Complete Transformation Research Articles

Using the Radial Shear Rolling Method for Fast and Deep Processing Technology of a Steel Ingot Cast Structure.

In advancing special materials, seamless integration into existing production chains is paramount. Beyond creating improved alloy compositions, precision in processing methods is crucial to preserve desired properties without drawbacks. The synergy between alloy formulation and processing techniques is pivotal for maximizing the benefits of innovative materials. By focusing on advanced deep processing technology for small ingots of modified 12% Cr stainless steel, this paper delves into the transformation of cast ingot steel structures using radial shear rolling (RSR) processing. Through a series of nine passes, rolling ingots from a 32 mm to a 13 mm diameter with a total elongation factor of 6.02, a notable shift occurred. This single-operation process effectuated a substantial change in sample structure, transitioning from a coarse-grained cast structure (0.5-1.5 mm) to an equiaxed fine-grained structure with peripheral grain sizes of 1-4 μm and an elongated rolling texture in the axial part of the bar. The complete transformation of the initial cast dendritic structure validates the implementation of the RSR method for the deep processing of ingots.

Tuning the cathodic-anodic electrochemical transition in lithium iron borate by optimizing synthesis parameters, anionic doping and potential window

This report presents a comprehensive investigation into the transformation of a high-capacity LiFeBO3 cathode material to an anode material by fluorine doping. The structural and electrochemical studies of LiFeBO3 are investigated in detail with respect to synthesis temperature, anion doping, and specific potential windows. Lowering the synthesis temperature preserves the monoclinic structure of the material, allowing a higher specific capacity close to 200 mAh g−1 within the potential window of 1.5–4.0 V. However, higher synthesis temperatures leads to the degradation of the monoclinic structure, subsequently reducing the specific capacity to 114 mAh g−1, even though the slurry processing is carried out in an inert atmosphere. The introduction of 10 % fluorine doping induces a complete transformation of the monoclinic structure into a vonsenite-type phase. Surprisingly, the vonsenite-type material exhibits a drastically reduced cathodic capacity of 11 mAh g−1 within the aforementioned potential window. Nevertheless, it displays promising anodic behavior when operated below 2.5 V, demonstrating its potential for application as a conversion-type anode in Li-ion batteries. The crystal structure of the composite material is found to contain LiF and Li–B–O phases, contributing to an extended cycle life compared to undoped carbon-coated Fe3BO5. The cyclability of the anode material is further enhanced by the use of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (Na-CMC) as a binder and fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) as an electrolyte additive. Overall, this study furnishes valuable insights into the structural modifications and electrochemical performance of a LiFeBO3 cathode transformed into a fluorine-doped anode material. These findings contribute to the synthesis strategies for novel electrode materials, opening up new avenues for the design and development of advanced Li-ion battery systems with improved performance and longevity.

Research on Intelligent Finance Construction of Manufacturing Enterprises under Digital Transformation

At present, China's economic development has entered a new normal. In order to adapt to the rapid development of the times and improve the competitiveness of China's manufacturing industry, Chinese manufacturing enterprises have begun digital transformation and upgrading. The development and application of intelligent technology have had a profound impact on the manufacturing industry, and intelligent manufacturing has entered a new stage of development. At present, many industries are at a critical juncture in digital transformation, with an increasing reliance on intelligent technology, which highlights the importance of establishing intelligent finance. If manufacturing enterprises want to truly complete digital transformation, they must make the construction of smart finance a new driving force. Based on the current background of digital transformation, financial management in the manufacturing industry needs to be innovated and optimized, and an intelligent financial model should be established. By actively applying technologies such as big data and cloud computing to the enterprise, the integration of business and finance can be enhanced, and the financial and commercial data of the enterprise can be deeply excavated to help the enterprise make business and management decisions and improve its risk control capabilities. Based on the background of intelligent finance construction, this article provides a specific discussion on the relevant issues of intelligent finance construction in manufacturing industry. Starting from the problems faced by intelligent finance construction in manufacturing enterprises, it briefly explains the background of digital transformation and the concept of intelligent finance. Secondly, it analyzes the important role of intelligent finance construction in manufacturing enterprises, and finally proposes countermeasures to promote the construction of intelligent finance in manufacturing enterprises.

