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A Study on the Transitions and Site of temporary palace(Onyanghaenggung) according to the <Oncheonhaenggungdo>(1795) (<온천행궁도(溫泉行宮圖)>(1795)의 온양행궁지 추정 및 온양행궁 변천 고찰)

  • LEE Jeongsoo;KIM Ilhwan;LEE Kyeongmi;JI Wonku;CHOI Jaeseong
    • Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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    • v.56 no.4
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    • pp.94-108
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    • 2023
  • Onyanghaenggung Palace(temporary palace at Onyang) is an important cultural heritage that can substantially confirm the king's onhaeng(溫行) base on literature records such as <Ongungyeonggoedae(溫宮靈槐臺)>, <Oncheonhaenggungdo(溫泉行宮圖)> of 『Ongungsasil(溫宮事實)』『, Younggoedaegi(靈槐臺記)』and cultural property such as Yeonggoedae(靈槐臺) and Shinjeong Monument(神井碑). As the Onyang Tourist Hotel is located in the presumed site of the Onyanghaenggung Palace, even the identity of the Onyanghaenggung Palace site is being threatened without restoration efforts. The purpose of this study is to estimate the location of Onyanghaenggung Palace based on <Oncheonhaenggungdo> before the damages during the Japanese colonial period. To achieve these purposes, records related to Onhaeng during successive kings' terms in the Joseon Dynasty are first reviewed, before changes in the architecture of Onyanghaenggung Palace that took place in the Joseon Dynasty and damage suffered during the Japanese colonial period are summarized, and finally <Oncheonhaenggungdo>, <Eupji>, <Ancient Maps>, <Jijeokwondo> are reviewed. Based on these processes, the location of Onyanghaenggung Palace is estimated by comparing the current Onyang Tourist Hotel and the surrounding area. The results of this study are as follows. First, if the 1,758 cheok(尺) of 「Onyanggun eupji」 and 「Hoseo eupji」 are converted in Jucheok(周尺), the scope of Onyanghaenggung Palace is close to the inner circumference of the site(垈) in Jijeokwondo(1914). Second, the streamlet leading to Oncheoncheon(溫泉川) from the southern side of Onyanggwan(溫陽館), the hot spring hole in use of <Distribution Map of Hot Spring(溫泉分布見取圖)>(1925, 1928), and considering the relationship of the inner east gate(內東門), Bigak(碑閣), Sinjeong(神井) of <Oncheonhaenggungdo>, the building of Hermann Gustav Theodor Sander and the Copyright Commission's Onyang Hot Springs photograph can be estimated as the Onyanghaenggung Palace Hot-spring, namely Tangsil(湯室). Third, in the process of developing to amusement park, the transfer and relocation of the Yeonggaedae site(a governmentowned property) was requested by Gyeongnam Railway Company, but Chungcheongnam-do denied transfer and relocation of the Yeonggaedae because of the importance in the history of Onyang Hot Springs, so the government-owned Yeonggaedae Monument site were permanently preserved at the current location together with the hoe tree(Sophora japonica L.). Also, Yeonggoedae in <Tourists Attractions around Gyeongnam Railway in Joseon (朝鮮京南鐵道沿線名所交通図絵)> (1929) is shown to exist in its current location, and it can be seen that the Shinjeong Monument Pavilion was moved to the front of Shinjeonggwan (神井館). Based on the circumference of Onyanghaenggung Palace, the location of Onyanghaenggung Palace Hot Spring (Tangsil) and Yeonggaedae Monument Pavilion, changes in roads and lots of land during the Japanese colonial period and the modern period, as well as the location of Onyanghaenggung Palace and other major buildings, can be estimated to extend to the current Shimin-ro and Onyang Hot Spring Market.

Estimation of Fractional Urban Tree Canopy Cover through Machine Learning Using Optical Satellite Images (기계학습을 이용한 광학 위성 영상 기반의 도시 내 수목 피복률 추정)

