• Journal of Contemporary Eastern Asia
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.130-151
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• 2018

China's cultural diplomacy is mostly understood as an endeavour to build and project soft power, which draws on three sources of 'culture, political values and foreign policy' according to Nye. This paper focuses on the debates about the vehicle and agents of China's cultural diplomacy. It starts with a theoretical discussion of the competing views in the Chinese context, and develops an argument that the vehicle of China's cultural diplomacy tries to project soft power on two wheels of culture and political values, to serve the purpose of reshaping China's image away from being the 'cultural other' and 'ideological other' respectively. However, the state-led approach to driving this vehicle is generating some side effects with its sponsorship, censorship and presence in the driver's seat. Then the paper analyses the inherent tensions existing in practice both between the two sources of building soft power and between the two means of doing so, attraction and persuasion, with empirical evidence through a comparative case study of the Confucius Institutes in the US and South Korea. The finding shows that China's attempt at reshaping its image as an Eastern cultural contestant is often disrupted by its authoritarian political values, and the state-led persuasion is often reducing China's cultural attraction. Following this, the paper finishes with some recommendations regarding evolving the cultural diplomacy approach from a vertical one that is government-centred to a horizontal one that is network-based with multiple agents, and localising its practice by engaging the target audiences as stakeholders.

• Journal of Contemporary Eastern Asia
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.50-67
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• 2018

Heritage has entered the center stage of public diplomacy in East Asia. Competition to claim and interpret memories of World War II in East Asia has driven campaigns to list heritage items with UNESCO. State and non-state actors aim to use heritage listings to present a particular view of the war and related history to domestic and international audiences. This paper highlights the role of heritage soft power in East Asia's "memory contests" by examining the promotion of dissonant modern heritage in UNESCO's heritage programs. It conceptualizes heritage designation as a soft power resource in East Asia and presents a conceptual framework for understanding the hegemonic competition over the "memory regime" that emerged from the structural change in East Asia's regional order. It then uses this framework to analyze the processes by which state and non-state actors promote and/or object to UNESCO recognition of their sites and documents as heritage of outstanding universal value or world significance. The elements of this process are illustrated with case studies of two very different pieces of heritage, Japan's "Sites of the Meiji Industrial Revolution" and China's "Documents of Nanjing Massacre," which were enshrined as significant world heritage in 2015. While state and non-state actors in East Asia are increasingly recognizing the utility of heritage as a soft power resource for advancing specific historical narratives to an international audience, a backlash movement from civil society groups and governments in other countries prevents a purely unilateral interpretation. As a result, the utility of heritage soft power in this context must be significantly qualified.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.399-405
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• 1989

The dependence of voltammetric parameters on the pressure for the reduction of Cu(II) in 0.5M KCl aqueous solution has been studied. In this system micro platinum electrode, standard calomel electrode and a helix type of platinum wire were used as the working, the reference and the auxilary electrode, respectively. With increasing the pressure from 1 to 1,800 bars, the half wave potentials of first reduction wave are shifted to the more negative potentials. And the diffusion currents of first and second reduction wave become considerably larger with increase in pressure from 1 to about 1,000 bars but are getting smaller beyond 1,000 bars. The good linear relationships between diffusion current and the concentrations of Cu(II) are established over all pressure range($1{\sim}1,800$ bars). The reversibility of the each reduction step is not changed with increasing pressure.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.169-176
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• 2014

