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Background: Evodiae fructus is a natural plant that is used as a medicinal material in many Asian countries such as Korea and China. However, little is known about its effect on ulcerative colitis. Objectives: Thus, the purpose of this study was to find the improvement effect of Evodiae fructus in mice model with dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis. Materials and Methods: The animal experiments were conducted using ulcerative colitis animals induced by DSS. To induce ulcerative colitis in BALB/c mice used in the experiment, 5% DSS was supplied as drinking water for 7 days. BALB/c mice were divided into five groups (n = 8): Group 1 (normal group), Group 2 (5% DSS control group), Group 3 (5% DSS + sulfasalazine 60 mg/kg treated), Group 4 (5% DSS + Evodiae fructus water extract 50 mg/kg treated), Group 5 (5% DSS + Evodiae fructus water extract 100 mg/kg treated). After the animal experiment, the expression of antioxidant, oxidative stress, inflammatory, and necrosis-related factors in colonic tissues was analyzed by western blotting. Results: As a result, the Evodiae fructus treatment group reduced oxidative stress by increasing the expression of Nrf2, an antioxidant-related transcription factor. Also, the expression of NF-κB, an inflammatory transcription factor, was reduced, thereby reducing the expression of pro-inflammatory proteins and inflammatory cytokines. Conclusion: These results suggest that Evodiae fructus treatment has an inhibitory effect on inflammation against DSS-induced colitis. Therefore, Evodiae fructus has the potential to be used as a natural medicine for ulcerative colitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents an analysis of South Korea’s strategic choices over the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), and the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) in light of the Sino–US competition in post-Cold War East Asia. South Korea’s puzzling behavior here represents Seoul’s hedging strategy against the uncertain future of the Sino–US competition in East Asia. The driving force of South Korea’s hedging behavior is Seoul’s dual concerns about being excessively dependent on the USA for its security at the time of China’s rapid rise on the one hand and being pulled into a growing China’s sphere of influence at the expense of traditional US–ROK security ties on the other. Reflecting Seoul’s prudent balancing acts between the two superpowers, South Korea’s hedging often results in apparently indecisive and underdetermined strategic choices in the face of the intensifying Sino–US competition. Nevertheless, South Korea’s hedging strategy allows Seoul to deepen extensive economic ties with Beijing while maintaining a traditional security alliance with Washington. The hedging behavior of South Korea, which is uniquely positioned as a strategic partner of rapidly rising China as well as a key security ally of the rebalancing USA, sheds important light on the behavior of middle powers in alliance politics, which has largely been neglected in the current literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A variant type of duck hepatitis A virus (DHAV), DHAV-3 was recently discovered in South Korea and China. Sequence analyses verified that the variant is genetically or serologically different from the DHAV-1 and DHAV-2 types. Duck hepatitis had been reported in South Korea since 1985 and an attenuated DHAV-1 vaccine had efficiently prevented epidemics of DHAV-1 until 2002. Despite the DHAV-1 based vaccine in use the novel DHAV-3 circulating in South Korea remains to be a threat to duckling farming. To develop a live attenuated vaccine against DHAV-3, a representative isolate, AP-04203, was therefore attenuated by repeated passages in SPF chicken embryos 100 times. The 100th passaged virus, AP-04203P100, did not cause clinical sign and mortality in 1-day-old ducklings as well as reversion of virulence capacity. The ducklings vaccinated with AP-04203P100 virus (103.0 ELD50/0.2ml) on 1-day-old age via the intramuscular injection were well protected from 2 days after challenge with pathogenic AP04203P1 virus via the intramuscular route. In addition, the vaccine candidate also exhibited complete protection against currently circulating pathogenic DHAV-3 isolates. In conclusion, we demonstrate that the live attenuated virus, AP-04203P100, is a promising vaccine candidate facilitating the prevention of duck hepatitis caused by DHAV-3 around East Asia including South Korea. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Root extracts of Ancistrocladus tectorius (AT), a shrub native to China, have been shown to have antiviral and antitumor activities, but the anti-obesity effects of AT aerial parts, mainly the leaves and stems, have not been investigated. This study is the first to investigate the anti-obesity effects and molecular mechanism of AT 70% ethanol extract in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and high-fat diet (HFD)-fed C57BL/6J mice. Treatment with AT extract inhibited lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells and decreased the expression of adipogenesis-related genes. AT extract also upregulated the mRNA expression of genes related to mitochondrial dynamics in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. AT administration for 12 weeks reduced body weight and organ weights, including liver, pancreas, and white and brown adipose tissue, and improved plasma profiles such as glucose, insulin, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, triglyceride (TG), and total cholesterol in HFD-fed mice. AT extract reduced HFD-induced hepatic steatosis with levels of liver TG and lipogenesis-related genes. AT extract upregulated thermogenesis-related genes such as Cidea, Pgc1α, Ucp1, Prdm16, Adrb1, and Adrb3 and mitochondrial dynamics-related genes such as Mff, Opa1, and Mfn2 in brown adipose tissue (BAT). Therefore, AT extract effectively reduced obesity by promoting thermogenesis and the mitochondrial dynamics of BAT in HFD-fed mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Bombyx mandarina (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae), the presumed ancestor of B. mori, has long been a subject of study to illustrate the geographic variation in relationship to origin of