Influence of Endogenous Factors of Food Matrices on Avidin–Biotin Immunoassays for the Detection of Bacitracin and Colistin in Food

(Strept)avidin–biotin technology is frequently used in immunoassay systems to improve their analytical properties. It is known from clinical practice that many (strept)avidin–biotin-based tests provide false results when analyzing patient samples with a high content of endogenous biotin. No specific investigation has been carried out regarding possible interferences from avidin (AVI) and biotin (B7) contained in food matrices in (strept)avidin–biotin-based immunoanalytical systems for food safety. Two kinds of competitive ELISAs for bacitracin (BT) and colistin (COL) determination in food matrices were developed based on conventional hapten–protein coating conjugates and biotinylated BT and COL bound to immobilized streptavidin (SAV). Coating SAV–B7–BT and SAV–B7–COL complexes-based ELISAs provided 2- and 15-times better sensitivity in BT and COL determination, corresponding to 0.6 and 0.3 ng/mL, respectively. Simultaneously with the determination of the main analytes, these kinds of tests were used as competitive assays for the assessment of AVI or B7 content up to 10 and 1 ng/mL, respectively, in food matrices (egg, infant milk formulas enriched with B7, chicken and beef liver). Matrix-free experiments with AVI/B7-enriched solutions showed distortion of the standard curves, indicating that these ingredients interfere with the adequate quantification of analytes. Summarizing the experience of the present study, it is recommended to avoid immunoassays based on avidin–biotin interactions when analyzing biosamples containing these endogenous factors or enriched with B7.

Bituminous substances in soils of Baikal Rift zone

Parameters of hydrocarbon complex of the soils of lacustrine-alluvial plain and sandy uplands of the Baikal rift zone within the Barguzin Depression have been studied. Data were obtained on organic (non-carbonate) carbon, chloroform and hexane bitumoids, as well as on individual polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The content, composition and properties of bitumoids vary depending on the intensity of endogenous activity. In soils located in the zone of active unload of hydrothermal waters and hydrocarbon fluids, atypical accumulation of organic carbon was noted; the concentrations of bitumoids do not correlate with its content. High values of the bitumoid coefficient, significant level of polycyclic aromatic compounds and their diversity, in combination with salts accumulation, indicate an additional influx of hydrocarbons and instability of the soil hydrocarbon system. The level of the indicators shifts towards background values in the soils of sandy hills with a complex combination of exogenous and endogenous factors of soil forming. Studied parameters of the soil hydrocarbon system in aggregate can serve as markers of the intensity of endogenous processes.

THE COMPLEXITY OF SOCIAL ECONOMY AS A SOCIO-ECONOMIC PHENOMENON

This paper presents the complexity of the contemporary social economy system – its definitions, points of reference, role played in socio-economic development. Furthermore the paper presents a review of selected approaches to social economy, including definitional approaches, e.g. those specific to Anglo-Saxon and continental traditions. It discusses the context in which it emerged and developed as a phenomenon in the public policy and economic areas. It analyses the dynamics of social economy development in Poland, including institutional environment and selected mechanisms of public management. It stresses that top-down initiatives – including those of the central government and the EU institutions – are a key element in making the social economy dynamic in developing the forms of activity (in view of the weakness of endogenous factors). The central and local governments place social economy at the heart of their strategies in many public policies.

Exogenous and endogenous mortality parameters as indicators of the sanitary and epidemiological status of the population of the region

Introduction. The concepts of the epidemiological transition and types of population health are applied to analyzing and evaluating the sanitary and epidemiological status of the population. Materials and methods. For many years of mortality, the dynamics of the male population of the Irkutsk region standardized indicators were used (European age standard). For identifying trends of changing mortality rates, an analytical alignment of the time series was used. It was a linear model by EXCEL’s standard tools (Microsoft Office 2007). The significance of the trend equation was calculated using F-test in IBM SPSS Statistics 23 (p < 0,05). Results. It has been established that the formation of various types of pathology and caused by this pathology mortality occurred under the influence of factors of different nature in the process of changes in social, environmental, epidemiological situations in the region. In the 1990 th and the first half of the 2000 th, high mortality rates in the class of diseases of the circulatory system and the class of external causes of morbidity and mortality were determined mainly by psychosocial disadvantage factors. By the class of Diseases of the respiratory system, there was noted a steady decrease in mortality rate from chronic diseases of the lower respiratory tract and pneumonia. It was probably due to an increase in the level and quality of medical care. A steady tendency to increase intensive and extensive mortality rates by class of Certain infectious and parasitic diseases was seen. That was caused by negative changes in infectious and epidemic processes under the influence of man-made pollution was noted. During 2005 - 2015 the digestive system’s share of the class of Diseases in the mortality structure increased. That is due to the prevalence of alcoholic liver disease, chronic alcoholic pancreatitis, complications of the ulcer of the stomach and duodenum. Conclusion. The combination of the identified patterns of the formation of intensive and extensive mortality rates determined by exogenous and endogenous factors made it possible to characterize the situation in the Irkutsk region as a relative sanitary and epidemiological disadvantage of the population.

