bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dreamscapes of Belonging : Draft, based on the presentation at the IAJS Conference 2023, work in progress
Authors: Favre Dragana
Published: May 2024

Jungian Art-Based Research (JABR) is a distinctive methodological framework that explores the intersection of analytical psychology and the arts. It primarily utilizes Jung's theories of the psyche, integrating these with artistic processes to investigate and express unconscious dynamics. Susan Rowland, a pivotal figure in this field, has significantly advanced the understanding of how Jungian theories can be applied within art-based research (Rowland, 2023). Her contributions elucidate how artistic expressions act as mediums through which the unconscious can be explored and articulated, thereby offering profound insights into both individual and collective unconscious processes.
The objectives of Jungian Art-Based Research are manifold. Firstly, JABR aims to provide a methodological approach that allows researchers and practitioners to delve deeper into the symbolic and transformative potential of art. This is achieved through the engagement of the unconscious in the creation and interpretation of art, thereby fostering a holistic understanding of the psyche. Secondly, JABR seeks to expand the scope of psychological inquiry by incorporating artistic expressions as legitimate sources of psychological data. Lastly, it aspires to foster a dialogue between psychology and art, encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration that can enrich both fields. By integrating analytical psychology with artistic creativity, JABR contributes to a more nuanced understanding of the human experience, offering valuable perspectives that challenge conventional research paradigms.

This paper presents a personal journey through the application of Jungian Art-Based Research (JABR), initiated by attending a course by Susan Rowlands. It delves into the transformative experience of exploring the multiverse of dreams and their impact on the author's professional and personal development. The exploration began with the author’s repetitive dreams, characterized by detailed urban landscapes, serving as the primary material for research. By physically mapping these dreamscapes and integrating various symbolic materials, the author engaged in a deep, introspective process, highlighting the non-linear and spiraling nature of JABR. This journey further intertwined with reflections on identity, homelessness, and the longing for a sense of belonging, amplified by historical and cultural dislocations. Through spontaneous dance and subsequent reflections, the author confronts the disillusionment with idealized spaces and faces the reality of changing perspectives and attachments. The paper concludes by pondering the broader implications of our attachment to the Earth, suggesting that our efforts to save it might be hindered by our need to name and possess, rather than embrace its intrinsic, unnamed existence. Through a Jungian lens, the author proposes a reevaluation of our relationship with the planet, advocating for a detachment from specific names to foster a more universal and sustainable connection.
Freedom of speech in the domestic media (based on the concept of "Reporters sans frontières")
Authors:   L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, Shurentayev A. , Mantay A. ,   L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, Sailaukyzy A. ,   Maqsut Narikbayev University
Published: May 2024

Freedom of speech is the most important political right of citizens, guaranteed by the Constitution. A person differs in that freedom of speech also allows him to openly publish or remain silent in the press, at meetings and conferences, and categorically refuse to express an opinion. At the same time, freedom of speech is based on international standards and norms and is closely linked to the diversity of opinions. The most important opportunity to ensure freedom of speech in a democratic society is a free media, which has become a platform for publicity and self-expression. Only thanks to this, citizens can exercise freedom of speech and the right to express their point of view. This article delves into the primary indicators and methodologies used to assess freedom of speech in the media since 2002, focusing on the current international organization «Reporters sans frontières». The article examines Kazakhstan's ranking in the index over the period since the country gained independence, along with an analysis of the level of censorship and the conceptual frameworks of freedom of speech proposed by domestic scholars. The discussion encompasses the reasons and consequences behind Kazakhstan's ascent to the 33rd position in the «Reporters sans frontières» in 2022, as well as its subsequent 12th position in the same ranking in 2023. The presented data and facts undergo thorough analysis, revealing the distinctive features of changes in the field of freedom of speech within the country.
The Use of Drones in Journalism: Opportunities and Limitations
Authors:   L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, Kanasheva Sh.J. , S.M. Duisengazy ,   L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University
Published: May 2024

The field of journalism has not been spared from the rapid development of technology. With the development of communication technologies, traditional journalism has been transformed. In the past, news was produced by media and consumed by the masses. However, the advent of drones has led to the emergence of citizen journalism as an alternative source of information in the news gathering process. Considered the «eyes in the air» of journalists, drones are offering new opportunities for both citizen journalists and large media companies. Drones have a great physical advantage in that they can display the area of damage spread in disasters such as fires, earthquakes, floods, the scale of events on battlefields, sporting events and concerts. It also creates conditions for quick access to the journalist's news and informative publication. However, the dangers posed by drone technology in areas such as national security, public health and safety, personal life and public safety, as well as legal and ethical issues, cannot be ignored in addition to expanding the possibilities of journalistic reporting. This article analyzes the new breath and contribution that the use of drones has brought to journalism, as well as its possibilities and limitations
Improving Amazon EC2 Spot Instances Price Prediction using Machine Learning Algorithm
Authors: M. Prasanthi  , G.Chishma  , P. Padmavathi  , K. Reethika  , A. Chandra Sekhar
Published: May 2024

