[Infrasound: body's effects and hygienic regulation]. / Infrazvuk: ego deístvie na organizm i gigienicheskaia reglamentatsiia.

The paper analyzes and sums up technically originated infrasound (IS) hygienic problems. Trends for an increase in its role as an unfavourable factor of the industrial, transport, and residential environments are established. Comprehensive physiological, hygienic, and experimental studies revealed the pathogenetic features of IS. Involvement of the limbicoreticular complex, hypothalamus, and other subcortical structures into responses to higher factor levels on human beings stipulates a sharply prominent pathological discomfort as a manifestation of the infrasonic diencephalic hypothalamic syndrome with sensorisomatic and autonomic visceral symptoms. A conceptual pathogenetic model of IS exposure has been worked out. Main subjective and objective signs of and criteria for IS exposure have been defined, its ranking by human risk areas is given with the influencing factor parameters borne in mind. The biometry of biological effects on exposure to IS at 4 and Hz and at 130 dB and their changes in the vestibular and acoustic analyzers, as well as in the neurohumoral regulation system and other homeostatic parameters has revealed the priority of the whole body's responses.

[Occupational risk during chemical exposure]. / Professional'nyi risk pri vozdeistvii khimicheskogo faktora.

Methods for assessing the occupational risk were tested in chemically exposed workers at some enterprises by taking into account a priori and a posteriori components. The risk values were calculated by the indices of collective and individual health, which were used to develop conceptual models for the assessment and management of risks, whose efficiency may be evaluated. A package of measures has been worked out to reduce human health occupational risks. Practice has shown that the developed methods for assessing the occupational risk upon chemical exposure await further development and improvement.

Integrated estimation of the effect of physical factors on human functional state during mental work.

The purpose of this study was to develop a model for an integrated estimation of the functional state of the human organism (FSHO) and an integral estimation of physical factors (PF) for hygienic rating. Tests were performed twice with 3 men in 0.7-clo clothing during 4-hr mental work with 9 combinations of 4 PF: wideband noise (55- 83 dB(A)), whole-body vibration (6 Hz, a(z) = 0.2-1.8 ms(-2)), air temperature (18-30 degrees C), and illumination (1, 3, 5 lx). Thermoregulatory, cardiovascular, and psychophysiological reactions and temporary threshold of hearing (TTS2) shifts were studied. For the integral estimation of PF influence on FSHO the model F(y1,y2..........ym) = f(x1,x2,.......xn) was used, relating both FSHO and PF sets. The most important physiological parameters in creating FSHO are defined and the contribution of individual parameters of FSHO and PF is found.

[Current objectives for the improvement of work conditions and prevention of occupational diseases among miners]. / Zadachi po ozdorovleniiu uslovii truda i profilaktiki professional'niykh zabolevanii rabochikh podzemnykh rudnikov na sovremennom etape.

Workers engaged into deep mining are subjected to occupational factors intensity of which is significantly higher than the allowable. Changing the mining enterprises involves deterioration of the working environment, increase in occupational morbidity. Features of the working environment, parameters of main occupational entities, recent social instability at mining enterprises necessitate further investigations on the problem.

[Methodology of biological norm in occupational medicine]. / Metodologiia biologicheskoi normy v meditsine truda.

Theoretical concept of biologic norm is a basic principle of medical practice. This concept constantly changes according to social conditions.

[The evaluation of the working conditions and the characteristics of the prevalence of vibration-induced disease among miners in the Far North]. / Otsenka uslovii truda i kharakteristika rasprostranennosti vibratsionnoi bolezni sredi gornorabochikh Krainego Severa.

The article covers the data of physiologic and hygienic evaluation of vibration disease prevalence among miners of Far North and evaluation of their work conditions. The authors compare effects of local vibration on miners in the mines with negative ambient temperatures during the year and in those with the low positive temperatures. The negative temperatures and local vibration appeared to disorder formation of specific physiologic response to the stated factors. The data presented cover prevalence and progressing of vibration disease among the miners in Far North.

[Basic science to evaluate efficiency of means protecting from electromagnetic fields]. / Nauchnye osnovy otsenki éffektivnosti sredstv zashchity ot élektromagnitnykh polei.

Theory of EMF's informational influence, besides the heat effect, on biologic objects is generally accepted nowadays. Also, EMF sources are widely used both for industrial and household purposes, and become an increasing hazard for public health. All that necessitates individual protective means including "VITA" device, the leading one, efficiency and safety of which are supported by research in some scientific institutions.

[New approaches to hygienic regulation of visible radiation]. / Novye podkhody k gigienicheskomu normirovaniiu vidimogo izlucheniia.

