Search

Ethnopharmacological relevance Gastrodia elata Blume ( Orchidaceae ) is commonly called Tian ma in Chinese and mainly distributed in the mountainous areas of eastern Asia, such as China, Korea, Japan and India. It is an extensively used traditional Chinese herbal medicine in the clinical practice of traditional Chinese medicine, to treat headache, migraine, dizziness, epilepsy, infantile convulsion, tetany and so on. The present paper reviews the advancements in investigation of botany and ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, pharmacology, toxicology and quality control of Gastrodia elata Blume. Finally, the possible tendency and perspective for future investigation of this plant are also put forward. Materials and methods The information on Gastrodia elata Blume was collected via piles of resources including classic books about Chinese herbal medicine, and scientific databases including Pubmed, Google Scholar, ACS, Web of science, ScienceDirect databases, CNKI and others. Plant taxonomy was validated by the databases “The Plant List”, and “Mansfeld’s Encyclopedia”. Results Over 81 compounds from this plant have been isolated and identified, phenolics and polysaccharides are generally considered as the characteristic and active constituents of Gastrodia elata Blume. Its active compounds possess wide-reaching biological activities, including sedative, hypnotic, antiepileptic, anticonvulsive, antianxietic, antidepressant, neuroprotective, antipsychotic, anti-vertigo, circulatory system modulating, anti-inflammationary, analgesic, antioxidative, memory-improving and antiaging, antivirus and antitumor effects. Conclusion Despite the publication of various papers on Gastrodia elata Blume, there is still, however, the need for definitive research and clarification of other bioactive compounds using bioactivity-guided isolation strategies, and the possible mechanism of action as well as potential synergistic or antagonistic effects of multi-component mixtures derived from Gastrodia elata Blume need to be evaluated. It is also necessary and important to do more quality control and toxicological study on human subjects in order to maintain its efficacy stable in the body and validate its safety in clinical uses. In addition, more investigations on other parts of this plant beyond the tubers are needed. Further studies on Gastrodia elata Blume will lead to the development of new drugs and therapeutics for various diseases, and how to utilize it better should be paid more attention to. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The latecomers from Asia—China and Korea—started to participate in information and communication technology (ICT) global standardizations as they accumulated technological capabilities. We observed the current situation of ICT global standardizations in those countries by analyzing the mobile communications standards, WCDMA and LTE, and derived interesting findings and meaningful implications from the analysis. First, this paper provides evidence of the differences in Chinese and Korean standard strategies; China is creating its own standard whereas Korea goes with global standardization. Second, this paper shows the subsequent results of the different strategies. In detail, we conducted an analysis based on (declared) essential patents in WCDMA and LTE. The results indicate that China and Korea hold a significant number of essential patents and their numbers compete with those of leading countries. However, the analysis shows that Korea accumulated domestic knowledge that enables the country to actively participate in standardization,but China still heavily relies on foreign knowledge, probably because China is attempting to create its own standard and accumulating knowledge takes a long time despite its efforts.Our findings have several implications for leading countries and other following countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Korea has embarked on a far-reaching green growth strategy that promises to lay the foundations for a transition from a predominantly ‘brown’ to a green industrial system. In this paper the key features of the Korean approach to formulating and implementing a green growth strategy are outlined, and the progress achieved so far (2009–2012) is reviewed. Comparisons with China''s green development strategy, as embodied in the 12th Five Year Plan (2011–2015), present themselves – in that both strategies are concerned with industrial restructuring and the building of new growth engines designed to create export platforms for the 21st century. Reductions in levels of carbon emissions flow from these industrial policy initiatives. The paper concludes that the Korean strategy is carefully crafted and implemented with full government commitment and leadership, demonstrating that such commitment is feasible in a democracy. What cannot be guaranteed is continuing commitment from successive political administrations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to examine the nature of recent transformations in East Asian welfare regimes, applying a 'real-typical' perspective, based on the 'productivist welfare capitalism' thesis of Ian Holliday (2000). Unlike Western welfare-state regimes in which the politics of austerity has dominated, the politics of welfare expansion has been noticeable in East Asian welfare regimes. This paper will analyse whether these changes have fundamentally dismantled the productivist