bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Velvet or Roses – Towards a Democratic Armenia?
Authors: Schuster Nikolas
Published: July 2024

This essay takes a first look at Armenia’s 2018 ‘velvet revolution’ by analysing its political system since independence and comparing it to the circumstances of the 2003 Georgian Rose Revolution. By considering parameters such as protection of civil liberties and freedom of elections, it characterises the regimes in Armenia since 1991 as competitive authoritarian according to Levitsky and Way’s definition. Low levels of influence from the West and prevailing informal structures made caused this state of affairs to persist. A first look at the events of 2018 reveals that Nikol Pashinyan, the new prime minister, acts more democratically than his predecessors. However, having established that the Rose Revolution happened under similar circumstances with similar goals, its failure to directly advance democratisation shows that systemic reasons for authoritarian structures are prone to persist even if the political leadership has democratising ambitions.
After the Dust Settles
Authors: Bouchard Catherine
Published: July 2024

This paper critically reflects on the divergent roles universities can take in the professional development of accountants in countries facing enduring post-colonial influences across the globe. Professional bodies have been cornerstones of colonial empires and reinforced historic power imbalances within colonies; following the collapse of these empires, remnants of post-colonialism still shape professional bodies. As a component of professional education, universities are capable of mobilisation or marginalisation in the face of ideological conflict. They can both support localisation efforts to aid in restorative economic development, or become discredited by legacy qualifications protecting the historic social status of a minority of elite accountants.
A Failed Upheaval?
Authors: Henderson Duncan
Published: July 2024

Opposition to the adversarial politics of the Westerminster Parliament was closely interwoven with the campaign for Scottish devolution. Upon its foundation, the initial proponents of Scottish devolution intended for the new Scottish Parliament to embrace a more consensual ‘new politics’. Evaluating the success of these aspirations through the framework of the Consultative Steering Group’s principles of power-sharing, accountability, access and participation, and equal opportunities, this essay argues that the Scottish Parliament has not delivered the ‘new politics’ expected upon its foundation.
Darkened Cinema of Elvira Notari
Authors: Callegaro Bianca
Published: July 2024

In recent years, a process of historical revision (by way of re-evaluating archival materials) has uncovered the stories of silent cinema’s women pioneers, whose legacies and contributions had previously gone uncredited. Amongst these figures is Elvira Notari, Italy’s first woman director and production company founder. Her taking on of different roles led to a rich production catalogue of which only a few traces remain. In examining the features and contexts of Notari’s cinema, and the causes for its subsequent neglect, this paper argues for her central importance in Italian cinema as a director and considers how her omission from the archives can be addressed.
Colours, not visions
Authors: Barcan Sophie
Published: July 2024

The New Psychedelic Movement is not a “psychedelic Renaissance”. It is the re-emergence of a Renaissance that began in the 1930s, with Richard Evans Schultes’ ethnobotanical research, and culminated into a counterculture youth movement in the 1960s. While research around these substances is little more than a century old, the practices of using them, as performed by Indigenous peoples, date to prehistoric times. These ancient practices stem from cultural contexts often disregarded by current research and contemporary practices. This brings to light a serious concern: that the focus of psychedelic inquiry is shifting toward commodification of the substances and the practices associated with them. In so doing, we are losing the authenticity of meaningful psychedelic use by transforming psychedelics and psychedelic practices into commodified pharmacological solutions to our current problems.
This essay, then, will attempt to address this issue. We will first contextualise the discussion by outlining a brief history of psychedelics. We will describe the current state of the psychedelic resurgence and compare it to the resurgence that occurred in the 1950s-60s. This will allow us to examine the loss of authenticity of psychedelic practices and show why this is an important contemporary issue. Finally, we will discuss possible solutions that may help preserve authenticity in the current movement.
“You paid 200,000 francs for this shit?”
Authors: Murdoch James
Published: July 2024

This article considers the application of Lacanian psycho-semiotics to Yasmina Reza’s, Art, as a means of understanding the influence that aesthetic judgements wield as markers of social class: the defining actor in the balance of the play’s interpersonal relationships. In viewing the focus of their dispute, a recently acquired artwork, as a metaphor for the unconscious (as defined under the Lacanian psychological model), it becomes apparent the play’s structure strongly reflects that of Lacan’s analysis of Edgar Alan Poe’s The Purloined Letter. This understanding grounds a potentially lofty discussion of ‘high’ art as one that carries real-world, non-literary ramifications, contextualising the differing socio-economic power held by each of the characters and exposing the internal pressures that that imbalance exerts.
Glasgow in the Year of Revolutions
Authors: Bell Euan
Published: July 2024

In 1848, a series of revolutions and demonstrations occurred across Europe, though Britain was comparatively unaffected aside from generally peaceful Chartist agitation and a handful of small riots. One of these riots occurred in Glasgow between 6th-8th March, following increasing unrest surrounding the scale of poverty and unemployment, involving thousands of Glaswegians and inspiring further unrest in towns across Scotland. Using a variety of sources, though principally local and national newspapers, this paper will assess the context preceding the riot, provide a microhistory of the riot itself, its consequences, and explore the significance of the riots within the history of Glasgow, and within the context of Scottish and British Radicalism. It will argue that the riots demonstrate both the scale and circumstances of poverty within Glasgow in the 1840s, and the social divisions existing within Glasgow’s Chartist movement.
Investigating the Influence of Commedia Dell’Arte on Punch and Judy Shows and the Development of its Educational Aspect
Authors: Savi Anna Chiara
Published: July 2024

