Vilnius University of Applied Sciences

Abstract This study investigates the influence of psychological and emotional elements on green purchase intentions. With the growing environmental concern in recent years, understanding these elements is essential for the development of effective green marketing campaigns. The research explores the relationship between key constructs such as green consumer values, psychological reactance, sense of belonging in a community, subjective well-being and scepticism towards advertising. By integrating and drawing on several theories such as Psychological Reactance Theory and Belongingness Theory, this study proposes a comprehensive conceptual framework. Results from a survey of 200 consumers demonstrate the complex relationships between these psychological and emotional variables and consumers’ intentions to purchase green products, emphasising the mediating effect of subjective well-being and the moderated mediating effect of scepticism towards advertising. These findings provide theoretical contributions to environmental psychology and green marketing and offer valuable insights and practical implications for marketers who aim to design effective green marketing strategies.

Credit risk is one of the most important risks faced by lenders and can affect not only their financial health but also economic growth and financial stability. It is therefore crucial to assess the potential losses from credit risk as conservatively as possible and to manage it effectively. A systematic review of the academic literature was conducted to answer these questions. The results of the review showed that models that examine the relationship between sustainability and credit risk most commonly use the environmental factor as an indicator of sustainability (72% of the studies analysed). The Altman Z-score was the most used credit risk estimator in the reviewed studies. The second most popular estimate was bond and credit default swap spreads. In summary, the studies reviewed show that lending to more sustainable companies improves: The quality of the loan portfolio and reduces credit risk, leading to better credit ratings, and lower borrowing costs for the lenders themselves; lenders’ reputation, which makes it possible to attract a larger number of depositors and investors. However, the lender should consider not only the sustainability of the borrower but also the sustainability of the loan collateral, which is seen as a credit risk mitigant.

Introduction: Lead acetate, a toxic heavy metal compound, induces cellular and tissue injury primarily through oxidative stress. Exposure via inhalation or ingestion enables systemic absorption and distribution to target organs, particularly the lungs. One of the key anti-apoptotic proteins involved in maintaining cell survival is B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2). The administration of exogenous antioxidants represents a preventive approach to counteract the cytotoxic effects of lead, including the use of ethanol extract of tamarillo fruit. This study investigated the potential influence of tamarillo (Solanum betaceum) ethanol extract, known for its antioxidant content. Specifically, it examined its effect on Bcl-2 expression in the lung tissue of male mice exposed to lead acetate. Methods: This study used a true experimental design in a controlled laboratory setting. The specimens were divided into five groups: K0 served as the negative control, while K1 acted as the positive control and was treated with lead acetate at a dose of 0.075 g/kgBW. Group P1, P2, and P3 received lead acetate combined with ethanol extract of tamarillo at doses of 100 mg/kgBW, 200 mg/kgBW, and 400 mg/kgBW, respectively. Results: The findings showed that tamarillo ethanol extract significantly increased lung Bcl-2 expression in lead-exposed mice (p<0.05). B-cell lymphoma 2 expression increased progressively with higher extract doses compared with the positive control group. Conclusion: Administration of the tamarillo ethanol extract at 100 mg/kgBW was the most effective and provided protective effects on lung tissue.

The Article Abstract is not Available.

Abstract Research on emerging technologies such as AI-driven health interventions, extended reality (XR) systems, biobanks, and genome editing poses novel ethical challenges that traditional ethics governance models struggle to address. This article explores various models of research ethics governance within the European Union (EU) context, starting from traditional one-time research ethics committee (REC) reviews, REC review with post-approval monitoring, as well as alternative models such as ethics self-assessment, and ethics-by-design approaches. Based on literature analysis and a survey of European research ethics experts, the study identifies prevalent models of research ethics oversight, research ethics expert perceptions of their sufficiency, and challenges such as insufficient technical and ethics expertise, lack of specific guidelines, and unclear boundaries of REC responsibilities. Findings also indicate that traditional REC reviews remain dominant but have limitations in effectively managing rapidly evolving technologies. Research ethics experts highlighted the feasibility of continuous oversight mechanisms to better integrate ethical reflection throughout the research lifecycle. The article concludes by recommending a shift towards proportional, risk-based oversight, development of clearer, technology-specific guidelines, enhanced REC training, and improved harmonization across EU ethics governance systems to address current gaps.

