Study on Soil Mobility of Two Neonicotinoid Insecticides

Movement of two neonicotinoid insecticide active ingredients, clothianidin (CLO) and thiamethoxam (TMX), was investigated in different soil types (sand, clay, or loam) and in pumice. Elution profiles were determined to explore differences in binding capacity. Soil characterized by high organic matter content retained the ingredients, whereas high clay content resulted in long release of compounds. Decrease in concentration was strongly influenced by soil types: both CLO and TMX were retained in loam and clay soils and showed ready elution through sandy soil and pumice. Elution capability of the active ingredients in sandy soil correlated with their water solubility, indicating approximately 30% higher rapidity for TMX than for CLO. Soil organic carbon-water partitioning coefficients (Koc) determined were in good agreement with literature values with somewhat lower value for CLO in sandy soil and substantially higher values for TMX in clay soil. High mobility of these neonicotinoid active ingredients in given soil types urges stronger precautionary approach taken during their application

Environmental and Toxicological Impacts of Glyphosate with Its Formulating Adjuvant

Environmental and toxicological characteristics of formulated pesticides may substantially differ from those of their active ingredients or other components alone. This phenomenon is demonstrated in the case of the herbicide active ingredient glyphosate. Due to its extensive application, this active ingredient was found in surface and ground water samples collected in Békés Country, Hungary, in the concentration range of 0.54–0.98 ng/ml. The occurrence of glyphosate appeared to be somewhat higher at areas under intensive agriculture, industrial activities and public road services, but the compound was detected at areas under organic (ecological) farming or natural grasslands, indicating environmental mobility. Increased toxicity of the formulated herbicide product Roundup compared to that of glyphosate was observed on the indicator aquatic organism Daphnia magna Straus. Acute LC50 values of Roundup and its formulating adjuvant polyethoxylated tallowamine (POEA) exceeded 20 and 3.1 mg/ml, respectively, while that of glyphosate (as isopropyl salt) was found to be substantially lower (690-900 mg/ml) showing good agreement with literature data. Cytotoxicity of Roundup, POEA and glyphosate has been determined on the neuroectodermal cell line, NE-4C measured both by cell viability test and holographic microscopy. Acute toxicity (LC50) of Roundup, POEA and glyphosate on NE-4C cells was found to be 0.013±0.002%, 0.017±0.009% and 6.46±2.25%, respectively (in equivalents of diluted Roundup solution), corresponding to 0.022±0.003 and 53.1±18.5 mg/ml for POEA and glyphosate, respectively, indicating no statistical difference between Roundup and POEA and 2.5 orders of magnitude difference between these and glyphosate. The same order of cellular toxicity seen in average cell area has been indicated under quantitative cell visualization. The results indicate that toxicity of the formulated herbicide is caused by the formulating agent, but in some parameters toxicological synergy occurs between POEA and glyphosate

The “Good Practice” Training Philosophy in an International Psychotherapy Program

Die Lieblingslehrertrainingsphilosophie wurde mit einem narrativen Interview Strategie erforscht und mit Grounded Theory analysiert. Die Ergebnisse beschreiben, wie die Rolle der Kultur in der Psychotherapie konzeptualisiert wird und zeigt eine Anleitung für den Unterricht im Rahmen der Transformationspädagogik.Multicultural, indigenous and international movements in psychotherapy have raised numerous issues about cultural variables as essential considerations in mental-health research, training and practice. They have not, however, offered much guidance. The unique setting of the English-language International Psychotherapy Program at SFU in Austria provides an opportunity to investigate and describe the “good practice” training philosophy of international students’ favorite teachers. The three favorite teachers were chosen on the basis of quantitative elements of the international students’ survey in the first phase of the research. The favorite teachers’ training philosophy was explored with a narrative interview strategy and analyzed with grounded theory. Findings describe how they conceptualize the role of culture in psychotherapy and offer step-by-step guidance for teaching within the framework of transformative pedagogy

Driving pressure during general anesthesia for minimally invasive abdominal surgery (GENERATOR) study protocol of a randomized clinical trial

Background: Intraoperative driving pressure (ΔP) has an independent association with the development of postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) in patients receiving ventilation during general anesthesia for major surgery. Ventilation with high intraoperative positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) with recruitment maneuvers (RMs) that result in a low ΔP has the potential to prevent PPCs. This trial tests the hypothesis that compared to standard low PEEP without RMs, an individualized high PEEP strategy, titrated to the lowest ΔP, with RMs prevents PPCs in patients receiving intraoperative protective ventilation during anesthesia for minimally invasive abdominal surgery. Methods: 'DrivinG prEssure duriNg gEneRal AnesThesia fOr minimally invasive abdominal suRgery (GENERATOR)' is an international, multicenter, two-group, patient and outcome-assessor blinded randomized clinical trial. In total, 1806 adult patients scheduled for minimally invasive abdominal surgery and with an increased risk of PPCs based on (i) the ARISCAT risk score for PPCs (≥ 26 points) and/or (ii) a combination of age > 40 years and scheduled surgery lasting > 2 h and planned to receive an intra-arterial catheter for blood pressure monitoring during the surgery will be included. Patients are assigned to either an intraoperative ventilation strategy with individualized high PEEP, titrated to the lowest ΔP, with RMs or one with a standard low PEEP of 5 cm H2O without RMs. The primary outcome is a collapsed composite endpoint of PPCs until postoperative day 5. Discussion: GENERATOR will be the first adequately powered randomized clinical trial to compare the effects of individualized high PEEP with RMs versus standard low PEEP without RMs on the occurrence of PPCs after minimally invasive abdominal surgery. The results of the GENERATOR trial will support anesthesiologists in their decisions regarding PEEP settings during minimally invasive abdominal surgery. Trial registration: GENERATOR is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (study identifier: NCT06101511) on 26 October 202

