In this thesis, we studied the Hodge theory and deformation theory of nodal surfaces. We showed that nodal surfaces in the projective 3-space satisfy the infinitesimal Torelli property. We... Show moreIn this thesis, we studied the Hodge theory and deformation theory of nodal surfaces. We showed that nodal surfaces in the projective 3-space satisfy the infinitesimal Torelli property. We considered families of examples of even nodal surfaces, that is, those endowed with a double cover branched on the nodes. We gave a new geometrical construction of even 56-nodal sextic surfaces, while we proved, using existing constructions, that the sub-Hodge structure of type (1,26,1) on the double cover S of any even 40-nodal sextic surface cannot be simple. We also demonstrated ways to compute sheaves of differential forms on singular varieties using Saito's theory of mixed Hodge modules. Show less
Atherosclerosis is the major cause of death in the Western society due to the development of acute clinical events such as myocardial infarction and cerebral stroke. Currently, lowering plasma LDL... Show moreAtherosclerosis is the major cause of death in the Western society due to the development of acute clinical events such as myocardial infarction and cerebral stroke. Currently, lowering plasma LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) levels using statins, inhibitors of de-novo cholesterol synthesis, is the main therapeutic strategy to prevent the progression of atherosclerosis. The remaining high incidence of cardiovascular disease indicates a clear need for new therapies. Numerous epidemiological studies have established HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) levels as an inverse predictor for atherosclerosis. HDL has important anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties. The most important atheroprotective function of HDL is, however, facilitation of reverse cholesterol transport (RCT), a process in which HDL removes excess cholesterol from peripheral tissues and subsequently delivers it to the liver for biliary excretion. In this thesis, the importance of RCT for prevention of atherosclerosis and the potential of RCT augmentation for the treatment of atherosclerosis were evaluated. Show less
