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This article presents the findings of a survey conducted in Slovenia, encompassing a random sample of 275 enterprises, to analyze the factors influencing the transition to an agile approach, the AI-supported organizational culture, AI-enabled workload reduction, and AI-enabled performance enhancement in small and large enterprises. The study investigates whether there are statistically significant differences between small and large enterprises in Slovenia regarding these aspects. These findings provide valuable insights into the distinct perspectives and priorities of small and large enterprises in Slovenia regarding agility and the adoption of AI technologies. The results highlight areas where small businesses may need additional support or targeted strategies to fully leverage the benefits of agility and AI. Policymakers and industry leaders can utilize these findings to promote tailored approaches that enhance agility and facilitate effective AI integration in both small and large enterprises, ultimately contributing to the growth and competitiveness of the Slovenian business landscape.

The present paper focuses on teacher’s role in social justice and explores how teachers perceive and react upon diversity and inequality in their classrooms. Through a literature review, we aimed to answer three research questions: 1) what are diversity awareness and critical consciousness in education; 2) why are diversity awareness and critical consciousness important; and 3) how can diversity awareness and critical consciousness be supported in teachers. The literature review has revealed that most papers on teachers’ diversity awareness and critical consciousness have been published within the last few years and that the importance of the two concepts has been recognized for a wide range of educators. There seems to be a growing interest in this topic due to the increase of the diversity in classrooms and the recognition of the teachers’ role in addressing diversity and inequality. However, large-scale studies would be a needed contribution to the field, as most of the existing studies are small-scale. Based on this review, we argue that both diversity awareness and critical consciousness need to be supported through preservice and in-service teacher professional development programs, if we are to make education systems more inclusive for all.

The pilot research is often intended to gather preliminary information and is usually based on a small set of observations to help decide how to conduct a more extensive study. The present pilot study is intended to provide preliminary results regarding various aspects of mobile advertising perceptions for young people. The objective of this pilot study is also to conduct the initial analysis of the relationships and impact of predecessors (influencing factors) on the attitudes towards mobile advertising and further on the perceived usefulness of mobile advertising among young people. Results show that the objectives of the pilot study have been fulfilled. They are crucial for continuing the main research on the importance of factors affecting the positive perception of the usefulness of mobile advertising among students and for designers of communication channels for the younger generation.

Background: The increase in population life expectancy in developed economies is also reflected in the aging of the workforce; therefore, enterprises should create an appropriate work environment for all employees, emphasizing the older ones.

Future economic growth and competitiveness will increasingly depend on how effectively employers can utilise their ageing workforces. To manage the inevitable changes in demographics, employers need to start preparing for an ageing workforce and developing strategies to manage and retain older employees. The main objective of this paper is to determine the impact of leadership and employee relations on work satisfaction of older employees, as well as to determine the impact of work satisfaction on the work engagement of older employees in financial service companies in Slovenia. To test the hypotheses, the authors used structural equation modelling. The results show that the effects of leadership and employee relations on work satisfaction in the case of older employees in financial service companies in Slovenia are positive, and the effect of work satisfaction on the work engagement of older employees is positive, too.

In light of globalization and modern business, companies are typically exposed to challenges caused by unpredictable and complex competitive environments. The business environment, with global trends and stringent competition in the world market, now faces significant changes that companies should introduce into their current business operations. Among them, the human resource management of knowledge employees has become extremely important. The main aim of this article is to establish the impact of components of knowledge management on work engagement of employees in Slovenian companies. In the empirical part of the research, a sample of 112 Slovenian companies was obtained. Senior managers of companies and their employees were surveyed, using the questionnaire developed based on existing measurement scales. The results will help us to better understand the importance of knowledge management in Slovenian companies and its importance as a business strategy that must be fully integrated within all of the employees’ related processes of the company.

Background and Purpose: Age diverse employees are faced with different types of occupational stress and different symptoms of burnout when carrying out their work. Therefore, the role of age in job design and implementation of work should not be ignored. The main aim of this paper is to investigate the age differences of occupational stress and symptoms of burnout of employees and to analyze the impact of occupational stress, symptoms of burnout and age on employees’ work satisfaction.

