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Plasma adiponectin levels have previously been inversely associated with carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), a marker of subclinical atherosclerosis. In this study, we used a sex-stratified Mendelian randomization approach to investigate whether adiponectin has a causal protective influence on IMT.
Purpose: It is not yet possible to estimate the number of cases required for a beginner to become expert in laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. We estimated the learning curve of laparoscopic radical prostatectomy for positive surgical margins compared to a published learning curve for open radical prostatectomy. Materials and Methods: We reviewed records from 8,544 consecutive patients with prost
Whereas maintenance of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) is a requisite for life, uncontrolled expansion of HSCs might enhance the propensity for leukemic transformation. Accordingly, HSC numbers are tightly regulated. The identification of physical cellular HSC niches has underscored the importance of extrinsic regulators of HSC homeostasis. However, whereas extrinsic positive regulators of HSCs ha
The possibility of directly converting non-neuronal cells into neurons in situ in the brain would open therapeutic avenues aimed at repairing the brain after injury or degenerative disease. We have developed an adeno-associated virus (AAV)-based reporter system that allows selective GFP labeling of reprogrammed neurons. In this system, GFP is turned on only in reprogrammed neurons where it is stab
Context: Newly discovered biomarkers ideally should prove clinical usefulness, provide additional detection, staging, and prognosis information to improve individual risk assessment, and potentially permit targeted cancer therapy. Objective: To review, display, and evaluate the current evidence regarding the biologic and analytic approach of urinary prostate cancer gene 3 (PCA3) in prostate cancer
Single cell gene expression assays have become a powerful tool with which to dissect heterogeneous populations. While methods and software exist to interrogate such data, what has been lacking is a unified solution combining analysis and visualisation which is also accessible and intuitive for use by non-bioinformaticians, as well as bioinformaticians.
Cell reprogramming technologies have enabled the generation of various specific cell types including neurons from readily accessible patient cells, such as skin fibroblasts, providing an intriguing novel cell source for autologous cell transplantation. However, cell transplantation faces several difficult hurdles such as cell production and purification, long-term survival, and functional integrat
Context: Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most common human malignancies and arises through genetic and epigenetic alterations. Epigenetic modifications include DNA methylation, histone modifications, and microRNAs (miRNA) and produce heritable changes in gene expression without altering the DNA coding sequence. Objective: To review progress in the understanding of PCa epigenetics and to focus
Background and Aim: A recent study in Indian subjects suggested common variants in apolipoprotein C3 (APOC3) (T-455C at rs2854116 and C-482T at rs2854117) to contribute to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), plasma apoC3 and triglyceride concentrations. Our aim was to determine the contribution of genetic variation in APOC3 on liver fat content and plasma triglyceride and apoC3 concentratio
Increased risk of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) associated with personal history of several autoimmune diseases (ADs), such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, sarcoidosis, and immune thrombocytopenic purpura, are known. Whether there are other HL-related ADs and whether the increased risk of HL after ADs holds across sex, age, year of diagnosis, or HL histological subtype is unclear. W
Surgery or radiation therapy remain the standard curative treatments for newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients. Nonetheless, these aggressive treatments are associated with decreased quality of life with altered sexual and urinary functions. The objective was a systematic review of active surveillance protocols to investigate the role of histopathology and molecular markers in the active survei
Context: Although magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is emerging as the most commonly used imaging modality for prostate cancer (PCa) detection, treatment planning, and follow-up, its acceptance has not been uniform. Recently, great interest has been shown in multiparametric MRI, which combines anatomic T2-weighted (T2W) imaging with MR spectroscopic imaging (MRSI), dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DC
Background: Patient enrolment into clinical trials is based on oral information and informed consent, which includes an information sheet and a consent certificate. The written information should be complete, but at the same time risks being so complex that it may be questioned if a fully informed consent is possible to provide. We explored patient representatives' views and perceptions on the wri
Aims A higher intake of fruits and vegetables has been associated with a lower risk of ischaemic heart disease (IHD), but there is some uncertainty about the interpretation of this association. The objective was to assess the relation between fruit and vegetable intake and risk of mortality from IHD in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)-Heart study. Methods and
Context: The notion of insignificant prostate cancer (Ins-PCa) has progressively emerged in the past two decades. The clinical relevance of such a definition was based on the fact that low-grade, small-volume, and organ-confined prostate cancer (PCa) may be indolent and unlikely to progress to biologic significance in the absence of treatment. Objective: To review the definition of Ins-PCa, its in
Induced neurons (iNs) offer a novel source of human neurons that can be explored for applications of disease modelling, diagnostics, drug screening and cell replacement therapy. Here we present a protocol for highly efficient generation of functional iNs from fetal human fibroblasts, and also demonstrate the ability of these converted human iNs (hiNs) to survive transplantation and maintain their
The REvolutionary Approaches and Devices for Nucleic Acid analysis (READNA) project received funding from the European Commission for 4 1/2 years. The objectives of the project revolved around technological developments in nucleic acid analysis. The project partners have discovered, created and developed a huge body of insights into nucleic acid analysis, ranging from improvements and implementati
Background: Smoking is not associated with prostate cancer incidence in most studies, but associations between smoking and fatal prostate cancer have been reported. Methods: During 1992 and 2000, lifestyle information was assessed via questionnaires and personal interview in a cohort of 145112 European men. Until 2009, 4623 incident cases of prostate cancer were identified, including 1517 cases of
