Search Results (521)

In this paper I explore the ethics of laughing at people, drawing on Platonic moral psychology to show why malicious laughter is spiritually destructive. Contra the view that Plato opposes laughter, I argue that for Plato, laughter plays an important role in discourse. Through a new analysis of both the dialectic and drama of the Philebus, I argue that Plato distinguishes between specific forms of bad and good laughing at people; the former harms the soul and stifles human inquiry, whereas the latter benefits the soul and furthers human inquiry. Full article

Pesticide-residue risk perceptions among agricultural professionals are shaped by factors that extend beyond knowledge gaps. This study examines how trust in regulatory systems and information sources jointly shape residue-related attitudes among Greek agronomists. We used principal components analysis (PCA) to identify coherent domains and then latent profile analysis (LPA) to derive person-centered profiles based on standardized component scores. Two dominant profiles emerged, differing in regulatory confidence, reliance on institutional/scientific information channels, and comparative risk framing. Residue-Concerned Skeptics expressed lower confidence in enforcement capacity (implementation and staffing) and in the system’s alignment with other EU Member States, together with concerns about chronic pesticide exposure. The System-Confident profile reported higher regulatory confidence and greater reliance on official and scientific channels, as well as stronger endorsement of IPM effectiveness and comparative risk rankings. External validation supported profile differences in perceived training adequacy, IPM beliefs, and organic avoidance behavior. Professional involvement in plant protection and older age were associated with membership in the System-Confident profile. These findings suggest that interventions should emphasize clear communication, capacity building, and address concerns about chronic exposure, beyond information provision alone. Full article

Roman theatres were designed to host spoken drama and musical performances, relying on typical semicircular architectural form and stone materials to achieve favourable acoustic conditions. This study investigates the acoustic behaviour of the Roman theatres of Herculaneum and Cales, two sites characterized by markedly different states of preservation and historical reconstruction challenges. The theatre of Herculaneum remains largely buried beneath volcanic deposits, requiring a hypothetical reconstruction based on archaeological documentation and historical sources, while the theatre of Cales is partially preserved and directly accessible for geometric surveys. Virtual acoustic models of both theatres were developed to analyses their sound field characteristics under unoccupied and occupied conditions. Key acoustic parameters relevant to music, including reverberation time, clarity, strength, and ITDG, were evaluated through numerical simulations. Particular attention was given to the influence of original surface materials, such as stone and wood, on sound propagation and spatial distribution. The comparative analysis highlights how differences in architectural layout, scale, and reconstruction assumptions affect the resulting acoustic performance. Despite these differences, both theatres exhibit acoustic conditions consistent with their intended use, demonstrating the effectiveness of Roman design principles. The results contribute to a better understanding of ancient performance spaces and provide insights into the acoustic restitution of Roman theatres. Full article

Graphene was added to acrylic paint to be coated on two sets of unheated and heat-treated specimens of three commercial wood species (namely beech, poplar, and spruce) to protect against Coniophora puteana. Heat treatment was carried out at the mild temperature of 185 °C for four hours in a laboratory oven and under atmospheric pressure. Each of the two sets were divided into three sub-groups of uncoated (control), coated with plain paint, and coated with graphene-enriched paint to be exposed to the fungus. Results showed that coating of specimens with the plain acrylic paint significantly protected all three wood species against the fungus. Still, reinforcing effect of graphene resulted in an even higher degree of protection, and it slightly increased compression strength compared to grain as well. Heat treatment also improved biological resistance in all three wood species, which is seen in the drastic decrease of the mass losses. It also increased compression strength as a result of hornification and thermal alterations of cell-wall polymers. It was concluded that graphene-added acrylic paint can be recommended as an easy and available superficial protecting method to significantly protect both hard- and softwoods against C. puteana. Full article

