Post-Chornobyl remote radiation effects on human sperm and seminal plasma characteristics.

AIM: The research was aimed on analysis of the remote consequences of Chornobyl accident on the reproductive function of men adult residing in Ukraine. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 232 male volunteers with mean age of 34 years (range 20-47) from 5 different regions of Ukraine (Zhytomyr, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kyiv, Poltava, and Kyiv city) were enrolled in cross-sectional studies of long term radiation effects on seminal plasma and sperm. All manipulations, analysis and classification of ejaculates were done accordingly to WHO recommendations. The content of neutral α-glucosidase, fructose, citric acid in the seminal plasma was determined by spectrophotometry, L-carnitine - by high performance liquid chromatography, zinc - by atomic absorption spectroscopy. RESULTS: In the men residing in the regions heavily contaminated with radioonuclides, the decreased sperm quality with concurrent asthenozoospermia, oligozoospermia, teratozoospermia, asthenoteratozoospermia, oligoasthenoteratozoospermia and oligoteratozoospermia was revealed. Moreover, the concomitant shifts in seminal plasma content of neutral α-glucosidase, fructose, citric acid, L-carnitine and zinc were detected. CONCLUSION: The study has revealed the ample sperm and semen abnormalities amongst the inhabitants of radiation polluted territories that should have to be a subject of careful research in forthcoming years. This article is a part of a Special Issue entitled "The Chornobyl Nuclear Accident: Thirty Years After".

Impact peculiarities of long-term gamma-irradiation with low-dose rate on the development of laboratory rats and their sperm production. / OSOBLYVOSTI VPLYVU DOVGOTRYVALOGO GAMMA-OPROMINENNIa MALOi POTUZhNOSTI NA ROZVYTOK LABORATORNYKh ShchURIV TA iKh SPERMOUTVORENNIa.

OBJECTIVE: To study the influence of long-term gamma-irradiation with low dose rate (13×10-6 cGy/s) on the body, testes and ventral prostate, development of laboratory rats, as well as quantitative parameters of sperm production along with kinetic characteristics of spermatozoa. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The experiments were performed on laboratory white rats of 2,5 months in age. Animals were irradiated in gamma-field of "Ethalon" device in a dose range 0.1-1.0 Gy. Testicles, epididymises, ventral prostate were retrieved from decapitated animal, each organ weight being determined for every exposure dose. Sperm quantities in testicles and epididymises were identified with aid of phase-contrast microscopy after tissue homogenization in saline containing Troton X-100 and NaN3. Kinetic characteristics of spermatozoa were analyzed by video recording at 37 ºC. RESULTS: The long-term gamma-irradiation with low dose rate was shown to cause no effect on the dynamics of animal weight and weight of epididymis changes. However the testes weight was noticed to diminish at doses 0.1, 0.3, 0.6 and 1.0 Gy, the latter dose being stimulative for the ventral prostate growth and weight accumulation. Total sperm quantities in testicles and epididymices along with daily sperm production declined in gamma-irradiated rats compared to control. However curvilinear and straight line spermatozoid velocity as well as the frequency of tail oscillations tended to increase. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term gamma-irradiation of rat whole body with low dose rate just insignificantly affects the development of testes and ventral prostate. Apart from this, radiation effects showed up in sperm production slight suppression, from the on hand, and sperm velocity along with tail oscillations intensification, from the other hand.

Variation of rabbit sperm physiologic parameters after the X-ray exposure.

OBJECTIVE: To study the impact of X-irradiation on the morpho-functional characteristics of rabbit spermatozoa and the contents of fructose, L-carnitine, α-tocopherol, ascorbate and citrate in the animal sperm. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The total body irradiation of rabbits (Soviet Shinchilla) was performed at the RUM-17 device in the dose range of 1.0-7.0 Gy with 2.8·10-3 Gy/sec intensity. The animal sperm was collected by the artificial vagina and then separated on seminal plasma and spermatozoa through centrifugation. Sperm concentration, motility, morphology and linear velocity were identified using the "MBI-6" light microscope. The quantitative determination of ascorbate, α-tocopherol and L-carnitine in seminal plasma was made on the "Agilent 1200" liquid chromatograph, while the concentration of fructose and citrate was measured on a spectrophotometer. RESULTS: The X-ray irradiation was shown to cause a dose-dependent suppressing effect on the prostate, seminal vesicles and epididymices expresed through the decreased content of fructose, citrate, L-carnitine, α-tocopherol and ascorbate in a rabbit sperm. Simultaneously the exacerbation of morphologic anomalies (damage of acrosomes, heads and tails) in spermatozoa along with spermatozoid motility and linear velocity decrease were elucidated. CONCLUSION: The run-time pattern of morpho-functional changes in spermatozoa together with component content of rabbit sperm in response to the total body irradiation was studied. Consequently the dose dependent raise of morphologic anomalies (damage of acrosomes, heads and tails) in spermatozoa and the slowing of spermatozoid linear velocity was found out. The sperm capacity to fulfill the post-radiation recovery was proven up. The effectiveness of the latter was shown to be dependent upon the radiation dose absorbed and the duration of post-irradiation period.