Spot instances were introduced by Amazon EC2 in December 2009 to sell its spare capacity through auction based market mechanism. Despite its extremely low prices, cloud spot market has low utilization. Spot pricing being dynamic, spot instances are prone to out-of bid failure. Bidding complexity is another reason why users today still fear using spot instances. This work aims to present Regression Random Forests (RRFs) model to predict one-week-ahead and one-day-ahead spot prices. The prediction would assist cloud users to plan in advance when to acquire spot instances, estimate execution costs, and also assist them in bid decision making to minimize execution costs and out-of-bid failure probability. Simulations with 12 months real Amazon EC2 spot history traces to forecast future spot prices show the effectiveness of the proposed technique. Comparison of RRFs based spot price forecasts with existing non-parametric machine learning models reveal that RRFs based forecast accuracy outperforms other models. We measure predictive accuracy using MAPE, MCPE, OOBError and speed. Evaluation results show that
Brain Tumour Detection and Classification using Deep Convolutional Neural Network (DCNN)
Authors: M. Naresh Babu  , Akula Balakrishna  , Galla Yasasri  , Chalamalasetty Sri Siva  , Pamarthi Vamsi
Published: May 2024

Tumour is the undesired mass in the body. Brain tumour is the significant growth of brain cells. Manual method of classifying is time consuming and can be done at selective diagnostic centers only. Brain tumour classification is crucial task to do since treatment is based on different location and size of it. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is most suitable way to do so. Hence there is a need to build such system which will automatically classify the brain tumour type based on input MR images only. The objective of the proposed system isto classify the brain tumour images into three sub-types: Meningioma, Glioma and Pituitary using convolutional neural network (CNN) and Support vector machine (SVM). Images from the dataset are downsized to reduce computation and some salt noise is added to make model robust and increase the dataset. The performance comparison is done on Google Colab and tensorflow platform in python language.
ANALYSIS OF REGULATORY AND LEGAL REGULATION OF LABOR MIGRATION IN UKRAINE
Authors:   University of Customs and Finance, Bykova Adel , Aleksandriuk Ihor ,   University of Customs and Finance
Published: May 2024

The paper examines the current state and peculiarities of legal regulation of labor migration in Ukraine. Legislative acts, international documents and regulatory acts regulating labor migration were analyzed in order to determine the main problems of the functioning of this sphere. The article focuses on the main challenges faced by the labor migration system in Ukraine, such as insufficient effectiveness of mechanisms for monitoring the observance of the rights of immigrant workers, unequal working conditions for migrants and domestic workers, as well as shortcomings in the implementation of international agreements on labor migration. It was determined that the signing of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union in 2014, as well as granting Ukraine a visa-free regime with a number of countries, became a prerequisite for mass labor migration of Ukrainian citizens. It was established that in connection with the introduction of martial law in Ukraine, a number of innovations were introduced aimed at protecting the labor rights and interests of employees working for an employer-a natural person - the introduction of additional guarantees through acts of social dialogue, such as collective agreements and agreements, where these acts enable the parties to regulate labor, social and economic relations, taking into account the interests of each of the parties during the period of martial law. It was found that in order to stimulate the creation of new jobs and the return of displaced persons, the program "Affordable loans 5-7-9%" was introduced, which provided support for entrepreneurs at rates from 5% to 9%, depending on the size of the enterprise and the duration of its activity. It was determined that one of the shortcomings of the government's urgent response in the conditions of martial law is that most of the normative legal acts of Ukrainian legislation require constant updating. It was found that there are no legal documents in the legislation that would regulate relations with the Ukrainian diaspora, protect the rights of Ukrainian migrants abroad and facilitate the possibility of their return under special conditions.
TAXONOMY OF CONSTITUENT ELEMENTS OF THE LOGISTICS SYSTEM OF AGROTRADING IN THE CONTEXT OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE TRANSFORMATION
Authors:   Kyiv National Economic University named after Vadym Hetman, Yatsenko Olha , Iatsenko Oleksandr ,   LLC "VILLE FORTE UKRAINE"
Published: May 2024