Forming part of a study of radiological risk arising from use of radioactive consumer products, investigation is made of pendants containing naturally occurring radioactive material. Based on use of gamma-ray spectrometry and Monte Carlo (MC) simulations, the study investigates commercially available 'scalar energy pendants'. The doses from these have been simulated using MIRD5 mathematical phantoms, evaluation being made of dose conversion factors (DCFs) and organ dose. Metallic pendants code MP15 were found to contain the greatest activity, at 7043 ± 471 Bq from 232Th, while glass pendants code GP11 were presented the greatest 238U and 40K activity, at 1001 ± 172 and 687 ± 130 Bq respectively. MP15 pendants offered the greatest percentage concentrations of Th, Ce, U and Zr, with means of 25.6 ± 0.06, 5.6 ± 0.005, 1.03 ± 0.04 and 28.5 ± 0.08 respectively, giving rise to an effective dose of 2.8 mSv for a nominal wearing period of 2000 h. Accordingly, these products can give rise to annual doses in excess of the public limit of 1 mSv.

The main objective of the paper is to determine the impact of behavioral symptoms of burnout of older employees on their work engagement in large- and mediumsized companies in Slovenia. The research is based on the implementation of a factor analysis by which we wanted to reduce the large number of variables into a smaller number of factors. With those factors, we performed a simple linear regression. Based on the results, we confirmed the hypothesis that behavioral symptoms of burnout of older employees have a statistically significant negative impact on their work engagement. Well-being of employees of varying ages in the workplace is key for long-term effectiveness of companies. From this point of view, companies should apply appropriate measures to reduce burnout as well as to contribute to employees’ well-being and better workplace performance, which is reflected in work engagement of employees.

Background: The aging of the European population is a demographic trend reflected in the ever-growing number of older employees. This paper introduces the importance of motivation and satisfaction in the workplace among age diverse employees in Slovenian companies.

Background and Purpose: People spend a significant part of their lifespan working, but the role of age in job design and implementation of work have largely been ignored. The consequences can be evident in stress and burnout in different symptoms. Thus, age-diverse employees are faced with different symptoms of burnout and stress when carrying out their work. The main aim of this paper is to present burnout of older employees compared to younger employees in Slovenian companies.

The study investigates commercially available negative ion clothing, and evaluations are made using gamma-ray spectroscopy and Geant4 Monte Carlo simulations. Observed to contain naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM), evaluations are made of the radiological risk arising from the use of these as items of everyday wear, undergarments in particular. Organ doses from these were simulated using the MIRD5 mathematical female phantom, with the incorporation of dose conversion factors (DCFs). At 175 ± 26, 1732 ± 247, and 207 ± 38 Bq, for 238U, 232Th, and 40K respectively, item code S05 was found to possess the greatest activity, while item code S07 was shown to have the least activity, at 2 ± 0.5 and 15 ± 2 Bq, and again for 238U and 232Th, respectively. Sample code S11 recorded least activity, at 29 ± 5 Bq, for 40K. Among the clothing items, sample item code S05 offered the greatest concentrations of Th, U and Zr, with percentage means of 1.23 ± 0.1, 0.045 ± 0.001, and 1.29 ± 0.1, respectively, giving rise to an annual effective dose of 1.57 mSv/y assuming a nominal wearing period of 24 h per day. Accordingly, the annual public dose limit of 1 mSv can be exceeded by their use.

