Associate Professor Research Articles

THE ROLE OF THE LEADER IN THE PROCESS OF ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE FORMATION AND MAIN CHALLENGES

Maia Giorgobiani 
 E-mail: maia.giorgobiani@tsu.ge 
 Associate Professor, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University 
 Tbilisi, Georgia
 https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9328-7239
 
 Davit Dugladze 
 E-mail: dugladzedavit@gmail.com 
 Associate Professor, Georgian State Teaching University of Physical Education and Sport 
 Tbilisi, Georgia
 https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0722-0092
 
 Tinatin Dzotsenidze 
 E-mail: tinatindzotsenidze5@gmail.com 
 PhD student, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University 
 Tbilisi, Georgia
 https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8747-0782
 
 Tatia Qajaia 
 E-mail: Tkaj2011@agruni.edu.ge 
 PhD student, Sokhumi State University
 Tbilisi, Georgia
 https://orcid.org/0009-0005-7210-345X
 
 Abstract. Organizational culture has a great impact on employee behavior and productivity. A healthy organizational culture is directly proportional to employee engagement and motivation. It should be noted that leaders themselves have an important role in forming the appropriate organizational culture. Organizational culture is the object of research for many scientists. Any culture shapes appropriate behavior in individuals and groups. For each member of the organization, it is important to encourage them with salary. The creation of an organizational climate is often related to a fair incentive policy in the organization. Satisfaction with the supervisor depends on many factors, the management style chosen by him is important, as well as the characteristics of involvement in the decision process, motivational policy, and the environment created by the supervisor. Several studies have shown that job satisfaction is determined by the relationship style of the employee and the supervisor. Therefore, the management of the organization needs to develop a program to increase activities and encourage not only job satisfaction but also good working relationships between superiors and subordinates. In the presented work, we focused on these and other important issues. The purpose of the research we presented is to highlight the leader's role in forming the desired organizational climate. Respondents employed in three public structures of economic profile took part in the presented research. The results obtained during the research process were processed using the SPSS statistical software package. Based on the obtained results, appropriate conclusions and recommendations were developed.

THE IMPACT OF HUMAN CAPITAL ON THE GLOBAL INDEX OF INNOVATION

Natela Tsiklashvili 
 E-mail: natia.tsiklashvili@bsu.edu.ge 
 Professor, Doctor of Economics, Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University 
 Batumi, Georgia
 https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0638-7376
 
 Nato Jabnidze 
 E-mail: jabnidze.nato@bsu.edu.ge 
 Associate Professor, Doctor of Economics, Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University 
 Batumi, Georgia
 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5557-6109
 
 Tamila Turmanidze 
 E-mail:tamila.turmanidze@bsu.edu.ge 
 Assist. Professor, Doctor of Economics, Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University 
 Batumi, Georgia
 https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4710-2285
 
 Abstract. The global innovation index is used to evaluate the innovation environment in the country. The components included in this index mainly consider human knowledge and education. Human capital is one of the most important drivers of economic growth and innovation.
 The growth of investments in human capital will contribute to the growth of the economic value of education, the correct distribution of resources, and the correct management of state policy.
 The purpose of our research is to justify the need to invest in human capital and to evaluate its effectiveness, which is the main factor in the development of the innovative economy in the current period. In order to evaluate the effectiveness between the innovative economy and human capital, we conducted a study in companies. The research examines the attitude of employers and employees working in the Adjara region towards professional growth events (training/seminars) that are directly related to innovative technologies.
 Spending on education today is one of the most important ways to earn a higher income in the future. The amount of human capital in a country depends on education, that's why in developed countries, the effectiveness and strategies of investing in education are measured by the cost-benefit ratio.
 According to the Global Innovation Index, Georgia is in the category of upper-middle income countries. According to the 2022 report, Georgia showed high results in only 2 out of 7 categories.
 However, it should also be noted that the components of the index are based more on quantitative indicators than on qualitative indicators, so a single index cannot be a perfect estimator.

