Search

In this study, a calcium-phosphate coating was formed on a Mg–Mn–Ce alloy by the plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO). The antibiotic vancomycin, widely used in the treatment of infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), was impregnated into the coating. Samples with vancomycin showed high bactericidal activity against S. aureus. The mechanical and electrochemical properties of the formed coatings were studied, as well as in vitro cytotoxicity tests and in vivo tests on mature male rats were performed. According to SEM, EDS, XRD and XPS data, coatings had a developed morphology and contained hydroxyapatite, which indicates high biocompatibility. The analysis of roughness of coatings without and with vancomycin did not reveal any differences, confirming the high roughness of the samples. During electrochemical tests, an increase in corrosion resistance by more than two times after the application of PEO coatings was revealed. According to the results of an in vivo study, after 28 days of the implantation of samples with calcium phosphate PEO coating and vancomycin, no signs of inflammation were observed, while an inflammatory reaction developed in the area of implantation of bare alloy, followed by encapsulation. Antibiotic release tests from the coatings show a sharp decrease in the concentration of the released antibiotic on day 7 and then a gradual decrease until day 28. Throughout the experiment, no significant deviations in the condition and behavior of the animals were observed; clinical tests did not reveal a systemic toxic reaction.

Hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) remain widespread diseases that are becoming more prevalent. The role of visfatin and toll-like receptor (TLR) molecules in the pathogenesis of these diseases requires further research. Our aim was to study changes in visfatin and TLR levels in patients with hypertension and type 2 diabetes. Fifty-one patients were examined and divided into two groups: group 1 included 27 patients with hypertension and group 2 included 24 people with hypertension and type 2 DM. The control group included 18 practically healthy people. All individuals underwent general blood test, coagulogram, biochemical blood test, enzyme immunoassay to determine the level of visfatin and TLR in the blood serum and echocardiography. Hypertrophy of the walls of the left ventricle (LV) was observed in patients of two observed groups. The most common type of LV geometry was concentric hypertrophy (41.2%). The level of visfatin was significantly higher in patients of group 1, while in patients of group 2 it was decreased (P ˂ 0.05) and the level of TLR was increased (P ˂ 0.05). The elevated level of TLR in the serum of patients with hypertension can be considered a factor of low-grade inflammation, especially in combination with type 2 DM. The increase in the concentration of visfatin in hypertension serves as a more sensitive marker compared to TLR regarding the risk of developing comorbid cardiovascular pathology. The therapeutic treatments of patients with type 2 DM cause a reduction in the concentration of visfatin induced by hypertension.

In most cases, variants of nucleotide sequence in the SEMA6B gene account for developing the phenotype of progressive myoclonus epilepsy and, to a lesser extent, developmental encephalopathy with or without epilepsy. Loss-of-function variants in nucleotide sequence localized mainly in exon 17 of the SEMA6B gene contribute to production of aberrant proteins with “toxic” functions. A clinical case of status epilepsy in a patient with a variant in the SEMA6B gene (c.2506delС; p.His836ThrfsTer136; NM_032108.4) is described in the article that expands our knowledge regarding the SEMA6B gene variants resulting in progressive myoclonus epilepsy.

In a world of rapid and continuous change and constant competition, innovation is becoming an important element in the sustainable development of companies and regions. A key factor in the success of innovation processes is the accounting aspect, which involves the systematisation, analysis and documentation of innovative changes. The study of this topic is becoming increasingly relevant due to the need to identify and solve problems related to innovation accounting. It aims at combining two strategically important areas – innovative development of enterprises and modern approaches to accounting and financial management. Purpose of the article. The purpose of the publication is to identify the key aspects of the problems associated with accounting for innovation activities at enterprises, as well as to reflect the role of such accounting in ensuring their economic sustainability. Methodology. The methodological basis of the work was formed by general scientific and special research methods: comparison, analysis, generalisation, graphic and tabular. The information base is based on official statistics, company reports and accounts, Internet resources and publications, and the results of the authors' own research. Practical implications. The research examines the problems of accounting for innovation activities of enterprises and makes proposals for their solution. The Ukrainian legislation regulating accounting lacks a coherent methodology for accounting for innovation costs. In order to provide the necessary analytical information on the costs of innovation activity, it is recommended to use accounts of the eighth class, opening sub-accounts of the third, fourth and higher order. Value/originality. The sources of financing and peculiarities of accounting for innovation activities of enterprises are studied, the main of which are the state resources and resources of enterprises and other business entities. Among the non-traditional sources of financing are venture capital funds, business incubators, business angels and crowdfunding.

