Joint Project Research Articles

FORMATION OF LEGAL COMPETENCE OF FUTURE MANAGERS OF INNOVATION ACTIVITIES

Today Ukraine has enough resources for the introduction of innovations in the educational process, but without legal support this potential may remain unused, therefore the study of the problem of forming the legal competence of future managers of innovative activities is relevant and necessary.
 The problems of legal training of future specialists are highlighted in the scientific works of many scientists. Researchers pay attention to the importance of ensuring the unity of theoretical knowledge and practical skills in the learning process, in particular: legal culture and personal awareness (S. Bogachev, Yu. Krylova, O. Makarova, O. Mynkovich-Slobodyanik, etc.); legal subject competence (A. Bulda, T. Remekh, L. Ryabovol, etc.); legal personality education (Yu. Surmyak, etc.); teaching legal disciplines (V. Vdovichen, L. Vdovichena, O. Melenko, etc.).
 The purpose of the study is to analyze the formation of legal competence of future managers of innovative activities and outline the prospects for its improvement.
 The innovative development of Ukraine requires highly qualified personnel who are able to effectively manage the processes of educational innovation activity. One of the key aspects of the professional training of such specialists is the formation of their legal competence.
 In our opinion, the following ways of forming the legal competence of future managers of innovative activities in Ukraine can be effective:
 First, strengthening the connection between theoretical training and practical application of knowledge. For this, it is possible to introduce student internships at enterprises engaged in innovative activities, as well as to include projects and tasks related to practical work in educational programs.
 Secondly, ensuring the relevance of educational programs and their adaptation to modern requirements. Innovative activity is a dynamic industry, therefore educational programs and legal training courses for future managers must meet modern requirements and practices. For this reason, it is possible to carry out regular analysis and updating of training programs, involve practitioners in their development and take into account their experience and recommendations.
 Thirdly, the involvement of practicing specialists to conduct seminars and workshops, who have experience in the field of innovative activity and knowledge of the legal aspects of this field, can be useful for future managers in the formation of legal competence.
 Fourth, the development of international cooperation and exchange of experience in the formation of legal competence of managers of innovative activities. This can be ensured by concluding international agreements, conducting joint projects and exchange programs.
 Fifth, stimulation of independent work of students with the study of legislation and legal aspects of innovative activity. A variety of methods can be used to stimulate such work, such as individual and group projects, research studies, case studies, and other forms of working with materials and sources of legal information. In addition, it is possible to develop a system of stimulating the most active students and give them the opportunity to participate in scientific conferences and seminars.
 The conducted research does not exhaust all aspects of the identified problem and requires further research into new effective forms and approaches to the formation of legal competence, as well as the development and implementation of specialized courses and programs for managers of innovative activities.

Organization of an engineering center for industrial import substitution

Objectives. Following the imposition of sanctions against the Russian Federation, which included a ban on thesupply of foreign electronic equipment—including automation systems—to Russian enterprises, the continuingdevelopment of science and technology in Russia became a question of ensuring technological sovereignty accordingto the principle of import substitution. According to plans developed by the Ministry of Industry and Trade of theRussian Federation, the policy of import substitution, including automation systems, will ensure the replacement ofimported equipment with domestic counterparts.Methods. Approaches underlying the joint project of MIREA ‒ Russian Technological University and EnvironmentalIndustrial Policy Center to solve the problems of import substitution are described. Various substitution strategiesavailable in the world experience, as well as objective and subjective obstacles to their implementation in Russia,including the insufficiency of domestic regulatory legal acts and previously formed attachments to importedtechnologies and regulatory frameworks, are considered. Distinctive features of contemporary external relations areadduced to the necessity and urgency of developing technological sovereignty. The main functional requirementsfor a software and hardware platform for developing modern automated control systems (ACS) for mechanicalengineering applications, as well as the required capabilities of an engineering center for solving applied problemsof overcoming import dependence, are described. The components of the production of capital goods (engineering)and its role in the product life cycle are shown.Results. The selection of a pilot engineering object comprising a sectional glass-forming machine, along with asoftware-hardware complex including elements of industrial electronics and ACS, is justified. The main functionalelements of the ACS and their interrelations are shown.Conclusions. The results confirm the necessity of achieving complete import substitution for the creation of digitalproducts. Prospects for cooperation with interested organizations are shown.

