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Сurrently, the scientific research for methods to restore the quality of superficial water, including irrigation water, is actively advancing. The use of preparations of microbiological for intensification of the water system process purification is becoming increasingly common. In this aspect, it is advisable to expand the scientific search for the environmentally safe means of superface water purification in order to get quality irrigation water through the use of Bacillus subtilis microorganisms. Therefore, there is a need to investigate the environmental aspects of using Bacillus subtilis microorganisms in order to improve the quality of water, in particular, irrigation water. The aim of the research is to investigate the possibility of using Bacillus subtilis microorganisms to diminish the phytotoxicity of irrigation water. The water samples were tested before and after treatment with microorganisms (Bacillus subtilis) according to chemical indicators at the first stage. The treatment effiectiveness was as follows: BOI5 - 40%, suspended solids - 26%, COD - 37%, nitrite - 54%, ammonium nitrogen - 38%, manganese and lead - 56%, nitrate - 35%. After treatment with Bacillus subtilis, the water quality met the MPC norms for fisheries. At the next stage, the phytotoxic effect of the observed water samples before and after the treatment with Bacillus subtilis microorganisms (1:100 dilution) on germination of seeds, growth and root system of plants, was assessed. The effect of reducing toxicity was: root weight from 4% to 50%, with the least effect observed in the least polluted sample; root length from 48% to 65%, with the biggest effect observed in the most polluted water sample; length of aboveground part from 21% to 54%, without a connection to pollution in this case; weight of aboveground part from 25% to 46%, without a connection to pollution. The research found that after probiotic treatment, all water samples were classified as non-toxic by all biometric parameters. Definition the phytotoxicity of the roots, a clear correlation was observed between the increase in treatment effectiveness of Bacillus subtilis microorganisms and the increase in pollution levels. Thus, the effectiveness of using Bacillus subtilis microorganisms in order to reduce water phytotoxicity and improve irrigation water quality was found.

The article aims to identify the factors contributing to the development of mobile technologies among Latvian entrepreneurs. The limited spread of mobile technologies can lead to issues in Latvia's economy, like limited access to digital services and resources, a decline in competitiveness between enterprises, limitations in the case of innovation, and unavailability of economic growth. Suppose the use of mobile technologies stays limited in certain areas or between certain groups of people. In that case, it can lead to unequal conditions for information, education, work opportunities and new businesses. With mobile technologies, Latvia can achieve a digital transformation in economics, leading to an advantage in digital economics compared to other countries. With the use of analyzed data from the questionnaire that was given to Latvian entrepreneurs, as well as the analysis of literature sources, the authors emphasize the importance of informative and technological development, IT specialist qualifications and digital literacy for the development of the digital economy, as it can be seen that high digital literacy and availability of IT infrastructure can stimulate economic growth, although, the deficit of qualification can become a big obstacle. The drawn conclusions emphasize the importance of work in terms of information about the advantages of digital technologies among small and average entrepreneurs. Further research can be focused on rating the effectiveness of specific programmes about digital literacy and the availability of IT infrastructure in the context of the Latvian economy.

The article aims to establish the impact of the use of mobile devices on business success in Latvia. The authors consider income of the enterprise for the last year, volume of sold products/services, volume of exported products/services, profitability of the enterprise for the last year, as well as a change in the market share of the enterprise for the last year as variables for business success. Despite the fact that the market share of mobile devices in Latvia comprises only 38.43%, the authors determined a weak linear relationship between variables for business success and the majority of different mobile technologies used on mobile devices. The authors study such mobile technologies as mobile access to e-mail, mobile version of the website, messenger groups for solving business tasks, SMS marketing, mobile access to company resources, advertising, management of production processes, payments of company bills from a mobile phone, equipment of a company transport system with location data transmission systems, and a company’s mobile application. The authors come to the conclusion that entrepreneurs underestimate both the use of a mobile version of the website and augmented reality technologies.

One of the main objectives of the economic policy of the European Union is to reduce the differences in the development levels of its member states or a process of real convergence to ensure balanced and sustainable economic development and growth in the EU countries. Each country strives to contribute to its prosperity. The authors analyse and compare the dynamics of green economy development in the EU countries in the period 2015 - 2019 to clarify whether there is convergence or divergence, and this way, answering the question of whether disparities in the green economy development between the EU member states increase or decrease during this period. The study used logical analysis and synthesis, monographic and analytical research of economic, theoretical, and empirical sources (at the international level), statistical analysis methods, Barro regressions, and a cartographic method.

Structural analysis of aphorisms in philosophical discourse is conducted using a semantic-cognitive approach. The study focuses on aphorisms from Francis Bacon’s treatise “Novum Organum”. The objects, purposes, and bases of metaphorization are identified and classified, revealing phenomena that are objectified through metaphors and denote key areas of conceptualization in Bacon’s linguistic worldview. It is determined that the objects, sources, and bases of metaphorization are highly differentiated, highlighting personifications of the human image in Bacon’s linguistic worldview: the thinking, spiritual, social, and emotional aspects of humans. The majority of objects are anthropomorphic phenomena, including categories of moral order, age characteristics, intellectual abilities, and attributes of social interaction. The sources of metaphors touch upon the social role of humans, their physio-logical sensations from interacting with the environment, and demonstrate the empirical nature of the author’s linguistic personality. Among the sources of metaphors, the most representative group consists of naturalistic images. Francis Bacon refers to natural phenomena and objects as tools for creating complex philosophical concepts.

