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BackgroundGlycolysis and cholesterol synthesis are crucial in cancer metabolic reprogramming. The aim of this study was to identify a glycolysis and cholesterol synthesis-related genes (GCSRGs) signature for effective prognostic assessments of osteosarcoma patients.MethodsGene expression data and clinical information were obtained from GSE21257 and TARGET-OS datasets. Consistent clustering method was used to identify the GCSRGs-related subtypes. Univariate Cox regression and LASSO Cox regression analyses were used to construct the GCSRGs signature. The ssGSEA method was used to analyze the differences in immune cells infiltration. The pRRophetic R package was utilized to assess the drug sensitivity of different groups. Western blotting, cell viability assay, scratch assay and Transwell assay were used to perform cytological validation.ResultsThrough bioinformatics analysis, patients diagnosed with osteosarcoma were classified into one of 4 subtypes (quiescent, glycolysis, cholesterol, and mixed subtypes), which differed significantly in terms of prognosis and tumor microenvironment. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis revealed that the modules strongly correlated with glycolysis and cholesterol synthesis were the midnight blue and the yellow modules, respectively. Both univariate and LASSO Cox regression analyses were conducted on screened module genes to identify 5 GCSRGs (RPS28, MCAM, EN1, TRAM2, and VEGFA) constituting a prognostic signature for osteosarcoma patients. The signature was an effective prognostic predictor, independent of clinical characteristics, as verified further via Kaplan-Meier analysis, ROC curve analysis, univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis. Additionally, GCSRGs signature had strong correlation with drug sensitivity, immune checkpoints and immune cells infiltration. In cytological experiments, we selected TRAM2 as a representative gene to validate the validity of GCSRGs signature, which found that TRAM2 promoted the progression of osteosarcoma cells. Finally, at the pan-cancer level, TRAM2 had been correlated with overall survival, progression free survival, disease specific survival, tumor mutational burden, microsatellite instability, immune checkpoints and immune cells infiltration.ConclusionTherefore, we constructed a GCSRGs signature that efficiently predicted osteosarcoma patient prognosis and guided therapy.

Research on metaphor has gained increasing attention of world’s scholars since the publication of Lakoff and Johnson’s collaborated book Metaphors We Live By in 1980. The present study comprises a pioneering review of publications on Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT). It aimed to use the CiteSpace software to provide a clear overview of international research in relation to CMT. In total, 4,458 bibliometric recordings ranging from 1980 to 2022 were collected from the Web of Science (WOS) Core Collection. The descriptive analysis presents the trend of annual publications, the top 10 most prolific journals and the top 10 most productive authors. A document co-citation analysis was conducted via CiteSpace to navigate the key documents in this field. A visualization of keywords and its cluster analysis were conducted to show the research fields and dominant topics. The top 5 keywords with high frequency were language, comprehension, conceptual metaphor, discourse, and figurative language. The most prominent 5 clusters are labeled as right hemisphere, self, time, teacher education, and corpus linguistics. The present review through CiteSpace flags the need for more investigations of CMT from more aspects or interdisciplinary studies, such as metaphor translation, metaphor in literature, metaphor and corpus linguistics, etc.

Research on COVID-19 has drawn the attention of scholars around the world since the outbreak of the pandemic. Several literature reviews of research topics and themes based on scientometric indicators or bibliometric analyses have already been conducted. However, topics and themes in linguistic-specific research on COVID-19 remain under-studied. With the help of the CiteSpace software, the present study reviewed linguistic research published in SSCI and A&HCI journals to address the identified gap in the literature. The overall performance of the documents was described and document co-citations, keyword co-occurrence, and keyword clusters were visualized via CiteSpace. The main topic areas identified in the reviewed studies ranged from the influences of COVID-19 on language education, and speech-language pathology to crisis communication. The results of the study indicate not only that COVID-19-related linguistic research is topically limited but also that insufficient attention has been accorded by linguistic researchers to Conceptual Metaphor Theory, Critical Discourse Analysis, Pragmatics, and Corpus-based discourse analysis in exploring pandemic discourses and texts.

Background: The standard treatment for osteosarcoma comprises complete surgical resection and neoadjuvant chemotherapy, which may cause serious side effects and partial or total limb loss. Therefore, to avoid the disadvantages of traditional treatment, we developed self-assembling imageable silk hydrogels for osteosarcoma.Methods: We analysed whether iodine induced apoptosis in MG-63 and Saos-2 cells by using CCK-8 and flow cytometry assays and transmission electron microscopy. Western blotting was used to analyse the pathway of iodine-induced apoptosis in osteosarcoma cells. PEG400, silk fibroin solution, polyvinylpyrrolidone iodine (PVP-I), and meglumine diatrizoate (MD) were mixed to produce an imageable hydrogel. A nude mouse model of osteosarcoma was established, and the hydrogel was injected locally into the interior of the osteosarcoma with X-ray guidance. The therapeutic effect and biosafety of the hydrogel were evaluated.Results: Iodine treatment at 18 and 20 µM for 12 h resulted in cell survival rate reduced to 50 ± 2.1% and 50.5 ± 2.7% for MG-63 and Sao-2 cells, respectively (p < 0.01). The proportion of apoptotic cells was significantly higher in the iodine-treatment group than in the control group (p < 0.05), and apoptotic bodies were observed by transmission electron microscopy. Iodine could regulate the death receptor pathway and induce MG-63 and Saos-2 cell apoptosis. The hydrogels were simple to assemble, and gels could be formed within 38 min. A force of less than 50 N was required to inject the gels with a syringe. The hydrogels were readily loaded and led to sustained iodine release over 1 week. The osteosarcoma volume in the PEG-iodine-silk/MD hydrogel group was significantly smaller than that in the other three groups (p < 0.001). Caspase-3 and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) expression levels were significantly higher in the PEG-iodine-silk/MD hydrogel group than in the other three groups (p < 0.001). Haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining showed no abnormalities in the heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney, pancreas or thyroid in any group.Conclusions: Self-assembling imageable silk hydrogels could be injected locally into osteosarcoma tissues with X-ray assistance. With the advantages of good biosafety, low systemic toxicity and minimal invasiveness, self-assembling imageable silk hydrogels provide a promising approach for improving the locoregional control of osteosarcoma.