Microstructure and properties of silicon nitride ceramics fabricated by vat photopolymerization in combination with pressureless sintering

Silicon nitride (Si3N4) ceramics have been successfully manufactured using vat photopolymerization (VPP) technology. The formulated photocurable paste achieved a high solid loading (48 vol%) while maintaining low viscosity (3.2 Pa s at a shear rate of 30 s−1). Si3N4 ceramics doped with Al2O3–Y2O3 sintering aids were prepared using pressureless sintering at different temperatures (1650 °C, 1700 °C and 1750 °C) for 2 h. The resultant material exhibited a flexural strength of 613.3 ± 53.1 MPa, Vickers hardness of 12.6 ± 0.4 GPa, and a fracture toughness of 7.5 ± 0.3 MPa m1/2. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis has demonstrated a complete transformation from α-Si3N4 to β-Si3N4 at a sintering temperature of 1750 °C, where the resultant ceramic exhibited distinctive grain growth anisotropy. By investigating the shrinkage at different sintering temperatures, the sample at 1750 °C has a larger shrinkage in the Z-direction, which is also related to its anisotropic grain growth. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images have revealed the presence of elongated grains at a sintering temperature of 1750 °C. The combined effect of elongated grains and growth anisotropy serves to significantly enhance the overall mechanical properties of the material. This study advances current research on the preparation of high-performance Si3N4 ceramics by combining VPP technology with pressureless sintering.

Signaling Pathway Mutations Cooperate with the PICALM/MLLT10 Fusion in a Knock-in AML Mouse Model

The PICALM/MLLT10 (or CALM/AF10; C/A) is a rare but recurring fusion gene detected in patients with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, malignant lymphoma and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Our lab has previously established a C/A knock-in mouse model, where the fusion gene preceded by a loxP-flanked transcriptional stop cassette was inserted into the Rosa26 locus (the R26LSLCA strain). To achieve tissue-specific expression of C/A, R26LSLCA mice were crossed with three different Cre-inducer lines, namely the Vav-Cre, MB1-Cre and CD19-Cre. In the Vav-Cre strain, Cre recombinase is expressed in the entire hematopoietic system, while in the MB1-Cre and CD19-Cre lines, Cre is expressed in the B-cell compartment. Using this model, Dutta et al. showed that C/A leads to leukemia only when expressed in all hematopoietic cells, including hematopoietic stem cells and does not lead to induction of leukemia when expressed in B-cells alone ( Dutta et al., Leukemia 2016). To further characterise leukemias driven by the C/A fusion, we established new R26LSLCA and Vav-Cre crosses. Similar to what was found previously, the Vav-Cre/R26LSLCA mice developed leukemia with a long median latency of 1 year (366.5 days; N=24) and complete penetrance. On post-mortem analysis, the Vav-Cre/R26LSLCA mice were found to have splenomegaly and leucocytosis. Expression of the fusion gene was confirmed in these mice by RT-PCR on the cDNA from bone marrow (BM) cells. Immunophenotyping analysis of the BM cells and splenocytes of these mice revealed a predominantly myeloid phenotype. To assess the effect of expression of C/A on the transcriptome, we performed RNA-seq analysis using BM cells from 17 leukemic mice and 12 healthy controls. In accordance with reports on C/A patient samples, the Hoxa genes Hoxa7 and Hoxa9 as well as the Hox-cofactor Meis1 were significantly upregulated in our C/A expressing mice. In addition, genes involved in B-cell development, such as Cd19, Pax5 and Ikzf3, and Gata1, which is essential for the development of erythrocytes, were downregulated. To prove that the Vav-Cre/R26LSLCA mice were indeed leukemic and had the potential to propagate the disease, we serially transplanted BM cells from 4 Vav-Cre/R26LSLCA mice into congenic recipients. The secondary (N=20) and tertiary (N=19) transplanted mice developed leukemia with a significantly shorter median latency of 21 and 17 days, respectively. Our group and others have shown that a single genetic lesion is in most cases not sufficient to cause leukemia. Thus, to determine if additional somatic mutations were acquired by the C/A knock-in mice, we performed whole exome sequencing on the DNA from BM cells of the 4 knock-in mice, some of their daughter secondary and tertiary leukemias as well as the corresponding germline DNA samples (N=19). We identified between 2-32 mutations per leukemia exome, including mutations in genes and/or members of gene families that have been implicated in human leukemias. Mutations were detected in the transcription factors Sfpi1, Zeb1, and Sox9; Aff2, a member of the Af4/Fmr2 gene family; and Sf3a2, a component of the RNA-splicing machinery, among others. In addition, in two C/A sister secondary leukemias and the corresponding tertiary leukemias, we detected a missense mutation at amino acid 507 (G507A) of the Ptpn11 gene, which is homologous to G507 of human PTPN11, a known hotspot mutation site in AML and juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia. Interestingly, Dutta et al. also reported a G507 mutation (G507V) in Ptpn11 in a C/A knock-in mouse. PTPN11 regulates the RAS/MAPK signaling pathway. This finding is reminiscent of what we have previously reported in a C/A driven murine bone marrow transplantation model, where we detected somatic mutations in several AML-associated signal transduction genes, including Flt3, Cbl and Kras ( Desai et al., Leukemia 2020). Taken together, our results strongly suggest that mutations in genes involved in signaling cascades, particularly those in the RAS/MAPK pathway, cooperate with the C/A fusion and lead to complete malignant transformation. We aim to functionally validate these findings by establishing mouse models that harbor the C/A fusion as well as mutations in Ptpn11 and other signal transduction genes. These murine models will be immensely valuable for gaining a deeper insight into PICALM/MLLT10-mediated leukemogenesis, studying cooperating mutations and for testing new targeted therapies.

