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Alteration of Phospholipase D Activity in the Rat Tissues by Irradiation (방사선 조사에 의한 쥐 조직의 포스포리파제 D의 활성 변화)

  • Choi Myung Sun;Cho Yang Ja;Choi Myung-Un
    • Radiation Oncology Journal
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    • v.15 no.3
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    • pp.197-206
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    • 1997
  • Purpose : Phospholipase D (PLD) catalyzes the hydrolysis of phosphatidylcholine to phosphatidic acid (PA) and choline. Recently, PLD has been drawing much attentions and considered to be associated with cancer Process since it is involved in cellular signal transduction. In this experiment, oleate-PLD activities were measured in various tissues of the living rats after whole body irradiation. Materials and Methods : The reaction mixture for the PLD assay contained $0.1\;\muCi\;1,2-di[1-^{14}C]palmitoyl$ phosphatidylcholine 0.5mM phosphatidylcholine, 5mM sodium oleate, $0.2\%$ taurodeoxycholate, 50mM HEPES buffer(pH 6.5), 10mM $CaCl_2$, and 25mM KF. phosphatidic acid, the reaction product, was separated by TLC and its radioactivity was measured with a scintillation counter. The whole body irradiation was given to the female Wistar rats via Cobalt 60 Teletherapy with field size of 10cmx loom and an exposure of 2.7Gy per minute to the total doses of 10Gy and 25Gy. Results : Among the tissues examined, PLD activity in lung was the highest one and was followed by kidney, skeletal muscle, brain, spleen, bone marrow, thymus, and liver. Upon irradiation, alteration of PLD activity was observed in thymus, spleen, lung, and bone marrow. Especially PLD activities of the spleen and thymus revealed the highest sensitivity toward $\gamma-rar$ with more than two times amplification in their activities In contrast, the PLD activity of bone marrow appears to be reduced to nearly $30\%$. Irradiation effect was hardly detected in liver which showed the lowest PLD activity. Conclusion : The PLD activities affected most sensitively by the whole-body irradiation seem to be associated with organs involved in immunity and hematopoiesis. This observation s1ron91y indicates that the PLD is closely related to the physiological function of these organs, Furthermore, radiation stress could offer an important means to explore the phenomena covering from cell Proliferation to cell death on these organs.

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The Outcome of Postoperative Radiation Therapy for Patients with Stage II Pancreatic Cancer (T3 or N1 Disease) (2기(T3 또는 N1) 췌장암 환자들의 수술 후 방사선치료의 성적 및 고찰)

  • Kim, Sang-Won;Kim, Myung-Wook;Kim, Wook-Hwan;Kang, Seok-Yun;Kang, Seung-Hee;Oh, Young-Taek;Lee, Sun-Young;Yang, Ju-No;Chun, Mi-Sun
    • Radiation Oncology Journal
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    • v.25 no.4
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    • pp.213-218
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    • 2007
  • Purpose: To analyze retrospectively the outcome of postoperative radiation therapy with or without concurrent chemotherapy for curatively resected stage II pancreatic cancer with T3 or N1 disease. Materials and Methods: Between January 1996 and December 2005, twenty-eight patients completed adjuvant radiation therapy at Ajou University Hospital. The patients had either pathologic T3 stage or N1 stage. The radiation target volume encompassed the initial tumor bed identified preoperatively, resection margin area and celiac nodal area. In the case of N1 patients, the radiation field extended to the lower margin of the L3 vertebra for covering both para-aortic lymph nodes bearing area. The median total radiation dose was 50 Gy. Ten patients received concurrent chemotherapy. Results: Thirteen patients (46%) showed loco-regional recurrences. The celiac axis nodal area was the most frequent site (4 patients). Five patients showed both loco-regional recurrence and a distant metastasis. Patients with positive lymph nodes had a relatively high probability of a distant metastasis (57.1%). Patients that had a positive resection margin showed a relatively high local failure rate (57.1%). The median disease-free survival period of all patients was 6 months and the 1-and 2-year disease free survival rates were 27.4% and 8.2%, respectively. The median overall survival period was 9 months. The 2-and 3-year overall survival rates were 31.6% and 15.8%, respectively. Conclusion: The pancreatic cancer patients with stage II had a high risk of local failure and a high risk of a distant metastasis. We suggest the concurrent use of an effective radiation-sensitizing chemotherapeutic drug and adjuvant chemotherapy after postoperative radiation therapy for the treatment of patients with stage II pancreatic cancer.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs) and 'Housing' Contents in Middle School Technology·Home Economics Textbooks (중학교 기술·가정 교과서의 '주생활' 단원 내용과 관련된 지속가능발전목표(SDGs) 분석)

