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The return of great power rivalry has been a defining feature of the 21st century. Since the dawn of the new millennium, both China and Russia have openly challenged the United States, which has destabilized the «liberal» international order. As a result, much ink has been spilled over the nature of the competition between the United States and China, and how far the two superpowers might go toward war. While there is a general consensus about China emerging as the primary rival to the U.S., disagreements remain regarding the nature of U.S.-China relations, as well as the causes and consequences of any competition between the two. This paper evaluates four well-known «traps» to better understand the competition between the U.S. and China, with a particular focus on Ibn Khaldun’s trap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Complex, high-energy extremity trauma secondary to explosive mechanisms has been increasingly common in modern warfare, accounting for a majority of combat wounds throughout the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Fellowship-trained orthopaedic trauma surgeons treated many of these complex injuries; however, as the number of casualties continue to decrease during a period of relative peace, a growing concern over maintaining military trauma readiness exists. Methods The Military Health System Data Repository was queried for all Common Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes associated with 18 fellowship-trained orthopaedic trauma surgeons from 2013 to 2019. The codes were further analyzed and categorized based on common trauma subspecialty procedures such as fracture fixation of the pelvic ring, acetabulum, upper and lower extremity, peri-articular, and nonunion/malunion surgery. We used descriptive statistics to quantify both the average number of cases per surgeon per year in each of the subcategories and case volume among Military Treatment Facilities (MTFs) during the study period. Results We identified 7,769 CPT codes for surgical procedures throughout the study period. The most common surgical procedures performed were: removal of implant (n  = 836, 11%), knee arthroscopy (n  = 507, 7%), and debridement of devitalized tissue (n  = 345, 4%). The total trauma subspecialty procedural codes and average cases per surgeon per year were as follows: pelvic ring (n  = 54, <1 case/year), acetabulum (n  = 90, 1 case/year), upper extremity (n  = 1,314, 15 cases/year), lower extremity (n  = 2,286, 25 cases/year), peri-articular (n  = 675, 8 cases/year), and nonunion/malunion (n  = 288, 3 cases/year). San Antonio Military Medical Center (SAMMC) accounted for the most fracture-related CPT codes overall (35%), while all other MTFs contributed approximately 10% or less of all fracture-related codes. Conclusions These results highlight the lack of orthopaedic trauma volume at other MTFs outside of SAMMC, raising concern for maintaining military readiness during an inter-war period of relative peace. The DoD continues to make concerted efforts to maintain readiness through civilian partnerships and subsequently increase surgical case volume for military trauma surgeons. Future efforts should include an in-depth analysis of caseloads of military trauma surgeons providing care at both MTFs and civilian institutions to optimize preparedness in future conflicts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the effects of geopolitical risks and uncertainty on real wages. Employing UK data from 2000: Q1 to 2022: Q2 and a partial Nonlinear‐Autoregressive Distributed Lag (NARDL) framework, we find that war‐associated geopolitical risks and uncertainty have a statistically significant though mild positive impact on real wages. We find that domestic factors including economic policy uncertainty, productivity, economic growth, unemployment, inflation expectations and unionization play a stronger role in affecting real wages. Our findings suggest that the direct effects of war‐associated geopolitical risks and uncertainty on real wages are temporary. From a policy perspective, the course of real wages will depend more on inflation expectations, productivity and most importantly unionization. We conclude that if real wages in the UK are to rise on a consistent basis then workers and particularly unions will have to gain more bargaining leverage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article is devoted to the study of the military-tactical aspect of four wars late 3rd - first half of the 4th century. During this wars the Chersonesos polis participated on the side of Rome. Information about them is presented in chapter 53 of the of the Byzantine emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus tractate «De Administrando Imperio». This passage is an organic part of the treatise and was placed in it deliberately, as an example of Chersonesites valor, cunning and loyalty to Rome, which was useful for the addressee of the narrative - the young Emperor Romanus II. It has been established, that the use of a mobile detachment of carts armed with light throwing artillery for ambush operations during the « Battle at Bosporus » in 291 was an innovation in military affairs, which attracted the attention of Constantine Porphyrogenitus. Other aspects of this battle correlate with the instructions of the treatise «De re militari» by Vegetius Flavius. The victorious participation of the Chersonesos troops in the next two battles - on the Danube and «At Kafa» - gave Chersonesos confidence in their abilities and made it possible for the first time in history to expand the possessions of their state to the borders of the Kerch Peninsula. The duel between the Archon of Chersonesos, Pharnaces, and the Bosporan king, which decided the outcome of the confrontation in the fourth war, is not fiction and has numerous analogies in both previous Greco-Roman and subsequent Byzantine history.

