Browsing by Subject "cholesterol"
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Item An Analysis of Patient Health Outcomes in a Cardiac Rehabilitation Program(2000-12-01) Hall, Cortni K.; Antonio Rene; Raghbir Sandhu; Manuel BayonaHall, Cortni K., An Analysis of Patient Health Outcomes in a Cardiac Rehabilitation Program. Master of Public Health, Epidemiology Track, December 2000, 48 pp., 11 tables, references, 30 titles. This study analyzed the coronary risk factor and quality of life outcome results of 55 patients who participated in a 12 week, phase II cardiac rehabilitation program. Baseline and post cardiac rehabilitation data were analyzed. There was an overall improvement of the coronary risk factor variables with significant improvements in functional capacity (p=0.001), diastolic blood pressure (p=0.01), total cholesterol (p=0.017), and LDL 9p=0.01). Significant improvements in the quality of life variables included physical function (p [less than] 0.01), role-physical (p [less than] 0.01), body pain (p [less than] 0.05), vitality (p [less than] 0.05), and social (p [less than] 0.05). There was also a significant finding of improved knowledge (p [less than] 0.01) after completion of phase II cardiac rehabilitation program.Item Identification and Characterization of Caveolins in Mouse Macrophages(2002-12-01) Gargalovic, Peter; Dory, Lad; Basu, Alakananda; McConathy, WalterPeter Gargalovic, Identification and Characterization of Caveolins in Mouse Macrophages. Doctor of Philosophy (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology), December 2002, 206 pp., 3 tables, 41 illustrations, references, 296 titles. The understanding of the mechanisms which control macrophage-lipid management, and their accumulation in atherosclerotic lesions, is of significant importance. Caveolins are proteins associated with cholesterol-rich membrane domains and are intimately linked to the regulation of lipid metabolism and transport. The expression and function of caveolin proteins in three macrophage cell types: thioglycollate-elicited mouse peritoneal macrophages, resident mouse peritoneal macrophages and the J774 macrophage cell line. Data in this work establish that the primary macrophages express caveolin-1 and -2, while J774 cells express only caveolin-2. Immunofluorescence microscopy studies indicate that caveolins in primary macrophages do not colocalize, with caveolin-1 being present on the cell surface and cavelon-2 in the Golgi compartment. Analysis of macrophages also showed that caveolin-1, but not caveolin-2, is present in detergent insoluble lipid raft membranes. While caveolin expression in macrophages is not regulated by sterols, both caveolin isoforms can be secreted from cholesterol-loaded macrophages in the presence of high-density lipoprotein (HDL). Secreted caveolins are part of the complex that has a density similar to HDL, which suggests their association with HDL and potentially a role in HDL-mediated reverse cholesterol transport. The examination of caveolin expression in macrophages shows that caveolin-1, but not caveolin-2 expression is highly upregulated by agents that induce apoptosis in these cells. Induction of caveolin-1 expression precedes DNA fragmentation, is independent of caspase activation, and correlates with the exposure of phosphatidylserine on the cell surface. Importantly, immunofluorescence analysis determined that caveolin-1 in lipid rafts colocalizes extensively with phosphatidylserine present on the surface of apoptotic cells. This study thus identifies caveolin-1 as a specific and early marker of the macrophage apoptotic phenotype. Findings here strongly implicate the involvement of caveolin-1 and lipid rafts in the changes of plasma membrane lipid composition as well as involvement in efficient clearance of apoptotic cells by a phosphatidylserine-mediated mechanism.Item Interleukin-6 and its Relationship to Coronary Artery Calcium Burden-North Texas Healthy Heart Study(2008-05-01) AbdulRahim, Nashila; Roberto Cardarelli; Sejong Bae; Richard VirgilioAbdulRahim, Nashila, Interleukin-6 and its Relationship to Coronary Artery Calcium Burden- North Texas Healthy Heart Study. Master of Science (Primary Care Clinical Research), May, 2008, pp., 7 tables, 5 figures, bibliography, 73 titles. Atherosclerosis is highly associated with increased serum inflammatory markers. Coronary artery calcium (CAC) burden has allowed researchers to have a non-invasive proxy measure of atherosclerosis. We hypothesized that interleukin-6 (IL-6), after controlling for CV risk factors, would be associated with CAC scores, and this association will be modified by race/ethnicity. 