The Structural Features of Vascular Endothelium in Acute Cerebral Ischemia

The aim of the research was to study the number and structural properties of desquamated endothelial cells (DECs) in the peripheral blood in carotid ischemic stroke (CIS) and carotid transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) and its connection with the marker of endothelial dysfunction - endothelin-1.We examined 35 patients with the first CIS, on days 1st and 10th, and also 34 patients with symptomatic carotid TIAs, on days 1st and 10th of the observation. Middle age of the examined patients with a CIS was 63,7±1,0. Middle age of the examined patients with the ТIАs was 54,7±1,0. 25 practically healthy persons were examined as a group of control. Neurologic deficit was assessed with the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). DECs were estimated by CD34 immunobead capture in the peripheral venous blood of patients and persons of control group. We studied the level of endothelin-1 in the peripheral venous blood of patients and persons of control group using the enzyme immunoassay using the Biomedica (Austria) during the first 24 hrs and on day 10. Statistical processing of the obtained results was carried out using statistical analysis package Statistica. In this case, the mean value, the standard error and the correlation analysis were determined. Samples were compared using the Student\u27s criterion (t) and the correlation coefficient (r).During an examination of 35 patients in the acute period of CIS and 34 patients with carotid TIAs using the immunocytochemical method the number of DECs was studied in venous blood. The quantitative analysis of vascular endothelium in acute cerebral ischemias showed its statistically unreliable differences in CIS and TIAs.A conclusion is drawn about the general mechanisms of endothelial dysfunction in CIS and TIAs. The number of DECs significantly correlates with the terms of disease. Regress of this indicator is noted in patients by the end of follow-up in both observation groups. During the first 24 hrs in patients with CIS and TIAs density of DECs of blood directly correlates with the level of endothelin-1 blood. The endothelin-1 level tends to decrease by the 10th day of observation and the correlation force with the DECs level is correspondingly reduced

THE STRUCTURAL FEATURES OF VASCULAR ENDOTHELIUM IN ACUTE CEREBRAL ISCHEMIA

The aim of the research was to study the number and structural properties of desquamated endothelial cells (DECs) in the peripheral blood in carotid ischemic stroke (CIS) and carotid transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) and its connection with the marker of endothelial dysfunction - endothelin-1. We examined 35 patients with the first CIS, on days 1st and 10th, and also 34 patients with symptomatic carotid TIAs, on days 1st and 10th of the observation. Middle age of the examined patients with a CIS was 63,7±1,0. Middle age of the examined patients with the ТIАs was 54,7±1,0. 25 practically healthy persons were examined as a group of control. Neurologic deficit was assessed with the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). DECs were estimated by CD34 immunobead capture in the peripheral venous blood of patients and persons of control group. We studied the level of endothelin-1 in the peripheral venous blood of patients and persons of control group using the enzyme immunoassay using the Biomedica (Austria) during the first 24 hrs and on day 10. Statistical processing of the obtained results was carried out using statistical analysis package Statistica. In this case, the mean value, the standard error and the correlation analysis were determined. Samples were compared using the Student's criterion (t) and the correlation coefficient (r). During an examination of 35 patients in the acute period of CIS and 34 patients with carotid TIAs using the immunocytochemical method the number of DECs was studied in venous blood. The quantitative analysis of vascular endothelium in acute cerebral ischemias showed its statistically unreliable differences in CIS and TIAs. A conclusion is drawn about the general mechanisms of endothelial dysfunction in CIS and TIAs. The number of DECs significantly correlates with the terms of disease. Regress of this indicator is noted in patients by the end of follow-up in both observation groups. During the first 24 hrs in patients with CIS and TIAs density of DECs of blood directly correlates with the level of endothelin-1 blood. The endothelin-1 level tends to decrease by the 10th day of observation and the correlation force with the DECs level is correspondingly reduced

Inclusion of Home-Centred Women

Firms are highly interested in better inclusion of women with childcare commitments, especially for leadership positions, as reward for higher work groups’ gender diversity is valuable. Gender diversity became topical issue in corporate social responsibility of companies. However, many firms report that gender diversity is stalled, due to conflicting stereotypes about social roles of employees. Hakim’s influential preference theory suggests explanations of how women choose between productive and reproductive work. According to it, there are three types of employed women: home-centred, work-centred and adaptive workers, who combine both. Three options for preference assume three alternative frames of reference. Inclusion-related initiatives aim to reshape such frames by addressing employees’ identity work through readjusting managerially inspired discourses. Current research narrows the focus to the most vulnerable of them – home-centred women. We referred to responses of 721 mothers with previous working experience, from the biggest cities in Russia to find answers to the following questions: what affects home-centred women in their decision to return to the same employer after the maternity leave and what causes them to quit. We enriched empirical analysis with a theoretical review of initiatives helping to readjust corresponding stereotypes

Elevated Depressive Symptoms and Incident Stroke in Hispanic, African-American, and White Older Americans