There are no medical documents on control over light factors of industrial and living compartments. Levels of illumination in the present construction norms (SNiP-23-05-95) are not justified physiologically. Data of long-standing observations of objects brightness made an essence of project called "Brightness (illumination and light) of workplaces in industrial enterprises, institutions and living compartments" and demonstrated in the article.

[Comparison of models for evaluation of pulsed noises and their correlation with hearing loss in blacksmiths]. / Sravnenie modelei otsenki impul'snykh shumov i ikh korreliatsiia s poteriami slukha u kuznetsov.

The article covers the studies of relationships between the physical parameters of impulsive noise in shrink workshops of automobile building. A peak noise level (Lp) and number of impulses per shift (N) in the workplaces were calculated and evaluated by means ACGIH-89 criterion and by patterns with the parameters q = 1.5-3.0 and limited maximal levels 140-160 dB. A total of 328 blacksmiths were examined by pure-tone audiometry, the hearing loss was evaluated according to the standard ISO 1999 (1990). The peak levels appeared to equal 115-143 dB with the number of impulses per shift equal to 1,000-9,500. The study revealed a reliable correlation between Lp, N and the hearing loss in blacksmiths. Comparison of the various hygienic patterns showed that the simultaneous consideration of Lp and N is preferable according to the "equal energy" rule (level of 10 dB corresponding to 10-fold increase of the impulses number) in the studied range of the impulses number per shift.

[Comparative evaluation of prognostic models of the development of vibration disorders caused by local vibration]. / Sravnitel'naia otsenka modelei prognoza razvitiia vibratsionnykh narushenii pri vozdeistvii lokal'noi vibratsii.

The article compares the present domestic and foreign patterns of vibration disorders probability forecasting, uncovers the main causes of their difference and deals with the quest of a pattern, which is the most adequate to available empirical data. Extensive epidemiologic data on vibration morbidity helped to create a new forecasting pattern. The established dependence is expressed by an equation, a table and a plot, which enable to evaluate vibration disease risk under exposure to vibration of different levels and duration and to elucidate the safe length of service. The level of vibration was proved to reduce the latent period of vibration disease in accordance with range of exposure, probability intervals and length of service, prophylactic measures and insurance therefore should be differentiated for everyone exposed to vibration.

[New methodological approaches to the study and assessment of health status in occupational medicine]. / Novye metodicheskie podkhody k izucheniiu i otsenke sostoianiia zdorov'ia v meditsine truda.

The authors present materials on work conditions and workers' health state, that necessitate urgent measures to increase living standards, to meet sanitary and hygienic demands, to preserve health through alternative methods (time-related defence, early rehabilitation), to set strict economic penalties for employers' higher concern for better work conditions. The topics discussed include consideration of complex hazards (effects of chemicals coming from various media, influence of occupational and household physical factors) in setting an Allowable Daily Dose. Regional peculiarities should be taken into account in hygienic standardization.

[Physiologic and hygienic substantiation of requirements of individual protective means against cold of workers exposed to local and general vibration]. / Fiziologo-gigienicheskoe obosnovanie trebovanii k individual'nym sredstvam zashchity ot kholoda rabochikh, podvergaiushchikhsia vozdeistviiu lokal'noi i obshchei vibratsii.

The article deals with results of studies evaluating heat and functional state of miners in Murmansk region. The authors suggest prophylaxis against unfavorable effects of cold and vibration on the miners. The measures are to lower thermoregulatory overstrain by use of individual protective means providing optimal heat state during the work activities.

[Prognostic assessment and risk of the development of vibration disease due to the effects of general vibration]. / Prognosticheskaia otsenka i risk razvitiia vibratsionnoi patologii ot vozdeistviia obshchei vibratsii.

The studies revealed that evaluation of actual health disorders in people exposed to vibration requires up-to-date methodology, elaboration of new criteria that justify prophylactic measures. Taking into account a concept of occupational risk, scientists should have new approaches to hygienic regulation of general vibration in connection with load, levels, direction, quota of low-frequency components in total spectrum of mechanical oscillations.

[Effect of work conditions on the development of vertebral neurologic disorders]. / Vliianie faktorov truda na razvitie vertebronevrologicheskikh narushenii.

Clinical and hygienic studies covered agricultural machine operators, bulldozer operators, truck drivers, excavator and boring machine operators, display terminal controllers, electronic miniature device assemblers. The studies proved that occupational hazards (general vibration, sitting posture) result in formation of vertebral neurologic disorders in the examinees. The localization and clinical manifestations appeared to depend on intensity and site of the acting hazard.

