Volumen 50 (2015): Heft 1 (March 2015)

The article presents a characterisation of stress situations and psychological reactions during diving. It describes the fundamental personality dimensions and temperament features, and discusses the results of research into the methods of coping with stress as well as the levels of anxiety in candidates to the position of a professional driver.

This article presents a description of a case of a patient diagnosed with complicated inflammation of the tibia bone, who was treated hyperbarically, in order to underline the advantages of this method of treatment used not as an alternative to antibiotics and surgery, but as a supportive method.

Determining the efficiency of breathing air purification for hyperbaric purposes with the use of filtration systems is of a crucial importance. However, when the Polish Navy took samples of breathing air from their own filtration plant for quality purposes, these were found to not meet the required standard. The identification of this problem imposed the need to undertake actions aimed at the elimination of the identified disruptions in the process of breathing air production, with the objective of assuring its proper quality. This study presents the results of the initial tests on the air supply sources utilised by the Polish Navy, which were carried out for the purpose of setting a proper direction of future works and implementing corrective measures in order to optimise the breathing air production process. The obtained test results will be used in a subsequent publication devoted to the assessment of the level of efficiency of air purification with the use of a multifaceted approach consisting in the utilisation of various types of air supply sources and different configurations of purification systems.

The article presents selected issues related to the management of underwater systems utilising remotely controlled unmanned vehicles, constructed and used at the Faculty of Maritime Technology and Transport of the West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin. System managements covers a number of activation levels connected with the current utilisation of systems, as well as developmental works. The article accentuates the conditions of use for the said systems with the main consideration of didactic purposes.

Introduction. Electromagnetic radiation (EMR) that has an effect on living organisms may be a source of oxidative stress. A lack of proper compensation by antioxidant defences on the part of proteins leading to an uncontrolled growth of reactive forms of oxygen, which may give rise to numerous health conditions. Various scientific studies have indicated that propolis has multiple valuable medicinal properties: antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, protective - in relation to liver parenchyma, as well as anti-cancer. Nonetheless, the results of studies concerned with its antioxidant capabilities are not explicit and require further tests and analyses.

Objective. Determination of the effect of propolis supplementation on selected oxidative stress parameters in blood platelets exposed to electromagnetic radiation mitted by LCD monitors.

Material and methods. The material was a suspension containing human blood platelets. A 7% propolis solution was added to a cellular preparation before an exposure to EMR with a frequency of 1 kHz and an intensity of the electric component of 220 V/m (corresponding to sitting a distance of 15 cm from an LCD screen) for a total of 60 minutes. Before the exposure, as well as immediately following it, the researchers determined the level of activity of superoxide dismutase and malondialdehyde concentration, and evaluated it with regard to the control sample, i.e. material which was not subjected to EMR exposure.

Results. Electromagnetic radiation caused a statistically significant decrease in superoxide dismutase activity as compared with the reference group, irrespective of propolis supplementation. All of the studied groups indicated a minimal increase in the malondialdehyde concentration as compared with its initial values; however, the differences were not statistically significant.

Conclusions. The obtained results allow to conclude that the analysed electromagnetic radiation produced unfavourable changes in the activity of one of the enzymes responsible for antioxidative protection - superoxide dismutase (SOD - 1), and, moreover, a slight intensification in lipid peroxidation, which is expressed by an increase in malondialdehyde concentration (MDA). The supplementation with 7% propolis solution does not constitute sufficient protection against the negative effect of EMR. It is necessary to conduct further studies as well as determine the behaviour of other antioxidative enzymes.

Hyperbaric oxygenation therapy has found its application in the treatment of various types of burns. The presented work describes the use of this method in treating napalm burns in experimental animals. The researchers took particular interest in the immunological reactions occurring in animals, as well as the effect of the said therapy on the healing process.

Two groups of rabbits, previously anaesthetised with Evipan and immunised with S. typhi phage F₇ microorganisms, were burnt with the use of napalm. The tested group was subjected to a series of treatment sessions with 100% oxygen at the pressure of 2 atm, whereas the control group did not undergo such treatment. Six repeated tests on complement activity with 50% haemolysis method and heamagglutination reaction quantification with antigens O and H S.typhi phage F₇ were carried out on all of the researched animals. Moreover, for the purpose of control of the healing process, a number of histopathological exams on the burn wounds were conducted in both groups of rabbits.

The research showed an increase in complement activity in all tested animals; however, in the tested group it occurred later. Histopathological tests confirmed a more advanced healing process in the group subjected to hyperbaric oxygenation.