Cost-Benefit Analysis of Seawalls in South Korea: A Bottom-Up Assessment

<p>We present a cost-benefit analysis of coastal protection via seawalls in South Korea against climate-change-induced sea level rise. This is the first bottom-up analysis for South Korea, deriving the optimal solution from extensive geographical and financial databases with detailed street-address-level information. Our analysis indicates that the net benefit is maximized if seawalls are built along 21% of the South Korean coast. By comparing the bottom-up solution to the aggregate solution and utilizing a comprehensive sensitivity analysis, we highlight two implications for the climate change economics literature. First, the country-level aggregate analysis adopted by many existing studies may include a sizable aggregation bias. Second, relative to the climate change mitigation problem, the coastal protection problem is less sensitive to the choice of the discount rate.</p

Microarray analysis of embryo-derived bovine pluripotent cells: The vulnerable state of bovine embryonic stem cells

<div><p>Although there are many studies about pluripotent stem cells, little is known about pluripotent pathways and the difficulties of maintaining the pluripotency of bovine cells <i>in vitro</i>. Here, we investigated differently expressed genes (DEG) in bovine embryo-derived stem-like cells (eSLCs) from various origins to validate their distinct characteristics of pluripotency and differentiation. We identified core pluripotency markers and additional markers which were not determined as pluripotency markers yet in bovine eSLCs. Using the KEGG database, TGFβ, WNT, and LIF signaling were related to the maintenance of pluripotency. In contrast, some DEGs related to the LIF pathway were down-regulated, suggesting that reactivation of the pathway may be required for the establishment of true bovine embryonic stem cells (ESCs). Interestingly, oncogenes were co-down-regulated, while tumor suppressor genes were co-up-regulated in eSLCs, implying that this pattern may induce abnormal teratomas. These data analyses of signaling pathways provide essential information on authentic ESCs in addition to providing evidence for pluripotency in bovine eSLCs.</p></div

The WNT signaling pathway in embryo-derived Stem-Like Cells (eSLCs).

<p>(A) KEGG pathway map of WNT signaling related to core transcriptional network for pluripotency. Most differently expressed genes (DEGs) related to WNT signaling in eSLCs are up-regulated when compared with somatic cells (SCs), although some genes, such as <i>FZD1</i> and <i>APC</i>, are down-regulated. <i>DKK1</i>, <i>DKK3</i>, and <i>SFRP2</i>, inhibitors of BMP signaling, are down-regulated in eSLCs. The boxes outlined with red indicate relatively up-regulated DEGs, while the ones outlined with blue point to relatively down-regulated DEGs. Fold change value is also provided with red (up-regulated genes) and blue (down-regulated genes) in the tables below (A). (B) Gene expression profiles of representative DEGs related to the BMP signaling pathway. ICM and somatic cell (SC) are also presented as a control. *<i>P</i><0.05 (n = 3).</p

Comparison of Differently Expressed Genes (DEGs) among embryo-derived Stem-Like Cells (eSLCs) from three different origins.

<p>(A) Venn diagram of all DEGs in nuclear transfer-eSLCs (NT-eSLCs) and <i>in vitro</i> production-eSLCs (IVP-eSLCs). (B) Chromatin remodeling genes in NT-eSLCs and IVP-eSLCs. (C) Gene expression profiles of DEGs related to chromatin remodeling. (D) Venn diagram of all DEGs in parthenogenesis-eSLCs (PA-eSLCs) and IVP-eSLCs. (E) Imprinting genes in PA-eSLCs and IVP-eSLCs. The expression of paternally expressed imprinting genes is increased in PA-eSLCs compared with the gens in IVP-eSLCs, while maternally expressed imprinting genes are <i>vice versa</i>. (F) Gene expression profiles of DEGs related to imprinting. Somatic cells are also presented as a control. *<i>P</i><0.05 (n = 3).</p

Differently Expressed Genes (DEGs) in embryo-derived Stem-Like Cells (eSLCs) and the analysis of distinct pathways related to pluripotency.

<p>In total of 10203 genes, the DEG numbers of <i>in vitro</i> production (IVP)-, nuclear transfer (NT)-, parthenogenesis (PA)-eSLCs are 3941, 4386 and 4374, respectively. Among them, co-expressed DEGs are 2415 (23.6%). By KEGG analysis of the co-expressed DEGs, there are 54 signaling including TGF-β, WNT, and LIF pathways which are strongly related to pluripotency.</p

BMP signaling pathway in embryo-derived Stem-Like Cells (eSLCs).

