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In addition to nickel used for export, the government currently requires the downstreaming of nickel in the country. In addition, the potential of nickel in Indonesia also plays a role in increasing state revenue investment, through smelter investment. Through the nickel export ban policy, the long-term continuity of raw nickel supply for domestic smelter needs is maintained. However, there are problems in the community due to the export ban that affects the selling price of nickel, especially affecting business activities. This paper discusses the extent of nickel downstream policies, the ban on nickel ore exports, the added value obtained and the obstacles faced. The research methods used are exploratory and descriptive methods, data collection for analysis purposes is obtained from various literature, regulations and legislation, media reports and various other relevant secondary data sources. The findings show that nickel downstreaming actually creates an additional impact on the nickel industry. value and pushing nickel prices in a positive direction so as to encourage investors to come to Indonesia so as to strengthen Indonesia's economy in a better direction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

English is an international language relevant for intercultural communication. Its proficiency generates job opportunities that translate into access to a broader labor market and better salaries. Diagnosing the level of English of higher education students and determining the impact of the training they receive is essential to improve the relevance of academic programs. The general objective of this research is to determine the added value of English language training in undergraduate technological programs. To this end, a quantitative longitudinal study was carried out with a sample of 192 students. The study relates the level of English of the students, at entry and exit, according to their gender, hours of English training, schedule, and academic program within the levels of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). The findings revealed that the English training given to students provides significant value in improving their skills, with an effect size of d = 0,476 p

Abstract Mussaenda frondosa (MF) is an edible species of the genus Mussaenda (Rubiaceae) that contains a wide array of medicinal compounds. The present study was conducted to evaluate the physicochemical and functional properties of the MF sepals and to develop a novel herbal tea with improved functional properties. Remarkably high antioxidant and α-amylase inhibitory activities were exhibited by water and ethanol extracts of MF, attributed to their high phenolic and flavonoid contents. None of the extracts showed toxicity, as evaluated by the brine shrimp lethality assay. A tea was formulated by blending different proportions (30, 40 and 50%) of dry sepals of MF with black tea. The sensory analysis showed a significantly high level of acceptance for the formula containing 40% MF (MFT-40) with augmented phenolic contents (138.82 ± 0.21 mg GAE/g), antioxidant (DPPH scavenging activity with IC50 of 12.23 ± 0.45 µg/mL), and hypoglycemic activities (α-amylase inhibition with IC50 of 104.80 ± 0.59 µg/mL) compared to the black tea control (with the values of 128.47 ± 0.13 mg GAE/g, 18.70 ± 0.68 µg/mL and 153.07 ± 0.61 µg/mL respectively). This study revealed the potential use of MF as a source of antioxidants for the development of new functional teas with enhanced health benefits.

Augmented reality gives packaging design a completely new dimension that has no limits. The packaging can be supplied with all kinds of digital content, from texts and graphics to videos, animations, and interactive games as an additional layer on the realistic image, as it is almost impossible to include everything we want to communicate in the product packaging without confusing the customer or adversely affect the design. Therefore, augmented reality allows to bypass the physical limitations of the packaging and to present additional information in an engaging way. Augmented reality is sometimes referred to as “interactive printing.” Augmented reality software can allow the consumer to create customized photo and video content that they view by pointing their phone or tablet at a specific printed object, making the printed packaging an essential part of the experience. This research dealt with the application of the use of augmented reality technology, which is one of the global trends, on local folded cardboard packages (electronic product - and food packaging for children), using one of the smart phone applications, so that a layer of digital content was displayed on the face of the printed package to clarify the idea, and it is considered a promotional and marketing tool The packaging allows for increased interaction between the producer and the consumer, and also works to save time and effort to identify the nature of some products and understand the method of use.

Under the terms of the European Green Deal, including the transition to a green economy, decarbonisation, and a sustainable model of inclusive growth, Ukraine has committed itself to achieving climate neutrality by 2060. The military challenges caused by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine require an in-depth investigation and substantiation of mechanisms for developing promising areas of deep processing of domestic agricultural raw materials to ensure food security, domestic market development, and post-war economic recovery. The purpose of this study was to analyse and assess the potential for processing Ukrainian maize in the context of bioeconomy development, specifically to produce starch, bioplastics, and bioethanol. The study was conducted using a systematic approach with extrapolation methods, exponential smoothing, and confidence interval construction to assess the forecast. It was proved that Ukraine has all the opportunities to increase the production of a wider product line of deeply processed maize products. Realising the potential of maize processing as a biological and energy feedstock in the Ukrainian economy for post-war recovery depends on the creation of an innovative bioeconomy infrastructure, through strengthening strategic partnerships between agricultural producers, research institutions and public authorities, cluster development and export promotion. The practical value of this study lies in the developed recommendations for the implementation of maize processing opportunities for the development of the bioeconomy and acceleration of decarbonisation in Ukraine

According to macroeconomic estimates, the Russian economy is characterized by a relatively low level of labor productivity, two to three times inferior to the economies of a number of industrialized countries. The lower level of labor productivity in Russia in comparison with the leading global economies is manifested especially at the microlevel. Increasing labor productivity is one of the most important tasks of the domestic economy in terms of ensuring competitiveness in the world markets. The importance of this process is intensified in the current conditions characterized by Western sanctions aimed at weakening the Russian economy. This determines the relevance of the present study. The purpose of the study is to analyze the labor productivity state in the process of implementing the Labor Productivity and Employment Support project. The subject of the study is labor productivity at the micro- and macrolevels, in individual industries and regions. The study used data from the national project passport, official data from the Federal State Statistics Service and the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, and methods such as analysis and synthesis, generalization, grouping, tabular, etc. The presence of significant inter-industry and intra-industry differentiation of Russian companies by the labor productivity level and different methods of calculating labor productivity, which makes it difficult to choose the most effective economic entities, has been revealed. One of the reasons for lagging behind other countries in terms of labor productivity is, among other things, the technological lag of domestic companies. At the same time, the regions do not sufficiently use the possibilities of tax incentives for investment by establishing a tax deduction, and labor motivation is weakened. The labor productivity indicator is not used in ranking regions by the socio-economic development level, as well as for the purposes of assessing regional managers effectiveness.