  • Choi, Seong-Youn;Lee, Young-Sun;Kim, Eun-Jong;Kim, Seung-Hee;Lee, Ji-Sun;Cho, Jae-Soon
    • Journal of Korean Home Economics Education Association
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    • v.31 no.1
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    • pp.115-136
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    • 2019
  • The purpose of this study is to analyze the contents of 'housing' unit in middle school Technology-Home Economics textbooks according to the 2015 revision curriculum based on the targets of SDGs. All contents of the ten textbooks of five publishers, such as texts, photographs/figures/tables, activity tasks, and supplementary materials were analyzed in terms of SDGs targets. The number of 'housing' contents among 4 small housing units of Technology-Home Economics book 1 & 2 varied from 64 to 97 by publishers. Beside SDGs4.7, which contains inclusive and general ESDGs, 24 targets of 10 SDGs were found to be related to the contents of 'housing' and were grouped into 15 target categories. The number of SDGs target categories related to housing contents of each small unit and total of all units differed by publishers. Each of 4 small 'housing' units from all the five publishers was related to 6~10 target categories. The contents of five book 1's were related to smaller number of target categories than those of five book 2's. They corresponded to 9 and 12 target categories, consecutively. Only SDGs' target11.1 (appropriate and safe housing and basic services) was related to all the four small units of 'housing' contents among all the five publishers. covering 43.8% of the housing contents. In conclusion, the contents of the 'housing' unit were related to broad range of SDGs targets. Further study could relate goals of teaching-learning plan to various global targets of SDGs according to the contents of 'housing' in order to accomplish ESDGs.

Effect of infection control barrier thickness on light curing units (감염 조절용 차단막의 두께가 광중합기의 중합광에 미치는 영향)

  • Chang, Hoon-Sang;Lee, Seok-Ryun;Hong, Sung-Ok;Ryu, Hyun-Wook;Song, Chang-Kyu;Min, Kyung-San
    • Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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    • v.35 no.5
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    • pp.368-373
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    • 2010
  • Objectives: This study investigated the effect of infection control barrier thickness on power density, wavelength, and light diffusion of light curing units. Materials and Methods: Infection control barrier (Cleanwrap) in one-fold, two-fold, four-fold, and eightfold, and a halogen light curing unit (Optilux 360) and a light emitting diode (LED) light curing unit (Elipar FreeLight 2) were used in this study. Power density of light curing units with infection control barriers covering the fiberoptic bundle was measured with a hand held dental radiometer (Cure Rite). Wavelength of light curing units fixed on a custom made optical breadboard was measured with a portable spectroradiometer (CS-1000). Light diffusion of light curing units was photographed with DSLR (Nikon D70s) as above. Results: Power density decreased significantly as the layer thickness of the infection control barrier increased, except the one-fold and two-fold in halogen light curing unit. Especially, when the barrier was four-fold and more in the halogen light curing unit, the decrease of power density was more prominent. The wavelength of light curing units was not affected by the barriers and almost no change was detected in the peak wavelength. Light diffusion of LED light curing unit was not affected by barriers, however, halogen light curing unit showed decrease in light diffusion angle when the barrier was four-fold and statistically different decrease when the barrier was eight-fold (p < 0.05). Conclusions: It could be assumed that the infection control barriers should be used as two-fold rather than one-fold to prevent tearing of the barriers and subsequent cross contamination between the patients.

