Suchergebnisse

Background: Informal markets are vital to food and job security across many low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). There is emerging data on microbiological food safety hazards and risks along food supply chains that allow targeting mitigation options. Efforts include training in better practices and technologies, but these have mostly targeted production, neglecting the market-based processing and retail level, where much cross-contamination occurs, exposing the final consumer to risk. Poor practices are largely due to a lack of knowledge and appropriate technology but also lack of incentives to change poor practices. Previous studies have shown that even poor consumers do care about the safety of their food but have no alternatives in the market or little power to demand for safer food. Objectives: This four-year project (2019 to 2022) investigates if consumer demand can provide the same incentive or "pull approach" for microbiological food safety in LMIC as it has done in high-income countries. It also builds capacity of value chain actors to respond to demand and of regulators to provide an enabling environment (the "push approach"). At the same time, it strengthens food safety capacity at national level through generating evidence on the national burden of foodborne diseases and selected hazards and risks in chicken meat and vegetables. Methods: The project is organized in seven technical work packages: 1) Estimating burden and cost of key foodborne illnesses in Burkina Faso and Ethiopia; 2) Understanding the poultry and vegetable value chains in urban markets in Burkina Faso and Ethiopia; 3) Quantitative microbial risk assessment and cost-effectiveness analysis of candidate market-based interventions; 4) Build capacity and motivation of regulators to manage food safety (intervention 1, push approach); 5) Empower market-level value chain actors to manage food safety (intervention 2, push approach); 6) Design and implementation of a consumer campaign (intervention 3, pull approach); 7) conduct an impact assessment of the push-pull intervention. Expected results: Investments that improve public health are considered highly rewarding. With this project we aim to achieve measurably safer food, credentialed capacity in regulators and value chain actors, improvements in knowledge and practice among value chain actors, and improvements in food safety awareness and practices among consumers. ; Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation ; Government of the United Kingdom

Increasing size and severity of wildfires, and the expanding built environment into the wildland-urban interface makes it imperative that local governments identify, prepare for and reduce risks to people and infrastructure from wildfires and the aftermaths of fires. Here we report on a pre-wildfire assessment of post-fire hazards in Coconino County, Arizona, the mitigation measures identified and implemented as a result of the study, and proposed changes to the assessment methodology for upcoming studies. Results from the Coconino County study indicate that up to 34 % of the buildings, and up to 26 % of the critical facilities countywide are at some level of increased risk of post-fire flooding if no actions are taken to reduce the risk of severe wildfires. As many as 593 homes (2,191 parcels) in Coconino County, as well as 13 dams and other critical facilities, may be impacted by post-fire debris flows. In two smaller areas of detailed study, flood peaks could increase as much as 4–5 times the existing 100-year flood levels, with up to a 350 % increase in the number of buildings in flood-prone areas. Debris flows will likely be limited in aerial extent but could impact a much larger area from following floods and sediment-laden flows. Mitigation measures identified and implemented as a result of this study include County Coconino County coordination with the Kaibab National Forest in regard to forest health projects, development of a post-wildfire emergency action plan for the City of Williams, development of a Post-Fire, Pre-Disaster plan for the City of Williams and educating the City of Williams and County officials and business stakeholders of the post-fire flood risk. Other mitigation measures that are still in the planning stage include installation of additional early flood warning system gages, and increasing building and infrastructure resiliency through channel conveyance improvement and utility protection projects. For two upcoming assessments, we plan to use a new statistical methodology to develop burn severity maps using historical burns, and we plan to employ a new process-based debris-flow model developed for use in Arizona to assess debris-flow inundation limits.

