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1
Daskalov, Roumen. "Modern Bulgarian Society and Culture through the Mirror of Bai Ganio". Slavic Review 60, nr 3 (2001): 530–49. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/2696814.
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This article deals with the fictional character Bai Ganio, who was created by the Bulgarian writer Aleko Konstantinov at the end of the nineteenth century and who has become a sort of national symbol in Bulgarian society and culture. Daskalov presents the various interpretations of Bai Ganio, explores their assumptions and implicit meanings, and then employs the character to illuminate some of the major problems and concerns within Bulgarian society. Metaphorically one might say that the various interpretations of Bai Ganio serve as a mirror for a modernizing Bulgaria or, even better, that Bai Ganio and Bulgaria mutually reflect each other. Yet although the mirror retains the trace of the mirrored object, it obfuscates and distorts it.
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Vitanova, Emilia. "NEWLY FOUND DOCUMENTS CONCERNING THE DECISION OF THE BULGARIAN OLYMPIC COMMITTEE ABOUT THE OLYMPIC TORCH RELAY THROUGH BULGARIA IN 1972". Journal of Applied Sports Sciences 2023, nr 2 (21.12.2023): 93–106. http://dx.doi.org/10.37393/jass.2023.02.8.
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The Munich Olympic Games in 1972 were organized and held in the atmosphere of political and ideological controversies, which directly affected the organization and the Olympic Torch Relay along the route Olympia – Munich. This article aims to present newly found evidence about Bulgaria’s participation in planning the overall route of the Olympic Torch Relay across the country. The manuscript includes various documents and scientific and popular publications systematized through content analysis, comparative analysis, and critical analysis. In the course of the research, we also found 32 articles in periodicals. We researched some books and publications by foreign and Bulgarian authors, documents preserved in the regional libraries, the central state archive, the regional archives, and the archives of the Bulgarian Union for Physical Culture and Sport (BUPCS) and “Bulgarian Photography”. The research traced the difficulties and influences making the Bulgarian Olympic Committee (BOC) doubtful about the organization of the Olympic Torch Relay. On the basis of the newly found documents, we can have a clearer view of the political and ideological influences on BOC determining the decision on this matter.
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Todorova, Sevdalina Alekova. "Prevalence of overweight and obesity among adolescents in Bulgaria". Voprosy praktičeskoj pediatrii 17, nr 1 (2022): 122–27. http://dx.doi.org/10.20953/1817-7646-2022-1-122-127.
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Overweight and obesity among adolescents is one of the most serious public health problems of the 21st century. They play a potential role in the development of a number of socially significant non-communicable conditions and diseases. Objective. The aim of the study was to determine the prevelance of overweight and obesity among Bulgarian teenagers of both sexes and age range from 13 to 18 years based on anthropometric parameters – height, weight, and body mass index. Methods. It was conducted a survey of anthropometric indicators on a representative sample of region Stara Zagora, Bulgaria in September-October 2016. The study population included 481 school students aged 13-18 years. The classification of overweight and obesity status was determined by body mass index (BMI) for age and sex according to the WHO Growth Reference for children aged 5–19 years. Results. The results of the transversal study showed increased levels of overweight and obesity among adolescents – 14.96% and 3.74%, respectively. The percentage of overweight in the individual age groups ranged from 10.52% to 19.54%. The leaders in the sample on this indicator were 18-year-old male students – 11.49%. The prevalence of obesity among different age groups varied from 1.13% to 6.25%. The highest values of obesity were found in 13- and 14-year-old school students – 6.00% and 6.25%, respectively. Conclusion. The research found increased prevalence of overweight and obesity among Bulgarian adolescents aged 13–18 years. It requires effective health programs, active civic self-awareness, and personal participation to limit this extremely harmful process that has already reached a pandemic spread. Key words: adolescents, obesity, overweight, general practice, BMI
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Semánová, Csilla, Gergő J. Szőllősi, István Ilyés, Greet Cardon, Julie Latomme, Violeta Iotova, Yuliya Bazdarska i in. "Differences in Anthropometric Parameters of Children in Six European Countries". Children 10, nr 6 (31.05.2023): 983. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/children10060983.
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Background: The databases of children’s anthropometric parameters are often outdated, rarely representative and are not always available at an international level. Objectives: To present children’s anthropometric parameters in six European countries that contributed to the Feel4Diabetes project and find country-specific differences. Design/Setting: The Feel4Diabetes study was performed between 2016 and 2018, targeting children in Belgium, Bulgaria, Finland, Greece, Hungary and Spain. The current study presents data from the baseline and the yearly follow-up anthropometric measurements. Subjects: In total, 20,832 measurements of children (48.7% boys) between 6 and 10 years of age were conducted. Main outcome measure: weight, height, BMI. Results: Belgian boys had the lowest body weight and height, while Greek boys had the highest body weight, and Finnish had the highest body height. The highest proportion of overweight (percentile above 85%) and obese boys (percentile above 95%) was in Greece, followed by Hungarian, Spanish, Bulgarian and Finnish boys. In contrast, Belgian boys had the lowest ratio in both categories. Among girls, Greece had the highest; Belgium had the lowest body weight; Finland was the highest in all age categories. The ratio in the overweight range was the highest in Greece, followed by Spanish, Bulgarian and Hungarian girls, who were second in the obese category. Finnish girls had lower and Belgian girls had the lowest ratio in both BMI categories. All the detailed data are presented in tables, and the trends are figures. Conclusions: Our study presents fresh and comparable anthropometric data of children between 6 and 10 years of age in six European countries, supporting the need for appropriate obesity prevention.
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Ivanova, Lumdila, Plamen Dimitrov, Jocilyn Dellava i Daniel Hoffman. "Prevalence of obesity and overweight among urban adults in Bulgaria". Public Health Nutrition 11, nr 12 (grudzień 2008): 1407–10. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1368980008002061.
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AbstractObjectiveThe prevalence of obesity is increasing in transitional countries, but extensive data on some countries, such as Bulgaria, are still lacking. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to estimate the prevalence of overweight and obesity, relative to gender and income, among adults in Sofia, Bulgaria.DesignCross-sectional survey to collect data on diet, health, BMI and income using a brief questionnaire on diet and income. Data were analysed using analysis of covariance to determine differences within and between income and gender groups.SettingSofia, Bulgaria.SubjectsAdults living in the city of Sofia, Bulgaria.ResultsFor adults 30–60 years of age, 35·1 % were overweight and 6·2 % were obese. The proportion of overweight and obesity was higher among men than women (44·8 % v. 32·4 % and 6·0 % v. 4·7 %, respectively). With respect to income, BMI decreased as income increased. For men, BMI was highest for the lowest and highest income groups, whereas for women lower income was associated with a higher BMI.ConclusionThe prevalence of overweight and obesity appears to be an emerging problem in some sectors of Bulgarian society, based on our data from the largest urban area of the country. These data provide new information on the divergence in health and disease risk in a country that is still economically challenged and may be facing the nutrition transition.
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Sadovski, Alexander. "MINERAL WATERS IN BULGARIA". Ecological Engineering and Environment Protection 2023, nr 1/2023 (18.06.2023): 17–26. http://dx.doi.org/10.32006/eeep.2023.1.1726.
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The present study aims to review the sources of mineral water in Bulgaria, as well as the various aspects of their use as an energy source, benefit for human health and the national economy. Several literary sources on the subject are cited. Statistical analysis was performed and data were summarized about their physical and chemical characteristics, and especially to find distribution by temperature. The production of cheap thermal energy from the geothermal plants contribute to the reduction of the environment pollution, which is of great importance for the country. The extremely good bio-climatic resources in the country provide a base for the prospective development of the balneological branch. The barriers to geothermal development in the country are shown. It is concluded that the importance of geothermal energy from mineral waters in Bulgaria is underestimated.
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Gyudorova, Stela. "Studies on Manna ash (Fraxinus ornus L.) In Bulgaria". Silva Balcanica 24, nr 1 (28.02.2023): 35–45. http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/silvabalcanica.24.e101459.
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The purpose of this publication is to review and analyze the main studies of Manna ash in Bulgaria in or-der to present summarized information and acquire an objective view of the possibilities for proper per-ception of the importance of this local tree species and its use in various aspects of science and practice in our country. The study covers the period from the second half of the 1940s, when the first specialized journals in the field of forest science were published, until 2022. The focus of the study is on publications related directly or indirectly to various aspects of research on manna ash. The tracking of the chronology of forestry studies in Bulgaria shows trends towards a change in the perception of Manna ash as an inferior species and the search for its benefits for forestry practice, including rethinking its role from one of a weed species into an adjustable competitor, stimulating the regeneration of oaks and others indigenous species in plantations. The role of phytocoenological studies, which in relation to the Manna ash communities, both in nat-ural and artificial forest plantations, with its participation have increased in recent years. With their help, it is possible to trace the stages of successions and fluctuations and behavior of Manna ash in xerothermic oak forests and austian pine crops – its ecological-coenotic strategy towards the main tree species. The studies of Manna ash in Bulgaria in the field of special uses are close to their European ana-logues and in a number of cases overtake them with new data and discoveries, mostly in terms of bio-logically active products and antiallergic agents obtained from this plant species, among which we have world patents.
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Lomax, Johanna, Markus Fuchs, Pierre Antoine, Denis-Didier Rousseau, France Lagroix, Christine Hatté, Samuel N. Taylor i in. "A luminescence-based chronology for the Harletz loess sequence, Bulgaria". Boreas 48, nr 1 (8.10.2018): 179–94. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/bor.12348.
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Ajdanlijsky, George, André Strasser i Annette E. Götz. "Integrated bio- and cyclostratigraphy of Middle Triassic (Anisian) ramp deposits, NW Bulgaria". Geologica Carpathica 70, nr 4 (1.08.2019): 325–54. http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/geoca-2019-0019.
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Abstract A cyclostratigraphic interpretation of peritidal to shallow-marine ramp deposits of the early Middle Triassic (Anisian) Opletnya Member exposed in outcrops along the Iskar River gorge, NW Bulgaria, is presented. Based on facies trends and bounding surfaces, depositional sequences of several orders can be identified. New biostratigraphic data provide a time frame of the studied succession with placement of the boundaries of the Anisian substages and show that the Aegean (early Anisian) substage lasted about 1.6 Myr. In the corresponding interval in the two studied sections, 80 elementary sequences are counted. Five elementary sequences compose a small-scale sequence. The prominent cyclic pattern of the Opletnya Member can thus be interpreted in terms of Milankovitch cyclicity: elementary sequences represent the precession (20-kyr) cycle and small-scale sequences the short eccentricity (100-kyr) cycle in the Milankovitch frequency band. Medium-scale sequences are defined based on lithology but only in two cases can be attributed to the long eccentricity cycle of 405 kyr. The transgressive-regressive facies trends within the sequences of all scales imply that they were controlled by sea-level changes, and that these were in tune with the climate changes induced by the orbital cycles. However, the complexity of facies and sedimentary structures seen in the Opletnya Member also implies that additional factors such as lateral migration of sediment bodies across the ramp were active. In addition, three major sequence boundaries have been identified in the studied sections, which can be correlated with the boundaries Ol4, An1, and An2 of the Tethyan realm.
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Zlateca, Minka, i Petranka Fileva. "Bulgarien / Bulgaria - Fragen der Kategorienbildung bei der statistischen Analyse des Zeitungsmarktes; Forming Categories for the Statistical Analysis of the Newspaper Market (Summary)". relation Beiträge zur vergleichenden Kommunikationsforschung / Communication Research in Comparative Perspective 1, nr 1 (2004): 181. http://dx.doi.org/10.1553/relation1s181.
