The Byzantine historiography on the state of Serbian despots

The four Byzantine historians of 'the Fall' of the Byzantine Empire, Doucas Chalcocondyles, Sphrantzes and Critobulos, as well as the Byzantine short chronicles, bring many news concerning Serbian history of the first half of the XV century. Although almost all of them refer to the Serbian political history of the period, they also imply that Serbia was a state, having its own territory, ethnicity, government, diplomacy, army and economic resources

Georgios Sphrantzes or how to become an archon in Byzantium in the XV century

The historical work by Georgios Sphrantzes, his Memoirs, illustrates, through information on his life and career, the way in which a person could enter the higher social circles in XV century Byzantium. Usually, these persons were referred to in sources as "archons" and some of them as the emperor’s "oikeioi", which involved a specific kind of personal and close relationship with the ruler and, in this case, a dynasty. Furthermore, "Sphrantzes" work provides data on some late Byzantine phenomena, for instance, not only the imperial "oikos", but those of the emperor’s brothers as well, and indicates the existence of the same hierarchy in the "ospitia" of the despotai

The Greatest Misfortune in the Oikoumene Byzantine Historiography on the Fall of Constantinople in 1453

The focus of the paper is on the manner in which the so-called Four Historians of the Fall of the Byzantine Empire to the Ottoman Turks - Doukas, Laonikos Chalko­kondyles, George Sphrantzes and Kritoboulos of Imbros - describe the 1453 conquest of Constantinople, revealing at the same time their different political views both on this event and on the historical reality before and after it

Byzantine History in Μικρογραφίαι of George Klontzas

Μικρογραφίαι of George Klontzas (c. 1540‒1608), famous Cretan panel and a miniature painter, composed between 1590 and 1592, the most important illustrated Greek manuscript of its era, present, according to the artist’s interpretation, the key historical events and personalities of the Greek history up to his own times. In narrating them, it appears that Klontzas adopted the new political-ideological concept, emerged immediately after the Fall and inspired by Gennadios Scholarios, the first patriarch of Constantinople under the Ottomans, and his intellectual circle, which called for the acceptance of a new political circumstances ‒ the disappearance of Byzantium and the rise of the Ottoman Empire

Η Θεσσαλία υπό σερβική κυριαρχία (1348 ‒ c.1373)

The rule of the Serbs in Thessaly began in 1348, when the military units of the Serbian Emperor Stefan Dušan, led by his prominent general Preljub, took over and incorporated it into the Serbian Empire. Preljub governed Thessaly until his death, in early 1356. After the short reign of Despot Nikephoros II Orsini (1356–1359), Thessaly was conquered by Dušan’s half-brother Symeon Uroš Palaiologos (1359–c.1371), who proclaimed himself emperor. He was succeeded by his elder son, John Doukas Uroš Palaiologos, who ruled for a very short time (c.1371/2–c.1373), before retiring to Meteora as monk Joasaph, where he lived until his death in 1423, essentially becoming the second ktetor of Meteora. The rule of John Uroš was followed by that of Kaisar (Caesar) Alexios Angelos Philanthropenos, which marked the end of Thessaly’s Serbian period, lasting less than three decades.Μετά την κατάκτηση μεγάλου τμήματος της Βυζαντινής Αυτοκρατορίας (1343‒1345), δηλαδή ολόκληρης σχεδόν της Μακεδονίας και Αλβανίας, ο Σέρβος κράλης Στέφανος Ντούσαν ανακήρυξε τον εαυτό του Αυτοκράτορα (τέλη του 1345) και εν συνεχεία, στις 16 Απριλίου του έτους 1346, έλαβε το στέμμ α. Μετά ταύτα, τα στρατεύματά του κατέλαβαν την Ήπειρο (1347) και λίγο αργότερα την Θεσσαλία (1348)

Count Nikolay Pavlovich Ignatyev and the Balkan question: (1864-1875)

