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We studied the dynamics of the red blood cell composition of Wistar male rats at rest and when swimming with a load (4% body weight) before and after administration of a succinatecontaining preparation (meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid). In rats receiving the succinatecontaining preparation, a decrease in the number of red blood cells and an increase in their volume and absolute and relative number of reticulocytes were observed at rest in comparison with vivarium control. In rats exposed to exhaustive swimming after preliminary administration of the test preparation (12 h before the test), we observed a decrease in hematocrit and erythrocyte diameter in comparison with the corresponding parameters in rats not treated with the preparation; the level of hemoglobin did not change. The pattern of changes in the cellular composition of red blood in rats at rest and during swimming against the background of treatment with the succinate-containing preparation in comparison with vivarium control is considered as a result of its effect on physical exercise under conditions of stabilization of hemoglobin and hematocrit levels, activation of proliferative activity of red bone marrow, and an increase in time of swimming to exhaustion by 2.8 times.

Hypertension and obesity often coexist. There are sex differences in the mechanisms of obesity-related hypertension but the reasons for these differences are still not fully understood.The aim of this study was to investigate sex differences in the development of hypertension associated with obesity.A total of 866 men and 1022 women were selected for the study. Anthropometric measurements, including arterial pressure measurements, were performed. The plasma lipid levels were measured using an enzymatic method with commercially available kits.In both overweight and obesity, hypertensive women had more atherogenic lipid profiles and higher values of lipid accumulation product (LAP) than normotensive women. In overweight and obese men, no significant differences in lipid levels or LAP were noted between the normotensive and hypertensive groups.The pathogenesis of obesity-related hypertension in women differs from that in men and tends to be associated with metabolic disorders.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is a major health problem in modern society and its prevalence throughout the world has reached the epidemic level. The unfavorable outcomes of obesity are associated with a high risk of numerous diseases due to metabolic disorders. Finding of diagnostic criteria for early detection of obesity is a priority in biomedical research. Therefore, of particular interest is the new visceral obesity marker – lipid accumulation product (LAP). Meanwhile, to date, the reference values for LAP are not defined, and data on sex- and age-related changes are contradictory. AIMS: The aim of this study was to determine the variation range, sex and age differences in LAP values in healthy subjects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was conducted on apparently healthy subjects (455 men and 286 women) aged 20–59 years selected at routine examinations at the base of the central clinic in Arkhangelsk. Examination of subjects consisted of physical examination with measurement of anthropometric and clinical parameters, filling out a questionnaire, and evaluation of serum lipid levels. RESULTS: The LAP values in the subjects varied in a wide range (0.5–156.5 cm×mmol/l in men; 0.4 to 116.2 cm×mmol/l in women), but at the same they in 75% of the participants did not exceed 30 cm×mmol/l. Sex differences in LAP with the prevalence of values in men were observed in the age groups up to 40 years old, later they disappeared. LAP in men and women increased with age, but these changes were unequal. The LAP values increased to reach a plateau in men up to 30 years of age and in women up to 40 years of age. CONCLUSIONS: LAP is a combined index that simultaneously reflects distribution of adipose tissue and changes in blood lipids, and is considered a marker of obesity associated with the risk of metabolic disorders. This study was the first to determine the variation range, sex differences and age dynamics for LAP in the apparently healthy subjects.

The aim of the study was to assess physical performance over a five-years period in young male cross-country skiers living in the Russian North. Methods. Anthropometric data and parameters of blood circulation, respiration and energy expenditure were studied in 20 skiers aged 15-20 years in the Komi Republic. A bicycle ergometer with Oxycon Pro system (Germany) was the main assessment instrument. Tests were performed twice - at the beginning and in the end of a five-years period. Results. A statistically significant increase in body weight and body mass index, a decrease in heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure, pulse pressure, double product (DP) and the vegetative Kerdo index at rest were observed indicating an increase in physical fitness. At a load of 200 W, a decrease in heart rate, DP, oxygen consumption and energy expenditure and an increase in efficiency were found suggesting economization of blood circulation and energy reactions during standard operation. However, at maximum load an increase in blood pressure from (185.0 ± 15.2) to (195.0 ± 11.6) mm Hg p = 0.038; a decrease in the maximum oxygen consumption from (67.4 ± 6.20) to (61.4 ± 7.21) ml / min x kg, p = 0.012; decreased oxygen consumption on the brink of anaerobic metabolism from (4,036 ± 594) to (3,623 ± 593) ml / min, P = 0.040; and heart rate on the brink of anaerobic metabolism from (171.0 ± 11.6) to (157.0 ± 16.5) bpm, p = 0.005 was revealed suggesting a decrease in the maximum functional capabilities of the body. Physiological costs of a unit of work for various indicators of blood circulation, respiration, and energy expenditure have not changed over a five-years period (p values varied from 0.082 to 0.935). Conclusions. The observed decrease in the level of physical performance by aerobic and anaerobic thresholds may suggest not only the beginning of age-related changes in the body of athletes in the North, but may also reflect possible negative impact of living conditions in the North.

