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Participatory budgeting (PB) is a modern trend involving citizens in decisions on distributing public resources. Assuming that the identified drawbacks of PB are described as internal and external factors, simple criteria were developed to predict the fate of PB. These criteria reflect stakeholders' decisions about PB continuation in the future. Using panel data between 2017-2022 from the Czech Republic, it appears that the selected criteria were evaluated as an upgrading process, signalling the continuation of PB. However, this does not mean abandoning the process in the case of downgrading. The results indicate a certain probability for upgrading PB to continue, while the fate of downgrading PB is indeterminate and could depend on other factors. In the case of new governance after an electoral change, using the criteria could help explain the actual situation regarding the interest of stakeholders in PB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Les patients qui posent des demandes d'aide active à mourir sont peu accompagnés par les équipes de soins palliatifs. Ils sont souvent pensés comme des gens forts, hors-norme, au-dessus des considérations palliatives. Une analyse psychanalytique arrimée à la notion de pulsion de mort montre que le raisonnement initial peut s'inverser et que, face à la mort, le plus faible n'est peut-être pas celui qu'on croit ! Ma thèse avance qu'une désintrication pulsionnelle se produit dans la vie psychique. L'équilibre Pulsion de vie/Pulsion de mort vole en éclats au profit du passage au premier plan de la pulsion de mort : la demande d'aide active à mourir est alors la seule voix/voie qui permet à ce sujet de tenir encore dans la vie. Un patient qui demande à mourir est d'abord un sujet qui perd pied avec une dynamique désirante tournée vers le futur. Il n'est plus en mesure de gérer la complexité de l'expérience qu'il vit et se situe donc plus du côté de la faiblesse que de la force. Cette réflexion invite le soin palliatif, non pas à renverser le raisonnement habituel des prises en charge (la vie doit continuer de désirer la vie en première intention), mais à mettre du jeu , notamment au moment du déclin psychique qui annonce la fin. Est-il possible de penser l'effondrement terminal d'un sujet , le repérer, en tenir compte, s'y ajuster ? L'éthique qui accueille et accompagne le travail de la pulsion de mort est une éthique qui permet ce travail de pensée. Parce qu'ils sont paradoxalement plus fragiles, plus faibles, plus seuls face à leur point d'impossible – que ceux qui parviennent à faire face à la mort, que ceux qui parviennent à rester reliés aux autres – les patients qui demandent une aide à mourir devraient être accompagnés en priorité. Patients who request active assistance in dying receive little support from palliative care teams. They are often thought of as strong, exceptional people, above palliative considerations. A psychoanalytical analysis based on the notion of the death drive shows that the initial line of reasoning can be reversed and that, when faced with death, the weakest person may not be the one we believe! My thesis advances the theory that a disintegration of the death drive occurs in psychic life. The balance between the instinct of life and the instinct of death is upended, and the death drive takes precedence: the request for active assistance in dying is thus the only voice/pathway that allows this subject to continue to hold onto life. A patient who requests help in dying is first and foremost a subject who has lost their grip on a desire dynamic that is future-oriented. They are no longer able to manage the complexity of the experience they are going through and are, therefore, more on the side of weakness than strength. This reflection invites us to recommend palliative care, not for the purpose of countering the usual reasoning of care (life must continue to desire life as a first intention), but to allow for some leeway, especially at the time of psychic decline which heralds the end. Is it possible to think about a subject's terminal collapse, identify it, take it into account, adjust to it? The moral considerations that welcome and accompany the workings of the death drive are principles that render this manner of reasoning possible. Because they are paradoxically more fragile, weaker, and more alone in the face of their psychic impasse than those who are able to face death, and than those who manage to remain connected to others, the patients who seek help in dying should be accompanied as a priority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The occurrence of metal nanoparticles (MNPs) is an established environmental menace. After MNPs are released into the environment, they can interact with surrounding components and further be embedded within environmental substances, forming MNPs-carrier composites. Many studies have documented MNPs as individual particles. Yet, the specific impacts of environmental substances on the transport, fate, and eco-risks of MNPs-carrier composites have not been systematically analyzed. Here, we conducted a comprehensive review to illustrate the environmental carrier role for MNPs by different environmental substances and components, influencing their occurrence, transport route, transformation, and eco-effect, which calls for a reconsideration of the MNPs' eco-/health-connectivity. Studies on MNPs' environmental carrier in primary environmental domains reveal that in the atmosphere, MNPs-carrier composites are from nature-originated particulates followed by anthropogenic sources (e.g., traffic and industry exhausts); in the hydrosphere, various components (e.g., natural organic matter, extracellular polymeric substances, and proteins) can act as major carriers for MNPs; in the biosphere, microorganism and plant tissues can carry MNP-composites, which can be bioaccumulated and biomagnified through trophic transfer. Moreover, MNPs-carrier composites undergo distinct biogeochemical transformations in different environmental components, including aggregation, sedimentation, chemical transformation and dissolution, and the consequential biotransformation. Carriers' impacts on MNPs' environmental behavior manifested in changed bioavailability with widespread ecotoxicity via cellular uptake, oxidative stress and metal ions release, as well as in human health with adverse effects. Overall, this review can facilitate the understanding of MNPs-carrier composites' origin, transformation, fate, and eco-/health risks in the environment, proposing future research needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyses little-known short stories of modern Ukrainian writers Valerian Pidmohylny and Mykhailo Yatskiv in the context of the 20th century existentialism. It can be considered as a cultural phenomenon which combines philosophy with literature. Pidmohylny’s short stories were significantly influenced primarily by the ideas of the European philosophers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Therefore, we can search for similar motives in the works of Pidmohylny and the existentialists, which developed under the influence of the ideas of Schopenhauer, Kierkegaard, and Nietzsche. Also, the authors consider Yatskiv’s short stories through the prism of the core concepts of existentialism, namely, fate and death. Pidmohylny and Yatskiv can be assigned to existential writers on the basis of retrospective analysis of the themes of their short stories and the thematic areas of 20th century existentialism.

