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The massive explosive eruption of the Hunga volcano on 15 January 2022 generated atmospheric waves that were recorded around the globe and affected the ionosphere. The paper focuses on observations of atmospheric waves in the troposphere and ionosphere in Europe, however, a comparison with observations in East Asia, South Africa and South America is also provided. Unlike most recent studies of waves in the ionosphere based on the detection of changes in the total electron content, this study builds on detection of ionospheric motions at specific altitudes using continuous Doppler sounding. In addition, much attention is paid to long-period infrasound (periods longer than ∼50 s), which in Europe is observed simultaneously in the troposphere and ionosphere about an hour after the arrival of the first horizontally propagating pressure pulse (Lamb wave). It is shown that the long-period infrasound propagated approximately along the shorter great circle path, similar to the previously detected pressure pulse in the troposphere. It is suggested that the infrasound propagated in the ionosphere probably due to imperfect refraction in the lower thermosphere. The observation of infrasound in the ionosphere at such large distances from the source (over 16 000 km) is rare and differs from ionospheric infrasound detected at large distances from the epicenters of strong earthquakes, because in the latter case the infrasound is generated locally by seismic waves. An unusually large traveling ionospheric disturbance (TID) observed in Europe and associated with the pressure pulse from the Hunga eruption is also discussed. Doppler sounders in East Asia, South Africa and South America did not record such a significant TID. However, TIDs were observed in East Asia around times when Lamb waves passed the magnetically conjugate points. A probable observation of wave in the mesopause region in Europe approximately 25 min after the arrival of pressure pulse in the troposphere using a 23.4 kHz signal from a transmitter 557 km away and a coincident pulse in electric field data are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A bibliometric analysis was performed to explore the current research status and development trends for missing persons globally and in East Asia and to identify research hotspots and frontiers relating to this topic. A search was conducted to identify relevant literature on missing persons using the Web of Science Core Collection database for the period 2000–2021. Subsequently, a knowledge map was constructed using CiteSpace software to perform a visual analysis of the distribution of authors and institutions, journals, and national/regional distribution; citation frequency; high-frequency keywords; and emerging research hotspots. The results showed firstly that discussions on missing persons and related topics in East Asia are held at the regional scale. There is a paucity of research on this topic, which has been conducted on a limited scale, lacks depth and possibly innovation, and entails limited discussion in this region. Secondly, there is a lack of social science research on missing persons and related topics worldwide. Thirdly, relevant research in East Asia should continue to preserve its own characteristics, effectively addressing current issues and enabling more people to participate in social science-oriented discussions focusing on the topic of missing persons. This approach provides a promising direction for pursuing the sustainable development of the topic of missing persons. Key points The strengths and weaknesses of current research on missing persons in East Asia were identified by comparing the respective literatures on missing persons and related topics in East Asia and worldwide during the period 2000–2021. Bibliometric analysis was performed using CiteSpace visual charts to explore keywords, authorship and co-authorship, intercountry collaboration, and other relevant co-citationities. Insights were obtained on current research breakthroughs relating to the topic of missing persons, and cutting-edge social science research on this topic was identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insecticides and genetically modified Bt crops are the main tools for control of the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith). Since its invasion of Africa, the Far East, and Australia where Bt crops are largely absent, insecticide use has increased and reduced susceptibility to several insecticides used for decades in its native distribution area have been reported. Poor efficacy at field-level is sometimes incorrectly ascribed to pest resistance, while numerous other factors influence efficacy at field-level. In this paper, we review the history of insecticide resistance in S. frugiperda and discuss the influence that life history traits, migration ecology, and chemical control practices may have on control efficacy and resistance evolution. The indirect role that poor national policies have on pesticide use practices, and indirectly on control efficacy and selection pressure is discussed. Evidence shows that local selection for resistance drives resistance evolution. Integrated pest management, rather than reliance on a single tactic, is the best way to suppress S. frugiperda numbers and the over-use of insecticides which selects for resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The US ‘shale gas revolution’ has triggered a worldwide search for unconventional gas in different forms on other continents. Asia’s growing demand for energy and need to switch from coal to natural gas has made governments in this region determined to exploit these newly accessible resources, inspired by the US experience. However, in addition to geological differences, the above-ground conditions in Asian countries are quite different from those in the USA. The papers in this Special Issue analyse the investment frameworks and the consequent outlook for unconventional gas production in China, Indonesia and Vietnam. Our paper sets the context for these accounts by identifying some relevant insights from the experience of the USA and summarizes some of the key conclusions from the later papers. A number of common themes emerge from the case studies, for example: the limited capacity of government, the role of the national oil companies and other interested economic actors, complex approval procedures, poor coordination between different government agencies and between different levels of government, access to land, and inadequate infrastructure, as well as the inappropriate nature of the prevailing laws, regulations and contracts designed for the extraction of conventional hydrocarbons. Despite these commonalities, the specific nature of each potential constraint and their relative importance varies between each country and even across an individual country. One challenge arising from the nature of unconventional gas extraction that is common to all countries is the need for effective engagement with society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) II deficiency is a rare primary immunodeficiency disorder that is characterized by the deficiency of MHC class II molecules. The disease is caused by transcription factor mutations including class II transactivator (CIITA), regulatory factor X-5 (RFX5), RFX-associated protein (RFXAP), and RFXAP-containing ankyrin repeat (RFXANK), respectively. Mutations in the RFXANK gene account for >70% of all known patients worldwide. Herein, we reported a 10-month-old boy with MHC II deficiency caused by a novel mutation in the RFXANK gene (c.337 + 1G>C). The boy was admitted to the hospital due to pneumonia and diarrhea at 4 months of age. Genetic analysis revealed a novel homozygous mutation in the RFXANK gene, which derived from the c.337 + 1G>C heterozygous mutations in the RFXANK gene of his parents. The boy died 3 months after diagnosis. More than 200 cases have been reported, and a review of the literature revealed different mutation rates of 4 transcription factors in different countries or regions. This is the first case report of MHC II deficiency from East Asia. We also describe all gene mutations that cause MHC II deficiency and the epidemiology of MHC II deficiency with gene mutations in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper seeks to apply the idea of cosmopolitan democracy to the question of national identity in a comparative context in the European Union and East Asia. The application of the idea of cosmopolitan democracy to East Asia is constrained by a number of factors, and hence cannot be understood as a universal concept, but rather as a contingent regional phenomenon that is dependent on certain conditions. The paper concludes that East Asia will find its own approach to the question of national identity and that this has been demonstrated to some extent by China's handling of Hong Kong. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The role of the real exchange rate (RER) in explaining long-run processes of catching-up and falling-behind continues to be a question of central importance among alternative theories of growth and distribution. Existing empirical evidence suggests a positive association between exchange rates in levels and growth, especially in developing countries, though a currency depreciation has adverse effects. While these two elements have been separately incorporated into demand-led growth theories, a comprehensive assessment of the dynamic interaction between them is still missing. This article attempts to fill such a gap in the literature by developing an export-led growth model in which price and non-price competitiveness respond to the level and variation of the RER. In equilibrium, relative prices and the fundamentals of the productive structure are simultaneously determined. A more depreciated exchange rate and higher non-price competitiveness are associated with a higher rate of growth. It is shown that the interplay between a destabilizing force from the goods market, and a stabilizing mechanism from the labor market, might give rise to persistent and endogenous long-run cycles of structural change. The model is used to revisit the historical experience of East Asia (EA) and Latin America (LA) in the post-war period. We show our system fits crucial stylized facts, particularly the tendency of LA to have a more appreciated RER, its lower non-price competitiveness and dynamic economies of scale, and stronger distributive conflict, resulting in less growth and greater volatility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an era of digitalization, governments often turn to digital solutions for pressing policy issues, and the use of digital contact tracing and quarantine enforcement for COVID-19 is no exception. The longterm impacts of the digital solutions, however, cannot be taken for granted. The development and use of data tools for pandemic control, for example, may have potentially detrimental and irreversible impacts on data governance and, more broadly, society, in the long run. In this paper, we aim to explore the extent to which COVID-19 and digital contact tracing have led to policy change in data governance, if at all, and what the implications of such change would be for a post-COVID world. We compare the use of contact tracing and monitoring applications across mainland China, Hong Kong, and Singapore to illustrate both the enormous benefits and potential risks arising from the design of contact tracing applications and the involvement of stakeholders in the various stages of the policy cycle to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. We argue that, while COVID-19 has not changed the nature of issues, such as public trust in data governance, the increasing involvement of big tech in data policies, and data privacy risks, it has exacerbated those issues through the accelerated adoption of data technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of climate change on the circumpolar north has raised the profile of the Arctic Ocean to coastal states and presents serious foreign policy challenges. Chief among these is the pending delimitation dispute over the extended continental shelf between Canada, Denmark, the United States, and Russia. While delimitation disputes are not new to Arctic states, extended continental shelf claims are complicated by the existence of multiple claimants and a still developing international legal regime. To inform policymakers about what to expect from overlapping claims to disputed maritime areas, this paper draws comparative lessons for Arctic policymakers based on East Asia's experience responding to overlapping jurisdictional entitlements created by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). East Asian states have been grappling with the challenge presented by overlapping claims to resource-rich seabeds since the region ratified UNCLOS in the mid-late 1990s. In light of similar geographic conditions (a dispute over a semi-enclosed sea), alliance structures and the relative infancy of the claimant states with UNCLOS entitlements-Canada only ratified the treaty in 2003, and the United States has yet to do so-this paper sets out the case that important comparative lessons can be drawn from the East Asian experience with maritime delimitation disputes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of an information society has created new social exclusions and aggravated old ones by creating digital exclusion. Many countries have explicit policies about turning themselves into the leaders of such transformations or about catching up with the changes made in other countries. Nevertheless, little is known about their efforts to bridge the gap between the digital 'haves' and the digital 'have-nots'. Governments in East Asia are good examples of those who work on improving their society's digital capabilities. They top most of the related international comparison tables. It is, however, not clear what they have done to bridge the new digital exclusion gap or what the effects of such efforts have been. This paper reviews the digital inclusion strategies put in place by several East Asian countries and discusses, a framework for tackling the digital divide, and examines pertinent policies, using Hong Kong as an example. This paper argues that while improvement in information communication technology (ICT) accessibility and knowledge is important, the promotion of community-based ICT user networks for certain disadvantaged groups is crucial to enhance their participation in the information society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the main issues of regulating and supervising banks in emerging markets with a view toward evaluating the long-run options, particularly in Latin America and East Asia. These economies face a severe policy commitment problem that leads to excessive bailouts and potential devaluation of claims of foreign investors. The paper reviews the tradeoffs imposed by external discipline and examines various proposed arrangements.

This paper discusses methodological differences between universalism and particularism in development economics by focusing on the 'East Asian Miracle' debate. It proposes to build development economics as part of hetero-economics, not mono-economics, following Max Weber's methodology of social science, and suggests developing intermediate theories by abstracting directly from given comparative settings. It also discusses the limitations that are inherent in this method, as well as ways to employ the method in actual analyses. This paper argues that the future task of development economics lies in recombining existing theories and developing new, complementing theories that will systematically delineate the diversity of developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the economic and political economic conditions for East Asian monetary integration, with a focus on Japan's role in order to explain why East Asia is faltering in forming a regional monetary bloc. My evaluation of economic conditions in terms of self-containment of a regional economy, optimum currency area criteria (micro-economic efficiency and macro-economic stability), and seignorage revenue suggests that East Asian countries seem to be as well suited as EU countries for monetary integration. However, significant political barriers remain in East Asia. Besides rivalry between Japan and China and the lasting influence of the US in the region, Japan's ambiguous and burden-avoiding attitude towards East Asian monetary integration adds a further barrier to the process. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

During the 2nd World War, large numbers of allied military personnel in south-east Asia became prisoners-of-war (POWs) of the Japanese. During their internment of three and a half years, they suffered undernutrition, exposure to tropical diseases and frequently overwork. Perhaps the harshest POW experience was the construction of the railway between Thailand and Burma. This paper explores the medical conditions during Far East imprisonment, and in particular on the Thai-Burma Railway, as well as the long-term health effects in post-war decades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article attempts to analyze American public opinion on the Far East. According to the author's research, among American newspapers there is very little interest in news coming from the Far East. This situation accounts for the fact that the American press does not follow developments in the Far East as closely as those in Europe. There have been times, however, when three-inch headlines referring to events in the Far East have aroused a very considerable amount of interest in the U.S. During the Manchurian crisis of 1930-31, when the threat of a great Pacific war with the United States as a party was imminent, the American public necessarily became interested in what was going on. When the crisis downed and the situation became quiet again, the interest waned. Further the research indicates that apart from the general interest of the newspaper reading public there is the special interest of several political or professional groups whose knowledge is fed by special newspapers.

