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Assessment of the Specificity of A Hybridization of Surfactant Protein A by Addition of Non-specific Rat Spleen RNA (Surfactant Protein A mRNA을 이용한 유전자 재결합 반응에서 비특이성 RNA의 첨가에 의한 특이성 검정)

  • Kim, Byeong Cheol;Kim, Mi Ok;Kim, Tae-Hyung;Sohn, Jang Won;Yoon, Ho Joo;Shin, Dong Ho;Park, Sung Soo
    • Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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    • v.56 no.4
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    • pp.393-404
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    • 2004
  • Background : Nucleic acid hybridization has become an essential technique in the development of our understanding of gene structure and function. The quantitative analysis of hybridization has been used in the measurement of genome complexity and gene copy number. The filter hybridization assay is rapid, sensitive and can be used to measure RNAs complementary to any cloned DNA sequence. Methods : The authors assessed the accuracy, linearity, correlation coefficient and specificity of the hybridization depending on the added dose(0, 1, 5, and $10{\mu}g$) of non-specific rat spleen RNA to hybridization of surfactant protein A mRNA. Filter hybridization assays were used to obtain the equation of standard curve and thereby to quantitate the mRNA quantitation. Results : 1. Standard curve equation of filter hybridization assay between counts per minute (X) and spleen RNA input (Y) was Y=0.13X-19.35. Correlation coefficient was 0.98. 2. Standard curve equation of filter hybridization assay between counts per minute (X) and surfactant protein A mRNA transcript input (Y) was Y=0.00066X-0.046. Correlation coefficient was 0.99. 3. Standard curve equation of filter hybridization assay between counts per minute (X) and surfactant protein A mRNA transcript input (Y) after the addition of $1{\mu}g$ spleen RNA was Y=0.00056X-0.051. Correlation coefficient was 0.99. 4. Standard curve equation of filter hybridization assay between counts per minute (X) and surfactant protein A mRNA transcript input (Y) after the addition of $5{\mu}g$ spleen RNA was Y=0.00065X-0.088. Correlation coefficient was 0.99. 5. Standard curve equation of filter hybridization assay between counts per minute (X) and surfactant protein A mRNA transcript input (Y) after the addition of $10{\mu}g$ spleen RNA was Y=0.00051X-0.10. Correlation coefficient was 0.99. Conclusions : Comparison of cpm/filter in a linear range allowed accurate and reproducible estimation of surfactant protein A mRNA copy number irrespective of the addition dosage of non-specific rat spleen RNA over the range $0-10{\mu}g$.

The Surgical Outcome for Gastric Submucosal Tumors: Laparoscopy vs. Open Surgery (위 점막하 종양에 대한 개복 및 복강경 위 절제술의 비교)

  • Lim, Chai-Sun;Lee, Sang-Lim;Park, Jong-Min;Jin, Sung-Ho;Jung, In-Ho;Cho, Young-Kwan;Han, Sang-Uk
    • Journal of Gastric Cancer
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    • v.8 no.4
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    • pp.225-231
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    • 2008
  • Purpose: Laparoscopic gastric resection (LGR) is increasingly being used instead of open gastric resection (OGR) as the standard surgical treatment for gastric submucosal tumors. Yet there are few reports on which technique shows better postoperative outcomes. This study was performed to compare these two treatment modalities for gastric submucosal tumors by evaluating the postoperative outcomes. We also provide an analysis of the learning curve for LGR. Materials and Methods: Between 2003.4 and 2008.8, 103 patients with a gastric submucosal tumor underwent either LGR (N=78) or OGR (n=25). A retrospective review was performed on a prospectively obtained database of 103 patients. We reviewed the data with regard to the operative time, the blood loss during the operation, the time to the first soft diet, the postoperative hospital stay, the tumor size and the tumor location. Results: The clinicopatholgic and tumor characteristics of the patients were similar for both groups. There was no open conversion in the LGR group. The mean operation time and the bleeding loss were not different between the LGR group and the OWR group. The time to first soft diet (3.27 vs. 6.16 days, P<0.001) and the length of the postoperative hospital stay (7.37 vs. 8.88 days, P=0.002) were shorter in the LGR group compared to the OGR group. The tumor size was bigger in the OGR group than that in the LGR group (6.44 vs. 3.65 cm, P<0.001). When performing laparoscopic gastric resection of gastric SMT, the surgeon was able to decrease the operation time and bleeding loss with gaining more experience. We separated the total cases into 3 periods to compare the operation time, the bleeding losses and the complications. The third period showed the shortest operation time, the least bleeding loss and the fewest complications. Conclusion: LGR for treating a gastric submucosal tumor was superior to OGR in terms of the postoperative outcomes. An operator needs some experience to perform a complete laparoscopic gastric resection. Laparoscopic resection could be considered the first-line treatment for gastric submucosal tumors.