Стилеобразующая функция фразеологизмов в повести Г. И. Климовской «Онка»

The aim of the research is to identify the unique features of the style of an artistic text based on the analysis of phraseological units (PUs). The work is conducted in the context of the theory of regulativity developed within the communicative stylistics of a text, using the material of the novel “Onka” by G. I. Klimovskaya. The article focuses on the analysis and systematization of both common and occasional PUs, which play a role as regulatory means in the interpretive activities of the reader. The scientific novelty of the work lies in the first-time description and systematization of all PUs in the text of the novel “Onka” as regulatory means, the selection of which reflects the author’s individuality. This work serves as a stage in the research of the writer’s individual style. No previous studies have been conducted on analyzing the texts of this author in such a context. The analysis of the text resulted in the identification of two groups of PUs: common and individually-authored. It was established that at the pragmatic level of the text, conversational PUs (pragmemes) containing an expressive component most often dominate in terms of regulativity. Individually-authored PUs combine the functions of pragmemes and informemes, as they express emotion and contain cognitive information. At the informative-meaningful level of the text, the dominance of regulativity lies with complex-component phraseological units with significant meaning transformation, as well as phraseological units where lexical replacement leads to complete meaning transformation.

Digital Transformation in Education and Training in Vietnam

Digital transformation in Education and Training is an issue of concern in many countries. The explosion in information technology creates non-traditional training methods, vigorously promoting the development of profoundly transformative education for people. Digital transformation has contributed to improving the quality of management, teaching, and learning, an important factor for the education sector, and significantly impacts society in the immediate and long term. Therefore, Vietnam in general and the education and training sector in particular must urgently implement digital transformation requirements to take advantage of the opportunities the 4th Industrial Revolution brings. Through the actual situation, the article analyzes and evaluates the current situation, proposing solutions to complete digital transformation in the field of education and training in Vietnam today.