Punch and Judy is a British puppet show known for its comic use of violence, but is this the only factor that contributed to this show’s durability? Looking at its socio-historical context, its influence from commedia dell’arte, and drawing on multiple theories, this paper explores Punch and Judy’s development from a form of pure entertainment to educational entertainment. However, it also argues that while it contributed to the entertainment and educational landscapes of its period, its educational value is condemned in light of contemporary moral standards.
Responses of Centralised and Decentralised Countries to COVID-19
Authors: Wang Xinyue
Published: July 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly impacted global public health systems and economic frameworks. Many researchers have delved into these effects and widely discussed the ramifications. Building upon existing literature, this paper comparatively analyses the strategies adopted by France and Sweden in responding to the COVID-19 outbreak, emphasising the effectiveness and implications of the approaches undertaken by countries with centralised versus decentralised political systems to overcome COVID-19. Through comprehensive review of literature, news reports, and other sources, this study reveals psychological resistance and disdain towards COVID-19 vaccination among the populace under France’s centralised government system, alongside significant issues of “Tyranny of Experts” within Sweden’s decentralised governance framework.
WWSD: What Would Socrates Do?
Authors: Corbett Maitiu
Published: July 2024

“This is for your own good” is often the aphorism of governments and social institutions in their claims upon our freedoms. Our obedience is framed as collective self-preservation, but can it ever be so simple? Yet philosophical debate often seems to overcomplicate the issue. This article argues that the responsible protection of our rights arises, instead, with a constant reappraisal of citizenship. Freedom and obedience are ultimately two sides of an abacus with objective counters with subjective values; each individual’s calculations must be represented for there to be an accurate model of obligation.
demise of state legitimacy
Authors: Boyd Christopher M. J.
Published: July 2024

The legitimacy of the state has traditionally been a core element in how we understand the relationship between individuals and institutions in modernity. Its demise is therefore an important subject of analysis. The concept of globalisation has provided an important theoretical framework which explains many of the profound challenges to the legitimacy, and even existence, of the state. However, this framework risks perpetuating modernity’s tendency towards oversimplification by focusing too much on the state in particular and geopolitics in general, over other sites and processes of governance. The complexities of the problems must be reflected in theories proposing to answer them.
‘The age of chivalry is gone.’
Authors: Von Ferscht-Fountain M. J.
Published: July 2024

During the latter half of the eighteenth century Britain was in her ‘Golden Age’ of empire. From the defeat of the French in the Seven Years War (1756-1763) until the British loss of the Revolutionary War (1775-1783), she claimed herself as the ‘premiere’ kingdom of the world. But during this period, a growing unease prevailed amongst her people. This was social, with an increasing middle-class born of capitalism, economic through her trade and dominance of the seas, and political through the rise of anti-imperialism against the prevailing absolutist monarchy.
In this essay I wish to examine how the sense of crisis in the aristocracy manifested itself in public depictions, namely the military portraits of Sir Joshua Reynolds, and to analyse through the social history of art the pictorial rhetoric that the artist employed for these paintings. I hope to be able to show that the determinations of these aristocratic patrons in asserting ‘heroism’ and ‘civic virtue’ through their portrayals unconsciously exposed their self-conscious condition. Their endeavours in creating a modern, patrician appeal reflected the fractured social and political circumstances of the period into which they desperately attempted to adjust, and maintain power.
evolution burial practice among the Ertebølle
Authors: Acheson Coralie
Published: July 2024

Archaeology has traditionally failed to identify the ability of individuals in the past to make conscious decisions and act creatively. Individuals with the power to act are referred to as agents, with the ability and creativity to make decisions and act independently. They are however constantly influenced by structural norms: deeply ingrained ideas about how to live their lives properly. This tension can be observed archaeologically in the cemeteries of the Ertebølle of Denmark. While there are clear norms in the burial practice, such as the style of inhumation and the type of grave goods, there are also variations. One grave has the body of a young woman and a baby boy, the child laid on the wing of a swan; another burial has full male grave goods, but the body of a dog. It is suggested here that these variations are evidence of individuals reacting to unusual situations and personalities. When people act in ways which do not fit into the usual structure there is the potential for both the structure and, as a result society, to change.
Rural African Women
Authors: Currie Hannah
Published: July 2024

The history of rural African women has been beset by problems. Traditional academic disciplines, in aspiring to a standard of objectivity and validity, have tended towards broad generalisations which obliterate the experiences of marginalised groups. Scholarly obsession with documentary evidence has inadvertently silenced voices in the non-literate world. Meanwhile the socially ingrained proverbs and folktales of Africa contain flawed representations of women. This situation has given rise to warped perceptions which not only conceal the truth but contribute to the subjugation of women. Oral history offers a remedy: by speaking directly to rural African women about their lives, we can give them a voice, gain insights into their pasts, debunk the myths and fill in the gaps in their history, with a view to changing perceptions in both Africa and the western world.
Altered States
Authors: Norman David Winfield
Published: July 2024