Business strategy is a choice made by executives in determining target markets to win the market by maximizing long-term value. Listed property companies strive for business strategies by creating differentiated value propositions through company capabilities. Competing companies will also make similar efforts to win sustainable competition through developing consistent and sustainable business strategies. Shares of property companies are an important value to pay attention to considering that stakeholders, especially shareholders, investors, and owners expect portfolio value from property products related to added value. This research aims to find out, how to develop business strategies related to added value in property companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange and included in the LQ45 index. This research uses a descriptive approach with a mixed concurrent research method and data collection using observations, questionnaires, in-depth interviews, and documentation studies from the top five property companies over 3 consecutive years. The research findings were that the development of the business strategy chosen by respondents was an effort to attract investors, retain investors, and increase wealth for investors with the main added value being increased flexibility, cost efficiency, and risk control in addition to other added values. An interesting thing to examine from this research is the development of property company business strategies for apartment products that prioritize investors related to three of the seven elements of added value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Tibetan Plateau (TP) provides vital water resources for downstream regions, with spring precipitation contributing considerably to the annual totals over the southeastern TP. The added value of convection‐permitting modeling in simulating the spring climate over the TP is uncertain. Here, we conducted and compared decade‐long regional convection‐permitting (3.3 km) and convection‐parameterized (13.2 km) Icosahedral Nonhydrostatic Weather and Climate Model (ICON) simulations to reproduce the atmospheric water cycle in spring over the TP. Results indicated that 3.3 km mesh ICON (ICON_3.3 km) exhibited notable added value in simulating the spring atmospheric water cycle over the TP. ICON_3.3 km reduced the wet biases of precipitation in the ERA5 reanalysis and 13.2 km mesh ICON (ICON_13.2 km) simulations, and improved the simulation of surface evaporation over the central and eastern TP. The reduction in the simulated precipitation in ICON_3.3 km was primarily followed by a decrease in surface evaporation from March to May, second by a reduction in water vapor flux convergence in May due to decreased water vapor inflow from the southeastern TP. Furthermore, compared to ICON_13.2 km, ICON_3.3 km alleviated the "drizzling" bias, leading to drier surface soils and decreased evaporation, and lead to 3% decrease in the fraction of evaporation converted into precipitation. Sensitivity experiments conducted at resolution of 13.2 km but turning off the convection parameterization demonstrated that both explicit representation of convection and enhanced horizontal resolution were crucial for accurately representing the spring atmospheric water cycle over the TP. Our results highlighted the need to develop kilometer‐scale models for successfully reproducing the climate characteristics across the TP. Plain Language Summary: Climate modeling is evolving toward kilometer‐scale or convective‐permitting model (CPM). The added value of regional CPM in simulating the spring climate over the Tibetan Plateau (TP), known as "Asian Water Tower," is unknown. Here, we have performed and compared two decade‐long regional climate simulations at two horizontal resolutions: convection permitting (3.3 km) and convection parameterized (13.2 km), to reproduce the atmospheric water cycle in spring over the TP. Results indicated that the CPM reduced the wet biases in the latest reanalysis data and the convection‐parameterized model over the central and eastern TP. The reduction of wet biases was mainly followed by the decreased surface evaporation, which was associated with the alleviation of "drizzling" bias in CPM. We further showed evidences that both explicit representation of convection and enhanced horizontal resolution were crucial for accurately representing the spring climate over the TP. Our findings highlight the importance of developing high‐efficiency kilometer‐scale (<4 km) models for reproducing all the climate characteristics across the TP region. Key Points: Regional convection permitting model exhibited evident added value in simulating the spring atmospheric water cycle over the Tibetan Plateau (TP)Reduced precipitation by convective‐permitting model was mainly followed by decrease in surface evaporation, associated with the alleviation of drizzling biasesBoth explicit convection and enhanced resolution were crucial for well representing the spring atmospheric water cycle over the TP [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dynamical downscaling provides physics-based high-resolution climate change projections across regional and local scales. This is particularly important for island nations characterized by complex terrain, where the coarse resolution of global climate model (GCM) output often prohibits direct use. One of the main motivations for dynamical downscaling is to reduce biases relative to the host GCM at the local scale, which can be quantified through assessing 'added value'. However, added value from downscaling is not guaranteed; quantifying this can help users make informed decisions about how best to use available climate projection data. Here we describe the experiment design of the updated national climate projections for New Zealand based on dynamical downscaling. The global non-hydrostatic Conformal Cubic Atmospheric Model (CCAM) is primarily used for downscaling, with a global stretched grid targeting high resolution over New Zealand (12-km) and the wider South Pacific region (12–35-km). Focusing on the historical simulations, we assess added value for a range of metrics, climatological fields, extreme indices, and tropical cyclones. The main strengths of the downscaling include generally large improvements relative to the host GCM for temperature and orographic precipitation. Inter-annual variability in temperature is well captured across New Zealand, and several temperature and precipitation-based extreme indices show large improvements. The representation of tropical cyclones reaching at least category 2 intensity is generally improved relative to the large consistent under-representation in the host GCMs. The remaining biases are explored and discussed forming the basis for ongoing bias-correction work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents an assessment of the added value of downscaling utilizing Regional Climate Models (RCMs) compared to Global Climate Models (GCMs) in