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In a well-known paper, Jeremy England derived a bound on the free energy dissipated by a self-replicating system [J. L. England, "Statistical physics of self-replication," J. Chem. Phys. 139, 121923 (2013)]. This bound is usually interpreted as a universal relationship that connects thermodynamic dissipation to replicator per-capita decay and growth rates. We argue from basic thermodynamic principles against this interpretation. In fact, we suggest that such a relationship cannot exist in principle, because it is impossible for a thermodynamically consistent replicator to undergo both per-capita growth and per-capita decay back into reactants. Instead, replicator may decay into separate waste products, but in that case, replication and decay are two independent physical processes, and there is no universal relationship that connects their thermodynamic and dynamical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Opportunities for the shared consumption of publicly available products that once might have been considered personal-use only, such as hand sanitizers and shampoos, are proliferating in the consumer environment. This work explores shared product consumption in these underresearched, but now ubiquitous, contexts. The authors suggest and find, over a series of five studies and across a variety of product domains, that sharing a product with strangers (i.e., sharing-out) engenders a lower sense of identification with the product, which leads to lower perceived product efficacy. They further show that the dampening effect of sharing-out on efficacy perceptions is limited to consumers high in self–brand connection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intersection between Critical realism, complex system thinking and Luhmannian autopoiesis has been subject to various debates. By showing how a complex system necessitates a trans‐immanent philosophical foundation, Knio proposed in a previous article a problématique of calibration which seeks to bring back to the fore the importance of considering a complex causality generated by environments onto boundaries and systems in an iterative, recursive, and emergentist way. The next step is to understand the motivation behind the actions of a trans‐immanent system. This paper contributes to this discussion by operationalizing the motivation behind action in terms of the Spinozian conatus. In so doing, this research shows how trans‐immanent systems such as people and society not only objectify (socially construct) but objectivate (create) objects behind desire. Finally, the forgoing shows how systemic persistence is not a simple matter of inertia or imitation but it is a matter of empowering reflexivity or, perseverance. This is shown through a thorough overview of the different interpretations of the conatus, followed by their application to several case studies within pre‐existing and prominent theories of institutional change within capitalism. As a result, the conatus as based on a trans‐immanent system offers great potential in institutional analysis; exemplified in the Critical Realist model of social change: Morphogenetic Régulation. This research contributes not only to political, economic, social, and cultural analyses of institutional change but analyses of complex and open systems as a whole, and thus understandings of human empowerment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article consists of three parts: in the first, we review the academic register of Ixcanul (2015), a film partially based on a popular oral story in Kaq'chikel. In addition to serving as the cast, the Kaq'chikel community of San Vicente Pacaya oversaw translating the script. In the second part, we establish a hemispheric dialogue between the Indigenous discursive worlds of Buen Vivir and Place-Thought, and Sylvia Wynter's sociogenesis and autopoiesis. We take this dialogue as a heuristic to interpret the film and its ability to represent a profoundly animated world capable of challenging the autopoietic system of the colonial-modern system. Finally, we consider this profoundly animated world from scenes within Ixcanul and two interviews by the film's protagonists (María Coroy, María Telón). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the encyclopedic knowledge accumulated in contemporary biology, it is still frustratingly elusive to find an uncontroversial answer to the (apparently) simple question, “What are living beings?” Since the traditional approach to answering this question has been by means of definitions, it has been pointed out that an alternative might be to change the strategy and, following the example of other sciences, try to find not a definition but a theoretical identity for living beings. However, according to some critics, such a move is neither possible nor advisable since current biology, limited to only earthly samples of life, does not have enough empirical basis and theoretical development to formulate a theoretical identity for living beings. In this paper, contrary to this diagnosis, I make room for and propose a theoretical identity statement for living beings. First, I argue that the limitations to proposing such an identity are not as severe as it is assumed. Second, I suggest answering the question, “What are living beings?” with the theoretical identity statement, ‘Living beings are exoautopoietic bodies.’ I explain this proposal’s theoretical grounds and defend it against potential objections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Acta Comportamentalia is the property of Instituto de Psicologia y Educacion de la Universidad Veracruzana and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

