Search

The maritime route connecting the Chinese continent and the Japanese archipelago facilitated a significant exchange of commercial goods and sociocultural knowledge throughout the Southern Song dynasty. Within this context, Japanese pilgrim monks traveling along this route acted as key conduits for the transmission of Buddhist teachings. Their journeys profoundly influenced the establishment and development of new Buddhist monasteries in Japan. Focusing on biographical accounts that portray the experiences of these pilgrim monks during their twelfth- and thirteenth-century sea voyages, this paper aims to explore how these accounts drew on intertextual links with existing Buddhist records to fulfill the compilers' intentions. Specifically, this paper examines the structure and sources of biographical accounts detailing miraculous encounters between pilgrim monks and Buddhist deities during perilous situations at sea. By interpreting the role of these deities in the corpus of Buddhist literature and within Japanese Buddhist monasteries founded by pilgrim monks, this paper argues that the increasing emphasis on pilgrim monks' attainment of divine protection in their biographical records suggests a growing concern for reinforcing the authority of their dharma lineages. Moreover, the composition and reception of these miraculous accounts reflected the changing religious needs and reshaped strategies for promoting specific Buddhist sects in subsequent periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Arab Journal of Political Science is the property of Centre for Arab Unity Studies and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Bibliometric analysis is a mature method for quantitative evaluation of academic productivity. In view of the rapid development of research in the field of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in the past decade, we used bibliometric methods to comprehensively analyze the literature in the field of SLE from 2013 to 2022. Methods: The relevant literature in the field of SLE from 2013 to 2022 was screened in the Web of Science Core Collection database. After obtaining and sorting out the data, CiteSpace and VOSviewer software were used to visualize the relevant data, and SPSS software was used for scientific statistics. Results: A total of 18,450 publications were included in this study. The number of articles published over the past 10 years has generally shown an upward trend, while Altmetric attention scores have also shown a clear upward trend in general and in most countries. Citation analysis and Altmetric analysis can mutually prove and supplement the influence of papers. The USA, China, Japan, Italy, and the UK are the most productive countries, but China and Japan are significantly inferior to other countries in terms of research influence. Four of the top ten authors are at the center of the collaboration network. LUPUS is the most contributing journal. The theme of systemic lupus erythematosus research mainly focuses on the pathogenesis, treatment, and management of SLE, and the emerging trend is related research on machine learning and immune cells. Conclusion: This study shows the research status of SLE, clarifies the main contributors in this field, discusses and analyzes the research hotspots and trends in this field, and provides reference for further research in this field to promote the development of SLE research. Key Points • Through bibliometric analysis, Altmetric analysis, and visual analysis, we reveal the global productivity characteristics of SLE-related papers in the past 10 years. • The number of global SLE-related studies has shown a significant increase, indicating that SLE is still a hot topic and deserves further study. • Citation analysis and Altmetric analysis can mutually prove and supplement the influence of papers, and the attention of related literature among non-professional researchers is increasing. • The theme of SLE research mainly focuses on the pathogenesis, treatment, and management of SLE. The emerging trend is machine learning and immune cells, which may provide new strategies for the diagnosis and treatment of SLE in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of English-Medium Instruction is the property of John Benjamins Publishing Co. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is commonly defined as a transitional subclinical state between normal aging and dementia. A growing body of research indicates that health behaviors may play a protective role against cognitive decline and could potentially slow down the progression from MCI to dementia. The aim of this study is to conduct a bibliometric analysis of literature focusing on health behaviors and MCI to summarize the factors and evidence regarding the influence of health behaviors on MCI. Methods: The study performed a bibliometric analysis by retrieving publications from the Science Citation Index and Social Sciences Citation Index subdatabases within the Web of Science Core Collection. Utilizing VOSviewer and CiteSpace software, a total of 2,843 eligible articles underwent co-citation, cokeywords, and clustering analyses. This methodology aimed to investigate the current status, trends, major research questions, and potential future directions within the research domain. Results: The bibliometric analysis indicates that research on healthy behaviors in individuals with MCI originated in 2002 and experienced rapid growth in 2014, reflecting the increasing global interest