• Journal of Distribution Research
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.65-93
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• 2011

As relationship between buyer and seller has been brought closer and long-term relationship has been more important in B2B markets, the importance of service and service convenience increases as well as product. In homogeneous markets, where service offerings are similar and therefore not key competitive differentiator, providing greater convenience may enable a competitive advantage. Service convenience, as conceptualized by Berry et al. (2002), is defined as the consumers' time and effort perceptions related to buying or using a service. For this reason, B2B customers are interested in how fast the service is provided and how much save non-monetary cost like time or effort by the service convenience along with service quality. Therefore, this study attempts to investigate the impact of service convenience on relationship factors such as relationship satisfaction, relationship commitment, and relationship performance. The purpose of this study is to find out whether service convenience can be a new antecedent of relationship quality and relationship performance. In addition, this study tries to examine how five-dimensional service convenience constructs (decision convenience, access convenience, transaction convenience, benefit convenience, post-benefit convenience) affect customers' relationship satisfaction, relationship commitment, and relationship performance. The service convenience comprises five fundamental components - decision convenience (the perceived time and effort costs associated with service purchase or use decisions), access convenience(the perceived time and effort costs associated with initiating service delivery), transaction convenience(the perceived time and effort costs associated with finalizing the transaction), benefit convenience(the perceived time and effort costs associated with experiencing the core benefits of the offering) and post-benefit convenience (the perceived time and effort costs associated with reestablishing subsequent contact with the firm). Earlier studies of perceived service convenience in the industrial market are none. The conventional studies that have dealt with service convenience have usually been made in the consumer market, or they have dealt with convenience aspects in the service process. This service convenience measure for consumer market can be useful tool to estimate service quality in B2B market. The conceptualization developed by Berry et al. (2002) reflects a multistage, experiential consumption process in which evaluations of convenience vary at each stage. For this reason, the service convenience measure is good for B2B service environment which has complex processes and various types. Especially when categorizing B2B service as sequential stage of service delivery like Kumar and Kumar (2004), the Berry's service convenience measure which reflect sequential flow of service deliveries suitable to establish B2B service convenience. For this study, data were gathered from respondents who often buy business service and analyzed by structural equation modeling. The sample size in the present study is 119. Composite reliability values and average variance extracted values were examined for each variable to have reliability. We determine whether the measurement model supports the convergent validity by CFA, and discriminant validity was assessed by examining the correlation matrix of the constructs. For each pair of constructs, the square root of the average variance extracted exceeded their correlations, thus supporting the discriminant validity of the constructs. Hypotheses were tested using the Smart PLS 2.0 and we calculated the PLS path values and followed with a bootstrap re-sampling method to test the hypotheses. Among the five dimensional service convenience constructs, four constructs (decision convenience, transaction convenience, benefit convenience, post-benefit convenience) affected customers' positive relationship satisfaction, relationship commitment, and relationship performance. This result means that service convenience is important cue to improve relationship between buyer and seller. One of the five service convenience dimensions, access convenience, does not affect relationship quality and performance, which implies that the dimension of service convenience is not important factor of cumulative satisfaction. The Cumulative satisfaction can be distinguished from transaction-specific customer satisfaction, which is an immediate post-purchase evaluative judgment or an affective reaction to the most recent transactional experience with the firm. Because access convenience minimizes the physical effort associated with initiating an exchange, the effect on relationship satisfaction similar to cumulative satisfaction may be relatively low in terms of importance than transaction-specific customer satisfaction. Also, B2B firms focus on service quality, price, benefit, follow-up service and so on than convenience of time or place in service because it is relatively difficult to change existing transaction partners in B2B market compared to consumer market. In addition, this study using partial least squares methods reveals that customers' satisfaction and commitment toward relationship has mediating role between the service convenience and relationship performance. The result shows that management and investment to improve service convenience make customers' positive relationship satisfaction, and then the positive relationship satisfaction can enhance the relationship commitment and relationship performance. And to conclude, service convenience management is an important part of successful relationship performance management, and the service convenience is an important antecedent of relationship between buyer and seller such as the relationship commitment and relationship performance. Therefore, it has more important to improve relationship performance that service providers enhance service convenience although competitive service development or service quality improvement is important. Given the pressure to provide increased convenience, it is not surprising that organizations have made significant investments in enhancing the convenience aspect of their product and service offering.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.219-228
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• 2012