With the disruptive rise of generative AI, literary scholars face unprecedented interpretive challenges involving basic assumptions and practices. Amid the automated outsourcing of discourse essential to coalescence of human intellect and personal identity, Mark Twain's imaginative and literary journey can heighten our awareness of imperiled foundational relationships of self to utterance. Early sketches portray struggles with words as high-stakes adventures in self-creation; in the final Mysterious Stranger manuscripts, however, Mark Twain approaches celebration of creative process without restrictions and inhibitions, even those of one discrete and supposedly consequential identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Living systems are capable on the one hand of eliciting a coordinated response to changing environments (also known as adaptation), and on the other hand, they are capable of reproducing themselves. Notably, adaptation to environmental change requires the monitoring of the surroundings, while reproduction requires monitoring oneself. These two tasks appear separate and make use of different sources of information. Yet, both the process of adaptation as well as that of reproduction are inextricably coupled to alterations in genomic DNA expression, while a cell behaves as an indivisible unity in which apparently independent processes and mechanisms are both integrated and coordinated. We argue that at the most basic level, this integration is enabled by the unique property of the DNA to act as a double coding device harboring two logically distinct types of information. We review biological systems of different complexities and infer that the inter-conversion of these two distinct types of DNA information represents a fundamental self-referential device underlying both systemic integration and coordinated adaptive responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Computational thinking (CT) can be developed in a multitude of ways. Well-known examples are plugged-in and unplugged applications that focus primarily on the (combined) usage of visual, textual, or tangible modalities. Less obvious are applications where CT development can be established via an auditory modality, to which the importance of creativity is attributed. When reasoning from such a different contextual perspective, it is interesting to investigate whether the self-creation of electronic music influences CT development and what added value can be attributed to creativity. Therefore, a mixed-methods study was conducted on primary school pupils aged 10 to 13 using FL-Studio Mobile© music-producing software. Quantitative data were obtained using a pre-test–post-test assessment administered via a validated Computational Thinking Test (CTt). Qualitative data were obtained by conducting interviews to ascertain identifiable effects on CT sub-characteristics to determine the influence of creativity and creative thinking and children's perceptions in this regard. Our results indicate that applying music-making software has measurable effects on CT development, particularly with respect to invoking and using auditory modalities. Notable findings were identified on the CT sub-characteristics "loops", "conditionals", "functions", "nesting", and "CT tasks required". Our study shows that producing music using technology stimulates creativity, which seems to be an important parameter for CT development. Differences between girls and boys were observable. Further research on the interaction between CT and creativity, combining different modalities, is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we use the recent appearance of LLMs and GPT-equipped robotics to raise questions about the nature of semantic meaning and how this relates to issues concerning artificially-conscious machines. To do so, we explore how a phenomenology constructed out of the association of qualia (defined as somatically-experienced sense data) and situated within a 4e enactivist program gives rise to intentional behavior. We argue that a robot without such a phenomenology is semantically empty and, thus, cannot be conscious in any way resembling human consciousness. Finally, we use this platform to address and supplement widely-discussed concerns regarding the dangers of attempting to produce artificially-conscious machines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The question of the role of personal values in the constitution of and recovery from mental illness is a divisive subject discussed in contemporary psychopathology. This article critically examines the psychopathological theories and contributions of Antoni Kępiński – a seminal yet internationally under-recognized Polish psychiatrist. Summary: Drawing upon a multilayered framework incorporating biological, affective-emotional, and sociocultural dimensions, Kępiński posited mental disorders as disturbances in the energy and information metabolism with the environment leading to an increase in entropy. Kępiński’s work also contributes to a richer understanding of schizophrenia (whose essence he metaphorically described as the plasma membrane rupture) and the complexities inherent in the decision-making processes of patients. In a quasi-phenomenological vein, Kępiński encouraged to re-evaluate delusions and hallucinations as opportunities to access unfiltered insights into reality. He also argued for the potential for moral growth within psychiatric treatment. Key Messages: Kępiński’s theories anticipated many concepts now foundational in neuroscientific research and clinical psychiatry, showcasing his role as a forward-thinking figure in the history of the profession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sylvia Wynter calls for a rethinking of the aesthetics since our current system of knowledge, which is rooted in a positivist, biocentric framework, fails to recognize storytelling as an essential aspect of humanness. Similarly, bell hooks reminds us to see, not only through sight, but in a metaphysical way that heightens our awareness and understanding – expanding our ability to engage with reality through all of our senses. Thus, this paper explores the ways in which Black aesthetics serve as method-making practices in order to reclaim the imagination from modern thinking, particularly given that the narrative of modernity has been partially constructed on the myth that Black peoples lack culture, or, alternatively, that their cultural practices are primitive and monolithic. By asserting Blackness as a situating force, Black cultural practices underscore the agentic capacity of Black peoples to create and define their own realities, rather than being merely subjects of observation. What methods do we use, then, that can faithfully portray the subtleties of Black life? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intricate interplay of metabolic reactions and molecular assembly in living systems enables spatiotemporally organization and gives rise to diverse dynamic behaviors that characterize life. Over the last decades, research efforts have increasingly focused on replicating the remarkable properties and characteristics of living systems, driving the rapid growth of systems chemistry. This young discipline which generally studies interacting molecular networks and emergent system‐level properties, behaviors, and functions, offers new concepts and tools to tackle the complexity of life. In this review paper, we have explored seminal research and recent advancements in recreating dynamic behaviors of life with systems chemistry. We believe that the recreation of the dynamic behaviors of life through systems chemistry would set the initial steps to obtain synthetic life de novo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

School is often said to be a representation of society because its primary aim is to promote integration into society. This study of the landscape elements of minority language schools suggests that this type of linguistic landscape may not only reflect a change in linguistic dominance but can also play a complementary role compared to the external, out-of-school world. In this paper, the authors attempt to explore a new way of interpreting the notion of the linguistic landscape of schools. The novelty of this approach lies in the application of a spatial theoretical concept, where the schoolscape is defined as an element of autopoietic space—a self-constituting spatial element. Within this autopoietic framework, markers of ethnolinguistic vitality in the linguistic landscape of minority language schools are identified, and a set of criteria is established that can be applied to other communities. The conclusions are drawn from a comparative analysis of the linguistic landscapes of Hungarian-medium schools in Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this article is a critical analysis of the logocentric representation of brain as a conceptual basis for artificial neural networks (ANNs). Neuro-logocentrism turns possible mostly because of some similarities of brain activity to logical reasoning. They are discrete mode of action, semblance of realization of logical connectives and inferences, presence of two “values” (“all-or-none” principle). It is demonstrated that they are only loose analogies. The idea that neurons are net nodes that realize logical and computational operations as quite simple automata is based on the concept of connectionism that appears a new special type of hylemorphism. On the contrary, brain activity demonstrates the primacy of the whole and its irreducibility to the aggregative sum of elements and parts. It appears continual totality, where everything is reciprocally interconnected, so that it is impossible to establish any unified formalism for it. Brain essentially is a part of the living, not “bio-logic” but fully biological reality, which has an emergent mode of existence with its unique properties. Such processes as neuroplasticity and synaptic pruning are responsible for adaptive and teleonomic re‑shaping of the brain. Usual conventional logic is suitable for computing machines and their nets, but it is incapable of reproducing such autopoietic phenomena. As a result, there is a fatal ontological gap between natural networks of neurons and ANNs. The second ones are not able to implement complex cognitive functions as they are product of the logocentric hypertrophy of algorithms which is fully devoid of flexibility of the living brain.

In this paper, we argue that the Jonasian turn undergone by the Varelian autopoietic theory, which was intended to include a teleological complement to autopoiesis, can be replaced by the phenomenology of biology in the German philosopher Helmuth Plessner, which, unlike the Jonasian one, does not include anthropocentric existential assumptions in the consideration of living beings. The argument unfolds in four steps: a) first, we will develop the fundamental elements of the classical version of the autopoietic theory, elaborated by Maturana and Varela in the ‘70s, which, among other things, is decidedly anti-teleological; b) then, we will show that years later, Varela turns towards teleology in the so-called Jonasian turn, including within the autopoietic theory elements of existential phenomenology; c) subsequently, we will develop some of the most relevant arguments of Plessnerian biological phenomenology, especially those arguments in relation to the concept of positionality and which serve for this complementarity between the autopoietic and Plessnerian positions; d) finally, we will conclude that the autopoietic theory, due to the accusations it receives for having turned towards an existentialist philosophy, can migrate towards the Plessnerian biological phenomenology, which does not suffer from the anthropocentric problems attributed to the Jonasian phenomenology.