Changes in Greenhouse Temperature and Solar Radiation by Fogging and Shading During Hydroponics in Summer Season (여름철 수경재배 시 포그 분무와 차광에 의한 하우스 내부 온도 및 광 환경 변화)

  • Lim, Mi Young;Jeong, Ho Jeong;Roh, Mi Young;Choi, Gyeong Lee;Kim, So Hui;Choi, Su Hyun
    • Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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    • v.30 no.3
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    • pp.230-236
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    • 2021
  • Changes in greenhouse temperature and solar radiation due to fogging and shading were monitored during hydroponics in high temperature in summer season. Experiment 1 consists of four treatments, namely, Control, Shading, Fogging, and Fogging + Shading based on sunny days August. For Experiment 2, two melon cultivars of 'Dalgona' and 'Sopoong gaza' were cultivated in summer of 2020 using Fogging + Shading with the best result for temperature reduction effect from Experiment 1. As a result of Experiment 1, the effect of Fogging + Shading on temperature reduction was apparent where the inside was about 4℃ (as the lowest temperature) lower than the outside. Fogging + Shading showed the inside was 2-4℃ lower than the outside, and Fogging or Shading treatments had little difference, compared to the Control where the internal temperature of greenhouse was 3-4℃ higher than the external. For solar radiation changes between greenhouse inside and outside, the internal change was in a similar pattern between Fogging and Control, and between Shading and Fogging + Shading, respectively. In case of the Fogging treatment (similar with the Control) only the effect of solar radiation reduction as influenced by plastic greenhouse covering materials was examined. The Fogging + Shading had a very similar change in solar radiation to the Shading. Based on these results, Experiment 2 was conducted in summer of 2020 and resulted in a temperature reduction effect of about 3.9℃ according as the inside of air-conditioned greenhouse was kept 32.4℃ when the maximum temperature of the outside reached 36.3℃ in August during the cultivation period. In addition, the quality of melon fruit was good (1.3-1.5 kg of fruit weight, 12.6-13.3 of soluble solids content. In the case of using Fogging + Shading cooling treatment, it can bring about the effect of reducing the temperature during the high temperature in summer, and normal growth of melon and fruit harvesting were possible.

A Study of Properties and Coating Natural Mineral Pumice Powder of in Korea (한국산 천연 광물 부석 파우더 코팅 및 특성에 관한 연구)

  • Kim, In-Young;Noh, Ji-Min;Nam, Eun-Hee;Shin, Moon-Sam
    • Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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    • v.36 no.2
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    • pp.498-506
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    • 2019
  • This study is based on a coating method that provides utilization value as a micronised powder for cosmetic raw materials using natural minerals buried in Bonghwa, Gyeongsangbuk-do in Korea. The mineral powder name is called Buseok, and chemical name is pumice powder. The results of a study on the efficacy of cosmetics are reported by the development of particulate powder to assess the performance of this powder. First of all, in order to coat the surface of this powder with oil, aluminum hydroxide was coated on the particulate surface and then coated with alkylsilan. In addition, it was coated with vegetable oil to prevent condensation of the powder and increase the dispersion in the oil phase. First; the particle size of pumice powder was from 10 to 50mm having porous holes on the surface of the particles. Second; The components of this powder contained $SiO_2$, $Al_2O_3$, $Fe_2O_3$, MgO, CaO, $K_2O_2$, $Na_2O$, $TiO_2$, $TiO_2$, MnO, $Cr_2O_3$, $V_2O_5$. Third: The particles of this powder have a planetary structure and are reddish-brown with porosity through SEM and TEM analysis. Fourth; the far-infrared radiation rate of this parabolic powder was $0.924{\mu}m$, and the radiative energy was $3.72{\times}102W/m^2$ and ${\mu}m$. In addition, the anion emission is 128 ION/cc, which shows that the coating remains unchanged. Based on these results, it is expected to be widely applied to basic cosmetics such as BB cream, cushion foundation, powderfect, and other color-coordinated cosmetics, sunblock cream, wash-off massage pack as an application of cosmetics. (Small and Medium Business Administration: S2601385)

Macrobenthic Community Structure Along the Environmental Gradients of Ulsan Bay, Korea (울산만의 저서환경 구배에 따른 저서동물군집 구조)

