Vol 101, No 2 (2022)

Purpose. Comparative evaluation of effective doses to patients calculated using various methods for the most common X-ray examinations performed on general-purpose digital X-ray machines.

Materials and methods. Data collection on parameters of examinations was performed for seven digital X-ray machines located in several Moscow medical facilities. Parameters for the most common X-ray examinations were collected for 120 standard patients from October to December 2019.

Results. For all X-ray machines, significant reliable discrepancies were revealed between effective doses from the protocols of accredited laboratories (calculated based on radiation output) and effective doses determined by the authors based on the collected values of the dose-area product. The differences, on average, did not exceed ± 100%. However, the discrepancies for the thoracic spine and chest X-ray on some devices were even more significant.

Limitations. Lack of a unified, standardised methodology for collecting parameters of radiological studies.

Conclusion. The parameters of standard X-ray studies, collected by accredited laboratories and presented in the current methodological guidelines for monitoring patients’ effective doses, significantly differ from the studies’ parameters obtained from our data collection results. The existing methods for calculating effective doses require to be updated and revised. It makes sense to give up using transition coefficients and specialised software that calculates the effective dose, taking into account the geometry of patients’ exposure and physical and technical parameters of the study.

Contribution:

Druzhinina U.V. — the concept and design of the study, collection and processing of material and literature data, statistical analysis, writing a text;

Vodovatov A.V. — the collection and processing of the material, statistical analysis, editing;

Okhrimenko S.Е. — collection of literature data, editing.

All co-authors — approval of the final version of the article, responsibility for the integrity of all parts of the article.

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Acknowledgement. The study had no sponsorship.

Received: April 7, 2021 / Accepted: November 25, 2021 / Published: March 10, 2022

Introduction. Currently, there is evidence of a triggering role of environmental factors in developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA). 

The purpose of this work was to investigate the role of oxidative stress in provoking the preclinical stage of RAf in susceptible individuals and its possible relationship with the effects of ecotoxicants.

Materials and methods. Examination of cases collecting biosamples was carried out during rheumatologic examination of the persons in the regional hospitals of 45 administrative districts of the Republic of Tatarstan (RT), Russia. Serum markers of oxidative stress were measured, namely levels of oxidized proteins, oxidized lipids, oxyguanine, and antibodies to oxidized LDL. The environmental parameters of residences of the persons included in the project were measured. Information was collected on the parameters of the environmental situation in the administrative districts of the Republic of Tatarstan in 2008–2018 (from publicly available reports of the Ministry of Ecology of the Republic of Tatarstan).

Results. There was performed a comparison of the levels of oxidative markers in samples from individuals living in regions with the highest and lowest concentrations of certain atmosphere ecotoxicants, including carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons (volatile organic compounds (VOCs) free), particulate matter, VOCs, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxide. The levels of oxidized proteins and oxidized LDL were significantly higher in residents of areas with the highest carbon monoxide and VOCs compared to residents of areas with the lowest content of these substances. The contribution of environmental indicators to the provocation of the anti-LDG antibody production in groups with genetic and preclinical RA stages was revealed to account for 40%. According to the results of multiple regression analysis, in individuals from the above groups and individuals at early RA stage, the levels of oxidized LDL and oxidized proteins depended on the effect of a combination of certain environmental factors.

Limitations. In this article, we limited ourselves to the analysis of the RA association with air pollution indices. The study of other environmental factors (soil, water pollution, radiation levels) is ongoing. This will allow clarifying the specific mechanisms of the influence of the exposome on the development of the disease in total. In addition, the conclusions presented are speculative since the identified patterns were obtained by analyzing data in the limited data samples.

Conclusion. Since environmental factors can be considered modifiable to a certain extent, the study of their role in the RA development and specific mechanisms of the disease triggered by these factors on persons at risk are of fundamental and applied importance.

Contribution:

Takha E.A., Larionova R.V., Petrov S.V. — сollection and processing of material, statistical processing, writing text, responsibility for the integrity of all parts of the article;

Kazarian G.G., Valeeva A.R., Korovina M.O., Pipchenko A.P., Kravtsova O.A., Badrutdinov O.R. — collection and processing of material, writing text;

Shamaev N.D. — collection and processing of material, statistical processing, writing text;

Renaudineau Y. — concept and design of the study, responsibility for the integrity of all parts of the article;

Kravtsova O.A. — collection and processing of material, writing text;

Khaertynov K.S. — editing, approval of the final version of the article, responsibility for the integrity of all parts of the article;

Mukminov M.N. — concept and design of the study, collection and processing of material, writing text, editing;

Shuralev E.A. — concept and design of the study, collection and processing of material, editing, approval of the final version of the article;

Arleevskaya M.I. — concept and design of the study, collection and processing of material, statistical processing, writing text, approval of the final version of the article, responsibility for the integrity of all parts of the article. All authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of the manuscript final version.

