This study investigates the impact of toll road construction on 59 micro, small, and medium enterprises in Kampar, Pekanbaru, and Dumai cities. The research aims to analyze the economic and environmental effects of infrastructure expansion on businesses’ profitability and sustainability, providing insights for policymakers and stakeholders to develop mitigation strategies to support MSMEs amidst ongoing infrastructure development. Structural equation modeling, spatial environmental impact analysis, and qualitative data analysis using five-level qualitative data analysis (FL-QDA) were all used together in a mixed-methods approach. Data collection involved observations, interviews, questionnaires, and geospatial analysis, including the use of a Geo-Information System (GIS) supported by drone reconnaissance to map affected areas. The study revealed that the toll roads significantly enhanced connectivity and economic growth but also negatively impacted local economies (β = 0.32, R² = 0.60, P-value ≤ 0.05). and the environment (β = 0.34, P-value ≤ 0.05), as 49% of respondents experienced a 50% decrease in profitability. To mitigate the risk of impact, policymakers should prioritize the principle of prudence to evaluate the significance of mitigation policy implementation (β = 0.144, P-value ≥ 0.05). In a nutshell, toll road construction significantly impacts MSMEs’ business continuity, necessitating an innovative strategy involving monitoring and participatory approaches to mitigate risk.

We develop a relatively cheap technology of processing a scrap in the form of already used tungsten-containing products (spirals, plates, wires, rods, etc.), as well not conditional tungsten powders. The main stages of the proposed W-scrap recycling method are its dispersing and subsequent dissolution under controlled conditions in hydrogen peroxide aqueous solution resulting in the PTA (PeroxpolyTungstic Acid) formation. The filtered solution, as well as the solid acid obtained by its evaporation, are used to synthesize various tungsten compounds and composites. Good solubility of PTA in water and some other solvents allows preparing homogeneous liquid charges, heat treatment of which yield WC and WC–Co in form of ultradispersed powders. GO (Graphene Oxide) and PTA composite is obtained and its phase transition in vacuum and reducing atmosphere (H₂) is studied. By vacuum-thermal exfoliation of GO–PTA composite at 170–500℃ the rGO (reduced GO) and WO_2.9 tungsten oxide are obtained, and at 700℃—rGO–WO₂ composite. WC, W₂C and WC–Co are obtained from PTA at high temperature (900–1000℃). By reducing PTA in a hydrogen atmosphere, metallic tungsten powder is obtained, which was used to obtain sandwich composites with boron carbide B₄C, W/B₄C, and W/(B₄C–W), as neutron shield materials. Composites of sandwich morphology are formed by SPS (Spark-Plasma Sintering) method.

The ongoing railway reforms in Ukraine are crucial for the country’s integration into the European Union’s transportation network. A major challenge lies in the difference in track gauge widths: Ukraine predominantly uses a 1520 mm gauge, while European countries utilize a 1435 mm gauge. This 85 mm difference presents significant logistical and operational barriers, hindering smooth cross-border trade and travel. The study examines the current state of Ukraine’s railway system, highlighting the urgent need for infrastructure modernization to meet European standards. Methods include a comparative analysis of Ukraine’s railway network with those of EU member states, focusing on integration challenges and potential solutions. Results indicate that aligning Ukraine’s railway with European standards could substantially enhance connectivity, reduce transit times, and foster economic growth. However, “Ukrzaliznytsia’s” slow adaptation to these necessary changes is a major roadblock. The study concludes that the construction of a standard-gauge railway linking Ukraine to the EU is vital not only for improving trade routes but also for supporting Ukraine’s broader political and economic aspirations towards EU membership. Circular economy principles, such as resource optimisation, extending the life cycle of existing infrastructure and reusing materials from dismantled railway facilities, can offer a cost-effective and sustainable approach. This infrastructural change will serve as a catalyst for deeper integration, strengthening Ukraine’s position within the European transportation network.

This research investigates the relationship between Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI), media content, and copyright laws. As GAI technologies continue to evolve and permeate various aspects of the media landscape, questions regarding the creation and protection of intellectual property have become paramount. The study aims to highlight the impact of GAI generated content, and the challenge it poses to the traditional copyright framework. Furthermore, the research addresses the evolving role of copyright laws in adapting to the dynamic landscape shaped by artificial intelligence. It investigates whether existing legal frameworks are equipped to handle the complexities introduced by GAI, or if there is a need for legislative and policy reforms. Ultimately, this research contributes to the ongoing discourse on the intersection of GAI, media, and copyrights, providing insights that can guide policymakers, legal practitioners, and industry stakeholders in navigating the evolving landscape of intellectual property in the age of artificial intelligence.

Localization is globally accepted as the strategy towards attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In this article, we put forth the South Indian state of Kerala as a true executor of the localization of SDGs owing to her foundational framework of decentralized governance. We attempt to understand how the course of decentralization acts as a development trajectory and how it has paved the way for the effective assimilation of localization principles post-2015 by reviewing the state documents based on the framework propounded by the United Nations. We theorize that the well-established decentralization mechanism, with delegated institutions and functions thereof, encompasses overlapping mandates with the SDGs. Further, through the tools of development plan formulation, good governance, and community participation at decentralized levels, Kerala could easily adapt to localization, concocting output through innovative measures of convergence, monitoring, and incentivization carried out through the pre-existing platforms and processes. The article proves that constant and concerted efforts undertaken by Kerala through her meticulous and action-oriented decentralized system aided the localization of SDGs and provides an answer to the remarkable feat that the state has achieved through the consecutive four times achievements in the state scores of SDG India Index.

A problem in post-harvest of avocado (Persea americana Mill.) is the heterogeneity in fruit ripening, due to differences in the time of fruit set and the inability to ripen on the tree, a situation that causes inconsistencies in quality and differences in the response to preservation and processing technologies. In postharvest, the application of ethylene gas in hermetic chambers has been used to advance ripening; however, the use of ethylene releasers in liquid form (ethephon) has been proposed as an alternative, mainly for the treatment of low volumes of fruit. The present work was carried out in the production zone of Salvador Escalante (Michoacán, Mexico) with the objective of evaluating the effect of the application of two concentrations of ethephon on the time and homogenization of fruit ripening of avocado cultivars (cv.) Hass and Méndez. Fruits with 23.4% (cv. Hass) and 24% (cv. Méndez) of dry matter were harvested; one group was immersed in a solution of ethephon 500 mg/L and the other in 1,000 mg/L, both for 5 minutes; the treated fruits plus a control were stored at 20 °C for 11 days. Changes in respiration, ethylene production, weight loss, firmness, epicarp and pulp color, total phenol, chlorophyll and total carotenoid concentrations were evaluated. The results showed that ethephon doses of 1,000 mg/L in cv. Hass and 500 mg/L in cv. Méndez presented a ripening process 2 days earlier than the control.