  • Yoon, Sang-Pil;Jung, Rae-Hong;Kim, Youn-Jung;Kim, Seong-Gil;Choi, Min-Kyu;Lee, Won-Chan;Oh, Hyun-Taik;Hong, Sok-Jin
    • The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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    • v.14 no.2
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    • pp.102-117
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    • 2009
  • This study was carried out to investigate the extent to which benthic environment of Ulsan Bay was disturbed by organic materials and trace metals from the megacity and industrial complex. Field survey for benthic environment and macroinvertebrate community was seasonally conducted from February to November 2006 at nine stations covering the inside and outside of the bay. TOC was on average 1.7% while four (As, Cu, Pb, Zn) out of seven trace metals measured exceeded the Effects Range Low (ERL) in most of the stations. Total number of species sampled was 199 and mean density was 4,578 ind./$m^2$, both of which were greatly dominated by the polychaetes. Dominant species were Aphelochaeta monilaris (22.6%), Ruditapes philippinarum (17.1%), Magelona japonica (12.2%), Lumbrineris longifolia (9.9%) and their distribution was ruled by the difference in the benthic environmental condition of each station. From the multivariate analyses, four stational groups were identified: northern part of the bay, middle and lower part of the bay, the intersection of Taewha River and Gosa stream and outside of the bay. As a result, the community heterogeneity of inner bay was much more greater than that of outer bay. SIMPER analysis showed that four groups were represented by R. philippinarum-Capitella capitata, A. monilaris-Balanoglossus carnosus, Sinocorophium sinensis-Cyathura higoensis and M. japonica-Ampharete arctica, respectively. Spatio-temporal changes of macroinvertebrate communities in Ulsan Bay were closely related to those of depth, mean grain size and organic content, and Zn was also a meaningful factor in that context.

A study on the second edition of Koryo Dae-Jang-Mock-Lock (고려재조대장목록고)

