Cardiology Commons^™

Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms Linked To Essential Hypertension In Kasigau, Kenya, Julia Carol Freeman

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Hypertension, or high blood pressure (BP), is an ever-growing epidemic in the developing world. Understanding the genetics behind essential hypertension (EH), or hypertension with no known cause, is especially important. In this study, three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) known to be linked to an increase in susceptibility to EH were quantified from a cohort of Kenyans living in the Kasigau region. The SNPs are located in three genes that are part of the renin angiotensin system, the primary regulatory pathway in humans controlling BP. They include: AGT (rs699), AGTR1 (rs5186), and HSD11β2 (rs5479). Overall, by using a fluorescent-based RT-PCR technique, …

Effects Of Prior Acute Exercise On Circulating Cytokine Concentration Responses To A High-Fat Meal, Josef Brandauer, Rian Q. Landers-Ramos, Nathan T. Jenkins, Espen E. Spangenburg, James M. Hagberg, Steven J. Prior

Health Sciences Faculty Publications

High-fat meal consumption alters the circulating cytokine profile and contributes to cardiometabolic diseases. A prior bout of exercise can ameliorate the triglyceride response to a high-fat meal, but the interactive effects of exercise and high-fat meals on cytokines that mediate cardiometabolic risk are not fully understood. We investigated the effects of prior exercise on the responses of circulating tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a), interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-8, leptin, retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), placental growth factor (PlGF), and soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1) to a high-fat meal. Ten healthy men were studied before …

Loss Of Dystrophin Staining In Cardiomyocytes: A Novel Method For Detection Early Myocardial Infarction, Satwat Hashmi, Suhail Al-Salam

Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences

Myocardial infarction (MI) is the most frequent diagnosis made in majority of sudden death cases subjected to clinical and medicolegal autopsies. When sudden death occurs at a very early stage of MI, traditional macroscopic examination, or histological stains cannot easily detect the myocardial changes. For this reason we propose a new method for detecting MI at an early stage. Murine model of MI was used to induce MI through permanent ligation of left anterior descending branch of left coronary artery. Five groups of C57B6/J mice were used for inducing MI, which includes 20 minutes, 30 minutes, one hour, four hours …

Cardiovascular Fitness Associated With Cognitive Performance In Heart Failure Patients Enrolled In Cardiac Rehabilitation, Sarah Garcia, Michael L. Alosco, Mary Beth Spitznagel, Ronald Cohen, Naftali Raz, Lawrence Sweet, Richard Josephson, Joel Hughes, Jim Rosneck, Morgan L. Oberle, John Gunstad

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

Reduced cognitive function is common in persons with heart failure (HF). Cardiovascular fitness is a known contributor to cognitive function in many patient populations, but has only been linked to cognition based on estimates of fitness in HF. The current study examined the relationship between fitness as measured by metabolic equivalents (METs) from a standardized stress test and cognition in persons with HF, as well as the validity of office-based predictors of fitness in this population.

Methods

Forty-one HF patients enrolled in cardiac rehabilitation completed a standardized exercise stress test protocol, a brief neuropsychological battery, the 2-minute step …

Characterization Of Secretory Sphingomyelinase Activity, Lipoprotein Sphingolipid Content And Ldl Aggregation In Ldlr-/- Mice Fed On A High-Fat Diet, Gergana M. Deevska, Manjula Sunkara, Andrew J. Morris, Mariana N. Nikolova‑Karakashian

Physiology Faculty Publications

The propensity of LDLs (low-density lipoproteins) for aggregation and/or oxidation has been linked to their sphingolipid content, specifically the levels of SM (sphingomyelin) and ceramide. To investigate this association in vivo, ldlr (LDL receptor)-null mice (ldlr-/-) were fed on a modified (atherogenic) diet containing saturated fats and cholesterol. The diet led to significantly elevated SM content in all serum lipoproteins. In contrast, ceramide increased only in the LDL particles. MS-based analyses of the lipid acyl chain composition revealed a marked elevation in C16:0 fatty acid in SM and ceramide, consistent with the prevalence of palmitic acid in the modified diet. …

Regulation Of Protein Degradation In The Heart By Amp-Activated Protein Kinase, Kedryn K. Baskin

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

The degradation of proteins by the ubiquitin proteasome system is essential for cellular homeostasis in the heart. An important regulator of metabolic homeostasis is AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). During nutrient deprivation, AMPK is activated and intracellular proteolysis is enhanced through the ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS). Whether AMPK plays a role in protein degradation through the UPS in the heart is not known. Here I present data in support of the hypothesis that AMPK transcriptionally regulates key players in the UPS, which, under extreme conditions can be detrimental to the heart. The ubiquitin ligases MAFbx /Atrogin-1 and MuRF1, key regulators of …

