Pyrazole derivative Z10 ameliorates acute pancreatitis by inhibiting the ERK/Ddt pathway.

Acute pancreatitis (AP) can lead to death; however, there is no specific treatment for AP. Screening of drugs for AP treatment is rarely performed. Compounds were screened in a primary pancreatic acinar cell and peritoneal macrophage coculture system. Compounds were used in vitro and in vivo. Compound targets were predicted and validated. Among the 18 nitrogen-containing heterocycles, Z10 was shown to decrease the cerulein plus lipopolysaccharide (CL)-induced secretion of both acinar digestive enzymes and macrophage cytokines. Z10 was also shown to ameliorate CL-induced or sodium taurocholate-induced AP in mice. Proteomics analysis and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) revealed that Z10 decreased the levels of D-dopachrome tautomerase (Ddt) within macrophages and those in the extracellular milieu under CL treatment. Z10 also decreased Ddt expression in AP mice. Moreover, exogenous Ddt induced cytokine and digestive enzyme secretion, which could be inhibited by Z10. Ddt knockdown inhibited CL-induced cytokine secretion. Medium from CL-treated macrophages induced the release of amylase by acinar cells, and Ddt knockdown medium decreased amylase secretion. The target of Z10 was predicted to be ERK2. Z10 increased the thermostability of ERK1/2 but not ERK1 K72A/ERK2 K52A. The docking poses of ERK1 and ERK2 with Z10 were similar. Z10 inhibited ERK1/2 phosphorylation, and Ddt levels and cytokines were regulated by ERK1/2 during AP. Additionally, Z10 could not further inhibit cytokines under ERK1/2 knockdown with CL. Thus, this study revealed that Z10-mediated ERK1/2 inhibition decreased Ddt expression and secretion by macrophages. Ddt inhibition decreased cytokine release and digestive enzyme secretion.

The role of community factors in predicting depressive symptoms among Chinese workforce: a longitudinal study in rural and urban settings.

BACKGROUND: The dual urban-rural division system in China has led to distinguishes in economic development, medical services, and education as well as in mental health disparities. This study examined whether community factors (community cohesion, supportive network size, foreseeable community threat, and medical insurance coverage) predict the depressive symptoms of Chinese workers and how community factors may work differently in rural and urban settings. METHODS: This secondary data analysis was conducted using data from the 2014 and 2016 China Labor-force Dynamics Survey (CLDS). The sample of this study includes 9,140 workers (6,157 rural labors and 2,983 urban labors) who took part in both the 2014 and 2016 CLDS. This study discusses the relation between community factors and depressive symptoms of Chinese workers by correlation analysis and regression analysis. All analyses were conducted using SPSS 24.0. RESULTS: The results indicate that rural workers have higher levels of depressive symptoms than urban workers. Medical benefits coverage predicts depressive symptoms of rural workforces (B = -0.343, 95%CI = -0.695 ~ 0.009, p < . 10), and community supportive network size predicts depressive symptoms of urban workforces (B = -.539, 95%CI = -0.842 ~ 0.236, p < . 01). CONCLUSIONS: Policymakers may address depressive symptoms of rural labor through improved coverage of medical benefits. In urban areas, efforts can be made to strengthen community supportive network for the urban labor force.

Internet Public Opinion Diffusion Mechanism in Public Health Emergencies: Based on Entropy Flow Analysis and Dissipative Structure Determination.

As an empirical case, this study selected the illegal production process incidents of rabies and DPT (Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus) vaccines by Changchun Longevity Biotechnology Co., Ltd., which occurred in July 2018. Based on the four factors involved in the spread of public opinion, the public health emergency, netizen, network media, and government, Brusselator model, and entropy method were applied to calculate the positive and negative entropy-to verify whether the Internet public opinion system is a dissipative structure. This study verified four evolution mechanisms in Internet public opinion diffusion, among which the trigger point of entropy-control occurred in the germination mechanism, the entropy-controlled disposal point occurred in the outbreak and fluctuating mechanism, and then became latency in the elimination mechanism. It provides a theoretical reference for the government to judge the stage of such diffusion and improve the governance ability of the opinion mentioned above.

The C-terminal domain of the type III secretion chaperone HpaB contributes to dissociation of chaperone-effector complex in Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris.