CORPORATE TAX MANAGEMENT AND ITS IMPORTANCE IN MODERN BUSINESS

Besik Bauchadze 
 E-mail: Besik.bauchadze@bsu.edu.ge 
 Associate Professor, Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University 
 Batumi, Georgia
 https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7458-2734
 
 Abstract. The purpose of the article is to investigate and determine the importance of corporate (business) tax planning, tax accounting analysis, tax policy development and implementation process in modern business. In the conditions of the market economy, the formulation of tax planning tasks between economic subjects and the state, the structure of tax relations, is quite complicated. Therefore, special requirements are placed on the tax management process. Major decisions are never made without the influence of taxes and their management. It becomes clear that it is necessary to introduce a mechanism for managing tax costs that can reduce the negative consequences of a high tax burden on an organization. In modern conditions, the calculation and payment of taxes is a rather difficult and responsible procedure, in addition to the costs of paying taxes, enterprise owners are also forced to spend significant amounts of money on the development and implementation of corporate tax policy.

PUBLIC DECISIONS IN THE TAX LEGISLATION OF GEORGIA

Ekaterine Shainidze 
 E-mail: ekaterine.shainidze@bsu.edu.ge 
 Doctor of Finance, Associate Professor, Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University 
 Batumi, Georgia 
 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3612-1790
 
 Abstract. According to the tax legislation of Georgia, informing taxpayers is one of the important elements in the tax administration system. On January 1, 2011, with the implementation of the new tax code in Georgia, a public decision was defined as one of the sources of providing information to the taxpayer. It is a decision on the norm of application of the tax legislation, which is issued by the Minister of Finance of Georgia based on the decision of the dispute review body or based on the analysis of the existing practice of taxation of taxpayers by the tax body. A public decision has binding legal force, therefore, regulatory and law enforcement authorities are not authorized to charge a person additional fees and/or sanctions if he acts in accordance with a public decision.
 The introduction of the public decision mechanism into the tax legislation of Georgia was supposed to be a measure to facilitate the timely fulfillment of tax obligations by taxpayers, however, until now only 7 such decisions have been adopted and published accordingly. In addition, the use of the mentioned lever for informing the payers did not happen until 2018.
 Published public decisions have regulated several issues of taxation, including: income from securities, forgiveness of loan obligations for individuals, operations related to crypto-assets, the right to use a leased asset, delivery of agricultural products produced in Georgia, the difference between the weight of goods at the port of unloading and the port of loading when importing grain, Rules of taxation of tourist services. It is important to note that the basis of public decision-making is the analysis of the existing practice, which determines the need to explain the tax norm more than it is conveyed by the tax code or subordinate normative acts.
 The annual reports of the Revenue Service do not reflect information about the effectiveness of using this important lever of tax administration - the mechanism of public decision. In addition, it is difficult to name arguments about the absence of the need to use this means of informing the payers more intensively.
 A significant part of tax disputes is partially satisfied complaints in favor of taxpayers, which indicates that there are many disputed legal norms in the tax legislation. In the conditions of a low tax culture in the country, insufficient protection of one of the fundamental rights of taxpayers - the right to receive information about the application of the tax legislation of Georgia - has a negative effect on the timely fulfillment of tax obligations. In the mentioned conditions, the active use of the public decision mechanism has an important role in ensuring the correct and unambiguous application of tax norms, both from the side of the payers and the tax authorities.

GEORGIA IN THE PLANS OF GERMANY AND ITS ALLIES AT THE INITIAL STAGE OF THE WORLD WAR I (MILITARY OPERATIONS ON THE TRANSCAUCASUS FRONT)

Nugzar zosidze
 E-mail: n.zosidze@bsu.edu.ge
 Associate Professor, Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University 
 Batumi, Georgia
 https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2613-3365
 
