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Abstract Background Global developmental delay or intellectual disability usually accompanies various genetic disorders as a part of the syndrome, which may include seizures, autism spectrum disorder and multiple congenital abnormalities. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) techniques have improved the identification of pathogenic variants and genes related to developmental delay. This study aimed to evaluate the yield of whole exome sequencing (WES) and neurodevelopmental disorder gene panel sequencing in a pediatric cohort from Ukraine. Additionally, the study computationally predicted the effect of variants of uncertain significance (VUS) based on recently published genetic data from the country’s healthy population. Methods The study retrospectively analyzed WES or gene panel sequencing findings of 417 children with global developmental delay, intellectual disability, and/or other symptoms. Variants of uncertain significance were annotated using CADD-Phred and SIFT prediction scores, and their frequency in the healthy population of Ukraine was estimated. Results A definitive molecular diagnosis was established in 66 (15.8%) of the individuals. WES diagnosed 22 out of 37 cases (59.4%), while the neurodevelopmental gene panel identified 44 definitive diagnoses among the 380 tested patients (12.1%). Non-diagnostic findings (VUS and carrier) were reported in 350 (83.2%) individuals. The most frequently diagnosed conditions were developmental and epileptic encephalopathies associated with severe epilepsy and GDD/ID (associated genes ARX, CDKL5, STXBP1, KCNQ2, SCN2A, KCNT1, KCNA2). Additionally, we annotated 221 VUS classified as potentially damaging, AD or X-linked, potentially increasing the diagnostic yield by 30%, but 18 of these variants were present in the healthy population of Ukraine. Conclusions This is the first comprehensive study on genetic causes of GDD/ID conducted in Ukraine. This study provides the first comprehensive investigation of the genetic causes of GDD/ID in Ukraine. It presents a substantial dataset of diagnosed genetic conditions associated with GDD/ID. The results support the utilization of NGS gene panels and WES as first-line diagnostic tools for GDD/ID cases, particularly in resource-limited settings. A comprehensive approach to resolving VUS, including computational effect prediction, population frequency analysis, and phenotype assessment, can aid in further reclassification of deleterious VUS and guide further testing in families.

This paper presents a study of the Biblical names in regional and historical aspects. Throughout history the Bible has served as the most important religious book for many people. As a result, the Bible has had a significant impact on various aspects of culture, education, and traditions. Ukraine has been characterized by the use of the Biblical names since the adoption of Christianity which influenced on the whole history of the state. Since Biblical personal names are both the lexical units and the symbols, it is interesting to see the presence of these names in different regions and epochs. The present study aims at pointing out at regional aspects of Biblical personal names. The paper provides a brief overview of naming trends in the assignment of Biblical names and Christian names in Ukraine. Our database of all names was fed the names of 2,000 people. The material is taken from the list of students who studied at Odesa State Agrarian University from 2014-2024 with the help of a continuous sampling method. The methodology, both statistical and qualitative, had two phases: a) comparison of the ratio of Biblical names to non-Biblical names, and b) classification of discovered Biblical names. This research is just one aspect of a series of investigations whose goal is to describe the anthroponomical system of Odesa, Ukraine in diachronic and synchronic format. The findings suggest that personal names with Biblical origin continue to be widely used in Ukraine. We emphasize that the study of anthroponyms in different regions and epochs is a valuable tool for understanding the history and cultural traditions of Ukraine. Therefore, the importance of onomastics as an interdisciplinary science affecting History, Sociology, Theology, Literature, and regional studies in the research of the Biblical names in current and past Ukraine is shown. This study draws upon three theoretical frameworks: anthroponomastics (Felecan & Mihali, 2023; Piddubna, 2021, etc.), socio-onomastics (Ainiala, 2016; Beley, 2019, etc.), and the regional onomastics (Braychenko, 2019; Buga, 2013; Chuchka, 1970; Frai, 2021; Matsyuk, 2021; Sholia, 2018, etc.).

Purpose. The purpose of the article is to identify the determinants of the financial performance of agricultural companies in Ukraine in the pre-war period. Methodology / approach. Panel data regression analysis, carried out using the GRETL software, was used as a research method. The financial statements of thirty Ukrainian agricultural companies over the defined period 2015–2021 were selected to be data for analysis. Three models were constructed in the article based on the use of three different dependent variables (Return on Assets, Return on Equity, Return on Sales) and seven independent variables (Current Ratio, Capital Intensity, Export Intensity, Leverage, Size, Dummy variable for agricultural sub-sectors, Dummy variable for location). The selection of the mentioned independent variables was logically substantiated by the structure of the financial reports of the Ukrainian agricultural companies and analytical system “You Control”. Results. The study of the determinants of financial performance of the agricultural companies is a widespread area of research among academicians, however, is characterized by quite controversial results. Some of these conclusions were refuted, but certain results were confirmed on the example of Ukrainian enterprises. The results of the panel regression analysis with respect to Models 1-3, partially are in contradiction with the conclusions of other studies regarding the impact of the determinants on the financial performance of agricultural companies. None of the chosen independent variables has a significant effect on all the dependent variables as investigated in the article, namely ROA, ROE, and ROS. This confirms the formulated in the study hypothesis regarding the availability of a unique set of financial performance determinants for agricultural enterprises for each individual country. The independent variables used in the study have the most significant impact on ROA. Primarily, ROA is significantly affected by CAPI (5 % level), EXPI (10 % level), and DVL (5 % level). The results obtained confirm a need for improving regional support and ensuring an access to capital for agricultural enterprises in Ukraine. Originality / scientific novelty. The originality of the conducted research lies in the study of a set of factors that influenced the financial condition of Ukrainian agrarian companies in the pre-war period, considering the peculiarities of the Ukrainian agrarian sector of the economy. Practical value / implications. Investors and financial institutions can benefit from the research results. By recognizing which factors have the most significant impact on financial performance, they can make more informed decisions when considering investments in Ukrainian agricultural companies. Understanding which factors influence financial performance can help in risk management for both agricultural companies and financial institutions.

The author analyses changes in the position of the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee by comparing debates on Ukraine during two distinct periods: 2014–2017 and 2022– 2023. The article considers the most pressing issues raised during the parliamentary debates. Par- ticular attention is paid to the methods used by the committee and the ways in which the committee members informed the British government about their position. The analysis is based on the materi- als of the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee: reports, oral and written evidence, ses- sional returns and the news about committee work found on the UK Parliament’s website. The au- thor concludes that the committee’s views on Ukraine have changed significantly. It is highlighted that in the mid 2010s the committee condemned Russia’s actions in Ukraine but sought to maintain cooperation with Moscow on the most vital issues, whereas during the second period of 2022–2023 the committee’s position became more consolidated as it took a harsher stance on Ukraine.

This study describes for the first time in Ukraine the results of serological screening for antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) in the population of pet and stray dogs. The study was conducted in the city of Bila Tserkva, Kyiv region, in 2021 and 2022. A total of 351 serum samples were examined, of which 168 were collected from pet dogs and 183 from stray dogs. The study included the use of serological methods, including immunochromatographic analysis, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Line blot is a simplified form of Western Blot. The results of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay showed that 14 positive samples from stray dogs had specific antibodies to B. burgdorferi s.l. In addition, 10 questionable serum samples were received, all from stray dogs. Further testing of the questionable samples using a Line blot assay showed that five of them contained antibodies to highly specific surface proteins of B. burgdorferi s.l., in particular to p100, VlsE and p18, confirming the presence of a natural infection. The remaining five samples were negative, indicating nonspecific immunoassay reactions. In contrast, the results of immunochromatographic analysis did not reveal any positive serum samples, which casts doubt on the possibility of using this method as a rapid screening tool for seroprevalence studies and requires further investigation. In summary, the study showed that the seroprevalence of Lyme borreliosis among the studied population of stray dogs remained stable between 2021 and 2022, with rates of 10.2% and 10.7%, respectively, without a statistically significant difference (p=0.9164). In contrast, the studied population of pet dogs was consistently seronegative for B. burgdorferi s.l. in both years. Statistical analysis revealed a significant difference in seroprevalence between the stray and pet dog populations studied (p

