Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Endocr Connect 2018 Dec 1. Epub 2018 Dec 1.

S Wang, Neurosurgery, Fuzhou General Hospital, Fuzhou, China., Fuzhou, China.

Tumor cells require large amounts of energy to sustain growth. Through the mediated transport of glucose transporters, the uptake and utilization of glucose by tumor cells are significantly enhanced in the hypoxic microenvironment. Pituitary adenomas are benign tumors with high energy metabolisms. Read More

Endocr Metab Immune Disord Drug Targets 2018 Dec 6. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

Laboratorio de Hígado, Páncreas y Motilidad (HIPAM) - Unidad de Investigación en Medicina Experimental, Facultad de Medicina, UNAM. Mexico.

Background: Natural killer cells (NKC) are a major component of innate immune response to HCV, mediating their effects through TRAIL and IFN-γ. However, their function is diminished in chronic HCV patients (HCVp). Prolactin is an immunomodulatory hormone capable of activating NKC. Read More

World J Pediatr 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Department of Midwifery, Students Research Committee, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.

Background: Jaundice is a common neonatal problem. This study was conducted to determine the effect of metoclopramide on neonatal bilirubin and maternal prolactin (primary outcomes) and milk volume (secondary outcome).

Methods: This triple-blind, randomized, controlled, clinical trial was conducted on 112 mothers. Read More

Acta Pharmacol Sin 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Centre for Human Drug Research, Leiden, 2333 CL, The Netherlands.

Anxiety disorders arise from disruptions among the highly interconnected circuits that normally serve to process the streams of potentially threatening stimuli. The resulting imbalance among these circuits can cause a fundamental misinterpretation of neural sensory information as threatening and can lead to the inappropriate emotional and behavioral responses observed in anxiety disorders. There is considerable preclinical evidence that the GABAergic system, in general, and its α2- and/or α5-subunit-containing GABA(A) receptor subtypes, in particular, are involved in the pathophysiology of anxiety disorders. Read More

J Med Case Rep 2018 Dec 6;12(1):360. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Centro Hospitalar Universitário de São João, E.P.E., Alameda Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319, Porto, Portugal.

Background: Giant prolactinomas are very rare pituitary tumors that may exhibit an aggressive behavior and present with a life-threatening condition.

Case Presentation: A 25-year-old white woman was admitted to our hospital with a headache, psychomotor retardation, reduced vision, and loss of autonomy in daily activities. Her past medical history was significant for having oligomenorrhea and a depressive syndrome since her mother's death. Read More

Ann Nutr Metab 2018 3;73 Suppl 5:43-52. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

The non-essential amino acid glutamate participates in numerous metabolic pathways in the body. It also performs important physiologic functions, which include a sensory role as one of the basic tastes (as monosodium glutamate [MSG]), and a role in neuronal function as the dominant excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. Its pleasant taste (as MSG) has led to its inclusion as a flavoring agent in foods for centuries. Read More

Cancer Causes Control 2018 Dec 1. Epub 2018 Dec 1.

Epidemiology and Biostatistics Program, Division of Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, 9609 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA.

Purpose: Breast cancer risk associated with pregnancy characteristics may be mediated by maternal hormones or angiogenic factors.

Methods: We conducted a prospective breast cancer case-control study among women in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) and Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) related to maternal pregnancy prolactin (n = 254 cases and 374 controls), placental growth factor (PlGF, n = 252 and 371), soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1, n = 118 and 240) and steroid hormone concentrations (ALSPAC only, n = 173 and 171). Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for a 1 SD change in analytes were estimated using unconditional logistic regression with matching factors (cohort, mother's birth year, serum/plasma, blood collection timing) and gestational age. Read More

Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2018 Nov 30. Epub 2018 Nov 30.

Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.

Rationale: There are many psychotropic drugs available for treatment of schizophrenia. The clinician's choice of the most effective first-line antipsychotic treatment for patients with schizophrenia should balance considerations of differential efficacy of antipsychotics against the relative risk of different side effects.

Method: We reviewed recent studies using meta-analytic techniques and additional studies of new antipsychotics which quantitatively evaluate the efficacy of side effects of first- and second-generation antipsychotics and studies of the efficacy on add-on secondary medications. Read More

Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2018 20;9:683. Epub 2018 Nov 20.

State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China.

