Central Asia Research Articles

Kushan Settlement Complexes in the Kashmir Valley

To date, more than 60 Kushan settlement monuments have been discovered in the Kashmir Valley, however systematic archaeological work has been carried out on only three, and the rest of the monuments are known only as the result of lifting material. The main problem is the low level of knowledge of the territory. However, the Kashmir Valley has occupied an important strategic position along the Great Indian and Great Silk Trade Routes for centuries. As a result of the Yuezhi/Kushans, who paved the way from the northwestern borders of China to the western part of Central Asia, trade routes were established through Xinjiang and the mountainous territories of Northern India. The purpose of this article is to determine the sequence of the founding of settlements by the Kushans, as well as their location, in order to clarify the main migration routes between Northern India, Central Asia and China. The objectives of the study include consideration of the history of the study and characterization of the results of excavations of settlement monuments of Kushan in the Kashmir valley. The main method is historiographical analysis based on a systematic approach, using GIS technology to graphically convey the results of the study. The annexation of the northern part of the Kashmir valley to the Kushan Empire dates back to the reign of Kujula Kadfiz (30–80 AD). The rule of the Kushans in this territory continued until the beginning of IV century AD. The distribution of the identified Kushan settlement sites and cross-sectional profiles of the mountain frame of the Kashmir Valley demonstrate that the Kashmir Valley is connected to Gilgit-Baltistan along the Bandipora-Gurez road, with Ladakh along the Liddar and Sindh Rivers, along the Jhelum River basin with Gandhara.

China-Central Asia Tourism Trains: Market Demand and Competition under the Belt and Road Initiative

Cross-border tourism initiatives are vital for fostering economic integration and cultural exchange, especially in regions with historical and geographical significance. This study examines the market demand and competitive positioning of the proposed China-Central Asia tourism train, a key initiative under the Belt and Road framework. Grounded in motivation and consumer value theories, the research analyzes travel motivations, consumer psychology, and market trends to identify demand preferences. A questionnaire survey was conducted to forecast market demand, complemented by competitive analysis of existing international tourism train routes. Findings highlight older travelers as the primary audience, favoring affordable pricing, flexible itineraries, and cultural immersion. Competitive analysis reveals the train’s potential to capitalize on Central Asia’s strategic Silk Road role through unique services and experiences. This study provides practical insights for cross-border tourism development, enhancing regional connectivity and promoting sustainable tourism under the Belt and Road Initiative.

Weil, J. (2021-2023). Spisy Jiřího Weila. Sv. 1-4, 8

The review is concerned with the unique 13-volume collection of works by the Czech writer, journalist, and translator Jiří Weil (1900–1959), published by the Prague-based Triáda press under the general editorship of Michael Špirit, professor at Charles University. A brief analysis of the five already published volumes reveals the period in Weil’s life that was closely connected with the USSR: his regular publications in the Czech left-wing press covered Soviet literary and cultural events; for two years, he was stationed in Moscow as a translator for the Comintern, eventually spending months in political exile in Central Asia. For the first time in years, the new collection features Weil’s entire journalistic output concerning Soviet reality, literature, and culture. In addition, it contains a specially commissioned scholarly commentary of Weil’s unique novel Moscow-Border [Moskva-hranice] (1937), set in 1930s’ Moscow and with foreigners as protagonists.

ФОНЕТИЧНИ ОСОБЕНОСТИ НА ЗАЕМКИТЕ ОТ АРАБСКИ ЕЗИК В ОГУЗКИТЕ ЕЗИЦИ

The roots of the Oghuz languages, which are a major branch of the Turkic languages family, can be traced to Central Asia in the 11th century, when the processes of displacement and settlement of the Oghuz began. As a result of intercultural communication and social processes, as well as due to various economic and political factors, these languages were influenced both by other languages of the Oghuz group and by languages that were very different in terms of syntax, morphology and phonetics, e.g. Arabic. Although the topics of Arabic loanwords in Turkish, Turkmen and Azerbaijani are some of the most researched topics in Turkology, no comparative research has been done so far on the phonetic features of Arabic loanwords in the Oghuz languages. The aim of the study is to find Arabic loanwords common to the three Oghuz languages, to group them and to analyze their phonetic features.

