Effects of Anti-Orthostatic Hypokinesia on the Parameters of Vertical Posture: Orthostatic and Stabilometric Study.

The effects of anti-orthostatic hypokinesia on the parameters of vertical posture (orthostatic and postural stability) were studied. Anti-orthostatic hypokinesia was followed by orthostatic instability manifested in a decrease in the tolerance time in the orthostatic test, a significant increase in HR and systolic BP starting from the 11th minute of the test. Significant changes in the parameters reflecting postural stability were observed starting from minutes 10-11 of the stabilometric test. Anti-orthostatic hypokinesia was shown to affect all parameters of postural stability; symmetry in paired stabilometric tests was impairmed.

[Obesity and penile morphology: is there a relationship? (Experimental study)].

INTRODUCTION: Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a condition characterized by the inability to achieve or maintain an erection sufficient for sexual intercourse. The prevalence of ED ranges from 6% to 64% depending on age. Obesity is one of the factors leading to ED, which is widespread in the world. Men with obesity are 30% more likely to develop ED compared with men with normal body weight. AIM: The aim was to identify morphological changes in the cavernous tissue of the penis of patients with obesity using the biological model of laboratory rats as an example. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In vivo modeling of diet-induced obesity was performed. A total of 22 laboratory sexually mature white rats weighing 140-160 g were included in the study. The animals were divided into two groups, the control group (n=10) and experimental group, which included rats with diet-induced obesity (n=12). After 12 weeks, the experiment was completed. All rats underwent: 1) calculation of the Lee index (body mass index in rats); 2) determination of blood glucose level; 3) determination of the level of total cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood; 4) sampling of the penis with fixation in 10% formalin; histological sections 6-8 m thick were stained with hematoxylin and eosin, and frozen sections were prepared with subsequent staining with Sudan 3 to identify adipose cells. RESULTS: In the experimental group, alimentary obesity developed. There were no differences in glucose and total cholesterol levels between two groups. However, a significant difference was found in the serum triglycerides level (1.24+/-0.05 mmol/L in the control group vs. 1.6+/-0.1 mmol/L in the experimental group). In the control group, the average number of adipocytes was 10+/-5 per sample; in the experimental group, their number increased by 3 times (p<0.01). In obese rats, there was an increase not only in the number of adipose cells, but also in their area compared with the control group (17.7+/-7.5 m and 12.9+/-5.3 m, respectively, p<0.01). CONCLUSION: In rats with alimentary obesity, deposition of adipose tissue is observed not only in the visceral and paratesticular regions, but also in the cavernous tissue of the penis, which can negatively affect erectile function.

Radiation environment in high-altitude Antarctic plateau: Recent measurements and model studies.

Polar regions are the most exposed to secondary particles and radiation produced by primary cosmic rays in the atmosphere, because naturally they are with marginal geomagnetic shielding. In addition, the secondary particle flux contributing to the complex radiation field is enhanced at high-mountain altitudes compared to sea level because of the reduced atmospheric attenuation. At present, there are very few systematic experimental measurements of environmental dose at high southern latitudes, specifically at high-altitude region. Here, we report a campaign of measurements with different devices, that is passive and Liulin-type dosimeters, of the radiation background at high-mountain Antarctic station Vostok (3488 m above sea level, 78° 27' S; 106° 50' E). We compare the measurements with a Monte Carlo-based model for the propagation of the cosmic rays through the atmosphere and assessment of the radiation field in the atmosphere. We employed the model to estimate the radiation dose at Vostok station during the ground-level enhancement at 28 October 2021. As in previous studies by other teams, we show that the annual dose equivalent at high-altitude Antarctic facilities can significantly exceed the limit of 1 mSv established for the general population by the ICRP.

[Characteristics of postural corrective responses before and after long-term spaceflight].