Prolactin (PRL) has been considered a key regulator of ion uptake in zebrafish. The genes and , which are Na and chloride Cl co-transporters, have been reported to be regulated by PRL in freshwater fish. The integrative network of PRL signaling dissected from the knockout of tissue-specific downstream PRL ion transporters remains poor. Read More

Psychoneuroendocrinology 2018 Nov 22;102:24-36. Epub 2018 Nov 22.

Department of Mental Health, Parc Taulí Hospital Universitari, Institut d'Investigació Sanitària Parc Taulí (I3PT), Translational Neuroscience Unit, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), CIBERSAM. Sabadell, Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address:

For many years, the study of the psychotic phenotpe and approach to treatment of schizophrenia has been focused on positive psychotic symptoms, although the functional outcome is more clearly associated with negative and cognitive symptoms. Recently, there has been a growing interest in identifying biomarkers associated with these symptoms at early stages of the illness, including the risk of psychosis in vulnerable individuals (at-risk mental states [ARMS]). In this paper, the role of cortisol and prolactin in the clinical expression of psychosis will be reviewed. Read More

Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2018 Dec 4. Epub 2018 Dec 4.

Department of Endocrinology, the First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, China.

During pregnancy, maternal pancreatic beta cells undergo a compensatory expansion in response to the state of insulin resistance, where prolactin (PRL) plays a major role. Retinoblastoma protein (Rb) has been shown to critically regulate islet proliferation and function. The aim of the study was to explore the role of Rb in beta cell mass expansion during pregnancy. Read More

Histochem Cell Biol 2018 Dec 3. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

Department of Histology and Cell Biology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki, 852-8523, Japan.

Diethylstilbestrol (DES), an estrogen agonist, increases prolactin (PRL) cells through transdifferentiation of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) cells to PRL cells as well as proliferation of PRL cells in adult male mouse pituitary. Since hyperacetylation of histone H3 is implicated in the regulation of activation of various genes, we examined the effect of DES on the state of histone H3 acetylation. DES significantly reduced the immunohistochemical signal for acetylated histone H3 at lysine 9 (H3K9ac) in PRL, LH and FSH cells, but not for H3K18ac or H3K23ac. Read More

Reprod Fertil Dev 2018 Dec 4. Epub 2018 Dec 4.

Luteinising hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and prolactin (PRL) are pituitary-derived hormones and mediate their functions through LH receptor (LHR), FSH receptor (FSHR) and PRL receptor (PRLR) respectively. This study aimed to investigate the seasonal expression patterns of LHR, FSHR and PRLR in the epididymis of the male wild ground squirrel during the breeding and non-breeding seasons. Histologically, principal cells, basal cells, cilia and mature spermatozoa were found in the lumen of caput, corpus and cauda epididymidis in the breeding season, whereas in the non-breeding season, cilia and basal cells were rarely found and the epididymidal duct was devoid of spermatozoa. Read More

Neurosci Lett 2018 Nov 27. Epub 2018 Nov 27.

Escuela Superior de Medicina, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Plan de San Luis y Díaz Mirón s/n, Col. Sto. Tomás, 11340, Ciudad de México, Mexico. Electronic address:

Neuroprotective effects of short prolactin (PRL) pre-treatment against kainic acid (KA)-induced damage include neuron loss avoidance in all hippocampal regions and attenuation of seizures. Recent evidence points PRL receptor (PRL-R) as mediator of such neuroprotective effects and seizures as regulators of neuronal marker transcript expression in the hippocampus. Here, we investigated if a daily PRL dose of 100 μg or vehicle for 14 days in ovariectomized rats (OVX) prevents neuron loss induced by KA administered on the third day of PRL treatment in a systemic single dose of 7. Read More

J Vet Intern Med 2018 Nov 30. Epub 2018 Nov 30.

Small Animal Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.

Background: Thyroid hormone supplementation anecdotally has been described as a valid treatment option for dogs with aggression-related problems. However, prospective, controlled, and blinded trials evaluating behavior and neurohormonal status in hypothyroid dogs during treatment with levothyroxine are lacking.

Objective: Levothyroxine supplementation will have a significant influence on the behavior and neurohormonal status of dogs with spontaneous hypothyroidism. Read More

Domest Anim Endocrinol 2019 Jan 5;66:72-85. Epub 2018 Nov 5.

Sherbrooke Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Sherbrooke, Quebec J1M 0C8, Canada.

