Creative Industries in Los Angeles during the COVID-19 Crisis: “Critical Infrastructure” and “Essential Workers” in the Postindustrial Economy

Edward J.W. Park 국립부경대학교 글로벌지역학연구소 2023 Journal of Global and Area Studies(JGA) Vol.7 No.4

As the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the globe in early 2020, nations and cities around the world scrambled to protect their core industries. While healthcare industries and their workers were initially the focus, the list quickly grew as the severity and duration of the pandemic deepened. The broad guidelines developed by the federal government were implemented by state and local governments as they identified sectors of the economy and workforce that were critical and essential to their regions. For many agencies, this was the first and only time they were compelled to create such a list, revealing how political leaders and policymakers prioritized their regional economy in a moment of profound crisis. In the United States, the inclusion of the film and television industry into the highest Essential Workforce category in the State of California was initially met with intense criticism, protest, and ridicule (Chan 2020). However, political leaders, the industry, and unions all held firm in their defense of such inclusion, eventually shifting public opinion within the state. This paper recounts how California and the City of Los Angeles designated its cultural industry as essential during the COVID-19 Crisis. It also examines the intense debate around its inclusion and draws lessons on the contemporary global economy. The film and television industry of Los Angeles is a significant driver of economic activity not only for California but also for the entire United States. In June 2020, after working with federal agencies, California Public Health officials declared that music, TV, and film production may resume within the state (Newsom 2020b). This decision reflects the reality that cultural industries in California and Los Angeles are industries of production, not only of distribution and consumption. In these sites of production, thousands of workers were required to work closely together in ways that made social distancing impossible. Additionally, to generate widespread support, political leaders stressed the importance of continued production for larger groups of middle- and low-wage workers behind the scenes to justify their policies over that of a few highly paid and well-known stars in front of the camera. Ultimately, the designation of the cultural industry in Los Angeles as “critical infrastructure” and its rank-and-file employees as “essential workers” pointed to the reality that California’s economy has become ever more dependent on creative industries for maintaining critical levels of employment and tax base.

Association of central hemodynamics with estimated 24-h urinary sodium in patients with hypertension

Park, Sungha,Park, Jeong B.,Lakatta, Edward G. Lippincott Williams Wilkins, Inc. 2011 Journal of Hypertension Vol.29 No.8

OBJECTIVE: High salt intake is known to be the most pivotal environmental factor in the pathogenesis of hypertension. However, the association of high sodium intake with central hemodynamics in hypertensive individuals has not been well defined. Here, we determined the association of estimated 24-h urine sodium and potassium excretion estimated from a spot urine analysis with parameters of central pulse wave analysis in 515 hypertensive individuals. METHODS: Fasting spot urine samples were obtained in the early morning after the first void, and estimated 24-h urine sodium and potassium excretion were estimated from measurement of urine sodium, potassium and creatinine. Central hemodynamics and arterial stiffness parameters were assessed via pulse wave analysis of the radial artery. RESULTS: The estimated 24-h sodium and potassium excretion values were 150 ± 40 and 49 ± 10 mEq, respectively. There was a step-wise decrease in pulse pressure amplification with increasing estimated 24-h urine sodium excretion. Multiple linear regression analyses revealed that both estimated 24-h urine sodium excretion and sodium/potassium ratio were independently associated with increases in central pulse pressure, augmented aortic pressure and augmentation index and were inversely associated with pulse pressure amplification. CONCLUSION: The estimated 24-h urinary sodium excretion is independently associated with central hemodynamics. This may provide the basis for prospective interventional studies of epidemiologic scale to determine the potential beneficial effects of reduced salt consumption on central hemodynamics.