Building an effective system of organization of scientific activity, which is harmonized with the needs of society, is becoming an urgent task for Ukraine. A decisive role in this process is played by the procedure for evaluating the efficiency of activities of scientific institutions. The aim of the publication is generalizing the practical experience gained in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and searching for opportunities to implement the organizational principles of the methodology for evaluating the results of scientific activity into the practice of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. In recent decades, the PRC has made significant progress in the development of scientific and innovative activities. Scientific research in China is carried out by research institutes and research universities. The system of financing scientific activities in this country is built on the basis of the results of evaluation, obtained by creating a unique methodology in which scientometric instrumentarium is combined with expert evaluation. The peculiarity of the organization of scientific activity in the PRC is that that if there are more than 2.5 thousand higher education institutions in the country, most scientific research is carried out by a small number of scientific organizations, that include only about 100 universities. The reform of the organizational mechanism of the State management of scientific activities in China took place in several stages, each of which deserves to be studied on the subject of positive experience and possibilities of avoiding the undesirable mistakes. The practical experience of continuous reform of the organizational system of management of scientific activities in China deserves a detailed study and search for ways of possible implementation of the instrumentarium for evaluating the results of scientific activity in the practice of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, taking into account the similarity of the structure of the scientific sphere. Both countries have similar research management structures, including relevant ministries and a network of national academies of sciences. This fact speaks in favor of using the existing practical experience of reforming the field of scientific research and preventing mistakes made by government officials during the implementation of a number of reforms in China (for example, the proven inexpediency of evaluating the results of the activities of scientific institutions, relying solely on quantitative indicators of scientific activity). Also noteworthy is the experience of mixed funding of scientific research, which combines the public sources with the competitive ones.

Purpose. The purpose of our study is to assess the extent to which food losses and waste affect the level of deficit in the consumption of milk and meat products by the population of Ukraine, which will allow us to identify the regions of Ukraine for which measures and policies to reduce food losses and waste should be developed. Methodology / approach. The empirical research was conducted using primary and secondary data. Primary data were used to calculate food losses and waste according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) methodology. Secondary data were used for correlation and regression analysis. Correlation and regression analysis were conducted for each of the six types of products: meat and milk. Factorial features are food losses and waste per capita. The result feature of the correlation and regression analysis is the share of consumption deficit resulting from food losses and waste. The sample was formed based on data from 24 regions of Ukraine. Results. According to the results of the correlation and regression analysis, the assumption of the absence of a relationship is not confirmed; all factors are significant. It has been proven that food losses and waste of milk and meat are a significant factor in the formation of a deficit in the consumption of milk and meat by the population of Ukraine. It was determined that milk losses and waste have a somewhat higher impact on the deficit of product consumption than meat losses and waste. It was established that the share of the deficit in milk and meat consumption, which arises as a result of food losses and waste, is higher in those areas that traditionally specialise in the production of livestock products. The feasibility of developing and implementing differentiated measures to reduce the deficit of milk and meat consumption in certain regions is substantiated. Originality / scientific novelty. For the first time, the degree of impact of food losses and waste of milk and meat production on the deficit of consumption of these products by the population of Ukraine has been scientifically proven and quantified. Practical value / implications. The results of this empirical study are the basis for the development of state and regional programmes and the implementation of the necessary actions to achieve Sustainable Development Goals 2 and 12 (SDG 2, 12) in Ukraine.

The ongoing war in Ukraine is associated with a number of negative and long-term macroeconomic consequences for Poland and other countries both in the area of trade and maintaining supply chains, as well as the security of energy supplies. Many entities in the agri-food sector are affected by this impact. The aim of the article is to assess the effects of the war in Ukraine on Polish agri-food trade. The paper presents the production and trade potential of Ukraine, defines trends in Polish agri-food trade with Ukraine after February 24, 2022, and identifies the main effects for Polish agri-food trade resulting from the ongoing armed conflict in Ukraine. Several research methods were used in the article, ranging from a literature review and document analysis, through a statistical and descriptive method of production and trade data analysis, to competitiveness indices: the index of comparative advantages (RCA) and trade coverage ratio (TC). The research shows that in 2022 Polish imports of agri-food products from Ukraine increased almost three times in terms of value, as compared to 2021, reaching EUR 2.8 billion, which increased the competitive pressure on the internal market. It has also been proven that only part of agri-food products imported from Ukraine is subject to mutual Polish-Ukrainian competition on the EU market. This applies to products such as wheat, poultry meat, birds' eggs, frozen fruit, but also highly processed food products, including confectionery and pastry. Further development of trade in agri-food products with Ukraine will be determined primarily by the situation at the front, the supply of goods for export, the possibility of exporting Ukrainian goods through the Black Sea ports, and the permeability of land solidarity routes. Data shows that in 2022 the yields of cereals, legumes, and oilseeds in Ukraine decreased by 34%, which should also translate into decreased exports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. The purpose of the article is to substantiate the theoretical and methodological foundations and economic feasibility of intensifying the processes of financialization of the business model of Ukrainian grain producers, in particular through the formation of the grain futures market and the creation of commodity exchange in Ukraine. Methodology / approach. In the article, it is clarified the concept of financialization as one of the global trends of economic development that provides deep integration of financial and real economy on macro- and micro levels. Hedge effectiveness of price risks for Ukrainian grain (wheat and corn) using futures contracts traded on CME Group and Euronext is evaluated using regression analysis. Ukrainian wheat and corn FOB price volatility for 2016–2021 marketing years is estimated. The dynamics and volatility of the basis for Ukrainian wheat and corn and respective futures contracts traded on CME Group and Euronext are analyzed. Results. The analysis of securitization index of global agricultural markets has shown an increase of its financialization rate. The main reasons for this process were the deepening of financial and commodity markets integration, deregulation of financial markets and introduction of new financial instruments. The structure of the grain market in Ukraine is analyzed, particularly the role of agricultural holdings and international companies. The tendencies and determinants of wheat and corn market prices in Ukraine during marketing year are revealed. Regression analysis of hedge effectiveness has shown that all considered futures contracts are suitable for wheat and corn CPT and FOB price hedging in Ukraine. The highest hedge effectiveness was revealed for Black Sea Corn Financially Settled (Platts) Futures) (CME Group) and Milling Wheat / Ble de Meunerie (Euronext Matif). Short hedge efficiency of CME Group futures contracts was supported by analysis of basis dynamics for Ukrainian wheat and corn and respective futures contracts. Originality / scientific novelty. Based on the analysis of the theoretical foundations of financialization, the positive and negative consequences of the strengthening of financialization of global commodity markets and the peculiarities of the functioning of the modern grain market in Ukraine, the economic imperatives of the development of the Ukrainian market of grain derivatives, as an objectively determined trend of agricultural commodity market, are substantiated. The evaluation of the effectiveness of hedging price risks on the Ukrainian grain markets using derivatives traded on global exchanges has gained further development. Practical value / implications. It is proposed to intensify market tools usage for risk hedging in Ukraine in order to cover interests of all market participants. Risk management instruments available for Ukrainian agricultural producers are discussed.

Purpose. The study aims to analyze critically the system and functions of specialized agencies, programs and United Nations (UN) funds that ensure the implementation of the second goal of sustainable development (GSD2), to identify the components of global initiatives for the successful implementation of the Zero Hunger Policy. Methodology / approach. The methodological approach of the study are theoretical provisions and practical recommendations for the formation of the food supply system, economic theory, which determines the patterns of food distribution, scientific works of domestic and foreign scientists on sustainable development of the agricultural sector to achieve Zero Hunger. The following methods were used in the research process: statistical (regression analysis of the assessment of factor’s impact on the level of daily energy value of food consumed in households in Ukraine), monographic (mechanism of GSD2 implementation in the global dimension), historical method (the UN’s composition and function in guaranteeing GSD2 implementation), systematic analysis (composition and roles of international institutions within the United Nations in guaranteeing GSD2 implementation), direct analysis and synthesis (areas of FAO’s activities in ensuring the implementation of GSD2 at the national level) etc. Results. The study found that global initiatives for successful implementation of the Zero Hunger Policy are based on three components: regulatory support, the activities of international organizations coordinated by the UN, and the implementation of the GSD2 framework and programs at the national level, which support most countries across the globe interaction with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Originality / scientific novelty. Theoretical provisions regarding global initiatives for the implementation of Zero Hunger Policy have further developed: the main functions of specialized agencies, programs and UN funds that ensure the implementation of GSD2 were systematized, the degree of their spread and influence was determined; it was proved that FAO had a significant potential comparative advantage in assisting countries to meet new challenges in GSD2 monitoring; it was found that the activities of FAO together with partners to ensure global processes for the implementation of GSD2 include different areas. Practical value / implications. The obtained results are important for building a network of institutional and international cooperation for the successful implementation of Zero Hunger government policies.