An RNA ligase ribozyme that catalyzes the joining of RNA molecules of the opposite chiral handedness was optimized for the ability to synthesize its own enantiomer from two component fragments. The mirror-image D-and L-ligases operate in concert to provide a system for cross-chiral replication, whereby they catalyze each other's synthesis and undergo mutual amplification at constant temperature, with apparent exponential growth and a doubling time of about 1 h. Neither the D-nor the L-RNA components alone can achieve autocatalytic self-replication. Cross-chiral exponential amplification can be continued indefinitely through a serial-transfer process that provides an ongoing supply of the component D-and L-substrates. Unlike the familiar paradigm of semiconservative nucleic acid replication that relies on Watson-Crick pairing between complementary strands, cross-chiral replication relies on tertiary interactions between structured nucleic acids "across the mirror." There are few examples, outside of biology, of autocatalytic self-replication systems that undergo exponential amplification and there are no prior examples, in either biological or chemical systems, of cross-chiral replication enabling exponential amplification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work concerns the long-term collective excitability properties and the statistical analysis of the critical events displayed by a recently introduced spatiotemporal many-body model, proposed as a new paradigm for Artificial Life. Numerical simulations show that excitable collective structures emerge in the form of dynamic networks, created by bursts of spatiotemporal activity (avalanches) at the edge of a synchronization phase transition. The spatiotemporal dynamics is portraited by a movie and quantified by time varying collective parameters, showing that the dynamic networks undergo a "life cycle," made of self-creation, homeostasis, and self-destruction. The power spectra of the collective parameters show 1/f power law tails. The statistical properties of the avalanches, evaluated in terms of size and duration, show power laws with characteristic exponents in agreement with those values experimentally found in the neural networks literature. The mechanism underlying avalanches is argued in terms of local-to-collective excitability. The connections that link the present work to self-organized criticality, neural networks, and Artificial Life are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the handover of sovereignty from Britain to China in 1997, Hong Kong embarked on a renewed exploration of its cultural identity. This quest for identity found a powerful resonance in the late-1997 musical adaptation of Pygmalion, titled Yao Tiao Shu Nv (Lovely is This Noble Lady). This article argues that the musical's success stemmed from the underlying themes of colonialism and postcolonialism present in George Bernard Shaw's original work. By recreating the setting, the characterization, and the soundscape of a Hong Kong in its early colonial years, the adaptation negotiates cultural identity within the specific context of postcolonial Hong Kong. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autonomous generation of energy, specifically adenosine triphosphate (ATP), is critical for sustaining the engineered functionalities of synthetic cells constructed from the bottom‐up. In this mini‐review, we categorize studies on ATP‐producing synthetic cells into three different approaches: photosynthetic mechanisms, mitochondrial respiration mimicry, and utilization of non‐conventional approaches such as exploiting synthetic metabolic pathways. Within this framework, we evaluate the strengths and limitations of each approach and provide directions for future research endeavors. We also introduce a concept of building ATP‐generating synthetic organelle that will enable us to mimic cellular respiration in a simpler way than current strategies. This review aims to highlight the importance of energy self‐production in synthetic cells, providing suggestions and ideas that may help overcome some longstanding challenges in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista de Ciencias Sociales (13159518) is the property of Revista de Ciencias Sociales de la Universidad del Zulia Venezuela and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Ensaio: Avaliação e Políticas Públicas em Educação is the property of Ensaio: Avaliacao e Politicas Publicas em Educacao and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Contemporary Educational Studies / Sodobna Pedagogika is the property of Association of Slovenian Educationalists and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Distributed photovoltaic generation has been raised as a dependable electricity substitute for implementing a decarbonised energy transition. The dynamics of PV systems with battery storage have led to new electricity end-user classifications that select their electricity systems and resources wisely, i.e. Prosumers and Prosumagers. This work presents a technical and economic assessment to analyse the effect of decision-making independent end-users and electricity management strategies through a novel time-discrete deterministic simulation model. The end-user's choice of battery storage technology and their approach to electricity management emerge as pivotal factors influencing their strategic decisions. Adopting a prosumer strategy, such as storing and selling surplus self-production, reduces the Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE), benefiting the end-user economically. Notably, the most effective battery storage technology may only sometimes be the one that is most readily available in the market. These findings enhance our understanding of novel end-user types and underscore the practical implications of their evolutionary shift towards independence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Life on Earth uses DNA as the central template for self‐replication, genetic encoding, and information transfer. However, there are no physical laws precluding life's existence