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Venelinov, Tony, i Stefan Tsakovski. "How to Implement User-Friendly BLMs in the Absence of DOC Monitoring Data: A Case Study on Bulgarian Surface Waters". Water 14, nr 2 (15.01.2022): 246. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/w14020246.
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The metal bioavailability concept is implemented in the Water Framework Directive (WFD) compliance assessment. The bioavailability assessment is usually performed by the application of user-friendly Biotic Ligand Models (BLMs), which require dissolved metal concentrations to be used with the “matching” data of the supporting physicochemical parameters of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), pH and Cadissolved. Many national surface water monitoring networks do not have sufficient matching data records, especially for DOC. In this study, different approaches for dealing with the missing DOC data are presented: substitution using historical data; the appropriate percentile of DOC concentrations; and combinations of the two. The applicability of the three following proposed substitution approaches is verified by comparison with the available matching data: (i) calculations from available TOC data; (ii) the 25th percentile of the joint Bulgarian monitoring network DOC data (measured and calculated by TOC); and (iii) the 25th percentile of the calculated DOC from the matching TOC data for the investigated surface water body (SWB). The application of user-friendly BLMs (BIO-MET, M-BAT and PNEC Pro) to 13 surface water bodies (3 reservoirs and 10 rivers) in the Bulgarian surface waters monitoring network outlines that the suitability of the substitution approaches decreases in order: DOC calculated by TOC > the use of the 25th percentile of the data for respective SWB > the use of the 25th percentile of the Bulgarian monitoring network data. Additionally, BIO-MET is the most appropriate tool for the bioavailability assessment of Cu, Zn and Pb in Bulgarian surface water bodies.
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Kryklyvyi, Vadym. "The policy of the Bulgarian Exarchate of the period 1877-1915 in the context of Bulgarian national security". Good Parson: scientific bulletin of Ivano-Frankivsk Academy of John Chrysostom. Theology. Philosophy. History, nr 16 (29.12.2021): 135–42. http://dx.doi.org/10.52761/2522-1558.2021.16.13.
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Historical and situation analysis of the processes of interaction between church and state in different historical conditions is one of the key methods of research church-state relations and interaction between the political and religious spheres. Historical examples can be used to deduce the regularities of the processes of politicization of the church, its formation as a subject of politics and participation in political processes: the creation of the state and the formation of the national security of the state, the formation of national identity, etc. The purpose of the article is to review and analyze the policy of the Bulgarian Exarchate during the period of Joseph I, aimed to formation of the national security of the Bulgarian principality during the becoming of national states in the Balkans under the constant threat of loss of statehood. Features of the relationship of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church with the state and national liberation movements, diplomatic policy of the BOC in the international arena as an independent entity. Also, the analysis is required for formulation of regularities in the sphere of church-state relations, and for comparative studies.
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Stanchev, Nikola, Angel Dyugmedzhiev, Martin Stanchev, Irina Lazarkevich i Borislav Naumov. "New data on the distribution of Eryx jaculus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Reptilia: Serpentes) in Bulgaria". Historia naturalis bulgarica 45, nr 1 (16.01.2023): 1–4. http://dx.doi.org/10.48027/hnb.45.011.
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We report three newly registered localities of the javelin sand boa - Eryx jaculus along the Black Sea Coast. The nearest known localities (outside of the study area) of the species are situated at a considerable distance (100-230 km) from the recently discovered ones. The data presented here confirm the presence of E. jaculus along the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast and expand the knowledge on its distribution both in the country and in the Balkans.
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Angelova, Galena, Mariya Brazkova, Petya Stefanova, Denica Blazheva, Veselin Vladev, Nadejda Petkova, Anton Slavov i in. "Waste Rose Flower and Lavender Straw Biomass—An Innovative Lignocellulose Feedstock for Mycelium Bio-Materials Development Using Newly Isolated Ganoderma resinaceum GA1M". Journal of Fungi 7, nr 10 (15.10.2021): 866. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/jof7100866.
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In this study, for the first time, the potential of rose flowers and lavender straw waste biomass was studied as feeding lignocellulose substrates for the cultivation of newly isolated in Bulgaria Ganoderma resinaceum GA1M with the objective of obtaining mycelium-based bio-composites. The chemical characterization and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy established that the proximate composition of steam distilled lavender straw (SDLS) and hexane extracted rose flowers (HERF) was a serious prerequisite supporting the self-growth of mycelium bio-materials with improved antibacterial and aromatic properties. The basic physico-mechanical properties of the developed bio-composites were determined. The apparent density of the mycelium HERF-based bio-composites (462 kg/m3) was higher than that of the SDLS-based bio-composite (347 kg/m3) and both were much denser than expanded polystyren (EPS), lighter than medium-density fiber board (MDF) and oriented strand board (OSB) and similar to hempcrete. The preliminary testing of their compressive behavior revealed that the compressive resistance of SDLS-based bio-composite was 718 kPa, while for HERF-based bio-composite it was 1029 kPa and both values are similar to the compressive strength of hempcrete with similar apparent density. Water absorbance analysis showed, that both mycelium HERF- and SDLS-based bio-composites were hydrophilic and further investigations are needed to limit the hydrophilicity of the lignocellulose fibers, to tune the density and to improve compressive resistance.
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Tendera, Magdalena. "Bio-politics of Protest: Student Protests in Serbia and Bulgaria as a Mechanism of Security for a Social System". Bulgarian Journal of International Economics and Politics 2, nr 2 (27.04.2023): 51–71. http://dx.doi.org/10.37075/bjiep.2022.2.04.
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The research-based ethnographic study presented in the paper aims at explaining why the extensive student protests of the last decades in Serbia and Bulgaria do not facilitate the post-socialist transformation. Along with a high occurrence of political upheavals that commonly evoke images of mass unrest and swift social reconfigurations of power, no significant change in politics towards more democratic regime has taken place. Despite the presence of multiple liberal semantics in the public debate, the Balkan discourse on democracy seems fairly remote from the political and social practice. All the well-established theories of protest and social movements remain inconclusive in answering this query. In search of an explanation, the concept of security and the bio-political paradigm of Michel Foucault have been adopted. The distinctive conceptual framework helps to explain how protests became a kind of security mechanism preventing an unstable social system from radical changes. Based on that concept the anthropological investigation allowed to identify some systemic milestones, or structural dimensions, bringing some counterintuitive results when it comes to the assessment of key social functions of protest, and a rather expected disclosure of deep authoritarian settings of governing institutions. Finally, the article discusses some similarities between the contentious events in Serbia and Bulgaria, and how the private stories recorded during in-depth interviews conducted between 2014 and 2017 in Belgrade and Sofia combine into one legitimate public narration on the Balkan political issues
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Danova, Svetla, Dragomir Yankov, Lili Dobreva, Ana Dobreva, Nadya Armenova, Apostol Apostolov i Milka Mileva. "Postbiotics Production of Candidate-Probiotic Lactiplantibacillus plantarum AC131 with Renewable Bio Resources". Life 13, nr 10 (2.10.2023): 2006. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/life13102006.
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Lactiplantibacillus plantarum is a versatile specie, well known as a producer of lactic acid (LA) and other metabolites with biotechnological significance. The present work characterizes growth and lactic acid production of the candidate-probiotic strain L. plantarum AC131, from Bulgarian white brined cheeses. Different nutritional media with ingredients from renewable resources—reduced sugars from dried distillers’ grains with soluble (DDGS) and waste waters from the water-vapor distillation of Bulgarian Rosa alba L. and Rosa damascena Mill. essential oil—were assessed. The results obtained showed significant LA production (up to 95% conversion) in modified MRS broth with reducing sugars from DDGS hydrolysates. The addition of R. alba L. and R. damascena Mill. distillation effluents stimulated the growth and biological activity of postbiotics produced by L. plantarum AC131. In both experimental approaches, a statistically significant inhibition (from 20 to 60%) of E. coli HB 101 growth was found during 24 h exposure and a variable effect on the biofilm formed. In conclusion, reducing sugars from DDGS hydrolysates can be successfully used as a carbon source for lactic acid production. In the case of fermentation without pH control, the process is product inhibited, while with pH control, nearly full conversion was achieved. Postbiotics produced during the process of fermentation showed a variety of biological activity and inhibitory effects on the growth of Escherichia coli HB 101.
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Festić, Mejra. "THE ROLE OF THE FOREIGN BANKS IN THE 5 EU MEMBER STATES / UŽSIENIO BANKŲ VAIDMENS 5 EUROPOS SĄJUNGOS VALSTYBĖSE TYRIMAS". Journal of Business Economics and Management 13, nr 1 (21.02.2012): 189–206. http://dx.doi.org/10.3846/16111699.2011.620156.
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The article tests if foreign banks have lowered their market share in the Baltic States, Romania and Bulgaria during the recent financial crisis after 2007, due to the perception of risk exposure in local markets. It has been proved that, the credit supply by foreign banks in the Baltic States, Romania and Bulgaria has remained relatively stable during the latest crisis by TSLS method. Foreign ownership generally utilizes derivative products more than domestic banks in the NMSs because they have more expertise in hedging and can diversify risks effectively with their larger parent banks in their home country. The reaction of foreign banks abroad depends on the capital adequacy of the parent bank and the business opportunities in the host economies. Santrauka Straipsnyje analizuojamas užsienio bankų vaidmuo penkiose Europos Sąjungai priklausančiose valstybėse – Baltijos šalyse, Rumunijoje ir Bulgarijoje. Autorius tyrimui pasirinko užsienio bankų užimamos rinkos dalies vertinimą ir ekonomikos krizės poveikio nustatymą šių bankų veiklos rodikliams bei rinkos daliai. Gauti rezultatai parodė, kad kreditų pasiūla, teikiama užsienio bankų Baltijos šalyse, Rumunijoje ir Bulgarijoje, išliko palyginti stabili. Tai galima susieti su tuo, kad užsienio bankai taiko ir naudoja išvestinius produktus, motyvuodami tuo, jog turi daugiau patirties ir gali diversifikuoti riziką, efektyviai naudodami juos remiančių savos šalies („motininių“) bankų finansinius išteklius. Tyrimas taip pat parodė, kad užsienio bankų reakcija į rinkos pasikeitimus vienoje ar kitoje valstybėje tiesiogiai priklauso nuo „motininio“ banko kapitalo pakankamumo ir ekonominių verslo sąlygų toje šalyje.
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Stoykova, Kristalina, Sava Juranov i Marin Ivanov. "Calibration of calraceous nannofossils and planktonic foraminifers’ zonation in the Lower and Middle Paleocene of Bulgaria". Geologica Balcanica 35, nr 1-2 (30.06.2005): 3–9. http://dx.doi.org/10.52321/geolbalc.35.1-2.3.
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This study represents first attempt to juxtapose and correlate the zonal schemes of calcareous nannofossils and planktonic foraminifers in the Lower and Middle Paleocene of Bulgaria. The calibration of the two schemes is accomplished in the most complete and continuous sedimentary succession of Byala Fm., cropping out in the sections around the village of Goritsa, Varna District. In the Danian Stage the presence of NP1-NP4 nannofossil zones as well as of the planktic foraminifera zones Pα, P1a, P1b, P1c, P3a is documented. In despite of the scarce paleontological data, the presence of P0 zone in basal Danian and P2 zone in the upper Danian is suggested. In the Selandian Stage NP5 and respectively P3b zones are evidenced with exceptionally rich plankton associations. The upper part of the section is incomplete due to the overthrusting of Upper Cretaceous sediments. The most important bio-events in both group are calibrated, thus enable higher biostratigraphic resolution and accuracy of dating.
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Satchanska, G., P. Mladenova, A. Doycheva i A. Gergova. "Antimicrobial Properties of Daily Consumed Bio Vegetables: Tomato, Chili Pepper, Parsley, Onion and Garlic". Acta Microbiologica Bulgarica 39, nr 4 (grudzień 2023): 468–74. http://dx.doi.org/10.59393/amb23390415.