Three experiments were conducted to better understand why milking-induced prolactin (PRL) release decreases as lactation advances. Experiment 1 compared the effects of milking, 2-min manual stimulation of the mammary gland (without milking), or injection of 1 IU of oxytocin (without milking) on hormonal release in early lactation cows, late-lactation and nongestating cows, and late-lactation and gestating cows (n = 6 per physiological status). Blood samples were collected from 20 min before the start of the treatments to 60 min after. Read More

J Headache Pain 2018 Nov 29;19(1):117. Epub 2018 Nov 29.

Charite Universitatsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.

Background: The three primary headaches, tension-type headache, migraine and cluster headache, occur in both genders, but all seem to have a sex-specific prevalence. These gender differences suggest that both male and female sex hormones could have an influence on the course of primary headaches. This review aims to summarise the most relevant and recent literature on this topic. Read More

Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi 2018 Oct;43(20):4125-4131

Wangjing Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100102, China.

Drynariae Rhizoma has great significance in the clinical practice of osteoporosis treatment. Based on the perspective of integrative pharmacology, the study explored the mechanism of action of Drynariae Rhizoma in the treatment of osteoporosis. Six active components in Drynariae Rhizoma were obtained, mainly including glycosides and sterols. Read More

Physiol Res 2018 Nov;67(Supplementum 3):S521-S524

Department of Urology, Military University Hospital Prague, Czech Republic, Institute of Endocrinology, Prague, Czech Republic.

Five intratesticular sex steroids (testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, androstenedione, estradiol and epitestosterone) along with six serum hormones (LH, FSH, prolactin, SHBG, testosterone and estradiol) were determined in 84 non-obstructive azoospermic men, in order to evaluate to what extent serum and testicular tissue as well as individual hormones in the same material mutually correlate. With exception of androstenedione, tight correlations were found among tissue content of sex steroids, while only weak correlation was recorded between serum and testicular concentrations of major sex steroids testosterone and estradiol. It points to importance of measurement of intratesticular steroids in combination with examination of sperm parameters for assessment of testicular function and spermatogenesis. Read More

BMC Vet Res 2018 Nov 27;14(1):369. Epub 2018 Nov 27.

College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, No. 22 Xinong Road, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, People's Republic of China.

Background: MicroRNAs can regulate gene expression at the posttranscriptional level through translational repression or target degradation. Our previous investigations examined the differential expression levels of chi-miR-3031 in caprine mammary gland tissues in colostrum and common milk stages.

Results: The present study detected the role of chi-miR-3031 in the lactation mechanisms of GMECs. Read More

Neuroendocrinology 2018 Nov 27. Epub 2018 Nov 27.

Dopamine agonists are usually very effective in the treatment of prolactinomas. Nonetheless, a subset of individuals does not respond satisfactorily to these agents and this resistance is characterized by failure to achieve normoprolactinaemia and a 30% or more reduction in maximal tumor diameter (in the case of macroprolactinoma) under maximally tolerated doses. Its overall prevalence is 20-30% for bromocriptine (BRC) and around 10% for cabergoline (CAB). Read More

Cancer Res 2018 Nov 26. Epub 2018 Nov 26.

Molecular Oncology Unit, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO), IRCCS, National Cancer Institute

Post-natal development of the mammary gland relies on the maintenance of oriented cell division and apico-basal polarity, both of which are often deregulated in cancer. The microtubule (MT) network contributes to control these processes, however very little is known about the impact of altered MT dynamics in the development of a complex organ and on the role played by MT-interacting proteins such as stathmin. In this study, we report that female stathmin knock-out (STM KO) mice are unable to nurse their litters due to frank impairment of mammary gland development. Read More

Clin Neurol Neurosurg 2018 Nov 10;176:15-18. Epub 2018 Nov 10.

Department of Neurosurgery, Center of Pituitary Tumor, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 197# Ruijin Er Road, Shanghai, 200025, China. Electronic address:

Background: Germinomas are sensitive to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. However, there has been no report involving in the potential therapeutic effect of dopamine agonists (DAs) such as bromocriptine on germinomas.

Case Description: A 20-year-old female was presented with bitemporal visual disturbance and amenorrhea. Read More

J Anim Sci 2018 Nov 22. Epub 2018 Nov 22.

Department of Animal and Food Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky.