This retrospective of the art of Kristján Guðmundsson will address how by refining the elements of painting and drawing, while simultaneously engaging the viewer in new and more thorough ways, the artists broadens the capacity to interact with art by confusing the viewer’s own immediate perception. Through unconventional, visual ways of measuring time and altering audio perception, the realm of the art becomes ours as well. By requiring us as viewers to relinquish our senses to fully participate in the work, it broadens one’s perception of art to the essential level of how one perceives the world.
‘The price we had to pay’
Authors: Murtagh Dan
Published: July 2024

Memory is never a static snapshot of a past reality, but an organic process of recall; as much contingent on the demands of the present as the prism of each narrator’s perception of the past. A veteran’s perception of the Malayan Emergency sees acceptance of British involvement in Malaysia’s affairs as ‘what we had to do to give them freedom, otherwise they’d be wearing jackboots now’. The testimony a narrator produces is a window into their process of recall; what is remembered, what is forgotten and what is left unsaid: ‘People, whether young or old, remember what is important to them’. Ultimately, memory is a fallible tool subject to mutations over time; the weight of collective and cultural memories limit individual recollection. Personal narrative is a product of subjectivity.
George Eliot, the proto-Poststructuralist
Authors: Slater Peter
Published: July 2024

In this article I argue that there is an essential, but contradictory, duplicity in George Eliot’s realism. Her work is suffused with; on the one hand, the need to represent life as it really is in order to cultivate morality and sympathy in her readership, and, on the other, the impossibility of ever representing reality with language. I explain how George Eliot uses her position at the extremes of this duplicity – between realistic necessity and realistic impossibility – and how she puts it to good use, to such an extent that it informs the narratives and determine the questions they seeks to explore. Basing my argument on, arguably, her three greatest works, I show that the duplicity is only embryonic in Adam Bede (1859), adolescent in Felix Holt (1866) and reaches maturity in Middlemarch (1871-72).
Cultural tourism and the portrayal of the Maya in the Yucatán peninsula
Authors: Carroll-Brentnall Ailish
Published: July 2024

This article explores the relationship of the tourist industry in Yucatán, Mexico, to Maya culture and how certain elements are used to further the marketing of the tourist industry. It is argued that this is done primarily for reasons of economic growth, not cultural conservation of the indigenous culture. Through its analysis, this article outlines how the current model of cultural tourism relies heavily on Maya culture but does not benefit the indigenous Maya, and in fact reinforces the marginalisation of the indigenous Maya in Mexican society.
Theory of Origin
Authors: Gallagher Rachelle
Published: July 2024

This article reviews the traditional auteur theory within film and television studies, looking at how notions of the author and authorship are constructed. It moves through an overview of traditional auteur theory, highlighting its successes and failures as an academic theory. In reviewing the theory this article presents an alternative and hopefully more productive way in which to analyse and decipher notions of authorship. The new theory is tested by application to three distinct case studies involving the film director Tim Burton, singer Lady Gaga and the video-on-demand service provider Netflix.
“This Land Doesn’t Die […] It Lives on Like This. Like a Fairy-Tale”
Authors: Daleziou Madalena
Published: July 2024

Elias Venezis’s 1943 historical novel Aeolian Earth (Αιολική Γη) represents Kimintenia, an area in Ayvalik, Asia Minor, as it was before the forcible expulsion of its Greek populations in the early twentieth century through literary devices that stretch reality. While not a fantasy work as such, Aeolian Earth features numerous stories by and about characters that span the speculative spectrum, including folktales, a creation myth, and retold fairy-tales. As Alison Cadbury observes, many of these stories fall under “magic realist animist cosmology” (28). They are also associated with exile, foreshadowing the Greek populations’ forcible relocation and allowing for the fantastic to be retrospectively interpreted as an attempt to recover the lost homeland (27). Throughout the narrative, Greece is both lovingly mythologised by locals and exoticized as a mythical land by non-Greek characters: these two fantasy discourses within the novel act as a counterpoint to one another, exploring how fantasy is used by Anglocentric and non-Anglocentric perspectives when applied to a country and culture that lies outside the Anglosphere. Using concepts from J. R. R. Tolkien’s essay On Fairy-Stories, this paper studies manifestations of the fantastic in Aeolian Earth, considering the national identities and geopolitical conditions that created them. When analysing the novel’s metatextual fantastic tales as fairy stories, trends begin to emerge regarding the extent to which these Greek tales function as Recovery, Escape, or Consolation—and for whom. While Tolkien’s essay helps illuminate the ways in which the fantastic allows Greek characters in the novel to recover the lost homeland or cope with the harsh realities associated with life in the titular Aeolian Earth, Escape is not depicted as desirable for those who will eventually be exiled from their native home. Rather, Escape in fairy stories is mostly associated with non-Greek characters who consume, appropriate, or produce speculative metatexts about Greece, often ignoring the country’s geopolitical nuances.
ANALISIS PEMBIAYAAN KREDIT USAHA RAKYAT (KUR) PADA UMKM KOTA JAMBI
Authors: Kurnia Rajab , Habriyanto Habriyanto , Alawiyah Rabiyatul
Published: July 2024