The use of thorium in providing the intense white luminescence emitted from gas mantles, has a history of some 130 years, the initial application pre-dating by several decades large-scale urban electric lighting. Accordingly, the thoriated gas mantle has proved itself to be of enormous utility, remaining popular in more rural areas well into the 20th century, continuing to enjoy use in campsites and street night markets lanterns until today. The discovery of thorium in 1828 preceded the discovery of radioactivity, with subsequent little appreciation initially of any potential harm from exposure to radioactivity. Study has been made herein of small quantities of five different types of the thoriated gas mantle, all purchased online devoid of any control measures. Several approaches were used concerning the 232Th activity and dose consequence. First, the activity of 232Th was estimated using an HPGe detector, with sample M5 providing the greatest activity at 1.25 × 104 Bq, exceeding the exemption limit for thorium in a mantle. Compared to sample M5, samples M1 to M4 were low in radioactivity, from 5.1 ± 1.31 to 16.33 ± 1.92 Bq. Moreover, the thorium content in M5 constituted 50% of the mantle mass, somewhat greater than previous literature values. The dose equivalent rate on the surface of a single M5 mantle was found to be 0.68 µSv/h, while at the surface of a pack of six the level was 1.9 µSv/h. Monte Carlo simulation codes have been used to obtain organ equivalent and effective dose rates, the greatest close contact (10 cm) exposure to an unlit mantle being to the thymus, at 0.68 µSv/h and 0.62 µSv/h for a male and female phantom respectively. Accordingly, with packages of thoriated gas mantles potentially giving rise to non-negligible equivalent doses, greater incorporation of controls on the sale of such items in national radiation protection legislation would seem worthy of consideration.

OBJECTIVE: It is an accepted fact that confinement conditions increase the risk of some infections related to sexual and/or injecting drugs practices. Mathematical techniques were applied to estimate time-dependent incidence densities of HIV infection among inmates. METHODS: A total of 631 prisoners from a Brazilian prison with 4,900 inmates at that time were interviewed and their blood drawn. Risky behavior for HIV infection was analyzed, and serological tests for HIV, hepatitis C and syphilis were performed, intended as surrogates for parenteral and sexual HIV transmission, respectively. Mathematical techniques were used to estimate the incidence density ratio, as related to the time of imprisonment. RESULTS: Prevalence were: HIV -- 16%; HCV -- 34%; and syphilis -- 18%. The main risk behaviors related to HIV infection were HCV prevalence (OR=10.49) and the acknowledged use of injecting drugs (OR=3.36). Incidence density ratio derivation showed that the risk of acquiring HIV infection increases with the time of imprisonment, peaking around three years after incarceration. CONCLUSIONS: The correlation between HIV and HCV seroprevalence and the results of the mathematical analysis suggest that HIV transmission in this population is predominantly due to parenteral exposure by injecting drug, and that it increases with time of imprisonment.

An overview is given of activities and scientific results by coworkers of the Laboratory for Chemical Kinetics (later Laboratory for Chemical Kinetics and Atmospheric Chemistry) of the Rudjer Boskovic Institute in the field of mass spectrometry from 1959 to the present.

