• Asia pacific journal of information systems
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.97-115
• /
• 2008

Introduction The e-government is concerned with using Internet and Web technologies to exchange information and services with citizens, businesses and other related organizations, and it centers on three functions, namely informational, interactive, and transactional [UN, 2001]. Many developed countries like the U.S. have been actively involved in e-government projects, since they enable both more effective public services for citizens and more efficient internal operations. Korea is among these leading countries that are planning to leverage computer and communication technologies to provide for integration of work processes and information as well as convenient access to information and services. For this reason, evaluating e-government projects is becoming a crucial issue for both researchers and policy-makers. However, most research to date has primarily focused on a model of success of an e-government system designed for citizens, overlooking internal systems specifically created for employees working in a public organization. This paper is intended to propose a model to measure the success of a Web-based information system designed for use by internal users at Chungwadae, the executive branch of Korea's central government. The paper is also aimed at applying the model to the assessment of the present system being used at Chungwadae in comparison with the preceding system. Evaluating an e-Government System The most widely cited model of information systems success today is that of DeLone and McLean[1992, 2003, 2004]. The original model states that the success of an information system can be measured using six dimensions, including system quality, information quality, use, user satisfaction, individual impact, and organizational impact. Although the ultimate success of an information system may be reflected in the impact that the system has upon individuals as well as an organization, aspects of using the system such as system use and user satisfaction can play an important role in determining the system success, because the system would be a sheer failure if users don't like and use the system. As a response to criticisms given by numerous researchers, the authors adapted their model to fit the emerging Web-based environment. The revised model[DeLone and McLean, 2003] they offered included an additional quality dimension, namely service quality, and combined individual and organizational impacts into net benefits which can also influence user satisfaction. The e-government system success model can be built around this updated model. Our model incorporates information quality, system quality, and service quality as in the DeLone and McLean model. However, the 'system use' dimension has been replaced by perceived usefulness, as suggested by Seddon[1998]. In addition, because the e-government systems that this paper focuses on are internal public systems used in government agencies, the 'net benefits' dimension has been replaced by perceived work efficiency. Based on the proposed model, a total of nine hypotheses have been formulated which we tested using an empirical analysis. Methods A questionnaire form has been created with items that are designed to examine the relationships among the variables in the model. The questionnaire has been handed over, in person, to 65 members of Chungwadae staff who are now actively using the E-Support System, the present information system created to support internal work at Chungwadae. We made arrangements to meet with each individual who agreed to participate in our survey, and helped to fill out the survey form with explanations. Of the 65 copies that were delivered, only 33 were returned, and 30 responses of these have been adopted for our analysis, since three were not valid. The extremely small sample size was due to the limited number of staff members who had adequate experience required of this study. Results We gathered data from the questionnaire survey and analyzed them using a regression analysis to test the hypotheses. As shown in the table below, the results indicated that all three dimensions of an information system’s quality are positively related to user satisfaction. However, information quality and system quality were found to be positively related to perceived usefulness, while service quality was not. In addition, perceived usefulness is not positively related to user satisfaction, implying that a user may find a system useful, but may not be satisfied with it. Finally, user satisfaction and perceived usefulness both are positively related to perceived work efficiency. This suggests that workers' positive experience with the system is important to guarantee favorable work efficiency. Conclusions We conclude that the proposed model proved useful in measuring the success of an internal information system used by a government agency. To demonstrate the applicability and usefulness of the model in the paper, we applied the model to the assessment of the present internal system used at Chungwadae in comparison with the preceding system. The results showed that the present system outperforms the preceding one in a statistically significant way. Future research will have to focus on applying the model to Korea's governmental agencies other than Chungwadae and examine whether it proves applicable in different types of governmental organizations.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.37 no.1
• /
• pp.35-42
• /
• 2004