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pembiayaan KUR, kendala-kendala dalam pembiayaan dan mengatasi permasalahan dalam kegiatan pembiayaan KUR di BSI KCP Dr. Sutomo Kota Jambi. Oleh karena itu, rumusan masalah dalam penelitian ini adalah bagaimana pembiayaan KUR pada Bank BSI KCP Dr. Sutomo Kota Jambi,  Kedua, apa saja kendala pembiayaan KUR di Bank BSI KCP Dr. Sutomo Kota Jambi dan ketiga bagaimana mengatasi permasalahan pada kegiatan pembiayaan KUR di BSI KCP Dr. Sutomo Kota Jambi. Penelitian ini menggunakan metodologi kualitatif. Dari hasil penelitian diperoleh informasi bahwa pemasaran KUR dalam pengembangan pembiayaan KUR di Bank Syariah Indonesia (BSI) KCP Dr. Sutomo Kota Jambi, untuk menghadirkan KUR perlu menghadirkan produk pasar kepada masyarakat, maka calon KUR nasabah yang mengajukan pembiayaan harus melengkapi persyaratannya, dan bank akan memutuskan apakah permohonan pembiayaan tersebut layak diberikan atau tidak kepada UMKM (nasabah KUR). Dalam proses pelaksanaan program KUR terdapat 2 penyebab kredit bermasalah yaitu: faktor internal dan eksternal. Mengatasi permasalahan dalam kegiatan pembiayaan KUR di BSI KCP Dr. Sutomo Kota Jambi, pihak bank memberikan SP1-SP3 kepada nasabah. Apabila masih belum ada penyelesaian dari nasabah, bank akan melelang jaminan nasabah. Tindakan lain yang dilakukan bank adalah 3R yaitu Rescheduling, Reconditioning dan Restructuring.
PENGARUH EKUITAS MEREK PRODUK SUSU BEAR BRAND TERHADAP PERILAKU PEMBELIAN KEMBALI PASCA PANDEMI COVID 19
Authors: Dwitama Ikhtiar Kurnia , Handaruwati Indah
Published: July 2024

The Covid-19 pandemic has caused panic buying of certain products such as hand sanitizers, masks, vitamins and bear brand dairy products. This change in behavior resulted in the product being scarce and experiencing an increase in price. This study aims to provide empirical evidence of the brand equity dimension, namely awareness, association, perception of quality and brand loyalty partially and simultaneously on Buyback Behavior. The research method used is quantitative. The population in this study is consumers of bear brand milk, with a sample of 105 people. The determination of the sample was carried out by the purposive sampling method with the characteristics of consumers who had consumed dairy products during the pandemic and were still consuming until after the pandemic. Data processing using SPSS. The results of this study are known to have an influence between brand equity and repurchase decisions. Consumer loyalty in making repeat purchases is due to consumer awareness of health by consuming milk.
Acute kidney injury of mild to moderate severity in patients with COVID-19
Authors: Golovina E. N. , Vatasin A. V.
Published: July 2024

THE AIM: to study the incidence of mild to moderate acute kidney injury in patients with COVID-19.

PATIENTS AND METHODS. The data of the case histories of 200 patients hospitalized in the infectious diseases department of the Naro-Fominsk Regional Hospital of the Moscow region for COVID-19 were analyzed, mainly with mild to moderate severity of lung damage according to computed tomography, which do not require respiratory support and renal replacement therapy.

RESULTS. Despite the fact that the analyzed group of patients did not have the most severe course of COVID-19, the first stage of acute kidney injury was detected in 22.5% of patients, which was manifested by a temporary decrease in hourly diuresis, increased creatinine, urea, proteinuria and erythrocyturia.

CONCLUSION. The development of acute kidney injury was most often associated with older age, coronary heart disease, arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus and obesity.
Role of urinary tract microbiota and urine proteome in urolithiasis pathogenesis
Authors: Verlov N. A. , Burdakov V. S. , Ivanova L. A. , Kulakov I. A. , Bogdanov A. A. , Emanuel V. L.
Published: July 2024

The pathogenetic approach to the metaphylaxis of urolithiasis is universally a socially significant health problem due to the increase in morbidity and, especially, its recurrent course, despite the achievements of pharmacotherapy and the use of lithotripsy. Pathological crystallogenesis is considered as a consequence of exceeding the solubility threshold of a number of mineral components of urine, on the one hand, and as a consequence of posttranslational defects of the main proteome of urination - uromodulin (UMOD), demonstrating in healthy people a sanogenetic system for ensuring the stability of biophysical homeostasis: colloidal properties of urine. However, in addition, UMOD, by binding mannose-dependent pills of infectious agents, blocks the contact of bacteria with urotheliocytes, despite the fact that infection of the urinary tract is a known factor of urolithiasis. By modeling the urine of healthy individuals by coincubation with E. coli bacteria, a decrease in the concentration of polymerized uromodulin in urine was demonstrated as a factor in increasing the risk of formation of calcium oxalate crystals
Influence of Internet and its Connectivity in Workplace - A Comprehensive Analysis
Authors: Buhari Abudhahir , A. Antony Athithan
Published: July 2024