  • Sejeong Bae ;Bokyung Son ;Taejun Sung ;Yeonsu Lee ;Jungho Im ;Yoojin Kang
    • Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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    • v.39 no.5_3
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    • pp.1009-1029
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    • 2023
  • Urban trees play a vital role in urban ecosystems,significantly reducing impervious surfaces and impacting carbon cycling within the city. Although previous research has demonstrated the efficacy of employing artificial intelligence in conjunction with airborne light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data to generate urban tree information, the availability and cost constraints associated with LiDAR data pose limitations. Consequently, this study employed freely accessible, high-resolution multispectral satellite imagery (i.e., Sentinel-2 data) to estimate fractional tree canopy cover (FTC) within the urban confines of Suwon, South Korea, employing machine learning techniques. This study leveraged a median composite image derived from a time series of Sentinel-2 images. In order to account for the diverse land cover found in urban areas, the model incorporated three types of input variables: average (mean) and standard deviation (std) values within a 30-meter grid from 10 m resolution of optical indices from Sentinel-2, and fractional coverage for distinct land cover classes within 30 m grids from the existing level 3 land cover map. Four schemes with different combinations of input variables were compared. Notably, when all three factors (i.e., mean, std, and fractional cover) were used to consider the variation of landcover in urban areas(Scheme 4, S4), the machine learning model exhibited improved performance compared to using only the mean of optical indices (Scheme 1). Of the various models proposed, the random forest (RF) model with S4 demonstrated the most remarkable performance, achieving R2 of 0.8196, and mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.0749, and a root mean squared error (RMSE) of 0.1022. The std variable exhibited the highest impact on model outputs within the heterogeneous land covers based on the variable importance analysis. This trained RF model with S4 was then applied to the entire Suwon region, consistently delivering robust results with an R2 of 0.8702, MAE of 0.0873, and RMSE of 0.1335. The FTC estimation method developed in this study is expected to offer advantages for application in various regions, providing fundamental data for a better understanding of carbon dynamics in urban ecosystems in the future.

Quantification of the Elastic Property of Normal Thigh Muscles Using MR Elastography: Our Initial Experience (자기 공명 탄성 검사를 이용한 대퇴 근육의 탄성도의 정량화: 초기 경험)

  • Junghoon Kim;Jeong Ah Ryu;Juhan Lee
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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    • v.82 no.6
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    • pp.1556-1564
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    • 2021
  • Purpose This study aimed to apply MR elastography (MRE) to achieve in vivo evaluation of the elastic properties of thigh muscles and validate the feasibility of quantifying the elasticity of normal thigh muscles using MRE. Materials and Methods This prospective study included 10 volunteer subjects [mean age, 32.5 years, (range, 23-45 years)] who reported normal activities of daily living and underwent both T2-weighted axial images and MRE of thigh muscles on the same day. A sequence with a motion-encoding gradient was used in the MRE to map the propagating shear waves in the muscle. Elastic properties were quantified as the shear modulus of the following four thigh muscles at rest; the vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, adductor magnus, and biceps femoris. Results The mean shear modulus was 0.98 ± 0.32 kPa and 1.00 ± 0.33 kPa for the vastus medialis, 1.10 ± 0.46 kPa and 1.07 ± 0.43 kPa for the vastus lateralis, 0.91 ± 0.41 kPa and 0.93 ± 0.47 kPa for the adductor magnus, and 0.99 ± 0.37 kPa and 0.94 ± 0.32 kPa for the biceps femoris, with reader 1 and 2, respectively. No significant difference was observed in the shear modulus based on sex (p < 0.05). Aging consistently showed a statistically significant negative correlation (p < 0.05) with the shear modulus of the thigh muscles, except for the vastus medialis (p = 0.194 for reader 1 and p = 0.355 for reader 2). Conclusion MRE is a quantitative technique used to measure the elastic properties of individual muscles with excellent inter-observer agreement. Age was consistently significantly negatively correlated with the shear stiffness of muscles, except for the vastus medialis.

A Study on the Digital Drawing of Archaeological Relics Using Open-Source Software (오픈소스 소프트웨어를 활용한 고고 유물의 디지털 실측 연구)