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Acknowledgment. The reported study was funded by Russian Foundation for Basic Research (RFBR) according to the research project 19-29-01058.

Received: August 03, 2021 / Accepted: November 25, 2021 / Published: March 10, 2022

Introduction. The dual value of manganese (Mn) for the human body is due to its need for low concentrations for many physiological processes and toxicity in excess intake and accumulation in the tissues. The intake of Mn in the body in concentrations exceeding the physiological norm occurs mainly by inhalation and extremely rarely by absorption through the intestine, so atmospheric air pollution is considered one of the most likely causes of the development of Mn hypermicroelementosis.

Materials and methods. The quantitative content of Mn in the hair of the population of Gorno-Altaisk was determined by atomic absorption spectrometry to analyze the reference values and detect trace elements.

Results. Hypomicroelementosis was detected in 3.3% of residents of Gorno-Altaisk, mainly in the age group of 4–17 years, hypermicroelementosis was detected in 17% of residents, mostly in the older age group. The reference values of the Mn concentration of the residents of Gorno-Altaisk (2.37 mg/kg) are close to the data of Japan (2.4 mg/kg) and the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug (1.8–12.9 mg/kg). Thus, the reference values of the Mn concentration of the surveyed population of Gorno-Altaisk are close to the indices of large industrial regions.

Limitations. The intake of Mn with particles from solid and liquid fuel emissions suspended in the air by residents was not evaluated.

Conclusion. Against the background of the low industrial load in Gorno-Altaisk, the problem of widespread use of solid fossil fuels remains relevant. Due to the burning of coal, the atmospheric air is polluted with a wide range of heavy metals, including an increased content of Mn. The geographical features of the city cause poor self-cleaning of the air basin an increased concentration of pollutants in the atmospheric air, which increases the risk of hypermicroelementosis. The results of this study indicate the need to improve the level of ecological culture of the population of Gorno-Altaisk and completely abandon the use of solid fossil fuels.

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Acknowledgement. The study had no sponsorship.

Received: May 14, 2021 / Accepted: November 25, 2021 / Published: March 10, 2022

Introduction. Currently, the influence of the psychoemotional state of a person on the results of exposure to exogenous damaging factors is well studied. However, until now, this circumstance has been taken into account when assessing the stochastic effects of radiation. The work is devoted to analyzing the influence of the psychoemotional state of a person (stress) on the results of irradiation in the range of 10–1000 mGy.

Materials and methods. The results of our research and literature data on the effects of chemical and radiation factors, taking into account the level of stress, on the health of the studied cohorts are summarized.

Results. The article summarizes the results of our studies of the effects of genome instability in adults and children from large and small industrial cities of Russia and Kazakhstan, taking into account the severity of stress. It was shown that the genotoxic effects of exogenous toxic and radiation factors acting, including in vitro, were comparable with the degree of severity of stress determined using standard psychological tests. The main damaging factor in the groups of liquidators was the state of pronounced maladaptive stress. The study established that to assess the stochastic effects of training and their relationship with the dose, it is also necessary to allocate a group of adaptive and maladaptive stress based on the results of stress testing. The differences in the results can be 2–3 times. The authors propose a new approach to stress assessment, which provides an adequate forecast of possible changes in the individual sensitivity of the genome to the action of exogenous toxic and genotoxic factors, including ionizing radiation.

Conclusion. The peculiarities of the body’s perception of weak stressors of a physical nature should be taken into account when analyzing the medical consequences of exposure to ionizing radiation. To quantify the stochastic effects of the effectiveness of protective measures, it is proposed to use a coefficient that considers the impact of stress — the stress coefficient (SC), and its value, before conducting clarifying studies, should be taken equal to 2.

Contribution:

Okhrimenko S.E., Ingel F.I. — the concept and design of the study, collection and processing of the material, writing of the text, editing;

Korenkov I.P. — the concept and design of the study, writing of the text, editing; Biryukov А.Р. — the concept and design of the study, editing;

Ryzhkin S.A. — the concept and design of the study, collection and processing of the material.

All authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of the manuscript final version.

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Acknowledgement. The study had no sponsorship. The authors express their deep gratitude and appreciation to the Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Leonid Andreevich Il’in for his advisory assistance in the preparation of this article.

