UDC 61:378:061.22-057.87

This study explores additional opportunities for the formation and improvement of hard skills and soft skills in medical students through their participation in student scientific societies. Given that the specifics of a doctor's work involve performing a range of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures while also requiring communication with patients and medical colleagues to make optimal decisions, the skill set used by physicians in their professional duties can be divided into hard skills—specialized (theoretical and practical) competencies—and soft skills, which include social and communicative abilities.
Today, higher medical educational institutions prioritize the development of strong professional knowledge and skills among their graduates but often do not place enough emphasis on the formation of flexible socio-communicative competencies. Therefore, extracurricular engagement in student scientific societies during university studiesserves as a universal opportunity for improving hard skills and developing soft skills such as communication, creativity,
teamwork, the ability to formulate hypotheses and draw conclusions, active listening, scientific discussion, quick decision-making, risk assessment, and prevention strategies.
The development of hard skills and soft skills is an essential component of the educational process in higher medical institutions. Exploring the opportunities and conditions for developing these skills among medical students, while integrating a broad range of methods into their training, will significantly enhance the competitiveness of future medical professionals and ensure their successful self-realization.

Research on the harmful effects of dental dust remains a relevant problem. The risk of bacterial and viral infections among dental personnel and patients has been a major research topic, especially during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. However, dental dust, as a common and potential health hazard, has not received sufficient attention.  For effective precipitation of dental dust particles, it is proposed to use aqueous solutions of
surfactants. The choice was made among 5 types of surfactants of natural origin: coco glucoside (CGl), decyl glucoside (DGl), Tween-80, cocamidopropyl betaine, rhamnolipid biocomplex (RBC).
The wetting properties of the solutions were characterized by surface tension and contact angle to the surface of the tooth and the filling composite material Latelux. A synergistic effect of nonionic surfactant compositions with RBC was established, which contributed to the acceleration of the sedimentation rate of model dental dust.
 Preparation of compositions based on physiological solution (0.9% NaCl) increased the effectiveness of the drug. According to the results of experiments, the formula of the preparation (g/l): CGl (0.25), DGl (0.25), RBC (0.2), NaCl (9.0) is optimal. The composition is characterized by efficiency and stability of action.

Мета дослідження: вивчення частоти та рівня дистресу, структури, клінічних проявів психоемоційних розладів та кризи ідентичності в жінок із доброякісними новоутвореннями та злоякісними
пухлинами жіночої репродуктивної системи після завершення хірургічного лікування в об’ємі щонайменше гістеректомії.
Матеріали та методи. Дослідження охоплювало 75 жінок віком від 38 до 70 років, яким було проведено гістеректомію, із них 53 особи – зі злоякісними пухлинами жіночої репродуктивної системи
(група 1) та 22 особи – з доброякісними пухлинами (група 2). Усім пацієнткам для визначення рівня дистресу та виявлення психоемоційних розладів до та після перенесеного хірургічного лікування було
проведено опитування з використанням NCCN-дистрес-термометра, української версії 2.2022.
Результати. Отримані в ході дослідження дані засвідчили, що хоча до хірургічного втручання не було статистично значущої різниці в рівні дистресу між групами жінок зі злоякісними та доброякісними
пухлинами, після гістеректомії в групі хворих зі злоякісними пухлинами відмічався вірогідно вищий рівень емоційних проблем (зокрема, за параметрами наявності смутку та депресії, втрати інтересу
або здатності отримувати задоволення, самотності та відчуття нікчемності), соціальних проблем (стосунки з дітьми, членами сім’ї, друзями або колегами, комунікація з медичними працівниками), а
також проблем практичного характеру. Водночас за показниками проблем фізичного характеру, а також низки проблем емоційного, соціального та практичного характеру пацієнтки з доброякісними
пухлинами продемонстрували такий же високий рівень дистресу, як і пацієнтки зі злоякісними пухлинами.
Висновки. Результати дослідження дають змогу зробити висновки про необхідність активного скринінгу для оцінки рівня дистресу. Психоемоційні розлади та кризи ідентичності після гістеректомій
були виявлені не тільки в групі пацієнток зі злоякісними пухлинами, але й у жінок із доброякісними новоутвореннями репродуктивної системи. Як інструмент такого скринінгу може бути використаний
опитувальник NCCN-дистрес-термометр.

