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The problems of environmental pollution in the conditions of high dust content in the air during the development of coal mines in the territory of the Czech Republic are considered. A mechanism for making managerial decisions was developed using an integrated approach using the new technological process Nastup Tušimice (DNT) aimed at eliminating pollutant emissions and managing workers in dusty conditions in mining operations. The recommendations of active and passive measures aimed at reducing dustiness in the process of coal mining have also been developed.

Thin films of nickel hydroxide were prepared using the cathodic template method and were tested in different electrolytes. The electrolytes were 0.1 M KOH and 0.1 M KOH with the addition of 0.1, 0.3 and 1 mM K2WO4. The test revealed, that the presence of tungstate can have a significant effect on electrochemical and electrochromic characteristics of Ni(OH)2 films. The initial sample, cycled in 0.1 M KOH showed different characteristics from those cycled in tungstate-containing electrolytes: significant difference between current densities of cathodic and anodic peaks and presence of the current plateau on the cyclic voltamperometry curve. However, the initial sample demonstrated the highest coloration degree of 74 %. On the other hand, the sample showed degradation of the coloration degree past initial growth.The samples cycled in the tungstate-containing electrolyte showed better electrochemical characteristics – sharper cathodic and anodic peaks, with the lesser difference between peak values. The dynamics of the absolute coloration degree of the samples cycled in tungstate-containing electrolyte showed a constant increase. The sample tested in a solution with 1 mM tungstate had the lowest value of the absolute coloration degree – 60 %. For tungstate concentrations of 0.1 and 0.3 mM, the absolution coloration degree at the last cycle was 72 and 71 % respectively.The samples tested in a solution with tungstate additive had a significantly lower bleaching time – 40–50 s in comparison to 360 s of the sample cycled in 0.1 М KOH.A possible mechanism that explains such differences in behavior was proposed

AbstractBackgroundThis study characterized the prevalence, drinking patterns, and sociodemographic characteristics of U.S. adult subpopulations with distinct drinking trajectories during the COVID‐19 pandemic's first 42 weeks.MethodsAdult respondents (n = 8130) in a nationally representative prospective longitudinal study completed 21 biweekly web surveys (March 2020 to January 2021). Past‐week alcohol drinking frequency (drinking days [range: 0 to 7]) and intensity (binge drinking on usual past‐week drinking day [yes/no]) were assessed at each timepoint. Growth mixture models identified multiple subpopulations with homogenous drinking trajectories based on mean drinking days or binge drinking proportional probabilities across time.ResultsFour drinking frequency trajectories were identified: Minimal/stable (72.8% [95% CI = 71.8 to 73.8]) with <1 mean past‐week drinking days throughout; Moderate/late decreasing (6.7% [95% CI = 6.2 to 7.3) with 3.13 mean March drinking days and reductions during summer, reaching 2.12 days by January 2021; Moderate/early increasing (12.9% [95% CI = 12.2 to 13.6) with 2.13 mean March drinking days that increased in April and then plateaued, ending with 3.20 mean days in January 2021; and Near daily/early increasing (7.6% [95% CI = 7.0 to 8.2]) with 5.58 mean March drinking days that continued increasing without returning to baseline. Four drinking intensity trajectories were identified: Minimal/stable (85.8% [95% CI = 85.0% to 86.5%]) with <0.01 binge drinking probabilities throughout; Low‐to‐moderate/fluctuating (7.4% [95% CI = 6.8% to 8%]) with varying binge probabilities across timepoints (range:0.12 to 0.26); Moderate/mid increasing (4.2% [95% CI = 3.7% to 4.6%]) with 0.39 April binge drinking probability rising to 0.65 during August–September without returning to baseline; High/early increasing trajectory (2.7% [95% CI = 2.3% to 3%]) with 0.84 binge drinking probability rising to 0.96 by June without returning to baseline. Males, Whites, middle‐aged/older adults, college degree recipients, those consistently working, and those above the poverty limit were overrepresented in various increasing (vs. minimal/stable) frequency trajectories. Males, Whites, nonmarried, those without college degree, 18 to 39‐year‐olds, and middle aged were overrepresented in increasing (vs. minimal/stable) intensity trajectories.ConclusionsSeveral distinct U.S. adult sociodemographic subpopulations appear to have acquired new drinking patterns during the pandemic's first 42 weeks. Frequent alcohol use assessment in the COVID‐19 era could improve personalized medicine and population health efforts to reduce drinking.

In this study, the characterization of several bacterial diseases affecting silver birch (Betula pendula Roth.), common ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.), white poplar (Populus alba L.), and white willow (Salix alba L.) in Ukraine were described. The typical symptoms, features of pathogenesis, and characteristics of the causative agents of the most common bacterial diseases of these tree species were shown. The following types of bacterioses were noted to be especially dangerous, namely, bacterial wetwood, fire blight, bacterial canker, and tuberculosis. Bacterial necrosis of the bark was a less dangerous disease. At the same time, all of the listed types of bacterioses were registered within the forest areas of the investigated region. The study revealed that bacterial wetwood of birch and poplar was caused by Lelliottia nimipressuralis; the bacterial canker of poplar is Pseudomonas syringae (Pseudomonas syringae f. populi and Pseudomonas cerasi); the fire poplar blight is caused by Pseudomonas cerasi (P. syringae); the common ash tuberculosis is caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. savastanoi; and the bacterial wilt of the willow is caused by Brenneria salicis. The phenomenon of the introduction of microorganisms of different functional orientations as well as the formation of conditions for their activity in the rhizosphere of plants have been studied. In the future, it will provide the development of effective methods for the rapid identification of causative agents of bacterioses and plant protection measures based on multi-functional microbiological preparations based on highly effective strains of microorganisms.