Objectives: Scrophularia ningpoensis Hemsl (SNH) is a commonly used medicinal plant in East Asia. Scrophulariae Radix (SR) is the dried roots of SNH, and is one of the most commonly used medicinal parts of SNH, and is an essential traditional medicine and widely used in East Asia for more than 2000 years. SR is used for clearing away heat and cooling blood, nourishing Yin and reducing fire, detoxicating and resolving a mass. The purpose of this paper is to systematically review the phytochemistry, pharmacology, quality control and pharmacokinetics of SNH based on the surveyed and summarized literature. Key findings: Up to now, iridoids, phenolic glycosides, phenolic acids, alkaloids, flavonoids, triterpenes and other compounds have been isolated and identified from SNH. The extract and chemical components of SNH exerts multiple pharmacological effects, such as hepatoprotective effect, anti-inflammatory effect, neuroprotective effect, anti-ventricular remodeling effect and other activities. Various methods have been developed for the quality control of SNH, mainly for SR. Some bioactive compounds in SNH exhibited different pharmacokinetic behaviours and individual metabolic transformation profiles. Summary: This review will contribute to understanding the correlation between the pharmacological activities and the traditional usage of SNH, and useful to rational use and drug development in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cho, Il Hyun. (2011) Democratic Instability: Democratic Consolidation, National Identity, and Security Dynamics in East Asia. Foreign Policy Analysis, doi: 10.1111/j.1743-8594.2011.00154.x During his tenure, President George W. Bush touted the East Asian democratic experience as a positive model for democratization in the Middle East. Contrary to the premise of democracy leading to regional stability, however, East Asian democracies in the past decade have often become a source of regional instability. Based on a comparative analysis of political developments in Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea, this paper explores the foreign policy behavior of East Asian democracies and assesses the overall impact on regional security dynamics. Specifically, I argue that incomplete democratic consolidation, combined with the political salience of national identity, sparked a process of acute intergroup competition among domestic political actors. As a result, the foreign policy orientation of the three East Asian democracies became belligerent, thereby unnecessarily increasing regional tensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The welfare states in East Asia have been widely considered underdeveloped. Since the definition and measurements of social policy and the welfare state are subject to change depending on the specific historical, political and economic context, the welfare underdevelopment thesis deserves scrutiny. In Japan, Korea and Taiwan, agricultural protection and enterprise welfare, among others, have been surrogates of conventional welfare policies. As a way of critically engaging in the debate over the East Asian welfare model, this paper focuses on these two areas of surrogate social policy and explores their empirical basis with the OECD data on Japan and Korea. The result shows that surrogate social policy measures such as producer support estimates for agricultural protection and mandatory private social spending for enterprise welfare add up to make a difference between the East Asian countries and the other OECD members. This suggests a distinct political-economic model for East Asian social welfare. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The paper examines the capital structure adjustment dynamics of listed non-financial corporations in seven east Asian countries before, during and after the crisis of 1997–1998. Our methodology allows for speeds of adjustment to vary, not only among firms, but also over time, distinguishing between cases of sudden and smooth adjustment. Whereas, compared with firms in the least affected countries, average leverages were much higher, generalized method-of-moments analysis of the Worldscope panel data suggests that average speeds of adjustment were lower in the worst affected countries. This holds also for the severely financially distressed firms in some worst affected countries, though the trend reversed in the post-crisis period. These findings have important implications for the regulatory environment as well as access to market finance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several intercomparison exercises were organised by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on the determination of operational quantities at the regional or interregional basis. In East Asia region, a third phase of the intercomparison finished in mid 2004. It was organised within the frame of the Regional Cooperation Agreement (RCA) as a follow-up to previous exercises carried out during 1990-1992 and 1995-1996. The results of this intercomparison for the determination of operational quantities were satisfactory for all Member States. The laboratories demonstrated a good performance in quantities tested. The purpose of this paper is to present the results of the RCA/IAEA intercomparison and the future of RCA activities in support of assessment of occupational exposure by organising intercomparison runs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tectonic provinces in South Korea include the Precambrian Gyeonggi Massif, Palaeozoic Okcheon Belt, Precambrian Yeongnam Massif and Cretaceous Gyeongsang Basin, from northwest to southeast. The Cretaceous strata mainly occur in the Gyeongsang Basin as well as in several small basins along the boundaries of the Okcheon Belt and on the Gyeonggi Massif. This paper reviews and analyses previously published palaeomagnetic data from the Cretaceous successions in South Korea. A total of 23 Cretaceous palaeomagnetic poles, from 18 studies, satisfy more than four standard reliability criteria. The palaeomagnetic pole positions, from the Gyeongsang Basin and from small basins in the Gyeonggi Massif and the Okcheon Belt, are consistent with one another, indicating that the Korean Peninsula has been a single terrane since the Cretaceous. However, based on the comparison of the palaeomagnetic pole positions and the palaeolatitudes of blocks in the Gyeongsang Basin, it was observed that the Gyeongsang Basin had experienced tectonic adjustments during the Cretaceous Period. Within the Gyeongsang Basin, the geographically northern area (Yeongyang block) was rotated counterclockwise by with respect to the southern area (Milyang and Uiseong blocks), based on the comparison of palaeomagnetic pole positions between the two areas. This palaeomagnetic result and some geological features in the Gyeongsang Basin collectively indicate that the Yeongyang block underwent counterclockwise rotations, accompanied by northwestward protrusion, into the Yeongnam Massif during the Late Cretaceous. These relative tectonic movements within the Gyeongsang Basin were probably due to the northwestward subduction of the proto-Pacific oceanic plate during the Late Cretaceous. The gradual eastward displacement of the Korea's Cretaceous palaeopoles, from the Eurasian pole, increases with stratigraphic age, indicating that the Korean Peninsula underwent progressive clockwise rotations, with respect to Eurasia, during the Cretaceous Period. The clockwise rotation of Southwest Japan, with respect to Eurasia, is ascribed to the Miocene opening of the East Sea, and has no connection with the Cretaceous clockwise rotations of the Korean Peninsula, indicating that the Korean Peninsula and Southwest Japan may have been independent terranes during the Cretaceous Period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the implications of the rapid internationalization of a small cadre of retail transnational corporations over the last 15 years for supply network structures in a range of economies in Eastern Europe and East Asia. Five sets of ongoing restructuring dynamics are identified: the centralization of procurement, logistical upgrading, supply network shortening and new intermediaries, the imposition of quasi-formal contracts, and the development of private standards. It is suggested that these processes are leading to an ongoing 'shakeout' of the supply base that is favouring relatively large, well-capitalized suppliers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

