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- Szot, C. S., et al.
(author)
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Investigation of Cancer Cell Behavior on Nanofibrous Scaffolds
- 2011
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In: Materials Science and Engineering C. - : Elsevier BV. - 0928-4931 .- 1873-0191. ; 31:1, s. 37-42
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Tissue engineering and the use of nanofibrous biomaterial scaffolds offer a unique perspective for studying cancer development in vitro. Current in vitro models of tumorigenesis are limited by the use of static, two-dimensional (2D) cell culture monolayers that lack the structural architecture necessary for cell-cell interaction and three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds that are too simplistic for studying basic pathological mechanisms. In this study, two nanofibrous biomaterials that mimic the structure of the extracellular matrix, bacterial cellulose and electrospun polycaprolactone (PCL)/collagen I, were investigated as potential 3D scaffolds for an in vitro cancer model. Multiple cancer cell lines were cultured on each scaffold material and monitored for cell viability, proliferation, adhesion, infiltration, and morphology. Both bacterial cellulose and electrospun PCL/collagen I, which have nanoscale structures on the order of 100-500 nm, have been used in many diverse tissue engineering applications. Cancer cell adhesion and growth were limited on bacterial cellulose, while all cellular processes were enhanced on the electrospun scaffolds. This initial analysis has demonstrated the potential of electrospun PCL/collagen I scaffolds toward the development of an improved 3D in vitro cancer model.
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| 2. |
- Brokken, Leon, et al.
(author)
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Non-linear association between androgen receptor CAG and GGN repeat lengths and reproductive parameters in fertile European and Inuit men.
- 2013
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In: Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1872-8057 .- 0303-7207. ; 370:1-2, s. 163-171
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Recently the dogma that there is an inverse linear association between androgen receptor (AR) CAG and GGN polymorphisms and receptor activity has been challenged. We analysed the pattern of association between 21 male reproductive phenotypes and AR CAG/GGN repeat lengths in 557 proven-fertile men. A linear association was only found between sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) and CAG length, and between inhibin B and GGN length. Men with longer CAG then the reference (22-24), had higher oestradiol levels, whereas men with shorter CAG stretches had a higher DFI and a higher proportion of Fas-positive germ cells. Subjects with either short or long CAG had increased seminal levels of prostate-specific antigen and neutral α-glucosidase activity. Compared to men with the median GGN length of 23, those with shorter GGN repeats had higher levels of inhibin B, higher proportions of normal and progressive sperm, and a higher fraction of Fas-positive sperm, while men with longer GGN had higher oestradiol levels. These data indicate that at least for some markers of male reproductive function the association with CAG or GGN repeat length is curvilinear.
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| 5. |
- Jørgensen, Kristian T., et al.
(author)
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Perfluoroalkyl substances and time to pregnancy in couples from Greenland, Poland and Ukraine
- 2014
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In: Environmental Health: A Global Access Science Source. - 1476-069X. ; 13:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are suggested to affect human fecundity through longer time to pregnancy (TTP). We studied the relationship between four abundant PFAS and TTP in pregnant women from Greenland, Poland and Ukraine representing varying PFAS exposures and pregnancy planning behaviors. Methods: We measured serum levels of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) in 938 women from Greenland (448 women), Poland (203 women) and Ukraine (287 women). PFAS exposure was assessed on a continuous logarithm transformed scale and in country-specific tertiles. We used Cox discrete-time models and logistic regression to estimate fecundability ratios (FRs) and infertility (TTP >13 months) odds ratios (ORs), respectively, and 95% confidence intervals (CI) according to PFAS levels. Adjusted analyses of the association between PFAS and TTP were done for each study population and in a pooled sample. Results: Higher PFNA levels were associated with longer TTP in the pooled sample (log-scale FR∈=∈0.80; 95% CI 0.69-0.94) and specifically in women from Greenland (log-scale FR∈=∈0.72; 95% CI 0.58-0.89). ORs for infertility were also increased in the pooled sample (log-scale OR∈=∈1.53; 95% CI 1.08-2.15) and in women from Greenland (log-scale OR∈=∈1.97; 95% CI 1.22-3.19). However, in a sensitivity analysis of primiparous women these associations could not be replicated. Associations with PFNA were weaker for women from Poland and Ukraine. PFOS, PFOA and PFHxS were not consistently associated with TTP. Conclusions: Findings do not provide consistent evidence that environmental exposure to PFAS is impairing female fecundity by delaying time taken to conceive.
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