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Aims: Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is now a well-recognized indication for liver transplantation. This paper reviews existing literature on living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) for ALD and presents data from a single, high volume United States liver transplant center. Methods: For the literature review, a PubMed search was undertaken using the search terms 'living donor' and 'alcoholic liver disease'. Studies were included that presented outcome data for patients who underwent LDLT for ALD. For the single-center data collection, all patients who underwent LDLT from 2003 to 2016 at our center were reviewed and the data for recipients with ALD was subsequently analyzed and compared with those patients who underwent LDLT for other indications. Results: Of 110 studies that resulted from the PubMed query, only 5 contained data that was relevant to this manuscript. These studies represented data collected from two Asian countries: one single center in Korea and a collection of centers in Japan. The relapse rate following LDLT for ALD ranged from 7.9% to 22%, and pre-transplant abstinence did not impact post-transplant relapse in any of these studies. For the single-center data, of 136 LDLT performed at our institution during the time period, 22 were performed for ALD. There was no difference in 1- or 5-year survival between patients transplanted for ALD and those transplanted for other etiologies (94.7% vs. 93.4%, P = 0.79 and 78.9% vs. 87.5%, P = 0.6). Conclusion: There is a very limited amount of data available on LDLT for ALD. Existing data suggests that LDLT for ALD results in excellent outcomes. Short Summary: Published data on living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) for alcoholic liver disease (ALD) are limited. One- and five-year survival rates range from 82% to 100% and 78% to 87%, respectively. Rates of alcohol relapse following transplant appear low, ranging from 7% to 23%; 6-month abstinence periods prior to LDLT for ALD do not appear to have a significant impact on relapse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article argues that American missionaries came to revisit the relationship between church and state, as in the case of the shrine crisis in colonial Korea which laid bare American missionaries' dependence on the state. Topics discussed include how political sensibilities acquired in the mission field found their ways into twentieth-century U.S. politics, information on the rule by permit that marked a prominent feature of colonial Korea, and hallmark of the shrine crisis in the late 1930s. It also mentions advice given by the U.S. government to missionaries in Japan and its territories in late 1940, alerted by heightened militarism in Imperial Japan and possible hostilities that could endanger Americans there.

Conventional wisdom is that trade policy is often guided by geopolitical security considerations. A growing body of research addresses the security- trade linkage as a plausible cause for executive negotiations over the Korea-US Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA) in 2007. Yet, the approval of a trade deal with the Asian ally by America's legislature in 2011 features not only 'security ties' but also 'electoral connections'. This paper seeks to examine the question of whether alliance relationships would inevitably translate into domestic commitments. Bringing domestic politics into consideration, this article also fills the gap in the literature on Congress-focused research of the KORUS FTA and sheds light on how lawmakers strike a balance between the principle of US foreign policy and the reality of conflicting domestic interests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Korean Peninsula (KP), located along the eastern margin of the Eurasian and Amurian plates, has experienced continual earthquakes from small to moderate magnitudes. Various models to explain these earthquakes have been proposed, but the origins of the stress responsible for this region's seismicity remain unclear and debated. This study aims to understand the stress field of this region in terms of the contributions from crustal and upper-mantle heterogeneities imaged via seismic tomography using a series of numerical simulations. A crustal seismic velocity model can determine the crustal thickness and density. Upper-mantle seismic velocity anomalies from a regional tomography model were converted to a temperature field, which can determine the structures (e.g. lithospheric thickness, subducting slabs, their gaps, and stagnant features) and density. The heterogeneities in the crustal and upper mantle governed the buoyancy forces and rheology in our models. The modelled surface topography, mantle flow stress, and orientation of maximum horizontal stress, derived from the variations in the crustal thickness, suggest that model with the lithospheric and upper-mantle heterogeneities is required to improve these modelled quantities. The model with upper-mantle thermal anomalies and east–west compression of approximately 50 MPa developed a stress field consistent with the observed seismicity in the KP. However, the