Dietary Assessments And Their Association With Psychological Factors, Inflammation, And Cardiovascular Health Outcomes, Junghee Kang

Theses and Dissertations--Nursing

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), a group of disorders of the heart and blood vessels, are the leading cause of death worldwide, causing one-third of deaths each year. Diet is one of the most important behavioral risk factors for CVD. The effects of behavioral risk factors, such as diet, may lead to increased blood pressure, increased blood glucose, raised blood lipids, and overweight and obesity. Inflammation contributes to the development of CVD and can be influenced by diet. Dietary assessment indices can measure diet quality from an individual's dietary intake by scoring food and nutrient intakes. However, the mediation effects of diet …

Routine Outpatient Electrocardiogram: What Is The Diagnosis?, Muzamil Khawaja, Vincent R J Siebert, John Allison, Yochai Birnbaum

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

No abstract provided.

Surgical Education And Training During The Covid-19 Pandemic: Strategies And Solutions For Pakistan, Edward Anthony Joseph, Russell S. Martins, Javeria Tariq, Namrah Aziz, Hina Inam, Mahim Malik

Medical College Documents

The coronovirus disease-2019 pandemic has severely impacted surgical education and training in Pakistan and worldwide, causing problems, such as risk of infection, limited hands-on training, examination delays, and trainee redeployment to non-surgical specialties. The current review was planned to describe innovative strategies adopted by surgical training programmes worldwide in order to suggest comprehensive recommendations at the level of the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan and individual institutions to counter the challenges presented by the pandemic in Pakistan. The innovative use of technology, including open-access online educational portals, virtual educational activities and simulation-based learning, can help reform education delivery during …

Harassment And Mental Health In Surgical Training: A Pilot Survey Of Surgical Trainees In Pakistan, Russell S. Martins, Syeda Amrah Hashmi, Hina Inam, Mahin Janjua, Mahim Malik

Medical College Documents

Objective: To assess harassment among surgical trainees and its effects on mental health, and to explore its association with gender.
Methods: The nationwide cross-sectional pilot study was conducted by the Association of Women Surgeons of Pakistan from July to September 2019, and included surgical trainees of either gender working in both public and private hospitals. Data was collected using an anonymous online survey form to assess harassment and self-perceived burnout and depression. Data was analysed using SPSS 22.
Results: Of the 147 respondents, 49(33.3%) were males; 98(66.6%) were females; and 118(80.3%) were residents. Workplace harassment was reported by 80(54.4%) trainees. …

Identification And Characterization Of Epitope Specific Immune Responses In Humans And Mice, David Henson

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacy

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality around the world causing approximately 14% of total disease burden. A major factor in the progression to major CVD within patients is immune activation, which led to the study of various immune products as potential biomarkers for the prediction of cardiovascular events, including antigen-specific antibodies and immune complexes. One focus of this biomarker research is IgG autoantibodies targeting apolipoprotein A-I (ApoA-I), and several studies of these antibodies have found an association with increased CVD events. Based on the encouraging results from these studies and previous research which has identified …

Comparing Melatonin Use To Bright Light Therapy In Mitigating Cardiovascular Effects Due To Shift Work Disorder In Shift Working Adults, Alexandra Hirt

Capstone Showcase

Introduction: Circadian Misalignment is a term used to describe a mismatch in one’s physiologically determined sleep patters and their actual sleep wake behaviors. Shift workers often end up in a vicious cycle of being in a state of chronic circadian misalignment, which then can lead to health problems, extreme fatigue, and insomnia, known as Shift Work Disorder (SWD).This has been studied in night shift workers who, when compared to daytime workers, have an increased risk of developing metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and coronary heart disease.These results are not dependent on any behavioral risk factors, such as smoking and poor …

Primary Aortic Valve Replacement In Adults From Age 45 To 65 And How Their Survivability, Post Replacement, May Be Affected By Opting For A Bioprosthetic Or Mechanical Valve., Chandler Hutchinson

Capstone Showcase

Abstract:

Introduction: Aortic valve replacement in middle-aged adults is a procedure done when the aortic valve becomes so incompetent, that replacement is the only viable option for the patient. A bioprosthetic or a mechanical valve is then chosen and replaces the patients’ native aortic valve. For these adults, this procedure is life-extending and the only option for prolonged survival. This paper will address whether a bioprosthetic or mechanical valve would be the better option for prolonging a middle-aged patients’ life.