Many studies have explored the epidemiological characteristics of influenza. However, most previous studies were conducted in a specific region without a national picture which is important to develop targeted strategies and measures on influenza control and prevention.To explore the association between ambient temperature and incidence of influenza, to estimate the attributable risk from temperature in 30 Chinese cities with different climatic characteristics for a national picture, and to identify the vulnerable populations for national preventative policy development.Daily meteorological and influenza incidence data from the 30 Chinese cities over the period 2016-19 were collected. We estimated the city-specific association between daily mean temperature and influenza incidence using a distributed lag non-linear model and evaluated the pooled effects using multivariate meta-analysis. The attributable fractions compared with reference temperature were calculated. Stratified analyses were performed by region, sex and age.Overall, an N-shape relationship between temperature and influenza incidence was found in China. The cumulative relative risk of the peak risk temperature (5.1 °C) was 2.13 (95%CI: 1.41, 3.22). And 60% (95%eCI: 54.3%, 64.3%) of influenza incidence was attributed to ambient temperature during the days with sensitive temperatures (1.6°C-14.4 °C). The ranges of sensitive temperatures and the attributable disease burden due to temperatures varied for different populations and regions. The residents in South China and the children aged ≤5 and 6-17 years had higher fractions attributable to sensitive temperatures.Tailored preventions targeting on most vulnerable populations and regions should be developed to reduce influenza burden from sensitive temperatures.

To understand influenza vaccination and its correlates among health-careworkers (HCWs) during the 2019/2020 season in China, we used a self-administeredelectronic questionnaire to collect information on demographics, occupational characteristics, influenza vaccination status and access to free vaccination on the “Breath Circles”, a Chinese media platform for respiratory medical professionals. The reported influenza vaccine coverage among HCWs during this season was 67%, with more HCWs in a workplace with free vaccination than those with no free vaccination (79% vs.34%,p < .001). The influenza vaccine coverage among HCWs who were required or encouraged to get vaccinated by the workplace was significantly higher than that without any intervention measures (80% & 70 vs.39%,p < .001). The vaccine coverage in the workplaces with free and required vaccination simultaneously was highest compared to that with neither free vaccination nor any intervention measures (OR = 14.86, 95% CI: 10.93–20.20). The influenza vaccination coverage of HCWs in high-riskdepartments was significantly higher than that of other departments (70% vs.58%,p =.023). HCWs’ vaccine coverage was related to personal opinions and attitudes toward influenza or influenza vaccines, as well as other constraints such as availability of influenza vaccines, workplace regulations, and access to free vaccines.

Biomass-based carbon dots (Bio-CDs) were prepared from dehydroabietic acid using a one-step hydrothermal process. Characterization by TEM, XPS and FTIR spectroscopy showed that the Bio-CDs are spherical nanoparticles containing mainly C, N and O elements, with functional groups such as amino and carbonyl groups on their surface. The optical properties of the Bio-CDs were studied in detail. A solution of Bio-CDs exhibited excitation-dependent blue fluorescence emission. The solution showed excellent photostability under ultraviolet light and the fluorescence intensity could be enhanced by decreasing the temperature. The intensity of fluorescence emission of the solution was essentially unchanged over the pH range 3.91–8.69, and in the presence of different anions and cations, other than Fe3+ and Pb2+. Fe3+ and Pb2+ ions, respectively, quenched and enhanced the intensity of the fluorescence emission of the solution, allowing sensitive and selective detection of Fe3+ (LOD = 2.33 μM, Em = 437 nm) and of Pb2+ (LOD = 0.27 μM, Em = 437 nm and LOD = 0.33 μM, Em = 500 nm). As a further demonstration of potential applications, the Bio-CDs were shown to have low cytotoxicity and to stain cell nuclei as effectively as the commonly used nuclear stain 4′,6-diamino-2-phenylindole (DAPI), demonstrating their promise in the field of cell imaging.

Background Mild hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) cases make up a relatively high proportion of HFMD while have often been overlooked. This study aimed to investigate the epidemiological and etiological characteristics of mild HFMD in Nanjing. Methods Data on mild HFMD cases, during 2010–2019 in Nanjing, were collected from the China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention. This study mainly focused on mild cases aged Results A total of 175,339 mild cases aged P Conclusions Children under 7 years old are at higher risk of mild HFMD. Regions with high risk are mainly concentrated in the areas surrounding central urban areas. Cox A16 and Cox A6 became the dominant serotypes and they alternated or were co-epidemic. Our findings could provide valuable information for improving the regional surveillance, prevention and control strategies of HFMD.

Optimizing the timing of influenza vaccination based on regional temporal seasonal influenza illness patterns may make seasonal influenza vaccination more effective in China.We obtained provincial weekly influenza surveillance data for 30 of 31 provinces in mainland China from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention for the years 2010-2018. Influenza epidemiological regions were constructed by clustering analysis. For each region, we calculated onset date, end date, and duration of seasonal influenza epidemics by the modified mean threshold method. To help identify initial vaccination target populations, we acquired weekly influenza surveillance data for four age groups (0-4, 5-18, 19-59, and ≥60 years) in each region and in 171 cities of wide-ranging size. We used linear regression analyses to explore the association of epidemic onset dates by age group, city, and epidemiological region and provide evidence for initial target populations for seasonal influenza vaccination.We determined that northern, mid, southwestern, southeast regions of mainland China have distinct seasonal influenza epidemic patterns. We found significant regional, temporal, and spatial heterogeneity of seasonal influenza epidemics. There were significant differences by age group and city size in the interval between epidemic onset in the city or age group and regional spread (epidemic lead time), with longer epidemic lead times for 5- to 18-year-old children and larger cities.Knowledge of influenza epidemic characteristics may help optimize local influenza vaccination timing and identify initial target groups for seasonal influenza vaccination in mainland China. Similar analyses may help inform seasonal influenza vaccination strategies in other regions and countries.

Fluorescent carbon dots (CDs) have numerous important applications, but enhancing the fluorescence emission and overcoming fluorescence quenching are still big challenges. Here, fluorescence-enhanced carbon dots (named hr-CDs) were prepared from sustainable hydrogenated rosin, using a simple hydrothermal method in a water solvent. The hr-CDs were mainly composed of graphitized carbon cores with surface functional groups. With the increase in the concentration to hr-CDs aqueous solutions, the distance between the carbon cores decreased, which resulted in the formation of J aggregates and the enhanced blue fluorescence emission. Even in the solid state, the hr-CDs show fluorescence emission because the surface functional groups could prevent π-π stacking interactions between the carbon cores. The hr-CDs show excellent resistance to photobleaching under intense ultraviolet light (200 mW/cm2). Vibrations and rotations of graphitized carbon core are restricted by low temperature and high viscosity, leading to increased radiative transition and thus increase in fluorescence intensity. The pH value in the range of 3.99-9.87 and anions have little effect on the fluorescence emission of hr-CDs. The fluorescence emission of the hr-CDs was selectively quenched by Fe3+ and can thus be used to detect Fe3+. The hr-CDs also have good biocompatibility and show the same ability in cell nuclear staining as 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI).