A study of logistics systems in agribusiness was conducted. The main goals of the article are the study of the concept of "agrologistics" as a tool for the development of agrotrading; review of the taxonomy of the constituent elements of the logistics system of agrotrading; forecasting future trends of the agricultural market of Ukraine under the condition of effective organization and use of logistics systems by subjects of agrarian entrepreneurship, including in foreign markets. The article investigates the multidimensional nature of the concepts of "agribusiness", it is proposed to use a four-sphere model to describe the content of this concept. The article examines the concept of "agro-trading", describes the importance of the development of agro-trading of agro-business entities to increase the efficiency of their activities. The article investigates the importance of developing agrotrading of agribusiness entities to increase the efficiency of their activities. The concept of "logistics" and its place in the agribusiness system are analyzed. Attention is focused on the scientific views of EU scientists, who distinguished the content of the term "logistics" in various business sectors. The use of the term "agrologistics" to explain the place and role of logistics in the agricultural complex of Ukraine is justified. The taxonomy of the constituent elements of the logistics system of agrotrading has been adapted. It is proposed to classify these systems according to such features as spatial limitations (macro-logistic, micro-logistics), type of logistics chains (logistics systems with direct connections, multi-level and flexible logistics systems), implementation environment (external, internal), functional basis (permanent, operational), level of coverage (general, local), form of implementation (own, outsourced). Obstacles to the development of agro-logistics in Ukraine are analyzed, the main of which are related to the lack of sufficient state support. Proposing measures that can speed up the development of agro-logistics of agro-business entities and become a source of growth of the economy of Ukraine.
CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN FORMING COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES BY DOMESTIC INDUSTRIAL ENTERPRISES
Authors:   National University of Water Management and Natural Resources, Malchyk Mariana , Vasyliv Volodymyr ,   National University of Water Management and Natural Resources
Published: May 2024

The fact is demonstrated that the formation of competitive advantages by domestic industrial enterprises is a dynamic process, involving the creation or adjustment of unique value propositions that not only differ from those of competitors in the market but are also significant to consumers and difficult to replicate. Given the comprehensive nature of competitive advantage formation, it should encompass a range of strategies and approaches (such as product innovation, efficient production, process management enhancement, brand development, and others), the actions of which are intended to ensure successful market penetration, sustainable operation, and market growth. The proper format of the outlined process is achievable through timely recognition and resolution of issues that could hinder the viability and success of the manufacturing enterprise in the long term. Therefore, the article aims to identify contemporary challenges in competitive advantage formation by domestic industrial enterprises. Various research methods can be used to achieve this goal, including analysis of existing theories, empirical studies, case studies, surveys, and more. The research findings confirm that the dynamic nature of competitive advantage formation by domestic industrial enterprises is associated with several challenges, including rapid technological advancements, shifts in demand, changes in the competitive landscape, alterations in regulatory and legislative frameworks, and globalization. It is demonstrated that to address these challenges in the formation of competitive advantages, domestic industrial enterprises must continuously monitor market conditions, ensure flexibility, and have the ability to quickly respond to changes. The results of such research could serve as a basis for developing recommendations and strategies for enterprises aiming to enhance their competitiveness. Furthermore, the prospects for further research lie in the development of approaches to innovation management strategies, studying the impact of globalization on the competitive struggle of domestic enterprises, analyzing the relationship between technological changes and competitiveness, and examining market conditions.
FORECASTING CHANGES IN THE FORMATION AND USE OF INTELLIGENT ECONOMIC SYSTEMS TO ENSURE THE DEVELOPMENT OF CONSTRUCTION ENTERPRISES
Authors:   O.M. Beketov National University of Urban Economy in Kharkiv, Goi Vasyl
Published: May 2024

The relevance of the research is proven. The goal of the study was achieved in terms of determining the directions and features of forecasting changes in the directions of formation and use of intelligent economic systems to ensure the development of construction enterprises. The following tasks were solved within the framework of the study: substantiation of the existing theoretical provisions regarding the assessment of the level of formation and use of the intellectual economic system of construction enterprises; determination of trends and models for forecasting changes in the formation and use of intelligent economic systems to ensure the development of construction enterprises; identifying features of forecasting results. As a result of the study, a cause-and-effect relationship was established between the integral factors of the development of construction enterprises and the formation and use of an intellectual economic system. The impact of the development and application of the intelligent economic system to ensure the development of construction enterprises has been reduced. Moreover, there is a decrease in the completeness of the information support of the main economic indicators, slowing down the pace of implementation of geo-information systems and the use of geospatial support, the implementation of social standards, information support and the introduction of security systems. Forecasting of changes in the integral factor of the development of construction enterprises due to the growth of the integral indicator of the formation and use of the intellectual economic system was carried out.This made it possible to identify growth points in the context of the development of scientifically based recommendations for the formation and use of an intelligent economic system of construction enterprises. A scientificmethodical approach to forecasting the influence of the directions of formation and use of the intellectual economic system on the development of construction enterprises is proposed. The development of construction enterprises is determined by a set of directions for the formation and use of production, economic and human potential, aimed at the formation of strategic and tactical advantages to achieve a better position compared to the past state.
CHANNEL-BASED INTERACTION IN MARKETING ACTIVITIES: EVOLUTION AND MAIN APPROACHES
Authors:   Zhytomyr Polytechnic State University, Zhalinska Iryna
Published: May 2024