A positional scanning synthetic peptide combinatorial library (PS-SCL) was screened in order to identify antimicrobial peptides against the cariogenic oral bacteria, Streptococcus mutans. Activity against Streptococcus gordonii and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans was also examined. The library was comprised of six sub-libraries with the format $O_{(1-6)}XXXXX-NH_2$, where O represents one of 19 amino acids (excluding cysteine) and X represents equimolar mixture of these. Each sub-library was tested for antimicrobial activity against S. mutans and evaluated for antimicrobial activity against S. gordonii and A. actinomycetemcomitans. The effect of peptides was observed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Two semi-mixture peptides, RXXXXN-$NH_2$ (pep-1) and WXXXXN-$NH_2$ (pep-2), and one positioned peptide, RRRWRN-$NH_2$ (pep-3), were identified. Pep-1 and pep-2 showed significant antimicrobial activity against Gram positive bacteria (S. mutans and S. gordonii), but not against Gram negative bacteria (A. actinomycetemcomitans). However, pep-3 showed very low antimicrobial activity against all three bacteria. Pep-3 did not form an amphiphilic ${\alpha}$-helix, which is a required structure for most antimicrobial peptides. Pep-1 and pep-2 were able to disrupt the membrane of S. mutans. Small libraries of biochemically-constrained peptides can be used to generate antimicrobial peptides against S. mutans and other oral microbes. Peptides derived from such libraries may be candidate antimicrobial agents for the treatment of oral microorganisms.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.152-159
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• 2015

Der p 2, which is a major allergen of house dust mite, plays an important role in the pathogenesis of allergic disease. There is controversy regarding whether Der p 2 binds to Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), and its inflammatory effect has not yet been elucidated. In the current study, we examined the interaction of Der p 2 with TLR4 and the effect of Der p 2 on cytokine release in THP-1 cells and lymphocytes. Among house dust mite extracts, recombinant TLR4 protein interacted with Der p 2. The overall structure of Der p 2 is characteristic of the immunoglobulin superfamily and contains ten ${\beta}-strands$, forming a ${\beta}-cup$ fold with two anti-parallel ${\beta}-sheets$, and a short 310 helix. The two sheets can be separated, further allowing the formation of a large internal pocket, which is narrow and suitable for binding large flat molecules such as lipid-like molecules. Der p 2 caused increased secretion of IL-6, IL-8, and MCP-1, which are neutrophil survival factors, in human monocytic THP-1 cells in a time-dependent manner. Der p 2 also induces the release of cytokines in normal and allergic lymphocytes. Supernatant after treatment with Der p 2 inhibited neutrophil apoptosis. In coculture of lymphocytes with neutrophils, Der p 2 inhibited spontaneous apoptosis of allergic neutrophils. In summary, Der p 2 binds to TLR4 and induces an inflammatory response such as cytokine secretion in immune cells. These findings may enable elucidation of allergy pathogenesis by specific allergen of house dust mite.

• BMB Reports
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.176-181
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• 2010

The primary sigma factor ($\sigma^{A}$) of Staphylococcus aureus, a potential drug target, was little investigated at the structural level. Using an N-terminal histidine-tagged $\sigma^{A}$ (His-$\sigma^{A}$), here we have demonstrated that it exits as a monomer in solution, possesses multiple domains, harbors primarily $\alpha$-helix and efficiently binds to a S. aureus promoter DNA in the presence of core RNA polymerase. While both N- and C-terminal ends of His-$\sigma^{A}$ are flexible in nature, two Trp residues in its DNA binding region are buried. Upon increasing the incubation temperature from 25$^{\circ}$ to 40$^{\circ}C$, $\sim$60% of the input His-$\sigma^{A}$ was cleaved by thermolysin. Aggregation of His-$\sigma^{A}$ was also initiated rapidly at 45$^{\circ}C$. From the equilibrium unfolding experiment, the Gibbs free energy of stabilization of His-$\sigma^{A}$ was estimated to be +0.70 kcal $mol^{-1}$. The data together suggest that primary sigma factor of S. aureus is an unstable protein. Core RNA polymerase however stabilized $\sigma^{A}$ appreciably.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2000.04b
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• pp.83-89
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• 2000