East Asian countries perceive that their individual and collective positions in the world political economy are not fairly represented in existing international institutions, which have yet to fully adjust to the region's rapid economic ascent over the last several decades. This problem seems especially acute in the International Monetary Fund (IMF), wherein each country's participation in the organization's weighted voting scheme is supposed to reflect the following logic: relative weight in world economy → size of quotas → number of votes. Are Asian countries' IMF quotas incommensurate with their relative economic weight and, if so, by what margin? And if Asian countries are indeed under-represented in the IMF, which other country, group of countries or region is correspondingly over-represented? This paper examines these questions from several perspectives. It first discusses the purpose of quotas and how they are determined. It then turns to the question of whether Asian perceptions concerning under-representation are empirically corroborated. The first data analysis section compares current quotas to relative measures of economic weight in the world economy. The following section compares four quota values: past quotas, current quotas, calculated quotas and quotas calculated using the method of the IMF's external quota review board. In short, the data demonstrate that Asia does have a strong claim for a greater share of IMF quotas. We conclude with a brief consideration of possible alternatives to the IMF's current use of quota to determine voting weights, and argue that the problem of Asian under-representation will probably not be corrected unless the IMF's quota-determination process is overhauled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article studies East Asian political economy from a regional perspective. The Asian financial crisis showed that East Asian economies are highly regionalized. However, the linkages among Asian economies, mostly informal in nature, often appear “invisible” to many in the West, who focus more on the states and formal institutions. Drawing on a broad set of literature mostly in Asian languages, this paper provides a systematic study of informal integration in East Asia, which consists of not only regional production networks, but also ethnic Chinese business networks and subregional economic zones. It finds that the three informal mechanisms have formed an interrelated pattern of regional integration in East Asia. The nature of the economic networks is very useful in explaining the Asian crisis and the different performances of East Asian economies in the crisis. The crisis has also resulted in profound changes in informal integration. While the Japanese–led production networks have been greatly weakened, the Chinese Economic Area is rising, driven by the ethnic Chinese business networks and subregional economic zones. As a result, the Japan–dominated “flying geese pattern” has been broken. The connections between Greater China and the United States have also been enhanced and are out–competing the Japanese production networks. Many of the new developments have been ignored in the West but they are key factors that will shape the future of Asian and World political economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For more than a decade, GRACE data have provided global mass redistribution measurements due to water cycles, climate change and giant earthquake events. Large earthquakes can yield gravity changes over thousands of kilometres from the epicentre for years to decades, and those solid Earth deformation signals can introduce significant biases in the estimate of regional-scale water and ice mass changes around the epicentres. We suggest a modelling scheme to understand their contribution to the estimates of water and ice mass changes and to remove the earthquake-related solid mass signals from GRACE data. This approach is composed of physics-based earthquake modelling, GRACE data correction and high-resolution surface mass change recovery. In this study, we examined the case of the 2011 Tohoku–Oki earthquake to better estimate the regional sea level and hydrological mass changes in the East Asia. The co- and post-seismic changes from GRACE observations were used to constrain the earthquake model parameters to obtain optimal self-consistent models for the earthquake source and the asthenosphere rheology. The result demonstrated that our earthquake correction model significantly reduced the mass change signals by solid Earth deformation from the time-series of regional surface mass changes on both land and oceans. For example, the apparent climate-related ocean mass increase over the East Sea was 1.59 ± 0.11 mm yr−1 for 2003–2016, significantly lower than the global mean ocean mass trend (2.04 ± 0.10 mm yr−1) due to contamination of the earthquake signals. After accounting for the solid mass changes by the earthquake, the estimate was revised to 1.87 ± 0.11 mm yr−1, that is increased by 20 per cent and insignificantly different from the global estimate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autonomy in language learning is sometimes presented as a Western concept unsuited to contexts, such as those in East Asia, which have different educational traditions. This paper argues that this view is unfounded but that we need to match the different aspects of autonomy with the characteristics and needs of learners in specific contexts. First the paper analyses the concept of autonomy as it relates to language learning and proposes a framework which would be applicable to learners in all contexts. Then it looks at three sources of influence which many teachers and researchers believe to have an important effect on students' approaches to learning in East Asia: the collectivist orientation of East Asian societies; their acceptance of relationships based on power and authority; and the belief that success may be achieved through effort as much as through innate ability. The paper then considers some of the attitudes and habits of learning which we might expect to result from these sociocultural influences. These are presented as hypotheses which might guide us towards a better understanding of our students but should not blind us tot the immense variation that exists in reality. Within the framework for analysing autonomy developed earlier, the paper considers what aspects of autonomy might be most strongly rooted in East Asian traditions and how they might be developed in support of language learning. The paper warns against setting up stereotypic notions of 'East Asian learners' which, if misused, may make teachers less rather than more sensitive to the dispositions and needs of individual students. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Two of the most interesting facts of the postwar international growth experience are (1) the conditional convergence finding that, after controlling for measures of education and government policies, poor countries tend to grow faster than rich ones; and (2) a small group of export-oriented economies in East Asia have been able to grow at rates that are so high that they defy historical comparisons. This paper shows that it is possible to explain these facts by combining a weak form of the factor-price-equalization theorem of international trade with the Ramsey model of economic growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine patterns and globalisation-related causes of premature deindustrialisation (PD) in recent decades, using a large panel of advanced, emerging and developing economies (AE, EME and DE). The results verify the existence of PD in EME and DE, except East Asian countries. African countries have been worst affected by PD. Globalisation-related determinants of PD vary across country groups. While trade openness leads to deindustrialisation in DE; it enhances 'dependent' industrialisation in Latin American countries and the 'factory economies' of East Asia, which have stronger linkages to global value chains. Financial openness fosters industrialisation in severely finance-constrained economies, whereas it brings about deindustrialisation in financially stronger ones. It is our contention that development possibilities can be expanded by aiming at more intense linkages to global value chains, but proactive industrial policies at the levels of EME and DE are required to achieve such expansion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preservation of soft parts (collagen fibres, blood vessels and cells) in extinct vertebrates is rare and usually limited to fossilized bone and cartilage. Well-preserved coarse collagenous fibre bundles embedded in a mineralized matrix of tendons, as well as numerous hollow, tubular structures consistent morphologically