Vol 103, No 11 (2024)

Introduction. Currently, biomarkers (BMs) of chronic stress and their integral indicators are successfully used in prenosological diagnostics and prediction of progressing of chronic diseases and assessing impacts exerted on health by various environmental factors, including occupational ones.

Materials and methods. We used male workers employed at a metal processing enterprise as an example to examine influence exerted by duration of work under harmful conditions on BM trend and integral indicators of their adaptive conjugacy. The examined workers were aged between 24 and 65 years and their work records varied from 1 to 47 years. The analyzed indicators included the number of significant correlations, the weight of the correlation graph (CG), and correlation adaptation coefficient (CAC). Statistical analysis was performed using the Statistica 10.0 software package.

Results. We determined the average level of 16 individual BMs and 5 integral indicators of neuroendocrine, immunoinflammatory and metabolic processes and functional activity of the cardiovascular system in different age groups of subjects (< 10 years; 10–19 years; 20–29 years; ≥ 30). As a result, we established record-dependent elevated levels of cortisol, C-reactive protein and pro-inflammatory cytokines, cholesterol atherogenicity coefficient, blood pressure, body mass index and waist circumference. The highest values of the latter, above the reference limits, were determined in workers with work records ≥ 30 years. The risk group with the greatest adaptive tension consisted of workers with work records of 20–29 years. The lowest values of G and CCA, identified in workers who had to experience harmful working conditions for ≥ 30 years, could indicate a breakdown of adaptation mechanisms and the body’s transition to a state of allostasis.

Limitations. The study included only male blue-collar workers.

Conclusions. Poly-biomarker approach, including correlation adaptometry, is a preferable tool for population assessment of impacts exerted by duration of contacts with harmful occupational factors as opposed to determining levels of individual BMs.

Compliance with ethical standards. The study was conducted after obtaining informed consent from the examined workers and was approved by the local ethical committee of the Saratov International Research Center for Hygiene, Federal Scientific Center for Medical and Preventive Health Risk Management Technologies (protocol No. 3 dated December 02, 2024).

Contribution:
Bezrukova G.A. — the study concept, data collection and analysis, writing the text, references, and editing the text;
Novikova T.A. — data collection and analysis, writing the text, and references;
Kochetova N.A. — data collection and analysis.
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: August 13, 2024 / Revised: August 29, 2024 / Accepted: November 19, 2024 / Published: December 17, 2024

Introduction. Lack of knowledge of the oral status in chemical production workers determines the relevance of this study. In most studies, we did not find sufficiently comprehensive information about working conditions.

Aims. To assess the risks of developing somatic and dental pathologies among chemical production operators depending on the intensity and duration of exposure to chemical factors in order to reduce the occupational cause of health deterioration.

Materials and methods. A comprehensive clinical and hygienic examination was conducted in eight hundred seventy eight isoprene, divinyl, styrene, ethylene oxide production apparatchiks who were exposed to harmful substances. The working conditions are analyzed according to the production control data. The analysis of the microbial profile in periodontal pockets in 128 workers by polymerase chain reaction was performed.

Results. In the studied industries, differences were noted in the levels of exposure of the chemical factor to the body: in the production of divinyl and isoprene, working conditions corresponded to hazard class 3.1, styrene to class 3.2, ethylene oxide to class 3.3. Styrene production workers had a high degree of industrial conditionality of chronic cholecystitis (RR=2.16; EF=53.6%), biliary dyskinesia paths (RR=2.53; EF=60.5%). Ethylene oxide production apparatchiks showed a high degree of industrial conditionality of subatrophic nasopharyngitis (RR=2.60; EF=61.6%), chronic catarrhal laryngitis (RR=2.83; EE=64.7%), and severe chronic periodontitis (RR=2.36; EF=57.7%). The high prevalence of periodontopathogens P. Gingivalis and A. Actinomycetemcomitans has been shown.

Limitation. The lack of immunological and cytogenetic analysis data necessary for preclinical diagnosis of pathological changes in the oral cavity.

Conclusion. Significant differences in the level of exposure of the chemical factor to the health in workers have been revealed. A high degree of industrial conditionality of a number of somatic diseases in workers of styrene and ethylene oxide industries has been determined. The greatest deviations in the state of oral health were observed in ethylene oxide production workers with more than 20 years of work experience. Differences in the species composition of the microbiome of periodontal pockets in ethylene oxide apparatchiks, depending on work experience, were detected.

Compliance with ethical standards. The study was approved by the local ethical committee of the Ufa Scientific Research Institute of Occupational Medicine and Human Ecology (meeting protocol No. 01-11 dated 22.11.2023), and the Helsinki Declaration of the World Medical Association was carried out.

