ANXIOUSNESS AND QUALITY OF SLEEP IN CHILDREN WHO WERE IN QUARANTINE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. / TRYVOZhNIST' TA IaKIST' SNU U DITEI, IaKI PEREBUVALY NA KARANTYNI PID ChAS PANDEMIÏ COVID-19.

OBJECTIVE: to assess the level of anxiety and characterize the quality of sleep in children living in radioactively con-taminated areas in comparison with children who were not affected by the Chornobyl-affected contingents that werequarantined in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The indicators of the level of anxiety were studied using the scale of self-assessment of thelevel of anxiety Ch.D. Spielberger, sleep quality was assessed using a standardized questionnaire for self-completionof PSQI and 137Cs content was measured in children. The main group consisted of 96 children who were quarantineddue to the COVID-19 pandemic and permanently lived in radioactively contaminated areas of Zhytomyr and Rivneregions with a soil contamination density of 137Cs from 18 kBq/m2 to 235 kBq/m2. The age of children ranged from10 to 17 years. Among them were 33 boys and 63 girls. The comparison group consisted of 52 children of similar age,including 26 boys and 26 girls. These children lived permanently in Kyiv and were not victims of the Chornobyl dis-aster. RESULTS: It was found that children who were quarantined for COVID-19 (both residents of radioactively contami-nated areas and children who do not belong to the contingents affected by the Chornobyl disaster) had an increasedlevel of reactive (RA) and personal anxiety (PA). The comparative analysis showed that children of the same sex ofthe main group and the comparison group did not differ in terms of PA and RA. At the same time, studies have shownthat girls, both in the main group and in the comparison group, were characterized by higher levels of PA and RAthan boys. It was determined that poor sleep quality was common in both children living in radioactively contami-nated areas (42.71 %) and children in the comparison group (42.44 %). Among the sleep disorders in children ofboth observation groups, «day dysfunction¼ was most often detected. CONCLUSIONS: There was a direct correlation between the overall PSQI score and the level of reactive, personal anx-iety and the overall PSQI score. Using regression analysis, the presence of a linear association of the level of incorporated 137Cs (Bq) with the indicator of personal anxiety of children living in radioactively contaminated territory (b = -0.716, p < 0.001) was proved.

PSYCHOLOGICAL STATE AND TYPOLOGICAL PERSONALITY FEATURES OF CHILDREN RESIDENTS OF RADIOACTIVELY CONTAMINATED TERRITORIES IN THE REMOTE PERIOD OF CHORNOBYL СATASTROPHE. / PSYKhOLOGIChNYI STAN TA TYPOLOGIChNI RYSY OSOBYSTOSTI DITEI ­ MEShKANTsIV RADIOAKTYVNO ZABRUDNENYKh TERYTORII U VIDDALENYI PERIOD ChORNOBYL'S'KOÏ KATASTROFY.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the psycho-emotional state of children-residents of radioactively contaminated territoriesand to characterize the typological features of their personality in the remote period of the Chornobyl catastrophe. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Psycho-emotional status and typological personality traits were determined in 96 childrenaged 12 to 17 years, who resided in radioactively contaminated territories with a soil contamination density of 137Csabove 185 kBq/m-2, and were admitted for examination and treatment in the pediatric departments of the NRCRMclinic. Psycho-emotional state of children was determined using the test «non-existent animal¼, which was assessedin points on symptom complexes: anxiety, aggression and neuro-mental exhaustion. The questionnaire of A. Bassand A. Darkey was used to discriminate various aspects of the aggression symptom complex. In all children, the content of incorporated 137Cs was determined using a whole body counter. RESULTS: The results of the evaluation of the psycho-emotional state of children - residents of radioactively contaminated territories in the remote period of the Chornobyl catastrophe according to the test «non-existent animal¼showed, that the state of anxiety was registered in all 96 children (100 %); state of aggression - in 60 children(62.5 %); exhaustion - in 57 children (59.37 %). Depending on the prevalence of the one or another symptom complexes, or their combination, 5 groups of observations were formed and the personality traits of children characteristic for each group were determined. In the largest group I with the predominance of anxiety symptom complex(45,83 % of the total sample) were noted: stable tendency to perceive many life-threatening situations and environment, pessimistic assessment of one's own life perspective, constant high level of anxiety. Girls were in majorityin this group. For group II, which showed a combination of high rates of two symptom complexes - anxiety andaggression (18.75 % of the total sample), the characteristic personality traits were a constant high level of emotional tension, a tendency to perceive the environment with distrust and a sense of guilt that arouses. In group IIIof children (14.58 % of the total sample), the symptom complex of aggression with feelings of alienation, isolationand hostile attitude towards the environment prevailed. Group IV of children (16.67 % of the total sample), with thecombination of signs of exhaustion and anxiety, had poor ability to concentrate, memory and attention deficit disorders, decreased learning ability, constant fatigue and irritability, apathy, inactivity, and inertia. Group V (only 4.17 %of the total sample) was characterized by low (less than 2 points) indices of all three symptom complexes. Girls weremuch more prone to anxiety, boys were more aggressive, sometimes accompanied by anxiety. Symptom complex ofexhaustion was determined with the same frequency in both boys and girls. CONCLUSION: Assessment of psycho-emotional sphere of children - residents of radioactively contaminated territories in the remote period of the Chornobyl catastrophe according to the «non-existent animal¼ test revealed in of100 % of children the presence of anxiety signs, in the vast majority - the state of aggression and exhaustion. Therewere no probable associations between the content of incorporated 137Cs (in the range from 111 to 7024 Bq) and thepeculiarities of the psycho-emotional state of children.