modelled and observed orientations of the maximum horizontal stress agree in the western KP but they are inconsistent in the eastern KP. Our analysis, based on the modelled quantities, suggested that compressional stress and mantle heterogeneities may mainly control the seismicity in the western area. In contrast, we found a clear correlation of the relatively thin lithosphere and strong upper-mantle upwelling with the observed seismicity in the Eastern KP, but it is unclear whether stress, driven by these heterogeneities, directly affects the seismicity of the upper crust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a novel statistical trajectory-distance metric specialized for nautical route clustering analysis. Based on the dynamic time warping (DTW) metric, one of the most used metrics for trajectory-distance, the statistical trajectory-distance metric was defined by replacing the distance term in DTW with a linear combination of the Jensen-Shannon divergence and Wasserstein distance. Each waypoint from a nautical route was modelled as a discrete and asymmetric binomial normal distribution defined by the cross-track distance (XTD) of the waypoint. The model was then used to compute the statistical distance between waypoints. Nautical route clustering was performed using density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise and the statistical trajectory-distance metric. The nautical route for the clustering analysis, including the XTD information, was extracted from automatic identification system data from the southern sea of the Korean Peninsula. The clustering results were evaluated by comparing them with the results of other popular trajectory-distance metrics. The proposed method was more effective compared to other trajectory-distance when the trajectories pass on both sides of a small island, which is frequent case in coastal route clustering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study contributes to the literature on the impact of managerial structure on firms' productivity, considering the trade-off between local managers and expatriate managers. It employs data on Korean-origin foreign direct investment and first finds that the local manager ratio is associated with productivity improvements in uncertain business environments (developing countries) but not in stable and predictable business environments (developed countries). Second, this study finds that the local manager ratio is associated with raised firm productivity only in less research and developmentintensive industries. Policy implications are drawn from these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SPiRaL is a joint global-scale model of wave speeds (P and S) and anisotropy (vertical transverse isotropy, VTI) variations in the crust and mantle. The model is comprised of >2.1 million nodes with five parameters at each node that capture velocity variations for P - and S -waves travelling at arbitrary directions in transversely isotropic media with a vertical symmetry axis (VTI). The crust (including ice, water, sediments and crystalline layers) is directly incorporated into the model. The default node spacing is approximately 2° in the lower mantle and 1° in the crust and upper mantle. The grid is refined with ∼0.25° minimum node spacing in highly sampled regions of the crust and upper mantle throughout North America and Eurasia. The data considered in the construction of SPiRaL includes millions of body wave traveltimes (crustal, regional and teleseismic phases with multiples) and surface wave (Rayleigh and Love) dispersion. A multiresolution inversion approach is employed to capture long-wavelength heterogeneities commonly depicted in global-scale tomography images as well as more localized details that are typically resolved in more focused regional-scale studies. Our previous work has demonstrated that such global-scale models with regional-scale detail can accurately predict both teleseismic and regional body wave traveltimes, which is necessary for more accurate location of small seismic events that may have limited signal at teleseismic distances. SPiRaL was constructed to predict traveltimes for event location and long-period waveform dispersion for seismic source inversion applications in regions without sufficiently tuned models. SPiRaL may also serve as a starting model for full-waveform inversion (FWI) with the goal of fitting waves with periods 10–50 s over multiple broad regions (thousands of kilometres) and potentially the globe. To gain insight to this possibility, we simulated waveforms for a small set of events using SPiRaL and independent waveform-based models for comparison. For the events tested, the performance of the traveltime-based SPiRaL model is shown to be generally on par with regional 3-D waveform-based models in three regions (western United States, Middle East, Korean Peninsula) suggesting SPiRaL may serve as a starting model for FWI over broad regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seismic moment tensors are an important tool and input variable for many studies in the geosciences. The theory behind the determination of moment tensors is well established. They are routinely and (semi-) automatically