  • Jeong Pil-mo
    • Journal of the Korean Society for Library and Information Science
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    • v.17
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    • pp.11-47
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    • 1989
  • This study intends to examine the background and the procedure of the carving of the tablets of the second edition of Dae-Jang-Mock­Lock(재조대장목록). the time and the route of the moving of the tablets. into Haein-sa, and the contents and the system of it. This study is mainly based on the second edition of Dae-Jang-Mock-Lock. But the other closely related materials such as restored first. edition of the Dae- Jang-Mock-Lock, Koryo Sin-Jo-Dae-Jang-Byeol-Lock (고려신조대장교정별록). Kae-Won-Seok-Kyo-Lock (개원석교록). Sok-Kae­Won-Seok-Kyo-Lock (속개원석교록). Jeong-Won-Sin-Jeong-Seok-Kyo­Lock(정원신정석교록), Sok-Jeong-Won-Seok-Kyo-Lock(속정원석교록), Dea-Jung-Sang-Bu-Beob-Bo-Lock(대중상부법보록), and Kyeong-Woo-Sin-Su-Beob-Bo-Lock(경우신수법보록), are also analysed and closely examined. The results of this study can be summarized as follows: 1. The second edition of Tripitaka Koreana(고려대장경) was carved for the purpose of defending the country from Mongolia with the power of Buddhism, after the tablets of the first edition in Buin-sa(부이사) was destroyed by fire. 2. In 1236. Dae-Jang-Do-Gam(대장도감) was established, and the preparation for the recarving of the tablets such as comparison between the content, of the first edition of Tripitalk Koreana, Gal-Bo-Chik-Pan-Dae­Jang-Kyeong and Kitan Dae- Jang-Kyeong, transcription of the original copy and the preparation of the wood, etc. was started. 3. In 1237 after the announcement of Dae-Jang-Gyeong-Gak-Pan-Gun­Sin-Gi-Go-Mun(대장경핵판군신석고문), the carving was started on a full scale. And seven years later (1243), Bun-Sa-Dae-Jang-Do-Gam(분사대장도감) was established in the area of the South to expand and hasten the work. And a large number of the tablets were carved in there. 4. It took 16 years to carve the main text and the supplements of the second edition of Tripitaka Koreana, the main text being carved from 1237 to 1248 and the supplement from 1244 to 1251. 5. It can be supposed that the tablets of the second edition of Tripitaka Koreana, stored in Seon-Won-Sa(선원사), Kang-Wha(강화), for about 140 years, was moved to Ji-Cheon-Sa(지천사), Yong-San(용산), and to Hae-In-Sa(해인사) again, through the west and the south sea and Jang-Gyeong-Po(장경포), Go-Ryeong(고령), in the autumn of the same year. 6. The second edition of Tripitaka Koreana was carved mainly based on the first edition, comparing with Gae-Bo-Chik-Pan-Dae-Jang-Kyeong(개보판대장경) and Kitan Dae-Jang-Kyeong(계단대장경). And the second edition of Dae-Jang-Mock-Lock also compiled mainly based on the first edition with the reference to Kae-Won-Seok-Kyo-Lock and Sok-Jeong-Won-Seok-Kyo-Lock. 7. Comparing with the first edition of Dae-Jang-Mock-Lock, in the second edition 7 items of 9 volumes of Kitan text such as Weol-Deung­Sam-Mae-Gyeong-Ron(월증삼매경론) are added and 3 items of 60 volumes such as Dae-Jong-Ji-Hyeon-Mun-Ron(대종지현문논) are substituted into others from Cheon chest(천함) to Kaeng chest(경함), and 92 items of 601 volumes such as Beob-Won-Ju-Rim-Jeon(법원주임전) are added after Kaeng chest. And 4 items of 50 volumes such as Yuk-Ja-Sin-Ju-Wang-Kyeong(육자신주왕경) are ommitted in the second edition. 8. Comparing with Kae-Won-Seok-Kyo-Lock, Cheon chest to Young chest (영함) of the second edition is compiled according to Ib-Jang-Lock(입장록) of Kae-Won-Seok-Kyo-Lock. But 15 items of 43 vol­umes such as Bul-Seol-Ban-Ju-Sam-Mae-Kyeong(불설반주삼매경) are ;added and 7 items of 35 volumes such as Dae-Bang-Deung-Dae-Jib-Il­Jang-Kyeong(대방등대집일장경) are ommitted. 9. Comparing with Sok-Jeong-Won-Seok-Kyo-Lock, 3 items of the 47 volumes (or 49 volumes) are ommitted and 4 items of 96 volumes are ;added in Caek chest(책함) to Mil chest(밀함) of the second edition. But the items are arranged in the same order. 10. Comparing with Dae- Jung-Sang-Bo-Beob-Bo-Lock, the arrangement of the second edition is entirely different from it. But 170 items of 329 volumes are also included in Doo chest(두함) to Kyeong chest(경함) of the second edition, and 53 items of 125 volumes in Jun chest(존함) to Jeong chest(정함). And 10 items of 108 volumes in the last part of Dae-Jung-Sang-Bo-Beob-Bo-Lock are ommitted and 3 items of 131 volumes such as Beob-Won-Ju-Rim-Jeon(법원주임전) are added in the second edition. 11. Comparing with Kyeong-Woo-Sin-Su-Beob-Bo-Lock, all of the items (21 items of 161 volumes) are included in the second edition without ;any classificatory system. And 22 items of 172 volumes in the Seong­Hyeon-Jib-Jeon(성현집전) part such as Myo-Gak-Bi-Cheon(묘각비전) are ommitted. 12. The last part of the second edition, Joo chest(주함) to Dong chest (동함), includes 14 items of 237 volumes. But these items cannot be found in any other former Buddhist catalog. So it might be supposed as the Kitan texts. 13. Besides including almost all items in Kae-Won-Seok-Kyo-Lock and all items in Sok-Jeong-Won-Seok-Kyo-Lock, Dae-Jung-Sang-Bo­Beob-Bo-Lock, and Kyeong-Woo-Sin-Su-Beob-Bo-Lock, the second edition of Dae-Jang-Mock-Lock includes more items, at least 20 items of about 300 volumes of Kitan Tripitaka and 15 items of 43 volumes of traditional Korean Tripitake that cannot be found any others. Therefore, Tripitaka Koreana can be said as a comprehensive Tripitaka covering all items of Tripitakas translated in Chinese character.

