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Abstract: The Upper Cretaceous dinosaur egg-bearing deposits in Henan Province, central China are divided into three formations in ascending order: Gaogou, Majiacun and Sigou. The Gaogou Formation belongs to alluvial fan deposits containing the fossil dinosaur egg assemblage of Faveoloolithus, Dendroolithus, Dictyoolithus, Paraspheroolithus and Longiteresoolithus. The Majiacun Formation is interpreted as braided stream to meandering stream deposits with assemblage of Ovaloolithus, Paraspheroolithus, Placoolithus, Dendroolithus, Prismatoolithus, rare Youngoolithus and Nanhiungoolithus. The Sigou Formation is shallow lacustrine/palustrine to low-sinuosity river sedimentary rocks with assemblage of Macroolithus, Elongatoolithus, Ovaloolithus and Paraspheroolithus. To date, 37 oospecies, 13 oogenera and 8 oofamilies of dinosaur eggs have been distinguished. Autochthonous dinosaur eggs are preserved in the floodplain deposits, whereas allochthonous and parautochthonous dinosaur eggs are preserved in the alluvial fans. This suggests that river floodplains are the best environments for the preservation of numerous autochthonous dinosaur eggs. The preservation of most dinosaur eggs in brown to red calcic palaeosoils, muddy siltstones or mudstones suggests that the paleoclimate of the nesting area was semiarid. The presence of gray and green mudstone and coal layers, however, indicates that there existed an ephemeral subhumid climate during the middle and Late Cretaceous. It is suggested that such a climate was favorable for the development of meandering streams in a vegetated environment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: This study sought to evaluate the relationship between interleukin 18 (IL-18), interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), and susceptibility to tuberculosis (TB)., Methods: We searched multiple databases, such as PubMed, Embase, Cochrane and China National Knowledge Database, for full-text articles on IL-18, IFN-γ, and TB. Bias risk tool in Review Manager 5.2 was used to evaluate the seven kinds of bias. We used Review Manager 5.2 to evaluate the effects of the results in the selected articles, analyzed the heterogeneity of the included articles to make a forest map, and undertook a sensitivity analysis and publication bias analysis., Results: Ultimately, 10 studies met the inclusion criteria, and were subjected to a data analysis. IL-18 was higher in the TB group than the health control (HC) group [mean difference (MD) =248.11, 95% confidence interval CI: 197.25, 298.98, P<0.0001; I2=63%]. The meta-analysis also showed that IFN-γ was higher in the TB group than the HC group (MD =38.74, 95% CI: 14.84, 62.64, P=0.001; I2=100%). Sensitivity analysis proved the robustness of this research and limited publication bias was observed in this study., Discussion: This study showed that IL-18 and IF-γ had a relationship with TB and might be used to help diagnose TB, which might be helpful in the clinical diagnosis about TB.

microRNA (miRNA) plays a role in the pathogenesis of ischemic stroke, and single nucleotide polymorphisms in miRNA genes may contribute to disease susceptibility. However, the effect of miR-146a, miR-196a2, and miR-499 polymorphisms on ischemic stroke susceptibility has been rarely reported. Using the TaqMan assay, we evaluated the association of hsa-miR-146a/rs2910164, hsa-miR-196a2/rs11614913, and hsa-miR-499/rs3746444 polymorphisms with the risk of ischemic stroke in a Chinese population with 531 ischemic stroke patients and 531 control subjects. Rs2910164 C/G genotypes were significantly associated with increased risk of ischemic stroke in different genetic model (homozygote comparison: OR = 2.00, 95% CI, 1.29-3.12, P = 0.002; additive model: OR = 1.35, 95% CI, 1.10-1.65, P = 0.004;dominant model: OR = 1.33, 95% CI, 1.00-1.75, P = 0.049; recessive model: OR = 1.82, 95% CI, 1.20-2.74, P = 0.004). Subjects with allele G of hsa-miR-146a/ rs2910164 also showed increased risk of ischemic stroke (OR = 1.33, 95% CI, 1.09-1.62, P = 0.005). Stratification analysis showed that the association between rs2910164 and the risk of ischemic stroke was more pronounced in subjects over 60 years old, females, non-drinkers, subjects without hypertension or diabetes mellitus. There were significant combined effects between miR-146a/rs2910164 and fasting glucose/low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels on ischemic stroke susceptibility. However, we failed to find any association between the alleles/genotypes of rs11614913 T/C and ischemic stroke, respectively (P> 0.05). In summary, this study provides evidence that miR-146a/rs2910164 might be associated with a significantly increased risk of ischemic stroke in a Chinese population, and the combined effects between miRNA polymorphism and fasting glucose /blood lipid levels may contribute to stroke pathogenesis.