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Geopolymers represent an innovative and environmentally sustainable alternative to traditional construction materials, offering significant potential for reducing anthropogenic CO2 emissions. Among these, phosphoric acid-activated metakaolin-based systems have attracted increasing attention for their chemical and thermal resilience. In this study, we present a comprehensive structural and mechanical evaluation of metakaolin-based geopolymers synthesized across a wide range of Al/P molar ratios (0.8–4.0). Six formulations were systematically prepared and analyzed using X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (ssNMR), and complementary mechanical testing. The novelty of this work lies in the integrated mapping of composition–structure–property relationships across the broad Al/P spectrum under controlled synthesis, combined with the rare application of SAXS to reveal composition-dependent nanoscale domains (~18–50 nm). We identify a stoichiometric window at Al/P ≈ 1.5, where complete acid consumption leads to a structurally homogeneous AlVI–O–P network, yielding the highest compressive strength. In contrast, acid-rich systems exhibit divergent flexural and compressive behaviors, with enhanced flexural strength linked to hydrated silica domains arising from metakaolin dealumination, quantitatively tracked by 29Si MAS NMR. XRPD further reveals the formation of uncommon Si–P crystalline phases (SiP2O7, Si5P6O25) under low-temperature curing in acid-rich compositions. Together, these findings provide new insights into the nanoscale structuring, phase evolution, and stoichiometric control of silica–alumino–phosphate geopolymers, highlighting strategies for optimizing their performance in demanding thermal and chemical environments.

Tourism is one of the world’s most affected sectors by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This article deals with the assessment of the impact of COVID-19 on the visitation of the South Moravian Region, including important cultural and natural sites, based on the analysis of empirical statistical data in the last decade and the calculation of the year-on-year change in attendance between 2019 and 2022. According to the results, the number of visitors to the South Moravian Region in 2020 fell by almost half, including a decrease of a quarter of visitors to cultural monuments compared to 2019. On the other hand, visits to natural areas with no restricted access increased by a fifth after 2020, but natural areas with restricted access fell by more than 40%. From 2021, attendance of the South Moravian Region began to increase slightly, and in 2022, it reached ninety percent of the level before 2019, including attendance at cultural and natural sites. The results of the research confirmed the growing trend in visitors to the South Moravian Region, including cultural and natural monuments, which were significantly influenced by the impact of COVID-19 on tourism after 2020, with a recovery of tourism in 2022.

As mediation and its support across the European Union have been growing, we can assume that the public is better aware of this option of dispute resolution. The law acquaintance with the focus on mediation has not been studied extensively, although the identification of the current state is crucial for formulating the effective strategies for its broader use. The aim of this paper based on the quantitative survey on a representative sample in the Czech Republic is to examine the mediation awareness and its differences across individual characteristics. The statistical analysis identifies very low awareness of mediation and its aspects. Moreover, this knowledge is higher among people with higher education, among middle-aged people and older people living in bigger municipalities. Based on the findings, the authors suggest that targeted campaigns organised by the state should be conducted through the channels accessible to the sociodemographic groups with lower awareness of mediation.

Adsorption properties of waste brick dust (WBD) were studied by the removing of PbII and CsI from an aqueous system. For adsorption experiments, 0.1 M and 0.5 M aqueous solutions of Cs+ and Pb2+ and two WBD (Libochovice—LB, and Tyn nad Vltavou—TN) in the fraction below 125 µm were used. The structural and surface properties of WBD were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) in combination with solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), supplemented by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), specific surface area (SBET), total pore volume and zero point of charge (pHZPC). LB was a more amorphous material showing a better adsorption condition than that of TN. The adsorption process indicated better results for Pb2+, due to the inner-sphere surface complexation in all Pb2+ systems, supported by the formation of insoluble Pb(OH)2 precipitation on the sorbent surface. A weak adsorption of Cs+ on WBD corresponded to the non-Langmuir adsorption run followed by the outer-sphere surface complexation. The leachability of Pb2+ from saturated WBDs varied from 0.001% to 0.3%, while in the case of Cs+, 4% to 12% of the initial amount was leached. Both LB and TN met the standards for PbII adsorption, yet completely failed for any CsI removal from water systems.