 Abstract. In the early twentieth century, two large opposing hostile coalitions have formed in Europe: Triple Alliance and Triple Entente.
 The Triple Alliance initially included: Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy. After the start of the World War I, the latter withdrew from the bloc, but Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria joined it, thus forming the Quadruple Alliance. The countries included in it demanded a "place under the sun" and assumed to take the colonies from the Entente countries through war. 
 The core of the "Entente" consisted of the world's largest colonial empires of that time - Great Britain, France and Russia. It was between these two imperialist groups that the World War I of 1914-1918 broke out, involving thirty-eight states from different continents. 
 The war was imperialistic, unjust and conquering on both sides, resulting in the deaths and maiming of millions of people, destruction and extermination on a grand scale.
 Germany and its allies had significant plans for Transcaucasia and the expulsion of Russia from there. This unity of these interests largely led to the Ottoman Empire joining the Alliance, following the 1908 Young Turk Revolution. After the Revolution, three leaders distinctively stood out in the political life of the Ottoman Empire: Enver Pasha, Military Minister and and de facto dictator of the Ottoman Empire; Talaat Pasha, Minister of Internal Affairs; and Ahmed Djemal Pasha, Minister of Marine. Those three were obviously prone to Germanophilism. 
 Young Turks, in their attempts to find ways for quickly reorganizing their army defeated in the Balkan wars, looked at Germany with hope. That is why they happily met Germany's proposal to send a military mission to the Ottoman empire, which was received. On 8 October 1913, an agreement was signed between Germany and the Ottoman Empire, which gave the Sanders military mission extensive rights (M.Larcher, La guerre Turque dans la guerre mondiale: 609-610).
 The German military mission undertook considerable work in the Ottoman Empire prior to the war. The members of the mission had responsible positions in the local general staff, border corps and fortifications. The history of the period in question became especially relevant from the beginning of the 50s of the twentieth century. However, many details and features of these liasons have not yet been fully investigated, comprehensively studied and scientifically substantiated.

Role of Libraries in Implementing the New Education Policy 2020 in Higher Education in India

Libraries play a crucial and multi-faceted role in the implementation of the New Education Policy (NEP) of 2020 in higher education in India. They function as hubs of knowledge and are instrumental in supporting the educational goals outlined in the NEP. This article examines the intricate and significant part that libraries play in the effective execution of the NEP, specifically within the context of NEP 2020. It discusses how libraries can promote access to diverse knowledge resources, encourage research, and foster critical thinking skills among students. By utilizing the potential of libraries as centers of learning, higher education institutions can establish a more inclusive and just learning environment according to the NEP’s vision. The primary focus of this study is to comprehensively elaborate on the multi-faceted involvement of libraries, including the active promotion of digital literacy, cultivation of research efforts and innovative initiatives, and facilitation of an all-encompassing and impartial approach to acquiring information for all segments of society. The article notes that libraries can contribute to the promotion of digital literacy, which is a critical aspect of the NEP. As the use of digital technologies in education increases, libraries play a vital role in providing access to a wide range of digital resources, such as e-books, online databases, and various digital learning materials. They can provide instructional guidance and assistance to both students and faculty members on the effective use of digital tools and platforms, leading to a significant improvement in their digital literacy skills. Libraries also offer access to a vast array of scholarly resources, including academic journals, research papers, and books. This accessibility empowers students and faculty members to engage in significant research endeavors. They also provide guidance and direction for conducting literature reviews, accessing relevant research databases, and keeping up with the latest developments in various disciplines. Therefore, libraries serve as collaborative spaces for interdisciplinary research and innovation, facilitating knowledge sharing and networking among students and faculty members, which is essential for NEP 2020. This research emphasizes the expected academic roles of libraries in enhancing all educational programs and proposes specific strategies to improve their functions. Previous literature is combined with qualitative research data from semi-structured interviews with 125 faculties, including Professors, Associate Professors, and working librarians from four universities associated with higher education institutions. Questionnaires and interview tools were used to explore the relevant data collection instruments.