Traditional haemostatic materials generally have slow hemostasis rate and poor biocompatibility. This paper reports on the haemostatic properties and mechanism of silk fibroin (SF). SF-PEG sponge that could be solubilised and changed to gel form by blood was fabricated through mixing SF and polyethylene glycol (PEG, 1500 Da) followed by lyophilisation of the mixed solution. SF-PEG sponge, together with control samples of SF sponge (no PEG) and a commercially available haemostatic material, gelatine sponge, were subjected to the hemostasis tests using a liver trauma model of rabbit. The results showed that SF was superior to gelatine sponge in hemostasis time (136.17 ± 62.27 s and 249.83 ± 29.18 s) and blood loss (2.16 ± 1.27 g

Adult degenerative (de novo) scoliosis (ADS) usually occurs due to degenerative changes and is accompanied by progressive low-back pain and/or symptomatic lumbar stenosis. Interlaminar decompression is considered an effective treatment of lumbar stenosis, but some surgical contraindications to traditional open surgery limit its application in elderly patients with many disorders. A 10-mm endoscope has been used in the treatment of stenosis in individuals with ADS and its safety and efficacy should be assessed.The objective was to conduct a retrospective analysis to compare interlaminar decompression with a 10-mm endoscope versus a microscope.Retrospective study.This study took place at the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University.The data of 34 ADS patients treated in our hospital from January 2018 to December 2019, who underwent decompression with a 10-mm endoscope (ES group, 19 patients) or microscope (MS group, 15 patients) were retrospectively reviewed. The two methods were compared using the visual analog scale (VAS), Japanese orthopedic association (JOA) scale, and Oswestry disability index (ODI). Lumbar stability was also evaluated by the progression of scoliosis.There were no significant differences between the 2 groups in demographic or clinical characteristics. The mean preoperative Cobb angle of all patients was 23.34° ± 6.44°, which indicated degenerative scoliosis. The mean JOA and ODI scores were 8.09 ± 1.44 and 55.47 ± 11.91. The mean preoperative pelvic incidence (PI) and lumbar lordosis (LL) angles were 51.02° ± 7.21 and 38.26° ± 6.98 and the mean PI-LL mismatch was 12.76° ± 5.63. There was no significant difference in the VAS scores for back/leg pain between the groups at 1 week after the operation, but the scores of the ES group were significantly higher than those of the MS group at 3 months and 12 months. There were no significant differences of mean JOA and ODI between the ES and MS groups preoperatively, at 3 months, or at 12 months, but the JOA and ODI scores of the ES group were significantly higher than those of the MS group 1 week after the operation.The study showed that a novel method for the minimally invasive treatment of ADS is feasible; the safety and outcomes of this method should be verified with more cases.Minimally invasive decompression with a 10-mm endoscope was suggested to be a safe and effective method, as expected, for the treatment of lumbar stenosis in ADS patients.

Osteosarcoma is the most common primary malignant bone tumor that often occurs in children, adolescents, and young adults. Cannabidiol plays an essential role in cancer treatment. However, its effects on osteosarcoma have not yet been addressed. In the present study, we investigated the pharmacological effects of cannabidiol on osteosarcoma. We found that cannabidiol effectively suppressed the proliferation and colony formation of osteosarcoma cells. Further studies showed that cannabidiol significantly promoted cell apoptosis and changes in cell apoptosis-related gene proteins in vitro. In addition, cannabidiol administration inhibited tumor growth and promoted the apoptosis of osteosarcoma cells in a mouse xenograft model. The in vitro study also demonstrated that SP1 contributes to chromobox protein homolog 2 (CBX2) reduction in cannabidiol-treated MG63 and HOS cells, and that cannabidiol may recruit SP1 into the CBX2 promoter regions to downregulate CBX2 expression at the transcriptional level and promote osteosarcoma cell apoptosis. Further, the result showed that cannabidiol suppressed osteosarcoma cell migration. In summary, cannabidiol effectively promoted the apoptosis of osteosarcoma cells in vitro and in vivo and suppressed tumor growth in a mouse xenograft model by regulating the SP1-CBX2 axis. This finding provides novel therapeutic strategies for osteosarcoma in the clinic.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is characterized by permanent motor deficits followed by inflammation and oxidative stress, causing neuronal cell death. The present study aimed to investigate the role of microRNA (miR)-128 in neuronal cell apoptosis and its underlying mechanism. Targeting relationships among miR-128 and Unc-51 like autophagy activating kinase 1 (ULK1) and Fas ligand (FasL) were verified using dual-luciferase reporter assay and ChIP assays. Loss- and gain-of-function assays were conducted in rat models of SCI to determine the roles of miR-128 and ULK1 in neuronal cell apoptosis, inflammation, and motor function. Apoptosis, motor function and expression of inflammatory factors were respectively determined by Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTp nick end-labeling, Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan (BBB) score and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Hematoxylin and eosin staining, Nissl staining and immunofluorescence were respectively performed to observe morphological changes and number of neurons and nestin-positive cells. The neuronal cells were isolated from neuron injury models and cultured in vitro. MTT and flow cytometry was conducted to determine the neuronal cell viability and apoptosis respectively. miR-128 was downregulated whereas ULK1 was upregulated in rats with SCI. Overexpression of miR-128 or downregulation of ULK1 inhibited neuronal cell apoptosis and inflammation as evidenced by an increased BBB score and more neurons and nestin-positive cells, but reduced expression of inflammatory and apoptosis-related factors. ULK1 was negatively regulated by miR-128, whereas FasL was positively regulated by ULK1. In vitro experiments validated the roles of miR-128 and ULK1 in neuronal cell differentiation and apoptosis. In conclusion, the upregulation of miR-128 depresses neuronal cell apoptosis by downregulating ULK1, thereby attenuating SCI via the downregulation of FasL.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent degenerative joint disorder characterized by cartilage destruction and extracellular matrix (ECM) degeneration. Here, we studied the potential function of monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) in OA pathogenesis.Cartilage tissue samples were collected from 33 patients with knee OA and nine normal healthy controls. Sprague-Dawley rats with anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT) and primary chondrocytes treated with interleukin (IL)-1β were used as OA animal and cell models, respectively. The effects of adenovirus-mediated MAOA overexpression in OA models were studied using Safranin-O staining, immunohistochemistry, CCK-8 assay, EdU assay, flow cytometry, qRT-PCR, western blotting, and immunofluorescence.MAOA was identified as an overlapping downregulating gene in the GSE82107, GSE1919, GSE169077, and GSE29746 datasets. MAOA expression was negatively correlated with OA severity. MAOA downregulation was confirmed in ACLT rats and IL-1β-treated chondrocytes. Notably, MAOA overexpression significantly inhibited ACLT-induced OA pathogenesis in rats, as was evidenced by the reduced Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) score and serum crosslinked C-telopeptides of type II collagen (CTX-II) and cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) levels. These findings show that MAOA overexpression inhibits extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation and promotes ACLT-induced autophagy. The effects of MAOA on ECM degradation and autophagy were also confirmed in IL-1β-treated primary chondrocytes. Additionally, MAOA protects chondrocytes against IL-1β-induced apoptosis. Furthermore, treating chondrocytes with 3-MA significantly attenuated the protective effects of MAOA.MAOA was identified as a downregulated gene in OA. Restoring MAOA expression protects against chondrocyte loss and ECM degradation through autophagy regulation.

