Labour market status and depression in Russia: A longitudinal study, 2011-2017

Socioeconomic and Behavioral Determinants of Cardiovascular Risk in Russia: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

Purpose

Despite much attention within the literature, the multiple risk factors associated with CVD mortality in Russia are still not fully understood. Drawing on the Health Belief Model as a theoretical framework, we aim to elicit socioeconomic and behavioral determinants of cardiovascular risks in Russian men and women.

Methods

Using the Know Your Heart project data, we utilize regression analysis and then structural equation modeling (latent class analysis and mediation analysis) to study the determinants of CVD risks.

Results

OLS and ordered logit regressions show that the key factors defining cardiovascular health behaviors in Russia are health-related actions to reduce the perceived threat of diseases (physical activity and GP visits), perceived barriers to behavioral change (financial constraints), and cues to action (awareness of the federal health check-up program). The latent class analysis further identifies three distinct groups of the population with different CVD risk levels. Over one-third of respondents belong to the "high CVD risk" class characterized by the highest share of smokers and alcohol abusers who evade contact with primary care and face financial constraints. In the mediation analysis, we find that employment mediates the relationship between physical activity and CVD risks: physically active individuals have a greater chance of employment, and employment further mitigates CVD risks. We also find an indication of the selection of the healthy into employment in the causal relationship between GP visits, having a job, and CVD risks.

Conclusion

A corresponding set of policy actions stem from these findings. These include reinforcing the change of perceptions of CVD risks and lowering barriers to health care; raising awareness of the free preventive check-up program in the "high CVD risk" group; making sports and exercise accessible to the elderly; and using off-putting labels on alcohol products as behavioral nudges among "physically active but drinking" males.

Helicid Improves Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Apoptosis of C6 Cells by Regulating SH2D5 DNA Methylation via the CytC/Caspase9/Caspase3 Signaling Pathway

DNA methylation is reportedly associated with stress responses and depression. Treatment with antidepressants can regulate DNA methylation and, subsequently, gene expression in the hippocampus. Hence, DNA methylation is a potential target for treatment of depression. Screening of high-throughput data of a rat model of chronic unpredictable mild stress revealed relatively low expression of SH2 domain-containing 5 (SH2D5). SH2D5 can be overexpressed by treatment with helicid. Therefore, in order to further explore the role of SH2D5 in depression and whether helicid mediates the DNA methylation of SH2D5 as a potential antidepressant role, SH2D5 was overexpressed in C6 cells as a lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-induced model of depression. The expression levels of Bax, Bcl-2, Bad, and Daxx, and changes to the CytC/caspase9/caspase3 signal pathway were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blot analyses. After treatment with helicid or silencing of SH2D5, the above indices were detected. The results showed that helicid regulated the CytC/caspase9/caspase3 signaling pathway and improved the apoptosis indices of C6 cells through the overexpression of SH2D5. Interestingly, silencing of SH2D5 reversed the effects of helicid on the above indices. Then, in order to study the underlying mechanism, the cells were administered to helicid or 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-AzaD) and expression of SH2D5 was detected by qRT-PCR and Western blot analyses, while to assess the DNA methylation level of SH2D5 using bisulfite sequencing/PCR. The results showed that SH2D5 was hypermethylated with low expression in LPS-induced C6 cells, which was reversed by helicid and 5-AzaD. These results suggest that helicid may affect the CytC/caspase9/caspase3 apoptosis signaling pathway and improve the apoptosis indices by mediating DNA methylation of SH2D5.