Human Mobility in the Central and Eastern Mediterranean during Hellenistic and Roman Times: The Potential and Limitations of Bioarchaeological Research

This paper offers a review of bioarchaeological research on human mobility during the Hellenistic and Roman period in the Central and Eastern Mediterranean. This period was marked by significant connectivity amidst the establishment of major political entities. The paper begins with an overview of bioarchaeological methods used to study past mobility, including biodistance, isotopic and ancient DNA analyses. It then examines published studies that have utilized these methods to explore mobility during the Hellenistic and Roman periods. The paper concludes by critically assessing the current research limitations and proposing directions for future studies. These suggestions emphasize the importance of conducting additional research to investigate human mobility in neglected areas, as well as at different temporal and spatial scales. Integrating mobility data with other sources of evidence, such as historical accounts, paleoenvironmental data and osteobiographic information is another important future direction of research. Finally, relevant research should be more theoretically informed and its contemporary implications should be effectively communicated within and beyond the academic community. An enhancement of our understanding of the nature and impact of mobility is crucial in today’s society, where misconceptions linking immigration to the decline of the Roman Empire can perpetuate biases against contemporary mobility. 

Impacts on the Legal Framework for Protecting Environmental and Human Rights in Brazil due to Ideological Antagonism: The Interrelated Cases of the Yanomami and the Amazon Fund

The occupation of the Amazon is driven by capitalist production, impacting climate change discussions. Despite constitutional protections since 1934, the influx of non-Indigenous settlers, particularly miners, led to significant conflicts. The Yanomami sought international recourse through the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR). In the context of redemocratization, the 1988 Constitution marked a shift, reinforcing Indigenous rights and environmental protection. Brazil’s role in protecting the rainforest intersects with global climate efforts, including the REDD+ mechanism. The creation of the Amazon Fund in 2008, aligned with REDD+ initiatives, involved international cooperation and local governance, leading to a substantial decline in Amazon deforestation between 2004 and 2012. However, exploitative practices endorsed by the State pose threats to environmental and human rights, notably affecting indigenous communities. Amid Brazil’s democracy crisis, deforestation surged in the Amazon from 2013–2022 and the Yanomami face conflicts fueled by State support for non-Indigenous groups. The Yanomami sought international recourse through the IACHR and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. These issues are intensified by an ideological bias, linked to authoritarian populism rooted in the legacy of the Dictatorship. Recent initiatives aim to enhance environmental and human rights protection. However, political instability poses challenges for the future.

Exploring Bi₄V₂O₁₁ as Photoanode for Water Splitting with a Wide Range of Solar Light Capture and Suitable Band Potential

Bi₄V₂O₁₁ possesses a bandgap of ~1.9 eV, and the band positions of minimum conduction band and maximum valence band straddle the redox potentials of H⁺/H₂ and O₂/H₂O. In the current work, photoanode made of particulate Bi₄V₂O₁₁ film displays a wide range of light adsorption. However, when the anode was fabricated by drop-casting and examined for photoelectrochemical water splitting, the photocurrent density of the pristine Bi₄V₂O₁₁ was low. Improvement has then been carried out by Mo-doping. The Mo-doped Bi₄V₂O₁₁ photoanode achieves a maximum photocurrent density of 0.3 mA/cm² after a post deposition necking treatment to improve the connectivity of the drop-cast particles in the film. This material also shows a stability with maintaining 80% photocurrent after 2 h test. Discussion has been made on the displayed performance in PEC water splitting of the Bi₄V₂O₁₁ materials. Potential solutions have been proposed for this type of promising photoanode material for water splitting.

Anisotropic Superelastic and Shape Memory Effect of Nitinol Manufactured by Electron Beam Powder Bed Fusion

This study explores the impact of energy input and build orientation on the anisotropic mechanical and functional properties of Ti-rich Nitinol (NiTi) produced via electron beam powder bed fusion (PBF-EB), integrated with layerwise in-situ monitoring of the melted surface via backscatter electron detection (ELO). NiTi, a binary alloy of nickel and titanium, exhibits shape memory and superelasticity, making it widely used in biomedical applications and sustainable technologies. PBF-EB, particularly with ELO, is highlighted for its advantages in producing crack-free NiTi with tailored microstructures. The investigation reveals that energy input significantly influences microstructure phases, with higher energy promoting increased evaporation of Ni and enhancing Ti-rich Ti₂Ni precipitates, allowing for tailored material properties. Build orientation also proves crucial, impacting mechanical responses and functional properties. The 0° orientation yields the hardest mechanical response with the highest ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and the highest strain recovery ratio while the 45° orientation shows improved ductility but lower UTS. The influencing factors towards the formation of the anisotropic material properties are explained and the potential of tailoring the NiTi properties for specific applications by controlling energy input and build orientation in the PBF-EB process are underlined. These insights offer valuable criteria for designing innovative NiTi parts.

