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This study investigates the effect of decentralisation of SOEs on stock price crash risk. In so doing, we test two competing hypotheses. Under the Political Influence Hypothesis, decentralisation aggravates local government's expropriation of minority shareholders (type II agency conflict), and thus increases crash risk. Under the Local Information Hypothesis, decentralisation decreases monitoring distance (type I agency conflict), strengthens external monitoring and thus decreases crash risk. We find robust evidence supporting the Political Influence Hypothesis. Cross‐sectional analyses show that our baseline results are more pronounced when firms are decentralised to the provincial level and politicians have greater incentives to pursue their political objectives. We further show that bad news hoarding and risk‐taking are two potential channels through which SOE decentralisation increases crash risk. Taken together, our results imply that the decentralisation exacerbates the type II agency conflict rather than ameliorates the type I agency conflict in SOEs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine whether and how collusive and coercive forms of corporate corruption influence firm value. Our identification strategy exploits (i) the exogenous criminal prosecutions of regional government officials as part of China's anti-corruption campaign as demand-side shocks and (ii) the unique reporting of entertainment and travel costs by Chinese firms as supply-side disclosure of corruption-related spending. Among firms for which corruption is likely to be perceived as collusive (coercive) by investors, we find that exposure to corruption-related political risk measured by abnormal entertainment and travel costs has a significantly negative (positive) relation with market reactions to the anti-corruption prosecutions. These findings are consistent with investors' anticipation of a future decline in potential benefits (costs) arising from rent-sharing collusion (rent-extracting coercion). We also find that the collusion (coercion) effect is more pronounced for firms in regions with greater government economic intervention (in industries with stronger business competition). Furthermore, we provide evidence that the ex ante market reactions corroborate with the direction of changes in ex post operating performance of firms. Overall, our results suggest that investors can recognize differences in the economic consequences between collusive and coercive corruption and that the disclosure of corruption-related spending could help investors assess a firm's exposure to corruption-related risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is difficult to improve the seasonal prediction skill of winter temperature over North China, owing to the complex dynamics of East Asian winter and the relatively low prediction skill level of current climate models. Deep learning (DL) may be an informative and promising tool to enhance seasonal prediction, particularly in regions where the underlying mechanisms are not clear. Here, using a DL model based on the Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), we have found that the prediction skill for North China winter temperature (NCWT) can be extended up to five months by considering the remote impact of the Northeast Pacific sea-surface temperature (SST) on North China. Based on historical simulations of winter temperatures in North China, we selected six CMIP5 models with relatively small deviations for training the CNN, and the period chosen for training was 1852–1991. The ERA5 data during 1995–2017 were utilized to evaluate the performance of the CNN. Our CNN shows the best performance in a recent 10-year period (2008–2017), showing a significantly improved level of NCWT prediction skill with a correlation skill of 0.65 at a 5-month lead time, which is much better than the forecast skill of the state-of-the-art dynamic seasonal prediction system. Heat map analysis was used to explore the possible physical mechanisms associated with the NCWT anomaly from the perspective of the CNN; the results showed that the SST over the Northeast Pacific is highly relevant to NCWT prediction. The Northeast Pacific warming in the boreal summer is related to the development of the El Niño event in the coming winter, which may induce NCWT anomalies by atmospheric teleconnection. Climate model experiments support the role of Northeast Pacific warming in the boreal summer on NCWT. The improved capability for prediction from using the CNN may help to establish the energy policy for the coming winter and reduce the economic losses from extremely cold in North China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BK002 consists of Achyranthes japonica Nakai (AJN) and Melandrium firmum Rohrbach (MFR) that have been used as herbal medicines in China and Korea. AJN and MFR have been reported to have anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, and anti-cancer activities, although the synergistic targeting multiple anti-cancer mechanism in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) has not been well reported. However, the drug resistance and transition to the androgen-independent state of prostate cancer contributing to CRPC is not well studied. Here, we reported that BK002 exerted cytotoxicity and apoptosis in CRPC PC3 cell lines and prostate cancer DU145 cell lines examined by cytotoxicity, western blot, a LIVE/DEAD cell imaging assay, reactive oxygen species (ROS) detection, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and transfection assays. The results from our investigation found that BK002 showed more cellular cytotoxicity than AJN and MFR alone, suggesting that BK002 exhibited potential cytotoxic properties. Consistently, BK002 increased DNA damage, and activated p-γH2A.X and depletion of survivin-activated ubiquitination of pro-PARP, caspase9, and caspase3. Notably, live cell imaging using confocal microscopy found that BK002 effectively increased DNA-binding red fluorescent intensity in PC3 and DU145 cells. Also, BK002 increased the anti-proliferative effect with activation of the C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) and significantly attenuated PI3K/AKT expression. Notably, BK002-treated cells increased ROS generation and co-treatment of N-Acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), an