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East Asian (EA) social welfare has been described as productivist, where social policies are subordinate to economic development. However, EA comparative studies often focus on a few select social policies and seldom examine welfare programs as a bundle. We contribute to the depiction of divergent features of EA safety nets by exploring welfare content (generosity, coverage, protective vs. productive, and work incentives) and welfare outcomes (poverty reduction and income redistribution) for lower‐income populations in the largest city in mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan. We collected model family (MF) data and analyzed the data through descriptive statistics and regression models. We found that Taiwan and Hong Kong, followed by Japan, have more generous programs for reducing poverty, while Korea focuses on productive programs; Singapore offers wide coverage and strong work incentives for low‐income families yet lags behind in generosity; and China appears to be a laggard in welfare provision in the region. Our findings reveal heterogeneity within EA welfare systems, and our synthesis of welfare features using MF data offers a promising, innovative strategy for conducting comparative research in regions with limited comparable data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gastrointestinal microbiota are important for human health. Dietary intake may modulate the composition and metabolic function of the gut microbiome. We examined how the breakdown of prebiotic dietary fibers by the gut microbiome affects mucin secretion by intestinal epithelial cells. Metagenomic analyses of in vitro gut microbiome consortia revealed taxonomic profiles and genetic diversity of carbohydrate-active enzymes that digest polysaccharides. Two independent consortia exhibited different abilities to produce acetic acid, propionic acid, and butyric acid via the fermentation of polysaccharides derived from dietary fibers of grains and mushrooms. Although acetic acid generally had the highest concentration, the ratios of butyric acid and propionic acid to acetic acid varied depending on the polysaccharide source. These short-chain fatty acids affected morphological differentiation and mucin secretion in HT-29 human intestinal epithelial cells. These results suggest that prebiotic dietary fibers can be digested and metabolized by the gut microbiome to short-chain fatty acids, which can affect gut epithelial cells both directly and indirectly via the modulation of the gut microbiota and their enzymes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Fine particulate matter, PM2.5, is becoming a major threat to human health, particularly in terms of respiratory diseases. Pyroptosis is a recently discovered and distinct form of cell death, characterized by pore formation in the cell membrane and secretions of proinflammatory cytokines. There has been little research on the effect of PM2.5 on pyroptosis, especially in airway epithelium. We investigated whether PM2.5-related oxidative stress induces pyroptosis in bronchial epithelial cells and defined the underlying mechanisms. Materials and Methods: After exposure of a BEAS-2B cell line to PM2.5 concentration of 20 µg/mL, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, parameters related to pyroptosis, and NF-κB signaling were measured by Western blotting, immunofluorescence, and ELISA (Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). Results: PM2.5 induced pyroptotic cell death, accompanied by LDH (Lactate dehydrogenase) release and increased uptake of propidium iodide in a dose-dependent manner. PM2.5 activated the NLRP3-casp1-gasdermin D pathway, with resulting secretions of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-18. The pyroptosis activated by PM2.5 was alleviated significantly by NLRP3 inhibitor. In PM2.5-exposed BEAS-2B cells, levels of intracellular ROS and NF-κB p65 increased. ROS scavenger inhibited the expression of the NLRP3 inflammasome, and the NF-κB inhibitor attenuated pyroptotic cell death triggered by PM2.5 exposure, indicating that the ROS/NF-κB pathway is involved in PM2.5-induced pyroptosis. Conclusions: These findings show that PM2.5 exposure can cause cell injury by NLRP3-inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis by upregulating the ROS/NF-κB pathway in airway epithelium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Secreted protein acidic and cysteine rich/osteonectin, cwcv and kazal‐like domain proteoglycan 2 (SPOCK2) is a protein that regulates cell differentiation and growth. Recent studies have reported that SPOCK2 plays important roles in the progression of various human cancers; however, the role of SPOCK2 in melanoma remains unknown. Therefore, this study investigated the roles of SPOCK2 and the related mechanisms in melanoma progression. To evaluate the clinical significance of SPOCK2 expression in patients with melanoma, we analysed the association between SPOCK2 expression and its prognostic value for patients with melanoma using systematic multiomic analysis. Subsequently, to investigate the roles of Spock2 in melanoma progression in vitro and in vivo, we knocked down Spock2 in the B16F10 melanoma cell line. High SPOCK2 levels were positively associated with good prognosis and long survival rate of patients with melanoma. Spock2 knockdown promoted melanoma cell proliferation by inducing the cell cycle and inhibiting apoptosis. Moreover, Spock2 downregulation significantly increased cell migration and invasion by upregulating MMP2 and MT1‐MMP. The increased cell proliferation and migration were inhibited by MAPK inhibitor, and ERK phosphorylation was considerably enhanced in Spock2 knockdown cells. Therefore, Spock2 could function as a tumour suppressor gene to regulate melanoma progression by regulating the MAPK/ERK signalling pathway. Additionally, Spock2 