Significant changes in the environment of interaction between companies and consumers caused by the development of the Internet and digital technologies have led to a significant transformation of the theoretical and methodological foundations of modern marketing and the emergence of channel-based marketing. The main stages of channel-based marketing development, which most researchers consider to be the following: Multichannel, Crosschannel, and Omnichannel Marketing, have been investigated. The main differences in the studies of each stage and the gradual expansion of research issues, the scope of issues covered, and the level of generalization have been considered. Some works also highlight Metamarketing as the next stage in the development of Omnichannel Marketing. The main criteria for distinguishing the stages of development of channel-based marketing have been presented. Most researchers cite the development of the Internet and the expansion of its opportunities in terms of use in the marketing activities of companies, the increase in the number of digital and physical channels, approaches to their integration by companies, changes in consumer behaviour and consumer involvement in the marketing activities of companies, and the need to create a seamless customer experience as the main result of Omnichannel Marketing as the determining factors of channel-based marketing development. Based on the results of research analysis, the article has summarised the main approaches to channel-based interaction in modern marketing research, i.e. a conceptual approach, within which certain parameters or criteria for generalisation are developed; an evolutionary approach, which forms an idea of channel-based interaction through its gradual development and application in the companies’ practice; and a bibliometric approach, which reflects the historical retrospective of channel-based marketing. The results obtained reach the basis for comprehension of current research on channelbased interaction, approaches, and methods for further scientific research in this area.
APPROACHES TO THE FORMATION OF CONSOLIDATED SHIPMENTS IN MULTIMODAL TRANSPORT SYSTEMS
Authors:   National Aviation University, Kuchma Olena
Published: May 2024

The article notes that the volumes of transportation of consolidated cargo by different transport modes in the world are constantly increasing. Some distinctions in the interpretation of the concept of "consolidated cargo" by different transport modes were identified. The interest in consolidated cargoes has increased with the spread of e-commerce services, growing competition, higher requirements of the cargo clientele, and the complexity of supply chains. The analysis of scientific researches allowed to identify the problems of multimodal cargo transportation that were previously studied. At the same time, no effective approaches to the formation of consolidated shipments in multimodal transport systems have been identified. The present study attempts to summarize the existing definitions of the concepts of "groupage cargo" and "consolidated cargo" and to provide a definition of these concepts. In particular, groupage cargo is defined as a combined (consolidated) cargo when several smaller cargo shipments from different shippers that are sent to the same or different consignees are combined into one cargo shipment. The definitions of Less than Container Load and Less than Truck Load have also been specified. Based on a generalization of other studies, the advantages of cargo consolidation for the client, consolidator and carrier in the transportation of consolidated cargo by various transport modes were highlighted. The requirements for cargo units in different modes of transport are schematized and it is noted that air transport has the strictest restrictions. The benefits of consolidation for customers, consolidators, and carriers were characterized, and the environmental effect of cargo consolidation was described. The features of cargo consolidation were identified and it was noted that they can be manifested in the form of both disadvantages and conditions of consolidation. The specifics of ensuring effective servicing and delivery of consolidated cargo were presented, and the complexity of preparation of transport and shipping documentation for consolidated cargo was noted.
GRANTS OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION PROGRAM "ERASMUS FOR YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS"
Authors:   Lviv University of Trade and Economics, Kobelia-Zvir Mariana
Published: May 2024

The article discusses the main grant opportunities of the European Commission’s Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs Program. It has been demonstrated that its support tools are unique for young entrepreneurs who have a desire to develop their own business. Emphasized: as of April 2024, entrepreneurs from 39 countries, including Ukraine, can participate in the program. Emphasis is placed on the fact that the Program helps budding entrepreneurs acquire the necessary skills to launch and successfully develop their business: representatives of SMEs exchange experience and business ideas with experienced entrepreneurs for 1-6 months, for which the Program allocates funding. It is noted that the European Commission partially finances the stay of entrepreneurs in another country. A distinctive feature of the Program has been demonstrated, namely that it is implemented through a network of intermediary organizations in each country, whose task is to implement the Program at the local level, attracting entrepreneurs and helping them to benefit from international exchanges. The advantage of the Program is outlined: a new entrepreneur gets the opportunity to study without breaking away from work in small or medium-sized enterprises of other countries, which will contribute to the effective start of a business or strengthen an existing business; the entrepreneur can also enter new markets, expand international cooperation and find potential partners abroad; the host entrepreneur has the opportunity to get fresh ideas from a motivated newcomer, which can be a beneficial addition to his own competencies. The article states that despite significant prospects for learning from the experience of fellow entrepreneurs, representatives of Ukrainian SMEs do not actively use the opportunities of the Exchange Program. The study demonstrates the performance indicators of Ukrainian entrepreneurs in the Exchange Program since 2020, and demonstrates the main reason why domestic business does not actively use the opportunities of the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs Program. Summarized: provided Ukrainian entrepreneurs are more aware of the benefits of the Program, Ukrainian business can feel its significant impact.
THEORETICAL AND METHODOLOGICAL BASE AS A TOOL FOR ESTABLISHING THE LEVEL OF FINANCIAL STABILITY
Authors:   National Transport University, Parfentieva Olena
Published: May 2024