This study examines the impact of internet connectivity on workplace productivity, using a sample of 500 employees from different industries. By integrating quantitative and qualitative research methods, the study evaluates how internet speed and consistency affect task completion rates, project turnaround times, and overall employee output. Findings expose a significant positive connection between high-quality internet connectivity and increased productivity, with notable industry-specific variations. Employees with robust internet access report improved efficiency, reduced frustration, and improved collaboration. Qualitative insights from interviews underscore the importance of stable internet for maintaining workflow continuity and job satisfaction. These results highlight the critical role of internet connectivity in optimizing organizational performance and recommend tactical investments in digital infrastructure to strengthen productivity.
Abordagens Terapêuticas e Diagnóstico da Síndrome do Impacto no Ombro
Authors: de Góis Lucas Luan , Pego de Andrade Clara , Nogueira Araújo Rafaela , Osório Grangeiro de Sá Barreto Sampaio Maria Gabriela , Nunes Moreira Geovanna
Published: July 2024

A síndrome do impacto no ombro (SIO) é uma condição inflamatória e degenerativa caracterizada pela compressão mecânica de estruturas no espaço umerocoracoacromial. Comumente afeta indivíduos entre 40 e 50 anos, mas também ocorre em adultos jovens devido a atividades laborais e esportivas. A SIO é a afecção mais prevalente da cintura escapular. Diagnóstico precoce e tratamento adequado são essenciais para prevenir a progressão da doença. Este estudo apresenta modelos de tratamento, destacando a fisioterapia no manejo conservador da SIO. Foi realizada uma revisão da literatura científica abrangendo livros e artigos de periódicos nacionais e internacionais. O tratamento conservador da SIO inclui analgésicos, anti-inflamatórios e fisioterapia, sendo esta última crucial para a recuperação funcional. A fisioterapia não apenas alivia a dor e melhora a mobilidade, mas também educa os pacientes sobre posturas e atividades a serem evitadas. Técnicas como terapia manual, exercícios de fortalecimento e estabilização, e modalidades eletroterápicas têm mostrado eficácia significativa. A abordagem conservadora é amplamente utilizada e eficaz, com a fisioterapia sendo a modalidade mais indicada. A escolha do tratamento deve ser personalizada, considerando a fase da doença e a resposta do paciente. Nos casos em que o tratamento conservador não é suficiente, a cirurgia pode ser considerada. Um plano de tratamento multifacetado pode otimizar os resultados e melhorar a qualidade de vida dos pacientes com SIO.
Cirurgia Hepática e Encefalopatia: Análise dos Efeitos Neuropsiquiátricos
Authors: Costa Allison Gonçalves Silva Dutra , Silva Janderson de Castro e , Carneiro Gabriela Vargas , Silva Marcel Pietro Miranda da , Giachetto Natalia Roquette , Casimiro Iago Pordeus , Barros Clara Vidal , Barbosa Leandro Barroso , Fernandes Pedro Henrique Silva , Diniz Estevão dos Santos , Duarte Thiago Venicius Silva , Saltarello Tulio , Ribeiro Camilla Cristina Alves
Published: July 2024

Introdução: A cirurgia hepática e a encefalopatia hepática (EH) estão intimamente ligadas, com a EH representando uma complicação neuropsiquiátrica significativa decorrente da disfunção hepática. Durante procedimentos cirúrgicos no fígado, a acumulação de toxinas, especialmente amônia, pode agravar os sintomas de EH, que variam de confusão mental a coma. Esta análise foca em compreender os efeitos neuropsiquiátricos da cirurgia hepática e desenvolver estratégias de manejo para melhorar os desfechos clínicos dos pacientes afetados. Objetivo: Investigar como os procedimentos cirúrgicos no fígado contribuem para o desenvolvimento ou agravamento da encefalopatia hepática. Metodologia:  Foram utilizadas as bases de dados Cochrane, Scielo e Medline, buscando artigos publicados entre os anos de 2020 e 2024, nos idiomas Português ou Inglês. Considerações Finais: A cirurgia hepática pode intensificar a encefalopatia hepática (EH) devido ao acúmulo de toxinas neuroativas, como a amônia. Como resultado, pacientes com cirrose avançada são particularmente suscetíveis. Assim, uma abordagem multidisciplinar, incluindo o uso de intervenções como lactulose e rifaximina, é crucial para minimizar esses efeitos e melhorar a qualidade de vida dos pacientes.
The Impact of Loyalty Programs on Customer Retention in the Retail Industry
Authors: Kaur Harsandaldeep
Published: July 2024

