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School climate is crucial for understanding everyday school life. For pupils, breaktime seems to be associated with how they feel about their school climate. To better understand school climate and what social processes pupils address, this study explores pupils' perspectives on school climate with attention on how they perceive their breaktimes. The study was based on 29 focus group interviews (n = 164) with pupils from two public schools in grades 1-9 (i.e. 7-15 years old). Constructivist grounded theory guided data gathering and analysis. Findings revealed how breaktime was an indicator of how pupils perceived their school climate, but their perceptions were dynamic. We conceptualised breaktime as a social process influenced by three main categories: peer climate, levels of unsafe incidents, and availability of activities. We adopted a social-ecological perspective to conceptualise how pupils' perceptions of breaktimes varied due to how breaktimes were nested within different social-ecological systems.

Even though using group examinations aligns well with the epistemology of problem-based learning (PBL), the dilemma of using joint learning while simultaneously fulfilling individual assessment requirements in higher education make group examinations difficult to use. In this study, the aim was to explore whether an individual reflection paper (IRP) can act as a means to support individual assessment in group examinations in PBL. 152 IRPs were used to assess whether a particular group of students had acquired theoretical and analytical knowledge that would affect results on a group examination. Overall, completed IRPs clearly showed a concurrence between the students' acquired and requested theoretical and analytical knowledge on the examination, except on a few occasions. These findings are promising and suggest that IRPs can act as a means to support individual assessment in group examinations in PBL and that it is possible to combine joint learning in tutorial groups with individual group work assessment.

Creating and sustaining a positive school climate is not done in isolation but requires continuous ongoing work by several people within the school, and one of the most important actors are the teachers. In order to fulfil this very important task, the teachers need to collaborate with colleagues at school in an organized manner. In this study, we aim to explore and analyse teachers' perspectives on how their teacher team might be linked to their school climate work, and what team characteristics facilitate their work to create and maintain a positive and supportive climate within their school. To understand teachers' comprehension of their team, we applied a social psychology framework, using social interdependence theory and the concept of psychological safety. Data were collected by means of 14 semi-structured focus group interviews with 73 teachers from two compulsory schools in southeast Sweden. The findings revealed that teachers perceived the team as the most significant support structure when it comes to school climate work. According to them, the team was associated with shared responsibility, support and help, as well as safety and an open climate. By elucidating teachers' insider perspectives regarding their working conditions aligned to their work with school climate, we conclude that well-functioning teacher teams are experienced as a safe place to work on creating and maintaining a positive school climate.

The Wastewater Quality Index (WWQI) is a unique measure that synthesizes the overall quality of wastewater. The main objective of the study was to evaluate whether the quality of wastewater reaching the treatment plant is suitable for optimal disposal using the WWQI approach. To understand the correlation between the determined indicators, Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated, so that the results of the analyses reflect the overall quality of the evaluated wastewater. Additionally, statistical analysis was employed to develop a simple prediction model through multiple linear regression (MLR) to predict WWQI based on various wastewater quality parameters. The results indicate good and regular quality of treated wastewater for safe disposal, according to the classification of WWQI levels, and the prediction model yielded values similar to those estimated.

Pharmaceuticals, also known as medicines, are a mixture of substances used to prevent and treat human or animal diseases or infections. These products are used in many areas, such as medicine, aquaculture, animal husbandry, and, not least, in people’s everyday lives. According to the literature, they are classified into several therapeutic classes, the ones of interest for this paper being non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; antidiabetic drugs, and antacid drugs. The mentioned drugs have raised concerns due to their presence in the environment and the potential health risks they pose. Recently, much research has focused on compounds that have direct harmful effects but are found in the environment at relatively low concentrations. These compounds could seriously threaten aquatic ecosystems, especially in the long term, due to their ability to accumulate in living organisms through bioaccumulation or generate secondary metabolites with harmful side effects. To effectively monitor pharmaceuticals in the environment, it is essential to have a variety of rapid, reliable, and sensitive methods capable of detecting numerous compounds. The most commonly employed techniques include solid phase extraction (SPE) followed by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS). This study supports ongoing efforts to monitor and regulate drug contamination in water sources, evaluating potential risks to human health and emphasizing the importance of addressing these contaminants to protect environmental and public health.

