• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.298-309
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• 2020

Background: Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) is a useful medicinal and oil crop in Korea. However, when safflower is cultivated, the flowering period overlaps with the rainy season, and seed maturation is poor. Therefore, this study aimed to use basic research data to develop superior varieties using agronomic characteristics and crossing method. Methods and Results: A total of 34 safflower germplasms were sown and their agronomic characteristics were investigated. Based on these investigations, the cultivar 'ui-san-hong-hwa' was selected as the mother plant, and 'Myanmar safflower' (Hsu Pan) was selected as the father plant. In addition, we developed a floret-protecting cap to cover florets after emasculation during the artificial crossing. When florets were protected by the cap, the seed setting rate increased in comparison to that in the non-covered florets. Conclusions: Agronomic characteristics can contribute to developing suitable varieties. The results suggest that the protection cap will be helpful in breeding without the floral organ drying. This study contributes an efficient breeding method to develop new safflower varieties.

• The Southeast Asian review
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.35-79
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• 2014

This study examines the measures for the activation and the growth of intra-regional trade in Southeast Asia taking a look at the four dimensions of tariff rates, non-tariff barriers, trade facilitations, and trade infrastructures. Utilizing a gravity model, we performed empirical analysis and discussed the policy implications with the priorities to implement. To expand the intra-regional trade in Southeast Asia it would be necessary to enhance the level of trade facilitations and provide trade infrastructures, such as ports and airports as well as cutting the tariff rates and eliminating the non-trade barriers. In particular, in the case of exports of ASEAN6 to ASEAN6 the infrastructure is the important factor. Also, in the case of the exports of ASEAN6 to CLMV(Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam), it is expected that eliminating non-tariff barriers and enhancing trade facilitations may play important roles in the progress of intra-regional trade. These results may provide the important implications for Southeast Asian countries, which are trying to promote intra-regional trade ahead of the constitution of ASEAN Economic Community by 2015. Southeast Asian countries could be evaluated to achieve a certain level of trade liberalization and economic integration through the formation of AFTA. But in order for Southeast Asia to develop to advanced economic integrated region it requires mutual cooperations and policy harmonizations among regional countries. Also, for the elimination of non-tariff barriers, promoting trade facilitations, and providing infrastructures, the administrative, legal, and institutional measures would have to be fulfilled in advance. In addition, capital investment for constructing infrastructures would be necessary to realize the intra-regional trade expansion. However, to achieve the goal, it would require a large capital investment and highly mandated policy considerations and harmonizations among Southeast Asian countries in terms of further trade liberalization and economic integration.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.57 no.5
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• pp.469-479
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• 2019

Plasmodium vivax is usually considered morbidity in endemic areas of Asia, Central and South America, and some part of Africa. In Thailand, previous studies indicated the genetic diversity of P. vivax in malaria-endemic regions such as the western part of Thailand bordering with Myanmar. The objective of the study is to investigate the genetic diversity of P. vivax circulating in Southern Thailand by using 3 antigenic markers and 8 microsatellite markers. Dried blood spots were collected from Chumphon, Phang Nga, Ranong and, Surat Thani provinces of Thailand. By PCR, 3 distinct sizes of $PvMSP3{\alpha}$, 2 sizes of $PvMSP3{\beta}$ and 2 sizes of PvMSP1 F2 were detected based on the length of PCR products, respectively. PCR/RFLP analyses of these antigen genes revealed high levels of genetic diversity. The genotyping of 8 microsatellite loci showed high genetic diversity as indicated by high alleles per locus and high expected heterozygosity ($H_E$). The genotyping markers also showed multiple-clones of infection. Mixed genotypes were detected in 4.8% of $PvMSP3{\alpha}$, 29.1% in $PvMSP3{\beta}$ and 55.3% of microsatellite markers. These results showed that there was high genetic diversity of P. vivax isolated from Southern Thailand, indicating that the genetic diversity of P. vivax in this region was comparable to those observed other areas of Thailand.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.57 no.5
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• pp.499-504
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• 2019

