Vol 19, No 10 (2012)

Operating Surface Haul Trucks (SHT) exposes mineworkers to whole body vibration (WBV), but risk assessment methods are not uniform in the Barents Region. We intended to measure WBV exposure from SHT, and discuss and compare risk assessment outcome by European and Russian methods. 17 WBV measurements were performed at the operator seat interface on 14 SHTs in an open cast mine in Northwest Russia. Measurement periods ranged from 13 to 58 minutes in real work cycles during 8 hours of driving. It was found that mean WBV exposure (A(8) rms) for the 14 SHT’s was (1.0 ± 0.23) m/s 2, mean crest factor - (12.78 ± 5.26) and mean vibration dose value - (10.35 ± 2.61) m/s 1· 75. The study shows that WBV levels defining the lower limit of hazard class 3.2 (Russia) is close to the limit value 1.15 m/s 2 (European countries).

Influence of various modes of repeated extreme general air cryogenic trainings at t = —110±5 °С on the levels of health determined by types of nonspecific adaptable reactions and a condition of reactance, is studied. The parallel group analysis with the fixed dose (only 10 sessions lasting 2,5-3 minutes) and a choice of investigated out of almost healthy persons and patients with initial stages of diseases in remission stage on the basis of requirements to a method of open stratification randomization was carried out. The received results show possibility of positive modulation of types of the adaptive reactions, being nonspecific basis of higher levels of health, practically at all three modes of cryogenic influences. Gender features of influence of extreme cryogenic trainings on the states of health (health, intermediate state, illness) are revealed determined by types of adaptive reactions of an organism and corresponding levels of reactance that it is necessary to consider when choosing a procedure mode.

This article presents the results of a qualitative study using focus-group discussion to collect data and content analysis of the information of the answers of informants as an analytical tool to identify the main causes of poor health activity of parents of children with serious diseases and to develop the main directions of its improvement. 18 women aged 30-55 years, parents and close relatives of children with serious diseases, medical and social workers took place in discussion. Focus group discussion revealed a social and professional policies of all representatives, allowed to come to a consensus about a common reason for the low medical activity of parents of children with serious diseases and to suggest ways to improve it.

Hipergomocystenemia (HHC) is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular deseases. According to research in HHC incidence of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) increases by 3-4 times. There are hereditary and acquired causes of HHC. One of the reasons is the presence of inherited genetic polymorphisms in the MTHFR gene. According to research conducted by us, the level of homocysteine (HC) plasma at the time of admission was higher than the reference values in 75 % of cases (95 % CI: 60-86). On the 14th day of flow above the AMI level of HC reference values was observed in 73 % (95 % CI: 57-84) cases. The level of HC in patients with homozygous MTHFR gene polymorphism was significantly higher than in patients with heterozygous polymorphism, or without it on the first day of flow of AMI (p = 0.028), and on the 14th day course of acute myocardial infarction (p = 0.001.) In assessment of the long-term outcome after coronary flow AMI endpoints (development of re-infarction, unstable angina, stroke, repeat revascularization, death from CHD), there has been established a clear correlation between the presence of genetic polymorphisms in the MTHFR gene and the development of re-infarction (p = 0.04), the need to repeat revascularization (p = 0.003), the development of unstable angina (p = 0.001). In patients with homozygous polymorphism in the gene encoding MTHFR, re-infarction occurred more frequently (p = 0.021). These data suggest HHC, as one of the most important risk factors for AMI, as well as a higher level of HHC and more severe course of acute myocardial infarction in patients with the presence of polymorphisms in the MTHFR gene.