Mesoporous silica SBA-15 was prepared via sol-gel synthesis and functionalized with different types of organosilanes containing various organic functional groups: (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (SBA-15-NH2), (3-mercaptopropyl)triethoxysilane (SBA-15-SH), triethoxymethylsilane (SBA-15-CH3), triethoxyphenylsilane (SBA-15-Ph), and (3-isocynatopropyl)triethoxysilane (SBA-15-NCO). The prepared materials were investigated as drug delivery systems for naproxen. As model drugs, naproxen acid (HNAP) and its sodium salt (NaNAP) were used. Mentioned medicaments belong to the group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). The prepared materials were characterized by different analytical methods such as transmission electron microscopy (TEM), infrared spectroscopy (IR), nitrogen adsorption/desorption analysis (N2), thermogravimetric analysis (TG), 1H, 13C and 23Na solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H, 13C and 23Na ss-NMR). The abovementioned analytical techniques confirmed the successful grafting of functional groups to the SBA-15 surface and the adsorption of drugs after the impregnation process. The BET area values decreased from 927 m2 g−1 for SBA-15 to 408 m2 g−1 for SBA-15-NCO. After drug encapsulation, a more significant decrease in surface area was observed due to the filling of pores with drug molecules, while the most significant decrease was observed for the SBA-15-NH2 material (115 m2 g−1 for NaNAP and 101 m2 g−1 for HNAP). By combining TG and nitrogen adsorption results, the occurrence of functional groups and the affinity of drugs to the carriers’ surface were calculated. The dominant factor was the volume of functional groups and intermolecular interactions. The highest drug affinity values were observed for phenyl and amine-modified materials (SBA-15-Ph = 1.379 μmol m−2 mmol−1 for NaNAP, 1.761 μmol m−2 mmol−1 for HNAP and SBA-15-NH2 = 1.343 μmol m−2 mmol−1 for NaNAP, 1.302 μmol m−2 mmol−1 for HNAP) due to the formation of hydrogen bonds and π-π interactions, respectively. Drug release properties and kinetic studies were performed at t = 37 °C (normal human body temperature) in different media with pH = 2 as simulated human gastric fluid and pH = 7.4, which simulated a physiological environment. Determination of drug release quantity was performed with UV-VIS spectroscopy. The surface polarity, pH and naproxen form influenced the total released amount of drug. In general, naproxen sodium salt has a higher solubility than its acid form, thus significantly affecting drug release from surface-modified SBA-15 materials. Different pH conditions involved surface protonation and formation/disruption of intermolecular interactions, influencing both the release rate and the total released amount of naproxen. Different kinetic models, zero-order, first-order, Higuchi and Hixson–Crowell models, were used to fit the drug release data. According to the obtained experimental results, the drug release rates and mechanisms were determined.

The pozzolanic additions are widely used as concrete component for numerous technical, economic and environmental reasons. Obviously the hydration process in a pozzolana containing system differs from hydration of Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) what is indicated macroscopically by slower increase of strength and lower hydration heat. This paper aims to study pozzolanic reaction from perspective of chemical kinetics. From this point of view pozzolanic reaction and carbonation are two parallel reactions which are competing for portlandite (Ca (OH)2). The rate of each of these two reactions is characterized by rate constant and order of reaction. The system under study was 1:1 mixture lime – ceramic powder. The course of reaction was primarily studied by thermogravimetry which results were further subjected to kinetic analysis. MAS NMR spectroscopy was used for study of structural changes taking place in material in the course of pozzolanic reaction.