Post-Exercise Hypotension In Brief Exercise, Jeremiah G. Bush

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this investigation was to examine whether a single 10 minute bout of exercise, performed at multiple intervals throughout the day to equal 30 minutes, can effectively elicit post-exercise hypotension (PEH). Secondly, it is important to explore whether a light (40% VO2R) or moderate (70% VO2R) intensity is required to elicit PEH within 10 minutes. Subjects (N=11) completed a VO2max test utilizing the Bruce Treadmill protocol. Each subject returned within 3 – 5 days to complete two separate exercising trials. A counter balanced system was employed so that each subject did not perform the same intensity rotation (Counter …

Blood Pressure Lowering And Vasomodulator Effects Of Piperine, Syed Intasar Husain Taqvi, Abdul Jabbar Shah, Anwar Gilani

Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences

This study was aimed to explore underlying mechanism(s) of cardiovascular effects of piperine. Intravenous administration of piperine caused a dose-dependent (1 to 10 mg/kg) decrease in mean arterial pressure (MAP) in normotensive anesthetized rats, the next higher dose (30 mg/kg) did not cause any further change in MAP. The fall in blood pressure (BP) was followed by small increase in MAP after each dose. In Langendorrf's rabbit heart preparation, piperine caused partial inhibition and verapamil caused complete inhibition of force and rate of ventricular contractions and coronary flow. In rabbit aortic rings, piperine inhibited high K(+) (80 mM) precontractions and …

Factors That Affect Performance On Executive Functioning After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting, Sapna Mahesh Patel

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Research suggests that individuals who undergo coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) experience declines in neuropsychological functioning post-operatively. This decline has been observed in up to 80% of patients early after surgery, and in up to 30% of patients after six months. Many studies have examined the potential effects of CABG on neuropsychological functioning in general, and numerous studies have found that executive functions are impaired in particular. However, none have examined what factors contribute to observed executive dysfunction after CABG. This study investigated the role of memory functions on executive functions in a selected sample of patients undergoing CABG. This …

A Model Of Cytomegalovirus Association With The Development Of Heart Graft Atherosclerosis, Evan Skowronski

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The development of graft atherosclerosis in heart transplant recipients has been associated with the development of post-transplant cytomegalovirus infection. The mechanism of this involvement, however, remains unclear. I undertook a study to determine the role of cytomegalovirus in the development of graft atherosclerosis. First, a rapid method of detecting cytomegalovirus based on capillary polymerase chain reaction and gel electrophoresis was employed to determine the presence of cytomegalovirus in a wide variety of clinical samples. Detection of cytomegalovirus is a lengthy procedure under normal conditions, and timely detection of cytomegalovirus in transplant recipients may allow intervention early enough to block the …

Serial Cardiovascular Adaptations During Pregnancy, Mark Vincent Hart

Dissertations and Theses

Maternal cardiovascular adaptations appear to be essential in order to supply extra circulation to both the developing fetus and maternal system during a successful pregnancy. Since inadequate cardiovascular adjustments may produce abortions or maternal morbidity, the characterization of maternal cardiovascular changes during pregnancy and the elaboration of the underlying mechanism for these changes are essential to the understanding of how the heart enlarges during pregnancy and what significance this enlargement might have. To provide needed information regarding this time course and extent of maternal cardiac enlargement and the hormonal and hemodynamic changes which may be responsible for these changes, the …

The Degree And Time-Course Of Stress In The Patient Undergoing Cardiac Surgery, Hulda Esther Serra, Patricia Jo Yvonne Tygret

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

An important nursing objective is to assist patients through stressful experiences. It has been assumed that cardiac surgery constitutes such a stress situation. For this reason, twenty-two patients undergoing cardiac surgery at Loma Linda University Hospital studied for the purpose of exploring the degree and time-course of were psychological stress.

The methodology consisted of administration of psychological tests before and after surgery; determination of urine catecholamines (UCA) before, during and after surgery; administration of a coping assessment tool before surgery, and a recall interview on the fifth day after surgery. The Multiple Affect Adjective Check List (MAACL)-Today form, and the …

Adherence Of Men With Myocardial Infarction To Prescribed Exercise, Marsha Schwartz

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The purpose of this study was to find out if men with myocardial infarction followed exercise prescribed by the physician. The reasons the patients did or did not follow the exercise prescription were investigated.

An interview guide was used to gather the data for this exploratory study. The questions on the interview guide were designed to obtain information to compare the former exercise pattern of the patient to exercise after infarction. Adherence to the exercise prescription was also determined by the exercise reported in the interview. Fifteen male subjects who had myocardial infarction were interviewed in the hospital and after …

Normal Development Of The Aortic Isthmus, Elizabeth Short

Yale Medicine Thesis Digital Library

The development of the aortic isthmus, that region of the arch of the aorta between the left subclavian artery and the attachment of the ligamentum arteriosum, has received little attention. While the developmental history of the ductus arteriosus and foramen ovale has been well documented, as have the cardiac malformations associated with failure to complete this developmental sequence, little work has been done to define the normal sequence of isthmus development in its transition to an adult configuration in the postnatal period. It has long been recognized that the cardiac malformation known as infantile or preductal coarctation of the aorta …