Student Grading and European Credit Transfer System - Results and Conclusions

Basic didactic requirements to student knowledge assessment during the teaching process are considered. Advantages of a 100-grade scale are discussed in the context of the implementation of the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) in the near future. Results from the application of such a scale during the period 1998-2003 are presented. The assessment system is described and methods for transition to the ECTS and to the Bulgarian 6-grade scale are discussed. The results obtained with the system are presented, and its advantages are pointed out. The system is extremely simple and clear. It covers all aspects of students' work during the semester and their performance at the final exam. The application of the system increases students' motivation for systematic learning and satisfaction from the objective assessment of their work. The information and diagnostic value of this approach for teaching process management is demonstrated using a real-life example. Issues arising from the application of the system are discussed and possible ways of solving are proposed. The general conclusion is that the system has proved very useful for practical implementation and convenient for use with the ECTS

Temperature effects on simulated human internodal action potentials and their defining current kinetics

PURPOSE: Action potentials reflect membrane properties in body excitable structures. To expand our studies on these membrane properties, the effects of temperature on internodal (paranodal, mid-internodal) action potentials and their defining current kinetics are investigated.MATERIAL AND METHODS: The computations use our temperature dependent multi-layered model of human motor fibre and the temperature is increased in the range of 20-40ºC.RESULTS: For all temperature dependent cases: (i) nodal, paranodal and mid-internodal action potentials are similar, with a small drop to minimal amplitude in the centre of the internode; (ii) transaxonal and trans myelin currents rapidly diminish in amplitude as the distance from the node increases reaching equal minimal values in the intermodal centre; (iii) the current kinetics of the paranodal and mid-internodal action potentials is slightly changed in the physiological range of 32-37ºC, and (iv) internodal ionic currents beneath the myelin sheath (INa, IKf, IKs, IRI, and ILk) are not temperature-dependent.CONCLUSION: The effects of temperature on the paranodal and mid-internodal action potentials are the same as those on the nodal action potentials. However, the temperature effects on their current kinetics are quite different, because ion channels under the myelin are insensitive to the temperatures and short current impulses used in this study. The results obtained are important for the interpretation of temperature dependent nerve conduction measurements in health.Scripta Scientifica Medica 2013; 45(4): 36-40

Modified multi-layered model of temperature dependent motor nerve axons

PURPOSE: Extensive sets of simulations are realized in this paper to gain insight into the problems of impulse propagation in temperature dependent motor nerve axons. The effect of temperature on the impulse threshold currents and action potential parameters (velocity, amplitude) is shown in simulated mammalian (rabbit) and human motor nerve fibres.MATERIAL AND METHODS: Using our multi-layered model of human motor nerve fibre, temperature coefficients Q10's are involved for the conductivities of axoplasm, periaxonal space and for ionic currents (nodal and internodal). The standard temperature for our model is 37ºC. The temperature increases from 20º to 60ºC.RESULTS: The essential and very important result is that the simulated conduction block at 48º and 45ºC in the rabbit and human motor nerve axons, respectively, is extremely sensitive to the rate constants of nodal sodium (PNA), fast potassium (PKf) and slow (PKs) potassium maximum permeabilities. The temperature dependence of conduction velocity over a range of 20-42ºC and 20-40ºC for the rabbit and human motor nerve axons, respectively, is not linear or exponential. Due to this, a polynomial function of degree 2 (transfer standard parabola), which relates velocity to temperature, provides an accurate fit of the data.CONCLUSION: Our modified multi-layered model used in this study is first ever in which the simulated temperature dependent velocities and conduction block in the rabbit and human motor axons are in good agreement with the experimental values.Scripta Scientifica Medica 2013; 45(3): 36-41

A study of parents‘ awareness about nutritional and motor activity regimens in 7-12-year-old children

