Reproductive Function of Male Rats and Motor Activity of Their Offspring in Fire Emissions Modeling.

We studied the reproductive function of albino male rats after long-term exposure to wildfire smoke and the species-specific behavior of their sexually mature offspring. After the end of exposure, the mean number of spermatogonia and the relative number of Leydig cells in rat testes decreased and the index of spermatogenesis decreased. The offspring of exposed males mated with intact females demonstrated impaired cognitive abilities and disturbances of species-specific behavior. The severity of these changes depended on time interval between the end of the inhalation exposure and mating.

Analysis of HSPA1B (+1267A>G) Genetic Polymorphism in Patients with Vibration Disease in Combination with Metabolic Syndrome.

In 167 men with vibration syndrome (VS), allele and genotype frequencies of HSPA1B (+1267A>G) genetic polymorphism (rs1061581) were studied depending on the type of vibration exposure and on the presence or absence of metabolic syndrome (MetS). The examined subjects were divided into two groups: VS patients (n=80) and VS+MetS patients (n=87). The differences in the lipid profiles between groups were revealed against the background of the lack of distinctions in the age of patients for A/G and G/G genotypes carriers. An increase in A/A (p=0.03) and a decrease in A/G (p=0.04) genotype frequencies in VS patients caused by hand-transmitted vibration in comparison with those in whom the disease was caused by a combination of hand-transmitted and whole-body vibration were found. The shifts in the frequencies of the above genotypes (p=0.01) were similar in patients with both types of vibration exposure in the VS+MetS group in comparison with VS group; the carriage of genotypes with the G allele in VS group exceeded that in VS+MetS group (p=0.01).

[Using inhibited natural leucocytes migration test in diagnosis of occupational allergic diseases].

Number of chemicals that induce occupational sensibilization is quite large and constantly increasing due to synthesis' of new compounds. Diagnosis of occupational allergic diseases requires thorough systemic approach. Study covered groups of patients that necessitate diagnosis of occupational disease (107 individuals): chemical production workers, gas- arc welder, medical staffers, aluminium production workers, with diagnosed occupational bronchopulmonary diseases. Direction of leucocytes migration in the diagnostic test used was comparable with type of a chemical under study. Correspondence of clinical manifestations and results of inhibited natural leucocytes migration test approximates 70% in chemical production workers and gas-arc welders; 85-90% - in medical staffers and 50% - in aluminium production workers.

[Biochemical markers of endothelial dysfunction and cardiovascular system state in patients with occupationai bronchopulmonary diseases].

The article presents results of study concerning biochemical markers of endothelial dysfunction and structural changes in cardiovascular system of aluminium production workers with initial and advanced symptoms of occupationally related bronchopulmonary diseases. Common pathogenetic traits of cardiovascular diseases with initial and advanced symptoms of occupationally related bronchopulmonary diseases are disordered regulation of vascular tone due to nitrogen and plasmin, atherosclerotic plaques formation and changed cardiomyocytes function. Individuals with initial symptoms of occupationally related bronchopulmonary diseases are characterized by increased cardiomyocytes apoptosis due to circulatory disorders. Mechanisms of cardiovascular diseases for advanced symptoms of occupationally related bronchopulmonary diseases are related to disordered regulation of cellular hemostasis by nitrogen oxide and plasmin, changed regulation via b-adrenoreceptors and altered cardiomyocytes metabolism.

[Molecular genetic aspects of endothelial dysfunction in individuals exposed to mercury].

The article deals with frequency data on polymorphism of candidate genes participating in endothelial dysfunction (EDN1 Lys198Asn, NOS3 T786C, AGT Thrl74Met and AGT Met23SThr) in totality with concentrations of their active substances in individuals exposed to mercury. Findings are changes in levels of nitrogen oxide, endothelin-1, angiotensin II metabolites in examinees including those without cardiovascular diseases. The genetic conditionality is connected with unfavorable genotypes of polymorphic variants - Met235Thr of AGT gene and Lys198Asn of EDNI gene. Changes in levels of biochemical markers of endothelial dysfunction in individuals exposed to mercury indicate serious endothelial function disorders and are not genetically determined processes.

