Summary Several molecular epidemiological studies have been conducted to examine the association between MTHFR C677T polymorphism and male infertility susceptibility, but the results remain inconsistent. To derive a more precise estimation of the relationship, a meta‐analysis was performed. A total of 10 case–control studies, including 2275 cases and 1958 controls, were selected. Crude odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals were used to assess the strength of association in the additive model, dominant model and recessive model. In the overall analysis, no significant association between the polymorphism and risk of male infertility was observed. Stratified analysis showed that significantly strong association between MTHFR C677T polymorphism and male infertility were present only in Asians (OR = 1.79 for TT vs. CC genotype; OR = 1.42 for CT/TT vs. CC genotype; OR = 1.50 for TT vs. CC/CT genotype; OR = 1.36 for T vs. C allele), but not in Caucasians. Additionally, MTHFR 677T was associated with a significant increase in the risk of azoospermia in all genetic models. No significantly increased risks of oligoasthenoteratozoospermia were found in any of the genetic models. In conclusion, this meta‐analysis supports that MTHFR C677T polymorphism is capable of causing male infertility susceptibility in Asians, but not in Caucasians.

Background and purpose Acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) is a vital cause of mortality and morbidity in China. Many AIS patients develop early neurological deterioration (END). This study aimed to construct a nomogram to predict END in AIS patients. Methods Acute ischaemic stroke patients in Nanjing First Hospital were recruited as the training cohort. Additional patients in Nantong Third People’s Hospital were enrolled as the validation cohort. Multivariate logistic regression was utilized to establish the nomogram. Discrimination and calibration performance of the nomogram were tested by concordance index and calibration plots. Decision curve analysis was employed to assess the utility of the nomogram. Results In all, 1889 and 818 patients were recruited in the training and validation cohorts, respectively. Age [odds ratio (OR) 1.075; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.059–1.091], diabetes mellitus (OR 1.673; 95% CI 1.181–2.370), atrial fibrillation (OR 3.297; 95% CI 2.005–5.421), previous antiplatelet medication (OR 0.473; 95% CI 0.301–0.744), hyper‐sensitive C‐reactive protein (OR 1.049; 95% CI 1.036–1.063) and baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (OR 1.071; 95% CI 1.045–1.098) were associated with END and incorporated in the nomogram. The concordance index was 0.826 (95% CI 0.785–0.885) and 0.798 (95% CI 0.749–0.847) in the training and validation cohorts. By decision curve analysis, the model was relevant between thresholds of 0.06 and 0.90 in the training cohort and 0.08 and 0.77 in the validation cohort. Conclusions The nomogram composed of hyper‐sensitive C‐reactive protein, age, diabetes mellitus, atrial fibrillation, previous antiplatelet medication and baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale may predict the risk of END in AIS patients.

Polyploid cells are made by DNA reduplication without cell division, however, it is not easy to establish polyploid mammalian cell lines. It is worth studying the difference in cell character between hyperploid and parent cell lines. Meth-A cells were polyploidized by demecolcine, K-252a, staurosporine and paclitaxel. The cell-cycle responses of highly polyploid Meth-A cells after the removal of the drugs were examined by flow cytometry (FCM). Meth-A cells were highly polyploidized by these drugs. The polyploid Meth-A cells gradually decreased in ploidy after the drug release. A tetraploid Meth-A cell line was established only from the demecolcine-induced polyploid Meth-A cells. The duration of G1, S and G2/M phases of the tetraploid cell line were mostly the same as those of the parent diploid cells, except that the G2/M phase was 1.5 h longer. The chromosome number of tetraploid Meth-A cell line was about twice of the diploidy. A tetraploid Meth-A cell line was established.

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