With many organisations operating in challenging circumstances such as military conflicts and pandemics, a growing body of research has investigated the effects of extreme-context perceptions on job attitudes and organisational outcomes. While prior investigations focused on specific extreme contexts like warzones or pandemics, research has yet to examine whether different extreme contexts would have different intensities regarding shaping job attitudes and organisational outcomes. This study takes a unique approach to address this gap in the existing literature by exploring whether the type of extreme context (war vs pandemic) moderates extreme-context-perception effects on work alienation and subsequent job attitudes and organisational outcomes. Specifically, this study investigates the consequences of differentiated extreme contexts by using 668 valid responses from two samples: Sample 1 (N = 449), collected via snowball sampling during the Syrian civil war (2016-2019), and Sample 2 (N = 219), recruited using systematic random sampling from the Middle East during COVID-19 in 2021. Employing t-tests, Sample 1 in the wartime crisis reported higher levels of extreme-context perception, yet not quite as much worsened job satisfaction, but they had lower levels of alienation and job insecurity than those in health-crisis contexts. Using PLS-SEM, we found extreme-context perception heightened alienation, leading to increased job insecurity, decreased job satisfaction, and lower organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB) outcomes. Interestingly, some of these relationships were moderated by the extreme context type. Specifically, while no significant differences were found between the two contexts regarding the relationship between extreme context perception and alienation and between alienation and job insecurity, we found that extreme-context-driven alienation is more likely to damage job satisfaction and OCB in war zones than in pandemic contexts. These findings contribute to important matters of both theory and practice. They specifically expand existing theory by illustrating differentiated consequences of distinct types of extreme contexts to organisational and employee-related concerns. They also demonstrate the need to develop customised organisational strategies as well as policy responses to mitigate and/or capitalise on the effects of differentiated extreme contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Surgical volume at Military Treatment Facilities (MTFs) has been gradually decreasing for roughly the past 2 decades. The Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA) Clinical Readiness Program linked surgical volume and readiness using a tool known as the KSA metric. However, the extent to which military medical missions contribute to the readiness of critical wartime specialties has not been evaluated using this metric. Methods In this study, a retrospective analysis was conducted using the surgical case logs from the US Naval Ship (USNS) Comfort missions in 2018 and 2019. The comprehensive case log data were categorized by year, surgeon, procedure, and location. The analysis focused on providing detailed descriptive statistics, including percentages pertaining to the types of procedures performed during these missions. The 2018 mission was 11 weeks in duration, and supported activities in Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, and Honduras. The USNS Comfort mission in 2019 lasted 6 months (June-November 2019), and visited 12 countries in Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. Results The 2019 mission case log, spanning 6 months, was evaluated using the KSA score in order to assess readiness and compare against 6 months of MTF KSA values within the same calendar year. In 2019, the orthopedic surgeon aboard the USNS Comfort had a total KSA score of 44,006, but the 6-month USNS Comfort mission only contributed 5,364 points (12% of the annual score). The general surgery practice aboard the USNS Comfort produced lower KSA scores compared to each surgeon's respective MTF practice (Table III). Analyzing the cases logged by general surgeons also highlights minimal surgical diversity during these missions, with more than 90% of cases being hernia repairs or laparoscopic cholecystectomies (Table I). In addition, 35% of total procedures performed in 2018 and 2019 were performed laparoscopically. Conclusions The analysis of operative data from the 2019 USNS Comfort mission, in comparison with the surgeons' work at their respective MTFs, reveals limited benefit in the ability of hospital-ship missions to bolster surgical readiness as measured by the KSA score. However, this is not a reflection on the value of Global Health Engagement (GHE) itself but a review of the way in which it is leveraged to support surgical readiness. Military surgeons participate in GHE as part of a larger strategy to strengthen relationships with partner nations, improve military medical force interoperability, and bolster partner nation medical capacity and capabilities. The KSA score offers an excellent tool to compare readiness metrics across significantly different GHE missions, and facilitates the opportunity for future prospective studies to improve case volume, diversity, and ultimately readiness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Excess rates of Gulf War illness (GWI) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), two chronic multisymptom illnesses, have long been documented among nearly 700,000 veterans who served in the 1990-1991 Persian Gulf War. We sought to report the prevalence, characteristics, and association of GWI and IBS decades after the war in a clinical cohort of deployed Gulf War veterans (GWVs) who were evaluated at the Department of Veterans Affairs' War Related Illness and Injury Study Center (WRIISC) for unexplained chronic symptoms. Materials and Methods We analyzed data gathered from clinical intake questionnaires of deployed GWVs who were evaluated at WRIISC clinics between 2008 and 2020. We applied Centers for Disease Control (CDC) criteria to determine the prevalence of severe GWI. IBS was identified using Rome IV diagnostic criteria (current IBS) and veterans' self-reported "history of physician-diagnosed IBS." We examined associations between IBS and GWI using bivariate analyses and multivariable logistic regression. Results Among the N  = 578 GWVs evaluated by the WRIISC, severe GWI (71.8%), history of physician-diagnosed IBS (50.3%) and current IBS (42.2%) were all highly prevalent. Nearly half of GWVs with severe GWI met Rome criteria for IBS (45.8%), and over half reported a history of physician-diagnosed IBS (56.1%). In multivariable models, severe GWI was significantly associated both with current IBS (adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 1.68, 95% CI: 1.11, 2.54) and with veteran-reported history of physician-diagnosed IBS (aOR: 2.15, 95% CI: 1.43, 2.23). IBS with diarrhea (IBS-D) was the most common subtype among GWVs with current IBS (61.1%). However, IBS-mixed affected a significantly greater proportion of veterans with severe GWI, compared to veterans who did not have severe GWI (P  = .03). Conclusions More than 20 years after the Persian Gulf War, our findings indicate a high degree of comorbidity between severe GWI and IBS among deployed GWVs seeking care for unexplained illnesses. Our results suggest GWVs with GWI should be screened for IBS for which evidence-based treatments are available and could potentially reduce symptom burden. Conversely, symptoms of IBS should trigger additional evaluation for non-gastrointestinal symptoms in deployed Gulf War veterans to identify possible GWI and ensure a comprehensive approach to care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Contemporary advances in combat medicine have allowed greater numbers of wounded service members to survive their injuries. An estimated 1,705 combat veterans sustained major lower or upper extremity amputations between 2001 and 2017 during the Global War on Terror. This study intends to answer the following question utilizing a qualitative study design: What were the common and abnormal experiences of the Global War on Terror combat amputees relative to their mechanism of injury, perception of injury, and systems of care utilized during their recovery and rehabilitation process?. Methods During the months of December 2022 and January 2023, individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with