False Friends? On the Effect of Bureaucracy, Informality, Corruption and Conflict in Ukraine on Foreign and Domestic Acquisitions

Ukraine had had its ups and downs in recent years. It has, for example, dramatically improved its ease of doing business (EOBB), and it has made some progress reducing the relative size and influence of its shadow economy (Shadow). But, the Russian invasion of 2014 (Conflict) forced it to take a few developmental steps backwards. In this paper, we consider the effect of these factors, positive and negative, on the number of mergers and acquisitions, involving Ukrainian firms. We construct a sample of 4030 acquisitions in the period 1 January 2000-31 December 2020. Our results suggest that while the number of acquisitions by domestic firms increases in efficiency (+EOBB), transparency (- Shadow) and peace (- Conflict), the number of foreign acquisitions increases in bureaucracy (- EOBB), in informality (+Shadow), and unrest (+Conflict). From an academic perspective, our findings fit with some recent work, while providing new insights too. From a policy perspective, our findings that the number of foreign acquisitions is negatively affected by Ukraine's attempts to modernize and improve its economy and is positively affected by the ongoing conflict with Russia, makes us wonders what type of 'false friends' make such investments

Expositional design of the Audi museum in Ingolstadt: representation of the brand’s characteristics in automobile industry history

Modern automotive brand museums belong to the corporate museum class; thus, they are versatile in that they perform multiple tasks. They not only satisfy the visitors’ desire to receive new information, but also realise the business goals of brand representation, both increasing loyalty to it, and developing corporate culture. The current trend in automotive brand museums’ design is that the artistic solutions for the exhibition environment form associations among visitors that reflect the personality of a particular brand. This article analyses the scenario-design organisation of the museum exhibition of the Audi brand, which, during over 100 years in the automotive market, has formed its unique and inimitable image. Here we reveal the design means of exposition construction, where the exhibits are integrated into the economic and social conditions of their existence, forming an idea of important milestones in the history of the twentieth century

Генералізація мистецтв: поезія і ілюстрація

The purpose of the article is to define the conception of perception of poetic texts and illustrations by generalizing these forms of arts. The methodology is based on the functional approach to verbal and non-verbal text comprehension. The scientific novelty of the work lies in understanding the process of generalization of two forms of arts, such as poetry and illustration that proves the idea of their twofold nature. The developed typology of poetic texts with a basic parameter “antithesis” and classification of the forms of illustrations are founded on the correlation of projecting and conceptual principles of reality reflection in verbal and non-verbal texts, and on the explicitness degree of evaluative characteristics. Conclusion. The generalization of two forms of arts contributes to developing a course of action for an artist-illustrator. The significance of the scientific research results can clarify the elements of ambiguity, uncertainty, obscurity in the process of perception of any work of arts.Метою статті є визначення концепції комплексного сприйняття поетичного тексту та ілюстрацій до нього шляхом узагальнення цих двох форм мистецтва. Методологія ґрунтується на функціональному підході до сприйняття вербального та невербального тексту. Наукова новизна роботи полягає у дослідженні процесу сприйняття тексту через розуміння синтезу двох форм мистецтва, поетичного тексту та ілюстрації, що доводить ідею їх подвійної природи. В основу запровадженої типологія поетичного творів з базовим параметром «антитеза», яку подано в кореляції із розробленою класифікацією форм ілюстрацій, покладено співвідношення проективного й концептуального принципів відображення дійсності у вербальному та невербальному текстах, ступень експліцитності оцінок. Висновки. Співвідношення типів поетичного тексту із формами ілюстрацій сприяє вдосконаленню методики роботи художника-ілюстратора. Результати наукового дослідження можуть також бути використані для з'ясування елементів, які породжують неоднозначність та невизначеність процесу сприйняття будь-якого твору мистецтва

The Phenomenon of Digital Art as a Means of Preservation of Cultural Heritage Works

The constant development of multimedia technologies and, as a result, their rapid spread among countries around the world has been a general trend in digital art in the late twentieth and early twenty-first century. This phenomenon, as practice shows, comes out top among other creative activities. With the help of multimedia technologies it is possible to optimize multimedia systems in figurative and meaningful value relations. An important role here is given to the development of a unigue multimedia “language”, which harmoniously combines technical, creative and value-oriented components.This article presents an analysis of the use of the submersive method in solving scenario-design problems for the preservation of elements of cultural heritage through the use of 3D mapping and video projection in exhibition space design and for projections onto the facades of architectural landmarks. The content of such video projections and specific characteristics of the artistic imag-es they draw upon depend on the functional purpose of the context in which the interactive work is presented. There remains a need for greater scientific understanding of the phenomenon of in-teractive art, in the interests of improving professional design practices in the preservation of cul-tural heritage works