Many animal and plant pathogenic bacteria employ a type three secretion system (T3SS) to deliver type three effector proteins (T3Es) into host cells. Efficient secretion of many T3Es in the plant pathogen Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc) relies on the global chaperone HpaB. However, how the domain of HpaB itself affects effector translocation/secretion is poorly understood. Here, we used genetic and biochemical approaches to identify a novel domain at the C-terminal end of HpaB (amino acid residues 137-160) that contributes to virulence and hypersensitive response (HR). Both in vitro secretion assay and in planta translocation assay showed that the secretion and translocation of T3E proteins depend on the C-terminal region of HpaB. Deletion of the C-terminal region of HpaB did not affect binding to T3Es, self-association or interaction with T3SS components. However, the deletion of C-terminal region sharply reduced the mounts of free T3Es liberated from the complex of HpaB with the T3Es, a reaction catalyzed in an ATP-dependent manner by the T3SS-associated ATPase HrcN. Our findings demonstrate the C-terminal domain of HpaB contributes to disassembly of chaperone-effector complex and reveal a potential molecular mechanism underpinning the involvement of HpaB in secretion of T3Es in Xcc.

Serum sphingosine negatively correlates with albumin predicting the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The roles of sphingosine in various cancers have not been fully investigated. Our aim was to identify the relationship between serum sphingosine and the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: Serum sphingosine in 34 normal people and 73 HCC patients were reviewed retrospectively. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to determine the cut-off values of sphingosine in the serum. Chi-square test, t test and regression analysis were used to test the association between serum sphingosine and individual clinicopathologic parameters. RESULTS: Serum sphingosine was higher in HCC patients (155.91±331.5 ng/mL) with normal persons as the control (30.92±29.4 ng/mL). The sphingosine threshold according to ROC curve was set at 22.5 ng/mL with a sensitivity of 74%, and a specificity of 55.9%. Meanwhile, sphingosine in HCC patients with abnormal albumin was significantly higher than that in patients with normal albumin (t=2.452, P=0.019). When HCC patients were divided into two groups serum sphingosine was negatively associated with albumin in HCC patients (χ2=4.469, P=0.035). Moreover, the logistic regression analysis showed that large tumor size (P=0.018, OR=0.13) and a low albumin (P=0.005, OR=8.856) were two independent risk factors for serum sphingosine upregulation. High AFP coupled with high serum sphingosine, high sphingosine and high AFP respectively were found in 91.2%, 75.4%, 73% of the HCC patients. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that serum sphingosine could be treated as a marker for the risk of HCC. AFP and sphingosine in the serum could be used together for HCC diagnosis.

Depressive symptoms in three Chinese older workforce groups: the interplay of work stress with family and community factors.

BACKGROUND: More people remain in the workforce into their late life as people's life expectancy increases. This study examined the relationship between work stress and depressive symptoms of older workers in mainland China, focusing on the interplay between work stress with family and community factors in three (i.e., urban, rural, and migrant) settings. METHODS: National representative survey data on the Chinese labor force collected by the Social Science Research Center of Sun-Yetsen University in 2014 were used. The sample consisted of 5,751 workers aged 50 and above recruited from 29 out of 31 provinces in mainland China. RESULTS: Work stress had a consistent and robust effect on depressive symptoms across older worker groups. Moreover, it interacted with family and community factors differentially in three settings. For migrant older workers, work stress was a dominant factor affecting their depressive symptoms. Among rural older workers, the influence of work stress on depressive symptoms depended on their family debt and neighborhood cohesion levels. CONCLUSION: Stressors from work, family, and community comprised a general model that explains depressive symptoms in Chinese older workers. Interventions or service programs aimed at reducing work stress and improving mental health among older adults should consider the complexity of intertwining family and community dynamics as well as respective strengths in urban, rural, and migrant communities.

Two lytic transglycosylases of Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris associated with cell separation and type III secretion system, respectively.

The lytic transglycosylases (LTs) are important enzymes that degrade peptidoglycan of the bacterial cell wall and affect many biological functions. We present here that XC_0706 and XC_3001 are annotated as the LTs in Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris. XC_0706 is associated with virulence and plays a pivotal role in cell division. Mutation on XC_3001 reduced hypersensitive response induction and the translocation of type III effector, but did not affect the function of the type II secretion system. Further studies showed that multiple LTs genes contribute to efficiency of the type III secretory system in X. campestris pv. campestris.