in this area. The United States emerged as the primary contributor, accounting for more than one-third of the total scientific output with 982 articles. Journals that published the most articles on MCI-related health behaviors included "Journal of Alzheimer's Disease," "Neurobiology of Aging," "Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience," and other geriatricsrelated journals. High-impact papers identified by VOSviewer predominantly cover concepts related to MCI, such as diagnostic criteria, assessment, and multifactorial interventions. Co-occurrence keyword analysis highlights five research hotspots in health behavior associated with MCI: exercise, diet, risk factors and preventive measures for dementia, cognitive decline-related biomarkers, and clinical trials. Conclusion: This study provides a comprehensive review of literature on health behavior in individuals with MCI, emphasizing influential documents and journals. It outlines research trends and key focal points, offering valuable insights for researchers to comprehend significant contributions and steer future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 'China threat' has been identified as an important driver of Japan's security agenda and discourse. The threat posed by China has been discussed either as a given factor determining the trajectory of Tokyo's security approach, as a product of identity construction, or as an expression of securitizing processes that facilitate institutional and policy change. This paper contributes to this debate by offering an alternative explanation of the process through which the Abe government constructed China as a threat. Building on securitization theory, the paper examines the modes and strategies employed by the Abe Administration to successfully securitize China. The paper argues that, while Beijing was labeled a 'concern' rather than an 'existential threat,' it was still securitized through a process of securitization that involves an association with those domains in which China engages assertively, namely the maritime commons. The paper suggests calling this type of securitizing pattern 'transversal securitization' and explores how this indirect strategy allowed the Abe government to pragmatically pursue its objectives both domestically and at the international level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on Chinese football fans' reactions to the Japanese national team and their fans' behaviour during the World Cup 2022. Despite the historical and contemporary problems that make friendly relations with Japan difficult to achieve, football fans in China largely welcomed the good performance of the Japanese national team. This attitude may be described as 'thin cosmopolitanism' because Chinese fans' major frame of reference was still nationalistic. For them, the impressive performance of the Japanese national team means that Asians and the 'yellow race people' can also play good football. However, the Japanese fans, whose cleaning up of stadia received wide coverage during the World Cup, were criticized by the Chinese fans who interpreted the Japanese fans' action as reinforcing the existing global racial order. The findings of this paper help reveal the limits regarding football's role in contributing to a more cosmopolitan worldview. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Studii de Ştiintă şi Cultură is the property of Studii de Stiinta si Cultura and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper empirically examines the role of USD, EUR, and CNY as international payment currencies in Korea, China, and Japan. Our survey of business people in those countries finds that higher convertibility and stability of these currencies in the SDR enhance their acceptability and usability for international payments. However, even during times of instability, USD remains highly accepted and usable as a trade payment currency unlike the cases of EUR and CNY. Therefore, maintaining exchange rate stability is essential for improving the acceptability and usability of EUR and CNY as international payment currencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sophora flavescens, which was first recorded in Shen Nong's Herbal Classic, has the functions of clearing away heat, drying dampness, killing parasites and promoting urination. In its long-term application, traditional Chinese medicine has gradually deepened its understanding of the origin and efficacy of S. flavescens. In order to explore changes in the origin and efficacy of traditional Chinese herb S. flavescens in the history of China and Japan, in this paper, the origin and development of S. flavescens in China and Japan were compared from three aspects; the origin, medicinal efficacy, and processing methods of S. flavescens in China and Japan, hoping to provide clear understanding of the medicinal plant S. flavescens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For Japan's former prime minister Abe Shinzō, security cooperation with Southeast Asia was central to preventing the South China Sea from turning into a "Lake Beijing" - completely under Chinese control. This paper explains why Abe's security engagement in the region focused mainly on providing Capacity Building Assistance (CBA) to Southeast Asian coast guards agencies to counter China's maritime assertiveness. Answers are provided by looking at not only international but also domestic factors. Based on key variables of post-Cold War Japan's foreign policy, namely the