with fibril bundles, blood vessels and associated cells, were identified in ossified tendons of Late Cretaceous ornithischians from North America and Central East Asia. Detailed, high-accuracy imaging, along with spectroscopic characterization of those fibrous structures and comparison with ossified tendons of modern-day turkeys, support the proposition that physiologically driven tendon ossification is common for avians and non-avian dinosaurs. The examined soft parts were preserved through the pathway of iron-induced crosslinking and alumino-silification, documenting a variety of pathways for the preservation of soft parts, depending on the burial environment. For the first time, the structure of dinosaur fossilized tendons is analysed in detail, revealing shared histogenetic principles with modern birds and the nature of preservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To assess belimumab efficacy in patients from North East Asia (NEA) with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in baseline demographic/disease characteristic subgroups. Methods: This analysis of patient subgroups from BLISS-NEA (GSK Study 113750; NCT01345253) studied adults with SLE randomized to belimumab (10 mg/kg intravenous) or placebo. Primary endpoint, SLE Responder Index 4 (SRI-4) response rate at Week 52, was analysed in subgroups defined by gender, country, prednisone-equivalent dose, concomitant medications, Safety of Estrogens in Lupus National Assessment-SLE Disease Activity Index (SELENA-SLEDAI) score, complement (C) levels, anti-double-stranded deoxyribonucleic acid (dsDNA) positivity, Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index score. Results: Patients (overall population: N = 677; belimumab: n = 451, placebo: n = 226) were from China (76.4%), Korea (14.8%), and Japan (8.9%). The mean age was 32.1 years; 92.9% were female. In the overall population, more belimumab (53.8%) than placebo (40.1%) patients were SRI-4 Week 52 responders (p = .0001). SRI-4 response rates by subgroups were generally consistent with the overall population. A greater response with belimumab was seen in patients with a baseline SELENA-SLEDAI score ≥10 versus ≤9 and patients with low C3/C4 levels and anti-dsDNA positive at baseline versus those 'NOT' (low C3 and/or C4 and anti-dsDNA positive). Conclusions: These findings continue to support the efficacy of belimumab in SLE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When challenged by similar environmental conditions, phylogenetically distant taxa often independently evolve similar traits (convergent evolution). Meanwhile, adaptation to extreme habitats might lead to divergence between taxa that are otherwise closely related. These processes have long existed in the conceptual sphere, yet molecular evidence, especially for woody perennials, is scarce. The karst endemic Platycarya longipes and its only congeneric species, Platycarya strobilacea , which is widely distributed in the mountains in East Asia, provide an ideal model for examining the molecular basis of both convergent evolution and speciation. Using chromosome-level genome assemblies of both species, and whole-genome resequencing data from 207 individuals spanning their entire distribution range, we demonstrate that P. longipes and P. strobilacea form two species-specific clades, which diverged around 2.09 million years ago. We find an excess of genomic regions exhibiting extreme interspecific differentiation, potentially due to long-term selection in P. longipes , likely contributing to the incipient speciation of the genus Platycarya. Interestingly, our results unveil underlying karst adaptation in both copies of the calcium influx channel gene TPC1 in P. longipes. TPC1 has previously been identified as a selective target in certain karst-endemic herbs, indicating a convergent adaptation to high calcium stress among karst-endemic species. Our study reveals the genic convergence of TPC1 among karst endemics and the driving forces underneath the incipient speciation of the two Platycarya lineages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pine wilt disease (caused by the nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus) is extremely harmful to pine forests in East Asia. As a low-resistance pine species, Pinus thunbergii is more vulnerable to pine wood nematode (PWN) than Pinus densiflora and Pinus massoniana. Field inoculation experiments were conducted on PWN-resistant and -susceptible P. thunbergii , and the difference in transcription profiles 24 h after inoculation was analyzed. We identified 2603 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in PWN-susceptible P. thunbergii , while 2559 DEGs were identified in PWN-resistant P. thunbergii. Before inoculation, DEGs between PWN-resistant and PWN-susceptible P. thunbergii were enriched in the REDOX (Oxidation-Reduction) activity pathway (152 DEGs), followed by the oxidoreductase activity pathway (106 DEGs). After inoculation with PWN, however, the opposite was observed; DEGs were enriched in the oxidoreductase activity pathway (119 DEGs), followed by the REDOX activity pathway (84 DEGs). Before inoculation, according to the metabolic pathway analysis results, we found more genes upregulated in phenylpropanoid metabolic pathways and enriched in lignin synthesis pathways; cinnamoyl-CoA reductase-coding genes related to lignin synthesis were upregulated in PWN-resistant P. thunbergii and downregulated in PWN-susceptible P. thunbergii , and the lignin content was always higher in resistant than in susceptible P. thunbergii. These results reveal distinctive strategies of resistant and susceptible P. thunbergii in dealing with PWN infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present new absolute archaeointensity data from six archaeological sites situated in the Okayama Prefecture, Japan. The materials studied are well-dated fragments from pottery, ceramic coffins and haniwa artefacts. Their ages range from 160 AD to 675 AD, covering the Late Yayoi and Kofun periods. Rock magnetic experiments suggest the presence of magnetite and/or Ti-magnetite as the main carrier of the remanence, with a possible minor contribution of higher coercivity minerals. After thermal demagnetization experiments, the most magnetically stable samples were selected for archaeointensity analysis performed following the double-heating method proposed by Thellier and modified by Coe. Partial thermoremanent magnetization (pTRM) checks and pTRM tail-checks were performed for monitoring possible chemical alterations during heating. All measurements were corrected for both anisotropy and cooling-rate effects. Successful archaeointensity determinations, following rigorous selection criteria, were obtained for samples from all the investigated archaeological sites. Compared with literature data from Japan, the new high-quality data show significantly lower intensity values. They also reveal possible fast secular variation changes during the Late Yayoi period and very weak geomagnetic intensity field around 630 AD. Such values offer evidence of a possible recurrence of weak intensity field in East Asia, suggesting an ancient recurrence of the West Pacific Anomaly. The new data might change the archaeomagnetic field models interpretations in the area, even though more data are still necessary to better understand the secular variation in Japan and the temporal evolution of the geomagnetic field's behaviour in East Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hosts defend against parasites through two main strategies: resistance and tolerance. These two strategies have different influences on the parasite load of the host and so have variable effects on the fitness of parasites. In this study, we investigated the strategy used by the Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) to defend against a hematophagous mite (Dermanyssus hirundinis) in East Asia. For the first time, we found Barn Swallows were parasitized by D. hirundinis in Asia and, in northeastern China, over 60% of broods were parasitized. We examined whether swallows with better body condition or the males with more extravagant sexually selected traits (longer tail streamers or redder ventral plumage) showed stronger resistance or tolerance to these parasites. The results showed that males with more extravagant sexual ornaments had weaker resistance (heavier brood mite load) than males with less extravagant traits; however, the heavier mite load was likely to be a byproduct of larger brood size. Moreover, the Barn Swallow population showed strong tolerance against the parasite (i.e. the brood mite load did not