[Individual risks to adolescent health, caused by contaminating the air, and their relationship with the levels of specific autoantibodies].

The high levels of the air pollution create prerequisites for the development of the pathology of target organs exposed to chemical agents. Big enterprises of oil refining and chemical industry of the Irkutsk region are located in the cities of Angarsk and Sayansk. The average level of the air pollution for several years in these cities is assessed as high and moderate, respectively. The use of the personalized approach may allow to more correctly evaluate the risk for the damage to health and the body's response to external impacts. The purpose of this study was to assess the risk offormation ofpathological processes in the body of adolescents in the conditions of inhalation exposure to chemicals, taking into account the individual load and study of the level of specific autoantibodies. The study included 373 adolescents from the city with high levels of air pollution and 188 schoolchildren from the city with a moderate level pollution. There was made an evaluation of the individual chemical hazard load on adolescents ' body due to the air pollution, physiologicalfeatures and the organization of educational process and leisure. There were studied the levels of specific autoantibodies, reflecting the state of the organs - targets for the impact ofpollutants. The calculation of the individual chemical load allows to calculate indices of the hazard for the health problems of each individual and to identify individuals at increased risk of developing diseases of organs and systems, which are targets for exposure to pollutants. The increase in the hazard index of developing respiratory diseases was found to be accompanied by an increase of the relative content of autoantibodies against membrane antigens of the lung tissue. There was revealed the elevation in autoantibodies levels to the proteins of vascular endothelial with increasing hazard index of disturbances in the cardiovascular system in adolescents living in city with high levels of air pollution.

[Clinical, biochemical and allergological indices characterizing occupational diseases of the bronchial and pulmonary system in employees at aluminium production].

There are many harmful factors that possess a damaging impact on the body of employees at aluminum production. It leads to the development of bronchial asthma (BA), chronic nonobstructive bronchitis (CNB) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The pathogenesis of these disorders, as well as sensitizing effect offluorine in the aluminum production is not fully understood. The purpose of this work was to study the characteristics of laboratory indices in patients with occupational diseases of the respiratory system. In workers of aluminum production with the diagnosis of occupational diseases of respiratory system (15 patients with a diagnosis of asthma, 30 CNB cases, 20 COPD patients) we evaluated the content of total protein, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC), total calcium, phosphorus, ceruloplasmin, hematological indices and performed emigration of leukocytes braking test (TTEEL). Clinical and biochemical profile ofpersons with occupational asthma was characterized by a low level of total calcium and ceruloplasmin, a high concentration of phosphorus in the blood serum and inhibition of leukocyte emigration in the test with sodium fluoride. For aluminum production CNB workers characteristic active proatherogenic process was pronounced by a decrease in the HDLC level and an increase in atherogenic index; higher hematocrit value and concentration of erythrocytes, and more than 50% of cases of sensitization to the presence of sodium fluoride. COPD cases had occupational lower average concentration of hemoglobin in the erythrocyte, total protein in serum, as well as polymorphic variant response to sodium fluoride in the form of a depression and activation of leucocytes emigration.

[Differential diagnostic method of initial implications and degree I of the chronic mercury intoxication].