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Effects of Planting Density and Tiller Removal Growth and Yield of Sweet Corn Hybrids (재식밀도와 얼자제거가 단 옥수수의 생육 및 수량에 미치는 영향)

  • Keun Yong, Park;Young Kil, Kang;Seung Ue, Park;Hyeon Gui, Moon
    • KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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    • v.34 no.2
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    • pp.192-197
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    • 1989
  • Two sweet corn hybrids, 'Tanok l' and 'Golden Cross Bantam 70 (GCB 70)' were grown at five plant densities, of 4, 167. 5,556, 6,667. 8, 333, and 11, 111 plants per 10 ares, with or without tiller removal, to determine effects of tiller removal on growth and yield of sweet corn hybrids at various plant densities. Tillers were pulled when less than 15 cm tall. The number of tillers per plant linearly decreased as plant density increased. The two hybrids had similar plant height, ear length and diameter, ear weight and the number of ears per plant and 10 ares. Tanok 1 lodged approximately 20% at above 8,333 plants per 10 ares, while GCB 70 did not lodge at all, at any plant density. Tanok 1 had higher leaf area index (LAI), ear and stover yields than GCB 70. Except for root lodging and LAI, hybrid x plant density interaction was not significant at 5% probability level. Plant density did not affect silking data. Increasing plant density linearly increased plant height, LAI, and stover yield, but linearly decreased ear length, ear weight, and the number of ears per plant. Increase in LAI was greater in Tanok 1 than in GCB 70, with increasing plant density. The relationships between the number of ears and ear yield per 10 ares and plant density were Quadratic. The optimum plant density was estimated to be approximately 6500 plants per 10 ares, using the equation based on ear yield. Except for ear height and LA I, hybrid x tiller removal and plant density x tiller removal interactions were not significant. Hybrid x plant density x tiller removal interaction was not significant for any characters. When averaged over hybrids and plant densities, tiller removal reduced plant height and ear and stover yields by about 3, 10, and 16%, respectively, but did not significantly affect silking date, root lodging, ear length and diameter and the number of ears per plant and per 10 ares. The results indicate that the optimum plant density is approximately 6500 plants per 10 ares, regardless of tiller removal and tillers are not to be removed at any plant density.

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The Ecosystem of the Southern Coastal Waters of the East Sea, Korea I. Phytoplankton Community Structure and Primary Productivity in September, 1994 (한국 동해 남부 연안생태계 연구 1. 1994년 9월에 있어서의 식물플랑크톤의 군집구조와 1차생산력)

  • LEE Joon-Baek;HAN Myung-Soo;YANG HanR-Seob
    • Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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    • v.31 no.1
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    • pp.45-55
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    • 1998
  • Phytoplankton community and primary productivity have been investigated in a fall season in the southern coastal waters of the last Sea, Korea. A strong thermocline formed at the 20\~60\;m$ layer and a cold water mass also existed in the bottom around Yong-il Bay. The offshore of the surveyed area was likely to be influenced by relatively warmer water, whereas the inshore represented Higher primary productivity with lower water temperature and lower salinity. A total of 133 species of phytoplankton occurred, representing 107 spp. of diatom, 23 spp. of dinoflagellate 3 spp. of silicoflagellate. Skeletonema costatum and Asterionellepsis glacialis were most predominant with more than $30\%$ dominance ratio, while Leptocylindrus danicus was also dominant at all transect lines. Standing crops of phytoplankton ranged from $2.7{\times}10^3\;to\;141.6{\times}10^3\;cell^{\ell-1}$. Chlorophyll a concentration varied with stations and layers, but the $30\~50$ m layer showed maximun with about $1.18{\mu}g{\ell}^{-1}$ rather than at the surface layer. It is believed that the maximun in standing crops and chlorophyll of phytoplankton formed at the $20\~50$ m layer above the thermocline during the survey. Phytoplankton primary productivity ranged from 0.32 to 3.04 mgC $m^{-3}\;hr^{-1}$, showing higher at the inshore than at the offshore. The range of integrated primary productivity was $263.3\~1085.5 mgC\;m^{-2}\;day^{-1}$ for the euphotic layer. Photosysthesis rates varied with the range from 0.76 to 8.04 mgC mgChl $\alpha^{-1}\;hr^{-1}$. Phytoplankton photosynthesis at the inshore was saturated at lower irradiance ($15\~35\%$ of surface) and showed higher efficiency, Thus, it revealed that the phytoplankton community probably adapted to the middle of euphotic layer because the depth of mixing layer became thinner due to the formation of thermocline.