The study is devoted to construct a typology of discourses about a miracle. Discourses are interpreted in this case not in a linguistic, but in a philosophical sense, as a certain “way of talking” about a chosen phenomenon. This includes the ontological and ideological position of the speaker (writer), emotional and value pathos, a communicative attitude or lack thereof, a message to the listener (reader) of specific views and beliefs. The author distinguishes three groups of discourses on the ideological basis: 1) a miracle, understood as supernatural, but accessible for communication; 2) a miracle understood as a man-made, purely human phenomenon; 3) a miracle as the result of a “dual determination” coming from both the transcendent and the person himself. The miracle is initially interpreted in the article as a positive phenomenon that can be described and expressed in speech without directly naming the word itself. Within the first group of discourses, the following are considered: religious (Christian), mythological and fairy-tale discourse, and the fate-providentialist discourse is also highlighted. The second approach, connected with the denial of the supernatural, speaks of a miracle in the context of its scientific and technical creation, as well as hopes for a miracle within the framework of progressive and utopian concepts. The third type of discourses, combining the view of a miracle as coming from above and from the person himself, includes mystical-magical, existential and creativistic discourses - interpreting the theme of creativity. The mystical-magical discourse describes a miracle as the result of illumination and as a consequence of persistent spiritual searches. In the existential discourse, represented by fiction, there is also a place for describing a miracle as a magical nature and a magical fate. In creative discourse, the miracle is the very act of the birth of a new one. Summing up what has been said, the author emphasizes that he presents readers with nothing more than a sketch that requires further work and thematic disclosure.

The increasing use of chemicals requires a better understanding of their presence and dynamics in the environment, as well as their impact on ecosystems. The aim of this study was to validate the first steps of an innovative multi-omics approach based on metabolomics and 16S metabarcoding data for analyses of the fate and impact of contaminants in Mediterranean lagoons. Semi-targeted analytical procedures for water and sediment matrices were implemented to assess chemical contamination of the lagoon: forty-six compounds were detected, 28 of which could be quantified in water (between 0.09 and 47.4 ng/L) and sediment (between 0.008 and 26.3 ng/g) samples using the UHPLC-MS/MS instrument. In addition, a non-targeted approach (UHPLC-HRMS) using four different sample preparation protocols based on solid/liquid extractions or an automated pressurized fluid extraction system (EDGE®) was carried out to determine the protocol with the best metabolome coverage, efficiency and reproducibility. Solid/liquid extraction using the solvent mixture acetonitrile/methanol (50/50) was evaluated as the best protocol. Microbial diversity in lagoon sediment was also measured after DNA extraction using five commercial extraction kits. Our study showed that the DNeasy PowerSoil Pro Qiagen kit (Promega, USA) was the most suitable for assessing microbial diversity in fresh sediment.