Received: July 2, 2021 / Accepted: November 25, 2021 / Published: March 10, 2022

If a worker uses filtering respirators to protect against toxic gases, the cartridges must be replaced promptly, as they have a limited service life. If the service life exceeds the length of the job, the cartridges can be reused in some cases. However, toxic substances can desorb and migrate during storage; and then be released into the inhaled air. So, the cartridges can become a source of hazard themselves. The risk depends on the properties of gases, cartridges, and the conditions in the workplace and during storage. The sensory response to inhaled gas has proven to be an unreliable indicator of the end of service life, and its use has been prohibited.

We prepared this article using the results of a search for relevant information in Journal of the ISRP; publications of National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, U.S. Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), Taylor & Francis, Springer, Oxford University Press; western law requirements for respiratory protection, and textbooks.

The article describes the results of studies of gas desorption during cartridge storage. Researchers have found that hazards can occur when protecting against organic compounds with different boiling points and some inorganic substances. A significant difference is shown between the amount of available information and the possible reuses of the cartridges.

There are different ways to protect workers: prohibit the reuse of cartridges when protecting against most hazardous substances; prohibit reuse without the permission of the cartridges manufacturers; limit the duration of their use. If the service life is long enough, the cartridges may be used within their limits (including breaks for storage). Mathematical modelling for risk assessment is described, and recommendations for improved training and workers protection are provided. If a worker uses filtering respirators to protect against toxic gases, the cartridges must be replaced promptly, as they have a limited service life. If the service life exceeds the length of the job, the cartridges can be reused in some cases.

Nevertheless, toxic substances can desorb and migrate during storage; and then be released into the inhaled air. So, the cartridges can become a source of hazard themselves. The risk depends on the properties of gases, cartridges, and the conditions in the workplace and during storage. The sensory response to inhaled gas has proven to be an unreliable indicator of the end of service life, and its use has been prohibited.

The article describes the results of studies of gas desorption during cartridge storage. Researchers have found that hazards can occur when protecting against organic compounds with different boiling points and some inorganic substances. A significant difference is shown between the amount of available information and the possible reuses of the cartridges.

There are different ways to protect workers: prohibit the reuse of cartridges when protecting against most hazardous substances; prohibit reuse without the permission of the cartridges manufacturers; limit the duration of their use. If the service life is enough long, the cartridges may be used within its limits (including breaks for storage). Mathematical modeling for risk assessment is described. 

Conclusion. Recommendations on improving the protection of workers have been given. They include: improvement of respiratory approval requirements, development of the law requirements for their use, training of occupational health and safety specialists and workers.

Contribution:

Kaptsov V.A. — the concept and design of the study; writing a text, editing;

Pankova V.B. — processing of material, writing a text, editing;

Chirkin A.V. — collection processing of material, editing.

All authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of the manuscript final version.

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Acknowledgement. The study had no sponsorship.

Received: September 14, 2021 / Accepted: November 25, 2021 / Published: March 10, 2022

Introduction. A significant increase in the study load, the expansion of the program material, the introduction of new academic subjects, the use of new, including copyright, pedagogical technologies (computer training, modular lessons, etc.) in educational institutions of an innovative type creates the preconditions for the development of functional tension of the central nervous system, the rapid onset of fatigue and a decrease in the mental performance of students.

The aim of the study is to scientifically substantiate a non-invasive, non-drug way of increasing mental performance in adolescents of senior school age.

Materials and methods. The method consisted in the implementation of four stages: at the first stage, 100 students of the multidisciplinary lyceum underwent a preliminary computer assessment of the level of mental performance by the method of variational chronoreflexometry; at the second stage, the students were taught the skills of functional biocontrol using diaphragmatic relaxation breathing on the hardware-software complex “Mikart-M”; at the third stage, each student, depending on the degree of mastering the methodology, was given recommendations on the mode and frequency of training. Two groups were formed from the students, where the first group was represented by the surveyed who independently and regularly performed pieces of training for two weeks (n = 48), the second group consisted of adolescents who did not perform pieces of training (n = 52). At the fourth stage, the effectiveness of the developed method was assessed by comparative analysis of data before and after training in functional biocontrol in students of both groups.

Results. It was found that among the students of the 1^st group who regularly performed breathing for two weeks, the number of subjects with optimal working capacity doubled, and the proportion of students with significantly reduced mental performance decreased 16.7 times, which indicated the high efficiency of the developed method increasing mental performance; in turn, among the adolescents of the 2^nd group who did pieces of training irregularly, an opposite tendency was revealed for a 15.5-fold decrease in the number of subjects with typical mental performance.