Methods: A literature search was completed in November of 2019 using PubMed and Google Scholar. Seven articles were chosen based …

Biometric Prognosticators Of Future Myocardial Infarction: Bmi Vs. Waist To Hip Ratio, Christopher Hover

Capstone Showcase

Introduction: Myocardial Infarction (MI), better known as a heart attack, occurs when one or more of the coronary arteries becomes blocked or clogged to the point of being unable to perfuse myocardial tissue. Standard biometric measurements when visiting an outpatient care provider include height and weight which are converted into body mass index (BMI). BMI can sometimes be misleading in judging future health outcomes such as heart attacks. Therefore, this review analyzes the use of waist to hip ratio (I) to predict future myocardial infarctions (P) subsequently to prevent such events (O) compared to the traditionally used metric of BMI …

Validity Of The Actigraph Gt9x Accelerometer Step-Count Function In Adults With Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction, Jonathan D. Kenyon, Hayley Billingsley, Natalie J. Bohmke, Danielle Kirkman, Salvatore Carbone, Youngdeok Kim

Graduate Research Posters

Low physical activity is associated with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Step-counts, a measure of physical activity, can be measured via accelerometry. To date, few studies have examined validity of accelerometer-derived step-counts in the adults with HFpEF.

PURPOSE To assess criterion validity of the Actigraph GT9X accelerometer step-count function in adults with HFpEF via ankle, waist, and wrist placement, compared with manually counted, directly observed steps.

METHODS Six adults with HFpEF (age: 57.2 ± 9.4 y; African American: 50%; females: 100%) completed a cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) on a treadmill while wearing synchronized GT9X accelerometers on the ankle, …

Management Of Refractory Ventricular Fibrillation With Double Sequential Defibrillation, Kaitlyn A. Brown

Capstone Showcase

Patients experiencing cardiac arrest are treated according to ACLS protocols, however current protocols lack recommendations for the treatment of refractory Ventricular Fibrillation which persists after more than 3 cycles of CPR and defibrillation. One potential intervention for these cases that is being researched is the use of simultaneous or sequential activation of two defibrillators. This literature review analyzed the results of several studies to determine if double sequential defibrillation (DSD) is a viable treatment to achieve return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) and improved patient survival. The results of the studies were mixed with some showing positive outcomes, and others showing …

Rad Modulation Of The L-Type Calcium Channel Confers Systolic Advantage In The Heart, Brooke Mildred Ahern

Theses and Dissertations--Physiology

Heart failure is a major public health problem and a leading cause of mortality. This clinical condition affects populations of all ages, and is the result of various cardiomyopathies. Almost half of these patients suffer specifically from heart failure with reduced ejection fraction; these hearts have decreased performance due to a failure of the heart to contract with sufficient force to meet demand. While there are therapies available to increase contractility, none of these enhance contraction without also further promoting pathological signaling and remodeling.

Under normal physiological conditions, the body elevates cardiac output through the fight-or-flight response. This response activates …

Maternal Engineered Nanomaterial Inhalation Exposure: Cardiac Molecular Reprogramming In Progeny Through Epigenetic And Epitranscriptomic Mechanisms, Amina Kunovac

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Introduction: Nano-titanium dioxide (TiO₂), a prominently utilized engineered nanomaterial (ENM), is being employed for its physiochemical properties in several fields including the food industry, manufacturing, and biomedicine. As the prevalence of this ENM, and other particulate matter grows, so does the concern for antagonistic consequences on long-term heart function in vulnerable populations, which until now have not been investigated. Due to the reliance of the heart on the ATP generating capacity of mitochondria for contraction, understanding the role of mitochondrial bioenergetics and structure is pivotal in understanding the repercussions of particulate matter exposure during gestation. As the mass …

Innovation In Surgical Training: Simulating Prosthetic Heart Valves And Annuloplasty Rings Using Pacifiers For Cardiac Surgery Wet-Labs In A Resource Limited Setting, Sara Iqbal, Waris Ahmad

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Conducting a hands-on cardiac wet-lab on valvular surgeries in a resource-limited setting is restricted by the lack of prosthetic heart valves and annuloplasty rings for developing cognitive and technical skills required to understand and protect the three-dimensional cardiac anatomy. In recent times, simulation is regarded as an effective tool in surgical education and has proven to improve the technical skills of trainees. The current short report presents a novel simulator to mimic heart valve replacement surgeries by using a pacifier as a prosthetic valve and annuloplasty ring. Considering resource-constraints in the local context, pacifier-based valve simulators can be usedful as …

Paradigm Shift In The Surgical Training: The Era Of Innovation, Simulation And Beyond, Syed Shahabuddin, Shiraz Hashmi, Yasir Khan, Shahid Ahmed Sami

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

This is an era of transformation of surgical education and training. Modern methods of training are being introduced at a rapid pace and are being adopted in surgical practice not only to improve the outcomes and patient satisfaction, but also to provide an opportunity to develop a new well-structured training curriculum by integrating both traditional and modern approaches to teach and learn surgical skills. Various surgical simulators are in use as training aids and are constantly undergoing further refinement and development. To achieve a smooth transition in surgical training to modern methods, a structured programme has to be developed and …