Pluripotent stem cells model certain features of early mammalian development ex vivo. Medium-supplied nutrients can influence self-renewal, lineage specification, and earliest differentiation of pluripotent stem cells. However, which specific nutrients support these distinct outcomes, and their mechanisms of action, remain under active investigation. Here, we evaluate the available data on nutrients and their metabolic conversion that influence pluripotent stem cell fates. We also discuss key questions open for investigation in this rapidly expanding area of increasing fundamental and practical importance.

The increasing number of chemicals used by society requires accessible, easy to implement tools to perform screening-level ecological risk assessments. However, field data to calibrate and validate screening tools is challenging to obtain for many watersheds. Thus, the evaluation must be done under data limited conditions. Here we employ a fate and transport model, OrganoFate, to predict environmental concentrations of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) as well as a number of pesticides. CECs evaluated include antibacterial compounds sulfamethoxazole and triclocarban and a flame-retardant tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl)phosphate (TDCPP). We also evaluated widely used pesticides chlorpyrifos, bifenthrin and esfenvalerate. We predict concentrations of the contaminants in high-risk watersheds which were dominated by either urban or agricultural development and have small aquatic compartments. Screening-level predictions were in good agreement with observed concentrations in surface water and sediment. Maximum predicted concentrations were close to the highest observed concentrations for CECs, only ~0.1 μg/L greater for sulfamethoxazole and triclocarban concentrations, and for TDCPP

Zeydiyye mezhebine mensup iken Selef anlayışını seçen, itikadi görüşlerini daha çok İbn Teymiyye’nin fikirleri etrafında şekillendiren İbnü’l-Vezîr, diğer inanç konularının yanı sıra kader meselesi hakkında da düşüncelerini ortaya koymuştur. Bu son konu özelinde kader meselesine dalma yasağına dair de görüşlerini beyan etmiş, birtakım prensipler çerçevesinde fikirlerini izhar etmiştir. Daha çok hadis kaynaklarının şerhlerinde ve Selefiyye mensubu ilim ehlinin itikadi eserlerinde kendisine yer bulan mesele, bu kaynaklarda ağırlıklı olarak ilgili yasağın neleri kuşattığı üzerinden ele alınmaktayken İbnü’l-Vezîr, onu hem bu yönüyle hem de o yasağın neleri kapsamadığı çerçevesinde incelemiştir. Konuyu müstakil bir başlık altında ele alan müellif, önce bu yasağa kaynak olduğunu düşündüğü on hadise yer verip bunların sıhhat derecelerine dair bilgiler paylaşmış, ardından nasıl yorumlanması gerektiği hakkında görüşlerini beyan etmiştir. Bunu yaparken, mukayeseli bir yol izlemiş, ilgili hadislerin ortaya koyduğu yasağın neye yorulup neye yorulamayacağını dile getirmiştir. Yasağın özünü bidꜥata dalma ve kötülüklere neden olma maddesine dayandırmış, ayrıca birtakım kanıtlar üzerinden kader hakkında konuşmanın tümü ile yasak görülmeyeceğini temellendirmiştir.

The themes of past sins have occupied our collective imagination since the dawn of humankind. The ways in which characters are faced with their nemesis have changed throughout history, but the structure of the myth permeates our culture even nowadays. In this essay, Shaky from Simon Spurrier’s Crossed: Wish You Were Here is analysed and compared to Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex to determine if this myth still accurately represents some of our oldest fears, if its structure still serves the purpose of identifying anxieties in our culture, and it the Oedipal process can help explain Shaky’s search for identity.

Antibiotics are widely used in intensive animal husbandry in the Netherlands and are subsequently emitted to soil via manure. To predict degradation and mobility in soil, generic sorption models have been derived. However, most of the coefficients used in generic models are based on a limited range of soils and have not been validated for agricultural soils in the Netherlands. To improve model predictions and assess to what extent differences among soils affect sorption and degradation, an experimental study has been performed. Using a recently developed experimental approach, both the degradation (DT50) and mobility (Kd) of eight selected commonly used antibiotics were determined in 29 typical Dutch agricultural soils. Median DT50 values range from 5.3 days for Sulfadiazine to 120 days for Trimethoprim but are affected by soil type. The ratio of the lowest and highest DT50 for a given antibiotic among soils can be as large as 151, for Tylosin. Measured values of the logKd also range from 0.19 for Sulfadiazine to more than 2 for Doxycycline, Flumequine, Trimethoprim, Tylosin and Enrofloxacine. The impact of soil on Kd is large, especially for more mobile antibiotics such as Sulfadoxine and Sulfadiazine. Both the range in DT50 and Kd can be predicted reasonably well using a Freundlich type regression model that accounts for the variation in soil type and sampling depth. Organic matter, iron oxides, pH and clay content appear to be the main constituents and explain between 29 % (Trimethoprim) and 77 % of the variation in DT50 and between 64 % (Lincomycin) and 87 % (Sulfadoxine and Sulfadiazine) of the variation of Kd. The effect of depth on DT50 and Kd is however limited. The information thus obtained in combination with local data on soil type can be used to more accurately predict the potential risk of relevant antibiotics in soil and transport to ground- and nearby surface waters.

