Introduction: Malignant neoplasms pose a serious challenge due to significant economic costs, both direct (diagnosis and treatment) and indirect (sickness absence, disability, years of life lost, etc.). The studies addressing financial aspects of cancer care are aimed at examining already existing approaches to funding, identifying new trends, and forecasting future directions.
Objective: To formulate directions for optimizing cancer care costs based on the analysis of international studies published between 2014 and 2024.
Materials and methods: Publications were selected from the Web of Science international database using the following search queries: “oncology”, “cancer”, “healthcare”, “medical care”, “health care”, and “health system”. Metadata from 173 selected papers were then analyzed using the Bibliometrix 3.0 software. The systematic review included materials of 39 most relevant publications containing information about cancer care costs and ways of their optimization.
Results: In most countries, costs of cancer treatment constitute a significant proportion of the total funds allocated for healthcare. Researchers propose various approaches to reducing these expenses. We identified three key directions of international publications examining ways to use cancer care resources effectively: assessment of cancer treatment costs, investigation of factors influencing them, and evaluation of cancer care cost reduction opportunities.
Conclusions: We defined the main strategies and methods for rational use of financial resources in oncology. These approaches can be adapted to specific conditions and needs of various health facilities providing cancer care. Their implementation requires joint efforts by the government, medical institutions, professional associations, and the society as a whole.

Introduction: Adult body height is influenced by various environmental factors throughout the entire period of growth, which makes it a sensitive biomarker of living standards and health at individual and population levels. In the context establishing the spatiotemporal variation of body height, the studies of exogenous determinants exerting the greatest impact on the somatic status and general health of the population gain special importance.
Objective: To develop a mathematical model of the secular dynamics in adult body height of Russian males and females born in 1967–2000.
Materials and methods: We used a set of anthropometric, socioeconomic, and demographic data from open sources. To analyze secular changes, we compared mean values of adult height between the neighboring birth cohorts. To determine the differential influence of exogenous factors on secular changes in body height, we assessed associations between groups with ascending or descending temporal dynamics of this measurement and the means of proxy variables for exogenous factors.
Results: We found that differences in body height between birth cohorts were associated with changes in the coefficient of economic inequality (Gini coefficient), the level of animal protein consumption, and life expectancy at birth.         If daily per capita intake of animal protein by representatives of a certain birth cohort was on average more than 50.8 g for males and 49.7 g for females during the whole growth period, then they would be higher than their peers born in the previous year.
Conclusions: We propose an original probabilistic model of the relationships between fluctuations in socioeconomic indicators and diachronic changes in adult body height in Russia at the turn of the 21^st century that reflects the greatest impact of economic inequality, nutrition and population health status on secular trend.

Introduction: Morphofunctional status is one of the main indicators of population health and the ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions under the influence of various environmental and socioeconomic factors.
Objective: To identify regional features of the morphofunctional status of modern youth in different Russian cities.
Materials and methods: In 2016–2024, we examined 1,466 young men and women aged 17 to 23 years living in four Russian cities of Barnaul, Petrozavodsk, Moscow, and Samara to collect data on body type indicators (skeletal mass index, chest breadth, narrow/wide build; body mass index, mean skinfold), component body composition (skeletal muscle mass, fat mass, active-cell mass, basal metabolic rate), functional characteristics of the cardiovascular system (Robinson index), respiratory system (forced expiratory volume in 1 second), as well as overall strength (the ratio of right hand grip strength to body weight). Statistical analysis and data visualization were performed in different R programming language packages.
Results: Among the examined male groups, the largest build with a tendency to greater obesity and increased fat deposition was observed in the young men from Barnaul. In Moscow, young men were found to be the most narrowly built with relatively lower development of the fat component of the physique. Young men from Samara occupied an intermediate position. Petrozavodsk young men had a relatively high average shoulder width, which, combined with the reduced fat deposition, indicate a tendency toward andromorphic (masculine) proportions. The comparison of functional characteristics between different regional groups showed good physical development and a high metabolic rate in young men living in Moscow, Samara, and Petrozavodsk. The minimum values of these characteristics were observed in young men from Barnaul. Similar regional features of variability of morphofunctional traits were traced in girls.
Conclusion: We developed regional morphofunctional profiles of young people living in different Russian cities, the structure of which is based on the most informative features that determine somatic status and functional adaptive capacity to different climatic, geographical, and socioeconomic living conditions. Our findings can be used to assess and monitor the morphofunctional status of young men and women in order to improve physical conditions, adaptive capacity, and physical health of modern youth.

