• Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
• /
• v.22 no.3
• /
• pp.165-183
• /
• 2016

Over the past decade, there has been a rapid diffusion of technological devices and a rising number of various devices, resulting in an escalation of virtual reality technology. Technological market has rapidly been changed from smartphone to wearable devices based on virtual reality. Virtual reality can make users feel real situation through sensing interaction, voice, motion capture and so on. Facebook.com, Google, Samsung, LG, Sony and so on have investigated developing platform of virtual reality. the pricing of virtual reality devices also had decreased into 30% from their launched period. Thus market infrastructure in virtual reality have rapidly been developed to crease marketplace. However, most consumers recognize that virtual reality is not ease to purchase or use. That could not lead consumers to positive attitude for devices and purchase the related devices in the early market. Through previous studies related to virtual reality, there are few studies focusing on why the devices for virtual reality stayed in early stage in adoption & diffusion context in the market. Almost previous studies considered the reasons of hard adoption for innovative products in the viewpoints of Typology of Innovation Resistance, MIR(Management of Innovation Resistant), UTAUT & UTAUT2. However, product-based antecedents also important to increase user intention to purchase and use products in the technological market. In this study, we focus on user acceptance and resistance for increasing purchase and usage promotions of wearable devices related to virtual reality based on headgear products like Galaxy Gear. Especially, we added a variables like attitude confidence as a dimension for user resistance. The research questions of this study are follows. First, how attitude confidence and innovativeness resistance affect user intention to use? Second, What factors related to content and brand contexts can affect user intention to use? This research collected data from the participants who have experiences using virtual rality headgears aged between 20s to 50s located in South Korea. In order to collect data, this study used a pilot test and through making face-to-face interviews on three specialists, face validity and content validity were evaluated for the questionnaire validity. Cleansing the data, we dropped some outliers and data of irrelevant papers. Totally, 156 responses were used for testing the suggested hypotheses. Through collecting data, demographics and the relationships among variables were analyzed through conducting structural equation modeling by PLS. The data showed that the sex of respondents who have experience using social commerce sites (male=86(55.1%), female=70(44.9%). The ages of respondents are mostly from 20s (74.4%) to 30s (16.7%). 126 respondents (80.8%) have used virtual reality devices. The results of our model estimation are as follows. With the exception of Hypothesis 1 and 7, which deals with the two relationships between brand awareness to attitude confidence, and quality of content to perceived enjoyment, all of our hypotheses were supported. In compliance with our hypotheses, perceived ease of use (H2) and use innovativeness (H3) were supported with its positively influence for the attitude confidence. This finding indicates that the more ease of use and innovativeness for devices increased, the more users' attitude confidence increased. Perceived price (H4), enjoyment (H5), Quantity of contents (H6) significantly increase user resistance. However, perceived price positively affect user innovativeness resistance meanwhile perceived enjoyment and quantity of contents negatively affect user innovativeness resistance. In addition, aesthetic exterior (H6) was also positively associated with perceived price (p<0.01). Also projection quality (H8) can increase perceived enjoyment (p<0.05). Finally, attitude confidence (H10) increased user intention to use virtual reality devices. however user resistance (H11) negatively affect user intention to use virtual reality devices. The findings of this study show that attitude confidence and user innovativeness resistance differently influence customer intention for using virtual reality devices. There are two distinct characteristic of attitude confidence: perceived ease of use and user innovativeness. This study identified the antecedents of different roles of perceived price (aesthetic exterior) and perceived enjoyment (quality of contents & projection quality). The findings indicated that brand awareness and quality of contents for virtual reality is not formed within virtual reality market yet. Therefore, firms should developed brand awareness for their product in the virtual market to increase market share.

• Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
• /
• v.21 no.4
• /
• pp.17-35
• /
• 2015

Demand forecasting is the activity of estimating the quantity of a product or service that consumers will purchase for a certain period of time. Developing precise forecasting models are considered important since corporates can make strategic decisions on new markets based on future demand estimated by the models. Many studies have developed market growth curve models, such as Bass, Logistic, Gompertz models, which estimate future demand when a market is in its early stage. Among the models, Bass model, which explains the demand from two types of adopters, innovators and imitators, has been widely used in forecasting. Such models require sufficient demand observations to ensure qualified results. In the beginning of a new market, however, observations are not sufficient for the models to precisely estimate the market's future demand. For this reason, as an alternative, demands guessed from those of most adjacent markets are often used as references in such cases. Reference markets can be those whose products are developed with the same categorical technologies. A market's demand may be expected to have the similar pattern with that of a reference market in case the adoption pattern of a product in the market is determined mainly by the technology related to the product. However, such processes may not always ensure pleasing results because the similarity between markets depends on intuition and/or experience. There are two major drawbacks that human experts cannot effectively handle in this approach. One is the abundance of candidate reference markets to consider, and the other is the difficulty in calculating the similarity between markets. First, there can be too many markets to consider in selecting reference markets. Mostly, markets in the same category in an industrial hierarchy can be reference markets because they are usually based on the similar technologies. However, markets can be classified into different categories even if they are based on the same generic technologies. Therefore, markets in other categories also need to be considered as potential candidates. Next, even domain experts cannot consistently calculate the similarity between markets with their own qualitative standards. The inconsistency implies missing adjacent reference markets, which may lead to the imprecise estimation of future demand. Even though there are no missing reference markets, the new market's parameters can be hardly estimated from the reference markets without quantitative standards. For this reason, this study proposes a case-based expert system that helps experts overcome the drawbacks in discovering referential markets. First, this study proposes the use of Euclidean distance measure to calculate the similarity between markets. Based on their similarities, markets are grouped into clusters. Then, missing markets with the characteristics of the cluster are searched for. Potential candidate reference markets are extracted and recommended to users. After the iteration of these steps, definite reference markets are determined according to the user's selection among those candidates. Then, finally, the new market's parameters are estimated from the reference markets. For this procedure, two techniques are used in the model. One is clustering data mining technique, and the other content-based filtering of recommender systems. The proposed system implemented with those techniques can determine the most adjacent markets based on whether a user accepts candidate markets. Experiments were conducted to validate the usefulness of the system with five ICT experts involved. In the experiments, the experts were given the list of 16 ICT markets whose parameters to be estimated. For each of the markets, the experts estimated its parameters of growth curve models with intuition at first, and then with the system. The comparison of the experiments results show that the estimated parameters are closer when they use the system in comparison with the results when they guessed them without the system.

• Korean Business Review
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.137-170
• /
• 2008

This study is presenting the logistics strategy in the international logistics markets which makes competition and corporation among north-east Asian countries to establishing the multi-pass Eurasian railroads. The countries located in north-east area of Eurasia like China, Japan, Russia and Korea are paying higher costs and disutility to the transportations and communications due to repeated conflicts and confrontations causes from the politic problems. They are being used surface transportation for most of all logistics between Europe and Asia except special merchandises because of characteristic of cargo to be air, the Silk Road remains vestige only which was main logistic passage to this area since BC. So far the Trans-Siberian Railway is being used by Russia mostly as north of Eurasian transport because of difficulties of service. The Trans-China Railway built in 1992 is not accomplishing as a international logistic passages. It is expected to take a long lead time because of characteristic of resource development and poor logistic infrastructure to the countries like Uzbekistan, double landlocked country, Mongolia and Azerbaijan, the countries do not be adjacent to the sea, even they have great economic jump-up plans through the development of their own resources. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization(SCO) start to sail officially in 2001 is constructed with China, Russia, Tadzhikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan as regular members of 6 countries and Mongolia, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran as observers 5 countries. It is started as a military alliance to protect terror, but now, it is expended to cooperate with the traffic, transportation, trade and share of energies. The Russia is doing their best to activate TSR as a government target to developnorth area equivalently, and economic develop of far-east Siberia. And also it is agreed provisionally to improve and repair of rail road between Nahjin and Hassan to connect TSR and TKR( Trans-Korea Railroad) by Russia, North Korea and South Korea with Russian's aggressive efforts. The development plan of this area is over lapped with GTI(Greater Tumen Initiative) promoted by UNDP, and is a cooperated project by 5 countries of South Korea, Mongolia, China, Russia and North Korea, subject to review the appropriation of energy, tour, environment, rail road connection between Mongolia and China and establishing a ferry route to north-east Asia. It is Japanese situation to pay attention to Russia and China even they have been supplying large-scope of infrastructure in Mongol area without any charges, target to get East Asia Main Rail Road to connect Mongolia and Zalubino of Russia. In case of the program for the Denuclearization of North Korea is not creeping, it will be accelerated to connect the TKR and TSR, TKR and TCR by somehow attending United States, including developing program promoted by UN ESCAP. As the result, Korean peninsular will continue the central role of competition and cooperation as in the past, now and future of north-east Asia, as of geographical-economics and geographical-politics whether it is requested or not wanted by neighbor countries.

• Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
• /
• v.19 no.3
• /
• pp.49-61
• /
• 2009

This article provides training exercises for executives into interpreting subroutine maps of executives' thinking in processing business and industrial marketing problems and opportunities. This study builds on premises that Schank proposes about learning and teaching including (1) learning occurs by experiencing and the best instruction offers learners opportunities to distill their knowledge and skills from interactive stories in the form of goal.based scenarios, team projects, and understanding stories from experts. Also, (2) telling does not lead to learning because learning requires action-training environments should emphasize active engagement with stories, cases, and projects. Each training case study includes executive exposure to decision system analysis (DSA). The training case requires the executive to write a "Briefing Report" of a DSA map. Instructions to the executive trainee in writing the briefing report include coverage in the briefing report of (1) details of the essence of the DSA map and (2) a statement of warnings and opportunities that the executive map reader interprets within the DSA map. The length maximum for a briefing report is 500 words-an arbitrary rule that works well in executive training programs. Following this introduction, section two of the article briefly summarizes relevant literature on how humans think within contexts in response to problems and opportunities. Section three illustrates the creation and interpreting of DSA maps using a training exercise in pricing a chemical product to different OEM (original equipment manufacturer) customers. Section four presents a training exercise in pricing decisions by a petroleum manufacturing firm. Section five presents a training exercise in marketing strategies by an office furniture distributer along with buying strategies by business customers. Each of the three training exercises is based on research into information processing and decision making of executives operating in marketing contexts. Section six concludes the article with suggestions for use of this training case and for developing additional training cases for honing executives' decision-making skills. Todd and Gigerenzer propose that humans use simple heuristics because they enable adaptive behavior by exploiting the structure of information in natural decision environments. "Simplicity is a virtue, rather than a curse". Bounded rationality theorists emphasize the centrality of Simon's proposition, "Human rational behavior is shaped by a scissors whose blades are the structure of the task environments and the computational capabilities of the actor". Gigerenzer's view is relevant to Simon's environmental blade and to the environmental structures in the three cases in this article, "The term environment, here, does not refer to a description of the total physical and biological environment, but only to that part important to an organism, given its needs and goals." The present article directs attention to research that combines reports on the structure of task environments with the use of adaptive toolbox heuristics of actors. The DSA mapping approach here concerns the match between strategy and an environment-the development and understanding of ecological rationality theory. Aspiration adaptation theory is central to this approach. Aspiration adaptation theory models decision making as a multi-goal problem without aggregation of the goals into a complete preference order over all decision alternatives. The three case studies in this article permit the learner to apply propositions in aspiration level rules in reaching a decision. Aspiration adaptation takes the form of a sequence of adjustment steps. An adjustment step shifts the current aspiration level to a neighboring point on an aspiration grid by a change in only one goal variable. An upward adjustment step is an increase and a downward adjustment step is a decrease of a goal variable. Creating and using aspiration adaptation levels is integral to bounded rationality theory. The present article increases understanding and expertise of both aspiration adaptation and bounded rationality theories by providing learner experiences and practice in using propositions in both theories. Practice in ranking CTSs and writing TOP gists from DSA maps serves to clarify and deepen Selten's view, "Clearly, aspiration adaptation must enter the picture as an integrated part of the search for a solution." The body of "direct research" by Mintzberg, Gladwin's ethnographic decision tree modeling, and Huff's work on mapping strategic thought are suggestions on where to look for research that considers both the structure of the environment and the computational capabilities of the actors making decisions in these environments. Such research on bounded rationality permits both further development of theory in how and why decisions are made in real life and the development of learning exercises in the use of heuristics occurring in natural environments. The exercises in the present article encourage learning skills and principles of using fast and frugal heuristics in contexts of their intended use. The exercises respond to Schank's wisdom, "In a deep sense, education isn't about knowledge or getting students to know what has happened. It is about getting them to feel what has happened. This is not easy to do. Education, as it is in schools today, is emotionless. This is a huge problem." The three cases and accompanying set of exercise questions adhere to Schank's view, "Processes are best taught by actually engaging in them, which can often mean, for mental processing, active discussion."