The tangential breast intensity modulated radiotherapy (T-B IMRT) technique, which uses the same tangential fields as conventional 3-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) plans with physical wedges, was analyzed in terms of the calculated dose distribution feature and dosimetric accuracy of beam delivery during treatment. T-B IMRT plans were prepared for 15 patients with breast cancer who were already treated with conventional 3D-CRT. The homogeneity of the dose distribution to the target volume was improved, and the dose delivered to the normal tissues and critical organs was reduced compared with that in 3D-CRT plans. Quality assurance (QA) plans with the appropriate phantoms were used to analyze the dosimetric accuracy of T-B IMRT. An ionization chamber placed at the hole of an acrylic cylindrical phantom was used for the point dose measurement, and the mean error from the calculated dose was $0.7{\pm}1.4%$. The accuracy of the dose distribution was verified with a 2D diode detector array, and the mean pass rate calculated from the gamma evaluation was $97.3{\pm}2.9%$. We confirmed the advantages of a T-B IMRT in the dose distribution and verified the dosimetric accuracy from the QA performance which should still be regarded as an important process even in the simple technique as T-B IMRT in order to maintain a good quality.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.720-731
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• 2003

Statement of problem. The importance of fixture design and surface treatment. Purpose. The clinical success of dental in plants is affected by many factors such like as degree of osseointegration, the effective load dispersion for the prostheses, and a lot of attempts have been made to overcome the difficulties. In this study, efforts were made to find the possibility of clinical acceptance of the dental implants of newly designed surface and resorbable blast media surcace. Materials and methods. In this study, two groups of custom-made, screw-shaped implants were prepared. The first with the consisting of Branemark clone design and the other with the new design. These implants were divided into four groups according to the kinds of surface treatment. Four implants($AVANA^{(R)}$, Osstem, Busan, Korea)of each group were installed in twenty rabbits. Group A was consisted of Branemark done implant left as machined, Group B with Branemark clone implants with RBM(Resorbable blast media) surface, Group C with newly designed implants left as machined and Group D with newly designed implants with RBM surface. One of the twenty rabbits died from inflammation and the observation was made for six weeks. Specimens from four groups were observed using scanning electron microscopy with 40, 100, 1000 magnification power and microsurface structures were measured by white-light scanning interferometry for three dimensional surface roughness measurements(Accura $2000^{(R)}$, Intek-Plus, Korea.). Removal torque was measured in 17 rabbits using digital torque gauge(MGT 12R, Mark-10 corp., NY, U.S.A.) immediately after the sacrifice and two rabbits were used for the histologic preparation(EXAKT $310^{(R)}$, Heraeus Kulzer, wehrheim, Germany) of specimens and observed under light microscope. Resonance frequency measurement($Osstell^{(R)}$) was taken with the 19 rabbits at the beginning of the implant fixation and immediately after the sacrifice. Results. Following results were taken from the experiment. 1. The surface of the RBM implants as seen with SEM had rough and irregular pattern with reticular formation compared to that of fumed specimens showing different surface topographies. 2. The newly designed implant with RBM surface had high removal torque value among four groups with no statistical significance. The average removal torque was $49.95{\pm}6.70Ncm$ in Group A, $51.15{\pm}4.40Ncm$ in Group B, $50.78{\pm}9.37Ncm$ in Group C, $51.09{\pm}4.69Ncm$ in Group D. 3. The RFA values were $70.8{\pm}4.3Hz$ in Group A, $71.8{\pm}3.1Hz$ in Group B, $70.9{\pm}2.5Hz$, $72.7{\pm}2.5Hz$ in Group D. Higher values were noted in the groups which had surface treatment compared to the untreated groups with no statistical significance. 4. The results from the histomorphometric evaluation showed a mean percentage of bone-to-implant contact of $45{\pm}0.5%$ in Group A, $55{\pm}3%$ in Group B, $49.5{\pm}0.5%$ in Group C, and $55{\pm}3%$ in Group D. Quite amount of newly formed bone were observed at the surface RBM-treated implants in bone marrow space.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.569-578
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to clarify the palatal arch length, width and height in the primary and permanent dentition. Samples were consisted of normal occlusions both in the primary dentition(50 males and 50 females) and in the permanent dentition(50 males and 50 females). With their upper plaster casts were used and through 3-dimensional laser scanning(3D Scanner, DS4060, LDI, U.S.A.), cloud data, polygonization, section curve and loft surface, fit and horizontal plane were based to measure the palatal arch length, width and height(Surfacer 10.0, Imageware, U.S.A.). T-tests were applied for the statistical analyze of the data. The results were as follows : 1. In the measurement values, the values of the male were higher than those of the female except primary anterior palatal height. There were not only statistically significant differences in anterior palatal width(p<0.05) and posterior palatal width(p<0.01) in primary dentition but palatal width(p<0.05), anterior palatal length(p<0.01), middle and posterior palatal length(p<0.05) in permanent dentition between male and female. 2. In the indices of palate, there were statistically significant differences in height-length index(p<0.05) and width-length index(p<0.01) between male and female in primary dentition. In permanent dentition, there was statistically difference between male and female. 3. In the measurement values, posterior palatal width was increased most greatly. Posterior palatal height, anterior palatal width and anterior palatal length were followed by descending order. On the other hand, anterior palatal height and posterior palatal length were decreased. 4. In the indices of palate, the height-length index, the width-length index and posterior height-width index were increased, but the others were decreased.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.259-266
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• 1998