У дисертацији је анализирана дипломатска активност Николаја Павловича Игњатијева, у преломним годинама развоја националног покрета код Срба, Бугара и Румуна, у намјери да се покаже степен утицаја једне личности и његових идеја на важне историјске догађаје и процесе. Хронолошки оквири дисертације обухватају првих десет година дипломатске мисије генерала Н. П. Игњатијева у Константинопољу (1864-1875), са неопходним освртом на раније године, почев од мисије војног аташеа у Лондону (1856), када је Игњатијев стекао прва знања о Источном питању, која ће, у вријеме руковођења Азијским департманом МИД-а (1861-1864), уобличити у сопствени програм источне политике. У Константинопољу (1864-1877), Игњатијев је настојао да неке од својих идеја примјени у дипломатској пракси. Узимајући у обзир ширу слику руске политике на Балкану настојали смо да укажемо на разлике између званичног става руске владе и гледишта њеног амбасадора у Константинопољу, у односу према румунском питању (1864-1866), српском питању (1864-1868), грчком-бугарском црквеном спору (1864-1873), као и у периоду када је Русија на Балкану иступала као чланица Тројецарског савеза (1873). Као посљедица тих разлика, у раду су анализиране промјене Игњатијевљевог статуса у Министарству иностраних дјела, како би се утврдио стварни утицај његове дипломатије, која је, у неким фазама, чини се, била прецијењена код русофила, али и русофоба.This dissertation analyses the diplomatic activity of Nikolay Pavlovich Ignatyev during the crucial years of the development of the national movements of Serbs, Bulgarians and Romanians, with the aim to demonstrate the degree of influence one person and his ideas can have on important historical events and processes in Balkan history. The chronological boundaries of the dissertation encompass the first ten (10) years of general Ignatyev’s diplomatic mission in Constantinople (1864 – 1875), with the necessary review of the earlier years, beginning with the mission of the military attaché in London (1856), during which N. P. Ignatyev gained his first knowledge of the “Eastern Question”, which he will, during the time of his management of the Asian department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1864 – 1864) turn into his own political program in the East. In Constantinople (1864-1877), N. P. Ignatyev tried to put some of his ideas into practice. Taking into consideration the wider picture of the Russian politics in the Balkans, we have tried to indicate the differences between the official position of the Russian government and the viewpoint of its ambassador in Constantinople, the differences in the relation toward the Romanian question (1864 – 1866), Serbian question (1864 – 1868), Graeco-Bulgarian ecclesiastical dispute (1864 – 1873), but also the differences during years in which Russia acted as a member of the League of the Three Emperors (1873). As a consequence of these differences, this work analyses the changes in Ignatyev’s status in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in order to determine the actual influence of his diplomacy that was, during certain phases, overestimated amongst Russophiles as well as Russophobes

Frequency of haemorrhages in late pregnancy

Ciljevi istraživanja: Ciljevi istraživanja bili su utvrditi učestalost krvarenja u kasnoj trudnoći kod placente previje, abrupcije placente i atonije uterusa u 2014.g u KBC-u Osijek Ustroj studije:Retrospektivna stručno istraživačka studija Ispitanici i metode: Ispitanici su bile trudnice u KBC Osijek koje su bile hospitalizirane tijekom 2014.godine. zbog krvarenja u kasnoj trudnoći. Provodilo se retrospektivno istraživanje gdje su podaci uzeti iz rađaonskog protokola i povijesti bolesti. Prikupljali su se dob, tjedan trudnoće,dijagnoza, porod po redu,završetak poroda,ishod trudnoće, Apgar i ishod djeteta. Rezultati: U 2014.godini bilo je 8 ispitanica (0,4%) koje su imale dijagnozu placente previe, 8 ispitanica (0,4%) atoniju uterusa, te 3 ispitanice (0,1%) abrupciju placente. Kod ispitanica s placentom previjom i abrupcijom placente sve su ispitanice rodile carskim rezom, dok je kod atonije uterusa 2 (0,3% ) rodile na carski rez i 6 ispitanica (0,8%) prirodno. Kod abrupcije placente jedna trudnoća je završila negativnim ishodom, odnosno smrću djeteta, te isto tako kod placente previje. Najmanji tjedan gestacije u kojem je izvršen porođaj je 30. tjedan trudnoće,dok je najveći 40.tjedan. Zaključak: Pravovremenim reagiranjem i davanjem valjane terapije, odnosno transfuzije, osobito svježe krvi, uvelike pridonosi pozitivnom ishodu trudnoće i završetku poroda. Konstantnom procjenom trudnice i praćenjem vitalnih znakova fetusa omogućava se pravovremeno prepoznavanje znakova i simptoma hipovolemijskog šoka. Dobrom prijeoperativnom pripremom i izvođenjem hitnog carskog reza uvelike se sprječava smrtnost majke i djeteta.Objectives: Aim of the research was to determine the frequency of late pregnancy bleeding due to placenta previa, placental abruption or uterine atony in 2014 in Clinical Hospital Centre Osijek Study desing: Retrospective professional research study Patients and methods: Patients were pregnant women hospitalized during 2014 due to late pregnancy bleeding. Retrospective research was conducted where birthing protocol and medical records were collected. Patient's age, weeks of gestation, diagnosis, number of births, delivery, pregnancy outcome, Apgar and child outcome were recorded. Results: In 2014, 8 patients (0,4%) had placenta previa, 8 (0,4%) had uterine atony and 3 (0,1%) had placental abruption. All patients with placenta previa and placental abruption gave birth by cesarean section. 2 patients (0,3%) with uterine atony gave birth by cesarean section and 6 (0,8%) gave birth naturally. In placental abruption and placenta previa there was a respective case of one pregnancy ending with a negative outcome, that is, with the death of a baby. The lowest gestational age when the baby was delivered was 30 weeks and the highest was 40 weeks. Conclusion: A timely reaction where a pregnant woman recieves adequate therapy, i.e a transfusion of fresh blood, greatly contributes to a positive pregnancy and delivery outcome. Constant assessment of a pregnant woman and monitoring of fetal vital signs enable a timely recognition of hypovolemic shock symptoms. A good preoperative preparation and emergency cesarean section significantly prevent mortality of mother and baby