Contribution:
Zaydullin I.I. – the concept and design of the study, writing text, collection and processing of material;
Karimova L.K. – the concept and design of the study, editing;
Kaptsov V.A. – responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of the manuscript final version;
Karimov D.O. – processing of material, statistical processing, editing;
Muldasheva N.A. – 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: May 24, 2024 / Revised: August 20, 2024 / Accepted: October 2, 2024 / Published: December 17, 2024

Introduction. The relevance of the study is due to the medical and social significance of the problem of prevention of cardiovascular diseases in workers in harmful and (or) dangerous working conditions.

The aim is to develop an algorithm for a personalized assessment of the risk of arterial hypertension (AH) when exposed to noise and vibration.

Materials and methods. Two groups were examined: group 1 (four hundred twenty people) consisted of workers of processing plants exposed to noise; group 2 (355 people) – underground miners exposed to combined noise and vibrations. To identify risk factors for hypertension, subgroups are allocated in each group, depending on the presence of hypertension – the “AH+” subgroup and the “AH–” subgroup. Occupational and non-occupational risk factors of hypertension were assessed. For each of the risk factors of hypertension, for which a significant difference was established in the compared subgroups, the prognostic coefficient was calculated using the Wald method of sequential mathematical analysis.

Results. A high prevalence of hypertension was found in workers exposed to noise (43%) and combined effects of noise and vibration (47%) with an average degree of occupational conditioning (RR=1.5–1.57, EF=33.0–34.0%). Prognostically significant risk factors for hypertension were identified: the age of an employee over 50 years, work experience under the influence of noise and vibration for more than 20 years, a smoking index of more than 20, a high level of personal anxiety, a violation of carbohydrate metabolism, a state of maladaptation (index of functional changes IFC>3.1), an imbalance of the autonomic nervous system with a predominance of sympathicotonia (LF/HF>1.5). Based on the results obtained, a personalized algorithm for assessing the total risk of hypertension has been developed.

Limitations. The data obtained was specific to workers exposed to noise and vibration, the methodological approach of this study can be used to assess the risk of hypertension in workers in other occupational groups.

Conclusion. The application of the algorithm will make it possible to identify workers predisposed to hypertension at the early stages of the disease, form groups of dispensary supervision, and carry out preventive measures to prevent the progression of hypertension.

Compliance with ethical standards. The studies were conducted in compliance with the requirements of confidentiality of personal data, ethical standards and principles of conducting medical research with human participation, set out in the Helsinki Declaration of the World Medical Association (ed. 2013). Written consent of the surveyed employees was obtained to participate in the study. The research program was approved by the Committee on Biomedical Ethics of the Federal Scientific Center of Hygiene named after F.F. Erisman (Protocol No. 16 of February 18, 2021).

Contribution:
Sukhova A.V. – research concept, writing text, working with literary sources, editing;
Preobrazhenskaya E.A. – the concept of research, collection and processing of material, writing text, 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: November 8, 2024 / Accepted: November 19, 2024 / Published: December 17, 2024

Introduction. In the basic treatment of a number of diseases, including neuropathies, which are one of the main manifestations of vibration disease (VD), preference is given to the complex use of several physical methods, which allows obtainingt an effect that is not achievable if only one of the influencing factors is used.

The aim of the study. Improving the effectiveness of drug-free treatment of the vibration disease associated with exposure to local vibration.

Materials and methods. Using the combined effects of acupuncture (IRT) and pulsed magnetic stimulation (MS), there were treated thirty eight male patients (average age 47.6±4.3 years, average work experience in contact with local vibration – 20.8±3.4 years). All cases had a diagnosis of VD associated with exposure to local vibration. The effectiveness of treatment was assessed by the results of EEG, electroneuromyography (ENMG), and registration of somatosensory evoked potentials (SSVP), algesimetry, and determination of vibration sensitivity. A psychological examination was conducted.

Results. After treatment, an improvement in indices of visual and somatosensory evoked potentials, vibration sensitivity and algesimetry data was found. There was an increase in the time of propagation of arousal along afferent and efferent axons, and the mnestic-attentional and psychoemotional spheres of activity were normalized. The use of therapy methods weakened the chronization of the pathological process, prevented patients from becoming ill.

Limitations. The limitation of the study may be that the testing of non-drug treatments was not compared with the results obtained with drug therapy.

Conclusion. The proposed therapy has expanded the possibilities of rehabilitation in VD patients. The use of IRT in combination with MS increased the level of compensatory and restorative processes in the central and peripheral nervous systems. The proposed treatment method does not require patients to stay in a hospital, which will reduce treatment costs.

