Biosafety of marine vessels: current trends and prospects.

BACKGROUND: The global aggravation of the political situation in the world against the background of catastrophic changes in the Earth's ecology is inexorably growing. Despite the fact that most ships are equipped with Waste Water Treatment Plants (WWTP), pollution of the World Ocean remains a serious problem. One of the main reasons contributing to the pollution of the sea by ships is the lack of the ship's environmental protection equipment necessary for the work. Thus, the adoption of measures to prevent the discharge of raw sewage from ships and improve the quality of their treatment is of paramount importance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The data of comprehensive surveys of ship WWTP operation in the ports of Ukraine for 2009-2010 are analysed - the most intensive period of navigation in the last 20 years. To assess the quality of wastewater treatment, samples were taken for laboratory studies in accordance with the requirements of the "State Sanitary Rules and Norms for Discharge of Waste, Oily, Ballast Water and Garbage from Ships into Water Bodies", No. 199, 09/07/1997. RESULTS: The results of laboratory studies of wastewater after treatment on shipboard WWTP, conducted in the Black Sea ports of Ukraine in 2009-2010, show the unsatisfactory quality of their treatment according to the main regulated national and international indicators. CONCLUSIONS: Taking into account the results of surveys of foreign ships conducted in 2009-2010, the studied literature, we consider our study worthy of serious reflection in order to understand the current situation on ships equipped with WWTP installations, determine priority areas for ensuring their efficient operation and preventing pollution of water bodies by untreated waste carrying the threat of contamination of residents of coastal areas with pathogens of dangerous infectious diseases transmitted by water, toxic substances that are detrimental to the flora and fauna of the oceans.

Natural Compounds Used for Treating Hair Loss.

Hair loss or alopecia is a common dermatological condition affecting up to 2% of the world population. It is often caused by hereditary factors, such as male or female pattern baldness, but it can also result from various environmental factors, an unbalanced diet, or chronic illness. While hair loss is not life-threatening, it can cause significant anxiety, depression, and other psychological problems, ultimately impacting an individual's quality of life. Various treatments for hair loss, including both synthetic drugs, such as minoxidil and finasteride, or medicinal herbs, have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Despite synthetic drugs' effectiveness, they may come with potential side effects. Natural remedies have been proposed as a viable option for treating hair loss because many chronic disorders can cause alopecia. As such, this review focuses on identifying alternative, efficient treatment agents with limited side effects. Specifically, it looks into medicinal plants as potential healing agents for treating hair loss. To gather relevant information for the study, multiple databases were searched, including Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar. A comprehensive search was conducted using a range of search terms, such as "hair loss", "alopecia", "natural remedies for hair loss", "herbal treatments for hair loss", and others to extract relevant scientific articles. Many medicinal plants and natural compounds have shown potential in reducing hair loss, thanks to their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and the ability to improve local metabolism when applied externally. According to existing literature, herbal extracts and formulations derived from plants, such as Urtica dioica, Humulus lupulus, Serenoa repens, Vitis vinifera, Pygeum africanum, Cucurbita pepo, etc., as well as certain individual herbal compounds, micronutrients, bee products, and keratin, may be effective in reducing hair loss directly or indirectly. Research suggests that medicinal plants and a variety of natural compounds hold promise in promoting hair growth and preventing alopecia.

Multi-purpose transport monitoring of passenger-cargo traffic in Ukraine.

BACKGROUND: The epidemiological and environmental security of states is the most important component for the functioning of the International Transport Corridors (ITC). The growing capacity of passenger and cargo flows increases the risk of the spread of dangerous infectious diseases in the territories of the countries on the route of the ITC. Preventing the introduction of dangerous infections by various vehicles and the activation of local natural foci are the priority in the anti-epidemic provision of the population of Ukraine. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study of the features of the functioning of border checkpoints (BCPs) for various types of transport in different regions of Ukraine made it possible to create their classification, taking into account the nature of the goods and the intensity of passenger traffic. RESULTS: The functioning of 204 checkpoints in 20 different localities, employing more than 29,000 specialists, was studied. When conducting a retrospective epidemiological analysis of documentation for maritime, aviation, road and rail transport for 2000-2013, non-compliance with sanitary-hygienic and anti-epidemic requirements to prevent the introduction and spread of dangerous infections and their carriers were revealed. The authors scientifically substantiated recommendations on sanitary-hygienic and anti-epidemic support of the BСP. Based on the results of a survey of 112 BCPs (54.9 ± 1.2%), taking into account the degree of epidemiological danger in the areas of their operation, indicators of the presence of rodents, blood-sucking insects and the nature of the goods transported, five epidemic zones were identified. CONCLUSIONS: Inadequate operation of the BCP was expressed in non-compliance with sanitary and anti- -epidemic requirements. Control of the personal property of passengers and luggage was less than 30%. The analysis of the functioning of the BCPs made it possible to unify their work and identify priority areas for improvement.

Natural Compounds and Products from an Anti-Aging Perspective.

Aging is a very complex process that is accompanied by a degenerative impairment in many of the major functions of the human body over time. This inevitable process is influenced by hereditary factors, lifestyle, and environmental influences such as xenobiotic pollution, infectious agents, UV radiation, diet-borne toxins, and so on. Many external and internal signs and symptoms are related with the aging process and senescence, including skin dryness and wrinkles, atherosclerosis, diabetes, neurodegenerative disorders, cancer, etc. Oxidative stress, a consequence of the imbalance between pro- and antioxidants, is one of the main provoking factors causing aging-related damages and concerns, due to the generation of highly reactive byproducts such as reactive oxygen and nitrogen species during the metabolism, which result in cellular damage and apoptosis. Antioxidants can prevent these processes and extend healthy longevity due to the ability to inhibit the formation of free radicals or interrupt their propagation, thereby lowering the level of oxidative stress. This review focuses on supporting the antioxidant system of the organism by balancing the diet through the consumption of the necessary amount of natural ingredients, including vitamins, minerals, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), essential amino acids, probiotics, plants' fibers, nutritional supplements, polyphenols, some phytoextracts, and drinking water.

The influence of «Saprogel¼ in the wound healing process on rats with a full-thickness wound model.

The article presents the study results of the effectiveness and the mechanism of the «Saprogel¼ action on the wound healing process and pro-/antioxidant equilibrium in serum of rats with a full-thickness wound model. The wound healing effect of tested gel samples was evaluated by the dynamics of area change (S) and the percentage reduction of the area (PRA) of wounds on the 3rd, 7th, and 14th days of the treatment. The content of lipid peroxide oxidation (LPO) products and the activity of antioxidant protection enzymes in the serum of rats were determined in the dynamics in different phases of the wound healing process in rats. «Saprogel¼ treatment of full-thickness wounds in rats reduced their healing time by 24.5% (p < 0.05), but there was no statistically significant difference between the effect of «Saprogel¼ and the comparator product on the duration of wound healing. The content of LPO products in the rat serum when using «Saprogel¼ was reduced and the enzymes activity of the antioxidant protection SOD and CAT was normalized, indicating that one of the mechanisms of wound healing action of «Saprogel¼ is its antioxidant properties.