• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
• /
• v.29 no.4A
• /
• pp.385-393
• /
• 2009

This study grasped the relationship between relative humidity in concrete and concrete shrinkage followed by pre-absorbed water of porous lightweight aggregates through measurements of concrete shrinkage and humidity and comparisons with established research results. It was showed that shrinkage reduction effect of lightweight concrete is 36% at 7 days early ages and 25% at 180 days long-term ages when water-binder ratio is 0.3. It also showed that shrinkage reduction effect is 19% at 7 days and 16% at 180 days when water-binder ratio is 0.4 and 37%, 32% when water-binder ratio is 0.5. The moisture supply effect of lightweight aggregates was remarkable at early age within 7~10 days irrespective of water-binder ratio. In case of waterbinder ratio is 0.3, the relationship between shrinkage and internal humidity of concrete has been underestimated regardless of applied existing model type and in case of water-binder ratio is 0.4, 0.5, measurement values are relatively similar with existing model equations. Finally this study did regression analyses about the relation among the humidity change and the shrinkage strain as a high-degree polynomial and derived parameters that can connect moisture movement analysis with differential shrinkage analysis in case of considering relative humidity at the time by moisture movement analysis of concrete.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.56 no.3
• /
• pp.231-246
• /
• 2023

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-osteoarthritic effect of the ethanol extract of Boswellia serrata gum resin (FJH-UBS) enriched with keto-β-boswellic acid and 3-O-acetyl-11-keto-β-boswellic acid compared to the conventional Boswellia serrata extract by adding the process of removing oil with hexane, in the monosodium iodoacetate (MIA)-induced osteoarthritis rat model. Methods: Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were orally administered 0, 40, or 80 mg of FJH-UBS/kg body weight (BW)/day for 5 weeks and injected with MIA intra-articularly into right knee joints on day 15 to induce osteoarthritis. Changes in the knee joint microarchitecture, cartilage degradation, the expression of inflammatory mediators, cytokines, and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in serum and synovia were observed. Results: Oral administration of FJH-UBS (80 mg/kg BW/day) reduced MIA-induced knee swelling and cartilage degradation and increased the expression of type II collagen and aggrecan in articular cartilage. Furthermore, FJH-UBS administration reduced MIA-induced increases in the serum levels of prostaglandin E2, leukotriene B4, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and MMP-13, and MIA-induced increases in the mRNA expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase-2, 5-lipoxygenase, IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, MMP-2, MMP-9, and MMP-13 in the synovia of knee joints. Conclusion: These results indicate that FJH-UBS exerts its anti-osteoarthritic effects by suppressing the expressions of inflammatory cytokines and MMPs and, thus, cartilage degradation. Furthermore, they suggest that FJH-UBS has potential use as a functional food that improves joint and cartilage health.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
• /
• v.22 no.8
• /
• pp.416-434
• /
• 2022

This study, for learners using online and offline tools, understood the structural relationship of user experience of smart learning app on continuous use intention through the technology acceptance model, and classified the learning type characteristics. In addition, based on the experience of using the smart learning app, we explored ways to improve the design of the user experience design for learning tools and contents. For this purpose, the usage perception of 84 middle and high school students of the developed smart learning learning app was investigated after using it for 2 months, and the data were analyzed using the PLS structural equation technique. The main results of this study are as follows. First, system and content user experience had a significant effect on perceived usability and perceived ease of use, and the effect on continued use intention through attitude was significant. Second, there was a significant difference in the effect of system user experience on perceived usefulness in multi-group comparative analysis and gender group. In the preferred learning group, it was the path from perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness to attitude and intention to continue using that showed a significant path difference. Third, as a result of classifying the most commonly used learning types by the multidimensional scale method, the types separated into low dimensions were found to be four types: offline sync type, online sync type, ubiquitous learning type, and self-direct learning type.

