Introduction. Since its foundation in 1755, Moscow University has become a cultural, scientific and educational center, the social significance of which surpassed both educational and scientific. The University published a city newspaper, printed magazines, books and textbooks; its library, Museum of Natural History and Botanical Garden were open to the public, university holidays served to popularize science and education. The educational function has become traditional for the university.
Materials and methods. The sources of the work are the statutory documents of universities and secondary educational institutions, accounting documents of inspections, in the study of which historico-typological and historico-descriptive methods are used.
Results. The Charter of 1804 legislatively assigned the university the leadership of secondary and lower-level educational institutions in the Moscow Educational District, which included Moscow, Vladimir, Vologda, Kaluga, Kostroma, Ryazan, Smolensk, Tver, Tula and Yaroslavl provinces. University professors regularly surveyed educational institutions, studied their financial situation, the qualifications of teachers, the level of training of students, and gave recommendations on how to improve the work of educational institutions. The problems of local schools were discussed in the University's Academical Committee, and ways to open new educational institutions were discussed. The reports were forwarded to the Ministry of Public Education. Since 1835, the management of secondary and lower schools has been transferred from universities to the trustees of educational districts. Since 1835, the management of secondary and lower schools has been transferred from universities to the trustees of educational districts.
Conclusion. The work of the University in the first half of the 19th century on the management of schools at various levels of the Moscow Educational District played a crucial role in the formation of the national public education system.
Introduction.The article presents the results of a comprehensive study of a sample of students from the Republic of Korea studying in Moscow. In the context of intensive international student exchanges, the problems of young people’s adaptation to life and study in another country are becoming a relevant subject of scientific research, including modern biological anthropology.
Material and methods. We applied traditional anthropometric methods, as well as questionnaire and self-esteem scale by T. Dembo, S. Rubinstein. Data collection was carried out in compliance with the rules of bioethics and with further depersonalization of the collected materials. Statistical methods included descriptive statistics, correlation and factor analyses.
Results and discussion. Based on anthropometry data, body mass index was calculated and graphs of its distribution meet the criteria of normality. In males, the body mass index is mainly within the normal range, while in the female sample there is a noticeable percentage of participants with low body weight according to the standards of the World Health Organization.
In male sample, body mass index shows a negative relationship with satisfaction with nutrition, physical well-being and sports activities, which is consistent with the results of our study of Russian students. Body mass index in females shows a positive relationship with self-esteem. The results made it possible to evaluate the associations between physical and psychological characteristics and some social factors.
Conclusion. The results of the study indicate a significant influence of social factors, and above all, self-socialization, on the physical and psychological state of young people, which must be taken into account in interactions with international students.
Introduction. The article analyzes materials dated to the 16th–17th
centuries came from Smolensk. This period turned out to be one of the most complex and eventful in the history of the region, that's why every new detail is significant for the study. For a long time, Smolensk functioned as a boundary city and also as an important trade hub between the Muscovite Tsardom and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth; so, the composition of its population may reflect the influence of the western neighbors.
Materials and methods. There were examined the craniological materials discovered during the excavations at the Pyatnitsky district of the city in 2012. The necropolis dates back to the turn of the 16th–17th
centuries, it is located on the high bank of the Dnieper near the fortress wall of the Smolensk Kremlin. The materials include 17 male and 19 female skulls. Classical and multidimensional biometric methods were used as statistical approaches.
Results. The comparison beetween the studied sample and the other sample of the 12th century city population known from the literature has showed their high similarity, although the later sample tends to be slenderer. Statistically significant differences were recorded only for certain parameters of the skull.
The comparison with the aggregated sample of the rural Smolensk region population dated to the 18th–19th centuries also revealed a significant difference for the cranial length and height and some parameters of the facial skeleton. Discriminant analysis showed a quite unique status of the studied sample, which differs from both synchronous urban groups and later samples of the rural population of the central region. There are also no processes of macrosomization observed for it.
Conclusion. The absence of significant differences for most characteristics between the studied sample and the urban population of the 12th century can indicate the continuity of the morphological type of the Smolensk urban population. On the other hand, the intermediate position of the studied sample in relation to early and late comparative materials can indicate that the studied sample represents recent settlers from the rural area.