the high mountain region of the Pyrenees, characterized by complex topography. The EURO-CORDEX ensemble was investigated, employing a gridded high-resolution observational database as a reference. A recently proposed method is applied to quantify the performance gains or losses associated with dynamic downscaling. Our analysis focuses on calculating the added value by exploring the extremes of the Probability Density Function (PDF), spatial distribution patterns, and its relationship with elevation. Overall, our findings reveal significant improvements in the representation and general characterization of precipitation, minimum temperature, and maximum temperature in the Pyrenean region. Furthermore, RCMs demonstrate enhanced performance in capturing maximum precipitation events; however, they struggle to represent low precipitation rates, particularly in the Mediterranean area of the mountain range. Regarding temperature extremes, dynamical downscaling exhibits improvements in capturing maximum events. Nevertheless, deficiencies are observed in the RCMs' representation of minimum temperature events for both minimum and maximum temperature variables, as well as in representing near-freezing temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Civil society organizations (CSOs) that deliver services on behalf of public authorities operate under increased competitive and standardization pressures. Given this background, many CSOs experience a need to justify why public authorities should continue to fund them. In this article, we underpin and develop a new understanding of added value, proposing it to be the perceived social value of services or programs provided by a CSO that differs positively from the perceived social value of services or programs provided by other organizations and can be identified as functional, altruistic, emotional, or social. We elaborate on these four forms of added value and discuss the theoretical and practical implications of this understanding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kintamani Arabica coffee is already very well known to the public. Several types of processed derivative products from cherry coffee can be made to increase its added value. This study aims to determine the type of down streaming of Kintamani Arabica coffee products using the observation and in-depth interview methods, and to calculate the added value of its downstream products using the Hayami method. The location of the study was determined purposively in Kintamani District, Bangli Regency. Based on the results of the study, it was identified that the dominant downstream products of Kintamani Arabica coffee are green bean coffee, hard skin coffee, roasted coffee, and ground coffee. The most common types of production are green bean and hard skin coffee products, because the demand for these two types of products is higher. Based on the added value analysis, it was obtained that the added value of Arabica coffee products increases from upstream to downstream, namely: hard skin coffee IDR 2,510/kg, green bean coffee IDR 4,617/kg, roasted coffee IDR 6,447/kg, and ground coffee IDR 7,873/kg. High added value is not a benchmark for producers to choose production priorities but is more dominantly determined based on the amount of product demand and the availability of market access. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tourism and exporting are increasingly important economic activities for territories. In particular, export survival, understood as continuity in exporting without interruptions or dropouts, depends mostly on the added value of their products. In Castilla-La Mancha (Spain), the absence of added value in the wine sector is identified as the main reason behind the low export prices and the negative image. However, wine tourism offers a solution based on the creation of unique experiences related to the elements of the territory, such as history, geography, and production methods, whose intangible values are transmitted through visits to the wineries. In addition, direct sales during visits become an opportunity for wineries to generate income. This study, based on the analysis of mainly economic sources, combining qualitative and quantitative approaches of an exploratory nature, establishes that the added value of wine favors wine tourism. This, in turn, has a direct impact on the promotion of wine and affects the demand and prices of wines, which influences the chances of export survival of wineries in regions that need promotion and sales elements such a Castilla-La Mancha. These findings can be used as a basis for the study of other regions and/or products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Depending on the scope of the concept of competitiveness, it is used in a variety of contexts in economic research, although there is a lack of a precise and generally accepted definition of what exactly it entails. In this study, competitiveness is considered from the point of view of market performance, using the developed theoretical framework for measuring the performance of an individual country or sector of the national economy, based on the definition of the Canadian Competitiveness Group: “The ability to sustainably win and maintain market share”. Two concepts are laid down in it – about the dynamics of market share and profit formation in order to achieve sustainable development over time. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the competitiveness of the Bulgarian vegetable production sector on the world market, to clearly note its change in a dynamic aspect. The research specifically adopted the methodology developed by B. Ivanov for calculating a composite index of competitiveness, containing two main components - production and value. The analysis shows the place of Bulgarian vegetable production in the national agriculture and in the world vegetable market, the dynamics and changes that reflect in the competitiveness of the sector during the years of EU membership – 2007 – 2021. The comprehensive assessment of the competitiveness of the vegetable crop sector in Bulgaria on world markets defines it as relatively low. The results obtained from the research confirm and complement the assessment of the competitiveness of the “Vegetable production” sector in Bulgaria, made by other Bulgarian researchers. Despite the favorable climate and natural features in our country, as well as our traditions in the production of vegetables, the sector is deteriorating its market position and the dynamics of competitiveness are rather negative. The research clearly shows that Bulgaria is losing positions in the production of vegetables, while at the same time its dependence on imports and foreign prices is increasing. The sector of vegetable production is among the vulnerable sectors of the Bulgarian agriculture, as the permanent negative trends of reduction of areas and production are projected in the inability to meet consumer needs in our country from high-quality