Balance function is dramatically deteriorated after exposure to microgravity. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the role and the contribution of different gravity sensory systems to the development of balance impairment after long-term spaceflights. Postural perturbations (pushes to the chest) of the threshold, medium, and sub-maximal intensities were produced in eight cosmonauts before, and on the day 3, 7, and 11 following spaceflight. Postural corrective responses were analyzed by anterior-posterior body sway fluctuation and electromyographic activity of leg muscles. The characteristics of the postural corrective responses changed significantly on the day 3 following spaceflight: the amplitude of posterior sway caused by perturbation of threshold intensity was increased reaching 135% ofpreflight value; the corrective responses lasted more than 6 s in 50% of all trials, while it did not last more than 4 s in 96% before spaceflight. The EMG responses were characterized by increased contribution of medium- and long-latency reactions. On the day 11 following spaceflight, most of the characteristics of postural corrective responses were close to preflight values. We assumed that the balance alterations after spaceflight are caused by changes in weightlessness of functions of two main gravity sensory systems, namely, weight-bearing and vestibular one. The deficit of weight-bearing afferentation triggers a decline of the extensors' muscle tone, while changes of vestibular function cause a decline of accuracy of postural corrections.

[Effect of immersion hypokinesia on kinematic and electromyographic parameters of human locomotion].

Kinematics and electromyographics of the normal walking pattern were studied in 6 volunteer (22-25 y.o.) before and after immersion. It was shown that 6-d support deprivation results in reduction of angular velocities in the knee and ankle joints and minor change in the amplitude of angular motions of the joints. However, the kinematic stereotype of locomotor motions was not changed considerably following 6-days in immersion. Increase of the electromyographic cost of shin locomotion points to shifts in the central and peripheral systems of the motor apparatus.

[Effects of mechanic stimulation of the foot support zones on locomotion kinematics during 7-day dry immersion].

The dry immersion experiment involved two groups of test volunteers. In one group, the volunteers were subjected to nothing else but immersion; in the other, foot support zones of the immersed volunteers were given daily mechanic stimulation. Evaluated were kinematics of normal locomotion during a series of test walks along rigid surface at a rate of 90 steps per a minute. The results of testing brought to the conclusion that the rates of mechanic foot stimulation applied in the experiment did not change energy expenditure in the joints; however, they moderated the amplitude of angular knee joint movements following 7 days in immersion.

[Dynamics of neurosis-like disorders of residual-organic origin (according to the records of pediatric and adolescent psychiatric consulting rooms)]. / Dinamika nevrozopodobnykh rasstroistv rezidual'no-organicheskogo geneza (po materialam ucheta detskikh i podrostkovykh psikhiatricheskikh kabinetov).

On the basis of records from psychiatric rooms for adolescents at 2 outpatient centres of Moscow the authors determined the place of neurosis-like states of residual-organic genesis in the structure of the contingent on records. They also elucidated the significance of age stages in the time-course of the given pathology and outlined the most rational approaches to the organization of medical care of such patients.

[Migration of mental patients due to disease-related motives]. / Migratsiia psikhicheski bol'nykh, obuslovlennaia boleznennymi motivami.

The authors have studied a group of mental patients who have migrated to Moscow from various administrative areas of the Russian Federation. It has been established that the number of such patients over the last ten years has decreased by 11.6 per cent only. The authors present data on the nosological composition of the group of migrants and mental disturbances in each nosological group with which the migrational behaviour is associated. It has been demonstrated that the number of migrants from variable areas diminishes with a greater distance from Moscow; it is lower in those areas where the outpatient care is better exercised. The ways of preventing the migrational behaviour of mental patients have been outlined.

[Clinico-statistical grouping of patients on the basis of the duration of treatment in psychiatric hospitals]. / KLiniko-statisticheskie gruppy bol'nykh, vydelennykh po dlitel'- nosti ikh lecheniia v psikhiatricheskikh bol'nitsakh.

Nine clinico-statistic groups of patients were distinguished on the basis of the time of inpatient treatment of the non-randomized group of mental patients (n-57328) discharged during one year from the Moscow psychiatric hospitals, bearing in mind the diagnosis, age and the presence of a grave somatic illness. Each of these groups is characterized by the mean period of inpatient treatment, which makes it possible to use them for economic calculations in introduction of the cost accounting into activities of the psychiatric services.

[Activities of the department for psychiatric patients with severe somatic diseases]. / Deiatel'nost' otdelenii dlia psikhicheskikh bol'nykh s tiazhelymi somaticheskimi zabolevaniiami.

Organizational forms of health care delivery for patients with combined somatic and mental pathology have been analyzed. The characteristics of the system of referrals, hospital admissions and treatment in psychiatric departments for patients with combined severe somatic and mental pathology is described. The basic tasks and functions of such departments are listed. Somatic diseases are presented according to the groups of diseases, most frequently occurring in mentally ill patients.