bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The androgen receptor drives the sex-specific expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 in endothelial cells but not lipid metabolism genes in monocyte-derived macrophages
Authors: McGrath Kristine C.-Y. , Hill Michelle D. , McRobb Lucinda S. , Heather Alison K. 
Published: May 2010

Abstract

Background: Anecdotal evidence suggests that male sex hormones are proatherogenic. We hypothesized that the male sex hormone receptor, the androgen receptor (AR), acts as a molecular switch in sex-specific inflammatory signaling in vascular cells.

Materials and methods: AR expression in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), human monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs) or HeLa cells was modulated by transfection with AR siRNA or human AR cDNA expression vector. Activity and expression levels were measured by luciferase reporter assays, Western blotting or real-time PCR analysis.

Results: AR knockdown reduced expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) in genetically male HUVECs. Conversely, AR upregulation in genetically female HUVECs induced VCAM-1 expression and increased dihydrotestosterone-stimulated monocyte adhesion. Co-transfection of an AR expression vector with VCAM-1 or NF-κB-reporter vectors into phenotypically female, AR-negative HeLa cells confirmed AR regulation of VCAM-1 expression as well as AR activation of NF-κB. AR upregulation was not sufficient to increase ICAM-1 levels in female HUVECs or lipoprotein metabolism gene expression in female MDMs, despite AR knockdown limiting expression in their male counterparts.

Conclusions: AR acts as a molecular switch to induce VCAM-1 expression. Low AR levels in female HUVECs limit NF-κB/VCAM-1 induction and monocyte adhesion and could contribute to the gender bias in cardiovascular disease. Unidentified factors in female cells limit induction of other proatherogenic genes not primarily regulated by NF-κB.
Preoperative low serum testosterone levels are associated with tumor aggressiveness in radical prostatectomy treated cancer patients
Authors: Botto Henry , Neuzillet Yann , Lebret Thierry , Camparo Philippe , Molinie Vincent , Raynaud Jean-Pierre 
Published: May 2010

Abstract

Background: The aim of this study was to characterize the aggressiveness of prostate cancer as assessed by the Gleason score (GS), the predominant Gleason pattern (pGP), and testosterone (T) serum concentration.

Methods: A total of 247 patients, referred to our Department (from January 2007 to December 2009) for a radical prostatectomy, underwent preoperative T and bioavailable testosterone (samplings between 07:00 and 10:00 h). Serum determinations (radioimmunoassayed in a central laboratory). GS and pGP were determined in prostate biopsies and prostate tissue specimens.

Results: In biopsy specimens, a GS7 was observed in 105 (43%) patients; 25 (10%) had pGP4. In prostate specimens, 163 (66%) had a GS7; 60 (24%) had pGP4. For prostate specimens, comparing the 75 patients with pGP4 (GS 4+3, 4+4 and 4+5) to the 172 with pGP3 (GS 3+3 and 3+4), T was lower (4.03 vs. 4.75 ng/mL, p=0.003) and prostrate-specific antigen (PSA) higher (11.1 vs. 7.3 ng/mL, p<0.00001). Extra prostatic extension and positive margins were observed more frequently (52% vs. 18%, p<0.000001 and 29% vs. 15%, p=0.009, respectively). The 40 patients with T <3.0 ng/mL were larger (+5 kg, body mass index: +1.7 kg/m2), PSA was higher (9.9 vs. 8.2 ng/mL, p=0.07). They had a higher percent of GS with pGP4: 53% vs. 25% (p=0.0008).

Conclusions: Aggressiveness of the tumor cannot be properly estimated by the GS and pGP found in biopsies. The pGP in prostate specimens is of paramount importance, particularly in the case of a Gleason 7, to appreciate the outcomes and to choose the treatment. Preoperative testosterone should be added to PSA determination to improve prediction of treatment outcomes.
Recent advances on the action of estrogens and progestogens in normal and pathological human endometrium
Authors: Pasqualini Jorge R. , Chetrite Gérard S. 
Published: May 2010