elsewhere in space, and alternative life forms may not need DNA. In the search for exobiology, knowing what to look for as a biosignature remains a challenge – especially if it is not from the obvious list of biologic building blocks. Clues from chemicals recently discovered on Mars and in the Taurus Molecular Cloud 1 (TMC‐1), show that intriguing organic compounds exist beyond Earth, which could provide a starting point for unconventional exobiotic designs. Here we present a new potential self‐replicating system with structural similarities to recently discovered compounds on Mars and TMC‐1. Rather than using DNA's hydrogen‐bonding motif for reliable base‐paring, our design employs sulfur‐nitrogen interactions to selectively template unique benzothiadiazole units in sequence. We synthesized and studied two versions of this system, one reversible and the other irreversible, and found experimental evidence of self‐replication in d‐chloroform solvent. These results are part of a larger pursuit in our lab for developing a basis for a potential exobiological system using starting blocks closely related to these cosmic compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper will analyse the interpretative frameworks, and their most common recombinations, used by young women to make sense of their experiences of gender inequality in the context of entrepreneurship. These frameworks enable the mobilisation and legitimisation of certain ways of conducting themselves as entrepreneurs and, consequently, enable and contribute to a certain subjective self-production through techniques of the self. With this aim, 30 female entrepreneurs under 35 years who participate or previously participated in training programmes for women entrepreneurs in Spain were interviewed. They also came from different socio-structural backgrounds in Spain, and were at different stages of their entrepreneurial trajectory, with ventures in diverse areas of knowledge. Four main interpretative frameworks were identified: psychologicist, culturalist, structuralist and non-recognition of inequalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we present a model containing modifications to the Signal-passing Tile Assembly Model (STAM), a tile-based self-assembly model whose tiles are capable of activating and deactivating glues based on the binding of other glues. These modifications consist of an extension to 3D, the ability of tiles to form "flexible" bonds that allow bound tiles to rotate relative to each other, and allowing tiles of multiple shapes within the same system. We call this new model the STAM*, and we present a series of constructions within it that are capable of self-replicating behavior. Namely, the input seed assemblies to our STAM* systems can encode either "genomes" specifying the instructions for building a target shape, or can be copies of the target shape with instructions built in. A universal tile set exists for any target shape (at scale factor 2), and from a genome assembly creates infinite copies of the genome as well as the target shape. An input target structure, on the other hand, can be "deconstructed" by the universal tile set to form a genome encoding it, which will then replicate and also initiate the growth of copies of assemblies of the target shape. Since the lengths of the genomes for these constructions are proportional to the number of points in the target shape, we also present a replicator which utilizes hierarchical self-assembly to greatly reduce the size of the genomes required. The main goals of this work are to examine minimal requirements of self-assembling systems capable of self-replicating behavior, with the aim of better understanding self-replication in nature as well as understanding the complexity of mimicking it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores reflexivity in qualitative research, challenging conventional perspectives that revolve around the binary of 'insider' and 'outsider' positioning. While traditionally reflexivity has been understood through the lens of a researcher's socio-historical positionality, we argue for a more dynamic understanding, emphasizing that academic self-formation is an ongoing process of self-creation. Drawing inspiration from the ancient Akadēmía, where writing was a method of self-reflection, we recontextualize reflexive qualitative writing, aligning it with Foucault's interpretations of Ancient Greek and Renaissance concepts. We posit that writing, especially in doctoral research, is not just a tool for communication but a means of self-formation. This perspective redefines reflexivity as a transformative intellectual and existential process. The paper critically examines the prevailing insider/outsider binary in the research literature, suggesting that researcher identities are fluid and constantly shaped by interactions. By integrating Foucault's later work on ethics, we explore the ethical dimensions of reflexivity and the formation of the ethical subject. Ultimately, this paper contributes to the academic discourse on reflexivity, offering a more fluid, transformative view of the doctoral process and reflexive writing in qualitative research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Collected Papers of the Law Faculty of the University of Rijeka / Zbornik Pravnog Fakulteta Sveučilišta u Rijeci is the property of Pravni fakultet Sveucilista u Rijeci and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Biological systems have a unique ability inherited through their genome. It allows them to build, operate, and manage a society of cells with complex organizational structures, where autonomous components execute specific tasks and collaborate in groups to fulfill systemic goals with shared knowledge. The system receives information from various senses, makes sense of what is being observed, and acts using its experience while the observations are still in progress. We use the General Theory of Information (GTI) to implement a digital genome, specifying the operational processes that design, deploy, operate, and manage a cloud-agnostic distributed application