Areas Of Eastern Europe Research Articles

The Use of Nigella sativa in Cardiometabolic Diseases.

Nigella sativa L. is an herb that is commonly used in cooking and in traditional medicine, particularly in Arab countries, the Indian subcontinent, and some areas of eastern Europe. Nigella sativa is also called "black cumin" or "black seeds", as the seeds are the most-used part of the plant. They contain the main bioactive component thymoquinone (TQ), which is responsible for the pleiotropic pharmacological properties of the seeds, including anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-hypertensive, anti-hepatotoxic, hypoglycemic, and lipid-lowering properties. In this narrative review, both the potential mechanisms of action of Nigella sativa and the fundamental role played by pharmaceutical technology in optimizing preparations based on this herb in terms of yield, quality, and effectiveness have been outlined. Moreover, an analysis of the market of products containing Nigella sativa was carried out based on the current literature with an international perspective, along with a specific focus on Italy.

Assessment of the factors for the presence of wild boar near outdoor and extensive pig farms in two areas of Eastern Europe

Assessment of the factors for the presence of wild boar near outdoor and extensive pig farms in two areas of Eastern Europe

Watch for discrimination against Russian students, staff, faculty

T he effects of the Russia–Ukraine war have been felt across the globe, including in American higher education. Colleges and universities scrambled to recall study‐abroad students from high‐risk areas of Eastern Europe. Similarly, some U.S. colleges and universities decided to end research partnerships and cut other financial ties with Russian universities and organizations. However, their main focus has been on providing support to Ukrainian students attending colleges and universities in the United States.

Watch for discrimination against Russian students, staff, faculty

T he effects of the Russia–Ukraine war have been felt across the globe, including in American higher education. Colleges and universities scrambled to recall study‐abroad students from high‐risk areas of Eastern Europe. Similarly, some U.S. colleges and universities decided to end research partnerships and cut other financial ties with Russian universities and organizations. However, their main focus has been on providing support to Ukrainian students attending colleges and universities in the United States.

Watch for discrimination against Russian students, staff, faculty

T he effects of the Russia–Ukraine war have been felt across the globe, including in American higher education. Colleges and universities scrambled to recall study‐abroad students from high‐risk areas of Eastern Europe. Similarly, some U.S. colleges and universities decided to end research partnerships and cut other financial ties with Russian universities and organizations. However, their main focus has been on providing support to Ukrainian students attending colleges and universities in the United States.

European Grid Dataset of Actual Evapotranspiration, Water Availability and Effective Precipitation

The sustainability of a territory is closely related to its resources. Due to climate change, the most precious natural resource, water, has been negatively affected by climatic conditions in terms of quantity and quality. CLIMAT datasets of 1 km2 spatial resolution were used and processed in the ArcGIS environment to generate maps of actual evapotranspiration, water availability, and effective precipitation for the periods of 1961–1990 (1990s), 2011–2040 (2020s), and 2041–2070 (2050s). The product is of paramount importance for the analysis of the actual situation in Europe indicating high water availability in the Alps Range, the Carpathians Mountains, Northern European countries, and the British Islands. On the other hand, low water availability has been evidenced in the Southern and Eastern European areas. For the future period (2050s), the monthly potential evapotranspiration is expected to increase by 30%. The climate models also show an increase in the actual evapotranspiration between past and future periods by 40%. The changes in water availability and effective precipitation between the past (1990s) and future (2050s) indicate decreases of 10%. The most affected areas by climate change are located within the Mediterranean areas, the Iberian Peninsula, and Eastern Europe.

Assessing the Knowledge of the Osteopathic Profession in New York City's Eastern European Communities.