Assessing the level of competitiveness of the insurance sector during economic crises: The example of Ukraine

In the context of the crisis in Ukraine, it is important to increase the competitiveness of the insurance sector as a measure of its stability and dynamism under various scenarios of economic development. The purpose of this paper is to assess the competitiveness of the insurance sector and determine the impact on its level of factors caused by economic crises. Using the method of integrated analysis, the index of competitiveness of the insurance industry is built, which considers the number of businesses, employment, sales, capital investment in the industry, insurance sector performance, share of profitable enterprises, and profitability of the insurance sector in Ukraine for 2012–2020. The results showed that the impact of the 2014–2015 crisis due to endogenous factors, namely political instability in the country and the devaluation of the hryvnia, led to a significant reduction in the competitiveness index of the insurance sector. At the same time, during the pandemic, the insurance sector is stabilized, as evidenced by the growth of sales and the share of profitable enterprises, as well as increasing profitability of insurance activities. The competitiveness index did not change significantly during the pandemic. To analyze the dependence of the integrated indicator of the competitiveness of the insurance sector on economic fluctuations during the crisis, regression equations are constructed. It is proved that the greatest impact on the competitiveness index of the insurance sector in times of crisis is exerted by changes in employment and the amount of capital investment.

Popular Religious Traditions, British Military Recruitment and the Social Construction of Masculinity in Colonial Haryana

It is generally assumed that colonial institutions and ideologies shaped the contours of masculinity in British India. This paper explores endogenous factors and attempts to supplement as well as contest such approaches and interpretations which claim that masculinity in India was a colonial construction. The emphasis is on folk traditions, religious customs, qaumi (folk) tales and physical culture akh???s (gymnasia) among the Jats in colonial Haryana,1 which went into the making of dominant masculinity in this region. The paper draws upon vernacular language materials and newspapers to analyse the different ways in which the socially endogenous forces constructed this masculinity. It argues that a complex interaction of popular religious traditions, qaumi narratives, military recruitment, marital caste designation, ownership of land, superior caste behaviour and strong bodily physique came to ideologically link and construct dominant masculinity in colonial Haryana.

Russian-Ukrainian population of the Russian territories bordering with Ukraine: ethnocultural or transition group?

One of the new directions in ethnosociology is the study of population groups with multiple (often double) ethnic identities, which are growing quantitatively due to the spread of ethnically “mixed” marriages, migrations, etc. Among such “hybrid” ethnic groups, residents with Russian-Ukrainian identity are one of the largest bi-ethnic communities in Russia. In particular, in the Russian regions bordering with Ukraine, residents with dual Russian-Ukrainian identity make up a significant proportion of the population. Accordingly, the studies of 2017–2018 show that in Belgorod region 16 % of residents have Russian-Ukrainian ethnic identities, whereas it is 23 % in the bor-der municipalities. In this paper, the genesis and reproduction potential of a bi-ethnic Russian-Ukrainian popula-tion group at the Russian-Ukrainian borderland is discussed. The first part of the paper comprises an overview of the studies of multiethnic groups, including the Russian-Ukrainian population. The second part is based on em-pirical ethnosociological research conducted by the author and is devoted to finding the answer to the question: “Is the population with the double Russian-Ukrainian identity an independent, permanently existing ethnocultural community or a transitional group that temporarily emerged in the process of assimilation of the Ukrainians in Russia?”. Sociological data indicate that this group of population should be considered as a separate, perma-nently existing ethno-cultural community, and not a temporary, transitional group in the process of assimilation of the Ukrainians in Russia. In favor of the former speaks the fact that the population with the double Russian-Ukrainian identity consists mainly of autochthonous people, with a balanced age composition, who inherited bi-ethnicity by their “mixed” origin, rather than by assimilation. In the respondents in this group, endogenous factors of the formation of ethnic identity are dominant; they feel an inextricable ethnic connection with the population of the neighboring Ukrainian regions. At the same time, members of the Russian-Ukrainian ethnocultural group are predominantly pessimistic about possibility of inheriting their double identity by future generations.

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION OF WORLD TRADE

Background. Thanks to theconstant digitalization of modern life, consumers from almost all countries now receive income from the benefits of online transactions. As the Internet spreads rapidly around the world, the number of customers using digital technologies is growing every year. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on digital commerce and online consumer behavioraround the world. An analysis of recent research and publications has shown that the impact of exogenous and endogenous factors on the transformation of online and offline trade remains unnoticed by leading researchers around the world. The aim is to identify current trends in the process of digitalization of world trade. Materials and methods. The main research methods are logical, analytical, graphical, tabular, and statistical. Results. The transformation of world trade has accelerated in the development of the process of digitalization of the world economy. Despite the slowdown in the growth of digital trade, there is an increase in the number of buyers and, consequently, sales. The development and application of information and communication technologies has determined the leading positions of countries in terms of foreign exchange earnings. China, the United States, Great Britain and Japan hold the undisputed championship. The other six countries, included in the TOP-10, are constantly changing, which is characterized by increased competition in this area. Conclusion. The rapid development of digital trade is due to the use of quality infrastructure that supports computer networks. Exogenous factors that will affect the competitive position of leading countries in the field of retail are the level of development of online trade, the rate of vaccination against COVID-19, modification of coronavirus infection and subsequent outbreaks of this disease, which will lead to further quarantine measures. In addition, increasing competition from developing countries should be noted. Thus, in response to exogenous changes, endogenous changes will primarily take place in the companies of the leading countries, which will be related to changes in supply chains, where the main focus will be on sustainability, excessiveness and diversification of products. Smaller retailers will continue to focus on speed and cost of delivery. It is obvious that digital trade has an inexhaustible potential of opportunities for enterprising entrepreneurs.