Compliance with ethical standards. Conclusion of the Local Ethic Committee of the East Siberian Institute of Medical and Environmental Research, No. 32 dated 09.10.2019.

Contribution:
Slivnitsyna N.V., Rusanova D.V. – the concept and design of the study, the collection of material and data processing, statistical processing, text writing, formatting and editing an article;
Katamanova E.V. – concept and design of the study, collection and processing of material, writing and formatting of the article;
Lakhman O.L. – concept and design of the study, editing;
Kuleshova M.V., Kuptsova N.G. – collection and processing of material, writing and formatting 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.

Acknowledgement. The study had no sponsorship.

Received: May 13, 2024 / Revised: October 23, 2024 / Accepted: November 19, 2024 / Published: December 17, 2024

Introduction. Stable post-vaccination immunity and prediction of vaccination immunologic effectiveness are topical issues that require profound studies with their focus on the role in their formation that belongs to exogenous factors.

The aim of this study was to establish pathogenetic peculiarities of the development of impairments of post-vaccination immunity to infections manageable by specific prevention in schoolchildren under combined exposure to chemical environmental factors as well as factors related to the educational process, lifestyle, and diet.

Materials and methods. We analyzed laboratory test results and data obtained by questioning and analyzing diet records of one hundred eighty four children vaccinated against diphtheria, whooping cough, and measles. The children attended either a secondary school with standard educational programs (Reference Group) or a secondary school with profound studies of some subjects (Observation Group). Priority risk factors and etiopathogenetic peculiarities of the development of post-vaccination immunity impairments were identified by building one-factor logistic regression models and sequential modelling.

Results. The schoolchildren from the School 2 had to study in an environment that did not conform to hygienic requirements to the management of the educational process; they did not consume biologically valuable foods in recommended quantities; their blood was contaminated with metals and aromatic hydrocarbons; they had high levels of digital activity but their physical activity was low. Given all this, intensity of their humoral post-vaccination immunity against diphtheria and whooping cough was 1.2–1.7 times lower than in the Reference Group. We identified determinants of advers effects produced on post-vaccination immunity development by the analyzed factors and determined their isolated and combined contributions to likelihood of a decline in intensity of humoral immunity to diphtheria (10–55% and 72%) and whooping cough (13–40% and 77%). We established pathogenetic peculiarities and marker laboratory indices of risk-associated impairments of post-vaccination immunity to diphtheria and whooping cough under combined exposure to the analyzed factors.

Limitations. The study results were obtained without considering types of applied vaccines.

Conclusion. The established pathogenetic aspects of risk-associated impairments of post-vaccination immunity to diphtheria and measles under combined exposure to the set of the analyzed factors are target ones for hygienic activities, prediction, and immunity correction.

Compliance with ethical standards. The study was accomplished in conformity with the ethical standards set for biomedical research on human subjects (WMA Declaration of Helsinki); the study was approved by the local ethics committee of the Federal Scientific Center for Medical and Preventive Health Risk Management Technologies; the participants or their legal representative provided their informed consent to take part in the study.

Contribution:
Valina S.L. – statistical data analysis and writing the text;
Ustinova О.Yu. – writing and editing the text;
Zaitseva N.V. – the study concept and design;
Shtina I.Е. – clinical and laboratory tests, data collection and statistical data analysis;
Maklakova О.А. – data analysis;
Makarova V.G. – clinical and laboratory tests, data analysis by.
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: August12, 2024 / Revised: October 24, 2024 / Accepted: November 19, 2024 / Published: December 17, 2024

Introduction. At present, incidence of musculoskeletal diseases is growing in children, especially in areas with poor quality of the environment

The purpose of the study was to identify markers of the development of musculoskeletal pathology in children to minimize the risk of health under conditions of exposure to emissions from a non-ferrous metal alloy production plant.

Materials and methods. We performed clinical examination in four hundred ninety five 5 and 7 years children (54.3% boys and 45.7% girls). They lived in a large industrial center where safe standards for chemical in ambient air were violated per aluminum (up to 3.06 average daily MPL) and gaseous fluorides (up to 8.25 average daily MPL). Also, we examined 95 children (57.9% boys and 42.1% girls) who lived in an area where the foregoing chemicals were detected in ambient air in levels not exceeding 0.3–0.54 average daily MPL. The children were examined by pediatrician. Levels of aluminum and fluoride-ion were determined in urine. We examined phosphor-calcium metabolism indices and markers of bone tissue synthesis and resorption. The study also involved performing ultrasound densitometry.