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Preparation of Powdered Smoked-Dried Mackerel Soup and Its Taste Compounds (고등어분말수우프의 제조 및 정미성분에 관한 연구)

  • LEE Eung-Ho;OH Kwang-Soo;AHN Chang-Bum;CHUNG Bu-Gil;BAE You-Kyung;HA Jin-Hwan
    • Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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    • v.20 no.1
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    • pp.41-51
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    • 1987
  • This study was carried out to prepare powdered smoked-dried mackerel which can be used as a soup base, and to examine storage stability and the taste compounds of Products. Raw mackerel are filleted, toiled for 10 minutes and pressed to remove lipids, and then soaked in extract solution of skipjack meat. This soaked mackerel are smoked 3 times to $10-12\%$ moisture content at $80^{\circ}C$ for 8 hours. And the smoked-dried mackerel were pulverized to 50 mesh. Finally, the powdered smoked-dried mackerel were packed in a laminated film $bag(PET/Al\;foil/CPP:\;5{\mu}m/15{\mu}m/70{\mu}m,\;15\times17cm)$ with air(product C), nitrogen(product N) and oxygen absorber(product O), and then stored at room temperature for 100 days. The moisture and crude lipid content of powdered smoked-dried mackerel was $11.3-12.3\%,\;12\%$, respectively, and water activity is 0.52-0.56. And these values showed little changes during storage. The pH, VBN and amino nitrogen content increased slowly during storage. Hydrophilic and lipophilic brown pigment formation showed a tendency of increase in product(C) and showed little change in product(N) and (O). The TBA value, peroxide value and carbonyl value of product(N) and (O) were lower than those of product (C). The major fatty acids of products were 16:0, 18:1, 22:6, 18:0 and 20:5, and polyenoic acids decreased, while saturated and monoenoic acids increased during processing and storage of products. The IMP content in products were 420.2-454.2 mg/100 g and decreased slightly with storage period. And major non-volatile organic acids in products were lactic acid, succinic acid and $\alpha-ketoglutaric$ acid. In free amino acids and related compounds, major ones are histidine, alanine, hydroxyproline, lysine, glutamic acid and anserine, which occupied $80.8\%$ of total free amino acids. The taste compounds of powdered smoked-dried mackerel were free amino acids and related compounds (1,279.4 mg/100 g), non-volatile organic acids(948.1 mg/100 g), nucleotides and their related compounds (672.8 mg/100 g), total creatinine(430.4 ntg/100 g), tetaine(86.6 mg/100 g) and small amount of TMAO. The extraction condition of powdered smoked-dried mackerel in preparing soup stock is appropriate at $100^{\circ}C$ for 1 minute. Judging from the results of taste and sensory evaluation, it is concluded that the powdered smoked-dried mackerel can be used as natural flavoring substance in preparing soups and broth.

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Studies on Dairy Farming Status, Reproductive Efficiencies and Disorders in New Zealand (I) A Survey on Dairy Farming Status and Milk Yield in Palmerston North Area (뉴질랜드 (Palmerston North) 의 낙농 현황과 번식 및 번식장해에 관한 연구(I) Palmerston North 지역의 낙농 현황과 우유 생산량에 관한 조사 연구)

