Nearby Countries Research Articles

Resilience and perseverance under siege: providing cancer care during the invasion of Ukraine.

As Ukraine battles to preserve its independence as a European democracy, pitted against Russia's formidable military assets, Ukrainian oncologists have acted selflessly and resiliently to safeguard their patients, maintain continuity of life-saving care, and connect migrating patients to cancer care in nearby countries. Ukrainian refugees are receiving coordinated high-quality cancer care through a global support network involving a coalition of more than 30 cancer societies and specialty oncology centres. 1 The Cancer LetterTo help Ukraine's cancer patients, a coalition of U.S., European cancer groups aims to provide a coordinated response. https://cancerletter.com/the-cancer-letter/20220311_1/Date: March 11, 2022 Date accessed: March 18, 2022 Google Scholar

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on air pollution: A global assessment using machine learning techniques

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, most countries implemented public health ordinances that resulted in restricted mobility and a resultant change in air quality. This has provided an opportunity to quantify the extent to which carbon-based transport and industrial activity affect air quality. However, quantification of these complex effects has proven to be difficult, depending on the stringency of restrictions, country-specific emission source profiles, long-term trends and meteorological effects on atmospheric chemistry, emission levels and in-flow from nearby countries. In this study, confounding factors were disentangled for a direct comparison of pandemic-related reductions in absolute pollutions levels, globally. The non-linear relationships between atmospheric processes and daily ground-level NO2, PM10, PM2.5 and O3 measurements were captured in city- and pollutant-specific XGBoost models for over 700 cities, adjusting for weather, seasonality and trends. City-level modelling allowed adaptation to the distinct topography, urban morphology, climate and atmospheric conditions for each city, individually, as the weather variables that were most predictive varied across cities. Pollution forecasts for 2020 in absence of a pandemic were generated based on weather and formed an ensemble for country-level pollution reductions. Findings were robust to modelling assumptions and consistent with various published case studies. NO2 reduced most in China, Europe and India, following severe government restrictions as part of the initial lockdowns. Reductions were highly correlated with changes in mobility levels, especially trips to transit stations, workplaces, retail and recreation venues. Further, NO2 did not fully revert to pre-pandemic levels in 2020. Ambient PM2.5 pollution, which has severe adverse health consequences, reduced most in China and India. Since positive health effects could be offset to some extent by prolonged exposure to indoor pollution, alternative transport initiatives could prove to be an important pathway towards better health outcomes in these countries. Increased O3 levels during initial lockdowns have been documented widely. However, our analyses also found a subsequent reduction in O3 for many countries below what was expected based on meteorological conditions during summer months (e.g., China, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Poland, Turkey). The effects in periods with high O3 levels are especially important for the development of effective mitigation strategies to improve health outcomes.

Radiological impact of an active quarry in the Papuk Nature Park, Croatia.

Papuk Nature Park, unlike most similar parks and preserves in the world, contains active quarries. Quarries dig stone from the ground, creating dust and exposing deeper, potentially more radioactive layers. Since the forest trails in the Park lead right up to the quarries, we believed it was important to determine the radiological impact of the quarries on the Park environment. We measured ambient dose rate equivalent H*(10) and sampled moss at 26 Park locations along two of four quarries, along the road between them, and near Lake Orahovac, a very popular tourist destination close to the quarries. Moss is a standard bioindicator of exposure to heavy metals, including radionuclides. Using-gamma ray spectrometry we determined the activity concentration of 137Cs and of representative naturally occurring radionuclides – 238U, 226Ra, 210Pb, 232Th, and 40K – in sampled moss. H*(10) at selected locations was similar to the background H*(10) measured continuously all over Croatia. The ranges of measured activity concentrations of 137Cs and naturally occurring radionuclides in moss did not differ significantly from other parts of Croatia and nearby countries.