Extension of Additive Valuations to General Valuations on the Existence of EFX

Envy freeness is one of the most widely studied notions in fair division. Because envy-free allocations do not always exist when items are indivisible, several relaxations have been considered. Among them, possibly the most compelling notion is envy freeness up to any item (EFX). Informally speaking, EFX requires that no agent i envies another agent j after the removal of any item in j’s bundle. The existence of EFX allocations is a major open problem. We study the existence of EFX allocations when agents have general valuations. For general valuations, it is known that an EFX allocation always exists (i) when n = 2 or (ii) when all agents have identical valuations, where n is the number of agents. It is also known that an EFX allocation always exists when one can leave at most n − 1 items unallocated. We develop new techniques and extend some results of additive valuations to general valuations on the existence of EFX allocations. We show that an EFX allocation always exists (i) when all agents have one of two general valuations or (ii) when the number of items is at most n + 3. We also show that an EFX allocation always exists when one can leave at most n − 2 items unallocated. In addition to the positive results, we construct an instance with n = 3, in which an existing approach does not work. Funding: This work was partially supported by Kyoto University and Toyota Motor Corporation [Joint Project “Advanced Mathematical Science for Mobility Society”].

The Perspective of Peace or Fear for the Future? An Attempt to Evaluate Christian-Muslim Dialogue

The paper indicates the diagnosis the Christian-Muslim dialogue conducted by the Catholic Church, especially taking into account the indications of the Second Vatican Council. The question arises whether the mutual discourse of the representatives of the two religions is currently giving rise to a perspective of peace, or rather fear for the future? There is no denying that militant Islam accentuates the escalation of violence. These behaviors can give rise to fear and questions about the possibility of coexistence in this world. These events build up the circumstances of our time, which theology must to explain. To examine the wider context, the teaching of Vatican II on dialogue with Islam was recalled, and the teaching and actions of the post-Conciliar popes were recalled. This effort clearly indicated the possibility of cooperation, but also delineated the limits, which the Church must not cross. Therefore, although there is a real opportunity to develop joint projects, there are also significant limitations. Moreover, as practice shows, the Church's benevolent gestures often fall on deaf ears, and it seems that this effort is inadequate to the expected fruits of dialogue. Therefore, the possibility of dialogue can be discovered in Catholic Mariology. The person of Mary can become the reason for Muslims to turn to Christianity, which is shown by certain indications of the piety of the followers of Islam towards Mary. It is also an important premise for the Church to rely less on human action and strategy lined with diplomacy and politics. It is necessary to pray much more for the conversion of Muslims, so that God Himself may do the work of changing the hearts of the followers of Islam.

Effective technical protocol for producing a mono-iodoacetate-induced temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis in a rat model.

