Tulane University

About: Tulane University is a education organization based out in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Blood pressure. The organization has 24478 authors who have published 47205 publications receiving 1944993 citations. The organization is also known as: University of Louisiana.

Former government officials as outside directors: the role of human and social capital

Abstract: The resources that individual directors bring to corporate boards are largely a function of their human and social capital. Although research has explored the value of having former federal governm...

Increased coronary-artery atherosclerosis in rheumatoid arthritis: relationship to disease duration and cardiovascular risk factors.

Abstract: Objective To compare the prevalence and severity of coronary-artery atherosclerosis in patients with early and established rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and controls Methods Electron-beam computed tomography was used to measure the extent of coronary-artery calcification in 227 subjects, of whom 70 had early RA, 71 had established RA, and 86 were controls Coronary-artery calcification calculated according to the Agatston calcium score was compared in patients and controls, and its relationship to clinical characteristics was examined Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) were obtained with the use of proportional odds logistic regression models to determine independent associations of early and established RA and coronary-artery calcification Results Calcium scores were higher in patients with established RA (median 402, interquartile range [IQR] 0–3588) compared with those with early disease (median 0, IQR 0–426) and controls (median 0, IQR 0–192) (P = 0001) Coronary-artery calcification occurred more frequently in patients with established RA (606%) than in patients with early RA (429%) and control subjects (384%) (P = 0016) The OR for the likelihood of having more severe coronary-artery calcification (defined as an Agatston score >109) in patients with established disease was 342 (P = 0002) after adjusting for cardiovascular risk factors Among patients with RA, smoking (OR 102, P = 004) and an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (OR 102, P = 005) were associated with more severe coronary-artery calcification after adjustment for age and sex Conclusion The prevalence and severity of coronary calcification is increased in patients with established RA and is related, in part, to smoking and an increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate

Interleukin-1 stimulates ACTH release by an indirect action which requires endogenous corticotropin releasing factor.

Abstract: The present study was performed in order to clarify the mechanism by which interleukin-1 (IL-1) activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (H-P-A) axis. The iv administration of IL-1 into freely moving, conscious rats significantly elevated the plasma levels of ACTH. This ACTH response to IL-1 was, however, completely abolished by preinjection of 0.5 ml rabbit antiserum generated against rat CRF, but not by normal rabbit serum (NRS). The IL-1-induced ACTH release did not seem to be caused by a general stress effect of IL-1 because plasma PRL levels, another indicator of a stress response, were not altered by the injection of IL-1. These results suggest that IL-1 acts centrally in the brain to stimulate the secretion of CRF, thereby eliciting ACTH release, and that a direct action of IL-1 on the pituitary gland is unlikely.