Utilizing Ecological Modeling to Follow the Potential Spread of Honey Bee Pest (Megaselia scalaris) from Nearby Countries towards Saudi Arabia under Climate Change Conditions

The current challenge for the development of beekeeping is the possibility of bee pests invading new areas. It is well known that each geographical range has its unique pest species. The fly Megaselia scalaris is a facultative parasitoid to honey bees. This fly has been recorded in various countries while information about it in Saudi Arabia is still seldom. The main objective of this study was to follow the spread of this fly from North Africa/South Europe towards Gulf countries utilizing ecological modeling. Maxent, as a specialist software in analyzing species distribution, was used in combination of five environmental factors. The analysis was performed to cover current and future conditions (2050). The outputs of the model were analyzed in regard to their performance and distribution of M. scalaris in the study area. The top factor contributing to the model was the annual mean temperature with a percentage of 56.3. The model maps emphasized the possible occurrence of this pest in the northern parts of Saudi Arabia. The wide establishment and distribution towards the central and southern parts of Saudi Arabia were not supported. Screening apiaries located in Northern areas in Saudi Arabia for the presence of this pest using specific bait traps could be a good recommendation from this study.

“A Road With No End”: Making the South Pacific a Permanent Labour Reserve

ABSTRACT Commencing in the 1980s and picking up pace over the last two decades, there has been a systematic campaign to construct a specific form of labour market in the South Pacific. Unskilled and semi-skilled workers are recruited on short-term contracts to work in agricultural industries in Australia and New Zealand. While the employment is on a casual basis, with workers required to return to home countries upon the completion of contracts, there is nothing temporary about the intent behind what are termed labour mobility programmes. This article examines the conditions in countries from which workers are recruited, where non-development reigns. Continuing internationalisation of agriculture, logging, mining, oil and gas production has undercut whatever existed as late colonial policy to bring national development. Low rankings on international indicators of health and literacy, widespread unemployment and under-employment, characterise populations where majorities are reproduced for the forms of labour required by labour mobility programme recruiters, local and international. Continuous shortages of labour for fruit picking and packing in the region’s two largest economies are joined with relative surplus populations in nearby South Pacific countries. Temporary work is married to permanent accumulation on a road with no obvious end.

Uticaj pandemije korona virusa na kretanje vrednosti indeksa odabranih zemalja

The pandemic of Covid 19 may have started in 2019, but in 2021, the world faced health crises that will have lasting and immeasurable after effects across the health care, social and economic spectrum. The pandemic of Covid 19 has changed the world and brought many socio-economic changes on the global level, endangering the economies of the world, as well the economy of our country and nearby countries. The Republic of Serbia, as well as the nearby countries, tries to employ all the possible solutions and measures to lessen the economic aftereffects of the pandemic of the virus. The countries have started using a wide variety of restrictive measures, so they can control, prevent and end the pandemic and the measures have been different: sometimes the country borders have been closed, the interstate traffic was limited, there was a quarantine in some of the countries and even a curfew. The measures that Serbia has taken and is still taking - as well as nearby countries - (Croatia, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Northern Macedonia and Montenegro), will have lasting results because they have prevented the drastic economic downfall. How will the downfall be described and whether or not it was the real feel of the individual, we will find out in this research and the comparison of the stock indexes in our country and the nearby countries.

Synchronization of COVID-19 Epidemic among Nearby Countries in Europe, America and Africa

Synchronization of COVID-19 Epidemic among Nearby Countries in Europe, America and Africa

Calculating Feasibility of Ocean Iron Fertilization with Post-Volcanic Eruption Phenomena