  • LEE Hosun;AHN Hyoungki
    • Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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    • v.57 no.1
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    • pp.82-108
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    • 2024
  • With the transition of archaeological recording method's transition from analog to digital, the 3D scanning technology has been actively adopted within the field. Research on the digital archaeological digital data gathered from 3D scanning and photogrammetry is continuously being conducted. However, due to cost and manpower issues, most buried cultural heritage organizations are hesitating to adopt such digital technology. This paper aims to present a digital recording method of relics utilizing open-source software and photogrammetry technology, which is believed to be the most efficient method among 3D scanning methods. The digital recording process of relics consists of three stages: acquiring a 3D model, creating a joining map with the edited 3D model, and creating an digital drawing. In order to enhance the accessibility, this method only utilizes open-source software throughout the entire process. The results of this study confirms that in terms of quantitative evaluation, the deviation of numerical measurement between the actual artifact and the 3D model was minimal. In addition, the results of quantitative quality analysis from the open-source software and the commercial software showed high similarity. However, the data processing time was overwhelmingly fast for commercial software, which is believed to be a result of high computational speed from the improved algorithm. In qualitative evaluation, some differences in mesh and texture quality occurred. In the 3D model generated by opensource software, following problems occurred: noise on the mesh surface, harsh surface of the mesh, and difficulty in confirming the production marks of relics and the expression of patterns. However, some of the open source software did generate the quality comparable to that of commercial software in quantitative and qualitative evaluations. Open-source software for editing 3D models was able to not only post-process, match, and merge the 3D model, but also scale adjustment, join surface production, and render image necessary for the actual measurement of relics. The final completed drawing was tracked by the CAD program, which is also an open-source software. In archaeological research, photogrammetry is very applicable to various processes, including excavation, writing reports, and research on numerical data from 3D models. With the breakthrough development of computer vision, the types of open-source software have been diversified and the performance has significantly improved. With the high accessibility to such digital technology, the acquisition of 3D model data in archaeology will be used as basic data for preservation and active research of cultural heritage.

Analysis of Applicability of RPC Correction Using Deep Learning-Based Edge Information Algorithm (딥러닝 기반 윤곽정보 추출자를 활용한 RPC 보정 기술 적용성 분석)

  • Jaewon Hur;Changhui Lee;Doochun Seo;Jaehong Oh;Changno Lee;Youkyung Han
    • Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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    • v.40 no.4
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    • pp.387-396
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    • 2024
  • Most very high-resolution (VHR) satellite images provide rational polynomial coefficients (RPC) data to facilitate the transformation between ground coordinates and image coordinates. However, initial RPC often contains geometric errors, necessitating correction through matching with ground control points (GCPs). A GCP chip is a small image patch extracted from an orthorectified image together with height information of the center point, which can be directly used for geometric correction. Many studies have focused on area-based matching methods to accurately align GCP chips with VHR satellite images. In cases with seasonal differences or changed areas, edge-based algorithms are often used for matching due to the difficulty of relying solely on pixel values. However, traditional edge extraction algorithms,such as canny edge detectors, require appropriate threshold settings tailored to the spectral characteristics of satellite images. Therefore, this study utilizes deep learning-based edge information that is insensitive to the regional characteristics of satellite images for matching. Specifically,we use a pretrained pixel difference network (PiDiNet) to generate the edge maps for both satellite images and GCP chips. These edge maps are then used as input for normalized cross-correlation (NCC) and relative edge cross-correlation (RECC) to identify the peak points with the highest correlation between the two edge maps. To remove mismatched pairs and thus obtain the bias-compensated RPC, we iteratively apply the data snooping. Finally, we compare the results qualitatively and quantitatively with those obtained from traditional NCC and RECC methods. The PiDiNet network approach achieved high matching accuracy with root mean square error (RMSE) values ranging from 0.3 to 0.9 pixels. However, the PiDiNet-generated edges were thicker compared to those from the canny method, leading to slightly lower registration accuracy in some images. Nevertheless, PiDiNet consistently produced characteristic edge information, allowing for successful matching even in challenging regions. This study demonstrates that improving the robustness of edge-based registration methods can facilitate effective registration across diverse regions.

Precipitation Characteristics in Mountainous Regions During Changma Period in 2023 (2023년 장마기간 동안 산악지역의 강우 특성)

  • Inhye Kim;Keunchang Jang;Byung Oh Yoo
    • Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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    • v.26 no.3
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    • pp.161-173
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    • 2024
  • In South Korea, 50-65% of the annual precipitation is concentrated during the summer monsoon season, which is called Changma. In 2023, extreme precipitation was observed during Changma period, and was recorded the highest amount in southern part of Korea. Extreme precipitation in forest region is one of significant factors related to the landslide. Therefore, accurate monitoring and understanding of precipitation patterns are crucial for preventing the landslide disasters in Changma period. This study investigated the precipitation patterns including precipitation intensity, duration, and total amount in mountainous and non-mountainous regions during the Changma period using dataset observed from the Korea Forest Service's Automatic Mountain Meteorology Observation Station (AMOS) and the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA). Precipitation map produced from the Modified Korean-Parameter elevation Regressions an Independent Slopes Model (MK-PRISM) was also used to verify precipitation patterns in areas affected by landslides in Gyeongsangbuk-do province. The results used from precipitation observations revealed that the total amount of precipitation was greater at elevations such as mountainous regions. In particular, extreme precipitation events such as precipitation duration exceeding 50 hours with amount of over 300 mm and heavy rainfalls of over 30 mm/hr occurred at landslide areas including Mungyeong, Bonghwa, and Yeongju in Gyeongsangbuk-do province. Total amount of precipitation produced by MK-PRISM in these areas during Changma period were more than double compared with 30 years mean values obtained from KMA. The results conducted in this study indicate that it is essential to establish the thresolds considering recent precipitation patterns to effectively prepare and prevent for landslide disasters.