Purpose. The purpose of the article is to develop the theoretical and methodological foundations for the study of return migration policy based on its information support, including regression analysis and authors’ sociological research on return intentions of Ukrainian migrants. Methodology / approach. The mathematical tools were used for the assessment of Ukraine’s economical losses, related to migration. With the help of the sociological method (survey) migrants’ intentions and main motives to return were investigated. Stepwise regression model was built for identification of main factors of Ukrainian population’s international migration. Besides, general scientific methods were used in the study, such as: analysis, generalization, systematization, tabular and graphical. Results. Analysis showed the lack of statistical and sociological information on international migration (particularly return migration) of Ukrainian population. It substantiates the need for improving the system of information provision of migration policy. The results of the survey of the migrants from the Carpathian region of Ukraine (conducted in 2020) show low level of their readiness to return. According to the answers to the questionnaire, there are two main circumstances that could motivate migrants to return: high level of wages and general improving of economic situation in Ukraine. Due to the regression model it was found that the emigration of the population is influenced by the following factors: average monthly wages, gross regional product per capita, foreign direct investment per economically active person and the share of the population with incomes below the subsistence level. The article provides main benefits and ways of implementation of the return migration policy. Particularly, circular migration is considered as a good way to slow down losses of human resources. It is beneficial for all institutional units of the migration process. Originality / scientific novelty. The methodology for the consequences of international migration study is improved. In particular, the formula for determination of migration losses through the calculation of economic activity losses is proposed and calculated for the first time. The theoretical foundation of return migration policy is developed. In particular, the model of return migration process on the individual level is elaborated. The sociological tool for the return migration investigation is developed and tested. Practical value / implications. The practical recommendations for the human resources conservation are worked out. The questions for the survey, developed by the authors, could be used in further investigations in this issue. The model of return migration process is useful for developing a comprehensive return migration policy, which could support migrants at all stages of this process: decisions making, movement and reintegration.

Purpose. The purpose of the study, which results are submitted in the article, is to analyze the vertical price transmission along the milk supply chain in Ukraine and identify whether this price transmission is symmetric or asymmetric in terms of direction, magnitude, speed. Methodology / approach. To achieve the purpose of the study, we used the following research methods: logical operations (analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction) – to determine the structure of the milk supply chain, to make conclusions about main findings; the correlation analysis – to identify the tightness of links between farm’, processors’ and retailers’ prices; the trend modelling – to build the functions of the trend of prices of different levels of the milk supply chain; the regression modelling – to construct the regression functions of prices of downstream sectors of the milk supply chain; graphic – for visual presentation of main tendencies, pricing and price dynamics in the milk supply chain. The research was performed on the basis of the statistical data of the State Statistics Service of Ukraine for 2013–2020. Results. This paper presents the empirical evidence of asymmetric price transmission along the milk supply chain in Ukraine. The results of modelling proved asymmetric magnitudes of price growth at the organizational and technological stages of the milk supply chain: in the case of the farm prices of raw milk increase the processors’ and retailers’ prices grow up by a much bigger magnitude. There is no leg in price transmission in the milk supply chain, the price shocks at the farm level instantly pass to processors’ and retailers’ prices. The evidence of asymmetry of price transmission testifies the weaknesses of the market positions of farmers and consumers in the milk supply chain in Ukraine, points out the threats for the food security and sustainable development of all agents of this chain. Originality / scientific novelty. For the first time, the quantitative assessments of the magnitude and speed of the price changes in the process of price transmission in the milk supply chain in Ukraine were obtained. The asymmetry of the magnitudes of the vertical price transmission in the milk supply chain in Ukraine was identified. The hostage position of farmers in the case of price shocks was further proved. Practical value / implications. This paper provides a better understanding of arrangements of market forces in the milk supply chain, the consequences of price chocks in the upstream sector of the milk supply chain. The practical value is the methodological and empirical support for the development of regulative measures to improve the milk supply chain’s functioning and sustain food security. Assessment and analysis of the mechanism of price transmission reveals the weak parts of the food supply chain, contributing to the scientific foundation of elaborating the necessary policy actions for harmonization of relations between producers of different stages of the milk chain.

Findings of naked amoebae in various habitats of Ukraine and other territories are presented. Saccamoeba sp., Thecamoeba similis (Greeff, 1891) Lepşi, 1960, Vexillifera bacillipedes Page, 1969, Vannella lata Page, 1988, Acanthamoeba sp., Willaertia magna De Jonckheere, Dive, Pussard & Vickerman, 1984 were identified based on morphological data and molecular genetic research methods. All these species of amoebae are characterized according to our own observations and measurements and the published data. The amoebae we found belong to three classes (Tubulinea, Discosea, Heterolobosea), six orders (Euamoebida, Thecamoebida, Dactylopodida, Vannellida, Centramoebida, Schizopyrenida), six families (Hartmannellidae, Thecamoebidae, Vexilliferidae, Vannellidae, Acanthamoebidae, Vahlkampfiidae) and six genera (Saccamoeba, Thecamoeba, Vexillifera, Vannella, Acanthamoeba, Willaertia). W. magna was the least common in water bodies of different regions of Ukraine; Saccamoeba sp., V. bacillipedes in the studied water bodies are either uncommon species or occupy the middle position in terms of frequency of occurrence In the water bodies of Ukraine T. similis, V. lata, Acanthamoeba sp. are both the least common and the most common species, or occupy the middle position in terms of frequency of occurrence. The following ecological groups of naked amoebae have been identified in relation to temperature: eurythermal, psychrophilic stenothermal, thermophilic stenothermal. In relation to the concentration of dissolved oxygen in water: euryoxidic and stenooxidic. Three species of amoebae can withstand either a wide range of values of organic substances dissolved in water, or belong to stenobiont species. The recorded amoebae belong to monotactic (Saccamoeba sp.), striate (T. similis), dactylopodial (V. bacillipedes), fan-shaped (V. lata), acanthopodial (Acanthamoeba sp.) and eruptive (W. magna) morphotypes.

This paper outlines the ways of handling the electronic (digital) evidence based on the experience of the Ukrainian law enforcement bodies. It focuses mainly on the issues related to formalization and examination of the content of the electronic crime traces. Particular attention is paid to improving the arrangement of work with electronic evidence. The authors substantiate their position that the ordinary police officers need to attain the skills and knowledge how to handle the electronic evidence. The authors maintain that the nature and the mechanism of formation of electronic data are such that one may consider them as a separate kind of evidence, and the forms of registration thereof defined in applicable laws of Ukraine are far from perfect at the present time. Therefore, the article focuses on specific features pertinent to handling of the responses of institutions, enterprises, organizations; the extracted images and data from media; data banks and combinations of the aforementioned. The proposed solutions take into account the experience accrued at the time of participation in the project from interaction between the higher educational institutions and the police in the context of crime investigations.