Currently available methods for diagnosis of chronic mercury intoxication (CMI) are applied at the any stage of the disease. Changes in these indices sometimes have no the specificity for any CMI stage, and a conclusion on them has the descriptive character. In addition, the above mentioned methods possess not sufficiently high accuracy in the diagnosis of intoxication at early stages of the development of the disease. The purpose of the research is the development of the method permitting to make the differential diagnosis between the initial symptoms of mercury poisoning and its first degree. 118 men who work/worked in the contact with mercury vapor were examined. There were evaluated electroencephalogram, long-latency auditory and cognitive evoked potentials, cerebral hemodynamics, noradrenaline (NA)content in the blood plasma. Statistical processing was performed with the use of «Statistica 6.0¼ software. The levels of NA in the development of CMI were shown to increase, by the time of the shaping of this disease the noted change was decompensated in the nature. The study of reactivity of cerebral vessels revealed the presence of abnormal responses during hypercapnic load in 14 - 24% of examined cases. In the analysis of auditory evoked potentials there was established the change in indices of latency and amplitude of the V- wave, which pronounced in the prolong response time, significant elongation in the P1 peak latency and the gain in the latency of N1 peak. There was established the presence of the wave-like change in the index of the latency of P300. In workers without an occupational disease, there was noted the marked elongation of the latent period of cognitive potential, while in patients with the newly made diagnosis the latency of P300 corresponded to standard values, and in the long term there was observed a sharp deterioration in this index. With the aid of the discriminant analysis with the calculation of canonical value there were revealed the most informative neurobiochemical indices, reoencephalogric ones and evoked potentials. The developed method of diagnosis allows to distinguish between the initial symptoms of mercury intoxication and the first stage of the disease.

[Features of the lipid exchange in workers employed in aluminium productions].

Aluminum production can be referred to the category of industries of the increased health hazard for the workers. During technological process of receiving aluminum the air of a working zone is polluted by a large number of harmful substances. Workers are exposed to the complex of toxicants possessing a polytropic impact on the body. The most significant consequences are violations of different types of metabolism in the organism, including lipid metabolism. The purpose of the study is the investigation of the state of lipid metabolism in persons working in the production of aluminum. The object of research was 108 male workers of aluminum production suffering from occupational pathology of airways. The group of comparison was consisted of 103 men, apparently healthy, not exposed to toxicants. There was determined the content of the total cholesterol (TC), high and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC and LDLC), triglycerides (TG), phospholipids (PL), atherogenic index (AI). Statistical processing was performed with the use of software «Statistica 6.0¼. There were established statistically significant differences of indices of lipid exchange in the persons occupied in aluminum production when related to the group of comparison. IA values in persons from the study group proved to be higher than in the comparison group, due to elevated levels of TC and LDLC. The TG and PL level was also higher. The values of IA, TC and TG in workers of aluminum production in more than 50% cases exceeded the reference values. The average concentration of HDL cholesterol in both groups did not differ, and was above the lower reference boundary. Established features of lipid metabolism in workers of aluminum allow us to suggest the distinction in mechanisms of developing proatherogenic disorders from previously established ones for workers exposed to other chemicals. One of the causes of the shaping of these disorders can be oxidative stress, which in turn serves as a response to the exposure of complex of toxic substances to workers.

[Clinical and neurophysiological peculiarities of health disorders in workers in dependence on the vinyl chloride exposure load].

Results of the clinical and neurophysiological examinations of 42 workers with operating history at the chemical plant exposed to vinyl chloride (VC) are presented. The purpose of research was the identification ofpeculiarities of clinical manifestations and disorders of the functional activity of the brain in workers at the vinyl chloride production, with taking into account the exposure toxic load (ETL). There were made clinical and electroencephalographic examinations with the detection of cognitive evoked potentials (CEP) and statistical analysis of results with the use of the Mann-Whitney U-test, Fisher's F-test, calculation of Spearman's correlation coefficient. The features in clinical picture of the pathology of the nervous system were detected in the form of asthenic disorders with cognitive impairment and autonomic dysfunction syndrome. There was established the increase in the cognitive impairment rate (p = 0.03), the decline in a-EEG activity (p = 0.01) and the worsening of indices of the amplitude (p = 0.011) and latency (p = 0,05) of CEP in extremely high level of ETL in comparison with same indices in the group with moderately high ETL. In the first group there was revealed a statistically significant exceedance of the frequency of hypertension - by 1.6 times, skin diseases - by 9 times, chronic subatrophic rhino-pharyngitis by 1.4 times in comparison with cases from the second group. In the group with moderately high level of ETL there was established the statistically significant inverse correlationship between the ETL and the index of P300 amplitude from the left side (r = -0.38, p = 0.019) and in the group with extremely high level ETL - between ETL and index of the ß2 - rhythm (r = - 0.73, p = 0.0008).

