• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.10
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• pp.4671-4675
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• 2016

Background and aim: Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide, with an overall 5-year survival of <5% mainly due to presence of advanced disease at time of diagnosis. Therefore development of valid biomarkers to diagnose pancreatic cancer in early stages is an urgent need. This study concerned the sensitivity and specificity of serum ICAM 1 versus CA 19-9 in differentiation between pancreatic cancer and healthy subjects and acohort of patients with chronic pancreatitis with a focus on assessing validity in diagnosis of early stages of pancreatic cancer. Methods: A cohort of 50 patients with histologically diagnosed pancreatic tumors, 27 patients with chronic pancreatitis, and 35 healthy controls were enrolled. Serum samples for measurement of CA19-9 and I-CAM 1 were obtained from all groups and analyzed for significance regarding diagnosis and disease stage. Results: At a cut off value of (878.5 u/ml) I-CAM 1 had 82% and 82.26% sensitivity and specificity for differentiation between cancer and non-cancer cases, with higher sensitivity and specificity than CA19-9 at different cut offs (CA19-9 sensitivity and specificity ranged from 64-80% and 56.4 - 61.2% respectively). The AUC was 0.851 for I-CAM and 0.754 for CA19-9. Neither of the markers demonstrated significance for distinguishing between early and late cancer stages. Conclusion: ICAM 1 is a useful marker in differentiation between malignant and benign pancreatic conditions, and superior to CA19-9 in this regard. However, neither of the markers can be recommended for use in differentiation between early and late stage pancreatic cancers.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.327-334
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• 2015

Purpose: The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of (6)-gingerol, ginger components proliferation and adipocyte differentiation from early to lately steps. Methods: 3T3-L1 preadipocytes were cultured. Differentiation of confluent cells was induced with dexamethasone, isobutylxanthin and insulin for 2 day and cells were cultured by medium with insulin in presence of various concentrations 0, 25, 50, $100({\mu}mol/L)$ of (6)-gingerol for 4 day. Cell viability was measured using the EZ Cytox assay kit. In addition, we examined the expression of mRNA levels associated with each adipocyte differentiation step by real time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Results: (6)-Gingerol inhibited adipocyte proliferation in a dose and time dependent manner. Expression of $C/EBP{\beta}$, associated with early differentiation step remained unchaged. However, intermmediate, late differentiation step and adipocytokines were effectively changed in dose-dependently manner in cell groups treated with (6)-gingerol. Conclusion: This study has shown that treatment with (6)-gingerol inhibited adipocyte proliferation as well as each adipocyte differentiation step. In particular, the (6)-gingerol more effectively inhibited adipocyte differentiation from intermmediate differentiation step.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.44-47
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• 2000

Cell growth and DNA synthesis were studied from a cultured early- and late- pas- sage mouse aorta smooth muscle cell (MASMC) because the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) is a key factor in development of atherosclerosis. In this study, the cells were cultured in fetal bovine serum (FBS) and stimulated by growth factors such as thrombin and platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB). Compared to the number of early-passage MASMC (passage 3 to 9) the number of late-passage MASMC (passage 30 to 40) in a normal serum state was increased 2 fold at Day 1, 3 and 6 in culture, respectively. Incorporation of $[^3H]$ thymidine into DNA induced by serum, PDGF and thrombin in late-passage MASMC was greater than those in early-passage MASMC. We also examined whether intracellular zinc levels would be an aging factor or not. The intracellular zinc level in early- and late-passage MASMC was monitored by using the zinc probe dye N-(6-methoxy-8-quinolyl)-p-toluenesulfonamide. It is interested that late-passage MASMC increased the intracellular fluorescence level of zinc, more than the early passage MASMC did. The alterations of intracellular zinc level occur concurrently with changes in MASMC proliferation rate during aging. This data suggest that the age-associated changes in zinc concentrations may provide a new in vitro model for the study of smooth muscle cell differentiation.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.129-141
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• 2001