The article examines the tasks of the National Police of Ukraine as a subject of implementation of the preventive function of the state. It is emphasized that the tasks of the Department of Preventive Activities of the National Police of Ukraine are an important component of determining the specifics of its activities and administrative and legal status, as the effective implementation of the Department of Preventive Activities of the National Police of Ukraine depends on a clear legislative understanding of its tasks as body of state power. It is noted that the implementation of the tasks of the National Police in Ukraine means that policing is based on the principles enshrined in current legislation, taking into account current trends in European integration. The principles as guiding ideas that underlie the functioning of each police body and unit are designed to promote the further development of the police as a European-style institution. In turn, the tasks of the police determine the means of policing, based on the relevant principles. It is emphasized that the main tasks of the Department of Preventive Activities of the National Police of Ukraine are to organize and ensure within the competence of the National Police of Ukraine the functions of Ukrainian legislation to maintain public safety and order, protect human rights and freedoms, and individual preventive work aimed at preventing the commission of administrative and criminal offenses, preventing and combating domestic violence, escorting persons detained on suspicion of committing a criminal offense, taken into custody, accused, sentenced to arrest or imprisonment, and for a term of imprisonment in the courtroom. It was emphasized that the general tasks of the Department of Preventive Activities of the National Police of Ukraine include: ensuring public safety and public order; protection of fundamental human rights and freedoms, as well as the interests of society and the state; providing, within the limits established by law, services to assist persons who, for personal, economic, social reasons or due to emergencies, need such assistance. It is noted that the special tasks of the Department of Preventive Activities of the National Police of Ukraine include: implementation of state policy in the field of combating violence; preventive measures; introduction of programme preventive means for systematization of violent incidents, general and individual preventive work aimed at preventing the commission of administrative and criminal offenses, prevention and counteraction to domestic violence.

The article analyzes the procedural aspects of the seizure, recording and analysis of electronic traces of the crime. Some statistical data on persons convicted under Art. 361-363-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The history of formation of the institute of electronic proofs is considered. The theoretical basis for understanding the essence of electronic evidence is outlined. It is noted the lack of regulation of the issue of working with electronic evidence in criminal proceedings. Some procedural aspects of electronic document review are revealed and some examples are given. The authors believe that the nature of electronic data, the mechanism of their formation allow us to consider them as a separate type of evidence, and the forms of their fixation defined in the current Ukrainian legislation are not perfect at present. It is proved that when working on the network, law enforcement agencies can record only the projection of the original electronic document as a separate case of electronic evidence, and such a projection can not be considered the original. The method of recording electronic evidence in the framework of covert investigative (search) action to remove information from electronic information systems is analyzed. Some bills aimed at normalizing the peculiarities of working with electronic traces of crimes in criminal proceedings are studied.

The J Project is a Central-Eastern European collaborative program in the field of physician education and clinical research aimed at improving the clinical care and diagnosis of primary immunodeficiency disorders (PIDs). Ukraine was one of the first to participate in the project, which allowed us to join the whole European PID community. Since 2004, the country has been holding annual J Project meetings with the involvement of new regions. The spread of the J Project impact has contributed to significantly improved early PID diagnosis in Ukraine. Progress has been made not only in identifying patients but also in arranging the treatment. The assistance in genetic diagnosis made it possible to detect PIDs, study their features, and improve approaches to the management. This also gave an impetus to the development of regional PID centers and participation in scientific research. Of utmost importance is the cooperation with colleagues from Poland, Hungary, and Belarus, who are active members of the J Project.

This paper will substantiate the author’s version of the historical and genetic analysis of the governmental policy that independent Ukraine has applied in the field of general secondary education. The main methodology tool, employed by the author, was the historiographical analysis of selected documentary, archival, scientific, and sociological sources, traced on the basis of historical-genetic approach in combination with such methods as systemic analysis, which enabled the authors to provide a holistic study of the educational policy, and comparative approach, which is the basis for interpreting changes in educational policy. The article critically reviews the development of the state educational policy on reforming school education through the activities of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine within the timeframe of the initial fifteen years of Ukraine’s independence. The objectives of the study are to substantiate the most prominent strategies and tactical steps, as well as programmers for their implementation in high school practice based on a discursive analysis of an array of documentary and scientific sources. Th author proposes and substantiates the notion of «a tendency in the State’s educational policy», explains the demarcation between the offered term and the concepts of «a direction of educational policy»; at the same time, the concept of «educational policy of the state» is specified. The author proves that changes in strategic goals in education are a consequence of changes in the political course of the country. Therefore, on gaining sovereignty, the first key strategy of Ukrainian education was aimed at building national statehood; consequently, the development of school education, as well as the educational sector in general, was directed towards nation-building priority. Finally, the study discusses the process of building and adopting the following strategy for the development of Ukrainian education, including school education, at the turn of the century, that is, the European integration policy direction of the country’s development on the whole and its education sector in particular.

Purpose. The purpose of the paper is to identify trends and factors of investment in agriculture in Ukraine in the period 2014–2019 and the impact of land reform, expected liberalization of the trade of agricultural land on the of investment in agriculture. Methodology / approach. We used for the research such methods as logical operations (analysis, synthesis, generalization, induction, deduction) – to determine the trends of investment, to make conclusions about the impact of land reform on investment; indices – to identify quantitative changes in nominal and real investments, factors impact; trend analysis – to identify the main tendencies of changes, build the functions of the investment trend in different periods, factors and correlation analysis –- to identify the main factors and the density of relationships, the dependence of investment on the factors (profit, prices, interest rates); graphic – for visual presentation of investment dynamics. The research was performed on the basis of statistical data of the State Statistics Service of Ukraine, the National Bank of Ukraine, statistical and financial reports of agricultural enterprises of Kharkiv region and data of own observations for 2014–2019 (for the calculation of indices of some indicators and correlation coefficients data of 2009–2019 was used). Results. The function of the trend, which reveals the general direction of change in annual volumes of investment in agriculture in 2014–2019 in Ukraine, was defined. The main factors influencing the investment process were revealed: rising prices for agricultural products, low level of disparity in prices for agricultural products and material and technical resources, export orientation of production and favorable for exporters dynamics of the national currency, agro-innovation, profitability of agricultural production. However, the effect of revealed factors does not explain the decrease of investment in 2019. The study showed that expectations of changes in the legislation on agricultural land sales had a negative impact on the dynamics of investment in agriculture in Ukraine. To maintain the trend of increasing investment in agricultural production, its technical and technological renewal, it is important to implement a set of legal, economic, technical and organizational measures that will ensure quality of reform of land relations. Originality / scientific novelty. Revealing the dynamics of investmentі in agriculture in Ukraine and identification of the most significant factors influencing them in 2014–2019 were further developed. Changes of the annual volume of investment under the influence of expectations of the introduction of the land market in Ukraine are estimated. It is proved that while the ownership rights on the agricultural land remain unclear and uncompleted, it is impossible to assert about the grounds for improving the efficiency of land use, increasing investment in agriculture due to the abolition of the moratorium on land sales. The duration of the lag of the impact of land reform on increasing investment in agriculture will depend on the quality of institutions of land use and land market. Practical value / implications. The results of the study can be used in management at both micro and macro levels to forecast the volume of investment in agriculture, develop measures to stimulate investment and deepening land reform.

Purpose. The purpose of the article is to identify the spatial features of the social-economic development of territorial communities in the context of administrative and financial decentralization. Methodology / approach. The method of system analysis is used in the work – to research the spheres of central-peripheral interactions at the level of territorial communities; method of comparative analysis – to identify trends in the formation and development of interactions between the center and the periphery in communities and the factors that determine them; abstract-logical method – for the formation of theoretical generalizations and formulation of conclusions from the research; method of graphic visualization, which allows providing a clear presentation of the results of the analysis; sociological survey of chairmen of local councils of territorial communities of Lviv region – to determine the state of development of central-peripheral interactions in their communities. The key role of territorial and systemic approaches to the analysis of core-peripheral interactions in territorial communities is emphasized, which made it expedient to form a research method based on taking into account the conditions for the development of a particular environment and existing spatial restrictions. Results. The article identifies the features of the formation of core-peripheral interactions in the territorial communities of rural areas. It is focused on the formation of derivative core-peripheral interactions that arise in the territorial communities created during the implementation of administrative-territorial reform. On the basis of a systematic and comprehensive analysis, the existing and hidden core-peripheral dependencies were identified and the features of the mutual influence of the centers of the united territorial communities of the rural areas of the Lviv region on the socio-economic development of the community territory were revealed. The problems and risks of the development of the territory of the community are substantiated in the context of the mutual influence of a derivative nature. Originality / scientific novelty. A scientific approach to the identification of central-peripheral interactions in territorial communities was developed, which allows identifying the spatial effects of social, economic, managerial interactions of the center and the periphery within the community. A scientific-and-methodological approach to the assessment of central-peripheral interactions was developed, which provides for the selection of community groups according to certain criteria (community type (town / township / village), community composition, location in the region) and their diagnosis in areas: analysis of strategic documents of local council on the development of central-peripheral interactions in a community; analysis of the management structure of the local council, representation of peripheral communities, compliance of the composition and structure of the governing body with the goals of community development; analysis of budget support for infrastructure development; research of employment opportunities in the community. The application of the approach will reveal the patterns of formation of central-peripheral interactions at the level of territorial communities. Practical value / implications. The results of the study make it possible to have a more comprehensive assessment of the state of the formation of central-peripheral interactions in territorial communities, contribute to the identification of risks of social conflict between different groups in the community and to form recommendations for their activation. The results are recommended for consideration by local governments when preparing proposals for socio-economic development and ensuring the financial capacity of local communities.