• Industry Promotion Research
• /
• v.8 no.4
• /
• pp.47-60
• /
• 2023

The purpose of this study is to examine the causal relationship between self-efficacy and safety consciousness of health belief factors and how they affect the disaster prevention behavior of construction workers using TBM. To this end, a research model is presented that applies the main variables of the Health Belief Theory, a social psychological health behavior change model developed to predict and explain health-related behaviors. To empirically verify the research model of this study, a survey was conducted among construction workers who have experience in using TBMs for chemical plant construction. The results showed that, first, the perceived severity of construction workers utilizing chemical plant construction has a significant effect on self-efficacy and safety consciousness; second, the perceived probability of construction workers utilizing chemical plant construction has a significant effect on self-efficacy and safety consciousness. Third, the perceived obstacles of construction workers utilizing chemical plant construction have a significant effect on self-efficacy and safety consciousness. Fourth, the perceived benefits of construction workers utilizing chemical plant construction were found to have a significant effect on self-efficacy and safety awareness. The purpose of this study is to reduce critical accidents through disaster prevention behavior of chemical plant construction workers through TBM.

• Information Systems Review
• /
• v.23 no.3
• /
• pp.177-200
• /
• 2021

Recently, the use of prepaid electronic payments such as electronic wallets, digital currency and prepaid points is gradually increasing. Prepaid electronic payments has the characteristic of being used after charging first. This study empirically investigated the factors affecting the intention to use online charging in order to help improve the service that require prepaid recharge by applying transformed TAM. Since there are not many previous studies for the intention to use online charging, we extract factors through preceding researches for electronic cash and mobile easy payment. Also we analyze the intention to use online charging for transportation card users, focusing on the moderating effects. As a result of the study, it was found that 'convenience', 'ubiquity', and 'self-efficacy' among the independent variables had a positive (+) effect on mediation variable 'perceived usefulness'. 'Perceived usefulness' was analyzed to have a significant influence on the dependent variable 'usage intention'. According to users' gender, internet usage time, internet shopping frequency, online charging frequency and transportation card usage type, the moderating effect was significant on 'perceived usefulness' and 'usage intention'. As an implication, it was suggested that service improvement and differentiated marketing are needed in direction of increasing the usefulness of services. Additional research directions were proposed for services such as e-wallets, prepaid points and digital currencies by adding other factors and moderate variables.

• Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
• /
• v.20 no.3
• /
• pp.151-171
• /
• 2014