calculated on a global scale. However, on regional and local scales, there are still several difficulties hampering the reliable retrieval of the full seismic moment tensor. In an earlier study, we showed that the waveform inversion for seismic moment tensors can benefit significantly when incorporating rotational ground motion in addition to the commonly used translational ground motion. In this study, we test, what is the best processing strategy with respect to the resolvability of the seismic moment tensor components: inverting three-component data with Green's functions (GFs) based on a 3-D structural model, six-component data with GFs based on a 1-D model, or unleashing the full force of six-component data and GFs based on a 3-D model? As a reference case, we use the inversion based on three-component data and 1-D structure, which has been the most common practice in waveform inversion for moment tensors so far. Building on the same Bayesian approach as in our previous study, we invert synthetic waveforms for two test cases from the Korean Peninsula: one is the 2013 nuclear test of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the other is an M w  5.4 tectonic event of 2016 in the Republic of Korea using waveform data recorded on stations in Korea, China and Japan. For the Korean Peninsula, a very detailed 3-D velocity model is available. We show that for the tectonic event both, the 3-D structural model and the rotational ground motion, contribute strongly to the improved resolution of the seismic moment tensor. The higher the frequencies used for inversion, the higher is the influence of rotational ground motions. This is an important effect to consider when inverting waveforms from smaller magnitude events. The explosive source benefits more from the 3-D structural model than from the rotational ground motion. Nevertheless, the rotational ground motion can help to better constraint the isotropic part of the source in the higher frequency range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An earthquake (2016M5.8_GY) occurred on 2016 September 12 due to the SW−NE movement of the Yangsan fault in the Gyeongsang Basin in the southeastern part of the Korean Peninsula and caused more than 600 aftershocks within a 1-yr period. To find out the causes and process of the 2016M5.8_GY and its aftershocks, we conducted 3-D underground structural modelling of the Gyeongju area using a combined interpretation of geological, petrophysical and potential field data and hence calculated the density- and magnetic-field distribution along the Yangsan fault. The results of the 3-D modelling indicate that the 2016M5.8_GY occurred in the ductile region of the fault, which is tectonically very unstable, and is therefore highly likely to be significantly affected by any future seismological stress. The crustal structure most affected by the 2016M5.8_GY is the Cretaceous Granite, which has a vertical relief of approximately 12 km with a relatively lower density material than the surrounding country rock and rests on highly ductile material. Therefore, the lower part of the granite is enough unstable that it was probably crushed by the main shock. That is also the reason, why so many aftershocks occurred beneath the granites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In South Korea, a vote of at least six justices (out of nine) is required for the Constitutional Court (CCK) to declare a law unconstitutional. This supermajority requirement can lead to the odd situation in which a law stands despite a majority of five justices ruling it unconstitutional. In almost every other high court in the world, rulings of unconstitutionality of legislation are based on a simple majority. While one of the original rationales for the heightened voting requirement on the CCK was to curtail the power of the Court, this Article argues that it has had the unintended consequence of opening up other avenues of influence and power projection for the Court. In particular, the supermajority requirement has expanded the judicial signaling powers of the CCK, allowing the Court to directly and indirectly communicate and telegraph to lower courts, political actors, and the general public the direction of its jurisprudence. This has, in turn, strengthened the CCK's authority and democratic legitimacy by muting accusations of judicial activism and encouraging a more gradual and incremental approach by the CCK to some of the most important and controversial social and political issues facing the country. This Article presents an original dataset of the CCK's 4:5 decisions and examines a case study of the CCK's adultery law jurisprudence, which illustrates the evolution of the Court's view on the controversial law in South Korea and how the supermajority requirement allowed the CCK to gradually move towards the decriminalization of adultery in the country in line with changing social and legal norms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background This study aimed to investigate perceptual body image and the relationship between perceived body image (PBI) and weight control differentiated according to obesity categories across the adult lifespan by sex among Koreans. Methods