As an Image of the Other: Buryats in Russian Popular Literature of the Twenty First Century

Introduction. Contemporary Russian popular literature shows a trend to depict non-Russian citizens as minor and negative characters, the malign features proper being often somewhat attributed to race and ethnicity. Goals. The study provides an insight into the image of Buryats in Russian popular literature of the twenty first century, since some of the identified narratives can artificially ignite xenophobia in Russian society. Materials and methods. The article examines a variety of literary and research material, published field data collected by S. Zhambalova and N. Igaue, online sources. The employed methods comprise those of historical imagology and theory of stigmatization. Results. The considered detective novel (Taxi for an Angel) by V. Platova depicts four Buryats and one German as ‘othered’ — secondary and negative characters. Body-related portrayals are adversely supplemented with elements of Buryat mythology, religion, and ethnography. As for the work by I. Stogoff, he articulates therein some negative impressions of his stay in Buryatia. And both the literary compositions are abundant in critical accounts of Buddhism, Buddhists, and Ivolginsky Datsan. Discussion. The examined narratives are distinguished by xenophobia towards Buryats and basically contradict the state of the art, Russia’s Constitution, current nationalities policies of the Government, and may threaten interethnic relations. The bulk of Buryats are Russian citizens successfully integrated into global contexts, and the negative public stigmatization of one indigenous people attests to rudiments of the post-Soviet self-stigmatization of Russia are still there. Conclusions. Both the books are products of early twenty-first-century literature characterized by identity crisis — and bear traces of nationalism and ethnocentrism. Images of the Other attributed to Buryats are toll opinion-based, questionable, and falsify the actual present-day interethnic agenda in Russia. Like other indigenous communities, Buryats are civilized members of the contemporary world, while the manifested stigmas may adversely influence intra-nation harmony. Such publications and nation-wide self-stigmatization in Russian popular literature are definitely inadmissible

Lipid profile in menopausal women of two ethnic groups

Background. The hormonal alteration in menopause can lead to changes in the lipid metabolism parameters. The results of studies on this issue are ambiguous and suggest ethno-specific changes in the lipid profile. Aim: comparative assessment of lipid metabolism parameters in women of Caucasian and Asian races in peri- and postmenopause. Materials and methods. 146 women of Caucasian (ethnic group - Russian (n = 82)) and Asian (ethnic group - Buryats (n = 64)) races participated as volunteers in the prospective non-randomized study for the period 2012-2016. Each ethnic group was divided into three subgroups - women of reproductive age, women in perimenopause, and in postmenopause, according to the gynecological status. The lipid metabolism parameters were determined by the enzymatic method on a biochemical analyzer BTS-330. When analyzing the intergroup differences for independent samples, nonparametric criteria were used. Results. In Russian perimenopausal women, compared with women of reproductive age, we registered an increase in triglycerol levels by 1.90 times (p < 0.05) and cholesterol of very low density lipoproteins by 2.10 times (p < 0.05), followed by an increase of total cholesterol levels by 1.22 times (p < 0.05) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol by 1.40 times (p < 0.05) in postmenopausal period. In representatives of the Buryat ethnos, the changes in the lipid metabolism parameters were detected only in postmenopause, they consisted in increased total cholesterol levels - by 1.31 times (p < 0.05) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol - by 1.45 times (p < 0.05). Conclusions. Changes in the lipid profile in menopause are more pronounced in representatives of the Russian ethnic group

Circadian Rhythms of Melatonin Secretion in Peri- and Postmenopausal Women with Insomnia