APPLICATION OF ART THERAPY FOR CORRECTION OF PERSONAL DISORDERS OF PSYCHOEMOTIONAL STATE OF CHILDREN - INHABITANTS OF RADIATION POLLUTED TERRITORIES AND CHILDREN DISPLACED FROM THE ARMED CONFLICT ON THE SOUTHERN EAST OF UKRAINE. / ZASTOSUVANNIa ART-TERAPIÏ DLIa KOREKTsIÏ PORUShEN' PSYKhOEMOTsIY̆NOGO STANU DITEY̆-MEShKANTsIV RADIOAKTYVNO ZABRUDNENYKh TERYTORIY̆ TA DITEY̆, PEREMIShchENYKh IZ ZONY ZBROY̆NOGO KONFLIKTU NA PIVDENNOMU SKhODI UKRAÏNY.

OBJECTIVE: to identify the psycho-emotional state of children - residents of radioactively contaminated territories and children displaced from the zone of armed conflict in the south-east of Ukraine, and evaluate the effectiveness of art therapy application to correct its disturbances. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The psycho-emotional state was determined in 113 children, of which 57 children from radioactively contaminated territories with 137Cs content in the body from 269 Bq to 7024 Bq (group I) and 56 chil- dren displaced from the zone of military conflict in the Southeast of Ukraine (group II). The age of children ranged from 10 to 17 years. The children were hospitalized to the childrens' clinics of the NRCRM because of functional dis- orders and chronic somatic pathology. The psycho-emotional state of children was evaluated using the «non-exis- tent animal¼ test. It was analyzed for three symptoms - anxiety, aggressiveness and neuropsychiatric exhaustion and was evaluated by scoring points. Correction of the psychoemotional condition was carried out by the method of art therapy in the form of a serial drawing. Psychological testing was performed twice: at admission to the hospital and after the end of the art therapy. RESULTS: The results of the primary examination of the psycho-emotional state of children by the «non-existent ani- mal¼ test showed that in children - residents of radioactively contaminated territories the state of anxiety was reg- istered in all 57 children (100 %), the state of aggression - in 38 children (66.7%); exhaustion - in 37 children (64.9 %). In children who have been displaced from the zone of armed conflict in the south-east of Ukraine, the state of anxiety was also registered in all 56 children (100 %), the status of aggression was determined in 53 chil- dren (94.6 %), and the state of exhaustion - in 44 children (78.6 %). It was established that in children displaced from the combat zone in the Southeast of Ukraine, the quantitative indices of anxiety and aggression states were sig- nificantly higher than in children living in radioactively contaminated territories (p < 0.001), whereas nor by frequen- cy, nor by the degree of severity of exhaustion state they did not clearly differ (p > 0.05). Correlation analysis with the definition of Spearman's criterion did not reveal likely association between the content of 137Cs in the body of children - residents of radioactively contaminated territories and the peculiarities of their psycho-emotional state. CONCLUSIONS: The use of the art therapy method in the form of a serial drawing for children - residents of radioac- tively contaminated territories and children moved from the combat zone in the south-east of Ukraine, led to a sig- nificant positive effect, which was characterized by a decrease in the manifestations of symptoms of anxiety and aggressiveness. The state of exhaustion was less well corrected and its indices only had a tendency to improve. Thus, the method of art therapy in the form of a serial drawing is characterized by efficiency, simplicity of execution, low cost, it can be widely used in children's teams to correct disorders of the psycho-emotional state.