Development of an Automated Algorithm for Analyzing Rainfall Thresholds Triggering Landslide Based on AWS and AMOS

  • Donghyeon Kim;Song Eu;Kwangyoun Lee;Sukhee Yoon;Jongseo Lee;Donggeun Kim
    • Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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    • v.29 no.9
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    • pp.125-136
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    • 2024
  • This study presents an automated Python algorithm for analyzing rainfall characteristics to establish critical rainfall thresholds as part of a landslide early warning system. Rainfall data were sourced from the Korea Meteorological Administration's Automatic Weather System (AWS) and the Korea Forest Service's Automatic Mountain Observation System (AMOS), while landslide data from 2020 to 2023 were gathered via the Life Safety Map. The algorithm involves three main steps: 1) processing rainfall data to correct inconsistencies and fill data gaps, 2) identifying the nearest observation station to each landslide location, and 3) conducting statistical analysis of rainfall characteristics. The analysis utilized power law and nonlinear regression, yielding an average R2 of 0.45 for the relationships between rainfall intensity-duration, effective rainfall-duration, antecedent rainfall-duration, and maximum hourly rainfall-duration. The critical thresholds identified were 0.9-1.4 mm/hr for rainfall intensity, 68.5-132.5 mm for effective rainfall, 81.6-151.1 mm for antecedent rainfall, and 17.5-26.5 mm for maximum hourly rainfall. Validation using AUC-ROC analysis showed a low AUC value of 0.5, highlighting the limitations of using rainfall data alone to predict landslides. Additionally, the algorithm's speed performance evaluation revealed a total processing time of 30 minutes, further emphasizing the limitations of relying solely on rainfall data for disaster prediction. However, to mitigate loss of life and property damage due to disasters, it is crucial to establish criteria using quantitative and easily interpretable methods. Thus, the algorithm developed in this study is expected to contribute to reducing damage by providing a quantitative evaluation of critical rainfall thresholds that trigger landslides.

Distributional Characteristics of Fault Segments in Cretaceous and Tertiary Rocks from Southeastern Gyeongsang Basin (경상분지 남동부 일대의 백악기 및 제3기 암류에서 발달하는 단층분절의 분포특성)

  • Park, Deok-Won
    • The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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    • v.27 no.3
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    • pp.109-120
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    • 2018
  • The distributional characteristics of fault segments in Cretaceous and Tertiary rocks from southeastern Gyeongsang Basin were derived. The 267 sets of fault segments showing linear type were extracted from the curved fault lines delineated on the regional geological map. First, the directional angle(${\theta}$)-length(L) chart for the whole fault segments was made. From the related chart, the general d istribution pattern of fault segments was derived. The distribution curve in the chart was divided into four sections according to its overall shape. NNE, NNW and WNW directions, corresponding to the peaks of the above sections, indicate those of the Yangsan, Ulsan and Gaeum fault systems. The fault segment population show near symmetrical distribution with respect to $N19^{\circ}E$ direction corresponding to the maximum peak. Second, the directional angle-frequency(N), mean length(Lm), total length(Lt) and density(${\rho}$) chart was made. From the related chart, whole domain of the above chart was divided into 19 domains in terms of the phases of the distribution curve. The directions corresponding to the peaks of the above domains suggest the directions of representative stresses acted on rock body. Third, the length-cumulative frequency graphs for the 18 sub-populations were made. From the related chart, the value of exponent(${\lambda}$) increase in the clockwise direction($N10{\sim}20^{\circ}E{\rightarrow}N50{\sim}60^{\circ}E$) and counterclockwise direction ($N10{\sim}20^{\circ}W{\rightarrow}N50{\sim}60^{\circ}W$). On the other hand, the width of distribution of lengths and mean length decrease. The chart for the above sub-populations having mutually different evolution characteristics, reveals a cross section of evolutionary process. Fourth, the general distribution chart for the 18 graphs was made. From the related chart, the above graphs were classified into five groups(A~E) according to the distribution area. The lengths of fault segments increase in order of group E ($N80{\sim}90^{\circ}E{\cdot}N70{\sim}80^{\circ}E{\cdot}N80{\sim}90^{\circ}W{\cdot}N50{\sim}60^{\circ}W{\cdot}N30{\sim}40^{\circ}W{\cdot}N40{\sim}50^{\circ}W$) < D ($N70{\sim}80^{\circ}W{\cdot}N60{\sim}70^{\circ}W{\cdot}N60{\sim}70^{\circ}E{\cdot}N50{\sim}60^{\circ}E{\cdot}N40{\sim}50^{\circ}E{\cdot}N0{\sim}10^{\circ}W$) < C ($N20{\sim}30^{\circ}W{\cdot}N10{\sim}20^{\circ}W$) < B ($N0{\sim}10^{\circ}E{\cdot}N30{\sim}40^{\circ}E$) < A ($N20{\sim}30^{\circ}E{\cdot}N10{\sim}20^{\circ}E$). Especially the forms of graph gradually transition from a uniform distribution to an exponential one. Lastly, the values of the six parameters for fault-segment length were divided into five groups. Among the six parameters, mean length and length of the longest fault segment decrease in the order of group III ($N10^{\circ}W{\sim}N20^{\circ}E$) > IV ($N20{\sim}60^{\circ}E$) > II ($N10{\sim}60^{\circ}W$) > I ($N60{\sim}90^{\circ}W$) > V ($N60{\sim}90^{\circ}E$). Frequency, longest length, total length, mean length and density of fault segments, belonging to group V, show the lowest values. The above order of arrangement among five groups suggests the interrelationship with the relative formation ages of fault segments.