B. mori. We report 37 mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) sequences of B. mori strains obtained by whole-genome sequencing and four of B. mandarina individuals obtained by Sanger sequencing from South Korea. These mitogenome sequences were combined with 45 public data to uncover the population genetic and phylogenetic relationships among regional populations of B. mandarina and their relationships to B. mori. A substantial genetic reduction in B. mori strains compared to the B. mandarina was detected, with the highest diversity detected in the Chinese origin B. mori. Chinese B. mandarina were divided into northern and southern groups, largely concordant to the Qinling–Huaihe line, and the northern group was placed as an immediate progenitor of monophyletic B. mori strains in phylogenetic analyses. The enigmatic South Korean population of B. mandarina, which has often been regarded as a closer genetic group to Japan, was most similar to the northern Chinese group, evidencing substantial gene flow between the two regions. This is the first report that the South Korean B. mandarina are closer genetically to the northern Chinese group. We report 37 mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) sequences of Bombyx mori strains (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae) and four of B. mandarina individuals, each preserved and collected, respectively, in South Korea. These mitogenome sequences combined with 45 public data showed a substantial genetic reduction in B. mori strains compared to the presumed ancestor B. mandarina, with the highest diversity detected in the Chinese origin B. mori. Chinese B. mandarina were divided into northern and southern groups, concordant to the Qinling–Huaihe line, and the northern group was placed as an immediate progenitor of monophyletic B. mori strains in phylogenetic analyses, as has previously been detected. However, one individual that was in close proximity to the south Qinling–Huaihe line was exceptional, belonging to the northern group. The enigmatic South Korean population of B. mandarina, which has often been regarded as a closer genetic group to Japan, was most similar to the northern Chinese group, evidencing substantial gene flow between the two regions. Although a substantial genetic divergence is present between B. mandarina in southern China and Japan, a highly supported sister relationship between the two regional populations may suggest the potential origin of Japanese B. mandarina from southern China instead of the Korean peninsula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reveals the role of research and development (R&D) policies in the development of the technology-intensive industries of China. Since economic reform began in 1978, the Chinese government has transformed the R&D system from one that was wholly centrally planned into a more market-orientated system, making it more efficient and productive. At the same time, the state, its incentives and its investment remain significant. The government has increased the R&D expenditure rapidly, while trying to develop indigenous technologies. It has actively utilised foreign direct investment inflows as the means to introduce advanced technology from developed countries. It has also provided systematic guidelines and established the economic technology development zones and high technology industrial development zones, in order to channel foreign investment inflows into technology-intensive industries. China has placed emphasis on the development of human resources in science and technology as well. Finally, the implications of the role of government in developing technology-intensive industries are considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study tested the effects of patients' cultural orientations on preferences for medical decision making among patients from Hong Kong and Beijing. Specifically, this study aimed to assess whether self-construals, as individual-level correlates of individualism and collectivism, had an impact on how Chinese patients prefer to make decisions about their medical care. A family decision option was added to the revised form of the Autonomy Preference Index (Ende, Kazis, Ash, & Moskowitz, 1989; Smith, Garko, Bennett, Irwin, & Schofield, 1994). This was administered along with a set of items to assess the self-construal of participants. Consistent with previous findings, Chinese from both Hong Kong and Beijing preferred joint decision making to either patient or doctor decision making. Participants' levels of interdependent self-construal positively predicted preferences for decisions made by the physician, joint decision making, and decisions made by family, but not decisions made by patients. On the other hand, the level of independent self-construal positively predicted preference for patient decision making and joint decision making, but not decisions made by the family and the doctor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agarwood is a resinous wood from the tree in the family Thymelaeaceae. It has been used as traditional medicine in China and Southeast Asia countries. This study was conducted to evaluate the potential of agarwood pill (AP) as a supplement to enhance immune function. In this study, immunity-enhancing activity was demonstrated in BALB/c male mice administered with AP for 10 days after intraperitoneal injection of cyclophosphamide (CPA). Results demonstrated that AP supplementation ameliorated spleen index and body weight changes of CPA-injected mice by increasing the proliferation of T- and B-lymphocytes as well as the activity of natural killer cells. Analysis of spleen-derived lymphocytes showed that counts of CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells were slightly recovered in the spleen of mice treated with a high dosage of AP. Serum levels of immune-related cytokines of tumor necrosis factor-α were notably restored after AP administration. In addition, serum levels of immunoglobulin (Ig) M and IgG were recovered by AP administration at a medium dosage. Furthermore, in analysis of ex vivo bone marrow-derived macrophages and dendritic cells, counts of immune-related interleukin-12, major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-I, MHC-II, CD80, and CD86 were significantly increased by AP treatment in