The effects of chronic alcohol consumption on the bowel flora and the potential therapeutic role of probiotics in alcohol-induced liver injury have not previously been evaluated. In this study, sixty-six adult Russian males admitted to a psychiatric hospital with a diagnosis of alcoholic psychosis were enrolled in a prospective, randomized, clinical trial to study the effects of alcohol and probiotics on the bowel flora and alcohol-induced liver injury. Patients were randomized to receive 5 days of Bifidobacterium bifidum and Lactobacillus plantarum 8PA3 vs. standard therapy alone (abstinence plus vitamins). Stool cultures and liver enzymes were performed at baseline and again after therapy. Results were compared between groups and with 24 healthy, matched controls who did not consume alcohol. Compared to healthy controls, alcoholic patients had significantly reduced numbers of bifidobacteria (6.3 vs. 7.5 log CFU/g), lactobacilli (3.15 vs. 4.59 log CFU/g), and enterococci (4.43 vs. 5.5 log CFU/g). The mean baseline AST, ALT and GGT activities were significantly elevated in the alcoholic group when compared to the healthy control group (AST: 104.1 vs. 29.15 U/L; ALT: 50.49 vs. 22.96 U/L; GGT 161.5 vs. 51.88 U/L) indicating that these patients did have mild alcohol-induced liver injury. After 5 days of probiotic therapy, alcoholic patients had significantly increased numbers of both bifidobacteria (7.9 vs. 6.81 log CFU/g) and lactobacilli (4.2 vs. 3.2 log CFU/g) when compared to the standard therapy arm. Despite similar values at study initiation, patients treated with probiotics had significantly lower AST and ALT activity at the end of treatment than those treated with standard therapy alone (AST: 54.67 vs. 76.43 U/L; ALT 36.69 vs. 51.26 U/L). In a subgroup of 26 subjects with well-characterized mild alcoholic hepatitis (defined as AST and ALT greater than 30 U/L with AST to ALT ratio greater than one), probiotic therapy was associated with a significant end of treatment reduction in ALT, AST, GGT, LDH and total bilirubin. In this subgroup, there was a significant end of treatment mean ALT reduction in the probiotic arm vs. the standard therapy arm. In conclusion, patients with alcohol-induced liver injury have altered bowel flora when compared to healthy controls. Short-term oral supplementation with Bifidobacterium bifidum and Lactobacillus plantarum 8PA3 was associated with restoration of the bowel flora and greater improvement in alcohol-induced liver injury than standard therapy alone.

Older people and their families were particularly affected during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, but not much is known about the context of the Arctic regions of Russia. In this study, we identified the changes in family care before and during the pandemic using a questionnaire for the informal caregivers of older people. We investigated how and to what extent the pandemic has affected the relationships between caregiver and older person, and how the mental and physical health of older people and caregivers were affected by self-isolation in the Arkhangelsk region of Russia. The pandemic has changed the contribution of care from various actors: the share of care by charities, churches, and other aid agencies increased, while that of municipal services decreased. Sixteen percent of female and forty percent of male caregivers informed the study that COVID-19-related restrictions led to deterioration in the health of older people cared for at home. Family caregivers’ own health worsened, especially mental health: 28% of caregivers reported aggravated stress during the COVID-19 pandemic and expressed various fears. Our data show that the main resources in overcoming the period of self-isolation have been telephone communication, personal contact, reading/music, friends, as well as the help of social services and maintaining a positive attitude.

The COVID-19 pandemic was an extreme situation that had a traumatic impact on psychosocial groups that performed their official duties in contact with the infected and sick, including in the gender aspect. Police officers were widely involved in anti-epidemic measures to protect order and citizens safety during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of the study is to identify the emotional reactions features in female police officers - the Moscow police employees, carrying serving as public order guards in the COVID-19 pandemic emergency conditions. It is shown that female police officers, in contrast to male police officers, in emergency conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic, showed greater neuro-psychic adaptability to stressful situations, despite increased situational and personal anxiety. When serving in crowded places, they showed anxiety not about their own health, but because of fears about the relatives possibility infecting. It is shown that it is expedient to develop differentiated psychosocial support personality-oriented programs for police officers, taking into account gender characteristics during medical and biological emergencies.

¹ФГАОУ ВО «Северный (Арктический) федеральный университет им. М. В. Ломоносова», г. Архангельск 2 ГБОУ ВПО «Северный государственный медицинский университет» МЗ РФ, г. Архангельск 3 ГБУЗ Архангельской области «Архангельская областная клиническая больница», г. Архангельск С целью изучения синдрома профессионального «выгорания» у анестезиологов-реаниматологов обследовано 48 врачей Архангельской области. Установлено, что 62,5% из них имеют высокий уровень профессионального «выгорания», характеризующийся эмоциональным истощением и напряжением в работе, ухудшением здоровья и социальной адаптации. Более половины врачей имеют высокий показатель организационного стресса и поведенческий тип А, используют неадаптивные копинг-стратегии в борьбе с возникшими трудноразрешимыми ситуациями. Предложены рекомендации по профилактике и коррекции профессионального «выгорания» у врачей анестезиологов-реаниматологов.Ключевые слова: синдром профессионального «выгорания», профессиональный стресс, врачи анестезиологи-реаниматологи.To study burnout syndrome in anesthesiologists, we conducted a survey study in 48 doctors working in Arkhangelsk region. It was found that 62.5% of them have a high level of burnout, characterized by emotional exhaustion and stress in work, deterioration of health and social adaptation. More than half of the anesthesiologists have a high index of organizational stress and Behavioral type A, use maladaptive coping strategies in dealing with intractable situations arising during work. These results led to preparation of recommendations for prevention and correction of burnout in anesthesiologists.

No abstract