[THE LEVELS OF SPECIFIC AUTOANTIBODIES AND RISKS FOR THE FORMATION OF PATHOLOGICAL PROCESSES IN CONDITIONS OF INHALATION EXPOSURE TO CHEMICALS].

The exposure of atmospheric pollutants on the organism may be a precondition for the development of pathological processes in organs and system to which they have tropicity. The change in the levels of specific autoantibodies occur long before the clinical manifestation of the disease. The aim of the study was the investigation of relationships between the levels of specific autoantibodies and risks of the formation of pathological processes of organs and systems in conditions of the inhalation exposure to chemicals. There was made an assessment of levels of the air pollution and indoor air in the industrial centers of Eastern Siberia. There were calculated indices of danger from the inhalation exposure of chemical compounds and the risks for the development of the pathology of organs and systems. There was studied the relative content of specific autoantibodies to the organs and systems that are at high risk of the development ofpathological processes. The highest overall risks for the development of respiratory diseases, immune system and cardiovascular system were established in schoolchildren residing in areas of high and medium levels of air pollution. In general, the identified changes in the content of specific autoantibodies characterizing the state of the major organs and systems ofchildren residing in areas of high riskfor the development of pathological processes associated with the content of chemical compounds in the air cannot be properly interpreted as the realized risk of environmental impacts and require further study.

[CLINICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF DISORDERS OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM AND THE RISKS OF COMMON PATHOLOGICAL SYNDROMES IN MERCURY PRODUCTION WORKERS].

The occupational factors are assigned one out of main parts to the development of occupational and comorbid pathology. At the same time the social aspects of labor relations act as the most important factors influencing on the workers' self-assessment of health status. Quantitative risk assessment of the common pathological syndromes has identified the excess of share of persons with a minimum level of risk over the medium and high. In the structure of risks of common pathological syndromes there are prevailed risks for disorders of the cardiovascular and nervous systems and borderline mental disorders, which is a response to the impact of not only industrial, but also psychosocial factors. The results of self-assessment of health status and clinical examination of employees in conditions of mercury exposure show the similarity of the structure of diseases in these cases. In either event there are dominated diseases of the nervous and mental sphere, and from the comorbid pathology disorders of the cardiovascular system are prove to be important. Clinical manifestations of the mercury exposure, ranging from pre-clinical manifestations to marked changes from the side of the nervous system in toxic encephalopathy, are characterized by the presence of hyperkinetic syndrome. For pre-clinical and early forms of mercury poisoning there is also typical the presence of asthenic (emotional lability) disorders with autonomic dysfunction. Comorbidities in an internship working was manifested primarily by diseases of visual organs, cardiovascular system and diseases of the musculoskeletal system. Observed disorders of the nervous system and psycho-emotional sphere are caused, inter alia disturbances of the balance of catecholamines (the rise of norepinephrine in dynamics with a concomitant increase in the coefficient reflecting the degree of its metabolism: norepinephrine/epinephrine and norepinephrine/(adrenaline + Normetanephrine)) in the body.

[Pathogenetic aspects of occupationally related disorders of lipid metabolism in workers exposed to chemicals].

The article presents results of lipid metabolism parameters in long-standing examinations of workers exposed to toxic chemicals. Findings are pro-atherosclerotic tendencies that can be considered as occupationally related, their pathogenetic mechanisms are specified. Evidences are that irrespective of acting toxic factor (mercury, vinyl chloride, complex of toxic chemicals) sequence of cholesterol metabolism disorders with pro-atherogenous features in workers has common aspects: at first, high-density lipoproteins cholesterol level lowers and atherogenicity index increases, then general cholesterol level increases, and low-density lipoproteins cholesterol level increases afterwards. Peculiarity is that chronic occupational exposure to vinyl chloride and toxic combustion products causes very low-density lipoproteins involvement into atherogenic process. Lipid metabolism disorders in workers exposed to neurotoxic chemicals at work appeared to progress into psycho-neurologic sphere changes, to have pro-atherogenic tendency and to cause early atherosclerosis, arterial hypertension and ischemic heart disease.