ROS inhibitor, significantly preventing ROS production and cellular cytotoxicity, suggesting that ROS production is essential for initiating apoptosis in PC3 and DU145 cells. In addition, we found that BK002 significantly enhanced miR-192-5p expression, and co-treatment with BK002 and miR-192-5p inhibitor significantly reduced miR-192-5p expression and cellular viability in PC3 and DU145 cells, indicating modulation of miR-192-5p mediated apoptosis. Finally, we found that BK002-mediated CHOP upregulation and PI3K downregulation were significantly reduced and restrained by miR-192-5p inhibitor respectively, suggesting that the anti-cancer effect of BK002 is associated with the miR-192-5p/PI3K/CHOP pathway. Therefore, our study reveals that a combination of AJN and MFR might be more effective than single treatment against apoptotic activities of both CRPC cells and prostate cancer cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accumulation of lipid droplets in the cytoplasm of hepatocytes, known as hepatic steatosis, is a hallmark of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Inhibiting hepatic steatosis is suggested to be a therapeutic strategy for NAFLD. The present study investigated the actions of Neurotropin (NTP), a drug used for chronic pain in Japan and China, on lipid accumulation in hepatocytes as a possible treatment for NAFLD. NTP inhibited lipid accumulation induced by palmitate and linoleate, the two major hepatotoxic free fatty acids found in NAFLD livers. An RNA sequencing analysis revealed that NTP altered the expression of mitochondrial genes. NTP ameliorated palmitate-and linoleate-induced mitochondrial dysfunction by reversing mitochondrial membrane potential, respiration, and β-oxidation, suppressing mitochondrial oxidative stress, and enhancing mitochondrial turnover. Moreover, NTP increased the phosphorylation of AMPK, a critical factor in the regulation of mitochondrial function, and induced PGC-1β expression. Inhibition of AMPK activity and PGC-1β expression diminished the anti-steatotic effect of NTP in hepatocytes. JNK inhibition could also be associated with NTP-mediated inhibition of lipid accumulation, but we did not find the association between AMPK and JNK. These results suggest that NTP inhibits lipid accumulation by maintaining mitochondrial function in hepatocytes via AMPK activation, or by inhibiting JNK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study applied a situational approach to understanding an environmental problem: PM2.5 (its resulted haze and smog air pollution) in China. Based on a national sample of 374 citizens living in China, it tested a situational model of problem solving and extended it by adding citizens' environmental engagement behaviour as an immediate consequence of their communicative action. Results of a structural equation modelling analysis supported all the causal links in the conceptual model. Moreover, communicative action significantly mediated the relationship between referent criterion and environmental engagement. Problem recognition, constraint recognition, and involvement recognition did not influence environmental engagement directly, but exerted their significant indirect impact via two key mediators in the model: situational motivation in problem solving and communicative action in problem solving. Theoretical and practical implications of the present study were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Managers of China's state-owned firms work in a closed pyramidal managerial labor market. They enjoy non-transferable benefits if they choose to stay within this system. The higher up are they in this labor market hierarchy (their political ranks), the fewer are their outside employment opportunities. Due to career and wealth concerns, they are cautious and risk-averse when managing firms. We examine the effect of managers' political ranks on firms' stock price crash risk and find a negative association. This association mainly exists in firms with younger managers and managers with shorter tenure. Further, this effect is only significant in regions with weak market forces, in firms without foreign investors, without political connections, and during periods with no local government leaders' or managers' political promotions. We conclude that the political ranking system reduces the stock price crash risk. JEL Classifications: G30; J33. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prior literature provides mixed and relatively little evidence on the economic consequences of related-party transactions. We examine a hitherto underexplored issue of whether transactions among firms within the same business group increase or reduce firm value. Using a large sample of Chinese listed firms, we find that related-party sales increase firm value. However, this value enhancement disappears for firms with (i) large percentage of parent directors, (ii) high government ownership, or (iii) tax avoidance incentives that often couple with management's rent extraction activities. Although we find that intragroup sales improve firm value in general, we also find that corporate insiders use intragroup sales to deprive value from minority shareholders. Overall, our findings highlight the interplay between ownership structure and tax avoidance incentives in determining the economic consequences of related-party transactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the recent rapid increase in the reports of tetrapod tracksites in the Cretaceous, especially from the Lower Cretaceous, of China and other parts of East Asia, notably South Korea, a review of the ichnofaunal database from these regions is presented as the basis for comparisons with other Lower Cretaceous ichnofaunas that are abundant and reasonably well documented. These areas include parts of North and South America, especially the western USA, and parts of Europe, including the United Kingdom, Northern Germany, Spain, Italy and Croatia. The Chinese database presently includes about 70 Cretaceous sites, the majority of which are Early Cretaceous in age. Although abundant data are available from many regions, much of it has yet to be synthesized in detail or in standard formats. Moreover, ichnotaxonomy may be variable (provincial) between different regions. Thus, while comprehensive lists of sites are available for some regions ( China and South America), in other regions