The objective of this paper is to contribute to the discourse about the issues of trust in management, authority and meaningfulness of human labour, which are inseparably connected with effectiveness, productivity, competitiveness of companies, organizations and the whole society as well. The authors want to provide a conceptual theoretical framework for further studies of social deviance in organizational culture, and that is why it has a form of a theoretical study providing a platform for future empirical researches. This study is opened with defining the concept of social deviance as a deviation from the normality and by reminding of difficulties related to determination of normality. The organizational culture is defined as a coherent set of values, norms and patterns of behaviour that determine the manners and forms of behaviour of employees, their relationships inside (but also outside) the social system of the organization. Further, the paper is focused on selected social deviances, which undermine the effectiveness of organizational structures to fulfil their objectives and missions. Based on the empirical analyses, the attention is paid particularly to nepotism, clientelism and cronyism as tools for reaching latent goals of individuals and groups in the organization. The issue is set in the contemporary society and solved from the view of social psychological mechanisms of human behaviour in the group. The authors also remind the issue of responsibility, conscience and the negative effects of conformity, group thinking, obedience and the authoritarian leadership, which is even more obvious when the employees are under the pressure (e.g. economic sanctions). In conclusion are outlined the tools of control of clientelism and similar phenomena, and possibilities of applications of Weber’s socio-analytical model of bureaucracy in organizations.

In crystalline molecular solids, in the absence of strong intermolecular interactions, entropy-driven processes play a key role in the formation of dynamically modulated transient phases. Specifically, in crystalline simvastatin, the observed fully reversible enantiotropic behavior is associated with multiple order–disorder transitions: upon cooling, the dynamically disordered high-temperature polymorphic Form I is transformed to the completely ordered low-temperature polymorphic Form III via the intermediate (transient) modulated phase II. This behavior is associated with a significant reduction in the kinetic energy of the rotating and flipping ester substituents, as well as a decrease in structural ordering into two distinct positions. In transient phase II, the conventional three-dimensional structure is modulated by periodic distortions caused by cooperative conformation exchange of the ester substituent between the two states, which is enabled by weakened hydrogen bonding. Based on solid-state NMR data analysis, the mechanism of the enantiotropic phase transition and the presence of the transient modulated phase are documented.

In this contribution, we present the preparation and structural characterization of a new type of alternative (sodium silicate-free) geopolymer system. A new procedure of geopolymer synthesis based on the preparation of a reactive geopolymer precursor by direct calcinations of low-quality kaolin with Na/K hydroxides is introduced. The subsequent formation of geopolymer matrix does not require activation by alkaline silicate solution. The compact and hardened material was prepared only by adding a small amount of water. Besides the introduction of a new synthetic procedure, we focused also on the systematic study of chemical structure, mineralogical composition and hydrothermal stability of the prepared geopolymer systems as seen by solid-state NMR spectroscopy and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD). An important part of our contribution is the demonstration of structural and mineralogical changes induced by hydrothermal treatment and long-term aging of the prepared geopolymers. It was found that redistribution of basic structural units (SiO44− and AlO45−) and gradual formation of zeolite fractions can be related to the observed changes in mechanical properties. Up to a certain level, the presence of zeolites enhances the mechanical properties of the prepared geopolymer systems. However, the additional formation of a new generation of zeolite fractions, occurring over the long-term period causes an inversion of this trend and a dramatic reduction of mechanical strength. Nevertheless, formation of the geopolymer matrix by alkaline and thermal activation of low-quality kaolin has the potential to be used in ecological problems solving (solidification of powdered and dangerous waste materials).

The aim of the present study was to investigate the suitability of insoluble Eudragit® water dispersions (NE, NM, RL, and RS) for direct high-shear granulation of very soluble levetiracetam in order to decrease its burst effect from HPMC K100M matrices. The process characteristics, ss-NMR analysis, in vitro dissolution behavior, drug release mechanism and kinetics, texture profile analysis of the gel layer, and PCA analysis were explored. An application of water dispersions directly on levetiracetam was feasible only in a multistep process. All prepared formulations exhibited a 12-hour sustained release profile characterized by a reduced burst effect in a concentration-dependent manner. No effect on swelling extent of HPMC K100M was observed in the presence of Eudragit®. Contrary, higher rigidity of formed gel layer was observed using combination of HPMC and Eudragit®. Not only the type and concentration of Eudragit®, but also the presence of the surfactant in water dispersions played a key role in the dissolution characteristics. The dissolution profile close to zero-order kinetic was achieved from the sample containing levetiracetam directly granulated by the water dispersion of Eudragit® NE (5% of solid polymer per tablet) with a relatively high amount of surfactant nonoxynol 100 (1.5%). The initial burst release of drug was reduced to 8.04% in 30 min (a 64.2% decrease) while the total amount of the released drug was retained (97.02%).