We analyzed data on 10 198 adults aged 25 or older from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey of a nationally representative sample of non-institutionalized Koreans. Results Significant discordance between PBI and body mass index (BMI) or waist circumference (WC) was found in all age groups in both sexes, and the discordance for obesity grew more severe with age. Linear associations between PBI and BMI or WC were found in normal weight and obese groups in all age groups in both sexes, with relatively greater BMI or WC differences for PBI found in obese men aged ≤64 or ≤44, respectively, and obese women of all ages or aged ≥75, respectively, compared to normal weight. Obese women aged ≥65 (BMI) or ≥75 (WC) and obese men in the 45--54 and 65--74 age groups (BMI and WC) had significant association between PBI and weight control. Conclusions Interventions regarding accurate body size perception should be prioritized for obese women aged ≥65 or ≥75 and for obese men aged 45-54 and 65-74. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psoriasis is a polygenic and multi-factorial disease showing ethnic differences in terms of its severity and frequency. Therapies targeting interleukin (IL)−17A, IL-17 receptor (IL-17R) and Janus kinases (JAKs) are in clinical development for the treatment of psoriasis, and their success suggests the essential role of these molecules in psoriasis. To investigate the genetic susceptibility in T helper type 17 (Th17) cell signal transduction pathways for promoting psoriasis, we performed candidate gene and linkage disequilibrium analysis. In 208 patients and 266 normal controls, we analysed 31 single nucleotide polymorphisms in 12 genes ( CAMP, IL17A, IL17F, IL17RA, IL22, JAK1, JAK2, JAK3, STAT3, TLR7, TLR9 and TYK2; abbreviations: CAMP, human cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide; STAT-3, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3; TLR, Toll-like receptor; TYK2, tyrosine kinase 2). Patients with psoriasis showed a strong association for IL17F rs763780 [odds ratio (OR) = 3·27, P = 0·04], which results in a histidine-to-arginine substitution, and JAK2 rs2274471 (OR = 2·66, P = 0·02). In addition, JAK2 rs7849191 showed a protective pattern, met the significance threshold (OR = 0·77, P = 0·05) and showed a tendency for an inverse association with the frequency of early-onset psoriasis under age 40 years ( P = 0·07). In haplotype analysis, JAK1 rs310241A/rs2780889T showed a protective effect (OR = 0·73, P = 0·03) in psoriasis. In conclusion, we report two new psoriasis-susceptibility loci, in IL17F and JAK2, as well as a newly identified late-onset associated protective JAK2 locus and a protective JAK1 haplotype in the Korean population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intersectoral collaboration (ISC) is important in the health field because the complexity of determinants of health makes it difficult for one institution to resolve all health issues. Promotion of physical activity can especially benefit from a multi-sectoral approach. Despite so much emphasis on its importance in both primary health and health promotion, ISC has been underachieved in the field. This study aimed to examine the characteristics and level of ISC among physical activity programs in Healthy Cities as compared to non-Healthy Cities. I conducted a postal survey where 24 people from Healthy Cities and 72 people from non-Healthy Cities participated. The survey included questions to measure the level of ISC as well as to determine ISC partners and activities. Among the entire 393 physical activity programs, 336 (85.5%) had some kind of collaboration with one or more partners. The percentage having one or more partners was greater in Healthy Cities than in non-Healthy Cities. However, there were no statistical differences between the two groups in terms of the level of ISC within a municipal organization. Collaboration activities of the other departments were mostly supportive, such as providing a venue, recruiting participants and publicizing, and other kinds of administrative support. To strengthen ISC in Korean Healthy Cities, various actions including providing a legal basis, specific and substantive supports, financial incentives, and organizational recognitions will be helpful as well as the development of partnerships with other departments in urban planning, transport, urban design, and communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Achene size and shape, surface sculpturing, and pericarp and testa wall structure of 23 Korean Saussurea spp. were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and light microscopy to evaluate the infrageneric relationships and assess their systematic significance. Achene size categories and thickness of the testa epidermis were distinguished using biometric measurements. Four basic types of surface pattern were observed: (1) lineate; (2) striate; (3) reticulate; and (4) colliculate. Saussurea rorinsanensis was found to have some unique achene characteristics, such as a fusiform achene, uniform pappus, presence of epidermal hairs and tangentially elongated, narrow testa epidermal cells. The characteristic achene features for species were