Global Cities and COVID-19: Stories of Resilience and Fragility in Los Angeles

Edward J.W. Park 부경대학교 글로벌지역학연구소 2022 Journal of Global and Area Studies(JGA) Vol.6 No.3

This paper examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on global cities. In particular, the paper revisits and updates the academic literature on global cities and focuses on the discussion of the resilience and fragility of global cities in light of an unprecedented global pandemic. By severely testing the strength and durability of the international flow of goods and people, the sweeping scale and intensity of the COVID-19 pandemic directly called into question the thick and complicated network of global cities that serve as modes for international trade and travel. The paper then draws on the impact of COVID-19 on Los Angeles to examine how the pandemic impacted the city’s health, economy, and social fabric. The findings suggest that the international connections of Los Angeles became a source of initial vulnerability but eventual strength as the city managed the health and the economic impacts of the pandemic. However, more complicated stories emerge from immigrant and ethnic communities in Los Angeles. For this “Ethnic Los Angeles,” COVID-19 came to the United States at a time of intense political polarization and severe economic inequality. This polarization and inequality have contributed to Ethnic Los Angeles bearing an unfair share of the burden from the pandemic.

Corrosion behavior of biodegradable Mg-based alloys via femtosecond laser surface melting

Park, Jaeho,Han, Hyung-Seop,Park, Jimin,Seo, Hyunseon,Edwards, James,Kim, Yu-Chan,Ok, Myoung-Ryul,Seok, Hyun-Kwang,Jeon, Hojeong Elsevier 2018 APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE - Vol.448 No.-

<P><B>Abstract</B></P> <P>The effects of femtosecond (fs) laser treatment on a biocompatible Mg-Ca-Zn alloy were systemically analyzed. The fs laser altered the surface microstructure of the Mg-Ca-Zn alloy, resulting in reduced corrosion through localized melting and rapid solidification. Treatment with appropriate laser energy (500 Hz) generated an exceptionally thin modified layer (∼2 μm) with a uniformly refined microstructure. Laser-induced remelting of the secondary phase reduced galvanic corrosion and prevented the occurrence of pitting corrosion, resulting in overall reduced corrosion. Results reveal that the corrosive nature of the biodegradable Mg alloy can be controlled through surface modification by a fs laser.</P> <P><B>Highlights</B></P> <P> <UL> <LI> Biocompatible Mg-Ca-Zn alloy was treated with femtosecond laser. </LI> <LI> Laser surface treatment reduced secondary phase fraction and galvanic corrosion. </LI> <LI> Surface corrosion resistance of the Mg-based alloy was improved and controllable. </LI> <LI> Mechanical properties and biocompatibility were retained after laser treatment. </LI> </UL> </P> <P><B>Graphical abstract</B></P> <P>[DISPLAY OMISSION]</P>

Nanomagnetic System for Rapid Diagnosis of Acute Infection

Park, Ki Soo,Kim, Hoyoung,Kim, Soojin,Lee, Kyungheon,Park, Sohyeon,Song, Jun,Min, Changwook,Khanam, Farhana,Rashu, Rasheduzzaman,Bhuiyan, Taufiqur Rahman,Ryan, Edward T.,Qadri, Firdausi,Weissleder, Ra American Chemical Society 2017 ACS NANO Vol.11 No.11

<P>Pathogen-activated antibody-secreting cells (ASCs) produce and secrete antigen-specific antibodies. ASCs are detectable in the peripheral blood as early as 3 days after antigen exposure, which makes ASCs a potential biomarker for early disease detection. Here, we present a magnetic capture and detection (MCD) assay for sensitive, on-site detection of ASCs. In this approach, ASCs are enriched through magnetic capture, and secreted antibodies are magnetically detected by a miniaturized nuclear magnetic resonance (μNMR) system. This approach is based entirely on magnetics, which supports high contrast against biological background and simplifies assay procedures. We advanced the MCD system by (i) synthesizing magnetic nanoparticles with high magnetic moments for both cell capture and antibody detection, (ii) developing a miniaturized magnetic device for high-yield cell capture, and (iii) optimizing the μNMR assay for antibody detection. Antibody responses targeting hemolysin E (HlyE) can accurately identify individuals with acute enteric fever. As a proof-of-concept, we applied MCD to detect antibodies produced by HlyE-specific hybridoma cells. The MCD achieved high sensitivity in detecting antibodies secreted from as few as 5 hybridoma cells (50 cells/mL). Importantly, the assay could be performed with whole blood with minimal sample processing.</P><P><B>Graphic Abstract</B> <IMG SRC='http://pubs.acs.org/appl/literatum/publisher/achs/journals/content/ancac3/2017/ancac3.2017.11.issue-11/acsnano.7b06074/production/images/medium/nn-2017-06074g_0006.gif'></P><P><A href='http://pubs.acs.org/doi/suppl/10.1021/nn7b06074'>ACS Electronic Supporting Info</A></P>