such as South Korea and the western USA data have been compiled primarily on a formation by formation basis. The record for Europe is moderately good, but scattered in the primary literature and in need of further synthesis. The record for Australia and Africa is sparse and also in need of synthesis. The most notable regional differences between ichnofaunas appears to be in the relative abundance of distinctive bird and pterosaur track ichnotaxa in China and Korea in comparison with their scarcity or absence in other regions. The distinctive ichnogenus Minisauripus is also known only in China and Korea as are the majority of known dromaeosaurid track occurrences. Ornithopod-dominated and ornithopod-rich ichnofaunas are widespread and particularly abundant in the late Early Cretaceous Barremian to Albian, of some regions. Most well documented Early Cretaceous ichnofaunas are associated with siliciclastic facies and evidently differ from those associated with carbonate facies. © 2014 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2014, 113, 770-789. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Laminaria japonica is a brown alga, which is consumed widely in Korea, Japan, and China. This study investigated the antimicrobial activity of ethanol extracts of L. japonica against oral microbial species to assess the possible application of L. japonica extracts in dental care products. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) were determined in culture medium using a microdilution method. The MICs of ethanol extracts of L. japonica with oral streptococci were 62.5–500 μg/ml and the MBCs were 125–1000 μg/ml. The MICs of Actinomyces naeslundii and Actinomyces odontolyticus were 250 and 62.5 μg/ml, respectively. The MBCs of A. naeslundii and A. odontolyticus were 500 and 250 μg/ml, respectively. The MICs were 250 and 62.5 μg/ml for Fusobacterium nucleatum and Porphyromonas gingivalis, respectively. The killing of Streptococcus mutans and P. gingivalis was dependent on the incubation time. The killing of S. mutans, A. odontolyticus, and P. gingivalis was significantly dependent on the extract concentration. Bacterial treatment with L. japonica extracts changed the cell surface texture of S. mutans, A. odontolyticus, and P. gingivalis. The results of this study suggest that L. japonica extracts may be useful for the development of antimicrobial agents to combat oral pathogens. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In response to increasing trends in sulfur deposition in Northeast Asia, three countries in the region (China, Japan, and Korea) agreed to devise abatement strategies. The concepts of critical loads and source-receptor (S-R) relationships provide guidance for formulating such strategies. Based on the Long-range Transboundary Air Pollutants in Northeast Asia (LTP) project, this study analyzes sulfur deposition data in order to optimize acidic loads over the three countries. The three groups involved in this study carried out a full year (2002) of sulfur deposition modeling over the geographic region spanning the three countries, using three air quality models: MM5-CMAQ, MM5-RAQM, and RAMS-CADM, employed by Chinese, Japanese, and Korean modeling groups, respectively. Each model employed its own meteorological numerical model and model parameters. Only the emission rates for SO and NO obtained from the LTP project were the common parameter used in the three models. Three models revealed some bias from dry to wet deposition, particularly the latter because of the bias in annual precipitation. This finding points to the need for further sensitivity tests of the wet removal rates in association with underlying cloud-precipitation physics and parameterizations. Despite this bias, the annual total (dry plus wet) sulfur deposition predicted by the models were surprisingly very similar. The ensemble average annual total deposition was 7,203.6 ± 370 kt S with a minimal mean fractional error (MFE) of 8.95 ± 5.24 % and a pattern correlation (PC) of 0.89-0.93 between the models. This exercise revealed that despite rather poor error scores in comparison with observations, these consistent total deposition values across the three models, based on LTP group's input data assumptions, suggest a plausible S-R relationship that can be applied to the next task of designing cost-effective emission abatement strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We review the status of the distinctive ichnogenus Minisauripus based on more than 80 well-preserved tracks comprising a minimum of 50 trackways from two localities in China and five in Korea. The tracks, attributed to theropod dinosaurs, have been assigned to two ichnospecies, M. chuanzhuensis and M. zhenshounani, based on Chinese specimens. Until recently, the known range of foot lengths was 1.5–6.0 cm, indicating a diminutive track-making species. However, newly discovered Minisauripus tracks from the Haman Formation in the Changseon region of Korea are as short as 1.0 cm. Most remarkably, a few, provisionally also labeled cf. Minisauripus, are reported as large as 16–20 cm, potentially adding unprecedented new data to the previous record. The larger tracks suggest that all the small tracks pertain to juveniles and not a small, distinct species as previously inferred. Tracks with foot lengths of only ∼1 cm suggest that individuals hatched from very small eggs. The fact that such tracks are abundant in fine-grained, lake-margin facies argues for the importance of suitable preservational conditions in recording the activity of small trackmakers. Thus, inferences about dinosaur population structure, growth rates, and other biological and ecological phenomena, based on the absence of small dinosaur tracks, should be made with caution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The diminutive (2.5–3.0cm long), Cretaceous dinosaur track ichnogenus Minisauripus, previously known only from the type ichnospecies, M. chuanzhuensis, from a single locality in Sichuan Province China, is here reported from two new localities in South Korea and one in China. Material from the new Chinese locality is assigned to the new ichnospecies M. zhenshuonani on the basis of its distinctive morphology. Most of the new material is well-preserved, revealing narrow asymmetric tracks with claw traces, long step and phalangeal formula (2-3-4 for digits II, III and IV, respectively), suggesting