that is independent of IaaS and PaaS infrastructure, which provides the resources required to execute the software components. The digital genome specifies the functional and non-functional requirements that define the goals and best-practice policies to evolve the system using associative memory and event-driven interaction history to maintain stability and safety while achieving the system's objectives. We demonstrate a structural machine, cognizing oracles, and knowledge structures derived from GTI used for designing, deploying, operating, and managing a distributed video streaming application with autopoietic self-regulation that maintains structural stability and communication among distributed components with shared knowledge while maintaining expected behaviors dictated by functional requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phages are the most prevalent and diverse entities in the biosphere and represent the simplest systems that are capable of self-replication. Many fundamental concepts of transcriptional regulation were revealed through phage studies. The replication of phages within bacteria entails the hijacking of the host transcription machinery. Typically, this is accomplished through proteins and RNAs encoded by the phage genome that bind to the host RNA polymerase and modify its characteristics. Understanding these processes offers valuable insights into the mechanisms of bacterial transcription itself. Historically, X-ray crystallography has been the major tool for elucidating the structural basis of phage transcriptional regulation. In recent years, the application of cryoelectron microscopy has not only allowed the exploration of protein-protein and protein-nucleic acid interactions at near-atomic resolution but also captured transient intermediate states, further expanding our mechanistic understanding of phage transcriptional regulation. In this review, He et al. describe the various strategies phages have adopted to modulate transcription initiation, transcription elongation, and transcription termination from a structural perspective. They also discuss potential applications of these findings and future directions of research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diplomacy is often presented as subordinated to politics as if it merely received politically willed 'inputs' to produce politically structured 'outputs'. However, diplomacy often deviates from political instructions. It can even operate almost without any political considerations whatsoever. This observation gives rise to a sense that politics and diplomacy operate as two separate systems that are mutually dependent and yet simultaneously independent from each other. To illuminate this relationship, the present paper draws from Modern Systems Theory (especially Parsons and Luhmann) to argue that politics and diplomacy engage in double interchanges: (1) they stimulate each other through premises for actions like 'foreign policy goals', and (2) they implement each other such that diplomatic happenings can be booked as political successes and vice versa. The discussion section outlines how the autonomy of the two systems varies empirically – such as in the case of politically appointed diplomats – and how extreme cases of autonomous operations (apolitical diplomacy or adiplomatic politics) face negative sanctions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While a universal definition of religion eludes the field of religious studies, it certainty seems that people are becoming differently religious rather than a-religious, especially since the latter half of the twentieth century. To explain the enduring relevance of religion in human experience, this article expands on recent evolutionary and sociological research in the systems theory of religion and develops a philosophical approach to understanding religion as a complex adaptive system. Frameworks of meaning and beliefs communicated by religious systems emerge and adapt in relation to interpretive selection pressures communicated by individuals-in-community relative to entropy's role in one's contingent experience as a "teleodynamic self" in the arrow of time. Religious systems serve an entropy-reducing function in the minds of individuals, philosophically speaking, because their sign and symbol systems communicate an "anentropic" dimension to meaning that prevents uncertainty ad infinitum (e.g., maximum Shannon entropy) concerning matters of existential concern for phenomenological systems, i.e., persons. Religious systems will continue to evolve, and new religious movements will spontaneously emerge, as individuals find new ways to communicate their intuition of this anentropic dimension of meaning in relation to their experience of contingency in the arrow of time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sonodynamic therapy (SDT) is emerging as a promising modality for cancer treatment. However, improving the tumor bioavailability and anti-hypoxia capability of sonosensitizers faces a big challenge. In this work, we present a tumor microenvironment (TME)-mediated nanomorphology transformation and oxygen (O 2) self-production strategy to enhance the sonodynamic therapeutic efficacy of tumors. A smart probe Ce6-Leu@Mn2+ that consists of a glutathione (GSH) and leucine amino peptidase (LAP) dual-responsive unit, a 2-cyanobenzothiazole (CBT) group, and a Mn2+-chelated Ce6 as sonosensitizer for tumor SDT was synthesized, and its SDT potential for liver tumor HepG2 in living mice was systematically studied. It was found that the probes could self-assemble into large nanoparticles in physiological condition and spontaneously transformed into small particles under the dual stimulation of GSH and LAP in TME resulting in enhanced tumor accumulation and deep penetration. More notably, Ce6-Leu@Mn2+ could convert endogenous hydrogen peroxide to O 2 , thereby alleviating the hypoxia and achieving effective SDT against hypoxic tumors under the excitation of ultrasound. We thus believe this smart TME-responsive probe may provide a noninvasive and efficient means for malignant tumor treatment. Sonodynamic therapy (SDT) is emerging as a promising therapeutic modality for cancer treatment. However, how to improve the tumor bioavailability and anti-hypoxia capability of sonosensitizers remains a huge challenge. Herein, we rationally developed a theranostic probe Ce6-Leu@Mn2+ that can transform into small-size nanoparticles from initial large particles under the dual stimulation of LAP and GSH in tumor microenvironment (TME) resulting in enhanced tumor accumulation, deep tissue penetration as well as remarkable O 2 self-production for enhanced sonodynamic therapy of human liver HepG2 tumor in living mice. This smart TME-responsive probe may provide a noninvasive and efficient means for hypoxic tumor treatment. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A vital step to successfully orienting Deleuze with biosemiotics (and theories of biological complexity overall) is to discover a coherent scientific throughline in his work that also accounts for the aesthetic/creative dimension of his philosophy. This requires the heterodox move (from a Deleuzean point of view) of giving priority to the organism. I argue that Deleuze's treatment of the organism does more than signal a superficial relation to biological complexity theory that, as a result of his nuanced take on the matter, undermines the value of the organic body to his system. Instead, we can recognize a working theory of autopoiesis in the early Deleuze that scaffolds as well as substantiates his later ethological and biosemiotic observations and reveals a definite, albeit minimal, notion of subjectivity in his work. Most importantly, reorienting his logic of sense as a logic of sense-making, or the context-dependent signification between system and environment (Thompson, 2007), allows us to begin the work of mining a scientific throughline in Deleuze's work akin to biological complexity theory that is of value to both Deleuze studies and biosemiotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

En el contexto global, las organizaciones han experimentado un conjunto de transformaciones en sus modelos de gestión como una alternativa encaminada al mejoramiento de sus niveles de desempeño y competitividad en los mercados globalizados. Se transitó de un modelo burocrático hacia uno basado en la teoría del organicismo, bajo el cual se conciben las organizaciones como sistemas abiertos y flexibles, con capacidad de transformarse a través de la autopoiesis para adaptarse a los cambios del entorno. Contablemente la evaluación del riesgo que presentan estas organizaciones para el alcance de sus objetivos se realiza a través del control interno normado por medio del COSO y la NIA 315. Como objetivo se analizaron las debilidades de los lineamientos del control interno como instrumento de evaluación del riesgo que enfrentan las organizaciones, para el alcance de sus metas en el actual contexto socioeconómico. Metodológicamente el trabajo se desarrolló a partir de la revisión de literatura especializada en las líneas de investigación vinculadas con las organizaciones vivientes, así como de los lineamientos del COSO y la Norma de Auditoría 315. En las conclusiones del estudio se precisan las limitaciones del control interno para evaluar la gestión del riesgo en las organizaciones objeto de estudio.

La teoría de las máquinas artificiales iluminará un marco epistémico para futuros eventos contingentes, como el encuentro con otros tipos de vida consciente en el universo, la hipotética emergencia de una autoconciencia artificial o singularidad tecnológica. Se trata de un esfuerzo epistémico que modificará los marcos epistemológicos éticos humanos y las relaciones sujeto-objeto. Esta teoría explica la autoconciencia como intercambio autónomo de señales comunicadas, física y simbólicamente, mediante dominios fenomenales compartidos por máquinas autopoiéticas de la misma especie dentro del conjunto global de la biósfera, donde el total de las máquinas autopoiéticas evoluciona a través de relaciones co-emergentes. Los rasgos atribuidos a las máquinas artificiales dependen de la disponibilidad representacional de la autoconciencia humana como único caso autorreferencial, en una máquina autopoiética, que implica más libertad de interacciones desarrolladas en un complejo sistema de procesos autorreferenciales. El desarrollo causal autónomo de la singularidad tecnológica crearía hipotéticamente sus propios paradigmas más allá de valores o expectativas humanas, donde la lógica mimética conductual sería sólo una huella pasada en sus transformaciones que ya no se aplica al sustento de su identidad: una autonomía epistémica. Las actualizaciones autónomas de la singularidad tecnológica deberían seguir el Principio de Continuidad que determina que toda modificación en los sistemas complejos ocurre por grados de cambio: un estado en el futuro será coherente con su proceso de desarrollo, enmarcado necesariamente por su estado y trayectoria inicial.

The article analyzes Racine’s place in two French works: the autofiction “Son/ Threads” (“Fils”) (1977) by Serge Doubrovsky (1928–2017) and the novel “Titus did nоt love Berenice” (“Titus n’aimait pas Bérénice”) (2015) by Nathalie Azoulai (b. 1966). To study the role of Racine’s tragedies, we turn to the technique of mise en abyme, widely and variedly used by both authors. Recursion appears at the level of multiple quotations and homonymy (Azoulai’s novel characters are named after Racine’s “Berenice” characters). As a result, the micro-story (Racine) turns into a macro-story, reflecting the life problems of modern characters and helping them to understand themselves. That leads to autopoiesis — the ability to self-reproduce, to “self-construct.” Both characters change due to their deep immersion in reading: “Text- Book” becomes “Text-Life.” The analysis of specific features of Racine’s dramaturgy gives the reason why his tragedies are capable of having such a deep existential impact. Fictional immersion, according to J.-M. Schaeffer has a modeling function, offering a scenario of actions that can be productively used in real life.