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Many antimicrobial drugs lost their ability to effectively combat bacteria in recent years. This prompt¬ed novel investigations on the antibacterial properties of plants. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial activity of bio parsley, tomatoes, chili peppers, two types of onions, and garlic against Gram (+) and Gram (-) bacteria. 20 samples derived from 5 plants were assessed using the agar diffusion method against test strains Bacillus subtilis No8751 and Escherichia coli No8752, provided by the National Bank for Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Bulgaria. Our results demonstrated that the strongest antibacterial power had garlic, followed by orange-skinned onion and chili pepper. Against Gram (+) bacteria inhibitory effect was shown by mature orange and red-skinned onion bulbs and chili pepper tissue. Against Gram (-) most effective were mature garlic bulbs and chili pepper’s tissue. The single vegetable suppressing the growth both of E. coli and B. subtilis was the chili pepper. Obtained results showed that seeds of tomato and chili pepper demonstrated weak effectiveness demonstrating their prophylactic antibacterial role when eaten. In conclusion, single bio vegetables or their combinations are promising sources for novel antibac¬terial agents.
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Varadinova, Emilia, Lidia Sakelarieva, Jiyoung Park, Miroslav Ivanov i Violeta Tyufekchieva. "Characterisation of Macroinvertebrate Communities in Maritsa River (South Bulgaria)—Relation to Different Environmental Factors and Ecological Status Assessment". Diversity 14, nr 10 (4.10.2022): 833. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/d14100833.
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A survey of the macrozoobenthos communities in the Maritsa River (South Bulgaria) was carried out in the summer of 2021. Benthic samples were collected and physicochemical parameters (water temperature, pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen and nutrients) were measured at 15 sites located on the main river and its tributary system. The studied sites belonged to different river types and characterised the diversity of the ecological conditions—from unaffected to anthropogenically influenced river stretches. In addition, data from a study conducted in the summer of 2020 were used to analyse species–factor interactions in the river ecosystems and to assess the bio-indicative potential of the aquatic invertebrates. The dynamics of the taxonomic composition and abundance of the macrozoobenthos were analysed in relation to environmental factors. The physicochemical conditions of the water environment changed during the period of high water, which led to a reduction in the composition of the macrozoobenthos. Plecoptera and Trichoptera decreased in richness and abundance downstream and under human impacts. Ephemeroptera and Chironomidae were permanently present along the whole river. Oligochaeta increased in the lower river reaches and at sites with a greater amount of organic matter. The ecological status determined by the macrozoobenthos varied from high (site 1) to good, moderate and bad (site 13) at the studied sites.
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Seymenov, Kalin. "An example of the adverse impacts of various anthropogenic activities on aquatic bodies: Water quality assessment of the Provadiyska river (Northeastern Bulgaria)". Geographica Pannonica 26, nr 2 (2022): 142–51. http://dx.doi.org/10.5937/gp26-38196.
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Anthropogenic activities deteriorate the quality of water resources, which reduces their socio-economic suitability, endangers public health, and affects aquatic life. This work presents the results of physicochemical monitoring of the Provadiyska River (Northeastern Bulgaria) and aims to assess water quality status according to the guidelines pointed out in the National regulatory standard-Regulation H-4/2012 for characterization of the surface waters. The selected river has become one of the most seriously polluted streams in the territory of the country due to the effect of various human practices occurring in the drainage basin, such as agriculture, industry, and urban development. Data about the values of ten physicochemical variables (pH, EC, DO 2 , N-NH 4 , N-NO 3 , N-NO 2 , N-tot, P-PO 4 , P-tot, and BOD 5), recorded at four measuring points during the period 2015-2020 have been used. Results obtained indicate that almost all of the parameters considered do not meet the reference norm for "Good status", thus water quality could be assessed as "Moderate". Failed variables appear to be EC, N-NH 4 , N-NO 3 , N-NO 2 , N-tot, P-PO 4 , P-tot, and BOD 5 whose highest observed content remains from two up to nine times above the maximum permissible limits of Regulation H-4/2012. Water contamination arises from different sources and activities, including the excessive fertilization of croplands, the unregulated release of animal manure from livestock farms, the uncontrolled discharge of municipal and industrial effluents into the river, etc. The expansion of sewerage systems in the settlements, the construction of wastewater treatment facilities, as well as the adoption of codes for best farming practices are among the most important actions that should be taken to reduce the deleterious effects of various anthropogenic activities on water quality.
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Varadinova, Emilia, Gana Gecheva, Violeta Tyufekchieva i Tanya Milkova. "Macrophyte- and Macrozoobenthic-Based Assessment in Rivers: Specificity of the Response to Combined Physico-Chemical Stressors". Water 15, nr 12 (18.06.2023): 2282. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/w15122282.
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The importance of adequate biological assessments of rivers based on aquatic assemblages is essential to establish recovery measures. Macrophyte and macroinvertebrate communities react differently in time and in response strength to diverse stressors. Our hypothesis was that each group response is a result of specific and combined abiotic factors and each stressor’s impact. To address the above, both biological quality elements (BQEs) and values of the ecological quality ratio (EQR) were studied in relation to four abiotic parameters and five physico-chemical stressors. Discrepancies of more than one degree between the ecological status assessments of Bulgarian river sites determined using macrophytes and macrozoobenthos were discussed. The RDA analysis showed that altitude had a determining role in shaping the abundance of macrophyte and macrozoobenthos communities. Aquatic flora richness positively correlated with nitrogen enrichment and macroinvertebrate fauna—with altitude and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD). Nutrients and shading were most significant for the ecological status evaluation defined with both macrophytes and macrozoobenthos. Macrophyte-based EQR was related to oxygen concentration and shading, while macroinvertebrate-based EQR was better at sites with coarser substrates. Among tested stressors, mainly total nitrogen and BOD explained the lower macrophyte-based assessment at half of the studied sites. In conditions of increased nitrogen and BOD, but remaining in the range of good status, macrophytes as primary producers gave a faster and stronger response. Despite the differences in the assessment, both BQEs have higher values in conditions of lower BOD and total phosphorus.
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Dimitrov, Zlatomir. "Polarimetric Analysis of ALOS PALSAR data (POL-SAR) over Test Areas in North-West Bulgaria – Polarimetric Descriptors, Decompositions and Classifications". Aerospace Research in Bulgaria 34 (2022): 29–55. http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/arb.v34.e03.
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This study is focused on utilizing full-polarimetric L-band radar data from ALOS PALSAR (JAXA) by means of Polarimetry (POL-SAR), over mountainous test sites in Bulgaria. General aim is to show feasibility of the Polarimetry to describe natural targets, which exhibits various scattering mechanisms in respect to their bio-physical and geometrical properties. Firstly, the importance of Covariance and Coherent matrices is shown, which is followed by calculation of the polarimetric coherences with their particular significance. The mathematical and physical model based decompositions are applied to describe backscattering media from scattering mechanisms. Radar indices resulted from H/A/α-decomposition showed radnomization of scattering mechanisms over forest areas, whilst two major scattering mechanisms are observed mainly in crop lands. Α comparison is made between polarimetric descriptors from acquisitions in different seasonality over mountainous forest and agricultural lands. Polarimetric segmentations and classifications are applied, with 8 (H/A) and 16 (H/A/α) components. Finally, a forest mask is proposed based on relevant polarimetric descriptors. Study showed good utilization and importance of the full-polarimetric L-band SAR data, derived from ALOS PALSAR, in natural targets and forest areas. This report resulted from a course GEO414 -“Polarimetrie”, held at the University of Jena, Lehrstuhl für Fernerkundung, in the framework of ERASMUS+, with the kind support of – Dr. T. Jagdhuber (DLR) and Prof. C. Schmullius.
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Kolimechkov, Stefan, Lubomir Petrov, Deyana Vankova i Deidre Douglas. "Nutritional Assessment of Female Yoga Practitioners with Different Levels of Experience". Sport Mont 20, nr 1 (1.02.2022): 45–49. http://dx.doi.org/10.26773/smj.220208.
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Yoga includes many components for a healthy lifestyle such as physical exercises, abstaining from tobacco, stress management and a low-fat diet. The aim of this study was to assess the nutrition of yoga practitioners and to compare it with international guidelines for a healthy diet. This study comprised 89 female yoga practitioners from Bulgaria. The nutrient intake was assessed by using a food frequency questionnaire based on the USDA National Nutrient Database. The relative intake of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, energy contribution of each nutrient, and the total daily energy intake and relative energy intake were calculated. The BMI of the yoga practitioners was near the lower normal limit (18.5 kg/m2). Only 3 practitioners were overweight. The yoga practitioners consumed small amounts of pork and beef and ~60% did not consume any meat at all. They consumed an average of 600 g of fruits and vegetables per day, which complies with the 400 g recommended by the WHO. Practising yoga helps to maintain normal weight which is one of the prerequisites for a healthy lifestyle. The nutritional assessment of the yoga participants corresponded with the recommendations of the WHO and the American Cancer Society Guidelines for a healthy diet.
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Ganev, Evgeniy, Boyan Ivanov, Natasha Vaklieva-Bancheva, Elisaveta Kirilova i Yunzile Dzhelil. "A Multi-Objective Approach toward Optimal Design of Sustainable Integrated Biodiesel/Diesel Supply Chain Based on First- and Second-Generation Feedstock with Solid Waste Use". Energies 14, nr 8 (17.04.2021): 2261. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/en14082261.
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This study proposes a multi-objective approach for the optimal design of a sustainable Integrated Biodiesel/Diesel Supply Chain (IBDSC) based on first- (sunflower and rapeseed) and second-generation (waste cooking oil and animal fat) feedstocks with solid waste use. It includes mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) models of the economic, environmental and social impact of IBDSC, and respective criteria defined in terms of costs. The purpose is to obtain the optimal number, sizes and locations of bio-refineries and solid waste plants; the areas and amounts of feedstocks needed for biodiesel production; and the transportation mode. The approach is applied on a real case study in which the territory of Bulgaria with its 27 districts is considered. Optimization problems are formulated for a 5-year period using either environmental or economic criteria and the remainder are defined as constraints. The obtained results show that in the case of the economic criterion, 14% of the agricultural land should be used for sunflower and 2% for rapeseed cultivation, while for the environmental case, 12% should be used for rapeseed and 3% for sunflower. In this case, the price of biodiesel is 14% higher, and the generated pollutants are 6.6% lower. The optimal transport for both cases is rail.
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Gateva, Svetla, Gabriele Jovtchev, Tsveta Angelova, Ana Dobreva i Milka Mileva. "The Anti-Genotoxic Activity of Wastewaters Produced after Water-Steam Distillation of Bulgarian Rosa damascena Mill. and Rosa alba L. Essential Oils". Life 12, nr 3 (19.03.2022): 455. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/life12030455.
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The steam distillation of valuable rose essential oil from R. damascena Mill. and R. alba L. generates large volumes of wastewaters. Although such wastewaters are bio-pollutants, they contain valuable bioactive compounds. In this study we investigated the cytotoxic/genotoxic and anti-cytotoxic/anti-genotoxic potential of these products. We used cytogenetic methods for induction of chromosome aberrations and micronuclei in two different experimental test-systems: ahigher plant and human lymphocyte cultures. Different experimental schemes of treatment with the waste products showed that the genotoxic activity of wastewater from the distillation of oils from R. alba and R. damascena was low in both test–systems. Human lymphocytes showed a higher sensitivity to the products than plant cells. Both types of waste products manifested anti-genotoxic effect against N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine, a direct mutagen. The wastewaters obtained from steam distillation of rose essential oil have cytoprotective/genoprotective effect and could decrease DNA damage. Data are promising for further use of these products in pharmacy and other areas of human life.