The frequency of known germline LGR4 missense variant in the ethnic groups of West Siberia.

Hereditary breast cancer is an autosomal dominant disease caused by variants in genes such as BRCA1/2, RAD51, ATM, BRIP1, and others. In a previous study using whole exome sequencing, we identified a germline variant of the LGR4 gene (rs34804482, NM_018490.5(LGR4):c.2531A > G (p.Asp844Gly)) in a young Tuvan breast cancer patient (belonging to the Turkic-speaking tribes of Central Asia). The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of the variant of the LGR4 gene NM_018490.5(LGR4):c.2531A > G (p.Asp844Gly) in ethnic groups of West Siberia using the PCR-RT method. The study involved 735 breast cancer patients from ethnic groups in Siberia, median age at diagnosis of 43 ± 15.6 years. The control group consisted of 727 healthy women from Siberia, median age of 43.05 ± 13.5 years. The frequency of this variant (rs34804482) was 0.015 in Russian, 0.022 in Buryat, and 0.069 in Tuvan breast cancer patients. In Tuvan women with breast cancer, the frequency of the LGR4 gene variant was significantly higher than in Russian BC patients (0.069 versus 0.015, X2 = 8.153, p = 0.005). The frequency of the LGR4 gene variant (rs34804482) in healthy Tuvan women was significantly higher than in healthy Russian women (0.066 versus 0.016, X2 = 6.368, p = 0.012). The variant frequency in healthy Russians was close to that in Europeans (0.016 versus 0.0219). We found no statistically significant differences in the rs34804482 frequency between breast cancer patients and healthy individuals in the ethnic groups studied. The highest frequency of this missense germline variant was observed among Tuvans.

Silkworm Girl, Sericultural EcoGothic, and the Anthropocene

The article looks at the connection between Chinese folklores and the Anthropocene, examining the tale of the silkworm girl in ancient Chinese mythologies and folklores from an EcoGothic perspective of human-nonhuman alliance (as well as its betrayal). The process of sericultural development in Asia works in tandem with the formation of the renowned “silk road,” an international commercial (as well as military) route for the exchange of goods and materials from East Asia and Central Asia to Europe and the Mediterranean region. The myth of the silkworm girl encapsulates an eco-economic co-existence among human beings, animals, plants, and matter in its most rudimentary form. My discussion focuses on the two versions of the story of the silkworm girl, one from an earlier collection of folklore—Sou shen ji (In Search of the Supernatural: The Written Record) by Jin Dynasty historian, Bao Gan, in China—and the other one by Guan Ting Du—Yong Cheng Ji Sian Lu (Records of the Assembled Transcendents of the Fortified Walled City), a later collection of stories compiled in the Tang dynasty. While silkworms in ancient Chinese literature and the sericulture they embody have been associated with agricultural advancement through the human domestication and extraction of natural resources, the anthropocentric interpretations of the moral lessons conveyed in those tales about the economic value their industry and productivity symbolize is problematized by the girl-horse metamorphosis and their symbiotic relationship with mulberry trees. Their representations are further complicated by the military involvement in sericulture. This article compares diverging representations of the silkworm girl within the context of the sericultural practice, particularly the man-horse-silkworm-mulberry entanglement, to reconsider the ecological significance of Asian mythologies in the age of our Anthropocene crisis.

Unraveling China’s Aid Strategy Towards Central Asian Countries: The Case of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan

China’s burgeoning influence in Central Asia, particularly in economically disadvantaged nations like Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, presents a multifaceted phenomenon deserving of deeper analysis. This article delves into the impact of Chinese involvement in these two Central Asian countries, shedding light on the instruments employed by China, such as development aid and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Despite their economic challenges, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have emerged as key recipients of Chinese aid, receiving grants, concessional loans, and infrastructure projects that have reshaped their socio-economic landscapes. At the heart of China’s engagement lies the ambitious Belt and Road Initiative, which has positioned Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan as pivotal nodes in China’s quest for regional connectivity. As Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan navigate their relationship with China, they face the delicate task of leveraging economic opportunities while safeguarding their national interests amidst evolving geopolitical dynamics in Central Asia. This article aims to analyze Chinese influence through development aid and the BRI in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, illuminating both the opportunities and challenges of this relationship.

