A retrospective case study of successful translational research: Cardiovascular disease risk assessment, experiences in community engagement.

In underserved communities across New York City, uninsured adults encounter a greater risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes. The Heart-to-Heart Community Outreach Program (H2H) addresses these disparities by screening for CVD risk factors, identifying healthcare access barriers, and fostering community engagement in translational research at the Weill Cornell Medicine Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) hub. Screening events are hosted in partnership with faith-based institutions.

A Retrospective Case Study of Successful Translational Research: Cardiovascular Disease Risk Assessment, Experiences in Community Engagement.

In underserved communities in New York City, uninsured adults encounter a greater risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The Heart-to-Heart Community Outreach Program (H2H) is addressing these disparities by providing screenings for diabetes and other cardiovascular disease risk factors, fostering community engagement in translational research at our CTSC. Screening events are hosted in partnership with community faith-based institutions.

Effective Low-Cost Ophthalmological Screening With a Novel iPhone Fundus Camera at Community Centers.

Ophthalmologic care is inaccessible to many people due to a variety of factors, including the availability of providers, cost of equipment for ophthalmologic care, and transportation to clinics and appointments. Because many causes of blindness are both highly prevalent and preventable once identified, it is essential to address gaps in care for underserved populations. We developed a novel 3D-printed mobile retinal camera.

Social and Clinical Determinants of COVID-19 Outcomes: Modeling Real-World Data from a Pandemic Epicenter.

Importance: As the United States continues to accumulate COVID-19 cases and deaths, and disparities persist, defining the impact of risk factors for poor outcomes across patient groups is imperative.

Objective: Our objective is to use real-world healthcare data to quantify the impact of demographic, clinical, and social determinants associated with adverse COVID-19 outcomes, to identify high-risk scenarios and dynamics of risk among racial and ethnic groups.

Design: A retrospective cohort of COVID-19 patients diagnosed between March 1 and August 20, 2020.

Dual action of NSC606985 on cell growth and apoptosis mediated through PKCδ in prostatic cancer cells.

Chemotherapy is a vital therapeutic strategy for castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). We have previously shown that NSC606985 (NSC), a camptothecin (CPT) analog, induced cell apoptosis via interacting with topoisomerase I (Topo I) in prostate cancer cells. In the present study, the effect and mechanism of CPT analogs in LAPC4 cells were investigated.

Dissociation of NSC606985 induces atypical ER-stress and cell death in prostate cancer cells.

Castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is a major cause of prostate cancer (Pca) death. Chemotherapy is able to improve the survival of CRPC patients. We previously found that NSC606985 (NSC), a highly water-soluble camptothecin analog, induced cell death in Pca cells via interaction with topoisomerase 1 and activation of the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway.

The effect of 5α-reductase-2 deficiency on human fertility.

A most interesting and intriguing male disorder of sexual differentiation is due to 5α-reductase-2 isoenzyme deficiency. These male infants are born with ambiguous external genitalia due to a deficiency in their ability to catalyze the conversion of T to dihydrotestosterone. Dihydrotestosterone is a potent androgen responsible for differentiation of the urogenital sinus and genital tubercle into the external genitalia, urethra, and prostate.

Models of interinstitutional partnerships between research intensive universities and minority serving institutions (MSI) across the Clinical Translational Science Award (CTSA) consortium.

Health disparities are an immense challenge to American society. Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSAs) housed within the National Center for Advancing Translational Science (NCATS) are designed to accelerate the translation of experimental findings into clinically meaningful practices and bring new therapies to the doorsteps of all patients. Research Centers at Minority Institutions (RCMI) program at the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) are designed to build capacity for biomedical research and training at minority serving institutions.

Suppression of DHT-induced paracrine stimulation of endothelial cell growth by estrogens via prostate cancer cells.

Background: Androgen modulation of angiogenesis in prostate cancer may be not directly mediated by androgen receptor (AR) as AR is not detected in the prostatic endothelial cells.

Methods: We examined the paracrine stimulation of cell proliferation by prostate tumor cells and its modulation by androgen and estrogens in a murine endothelial cell line (MEC) that does not express AR.

Results: Tumor cell conditioned media (TCM) collected from LAPC-4 or LNCaP prostatic tumor cells produced a time- and concentration-dependent induction of cell growth in MECs, which was parallel to the VEGF concentration in the TCM.

Differential effects of estrogen receptor ligands on regulation of dihydrotestosterone-induced cell proliferation in endothelial and prostate cancer cells.

Androgen deprivation therapy of prostate cancer with estrogens shows significant cardiovascular side-effects. To develop effective prostate cancer therapeutic agent(s) with minimal cardiovascular side-effects, we compared the effects of various estrogen receptor (ER) ligands on the modulation of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) actions in LAPC-4 and LNCaP prostate cancer cells and human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs). DHT stimulated the proliferation of HAEC, LAPC-4 and LNCaP cells and induced PSA mRNA expression in LAPC-4 cells.