There are three different types of gynecological applicator sets available in microSelectron-high dose-rate(HDR) System by Nucletron; standard applicator set(SAS), standard shielded applicator set(SSAS), and Fletcher-Williamson applicator set(FWAS). Shielding effect of a SAS without shielding material was compared with that of a SSAS with shielding material made of stainless steel(density ${\varrho}=8,000kg/m^3$) at the top and bottom of each ovoid, and of a FWAS with shielding material made of tungsten alloy(density ${\varrho}=14,000kg/m^3$ at the top and bottom of each ovoid. The shielding effects to the rectum and bladder of these two shielded applicator sets were to be measured at reference points with an ion chamber and specially designed supporting system for applicator ovoids inside of the computerized 3-dimensional water phantom. To determine the middle point of two ovoids the measurement was performed with the reference tip of ion chamber placed at the same level and at the middle point from the two ovoids, while scanning the dose with the ion chamber on each side of ovoids. The doses to the reference points of rectum were measured at 20(Rl), 25(R2), 30(R3), 40(R4), 50(R5), and 60(R6) mm located posteriorly on the vertical line drawn from M5(the middle dwell position of ovoid), and the doses to the bladder were measured at 20(Bl), 30(B2), 40(B3), 50(B4), and 60(B5) mm located anteriorly on the vertical line drawn from M5. The same technique was employed to measure the doses on each reference point of both SSAS and FWAS. The differences of measured rectal doses at 25 mm(R2) and 30 mm(R3) between SAS and SSAS were 8.0 % and 6.0 %: 25.0% and 23.0 % between SAS and FWAS. The differences of measured bladder doses at 20 mm(Bl) and 30 mm(B2) between SAS and SSAS were 8.0 % and 3.0 %: 23.0 % and 17.0 % between SAS and FWAS. The maximum shielding effects to the rectum and bladder of SSAS were 8.0 % and 8.0 %, whereas those of FWAS were 26.0 % and 23.0 %, respectively. These results led to the conclusion that FWAS has much better shielding effect than SSAS does, and when SSAS and FWAS were used for gynecological intracavitary brachytherapy in microSelectron-HDR system, the dose to the rectum and bladder was significantly reduced to optimize the treatment outcome and to lower the complication rates in the rectum and bladder.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.32
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• pp.93-109
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• 2020

