Background. Cellulite affects 85-98% of women aged over 20 years. In a given context, mechanical vibrations have not been applied in the therapy of gynoid lipodystrophy (GL) until now. The aim of this pilot study was to assess the condition and temperature of skin affected by cellulite after vibration therapy interventions in young women with GL. Methods. 10 healthy women (21.5 ± 1.5 years old) with stage 1 or 2 Nürnberger-Müller scale of severity of GL participated in the study. The subjects underwent 20 vibration interventions with the use of a Rehabilitation Massage Device Vitberg+. Vibration therapy was applied 5 times a week for 60 minutes during 4-week period. Before and after first and last interventions, grade of lipodystrophy was assessed and thermographic images were taken. Results. Visual and palpation analysis performed before and after a series of treatments proved a total cellulite remission after the intervention among 40% of subjects (from stage 1 to stage 0). Among the remaining 60% with stage 2 of cellulite, an improvement in the skin condition was observed, and cellulite grade was determined as stage 1. The mean skin temperature in the lateral part of thigh as well as on the posterior surface of thigh and buttocks increased significantly (p<0.00001) after both the first (respectively: 4.0°C ± 0.9°C, 3.9°C ± 0.8°C) and the last vibration therapy interventions (respectively: 3.1°C ± 1.1°C, 2.8°C ± 1.1°C). After the series of interventions, a statistical significant (p=0.00705) increase in the mean skin temperature in the lateral thigh was observed—before the first treatment: 27.9°C ± 0.7°C; before twentieth treatment: 29.0°C ± 1.2°C. Conclusion. The series of vibration interventions contributed to the reduction of GL among the participants. The thermographic imaging analysis proved an impact of both single and serial vibration interventions.

The history of the development of vibrotherapy (VT) dates back to the half of the nineteenth century, when French neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot designed vibration chair for treatment of Parkinson disease. Since then VT got as far as the world's first medical device "Vitberg+" that was introduce by Vitberg company in 2016. Vibrotherapy has recently gain popularity, many studies have provided insight into the benefits of using vibration for enhancement of overall health. The aim of our paper is to review current literature on VT, help readers to better understand the effects of vibration on human body. We can add that valid evidence suggests that vibration is effective in enhancing various medical conditions, although the exact mechanisms mediating these effects are still not well understood. In that context, further research is needed for verification and clarification of the impact of vibration, vibrotherapy on the human health.

Global environmental contamination is one of the most significant environmental problems in contemporary society. Pollutants are entering the environment from different sources, and on the basis of their physico-chemical properties, they are transported and participate in biochemical cycles in the varied components of the environment, namely in the air, aquatic environment, soil and in rocks or segments. They enter the food chain through which they enter the human body, where they are transformed into either harmless metabolites (detoxification) that are easily excluded or else harmful, reactive products are formed. Heavy metals are one of the most dangerous groups of biologically important pollutants. The burden of the environment puts more significant burden on populations and ecosystems. They form integrant part of the earth's surface and therefore are present throughout the land. We can utter that contamination of the environment and its consequences for living organisms have long been in forefront of the interest in scientific as well as lay community.

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Introduction. Mercury release in the environment is mainly the result of human activity, particularly from coal-fired power stations, residential heating systems, waste incinerators, and as a result of mining for mercury, gold and other metals, which have led to widespread global mercury pollution. Excessive exposure to mercury is associated with a wide range of adverse health effects, including damage to the central nervous system, digestive and immune systems, and to lungs, kidneys, skin and eyes. Objective. The main aim of the study is to summarize the selected mercury sources in the environment of the Slovak Republic, regarding waste incinerators, landfill waste, crematoria, chemical plants, rivers and soils. Brief description of state of knowledge. Although the neurologic symptoms of Minamata disease were identified sufficiently for specialists to classify mercury as the causative agent, the acceptance of mercury´s environmental impacts will require several decades of research. Several new issues have arisen-the need for energy conservation leads to the use of fluorescent lighting, which contain mercury; emissions driven by increases in coal combustion, incineration and economic development have sent more mercury into the air, soil and water. Conclusions. Mercury is toxic to human health, posing a particular threat to the development of the child in utero and early in life. The systematic analytical controls of contaminants in water, soil and air are important. The installation of modern cleaning technologies to comply with the maximum emission level can substantially minimized the environmental impact of incinerators. Since human cremation is also an increasing practice, further research on mercury emissions is necessary.