The current environmental condition where we live in is polluted by the harmful toxic fumes of the industrial factories or the means of transportation. The land, water and air polluted from the technical wastes creates great threat to our health and to the one of our future generation. Therefore, it becomes necessary to introduce and to project the business activities and technologies which will reduce the harmful impacts on the environment as much as possible and at the same time will give the capability to use the limited resources effectively. In practice, all the research shows that the samples of the production and consumption are not sustainable in the long run. In case, the entire population of the planet consumes the same resource per capita as the average citizen in the developed country nowadays, the total demand for resources will exceed 4 times the Earth's capabilities. Consequently, it is clear that radical changes to the index and structure of the resources in the long-term should be implemented, which the world's developed and developing economy will use. Otherwise, the repeated and heavier crisis will endanger the sustainability of the global economy, the well-being of the nations and increase the possibility of combating for the resources (including, the possibility of the armed conflict). Another consequence of the unsustainable use of the world resources is the growth of a number of environmental risks, ranging from the global risks such as the climate change, the ozone layer formation, the loss of biodiversity etc. The "green economy" is based on the principle of the equality - including the equality between the generations, which implies that the existing generation should not ignore the needs of the future generations. In other words, the use of the planet resource at such level that will lose the future generation the chance to satisfy the requirements, it is not only unethical but destructive for all humanity. In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the researches are ongoing to make the long-term sustainable solutions, the success is achieved in the green economy - this is the way that some international organizations have been set as the main goal and the governments supported it.

INTRODUCTION: Structured exercise intervention has been shown to improve overall fitness performance and decrease injury rates in military soldiers. A recent operation order tasked the Holistic Health and Fitness Initiative committee at Fort Riley, Kansas to decrease the number of Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT), Body Composition Test failures, and reduce the number of Musculoskeletal (MSK) injuries. To address these concerns a multi-phase, multidisciplinary fitness program [Fit Nation (FN)]was developed. Phase 1 (P1) of FN focused on introduction to exercise and incorporated high-intensity, low-impact aerobic and anaerobic training. Phase 2 (P2) of FN focused on functional resistive strength development. With a current interest in FN's influence on strength performance, P2 will be reported. METHODS: Following the completion of P1, soldiers were invited to participate in P2. The P2participants consisted of 16 soldiers (14 males, mean±SD: age=23.2±3.2 years; 2 females, 26.5±7.8 years). Originally 19 participants volunteered in P2, however 3 participants were removed due to incomplete data collection. Participants performed a resistance training protocol developed by a certified strength and condition professional for 12 weeks (5 days/week). Pre- and post-test evaluations were performed prior to and after the 12 week protocol. OUTCOMES MEASURED: Pre- and post- measures of sumo deadlift (SUMODL) to evaluate total body strength, back squat (SQ) to determine lower-body strength, and weighted push-ups (PUPW) to examine upper-body strength were performed. Repeated measures ANOVAs were applied to analyze SUMODL, SQ, and PUPWwith an alpha level of p≤0.05 to determine statistical significance. RESULTS:A significant difference in SUMODL, SQ, andPUPWperformance was demonstrated (post-mean±SD:=117.5±28.9kg,115.1±30.6kg,47.0 ±16kg;p≤0.001; p<0.001; p≤0.001) respectively. CONCLUSION: The exercise intervention of P2 of FN has shown beneficial for strength developments of the entire body.This data could provide support for FN as a large-scale operation to improve strength beyond APFTand Body Composition Test failures. However, in its infancy, the long-term influence of FN still requires investigation. The greatest determent of this study was, and continues to be attendance and attrition since active duty soldiers have military assignments and responsibilities such as in-field training and deployment.

Efi Mantzourani,1,2 Ricky Hicks,1 Andrew Evans,3 Emma Williams,2 Cheryl Way,2 Rhian Deslandes1 1School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, UK; 2NHS Wales Informatics Service, Primary Care Services, Cardiff, Wales, UK; 3Welsh Government, Health and Social Services, Cardiff, Wales, UKCorrespondence: Efi MantzouraniNHS Wales Informatics Service, Cowbridge Road, Cardiff, UK and School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cardiff University, Redwood Building, King Edward VII Avenue, Cardiff CF10 3NB, UKTel +44 29 20 870 452Email MantzouraniE1@cardiff.ac.ukObjectives: To explore the views and opinions of community pharmacists regarding their initial experience of and levels of preparedness for the pathfinder sore throat test and treat (STTT) service in Wales.Methods: A phenomenological qualitative approach with constructivist paradigm was adopted as the first cycle of ongoing action research. Semi-structured interviews with community pharmacists who had completed at least three consultations within the first 3 weeks of the service were conducted, with informed consent and audio recorded. Interviews were transcribed ad verbatim and data were thematically analysed both inductively and deductively.Results: A total of seven interviews with pharmacists who had conducted more than three consultations identified three main themes: 1) perceived impact of the service on patient care, including the value of the structure and technology infrastructure, the role of STTT towards antimicrobial stewardship, and its potential role in rebalancing primary care resources so that workload is distributed appropriately among healthcare professionals; 2) factors that empower pharmacists to deliver the service, in particular quality and consistency of training, appropriate staffing resource and internally motivated willingness to engage; 3) interface with GP surgeries such as nature of existing relationships before implementing the service, role of GP staff and GP perceived value of STTT.Conclusion: The pathfinder STTT service has been well received by pharmacists who recognised the service's role in providing patient education and contributing to principles of antimicrobial stewardship and described factors that would empower them to deliver the service confidently. Results have been fed back to the service implementation team to inform future developments.Keywords: sore throat test and treat, point-of-care testing, community pharmacy, antimicrobial stewardship, pharmacy services

