Brand Association of Ciletuh - Palabuhanratu Geopark Towards COVID-19 Pandemic and Sustainable Tourism

The purpose of this research is to investigate brand association of Ciletuh – Palabuhanratu UNESCO Global Geopark towards the COVID-19 pandemic and sustainable tourism. This research employs a qualitative research method with a case study and descriptive statistics model. The data used in this study are primary and secondary ones in which the techniques of data collecting is by observation, purposive random sampling with Likert scale, as well as literature studies. The results of this study show that Ciletuh-Palabuhanratu Geopark is not only a strategic place for tourism activities in the COVID-19 pandemic since it has characteristics to comply health protocols but also able to meet the tourism recovery during the pandemic. The tourism activities provided by Ciletuh-Palabuhanratu Geopark sites meet the concept of quality adventure tourism and in line with sustainable tourism with concerns on balancing the environmental conservation, local economic empowerment, as well as local social and culture preservation. The brand association of Ciletuh-Palabuhanratu Geopark is shown by its tourism product scope and quality which are associated to sustainable tourism, moreover the use occasion is line with the COVID-19 pandemic situation. The attributes of UNESCO Global Geopark also create the values of tourism activities during and after COVID-19 pandemic which meet the points of sustainable tourism activities and recoveries.

Efficient CRISPR/Cas12a-based genome editing toolbox for metabolic engineering in Methanococcus maripaludis

Methanococcus maripaludis is a fast-growing and genetically tractable methanogen. To become a useful host organism for the biotechnological conversion of CO2 and renewable hydrogen to fuels and value-added products, its product scope needs to be extended. Metabolic engineering requires reliable and efficient genetic tools, in particular for genome editing related to the primary metabolism that may affect cell growth. We have constructed a genome editing toolbox by utilizing Cas12a from Lachnospiraceae bacterium ND2006 (LbCas12a) in combination with the homology-directed repair machinery natively present in M. maripaludis. The toolbox enables gene knock-out with a positive rate typically above 89%, despite M. maripaludis being hyper-polyploid. We have replaced the flagellum operon (around 8.9kb) by a beta-glucuronidase gene to demonstrate a larger deletion, and to enable quantification of promotor strengths. The CRISPR/LbCas12a toolbox presented here is currently perhaps the most reliable and fastest method for genome editing in a methanogen.

Shifting the operating frequency of the piezoceramic electroacoustic transducer langevin type using passive cooling methods

The object of research: the shift of resonant frequency of the piezoceramic electroacoustic transducer Langevin type depending on the shape of the back plate. Investigated problem: the relationship between changes in shape of back plate of the Langevin type transducer with the resonant frequency of the oscillating system. Search quantitative contribution to shift the resonant frequency of each of the modifications: shape, diameter, thickness, weight of back plate. The main scientific results: vibration modes of a transducer with a back plate with horizontal and vertical radiator ribs were obtained. The graphs of the shift resonant frequency depending on the change in the diameter and thickness of the back tail with vertical radiator ribs are presented. It is established, that the change in the thickness and diameter of the back plate of the transducer effects on resonance frequency much less than the change in mass. The area of practical use of the research results: designing piezoceramic electroacoustic transducer with passive cooling method. Innovative technological product: guidelines for choosing the shape changes back plates of the Langevin type transducer for decreasing heating temperature, with keeping resonant frequency. Scope of the innovative technological product: scope of application of the Langevin type transducer: underwater acoustics, ultrasonic technological equipment, ultrasonic engine, piezotransformer, medical equipment, rock drilling devices.

Export Product Scope of Russian Firms and Proximity to Local Comparative Advantages

This paper explores the relationship between the structure of regional comparative advantages and the dynamics of the export product scope of Russian manufacturing enterprises. For this purpose, indices of revealed technological proximity of industries are calculated on the basis of data on types of economic activities and the export product scope of Russian enterprises. The methodology for calculating these indicators is based on the assumption that technologically closer types of activities are, to a certain degree, more often co-produced and co-exported within the boundaries of individual enterprises. This measure of technological proximity has several advantages over the traditionally used indicators. Estimates show that the constructed indices reflect different aspects of technological proximity of industries and can be considered as composite indicators. Technological proximity measures are used to calculate the index of product proximity to the structure of export comparative advantages of Russian regions. This index is statistically related to the probability of a product being included in the export product scope of a Russian exporter, to the probability of the product being excluded from the export product scope and, as a result, to the value and dynamics of exports of this product by the regional enterprises. These findings indicate that there is a relationship between the current structure of the regional comparative advantage and the direction in which the range of exports of Russian enterprises located in this region evolves. The results of the study can be used for designing economic policy measures aimed at diversification of production and export of the Russian regions, in particular on the basis of existing producers and exporters, as well as applied by the firms themselves to detect the most promising directions of activity expansion taking into account the production structure of the region which the given firm is located at.

EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF PROTECTIONISM POLICY TOOLS IN OVERCOMING THE CRISIS OF EXCESS CAPACITY IN THE FERROUS INDUSTRY

The article focuses on strengthening of protectionism policy and on trade defense measures, which significantly influence the current global steel market situation. The detailed analyses of the type, product scope and potential effect on international iron and steel market was conducted. The characteristics of the crisis period of exceed capacities problem caused by structural disbalance of global supply and demand in combination with the further steel products consumption decline are presented in the article. The particular focus is on the effectiveness evaluation of protectionism policy on the national level taken the US steel market as an example. The study concludes that protectionism policy of 2017-2019 not only has not solved the global problem of steel exceed capacities, but also escalated national level challenges: lack of motivation of local manufactures to decrease emissions, high unemployment rate and consumer product prices growth. The core outcome of the article is that unbased import trade barriers in steel sector are ineffective for global and national problems solving and that the only way is to implement coordinated actions by the major global steel market players.