feature where social policy is subordinate to economic objectives. While the trajectories are different depending on different political institutional contexts, this study shows that there are two strong signs that these states are moving out of their productivist nature and also that they are in the process of establishing their own welfare states. Japan seems to still be a productivist welfare-state regime struggling to accommodate rapid socio-economic changes, whereas Korea is a welfare state regime with strong liberal characteristics via modern welfare politics. Since the needs for social policy expansion in China correspond to economic and political needs, the productivist feature has been significantly weakened. However, this study argues that these transitory welfare regimes are in critical stages of formulating their new welfare regimes and that welfare politics based on contingent events could affect the future trajectories of these regimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medicinal mushroom Phellinus linteus (“Sanghuang” in Chinese, 桑黄) is a famous fungus which is widely used in China, Korea, and other Asian countries. As a traditional Chinese medicine with a 2000-year long history, medicinal applications of Phellinus linteus mainly include treating hemorrhage, hemostasis and diseases related to female menstruation according to Chinese clinical empirical practice. A number of studies reported Phellinus linteus possessed good therapeutic effects on various ailments including tumor, diabetes, inflammation, obesity, etc . The present paper comprehensively reviewed the traditional uses, fermentation, constituent and pharmacology of Phellinus linteus based on scientific literature as well as critical analysis of the research. This review aimed to provide latest information and new foundations and directions for further investigations on Phellinus linteus . All available information about Phellinus linteus was supplied by library database and electronic search (CNKI, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, PubMed, etc .). Some local and ancient books as well as brilliant scholars were also important information resources. Improvement of fermentation techniques promoted the production of Phellinus linteus . Studies of constituents showed the main chemical composition of Phellinus linteus included polysaccharides, flavones, triterpenes, aromatic acids, amino acids, etc . and polysaccharides were found to account for the largest proportion. Pharmacological researches revealed Phellinus linteus possessed a variety of biological activities including anti-cancer, immuno-regulation, anti-diabetes, anti-oxidation and anti-inflammation. Based on these summarized information, this review was presented to provide helpful references and beneficial directions for future studies of Phellinus linteus . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The Ogcheon metamorphic belt in central Korea has been interpreted to be the eastward extension of the Nanhua Basin (aulacogen) of southeast China. In this paper, comparisons are made between the two regions based on stratigraphic, thermal-tectonic and other considerations. From this comparison, correlation of geological events between the Nanhua Basin and Ogcheon metamorphic belt are at best equivocal. The closest similarity is the presence in both regions of two major diamictite units, of glacial origin and Neoproterozoic age (750–690 Ma range) in China but of controversial origin and uncertain age in Korea. Volcanic rocks in both regions appear to have similar petrological and geochemical traits and are interpreted to be rift-related. However, their ages are different, mostly 795–780 Ma in the Nanhua Basin and c. 750 Ma in central Korea, so correlation remains uncertain. More isotopic data from both regions may shed light on this comparison. Correlation between other pre-Carboniferous stratigraphic units in the two regions is hampered by the uncertainty about the stratigraphic age and succession in the Ogcheon metamorphic belt, stemming mainly from the absence of fossils and the strong tectonic–metamorphic overprint. Both regions appear to have undergone deformation and metamorphism during the Middle Triassic (Indosinian, Songrim), in some uncertain way related to the collision between the North and South China plates. In the Ogcheon metamorphic belt, there has been no confirmation of a Mid Palaeozoic event, but in the Nanhua Basin that event is recorded by stratigraphic and palaeogeographic evidence. In the Nanhua Basin, there is no evidence for an Early Permian metamorphic event that appears, on isotopic grounds, to have affected the Ogcheon metamorphic belt. This apparent difference has been interpreted as a result of diachronous deformation during Late Palaeozoic–Early Mesozoic plate collisions that took place earlier in the east, in Korea, than in the west in China. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper examines the associations between Chinese and Korean immigrant parents’ early life material and food deprivation and their concern about their child’s diet or weight, preferences for heavier children, and weight-promoting diet and child weight, alongside the moderating role of parents’ acculturation toward American culture. In 2010, Chinese and Korean immigrant parents of children ages 3–8 years in the United States (N = 130) completed interviews which asked about their perceived early life material deprivation and food insecurity, acculturation, child feeding practices, and evaluations of whether their child weighed more or less than the ideal, and child consumption of soda and candy. Independent measures of child and parent BMI were also obtained. Regression analyses revealed that parents’ early life food insecurity was associated with the evaluation that their child should weigh more than they do and greater consumption of soda and sweets by their child, among the least acculturated parents. Parental material deprivation was associated with more laissez-faire child feeding practices: less monitoring, less concern about the child’s weight or diet, and less perceived responsibility for the child’s diet, but only among less acculturated parents. Overall, the results suggest that immigrant parents’ child feeding practices and body size evaluations are shaped by material hardship in childhood, but these influences may fade as acculturation occurs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A seven-year analysis of clear-sky column-integrated aerosol optical properties and direct radiative forcing at Gosan in Korea is presented in this paper; the Gosan site is heavily impacted by aerosols emitted from the Asian continent. MODIS and AERONET Sun/sky radiometer measurements showed significant seasonal and geographical variability in aerosol optical depth (AOD), with high AODs over the east coastal industrialized regions of China in spring and summer. At the Gosan site, the monthly mean AOD at 675nm ranged between 0.12 and 0.36. High AODs were observed from April to June (>0.33), while low-to-moderate monthly mean AODs were apparent during the remaining months. The single scattering albedo (SSA) exhibited relatively low values from February to May (<0.93), indicating the presence of light-absorbing aerosols, whereas high values of SSA (>0.93) were observed during the remaining months. The annual average clear-sky direct forcing (forcing efficiency) at the surface was −27.55±9.21W m−2 (−91.85±11.12W m−2 τ −1) and at the top of the atmosphere (TOA) was −15.79±4.44W m−2 (−53.76±6.70W m−2 τ −1), thereby leading to an atmospheric absorption of 11.76±5.82W m−2. From March to June, the surface aerosol radiative forcing (forcing efficiency) ranged between −27.29 (–85.33) and −34.76W m−2 (−97.19W m−2 τ −1), whereas at TOA it ranged between −16.84 (−51.82) and −19.10W m−2 (−56.05W m−2 τ −1), and the atmospheric forcing ranged between 10.45 and 16.41W m−2. The atmospheric forcing (i.e., atmospheric absorption) caused an increase in atmospheric heating (about 1.5 to 3.0K day−1). The strongest radiative heating was observed from April to May (>2.5K day−1). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The paper reviewed studies about total gaseous mercury, atmospheric particulate of mercury and average dry deposition fluxes of mercury in Korea, Japan, China and Taiwan. This study compared sample collection and analytical methods for mercury in Asian countries. Analytical results indicated that the primary mercury sources are anthropogenic source (for example coal burning) and high temperature processes. This study also elucidates the sources, analytical tools, and the average concentrations for atmospheric mercury (Hg) for these Asian countries during 2000–2008. This study indicated that the total gaseous mercury concentrations were higher in urban area than that in suburban area in Asian countries (Korea, Japan, China and Taiwan). As for the seasonal variations, in general, the average total gaseous mercury concentrations were higher in winter than that in summer especially in China. In addition, the average total gaseous mercury concentrations were higher in mining areas than that in the rest of the other areas. And the total gaseous mercury concentrations were decreasing as this distance increasing. These phenomena revealed that the total gaseous mercury concentrations are reduced by long-distance transportation especially in the main land of China. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The tectonic relationship between Korea, China and Japan has been a topic of debate since several decades. Several recent studies have brought to light new aspects of Korean geology including the finding of Late Permian to Triassic eclogite facies metamorphism from the Hongseong area. There has also been substantial progress on the understanding of the tectonic history of East China. New reports of Paleozoic and Triassic high-P/T metamorphic belts have also come from Japan. This thematic issue of Gondwana Research presents a timely integration of new information that aids in reconstructing the tectonic relationship between Korea, China and Japan. This issue begins with a set of four papers dealing with the tectonic relationship between Korea, China and Japan. The next five papers deal with various aspects of Korean geology from Late Proterozoic to Cenozoic. Subsequent five papers are related to the geology of Japan. The next three papers deal with the tectonic interpretation of the Sino-Korean plate. Evidence for Permo-Triassic collision between the Indo-china and South China blocks is reported in the next paper. We thank reviewers for providing thorough and constructive reviews on the manuscripts for this issue. We also thank the International Association for Gondwana Research for providing us the opportunity to publish this thematic issue. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]