• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.18-26
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• 2006

Purpose : Empirical antimicrobial treatment is indicated before bacteriological results are available for young children with febrile UTI to minimize renal scarring. To ensure appropriate therapy, knowledge of the prevalence of causative organisms and their susceptibility patterns to antimicrobials is mandatory. We performed a retrospective analysis investigating the local prevalence and resistance patterns of uropathogens, primarily E. coli, isolated from community-acquired UTIs. Methods : A total of 103 positive urine cultures from children with febrile UTI collected at Bundang CHA General Hospital from February 2004 to February 2005 were analyzed. Inclusion criteria were fever higher than $37.5^{\circ}C$, significant bacteriuria with single strain growth of at least 10s colony forming units/mL urine, and leukocyturia >5/HPF. Results : E. coli(89.3%) was the leading uropathogen followed by Enterococcus spp.(3.9%) Klebsiella spp.(2.9%), Citrobctcter spp.(1.9%) and Enterobacter spp.(1.9%). E. coli strains revealed a low proportion of antimicrobial susceptibility to ampicillin(AMP; 27.2%) ampicillinsulbactam(AMS; 34.8%) and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole(SXT; 65.2%). Susceptibility patterns to cephalosporins were as follows; cefazolin(1st generation; 91.3%), cefoxitin(2nd; 100%), ceftriaxone(3rd; 97.8%) and cefepime(4th; 97.8%). Three E. coli isolates produced ex tended - spectrum beta-lactamase(ESBL). Conclusion : Empirical treatment with AMP, AMS and SXT, which are commonly used in pediatric clinics, is not recommended for childhood UTI due to high incidence of resistance. The high level of susceptibility to cephalosporins makes these drugs reasonable alternatives. However the emergence of ESBL-producers, even though they are quite few, may have an impact on cephalosporin treatment in the future. (J Korean Soc Pediatr Nephrol 2006;10:18-26)

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.282-289
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• 2013

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of Makgeolli and Makgeolli precipitate on hepatotoxity and the serum lipid content in rats. First, we investigated the effect of Makgeolli and ethanol on the progress of alcoholic fatty liver. The effect of Makgeolli precipitate on carbon tetrachloride ($CCl_4$)-induced hepatotoxicity in the rats was then studied. Indicators of the health status of the experimental period, the body weight gain in ethanol-treated group tended to be lower than those in the control and the Makgeolli-treated groups. The weight of the liver tissue decreased significantly following the administration of ethanol. However, this was not seen following the administration of Makgeolli. The activities of serum aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) were decreased in the Makgeolli group compared to the ethanol group. Serum cholesterol concentrations increased in the ethanol group, but decreased in the Makgeolli-treated group to an equal volume of the ethanol-treated group. The serum HDL-cholesterol content was significantly higher in the Makgeolli group than in the ethanol group. Analysis of the impact of the Makgeolli precipitate on toxicity induced by $CCl_4$ in the liver showed that the $CCl_4$ treatment significantly increased the activities of serum ALT and AST. However, the levels of cholesterol and triglyceride in serum were decreased. The $CCl_4$ treatment increased the activities of AST and ALT. However, the raw Makgeolli precipitate decreased their activities. Moreover, raw Makgeolli precipitate significantly reduced the $CCl_4$-induced elevation of serum lipids more than heated Makgeolli precipitate. These results suggest that raw Makgeolli precipitate may exert a protective effect against $CCl_4$-induced liver injury by preventing lipid peroxidation.

• Asia pacific journal of information systems
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.101-124
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• 2009