Unveiling the Veiled: Unmasking Fileless Malware through Memory Forensics and Machine Learning

In recent times, significant advancements within the realm of malware development have dramatically reshaped the entire landscape. The reasons for targeting a system have undergone a complete transformation, shifting from file-based to fileless malware.Fileless malware poses a significant cybersecurity threat, challenging traditional detection methods. This research introduces an innovative approach that combines memory forensics and machine learning to effectively detect and mitigate fileless malware. By analyzing volatile memory and leveraging machine learning algorithms, our system automates detection.We employ virtual machines to capture memory snapshots and conduct thorough analysis using the Volatility framework. Among various algorithms, we have determined that the Random Forest algorithm is the most effective, achieving an impressive overall accuracy rate of 93.33%. Specifically, it demonstrates a True Positive Rate (TPR) of 87.5% while maintaining a zero False Positive Rate (FPR) when applied to fileless malware obtained from HatchingTriage, AnyRun, VirusShare, PolySwarm, and JoESandbox datasets. To enhance user interaction, a user-friendly graphical interface is provided, and scalability and processing capabilities are optimized through Amazon Web Services.Experimental evaluations demonstrate high accuracy and efficiency in detecting fileless malware. This framework contributes to the advancement of cybersecurity, providing practical tools for detecting against evolving fileless malware threats.

Innovative Marketing Strategies in the Digital Age: Leveraging Technology for Market Dominance

The integration of digital technology has become essential for both markets and society, leading to the emergence of digital transformation as a crucial aspect of business innovation. Nevertheless, the process of digital transformation is intricate, and organizations continue to face challenges in comprehending and effectively capitalizing on its potential benefits. This research examines the present implementation of digital technology within enterprises. The article examines the effects of digital transformation on traditional marketing, specifically how it can alter the conventional process of value creation that marketing is predominantly engaged in. It delves into the impact of digital transformation on several aspects of traditional marketing, such as its role, organization, and tools. The study employed a qualitative research methodology, namely in-depth interviews, to gather data from managers employed in various businesses in Italy. The findings indicate that organizations frequently utilize digital technology, but predominantly rely on conventional tools. Moreover, companies tend to exhibit a higher degree of digitization rather than complete digital transformation. Digital technologies have a significant influence on marketing since they enhance market analytics, pricing strategies, and channel management, while also facilitating the establishment of client interactions to foster value co-creation. Professional abilities are enhanced in numerous ways, while organizational processes are becoming increasingly efficient and adaptable through the utilization of diverse knowledge and cross-functional experiences. This study examines the research and managerial consequences associated with the obstacles and hazards encountered during the execution of digital transformation initiatives.

Commercial Banking from Oil Crisis to Debt Crisis: The Case of Lloyds Bank

Abstract In January 1998, the British weekly The Economist called the British bank Lloyds a “money machine”. Such an outcome was far from inevitable for a bank that had been one of the hardest hit victims of the 1982 sovereign debt crisis, when most developing countries found themselves unable to repay debts accumulated over the course of the 1970s. Having overextended itself in the developing world, it took Lloyds more than a decade to return to profitability. This result was the consequence of a complete transformation of the bank’s business and management model. Branches and international loans were sidelined, as was the investment banking business, deciding to focus its activities on domestic banking. The article analyses the reasons behind the transformation of Lloyds Bank from a national bank to an international power in the 1970s and, therefore, the reverse process between the 1980s and 1990s following the sovereign debt crisis. Thanks to the examination of archival documents recently opened for consultation, the article sheds new light on various issues analysed from banking and business history, in particular on how risk is calculated, how innovative decisions are made in a context of crisis and on the role of managers in shaping and changing the culture of these institutions.

Analysis of REITs in the Post-epidemic Era: Evidence from Boshi Shekou Industrial Park

Under the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic, the production and business activities of enterprises have stagnated, and the real economy has been seriously affected negatively. In order to revitalize stock assets and complete high-quality economic transformation, China has introduced REITs as financial instruments, and the development of REITs in China is still in the exploratory stage, which has a wide range of development space. This study will take the REITs of Boshi Shekou Industrial Park as the analysis object. Based on the analysis of the market value and the causes of almost complete, Chinese REITs got failure and entered the state of grinding the bottom from 2023. Subsequently, we will estimate the risks which it may face in the future. According to the estimated results, this study will put forward feasible suggestions in terms of institutional policies and future innovation to facilitate the recovery and sustainable development of China's economy in the post-epidemic era.