concentration-dependent manner. This study provides reference data for the development of AP as a supplementation to enhance human immune function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an effort to gain greater insight into the nature of the population genetic structure of the pest insect Spodoptera litura (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), tobacco cutworms were collected from six Korean and five Chinese localities, and their mitochondrial A+T-rich region and nuclear internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) were cloned and sequenced. The A+T-rich region and nuclear ITS2 provided a maximum sequence divergence of 2.88 and 1.82%, respectively. Overall, a low level of genetic fixation ( F = 0-0.02965 in the A+T-rich region and 0-0.34491 in ITS2) and no discernible isolated population were noted among most S. litura populations. Along with these results, the absence of genetic variance between Korea and China indicates a profound interrelation of the S. litura populations in the two countries, consistent with the current notion that S. litura has sufficient flight capacity for dispersal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid and efficient identification of the geographical origin of Angelica gigas roots (dang-gui) was performed using DART-TOF-MS (direct analysis in real time-time of flight-mass spectrometry) based metabolomics. As an ambient desorption/ionization technique, DART-TOF-MS can provide soft ionization and rapid analysis of samples with little sample preparation so it has been advantageously applied to high-throughput metabolomics analysis. In order to develop an efficient tool for discriminating, particularly geographical origin of raw herbal medicine, we employed DART-TOF-MS fingerprinting on dang-gui from Korean and Chinese markets. Principal component analysis of DART-TOF-MS fingerprints gave distinctive clustering information among two species of A. gigas and A. sinensis so that we used only A. gigas species for the sequential experiment. Orthogonal projections to latent structures-discriminant analysis of A. gigas samples revealed the separation between samples cultivated in two countries. Major discriminating components were elucidated as decursin/decursinol angelate, unidentified molecular ion of m/z 247 (protonated ions of molecular formula of CHO) and another molecular ion of m/z 432. DART-TOF-MS based chemical fingerprinting with the multivariate analysis of dang-gui was shown to be efficient and accurate way to identify its geographical origin, between Korea and China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Previously, we demonstrated that the concentrations of DDTs were greater in breast milk collected from Chinese mothers than from Japanese and Korean mothers. To investigate dicofol as a possible source of the DDTs in human breast milk, we collected breast milk samples from 2007 to 2009 in China (Beijing), Korea (Seoul, Busan) and Japan (Sendai, Takarazuka and Takayama). Using these breast milk samples, we quantified the concentrations of dichlorobenzophenone, a pyrolysis product of dicofol (simply referred to as dicofol hereafter), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane and its metabolites (DDTs) using GC–MS. Overall, 12 of 14 pooled breast milk samples from 210 mothers contained detectable levels of dicofol (>0.1ngg−1 lipid). The geometric mean concentration of dicofol in the Japanese breast milk samples was 0.3ngg−1 lipid and significantly lower than that in Chinese (9.6ngg−1 lipid) or Korean breast milk samples (1.9ngg−1 lipid) (p <0.05 for each). Furthermore, the ΣDDT levels in breast milk from China were 10-fold higher than those from Korea and Japan. The present results strongly suggest the presence of extensive emission sources of both dicofol and DDTs in China. However, exposure to dicofol cannot explain the large exposure of Chinese mothers to DDTs because of the trace levels of dicofol in the ΣDDTs. In the present study, dicofol was confirmed to be detectable in human breast milk. This is the first report to identify dicofol in human samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Human breast milk samples collected in 2007–2008 from four countries, Vietnam (Hanoi), China (Beijing), Korea (Seoul) and Japan (Sendai, Kyoto and Takayama), were analyzed for persistent organic pollutants (POPs) such as dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane and its metabolites (DDTs), chlordane-related compounds (CHLs), hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). Comparing with previous surveys, the present study indicates that the DDTs in breast milk from China and Vietnam had gradually decreased during the last decade, but were still 5–10 times higher than those in other nations. The ratios of p,p′-DDE/p,p′-DDT and o,p′-DDT/p,p′-DDT were higher in Beijing than in the other countries, suggesting that there is less fresh intake of commercial DDT products and a possible exposure to dicofol in China. CHL and PCB levels were relatively higher in mothers from Japan, whereas β-HCH and HCB were more common in Chinese women. In Japan, it is suspected that mothers in the urban/coastal area (Sendai) were more continuously exposed to organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) than mothers in the rural/inland area (Takayama). In addition, OCP levels in primiparae were significantly higher than those in multiparae from Japan and Korea. These indicate that both parity and regional factors are major determinants of the levels of OCPs and PCBs in human milk. On the other hand, higher concentrations of PBDEs were observed in mothers'' milk from Korea. The congener was dominated by BDE-47 (43–54%), followed by BDE-153 (23–33%) in all regions except for Beijing where BDE-28 (23%) was relatively abundant. In Japanese breast milk, regional and parity-dependent distributions were not observed for PBDEs. Among PBDE congeners, age-dependency was observed for BDE-153, which was negatively correlated (p <0.05) to the age of mothers in Kyoto (17 participants were housewives), while it increased with age in Sendai (10 participants were clerks). No such correlation was seen for BDE-47, indicating that BDE-47 was ingested and assimilated via different kinetics or routes from BDE-153 in Japan. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]