Plastic pollution has emerged as a global challenge affecting ecosystem health and biodiversity conservation. Terrestrial environments exhibit significantly higher plastic concentrations compared to aquatic systems. Micro/nano plastics (MNPs) have the potential to disrupt soil biology, alter soil properties, and influence soil-borne pathogens and roundworms. However, limited research has explored the presence and impact of MNPs on aquaculture systems. MNPs have been found to inhibit plant and seedling growth and affect gene expression, leading to cytogenotoxicity through increased oxygen radical production. The article discusses the potential phytotoxicity process caused by large-scale microplastics, particularly those unable to penetrate cell pores. It also examines the available data, albeit limited, to assess the potential risks to human health through plant uptake.

Brazilian author Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist is believed to be a work that inspires readers to reflect upon their dreams and pursue them. While it is a matter of discussion as to what makes the novel so, one of the apparent reasons is the compelling presence of philosophical ideas like Taoism. However, the presence of Taoism—the idea of going with the universe’s “flow” - contradicts Coelho’s use of the idea of “fate” or “Maktub” present in the same work. While Maktub stands for a pre-determined destiny, this research paper closely analyses how Taoist principles in The Alchemist contradict the author’s use of the concept of fate or destiny through the actions and dialogues of notable characters.

In this study, we introduce FLIBD, a novel strategy for managing Internet of Things (IoT) Big Data, intricately designed to ensure privacy preservation across extensive system networks. By utilising Federated Learning (FL), Apache Spark, and Federated AI Technology Enabler (FATE), we skilfully investigated the complicated area of IoT data management while simultaneously reinforcing privacy across broad network configurations. Our FLIBD architecture was thoughtfully designed to safeguard data and model privacy through a synergistic integration of distributed model training and secure model consolidation. Notably, we delved into an in-depth examination of adversarial activities within federated learning contexts. The Federated Adversarial Attack for Multi-Task Learning (FAAMT) was thoroughly assessed, unmasking its proficiency in showcasing and exploiting vulnerabilities across various federated learning approaches. Moreover, we offer an incisive evaluation of numerous federated learning defence mechanisms, including Romoa and RFA, in the scope of the FAAMT. Utilising well-defined evaluation metrics and analytical processes, our study demonstrated a resilient framework suitable for managing IoT Big Data across widespread deployments, while concurrently presenting a solid contribution to the progression and discussion surrounding defensive methodologies within the federated learning and IoT areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanomaterials (NMs) are nanoscale materials of different shapes that are made of a variety of materials such as carbon, silicon, and transition metals. Wastewater treatment plants and nano-enabled consumer products have been identified as major sources of nanomaterials in the environment. Findings from many research studies revealed nanomaterials to be toxic to non-targeted species. Despite presenting an ecological risk to the environment and human health, little is known about the occurrence, formation, transport, and environmental impacts, owing to limited regulated quantitative and sensitive techniques for their assessment. More also, the realisation of nanomaterials' impact on the environment depends on emerging analytical methods. Therefore, it is paramount to continuously develop and optimise analytical methods that are promising to sensitively detect and quantify the nanomaterials in trace and ultra-trace levels in the environment. In this review, we discuss engineered metal/carbonaceous nanomaterials; production, pathways, fate, impact, toxicity, and their analytical methods of detection and quantification from the current literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic micropollutants of concern—including organic UV filters (UVF)—are getting increasing attention. Personal care products such as sunscreens or cosmetic articles often contain large quantities of UVF. These substances enter the environment either directly (during outdoor activities) or indirectly (via sewages from households). Therefore, the removal or degradation of UVF by natural or technical treatment processes is important to understand. UVF are often incompletely removed and transformed to side products of incomplete mineralization by abiotic and biotic processes. An extensive overview on transformation products (TPs) is essential to systematically identify knowledge gaps and to derive research needs. While there are many reviews on the UVF themselves, the number of reviews which focus on their TPs is limited. Consequently, this review gives an overview on the latest findings regarding TPs of UVF. In this publication, known TPs of UVF, which were formed during abiotic and biotic processes, are reviewed. Target substances were defined and a literature database was reviewed for studies on TPs of the target substances. The first list of studies was shortened stepwise, thus generating a final list of studies which contained only the relevant studies. Since biodegradation is one of the most important pathways for removal of organic compounds from the environment, this review presents an overview on known TPs of organic UVF and their biodegradability, which determines their environmental fate. In this way, all identified TPs of UVF were listed and checked for information on their biodegradability. A total of 2731 records of studies were assessed. Forty‐two studies, which assessed 46 processes that lead to the formation of identified TPs, were included in this review. One hundred and seventyseven different TPs resulting from 11 different UVF were identified. Little to no data on the biodegradability was found for TPs. This indicates a severe lack of data on the biodegradability of TPs of organic UVF substances. Since most TPs lack information on biodegradability, further research should provide information on both—identity and biodegradability—of formed TPs to be able to assess their hazardousness for the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