[Physiological-occupational assessment of acoustic load with equal energy but different time and informational characteristics]. / Fiziologo-gigienicheskaia otsenka ravnoénergeticheskoi zvukovoi nagruzki s razlichnoi vremennoi i informatsionnoi strukturoi.

The article deals with results of experimental study comparing effects of 4 types of acoustic load--noise (constant and impulse) and music (electronic symphonic one and rap)--on hearing sensitivity, processes in nervous system and subjective evaluation. All types of acoustic load were equal in energy (on evaluation according to equivalent level during the experiment). The study included 2 levels of load--90 and 95 dB. The differences revealed demonstrate importance of impulse parameters of noise and musical load for reactions of acoustic analyzer and central nervous system. The experiments show that evaluation of harm caused by temporary and impulse noises should be based not only on assessment of specific (hearing) function, but also on parameters of central nervous system state. The authors found that music of certain acoustic and informational parameters may harm hearing function.

[Regulation of physical factors. Results and prospects]. / Reglamentatsiia fizicheskikh faktorov. Itogi i perspektivy.

The article represents results of research justifying and designing new principles concerning regulation of technogenic and natural physical factors. Those principles are based on studies of relationships between the physical factors and changes in human functional state, health and occupational risk. The authors demonstrate new methodic approaches for complex prognostic evaluation of environmental physical factors and main prospective trends in regulation and evaluation of physical factors, in prevention of their harm.

[Role of visible irradiation in industrial medicine]. / Rol' vidimogo izlucheniia v meditsine truda.

Modern norms regulating illumination levels of working surfaces do not consider changes in functional state of vision. Experimental studies involving examinees helped to set optimal levels of brightness for light entering eyes in complicated visual work. If larger object viewed, brightness of the working surface could be lowered to values that do not decrease visual efficiency. The data obtained enabled to justify allowable brightness levels in accordance with complexity of visual tasks. Regulation of visible light according to brightness values appears to be more adequate for visual functions.

[Physiological-occupational requirements with reference to clothes protecting workers from low temperature and methods for the evaluation of heat insulation]. / Fiziologo-gigienicheskie trebovaniia k odezhde dlia zashchity rabotaiushchikh ot ponizhennykh temperatur i metody otsenki ee teploizoliatsii.

The authors specified a method regulating clothes production in accordance with physiologic and hygienic requirements that result from particular utilization conditions (ambient temperature, motion speed, energy expenditure, duration of exposure to cold). The article represents criteria for allowable heat state of human, requirements to heat insulation of clothes set and items (hat, mittens, and shoes) for various climate areas, for allowable duration of exposure to cold.

[Effects of peak levels and number of noise impulses on hearing among forge hammering workers]. / Vliianie pikovogo urovnia i chisla impul'sov shuma na slukh kuznetsov goriachei kovki.

The work was aimed (1) to compare actual and expected values of hearing loss in forge hammering workers, using risk evaluation patterns based on impulse noise measurements, and (2) to simulate harmful hearing changes caused by impulse noise. Study of exposure to noise and hearing loss covered forge hammering workers in 2 major blacksmith workshops of automobile enterprise, where equivalent levels of acoustic pressure (104 and 106 dB) were equal, but peak levels and impalse degrees reliably differed. Hearing thresholds for 2 selected groups of workers (97 and 235 subjects) were evaluated. When compared, actual and expected values of hearing loss calculated according to ISO standard appeared different with excess of 1 dB and 3 dB for the workers in shops 1 and 2 respectively. Excessive hearing loss corresponds to noise exposure increased by 3.5 years. Hearing loss in the workers subjected to less impulsive noise were readily forecasted by ISO standard 1999-1990. Hearing loss in the workers subjected to more impulsive noise were in reliable correlation with combination of peak level and impulses number.

[Evaluation of the effects of a complex of physical factors on the functional state of men doing mental work]. / Otsenka vliianiia kompleksa fizicheskikh faktorov na funktsional'noe sostoianie cheloveka, vypolniaiushchego umstvennuiu rabotu.

The article evaluates influence of environmental, physical factors (noise, vibration, ambient temperature, illumination) on human functional state. The study involved 3 males performing mental tasks (following the object movements on monitor and correcting the track after variable interferences appearing in uneven time intervals) in specific microclimate chamber. The study revealed physiologic parameters more substantial for human functional state if influenced by environmental physical factors. For each parameter of human functional state and environmental physical factor a significance share was determined. If significant (r = 0.82, p < 0.001), correlations between parameters of human functional state and environmental physical factors became a material for integral equations. Method of cluster analyses defined 3 classes of human functional state and environmental status. Evaluation and regulation of those integral parameters became possible through a probability nomogram obtained.