Firms today have sought management effectiveness and efficiency utilizing information technologies (IT). Numerous firms are outsourcing specific information systems functions to cope with their short of information resources or IT experts, or to reduce their capital cost. Recently, Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) as a new type of information system has become one of the powerful outsourcing alternatives. SaaS is software deployed as a hosted and accessed over the internet. It is regarded as the idea of on-demand, pay-per-use, and utility computing and is now being applied to support the core competencies of clients in areas ranging from the individual productivity area to the vertical industry and e-commerce area. In this study, therefore, we seek to quantify the value that SaaS has on business performance by examining the relationships among firm strategies, SaaS technology maturity, and business performance of SaaS providers. We begin by drawing from prior literature on SaaS, technology maturity and firm strategy. SaaS technology maturity is classified into three different phases such as application service providing (ASP), Web-native application, and Web-service application. Firm strategies are manipulated by the low-cost strategy and differentiation strategy. Finally, we considered customer acquisition as a business performance. In this sense, specific objectives of this study are as follows. First, we examine the relationships between customer acquisition performance and both low-cost strategy and differentiation strategy of SaaS providers. Secondly, we investigate the mediating and moderating effects of SaaS technology maturity on those relationships. For this purpose, study collects data from the SaaS providers, and their line of applications registered in the database in CNK (Commerce net Korea) in Korea using a questionnaire method by the professional research institution. The unit of analysis in this study is the SBUs (strategic business unit) in the software provider. A total of 199 SBUs is used for analyzing and testing our hypotheses. With regards to the measurement of firm strategy, we take three measurement items for differentiation strategy such as the application uniqueness (referring an application aims to differentiate within just one or a small number of target industry), supply channel diversification (regarding whether SaaS vendor had diversified supply chain) as well as the number of specialized expertise and take two items for low cost strategy like subscription fee and initial set-up fee. We employ a hierarchical regression analysis technique for testing moderation effects of SaaS technology maturity and follow the Baron and Kenny's procedure for determining if firm strategies affect customer acquisition through technology maturity. Empirical results revealed that, firstly, when differentiation strategy is applied to attain business performance like customer acquisition, the effects of the strategy is moderated by the technology maturity level of SaaS providers. In other words, securing higher level of SaaS technology maturity is essential for higher business performance. For instance, given that firms implement application uniqueness or a distribution channel diversification as a differentiation strategy, they can acquire more customers when their level of SaaS technology maturity is higher rather than lower. Secondly, results indicate that pursuing differentiation strategy or low cost strategy effectively works for SaaS providers' obtaining customer, which means that continuously differentiating their service from others or making their service fee (subscription fee or initial set-up fee) lower are helpful for their business success in terms of acquiring their customers. Lastly, results show that the level of SaaS technology maturity mediates the relationships between low cost strategy and customer acquisition. That is, based on our research design, customers usually perceive the real value of the low subscription fee or initial set-up fee only through the SaaS service provide by vender and, in turn, this will affect their decision making whether subscribe or not.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
• /
• v.8 no.4
• /
• pp.145-159
• /
• 2013

The purpose of this study is to analyze the structural relationship as to how learning flow and self-directed learning are linked to learning motives and academic self-efficacy in the learning setting of high school students. To accomplish such purpose, based on theoretical backgrounds and preceding research findings evaluation models were put to verification for a valid research model for this study. The initial hypothetical model was that self-directed learning ability would have a direct influence on learning motive, academic efficacy and learning flow, while having an indirect influence on learning flow with learning motive and self-efficacy acting as a mediating variable. But the hypothetical model showed low significance level between self-directed learning and learning motive, and learning motive and learning flow. Therefore, links were adjusted to create the final model within the scope that the adequacy of the model might not be compromised. To verify the model, 900 high school students in Seoul were surveyed and the collected data were statistically analyzed using AMOS v21.0 and SPSS v21.0 But 815 surveys were excluded because they were not sufficiently answered. From the analysis, it was found that self-directed learning and academic efficacy have a direct influence on learning flow while self-directed learning and academic efficacy have an indirect leaning motive and learning flow. This finding means that, in the relationship of self-directed learning and learning flow, learning motive and learning efficacy are positive factors that help high school students experience learning flow. Thus, in order to enhance the experience of self-directed learning ability of high school students, various educational endeavors are needed to draw the experience of learning flow during the regular course of study. In addition, customized educational methods and environments are required to increase academic efficacy of the students.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
• /
• v.19 no.4
• /
• pp.322-331
• /
• 2016

Oil budget calculator identifies the removal pathways of spilled oil by both natural and response methods, and estimates the remaining oil required response activities. A oil budget calculator was newly developed as a response tool for Deepwater Horizon oil spill incident in Gulf of Mexico in 2010 to inform clean up decisions for Incident Comment System, which was also successfully utilized to media and general public promotion of oil spill response activities. This study analyzed the theoretical background of the oil budget calculator and explored its future application to Korea. The oil budge calculation of four catastrophic marine pollution incidents indicates that 3~8% of spilled oil was removed mechanically by skimmers, 1~5% by in-situ burning, 4.8~16% by chemical dispersion due to dispersant operation, and 37~56% by weathering processes such as evaporation, dissolution, and natural dispersion. The results show that in-situ burning and chemical dispersion effectively remove spilled oil more than the mechanical removal by skimming, and natural weathering processes are also very effective to remove spilled oil. To apply the oil budget calculator in Korea, its parameters need to be optimized in response to the seasonal characteristics of marine environment, the characteristics of spilled oil and response technologies. A new algorithm also needs to be developed to estimate the oil budget due to shoreline cleanup activities. An oil budget calculator optimized in Korea can play a critical role in informing decisions for oil spill response activities and communicating spill prevention and response activities with the media and general public.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
• /
• v.26 no.3
• /
• pp.151-157
• /
• 2017