U.S. Marines that served in the Global War on Terror (total n  = 10). Deductive and inductive approaches were employed to identify codes, themes, and meta-themes in the data. Results All participants deployed to Afghanistan between the years 2010 and 2014 and were assigned to the following military occupational specialties: Explosive Ordnance Disposal technicians (total n  = 2); combat engineers (total n  = 2); and infantrymen (total n  = 6). Analysis of data collected from interviews highlighted these key observations: (1) Themes in the combat amputee experience include support, systems of care, and mindset and (2) the themes synergistically contribute to the meta-themes mental health and pain and vice versa. As all participants were subjected to a blast mechanism of injury, it is difficult to determine if this played a role in deviating rehabilitation and recovery processes. Perception of injury and how well participants adapted to their new lifestyle, meaning how optimistic they were, appeared to play a significant role in recovery. Participants had mixed feelings about the care they had received but generally spoke favorably of military hospitals and were frustrated with the Veteran Affairs, and there was no clear consensus on their relationship with civilian health care, though most participants chose to seek most of their care through the Veteran Affairs. Conclusion Based on the research question, this study found an intricate relationship between mental health, pain, and the experiences of the participants regarding their care and rehabilitation. However, the nature of qualitative research makes it impossible to determine generalizations that can be used to create meaningful change to address improving combat amputee veteran care. Further research into long-term health outcomes based on hypotheses not evaluated in existing literature would further improve the ability of health care providers to care for this unique patient population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research examines the ethics of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in relation to women during wars, shedding light on the numerous principles he established in dealing with women in times of conflict. The Prophet (PBUH) prohibited the mistreatment of women in war and emphasized the importance of respecting their dignity. He treated female captives with mercy and justice, ensuring that their rights were upheld either through marriage or equitable treatment. Furthermore, the Prophet (PBUH) showed special honor to women in captivity, alleviating their suffering through various means. In addition to this, he exempted women from participating in combat, while encouraging their involvement in humanitarian and service roles, such as tending to the wounded and providing water. One of the key findings of the research is that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) set a model to be followed in the treatment of women during wars, preserving their dignity and protecting them from aggression. The main recommendation of the research is the need for comparative studies between the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in war and modern wartime behaviors. This is to identify the gaps between them and develop effective solutions for applying Islamic principles to protect women's rights in current conflicts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Abstract On October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorists attacked people in their homes, fields, and at a music festival in Israeli communities near the border with Gaza. More than 1,145 men, women, and children were killed, about 1,800 wounded were evacuated to hospitals in the country, and 253 infants, children, women, elderly, and men were abducted. This mass casualty incident (MCI) was the start of a war that is still ongoing. The Israeli medical system, which faced an overwhelming first 24 h, continues to take care of casualties, including those who are injured by missiles that target Israeli residential areas. Israel has a well-established trauma system, and as a result of the experience gained in this war, the system merited review. This was the topic of a meeting of leaders of the Israeli healthcare system, and it forms the basis of this report. The meeting and report provide a platform for presenting the trauma system management during the war, highlighting the strengths of the system as well as its challenges and lessons learned. The participants also brainstormed and discussed possibilities for future improvements.

Introduction Simulation-based medical training has been shown to be effective and is widely used in civilian hospitals; however, it is unclear how widely and how effectively simulation is utilized in the U.S. Military Health System (MHS). The current operational state of medical simulation in the MHS is unknown, and there remains a need for a system-wide assessment of whether and how the advances in simulation-based medical training are employed to meet the evolving needs of the present-day warfighter. Understanding the types of skills and methods used within simulation programs across the enterprise is important data for leaders as they plan for the future in terms of curriculum development and the investment of resources. The aim of the present study is to survey MHS simulation programs in order to determine the prevalence of skills taught, the types of learners served, and the most common methodologies employed in this worldwide health care system. Materials and Methods A cross-sectional survey of simulation activities was distributed to the medical directors of all 93 simulation programs in the MHS. The survey was developed by the authors based on lists of critical wartime skills published by the medical departments of the US Army, Navy, and Air Force. Respondents were asked to indicate the types of learners trained at their program, which of the 82 unique skills included in the survey are trained at their site, and for each skill the modalities of simulation used, i.e. mannequin, standardized patients, part task trainers, augmented/virtual reality tools, or cadaver/live tissue. Results Complete survey responses were obtained from 75 of the 93 (80%) MHS medical simulation training programs. Across all skills included in the survey, those most commonly taught belonged predominantly to the categories of medic skills and nursing skills. Across all sites, the most common category of learner was the medic/corpsman (95% of sites), followed by nurses (87%), physicians (83%), non-medical combat lifesavers (59%), and others (28%) that included on-base first responders, law enforcement, fire fighters, and civilians. The skills training offered by programs included most commonly the tasks associated with medics/corpsmen (97%) followed by nursing (81%), advanced provider (77%), and General Medical Officer (GMO) skills (47%). Conclusion The survey demonstrated that the most common skills taught were all related to point of injury combat casualty care and addressed the most common causes of death on the battlefield. The availability of training in medic skills, nursing skills, and advanced provider skills were similar in small, medium, and large programs. However, medium and small programs were less likely to deliver training for advanced providers and GMOs compared to larger programs. Overall, this study found that simulation-based medical training in the MHS is focused on medic and nursing skills, and that large programs are more likely to offer training for advanced providers and GMOs. Potential gaps in the availability of existing training are identified as over 50% of skills included in the nursing, advanced provider, and GMO skill categories are not covered by at least 80% of sites serving those learners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction The association between hypothermia, coagulopathy, and acidosis in trauma is well described. Hypothermia mitigation starts in the prehospital setting; however, it is often a secondary focus after other life-saving interventions. The deployed environment further compounds the problem due to prolonged evacuation times in rotary wing aircraft, resource limitations, and competing priorities. This analysis evaluates hypothermia in combat casualties and the relationship to resuscitation strategy with blood products. Methods Using the data from the Department of Defense Joint Trauma Registry from 2003 to 