According to Wikipedia, virtual reality (VR) is defined as a technology that allows a user to interact with a computer-simulated environment. Due to a rapid growth in information technology (IT), the cost of virtual reality has been decreasing while the utility of virtual reality advertisements has dramatically increased. Nevertheless, only a few studies have investigated the effects of virtual reality advertisement on consumer behaviors. Therefore, the objective of this study is to empirically examine the effects of virtual reality advertisement. Compared to traditional online advertisements, virtual reality advertisement enables consumers to experience products realistically over the Internet by providing high media richness, interactivity, and telepresence (Suh and Lee, 2005). Advertisements with high media richness facilitate consumers' understanding of advertised products by providing them with a large amount and a high variety of information on the products. Interactivity also provides consumers with a high level of control over the computer-simulated environment in terms of their abilities to adjust the information according to their individual interests and concerns and to be active rather than passive in their engagement with the information (Pimentel and Teixera, 1994). Through high media richness and interactivity, virtual reality advertisements can generate compelling feelings of "telepresence" (Suh and Lee, 2005). Telepresence is a sense of being there in an environment by means of a communication medium (Steuer, 1992). Virtual reality advertisements enable consumers to create a perceptual illusion of being present and highly engaged in a simulated environment, while they are in reality physically present in another place (Biocca, 1997). Based on the characteristics of virtual reality advertisements, a research model has been proposed to explain consumer responses to the virtual reality advertisements. The proposed model includes two dimensions of consumer responses. One dimension is consumers' rational response, which is based on the Information Processing Theory. Based on the Information Processing Theory, product knowledge and perceived risk are selected as antecedents of intention to purchase. The other dimension is emotional response of consumers, which is based on the Attitude-Structure Theory. Based on the Attitude-Structure Theory, arousal, flow, and positive affect are selected as antecedents of intention to purchase. Because it has been criticized to have investigated only one of the two dimensions of consumer response in prior studies, our research model has been built so as to incorporate both dimensions. Based on the Attitude-Structure Theory, we hypothesized the path of consumers' emotional responses to a virtual reality advertisement: (H1) Arousal by the virtual reality advertisement increases flow; (H2) Flow increases positive affect; and (H3) Positive affect increases intension to purchase. In addition, we hypothesized the path of consumers' rational responses to the virtual reality advertisement based on the Information Processing Theory: (H4) Increased product knowledge through the virtual reality advertisement decreases perceived risk; and (H5) Perceived risk decreases intension to purchase. Based on literature of flow, we additionally hypothesized the relationship between flow and product knowledge: (H6) Flow increases product knowledge. To test the hypotheses, we conducted a free simulation experiment [Fromkin and Streufert, 1976] with 300 people. Subjects were asked to use the virtual reality advertisement of a cellular phone on the Internet and then answer questions about the variables. To check whether subjects fully experienced the virtual reality advertisement, they were asked to answer a quiz about the virtual reality advertisement itself. Responses of 26 subjects were dropped because of their incomplete answers. Responses of 274 subjects were used to test the hypotheses. It was found that all of six hypotheses are accepted. In addition, we found that consumers' emotional response has stronger impact on their intention to purchase than their rational response does. This study sheds much light into practical implications for both IS researchers and managers. First of all, while most of previous research has analyzed only one of the customers' rational and emotional responses, we theoretically incorporated and empirically examined both of the two sides. Second, we empirically showed that mediators such as arousal, flow, positive affect, product knowledge, and perceived risk play an important role between virtual reality advertisement and customer's intention to purchase. In addition, the findings of this study can provide a basis of practical strategies for managers. It was found that consumers' emotional response is stronger than their rational response. This result indicates that advertisements using virtual reality should focus on the emotional side, and that virtual reality can be served as an appropriate advertisement tool for fancy products that require their online advertisements to give an impetus to customers' emotion. Finally, even if this study examined the effects of virtual reality advertisement of cellular phone, its findings could be applied to other products that are suited for virtual experience. However, this research has some limitations. We were unable to control different kinds of consumers and different attributes of products on consumers' intention to purchase. It is, therefore, deemed important for future research to control the consumer and product types for more reliable results. In addition to the consumer and product attributes, other variables could affect consumers' intention to purchase. Thus, the future research needs to find ways t control other variables.

