Influence of sulpiride treatment on the level of prolactin and immunoglobulins in the peripheral blood of mares during the postpartum period

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of increased levels of prolactin (PRL) on the concentration of immunoglobulins in the blood, colostrum and milk of mares. The study was conducted on 12 mares of the Polish Pony breed (6 in the control and 6 in the experimental group). To induce hyperprolactinaemia in mares of the experimental group, 750 mg sulpiride was administered orally once a day. The initial PRL concentration was 52.22 ± 11.21 ng/ml in the control group and 49.39 ± 10.12 ng/ml in the experimental group. In the subsequent days, the concentration of PRL dynamically changed. Statistical analysis showed highly significant differences (P < 0.01) between the groups. The concentration of immunoglobulins in the blood plasma was at the same level during the experimental period (32.97–29.08 mg/ml in the experimental group and 28.60–18.11 mg/ml in the control group). Statistical analysis showed highly significant differences between the groups in blood plasma immunoglobulin level (P < 0.01). The highest immunoglobulin concentration was obtained within 12 h after parturition in the control and the experimental group (23.49 ± 2.12 mg/ml and 26.94 ±1.72 mg/ml, respectively). The lowest values were obtained on day 12 after parturition in the experimental group (10.15 mg/ml ± 1.47 mg/ml) and on day 7 after parturition in the control group (14.30 mg/ml ± 2.48 mg/ml). In conclusion, this study did not provide evidence that the lactogenic hormone prolactin is involved in the transfer of immunoglobulins into the colostrum in horses

Policing gender mobilities: interrogating the ‘feminisation of migration’ to Europe

This article proposes a gendered critique of the European Neighbourhood Policy, a framework that, amongst other things, aims to facilitate the mobility of migrants to the EU from the bordering countries. We highlight the ambivalences of European gender and migration regimes, and we take issue with the celebration of the ‘feminisation of migration’. The former fails to offer opportunities to women to safely embark on autonomous migratory projects, the latter contributes to reproduce traditional gender biases in the countries of origin as well as of destination. We conclude by suggesting that the EU critique to emigration countries for failing to tackle women’s discrimination is less than persuasive when assessed vis-á-vis with the curtailment on women’s independent mobility across European borders

Medical tourism from the UK to Poland : how the market masks migration

Much medical travel happens, but it is misleading to label it as ‘medical tourism’. Rather, patterns of travel reflect a range of drivers: from longstanding cultural, economic and political ties to the country providing treatment, to word-of-mouth networks. Poland provides a particularly interesting case, as it has been touted as the leading medical tourism destination for UK medical travellers in Europe; marketing by Polish providers is advanced and there is strong government support for the industry. In this paper examining data from the UK's International Passenger Survey for the past 15 years, we demonstrate that, while travel to Poland has indeed increased dramatically, much of this actually reflects a wider pattern of Polish migrants living in the UK and returning to Poland for medical care rather than increased ‘medical tourism’ consumer activity by Britons in Poland

Demographic Challenges of Europe and Poland

Europa od kilkudziesięciu lat ulega demograficznemu starzeniu. W perspektywie ten proces nasili się, co doprowadzi do zasadniczej zmiany proporcji między ludźmi młodymi i starymi. Liczba młodych, mających zastąpić osoby w wieku reprodukcyjnym (i zdolności do pracy) będzie maleć, natomiast liczba starych, wymagających wsparcia i opieki będzie rosnąć. Wzrastającym ze względu na wpływ czynnika demograficznego potrzebom w tej mierze będą towarzyszyć zmniejszające się zasoby demograficzne służące – w świetle obecnych standardów – do ich zaspokajania. Polska należy do krajów, w których ta zmiana będzie szczególnie drastyczna. Z jednego z najmłodszych obecnie wśród krajów Unii Europejskiej w 2060 roku stanie się najstarszym. Dowodzę, że ten proces – nazwany głównym wyzwaniem demograficznym Europy – jest nieuchronny i w najbliższych kilkudziesięciu latach nieodwracalny. Wbrew żywionym iluzjom, odpowiedzią na płynące z niego wyzwania społeczne i ekonomiczne nie są zmiany w sferze demograficznej, zwłaszcza wywoływane za pomocą polityk ludnościowych (w tym migracyjnej). Efektywnych rozwiązań trzeba oszukiwać w innych sferach.For several decades now Europe has undergone population ageing. Within the coming half a century or so that process will be intensifi ed, which will result in a fundamental shift in the relationship between the youth and the elderly. Numbers of young people which are supposed to replace persons in reproductive (and working) age will be declining whereas numbers of old people, those who require support and care will be growing. In other words, an increasing demand related to those needs that will result from the ageing of population will be met by decreasing demographic resources, which – by present standards – serve the satisfaction of such demand. Poland belongs to countries where that change will be particularly drastic. By the year 2060 from one of the youngest populations in the European Union it will become the oldest one. I argue that this process – which I consider the principal demographic challenge Europe is facing – is unavoidable, and it will become irreversible within several decades. Despite illusions, a response to ensuing social and economic challenges cannot be found in the demographic change itself, especially the one to be accomplished by means of population policies (including migration policy). The effective solutions are to be sought in other spheres than the demographic one

The Migration Transition in Poland

In the period 1950–2020, international migration in Europe changed significantly. One of the most characteristic features was the change in net migration from negative to positive. At the beginning of the twenty-first century, Poland belonged to the minority of countries in this respect – that is, it experienced strong emigration but only minor immigration. However, migration in Poland has also been changing. In the second decade of this century, the outflow of people has weakened, the inflow of migrants has increased and the migration balance has become positive. I analyse these phenomena from the theoretical perspective of the migration transition that was experienced in the second half of the twentieth century by most countries in Western, Northern and Southern Europe. I attempt to answer the question of whether the latest migration phenomena prove that this transition is also occurring in Poland. In conclusion, I argue that the available to-date evidence provides an affirmative answer to this question