affect brood size or nestling body mass). It is worth noting that male swallows with redder breast plumage showed weaker tolerance (lower seasonal reproductive success) than other males. Further, we conducted experimental ectoparasite manipulations in 46 Barn Swallow nests to verify the potential effect of these parasites on the body condition of nestlings. Neither the body mass nor the hemoglobin concentration differed between the designed groups; however, the hemoglobin concentration of nestlings decreased with mite load. We concluded that the Barn Swallow population in East Asia used the tolerance strategy, rather than resistance to defend against nest mites, and the ectoparasitic mite did not appear to be a strong selective factor for reproductive success owing to the strong tolerance of the studied Barn Swallow population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We build a dynamic heterogeneous-firm model in which real depreciations raise export demand and the cost of importing intermediates, and also affect borrowing constraints and the profitability of engaging in research and development (R&D). A number of stylized facts on manufacturing firms for a large set of countries discipline our estimation: Firms in emerging East Asia are very export oriented and rely little on imported intermediates, whereas the opposite holds for Latin America and Eastern Europe; firms from industrialized countries export as much as they import. Exporters experience an increase in cash flow, R&D, and productivity growth in response to real exchange rate (RER) depreciations; importers experience the opposite outcomes. In counterfactual simulations of temporary RER movements, the effects on innovation and productivity growth are heterogeneous across regions, sizeable and persistent. In emerging Asia, real depreciations are associated with higher probabilities to engage in R&D, faster growth of average firm-level productivity and cash flow, and higher export entry rates; we find negative average effects on these outcomes for firms in other emerging economies, and no significant average effects for firms in industrialized economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims The hart's tongue fern (HTF) complex is a monophyletic group composed of five geographically segregated members with divergent abundance patterns across its broad geographic range. We postulated hierarchical systems of environmental controls in which climatic and land-use change drive abundance patterns at the global scale, while various ecological conditions function as finer scale determinants that further increase geographic disparities at regional to local scales. Methods After quantifying the abundance patterns of the HTF complex, we estimated their correlations with global climate and land-use dynamics. Regional determinants were assessed using boosted regression tree models with 18 potential ecological variables. Moreover, we investigated long-term population trends in the USA to understand the interplay of climate change and anthropogenic activities on a temporal scale. Key Results Latitudinal climate shifts drove latitudinal abundance gradients, and regionally different levels of land-use change resulted in global geographic disparities in population abundance. At a regional scale, population isolation, which accounts for rescue effects, played an important role, particularly in Europe and East Asia where several hot spots occurred. Furthermore, the variables most strongly influencing abundance patterns greatly differed by region: precipitation seasonality in Europe; spatial heterogeneity of temperature and precipitation in East Asia; and magnitudes of past climate change, temperature seasonality and edaphic conditions in North America. In the USA, protected populations showed increasing trends compared with unprotected populations at the same latitude, highlighting the critical role of habitat protection in conservation measures. Conclusions Geographic disparities in the abundance patterns of the HTF complex were determined by hierarchical systems of environmental controls, wherein climatic and land-use dynamics act globally but are modulated by various regional and local determinants operating at increasingly finer scales. We highlighted that fern conservation must be tailored to particular geographic contexts and environmental conditions by incorporating a better understanding of the dynamics acting at different spatiotemporal scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, the validity of many nominal bivalve species of the genus Corbicula endemic to the Russian Far East and South Korea needs a critical reassessment. In this study, we clarify the taxonomic status of Corbicula species of this area based on a combination of molecular genetic, conchological and anatomical data. According to our results, four Corbicula lineages, corresponding to the nominal species Corbicula japonica , Corbicula elatior , Corbicula leana and Corbicula fluminea , can be delineated in samples collected in the Primorye and Khabarovsk regions of Russia and South Korea. Two species endemic to the Russian Far East (i.e. Corbicula finitima and Corbicula lindholmi) are considered here as junior synonyms of the species C. japonica , which is widely distributed in estuarine habitats around the Japanese Archipelago, Sakhalin Island, southern Kurile Islands, Primorye and Khabarovsk regions, Korean Peninsula and China. Three nominal species described from the Lower Amur basin (Corbicula amurensis , Corbicula nevelskoyi and Corbicula sirotskii) appeared to be synonyms of C. elatior , whose range covers the Korean Peninsula, Primorye and Khabarovsk regions and, perhaps, China. We delineated several colour morphs of C. fluminea and C. japonica. The distinctness between these colour morphs can be attributed to both heritable and environmental factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The conducted search reveals that Juglans mandshurica Maximowicz, called Manchuria walnuts, had many local uses that can be categorized into cancer, dermatosis and acesodyne. Key findings: Various metabolites including diarylheptanoids, naphthoquinones, and flavonoids (also their glycosides) were reported as bioactive metabolites. The isolated metabolites and extracts from J. mandshurica showed different biological activity including cytotoxicity, anti-inflammation, antimelanotic, anticomplement, anti-HIV, antimicrobial and anti-obesity activity. Summary: It is indicated that this review will add value to more scientific research on J. mandshurica and enhance the increased interest in the sustainable commercialization of J. mandshurica. It also leads to the validation of unverified ethnobotanical claims. Future studies on J. mandshurica would be focused to establish the links between the pharmacological activity, bioactive metabolites, and traditional uses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article tackles two "how" questions of mission-oriented innovation policies in East Asia: How do these economies legitimize their mission-oriented innovation policies in the public discourse? and How do they create dynamic capabilities for implementing these policies? The article shows that although on the level of policy choices and design, the global–Western discourse has also entered the East Asian mission-oriented innovation policy rhetoric, this has not stopped the policymakers in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan from relying on old "developmentalist" logics for legitimizing these policies. This also influences actual policy implementation styles: as opposed to Western models of peripheral Schumpeterian agencies offering dynamic capabilities, the East Asian innovation bureaucracies seem to rely on more visible and "politicized" organizations for such capabilities. We also discuss the strengths and weaknesses of this model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The past Asian precipitation δ18O (δ18Op) records from stalagmites and other deposits have shown significant orbital-scale variations, but their climatic implications and regional differences are still not fully understood. This study, as the first attempt of a 300-kyr transient stable isotope-enabled simulation, investigated the characteristics and mechanisms of the orbital-scale δ18Op variations in three representative regions of Asia: arid Central Asia (CA), monsoonal South Asia (SA) and monsoonal East Asia (EA). The modelling results showed that the variations in the CA, SA and EA annual δ18Op exhibited significant but asynchronous 23-kyr precession cycles. Further analyses revealed that although the