• Asia pacific journal of information systems
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.77-100
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• 2009

Information Systems (IS) is an essential tool for any organizations. The last decade has seen an increasing body of knowledge on IS usage. Yet, IS often fails because of its misuse or non-use. In general, decisions regarding the selection of a system, which involve the evaluation of many IS vendors and an enormous initial investment, are made not through the consensus of employees but through the top-down decision making by top managers. In situations where the selected system does not satisfy the needs of the employees, the forced use of the selected IS will only result in their resistance to it. Many organizations have been either integrating dispersed legacy systems such as archipelago or adopting a new ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system to enhance employee efficiency. This study examines user resistance prior to the adoption of the selected IS or ERP system. As such, this study identifies the importance of managing organizational resistance that may appear in the pre-adoption context of an integrated IS or ERP system, explores key factors influencing user resistance, and investigates how prior experience with other integrated IS or ERP systems may change the relationship between the affecting factors and user resistance. This study focuses on organizational members' resistance and the affecting factors in the pre-adoption context of an integrated IS or ERP system rather than in the context of an ERP adoption itself or ERP post-adoption. Based on prior literature, this study proposes a research model that considers six key variables, including perceived benefit, system complexity, fitness with existing tasks, attitude toward change, the psychological reactance trait, and perceived IT competence. They are considered as independent variables affecting user resistance toward an integrated IS or ERP system. This study also introduces the concept of prior experience (i.e., whether a user has prior experience with an integrated IS or ERP system) as a moderating variable to examine the impact of perceived benefit and attitude toward change in user resistance. As such, we propose eight hypotheses with respect to the model. For the empirical validation of the hypotheses, we developed relevant instruments for each research variable based on prior literature and surveyed 95 professional researchers and the administrative staff of the Korea Photonics Technology Institute (KOPTI). We examined the organizational characteristics of KOPTI, the reasons behind their adoption of an ERP system, process changes caused by the introduction of the system, and employees' resistance/attitude toward the system at the time of the introduction. The results of the multiple regression analysis suggest that, among the six variables, perceived benefit, complexity, attitude toward change, and the psychological reactance trait significantly influence user resistance. These results further suggest that top management should manage the psychological states of their employees in order to minimize their resistance to the forced IS, even in the new system pre-adoption context. In addition, the moderating variable-prior experience was found to change the strength of the relationship between attitude toward change and system resistance. That is, the effect of attitude toward change in user resistance was significantly stronger in those with prior experience than those with no prior experience. This result implies that those with prior experience should be identified and provided with some type of attitude training or change management programs to minimize their resistance to the adoption of a system. This study contributes to the IS field by providing practical implications for IS practitioners. This study identifies system resistance stimuli of users, focusing on the pre-adoption context in a forced ERP system environment. We have empirically validated the proposed research model by examining several significant factors affecting user resistance against the adoption of an ERP system. In particular, we find a clear and significant role of the moderating variable, prior ERP usage experience, in the relationship between the affecting factors and user resistance. The results of the study suggest the importance of appropriately managing the factors that affect user resistance in organizations that plan to introduce a new ERP system or integrate legacy systems. Moreover, this study offers to practitioners several specific strategies (in particular, the categorization of users by their prior usage experience) for alleviating the resistant behaviors of users in the process of the ERP adoption before a system becomes available to them. Despite the valuable contributions of this study, there are also some limitations which will be discussed in this paper to make the study more complete and consistent.

• Asia pacific journal of information systems
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.127-140
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• 2010

