Ankle-brachial index and ocular diseases in a Russian population

BackgroundTo assess potential associations between the ankle-brachial blood pressure index (ABI) and ocular disorders.MethodsIn the population-based cross-sectional Russian Ural Eye and Medical Study including 5,899 (80.5%) out of 7328 eligible participants aged 40+ years, the participants underwent a series of ocular and medical examinations including measurement of ABI.ResultsBlood pressure measurements of both arms and ankles were available for 3187 (54.0%) individuals. The mean ABI was 1.26 ± 0.19 (median:1.20; range: 0.61, 2.20). In multivariate analysis, a higher ABI was associated with younger age (P < 0.001; non-standardized regression coefficient B: −0.001; 95% confidence interval (CI): −0.002, −0.001), female sex (P < 0.001; B: 0.03; 95% CI: 0.02, 0.04), lower body mass index (P < 0.001; B: −0.004; 95% CI: −0.006, −0.003), lower waist-to-hip ratio (P = 0.01; B: −0.10; 95% CI: −0.17, −0.02), lower glucose serum concentration (P = 0.008; B: −0.005; 95% CI: −0.009, −0.001), lower prevalence of arterial hypertension (P < 0.001; B: −0.14; 95% CI: −0.16, −0.12), higher mean systolic blood pressure (P < 0.001; B: 0.003; 95% CI: 0.002, 0.003), and higher prevalence of any alcohol consumption (P < 0.001; B: 0.03; 95% CI: 0.02, 0.04). In that multivariate model, prevalence of glaucoma (P = 0.67) as a whole, open-angle glaucoma (P = 0.86) and angle-closure glaucoma (P = 0.54), stage of glaucomatous optic neuropathy (P = 0.57), prevalence of age-related macular degeneration (P = 0.88), prevalence and stage of diabetic retinopathy (P = 0.30, and P = 0.29, respectively), nuclear cataract (P = 0.32, and P = 0.41, resp.), cortical cataract (P = 0.33, and P = 0.92, resp.), subcapsular cataract (P = 0.74 and P = 0.60, resp.), and pseudoexfoliation (P = 0.44 and P = 0.47, resp.), intraocular pressure (P = 0.52), axial length (P = 0.20), and peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer thickness (P = 0.55) were not significantly associated with the ABI.ConclusionsIn this ethnically mixed population from Russia, none of the major ocular diseases was associated with ABI suggesting that subclinical atherosclerosis is not markedly associated with the aetiology of these ocular disorders.Subject terms: Retinal diseases, Lens diseases     

Novel Anthraquinone-based Derivatives as Potent Inhibitors for Receptor Tyrosine Kinases

The influence of new derivatives of 9,10-anthraquinone with benzoylthiourea, thiazole, triazole and amino acid fragments on the activity of membrane-associated tyrosine kinases was investigated. Inhibitors of protein tyrosine kinase activity of the membrane fraction, as promising agents to search for new potential anticancer agents among the studied compounds, were discovered.     

Suicidal Behaviors Among Ukrainian College Students: the Role of Substance Use,Religion, and Depression

Early adulthood is a critical life period associated with increased suicide risk. The present study used a sample of students from ten Ukrainian public universities (N = 1005). Participants were 17 to 24 years of age (M = 19.19, SD = 1.99). The prevalence of lifetime suicidal ideation was 26.13% and 5.45% of participants reported a lifetime suicide attempt. Participants were more likely to report higher lifetime suicidal ideation if they had higher rates of alcohol and marijuana use, have met a clinical cutoff point for depression and were older, females, and not affiliated with any religion. The lifetime suicide attempt was associated with clinical levels of depression, increased marijuana use, and non-religious affiliation. These results suggest that mental health, alcohol and cannabis use can increase the risk of suicidality while religious affiliation might be an important protective mechanism for Ukrainian young adults at risk for suicidal behaviors.

     

Combined non-invasive diagnostics of deep vein thrombosis of the lower extremities

Application of a combined non-invasive diagnostic approach to screening examination of a high-risk group of patients made it possible to detect phlebothrombosis on 34 lower extremities in 31 patients with absent clinical manifestations of the disease. Combined use of Doppler ultrasound flowmetry and occlusive venous plethysmography increases the accuracy of the diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis of the lower extremities up to 96%.