Vytautas Magnus University

Foreign direct investment (FDI) legislation plays a crucial role in fetching foreign investments. The objective of this study is to measure the impact of FDI on the Western Balkans countries (WBCs) and interpret the FDI law in the said countries. A panel data was obtained from the World Bank Indicators in order to conduct an empirical investigation. The sample is spread over twenty-eight years from 1995 to 2022. For econometric analysis, the study uses pooled ordinary least square (OLS), fixed effect (FE), random effect (RE), and Hausman test. The study also uses the Breuch and Pagan Lagrangian Multiplier test for Random Effect, the test for parameter constancy, the modified Wald test for groupwise heteroskedasticity, the Wooldridge test for autocorrelation, the test for serial correlation in residuals, and a test for normality. After a detailed analysis, the study concludes that FDI has a positive impact on the economic growth of WBCs. The study suggests that enforcing the rule of law on FDI will reduce the corruption index and create a favourable environment for WBCs to attract foreign investment.

The state of ethnic self-perception amongst Lezgins, one of Azerbaijan’s largest ethnic minorities, has been in constant realignment in the post-Soviet period, as borders both physical and cultural have been built up or brought down, facilitating a multifaceted perspective of members of the same ethnic community. In the contemporary context, relative ethnic isolation of portions of the Lezgin population has resulted in perceived characteristics becoming the focal point for individuals’ ethnic identities, with theories such as primordialism, perennialism, ethno-symbolism and modernism becoming the primary explanatory features for where these hypothetical lines may be drawn. The research on this case study has sought to see what differences in perceptions between Lezgin communities from different districts of Azerbaijan there are and to what degree it affects their ethno-political identity. Research through ethnographic narrative interviews has analyzed ethnic self-narratives of individuals from Azerbaijani regions of Qusar, Quba, Gabala, Ismayilli, Sheki and other districts. Findings have considered the main camps of ethno-nationalist identity and how it may affect the political dynamics of the broader Azerbaijani Lezgin community. On the basis of these findings, we have also sought to identify the theoretical void that renders the failure to inform different ethnic self-perceptions.

In a study involving 831 women and 309 men aged 18 to 64, we sought to explore the key determinants influencing various components of well-being, including happiness, life satisfaction, and vigor/vitality. The determinants examined encompassed sociodemographic variables, health indicators, sedentary behaviors, physical activity, body mass index (BMI), sleep patterns, eating habits, alcohol consumption, smoking, mood indicators, personality traits, emotional intelligence, logical thinking, non-utilitarian decision-making, and adverse childhood experiences. Our findings indicate that happiness, life satisfaction, and vigor are most significantly affected by mood indicators—especially depression—emotional intelligence (particularly the ability to manage emotions), and overall subjective health. Additionally, specific personality traits, such as extraversion in women and neuroticism in men, played a significant role in influencing well-being. Conversely, determinants such as BMI, sleep habits, regular physical activity, sedentary behavior, dietary habits, avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, as well as logical thinking, non-utilitarian decision-making, and adverse childhood experiences, showed limited or no significant impact on well-being components like happiness, life satisfaction, and vigor. These findings provide valuable insights into the complex dynamics of human well-being, highlighting the distinct determinants of happiness, life satisfaction, and vigor/vitality for men and women.

Proportionality is a fundamental principle of criminal law. The issue whether the application of criminal liability to patients and doctors for participating in illegal gift “transactions” with the use of descriptive, analytical, logical, and comparative methods was examined. Focusing on utilitarianism and retributivism, the content of proportionality was presented: the balance between benefit to society and harm to the offender, the effectiveness of punishment, the implementation of justice as retribution, and the dangerousness of the offence and the offender. The conclusion was made that the criminal liability for gratitude gifts in the healthcare system is not proportionate. Consequently, recommendations were made for the establishment of disciplinary or administrative liability for symbolic gifts of gratitude in the healthcare sector of Lithuania.