a theropod track maker rather than an ornithischian, as originally inferred for the Chinese type material. The South Korean samples (eight tracks), from two localities in the Haman Formation, are considered Early Cretaceous (Aptian-Albian) in age, whereas the Chinese type material (21 specimens) has been assigned both an Early and Late Cretaceous age. The former age is probably correct as suggested by a new Minisauripus locality (5 specimens) from the Early Cretaceous (Barremian-Albian) of Shandong Province, China. Other diminutive tracks from the Sichuan fauna include Aquatilavipes sinensis (2.5cm long, a possible junior synonym of Koreanoris hamanensis), Grallator emeiensis (2cm long) and Velociraptorichnus sichuanensis (10–11cm), which occur, in various combinations, with Minisauripus at both the new Korean and Chinese localities. In Minisauripus, digit III is very short in comparison with other theropods and provides a striking contrast to G. emeinsis. This difference has significant implications for standard assumptions about theropod track allometry. Based on the classic Early Jurassic forms Grallator and Eubrontes, it has long been inferred that relative digit III length shrank with increasing size (up to foot lengths of 30–40cm). The reiteration of reduction in relative length of digit III in specimens in the size range of 2–3cm indicates that the allometric or morphodynamic ‘program’ that influenced development in large theropod clades reiterated fractally in theropod clades a full order of magnitude smaller. This shows that a given allometry can be size-dependent in one clade and size-independent in another. Thus, the developmental program appears ‘contracted’ or morphologically miniaturized by heterochrony to manifest paedomorphically in some clades and peramorphically in others. This strongly suggests that ‘formal’ developmental ‘programs operated’ along similar morphodynamic lines in quite different clades. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study focuses on the temporal variation in the compositional characteristics of atmospheric aerosols in Seoul, South Korea, during the consecutive high aerosol concentration episode from 30 December 2013 to 2 January 2014. The temporal variations in the observed physical, optical, and chemical properties show that there were three distinct episodes during the period: haze, mixed haze/Asian dust, and Asian dust episodes. For the haze period, the concentration of secondary inorganic aerosols increased and both secondary inorganic aerosols and calcium species exhibited simultaneously high concentrations during the mixed haze/Asian dust period. The neutralization factors by ammonia in the haze periods were higher as 1.03 than the other periods, meanwhile the neutralization contribution by calcium carbonate was relatively higher as 1.39 during the Asian dust episode. The backward trajectory analysis showed that concentrations of SO42−, NO3−, and NH4+ were relatively high when air masses moved over East China. Principal component analysis showed that water-soluble components originated from soil dust/incineration, secondary aerosols/biomass burning, and road dust from the haze aerosol. For the mixed haze/Asian dust episode, the major source of aerosols was estimated to have originated from soil dust, pollutants from fossil fuel combustion, biomass burning, and sea-salt emissions. Furthermore, the main sources of ionic species in the Asian dust aerosols were estimated to be sea-salt/soil dust, secondary aerosols/coal combustion, and road dust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Echinococcoses, caused by metacestodes of Echinococcus granulosus (cystic echinococcosis; CE) and E. multilocularis (alveolar echinococcosis; AE), represent major emerging parasitic diseases. These enzootic helminthiases invoke significant public health concerns and social burdens in endemic areas. The diseases are prevalent in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, China, while community-based epidemiological studies have been scarcely reported. We surveyed echinococcosis patients in the southeastern Qinghai Province, China, to better understand the concurrent epidemiological situation in this area. Methods: During July and August of 2013 and 2014, we screened echinococcosis patients at Yushu and Golog Prefectures, Qinghai Province, China, in a diagnostic campaign. A total of 2856 people (male:female ratio, 1:1.12; mean age, 34.6 years; age range, 6–88 years) were ultrasonographically examined for the presence of hepatic echinococcal cysts. We also collected serum samples from patients and analyzed antibody reactivity against recombinant forms of diverse E. granulosus antigen Bs (rEgAgB1-5) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: We detected 134 patients whose imaging scans were compatible with CE (115 cases) and AE (20 patients). One patient might have been infected with both CE and AE. The overall incidence was 4.7% (CE, 4.0%; AE, 0.7%). A large proportion (67.5%) of CE patients was diagnosed at active and transitional CE1-CE3 stages in their late 30s. The AE cases were generally detected at advanced stage in patients at early 20s (60%). Analysis of the receiver operating characteristic curve and Youden's index indicated that rEgAgB2 was the most promising biomarker, followed by rEgAgB3 and rEgAgB1. Overall, sensitivity and specificity of rEgAgB1-3 were 84.5–92.7% and 91.9–94.6%, respectively. rEgAgB4 and 5 showed low sensitivity with high cross-reactivity. Conclusions: Our results strongly suggest that disability-adjusted life years related to echinococcoses in Qinghai-Tibetan areas might be more serious than previously considered. Control and prevention strategy against CE and AE are highly required in these areas. In addition to ultrasonography, serological tests might provide supportive data. However, serological data should be carefully interpreted for differential diagnosis, especially in areas where both CE and AE are co-endemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The percentage contribution of trans-boundary mercury (Hg) from China at different locations in South Korea was estimated from Hg anthropogenic emission distributions using the Hg dispersion model, CMAQ-Hg. This investigation quantifies the trans-boundary Hg emissions as contribution ratios. In addition, the long-range transportation frequency is also calculated, to