[The indicators of local immunity of pharynx in adolescents with chronic pathology of upper respiratory ways residing in conditions of anthropogenic load].

The indicators of local immunity of pharynx in adolescents with chronic pathology of upper respiratory ways residing in conditions of higher level pollution of atmosphere air. It is established that under development of pathology against the background of impact of environmental factors increasing of levels of secretory immune globulin A and lactoferrin occur. It is established too that under chronic pathology of upper respiratory ways at the stage of remission in adolescents residing in conditions of higher level pollution ofatmosphere air inter-dependencies between factors of local defense (secretory immune globulin A and lysozyme) and aggregate microbial germination are damaged.

[Genotype-phenotype characteristics of biochemical markers of endothelial dysfunction in patients with chronic mercury intoxication].

The paper presents data on the frequency of polymorphisms of candidate genes involved in the formation of endothelial dysfunction--endothelin-1 (EDN1 Lys198Asn) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (NOS3 T786C) together with the concentrations of their active products (nitric oxide, endothelin-1) in individuals with chronic mercury intoxication. The concentration change of nitric oxide and endothelin-1 indicates the presence of endothelial dysfunction in the individuals examined. The studied polymorphisms appeared to play a minor role in the pathogenesis of endothelial dysfunction in patients with chronic mercury intoxication.

[Application of immuno-biochemical indices for the identification of the chronic pathology of the upper respiratory tract].

A comprehensive survey of organized children aged 14-17 years residing in the industrial centers with moderate and high levels of air pollution was performed. On the base of the examination of otorhinolaryngologist in the each of cities there was selected the group of schoolchildren with chronic pathology of the upper respiratory tract at the stage of remission. In these groups there was performed the assessment of the informativeness of immuno-biochemical indices for the identification of pathology caused by the impact of man-made factors. The most informative (relative content of autoantibodies to ß2-glycoprotein-1, the average individual immunoreactivity, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, level of α1-antitrypsin) were used in the mathematical model, on the based of which it was possible to calculate the diagnostic coefficient, allowing to identify in the groups observed by ourselves, chronic pathology of upper respiratory tract, formed under the influence of ambient air pollution. The above approach can be used in the formation groups for health promotion of children exposed to the negative impact.

[Occupational neurointoxications: patterns and mechanisms of formation].

The article covers results of long-standing study of clinical features of occupational neurointoxications in late period, and mechanisms underlying nervous system disorders in individuals working under long exposure to neurotoxic chemicals and in late period of occupational intoxications. With modern neurophysiologic, neuropsychologic, immunologic and biochemical diagnostic methods, the authors specified early manifestations of occupational disorders. Translation patterns of neurointoxications are specified.

[State of common responsiveness of teenagers living in regions with different levels of ambient air pollution].

The integral indices based on element ratio of hemogram as well as alpha-1 antitripsin, interleukins 2 and 10 contents in the adolescents living in industrial town with a high pollution level are represented in this paper. The increase in the processes of the nonspecific phagocytic protection and exertion of adaptive mechanisms has been revealed.

[Cholesterol exchange in children and adolescents in the industrial towns of eastern Siberia].

A prospective cohort study was conducted to examine lipid metabolic parameters in 5-14-year-old children. A directional trend was established in lipid parameters (a reduction in the level of total cholesterol and a change in its fractional composition: higher levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol with a parallel decrease in the concentration of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol), which is due to age-related features. There was a change in the spread of deviations in cholesterol exchange parameters from the standard values with age.

[Toxic encephalopathies in distant post-contact period of occupational neurointoxications (clinical and experimental studies)].

The article covers results of long-standing research on clinical peculiarities and course of toxic encephalopathy in distant period of occupational neurointoxications, on main concepts and pathogenetic steps of formation and progress of toxic encephalopathy. Through investigation covered firemen after exposure to complex of toxic chemicals and patients in post-contact period of chronic mercury intoxication. Modelling of chronic inhalation of metallic mercury vapors was performed.