The reduction of Alamar Blue by peripheral blood lymphocytes and isolated mitochondria.

Alamar Blue is a widely used nontoxic indicator of cell proliferative activity, which penetrates quickly through the biological membranes and can be easily reduced by intracellular enzymes. Accumulation of reduced fluorescent form of Alamar Blue during short-term culture of human peripheral blood lymphocytes may be used as a cell viability test since it was prevented by disruption of plasma membrane by digitonin. The inhibition of Alamar Blue reduction by NaN3 indicates that its metabolism is associated with mitochondrial activity. A compaative study of Alamar Blue reduction and oxygen consumption on isolated rat liver mitochondria shows, that the Alamar Blue reduction is not associated with the activity of specific complex of respiratory chain and it seems to be an integral indicator of oxidation-reduction activity of respiratory chain components.

[Health status of workers in the continental ledge of the Arctic region]. / Dinamika sostoianiia zdorov'ia rabotnikov kontinental'nogo shel'fa Arktiki]

On the basis of the originally developed programme and methods of complex sociohygienic and psychological approach a team of medical and engineer scientists presented an analysis of health status and comparative characteristics of workers from semi-plunged derrickboats engaged in exploratory drilling and exploitation of oil and gas reserves in the Arctic coastal zones. The unique purpose of this study is to make a psycho-physiological profile of derrick workers team with due regard for personal peculiarities, physical development and evaluation of physical capacity for work of each team member. While analysing the dynamics of workers' health status modern methods are used of evaluating disease-caused temporary disability with allowance made for data of family survey, life-style of workers from the group working under extreme conditions of the Far North.