Both at the level of political ideology and in the practical sphere, the American strategy of China’s engagement was a part of a global construction of a new architecture of the world order, based on the liberal-democratic political values but at the same time in line with American leadership. The engagement was in many ways reminiscent of Obama’s strategy of «reset» in relations with Russia, especially in terms of achieving qualitative domestic political changes through dialogue and cooperation. However, the conceptualization of the Trump’s administration China’ policy approaches led to some radical revisions of the American philosophy of international cooperation were made. The objectives of the proposed paper aligned with answering the following research questions: What was wrong with the U.S. engagement strategy toward China evolved over the past decades? What are the implications of the U.S. China policy for Taiwan as well as the world at large (comparing with impact on U.S. policy towards Russia and its regional behavior regarding to Ukraine)? Will engagement be restarted or drastically reevaluated? The methods we employed to do the research: comparative case study that is widely using in International Security studies analyzing issue within a situation or framework. Another method of qualitative methodology approach is a thematic analysis method. The scientific novelty. Assuming that the model of cooperative engagement has largely exhausted itself in terms of the strategic objectives of each party we also emphasize that the model has led to the erosion of the possibility of critical US influence on key regions of the world. Conclusions. It is somewhat paradoxical that a result of US cooperative approaches has brought about greater vulnerability of US formal and informal allies. Chinese and Russian foreign policy strategies have not changed significantly, and have attached even more on the main objects of a kind of historical revenge – Taiwan and Ukraine. Chinese and Russian foreign policy values in terms of waning «Western influences» have grown into offensive political realism. Which, in particular, was generated of sensitivity to the growing US influence in the post-bipolar world.

Purpose. The aim of the article was to identify and analyze negative trends, substantiate practical recommendations for improving regional policy for preserving human resources by regulating the external migration of young people from rural territories of the Carpathian region in Ukraine. Methodology / approach. The methodological basis of the study involved general scientific (graphic, structural analysis) and special (sociological, integral and correlation analysis) methods of research. Sociological survey was conducted by the SI “Dolishniy Institute of Regional Research of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine”) in September-October 2019. The survey was focused on the higher educational institutions, vocational schools and general secondary schools graduate students from the Carpathian Region (1200 people). The author’s approach to constructing an integral index of the migration activity environment involved the implementation of an algorithm based on the normalization of indicators (stimulators and de-stimulators), determination of the weights of indicators and groups of indicators by constructing a correlation matrix, calculation of multidimensional values in the form of weighted group indices. Results. In the article, due to sociological research, characteristics of external migration activity of young people from rural areas of the Carpathian Region in Ukraine were analyzed. Conclusions were based on the problematic aspects of youth migration and its impact on the further development of rural areas. The integral indices of push-factors determining population migration in Ukraine and Lviv Region were calculated, which allowed stating a higher level of “aggressiveness” of the population migration environment in the Carpathian Region compared to the average in the country. Recommendations on the instruments for regulating migration of young people from rural areas to preserve human potential for their development were substantiated. Originality / scientific novelty. A new methodology for calculating the integral index of the environment of population migration activity was developed (using five groups of indicators: demographic stability and health status; population enrolment in education; labour market and employment conditions; living standards; economic development), as well as approach to evaluation of the relationship between the push-environment and migration activity of population was improved. Practical value / implications. policy instruments for conserving human resources by regulating the external migration of young people from rural areas (by organizational, economic and institutional groups) were substantiated for their implementation by regional authorities.

Purpose. The purpose of the article is to determine the prospects of deep processing of corn in Ukraine, taking into account the restraining factors of development, on the basis of the analysis of the state and tendencies of functioning of the world market of corn. Methodology / approach. During the research, general scientific and special research methods were used, in particular: analysis and synthesis, scientific abstraction – in determining the purpose and formulating conclusions; comparative, calculation, statistical and graphical ones – in the assessment, analysis, comparison and establishment of patterns of the current state and trends in the production of corn and its deep processing; program-target one – to substantiate the factors of intensification of deep processing of corn in Ukraine. Results. The analysis was carried out and tendencies of world corn production were determined. The shares of countries-producers and countries-consumers of corn were calculated; their dynamics of changes were analyzed. Analysis of the dynamics of prices for corn grain on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange indicates that the price of raw materials is gradually declining, so agricultural enterprises that sell corn as a raw material, lose income from its production. The structure of corn use in different directions in the world was analyzed, and the structure of its use in the USA was considered in more detail. Factors of activation of deep processing of corn were identified. In Ukraine, deep grain processing as an industry is just beginning to develop, so it is worth processing corn, based on the experience of leading countries, such as the USA and China. Estimated costs for the construction of a modern plant for deep processing of corn and income from the implementation of this investment project were calculated. Originality/scientific novelty. The scientific novelty of the study is a comprehensive analysis of the world corn market; economic substantiation of expediency of corn processing in Ukraine; improving the system of factors to intensify the development of deep processing of corn in Ukraine. Practical value / implications. The practical value of the results of the study is that they will contribute to the formation of the concept of intensifying the development of deep processing of corn in Ukraine. The main results can be used by agro-industrial enterprises during the development of deep corn processing projects.

The current research aims to summarize the features of school education in rural areas in Ukraine and to establish their potential influence on students' academic and socio-psychological adaptation to a new learning and living environment. Small number of students in class, poor material and technical condition, limited opportunities for self-realization, low motivation to study etc. are distinguished as the basic peculiarities of Ukrainian rural schools. The authors’ mini-questionnaire revealed that 62% of the first-year students of rural origin from a local Bohdan Khmelnytsky National University at Cherkasy experience hardships during adaptation. Challenges faced by 270 first-year students are described: personal, educational, living conditions, psychological, communicative, relationships in the group. The outcomes of the study convince that students of rural origin encounter additional challenges adjusting to changed living conditions while studying in universities in contrast to students from urban and suburban areas. Recommendations are provided to assist rural school counselors in preparing students for their further adaptation at large colleges and universities. Directions of work of psychological service, counsellors and educators in higher education institutions are displayed: individual counseling for the student, development and implementation of special training programs, integration of individual classes into training programs.

Purpose. The purpose of this paper was to highlight the results of the study of the influence of the soil fertility and financial support on the formation of sustainable competitiveness of Ukrainian agricultural enterprises. Methodology / approach. To achieve the purpose, we used such methods: correlation analysis (to identify and assess the close relationship between the ecological-agrochemical assessment of soils, financial support per hectare, and the sustainable competitiveness); econometric modeling (to develop a mathematical model of the dependence of the subindex of competitiveness by the yield on the ecological-agrochemical assessment of soils and the financial support per hectare); economic-statistical and monographic (for the assessment and analysis of the influence of the ecological-agrochemical assessment of soils and financial support per hectare on the formation of sustainable competitiveness); abstract-and-logical (for generalization and analysis of the research results); graphical (for the visual representation of the revealed dependencies). The study was performed on a selected sample of agricultural enterprises of districts of Kharkiv, Volyn and Chernihiv region, which represent all the soil-climatic zones of Ukraine. The time range of this research covers the years 2010–2016. The database of the 189 observations in Kharkiv region, 93 – in Volyn region and 88 – in Chernihiv region was as the empirical basis. Results. This paper presents empirical evidence for the impact of the soil fertility and financial support on the formation of sustainable competitiveness of enterprises. The obtained results prove the hypothesis of a positive relationship between the ecological-agrochemical assessment of soils, financial support per hectare, and the sustainable competitiveness of subjects, however, the level of impact of soil fertility differs significantly in different soil-climatic conditions. It is shown that soil fertility and financial support can sometimes act as substitutes, for example, in a zone of insufficient moisture or low soil fertility. Increasing the financial support for agricultural production per hectare may be a strategy to increase productivity when soils are less fertile. Originality / scientific novelty. For the first time, one- and two-factor linear and quadratic econometric models were developed, which made it possible to carry out quantitative assessment of the impact of the ecological-agrochemical assessment of soils and the financial support per hectare on the formation of the subindex of competitiveness by the yield in various soil-climatic zones of Ukraine. The provision on the formation of the subindex of competitiveness by the yield under the conditions of the economic law of diminishing returns, was further developed. Practical value / implications. The main results of the study can be used for (i) estimation and forecasting of the level of competitiveness depending on the ecological-agrochemical assessment of soils and the financial support per hectare; (ii) determining the effect of measures to improve the soil fertility on the competitiveness; (iii) determining the impact of soil degradation on competitiveness of agribusiness entities; (iv) identification of reserves to improve competitiveness.