domestic production. The future development of the sector and the increase of its competitiveness will depend on many factors, some of the most important of which are the extent to which vegetable producers will be able to be flexible and adapt to achieve the new environmental policy objectives; to what extent they will be able to respond to modern trends in agricultural production – digitalization, ecological/biological agriculture, new technological solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Agricultural Economics & Social Sciences is the property of Egyptian National Agricultural Library (ENAL) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Under the terms of the European Green Deal, including the transition to a green economy, decarbonisation, and a sustainable model of inclusive growth, Ukraine has committed itself to achieving climate neutrality by 2060. The military challenges caused by Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine require an in-depth investigation and substantiation of mechanisms for developing promising areas of deep processing of domestic agricultural raw materials to ensure food security, domestic market development, and post-war economic recovery. The purpose of this study was to analyse and assess the potential for processing Ukrainian maize in the context of bioeconomy development, specifically to produce starch, bioplastics, and bioethanol. The study was conducted using a systematic approach with extrapolation methods, exponential smoothing, and confidence interval construction to assess the forecast. It was proved that Ukraine has all the opportunities to increase the production of a wider product line of deeply processed maize products. Realising the potential of maize processing as a biological and energy feedstock in the Ukrainian economy for post-war recovery depends on the creation of an innovative bioeconomy infrastructure, through strengthening strategic partnerships between agricultural producers, research institutions and public authorities, cluster development and export promotion. The practical value of this study lies in the developed recommendations for the implementation of maize processing opportunities for the development of the bioeconomy and acceleration of decarbonisation in Ukraine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the growth of forecast errors stemming from initial conditions (ICs), lateral boundary conditions (LBCs), and model (MO) perturbations, as well as their interactions, by conducting seven 36 h convectionallowing ensemble forecast (CAEF) experiments. Two cases, one with strong-forcing (SF) and the other with weak-forcing (WF), occurred over the Yangtze-Huai River basin (YHRB) in East China, were selected to examine the sources of uncertainties associated with perturbation growth under varying forcing backgrounds and the influence of these backgrounds on growth. The perturbations exhibited distinct characteristics in terms of temporal evolution, spatial propagation, and vertical distribution under different forcing backgrounds, indicating a dependence between perturbation growth and forcing background. A comparison of the perturbation growth in different precipitation areas revealed that IC and LBC perturbations were significantly influenced by the location of precipitation in the SF case, while MO perturbations were more responsive to convection triggering and dominated in the WF case. The vertical distribution of perturbations showed that the sources of uncertainties and the performance of perturbations varied between SF and WF cases, with LBC perturbations displaying notable case dependence. Furthermore, the interactions between perturbations were considered by exploring the added values of different source perturbations. For the SF case, the added values of IC, LBC, and MO perturbations were reflected in different forecast periods and different source uncertainties, suggesting that the combination of multi-source perturbations can yield positive interactions. In the WF case, MO perturbations provided a more accurate estimation of uncertainties downstream of the Dabie Mountain and need to be prioritized in the research on perturbation development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advancement of computational resources has allowed researchers to run convection-permitting regional climate model (CPRCM) simulations. A pioneering effort promoting a multimodel ensemble of such simulations is the CORDEX Flagship Pilot Studies (FPS) on "Convective Phenomena over Europe and the Mediterranean" over an extended Alps region. In this study, the Distribution Added Value metric is used to determine the improvement of the representation of all available FPS hindcast simulations for the daily mean near-surface wind speed. The analysis is performed on normalized empirical probability distributions and considers station observation data as the reference. The use of a normalized metric allows for spatial comparison among the different regions (coast and inland), altitudes and seasons. This approach permits a direct assessment of the added value between the CPRCM simulations against their global driving reanalysis (ERA-Interim) and respective coarser resolution regional model counterparts. In general, the results show that CPRCMs add value to their global driving reanalysis or forcing regional model, due to better-resolved topography or through better representation of ocean-land contrasts. However, the nature and magnitude of the improvement in the wind speed representation vary depending on the model, the season, the altitude, or the region. Among seasons, the improvement is usually larger in summer than winter. CPRCMs generally display gains at low and medium-range altitudes. In addition, despite some shortcomings in comparison to ERA-Interim, which can be attributed to the assimilation of wind observations on the coast, the CPRCMs outperform the coarser regional climate models, both along the coast and inland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since a decade, convection-permitting regional climate models (CPRCM) have emerged showing promising results, especially in improving the simulation of precipitation extremes. In this article, the CPRCM CNRM-AROME developed at the Centre National de Recherches Météorologiques (CNRM) since a few years is described and evaluated using a 2.5-km 19-year long hindcast simulation over a large northwestern European domain using different observations through an added-value analysis in which a comparison with its driving 12-km RCM CNRM-ALADIN is performed. The evaluation is challenging due to the lack of high-quality observations at both high temporal and spatial resolutions. Thus, a high spatio-temporal observed gridded precipitation dataset was built from the collection of seven national datasets that helped the identification of added value in CNRM-AROME. The evaluation is based on a series of standard climatic features that include long-term means and mean annual