Background: For the treatment of isolated left main coronary artery disease, twelve arterial revascularizations with Y-composite grafts using left internal thoracic artery and radial artery or right gastroepiploic artery were peformed. This study was performed to investigate whether V-composite graft can satisfy the blood flow required to make myocardium act properly or not. Borderline stenotic lesions on the left main coronary artery, which are very prone to remodel the bypassed vessels due to competitive flows, were also considered. Material and Method: Among 247 patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting from March 2000 to April 2003, 12 patients (4.7%) who had received total arterial revascularizations for the isolated left main coronary artery disease were studied retrospectively. Result: left anterior descending arteries were bypassed with left internal thoracic artery by off-pump technique in all patients, however, 2 cases of left obtuse marginal branches were bypassed under on-pump beating heart. Except for one patient, who did not have an obtuse marginal branch more than 1 mm in diameter, 11 patients had gone through complete arterial revascularizations by use of the Y shape arterial graft. Among five patients who had less than 75% stenosis, one patient showed string sign on left internal thoracic artery grafted to left anterior descending artery. However, two grafts to obtuse marginal blanches were completely obstructed and one showed slender sign. There were no graft-dominant flow in patients with stenotic lesion less than 75%. On the contrary to the result of patients with stenotic lesions less than 75%, all the patients with stenotic lesions more than 90% showed graft-dominant blood flow. Conclusion: In conclusion, it is assumed that, when stenotic lesions are over 90%, coronary artery bypass grafting with an Y shape arterial graft could possibly give enough help to the obstructed coronary arteries in blood supplying to myocardium, which needs massive quantity of blood to act well. However, when patients have borderline stenoses, through scrupulous examinations, more prudent and flexible decisions are required in choosing the treatment methods, such as, direct anastomosis of vein or artery to aorta, or adding supplementary treatment methods like percutaneous coronary intervention, rather than choosing a fixed treatment methods.

• Korean Journal of Weed Science
• /
• v.8 no.3
• /
• pp.309-316
• /
• 1988

Several experiments were conducted to investigate the achene viability and growth characteristics of Eclipta prostrata (L.) L. No dormancy and no after-ripening requirement were found for E. prostrata achenes. When achenes were stored at room temperature, germination did not decrease with up to 5 months storage. Large differences in loss of viability of E. prostrata achenes occurred when different dehydration methods were used. Immediate dehydration resulted in high viability, but slow dehydration resulted in severe loss of viability. Achene viability at shallow burial depths (5 and 10 cm deep) was lower under upland soil conditions than under lowland soil conditions. Seedling growth was greatly reduced when flooding to a depth of 10 cm occurred at or before the 4-leaf stage. Flooding after the 4-leaf stage stimulated stem elongation. Branching started from the second week and usually terminated at the tenth week. Leaf size was determined by the branch which are related to the assimilate supply. Flowering of E. prostrata started during the fifth week after emergence, and mature achenes were produced from the sixth week. Ten to 14 days were needed for the achenes to mature. About 14,000 achenes were produced on each plant. Achene production per week increased from the sixth week to the tenth week and thereafter it declined. The average number of achenes per inflorescence decreased with delay in flowering.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
• /
• v.31 no.6
• /
• pp.706-713
• /
• 2013

With pot-grown 4-year-old 'Fuyu' persimmon trees, this study evaluated the effect of different nitrogen (N) rates during summer on fruit characteristics, changes of leaf nutrients after harvest, reserve accumulation, and early growth the following year. A total of 0, 36 g N in June, and 72 g N in June and July was fertigated to each tree using urea solution. All the fruits were harvested on Nov. 3. Although not significant, fruits were larger for the 36 g and 72 g N than the 0 g N. Fruits for the 0 g N, having lower N concentration, were softer and had a better coloration and higher soluble solids, indicating that they matured earlier. SPAD value on Nov. 3 was 19.2 for the 0 g N and 54.9 for the 72 g N, and then the values linearly decreased in all the treatments by Nov. 14, exhibiting rapid leaf senescence. Specific leaf weight, being the lowest for the 0 g N, also gradually decreased during this period. Increasing N level significantly increased cross-sectional area of the trunk. Leaf N concentration on Nov. 3 was 0.87% for the 0 g N, whereas it was 1.18 and 1.52% for the 36 g and 72 g N, respectively. The N fertigation tended to increase leaf concentrations of soluble sugars, starch, and amino acids. Contents of N, P, K, soluble sugars, starch, and amino acids per unit leaf area gradually decreased in all the treatments during the 11 days after harvest, and the extent of the decrease was the lowest for the 0 g N. On the other hand, those of Ca, Mg, and protein did not consistently change during this period. The N fertigation resulted in higher concentrations of N in dormant shoots on Nov. 14, and although not great, it also increased soluble sugars, starch, amino acids, and protein. Clear differences were found in number of flower buds per one-year-old branch and total shoot length per tree the following year. The 72 g N trees had 5.6-fold more flower buds and 1.9-fold more shoot length, compared with those of 0 g N trees. However, it was noted that tree growth the following year was not significantly different between the 36 g and 72 g N the previous year. It was concluded that N rate during summer should be adjusted with considering the changes of fruit maturation, mobilization of leaf nutrients, and reserve accumulation.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.25 no.12
• /
• pp.1354-1361
• /
• 2015