Assessment of the level of economic development of companies is based on the application of various methodological approaches. Considering the importance for economic development, including in the context of the formation of stable socio-economic systems, processes of financing economic activity and investing in long-term assets, methodological approaches in the system of eco-social management should primarily be based on the comparison of sources of formation of financial resources with assets, analysis property components and capital structure, taking into account financial results, ensuring financial resilience. The presence of financial resilience is one of the main factors of financial well-being. The most common motivation for companies to maintain financial resilience is the desire to mitigate the adverse effects of environmental unpredictability and existing financial constraints. The financial consequences of disruptions, crises, shocks, upheavals, the tension of which is felt throughout the economy, are manifested in the fact that companies reduce their activity and suffer significant and long-term losses, having significant difficulties in restoring financial stability. Although researchers argue that the availability of financial resources contributes to increasing financial resilience, it is difficult to solve the problem in practice. Economic history shows that more companies fail to get out of a recession once they get into one. It should be emphasized that the reliability of the toolkit and the validity of the obtained data must be checked in practice to make sure that the methodological approach adequately covers all the main characteristics of financial stability, and allows obtaining reliable results that can be used for an adequate assessment of financial (in) stability in order to ensure resilience organizations. From the standpoint of financial stability, companies, focusing on the needs of long-term inclusive economic growth, should evaluate the optimal ratio of financing sources and establish at what level the marginal benefits from external financing will equal the marginal costs and ensure the effective use of own and general invested capital.
ДІАГНОСТИКА ПРОБЛЕМ СОЦІАЛЬНОГО РОЗВИТКУ УКРАЇНИ ЗА МІЖНАРОДНИМИ ЕКСПЕРТНИМИ ОЦІНКАМИ
Authors: Лойко Валерія , Руденко Валентина
Published: May 2024

Стаття присвячена діагностиці проблем соціального розвитку України за міжнародними експертними оцінками за період 2018-2022 рр. Проаналізована динаміка рейтингових оцінок соціального розвитку України за наступними індексами: Індексом соціального прогресу (The Social Progress Index), Індексом розвитку людського потенціалу (The Human Development Index), Індексом за рейтингом щастя (World Happiness), Індексом якості життя (Quality of Life Index), Індексом щасливої планети (Happy Planet Index). Наведені результати діагностики позитивних та негативних змін соціального розвитку України за оцінками міжнародних експертів через індекси соціального розвитку країн за період 2018-2022 рр. До негативних змін у соціальному розвитку України за період 2018-2022 рр. віднесені визначені проблеми, які пов’язані із невисоким рівнем благополуччя, нижчою, ніж в європейських країнах, рівнем тривалості життя і вищим рівнем нерівності. Також до проблем соціального розвитку України віднесені: зростання Індексу вартості життя в Україні на 18% за період 2018-2022 рр., зниження кількісного значення індексу розвитку людського потенціалу за досліджуваний період часу на 6,26%, зниження відчуття щастя у людей у 2020-2021 рр. внаслідок виникнення та поширення пандемії на Covid-19 та у 2022 р. внаслідок воєнних дій в Україні, зниження прогнозованої тривалості життя на 1 рік; зниження рівня благополуччя на 3,2%. Зроблено загальний висновок на основі підсумку всіх міжнародні експертних оцінок соціального розвитку України про те, що Україна втримала або незначно знизила свої рейтингові позиції по більшості Індексів соціального розвитку, що, враховуючи воєнний стан в Україні, є позитивною оцінкою міжнародної спільноти.
Evaluación del arbolado urbano y sus servicios ambientales en el Área Metropolitana de Guadalajara (AMG)
Authors:   Unesbio (Unión de Especialistas en Biodiversidad,Conservación  y  Sustentabilidad,  A.  C.), Gómez-Vega Edgar Ramón , Hernández-Tovar Mario Alberto ,   Universidad de Guadalajara, Santiago-Pérez Ana Luisa , Rodríguez-Ramírez Cynthia Guadalupe ,   Clúster  Forestal  de  Jalisco,  A.  C.  Guadalajara,México., Brambila-Santiesteban Alberto , Cruz-Paz Paola Nayeli , López-Camacho Karen Paola
Published: May 2024

