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Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences

Role Of Cannabinoid Receptor Type 2 (Cb2) In Late Stage Atherosclerosis, Makenzie Fulmer Dec 2017

Role Of Cannabinoid Receptor Type 2 (Cb2) In Late Stage Atherosclerosis, Makenzie Fulmer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disorder of medium and large vessels. Immune signaling and dyslipidemia are two of several processes which influence lesion development in atherosclerosis. Cannabinoids, such as those found in marijuana, exert their effects through two cannabinoid receptors, CB1 and CB2. Recent studies using CB2 knockout mice and CB2-selective ligands have shed light on a protective role of CB2 in early stages of atherosclerosis. However, the role of CB2 in advanced stages of atherosclerosis remains unclear. To determine if CB2 plays a role in advanced atherosclerotic lesion composition and progression, we investigated the effects of systemic CB2 gene …


Prospective Studies Of Cardiovascular Risk Factors And Mild Cognitive Impairment, Kevin Sullivan Aug 2017

Prospective Studies Of Cardiovascular Risk Factors And Mild Cognitive Impairment, Kevin Sullivan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The association of cardiovascular risk factors including hypertension, diabetes, cholesterol, kidney function, and arterial stiffness with cognitive impairment in older adults is a well-studied phenomenon. However, there is considerably less evidence relating cardiovascular health specifically to a diagnosis of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). As a precursor state of dementia, MCI is characterized by a decline in cognitive function from previous level, but not to the degree that activities of daily living are impaired. Not everyone who is diagnosed with MCI will eventually transition to dementia, but the transition rates are much higher compared to the general population (5-15% per year …


A Novel Method For Synthesis Of Hydroxytyrosol, Emmanuel Onobun Aug 2017

A Novel Method For Synthesis Of Hydroxytyrosol, Emmanuel Onobun

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Hydroxytyrosol, 3,4-dihydroxyphenolethanol, a naturally occurring polyphenol most common in olive tree (Olea europaea), is one of the most effective member of the polyphenols family, because of its remarkable antioxidant activity, its ability to inhibit oxidation of low density lipids (LDL), and its protection against DNA oxidative damage. Hydroxytyrosol, which is widely used in cosmetics and food supplements industries, can be purchased as an olive oil extract that contains low concentration of hydroxytyrosol besides other polyphenols. The price and low natural abundance of hydroxytyrosol make alternative synthetic sources very attractive. In this research, a novel method for the synthesis of pure …


Role Of Tlrs, Hippo-Yap1 Signaling, And Micrornas In Cardiac Repair And Regeneration Of Damaged Myocardium During Ischemic Injury, Xiaohui Wang Aug 2017

Role Of Tlrs, Hippo-Yap1 Signaling, And Micrornas In Cardiac Repair And Regeneration Of Damaged Myocardium During Ischemic Injury, Xiaohui Wang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death in the United States. Toll-like receptor (TLR)-mediated pathways have been demonstrated to play a role in myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. We and others have shown that PI3K/Akt signaling is involved in regulating cellular survival and protecting the myocardium from I/R induced injury. In this dissertation, we provide compelling evidence that miR-125b serves to “fine tune” TLR mediated NF-kB responses by repressing TNF-a and TRAF6 expression. We constructed lentiviral expressing miR-125b, delivered it into the myocardium. The data showed that delivery of lentivirus expressing miR-125b significantly reduces myocardial infarct size and improves cardiac …


Consequences Of Altered Short-Chain Carbon Metabolism In Heart Failure, Julie Horton Jan 2017

Consequences Of Altered Short-Chain Carbon Metabolism In Heart Failure, Julie Horton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cardiovascular disease is currently the foremost cause of death within the United States. Heart failure (HF) is a syndrome defined by the inability of the heart to adequately execute requisite pump function in order to deliver nutrients and oxygen to peripheral tissues, irrespective of etiology. One of the most common causes of HF is chronic pressure overload due to hypertension. Ischemic heart disease is also a common driver of HF, often in conjunction with hypertension. Pressure overload initially causes compensatory metabolic changes. Structural changes follow shortly thereafter typically resulting in left ventricular hypertrophy. Eventually, the heart loses the ability to …