Dynamics Of the Nо System in Experimental Hypercholesterolemia

Relevance. Hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis continue to be the leading causes of mortality in Central Asia. Aim. Study of the molecular mechanisms of endothelial dysfunction with changes in the nitroergic system in experimental hypercholesterolemia. Materials and methods. The experiments were carried out on 28 Chinchilla rabbits with an average weight of 2.5-3.0kg. The action of drugs was studied in dynamics: the initial 3-month condition and after one month of drug administration. The results obtained were compared with those of the control and intact groups. Results. The activity of the enzyme nitrate reductase in the blood serum on the 30th day of the introduction of exogenous cholesterol increases only 1.15 times, then on the 60th and 90th days of the introduction - 1.3 and 1.76 times. Conclusion. In the dynamics of hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis in the blood serum, there are noticeable disturbances in the NO-ergic system.

Navigating Asia's sustainable growth trajectory: a cross-regional comparative analysis.

This study examined the green total factor productivity (GTFP), technical progress change (GTC), and technical efficiency change (GEC) trajectories across 39 Asian countries from 2006 to 2021. GTFP was assessed across five Asian regions using the global Malmquist-Luenberger (GML) index with a slacks-based measure model and directional distance function. The results of the study show that West Asia, with a mean GTFP value of 1.0011, is ahead of Southeast Asia and South Asia, while Central and East Asia show room for improvement. Gini index analysis further shows that GTFP varies significantly within and outside the region, with large fluctuations especially in Southeast Asia and South Asia. GTC stagnated significantly in 2009 and 2015, indicating a bottleneck in technological progress, while GEC showed a positive upward trend, reflecting the improvement in resource efficiency. The 'decoupling' of GTC and GEC highlights the inconsistency between efficiency growth and the pace of technological progress, particularly in East and Central Asia. In 2021, Asia's average GTFP reaches 1.0048, signaling the region's progress towards sustainable productivity. This study provides important theoretical and practical implications by quantifying the regional differences in GTFP, GTC, and GEC, which provide a quantitative basis and decision-making reference for the formulation of green development policies in the Asian region.

The Curious Case of the Islamic Journeymen: Questions and Texts toward a Comparative Study of Guilds

Abstract Nearly a century after Bernard Lewis’ seminal article, much about craft guilds in Islamic societies remains unknown. Even less is known about journeymen, a stratum of hired workers who were neither apprentices nor master craftsmen. European thought and historiography—especially Marxism, under whose influence much of the works on guilds were written—ascribed to them an essential role in the history of labor and politics. In the Middle East, it is unclear whether such a position existed, when it emerged, whether it was imported, and under what conditions. When journeymen do seem to appear in the sources, it is still difficult to say whether they matched their Western European equivalents in conditions, demographics, aspirations, and political potential. These questions are crucial for comparing guilds, social structures, and life courses across time and space. At the heart of this dossier are six texts, which are also reproduced here in translation. These sources—a contemporary description and five works of historical scholarship written in Arabic, Serbian, Russian, Albanian, and Georgian—remain fundamental studies of guilds in the Middle East, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. The translations thus provide access to non-Anglophone scholarship. The accompanying article analyzes the historiography and puts these sources under scrutiny. It shows the limitations of imposing European models on Islamic guilds, including misinterpretations. Analyzing and contextualizing these interpretations reveals dynamics worth exploring, raises new questions, and revives old debates abandoned prematurely. These include the relationship between religious and craft associations, the management of young and mobile men, and the logic of industrial development in Europe, the Islamic World, and beyond.