Limitations. The results obtained require verification on other samples with the expansion of the age of students and the type of educational institution; supplementing data on the level of mental performance of lyceum students with the results of academic performance, which also characterizes the level of mental performance; lengthening the observation period for fixed indicators after conducting pieces of training to clarify the timing of maintaining changes in indicators that affect and characterize the performance.

Conclusion. Thus, the developed method is an effective tool for increasing mental performance in senior school adolescents, making it possible to recommend it for implementation and mass use among medical workers and teachers of educational institutions.

Contribution:

Bulycheva E.V. — the concept and design of the study, editing, writing text, collection and processing of the material;

Zhdanova O.M. — writing text, collecting and processing material, statistical processing;

All authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of the manuscript final version.

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Acknowledgement. The study had no sponsorship.

Received: June 21, 2021 / Accepted: November 25, 2021 / Published: March 10, 2022

Introduction. This publication presents the third fragment of a comprehensive multi-parameter pilot study to create a methodology for assessing the open-air odor’ impact on human’s adaptive potential. The pilot study was carried out in the little town (50 thousands of inhabitants), mainly the food industry and agro-industrial complex work, but enterprises of 1–2 classes of danger are absent. Air emissions from operating enterprises have a specific odor that causes complaints of inhabitants.

Materials and methods. The effects of genome instability (EGI) in children attending kindergartens located at a distance of 1.7–5.9 km from enterprises — the primary sources of odor — were assessed. EGI was determined non-invasively using a micronucleus test on exfoliating cheek epithelial cells. The epitheliocytes from 112 children of 5–7 years old were examined simultaneously with a collection of atmospheric air samples from the walking areas of the kindergartens which the examined children attended. These atmospheric air samples were taken for gas chromatography-mass spectrometric determination of their chemical composition.

Results. Seventy-eight chemical compounds belonging to different classes of chemicals were identified in the air samples. The groups of children from different kindergartens did not differ statistically in any of the 13 assessed indicators of the cytome analysis of the buccal mucosa epithelium cells, and the levels of genotoxic and toxic effects did not go beyond the average expected values presented in literature and our studies for differents groups of comparison. High-level and statistically significant direct correlations between the total content of air pollutants with proven genotoxic activity and the two main indicators of the micronucleus test on cheek epithelial cells: the frequencies of cells with micronuclei and cells with accepted apoptotic bodies were revealed. No correlation was found between summarized levels of the detected chemicals limited concentrations and the results of cytome analysis of children’s buccal epithelial cells. 

Limitations. correct formation of groups for examination, the severity of the criteria for cytotome analysis and identity of cytogenetic effects identification in the course of cytotome analysis by different researchers.

Conclusion. The effects of genome instability in the buccal epithelial cells in children were shown to be mainly associated with the presence of substances with proven mutagenic, carcinogenic and neogenic activities, but not with the total excess of hygienic standards for the content of chemical compounds in the air.

Contribution:

Yurchenko V.V. — analysis of literature, children’s epithelial cells sampling and preparing them for cytome analysis, statistical analysis and description of the results of cytome analysis.

Ingel F.I. — concept and design of the study, analysis and interpretation of literature data, statistical analysis of the obtained data, text writing.

Malysheva A.G. — program and the choice of methods of chemical studies.

Akhaltseva L.V. — cytome analysis, manuscript editing and preparing for publication.

Krivtsova E.K., Yurtseva N.A., Nikitina T.A., Ivanova S.М. — cytome analysis.

Shishkin D.I. — chemical analysis of the air samples.

Budarina O.V. — organization of the study, odor dispersion calculation.

All authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of the manuscript final version.

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Acknowledgement. The work was carried out within the framework of the state task “Analysis of changes in the adaptation of the population living in the areas where located enterprises are sources of odor, in order to develop recommendations for health authorities on managing the risk of environmentally caused diseases” by Centre for Strategic Planning and Management of Biomedical Health Risks of the Federal Medical Biological Agency of Russian Federation.

Received: July 28, 2021 / Accepted: November 25, 2021 / Published: March 10, 2022

Introduction. For the formation of the health of children and adolescents, it is essential to study their awareness of the risk factors for health disorders and the formation of stereotypes of a healthy lifestyle.

Materials and methods. According to the questionnaire developed by us, “Awareness of adolescents about a healthy lifestyle”, a survey included 245 15–17 year adolescents (133 girls, 112 boys) attending secondary schools in Ivanovo.