Effective biosynthesis of 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid from 5-hydroxymethylfurfural via a bi-enzymatic cascade system using bacterial laccase and fungal alcohol oxidase.

As a cost-effective and eco-friendly approach, biocatalysis has great potential for the transformation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) into 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA). However, the compatibility of each enzyme in the cascade reaction limits the transformation efficiency of HMF to FDCA. Coupled with an alcohol oxidase from Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (CglAlcOx), this study aims to study the potential of bacterial laccase from Bacillus pumilus (BpLac) in an enzymatic cascade for 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) biosynthesis from 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF). BpLac showed 100% selectivity for HMF oxidation and generated 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furancarboxylic acid (HMFCA). CglAlcOx was capable of oxidizing HMFCA to 2-formyl-5-furancarboxylic acid (FFCA). Both BpLac and CglAlcOx could oxidize FFCA to FDCA. At the 5mM scale, a complete transformation of HMF with a 97.5% yield of FDCA was achieved by coupling BpLac with CglAlcOx in the cascade reaction. The FDCA productivity in the reaction was 5.3mg/L/h. Notably, BpLac could alleviate the inhibitory effect of FFCA on CglAlcOx activity and boost the transformation efficiency of HMF to FDCA. Moreover, the reaction was scaled up to 40 times the volume, and FDCA titer reached 2.6mM with a yield of 58.77% at 168h. This work provides a candidate and novel insight for better design of an enzymatic cascade in FDCA production.

Phase Transformations of Iron Nitrides during Annealing in Nitrogen and Hydrogen Atmosphere

The aim of the research discussed in the manuscript was to check the availability of control of nitrogen decomposition processes on nitrided AISI 52100 and AISI 1010 steels during annealing at 520 °C in N2 and at 600 °C in H2. The tests have shown that when annealing AISI 1010 steel at a temperature of 520 °C in N2 under a pressure of 200 Pa for 2 h, an ε → γ’ + N2↑ phase transformation occurs. Over the next 3 h, the ε phase disappears and the γ’ phase gradually transforms into Feα(N). When annealing AISI 52100 steel, the denitrification process is faster; after 2 h there is a complete transformation of ε → γ’ + N2↑, and in the next 3 h, there is a complete transformation of γ’-Feα(N). During annealing in H2 at a temperature of 600 °C, the denitrification processes are most intense; the complete transformation of γ’ → Feα(N) + N2 occurs after 45 min of the process. When annealing nitrided AISI 1010 steel in nitrogen at atmospheric pressure, phase transformation (ε → γ’ + N2↑) and weight loss of the sample are observed only in the first 20 min of the process, then the sample weight increases. This was the result of the formation of iron oxide, which also inhibited the denitrification process of the iron nitride layer.

Solar parking lot management: An IoT platform for smart charging EV fleets, using real-time data and production forecasts

The fast transition to the electrification of the energy system, combined with an exponential growth of the market share of electric vehicles, is leading to a tight interrelation between electric energy production and transportation, two prominent sectors in fossil fuels consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Accelerating this process, the management of electric fluxes, aiming at optimizing production and demand coupling, plays a crucial role in reaching the net-zero emission target. The proposed software platform is designed to optimally manage the energy fluxes for a solar powered parking lot, serving a fleet of electric vehicles; the real-time knowledge of energy production and demand, in conjunction with forecasted power generation, allows the maximization of renewable energy self-consumption, thus reducing the exchange with the external grid. The software platform can work either in design mode, allowing the dimensioning of the various parking lot components, or in real-time mode managing instantaneously the energy balance. As a case study, it is tested on the 2019 parking lot mobility data of a research center, assuming a complete transformation of the then existing fleet of employees' cars to electric vehicles. A comparison of the resulting energy flows with those projected by an established commercial tool is performed, as well as a preliminary economic evaluation. Both consistency of the simulation results and favorable economics validate the presented smart charging algorithm and Internet of Things platform for the real-time energy management of a solar parking lot.