The urban trees of a linear green area in the Guadalajara metropolitan area werecharacterized through their floristics, structure, urban importance value and plant health. Alltrees with DN ≥ 1 cm were evaluated, and their dasometric parameters were calculated basedon their contribution to environmental services using the i-Tree Ecov.6 program. In total 41species, 33 genera and 20 families were recorded; 43.90% were exotic. The 897 treesmeasured accumulated a basal area (g) = 16,756 m² and, a canopy cover (k)= 5,970.39 m²;the most abundant species were Syagrus romanzoffina, Platanus mexicana and Pinusgreggii. The urban importance value index (IVIU) positioned S. romanzoffiana, Jacarandamimosifolia and P. mexicana with the highest ecological value. The biodiversity was H’ =2.839 and λ= 0.088, considered high, and the effective species through the Hill numbersindicated q1 = 17 abundant species and q2 = 11 dominant species. 74.81% of the trees werehealthy, and a mortality of 2.34% was determined. The most frequent effects on trees weremechanical damage, nutritional deficiency, and defoliators. The environmental servicesprovided were the elimination of 41,607 kg/year of pollutants, the storage of 23,406 tons ofcarbon, the annual sequestration of 3,402 tons of carbon, the production of 9.07 tons/year ofoxygen, among others. This information serves as basis for decision-making on treemanagement and is useful as a reference to ensure and increase the environmental servicesthat it currently offers.
Enhancing tissue wet pressing performance and dry end material efficiency for cost savings
Authors: PITKÄNEN TATU
Published: May 2024

The steadily growing global tissue paper demand lays a foundation for new technologies targeting tissue production optimization, as well as improved material and time efficiency. Tissue making is an especially energy-intensive field of paper industry, creating unique demands for performance in wet pressing and drying processes to cut energy usage. Intelligent roll solutions offer new tools for tissue making to achieve these goals. These tools aim at improving press nip, moisture, and tension profiles; reeling nip and parent roll hardness profiles; rewinder runnability; and end product web handling characteristics in converting.
Intelligent rolls can be utilized in all the main processes and positions on tissue production lines. With these tools, production cost reductions and energy savings can be obtained by optimizing the press nip-to-Yankee cylinder contact, avoiding moisture profile errors requiring overdrying with the Yankee hood and reducing reeling/winding broke under low nip load conditions typical to tissue windups.
The intelligent roll system consists of a helically mounted force or temperature sensors, roll covers, measurement electronics, digital radio transmission, and a receiver system connected to a user interface or the mill automation system. What distinguishes these implementations is that no layout changes or added external measurement devices are required, helping to fit into compact tissue machine environments, regardless of the equipment type – traditional, hybrid, or through-air drying (TAD) concept. In tissue processing equipment, the optimal positions for these rolls are press nip rollers, reeling cylinders, rewinder or converting line paper lead rolls, or rewinder winding drums. In addition to these, temperature profile measurements are utilized, with the main application being the sheet temperature profile detection after Yankee drying for moisture profile and drying process optimization.
Z-directional testing of paperboard in combined tensile and compression loading
Authors: HAGMAN ANTON , RYDEFALK CECILIA
Published: May 2024

The out-of-plane properties of paperboard are important in several converting applications such as printing, sealing, creasing, and calendering. A juxtaposed tensile and compression curve in the z direction (ZD) will, however, appear to have a kink or discontinuity at 0 stress. The purpose of the present work is to capture the continuous transition between tension and compression and to increase the understanding of the complex ZD properties of paperboard by cyclic testing. In this attempt to unify the ZD tensile and compressive behavior of paperboard, samples were laminated to the testing platens using heat seal laminate film. The method for adhering the samples was compared to samples that were laminated and glued to the testing platens. The edge effects of the cutting method were evaluated in compression testing with samples not attached to the testing platens. The flat slope seen in the initial part of the pure compression curve disappeared when the samples were laminated to the testing platens. The flat slope was instead replaced by a continuous response in the transition across 0 N. The stiffness in the transition region resembled the response in tensile testing. When the testing is cycled, the material exhibits a history dependence. Starting the cycle in either compression or tensile will show an effect on the stiffness at the transition, as well as the compressive stiffness. However, the ultimate tensile strength is unaffected.
Utilization of Areca leaf residues for sustainable production of greyboard
Authors: JAISWAL KISHAN K. , ALAM IZHAR , SHARMA CHHAYA
Published: May 2024