  • 김중계;맥도날드
    • Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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    • v.24 no.1
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    • pp.1-18
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    • 2000
  • Eighty dairy farms in Palmers ton North area in New Zealand were surveyed on 1) general characteristics (10 Questions), 2) milk yield and feed supplementary (7 questions), 3) reproductive efficiencies (12 questions) and 4) reproductive disorders (12 questions) by mail questions from February to July, 1998. Among those 4 items from 38 dairy farms (47.5%), especially in items 1) and 2), overall dairy farming situation, supplementary feeding and milk yields were surveyed and analyzed for Korean dairy farmers (especially in Cheju island) to have better understanding or higher economical gains. The results were as follows. 1. In dairy experience, 21 (45%) among 38 dairy farms surveyed were answered that farming less than 15 years, 15~19 year, 20~25 years and over 26 years experience were 3 (7.9%), 7 (18.4%), 6 (15.8%) and 5 (13.2%) which generally showed longer experience compare to Korean dairy farming situation. In survey of labour input and business goal of dairy farming, self-managing farms, sharemilkers, unpaid family manpowering farms, manager running farms, farms with hired worker, farms with part time helper and other type was 21 (55.3%), 10 (26.3%), 2 (3.5%), 3 (5.3%), 18 (31.6%), 2 (3.5%), and 1 (1.8%), respectively. 2. Analyzing pasture and tillable land, pasture according to feeding scale (200, 300 and 400 heads) were 56, 90 and 165.3 ha, and tillable lands were 51, 78 and 165 ha which showed some differences among feeding scale. In recording methods in 38 farms replied, 36 (95%) dairy handbook and 23 (70%) dual methods taking farms were higher than that of 10 (26.3%) computer and 15(39.5%) well-recorder methods. 3. Dairy waste processing facilities in environmental field were almost perfect except of metropolitan area, and so no problem was developed in its control so far. Hence, 26 farm (68.4%) of pond system was higher rather than those in 8 (21.2%) of using as organic manure after storing feces of dairy cattle, 1(2.6%) bunker system and 3 (7.9%) other type farms. 4. In milking facilities, 33 farms (86.9%) of Harringbone types were higher than those in 3 (7.9%) of Walkthrough types, 1 (2.6%) of Rotary system and other types. Although the construction facilities was not enough, this system show the world-leveled dairy country to attempted to elevate economic gains using the advantage of climatic condition. 5. In milking day and yearly yield per head, average 275 milking days and 87 drying days were longer than that of 228 average milking days in New Zealand. Annual total milk yield per head and milk solid (ms) was 3,990 kg and approximately 319 kg. Dairy milk solid (ms) per head, milk yield, fat percentage was 1.2 kg, 15.5 kg and average 4.83% which was much higher than in other country, and milk protein was average 3.75%. 6. In coclusion, Palmerstone North has been a center of dairy farming in New Zealand for the last 21 years. Their dairy farming history is 6~9 year longer than ours and the average number of milking cows per farm is 355, which is much greater than that (35) of Korea. They do not have dairy barn, but only milking parlors. Cows are taken care of by family 0.5 persons), are on a planned calving schedule in spring (93%) and milked for 240~280 days a year, avoiding winter. Cows are dried according to milk yield and body condition score. This management system is quite different from that of Korean dairy farms. Cows are not fed concentrates, relying entirely on pasture forages and the average milk yield per cow is 3,500 kg, which is about 1/2 milk yield of Korean dairy farms. They were bred to produce high fat milk with an average of 4.5%. Their milk production cost is the lowest in the world and the country's economy relies heavily on milk production. We Korean farmers may try to increase farming size, decreasing labor and management costs.

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Investigations on Daily Life and Consciousness of Longevous People in Korea -V. The Attitute on the Health, Disease and Suffering of Longevous people in the Past- (우리나라 장수자(長壽者)의 생활(生活) 및 의식조사(意識調査)에 관한 연구(硏究) -V. 과거(過去)의 건강질병(健康疾病) 및 고통(苦痛)에 대한 태도(態度)-)

  • Choi, Jin-Ho;Pyeun, Jae-Hyeung;Choi, Jae-Sue;Rhim, Chae-Hwan;Kim, Soo-Hyun;Kim, Jeung-Han;Lee, Byeung-Ho;Woo, Soon-Im;Choi, Sun-Nam;Byun, Dae-Seok;Kim, Mu-Nam
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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    • v.16 no.4
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    • pp.287-293
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    • 1987
  • The present study was designed to be link a part of the research on the investigation on daily life and consciousness of the longevous people in Korea, and to investigate the health conditions, and the attitude on disease and suffering of longevous people in the past. 1. By the health conditions of longevous people between 40 ana 60 years, 'very good' showed the highest figure of 71.0%, followed by 'ordinary' (21.6%). Consequently it is found that 92.6% of total longevous people surveyed maintained the good health conditions above ordinary. 2. Of the experiences of disease and/or injury after 60 years of longevous people, 'never' showed the highest figure of 74.7%, while 'had' showed the only 22.6% of total longevous people surveyed. 3. Of the details of disease and/or injury after 60 years of longevous people, 'digestive disease' showed the highest figure of 32.6 %, followed by 'apoplexia cerebri & hypertensions' (14.0%) and 'heart disease' (14.0%), and followed by 'respiratory disease' (12.8%). 4. Of the experiences of suffering between 40 and 60 years of longevous people, 'never' showed 55.7% of total longevous people surveyed, while the frequency of suffering decreased in the order of 'once' (22.7%), '2 times' (15. 8%) and '3 times' (4.7%). By the details of suffering between 40 and 60 years of longevous people, 'family life' showed the highest figure of 85. 1%, followed by 'business' (10. 1%). 5. By the attitude on suffering of longevous people, 'tried to forget soon' showed the highest figure of 31.2%, followed by 'continuous worried' (33. 3%), and followed by 'not worried' (7.2%).