The benefit that a consumer derives from the use of a good often depends on the number of other consumers purchasing the same goods or other compatible items. This property, which is known as network externality, is significant in many IT related industries. Over the past few decades, network externalities have been recognized in the context of physical networks such as the telephone and railroad industries. Today, as many products are provided as a form of system that consists of compatible components, the appreciation of network externality is becoming increasingly important. Network externalities have been extensively studied among economists who have been seeking to explain new phenomena resulting from rapid advancements in ICT (Information and Communication Technology). As a result of these efforts, a new body of theories for 'New Economy' has been proposed. The theoretical bottom-line argument of such theories is that technologies subject to network effects exhibit multiple equilibriums and will finally lock into a monopoly with one standard cornering the entire market. They emphasize that such "tippiness" is a typical characteristic in such networked markets, describing that multiple incompatible technologies rarely coexist and that the switch to a single, leading standard occurs suddenly. Moreover, it is argued that this standardization process is path dependent, and the ultimate outcome is unpredictable. With incomplete information about other actors' preferences, there can be excess inertia, as consumers only moderately favor the change, and hence are themselves insufficiently motivated to start the bandwagon rolling, but would get on it once it did start to roll. This startup problem can prevent the adoption of any standard at all, even if it is preferred by everyone. Conversely, excess momentum is another possible outcome, for example, if a sponsoring firm uses low prices during early periods of diffusion. The aim of this paper is to analyze the dynamics of the adoption process in markets exhibiting network effects by focusing on two factors; switching and agent heterogeneity. Switching is an important factor that should be considered in analyzing the adoption process. An agent's switching invokes switching by other adopters, which brings about a positive feedback process that can significantly complicate the adoption process. Agent heterogeneity also plays a important role in shaping the early development of the adoption process, which has a significant impact on the later development of the process. The effects of these two factors are analyzed by developing an agent-based simulation model. ABM is a computer-based simulation methodology that can offer many advantages over traditional analytical approaches. The model is designed such that agents have diverse preferences regarding technology and are allowed to switch their previous choice. The simulation results showed that the adoption processes in a market exhibiting networks effects are significantly affected by the distribution of agents and the occurrence of switching. In particular, it is found that both weak heterogeneity and strong network effects cause agents to start to switch early and this plays a role of expediting the emergence of 'lock-in.' When network effects are strong, agents are easily affected by changes in early market shares. This causes agents to switch earlier and in turn speeds up the market's tipping. The same effect is found in the case of highly homogeneous agents. When agents are highly homogeneous, the market starts to tip toward one technology rapidly, and its choice is not always consistent with the populations' initial inclination. Increased volatility and faster lock-in increase the possibility that the market will reach an unexpected outcome. The primary contribution of this study is the elucidation of the role of parameters characterizing the market in the development of the lock-in process, and identification of conditions where such unexpected outcomes happen.

• Asia pacific journal of information systems
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.21-39
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• 2013

As the utilization of information technology and the turbulence of technological change increase in organizations, the adoption of IT outsourcing also grows to manage IT resource more effectively and efficiently. In this new way of IT management technique, service level management(SLM) process becomes critical to derive success from the outsourcing in the view of end users in organization. Even though much of the research on service level management or agreement have been done during last decades, the performance of the service level management process have not been evaluated in terms of final objectives of the management efforts or success from the view of end-users. This study explores the relationship between SLM maturity and IT outsourcing success from the users' point of view by a analytical case study in four client organizations under an IT outsourcing vendor, which is a member company of a major Korean conglomerate. For setting up a model for the analysis, previous researches on service level management process maturity and information systems success are reviewed. In particular, information systems success from users' point of view are reviewed based the DeLone and McLean's study, which is argued and accepted as a comprehensively tested model of information systems success currently. The model proposed in this study argues that SLM process maturity influences information systems success, which is evaluated in terms of information quality, systems quality, service quality, and net effect proposed by DeLone and McLean. SLM process maturity can be measured in planning process, implementation process and operation and evaluation process. Instruments for measuring the factors in the proposed constructs of information systems success and SL management process maturity were collected from previous researches and evaluated for securing reliability and validity, utilizing appropriate statistical methods and pilot tests before exploring the case study. Four cases from four different companies under one vendor company were utilized for the analysis. All of the cases had been contracted in SLA(Service Level Agreement) and had implemented ITIL(IT Infrastructure Library), Six Sigma and BSC(Balanced Scored Card) methods since last several years, which means that all the client organizations pursued concerted efforts to acquire quality services from IT outsourcing from the organization and users' point of view. For comparing the differences among the four organizations in IT out-sourcing sucess, T-test and non-parametric analysis have been applied on the data set collected from the organization using survey instruments. The process maturities of planning and implementation phases of SLM are found not to influence on any dimensions of information systems success from users' point of view. It was found that the SLM maturity in the phase of operations and evaluation could influence systems quality only from users' view. This result seems to be quite against the arguments in IT outsourcing practices in the fields, which emphasize usually the importance of planning and implementation processes upfront in IT outsourcing projects. According to after-the-fact observation by an expert in an organization participating in the study, their needs and motivations for outsourcing contracts had been quite familiar already to the vendors as long-term partners under a same conglomerate, so that the maturity in the phases of planning and implementation seems not to be differentiating factors for the success of IT outsourcing. This study will be the foundation for the future research in the area of IT outsourcing management and success, in particular in the service level management. And also, it could guide managers in practice in IT outsourcing management to focus on service level management process in operation and evaluation stage especially for long-term outsourcing contracts under very unique context like Korean IT outsourcing projects. This study has some limitations in generalization because the sample size is small and the context itself is confined in an unique environment. For future exploration, survey based research could be designed and implemented.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.549-565
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• 2015

