Breaking news are usually disturbing. Natural disasters, wars, epidemics, etc., are reported as breaking news. This paper reports a decreased danger of spreading of epidemics caused by the JN.1 variant, since analyses indicate that infectivity of the new variant is decreased compared to most earlier variants, which is confirmed by the number of cases (7500 daily in USA). Moreover, JN.1, despite the great number of mutations, has not been able to achieve the values of Gibbs energy change of biosynthesis (and thus virus multiplication rate) of the Hu-1 wild type. The research shows that infectivity and pathogenicity of the JN.1 variant has not reached worrying size, which means that there is no reason to expect the epidemiologic situation getting worse.

The oxygen-evolving IrO₂-Ta₂O₅/Ti anode (OEA), primarily used in electrolyzers for plating, metal powder production, electrowinning (EW), and water electrolysis, is analyzed. This study focuses on the distribution of oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity and the associated operational loss over the randomized OEA texture. The OER activity and its distribution across the IrO₂-Ta₂O₅ coating surface are key factors that influence EW operational challenges and the lifecycle of OEA in EW processes. To understand the OER activity distribution over the coating’s randomized texture, we performed analyses using anode polarization in acid solution at both low and high (EW operation relevant) overpotentials and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) during the OER. These measurements were conducted on anodes in both their as-prepared and deactivated states. The as-prepared anode was deactivated using an accelerated stability test in an acid solution, the EW simulating electrolyte. The obtained data are correlated with fundamental electrochemical properties of OEA, such as structure-related pseudocapacitive responses at open circuit potential in the same operating environment. OER and Ir dissolution kinetics, along with the physicochemical anode state upon deactivation, are clearly characterized based on current and potential dependent charge transfer resistances and associated double layer capacitances obtained by EIS. This approach presents a useful tool for elucidating, and consequently tailoring and predicting, anode OER activity and electrolytic operational stability in industrial electrochemical applications.

The electrochemical performances of an oxygen-evolving anode produced by the reactivation of waste Ti substrate by a typical IrO₂-Ta₂O₅ coating are correlated to the textural (non)uniformities of the coating and its exhaustion state. Coating degradation is considered operational loss of the activity in a metal electrowinning process. It was found that (pseudo)capacitive performances can vary over the coating surface by 20–30% and depend on the type of dynamics of the input perturbation: constant through cyclic voltammetry (CV) or discontinuous time-dependent through electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). CV-EIS data correlation enabled profiling of the capacitive properties through the depth of a coating and over its surface. The correlation was confirmed by the findings for the analysis of coating activity for an oxygen evolution reaction, finally resulting in the reliable proposition of a mechanism for the operational loss of the anode. It was found that the less compact and thicker coating parts performed better and operated more efficiently, especially at lower operational current densities.

This research, aimed to determine whether the COSO (Committee of Sponsoring Organizations) ERM (Enterprise Risk Management) model, implemented in a scientific Institute of special importance to the Republic of Serbia, can identify the multiple business opportunities and prevent instabilities caused by various external factors through its strategic decisions. The goal is to identify the risk factors that can be turned into opportunities and possibilities. The SWOT analysis survey was conducted from June 26, 2024, to July 1, 2024, on a sample of 214 respondents, with a response rate of 55.6% (119 respondents). The results indicate a sustainable business strategy for the Institute.

A series of bimetallic Sn-Pd catalysts were prepared by a template-free two step electrodeposition method. According to this method, Sn was electrodeposited firstly in potentiostatic or galvanostatic regime on Cu electrodes in the form of dendrites, then Pd was galvanostatically electrodeposited in the second step on the electrode with the electrodeposited Sn dendrites. The produced Sn-Pd electrocatalysts were compared with an electrocatalyst obtained by Pd electrodeposition on a bare Cu electrode. The morphological and elemental analysis of Sn-Pd and Pd electrocatalysts was performed by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) techniques. The dendrites of various shapes and degree of branching were obtained by Sn deposition depending on electrodeposition regime, while Pd was electrodeposited in a form of compact Pd islands on both Sn dendrites and the Cu electrode. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) was applied for the electrochemical examination of Sn-Pd and Pd catalysts towards the ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) in the alkaline solution. The electrocatalyst Sn_0.6-Pd_0.4 with an atomic ratio of 60 at.% Sn-40 at.% Pd showed higher oxidation efficiency and better tolerance towards intermediate species in EOR than the other examined electrocatalysts . It was shown that the lower fraction of Pd, relative to Sn, was crucial to achieving optimal synergy of Sn with Pd thus contributing to enhanced electrochemical behavior regarding EOR.