Background: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) has been widely used to manage debilitating neurological symptoms in movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease (PD). Despite its well-established symptomatic benefits, our understanding of the mechanisms underlying DBS and its possible effect on the accumulation of pathological proteins in neurodegeneration remains limited. Accumulation and oligomerization of the protein alpha-synuclein (α-Syn) are implicated in the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra in PD, making α-Syn a potential therapeutic target for disease modification. Objective: We examined the effects of high frequency electrical stimulation on α-Syn levels and oligomerization in cell and rodent models. Methods: High frequency stimulation, mimicking DBS parameters used for PD, was combined with viral-mediated overexpression of α-Syn in cultured rat primary cortical neurons or in substantia nigra of rats. Bimolecular protein complementation with split fluorescent protein reporters was used to detect and quantify α-Syn oligomers. Results: High frequency electrical stimulation reduced the expression of PD-associated mutant α-Syn and mitigated α-Syn oligomerization in cultured neurons. Furthermore, DBS in the substantia nigra, but not the subthalamic nucleus, decreased overall levels of α-Syn, including oligomer levels, in the substantia nigra. Conclusions: Taken together, our results demonstrate that direct high frequency stimulation can reduce accumulation and pathological forms of α-Syn in cultured neurons in vitro and in substantia nigra in vivo. Thus, DBS therapy could have a role beyond symptomatic treatment, with potential disease-modifying properties that can be exploited to target pathological proteins in neurodegenerative diseases.

. Currently, the transition to alternative fuel during the operation of thermal power plants (TPP) occurs due to the reduction and unreliability of coal supplies, deterioration of its quality, proposals for the use of cheaper fuel, tightening environmental requirements. Alternative fuel means such coal, for the use of which the boilers have not been designed during their design or reconstruction, as well as coal that has not previously undergone industrial or experimental combustion at this TPP. When converting boilers to alternative fuels, the main problems are: slag of the furnace shields and heating surfaces located above the furnace; fouling of convective heating surfaces; instability of non-designed fuel combustion; abrasion of the convective part of boilers; reduction of environmental performance; change in operating conditions of dust preparation, slag removal, ash collection and fuel supply systems. Before conducting experimental combustion of alternative fuels, it is advisable to carry out a preliminary assessment of its combustion possibility using numerical simulation, which makes it possible to identify emerging problems in advance. The most important factor in assessing the possibility of using alternative fuels is the influence of thermal performance, fuel and ash characteristics on the slagging of heating surfaces in the furnace. For a long time, the ability of ash to slagging was determined by the results of a fusibility test by changing the shape of a pyramid of ash particles during its gradual heating to various states according to the specific temperatures, viz. the initial deformation temperature, the softening temperature, the hemispherical temperature. The fusibility test cannot predict the real situation that occurs during the boiler operation. In addition, it does not allow ranking coals according to their tendency to slagging, which is necessary for the preliminary selection of alternative coal. Therefore, it is proposed to use the Watt - Fereday method with Bomkamp’s refinement for calculating the slagging index for ranking coals according to suitability as non-design fuels.

Abstract: Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, governments worldwide issued lockdown and social-distancing measures, which triggers psychological distress and may increase the occurrence of domestic violence (DV). We examined the role of the LGBT+ status in the relationship between risk factors of DV and its occurrence during the pandemic. Methods: In this cross-sectional study (n = 5,148), an online self-report questionnaire was administered to a non-probabilistic sample of participants living in Belgium, Germany, and Portugal between March and June 2020. Participants were sampled through national media, social media, and snowballing procedures. Results: LGBT+ persons reported significantly higher levels of perceived stress, more acute stress symptoms, and more illegal drug use during the first weeks of the lockdown compared to non-LGBT+ persons. DV in LGBT+ persons was not more prevalent than in the non-LGBT under COVID-19 lockdown measures. No significant evidence was found indicating that identifying as LGBT+ itself increases the risk of DV exposure. Conclusion: LGBT+ persons were more at risk of DV compared to non-LGBT+ persons prior to but not during COVID-19 lockdown measures. The increased risk for DV can be linked to socio-demographic characteristics, levels of stress, and illegal drug use which are more prevalent in LGBT+ persons than in non-LGBT+ persons.