I examine Alexander of Aphrodisias' theory of action, addressing the question how his view that human actions are determined by reason accounts for the capacity of doing otherwise. Calling into question the standard view that Alexander frees agents from internal determination, I argue that (1) the capacity of doing otherwise is a consequence of determination by reason, since it enables agents to do something different from what they would have done had they followed external circumstances; and (2) this capacity is compatible with causal determination by reason because as a case of potentiality for opposites, it grants agents the qualified possibility of doing otherwise insofar as their nature as human beings is concerned – a possibility which remains also when their actions are causally determined by reason and by their internal disposition. I show further that these elements of Alexander's theory of action are ultimately based on his conception of the soul, specifically on his commitment to Aristotle's view that the human soul is not purely rational, as the Stoics hold, but has nonrational and rational parts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies on the utilization of molecular and isotopic proxies for the characterization of organic matter (OM) sources and environmental conditions in lakes have been well-documented globally. Nevertheless, inland lacustrine salt basins remain less well-studied, particularly in tropical sub-Saharan Africa. In this study, we quantified OM sources and evaluated the effects of salt deposit and barite mining on the distribution of n -alkanes in saline and freshwater Gabu lakes sediment cores, southeast Nigeria using elemental, bulk carbon isotope ratios and biomarker distributions. Our results indicate a system inundated with comparable proportions of vascular plant leaf waxes (mean = 56.6%) and submerged/floating macrophytes (mean = 41.1%) with minor contribution from algae/photosynthetic bacteria (mean = 2.3%). The scenario indicates a shallow water system that predominantly preserved long chain n-alkanes derived from vascular plant leaf waxes and macrophytes. The capacity of macrophyte to biosynthesize long chain n-alkanes most likely reflects adaptation of these organisms to partial exposure to the atmosphere. The occurrence in moderate abundance of C17 and C19n-alkanes and the near absence of other low molecular weight (LMW) n-alkanes in the saline lake was linked to the effect of salt stress. The absence of LMW n-alkanes in freshwater lake may be associated with slow barite hydrolysis likely to cause acidification. Our results have demonstrated that long chain n -alkanes of terrestrial and submerged/floating macrophyte origins are better preserved under conditions of low salinity and acidification in inland shallow lakes than those derived from algae/bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plastic production has grown dramatically over the years. Microplastics (MPs) are formed from the fragmentation of larger plastic debris by combining chemical, physical, and biological processes and can degrade further to form nanoplastics (NPs). Because of their size, MPs and NPs are bioavailable to many organisms and can reach humans through transport along the food chain. In addition to the risk from ingesting MPs themselves, there are risks associated with the substances they carry, such as pesticides, pathogenic microorganisms, and heavy metals, and with the additives added to plastics to improve their characteristics. In addition, bioaccumulation and biomagnification can cause a cumulative exposure effect for organisms at the top of the food chain and humans. Despite the growing scientific interest in this emerging contaminant, the potential adverse effects remain unclear. The aim of this review is to summarize the characteristics (size, shape, color, and properties) of MPs in the environment, the primary sources, and the transport pathways in various environmental compartments, and to shed more light on the ecological impact of MPs and the potential health effects on organisms and humans by identifying human exposure pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Haddis Alemayehu's classic novel ፍቅር እስከ መቃብር (Fikir iske Mekabir , Love until Death , 1958 Ethiopian Calendar, 1965/6 Gregorian Calendar), is lauded by critics as a pioneering realist and modern novel in the Amharic literary tradition. My aim in this article is to scrutinize this take by examining the novel's narrative temporalities and modes through a dialectical lens. This leads me to argue that the novel's realism is marked by contradiction and fluidity. Specifically, the emergence of realism in Fikir iske Mekabir is accompanied by its breakdown while the realist narrative mode is accompanied by the traditional narrative modes of epic and hagiography (or, gedl). This hitherto unexamined textual and intertextual quality of Haddis's novel reveals new insights into its thematic content regarding modernity, tradition, and social reproduction under the old Ethiopian order. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zinc is an essential plant and human nutrient and its primary source is Zn-rich food consumption. The only way to enrich plants with Zn is through the application of Zn fertilizers including various chemical and organic sources of ZnO nanoparticles (NPs). The Zn bioavailability from ZnO NPs must be considered for their recommendation as a fertilizer, and very little is known about the efficacy of such fertilizers in the Hungarian soil environment. In the present investigation, we prepared ZnO NPs of different sizes and applied them in two distinct textures of soils (sandy loam (SL) and silty clay (SC)) in an incubation experiment. The prepared ZnO NPs were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). ZnO NPs were applied in both soil types at 500 mg L−1 in the form of a suspension, and ZnSO4 was applied in the form of a solution. The soils were incubated for 7 and 14 days. Column leaching was performed to analyze the dissolved Zn. Retained Zn in the soil matrix was extracted using 0.05 M EDTA. The results showed that approximately 21–23% and 10–13% higher Zn was observed in the pore water of SL and SC soils, respectively, when spiked with small-sized NPs compared to large-sized NPs, while 14–26% higher dissolved Zn was observed in SL soil compared to SC soil. It is concluded that the size of NPs and the soil texture are the main factors that play important roles in deciding the fate of NPs under an alkaline soil environment.