BackgroundAccording to the decennial Osteopathic Survey of Healthcare in America, the osteopathic profession has been steadily gaining recognition in the United States, particularly among the White/Caucasian demographic. This, however, does not take into account immigrant European communities that, while racially classified as White/Caucasian, may be unexposed to osteopathic physicians (DOs) in their home country and may be reticent to osteopathic manipulative medicine. Data on non-English-speaking communities are limited and can mask the need for further outreach. This study aimed to identify literature in osteopathic outreach to minority communities and assess osteopathic awareness in New York City’s Eastern European communities. Secondary objectives include characterization of potential barriers in hindering access to osteopathic medicine, and, by extension, other minority groups.MethodologyAn anonymous survey prepared in Russian and English was used to gather demographics, education level, healthcare habits, and knowledge of the osteopathic profession. To provide a clinical scenario, a health habit question regarding low back pain (LBP) was provided to participants. Participants over the age of 18 were randomly selected from high density Eastern European areas at two separate time points. Statistical analysis was performed using R to evaluate independence between questions using chi-square tests.ResultsA total of 150 surveys met the inclusion criteria, with 71 males and 79 females, an age range of 18-92, and a median age of 62. On comparing demographics, education level, and healthcare habits, only English proficiency showed statistical significance (p = 0.039) in determining recognition of the osteopathic profession. Overall, 60% (n = 94) stated that they have heard of osteopathic medicine and knew what a DO physician does. However, only 35% (n = 53) would see a DO for LBP, with 50% (n = 77) seeing a physical therapist.ConclusionsCompared to research examining osteopathic awareness in ethnic minority communities, the Russian community in New York appears to have greater recognition of the osteopathic profession. This, however, does not translate into a clinical scenario as more participants were more likely to see a physical therapist. While this difference can be attributed to numerous factors, it stands without doubt that greater osteopathic outreach and data collection needs to be performed in minority communities.

Disseminated Alveolar Echinococcosis.

Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is caused by the larval form of the tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis. In humans, E. alveolaris metacestode cells proliferate in the liver inducing a hepatic disorder that mimics liver cancer and can spread to other organs. From 1960 to 1972 mortality was at 70% and 94% after 5 and 10 years of follow-up, respectively. Since then, studies have shown an increasing trend towards improving survival rates [1]. As AE is also spreading to new areas of Eastern Europe, researchers seek to better understand the clinical presentation of pathology, including asymptomatic forms. Clinical case; One 36-year-old woman from Peshkopia has been admitted to the Gastrohephatology department on 20.07.2011 with fatigue, anorexia, dull pain in right hypochondrium, mild epigastric pain, bloating, and weight loss. The epidemiological anamnesis showed that the patient lived in the village and had pets. On physical examination, the patient appeared severely ill with jaundice, massive hepatomegaly, massive mass in the mesogastric area, and anxiety. Laboratory examinations were as follows: Hb 11.1 g/dl, sediment 25 mm/h; leukocytes 6700/mm3; platelets 127000/mm3; prothrombin level 60%, uremia 12.7 mmol/l; creatinine 0.78 mmol /l; ALP 127 U/I; AST 15 U/I; ALT 37 U/I; GGT 131 U/I; bilirubin 3.7 mg/l, albumin 2.8 gr / l, total protein 8.1 gr / l, HbsAg negative, anti-HCV negative. Regarding serology, the titer of anti-echinococcal antibodies was positive (22, n = 11) Conclusions: Clinical presentation and radiologic imaging findings of disseminated alveolar echinococcosis can mimic metastatic malignancy, and diagnosis can be challenging in atypically advanced cases. As the incidence of human alveolar echinococcosis appears to be increasing and, physicians should be aware of alveolar echinococcosis, its epidemiology, and its clinical features.

Polymorphism of the Introduced Snail Cepaea nemoralis (Gastropoda, Helicidae) from two Distant Parts of Eastern Europe: Accidental Similarity or Regularity?