Abstract
Hormonal control in the development of the normal endometrium is of the utmost importance. It is well established that the two main hormones involved in this process are estradiol and progesterone, which are also implicated in the pathological conditions concerning endometriosis and endometrial carcinoma. There are two types of endometrial carcinoma: type I which represents 80%–90% is hormone-dependent, whereas the remainder is type II and is hormone-independent. The endometrial tissue contains all the enzymatic systems in the formation and transformation of the various hormones, including aromatases, sulfatases, sulfotransferases, hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases, hydroxylases, and glucuronidases. It is interesting to note that increased sulfatase activity is correlated with severity of endometriosis. An increased sulfatase/sulfotransferase ratio represents a poor prognosis in patients with endometrial carcinoma. Treatment with hormone replacement therapy (estrogens+progestogens), as well as with tibolone, is most effective in protecting this tissue by climacteric alterations, owing to the significant decrease of ovarian hormones. In conclusion, enzymatic control can open appealing perspectives to protect this organ from possible pathological alterations.
Testosterone, androgen receptor gene CAG repeat length, mood and behaviour in adolescent males
Authors: Vermeersch Hans , T'Sjoen Guy , Kaufman Jean Marc , Vincke John , Van Houtte Mieke 
Published: May 2010

ObjectivesAndrogen activity has been implicated in a range of traits and behaviours that have well-documented sex differences. However, the results of the studies on the relationship between testosterone and these traits and behaviours are inconsistent. This study has analyzed i) whether CAG repeat length, a presumed modulator of androgen receptor sensitivity, is associated with sex-dimorphic traits and behaviours (aggressive and non-aggressive risk-taking (ART and NART), dominance, depressive symptoms and self-esteem), and ii) whether CAG repeat length interacts with free testosterone (FT) with respect to these traits and behaviours.Design and methodsData obtained from a group of adolescent boys (n=301; mean age: 14.4 years) were analyzed using multivariate general linear modelling (SPSS, Chicago, IL, USA 15.0).ResultsWe found no direct correlation between CAG repeat length and dependent variables. We found significant interactions between CAG repeat length and testosterone, indicating that FT was more positively related to ART and NART with a shorter repeat length, and that an inverse association of FT with depressive symptoms and a positive association with self-esteem were stronger in boys with a longer CAG repeat length.ConclusionOur findings indicate the importance of studying FT and CAG repeat length simultaneously with respect to sex-dimorphic traits, taking into account the possible interactions between the two.
Effect of smoking on the serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D depends on the assay employed
Authors: Grimnes Guri , Almaas Bjørg , Eggen Anne Elise , Emaus Nina , Figenschau Yngve , Hopstock Laila Arnesdatter , Hutchinson Moira Strand , Methlie Paal , Mihailova Albena , Sneve Monica , Torjesen Peter , Wilsgaard Tom , Jorde Rolf 
Published: May 2010

ObjectiveBecause we found higher serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels among smokers than among non-smokers with analyses using an electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLIA) from Roche, the purpose of the present study was to examine whether this difference between smokers and non-smokers was maintained using other serum 25(OH)D assays.DesignA cross-sectional population-based study on 6932 participants from the Tromsø study, 1994–1995, and one validation study comparing six different serum 25(OH)D assays in 53 non-smokers and 54 smokers were performed.MethodsThe association between smoking, season and serum 25(OH)D as measured by ECLIA (Roche) was assessed in the population-based study using general linear models with multivariate adjustments. In the validation study, serum levels of 25(OH)D were analysed with liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry assay from two different laboratories, RIA (DiaSorin), HPLC, RIA (IDS) and ECLIA (Roche). T-tests and linear mixed model analyses were performed to compare the serum 25(OH)D levels in smokers and non-smokers within and between the methods.ResultsIn the population-based study, the serum levels of 25(OH)D using the ECLIA method were 51.9, 53.2 and 72.0 nmol/l in never, former and current smokers (P<0.01). In the validation study, the serum concentration of 25(OH)D was 10.3 nmol/l higher in smokers than in non-smokers (P<0.01) using the ECLIA (Roche), while non-significantly lower serum levels of 25(OH)D were found in smokers using the other five methods.ConclusionsThese two studies indicate that the ECLIA (Roche) overestimates serum 25(OH)D levels in smokers by unknown mechanisms. If confirmed, this might have clinical consequences, and the issue needs further exploration.
The Use of Family Relationships and Linkage Disequilibrium to Impute Phase and Missing Genotypes in Up to Whole-Genome Sequence Density Genotypic Data
Authors: Meuwissen Theo , Goddard Mike 
Published: May 2010