Introduction.Human body morphological structure is a convenient and informative describer of individual development and condition. The study analyzed the indicators of the body physique in reliance on the body mass index in male adolescents of Magadan Region.
Materials and Methods. Two hundred and eight male adolescents permanently residing in the territory of Magadan Region were examined. The sample made up three groups according to the body mass index: Group 1 was for adolescents with a body mass deficit; Group 2 was normal body mass subjects, and Group 3 was overweight examinees. By using common methods, we studied basic anthropometric indicators with further calculation of the body component composition and specific indices.
Results. Resulting from the research we could refer 23% of the examined adolescents in Magadan Region to those having body mass deficit, 63% of the sample were people with normal body mass, and 15% of the surveyed subjects were diagnosed with excess body mass. Interestingly, there is a growth of BMI among overweight adolescents occurs owing equally to fat, muscle, and bone components.
Conclusion. The conducted research has shown quite good physical condition experienced by adolescent examinees: the values of fat, muscle, and bone components could be referred as norms despite the observed overweight and a negative growth in the waist circumference index. The results contribute to the understanding of necessity of a wider range of physical characteristics for assessing excess body mass, including indicators of body component using the bioimpedance method with further calculation of fat, muscle, and bone indices.
Introduction.The purpose of the work is to determine of temporal variability of morphological characteristics of urban Abkhazian children and adolescents in the context of changing living conditions.
Materials and methods. For the first time, the parameters of some morphological signs of Abkhaz children and adolescents 10-17 years old from the city of Sukhum (Republic of Abkhazia) in 2012 were presented. Intergenerational analysis of somatic development indicators was carried out for boys and girls 10-17 years (the total number of examined was 1,651 people). Surveys 2005 and 2012 were conducted under a single protocol and included a set of measuring and descriptive features.
Results. During the considered time period for Abkhaz adolescents of 17 years, stability of longitudinal proportions of the skeleton is noted. For Abkhaz girls, a time trend has been established towards flattening the shape of the chest, and narrowing the shoulder diameter. Similar changes in transverse skeletal parameters in boys are trending.
The observed discrepancies in the parameters of signs for two samples of Abkhaz children are observed during ecosensitive growth periods. Stunts in growth and development caused by the effects of difficult living conditions in the early years in children of the 2005 examination are compensated by the end of the growth period. Two samples of Abkhaz children achieve similar definition parameters at different rates. The under development for younger children in the 2005 sample is offset by continued growth rates until the end of the growth period. Over the period of time considered, labile components of catfish have changed to a greater extent, determining the girth characteristics of the body. For Abkhaz children, a temporary trend towards an increase in abdominal fat deposition and a decrease in subcutaneous fat deposition on the limbs was determined.
Conclusion. The sex specificity of the time trend of different characteristic systems is observed. Changes in the transverse dimensions of the skeleton for girls were noted. For Abkhaz children, a time trend has been determined to change the topography of subcutaneous fat deposition according to the "truncal" type, which is probably the result of adaptation to new living conditions, changes in the traditional lifestyle of the population. Over the period of time under review, minor changes in the skeletal system were noted for Abkhaz adolescents. Significant changes affected the fatty component of the soma: there is a change in the topography of fat deposition towards the truncal type. For Abkhaz teenagers, the gender specificity of the secular dynamics of various systems of characteristics has been established. The study results demonstrate the important role of environmental factors on the morphological status of the genetically stable Abkhaz population.
Keywords:
anthropological variability; biological anthropology; secular trend; auxology; children and adolescents; growth and development; Abkhazian population; negative living conditions
Introduction. The goal of study is the estimation of «peak height velocity» (PHV) as the marker of secular trends in addition to secular dynamics of height (H).
Material and methods. The study embraces the block of samples of scholars (6/7–17 years) from Russia and former USSR, examined through the vast historical period from 1920th till nowadays, literary data and personal archives of the authors. The main attention is paid to three urban agglomerations – Moscow, Nizhniy Novgorod, Minsk. The following number of parameters is determined for each sample: the age of maximal velocity of growth dynamics of average levels of H during adolescence (APHV), determined according to the empirical patterns of annual changes of average H levels and consequent smoothing by least square method – differentially for boys and girls; and delta between parameters of boys and girls; maximal quantitative level of growth changes in cm (IPHV), different for boys and girls as well, and delta between the parameters.