2021, a retrospective analysis was conducted on adult trauma patients. Inclusion criteria was arrival at the first military treatment facility (MTF) hypothermic (<95ºF). Study variables included: mortality, year, demographics, battle vs non-battle injury, mechanism, theater of operation, vitals, and labs. Subgroup analysis was performed on severely injured (15 < ISS < 75) hypothermic trauma patients resuscitated with whole blood (WB) vs only component therapy. Results Of the 69,364 patients included, 908 (1.3%) arrived hypothermic; the vast majority of whom (N  = 847, 93.3%) arrived mildly hypothermic (90–94.9°F). Overall mortality rate was 14.8%. Rates of hypothermia varied by year from 0.7% in 2003 to 3.9% in 2014 (P <0.005). On subgroup analysis, mortality rates were similar between patients resuscitated with WB vs only component therapy; though base deficit values were higher in the WB cohort (−10 vs −6, P  < 0.001). Conclusion Despite nearly 20 years of combat operations, hypothermia continues to be a challenge in military trauma and is associated with a high mortality rate. Mortality was similar between hypothermic trauma patients resuscitated with WB vs component therapy, despite greater physiologic derangements on arrival in patients who received WB. As the military has the potential to conduct missions in environments where the risk of hypothermia is high, further research into hypothermia mitigation techniques and resuscitation strategies in the deployed setting is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction The War-Related Illness and Injury Study Center at the VA New Jersey Health Care System (WRIISC-VANJ) serves as one of the three tertiary referral centers for combat deployed Veterans of all eras with medically unexplained or difficult-to-diagnose conditions that may be related to deployment-related exposures. Many of the Veterans seen at the WRIISC experience chronic multisymptom illness (CMI), also known as Gulf War Illness (GWI). Given the complexity and interconnectedness of symptoms, Veterans with GWI are often unlikely to produce meaningful results when addressing single symptoms. Further, Veterans with GWI often have co-morbid cognitive and behavioral health conditions (e.g. TBI, PTSD, Depression), which further compromise their self-efficacy in following treatment recommendations. Thus, the WRIISC-NJ, in collaboration with Wellness Solutions Group, developed a virtual Functional Medicine-based Interdisciplinary and Integrative Intervention to improve the health of Veterans by assisting them in implementing lifestyle changes. Methods The 6-month telehealth program included functional medicine assessments, nutrition and adaptive exercise coaching, mindfulness meditation and yoga, guest health lectures, character strength coaching, and targeted nutritional supplements. Aspects of the program were tailored to the unique clinical needs of each Veteran. Participants completed baseline and 6 month follow-up assessments of physical and emotional symptoms and overall functioning. Follow-up scores were compared with baseline data. Results The program was well received by Veterans with attendance across all offered sessions ranging from 70 to 100%. Further, at the end of the clinical pilot program, improvements were demonstrated in physical and mental health symptoms, intentional weight loss/gain, functional movement, and sleep quality. Conclusions These preliminary results demonstrate the possibility of creating positive health outcomes across multiple health indicators in medically complex combat-deployed Veterans. Our early success and participant enthusiasm for this clinical pilot program also illustrate an opportunity to provide individualized, innovative solutions for the evaluation and treatment of Veterans with GWI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Definitive management of non-compressible intra-abdominal hemorrhage (NCIAH) currently requires a surgeon and operating room capable of performing damage control surgery. In a wartime scenario or a geographically remote environment, these may not be readily available. In this study, we sought to test the safety of 2 emerging injectable hemostatic agents (CounterFlow and Fast Onset Abdominal Management, or FOAM, poloxamer component) versus normal saline control over a prolonged monitoring duration following administration by a non-surgical provider. Materials and Methods The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee approved all research conducted in this study. We randomized male New Zealand white rabbits into 2 monitoring cohorts of 24 hours and 2 weeks. Each cohort contained 3 treatment groups (n  = 4 rabbits/group): CounterFlow, the testable poloxamer component of FOAM, and normal saline control. We injected each treatment intraperitoneally in the left lower abdominal quadrant. Doses were 15 mL/kg for CounterFlow, 6.3 mL/kg for the poloxamer component of FOAM, and 15 mL/kg for normal saline. We conducted all injections under isoflurane anesthesia monitored by trained veterinary staff. Animals were euthanized at each cohort end point, and a veterinary pathologist blinded to treatment type performed necropsy. The primary outcome was incidence of intra-abdominal adhesions at necropsy. Quantitatively, adhesions when present were graded by the veterinary pathologist on a 1 to 4 scale, where "1" represented adhesions involving from 1 to 25% of the examined abdomen, "2" represented from 26 to 50%, "3" represented from 51 to 75%, and "4" represented from 76 to 100%. Qualitatively, adhesions present were graded by degree ("1" = minimal, "2" = mild, "3" = moderate, and "4" = severe) and chronicity ("1" = acute, "2" = subacute, and "3" = chronic). We also drew d-dimer blood values and measured body weights for each animal. Statistical analysis included either repeated measures 2-way ANOVA or a mixed-effects model (in the case of missing data) with Geisser–Greenhouse correction. We adjusted multiple comparisons using Tukey statistical hypothesis tests. Results In the 2-week cohort, 3 CounterFlow animals showed adhesions judged to be "1" quantitatively. Qualitatively, 2 of these were assessed as "1" for degree of adhesions and the other demonstrated a "2." On the chronicity of adhesions scale, 1 animal demonstrated a "2" and 2 demonstrated a "3." No animals in other groups (FOAM and control) demonstrated adhesions. CounterFlow-treated animals showed a statistically significant rise in d-dimer values in the 24-hour cohort only. In the 2-week cohort, CounterFlow-treated animals showed a decrease in body weight at 24 hours after injection but returned to their baseline (normal) body weights at 7 days. Conclusions Findings from this study demonstrate that the tested ingredients of FOAM poloxamer component are safe for intraperitoneal injection and hold potential for further study directed toward prehospital non-compressible intra-abdominal hemorrhage management by non-surgical providers. Although CounterFlow produced abdominal adhesions in 3 of 4 rabbits in the 2-week cohort, these were determined to be "minimal" or "mild" in degree. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Since the War in Afghanistan began in 2001, service members have faced significant health effects related to service during war, with female-designated service members facing unique challenges. Numerous high-quality review articles have been published on the health and care of female-designated service members and veterans. Given the increasing volume of literature, we completed an overview of reviews on the health and health care of female-designated military populations. Our objective was to conduct an overview of reviews on the obstetrics and gynecologic health and health care of female-designated military populations since 2000 to understand female-specific health consequences of military service during war and make clinical recommendations. Materials and Methods On May 10, 2022, a medical librarian performed a comprehensive search across five databases (Ovid Medline, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Ovid All EBM Reviews, and Web of Science) for all relevant reviews published from 2000 to May 10, 2022. Results were limited to English language. After the removal of duplicates, 2,438 records were reviewed, and 69 studies were included in the final review. The search strategy and methods were registered with PROSPERO and are reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Overviews of Reviews (PRIOR) guidelines. Two independent reviewers conducted title and abstract screening and subsequent full text review using Covidence Systematic Review Software. Reviews addressing female-specific and obstetrics and gynecologic health of female-designated service members or veterans, utilizing a clear and systematic methodology, were eligible for inclusion. Quality assessment was conducted by teams of two reviewers. Results A total of 69 studies were included in the final review. Themes included mental health and impact of sexual assault on service members or veterans, veteran health care, issues of menstruation, pregnancy, and urogenital concerns. Areas with few reviews included occupational risks of military service and impact on obstetric outcomes, eating disorders, and menopause. There were insufficient or no reviews on the impact of military service on fertility, access to abortion care, reproductive health outcomes of lesbian, bisexual and transgender service members, surgical treatment of gynecologic conditions, and screening and treatment for breast, gynecologic, and non-pelvic organ cancers. Conclusions Female-designated military populations serving during periods of war face unique health challenges that should be considered in screening practices and the delivery of trauma informed care. Further research and reviews are needed for female-specific oncology, fertility, abortion access, and sexual and non-binary and expansive gender identities to better capture female-designated service member and veteran health during wartime and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because of the diverse backgrounds of their healthcare professionals, Ukrainian military medicine needs expanded and enhanced military medical training to increase their readiness in the war against Russia. During March 2023, eight Ukrainian healthcare professionals participated in Operation Gunpowder, a high-fidelity prolonged casualty care simulation conducted by the USU as a part of its Military Unique Curriculum. In order to evaluate their experiences, we interviewed each healthcare professional and analyzed the data to determine common themes. The participants first described the challenges of operational medicine in Ukraine. They then described the benefits of simulation training such as learning how to navigate a resource-limited operational environment, learning prolonged casualty care, and enhancing leadership and teamwork. Finally, they discussed how they planned to implement training such as Operation Gunpowder in Ukraine in order to increase force readiness. After experiencing the prolonged casualty care simulation training, the Ukrainian participants believed Operation Gunpowder to be a valuable training tool due to its ability to help them overcome the current challenges they are facing in their war against Russia. They described how they would integrate similar training in Ukraine, and follow-up correspondence revealed the success of these efforts. Other universities and institutions are likewise called to use their knowledge and resources to help train Ukrainian health professionals using simulation-based training or other education modalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction The invasion of Ukraine by Russian troops on February 24, 2022, and the beginning of the full-scale war had huge humanitarian consequences. The major challenges facing the Ukrainian health care system included the disruption of medical infrastructure and logistics, the termination of the supply of expendable materials, significant migration, and a dramatic increase in high-velocity blast and gunshot injuries among combatants and civilians. The aim of the present study was to analyze the challenges and solutions in patient care faced by the Ukrainian system of maxillofacial surgery during the war in different regions of the country. Materials and Methods A cross-sectional study was designed and implemented as an online survey to collect national data concerning maxillofacial surgeons' experiences and professional activities. The study was initiated and supported by Bogomolets National Medical University (Kyiv, Ukraine), the Ukrainian representative of AO CMF (Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Osteosynthesefragen Craniomaxillofacial Surgery) and the University of Helsinki (Finland). The questionnaire was developed by specialists in maxillofacial surgery and sociologists and contained 65 close-ended questions. Surgeons who had not worked in this specialty in inpatient departments of hospitals since at least the beginning of the full-scale war were excluded from the study. We received and analyzed 97 responses that met the abovementioned criteria. The geography of respondents covered all the regions and the main cities of Ukraine, expect for the occupied territories. Results After a year of warfare, the percentage of surgeons who treated patients with blast and gunshot injuries increased from 43.4% to 86.6%. This percentage was higher in military hospitals and in regions located in the vicinity of the front line. We found that, during the war, 78.6% of respondents performed osteosynthesis in cases of high-velocity multifragmented facial bone fractures (in such cases, 58.3% of them strictly followed AO CMF recommendations, while 41.7% performed the fixation based on available hardware, existing technical possibilities and their own preferences). We found that 70.2% of respondents had the opportunity to apply Computer-Aided Design/Computer-Aided Manufacture technology and patient-specific implants for the treatment of gunshot injuries, 38.1% reported that their hospitals were able to perform microsurgical reconstructions for facial defects, 79.4% of respondents reported that their departments received humanitarian aid and support from volunteer organizations (either Ukrainian or international), which significantly facilitated the treatment process. Conclusions According to this nationwide survey of Ukrainian maxillofacial surgeons during a year of the full-scale war, 86.6% of respondents were involved in the treatment of gunshot and ballistic injuries in civilians and combatants. The main problems reported by the respondents were (1) a lack of experience and knowledge related to the treatment of severe wounds, especially by secondary reconstruction, and (2) a deficit of resources (equipment, materials, and medications) under conditions of disrupted logistics and changes in the numbers and nosological distribution of patients. There were the opportunity to transfer the patients to European clinics (29.9%), online consultations (45.4%), collaboration with foreign surgeons who come to Ukraine asvolunteers (32%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the major public health problems globally. Key risk factors for TB include poverty, living conditions such as overcrowding, and the presence and prevalence of significant biological and behavioral risk factors that impair the immune system or contribute to additional biological risk factors. Wars and disasters increase the risk of developing TB mainly due to population movement and displacement into overcrowded camps and temporary shelters, destruction of infrastructure, breakdown of health services, or discontinuation of ongoing treatment for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) co-infection. This leads to a higher risk of TB transmission, reactivation of latent TB infection, worsening of active disease, and increased vulnerabilities. Any factor that increases risk factors for TB is a primary driver of changes in TB epidemiology during wars and disasters. A TB preparedness plan should include a coordination mechanism, pre-assessment of data such as TB prevalence and incidence, drug-resistance status, prevailing major biological and behavioral risk factors for TB, resource requirements, a contingency plan for procurement and supply chain, surveillance, monitoring and evaluation tools, health facility details, effective TB infection control measures, and testing and screening protocols. Strategies to ensure the continuity of the National TB Control Program and to decrease vulnerabilities and risk factors for TB should be developed. Since most wars and disasters cause refugees to cross borders and affect multiple countries, developing an international data-sharing system would be useful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorists attacked people in their homes, fields, and at a music festival in