Gut microbiota among children living in areas contaminated by radiation and having the cardiac connective tissue dysplasia syndrome. / Mikrobiocenoz kyshechnyka u ditej-meshkanciv radioaktyvno zabrudnenyh terytorij iz syndromom dyplazii' spoluchnoi' tkanyny sercja.

Objective. The study examined the gut (colonic) microbiota in children being domiciled in contaminated zones and suffering the cardiac connective tissue dysplasia syndrome (CCTDS). Materials and methods. The study included 99 children living in contaminated zones. Study subjects were divided into subgroup IA (a comparison subgroup) of 44 children with no signs of CCTDS and subgroup IB of 55 children having the CCTDS. The control group included 24 children aged from 7 to 17 years old. Study groups were of the same gender and age. Results. In the absence of any specific complaints the abnormal gut microbiota was revealed in children living in contaminated areas with a high incidence of 96.36 % featuring both quantitative and qualitative abnormalities that can be considered a dysadaptation phenomenon of both digestive system and body as a whole. Under the concomitant CCTDS these disorders are more expressive, being characterized by a significant decrease in the number of obligate gut flora and failure of its protective capabilities. Incidence of dysbacteriosis grade III in children having the CCTDS is significantly higher vs. children of the control group and comparison subgroup. Under CCTDS the gut microbiota abnormalities were represented with a severe bowel contamination by E. coli with altered enzymatic properties, various types of opportunistic microorganisms, and a high identification incidence of genus Candida fungi at the background of a significant depression of normal colonic flora. Presence of 3-5-component associations of opportunistic pathogens in the colon was found with high incidence. Conclusion. According to received results the examination of intestinal bacterial flora is expedient in children living in areas contaminated by radiation. Application of health care arrangements aimed at normalization of gut microbiota is obligate.

Balance of autonomic nervous system in children having signs of endothelial dysfunction, that were born and are domiciled in contaminated territories. / Vegetatyvnyj gomeostaz u ditej z oznakamy endotelial''noi' dysfunkcii', jaki narodylysja ta postijno prozhyvajut'' na radioaktyvno zabrudnenyh terytorijah.

UNLABELLED: Objective. The study examined the features of functional state of the autonomic nervous system in children having endothelial dysfunction and permanently residing in contaminated areas. Materials and methods. Clinical and instrumental examination of 101 children aged 7-18 years that were born and are domiciled in contaminated territories, including 37 persons with signs of endothelial dysfunction (subgroup IA) and 64 ones with no signs of endothelial dysfunction (IB subgroup) was conducted. The control group being comparable to the subgroups IA and IB by age, gender and clinical examination results included 37 children neither been domiciled in contaminated areas nor were belonging to the contingent of Chornobyl accident survivors. There were 20 apparently healthy children also examined. Results. Due to peculiarities of physiological pathways providing adaptive responses the children having signs of endothelial dysfunction are characterized by a more pronounced dysregulation of autonomous nervous system both in a resting state and under a functional load simulation, and also by a high strain of adaptation pathways. The lack of autonomous support of cardiovascular system is caused by inadequate adaptive responses of both central regulatory bodies (hypothalamus, vasomotor center) and peripheral receptors. Mainly the failure of segmental autonomous (parasympathetic) structures was revealed. The mode of their response to stress in this case corresponds to that in healthy individuals but at a lower functional level. There is a reduced aerobic capacity of the organism by the Robinson index, contributing to low adaptive range to non-specific stress in children being domiciled on contaminated territories including children having the endothelial dysfunction. Conclusions. Endothelial dysfunction was associated with more pronounced manifestations of autonomic dysregulation and reduced aerobic capacity of the organism being the risk factors of development of a range of somatic diseases requiring the development of prevention measures in children permanently residing in contaminated areas. KEYWORDS: autonomous nervous system balance, endothelial dysfunction, children, Chornobyl accident.

[Role of polymorphism NO-synthase gene in the pathogenesis of multifactorial diseases].

The review of the literature about the results of the study of the role of 4a/b VNTR-polymorphism of eNOS in pathophysiology of various states of the body. It is shown that the data are ambiguous and sometimes contradictory. The study of the contribution of candidate genes to the implementation of multifactorial diseases can increase the accuracy of prediction of the set of risk factors, early diagnosis facilitate and sufficient therapy of multifactorial diseases.

[The ultrastructure of peripheral blood lymphocytes in children after long-time exposure to radioactive cesium].

The ultrastructure of peripheral blood lymphocytes of children which living in conditions of chronic intake of 137Cs through the food chain studied by method of transmission electron microscopy. The essential changes in the submicroscopic organization of intracellular organelles, especially mitochondria, in the basic group compared to control. The most pronounced changes were observed in the subgroup of children with the level of incorporated 137Cs exceeding 6845 Bq.