found to be achene size and shape, hilum position, surface sculpture, pappus composition, morphology of the pericarp wall and thickness of the testa epidermis. Based on 16 morphological and achene characters, a cladistic analysis resolved three well-supported clades, with S. eriophylla as the first-branching taxon. Saussurea pulchella and S. japonica, both belonging to Saussurea subgenus Theodorea, were distant from each other in the 50% majority rule consensus tree and the character distribution cladogram. This cladistic analysis of achene morphology and anatomy should be regarded as giving us a tentative picture of the phylogenetics of Saussurea, and this study may serve as a reference for future hypotheses and studies on the characterization and classification of Saussurea spp. in Korea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Propensity-score adjustment is a popular technique for handling unit nonresponse in sample surveys. If the response probability depends on the study variable that is subject to missingness, estimating the response probability often relies on additional distributional assumptions about the study variable. Instead of making fully parametric assumptions about the population distribution of the study variable and the response mechanism, we propose a new approach of maximum likelihood estimation that is based on the distributional assumptions of the observed part of the sample. Because the model for the observed part of the sample can be verified from the data, the proposed method is less sensitive to failure of the assumed model of the outcomes. Results from two limited simulation studies are presented to compare the performance of the proposed method with the existing methods. The proposed method is applied to the exit poll data for the nineteenth legislative election in Korea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The diagnosis-related group-based prospective payment programme was introduced in Korea in 1997 as a pilot programme to control health spending. In July 2013, the programme was implemented throughout the nation. The aim of our study is to evaluate the relationship between quality of care and market competition following the introduction of the new payment system in Korea. Methods: We conduct an observational analysis using National Health Insurance claim data from 2011 to 2014. We analyse data on re-admission within 30 days, length of stay, and number of outpatient visits for 1742 hospitals and 821 912 cases. We use a generalized estimating equation model to evaluate readmission within 30 days and number of outpatient visits and a multi-level regression model to assess length of stay. Results: Total readmission within 30 days is 10 727 (1.3%). High competition areas present a lower risk of readmission [odds ratio (OR): 0.95, P: 0.0277], a longer length of stay (1%, P<0.0001), and an increased number of outpatient visits (Relative Risk: 1.11, P: 0.0011) as compared with moderate competition areas. Risk of readmission is higher in low competition areas as compared with moderate competition areas (OR: 1.21, P<0.0001). Conclusion: The effects of the introduction of the new payment system differed by degree of market competition. Thus, evaluation about the effect of new payment system on hospital performance should be measured in combination with the degree of hospital market structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The detailed indoor radon survey was conducted during a year (from September 2012 to August 2013) quarterly in Bonghwa county, one of the provisional radon-prone areas in Korea. The surveyed area was selected on the basis of previously conducted nationwide radon survey results. In order to minimise statistical and environmental uncertainties, ∼3 % of the entire dwellings were carefully selected based on the statistical annual report of Bonghwa county. The measurement is carried out by using solid-state nuclear track detector. The range of indoor radon concentration in each dwelling was 4.36–858 Bq m−3 and that of annual effective dose due to inhaled radon of the resident in each dwelling was 0.19–23.5 mSv y−1. Each dwelling was determined for geology criterion using one-way Analysis of Variance for the purpose of comparing indoor radon distribution with geology. Geographical distribution of indoor radon is closely related to the geological characteristics of basement rocks. In addition, the comparison between geographical distribution of indoor radon and terrestrial gamma radiation was done. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Cyanobacteria have been used as sustainable bioresource producers for foods, feeds and other valuable natural products. However, selection of a new species (other than Arthrospira), with advantageous properties for alimentary purposes, continues to be a challenge due to potential toxicity and low biomass productivity. In this study, we report a valuable filamentous cyanobacterium isolated from Korea. Methods and Results: Morphological and phylogenetic analyses demonstrated that the isolate belongs to the genus Leptolyngbya, and consequently designated Leptolyngbya sp. KIOST-1. Interestingly, Leptolyngbya sp. KIOST-1 possessed numerous advantageous characteristics for biomass production, similar to Arthrospira. The isolate readily propagated in SOT medium with efficient biomass productivity, and its optimum growth was observed at 30°C under alkaline and saline conditions. Moreover, more than half of the cellular components in Leptolyngbya sp. KIOST-1 were composed of protein, with approx. 