Results. The difference of APHV between boys and girls for each population under study is about two years – boys have delayed PHV as compared to girls in any ecological niche. Secular dynamics of APHV has nonlinear character, doesn’t decrease progressively through the whole historical interval from 1920th to 2000th, despite of permanent increase of the level of anthropogenic stress in cities under analysis, the lowest APHV is fixed in 1980th. Correlations of APHV with absolute annual H values through the age interval 6/7–17 years is systematic and high enough for boys (correlation about 0,5, determination coefficient about 0,25) and accidental for girls, being revealed for only one annual age group among 12 analyzed. Correlations of IPHV with absolute values of H are maximal at 7 years and minimal at 17 years, the level of correlations is less for girls as compared to boys.
Conclusion. PHV really marks the secular somatic dynamics along with H itself as genetic marker. Correlation of APHV with absolute annual levels of H through the interval 6/7–17 years is systematic and significant for boys and accidental for girls, which witness to genetic determination of growth tempo of boys. Correlation of IPHV with absolute values of H, having highest levels at 7 years, points to the fact that height at 7 years is a real trigger of PHV parameters.
Keywords:
anthropological variability; chronological age at peak height velocity; intensity of peak height velocity; different sex strategies of growth velocities; different sex strategies of growth velocities; correlation of age and intensity of peak height velocity with height
Introduction. This study compared body mass index and arterial blood pressure indices in boys and girls born in Magadan fr om ages eleven to seventeen.
Material and methods. A total of 633 girls and 784 boys aged 11–17 were randomly sampled for the examination which was fulfilled in school physician’s offices and in the summer period of June-July, 2018–2019, in a children’s health camp. Body length (BL, cm) and body mass (BM, kg) were measured, and BMI was calculated for each student. A complex of hard & software unit for noninvasive study of central hemodynamics and the method of volumetric compression oscillometry were used to test subjective cardiohemodynamic performance at rest.
Results. At the age of 14–17, boys tended to be higher in systolic blood pressure (mmHg) and body mass (kg) than girls (p <0.01, p <0.01). Girls, compared with boys, demonstrated higher average variables of heart rate (p <0.05, p <0.01) and diastolic blood pressure (p <0.01, p <0.001) through all age groups. By analysis of individual values obtained for blood pressure and heart rate, 77.2–70.2% of boys and 80.2–75.1% of girls could be referred to those having normal indices. 11.3% of boys and 10.3% of girls exhibited blood pressure variables close to the upper lim it of the norm (high norm), and 11.5% and 9.5% of schoolchildren, respectively, were diagnosed with hypertension. Body weight deficiency or overweight were characteristic of 7.2% and 8.7% of girls, and 4.7% and 6.1% of boys, respectively (p <0.05). Quite similar percentage of children could be considered obese: 2.5% of boys and 2.7% of girls.
Conclusion. The most pronounced changes in children’s cardiohemodynamic performance develop in puberty: in girls from ages 11 to 13, in boys at ages 11–14 and 16–17. High incidence of arterial hypertension was observed in both boys and girls at 16–17. A positive correlation between body mass index and blood pressure level existed.
Introduction. Secular changes in the somatometric parameters of children and adolescents of both sexes are observed in most countries of the world. The data in the literary sources are contradictory and indicate two opposite directions of the processes of changes in time the parameters of physical development – acceleration and deceleration, which points out to the need for their constant monitoring.
Materials and methods. A comparative analysis of the main somatometric indicators of physical development (length and body weight) was carried out in children and adolescents of both sexes in the city of Gomel aged 8 to 16 years, obtained in 1925 (first group), 1973 (second group), 2010–2012 (third group), 2021–2022 (fourth group). These populations were homogeneous in place of residence, ethnicity, close in time of inspection and representative in number. The number of boys and girls in each age group was 100 or more people.
Results. It was found that children and adolescents of both sexes of the Republic of Belarus examined in 2010–2012 and 2021–2022 had higher values of somatometric indicators (body length and weight) compared to their peers examined in 1925 and 1973 (p<0,05–0,001). At the same time, there were practically no statistically significant differences between the anthropometric indicators of schoolchildren of two gender groups surveyed in 2010–2012 and in 2021–2022.