This article re-conceptualizes “brain waste” based on the experiences of highly qualified immigrants living in Lithuania, not merely as a measurable mismatch, but as an institutional-textual regime in which language, equivalence (recognition), and licensing thresholds are intertwined, determining the readability of competence. Conducted with an interpretive design, the study involved semi-structured in-depth interviews with 14 participants from different disciplines and statuses, analyzed using reflective thematic analysis. the narratives were also examined through a deconstructive reading, in terms of where the dichotomies of “qualification/document,” “native/foreign,” and “presence/absence” are established and where they clash. The findings reveal that (i) sub-qualification employment creates a “chronic waiting” pattern; (ii) the language–recognition–license triad is the main threshold determining entry points; (iii) while social networks enable initial job retention, they carry the risk of lock-in to secondary sectors in the long term; (iv) initial contact practices (name, accent, photo) can function as a “threshold label”; (v) status mismatch has detrimental effects on mental and physical well-being. Processually, the narratives are linked to the flow of promise → threshold → waiting → micro-break → reorientation → settlement/separation; here, “micro-breaks” (short internships, scholarship language courses, accelerated equivalency) are turning points that make competence “readable.” The theoretical contribution is to position brain waste as a readable and nameable phenomenon and to show that dichotomies can be loosened through design; the practical/policy contribution is to demonstrate that thresholds can be rewritten through recognition justice, early and intensive language support, fair hiring design, and bridge programs (mentoring-internships, psychosocial support). The single-country context and qualitative design point to the transferable but limited generalizability of the findings; nevertheless, the study shows that textual and institutional arrangements can transform the “foreign” into a colleague even with small design moves.

ABSTRACTObjectivesThe aim of this study was to assess the incidence, prevalence and mortality of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) in Lithuania.DesignRetrospective cohort study.SettingLithuanian National Health Insurance Fund and Causes of Death registries, covering 1 January 2012 through 31 December 2021.ParticipantsPatients were identified from national healthcare registries in Lithuania. The following inclusion criteria were applied: 1) diagnosis of eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA), granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) or microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) (diagnosis codes M30.1, M31.3 and M31.7, according to International Classification of Diseases 10th version (ICD-10)) recorded between 1 January 2012 and 31 December 2021; 2) diagnosis of AAV was recorded in the database at least twice with at least 1-month period between the two timepoints; 3) a record of at least once prescribed reimbursed medication—glucocorticoids (prednisolone or methylprednisolone), conventional synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (methotrexate, azathioprine, hydroxychloroquine and cyclophosphamide) or biological disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (rituximab or available biosimilars); and 4) age >18 years at the time of diagnosis.Outcome measuresData for the analysis included sex, age, ICD-10 code of AAV, the first date of AAV diagnosis and date of death. The study period was subdivided into periods 1 (2013–2015), 2 (2016–2018) and 3 (2019–2021). Temporal trends of the incidence of AAV were assessed. Point prevalence data were recorded. Sex- and age-standardised mortality ratios (SMRs) were calculated. The life expectancy of patients with AAV was estimated by standard single-decrement life-table analysis.ResultsWe identified 236 patients with AAV (female, 58%) with an annual incidence of 8.22 per 1 000 000 adult inhabitants (period 1, 9.83; period 2, 6.88; period 3, 7.95). Increasing incidence was noted for MPA (period 1, 0.9; period 3, 2.49). The incidence of GPA (4.89 per 1 000 000 inhabitants per year) was three times higher than the total incidence of EGPA and MPA. The prevalence of AAV per 1 000 000 adult population increased from 35.92 in 2015 to 69.14 in 2021. 40 deaths were recorded during the study period, with a mean age at death of 65.2 (±13.03). AAV was associated with reduced life expectancy compared with the general population, especially when diagnosed at a young age. The SMRs for the total AAV cohort revealed a decreasing trend: 1.79 in period 1 and 1.67 in period 3.ConclusionsAAV is associated with increased mortality. During the study period, the incidence of AAV was found to be stable, and the prevalence has increased.

Working memory (WM) is crucial for learning and academic success, emphasizing the need for effective theory- and practice-informed interventions supporting children with poor WM. Given limited transferable effects, recent research stresses the importance of context, focusing on malleable environmental factors like teacher–student interaction. This study uses a microtrial approach to explore the effects of teacher-provided instructional support on children’s observable WM-related problematic behavior. The experimental group (n = 35, 42.9% girls, Mage = 8.37, SDage = 1.66) received targeted instructional support, while the control group (n = 32, 40.6% girls, Mage = 8.67, SDage = 2.03) received teaching as usual. Pre- and post-intervention comparisons examined changes in students’ WM behavior. The four-week intervention included five strategies derived from a systematic review and a qualitative study, building on teachers’ existing practices. Findings revealed a significant time × condition interaction, with reduced WM-related problematic behavior in the experimental group, showing medium to large effect sizes (ηp2 = 0.08–0.20). Improvements were noted in classroom behavior and the home environment, as reported by parents blinded to the condition. This study contributes to the causal evidence base indicating that targeted instructional support can reduce WM-related challenges and highlights the potential of brief, teacher-provided classroom interventions.