Joanna Orysiak

Publikacja stanowi kompleksowe, oparte na aktualnych dowodach naukowych opracowanie dotyczące znaczenia prawidłowego nawodnienia wśród funkcjonariuszy wybranych służb mundurowych. Autorzy omawiają rolę wody w organizmie, mechanizmy i skutki odwodnienia oraz przewodnienia, a także praktyczne wskaźniki oceny stanu nawodnienia w warunkach służby. Szczególną uwagę poświęcono wpływowi warunków środowiskowych, obciążenia fizycznego i umundurowania na gospodarkę wodno-elektrolitową. Książka zawiera praktyczne zalecenia dotyczące doboru napojów, planowania spożycia płynów przed, w trakcie i po służbie oraz minimalizowania ryzyka zdrowotnego związanego z zaburzeniami nawodnienia.

Medical personnel wearing barrier clothing protecting against infectious agents are at risk of heat stress resulting from limited heat exchange with the environment. The aim of the study was to assess the impact of changing underwear on the thermal parameters of protective clothing sets and on the expected safe working time. The study used a Newton thermal manikin to determine the thermal insulation and water vapor resistance of clothing sets consisting of three types of underwear (standard medical underwear and short and long thermal underwear) worn under two types of barrier suits. The obtained data were used to conduct physiological simulations in the Predicted Heat Strain (PHS) program, estimating the time it takes for core body temperature to rise to 38 °C in conditions of 22 °C and 35 °C. The results showed that replacing medical underwear with thermal underwear at 22 °C extended safe working time by 24%. In hot conditions (35 °C), the positive impact was smaller, extending working time by a maximum of 4%. Changing the inner layer is an effective method of improving comfort and safety in barrier clothing, especially in thermoneutral conditions.

The importance of proper hydration for work performance in hot climates is well known, as opposed to its role in cold climates. Workers’ water requirements may be high in both cold and hot environments, and the effects of dehydration can be a serious problem in either case. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommend that workers drink small amounts (150–250 mL at once) of chilled water (especially in hot environments) or warm beverages (especially in cold environments) every 15–20 min (before they become thirsty) to stay well hydrated. However, individual hydration plans are now more preferred, as no single recommendation is suitable for everyone. Workers should stay hydrated before, during, and after work. The article presents the importance of adequate hydration of workers as well as some recommendations for fluid intake in the workplace.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of intense physical training on the release of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) in URTI-free and URTI-prone athletes. Sixteen young male ice hockey players were monitored during a national training camp. Blood collection took place at the beginning and after the training camp. Blood tests included creatine kinase activity; white blood cell count and subpopulations; cortisol, immunoglobulin A and C-reactive protein concentrations; and the percentage of neutrophils releasing NETs. The occurrence of upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) was monitored using a validated URTI symptom questionnaire. There were no differences in immune and endocrine markers between URTI-free and URTI-prone athletes. Regardless of the subject’s health status, CK activity and uric acid levels increased significantly between the beginning and after the training camp. In both URTI-free and URTI-prone athletes, the percentage of neutrophils releasing NETs increased significantly after the training camp. Regardless of the athlete’s health status, a short period of intensive physical training itself may cause increased NET release in ice hockey players. The presence of mild URTI did not appear to be an additional factor influencing NET release during the several-day training camp.

Komory dymowe będące na wyposażeniu różnych jednostek organizacyjnych Państwowej Straży Pożarnej są obiektami stacjonarnymi lub przewoźnymi, składającymi się z kilku połączonych ze sobą pomieszczeń, wyposażonych w specjalistyczny sprzęt pozwalający na prowadzenie testów i ćwiczeń doskonalących z zakresu posługiwania się sprzętem ochrony układu oddechowego oraz innych środków ochrony indywidualnej. Celem testów i ćwiczeń doskonalących w komorze dymowej jest sprawdzenie oraz przygotowanie ratowników do pracy w sprzęcie ochrony układu oddechowego przy dużym obciążeniu psychofizycznym (brak widoczności, zadymienie, ograniczona przestrzeń, podwyższona temperatura, hałas) oraz poruszania się w nieznanym i skomplikowanym przestrzennym układzie komunikacji pionowej i poziomej (tor przeszkód). Wykonanie testu w komorze dymowej wiąże się ze znacznym wysiłkiem fizycznym (konieczność pokonywania kolejnych przeszkód, przyjmowania różnych pozycji, czołgania się, przeciskania przez wąskie przestrzenie), dużym obciążeniem cieplnym (powodowanym przez wysiłek fizyczny plus noszenie środków ochrony indywidualnej) oraz odwodnieniem organizmu. Jak wynika z wieloletnich doświadczeń w prowadzeniu tego typu zajęć i obserwacji parametrów fizjologicznych