Chronicles of A.I. Pospelov Moscow Society of Dermatovenerologists and Cosmetologists (MSDC was founded on October 4, 1891) 
 Bulletin of the MSDC meeting N 1153

On June 20, 2023, the 1153rd meeting of the Moscow Society of Dermatovenerologists and Cosmetologists named after A.I. Pospelov took place.
 The meeting was held in a "face-to-face" format. There were 86 participants in total. Applications for membership in the Moscow Society of Dermatovenerologists and Cosmetologists named after A.I. Pospelov were not submitted. Elections of delegates to the XXIII Congress of Dermatovenerologists and Cosmetologists of Russia (Corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Professor O.Y. Olisova, Professor E.S. Snarskaya, Professor O.B. Tamrazova, Associate Professor A.B. Yakovlev, assistant I.S. Maksimov, doctor V.V. Savenkov) and nomination of candidates for the position of the President of the All-Russian Public Organisation "Russian Society of Dermatovenerologists and Cosmetologists" were held (Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences A.A. Kubanov).
 Two reports are presented in the clinical part of the meeting: (1) paraneoplastic bullous dermatoses (Sechenov University); (2) Otto–Moncorps keratosis (Sechenov University).
 Reports were made in the scientific part of the meeting: (1) mycobacterial infection combined with skin mycoses in patients with HIV infection: diagnostic issues (Sechenov University, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University); (2) under the "mask" of a scar (Sechenov University).

Detention by Non-State Armed Groups under International Law By Ezequiel Heffes *

In this iteration of the Review's “Beyond the Literature” series, we have invited Ezequiel Heffes to introduce his recent book Detention by Non-State Armed Groups under International Law, before then posing a series of questions to Tilman Rodenhäuser, René Provost, Mariana Chacón Lozano and Katharine Fortin, who have agreed to serve as discussants of the book. Tilman Rodenhäuser is a Legal Adviser at the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), with particular expertise in non-State armed groups (NSAGs) and detention. René Provost is the James McGill Professor of Law at McGill University and has written extensively on public international law, including his recent monograph Rebel Courts: The Administration of Justice by Armed Insurgents.1 Mariana Chacón Lozano has served as the Operational Legal Coordinator for the ICRC in Colombia since October 2020 and has worked for the ICRC since 2011. Katharine Fortin is Associate Professor at the Netherlands Institute of Human Rights within the Faculty of Law, Economics and Governance of Utrecht University. The Review team is grateful to all four discussants, and to Ezequiel, for taking part in this engaging conversation.

Transforming organ transplantation with regenerative medicine: an interview with Giuseppe Orlando.

Giuseppe Orlando is an Associate Professor of Surgery and a kidney and pancreas transplant surgeon scientist at Wake Forest University School of Medicine (Winston-Salem, North Carolina), and the President Elect of the Cell Transplant and Regenerative Medicine Society. With a research interest in bioengineering and the regeneration of transplantable organs, Giuseppe's work seeks to establish the link between transplant medicine and regenerative medicine.

Career ambitions of women academics. Are women willing and able to rise to the top in higher education institutions?

ABSTRACT The disproportion of women to men at the top tier in the academic hierarchy, concerns politicians, academic leaders, students, and other stakeholders. A popular explanation for the gender imbalance in elite positions is that potential female candidates lack ambition and therefore do not have sufficient drive to make it to the top. In this study, we explore the issue of professional ambition among a group of women academics working as tenured associate professors in Norway. With the backdrop of VIE (Valence-instrumentality-expectancy) theory, we focus on two key subjective, but nonetheless contextual judgments that are assumed to underlie the decision to aim for a promotional opportunity; (i) Do I want it and (ii) Can I make it? Three sources of qualitative data provide interesting insights into these considerations, and our findings point to focusing more specifically on the perceived costs that are assumed to derive from making this career choice. The women are ambitious in the sense that they desire the professional clout and impact that comes with this top role (so, yes, they want it). However, a number of conditions are perceived to be central to the actual realization of their ambitions, such as more time, resources and transparency when it comes to the qualification process. The findings may serve as important to designing more suitable career conditions for this target group in practice. Finally, we propose the application of a context-specific gender perspective to better understand women’s career ambitions in higher education institutions (HEI).

Immunology across two islands: understanding the research landscape of Aotearoa (New Zealand).