US-Japan alliance, the dominance of economic tools, and normative and institutional constraints on the use of force, the analysis concludes that CBA was an ideal response to the complex demands and restrictions of Japan's security policy. In particular, the economic benefits of providing CBA are an important finding of the analysis and one that has not yet received much scholarly focus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Involving the global issues as listed in Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in education is necessarily done in the education process, especially in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learning. Exposure to global issues is known to improve students' understanding, awareness, and ability to solve urgent issues faced by global society. This paper aims to find out the trend of research on the coverage of SDGs in students' learning process. This systematic literature analysis was done by applying Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) Method. A total of 25 studies were recognized through a systematic search by using Sustainability, SDGs, and EFL as keywords. The result shows that the trend of associating SDGs with EFL settings was done mostly in Indonesia. In the recent year 2022, it reached the highest number of studies in the particular matter with 7 total of research. It was also found that the study involving SDGs on EFL learning was mostly done in the tertiary setting, compared with K-12, junior high school, secondary, high school, and other educational institutions. It was also discovered that the specific area of study enhances EFL students' learning achievement, environmental awareness, global citizen values, as well as students' levels of self-norms, beliefs, and self-value.

Broflanilide is a newly-developed meta-diamide insecticide, proposed for the control of a wide variety of chewing pests on many crops. In view of the proposed use of broflanilide and its environmental fate, it may be exposed to consumers and non-target organisms, which adversely affect human and the environment. In this paper, a rapid, sensitive and valid UPLC-MS/MS method was established for simultaneous analysis of broflanilide and its two major metabolites, DM-8007 and S (PFP-OH)-8007, in cauliflower. Then, the dissipation behaviors and final residues of broflanilide and its two major metabolites in cauliflower from eight sites with different climatic conditions in China were studied via the described analytical method. In addition, the acute toxicity test of 9.5 % suspension concentrate of broflanilide, broflanilide standard, DM-8007 and S (PFP-OH)-8007 were conducted to non-target terrestrial organisms. Risk assessment for human and non-target terrestrial organisms in cauliflower production was evaluated based on the maximum annual application rates and intervals. The results showed that the highest residue of broflanilide detected in cauliflower samples was all lower than the corresponding MRLs (2 mg/kg) in Japan. Chronic food dietary risk estimates for broflanilide do not exceed 50 % for all the Chinese population groups. Moreover, broflanilide is of low acute toxicity to birds and earthworm, while broflanilide and its metabolites is classified as highly toxic to adult honeybees. Acute risks of broflanilide to birds and earthworms were deemed to be acceptable in a realistic worst-case scenario, while its risk to adult honeybees and ladybug was unacceptable. A protection statement for honeybees and ladybug is required to recognize the high toxicity of broflanilide on related product labels. The study will be conducive to provide guidance for the rational application of broflanilide in cauliflower production. [Display omitted] • Chronic food dietary risk does not exceed 50 % for all the Chinese population. • Broflanilide is of low acute toxicity to birds and earthworm. • Broflanilide and its metabolites is highly toxic to adult honeybees. • Acute risk to adult honeybees and ladybug was unacceptable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Significant impacts of heavy work investment on employee wellbeing and organizational performance have prompted its increasing importance as a research topic. The findings about good or evil of these repercussions are nonetheless inconclusive. The intersection of Heavy Work Investment construct with gender has not been explicitly addressed by previous literature review and research. Besides, the relevance of flexibility for women, as one of the key factors for successful work-family balance management, still remains to be analyzed. Methods: A literature review on Heavy Work Investment was conducted using the SPAR-4-SLR protocol, wherein 83 articles were selected from a pool of 208 previously identified works. Bibliometric and content analysis techniques were employed, including co-word analysis, to evaluate research production, impact, and trends in the gender perspective within Heavy Work Investment. Results: As a result, a strategic diagram illustrates thematic topics, providing a clear understanding of the field's structure and evolution. Six thematic groups were identified, around work-family conflict as the central theme. Discussion: The explicit consideration of a gender perspective in literature involves nuanced differences regarding the conclusions of studies with a broader focus. First, the emerging prominence of studies on China and Japan becomes clear with gender as the specific focus of the review, aiming to clarify the