Zaida Liliana Cárdenas Contreras holds a Ph.D. grant from the Ministry of Education in Colombia (COLCIENCIAS 617/2013 scholarship). ; Bovine brucellosis is a zoonotic disease that causes substantial economic losses and has a strong impact on public health. The main objective of this paper is to determine the risk factors for new infections of Brucella abortus on Colombian cattle farms previously certified as being free of brucellosis. A case-control study was conducted by comparing 98 cases (farms certified as brucellosis-free for three or more years but became infected) with 93 controls (farms that remained brucellosis-free during at least the previous three years). The farms were matched by herd size and geographical location (municipality). Information was obtained via a questionnaire completed by veterinary officers through a personal interview with the herd owners. Two-thirds of the herds (67%) were dairy herds, 16% were beef herds, and 17% were dual-purpose (beef and milk) herds. After exploratory univariate analysis, all explanatory variables with a p -value of ≤0.20 were included in a logistic regression model using the forward stepwise method to select the model with the best goodness of fit. The significant risk factors were the replacement of animals from farms not certified as brucellosis-free compared to replacement from certified brucellosis-free farms (OR = 4.84, p -value < 0.001) and beef cattle farms compared to dairy cattle farms (OR = 3.61, p -value = 0.017). When herds with and without artificial insemination were compared, it was observed that farms that used natural breeding with bulls from non-certified herds had a higher risk than farms using artificial insemination (OR = 2.45, p -value = 0.037), but when the bulls came from brucellosis-free farms, farms with natural breeding were less affected (OR = 0.30, p-value = 0.004) than farms using artificial insemination, whether with frozen semen from certified brucellosis-free herds or fresh semen from uncontrolled herds. The latter is commonly sold to neighbouring farms. The government should make efforts to inform farmers about the risks involved in the introduction of semen and replacement heifers from farms that are not certified as brucellosis-free and to establish measures to control these practices. The online version of this article (10.1186/s12917-019-1825-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Forward The present work of Professor Anja Bothe is a very important aid to the study of European Union Law. Aimed at the general public, it serves differently several sectors or sub-publics. Those who are now beginning their study of this discipline will easily understand its internal organization and know how to articulate the various substantive, institutional, and procedural issues. They will be able to apprehend the juseuropean tree of knowledge, visualizing its trunk and its branches. This will facilitate the deepening of their studies and allow them to move further to more demanding levels. For those who never studied European Union Law systematically but, namely because of professional reasons, have access to many sources of information about the European Union, this book provides a quick and effective way of structuring the information they collect, knowing where and how they should arrange it conceptually and schematically. In this way, they will avoid forgetting, misunderstanding or ignoring basic and structural questions. For those who are already very familiar with European Union law, this work allows a recapitulation of the subject, allowing through the visualization of the most important aspects recall those secondary aspects that directly relate to them. For these and other reasons, this work can therefore be very useful in academic and professional contexts where it is useful or necessary to move from point A to point B by quickly convening knowledge of the central aspects of European Union Law. Jónatas E. M. Machado Professor of Law of the European Union Faculty of Law of the University of Coimbra and Autonomous University of Lisbon (UAL) ; A basic understanding of the structure and operation of the European Union is essential, not only for all branches of law, but also for management, public relations, marketing, communication, sociology and the economy. Moreover, citizens may find this book very relevant and useful in capturing the fundamental notions underlying the EU, which may cause great impacts on everybody´s daily life. The author, Anja Bothe, concluded her Ph.D. at the Law Faculty of Hamburg. She teaches several branches of law, some of them in English, at the School of Management Sciences, Health, IT & Engineering Atlântica of Barcarena, and at the University Autonoma of Lisbon, where she is also integrated in the Investigation Center of the Law Department called Ratio Legis.