In the unique landscape of immunology research in New Zealand, this article explores the collaborative networks spanning the two main islands, through a conversation with Associate Professor Joanna Kirman and Dr Robert Weinkove. The discussions delve into their dynamic collaborations with countries such as Asia, Australia and the United States, from their laboratories at the University of Otago and the Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, respectively, provides insight into the translational research landscape of New Zealand, and the integration of Māori culture into all aspects of scientific research and clinical practise. Kirman's work in understanding immunological memory in tuberculosis and Weinkove's research in cancer immunotherapies, particularly CAR-T cells, are highlighted. The natural beauty and accessibility of New Zealand supports its research diversity.

Let’s Talk LMCC (S01E04): Legal, Ethical and Organizational Aspects of Medicine - Confidentiality and Legal Systems

Welcome to the McGill Journal of Medicine (MJM) Let’s Talk LMCC Review. This podcast series was created to aid medical students studying for the Canadian Medical Council (MCC)’s licensing exam. Each episode is created based on specific LMCC objectives and is divided into two sections. In Section 1 we provide an overview of the topic with the help of experts in the field, followed by Section 2 where we review LMCC styled questions to help consolidate knowledge. In this episode, we welcome our expert advisor, Prof. Lara Khoury, an Associate Professor in the McGil Faculty of Law and Associate Member of McGill’s Institute for Health & Social Policy and Biomedical Ethics Unit, to speak on LMCC Objectives 121-4 Confidentiality and 121-5 Legal Systems. This episode was written by MJM Podcast Team members, Esther Kang, Sarah Grech, and Professor Lara Khoury.

Assistant or Associate Professor

Assistant or Associate Professor

Creativity, Skill, Integrity, Intelligence and Community: A Conversation on the Nature of Practice in Hip Hop

Robert Hylton is a first-generation UK hip hop theatre practitioner, who is currently writing a PhD at the Centre for Dance Research Coventry University on the nature of transmission of knowledge in black British Popping. Jonathan Burrows is a choreographer and Associate Professor at C-DaRE Coventry, who has worked for many years with hip hop artist Jonzi-D, mentoring hip hop artists interested in theatre practice. Robert and Jonathan have shared a long and ongoing conversation over many years about the nature of hip hop and its uneasy relationship to contemporary dance. The following text reflects that conversation, focussing specifically on the nature of practice in hip hop dance including transmission of physical and philosophical knowledge, respect for lineage, innovation and the relationship or not to academic research and the space of theatre.

Preface

This Proceedings presents the written contributions of the participants of 2023 3rd International Conference on Computer, Remote Sensing and Aerospace (CRSA 2023) which took place in the form of virtual conference on ZOOM during July 14th to 16th, 2023 in Osaka, Japan. This was the third version of the annual meetings that began in 2021.The three-day scientific program of the CRSA 2023 consisted of keynote speeches, oral presentations, poster presentations and academic investigation with the participation of delegates from China, Japan, UK, USA, India, Algeria, Morocco, Malaysia, among others. Moreover, the objective of CRSA 2023 was to bring together national and international researchers in order to establish a network of scientific cooperation with a global impact in the areas of computer, remote sensing and aerospace; to promote the exchange of creative ideas and the effective transfer of scientific knowledge, from fundamental research to innovation applied to Internet and aerospace solutions and to advance in the development of new research by means of efficient transference of the knowledge between sectors academia and industry.At the keynote speech part of the Conference, one of our keynote speakers Danilo Vasconcellos Vargas (Kyushu University, Japan) made an address on Adversarial Machine Learning: Is Deep Learning Intelligent? He is currently an Associate Professor at Kyushu University, Visiting Researcher at the University of Tokyo and CEO & Founder of MiraiX. His research interests cover Artificial Intelligence (AI), evolutionary computation, complex adaptive systems, interdisciplinary studies involving or using an AI’s perspective and AI applications. Many of his works were published in prestigious journals such as Evolutionary Computation (MIT Press), IEEE Transactions on Evolutionary Computation and IEEE Transactions of Neural Networks and Learning Systems with press coverage in news magazines such as BBC news. The speakers’ brilliant speeches made the attendees feel like bathing in a feast of knowledge.The Proceedings consists of about 30 contributions that were presented as speeches or presentations at the Conference or as publications in the paper volume. All papers published in this volume of Journal of Physics: Conference Series have been peer reviewed through processes administered by the Proceedings Editors. Reviews were conducted by expert referees to the professional and scientific standards expected of the proceedings journal.The topics of papers collected in this volume cover but are not limited to: High Performance Computing, Neural Networks, Geographic Information System, Aeroelasticity and Structural Dynamics, Manned / Unmanned Aviation, etc.We would like to thank the members of reviewers for their kind assistance in reviewing the papers. We would also extend our best gratitude to the keynote speakers for their invaluable contribution and worthwhile ideas shared in the Conference. Special acknowledgements go to the editors and staff of the Journal of Physics: Conference Series for their hard work in making this volume published.We hope that the series conference of CRSA will be even greater than ever before in the future!The Committee of CRSA 2023List of Committee Member is available in this pdf.