Results. In self-assessment of awareness, regardless of gender, adolescents highly value their knowledge of a healthy lifestyle. Adolescents often want to learn more about proper nutrition, health risk factors, reproductive health issues. Boys more often than girls consider it unnecessary to adhere to the rules of personal safety, safe reproductive behaviour, full compliance with medical recommendations, admit the possibility of self-medication, go to doctors only in case of illness, violate the principles of a healthy diet and daily routine. It is more difficult for boys than girls to maintain good personal hygiene. Of the negative school factors, girls more often than boys note high pedagogical loads difficulties in relationships with classmates and teachers. They often believe that they need to spend less time at the computer, observe the daily routine, spend enough time to sleep and rest in the fresh air, eat right. That is, they are more responsible and self-critical. Girls more often emphasize their independence in matters of a healthy lifestyle. They believe that for this, they need their conviction and time.

Limitations. The study has age (15–17 year teenagers), regional (Ivanovo) and educational (students of secondary educational institutions) restrictions.

Conclusion. The revealed gender characteristics of awareness and attitude of adolescents to healthy lifestyle make it necessary to take them into account when drawing up programs to improve adolescents’ knowledge. More attention should be paid to safety issues for boys, and for girls, psychological issues should be included.

Contribution:

Filkina O.M. — concept and design of the study, text editing;

Vorobieva E.A., Dolotova N.V. — collection of material and data processing;

Kocherova O.Yu. — statistical processing, text writing;

Malyshkina A.I. — editing.

All authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of the manuscript final version.

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Acknowledgement. The study had no sponsorship.

Received: June 16, 2021 / Accepted: November 25, 2021 / Published: March 10, 2022

Introduction. The problem of long-term pollution of primary environment objects and, accordingly, the safety of population lives in connection with unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine as a component rocket fuel seems to be quite urgent. In this case, the danger lies in the prolonged exposure to the compound in small quantities.

Materials and methods. As the object of these studies, we used unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine (“heptyl”, 1,1-dimethylhydrazine (CH₃)₂N₂H₂, CAS No. 57-14-7) with the substance mass fraction equal to 99.0% and the specific gravity d₄²⁰ = 0.7914 g/cm³. “Heptyl” is highly soluble in water. Toxicological studies on laboratory animals were carried out following the requirements of the current guidelines.

Results. In the course of the experimental studies, chronic 6-month oral intake of unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine in rats at doses of 4.0 · 10^–4 mg/kg, 8.0 · 10^–5 mg/kg and 1.5 · 10^–5 mg/kg was accompanied by changes in the complex of physiological, behavioural, haematological, biochemical and immunological parameters. The linear dose-effect dependence was registered both in the width and depth of the effect. At the same time, the maximum number of statistically significant changes was revealed when exposed to the compound at the highest level and amounted to 26, of which 7 had bisigmal deviations from similar indices in the control group. In the second experimental group, a specific decrease in the toxic effect was recorded, as evidenced by 14 significant shifts in indicators, 3 of which went beyond two sigmas relative to control. In the third experimental group of animals, the considered ratio was 4/0.

Conclusions. Based on the current diagnostic criteria, the dose of unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine 1.5 · 10^–5 mg/kg was adopted as the threshold for chronic general toxic action. The revealed features of the negative impact of unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine were taken into account when substantiating its MPC in water bodies.

Contribution:

Maslennikov A.A. — research concept and design, writing text;

Antonov V.A. — research concept and design;

Khodykina N.V., Velikorodnaya Yu.I. — data collection and processing;

Grishina M.A. — statistical data processing;

Filatov B.N. — editing.

All authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of the manuscript final version.

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Acknowledgement. The study was carried out within the framework of the State Contract for 2019–2020 “Experimental substantiation of the maximum permissible concentration of unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine in the water of water bodies for domestic, drinking and cultural water use”.

Received: June 26, 2021 / Accepted: November 25, 2021 / Published: March 10, 2022

8 февраля 2022 г. исполнилось 80 лет Виктору Александровичу Тутельяну — выдающемуся деятелю отечественной науки и здравоохранения, научному руководителю ФГБУН «Федеральный исследовательский центр питания, биотехнологии и безопасности пищи», академику РАН, доктору медицинских наук, профессору.

26 февраля 2022 г. исполнилось 75 лет одному из ведущих отечественных микробиологов, заслуженному деятелю науки Российской Федерации, доктору медицинских наук, профессору Галине Михайловне Трухиной.