344 subjects were recruited. IL-6 concentrations were measured, and computed tomography was used to calculate CAC scores. After accounting for age, gender, race, smoking, hypertension, diabetes, and cholesterol, a one-unit increase in IL-6 concentration is associated with 1.03 greater odds of an abnormal calcium score (OR: 1.03, 95% CI: 0.98, 1.07). Race/ethnicity did not modify this association. IL-6 did not prove to be a simple clinical marker of CAC.Item Investigating the Effect of 17β-Estradiol on 24(S)-hydroxycholesterol Concentration in Brain Tissue(2021-05) Oaxaca, K. Celeste; Prokai, Laszlo; Prokai-Tatrai, Katalin; Lacko, Andras G.; Woerner, August E.Estrogen, more specifically 17β-estradiol (E2), has been found to have neuroprotective effects in the brain. With Alzheimer's patients being comprised mainly of women, it is worthwhile to investigate the role that reproductive senescence plays in the development and progression of the disease due to decreased levels of estrogen. The purpose of this research was to develop a method for analyzing how estrogen affects the concentration of 24(S)-hydroxycholesterol (24S-OHC) in brain tissue. Ovariectomized (OVX) CD1 mice we subjected to daily injections of E2 for 5 days. Cholesterol and 24SOHC from hippocampal tissue were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) assay developed for the purpose, and their concentrations were compared between the OVX E2 treated and OVX control groups. No significant difference was found between the two groups; nevertheless, the assay developed during this study will be beneficial for further investigation of E2 as a potential modulator of cholesterol metabolism in future studies.Item Trends in Cholesterol Over 30 Years in the United States by Nativity(2009-05-01) Murillo, Rosenda; Stimpson, JimTrends in cholesterol in the US based on nativity status have not been researched. The objective of this study was to determine and explain differences in cholesterol levels based on nativity. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys were used to study trends (1971-2002) of cholesterol levels in US born and foreign born people. Logistic and linear regressions were conducted to adjust for complex sampling of NHANES. This study found mixed results for cholesterol levels based on nativity status that varied over time. Therefore, disparities in cardiovascular disease between foreign born and US born groups cannot be fully explained based on cholesterol levels. Further research is needed to determine what factors contribute to disparities in cardiovascular disease by nativity.Item Use of Body Mass Index as a Predictor of Health Status in Firefighters(2002-05-01) Theurer, Wesley M.; Antonio A. Rene; Sharon ClarkTheurer, Wesley M., Use of Body Mass Index as a Predictor of Health Status in Firefighters. Master of Public Health (DO/MPH), May, 2002, 28 pp., 3 tables, 29 References. This study evaluated the usefulness of BMI as a screening tool for health parameters and duty fitness among firefighters. Our cohort consisted of 218 active firefighters between the ages of 18 and 58 (men 33.5 ±8.6). Two major BMI categorization methods were used: standard [low (30)] and obesity [(normal([less than] 25), overweight(≥25 [less than] 30), obese(≥30 [less than] 39), morbidly obese ≥39)] The mean BMI was 28.8 (±4.5). Standard categorization revealed that nearly 60% had medium or high BMI's; obesity categorization showed 80.7% to be overweight, obese, or morbidly obese. Statistically significant, adverse relationships between BMI and each of the following were found: systolic and diastolic blood pressure, VO2max, METS, and total cholesterol. Inconsistent or statistically insignificant relations were found between BMI and HDL, Chol/HDL ratios, Triglycerides, FVC, and FEV1sec. Tobacco use and participation in an exercise program is also reported. BMI continues to prove useful as a screening tool and may be useful in identifying individual firefighters for health and fitness intervention measures.