Wastewater effluents and global warming affect freshwater ecosystems and impact their crucial biodiversity. Our study aimed at characterizing individual and combined impacts of wastewater effluent and increased water temperature (as one aspect of climate change) on model freshwater communities. We tested the effect of experimental treatments on genetic diversity, survival, body weight, total lipid content, lipidome and metabolome of individual species as well as community composition and phylogenetic diversity. In a 21-day mesocosm experiment we assessed the responses of a simplified freshwater food web comprising of moss and seven species of benthic macroinvertebrate shredders and grazers (mayflies, stoneflies, caddisflies and amphipods) to four treatments in a full factorial design: control, increased water temperature, wastewater and a multiple stressor treatment combining increased temperature and wastewater. Physiological responses varied among taxa, with species-specific sensitivities observed in survival and lipid content. The lowest total lipid content was observed in caddisflies and a mayfly subjected to multiple stressor treatment. The effects of stressors were reflected in the altered metabolic pathways and lipid metabolism of the individual taxa, with differential treatment effects also observed between taxa. A notable decrease in phylogenetic diversity was observed across all experimental communities. Gammarus fossarum demonstrated a high susceptibility to environmental stressors at the genetic level. Hence, while commonly used indicators of ecosystem health (e.g. community composition) remained stable, molecular indicators (e.g. phylogenetic diversity, metabolome and lipidome) responded readily to experimental treatments. These findings underscore the vulnerability of macroinvertebrates to environmental stressors, even over relatively short exposure periods. They highlight the importance of molecular indicators in detecting immediate ecological impacts, offering valuable information for conservation strategies and understanding the ecological consequences in freshwater ecosystems., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Freshwater biodiversity, ecosystem functions and services are changing at an unprecedented rate due to the impacts of vast number of stressors overlapping in time and space. Our study aimed at characterizing individual and combined impacts of pollution with pharmaceuticals (PhACs) and endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) and increased water temperature (as a proxy for climate change) on primary producers and first level consumers in freshwaters. We conducted a microcosm experiment with a simplified freshwater food web containing moss (Bryophyta) and shredding caddisfly larvae of Micropterna nycterobia (Trichoptera). The experiment was conducted with four treatments; control (C), increased water temperature + 4 °C (T2), emerging contaminants' mix (EC = 15 PhACs & 5 EDCs), and multiple stressor treatment (MS = EC + T2). Moss exhibited an overall mild response to selected stressors and their combination. Higher water temperature negatively affected development of M. nycterobia through causing earlier emergence of adults and changes in their lipidome profiles. Pollution with PhACs and EDCs had higher impact on metabolism of all life stages of M. nycterobia than warming. Multiple stressor effect was recorded in M. nycterobia adults in metabolic response, lipidome profiles and as a decrease in total lipid content. Sex specific response to stressor effects was observed in adults, with impacts on metabolome generally more pronounced in females, and on lipidome in males. Thus, our study highlights the variability of both single and multiple stressor impacts on different traits, different life stages and sexes of a single insect species. Furthermore, our research suggests that the combined impacts of warming, linked to climate change, and contamination with PhACs and EDCs could have adverse consequences on the population dynamics of aquatic insects. Additionally, these findings point to a potential decrease in the quality of resources available for both aquatic and potentially terrestrial food webs., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Freshwater ecosystems are characterised by the co-occurrence of stressors that simultaneously affect the biota. Among these, flow intermittency and chemical pollution severely impair the diversity and functioning of streambed bacterial communities. Using an artificial streams mesocosm facility, this study examined how desiccation and pollution caused by emerging contaminants affect the composition of stream biofilm bacterial communities, their metabolic profiles, and interactions with their environment. Through an integrative analysis of the composition