Electrochemotherapy (ECT) uses electroporation to enhance drug delivery into tumor cells, triggering bystander effects like immunogenicity and cell death. This study investigated bystander effects in vitro in 4T1 breast cancer cells following various electroporation treatments: reversible (1400 V/cm, 100 µs) bleomycin electrotransfer, irreversible (2800 V/cm, 100 µs) bleomycin electrotransfer, and calcium electroporation, including combinations. Conditioned media from treated cells (12–72 h incubation) were transferred to untreated cells, and viability was assessed via metabolic activity, cell count, and colony formation. A scratch assay evaluated wound healing. The bystander effect dramatically reduced colony formation, reaching 0% after bleomycin and calcium electrotransfer, and 2.37 ± 0.74% after irreversible electroporation (IRE). Metabolic activity decreased to 18.05 ± 6.77% and 11.62 ± 3.57% after bleomycin and calcium electrotransfer, respectively, and 56.21 ± 0.74% after IRE. Similarly, cell viability measured by flow cytometry was 10.00 ± 1.44%, 3.67 ± 0.32%, and 24.96 ± 1.37% after bleomycin electrotransfer, calcium electrotransfer, and IRE, respectively. Combined analysis of these effects yielded comparable results. Conditioned media, particularly from bleomycin electrotransfer and calcium electroporation, significantly reduced cell number, metabolic activity, and colony formation, demonstrating a strong bystander effect. Wound healing was also significantly delayed in groups exposed to conditioned media.

Technology upgrading, which refers to the strengthening of a firm’s technological capabilities, is crucial for maintaining competitiveness by advancing entire value chains through the adoption of smart technologies. The process of upgrading value chains and smartization of value chains including supply chain networks begins with technological learning (TL), where firms acquire, assimilate, and apply knowledge of new and smart technologies to their current operations. By embracing TL, firms can adapt and thrive, thereby creating a competitive edge. This can be achieved through participation in collaborative innovation networks, such as open innovation communities, supply chain networks, and global value chains (GVCs), which provide opportunities to learn from and share experiences with others. In this context, innovation capabilities play a critical role in enhancing TL. However, existing literature on innovation capabilities primarily focuses on the technical dimensions and capabilities of firms’ product development and manufacturing. In contrast, this study adopts a relational view of innovation capabilities, emphasizing the importance of knowledge-based interactions within collaborative innovation networks composed of diverse partners to digitally transform these networks. Specifically, trust, social capital, innovation culture, and networking capabilities are identified as key factors that facilitate effective interactions for technological learning and (their) upgrading. This study employs a twofold research method: first, innovation capabilities are prioritized using the analytical hierarchy process (AHP), and second, interpretive structural modeling (ISM) is used, based on multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) principles, to identify the interactions and interdependencies among these capabilities. The research further explores how these capabilities directly and indirectly influence technology upgrading through technological learning by engaging 12 experts from policy, research, and academia to rank and investigate the interactions of these capabilities and their influence on upgrading. From a practical perspective, this study offers a foundational model that firms can use to develop strategies for enhancing innovation capabilities, with a focus on the relational view, while also technologically advancing value chain networks. Theoretically, it contributes to the current understanding and discussions on the role and interactions of innovation capabilities in facilitating technology learning and upgrading.

The modern global milk processing industry involves the use of innovations and optimization of existing industry management methods, which contributes to the realization of sustainable development and energy efficiency. Increasing the energy efficiency of dispersing and homogenizing milk and dairy products can contribute to the practical implementation of the philosophy of the “European Green Deal”. The jet-slot milk homogenizer is one of the most energy-efficient among all types of homogenizers in the dairy industry. The principle of its operation is based on the creation of a maximum speed difference between the fat balls of cream and the flow of skimmed milk. This makes it possible to obtain a high degree of dispersion with high energy efficiency of the process. Reducing the specific energy consumption and finding the optimal parameters of the homogenizer were based on the results of both theoretical and experimental studies and were carried out graphically. The optimization criteria (decreasing specific energy consumption while maintaining high homogenization quality) were chosen to achieve a dispersion of 0.8 μm with minimal energy consumption. The diameter of the confusor is optimized at the point of greatest narrowing. The obtained results indicate that to increase the energy efficiency of homogenization, the parameter values should be within 3.5–4.0 mm. The parameters of the width of the ring gap, the fat content and the speed of the cream are optimized. The results showed that it is possible to reduce the specific energy intensity of the process to values of 0.88–0.92 kWh/t when using cream with a fat content of 33–43%, which should be fed through an annular gap with a width of 0.6–0.8 mm. Optimum values of the cream feed speed were found, which should be equal to 7–11 m/s. The research results are of high practical value for the further development of an energy-efficient industrial model of a jet-slot homogenizer.