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The State Hermitage Museum·Northwest University for Nationalities·Shanghai Chinese Classics Publishing House Kuche Art Relics Collected in Russia Shanghai Chinese Classics Publishing House, 2018 (아라사국립애이미탑십박물관(俄羅斯國立艾爾米塔什博物館)·서북민족대학(西北民族大學)·상해고적출판사(上海古籍出版社) 편(編) 『아장구자예술품(俄藏龜玆藝術品)』, 상해고적출판사(上海古籍出版社), 2018 (『러시아 소장 쿠차 예술품』))

  • Min, Byung-Hoon
    • MISULJARYO - National Museum of Korea Art Journal
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    • v.98
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    • pp.226-241
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    • 2020
  • Located on the right side of the third floor of the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, the "Art of Central Asia" exhibition boasts the world's finest collection of artworks and artifacts from the Silk Road. Every item in the collection has been classified by region, and many of them were collected in the early twentieth century through archaeological surveys led by Russia's Pyotr Kozlov, Mikhail Berezovsky, and Sergey Oldenburg. Some of these artifacts have been presented around the world through special exhibitions held in Germany, France, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Korea, Japan, and elsewhere. The fruits of Russia's Silk Road expeditions were also on full display in the 2008 exhibition The Caves of One Thousand Buddhas - Russian Expeditions on the Silk Route on the Occasion of 190 Years of the Asiatic Museum, held at the Hermitage Museum. Published in 2018 by the Shanghai Chinese Classics Publishing House in collaboration with the Hermitage Museum, Kuche Art Relics Collected in Russia introduces the Hermitage's collection of artifacts from the Kuche (or Kucha) region. While the book focuses exclusively on artifacts excavated from the Kuche area, it also includes valuable on-site photos and sketches from the Russian expeditions, thus helping to enhance readers' overall understanding of the characteristics of Kuche art within the Buddhist art of Central Asia. The book was compiled by Dr. Kira Samosyuk, senior curator of the Oriental Department of the Hermitage Museum, who also wrote the main article and the artifact descriptions. Dr. Samosyuk is an internationally renowned scholar of Central Asian Buddhist art, with a particular expertise in the art of Khara-Khoto and Xi-yu. In her article "The Art of the Kuche Buddhist Temples," Dr. Samosyuk provides an overview of Russia's Silk Road expeditions, before introducing the historical development of Kuche in the Buddhist era and the aspects of Buddhism transmitted to Kuche. She describes the murals and clay sculptures in the Buddhist grottoes, giving important details on their themes and issues with estimating their dates, and also explains how the temples operated as places of worship. In conclusion, Dr. Samosyuk argues that the Kuche region, while continuously engaging with various peoples in China and the nomadic world, developed its own independent Buddhist culture incorporating elements of Gandara, Hellenistic, Persian, and Chinese art and culture. Finally, she states that the culture of the Kuche region had a profound influence not only on the Tarim Basin, but also on the Buddhist grottoes of Dunhuang and the central region of China. A considerable portion of Dr. Samosyuk's article addresses efforts to estimate the date of the grottoes in the Kuche region. After citing various scholars' views on the dates of the murals, she argues that the Kizil grottoes likely began prior to the fifth century, which is at least 100 years earlier than most current estimates. This conclusion is reached by comparing the iconography of the armor depicted in the murals with related materials excavated from the surrounding area (such as items of Sogdian art). However, efforts to date the Buddhist grottoes of Kuche must take many factors into consideration, such as the geological characteristics of the caves, the themes and styles of the Buddhist paintings, the types of pigments used, and the clothing, hairstyles, and ornamentation of the depicted figures. Moreover, such interdisciplinary data must be studied within the context of Kuche's relations with nearby cultures. Scientific methods such as radiocarbon dating could also be applied for supplementary materials. The preface of Kuche Art Relics Collected in Russia reveals that the catalog is the first volume covering the Hermitage Museum's collection of Kuche art, and that the next volume in the series will cover a large collection of mural fragments that were taken from Berlin during World War II. For many years, the whereabouts of these mural fragments were unknown to both the public and academia, but after restoration, the fragments were recently re-introduced to the public as part of the museum's permanent exhibition. We look forward to the next publication that focuses on these mural fragments, and also to future catalogs introducing the artifacts of Turpan and Khotan. Currently, fragments of the murals from the Kuche grottoes are scattered among various countries, including Russia, Germany, and Korea. With the publication of this catalog, it seems like an opportune time to publish a comprehensive catalog on the murals of the Kuche region, which represent a compelling mixture of East-West culture that reflects the overall characteristics of the region. A catalog that includes both the remaining murals of the Kizil grottoes and the fragments from different parts of the world could greatly enhance our understanding of the murals' original state. Such a book would hopefully include a more detailed and interdisciplinary discussion of the artifacts and murals, including scientific analyses of the pigments and other materials from the perspective of conservation science. With the ongoing rapid development in western China, the grotto murals are facing a serious crisis related to climate change and overcrowding in the oasis city of Xinjiang. To overcome this challenge, the cultural communities of China and other countries that possess advanced technology for conservation and restoration must begin working together to protect and restore the murals of the Silk Road grottoes. Moreover, centers for conservation science should be established to foster human resources and collect information. Compiling the data of Russian expeditions related to the grottoes of Kuche (among the results of Western archaeological surveys of the Silk Road in the early twentieth century), Kuche Art Relics Collected in Russia represents an important contribution to research on Kuche's Buddhist art and the Silk Road, which will only be enhanced by a future volume introducing the mural fragments from Germany. As the new authoritative source for academic research on the artworks and artifacts of the Kuche region, the book also lays the groundwork for new directions for future studies on the Silk Road. Finally, the book is also quite significant for employing a new editing system that improves its academic clarity and convenience. In conclusion, Dr. Kira Samosyuk, who planned the publication, deserves tremendous praise for taking the research of Silk Road art to new heights.

