Russia's policies towards Belarus and Ukraine: Towards integration or disintegration

Russia's relations with Belarus and Ukraine have been particularly substantive and multidimensional, involving high levels of interaction and encompassing a wide range of salient issues in the political, military, economic and societal spheres. In the second half of the 1990s, their institutional framework was developed to reflect the different processes of bilateral integration between Russia and Belarus, on the one hand, and of a less far-reaching cooperation between Russia and Ukraine, on the other. This work analyses and compares Russo-Belarusian and Russo-Ukrainian relations since the mid-1990s, examining their role in domestic politics and placing them in the wider international context. It is concerned with the formulation of objectives and strategies guiding Russia's policies towards Belarus and Ukraine, surveying the perspectives of different elite groups and public opinion. It investigates linkages between issues in bilateral relations along with Russia's use of various policy instruments. Relative gains in Russia's economic relations with Belarus and Ukraine respectively are considered in order to assess the effectiveness of economic levers in each case. The evolution of the Russia-Belarus Union forms a major part of the study, looking beyond its institutional development into the progress actually made in attaining declared objectives, particularly economic convergence and unity in terms of foreign and defence policy. Likewise, the contractual basis of relations between Russia and Ukraine is examined and contrasted with actual tendencies in bilateral social and economic interaction as well as with the development of political and military cooperation. The material and conceptual factors shaping the external orientations of Belarus and Ukraine are explored with a view to understanding their diverging positions towards Russia

Differential effects of EPA vs. DHA on postprandial vascular function and the plasma oxylipin profile in men

Our objective was to investigate the impact of EPA versus DHA, on arterial stiffness and reactivity, and underlying mechanisms (with a focus on plasma oxylipins), in the postprandial state. In a 3-arm cross-over acute test meal trial men (n=26, 35-55y) at increased CVD risk, received a high fat (42.4g) test meal providing 4.16 g of EPA or DHA or control oil in random order. At 0 h and 4 h, blood samples were collected to quantify plasma fatty acids, LCn-3PUFAs derived oxylipins, nitrite and hydrogen sulfide and serum lipids and glucose. Vascular function was assessed using blood pressure, Reactive Hyperaemia Index (RHI), Pulse Wave Velocity and Augmentation Index (AIx). The DHA-rich oil significantly reduced AIx by 13% (P=0.047) with the decrease following EPA-rich oil intervention not reaching statistical significance. Both interventions increased EPA and DHA derived oxylipins in the acute postprandial state, with an (1.3 fold) increase in 19,20-DiHDPA evident after DHA intervention (P < 0.001). In conclusion, a single dose of DHA significantly improved postprandial arterial stiffness as assessed by AIx, which if sustained would be associated with a significant decrease in CVD risk. The observed increases in oxylipins provide a mechanistic insight for the AIx effect

Dietary Modulation of Drosophila Sleep-Wake Behaviour

Background A complex relationship exists between diet and sleep but despite its impact on human health, this relationship remains uncharacterized and poorly understood. Drosophila melanogaster is an important model for the study of metabolism and behaviour, however the effect of diet upon Drosophila sleep remains largely unaddressed. Methodology/Principal Findings Using automated behavioural monitoring, a capillary feeding assay and pharmacological treatments, we examined the effect of dietary yeast and sucrose upon Drosophila sleep-wake behaviour for three consecutive days. We found that dietary yeast deconsolidated the sleep-wake behaviour of flies by promoting arousal from sleep in males and shortening periods of locomotor activity in females. We also demonstrate that arousal from nocturnal sleep exhibits a significant ultradian rhythmicity with a periodicity of 85 minutes. Increasing the dietary sucrose concentration from 5% to 35% had no effect on total sucrose ingestion per day nor any affect on arousal, however it did lengthen the time that males and females remained active. Higher dietary sucrose led to reduced total sleep by male but not female flies. Locomotor activity was reduced by feeding flies Metformin, a drug that inhibits oxidative phosphorylation, however Metformin did not affect any aspects of sleep. Conclusions We conclude that arousal from sleep is under ultradian control and regulated in a sex-dependent manner by dietary yeast and that dietary sucrose regulates the length of time that flies sustain periods of wakefulness. These findings highlight Drosophila as an important model with which to understand how diet impacts upon sleep and wakefulness in mammals and humans

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

A Russo-Belarusian 'Union state': a defensive response to Western Enlargement?

EU-East-Central Europe; NATO; state building