Climate change poses a significant threat to food security, with projections indicating a decline in crop yield due to reduced crop growth in the face of rising temperatures. This study evaluated the effects of L-Isoleucine, L-Methionine, L-Glutamine, L-Tryptophan, and L-Phenylalanine on the morphophysiological parameters, total phenolic content, and antioxidant activity of Sweet Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) under high-temperature stress. Ten cultivar varieties of the sweet basil, “Rosie”, “Red Opal”, “Bordeaux”, “Dark Opal”, “Red Rubin”, “Genovese”, “Cinamon”, “Italiano Classico”, “Marseillais”, and “Thai”, were grown in a controlled-environment growth chamber. The seedlings with 5–6 true leaves were divided into seven groups: the first group of seedlings had no treatment and was grown under 25/22 °C (day/night) temperature, the second group of seedlings had no treatment and was grown under 35/30 °C (day/night) temperature, and the remaining five groups were sprayed with 100 mg L⁻¹ of L-Isoleucine, L-Methionine, L-Glutamine, L-Tryptophan, or L-Phenylalanine. As our results show, L-Tryptophan increased fresh and dry biomass in green sweet basil, while L-Methionine had the greatest effect on biomass in purple varieties. L-Phenylalanine increased chlorophyll a and b in heat-stressed “Bordeaux” (purple variety) and “Marseillais” (green variety). L-Isoleucine and L-Glutamine increased total phenolic compounds (TPCs) in purple cultivars (“Rosie”, “Red Opal”, “Dark Opal”, and “Red Rubin”), while L-Tryptophan (“Cinamon” and “Italiano Classico”) and L-Phenylalanine increased TPCs in “Cinamon”, “Marseillais”, and “Thai” green cultivars. Antioxidant activity (ABTS) was highest in “Dark Opal” and “Bordeaux” treated with L-Tryptophan or L-Phenylalanine under heat stress, while “Thai” benefited most from L-Isoleucine. The exogenous application of amino acids could serve as a viable solution to alleviate the negative effects of temperature stress on sweet basil and serve as an environmentally friendly agricultural strategy.

Background: While the empirical data on the role of environmental factors in work addiction (WA) is steadily growing, little is known about the extent to which the workaholic environment contributes to the increased risk of WA and what are the relative contributions of direct supervisor's and colleagues' WA to one's own workaholism. Methods: The Perceived Coworkers' Work Addiction Scale (PCWAS) assessing perceived direct supervisor's and colleagues' WA, defined as an addictive disorder, was administered alongside measures of WA, job stress, and job satisfaction in a total sample of 33,222 employees from 85 cultures across six continents (63.2% females, mean age 39.35 years). Results: The PCWAS showed scalar measurement invariance between genders and job positions, and approximate measurement invariance across cultures. In most cultures, the perceived supervisor’s and colleagues’ WA correlated with one’s own WA, job stress (positively), and job satisfaction (negatively). In structural equation models, perceived colleagues’ rather than supervisor’s WA was more strongly related to one’s own WA and job stress in most cultures. Discussion and conclusions: These findings suggest that the PCWAS is valid and reliable for assessing the workaholic environment, and it can be used globally to provide comparable and generalizable results. The present study is the first to show that WA may considerably depend on environmental factors in different cultures worldwide and that perceived colleagues’ WA may play a particularly important role in this context. These findings may guide organizational interventions to decrease WA risks among employees and improve their well-being and productivity.

Background Early childhood is essential for the rapid development of self-regulation systems, shaped by brain maturation and parental discipline. Inadequate discipline can hinder this development, leading to behavioral, social, and long-term negative outcomes. Objective This meta-analysis synthesizes research conducted over the last two decades, a period marked by societal changes such as globalization and social media, to examine the association between parental discipline and self-regulation in early childhood. Methods A systematic literature search was conducted using ScienceDirect, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Medline, and Scopus. Studies from 2000 to 2022 that focused on cross-sectional, survey-based analyses of parents and non-clinical children in toddlerhood and early childhood (aged 2–5) were included. This review involved 28 studies with 27,285 children and caregivers. Study sample sizes ranged from 55 to 12,474. The analysis followed PRISMA guidelines, extracting and synthesizing data accordingly. Results The findings revealed small but consistent correlations between parental discipline and children’s self-regulation. Both positive and negative discipline exhibited similar effect sizes, though with opposite outcomes. Negative discipline was linked to lower self-regulation, while positive discipline was associated with higher self-regulation. Additionally, the association between negative discipline and self-regulation diminished with child’s age, as shown by meta-regression results. Conclusions This study confirms that both forms of parental discipline are associated with children’s self-regulation. Positive discipline fosters better outcomes, while negative discipline is associated to lower self-regulation. Although these effects are small, they highlight the importance of parental practices while acknowledging that other factors also contribute to children’s self-regulation development.