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Relationship Between Usage Needs Satisfaction and Commitment to Apparel Brand Communities: Moderator Effect of Apparel Brand Image (의류 브랜드 커뮤니티의 이용욕구 충족과 커뮤니티 몰입의 관계: 의류 브랜드 이미지의 조절효과)

  • Hong, Hee-Sook;Ryu, Sung-Min;Moon, Chul-Woo
    • Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
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    • v.17 no.4
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    • pp.51-89
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    • 2007
  • INTRODUCTION Due to the high broadband internet penetration rate and its group-oriented culture, various types of online communities operate in Korea. This study use 'Uses and Gratification Approach, and argue that members' usage-needs satisfaction with brand community is an important factor for promoting community commitment. Based on previous studies identifying the effect of brand image on consumers' responses to various marketing stimuli, this study hypothesizes that brand image can be a moderate variable affecting the relationship between usage-needs satisfaction with brand community and members' commitment to brand community. This study analyzes the influence of usage-needs satisfaction on brand community commitment and how apparel brand image affects the relationships between usage-needs satisfactions and community commitments. The hypotheses of this study are proposed as follows. H1-3: The usage-needs satisfaction of apparel brand community (interest, transaction, relationship needs) influences emotional (H1), continuous (H2), and normative (H3) commitments to apparel brand communities. H4-6: Apparel brand image has a moderating effect on the relationship between usage-needs satisfaction and emotional (H4), continuous (H5), and normative (H6) commitments to apparel brand communities. METHODS Brand communities founded by non-company affiliates were excluded and emphasis was placed instead on communities created by apparel brand companies. Among casual apparel brands registered in 6 Korean portal sites in August 2003, a total of 9 casual apparel brand online communities were chosen, depending on the level of community activity and apparel brand image. Data from 317 community members were analyzed by exploratory factor analysis, moderated regression analysis, ANOVA, and scheffe test. Among 317 respondents answered an online html-type questionnaire, 80.5% were between 16 to 25 years old. There were a total of 150 respondents from apparel brand communities(n=3) recording higher-than-average brand image scores (Mean > 3.75) and a total of 162 respondents from apparel brand communities(n=6) recording lower-than-average brand image scores(Mean < 3.75). In this study, brand community commitment was measured by a 5-point Likert scale: emotional, continuous and normative commitment. The degree of usage-needs satisfaction (interest, transaction, relationship needs) was measured on a 5-point Likert scale. The level of brand image was measured by a 5-point Likert scale: strength, favorability, and uniqueness of brand associations. RESULTS In the results of exploratory factor analysis, the three usage-needs satisfactions with brand community were classified as interest, transaction, and relationship needs. Brand community commitment was also divided into the multi-dimensional factors: emotional, continuous, and normative commitments. The regression analysis (using a stepwise method) was used to test the influence of 3 independent variables (interest-needs satisfaction, transaction-needs, and relationship-needs satisfactions) on the 3 dependent variables (emotional, continuous and normative commitments). The three types of usage-needs satisfactions are positively associated with the three types of commitments to apparel brand communities. Therefore, hypothesis 1, 2, and 3 were significantly supported. Moderating effects of apparel brand image on the relationship between usage-needs satisfaction and brand community commitments were tested by moderated regression analysis. The statistics result showed that the influence of transaction-needs on emotional commitment was significantly moderated by apparel brand image. In addition, apparel brand image had moderating effects on the relationship between relationship-needs satisfaction and emotional, continuous and normative commitments to apparel brand communities. However, there were not significant moderate effects of apparel brand image on the relationships between interest-needs satisfaction and 3 types of commitments (emotional, continuous and normative commitments) to apparel brand communities. In addition, the influences of transaction-needs satisfaction on 2 types of commitments (continuous and normative commitments) were not significantly moderated by apparel brand image. Therefore, hypothesis 4, 5 and 6 were partially supported. To explain the moderating effects of apparel brand image, four cross-tabulated groups were made by averages of usage-needs satisfaction (interest-needs satisfaction avg. M=3.09, transaction-needs satisfaction avg. M=3.46, relationship-needs satisfaction M=1.62) and the average apparel brand image (M=3.75). The average scores of commitments in each classified group are presented in Tables and Figures. There were significant differences among four groups. As can be seen from the results of scheffe test on the tables, emotional commitment in community group with high brand image was higher than one in community group with low brand image when transaction-needs satisfaction was high. However, when transaction-needs satisfaction was low, there was