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF ZINC, MOLYBDENUM, MANGANESE, CHROMIUMI CONTENT IN HAIR, BLOOD SERUM AND URINE OF STUDENTS FROM CENTRAL ASIA, MIDDLE EAST AND CENTRAL RUSSIA DURING THE PERIOD OF ADAPTATION TO STUDY

Introduction. The most popular education in Russian higher education institutions is among applicants from Central Asian countries, including Ka-zakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. Students from this region make up more than half of all foreign citizens studying in Russian universities. Changed environmental conditions lead to the development of stressful situations, decreased learning ability and, in the future, the possible development of a number of diseases closely related to the presence of various elementoses. In this regard, in addition to the socio-cultural adaptation of students, it is very important to pay attention to the study of the elemental status of students in the process of their further adaptation to the changed living conditions. The aim of the study – a comparative analysis of the elemental status of first-year students from different climatic and geographical regions of the world who arrived to study in the Russian Federation and students living in the territory of the Russian Federation. Material and methods. From September 1, 2022 to January 1, 2023, a study of the elemental composition of hair was conducted using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in 180 first-year students of RUDN University who had previously lived in the Middle East (60 people) and in the Moscow region (120 people). The age of the subjects was 18–26 years, the average age was 22.7 ± 4 years. Gender differences in the comparison groups were not taken into account. Differences in samples were determined using the Mann–Whitney test for independent samples (significance level p < 0.05). Results. The presented results of a comparative analysis of the content of Zn, Mo, Mn, Cr elements in the hair of students who arrived from the coun-tries of the Middle East, Central Asia and regions of Central Russia during the adaptation period to training in 2023 are characterized by reliable differ-ences in the content of essential microelements in various biosubstrates. Conclusion. The established features of the elemental profiles of students showed that the hair of the subjects reflects the territorial climatic and ge-ographical features of the region of residence of the examined persons.

IONIC HAIR PROFILES OF STUDENTS FROM THE MIDDLE EAST AND MOSCOW REGION

Introduction. In previous years, RUDN University conducted a comparative analysis of the ionomic profiles of first-year students from Africa, Central Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, China and others, but a comparison of the elemental status of first-year RUDN University students from the Middle East and the Moscow region has not been described in the literature. The purpose of the study is to study the relationship between the ionomic profile of hair of first-year RUDN University students from the Middle East and the Moscow region with the natural and climatic conditions of the living environment. Material and methods. In the period from September 1, 2022 to January 1, 2023, a study of the elemental composition of hair was carried out using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in 180 first-year RUDN University students who previously lived in the ME countries (60 people) and in the MR (120 people) aged 18–26 years. The average age of the subjects was 22.7 ± 4 years. Gender differences in the comparison groups were not taken into account. Results. It was found that in the ionic profile of the hair of students who arrived from the Moscow region, the predominant macroelements are calci-um, magnesium, essential microelements manganese, cobalt, iron, toxic microelement mercury, and potentially toxic microelement tin. In the ionic profile of the hair of students who arrived from the Middle East, the predominant elements are sodium, essential microelements molybdenum, silicon, toxic microelements thallium, cesium, antimony, tungsten, beryllium, conditionally essential and potentially toxic microelements arsenic, rubidium, nickel. Conclusions. The article presents the results of a comparative analysis of the content of 22 elements in the hair of first-year RUDN students from the Middle East and the Moscow region during the adaptation period to study in 2023. The features of the elemental profiles of students were established, it was shown that the hair of the subjects reflects the territorial climatic and geographical features of the region of residence of the subject.

Chemical Profile and Biological Properties of Methanolic and Ethanolic Extracts from the Aerial Parts of Inula britannica L. Growing in Central Asia.