Purpose. The purpose of the paper is to present the results of research on the assessing of the ecological-economic efficiency of the implementation of reclamation projects taking into account the quality of irrigation water (on an example of the specific projects under soil-and-climatic conditions of Kharkiv and Donetsk regions). Methodology / approach. The research methodology is based on the use of an interdisciplinary approach. The study used the following methods: monographic (to generalize methodological and practical experience in the use of irrigation projects); laboratory-analytical (to determine the quality indicators of irrigation water); constructive-calculated (for calculating the indicators of economic efficiency of yield growth under irrigation conditions); Monte Carlo method (for simulation of crop yields without irrigation and under irrigation conditions); statistical (analysis of variance) (to assess the reliability of the results); generalizations (to summarize the intermediate and general results of ecological-economic analysis of experimental and model data). Results. As a result of laboratory analysis, water quality was assessed, which can be used for irrigation. The advantages of the project of organization of agricultural production under the conditions of drip irrigation are substantiated, and the investment attractiveness of this project was estimated. It is proved that the use of drip irrigation contributes not only to the economic effect, but also to adaptation to climate change. The economic efficiency of irrigation in agriculture, in particular, limited to suitable water (low quality) during the cultivation of various crops, was evaluated. Given the economic assessment, the cultivation of most crops under irrigated conditions with limited suitable water is ineffective. Originality / scientific novelty. The scientific novelty of the paper is that the provisions on ecological and economic efficiency of reclamation projects taking into account the quality of irrigation water has been further developed. This is one of the first paper devoted to the economic management of irrigation projects in Ukrainian agriculture in the context of climate change. Practical value / implications. The results of the study allow to draw conclusions about the effectiveness of the implementation of drip irrigation projects, taking into account potential economic risks and expected benefits. The results of simulation modeling of crop yields under irrigation conditions can be used by agricultural enterprises to manage project risks.

During hundreds of years, in large cities man has been forming a specific urban environment with original species composition of insect communities, including the most diverse group of predatory beetles – Staphylinidae family. Kyiv, Kharkiv, Dnipro are the three most populated cities of Ukraine. In the urban cenoses of these cities, over 140 species from 66 genera of Staphylinidae have been recorded. The total of 69 species (43 genera) were recorded in Kyiv, 67 (39 genera) in Dnipro and 66 (37 genera) in Kharkiv. Among them, , eight species in the catalogue of Palearctic staphylinds had not been previously recorded for Ukraine: Arpedium quadrum Grav., Atheta laticeps Thomson, Medon apicalis Kraatz, Ocalea rivularis Müll., Philonthus salinus Kiesenwetter, Quedius invreae Gridelli, Tasgius pedator Grav. and Xantholinus gallicus Coiffait. By number, common species accounted for 29 in Dnipro, 21 in Kyiv and 19 in Kharkiv. In all the metropolises, two species (Staphylinus caesareus Cederhjelm and Drusilla canaliculata (F.)) were identified as eudominants. Dominants and subdominants comprised 18–25 species. Almost two thirds of the fauna of staphylinids of the cities was classified as rare species. The lowest faunistic similarity was seen between the staphylinids of the urban cenoses of Dnipro and those in Kyiv and Kharkiv (15.3% and 17.5%), similarity was higher for Staphylinidae of Kyiv and Kharkiv (36.0%). Similarity by common species of staphylinids for Kyiv and Kharkiv equaled 73.9%, 28.2% for Dnipro and Kyiv and 37.1% for Dnipro and Kharkiv. The article offers a review of species diversity, number and ecological structure (biotopic confinedness, hygrothermal preference) of typical species of staphylinids in different urban cenoses of Kharkiv. Differences in qualitative-quantitative and ecological structures of staphylinids are related to the diversity of the conditions in a particular urban cenoses. The commonest representatives of the family in the metropolises were polytopic mesophilous carnivorous species.

Pioneer plant communities grow on newly-formed ecotopes of coastal and partially continental areas, on patches that have dried after the surface water flooding. They are affected by sea tides, wind-induced effect, salinity, denudation, accumulation and sharp changes in soil humidity. To these factors are added chemical and biological pollution, as well as anthropogenic pressure. Due to these reasons, such plant communities have a specific floristic composition, structure, functional regime and resilience mechanisms, which are different from coenoses of more stable habitats. On the basis of the analysis of more than 600 phytosociological relevés using TWINSPAN modified algorithm the current state of littoral and halophytic classes of pioneer vegetation in Ukraine has been established and their syntaxonomic structure identified. It has been determined that the level of pioneer phytocoenoses diversity in Ukraine is similar to that of Central Europe. The Cakiletea maritimae class is presented by 1 order, 1 alliance, and 4 associations; Ammophiletea – by 1 order, 1 alliance, and 8 associations; Crithmo-Staticetea – by 1 order, 2 alliances, and 3 associations; Crypsietea aculeatae – by 1 order, 3 alliances, and 4 associations, Therosalicornietea – by 1 order, 2 alliances, and 10 associations. Synoptic tables of vegetation classes are given and nine alliances are briefly characterized. Using DCA-ordination analysis of syntaxa in the association-rank level we identified that the main factors of ecological differentiation are soil humidity and aeration as well as the nitrogen content. For the pioneer plant communities, other significant impact factors are the extremality of environmental conditions, their unevenness and non-equilibrium, in particular, the mechanical action of the sea waves, the dynamic processes of denudation and accumulation, salinity, as well as the variability of damping during the year. This research contributes to the identification of the place of the distinguished syntaxa of Ukrainian pioneer vegetation in the European system.