verify inflow cases from China. The seasonal distribution of the Hg contribution ratio was found to be highest in winter (40%), followed by fall (16%). Seasonal observations of Hg inflow frequencies were estimated as 40%, 25%, 21%, and 4% in winter, fall, summer, and spring, respectively, at the same location. Such results would be produced by the wind generally blowing from the west and north-west with a speed of 5.0 m/s and 4.5 m/s, respectively, during winter and fall, around the study area. This study made an effort to quantify the trans-boundary Hg transport and to plot Hg anthropogenic emissions distribution in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a key tracer of anthropogenic pollution, and it indirectly affects climate change. Anmyeon-do (AMY, 36.54° N, 126.33° E), a World Meteorological Organization/Global Atmosphere Watch Program (WMO/GAW) regional background station in Korea, provides continuous observations of CO mole fractions at the surface and vertical profiles within 0.5–9 km that are also collected by aircraft campaigns. The vertical profiles collected in 2019 were analyzed using meteorological parameters such as vertical velocity and boundary layer height (BLH), and a strong relationship was observed among them; however, the vertical distribution, which was influenced by unexpected strong pollution plumes, did not exhibit a strong relationship with vertical velocity and BLH. On November 16, we captured a strong CO signal within the boundary layer and at approximately 2 km above the BLH, where vertical profiles of the aerosol scattering coefficient at 550 nm were simultaneously observed with the same vertical structure. To identify the origins and source types of the stratification of the pollution plume for CO and aerosol, we also analyzed surface in situ observations of particle size distributions and reactive gases (NO x , O 3 , and SO 2) as well as the column averaged dry-air mole fraction of carbon monoxide (XCO) and measurements of aerosol optical depth obtained from the tropospheric monitoring instrument (TROPOMI) and moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite, respectively. The high CO event within the BLH, including observations at the surface site, was attributed to domestic burning sources. Convective uplifting of industrial fossil fuel emissions from eastern China was responsible for the high CO dry mole fraction in the low free troposphere (FT) and the elevated aerosol scattering coefficient. Statistical analyses of one-year surface in situ observations of CO reveal that CO-emission sources from eastern China contributed to extremely high CO spikes (≥80th percentile of CO or ≥ 350 ppb, approximately) in 2019. Therefore, we concluded that emissions from eastern China have a potentially leading role in the observed high pollution events at the surface and the lower FT over the AMY station in 2019. The increase in ground temperature, with the acceleration of the global warming process, can intensify the convective uplifting of pollution plumes from emission source regions to FT over East Asian regions. In addition, such an occurrence of the stratification of the atmospheric pollution plume in the troposphere should be considered in future studies on radiative forcing to improve air-quality forecasting in this region. • Collected vertical profiles of CO and aerosol scattering coefficient based on aircraft. • Estimated pollution stratification of CO and aerosol on the surface and free troposphere (FT). • Clarified regional transport of CO from source regions to troposphere over Korea. • East Asian continent deemed responsible for high CO pollution in surface and FT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because skeletal remains of very small theropods are delicate and rare, diminutive tracks provide valuable, additional evidence of body size. The distinctive Asian ichnogenus Minisauripus has assumed importance in this debate and has played a role in the challenging question about whether it represents a small trackmaker species or juveniles of a larger species. New discoveries of Minisauripus footprints from the Lower Cretaceous Feitianshan Formation at Yangmozu in Sichuan Province, China, support the conclusion that all known examples of this ichnotaxon are small. The main Yangmozu site reveals 65 theropod tracks (~ 20 trackways) of different-sized trackmakers. Three trackways, comprising 10 pes imprints of 2.5–2.6 cm length, are assigned to Minisauripus . The remaining 17 trackways represent small–medium-sized theropods (track lengths 9.9–19.6 cm), including one assigned to cf. Jialingpus . All unequivocally identified Minisauripus tracks from Korea (five sites) and China (three sites) fall in the size range of ~ 1.0–6.1 cm. Assuming a small adult trackmaker, and based on standard foot length, leg length and body length ratios, all Minisauripus tracks indicate trackmakers with hip heights of <~5.0 and ~ 28.0 cm and body lengths in the range of ~ 12.0–72.0 cm. Based on lack of large tracks (longer than 6.1 cm) at any known sites, and various precedents in the ichnological literature we infer that Minisauripus represents a small theropod species. However, we cannot completely exclude the possibility that such tracks represent juveniles of larger trackmaking species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this study, background concentration sites of Deokjeok and Gosan, which were deemed suitable for monitoring the impact of long-range transported air pollutants, were selected. An investigation of the source types of pollutants, their locations, and relative quantitative contributions to the particulate concentrations at both sites using appropriate methodologies to make initial estimations was conducted. Episodic measurements of PM2.5, PM10, and size distribution, along with its ion and carbon components were performed from 2005 to 2007, and a comprehensive analysis of the results was conducted utilizing back trajectory analysis. As for frequency of wind direction, it was quite apparent that the two sites are heavily influenced by air masses originating from the eastern and northern regions of China. For PM2.5 and PM10, the mass concentrations from north and east China were higher than other cases, originating from the ocean. In the northerly-wind case, meteorological properties for Deokjeok and Gosan and the influence of carbon emissions from northwest Korea resulted in a changing of air mass properties during transport. As was the case with mass concentration, the highest contribution for ionic and carbon components of PM2.5 and PM10 for both sites appeared for the westerly wind case. A specially high relative contribution, greater than 1.4 times, was apparent in the secondary aerosol case because of a large influence of long-range transported pollutants from east China. Carbon components exhibited different behaviors for the northerly and westerly wind cases compared with secondary aerosol. The major reason for this discrepancy appears to be the carbon emissions from northwest Korea. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The chemical industry releases various types of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the atmosphere, and the concentration of VOCs emitted from chimneys is regulated worldwide. However, some VOCs such as benzene are highly carcinogenic, while others such as ethylene and propylene may cause secondary air pollution, owing to their high ozone-generating ability. Accordingly, the US EPA(United State, Environment Protect Agency) introduced a fenceline monitoring system that regulates the concentration of VOCs at the boundary of a facility, away from the chimney source. This system was first introduced in the petroleum refining industry, which simultaneously emits benzene, affecting the local community because of its high carcinogenicity, and ethylene, propylene, xylene, and toluene, which have a high photochemical ozone creation potential (POCP). These emissions contribute to air pollution. In Korea, the concentration at the chimney is regulated; however, the concentration at the plant boundary is not considered. In accordance with the EPA regulations, Korea's petroleum refining industries were identified and the limitations of the Clean Air Conservation Act were studied. The average concentration of benzene at the research facility examined in this study was 8.53 µg/m3, which complied with the benzene action level of 9 µg/m3. However, this value was exceeded at some points along the fenceline, in proximity to the benzene-toluene-xylene (BTX) manufacturing process. The composition ratios of toluene and xylene were 27% and 16%, respectively, which were higher than those of ethylene or propylene. These results suggest that reduction measures in the BTX manufacturing process are necessary. This study shows that legal regulations should enforce reduction measures through continuous monitoring at the fenceline of petroleum refineries in Korea. Implications : Although volatile organic compounds(VOCs) are essential in various industrial sites, they adversely affect the health of people in the near community. Benzene is highly carcinogenic, so it is dangerous if exposed continuously. In addition, there are various types of VOCs, which combine with atmospheric ozone to generate smog. Globally, VOCs are managed as Total VOCs. However, through this study, VOCs have priority, and in the case of the petroleum refining industry, it is suggested that VOCs should be preemptively measured and analyzed to be regulated. In addition, it is necessary to minimize the impact on the local community by regulating the concentration at the fenceline beyond the chimney measurement.

Despite the curtailment of atmospheric condensing precursor gases during the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown (LD) period, unexpected haze events via the formation of new particles and their subsequent growth have been identified. This study investigated the impact of emission reduction during the Chinese LD period on the new particle formation (NPF) frequency and corresponding particle number size distribution (PNSD) at three regional background atmospheric monitoring sites in the western coastal areas of the Korean Peninsula. During this duration, the number concentrations of the nucleation- (<25 nm) and accumulation-mode (>90 nm) particles significantly decreased in Baengryeong (BRY), showing decreases of 34% and 29%, respectively. Unlike BRY, the PNSD in Anmyeon (AMY), which is influenced by nearby industrial emissions, remained nearly unchanged during the LD period, possibly because the reduction in industrial emissions was not significant during the social distancing period enforced by Korea. Bongseong (BOS) showed a similar variation to that of BRY; however, the magnitude of the reduction was weaker because of its higher altitude compared to other sites. The cyclostationary empirical orthogonal function technique was applied to the measured PNSDs at the three sites to objectively classify NPF events. Because mode 1 of cyclostationary loading vectors commonly represented the typical diurnal variation of PNSD during regional NPF events at three sites, mode 1 of the corresponding principal component time series was used for NPF classification. The NPF frequency decreased by 7%, 1%, and 7% in BRY, AMY, and BOS, respectively, despite favorable meteorological conditions, such as increased temperature and insolation during the LD period. The diurnal variation in the sulfuric acid (H 2 SO 4 ) proxy implied that the H 2 SO 4 proxy acted as a determining factor for NPF events during the NPF occurrence time (8-12 local hours) in AMY and BOS; however, NPF occurrence in BRY was not connected to the H 2 SO 4 proxy level. This suggests that BRY was more likely to be influenced by the reduction in organic species in the continental upwind regions, while the occurrence of NPF events in AMY and BOS can be suppressed in association with the distinct reduction in inorganic compounds represented by the H 2 SO 4 proxy during the LD period., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Using an online survey conducted in China (N = 1089), this study aims to understand the characteristics of active publics on the issue of genetically modified (GM) foods and provide effective communication strategies with active publics in China. In doing so, this study segments active publics regarding GM foods and predicts their communicative behaviors on GM foods by using the theoretical framework of situational theory of problem solving (STOPS). The results of the study revealed the demographic characteristics of active publics, situational, and media factors to predict information seeking, forefending, and forwarding about GM foods. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.