cycles of precipitation and near-surface temperature where CNRM-AROME shows little improvements compared to CNRM-ALADIN. Additional indicators such as the summer diurnal cycle and indices of extreme precipitation show, on the contrary, a more realistic behaviour of the CNRM-AROME model. Moreover, the analysis of snow cover shows a clear added-value in the CNRM-AROME simulation, principally due to the improved description of the orography with the CPRCM high resolution. Additional analyses include the evaluation of incoming shortwave radiation, and cloud cover using satellite estimates. Overall, despite some systematic biases, the evaluation indicates that CNRM-AROME is a suitable CPRCM that is superior in many aspects to the RCM CNRM-ALADIN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increase in computational resources has enabled the emergence of multi-model ensembles of convection-permitting regional climate model (CPRCM) simulations at very high horizontal resolutions. An example is the CORDEX Flagship Pilot Study on "Convective phenomena at high resolution over Europe and the Mediterranean", a set of kilometre-scale simulations over an extended Alpine domain. This first-of-its-kind multi-model ensemble, forced by the ERA-Interim reanalysis, can be considered a benchmark dataset. This study uses a recently proposed metric to determine the added value of all the available Flagship Pilot Study hindcast kilometre-scale simulations for maximum and minimum temperature. The analysis is performed using state-of-the-art gridded and station observations as ground truth. This approach directly assesses the added value between the high-resolution CPRCMs against their driving global simulations and coarser resolution RCM counterparts. Overall, models display some modest gains, but also considerable shortcomings are exhibited. In part, these deficiencies can be attributed to the assimilation of temperature observations into ERA-Interim. Although the gains for the use of kilometre-scale resolution for temperature are limited, the improvement of the spatial representation of local atmospheric circulations and land–atmosphere interactions can ultimately lead to gains, particularly in coastal areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Al-Adab / Al-ādāb is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Cuadernos del Centro de Estudios de Diseño y Comunicación is the property of Cuadernos del Centro de Estudios de Diseno y Comunicacion and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Advances in Earth Science (1001-8166) is the property of Advances in Earth Science Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The Thai forestry sector relies greatly on Eucalyptus as a raw material. The rapid expansion of plantations during the last few decades and the high demand for Eucalyptus for several purposes has led to numerous supply chain practices. A comprehensive understanding of the Eucalyptus value chain is lacking in Thailand, which has consequences for optimization, sustainability, and profitability aspects. This study analyzed actors and their activities along the value chain and estimated added value and profit margin benefit distributions. The study method involved a value chain analysis approach, whereby input data were collected from the following groups: seedling suppliers and developers, farmers and tree growers, timber traders and collectors, intermediaries, processors, wholesalers, and consumers via key informant interviews, in-depth interviews, and group discussions. The results revealed the vertical integration of Eucalyptus timber businesses, where sapling breeders were the major input suppliers with a significant role in the value chain based on the role of controlling the majority of seedling production, promoting cultivation, and ensuring the raw material supply for the pulp industry through a full-cycle membership program. Total gross marketing margin was highest (90.6%) in the path of the pulp mill industry and lowest in the path of the biomass power plant (73.4%). The profit share of growers varied between 9.9% and 26.6% depending on the path and chain. The overall benefit distribution analysis demonstrated a positive gross profit margin but minor distribution to the growers. Our study determined that decision-makers should create supportive programs, funding opportunities, and infrastructural support for research and development, capacity building, and regulation to ensure suitable benefits for all actors in the Eucalyptus timber value chain in Thailand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Virtual reality (VR) is one of the most rapidly growing technological advancements being studied, developed, and implemented in mental health care. It offers a wide array of possibilities that go beyond the traditional ways of providing mental health care services. Many interventions require clients to learn new skills in order for change to occur. Relevant to this study, behavioral parent-training (BPT) interventions are focused on the acquisition of parenting skills in order to change child behavior. VR was added to the Parent–Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) – a known BPT intervention — as an additional practice tool. In the present study, which is part of a larger study, the qualitative experiences of (PCIT-)VR from both parents’ and therapists’ perspectives are evaluated, as well as their suggestions for implementation. Method Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eleven parents. Five therapists participated in a focus group and three additional semi-structured interviews were conducted with therapists. To analyze, a combination of deductive and inductive thematic analysis was used. Results Responses from interviews were divided into three categories: (1) parents’ evaluation, (2) therapists’ evaluation, and (3) suggestions for implementation from both parents and therapists. Next to a positive overall experience with PCIT, a large number of parents were also positive about the addition of VR to treatment. Both parents and therapists experienced VR as a useful additional practice tool. The additional practice in VR led to a boost in confidence in using positive parenting skills. There were mixed experiences regarding the ease and immersion of the tool. Suggestions for implementation from both parents and therapists were to make the tool more appealing and realistic, to vary more in VR modules and to improve certain practical aspects. Conclusion Adding VR to PCIT is still a pioneering piece of technology within PCIT. The value of this VR tool lies in the provision of the possibility to practice with skills outside of the therapeutic encounter, which has the potential to instill confidence in using those skills. Given the positive experiences regarding PCIT-VR, it is important to further develop the VR tool. We believe that ultimately, PCIT-VR can potentially serve as a customized way for parents to practice what they are taught during the treatment.