This review proposes a novel method to accurately gauge the full ecological impact of manmade iron fertilization upon local environments not through direct experimentation, but by observing similar natural manifestations of fertilization in volcanic eruptions. Two case studies of specific volcanoes - Kilauea in Hawaii and Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland - show that firstly, ocean iron fertilization is capable of self-sustainment after ocean iron fertilization deployments in HNLC (High Nutrient Low Chlorophyll) regions, and secondly, ocean fertilization can be extended beyond the usage of iron dust fertilizer in ideal situations. For example, simple physical disturbances under the shores of one of Hawaii's islands propelled the large-scale development of phytoplankton colonies, in a process called "organic nitrate displacement". Kilauea's volcanic breakouts contributed to greenhouse gas emissions but were proportionally absorbed (7:1 ratio) by local phytoplankton growth. In another case of post-eruption phytoplankton development at Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland, while the volcanic eruptions dispersed a relatively small amount of iron-infused tephra through atmospheric injection and way of local winds, the airborne nutrients heavily stimulated phytoplankton colonies throughout surrounding waters and generated large biomasses of algae that were visible from space. After consecutive months of eruptions by Eyjafjallajökull in 2010, the airborne spread of iron-rich tephra particles lead to visible growths in phytoplankton colonies bordering other nearby countries. Through multiple comparative case studies of post volcanic eruption phenomena, ocean iron fertilization demonstrates its efficiency in initiating phytoplankton growth while revealing unexpected safety concerns in its deployment.

Synchronization of Epidemic Curves of COVID-19 among Nearby Countries

Synchronization of Epidemic Curves of COVID-19 among Nearby Countries

Regional determinants of Colombian intra-industry trade

Using three fixed-effect models, this paper establishes the determinants of regional Colombian intra-industry trade (IIT) from 1995 to 2017 with the aim of establish how regional characteristics generates competitive advantages in some internationals markets and the role of trade agreements in regional IIT. The models use IIT as a dependent variable and calculate IIT using the Grubel & Lloyd index for each tariff group. The explanatory variables used are those traditionally seen in the empirical literature on determinants. Following results are noteworthy: i) Colombian IIT is concentrated in four of the country's 32 regions; ii) IIT is also conducted with nearby countries and consists of labour-intensive goods for which the exporting companies absorb shipping costs; and iii) the current level of IIT has growth potential (with regional differences), given the low specialisation observed in Colombia's dealings with countries with low demand complexity and given the negligible significance of costs.

From impact refugees to deterritorialized states: Foresighting extreme legal-policy cases in asteroid impact scenarios

Throughout recorded history, humans have crossed national borders to seek safety in nearby countries. The reasons for displacement have been generated by phenomena of terrestrial origin, but exposure to unexpected extra-terrestrial threats poses a different scenario. An asteroid impact warning implies a change of paradigm which would represent a historic precedent. In this regard, the analogies with natural disasters must be considered, along with multiple possible scenarios, and legal aspects related to (a) the legal framework to regulate this situation; (b) the action and responsibility of the states; and (c) the definition of impact refugee and the reconfiguration of traditional concepts such as deterritorialized states. In addition, the decision-making process and the actors involved must be led by a cooperative effort to improve international law. These new circumstances should be established with a consideration of inequalities between the states, and an aim of protecting humanity through democratic solutions using the safest, most effective techniques.

Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice toward COVID-19 among Sudanese Population, Khartoum 2020

Introduction: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is defined as an illness caused by a novel coronavirus which is an emerging respiratory infection that was first discovered in December 2019, in Wuhan city, Hubei Province, China, finally named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. This study aimed to evaluate the current level of knowledge regarding transmission, symptoms, and preventive measures of COVID-19 among the general population in Sudan. Objective: The objective of the study was to assess knowledge, attitude, and practice toward COVID-19 among Sudanese resident. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional, descriptive, community-based study for 1000 respondents selected by convenience sampling technique in seven localities of Khartoum state, Sudan between the periods April 9 and June 9, 2020. Data were collected using a pre designed pretested questionnaire and analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software, version 23.0 (IBM SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). Results: Sixty-four percent of the population had good knowledge regarding COVID-19 clinical presentations transmission routes, prevention method, and self-isolation. Forty-four percent of the population had poor attitude regarding COVID-19 situation. Forty-two percent of the population had poor practice regarding COVID-19 preventive measures. There is a positive association between knowledge and attitude (P = 0.000001), positive association between knowledge and practice (P = 0.000001), and an insignificant negative association between attitude and practice (P = 0.453). Conclusions: Sudanese had a good level of knowledge and good practices compared to other nearby countries despite their economic state and lack of possibilities. The stressor experienced by the Sudanese citizens had huge effect on their negative attitude. Recommendations: Because good practices depend on good knowledge, it recommends to increase the level of knowledge about the disease, ways of transmission and prevention especially for women, elderly retired, unemployed, and those with low education level, rural resident using all the means of communication available (television and radio, awareness seminars, posters for guidance and alert in mosques, and the houses of worship) by clear, easy, simple language suitable for the elderly and uneducated.