Rising weather volatility poses a growing challenge to crop yields in many global breadbaskets. However, empirical evidence regarding the effects of extreme weather conditions on crop yields remains incomplete. We examine the contribution of climate and weather to winter wheat yields in Ukraine, a leading crop exporter with some of the highest yield variabilities observed globally. We used machine learning to link daily climatic data with annual winter wheat yields from 1985 to 2018. We differentiated the impacts of long-term climatic conditions (e.g., temperature) and weather extremes (e.g., heat waves) on yields during the distinct developmental stages of winter wheat. Our results suggest that climatic and weather variables alone explained 54% of the wheat yield variability at the country level. Heat waves, tropical night waves, frost, and drought conditions, particularly during the reproductive and grain filling phase, constitute key factors that compromised wheat yields in Ukraine. Assessing the impacts of weather extremes on crop yields is urgent to inform strategies that help cushion farmers against growing production risks because these extremes will likely become more frequent and intense with climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. The purpose of this paper was to highlight the results of the study of the influence of the balance of organic carbon in soil and fertilizer systems on the formation of sustainable competitiveness of Ukrainian agricultural enterprises. Methodology / approach. To achieve the purpose, we used such methods: balance (to assess carbon balance in the soil); correlation analysis (to identify and assess the close relationship between the balance of organic carbon in the soil and the Sustainable Competitiveness Index – SCI); econometric modeling (to develop a mathematical model of the dependence of the balance of organic carbon in the soil from the yield of by-products (straw) and the volume of organic fertilizers applied in agricultural enterprises); economic-statistical and monographic (for the assessment and analysis of the influence of the balance of organic carbon in the soil and fertilizer systems on the formation of competitiveness of enterprises); abstract-and-logical (for theoretical generalization and analysis of the research results). The economic database of the 5597 agricultural enterprises located in Ukraine was used as the empirical basis. Results. It was found that one third (33.0 %) of the studied agricultural enterprises of Ukraine had a deficit balance of humus (on average -0.273 t/ha), the rest (67.0 %) had a positive balance of humus, in particular 15.9 % of business entities provided a balance of humus more than 1 t/ha (an average of 1.608 t/ha). This group of enterprises reached an average level of sustainable competitiveness (SCI = 1.296) and was a good example of the formation of competitiveness on the basis of rational land use. The influence of the humus balance on the level of sustainable competitiveness of agricultural enterprises in the markets of three main crops – winter wheat, corn for grain and sunflower – was assessed, which allowed us to identify the industry-specific features of its formation. Originality / scientific novelty. As a result of the study it was identified and quantified, for the first time, the impact of the balance of organic carbon in the soil on the formation of sustainable competitiveness of agricultural enterprises. For the first time, a two-factor linear mathematical model of the dependence of the balance of humus in the soil from the yield of by-products (straw) and the volume of organic fertilizers applied in Ukrainian agricultural enterprises was developed. The provision on the features of the formation of sustainable competitiveness of agricultural enterprises under various fertilizer systems was further developed. Practical value / implications. The main results of the study can be used for (i) rapid assessment, regulation and prediction of the balance of organic carbon in the soil; (ii) identification of reserves for increasing sustainable competitiveness of agricultural enterprises; (ii) improving soil protection policy for regulating the reproduction of organic carbon in the soil.

Purpose. The purpose of the article is to study the current state of domestic agro-exports on the world food market and determine the place of Ukrainian agro-producers on it in the context of European integration. Methodology / approach. The following methods were used in the study: abstract-logical (for theoretical generalization of conclusions and analysis of the results of the study); economic-statistical (for analysis of the current state of foreign trade in agricultural products) comparative – in the study of foreign trade balance of Ukrainian agroproducts; graphic – for determining the share of countries in world production of wheat, leaders in the export of domestic corn and wheat. Results. Trends of foreign trade of domestic agricultural products were considered. It was defined, that the basis of domestic agroexport were products of vegetative origin. The main trends of export of agricultural products in Ukraine were highlighted. As a result of the research it was established that in the world food market during the study period Ukraine was acknowledged as a predictable and powerful supplier of quality agricultural products. Originality / scientific novelty. The study of indicators of foreign trade of domestic agro-exports, analysis of commodity and geographical structure of agricultural products export in the world food market was further developed. The place of domestic agro-export in the global food market has been determined. Practical value / implications. The results of the conducted research can be used for further scientific researches on determination of directions in development of the domestic agrarian sector of Ukraine, in the context of diversification of development of new market segments for certain types of products within certain tariff quotas.

Purpose. The aim of the article is to identify the key problems in the financial support of agricultural enterprises and to find the ways of solving these problems. Methodology / approach. The methodological basis of the research is the systemic approach to the study of economic phenomena and processes, the scientific works of scientists on the problems of theory and practice of financial support the development of agricultural production. From the special methods of research there have been used economic-statistical, graphical, abstract-logical methods, analysis and synthesis. Results. The problems of financial support of Ukrainian agricultural enterprises in the context of modern conditions have been considered. The results of the analysis of the most pressing issues of financial support for economic development of agricultural enterprises of Cherkasy region are presented. The necessity of developing a mechanism for state support of the agricultural sector in the conditions of economic instability is substantiated. The main sources of financial support for agricultural enterprises are investigated and the main ways of their activation have been identified. Originality / scientific novelty. The scientific provision concerning the financial support for the development of agricultural enterprises has been further developed by substantiating the proposals for improvement of the mechanism of state support and credit support, and determining of its main components. Practical value / implications. Specific measures have been proposed to improve the financial-and-credit support of agricultural enterprises, both at the micro and macro levels.

This article describes modern corruption in Ukraine. A communication-dyad with unequal power distribution was taken as the basic element for corruption modeling. Based on the analysis of 51 cases it uncovers the phenomenology of corruption and its psychological insides. It was shown that power gradient and obedience within the dyad are the key preconditions for the initiation of corrupt action. An active misuse of power discrepancy is also essential for sustainable proliferation of corruption. According to the data, about one third of corruption cases are accomplished exclusively by the involvement of state servants. In 31.4% of the cases, one finds the signs of organizational support of corruption. Moreover, in another 21.5% of the cases one finds a rather supportive position of state organization towards an act of corruption. 49% of the cases describe corrupt operations on a regular basis, which means that corrupt actions are run systematically on daily, weekly, or monthly bases depending on the specific organization. These findings uncover an active and aggressive nature of corruption, which is described by the dyadic model of coercive corrupt relationship. The power- discrepancy within dyad is intentionally used for the extraction of resources from the subjects with low power or from the budget.

China is the leader of economic development among the countries of the Asian region and given its strong economic expansion it is the key economic center of the Asian and Eurasian mega-regions. The empirical study shows that Chinese investors receive additional incentives to invest in Ukraine if there is a prior positive investment experience, increasing market potential, and openness and economic freedom. As Ukraine is generally perceived as a path to European markets, the signing of the Association Agreement with the EU is a positive factor. However, the readiness of investors from China to support corruption schemes in the Ukrainian economy arouses concern. Therefore, in order to enhance and improve the structure of investment flows from China to Ukraine, it is necessary to take a number of measures to overcome corruption. One of the main priorities of modern Ukrainian foreign policy is joining Belt and Path Initiative.

Purpose. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the results of assessing the impact of land quality on the competitiveness of agricultural enterprises. Methodology / approach. In this study, we used such methods: econometric modeling (for the study of the relationship between land quality and competitiveness of farms); economic-statistical and monographic (for the assessment and analysis of the impact of land quality on the competitiveness of enterprises); abstract-and-logical (for theoretical generalization and analysis of the research results); graphical (for the visual representation of the revealed dependencies). Our research has been done on a selected sample of agricultural enterprises of districts of Kharkiv, Volyn and Chernihiv region, which represent all the soil-climatic zones of Ukraine. The time range of this study covers the years 2010–2016. Results. This study presents empirical evidence for the impact of land quality on the competitiveness of agricultural enterprises in Ukraine. The obtained results prove the hypothesis of a positive relationship between land quality and the level of competitiveness of agricultural enterprises, however, the degree of influence of land quality differs significantly in different soil-climatic conditions. Unlike the area of inadequate humidification (Kharkiv region), in the zone of sufficient moisture supply (Volyn and Chernihiv region), in absolute and relative terms, the increase in land quality had a greater impact on the sub-index of competitiveness by yield, than the increase in production intensity. At the same time, with a low intensity of production, it is almost impossible to achieve a zone of competitiveness even at high quality land. Originality / scientific novelty. For the first time, one- and two-factor linear and nonlinear (quadratic) econometric models were developed, which made it possible to carry out quantitative assessment of the impact of land quality on the formation of competitiveness of agricultural enterprises in various soil-climatic zones of Ukraine. The provision on the formation of competitiveness of agricultural enterprises on lands of different quality, taking into account the level of production intensity, was further developed. Practical value / implications. The developed econometric models can be used for (i) estimation and forecasting of the level of competitiveness of agricultural enterprises depending on the parameters of land quality and intensity of production; (ii) determining the effect of measures to improve the quality of land on the competitiveness of agricultural enterprises; (iii) determining the impact of land degradation (quality deterioration) on competitiveness of farms; (iv) identification of reserves to improve competitiveness.