Positive experience in organization of providing the population with medicine that has great scientific and practical interest for contemporaries was accumulated by previous generations of pharmacists. The aim of the study was to investigate the development of the pharmaceutical business, depending on the social-economic situation and evolution of state-political system in Ukraine in order to use the positive experience of the predecessors to the current stage of development of the country. In order to achieve these goals the literary sources, archival materials were studied, methods of historical, structural, logical, bibliographic, systemic and comparative analysis were used. The study of the situation of pharmacy in Ukraine at different stages of its social and political structure in the period of 1917–1930 years was performed. It is shown the concrete figures and facts about the negative impact of the revolutionary upheavals, wars, and political upheavals on the situation of providing the population and health care institutions with medicine. It is shown the changes of organizational management structure of pharmacy chain in this period, directed to improving provision the population with medicine. Positive experience in organization of providing the population with medicine, best traditions of national pharmacy after a science-based analysis and critical comprehension is appropriate to use for further development of pharmaceutical business at the present stage of development of the country. ; Предидущими поколениями фармацевтических работников накоплен положительный опыт в организации лекарственного обеспечения населения, который представляет научный и практический интерес для современников. Целью работы было изучение развития аптечного дела в зависимости от общественно-экономического состояния и эволюции государственно-политического устройства в Украине для использования положительного опыта предшественников на современном этапе развития страны. Для достижения поставленной цели использовали архивные материалы, источники литературы, методы исторического, библиографического, системного, структурно-логического и сравнительного анализа. Осуществлены исследования состояния аптечного дела в Украине на разных этапах ее общественного и государственно-политического устройства в период 1917–1930 гг. Приведенные конкретные цифры и факты свидетельствуют о негативном влиянии революционных потрясений, войн, общественно-политических катаклизмов на состояние обеспечения населения и лечебно-профилактических учреждений лекарственными средствами. Показаны изменения в этот период организационной структуры управления аптечной сетью, направленные на улучшение лекарственного обеспечения населения. Положительный опыт в организации лекарственного обеспечения населения, лучшие традиции отечественной фармации после научно-обоснованного анализа и критического осмысления целесообразно использовать для дальнейшего развития аптечной службы на современном этапе развития страны.

AbstractIntroductionThe CD4 cell count and percent at initiation of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) are measures of advanced HIV disease and thus are important indicators of programme performance for children living with HIV. In particular, World Health Organization (WHO) 2017 guidelines on advanced HIV disease noted that >80% of children aged <5 years started cART with WHO Stage 3 or 4 disease or severe immune suppression. We compared temporal trends in CD4 measures at cART start in children from low‐, middle‐ and high‐income countries, and examined the effect of WHO treatment initiation guidelines on reducing the proportion of children initiating cART with advanced disease.MethodsWe included children aged <16 years from the International Epidemiology Databases to Evaluate acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) (IeDEA) Collaboration (Caribbean, Central and South America, Asia‐Pacific, and West, Central, East and Southern Africa), the Collaboration of Observational HIV Epidemiological Research in Europe (COHERE), the North American Pediatric HIV/AIDS Cohort Study (PHACS) and International Maternal Pediatric Adolescent AIDS Clinical Trials (IMPAACT) 219C study. Severe immunodeficiency was defined using WHO guidelines. We used generalized weighted additive mixed effect models to analyse temporal trends in CD4 measurements and piecewise regression to examine the impact of 2006 and 2010 WHO cART initiation guidelines.ResultsWe included 52,153 children from fourteen low‐, eight lower middle‐, five upper middle‐ and five high‐income countries. From 2004 to 2013, the estimated percentage of children starting cART with severe immunodeficiency declined from 70% to 42% (low‐income), 67% to 64% (lower middle‐income) and 61% to 43% (upper middle‐income countries). In high‐income countries, severe immunodeficiency at cART initiation declined from 45% (1996) to 14% (2012). There were annual decreases in the percentage of children with severe immunodeficiency at cART initiation after the WHO guidelines revisions in 2006 (low‐, lower middle‐ and upper middle‐income countries) and 2010 (all countries).ConclusionsBy 2013, less than half of children initiating cART had severe immunodeficiency worldwide. WHO treatment initiation guidelines have contributed to reducing the proportion of children and adolescents starting cART with advanced disease. However, considerable global inequity remains, in 2013, >40% of children in low‐ and middle‐income countries started cART with severe immunodeficiency compared to <20% in high‐income countries.