The Problem of Migration of the Population from Nearby Countries Abroad to the Russian Federation

The Problem of Migration of the Population from Nearby Countries Abroad to the Russian Federation

Marine Conservation and Promotion of Tourism: An Approach on Marine and Coastal Planning at Cat Island, Muscat, Oman

Oman is a popular destination for tourists due to the leading fishing industry, which serves as a point of export to nearby countries. Additionally, the capital Muscat is one of the top tourist spots due to its increasing water activities. However, in the past decade, the unforgettable cyclone Gonu destroyed the beautiful sea habitat, one of the environmental stressors for the marine ecosystem. Furthermore, the anthropogenic stressors, such as berthing, scuba diving, and overfishing, yield a decrease in natural coral reefs. Cat Island, known to be one of the diving spots in Muscat, is vulnerable to coral reef declination. This research focused on analyzing the present condition of coral reefs at Cat Island in relation to environmental and human activities. Moreover, there were studies conducted regarding the physical status of the coral reefs identifying the stressor of coral reef degradation. As an outcome, it presented an imperative position towards marine and coastal planning by recommending policy enhancement and marine functional zoning in Cat Island. With this approach, these concepts can be used as a baseline in conducting research on another marine habitat in Muscat, Oman, which requires thorough study and future improvement.

The «Empty Forest Syndrome» and the Herpetofaunal Communities in Laos (South-Eastern Asia)

Nowadays, Laos remains one of the scientifically least known countries of Asia in terms of herpetological knowledge. Here, we evaluate composition of species in freshwater ecosystems (main river courses) and terrestrial ecosystems (forests) in two distinct regions using Visual Encounter Surveys along designed transects, examination of fishers’ catches and standardized interviews. In Northern Laos, we recorded only 18 reptile individuals (2 turtle and 1 snake species). Interview surveys demonstrated that in Nam Xam River, fishers are more likely to hunt turtles and we identified one potential site where the world’s rarest turtle, Rafetus swinhoei, could be still present in the wild. In Nam Et Phou Louey National Park, we found 19 reptile species (8 lizard, 10 snake, 1 turtle species) in the different study sites, demonstrating a low species density in all different surveyed habitats. In Central/Southern Laos, we observed 30 species of reptiles (14 snake, 16 lizard, 35 amphibian species). Our study offers preliminary insights into the composition of amphibians and reptiles in Laos. The great majority of the species were non-threatened or not evaluated, and a few were threatened, suggesting that more research is needed to proper understand the conservation status of Laos’ herpetofauna. We highlighted, indirectly by interviews with local fishers, the possible presence of the turtle Rafetus swinhoei, thus providing a new hope for avoiding the extinction of this species. Finally, we observed a relatively low number of species in each habitat type, which is remarkably lower than in tropical forests of other continents or of nearby south-east Asian countries, indicating that the herpetofauna communities in Laos are depleted, reflecting an ‘empty forest syndrome’.