We report the response process of the Laboratory Analysis Task Force (LATF) for Unknown Disease Outbreaks (UDOs) at the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) during January 2020 to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which developed as a UDO in Korea. The advanced preparedness offered by the laboratory diagnostic algorithm for UDOs related to respiratory syndromes was critical for the rapid identification of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and enabled us to establish and expand the diagnostic capacity for COVID-19 on a national scale in a timely manner.

The present study aimed to determine the spatial and temporal variations in trophic state and identify potential causes for these variations in 60 Korean reservoirs. Empirical models were developed using the relations of nutrients (total phosphorus, TP, and total nitrogen, TN) with chlorophyll-a (CHL-a) for efficient lake managements. The empirical models indicated that TP was the key regulating factor for algal growth in agricultural (R 2  = 0.69) and power generation (R 2  = 0.50) reservoirs. The CHL-a:TP and TN:TP ratios, indicators of phosphorus limitation, were used to validate the phosphorus reduction approach. The mean CHL-a:TP ratio of agricultural reservoirs was 0.60, indicating that algal chlorophyll is potentially limited by TP than any other factors. Agricultural, multipurpose, and power generation reservoirs, based on the N:P ratios, were more P- limited systems than natural lakes and estuarine reservoirs. The trophic state index (TSI) of Korean reservoirs varied between mesotrophy to hypereutrophy based on values of TSI (TP), TSI (CHL-a), and TSI (SD). Agricultural reservoirs were hypereutrophic using the criteria of TSI (CHL-a) and blue-green algae dominated the algal community. Analysis of trophic state index deviation (TSID) indicated that agricultural reservoirs were primarily P limited and other factors had minor effect. In contrast, the trophic status of estuarine and power generation reservoirs and natural lakes was largely modified by non-algal turbidity. Our outcomes may be effectively used for Korean lakes and reservoirs management., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Consumption of seafood is a major contributor to perfluorinated alkyl substances (PFASs) exposure. Crabs contain high levels of PFASs, and different PFASs are concentrated in their tissues depending on their habitat. Despite South Korea importing huge quantities of crabs, no investigation has been conducted on the effect of PFAS exposure. This study investigated the risk of exposure to PFASs when ingesting crabs. To determine the risk of exposure, 19 different PFAS species were measured in the edible parts (body, legs, offal, and eggs) of crabs originating from South Korea (n = 17), China (n = 14), India (n = 7), and Pakistan (n = 31), which were distributed in the fish markets of South Korea. The results revealed that, in contrast to short-chain PFASs, long-chain PFASs (PFCAs≥8, PFSAs≥6, and perfluorooactane sulfonamidoacetic acids (FOSAAs)≥8) were detected in crab samples from all four countries of origin, and in all the edible parts except for the legs. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA; 16.9 ng/g in South Korea, 9.42 ng/g in China) and perfluoro-n-tridecanoic acid (PFTrDA; 5.35 ng/g in South Korea, 2.40 ng/g in China) were the predominant perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs) detected in the crabs originating from South Korea and China, and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS; 7.02 ng/g in Pakistan, 5.88 ng/g in India) was the predominant perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids (PFSAs) detected in crabs originating from Pakistan and India. These results indicate that PFASs that are accumulated in crabs differ depending on the ocean from which they originate. The concentrations of PFOA and PFOS were significantly higher in the eggs and offal than in the legs and body of the crab. The average daily intake of PFOA and PFOS in South Koreans ranges from 0.01% to 0.07% based on the tolerable daily intake of EFSA and MFDS. These results establish the PFAS profiles and risk assessment of crabs that are distributed in South Korea., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors have no other potential conflicts of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

A complicated case of echinococcosis with multiple organ involvement is reported in a 53-year-old businessman who frequently traveled overseas, including China, Russia, and Kazakhstan from 2001 to 2007. The patient was first diagnosed with a large liver cyst during a screening abdomen ultrasonography in 2011, but he did not follow up on the lesion afterwards. Six years later, dizziness, dysarthria, and cough developed, and cystic lesions were found in the brain, liver and lungs. The clinical course was complicated when the patient went through multiple surgeries and inadequate treatment with a short duration of albendazole without a definite diagnosis. The patient visited our hospital for the first time in August 2018 due to worsening symptoms; he was finally diagnosed with echinococcosis using imaging and serologic criteria. He is now on prolonged albendazole treatment (400 mg twice a day) with gradual clinical and radiological improvement. A high index of suspicion is warranted to early diagnose echinococcosis in a patient with a travel history to endemic areas of echinococcosis.