Objective of the study: to evaluate the psychoemotional condition in patients with benign and malignant tumors of the reproductive system after hysterectomy and successfully completed treatment.
Materials and methods. The study included 75 women aged 38 to 70 years who had undergone hysterectomy, including 53 women with malignant tumors of the female reproductive system (group 1) and 22
women with benign tumors (group 2). All patients were surveyed using the NCCN Distress Thermometer (Ukrainian version 2.2022) to determine the level of distress and identify psychoemotional disorders before and
after surgical treatment.
Results. The data obtained during the study allowed to establish that although before the surgical intervention was no statistically significant difference in the level of distress between the groups of women with
malignant and benign tumors, after hysterectomy in the group of patients with malignant tumors was noted a significantly higher level of emotional problems (in particular, according to the parameters of the sadness
and depression, loss of interest or ability to get pleasure, loneliness and feelings of worthlessness), social problems (relationships with children, family members, friends or colleagues, communication with medical
professionals), as well as practical problems. At the same time, according to indicators of physical problems, as well as a number of emotional, social and practical problems, patients with benign tumors demonstrated
the same high level of distress as patients with malignant tumors.
Conclusions. The results of the study allow us to draw conclusions about the need for active screening to assess the level of distress. The presence of psychoemotional disorders and identity crises after hysterectomies
was evident not only in the group of patients with malignant tumors, but also in women with benign tumors of the reproductive system. NCCN Distress Thermometer can be used for the purpose of such screening

Abstract. Background. Obesity is one of the most acute health care problems. Numerous methods of combating excess body weight have been developed, but the existing strategies do not lead to permanent and proportional weight loss, some of them have a number of contraindications and side effects, so new methods of body weight correction are constantly being sought. A short-term low-carbohydrate and low-fat diet with additional use of amino acids is promising. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of a 21-day low-carbohydrate and low- fat diet with the additional use of an amino acid complex for weight loss.
Materials and methods. Thirty-seven women with a diagnosis of obesity were involved. They were randomly divided into two groups — experimental (19 women) and control (18 women), with the same age, body weight and results of bioimpedance analysis. The patients of the control group were put on a hypocaloric Mediterranean diet, and the patients of the experimental group — on a low-carbohydrate, low-fat diet with the additional use of an amino acid complex. Duration of observa- tion was 21 days. Before and after completion of observation, all patients underwent anthropometric measurements.
Results. After 21 days, the experimental group had a greater decrease in body weight compared to the control group (6.7 ± 0.4 % vs. 3.8 ± 0.7 %, p < 0.05), in body volumes (chest volume: 4.3 ± 0.4 % vs. 1.9 ± 0.4 %, waist volume: 5.2 ± 0.2 % vs. 2.2 ± 0.4 %, hip volume: 5.1 ± 0.3 % vs. 2.3 ± 0.5 %, all p < 0.05). In this group, there was also a greater decrease in adipose tissue (13.6 ± 0.8 % vs. 7.0 ± 2.0 %, p < 0.05), and in the degree of visceral obesity (2.0 ± 0.2 units vs. 0.9 ± 0.3 units, p < 0.05); the amount of muscle tissue, on the contrary, increased (–2.3 ± 0.6 % vs. 2.6 ± 0.7 %, p < 0.05).
Conclusions. There was a significantly greater decrease in body weight, in main body volumes, a greater reduction in adipose tissue and the degree of visceral obesity in patients who were on a low-carbohydrate and low-fat diet with additional use of amino acids compared to patients who ate according to the conventional method.
Keywords: obesity; normalization of body weight; ketogenic diet; bioimpedance analysis

УДК: 616.155.3-097.37-07:615.262.1.454.1]-092.9

 Various pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines play crucial roles in the development of acute inflammatory processes. Depending on their effect on inflammatory processes, interleukins are divided into pro-inflammatory (IL-6) and anti-inflammatory (IL-10). The aim of the study was to analyze the dynamics of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in the blood plasma of rats in an experiment using hydrogel dressings saturated with silver ions and an antioxidant drug for the local treatment of inflammatory processes. The experimental study was conducted on 80 sexually mature male rats. The healing of an experimental infected wound was studied using hydrogel dressings saturated with medicinal substances. The effectiveness of local therapy was assessed using biochemical methods. Analysis of the dynamics of the pro- and anti-inflammatory balance showed that the greatest manifestation of the inflammatory process and suppression of the body's compensatory reactions was observed on the third day. Indicative data on the relative ratio of the course of the inflammatory process were obtained on the seventh day. The highest result was in the control group – 2.719±0.55 IU, which clearly reflected the general tendency towards the equalization of pro- and anti-inflammatory reactions in the animals' bodies. However, in the third experimental group, it was even lower (1.094±0.23 IU) than the normal value, which indicates the predominance of anti-inflammatory reactions of the body to damage when using hydrogel dressings saturated with silver ions and an antioxidant preparation. On the 10th day, the body's anti-inflammatory defense mechanisms intensify, with parallel processes of inflammation subsiding. The results obtained on the 14th day of the experiment did not differ statistically significantly from the norm in all animal groups. The use of hydrogel dressings reduces the duration of treatment of the inflammatory process.