The shell coloration of Cepaea nemoralis (Linnaeus, 1758) from Western Ukraine (Ivano-Frankivsk, Lviv, and Ternopil Regions) and from the Moscow Region of Russia was analyzed, in total, almost 6 thousand specimens from 32 sites. In the samples from the Moscow Region, on average, there were half as many yellow shells and four times as many pink mid-banded shells. There were no other statistically significant differences. As in other areas of Eastern Europe, yellow unbanded and brown shells were often absent or represented by few individuals in both compared areas, and brown banded shells were completely (Western Ukraine) or almost completely (Moscow Region) absent, which may be related to the founder effect. Analysis of the literature data showed that in the introduced populations of C. nemoralis from Europe and USA, a distinct predominance of one or two of the 4 light phenotypes (yellow unbanded, yellow mid-banded, pink unbanded, and pink mid-banded) is often observed. The total frequency of these phenotypes in introduced populations is often higher than its average values calculated for different parts of the natural range. A possible relationship between the observed pattern and climatic selection is discussed.

Historia, stan i potrzeby badań nad uzbrojeniem z ziem polskich okresów rzymskiego i wędrówek ludów. Spojrzenie subiektywne (pomimo dobrych chęci)

Historia, stan i potrzeby badań nad uzbrojeniem z ziem polskich okresów rzymskiego i wędrówek ludów. Spojrzenie subiektywne (pomimo dobrych chęci)

Giant hydatid lung cyst in non-endemic area

Abstract Echinococcosis is a parasitic zoonosis in which humans are involved as an intermediate host. It is a very common pathology in the areas of Eastern Europe and Asia, where the main activity is represented by pastoralism and animal breeding. In humans, the most frequently affected sites are the liver (60–70%) and lungs (20–30%), manifesting themselves with symptoms such as abdominal pain, coughing, dyspnea, hemoptysis, up to cases of anaphylactic shock. In Italy it is not a common disease with an incidence of 2:100.000 inhabitants, and it's extremely rare in pediatric population. In this work we presented a case of a 11-years male patient came for a persistent cough, to whom was found a giant cystic mass in the thorax. Serological tests confirmed the diagnosis of echinococcosis. Patient underwent to thoracotomy to remove the cyst and he begun the antiparasitic therapy. Post-operative outcome was good and the patient is, until now, free of problems. Echinococcosis is a challenging problem for a pediatric surgeon, especially in non-endemic area, not only because it is not a common disease in pediatric population, but also for the surgical management that can presents some difficulties and complications in the post-operative course.

Avian influenza overview May - August 2020.

Between 16 May and 15 August 2020, seven highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N8) virus outbreaks were reported in Europe in poultry, with one outbreak reported in Bulgaria(n=1) andsix in Hungary (n=6) and one low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) A(H5N3) virus outbreak was reported in poultry in Italy. All six outbreaks detected in Hungary were secondary outbreaks and seem to be the tail end of the HPAI A(H5N8) epidemic that wasobserved in poultry over the winter and spring in central Europe from December 2019 (n=334).Genetic analysis of the HPAI A(H5N8) viruses isolated during this reporting period from Bulgaria and Hungary did not identify any major changes compared tothe viruses collected in the respective countries during the first months of 2020. This suggests a persistence of the virus in the two countries rather than new introductions via infectedwild birds. HPAI A(H5N8) virus has been detected in poultry and wild birds in western Russia within the reporting period, and as of the middle of September also in Kazakhstan. The presence of HPAI virus in western Russiaand in north Kazakhstan,spatially associated with autumnmigration routes of wild waterbirds, is of concern due to the possible spread of the virus via wild birds migrating to the EU.It is highly recommended thatMember States take appropriate measures to promptly detect suspected cases of HPAI, including increasing biosecurity measures. According to past experiences (2005‐2006 and 2016‐2017 epidemic waves), the northern and eastern European areas might be at higher risk of virus introduction in the coming autumn‐winter seasonand should be the key regions where prompt response measures to early detect the virusshould be set up. One human case due to A(H9N2) avian influenza virus infection was reported during the reporting period.