This paper presents a pressure drop correlation for evaporation and condensation of alternative refrigerant with oil in micro-fin tubes. The correlation was developed from a data base consisting of oil-free pure and mixed refrigerants in micro-fin tube; Rl25 R134a. R32 R410a(R32/R125 50/50% mass), R22, R407c(R32/R125/R134a, 23/25/52% mass) and R32/R134a(25/75% mass). The micro-fin tube used in this paper had 60 0.2mm high fins with a 18 helix angle. The cross sectional flow area $(A_c)$ was $60.8 mm^2$ giving an equivalent smooth diameter$(D_e)$ of 8.8mm. The hydraulic diameter $(D_h)$ was estimated to the 5.45mm. The new correlation was obtained by replacing the friction factor and the tube-diameter in Bo Pierre correlation by a friction factor derived from pressure drop data for a micro-fin tube and the hydraulic diameter, respectively. This correlation was also used to predict some pressure data with a lubricant after using a mixing viscosity rule of lubricants and refrigerants. As a result, the new correlation was also well predicted to the measured data within a mean deviation of 19.0%.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.352-355
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• 2003

${\beta}$-(1,6)-Branched ${\beta}$-(1,3)-D-glucans are known to enhance the immune system in human body, and in most cases have higher molecular weights over 1 MDa. In order to enhance the efficacy of glucans by decreasing their molecular weights, sonication, acid treatment, and enzymatic hydrolysis were tested and compared in this work. Treatment of sonication was effective to decrease the molecular weight to the extent of several dozens of kilo-daltons, but have a risk to disorder the triple helical structure of the glucans. Acid treatment was also an effective method to degrade polysaccharides, but ${\beta}$-(1,6)-branched of the glucan molecules was found to be also hydrolyzed. Treatment of ${\beta}$-(1,3)-glucanase was an effective method to decrease the molecular weight in mild conditions, but could not hydrolyse the highly ${\beta}$-(1,6)-branched ${\beta}$-(1,3)-glucans efficiently.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.118-121
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• 2009

Purpose: Constricted ear, which is named by Tanzer includes lop ear, cup ear, and sort of prominent ear. It has classified three groups by Tanzer, especially grou I and IIA have been corrected by banner flap, Musgrave's technique, tumbling concha - cartilage flap, reversed banner flap and others. However, these techniques were too invasive for correcting mild degree of deformity. Therefore, we corrected the ear with mattress suture which is simple and less invasive. Method: The operations were done against 5 patients from 2005 March to 2008 April. All the cases were unilateral ears with constriction included helix and scaphoid fossa without difference in length between both ears. Though a posterior auricular skin incision, the folded cartilage is exposed and two parallel incisions on superior crus were made. After mattress suturing in cartilage, the superior crus of antihelix was formed and its force enables the folded portion to be in a normal anatomic position. Result: All of 5 patients got satisfactory results. There were no complications like hematoma or skin necrosis, and no recurrence during follow - up period(the average period was 9 months). And we couldn't recognize the difference between height of both auricles. Conclusion: Mattress suture is simple, less invasive, and suitable on correcting mild deformity of constricted ear with better result, so here we suggest the method.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.192-197
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• 2013

Background To construct a sophisticated three-dimensional framework, numerous modifications have been reported in the literature. However, most surgeons have paid little attention to the anatomical configuration of the concha and more to its deepness and hollowness, leading to unsatisfactory outcomes. Methods For a configuration of the concha that is definitely anatomical, the author further developed and employed the conchal bowl element, which has been used by several surgeons although the results have not been published elsewhere. The author constructed the conchal bowl element in one of three patterns according to the amount of available cartilages: one block, two-pieces, or a cymba bowl element only. A total of 20 patients underwent auricular reconstruction using a costal cartilage framework between 2009 and 2012. The 8 earliest reconstructions were performed without a conchal bowl element and the latter 12 with a conchal bowl element. The patients were followed up for more than 1 year. The aesthetic results were scored by evaluating characteristics involving the stability of the crus helicis, the conchal definition, and the smoothness of the helical curve. Results The ears reconstructed early without a conchal bowl element showed a shallow and one or two incompletely separated concha with an obliterated cymba conchal space. They also did not have a realistic or smooth curve of the helix because of an unstable crus helicis. However, ears reconstructed later with the concha bowl element showed a definite crus helicis, deep cymba conchal space, and smooth helical curve. Conclusions The construction of the conchal bowl element is simple, not time-consuming procedure. It is suggested that the conchal bowl element must be constructed and attached to the main framework for natural configuration of the reconstructed ear.