The genus Inula has been used in folk medicine for centuries; however, the data concerning Inula britannica L. are scarce. This study aimed at investigating the chemical composition of methanolic and ethanolic extracts from the aerial parts of I. britannica collected in Kazakhstan and evaluating their antimicrobial and antioxidant properties, with special attention being paid to polyphenols. The total content of polyphenols and flavonoids in the extracts was determined colorimetrically, while their qualitative and quantitative analyses were conducted using HPLC/ESI-QTOF-MS and RP-HPLC/DAD. Their antioxidant potential was determined using the FRAP and DPPH methods, whereas their antimicrobial activity was determined by the microdilution method towards a panel of reference microorganisms, including pathogens of the human gastrointestinal tract. Chemical analysis demonstrated that the methanolic extract had a higher content of polyphenols (58.02 vs. 43.44 mg GAE/g) and flavonoids (21.69 vs. 13.91 mg QUE/g) than the ethanolic extract. In both extracts, 15 compounds were identified, with the highest contents being those of cynarine (13.96 and 11.68 mg/g) and chlorogenic acid (9.22 and 5.09 mg/g). The DPPH assay showed a higher antioxidant activity of the methanolic extract (19.78 ± 0.12 mg GAE/g) in comparison to that of the ethanolic extract (15.56 ± 0.24 mg GAE/g). Similarly, the FRAP method showed that the methanolic extract exerted a much higher antioxidant activity (5.07 ± 0.18 mmol Fe2+/g) than the ethanolic extract (0.39 ± 0.01 mmol Fe2+/g). In contrast, both extracts showed similar antimicrobial properties, with the highest activity being that against Helicobacter pylori ATCC 43504 (MIC = 0.125-0.25 mg/mL). This paper presents novel data on I. britannica L., implying its significance as a source of valuable active compounds and being a prerequisite for further biological studies.

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF IRON, COPPER AND COBALT CONTENT IN HAIR, BLOOD SERUM AND URINE OF STUDENTS FROM CENTRAL ASIA, MIDDLE EAST AND CENTRAL RUSSIA DURING THE PERIOD OF ADAPTATION TO STUDY

Introduction. The most popular education in Russian higher education institutions is enjoyed by immigrants from Central Asian countries, including Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. They account for more than half of all foreign citizens studying in Russian universities. Changed environmental conditions lead to the development of stressful situations, decreased learning ability and, in the future, the possible development of a number of diseases closely associated with the presence of various elementoses. In this regard, in addition to the socio-cultural adaptation of students, it is very important to pay attention to the study of the elemental status of students in the process of their further adaptation to the changed living conditions. The purpose of the study – comparative analysis of iron, copper, cobalt content in hair, blood serum and urine of students from Central Asian countries, the Middle East and Central Russian regions during the adaptation period to study. Material and methods. In the period from September 1, 2022 to January 1, 2023, a study of the elemental composition of hair was conducted using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in 180 first-year students of RUDN University, who previously lived in the countries of Central Asia (170 people), the Middle East (60 people) and in the regions of Central Russia (120 people) aged 18–26 years. The average age of the subjects was 22.7 ± 4 years. Gender differences in the comparison groups were not taken into account. Differences in samples were determined using the Mann–Whitney test for independent samples (significance level p < 0.05). Results. The article presents the results of a comparative analysis of the content of iron, copper, chromium in the hair, urine and blood serum of students who arrived from the countries of the Middle East, Central Asia and the regions of Central Russia during the adaptation period to study in 2023. Features of the elemental profiles of students were established. Conclusions. It is shown that the hair of the subjects reflects the territorial climatic and geographical features of the region of residence of the examined persons. Despite statistically significant differences in the content of iron, copper, chromium in the examined students of different regions, their elemental profile did not affect the objective medical indicators (heart rate, saturation level, hemoglobin index).

Evaluations on ottoman palace cuisine and banquet culture practices

The foundations of today's Turkish cuisine were laid during the Central Asian, Seljuk and Ottoman periods. One of the representations that are effective in creating the richness of Turkish cuisine is banquets. Ottoman palace cuisine was determined as the subject of the study, with the idea that banquet culture and menus could be a guide within the framework of today's consumption changes. It was thought that the most suitable stage to examine the Ottoman banquet culture was the province of Istanbul. The purpose of the study is to define the maintenance status of Ottoman palace cuisine-themed food and beverage establishments' banquet menus and to reveal the factors that are effective in terms of sustainability. Thus, interviews were held with 14 Ottoman cuisine-themed food and beverage establishments operating in Istanbul. Consequently data analysis, it was determined that the sustainability of the Ottoman banquet culture was in danger. It has been noticed that businesses are effective in transferring their cultural sustainability to future generations, but there are some shortcomings. Especially; It has been determined that there are deficiencies in menu diversity and reflection of the atmosphere, lack of information about Ottoman cuisine, cost of meals, lack of standard recipes, and insufficient state incentives and policies.