The book of the famous Russian sociologist L.G. Ionin about Max Weber attracts attention with its unusualness. The review describes various facets of its unusual genre, highlights and examines the levels of the author's consideration of his subject — the personality of an outstanding Western sociologist. It is concluded that the author applied the Freudian methodology to explain the twists and turns in the fate of M. Weber, since they are closely related to the intimate side of his life. The creative approach of L.G. Ionin to understand the hero of his “intellectual novel” in the context of his classic sociological doctrine is analyzed. In conclusion, the reviewer dares to make his own assumptions about what Max Weber's “drama of life” consisted of.

Much of the foundation for lifelong spermatogenesis is established prior to puberty, and disruptions during this developmental window negatively impact fertility long into adulthood. However, the factors that coordinate prepubertal germline development are incompletely understood. Here, we report that core-binding factor subunit-β (CBFβ) plays critical roles in prepubertal development and the onset of spermatogenesis. Using a mouse conditional knockout (cKO) approach, inactivation of Cbfb in the male germline resulted in rapid degeneration of the germline during the onset of spermatogenesis, impaired overall sperm production, and adult infertility. Utilizing a different Cre driver to generate another Cbfb cKO model, we determined that the function of CBFβ in the male germline is likely limited to undifferentiated spermatogonia despite expression in other germ cell types. Within undifferentiated spermatogonia, CBFβ regulates proliferation, survival, and overall maintenance of the undifferentiated spermatogonia population. Paradoxically, we discovered that CBFβ also distally regulates meiotic progression and spermatid formation but only with Cbfb cKO within undifferentiated spermatogonia. Spatial transcriptomics revealed that CBFβ modulates cell cycle checkpoint control genes associated with both proliferation and meiosis. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that core programs established within the prepubertal undifferentiated spermatogonia population are necessary for both germline maintenance and sperm production.

The air quality is a parameter to be controlled in order to live in a comfortable place. This paper analyzes the trajectory of aerosols exhaled into the environment in a classroom. Three scenarios are investigated; without ventilation, with natural and with mechanical ventilation. A multi-phase computational fluid study based on Eulerian-Lagrangian techniques is defined. Temperature and ambient relative humidity, as well as air velocity, direction and pressure is taken into account. For droplets evaporation, mass transfer and turbulent dispersion have been added. This work tends to be of great help in various areas, such as the field of medicine and energy engineering, aiming to show the path of aerosols dispersed in the air. The results show that the classroom with a mechanical ventilation scheme offers good results when it comes to an efficient control of aerosols. In all three cases, aerosols exhaled into the environment impregnate the front row student in the first 0.5 s. Reaching the time of 4, 2 and 1 s, in the class without ventilation, mechanical and natural ventilation, respectively, the aerosols have been already deposited on the table of the person in the first row, being exposed for longer in the case of no ventilation. Particles with a diameter of less than 20 μm are distributed throughout the classroom over a long period. The air jet injected into the interior space offers a practically constant relative humidity and a drop in temperature, slowing down the process of evaporation of the particles. In the first second, it can be seen that a mass of 0.0025 mg formed by 9 million droplets accumulates, in cases without ventilation and natural ventilation. The room with a mechanical installation accumulated 5.5 million particles of mass 0.0028 mg in the first second. The energy losses generated by natural ventilation are high compared to the other scenarios, exactly forty and twenty times more in the scenario with mechanical ventilation and without ventilation, respectively.

