Identification of differentially expressed key genes between glioblastoma and low-grade glioma by bioinformatics analysis

Gliomas are a very diverse group of brain tumors that are most commonly primary tumor and difficult to cure in central nervous system. It’s necessary to distinguish low-grade tumors from high-grade tumors by understanding the molecular basis of different grades of glioma, which is an important step in defining new biomarkers and therapeutic strategies. We have chosen the gene expression profile GSE52009 from gene expression omnibus (GEO) database to detect important differential genes. GSE52009 contains 120 samples, including 60 WHO II samples and 24 WHO IV samples that were selected in our analysis. We used the GEO2R tool to pick out differently expressed genes (DEGs) between low-grade glioma and high-grade glioma, and then we used the database for annotation, visualization and integrated discovery to perform gene ontology analysis and Kyoto encyclopedia of gene and genome pathway analysis. Furthermore, we used the Cytoscape search tool for the retrieval of interacting genes with molecular complex detection plug-in applied to achieve the visualization of protein–protein interaction (PPI). We selected 15 hub genes with higher degrees of connectivity, including tissue inhibitors metalloproteinases-1 and serum amyloid A1; additionally, we used GSE53733 containing 70 glioblastoma samples to conduct Gene Set Enrichment Analysis. In conclusion, our bioinformatics analysis showed that DEGs and hub genes may be defined as new biomarkers for diagnosis and for guiding the therapeutic strategies of glioblastoma

Z₃-Vestigial Nematic Order Due to Superconducting Fluctuations in the Doped Topological Insulators NbₓBi₂Se₃ and CuₓBi₂Se₃

A state of matter with a multi-component order parameter can give rise to vestigial order. In the vestigial phase, the primary order is only partially melted, leaving a remaining symmetry breaking behind, an effect driven by strong classical or quantum fluctuations. Vestigial states due to primary spin and charge-density-wave order have been discussed in iron-based and cuprate materials. Here we present the observation of a partially melted superconductivity in which pairing fluctuations condense at a separate phase transition and form a nematic state with broken Z3, i.e., three-state Potts-model symmetry. Thermal expansion, specific heat and magnetization measurements of the doped topological insulators NbxBi2Se3 and CuxBi2Se3 reveal that this symmetry breaking occurs at Tnem ≃ 3.8K above Tc ≃ 3.25K, along with an onset of superconducting fluctuations. Thus, before Cooper pairs establish long-range coherence at Tc, they fluctuate in a way that breaks the rotational invariance at Tnem and induces a crystalline distortion

Z3_{3}-vestigial nematic order due to superconducting fluctuations in the doped topological insulators Nbx_{x}Bi2_{2}Se3_{3} and Cux_{x}Bi2_{2}Se3_{3}

A state of matter with a multi-component order parameter can give rise to vestigial order. In the vestigial phase, the primary order is only partially melted, leaving a remaining symmetry breaking behind, an effect driven by strong classical or quantum fluctuations. Vestigial states due to primary spin and charge-density-wave order have been discussed in iron-based and cuprate materials. Here we present the observation of a partially melted superconductivity in which pairing fluctuations condense at a separate phase transition and form a nematic state with broken Z$_{3}$, i.e., three-state Potts-model symmetry. Thermal expansion, specific heat and magnetization measurements of the doped topological insulators Nb$_{x}$Bi$_{2}$Se$_{3}$ and Cu$_{x}$Bi$_{2}$Se$_{3}$ reveal that this symmetry breaking occurs at T$_{nem}$≃3.8K above T$_{c}$≃3.25K, along with an onset of superconducting fluctuations. Thus, before Cooper pairs establish long-range coherence at T$_{c}$, they fluctuate in a way that breaks the rotational invariance at T$_{nem}$ and induces a crystalline distortion

Research Progress of Diagnosis and Treatment of Glioblastoma

Glioblastoma is the most common primary malignant brain tumor. Despite large-scale researches have been carried out, the prognosis of glioblastoma is still not significantly improved. In recent years, with the application of multi-omics studies in glioblastoma, the understanding of glioblastoma has been deepened. The classification of glioblastoma has been revised; moreover, new therapeutic methods such as targeted therapy, immunotherapy and tumor treating fields have been developed on the basis of the standard therapy. This article reviews the recent progress in the diagnosis and treatment of glioblastoma

Effect of radiotherapy and chemotherapy on levels of serum S100B, IL-6, and IL-17 in patients with malignant glioma

From February 2014 to 2016, we recruited 80 patients with malignant glioma in the Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University. To study the effect of radiotherapy and chemotherapy on the levels of serum S100 calcium-binding protein B (S100B), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and interleukin 17 (IL-17), all patients were divided into two groups randomly and evenly. In one group, all 40 patients received the three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT). In another group, all patients received combinatorial treatment of 3D-CRT and temozolomide (TMZ). The therapeutic effect, immune function index before and after the treatment, change of serum S100B, IL-6, and IL-17 levels as well as adverse reactions were analyzed and compared between those two groups. We found that the effective rate of the combination group was 82.5%, which is significantly higher than 52.5% in the control group. After treatment, the number of CD3+, CD4+, and NK cells in the combination group was higher. But, CD8+ cells were lower compared with those before treatment. The levels of serum S100B, IL-6, and IL-17 in both groups were lower than those before treatment. In conclusion, radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy is more effective than radiotherapy alone in the treatment of malignant cerebral gliomas and is worthy of clinical spreading