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Bachtschevandjieva, R. "Klinische und funktionelle Veränderungen bei Patienten mit chronischer Bronchitis nach einer Aerosoltherapie im Kurort Momin Prohod (Bulgarien)". Physikalische Medizin, Rehabilitationsmedizin, Kurortmedizin 39, nr 02 (1987): 81–86. http://dx.doi.org/10.1055/s-2008-1065507.
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Kalisz, Barbara, Krystyna Żuk-Gołaszewska, Wioleta Radawiec i Janusz Gołaszewski. "Land Use Indicators in the Context of Land Use Efficiency". Sustainability 15, nr 2 (6.01.2023): 1106. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su15021106.
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In recent decades, the land use changes induced by various economic activities in agricultural ecosystems have affected many aspects of human life. This is the reason why land use change is considered as one of the agriculture-related environmental impacts in a sustainability assessment of food and bio-based products. At the same time, the methodology applied for the quantification of land use change effects is still under intensive research, stimulating scientific discussions. The overall objective of this paper is to fill the gap in knowledge of responsible and sustainable land use management. Specifically, the research provides a comprehensive set of land use change indicators in the context of land use change and land use efficiency. The indicators can be measured based on publicly available databases with the applicability to agricultural sustainability assessment of land use change on a local, regional and global scale. The high share of artificial land and dominant agricultural use of land with low land use intensity were noted in Belgium, Luxemburg, Netherlands, Slovenia, Cyprus, Croatia, Finland, Germany, and United Kingdom. However, land use efficiency was also low. In turn, heterogeneous land cover (but less artificial areas than in other EU countries) and heterogeneous land uses with diverse land use intensity were noted in Austria, Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, France, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, and Sweden. The challenge in future research could be aggregation of different indicators in assessing the similarity of land use between countries.
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Georgiev, T., R. Moraliyska, S. Bogdanova-Petrova, G. Gerganov, P. Kabakchieva, S. Dimitrov, S. Hristova i T. Shivacheva. "AB1163 ATTITUDES AND HESITANCY IN PATIENTS WITH INFLAMMATORY RHEUMATIC DISEASES TOWARDS SARS-CoV-2 VACCINATION: A SINGLE-CENTER STUDY FROM BULGARIA". Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases 81, Suppl 1 (23.05.2022): 1697.3–1698. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/annrheumdis-2022-eular.4447.
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BackgroundBulgaria is among the countries with the lowest vaccination rate of adult population in Europe. The presence of autoimmune rheumatic disease could further contribute to vaccine hesitancy and skepticism and influence patients’ attitudes towards vaccination [1, 2]. However, little is still known about the willingness and particular causes of hesitancy in patients with inflammatory joint diseases in the skeptical part of adult population across Europe.ObjectivesOur goal was to assess the rate of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination among patients with immune-mediated rheumatic joint diseases receiving biological and targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and to determine the modifiable predictors of vaccination hesitancy.MethodsPatients with rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, or ankylosing spondylitis undergoing biological or targeted synthetic DMARDs therapy were consecutively selected and included in this single-center cross-sectional study. Excluding criteria in patients were psychiatric or neurological disease preventing understanding or responding to the questions, being illiterate, or not willing to participate in the study. Various demographic, anthropometric, and clinical data were collected. Disease activity was determined using DAS28-CRP for rheumatoid arthritis and peripheral psoriatic arthritis and ASDAS for ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic spondylitis. All patients were given a questionnaire assessing their vaccination status, hesitancy, and attitude towards vaccination. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the relationship between self-reported modifiable parameters and vaccination status for SARS-CoV-2.ResultsTwo hundred and one participants were eligible for participating in the study with mean age and BMI of 54.6 years and 28.2, respectively. Of these, 40.3% were women; 30.3% had rheumatoid arthritis, 17.9% - psoriatic arthritis, and 51.7% - ankylosing spondylitis. 29.4 % of all participants had already survived a COVID-19 infection with a mean time of 8.4 months since the COVID-19 onset. Only slightly above 1/3 (35.8%) of the study group was fully vaccinated and the majority of them were vaccinated with BNT162b2 (68.1%). Among the modifiable factors, we identified preceding discussion with a rheumatologist, hesitancy due to autoimmune disease presence and (un)awareness of vaccine safety and efficacy as significant predictors of vaccination statusConclusionOur data suggest that there are still possibilities to influence rheumatic patients on their decision to vaccinate against SARS-CoV-2 in Bulgaria. Raising the awareness of the safety and efficacy of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccines and spending more time on the education of patients with rheumatic diseases may positively affect their attitude towards vaccination.References[1]Gaur P, Agrawat H, Shukla A. COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in patients with systemic autoimmune rheumatic disease: an interview-based survey. Rheumatol Int. 2021;41(9):1601-1605[2]Georgiev T, Angelov AK. Complexities of diagnosis and management of COVID-19 in autoimmune diseases: Potential benefits and detriments of immunosuppression. World J Clin Cases. 2020 Sep 6;8(17):3669-3678Disclosure of InterestsNone declared
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Tsakova, Adelina D., Antoaneta T. Gateva i Zdravko A. Kamenov. "25(OH) Vitamin D Levels in Premenopausal Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and/or Obesity". International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research 82, nr 6 (1.12.2012): 399–404. http://dx.doi.org/10.1024/0300-9831/a000137.
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Background: Insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, and obesity play an important role in development of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Current evidence suggests that vitamin D (VitD) deficiency may contribute to the disturbance in insulin metabolism and the development of the metabolic syndrome. The aim of this study was to investigate VitD levels, measured as 25(OH)D, in Bulgarian women with PCOS and/or obesity. Materials and methods: The study included 103 women, divided into three groups - group 1 Obese (n = 33); group 2 Nonobese PCOS (n = 50), and group 3 Obese PCOS (n = 20). 25(OH)D levels were measured by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. Results: Almost 2/3 of the women with PCOS and/or obesity appeared to be VitD-deficient. Women with obesity, especially visceral (with or without PCOS), had significantly lower levels of 25(OH)D compared to lean PCOS subjects. Women with and without metabolic syndrome however did not differ significantly in 25(OH)D levels. Women with normal body mass index (BMI) had higher 25(OH)D levels compared to overweight and obese (p = 0.028). There was no correlation between 25(OH)D levels and indices of glucose metabolism - fasting blood glucose and immunoreactive insulin (IRI) and after OGTT and HOMA index.
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Abadjiev, Valentin, i Emilia Abadjieva. "One Approach to the Synthesis, Design and Manufacture of Hyperboloid Gear Sets with Face Mating Gears. Part 2: Review of Practical Realization". Journal of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics 46, nr 3 (1.09.2016): 3–16. http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/jtam-2016-0013.
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Abstract Hyperboloid gear drives with face mating gears are used to transform rotations between shafts with non-parallel and non-intersecting axes. A special case of these transmissions are Spiroid1 and Helicon gear drives. The classical gear drives of this type are Archimedean ones. The objective of this study are hyperboloid gear drives with face meshing, when the pinion has threads of conic convolute, Archimedean and involute types, or the pinion has threads of cylindrical convolute, Archimedean and involute types. For simplicity, all three type transmissions with face mating gears and a conic pinion are titled Spiroid and all three type trans- missions with face mating gears and a cylindrical pinion are titled Helicon. Principles of the mathematical modelling of tooth contact synthesis are discussed in Part 1: Basic theoretical and CAD experience of this study. The second part of this article is a brief overview of the innovations and inventions created in this field at the Institute of Mechanics – Bulgarian Academy of Sciences in the last three decades. This study is also dedicated on elaboration of the specialized face gear sets for implementation into bio-robot hand. It is based on the application of 3D software technology, using 3D print for the realization of the physical models of the gear drives.
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Kolimechkov, Stefan, Rasho Makaveev, Dilyana Zaykova i Lubomir Petrov. "Tabata protocol-based high-intensity interval training in freestyle wrestlers". Pedagogy of Physical Culture and Sports 27, nr 6 (30.12.2023): 467–73. http://dx.doi.org/10.15561/26649837.2023.0604.
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Background and Study Aim. The physical attributes of muscular strength and endurance are essential for wrestlers to perform successfully. For the development of these physical qualities, high intensity interval training (HIIT) using kettlebell strength exercises is appropriate. The purpose of this study was to develop a kettlebell HIIT program for wrestlers and evaluate the results on strength and endurance. Material and Methods. Eight freestyle wrestlers who participated in the Bulgarian Wrestling Championships (age: 22.0±2.17 years, wrestling experience: 9.9±2.80 years) were included in the study. Measurements included height, weight, 8 circumferences, 8 skinfolds, and BMI, body fat percentage (%BF), and skeletal muscle mass percentage (%SMM). The wrestlers engaged in an HIIT circuit that involved four rounds of 16 kg kettlebells and eight exercises, each lasting 20 seconds to complete and 10 seconds to recover between. Polar H7 was used to continually record heart rate (HR). At rest, before, immediately after, and 15 minutes after the HIIT, blood lactate concentration (La) was assessed. Each exercise's number of repetitions was noted. Results. The wrestlers' average height was 175.2±7.45 cm, their average weight was 85.1±13.38 kg, and their average BMI was 27.6 kg/m2. The SMM was 42.1±2.39%, and the BF was 10.3±3.98%. Heart rate (HR) exhibited a pattern of elevation from rest to warm-up and during circle 1 to 4, followed by a decrease 10 minutes after HIIT. Lactate levels (La) displayed an upward trend from rest to before HIIT, a significant increase after HIIT, and a decrease 15 minutes after HIIT. Conclusions. As shown by the fact that each wrestler's HR during the kettlebell HIIT was above 75% of HRmax and that La was above the anaerobic threshold (>4 mmol/L), the created kettlebell HIIT, when used 5 times per week for eight weeks as part of the wrestlers' training, can improve their endurance.
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Valkova, Elica, Vasil Atanasov, Tatyana Vlaykova, Tanya Tacheva, Yanitsa Zhelyazkova, Dimo Dimov i Kristian Yakimov. "The Serum Levels of the Heavy Metals Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb and Progression of COPD—A Preliminary Study". International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 20, nr 2 (12.01.2023): 1427. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20021427.
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There is evidence in previous studies that high levels of heavy metals may play a key role in the development of COPD due to the induction of chronic inflammation and oxidative stress. In this preliminary study, we used atomic absorption spectrophotometry to measure the levels of four heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb) in blood serum of COPD patients and controls over 2 years. Clinical data on disease progression or absence were collected in patients living in the industrial region of Stara Zagora, Bulgaria. The mean values of Cu in the serum of patients with COPD and the control group were 374.29 ± 15.03 μg/l and 238.55 ± 175.31 μg/l, Zn—2010.435 ± 670.006 μg/l and 1672.78 ± 934.27 μg/l, Cd—0.334 ± 0.0216 μg/l and 0.395 ± 0.110 μg/l and Pb—0.0732 ± 0.009 μg/l and 0.075 ± 0.0153 μg/l. This is probably because these elements are biogenic and are used in the body for its anti-oxidant protection. In fact, it cannot be stated with certainty that elevated levels of Cu and Zn in the environment have a negative impact in COPD patients. There was a trend towards higher levels of the toxicants lead and cadmium in COPD patients compared to the control group of patients. There is a statistically unproven trend toward higher levels of lead and cadmium in COPD patients compared to controls, which to some extent supports our hypothesis that there is a relationship between environmental lead and cadmium levels and the COPD manifested. In COPD patients, a positive correlation was found between BMI and serum Cu levels (r = 0.413, p = 0.005). A higher concentration of serum Cu was found in men with BMI ≥ 30, compared to those with BMI < 30. There is also a positive correlation to a lesser extent between CRP and cadmium (r = 0.380; p = 0.019) and lead (r = 0.452; p = 0.004). The correlation of lead and cadmium with PSA also shows that these elements may also be associated with the presence of inflammatory processes. A significant negative correlation exists between Pb in the serum of patients with COPD and their blood hemoglobin (r = −356; p = 0.028). The results of our study suggest that higher doses of the trace elements Cu and Zn do not always have a negative effect in patients with COPD, while the toxicants Pb and Cd may be involved in COPD exacerbation and can be used as prognostic biomarkers for progression. Further studies are warranted to confirm these preliminary results.