[Using method of DNA microelectrophoresis for the assessment of genotoxic effects of mutagens in cultured human hemopoietic cells]. / Primenenie metoda mikroélektroforeza DNK dlia otsenki genotoksicheskikh éffektov mutagenov v kul'ture gemopoéticheskikh kletok cheloveka.

Formation of single- and double strand breaks in DNA which may be discovered by microelectrophoresis in agarose gel is one of the criterion of genetical lesions in cells as a result of apoptosis or of genotoxic agent action. Genotoxic action of nickel chloride at the level of DNA of the individual cells in the initial culture of human embryonic haemopoietic cells was studied. It has been shown that about 2% cells in the studied in vitro populations were in the apoptosis state. Nickel chloride induced increasing of the frequency of formation of electrophoretic tracks of "comet" type with destroyed DNA.

[Outbreak of giardiasis at a preschool children establishment in the town of Perm']. / Vspyshka liamblioza v detskom doshkol'nom uchrezhdenii g. Permi.

In November 2000, an outbreak of Giardiasis intestinalis with aqueous transmission was recorded in one of the microdistricts of Perm. Thirty six children aged 1-7 years fell ill, 2 parasitic carriers were identified among the staff. The diagnosis was parasitologically verified in all children with clinical manifestations. Enzyme immunoassay was positive in 87.5% of the patients with the parasitologically verified diagnosis. The aqueous nature of the outbreak was confirmed by the detection of Lamblia cysts in the samples of water from the transfer network of the microdistrict in November 2000 and by the higher incidence of giardiasis among the microdistrict's residents since April 2000. Macmiror in age-specific doses was used to treat patients. The therapeutical efficiency of one course was 100%. If outbreaks of intestinal infections of unknown etiology occur, a parasitological survey should be made among patients and those who have contacted with them. Prolonged diarrhea was one of the major symptoms of giardiasis during an outbreak of this intestinal infection.

Risk for human tick-borne encephalitis, borrelioses, and double infection in the pre-Ural region of Russia.

We assessed the risk for human tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), ixodid tick-borne borrelioses, and double infection from 1994 to 1998 in Perm, which has among the highest rates of reported cases in Russia. We studied 3,473 unfed adult Ixodes persulcatus ticks collected from vegetation in natural foci and 62,816 ticks removed from humans. TBE virus and Borrelia may coexist in ticks.

[Antibacterial therapy as a means of preventing ixodid tick-borne borreliosis]. / Antibakterial'naia terapiia kak sposob profilaktiki iksodovykh kleshchevykh borreliozov.

A special epidemiological experiment to prevent borreliosis in persons bitten by infected ticks was performed in 1992-1994 in the Russia's Perm region where Borrelia garinii and B.afzelii circulate, and Ixodes persulcatus tick is the sole vector transmitting these pathogens to human beings. Adult ticks were removed from the bodies of persons who had referred to health facilities for first aid. Vital preparations were made from the material obtained from the gut of each tick and examined microscopically (up to 250 microscopic fields per preparation). The patients bitten by infected ticks were divided into experimental and control groups and kept under special medical and serological control for 4-5 months. The patients of the experimental group received doxycycline (100 mg twice daily) for 3-5 days after ticks had bitten. Borreliosis was diagnosed by a combination of clinical and serological data. The control group consisted of 97 patients who took no antibiotics after ticks biting and 12 of them contracted borreliosis. In 823 cases Borrelia were not revealed while microscopically analyzing the ticks removed from the patients' bodies; in this group six patients contracted borreliosis. The morbidity rate (per 100 patients) in the experimental group was 1.1, i.e. 11 times lower than that in control group. Among the patients bitten by infected ticks and untreated with antibiotics, this index was 17.6 times higher than in the group bitten by ticks in which Borrelia were not found. There is no absolute probability of detecting the pathogen during a direct microscopic analysis of the preparation made from the tick removed from the body of a bitten patient. However, this rapid identification of Borrelia, followed by short-term antibiotic treatment for microbiological evidence is an effective tool for preventing patients from contracting borrelioses.

[The dust factor in the manufacture of basalt fibers]. / Izuchenie pylevogo faktora pri proizvodstve bazal'tovykh volokon.

A study was made of the labour conditions of those workers engaged in the production of basalt fibre (BF). Morphological makeup is examined as is dispersity and cytotoxicity of the dust produced in the process of BF making. An issue is addressed of usefulness of setting special hygienic regulations for BF dust.