An animal model of osteoarthritis (OA) induced by monosodium iodoacetate (MIA) can be effectively adjusted based on the concentration of MIA to control the onset, progression, and severity of OA as required. The rat temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (TMJOA) model using MIA is a useful tool for studying the effectiveness of disease-modifying OA drugs in TMJOA research. However, the intricate and complex anatomy of the rat TMJ often poses challenges in achieving consistent TMJOA induction during experiments. In the previous paper, a reference point was established by drawing parallel lines based on the line connecting the external ear and the zygomatic arch. However, this is not suitable for the anatomical characteristics of the rat. We used the zygomatic arch as a reference, which is a technical protocol that considers it. In our protocol, we designated a point approximately 1 mm away from the point where the zygomatic arch bends towards the ear as the injection site. To ensure precise injection of MIA and increase the likelihood of inducing OA, it is recommended to insert the needle at a 45° angle so that the needle tip contacts the joint projection. To confirm TMJOA induction, we identified changes in the condyle using in vivo micro-computed tomography (CT) in a rat model of MIA-induced OA and measured the degree of pain-related inflammation using head withdrawal threshold (HWT) measurements. Micro-CT scanning revealed typical OA-like lesions, including degenerative changes and subchondral bone remodeling induced by MIA in the TMJ. Pain, a major clinical feature of OA, showed an appropriate response corresponding to the structural changes shown in micro-CT scanning. In addition, the MIA concentration suitable for long-term observation of lesions was determined through ex vivo micro-CT imaging and HWT measurements. The 8 mg concentration exhibited a significant difference compared to others, confirming the sustained presence of lesions, particularly through changes in subchondral bone over an extended period. Consequently, we have successfully established a reliable rat TMJOA induction model and identified the MIA concentration suitable for long-term observation of subchondral bone research, which will greatly contribute to the study of TMJOA-an incurable disease lacking specific treatment options.

To Communicate or Not? Interfirm Communication in Collaborative Projects

Interfirm innovation projects often require tight collaboration among firms with complementary skills and resources. The success of such projects depends on all firms generating high-quality outputs, which can be difficult to attain for aspects of quality that are not easily observable or contractible. We consider a setting with a focal firm and its collaborating firm (henceforth, the collaborator) engaging in a joint project, in which they make their quality decisions over time, respectively, and study the firm’s decision to communicate its quality output progress to its collaborator voluntarily. We first develop normative predictions using game-theoretic models by analyzing a reporting (respectively, revealing) case, in which the firm can report a not necessarily truthful quality (the truthful quality) to the collaborator. We find that the firm should be indifferent between reporting and not reporting for all project values and should be indifferent between revealing and not revealing (prefer revealing) for high (low) project values. To test this prediction, we run an experiment following a 2 × 3 design, varying the project value (high and low) and the form of communication (no communication, reporting, and revealing). We find that the quality provision is significantly lower than the normative prediction in all treatments. When the project value is high, the decision to report is beneficial to the firm (regardless of the reported quality) because the decision signals the firm’s intention to contribute high quality. The decision to reveal is also beneficial for a firm; however, a different mechanism is at play in this case. The decision itself does not directly affect the quality provisions, but the revealed quality does as the collaborator waits to observe the truthful revealed quality and incorporates this information in choosing a quality later. By contrast, when the project value is low, neither reporting nor revealing are beneficial for a firm. In particular, the decision to report no longer acts as a positive signal as it is used by firms trying to deceive the collaborator and get an advantage. This paper was accepted by Vishal Gaur, operations management. Funding: The authors gratefully acknowledge financial support from Zicklin School of Business, Baruch College, the City University of New York and the University of Texas at Dallas. Support for this project was provided by a PSC-CUNY Award, jointly funded by the Professional Staff Congress and the City University of New York. Supplemental Material: The online appendix and data are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2022.03180 .

Consensus report on flow cytometry for platelet function testing in thrombocytopenic patients: communication from the SSC of the ISTH

BackgroundPlatelet count alone does not reliably predict bleeding risk, suggesting platelet function is important to monitor in patients with thrombocytopenia. There is still an unmet need for improved platelet function diagnostics in patients with low platelet count in many clinical situations. Flow cytometry is a promising tool allowing reliable platelet function study in this setting. ObjectivesThe goal of this joint project between the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH) Scientific Standardization Committee (SSC) Subcommittees on Platelet Physiology and Platelet Immunology is to provide expert consensus guidance on the use of flow cytometry for the evaluation of platelet function, particularly activation, in patients with low platelet counts. MethodsA literature review was performed to identify relevant questions and areas of interest. An electronic expression of interest form was thereafter announced on the ISTH webpage, followed by a survey encompassing 37 issues regarding preanalytical, analytical, postanalytical, and performance aspects. Areas of disagreement or uncertainty were identified and formed the basis for 2 focus group discussions. ResultsConsensus recommendations relative to patient sample collection, preanalytical variables, sample type, platelet-count cutoff, any potential specific modification of the standard flow cytometry protocol, and results expression and reporting are proposed based on the current practices of experts in the field as well as on literature review. ConclusionThe proposed consensus recommendations would allow standardization of protocols in upcoming clinical studies. The clinical utility of platelet function testing using flow cytometry to predict bleeding risk still needs rigorous multicenter outcome studies in patients with thrombocytopenia.