Levels and origin of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in fluvial sediment of Drava river

Within the scope of an international monitoring program to assess water and sediment quality in the Danube basin, sediment samples (river bottom/bank, suspended and active floodplain/overbank) were collected in the summer of 2020 at a sampling site in the Drava river to monitor 19 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) as apparent water contaminants. Among these, 8 PAHs were specified as priority pollutants in the corresponding EU Directive on environmental quality standards (2008/105/EC). The highest levels were measured for fluoranthene (1.73 µg/g), benzo(b)fluoranthene+benzo(k)fluoranthene (0.765 µg/g) and anthracene (0.528 µg/g) sampled from the upper 5 cm layer of the bottom sediment on 5th August 2020

Passive sampling for pesticides and PAHs in the SIMONA project

Passive samplers (solid phase extraction, SPE disks and Polar Organic Chemical Integrative Sampler, POCIS) were tested to monitor 85 pesticides (including glyphosate and aminomethylphosphonic acid, AMPA), 19 polycyclicaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) components, metals in the Drava river. Among pesticides the time weighted average concentrations of terbuthylazine, S-metolachlor and tebuconazole were the highest. Some chlorophenoxy acids (2,4-D, mecoprop-P and MCPA) also appeared at lower levels. Bentazone, DEET and diuron were detected in all samples at low levels. Among the 19 PAHs phenanthrene occurred at the highest concentrations, but fluoranthene, pyrene and naphthalenes also contributed to the total PAH concentration. In the case of the POCIS sampler selective for glyphosate and AMPA, the levels of AMPA metabolite exceeded significantly that of the parent herbicide compound

Determination of DDT and its metabolites in soil, tree bark and earthworm samples near the Budapest chemical works

An abandoned industrial site of the former Budapest Chemical Works (BVM) company has been found to contain 2000-3000 tonnes of leaking industrial waste and dangerous chemicals in corroded barrels on bare ground. The waste lot includes general industrial reagents and intermediates, some 100-200 tonnes of sulphuric acid, several hundred tonnes of 1.2 dichlorobenzene and isopropanol, and numerous other substances falling into toxicity categories from toxic to very toxic or carcinogenic, such as dinitrobenzoic acid, as well as chemical wastes from the pesticide production of the company. BVM used to manufacture numerous pesticide active ingredients, including chlorinated hydrocarbons. Thus, it produced the insecticide DDT in large quantities until the ban of the compound in 1968 and derogated approval for sales until 1974. The premises of the company has been reported previously to be contaminated, therefore, in the scope of our pesticide residue monitoring surveys between 2015 and 2019, we carried out sampling in its immediate vicinity. In our study, soil (8 samples), surface water (2 samples), tree bark (Robinia pseudoacacia, Sambucus nigra, Populus nigra) and common reed (Phragmites australis, (6 samples), as well as earthworms (Lumbricus terrestris; 1 sample) sampled next to BVM were analyzed for DDT and metabolite (~DDT) levels. Exceedingly high ~DDT levels above the accepted limit (0.1 mg/kg) were detected in soil samples: nearly 1.5 mg/kg in one sample and 0.11-0.484 mg/kg in other 5 cases. Among the biological samples (tree bark, common reed and earthworm) 0.184 and 0.190 mg/kg concentrations of ~DDT were determined in a black poplar and in an earthworm sample. These findings indicate that the wellknown persistency problem related to chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticides, particularly to DDT remains actual to our days

Environmental analytical aspects of mosquito control practice

Aerial application of insecticides was monitored by determination of the active ingredient (deltamethrin) using a gas chromatograph coupled to an electron capture detector. The amount of pesticide active ingredient settled to trays after an hour indicated uneven distribution patterns influenced by micrometeorological conditions as well. Maximum half and typically about 30% of the applied insecticide settled in one hour after the treatment. Pesticide drift observed 50 meters away from the target treatment zone was significant in all cases. The measured values ranged between 7% and 31% of the applied deltamethrin and the highest value was observed for K-OTHRIN 10 ULV formulation. Parallel determination of the spray droplet size distribution and specific droplet numbers also confirmed that the drops reach the soil surface and indicated a substantial spray drift

The Creative Journey of Grounded Theory Analysis: A Guide to its Principles and Applications

Grounded theory analysis is a method widely used by qualitative researchers. This method interprets empirical materials to formulate a theory about a particular social phenomenon. In this article, we describe the steps of grounded theory method, which comprises open coding of the material followed by the grouping of open codes into categories that are increasingly abstracted to capture the essential meaning of the phenomenon. This depiction is offered as a set of explicit guidelines for researchers interested in the method