knockdown cell injection induced considerable tumour growth and lung metastasis in C57BL6 mice compared to that in the control group. Our findings suggest that SPOCK2 plays crucial roles in malignant progression of melanoma and functions as a novel therapeutic target of melanoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study examined cross‐national variations in marriage and motherhood penalties between Western and East Asian countries. Background: Little is known about how and to what extent motherhood affects women's labor market outcomes in East Asia compared to Western welfare countries. We examine employment, wage, and labor income with regard to the motherhood penalty. Method: We selected the five countries of Finland, Germany, South Korea, Taiwan, and the United States and applied probit and Heckman selection models using Luxembourg Income Study (LIS) Wave IX and Korean Labor and Income Panel Survey data. Results: Variations between Western countries and East Asian welfare states are highlighted. Married mothers with children in East Asian countries are greatly disadvantaged in employment compared to those in Western countries. Having a child is associated with lower labor income and wages by 2.9% to 4.5% across the countries, but we do not find a significant association in Germany and Korea. Conclusion: Women experience various dimensions of motherhood penalties across countries. East Asian women are more likely to face both marriage and motherhood penalties than others. Implication: Marriage and motherhood in East Asian countries should be understood differently from those in Western contexts. Marriage and motherhood are life events that are associated with women's employment decisions and work opportunities in East Asian countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Involuntary retirement is associated with diminished mental health. However, little is known about the mechanism that connects involuntary retirees' coping resources to their loneliness. Gender patterns in the mechanism of involuntary retirement are also unclear. This study examines gender differences in the link between involuntary retirement and loneliness through secondary stressors (material and physical vulnerability) and coping resources (social support and self-efficacy). Two-step structural equation modelling was used to examine the effects of several mediators. For both men and women, involuntary retirement was associated with increased loneliness in terms of physical vulnerability and social efficacy. We found the female involuntary retirees are facing loneliness with multiple mediating factors. The layers of experiencing loneliness among female retirees are (a) directly from involuntary retirement; (b) indirectly from involuntary retirement and secondary stressors (material vulnerability and physical vulnerability); and (c) indirectly from involuntary retirement, secondary stressors (material vulnerability and physical vulnerability) and coping resources. The specific gender differences in the complex mechanism leading to later-year loneliness among the retirees may inform the interventions and policies that mitigate the disadvantages among involuntarily retired older adults in the United States of America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using data from 14 waves (2003–2016) of the Korean Labor and Income Panel Study (KLIPS) (N = 1,627 individuals aged 45–64; 22778 observations), in this study, we conducted sequence analysis and a multi-categorical variable mediation analysis (1) to examine to what extent long-term work histories exhibit varying degrees of de-standardization and precariousness using sequence analysis (2) to explore the potential mediating effects of work, material, and social environments in the association between multiple work sequences and self-rated health. We found the coexistence of a relatively stable long-term employment pattern and a high prevalence of precariousness. The health and economic risks of precarious work fall disproportionately on older workers. Future researchers should continue to analyze whether the COVID-19 pandemic will lead to long-term changes in the workforce to improve our understanding of and response to working in later life and its health effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The identification of genetic factors that regulate the cancer immune microenvironment is important for understanding the mechanism of tumor progression and establishing an effective treatment strategy. Polycystic kidney and hepatic disease 1-like protein 1 (PKHD1L1) is a large transmembrane protein that is highly expressed in immune cells; however, its association with tumor progression remains unclear. Here, we systematically analyzed the clinical relevance of PKHD1L1 in the tumor microenvironment in multiple cancer types using various bioinformatic tools. We found that the PKHD1L1 mRNA expression levels were significantly lower in skin cutaneous melanoma (SKCM) and lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) than in normal tissues. The decreased expression of PKHD1L1 was significantly associated with unfavorable overall survival (OS) in SKCM and LUAD. Additionally, PKHD1L1 expression was positively correlated with the levels of infiltrating B cells, cluster of differentiation (CD)-8+ T cells, and natural killer (NK) cells, suggesting that the infiltration of immune cells could be associated with a good prognosis due to increased PKHD1L1 expression. Gene ontology (GO) analysis also revealed the relationship between PKHD1L1-co-altered genes and the activation of lymphocytes, including B and T cells. Collectively, this study shows that PKHD1L1 expression is positively correlated with a good prognosis via the induction of immune infiltration, suggesting that PKHD1L1 has potential prognostic value in SKCM and LUAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]