The goal of this study was to test the hypothesis that sodium selenite (ISe), SEL-PLEX (OSe), vs. a 1:1 blend (MIX) of ISe and OSe in a basal vitamin-mineral (VM) mix would differentially alter pituitary transcriptome profiles in growing beef steers grazing an endophyte-infected tall fescue (E+) pasture. Predominately-Angus steers (BW = 183 ± 34 kg) were randomly selected from fall-calving cows grazing E+ pasture and consuming VM mixes that contained 35 ppm Se as ISe, OSe, or MIX forms. Read More

Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2018 Nov 21. Epub 2018 Nov 21.

Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Technical University of Munich, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Ismaningerstraße 22, 81675 Munich, Germany.

Patients with schizophrenia and substance related comorbidity or substance induced psychotic disorder are difficult to treat. Although the prevalence of a comorbid substance use is approximately 40% in schizophrenia, such patients are usually excluded from clinical trials. We therefore performed a random-effects meta-analysis of all randomized controlled antipsychotic drug trials in this patient subgroup. Read More

Pharmacol Rep 2018 Sep 6;71(1):61-66. Epub 2018 Sep 6.

Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.

Background: Elevated prolactin levels are associated with increased cardiometabolic risk. No previous study has compared the effect of hypolipidemic therapy on plasma levels of lipids and other cardiometabolic risk factors in patients with and without hyperprolactinemia.

Methods: The study included three age-, weight-, blood pressure- and lipid-matched groups of premenopausal women: 18 women with untreated hyperprolactinemia, 19 women with bromocriptine-treated hyperprolactinemia and 20 drug-naïve women with normal prolactin levels. Read More

Clin Psychopharmacol Neurosci 2018 Nov;16(4):361-375

Department of Psychiatry, Inje University Ilsan Paik Hospital, Goyang, Korea.

We aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of long-acting injectable (LAI) and oral second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) in treating schizophrenia by performing a systematic review and meta-analysis. MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Library, as well as five Korean databases, were systemically searched to identify studies published from 2000 to 16 April 2015, which compared the efficacy and safety of LAI and oral SGAs. Using data from randomized controlled trials (RCTs), meta-analyses were conducted. Read More

World Neurosurg 2018 Nov 19. Epub 2018 Nov 19.

Department of Neurosurgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, 7-5-2 Kusunoki-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0017, Japan.

Background: A small number of reports have discussed subarachnoid hemorrhage from a ruptured aneurysm embedded within a prolactinoma. To the best of our knowledge, however, no reports have discussed an embedded carotid cavernous fistula (CCF). We report a patient with CCF secondary to a ruptured internal carotid artery (ICA) aneurysm embedded within a prolactinoma. Read More

Aging Male 2018 Nov 22:1-7. Epub 2018 Nov 22.

c Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Andrology, Faculty of Medicine , Aswan University , Aswan , Egypt.

Background And Aim: We examined the relationship among vit.D, AMH, FT3, FT4, and TSH, in addition to the serum levels of reproductive hormones (FSH, LH, prolactin, and free testosterone), in oligoasthenoteratozoospermia and azoospermia patients in a cohort of infertile men from Egypt to establish a clinical marker/cause-effect relationship.

Methods: This cross-sectional cohort study was carried out on 301 men (105 males with oligoasthenoteratozoospermia and 96 males with azoospermia), in addition to 100 controls. Read More

Endocrinology 2018 Nov 20. Epub 2018 Nov 20.

Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.

Previous studies have shown that bromocriptine mesylate (Bromo) lowers blood glucose levels in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. However, the mechanism of action of the anti-diabetic effects of Bromo is unclear. As a dopamine receptor agonist, Bromo can alter brain dopamine activity affecting glucose control. Read More

Hormones (Athens) 2018 Nov 20. Epub 2018 Nov 20.

Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Endocrinology Unit, Istanbul University, Çapa 34093, Istanbul, Turkey.

Central precocious puberty (CPP) or early puberty (EP) is a rare entity in combined pituitary hormone deficiency (CPHD), the latter caused by mutations in pituitary transcription factor genes. The early onset of puberty in two patients with CPHD with POU1F1 gene mutation was evaluated. A 3-month-old boy was diagnosed with central hypothyroidism, and L-thyroxine was commenced. Read More

Sci Rep 2018 Nov 20;8(1):17111. Epub 2018 Nov 20.

Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Querétaro, Mexico.

Vasoinhibin belongs to a family of angiogenesis inhibitors generated when the fourth α-helix (H4) of the hormone prolactin (PRL) is removed by specific proteolytic cleavage. The antiangiogenic properties are absent in uncleaved PRL, indicating that conformational changes create a new bioactive domain. However, the solution structure of vasoinhibin and the location of its bioactive domain are unknown. Read More

J Neurol Surg B Skull Base 2018 Dec 13;79(6):554-558. Epub 2018 Apr 13.