[Structure of red blood cell and peripheral blood lymphocytes membranes in children--residents of contaminated areas in the remote period of Chernobyl].

We applied scanning electron microscope to study of surface architectonics of erythrocytes and lymphocytes peripheral blood in children born after the Chernobyl accident and living in conditions of chronic incorporation 137Cs. We found significant changes in surface structure membranes of red blood cells and peripheral blood lymphocytes in the basic childrens group compared with control one. The most striking changes were in children with levels incorporated 137Cs from 6845 to 16522 Bq.

[Postnatal effects in children irradiated during the intra-uterine development, as a result of failure at the Chernobyl NPP].

Somatic and genetic effects at children who have undergone the influence of ionizing radiation during in utero development and at the subsequent stages ontogenesis are investigated, in view of dozes of the general irradiation and equivalent dozes of an irradiation of red bone brain. 1144 children were examined: 1st group consisted of children who have been born from women pregnant at the moment of failure, evacuated from Pripyat; 2nd group included children who have been born from women pregnant at the moment of failure, stayed to live in a zone of the strict radiation control; 3rd group was the control group--children who have been born in 1986, living in safe region of the Ukraine according to radiation conditions. The presence of direct correlation link between quantity of small anomalies of the development and the total radiation dose of the fetus (R = 0.61, p < 0.002) and inverse link with fetus age at the moment of radiation factor effect (R = -0.53, p < 0.003) has been established. Significant correlation links between the total radiation dose and the level of children health (R = 0.45, p < 0.03); the equivalent radiation dose of the red bone marrow and the frequency of damages in the chromosomal apparatus of the somatic cells (1st group--R = 0.51, p < 0.02; 2nd group--R = 0.62, p < 0.002) have been revealed.

[Health state and physical development of children prenatally exposed to radiation as a result of Chernobyl accident].

1144 children which had been exposed to radiation at the stage of their intrauterine life have been observed. Assessment of their health state and physical development has been carried out. Radiation doses load on thyroid gland of fetuses varied from 0.01 till 3.34 Gr, whole-body irradiation doses varied from 10.0 till 376.0 mZb. The level of health state of children exposed during their intrauterine life to radiation was lower at all stages of postnatal ontogenesis than that one of children of the control group. A presence of a definite correlation ratio between whole-body irradiation doses of fetuses and development of chronical somatic pathology in children was established during the study. It was noted that frequency of abnormalities of physical development and chronical somathic pathology increased after a thyroid gland of the fetuses had been exposed to radiation dosed from 0.36 to 0.75 Gr.

[Ultrastructure of blood cells in children exposed to radiation in utero and resided in radionuclide contaminated zones].

The electron-microscopic examinations of lymphocytes and neutrophiles in circulating blood of children irradiated during intrauterine development and on posterior stages of ontogenesis were performed in dynamics after accidental period. Some changes in lymphocyte ultrastructure were revealed; namely the increased undulation of nuclear contours with dilated perinuclear space and some reconstructions of their cellular organoids (the increased density of mitochondrial matrix, crist disorganization, dilation of clear space in cisterns of cytoplasmic net, disorders in the structure of electron-dense granules). The peculiarities of neutrophile ultrastructure that are characterized by centre dilated perinuclear space, decrease in glycosomes, disorders in granular structure, vacuole presence, degradation of cytoplasm and nuclear hypersegmentation were determined.

[Peculiarities of superficial architectonics of peripheral blood erythrocytes in children irradiated in utero and living in the radioactive-contaminated areas].

In the dynamics of the Chernobyl postaccidental period the electron microscopy examinations of the superficial architectonics of peripheral blood erythrocytes have been performed in the children irradiated during the uterine development and at the following stages of the ontogenesis. The expressed morphological reorganization of the erythrocyte populations was revealed in the children irradiated in utero at all the stages of investigation: the number of diskocytes decreased and the number of transitory, predhemolytic and degenerative forms increased in comparison with the control. The disorders in the superficial relief and in the form of blood erythrocytes indicative of the disorganization and transformation of erythrocytes in the children irradiated in utero stipulate their functional inferiority.

[Cytogenetic effects in children exposed to low doses of ionizing radiation]. / Tsitogeneticheskie éffekty u detei pri raznykh usloviiakh vozdeistviia malykh doz ioniziruiushchei radiatsii.

The obtained data indicate that frequencies of different types of cytogenetic anomalies in investigated children groups living in radionuclide contaminated territories and children irradiated in utero have complicated patterns. The frequency of chromosomal anomalies in the investigated groups of children exceeds the average population level. At the same time, no statistically significant differences in frequencies of various types aberrations between groups of children were revealed.