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.34 no.1
• /
• pp.42-56
• /
• 2005

Hyperlipidemia is one of the risk factors for coronary artery disease. Despite of epidemiological evidence that tea consumption is associated with the reduced risk of coronary heart disease, experimental studies designed to show that drinking tea affects blood lipid concentration or oxidative stress have been unsuccessful. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether functional tea (three servings/day) supplement with medical nutrition therapy (MNT) lead to a beneficial outcomes in mildly hyperlipidemic adults. From February to October, 2003, the 43 hyperlipidemic (23 men, 20 women) subjects (total cholesterol$\geq$200 mg/dL or triglyceride$\geq$150 mg/dL) admitted to K Medical Center were studied. Subjects were randomly divided into 3 groups; placebo tea (PT), half dose of functional tea (HFT), full dose of functional tea (FFT). During 12 weeks of study period, the subjects were given placebo or functional tea daily with MNT. Anthropometric measurements, blood chemical analysis including lipid levels, total superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) levels, and dietary assessment were carried out at the beginning and end of experiment. The effects of functional tea were compared with the placebo in randomized clinical trial study. The placebo was prepared to match with the functional tea in color and taste. After the 12 weeks of MNT, the subjects had regular and balanced meal pattern. Consumption of foods high in cholesterol and saturated fat, salty foods, fried foods, and instant foods decreased significantly in all three groups (p<0.05). Intake of energy and cholesterol also decreased (p<0.05). Drinking three servings per day (390 mL/day) of functional tea significantly reduced the levels of blood triglyceride (HFT, 42.5%; FFT, 29.4%), total cholesterol (HFT, 8.5%; FFT, 13.7%), and atherogenic index (HFT, 14.6%; FFT, 21.7%). Whereas no changes were found in the LDL-, HDL-cholesterollevels, and LDL/HDL ratio. Plasma homocysteine (Hcy) concentration decreased significantly (p<0.05) in functional tea groups (HFT, 14.9%; FFT, 14.1%). SOD increased significantly (p<0.05) in HFT (8.3%). GSH-Px increased significantly (p<0.05) in FFT (12.8%). In conclusion, the MNT improved the dietary habits, in addition, functional tea supplement decreased blood lipid levels and Hcy, and increased SOD and GSH-Px levels. These results indicate that functional tea consumption may decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease via improving blood lipid levels and antioxidant status.