This study investigates the impact of loyalty programs on customer retention within the retail industry, focusing on how these programs enhance customer loyalty and influence purchasing behaviors. “Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, the research combines quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews to provide a comprehensive analysis. The primary objectives are to identify the types of loyalty programs used in retail, assess their effectiveness in retaining customers, and explore the psychological mechanisms that underpin customer loyalty. The hypothesis posits that well-designed loyalty programs significantly improve customer retention by increasing satisfaction and fostering repeat purchases. The findings reveal that loyalty programs, particularly those offering personalized rewards and tiered benefits, effectively boost customer retention by creating a sense of value and emotional connection with the brand. Additionally, the study highlights the importance of using customer data to tailor loyalty initiatives, which enhances the shopping experience and strengthens customer relationships. The research contributes to both academic literature and practical applications, offering valuable insights for retail managers aiming to optimize their loyalty strategies. By demonstrating the positive impact of loyalty programs on customer retention, this study underscores the critical role these programs play in achieving long-term success and competitive advantage in the retail industry.
MÉTODOS DE ANÁLISE TOXICOLÓGICA DOS CANABINÓIDES SINTÉTICOS: UMA REVISÃO DE LITERATURA
Authors: Fernando da Palma de Jesus  , Melissa Tavares de Lima  , Thayze da Silva Bezerra  , Cândida Maria de Jesus Neta  , Gleison Lucas Santos do Nascimento  , Jessé Cabral Nunes Conceição  , Cecília Maria Rodrigues de França  , Heluza Monteiro de Oliveira  , Regiane Santana da Conceição Ferreira Cabanha  , Ana Paula Stefanelo e Silva
Published: July 2024

A evolução das drogas no século XXI, com destaque para os canabinóides sintéticos, coloca em evidência a necessidade crescente de regulamentação e monitoramento por parte das agências de controle, dada a complexidade e os riscos à saúde pública. Diante dessa realidade em constante mutação, as análises toxicológicas emergem como ferramentas indispensáveis para identificar e acompanhar tais substâncias. Diante disso, este estudo teve como objetivo discutir a metodologia de análise toxicológica dos canabinóides sintéticos e sua contribuição perante a compreensão dos efeitos tóxicos. Para isso, adotou-se como metodologia uma revisão de literatura integrativa, consultando fontes como Pubmed, Medline e Lilacs, delimitada ao período de 2019 a 2023, com foco nos idiomas português e inglês, para abordar os efeitos tóxicos dos canabinóides sintéticos através de uma análise abrangente de produções científicas e materiais informativos diversos. Após análise e interpretação dos resultados, concluiu-se que a análise toxicológica dessas substâncias é fundamental para entender e mitigar os riscos à saúde pública. Métodos precisos e atualizados são necessários para detectar e quantificar os canabinoides sintéticos, destacando a importância da colaboração multidisciplinar e da pesquisa contínua para desenvolver estratégias eficazes de análise e regulamentação. Embora haja avanços nessa área, desafios persistem, incluindo a falta de padronização na produção e distribuição dessas substâncias, bem como a constante evolução das formulações.
NAVIGATING FINANCIAL DECISIONS: A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THEORIES, BEHAVIOURS, AND INNOVATIONS
Authors: Mr. Swarn G Kanchan  , Dr. C. K. Hebbar
Published: July 2024

This literature review synthesizes seminal and contemporary research on financial decision-making, emphasizing theoretical frameworks and empirical findings. Fama's (1970) Efficient Market Hypothesis sets the foundation for understanding market behavior, while Kahneman and Tversky's (1979) Prospect Theory introduces psychological influences, highlighting biases such as loss aversion (Tversky & Kahneman, 1991). Jensen and Meckling (1976) provide insights into agency theory, exploring the implications of managerial behavior on firm performance. The influence of gender on investment strategies is examined by Barber and Odean (2001), illustrating the role of overconfidence. Additionally, the impact of social interactions on financial choices is explored by Bursztyn et al. (2014). Financial literacy, addressed by Lusardi and Mitchell (2014), underscores the importance of informed decision-making in personal finance. The review also highlights the integration of behavioral insights in corporate finance, particularly in capital structure decisions (Myers, 1984) and risk management practices (Hull, 2012). Overall, the collected works illustrate a rich tapestry of factors influencing financial decisions, blending economic theory with behavioral insights, and emphasizing the necessity for ongoing research in this dynamic field.
KEYWORDS: Financial Decision-Making, Behavioral Finance, Prospect Theory, Market Efficiency, Agency Theory, Overconfidence, Financial Literacy, Risk Management, Capital Structure and Social Interactions.
STATE AND PROSPECTS FOR FALLOW LANDS OF KANSK FOREST-STEPPE INVOLVEMENT INTO AGRICULTURAL TURNOVER
Authors: Ivanova Tat'yana , Avdyukova Tat'yana , Kondakova Marina
Published: July 2024

The purpose of the study is to assess the soil fertility of unused arable land in the Kansk forest-steppe of the Krasnoyarsk Region. The results of a soil-agrochemical survey of unused arable land in 9 districts of the Kansk forest-steppe of the Krasnoyarsk Region are presented. The studies were carried out by the Federal State Budgetary Institution "Station of Agrochemical Service "Solyanskaya" (FGBU "SAS "Solyanskaya") of the Rybinsk District in 2022–2023 within the framework of the state task of the Ministry of Agriculture to conduct surveys (soil, agrochemical and environmental-toxicological) of unused arable land for agricultural purposes. It has been established that the soil cover of unused arable land in the Kansk forest-steppe is dominated by chernozems and gray forest soils. Soils not used for arable land are characterized by medium and high humus content with a weighted average of 6.1 to 8.3 %. The soils are characterized by slightly acidic and close to neutral (5.1–6.3 pH units) environmental reaction. The exception is the sod-podzolic and sod-soil-gley soils of the Taseevo and Uyar Districts, where pHxl has a mode¬rately acidic reaction (4.6–4.9 pH units). Mobile phosphorus in soils is distributed extremely unevenly for soils of the same genetic origin in different administrative regions. The soils of unused arable land located in the northern and central parts of the region are much better provided with this element. Here, the weighted average content of available phosphorus is 211–319 mg/kg. In the southern subzone, the amount of available phosphorus in soils decreases, not exceeding 140 mg/kg. In terms of the content of exchangeable potassium, the fallow soils of the Kansk forest-steppe are provided with a medium to high level. The content of mobile sulfur in the surveyed soils is, as a rule, low and average (0.4–12.0 mg/kg). In the soils of unused arable land in the Aban and Irbey Districts, a high content of this element was noted (12.2–13.3 mg/kg).
BULL SPERM MORPHOLOGICAL AND FUNCTIONAL INDICATORS DURING CRYOPRESERVATION
Authors: Ivaschenko Marina , Deryugina Anna , Latushko Mihail , Belov Andrey , Eremin Anatoliy
Published: July 2024

