Effects of male hepatitis B virus infection and serostatus on sperm quality, pregnancy outcomes, and neonatal outcomes following intrauterine insemination.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of male hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and serostatus on sperm quality, pregnancy outcomes, and neonatal outcomes following intrauterine insemination for infertility.

Design And Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data from 962 infertile couples undergoing intrauterine insemination treatment at a single center. The case group comprised 212 infertile couples with male HBV infection, and the control group comprised 750 noninfected infertile couples.

Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging in Evaluating the Mild Cognitive Impairment of Occupational Aluminum Workers.

Rationale And Objectives: To investigate whether diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) can distinguish mild cognitive impairment (MCI) from normal controls (NC) in aluminum (Al)-exposed workers, and to explore the association of DKI with cognitive performance and plasma Al concentration.

Materials And Methods: 28 patients with MCI and 25 NC at Al factory were enrolled in this study. All subjects underwent conventional MRI and DKI scans.

Regulating Li-ion flux with a high-dielectric hybrid artificial SEI for stable Li metal anodes.

The interface regulation of lithium metal anodes (LMAs) is considered one of the most critical issues in the pursuit of high energy density for lithium metal batteries. As a key physical characteristic, the dielectric feature of the interface overlayer decides the electric field and charge-current distribution within the interface region and directly influences the Li deposition behavior of LMAs. Herein, a high-dielectric artificial solid-electrolyte interface (SEI) is designed to regulate the electric field distribution and Li flux and stabilize the interface in LMAs.

Association of TGF-ß1 polymorphisms and chronic hepatitis C infection: a Meta-analysis.

Background: Although several researches have reported the connection between the transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1) gene polymorphisms and chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, the conclusions of these studies were not always consistent. Here, this paper proposed a meta-analysis to evaluate whether the TGF-ß1 gene polymorphisms, -509C/T (rs1800469), codon 10 T/C (rs1982073) and codon 25G/C (rs1800471), were associated with chronic HCV infection.

Methods: The summary odds ratios (ORs) of chronic HCV infected patients and controls with all SNPs were obtained by adaptive fixed or random effect model.

Efficacy and safety of rasagiline in Chinese patients with early Parkinson's disease: a randomized, double-blind, parallel, placebo-controlled, fixed-dose study.

Background: Rasagiline is a monoamine oxidase-B inhibitor used for Parkinson's disease (PD) treatment, but its effectiveness on Chinese patients is unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of rasagiline monotherapy in Chinese patients with early PD.

Methods: A 26-weeks, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study has been performed at 15 sites in China and enrolled outpatients (≥35 years old) with idiopathic PD without a history of using any dopaminergic drugs.

Adjunct rasagiline to treat Parkinson's disease with motor fluctuations: a randomized, double-blind study in China.

Background: The use of adjunct rasagiline in levodopa-treated patients with Parkinson's disease and motor fluctuations is supported by findings from large-scale clinical studies. This study is to investigate the efficacy and safety of adjunct rasagiline in Chinese patients with Parkinson's disease, as a product registration study.

Methods: This 16-week, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, multicenter, placebo-controlled study of rasagiline 1 mg/day included levodopa-treated patients with Parkinson's disease and motor fluctuations.

Transforming growth factor-β1 gene polymorphisms with liver cirrhosis risk: A meta-analysis.

Although several epidemiological studies have investigated the association of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-ß1) gene polymorphisms with the susceptibility to liver cirrhosis (LC), controversial results exist. Consequently, we performed a meta-analysis to accurately evaluate the relationship of TGF-ß1-509C/T and codon 10T/C polymorphisms with the risk of LC introduced by chronic hepatitis B/V virus (HBV/HCV) infection. A total of 9 case-control studies, involving 985 LC patients and 909 controls, were recruited for meta-analysis.

Influence of IL10 Gene polymorphisms on the sustained virologic response of patients with chronic hepatitis C to PEG-interferon/ribavirin therapy.

There are accurate but inconclusive data on the association of interleukin (IL) 10 polymorphisms with sustained virological response (SVR) in chronic hepatitis C (CHC). This meta-analysis aimed to derive a more precise estimation of the effects of IL10 gene polymorphisms (-1082G/A, -819C/T, -592C/A) and their haplotypes on SVR in CHC patients receiving pegylated interferon alpha (PEG-IFN-a) plus ribavirin. Literature search was conducted up to Jan.

Influence of IL10 gene polymorphisms on the severity of liver fibrosis and susceptibility to liver cirrhosis in HBV/HCV-infected patients.

Background: Previous studies about the association of the interleukin-10 (IL-10) polymorphisms with the progression of liver fibrosis or cirrhosis susceptibility in chronic hepatitis B/C (CHB/C) disease were inconsistent. The aim of this meta-analysis was to derive a more precise estimation of the association.

Methods: We searched Medline, PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science electronic databases using the following key words: liver fibrosis/cirrhosis, IL10, and polymorphism.

[Efficacy and safety of ropinirole in the treatment of Parkinson's disease: a multi-center, randomized, double-blind and bromocriptine-controlled trial].

Objective: To explore the efficacy and safety of ropinirole in the treatment of Parkinson's disease.

Methods: From November 2005 to April 2007, a total of 221 subjects from 7 hospitals of Beijing, Lanzhou and Wuhan participated in a 12-week multi-center, randomized, bromocriptine-controlled, double-blind, double-dummy and parallel-group trial. The efficacy of ropinirole was assessed with the unified Parkinson's disease rating scale (UPDRS) score, "off" time according to the patient's diary and the overall evolution of clinical efficacy.

[Significance of sympathetic skin response in diagnosis diabetic small fiber neuropathy].

Objective: To investigate the significance of sympathetic skin response (SSR) in the diagnosis of diabetic small fiber neuropathy.

Methods: 38 diabetic patients with paraesthesia and 30 healthy controls underwent SSR test on the 4 limbs. The latencies of the initiation and waves N and P of SSR were analyzed.

Value of sympathetic skin response test in the early diagnosis of diabetic neuropathy.

Background: Diabetic neuropathy is common in diabetes mellitus. The early stage of diabetic neuropathy is often symptomless and difficult to be treated. The aim of this study was to assess the correlation between the results of the sympathetic skin response (SSR) test and the development of diabetic neuropathy, and explore the use of SSR as an objective basis for the early diagnosis of diabetic neuropathy.

Pathogenesis and electrodiagnosis of cubital tunnel syndrome.

Background: Cubital tunnel syndrome is a well-recognized clinical condition and is the second most common peripheral compression neuropathy. This study was designed to investigate the causes of cubital tunnel syndrome by surgical means and to assess the clinical value of the neurophysiological diagnosis of cubital tunnel syndrome.

Methods: Twenty-one patients (involving a total of 22 limbs from 16 men and 5 women, aged 22 to 63, with a mean age of 49 years) with clinical symptoms and signs indicating a problem with their ulnar nerve underwent motor conduction velocity examinations at different sites along the ulnar nerve and examinations of sensory conduction velocity in the hand, before undergoing anterior transposition of the ulnar nerve.