Background The relative contributions of asymptomatic, presymptomatic, and symptomatic transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 have not been clearly measured, although control measures may differ in response to the risk of spread posed by different types of cases. Methods We collected detailed information on transmission events and symptom status based on laboratory-confirmed patient data and contact tracing data from 4 provinces and 1 municipality in China. We estimated the variation in risk of transmission over time and the severity of secondary infections by symptomatic status of the infector. Results There were 393 symptomatic index cases with 3136 close contacts and 185 asymptomatic index cases with 1078 close contacts included in the study. The secondary attack rates among close contacts of symptomatic and asymptomatic index cases were 4.1% (128 of 3136) and 1.1% (12 of 1078), respectively, corresponding to a higher transmission risk from symptomatic cases than from asymptomatic cases (odds ratio, 3.79; 95% confidence interval, 2.06–6.95). Approximately 25% (32 of 128) and 50% (6 of 12) of the infected close contacts were asymptomatic from symptomatic and asymptomatic index cases, respectively, while more than one third (38%) of the infections in the close contacts of symptomatic cases were attributable to exposure to the index cases before symptom onset. Conclusions Asymptomatic and presymptomatic transmissions play an important role in spreading infection, although asymptomatic cases pose a lower risk of transmission than symptomatic cases. Early case detection and effective test-and-trace measures are important to reduce transmission.

Influenza endangers human health but can be prevented in part by vaccination. Assessing influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE) provides scientific evidence for developing influenza vaccination policy. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies that evaluated influenza VE in mainland China. We searched six relevant databases as of 30 August 2019 to identify studies and used Review Manager 5.3 software to analyze the included studies. The Newcastle–Ottawa scale was used to assess the risk of publication bias. We identified 1408 publications, and after removing duplicates and screening full texts, we included 21 studies in the analyses. Studies were conducted in Beijing, Guangzhou, Suzhou, and Zhejiang province from the 2010/11 influenza season through the 2017/18 influenza season. Overall influenza VE for laboratory confirmed influenza was 36% (95% CI: 25–46%). In the subgroup analysis, VE was 45% (95% CI: 18–64%) for children 6–35 months who received one dose of influenza vaccine, and 57% (95% CI: 50–64%) who received two doses. VE was 47% (95% CI: 39–54%) for children 6 months to 8 years, and 18% (95% CI: 0–33%) for adults ≥60 years. For inpatients, VE was 21% (95% CI: −11–44%). We conclude that influenza vaccines that were used in mainland China had a moderate effectiveness, with VE being higher among children than the elderly. Influenza VE should be continuously monitored in mainland China to provide evidence for policy making and improving uptake of the influenza vaccine.

Background: The disease burden of seasonal influenza is substantial in China, while there is still a lack of nationwide economic burden estimates. This study aims to examine influenza-like illness (ILI) prevalence, healthcare-seeking behaviors, economic impact of ILI, and its influencing factors among three priority groups during the 2018–19 influenza season. Methods: From August to October 2019, 6668 children’s caregivers, 1735 chronic disease patients, and 3849 elderly people were recruited from 10 provinces in China to participate in an on-site survey. The economic burden of ILI consisted of direct (medical or non-medical) and indirect burdens, and a two-part model was adopted to predict the influencing factors of total economic burden. Results: There were 45.73% children, 16.77% chronic disease patients, and 12.70% elderly people reporting ILI, and most participants chose outpatient service or over-the-counter (OTC) medication after ILI. The average economic burden was CNY 1647 (USD 237.2) for children, CNY 951 (USD 136.9) for chronic disease patients, and CNY 1796 (USD 258.6) for the elderly. Two-part regression showed that age, gender, whether the only child in the family, region, and household income were important predictors of ILI economic burden among children, while age, region, place of residence, basic health insurance, and household income were significant predictors of ILI economic burden among chronic disease patients and the elderly. Conclusions: A large economic burden of ILI was highlighted, especially among the elderly with less income and larger medical burdens, as well as children, with higher prevalence and higher self-payment ratio. It is important to adopt targeted interventions for high-risk groups, and this study can help national-level decision-making on the introduction of influenza vaccination as a public health project.

Juding from the current situation, most of the dormitory management in Chinese colleges and universities is in the traditional manual processing mode, the cumbersome process greatly slows down the work speed of managers and discourages most of the students who intend to put forward their demands. Facing the low informatization of college dormitories, we analyze the feasibility and functional requirements of the student dormitory management system, and design a student dormitory management system using Java, SSM framework and MySQL database technology. The system is convenient for scientific and effective management of student dormitories, and it is easy to operate and practical for the management personnel. The Dormitory Management System (DMS) can realize the informatization of dormitory management.

Seasonal influenza vaccination for healthcare workers (HCWs) is critical to the protection of HCWs and their patients. This study examined whether the separation of public health workers and general practitioners could affect the influenza vaccine uptake and recommendation behaviors among HCWs in China. A survey was conducted from August to October 2019, and HCWs from 10 provinces in China were recruited. A self-administered and anonymous questionnaire was used to assess HCWs&rsquo, demographic information, knowledge, and attitudes toward influenza vaccination, as well as vaccine uptake and recommendation behaviors. The primary outcome was HCWs&rsquo, vaccination and recommendation status of seasonal influenza vaccine. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to identify the influence factors of influenza vaccine uptake and recommendation among HCWs. Of the 1159 HCWs in this study, 25.3% were vaccinated against influenza in the previous season. &ldquo, No need to get vaccinated&rdquo, was the primary reason for both unvaccinated public health workers and general practitioners. Multivariate logistic regression showed that public health workers were more likely to get vaccinated against influenza (OR = 2.20, 95% CI 1.59&ndash, 3.05) and recommend influenza vaccination to children (OR = 2.10, 95% CI 1.57&ndash, 2.80) and the elderly (OR = 1.69, 95% CI 1.26&ndash, 2.25) than general practitioners. Besides, the knowledge and perceived risk of influenza can give rise to HCWs&rsquo, vaccination and recommendation behaviors, and HCWs who got vaccinated in the past year were more likely to recommend it to children and the elderly in their work. The influenza vaccine coverage and recommendation among HCWs are still relatively low in China, especially for general practitioners. Further efforts are needed to improve the knowledge and attitudes toward influenza and influenza vaccination among HCWs, and coherent training on immunization for both public health workers and general practitioners might be effective in the face of separated public health and clinical services in China.