A Divergent Path: Korean American Politics in an Age of Globalization

Edward J.W. Park 부경대학교 글로벌지역학연구소 2020 Journal of Global and Area Studies(JGA) Vol.4 No.1

In a globalizing world, Korean Americans political participation is being increasingly shaped not only by their demand for empowerment in the United States―the nation of their citizenship―but also by their desire to manage their increasingly transnational lives and to fully maximize economic opportunities on the other side of the Pacific. While finding meaningful political power in the diverse and contentious American society has been a slow process, Korean Americans have found much more success in the interstitial political space of globalization and transnationalism. Within the past two decades, Korean Americans have been wooed by the South Korean government and the U.S. Departments of State and Commerce for various political and policy objectives. More specifically, this paper examines three specific laws and policies that demonstrate this transpacific turn in Korean American politics: 1) Overseas Korean Act (1999); 2) Visa Waiver Program (2008); and 3) Korea-United States Free Trade Agreement (2012). This shift in the political orientation of Korean Americans signals the increasing importance of transnational dynamics in ethnic political incorporation.

Global Religion and Local Faith: Korean Churches in Beijing and Tokyo

( Edward J. W. Park ) 부경대학교 글로벌지역학연구소 2018 Journal of Global and Area Studies(JGA) Vol.2 No.2

Korea Christian churches and missionaries have a prominent presence around the world. In cities such as Yanji and Los Angeles, Korean churches are an essential part of century-old Korean ethnic communities that trace their origins to Japanese colonization that began in the late-1800s. More recently, the economic success of South Korean corporations has resulted in Korean churches and missionaries in global metropoles such as Beijing, London, and Singapore that serve thriving Korean communities anchored by corporate transnationals, entrepreneurs, and international students. This same economic growth has financed Korean missionaries from Africa to Central Asia to undertake projects ranging from health care to education. While all Korean churches and missionaries have comfortably imbued the global religion of Christianity with their national and ethnic identity, the differences in national and local contexts shape their individual beliefs and practices. Given the dramatic changes in both Korean and its diasporic histories, each Korean church selects from rich and complex vocabularies of religion, nation, ethnicity, and community to negotiate and articulate its mission and identity. Within this context, this article focuses on two Korean churches-one from Beijing and another from Tokyo-as emblematic case studies of global religion and local faith.

Biosimilars: concept, current status, and future perspectives in inflammatory bowel diseases

( Sang Hyoung Park ),( Jae Cheol Park ),( Milan Lukas ),( Martin Kolar ),( Edward V. Loftus ) 대한장연구학회 2020 Intestinal Research Vol.18 No.1

The inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), which consist of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, are chronic, incurable immune-mediated inflammatory disorders of the intestine. As IBD incidence continues to increase globally and its mortality is low, prevalent cases of IBD are rapidly increasing, thereby leading to a substantial increase in health care costs. Although the introduction of biologic agents for IBD management has revolutionized the armamentarium of IBD therapy, the high cost of this therapy is concerning. With the expirations of patents for existing biologic agents (originals), biosimilars with cheaper costs have been highlighted in the field of IBD. Despite concerns regarding their short- and long-term efficacy, safety, immunogenicity, and interchangeability, increasing evidence via prospective observations and phase III or IV clinical trials, which aim to prove the “biosimilarity” of biosimilars to originals, has partly confirmed their efficacy, safety, and interchangeability. Additionally, although patients and physicians are reluctant to use biosimilars, a positive budget impact has been reported owing to their use in different countries. In the near future, multiple biosimilars with lower costs, and efficacy and safety profile similar to originals, could be used to treat IBD; thus, further consideration and knowledge dissemination are warranted in this new era of biosimilars. (Intest Res 2020;18:34-44)

섬유층을 이용한 단백질의 크로마토그래피적 분리에 관한 연구(Ⅰ)