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Krotova, N. V., i G. A. Batalova. "Studying germplasm collection accessions of naked oats". Proceedings on applied botany, genetics and breeding 182, nr 4 (16.12.2021): 18–26. http://dx.doi.org/10.30901/2227-8834-2021-4-18-26.
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Background. The breeding value of accessions from the VIR collection can be estimated only under specific climate and soil conditions. Studying such accessions helps to include them in the breeding process.Materials and methods. Forty-two accessions of naked oats of various origin were studied at the FARC of the North-East. Biochemical analysis of grain and statistical data processing using descriptive statistics and correlation analysis techniques were carried out.Results. The accessions were divided into groups according to their ripening schedule: early (up to 80 days), medium (81–84 days), and mid-late (85–89 days). High yielding genotypes were identified in each ripeness group. The plant height depended on the hydrothermal conditions of the growing season (r = 0.25). The studied accessions were all classified as undersized (64.0–99.1 cm), including the reference cv. ‘Vyatsky’ (88.1 cm). A significant contribution of some panicle productivity components to an increase in yield was observed. The protein and fat content in grain determines its nutritional and energy value. The results showed a positive relationship between yield and protein content (r = 0.44). A significant negative correlation between fat content and protein content (r = –0.61) was registered. The study of naked oat accessions showed different fat content in grain across the ripeness groups.Conclusion. According to the results of the study, some accessions were identified as sources of traits useful for breeding. The following accessions were selected as the best according to a set of characters (yield, plant height, number of grains per panicle, panicle weight, protein and fat content in grain): early ‘Litovsij nagij’ (k-15234, Lithuania), ‘Gkzalon’ (k-15299, Mongolia) and ‘MF9224-164’ (k-15090, USA); medium k-15248 (local, Poland) and MF9521-281 (k-15095, USA); and mid-late ‘Bai Yan 2’ (k-15525, China), ‘Progress’ (k-15339, Russia), ‘Visit’ (k-15501, Ukraine) and ‘Mina’ (k-15192, Bulgaria).
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Arsov, Alexander, Maria Gerginova, Tsvetelina Paunova-Krasteva, Kaloyan Petrov i Penka Petrova. "Multiple cry Genes in Bacillus thuringiensis Strain BTG Suggest a Broad-Spectrum Insecticidal Activity". International Journal of Molecular Sciences 24, nr 13 (6.07.2023): 11137. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijms241311137.
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The properties of Bacillus thuringiensis strains as a biopesticide with potent action against moths, beetles, and mosquitoes have been known for decades, with individual subspecies showing specific activity against a particular pest. The aim of the present work is to characterize strains that can be used for broad-spectrum pest control in agriculture. Twenty strains of B. thuringiensis were isolated from Bulgarian soil habitats. The strains were screened for genes encoding 12 different crystal (Cry) endotoxins by PCR with specific primer pairs. Seven of the isolates contained cry genes in their genomes. B. thuringiensis strains PL1, PL3, and PL20 contained at least three different cry genes, while B. thuringiensis serovar galleriae BTG contained at least four. Moreover, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) investigation revealed the production of bipyramidal (PL1, PL3, PL20), polygonal (PL1), cubic (BTG), and spherical crystals (BTG and PL20). Potentially containing the most cry genes, the BTG genome was sequenced and annotated. It comprises 6,275,416 base pairs, does not contain plasmids, has a GC content of 35.05%, and contained 7 genes encoding crystal toxins: cry1Ab35, cry1Db, cry1Fb, cry1Ib, cry2Ab, cry8Ea1, and cry9Ba. This unique combination would possibly enable the simultaneous pesticidal action against pest species from orders Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, Diptera, and Hemiptera, as well as class Gastropoda. Whole-genome sequencing provided accurate information about the presence, localization, and classification of Cry toxins in B. thuringiensis BTG, revealing the great potential of the strain for the development of new broad-spectrum bio-insecticides.
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Tupenaite, Laura, Edmundas Kazimieras Zavadskas, Arturas Kaklauskas, Zenonas Turskis i Mark Seniut. "MULTIPLE CRITERIA ASSESSMENT OF ALTERNATIVES FOR BUILT AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT RENOVATION". JOURNAL OF CIVIL ENGINEERING AND MANAGEMENT 16, nr 2 (30.06.2010): 257–66. http://dx.doi.org/10.3846/jcem.2010.30.
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The built environment is not constructed in empty space. It refers to human ‐ made spaces they live and work in and which are affected by various micro, meso and macro level factors. For this purpose, renovation decisions must be considered avoiding a narrow approach to the single projects of building renovation. Renovation of the built and human environment must be considered instead and the holistic approach used. From this perspective, decision‐making problems of renovation often involve a complex decision making process in which multiple requirements and conditions have to be taken into consideration simultaneously. This paper describes the concept of the integrated analysis of built and human environment renovation as a whole as well as presents the multiple criteria assessment of alternatives of the Bulgarian cultural heritage renovation projects. The widely known multiple criteria assessment methods SAW, TOPSIS and COPRAS and the newly developed method ARAS were used for this purpose. As a result the best project for granting was selected. Santrauka Gyvenamoji aplinka sukurta žmoniu ir skirta ju poreikiams tenkinti, ja veikia daugybe makro‐, mezo‐ ir mikroaplinkos veiksniu. Kadangi gyvenamoji aplinka yra kompleksiška, jos atnaujinimo sprendimai turi būti priimami vengiant pernelyg siauro požiūrio, nagrinejant tik pavieniu pastatu atnaujinimo projektus. Atnaujinimo sprendimai turetu būti priimami ir projektai igyvendinami taikant holistini požiūri. Šiuo požiūriu atnaujinimo sprendimai yra sudetingi, juos priimant būtina atsižvelgti i daugeli salygu ir reikalavimu. Šiame straipsnyje gyvenamosios aplinkos atnaujinimas nagrinejamas kaip visuma, pateikiamas autoriu sukurtas integruotas gyvenamosios aplinkos atnaujinimo analizes modelis, atliekama Bulgarijos kultūros paveldo atnaujinimo projektu daugiakriterine analize taikant gerai žinomus daugiakriterinio vertinimo metodus SAW, TOPSIS ir COPRAS bei naujai sukurta metoda ARAS. Atlikus tyrima išrenkamas geriausias atnaujinimo projektas, kuriam gali būti suteiktas finansavimas.
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Navratil, M., D. Safarova, R. Karesova i K. Petrzik. "First Incidence of Plum Pox Virus on Apricot Trees in China". Plant Disease 89, nr 3 (marzec 2005): 338. http://dx.doi.org/10.1094/pd-89-0338c.
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Plum pox disease, caused by Plum pox virus (PPV), is the most severe virus disease of plums, apricots, and peaches. The disease causes heavy losses for fruit growers and the international trade of propagation materials and fresh fruits. PPV was first reported in Bulgaria in 1917 (1). It is now widespread in Europe and has been reported from Cyprus, Syria, Egypt, India, Kazakhstan, Chile, the United States, and Canada. Leaves on symptomatic apricot trees (Prunus armeniaca cvs. Hong Mei and Bai Mei and a selected genotype) in the Hunan Province of China showed typical yellow rings and diffused chlorotic spots. Samples from three suspected trees were repeatedly analyzed using double-antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (DAS-ELISA) and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in the summers of 2001-2003. PPV was detected in leaves, bark, and leaf buds of all three trees using ELISA with polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies provided by M. Navratil, Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic (3). The results were confirmed using RT-PCR amplification of a 243-bp of the coat protein gene with a PPV-specific primer pair (2). BLAST analysis of two RT-PCR product sequences (GenBank Accession Nos. AY750961 and AY795603) showed 100% homology to multiple sequences of the PPV-D strain (GenBank Accession Nos. X81080, AF440743, and AF401295). The third sequence (GenBank Accession No. AY795602) had a C at position 112 rather than the T found in the other sequences. The ELISA, RT-PCR, and sequence results indicate that PPV-D was present in the apricot trees. To our knowledge, this is the first indication of PPV occurrence in China. This sporadic incidence of PPV on apricot trees requires addressing problems with the occurrence and spread of plum pox diseases in China and starting an eradication program. References: (1) D. Atanasoff. Annu. Univ. Sofia Fac. Agron. et Sylvic. 11:49, 1932. (2) T. Candresse et al. Phytopathology. 88:198, 1998. (3) I. Hilgert et al. Hybridoma. 12:215, 1993.
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Borodynko, N. "First Report of Beet virus Q on Sugar Beet in Poland". Plant Disease 90, nr 10 (październik 2006): 1363. http://dx.doi.org/10.1094/pd-90-1363a.
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The objective of this work was to determine whether Beet virus Q (BVQ), a member of the genus Pomovirus, is present in Poland. BVQ, like Beet necrotic yellow vein virus (BNYVV), is transmitted by Polymyxa betae Keskin. Earlier, BVQ was described as the Wierthe serotype of Beet soilborne virus (BSBV). Now, on the basis of its genomic properties (2), BVQ is recognized as a distinct virus species. BVQ is often found in fields where BSBV and BNYVV are present (4). During the fall of 2005, five plants of a cultivar susceptible to rhizomania (cv. Alyssa) and five resistant to rhizomania (cv. Henrietta) were collected from a field in the Wielkopolska Region of Poland, where BSBV and BNYVV had been previously identified, and tested for BVQ (1). All samples were analyzed by a double antibody sandwich-enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (DAS-ELISA) with antiserum against BNYVV (Bio-Rad, Hercules, CA). Rhizomania was identified only in sugar beet samples of the susceptible variety. The same samples were then tested using a triple antibody sandwich (TAS)-ELISA with commercial antisera against BSBV/BVQ (As-0576.2) and BSBV (As-0576.1) (DSMZ, Braunschweig, Germany). Nine sugar beet plants gave positive reactions with antiserum against BSBV/BVQ and negative reactions with antiserum specific to BSBV. Total RNA extracted from roots of 10 beet samples was then tested using a multiplex reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (mRT-PCR) and specific primers designed to amplify a fragment of the RNA2 for BNYVV and BVQ (3). The primers specifically amplified fragments of 545 bp and 291 bp of the BNYVV and BVQ, respectively. BNYVV was detected in all five samples from susceptible sugar beet plants. The presence of BVQ was confirmed in nine of the sugar beer plants, and the RT-PCR products were sequenced. Sequence analysis of the 206-nt amplicon sequence of the Polish isolate of BVQ (GenBank Accession No. DQ309444) indicated 97% nucleotide and 94% amino acid sequence identity with the previously published sequence of BVQ (GenBank Accession No. AJ223596) (2). To my knowledge, this is the first report of the natural occurrence of BVQ on sugar beet in Poland. In Europe, it has been previously reported in Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Sweden (3,4). References: (1) N. Borodynko et al. Plant Dis. 90:112, 2006. (2) R. Koenig et al. J. Gen. Virol. 79:2027, 1998. (3) A. Meunier et al. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 69:2356, 2003. (4) C. Rubies Autonell et al. Plant Dis. 90:110, 2006.