Although depressive symptoms have been linked to stroke, most research has been in relatively ethnically homogeneous, predominantly white, samples. Using the United States based Health and Retirement Study, we compared the relationships between elevated depressive symptoms and incident first stroke for Hispanic, black, or white/other participants (N = 18,648) and estimated the corresponding Population Attributable Fractions. The prevalence of elevated depressive symptoms was higher in blacks (27%) and Hispanics (33%) than whites/others (18%). Elevated depressive symptoms prospectively predicted stroke risk in the whites/other group (HR = 1.53; 95% CI: 1.36–1.73) and among blacks (HR = 1.31; 95% CI: 1.05–1.65). The HR was similar but only marginally statistically significant among Hispanics (HR = 1.33; 95% CI: 0.92–1.91). The Population Attributable Fraction, indicating the percent of first strokes that would be prevented if the incident stroke rate in those with elevated depressive symptoms was the same as the rate for those without depressive symptoms, was 8.3% for whites/others, 7.8% for blacks, and 10.3% for Hispanics

Mecanismos económicos para regular las prácticas de protección ambiental en la gestión de residuos industriales y domésticos en la Federación de Rusa

The study focuses on the aspects of environmental protection practices in the Russian Federation primarily with regard to industrial and household waste management. Waste now occupies significant areas and causes pollution of the adjacent territories and specifically underground waters that further mix with, and significantly spoil, ground waters. The study addresses the technologies of interaction and methods of economic stimulation to improve waste management going further both at the regional and national level. Almost no progress has been achieved in this direction in the Russian Federation over the past ten years – the main technological mechanism adopted in major cities and other major infrastructure facilities consisted in waste removal to a landfill without any specific treatment. More recently, urban and technological development has intensified environmental problems. The paper outlines waste management practices employed in Russia and other countries and provides an efficiency assessment. The basic economic mechanisms, such as tariff regulation, environmental levy and environmental impact fees, are described and assessed in terms of their stimulating effects on waste management improvement in the Russian Federation. Aspects of waste removal under a single regional operator are discussed and a model of public-private partnership in waste management is proposed and detailed.El estudio se centra en los aspectos de las prácticas de protección del medio ambiente en la Federación de Rusia principalmente en lo que respecta a la gestión de residuos industriales y domésticos. Los desechos ahora ocupan áreas importantes y causan contaminación de los territorios adyacentes y específicamente de las aguas subterráneas que se mezclan y estropean significativamente las aguas subterráneas. El estudio aborda las tecnologías de interacción y los métodos de estimulación económica para mejorar la gestión de residuos yendo más allá tanto a nivel regional como nacional. Casi no se ha avanzado en esta dirección en la Federación de Rusia durante los últimos diez años: el principal mecanismo tecnológico adoptado en las principales ciudades y otras importantes instalaciones de infraestructura consistió en la eliminación de los desechos a un vertedero sin ningún tratamiento específico. Más recientemente, el desarrollo urbano y tecnológico ha intensificado los problemas ambientales. El documento describe las prácticas de gestión de residuos empleadas en Rusia y otros países y proporciona una evaluación de la eficiencia. Los mecanismos económicos básicos, como la regulación de tarifas, el impuesto ambiental y las tasas de impacto ambiental, se describen y evalúan en términos de sus efectos estimulantes en la mejora de la gestión de desechos en la Federación de Rusia. Se discuten los aspectos de la eliminación de residuos bajo un único operador regional y se propone y detalla un modelo de asociación público-privada en la gestión de residuos

Mecanismos económicos para regular las prácticas de protección ambiental en la gestión de residuos industriales y domésticos en la Federación de Rusa

El estudio se centra en los aspectos de las prácticas de protección del medio ambiente en la Federación de Rusia principalmente en lo que respecta a la gestión de residuos industriales y domésticos. Los desechos ahora ocupan áreas importantes y causan contaminación de los territorios adyacentes y específicamente de las aguas subterráneas que se mezclan y estropean significativamente las aguas subterráneas. El estudio aborda las tecnologías de interacción y los métodos de estimulación económica para mejorar la gestión de residuos yendo más allá tanto a nivel regional como nacional. Casi no se ha avanzado en esta dirección en la Federación de Rusia durante los últimos diez años: el principal mecanismo tecnológico adoptado en las principales ciudades y otras importantes instalaciones de infraestructura consistió en la eliminación de los desechos a un vertedero sin ningún tratamiento específico. Más recientemente, el desarrollo urbano y tecnológico ha intensificado los problemas ambientales. El documento describelas prácticas de gestión de residuos empleadas en Rusia y otros países y proporciona una evaluación de la eficiencia. Los mecanismos económicos básicos, como la regulación de tarifas, el impuesto ambiental y las tasas de impacto ambiental, se describen y evalúan en términos de sus efectos estimulantes en la mejora de la gestión de desechos en la Federación de Rusia. Se discuten los aspectos de la eliminación de residuos bajo un único operador regional y se propone y detalla un modelo de asociación público-privada en la gestión de residuo