Results. The children form the observation group had aluminum and fluoride-ion levels in their urine up to 3.2 times a higher than their peers from the reference group. Likelihood of musculoskeletal pathology, including deforming dorsopathy, was found to be up to 1.3 times higher for the exposed children. Bone metabolism failure manifested itself in the exposed children through elevated levels of ionized calcium in blood; elevated levels of N-osteocalcin in 25.4% of the exposed children and elevated activity of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase in 59.3%. Bone marrow resorption was by 9.2 times more likely to be activated in the exposed children from a large industrial center. Impaired bone tissue remodelling was accompanied with lower bone mineral density in 54.7% of the exposed children.

Limitations. The study was conducted on 5–7 years children.

Conclusion. Markers of bone tissue metabolism disorders can be used to implement sanitary-epidemiological and medical-preventive measures to reduce the risk of developing osteopathic conditions in childhood.

Compliance with ethical standards. The clinical examination was performed in accordance with the ethical principles of the Helsinki Declaration of the World Medical Association (as amended in 2013) and the National Standard of the Russian Federation GOST R 52379-2005 “Good Clinical Practice” (ICH E6 GCP), approved by the Ethics Committee of the Federal State Budgetary Institution “FNC MPT URZN” (Protocol No. 2, 2017). Legal representatives signed a voluntary informed consent to the examination of children.

Contribution:
Maklakova O.A. – study concept and design, data collection and analysis, statistical analysis, writing and editing the text;
Ustinova O.Yu. – study concept and design, editing the text;
Valina S.L. – data collection and analysis, editing the text.
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: August 12, 2024 / Revised: September 9, 2024 / Accepted: November 19, 2024 / Published: December 17, 2024

The economic development of a state is largely determined by an effective system of training highly qualified personnel and is greatly influenced by the health status in young people. Students are constantly under the influence of a complex of factors: socio-economic, environmental, medical-biological, climatic-geographical, and others, the combined impact of which can lead to both improvement and deterioration of their health. Consequently, studying the risk factors affecting the health in students is a relevant direction and the basis for effective primary prevention of adverse factor influences during the learning period.

The aim of this work is to examine the current aspects of modern students’ health status and the factors affecting it.

To achieve this goal, an analysis of literary data included in the databases “Scopus”, “Web of Science”, “PubMed”, “eLibrary”, and “Cyberleninka” was conducted. The search was carried out using queries “Student morbidity”, “Student health”, and “Risk factors”.

As a result, it was established that the health status in student youth is deteriorating. Medical students have lower health indices compared to students from other universities. Climatic-geographical and ecological features of the region (using Primorsky Krai as an example) was shown to be potent of causing specific deviations in the health status of young people. Thus, despite active research conducted in recent years on the problem of student health status, determining the factors influencing its formation, and developing and implementing preventive measures remains an unresolved task. This problem requires further research, especially in the regional aspect.

Contributions:
Trankovskaya L.V., Kaptsov V.A. – concept and design of the study, editing;
Shestera A.A. – concept and design of the study, material collection and data processing, writing the text;
Nagirnaya L.N. – planning and organization of the study.
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: May 19, 2024 / Revised: July 4, 2024 / Accepted: November 19, 2024 / Published: December 17, 2024

Introduction. Within the Demography National Project, the Federal Service for Supervision in Protection of the Rights of Consumer and Man Wellbeing (Rospotrebnadzor) performs specific activities aimed at creating an environment that raises people’s awareness about health diets. The number of people who have been educated on the matter represented an index of the key performance, unfortunately, it does not show whether any socially significant results have been achieved, first of all, concerning health protection.

The aim of this study is to suggest a complex approach to assessing effectiveness of introduction of educational programs on health diets implemented within the Demography National Project.

Materials and methods. Effectiveness of educational activities was assessed using the data obtained following the introduction of The Educational Program for Population Residing in Specific Areas as regards Environmental Exposures (macro- and micro-nutrient deficiency, specific climatic conditions) (hereinafter called The Program). The program was implemented relying on an educational resource for distance learning between April 2021 and May 2024. The obtained data was analyzed by using non-parametric statistical techniques. Health status was analyzed using data on incidence associated with unhealthy diets. Economic efficiency was estimated in conformity with the established methodology.

Results. A complex approach is suggested to assess whether implementation of educational programs is effective. It includes such characteristics as a number of people, who mastered a program; level of attained knowledge and its trend; modelling a relationship that involves determining how many disease cases have been prevented; as well as economic efficiency assessment.

Using one Program as an example, we analyzed such indices as the percentage of population who mastered it; their initial and attained level of knowledge (according to data obtained by control activities); the percentage of people with positive trend in the level of attained knowledge (per the results of individual check-ups). In addition to that, we calculated the number of prevented diseases associated with unhealthy diets (four hundred seventy two diseases of the musculoskeletal system) with the following assessment of implemented activities per economic indices (not less than 41.5 million rubles of the gross domestic product (GDP) losses prevented annually).