of biofilm communities, characterization of their metabolome and composition of the dissolved organic matter, we found strong genotype-to-phenotype interconnections. The strongest correlation was found between the composition and metabolism of the bacterial community, both of which were influenced by incubation time and desiccation. Unexpectedly, no effect of the emerging contaminants was observed, which was due to the low concentration of the emerging contaminants and the dominant impact of desiccation. However, biofilm bacterial communities modified the chemical composition of their environment under the effect of pollution. Considering the tentatively identified classes of metabolites, we hypothesised that the biofilm response to desiccation was mainly intracellular while the response to chemical pollution was extracellular. The present study demonstrates that metabolite and dissolved organic matter profiling may be effectively integrated with compositional analysis of stream biofilm communities to yield a more complete picture of changes in response to stressors., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Microplastic contamination of freshwater ecosystems has become an increasing environmental concern. To advance the hazard assessment of microplastics, we conducted a microcosm experiment in which we exposed a simplified aquatic ecosystem consisting of moss and caddisflies to microplastics (polyethylene, polystyrene and polypropylene) and pharmaceuticals and personal care products (1H-benzotriazole, bisphenol A, caffeine, gemfibrozil, ketoprofen, methylparaben, estriol, diphenhydramine, tris (1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate) over the course of 60 days. We monitored the flux of microplastics within the microcosm, as well as the metabolic and total protein variation of organisms. This study offers evidence highlighting the capacity of moss to act as a sink for free-floating microplastics in freshwater environments. Moss is also shown to serve as a source and pathway for microplastic particles to enter aquatic food webs via caddisflies feeding off of the moss. Although most ingested microparticles were eliminated between caddisflies life stages, a small fraction of microplastics was transferred from aquatic to terrestrial ecosystem by emergence. While moss exhibited a mild response to microplastic stress, caddisflies ingesting microplastics showed stress comparable to that caused by exposure to pharmaceuticals. The molecular responses that the stressors triggered were tentatively identified and related to phenotypic responses, such as the delayed development manifested through the delayed emergence of caddisflies exposed to stress. Overall, our study provides valuable insights into the adverse effects of microplastics on aquatic species, compares the impacts of microplastics on freshwater biota to those of pharmaceuticals and endocrine disrupting compounds, and demonstrates the role aquatic organisms have in redistributing microplastics between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The purpose of the paper is to create a multidimensional talent management model with embedded aspects of artificial intelligence in the human resource processes to increase employees' engagement and performance of the enterprise. The research was implemented on a sample of 317 managers/owners in Slovenian enterprises. Multidimensional constructs of the model include several aspects of artificial intelligence implementation in the organization's activities related to human resource management in the field of talent management, especially in the process of acquiring and retaining talented employees, appropriate training and development of employees, organizational culture, leadership, and reducing the workload of employees, employee engagement and performance of the enterprise. The results show that AI supported acquiring and retaining a talented employees, AI supported appropriate training and development of employees, appropriate teams, AI supported organizational culture, AI supported leadership, reducing the workload of employees with AI have a positive effect on performance of the enterprise and employee engagement. The results will help managers or owners create a successful work environment by implementing artificial intelligence in the enterprise, leading to increased employee engagement and performance of the enterprise. Namely, our results contribute to the efficient implementation of artificial intelligence into an enterprise and give owners or top managers a broad insight into the various aspects that must be taken into account in business management in order to increase employee engagement and enterprise's competitive advantage., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Rožman, Oreški and Tominc.)