• The Korean Journal of Air & Space Law and Policy
• /
• v.35 no.2
• /
• pp.313-374
• /
• 2020

The idea of creating a new International Space Agency (ISA) is only my academic and practical opinion. It is necessary for us to establish ISA as an international organization for the efficient and rapid exploitation of natural resources in the moon, Mars and other celestial bodies. The establishment of ISA as a new international regime is based on the Article 11, 5 and Article 18 of the 1979 Moon Agreement. In order to establish as a preliminary procedure, it needs to make a "Draft for the Convention on the Establishment of an International Space Agency" among the space-faring countries. In this paper, I was examined the domestic space legislation in the United States, Luxembourg, European Space Agency, China, Japan, the Republic of Korea as well as space exploration and planning of the moons, Mars, Asteroids, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Titan and Other Celestial Bodies. The creation of an ISA would lead to a strengthening of the cooperation needed essentially by the developed countries towards joint and cooperative undertakings in space and would act as a catalyst for the space exploration and exploitation of the moon, Mars and other celestial bodies. It will be managed effectively and centrally the exploitation and exploitation of space the natural resources, technology, manpower and finances as an independent organization in order to get the benefit of the space developed countries by ISA. It is desirable and necessary for us to establish ISA in order to promote cooperation in space policy, law, science technology and industry among the space developed countries in the near future. The establishment of the ISA will be promoted the international cooperation among the space-faring countries in exploration and exploitations of the natural resources in the moon and other celestial bodies. I would propose the "Draft for the Convention for the Establishment of an International Space Agency." in refering the "Convention for the Establishment of a European Space Agency." This "Draft for the Convention Convention for the Establishment of an ISA" must pass the abovementioned "Draft for the Convention" by two-third majority of Diplomatic Conference in the UNCOPUOS. Finally, a very important point is need that a political drive at the highest level and a solemn statement by heads of state of the space devloped countries including the United Nations for the space exploitation of the medium and long term. It should be noted that this political drive will be necessary not only to set up the organization, but also during a subsequent period. It is desirable and necessary for us to establish the ISA in order to develop the space industry, to strengthen friendly relations and to promote research cooperation among the space-faring countries based on the new ideology and creative ideas. If the heads of the superpowers including the United Nations will be agreed to establish ISA at a summit conference, 1 am sure that it is possible to establish an ISA in the near future.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.27-31
• /
• 2016

Purpose $^{99m}Tc-DMSA$ renal scan is a test for the comparison of the function by imaging the parenchyma of the kidneys by the cortex of a kidney and by computing the intake ratio of radiation by the left and right kidney. Since the distance between the kidneys and the bladder is not far given the bodily structure of an infant, the bladder is included in the examination domain. Research was carried out with the presumption that counts of bladder would impart an influence on the kidneys at the time of this renal scan. In consideration of the special feature that only a trace amount of a RI is injected in a pediatric examination, research on the method of injection was also carried out concurrently. Materials and Methods With 34 infants aged between 1 month to 12 months for whom a $^{99m}Tc-DMSA$ renal scan was implemented on the subjects, a Post IMAGE was acquired in accordance with the test time after having injected the same quantity of DMSA of 0.5mCi. Then, after having acquired an additional image by shielding the bladder by using a circular lead plate for comparison purposes, a comparison was made by illustrating the percentile of (Lt. Kidney counts + Rt. Kidney counts)/ Total counts, by drawing the same sized ROI (length of 55.2mm X width of 70.0mm). In addition, in the format of a 3-way stopcock, a Heparin cap and direct injection into the patient were performed in accordance with RI injection methods. The differences in the count changes in accordance with each of the methods were compared by injecting an additional 2cc of saline into the 3-way stopcock and Heparin cap. Results The image prior to shielding of the bladder displayed a kidney intake rate with a deviation of $70.9{\pm}3.18%$ while the image after the shielding of the bladder displayed a kidney intake rate with a deviation of $79.4{\pm}5.19%$, thereby showing approximately 6.5~8.5% of difference. In terms of the injection method, the method that used the 3-way form, a deviation of $68.9{\pm}2.80%$ prior to the shielding and a deviation of $78.1{\pm}5.14%$ after the shielding were displayed. In the method of using a Heparin cap, a deviation of $71.3{\pm}5.14%$ prior to the shielding and a deviation of $79.8{\pm}3.26%$ after the shielding were displayed. Lastly, in the method of direct injection into the patient, a deviation of $75.1{\pm}4.30%$ prior to the shielding and a deviation of $82.1{\pm}2.35%$ after the shielding were displayed, thereby illustrating differences in the kidney intake rates in the order of direct injection, a Heparin cap and the 3-way methods. Conclusion Since a substantially minute quantity of radiopharmaceuticals is injected for infants in comparison to adults, the cases of having shielded the bladder by removing radiation of the bladder displayed kidney intake rates that are improved from those of the cases of not having shielded the bladder. Although there are difficulties in securing blood vessels, it is deemed that the method of direct injection would be more helpful in acquisition of better images since it displays improved kidney intake rate in comparison to other methods.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
• /
• v.3 no.2
• /
• pp.130-144
• /
• 1999

