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The normal functioning of the respiratory system is a leading factor, both for the survival of people caught in an aquatic environment in a marine casualty and for the effectiveness of the assistance activities. In view of this, in 2020 a team of researchers from Varna Medical University, the Naval Academy Varna and the Bulgarian Red Cross set out to study some physiological respiratory parameters and related anthropometric data of 51 individuals, 41 men and 10 women aged between 17 and 48 years of age. The subjects were divided into two groups: 1) trainees in the water rescue courses conducted at BRC-Varna and 2) 1st - year students of the Naval Academy. All participants in the study are non-smokers. The examination of the respiratory indicators is performed according to a standardized methodology with the same spirometer, which is able to measure and register over 30 indicators. Of these, three were analyzed in the present study: forced expiratory volume for 1 s (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), and their FEV1/FVC percentage (Tiffeneau index). The results show that, according to anthropometric data, FVC and FEV1 are higher in water rescue trainees than in Naval Academy cadets. The Tiffeneau index is higher than the reference values ​​of the participants in both study groups, but the results are better in the group of naval cadets. As far as the functional capabilities of the respiratory system are essential for the activity of marine professionals, it can be assumed that the high results obtained from the spirometric examination of the participants from both groups are a prerequisite for higher efficiency of rescue operations and improvement of their personal safety. when working in a marine environment. The prospect is that after collecting a statistically significant amount of data combined with results obtained from other types of functional tests, to create better safety practices for people who are professionally engaged in maritime activities. As far as the functional capabilities of the respiratory system are essential for the activity of marine professionals, it can be assumed that the high results of the spirometric study in all study participants are a prerequisite for improving both their personal safety when working in the marine environment and for higher efficiency and success of rescue operations. The perspective is, after collecting a statistically significant volume of data and in combination with other functional studies, to create good practices to improve the safety systems of people in contact with the marine environment .

The normal functioning of the respiratory system is a leading factor, both for the survival of people caught in an aquatic environment during an accident, and for the effectiveness of the assistance activities. In view of this, in 2020, a team of researchers from the Medical University of Varna, the Naval Academy - Varna and the Bulgarian Red Cross set out to study some physiological respiratory parameters and related anthropometric data of 51 individuals. The subjects were divided into two groups: 1) trainees in the water rescue courses conducted at BRC-Varna and 2) 1st year students from the Naval Academy. All participants in the study were non-smokers. The examination of the respiratory parameters was performed according to a standardized methodology with the same spirometer, which measures and registers over 30 indicators. Of these indicators, three were analyzed in the present study: forced expiratory volume for 1 s (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), and their FEV1/FVC percentage ratio (index of Tiffeneau). As far as the functional capabilities of the respiratory system are essential for the activity of marine professionals, it can be assumed that the high results obtained by the spirometric study in the participants from both groups are a prerequisite for improving both their personal safety when working in a marine environment and for the higher efficiency and success of rescue operations. The perspective is, after collecting a statistically significant volume of data and in combination with other functional studies, to create good practices to improve the safety systems of people in contact with the marine environment.

Introduction: Sensitive skin syndrome (SSS) is predominantly a self-defined condition without objective pathological findings. The syndrome presents with easily provoked and sudden flushes and unpleasant sensations like itching, numbness and even pain, caused by stimuli that usually do not lead to such sensations. Aim: The aim of the study was to establish some epidemiological aspects of SSS in females in the Varna region. Materials and Methods: In order to assess the epidemiological trends of SSS, data collected from the registers of Medical Center "Medea" Varna for the period April 2017 to April 2019 were analyzed. Questionnaires were given to 972 women at a mean age 43.17 ± 14.45 years (22-68 years) with different skin or aesthetic problems. The diagnosis of SSS was established in 304 cases (31.97%) with 174 (57.23%) of those seeking aesthetic correction and 130 (42.77%) with a health problem. The age, location, and frequency distribution according to skin phototype were established. Particular emphasis was placed on the trigger factor. Patients completed a survey of ten sensitive skin questions and an additional questionnaire on trigger factors. Results : Results showed that the overall frequency of SSS was 31.97%. A total of 174 (57.23%) of the diagnosed were aesthetic visitors and 130 (42.77%) were with some health problem. The distribution according to the underlining health problem was as follows: acne vulgaris - 28 (21.55%), seborrheic dermatitis – 26 (20%), atopic skin – 27 (20.76%), allergies – 33 (25.39%), others – 16 (12.30%). Prevalence of SSS in middle age 41-45 (19.09%) was established, and the most affected zones were face (54.9%) and more precisely – cheeks (61.7%) and eyelids (14.2%). The distribution according to the trigger factor showed a prevalence of cosmetic products – 56.90%, detergents - 21.05%, and cosmetic procedures - 40.88%. Conclusion : SSS is a serious health problem. The data from our study show that age factors have a significant impact on this syndrome. In addition, skin type and phototype also influence SSS, but the underlying changes in skin status have no significant role. The literature sources reveal that this is first epidemiological study of SSS in our country.

