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Background and objectives: Since 2013, highly effective direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment for chronic hepatitis C (CHC) has become available, with cure rates exceeding 95%. For the choice of optimal CHC treatment, an assessment of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype (GT) and liver fibrosis stage is necessary. Information about the distribution of these parameters among CHC patients in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania (the Baltic states) and especially in Ukraine is scarce. This study was performed to obtain epidemiologic data regarding CHC GT and fibrosis stage distribution for better planning of resources and prioritization of patients for DAA drug treatment according to disease severity in high-income (the Baltic states) and lower-middle-income (Ukraine) countries. Materials and methods: The retrospective RESPOND-C study included 1451 CHC patients. Demographic and disease information was collected from medical charts for each patient. Results: The most common suspected mode of viral transmission was blood transfusions (17.8%), followed by intravenous substance use (15.7%); however, in 50.9% of patients, the exact mode of transmission was not clarified. In Ukraine (18.4%) and Estonia (26%), transmission by intravenous substance use was higher than in Lithuania (5%) and Latvia (5.3%). Distribution of HCV GT among patients with CHC was as follows: GT1-66.4%; GT3-28.1; and GT2-4.1%. The prevalence of GT1 was the highest in Latvia (84%) and the lowest in Ukraine (63%, p < 0.001). Liver fibrosis stages were distributed as follows: F0-12.2%, F1-26.3%, F2-23.5%, F3-17.1%, and F4-20.9%. Cirrhosis (F4) was more prevalent in Lithuanian patients (30.1%) than in Estonians (8.1%, p < 0.001). Conclusions: This study contributes to the knowledge of epidemiologic characteristics of HCV infection in the Baltic states and Ukraine. The data regarding the patterns of HCV GT and fibrosis stage distribution will be helpful for the development of national strategies to control HCV infection in the era of DAA therapy.

Background: Cultural competencies are known as a multidimensionalconstruct; however, they usually refer to an individual's sensitivity orcultural attitudes, cultural awareness, knowledge, and skills., Aim: The aim of the study was to compare the cultural competences of nurses in Poland and Lithuania based on an adaptation of the Nurse Cultural Competence Scale (NCCS)., Design: The design was a comparative cross-sectional study., Methods: A total of 383 Polish nurses and 184 Lithuanian nurses took part in the study. The questionnaires of the NCCS-Polish version (NCCS-v.PL) and the NCCS-Lithuanian version (NCCS-v.L) were used after linguistic adaptation and an evaluation of psychometric properties., Results: As a result of the comparative analysis, a higher general level of cultural competences (based on the NCCS) was found in the Lithuanian group M-148.09 (SD = 22.85). The results show statistically significant differences among the respondents in the subscale of Nurse Cultural Competence Scale-Cultural Knowledge (NCCS-CK; p ˂ 0.001); higher competences of the nurses were found in the Group LT (M = 31.05; SD = 6.75) than in the Group PL (M = 28.82; SD = 7.82). In the group of Polish nurses (Group PL), the intensity of cultural competences was found to increase along with age (NCCS-v.P r = 0.157, p < 0.05); this, however, was not observed in the Group LT (NCCS-v.LT, p > 0.05)., Conclusions: Both the nurses in Poland and in Lithuania are characterised by an average level of cultural competences. Diversity in the level of cultural competences was found in both groups depending on age, education and work experience., (© 2022 Nordic College of Caring Science.)

This work involves a comprehensive chemical composition analysis of leaf and cone samples of Lithuanian hop varieties. This study aimed to determine the chemometric properties of the leaves and cones of five Lithuanian hop varieties. Determined properties were the following: (a) xanthohumol content, (b) phenolic compounds, (c) flavonoids, (d) radical scavenging activity, and (e) the qualitative composition of volatile compounds. The total content of phenolic compounds in aqueous 75% methanolic extracts varied between 31.4-78.2 mg of rutin equivalents (RE)/g, and the concentration of flavonoids was between 11.0-23.3 mg RE/g. Radical scavenging activity varied between 34.4-87.2 mg RE/g. A QUENCHER analysis procedure showed 91.7-168.5 mg RE/g of the total phenolic compound content, 12.7-21.4 mg RE/g of flavonoids, and 48.4-121.0 mg RE/g of radical scavenging activity. 'Fredos taurieji' and 'Fredos derlingieji' varieties have shown maximum values of phenolic compounds and radical scavenging activity both in leaf and cone suspensions. These varieties accumulated a higher amount of xanthohumol in leaves. The concentration of xanthohumol in the samples varied between 0.0014-0.2136% of dry mass, with the highest concentration in the cones of 'Kauno gražieji'. We identified 19 volatile compounds in leaves, and in cones, we identified 32. In both of them, α-humulene and β caryophyllene dominated. 'Raudoniai' leaves were exceptional in their aroma due to dominating compound nagina ketone (Kovats index 1306). The QUENCHER procedure has shown a great potential for the unextractable residue of hop raw material. Further investigation and valorization of different hop biomass components, not only cones, are essential.

Background: Understanding how nursing students in European countries perceive their future professional role is an important step in creating awareness of the diversity and similarities between countries. Investigating nursing students' perceptions of their future profession could help in the design of education and the retention of nurses., Aim: To compare nursing students' perceptions of the professional nurse's role between Belarus, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden., Method: A cross-sectional design was implemented. The study used two scales of the Professional Nursing Image Survey, which has questions about 10 skills and abilities and 14 functions and duties of a nurse., Results: A total of 392 final-year nursing students in four countries participated in the study. Statistically significant differences were found between countries in terms of all 10 skills and abilities and in the distribution of responses concerning functions and duties of a nurse., Conclusions: Nursing students in Belarus, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden perceive differently the role of a nurse in terms of some functions and responsibilities. This may influence the adaptation of nurses who enjoy freedom of movement among the countries., Implications for Nursing Policy: The knowledge gained in this study could be beneficial in improving nursing education, as it could illuminate the discrepancy between educational goals and students' perceptions of their future professional role., (© 2018 International Council of Nurses.)

Haplotype and allele frequencies for the 12 Y-STRs were determined in a population sample of 124 unrelated males--members of the Lithuanian minority residing in the northeastern Poland. Three of the haplotypes were encountered in duplicate, while 118 haplotypes were unique. The overall gene diversity was 0.9952. Analysis of molecular variance revealed that the Lithuanian minority can be distinguished from the autochthonous Poles, although these two populations are very close to each other. This database study provides an essential precondition for applying Y-chromosomal STRs estimates in forensic identification of male DNA and tracing of paternal lineages.

Allele frequencies for the 15 STRs included in the AmpFlSTR Identifiler kit were determined in a population sample of 140 unrelated individuals of the Lithuanian minority residing in the Northeastern Poland. Departure from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium for loci VWA, TPOX and D7S820 did not sustain after applying Bonferroni correction for multiple testing. Exact tests disequilibrium analysis revealed five departures from independence out of 105 pair-wise comparisons. The combined MP and PE for all 15 loci are 5.00 x 10(-17) and 0.9999, respectively.