Effects of RAS inhibitors on diabetic retinopathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Results of several studies have shown a possible beneficial effect of renin-angiotensin system (RAS) inhibitors on diabetic retinopathy, but the findings were contradictory. We did a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the effect of RAS inhibitors on diabetic retinopathy.

Methods: We identified relevant publications in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library Central Register of Controlled Trials, and abstracts from main annual meetings.

[DUOX2 mutations in children with congenital hypothyroidism].

Objective: To study the features of DUOX2 mutations and genotype-phenotype relationship in children with congenital hypothyroidism (CH), in order to provide evidence for gene diagnosis and gene treatment of CH.

Methods: Blood samples were collected from 10 CH children with thyromegaly. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood leukocytes.

Diabetes mellitus and poorer prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Previous studies suggested that diabetes mellitus was associated with cancer risk and prognosis, but studies investigating the relationship between diabetes mellitus and survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) reported inconsistent findings. To derive a more precise estimate of the prognostic role of diabetes mellitus in HCC, we systematically reviewed published studies and carried out a meta-analysis.

Methods: Eligible articles were identified in electronic databases from their inception through September 16, 2013.

Association between TP53 Arg72Pro polymorphism and thyroid carcinoma risk.

TP53 Arg72Pro polymorphism has been proposed to have some effects on host's susceptibility to cancer. Several studies were published to assess the association between TP53 Arg72Pro polymorphism and thyroid carcinoma, but they reported controversial results. We performed a systemic review and meta-analysis to assess the association between TP53 Arg72Pro polymorphism and thyroid carcinoma.

Significant associations between X-ray repair cross-complementing group 3 genetic polymorphisms and thyroid cancer risk.

Unlabelled: Polymorphisms in X-ray cross-complementing group 3 (XRCC3) are proposed to be associated with cancer susceptibility, but previous studies on the associations between XRCC3 polymorphisms and thyroid cancer are controversial. We performed a systemic review and meta-analysis to investigate the associations of XRCC3 polymorphisms with thyroid cancer risk. We used odds ratio (OR) with 95 % confidence interval (95%CI) to assess the associations.

NALP3 inflammasome functional polymorphisms and gout susceptibility.

Gout is the most common autoinflammatory arthritis characterized by elevated serum urate and recurrent attacks of intra-articular crystal deposition of monosodium urate (MSU). Although the pathogenesis of gout is still unclear, accumulated studies indicate that genetic factors trigger gout development, including some susceptibility genes that control the production and clearance of urate and lead to hyperuricemia. However, the epidemiological evidence suggests that only less than 10% of hyperuricemia patients develop gout, indicating that other genes unrelated to the urate metabolism may also contribute to the diseases susceptibility.

Disordered osteoclast formation in RAGE-deficient mouse establishes an essential role for RAGE in diabetes related bone loss.

The mechanisms underlying diabetes-mediated bone loss are not well defined. It has been reported that the advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) and receptor for AGEs (RAGEs) are involved in diabetic complications. Here, mice deficient in RAGE were used as a model for investigating the effects of RAGE on bone mass.

[The relevance of tumor necrosis factor-alpha gene-863C/A polymorphism with thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy].

Objective: To investigate the relevance of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) gene -863C/A polymorphism with thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO).

Methods: TNF-alpha gene polymorphism at position -863 was determined by PCR-RFLP in 76 normal people, 54 patients with TAO and 60 patients with autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) who had no ophthalmopathy. All the subjects were collected from July 2002 to December 2003 in out-patient department of endocrinology in the hospital.