[The presence of Borrelia in the intestines and salivary glands of spontaneously infected adult Ixodes persulcatus Schulze ticks during bloodsucking]. / Prisutstvie borrelii v kishechnike i sliunnykh zhelezakh spontanno zarazhennykh vzroslykh kleshchei Ixodes persulcatus Schulze pri krovososanii.

A direct microscopic analysis of fixed smears and live preparations was used to reveal whether spirochetes are present in the gut and salivary glands of adult Ixodes persulcatus ticks spontaneously infected with Borrelia garinii and B. afzelii. Unfed ticks collected from a vegetation, partially fed ticks removed from human bodies, and ticks deliberately fed on laboratory animals were studied. In each preparation, all spirochetes were counted in 250 microscopic fields, and their concentration per 100 microscopic fields was determined. A total of 1962 ticks were individually analysed. The methods used on the study allowed a reliable identification of Borrelia in the viscera of not only unfed, but also of partially fed ticks. The infection rate in ticks that started bloodsucking was slightly lower than in the unfed ticks. This was associated with the decreased spirochete concentration in the preparations made from the partially fed ticks. Borrelia were frequently found in the salivary glands of the unfed infected I. persulcatus. During the first two to three days of bloodsucking, neither the proportion of ticks with spirochetes in the salivary glands, nor the spirochete concentrations increase. Borrelia migration from the tick gut into the salivary glands during early bloodsucking is not a prerequisite for or even important for pathogen transmission with saliva. The transmission rate appears to depend on the baseline proportion of the unfed ticks carrying spirochetes in their salivary glands.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[A hygienic evaluation of a filter-ventilation installation from the Kemper firm for purifying the air in metal arc welding]. / Gigienicheskaia otsenka fil'troventiliatsionnykh ustanok firmy "Kemper" dlia ochistki vozdukha pri dugovoi svarke metallov.

It was found that "Kemper" devices absorb efficiently noxious substances released during arc welding of metals. Conditions for maximum efficiency of the "Kemper" devices are described.

[Current status of the control of the levels of harmful substances in the air of the work area during welding]. / Sovremennoe sostoianie kontrolia za soderzhaniem vrednykh veshchestv v vozdukhe rabochei zony pri svarochnykh rabotakh.

The article reveals the current issues pertaining to the improvement of control after hazardous substances contents in the welding working zone air. The welding aerosols are multicomponent and constitute a group of complex gas-aerosol mixtures,--the feature which requires a separate detection of the individual concentrations of the most hazardous components, both hard and gaseous. Data on the specific excretion of hazardous substances should be included in respective technical documentation relating to welding processes and materials.

[Hygienic evaluation of new welding processes and welding materials]. / Gigienicheskaia otsenka novykh protsessov svarki i svarochnykh materialov.

The possibility of contaminating the breathing air zone with hazardous substances in manual and semi-automated welding increases with the intensity of their formation in the arc zone. This necessitates more comprehensive data on both the specific excreta and the formation intensity of the most hazardous substances, such as hard and gaseous compounds of welding aerosols, with due account of the welding regimen used and electrode diameter, wires, etc. When calculating the effectiveness of both local and general ventilation systems in welding shops, a possibility of a specific one-way hazardous action of some chemical substances (e.g. chromium, fluorine, etc.) should be taken into account.

[The solubility of welding dusts and their cytotoxicity]. / Rastvorimost' svarochnykh pylei i ikh tsitotoksichnost'.

It was established as a result of cytotoxicity studies of 15 welding dusts of different compositions in experiments on embryonal fibroblast cell cultures that the biologic activity of these substances depends on the solubility in growth media of their major components: alkaline and alkaline earth metals, iron, cremnium and, to a vast degree, that of the manganese. Conclusion has been made that a comparative assessment of welding dusts' biological activity on cell cultures should involve the kinetic parameters of their solubility in growth and supportive media, and the duration of the substances' affecting the cell cultures should be long enough to reveal the combined action of its major ingredients.

[Genetic structure of aboriginal populations of northeastern USSR. VI. Correlations of genetic and geographic distances between populations and subpopulations]. / Geneticheskaia struktura populiatsii korennykh zhitelei Severo-Vostoka SSSR. Soobshchenie VI. Korreliatsii geneticheskikh i geograficheskikh rasstoianii mezhdu populiatsiiami i subpopuliatsiiami.

Significant correlation of genetic distances (estimated for 17 polymorphic loci) between populations of Asia and Alaska Eskimos, coast and reindeer chuckchies, Kamchatka koryaks and Chuckotka even with geographic distances (r = 0.650; P less than 0.01) is shown. Also, significant correlation of genetic and geographic distances between 5 coast chuckchies subpopulations have been revealed (r = 0.871; P less than 0.001). The findings can indicate some ecological conditionality of population and subpopulation genetic structure's features.