precession-induced insolation variation was the ultimate cause of the δ18Op variation in all three regions, the dominant mechanisms and the involved physical processes were distinct among them. For the CA region, the rainy-season (November–March) temperature effect and water vapour transport by the westerly circulation were identified as the key precession-scale processes linking the October–February boreal mid-latitude insolation to the rainy-season or annual δ18Op. In the SA region, the rainy-season (June–September) precipitation amount effect and upstream depletion of the monsoonal water vapour δ18O served as the main mechanisms linking the rainy-season or annual δ18Op to the April–July insolation variation at the precession scale. For the EA region, however, the precession-scale annual δ18Op was mainly controlled by the late-monsoon (August–September) and pre-monsoon (April–May) water vapour transport patterns, which were driven by the July–August insolation and the global ice volume, respectively. These results suggest that the climatic implications of the orbital-scale Asia δ18Op variations are sensitive to their geographic locations as determined by the combined effects of insolation and regional circulation patterns associated with the respective rainy seasons. This study provides new insights into understanding the regional differences and formation mechanisms of the Asian orbital-scale δ18Op variations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the Mesozoic, the South China Block (SCB) has experienced multiple episodes of tectonic magmatism accompanied by metallogenesis. To explore the seismic velocity structure of the crust and its connection with mineralization, we constructed a wide-angle reflection and refraction (WARR) profile by deploying 435 short-period seismometers across the Cathaysia Block in Southeast China. Receiver functions and the H–κ stacking method were applied using a reference 2-D velocity model obtained from the analysis of WARR data. Integration of active- and passive-source seismic data enabled us to obtain an image of the crust and the average Vp/Vs ratio value of the SCB and produce several results: (1) The crustal thickness varies west-to-east from 28 km below the Qinhang metallogenic belt to 32 km below the Wuyishan metallogenic belt, and the average value of the Vp/Vs ratio for the crust is 1.71. Both the thickness of the crust and the average Vp/Vs ratio are lower than the average global values for the continental crust. (2) The relatively low Vp/Vs ratio and thin crust along the profile could be generated by thinning of the lower crust in the SCB as a result of the backarc extension related to westward subduction of the Paleo-Pacific plate below East Asia. (3) The Moho depth estimated from H–κ stacking with the help of the background P -wave velocity model modified by the WARR model fits better than using a global seismic velocity model with its common conversion point image, which supports a potential seismic data analysis technique provided with a joint deployment of both active- and passive-source seismic observation system with a shorter period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Morinda umbellata L. is a woody climber or liana distributed in south East Asia. It is a traditional medicinal plant with excellent curative effects against diarrhea, dysentery, and other stomach disorders. The present study was aimed to assess the effect of M. umbellata active fraction (MUAF) on various inflammatory mediators using lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced in vivo model in Wistar rats. The effect of MUAF on secretion of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 were evaluated in LPS-induced experimental animals. The expression of TNF- α , IL-1β, IL-6, iNOS, COX-2 , and nuclear factor NF-κB genes were also evaluated. The gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis of the active fraction was carried out to identify the active compounds present in MUAF. The results of oral acute toxicity suggested the non-toxic nature of MUAF. GC–MS analysis of the MUAF leaves revealed the presence of 8 compounds. The study demonstrated that the proinflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 were significantly inhibited by MUAF in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, MUAF down-regulated the expression of TNF- α , IL-1β, IL-6, iNOS, COX-2 , and NF-κB genes. Our research findings suggest that the presence of anti-inflammatory compounds in MUAF can effectively inhibit LPS-induced proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-β, and IL-6 in vivo. It also suppressed the over expression of TNF- α, IL-1β , IL-6 , iNOS , and COX-2 possibly via downregulating NF-κB activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of pre-modern Chinese hegemony is crucial for both theorizing hegemony and envisioning a new global order. I argue the pre-modern Chinese hegemony was a reciprocal rule of virtue, or aretocracy, driven by the transnational sociocultural elites shi. In contrast to the prevailing models of Chinese hegemony, the Early Modern East Asia was not dominated by the unilateral normative influence of the Chinese state. The Chinese and non-Chinese shi as non-statist sociocultural elites co-produced, through their shared civilizational heritage, a hegemonic order in which they had to show excellence in civil virtues to wield legitimate authority. In particular, the Ming and Chosŏn shi developed a tradition of envoy poetry exchanges as a medium for co-constructing Chinese hegemony as aretocracy. The remarkable role of excellent ethos for world order making in Early Modern East Asia compels us to re-imagine how we conduct our global governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With about 480 known species, Pilidiophora (phylum Nemertea) has been regarded as consisting of Hubrechtiiformes (~20 spp.) and Heteronemertea (~460 spp.). Most (~87%) of the latter belong to Lineidae (> 400 spp.), while the systematics of non-lineid heteronemerteans remains largely untouched. To explore the phylogeny of non-hubrechtiiformid, non-lineid pilidiophorans, we performed multilocus molecular phylogenetic analyses with five genes (18S, 28S, H3 , 16S and COI) from 41 newly sequenced specimens. Pilidiophora comprised Hubrechtellidae, Lineidae, Valenciniidae, the new family Eopilidiidae and a not formally named family-level heteronemertean taxon. Eopilidion misakiense gen. et sp. nov. is described from a specimen from Japan, but whether it belongs to Heteronemertea remains unclear. Apart from this new species, the following 11 new species of valenciniids are established, based on molecular sequences and external morphology (localities in parentheses): Baseodiscus giribeti sp. nov. (Panama), B. kakuii sp. nov. (Japan), B. komatsui sp. nov. (Japan), B. narusei sp. nov. (Japan), B. ohtsukai sp. nov. (Japan), B. paracelensis sp. nov. (Vietnam), B. profundus sp. nov. (Russian Far East), B. urgorrii sp. nov. (Spain), B. zebra sp. nov. (Japan), Oxypolella hiebertae sp. nov. (Vietnam) and Valencinura jambio sp. nov. (Japan). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A three-dimensional long-range atmospheric transport model for 222Rn and its progenies was applied to simulate 210Pb deposition in Japan and its adjacent waters. Monthly precipitation and 210Pb deposition simulated by the model for winter months were favorably compared with observational data although they were exceptionally underestimated in Aomori. The large monthly deposition along the Japan Sea coast lines during winter was successfully simulated by the model to be nearly 200 Bq m−2, which was contrasted by about 10-fold smaller deposition in other regions. It was also pointed out that the heavy deposition areas formed a narrow band structure along the coastline with width of several tens of kilometers and 210Pb deposition amount positively correlated with the height of mountains located leeward of the heavy deposition areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Miscanthus is a perennial C4 grass native to eastern Asia and is a promising candidate bioenergy crop for cool temperate areas. Flowering time is a crucial factor governing regional and seasonal adaptation; in addition, it is also a key target trait for extending the vegetative phase to improve biomass potential. Homologues of CONSTANS (CO)/Heading date 1(Hd1) were cloned from Miscanthus sinensis and named MsiHd1. Sequences of MsiHd1 homologues were compared among 24 wild M. sinensis accessions from Japan, 14 from China, and three from South Korea. Two to five MsiHd1 alleles in each accession were