experiences women face in more traditional societies with a more decisive division of roles. Second, there is a shift in interest regarding the analysis of Job Demands and Job Resources. Despite the apparent decline in interest in the former, the focus in gender literature clearly shifts toward the side of Job Resources, showing potential for the future. It could be understood that in a context of talent war and employee retention efforts, priority is given to better understanding of facilitating individual and organizational factors for work-life balance, especially for women. Future research areas are identified, including gender differences in organizational support and the impact of flexible work on the work-life balance, providing valuable insights for academia, practitioners, and organizations. The need for more comprehensive cross-cultural and gender research is also made clear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pursuit of Preferential Trade Agreements (PTAs) by numerous countries, aimed at promoting trade among member nations, is widely acknowledged. Nonetheless, policymakers often voice concerns regarding the potentially short-lived nature of PTAs' trade-promoting effects. In light of this concern, we present empirical evidence that substantiates the transient nature of the trade-enhancing impacts associated with PTAs. We identify the expanding economic influence of China in the global trade sphere as a primary driver for this trend. These findings are reinforced by a compelling illustration within the context of the PTAs involving Korea and Japan with Latin American countries. Our case study suggests that the attenuation of the export-promoting effects of Korea and Japan's PTAs with their Latin American counterparts can be attributed to the penetration of Chinese goods, the sustained reduction of Most Favored Nation (MFN) tariffs, and the proliferation of comprehensive PTAs within regional contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How do constitutions change in response to social problems? This Article explores why constitutions in three East Asian countries, namely Japan, Indonesia, and China, changed rapidly during times of social crisis and then incrementally evolved during periods of stability. It looks for explanations in historical institutionalism, a novel theory developed to understand the factors that give rise to the creation, persistence, and change of political institutions, such as constitutions. Constitutional change in these East Asian countries is explored by examining constitutionally defined eminent domain powers that enable governments to compulsorily acquire land in the public interest. The Article aims to understand whether fundamental constitutional change only occurs through crisis or whether it can also take place gradually by layering new ideational components onto old programmatic ideas, repurposing them to new uses. Drawing on case studies about eminent domain in Japan, Indonesia and China, the Article concludes that although crisis can trigger fundamental change in any political system, incremental reforms are more likely to promote fundamental change where governments are accountable to the public through constitutional courts and/or democratic elections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The convergence of cultural and aesthetic elements in timber structures from China's Tang Dynasty (618–907 AD) and traditional Japanese architecture provides a rich tapestry of architectural evolution and cross-cultural exchanges. Addressing the challenge of distinguishing and understanding the intricate styles of these structures is significant for both historical comprehension and preservation efforts. This research introduces an innovative approach by integrating the Multi-Head Attention (MHA) mechanism into the YOLOv8 model, enhancing the detection of architectural features with improved precision and recall. Our novel YOLOv8-MHA model not only demonstrates a notable improvement in recognizing intricate architectural details but also significantly advances the state of the art in object detection within complex settings. Quantitative results underscore the model's effectiveness, achieving a precision of 95.6%, a recall of 85.6%, and a mean Average Precision (mAP@50) of 94% across various Intersection over Union (IoU) thresholds. These metrics highlight the model's superior capability to accurately identify and classify architectural elements, especially within environments rich with nuanced details, utilizing the enhanced YOLOv8-MHA algorithm. The application of our model extends beyond mere architectural analysis; it offers new insights into the intricate interplay of cultural identity and adaptability inherent in East Asian architectural heritage. The study establishes a solid foundation for the meticulous classification and analysis of architectural styles in timber structures within an expansive cultural and historical context, thereby enriching our understanding and preservation of these traditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The late 19th century marked a significant period in Korea's history, when it established formal diplomatic relations with the outside world. Goryeo celadon began appearing in the context of diplomatic and other exchanges in the 19th century. These celadon pieces were exquisite and often of the highest quality. There are also cases of foreign diplomats collecting Goryeo celadon. British consul William Carles, French consul Victor