Head-lice infestation, pediculosis capitis, remains a public-health burden in many countries. The widely used first-line pediculicides and alternative treatments are often too costly for use in poor socio-economic settings. Ivermectin has been considered an alternate treatment for field practice. This study was composed of 2 parts, a cross-sectional survey and an intervention study. The main objectives were to determine the prevalence and potential factors associated with head-lice infestation, and to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of oral ivermectin administration. A community-based cross-sectional survey was conducted among 890 villagers in rural areas along Thai-Myanmar border. Females with infestations were eligible for the intervention study, and 181 participated in the intervention study. A post-treatment survey was conducted to assess acceptance of ivermectin as a treatment choice. Data analysis used descriptive statistics and a generalized-estimation-equation model adjusted for cluster effect. The study revealed the prevalence of head-lice infestation was 50% among females and only 3% among males. Age stratification showed a high prevalence among females aged <20 years, and among 50% of female school-children. The prevalence was persistent among those with a history of infestation. The major risk factors were residing in a setting with other infected cases, and sharing a hair comb. The study also confirmed that ivermectin was safe and effective for field-based practice. It was considered a preferable treatment option. In conclusion, behavior-change communication should be implemented to reduce the observed high prevalence of head-lice infestation. Ivermectin may be an alternative choice for head-lice treatment, especially in remote areas.

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
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• 2016.05a
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• pp.188-188
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• 2016

The Mekong which is one of the world's most significant rivers plays an extremely important role to South East Asia. Lying across six riparian countries including China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam and being a greatly biological and ecological diversity of fishes, the river supports a huge population who living along Mekong Basin River. Therefore, much attention has been focused on the giant Mekong Basin River, particularly, the soil erosion and sedimentation problems which rise critical impacts on irrigation, agriculture, navigation, fisheries and aquatic ecosystem. In fact, there have been many methods to calculate these problems; however, in the case of Mekong, the available data have significant limitations because of large area (about 795 00 km2) and a failure by management agencies to analyze and publish of developing countries in Mekong Basin River. As a result, the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) model in a GIS (Geographic Information System) framework was applied in this study. The USLE factors contain the rainfall erosivity, soil erodibility, slope length, steepness, crop management and conservation practices which are represented by raster layers in GIS environment. In the final step, these factors were multiplied together to estimate the soil erosion rate in the study area by using spatial analyst tool in the ArcGIS 10.2 software. The spatial distribution of soil loss result will be used to support river basin management to find the subtainable management practices by showing the position and amount of soil erosion and sediment load in the dangerous areas during the selected 56- year period from 1952 to 2007.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2019.04a
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• pp.122-122
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• 2019

Protaetia brevitarsis (PB) extracts has been traditionally used as medicinal stuff to treat blood stasis, occlusion of menstruation, tetanus and liver cancer in Asian countries (Korea, Japan, China, Taiwan, India and Myanmar). Especially, Donguibogam, which is traditional korean medicinal book, described the PB extracts as traditional medicine to treat hepatic diseases and vascular disorders. The PB extracts has been considered as highly nutritional food. The major constituents of PB extracts are rich in protein, healthy fats, iron, calcium. Recent studies announced that PB extracts has hepatoprotective effect and anti-microbacterial effect. However, the effect of PB on ulcerative colitis has not been uncovered yet. The aim of this study was to examine the anti-inflammatory effect of PB extracts in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis mice model. Cytotoxicity of PB was determined by MTT assay and the antiinflammatory effect of PB extract was investigated by measuring nitric oxide (NO) production. PB extracts did not show any cytotoxicity. AIso, PB extracts supressed NO production in LPS-stimulated mice peritoneal macrophages. To determine whether PB could be an effective treatment on ulcerative colitis, DSS was administered in BALB/c mice for 10 days. PB extract significantly improved the clinical signs of DSS-induced UC, including body weight loss, colon length shortening, and disease activity index increase, with histological markers of colon injury. These findings indicated the possibility of PB as a therapeutic agent on ulcerative colitis.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.57 no.1
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• pp.55-60
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• 2019

This study was undertaken to determine the complete mitochondrial DNA sequence and structure of the mitochondrial genome of Spirometra ranarum, and to compare it with those of S. erinaceieuropaei and S. decipiens. The aim of this study was to provide information of the species level taxonomy of Spirometra spp. using the mitochondrial genomes of 3 Spirometra tapeworms. The S. ranarum isolate originated from Myanmar. The mitochondrial genome sequence of S. ranarum was compared with that of S. erinaceieuropaei (GenBank no. KJ599680) and S. decipiens (GenBank no. KJ599679). The complete mtDNA sequence of S. ranarum comprised 13,644 bp. The S. ranarum mt genome contained 36 genes comprising 12 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNAs and 2 rRNAs. The mt genome lacked the atp8 gene, as found for other cestodes. All genes in the S. ranarum mitochondrial genome are transcribed in the same direction and arranged in the same relative position with respect to gene loci as found for S. erinaceieuropaei and S. decipiens mt genomes. The overall nucleotide sequence divergence of 12 protein-coding genes between S. ranarum and S. decipiens differed by 1.5%, and 100% sequence similarity was found in the cox2 and nad6 genes, while the DNA sequence divergence of the cox1, nad1, and nad4 genes of S. ranarum and S. decipiens was 2.2%, 2.1%, and 2.6%, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.1083-1096
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• 2020