Department of Neurosurgery, Otolaryngology and Neuroscience, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, United States.

 The use of intrathecal fluorescein (ITF) has become an increasingly adopted practice for the identification of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks during endoscopic skull base surgery for pituitary adenomas. Administration through lumbar puncture can result in postoperative positional headaches, increasing morbidity, cost, and length of stay. We sought to identify the incidence of and variables associated with postoperative headaches to determine if there was a subgroup of patients in whom this procedure should be avoided. Read More

Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2018 Nov 16. Epub 2018 Nov 16.

Queens College 65-30 Kissena Blvd. Flushing, NY 11367. Graduate Center 365 5th Ave, New York, NY 10016.

Longitudinal studies have shown that clinical precursors of antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) include attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and more notably comorbid ADHD and conduct disorder (CD). Despite existing evidence for the purported role of abnormal serotonergic function in aggressive youth and adults, little evidence exists on the role of serotonin in the progression from childhood disruptive behavior disorders to adult psychopathology, including ASPD. This study examined the relation between serotonergic function in children diagnosed with ADHD and the development of ASPD in early adulthood. Read More

Asian J Psychiatr 2018 Nov 12;39:1-5. Epub 2018 Nov 12.

Department of Psychiatry, Central Institute of Psychiatry, Ranchi, India.

Background: There is a discrepancy in literature regarding level of prolactin in drug free/ drug naïve patients with non-affective psychosis. Few earlier studies have found low levels of prolactin whereas recent studies have found high levels of prolactin when compared to controls. Most of these studies have not considered the possible confounding factors. Read More

Neuropsychopharmacology 2018 Oct 26. Epub 2018 Oct 26.

Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.

Dopamine D receptor occupancy (DRO) is a key feature of all currently approved antipsychotic medications. However, antipsychotic efficacy associated with high DRO is often limited by side effects such as motor disturbances and hyperprolactinemia. Lumateperone (ITI-007) is a first-in-class selective and simultaneous modulator of serotonin, dopamine and glutamate in development for the treatment of schizophrenia and other disorders. Read More

Reprod Biol Endocrinol 2018 Nov 19;16(1):108. Epub 2018 Nov 19.

Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Policlinico "G. Rodolico", via S. Sofia 78, 95123, Catania, Italy.

This article is a review that addresses the following topics, divided by paragraphs. The first paragraph investigates the effects of physical activity on ovarian function, analyzing in particular the changes concerning the serum concentrations of follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, prolactin, growth hormone, thyroid hormones, leptin, ghrelin, neuropeptide Y. The second paragraph analyzes the effects of doping on the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis. Read More

Mol Cell Endocrinol 2018 Nov 14. Epub 2018 Nov 14.

Instituto de Salud y Ambiente del Litoral (ISAL, UNL-CONICET), Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe, 3000, Argentina; Cátedra de Patología Humana, Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe, Argentina. Electronic address:

Postnatal treatment with glyphosate-based herbicides (GBHs) induces endocrine-disrupting effects on the male rat mammary gland. In this study, the effects of developmental exposure to GBH on mammary gland growth and development, and the possible molecular mechanisms involved, were evaluated in pre- and post-pubertal male rats. To this end, pregnant rats were orally exposed through the food to 0, 3. Read More

Sci Rep 2018 Nov 16;8(1):16936. Epub 2018 Nov 16.

Singapore Eye Research Institute, Discovery Tower Level 6 The Academia, 20 College Road, Singapore, 169856, Singapore.

There are no reliable biomarkers to predict thyroid eye disease (TED) in patients with autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) currently. Several evidences support the involvement of the lacrimal gland in TED. The aim of our study was to quantitatively correlate the changes in tear protein profile with increasing severity of TED. Read More

Hum Mol Genet 2018 Nov 15. Epub 2018 Nov 15.

Academic Endocrine Unit, Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7LJ, UK.