AbstractIntroductionAdolescence and pregnancy are potential risk factors for loss to follow‐up (LTFU) while on antiretroviral therapy (ART). We compared adolescent and adult LTFU after ART initiation to quantify the impact of age, pregnancy, and site‐level factors on LTFU.MethodsWe used routine clinical data for patients initiating ART as young adolescents (YA; 10 to 14 years), older adolescents (OA; 15 to 19 years) and adults (≥20 years) from 2000 to 2014 at 52 health facilities affiliated with the International epidemiology Databases to Evaluate AIDS (IeDEA) East Africa collaboration. We estimated cumulative incidence (95% confidence interval, CI) of LTFU (no clinic visit for ≥6 months after ART initiation) and identified patient and site‐level correlates of LTFU, using multivariable Cox proportional hazards models for all patients as well as individual age groups.ResultsA total of 138,387 patients initiated ART, including 2496 YA, 2955 OA and 132,936 adults. Of these, 55%, 78% and 66%, respectively, were female and 0.7% of YA, 22.3% of OA and 8.3% of adults were pregnant at ART initiation. Cumulative incidence of LTFU at five years was 26.6% (24.6 to 28.6) among YA, 44.1% (41.8 to 46.3) among OA and 29.3% (29.1 to 29.6) among adults. Overall, compared to adults, the adjusted hazard ratio, aHR, (95% CI) of LTFU for OA was 1.54 (1.41 to 1.68) and 0.77 (0.69 to 0.86) for YA. Compared to males, pregnant females had higher hazard of LTFU, aHR 1.20 (1.14 to 1.27), and nonpregnant women had lower hazard aHR 0.90 (0.88 to 0.93). LTFU hazard among the OA was primarily driven by both pregnant and nonpregnant females, aHR 2.42 (1.98 to 2.95) and 1.51 (1.27 to 1.80), respectively, compared to men. The LTFU hazard ratio varied by IeDEA program. Site‐level factors associated with overall lower LTFU hazard included receiving care in tertiary versus primary‐care clinics aHR 0.61 (0.56 to 0.67), integrated adult and adolescent services and food ration provision aHR 0.93 (0.89 to 0.97) versus nonintegrated clinics with food ration provision, having patient support groups aHR 0.77 (0.66 to 0.90) and group adherence counselling aHR 0.61 (0.57 to 0.67).ConclusionsOlder adolescents experienced higher risk of LTFU compared to YA and adults. Interventions to prevent LTFU among older adolescents are critically needed, particularly for female and/or pregnant adolescents.

In this forum paper we discuss how soil scientists can help to reach the recently adopted UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the most effective manner. Soil science, as a land-related discipline, has important links to several of the SDGs, which are demonstrated through the functions of soils and the ecosystem services that are linked to those functions (see graphical abstract in the Supplement). We explore and discuss how soil scientists can rise to the challenge both internally, in terms of our procedures and practices, and externally, in terms of our relations with colleague scientists in other disciplines, diverse groups of stakeholders and the policy arena. To meet these goals we recommend the following steps to be taken by the soil science community as a whole: (i) embrace the UN SDGs, as they provide a platform that allows soil science to demonstrate its relevance for realizing a sustainable society by 2030; (ii) show the specific value of soil science: research should explicitly show how using modern soil information can improve the results of inter- and transdisciplinary studies on SDGs related to food security, water scarcity, climate change, biodiversity loss and health threats; (iii) take leadership in overarching system analysis of ecosystems, as soils and soil scientists have an integrated nature and this places soil scientists in a unique position; (iii) raise awareness of soil organic matter as a key attribute of soils to illustrate its importance for soil functions and ecosystem services; (iv) improve the transfer of knowledge through knowledge brokers with a soil background; (v) start at the basis: educational programmes are needed at all levels, starting in primary schools, and emphasizing practical, down-to-earth examples; (vi) facilitate communication with the policy arena by framing research in terms that resonate with politicians in terms of the policy cycle or by considering drivers, pressures and responses affecting impacts of land use change; and finally (vii) all this is only possible if researchers, with soil scientists in the front lines, look over the hedge towards other disciplines, to the world at large and to the policy arena, reaching over to listen first, as a basis for genuine collaboration.