Israeli communities near the border with Gaza. More than 1,145 men, women, and children were killed, about 1,800 wounded were evacuated to hospitals in the country, and 253 infants, children, women, elderly, and men were abducted. This mass casualty incident (MCI) was the start of a war that is still ongoing. The Israeli medical system, which faced an overwhelming first 24 h, continues to take care of casualties, including those who are injured by missiles that target Israeli residential areas. Israel has a well-established trauma system, and as a result of the experience gained in this war, the system merited review. This was the topic of a meeting of leaders of the Israeli healthcare system, and it forms the basis of this report. The meeting and report provide a platform for presenting the trauma system management during the war, highlighting the strengths of the system as well as its challenges and lessons learned. The participants also brainstormed and discussed possibilities for future improvements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rights of civilians during times of armed conflicts and wars must be maintained and must not be violated or encroached upon. Objectives: The current study aims to: )1( Clarifying the situation of civilians during armed conflicts throughout history. (2) Identifying the types of rights of civilians in times of armed conflicts. (3) Specifying the political and social rights of civilians during armed conflicts in Islamic Fiqh and international law. Methodology: The present study employs the descriptive method that is based on analysis while borrowing from both the deductive and inductive methods. Findings: The study at hand arrived at the following: (1) Islamic Fiqh established civilians’ rights during wars and armed conflicts including political and social rights. (2) Islamic Fiqh has precedence when it comes to the rights of civilians during such times, compared to International Law. (3) The application and maintenance of civilians’ rights during such times is considered a form of worship bringing Muslims closer to their Lord. (4) The text of International Law and the application thereof is subject to the fluctuations of political interests of major powers, international power balance and the hegemony of superpowers. Conclusion: Islam has precedence when it comes to the establishment of civilian rights during armed conflicts over International Law with regard to the same issue; moreover, Islam is superior to International Law in terms of the application of such rights and holding to account anyone that breaches or encroaches upon these rights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Adab Al-Basrah is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This research explores the state of press freedom in the Gaza Strip and the challenges it faces, with a focus on crimes committed against journalists. It sheds light on the difficult political and security conditions in which journalists operate, including the violent threats and arbitrary arrests they face. The research also examines the impact of recent wars and conflicts in exacerbating the challenges faced by journalists, with a particular focus on the recent Gaza war. Additionally, the research discusses the role of the international community and technology in supporting press freedom and protecting journalists in Gaza. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We use this article to introduce the Militarized Interstate Events (MIE) dataset, a new dataset for international conflict with a host of innovative features. The MIE data offers dyadic, event-level information for all militarized interstate confrontations from 1816 to 2014, including major wars as well as all threats, displays, and uses of force between two or more states. The data come with major innovations, including dyadic fatality estimates at the event level and recorded events for general conflicts alongside the battles of the wars of the last two centuries. We discuss how to use these conflict data and provide a replication that demonstrates the dataset's usefulness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article deals with one of the most explosive areas of the world today, which is the Near and Middle East (NMEA) and especially the territory of historical Palestine, where the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (IPC) has been going on for a long time. The text deals primarily with historical and military factors and is written as a historical explanatory analysis. It focuses on the most significant historical events and explains the ways of functioning and the consequences of the processes that have been taking place there for a long time.

Copyright of Tiempos Modernos is the property of Tiempos Modernos and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The War on Diabetes campaign was launched in 2016, encouraging Singapore residents to engage in regular exercise, adopt healthy dietary habits and screen for early detection of diabetes. This study aims to examine campaign awareness and its associations with sedentary behaviour, dietary habits and identifying diabetes. Data were obtained from the nationwide Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices study on diabetes in Singapore. A total of 2895 participants responded to a single question assessing campaign awareness. The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet screener assessed dietary habits, and the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) measured sedentary behaviour. Recognition of diabetes was established using a vignette depicting a person with diabetes mellitus. Logistic and linear regression models were used to measure the associations. Most participants were 18- to 34-years old (29.9%) and females (51.6%). About 57.4% identified the campaign. Campaign awareness exhibited positive associations with identifying diabetes based on the vignette [odds ratio (OR): 1.5; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.1–2.2; P  = 0.022], lower odds of sedentary behaviour ≥7 h/day (OR: 0.7; CI: 0.5–0.9; P  = 0.018) and higher DASH scores (β  = 1.3; P  < 0.001). The study recognized early significant associations between the behavioural outcomes and the campaign, emphasizing the need for ongoing campaign sustainability and evaluation of its long-term impact on population health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Military physicians must be prepared to lead health care teams across complex landscapes of war during future small- and large-scale combat operations. This preparation optimally begins in medical school so that early career physicians are fully ready for their first deployment. Past qualitative research has suggested that military physicians who attended civilian medical school are not as well prepared for the operational environment as physicians who attended the Uniformed Services University (USU), our nation's military medical school. However, there is a lack of larger-scale quantitative research comparing the readiness differences between the two medical school pathways. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to quantify any differences in first deployment preparation between students attending USU and civilian medical schools through the Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP). Materials and Methods We compared USU and HPSP graduates' first deployment experiences by distributing a 14-item Likert survey to active duty military physicians in the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Air Force who graduated within the past 10 years from medical school (USU or civilian). Results The USU graduates rated themselves significantly higher than the HPSP graduates on their readiness for deployment (3.83 vs. 3.24; P  < .001); ability to navigate the operational environment (3.59 vs. 2.99; P  < .001); confidence in communicating with their commanding officer (3.59 vs. 2.99; P  = .002); navigating the combined role as physician and officer (3.33 vs. 2.84; P  = .004); leading a health care team (3.94 vs. 3.43; P  = .001); preparation by a medical school (3.78 vs. 2.52; P  < .001); and overall readiness compared to peers (4.20 vs. 3.49; P  < .001). There was no significant difference between the two pathways regarding their stress level at the beginning of deployment (2.74 vs. 2.68; P  = .683); clinical preparation (3.94 vs. 3.76; P  = .202); and success of first deployment (3.87 vs. 3.91; P  = .792). The largest