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The article is devoted to the problem of disproportionate innovation development in the European Union and the impact of these processes on economic growth. The aim of the work is an empirical study of the unevenness and asymmetry of innovation spending in the EU and analysis of convergent-divergent trends in this area. The results of recent research show a desire to strengthen cooperation in the field of innovation, which changes the situation in a positive direction and proves the signs of convergence of innovation, and they are most pronounced in the least developed regions of Europe. The urgency of solving this scientific problem is that the internal convergence of the European Union in the field of policy to support research, development and innovation is one of the strategic goals of the association. Models based on the concept of convergence have become a methodological tool for determining the asymmetry of development. The study was conducted on the basis of analysis of statistical data of 28 European Union countries for the period 2008-2019. The article presents the results of an empirical analysis of the asymmetry of innovative development of EU countries in terms of research and development. It is established that there is a shift towards increasing the share of R&D expenditures in GDP. Convergent tendencies in terms of development asymmetry, σ-convergence and β-convergence are revealed. The study empirically confirms and theoretically proves that the reduction of differentiation and convergence of countries is manifested in increased funding for innovation in countries lagging behind in these parameters. The practical significance of the results of the study lies in the possibility of their use to assess the effectiveness of innovation policy in the European Union

Anticipatory management plays an important role in the quality functioning and development of the enterprise, which determines the relevance of the study of the selected problem. The purpose of the article is to substantiate the importance of anticipatory management in the management of agricultural enterprises through the introduction of anticipatory teams into the organizational structure, which was caused by the destabilization of the external and internal environment in the conditions of the RussianUkrainian war. During the research, general scientific and special methods were used: analysis and synthesis, abstract-logical. The types of crisis situations that may occur on the enterprise have been studied. The main factor of the onset of the crisis in agricultural enterprises of Ukraine has been determined. Special attention is paid to the consequences of Russian military aggression. An analysis of the main performance indicators of agricultural enterprises was carried out. The share of Ukrainian companies that have anticipative teams was determined. The urgency of forming anticipatory teams in agricultural enterprises is indicated, which is a necessary means of forecasting and overcoming all possible crises. The basic structure of the company's anticipatory team has been formed. It was established that solving the current crisis problems requires the involvement of specialists both at the state level and consultants from international organizations. It is recommended to create anticipatory teams at the level of agricultural enterprises, which will provide an opportunity for producers to quickly respond to crisis situations; it will be appropriate to implement the recommendations developed by the anticipatory team of donors. Thus, this study brings new knowledge about the specifics of the functioning of anticipatory teams and has practical value for Ukrainian agricultural enterprises in overcoming the consequences of crisis situations, including the Russian-Ukrainian war

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES High-powered magnets were effectively removed from the US market by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in 2012 but returned in 2016 after federal court decisions. The United States Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit cited imprecise data among other reasons as justification for overturning CPSC protections. Since then, incidence of high-powered magnet exposure has increased markedly, but outcome data are limited. In this study, we aim to describe the epidemiology and outcomes in children seeking medical care for high-powered magnets after reintroduction to market. METHODS This is a multicenter, retrospective cohort study of patients aged 0 to 21 years with a confirmed high-powered magnet exposure (ie, ingestion or insertion) at 25 children’s hospitals in the United States between 2017 and 2019. RESULTS Of 596 patients with high-powered magnet exposures identified, 362 (60.7%) were male and 566 (95%) were CONCLUSIONS Despite being intended for use by those >14 years of age, high-powered magnets frequently cause morbidity and lead to high need for invasive intervention and hospitalization in children of all ages.

Introduction Intraabdominal fluid collections that previously required surgical intervention can now be drained with less invasive techniques. The use of lumen-apposing metal stents (LAMS) to treat pancreatic pseudocysts and perirectal abscesses has been shown to be a safe and effective technique in adults. We aim to evaluate the indications, outcomes, and complications of the use of LAMS in pediatric patients at our institution. Methods A retrospective chart review was performed to study patients up to 18 years of age at the Children's Hospital at Montefiore who underwent drainage of intraabdominal fluid collections with the use of LAMS. The main outcome measures were technical and clinical success and associated adverse events with LAMS placement. Results Seven patients (2 girls) ranging from 9 to 18 years were identified. Four patients had perirectal abscess postperforated appendicitis and 3 patients had pancreatic pseudocysts. All of the patients had complete resolution of the collections, with no recurrence, and our technical and clinical success rate was 100%. Only 1 patient had mild bleeding after placement that spontaneously resolved. Discussion Our study demonstrates the efficacy and safety of the use of LAMS for the drainage of intraabdominal fluid collections in pediatric patients, although the number of patients included is limited.