Peer Review Statement

All papers published in this volume have been reviewed through processes administered by the Editors. Reviews were conducted by expert referees to the professional and scientific standards expected of a proceedings journal published by IOP Publishing.• Type of peer review: Double Anonymous• Conference submission management system: Morressier• Number of submissions received: 44• Number of submissions sent for review: 43• Number of submissions accepted: 43• Acceptance Rate (Submissions Accepted / Submissions Received × 100): 97.7• Average number of reviews per paper: 2.1• Total number of reviewers involved: 24• Contact person for queries: Name: Lars P. Mikkelsen Email: lapm@dtu.dk Affiliation: Associate Professor

Unsolicited Invitations to Scientific Meetings: Radiologists' Experience.

Unsolicited invitations to speak at medical meetings have proliferated as a type of spam email and phishing strategy to scam unsuspecting victims. We sought to determine the prevalence of such invitations to questionable meetings and determine the factors associated with receiving such solicitations. Data was collected for the number of speakers' invitations received over a 2-week period (April -May 2023) by radiologists of different subspecialties, academic ranks, and histories of publications and speaking engagements in the past 2-5 years. We analyzed the number of invitations received based on the variables. Thirty-three of 45 (73.3%) faculty members received 188 inappropriate invitation emails in the 2-week observation period. The mean number of invitation emails was 4.13 for each faculty (SD: 5.03, range 0-20). There was no correlation between the number of invitations and radiologists' subspecialty, academic rank (3.8 ± 5, 3.0 ± 4, and 5.5 ± 5.7 invitations for full, associate, and assistant professors respectively) and previous legitimate speaker invites. Only 6 (3.2%) out of 188 invitations to speak sent to radiologists were for radiology-related meetings. Having more than 10 publications since 2022 was associated with a 5.0 (1.2, 19.4) times higher odds of receiving more than 4 solicitations. A total of 73.3% of the faculty surveyed received unsolicited invitations to meetings in the 2-week study period and over 96% of the invitations were unrelated to their field of practice. Our results show that publications since 2022 was the most significant factor associated with receiving more solicitations. Invitations to questionable meetings targeting radiologists are frequent and often are unrelated to their specialties. The risk factors for receiving the invitations are unclear. Understanding these risk factors may enable educators especially junior investigators, to be better prepared to appropriately address such solicitations.

Let’s Talk LMCC (S01E03): Legal, Ethical and Organizational Aspects of Medicine - Consent, Truth Telling and Negligence

Welcome to the McGill Journal of Medicine (MJM) Let’s Talk LMCC Review. This podcast series was created to aid medical students studying for the Canadian Medical Council (MCC)’s licensing exam. Each episode is created based on specific LMCC objectives and is divided into two sections. In Section 1 we provide an overview of the topic with the help of experts in the field, followed by Section 2 where we review LMCC styled questions to help consolidate knowledge. In this episode, we welcome our expert advisor, Dr. Carolyn Ells, a recently retired Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine at McGill, based at the Biomedical Ethics Unit, to speak on LMCC Objectives 121-1 Consent, 121-2 Truth Telling, and 121-3 Negligence. This episode was written by MJM Podcast Team members Amanda Sears and Esther Kang and Dr. Carolyn Ells.