Aim. To study overall drug resistance genes (resistome) in the human gut microbiome and the changes in these genes during COVID-19 in-hospital therapy. Materials and methods. A single-center retrospective cohort study was conducted. Only cases with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 RNA using polymerase chain reaction in oro-/nasopharyngeal swab samples were subject to analysis. The patients with a documented history of or current comorbidities of the hepatobiliary system, malignant neoplasms of any localization, systemic and autoimmune diseases, as well as pregnant women were excluded. Feces were collected from all study subjects for subsequent metagenomic sequencing. The final cohort was divided into two groups depending on the disease severity: mild (group 1) and severe (group 2). Within group 2, five subgroups were formed, depending on the use of antibacterial drugs (ABD): group 2A (receiving ABD), group 2AC (receiving ABD before hospitalization), group 2AD (receiving ABD during hospitalization), group 2AE (receiving ABD during and before hospitalization), group 2B (not receiving ABD). Results. The median number of antibiotic resistance (ABR) genes (cumulative at all time points) was significantly higher in the group of patients treated with ABD: 81.0 (95% CI 73.8–84.5) vs. 51.0 (95% CI 31.1–68.4). In the group of patients treated with ABD (2A), the average number of multidrug resistance genes (efflux systems) was significantly higher than in controls (group 2B): 47.0 (95% CI 46.0–51.2) vs. 21.5 (95% CI 7.0–43.9). Patients with severe coronavirus infection tended to have a higher median number of ABR genes but without statistical significance. Patients in the severe COVID-19 group who did not receive ABD before and during hospitalization also had more resistance genes than the patients in the comparison group. Conclusion. This study demonstrated that fewer ABR genes were identified in the group with a milder disease than in the group with a more severe disease associated with more ABR genes, with the following five being the most common: SULI, MSRC, ACRE, EFMA, SAT.

The formation of an effective economic system on an innovative basis is one of the most important tasks of the current stage of socio-economic development, since the systemic interaction of all elements of the economic system, forming a single economic space, allows for the most effective realisation of the benefits of the division of labour and specialisation in innovative forms. At the same time, the ability of production and economic entities to maintain the ability to expand the reproduction of innovations (while maintaining the scale and pace of innovation reproduction) in the event of disturbing internal and external actions – innovation sustainability – is becoming increasingly important. This is particularly important in the formation of integrated associations and integral economic complexes as sustainable systems to increase the dynamics and balance of the proportions of the innovation reproduction process. In the context of continuity and heterogeneity of innovations, it is extremely important to consider their innovation sustainability from the perspective of a systemic approach to the management of an economic system. Purpose of the article. The scope of research on strategic management of regional development is quite wide, but given the current economic situation, the consequences of the pandemic and martial law, this issue needs even more attention, as most regions of Ukraine are unstable and economically unprofitable, so it is necessary to consider special levers and directions that will help strategically effective management of regional enterprises and ensure their economic security. Methodology. The methodological basis of the article is a set of methods and principles of scientific knowledge, general and special methods and techniques used in the study. The theoretical basis of the study is the scientific work of domestic and foreign scientists on sustainable development, economic security and innovation. The information base is based on official statistics, reports and accounting information of enterprises, resources and publications of the Internet, and the results of the author's own research. Practical implications. The results obtained and the recommendations developed form the basis for improving the strategic management of the sustainable development of regional enterprises while ensuring their economic security. Value/originality. A mechanism of strategic management of sustainable development of regional enterprises was created using a system-synergistic approach, which includes a system of resources, methods and tools for influencing innovation processes and is based on the principles of self-organisation of complex systems in the process of their adaptation to changes in an unstable environment and ensuring economic security, which will allow to coordinate the goals and directions of management of investment, operational and financial activities of regional enterprises to ensure their sustainable development.