Introduction: A well-organized process of sports selection in swimming minimizes the cost of adaptation to loads in young athletes and allows them to achieve great results while maintaining physical and mental health.
Objective: To present literary data on the morphological and functional characteristics of swimmers depending on their sports specialization.
Materials and methods: We reviewed articles indexed in RSCI and PubMed databases and containing information about morphofunctional features of swimmers by their sports specialization. The search depth amounted to 60 years. As a result, more than 110 articles were analyzed and 36 full-text publications were selected, including 8 articles published over the past five years.
Results: Crawl sprinters and backstroke swimmers have the largest linear dimensions of the body. We established that the longer the competitive distance, the smaller the segmental lengths. Circumference values are unrelated to the length of the distance but are determined by biomechanical characteristics of the rowing, pushing, and striking movements. Functional indicators have an ontogenetic dependence: the older the swimmer, the longer his training experience and the higher his qualifications, the more effective his blood circulation, the stronger his inspiratory muscles and the larger his respiratory capacity. Swimmers with different specializations have different background values of hemodynamic parameters. Functional activity is associated with the period of training. Load testing shows that functional test results are closely related to swimmers’ specialization and the focus of their training process.
Conclusion: Published data provide insight into specific characteristics of swimmers having different sports specialization: morphological and physiological parameters of these athletes depend on the distance and the biomechanical nature of locomotion. Our findings can be used to improve sports selection and increase the effectiveness of health preserving measures in young athletes

Introduction: The effectiveness of monitoring formaldehyde levels in the body depends on the correct choice of the biological substrate tested.
Objective: A comparative analysis of the representativeness of biological fluids – plasma, serum and whole blood – for biomonitoring formaldehyde in the human body.
Materials and methods: The study was conducted on a group of metallurgical workers aged 26 to 58 years (41.0 ± 3.4 years; n = 20) with professional experience ranging from 4 to 30 years (19.3 ± 4.0 years). The formaldehyde content in biological fluids was measured by high-performance liquid chromatography with UV detection after a preliminary derivatization process with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine. Also, as part of a periodic medical examination, clinical blood parameters were tested in all employees in accordance with the Order of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation No. 29n dated January 28, 2021.
Results: We found that formaldehyde concentrations in plasma and serum were not significantly different (p = 0.9405) and amounted to 0.020 [Q₁ = 0.006; Q₃ = 0.063] µg/mL and 0.022 [Q₁ = 0.016; Q₃ = 0.069] µg/mL, respectively. The whole blood level of the toxicant was 1.4–172.9 times higher (4.5 [Q₁ = 2.6; Q₃ = 16.2]) than in plasma and 1.6–120.7 times higher (4.4 [Q₁ = 3.0; Q₃ = 8.5]) than in serum and it increased significantly compared to plasma and serum (p = 0.0025; p = 0.0006) with an increase in the platelet count. This might be related to structural features of thrombocyte membranes pierced by holes in the open tubular system and lined from the inside with tubulin, the molecular weight of which is unable to prevent penetration of the toxicant into the cell. As a result, formaldehyde “concentrates” in platelets and determines their count-dependent blood distribution of formaldehyde.
Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate that whole blood is a more representative body fluid in terms of formaldehyde biomonitoring compared with blood serum and plasma as it provides more accurate complete indicators of its content in the body.