Limitations. When analyzing how many people mastered the program, we relied on data about introduction of the program based on using only one communication channel.

Conclusion. Use of this complex approach to assessing effectiveness of implementation of educational programs on healthy diets makes it possible to clearly show whether short-term goals (percentages of people with positive trend in the level of attained knowledge are the most informative index) as well as long-term ones (incidence associated with unhealthy diets) have been successfully achieved. It also allows estimating economic efficiency of implemented activities.

Compliance with ethical standards. The study was approved by the Local Ethics Committee of the Federal Scientific Center for Medical and Preventive Health Risk Management Technologies of the Federal Service for Surveillance over Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing (The Meeting Report No.3 dated March 01, 2019).

Contribution:
Lir D.N. – the study concept and design, data systematization and analysis, their interpretation, and writing the test and resume;
Shur P.Z. – the study concept and editing the text;
Alekseev V.B. – the study concept and editing the text;
Goleva О.I. – economic estimates;
Luzhetskiy К.P. – editing the text;
Kamaltdinov М.R. – database creation.
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 4, 2024 / Revised:, 2024 / Accepted: November 19, 2024 / Published: December 17, 2024

Introduction. Ready-to-cook food products are becoming more and more popular among consumers. They have certain consumer benefits making cooking more comfortable; still, such products pose serious threats for consumer health. The basic reasons for that include the following: ready-to-cook products are made of many various components; manufacture of such products involves multiple manual operations; it is hard to observe safety requirements at production facilities; etc. Optimization of monitoring over such products seems relevant and significant since it can provide more targeted control and surveillance.

The aim of this study was to suggest possible ways to optimize monitoring over safety of ready-to-cook products based on analyzing long-term results of laboratory tests performed on such products all over the country.

Materials and methods. There was used data from the annual federal statistical observation form No. 18 “Information on the sanitary condition of a constituent entity of the Russian Federation” and data from Laboratory Support section of the Unified Information-Analytical System (UIAS) presented by the Federal Service for Supervision in Protection of the Rights of Consumer and Man Wellbeing (Rospotrebnadzor). Risk profiles were created for specific ready-to-cook products considering the likelihood of violations of mandatory safety requirements and severity of potential adverse health outcomes caused by these violations.

Results. We established that in general the proportion of samples that violated mandatory safety requirements equaled approximately 3.5%. Ready-to-cook food products not conforming to safety standards were detected 2.2–3.8 times more frequently at retail outlets and food providers than in educational establishments or healthcare institutions. Total bacterial contamination (TBC), coliform bacteria (CB), S. Aureus, and certain non-conforming sanitary-chemical indicators are priority health risk factors of ready-to-cook products. These are subject to mandatory laboratory control when each product sample is tested. It seems advisable to change the structure of samples taken within monitoring activities increasing proportions of analyzed samples of salads, drinks (juices), and mixed dishes (meat / fish with trimmings).

Limitations. The limitations of the study include the analyzed data set (an in-depth analysis of the results of monitoring culinary products was performed on only one region).

Conclusion. Optimization of monitoring over safety of ready-to-cook products that involves using risk profile makes control (surveillance) activities more targeted, ensures a growth in a number of detected violations and withdrawal of low-quality unsafe ready-to-good products from the market.

Compliance with ethical standards. This research has not required any approval by a local ethics committee (the research has been accomplished using public data).

Contributions:
Nikiforova N.V. – the study design, data collection and analysis, writing the text;
May I.V. – the study concept and design, writing and editing the text;
Popova Е.V. – data collection and analysis;
Kravchenko А.V. – data collection and analysis, editing the text.
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 23, 2024 / Revised: October 25, 2024 / Accepted: November 19, 2024 / Published: December 17, 2024

Introduction. Atherosclerotic changes in blood vessels are one of the main causes of death from cardiovascular diseases worldwide. The use of modern approaches to the study of the disease giving a more detailed description of its pathophysiology may open up additional opportunities for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Metabolomics is one of such approaches allows obtaining information on a large number of compounds, the combination of which reflects ongoing metabolic changes. The data presented in this article supplement our previously published study results.

The study aimed to find the relationship between the thickness of the wall of the thoracic aorta in animals on a hyperlipidemic diet and the content of metabolites in the blood.

Materials and methods. The study involved thirty male albino Wistar rats. Atherosclerosis was modelled using a diet consisting of standard feed, simple sugars and fats with the addition of vitamin D3 and Thiamazole. Liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry was used for the metabolomics blood test. Histological sections of rat thoracic aortas were stained with hematoxylin and eosin for the analysis.