Aim: evaluation of long-term results of injection of botulinum toxin type A into the internal anal sphincter and performing lateral internal sphincterotomy in combination with excision of chronic anal fissure.Materials and methods. The study included 176 patients (73 (41.5 %) men and 103 (58.5 %) women) older than 18 years; randomization into the compared groups was carried out by random number generation in a computer program. Patients, researchers and surgeons were not blinded. Patients of the main group underwent fissure excision in combination with relaxation of the internal anal sphincter by botulinum toxin type A (BTA) at a dosage of 40 units, patients of the control group underwent lateral internal sphincterotomy (LIS) with excision of chronic anal fissure. Long-term results of complex treatment were studied in 126 patients (54 (43 %) men and 72 (57 %) women), the median follow-up was 12.3 (12.2; 15.7) months. Statistical analysis was carried out in the program Statistica 13.3 (TIBCO Software Inc., USA).Results. In the long-term postoperative period, the indicators of mean resting anal pressure were lower in the LIS group (p = 0.04). The compared groups were comparable in terms of the level mean squeeze anal pressure (p = 0.69); however, in patients of the BTA group, the level of this indicator increased over time (p = 0.001). None of the patients of the compared groups had anal incontinence and relapse of the disease.Discussion. In the framework of the performed study, in some patients from the compared groups, spasm of the internal anal sphincter persisted throughout the observation period, and in some patients it occurred again, while no signs of relapse fissure were detected. The functional and clinical results of treatment obtained by us cast doubt on the exclusivity of the increased tone of the internal anal sphincter as the main link in the pathogenesis of chronic anal fissure in some patients and indicates the presence of other factors in combination with which the course of the disease is determined. The above facts do not exclude the possibility of recurrence of anal fissure in a more distant period of observation.Conclusion. Medical relaxation with botulinum toxin type A at a dosage of 40 units can serve as an alternative to lateral internal sphincterotomy as a method of eliminating spasm of the internal anal sphincter

Autoclave leaching of sulfide concentrates may produce various ferric secondary phases, depending on the arsenic content and temperature. Silver is converted to argentojarosite, from which it is not recoverable by standard cyanidation methods. To increase silver recovery, it is necessary to reduce the argentojarosite formation during autoclave leaching. This study was devoted to the influence of gypsum on the formation of secondary phases of ferric arsenate and the subsequent recovery of gold and silver by cyanidation. The addition of gypsum at a consumption of 0.1 g/g(concentrate) helped to increase silver extraction from 13.4 to 98% at cyanidation. Gold recovery was 99%. An increase in gypsum consumption contributed to the ferric arsenate sulfate formation with an increased sulfate sulfur content, and a decrease in the As/S(sulfate) molar ratio in the cake from 3.7 to 0.88 contributed to an increase in silver extraction at cyanidation of up to 98%. Basic ferric sulfate is not formed in this case, since according to EDS mapping, the distribution of arsenic and sulfur over ferric-containing particles is uniform. According to TCLP, stable, sparingly soluble ferric arsenate phases are formed and the cake obtained after cyanidation is stable and suitable for disposal, since the final arsenic concentration in the solution was 0.45 mg/dm3.

The expanded newborn screening (NBS) program in the Russian Federation was initiated in 2023, among which severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) is screened using TREC/KREC assays. Here, we report a rare case of a TP63-associated disease identified through this NBS program. Dried blood spots from newborns were initially screened for TREC/KREC levels, and those with values below the cut-off underwent confirmatory testing and further genetic analysis, including whole-exome sequencing (WES). A male newborn was identified with significantly reduced TREC values, indicative of T cell lymphopenia. Genetic analysis revealed a heterozygous NM_003722.5:c.1027C>T variant in TP63, leading to the p.(Arg343Trp) substitution within the DNA binding domain. This mutation has been previously associated with Ectrodactyly–Ectodermal Dysplasia–Cleft lip/palate syndrome (EEC) syndrome and shown to reduce the transactivation activity of TP63 in a dominant-negative manner. This case represents one of the few instances of immune system involvement in a patient with a TP63 mutation, highlighting the need for further investigation into the immunological aspects of TP63-associated disorders. Our findings suggest that comprehensive immunological evaluation should be considered for patients with TP63 mutations to better understand and manage potential immune dysfunctions.