Nitrite Supplementation Restores Aortic Health In Chronically Stressed Mice, Tyler Coblentz

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Chronic stress increases the risk of developing cardiovascular disease potentially via increases in elastic artery stiffness and endothelial dysfunction. Decreased bioavailability of the potent vasodilator nitric oxide (NO) describes a hallmark of endothelial dysfunction. Nitrite reduces into active NO, providing an alternative pathway of NO restoration. The effect of nitrite supplementation on aortic endothelial function has yet to be determined in chronically stressed mice. We hypothesized that nitrite supplementation would rescue chronic stress-attributed impairments in aortic endothelial function.

Mice at 18 weeks of age underwent an unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS; 5 days/week for 7 hrs/day) paradigm to elicit a …

Characterization Of Spontaneous Preeclampsia In The African Green Monkey (Chlorocebus Aethiops Sabaeus), Chelsea Christina Weaver

Theses and Dissertations--Biology

Hypertensive pregnancy disorders are a major contribution to maternal and neonatal mortality worldwide. Two of these disorders, preeclampsia and chronic hypertension in pregnancy, affect up to 10% of all pregnancies. These hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are associated with long-term, postnatal risk factors for both mother and offspring. Despite numerous recent advances in preeclampsia research, the underlying mechanisms are still not understood. This could be due to lack of a spontaneous animal model. This dissertation presents the African Green Monkey (AGM; Chlorocebus aethiops sabaeus) as the first known spontaneous animal model of preeclampsia and a highly translational model of chronic …

Cardiac Arrest And Global Ischemia Reperfusion Injury: Role Of Mitochondria And Cannabinoid Receptor 2 Signaling., Jennifer L. Bradley

Theses and Dissertations

We explored the effects of cardiac arrest on mitochondria populations and heart whole tissue lysate proteomics utilizing the Weil Institute’s in vivo rat model of cardiac arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. We have discovered that brain mitochondria are more sensitive to global ischemia compared to heart mitochondria. Additionally, complex I is the most sensitive electron transport chain complex to ischemic injury and is a major control point of the rate of oxidative phosphorylation following cardiac arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Preservation of brain mitochondrial activity and function during cardiac arrest may enhance outcomes and recovery.

A recent article focusing on acute myocardial …

The Effects Of Interleukin-1Β On Cardiac Reserve And Exercise Capacity In The Mouse, Habeebah Z. Vohra

Theses and Dissertations

Heart failure (HF) is characterized by dyspnea, fatigue, and exercise intolerance. Clinical evidence points to increased interleukin-1β (IL-1β) activity in patients with HF, with an IL-1 blockade improving the exercise capacity in HF patients. In healthy mice, recombinant-mouse IL-1β (rmIL-1β) induces acute systolic dysfunction, peaking 4 hours after administration. However, the direct effects of rmIL-1β on exercise capacity are unknown. We hypothesized that rmIL-1β diminishes the exercise capacity in the mouse. Adult mice were trained to run on a treadmill and exercise capacity was assessed before, 4 hours, and 96 hours after intraperitoneal administration of rmIL-1β (3 μg/kg) or vehicle …

Evaluating The Effect Of An Electronic Health Record Patient Portal On The Management Of Hypertension, Ashley Hall

DNP Projects

Background: Hypertension is the leading cause of cardiovascular disease and affects individuals globally, nationally, and locally. Consequences of uncontrolled hypertension include atherosclerosis, heart failure, stroke, and renal disease. The electronic health portal is a patient-specific, interactive tool that has been shown to promote adherence to provider recommendations and improve chronic disease management.

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to determine the effects of education via an electronic healthcare portal on the blood pressure management of adults at a primary care clinic in a small town in Kentucky.

Methods: This study was a one-group pre/post intervention designed to evaluate provider …

Role Of P53 Deficient Clonogenic Endothelial Cells In The Pathogenesis Of Pulmonary Hypertension, Aneel Roy Bhagwani

Theses and Dissertations

Pulmonary Artery Hypertension (PAH) is a progressive disorder of the small vessels of the pulmonary vasculature. It is characterized by occlusive vascular remodeling leading to right heart failure and ultimately death. PAH pathogenesis involves a multifactorial etiology leading to formation of occlusive lesions in small (preacinary) pulmonary arteries. These lesions contain hyper-proliferative, apoptosis resistant endothelial cells (ECs), smooth muscle cells and fibroblasts. ECs play a major role in the development of PAH. These ECs in vascular lesions are primitive and express progenitor cell markers, including CD117 (c-kit).

We have isolated clonally expanded, c-kit+ ECs from the lungs of Green Fluorescent …