Energy price shocks and inflation dynamics in European economies: Evidence from ARDL and nonlinear ARDL models /

This study investigates the relationship between energy prices and inflation dynamics in European economies using monthly data for the period 2012–2026. The analysis focuses on the impact of Brent crude oil prices and Henry Hub natural gas prices on inflation measured by the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP). The empirical framework employs autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) and nonlinear ARDL models to capture both symmetric and asymmetric effects of energy price shocks. The results indicate that oil price increases exert a significant and persistent impact on inflation, while gas prices show weaker short-run effects. The nonlinear specification reveals asymmetric transmission, with inflation responding more strongly to oil price increases than decreases. The findings highlight the importance of energy market developments for inflation dynamics and provide implications for monetary policy and energy market regulation

Nanocomposite CuxS on flexible polymers: Raman study /

Flexible polymers modified with copper sulfides have emerged as a novel class of materials, presenting composite structures with remarkable properties suitable for applications in flexible electronics. This study focuses on the deposition of copper sulfide (CuxS) layers onto the surfaces of polyamide and polypropylene through the chemical bath deposition method, employing either 2 or 3 deposition cycles. The objective is to explore the impact of deposition cycles and discern the optimal conditions for the deposition process. Comprehensive analysis of the CuxS thin films entails techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Raman spectroscopy, UV-VIS spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction to shed light on their structural and optical characteristics

Sustainable polyhydroxyalkanoates in the bioeconomy: a review of recent advances in production innovations, economic feasibility, and patents landscape /

In light of the global environmental crisis caused by traditional plastics and their pollution, there is an urgent need for sustainable alternatives to plastics derived from fossil fuels. Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) is a microbial intracellular energy reserve with the potential to replace petroleum-based plastics and reduce environmental pollution. PHA exhibits mechanical and thermal properties comparable to petroplastics, with the added advantages of biodegradability and biocompatibility. Furthermore, their physicochemical versatility makes them suitable for a wide range of applications, including eco-friendly packaging, agricultural mulch films, and innovative medical devices. However, large-scale PHA adoption remains constrained by production costs, as well as by challenges in scalability, feedstock supply, and downstream extraction, which all culminate in an uncompetitive minimum selling price (MSP) estimated at $4-8/kg. Considering the aforementioned, this review aimed to provide a comprehensive evaluation of strategies for enhancing PHA production efficiency within a circular bioeconomy framework. It examines intrinsically diverse microbial communities that produce PHA, fermentation strategies, feedstock diversification, and green recovery techniques. It also evaluated emerging application trends and industrial potential, focusing on more than 20 PHA-related patents filed between 2020 and 2025. Finally, this study examined the economic feasibility of PHA production and identified feasible pathways toward more cost-competitive adoption of the biopolymer

LiteDenseMoE: an explainable lightweight densely connected mixture-of-experts network for aerial scene recognition in low contrast remote sensing images /

Land Remote sensing image classification is crucial for understanding ongoing geographical and environmental changes. It aids in land use and land cover classification, crop and vegetation classification, change detection, and classification of coastal and aerial regions. Many advanced techniques were introduced based on some substantial modifications in the models; however, this resulted in a complex framework that is difficult to adapt. In this work, we proposed a novel Lightweight Dense Mixture of Experts (LiteDenseMoe) model for aerial and coastal regions classification using remote sensing images. The proposed model initially incorporates light, dense blocks with lightweight dense layers, as well as channel and spatial attention mechanisms. The resulting model is further fused with an Mixture of Experts block that extracted more relevant and essential features for the accurate prediction of complex aerial scenes. In the training process of the proposed model, a Hyperband Optimization technique is employed for hyperparameter initialization, rather than manual selection. After training the proposed model, classification was performed, along with output interpretation. The proposed LiteDenseMoe architecture is evaluated on three datasets and achieved an accuracy of 93.25% on MLRSNet, 92.56% on NWPU-RESISC45, and 96.54% on the EuroSAT dataset with only 0.3 million parameters. Expert allocation and their confidence per class, Expert disagreement Network, and t-SNE visualization are also observed to interpret the Moe results. Detailed Ablation studies and comparative analysis with pre-trained and SOTA models confirm the impact and efficiency of the proposed architecture for aerial and coastal regions classification

Patvarus ženklinimas QR kodu skaitmeniniam produkto pasui mados pramonėje.