Results. Histopathological examination of the thoracic aorta in the animals fed with the atherogenic diet revealed morphological signs of atherosclerosis with severe calcification of the vascular wall. The wall of the thoracic aorta in cases (2.61 ± 0.05 µm) was statistically thicker than in the controls (1.82 ± 0.01 µm) (p < 0.001). Correlation analysis revealed significant negative relationships between thoracic aortic wall thickness and arginine, indole and three of its derivatives, and ketodeoxycholic acid, and positive relationships with glutamate, ophthalmic acid, adenosine diphosphate, two long-chain acylcarnitines, glycocholic acid, oxidized fatty acid, and six lysoglycerophospholipids.

Limitations. The study included only Wistar rats with a limited number of rodents per group.

Conclusion. The relationship between metabolomic alterations in blood and thickness of the wall of the rat thoracic aorta indicates metabolic restructuring typical for atherosclerosis, resulting from oxidative stress, an ongoing inflammatory response, and lipid metabolism disorders characterized by severe calcification, endothelial dysfunction, and increased thrombosis.

Compliance with ethical standards. Study approval was provided by the Local Ethics Committee of the Yekaterinburg Medical Research Center for Prophylaxis and Health Protection in Industrial Workers (Protocol No. 1/1 of June 9, 2022).

Contribution:
Unesikhina M.S. — study conception and design, data collection and analysis, draft manuscript preparation;
Chemezov A.I. — study conception and design, data collection and analysis;
Sutunkova M.P. — study conception and design, editing;
Minigalieva I.A. — study conception and design, editing;
Kungurtseva A.K. — data collection and analysis, editing.
All authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of its final version.

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

Acknowledgment. The study had no sponsorship.

Received: October 18, 2024 / Revised: October 29, 2024 / Accepted: November 19, 2024 / Published: December 17, 2024

Introduction. Methods and technologies for assessing and managing risk are becoming the basic mechanisms for ensuring the protection of the health in citizens and the environment from the harmful effects of environmental factors. This is explained by the presence of constant threats associated with the influence of these factors, including the use of modern methods of introducing chemicals during agricultural work. Agricultural unmanned aircraft systems (AUAS) designed to spray pesticides are increasingly being used around the world. The basis for the safe use of pesticides for the population is to minimize the possibility of their spread through the air and settling on the soil outside the treated area, which is ensured by compliance with hygienic requirements for equipment used in agriculture, application regulations, weather conditions during processing, and the size of the sanitary gap between the treated area and settlements, water bodies, etc.

The purpose of this study was to substantiate the safe distances from areas of agricultural application of pesticides using AUAS to objects regulated in accordance with sanitary legislation (settlements, sources of household, drinking and cultural water use, etc.).

Materials and methods. The demolition formed during the application of pesticides of various purposes using AUAS has been studied. The content of drugs carried away by air currents was monitored by measuring the concentration of the substance in the atmospheric air and deposited on the “blue ribbon” filters placed in Petri dishes outside the processing band.

Results. The maximum concentrations of substances in the atmospheric air at all distances from the treatment site were below their hygienic standards for atmospheric air. There is a clear decrease in concentrations in air samples as they move away from the treated area and a nonlinear decrease in concentrations in sedimentation samples with the presence of weak local maxima.

Limitations. A small sample of the studied substances, due to the limited time of the study, does not allow unambiguously identifying the patterns of drift formation depending on their physical-chemical properties, in particular volatility, molecular weight, etc.

Conclusion. The data obtained indicate to the need to continue research for a reasoned correction or confirmation, proposed based on the results of the tests, of the safe distance (700 m) from the sites treated with pesticides to the facilities normalized in accordance with sanitary legislation.

Compliance with ethical standards. This study does not require the conclusion of a biomedical ethics committee or other documents.

Contribution:
Rakitskii V.N. – concept and design of research, scientific guidance;
Kuzmin S.V. – scientific guidance;
Bereznyak I.V. – concept and design of research, material collection and data processing, analysis and interpretation of results, statistical processing, writing text;
Mishina A.L. – concept and design of research, collection of material, data processing and visualization, analysis and interpretation of results, writing text;
Veshchemova T.E. – literature data collection, data processing, writing text;
Artemova O.V. – material collection and data 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 was carried out within the framework of the of the Federal Service for Supervision in Protection of the Rights of Consumer and Man Wellbeing (Rospotrebnadzor) industry program “Scientific substantiation of the national system for ensuring sanitary and epidemiological well-being, health risk management and improving the quality of life of the Russian population” (2021–2025).

Received: October 28, 2024 / Accepted: November 19, 2024 / Published: December 17, 2024

Introduction. Lead impact on health considering likely pathways of its molecular interactions in the body have not been given sufficient attention by researchers.