Spectroscopic Follow-up of Two Star-forming Objects in the M101 Field* *Based on observations obtained with the Hobby-Eberly Telescope (HET), which is a joint project of the University of Texas at Austin, the Pennsylvania State University, Ludwig-Maximillians-Universitaet Muenchen, and Georg-August Universitaet Goettingen.

We present the spectra of two faint star-forming objects originally identified in our deep narrowband survey of the M101 Group. One is an isolated H ii region near the M101 Group galaxy NGC 5474, and the other is projected close to the background galaxy NGC 5486. Both are spectroscopically confirmed to be physically associated with their nearby host. We estimate the oxygen abundances for each system using strong-line methods. For the source near NGC 5474, we use GALEX UV photometry to estimate an age of ∼200 Myr and suggest a connection to the M101-NGC 5474 interaction.

Long-term Stability Over 2 Years After Isolated Maxillary Orthognathic Surgery Combined With Mandibular Autorotation in Risk Patients for Condylar Resorption.

Counterclockwise rotation of mandible can cause condylar resorption and condylar displacement posteroinferiorly after maxillary orthognathic surgery with mandibular in patients with high-angle mandibular retrognathism. This study was aimed to evaluate long-term stability >2 years and postoperative changes of condylar displacement. In 15 patients who underwent Le Fort I osteotomy with mandibular autorotation, postoperative stability was cephalometrically investigated until 2 years. Condylar changes were analyzed with transcranial temporomandibular joint projection. Correlation between condylar displacement and surgical movement was analyzed. Significant clockwise relapse of mandible ( P <0.01 for SNB reduction and backward movement of point B) was observed between 6 months and >2 years after surgery, even though the values were small (0.5±0.1 degrees and 1.14±0.13mm, respectively). The condyle was displaced posteroinferiorly immediately after surgery; however, it achieved a stable position at postoperative 6 weeks. The amount of vertical condylar displacement was significantly correlated with surgical change in mandibular posterior border sagittal angle, palatal plane angle, facial height ratio, and point B in the horizontal dimension. Greater mandibular rotation prompted more vertical condylar displacement. Small mandibular relapse in long term should be considered after maxillary orthognathic surgery with mandibular autorotation, although it is regarded as a surgical maneuver to minimize mandibular instability in patients susceptible to postoperative condylar resorption.

Prospects for the Development of Cooperation Between Russia and China in Modern Conditions: Economic Aspect

The study examined the current state and defined the prospects for the development of sustainable partnerships between the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China, which are of particular importance in the current state of the world economic system, as well as in the context of current trends in the final destruction of the concept of a unipolar world. The research considers the key elements of the economic and political model of China's development, which make this country a unique element of the modern world economy. The structure of economic relations between the Russian Federation and the PRC, which, due to its unequal value, creates certain problems for the development of complex mutually beneficial cooperation, is being studied. The authors described the most relevant and long-term areas of interaction that are in demand and determine the role and place in relations between the two countries of the most significant joint projects and decisions in trade, economic, military-political, and other areas that further deepen relations between Russia and China. We examined the peculiarities of relations between the two countries, due to a complex of geographical, historical and economic factors. We focused on the differences between the Russian Federation and the PRC, which, on the one hand, may hinder the activation of mutually beneficial joint development in some areas. On the other hand, the differences may allow countries to actively complement each other in the development and implementation joint decisions and actions on many issues of trade, economic and political cooperation, and eventually develop a long-term strategic partnership. We argue that there is a necessity of developing complex interaction between the Russian Federation and China in the conditions of global political and economic uncertainty characterizing the modern world.