The study of physiological processes in elderly people, especially in the chronobiological aspect, is of current interest. The subjects of the study were a group of elderly inhabitants (n = 18, average age 69.3 ± 6.5 years) of a nursing house (Syktyvkar, 61°04″ NL) who were surveyed 4 times within a year. The goal of the work is to study the dynamic of the physiological parameters (anthropometric, cardio-respiratory, psychophysiological, etc.) of elderly people in different seasons of the year in the European North of Russia. Our results showed that living conditions and age-related changes in the organism modify the amplitude of seasonal changes in the physiological parameters.

We studied physiological status and somatic health of 23 male volunteers (age 24-50 yrs) recruited as a "northern" control group for the experiment "Mars-500". The study was performed using standardized methods, established by the Institute of Medical and Biological Problems of the RAS, using hardware and software complex "Ecosan-2007". Repetitive experiments were carried out in 6 years. Collected data were processed using Biostat and Statistica statistical software. In the course of the study we found certain features in the physiological status and the somatic health of the participants related to their inhabitation in the North. We discovered that our volunteers had decreased somatic health levels according to the Apanasenko scale. Analyzing the heart rate variability in our subjects we observed tension in regulatory systems and a domination of the central regulation circuit over the autonomous circuit. Additionally our subjects showed a deterioration of the hemodynamics regulation under a physical load. After 6 years we observed statistically significant increases in the body mass, the heart rate after physical load, biological age, and significant decrease of the physical health, which indicate the accelerated ageing in the group of surveyed. A number of persons with premorbid status have increased, indicating the increased tension of the regulatory systems and the decrease in the adaptability potential.

The ratio of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol to apolipoprotein-B (LDL-C/apoB) conventionally represents an alternative index of LDL particle size.This study was undertaken to determine the importance of LDL-C/apoB ratio in the overall evaluation of atherogenicity of lipid profile.The plasma levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), apolipoprotein (apo) A-I, apoB and apoE were measured in 186 apparently healthy men using enzymatic and immunoturbidimetric methods.The subjects with low values of the LDL-C/apoB ratio, indicating a predominance of small dense LDL (sd-LDL) particles in plasma, were characterized by higher TG levels and lower apoE levels.Low levels of apoE are most likely a cause of reduced clearance of TG-rich lipoproteins, which promotes the formation of sd-LDL. Determination of the LDL-C/apoB ratio can be used for monitoring qualitative changes in lipid profile, in addition to traditional lipid variables indicating quantitative changes.

Background.The apolipoprotein (apo) B/apoA-I ratio represents the balance between apoB-rich atherogenic particles and apoA-I-rich antiatherogenic particles, and this ratio is considered to be a marker of cardiovascular risk. Although many studies have demonstrated the importance of the apoB/apoA-I ratio in predicting the presence or absence of cardiovascular disease, less is known about apoB/apoA-I ratio as a marker of plasma atherogenicity.Methods.A total of 157 normolipidemic men aged 20–59 years were included in the study. The plasma levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), apoA-I, apoB, and apoE were determined after a 12 h fasting period.Results. The median of the apoB/apoA-I ratio in the studied normolipidemic subjects was 0.52, with values ranging from 0.19 to 2.60. The percentage of subjects with the apoB/apoA-I ratio exceeding 0.9 (the accepted risk value of cardiovascular disease) was 19.1%. The subjects with apoB/apoA-I>0.9 were characterized by higher TG levels and atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) and lower values of ratio of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) to apoB (LDL-C/apoB) and apoE levels compared with men with apoB/apoA-IConclusion. Despite normolipidemia, the subjects with the unfavorable apoB/apoA-I ratio had more atherogenic lipid profile.