This study develops and tests a practical Digital Product Passport (DPP) solution for the fashion industry by combining durable QR-code labels on textiles with a simple, low-cost web system. The work responds to EU ESPR-related expectations that product information should be transparent, standardised, and available throughout the product lifecycle. A review of QR codes, RFID, and NFC shows that QR codes are the most appropriate option for consumer use because they are inexpensive, can be scanned with any smartphone, and require little supporting infrastructure, while RFID and NFC typically involve higher costs and more complex implementation.To examine performance under realistic conditions, an experimental programme assessed QR durability and long-term scannability on a 100% polyester knit fabric. Version 2 QR codes (25×25 modules) were produced in several physical sizes and applied using sublimation printing, heat transfer, and embroidery. The samples were exposed to domestic washing and tumble drying in line with ISO 6330 and to cyclic tensile loading in both fabric directions in line with ISO 20932-1. Readability was then evaluated using a controlled smartphone-scanning procedure consistent with ISO/IEC 15415 quality principles, supported by an ImageJ-based assessment of QR distortion.The findings show that long-term digital accessibility depends mainly on the application method and the minimum QR size. Sublimation remained reliably readable at sizes of 20 mm and above, and heat transfer stayed fully readable within the tested 30–50 mm range. Embroidery performed worst: readability decreased after mechanical loading and washing, and very small codes (10 mm) did not provide dependable scanning. Finally, a DPP prototype built with Google Sites, cloud-hosted data, and dynamic QR access demonstrated that structured product information can be presented clearly, updated in real time, and accessed across devices, offering a feasible pathway for cost-constrained SMEs

Voltage rise mitigation in 0.4 kV power distribution lines powered by multiple residential photovoltaic solar plants /

This research addresses the challenge of a voltage increase on 0.4 kV power distribution lines with high photovoltaic solar plants penetration. Connecting a large number of photovoltaic solar plants to power distribution lines causes a significant voltage rise, which leads to the automatic shutdown of these plants in emergency mode. This seriously hinders the use of solar energy. PV solar plant inverters use reactive power generation or consumption technology to regulate the voltage level, but it is effective only when the line X/R ratio is sufficient. This publication proposes an innovative and easily implemented method for voltage rise mitigation, based on the connection of additional inductive chokes to the power distribution line. The method will expand and fully implement existing voltage regulation measures in already installed PV solar plant inverters, which other methods do not. A methodology for selecting the additional inductance value is presented. Reactive power control methods are compared, and recommendations for the use of methods are presented. An equation is proposed for calculating the coupling point voltage of a PV solar plant inverter using the Q = f(U) diagram. The effectiveness of this method is based on mathematical calculations, simulation, and experimental verification, using typical Lithuanian power distribution lines configurations

The impact of international trade barriers on Lithuania‘s exports.

As a small open economy, Lithuania is highly dependent on international trade, therefore trade barriers, tariff and non-tariff shocks have a direct impact on the country's export volumes and economic stability. The aim of this master's final degree project is to assess the impact of international trade barriers on Lithuanian exports. The project discusses trends in international trade barriers, the theoretical basis of trade barriers and methods for assessing their impact on the economy, and assesses the impact of international trade barriers on Lithuanian exports in 2015-2024, with a focus on trade with the US and Russia due to the sanctions imposed on Russia and the US - China trade war. Based on an analysis of scientific literature, it was found that international trade barriers have a negative impact on the economy, which reduces trade volumes, restricts the movement of capital, disrupts global supply chains, and increases production costs. In order to determine whether trade barriers, sanctions, and customs tariffs affect changes in Lithuanian exports, a correlation-regression analysis was performed. It was found that there is a link between sanctions and exports of goods produced in Lithuania, and that sanctions have a statistically significant negative impact on exports of goods produced in Lithuania, while US import tariffs do not have a statistically significant impact on changes in Lithuanian exports

Entrepreneurial competence development in start-ups across different growth stages.