Models that predict a forest stand’s evolution are essential for developing plans for sustainable management. A simple mathematical framework was developed that considers the individual tree and stand basal area under random resource competition and is based on two assumptions: (1) a sigmoid-type stochastic process governs tree and stand basal area dynamics of living and dying trees, and (2) the total area that a tree may potentially occupy determines the number of trees per hectare. The most effective method to satisfy these requirements is formalizing each tree diameter and potentially occupied area using Gompertz-type stochastic differential equations governed by fixed and mixed-effect parameters. Data from permanent experimental plots from long-term Lithuania experiments were used to construct the tree and stand basal area models. The new models were relatively unbiased for live trees of all species, including silver birch ( Betula pendula Roth) and downy birch ( Betula pubescens Ehrh.), [spruce ( Picea abies ), and pine ( Pinus sylvestris )]. Less reliable predictions were made for the basal area of dying trees. Pines gave the highest accuracy prediction of mean basal area among all live trees. The mean basal area prediction for all dying trees was lower than that for live trees. Among all species, pine also had the best average basal area prediction accuracy for live trees. Newly developed basal area growth and yield models can be recommended despite their complex formulation and implementation challenges, particularly in situations when data is scarce. This is because the newly observed plot provides sufficient information to calibrate random effects.

Water and N availability are key factors limiting crop yield, particularly in marginal soils. This study evaluated the effects of water and N stress on barley grown in marginal soils using field trials and the AgroC model. Experiments from 2020 to 2022 in Lithuania with spring barley cv. KWS Fantex under two N fertilization treatments on sandy soil provided data for model parameterization. The AgroC model simulated barley growth to assess yield potential and yield gaps due to water and N stress. Potential grain yields (assuming no water or N stress) ranged from 4.8 to 6.02 t DW ha⁻¹, with yield losses up to 54.4% assuming only N stress and 59.2% assuming only water stress, even with the N100 treatment (100 kg N ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹). A synthetic case study varying N fertilization from 0 to 200 kg N ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ showed that increasing N still enhanced yield, but the optimal rate of 100–120 kg N ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ depended on climatic conditions, leading to uncertainty in fertilization recommendations. This study underscores the importance of integrating advanced modeling techniques with sustainable agricultural practices to boost yield potential and resilience in marginal soils. Incorporating remote sensing data to capture soil and crop variability is recommended for improving simulation accuracy, contributing to sustainable agriculture strategies in the Baltic–Nordic region.

Forest development forms the foundation for the advancement of sustainable forest management that integrates the knowledge of natural and anthropogenic processes with ecological and biological insights. This study aims to emphasize the role of assisted natural regeneration and balanced forest development phases in fostering closer-to-nature management approaches, contributing to resilient forest ecosystems capable of self-regulation and biodiversity support in the face of anthropogenic and climatic challenges. This study focuses on forest development in Lithuania based on five National Forest Inventories (NFIs) from 2002 to 2022. We examine the tree volume structure of the growing stock by stand type and forest type series from the point of view of stand age and forest development phases. This is performed by applying the standardized methodologies of the Lithuanian National Forest Inventory. Our analysis focuses on broader patterns derived from the selected NFI data rather than stand-level details. Our findings demonstrate that long-term observation of dynamic National Forest Inventories can aid in the development of closer-to-nature forest management methods for different forest type series. In order to implement the European Union’s strategy and policy for closer-to-nature forest management, we call for the use of “assisted succession” methods in commercial forests, promoting the formation of mixed-species forest stands with multi-cohort age profiles, including old-growth all-aged forest patches of >121 years.

Tree mortality is a complex process associated with endogenous factors such as tree size, species composition or stand density, which may interact with each other and/or with exogenous factors such as climate. We studied the influence of these factors on background tree mortality in Scots pine, Norway spruce, and downy and silver birch mixed forests located in Central and Northern European continental (Poland) and boreal (NE Poland, Lithuania, Sweden and Norway) regions. Our main objective was to disentangle how species interactions influence background mortality along a gradient of climate conditions. To achieve this, we developed mortality models using a set of 188405 sample trees in 6840 permanent sample plots, taken from the National Forest Inventories of the four countries. Our results indicate that tree mortality and the effects of competition were species-specific. The competition from pine resulted in higher tree mortality for the pine itself rather than for birch or spruce, and the competition from spruce was usually the greatest, causing higher tree mortality in the three studied species. Temperature modified the effects of competition, always magnifying the effects of intra- or inter-specific competition depending on the species. However, the effect of temperature was complex, as the density-dependent and the density-independent mortality varied in different ways with temperature. In general, mixing pine with spruce and birch increases pine mortality, whereas it favors spruce and birch survival, especially at warmer sites. These findings may be useful for the management of these mixtures in the context of climate change.