Thermal insulation is a basic property for describing a set of clothing and consists of the thermal resistance of the individual layers of clothing (which depends on the material used and its structure) and also takes into account the air gaps between the layers. Here, the total thermal insulation was measured in a climatic chamber with a thermal manikin. The air gaps were measured using a 3D scanning technique and calculated using the Blender 3D graphics program. Our study shows the effect of size (fit) on the size of the air gaps, as well as the influence of the air gap size on the thermal insulation value (both for static and dynamic conditions with 45 double steps and 45 double arm movements per minute) for workwear. The relationship of the total thermal insulation value on the volume and size of the air gap was described as a second-order polynomial (R2 > 0.8). It was observed that for workwear, thermal insulation did not increase when the air gaps exceeded approximately 30 mm or when the air gap volume reached 50–55 dm³. The highest total thermal insulation (~0.23 m²°C/W) was achieved when the garment closely fitted the wearer’s body (or in this case, the thermal manikin) without excessive tightness.

Nieprawidłowy stan nawodnienia może negatywnie wpływać na termoregulację, wydolność fizyczną czy funkcje poznawcze organizmu. Odwodnienie może także oddziaływać na układ odpornościowy błon śluzowych, jednak badania przeprowadzone w tym zakresie są bardzo nieliczne i rozbieżne. W niektórych pracach wykazano, że odwodnienie wpłynęło na odporność błon śluzowych poprzez zmniejszenie stężenia lub tempa wydzielania markerów immunologicznych w ślinie.

Objectives. This study aimed to determine the impact of low temperature (-1 °C, +5 °C) on manual dexterity and hand skin temperature after 1 h of exposure when using two types of protective gloves. Methods. Ten male participants wore double gloves or single gloves, when spending 1 h in a climatic chamber at -1, +5 or +20 °C. Before and after the cold exposure, measurements of mean weighted body skin temperature, hand skin temperature, the Purdue Pegboard Test and hand grip strength were performed. Results. There were statistically significant differences in the values of mean weighted body skin temperature and left and right hand skin temperature between the study variants. Conclusion. No effect of cold exposure (-1 °C, +5 °C) on manual dexterity was observed, but there was an effect of -1 °C temperature change on weighted mean skin temperature and hand skin temperature during 1 h of exposure. The decrease in both right and left hand skin temperature after cold exposure was the largest for -1 °C while using single gloves, and differed significantly from the other variants.

The primary aim of this study was to assess the impact of fluid intake on hydration status indices in men at work. The secondary aim was to determine the type of fluids drunk at work in different thermal conditions. Fifty-nine male foresters were examined before and after one working day during summer, autumn, and winter. Before and after work, urine and blood samples were obtained from foresters. Immediately after a shift, participants completed a questionnaire regarding fluid intake during one working day. The amount of fluid consumed affects the hydration urine indices. Urine specific gravity and urine osmolality significantly decreased with increasing fluid intake (r = − 0.385 and r = − 0.405, respectively). Moreover, an impact of season on the type of fluids consumed by workers was observed. Tea was significantly more often chosen by workers to drink in winter (68%) than in summer (32%) (p = 0.026). The consumption of any non-alcoholic fluids contributes to the daily total water intake, but it is necessary to create individualized fluid replacement plans. Workers should know how much and what types of drinks to consume at work.

The aim of the study was to determine the relationship between changes in physiological tremor after exercise and changes in the traction properties of the stretch reflex indirectly assessed using the Hoffmann reflex test. The research involved 19 young men practicing canoe sprint (age 16.4 ± 0.7 years, body mass 74.4 ± 6.7 kg, body height 182.1 ± 4.3 cm, training experience 4.8 ± 1.6 years). During resting tests, Hoffmann reflex measurements were performed from the soleus muscle, physiological tremor of the lower limb, and the blood lactate concentration was determined. Then, a graded test was carried out on the kayak/canoe ergometer. Immediately after the exercise and in the 10th and 25th minute following the exercise, Hoffmann’s reflex of the soleus muscle was measured. The physiological tremor was measured at 5, 15 and 30 min after exercise. Blood lactate concentrations were determined immediately after physiological tremor. Both the parameters of Hoffmann’s reflex and physiological tremor changed significantly after exercise. There were no significant interrelationships between Hoffmann reflex measurements and physiological tremor in resting and post-exercise conditions. No significant correlation was detected between changes in physiological tremor and changes in Hoffmann reflex parameters. It is to be assumed that there is no connection between a stretch reflex and a physiological tremor.