Purpose: The radiochromic film (Gafchromic EBT3, Ashland Advanced Materials, USA) and 3-dimensional analysis system dosimetry checkTM (DC, MathResolutions, USA) were evaluated for patient-specific quality assurance (QA) of helical tomotherapy. Materials and Methods: Depending on the tumors' positions, three types of targets, which are the abdominal tumor (130.6㎤), retroperitoneal tumor (849.0㎤), and the whole abdominal metastasis tumor (3131.0㎤) applied to the humanoid phantom (Anderson Rando Phantom, USA). We established a total of 12 comparative treatment plans by the four geometric conditions of the beam irradiation, which are the different field widths (FW) of 2.5-cm, 5.0-cm, and pitches of 0.287, 0.43. Ionization measurements (1D) with EBT3 by inserting the cheese phantom (2D) were compared to DC measurements of the 3D dose reconstruction on CT images from beam fluence log information. For the clinical feasibility evaluation of the DC, dose reconstruction has been performed using the same cheese phantom with the EBT3 method. Recalculated dose distributions revealed the dose error information during the actual irradiation on the same CT images quantitatively compared to the treatment plan. The Thread effect, which might appear in the Helical Tomotherapy, was analyzed by ripple amplitude (%). We also performed gamma index analysis (DD: 3mm/ DTA: 3%, pass threshold limit: 95%) for pattern check of the dose distribution. Results: Ripple amplitude measurement resulted in the highest average of 23.1% in the peritoneum tumor. In the radiochromic film analysis, the absolute dose was on average 0.9±0.4%, and gamma index analysis was on average 96.4±2.2% (Passing rate: >95%), which could be limited to the large target sizes such as the whole abdominal metastasis tumor. In the DC analysis with the humanoid phantom for FW of 5.0-cm, the three regions' average was 91.8±6.4% in the 2D and 3D plan. The three planes (axial, coronal, and sagittal) and dose profile could be analyzed with the entire peritoneum tumor and the whole abdominal metastasis target, with planned dose distributions. The dose errors based on the dose-volume histogram in the DC evaluations increased depending on FW and pitch. Conclusion: The DC method could implement a dose error analysis on the 3D patient image data by the measured beam fluence log information only without any dosimetry tools for patient-specific quality assurance. Also, there may be no limit to apply for the tumor location and size; therefore, the DC could be useful in patient-specific QAl during the treatment of Helical Tomotherapy of large and irregular tumors.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.29 no.12 s.148
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• pp.1595-1607
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• 2005

Three-dimensional(3-D) body scanners used to capture anthropometric measurements are now becoming a common research tool far apparel. This study had two goals, to test the accuracy and reliability of 3-D measurements of dynamic postures, and !o analyze the change in upper body surface measurements between the standard anthropometric position and various dynamic positions. A comparison of body surface measurements using two different measuring methods, 3-D scan measurements using virtual tools on the computer screen and traditional manual measurements for a standard anthropometric posture and for a posture with shoulder flexion were $-2\~20mm$. Girth items showed some disagreement of values between the two methods. None of the measurements were significantly different except f3r the neckbase girth for any of the measuring methods or postures. Scan measurements of the upper body items showed significant linear surface change in the dynamic postures. Shoulder length, interscye front and back, and biacromion length were the items most affected in the dynamic postures. Changes of linear body surface were very similar for the two measuring methods within the same posture. The repeatability of data taken from the 3-D scans using virtual tools showed satisfactory results. Three times repeated scan measurements f3r the scapula protraction and scapula elevation posture were proven to be statistically the same for all measurement items. Measurements from automatic measuring software that measured the 3-D scan with no manual intervention were compared with the measurements using virtual tools. Many measurements from the automatic program were larger and showed quite different values.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Near Infrared Spectroscopy Conference
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• 2001.06a
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• pp.1031-1031
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• 2001

The mammary gland is made up of remarkably sensitive tissue, which has the capability of producing a large volume of secretion, milk, under normal or healthy conditions. When bacteria enter the gland and establish an infection (mastitis), inflammation is initiated accompanied by an influx of white cells from the blood stream, by altered secretory function, and changes in the volume and composition of secretion. Cell numbers in milk are closely associated with inflammation and udder health. These somatic cell counts (SCC) are accepted as the international standard measurement of milk quality in dairy and for mastitis diagnosis. NIR Spectra of unhomogenized composite milk samples from 14 cows (healthy and mastitic), 7days after parturition and during the next 30 days of lactation were measured. Different multivariate analysis techniques were used to diagnose the disease at very early stage and determine how the spectral properties of milk vary with its composition and animal health. PLS model for prediction of somatic cell count (SCC) based on NIR milk spectra was made. The best accuracy of determination for the 1100-2500nm range was found using smoothed absorbance data and 10 PLS factors. The standard error of prediction for independent validation set of samples was 0.382, correlation coefficient 0.854 and the variation coefficient 7.63%. It has been found that SCC determination by NIR milk spectra was indirect and based on the related changes in milk composition. From the spectral changes, we learned that when mastitis occurred, the most significant factors that simultaneously influenced milk spectra were alteration of milk proteins and changes in ionic concentration of milk. It was consistent with the results we obtained further when applied 2DCOS. Two-dimensional correlation analysis of NIR milk spectra was done to assess the changes in milk composition, which occur when somatic cell count (SCC) levels vary. The synchronous correlation map revealed that when SCC increases, protein levels increase while water and lactose levels decrease. Results from the analysis of the asynchronous plot indicated that changes in water and fat absorptions occur before other milk components. In addition, the technique was used to assess the changes in milk during a period when SCC levels do not vary appreciably. Results indicated that milk components are in equilibrium and no appreciable change in a given component was seen with respect to another. This was found in both healthy and mastitic animals. However, milk components were found to vary with SCC content regardless of the range considered. This important finding demonstrates that 2-D correlation analysis may be used to track even subtle changes in milk composition in individual cows. To find out the right threshold for SCC when used for mastitis diagnosis at cow level, classification of milk samples was performed using soft independent modeling of class analogy (SIMCA) and different spectral data pretreatment. Two levels of SCC - 200 000 cells/$m\ell$ and 300 000 cells/$m\ell$, respectively, were set up and compared as thresholds to discriminate between healthy and mastitic cows. The best detection accuracy was found with 200 000 cells/$m\ell$ as threshold for mastitis and smoothed absorbance data: - 98% of the milk samples in the calibration set and 87% of the samples in the independent test set were correctly classified. When the spectral information was studied it was found that the successful mastitis diagnosis was based on reviling the spectral changes related to the corresponding changes in milk composition. NIRS combined with different ways of spectral data ruining can provide faster and nondestructive alternative to current methods for mastitis diagnosis and a new inside into disease understanding at molecular level.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
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• v.27 no.4 s.63
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• pp.643-659
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• 1997

