[Bioinformatics analysis of key genes and prognosis-related genes during the onset of hepatocellular carcinoma].

Objective: To screen and analyze the differentially-expressed genes (DEGs) in primary hepatocellular carcinoma tissues and adjacent tissues using bioinformatics methods to explore the molecular mechanism of the occurrence and prognosis of primary hepatocellular carcinoma. Methods: GSE76427 data set was collected through GEO database, and DEGs were identified using GEO2R online analysis. Go and KEGG databases were used for enrichment and functional annotation of DEGs. Protein interaction network was built based on the STRING database and Cytoscape software to analyze the key genes of hepatocellular carcinoma, and the survival curve of these key genes were analyzed using the GEPIA database. Results: A total of 74 hepatocellular carcinoma DEGs were screened, of which 3 and 71 were up-and-down-regulated genes. The results of GO enrichment analysis showed that the down-regulated DEGs were mainly involved in cell response to cadmium and zinc ions, negative growth regulation, heterologous metabolic processes and hormone-mediated signaling pathways. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis results showed that the down-regulated DEGs pathway were mainly involved in retinol metabolism, chemical carcinogenesis, drug metabolism-cytochrome P450, cytochrome P450 metabolizing xenobiotics, tryptophan metabolism and caffeine metabolism. Protein interaction network had screened out 10 down-regulated core genes: MT1G, MT1F, MT1X, MT1E, MT1H, insulin-like growth factor 1, FOS, CXCL12, EGR1, and BGN. Among them, the insulin-like growth factor 1 was related to the prognosis of primary hepatocellular carcinoma. Conclusion: Bioinformatics analysis results of HCC chip data showed that 10 key genes may play a key role in the occurrence and development of HCC and the insulin like growth factor 1 is associated with the prognosis of primary hepatocellular carcinoma.

[Based on a Markov model, cost-effectiveness analysis of influenza vaccination among people aged 60 years and older in Shenzhen].

Objective: To assess the cost-effectiveness of influenza vaccination among people aged 60 years and older in Shenzhen. Methods: A Markov state transition model was constructed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of annual influenza vaccination for preventing influenza infection compared with no vaccination among the elderly from the social perspective. Allowing seasonal variation of influenza activity, the model followed a five-year cohort using weekly cycles. We employed once the Chinese gross domestic product (GDP) per capita in 2019 (70 892 yuan) as the willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold and calculated the net monetary benefit (NMB) with costs and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) discounted at 5% annually. The impact of parameter uncertainty on the results was examined using one-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses (PSA). Results: The base case amounted to approximately 35 yuan of cost-saving and a net gain of 0.007 QALYs. Correspondingly, the NMB was 529 yuan per vaccinated person. One-way sensitivity analyses showed that the NMB was relatively sensitive to changes in the attack rate of influenza and vaccine effectiveness. Based on the results of PSA with 1 000 Monte Carlo simulations, influenza vaccination had a probability of being cost-effective in 100% of the repetitions. Conclusions: The present study provides evidence that influenza vaccination is a cost-saving disease prevention strategy for people aged 60 years and older in Shenzhen.

Effect of strontium ranelate on rabbits with steroid-induced osteonecrosis of femoral head through TGF-ß1/BMP2 pathway.

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of strontium ranelate (SR) on steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head (SIONFH) in rabbits and its regulatory mechanism. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The ONFH model was established in 30 rabbits using steroid and they were randomly divided into Control group, Model group, and SR group. After SR intervention, the rabbits were sacrificed and sampled. The pathological injury of the femoral head in each group was detected via hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, the level of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the femoral head in each group was detected via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) and protein expression levels of transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1), as well as the bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) in the femoral head in each group, were determined using Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blotting. RESULTS: The rabbit model of SIONFH was successfully established. Compared with Control group, the Model group had a severer pathological injury of the femoral head, a lower level of VEGF in the femoral head, significantly decreased mRNA and protein levels of TGF-ß1 and BMP2. Compared with Model group, the SR group had markedly improved pathological injury of the femoral head, a higher level of VEGF in the femoral head, significantly increased mRNA and protein levels of TGF-ß1, as well as BMP2. CONCLUSIONS: SR can remarkably improve the pathological injury of the femoral head and increase the expression of VEGF in SIONFH rabbits, whose potential mechanism may be related to the activation of the TGF-ß1/BMP2 signaling pathway.

Enhancement of spin-wave nonreciprocity in magnonic crystals via synthetic antiferromagnetic coupling.

Spin-wave nonreciprocity arising from dipole-dipole interaction is insignificant for magnon wavelengths in the sub-100 nm range. Our micromagnetic simulations reveal that for the nanoscale magnonic crystals studied, such nonreciprocity can be greatly enhanced via synthetic antiferromagnetic coupling. The nonreciprocity is manifested as highly asymmetric magnon dispersion curves of the magnonic crystals. Furthermore, based on the study of the dependence of the nonreciprocity on an applied magnetic field, the antiparallel alignment of the magnetizations is shown to be responsible for the enhancement. Our findings would be useful for magnonic and spintronics applications.

Natural IgG antibodies in normal rabbit serum are involved in killing of the ompP2 mutant of Haemophilus parasuis SC096 strain via the classical complement pathway.

Serum resistance in Haemophilus parasuis strain SC096 has been shown to be dependent on expression of the outer membrane protein P2 (OmpP2) and loss of the ompP2 gene results in significantly greater sensitivity to both porcine and rabbit sera. However, the mechanism of complement activation by the serum sensitive ΔompP2 strain is unknown. In this study, the classical complement pathway is demonstrated to be the main pathway for killing the H. parasuis ΔompP2 strain, and not the mannan-binding lectin (MBL) or alternative pathway. In addition, absorption of antibodies against ΔompP2 strain or depletion of IgGs from serum inhibited serum killing activity, which could be restored by addition of heat-inactivated serum or purified IgGs. Western blot analysis indicated that the OmpP2 mutant could bind significantly more IgGs than the wild type strain SC096 when incubated with serum. Finally, IgGs in normal rabbit serum targeted to the OMPs, but not lipooligosaccharide (LOS) in the OmpP2 mutant strain were found to be involved in bacterial killing indicating that the bactericidal epitope(s) is in the outer membrane proteins.

[Some problems with the development of the population theory since the founding of the People's Republic of China].

PIP: Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, the development of the population theory has experienced some setbacks. It is important to learn lessons from the past and establish a socialist population theory based on science. During the 1st 30 years of the People's Republic of China, the development of a population theory can be divided into 3 stages: 1) stage one was from 1949 to 1957 -- belief in population control on the basis of sociology; 2) stage two was from the late 1950s to early 1960s -- represented by Mr. Ma Yinchu's "New Population Theory" and the theory of the opposing side; and 3) stage Three began after the 1960s. Throughout the 1960s, studies of population theory remained stagnant, and no progress in this field was possible. In the 1970s, especially since the downfall of the "Gang of Four," the development of a population theory has entered a new stage. 3 problems with the development of the population theory discussed by the author are: 1) an evaluation of Comrade Mao Zedong's thoughts on population, 2) the division of different schools in population theory, 3) the different periods in the development of the population theory since 1949. Mao Zedong did change his thoughts on population control, but he was in favor of family planning and supported studies in population theory. Besides Ma Yinchu, Chin Da, Fei Xiaotong, Wu Jingchao and others also had their own population theories. The author emphasizes the contributions made by Mao Zedong and the Communist Party in the development of a population theory. New accomplishments and experience are expected with the downfall of the "Gang of Four."^ieng