The purpose of the study is to analyze the influence of the freezing and thawing cycle on the morphofunctional parameters of bull sperm. The study was conducted at Nizhegorodskoe LLC on breeding work in the Kstov municipal District of the Nizhny Novgorod Region, on the basis of the Department of Physiology and Anatomy of the Institute of Biology and Biomedicine of the Nizhny Novgorod State University named after N.I. Lobachevsky and the Department of Physiology, Animal Biochemistry and Obstetrics of Nizhny Novgorod State Technical University. The object of the study is the sperm production of
black-and-white bulls. Semen was diluted with sterile BioXcell medium. Native diluted sperm and sperm after deep freezing were studied. Motility and the average speed of sperm movement were analyzed on a sperm analyzer SA-500 from Biola (Russia). To assess the ultrastructure of spermatozoa, a Hitachi SU8220 electron microscope (Japan) was used. Using a laser interference microscope MIM-340 (Russia, Yekaterinburg), the morphology of spermatozoa was studied in real time without fixation or staining. After cryopreservation of the sperm, there was a decrease in the biological usefulness of sperm, which is confirmed by a decrease in motility by 13.77% (p ≤ 0.05) and the average speed of sperm movement by 12.95% (p ≤ 0.05). Using electron and laser interference microscopy, it was shown that the chromatin of thawed spermatozoa was insufficiently condensed and contained fibrils. After cryopreservation, the position of the acrosome was changed in 6.23% (p ≤ 0.05) of sperm, and the shape of the acrosome was changed in 18.64% (p ≤ 0.05) of cells. After freezing and thawing, 7.01% of sperm showed a decrease in head length, 17.90% - a decrease in body length, and 9.53% - a decrease in sperm tail length. The use of modern methods for assessing sperm viability is of great importance for understanding the processes occurring during sperm cryopreservation and allows us to develop ways to improve the quality of sperm du¬ring freezing and thawing.
STRUCTURAL FEATURES OF THE HEAD SKELETON OF THE ASIAN (WHITE-TAILED) PORCUPINE (HYSTRICIDAE LEVICURA)
Authors: Fomenko Lyudmila , Perveneckaya Marina
Published: July 2024

The purpose of research is to study the structural features of the head skeleton of the Asian (white-tailed) porcupine. The object of the study is the skeleton of the head of an Asian (white-tailed) porcupine at the age of 12 years. To make the porcupine skeleton, a biological method of processing the material was used. The study of the bones was accompanied by measuring their length and width using an electronic caliper with an accuracy of 0.1 mm, describing and photographing. The head skeleton of the Asian (white-tailed) porcupine is divided into cerebral and facial sections, the size of which is related to the size of the brain and the development of the masticatory apparatus. The brain region is represented by unpaired (occipital, sphenoid, interparietal, ethmoid) and paired (temporal, frontal, parietal, alar) bones. The facial region is represented by the maxillary, incisive, palatine, zygomatic, lacrimal and nasal bones. The rostral edge of the orbit serves as the boundary between the facial and brain regions. The facial section reaches the greatest development, occupying 59.8 % of the length of the brain. The configuration of the skull and the presence of a large number of processes make it possible to attach well-developed masticatory muscles to it. The caudal part of the skull is represented by the occipital bone, and the cranial part by the ethmoid bones. The body of the occipital bone is connected to the sphenoid bone, which participates in the formation of the foramen lacerum. The body of the sphenoid bone is trapezoidal in shape, from which the orbital and temporal wings branch. There are six foramina on the orbital wing: optic, orbital fissure, round, caudal alar, oval and carotid. The temporal wing is involved in the formation of the foramen lacerum with the oval, spinous and carotid notches. On the facial surface of the maxillary bone there is a facial ridge; between its facial and nasal surfaces there is an extensive maxillary sinus. The mandibular bone is paired, represented by two bones connected to each other by a ligament. The massive, triangular-shaped lower jaw has two processes: the condylar and the coronoid. The condylar process is convex, oval-elongated. The coronoid process is low with a bifurcated apex. The pterygoid and chewing fossae are deep and triangular in shape.
FUNCTIONAL BAKERY PRODUCTS USING NON-TRADITIONAL RAW MATERIALS
Authors: Sheveleva Tat'yana
Published: July 2024