This study was conducted to investigate the growth characteristics and functional materials of baby vegetables as affected by different LEDs and luminous intensity at Anseongsi, Gyeonggi Province, in 2014. Test crops were beet, chicory, spinach, red leaf lettuce, crown daisy and red mustard purchased from the seed company of Dongbu Hannong and Jinheung. Growth characteristics were measured and the content of functional materials was analyzed 40 days after seeding at plug plate. Treatment of Red+Blue (4:1) at $150{\mu}mol\;m^{-2}s^{-1}$ luminous intensity showed the highest number of leaves in five baby vegetables of beet, chicory, red leaf lettuce, crown daisy and red mustard. The highest shoot length of chicory, spinach, red leaf lettuce, crown daisy and red mustard was obtained from the treatment of Red+Blue (4:1) at $150{\mu}mol\;m^{-2}s^{-1}$ luminous intensity. Fresh weight and dry weight of all six baby vegetables were the highest in treatment of Red+Blue (4:1) at $150{\mu}mol\;m^{-2}s^{-1}$ luminous intensity. Content of chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b of spinach, red leaf lettuce and red mustard showed the highest in Fluorescent lamp at $150{\mu}mol\;m^{-2}s^{-1}$ luminous intensity whereas other crops did not show definite trend under different LEDs lights and luminous intensity. The highest total content of anthocyanins and polyphenol were obtained from the treatment of Red+Blue (4:1) at $150{\mu}mol\;m^{-2}s^{-1}$ luminous intensity in all six baby vegetables. Free radical scavenging activity was highest in all six vegetable crops at $150{\mu}mol\;m^{-2}s^{-1}$ luminous intensity, but it was not different significantly between LEDs. As a result, the growth and the content of functional material of baby vegetables are generally to be increased in Red+Blue (4:1) at $150{\mu}mol\;m^{-2}s^{-1}$ luminous intensity. Mixed light of Red+Blue is thought to give good effect on the growth and the content of functional material in baby vegetable crops. Because there are many differences in regard of LED lights, crop varieties, cultivation and experimental methods in their impact on the growth and functional materials of baby vegetables among researchers, it is considered that a more precise studies are needed for the crop responses to LED light and luminous intensity.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.50-55
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• 2013

The objective of this research was to investigate the impact of Ca fertilizer on the growth of mother plants, physiological disorders, and occurrence of daughter plants in propagation of 'Seolhyang' strawberry through plastic bag cultivation. To achieve this, chemicals of 1.125 mM $Ca(OH)_2$, 0.375 mM $MgCl_2$, 1.250 mM KCl were blended and designated to combined fertilizer (CF). Then, the effect was compared to the treatment of no Ca application (control) and a commercial fertilizer, CalMag (13-0-1.9-16-6:N-$P_2O_5$-$K_2O$-CaO-MgO), when those were applied every two weeks with controlled electrical conductivity (EC) of solution such as 0.6 or 1.0 $dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$. The number of plants showing Ca deficiency symptoms was the highest in control treatment, but those decreased significantly in CF or CalMag treatments. The differences between CF and CalMag in appearance of Ca deficient plants were not significant when two fertilizers were applied with same EC. The fresh and dry weights of mother plants were the greater in the treatments of CF or CalMag than those of control treatment. The treatments of 1.0 $dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ of CF or CalMag were more effective than those of 0.6 $dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ on the fresh and dry weight of the mother plants. The runner lengths in the treatment of 1.0 $dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ of CF were the longest among the all treatments tested. The treatments of 1.0 $dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ were more effective than those of 0.6 $dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ of CF or CalMag in lengths and fresh and dry weight of runners. The fresh and dry weights of daughter plants were heavier in the treatments of CF than those of CalMag. Based on the above results, we concluded that the Ca deficiency in raising 'Seolhyang' strawberry can be lessened by the application of Ca containing fertilizers, but combined application of Ca, K and Mg was more effective than that of Ca alone for seedling production.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.35 no.4 s.100
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• pp.273-284
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• 2002