This study was aimed to investigate the distribution status and phylogenetic relationship of Myotis aurascens in Jeju Ialnd, which has not clearly confirmed until now. We found three groups of M. aurascens from three different cave enforcements (CEs). The bat population of Jeju Island had smaller levels of HBL and Hfcu, but greater levels of TL, EL, FAL, and Tra than those of the Korean Peninsula population. Jeju bats had wide range in the lengths of FAL and Hfcu comparing to those of European bats. From the bimonthly monitoring to each finding site, we have actually failed to observe those again, estimating that they use those CEs as the daily-roosting place in activating seasons. The sequences of CYTB and COI genes showed identical sequences among Jeju bats tested, indicating that they are maternally related. The results from molecular phylogeny showed that the sequences of these bats located on the same branch with those for M. aurascens in the phylogenetic trees. Besides, the nucleotide sequences of the Jeju bats showed the closest relation with that of Korean Peninsula. Consequently, these findings indicate that the bats of M. aurascens, verified the natural distribution in Jeju Island, have originated from a single maternal origin and differences in morphological and genetic backgrounds form those of Korean Peninsula and the other countries, and had probably immigrated via Korean Peninsula. These findings will contribute as basic information for understanding the migration history and biogeographic relationship of mammals on Jeju Island in East Asia.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.36 no.5
• /
• pp.335-342
• /
• 2003

Background: The aortic arch replacement in an acute aortic dissection is technically demanding procedure that has a lot of postoperative morbidity and high mortality The authors have applied several techniques of aortic arch replacement to overcome the risks of the procedure. Therefore we analysed the results of these techniques. Material and Method: From March of 1996 to July of 2002, we performed 31 cases of the aortic arch replacement in the Stanford type A acute aortic dissection. There were 12 male and 19 female patient's with 59.6$\pm$9.4 years of mean age. Among them 18 cases were treated with the hemiarch replacement and 13 cases with the total arch replacement. We approached the aortic arch through median sternotomy in all but 3 cases of Clamshell incision and applied the deep hypothermic circulatory arrest with retrograde cerebral perfusion. The associated procedures were 2 Bentall's procedures, an axillobifemoral bypass, a femorofemoral bypass and a carotid artery bypass. Result: The postoperative morbidities were 8 acute renal failures, 3 CNS complications, 2 low cardiac output syndromes, 2 malpefusion syndromes, and 2 deep wound infections. There were 4 cases of early hospital mortality which were from an acute renal failure a postoperative bleeding, a low cardiac output syndrome, and a reperfusion syndrome. There were 3 cases of late hospital mortality which were from an acute renal failure, and 2 multiorgan failures. So the total mortality rate was 22.5%. There were 4 cases of late mortality after the discharge, which were form 2 cases of distal anastomotic rupture and 2 cases of intracranial hemorrhage. Conclusion: The hemiarch replacement has relatively shorter operative time and lower hospital mortality but higher late mortality than the total arch replacement. The total arch replacement needs more technically demanding procedure.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.30 no.8
• /
• pp.760-769
• /
• 1997

This study aimed to determine factors that influence blood flow through coronary bypass grafts and to analyze relationship between the graft flow and postoperative outcome. Blood flow through 146 bypass grafts(GBF) was measured with transit-time ultrasound flowmeter during coronary artery bypass grafting operations in 50 patients. Single and multiple regression analyses were done for relationships between the GBF and four variables: internal diameter of recipient coronary artery, myocardial value of bypassed branch(es), type of graft, and finding of preoperative myocardial perfusion scan. The relationship between GBF and postoperative scan finding was also analyzed. 1. The mean GBF was significantly higher in sequential grafts than in single vein grafts or in internal thoracic artery grafts(61.5 vs. 46.9 and 42.5 ml/min). 2. Myocardial value and recipient artery diameter were found to be the factors determining GBF. There was no correlation between GHF and presence of perfusion defect in the preoperative scan. 3. Myocardial value was found to be more important than recipient artery diameter in determinintg GBF. 4. Reversible perfusion defects were more frequently found in the areas upplied by grafts with low GBP. But this fact had only mild statistical significance. These results suggest that blood flow through a bypass graft is more determined by the size of its supplyinf: myocardium than by the size of recipient artery. So, we can expect effective improvement in myocardial flow reserve after grafting of small(1~1.5mm) coronary arteries, if they supply substantial area of myocardium.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.37-43
• /
• 1994