박돈희(Don-Hee Park),박주정(Ju-Jung Park),허영란(Young Rahn Huh),Charles L. Cooney,A. Edward Osawa 한국생물공학회 1994 KSBB Journal Vol.9 No.2

Simulating complex flow and transport dynamics in an integrated surfacesubsurface modeling framework

Edward A. Sudicky,Jon P. Jones,Young-Jin Park,Andrea E. Brookfield,Dennis Colautti 한국지질과학협의회 2008 Geosciences Journal Vol.12 No.2

A fully-integrated surface-subsurface flow and transport model is applied to a 17 km2 subcatchment of the Laurel Creek Watershed within the Grand River basin in Southern Ontario, Canada. Through past and ongoing field studies, the subcatchment is reasonably well characterized and is being monitored on an ongoing basis. In addition to diverse land-usage and surface cover and more than 65 m of topographic relief, the watershed is underlain by a complex interconnected sequence of sand and gravel aquifers that are separated by discontinuous clayey aquitards. A steady-state condition was achieved in the model by calibrating the subsurface flow field to 16 observation wells where long-term hydraulic head data were available, while simultaneously establishing a level of baseflow discharge on the surface regime approximating the level observed at the beginning of the transient simulation period. The model is then subjected to several hundred hours of rainfall data and the resulting discharge hydrographs are compared with the measured hydrographs. The calculated subsurface hydraulic head distribution and surficial rainfallrunoff responses, respectively, were shown to agree moderately well with those observed in the system during this period. The impact of an upland surficial contaminant source discharging along a reach of a small stream within the subcatchment was also examined. Results showed that short-duration, high-intensity concentration peaks were not captured if annual or monthly average rainfall was used as input. The hydraulic head and concentration variations due to short-duration rainfall variations showed a muted response with increasing depth below the streambed due to the natural smoothing in the hydraulic response and to dispersion and diffusion of the solute, respectively. Discrete daily precipitation events were also found to cause rapid changes in the calculated water and solute exchange fluxes. The variability and sensitivity of these near-stream processes to the temporal resolution of rainfall input, specifically the concentration and solute exchange flux responses, may be significant in the prediction of health risks to aquatic habitats. Overall, it is concluded that the model is capable of reproducing surface and subsurface hydrodynamic processes at the subcatchment scale although the results could be better through improved parameterization of the subcatchment and the manner in which the model simulates evapotranspiration processes. A fully-integrated surface-subsurface flow and transport model is applied to a 17 km2 subcatchment of the Laurel Creek Watershed within the Grand River basin in Southern Ontario, Canada. Through past and ongoing field studies, the subcatchment is reasonably well characterized and is being monitored on an ongoing basis. In addition to diverse land-usage and surface cover and more than 65 m of topographic relief, the watershed is underlain by a complex interconnected sequence of sand and gravel aquifers that are separated by discontinuous clayey aquitards. A steady-state condition was achieved in the model by calibrating the subsurface flow field to 16 observation wells where long-term hydraulic head data were available, while simultaneously establishing a level of baseflow discharge on the surface regime approximating the level observed at the beginning of the transient simulation period. The model is then subjected to several hundred hours of rainfall data and the resulting discharge hydrographs are compared with the measured hydrographs. The calculated subsurface hydraulic head distribution and surficial rainfallrunoff responses, respectively, were shown to agree moderately well with those observed in the system during this period. The impact of an upland surficial contaminant source discharging along a reach of a small stream within the subcatchment was also examined. Results showed that short-duration, high-intensity concentration peaks were not captured if annual or monthly average rainfall was used as input. The hydraulic head and concentration variations due to short-duration rainfall variations showed a muted response with increasing depth below the streambed due to the natural smoothing in the hydraulic response and to dispersion and diffusion of the solute, respectively. Discrete daily precipitation events were also found to cause rapid changes in the calculated water and solute exchange fluxes. The variability and sensitivity of these near-stream processes to the temporal resolution of rainfall input, specifically the concentration and solute exchange flux responses, may be significant in the prediction of health risks to aquatic habitats. Overall, it is concluded that the model is capable of reproducing surface and subsurface hydrodynamic processes at the subcatchment scale although the results could be better through improved parameterization of the subcatchment and the manner in which the model simulates evapotranspiration processes.