Global attention to the greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and forest degradation is increasing. There is a growing recognition of reducing emission from deforestation and forest degradation plus (REDD+) as an effective way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the forestry sector. The Republic of Korea is implementing REDD+ pilot projects in four Southeast Asian countries as part of its efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This study evaluates countries with the potential to become priority partner countries for Korea's REDD+ programs, using the following five criteria: The first criterion is that a country should include the forest sector and REDD+ in its national plan for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The second and third criteria refer to an average forest coverage rate of over 44% and a forest change rate of over - 0.1%, among the countries with forest cover of more than 10 million ha. The fourth criterion is that the country should meet the Forest Reference Emission Level requirements, one of the four elements of the Warsaw REDD+ Framework. The fifth criterion is that the country should have bilateral relations with the Republic of Korea in forestry while at the same time be a partner country for cooperation on climate change as well as a REDD+ pilot country. Based on our evaluation, we conclude that the first priority countries are Indonesia, Cambodia, and Myanmar. The second priority countries include Brazil, Ecuador, and Peru. Finally, the third priority countries are Columbia, Congo, and Mozambique. This study suggests that for the selection of priority partner countries, Korean REDD+ programs should center on existing REDD+ pilot countries.

• The Southeast Asian review
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.117-159
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• 2017

This study analyzed the driving factors of the enlargement process of ASEAN member countries from 1995 to 1999. The main research question is how can it explain the difference in the decision-making timing of countries wishing to join regional cooperation. This study focuses on why the countries that did not join ASEAN in the early years of ASEAN membership, since the mid - 1990s, and why they joined the different periods since the end of the Cold War. To this end, this study analyzed the accession process of Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia. The main argument of the study is that there is a time gap in the accession of ASEAN, but ultimately the regional cooperation is used to secure the legitimacy of maintaining the system. Most of the previous studies on the expansion of regional cooperation have discussed the expansion of regional cooperation in terms of macroeconomic changes such as international system change. However, this study focuses on the domestic political and economic situation of motivating individual member countries to join regional cooperation and this is complemented by a micro approach.

• The Southeast Asian review
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.127-165
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• 2014

This article regards the phase of political confrontations in Thailand and Burma as a prolonged and inconclusive political struggle between national revolution forces and civil revolution forces. It argues that in Thai case, anti-monarchy constitutional revolution has led to a right-wing national revolution based on state nationalism consolidating capitalist economic system by Sarit's military coup, while in Burmese case, anti-British imperialism movement in colonial era has resulted in a left-wing national revolution grounded on state nationalism associating with socialist economic system by Ne Win's military coup. It is also interesting to note that the two cases experienced state nationalism denying autonomous civil society as a process of nation-building in spite of their contrasting ideologies. In both cases, it became inevitable to have national revolution forces clinging to official nationalism and state nationalism confronting with civil revolution forces seeking popular nationalism and liberal nationalism. In particular, unlike Burmese society, Thai society, without colonial history has never experienced a civil war mobilizing anti-colonial popular nationalism including ethnic revolt. This article considers Dankwart Rustow's argument that national unity as a background condition must precede all the other phases of democratization, but that otherwise its timing is irrelevant. In this context, Thai democratization without national unity which began earlier than Burmese is taking a backward step. For the time being, there would be no solution map to overcome severe political polarization between the right-wing national revolution forces defending official nationalism cum state nationalism and the civil revolution forces trying to go beyond official nationalism towards popular nationalism cum liberal nationalism. In contrast, paradoxically belated Burmese democratization has just taken a big leap in escaping from serious and inconclusive nature of political struggle between the left-wing national revolution forces to defend official nationalism cum state nationalism and civil revolution based on popular nationalism cum liberal nationalism towards a reconciliation phase in order to seek solutions for internal conflicts. The two case studies imply that national unity is not a background condition, but a consequence of the process of political polarization and reconciliation between national revolution forces and civil revolution forces.