The fibrosis investigating navigator in diabetes (FIND): A tool to predict liver fibrosis risk in subjects with diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes increases the risk of cirrhosis and liver cancer. Noninvasive and early assessment of liver fibrosis is essential. We aimed to develop a score to aid in the initial assessment of liver fibrosis in the diabetic population. A fibrosis investigating navigator in diabetes (FIND) score was developed and validated in the NHANES dataset (2017-2020). Fibrosis was defined as a liver stiffness measurement (LSM) ≥8.0 kPa. The diagnostic accuracies of FIB-4, NFS, LiverRisk, steatosis-associated fibrosis estimator (SAFE) and metabolic dysfunction-associated fibrosis (MAF-5) were compared. FIND was also externally validated in various liver diseases via biopsy as a reference in an Asian centre between 2016 and 2020. Finally, we examined the prognostic implications of the FIND index utilizing data from the UK Biobank cohort (2006-2010). The FIND score model yielded an AUROC of 0.781 for the prediction of an LSM ≥8 kPa in the validation set, which was consistently greater than that of other available models (all p < 0.05). In the whole NHANES dataset, the 85% sensitivity cut-off of 0.16 corresponded to a NPV of 91.9%, whereas the 85% specificity cut-off of 0.31 corresponded to a PPV of 50.6%. FIND displayed overall accuracies similar to those of the other models in staging fibrosis stages, with biopsy used as a reference. In the UK Biobank cohort, FIND >0.31 was associated with an increased risk of all-cause and liver-related mortality in the diabetic population in adjusted models (HR, 1.75; 95% CI, 1.62-1.89; HR, 23.59; 95% CI, 13.67-40.69). In diabetes patients, the novel FIND score performs well in identifying subjects at risk of liver fibrosis and predicting all-cause and liver-related mortality.

P121 Distribution and treatment patterns in pustular psoriasis on two continents: insights from the international registry (IRASPEN)

Abstract Background Pustular psoriasis is a group or rare, neutrophilic conditions including Generalized Pustular Psoriasis (GPP), Palmoplantar Pustulosis (PPP), and Acrodermatitis Continua of Hallopeau (ACH). Each presents unique management challenges. The International Registry of Pustular Psoriasis (IRASPEN) is a prospective 10-year registry that collects a comprehensive real-world dataset to explore patient demographics, clinical features and treatment patterns all over the world. Methods In 9 centres in Europe and Asia, 81 patients were included with diagnoses established according to the ERASPEN criteria. An analysis was conducted on data categorized by diagnosis, age, gender, and location. The study focuses on the distribution of treatments for GPP, PPP, and ACH across Europe and Asia, detailing how these conditions are managed in different regions. Results In this first analysis, baseline cross-sectional data are presented. 46 patients with PPP were included, making up 56% of the cohort. Thirty patients had GPP, and only five patients had ACH. Demographic Distribution The age range spans from 13 to 86 years. There is a female predominance, with 71% (58) of the cohort being female, which may suggest gender-related differences in disease incidence or reporting. Reflecting the number of centres, the majority of patients are from Europe, with 70 individuals from Germany, Italy, Portugal, Switzerland, and Turkey. The Asian cohort includes 11 patients from Singapore and Malaysia. Treatment strategies Of all treatment choices used in PPP, 46% were topical, 37% classic systemic drugs and 17% biological drugs. In GPP, 22% of treatments chosen were topical, 43% classic systemic drugs and 35% biologics. Insight into real-world treatment efficacy was as yet limited as the registry had just started. Conclusion The IRASPEN registry elucidates significant geographical and demographic distinctions in the management of pustular psoriasis. The varied treatment approaches, particularly the heavy reliance on topical agents for PPP and more aggressive treatments for GPP, underscore the necessity for personalized therapeutic strategies. These findings advocate for tailored treatment plans that consider both the type of psoriasis and regional health care practices to optimize patient outcomes.