Work Stress and Depressive Symptoms in Chinese Migrant Workers: The Moderating Role of Community Factors.

This study aimed to examine depressive symptoms in ruralurban migrant workers in mainland China, with a focus on the moderating roles of community factors (i.e., community support network, community cohesion and community composition) in the relation between work stress and depressive symptoms. This study used secondary data from a national representative study conducted by the Social Survey Center at SUN-YETSEN University of China in 2014. The final sample contained 1434 participants from 29 provinces of China (Mean age = 36.47, SD = 11.91). Being female, lower self-rated health, lower levels of self-rated class, lower levels of community cohesion and higher work stress were related to higher depressive symptoms. Community cohesion was found to lessen the migrant workers depressive symptoms but was not identified as a moderator for work stress and depressive symptoms. Community supportive networks moderated the relation between work stress and depressive symptoms. Rural-urban migrant workers in China experienced high work stress and high depressive symptoms. Public health policies or programs should help expand and strengthen migrant workers' supportive network size, and facilitate the creation of community cohesion to lessen depressive symptoms.

Differences in depressive symptoms between rural and urban Chinese labor force: The mediating effects of community factors.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to examine differences in depressive symptoms between urban and rural workers in mainland China and to identify community factors that could contribute to such residential differences. METHODS: This study used nationally representative data from the 2014 China's Labor Force Dynamic Survey. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews on a sample of 22,073 participants from 29 provinces of China, including 15,098 rural workers (Mage = 44.92, standard deviation ( SD) = 14.85) and 6,975 urban workers (Mage = 43.28, SD = 13.62). Mediators included community cohesion, foreseeable community threat, supportive network size and medical benefit coverage. Mediation analyses were conducted using Hayes' SPSS Macro Process for multiple mediators. RESULTS: Urban participants reported fewer depressive symptoms than their rural counterparts. Lower levels of community cohesion, higher community foreseeable threat and poorer medical coverage were related to fewer depressive symptoms. Rural-urban differences were mediated by community cohesion ( B = -0.12, p < .01), foreseeable community threat ( B = -0.08, p < .01) and medical benefit coverage ( B = 0.25, p < .01). CONCLUSION: This study sheds light on distinctive roles of community factors in explaining rural-urban differences in depressive symptoms. Policies or programs should be designed to promote strengths and address weaknesses in rural communities.

Dihydroceramide-desaturase-1-mediated caspase 9 activation through ceramide plays a pivotal role in palmitic acid-induced HepG2 cell apoptosis.

In this study, results showed that the inhibition of PA-induced HepG2 cell growth takes place in a time- and concentration-dependent manner, that activation of caspase 9 is necessary for PA-induced HepG2 cell apoptosis, that dihydroceramide desaturase 1 (DES1) plays a key role in PA-mediated caspase 9 and caspase 3 activation, and that palmitoleic acid (POA), an omega-7 monounsaturated fatty acid, reverses PA-induced apoptosis through DES1 â†’ Ceramide â†’ Caspase 9 â†’ Caspase 3 signaling.

[Effects of different light transmission rate on American ginseng's photosynthesis].

From 1997 to 1998, series of experiments were carried out to study American ginseng's photosynthesis related to light transmission rate of plastic cover. The results showed that American ginseng's light saturation point for photosynthesis was different under the different light transmission rate (LTR) because of shading. At about 29.0 degrees C and under 12%, 30%, 42% LTR, 4-year-old American ginseng's light saturation point were 171.0, 323.0, and 429.0 mumol.m-2.s-1, respectively. The maximum net photosynthesis rate (Pn) was 6.54 mg CO2.dm-2.h-1, which appeared under the shading of 30% LTR. The daily course of 3-year-old American ginseng's Pn changed with LTR. When LTR was less than 25.8%, the daily curves of Pn had a single peak, and when LTR was higher than 25.8%, it had two peaks and the leaf's photosynthesis noon break phenomenon was remarkable. The results of single correlative analysis showed that the dominant factor that influenced Pn was photon flux density (PFD), and the results of plural regression analysis showed that the synthetic effect of all the influencing factors together on Pn was significant.