Skin injury is a kind of common tissue damage in daily life and war. Silk fibroin (SF) is becoming an engineered material for skin wound repair due to its superior unique physical and chemical properties. The present study aimed to illustrate mechanism of SF hydrogel promoting skin repair in the second degree burn mice. Heat shock models were established. In vitro, cells were culture for 50 min at 44 °C water bath; while in vivo, the skin of anesthetic mice were treat with soldering iron at 90 °C. Then, they divided into silk fibroin gel group, purilon gel group and control (blank) group. The cellular activity of proliferation and apoptosis was detected by Kit-8, flow cytometry and HE-staining, and the migration and adhesion were detected by scratch test. qRT-PCR and WB were employed to detected adhesion and migration related genes and proteins expression. TLN1 siRNA and overexpression technologies were also employed to illustrate the potential mechanism of SF effects. Compared with the purilon gel group and control group, SF hydrogel could enhance cell proliferation, migration and adhesion and increase the expression of adhesion and migration related proteins (P

Fluorescent carbon dots (CDs) have numerous important applications, but enhancing the fluorescence emission and overcoming fluorescence quenching are still big challenges. Here, fluorescence-enhanced carbon dots (named hr-CDs) were prepared from sustainable hydrogenated rosin, using a simple hydrothermal method in a water solvent. The hr-CDs were mainly composed of graphitized carbon cores with surface functional groups. With the increase in the concentration to hr-CDs aqueous solutions, the distance between the carbon cores decreased, which resulted in the formation of J aggregates and the enhanced blue fluorescence emission. Even in the solid state, the hr-CDs show fluorescence emission because the surface functional groups could prevent π–π stacking interactions between the carbon cores. The hr-CDs show excellent resistance to photobleaching under intense ultraviolet light (200 mW/cm2). Vibrations and rotations of graphitized carbon core are restricted by low temperature and high viscosity, leading to increased radiative transition and thus increase in fluorescence intensity. The pH value in the range of 3.99–9.87 and anions have little effect on the fluorescence emission of hr-CDs. The fluorescence emission of the hr-CDs was selectively quenched by Fe3+ and can thus be used to detect Fe3+. The hr-CDs also have good biocompatibility and show the same ability in cell nuclear staining as 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI).

In order to ensure the quality and quantity of aquaculture, aquaculture farmers need to grasp the water quality in time. However, most farmers have to collect water quality data manually at present, and cannot store and reuse that information rapidly. This paper aims to use SpringBoot framework and JPA framework to build a big data platform of acquisition automation and visualization, which realizes the data analysis and display of heterogeneous water quality and breeding information. The platform can make the water quality prediction and real-time warning. Meanwhile, it realizes the management of robots, users and breeding experts. The application of this platform will bring better social benefits to aquaculture farmers.

Polymeric nanoparticles, which show aggregation-induced luminescence emission, have been successfully prepared from larch bark, a natural renewable biomass resource, in a simple, rapid ultrasonic fragmentation method. The structure, element, particle size and molecular weight distribution of larch bark extracts (LBE) were studied by FTIR, XPS, TEM, XRD and linear mode mass spectrometry, respectively. LBE was found containing large numbers of aromatic rings, displaying an average particle size of about 4.5 nm and mainly presenting tetramers proanthocyanidins. High concentration, poor solvent, low temperature and high viscosity restricted the rotation and vibration of the aromatic rings in LBE, leading to the formation of J-aggregates and enhancing the aggregation-induced fluorescence emission. LBE possessed good resistance to photobleaching under ultraviolet light (200 mW/m2). Cytotoxicity experiments for 24 h and flow cytometry experiments for 3 days proved that even the concentrations of LBE as high as 1 mg/mL displayed non-toxic to MG-63 cells. Therefore, LBE could be employed for MG-63 cell imaging, with similar nuclear staining to the DAPI. The effects of different metal ions on the fluorescence emission intensity of LBE were analyzed and exhibited that Fe3+ owned obvious fluorescence quenching effect on LBE, while other metal ions possessed little or weak effect. Furthermore, the limit of detection (LOD) of Fe3+ was evaluated as 0.17 μM.

// Hongbo Yang 1 , Zhibin Peng 1 , Min Liang 1 , Yubo Zhang 1 , Yangyang Wang 1 , Tianwen Huang 1 , Yudong Jiang 1 , Bo Jiang 1 and Yansong Wang 1 1 Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China Correspondence to: Yansong Wang, email: wys1975@163.com Keywords: osteosarcoma; miR-17-92 cluster; QKI2; β-catenin; progression Received: August 01, 2017 Accepted: October 30, 2017 Epub: January 05, 2018 Published: May 18, 2018 ABSTRACT Quaking(QKI) is an RNA binding protein, and it has been shown to serve as a tumor suppressor. However, the expression and functions of QKI in osteosarcoma progression remain poorly understood. In this study, we aimed to explore the expression of QKI2 in osteosarcoma tissues and to determine the mechanisms underlying aberrant QKI2 expression and the effect of QKI2 on osteosarcoma progression. We found that QKI2 was significantly down-regulated in osteosarcoma tissues compared with adjacent normal bone tissues. Using a series of molecular biological techniques, we demonstrated that all members of the miR-17-92 cluster were up-regulated and contributed to the down-regulation of QKI2 expression in osteosarcoma. Functional examination showed that QKI2 inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of osteosarcoma cells via decreasing the expression of β-catenin. Conclusively, we revealed that the regulatory axis consisting of the miR-17-92 cluster/QKI2/β-catenin plays a crucial role in the development and progression of osteosarcoma.