The aim of the present study is to do a comparative analysis of some aspects of theoretical and practical teaching of physiology to second year Bulgarian and foreign medical students from the Medical University-Varna. We conducted a survey among 206 Bulgarian and foreign students, enrolled in the Bulgarian and English language programs. The questionnaire included questions, which allowed us to draw conclusions about the attendance, respectively non-attendance, of physiology classes and the reasons for this; the student evaluation of both the physiology course and the importance of the knowledge gained in the study of physiology during the course of the medical education. The analysis of the results reveals similar trends in the assessment of Bulgarian and foreign students regarding their evaluation of the physiology teaching. The research is a first attempt to compare and analyze some aspects of teaching physiology to Bulgarian and foreign medical students from the second year of study. The data obtained provide information on some common problems in teaching physiology and could serve as a basis for a comparative study over a longer period.

The history of wine use as a medicine dates back to antiquity. However, it has been rediscovered and reliably confirmed by current medical research. It is believed that wine is among the first documented remedies known and used by humans dating back to a period before 5000 BC. Preserved to date evidence of the medical use of wine in ancient times is very limited and is related to the development of different cultures and ancient civilizations. The article chronicles the more important periods of the history of the use of wine for medical (healing and prophylactic) purposes. The first evidence dates back to the time of the Mesopotamian culture, when the world's oldest Sumerian Pharmacopoeia - clay tiles, some of which contain wine prescriptions for therapy, was created. The next important documentary evidence is found in the Sino-Tibetan Pharmacopoeia, the Egyptian Medical Papyri, the Bible, the Sacred Book of the Jews Talmud , and the ancient Indian medical texts of Ayurveda. In ancient Greece, the first evidence of the healing effects of wine is found in the two poems of Homer Iliad and Odyssey . With the development of medical knowledge at the time of Hippocrates, the therapeutic use of wine expanded. Hippocrates included wine in the diet of almost all diseases, especially during the recovery period. Afterwards, the principles of wine therapy continued to be topical, although they were the subject of a heated debate during the Greco-Roman period, Galen's era, and even the Byzantine era, when the influence of Arab medicine began to manifest itself more and more.

A total of 1985 women aged between 55 and 65 were distributed into two groups (145 left-handers and 1840 right-handers). They were asked to complete a questionnaire on the appearance of menopause, duration of menopausal transition and age of menopause. In left-handed women a significantly earlier appearance of premenopause was established together with a shorter menopause transition and an earlier occurrence of menopause. These results give grounds for a correlation between handedness, functional brain asymmetry, respectively and the genetically determined fading away of ovary steroidogenesis associated with the appearance and progression of the climacterium. In light of the available literature we assume that progressive reduction in ovarian function during climacterium is coupled with possible specific functioning of the hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal axis, dependent on the type of hemispheric asymmetry.

Geschwind and Galaburda (1985a, 1985b) suggested that the season of conception is a non-genetic random variable that may affect laterality and handedness, probably due to seasonal variations in the hormonal influences on the foetal brain. According to this suggestion it is logical to expect seasonal anisotropy in the incidence of birth of right- and non-right-handers. The present study analysed data obtained from a sample of 3182 young Bulgarians: 2825 right-handers and 357 non-right-handers. Significant difference in the seasonal distribution of births of right- and non-right-handers was found in males only. The incidence of non-right-handedness was highest among participants born in winter. In right-handers increased birth rate was observed in spring and summer. The results in males seem to support the Geschwind and Galaburda suggestion. One can speculate that the high levels of mother's androgens during spring and early summer play the role of a "left shift" factor for the male foetuses with genetic potential for non-right-handedness.

The study covered 25 left-handed and 27 right-handed clinically healthy females aged between 47 and 55 years during normal menopause. It was carried out in the third year from the beginning of amenorrhoea. The levels of the follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinising hormone, proclactin, estradiol, and progesterone were determined by means of enzyme-immunological methods with IMX (Abbott, USA) and Serozyme I (Biochem Immunosystem Diagnostica, USA) apparatuses. It was established that in left-handed women the serum concentrations both of the follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinising hormone were significantly higher (P

Functional brain asymmetry influences many functions of the organism; the neuroendocrine axis is one that has received insufficient attention. In this study we set us as the goal of studying the link between functional brain asymmetry and menarcheal age in females with left versus right manual dominance. The appearance of the first menarche was used as a natural model of functioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. 1695 females, aged between 16 and 25 years, were interviewed by questionnaire about manual dominance and menarcheal age. 182 women were selected and divided into 2 groups: all left-handers (n = 91), and a control group of 91 right-handers. We found a significantly lower average age of menarcheal appearance in the left-handers' age of 12.09 +/- 0.16 years compared to the right-handers' age of 13.32 +/- 0.12 years (p0.001). The earliest menarcheal age in left-handers was 8 years and the peak of appearance at age 13 (in 30.76% of the cases). In right-handers these values were 10 and 14 years (in 40.60% of the cases), respectively. The data allow us to accept the existence of a link between functional brain asymmetry and menarche, which causes earlier activation of the HPG axis in left-handed females.