Purpose : Long-term use of Cyclosporine(CsA) reduce renal blood flow by afferent arteriolar vasoconstriction and lead to chronic pathologic changes of CsA nephrotoxicity - 1) interstitial nephritis(IN); tubular atrophy (TA) and/or interstitial fibrosis(IF),2) arteriolopathy(AP). The Object of this study is to estimate the incidence of chronic pathologic CsA nephrotoxicity by duration of treatment and type of renal disease, relationship between histologic and clinical nephrotoxicity, and optimal duration of CsA therapy. Methods : 102 children with steroid resistant or dependent nephrotic syndrome confirmed by renal biopsy and treated with CsA from 1986 to 1997 were enrolled in this study(58 MCNS, 10 FSGS, 10 MGN, 15 $Henoch-Sch\"{o}nlein$ purpura nephritis with nephrotic syndrome (HSPN) and 9 IgA nephropathy with nephrotic syndrome(IgAN)). CsA was administered for 1yr, 1.5yr, 2yr in 24, 12, 22 MCNS patients and 2, 2, 6 FSGS patients respectively, 1yr, 2yr in MGN and 1yr in HSPN and IgAN. Sequential biopsies were done in all 102 patients after CsA treatment for evaluation of pathologic nephrotoxicity. Results : Complete remission rate was 92.2% (100% in MCNS and MGN, 80% in FSGS, 86.6% in HSPN and 55.5% in IgAN). Incidence of relapse during 6months after CsA treatment was significantly decreased compaed with relapsing spisodes during 6months before CsA treatment in MCNS(P<0.0001) and FSGS(P<0.0001). According to pathologic changes, 71 patients(69.6%) showed no pathological change, 24 patients(23.5%) showed IN and 7 patients(6.8%) showed AP. IN was 16.6%, 33.3%, 27.2% in 1, 1.5, 2 year of CsA treatment group in MCNS. AP was 0%, 16.6%, 9% in 1, 1.5, 2 year of CsA treatment group in MCNS. 14 out of 58 MCNS(24.1%) showed IN and 4 out of 58 MCNS(6.8%) showed AP. Incidence of pathologic change was significantly lower in CsA therapy of <1yr than >1yr(P=0.03). There were no significant difference of incidence of pathologic change in original renal disease, age and sex. Conclusion : Duration of CsA treatment was significant risk factor for nephrotoxicity and optimal duration seemed to be 1 year. Pathologic change due to nephrotoxicity did not correlate with deterioration of renal function and only detectable by renal biopsy.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
• /
• 2004.04a
• /
• pp.3-4
• /
• 2004