The development of renewable energy is increasingly blurring the line between the energy and agricultural sectors. Decarbonizing agriculture is essential for the development of sustainable development principles. This can be achieved in essentially the two following ways: by reducing fuel consumption and by making the livestock sector more efficient. This review sets out options for contributing to these two elements. The review sets the stage for a smoother synergy process, whereby waste generated in agriculture is fully utilized to strengthen farms. In conducting the review, the methods of scientific induction and deduction were used. One of the key elements is the recycling of the waste generated into biomethane. This biomethane in turn is used as a fuel for tractors and as a means of providing energy for farms. The production of biomethane or biogas can lead to decentralization of the energy system, with farms becoming less or completely independent from external energy supplies. At the same time, synergies with other forms of energy are being created. These make it possible to increase the income of farms by adding a new activity of supplying energy to other consumers.

Study on evaluation the technical state of dams, the impact on ichthyofauna, socioeconomic benefits, and the results of cost–benefit analyses was performed in 2021–2022. A list of dams whose demolition would improve the ecological state of rivers and have the least negative impact from a socioeconomic point of view was compiled. A more detailed analysis of demolition/reconstruction possibilities was performed for the 15 dams with the highest position in the list. Analysed under two scenarios. Scenario No. 1 – the pond is drained, the existing surplus water fall spillway is demolished, and part of the sludge accumulated in the pond is removed; compensatory measure – a bridge is installed at the culvert place and a small water pond (for recreation) is formed. Scenario No. 2 – the pond is not drained, the existing dam/ surplus water fall spillway is repaired, and a new fish pass is installed. A guide screen or fish barrier is installed. Costs for implementing scenario No. 2 were obtained higher than according to scenario No. 1 in 5 out of 15 investigated objects, while in the remaining 10 it was the opposite. The total costs mainly depend on total area of ponds (important for calculation amount of sludge removal (for implementing scenario No. 1 and 2)), costs for demolition (scenario No. 1) or repairing of existing hydraulic structures (scenario No. 2) and costs for installing compensatory measures (scenario No. 1) or fish pass (scenario No. 2).

Competency-based education is an educational paradigm with the primary goal of combining theoretical knowledge and practical skills, giving students the opportunity to effectively apply learning outcomes in real-life situations. This approach focuses on preparing students for life’s challenges by nurturing them as independent, critical, and creative thinkers who can adapt to an ever-changing environment. This article examines the process of competency-based assessment and progress monitoring in primary grades. The study conducted a qualitative content analysis of observed lessons and teacher interviews to reveal how assessment and continuous progress monitoring can contribute to comprehensive student development. Ten primary school teachers participated in the study, responding to researchers’ questions about competency-based education and their practices in assessment and progress monitoring. The article presents the results of a qualitative study aimed at evaluating the process of competence-based assessment and progress monitoring in primary school classrooms. The study results revealed that, in assessing student progress, teachers find it important for students to not only demonstrate knowledge in different situations but also gain a clearer understanding of their learning goals and have opportunities for growth. Such an assessment system not only helps students develop self-reflection but also encourages them to take responsibility for their learning process, continually improve, and strive for higher competency achievement.

Accurate forecasting of oil production is essential for optimizing resource management and minimizing operational risks in the energy sector. Traditional time-series forecasting techniques, despite their widespread application, often encounter difficulties in handling the complexities of oil production data, which is characterized by non-linear patterns, skewed distributions, and the presence of outliers. To overcome these limitations, deep learning methods have emerged as more robust alternatives. However, while deep neural networks offer improved accuracy, they demand substantial amounts of data for effective training. Conversely, shallow networks with fewer layers lack the capacity to model complex data distributions adequately. To address these challenges, this study introduces a novel hybrid model called Transfer LSTM to GRU (TLTG), which combines the strengths of deep and shallow networks using transfer learning. The TLTG model integrates Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks and Gated Recurrent Units (GRU) to enhance predictive accuracy while maintaining computational efficiency. Gaussian transformation is applied to the input data to reduce outliers and skewness, creating a more normal-like distribution. The proposed approach is validated on datasets from various wells in the Tahe oil field, China. Experimental results highlight the superior performance of the TLTG model, achieving 100% accuracy and faster prediction times (200 s) compared to eight other approaches, demonstrating its effectiveness and efficiency.