Diatoms of the genus Pseudo-nitzschia are cosmopolitans spread in seas and oceans worldwide, with more than 50 described species, dozens of which have been confirmed to produce domoic acid (DA). Here, we characterized and investigated the toxicological activity of secondary metabolites excreted into the growth media of different Pseudo-nitzschia species sampled at various locations in the northern Adriatic Sea (Croatia) using human blood cells under in vitro conditions. The results revealed that three investigated species of the genus Pseudo-nitzschia were capable of producing DA indicating their toxic potential. Moreover, toxicological data suggested all three Pseudo-nitzschia species can excrete toxic secondary metabolites into the surrounding media in addition to the intracellular pools of DA, raising concerns regarding their toxicity and environmental impact. In addition, all three Pseudo-nitzchia species triggered oxidative stress, one of the mechanisms of action likely responsible for the DNA damage observed in human blood cells. In line with the above stated, our results are of great interest to environmental toxicologists, the public and policy makers, especially in light of today's climate change, which favours harmful algal blooms and the growth of DA producers with a presumed negative impact on the public health of coastal residents., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Environmental fate of emerging contaminants such as pharmaceuticals and endocrine disrupting compounds at the aquatic terrestrial boundary are largely unexplored. Aquatic insects connect aquatic and terrestrial food webs as their life cycle includes aquatic and terrestrial life stages, thus they represent an important inter-habitat linkage not only for energy and nutrient flow, but also for contaminant transfer to terrestrial environments. We measured the concentrations of pharmaceuticals and endocrine disrupting compounds in the larval and adult tissues (last larval stages and teneral adults) of five Odonata species sampled in a wastewater-impacted river, in order to examine their bioaccumulation and bioamplification at different taxonomic levels. Twenty different compounds were bioaccumulated in insect tissues, with majority having higher concentrations (up to 90% higher) in aquatic larvae compared to terrestrial adults (reaching 88 ng/g for 1H-benzotriazole). However, increased concentration in adults was observed for seven compounds in at least one suborder (41% of the accumulated), confirming contaminants bioamplification across the metamorphosis. Both, bioaccumulation and bioamplification differed at various taxa levels; the order (Odonata), suborder (Anisoptera and Zygoptera) and species level. Highest variability was observed between Anisoptera and Zygoptera, due to the underlying differences in their ecology. Generally, Zygoptera had higher concentrations of contaminants in both larvae and adults. Additionally, we aimed at predicting effects of contaminant properties on bioaccumulation and bioamplification patterns using the commonly used physicochemical and pharmacokinetic descriptors on both order and suborder levels, however, neither of the two processes could be consistently predicted with simple linear models. Our study highlights the importance of taxonomy in studies aiming at advancing the understanding of contaminant exchange between aquatic and terrestrial food webs, as higher taxonomic categories include ecologically diverse groups, whose contribution to "the dark side of subsidies" could substantially differ., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The knowledge on the sorption behaviour of antibiotics on nanomaterials is limited, especially regarding the reaction mechanism on the surface of carbon nanomaterials, which may determine both the adsorptive capacity and regeneration efficiency of graphene adsorbers. In this work, we used molecular modelling to generate the most comprehensive (to date) adsorption dataset for pristine and functionalised graphene interacting with 8 β-lactams, 3 macrolide, 12 quinolone, 4 tetracycline, 15 sulphonamide, trimethoprim, 2 lincosamide, 2 phenicole and 4 nitroimidazole antibiotics, and their transformation products in water and n-octanol. Results show that various non-covalent interactions that operate simultaneously, including van der Waals dispersion forces, π-interactions, hydrophobic interaction and hydrogen bonding, facilitate adsorption. The molecular properties of antibiotics and graphene/graphene oxide, as well as the composition of the background solution regulate the magnitude of these interactions. Our findings demonstrate that the most efficient method for the removal of antibiotics from aquatic environments is the use of graphene at environmental pH. The subsequent regeneration of the sorbent is best achieved through washing with slightly basic (pH 8-10) non-polar solvents. The obtained theoretical insights expand and complement experimental observations and provide important information that can contribute to further exploration into the adsorbent properties of graphene-based materials, and towards the development of predictive adsorption models., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The widespread use of methylparaben as a preservative has caused increased exposure to natural aquatic systems in recent decades. However, current studies have suggested that exposure to this compound can result in endocrine disrupting effects, raising much concern regarding its environmental impact. In contast, methylparaben has also been found to be part of the metabolome of some organisms, prompting the question as to whether this compound may be more natural than previously assumed. Through a combination of field studies investigating the natural presence of methylparaben across different taxa, and a 54-day microcosm experiment examining the bioaccumulation and movement of methylparaben across different life stages of aquatic insects (order Trichoptera), our results offer evidence suggesting the natural origin of methylparaben in aquatic and terrestrial biota. This study improves our understanding of the role and impact this compound has on biota and challenges the current paradigm that methylparaben is exclusively a harmful anthropogenic contaminant. Our findings highlight the need for further research on this topic to fully understand the origin and role of parabens in the environment which will allow for a comprehensive understanding of the extent of environmental contamination and result in a representative assessment of the environmental risk that may pose., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is frequently diagnosed in the advanced stages. The purpose of this paper is to determine the salivary values of SCCA1, SCCA2 and TROP2 in patients with T1N0M0 OSCC and to compare them with the values obtained from healthy individuals. Unstimulated (UWS) and stimulated (SWS) saliva was sampled from 29 patients with T1N0M0 OSCC and 29 sex- and age-matched healthy individuals. Statistical difference was observed in SCCA1 and SCCA2 levels both in UWS and SWS samples. TROP2 was not measurable in most of the salivary samples. Both SCCA1 and SCCA2 could represent potential biomarkers for the early-stage OSCC. Research on a larger sample and biomarker validation is needed to assess the clinical potential of SCCA1 and SCCA2 in the OSCC early diagnostics.