Automotive catalysts containing Platinum Group Metals (PGMs) are valuable secondary raw materials for refineries. Hydrometallurgical processing of catalysts is ineffective due to the low PGMs content—0.15–0.3%. Therefore, such raw materials are melted into an iron collector containing 1.5–5% PGMs. However, when leaching a collector containing 10–20% Si in both HCl and H2SO4, the recovery of PGMs does not exceed 40%. The latter indicates incomplete destroying of the PGM-encapsulating ferrosilicon matrix. To completely destroy the ferrosilicon matrix, it is proposed to carry out the leaching process in a mixture of HCl and HF. In this case, the extraction of Fe into solution and Si into the gas phase (in the form of SiF4) exceeds 90%. This should be sufficient to completely destroy the ferrosilicon matrix and release PGMs. The current work presents the results of studies of the leaching kinetics of the iron collector containing ferrosilicon in a mixture of HCl and HF using the Shrinking Core Model (SCM). It was found that the greatest positive effect on Fe extraction into solution is exerted by HCl concentration and temperature, while Si release into the gas phase is only influenced by HF concentration. In addition, during the destroying of ferrosilicon, FeF2 is formed and deposited on the surface of the material in the form of thin-film conglomerates. This leads to diffusion difficulties and a gradual decrease in the intensity of the iron collector leaching 30 min after the start of process. After 120 min, there may be a decrease in Fe recovery into solution.

BackgroundAlzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a multifactorial, progressive neurodegenerative disease that disrupts synaptic and neuronal activity and network oscillations. It is characterized by neuronal loss, brain atrophy and a decline in cognitive and functional abilities. Cognito’s Evoked Gamma Therapy System provides an innovative approach for AD by inducing EEG-verified gamma oscillations through sensory stimulation. Prior research has shown promising disease-modifying effects in experimental AD models. The present study (NCT03556280: OVERTURE) evaluated the feasibly, safety and efficacy of evoked gamma oscillation treatment using Cognito’s medical device (CogTx-001) in participants with mild to moderate AD.MethodsThe present study was a randomized, double blind, sham-controlled, 6-months clinical trial in participants with mild to moderate AD. The trial enrolled 76 participants, aged 50 or older, who met the clinical criteria for AD with baseline MMSE scores between 14 and 26. Participants were randomly assigned 2:1 to receive self-administered daily, one-hour, therapy, evoking EEG-verified gamma oscillations or sham treatment. The CogTx-001 device was use at home with the help of a care partner, over 6 months. The primary outcome measures were safety, evaluated by physical and neurological exams and monthly assessments of adverse events (AEs) and MRI, and tolerability, measured by device use. Although the trial was not statistically powered to evaluate potential efficacy outcomes, primary and secondary clinical outcome measures included several cognitive and functional endpoints.ResultsTotal AEs were similar between groups, there were no unexpected serious treatment related AEs, and no serious treatment-emergent AEs that led to study discontinuation. MRI did not show Amyloid-Related Imaging Abnormalities (ARIA) in any study participant. High adherence rates (85–90%) were observed in sham and treatment participants. There was no statistical separation between active and sham arm participants in primary outcome measure of MADCOMS or secondary outcome measure of CDR-SB or ADAS-Cog14. However, some secondary outcome measures including ADCS-ADL, MMSE, and MRI whole brain volume demonstrated reduced progression in active compared to sham treated participants, that achieved nominal significance.ConclusionOur results demonstrate that 1-h daily treatment with Cognito’s Evoked Gamma Therapy System (CogTx-001) was safe and well-tolerated and demonstrated potential clinical benefits in mild to moderate AD.Clinical Trial Registration:www.ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT03556280.