The aim of this study was to assess polymorphism of the MTNR1B C/G (rs10830963) and TCF7L2 C/T (rs7903146) genes in children as a risk factor of hepatobiliary pathology in case of heavy metal contamination in biological media (exemplified by lead).

Materials and methods. We examined ninety three 3–6 years children (39 children had hepatobiliary pathology and 54 children were considered healthy) who were exposed to low-dose airborne lead (0.1MPL_a.d.), the average daily dose being 0.4 · 10^–3 µg/kg · day. We estimated frequency of alleles and genotypes of the candidate genes MTNR1B C/G (rs10830963) and TCF7L2-1 C/T (rs7903146) associated with levels of lead contamination in biological media and hepatobiliary pathology.

Results. The children from the observation group were established to have authentically high frequency of the G allele (OR=1.92, CI: 1.04–3.54) and GG genotype (OR=7.80, CI: 1.58–38.51; p<0.05) of the MTNR1B gene, as well as C wild type allele (OR=2.07, CI: 1.02–4.20; p<0.05) and CC genotype (OR=2.42, CI: 1.02–5.70; p<0.05) of the TCF7L2-1 gene, which were risk factors (RR=1.20–1.43) of developing hepatobiliary pathology aggravated by lead contamination in blood.

Limitations. Limited sampling, the need to verify the results in further observations.

Conclusion. The study established children with hepatobiliary pathology who lived under long-term low-dose exposure to airborne lead at the dose of 0.4 · 10^–3 µg/kg · day (0.1MPL_a.d.) to have elevated lead levels in blood and impaired biorhythms of smooth muscles in the bile duct combined with the risk (RR=1.20–1.43) of developing hepatobiliary pathology in carriers of G allele (OR=1.92, CI: 1.04–3.54; p<0.05) of the MTNR1B gene as well as C wild type allele (OR=2.07, CI: 1.02–4.20; p<0.05) of the TCF7L2-1 gene.

Compliance with ethical standards. The study was conducted in compliance with the principles of the Helsinki Declaration of the BMA and approved by the LEK of the Federal State Budgetary Institution “FNC of Medical and Preventive Technologies for Public Health Risk Management” (Minutes of meeting No. 4 dated 01/17/2022). All participants gave informed voluntary written consent to participate in the study.

Contribution:
Dolgikh O.V. – concept and design of the study, editing the text;
Kazakova O.A. – research design, data processing, text writing;
Luchnikova V.A. – material collection and data processing.
All authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of its final version.

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

Acknowledgement. The study had no sponsorship.

Received: September 23, 2024 / Accepted: November 19, 2024 / Published: December 17, 2024

Introduction. Lead production technologies pollute the air with aerosol nanoparticles, including those of lead oxide (PbO NPs). Lead can cause oxidative stress that leads to cell death. Experimental studies of effects of PbO NPs at the gene transcription level will expand our knowledge of the mechanisms of PbO NP toxicity and improve assessment of health risks for the population exposed to them.

The purpose was to study the expression of genes involved in antioxidant protection and apoptosis following subchronic inhalation exposure of lead nanoparticles to rats.

Materials and methods. Female albino rats were exposed to PbO NPs in an inhalation chamber at a concentration of 1.55 ± 0.06 mg/m³, 4 hours a day, 5 days a week for 1 month; the control group breathed clean air in a similar chamber. After exposure cessation, RNA was isolated from fragments of the olfactory bulb, cerebellum, lung, and liver. Expression of the P53, BAX, BCL-2, GSTM1, GSTP1, and SOD2 genes was determined by quantitative real-time PCR. The data was analyzed using the Mann-Whitney test.

Results. In the olfactory bulb, BCL-2 gene expression was significantly lower, while that of P53 was higher in the exposed rodents compared to the controls. In the cerebellum of the exposed animals, BAX and P53 genes expression was statistically higher and lower than in the control group, respectively. BCL-2 gene expression in the liver was significantly lower in the exposed group.

Limitations. The experiment involved only female rats, so it does not take into account sex differences and considers only gene expression, neglecting post-translational mechanisms and protein expression.

Conclusion. Inhalation exposure to PbO NPs at the concentration of 1.55 ± 0.06 mg/m³ causes changes in the expression of genes associated with mitochondrial apoptosis in the brain and liver, but not in the lungs of laboratory rats.

Compliance with ethical standards. The local Ethics Committee of the Yekaterinburg Medical Research Center for Prophylaxis and Health Protection in Industrial Workers concluded the animals were kept, fed, cared for, and sacrificed in accordance with generally accepted requirements, taking into account the ARRIVE guidelines. Ethics approval was provided by the local Ethics Committee of the Yekaterinburg Medical Research Center for Prophylaxis and Health Protection in Industrial Workers (protocol No. 4 of July 12, 2022).

