Wine as a medicine in ancient times

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

What we know about sensitive skin syndrome - the epidemiological frame

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

First Results From The Study Of Some Anthropometric Data And Physiological Parameters Of The Respiratory System In Different Categories Of Persons Potentially Related To Work In A 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

Comparative analysis of certain aspects of teaching physiology to Bulgarian and foreign medical students

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 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

Imprinting: nature and manifestations in humans

Imprinting (filial and sexual) is a process of learning a key stimulus or complex stimuli during early critical periods of development, further determining the implementation of innate forms of behavior. The present literature review summarizes earlier and current data regarding the neurophysiology and neurochemistry of imprinting, and its potential benefits. Although, according to the classic views, imprinting is inherent in birds and some mammals, there are reasons to assume that imprinting or similar forms of learning also exist in humans. In the context of this assumption, the mechanisms of newborn-mother bonding and of assortative mate choice in humans are discussed