Abstract
A novel method, called linkage disequilibrium multilocus iterative peeling (LDMIP), for the imputation of phase and missing genotypes is developed. LDMIP performs an iterative peeling step for every locus, which accounts for the family data, and uses a forward–backward algorithm to accumulate information across loci. Marker similarity between haplotype pairs is used to impute possible missing genotypes and phases, which relies on the linkage disequilibrium between closely linked markers. After this imputation step, the combined iterative peeling/forward–backward algorithm is applied again, until convergence. The calculations per iteration scale linearly with number of markers and number of individuals in the pedigree, which makes LDMIP well suited to large numbers of markers and/or large numbers of individuals. Per iteration calculations scale quadratically with the number of alleles, which implies biallelic markers are preferred. In a situation with up to 15% randomly missing genotypes, the error rate of the imputed genotypes was &lt;1% and ∼99% of the missing genotypes were imputed. In another example, LDMIP was used to impute whole-genome sequence data consisting of 17,321 SNPs on a chromosome. Imputation of the sequence was based on the information of 20 (re)sequenced founder individuals and genotyping their descendants for a panel of 3000 SNPs. The error rate of the imputed SNP genotypes was 10%. However, if the parents of these 20 founders are also sequenced, &gt;99% of missing genotypes are imputed correctly.
Postconcussive Symptoms and Neurocognitive Function After Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Children
Authors: Sroufe Nicole S. , Fuller Douglas S. , West Brady T. , Singal Bonita M. , Warschausky Seth A. , Maio Ronald F. 
Published: May 2010

OBJECTIVES:We describe children's postconcussive symptoms (PCSs), neurocognitive function, and recovery during 4 to 5 weeks after mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) and compare performance and recovery with those of injured control group participants without MTBIs.METHODS:A prospective, longitudinal, observational study was performed with a convenience sample from a tertiary care, pediatric emergency department. Participants were children 10 to 17 years of age who were treated in the emergency department and discharged. The MTBI group included patients with blunt head trauma, Glasgow Coma Scale scores of 13 to 15, loss of consciousness for ≤30 minutes, posttraumatic amnesia of ≤24 hours, altered mental status, or focal neurologic deficits, and no intracranial abnormalities. The control group included patients with injuries excluding the head. The Post-Concussion Symptom Questionnaire and domain-specific neurocognitive tests were completed at baseline and at 1 and 4 to 5 weeks after injury.RESULTS:Twenty-eight MTBI group participants and 45 control group participants were compared. There were no significant differences in demographic features. Control group participants reported some PCSs; however, MTBI group participants reported significantly more PCSs at all times. Among MTBI group participants, PCSs persisted for 5 weeks after injury, decreasing significantly between 1 and 4 to 5 weeks. Patterns of recovery on the Trail-Making Test Part B differed significantly between groups; performance on other neurocognitive measures did not differ.CONCLUSIONS:In children 10 to 17 years of age, self-reported PCSs were not exclusive to patients with MTBIs. However, PCSs and recovery patterns for the Trail-Making Test Part B differed significantly between the groups.
Infant Race Affects Application of Clinical Guidelines When Screening for Drugs of Abuse in Newborns
Authors: Ellsworth Marc A. , Stevens Timothy P. , D'Angio Carl T. 
Published: May 2010

BACKGROUND:Screening for illicit drugs in newborns has privacy, social, and legal risks for families of the infants. Established drug-screening criteria may be applied in a manner that considers nonproven risk factors such as race in addition to evidence-based factors.OBJECTIVE:The goal of this study was to determine if race was used as a criterion for screening infants for intrauterine cocaine exposure. We hypothesized that infants of black mothers would be more likely to be screened regardless of whether they met the standard criteria for screening of our institution's NICU.METHODS:We used the electronic medical records of newborn infants and their mothers to determine which mother-infant pairs had documented evidence of meeting the criteria for screening infants for prenatal exposure to illicit drugs set forth in the guidelines of our NICU. We then assessed the rates of drug screening to determine the strongest predictors of whether an infant would be screened.RESULTS:We assessed 2121 mother-infant pairs. Infants born to black mothers were more likely than those born to white mothers to have screening performed whether they met screening criteria (35.1% vs 12.9%; P &lt; .001) or did not (5.3% vs 1.2%; P &lt; .001). In a logistic regression analysis, black race remained independently associated (odds ratio: 2.17 [95% confidence interval: 1.25–3.79]) with drug screening even when we controlled for our standard screening criteria and income, insurance status, and maternal education.CONCLUSION:Providers seemed to have used race, in addition to recognized risk criteria, as a factor in deciding whether to screen an infant for maternal illicit drug use.
Hospital Readmissions and Survival After Nonneonatal Pediatric ECMO
Authors: Jen Howard C. , Shew Stephen B. 
Published: May 2010