The aim of this study was to determine apolipoprotein (apo) E concentration in the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) fractions of normolipidemic subjects. ApoE concentrations in total blood plasma and HDL fractions were measured by an immunoturbidimetric method. We observed that the quantitative distribution of apoE among different lipoprotein classes depends on the total plasma apoE concentration: at low total plasma apoE concentration, a substantial amount of apoE was associated with HDL; an increase in total plasma apoE was accompanied by a more equal distribution of apoE among lipoprotein fractions. The concentration of apoE in the HDL fraction was stable and did not depend on the total plasma apoE concentration. Thus, the preservation of a constant concentration of apoE in HDL due to its redistribution among lipoprotein classes is a priority when total plasma apoE concentrations change. This feature should be considered at diagnosis and for the treatment of lipid disorders.

The monthly investigations of military guards ((19.1 ? 0.9) years, n = 20) in northern European region (62?N lat.) that daily spent outdoors from 6 to 10 h were carried out during the year (from November to October). In examined subjects, the serum FT4 levels were high enough during all period of research espe-cially from April till October when the hormone levels exceeded norm. The concentration of serum FT3 was rather stable during the year and corresponded to the normal level. At the same time, the levels of total form of thyroid hormones (TT4 and TT3) displaced to lower limit of norm. Thus, staying outdoors of military guards in the North for all the year round is accompa-nied by activization of thyroid hormones use.

During the usual rush of “Arctic” themed conferences in the fall of 2014, human security in the Arctic was on the agenda. The Transatlantic Science Week in Toronto, Canada, arranged a panel that looked at non-state security challenges in the Arctic, ranging from search and rescue issues to health, food, identity, and environmental security

INTRODUCTION The goal of this study was to examine the fatty acid (FA) composition of the total plasma lipids of the native inhabitants of the Russian European North, taking into consideration the differences in lifestyles and nutritional habits as well as the interrelationship between the plasma FA profile and nutrition. METHODS In total, 78 native residents of the Russian European North (61 men and 17 women) from two regions of Komi Republic of Northern Russia (Izhma settlement and city Syktyvkar), aged 25-45 years, were included in this study. The Izhma group consisted of reindeer herders (17 men and 17 women). The comparison group (44 men) consisted of citizens of Syktyvkar. Venous blood plasma after overnight fasting was used for analysis of glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, vitamins and total FA composition. A modified questionnaire 'Seafood and the health of the people of the North' was used for the assessment of nutrition. RESULTS The levels of total FAs in the blood plasma of Indigenous inhabitants of Russian European North were at the lower border of the reference range. In the Izhma group, levels of n-3 eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) (1.3/0.9-1.8; p

Atherosclerosis is one of the major health problems in developed countries, and early asymptomatic changes in vessel walls that may lead to cardiovascular disease are found even in healthy young people. High concentrations of total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and low concentrations of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) are recognized as classic lipid risk factors for developing atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease [1]. However, using the conventional lipid indices can result in errors in the assessment of the lipoprotein-related risk of cardiovascular disease [2, 3]. A considerable proportion of patients with atherosclerotic disease have TC and LDL-C concentrations within the recommended range, and some patients who achieve significant LDL-C reduction with lipid-lowering therapy still develop cardiovascular disease [4]. Multiple clinical and epidemiological studies have shown that the apolipoprotein (apo) B/apoA-I ratio is a superior marker for cardiovascular disease than lipids and lipoproteins or their ratios [2, 3, 5–7]. The apoB/apoA-I ratio could discriminate between patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and those without, even when the CAD patients had normal lipid levels [3]. The cut-off values for the apoB/apoA-I ratio that define a high cardiovascular risk were proposed to be 0.9 for men and 0.8 for women [3, 7]. Although the apoB/apoA-I ratio has been evaluated in many studies (mainly in patients with cardiovascular disease), very few studies have reported the variation limits of the apoB/apoA-I ratio in healthy humans and the relationship of this index with other lipid ratios. A total of 157 normolipidemic men aged 20–59 years were included in the study. Anthropometric measurements and other personal information were obtained during the clinical examination. Participants were excluded from the study using the following criteria: 1) a body mass index of ≥ 30 kg/m 2 ; 2) a TC concentration above 5.2 mmol/L; 3) a triglycerides (TG) concentration above 1.8 mmol/L; and 4) a HDL-C concentration below 0.9 mmol/L. All participants were considered to be free from serious and chronic illnesses at the time of the recruitment. Each subject gave written informed consent for participating in the study, which was approved by the Local Ethics Institutional Committee.