To investigate the spermiogenesis of the Saghalien Pygmy shrew (Sorex minutus gracillimus), the testis obtained from mature male shrew was studied by electron microscopy, and the following results obtained based on the morphological characteristics of cell differentiation of the seminiferous epithelium in the testis. According to the fine structural differentiation, spermiogenesis of S. minutus gracillimks was divided into Golgi, cap, acrosome, maturation and spermiation phases. Beside, the Golgi and cap phases were subdivided into three steps of early, middle and late phase respectively, and acrosome phase into two steps of early and late phase , and maturation and spermiation phases has only one step respectively. Thus, the spermiogenesis of S. minutus gracillimus was divided into a total of ten steps. The chromatin granules begin to be condensed in the acrosome phase, and a perfect nucleus of sperm was formed at the spermiation phase. Mancette were appeared from the late acrosome phase to the maturation phase. The formation of sperm tail began to develop in the late Golgi phase, and completed at the spermiation phase. Multivesicular bodies were appeared from the Golgi phase to the maturation phase, recognized with pale, pale and moderate, and dense at Golgi, cap and acrosomal and matulation phases respectively.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.593-598
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• 2007

The current study was undertaken to determine the effects of sex steroid hormones(estrogen, testosterone and 19-nortestosterone) on differentiation and proliferation of pig preadipocytes. The preadipocytes were isolated from the backfat of new-born female pigs by collagenase digestion. 10－8M and 10－7M sex steroid hormones were treated to the cultured preadipocytes. Sex steroid hormones treated during the early stage of cell growth did not affect differentiation and proliferation of preadipocytes. However, testosterone and 19- nortestosterone treated during the late stage of cell growth stimulated differentiation of pig preadipocytes.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.5 no.5
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• pp.396-403
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• 2011

Ceramides (Cer) comprise the major constituent of sphingolipids in the epidermis and are known to play diverse roles in the outermost layers of the skin including water retention and provision of a physical barrier. In addition, they can be hydrolyzed into free sphingoid bases such as $C_{18}$ sphingosine (SO) and $C_{18}$ sphinganine (SA) or can be further metabolized to $C_{18}$ So-1-phosphate (S1P) and $C_{18}$ Sa-1-phosphate (Sa1P) in keratinocytes. The significance of ceramide metabolites emerged from studies reporting altered levels of SO and SA in skin disorders and the role of S1P and Sa1P as signaling lipids. However, the overall metabolism of sphingoid bases and their phosphates during keratinocyte differentiation remains not fully understood. Therefore, in this study, we analyzed these Cer metabolites in the process of keratinocyte differentiation. Three distinct keratinocyte differentiation stages were prepared using 0.07 mM calcium (Ca$^{2+}$) (proliferation stage), 1.2 mM Ca$^{2+}$ (early differentiation stage) in serum-free medium, or serum-containing medium with vitamin C (50 ${\mu}L$/mL) (late differentiation stage). Serum-containing medium was also used to determine whether vitamin C increases the concentrations of sphingoid bases and their phosphates. The production of sphingoid bases and their phosphates after hydrolysis by alkaline phosphatase was determined using high-performance liquid chromatography. Compared to cells treated with 0.07 mM Ca$^{2+}$, levels of SO, SA, S1P, and SA1P were not altered after treatment with 1.2 mM Ca$^{2+}$. However, in keratinocytes cultured in serum-containing medium with vitamin C, levels of SO, SA, S1P, and SA1P were dramatically higher than those in 0.07- and l.2-mM Ca$^{2+}$-treated cells; however, compared to serum-containing medium alone, vitamin C did not significantly enhance their production. Taken together, we demonstrate that late differentiation induced by vitamin C and serum was accompanied by dramatic increases in the concentration of sphingoid bases and their phosphates, although vitamin C alone had no effect on their production.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.9
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• pp.1364-1370
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• 2002