Preparedness of the CTSA's structural and scientific assets to support the mission of the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS).

The formation of the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) brings new promise for moving basic science discoveries to clinical practice, ultimately improving the health of the nation. The Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) sites, now housed with NCATS, are organized and prepared to support in this endeavor. The CTSAs provide a foundation for capitalizing on such promise through provision of a disease-agnostic infrastructure devoted to clinical and translational (C&T) science, maintenance of training programs designed for C&T investigators of the future, by incentivizing institutional reorganization and by cultivating institutional support.

The first successful paternity through in vitro fertilization-intracytoplasmic sperm injection with a man homozygous for the 5α-reductase-2 gene mutation.

Objective: To report a case of successful paternity from a male homozygous for 5α-reductase-2 deficiency.

Design: Case report.

Setting: Academic center, division of reproductive endocrinology.

Androgen stimulates endothelial cell proliferation via an androgen receptor/VEGF/cyclin A-mediated mechanism.

Growing evidences support that androgen displays beneficial effects on cardiovascular functions although the mechanism of androgen actions remains to be elucidated. Modulation of endothelial cell growth and function is a potential mechanism of androgen actions. We demonstrated in the present study that androgens [dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and testosterone], but not 17β-estradiol, produced a time- and dose-dependent induction of cell proliferation in primary human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs) as evident by increases in viable cell number and DNA biosynthesis.

Inhibition of aberrant androgen receptor induction of prostate specific antigen gene expression, cell proliferation and tumor growth by 17α-estradiol in prostate cancer.

Purpose: Androgen independent prostate cancer growth and metastasis are a major cause of prostate cancer death. Aberrant androgen receptor activation due to androgen receptor mutation is an important mechanism of androgen independence. We determined the effectiveness and mechanism of 17α-estradiol (Sigma®) in blocking aberrant androgen receptor activation due to androgen receptor mutation.

5alpha-reductase isozymes and androgen actions in the prostate.

Androgens acting via the androgen receptor play critical roles in prostate development, growth, and pathogenesis. There are two potent androgens, testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHT), in humans and mammals. DHT is converted from testosterone by 5alpha-reductase isozymes.

NSC606985, a novel camptothecin analog, induces apoptosis and growth arrest in prostate tumor cells.

Purpose: Prostate cancer is a major cause of cancer mortality in American males. Once prostate cancer has metastasized, there is currently no curative therapy available. The development of effective agents is therefore a continuing effort to combat this disease.

17alpha-estradiol inhibits LAPC-4 prostatic tumor cell proliferation in cell cultures and tumor growth in xenograft animals.

Background: Blockade of androgen activity is a major effective therapy for advanced prostate cancer. Estrogen analogs have been used for prostate cancer therapy for years presumably by inhibiting testosterone biosyntheses, but with considerable adverse events due to their classic estrogenic activity. With the discovery of the estrogen receptor (ER) beta and its presence in prostate tumor cells, evaluation of estrogen analogs with less classic estrogenic activity in prostate cancer therapy is emerging.

Gender differences in object location memory: a meta-analysis.

The goal of the present study was to quantify the magnitude of gender differences in object location memory tasks. A total of 123 effect sizes (d) drawn from 36 studies were included in a meta-analysis using a hierarchical approach. Object identity memory (37 effect sizes) and object location memory (86 effect sizes) tasks were analyzed separately.

Sex specificity of ventral anterior cingulate cortex suppression during a cognitive task.

Ventral anterior cingulate cortex (vACC) is a highly interconnected brain region considered to reflect the sometimes competing demands of cognition and emotion. A reciprocal relationship between vACC and dorsal ACC (dACC) may play a role in maintaining this balance between cognitive and emotional processing. Using functional MRI in association with a cognitively-demanding visuospatial task (mental rotation), we found that only women demonstrated vACC suppression and inverse functional connectivity with dACC.

Regulation of prostate 5alpha-reductase-2 gene expression and prostate weight by dietary fat and caloric intake in the rat.

Background: High-fat diet is a major risk factor for prostate cancer. 5alpha-reductases are potential targets of dietary fat.

Methods: Male ACI/Seg rats given either a low-fat or a high-fat diet at weaning or adulthood were sacrificed at 2, 4, and 10 weeks after dietary treatment.

Receptor isoform and ligand-specific modulation of dihydrotestosterone-induced prostate specific antigen gene expression and prostate tumor cell growth by estrogens.

Androgens via the androgen receptor (AR) play crucial roles in prostate physiology and pathophysiology. These androgen actions can be either inhibited or potentiated by estrogens. The mechanisms of these seemingly opposing estrogen effects are unclear.

Fetal hormones and sexual differentiation.

The process of fetal sexual differentiation, which involves establishment of genetic sex, differentiation of the gonads, and development of phenotypic sex, is summarized. The morphologic changes that occur in utero that lead to development of the male and female gonads, germ cells, reproductive tracts, and external genitalia are described. Most of the article focuses on the hormones that regulate sexual differentiation and development in utero.