• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
• /
• v.6 no.4
• /
• pp.281-286
• /
• 2019

The study aims to analyze the adaptation strategies and resilience of tobacco farmers to face unfavorable trading system. The research method refers to a qualitative approach with phenomenological models and case studies. The findings revealed tobacco farmers in Jember developed various adaptation strategies and resilience through farmer group organizations, partnerships, self-capacity building and access to financial institutions based on economic, social, cultural, and experience values from various sources and interactions among fellow tobacco farmers. The tobacco trading system, which is left to the market mechanism, results in low bargaining power of farmers, this encourages tobacco farmers to develop various adaptation and survival strategies, namely through collective activities of farmer groups, partnerships and self-development and access to financial institutions. Dealing with the unfavorable tobacco trading system, tobacco farmers do not switch to other commodity farming but adapt and make Jember a center for tobacco production in East Java and Indonesia. From this findings, it suggests to the government as the regulator does not only provide subsidies for tobacco farmers, but also must provide various technical assistance to increase the ability of tobacco farmers. More importantly, regulations must be made benefit tobacco farmers other than corporations so that equality can be enjoyed by tobacco economy players.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
• /
• v.7 no.4
• /
• pp.179-185
• /
• 2007

Background: Adenovirus (Ad) vectors have been widely used for many gene therapy applications because of their high transduction ability and broad tropism. However, their utility for cancer gene therapy is limited by their poor transduction into cancer cells lacking the primary receptor, coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor (CAR). Methods: To achieve CAR-independent gene transfer via Ad, we pretreated Ad with 1,2-dioleoyl-3-trimethylammonium propane (DOTAP) and analyzed their transduction efficiency into cancer cells in vitro and in vivo comparing with the virus alone. Results: Treatment of DOTAP significantly increased adenoviral gene transfer in tumor cells in vitro. Moreover, DOTAP at an optimum dose $(10{\mu}g/ml)$ enhanced IL-12 transgene expression by fivefold in tumor, and twofold in serum after intratumoral injection of adenovirus expressing IL-12N220L (Ad/IL-12N220L). In addition, cotreatment of DOTAP decreased tumor growth rate in the Ad/IL-12N220L-transduced tumor model, finally leading to enhanced survival rate. Conclusion: Our results strongly suggest that DOTAP could be of great utility for improving adenovirus-mediated cancer gene therapy.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.24 no.6
• /
• pp.589-594
• /
• 2016

Insulin is a peptide hormone of the endocrine pancreas and exerts a wide variety of physiological actions in insulin sensitive tissues, such as regulation of glucose homeostasis, cell growth, differentiation, learning and memory. However, the role of insulin in osteoblast cells remains to be fully characterized. In this study, we demonstrated that the insulin (100 nM) has the ability to stimulate the phosphorylation of protein kinase B (Akt/PKB) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and the levels of inhibin-${\beta}E$ in the osteoblast-like UMR-106 cells. This insulin-stimulated activities were abolished by the PI3K and MEK1 inhibitors LY294002 and PD98059, respectively. This is the first report proving that insulin is a potential candidate that enables the actions of inhibin-${\beta}E$ subunit of the TGF-${\beta}$ family. The current investigation provides a foundation for the realization of insulin as a potential stimulator in survival signaling pathways in osteoblast-like UMR-106 cells.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
• /
• v.36 no.1
• /
• pp.53-63
• /
• 2002

FDG PET is a functional imaging modality whose ability to detect lesions is directly based on a change of the glycolytic metabolism of targeted tissues, may be advantageous over other techniques. Combined with excellent image qualify, high spatial resolution, and whole body imaging capability, it has become popular as a new approach in the evaluation of patients with various malignancies. Initial staging of nodal and extranodal lymphoma using FDG PET has been proven to be at least equal or superior to conventional imaging modalities. For the assessment of treatment responsiveness, FDG PET has a major impact on the management of patients in differentiating residual lymphoma from treatment related benign changes. Residual FDG uptake after the completion of chemotherapy is a good predictor of early relapse. However, it seems that the absence of FDG uptake in tumor mass may not exclude minimal residual disease causing later relapse. In the early evaluation of treatment response only after a few cycles of chemotherapy, FDG PET may have a promising role in identifying non-responders who could benefit from a different treatment strategy. At present, FDG PET appears to be the cost-effective, diagnostic modality of choice in the management of lymphoma patients. The role of FDG PET based-systems in terms of affecting long-term prognosis and survival benefit should be further elucidated in future prospective studios.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
• /
• v.37 no.3
• /
• pp.392-401
• /
• 2017

Variations in physical toughness between muscles and animals are a function of growth rate and extend of collagen type I and III. The current study was designed to investigate the ability of growth rate, collagen concentration, collagen synthesizing and degrading genes on two different fibroblast cells derived from Hanwoo m. longissimus dorsi (LD) and semimembranosus (SM) muscles. Fibroblast cell survival time was determined for understanding about the characteristics of proliferation rate between the two fibroblasts. We examined the collagen concentration and protein expression of collagen type I and III between the two fibroblasts. The mRNA expression of collagen synthesis and collagen degrading genes to elucidate the molecular mechanisms on toughness and tenderness through collagen production between the two fibroblast cells. From our results the growth rate, collagen content and protein expression of collagen type I and III were significantly higher in SM than LD muscle fibroblast. The mRNA expressions of collagen synthesized genes were increased whereas the collagen degrading genes were decreased in SM than LD muscle. Results from confocal microscopical investigation showed increased fluorescence of collagen type I and III appearing stronger in SM than LD muscle fibroblast. These results implied that the locomotion muscle had higher fibroblast growth rate, leads to produce more collagen, and cause tougher than positional muscle. This in vitro study mirrored that background toughness of various muscles in live animal is likely associated with fibroblast growth pattern, collagen synthesis and its gene expression.