PURPOSE:The late effects of treatment with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in nonneonatal pediatric patients remain unclear. The aims of our study were to better characterize the long-term survival and hospital readmission rates for pediatric patients after ECMO treatment.PATIENTS AND METHODS:From 1999 to 2006, data on children aged 1 month to 18 years who underwent ECMO were extracted from the California Patient Discharge Database. Data from patients with diagnoses of congenital cardiac disease were excluded. We analyzed patient data on initial hospital course, subsequent readmissions, development of long-term morbidities, and long-term survival.RESULTS:The study cohort consisted of 188 children from 13 California hospitals. The median age was 3 years, and 46% of the patients survived to hospital discharge. ECMO indications included acquired heart disease in 81 patients, pneumonia in 56, other respiratory failure in 22, sepsis in 8, trauma in 8, and other indications in 12. Of the 87 survivors, 56 were tracked for a median period of 3.7 years. The readmission rate was 62%, and the mean time to first readmission was 1.2 years. Readmissions for respiratory infections were observed in 34% of the patients and for reactive airway disease in 7%. Neurologically debilitating conditions (epilepsy [7%] and developmental delay [9%]) occurred in 16%. Late deaths occurred in 5% of the children. Readmitted survivors had a cumulative length of readmission hospitalization of 8 days and hospital charge of $43 000. Cox proportional hazard regression demonstrated a positive relationship between treatment-center case volume and long-term survival outcomes (hazard ratio: 0.98 per case; P &lt; .01).CONCLUSIONS:Pediatric ECMO survivors suffered from significant long-term morbidities after initial hospital discharge. More than 60% of these children required subsequent readmissions, and late deaths were observed in 5%. Furthermore, hospitals with high case volumes were associated with improved long-term survival.
Breastfeeding and Risk for Fever After Immunization
Authors: Pisacane Alfredo , Continisio Paola , Palma Orsola , Cataldo Stefania , De Michele Fabiola , Vairo Ugo 
Published: May 2010

OBJECTIVE:
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of breastfeeding on the risk for fever after routine immunizations.

METHODS:
A prospective cohort study was conducted at a pediatric vaccination center in Naples, Italy. The mothers of the infants scheduled to receive routine immunizations were instructed on how to measure and record infant temperature on the evening of the vaccination and for the subsequent 3 days. The information about the incidence of fever was obtained by telephone on the third day after vaccination. The relative risk for fever in relation to the type of breastfeeding was estimated in multivariate analyses that adjusted for vaccine dose, maternal education and smoking, and number of other children in the household.

RESULTS:
A total of 460 infants were recruited, and information on the outcome was obtained for 450 (98%). Fever was reported for 30 (25%), 48 (31%), and 94 (53%) of the infants who were being exclusively breastfed, partially breastfed, or not breastfed at all, respectively (P &lt; .01). The relative risk for fever among infants who were exclusively and partially breastfed was 0.46 (95% confidence interval: 0.33–0.66) and 0.58 (95% confidence interval: 0.44–0.77), respectively. The protection conferred by breastfeeding persisted even when considering the role of several potential confounders.