Progress of cohort studies in countries from Asia and Europe

Objective: To share related knowledge and experiences with countries along the line, literature regarding current cohort studies was summarized. Distribution, establishment and development of cohort studies among large prospective general population were analyzed in 17 countries of Western Asia and the 16 countries of Central and Eastern Europe. Methods: Literature review was conducted to collect basic information on cohort studies, with descriptive study used to analyze the characteristics of these cohort studies. Results: There were 562 cohort studies with sample size as more than 1 000 stated in Western Asia and Central and Eastern Europe, including 468 (83.27%) carried out in the nation itself and 94 (16.73%) with international multicentered collaboration. According to the nature of cohort studies, 347 (61.74%) were etiologically based. As for the contents involved, 310 (55.16%) of them targeted on chronic/non-communicable diseases, 125 (22.24%) concentrated on maternal and child health. Among those on chronic/non-communicable diseases, 51 (16.45%) were on cancers and 83 (26.77%) on cardiovascular disease studies. There appeared 10 large prospective cohort studies targeting on general population, mainly ongoing in Iran and European countries, with a duration of 8-29 years, including 4 of them with sample size as more than 50 000. In terms of the contents, epidemiological investigation, physical examination and biological samples collection took the major parts. Few papers were published in 9 out of the 10 cohort studies at the early stage of those projects but the number of papers increased annually and stabilized to certain extent. Conclusions: The regional distribution of cohort studies carried out in countries from the Western Asia and Central and Eastern European areas appeared unbalanced. Contents of these designs would mainly involve etiological studies, with focus on non-communicable diseases as cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, respiratory diseases, mental and psychological diseases, and maternal and infant health etc.. However, only few large prospective cohort studies would base on general population.

Diversification and genetic structure of the western-to-eastern progression of European Phaseolus vulgaris L. germplasm

BackgroundCommon bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is the most important food legume for direct human consumption around the world, as it represents a valuable source of components with nutritional and health benefits.ResultsWe conducted a study to define and explain the genetic relatedness and diversification level of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) germplasm from Portugal to Ukraine, along a western-to-eastern line of southern European countries, including Poland. This was based on the P. vulgaris genetic structure, and was designed to better describe its distribution and domestication pathways in Europe. Using the multi-crop passport descriptors that include geographic origin and different phaseolin types (corresponding to the Mesoamerican and Andean gene pools), 782 accessions were obtained from nine gene banks and 12 geographic origins. We selected 33 genome/ gene-related/ gene-pool-related nuclear simple sequence repeat markers that covered the genetic diversity across the P. vulgaris genome. The overall polymorphic information content was 0.800. Without specifying geographic origin, global structure cluster analysis generated 10 genetic clusters. Among the PvSHP1 markers, the most informative for gene pool assignment of the European P. vulgaris germplasm was PvSHP1-B. Results of AMOVA show that 89% of the molecular variability is shared within the 782 accessions, with 4% molecular variability among the different geographic origins along this western-to-eastern line of southern Europe (including Poland).ConclusionsThis study shows that the diversification line of the European P. vulgaris germplasm followed from the western areas of southern Europe (Portugal, Spain, Italy, Slovenia) to the more eastern areas of southern Europe. This progression defines three geographically separated subgroups, as the northern (Poland, Ukraine, Romania), southern (Albania, Bulgaria), and central (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Hungary) areas of eastern Europe.