An Exploratory Study on Channel Equity of Electronic Goods (가전제품 소비자의 Channel Equity에 관한 탐색적 연구)

  • Suh, Yong-Gu;Lee, Eun-Kyung
    • Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
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    • v.18 no.3
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    • pp.1-25
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    • 2008
  • Ⅰ. Introduction Retailers in the 21st century are being told that future retailers are those who can execute seamless multi-channel access. The reason is that retailers should be where shoppers want them, when they want them anytime, anywhere and in multiple formats. Multi-channel access is considered one of the top 10 trends of all business in the next decade (Patricia T. Warrington, et al., 2007) And most firms use both direct and indirect channels in their markets. Given this trend, we need to evaluate a channel equity more systematically than before as this issue is expected to get more attention to consumers as well as to brand managers. Consumers are becoming very much confused concerning the choice of place where they shop for durable goods as there are at least 6-7 retail options. On the other hand, manufacturers have to deal with category killers, their dealers network, Internet shopping malls, and other avenue of distribution channels and they hope their retail channel behave like extensions of their own companies. They would like their products to be foremost in the retailer's mind-the first to be proposed and effectively communicated to potential customers. To enable this hope to come reality, they should know each channel's advantages and disadvantages from consumer perspectives. In addition, customer satisfaction is the key determinant of retail customer loyalty. However, there are only a few researches regarding the effects of shopping satisfaction and perceptions on consumers' channel choices and channels. The purpose of this study was to assess Korean consumers' channel choice and satisfaction towards channels they prefer to use in the case of electronic goods shopping. Korean electronic goods retail market is one of good example of multi-channel shopping environments. As the Korea retail market has been undergoing significant structural changes since it had opened to global retailers in 1996, new formats such as hypermarkets, Internet shopping malls and category killers have arrived for the last decade. Korean electronic goods shoppers have seven major channels : (1)category killers (2) hypermarket (3) manufacturer dealer shop (4) Internet shopping malls (5) department store (6) TV home-shopping (7) speciality shopping arcade. Korean retail sector has been modernized with amazing speed for the last decade. Overall summary of major retail channels is as follows: Hypermarket has been number 1 retailer type in sales volume from 2003 ; non-store retailing has been number 2 from 2007 ; department store is now number 3 ; small scale category killers are growing rapidly in the area of electronics and office products in particular. We try to evaluate each channel's equity using a consumer survey. The survey was done by telephone interview with 1000 housewife who lives nationwide. Sampling was done according to 2005 national census and average interview time was 10 to 15 minutes. Ⅱ. Research Summary We have found that seven major retail channels compete with each other within Korean consumers' minds in terms of price and service. Each channel seem to have its unique selling points. Department stores were perceived as the best electronic goods shopping destinations due to after service. Internet shopping malls were perceived as the convenient channel owing to price checking. Category killers and hypermarkets were more attractive in both price merits and location conveniences. On the other hand, manufacturers dealer networks were pulling customers mainly by location and after service. Category killers and hypermarkets were most beloved retail channel for Korean consumers. However category killers compete mainly with department stores and shopping arcades while hypermarkets tend to compete with Internet and TV home shopping channels. Regarding channel satisfaction, the top 3 channels were service-driven retailers: department stores (4.27); dealer shop (4.21); and Internet shopping malls (4.21). Speciality shopping arcade(3.98) were the least satisfied channels among Korean consumers. Ⅲ. Implications We try to identify the whole picture of multi-channel retail shopping environments and its implications in the context of Korean electronic goods. From manufacturers' perspectives, multi-channel may cause channel conflicts. Furthermore, inter-channel competition draws much more attention as hypermarkets and category killers have grown rapidly in recent years. At the same time, from consumers' perspectives, 'buy where' is becoming an important buying decision as it would decide the level of shopping satisfaction. We need to develop the concept of 'channel equity' to manage multi-channel distribution effectively. Firms should measure and monitor their prime channel equity in regular basis to maximize their channel potentials. Prototype channel equity positioning map has been developed as follows. We expect more studies to develop the concept of 'channel equity' in the future.