A study on the improvement of distribution system by overseas agricultural investment (해외농업투자에 따른 유통체계 개선방안에 관한 연구)

  • Sun, Il-Suck;Lee, Dong-Ok
    • Journal of Distribution Science
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    • v.8 no.3
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    • pp.17-26
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    • 2010
  • Recently concerns have been raised due to the unbalanced supply of crops: the price of crops has been unstable and at one point the price went up so high that the word Agflation(agriculture+ inflation) was coined. Korea, in particular, is a small-sized country and needs to secure the stable supply of crops by investing in the produce importation at a national level. Investment in foreign produce importation is becoming more important as a measure for sufficient supply of crops, limited supply of domestic crops, weakened farming conditions worldwide, as well as recent changes in the use of crops due to the development of bio-fuels, influence of carbon emission on crops, the price increase in crops, and influx of foreign hot money. However, there are many problems with investing in foreign produce importation: lack of support from the government; lack of farming information and technology; difficulty in securing the capital; no immediate pay-off from the investment and insufficient management. Although foreign produce is originally more price-competitive than domestic produce, it loses its competiveness in the process of importation (due to high tariffs) and poor distribution system, which makes it difficult to sell in Korea. Therefore, investment in foreign produce importation is being questioned for feasibility; to make it possible, foreign produce must maintain the price-competitiveness. Especially, harvest of agricultural products depends on natural and geographical conditions of each country and those products have indigenous properties, so distribution system according to import and export of agricultural products should be treated more carefully than that of other industries. Distribution costs are differentiated into each item and include cost of sorting and wrapping, cost of wrapping materials, cost of domestic transport, cost of international transport and cost of clearing customs for import and export. So transporting and storing agricultural products generates considerable costs compared with other products. Also, due to upgrade of dietary life, needs for stability, taste and visible quality toward food including agricultural products are being raised and wrong way of storage causes decomposition of food and loss of freshness, making the storage more difficult than that in room temperature, so storage and transport in distribution of agricultural products needs specialty. In addition, because lack of specialty in distribution and circulation such as storage and wrapping does not solve limit factors in distance, the distribution and circulation has been limited to a form of import and export within short-distant region. Therefore, need for distribution out-sourcing which can satisfy specialty in managing distribution and circulation and it is needed to establish more effective distribution system. However, existing distribution system of agricultural products is exposed to various problems including problems in distribution channel, making distribution and strategy for distribution and those problems are as follows. First, in case of investment in overseas agricultural industry, stable supply of the products is difficult because areas of production are dispersed widely and influenced by outer factors due to including overseas distribution channels. Also, at the aspect of quality, standardization of products is difficult, distribution system is quite complicated and unreasonable due to long distribution channels according to international trade and financial and institutional support is not enough. Especially, there are quite a lot of ineffective factors including multi level distribution process, dramatic gap between production cost and customer's cost, lack of physical distribution facilities and difficulties in storage and transport due to lack of wrapping containers. Besides, because import and export of agricultural products has been manages under the company's own distribution according to transaction contract between manufacturers and exporting company, efficiency is low due to excessive investment in fixed costs and lack of specialty in dealing with agricultural products causes fall of value of products, showing the limit to lose price-competitiveness. Especially, because lack of specialty in distribution and circulation such as storage and wrapping does not solve limit factors in distance, the distribution and circulation has been limited to a form of import and export within short-distant region. Therefore, need for distribution out-sourcing which can satisfy specialty in managing distribution and circulation and it is needed to establish more effective distribution system. Second, among tangible and intangible services which promote the efficiency