<p>(A) KEGG pathway map of BMP signaling related to core transcriptional network for pluripotency. Most differently expressed genes (DEGs) related to BMP signaling are up-regulated in eSLCs compared with the gens in somatic cells. The boxes outlined with red indicate relatively up-regulated DEGs. Fold change value is also provided with red in the table below (A). (B) Gene expression profiles of DEGs related to the BMP signaling pathway. ICM and somatic cell (SC) are also presented as a control. *<i>P</i><0.05 (n = 3).</p

Oncogene- and tumor suppressor-related Differently Expressed Genes (DEGs) in embryo-derived Stem-Like Cells (eSLCs).

<p>(A) Venn diagram shows 7 up-regulated and 23 down-regulated DEGs related to oncogenes. (B) Gene expression profiles of representative differently expressed oncogenes. (C) Venn diagram shows 21 up-regulated and 9 down-regulated DEGs related to tumor suppressors. (D) Gene expression profiles of representative differently expressed tumor suppressors. (E) Venn diagram shows DEGs related to the Defensin family (tumor suppressor) and <i>SMAD3</i> (oncogene). (F) Gene expression profiles of DEGs related to the Defensin family and <i>SMAD3</i>. ICM and somatic cells (SCs) are also presented as a control. *<i>P</i><0.05 (n = 3).</p

Oncogene- and tumor suppressor-related Differently Expressed Genes (DEGs) in embryo-derived Stem-Like Cells (eSLCs).

<p>(A) Venn diagram shows 7 up-regulated and 23 down-regulated DEGs related to oncogenes. (B) Gene expression profiles of representative differently expressed oncogenes. (C) Venn diagram shows 21 up-regulated and 9 down-regulated DEGs related to tumor suppressors. (D) Gene expression profiles of representative differently expressed tumor suppressors. (E) Venn diagram shows DEGs related to the Defensin family (tumor suppressor) and <i>SMAD3</i> (oncogene). (F) Gene expression profiles of DEGs related to the Defensin family and <i>SMAD3</i>. ICM and somatic cells (SCs) are also presented as a control. *<i>P</i><0.05 (n = 3).</p

Comparison of gene expression between embryo-derived Stem-Like Cells (eSLCs) and Somatic Cells (SCs) in cattle.

<p>(A) Hierarchical cluster of <i>in vitro</i> production (IVP)-, nuclear transfer (NT)-, parthenogenesis(PA)-eSLCs, and SCs. The gene expression pattern from three eSLCs are countlessly different from SCs. (B) Venn diagram of all differently expressed genes (DEGs) in IVP-eSLCs and SCs. (C) Top 10 biological processes associated with significantly up-regulated and down-regulated genes in IVP-eSLCs and SCs. (D) Venn diagram of DEGs related to pluripotency in IVP-eSLCs and SCs. (E) Gene expression profiles of representative genes related to pluripotency. These genes are highly expressed in three eSLCs, compared with the genes in SCs. ICM is also presented as a control. *<i>P</i><0.05 (n = 3).</p

Additional file 3: of β-aminoisobutyric acid attenuates LPS-induced inflammation and insulin resistance in adipocytes through AMPK-mediated pathway

Figure S3. Comparison of BAIBA, metformin, and glimepiride effects on inflammation and insulin resistance. (a) Culture media analysis of TNFα and MCP-1 and (b) 2-deoxyglucose uptake in differentiated 3 T3-L1 cells treated with 10 μg/ml LPS for 24 h and BAIBA (30 μM), metformin (0.1 mM) or glimepiride (5 μM) for 10 days. (c) Culture media analysis of TNFα and MCP-1 and (d) 2-deoxyglucose uptake in differentiated 3 T3-L1 cells treated with 10 μg/ml LPS and BAIBA (30 μM), metformin (10 mM) or glimepiride (5 μM) for 24 h. Human Insulin (10 nM) stimulates glucose uptake for 30 min. Means ± SEM were calculated data obtained from three independent experiments. ***P < 0.001 when compared to the control or insulin treatment.!!!P < 0.001,!!P < 0.01, and!P < 0.05 when compared to the LPS treatment or insulin plus LPS treatment. ###P < 0.001, ##P < 0.01, and #P < 0.05 when compared to the LPS plus BAIBA treatment (TIFF 3804 kb