IntroductionThe new coronavirus disease, COVID-19, poses complex challenges exacerbated by several factors, with respiratory tissue lesions being notably significant among them. Consequently, there is a pressing need to identify informative biological markers that can indicate the severity of the disease. Several studies have highlighted the involvement of proteins such as APOA1, XPNPEP2, ORP150, CUBN, HCII, and CREB3L3 in these respiratory tissue lesions. However, there is a lack of information regarding antibodies to these proteins in the human body, which could potentially serve as valuable diagnostic markers for COVID-19. Simultaneously, it is relevant to select biological fluids that can be obtained without invasive procedures. Urine is one such fluid, but its effect on clinical laboratory analysis is not yet fully understood due to lack of study on its composition.MethodsMethods used in this study are as follows: total serum protein analysis; ELISA on moderate and severe COVID-19 patients’ serum and urine; bioinformatic methods: ROC analysis, PCA, SVM.Results and discussionThe levels of antiAPOA1, antiXPNPEP2, antiORP150, antiCUBN, antiHCII, and antiCREB3L3 exhibit gradual fluctuations ranging from moderate to severe in both the serum and urine of COVID-19 patients. However, the diagnostic value of individual anti-protein antibodies is low, in both blood serum and urine. On the contrary, joint detection of these antibodies in patients’ serum significantly increases the diagnostic value as demonstrated by the results of principal component analysis (PCA) and support vector machine (SVM). The non-linear regression model achieved an accuracy of 0.833. Furthermore, PCA aided in identifying serum protein markers that have the greatest impact on patient group discrimination. The study revealed that serum serves as a superior analyte for describing protein quantification due to its consistent composition and lack of organic salts and drug residues, which can otherwise affect protein stability.

The first measurement of lepton-jet momentum imbalance and azimuthal correlation in lepton-proton scattering at high momentum transfer is presented. These data, taken with the H1 detector at HERA, are corrected for detector effects using an unbinned machine learning algorithm (multifold), which considers eight observables simultaneously in this first application. The unfolded cross sections are compared with calculations performed within the context of collinear or transverse-momentum-dependent factorization in quantum chromodynamics as well as Monte Carlo event generators.

The HERAPDF2.0 ensemble of parton distribution functions (PDFs) was introduced in 2015. The final stage is presented, a next-to-next-to-leading-order (NNLO) analysis of the HERA data on inclusive deep inelastic ep scattering together with jet data as published by the H1 and ZEUS collaborations. A perturbative QCD fit, simultaneously of αs(MZ2) and the PDFs, was performed with the result αs(MZ2)=0.1156±0.0011(exp)-0.0002+0.0001(model+parameterisation)±0.0029(scale). The PDF sets of HERAPDF2.0Jets NNLO were determined with separate fits using two fixed values of αs(MZ2), αs(MZ2)=0.1155 and 0.118, since the latter value was already chosen for the published HERAPDF2.0 NNLO analysis based on HERA inclusive DIS data only. The different sets of PDFs are presented, evaluated and compared. The consistency of the PDFs determined with and without the jet data demonstrates the consistency of HERA inclusive and jet-production cross-section data. The inclusion of the jet data reduced the uncertainty on the gluon PDF. Predictions based on the PDFs of HERAPDF2.0Jets NNLO give an excellent description of the jet-production data used as input.

Within the frames of new system management shaping it becomes necessary to transform mechanisms of competitive advantage. Today three spheres of activity were selected: scientific, technological and personnel from all the priority fields of governmental level. The development and maintenance of scientific and personnel spheres are not possible without a unified system affecting creation, acquisition and efficient use of knowledge. In unstable economic conditions topicality of introducing knowledge management system in organizations is especially valuable. The article studies preconditions of the theory of knowledge management, the idea of post-industrial society and economy of knowledge. The authors characterized types of knowledge, showed value of knowledge in conceptions of organizational management and implicit knowledge. When theoretical aspects of knowledge management models were investigated, the parallel between shaping the system of knowledge management with intellectual capital and intangible resources was drawn. Theoretic aspects of the system of knowledge management were studied within the frames of systematic approach as a universal investigation tool.