One important category of traditional remedies is medicinal plants, which are widely consumed by the population and often subjected to contamination. For the first time, the elemental composition of five wild medicinal plants traditionally consumed in the Republic North Ossetia—brook-mint (Mentha longifolia), oregano (Origanum vulgare), St. John’s wort (Hypеricum perforаtum), thyme (Thymus daghestanicus), and fireweed (Chamaenerion angustifolium)—and corresponding soil samples was determined. This investigation aimed to assess the degree of toxic element accumulation in plants and the possible toxic effect of the analyzed plants on human health. The analysis encompassed the quantification of 36 major and minor elements in soil samples, alongside the detection of 23 elements in plant samples using instrumental neutron activation analysis. According to contamination and enrichment factors, which were calculated in order to assess the level of soil pollution, elements such as As, Sb, Zn, and U in soil may originate from both geogenic and anthropogenic sources. In all plant samples, the most abundant major elements were K and Ca and their content ranged from 9870 to 49,500 mg·kg−1 and 5400 to 20,000 mg·kg−1, respectively, while among the microelements, Fe (54–2080 mg·kg−1) and Mn (27.8–190 mg·kg−1) can be highlighted as the most abundant. The transfer factor was calculated to estimate metal uptake from soil in plants. The highest values of the transfer factor were obtained for Mo, K, Ca, and Zn. The daily intake of metals and the health risk index were calculated to assess the safety of the collected plants. The health risk index was below the threshold for all plants suggesting a probable non-carcinogenic effect. Principal component analysis and linear discriminant analysis were used as classification techniques. The principal component analysis allowed us to define the main groups of elements and associate them with their sources of origin, while discriminant analysis enabled us to discriminate plant samples by species.

The article focuses on the issues of teaching turn-taking for ESP students in blended distance learning courses at B2 level. It lays the rationale for the use of film episodes of business interaction in distance learning highlighting turn-taking as an operational meta-discursive category. In multimodal cinematic discourse, turn-taking is performed by heterogeneous semiotic resources: linguistic, non-linguistic, cinematic codes and underpinned by intersubjectivity. Turn-taking strategies of initiating and responding types are viewed as a system of interactional dialogic communication management which includes discursive means of turn-claiming, attempt-suppressing and turn-yielding where each type is actualised by its own set of tactics and techniques. We claim that ESP learners need to know the main parameters for turn-taking in oral professional communication; such as the participants' stance, speaker -- hearer relations and their intersubjectivity, the transition point in a conversation, discourse situations, and specific semiotic resources. In cooperative discourse situations, turn-claiming and turn-yielding strategies are determined by initiating tactics of statement or interrogation. Unlike this, in conflict situations, turn-taking strategies depend upon initiating tactics of statement, interrogation, order, inducement and predetermine responding tactics. In asynchronous and blended formats of distance learning, the preferable delivery methods for this material include video recordings and digital games which facilitate receiving new information and motivate students to practice new communicative skills.

The article discusses the potential of using Internet memes in teaching a foreign language. We consider an Internet meme to be a set of semiotic signs. This approach explains the potential of Internet memes application in educational process since most of the language learning methods rely on semiotic elements. Internet memes are multimodal structures that can be used as an efficient tool for presenting material in teaching English. Memes are classified into verbal, nonverbal and complex ones (combining image and verbal element). A set of sample memes presenting the combination of images and verbal elements has been selected to demonstrate the process of meaning making, which is an integral part of mastering a foreign language. Due to the importance of visual perception in learning process and the very nature of Internet memes as widespread forms of expression and communication existing in visual format, the use of them if beneficial for both teachers and learners. The elements of the sample memes are analyzed in terms of Roland Barthes’ theory of image narrative potential. We provide the evidence that anchorage and relay functions of linguistic messages account for the process of meaning making. In terms of semiotics the effects of text and image combination are examined in detail. Special attention in the article is given to the ways of memes application and the effectiveness of their use in the in-class and out of class learning process for practicing a grammar phenomenon of modality. Memes demonstrate a modal construction in the situation close to real life providing a sample of using it in context and provoking imitation of real-life situation by student. The humorous effect inherent to Internet memes is aimed at achieving a reaction from numerous addressees, thus making memes an efficient tool for teaching/learning a foreign language due to an expected feedback. Special attention has been paid to Internet memes containing constructions with modal verbs expressing irony and paradox. The article provides tools of teaching English modals via memes as well as experiment results and their analysis. The study reveals positive results of the experiment in terms of efficiency of using Internet memes in educational process that demonstrates better results in learning new material as well as a higher level of students’ involvement and creativity.