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[ $Gd(DTPA)^{2-}$ ]-enhanced, and Quantitative MR Imaging in Articular Cartilage (관절연골의 $Gd(DTPA)^{2-}$-조영증강 및 정량적 자기공명영상에 대한 실험적 연구)

  • Eun Choong-Ki;Lee Yeong-Joon;Park Auh-Whan;Park Yeong-Mi;Bae Jae-Ik;Ryu Ji Hwa;Baik Dae-Il;Jung Soo-Jin;Lee Seon-Joo
    • Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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    • v.8 no.2
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    • pp.100-108
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    • 2004
  • Purpose : Early degeneration of articular cartilage is accompanied by a loss of glycosaminoglycan (GAG) and the consequent change of the integrity. The purpose of this study was to biochemically quantify the loss of GAG, and to evaluate the $Gd(DTPA)^{2-}$-enhanced, and T1, T2, rho relaxation map for detection of the early degeneration of cartilage. Materials and Methods : A cartilage-bone block in size of $8mm\;\times\;10mm$ was acquired from the patella in each of three pigs. Quantitative analysis of GAG of cartilage was performed at spectrophotometry by use of dimethylmethylene blue. Each of cartilage blocks was cultured in one of three different media: two different culture media (0.2 mg/ml trypsin solution, 1mM Gd $(DTPA)^{2-}$ mixed trypsin solution) and the control media (phosphate buffered saline (PBS)). The cartilage blocks were cultured for 5 hrs, during which MR images of the blocks were obtained at one hour interval (0 hr, 1 hr, 2 hr, 3 hr, 4 hr, 5 hr). And then, additional culture was done for 24 hrs and 48 hrs. Both T1-weighted image (TR/TE, 450/22 ms), and mixed-echo sequence (TR/TE, 760/21-168ms; 8 echoes) were obtained at all times using field of view 50 mm, slice thickness 2 mm, and matrix $256\times512$. The MRI data were analyzed with pixel-by-pixel comparisons. The cultured cartilage-bone blocks were microscopically observed using hematoxylin & eosin, toluidine blue, alcian blue, and trichrome stains. Results : At quantitation analysis, GAG concentration in the culture solutions was proportional to the culture durations. The T1-signal of the cartilage-bone block cultured in the $Gd(DTPA)^{2-}$ mixed solution was significantly higher ($42\%$ in average, p<0.05) than that of the cartilage-bone block cultured in the trypsin solution alone. The T1, T2, rho relaxation times of cultured tissue were not significantly correlated with culture duration (p>0.05). However the focal increase in T1 relaxation time at superficial and transitional layers of cartilage was seen in $Gd(DTPA)^{2-}$ mixed culture. Toluidine blue and alcian blue stains revealed multiple defects in whole thickness of the cartilage cultured in trypsin media. Conclusion : The quantitative analysis showed gradual loss of GAG proportional to the culture duration. Microimagings of cartilage with $Gd(DTPA)^{2-}$-enhancement, relaxation maps were available by pixel size of $97.9\times195\;{\mu}m$. Loss of GAG over time better demonstrated with $Gd(DTPA)^{2-}$-enhanced images than with T1, T2, rho relaxation maps. Therefore $Gd(DTPA)^{2-}$-enhanced T1-weighted image is superior for detection of early degeneration of cartilage.

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