ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) infection seropositivity and gastroschisis. STUDY DESIGN: In this case-control study we enrolled pregnant women either prenatally diagnosed with gastroschisis (cases, n=33) or with a normal ultrasound (controls, n=66). Both groups attended the University of Utah's Maternal Fetal Medicine Diagnostic Center for their diagnostic ultrasound or because of a community obstetrician referral. Participants completed a structured interview on potential risk factors. Anti-CT immunoglobulin (IgG)1 and IgG3 were measured by a CT elementary body enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULT: Median age at sexual debut was lower and reported sexual partner number higher in cases compared with controls. Risk factors for gastroschisis included having ⩾ 3 sexual partners (odds ratio (OR)=3.3, 95% CI 1.2, 9.4), change in partner from the previous pregnancy (OR=3.6, 95% CI 0.9, 13.9) and anti-CT IgG3 seropositivity (age-adjusted OR=3.9, 95% CI: 1.1, 13.2). CONCLUSION: Anti-CT IgG3 seropositivity was associated with greater than a threefold risk for gastroschisis.
Subject(s)
Chlamydia Infections/complications , Chlamydia trachomatis/immunology , Gastroschisis/etiology , Immunoglobulin G/immunology , Pregnancy Complications, Infectious/diagnosis , Ultrasonography, Prenatal , Adult , Case-Control Studies , Chlamydia Infections/diagnosis , Confidence Intervals , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Female , Gastroschisis/diagnostic imaging , Gastroschisis/epidemiology , Gestational Age , Humans , Incidence , Infant, Newborn , Male , Odds Ratio , Pregnancy , Pregnancy Complications, Infectious/immunology , Risk Assessment , Serologic Tests , Statistics, Nonparametric , United States/epidemiologyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: A cursory analysis of the biomedical grid literature shows that most projects emphasize data sharing and the development of new applications for the grid environment. Much less is known about the best practices for the migration of existing analytical tools into the grid environment. OBJECTIVES: To make GeneHunter available as a grid service and to evaluate the effort and best practices needed to enable a legacy application as a grid service when addressing semantic integration and using the caBIG tools. METHODS: We used the tools available in the caBIG environment because these tools are quite general and they may be used to deploy services in similar biomedical grids that are OGSA-compliant. RESULTS: We achieved semantic integration of GeneHunter within the caBIG by creating a new UML model, LinkageX, for the LINKAGE data format. The LinkageX UML model has been published in the caDSR and it is publically available for usage with GeneHunter or any other program using this data format. CONCLUSIONS: While achieving semantic interoperability is still a time-consuming task, the tools available in caBIG can greatly enhance productivity and decrease errors.