Characterizing Low-Energy Charged Particles in the Magnetosphere with the LEM CubeSat Spectrometer Project: Detector Concept and Hardware Characterisation

An accurate flux measurement of low-energy charged particles trapped in the magnetosphere is necessary for space weather characterization and to study the coupling between the lithosphere and magnetosphere, which allows for the investigation of the correlations between seismic events and particle precipitation from Van Allen belts. In this work, the project of a CubeSat space spectrometer, the low-energy module (LEM), is shown. The detector will be able to perform an event-based measurement of the energy, arrival direction, and composition of low-energy charged particles down to 0.1 MeV. Moreover, thanks to a CdZnTe mini-calorimeter, the LEM spectrometer also allows for photon detection in the sub-MeV range, joining the quest for the investigation of the nature of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) and terrestrial gamma-ray flashes (TGFs). The particle identification of the LEM relies on the ΔE−E technique performed by thin silicon detectors. This multipurpose spectrometer will fit within a 10 × 10 × 10 cm3 CubeSat frame, and it will be constructed as a joint project between the University of Trento, FBK, and INFN-TIFPA. To fulfil the size and mass requirements, an innovative approach, based on active particle collimation, was designed for the LEM; this avoids the heavy/bulky passive collimators of previous space detectors. In this paper, we will present the LEM geometry, its detection concept, the results from the developed GEANT4 simulation, and some characterisations of a candidate silicon detector for the instrument payload.

The Mammoth prophecies: a role-playing game on controversies around a socio-technical innovation and its effects on students’ capacities to think about the future

This article reports on a political game played between November 2021 and February 2022 at a European university in the frame of an elective course open to students from all disciplines. It started from a scenario that combined a real and ongoing innovation process—the use of CRISPR/Cas9 technology to introduce specific genes from unfrozen mammoths onto an elephant species to make it more resistant to cold—with a fictive joint project between a US-based company and the Russian government to release those mammoths on an island in the North-West of Russia. Almost no rules were given, and the students were distributed in nine groups to represent different actors deemed relevant to the scenario. These groups were the national governments of (1) Russia, (2) close neighboring states, (3) European countries farther away from the project location; (4) the company working on the innovation, dubbed HELIOS; (5) other market actors; civil society organizations concerned with (6) animal rights and (7) the environment; (8) the European Commission and the EU Parliament; and (9) media. The game was led by the course teacher and two student volunteers. Based on the results of both qualitative and quantitative forms of ex-post evaluation, we assess whether the Mammoth game meets the expectations that guided the game design process. Furthermore, we discuss whether the Mammoth game had a positive effect on students’ abilities to think about the future.

Comparison of State and Private Universities in Turkiye in terms of Instruction and R&amp; D Regarding the Reports of the Turkish Council of Higher Education (YÖK)

