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The study of Imperial Russian history until 1917 has been out of favor in the United States since the fall of the Soviet Union. The earlier enthusiasm for Russia’s liberal and revolutionary past has given way to a desire to make sense of the Soviet period using newly-available archives. Yet the study of pre-Soviet Russian history is not dead and is relevant to newer perspectives that have developed in the field. These include questions about the history of the intelligentsia in relation to terrorism, Russia's history as a multinational empire, the role of religion in the Russian Empire, and the problem of Russia's historical "backwardness." [ABSTRACT FROM CONTRIBUTOR]

Abstract: The longstanding, successful use of herbal drug combinations in traditional medicine makes it necessary to find a rationale for the pharmacological and therapeutic superiority of many of them in comparison to isolated single constituents. This review describes many examples of how modern molecular–biological methods (including new genomic technologies) can enable us to understand the various synergistic mechanisms underlying these effects. Synergistic effects can be produced if the constituents of an extract affect different targets or interact with one another in order to improve the solubility and thereby enhance the bioavailability of one or several substances of an extract. A special synergy effect can occur when antibiotics are combined with an agent that antagonizes bacterial resistance mechanisms. The verification of real synergy effects can be achieved through detailed pharmacological investigations and by means of controlled clinical studies performed in comparison with synthetic reference drugs. All the new ongoing projects aim at the development of a new generation of phytopharmaceuticals which can be used alone or in combination with synthetic drugs or antibiotics. This new generation of phytopharmaceuticals could lend phytotherapy a new legitimacy and enable their use to treat diseases which have hitherto been treated using synthetic drugs alone. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

As the number of young and adult nulliparous cancer survivors is constantly increasing due to progress in the field of oncology, the adverse effect of the life saving cancer therapy on reproductive function is assuming greater importance. Appropriate strategies to spare fertility in all young cancer patients must be considered. Recent advances in assisted reproduction technology such as in-vitro fertilization (IVF), intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and cryopreservation have revolutionized the options available to these patients for their fertility preservation. While sperm and embryo cryopreservation are now established procedures, oocyte (mature or immature) cryopreservation has limited application till date. Ovarian tissue cryopreservation although at present an experimental technique, is fast emerging out as the most promising future option for fertility preservation. There is need for the professionals dealing with young cancer patients to familiarize themselves with these developments and with the importance of describing and providing access to these options. All possible fertility preservation options should be offered and discussed before starting the therapy for cancer. A multidisciplinary approach involving a close liaison between oncology and assisted conception units is crucial for providing the proper guidance and support to the young vulnerable patients diagnosed with cancer and their families in deciding what is likely to be the most appropriate course of action for them. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]