Collin de Plancy, and American consul Horace Allen played prominent roles in collecting, selling, and donating Goryeo celadon. In the complex landscape of East Asian diplomacy, ceramics occasionally played a role in exchanges between China, Japan, and Southeast Asian regions. Overall, this phenomenon can be attributed to the changing economic and cultural value of Goryeo celadon, particularly during the late 19th century. However, the inclusion of Goryeo celadon in diplomatic contexts or as prominent diplomatic gifts was also closely related to the changing perception of Goryeo celadon within Korea, as it began to be viewed from a more externalized perspective. Moreover, as foreign interest in Korean (Joseon) culture expanded into a range of ethnographic studies, Goryeo celadon came to be recognized as an artistic product that demonstrated the cultural competence of the nation. Simultaneously, Goryeo celadon took on the role of a diplomatic medium, symbolically representing Korea's heritage on a national level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Low Back Pain (LBP) is a pervasive and complex musculoskeletal condition aecting over 80% of the global population. Lumbar Disc Degeneration (LDD) significantly contributes to LBP, and MRI is crucial for its diagnosis and understanding. This study aimes to provide a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of MRI research on LDD with LBP, shedding light on research patterns, collaborations, and potential knowledge gaps. Methods: A comprehensive online search was conducted in the Scopus database to retrieve published literature on LDD with LBP. Bibliometric analysis was conducted to assess publication patterns, co-authorship networks, keyword co-occurrence, and co-citation analysis within the MRI applications for LDD research domain. Bibliometric analysis tools such as VOSviewer and the R package “bibliometrix” were utilized for quantitative assessments. Results: A total of 1,619 publications related to MRI and LDD were analyzed. The analysis indicated a consistent annual growth rate of 4.62% in publications related to MRI and lumbar disc degeneration, reflecting a steady increase in research output over the past two decades. The USA, China, and Japan emerged as leading contributors. “SPINE“, “European Spine Journal“, and “Spine Journal” were the most productive journals in this domain. Key research themes identified included lumbar spine, low back pain, and magnetic resonance imaging. Network visualization shows that low back pain and magnetic resonance imaging were the most widely used keywords. Conclusion: The comprehensive bibliometric analysis of MRI applications for Lumbar Disc Degeneration oers insights into prevailing research patterns, highlights key contributors and journals, and identifies significant research themes. This study provides a foundation for future research eorts and clinical practices in the field, ultimately contributing to the advancement of patient care for individuals suering from LDD and associated Low Back Pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review targets the application of the Verbal Fluency Task (VFT) in conjunction with functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) for diagnosing psychiatric disorders, specifically in the contexts of China and Japan. These two countries are at the forefront of integrating fNIRS with VFT in clinical psychiatry, often employing this combination as a complementary tool alongside traditional psychiatric examinations. Our study aims to synthesize research findings on the hemodynamic responses elicited by VFT task in clinical settings of the two countries, analyzing variations in task design (phonological versus semantic), stimulus modality (auditory versus visual), and the impact of language typology. The focus on China and Japan is crucial, as it provides insights into the unique applications and adaptations of VFT in these linguistically and culturally distinct environments. By exploring these specific cases, our review underscores the importance of tailoring VFT to fit the linguistic and cultural context, thereby enhancing its validity and utility in cross-cultural psychiatric assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Uncomplicated urinary tract infections (uUTIs) are one of the most common community-acquired infections, particularly among women. Common symptoms of UTI include dysuria, urinary urgency and increased frequency, and lower abdominal pain. With appropriate treatment, symptoms may resolve in a few days. However, there is a lack of research on the emotional impact of this disease. We conducted a qualitative, interview-based study to gain a greater understanding of the emotional impact of uUTIs in women in China and Japan. Methods: A qualitative, exploratory, in-depth, interview-based study was conducted between 19 November 2020 and 25 February 2021. Women aged ≥ 18 years who experienced ≥ 1 uUTI and received antibiotic treatment in the past year were eligible for inclusion. Participants must have experienced ≥ 1 of the following symptoms during a uUTI episode: urinary urgency, frequency, dysuria, or lower abdominal/suprapubic pain. Participants who reported back pain or fever (indicative of complicated UTI) were excluded. Participants with recurrent or sporadic UTIs were included, with specific screening criteria used to ensure capture of both groups. Following a screening call, a structured, in-depth telephone interview (~ 30 min in duration) was conducted