Trihalomethanes (THMs) are a group of volatile organic compounds that can be easily found in drinking water, especially in municipal water distribution systems supplied by water treatment stations as a result of the chlorination process. This study investigates the THMs presence in various sources across Romania and conducts a human health risk assessment in order to determine the potential danger the population is exposed to. Using a gas-chromatography coupled mass-spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis method, water samples collected over the course of a year were analysed and revealed the cumulative sum of all trihalomethanes (ΣTHMs) saw a maximum concentration of 90.6 µg/L, with an average of 25.6 µg/L and a median of 22.2 µg/L with chloroform and bromoform being the most abundant. The analysis of carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks associated with THMs in drinking water reveals women exhibit higher risk levels than men across both categories. The total non-carcinogenic risks for women range from 5.14×10-4 to 4.30×10-1, while for men, the risks range from 4.78×10-4 to 3.78×10-1. Carcinogenic risk assessments indicate a similar trend, with total risks for women varying between 1.37×10-6 and 1.88×10-4, and for men between 2.22×10-7 and 1.66×10-4. comparable values for cancer risk that exceed the minimum or negligible risk threshold established by the USEPA (1.00×10-6).

The Intercommunity Development Associations (IDA) were introduced in Romania with the purpose of covering the need of local or county territorial administrative units (TAU) to implement common development projects that would benefit the communities of multiple territorial units. The need was especially greater in the case of rural local territorial administrative units, that have a limited financial power, while also being part of a very fragmented administrative level. Thus, the development of larger projects is impossible for some TAUs on their own. The objective of this research is to analyse the IDAs created so far in the Bihor County, considering the legislation that made them possible was introduced almost 20 years ago, even if some associations predate this legislation. The purpose is to understand if there are certain aspects that favour their establishment, without focusing on their activity. Through this study, we are putting together a methodology that will be applied to the entire country, to understand whether our findings for the Bihor County can be applied to other counties as well.

The increasing prevalence of perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids (PFSAs) in aquatic environments has raised significant concerns regarding their environmental and health implications, particularly due to their endocrine-disrupting properties. This study aims to develop and validate a sensitive liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for the detection and quantification of nine PFSAs in drinking water, surface water, and wastewater. The method comprises comprehensive steps, including the optimization of chromatographic separation conditions, enhancement of detection limits, and selection of effective extraction techniques tailored for diverse water matrices. The results reveal that the developed method achieves quantification limits ranging from 0.11 to 0.50 ng/L for drinking water, 0.22 to 0.59 ng/L for surface water, and 0.50 to 1.43 ng/L for wastewater, with extraction recoveries consistently exceeding 75%. The validated LC-MS/MS method demonstrates high sensitivity and robustness, enabling the monitoring of PFSAs in various water environments. This advancement not only contributes to the ongoing monitoring efforts of chemical contaminants at both national and international levels but also supports public health initiatives aimed at mitigating the risks associated with these hazardous substances. The implementation of such methods is crucial for ensuring water quality and protecting ecosystems from the adverse effects of PFSAs, ultimately fostering a safer environment for human health and biodiversity.

With a history of over two centuries, ultra-wideband seems to be on the verge of influencing the IoT and revolutionizing how devices communicate with each other. Unlike other technologies, Ultra-Wideband does not seem to be the technology that will solve all the issues, but rather a niche technology that will have a high impact in a niche domain. The current article analyses the Ultra-Wideband technology from its debut in the mobile world, current applications, main players in the market both in terms of Ultra-Wideband ecosystems and producers, and how the trackers market looked before the Ultra-Wideband trackers went mainstream.

Due to the large sums spent following the severe and large-scale lockdown in 2020, when most countries had to step up spending on health and social protection, introducing numerous incentive measures, while tax revenues declined sharply, which led to the increase of budget deficits and public debt, governments had to identify new sources of income and potential liquid assets flows in order to pay this debt. The idea of increasing the taxable base on the basis of wealth taxation is one of the most important debate topics on the European Union agenda but also on the Romanian Parliament and Government agenda, as well as within the theoretical approaches and debates of specialists in the field.

Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) is an essential tool for diagnosis and prognosis in patients with cardiomyopathies. Over the past decades, it has become the gold standard for assessing cardiac function, volumes and mass. In addition, its tissue characterization capabilities, including T1, T2 and T2* mapping and gadolinium enhancement images, allow differentiation between ischemic, inflammatory and infiltrative etiologies of heart disease.

GATA6 syndrome is an unusual genetic disorder that presents complications during pregnancy, congenital heart defects, neonatal diabetes, and severe pancreatic dysfunction. The cause of the syndrome is a de novo mutation in the GATA6 gene, located on chromosome 18. We present the case of a patient who exhibited congenital heart defects and severe hyperglycemia from the neonatal period, caused by pancreatic agenesis. The diagnosis was established based on molecular genetic analyses. Insulin and pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy provide a favorable prognosis in pancreatic agenesis, significantly reducing neonatal mortality associated with this drastic diagnosis.

Accidental hypothermia (AH) presents a significant mortality risk, even in individuals with good health. Early recognition of the parameters associated with negative prognosis could save more lives.

Cerebral aneurysm recurrences after previous surgical clipping are associated with an important risk of growth and rupture. These lesions can be difficult to manage by either a classical microsurgical approach or endosaccular coiling. The advanced endovascular technique can be considered as a treatment option for these recurred aneurysms. Aneurysm coil occlusion and endoluminal parent vessel reconstruction with intracranial stent may be an ideal method for treating these recurrences by avoiding reoperative surgery or intraprocedural aneurysm rupture with aneurysm access. Stent-assisted coil embolization can be a safe and efficacious treatment approach for recurrent ACom region aneurysms after previously surgical clipping.

Aim of the study is to evaluate and compare bone regeneration materials currently available in dentistry and to study the process of integrating these materials into oral and maxillofacial bone defects. Materials and methods The literature was electronically searched, and includes multiple subtopics: guided bone regeneration, osteogenesis, implant surgery, bone defects, biomaterials, barrier membranes, the knowledge that must be implemented in the treatment. Results Materials are classified based on their biological functions. Functionalization strategies designed to overcome the negative properties, and facilitate space maintenance, osteoblast proliferation and differentiation, progenitor cell migration and differentiation, mineralization, vascularization, immunoregulation-induced osteogenesis, and anti-infective functionality. Conclusions Biomaterials used for bone regeneration are valid when the correct material is used. As yet the osteogenic capacity of autogenous bone has not been equalled by biomaterials. Tissue engineering has caused great interest because of its many possibilities, although more studies are necessary in order to achieve the ambitious expectations when it comes to tissue or organ regeneration in the human body.

This paper intends to examine the potential uses and applications of artificial intelligence (AI) technology in the field of foreign language didactics. Starting from an overview of the current state of artificial technology, this paper proceeds to present and analyze some of the most well-known AI tools and applications available today, focusing particularly on their potential uses and benefits in the foreign language course. Even though the primary emphasis is placed on the way in which AI tools could significantly enhance both the learning and teaching experience, the authors also address the inherent limitations and challenges that such tools and applications currently pose. The paper discusses various issues, such as technical difficulties, accessibility concerns, and the need for human oversight. In addition, the authors consider the necessity of redefining not only the structure and content of foreign language courses, but also the evolving role of the teacher in an AI-integrated educational environment, suggesting that while AI can offer substantial support, the teacher’s role remains indispensable for providing contextualized guidance, emotional support, and personalized feedback.

Silicones such Sylgard 184 are widely employed in biological applications due to their versatile properties. However, their inherently adhesive surfaces can restrict their application, especially in direct contact with damaged biological tissues, potentially compromising patient comfort. To enhance the surface properties of Sylgard 184 while maintaining its transparency in the visible spectrum, a novel low-temperature method (70 °C) has been developed. This method involves immersing PDMS in a solution of titanium (IV) ethoxide in THF, thus inducing swelling of the silicone's polymer network, followed by the diffusion and condensation of titanium (IV) ethoxide within the polymer matrix. The resulting hybrid material, incorporating amorphous titanium oxide within the silicone network, exhibits significantly increased surface hardness compared to unmodified Sylgard 184, while retaining transparency and improving biological behaviour. The elaborated method holds promising potential for enhancing the performance of silicone-based materials in diverse biomedical applications.