Active clinical trials for "Inflammation"

The study was designed to assess the effects of vitamin D supplementation during exercise training on body composition, muscle function, and glucose tolerance. The investigators hypothesis for these studies is that vitamin D supplementation enhances exercise-induced increases in strength and lean mass, potentially through enhancing insulin sensitivity and reducing inflammation.

Exercise has been used to help prevent or slow the progression of inflammation-related disease; however, the mechanism by which this activity may lower concentrations of inflammatory markers remains unclear. The melanocortin receptors 1,3 and 5 (MC1R, MC3R and MC5R) have been shown to function in an anti-inflammatory manner and have the potential to mediate the positive immune adaptations associated with regular physical activity. Preliminary data suggest that MC3R gene expression increases in whole blood after chronic exercise training. The primary aim of the current study is to explore whether this change in gene expression translates into alterations in MC1R, MC3R, or MC5R monocyte surface expression. The secondary aim is to examine the relationship between surface expression of these receptors and circulating inflammatory profiles. The investigators will recruit 42 untrained, healthy males and females aged 18-35 yrs. Half of the group will be placed on an exercise program for 15 weeks. The other half will serve as untrained control subjects. In addition to basic anthropometric measures, the investigators will measure concentrations of inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines (ELISA) and cell surface expression of MC1R, MC3R, and MC5R on monocytes (flow cytometry).

The investigators have designed a three dose level, cross-over vegetable feeding study using expertise from nutritional sciences and plant sciences to: Implement a randomized vegetable feeding trial among overweight post- menopausal women Produce, in a controlled environmental setting, vegetable crops which provide a selected variety and quantity of carotenoid and nutrient exposure Assess changes and hopefully demonstrate a significant reduction in oxidant stress and inflammation in this population at risk for developing chronic disease

There is growing epidemiological evidence that consumption of red meat is associated with greater incidence of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) than either white meat or non-meat foods. Research from our group has shown that a high saturated fat (SF) diet with a moderate red meat content selectively increases intermediate density lipoproteins (IDL) and larger low density lipoproteins (LDLs), which are more weakly associated with CVD risk than smaller LDLs. In contrast, the investigators have found that with a similar intake of SF, high beef consumption results in a preferential increase in small and medium LDL particles that are strongly related to CVD. To date, no studies have directly compared the lipoprotein effects of red meat with that of other food sources of protein in the context of both high and low saturated fat intake. The overall objective of this project is to test the hypothesis that the effects of SF on lipoprotein markers of CVD risk are influenced by sources of dietary protein. The investigators hypothesize that adverse effects of SF on plasma levels of LDL-cholesterol (C), apolipoprotein B (apo B), and atherogenic LDL particles are greater in a diet with a high content of red meat than in diets in which the major proteins are from white meat (poultry) or non-meat sources. The investigators propose a clinical trial in which 180 healthy men and women will be randomized to high SF or low SF diet groups, and within each group, consume diets with equivalent amounts of protein from red meat, white meat, and non-meat sources for 4 wks each in random order. Specifically, the investigators will test whether: (1) With high SF, the red meat diet, compared to the other protein sources, will result in higher levels of LDL-C, apoB, small and medium LDL, and total/high density lipoprotein (HDL)C; (2) With low SF, dietary protein source will not be related to any of these measurements; (3) With both the white meat and non-meat protein diets, increased LDL-C with high vs. low SF will be due primarily to increases in large LDL, whereas with red meat the additional increase in small and medium LDL will result in greater increases in plasma apoB and total LDL particle number. Aim 4 will test hypotheses that increases in small and medium LDL with high SF plus red meat are related to increased activity of hepatic lipase, a key determinant of small LDL production, and that increases in large LDL induced by high SF are related to suppression of LDL receptors. The investigators will also assess the effects of protein source and saturated fat content on markers of insulin resistance, inflammation and endothelial function.

Rationale: The effect of positional distribution of dietary fatty acids on markers of inflammation and blood lipids metabolites on diets containing fatty acids such as oleic acid that are associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease is not widely studied. Hypothesis: There would be difference detected in the concentrations of markers of inflammation and blood lipid metabolites in human volunteers fed controlled diets. Study design: A randomized, double-blind, crossover clinical trial that involves 41 healthy volunteers. The volunteers will be selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. They will consume controlled diets for 5 weeks that provides 15% of energy from protein, 30% of energy from fat, and 55% of energy from carbohydrates. Volunteers will be assigned to each test diets which is cooked with novel olein, palm stearin or partially hydrogenated soybean oil in random order until all three diets has consumed by each person. Main study parameters: LDL-cholesterol

The usefulness of diagnostic vitrectomy in patients with suspected sarcoidosis with posterior segment involvement (in whom a diagnosis cannot be determined by conventional methods) has not been well described. We hypothesized that diagnostic vitrectomy would help establish the diagnosis in these challenging cases. Herein, we evaluated the diagnostic yield of vitreous biopsy in patients with suspected sarcoidosis-associated uveitis that affected the posterior segment.This is a retrospective interventional case series. Cases of intermediate, posterior or panuveitis that could not be characterized by clinical examination, ancillary, and laboratory tests were considered for diagnostic pars plana vitrectomy. Retrospective chart review was conducted on consecutive eyes that underwent diagnostic, or diagnostic and therapeutic vitrectomy by a single surgeon from January 1989 to June 2006.

The hypothesis is that western lifestyle, with sedentary behaviors and caloric excess promote a chronic, subacute inflammatory state that participates in the development and progression of atherosclerosis. We will evaluate the effects of targeting inflammation using the anti-inflammatory drug salsalate, compared to placebo, on coronary artery plaque volume assessed by multi-detector computed tomographic angiography (MDCTA). The TINSAL-CVD study is a randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled, 2 arm, clinical trial. The purpose of the study is to compare the effect of salsalate or placebo on sub-acute inflammation and coronary plaque, in people with cardiovascular disease. Participants are randomized to active intervention (salsalate) or placebo interventions for a period of 30 months. The primary endpoint is change in plaque volume in the coronary arteries assessed by MDCTA from baseline to 30 months.

The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of dietary protein on blood lipids and gut hormones after a fat-rich meal. Hypothesis: Certain dietary proteins reduce the amount of fat circulating in the blood stream following a fat rich meal. The effect is dependant of both the quality and the quantity of protein ingested.

The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of dietary protein on blood lipids and gut hormones after a fat-rich meal. Hypothesis: Certain dietary proteins reduce the amount of fat circulating in the blood stream following a fat rich meal. The effect is dependant of both the quality and the quantity of protein ingested.

This study is being conducted to show that indomethacin is at least as effective as ketorolac for the prevention of ocular inflammation following cataract surgery.