Does the Association Between Depressive Symptoms and Cardiovascular Mortality Risk Vary By Race? Evidence from the Health and Retirement Study

Objective—To test whether the association between depressive symptoms and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality is stronger among blacks than whites. Design, Setting and Participants: 2,638 black and 15,132 white participants from a prospective, observational study of communitydwelling Health and Retirement Study participants (a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults age 50+). Average follow-up was 9.2 years. Outcome Measure: Cause of death (per ICD codes) and month of death were identified from National Death Index linkages. Methods—The associations between elevated depressive symptoms and mortality from stroke, ischemic heart disease (IHD), or total CVD were assessed using Cox proportional hazards models to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (HRs). We used interaction terms for race by depressive symptoms to assess effect modification (multiplicative scale). Results—For both whites and blacks, depressive symptoms were associated with a significantly elevated hazard of total CVD mortality (whites: HR=1.46; 95% CI: 1.33, 1.61; blacks: HR=1.42, 95% CI: 1.10, 1.83). Adjusting for health and socioeconomic covariates, whites with elevated depressive symptoms had a 13% excess hazard of CVD mortality (HR=1.13, 95% CI: 1.03, 1.25) compared to whites without elevated depressive symptoms. The HR in blacks was similar, although the confidence interval included the null (HR=1.12, 95% CI: 0.86, 1.46). The hazard associated with elevated depressive symptoms did not differ significantly by race (p>0.15 for all comparisons). Patterns were similar in analyses restricted to respondents age 65+. Conclusions—Clinicians should consider the depressive state of either black or white patients as a potential CVD mortality risk factor

Heat stroke admissions during heat waves in 1,916 US counties for the period from 1999 to 2010 and their effect modifiers

Background: Heat stroke is a serious heat-related illness, especially among older adults. However, little is known regarding the spatiotemporal variation of heat stroke admissions during heat waves and what factors modify the adverse effects. Methods: We conducted a large-scale national study among 23.5 million Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries per year residing in 1,916 US counties during 1999–2010. Heat wave days, defined as a period of at least two consecutive days with temperatures exceeding the 97th percentile of that county’s temperatures, were matched to non-heat wave days by county and week. We fitted random-effects Poisson regression models to estimate the relative risk (RR) of heat stroke admissions on a heat wave day as compared to a matched non-heat wave day. A variety of effect modifiers were tested including individual-level covariates, community-level covariates, meteorological conditions, and the intensity and duration of the heat wave event. Results: The RR declined substantially from 71.0 (21.3–236.2) in 1999 to 3.5 (1.9–6.5) in 2010, and was highest in the northeast and lowest in the west north central regions of the US. We found a lower RR among counties with higher central air conditioning (AC) prevalence. More severe and longer-lasting heat waves had higher RRs. Conclusions: Heat stroke hospitalizations associated with heat waves declined dramatically over time, indicating increased resilience to extreme heat among older adults. Considerable risks, however, still remain through 2010, which could be addressed through public health interventions at a regional scale to further increase central AC and monitoring heat waves. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12940-016-0167-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

Exposing Racial Discrimination: Implicit & Explicit Measures–The My Body, My Story Study of 1005 US-Born Black & White Community Health Center Members

Background To date, research on racial discrimination and health typically has employed explicit self-report measures, despite their potentially being affected by what people are able and willing to say. We accordingly employed an Implicit Association Test (IAT) for racial discrimination, first developed and used in two recent published studies, and measured associations of the explicit and implicit discrimination measures with each other, socioeconomic and psychosocial variables, and smoking. Methodology/Principal Findings Among the 504 black and 501 white US-born participants, age 35–64, randomly recruited in 2008–2010 from 4 community health centers in Boston, MA, black participants were over 1.5 times more likely (p<0.05) to be worse off economically (e.g., for poverty and low education) and have higher social desirability scores (43.8 vs. 28.2); their explicit discrimination exposure was also 2.5 to 3.7 times higher (p<0.05) depending on the measure used, with over 60% reporting exposure in 3 or more domains and within the last year. Higher IAT scores for target vs. perpetrator of discrimination occurred for the black versus white participants: for “black person vs. white person”: 0.26 vs. 0.13; and for “me vs. them”: 0.24 vs. 0.19. In both groups, only low non-significant correlations existed between the implicit and explicit discrimination measures; social desirability was significantly associated with the explicit but not implicit measures. Although neither the explicit nor implicit discrimination measures were associated with odds of being a current smoker, the excess risk for black participants (controlling for age and gender) rose in models that also controlled for the racial discrimination and psychosocial variables; additional control for socioeconomic position sharply reduced and rendered the association null. Conclusions Implicit and explicit measures of racial discrimination are not equivalent and both warrant use in research on racial discrimination and health, along with data on socioeconomic position and social desirability