Natriuretic peptide receptor 3 (NPR3), mediates natriuretic peptides degradation, was reported to act as a tumor suppressor or promoter in some types of cancer. Previous studies showed that NPR3 was significantly decreased in osteosarcoma (OS) samples. However, the function and potential regulatory mechanism of NPR3 in OS development are unknown. By analyzing the protein expression of NPR3 in OS cell lines (n = 5) and human osteoblast cell line hFOB 1.19, we found that NPR3 expression was also significantly decreased in OS cells. The loss/gain-of-function analysis indicated that NPR3 overexpression observably decreased OS cell viability, arrested cell cycle, and induced apoptosis. However, NPR3 knockdown further enhanced the malignant phenotype of OS cells. Furthermore, NPR3 downregulation activated the PI3K/AKT pathway in OS cells, and the effects of NPR3 silencing on cell proliferation were reversed by the blockade of PI3K/AKT pathway. Of note, dual-luciferase reported assay and site-directed mutagenesis assay indicated that transcription factor POU domain class 2 transcription factor 1 (POU2F1) was proved to suppress NPR3 promoter activity by mainly binding to the −900 to −800 bp region of NPR3 promoter. Moreover, NPR3 overexpression inversed the promotion effect of POU2F1 on cell proliferation. In vivo experiments confirmed that NPR3 overexpression suppressed the growth of xenograft tumors. Taken together, the present study demonstrates that NPR3 may serve as a novel tumor suppressive factor through blocking the PI3K/AKT pathway and transcriptionally regulated by POU2F1.

Objective This study aimed to understand the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) on seasonal influenza among medical college students in a low-income multiethnic society. Methods A cross-sectional questionnaire survey collected information of KAP related to influenza. A knowledge score was calculated according to the total number of correct points out of 9 questions. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with influenza vaccine uptake. Results 856 valid questionnaires were obtained. The average knowledge score was 14.8 ± 3.1 out of 22 correct points. Han Chinese got higher score than minorities (p < 0.001). Knowledge score increased with grade (p < 0.001). Students majoring in pharmacy had lower score than others. Questions on mode of transmission, symptoms, precautions, high risk groups and vaccination schedule had a correct rate lower than 50%. Hand hygiene was practiced by less than 40% of students after touching objects in public areas or sneezing. The proportion of participants received influenza vaccine in the past 3 y was 4.1%, 9.2% and 6.1% respectively. Willingness to receive free vaccine (OR = 2.49, 95% CI 1.31∼4.28), and awareness of the vaccine effectiveness (OR = 1.67, 95% CI 1.08∼2.56) were significantly associated with vaccine uptake, while the general knowledge about influenza, perceived susceptibility and severity, and demographic factors were not. The top 3 reasons for not being vaccinated were poor knowledge of the vaccine (46%), no perceived need due to good health (45%) and worry about adverse reactions (33%). Conclusion Health education is needed to improve the awareness of basic facts about influenza and vaccine, and more attention should be paid to minority groups. The coverage of seasonal influenza vaccine is quite low. Besides individual level behavior change, social and structural factors should be considered to increase the uptake of influenza vaccine.

Background: Proteasome activator γ (REG γ) expression was found to be upregulated and to play critical roles in several cancers. However, the effect of REG γ on osteosarcoma (OS) remains unclear. The objective of the present study was to explore the clinical significance of REG γ and its function in regulating the progression of OS. Methods: Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), western blotting (WB) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) analyses were performed to detect the expression levels of REG γ in OS tissues and cell lines. Then, the effects of REG γ expression on OS cell behavior in vitro were analyzed by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), ethylene deoxyuridine (EdU), colony formation, flow cytometry, wound healing and transwell assays. The protein and mRNA levels of components involved in the Wnt/β-catenin pathway were evaluated using WB and qRT-PCR, respectively. Results: We found that REG γ expression was significantly upregulated in both OS tissues and cell lines. Our in vitro assay results confirmed that knockdown of REG γ inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and invasion and induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in OS. Additionally, through WB and qRT-PCR analyses, we found that REG γ depletion markedly decreased the β-catenin, cyclin D1 and c-myc expression levels and increased the GSK-3β expression levels in OS cell lines. Conclusions: Our results revealed that REG γ plays an oncogenic role in OS by activating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, indicating that REG γ may be a promising therapeutic target for OS patients.

Background Human influenza virus infections cause a considerable burden of morbidity and mortality worldwide each year. Understanding regional influenza‐associated outpatient burden is crucial for formulating control strategies against influenza viruses. Methods We extracted the national sentinel surveillance data on outpatient visits due to influenza‐like‐illness (ILI) and virological confirmation of sentinel specimens from 30 provinces of China from 2006 to 2015. Generalized additive regression models were fitted to estimate influenza‐associated excess ILI outpatient burden for each individual province, accounting for seasonal baselines and meteorological factors. Results Influenza was associated with an average of 2.5 excess ILI consultations per 1000 person‐years (py) in 30 provinces of China each year from 2006 to 2015. Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 led to a higher number of influenza‐associated ILI consultations in 2009 across all provinces compared with other years. The excess ILI burden was 4.5 per 1000 py among children aged below 15 years old, substantially higher than that in adults. Conclusions Human influenza viruses caused considerable impact on population morbidity, with a consequent healthcare and economic burden. This study provided the evidence for planning of vaccination programs in China and a framework to estimate burden of influenza‐associated outpatient consultations.

Senile osteoporosis is closely related to the loss of function of stem cells. In this study, we tried to investigate the potential of secretome from human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hUCMSCs) in recovering stem cell ability from senescence and then delaying bone loss. We first harvested bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) from young and old rats and then compared their cellular characteristics such as cell growth, anti-senescence and differentiation. The results showed that these abilities were negatively affected by animal aging. Subsequently, aged BMSCs were exposed to secretome from hUCMSCs, and we found that this loss of cell potential can be modified by secretome treatment. Thereafter, the secretome was loaded into silk fibroin-based hydrogels and used for an in vivo animal study. The results showed that compared to the old untreated group, the bone formation capacity of aged rats was improved by local treatment of secretome-loaded silk fibroin hydrogels. In conclusion, these findings demonstrated that secretome from hUCMSCs has the capacity to recover stem cell potential and delay local bone loss in age-related osteoporosis, which could potentially be applied in osteoporosis therapy in the future.

The current study aimed to evaluate the role and underlying mechanism of cyclic adenosine phosphate (cAMP) on the functional recovery of spinal cord injury (SCI). Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan (BBB) scoring and inclined plane test indicated that cAMP treatment improved the functional recovery of SCI rats. Real time PCR and western blot analysis showed the mRNA and protein levels of IRE1, PERK, and ATF6 were increased in the SCI rats than those of sham control. However, higher levels of IRE1, PERK, and ATF6 were indicated after cAMP treatment. Meanwhile, more apoptotic cells were observed in the SCI rats, as evidenced by TUNEL staining and increased expression of GRP78, CHOP, and caspase12. In contrast, the expression of GRP78, CHOP, and caspase12 was decreased in SCI rats after cAMP treatment. In summary, we showed novel data that cAMP reduced cell apoptosis and functional recover after SCI mainly via activating UPR.