The first record of amphisbaenian and anguimorph lizards (Reptilia, Squamata) from the upper Miocene Solnechnodolsk locality in Russia

ABSTRACT The amphisbaenian and anguimorph fossil lizards from the late Miocene (MN 13) Solnechnodolsk locality (southern European Russia) are described. Amphisbaenians are represented only by isolated vertebrae of which more precise allocation is difficult. The anguine material shows the presence of at least two taxa which are described from this area for the first time: Anguis cf. rarus and Ophisaurus cf. spinari. The A. rarus was previously known only from the early Miocene of Germany. Ophisaurus spinari has a broad stratigraphic range – from the early and middle Miocene of Central Europe, with the last occurrence documented from the late Pliocene of Italy. However, no record was known from the late Miocene, which would show an important part of the story. The parietal of A. cf. rarus forms the first evidence of its survival to the end of the Miocene by its shifting to south areas of Eastern Europe, together with O. spinari. The Solnechnodolsk material is evidence of a broad spatial and/or temporal distribution of both these anguine taxa and the parietal of Anguis unambiguously documents the presence of this taxon in Russia already in the late Miocene. The thermophilic forms in Solnechnodolsk are represented by monitor lizards (Varanus).

Global HBV burden: guesstimates and facts.

Chronic hepatitis B virus infection (HBV) continues to pose a serious global health threat in many areas of the world, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, the Western Pacific Region and areas of Eastern Europe. Endemicity is heterogeneous within and across regions owing to variable implementation of childhood and birth-dose vaccination programs, inconsistent screening of blood products, injection drug use, and poor education initiatives. This review aims to provide comprehensive up-to-date estimates of global seroprevalence of chronic HBV across six World Health Organization (WHO) regions, noting patterns of change over time and highlighting potential region-specific barriers to the diagnosis and elimination of HBV.

European Union, Eastern Europe and Russia: Trilateral Relations in the Period of Ukraine’s Crisis

As a result of geopolitical changes which occurred on the verge of the 1980s and 1990s, the map of East-Central Europe underwent signifiant modifiations. The enlargement of the EU encompassing Central European states (especially Poland) contributed to the change of the EU’s attitude towards the post-Soviet space. Up to the time of the enlargement, due to the dominance of the “Russia fist” policy, the EU did not recognize the need for tightening relations with post-Soviet states. After 2004, a gradual change in the EU’s attitude towards its eastern neighborhood can be observed. The present paper aims to describe the EU’s eastern policy in the period of crises: on the one hand, those plaguing the EU, and on the other, the so-called Ukrainian crisis. The crisis, a de facto, armed conflct between Russia and Ukraine, has resulted not only in a geopolitical change in Eastern Europe, but also exerted impact upon conditions the EU’s eastern policy is realized in. In 2017, it is 8 years since the Eastern Partnership was implemented. The project, its achievements, objectives and opportunities need to be revisited. In other words, works on the Eastern Partnership 2.0 ought to be commenced. A change of both the approach and narration as far as the EaP project is concerned, is required. New areas and filds the EaP will offer opportunities for EaP-EU relations to be tightened ought to be discovered. The armed conflct in Ukraine, resulting in the instability of eastern neighborhood, constitutes a security challenge for the whole area of Eastern Europe.

Rural Idyll Without Rural Sociology? Changing Features, Functions and Research of the Czech Countryside

Abstract The development of the Czech countryside differs in many ways from trajectories typical for Eastern and Central European rural areas in the last 25 years. In our article, we discuss the nature of the ‘Czech exceptionalism’, with reference to three examples, namely population development, the dynamics of rural/agricultural labour markets and rural governance. Firstly, we describe the major driving forces behind rural development in Czechia over the past 25 years and how these forces are reflected in the academic discourse. Secondly, we argue that an important feature of rural regions in Czechia is their population growth combined with a rapid labour market transformation and a low social importance of agriculture. All these changes are interpreted as a shift towards multifunctionality of rural areas rather than as a general trend towards post-productivism; indeed, this is because large parts of rural areas remain economically based on industrial production. The ongoing transformations have been reflected only partially in an academic discourse. In conclusion, we argue that there is a need to re-examine the use of EEC as a concept framing the position of sociology in rural research.