Turkish Council of Higher Education (YÖK) started to publish University Monitoring and Evaluation General Reports since 2019. Three reports (2019-2020-2021) have been published. Average annual data of state and private universities in Turkey are available in these reports. These reports also include data about various aspects of university education under the titles of Instruction and Research &amp; Development (R&amp;D). This study aims to determine pros and cons of state and private universities for Turkish and international university applicants by comparing the data averages of the 2019, 2020 and 2021 reports about the Instruction and the Research &amp; Development (R&amp;D) of both university types. Under the Instruction title; data about number of accredited undergraduate programs, occupancy rate of the programs, number of students participating in teknokent (technopole) or technology transfer office (TTO) projects, number of programs in the top 5% of the public servant selection exam (KPSS), number of international symposiums, congresses or artistic exhibitions, number of social responsibility projects implemented by students, number of industrial projects implemented by students and number of printed books and e-publications for each student were examined. Under the Research &amp; Development title; data about number of publications published in national peer-reviewed journals and in SCI, SCI-Expanded, SSCI and AHCI indexed journals, number of cited publications in the top 10%, number of applied and granted patents, utility models and designs, number of R&amp;D projects supported by national and international institutions and organizations, ratio of investment budget spent on R&amp;D, income except for subsidy, innovation and product development income from laboratory services within the scope of R&amp;D and number of joint projects with industry were examined. Document analysis method was used in the study as a qualitative research method. Document analysis includes the analysis of written materials containing information about the phenomenon or facts to be investigated. In the field of education: Textbooks, instructional regulations, internal and external correspondence, official documents... can be used as data source (Yıldırım and Şimşek, 2013, pp.217-218). Data averages of state and private universities were evaluated. Data differences among universities in same category were not included. The results shows that both state and private universities have pros and cons in terms of instruction and R&amp;D, but state universities are advantageous regarding data numbers and diversity. While private universities are profit-oriented and attach importance to individual development, state universities are more collaborative and are community-oriented. Keywords: state university, private university, universities in Turkiye, instruction, R&amp;D

Oil Lamps, Spearheads and Skulls: Possible Evidence of Necromancy during Late Antiquity in the Te’omim Cave, Judean Hills

AbstractThe Te’omim Cave is a large karst cave located in the Jerusalem Hills. Since 2009, the cave has been explored by our team as a joint project of the Martin (Szusz) Department of Land of Israel Studies and Archaeology at Bar-Ilan University and the Cave Research Center at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Over 120 intact oil lamps were collected in the 2010–2016 survey seasons from all sections of the cave; most of them were dated to the second to fourth centuries CE. All of these lamps had been deliberately inserted in narrow, deep crevices in the main chamber walls or beneath the rubble. Some crevices contained groups of oil lamps mixed with weapons and pottery vessels from earlier periods or placed with human skulls. This article discusses the possibility that the oil lamps, weapons, human skulls, and other artifacts were used as part of necromancy ceremonies that took place in the cave during the Late Roman period, and that the cave may have served as a local oracle (nekyomanteion).

Formation of the system of financial support of higher education institutions in Ukraine

In the conditions of a military challenge, the financial system of Ukraine is under significant pressure, which also affects the supply of universities. The purpose of the article is to analyze the formation of the system of financial support of higher education institutions in Ukraine. System analysis, comparison, modeling became the main methods for writing research. The research used indicators of expenditures of the consolidated budget of Ukraine. In the results, the role of the inflationary challenge in the financial support of higher education institutions of Ukraine was traced, and it was established that in fact the real volumes of budget financing of the industry (at the level of 7% of GDP) were never reached. Ensuring financial diversification is an important aspect for overcoming negative manifestations of lack of funds. The article traces separate methods: the introduction of a targeted tax, independent financial activity and the help of patrons, implementation of joint projects with private structures, receiving international financial assistance. With the help of content analysis, the strengths and weaknesses of all the proposed paths were determined. The conclusions state that in the conditions of martial law, the last two items are the most relevant sources of filling university budgets.

СОЗДАНИЕ МУЗЫКИ ТВОРЧЕСКИМ СОДРУЖЕСТВОМ КОМПОЗИТОРА И ХОРЕОГРАФА

The article reveals the theme of creating music in the union of a composer and a choreographer. The productive creative impact of the result of such work on the Kazakh melodiousness and traditional ethnoculture is considered. The author studies the nature of the joint work of Kazakhstani and foreign artists on the composition of national ballets, the results of creative joint projects in the field of dance and musical art of the East and West.