A strictly aerobic Gram-positive, moderately halophilic spore forming bacterium, designated strain SL6-1(T), was isolated from a salt lake in Xin-jiang province, China. Growth of strain SL6-1(T) was observed at NaCl concentrations of 0 approximately 20% (w/v) (the optimum being 5 approximately 7%, w/v). The peptidoglycan type of strain SL6-1(T) was Algamma-meso-diaminopimelic acid and its major cellular fatty acids were iso-C(14:0) and iso-C(16:0) and ante-iso-C(15:0). The major respiratory isoprenoid quinone was MK-7 and the G+C content of the genomic DNA was 44.5 mol%. The major cellular phospholipids were phosphatidylglycerol and diphosphatidylglycerol. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain SL6-1(T) formed a phylogenetic lineage within the genus Virgibacillus. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity, the strain was most closely related to Virgibacillus olivae E(30)8(T), Virgibacillus kekensis YIM kkny16(T), Virgibacillus marismortui DSM 12325(T) with 97.1%, 97.1%, and 97.0% gene sequence similarities, respectively and the sequence similarities to other related taxa were less than 96.7%. The DNA relatedness values between strain SL6-1(T) and V. olivae E(30)8(T), V. kekensis YIM kkny16(T), V. marismortui DSM 12325(T) were 16.7%, 51.0%, and 22.8%, respectively. On the basis of physiological, biochemical and phylogenetic properties, strain SL6-1(T) represents a novel species, for which the name Virgibacillus xinjiangensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is SL6-1(T) (=KCTC 13128(T) =DSM 19031(T)).

Rice stripe virus (RSV) is one of the most destructive pathogens of rice plants in East Asia. The RSV genome consists of four single-stranded RNA segments. We have determined and compared the complete nucleotide sequences of the RNA1 and RNA2 segments and the deduced amino acid sequence of each ORF of the 13 Korean RSV isolates and established their relationships with reported RSV sequences from China and Japan. Our results showed that the average percent nucleotide divergence based on the full-length genome is higher in RNA2 (2.2%) than in RNA1 (2.0%). The average percent amino acid variation of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), glycoprotein and NS2 genes encoded by viral complementary (vc) RNA1, viral RNA2 and vcRNA2, showed 2.8, 2.5 and 6.46%, respectively. On the other hand, the average percent nucleotide variation in the intergenic region (IGR) of RNA2 among the 13 Korean-RSV isolates was 3.5%. Phylogenetic analysis of the 13 Korean, 1 Japanese and 5 Chinese isolates based on their complete nucleotide sequences revealed two distinct types of RNA1 and three distinct types of RNA2. Most Chinese isolates grouped with one of the RNA1 types, but they were distributed among the three types when grouped by RNA2. Japanese isolate T was grouped with Korean isolates into one of the RNA1 and RNA2 genotypes. Taken together, our results suggest that the RSV population in Korea consists of mixtures of RNA1-RNA4 genome segments originating from distinctive ancestors, most likely due to either reassortment or recombination events among isolates.

Woohwangcheongsimwon is a traditional medicine for treating hypertension, arteriosclerosis, coma, and stroke in China and Korea. To assess potential interactions of herb and drug metabolism, commercially available Woohwangcheongsimwon suspensions were examined for their potential to inhibit the activity of nine human cytochrome P450 enzymes. The Woohwangcheongsimwon suspensions showed strong inhibition of CYP2B6 activity. To identify individual constituents with inhibitory activity, the suspension was partitioned using hexane, ethyl acetate, and dichloromethane, and each fraction was tested for its inhibitory effect on CYP2B6-catalyzed bupropion hydroxylation. The hexane fraction possessed inhibitory activity, and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis identified borneol and isoborneol as major constituents of the hexane fraction. These two terpenoids moderately inhibited CYP2B6-catalyzed bupropion hydroxylase activity in a competitive manner, with K(i) values of 9.5 and 5.9 microM, respectively, as well as efavirenz 8-hydroxylase activity, with K(i) values of 22 and 26 microM, respectively. Additionally, reconstituted mixtures of borneol and isoborneol, at the same concentrations as in the Woohwangcheongsimwon suspension, had comparable potency in inhibiting bupropion hydroxylation. These in vitro data indicate that Woohwangcheongsimwon preparations contain constituents that can potently inhibit the activity of CYP2B6 and suggest that these preparations should be examined for potential pharmacokinetic drug interactions in vivo.