During January 1998-October 1999, the impact of free-floating plants (FFP) on limnology of the wetland ecosystem was evaluated through the investigation of physicochemical characteristics of the Woopo Wetland along with in situ manipulation experiments of aquatic plants. Flooding events occurred in the wetland during the summer period (Jun.-Aug.) and water levels rose to 2-3 m due to precipitation from the catchment and inflow from the main channel of the Nakdong River. Physicochemical parameters and plankton dynamics in the wetland during the summer were greatly influenced by floods and growth of free-floating plants. Dissolved oxygen (Jun.-Sept., 4.5${\pm}$2.5 mg/1; Oct.-May, 8,1 ${\pm}$4.0 mg/1) and pH (Jun.-Sept., 6.9${\pm}$0.4; Oct.-May,7.4${\pm}$0.8) levels were significantly lower during the summer than any other seasons. Three types of enclosure experiments (100 L, treatments with floating plants, screened and opened) were conducted under the presence and absence of sediment for 15 days in the 1999 summer. The treatments with sediment had higher levels of nutrient concentrations than those of the others. Among the treatments with sediment, nutrient concentrations in the treatments with free-floating plants were higher than the others. Zooplankton communities in each treatment showed a similar variation, although the scale of zooplankton densities differed. Rotifer community dominated the zooplankton at the initial phase of the experiment, but decreased drastically along with an increase of cladoceran and copepod communities. In conclusion, low levels of dissolved oxygen and pH in the Woopo Wetland during the summer seemed to be caused by a proliferation of free-floating plants and active decomposition process at the bottom of the sediment.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.16-22
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• 2011

In developing soil wetting agent using polyoxyethylene nonylphenyl ether (PNE) and polyoxyethylene castor oil (1:1; v/v), the effect of application rates on changes in concentration of PNE, initial wetting of peatmoss + perlite (7:3) medium, and growth of hot pepper (Capsicum annuum L. 'Knockwang') plug seedlings were investigated. The elevation of application rates of wetting agent increased the amount of water retained by the root media. The treatment of 2.5 $mL{\cdot}L^{-1}$ showed similar water retention to + control ($AquaGro^L$ 3.0 $mL{\cdot}L^{-1}$). Most of the liquid wetting agent (LWA) incorporated during the medium formulation leached out in the first and second irrigation, then it decreased gradually until 10 times in irrigation. In investigation of the influence of LWA on position of water infiltrating into root media, the vertical water movements in treatments of 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 $mL{\cdot}L^{-1}$ were much faster than those in 0.0 $mL{\cdot}L^{-1}$ (-control), but relative speed of water movement decreased by the elevation in application rate of LWA to 2.0 or 2.5 $mL{\cdot}L^{-1}$. The evaporative water loss of root media that to contained various rate of LWA and irrigated to reach container capacity was the fastest in -control among the treatments and it delayed as the application rate of LWA was elevated. The plant height of 22.2 cm in 0.5 $mL{\cdot}L^{-1}$ and stem diameter of 3.26 mm in 1.0 $mL{\cdot}L^{-1}$ were the highest among the treatments tested. The treatment of 1.0 $mL{\cdot}L^{-1}$ also had the heaviest fresh and dry weights such among treatments tested as 3.08 g and 0.861 g per plant, respectively. The elevated application rate over than 1.5 $mL{\cdot}L^{-1}$ resulted in decreased seedling growth. The results mentioned above indicate that optimum application rate of LWA is 1.0 $mL{\cdot}L^{-1}$.