The main aim of this study was to analyze the effects of availability of key information and intergenerational leadership on burnout divided into physical symptoms of burnout and emotional symptoms of burnout and work engagement regarding the firm size during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The empirical study included 583 older employees in Slovenia who participated in the survey during the COVID-19 pandemic. Structural equation modeling was used to explore the effects between constructs. We analyzed structural paths for the entire sample and for the two groups (small and large companies). According to the results concerning both groups, the impact of the availability of key information on emotional burnout is negative only for small companies. Contrary to that the negative impact of intergenerational leadership on emotional burnout is much stronger in large companies. Concerning the impact of physical burnout on emotional burnout, the positive impact of physical burnout exists in both types of companies but is stronger in small companies. The findings will contribute to a clearer picture and the adoption of further measures to prevent burnout in the workplace and increase work engagement concerning the firm size, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Rožman and Milfelner.)

The recent identification of plasma membrane (Ca 2+ )-ATPase (PMCA)-Neuroplastin (Np) complexes has renewed attention on cell regulation of cytosolic calcium extrusion, which is of particular relevance in neurons. Here, we tested the hypothesis that PMCA-Neuroplastin complexes exist in specific ganglioside-containing rafts, which could affect calcium homeostasis. We analyzed the abundance of all four PMCA paralogs (PMCA1-4) and Neuroplastin isoforms (Np65 and Np55) in lipid rafts and bulk membrane fractions from GM2/GD2 synthase-deficient mouse brains. In these fractions, we found altered distribution of Np65/Np55 and selected PMCA isoforms, namely PMCA1 and 2. Cell surface staining and confocal microscopy identified GM1 as the main complex ganglioside co-localizing with Neuroplastin in cultured hippocampal neurons. Furthermore, blocking GM1 with a specific antibody resulted in delayed calcium restoration of electrically evoked calcium transients in the soma of hippocampal neurons. The content and composition of all ganglioside species were unchanged in Neuroplastin-deficient mouse brains. Therefore, we conclude that altered composition or disorganization of ganglioside-containing rafts results in changed regulation of calcium signals in neurons. We propose that GM1 could be a key sphingolipid for ensuring proper location of the PMCA-Neuroplastin complexes into rafts in order to participate in the regulation of neuronal calcium homeostasis.

Understanding and acquiring knowledge about the adsorption of pharmaceuticals on carbon-based nanomaterials (CNMs) is imperative to the chemical engineering applications of CNMs, as well as to risk assessment and pollution control of both CNMs and pharmaceuticals. A computational assessment of the mechanism and thermodynamics of the adsorption of 18 most common pharmaceuticals (acetaminophen, acetylsalicylic acid, atenolol, caffeine, carbamazepine, clofibric acid, diclofenac, fenofibric acid, fluoxetine, gemfibrozil, ibuprofen, ketoprofen, naproxen, phenazone, primidone, propranolol, salicylic acid, tramadol) on four different CNMs (pristine/functionalised graphene and carbon nanotube) in two different solvents (water and n-octanol) was provided. We show that the adsorption of pharmaceuticals on pristine CNMs is controlled by dispersion forces, π-interactions and hydrophobic interaction. On the other hand, adsorption on functionalised CNMs is controlled by hydrogen bonding and Coulombic interactions. Furthermore, we demonstrate how functionalization of CNM, CNM curvature and background solution properties modulate the intensity of non-covalent interactions and their contribution towards adsorption free energy. With this knowledge, we pinpoint functionalised graphene at environmental pH as the most effective setting for the removal of a given set of pharmaceuticals from water and wastewater. Finally, we show that CNMs may transport pharmaceuticals into living organisms and release them in nonpolar mediums such as cellular membranes and fat cells., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Antibiotic pollution is frequently detected in fresh waters and wastewaters where they represent an environmental risk for the development of global antibiotic resistance. Due to their excessive use in personal care products, UV filters have also been found to be pseudo-persistent in the aquatic environment. In contrast to antibiotics, which can undergo photodegradation, UV filters are compounds designed to stably absorb UV radiation. This study explored the light based remediation of representative antibiotics from seven classes of antibiotics (fluoroquinolones, tetracyclines, penicillins, macrolide, glycolpeptide, sulphonamides and trimethoprim) in order to assess whether antibiotic pollution persists longer in the presence of organic UV filters. We show that the presence of UV filters either completely supresses or significantly alters the photodegradation of antibiotics in water. Advanced technologies in wastewater treatment, such as the use of UV C radiation, both effectively minimise the effect of UV filters and degrade most of the tested antibiotics proving to be effective management strategy. However, the half-life of erythromycin and amoxicillin, widely used antibiotics from macrolide- and penicillin-like classes, is extended in the presence of UV filters, even during UV C irradiation. Overall, the UV filters present within environmental mixtures are identified as important drivers of mixture toxicity, as they prolong antibiotic contamination of aquatic and engineered environments. The ramification of such finding is that inadequate consideration of UV filters may result in an imperfect prediction of the solar and UV light-based remediation of antibiotics, lead to improper classification of antibiotics persistence in the environment and cause non-optimal chemical fate and transport model performance. Use of the more benign compounds and assessment of the UV filters were identified as feasible management options in minimizing the influence of UV filters onto the remediation of antibiotics in aquatic environments., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)