identified, suggesting that MsiHd1 consists of at least three loci in the Miscanthus genome. Verifying the open reading frame in MsiHd1, they were classified as putative functional alleles without mutations or non-functional alleles caused by indels. The Neighbor-Joining tree indicated that one of the multiple MsiHd1 loci is a pseudogene locus without any functional alleles. The pseudogene locus was named MsiHd1b, and the other loci were considered to be part of the MsiHd1a multi-locus family. Interestingly, in most Japanese accessions 50% or more of the MsiHd1a alleles were non-functional, whereas accessions from the East Asian mainland harboured only functional alleles. Five novel miniature inverted transposable elements (MITEs) (MsiMITE1-MsiMITE5) were observed in MsiHd1a/b. MsiMITE1, detected in exon 1 of MsiHd1a, was only observed in Japanese accessions and its revertant alleles derived from retransposition were predominantly in Chinese accessions. These differences in MsiHd1a show that the dependency on functional MsiHd1a alleles is different between accessions from the East Asian mainland and Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The effects of the sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitor empagliflozin on renal and cardiovascular disease have not been tested in a dedicated population of people with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Methods The EMPA-KIDNEY trial is an international randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial assessing whether empagliflozin 10 mg daily decreases the risk of kidney disease progression or cardiovascular death in people with CKD. People with or without diabetes mellitus (DM) were eligible provided they had an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≥20 but <45 mL/min/1.73 m2 or an eGFR ≥45 but <90 mL/min/1.73 m2 with a urinary albumin:creatinine ratio (uACR) ≥200 mg/g. The trial design is streamlined, as extra work for collaborating sites is kept to a minimum and only essential information is collected. Results Between 15 May 2019 and 16 April 2021, 6609 people from eight countries in Europe, North America and East Asia were randomized. The mean age at randomization was 63.8 years [standard deviation (SD) 13.9)], 2192 (33%) were female and 3570 (54%) had no prior history of DM. The mean eGFR was 37.5 mL/min/1.73 m2 (SD 14.8), including 5185 (78%) with an eGFR <45 mL/min/1.73 m2. The median uACR was 412 mg/g) (quartile 1–quartile 3 94–1190), with a uACR <300 mg/g in 3194 (48%). The causes of kidney disease included diabetic kidney disease [ n  = 2057 (31%)], glomerular disease [ n  = 1669 (25%)], hypertensive/renovascular disease [ n  = 1445 (22%)], other [ n  = 808 (12%)] and unknown causes [n = 630 (10%)]. Conclusions EMPA-KIDNEY will evaluate the efficacy and safety of empagliflozin in a widely generalizable population of people with CKD at risk of kidney disease progression. Results are anticipated in 2022. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mountain systems harbor a substantial fraction of global biodiversity and, thus, provide excellent opportunities to study rapid diversification and to understand the historical processes underlying the assembly of biodiversity hotspots. The rich biodiversity in mountains is widely regarded as having arisen under the influence of geological and climatic processes as well as the complex interactions among them. However, the relative contribution of geology and climate in driving species radiation is seldom explored. Here, we studied the evolutionary radiation of Oreocharis (Gesneriaceae), which has diversified extensively throughout East Asia, especially within the Hengduan Mountains (HDM), using transcriptomic data and a time calibrated phylogeny for 88% (111/126) of all species of the genus. In particular, we applied phylogenetic reconstructions to evaluate the extent of incomplete lineage sorting accompanying the early and rapid radiation in the genus. We then fit macroevolutionary models to explore its spatial and diversification dynamics in Oreocharis and applied explicit birth–death models to investigate the effects of past environmental changes on its diversification. Evidence from 574 orthologous loci suggest that Oreocharis underwent an impressive early burst of speciation starting ca. 12 Ma in the Miocene, followed by a drastic decline in speciation toward the present. Although we found no evidence for a shift in diversification rate across the phylogeny of Oreocharis , we showed a difference in diversification dynamics between the HDM and non-HDM lineages, with higher diversification rates in the HDM. The diversification dynamic of Oreocharis is most likely positively associated with temperature-dependent speciation and dependency on the Asian monsoons. We suggest that the warm and humid climate of the mid-Miocene was probably the primary driver of the rapid diversification in Oreocharis , while mountain building of the HDM might have indirectly affected species diversification of the HDM lineage. This study highlights the importance of past climatic changes, combined with mountain building, in creating strong environmental heterogeneity and driving diversification of mountain plants, and suggests that the biodiversity in the HDM cannot directly be attributed to mountain uplift, contrary to many recent speculations.[East Asian monsoons; environmental heterogeneity; Hengduan Mountains; incomplete lineage sorting; Oreocharis ; past climate change; rapid diversification; transcriptome.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peppermint shrimp resembling Lysmata vittata Stimpson, 1860 , a species native to the Indo-West Pacific, were found in the lower Chesapeake Bay and adjacent coastal embayments in 2013, representing the first recorded introduction of this species in the northwestern Atlantic. Conflicting morphological descriptions, inconsistent morphological terminology, and limited molecular data (i.e. unresolved taxonomy), as well as the destruction of the type material of L. vittata , created uncertainty regarding proper identification. We provide the first phylogeny incorporating individuals from across the presumed native and introduced range of L. vittata. Morphological and phylogenetic analyses clearly indicate L. vittata represents a species complex of two widely divergent groups: 1) "Bruce Type" with a uniramous dorsal antennule that agrees with A.J. Bruce's 1990 redescription of L. vittata , and 2) "Rauli Type" with a one-article accessory branch on the dorsal antennule that agrees most closely with the junior synonym L. rauli Laubenheimer & Rhyne, 2010. Given the taxonomic ambiguity surrounding L. vittata , we designate the individual used by A.J. Bruce to redescribe L. vittata and incorporated in our analyses as a neotype to fix the identity of this species. We therefore identify introduced North American and New Zealand populations as L. vittata sensu stricto and postulate that the native range spans temperate/subtropical East Asia. These data suggest that L. rauli is a valid species, which includes a possible undescribed sister species. We confirm the presence of L. californica Stimpson, 1866 in New Zealand, the first non-native record for this species. We also provide data suggesting L. dispar Hayashi, 2007 may be more widespread in the Indo-West Pacific than currently known and consider L. lipkei Okuno & Fiedler, 2010 to be a likely junior synonym. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cho, Il Hyun. (2011) Democratic Instability: Democratic Consolidation, National Identity, and Security Dynamics in East Asia. Foreign Policy Analysis, doi: 10.1111/j.1743-8594.2011.00154.x During his tenure, President George W. Bush touted the East Asian democratic experience as a positive model for democratization in the Middle East. Contrary to the premise of democracy leading to regional stability, however, East Asian democracies in the past decade have often become a source of regional instability. Based on a comparative analysis of political developments in Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea, this paper explores the foreign policy behavior of East Asian democracies and assesses the overall impact on regional security dynamics. Specifically, I argue that incomplete democratic consolidation, combined with the political salience of national identity, sparked a process of acute intergroup competition among domestic political actors. As a result, the foreign policy orientation of the three East Asian democracies became belligerent, thereby unnecessarily increasing regional tensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]