The Effect of Environmental Disasters on Endocrine Status, Hematology Parameters, Body Composition, and Physical Performance in Young Soccer Players: A Case Study of the Aral Sea Region

The Aral Sea region (Uzbekistan) is infamous because of the ecological disaster characterized by the disappearance of the Aral Sea due to excessive uncontrolled water intake for agriculture needs. A new desert occurrence, soil and climate aridization led to pesticide and toxic metals environment pollution. The impact of environmental conditions in some areas of Uzbekistan on the health of soccer players is not as noticeable as, for example, the effectiveness of training, so it is not widely discussed in scientific papers. The aim of the present study was to study the features of endocrine status, hematology parameters (e.g., red blood cells (RBC) and hemoglobin (Hb)), and their influence on body composition and physical fitness performance in local young soccer players of the Aral Sea region as the territory of ecological disaster. The study involved 60 male soccer players aged from 18 to 22 years. Participants were divided into two groups: the experimental group (EG), which consisted of 30 soccer players living on the territory of the Aral ecological disaster region, and the control group (CG), which included 30 soccer players, natives of the ecologically favorable region of Uzbekistan. All volunteers had anthropometric measurements, concentrations of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), total testosterone (TT), estradiol (E2), cortisol (C), RBC, and Hb count. Moreover, Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 1 (YYIRT1) and professional skills tests such as dribbling shuttle test (DSt) and goal accuracy test (GAt) were assessed. When comparing the CG group to the EG group, it was observed that the EG group exhibited statistically significantly reduced levels of TT and E2 (p < 0.05). No significant statistical difference was observed between the two groups in terms of IGF-1 and C (p > 0.05). Regarding hematological parameters, Hb, Ht, and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) were found to be significantly lower in the EG compared with the CG (p < 0.05). Moreover, the distance covered in the YYIR1 test was found to be significantly lower in soccer players within the EG compared with the CG (p < 0.05). Additionally, it was determined that there was no significant difference between the groups in terms of DSt and GAt values (p > 0.05). Lastly, significant differences were observed between the EG and CG in terms of anthropometric characteristics (diameters, skinfold, and somatotype profile) (p < 0.05). The present study showed that the changes in evaluated characteristics might result from the complex influence of endocrine-disrupting chemicals, the content of which is high in the environment of the Aral Sea region. The results obtained may help monitor the health of athletes living in an environmentally unfriendly environment.

[Systemic errors in the estimation of systemic arterial pressure via transfer functions after experimental changes of the circulating blood volume]

The results of the experimental studies reveal the decrease of vascular rigidity with the increase of systemic error of the arterial pressure values estimated via implication of transfer functions following haemorrhage modeling in rats. Compensation of the circulating blood volume by means of dextran infusion resulted in restoration of both vascular rigidity and systemic error of estimated arterial pressure. The results can be put into medical practice as an approach for testing of non-invasive methods in cardiovascular research.

Dependence of blood pressure changes in cats during acute hypoxic hypoxia on the type of carotid sinus reflex

The type and degree of blood pressure changes in cats were studied in acute experiments under conditions of acute hypoxic hypoxia (40% decrease in oxygen partial pressure). During hypoxia, blood pressure increased in cats with pressor type of the carotid sinus reflex and decreased in animals with depressor type of this reflex. Our results indicate that the direction and degree of hypoxic changes in blood pressure in animals coincide with variations in this parameter in response to the carotid sinus reflex.

[Characteristics of adrenergic innervation of the somatic muscles]

The aim of the present study was luminescent-histochemical study of efferent adrenergic nervous apparatus of cross-striated somatic muscles. The adrenergic innervation of human laryngeal muscles--m. thyroarytenoideus internus (m. vocalis), m. cricoarytenoideus posterior (m. posticus)--was studied in comparison with the innervation of m. pectoralis major (material obtained at 18 early autopsies) and m. gastrocnemius of the frog Rana temporaria (17 animals). In frozen sections of muscles, treated with the glyoxilic acid solution, adrenergic varicose terminals were demonstrated that were situated directly among the cross-striated muscle fibers. The problem of neuroeffector relations in the autonomic nervous system is discussed.

[Adrenergic innervation of the cerebral arteries following changes in the activity of cholinergic and monoaminergic brain systems]

Bipolar electrical nerve stimulation decreased the adrenergic innervation density and the catecholamine content in the rat isolated caudal artery. Changes in cholinesterase activity and catecholamine content in histochemically active nerves following administration of cholinesterase (AChE) inhibiting agent phosphacol, seem to reflect compensatory responses to increasing dilatory cholinergic vasomotor effects under conditions of the AChE activity. Adrenergic innervation of cerebral arteries was also studied after a 1-hr daily hypoxic sessions. These decreased the catecholamines content as compared to the control.