Outpatient, non-emergent upper gastrointestinal (GI) series are frequently requested in children with no surgical history who have nonspecific symptoms such as abdominal pain, failure to thrive and vomiting. The positive yield of an upper GI series in these patients, and, thus, its utility, has not been studied. We evaluated the incidence of positive upper GI findings in children without a history of GI pathology or abdominal surgery in order to identify clinical indications associated with a greater diagnostic yield. Findings of upper GI series performed between October 2015 and October 2017 in three institutions in children younger than 18 years of age were retrospectively reviewed. The upper GI series protocol for each institution was also reviewed. Children with a medical or surgical GI history, children with insufficient history in the chart and those with an incomplete upper GI series were excluded from the study. Exam indications, patient demographics and clinical history were obtained from the electronic medical records. Of 1,267 children who underwent outpatient upper GI series, 720 (median age: 2 years) had no GI history and were included in the study. The most common indications were non-bilious vomiting (62%), reflux symptoms (28%) and abdominal pain (20%). Upper GI series were normal in 605/720 cases (84%), including 25/26 children with reported bilious emesis. Of the 115 positive studies, 78 (68%) showed only gastroesophageal reflux (GER) (median age: 11 months). Of the remaining 37 studies, 19 demonstrated esophageal findings. One case of malrotation without midgut volvulus was identified in a patient who presented with dysphagia and reflux symptoms. Using a multinomial logistic regression model and adjusting for other variables, reflux symptoms and younger patient age were independent predictors of GER on upper GI series (relative risk ratios of 2.2 and 0.9, respectively). Dysphagia and/or foreign body sensation and older patient age were independent predictors of the presence of esophageal findings (relative risk ratios of 3.3 and 1.1, respectively). The yield of routine upper GI series in children with nonspecific symptoms, such as abdominal pain and vomiting, and no surgical history is low. Diagnostic yield was improved in older children and in those complaining of dysphagia and/or foreign body sensation. Routine upper GI series should be avoided in clinically well children with symptoms only of uncomplicated GER and no significant GI history. In children with a history of dysphagia and/or foreign body sensation, an esophagram/barium swallow can suffice.

Most patients with minimal change nephrotic syndrome are steroid responsive and tolerate this medication. However, a substantial number of patients relapse frequently and become steroid dependent. These patients often require treatment with alternative immunosuppressive drugs to maintain remission and minimize steroid toxicity. Previous studies have suggested that mycophenolate mofetil is effective in treating these patients. However, there are limited data on the effectiveness of this agent in pediatric patients, specifically those with steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome. The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of mycophenolate mofetil therapy in children and adolescents with steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome who failed other treatments. A retrospective chart review was performed on all patients with steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome. Clinical characteristics, laboratory data and the relapse rate were assessed prior to and during mycophenolate mofetil treatment. Twenty-one patients, ages 2-17 years, with steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome who were treated with mycophenolate mofetil between 2001-2005 were included in this review. The indication for mycophenolate mofetil use was steroid dependence in 17 and steroid toxicity in 4 patients. The mean duration of treatment was 1.0+/-0.5 years (range: 0.2-2.0 years). Patients treated with mycophenolate mofetil had a reduction in relapse rate from 0.80+/-0.41 to 0.47+/-0.43 relapses per month ( P

Objectives The 1-step low-profile percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (1-step PEG) uses a single procedure that allows immediate use of a low-profile device. The aim of the present study was to provide our experience with this device and to analyze complications and outcomes after the initial placement. Methods We performed a retrospective chart review of pediatric patients with 1-step PEG placement done by our pediatric gastroenterologists between 2006 and June 2011. Patients were studied for a minimum period of 6 months. Results A total of 121 patients were included in our study, with 23% infants. The most common indication for 1-step PEG placement was swallowing dysfunction in children with neurological impairment (49%). Postplacement complications included granulation tissue (52%), cellulitis (23%), leakage (21%), vomiting (17%), tissue breakdown (8%), failed placement (6%), embedded bolster (5%), perforation (0.8%), and bowel obstruction (0.8%). One-step PEG was maintained in 46 patients (38%). In the remaining 75 patients (62%), PEGs were changed to a balloon device in 66 patients and were completely removed in 9 patients. The most common indications for change were damaged PEG (19/75) and issues with size (11/75). The time to change ranged from 4 years (14 ± 1.3 months). Sixty-eight percent of 1-step PEG changes/removal was performed with an obturator under brief inhalated anesthesia. Conclusions The 1-step PEG has complication rates and outcomes comparable with standard PEGs.