Analysis of trends in testicular atrophy index values with age in patients with unilateral palpable cryptorchidism.

Cryptorchidism affects the growth of testicular volume. Testicular volume is associated with reproductive function. The testicular atrophy index evaluates the degree of damage caused by cryptorchidism, but it remains unclear whether changes in testicular atrophy index are related to age.

Primary intratracheal schwannoma misdiagnosed as severe asthma in an adolescent: A case report.

Background: Primary intratracheal schwannoma is an extremely rare type of benign airway tumor, especially in adolescents. The presenting symptoms are typically prolonged cough and wheezing that can be misdiagnosed as asthma in adolescent patients.

Case: A 16-year-old adolescent girl admitted to a local hospital with symptoms of an irritating cough and wheezing was diagnosed with bronchial asthma and treated with budesonide and formoterol.

[Effect of Biochar on the Adsorption Characteristics and Adsorption Mechanisms of Ammonia Nitrogen in Rainfall Runoff].

In order to study the performance and mechanisms of bioretention pond media ( biochar) for NH-N removal in rainfall runoff, three kinds of alkali modified biochars (marked as BC1, BC2, and BC3) were prepared with various concentrations of NaOH solution (1, 2, and 3 mol·L) to explore their adsorption performance for NH-N. The results showed that:① Appropriate modifications of the NaOH concentration increased the specific surface area and surface microstructure of biochar, with the content of O and the surface functional groups being enriched. In addition, BC2 possessed the best adsorption performance.

Novel mutations of AXIN2 identified in a Chinese Congenital Heart Disease Cohort.

Congenital heart defects (CHDs), the most common congenital human birth anomalies, involves complex genetic factors. Wnt/β-catenin pathway is critical for cardiogenesis and proved to be associated with numerous congenital heart abnormities. AXIN2 has a unique role in Wnt/β-catenin pathway, as it is not only an important inhibitor but also a direct target of Wnt/β-catenin pathway.

[Risk factors for different types of hypospadias].

Objective: To explore the risk factors for different types of hypospadias.

Methods: According to the 1∶1 ratio, we included hypospadias children in the case group and those without urinary abnormality as controls, all from the Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University between October 2015 to October 2016. Using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses, we investigated the risk factors for hypospadias as well as for four different types of the disease.

A genetic variant in a homocysteine metabolic gene that increases the risk of congenital cardiac septal defects in Han Chinese populations.

Elevated homocysteine levels are known to be a risk factor for congenital cardiac septal defects (CCSDs), but the mechanism underlying this effect is unknown. The genetic variants that were significantly associated with circulating homocysteine concentrations have been systematically identified through the genome-wide association studies of one-carbon core metabolites. To examine the role of the genome-wide significant homocysteine related variants in the occurrence of CCSDs, we investigated the association between these variants and CCSDs in Han Chinese populations.

Association of STAT4 rs7574865 polymorphism with autoimmune diseases: a meta-analysis.

The association between the signal transducer and activator of transcription 4 (STAT4) gene rs7574865 single nucleotide polymorphism and different autoimmune diseases remains controversial and ambiguous. We conducted this study to investigate whether combined evidence shows the association between STAT4 rs7574865 polymorphism and autoimmune diseases. Comprehensive Medline search and review of the references were used to get the relevant reports published before September 2011.

The CRISPLD2 gene is involved in cleft lip and/or cleft palate in a Chinese population.

Background: Nonsyndromic cleft lip and/or cleft palate (NSCLP) are common congenital anomalies in humans, the etiologies of which are complex and associated with both genetic and environmental factors. Previous data suggested single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of rs1546124, rs4783099, and rs16974880 of the CRISPLD2 gene were associated with an increased risk of NSCLP; however, subsequent studies have yielded conflicting results. This study aims to evaluate the associations of the aforementioned polymorphisms with NSCLP in a Northwestern Chinese population.

Signal transducer and activator of transcription 4 gene polymorphisms associated with rheumatoid arthritis in Northwestern Chinese Han population.

Aims: Signal transducer and activator of transcription 4 (STAT4) gene encode a transcriptional factor that transmits signals induced by several key cytokines which play important roles in the development of autoimmune diseases. Recently, several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in STAT4 gene have been reported to be significantly associated with Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in different ethnic populations. We undertook this study to investigate whether the association of STAT4 genetic polymorphisms with RA is present in Northwestern Chinese Han population.

Association of mtDNA D-loop polymorphisms with risk of gastric cancer in Chinese population.

The aim of present study was to evaluate the association of common polymorphisms detected in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) D-loop region (mononucleotide repetitive D310, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) D16521) with susceptibility to gastric cancer (GC) in northwestern Chinese population. A total of 180 GC patients and 218 healthy controls were investigated by using PCR- denaturing high performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC) assay. Genotype and allele distributions and haplotype construction were analyzed in case-control study.