Results will be presented from two field studies that evaluated the in-situ treatment of chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons (CAHs) using aerobic cometabolism. In the first study, a cometabolic air sparging (CAS) demonstration was conducted at McClellan Air Force Base (AFB), California, to treat chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons (CAHs) in groundwater using propane as the cometabolic substrate. A propane-biostimulated zone was sparged with a propane/air mixture and a control zone was sparged with air alone. Propane-utilizers were effectively stimulated in the saturated zone with repeated intermediate sparging of propane and air. Propane delivery, however, was not uniform, with propane mainly observed in down-gradient observation wells. Trichloroethene (TCE), cis-1, 2-dichloroethene (c-DCE), and dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration levels decreased in proportion with propane usage, with c-DCE decreasing more rapidly than TCE. The more rapid removal of c-DCE indicated biotransformation and not just physical removal by stripping. Propane utilization rates and rates of CAH removal slowed after three to four months of repeated propane additions, which coincided with tile depletion of nitrogen (as nitrate). Ammonia was then added to the propane/air mixture as a nitrogen source. After a six-month period between propane additions, rapid propane-utilization was observed. Nitrate was present due to groundwater flow into the treatment zone and/or by the oxidation of tile previously injected ammonia. In the propane-stimulated zone, c-DCE concentrations decreased below tile detection limit (1 $\mu$g/L), and TCE concentrations ranged from less than 5 $\mu$g/L to 30 $\mu$g/L, representing removals of 90 to 97%. In the air sparged control zone, TCE was removed at only two monitoring locations nearest the sparge-well, to concentrations of 15 $\mu$g/L and 60 $\mu$g/L. The responses indicate that stripping as well as biological treatment were responsible for the removal of contaminants in the biostimulated zone, with biostimulation enhancing removals to lower contaminant levels. As part of that study bacterial population shifts that occurred in the groundwater during CAS and air sparging control were evaluated by length heterogeneity polymerase chain reaction (LH-PCR) fragment analysis. The results showed that an organism(5) that had a fragment size of 385 base pairs (385 bp) was positively correlated with propane removal rates. The 385 bp fragment consisted of up to 83% of the total fragments in the analysis when propane removal rates peaked. A 16S rRNA clone library made from the bacteria sampled in propane sparged groundwater included clones of a TM7 division bacterium that had a 385bp LH-PCR fragment; no other bacterial species with this fragment size were detected. Both propane removal rates and the 385bp LH-PCR fragment decreased as nitrate levels in the groundwater decreased. In the second study the potential for bioaugmentation of a butane culture was evaluated in a series of field tests conducted at the Moffett Field Air Station in California. A butane-utilizing mixed culture that was effective in transforming 1, 1-dichloroethene (1, 1-DCE), 1, 1, 1-trichloroethane (1, 1, 1-TCA), and 1, 1-dichloroethane (1, 1-DCA) was added to the saturated zone at the test site. This mixture of contaminants was evaluated since they are often present as together as the result of 1, 1, 1-TCA contamination and the abiotic and biotic transformation of 1, 1, 1-TCA to 1, 1-DCE and 1, 1-DCA. Model simulations were performed prior to the initiation of the field study. The simulations were performed with a transport code that included processes for in-situ cometabolism, including microbial growth and decay, substrate and oxygen utilization, and the cometabolism of dual contaminants (1, 1-DCE and 1, 1, 1-TCA). Based on the results of detailed kinetic studies with the culture, cometabolic transformation kinetics were incorporated that butane mixed-inhibition on 1, 1-DCE and 1, 1, 1-TCA transformation, and competitive inhibition of 1, 1-DCE and 1, 1, 1-TCA on butane utilization. A transformation capacity term was also included in the model formation that results in cell loss due to contaminant transformation. Parameters for the model simulations were determined independently in kinetic studies with the butane-utilizing culture and through batch microcosm tests with groundwater and aquifer solids from the field test zone with the butane-utilizing culture added. In microcosm tests, the model simulated well the repetitive utilization of butane and cometabolism of 1.1, 1-TCA and 1, 1-DCE, as well as the transformation of 1, 1-DCE as it was repeatedly transformed at increased aqueous concentrations. Model simulations were then performed under the transport conditions of the field test to explore the effects of the bioaugmentation dose and the response of the system to tile biostimulation with alternating pulses of dissolved butane and oxygen in the presence of 1, 1-DCE (50 $\mu$g/L) and 1, 1, 1-TCA (250 $\mu$g/L). A uniform aquifer bioaugmentation dose of 0.5 mg/L of cells resulted in complete utilization of the butane 2-meters downgradient of the injection well within 200-hrs of bioaugmentation and butane addition. 1, 1-DCE was much more rapidly transformed than 1, 1, 1-TCA, and efficient 1, 1, 1-TCA removal occurred only after 1, 1-DCE and butane were decreased in concentration. The simulations demonstrated the strong inhibition of both 1, 1-DCE and butane on 1, 1, 1-TCA transformation, and the more rapid 1, 1-DCE transformation kinetics. Results of tile field demonstration indicated that bioaugmentation was successfully implemented; however it was difficult to maintain effective treatment for long periods of time (50 days or more). The demonstration showed that the bioaugmented experimental leg effectively transformed 1, 1-DCE and 1, 1-DCA, and was somewhat effective in transforming 1, 1, 1-TCA. The indigenous experimental leg treated in the same way as the bioaugmented leg was much less effective in treating the contaminant mixture. The best operating performance was achieved in the bioaugmented leg with about over 90%, 80%, 60 % removal for 1, 1-DCE, 1, 1-DCA, and 1, 1, 1-TCA, respectively. Molecular methods were used to track and enumerate the bioaugmented culture in the test zone. Real Time PCR analysis was used to on enumerate the bioaugmented culture. The results show higher numbers of the bioaugmented microorganisms were present in the treatment zone groundwater when the contaminants were being effective transformed. A decrease in these numbers was associated with a reduction in treatment performance. The results of the field tests indicated that although bioaugmentation can be successfully implemented, competition for the growth substrate (butane) by the indigenous microorganisms likely lead to the decrease in long-term performance.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
• /
• v.13 no.3
• /
• pp.17-23
• /
• 2009