A Comprehensive Review on the Ethnopharmacological Potential of &lt;i&gt;Inula racemosa&lt;/i&gt;

Inula racemosa, Pushkarmool or Indian elecampane, is a perennial herbaceous plant indigenous to the Himalayan region and various parts of Central Asia. It is classified within the Asteraceae family and is characterised by its tall stature, prominent foliage, and clusters of yellow blossoms. It has traditionally been a staple in Ayurvedic medicine due to its multifaceted therapeutic attributes, including expectorant, diuretic, and anti-inflammatory properties. Through chemical analysis, key bioactive constituents such as alantolactone and isoalantolactone have been identified, underscoring their medicinal significance. Emerging research underscores the potential of I. racemosa extracts in addressing respiratory disorders, gastrointestinal maladies, and inflammatory ailments. Nevertheless, comprehensive investigations are imperative to delineate its pharmacological mechanisms and potential adverse reactions.

Experiences with the conservation of the Central Asian Tortoise Agrionemys horsfieldii Gray, 1844 during the construction of PV plants in Uzbekistan

The paper describes step-by-step actions to conserve a globally threatened species – the Central Asian Tortoise in the area of construction of PV plant in the Karnabchul steppe of Samarkand region of Uzbekistan. The total area of the solar PV plant is 350 ha. The research was conducted during spring and summer seasons from 2019 to 2022 during the planning and construction phase of this object. Fauna surveys of the project site in 2019 showed that the most abundant reptiles of the project site are the Central Asian Tortoise. A quantitative assessment of the individuals inhabiting the project site and an analysis the risk of planned technogenic impact were carried out in 2020. The likely damage to the turtle population from the installation and construction works was reasonably estimated at 430 individuals. This was a strong argument for postponing full-scale construction works until mid-2021. Preparations for the relocation of living on the project site turtles began in 2020: the design of the fence and the drainage channel profile were agreed to be as safe as possible for the animals; construction of the project site fence began and a 1250 ha relocation site with similar foraging and protection conditions was selected. In spring 2021, 4572 individuals were removed from the project site and relocated to the resettlement area. The necessary precautions were observed. In 2022, the effectiveness of translocating Central Asian tortoises into the contiguous territory was monitored. Population counts were carried out and the sex and age structure of the turtle population in the relocation area was studied. These studies show that the resettlement process has not disturbed the age and sex structure of the Central Asian tortoise in the area and has not resulted in the mortality of even a small number of individuals. The desert areas of Uzbekistan have the highest potential for solar energy development. At the same time, this sector of the economy also poses a potential threat to terrestrial vertebrate species, in particular the Central Asian Tortoise. The described actions on tortoise conservation in the conditions of Uzbekistan were applied for the first time and showed a good result. In our opinion, it can be used in the implementation of subsequent similar projects.

Variegated digital state repression in Central Asia

AbstractExisting research on digital activism in autocratic regimes tends to treat Central Asia as a homogenous entity with similar approaches to how new digital technologies are used for the purposes of state repression. Drawing on Feldstein's taxonomy of digital repression and new empirical evidence, this essay shows that digital state repression varies across the region. The presented findings add to current scholarship in three ways. First, we consider different forms of autocracies within Central Asia as a differentiated geography. Second, we examine the factors which led to a shift in how technologies could be used by autocracies as policy instruments to control their citizens. Third, given the growth of technological innovations that can sustain autocracies, we examine the specific mix of technologies within the different types of autocracies that shape the strategies of repression in Central Asia. The research presents a variegated picture of digitally‐enabled deepening autocratization in Central Asia.