Vasoprotective effect of effective lipid-lowering therapy in patients with <i>ST</i>-segment elevation myocardial infarction

Aim. To study the vasoprotective effects of atorvastatin depending on the achievement of the target level of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) within 48 weeks of follow-up. Materials and methods. Included were 112 STEMI patients who received atorvastatin 204080 mg. On days 79 from the onset of the disease, after 24 and 48 weeks, ultrasound examination of the carotid arteries with RF technology and applanation tonometry were performed, the lipid profile was determined. The patients were divided into groups: group 1 (n=41) of highly effective therapy (HET) who achieved the target LDL-C after 24 and 48 weeks; group 2 (n=29) in relatively effective therapy (RET) achieving target values at 24th or 48th week; group 3 (n=42) insufficiently effective therapy (IET) did not reach the target LDL-C. Results. When examining the carotid arteries in the HET group, the intima-media thickness (IMT) decreased by 10.713.1%, the b index by 14.926.3% after 2448 weeks. In the RET group, the IMT regression was 10.413.3%; b index 23.9% by the 48th week. In the IET group, the b index decreased by the 48th week by 14.3%. According to applanation tonometry in the HET group, the central pressure did not change. In the RET group, systolic pressure in the aorta increased by 1015.7% after 2448 weeks, pulse pressure by 33.9% by the end of observation. With IET, the increase was 8.66.8 and 19.825.9%, respectively. The odds ratio of developing endpoints in the RET group was 4.7 (95% CI 1.226.4; p=0.02), in the IET group 3.9 (95% CI 1.124.8; p=0.03) compared with HET. Conclusion. The most pronounced vasoprotective effect and a decrease in cardiovascular risk are associated with the achievement of the target LDL-C throughout the entire treatment period

Antecedents and outcomes of consumer environmentally friendly attitudes and behaviour

With the intensification of problems relating to the environment, a growing number of consumers are becoming more ecologically conscious in their preferences and purchases of goods. This paper presents the results of a study conducted among 500 Cypriot consumers, focusing on the factors that shape consumer environmental attitudes and behaviour, as well as on the resulting outcomes. The findings confirmed that both the inward and outward environmental attitudes of a consumer are positively influenced by his/her degree of collectivism, long-term orientation, political involvement, deontology, and law obedience, but have no connection with liberalism. The adoption of an inward environmental attitude was also found to be conducive to green purchasing behaviour that ultimately leads to high product satisfaction. On the other hand, an outward environmental attitude facilitates the adoption of a general environmental behaviour, which is responsible for greater satisfaction with life. The findings of the study have important implications for shaping effective company offerings to consumers in target markets, as well as formulating appropriate policies at the governmental level to enhance environmental sensitivity among citizens

Epidemiological significance of detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA among different groups of population of Moscow and Moscow Region during the COVID-19 outbreak

The Central Research Institute of Epidemiology of Rospotrebnadzor presents priority data obtained from the largescale population PCR-based study of the changes in the rates of circulation of SARS-CoV-2 among relatively healthy residents of Moscow and Moscow Region

Fifteen Good Years

This article presents a content analysis of Management International Review for the fifteen-year period 1993–2007. A total of 360 papers appearing in the journal during that period were analyzed to identify the key trends in the evolution of Management International Review. The five major themes addressed included an examination of the nature of authorship, an identification and ranking of the most prolific authors, an evaluation of the characteristics of the articles, recognition of the most influential articles based on the number of citations they received, and an uncovering of the specific thematic areas within the published articles. The study combines publishing productivity and citation analyses. The conclusions derived from the study are presented and some guidelines for future research provided