The article explores the impact of the fashion design center ZIPhouse on the evolution of the fashion industry in the Republic of Moldova, highlighting the transition from manu- facturing to design and own brands. The light industry in the Republic of Moldova has demon- strated resilience and growth, especially in exports, but it requires transitioning to more innovative models and focusing on design and own brands to remain competitive in the long term and overcome challenges related to high costs and declining workforce. The strategic development of creative hubs, such as ZIPhouse, is essential for supporting innovation and sus- tainable growth in the fashion industry. Colla- boration between universities and industry, as well as the integration of digital technologies, plays a crucial role in advancing skills and businesses in this sector. The article emphasizes ZIPhouse’s contributions to sustainable fashion education and the fashion ecosystem in the Republic of Moldova, highlighting community development and international collaboration.

The article examines the relationship between income distribution and the socio-economic development of the state. It is established that traditional methods of income distribution do not provide for sustainable development and do not correspond to the Constitution of Ukraine, which declares Ukraine a social state. The main regulator of income distribution is the Tax Code. Unfortunately, the current Tax Code of Ukraine does not at all provide for a fair redistribution of income and does not stimulate investment in the production sectors, but encourages the creation of various corruption schemes for evasion and avoidance of taxation, which includes a large-scale shadow economy, illegal export of capital, contraband imports and exports. The article proposes legal methods for overcoming all problems and ensuring accelerated development. To achieve these goals, legislation should contain an comprehensive list of price components. The fair market value (price) is equal to the total added value of the product or service, VAT charged on it and total depreciation at all stages of production and distribution. Added value is the sum of the company's factor incomes: wages and profits. The amount of actually paid taxes from the labor and profit fund determines the actually created added value, on which VAT is calculated, which is paid directly to the Budget at each stage of the movement of goods/services to the final consumer. The amount of added value, VAT and depreciation determines the increase in the market value of goods/services at each stage of production and distribution and corresponds to the amount of taxes, contributions and fees paid precisely by law. The distribution of income in society is determined on the basis of the European Social Charter (revised) and is ensured by the introduction of progressive tax rates on the incomes of individuals and the profits of enterprises. The income tax rate should be determined by the direction of use of profits, and the rate of distributed profit on dividends should be equal to the personal income tax rates. The zero rate does not apply to taxation of dividends.

The presence of affiliated entities in different countries and the independence of tax systems make it easy to shift profits from jurisdictions with high corporate tax rates to jurisdictions with low rates. Transfer prices and the arm's length principle are used to prevent profit shifting. The article identifies the peculiarities of transfer pricing reform in the context of the BEPS plan, analyses changes to Ukrainian legislation and opportunities for its improvement. The article analyses the amendments to the Tax Code of Ukraine aimed at ensuring the implementation of the BEPS plan. The shortcomings of these amendments are outlined and amendments are proposed to improve the legislation. The author also examines the compliance with the BEPS guiding principle, which provides for the taxation of profits where profit-generating economic activities are carried out and where value is created. It is established that the amendments to the Tax Code of Ukraine do not ensure the implementation of this principle. In addition to the problems of practical implementation of the provisions of legislation, the article identifies conceptual shortcomings of the proposed improvements to the transfer pricing methods, which practically do not ensure the achievement of the set goals. An alternative method of pricing based on the market assessment of value added, which is determined by the sum of the firm’s factor income, wages and profits, is substantiated. Instead of the concept of “transfer price”, the concept of “fair market price” is introduced, which is determined by the sum of value added, depreciation and expenses, representing the added value of all previous stages of the production and/or distribution cycles. The proposed approach excludes the concepts of “affiliated entities”, “transfer prices” and “arm’s length principle”. The existence of a unified system of value added tax in the European Union allows for the unification of the tax system in terms of direct and indirect taxes as a result of the introduction of fair market prices. Amendments to the legislation have been proposed to allow for automatic solution of the following tasks.

The reuse and reincorporation of waste are the principles of circular economies. Compost, biofuels, animal feed, dyes, and bioactive compounds can be obtained from the revaluation of organic waste. Research on this subject is scarce and limited to specific sectors, such as agriculture and agroindustry, leaving aside others that generate large quantities of organic waste, such as floriculture. The remains of these sectors have a low decomposition rate compared to other organic wastes. They are a source of bioactive compounds (e.g., essential oils, pigments, phenols) that can be reincorporated into the production chain of various industries. This review describes the composition of waste from agroindustry, agriculture, and floriculture, analyzing their potential revalorization as a source of bioactive compounds and an alternative supply source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Virtual reality (VR) is one of the most rapidly growing technological advancements being studied, developed, and implemented in mental health care. It offers a wide array of possibilities that go beyond the traditional ways of providing mental health care services. Many interventions require clients to learn new skills in order for change to occur. Relevant to this study, behavioral parent-training (BPT) interventions are focused on the acquisition of parenting skills in order to change child behavior. VR was added to the Parent–Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) – a known BPT intervention — as an additional practice tool. In the present study, which is part of a larger study, the qualitative experiences of (PCIT-)VR from both parents' and therapists' perspectives are evaluated, as well as their suggestions for implementation. Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eleven parents. Five therapists participated in a focus group and three additional semi-structured interviews were conducted with therapists. To analyze, a combination of deductive and inductive thematic analysis was used. Results: Responses from interviews were divided into three categories: (1) parents' evaluation, (2) therapists' evaluation, and (3) suggestions for implementation from both parents and therapists. Next to a positive overall experience with PCIT, a large number of parents were also positive about the addition of VR to treatment. Both parents and therapists experienced VR as a useful additional practice tool. The additional practice in VR led to a boost in confidence in using positive parenting skills. There were mixed experiences regarding the ease and immersion of the tool. Suggestions for implementation from both parents and therapists were to make the tool more appealing and realistic, to vary more in VR modules and to improve certain practical aspects. Conclusion: Adding VR to PCIT is still a pioneering piece of technology within PCIT. The value of this VR tool lies in the provision of the possibility to practice with skills outside of the therapeutic encounter, which has the potential to instill confidence in using those skills. Given the positive experiences regarding PCIT-VR, it is important to further develop the VR tool. We believe that ultimately, PCIT-VR can potentially serve as a customized way for parents to practice what they are taught during the treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the added value of concurrent systematic randomised ultrasonography‐guided biopsy (SBx) to multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI)‐targeted biopsy and the additional rate of overdiagnosis of clinically insignificant prostate cancer (ciPCa) by SBx in a large contemporary, real‐world cohort. Patients and Methods: A total of 1552 patients with positive mpMRI and consecutive mpMRI‐targeted biopsy and SBx were enrolled. Added value and the rate of overdiagnosis by SBx was evaluated. Primary outcome: added value of SBx, defined as detection rate of clinically significant PCa (csPCa; International Society of Urological Pathology [ISUP] Grade ≥2) by SBx, while mpMRI‐targeted biopsy was negative or showed ciPCa (ISUP Grade 1). Secondary outcome: rate of overdiagnosis by SBx, defined as detection of ciPCa in patients with negative mpMRI‐targeted biopsy and PSA level of <10 ng/mL. Results: Detection rate of csPCa by mpMRI‐targeted biopsy and/or SBx was 753/1552 (49%). Added value of SBx was 145/944 (15%). Rate of overdiagnosis by SBx was 146/656 (22%). Added value of SBx did not change when comparing patients with previous prostate biopsy and biopsy naïve patients. In multivariable analysis, a Prostate Imaging‐Reporting and Data System (PI‐RADS) 4 index lesion (odds ratio [OR] 3.19, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.66–6.78; P = 0.001), a PI‐RADS 5 index lesion (OR 2.89, 95% CI 1.39–6.46; P = 0.006) and age (OR 1.05, 95% CI 1.03–1.08; P < 0.001) were independently associated with added value of SBx. Conclusions: In our real‐world analysis, we saw a significant impact on added value and added rate of overdiagnosis by SBx. Subgroup analysis showed no significant decrease of added value in any evaluated risk group. Therefore, we do not endorse omitting concurrent SBx to mpMRI‐guided biopsy of the prostate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Coastal areas have become an important part of Indonesia's evolving economy, with a variety of commercial activities taking place. The island of Java has both northern and southern coastal areas, each with its own distinctive characteristics and products. The studies about coastal development through its product value chain are still limited. This study aimed to determine the value chain of fishery products in Java to provide recommendations for enhancing coastal management. For the northern coast, milkfish and ariid catfish from Juwana Coast (Pati Regency, Central Java) were selected, while Whiteleg Shrimp from Mendit Coast and Trisik Coast of Kulon Progo Regency, Yogyakarta were chosen to represent the southern coast. The study involved 48 respondents, including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), farmers, fishermen, wholesalers, middlemen, retailers, restaurants, and consumers. The analysis techniques used in this study included Porter's value chain, Hayami's added value, Return/Cost (R/C) Ratio, and marketing margin analysis. The results of the study revealed that the products followed various channels in the value chain, with longer chains leading to higher prices for the end consumers. The findings also indicated that processed and creatively packaged products tend to command higher prices and generate greater profits. Coastal management should not only focus on upstream activities but also consider downstream processes to increase the value of coastal products. Efforts to enhance coastal management should consider key actors and government interventions through developing the coastal local products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Copyright of Brazilian Journal of Law & International Relations / Relações Internacionais no Mundo is the property of Relacoes Internacionais no Mundo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The characterization of "Fava Santorinis" as a PDO product does not protect the cultivated genetic material that produces this product, since this is not registered as a traditional cultivar in the National Common Catalogue. The failure to include this information presents a significant hazard to the genetic diversity of these cultivars, potentially resulting in the loss of their distinct traits, reduced crop yields, and quality. Furthermore, it seeks to comply with established procedures for characterizing and subsequently register this traditional cultivar in the National List of Varieties. The "Santorini Fava" (Lathyrus sp.) is a renowned agricultural product that is unique to Santorini, and it has played a pivotal role in upholding the island's traditional agriculture. Today, the local agricultural cooperation continues the cultivation of this crop, preserving it as an indispensable facet of the island's cultural heritage. The objective of the project M16SYN2-00135 is to guarantee and secure this indigenous variety, from which the PDO product in question originates, by applying official description protocols and making use of the existing know-how for the description of the genetic material, the definition of the landrace, and its description for registration in the National Catalog of Varieties. At the same time, the sustainable management of viral diseases and the rational management of its seed production will lead to an increase in productivity, its stabilization, and ultimately, its shielding. The product will be utilized by the cooperative contributing to the sustainability of the holdings and the