This review investigates the impact of salinity on the fate of the active compounds of pesticides in a cultivated environment. Due to the over-exploitation of water resources and intensification of agriculture, salinity outbreaks are being observed more often in cultivated fields under pesticide treatments. Nevertheless, there is a poor understanding of the incidence of varying water salt loads on the behavior of pesticides' active ingredients in soil and water bodies. The present review established that water salinity can affect the diffusion of pesticides' active ingredients through numerous processes. Firstly, by increasing the vapor pressure and decreasing the solubility of the compounds, which is known as the salting-out effect, salinity can change the colligative properties of water towards molecules and the modification of exchange capacity and sorption onto the chemicals. It has also been established that the osmotic stress induced by salinity could inhibit the biodegradation process by reducing the activity of sensitive microorganisms. Moreover, soil properties like dissolved organic matter, organic carbon, clay content, and soil texture control the fate and availability of chemicals in different processes of persistence in water and soil matrix. In the same line, salinity promotes the formation of different complexes, such as between humic acid and the studied active compounds. Furthermore, salinity can modify the water flux due to soil clogging because of the coagulation and dispersion of clay particle cycles, especially when the change in salinity ranges is severe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes an approach to existential therapy called 'Intensive Therapeutic Life', founded by psychiatrist Alexander E. Alekseychik in the Soviet Union over fifty years ago, based on the Russian cultural tradition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, we addressed the knowledge gaps regarding the agglomeration behavior and fate of food-grade titanium dioxide (E 171) in human gastrointestinal digestion (GID). After thorough multi-technique physicochemical characterization including TEM, single-particle ICP-MS (spICP-MS), CLS, VSSA determination and ELS, the GI fate of E 171 was studied by applying the in vitro GID approach established for the regulatory risk assessment of nanomaterials in Europe, using a standardized international protocol. GI fate was investigated in fasted conditions, relevant to E 171 use in food supplements and medicines, and in fed conditions, with both a model food and E 171-containing food samples. TiO2 constituent particles were resistant to GI dissolution, and thus, their stability in lysosomal fluid was investigated. The biopersistence of the material in lysosomal fluid highlighted its potential for bioaccumulation. For characterizing the agglomeration degree in the small intestinal phase, spICP-MS represented an ideal analytical tool to overcome the limitations of earlier studies. We demonstrated that, after simulated GID, in the small intestine, E 171 (at concentrations reflecting human exposure) is present with a dispersion degree similar to that obtained when dispersing the material in water by means of high-energy sonication (i.e., ≥70% of particles <250 nm). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Starting from a theoretical reconstruction of Heidegger's Rectorate's Discourse (The Self-Affirmation of the German University), it is speculated, by way of presentation, on the existence of a German type or being whose essence, rooted in essential Greek knowledge, is contaminated to some extent by the influence of a concept of destiny misunderstood and elevated to the category of existentia. Likewise, it is argued that Heidegger is a classic example of the primacy of practical reason as the will to power that tries to organize the world anew without regard for the present, and that runs through the philosophy of German idealism with dire consequences. For this reason, it is argued that Heidegger, in his gaze on the spiritual history in general and of the German people in particular, does not take into account the objective external perception that allows psychological self-criticism as an authentic illustrated figure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Synergies Pologne is the property of GERFLINT (Groupe d'Etudes et de Recherches pour le Francais Langue Internationale) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The increasing production and utilization of nano-based commercial products have resulted in a significant release of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) in the environment. Upon their release into the aquatic systems, ENPs interact with a wide range of natural constituents and undergo a multitude of diverse transformation processes. The majority of these transformations entail physical, chemical, and biological transformations. This review provides a comprehensive evaluation of the investigations that have scrutinized the fate and transformation behavior of ENPs such as TiO2, ZnO, CuO, Ag, Fe3O4, NiO, SiO2, CeO2, quantum dots, and carbon nanotubes. The physicochemical properties of ENPs and the prevailing environmental conditions constitute the pivotal parameters governing the environmental fate and transformation of ENPs. These transformations are intertwined with a range of environmental aspects which includes aggregation, agglomeration, sedimentation, dissolution, reduction, oxidation, sulfidation, and