Induction of MMP-9 release from human dermal fibroblasts by thrombin: involvement of JAK/STAT3 signaling pathway in MMP-9 release

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>It has been recognized that dermal fibroblasts and matrix metalloproteases (MMP) play crucial roles in wound healing process in skin. Thrombin was found to stimulate IL-8 release from human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs). However, little is known of the effect of thrombin on secretion of MMPs from dermal fibroblasts. In the present study, the influence of thrombin on proMMP-2 and proMMP-9 activity release from primary cultured HDFs, and its potential signaling pathways were investigated.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The results showed that thrombin induced proMMP-9, but not proMMP-2 release from HDFs in a dose dependent manner at 6 h following incubation. Thrombin also upregulated expression of proMMP-9 mRNA in HDFs. Hirudin completely abolished the action of thrombin on HDFs. An agonist peptide of protease-activated receptor-1, SFLLR-NH₂stimulated an enhanced release of proMMP-9 from HDFs. AG490, an inhibitor of STAT3 inhibited basal and thrombin-provoked proMMP-9 release and phosphorylation of STAT3. PD98059, an inhibitor of MAPK and LY294002, an inhibitor PI3K failed to significantly inhibit thrombin induced proMMP-9 release.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Thrombin is a potent stimulus of proMMP-9 release from HDFs. Thrombin induced proMMP-9 release is most likely through activation of PAR-1. JAK/STAT3 signaling pathway is involved in proMMP-9 release from HDFs.</p

Co-Loan Network of Chinese Banking System Based on Listed Companies’ Loan Data

Based on the loan data of Chinese listed companies from 2008 to 2016, this paper constructs a co-loan network of the Chinese banking system and analyzes the topological structures and corresponding evolvement characteristics from the perspective of complex network. Through the empirical studies, we find that the co-loan network always displays a core-periphery structure; for example, ten banks including four state banks and six large commercial banks are always in the core region of the Chinese banking system for nine consecutive years. Furthermore, the co-loan network is a small-world network lasting for nine years

Information Entropy-based Social Capital Measure Method of Online Influential Users

Measuring online user influence is a major research topic in social marketing performance maximization. In this study, we comprehensively investigate how online influential users gain, accumulate, and use their social capital from the perspective of information resource management and social capital measurement. First, we define the social capital of online influential users and the attribute characters and relationships reflected fully by personality and sociality index data. We then construct a social capital measurement indicator system and information entropy model of online users. After the calculations of this model, we finally forma social capital measure method of online influential users. The rationality and validity of proposed model are tested by experimental study on real datasets

Entropy Weight Measure Model of Online Influential Users’ Relative Social Capital

Based on the perspectives of information resource management and social capital measurement, this paper studies how influential users acquire, accumulate, and use their social capital in social networks to explore the general rules, which enterprises use influential users’ relative competitiveness in their topic areas of expertise to advertise precisely. The paper describes the social capital differences among influential users by introducing and calculating users’ relative social capital. Results show that user’s social capital values in different fields are dissimilar, and the scope and intensity of social capital among different users are relative. The proposed method is proved to be effective and reasonable

Endovascular management of spontaneous axillary artery aneurysm: a case report and review of the literature

INTRODUCTION: Spontaneous atraumatic true axillary artery aneurysm is a relatively unusual disorder. Although most cases are asymptomatic, complications of axillary artery aneurysms may result in acute vascular insufficiency and neurological deficits. Prompt treatment, therefore, should be employed in the management of this condition. To date, the standard treatment for peripheral aneurysms is still surgical resection with end-to-end anastomosis. However, aneurysmectomy and interposition grafting with autologous or artificial vessels are more invasive and time-consuming. The ideal treatment for axillary artery aneurysm should be relatively noninvasive, safe and free of significant complications, cost-effective, cosmetically acceptable, and incur less absence from usual daily activities. Endovascular stent grafts have also been successfully used to treat these aneurysms. Management of select aneurysms using stent grafts has become more prevalent with the developing endoluminal technology. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of a spontaneous atraumatic axillary artery aneurysm where the patient was a 48-year-old ethnic Han Chinese woman with a gradually enlarging left axillary pulsatile mass. She was treated with endovascular stent grafts. The postoperative course of the patient was uneventful during the six-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: We show that there are significant early advantages with the endovascular management technique versus the conventional operation in the management of axillary artery aneurysm

An evolving network model of credit risk contagion in the financial market

This paper introduces an evolving network model of credit risk contagion containing the average fitness of credit risk contagion, the risk aversion sentiments, and the ability of resist risk of credit risk holders. We discuss the effects of the aforementioned factors on credit risk contagion in the financial market through a series of theoretical analysis and numerical simulations. We find that, on one hand, the infected path distribution of the network gradually increases with the increase in the average fitness of credit risk contagion and the risk aversion sentiments of nodes, but gradually decreases with the increase in the ability to resist risk of nodes. On the other hand, the average fitness of credit risk contagion and the risk aversion sentiments of nodes increase the average clustering coefficient of nodes, whereas the ability to resist risk of nodes decreases this coefficient. Moreover, network size also decreases the average clustering coefficient. First published online: 29 Feb 201