Mechanisms of Investment Marketing Support of the State Economic Security System

Nowadays, in the conditions of permanent economic instability it is very important to find effective instruments of sustainability of economic security. There is awareness that economic security is based on investment attractiveness of corporate and other assets. It can explain scientific interest to the research of increasing investment attractiveness of assets with the help of marketing methods and how it will influence the level of economic security in the country. The present manuscript focuses on the research of the marketing investment marketing support in the system of economic security of the state. Initially, the data that confirm the influence of marketing mechanisms of investment activity were provided. Additionally, we introduced the ways of effective introduction of investment activity based on marketing and the system of economic security. We conclude with a discussion on where the future of marketing in investments and economic security lies

Isolation and characterization of mutated alcohol oxidases from the yeast Hansenula polymorpha with decreased affinity toward substrates and their use as selective elements of an amperometric biosensor

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Accurate, rapid, and economic on-line analysis of ethanol is very desirable. However, available biosensors achieve saturation at very low ethanol concentrations and thus demand the time and labour consuming procedure of sample dilution.</p> <p>Results</p> <p><it>Hansenula polymorpha </it>(<it>Pichia angusta</it>) mutant strains resistant to allyl alcohol in methanol medium were selected. Such strains possessed decreased affinity of alcohol oxidase (AOX) towards methanol: the K_Mvalues for AOX of wild type and mutant strains CA2 and CA4 are shown to be 0.62, 2.48 and 1.10 mM, respectively, whereas V_maxvalues are increased or remain unaffected. The mutant AOX alleles from <it>H. polymorpha </it>mutants CA2 and CA4 were isolated and sequenced. Several point mutations in the AOX gene, mostly different between the two mutant alleles, have been identified. Mutant AOX forms were isolated and purified, and some of their biochemical properties were studied. An amperometric biosensor based on the mutated form of AOX from the strain CA2 was constructed and revealed an extended linear response to the target analytes, ethanol and formaldehyde, as compared to the sensor based on the native AOX.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The described selection methodology opens up the possibility of isolating modified forms of AOX with further decreased affinity toward substrates without reduction of the maximal velocity of reaction. It can help in creation of improved ethanol biosensors with a prolonged linear response towards ethanol in real samples of wines, beers or fermentation liquids.</p

C60 fullerenes increase the intensity of rotational movements in non-anesthetized hemiparkinsonic rats

The effect of C60 fullerene aqueous colloid solution (C60FAS) on the intensity of long-lasting (persisting for one hour) rotational movements in non-anesthetized rats was investigated. For this purpose, an experimental hemiparkinsonic animal model was used in the study. Rotational movements in hemiparkinsonic animals were initiated by the intraperitoneal administration of the dopamine receptor agonist apomorphine. It was shown that a preliminary injection of C60FAS (a substance with powerful antioxidant properties) in hemiparkinsonic rats induced distinct changes in animal motor behavior. It was revealed that fullerene-pretreated animals, in comparison with non-pretreated or vehicle-pretreated rats, rotated for 1 h at an approximately identical speed until the end of the experiment, whereas the rotation speed of control rats gradually decreased to 20–30% of the initial value. One can assume that the observed changes in the movement dynamics of the hemiparkinsonic rats after C60FAS pretreatment presumably can be induced by the influence of C60FAS on the dopaminergic system, although the isolated potentiation of the action of apomorphine C60FAS cannot be excluded. Nevertheless, earlier data on the action of C60FAS on muscle dynamics has suggested that C60FAS can activate a protective action of the antioxidant system in response to long-lasting muscular activity and that the antioxidant system in turn may directly decrease fatigue-related changes during long-lasting muscular activity

Construction of uricase-overproducing strains of Hansenula polymorpha and its application as biological recognition element in microbial urate biosensor

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The detection and quantification of uric acid in human physiological fluids is of great importance in the diagnosis and therapy of patients suffering from a range of disorders associated with altered purine metabolism, most notably gout and hyperuricaemia. The fabrication of cheap and reliable urate-selective amperometric biosensors is a challenging task.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A urate-selective microbial biosensor was developed using cells of the recombinant thermotolerant methylotrophic yeast <it>Hansenula polymorpha </it>as biorecognition element. The construction of uricase (UOX) producing yeast by over-expression of the uricase gene of <it>H. polymorpha </it>is described. Following a preliminary screening of the transformants with increased UOX activity in permeabilized yeast cells the optimal cultivation conditions for maximal UOX yield namely a 40-fold increase in UOX activity were determined.</p> <p>The UOX producing cells were coupled to horseradish peroxidase and immobilized on graphite electrodes by physical entrapment behind a dialysis membrane. A high urate selectivity with a detection limit of about 8 μM was found.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>A strain of <it>H. polymorpha </it>overproducing UOX was constructed. A cheap urate selective microbial biosensor was developed.</p