prevention of commercial exploitation of the traditional variety beyond the area of origin based on the best practices for the preservation of the varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The project aims to safeguard this local variety by comprehensively studying its genetic variability. Furthermore, it seeks to follow official protocols for the description and subsequent registration of the variety in the National List of Varieties, increasing the product's value and securing its identity. Experimentation targets evaluation of the landrace to select plants with improved productivity and quality. The profit from implementing the program will come from a combination of higher productivity due to the use of improved genetic material, improved consulting services related to agricultural techniques, and increased values due to higher prices due to authenticating the product. This initiative aspires to provide benefits for the Agricultural Cooperative of Bean producers of the Prespes area. At the same time, the farmers will be trained for good seed reproduction and production of the landrace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The official designation of the bean "Fasolia Vanilies Feneou" and grass pea "Fava Feneou" as Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) products do not extend protection to their cultivated genetic material due to their non-inclusion in the National Catalog of Varieties [EC 2008/62/EK (official Greek Gazette) FEK 165/30-Juanuary-2014] as recognized traditional cultivars. This omission poses a significant risk to the genetic diversity of these varieties, potentially leading to the loss of their distinct characteristics, decreased yields, and compromised quality. The primary objective of this project is to ensure the preservation of these local varieties through a comprehensive study of their genetic variability. Additionally, it aims to adhere to official protocols for describing and subsequently registering these varieties in the National List of Varieties. This registration will enhance the product's value and secure its unique identity. The experimentation phase of the project focuses on evaluating the landrace to select plants that demonstrate improved productivity and quality. This work presents the parameters connected with the description of the unique identity of this product; its origin, traceability, and local agricultural practices; and specific product characteristics that will contribute to this. The product will be utilized by Kiato Union IKE and, at the same time, farmers will be trained in the excellent seed reproduction and production of the product. This initiative promises several benefits for the agricultural cooperative and producers in Feneos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Multiparametric Magnetic Resonance Imaging (mpMRI)-based targeted biopsy has shown to be beneficial in detecting Clinically Significant Prostate Cancer (csPCa) and avoiding diagnosis of Non-csPCa (ncsPCa); however, its role in the treatment of biopsy-naïve patients is still under discussion. Methods: After identifying predictors for the diagnosis of csPCa via Multivariate Logistic Regression Analysis (MLRA), a propensity-score (1:1 nearest neighbor) matched comparison was performed between a Systematic-Only Biopsy (SOB) cohort and a mpMRI-based Combined (systematic + targeted) Biopsy (CB) cohort from two tertiary urologic centers (SOB: Department of Urology, University General Hospital of Heraklion, University of Crete, School of Medicine, Heraklion, Crete, Greece; CB: LKH Hall in Tirol, Austria). Only biopsy-naïve patients were included in the study. The study period for the included patients was from February 2018 to July 2023 for the SOB group and from July 2017 to June 2023 for the CB group. The primary outcome was the diagnosis of csPCa (≥ISUP 2); secondary outcomes were overall cancer detection, the added value of targeted biopsy in csPCa detection, and the reduction in ncsPCa diagnosis with CB compared to SOB. To estimate the Average Treatment effect of the Treated groups (ATT), cluster-robust standard errors were used to perform g-computation in the matched sample. p-values < 0.05 with a two-sided 95% confidence interval were considered statistically significant. Results: Matching achieved well-balanced groups (each n = 140 for CB and SOB). In the CB group, 65/140 (46.4%) patients were diagnosed with csPCa compared to 44/140 (31.4%) in the SOB group (RR 1.48, 95%-CI: 1.09–2.0, p = 0.01). In the CB group, 4.3% (6/140) and 1.4% (2/140) of csPCa cases were detected with targeted-only and systematic-only biopsy cores, respectively. In the CB group, 22/140 (15.7%) patients were diagnosed with ncsPCa compared to 33/140 (23.6%) in the SOB group (RR = 0.67, 95% CI: 0.41–1.08, p = 0.1). When comparing SOB to CB (ATT), the marginal OR was 0.56 (95% CI: 0.38–0.82, p = 0.003) for the diagnosis of csPCa and 0.75 (95% CI: 0.47–1.05, p = 0.085) for the diagnosis of overall cancer (≥ISUP 1). Conclusion: The CB approach was superior to the SOB approach in detecting csPCa, while no additional detection of ncsPCa was seen. Our results support the application of mpMRI for biopsy-naïve patients with suspicions of prostate cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Economica: Revistă Ştiinţifico-Didactică is the property of Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova (AESM) / Academia de Studii Economice din Moldova (AESM) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Eggs and chicken meat are poultry products, and their demand continuously increases yearly. Limapuluh Kota Regency is the home of the largest chicken layer industry in West Sumatra. This district's total population of chickens reaches as much as 10 million. This industry has made a significant contribution to the district's economy. In contrast, the number of farmers decreased significantly due to the low profit margin, while the egg market price was comparatively high. Our study aimed to investigate the value chain in the poultry product industry, especially in West Sumatra, and how the added value is shared among the actors. We want to determine the distribution channels, the actors, value creation, and value distribution along the supply chain. We analyze the value chain of the chicken layer industry, identify activities performed by each actor, and value creation in each stage. Value added was analyzed using a value-added Hayami method, defining the value added as the difference between the output and input values. The results showed that the structure of the industry value chain of chicken layer farms in Limapuluh Kota Regency consists of poultry shops (PS), breeders, traders, wholesalers, small traders, and consumers. Comparative analysis showed that wholesalers gain the most significant value-added distribution at 29.11 %, the second the breeder at 29.05 %, then small traders at 20.07 %, and then poultry shops at 14.17 %, and the last is traders at 7.60 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]