The research relevance is determined by the need for a comparative assessment of different viburnum species in terms of resistance to powdery mildew, a disease that inhibits physiological processes in plants, negatively affecting growth, development, and yield, as well as decorative effect. The research aims to study the bio-ecological characteristics of Microsphaera viburni (Duby) S. Blumer and to develop measures to control powdery mildew in viburnum orchards. During the experiment, methods and techniques were used to conduct phenology, create provocative backgrounds, assess the level of damage to the ground part, and determine the degree of damage and resistance of viburnum plants. Recommendations for avoiding or reducing the risks of powdery mildew in viburnum orchards are provided. Nitrogen fertilisers should be applied in early spring and avoided in late summer to limit the growth and development of annual shoots, the tissue of which is more sensitive to the powdery mildew pathogen. It has been shown that formative, regulatory, and sanitary pruning in early spring can improve lighting and air circulation in the basal part of viburnum plants, intensify the growth of permanent shoots and form the desired type of bush (tree) in the system of fruit or ornamental horticulture. It has been proved that in the conditions of the Northern Forest-Steppe of Ukraine, it is advisable to grow highly resistant (Anya, Osinnia, Elina, Omriana) and resistant (Kralechka, Plododekorna, Sonetta, Horikhova, Yaroslavna) varieties (forms) of European cranberrybush of the Institute of Horticulture of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine against powdery mildew. It is recommended to use resistant and mediumresistant varieties of common dwarf viburnum ‘Eskimo’ and common ‘Roseum’ for ornamental gardening (Viburnum opulus Roseum). The practical value was in a determination that powdery mildew of European cranberrybush ‘Roseum’ does not affect other species of the genus Viburnum L. under artificial inoculation; it was confirmed that the susceptibility of viburnum plants to this disease can be significantly reduced by low-susceptible and resistant varieties and species of the genus Viburnum L. and timely agronomic measures

Enzootic bovine leukemia is an infectious disease with a chronic course caused by an RNA‑containing virus of the genus Deltaretrovirus. Despite the implementation of various programs for the elimination of leukemia, the disease is still widespread on the planet and continues to cause significant economic damage. A large proportion of BLV‑infected cattle remain to be asymptomatic carriers of the virus, which complicates diagnosis and contributes to the spread of the disease in the herd. The structure of the BLV genome is generally typical of retroviruses. It consists of genes encoding structural proteins, viral enzymes and regulatory elements flanked on both sides by identical long terminal repeats. The enzyme and structural protein coding genes (gag, pro, pol, and env) play a crucial role in the life cycle of the virus, influencing its infectivity and virion production. The tax and rex regulatory genes regulate viral transcription, export of transcripts from the nucleus to the cytoplasm, and disease progression. The increase in the number of copies of proviral DNA occurs mainly not due to the functioning of the virus reverse transcriptase, but because of clonal reproduction of the affected subpopulations of B‑cells, mainly CD5+ IgM+. This feature provides increased genetic stability of the BLV virus. These properties of the viral genome allow the development of a variety of PCR test systems. The widespread implementation of such systems enables the detection of carriers of the disease at early stages, which should contribute to the effective implementation of national programs to eradicate bovine leukemia.

Biliary sludge can occur when taking medicines (oral contraceptives, cephalosporins, octreotide, furosemide, clofibrate, morphine, calcium preparations, etc.). In particular, 30–40 % of ceftriaxone, which is widely used in pediatric inpatient practice, is excreted with bile, 5–15 % of all side effects of the drug are due to biliary sludge. The mechanism of ceftriaxone-associated biliary sludge is due to the fact that ceftriaxone competes with bilirubin for albumin, which induces an increase in unconjugated bilirubin in the blood. The drug enters the bile in the form of a divalent anion, binds to calcium in ceftriaxone-calcium complexes with inclusions of cholesterol monohydrate crystals and bilirubinate granules. In patients taking cephalosporins, when complaints from the gastrointestinal tract appear, ultrasound screening is mandatory. Children with a family history of gallstone disease and risk factors should undergo ultrasound screening on the 10th day and 1 month after treatment with cephalosporins, even in the absence of complaints. The administration of ursodeoxycholic acid leads to a significant regression of clinical symptoms of biliary sludge and objective ultrasound signs in 2/3 of children after 2 months.

The article is devoted to solving the problem of the imperfection of the existing approach to knowledge management in the quality assurance system of Industry 4.0 products, due to the fact that the place of knowledge management outside the quality assurance system of industry 4.0 products, characteristic of this approach, hinders the achievement of sustainability and competitiveness. The authors have compiled an econometric model based on the international experience of the top 40 leading countries of the world with the most developed industry 4.0 for 2023, which mathematically describes and justifies the significant contribution of knowledge management to the product quality of industry 4.0 from the standpoint of sustainability and competitiveness. The model has identified key factors of sustainability (implementation of SDGs 8 and SDGs 9) and competitiveness, namely knowledge capital, research, development and innovation outputs and impact, as well as information and communications technology usage. To solve this problem, an alternative, new approach to knowledge management in the product quality assurance system of industry 4.0 has been developed, which makes it possible to simultaneously and fully achieve sustainability and competitiveness. The originality of the approach is that it considers quality as a result of sustainability and competitiveness; and knowledge management is interpreted as the embodiment of quality, located inside the quality assurance system of products in industry 4.0.The theoretical significance of the authors’ conclusions is that they rethought the place of knowledge management in the product quality assurance system of industry 4.0, which should be inside this system in the interests of sustainability and competitiveness. The practical significance of the developed approach is due to the fact that it will improve the practice of ensuring the product quality of industry 4.0 through the integrated achievement of sustainability and competitiveness through the optimization of knowledge management.