Tolerance in Solventogenic Clostridia for Enhanced Butanol Production: Genetic Mechanisms and Recent Strain Engineering Advances

Biobutanol is a promising candidate for replacing fossil fuels due to its superior properties compared to ethanol. Solventogenic clostridia can naturally produce biobutanol among other valuable chemicals. Lignocellulosic material stands out as a promising source for biobutanol production, avoiding competition with food production and making use of residues from both agroindustry and forestry activities. However, Clostridium strains are subject to different chemical stressors, including oxygen, self-product inhibition, inhibitors generated during biomass pretreatment and hydrolysis, and others. Recent advances in genetic engineering tools have enabled the metabolic engineering of Clostridium strains to increase their robustness and tolerance to these stressors. This review provides a summary of the various types of inhibitors, the genetic mechanisms related to tolerance, and recent strain engineering efforts for tolerance enhancement. In addition, we offer a valuable perspective on the future research directions in this area.

Mapping the (in)Effective Enforcement of EU Environmental Law in Greece: Lessons from the EU and Domestic Courts

The effective implementation and enforcement of EU environmental law at national level constitutes a thorny issue with both legal and practical aspects. Greece is among the EU Member States which has historically faced difficulties in complying with the EU environmental acquis due to the poor functioning of the Greek administration, the limited manpower, expertise and resources (especially during the recent period of the economic crisis) for the competent authorities, the lack of political will, the low awareness of environmental problems. In this context, this paper aspires to unpack these enforcement challenges at the national level based on the case law of both the Greek Council of State and the Court of Justice of the European Union. Considering that waste management, nature protection, and water and air quality sectors are recognized as areas with the most significant deficiencies in implementation at the domestic level, the analysis will focus on these four key sectors.  To this end, by reviewing the relevant EU and Greek jurisprudence, this paper aspires to identify the disparities between the formal requirements and the practical application of EU environmental regulations in Greece in light of the national political, economic, social, and cultural dynamics. 

Fighting Arts on Today’s Coins, Medals and Badges: Popularity or Uniqueness

Background. Medallic art is used to promote the subject matter which is important for the issuer. Also fighting arts and martial traditions are used here as icons in the coins and medals. Problem. What is the purpose of occasional coins, medals or badges relative to their contents or symbolism, the metal used or the volume of the release? Does an issuer aim at promotion or rather at recognition and at maintaining the uniqueness? Material and Method. The study uses a regression method, comparative analysis and literature review. Approximately one hundred examples are discussed. Statistical analyses took into account N = 64 of contemporary coins (47) and medals (17), representing the relevant thematic groups. Pearson C coefficient was calculated for the factor of popularity FA and a number of variables. Results. It has been found that medals are issued in small volumes and are significantly varied in terms of the subject matter (uniqueness and originality). Some organisations seek to ensure the exceptional status of medal-type award which is granted based on strictly defined rules. Conclusions. Presentations of martial arts on coins, medals and badges make reference to the related symbolism or to the issuer’s national traditions. Large volume releases are mainly done for promotional purposes. On the other hand medals issued in small numbers are meant to be unique—they find their way to a select group of people deserving special recognition.

Cost Effectiveness of the Industrial Internet of Things Adoption in the U.S. Manufacturing SMEs

This research paper explores the financial adoption challenges of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) in industry. Previous studies have mainly concentrated on designing affordable IIoT devices, reducing operational costs, and creating conceptual frameworks to assess the financial impact of IIoT adoption. The objective of this paper is to investigate whether IIoT adoption’s financial benefits outweigh the initial costs in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The data from the Industrial Assessment Centers (IAC) database were analyzed, focusing on 62 U.S. manufacturing SMEs across 10 states and 25 Standard Industrial Classifications (SICs), evaluating projected IIoT implementation costs and anticipated cost savings. Results from the analyses reveal that statistically, the difference between implementation costs and savings is significant at a 95% confidence level. Practically, this indicates that SMEs, despite facing high initial costs, can expect these investments to be counterbalanced by substantial savings. From an engineering perspective, this finding raises awareness among SMEs that, beyond overcoming financial barriers, IIoT technologies serve as a strategic enhancement to operational efficiency and competitive positioning. This study acknowledges the limitations including reliance on estimated projections and a narrow industry focus. Future research should broaden the sample and explore the lifecycle costs of IIoT.

Lifespan Development and Mental Health: Inaugural Introduction

Desperately Seeking Sustainable Human Well-Being: A Review of Indicators, Concepts, and Methods

Evaluating progress in human development and well-being is imperative for policymakers to assess the impact of their policies. Traditional measurement methods focus mostly on economic growth and socio-economic objectives, often neglecting vital components of the natural environment, particularly the ecological determinants essential for the sustainability of human well-being. The tension between sustainability and development becomes apparent as the recognition of the dependence of human well-being on the natural environment and ecosystem services is crucial for safeguarding the environment for present and future generations. This highlights the necessity for indicators that capture the intricate relationship between human well-being and environmental changes while addressing the challenges posed by the tension between sustainable practices and traditional development models. This paper presents a literature review examining the domains, dimensions, and indicators related to the sustainability of human well-being regarding economic, social, and natural environments. Emphasizing the multidimensional nature, this paper highlights the drawbacks of relying solely on socioeconomic indicators for assessment. The review explores diverse concepts and methodologies proposed to evaluate the components and multidimensional factors influencing the sustainability of human well-being. Ultimately it offers a holistic understanding serving as a foundation for further research and policy development.