Due to the negative environmental impacts along the life cycle of fossil-based plastics, there is an increased interest in the development of biobased and biodegradable plastics. Especially, biodegradable bioplastics possess different material characteristics than fossil-based plastics and can therefore be expected to perform differently during the product use and in end-of-life (EOL) phases. Thus

Temperature and coagulant types have an important impact on the quantity and quality of the residue (sludge) in water and wastewater treatment processes. Temperature influences water viscosity and the distribution of the coagulant in water. Coagulants can promote the agglomeration of fine particles into larger flocs so that they can be more easily separated from the water. Experiments have been co

Background: A new, supposedly more reproducible radiographic classification, set to replace the Tönnis classification of hip dislocations, was proposed in 2015: the International Hip Dysplasia Institute (IHDI) classification. Purpose: To compare the IHDI classification with the Tönnis classification when evaluating the severity of hip dislocations as well as their respective inter- and intra-obser

This chapter examines the nature of the interaction between the Georgian Orthodox Church (GOC) and the state during the pandemic. The article shows how the church’s gradual acknowledgment of the deadly character of the virus coincided with a strict adherence to certain highly risky religious practices (such as communion from the same spoon), while the Georgian government’s stance in defense of pub

Background: Liver disease in Cystic Fibrosis (CFLD) is an early complication of CF. Evidence of CFLD is often subclinical and screening is recommended. Screening includes a biochemical work-up and an ultrasound investigation. Non-invasive methods measuring liver stiffness such as shear wave elastography could be beneficial. This study describes the use of 2D Shear Wave Elastography (2D SWE) in scr

The chapter analyzes the results of an online survey conducted in Ukraine, Serbia, Georgia, and Montenegro in 2022. The chapter uses the convenience sampling technique to explore reasons and test the validity of the scales. We explore online practices and perceptions of online rituals to examine further whether online practices correlate with vaccination. The chapter shows that urban respondents f

Have Orthodox Christian churches engaged in creation of novelreligious practices during the coronavirus pandemic? How dothose practices emerge, and how do laypeople respond to them?This article addresses these questions by reflecting on the majorproject findings based on examination of Orthodox churches ofRussia, Ukraine and Georgia. The findings build on a theoreticalframework that includes sever

While some religious institutions postponed their religious services during the pandemic, Orthodox Christian churches insisted on keeping their doors open. Why did churches challenge social distancing policies, and how did they succeed in defying state authority at any cost? We address this puzzle drawing on an analysis of official statements, media, in-depth interviews, and surveys in Georgia and

The poetry of Hanni Ossott (1946-2002) is hardly known beyond Venezuelan frontiers, and so is any domestic or foreign research, almost non-existent, about her published works, an exception being El reino donde la noche se abre (1987). Such a scenario, unfortunately, continues to be so regarding her other works, especially the ones published thereafter. For this reason, this article will focus on o

Climate change and anthropogenic activities are producing a range of new selection pressures, both abiotic and biotic, on marine organisms. Although it is known that climate change can differentially affect fitness-related traits at different trophic levels of the food web, it is not clear if different trophic levels will respond via phenotypic plasticity in the form of maintenance of phenotypes i

Adaptation to new ecological niches is known to spur population diversification and may lead to speciation if gene flow is ceased. While adaptation to the same ecological niche is expected to be parallel, it is more difficult to predict whether selection against maladaptive hybridization in secondary sympatry results in parallel divergence also in traits that are not directly related to the ecolog

The article argues that in Denmark during the past 150 years, moral elites have been central in settling paradoxes within social policy by developing ‘classifications’ of citizens and sectors: who are deserving of help and what sector (public or third) should provide care. Contrary to widely held beliefs, historically, there is no logical or practical connection between ‘more deserving’ and ‘state

Emerging technologies with artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are laying the foundation for surveillance capabilities of a magnitude never seen before. This article focuses on facial recognition, now rapidly introduced in many police authorities around the world, with expectations of enhanced security but also subject to concerns related to privacy. The article examined a recent cas

Beyond 5G communication systems must be able to meet the requirements imposed by the ever-increasing demand in capacity, while guaranteeing robustness, reliability, low latency, security, as well as spectral and power efficiencies. Large intelligent surfaces (LIS) as an evolution of massive MIMO have drawn considerable attention among researchers, being already considered as one of the key technol

Peatlands store large amounts of carbon in terrestrial ecosystems and they are vulnerable to recent warming. The ongoing warming may change their carbon sink capacity and could reduce their potential to sequester carbon. In this study, we simulated peatland carbon dynamics in distinct future climate conditions using the peatland-vegetation model (LPJ-GUESS). The study examined whether less pronoun

Seasonality of dinoflagellate blooms and dinoflagellate assemblies are not random. Yet, bloom events and the specific appearance of species is difficult to predict and sometimes appears stochastic. Nevertheless, it has been established that both abiotic and biotic factors determine species assemblies, as well as the available species pool. The physical environment, especially nutrients and mixing/

In this chapter I study the ways in which people in intentional communities during the late 1970s related to geographies of escape, politics and engagement. The individuals taking part in the back-to-the-land communes of the 1960s and 1970s were seen as escapists by many in their time. They left the city and, therefore, were presumed to have left the political and societal spheres. Studies of comm

The agricultural sector has a critical role in creating social and environmental value of natural resources in addition to its traditional role of creating economic value by supplying food to the ever-increasing world population. In fulfilling this dual role, the agricultural sector often faces competing pressures: to operate financially profitable businesses and to create, maintain, and benefit f