Local Topography Has Significant Impact on Dendroclimatic Response of Picea jezoensis and Determines Variation of Factors Limiting Its Radial Growth in the Southern Sikhote-Alin

Climate change significantly influences forest communities, even leading to their complete transformation. In the case of boreal and temperate forests, it is particularly important to understand how dominant tree species respond to climate changes, as they largely determine the structure of forest communities. In this study, we focus on the Jezo spruce (Picea jezoensis (Siebold & Zucc.) Carriere), which is widespread in Northeast Asia. We investigated the climate parameters affecting the radial growth of Jezo spruce and how their influence changes along environmental gradients. For the research, 500 tree cores were collected from 10 sites located at elevations ranging from 460 to 1060 m. We found a negative response of Jezo spruce radial growth to precipitation in July–August and SPEI in July of the current year, maximum temperatures in July–August and November of the previous year. On the other hand, we observed a positive response to the maximum temperatures in January of the current year. Furthermore, we established that the influence of these climatic parameters depends on local topography, with 74.3% of the variance in response values being explained by elevation, slope, and the Topographic Position Index. The results obtained demonstrate that the reaction of Jezo spruce radial growth to climate change will be complex, and the balance between negative and positive effects will depend significantly on local topography.

Widespread occurrence of dimethylmonothioarsenate (DMMTA) in rice cakes: Effects of puffing and storage

Thioarsenates have recently been detected in rice and rice-based products, with particularly high contents in puffed rice cakes. Here, we show that puffing rice can cause almost complete transformation of dimethylarsenate (DMA) to dimethyldithioarsenate (DMDTA) and dimethylmonothioarsenate (DMMTA). Analysis of puffed rice cakes after 3 months of non-sealed storage at room temperature showed transformation of DMDTA mainly into DMMTA. From a food safety perspective, this likely represents an increased risk because DMMTA is highly cytotoxic and misidentified as non-regulated DMA by routine acid extractions. Analysis of 80 commercial puffed rice cakes confirmed widespread occurrence of thioarsenates. The sum of non-regulated, but potentially toxic DMMTA and DMDTA reached values up to 537 µg·kg−1 and 241 µg·kg−1 for generic and infant-labeled rice cakes, respectively. Our results highlight the importance of better understanding (de)thiolation processes along the rice cake-production chain and potentially revising current thresholds set for iAs to include DMMTA and DMDTA.

Agricultural specialization activates the industry chain: Implications for rural entrepreneurship in China

AbstractAs one of the means of specialization, agricultural outsourcing is regarded as a breakthrough point for agricultural efficiency improvement and rural economic growth by many developing countries. From the perspective of the interest linkage across the entire agricultural industry chain, the potential entrepreneurial effects of agricultural outsourcing have rarely been discussed. The study innovatively treats a Chinese policy as a quasi‐natural experiment, uses cutting‐edge econometric methods to make rigorous causal inferences, and addresses the difficulty of quantifying agricultural outsourcing. We find that agricultural outsourcing significantly increases rural entrepreneurship activity, with an increase of 9.1% of the rural population working for rural private enterprises and rural self‐employed businesses. From the perspective of heterogeneity, the entrepreneurial effect of agricultural outsourcing is more impressive in nonmajor grain‐producing areas. In addition, agricultural outsourcing mainly promotes opportunistic entrepreneurship. Influencing mechanisms include industrial chain extension, off‐farm employment and credit access. Accordingly, we suggest that policymakers take agricultural outsourcing as a starting point to promote rural innovation and entrepreneurship to complete industrial upgrading and transformation. [EconLit Citations: D13, L26, Q16].