CONCLUSIONS:
In this study, breastfeeding was associated with a decreased incidence of fever after immunizations.
Cesarean Delivery Is Associated With Celiac Disease but Not Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Children
Authors: Decker Evalotte , Engelmann Guido , Findeisen Annette , Gerner Patrick , Laaβ Martin , Ney Dietrich , Posovszky Carsten , Hoy Ludwig , Hornef Mathias W. 
Published: May 2010

OBJECTIVES:The aim of this study was to analyze a possible association between cesarean delivery and enteric inflammatory diseases in children.METHODS:A retrospective, multicenter, case-control study that included 1950 children was performed in cooperation with 26 university and 16 nonacademic children's hospitals. Information on intestinal disease manifestation, together with mode of delivery and gestational age at birth, postnatal complications, and breastfeeding, was collected by the attending physician from children and their parents who were visiting a gastrointestinal outpatient clinic for Crohn disease (CD; 516 cases), ulcerative colitis (250 cases), celiac disease (157 cases), and other gastrointestinal diseases (165 cases) and control subjects who were visiting ophthalmologic, orthodontic, and dental outpatient clinics (862 cases).RESULTS:Whereas the rate of cesarean delivery of children with Crohn disease or ulcerative colitis was similar to that of control subjects, a significantly enhanced likelihood of being born by cesarean delivery was found in children with celiac disease compared with control subjects (odds ratio: 1.8 [95% confidence interval: 1.13–2.88]; P = .014).CONCLUSIONS:The mode of delivery and associated alterations in the development of the enteric homeostasis during the neonatal period might influence the incidence of celiac disease.
Physical and Functional Impact of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis in Childhood
Authors: Kennedy Gwen , Underwood Christine , Belch Jill Janette Freda 
Published: May 2010

OBJECTIVE:
The aim of this study was to compare self-reported and parent-reported quality of life for a group of pediatric patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)/myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) and age- and gender-matched healthy control children, to determine the extent of functional and physical impairment.

METHODS:
The Child Health Questionnaire was completed by 25 children with CFS/ME, who were recruited throughout the United Kingdom, and by 23 age-, gender-, and Tanner scale-matched control children. In addition, patients were asked questions about the background to their illness (ie, precipitating factors), the status of their illness, and school attendance.

RESULTS:
The median illness duration for patients was 3 years. Sixty-eight percent of the children said that their illness developed quickly, and the illness had an infectious onset for 88%. Only 1 child (4%) attended school full-time, whereas 12 (48%) attended school part-time and 8 (32%) received home tuition only. Children with CFS/ME scored significantly lower for 10 of 14 Child Health Questionnaire concepts; the lowest scores were observed for global health (scores of 21.4 and 84.1 for patients and control subjects, respectively; P &lt; .0001) and role/social limitations attributable to physical health problems (scores of 24.9 and 100, respectively; P &lt; .0001). Quality of life for the children with CFS/ME compared unfavorably with previously published results for pediatric patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus or asthma.

CONCLUSION:
The quality of life of children with CFS/ME was profoundly reduced, compared with that of their healthy counterparts.
Infant Weight Gain and School-age Blood Pressure and Cognition in Former Preterm Infants
Authors: Belfort Mandy B. , Martin Camilia R. , Smith Vincent C. , Gillman Matthew W. , McCormick Marie C. 
Published: May 2010

OBJECTIVES:
More rapid infant weight gain may be associated with better neurodevelopment but also with higher blood pressure (BP). The objective of this study was to determine the extent to which infant weight gain is associated with systolic BP (SBP) and IQ at school age in former preterm, low birth weight infants.

METHODS:
We studied 911 participants in the Infant Health and Development Program, an 8-center longitudinal study of children born at ≤37 weeks' gestation and ≤2500 g. Study staff weighed participants at term and at 4 and 12 months' corrected ages; measured BP 3 times at 6.5 years; and administered the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Third Edition (WISC-III), an IQ test, at 8 years. In linear regression, we modeled our exposure “infant weight gain” as the 12-month weight z score adjusted for the term weight z score.

RESULTS:
Median (interquartile range) weight z score was −0.7 (−1.5 to −0.0) at 12 months. Mean ± SD SBP at 6.5 years was 104.2 ± 8.4 mmHg, and mean ± SD WISC-III total score at 8 years was 91 ± 18. Adjusting for child gender, age, and race and maternal education, income, age, IQ, and smoking, for each z score additional weight gain from term to 12 months, SBP was 0.7 mmHg higher and WISC-III total score was 1.9 points higher.

CONCLUSIONS:
In preterm infants, there seem to be modest neurodevelopmental advantages of more rapid weight gain in the first year of life and only small BP-related effects.