Table S1. Number of influenza cases caused by the difference influenza viruses that were included in the analysis. The Global Influenza B Study, 1999-2014. (DOCX 24 kb)

Table S2. Summary Relative Illness Ratio (sRIR), 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) across age groups and influenza viruses by categories of country ageing index. The Global Influenza B Study, 1999-2014. Table S3. Summary Relative Illness Ratio (sRIR), 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) across age groups and influenza viruses by percentage of outpatients among cases reported to the influenza surveillance system. The Global Influenza B Study, 1999-2014. Table S4. Summary Relative Illness Ratio (sRIR), 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) across age groups and influenza viruses by country latitude. The Global Influenza B Study, 1999-2014. Table S5. Summary Relative Illness Ratio (sRIR), 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) across age groups and influenza viruses by percentage of influenza cases caused by that influenza virus in the same season. The Global Influenza B Study, 1999-2014. Table S6. Summary Relative Illness Ratio (sRIR), 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) across age groups and influenza viruses by percentage of influenza cases caused by that influenza virus in the previous season. The Global Influenza B Study, 1999-2014. Table S7. Summary Relative Illness Ratio (sRIR), 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) across age groups and influenza viruses by categories of country gross domestic product (GDP) per capita. The Global Influenza B Study, 1999-2014. (DOCX 46 kb)

Magnesium and its alloys have generated considerable interest as one of the most promising biodegradable metals for biomedical bone implants. However, the enormous challenges are to improve their rapid corrosion excessively as well as to endow them with biocompatibility and biosafety. Herein, we introduce a natural silk fibroin protein coating to control the corrosion resistance and enhance the biocompatibility of MgZnCa alloy. To obtain a robust and reliable coated structure, different surface-activation processes are employed to increase the available functional groups on MgZnCa surfaces before coating. Compared to oxygen plasma activation, our unique vacuum ultraviolet-ozone (VUV/O3) activation method is effective in realizing uniform silk fibroin films as a protective barrier on MgZnCa alloy surfaces, and the nanoscratch test verified the superior adhesion strength of the silk fibroin-coated magnesium alloy structure. Long-term immersion results combined with electrochemical tests showed the preferable in vitro anticorrosion behavior and a low degradation rate of coated Mg alloy (1/8 times that of uncoated Mg alloy). Cell adhesion and cytotoxicity tests demonstrated that silk fibroin-coated MgZnCa presented improved biocompatibility with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. An animal study involving silk fibroin-coated MgZnCa implanted on one side of a rabbit spine for 180 days showed remarkably improved in vivo corrosion resistance, with 1/18 times the degradation rate of uncoated MgZnCa. These results not only comprehensively confirmed the validity of the VUV/O3-activation method as a coating strategy but also implied the tremendous potential of the modified Mg alloy for application as a degradable biomedical implant material. Statement of Significance MgZnCa alloy is a promising material in clinical implantation. Silk fibroin (SF) is a natural organic material with biocompatibility and biodegradability. To date, the combination of SF and MgZnCa alloy has exhibited considerable prospects for orthopedic applications. The realization of a direct coating is an enormous challenge because strong chemical bonds cannot be easily formed between organic and inorganic materials. To solve this bottleneck, we proposed a unique vacuum ultraviolet-ozone (VUV/O3) surface-activation method for the first time to modify the Mg alloy surface before SF coating, which significantly enhanced both in vitro and in vivo performance, such as superior biocompatibility and remarkably improved corrosion resistance of magnesium alloys (∼1/18 the in vivo degradation rate of uncoated MgZnCa).

Background: China implemented containment measures to stop SARS-CoV-2 transmission in response to the COVID-19 epidemic After the first epidemic wave, we conducted population-based serological surveys to determine extent of infection, risk factors for infection, and neutralization antibody levels to assess the real infections in the random sampled population Methods: We used a multistage, stratified cluster random sampling strategy to conduct serological surveys in three areas - Wuhan, Hubei Province outside Wuhan, and six provinces selected on COVID-19 incidence and containment strategy Participants were consenting individuals >1 year old who resided in the survey area >14 days during the epidemic Provinces screened sera for SARS-CoV-2-specific IgM, IgG, and total antibody by two lateral flow immunoassays and one magnetic chemiluminescence enzyme immunoassay;positive samples were verified by micro-neutralization assay Findings: We enrolled 34,857 participants (overall response rate, 92%);427 were positive by micro-neutralization assay Wuhan had the highest weighted seroprevalence (4*43%, 95% confidence interval [95%CI]=3*48%-5*62%), followed by Hubei-ex-Wuhan (0*44%, 95%CI=0*26%-0*76%), and the other provinces (

Background Influenza is an important cause of respiratory illness in children, but data are limited on hospitalized children with laboratory‐confirmed influenza in China. Methods We conducted active surveillance for severe acute respiratory infection (SARI; fever and at least one sign or symptom of acute respiratory illness) among hospitalized pediatric patients in Jingzhou, Hubei Province, from April 2010 to April 2012. Data were collected from enrolled SARI patients on demographics, underlying health conditions, clinical course of illness, and outcomes. Nasal swabs were collected and tested for influenza viruses by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. We described the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of children with influenza and analyzed the association between potential risk factors and SARI patients with influenza. Results During the study period, 15 354 children aged

Variation in risk for death might be associated with differences in case ascertainment, changes in clinical management, or virus genetic diversity., Since March 2013, a novel influenza A(H7N9) virus has caused 3 epidemic waves of human infection in mainland China. We analyzed data from patients with laboratory-confirmed influenza A(H7N9) virus infection to estimate the risks for severe outcomes after hospitalization across the 3 waves. We found that hospitalized patients with confirmed infections in waves 2 and 3 were younger and more likely to be residing in small cities and rural areas than were patients in wave 1; they also had a higher risk for death, after adjustment for age and underlying medical conditions. Risk for death among hospitalized patients during waves 2 and 3 was lower in Jiangxi and Fujian Provinces than in eastern and southern provinces. The variation in risk for death among hospitalized case-patients in different areas across 3 epidemic waves might be associated with differences in case ascertainment, changes in clinical management, or virus genetic diversity.