[Long-term cytogenetic effects in children prenatally-exposed to radiation as a result of the accident at the Chernobyl Atomic Energy Station]. / Otdalennye tsitogeneticheskie éffekty u detei, obluchennykh vnutriutrobno v rezul'tate avarii na Chernobyl'skoi AES.

Forty-two children exposed to ionizing radiation in prenatal period and 15 children of control group were examined in the remote terms after the accident using the method of differential G-staining of chromosomes in lymphocytes of peripheral blood. It was found that the average group rate of aberrant cells and chromosome aberrations was reliably higher in the children exposed in utero compared to control. Long-term cytogenetic consequences of the pre-natal exposure were characterized by prevalence of aberrations of a chromosome type, mainly stable chromosome lesions. At chronic exposure to low doses of ionizing radiation the increase in the rate both stable and unstable chromosome aberrations.

[Genetic consequences of ionizing radiation of parents on their offspring (review of the literature)]. / Geneticheskie posledstviia oblucheniia roditelei dlia ikh potomstva (obzor literatury).

The article is a review of the current published literature concerning possible genetic sequelae of exposure of human beings to ionizing irradiation. Data are submitted obtained from studies by leading specialists in radiation medicine and radiation biology.

Very high mutation rate in offspring of Chernobyl accident liquidators.

Exposure to ionizing radiation has long been suspected to increase mutation load in humans. Nevertheless, such events as atomic bombing seem not to have yielded significant genetic defects. The Chernobyl accident created a different, long-term exposure to radiation. Clean-up teams (or 'liquidators') of the Chernobyl reactor are among those who received the highest doses, presumably in some combination of acute and chronic forms. In this study, children born to liquidator families (currently either in the Ukraine or Israel) conceived after (CA) parental exposure to radiation were screened for the appearance of new fragments using multi-site DNA fingerprinting. Their sibs conceived before (CB) exposure served as critical internal controls, in addition to external controls (non-exposed families). An unexpectedly high (sevenfold) increase in the number of new bands in CA individuals compared with the level seen in controls was recorded. A strong tendency for the number of new bands to decrease with elapsed time between exposure and offspring conception was established for the Ukrainian families. These results indicate that low doses of radiation can induce multiple changes in human germline DNA.

[The clinical and cytogenetic characteristics of the children born to persons with a history of 1st- and 2d-degree acute radiation sickness as a result of the accident at the Chernobyl Atomic Electric Power Station]. / Klinicheskaia i tsitogeneticheskaia kharakteristika detei, rozhdennykh ot lits, perenesshikh ostruiu luchevuiu bolezn' I i II stepeni v rezul'tate avarii na Chernobyl'skoi AES.

We have examined 15 children (born in 1987-1988), whose fathers liquidated the aftereffects of the accident at Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant and suffered from acute radiation sickness of the 1st and 2nd stages and 50 children of the control group. The obtained data showed that the number of small developmental abnormalities (stigmas of dysembryogenesis) increased as well as the chromatid aberration frequency as compared with the control group.

[The hematological effects of the Chernobyl accident in children]. / Gematologicheskie éffekty Chernobyl'skoi avarii u detei.

A total of 878 children from the regions with unfavourable radiation situation were investigated in varying periods after the catastrophe. The data obtained were compared with the results of the study of 317 children from "pure" regions. Morphological, metabolic and ultrastructural changes were detected in blood cells of the children from radioactively contaminated regions after the Chernobyl catastrophe. A tendency to normalization of these parameters was noted in the time course of the post-catastrophe period. No clear relationship was established between the dose and effect. However, significant correlations between the severity of disorders in blood cells and the intensity of free-radical processes in the body were recorded.

[Use of some biochemical and physico-chemical indices for the evaluation of lung function in healthy school-age children]. / Ispol'zovanie nekotorykh biokhimicheskikh i fiziko-khimicheskikh pokazatelei dlia otsenki funktsii legkikh u zdorovykh detei shkol'nogo vozrasta.

The biochemical and physicochemical characteristics of nonrespiratory pulmonary functions were determined in 255 children of school age according to the condensate of exhaled air. As compared to the younger children, those belonging to the senior age groups manifested an increase of specific respiratory moisture loss. As compared to winter, specific respiratory moisture loss in summer was found to be decreased; the condensate of exhaled air was discovered to have a higher content of total protein, elevated concentration of surface active substances in the lung surfactant, and to show a certain tendency towards reduction of the intensity of the processes of free radical oxidation. No sex-associated differences were established between the characteristics under study.