The objectives of this study were to determine the impact of soil water content on the growth, stomatal conductance, and photosynthesis of Kimchi cabbage and to evaluate proper parameters for development of growth models. There were five levels of irrigation amount treatments (0, 200, 300, 400, and 500 mL/d/plant) and those were commenced at one day after transplanting (DAT). We measured soil water content, stomatal conductance, photosynthesis characteristics, and the A-Ci curve. The growth of Kimchi cabbage as affected by irrigation amount was evaluated at 38 days after transplanting, however, the growth with 0 and 200 mL/d/plant irrigation amount treatments measured at 29 DAT. The relationship between soil water content and stomatal conductance was highly correlated ($r^2=0.999$) and the function represented by y = 6097.4x - 4.2984. The stomatal conductance of Kimchi cabbage leaves showed $300mmol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$ when the soil water content was below $0.05m^3/m^3$. The stomatal conductance was rapidly decreased by scarcity of soil moisture. A-Ci curve indicated normal curve in fully irrigation treatment (500 mL/d/plant), however, $CO_2$ couldn't diffuse through the intercellular Kimchi cabbage leaves treated with 0 mL/d/plant. The dry weight of full irrigation treatment was greater approximately 6.8 times than that of deficit irrigation (0 mL/d/plant). In addition, leaf area index showed a logarithmic function (y = 16.573 + 3.398 ln x) with soil water content and that of R-squared represents 0.913. Results indicated that the soil water content was highly correlated with stomatal conductance and leaf area index. Indeed, the scarcity soil moisture reduced photosynthesis and retarded growth.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information Security & Cryptology
• /
• v.26 no.6
• /
• pp.1619-1637
• /
• 2016

With wide distribution of smart phones and development of mobile network, social network service (SNS) is displaying remarkable growth rates. Users build new social relations by sharing their interests, which brings surging growth to the SNS based on the combination between the strength of expanding the place for communication and distribution of smart phones featured with easy portability. This study is designed to understand impact factors of SNS on users in Korea and to conduct empirical research on casual relationship between the factors above and the factors affecting personal information behavior through the privacy protection and self-efficacy. In order to accomplish the objective above, the study presented a research model applied with key variables of the Health Belief Model (HBM) predicting behaviors capable of recognizing and preventing individual diseases in the field of health communication. To perform empirical verification on the research model of this study, a survey was conducted upon college students at N university located in Chungcheongnam-do and K university in rural area, who have experiences using the SNS. Through this survey, a total of 186 samples were collected, and path analysis was performed in order to analyze the relationship between the factors. Based on the findings from the survey, first, variables Perceived probability, Perceived severity, Perceived impairment of the HBM, key factors of personal information protection behavior on the SNS, were found to exhibit negative relationship with self-efficacy, and Perceived probability, Perceived benefit, Perceived impairment were found to exhibit negative relationship with privacy protection. But the above, Perceived severity showed positive relationship with privacy protection, and Perceived benefit and self-efficacy also displayed positive relationship. Second, although self-efficacy, a parameter, showed positive relationship with privacy protection, it demonstrated negative relationship with personal information protection behavior. Lastly, privacy protection exhibited positive relationship with personal information protection behavior. By presenting theoretical model reflected with characteristics of prevention based on these findings above unlike previous studies on personal information protection using technologies threatening personal information, this study is to provide theoretical and operational foundation capable of offering explanations how to predict personal information protection behavior on the SNS in the future.