effect size of the difference between the two pathways was noted on the question "How well did medical school prepare you for your first deployment" (Cohen's d  = 1.02). Conclusions While both groups believed that they were prepared for their first deployment, USU graduates consistently reported being more prepared by medical school for their first deployment than HPSP graduates. To close this readiness gap, supplemental military unique curricula may help to optimize HPSP students' readiness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Reserve and National Guard (RNG) service members face increased risks for psychological and behavioral problems and are unlikely to seek mental health (MH) care after returning from military deployments. This article examines an online intervention (Web-Ed) with regard to participation, screening results, satisfaction, and intent to seek follow-up MH care, with comparisons by gender and post-deployment MH care receipt. Materials and Methods This was a cross-sectional study of 414 RNG service members (214 women and 200 men), who returned from deployments to or in support of the Iraq or Afghanistan wars within the prior 36 months. Participants completed Web-Ed, which includes screening, personalized education, and links to Veterans Health Administration health care. Results Positive post-deployment screening proportions, Web-Ed satisfaction, and intent to seek follow-up care were similar for men and women. Few had received MH care (33% women; 24% men), yet most screened positive on at least one screen (69% women; 72% men). Most indicated that they would recommend Web-Ed to other veterans (71% women; 67% men) and that they received useful information they may not have received otherwise (52% women; 53% men) regardless of gender or prior MH care. Almost half (40% women; 48% men) planned to seek further assessment from a health care provider as a direct result of Web-Ed. Conclusions Efforts to facilitate access to MH care among post-deployed RNG veterans should be ongoing, regardless of the length of time since deployment, Veterans Affairs enrollment status, prior MH care receipt, or gender. Online screening and personalized education engage veterans who have not sought MH care and provide new information to those who have. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In these studies, with the help of unpublished Ottoman tax registers from the group of tapu tahrir defterleri, stored in the funds of the Ottoman Archives in the city of Istanbul, the question of the ways of demographic recovery of the settlements in the Eastern part of the Upper Thracian Lowland in the period 15th – 16th c., a consequence of the military actions conducted in the area in previous centuries. For the realization of the set goal, in addition to the mentioned Ottoman Turkish documents, the achievements of modern historiography on these problems were also used. It was established that the region suffered greatly from the military actions in the period of the 12th – 14th c. At the end of the 15th c., the demographic crisis was over-come as a result of the settled slaves, freed slaves, representatives of various nomadic groups, population from the areas of military actions and the voluntary or forcibly resettled population from other parts of the Ottoman Empire. Examples of both Muslimto-non-Muslim and Christian-to-Christian slavery are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to provide contemporary Italian historians with foundational insights into key international debates concerning the nature and scope of war in the decades following the Cold War. It begins by briefly summarizing widely accepted data from international scientific literature on the number of wars and armed conflicts that occurred during the 20th century, the Cold War, and the three post-bipolar decades. Next, it reviews the main analytical frameworks developed by scholars -- both academic and non-academic -- within the fields of international relations and security studies. The article concludes with a few reflections from a historian's perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Armed conflicts have long been a pervasive challenge, leaving profound scars on societies worldwide. Among the myriad of consequences, armed conflicts have a significant impact on higher education systems, particularly in post-conflict regions. This study aims to examine the challenges and opportunities faced by academic institutions in post-conflict regions concerning the development of higher education. A comprehensive review of existing literature on armed conflicts and higher education was conducted, focusing on case studies from various post-conflict regions worldwide. Qualitative analysis was employed to identify common challenges and opportunities faced by academic institutions in these contexts, drawing on specific examples and empirical evidence. The study revealed that armed conflicts pose significant challenges to higher education systems in post-conflict regions, including the destruction of infrastructure, displacement of students and faculty, disruption of academic programs, and limitations on academic freedom. The findings underscore the importance of addressing the impact of armed conflicts on higher education as part of broader post-conflict reconstruction efforts. Initiatives aimed at rebuilding educational infrastructure, supporting displaced students and scholars, promoting access and inclusion, and fostering peace and reconciliation are essential for the development of academic institutions in post-conflict regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is widely acknowledged that the relationship between education, security, and stability is bidirectional. In times of war, access to quality education becomes compromised, and conversely, the absence of proper education constrains individuals to a life under constant threat, disrupting education provision. War, viewed as a "lifetime and life-wide status," evolves into a self-fulfilling prophecy, both at an individual and collective level, making it challenging to break free from, particularly within the broader context of education provision. Although, scant information exists about how education is maintained during wars, hindering the right to education in such contexts. This study therefore addresses this gap by synthesizing the literature to identify and present 14 educational scenarios and teaching strategies on how education was maintained from different war contexts over time. The findings reveal that education during wars can be digital-based (i.e., facilitated by technology) and non-digital based (without technology). Additionally, various teaching strategies are applied during wars, including inspirational, hands-on and practical, fun-based, among others. Finally, teaching during wars is not limited to teachers only, but it could also involve parents, neighbors, etc. The findings of the literature can help to ensure the right to education in crises like wars and reveal the importance of open education in such crises. They can also contribute to enriching the ongoing theoretical and practical debate on how to maintain education in crises like wars. This can help to better be prepared for future education in crises, which is the focus of several international organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Pediatría de Atención Primaria is the property of LUA Ediciones 3.0 S.L. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The modern concept of security can be understood as the Socio-economic study of short, medium and long-term risks of society. The adoption of such an enlarged view expresses the new priorities, multidisciplinary relations and strategic conditions. Nowadays, security must encompass all fundamental aspects of human-based needs: health, feeding, employment, living standards, education, public confidence and social tolerance. It is necessary to integrate economic, social and environmental conditions, highlighting relevant priorities. This effort requires special attention to dignity, equity and solidarity. In this vein, it is necessary to consolidate democratic participation with free elections, tolerance of opposition and open discussion of necessities and initiatives. Human Security and the Socio-economic Agenda have made progress in dealing with some of the points proposed above, there are still “unfinished business and unresolved puzzles to solve,” including biological and physical wars.