Conclusion. A comparative analysis of the anthropometric indicators of children and adolescents of both sexes aged 8–16 years from 1925 to 2022 indicates that the process of acceleration among urban schoolchildren in Belarus observed in the period from 1925 to 2012 stopped, which is indicated by the absence of statistically significant differences between the anthropometric indicators of schoolchildren surveyed in 2010–2012 and in 2021–2022.
Introduction. This work continues the series of articles devoted to the assessment of the main directions of auxology development in Russian anthropology. This part presents and describes the work of the staff of the Research Institute and Museum of Anthropology of Lomonosov Moscow State University, the Department of Anthropology of the Faculty of Biology of Lomonosov Moscow State University, as well as the Russian University Sport (SCOLIPE) and the Federal Science Center of Physical Culture and Sport (VNIIFK).
Materials and methods. In this part of the work, articles devoted to the comprehensive assessment of the research of physical development in the context of psychology, psychophysiology, genetics and sports anthropology, which were published in the «Lomonosov Journal of Anthropology (Moscow University Anthropology Bulletin)»from 2009 to 2022 were used as a source of information.
Results and discussion. The described works evaluate, firstly, the psychosomatic connections of self-esteem and soma parameters that determine it, as well as the specifics of the processes of growth and adaptation in biological and psychological aspects. Secondly, the intra-group variability of neurophysiological parameters (EEG parameters) and the analysis of their correlations with somatic indicators are considered. Thirdly, the contribution of genetic factors to the development of morphological trait systems, primarily associated with increased body weight and obesity, is evaluated. In addition, the results of studies devoted to the search for predictors of sports success and the analysis of the physical status of athletes of various specializations are presented.
Conclusion. The number of works similar to those described in this review is steadily growing every year, which suggests an increasing integrative nature of anthropological research.
Introduction. The significance of peak height velocity (PHV) in screening studies of children and adolescents as the biomarker of the chronobiological status of the population is in the focus of the study.
Material and methods. The analysis embraces a significant specter of samples (N=37, literary data), including different ethnoterritorial groups of Russia and former USSR, examined through the vast historical period of second half of XX century – beginning of the XXI century. The analysis of interpopulation variability of the parameter of peak height velocity of growth changes of the average level of height through the adolescence is under discussion – its absolute value (MPHV, cm) and chronological age (APHV, years); intragroup sexual differences of these characteristics are under consideration as well.
Results. Dynamic curves of height increase for urban samples from USSR territory, both native populations and Russian, have dome-shaped form, monotonous height increase/gain velocities up to the peak, slump further on. Traditional Mongolian groups and rural Abkhazian show the dynamic curve with descending wavy form. Histograms of intergroup distribution of the parameter APHV both for boys and girls differ from normal Gaussian distribution and gravitate towards double-peak form. Population values of APHV for boys are two and a half years later as compared to girls; MPHV is a more solid parameter, sex differences here are 0.41 cm with boys’ advantage. Factor analysis revealed definite autonomy of the process of pubertal spurt for male and female adolescents: the first factor describes growth activity of boys, the second — of girls (35% and 30% of the total variability of parameters correspondingly).
Conclusion. The results allowed to conclude, that the variability of the parameter points to the significant social/anthropogenic base of chronobiological status of the population and independent growth strategies of male and female sexes, which suggests to interpret PHV as the valid and perspective biomarker in population growth studies.
Keywords:
anthropological variability; environmental influences; growth activity peak; chronobiological status of the population; independent growth strategies of male and female sexes
Introduction. This publication is the second in a series of articles devoted to the description of the collection of photographs of representatives of the peoples of the Kuban region, and is devoted to the study of a part of the collection, including photographs of Karachays.
Materials and methods. The basis of the work was a collection of photographs collected by E.D. Felitsyn (1848-1903), presented by him at the Anthropological Exhibition of 1879 in Moscow and kept in the funds of Anuchin Scientific Research Institute and the Museum of Anthropology of Lomonosov Moscow State University.
Results and discussion. Photographs of the Karachays of the Batalpashinsky district (now the village of Batalpashinsky - the city of Cherkessk) are described and analyzed. Of these: two photographs of children (8 years old), four photographs of men (19, 37, 70 и 72 years old) and one photograph of a woman (57 years old). The authorship of the studied images has been established. All of them belong to the Russian photographer, the owner of one of the very first photo workshops in Tiflis, Vladimir Barkanov (1826-1892). A description is given of one of the famous dynasties of Karachay - the Krymshamkhalov princes, whose representative is depicted in the picture of the studied photo collection. A summary of literary anthropological information about the Karachavians of this period is presented.
