to detect and limit these criminal offenses. The issues of the measures of Article 155 of the Criminal Procedure Act are reflected in the fact that they represent the moral and ethical admissibility of the commission of criminal offenses by representatives of the state. The police must act lawfully and legitimately and must not induce a person to commit a crime in any way. This would mean that the state is involved in the commission of the crime. It is the court that determines whether a police provocation or entrapment occurred during the implementation of the measures. Based on a subjective-objective test which was adopted by the Slovenian legislation from the American legislation, the court must assess whether the perpetrator was induced to commit a criminal offense. If the court determines that criminal activity has been provoked, this is a circumstance that precludes prosecution for a crime committed based on covert police measures. The legal regulation of the mentioned measures should be more specific in the parts where it refers to police provocation and instigation. Above all, the definition of police provocation should be defined. Because the American court was the first to use entrapment defense, the present thesis also includes an analysis between Slovenian and American Supreme Courts’ judgments. The comparison provides insight into the perception of police provocation by both courts