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Kabakchieva, P., T. Georgiev, A. Gateva i Z. Kamenov. "AB0591 ASSESSMENT OF KNEE-RELATED SYMPTOMS, ACTIVITIES, AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN PATIENTS WITH POLYCYSTIC OVARY SYNDROME". Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases 80, Suppl 1 (19.05.2021): 1332.2–1333. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/annrheumdis-2021-eular.2072.
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Background:Osteoarthritis (OA) is a slowly progressive disease that probably begins in young adulthood when a timely treatment would present the possibility to reverse or slow down the disease process. Obesity and sex hormones play an essential role in the pathogenesis of OA in women and their influence on joint function persists throughout the whole life [1]. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder among women of reproductive age characterized by sex-hormonal disbalance, metabolic abnormalities, and most commonly obesity. It seems that PCOS presents the best opportunity to study the complex interactions among hormonal disbalance, obesity, and (pre)osteoarthritis.Objectives:Our study aims to assess the knee-related symptoms, activities, and quality of life in young women with PCOS and to compare them with healthy volunteers using Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) developed for younger and more active individuals [2].Methods:Fifty-four patients with PCOS who met the Rotterdam criteria were compared with 26 healthy women. Both groups were matched by age and body mass index (BMI). The exclusion criteria of the study were: the presence of inflammatory/autoimmune rheumatic disease and/or another endocrine disorder. Pregnant women and participants, who used systemic corticosteroids, antiandrogens, or insulin-sensitive drugs in the last 3 months were also excluded from the study. After written informed consent all participants filled in the questionnaire. KOOS was scored in each of its 5 domains: pain, symptoms, activities of daily living (ADL), sport and recreation function, and knee-related quality of life (QoL). Additionally, detailed anthropometric data, clinical examination, and hormonal assessment (testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate [DHEAS], androstenedione, 17-OH-progesterone, luteinizing hormone [LH], follicle stimulating hormone [FSH], and estradiol) were carried out in all overnight-fasted participants during a follicular phase of a menstrual cycle.Results:Patients and healthy volunteers had similar anthropometric and demographic characteristics but PCOS women were expectedly more hyperandrogenic and hirsute than controls. Patients and controls did not differ significantly in their knee pain, knee-related QoL, and sport and recreation function. Knee-related symptoms were more prominent in the PCOS group compared to controls (p = 0.035). ADL associated with the knee joint were also more impaired in patients (p = 0.001). Obese PCOS women had a significantly lower score in the ADL domain than normal and overweight patients (p = 0.035). In the PCOS group, both knee-related ADL and sport and recreation function correlated significantly with weight (p = 0.025 and p = 0.034, respectively) and waist circumference (p = 0.011 and p = 0.016, respectively), among all studied anthropometric parameters. Sex hormones did not correlate with any of the evaluated KOOS subscales.Conclusion:PCOS patients may experience impaired physical function related to daily life due to knee problems. Obesity may further contribute to knee-related ADL dysfunction. Hormonal disturbances did not show any association with knee complaints in our study.References:[1]Georgiev T, Angelov AK. Modifiable risk factors in knee osteoarthritis: treatment implications. Rheumatol Int. 2019 Jul;39(7):1145-1157[2]Roos EM, Toksvig-Larsen S. Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) - validation and comparison to the WOMAC in total knee replacement. Health Qual Life Outcomes 2003;1:17.Acknowledgements:The study was performed with the financial support of Medical University-Sofia, Bulgaria, Young Investigator 2020, Project No 8378/20.11.2019, Contract D-85/24.06.2020.Disclosure of Interests:None declared.
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Tiganasu, Ramona, Gabriela Pascariu i Dan Lupu. "Competitiveness, fiscal policy and corruption: evidence from Central and Eastern European countries". Oeconomia Copernicana 13, nr 3 (25.09.2022): 667–98. http://dx.doi.org/10.24136/oc.2022.020.
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Research background: The transformations induced by global challenges call for new approaches towards competitiveness and thus require a consistent rethinking of strategies and mechanisms so that they could be better adapted to the constantly changing context. Prior to the European Union (EU) accession, the Central and Eastern European (CEE) states began a broad process of economic reforms, including trade liberalization, mass privatization, exchange rate liberalization, all of which led to a wider opening to new markets, the creation of new opportunities for production and to ensuring the competitiveness of companies on foreign markets. By far, the most important step in the post-communist period was joining the EU, achieved after 2004. Over time, these states have faced, on the one hand, issues related to addressing systemic vulnerabilities, and on the other hand, finding the most appropriate measures to induce competitiveness. The influence of public policies on competitiveness is still an issue that needs to be debated, our study proposing to examine the reaction of external competitiveness to the increase of government spending and corruption. Purpose of the article: The aim of this paper is to analyze the impact of fiscal policies and corruption on the external competitiveness of the eleven countries from Eastern Europe (Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia) for the period 1995?2020. The choice of this time interval is to better capture the trinomial relationship between competitiveness, fiscal policy and corruption before and after the process of integration of the CEE states into the EU. Methods: The methodology chosen is based on ARDL (Autoregressive Distributed Lag) with structural breaks, the period taken into account being 1995?2020. The Unit root test of augmented Dickey?Fuller ADF (2016) was used to assess the time series stationarity. The test developed by Bai and Perron (2003) is applied to detect structural breaks, by resorting to the LM test. The tests for the cointegration between the considered variables, using the ARDL model, proposed by Pesaran et al. (2001), were also part of the research. The causality test of Granger et al. (2000) was used to assess the conditionality between the indicators. By applying these methods, it was highlighted that, especially after 2007, in the states under analysis, expansionary fiscal policies have led to internal devaluations of the currency, which ultimately increased external competitiveness, measured as real effective exchange rate. Instead, corruption has a negative impact on competitiveness. Findings & value added: The obtained results point out the relationship between competitiveness, fiscal policy and corruption in CEE countries. In the case of those that have a high competitiveness, even if there are large government expenditures, there is also an economic environment conducive to the implementation of measures that generate added value on a large scale. Conversely, in countries where corruption is high, the impact of government fiscal policies on competitiveness is reduced due to the negative effects caused by this phenomenon. Our study brings at least two contributions to the literature. First of all, the research shows how a growth in public spending affects the competitiveness of CEE economies through the real exchange rate. Secondly, it takes into account the phenomenon of corruption applied to Eastern countries, emphasizing a decrease in the external competitiveness of these economies in response to the manifestation of corruption.
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Bartzokas-Tsiompras, Alexandros, Kostis C. Koutsopoulos i Panos Manetos. "European Journal of Geography (Year 2023): Reviewer Appreciation & Publication Recap". European Journal of Geography 15, nr 1 (17.01.2024): 1–5. http://dx.doi.org/10.48088/ejg.a.bar.15.1.001.005.
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Dear Readers, As we begin a new year full of potential and opportunity, we wish each of you much joy and success. As we embark on this journey, we al-so celebrate a significant milestone – the fifteenth anniversary of the European Journal of Geography. Over the past decade and a half, our journal has become a beacon of excellence in the field of geography and the social sciences. This journey has been characterised by unwavering commitment and tireless dedication, a collective endeavour led by the dedicated members of our editorial team and the European Association of Geographers (EUROGEO). Their diligence and passion have been instrumental in making our journal the respected publication it is today. Looking back on our shared history, we are proud to have published over 310 articles dealing with key topics in geography, planning and development. These scholarly contributions have not only explored and analysed important topics, but have also introduced new ideas (Kout-sopoulos, 2022; Manetos et al., 2022), methods (Cramer-Greenbaum, 2023; Krevs et al., 2023; Morawski & Wolff-Seidel, 2023) and data (Hojati & Mokarram, 2016) that will inspire future generations of geographers to transcend conventional disciplinary boundaries. The richness of our content encompasses numerous facets and includes the fields of geography education (Fraile-Jurado & Periáñez-Cuevas, 2023; Humble, 2023; Martínez-Hernández et al., 2023; Mašterová, 2023; Puertas-Aguilar et al., 2023), physical geography (Sánchez-Martínez & Cabrera, 2015), sustainability (Leininger-Frézal et al., 2023; Mally, 2021), tourism (Bandt et al., 2022; Jovanovic et al., 2022), geoin-formatics (Batsaris et al., 2023; Vestena et al., 2023), spatial analysis (Agourogiannis et al., 2021; Bartzokas-Tsiompras & Photis, 2020b; Wieland, 2022), remote sensing (Younes et al., 2023), maps (Nedkov et al., 2018; Papaioannou et al., 2020), geoinformation (Bartha & Kocsis, 2011; Bart-zokas-Tsiompras, 2022), economic (Doukissas et al., 2020; Mikhaylova, 2018), social (Mei & Liempt, 2022; Roșu et al., 2015), political (Kevicky, 2023; Tsitsaraki & Petracou, 2023) and cultural (Gusman & Otero-Varela, 2023) geography, geopolitics (Morgado, 2023) as well as environmental (Burić et al., 2023; Prodanova & Varadzhakova, 2022), urban (Chondrogianni & Stephanedes, 2021; Lagarias et al., 2022) and transport (Garrido, 2013; Kellerman, 2023; Koktavá & Horák, 2023) geography/planning (González, 2017). Each article, a testament to the diversity and depth of knowledge within our community, has played a crucial role in energising discourse in our academic environment. Several EJG articles addressed current global crises and challenges such as climate change, COVID-19, wars and economic recession. They show how important geography is when it comes to finding solutions and new insights to the many problems that threaten our world. This interconnected approach underlines the journal's commitment to engaging with both the specialised academic discourse and the broader global challenges of our time. Authors, editors, board members, reviewers and readers are the lifeblood of this academic platform, and we recognise and appreciate your invaluable role in the success of the European Journal of Geography. Your commitment has fuelled our growth and you are an essential part of our legacy. We take our fifteenth anniversary as an opportunity to invite and encourage you to contribute to the continued success of the journal by submitting new and original geographical research articles. Here's to another year of scholarly work, meaningful collaborations and the continued advancement of geographical knowledge. We would also like to take a moment to recognise the incredible efforts of 95 professors and researchers who served as reviewers for the European Journal of Geography in 2023. Their expertise and dedication have been invaluable in maintaining the quality of our publications. In addition, the journal features 18 distinguished editorial board members from 12 countries, including renowned experts (60% men, 40% women) from various geographical research fields (This year we welcome 10 esteemed new members to our Editorial Board). In particular, we would like to express our sincere thanks to the following editorial board members for their help and support: 1. Alvanides Seraphim, Northumbria University, UK 2. Bednarz W. Sarah, Texas A&M University, USA 3. Capello Roberta, Politecnico di Milano, Italy 4. Cretan Remus, West University of Timisoara, Romania 5. De Miguel Gonzalez Rafael, University of Zaragoza, Spain 6. Eeva-Kaisa Prokkola, University of Oulu, Finland 7. Jerry T. Mitchell, University of South Carolina, USA 8. Kavroudakis Dimitris, University of the Aegean, Greece 9. Kiss Éva, CSFK Geographical Institute, Hungary 10. Knecht Petr, Masaryk University, Czech Republic 11. Kounadi Ourania, University of Vienna, Austria 12. Kolvoord Bob, James Madison University, USA 13. Leininger-Frezal Caroline, Université de Paris, France 14. Margaritis Efstathios, University of Southampton, UK 15. Specht Doug, University of Westminster, UK 16. Strobl Josef, University of Salzburg, Austria 17. Theobald Rebecca, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, USA 18. Yilmaz Ari, Bandirma Onyedi Eylul University, Turkey In 2023, we received a total of 116 submissions. Of these, 24 outstanding papers were published online (acceptance rate 21% - 2023), while 92, although commendable, did not make it to publication. Remarkably, these submissions included the contributions of 63 authors from 20 countries. The