The problem of soil contamination is actually today. Soil contamination is generally associated with intensive industrial activities, inadequate waste management, mining, military activities, or accidents. Pollutants (e.g. heavy metals) are accumulating in the soil and have major indirect impacts on biodiversity, quality of groundwater resources, and food safety. Soil contamination of agricultural land is a particular threat. Due to the military action and other condition the number of sites where potentially polluting activities have taken place are increasing in Ukraine. The cultivation of agricultural crops on soils with a medium or high level of toxicity is only possible after the remediation of this area. The use of biological methods to intensify soil remediation processes, thereby reducing the additional burden on the environment, is becoming more widespread. The application of probiotics is an innovative and ecological method for the restoration of contaminated soils. This will make it possible to improve conceptual approaches to the implementation of an ecologically safe model for the restoration of contaminated land under the conditions of military action in Ukraine. The aim of the research is to assess the phytotoxic effect of soil contaminated with heavy metals and petroleum products before and after probiotic application. The seedling method was used to determine the remediation potential of contaminated soils. An express test of Triticum aestivum was used to determine soil phytotoxicity. The research results show the negative impact of soil contamination with heavy metals and petroleum products on the biometric indexes of Triticum aestivum plants and positive dynamics of biometric indexes of Triticum aestivum in variants after probiotic treatment (86-92% compared to the control). The obtained data show that a significant phytotoxic effect is observed by all biometric indexes of Triticum aestivum in all studied variants. The highest phytotoxic effect (33.56-42.70%) was observed in variants with combined contamination (PP+Zn+Pb). The results of probiotic application show a phytotoxic effect of less than 20% by all biometric indexes of Triticum aestivum for all studied variants. Therefore, the results of the research can be used to develop recommendations for the remediation of land contaminated by military actions in Ukraine and the creation of sustainable agroecosystems.

The EU positions itself at the forefront of the global green agenda. Therefore, it is necessary to assess the development of European countries considering the "green" component of this process. Not all currently known indices cover all aspects of sustainable development. The article aims to develop a Sustainable Development Green Index (SDGI), which, on the one hand, would be used as an effective tool for measuring progress in the implementation of sustainable development goals; and, on the other hand, would take into account ecоnоmic, sоcial, educatiоnal, envirоnmental and pоlitical aspects. This study's results demonstrate effectiveness of the suggested tool. Practical application of the SDGI may be instrumental for reaching faster movement towards Sustainable Development Goals in the European Union.

The article describes vegetation diversity patterns of the steppe part of the Synyukha River valley (the Southern Bug catchment area, southern Ukraine), which is represented by 20 alliances, 14 orders, and 13 classes. It has been found that general differentiation of the vegetation is most influenced by edaphic factors (soil moisture, nitrogen content, and aeration), and somewhat less – by damping variability, salinity and acidity regime. The vegetation ecofactors of the alliances Festucion valesiacae, Berberidion vulgaris, Prunion spinosae, and Prunion fruticosae best correspond to the background ecological indicators of the steppe part of the Syniukha River basin. The high cenotic diversity and specific vegetation of the granite outcrops were observed. Based on the calculations, we demonstrated that the steppe part of the Syniukha River catchment area is the southern limit of distribution of Carpinion betuli forests due to the conditions close to the limits of their ecological optimum.

Aim: To study the role of E. coli intestinal translocation in the development of acute obstructive pyelonephritis in an experiment. Material and methods: An experimental study was conducted on 60 male rabbits weighing 3000±500 g. The animals were divided into 3 groups of 20 animals each: experimental, control and intermediate control group. The acute obstructive pyelonephritis with the ureter blocking by laparotomy and introduction of the strain into the intestine were simulated in the animals of the experimental group. In the control group, the model was performed anologically as in the experimental group, but without the ureter blocking. In the intermediate control group, laparotomy was performed, the ureter was isolated without blocking and without the introduction of a bacterial strain. 10 animals of each group were removed from the experiment on the 3rd and 5th days, kidney tissue and urine were intake. As a reference marker strain, the laboratory strain E. coli No. 49579 was used, which was obtained from a patient with a urological infection and had resistance to cefepime, ciprofloxacin and tetracycline. Biomaterials were studied by microbiological examination and subspecific typing of strains using the MALDI-TOF MS method, antibiotic sensitivity was determined. Results: E. coli strain was isolated in all animals of the experimental group and in 2 animals of the control group on the 5th day. During subspecific typing by the MALDI-TOF MS method, the isolated strains were identical in ribosomal proteins, and also had the same sensitivity to the said antibiotics. When analyzing the amount of lg CFU E.coli in urine after the experiment between the experimental and control group, we found that, on day 3, there were statistically significant differences between the groups (p=0.005), and on day 5, the amount of lg CFU E.coli was 13 times greater (p=0.004).A comparative analysis of the lg CFU E.coli index in kidney tissue on 3 (p=0.004) and 5 (p=0.003) days revealed statistically significant differences between the experimental group and the control group. Conclusion: The results of identification and subspecific typing of isolated microorganisms confirmed that the strains isolated from the urinary tract were identical to the reference strain introduced into the gastrointestinal tract during the experiment, which confirms the role of translocation of intestinal microorganisms in the development of acute obstructive pyelonephritis.