The coronary collateral vessels have revealed their significance in terms of reduction of infarct size, preservation left ventricular function, and prevention of left ventricular aneurysm in patients with myocardial infarction. The purpose of this study were to evaluated the relation between collateral circulation and $^{99m}Tc$-MIBI Heart SPECT in patient with acute myocardial infarction and their clinical significance. The fifty six MI patients with antegrade TIMI perfusion grade 0 and 1 were studied. The patients were classified into two groups; Group I inclueded 30 patients with grade 2, 3 Collateral flow. Group II inclueded 26 patients with grade 0, 1 Collateral flow. Collateral filling were graded from 0 to 3: 0- none, 1- Filling of side branch only, 2- Partial filling of the epicardial segment, 3- Complete filling of epicardial segment. Clinical variables, left ventricular function, $^{99m}Tc$-MIBI Heart SPECT were analyzed with angiographic finding. Results were following: 1) Collateral visualization was found to be greater in patient with involvement of right coronary artery (RCA). The collateral development site of infarct related artery was RCA 15 cases, left anterior descending artery (LAD) 10 cases, left circumflex artery (LCX) 5 cases, and the collateral circulation from LAD to RCA was 13 cases (40.6%). 2) There was a tendency to be decreased in peak CK activity with group I. 3) The presence of good collateral channels was more frequently $^{99m}Tc$-MIBI reversible perfusion defect (83.4% vs 15.3%, p<0.05). 4) No differences of left ventricular end diastolic volume (LVEDV), left ventricular end systolic volume (LVESV), ejection fraction (EF) were noted between group I and group II. The presence of good collateral channels did affect the frequency of occurrence of $^{99m}Tc$-MIBI reversible perfusion defect.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
• /
• v.30 no.1
• /
• pp.104-111
• /
• 1996

We did Tc-99m sestamibi myocardial perfusion SPECT in 36 patients with acute myocardial infarction when they arrived at the emergency room. And we compared myocardial perfusion images with ECG findings. Then we obtained the follows. The myocardial infarction by the obstruction of left coronary descending artery and right coronary artery showed a good concordance in the diagnosis and infarction site between myocardial perfusion images and ECG findings. The 7 patients with myocardial infarction by a left circumflex coronary artery showed a perfusion defect in the lateral wall in myocardial perfusion SPECT images. But 4 patients of them showed ST segment elevation, 2 patients showed ST depression and 1 patient showed normal ECG findings. The diagnostic sensitivity of Tc-99m sestamibi myocardial perfusion SPECT was 100% by a qualified analysis. The perfusion defect site in the myocardial perfusion SPECT were corresponded with the infarct related coronary artery in 31 patients which was diagnosed by coronary angiograpy. The size of perfusion defect in the po1ar map was $31{\pm}18%(M{\pm}SD)$, in the myocardial infarction with left anterior descending coronary arery obstruction, $31{\pm}13% (M{\pm}SD)$ in the myocardial infarction with right coronary artery obstruction and $25{\pm}5.9%(M{\pm}SD)$ in the myocardial infarction with left circumflex coronary artery obstruction. We concluded that emergency myocardial perfusion SPECT images are useful in the diagnose of myocardial infarction and it's very useful when we are difficult to diagnose with ECG like as lateral wall infarction or left bundle branch block.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
• /
• v.20 no.3
• /
• pp.411-422
• /
• 2012

To investigate the possibility of sustainable agriculture in no-tillage pepper this study was carried out in vinyl greenhouse with organic cultivation having no pesticide certification. 1. Growth and yield in pepper cultivation General growth in pepper was suppressed with decreasing hill spacing, primary branch length, and stem width. Fruit diameter and fruit weight in no-tillage increased significantly, and yield of pepper increased by 10% compared with conventional tillage. From results organic cultivation in no-tillage improved a quality of pepper compared with conventional tillage. 2. Production cost of conventional tillage and no-tillage Production cost of conventional tillage and no-tillage was not different in seed cost, inorganic fertilizer cost, pesticide cost, repair cost, light agricultural tool cost, agriculture facilities depreciation cost and so on. Intermediary goods cost in no-tillage was decreased by 11% for organic fertilizer cost, light and heat expenses and power rate, heavy agricultural tool cost, and repairing expenses compare with conventional tillage. Employment effort cost and work effort cost were decreased, and farm income and farm income rate were increased by 11% and 5%, respectively, in no-tillage. In this work, yield and gross income were increased by 10% and 25%, respectively, in no-tillage. Therefore material cost, intermediary goods cost, working expensive, farm income, and income rate were increased by 34%, 3%, 2%, 52% and 22%, respectively.