average review speed of the articles is about 7-9 weeks for the first round and about 4-6 weeks for the second round. The reviewers came from 31 countries, which shows a global co-operation: UK, USA, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Ireland, Spain, Netherlands, Japan, Hungary, Iceland, Croatia, Czech Republic, Finland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey, Romania and others. Thank you for your continued support and your contributions to this journal. Look forward to an exciting journey of discovery and innova-tion in the pages of the European Journal of Geography. Join us as we continue to shape the ever-evolving canvas of geographical exploration and knowledge. List of Reviewers 2023: 1. Alessandro Del Ponte, University of Alabama, USA 2. Ali Enes Dingil, Czech Technical University in Prague, Czech Repuplic 3. Alvanides Seraphim, Northumbria University, UK 4. András J. Molnár, Christian-Albrecht University of Kiel, Germany 5. Anja du Plessis, University of South Africa, Johannesburg, South Africa 6. Anqi Huang, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, China 7. Apostolia Galani, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece 8. Ari Yilmaz, Bandirma Onyedi Eylül Üniversitesi, Turkey 9. Audur Palsdottir , University of Iceland, Iceland 10. Barbara Szejgiec-Kolenda, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poland 11. Beth Schlemper, The University of Toledo, USA 12. Blaž Repe, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia 13. Bob Kolvoord, James Madison University, USA 14. Carina Peter, Philipps-University Marburg, Germany 15. Carlos Lopez Escolano, University of Zaragoza, Spain 16. Caroline Leininger, Université de Paris, France 17. Charalampos Tsavdaroglou, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands 18. Christian Weismayer, Modul University Vienna GmbH, Austria 19. Darra Athanasia, National Technical University of Athens, Greece 20. Denise Blanchard, Texas State University, USA 21. Dimitris Kavroudakis, University of the Aegea, Greece 22. Don MacKeen, City of Glasgow College, UK 23. Doug Specht, University of Westminster, UK 24. Dragan Burić, University of Montenegro, Montenegro 25. Eeva-Kaisa Prokkola , University of Oulu, Finland 26. Efstathios Margaritis, University of Southampton, UK 27. Emmanuel Eze, University of Nigeria, Nigeria 28. Eva Psatha, University of Thessaly, Greece 29. Evangelos Rasvanis, University of Thessaly, Greece 30. Femke van Esch, Utrecht University, The Netherlands 31. František Petrovič, Constantine the Philosopher University, Slovakia 32. George Revill, The Open University, UK 33. Géza Tóth, University of Miskolc, Hungary 34. Grayson R. Morgan, University of South Carolina, USA 35. Hristina Prodanova, National Institute of Geophysics, Geodesy and Geography - Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Bulgaria 36. Huda Jamal Jumaah, Northern Technical University, Iraq 37. İlkay Südas, Ege University, Turkey 38. Ilse van liempt, Utrecht University, The Netherlands 39. Isabel María Gómez-Trigueros, University of Alicante, Spain 40. Italo Sousa de Sena, University College Dublin, Ireland 41. Iva Miranda Pires, NOVA University Lisbon, Portugal 42. Iwona Anna Jażdżewska, University of Lodz, Poland 43. Jaime Diaz Pacheco, Universidad de La Laguna, Spain 44. Jan Christoph Schubert, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany 45. Jens Dangschat , TU Wien, Austria 46. Jernej Zupančič, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia 47. Jerry T. Mitchell, University of South Carolina, USA 48. Joan Rossello, Universitat de les Illes Balears, Spain 49. Joseph J. Kerski, ESRI, USA 50. Karina Standal, CICERO Center for International Climate Research, Oslo, Norway 51. Karl Donert, EUROGEO, Belgium 52. Koshiro Suzuki , University of Toyama, Japan 53. Kristine Juul, University of Roskilde , Denmark 54. Lauren Hammond, University College London, UK 55. Mahmood Shoorcheh, University of Isfahan, Iran 56. Maria Angeles Rodriguez-Domenech, Universidad Castilla La Mancha, Spain 57. María Lois , Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain 58. María-Luisa de Lázaro-Torres , Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, Spain 59. Marko Krevs, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia 60. Marta Gallardo, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, Spain 61. Md Galal Uddin, University of Galway, Ireland 62. Md. Kausar Alam, Brac University, Bangladesh 63. Michaela Spurná, Masaryk University, Czech Repuplic 64. Miha Pavšek, Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Slovenia 65. Muhammad Haroon Stanikzai , Kandahar University, Afghanistan 66. Neli Heidari, University of Hamburg, Germany 67. Nicholas Wise, Arizona State University, USA 68. Nikola Šimunić, Institute of Social Sciences Ivo Pilar, Croatia 69. Nikolaos Karachalis , University of the Aegean, Greece 70. Nuno Morgado, Corvinus University of Budapest, Hungary 71. Pablo Fraile-Jurado, Universidad de Sevilla, Spain 72. Panagiotis G. Tzouras, National Technical University of Athens, Greece 73. Peter T. Dunn, University of Washington, USA 74. Petr Knecht, Masaryk University, Czech Repuplic 75. Polyxeni Kechagia, University of Thessaly, Greece 76. Qi Zhou, China University of Geosciences, China 77. Rafael de Miguel González, University of Zaragoza, Spain 78. Rebecca Theobald, University of Colorado, USA 79. Remus Cretan, West University of Timisoara, Romania 80. Roberto Falanga, University of Lisbon, Institute of Social Sciences, Portugal 81. Saheed Adekunle Raji, University of Lagos, Nigeria 82. Sandra Sprenger, University of Hamburg, Germany 83. Sarah Bednarz, Texas A&M University, USA 84. Sebastien Bourdin, EM Normandie Bussiness School, France 85. Serafin Pazos-Vidal , European Association for Innovation in Local Development, Belgium 86. Susannah Cramer-Greenbaum, University of Warwick, UK, UK 87. Teemu Makkonen, University of Eastern Finland, Finland 88. Teresa Sadoń-Osowiecka, University of Gdansk, Poland 89. Theano S. Terkenli , University of the Aegean, Greece 90. Theodore Metaxas , University of Thessaly, Greece 91. Uwe Krause, Fontys School of the Arts, The Netherlands 92. Valériane Mistiaen , Université libre de Bruxelles, Belgium 93. Vesna Skrbinjek, International School for Social and Business Studies, Slovenia 94. Vincent Nzabarinda, Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China 95. Zsolt Tibor Kosztyán, University of Pannonia, Hungary
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Georgieva, E., M. Vatansever, A. Velkova, N. Hristov, P. Pesheva, I. Simeonova, D. Dimitrova i M. Pravchanska. "Prevalence of depression among three cohorts of medical students". European Journal of Public Health 30, Supplement_5 (1.09.2020). http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckaa166.1033.
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Abstract Background Medical education is often related to serious distress for students, that affects negatively their mental well-being. Depression, poor academic performance, increased alcohol consumption, suicidal thoughts, are some of the detrimental effects of diminished mental health. Studies on depression in medical students reveal a higher prevalence (1.4-73.5%) than in the general population. This study aimed to assess and compare depression prevalence and severity in three cohorts of medical students in Bulgaria and Turkey. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional online survey with 257 Bulgarian and 288 foreign medical students from Medical University-Sofia, Bulgaria, and with 270 Turkish medical students from Ankara in the winter semester of 2019-2020 academic year. We used the Beck depression inventory (BDI) as valid and reliable instrument to assess depression. The students were categorised according to BDI scores in three groups: with mild depression (10- 18 points); moderate depression (19-29); severe depression (30- 63). Data were analysed with program product Python 3 (v3.6.9) with Pandas v0.25.3 and Scipy v1.4.1. Results Depressive symptoms reported 71.5% of Turkish students, 47.1% of Bulgarian and 48.7% of foreign medical students. The depression frequency among Turkish and Bulgarian medical students was significantly different (chi2 = 35.31; p = 0,001). Mean BDI scores were similar for Bulgarian medical students (11.0) and foreign medical students, studying in Bulgaria (11.6). Turkish medical students scored highest on BDI (15.3). Severe depression was detected in 5.6% of foreign, 4.3% of Bulgarian and 6.3% of Turkish students. Conclusions Depression prevalence was high in all studied medical students cohorts, with Turkish cohort affected most, probably because of cultural and curriculum differences. Key messages Support of student’s mental health should be an integral part of the educational policies of all Medical Universities worldwide. Depression among medical students has to be prevented by comprehensive approach.
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Rangelova, L., i A. Partzova. "Visual information on labels in commercial baby foods on Bulgarian market". European Journal of Public Health 29, Supplement_4 (1.11.2019). http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckz186.265.
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Abstract Background Production and sale of commercial baby foods in Bulgaria has grown in the last years. The evidence suggests that inappropriate promotion and advertising of commercial complementary foods can affect unfavourably child nutrition. The World Health Assembly has urged all Member States to “end inappropriate promotion of foods for infants and young children”. Methods The survey is part of WHO Regional Office for Europe project: Commercial foods for infants and young children in the WHO European Region. The data was collected in November 2017 in two districts in Sofia, Bulgaria using the mobile questionnaire, developed by WHO. The presence on various types of visual information on the package was recorded for 771 products on the market. Results The results reviled that 94.4% of the labels of baby foods on the market in the capital of Bulgaria - Sofia, use the pictures of ingredients and 52.9% - the cartoon images. The use of images of infants and young children presented in 8.7 % of the products and 6.9% of them marketed as suitable for babies under six months old, in violation of the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes. 0.4 % of baby foods use images of mothers in the labels. The “other” visual information related to various claims including “quality”, “bio” (i.e. organic) and various other nutrition and health claims. Conclusions There is inappropriate promotion of commercial complementary foods on Bulgarian market. Key messages Special measures, including legislative to limit inappropriate practices for the advertising of foods for infants and young children, are needed. Raising the parents’ awareness of the criteria for selecting commercial complementary foods is necessary.
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Lazarova, Stela, Vlada Peneva, Aleksandar Mladenov, Lyudmila Lozanova, Violeta Bozhanova, Stoyan Georgiev, Katia Uzundzalieva, Tatyana Bileva, Mima Todorova i Neli Grozeva. "Biodiversity of soil fungal communities in agro-ecosystems using DNA metabarcoding". ARPHA Conference Abstracts 2 (16.09.2019). http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/aca.2.e46553.
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Soil fungi are key component of soil biota having an important role in many ecological processes. As pathogens, decomposers and plant mutualists they can affect plant and soil health in agro-ecosystems significantly. The impact of crop management practices on soil fungal communities is diverse and still poorly studied. The lack of knowledge is mainly related to their hidden life mode, high phenotypic diversity, the great heterogeneity of soil microhabitats, difficulty for culturing and species identification. Collecting data with high accuracy to detect effects relevant to ecosystem management is an ongoing challenge for soil ecological studies and biomonitoring. However, the combination of DNA-based identification methods and Next Generation Sequencing technology was recognized as a powerful tool to evaluate biodiversity in environmental samples, especially soil biodiversity. In the frame of the National Research Program "Healthy Foods for a Strong Bio-Economy and Quality of Life", soil microbiome diversity (fungi, prokaryotes and archaea) will be used as indicator for assessing soil and plant health, and ecosystem services in several agricultural ecosystems. Four crop types (apple, lavender, rose and pea) located in southern Bulgaria, and managed by conventional and organic farming have been selected. Two general objectives related to soil biodiversity study were envisaged: to examine the impact of cropping systems on microbiome structural and functional diversity, and to propose management measures and agronomic practices improving soil and plant health. to examine the impact of cropping systems on microbiome structural and functional diversity, and to propose management measures and agronomic practices improving soil and plant health. Here we present some preliminary results on soil fungal communities evaluated by using amplicon DNA sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) rDNA region. Multiple core soil samples were collected from 18 sampling plots in June 2019. Fungal diversity and community structure were evaluated at different taxonomic levels. The most common and abundant taxa at all sites were Fusarium Link 1809, Solicoccozyma X.Z.Liu, F.Y.Bai, M.Groenew. & Boekhout 2015, Cladosporium Link 1816, Alternaria Nees ex Wallroth 1816, and Mortierella E.Coemans 1863. The multivariate statistics (PCA) comparing the overall microbial composition revealed loose clusters linked to crops and localities. The study provides a new comprehensive overview of soil fungal communities (composition and diversity) from Bulgarian agro-ecosystems using high-throughput DNA sequencing.