[Objectives]: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease in Western countries. Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B), a negative modulator of insulin and cytokine signaling, is a therapeutic target for type 2 diabetes and obesity. We investigated the impact of PTP1B deficiency during NAFLD, particularly in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). [Methods]: NASH features were evaluated in livers from wild-type (PTP1BWT) and PTP1B-deficient (PTP1BKO) mice fed methionine/choline-deficient diet (MCD) for 8 weeks. A recovery model was established by replacing MCD to chow diet (CHD) for 2–7 days. Non-parenchymal liver cells (NPCs) were analyzed by flow cytometry. Oval cells markers were measured in human and mouse livers with NASH, and in oval cells from PTP1BWT and PTP1BKO mice. [Results]: PTP1BWT mice fed MCD for 8 weeks exhibited NASH, NPCs infiltration, and elevated Fgf21, Il6 and Il1b mRNAs. These parameters decreased after switching to CHD. PTP1B deficiency accelerated MCD-induced NASH. Conversely, after switching to CHD, PTP1BKO mice rapidly reverted NASH compared to PTP1BWT mice in parallel to the normalization of serum triglycerides (TG) levels. Among NPCs, a drop in cytotoxic natural killer T (NKT) subpopulation was detected in PTP1BKO livers during recovery, and in these conditions M2 macrophage markers were up-regulated. Oval cells markers (EpCAM and cytokeratin 19) significantly increased during NASH only in PTP1B-deficient livers. HGF-mediated signaling and proliferative capacity were enhanced in PTP1BKO oval cells. In NASH patients, oval cells markers were also elevated. [Conclusions]: PTP1B elicits a dual role in NASH progression and reversion. Additionally, our results support a new role for PTP1B in oval cell proliferation during NAFLD. ; This work was funded by SAF2015-65267-R (MINECO/FEDER), CIBERdem (ISCIII, Spain), INFLAMES (ISCIII PIE14/00045, co-funded by ERDF, "Investing in your future") to A.M.V; IJCI-2014-19381 (MINECO/FEDER) to P.R and A.M.V; CP14/00181 and PI16/00823 (ISCIII/FEDER) and CIBERehd (ISCIII, Spain) to A.G-R; BFU2015-65937-R (MINECO/FEDER), 67-2015 (Department of Health, Navarra Government) and CIBERobn (ISCIII, Spain) to M.J.M; SAF2015-69145-R (MINECO/FEDER) to A.S. A.A. was recipient of a Marie Curie ESR contract from IT-LIVER (Marie Curie Action of the FP7-2012, grant agreement 316549). We also acknowledge the European Union, project H2020-MSCA-ITN TREATMENT Grant Agreement number: 721236. ; Peer Reviewed

The common reference to the Baltic States as a single geopolitical entity conceals the actual differences between Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The article aims to outline the principal similarities and differences between Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in the field of gender equality politics developed within gender mainstreaming approach in attempt to better understanding of the current gender gaps in these countries. The research focuses on how national gender equality machineries were (re)constructed in accordance with international commitments to the UN and the EU after the restoration of independence in the Baltic States. It is demonstrated that differences between the Baltic States in the institutionalization of the contemporary structure of gender equality machinery were overcome once they became EU members. The current outcomes of gender equality politics are described on the basis of the Global Gender Gap Report 2017. The empirical data are provided for three Baltic States by analysing their gender gaps in four spheres ñ Economic participation and opportunity, Education attainment, Political empowerment and Health and survival. According to the Global Gender Gap Index, the Baltic States are among the EU Member States with the average / slightly above-average gender equality. The article argues that confirmation of the institutionalization of the contemporary gender equality machinery, the content of national governmental activities and the predominant relationship model with civil society in the Baltic States indicate that gender mainstreaming is likely yet another and the most recent social policy tool for the management of human resources. Thus, Latvia usually demonstrates a minimal attachment to gender mainstreaming. Moreover, Latvia has regressed somewhat in this respect in 2013. However, current Latvia can be considered as having more equality than Lithuania and Estonia. Among all countries participated in the research in 2017, Latvia ranks 10th, Lithuania, accordingly, 12th, and Estonia, accordingly, 16th. The case of Latvia levering the rank up due to positive trends in closing gender gaps in both Economic Participation and Opportunity and Political Empowerment subindexes confirms an assumption that rather social changes related to national demographical and economic development than merely technocratic sophistication of gender equality politics has a profound impact on current statistical indexes related to gender equality