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of compensatory growth nutritional regimen on mammary gland growth and lactation. One hundred twenty-two Sprague Dawley female rats (35 days of age) were randomly assigned to either a control or a stair-step compensatory nutrition (SSCN) feeding regimen or an alternating 2-2-3-3-week schedule beginning with 40% energy restriction for 2 weeks followed by re-alimentation (control diet) for 2 weeks. Pup weight gain and milk yield were improved 8% and 8 to 15%, respectively, by the SSCN regimen. The gene expression of $\beta$-casein was 2.3-fold greater in the SSCN group than in the control group during early lactation, but they were greater at all stages of the second lactation. The gene expression of insulin-like growth factor-I was 40% lower in the SSCN group than in the control group during early lactation of the second lactation, but during late lactation it was 80% greater than in the control group. The concentration of serum corticosterone tended to be higher in the SSCN group during the late stage of the first lactation. These results suggest that the stair-step compensatory nutrition regimen improves lactation performance and persistency by modulation of cell differentiation and apoptotic cell death.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.967-974
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• 2004

The current study was undertaken to determine the effect of various conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) isomers on differentiation of pig preadipocyte during culture. Preadipocyte(stroma-vascular cell) was isolated from the backfat of newborn pigs and cultured to differentiate into mature fat cell. Different doses of CLA isomers were treated to the culture media at different times. Cell differentiation was determined by measuring the glycerol3-phosphate dehydrogenase activity of the cultured preadipocytes. Twenty and fifty $\mu$M of trans110_cis 12 isomer of CLA inhibited differentiation of pig preadipocyte whereas cis9-cis II isomer stimulated the differentiation. Both cis9-transII and trans9-trans11 isomers showed no effect. Effect of CLA isomer was more evident at the early stage of culture(day 0-8), than the late stage(day 8-14). These results suggest that each CLA isomer has different effect on pig preadipocyte differentiation.

• Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.751-760
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• 2018

BACKGROUND: Bone tissue engineering based on pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) is a new approach to deal with bone defects. Protocols have been developed to generate osteoblasts from PSCs. However, the low efficiency of this process is still an important issue that needs to be resolved. Many studies have aimed to improve efficiency, but developing accurate methods to determine efficacy is also critical. Studies using pluripotency to estimate efficacy are rare. Telomerase is highly associated with pluripotency. METHODS: We have described a quantitative method to measure telomerase activity, telomeric repeat elongation assay based on quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). To investigate whether this method could be used to determine the efficiency of in vitro osteogenic differentiation based on pluripotency, we measured the pluripotency pattern of cultures through stemness gene expression, proliferation ability and telomerase activity, measured by QCM. RESULTS: We showed that the pluripotency pattern determined by QCM was similar to the patterns of proliferation ability and gene expression, which showed a slight upregulation at the late stages, within the context of the general downregulation tendency during differentiation. Additionally, a comprehensive gene expression pattern covering nearly every stage of differentiation was identified. CONCLUSION: Therefore, this assay may be powerful tools for determining the efficiency of differentiation systems based on pluripotency. In this study, we not only introduce a new method for determining efficiency based on pluripotency, but also provide more information about the characteristics of osteogenic differentiation which help facilitate future development of more efficient protocols.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.119-134
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• 2003

This paper analyzes Wu Ha-Youngs Cheonilrok in order to reconstruct the regional characteristics of farming in the late 18th-century Korean countryside. The projected objective is approached through the examination of various indices drawn from the volume such as environment, distribution of arable lands, major crops, agricultural techniques, and productivity. The main finding of this research is that unlike todays homogenous picture of agriculture, quite significant differences of agrarian practices existed across the country in the past. The regional differentiation was attributable foremost to natural environment. To elaborate, landform, climate and soil influenced the distribution and use of land plots, the kinds of main crops produced, and the agricultural productivity. The region-specific agricultural techniques result from the cumulative processes of trial and error against the given environment. Other social and economic conditions which include population, skill of the peasants, size of landownership, and irrigation facilities sustained the regional differentiation of agriculture.