Global estimates of incidence of type 1 diabetes in children and adolescents: Results from the International Diabetes Federation Atlas, 10th edition

BackgroundType 1 diabetes (T1D) incidence in children and adolescents varies widely, and is increasing in many nations. The 10th edition of the International Diabetes Federation Atlas estimated incident cases in 2021 for 215 countries/territories (“countries”). MethodsStudies on T1D incidence for young people aged 0–19 years were sourced and graded using previously described methods. For countries without studies, data were extrapolated from similar nearby countries. ResultsAn estimated 108,300 children under 15 years will be diagnosed in 2021, a number rising to 149,500 when the age range extends to under 20 years. The ratio of incidence in 15–19 years compared to those aged 0–14 years was particularly high in some countries in sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa/Middle East, and in Mexico.Only 97 countries have their own incidence data, with extrapolation required for some very populous nations. Most data published were not recent, with 27 countries (28%) having data in which the last study year was 2015 or afterwards, and 26 (27%) having no data after 1999. ConclusionsMany countries have recent data but there are large gaps globally. Such data are critical for allocation of resources, teaching, training, and advocacy. All countries are encouraged to collect and publish current data.

Medical Brain Drain From Southeastern Europe: Using Digital Demography to Forecast Health Worker Emigration.

This paper shows that the tools of digital demography, such as Google Trends, can be used for determining, estimating, and predicting the migration of health care workers (HWs), in this case, from Croatia and the Western Balkans (WB) to Germany and Austria. This study aims to test the usefulness of Google Trends indexes to forecast HW migration from Croatia and the WB to Germany and Austria. The paper analyzes recent trends in HW mobility in Europe and focuses specifically on mobility patterns among medical doctors and nurses using digital demography. Without increased emigration in the last 10 years, Croatia and the WB would have 50% more HWs today, and this staff is now crucial in the fight against a pandemic. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to the increase in emigration. A particular problem in analyzing the emigration of HCWs from Croatia and the WB is that there is no system for monitoring this process. Official data is up to 3 years late and exists only for persons deregistered from the state system. Furthermore, during the pandemic, the "normal" ways of data collection are simply too slow. The primary methodological concept of our approach is to monitor the digital trace of language searches with the Google Trends analytical tool. To standardize the data, we requested the data from January 2010 to December 2020 and divided the keyword frequency for each migration-related query. We compared this search frequency index with official statistics to prove the significance of the results and correlations, and test the model's predictive potential. All tested migration-related search queries, which indicate HCWs' emigration planning, showed a positive linear association between Google index and data from official statistics (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development: Serbia R2=0.3381, Bosnia and Herzegovina [B&H] R2=0.2722, Croatia R2=0.4515). Migration-related search activities such as "job application + nurses" from Croatia correlate strongly with official German data for emigrated HWs from Croatia, Serbia, and B&H. Decreases in Google searches were correlated with the decrease in the emigration of HWs. Thus, this method allows reliable forecasts for the future. This paper highlights that the World Health Organization's list of countries with HWs shortages should be updated to include Croatia and the countries from the WB. The issue of the European Union drawing HWs from the EU periphery (Croatia) and nearby countries (B&H, Serbia) clearly shows a clash between the EU freedom of movement and the right to health care and a need to ensure a health care workforce in all European regions. Understanding why HWs emigrate from Croatia and the WB, and the consequences of this process are crucial to enabling state agencies and governments to develop optimal intervention strategies to retain medical staff. The benefit of this method is reliable estimates that can enable a better response to a possible shortage of HWs and protect the functioning of the health system. The freedom of movement of workers in the EU must be supplemented with a common pension and health care system in the EU.

Integrated serological surveillance of acute febrile illness in the context of a lymphatic filariasis survey in Timor-Leste: a pilot study using dried blood spots.