by three female external moderators trained in qualitative interviewing, assisted by an interview guide. Interviews were analysed individually and thematically, with the results presented within the identified themes. Results: A total of 65 women with uUTI completed the in-depth telephone interview: 40 (62%) from China and 25 (38%) from Japan. Participants reported that the symptoms of uUTI affected multiple aspects of their lives, and described feelings of embarrassment, frustration, guilt, dread, and loneliness associated with symptoms that interfered with relationships, work and daily activities, and sleep. Participants reported seeking healthcare from several different points of contact, from local pharmacies to hospitals. Conclusions: Our analysis highlights the profound emotional impact of uUTIs in women in China and Japan, and the journey these participants take before their initial interaction with a healthcare professional. These insights emphasise the need to better understand the full impact of uUTI, and the role of healthcare professionals in improved patient education and support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grain quality indicates rice commodity value. This research compared grain quality and physicochemical properties of premium japonica rice from three production regions, Yangtze River downstream of China (YRDCN), Northeast region of China (NECN) and Japan. Results showed that there were distinct quality and physicochemical characteristics variance among the three groups of japonica rice, while CVs of most quality parameters from low to high was Japan, YRDCN and NECN. YRDCN rice presented obvious lower apparent amylose content (AAC) and ratio of each chain-length sections of amylopectin, and showed higher protein contents especially glutelin and ratio in short and intermediate amylopectin molecules. Among three rice groups, YRDCN rice presented weaker appearance, whereas did not show inferior cooking and eating properties, which was primarily linked to lower AAC. Rice AAC and starch fine structure significantly correlated with pasting parameters, swelling power and solubility, while protein content had close relation with taste analyzer parameters. Results of this study indicated improvement direction for japonica rice of YRDCN, and also provided reference for consumers' rice purchasing selection in accordance with individual taste preference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tea (Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze) is one of the most important economic plants in China, and has many benefits for human health. Anthracnose is one of the most serious diseases of tea in China, and control of the fungus is important since most Chinese cultivars are susceptible to it. The agent of tea anthracnose was initially described as Gloeosporium theae-sinensis I. Miyake in Japan, which was later transferred to Discula, but this taxonomic position remains problematic. To shed light on these taxonomic and phylogenetic issues, the tea anthracnose pathogens were re-studied. Combining the morphological characteristics and a multigene phylogenetic analysis of nrITS, nrLSU, rpb2, and tef1 sequence data, a new genus Sinodiscula was proposed to accommodate the causal fungi of tea anthracnose, including a new species Sinodiscula camellicola and a new combination Sinodiscula theae-sinensis. Furthermore, the pathogenicity of the pathogens was determined according to Koch's postulates. This study thoroughly resolves the long-standing taxonomic and phylogenetic problems of the tea anthracnose pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Against the backdrop of global warming, extreme precipitation events have become more frequent. In complex terrain regions, due to the vulnerability of their ecosystems, extreme precipitation events can lead to significant secondary disasters. Utilizing daily rainfall data from the National Meteorological Information Center of China and statistical analysis, this study explores the spatial and temporal distribution of extreme precipitation in the Central Southwest China (CSC) region. The temporal pattern of extreme precipitation in CSC shows a consistent trend, while the spatial distribution reveals an opposite phase between the northern and southern parts of CSC. Based on this, we propose a new method for constructing extreme precipitation prediction models for complex terrain regions based on physical mechanisms, and take CSC area as a study case. Instead of anonymous feature selection, this method improves the accuracy and stability of the model by studying the impact of sea–air interactions on extreme precipitation and then introducing it into deep learning. It was found that the sea surface temperature (SST) anomaly in the South Indian Ocean affects extreme precipitation in the CSC by influencing uplift, atmospheric instability, and moisture. The SST anomaly also affects the intensity of cross-equatorial airflow, which changes the trajectory of the Pacific–Japan teleconnection wave and impacts extreme precipitation. These findings provide a comprehensive and reliable approach for forecasting extreme precipitation in CSC and are further integrated into the extreme precipitation prediction models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The soft coral order Alcyonacea is a common coral found in the deep sea and plays a crucial role in the deep-sea ecosystem. This study aims to predict the distribution of Alcyonacea in the western Pacific