The purpose of the study is the use of non-traditional types of raw materials in the technology of functional types of bakery products. Objectives: joint use in the technology of bakery products (loaves) of buckwheat flour and kelp as functional types of raw materials; determination of the ratio of wheat, buckwheat flour and kelp in the recipe. The object of research is bakery products (loaves) with the addition of buckwheat flour and kelp to the recipe. Experiment options: Podmoskovny loaf according to GOST 27844-88 (control); loaf with a share of 5 % buckwheat flour to the total weight of flour; loaf with a share of 10 % buckwheat flour to the total mass of flour; loaf with a share of 5% buckwheat flour and 1% kelp to the total weight of flour; loaf with a share of 10 % buckwheat flour and 1.5 % kelp to the total weight of flour. Research methods are laboratorial. Conducting test laboratory baking is in accordance with GOST 27669-88. Determination of indicators of porosity, acidity and humidity of finished products was carried out according to the relevant regulatory and technical documents (GOST 5669-96, GOST 5670-96, GOST 21094-75). With a comprehensive assessment of the results of test laboratory baking, scoring of organoleptic quality indicators, as well as standardized physical and chemical indicators of loaves, it was found that the addition of 5 % buckwheat flour and 1 % kelp will allow obtaining a functional product. A recipe for functional bakery products has been developed using non-traditional raw materials for loaves - buckwheat flour and dried kelp powder. The technology and recipes for functional bakery products with buckwheat flour and kelp in the prescribed dosage are recommended for use at bakery enterprises, which will improve the si¬tuation with the prevention of iodine deficiency diseases.
PINOT NOIR GRAPE VARIETY IN THE LOWER DON REGION CONDITIONS
Authors: Ganich Valentina , Naumova Lyudmila
Published: July 2024

The purpose of research is to analyze data obtained over two periods of studying the Pinot noir grape variety under the changing climate of Novocherkassk, Rostov Region. Research was carried out at the Don ampelographic collection named after Ya.I. Potapenko according to generally accepted methods in viticulture and GOST standards. Data were analyzed for two five-year observation periods: the first – 1981–1985 and the second – 2016–2020. The interval between periods was 30 years. The periods differed in the method of cultivation and planting pattern. In the first period, the variety was studied in its own root culture with a planting scheme of 2 × 1.5 m, in the second period the bush culture was grafted on the rootstock Berlandieri × Riparia Kober 5BB with a planting scheme of 3 × 1.5 m. During both periods, the variety was studied in a covered culture. Data on agrobiological indicators, productivity, crop condition, and tasting assessment of the wine are presented. The preservation of buds in the covering bank by period was 62.3 and 78.6 %, respectively. The excess of the Pinot noir variety in the second period in terms of average bunch weight was 55 g. The productivity of the shoot was 2.9 times, and the yield was 1.9 times higher than in the first period. The average sugar content in the 1st and 2nd periods was at the level of 21.7–23 g/100 cm3 with a titratable acidity of 8.1–7.8 g/dm3. A comparative analysis of the climatic conditions of the periods showed that in the summer months of the second period there were changes towards an increase in temperature and a decrease in the amount of precipitation. Climate change did not have a negative impact on economic and biological traits. The variety has increased: the percentage of blossom¬ming buds, fruitful shoots, average bunch weight, yield, sugar content in berry juice. The potential for producing wine with good organoleptic properties remains.
KAMCHATKA BILBERRY (VACCINIUM PRAESTANS LAMB.): TESTING METHODOLOGY DEVELOPMENT FOR DISTINCTIVENESS, HOMOGENEITY AND STABILITY
Authors: Makarov Sergey , Chudeckiy Anton , Cheryatova Yuliya , Kuznetsova Irina
Published: July 2024

The purpose of research is to study the morphological and phenological characteristics of hybrid forms of V. praestans and to develop a methodology for testing for distinctiveness, homogeneity and stability based on them. The results of studying the morphological and phenological characteristics of hybrid forms of red grass (Vaccinium praestans Lamb.) in the natural and climatic conditions of the European part of Russia (Moscow, Kostroma, Khabarovsk Regions) are presented. V. praestans is an endemic plant of the Russian Far East and has high medicinal, food and ornamental value. The experiments carried out on the introduction of V. praestans show the possibility of its successful cultivation in the conditions of the European part of Russia, including for industrial cultivation. We tested 2 hybrid forms obtained from specimens from natural habitats (Sakhalin, Khabarovsk Regions). The current year's shoots of V. praestans are long or medium in size and have a pronounced anthocyanin color; leaves are large and medium in size, with a low or medium length-to-width ratio, with an ovate or broadly ovate shape of the leaf blade, with a weak or medium expression of anthocyanin coloring, sparse or medium pubescence of the leaf edge; inflorescences are short or medium in length, with large or medium-sized flowers, pink or slightly pink in color; fruits are spherical berries, large or medium in size, glossy, fairly dense, red or dark red in color. Peculiarities of flowering and fruiting of V. praestans have been revealed. The periods of the beginning of flowering and the beginning of fruit ripening are early or middle. For the first time in Russia and in the world, based on an analysis of the morphological characteristics of shoots, leaves, flowers and fruits, a methodology for testing the distinctiveness, homogeneity and stability of hybrid forms and varieties of V. praestans has been developed.