BackgroundAcute febrile illnesses (AFIs), including dengue, scrub typhus and leptospirosis, cause significant morbidity and mortality in Southeast Asia. Serological surveillance can be used to investigate the force and distribution of infections. Dried blood spot (DBS) samples are an attractive alternative to serum because they are easier to collect and transport and require less cold storage. We conducted a pilot study to determine the feasibility of integrating serological surveillance for dengue, scrub typhus and leptospirosis into a population-representative lymphatic filariasis seroprevalence survey in Timor-Leste using DBSs.MethodsA total of 272 DBSs were collected from healthy community participants. DBSs were analysed at the National Health Laboratory using commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. To validate assays for DBSs, 20 anonymised serum samples of unknown serostatus were used to create dried serum spots (DSSs). These were analysed with optical densities compared with those of serum. Where low variance was observed (dengue assay) the published kit cut-offs for serum were applied to the analysis of DBSs. For the other assays (scrub typhus and leptospirosis), index values (IVs) were calculated and cut-offs were determined to be at 2 standard deviations (SDs) above the mean.ResultsOf the 272 samples analysed, 19 (7.0% [95% confidence interval {CI} 4.3 to 10.7]) were positive for dengue immunoglobulin G (IgG), 11 (4.0% [95% CI 2.1 to 7.1]) were positive for scrub typhus IgG and 16 (5.9% [95% CI 3.4 to 9.4%]) were positive for leptospira IgG.ConclusionsWhile dengue seroprevalence was lower than in nearby countries, results represent the first evidence of scrub typhus and leptospirosis transmission in Timor-Leste. Integrated programmes of serological surveillance could greatly improve our understanding of infectious disease epidemiology in remote areas and would incur minimal additional fieldwork costs. However, when planning such studies, the choice of assays, their validation for DBSs and the laboratory infrastructure and technical expertise at the proposed location of analysis must be considered.

The New Economic Geography and labour emigration: Analysing Venezuela's hyperinflation episode

AbstractThe Venezuelan hyperinflation process has caused serious economic and social consequences. The wave of migrants and refugees fleeing the country is one of the most obvious and important faces of the problem, with significant regional impacts. This paper aims to develop a methodology, related to the New Economic Geography, to explain Venezuelan labour migration flow from changes in the price level. Results from the model's simulations show that in the short run (1‐year horizon), Venezuelan industrial and agricultural workers tend to emigrate to nearby countries. However, in the long run (10‐year horizon), the decision is based on real wage differential.

Neosporosis: a neglected abortifacient disease in Egypt, seroprevalence and farmers’ knowledge, attitudes and practices

Neosporosis has emerged as a serious disease of cattle and dogs worldwide, causing abortions, neonatal mortalities and massive economic losses in dairy herds. The current study aimed to investigate the burden of Neospora (N.) caninum infection among cows that aborted and to assess knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAPs) of farmers toward neosporosis in Kafrelsheikh governorate, Egypt. A total of 92 cows that aborted and 25 heifers born from cows that aborted and seropositive for N. caninum infection from 15 dairy herds in different districts of Kafrelsheikh governorate were examined serologically against N. caninum infection using ELISA. A structured questionnaire was built and distributed to 41 farmers in the study area. The overall seroprevalence of N. caninum infection among the examined cows that aborted was 38.04% (35/92). On the other hand, the prevalence of N. caninum infection among the 25 examined heifers born from seropositive cows that aborted was 28% (7/25). The KAPs analysis showed that farmers lack the required information on N. caninum infection and its consequences on dairy farms. The farmers performed risky practices which are responsible for disease entrance and spread on the farm; buy and keeping animals after abortion as well as their heifers. In addition, risk management practices were widespread in dairy farms such as: free movement of dogs, especially stray ones, in 100% of the farms, dogs were able to access and defecate in cattle feed and drinking water sources and had the chance to eat placentas and abortion materials. The current study points out neosporosis as a neglected cause of abortion among cattle in Kafrelsheikh governorate, as well as there is a lack of knowledge and risky practices by the local farmers. These findings may be extrapolated to nearby areas and countries of the same cattle husbandry practices, and veterinary services in such countries should consider neosporosis in their surveillance and control programs.