[Resistance and capacity function of blood vessels of the brain during activation of its cholinergic mechanisms]

Blood from the cat donor was perfused into the haemodynamically isolated cat brain. The changes of the vascular resistance and their capacity during the pharmacological activity of the endogenic cholinergic mechanism on the introduction of phosphacol into the bloodstream were investigated. Research has shown that the reduction of the activity of cholinergics leads to a decrease in pressure in the arteries of the brain and to an increase of the intercellular fluid absorption, caused by the neurogenic cholinergic influences. The possibility of a mediator realisation of the cholinergic influences on the brain vessels is discussed.

[Reactive changes in adrenergic innervation of the cerebral arteries after activation of the cholinergic mechanisms]

Magistral arteries of the brain and pia mater have been studied in cats 24-72 h after administration of the cholinesterase inhibitor (phosphacol, 600 mcg/kg). Cholinesterase activity in blood has been checked by means of the potentiometric titration method, and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) content in varicosities of the perivascular nervous fibers--cytophotometrically in preparations treated after Karnovsky--Roots histochemical method. Cholinesterase activity of blood homogenates in test animals is 42 +/- 10%, and acetylcholinesterase content in varicosities of the perivascular nervous fibers--23.5 +/- 2.3% in comparison to the norm. Catecholamines in adrenergic nervous elements are revealed treating them with glyoxylic acid. Distribution density (DD) of histochemically active nervous elements is determined, as well as their specific content of the mediator according to luminescent intensity (LI) of varicosities of nervous fibers. The data obtained in intact animals serve as the control. In the experiment DD and LI reach 127 +/- 9% and 154 +/- 15%, respectively, as compared to the control. Signs of the adrenergic nervous apparatus activation in the experiment reflect a compensatory reaction in response to increase of dilatatory cholinergic influences to vessels under conditions of AChE activity.

[Efferent neural apparatus of the thymus gland, spleen and lymph nodes and its reaction to electric stimulation of the posterior hypothalamic field]

At a histochemical investigation of the rabbit lymphoid organs innervation certain peculiarities on histotopography of adrenergic and acetylcholinesterase (AChE)-containing nervous elements have been established. At a chronic experiment by means of a dosed repeated bilateral electrostimulation of the posterior hypothalamic field in the organs mentioned, inhibition of the functional activity has been noticed. It is most specific not for the AChE-containing structures, but for the adrenergic ones, localized to some extent in the parenchyma, as well as along the course of the blood vessels and their adventitium. The results are discussed in terms of modulatory influence of the posterior hypothalamic field on trophic and functions of the lymphoid tissue. This influence is realized both humoraly and via the nervous pathways (either directly using certain ways and connections, or indirectly by means of neurogenic tonus of the intraorganic blood vessels regulation).

[The role of a neurogenic mechanism in regulating cerebral circulation]

The literature and own data on the efferent innervation of cerebral vessels, its sources and the structure of neurogenic regulation of intracranial hemodynamics, are summed up. Diverse mechanisms of the cerebral vessels' innervation involve polymodal efferent fibers and terminals associated with existence of numerous transmitters, the participation of some bulbar nuclei along with the sympathetic system in the innervation. The diversity of the controlling factors seems to be the result of an imperfection of cerebral blood supply system due to its accelerated development in the course of phylogenesis.

[Morphofunctional changes in the adrenergic innervation of the major cerebral arteries during bilateral electrostimulation of the locus coeruleus]

The intramural adrenergic nervous apparatus of cerebral arteries was studied in adult rabbits after 3-10 sessions of electrical stimulation of locus coeruleus. The activity of nerve structures was determined by estimating the density of adrenergic perivascular plexuses and by semi-quantitative cytophotometry of changes in the catecholamine content of nerve varicosities. The stimulation was followed by a 28.2 +/- 1.5% increase in adrenergic innervation density. while catecholamine content in perivascular nerve structures displayed a tendency to decrease. The problem of central effects on cerebral blood flow autoregulation is discussed.

[Systemic vascular reactions to a decrease in volumetric blood flow velocity during artificial circulation]

In anesthetized cats with artificial circulation, a decrease in the systemic perfusion pressure (SPP) following reduction of the blood flow volume velocity evokes under conditions of weakly pulsating blood flow a constrictory response of neurogenic character which can be compensated for by an opposite myogenic response in conditions of pulsating blood flow. These differences only occur at a high enough initial level of the SPP. The myogenic component of regulation of the resistance vessels tonus seems to be suppressed in conditions of weakly pulsating blood flow. Questions bearing on regulation of the systemic hemodynamics, are discussed.

[Systemic vascular reactions to increases in total blood flow]

Vasomotor reactions to the increase of systemic blood flow by 100 ml/min occurred in anesthetized cats with left ventricular bypass: the increase of the pulsatile flow produced reflex vasodilatation, while its reduction to the initial value entailed vasoconstrictor reflex. In case of pulsatile perfusion responses of resistance vessels to the same change of systemic flow included opposite reflex and myogenic factors. Inhibition of the systemic myogenic vascular tone in absence of pulse alterations of pressure and flow is discussed.