This study primarily focused on the production of greyboard using waste materials from small scale industries, and specifically using Areca leaf waste fibers as a sustainable and environmentally friendly resource. Areca leaf waste fibers were employed as the primary raw material for greyboard manufacturing. The resulting greyboard exhibited commendable properties, including a tear index of 7.53 mN·m2/g, tensile index of 18.34·N·m/g (i.e., breaking length of 1870 m), burst factor of 9.24 (gf/cm2)/(g/m2) and stiffness factor of 33.1. This greyboard was created through a series of steps, including hydrothermal treatment of the material at 155°C and mechanical pulping refinement. The produced greyboard met the specifications outlined in the Indian Standard 2617 (1967) for greyboard. The key objective of this work was to leverage agricultural waste resources to develop a chemical-free greyboard, resulting in reduced waste disposal in open fields and a decrease in chemical usage within the greyboard manufacturing industry. Various characterization techniques, including field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), attenuated total reflection•Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) analysis, and X-ray diffraction (XRD), were used to assess the fiber quality, including aspects such as functional groups, morphology, and crystallinity for the materials used in the manufacturing process.
The Effect of Feedback Styles on Students’ Willingness to Communicate in English
Authors: Warrick Andrew
Published: May 2024

This study looks at the effect of instructor directed feedback and peer directed feedback in a university-level English discussion class on students’ willingness to communicate in English. Willingness to communicate (WTC) in another language reflects the extent a person will readily use a second language in a variety of contexts and can be influenced by both individual character traits, the social situation, and perceptions of one’s own second language ability. Both instructor lead feedback and peer lead feedback can improve students’ WTC in a foreign language, and to determine which mode of feedback is best suited to this purpose, an experiment was conducted using groups of first-year English Discussion classes. During regular class periods, either instructor lead feedback sessions or peer lead feedback sessions were conducted across two distinct sets of classes. To evaluate the effectiveness of these feedback styles in improving students’ WTC in English, the results of WTC pre-test and post-test surveys were compared across both sets of classes. Results showed that there was no significant improvement in WTC for the group that received instructor lead feedback, while the improvement in WTC for the student lead feedback group was statistically significant. These results suggest that student directed feedback is superior with regards to increasing learners’ WTC in English.
The Impact of Job Growth and Inflation on Presidential Elections
Authors: Doti James , Campbell Tom
Published: May 2024

This study seeks to identify the economic forces and structural variables that influence the share of the popular vote received by incumbent political parties for the 17 elections over the 1956-2020 period. The regression findings show that percentage changes over differing time periods prior to the election in employment and the CPI are highly significant in explaining the share of the popular vote received by presidential candidates. The share of the popular vote received by third parties did not significantly affect the outcome of any of the presidential elections in our sample. The optimal look-back period was explored to measure the cumulative impact of the percentage change on employment and the CPI. The findings suggest that voters have a longer recall for job versus price changes. Finally, simulations are presented to forecast the share of the popular vote for the presidential candidate of the incumbent party in the 2024 election.
Nature-based credit markets at a crossroads
Authors: Swinfield Tom , Shrikanth Siddarth , Bull Joseph , Madhavapeddy Anil , zu Ermgassen Sophus
Published: May 2024

A swathe of recent impact evaluations demonstrating disappointing results suggest nature-based credits (derived from carbon or biodiversity offsets) are at a crossroads. Either nature-based credit markets are fundamentally reformed to adopt the latest scientific understanding on additionality, leakage and permanence, rebuilding investor confidence and allowing them to upscale, or they will continue to demonstrate non-additionality, lose investor confidence and constrain one of our most promising tools for drawing private investment into conservation. Scientific credibility can be established by releasing nature-based credits ex-post after proven demonstrably additional relative to a statistically-derived counterfactual. Credit markets must also be reformed to make them robust to, rather than resistant to, scientific improvements in credit estimation methods by conservatively estimating benefits whenever there is uncertainty. These principles imply a greater degree of regulation to ensure fundamental demand for these high-integrity, higher-priced mitigation outcomes. We argue these principles are necessary to support credit markets associated with sufficient market confidence to attract investment and deliver the environmental benefit embedded in the ambitions of the Kunming-Montreal and Paris agreements.
(Yet another) way to prove the Pythagoras’ theorem
Authors: Kumar K S Ajay
Published: May 2024

This article attempts a new way of proving the Pythagoras’ theorem. For centuries, people have used diverse tools such as combinatorics, calculus, geometry, algebra and trigonometry to come up with hundreds of different ways to prove the theorem. The contributors who have shown these new ways have been equally varied and diverse - ancient mathematicians, modern academic and recreational mathematicians (including Miss E A Coolidge, a blind girl), philosophers, high-school students, a former chief economist of the World Bank, and even a former president of the United States. Here, I use some geometry, trigonometry and algebra to prove the theorem. The reason why I even tried looking for one more way to prove it is probably best paraphrased by the character Lisa Simpson (from The Simpsons) - I guess the hunt was more fun than the catch.
Extracellular components in enteroaggregative Escherichia coli biofilm and impact of treatment with proteinase K, DNase or sodium metaperiodate
Authors: Van Nederveen Viktoria , Melton-Celsa Angela
Published: May 2024

Enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC) is a major cause of diarrhea worldwide. EAEC are highly adherent to cultured epithelial cells and make biofilms. Both adherence and biofilm formation rely on the presence of aggregative adherence fimbriae (AAF). We compared biofilm formation from two EAEC strains of each of the five AAF types. We found that AAF type did not correlate with the level of biofilm produced. Because the composition of the EAEC biofilm has not been fully described, we stained EAEC biofilms to determine if they contained protein, carbohydrate glycoproteins, and/or eDNA and found that EAEC biofilms contained all three extracellular components. Next, we assessed the changes to the growing or mature EAEC biofilm mediated by treatment with proteinase K, DNase, or a carbohydrate cleavage agent to target the different components of the matrix. Growing biofilms treated with proteinase K had decreased biofilm staining for more than half of the strains tested. In contrast, although sodium metaperiodate only altered the biofilm in a quantitative way for two strains, images of biofilms treated with sodium metaperiodate showed that the EAEC were more spread out. Overall, we found variability in the response of the EAEC strains to the treatments, with no one treatment producing a biofilm change for all strains. Finally, once formed, mature EAEC biofilms were more resistant to treatment than biofilms grown in the presence of those same treatments.
Generating universal anti-CD19 CAR T cells with a defined memory phenotype by CRISPR/Cas9 editing and safety evaluation of the transcriptome
Authors: Pavlovic Kristina , Carmona-Luque MDolores , Corsi Giulia I. , Maldonado-Pérez Noelia , Molina-Estevez Francisco J. , Peralbo-Santaella Esther , Cortijo-Gutiérrez Marina , Justicia-Lirio Pedro , Tristán-Manzano María , Ronco-Díaz Víctor , Ballesteros-Ribelles Antonio , Millán-López Alejandro , Heredia-Velázquez Paula , Fuster-García Carla , Cathomen Toni , Seemann Stefan E. , Gorodkin Jan , Martin Francisco , Herrera Concha , Benabdellah Karim
Published: May 2024

Introduction

Chimeric antigen receptor-expressing T cells (CAR T cells) have revolutionized cancer treatment, particularly in B cell malignancies. However, the use of autologous T cells for CAR T therapy presents several limitations, including high costs, variable efficacy, and adverse effects linked to cell phenotype.

Methods

To overcome these challenges, we developed a strategy to generate universal and safe anti-CD19 CAR T cells with a defined memory phenotype. Our approach utilizes CRISPR/Cas9 technology to target and eliminate the B2M and TRAC genes, reducing graft-versus-host and host-versus-graft responses. Additionally, we selected less differentiated T cells to improve the stability and persistence of the universal CAR T cells. The safety of this method was assessed using our CRISPRroots transcriptome analysis pipeline, which ensures successful gene knockout and the absence of unintended off-target effects on gene expression or transcriptome sequence.

Results

In vitro experiments demonstrated the successful generation of functional universal CAR T cells. These cells exhibited potent lytic activity against tumor cells and a reduced cytokine secretion profile. The CRISPRroots analysis confirmed effective gene knockout and no unintended off-target effects, validating it as a pioneering tool for on/off-target and transcriptome analysis in genome editing experiments.

Discussion

Our findings establish a robust pipeline for manufacturing safe, universal CAR T cells with a favorable memory phenotype. This approach has the potential to address the current limitations of autologous CAR T cell therapy, offering a more stable and persistent treatment option with reduced adverse effects. The use of CRISPRroots enhances the reliability and safety of gene editing in the development of CAR T cell therapies.

Conclusion

We have developed a potent and reliable method for producing universal CAR T cells with a defined memory phenotype, demonstrating both efficacy and safety in vitro. This innovative approach could significantly improve the therapeutic landscape for patients with B cell malignancies.
Type-2 immunity associated with type-1 related skin inflammatory diseases: friend or foe?
Authors: Migayron Laure , Bordes Sylvie , Closs Brigitte , Seneschal Julien , Boniface Katia
Published: May 2024

Chronic inflammatory skin diseases are multifactorial diseases that combine genetic predisposition, environmental triggers, and metabolic disturbances associated with abnormal immune responses. From an immunological perspective, the better understanding of their physiopathology has demonstrated a large complex network of immune cell subsets and related cytokines that interact with both epidermal and dermal cells. For example, in type-1-associated diseases such as alopecia areata, vitiligo, and localized scleroderma, recent evidence suggests the presence of a type-2 inflammation that is well known in atopic dermatitis. Whether this type-2 immune response has a protective or detrimental impact on the development and chronicity of these diseases remains to be fully elucidated, highlighting the need to better understand its involvement for the management of patients. This mini-review explores recent insights regarding the potential role of type-2-related immunity in alopecia areata, vitiligo, and localized scleroderma.