Association of Wnt3A gene variants with non-syndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate in Chinese population.

Objective: non-syndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (NSCLP) is one of the most common birth defects all over the world. Both genetic and environmental factors may contribute to NSCLP. Recent studies have demonstrated that Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathway is required for lip and palate formation.

Fc receptor-like 3 gene polymorphisms confer susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis in a Chinese population.

Polymorphisms in the Fc receptor-like 3 (FCRL3) gene have been reported to be associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Japanese populations. However subsequent studies have yielded conflicting results. Hence the aim of present study was to clarify whether these genetic variants in FCRL3 gene are associated with RA in a Chinese population.

[Application of denaturing high perfomance liquid chromatography in detection of rpoB mutations associated with rifampin resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis].

Objective: to explore the value of denaturing high performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC) in detection of rpoB mutations in rifampin-resistant M. tuberculosis, in order to establish a convenient and rapid approach to screening rpoB gene mutations in M. tuberculosis.

Evaluation of the association between retinal binding protein 4 polymorphisms and type 2 diabetes in Chinese by DHPLC.

Serum retinal binding protein 4 (RBP4) was recently described as a new liver- and adipocyte-derived signal that may contribute to Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and insulin resistance. The aim of this study was to test whether the RBP4 gene could be used as a genetic marker to predict the development of T2DM amongst the Chinese population of Han. For this study, a normal control group of 115 healthy subjects and an experimental group of 107 patients with T2DM were examined.

Pharmacological intervention of tiferron and propolis to alleviate beryllium-induced hepatorenal toxicity.

Intervention of chelating agent tiferron (sodium-4,5-dihydroxy-1,3-benzene disulfonate; 300 mg/kg, intraperitoneal) with propolis (honey beehive product; 200 mg/kg, p.o.) was evaluated to encounter the characteristic biochemical and ultra-morphological alterations following subchronic exposure to beryllium.

Association of sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c gene polymorphism with type 2 diabetes mellitus, insulin resistance and blood lipid levels in Chinese population.

Aims: The sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP)-1c gene has been identified as a susceptibility gene in metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), obesity, dyslipidemia and insulin resistance. Previous studies suggest that SNP17 (rs2297508, exon18c and G952G) of SREBP-1c gene and a common SREBP-1c SNP6 (rs11868035) are associated with an increased risk of T2DM. The present study aimed to confirm the previously reported association in a Chinese population and to examine the two SREBP-1c SNPs for their associations with insulin resistance and blood lipid.

Association of interleukin-1 genetic polymorphisms with the risk of rheumatoid arthritis in Chinese population.

Background: Previous studies suggest that a variable number of tandem repeats polymorphism in the second intron of the interleukin-1 receptor antagonist gene and two single nucleotide polymorphisms at positions -511 and +3954 of the interleukin-1beta (IL-1B) gene are associated with an increased risk of autoimmune diseases. In the present study, we evaluated associations between these genetic factors and an increased risk of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in a population from Northwest China.

Methods: A total of 240 patients with RA and 227 healthy controls from Northwest China were investigated using PCR and PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism.

[Concentration of seminal plasma and serum inhibin B: a predictor in the diagnosis of azoospermia].

Objective: To evaluate the concentrations of seminal plasma and serum inhibin B in the differential diagnosis of obstructive and non-obstructive azoospermia.

Methods: We included 37 infertile men with obstructive azoospermia, another 33 with non-obstructive azoospermia and 25 normal fertile men as controls, and measured the concentrations of their FSH serum, seminal plasma and serum inhibin B, using Testicular Histology Johnson Score for the azoospermia infertile men.

Results: The concentration ratio of seminal plasma to serum inhibin B was 2.

[Alpha-glycosidase helps the diagnosis of epididymal obstructive azoospermia].

Objective: To assess the diagnostic value of alpha-glycosidase for epididymal lump induced obstructive azoospermia.

Methods: Seventy-six infertile men with normal spermatogenic function were divided according to sperm density into a normal density group (n = 27), an oligospermia group (n = 21) and an obstructive azoospermia group (n = 28), and another 30 fertile males were included as normal controls. Semen plasma alpha-glycosidase, leucocyte count, sexual hormone levels and the diameters of the epididymal lumps were measured and their correlations were analyzed.

[Analyse of zinc and acid phosphatase in seminal plasma and sperm parameters of infertile male].

Objective: This study was to investigate the relationship among zinc, acid phosphatase levels in seminal plasma and sperm parameters in infertile male.

Methods: The activities of zinc and acid phosphatase in seminal plasma were detected and leucocytes was stained and counted in 169 infertile men and 21 normal fertility as control.

Results: Acid phosphatase levels in infertile groups were significantly lower than those in the normal control when grouped both in terms of sperm vitality and density( P < 0.