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Lazarova, Stela, Aleksandar Mladenov, Lyudmila Lozanova i Vlada Peneva. "Nematode diversity in four crop types (pea, apple, lavender and rose) in southern Bulgaria". ARPHA Conference Abstracts 2 (11.09.2019). http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/aca.2.e46481.
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Nematodes represent one of the largest phyla in the animal kingdom and are a key component of the soil microfauna (organisms with body width <0.2 mm). Being a widespread and diverse group, they display a wide range of adaptations and lifestyle traits. Their functional role in soil food-webs is mostly related to their feeding type. The majority of terrestrial nematodes feed on plant roots, bacteria and fungi, while a small group of plant associated species spend part or their whole life cycle in roots. Some plant-feeding species are known as important pests that can parasitize various crops causing adverse effects on yield and production quality. Their effective management requires accurate detection and identification. In the frame of the National Research Program "Healthy Foods for a Strong Bio-Economy and Quality of Life", selected groups of soil nematodes are used as bioindicators for assessing soil and plant health, and ecosystem services in several agricultural ecosystems. Nematode communities from four crop types (pea, apple, lavender and rose) in southern Bulgaria managed by conventional and organic farming were sampled and investigated. Here we present some preliminary results on pea, lavender and rose associated nematode diversity. Multiple core samples from 18 sampling plots were collected in June 2019. Nematodes were isolated from 200 g of soil by decanting and sieving method, fixed, dehydrated and mounted on permanent slides. Overall, over 60 genera belonging to five trophic groups were identified. Approximately half of the nematode genera found are obligatory plant- and plant/fungus feeders. Parasitic nematodes were represented by 12 genera, some of which include important pests known to cause severe damages on crops e.g. Meloidogyne Goeldi, 1889, Pratylenchus Filipjev, 1934, Pratylenchoides Winslow, 1958 and Tylenchorhynchus Cobb, 1913.
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Pancheva, Rouzha, Lyubomir Dimitrov, Michal Gillon-Keren, Kaloyan Tsochev, Tatyana Chalakova, Natalya Usheva, Silviya Nikolova, Yoto Yotov i Violeta Iotova. "Dietary Behavior and Compliance to Bulgarian National Nutrition Guidelines in Patients With Type 1 Diabetes With Longstanding Disease". Frontiers in Nutrition 9 (8.07.2022). http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2022.900422.
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IntroductionNutrition education attempts to maintain and enhance good eating habits to achieve optimal metabolic control in people with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Recommendations for patients with T1D are comparable to those of the general population.This Study AimedTo investigate dietary habits and adherence to nutritional recommendations of patients with T1D as compared with age, gender, and BMI matched people in Bulgaria.MethodsA case-control study included 124 patients with T1D with long disease duration (mean duration 25.3 ± 8.2 years) followed up at a diabetes clinic in Varna, Bulgaria for 2 years (2017–2019) and 59 controls matched for gender, age and BMI. A 24-h dietary recall method was used to assess the nutrition of both groups. A standardized questionnaire was applied to assess the frequency of food consumption (Feel4Diabtes). Height and weight were standardly measured, and BMI was calculated. Findings were compared with Bulgarian recommendations and reference values for energy and nutrient intake for healthy adults. The data were analyzed with the statistical package SPSSv21.0 and Jamovi v.22.5.ResultsThe nutritional characteristics of T1D men and women differ. Men with T1D had a higher intake of total carbohydrates (CHO) (p = 0.009), a lower intake of total fats (p = 0.007), and monounsaturated fatty acids (p = 0.029) as a percentage of total daily energy compared with the controls. Women with T1D had a different distribution of energy intake per meal compared to controls: they consumed more energy (p = 0.001) and a corresponding share of CHO for lunch, less for dinner (p = 0.015) and had a higher overall healthy diet score when compared to controls (p = 0.02). Adherence to dietary recommendations (e.g., CHO, total fats, saturated fat, fibers) was low in both genders, but lower in the general population compared to people with T1D.ConclusionOur data demonstrate that people with T1D consume a healthier diet than the general population, which could be attributed to healthier diet awareness, still far from the recommendations. Introduction of annual consultations with a dietitian may improve long-term outcomes.
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Hristova, Petkana Angelova, Stela Ludmilova Georgieva, Azhar Khan i Mariela Stefanova Kamburova. "Adverse effects of maternal age, weight and smoking during pregnancy in Pleven, Bulgaria". South Eastern European Journal of Public Health, 24.01.2023. http://dx.doi.org/10.56801/seejph.vi.65.
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Aim: This paper aims to study the relationship between mothers’ age, body mass index (BMI), gestational weight gain (GWG) and smoking and the risk for premature birth in Pleven, Bulgaria.
Methods: A case-control study was conducted in Pleven in 2007. The study was comprehensive for all premature children (N=58) and representative for full-term infants (N=192, or 10.4% of all of the 1827 full-term children) born in 2007 at the University Hospital of Pleven and resident in the city of Pleven. Retrospective data on determinants under study were collected from all the mothers included in this study (N=250).
Results: Mothers of premature children were more likely to be above 35 years old (27.6%), with a BMI ≥25 kg/m2 (23.1%), GWG below the recommended value (38.5%) and to smoke during pregnancy (37.9%). The odds of being a smoker during pregnancy were five times higher among mothers with low birth weight (LBW) newborns compared with their counterparts with normal birth weight newborns (OR=5.1, 95%CI=2.4-10.6). There was a positive association between BMI and LBW in infants whose mothers were overweight (OR=2.1, 95%CI=1.0-4.0). The risk of LBW increased when GWG was less than recommended (OR=1.8, 95%CI=1.0-3.1).
Conclusion: Our results indicate that pre-pregnancy BMI ≥25 kg/m2, less than recommended GWG and smoking during pregnancy are risk factors for premature birth in Pleven region. Findings from this study suggest the need for active health and educational actions by health professionals in order to avoid premature births in Bulgaria.
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Marinov, D., i D. Naydenova. "Evaluation of eating habits and unhealthy eating patterns in high-school girls from Varna, Bulgaria". European Journal of Public Health 31, Supplement_3 (1.10.2021). http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckab165.531.
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Abstract Background Eating habits in children and adolescents are fundamental for their optimal physical and mental health and development. In adolescent girls, adequate nutritional status is paramount for the reproductive system function and reaching peak bone mass. Epidemiological studies have found an increased incidence of unhealthy eating patterns that pose a risk of nutritional deficiencies in adolescents from different European countries. More data is needed on the prevalence of the problem among Bulgarian adolescents, and especially school-aged girls, who are a specific risk group. Methods The study included 226 adolescent girls aged 17-19 from Varna, Bulgaria. Data was collected after receiving informed consent. The methods used include: Anthropometric measurements, including height and weight; Bioelectric impedance analysis using calibrated Tanita BC-420MA (ISSO 9001) and following ESPEN guidelines; Food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Results 10% of girls were underweight, 78.5% had normal BMI (18.7-25kg/m2) and 11.5% were overweight/obese. Underweight girls had an average BF%=13.78±4.28, with the lowest BF%=3. Underweight girls had significantly lower consumption of vegetables, whole grains, and dairy products. More than half of the underweight group didn't consume vegetables daily (54.5%). 27.7% of the underweight participants consumed whole grain foods every day compared to 42.9% overweight/obese group. 27,2% of underweight girls met the recommendations for consuming daily dairy consumption, compared to 58.1% in the normal BMI and 65.4% in the overweight/obese group. Fish consumption was low in all groups - 13.6% of underweight girls, 17.7% of the participants with normal BMI, and 3.8% in the overweight/obese group consume fish at least twice per week or more. Conclusions Underweight teenage girls have inadequate intake of vegetables, whole grains, and dairy products. The majority of adolescent females do not meet the minimum requirement for fish consumption. Key messages The combination of low body weight and inadequate intake of foods rich in bioavailable calcium are risk factors for not achieving peak bone mass in adolescence. Underweight teenage girls are at an increased risk of vitamin and mineral deficiencies due to inadequate intake of vegetables, whole grains, fish, and dairy products.
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Platikanova, Magdalena, Antoaneta Yordanova i Petya Hristova. "Dependence of Body Mass Index on Some Dietary Habits: An Application of Classification and Regression Tree". Iranian Journal of Public Health, 15.06.2022. http://dx.doi.org/10.18502/ijph.v51i6.9672.
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Background: The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of some eating habits on body mass index (BMI) using a regression model created via the classification and regression tree method (CART).
Methods: The study was conducted using a questionnaire specially developed for the study, evaluated for reliability and validity. In addition to demographics (age and sex), the questions concern the timing of the meals and the type of food consumed. The data contains records for 533 people (322 women and 211 men) aged 18 to 65 years. The survey was conducted in the period 2019-2021 in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria. Data were processed using descriptive statistics, and regression and classification data mining method CART.
Results: A CART model with a dependent variable BMI and predictors Sex, Age, Breakfast type, Breakfast time, Lunchtime, Lunch type, Dinner time, Dinner type have been created. The obtained model is statistically significant at a significance level of P<0.0001 and a coefficient of determination R2 = 0.495. The normalized importance of the factors that affect the BMI is as follows: Sex (100%), Age (61.4%), Lunch type (26. 0%), Lunchtime (18.8%), Dinner time (13.9%), and Breakfast type (13.2%). Women have a lower BMI than men. BMI increases with age.
Conclusion: The CART method allows to make a classification by the predictors used and gives opportunities for a more in-depth analysis of the reasons for the increase in BMI. The level of influence of diet and eating habits (type of food, time of consumption) on BMI was determined.
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Manios, Yannis, Katrina A. Lambert, Eva Karaglani, Christina Mavrogianni, Luis A. Moreno Aznar, Violeta Iotova, Anna Świąder-Leśniak i in. "Prospective BMI changes in preschool children are associated with parental characteristics and body weight perceptions: the ToyBox-study". Public Health Nutrition, 12.04.2021, 1–11. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1368980021001518.
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Abstract Objective: To examine the effect of the intervention implemented in the ToyBox-study on changes observed in age- and sex-specific BMI percentile and investigate the role of perinatal factors, parental perceptions and characteristics on this change. Design: A multicomponent, kindergarten-based, family-involved intervention with a cluster-randomised design. A standardised protocol was used to measure children’s body weight and height. Information was also collected from parents/caregivers via the use of validated questionnaires. Linear mixed effect models with random intercept for country, socio-economic status and school were used. Setting: Selected preschools within the provinces of Oost-Flanders and West-Flanders (Belgium), Varna (Bulgaria), Bavaria (Germany), Attica (Greece), Mazowieckie (Poland) and Zaragoza (Spain). Participants: A sample of 6268 preschoolers aged 3·5–5·5 years (51·9 % boys). Results: There was no intervention effect on the change in children’s BMI percentile. However, parents’ underestimation of their children’s actual weight status, parental overweight and mothers’ pre-pregnancy overweight/obesity were found to be significantly and independently associated with increases in children’s BMI percentile in multivariate modelling. Conclusions: As part of a wide public health initiative or as part of a counseling intervention programme, it is important to assist parents/caregivers to correctly perceive their own and their children’s weight status. Recognition of excessive weight by parents/caregivers can increase their readiness to change and as such facilitate higher adherence to favourable behavioural changes within the family.