Introduction. The article considers the processes of identity manifestation and construction of the Beja people on the Internet.
Materials and methods. The study was carried out as part of an interdisciplinary research of the history, anthropology, geology, and ethnography of the Atbay region in northeastern Sudan, initiated by Lomonosov Moscow State University. The authors emphasize the importance of the online space for the identity manifestation of stateless cultures. The analysis of online sources is preceded by a consideration of the historical conditions and special traits of Beja self-perception. Comments from YouTube video hosting users on videos dedicated to the history and culture of the Beja people are involved as sources for the study.
Results and discussion. As a result of their analysis, four main patterns of Beja identity are determined: supra-ethnic cooperation with the “Arab world”; the association of Beja with the "pancushitic" community; and "ethnic identity" limited by the boundaries of the Beja community itself. The authors conclude that the Beja identity on the Internet is constructed in two dimensions: "global" and "local". The "global" level is represented by mainly the African diaspora, the "local" one – by Internet resources that are used by residents of the East African region. The findings made in the online study are compared with the ethnographic materials collected by the authors in Atbay region among the Beja Bishariin, physical anthropology data and historical evidence. Some excerpts from an interview with Mr. Onur, who comes from the Beja Ertega tribe (acted as Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Republic of Sudan to the Russian Federation until 2022) are also included in analysis.
Introduction. The invasion of the Huns in Europe, which became the cause of the Great Migration of peoples, could not but leave a significant archaeological trace. However, only a small number of Hun burials are currently known, most of which were discovered accidentally in the middle of the 20th century, which makes each newly discovered burial unique, and their comprehensive study and publication of individual data is important for subsequent research.
Materials and methods. During the excavations in 2021–2022, two Hun burials were discovered in the Ust-Alma necropolis. One of them belonged to a young man, the second to an elderly woman. The good preservation of both skeletons, in particular their skulls, allowed for a complete craniological examination. In addition, a children's Hun skull from the Belyaus settlement was examined, which is in permanent storage at the D. N. Anuchin Research Institute and Museum of Anthropology.
Results. As a result of the work carried out, it was found that both individuals from Ust-Alma have the same type of skull deformation – high annular (according to the classification of E.V. Zhirov). However, the deformation methods were probably different. The deformation of the skull of a child from Belyaus is defined as occipital with right-sided asymmetry of the occiput. Craniophenetic data do not indicate the relationship of individuals buried in the Ust-Alminsky burial ground. Craniometric data indicate a mixed origin of the crimean Huns.
Introduction. The fine arts of archaic Greece and Etruria experienced a noticeable influence of the East. The transition from archaic to classical time influenced the forms of depicting the morphological features of a person in antique art. Comparative study of the anthropological features of the antique population of the Mediterranean on the greek painted pottery and etruscan murals of the archaic and classical times was the purpose of our study.
Materials and methods. The material was collected in the online-collections of ancient collections of museums. We used the method of a composite portrait in a digital version, the calculation of the frequency of features in our study. Studied features was – beard growth, hair color and nature of the hair.
Results and discussion.
On the etruscan murals of the archaic period, the frequency of depicting straight nature of the hair in women is the highest (7,7 %) in all samples; for different groups of painted pottery, it does not exceed 7 %. The degree of beard growth according to vase painting and etruscan murals is characterized by a strong and very strong growth. A greater manifestation of hair pigmentation polymorphism according to painted pottery is noted in the images of the classical period. Dark hair predominates in all groups, grey-haired was depicted only in male characters. Hair depigmentation on painted pottery is observed in images of the classical and late classical periods and did not exceed 6 % in the total sample. Pigmentation on etruscan murals indicates a lightening of the hair in the group towards reddish-red shades, depigmentation does not exceed 8%. Features of the depiction of pigmentation in to vase painting and murals, despite the different technique and coloring, reveal common tendencies of variability characteristic of the Mediterranean groups. Composite portraits based on painted pottery reflect the historical transformation of the anthropo-aesthetic ideas of the greeks through the fine arts of the archaic and classical times.