Startups are innovative, technology-based businesses that are characterized by rapid growth, high uncertainty, and a tendency to operate in risky, untested markets. Although startups contribute to economic development, research shows that most of them fail before they even begin to develop their activities. The failure of startups is most often determined not only by finances or the market, but also by poor decision-making and insufficiently developed entrepreneurial skills. In view of this, it is important to analyse how skills change as a startup develops and which training methods are most effective at different stages of development. The aim of this paper is to analyse experiences in developing entrepreneurial skills at different stages of startup development. The object of the work is the experiences of entrepreneurship education in startups. The tasks of the work are: 1. to analyse the concept, characteristics, and stages of development of startups; 2. to present theoretical insights into the development of entrepreneurial skills in startups at different stages of their development; 3. to reveal experiences in developing entrepreneurial skills in startups at different stages of their development. Data collection and analysis methods: analysis of scientific literature, semi-structured interviews, and qualitative content analysis. The results of the study revealed that in practice, it is difficult for startup founders to distinguish between the stages of development and maturity, so these stages often overlap and were combined into a late stage. The early stage was characterized by the entrepreneur's personal abilities and qualities – creativity, courage to act, curiosity, and independence. Management skills – assessment of opportunities and the market. The beginnings of social skills are also formed at this stage. Skills are developed through experimentation, trial and error. In the growth stage, social skills such as maintaining relationships and assigning tasks become dominant. The process of developing skills is supplemented by mentoring, self-development, and learning environments (hackathons, accelerators). At this stage, experiential learning remains dominant. In the late stage, the entrepreneur becomes a leader, so leadership skills and resource organization dominate. Skill development takes place through reflection and the transfer of experience to the team. Theoretically modelled entrepreneurial skills are essentially confirmed in practice, but their expression is not limited to the stages of development. Empirical data also revealed that personal qualities such as courage, curiosity, initiative, and others have a significant impact on the development of skills at different stages of a start-up's development

The relationship between technological development and job satisfaction factors at UAB ORLEN Service Lietuva.

Technological development is rapidly transforming the working environment, nature of activities, and organizational structures in modern companies. Digitalization, automation, and the implementation of artificial intelligence increase work productivity and efficiency, while simultaneously introducing new challenges for employee well-being and job satisfaction. Job satisfaction is considered one of the key factors influencing employee motivation, work quality, and overall organizational performance. In light of this, the present master’s thesis examines the relationship between technological development and employee job satisfaction. The object of the research is the relationship between technological development and employee job satisfaction. The aim of the thesis is to determine the link between technological advancement and job satisfaction in the company UAB “ORLEN Service Lietuva.” To achieve this aim, the following objectives were set: 1) to reveal the concept of technological development and justify its importance to the organization; 2) to identify the factors influencing technological advancement in the manufacturing sector; 3) to present the concept of job satisfaction and its determining factors; and 4) to identify the relationship between technological development and job satisfaction in UAB “ORLEN Service Lietuva.” The research methods applied include scientific literature analysis and a quantitative empirical study (written survey). Job satisfaction was measured using P. E. Spector’s (1985) Job Satisfaction Survey (JSS), while the factors of technological development were assessed using a questionnaire designed by the thesis author. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 31.0 software; means, standard deviations, and frequencies were calculated, and correlation analysis was conducted. The empirical research conducted in UAB “ORLEN Service Lietuva” revealed a significant positive relationship between technological development and employee job satisfaction. The analysis showed that a more favorable employee attitude toward technological implementation is associated with higher levels of satisfaction across various aspects of work – from remuneration and career opportunities to interpersonal communication and work content. All five examined dimensions of technological development demonstrated statistically significant positive correlations with job satisfaction indicators (p < 0.001), with moderate to strong Spearman correlation coefficients (~0.62–0.74). Notably, even technostress correlated positively with job satisfaction in this study, suggesting that employees perceive technological change as an integral part of their work environment and do not associate related stress with general dissatisfaction at work. In conclusion, the research confirms that technological development in the analyzed company significantly contributes to higher employee job satisfaction. Therefore, strategic investments in new technologies and digitalization, when aligned with employee needs, may serve as a key factor in enhancing employee well-being

Low-carbon ternary binder bio-composites via accelerated carbonation for circular construction /

This study demonstrates the significance of coupling biomass valorization with accelerated carbonation curing (ACC) as an integrated strategy for low-carbon construction materials. A bio-based ternary binder incorporating wood sawdust with shale ash, steel slag, and a reduced proportion of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) was developed to simultaneously enhance mechanical performance and enable CO2 sequestration. The optimized formulation (25% shale ash, 15% OPC, 10% slag, and 50% sawdust) achieved a compressive strength of 7.2 MPa and an elastic modulus of 6 GPa, exceeding the performance of comparable wood-cement composites while using substantially less clinker. Microstructural analyses (SEM, XRD, FTIR, and XPS) confirmed portlandite depletion and the formation of calcite and low-Ca/Si C-(A)-S-H phases under ACC, resulting in matrix densification. Life cycle assessment (EN 15804 +A2) indicated a 65% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions relative to OPC-based systems, highlighting the combined structural and environmental benefits of the proposed approach