Deltas are highly susceptible to biological invasions because of strong hydrological connectivity, frequent disturbance, and intense human use. Here, we synthesise coordinated monitoring observations and literature evidence on invasive alien plant species (IAS) recorded in four Black Sea riparian protected areas located across five countries, surveyed under the IASON/IASON+ initiatives (Danube Delta, Nestos Delta and Lake Vistonida, Kızılırmak Delta, Chorokhi Delta and Kolkheti National Park). Across the study sites, 17 IAS were documented, mainly represented by taxa native to North America and characterised by high propagule production and/or strong vegetative regeneration. Woody riparian invaders (e.g., Amorpha fruticosa, Robinia pseudoacacia, Acer negundo, Gleditsia triacanthos and Ailanthus altissima) exploited nutrient-rich floodplain soils and disturbances. In contrast, annual weeds (e.g., Ambrosia artemisiifolia, Sicyos angulatus and Xanthium orientale) remained associated with disturbed habitat edges. Aquatic dominance was confined to the Danube Delta, where Elodea nuttallii and Elodea canadensis formed dense submerged stands. Species were assigned to broad range expansion categories (slowly, moderately and rapidly spreading species) based on project observations and supporting records. We discuss shared invasion syndromes linked to reproductive and dispersal traits and outline management implications for Black Sea deltas, emphasising pathway prevention, early detection and rapid response for localised taxa, and sustained control combined with restoration for dominant invaders. Full article

This study examines the risk of accidental subscription among elderly consumers in micro-drama platforms, addressing a critical gap in digital consumer behavior research as aging populations increasingly engage with subscription-based digital services. Using a quantitative approach, data were collected from 780 Thai respondents aged 60 and above through a structured online questionnaire. The data were analyzed using binary logistic regression to assess the effects of demographic factors (age, gender, education, and income) and behavioral factors (platform usage frequency, time spent per session, prior subscription experience, and impulse clicking behavior) on the likelihood of accidental subscription. The findings reveal that age, gender, platform usage frequency, time spent per session, and prior subscription experience significantly influence accidental subscription, while education, income, and impulse clicking behavior do not. Notably, frequent platform use and prior experience increase risk, whereas longer session duration reduces it, suggesting nuanced engagement effects. These results confirm that accidental subscription is a systematic and predictable outcome shaped by user characteristics and interaction patterns. The study contributes by extending consumer behavior research to unintended outcomes and offers practical implications for user-centered platform design, consumer protection policies, and targeted digital literacy initiatives, particularly in emerging digital economies. Full article

This article examines how Confucianism becomes religionized through ritual performance in Korean mask dance drama (gamyeon-geuk), focusing on Hahoe Byeolsingut Talnori and Bongsan Talchum. It argues that these performances should not be understood only as folk entertainment or carnivalesque satire, but as ritualized forms that mediate divine and ancestral witnessing, communal publicity, and gendered moral evaluation. Within this ritual horizon, laughter, music, embodied movement, masks, props, and stage choreography distribute authority, visibility, speaking positions, and standards of judgment. Methodologically, the study employs multimodal critical discourse analysis of contemporary full-length performance recordings, treating language, movement, staging, costume, props, and audience response as an integrated semiotic field. Across both repertoires, female figures are repeatedly configured as silent or constrained speaking subjects, as visible carriers of moral disorder, or as expendable intermediaries within marital and status hierarchies, while male characters more consistently occupy positions of interpretation, judgment, and ritual agency. By foregrounding ritualized spectatorship as a process of moral common-sense production, the article contributes to debates on Confucianism as lived religion and shows how performance can stage critique while reauthorizing Confucian patriarchal order. Full article

Ivo Pannaggi (1901–1981), a lesser-known representative of Italian Futurism, contrary to many of Filippo Tommaso Marinetti’s adepts, did not support Benito Mussolini’s regime. Although born in the small town of Macerata (where he later died), Pannaggi developed his own artistic path in an international perspective: he lived in Berlin and in Norway (1939–1971), he was affiliated with the Bauhaus, and he was deeply influenced by Russian constructivism. Taking as a starting point Pannaggi’s “Manifesto dell’arte meccanica futurista”, co-authored with Vinicio Paladini (20 June 1922), seminal episodes of his mechanical aesthetics are re-assessed based on new evidence. Here, I focus on the possible influence that the Russian émigré dancer, Valentin Parnakh, could have had on the “Ballo meccanico futurista” Pannaggi and Paladini staged in Rome on 2 June 1922, as well as on Pannaggi’s failed collaboration with the Berlin-based futurist Ruggero Vasari for the costume and set design of the drama “L’angoscia delle macchine”. Full article