Въведение: Начинът на хранене, двигателната активност и наследствени генетични фактори определят здравословното състояние на подрастващото поколение в дългосрочен план. През последните години физическата активност сред децата и младите хора бива заменена от дейности, които в по-голяма степен са свързани със заседнал начин на живот. Здравословното хранене не е приоритет за голяма част от подрастващото поколение. Тези фактори са причина за затлъстяване, нарушен метаболизъм, ендокринни нарушения и др. Редовната физическа активност и балансираното хранене подпомагат правилното функциониране на човешкия организъм и предотвратяват възникването на редица заболявания. При възпитанието в здравословен начин на живот при децата основна роля имат родителите. Тяхната подкрепа и личен пример дават мотивация на децата за промяна в начина на живот. Поставихме си за цел да проучим мнението на родителите относно хранителните и двигателните навици на техните деца и да ги информираме за негативното влияние на заседналия начин на живот. Използвахме анкетен метод, проведен сред родители, чиито деца са между 7 и 12-годишна възраст, през периода 2016/2017 г. чрез пряка индивидуална анонимна анкета. Резултатите от проучването установиха, че повечето родители полагат усилия да възпитат децата си в здравословен начин на живот, но въпреки старанието им все по-малко деца успяват да изградят предпочитания към здравословната храна и богати на двигателна активност игри. От голямо значение е децата да бъдат мотивирани да са физически активни и насърчавани да се хранят здравословно. Родителите имат нагласа това да се промени, но не са достатъчно запознати с възможностите. Заключение: Действията, предприети от родителите за изграждане на здравословните навици на децата, са на първо място по важност. Дълготраен ефект за подобряване на здравословното състояние на подрастващите може да се постигне, ако от ранна детска възраст се изгради рационален режим на живот, включващ балансирана хранителна диета и дозирана двигателна активност, съобразена с възрастовите особености на децата.Diet, active motor activity and some hereditary factors determine the health of the growing generation in the long run. In recent years, physical activity among children and young people has been replaced by mostly sedentary activities. Healthy eating is not a priority for much of the growing generation. These factors are the cause of obesity, impaired metabolism, and so on. Regular physical activity and balanced nutrition support the proper functioning of the human body and prevent the occurrence of a number of diseases. The actions taken by parents to build up the healthy habits of their children are important. Children will be more motivated to be physically active and eat healthily if they receive more support from their parents. That is why we set ourselves the goal to study parents‘ views on the nutritional and motor habits of their children and inform and educate them about the negative impact of sedentary life. In order to get the desired information, we conducted an anonymous survey in 2016/2017 among parents whose children were between 7 and 12 years of age. The results of the study found that most parents are making an effort to educate their children about a healthy lifestyle, but despite their efforts, fewer children are able to build preferences for healthy food and activity-rich games. It is very important that children are motivated to be physically active and be encouraged to eat healthy. We have established that parents want to help change the bad habits of their children, but are not sufficiently aware of the possibilities. In conclusion, parents play a key role in educating their children about a healthy lifestyle. A more long-lasting positive effect on children‘s health can be achieved if a healthy lifestyle is established at an early age together with a balanced diet and physical activity while taking into account the age-specific requirements that they have

The role of physiotherapists in the treatment and prophylaxis of lower back pain

Болките в кръста са едни от най-честите оплаквания, които принуждават пациентите да потърсят медицинска помощ. Повечето хора имат поне един епизод на остри болки в лумбо-сакралната област през живота си. Засягат се всички възрастови групи. Цел: Да се анализират възможностите на физикалната и рехабилитационна медицина и да се уточни ролята на рехабилитатора в профилактиката и лечението на пациенти с болки в кръста. Материал и методи: Анализ на литературни източници. Резултати: Ако не се вземат своевременни мерки и не се проведе правилно лечение, както и ако не се провежда профилактика, болките в кръста хронифицират, a при част от пациентите могат да доведат до различна степен на инвалидизация. Заключение: Рехабилитаторът има водеща роля в правилното практическо изпълнение на назначената физикална терапия и кинезитерапевтична програма, както и в провеждането на профилактични мероприятия при болки в кръста.Introduction: Lower back pain is one of the most common reasons for patients to seek medical help. Most people have at least one episode of severe pain in the lumbosacral region throughout their lives. Every age group could be affected. Aim: The aim of this paper is to analyze the opportunities of physical therapy and rehabilitation medicine and to highlight the role of the rehabilitator in the prophylaxis and treatment of patients with lower back pain. Materials and Methods: We have conducted an analysis of medical literature. Results: If promptly measures are not taken and a proper treatment and prophylaxis are not conducted, lower back pain may become chronic and in some cases may lead to forms of disability. Conclusion: The physiotherapist has a key role in the proper conduct of the prescribed physical therapy and kinesitherapeutic program, as well as in the conduct of prophylaxis in cases of lower back pain

A TWO-DIMENSIONAL MATHEMATICAL MODEL OF THE HUMAN BLOOD GLUCOSE REGULATION MECHANISM

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Fluorescence and absorption spectroscopy - fast methods for determining the content of antioxidants and age of Bulgarian wines

This paper describes a study of usefulness of some optical methods to determine the grape variety and the age of Bulgarian wines from Southern Bulgaria. We have tested two optical methods measuring the opti­cal density and fluorescence spectra in the UV region. The data for color intensity, hue and color composi­tion have been obtained by using absorbance spectra. A correlation between fluorescence intensity and an­tioxidant activity of the wine can be found, which is very important for human health and hygiene of eat­ing. All of the obtained experimental results suggest that two optical methods could be useful for quality estimation of wine age and quality determination of some fluorescence components in wine with antioxi­dant properties