The effects of clinostating on physiological processes and biochemical characteristics of wheat plants (Triticum aestivum L.) both healthy and infected by the wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV) were studied. In six experiments, each lasting over 30 days, healthy and infected plants of the dwarf Apogee variety were grown under conditions of continuous horizontal and vertical clinostating with 2 rpm at 21 +/- 2 degrees C and 6000 1x (the optimal moisture of a substrate being maintained). The control variants (healthy and infected) were simultaneously grown under the same conditions of temperature and illumination in stationary containers and in open pots. During the experiment, visual observations were carried out over the state of tested plants. After completing the experiment, biometric indices, pigment, carbohydrate and dry matter contents were determined in all the plants. It was shown that clinostating sharply reduced the reproductive function of healthy plants and considerably affected their biomass (productivity) and concentration of chlorophylls and sugars. The viral infection resulted in further reduction of these characteristics. In control variants the viral effect was more significant. We speculate that clinostating reduced the rate of reproduction and spread of the virus.

Acute pancreatitis (AP), a human disease in which the pancreas digests itself, has substantial mortality with no specific therapy. The major causes of AP are alcohol abuse and gallstone complications, but it also occurs as an important side effect of the standard asparaginase-based therapy for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Previous investigations into the mechanisms underlying pancreatic acinar cell death induced by alcohol metabolites, bile acids, or asparaginase indicated that loss of intracellular ATP generation is an important factor. We now report that, in isolated mouse pancreatic acinar cells or cell clusters, removal of extracellular glucose had little effect on this ATP loss, suggesting that glucose metabolism was severely inhibited under these conditions. Surprisingly, we show that replacing glucose with galactose prevented or markedly reduced the loss of ATP and any subsequent necrosis. Addition of pyruvate had a similar protective effect. We also studied the effect of galactose in vivo in mouse models of AP induced either by a combination of fatty acids and ethanol or asparaginase. In both cases, galactose markedly reduced acinar necrosis and inflammation. Based on these data, we suggest that galactose feeding may be used to protect against AP.

Organizations in general, and higher education institutions in particular, had to face many challenges during the pandemic in order to carry out their usual activities. Since communications and interactions between universities and students were required to take place online, the messages sent by universities on their social media platforms held greater importance. In this regard, the purpose of the paper was to identify the promotion strategies used by European universities on Facebook and Instagram in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, we were interested in identifying differences and similarities in the types of messages European universities sent on the two social networks, regarding the way they communicated about sustainability. The method used in order to conduct the research was content analysis, while having as an instrument a content analysis grid. We analyzed the activity of 20 European universities included in the World University Rankings 2021. The results of the research revealed that universities communicated more on Facebook than on Instagram, that the most frequent messages regarding sustainability were the ones about the actions carried out by universities in order to protect the environment, and that they registered a higher engagement rate on Instagram than on Facebook.

Proper hand hygiene disrupts the spread of a numerous infections and is therefore a guarantee of good human health. Wide use of antiseptics by the public raises questions about their effectiveness, safety and availability. At the same time, the culture of hand hygiene is a priority for all spheres of society. The aim of the work is to study the range of antiseptics on the pharmaceutical market of Ukraine and assess the peculiarities of their use, to compound the antiseptic for hands of optimal composition and provide its quality control. The study used information retrieval, pharmacological, organoleptic, physical and chemical, graphic and statistical methods. Based on the analysis of information sources, the active ingredients and their optimal concentrations in the composition of antiseptics of industrial and extemporaneous production have been established. According to the results of this stage of work, four prescriptions of antisepticswith different compositions were selected for further compounding.It was found that positive results of quality control according to the organoleptic and physical and chemical parameters were received for the solution compounded using 96%ethanol and paying attention to key technological features that are decisive in the compounding of non-aqueous solutions and affect the quality of the product. The problematic issues of registration and circulation of antiseptics in Ukraine were identified as a result of the development of normative documents. Its consequence is the spread of unscrupulous practices of selling products that do not have a proven disinfection effect. The active components of industrial and extemporaneous antiseptic agents were determined based on the analysis of literary sources. It was established that most of the products recommended for home production did not meet the requirements of regulatory documents in terms of composition and concentration of active substances. This is a sign of the spread of unreliable information among the population, which can harm health. The need to comply with the rules for dosing ingredients and the technological features of manufacturing of non-aqueous solutions is substantiated. It was established that the required concentration of ethanol in the finished product is achieved when preparing solutions according to prescription N 3, which included 96% ethanol according to the results of the physical and chemical control. The presence of disinfection corners at National Pirogov Memorial Medical University, Vinnytsya certainly popularizes hand hygiene among students of higher education. This is indicated by the high frequency of students' use of the products that were placed in the appropriate places. At the same time, it was established the need to conduct educational work among students, which will contribute to increasing the level of awareness of the regulatory framework of registered disinfectants, their proper composition, labeling and method of use.