In most traditional library management systems, readers have to find their interest books through the name or search approximate content from library, which results in wasting time. With the help of big data technology, we construct the intelligent library system using SSM framework and Hadoop framework. A recommendation approach combined co-filtering with content-based recommendations, is introduced to make better recommend efficiency. The system has the intelligent ability of self-learning. For historical lending books data, it uses the Spark MLlib machine learning algorithm library to build clustering or classification models. On the other hand, the system uses Kafka and SparkStreaming to process real-time data. System simulation shows that it has high recommendation accuracy and good timeliness.

Background: The disease burden of seasonal influenza is substantial in China, while the vaccination rate is extremely low, and most people have to pay 100% for vaccination. This study aims to examine willingness to pay (WTP) and recommended financing sources for influenza vaccination among children, chronic disease patients, and the elderly in China and determine feasible measures to expand vaccination coverage. Methods: From August to October 2019, 6668 children&rsquo, s caregivers, 1735 chronic disease patients, and 3849 elderly people were recruited from 10 provinces in China. An on-site survey was conducted via a especially designed PAD system. Tobit regression was adopted to predict the influencing factors of WTP. Results: The average WTP was 127.5 yuan (USD18.0) for children, 96.5 yuan (USD13.7) for chronic disease patients, and 88.1 yuan (USD12.5) for the elderly. Most participants in the three groups thought government subsidies (94.8%, 95.8%, and 95.5%) or health insurance (94.3%, 95.3%, and 94.5%) should cover part of the cost, and nearly four-fifths (80.1%, 79.5%, and 76.8%) believed that individuals should also pay for part. Tobit regression showed that a higher perceived importance of vaccination, knowing about priority groups, and considering that individuals should co-pay were promoters of WTP, while considering price as a hindrance lowered WTP. Conclusions: The WTP for influenza vaccination among children, chronic disease patients, and the elderly in China is fairly high, suggesting that price is not the primary hindrance and there is room to expand immunization. Most participants expected the government and/or health insurance to pay part of the cost, and such supportive funding could act as a promotive policy &ldquo, signal&rdquo, to improve vaccine uptake. Influenza-related health education is also needed to expand vaccine coverage.

To delay the degradation of magnesium alloys, silk fibroin as a natural organic polymer coating was fabricated on a 3-amino-propyltriethoxysilane (APTES) pretreated Mg-Zn-Ca alloy. APTES pretreatment coated the surface of magnesium alloys with amino groups, which can bond with functional groups in silk fibroin to form a compact coating/substrate interface. The influences of the APTES concentration and drying temperature on the coating adhesion and interface were investigated to explore the optimal parameters in the fabrication process. The nanoporous silk fibroin films completely covered the APTES pretreated Mg-Zn-Ca surface, which reached a thickness of ~7 μm. The chemical states for the coated Mg-Zn-Ca alloy were compared to those of the bare Mg-Zn-Ca alloy and the APTES pretreated Mg-Zn-Ca alloy to illustrate the coating mechanism. During in vitro degradation and electrochemical measurements in simulated body fluid (SBF), the samples with the silk fibroin coating showed remarkably improved corrosion resistance and a slower degradation rate compared to those of the bare samples, suggesting that the silk fibroin coating was an effective protection coating for the substrates and can delay the degradation of magnesium alloys. Moreover, a model for the in vitro degradation was proposed. In vitro cell experiments confirmed the excellent biocompatibility of silk fibroin coated Mg-Zn-Ca structure.

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common type of malignant primary bone neoplasm. Although the application of neoadjuvant chemotherapy has improved the 5-year survival rate of patients suffering from OS, prognosis remains poor. Therefore, it is important to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the occurrence, progression and metastasis of OS. The RNA-binding protein Quaking (QKI) is a member of the STAR family of proteins, and can function as a tumor suppressor gene to suppress the occurrence and progression of a variety of tumors; however, the role of QKI in OS remains to be fully elucidated. In the present study, it was identified that the expression of QKI2 was downregulated in OS using western blot analysis. In addition, subsequent functional investigations, including MTT, Transwell invasion and migration assays, revealed that QKI2 inhibited the proliferation, invasion and migration of an OS cell line in vitro. By implementing a series of experimental techniques in molecular biology, including reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and a double fluorescence reporter assay, it was demonstrated that the expression of miR-20a was high and inhibited the expression of QKI2 in OS. In conclusion, it was revealed that aberrantly upregulated miR-20a inhibited the expression of QKI2 in OS by targeting QKI2 mRNA, subsequently promoting the proliferation, migration and invasion of OS cells.

Myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSC) are very important in tumor immune evasion and they dramatically increased in peripheral blood of patients with osteosarcoma cancer. The association between MDSC and various cytokines has been studied in the peripheral blood. However, little is known about the mechanism drawing MDSC into tumor parenchyma. This study was to analyze the correlation between MDSC subsets and interleukin 18 (IL-18) level in osteosarcoma tumor model and its effect on the immunotherapy. MDSC were isolated from the blood and parenchyma and analyzed in the osteosarcoma tumor model. IL-18 levels were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) assay, real-time PCR, western blot and flow cytometry. Moreover, combination treatment with IL-18 inhibition and anti-PD1 was conducted to assess the therapeutic effects of IL-18 blockade. Results showed MDSC levels had a positive correlation with IL-18, suggesting IL-18 may attract MDSC into the parenchyma. IL-18 gene and protein expression significantly increased in blood and tumor lysates of tumor-bearing mice. Anti-IL-18 treatment significantly decreased G-MDSC and M-MDSC in the peripheral blood and tumor. Furthermore, combination therapy decreased the tumor burden and increased CD4+ and CD8+ T cell infiltration, as well as the production of interferon gamma (IFNγ) and granzyme B. Our study revealed a possible correlation between MDSC subsets and IL-18 inducing MDSC migration into the tumor tissue, in addition to provide the potential target to enhance the efficacy of immunotherapy in patients with osteosarcoma. Keywords: Osteosarcoma, Myeloid derived suppressor cells, Anti-PD1, IL-18

The 5th epidemic wave in 2016-2017 of avian influenza A(H7N9) virus in China caused more human cases than any previous waves but the factors that may explain the recent range expansion and surge in incidence remain unknown. We investigated the effect of anthropogenic, poultry and wetland information and of market closures on all epidemic waves (1-5). Poultry predictor variables recently became much more important than before, supporting the assumption of much wider H7N9 transmission in the chicken reservoir, that could be linked to increases in pathogenicity. We show that the future range expansion of H7N9 to northern China may translate into a higher risk of coinciding peaks with those of seasonal influenza, leading to a higher risk of reassortments. Live-poultry market closures are showed to be effective in reducing the local incidence rates of H7N9 human cases, but should be paired with other prevention and control measures to prevent transmission.