The influence of minimum wage regulation on labor income share and overwork: evidence from China

Minimum Wage Regulation (MWR) can raise wage rate, but its relation with labor income share is in controversy. We explore the influence of raising wage rate on labor income share and overwork in China. Panel data regressions are taken mainly based on China’s Industrial Enterprise Database and the International Labor Organization Database. Our findings show that raising wage rate can increase labor income share without leading to overwork. Factors that may significantly increase overwork are a higher proportion of male workers, a larger income gap and a lower percapita income. We point out that the neoclassical explanation for labor income share is not persuasive. We support policies of raising wage rate and believe MWR is an effective measure to increase labor income share

Role of adiponectin in the pathology of early-stage coronary heart disease in Chinese Type 2 diabetes mellitus patients

Purpose: To investigate the role of adiponectin in the pathogenesis of diabetes-induced coronary heart disease (CHD) in Chinese type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients.Methods: Serum ADpN levels were measured every 3 months in T2DM patients in early stage of heart disease who were followed up for 5 years. Adiponectin (ADpN) was measured using a turbidimetric immunoassay method. At the same time, ADpN was measured every 3 months for up to 5 years in T2DM patients with no sign of heart diseases (control). Hazard ratios (HR) for analysis of progression free survival outcomes were assessed using appropriate statistical tools.Results: At baseline, ADpN levels in male and female patients were similar (p < 0.05). However, male and female T2DM patients who developed heart disease had history of uncontrolled diabetes, dyslipidemia and hypertension. Patients (males and females) who had significantly lower levels of HDL developed heart disease (p < 0.05). The hazard ratio (HR) for low ADpN was favorable in male and female patients with early heart disease who experienced heart disease after baseline demography covariates such as age, BMI and gender.Conclusion: These results suggest that low ADpN level is a significant independent potential risk factor for CHD in Chinese T2DM patients with early stage of cardiac disease who were taking biguanide- and thiazolidinedione-based drugs. Intervention strategies that raise ADpN levels > 7.0 μg/ml could be helpful in preventing CHD in these T2DM patients

Poly[[diaqua­bis(μ2-isonicotinato-κ2 N:O)bis­(μ3-isonicotinato-κ3 N:O:O′)neodymium(III)disilver(I)] nitrate monohydrate]

In the title complex, {[Ag2Nd(C6H4NO2)4(H2O)2]NO3·H2O}n, the NdIII ion is coordinated by eight O atoms from six isonicotinate ligands and two water mol­ecules in a distorted square anti­prismatic geometry. Each AgI ion is coordinated by two N atoms from two different isonicotinate ligands. The crystal structure exhibits a two-dimensional heterometallic polymeric layer. O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds involving the coordinated and uncoordinated water mol­ecules and intra­layer π–π inter­actions between the pyridine rings [centroid–centroid distances = 3.571 (2) and 3.569 (2) Å] are observed. Each layer inter­acts with two neighboring ones via Ag⋯O(H2O) contacts and inter­layer π–π inter­actions [centroid–centroid distances = 3.479 (3) to 3.530 (3) Å], leading to a three-dimensional supra­molecular network

The PBDE-209 Exposure during Pregnancy and Lactation Impairs Immune Function in Rats

In the present study, we assessed the treatment effects of PBDE-209 administration on the immune function in rats during pregnancy and lactation. We harvested the blood and organs for flow cytometry, viability assay, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and histological evaluation. The results of this study were the PBDE-209 exposure during pregnancy and lactation impairs immune function in rats. The results may contribute to understanding the mechanism of PBDE-209 in immune function

Expression of MiR-9 promotes proliferation, migration and differentiation of human neural stem cells

Purpose: To investigate the effect of miR-9 on the proliferation, differentiation and migration of human neural stem cells (NSCs).Methods: The expression of miR-9 was investigated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Cell proliferation was assessed by cell counting kit-8 (CCK8) assay, while cell migration was studied by Transwell assay. The effect of miR-9 on differentiation of NSCs was investigated by western blot analysis of key differentiation marker proteins. Protein expression was determined by western blotting.Results: Transfection and over-expression of miR-9 in NSCs significantly enhanced the proliferation of NSCs (p < 0.05) in a time-dependent manner, as was evident from CCK8 assay data. MiR-9 overexpression caused down-regulation of Nestin and SOX-2, and up-regulation of Tuj-1 and MAP-2. The migration of NSCs was 37 % in the cells transfected with empty vector, compared to 68 % in the cells transfected with miR-9. This effect of miR-9 on cell migration was accompanied by up-regulation of matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP-9) and matrix metallopeptidase 2 (MMP-2).Conclusion: These results show that miR-9 promotes the proliferation, differentiation and migration of NSCs, and thus may be an important drug target for the generation of NSCs.Keywords: Neural stem cells, MicroRNA, Mir-9, Migration, Differentiation, Proliferatio