• STI Policy Review
• /
• v.4 no.2
• /
• pp.55-73
• /
• 2013

Since the 1990s, the Japanese government has made considerable attempts at stimulating innovation with an aim to pull the country out of a possibly permanent economic decline. Several laws and policy initiatives were introduced to encourage better interaction between universities (and research institutions) and industry. The results of these efforts have been mixed. While the number of university-industry joint and commissioned research has increased, revenues from the licensing of university-owned patents have fluctuated year by year. Although the number of startups and spin-offs from universities rose, their long-term survival and contribution to the economy remain uncertain. The Japanese experience features both strengths and weaknesses. Strengths include the long-term commitment of policy makers, the ability to set specific targets, and the active engagement of several key economic ministries. Nevertheless, the effectiveness of these policy initiatives was hampered by limitations within the policies concerning the roles of universities and their mode of interaction with industry based on intellectual property rights, the inadequacy of demand-side innovation policies, the fragmentation of bureaucracy, and a lack of a credible evaluation system.

• Journal of the Korea Society for Simulation
• /
• v.17 no.3
• /
• pp.45-51
• /
• 2008

The enemy will attempt to destroy our troop's core facilities using various fire supports at the beginning of war. Among these fire supports, artillery is given a most deal of weight and mine artillery is a great threat to our troops because it has a superior predominance on the ability of survival. A study about hitting mine artillery has been developed inside the military field only. However, these studies had been mostly qualitative analyses, thus having limitations in the aspects of nonobjectiveness and simplicity. Current study attempts to develop theory on hitting mine artillery beginning from mine opening until the target got hit, based on the assumption that one side which has inferior force will attack first. We studied on hitting mine artillery in a quantitative way using DEVS method.

• Journal of Agricultural Extension & Community Development
• /
• v.13 no.2
• /
• pp.235-249
• /
• 2006

The objective of this study was to investigate the developmental level of Rural Women Leaders Federation(RWLF) which is one of the major rural women`s association in Korea. The writers designed organization measurement tool based on the reviews on the related studies and gather data from 191 memberships of RWLF through the mail questionnaire and interviews. The major findings were as follows; First, the findings shows us this organization as transition period from identification stage to expanded growth stage in developmental stage of rural women's organizations. Second, this organization focus on share of members decision making and leadership style rather than organization`s vision, strategy or organization level. In other words, this organization focus on human relations aspect rather than internal aspect of organization system. Third, this organization has high level of social evaluation of the organization, even if it has low level of personal compensation or individua's social performance. In conclusion, as long-term view-point, it is needed to help them to promote their self-control of survival ability to improve organization's vision, strategy, differentiation for achieving organizational goals. And it also needed to prepare educational programs to increase Rural Women's leadership capability understanding of organizational characteristics and its operation abilities.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
• /
• v.21 no.4
• /
• pp.384-388
• /
• 2016

Reactive oxygen species are tumorigenic by their ability to increase cell proliferation, survival, and cellular migration. The purpose of the present study was to compare the antioxidant activity and cytotoxic effects of 3 berry extracts (strawberry, Korean raspberry, and mulberry) in A2780 human ovarian carcinoma cells. Except for raspberry, the ethyl acetate or methylene chloride fractions of berries containing phenolic compounds exerted dose dependent free radical scavenging activities. In the raspberry fractions, the hexane fraction also exhibited potent antioxidant activity. The cytotoxic effects of berries extracts in A2780 human ovarian carcinoma cells were measured using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. Surprisingly, co-treatment with n-butanol (BuOH) fractions of berries showed stronger cytotoxic effects compared to the other fractions. These findings suggest that potent anticancer molecules are found in the BuOH fractions of berries that have stronger cytotoxic activity than antioxidants.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.15 no.20
• /
• pp.8549-8556
• /
• 2014

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is one of the world top ten most common cancers with its highest occurrence in the Indian subcontinent and different aggressive and etiological behavioural patterns. The scenario is only getting worst with the 5 year survival rates dropping to 50%, persistent treatment failures and frequent cases of relapse/recurrence. One of the major reasons for these failures is the presence of cancer stem cells (CSCs), a small population of cancer cells that are highly tumourigenic, capable of self-renewal and have the ability to differentiate into cells that constitute the bulk of tumours. Notably, recent evidence suggests that cancer stem cells are especially resistant to conventional therapy and are the "drivers" of local recurrence and metastatic spread. Specific markers for this population have been investigated in HNSCC in the hope of developing a deeper understanding of their role in oral cancer pathogenesis, elucidating novel biomarkers for early diagnosis and newer therapeutic strategies. This review covers the fundamental relevance of almost all the CSC biomarkers established to date with a special emphasis on their impact in the process of oral tumourigenesis and their potential role in improving the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of OSCC patients.