On the Interaction of Gold(III) Complexes with Human Serum Albumin

The interaction of gold(III) complexes (Au(bipy), Au(phen), and Au(dien-H)Cl+) with human serum albumin (HSA) was studied in aqueous solutions (pH 7.4, CNaCl = 0.2 M, CAu = (2–10) × 10–5 M, CHSA 6 × 10–4 M) at 25°C. In all cases, gold(III) is reduced to gold(I), which forms a complex with HSA. When an excess of HSA is present, the time required for complete transformation of the complexes does not exceed 1 h. In addition, it was shown that the redox reaction of gold(III) complexes with cysteine is much faster than the reaction with methionine.

Struggling to Learn Online: How COVID-19 Paved the Way for Challenges in University Education

The COVID-19 outbreak, declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization, has resulted in significant global changes in various aspects of life, including politics, the economy, and society. In Malaysia, the outbreak prompted the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO) to combat the virus. The MCO imposed restrictions on human activities and social interactions, leading to a complete transformation of the education system. Schools and universities were closed, and students faced numerous challenges. To ensure continuity in education, the Malaysian Ministry of Education swiftly adopted online teaching and learning methods called Emergency Remote Teaching. However, these new educational norms presented several obstacles, including limited technological access, socio-economic factors, digital competence, workload, and difficulties maintaining motivation. This study aims to explore these challenges and shed light on the unique circumstances created by the pandemic. Furthermore, it will delve into the emerging solutions and support systems implemented to address these issues.

The Ethical Crossroads of Personal Data Collection

In the present day, we find ourselves immersed in an unprecedented technological revolution, driven by the convergence of artificial intelligence, information and communication technologies (ICT), big data analytics, cloud infrastructure, machine learning, and the Internet of Things (IoT). This transformation fundamentally redefines the interaction with information, services, and decision-making. Transparency emerges as a fundamental principle, demanding authenticity, genuine value, and integrity from brands and companies. We are witnessing a paradigm shift in the relationship between people and technology, from artificial intelligence to the Internet of Things IoT, reshaping the way we live, work, and communicate. Society is undergoing a complete digital transformation, reshaping entire sectors and shaping a new digital economy. Artificial intelligence and ICT are building an interconnected society, altering social dynamics, citizen participation, and the way information is consumed. This rapid introduction of technologies challenges traditional structures, demanding adaptability at both individual and organizational levels. In 2024, ethics in data management becomes a crucial pillar to cultivate trust. As privacy, equity in access to technology, and data security become hot topics, attention focuses on implementing ethical principles such as fairness, confidentiality, clarity, and responsibility. The focus on personalized adaptation, along with data privacy and security, stands out as a priority in 2024. While personalization is sought, transparency in data acquisition and usage becomes imperative for companies. The year is proclaimed as “the year of data,” where how brands use their data will make the difference between thriving and perishing. In terms of general figures and data, the amount of information produced and consumed globally is expected to double by 2025, reaching 97 zettabytes. The strategic relevance of data is highlighted, with 87 % of advertisers considering data their most underutilized asset. The percentage of valuable data with potential for analysis has grown from 22 % to 37 % between 2012 and 2020, consolidating the perception that data is the new gold mine in the digital business realm. The big data market is currently valued at $138,9 billion and is still growing. Industry 4,0 increasingly depends on the adoption of big data and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, with 48,5 % of organizations currently using data as an engine to drive innovation. In 2024, the need for data and AI to go hand in hand to harness their power is emphasized. However, most organizational structures still face challenges in effectively addressing this paradigm shift. It is anticipated that artificial intelligence and algorithms will play a significant role in determining purchasing choices, political preferences, partner selections, family planning, health management, and medical recommendations soon. Trends for 2024 include the intensification of clean data structure usage, effective implementation of these structures, and an increase in “black box” AI solutions. This refers to AI systems and machine learning models that operate hidden from human understanding, driven by complex mathematical models and high-dimensional datasets. Major technology companies are accelerating their support for AI-driven marketing.