Dactylis glomerata, a perennial forage grass widely distributed in Mediterranean areas, is recognized for its adaptability and nutritional quality. This study aimed to assess the chemical composition and fiber components of ten natural populations of Dactylis glomerata in order to characterize genetic variability in nutritional and fiber traits among populations. Seeds of all populations were established in a randomized complete block design with four replicates and cultivated for two consecutive years. Forage was collected at the boot stage, and analyses were conducted for crude protein, ash, crude fiber, neutral and acid detergent fibers, acid detergent lignin, hemicellulose, cellulose, digestible dry matter, dry matter intake, and relative feed value. Combined ANOVA indicated that genotypic effects were highly significant for all traits (p ≤ 0.001), with additional significant contributions from environmental and genotype × environment interactions. Crude protein ranged from 11.74% to 14.98%, neutral detergent fiber from 56.31% to 58.43%, and relative feed value from 100.1 to 106.4 among populations. Stability index analysis identified Kefalopotamos and Filyra as the most environmentally stable populations, whereas Kori and Xyloparoiko exhibited relatively higher values in selected forage quality traits. Broad-sense heritability values were high for the majority of traits (H² between 93.3% and 99.9%, except for hemicellulose), suggesting a strong genetic influence. Correlation analysis also revealed inverse relationships between protein content and fiber fractions and positive relationships with digestibility-related indices. Multivariate analyses revealed a clear separation between nutritional quality traits and structural fiber components, indicating consistent differentiation among populations. Overall, these results highlight the potential of local Dactylis glomerata populations as genetic resources for further evaluation in breeding and conservation programs under Mediterranean conditions. Full article

The Earth’s ecosystems are rapidly deteriorating due to human activities. Habitats are being lost or degraded, and associated wildlife species are declining or becoming extinct at unprecedented rates. The study area, the prefectures of Rodopi and Evros, is a Greek biodiversity hotspot containing degraded habitats, such as forests and wetlands, that are critical for many threatened wildlife species. This situation calls for conserving threatened wildlife habitats, which requires considerable funds. A structured questionnaire was used to evaluate willingness to pay (WTP) for wildlife habitat conservation. We conducted personal interviews with residents of the study area, using a sample of 849 citizens from the two regions determined through stratified random sampling design, with equal allocation to the strata. The mean annual WTP per household was estimated at EUR 21.3, yielding a total of EUR 790,000 from households in the study area. Pro-environmental behavior was positively associated with WTP. Females and those with higher household income reported higher WTP than males and those with lower household income. Government agencies were preferred over hunting clubs and environmental NGOs for implementing programs to conserve local wildlife habitats. Findings will be most useful if incorporated into policies to (a) secure the funds necessary to implement wildlife habitat conservation programs in the area and (b) increase transparency and trust between conservation entities and the local community. Full article

This article reexamines Liang Fa’s Riji Yanxing (Record of Words and Deeds, 1830) from the perspective of narrative structure rather than solely as a historical missionary document. Previous scholarship has shown that the diary was produced within the institutional framework of the London Missionary Society and functioned primarily as a record of early Protestant evangelization in China. Building on these studies, this article argues that the diary simultaneously records missionary work and narrates the formation of Christian faith. Through close readings of Liang Fa’s reflections, prayers, and recorded dialogues with potential converts, the study demonstrates how an institutional testimonial text develops a narrative configuration shaped by Christian theology. Within this framework, missionary responsibility, anxiety over divine judgment, and reflections on death and salvation form recurring cycles of crisis, repentance, and renewed commitment. Dialogues with potential converts further dramatize this theological logic by transforming doctrinal arguments into scenes of spiritual confrontation and hesitation. Although Riji Yanxing was not originally composed as a literary work, it reveals the emergence of a new mode of Christian narrative in Chinese writing. The diary thus illustrates how Christian concepts of sin, redemption, and judgment reshaped narrative consciousness in early nineteenth-century China. Full article