Prolactinomas are the most frequent type of pituitary tumors, which represent 10-20% of all intracranial neoplasms in humans. Prolactinomas develop in mice lacking the prolactin receptor (PRLR), which is a member of the cytokine receptor superfamily that signals via Janus kinase-2-signal transducer and activator of transcription-5 (JAK2-STAT5) or phosphoinositide 3-kinase-Akt (PI3K-Akt) pathways to mediate changes in transcription, differentiation and proliferation. To elucidate the role of the PRLR gene in human prolactinomas, we determined the PRLR sequence in 50 DNA samples (35 leucocyte, 15 tumors) from 46 prolactinoma patients (59% males, 41% females). Read More

Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 2018 Nov 13;169:112-119. Epub 2018 Nov 13.

Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia, Edificio 7, 80126 Naples, Italy. Electronic address:

The recent discovery of illicit drugs in the aquatic environment has raised concerns about the possible effects on the aquatic fauna, because of the pharmacological activity of these substances. Cocaine is an illicit drug widespread in surface waters since it is the third most widely used drug in North America, Western and Central Europe, and the second in Latin America and the Caribbean. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of environmental concentrations of cocaine on the gills of the European eel (Anguilla anguilla). Read More

Neuropharmacology 2019 Jan 11;144:377-387. Epub 2018 Nov 11.

Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 166 10, Prague 6, Czech Republic. Electronic address:

Obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are important risk factors for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Drugs originally developed for T2DM treatment, e.g. Read More

Eur Addict Res 2018 13;24(5):255-265. Epub 2018 Nov 13.

Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.

Objective: Preclinical and clinical findings suggest a substantial association of the endogenous opioid system in nicotine dependence. The present study investigates the possible dose-dependent influence of naloxone, an unspecific opioid-receptor-antagonist, combined with cue exposure on the physiological state, locomotor activity, craving and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in nicotine-dependent humans.

Methods: Twenty nicotine-dependent, outpatient participants were deprived of nicotine for over 4 h, before receiving challenges with naloxone (1. Read More

J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol 2018 Nov 13. Epub 2018 Nov 13.

1 Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, University Hospital Pitié-Salpêtrière , Paris, France .

Objectives: Osteoporosis is a major risk factor for fracture and treatment is mainly preventive. Patients with severe psychiatric condition and treated with antipsychotics are at risk for vitamin D deficiency and iatrogenic hyperprolactinemia, two serious risk factors of osteoporosis. We aim to determine whether all antipsychotics are similar regarding the risk of osteoporosis in young patients. Read More

Sci Rep 2018 Nov 12;8(1):16679. Epub 2018 Nov 12.

Grupo de Bio-Quimioinformática, Universidad de las Américas, Avenue de los Granados, 170125, Quito, Ecuador.

Consensus strategy was proved to be highly efficient in the recognition of gene-disease association. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to apply theoretical approaches to explore genes and communities directly involved in breast cancer (BC) pathogenesis. We evaluated the consensus between 8 prioritization strategies for the early recognition of pathogenic genes. Read More

Bipolar Disord 2018 Nov 11. Epub 2018 Nov 11.

School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, UK.

Background: Non-adherence is a significant problem in bipolar disorder. Second-generation antipsychotics (SGA) long-acting injections (LAIs) may improve adherence in bipolar disorder and may prevent relapses. However, the evidence is limited and conflicting. Read More

J Clin Transl Endocrinol 2018 Dec 26;14:25-33. Epub 2018 Sep 26.

Department of Medical Endocrinology and Metabolism, Rigshospitalet, National University Hospital, Copenhagen University, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Central hypothyroidism (CH) is a rare cause of hypothyroidism. CH is frequently overlooked, as its clinical picture is subtle and includes non-specific symptoms; furthermore, if measurement of TSH alone is used to screen for thyroid function, TSH concentrations can be normal or even above the upper normal reference limit. Indeed, certain patients are at risk of developing CH, such as those with a pituitary adenoma or hypophysitis, those who have been treated for a childhood malignancy, have suffered a head trauma, sub-arachnoid hemorrhage or meningitis, and those who are on drugs capable to reduce TSH secretion. Read More

Cell Tissue Res 2018 Nov 10. Epub 2018 Nov 10.

Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Hugh Robson Building, George Square, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH8 9XD, UK.

During pregnancy, the regulation of several neuroendocrine systems is altered to support the pregnancy and facilitate the transition to motherhood. These adaptations are organised by the mother's brain and include those that serve to optimise foetal growth, protect the foetus(es) from adverse prenatal programming by maternal stress, facilitate timely parturition and ensure the offspring are nourished and cared for after birth. Although pregnancy hormones are important in inducing and maintaining many of these adaptations, their effects are often mediated via interactions with neuropeptide systems in the brain. Read More