Interview with Alexander Bauer, outgoing editor of the Journal

Sophie Vigneron, incoming editor of the International Journal of Cultural Property, interviewed Alex Bauer, who was the journal’s editor from 2003 to 2023. Alex is an Associate Professor of Anthropology at Queens College and The Graduate Center, City University of New York, and Associate Director of the Sinop Region Archaeological Project, an interdisciplinary archaeological and heritage project on the landscapes and seascapes of the Black Sea coastal community of Sinop (Turkey).

Editorial

Dear Readers,  It gives me great pleasure to announce the tenth regular issue of 2023. In this issue, various topical aspects of computer science are covered by 18 authors from 8 countries in 6 articles. As always, I would like to thank all the authors for their sound research and the editorial board for their highly valuable review effort and suggestions for improvement. These contributions, together with the generous support of the consortium members, sustain the quality of our journal.  In an ongoing effort to further strengthen our journal, I would like to expand the editorial board: If you are a tenured associate professor or above with a strong publication record, you are welcome to apply to join our editorial board. We are also interested in receiving high-quality proposals for special issues on new topics and trends. Please consider yourself and encourage your colleagues to submit high-quality articles or special issue proposals for our journal.  As we want to secure the financial support also for the years to come, we are looking for institutions and libraries to financially support our diamond open access journal as consortium members, who will then benefit from the research community, international visibility, and the opportunity to manage special issues and focused topics within the journal. Please think about the possibility of such financial participation by your institution, we would be very grateful for any kind of support.  In this regular issue, I am very pleased to introduce the following 6 accepted articles: In a collaboration between researchers from Palestine and Jordan, Rasha R. Atallah, Ahmad Sami Al-Shamayleh, and Mohammed A. Awadallah look into the impact of plastic surgery on face recognition models and propose a model based on an artificial neural network with model-agnostic meta-learning (ANN-MAML) for plastic surgery face recognition which results in an accuracy of 90% in all evaluation experiments. In another research collaboration between colleagues from Tunisia and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Samar Bouazizi, Emna Benmohamed, and Hela Ltifi propose in their article an advanced approach to recognize human emotions by using electroencephalogram (EEG) signals and focus their analysis on two specific classes of emotion recognition: H/L Arousal and H/L Valence. Anderson Melo de Morais, Fernando Antonio Aires Lins, and Nelson Souto Rosa from Brazil report on their survey on integration of consensus mechanisms into IoT-based blockchains, analyzing eight dimensions that help understand existing proposals: ease of integration, scalability, latency, throughput, power consumption, configuration issues, integrated algorithms, and adversary tolerance. In the next article Aymane Ezzaim, Aziz Dahbi, Abdelfatteh Haidine, and Abdelhak Aqqal from Morocco carry out a systematic mapping of the literature on AI-based adaptive learning environments and approaches. They examine 93 articles published between 2000 and 2022 and discuss the findings, including the types of AI algorithms used, the objectives targeted by these systems as well as the factors related to adaptation. Sergio-Daniel Sanchez-Solar, Gustavo Rodriguez-Gomez, and Jose Martinez-Carranza from México present their research on the control of a spherical robot rolling over irregular surfaces, which is achieved by controlling two motors for longitudinal and lateral motion in this non-holonomic system, and showed improvements by tuning the controller’s gains using stochastic signals for the longitudinal controller. Last but not least, Layse Santos Souza and Michel S. Soares from Brazil propose in their article the joint use of the SmartCitySysML with TCPN (Timed Coloured Petri Nets) to refine and formally model SysML diagrams that specify internal behavior, and then verify the developed model to prove behavioral properties of an urban traffic signal control system.  Enjoy Reading!  Cordially,  Christian Gütl, Managing Editor  Graz University of Technology, Graz, Austria