This article attempts to investigate and improve the academic classification of wars and armed conflicts, taking into account the political, geopolitical, international legal and military features of the illegal invasion of the Russian Federation into Ukraine and the Russian-Ukrainian war and other conflicts like this. At the same time, different approaches to the typology of wars and armed conflicts are considered, different classification systems are presented, and some of their features and shortcomings are studied. The importance of accurate classification of armed conflicts is extremely important for finding mechanisms for their prevention and termination.

It is widely acknowledged that the relationship between education, security, and stability is bidirectional. In times of war, access to quality education becomes compromised, and conversely, the absence of proper education constrains individuals to a life under constant threat, disrupting education provision. War, viewed as a “lifetime and life-wide status,” evolves into a self-fulfilling prophecy, both at an individual and collective level, making it challenging to break free from, particularly within the broader context of education provision. Although, scant information exists about how education is maintained during wars, hindering the right to education in such contexts. This study therefore addresses this gap by synthesizing the literature to identify and present 14 educational scenarios and teaching strategies on how education was maintained from different war contexts over time. The findings reveal that education during wars can be digital-based (i.e., facilitated by technology) and non-digital based (without technology). Additionally, various teaching strategies are applied during wars, including inspirational, hands-on and practical, fun-based, among others. Finally, teaching during wars is not limited to teachers only, but it could also involve parents, neighbors, etc. The findings of the literature can help to ensure the right to education in crises like wars and reveal the importance of open education in such crises. They can also contribute to enriching the ongoing theoretical and practical debate on how to maintain education in crises like wars. This can help to better be prepared for future education in crises, which is the focus of several international organizations.

Military conflicts are ubiquitous. There are a lot of combat veterans around the world. Suicidality in combat veterans is a large and important issue. In this article, the author discusses some aspects of this issue. The combat environment is characterized by violence, physical strains, separation from loved ones and other hardships. Combat deployment may lead to multiple emotional, cognitive, psychosomatic symptoms, suicidal ideation and behavior. Pre-deployment, deployment and post-deployment adversities may increase suicide risk in combat veterans. The act of killing in combat is a stressor which may raise suicide risk. Combat-related injuries are associated with increased suicide risk. Post-deployment difficulties of reintegrating into civilian life may lead to depression and suicidality. Studies suggest that suicidal behavior in combat veterans may have a neurobiological basis. Prevention of suicide among combat veterans should include pre-deployment screening to exclude individuals with psychiatric disorders; psychological support and prevention of harassment and/or abuse during deployment; psychosocial support after deployment; diagnosing and treating psychiatric and medical disorders including neurological disorders; frequent suicide screening; education of mental and non-mental health clinicians, war veterans, their families and friends regarding signs/symptoms of suicidality; and restriction of access to lethal means. We need to study the specific psychobiology of combat veterans to understand how to develop effective suicide prevention interventions for this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Engineering Sciences & Information Technology is the property of Arab Journal of Sciences & Research Publishing (AJSRP) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article presents, for the first time, complete annual series of the Mexican population by states during the period 1820-70. It is based on the available contemporary surveys and the most recent estimates, as well as on some calculations made in order to fill the remaining gaps. We also estimate the percentage changes and the growth rates among significant years that are implicit in the new series. These, together with other indicators, allow us to conclude that Mexican demographic growth was slow. To conclude, we explore the most significant factors that may explain such behavior, namely, wars, invasions and political instability, epidemics, and economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased circulating amino acid levels have been linked to insulin resistance and development of type 2 diabetes (T2D), but the underlying mechanism remains largely unknown. Herein, we show that tryptophan modifies insulin receptor (IR) to attenuate insulin signaling and impair glucose uptake. Mice fed with tryptophan-rich chow developed insulin resistance. Excessive tryptophan promoted tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase (WARS) to tryptophanylate lysine 1209 of IR (W-K1209), which induced insulin resistance by inhibiting the insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of IR, AKT, and AS160. SIRT1, but not other sirtuins, detryptophanylated IRW−K1209 to increase the insulin sensitivity. Collectively, we unveiled the mechanisms of how tryptophan impaired insulin signaling, and our data suggested that WARS might be a target to attenuate insulin resistance in T2D patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author analyzes the policy of great powers towards the Balkan countries and nations, through the two Balkan wars (1912, 1913), the Great War and World War II until the formation of the Cold War order after it. The author asks questions about the geopolitical role of the great powers that influenced the construction of a lasting peace system in the Balkans during the period in question. The leaders of the Balkan independence movements realized that they had to rely on the assistance of great powers in their endeavours, hence the "original sin" of international relations in the Balkans became the growing influence of stronger players, the scale of which is unmatched in any other region of the Old Continent. The support given to Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece or Albania in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries by the great powers in their struggle for independence and sovereignty extended to all areas of international relations after the constitution of nation-states and continues to accompany them to this day, taking various forms. It must be hypothesized that the influence of the great powers has had a destructive effect on the construction of a lasting peace system in the Balkans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Collectanea Philologica is the property of Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Lodzkiego and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

I begin by interpreting a poem discovered after Szymborska’s death, dedicated to the refugee experience. In the poem, Szymborska focuses on helplessness, survival, the difficult dependence between those who arrive and those who receive, and the issue of transitive relations that drive people into a sense of powerlessness. I also dedicate attention to the “I don’t know” form, a characteristic of Szymborska’s poetry, which she uses to reflect on the suffering of others. I argue that Szymborska rejects the speech of pathos in favor of programmatic incomprehension, an oscillation between closeness and distance. Her ploy is to reveal or even perform disorientation, which, in the act of writing, becomes a form of engagement. The impossibility of understanding, approaching, or imagining otherness introduces tension, a difference that shatters the very idea of a border. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]