Prisutnost inhibitornih tvari u sirovom mlijeku na području Crne Gore

The Dairy Laboratory at Biotechnical Faculty in Podgorica tested using microbiological inhibitor test - Delvotest®Accelerator, presence of inhibitory substances in raw milk produced on dairy farms of individual producers, cooperates of Montenegrian dairies. During period of six months, 6161 samples of raw milk were tested and it was determined that 478 samples or 7.84 % were positive. This is a significantly higher percentage of positive samples in comparison to European Union countries, but it is not surprising, considering that in these countries there is a decades-old regular system for antibiotic residues control in milk, while in Montenegro testing is provided on level of annual monitoring. The results of analysis indicate that in Montenegro, it is necessary to introduce regular systematic control of residues of antibiotics and other inhibitory substances in raw milk.Laboratorij za mljekarstvo Biotehničkog fakulteta iz Podgorice korištenjem mikrobiološkog inhibitor testa - Delvotest Accelerator, testirao je prisustvo inhibitornih tvari u sirovom mlijeku proizvedenom na farmama individualnih proizvođača, kooperanata mljekara u Crnoj Gori. Tijekom šestomjesečnog razdoblja testiran je 6161 uzorak sirovog mlijeka, a pritom je utvrđeno kako je 478 ili 7,84 % uzoraka bilo pozitivno. U usporedbi sa zemljama Europske Unije, ovo je značajno veći postotak pozitivnih uzoraka, što ne iznenađuje obzirom na to da u zemljama EU-a već desetljećima postoji redoviti sustav za kontrolu rezidua u mlijeku, dok se testiranje u Crnoj Gori provodi na razini godišnjeg monitoringa. Rezultati analiza upozoravaju da je u Crnoj Gori nužno uvesti redoviti sustavni nadzor rezidua antibiotika i drugih inhibitornih tvari u sirovom mlijeku

MEDICAL NUTRITION THERAPY IN MANAGEMENT OF EATING DISORDERS

The treatment of eating disorders demands a comprehensive medical approach, where a dietitian has an important role, primarily due to numerous instances of malnutrition. The objective of this paper was to recapitulate the research findings and clinical evidence which show the importance of medical nutrition therapy in the treatment of eating disorders; furthermore, they present significant guidelines for clinical practice. The research methods have entailed a thorough exploration of literature available at research data bases. The results of the research studies published so far have unambiguously pointed out that, when eating disorders are concerned, there is an urgent need for a diet therapy in order for the patient to restore the appropriate body weight as well as normal eating habits. On the one hand, certain authors suggest returning to normal nutritional habits immediately, whereas, on the other hand, certain others advocate a diet therapy program, that is, a gradual process of recovery. Patients incapable of oral food intake receive enteral nutrition. Parenteral nutrition is applied for recovering the lost electrolytes and fluids, but it should be applied rarely, primarily in states of urgency. For patients suffering from eating disorders the increase in weight indicates good chances of recovery; therefore, the patient’s nutritional status should be carefully and continuously noted. Finally, it is important that our country, too, should adopt a carefully prescribed and conducted diet therapy as an obligatory step in the treatment of patients with eating disorders