Selenium supplementation and its effects on Northerners have been little studied. The aim of our study was to assess the selenium levels of the inhabitants of North European Russia, the seasonal aspects of selenium supplementation, and the interrelationships between selenium levels and the levels of thyroid gland hormones. To study the particular features of selenium metabolism in Northerners over the course of 1 year, 19 healthy male Caucasian volunteers (18–21 years old) were recruited for the present study. The subjects were military guards in a Northern European region of Russia (Syktyvkar, Russia, 62°N latitude) who spent 6–10-h outdoors daily. The study was conducted over a 12-month period. Selenium levels, glutathione peroxidase (GP) activity, as well as total triiodothyronine (T3), total thyroxin (T4), free thyroxin, free triiodothyronine, and thyrotropin (TSH) levels, were determined in the blood serum. The study subjects showed low levels of plasma selenium throughout the year. We observed a noticeable decrease in plasma selenium levels during the period from May to August, with the lowest levels in July. Selenium levels in the military guards correlated with the levels of selenium-dependent GP enzyme activity throughout the year. Additionally, we demonstrated a significant correlation between selenium and pituitary-thyroid axis hormones (total T3, free T4, and TSH) in periods in which plasma selenium levels were lower than the established normal ranges. Over the course of 1 year, low levels of plasma selenium affect GP activity and thyroid hormone levels in humans living in North European Russia.

Background: Apolipoprotein-E (apoE) is one of the metabolically active apoproteins and plays an important role in lipid metabolism. However, there are no data on levels of apoE in residents of the North in spite of the fact that specific features of lipid metabolism in the northerners are described. The present work was designed to study plasma levels of apoE in residents of the European North of Russia. Methods: A total of 937 native residents of the European North of Russia (463 men and 474 women) aged 13–60 years were included in the study. ApoE concentrations in the blood plasma were measured by immunoturbidimetric method. Results: Plasma levels of apoE in residents of the European North of Russia were low. ApoE concentrations below the defined normal values were detected in 57.0% of the men and in 59.2% of the women. The mean plasma levels of apoE did not significantly differ in men and women (2.80 mg/dl vs 2.87 mg/dl). Plasma apoE concentrations in residents of the European North of Russia changed with age. Plasma levels of apoE decreased from 13 to 21 years in men and from 13 to 35 years in women and then increased in both sexes (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The limits of variation of plasma apoE levels in residents of the European North of Russia shift towards lower values. Plasma levels of apoE below normal values were observed in approximately half of investigation subjects.

Background: The Russian Arctic covers an enormous landmass with diverse environments. It inhabits more than 20 different ethnic groups, all of them with various living conditions and food traditions. Indigenous populations with a traditional way of living are exposed to a large number of anthropogenic pollutants, such as persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and toxic metals, mainly through the diet. Human monitoring of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and heavy metals in the Russian Arctic has only been performed on irregular intervals over the past 15 years, thus, there is still a lack of baseline data from many ethnic groups and geographical regions. The aim of the current study was to investigate concentrations of POPs and toxic metals in three groups of indigenous people from the Russian Arctic. Plasma concentrations of POPs were measured in one of the locations (Nelmin-Nos) in 2001–2003 which gave the unique opportunity to compare concentrations over time in a small Russian arctic community. Methods: During 2009 and early 2010, 209 blood samples were collected from three different study sites in North West Russia; Nelmin-Nos, Izhma and Usinsk. The three study sites are geographically separated and the inhabitants are expected to have different dietary habits and living conditions. All blood samples were analyzed for POPs and toxic metals. Results: PCB 153 was present in highest concentrations of the 18 PCBs analyzed. p,p′ -DDE and HCB were the two most dominating OC pesticides. Males had higher concentrations of PCB 138, 153 and 180 than women and age was a significant predictor of PCB 153, 180, HCB and p,p′ -DDD. Males from Izhma had significantly higher concentrations of HCB than males from the other study sites and women from Usinsk had higher concentrations of p,p′ -DDE. Parity was a significant predictor of p,p′ -DDE. Hg and Pb concentrations increased with increasing age and males had significantly higher concentrations of Pb than women. The study group from Izhma had significantly higher concentrations of Cd when controlling for age and gender and the study group from Usinsk had higher concentrations of Se than the others. Compared to the results from Nelmin-Nos in 2001–2003, a clear decrease in p,p′ -DDE concentrations for both women and men was observed. Conclusions: The current study indicates a significant reduction of several PTSs in human blood samples from North West Russia over the past 10 years. Keywords: PTS;human blood; decreasing levels; North West Russia (Published: 25 October 2011) Citation: Global Health Action 2011, 4 : 8427 - DOI: 10.3402/gha.v4i0.8427 Access the supplementary material to this article: Table S1. Please see Supplementary files in the column to the right (under Reading Tools).

The article's abstract is not available.