Urbanization reduces biodiversity and affects plant–insect interactions, creating a need for more functional green spaces. Urban meadows with native species are a promising option, but their use is still limited due to a variety of reasons concerning the utilization framework of suitable plant species. The present study aimed to develop seed germination protocols for 26 native Mediterranean herbaceous species originating from northeastern Greece selected to support the establishment of species-rich and self-sustaining urban meadows. To the above end, seed germination experiments were conducted ex situ under controlled environment conditions using seeds collected from the wild for each species. Seed viability was assessed using the tetrazolium (TTZ) test to determine the maximum germination potential in each case. Freshly collected seeds were stored under ambient conditions for approximately 3 months (after-ripening) prior to germination testing, which was followed by cold stratification as a pretreatment for dormancy release. The results showed high embryo viability in all species and indicated that most taxa exhibited either no dormancy or relatively shallow physiological dormancy. Germination tests revealed that 14 of the 26 species presented high germination percentages in the control treatment, which suggests that after-ripening contributed to dormancy release in a significant portion of the seed lot. However, it remains unclear whether freshly collected seeds require an initial after-ripening period before responding to cold stratification. Furthermore, cold stratification significantly enhanced germination in 12 species confirming its effectiveness as a simple and practical method for dormancy release. In addition to the seed germination results, the selected species present a wide range of functional and esthetic characteristics, including variation in plant height, flowering phenology and flower and leaf color. These traits are important for both ecological performance and visual quality in urban environments. The combination of extended flowering periods and color diversity suggests the potential for continuous floral resource availability, which can support diverse pollinator communities and, indirectly, urban fauna such as insectivorous birds. The results indicate that the studied species are suitable for biodiversity-oriented urban plantings. Their relatively shallow dormancy and ease of propagation, coupled with their functional and aesthetic traits, support their use in the development of resilient and self-sustaining urban meadows. Full article

For two millennia, scholarship on the Zhuangzi has extracted doctrines, analyzed concepts, and dissected arguments, all of which is valuable and necessary. But in doing so, it has lost something essential: that these words are spoken by someone, that they emerge from lives, and that they belong to figures who appear, disappear, and reappear across textual landscapes. This study restores the drama to the doctrines by tracking a single name. Ziqi appears across eight chapters of the Zhuangzi as Nanguo Ziqi, Nanbo Ziqi, Nanbo Zikui, Dongguo Ziqi, Sima Ziqi, and simply Ziqi. His name wanders. Following him through caves, courts, scenes of instruction, vertiginous spirals into pity, armrest reveries, drunken collapses under trees, family picnics, and palaces of nothing whatsoever, this paper uncovers what a purely doctrinal approach cannot: that the philosophy of the Zhuangzi is inseparable from the lives that live it. Ziqi is not just a mouthpiece who robotically voices the abstract proposition “I lost myself” but a figure whose journey through the text gives those words their weight. More than illustrating doctrines, his journey creates the philosophy and constitutes its meaning. By reading Ziqi across his eight appearances and their variations, this study offers a model for reading the Zhuangzi as a textured literary world in which figures wander, words spill over, and meaning is made through the lives that live it. Full article

White clover (Trifolium repens L.) is a major legume in Mediterranean agroecosystems. This study systematically evaluates 15 autochthonous white clover populations from the Trikala region of Greece, focusing on chemical composition and derived nutritional indices relevant for germplasm characterization and breeding. Fifteen local populations were evaluated under controlled pot cultivation over two consecutive years. Clonal plants were harvested at the early flowering stage. Key traits—crude protein (CP), Ash, Fat, crude fibre (FIBRE), acid detergent fibre (ADF), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), digestible dry matter (DDM), dry matter intake (DMI), and relative feed value (RFV)—were measured. Combined ANOVA revealed significant differences among populations for all traits (p ≤ 0.001), while genotype × year interactions were present but generally minor compared to genotypic effects. Broad-sense heritability was high across most traits (H² = 90.8–99.4%), demonstrating strong genetic control. CP showed positive correlations with DDM, DMI, and RFV, whereas ADF and NDF were negatively correlated with intake and digestibility. Canonical and discriminant analyses showed that a reduced set of traits (CP, Ash, FIBRE, RFV) contributed strongly to differentiation among populations. Hierarchical clustering (heatmap) confirmed these groupings based on fibre and digestibility-related traits. Populations such as Dendrochori and Gorgogyri consistently showed favorable chemical and nutritional profiles, while Fiki and Dendrochori showed the highest stability across years. The present study highlights substantial genetic variability among local white clover populations and identifies trait structures of relevance for germplasm characterization. These findings enhance the characterization of genetic diversity in Trifolium repens and support its potential use in future breeding research under Mediterranean environments. Full article