The aim of this study was to assess complaints about sleep quality and to investigate circadian rhythms of melatonin secretion in peri- and postmenopausal women. Material and Methods: A total of 146 climacteric women were examined. All patients were divided into 2 groups: Group1 included 72 perimenopausal women and Group 2 included 74 postmenopausal women. Women were surveyed with special questionnaires: PSQI, FFS, ESS, Daytime Feeling and Functioning Scale. Insomnia Severity Index was calculated. Salivary melatonin content was determined (4 times a day) by immunoassay using Microplate Reader EL×808 (USA). Results: Perimenopausal women often complained about difficulties falling asleep (more than 20 minutes from the moment the light was turned off) and difficulties awakening in the morning, while postmenopausal women often complained about snoring and frequent awakenings during sleep(≥2 times). ISI was 21.3±0.54 in Group 1 and 24.8±0.31 in Group 2, which corresponded to insomnia. Daily melatonin secretion in perimenopausal patients with insomnia was altered – the maximal level was registered in the morning hours. The circadian rhythms of melatonin secretion in the group of postmenopausal women did not correlate to the occurrence of insomnia. Conclusion: We can recommend administration of melatonin in the evening time and light therapy in the early morning hours in the complex treatment of SDs in perimenopausal women for normalizing and shifting the chronobiological rhythms of melatonin secretion, and specific therapy is aimed to eliminate snoring for postmenopausal women

The properties and the mineralogical composition of dark-humus quazi-glei solonchak solonetzic cryoturbed cryosols of Barguzin hollow (Buryatia)

Morphological, physical-chemical properties, texture, salt composition mineralogical composition of the particle-size fractions 5 mkm of dark-humus quasigleyic solonchakous solonetzic cryoturbated deeply permafrost loamy-sandy soil developed from alluvial sediments (Salic Mollic Reductaquic Turbic Cryosol (Eutric, Loamic, Calcaric, Fluvic, Sodic)) are presented. The soil is situated at the northern-eastern part of Barguzin Depression in the impact zone of dumping of nitrogen siliceous thermal underground waters of Kuldur type (Kuchiger springs). The soil forms from materials of disintegration of high-content-potassium calcareous-alkali granites of Barguzin complex of Angara-Vitim Batholith. It was found soil salinity of weak to very strong degree, presumably sulfate-sodium with gypsum. There is a net of gypsum filaments in the solum that is observed by morphological analysis. Low amount of rectorite was found in clay fraction of undisturbed layers of alluvium at the depth of 54-145 cm in the studied soil profile. Regular structure of rectorite comprised mica (A) and smectite (B) packets with alternation motive ABAB… is transformed into irregular structure of mica-smectite interstratifications by impact of soluble sodium salts and cryoturbation of soil material in soil horizons at the depth of 0-54 cm formed from the alluvium. Regional peculiarity of studied soil is small shear of quartz in silt and sand fractions that is a result of mineral composition of biotite and amphibole-biotite granites and granitoids. Irregular mica-smectite interstratifications with high shear (>50%) of smectite packets are destroyed by impact of sodium sulfate and hydrocarbonates hydrogenic accumulation in the solum and are partially illuviated into middle part of soil profile with formation of humus-clay cutans on the lateral sides of aggregates by infiltration of rain waters. Existence of humus-clay cutans is an evidence of weak degree of solonetzic process

Nutrients, Organic Matter, and Trace Elements in Lake Gusinoe (Transbaikalia)

Lake Gusinoe is the second largest freshwater lake in Transbaikalia. Lakes serve as a source for drinking water, irrigation, and as a water source for the electricity, aquatic production, and tourism industry. Currently variations of content nutrients and organic matter differ in different areas of the lake. The content of total nitrogen, phosphorus, organic matter, and dissolved oxygen are distinguished more than 1.2–2.0 times. In accordance with the behavior of elements in the water, three groups of elements can be distinguished. The first group of elements, including Li, Ga, Ge, As, Rb, Sr, Mo, Cd, W, and U, were directly correlated with variations of major elements. The first group of elements showed decreasing concentrations with an increasing amount of total dissolved salt (TDS). The second group of elements, including Fe, Y, Nb, Th, and REE, were correlated oppositely with variations of TDS. The behavior of the third group of elements, including Mn, Zn, Ni, Cu, and Pb, decoupled with TDS. The value of the Eu anomaly was positively correlated with TDS. The water of Lake Gusinoe was extremely enriched by W, Mo, V, U, Li, Sr, and Ga; moderately by Ni, Cu, Ge, As, Rb, Cd, and Pb; and minimally by Al, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Zn, Y, Th, and REE