Contribution:
Kikot A.M. – data collection and processing, statistical analysis, draft manuscript preparation, editing;
Shaikhova D.R. – data collection and processing, draft manuscript preparation, editing;
Bereza I.A. – data collection and processing, draft manuscript preparation, editing;
Minigalieva I.A., Sutunkova M.P. – study conception and design, editing;
Nikogosyan K.M. – data collection, 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: October 18, 2024 / Accepted: November 19, 2024 / Published: December 17, 2024

Introduction. Micro- and nano-sized suspended particles may be toxic to humans more than larger particles. Effects of these particles can cause diseases of the respiratory, cardiovascular, endocrine and immune system, etc. There are no safety standards for micro-sized particles PM_1.0 at present in the Russian Federation.

The aim of this work is scientific substantiation of the safe level of micro-sized suspended particles PM_1.0 in ambient air.

Materials and methods. Safe PM_1.0 levels in ambient air upon long-term inhalation intake were established on the base of selecting previously conducted relevant studies and assessment of the quantitative and qualitative data (assessment of study design elements, exposure levels, adverse health responses (effects), etc.) provided in them. In key studies ‘point of departure’ for exposure was established most relevant for substantiating safe PM_1.0 levels; these levels were then calculated considering use of the total (complex) modifying factor.

Results. Out of sixty eight publications reported the results obtained in studies with their focus on effects of PM_1.0 on the health, two key studies were selected for the procedure for justifying the value of the PM_1.0 safe level in ambient air, namely, Zhang et al., 2021 and Yu et al., 2020. The safe level for PM_1.0 upon chronic inhalation exposure is scientifically substantiated at 0.002 mg/m³ based on establishing the values of modifying factors and calculating the total (complex) modifying factor.

Limitations. The study does not provide any toxicological results.

Conclusion. The proposed safe PM_1.0 level in ambient air (0.002 mg/m³) has the potential for practical application in the health risk assessment as a reference concentration, as well as for use in the system for sanitary and hygienic regulation.

Compliance with ethical standards. The study did not require the opinion of a biomedical ethics committee (the study was performed on publicly available data).

Contribution:
Zaitseva N.V. — the study concept, organization and implementation of a full-scale experiment, editing;
Kleyn S.V. — the study concept and design, writing the text, and editing;
Chetverkina K.V. — design of the study, collection, and processing of material, writing the text;
Andrishunas A.M., Tsinker M.Yu. — collection, and processing of material, writing the text.
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: Auugust 13, 2024 / Accepted: November 19, 2024 / Published: December 17, 2024

In the modern world, against the background of high rates of industrialization and economic progress, environmental safety problems are becoming more acute. The issues of industrial mercury pollution of environmental objects, which has adverse consequences for public health, are relevant. The main mechanisms of mercury impact on the human body have been identified, and further study of the effects of low doses of the toxicant over the long-term follow-up period is also necessary.The literature on the databases Scopus, Web of Science, MedLine, SpringerLink, Sciencedirect was analyzed.

Conclusion. There are cases in the world when environmental disasters caused by global pollution caused irreparable harm to human health. At the present stage of industrial development, the issues of anthropogenic mercury pollution of habitat objects remain relevant. The danger of chronic exposure to low doses of the toxicant comes to the fore, which also requires further study to develop preventive measures to offset the impact on public health.

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

Acknowledgement. The study had no sponsorship.

Received: August 23, 2024 / Revised: September 27, 2024 / Accepted: November 19, 2024 / Published: December 17, 2024

Food falsification has been recognized in Russia as a social problem since the mid 17^th century. Historical documents testify to government measures aimed at combating fraud in the food supply industry. The foundation of the first hygienic laboratories made it possible to establish the scale of this phenomenon, collect evidence based on the results of laboratory studies, and develop regulatory documents and production standards that determine the quality and safety of food products for human health. The consequences of manufacturing, selling and consuming counterfeit food products are associated with the risk of losing health, reducing life expectancy, increasing mortality from alimentary diseases and food poisoning. For centuries, there has been an intensified fight against counterfeit products, but the problem is still relevant today. Violations in the food circulation sphere have led to the adoption of legislative and regulatory acts in recent years aimed at improving state policy measures in this area.

Contributions:
Mikailova O.M., Gavrilenko O.L. – research concept, editing;
Tarasova F.V. – collection and processing of material, writing the text, compiling the list of references, 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: November 7, 2024 / Accepted: November 19, 2024 / Published: December 17, 2024