Introduction. Revealing the content of the capital forms multiplication process is significant for modern economic science in theoretical and applied aspects. The political and economic peculiarities of the study are to reveal the essence of capital as a benefit that generates income in various forms. Theoretical analysis. The authors’ point of view is an alternative to the generally accepted point of view on capital as a self-increasing value, as a certain social attitude based on the exploitation of wage labor, and the allocation of forms corresponding to the stages of its circulation as priority functional forms of capital. The authors introduce a new category into scientific circulation – capital forms multiplication. According to the authors’ interpretation, it is an objective process of constant generation of various new forms of manifestation and movement of capital. Empirical analysis. The authors’ approach allows us to single out such a property of capital as autopoiesis, understood as self-building, self-reproduction, self-regulation. The authors’ capital forms classification is presented, where, along with traditional forms of capital (cash, trade, etc.), new types of capital are highlighted and valorized – intellectual, knowledge, information, network, symbolic (image, brand). In recent years, the autopoiesis of capital has manifested itself in the multiplication of such forms as emotional and aesthetic capital. Results. The capital multiplication process is revealed on the basis of its many forms’ analysis, which tend to grow.

In the target article “How molecules became signs” I offer a molecular “thought experiment” that provides a paradigm for resolving the major incompatibilities between biosemiotic and natural science accounts of living processes. To resolve these apparent incompatibilities I outline a plausible empirically testable model system that exemplifies the emergence of chemical processes exhibiting semiotic causal properties from basic nonliving chemical processes. This model system is described as an autogenic virus because of its virus-like form, but its nonparasitic self-repair and reproductive dynamics. The 16 commentaries responding to this proposal recognize its material plausibility but are divided on its value in resolving this basic biosemiotic challenge. In response, I have addressed some of the most serious criticisms raised and have attempted to diagnose the major sources of incompatible assumptions that distinguish the autogenic paradigm from other major paradigms. In particular, I focus on four main issues: the significance of the shift from a cellular to a viral perspective, the relevance of intrinsic versus extrinsic initiation and channeling of interpretive work, the insufficiency of molecular replication as a basis for grounding biological semiosis, and a (universal?) three step scaffolding logic that enables referential displacement of sign vehicle properties without loss of referential continuity (as exemplified by DNA-protein relations). Although I can’t conclude that this is the only way that biosemiotic properties can emerge from physical-chemical relations that otherwise lack these properties, I contend that this approach offers a biologically plausible demonstration that it is possible.

Is genuine self‐creation – understood as self‐directed value‐acquisition – possible? Many philosophers think not. I disagree. I explain why a recent attempt to solve the problem fails and use it to motivate an alternative proposal: indirect evaluative voluntarism. Indirect evaluative voluntarism is not only well‐suited to explaining how self‐creation is possible; it also unifies two important aspects of our doxastic lives, viz. responsibility for the acquisition of both evaluative and non‐evaluative beliefs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The way organismic agents come to know the world, and the way algorithms solve problems, are fundamentally different. The most sensible course of action for an organism does not simply follow from logical rules of inference. Before it can even use such rules, the organism must tackle the problem of relevance. It must turn ill-defined problems into well-defined ones, turn semantics into syntax. This ability to realize relevance is present in all organisms, from bacteria to humans. It lies at the root of organismic agency, cognition, and consciousness, arising from the particular autopoietic, anticipatory, and adaptive organization of living beings. In this article, we show that the process of relevance realization is beyond formalization. It cannot be captured completely by algorithmic approaches. This implies that organismic agency (and hence cognition as well as consciousness) are at heart not computational in nature. Instead, we show how the process of relevance is realized by an adaptive and emergent triadic dialectic (a trialectic), which manifests as a metabolic and ecological-evolutionary co-constructive dynamic. This results in a meliorative process that enables an agent to continuously keep a grip on its arena, its reality. To be alive means to make sense of one's world. This kind of embodied ecological rationality is a fundamental aspect of life, and a key characteristic that sets it apart from non-living matter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]