adsorption. Thus, the insights gleaned from these studies may help to comprehend the behavior of transformed ENPs, including their environmental fate, bioavailability, and mechanisms of toxicity. Overall, forthcoming nanomanufacturing processes should thoroughly prioritize the considerations of health, safety, and environmental consequences, all while ensuring that the functionality of consumer products remains uncompromised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An archeologist discovers a 1,500-year-old Viking sword at the bottom of a lake. Would people be more drawn to the sword if they knew that the discovery was intentional, or unintentional? The current research examines this previously unexplored type of biographical narrative--the biography of the discovery of historical and natural resources. We propose that unintentionality in the discovery of a resource can shape choice and preference. We focus our investigation on resources because the event of discovery is an inherent component in the biography of all known historical and natural resources, and because these resources are either themselves already objects (like historical artifacts) or are the building blocks of virtually all objects. Eight laboratory studies and one field experiment indicate that the unintentional discovery of resources heightens the choice of and preference for the resources. We find that the unintentional discovery of a resource triggers counterfactual thoughts about how the discovery might not have occurred, increasing perceptions that the discovery was fated, consequently driving choice of and preference for the resource. Further, we identify the level of expertise of the discoverer as a theoretically relevant moderator of this effect, finding that the effect is eliminated in the case of novice discoverers. It arises for resources discovered by experts with the rationale that unintentional discovery by an expert is unexpected, and therefore prompts heightened counterfactual thoughts. However, resources discovered by novices for which discovery is unexpected whether it is intentional or unintentional are preferred at equally high rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastic pollution of aquatic environments threatens human health, ecosystem processes, and biodiversity. Many existing models of microplastic movement in streams do not account for biotic effects on microplastic fate. Ecosystem engineering by net-spinning caddisflies (Hydropsychidae) has been shown to substantially affect sediment and organic matter transport as well as streambed hydrology. Caddisfly engineering may likewise affect the movement of microplastic pollution in streams. We used a controlled 11-d flume experiment to investigate the potential for caddisflies to serve as a biotic control on microplastic transport. Flumes containing a single gravel dune were randomly assigned to density treatments: control (0 caddisflies/m2) or stocked with 500, 800, or 2500 caddisflies/m2, incubated (d 1–10) to allow for caddisfly silk structure construction, inoculated (d 11) with PVC microplastics (333 µm–1 mm), and sampled (d 12). Microplastic was quantified as caught in a drift net (downstream transport), eaten by caddisflies (ingestion), or captured in caddisfly silk structures or settled into the gravel dune (i.e., total streambed retention). Mean downstream plastic transport was 9% lower than the control in the 800 caddisflies/m2 treatment (p < 0.001) and 10% lower in the 2500 caddisflies/m2 treatment (p = 0.003). Mean total streambed retention was 9% higher than the control in the 800 caddisflies/m2 treatment (p < 0.001) and 10% higher in the 2500 caddisflies/m2 treatment (p = 0.004). Ingestion of plastic by caddisflies was rare and highly variable (0–0.55% of plastic particles) but did increase with caddisfly density (p = 0.002). This work represents one of the first investigations of animal ecosystem engineering as a control on the movement and fate of microplastic particles in fresh waters and establishes a foundation for future research on biotic control of microplastic transport. Our results suggest that ecosystem engineering by net-spinning caddisflies may serve as a biotic control of microplastic transport in freshwater streams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Across cultures, people believe that moral actions have 'karmic' consequences. Do cultures share assumptions about how karma operates? Four studies (N = 1114) assessed cultural differences in perceptions of inevitability associated with karmic justice and whether perceiving karma as inevitable curbs antisocial behaviours, such as revenge. Study 1 found that Indians perceived karmic justice as more inevitable than Americans and reported lower revenge. Studies 2–3 manipulated whether participants saw karmic justice as inevitable (vs. probable), finding that both Indians and Americans in the inevitable justice condition reported lower revenge. Study 3 found that perceived punishment certainty for oneself (for enacting revenge) rather than perceived punishment certainty for the offender (for the offence) better explained condition differences in revenge. Study 4 uncovered that reincarnation belief related to, and explained, cultural differences in inevitable karmic justice, which subsequently curbed revenge. Research on karma can uncover a range of cultural differences in psychological functioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]