Vol 31, No 8 (2024)

BACKGROUND: Numerous studies suggest that exposure to natural environments reduces stress and enhances emotional well-being, often accompanied by decreased cortical activation. In contrast, urban environments produce the opposite effect. However, the specific electroencephalographic (EEG) rhythms and brain regions involved in relaxation mechanisms, as well as the factors contributing to individual differences in these responses, remain unclear.

AIM: To examine the relationship between biophilia, self-reported emotional state, and brain bioelectrical activity during the perception of natural and urban landscapes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study involved 83 university students (mean age 20.0±1.5 years) who assessed their biophilia and emotional response (valence, arousal, and amplitude) after watching custom-made films depicting either natural or urban landscapes. EEG recordings (19-channel) were obtained from 37 participants. Psychometric assessments of biophilia and emotional self-perception were analyzed in relation to EEG frequency-spatial activity across seven spectral bands.

RESULTS: A significant positive correlation was observed between biophilia scores and self-reported arousal in response to both natural and urban landscapes (0.41< Rs< 0.51, 0.01< p< 0.05, Spearman’s test). Natural landscapes elicited positive emotions, whereas urban environments induced negative emotional responses. A positive correlation of arousal levels during natural landscape perception was observed in low-frequency delta and theta EEG bands, both in the baseline state and during film viewing (0.40< Rs< 0.72, 0.005< p< 0.05). The perception of natural landscapes was associated with arousal/valence modulation in alpha and beta rhythms, primarily localized in the frontal and temporoparietal regions, with a left-hemisphere dominance. In contrast, urban landscapes exhibited greater right-hemisphere activation. The correlation with psychometric self-assessment of biophilia was observed in baseline EEG alpha and gamma frequencies.

CONCLUSION: Watching natural landscapes induces positive emotional states, whereas urban environments trigger negative emotional responses. Psychometric biophilia scores and emotional self-assessments are reflected in baseline brain activity patterns, with enhanced relaxation effects following exposure to natural landscapes and attenuated effects after urban stimulus exposure. EEG correlates of emotional self-assessment indicate predominant left-hemisphere engagement in natural landscape perception, whereas urban landscapes are associated with greater right-hemisphere activation.

BACKGROUND: The increasing prevalence of nutrition-related disorders among university students, driven by poor dietary habits and high academic workload, warrants special attention. This issue is particularly relevant for medical students, who experience significant psycho-emotional stress during their training. Assessing nutritional status during this period is a crucial aspect of preclinical preventive care, as detected deviations may contribute to chronic diseases, ultimately affecting quality of life and professional performance in future healthcare professionals.

AIM: To conduct a comprehensive assessment of the nutritional status of medical university students.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 935 students aged 18–25 years, including an assessment of dietary intake, bioimpedance analysis of body composition, and a questionnaire survey covering dietary habits, meal structure, physical activity, and eating behavior. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics 28, including descriptive statistics, normality testing, and significance testing.

RESULTS: Dietary imbalances and macronutrient deficiencies were identified among students. The average BMI was within the normal range in 49.05% of female and 43.52% of male students. Bioimpedance analysis revealed statistically significant differences between students from different academic years and between male and female participants. A significant positive correlation was found between body fat percentage and confectionery consumption frequency, BMI and physical activity levels, as well as BMI and eating behavior type.

CONCLUSION: The identified negative trends in the nutritional status of medical students, particularly in the context of increasing metabolic disorders and the global obesity epidemic, emphasize the need for implementing comprehensive preventive programs aimed at promoting a healthy lifestyle among students.

BACKGROUND: Damaged tissue repair in the body is a complex system of sequential changes. The healing rate depends on multiple factors, with the humoral immune response playing a critical role. The functional state of monocytic lineage cells significantly influences tissue regeneration. Therefore, investigating regulatory adaptations in response to tissue injury holds both scientific and clinical significance.

AIM: To examine reactive changes in the proliferation, differentiation, and recruitment of monocytic lineage cells in the bone marrow during the recovery period following parenchymal liver hemorrhage.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: This in vivo experimental study was conducted on outbred rats of both sexes, in which liver injury was modeled as parenchymal hemorrhage. In the experimental group, treatment included a xenogeneic biomaterial derived from reindeer skin collagen as a hemostatic agent. Bone marrow myelograms were analyzed, including monocytogram assessment. The following morphological cell types were differentiated: monoblasts, promonocytes, mature monocytes, and polymorphonuclear monocytes. Due to the non-normal data distribution, variables were described using the median (Me) and quartiles (Q25; Q75). Intergroup differences were assessed using the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test (Z), with statistical significance set at p< 0.05. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 13.0 for Windows.

RESULTS: On day 3 after modeling parenchymal liver hemorrhage, reactive changes in the monocytic lineage included an increase in promonocytes from 0.6% to 1.9% (p< 0.001) and monocytes from 1.5% to 4.6% (p=0.010), whereas monoblast levels remained unchanged at 0.8% (p=0.850). By day 7, promonocyte and monoblast counts declined to 0.8% (p=0.006) and 0.6% (p=0.850), respectively. By day 14, no statistically significant changes were observed. On day 21, a decrease in monocytes (4.6%; p=0.120), polymorphonuclear monocytes (0.2%; p=0.990), and promonocytes (0.8%; p=0.290) was recorded, whereas monoblast levels remained stable.

CONCLUSION: Reactive changes in the monocytic lineage of the bone marrow following parenchymal liver hemorrhage involve activation of proliferation and differentiation processes by day 3. By day 7, the intensity of monocytic recruitment from the bone marrow into peripheral circulation increases. By week 3, monoblast, promonocyte, and polymorphonuclear monocyte levels return to baseline, whereas monocyte levels remain elevated.