SETTING Tuberculosis (TB) is highly prevalent in prisons of the former Soviet Union. OBJECTIVE To understand the behavioral, demographic and biological factors placing inmates in Tajikistan at risk for active TB. DESIGN We administered a behavioral and demographic survey to 1317 inmates in two prison facilities in Sughd province, Tajikistan along with radiographic screening for pulmonary TB...

BACKGROUND Iodine deficiency affects nearly 1.9 billion people worldwide, but it can be prevented by salt iodization. This cross-sectional survey assessed current iodine status, iodized salt coverage and risk factors for goitre among schoolchildren in South Tajikistan. METHODS Ten primary schools in four districts in South Tajikistan were randomly selected. In schoolchildren aged 7 to 11 year...

BACKGROUND Pharmacies are an important source of sterile syringes for people who inject drugs (PWID) in Tajikistan who are under high risk of HIV and hepatitis C virus. Accessibility of sterile syringes at pharmacies without prescription may depend on pharmacists' attitudes towards PWID. This qualitative inquiry examines meanings and processes of stigmatization of PWID among pharmacists and pha...

ABSTRACT Isolates of Puccinia triticina collected from common wheat in the Central Asia countries of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan and the Caucasus countries of Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Armenia were tested for virulence to 20 isolines of Thatcher wheat with different leaf rust resistance genes and molecular genotype at 23 simple sequence repeat (SSR) loci. After clone corre...

As polio eradication inches closer, the absence of poliovirus circulation in most of the world and imperfect vaccination coverage are resulting in immunity gaps and polio outbreaks affecting adults. Furthermore, imperfect, waning intestinal immunity among older children and adults permits reinfection and poliovirus shedding, prompting calls to extend the age range of vaccination campaigns even ...

This cross-sectional study is aimed at assessing sodium (Na) and potassium (K) content and the molar Na:K ratios of the most commonly available ready-to-eat street foods in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. Four different samples of each of these foods were collected and 62 food categories were evaluated through bromatological analysis. Flame photometry was used to quantify sodium and potassium concen...

Echinops wakhanicus Rech.f. (Compositae: Cardueae: Echinopsinae) is described and illustrated, its taxonomic position discussed. Field observations seed collection of the species are mentioned. The genus discussed, comments made on infrageneric classification, placement E. in sect. Oligolepis. terminology used describing flowering structure discussed; term synflorescence preferred. Tribal subtr...

The paper discusses musical performances used at mourning ceremonies by the Ismaili Muslims in mountainous Gorno–Badakhshan province of Tajikistan (hereafter GBAO). Shī’a Ismailis make up most population this province, compared to a majority Sunni Muslim rest Tajikistan. These have lived remote for centuries and therefore evolved their own unique culture that is different from Tajikistan. ...

The non-marine trigonioidid bivalves show five phases of radiation in the Cretaceous of Pal-Asia: pre-Aptian (?Valanginian/Hauterivian-Barremian), Aptian, Albian, Cenomanian and Turonian-Maastrichtian. Their distribution patterns show two distinct palaeo-river systems feeding trigonioidids. Before the Cenomanian, the river system occupied the southwestern-southern-southeastern Pal-Asian contine...

This paper focuses on inequality in living standards across oblasts and regions within Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Regional inequality is an important area of research and policy development. Inequality in income and consumption are logical outcomes in a market-based economic system. If inequality within countries exists because of barriers to compe...