The Byzantine aristocracy in the Fifteenth century

Византијска аристократија у XV веку друштвени је слој који је, пре свега, по свом пореклу био веома разнородан. С обзиром на то, али и на чињеницу да извори овог периода готово уопште не користе термин аристократија, примереније је друштвену елиту прве половине XV века називати архонтима. Као и само Царство, и његова елитна друштвена класа претпела је велике промене током претходног столећа, пре свега када је у питању њена економска база. Наиме, услед османско‒српских освајања и Царство и традиционална земљопоседничка аристократија били су лишени својих поседа, што је ове друге принудило да већ од средине XIV века почну да се баве занимањима која су до тог тренутка дубоко презирали ‒ трговином и занатством. Тако се од тог времена постепено обликује један слој нових богаташа, који су подједнако чинили и припадници некадашње земљопоседничке аристократије, али и такозваних средњих, тј. друштвеног слоја који се током ране епохе Палеолога налазио између аристократије и обичног народа. Током прве половине XV века слој архоната чине различите друштвене групе. Ту су, најпре, чланови најугледнијих царско‒аристократских породица које су представљале ‛цвет византијског племстваʼ током читаве епохе Палеолога. Најистакнутије међу њима биле су личности које су биле у сродству са царском породицом и, готово по правилу, сенатори. Значај блиског сродства са василевсом показује и чињеница да се оне у изворима помињу термином који је означавао степен сродства са царем као да су у питању титуле. Није било лако ородити се са царском породицом, те су стога архонти настојали да стекну дворске титуле или неке друге епитете који би их приближили цару. Двор последњих Палеолога, а тиме и дворска хијерархија, били су поједностављени. Извори помињу само најзначајније дворске титуле, од којих су највишу, деспотску, носили само синови Манојла II, тј. браћа Јована VIII Палеолога, док се титуле севастократора и цезара уопште не помињу. Најбројнију групу међу архонтима су чинили oivkei,oi, људи који су из различитих разлога били блиски цару и имали приступ двору. Архонтима су се сматрали и они који су обављали неку јавну службу у царској администрацији (dou/loi, кефалије), или су обављали одређене службе по налогу цара, попут службе царских посланика. Како су само Царство током прве половине XV века чинили простори који нису били територијално међусобно повезани (Цариград, Мореја, Солун, Лемнос), тако су се и архонти и специфичности њиховог понашања у овим областима разликовали. Оно што им је, међутим, било заједничко и по чему се нису разликовали од друштвене елите претходних столећа били су њихове друштвене навике и обичаји ‒ луксузан начин живота, врхунско високо образовање и везивање за религиозне задужбине.The byzantine aristocracy in the fifteenth century was very heterogeneous social group by its origin. Given the fact that the sources of the period almost at all don’t employ the term aristocracy, it appears therefore that other term, archon, would be more appropriate to denote the elite social stratum of the first half of the fifteenth century. As the Empire itself, its social elite has suffered significant changes during the previous period, especially when one speaks of its economic basis. Namely, due to Serbian‒Ottoman conquests, both the Empire and the traditional landowning aristocracy were deprived of their possessions, which already from the mid-fourteenth century forced the latter to engage in, until that time, the most despised, but very profitable professions ‒ trade and crafts. From that time and on, a new stratum of the rich, consisting of the old aristocracy but of so-called mesoi, i.e. social class which during the early Palaiologan era was placed between the aristocracy and common people as well, has started to shape. During the first half of the fifteenth century this class of archons is consisted of various social groups. The majority of the archons were the members of the most illustrious imperial‒aristocratic families of the Palaiologan period in whole. The most prominent among them were related to the imperial family. The significance of the family relations with the emperor is shown by the fact that these individuals are mentioned in the sources by the term suggesting a level of the kinship as if it was a title. Since it wasn’t easy to accomplish the family ties with the imperial family, the archons endeavored to acquire the court titles or some other epithets in order to get closer to the emperor. The court of the last Palaiologan emperors, as well as the court hierarchy, was simplified. The sources mention only the most significant court titles, of which the title of despot was bestowed only to the sons of Manuel II, i.e. brothers of John VIII Palaiologos, while the titles of sebastocrator and caesar are not mentioned at all. The most numerous group among the archons formed the oikeioi, the individuals who were close to the emperor for the various reasons and who had the access to the court. Those forming the service aristocracy, i.e. those who performed various services for the emperor or worked in bureaucracy, such as kephale or ambassador, were considered archons as well. As the Byzantine Empire in the first half of the fifteenth century consisted only of a few regions, not even territorially connected (Constantinople, Morea, Thessaloniki, Lemnos), the archons and the specificity of their attitudes in these regions differed. What they, nevertheless, had in common, and in which they didn’t differ from the social elites of the previous centuries, were their social habits and customs ‒ luxurious way of living, superior high education and attachment to the various religious foundations