Interaction between STAT3 gene polymorphisms and smoking on Crohn's disease susceptibility: a case-control study in a Chinese Han population.

Aims: The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) gene and additional STAT3 gene-smoking interaction on Crohn's disease (CD) risk based on a Chinese population.

Methods: A total of 1012 participants (491 men, 521 women), were selected, including 502 CD patients and 510 normal controls. The mean age of all participants was 42.

[Costimulatory molecule CD40 expression in thyroid tissue of Graves' disease patients and its immune pathogenetic significance].

Objective: To explore the expression of costimulatory molecule CD40 in thyroid tissue of Graves' disease patients and understand its immune pathogenetic significance.

Methods: From January 2008 to December 2011, 8 patients undergoing partial thyroidectomy for Graves' disease (n = 3) or non-toxic goiter (n = 5) at Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University and Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University were enrolled. Using the method of immunohistochemistry, the expression of CD40 was detected in their thyroid tissues.