Epitheliocystis is an emerging disease of wild and cultured fish caused by a number of bacterial species, characterized by the presence of cytoplasmic bacterial inclusions in the epithelial cells of the gills, which contribute to the merging of the gill plates, and in some cases also spread to the skin of fish. This disease may manifest as hypertrophy and inflammation of the gills, white nodular lesions of epithelial tissue in the gills or skin, gasping on the surface of the water, lethargy, poor swimming and stunted growth. Among the commercially important aquaculture species of Ukraine, such as Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), brown trout (S. trutta), grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella), common carp (Cyprinus carpio) and gibel carp (Carassius auratus), Candidatus Clavochlamydia salmonicola and Candidatus Piscichlamydia salmonis are associated with epitheliocystis. There are currently no tools at the disposal of ichthyologists and veterinary laboratories in Ukraine to identify Ca. C. salmonicola and Ca. Piscichlamydia salmonis. Our basic concern was to develop a PCR assay of epitheliocystis diagnosis. We suggest the use of general primers for simultaneous detection of Ca. C. salmonicola and Ca. Piscichlamydia salmonis. The developed PCR assay for identification of Ca. C. salmonicola and Ca. Piscichlamydia salmonis has shown its suitability for amplifying control DNA. Confirmation of the amplification products identity was performed using selective recognition of the sequence by the TasI restriction endonuclease (Thermo Fisher Scientific, US). Analytical specificity verification of the PCR assay performed by amplifying the control DNA of 10 species of the Chlamydiales order showed the absence of PCR products, but observed in one. The designed PCR assay, after approbation on clinical material, can be used by researchers for extensive monitoring of epitheliocystis, doctors of veterinary medicine for diagnosis clarification, in addition to introduction into the practice of veterinary medicine laboratories and implementation in fish farm improvement programmes. The amplicon size of 197 base pairs theoretically permits application of this oligonucleotide primers pair for real-time PCR.

Purpose. The aim of research is to study the main elements of ecological and economic management in the process of ecologization of agrarian production implementing economic and ecological instruments, methods of management, strategy of development. Methodology / approach. The base for the methodological approaches while developing the innovative model of ecologization of agrarian production was methods of structural analysis (component analysis) and synthesis, due to them diagnostics, and estimation of ecological and economic potential of the industry were made; potential opportunities connected with strategic tasks were determined. Results. The model of the components of the ecological-economic mechanism of management of ecologization of agrarian production was proposed. The measures to ensure the environmentally friendly management of agrarian business were presented. The main directions of organizational and economic management of ecologization of agrarian production were presented. In the system of ecological-economical mechanism of achieving a high level of competitiveness on the innovative basis was carried out through application of the corresponding methods: organizational, economic, technical-technological, administrative. Originality / scientific novelty. Novelty is determined by the implementation of the process of ecologization the agricultural production in the context of applying alternative management systems, in which agrarian enterprises are considered as the economic-ecological system, which is based on rational and ecologically grounded methods of production, by providing the quality of the produce and raw material. Practical value / implications. The results from the analysis include the formed methods of ecological-economical management and mechanisms of their implementation towards: provision of the safe development in agribusiness of the region based on the innovative scheme by developing and supporting the organic production; provision of population with high-quality local ecologically safe produce.

Tracing the history of folk studies in Ukraine during the20th and 21st centuries, one can notice multiple changes in the naming of scientific disciplines: ethnography, ethnology, anthropology. It was neither a mechanical nor an aesthetic step: it was due to deep crises in the humanities and, consequently, to academic transformation processes. The transition from the self-name “ethnographer” to “ethnologist” took place in Ukraine in the 1990s and marked a break with the Soviet scientific methodology. The crisis in the Ukrainian ethnology in 2010s led to the emergence of a new scientific discipline: anthropology. Both events took the form of a “quiet revolution”. This can be explained by the lack of appropriate professional education: in Soviet times, neither ethnographers nor ethnologists were trained in Ukraine, and today there is no specialization as anthropologist in Ukrainian education. That is why new specialists appeared as a result of self-education and retraining from other scientific fields. This, in turn, led to a certain eclecticism of the research methodology in Ukraine.

Agricultural sector is a strategic sector for Ukraine; therefore, the task of developing effective incentive mechanisms for the development of agricultural production and increase of efficiency of activities of agricultural product manufacturers – economic entities of the agrarian market – is urgent. The conditions in which the agricultural sector of Ukraine is functioning, and research priorities of modern agricultural science provide an opportunity to deepen research in this direction and focus on justification of scientific and practical recommendations on creation of consolidated, adapted to domestic realities tools of stimulation of development of agricultural production in the country as a whole and its individual territories. The aim of this work is to develop economic and mathematical models of forecasting the level of economic and administrative stimulation of agricultural production in Ukraine based on the theory of fuzzy logic. The object of the study is the system of economic relations for stimulation of agricultural production in Ukraine. The subject of the study is principles of formation and development of economic and mathematical models of stimulation of agricultural production in Ukraine. The agricultural sector of Ukraine's economy with all the elements and components that provide the formation of the country's food security at the national level largely depends on the functionality of the mechanism of stimulation of development of agricultural production, which is one of the important and unsolved issues for Ukraine that requires a prompt solution. The study identifies the factors influencing the level of state stimulation of agricultural production in Ukraine. Factors influencing the level of agricultural production in Ukraine are classified. Economic and mathematical model of estimation and forecasting the level of economic and administrative stimulation of agricultural production in Ukraine is developed. The level of economic and administrative stimulation of agricultural production is forecast till 2020, which will allow forming the strategy of development of Ukraine's agricultural sector.

The purpose of the article is to determine peculiarities, essence, content, dialectic nature of correlation of business conflicts and organizational culture in developing countries (in the case of Ukraine). A special attention draws to preconditioned application of management potential of organization culture for maintaining management potential of organization culture for ensuring conflict management in business companies. The research showed that the internal reason for any business conflict cores in frameworks of interpersonal relations in the staff, which are conditioned under the impact of organization culture. This justifies its management significance in preventing and constructively resolving business conflicts in companies. The analysis of practice of management certifies that ignoring high management potential of organization culture and its inactivity in enterprises of Ukraine is a source of conflict-relatedness of social relations. The author suggests the principles to be followed in the formation of organizational culture. It will help to reduce the level of conflict in Ukrainian business organizations and will increase their efficiency and competitiveness.

Aim: to reveal areas of problems of health saving educational environment in the national school system. Materials: it was analyzed 38 literature resources on the item of the article. Results. The main concept of the article is to single out and analyze the ways of formation and development the health saving educational environment in modern school educational system of Ukraine. The first way is national programs, where the author illuminates the main documents concerning school education and reveals the key areas of the formation of healthy environment. The second way is international programs in which Ukraine take part. Such participation aimed at improving the health of schoolchildren, equip them with the skills of healthy lifestyle, use of folk traditions, integration of healthy lifestyles in the educational process etc. The third way is school subjects with the elements of formation health saving skill and knowledge among schoolchildren and teachers at genera.

We examined the financial system development of Ukraine from 2010 to 2016 using integral indicator. In addition, we explored the effect of the financial system development on the financing of firms in Ukraine. The results of the study displayed a negative tendency in the development of the Ukrainian financial system from 2010 to 2016. The regression model revealed that the integral indicator of the financial system's development is substantially interconnected with the average rate of hryvnia to the US dollar. The results of the paper showed that the financial structure of Ukrainian firms changed significantly during the analyzed period. The share of external financing rose extremely not due to an increase in bank loans but due to informal sources. Despite the general negative changes in the financial system development and financing patterns, the study did not find arguments to support the hypothesis of the existence of a strong statistical relationship between them. Instead, we identified additional significant sources of financing for firms that are not related to the development of the financial system and those that do not meet traditional notions of financing patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poland’s soft power policy in Ukraine is systemic and comprehensive. A network of government institutions has been created for its institutional support, both domestically and abroad. In addition, soft influence is directly exercised by non-governmental institutions and organizations, the media, universities, as well as representatives of the scientific and cultural environment. The main consequences of using educational and cultural tools of the soft power of the neighboring state are: 1) forming a positive image of Poland among the Ukrainian population, especially young people; 2) spreading European liberal and democratic values in Ukraine; 3) financial benefits from Ukrainian youth, who pays for studies in Polish universities and makes other expenses in the host country; 4) attracting a large number of labor resources, mainly young people, into the Polish economy. The latter is also caused by socio-economic and military-political problems in Ukraine, which is losing its human potential not only in the East but also in the West. Therefore, the effects of the Polish soft power for our country are ambiguous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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