Rheumatic diseases as a reason for emergency hospitalization

The study of pain in the projection of joints occurrence is an important medical and social task, the solution of which makes it possible to determine the amount of necessary forces and means for the organization of medical care for these patients. For the first time in Russian Federation on the basis of Saint-Petersburg Research Institute of Emergency Care named after I.I. Dzhanelidze the concept of providing medical care to patients with pain in the projection of joints was introduced into clinical practice. The study of the prevalence of pain in the projection of joints data, places and roles of rheumatological diseases (RD) allows to outline ways to optimize diagnostic and therapeutic algorithms, reducing the time of diseases diagnosis and optimizing the inpatient stage of treatment duration. An increase in the proportion of patients referred to the outpatient stage allows rational use of specialized beds in the hospital and gives a significant economic effect for the healthcare system. RD are the second most common cause of pain in the projection of joints. Its average percentage of patients referred for hospitalization was 2.69% of the total number of patients in the Saint-Petersburg Research Institute of Emergency Care named after I.I. Dzhanelidze. The structure of the incoming flow of patients with pain in the projection of joints was analyzed, the nosological structure of patients with RD was evaluated. Osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and gouty arthritis are the leading causes of pain in the projection of joints.

Level of Awareness on the Impact of Climate Change on the Socioeconomic Life of a Coastal Community in San Salvador Island, Masinloc, Zambales

The researcher’s interest in their well-being led her to study the level of awareness of the impact of climate change on the socioeconomic life of the coastal communities in San Salvador Island. This study is a descriptive type of research. A descriptive study gives a picture and describes the different aspects concerning a situation to obtain knowledge of nature, states, and development. This current study was conducted at San Salvador Island. It is an island barangay in Masinloc, Zambales, in northwest Luzon. It is an island barangay in Masinloc, Zambales, in northwest Luzon. A 127-hectare fish sanctuary and a nearby Taklobo or Giant Clam Farm are usual attractions to diving enthusiasts. Encourage planting mangroves in the vicinity of the island as part of the extension service of the campus. Conduct a follow-up study on fishermen’s vulnerability, resiliency, and mitigation practices. They are considered priority barangay in the Climate Change Awareness joint project of the PRMSU-Masinloc LDRRMP and CENRO-Masinloc to enhance the fishermen’s awareness and adaptation. Support from the local government unit by having a store filled with more goods and over-the-counter medicines, especially during rainy seasons. May have a routine check by a professional doctor before rainy seasons. Probable additional livelihood to augment needs, particularly during the rainy season.&#x0D;

Inter-laboratory comparison of plant volatile analyses in the light of intra-specific chemodiversity

IntroductionAssessing intraspecific variation in plant volatile organic compounds (VOCs) involves pitfalls that may bias biological interpretation, particularly when several laboratories collaborate on joint projects. Comparative, inter-laboratory ring trials can inform on the reproducibility of such analyses.ObjectivesIn a ring trial involving five laboratories, we investigated the reproducibility of VOC collections with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and analyses by thermal desorption-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (TD-GC-MS). As model plant we used Tanacetum vulgare, which shows a remarkable diversity in terpenoids, forming so-called chemotypes. We performed our ring-trial with two chemotypes to examine the sources of technical variation in plant VOC measurements during pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical steps.MethodsMonoclonal root cuttings were generated in one laboratory and distributed to five laboratories, in which plants were grown under laboratory-specific conditions. VOCs were collected on PDMS tubes from all plants before and after a jasmonic acid (JA) treatment. Thereafter, each laboratory (donors) sent a subset of tubes to four of the other laboratories (recipients), which performed TD-GC-MS with their own established procedures.ResultsChemotype-specific differences in VOC profiles were detected but with an overall high variation both across donor and recipient laboratories. JA-induced changes in VOC profiles were not reproducible. Laboratory-specific growth conditions led to phenotypic variation that affected the resulting VOC profiles.ConclusionOur ring trial shows that despite large efforts to standardise each VOC measurement step, the outcomes differed both qualitatively and quantitatively. Our results reveal sources of variation in plant VOC research and may help to avoid systematic errors in similar experiments.

Federalism as an institutional doctrine

Federalism as an institutional doctrine