Introduction: Regular intake of vitamin and mineral supplements makes the diet of a contemporary man more compliant with physiological needs of his body. Available data on their use by various population groups in the Omsk Region was insufficient for a hygienic assessment of the situation, which determined the relevance of this study. 
Objective: To assess the prevalence and patterns of taking dietary supplements in the adult population of the Omsk Region.
Materials and methods: The data were collected during the nutrition and health survey of the adult population of the Omsk Region conducted in the years 2006, 2013, 2018, and 2023 involving representative and comparable samples of 1,208 respondents aged 18 to 85 years. The questionnaires used included, inter alia, questions about taking vitamin and mineral supplements.
Results: From 2006 to 2023, the frequency of food supplement intake in the adult population of the Omsk Region increased significantly from 6.3 ± 1.4 % to 17.8 ± 1.6 % (p < 0.001). Women took vitamin and mineral supplements more often than men did (p = 0.047). The proportions of urban and rural residents of the region who took supplements did not differ (p = 0.156), but the townspeople more often used them on a regular basis. In 2023, the most commonly used supplements were vitamin D (10.3 ± 1.3 %), B6 (9.3 ± 1.3 %), magnesium (8.5 ± 1.2 %), vitamins B1 (8.2 ± 1.2 %) and B12 (8.2 ± 1.2 %), and folates (8.0 ± 1.2 %). Supplement users were more likely to be younger (p = 0.006) and have a higher level of education (p < 0.001) compared to non-users, while their income was not significantly different (p = 0.634).
Conclusions: Over the 17-year period (2006–2023), the proportion of the regional adult population taking dietary supplements on a regular basis increased significantly but remained lower than in some foreign countries. Our findings can help improve the implementation of measures promoting healthy eating in the region.

Introduction: The relevance of the problem discussed in this article is determined by the demand for effective ITassisted surveillance of the causative agent of West Nile fever at the national level.
Objective: To summarize the experience in integrating information technology into practical monitoring of the West Nile virus in the Russian Federation and to outline opportunities for improvement.
Materials and methods: We reviewed publications issued in 1999–2024 and indexed in international and domestic scientific bibliographic databases (PubMed, Scopus, and Russian Science Citation Index), reference epidemiologic editions, and electronic information resources. The search was conducted using the following keywords: West Nile fever, information technology, epidemiological surveillance, and pathogen monitoring. Of 6,799 search results, we selected 20 full-text publications corresponding to the purpose of the study and describing integration of various IT aspects in West Nile virus monitoring in the Russian Federation.
Results: The developed solutions are widely implemented in epidemiological surveillance subsystems at all organizational levels. They enable case identification, record-keeping of circulating virus genotypes, monitoring organization, and adjustment of sanitary and anti-epidemic (preventive) measures. Their prospects include establishing opportunities and regulatory frameworks, development of a unified platform for data accumulation and inventory of the natural foci of infection, and improving research into epidemiological situation forecasting.
Conclusions: The efficiency of West Nile virus surveillance has been significantly improved through created electronic databases, systems of information analysis, and GIS-based developments. However, the task of forecasting the epidemiological situation using predictive analytics models remains unresolved.

Introduction: Studies of free-living protozoa cover a wide range of topics owing to their simplicity and variety of forms and functions in maintaining ecosystem balance in the microbiomes of reservoirs, soils, and human microbiota.
Objective: To provide a scientific rationale for monitoring the circulation of free-living unicellular organisms of natural biocenoses in order to update and improve the Russian scientific and methodological research basis.
Materials and methods: We conducted sanitary and hygienic, biological and parasitological studies of environmental samples, including 126 samples of wastewater and 360 samples of surface water, 30 samples of tap water, 210 samples of bottom sediments, 189 soil samples, and 300 samples of human feces taken in the Moscow Region in 2021–2023.
Results: The protozoan index along the Moscow River ranged from null to 4.8 units/mL3  against the excessive total chloride level (Cl-); nucleic acids of viruses were determined in 11 types of ciliates; the contents of Cryptosporidium spp.    and Lamblia spp. reached 4 lg and those of Blastocystis spp. and Entamoeba spp. were up to 6 lg. Contamination of tap water with cysts of Lamblia spp. was 3.2 %. The soil content of free-living protozoa in industrial areas was 2.1 times higher than in parks and 3.2 times higher than in residential areas (p = 0.0372). New data have been obtained on the effect of commensal amoebae Entamoeba spp. on changes in intestinal microbiota by the type of growth activation of five species of opportunistic bacteria.
Conclusion: The paper outlines promising areas of sanitary (environmental) protistology within improvement of the scientific and methodological basis for the fundamental research into patterns of symbiotic relationships of free-living protozoa in the natural environment and in connection with medical aspects of applied research.