40% of essential amino acids. Most importantly, no significant cytotoxicity was detected in the isolate. Conclusions: Leptolyngbya sp. KIOST-1 has a number of advantageous characteristics for alimentary purposes due to its efficient productivity, high protein content and lack of potential cytotoxicity. Significance and Impact of the Study: Leptolyngbya sp. KIOST-1 may be considered a potential candidate for industrial biomass production, similar to Arthrospira. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the significance of martyrdom in a context beyond that of the Roman world. The sources employed are the published works of French missionaries active between 1836 and 1866 in Korea. The findings illuminate the mentalité of the missionaries who held that the association claimed for martyrdom and successful Christian evangelization was self-evidently true - the martyrs would ensure the mission's ultimate success. They also demonstrate the means by which martyrdom may have assisted the spread of Christianity within a context of limited persecution and a well-organized and properly funded mission structure supported by a dedicated cadre of catechists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose of the Study: This study involved an in-depth exploration of the employment barriers of older Korean immigrants in Los Angeles. Design and Methods: This qualitative study used data obtained from 6 focus groups and 5 individual interviews. Participants were 36 older Korean immigrants living in Los Angeles, aged 50 years and older, and either unemployed or employed in part-time or full-time work. A grounded theory analytical approach and constant comparison method were used. Results: Ten major themes emerged as employment barriers for older Korean immigrants and were categorized as stereotype, human capital, and acculturation barriers. Ageism among employers specific to Korean culture, lack of English proficiency, separation from U.S. culture, marginalization from both Korean and U.S. cultures, and lack of social networks were important themes. In addition, older Korean immigrants experienced multiple interconnected barriers. Implications: The findings highlight the importance of using a multidimensional approach to explore employment barriers among older Korean immigrants who face multiple obstacles in finding jobs. Implications for local governments and Korean communities and potential services to support employment opportunities for older Korean immigrants are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Korean government's engagement in FTAs since the late 1990s has been enthusiastic. As of 2012, the Korean government concluded FTAs with small trading partners such as Chile, Singapore, EFTA, ASEAN, India, Peru, and Turkey, and major counterparts such as the European Union (EU) and the United States as well. However, the degree of each of the Korean administrations' engagement in FTAs has shown discernible differences: While the Kim Dae-jung administration passively engaged in FTAs, the Roh Moo-hyun administration was proactive in that engagement. What explains the shift from the Kim administration's passive FTA policy to the Roh administration's comprehensive multi-track FTA policy? This article argues that the appreciation of the Korean won since 2001 made Korean exporters lose their price competitiveness in the global market, thereby forcing the Roh administration to offset Korean exporters' lost price competitiveness by formulating a comprehensive multi-track FTA policy, with huge side payments for politically sensitive import-competing sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article develops a quantile moment approach to evaluate risk exposure and to illustrate risk valuation, and then applies it to examine the relative importance of downside risk and risk mitigation options associated with a highly controlled but stochastic production system on Korean farms. The econometric approach exploits a rich panel dataset to develop consistent and robust econometric estimates of the quantile moments needed to decompose and analyse risk outcomes. The results show that about 90 per cent of the cost of risk on Korean farms comes from exposure to downside risk. We also examine how management factors can help to mitigate risk exposure outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the painting album "Journey to Kaesǒng" by artist and scholar Kang Se-hwang, focusing on the leaf "Entrance to Yǒngt'ong." Topics include the relation of Chosǒn era painting to Western uses of scale, paintings by artist Chǒng Sǒn, and Kang's views regarding realism in painting. Also addressed are the impact of social and political relations on Kang's paintings, the depictions of waterfalls by Chǒng and Kang, and the relation of cartography to Chosǒn era Korean art. Kang's depiction of depth is addressed.