Purpose: It has been known that PET/CT is very valuable in follow-up study of diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Generally, in DLBCL, radiotherapy and chemotherapy has been progressed, because the lesion hasn‘t been limited to one site. And, it has lead to the decrease of leukocyte like neutropenia, due to myelosuppression of chemotherapy. So, in that case, administration of Filgrastim (Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor; G-CSF) is universal. However, in short time after administration, PET/CT has limitation to offer accurate images, through the uptake of $^{18}F$-FDG is increased in the region that is activated bone marrow by hematopoietic growth. Therefore, the aim of this study is that PET/CT in a certain period of time after administration of Filgrastim is able to show normal degree of $^{18}F$-FDG uptake. Materials and Methods: 10 patients under follow-up study of diffuse large B cell lymphoma were examined in this study from January, 2007 to January, 2009 (Male: 4 persons; Female: 6 persons; The mean age: 53.8 years old; The mean weight: 57.3 Kg). Using PET/CT (Discovery STe; GE Healthcare, Milwaukee, WI, USA), whole body images were acquired in 1 hour after $^{18}F$-FDG injection. For image analysis, each ROI ($120\;mm^2$) was drawn on $C^6$ (the sixth C-spine), $L_4$ (the forth L-spine), liver, spleen, and lung, then SUV (Standard Uptake Value)s were measured. We compared with each uptake between in 1-day and 5~7 days after administration of Filgrastim at same patient, so confirmed significance about these by SPSS version 12. Results: In case of $C_6$, $L_4$, spleen, every SUV of 1 day later was remarkably higher than that of 5~7 days later, but liver and lung were similar. Also, the images acquired after 5~7 days distinct remarkably and show normal degree of $^{18}F$-FDG uptake, because uptake of bone was almost disappeared. Conclusions: In this study, each SUV was prominent difference as a period of time after Filgrastim’s administration. And Filgrastim makes concentrate uptake of $^{18}F$-FDG in bone, but, after 5~7 days, bone‘s uptake was greatly decreased. Therefore, we are able to infer a certain period of time that shows normal degree of uptake, by numerical value proven. Also, we consider that this study contribute to advanced study about the other agent like Pegfilgrastim, Lenograstim besides Filgrastim, afterwards.