Ocean using four machine learning-based species distribution models. The performance of these models is also evaluated. The results indicate a high consistency among the prediction results of the different models. The soft coral order is primarily distributed in the Thousand Islands Basin, Japan Trench, and Thousand Islands Trench. Water depth and silicate content are identified as important environmental factors influencing the distribution of Alcyonacea. The RF, Maxent, and XGBoost models demonstrate high accuracies, with the RF model exhibiting the highest prediction accuracy. However, the Maxent model outperforms the other three models in data processing. Developing a high-resolution, high-accuracy, and high-precision habitat suitability model for soft corals can provide a scientific basis and reference for China's exploration and research in the deep sea field and aid in the planning of protected areas in the high seas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As chromatographic techniques have advanced, many articles that analyze the constituting compounds of medicinal materials have been published in relation to Northeast Asian traditional medicine, including traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). TM-MC was launched in 2015, providing information about the chemical compounds in medicinal materials from chromatographic articles in PubMed. Since 2015, through continuous curation efforts, we have now released TM-MC 2.0 with significant improvements to the quantity and quality of the data (https://tm-mc.kr). Description: TM-MC 2.0 contains 635 medicinal materials, 34,107 chemical compounds (21,306 identified and de-duplicated), 13,992 targets, 27,997 diseases, and 5,075 prescriptions (2,393 de-duplicated by name). The database provides the largest number of identified compounds for medicinal materials listed in the pharmacopoeia compared to all TCM databases. In particular, marker compounds of medicinal materials and many newly discovered compounds were added through the manual curation of recent chromatographic articles. Conclusion: TM-MC 2.0 provides the largest collection of information about the chemical compounds of the medicinal materials listed in the Korean, Chinese, and Japanese pharmacopoeias. Our database can be utilized for network pharmacology in traditional medicine and for the compound screening of medicinal materials for modern drug discovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In much of Western legal historical scholarship, legal fictions are understood to be devices for maintaining the integrity of text-based legal codes in the face of social change. However, while legal fictions as such were not a topic of scholarly inquiry in East Asia prior to the introduction of the concept from the West, East Asia is nevertheless rich in examples of another kind of legal fiction: jurisprudential legal fictions, or legal fictions effected by judges and rooted in culture (often including religion). The mythical, moral xiezhi beast in ancient China, and judge-centered moral reasoning in pre-modern Japan, point to legal fictions beyond the traditional categories of such in much of Western scholarship, as well as to legal fictions within the West now largely forgotten after the advent of Enlightenment thinking on textual law. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay starts from the hypothesis that we are entering a new bipolar world, dominated by the US and China. Time will prove its sustainability in front of other scenarios, like the unipolar world, the multipolar world or the emergence of new superpowers. Based on this hypothesis we discuss Japan's possible role as a credible facilitator between the US and China. According to its history, traditions, culture and geography, Japan belongs to the Far East and according its system of government, economy and civil liberties, it belongs to the Euro-Atlantic value system. Through this equidistance, in a world where China seeks to assert its hegemon role on various global levels, Japanese diplomacy and good practices can represent a point of balance. In the US-China-Japan triangle, relations are like a traffic light (three "co"): green-cooperation, yellow-competition, and red-confrontation. Currently, yellow dominates China's relations with the other two actors, while green prevails between the US and Japan. Japan's diplomatic skills could reduce the risk of red colour (confrontation) on either side of the triangle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fragmentation of academic work and its uneven distribution among academic staff have produced particular challenges for new entrants to teaching in Higher Education, Early Career Teachers [ECTs]. In this paper, documentary analysis of the narratives of fourteen ECTs, who worked across six different continents, was undertaken. The findings highlight the diverse forms of precarity that ECTs face, which cut across migratory, identitarian, economic, and ideological dimensions. It discusses ECTs' reflections on their expectations of teaching and their adaptation to the demands of neoliberal Higher Education. Drawing from their narratives and Sevil Sümer's theories of differentiated academic citizenship, ECTs are recognised as 'precarious academic citizens'. This has important implications for revealing the unique circumstances of this group, thereby opening further questions as regards their mentoring and support to enable them to be situated more equally as citizens of the academy.