For the total treatment of skeletal malocclusions, 3-dimensional evaluation and diagnosis are essential. Although anteroposterior discrepancies can be evaluated through various methods, the satisfactory methods for evaluations of facial asymmetry and transverse discrepancies are yet to be found. The adequate diagnosis and treatment of transverse discrepancies may be more important in the maintenance of functional occlusion as well as for the stability of results obtained from orthognathic surgery than the anteroposterior or vertical discrepancies. Since the soft tissue effects from the transverse discrepancies may not be pronounced, especially when combined with anteroposterior or vertical discrepancies which have prominent characteristics, the differentiation of their effects may be difficult from visual inspection alone. Therefore it is essential that the normal facial proportions would be established from the posteroanterior cephalometry as a reference for the accurate diagnosis and treatment. The present study evaluates 76 subjects from Yonsei University freshmen with normal facial symmetry and occlusion. Posteroanterior cephalograms were taken from the subjects and the normal values and facial proportions are obtained. The results are as follows. 1. The transverse and vortical values from posteroanterior cephalometry and their ratio, with means and standard deviations are calculated. 2. The ratio of vertical values to transverse values is 0.837 (male 0.836, female 0.841). 3. The Proportion of maxillary and mandibular widths is 0.747 (male 0.745, female 0.752), with statistically significant correlation. 4. Various degree of significant correlations are observed in the following craniofacial widths; (Cranial width, Bizygomaticofrontal suture width, Facial width, Maxillary width, Upper & Lower Intermolar width, Mandibular width). 5. Although the facial height as well as other line measurements increase as the facial widths increase, angle measurement ($Bj\ddot{o}rk$ Sum, Mandibular Plane Angle, Gonial Angle), decreases and posterior to anterior facial height ratio increases, therefore indicating the tendency for a brachycephalic facial type. These results may be used as references for the treatment planning in orthognathic and orthodontic treatments for the dentofacial deformity patients.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.34 no.8
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• pp.703-718
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• 2014

This study sought to investigate learning progressions for astronomical systems which synthesized the motion and structure of Earth, Earth-Moon system, solar system, and the universe. For this purpose we developed ordered multiple-choice items, applied them to elementary and middle school students, and provided validity evidence based on the consequence of assessment for interpretation of learning progressions. The study was conducted according to construct modeling approach. The results showed that the OMCs were appropriate for investigating learning progressions on astronomical systems, i.e., based on item fit analysis, students' responses to items were consistent with the measurement of Rasch model. Wright map analysis also represented that the assessment items were very effective in examining students' hypothetical pathways of development of understanding astronomical systems. At the lower anchor of the learning progression, while students perceived the change of location and direction of celestial bodies with only two-dimensional earth-based view, they failed to connect the locations of celestial bodies with Earth-Moon system model, and they could recognized simple patterns of planets in the solar system and milky way. At the intermediate levels, students interpreted celestial motion using the model of Earth rotation and revolution, Earth-Moon system, and solar system with space-based view, and they could also relate the elements of astronomical structures with the models. At the upper anchor, students showed the perspective change between space-based view and earth-based view, and applied it to celestial motion of astronomical systems, and they understood the correlation among sub-elements of astronomical systems and applied it to the system model.