The importance of a border: Medical, veterinary, and wild food ethnobotany of the Hutsuls living on the Romanian and Ukrainian sides of Bukovina

Ethnopharmacological relevanceRecent studies have shown that groups sharing the same or very similar environments, but with diverse cultural backgrounds (e.g. different ethnos and/or religion) have considerably different knowledge of folk (medicinal) plant uses. Yet, it is not clear to what extent various factors (such as culture, economy, isolation, and especially social and political situations) contribute to such differences in the utilization of the same natural resources. Aim of the studyThis paper addresses the effect of border created in 1940 and subsequent separation of a single ethnic group on changes in their folk use of medicinal and wild food plants. The Hutsuls of Bukovina had been homogenous for centuries, but were separated in 1940 as a result of the formation of state borders between Romania and the former Soviet Union (now Ukraine). The aim of the study is to analyse if the belonging to this different states for 75 years have induced different changes in local plant use within communities that share a common historical legacy and environment. Materials and methodsIn depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 42 people in May 2015. Collected data were analysed, and comparisons were made between the data gathered on the two sides of the border for different use categories: medicinal, wild food and veterinary plants, as well as other remedies. Recently collected data were also compared with historical data obtained for the region, medicinal plant folk uses in Romania and medicinal plant uses of The State Pharmacopeia of the Soviet Union. ResultsDivergences in current medicinal plant use are much greater than in the use of wild food plants. The majority of the wild food taxa, including those used for making recreational teas, are also used for medicinal purposes and hence contribute to the food-medicine continuum, representing emergency foods in the past and serving as memory markers for possible future food shortages. Compared with the historical data, considerable changes have occurred within specific medicinal applications and less in the taxa used. The influence of the Soviet State Pharmacopeia on present ethnomedicine on the Ukrainian side is minimal. ConclusionsHutsul herbal ethnomedicine on the Ukrainian side of the border has continued to evolve (the abandonment of some uses and the adoption of others), whereas on the Romanian side it has undergone significant erosion with a proportionally smaller adoption of new uses and the leaving behind of possibly more “traditional” uses than on the Ukrainian side. In sum, current ethnomedicinal practices of Hutsuls living on both sides of the border are more extensive than those reported in historical sources. Yet the unknown sampling method employed to collect the historical data and possible skipping of “ordinary” uses by folklorists and ethnographers does not allow for definitive conclusions to be drawn. Cross-cultural and cross-border ethnobotany represents one of the most powerful means for addressing the issue of change and variability of medicinal plant uses and heritage, and further studies in other areas of Eastern Europe and beyond need to address the trajectory proposed by the present study.

Combining Approaches to Support High Nature Value Farmland in Southern Transylvania , Romania

Abstract The region of Tarnava Mare in Southern Transylvania contains extensive semi-natural open landscapes maintained by predominantly low-intensity farming, which is widespread in Romania and indeed many areas of Eastern Europe. Threats to these species-rich habitats from agricultural intensification and land abandonment have been increasing in recent years, to a large extent linked with Romania’s accession to the EU in 2007. At the same time, however, the opportunities for biodiversity conservation in the area have expanded. In 2008, the region became a Site of Community Importance (SCI) as part of the Natura 2000 network, and farmers have applied agri-environment schemes as part of the EU Common Agricultural Policy since 2006. Furthermore, the Tarnava Mare region has been the location of several EU and nationally funded projects combining research, practical and information measures. In this article, we review these various instruments from the practical perspective of an NGO that has been working since 2004 to support High Nature Value farmland and rural communities in this region. We focus on three major support measures - agri-environment schemes, Natura 2000, and publicly funded conservation projects - and consider their effects individually and collectively. We conclude that the presence of multiple instruments can have synergistic effects on the conservation of semi-natural open habitats such as HNV farmland, and that this overlap provides a certain amount of resilience: if one instrument fails, another may fill the gap. Cross-cutting projects combining research with activities to tackle the “problem” of the socio-economic undesirability of low-intensity farming as well as the “symptom” of the loss of HNV farmland are also particularly important in this context.