not any difference between the community group with high brand image and community group with low brand image regarding emotional commitment to apparel brand communities. It means that emotional commitment didn't increase significantly without high satisfaction of transaction-needs, despite the high apparel brand image. In addition, when apparel brand image was low, increase in transaction-needs did not lead to the increase in emotional commitment. Therefore, the significant relationship between transaction-needs satisfaction and emotional commitment was found in only brand communities with high apparel brand image, and the moderating effect of apparel brand image on this relationship between two variables was found in the communities with high satisfaction of transaction-needs only. Statistics results showed that the level of emotional commitment is related to the satisfaction level of transaction-needs, while overall response is related to the level of apparel brand image. We also found that the role of apparel brand image as a moderating factor was limited by the level of transaction-needs satisfaction. In addition, relationship-needs satisfaction brought significant increase in emotional commitment in both community groups (high and low levels of brand image), and the effect of apparel brand image on emotional commitment was significant in both community groups (high and low levels of relationship-needs satisfaction). Especially, the effect of brand image was greater when the level of relationship-needs satisfaction was high. in contrast, increase in emotional commitment responding to increase in relationship-needs satisfaction was greater when apparel brand image is high. The significant influences of relationship-needs satisfaction on community commitments (continuous and normative commitments) were found regardless of apparel brand image(in both community groups with low and high brand image). However, the effects of apparel brand image on continuous and normative commitments were found in only community group with high satisfaction level of relationship-needs. In the case of communities with low satisfaction levels of relationship needs, apparel brand image marginally increases continuous and normative commitments. Therefore, we could not find the moderating effect of apparel brand image on the relationship between relationship-needs satisfaction and continuous and normative commitments in community groups with low satisfaction levels of relationship needs, CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS From the results of this study, we draw several conclusions; First, the increases in usage-needs satisfactions through apparel brand communities result in the increases in commitments to apparel brand communities, wheres the degrees of such relationship depends on the level of apparel brand image. That is, apparel brand image is a moderating factor strengthening the relationship between usage-needs satisfaction and commitment to apparel brand communities. In addition, the effect of apparel brand image differs, depending on the level and types of community usage-needs satisfactions. Therefore, marketers of apparel brand companies must determine the appropriate usage-needs, depending on the type of commitment they wish to increase and the level of their apparel brand image, to promote member's commitments to apparel brand communities. Especially, relationship-needs satisfaction was very important factor for increasing emotional, continuous and normative commitments to communities. However the level of relationship-needs satisfaction was lower than interest-needs and transaction-needs. satisfaction. According to previous study on apparel brand communities, relationship-need satisfaction was strongly related to member's intention of participation in their communities. Therefore, marketers need to develope various strategies in order to increase the relationship- needs as well as interest and transaction needs. In addition, despite continuous commitment was higher than emotional and normative commitments, all types of commitments to apparel brand communities had scores lower than 3.0 that was mid point in 5-point scale. A Korean study reported that the level of members' commitment to apparel brand community influenced customers' identification with a brand and brand purchasing behavior. Therefore, marketers should try to increase members' usage-needs satisfaction and apparel brand image as the necessary conditions for bringing about community commitments. Second, marketers should understand that they should keep in mind that increasing the level of community usage needs (transaction and relationship) is most effective in raising commitment when the level of apparel brand image is high, and that increasing usage needs (transaction needs) satisfaction in communities with low brand image might not be as effective as anticipated. Therefore, apparel companies with desirable brand image such as luxury designer goods firms need to create formal online brand communities (as opposed to informal communities with rudimentary online contents) to satisfy transaction and relationship needs systematically. It will create brand equity through consumers' increased emotional, continuous and normative commitments. Even though apparel brand is very famous, emotional commitment to apparel brand communities cannot be easily increased without transaction-needs satisfaction. Therefore famous fashion brand companies should focus on developing various marketing strategies to increase transaction-needs satisfaction.

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