of the whole distribution, a function building distribution environment which includes distribution information, system for standard and inspection, distribution finance, system for diversification of risks, education and training, distribution administration and tax system is wanted. In general, such a function building distribution environment is difficult to be changed and supplement innovatively because its effect compared with investment does not appear immediately despite of its necessity. Especially, in case of distribution of agricultural products, as a function of collecting and distributing is performed individually through various channels, the importance of distribution information and standardization is getting more focus due to the problem of repetition of work and lack of specialty. Also, efficient management of distribution is quite difficult due to lack of professionals in distribution, so support to professional education is needed. Third, though effort to keep self-sufficiency ratio of staple food, rice is regarded as important at the government level, level of dependency on overseas of others crops is high. Therefore, plan for stable securing food resources aside from staple food is also necessary. Especially, governmental organizations of agricultural products distribution in Korea are production-centered and have unreasonable structure whose function at the aspect of distribution and consumption is quite insufficient. And development of new distribution channels which can deal with changes in distribution environment and they do not achieve actual results of strategy for distribution due to non-positive strategy for price distribution. That is, it implies the possibility that base for supply will become vulnerable because it does not mediate appropriate interests on total distribution channels such as manufacturers, wholesale dealers and vendors by emphasizing consumer protection excessively in the distribution of agricultural products. Therefore, this study examined fundamental concept and actual situation for our investment to overseas agriculture, drew necessities, considerations, problems, etc. of overseas agricultural investment and suggested improvements at the level of distribution for price competitiveness of agricultural products cultivated in overseas under five aspects; government's indirect support, distribution's modernization and distribution information function's strengthening, government's political support for distribution facility, transportation route, load and unloading works' improvement, price competitiveness' securing, professional manpower's cultivation by education and training, etc. Here are some suggestions for foreign produce importation. First, the government should conduct a survey on the current distribution channels and analyze the situation to establish a measure for long-term development plans. By providing each agricultural area with a guideline for planning appropriate production of crops, the government can help farmers be ready for importation, and prevent them from producing same crops all at the same time. Government can sign an MOU with the foreign government and promote the importation so that the development of agricultural resources can be stable and steady. Second, the government can establish a strategy for an effective distribution system by providing farmers and agriculture-related workers with the distribution information such as price, production, demand, market structure and location, feature of each crop, and etc. In order for such distribution system to become feasible, the government needs to reconstruct the current distribution system, designate a public organization for providing distribution information and set the criteria for level of produce quality, trade units, and package units. Third, the government should provide financial support and a policy to seek an efficient distribution channel for foreign produce to be delivered fresh: the government should expand distribution facilities (for selecting, packaging, storing, and processing) and transportation vehicles while modernizing old facilities. There should be another policy to improve the efficiency of unloading, and to lower the cost of distribution. Fourth, it is necessary to enact a new law covering exceptional cases for importing produce in order to maintain the price competitiveness; currently the high tariffs is keeping the imported produce from being distributed domestically. However, the new adjustment should be made carefully within the WTO regulations since it can create a problem from giving preferential tariffs. The government can also simplify the distribution channels in order to reduce the cost in the distribution process. Fifth, the government should educate distributors to raise the efficiency and to modernize the distribution system. It is necessary to develop human resources by educating people regarding the foreign agricultural environment, the produce quality, management skills, and by introducing some successful cases in advanced countries.

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