The article deals with the main principles of waste management in Ukraine, analyzes the current state and existing problems of utilization and recycling of wastes, proposes directions for their solution, identifies the deficiencies of the legislative base, organizational and information structure in the field of waste management, highlights the main aspects of the National Strategy waste management and the consequences of its approval in Ukraine, evaluation of European practice in this field and the possibility of its implementation in our country, it is proved that eco tech safety, including proper disposal of waste is part of the economic development. It has been determined that in order to create a successful management system in the field of waste management, it is necessary to reform not only the legislative base but also the organizational structure, but to reduce the risk of a negative impact on the health of the population and the environment is needed in the initial stages, based on the principles of hierarchy and Neighborhood It was found that improvement of the current state of waste management can be achieved by minimizing already existing waste and optimizing the possibilities of further processing, recycling for new wastes. It is also decided to include mining, chemical, metallurgical, machine-building, fuel and energy, construction, as well as agro-industrial complex enterprises in the main sources of waste generation. It is noted that the lack of technical possibilities for the reprocessing or disposal of certain types of waste is a prerequisite for the occurrence of uncontrolled emissions and utilization. In the end, the main directions for improving the current situation were to increase the amount and improve the quality of waste collection and to create waste recovery facilities, their recovery and utilization as soon as possible, in accordance with the latest technical standards. ; У статті розглянуто основні принципи поводження з відходами в Україні, проаналізовано сучасний стан та наявні проблеми утилізації й переробки відходів, запропоновано напрями їх розв'яння, з'ясовано домінуючі недоліки законодавчої бази, організаційної та інформаційної структури у сфері поводження з відходами, висвітлено основні аспекти Національної стратегії поводження з відходами й наслідки її затвердження в Україні, проведено оцінку європейської практики в цій сфері та можливості її проведення в нашій країні. Доведено, що екологічна безпека, у тому числі правильна утилізація відходів, є складовою частиною ефективного економічного розвитку.

The common reference to the Baltic States as a single geopolitical entity conceals the actual differences between Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The article aims to outline the principal similarities and differences between Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in the field of gender equality politics developed within gender mainstreaming approach in attempt to better understanding of the current gender gaps in these countries. The research focuses on how national gender equality machineries were (re)constructed in accordance with international commitments to the UN and the EU after the restoration of independence in the Baltic States. It is demonstrated that differences between the Baltic States in the institutionalization of the contemporary structure of gender equality machinery were overcome once they became EU members. The current outcomes of gender equality politics are described on the basis of the Global Gender Gap Report 2017. The empirical data are provided for three Baltic States by analysing their gender gaps in four spheres ñ Economic participation and opportunity, Education attainment, Political empowerment and Health and survival. According to the Global Gender Gap Index, the Baltic States are among the EU Member States with the average / slightly above-average gender equality. The article argues that confirmation of the institutionalization of the contemporary gender equality machinery, the content of national governmental activities and the predominant relationship model with civil society in the Baltic States indicate that gender mainstreaming is likely yet another and the most recent social policy tool for the management of human resources. Thus, Latvia usually demonstrates a minimal attachment to gender mainstreaming. Moreover, Latvia has regressed somewhat in this respect in 2013. However, current Latvia can be considered as having more equality than Lithuania and Estonia. Among all countries participated in the research in 2017, Latvia ranks 10th, Lithuania, accordingly, 12th, and Estonia, accordingly, 16th. The case of Latvia levering the rank up due to positive trends in closing gender gaps in both Economic Participation and Opportunity and Political Empowerment subindexes confirms an assumption that rather social changes related to national demographical and economic development than merely technocratic sophistication of gender equality politics has a profound impact on current statistical indexes related to gender equality