Carbon-containing compositions of refractory products with additives of aluminum, silicon, graphite of fractional composition have been developed and optimized, and their technical properties, as well as the phase-mineral composition, have been determined.An experimental setup has been developed to study temperature parameters in given hypothetical layers, calculated heat fluxes and temperature stresses of carbon containing products up to 1300 °C.Temperature stresses and specific heat flows are calculated at the heating rate of the working surface from 4.3 °C/min to 55 °C/min with isothermal exposure of products at 700 °C, 950 °C and 1300 °C.This study is devoted to the technology of obtaining carbon-containing refractories by solid-state combustion method (in SHS mode) with the maximum transformation of low-melting phases into refractory ones using ferroalloy metallurgy waste, as well as to the study of thermophysical properties, composition, and influence of specific heat fluxes on temperature stresses in conditional hypothetical layers obtained carbon-containing SHS refractory products.

This article considers the knowledge management system as an element of the overall management system of the organization along with the processes of corporate culture and corporate education. The implementation of knowledge management system provides an increase in competitiveness, has a favorable effect on the intellectual potential of the organization, human resource management and innovations’ development. The means of information and communication technologies in the knowledge management system, in corporate training and in corporate culture are considered, and the connection between them is outlined. The use of Intranet and Extranet systems in the context of the collection, storage and use of organizational knowledge is analyzed. Corporate training issues from the point of view of increasing the operational efficiency of organizations are touched upon. Trends in the development of corporate culture are outlined, where a special role is played by the formation of a favorable environment for the knowledge transfer. The functioning of corporate education and corporate culture, in the aggregate, can increase the implementation effectiveness of knowledge management system.

This paper is devoted to establishing the consequences of integrating CSR into the marketing mix for financial risks in modern companies. Based on the international statistics for 2023, we compiled a regression model of the dependence of financial risks on the integration of CSR into their marketing mix. Based on that, we developed a new system approach to managing companies’ sustainable development. Its features are marketing management of the sustainable development of companies, systemic management of social and financial risks to companies, and implementation of risk management through integrating CSR into the marketing mix. The main conclusion is that the sustainable development of companies in the Decade of Action requires a systemic integration of CSR into the marketing mix, for this will allow for the simultaneous reduction of social and financial risks. The theoretical significance of this conclusion consists in the disclosure of previously unknown cause-and-effect relationships between CSR and financial risks to companies, which are explained in this paper through the lens of the elements of the marketing mix in the 7P model. The originality of this research consists in developing novel marketing tools for the systemic management of social and financial risks for companies with the help of CSR. The practical significance relates to the fact that the offered recommendations on the more complete integration of CSR into their marketing mix will allow reducing financial risks and ensuring sustainable development of Russian companies in the Decade of Action (until 2030). The managerial significance is as follows: the developed system approach to managing companies’ sustainable development will improve the practice of risk management in companies due to previously unavailable joint management and the general reduction of social and financial risks.

There is a wide variety of superconducting materials, but only a few of them are suitable for practical industrial use, and one of the most promising superconductors is MgB2. Its main advantages are a critical temperature close to 40 K, which allows for operation in a cryogenic environment, low cost of precursors, and the ease of manufacture. In this paper, we attempted to obtain superconducting materials based on magnesium diboride in a new way by using a high-temperature centrifuge and then investigated how centrifugal acceleration could affect the superconducting characteristics of the materials in a greater way during combustion synthesis. As a brief result of this research, it was found that the value of centrifugal acceleration affected the critical current density (Jc = 1.4 A/cm2) of the MgB2 composites, although it did not considerably impact the critical transition temperature of the MgB2 materials (remained at around 37.5–38 K).