Eastern publics and Western enlargement

Crossnational surveys conducted in late 1997 and early 1998 in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Ukraine suggest that mass publics in all four countries are more favorably disposed towards European Union than NATO membership, with less variation from country to country and less uncertainty. There were few effects for gender, but younger, urban, better-educated and better-off respondents were more likely to favor membership in both organizations. There were also substantial effects for attitudes, with those who favored closer relationships with foreign countries, a more distant relationship with Russia, and a market economy more favorable towards membership in both cases. Similar results, but with minor variations, emerged from a regression analysis. Overall, support for EU membership reflected social characteristics with particular strength (age, education and residence); support for NATO membership, conversely, drew more strongly on attitudinal variables, including a commitment to freedom and antipathy towards a strong leader

Eastern publics and Western enlargement

Crossnational surveys conducted in late 1997 and early 1998 in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Ukraine suggest that mass publics in all four countries are more favorably disposed towards European Union than NATO membership, with less variation from country to country and less uncertainty. There were few effects for gender, but younger, urban, better-educated and better-off respondents were more likely to favor membership in both organizations. There were also substantial effects for attitudes, with those who favored closer relationships with foreign countries, a more distant relationship with Russia, and a market economy more favorable towards membership in both cases. Similar results, but with minor variations, emerged from a regression analysis. Overall, support for EU membership reflected social characteristics with particular strength (age, education and residence); support for NATO membership, conversely, drew more strongly on attitudinal variables, including a commitment to freedom and antipathy towards a strong leader

A Russo-Belarusian 'Union state' A defensive response to Western enlargement?

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:9350.21487(10/00) / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

Association between Obesity and Serum 25(OH)D Concentrations in Older Mexican Adults

Background: Vitamin D is essential for maintaining bone mineralization and calcium homeostasis, and prevents falls and fractures in older adults. Mexico is undergoing an epidemiologic and demographic transition with increasing obesity rates. The study’s aim was to determine the association of obesity with serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations in older Mexican adults. Methods: Data from 1772 Mexicans, aged ≥50 years, enrolled in a sub-sample of the 3rd wave of the Mexican Health and Aging Study, were included. Serum 25(OH)D concentrations were used to define vitamin D status, and were categorized into tertiles. Body mass index measures were used to categorize older adults into under/normal weight, overweight, and obese groups. Multinomial logistic regression models were used to assess the relationship, adjusting for potential confounders. Results: Approximately 40% and 37% of older Mexican adults were either overweight or obese, respectively. Compared to under/normal weight older Mexicans, obese adults were 1.78 times (95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.27–2.48) and 1.94 times (95% CI 1.40–2.68) more associated with the first and second tertile concentrations of serum 25(OH)D, respectively. Overweight adults were 1.52 times (95% CI 1.12–2.06) more associated with the second tertile of serum 25(OH)D concentration than under/normal weight adults. Conclusion: Overweight/Obesity was found to be significantly associated with low concentrations of serum 25(OH) in older Mexican adults

Post-Crisis Belarus: Marxism and the Lender of Last Resort

Existing literature has examined the predictions and proscriptions of Karl Marx in response to the 2008 global financial crisis. However, the suggestions put forth by the Marxist-leaning literature never took hold and state-level banking and finance policies have remained largely unchanged. While many criticisms of Marxism exist, this paper examines Belarus, a ‘neo-communist’ or ‘market-socialist’ state, to provide a new perspective on the continuation of capitalism in the United States and Europe. In the case of Belarus, the International Monetary Fund and the Eurasian Economic Community's Anti-Crisis Fund provided both the critical liquidity needed to temporarily quell the effects of the financial crisis. Their demands meant that Belarus agreed to speed its move away from the Soviet-era finance and banking policies and more towards its western capitalist neighbors. Its failure to implement these policies further hurt its recovery. Examining Belarus' path to and out of its financial crisis makes apparent that the role of the international lender of last resort (LOLR). The LOLR acts as a key element in protecting states embroiled in the financial crisis from facing the possibility of making the difficult policy changes put forth by the Marxist literature. By ignoring its promises under the loan conditions from its LOLRs, Belarus moved further from the recovery promised by the Marxist suggestions

Enzymatic Debridement in Geriatric Burn Patients—A Reliable Option for Selective Eschar Removal

The treatment of geriatric burn patients represents a major challenge in burn care. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of enzymatic debridement (ED) in geriatric burn patients. Adult patients who received ED for treatment of mixed pattern and full thickness burns (August 2017–October 2022) were included in this study and grouped in the younger (18–65 years) and geriatric (≥65 years) groups. Primary outcome was a necessity of surgery subsequent to ED. Both groups (patient characteristics, surgical and non-surgical treatment) were compared. Multiple logistic and linear regression models were used to identify the effect of age on the outcomes. A total of 169 patients were included (younger group: 135 patients, geriatric group: 34 patients). The burn size as indicated by %TBSA (24.2 ± 20.4% vs. 26.8 ± 17.1%, p = 0.499) was similar in both groups. The ASA (2.5 ± 1.1 vs. 3.4 ± 1.1, p p p = 0.245) were similar in both groups. The necessity of additional surgical interventions (63.0 % vs. 58.8 %, p = 0.763) and the wound size debrided and grafted (2.9 ± 3.5% vs. 2.2 ± 2.1%; p = 0.301) were similar in both groups. Regression models yielded that age did not have an effect on efficacy of ED. We showed that ED is reliable and safe to use in geriatric patients. Age did not have a significant influence on the surgical outcomes of ED. In both groups, the size of the grafted area was reduced and, in many patients, surgery was avoided completely

Ukraine’s crisis and Russia’s closest allies: A reinforced intra-alliance security dilemma at work

Russia’s actions towards Ukraine in 2013-14, which inaugurated a new Cold War in its relations with the West, presented a dilemma to Russia’s allies: whether to align themselves with Russia’s choices or pursue a more independent course of action. The leadership of Belarus, Russia’s closest ally, chose the latter option both by establishing dialogue with the interim government and President of Ukraine, Oleksandr Turchinov, considered illegitimate in Russia and, later, by being present at the inauguration of Petro Poroshenko on 7 June 2014 and downplaying Russia’s position on the ‘federalisation’ of Ukraine as the only way out of the country’s instability. The perspective of the intra-alliance security dilemma helps explain the divergence of views between Russia and Belarus, while pointing to the changing position of the parties towards the Eurasian integration project.Alena Vysotskaya Guedes Vieira is a Member of the Núcleo de Investigação em Ciência Política e Relações Internacionais, Universidade do Minho (NIPCRI-UMinho), Portugal. Email: [email protected]. The author’s post-doctoral research is financed by FCT [SFRH/BPD/63834/2009], as is her research within the framework of the project on EU Partnerships [PTDC/CPJ-CPO/113251/2009]. Both are gratefully acknowledged