• Journal of Contemporary Eastern Asia
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.16-32
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• 2019

Media manipulation of breaking news through article selection, ranking and tweaking of social media data and comment streams is a growing concern for society. We argue that the combination of human and machine curation on media portals marks a new period for news media and journalism. Although intermediary platforms routinely claim that they are merely the neutral technological platform which facilitates news and information flows, rejecting any criticisms that they are operating as de facto media organisations; instead, we argue for an alternative, more active interpretation of their roles. In this article we provide a contemporary account of the South Korean ('Korean') online news media ecology as an exemplar of how contemporary media technologies, and in particular portals and algorithmic recommender systems, perform a powerful role in shaping the kind of news and information that citizens access. By highlighting the key stakeholders and their positions within the production, publication and distribution of news media, we argue that the overall impact of the major portal platforms of Naver and Kakao is far more consequential than simply providing an entertaining media diet for consumers. These portals are central in designing how and which news is sourced, produced and then accessed by Korean citizens. From a regulatory perspective the provision of news on the portals can be a somewhat ambiguous and moving target, subject to soft and harder regulatory measures. While we investigate a specific case study of the South Korean experience, we also trace out connections with the larger global media ecology. We have relied on policy documents, stakeholder interviews and portal user 'walk throughs' to understand the changing role of news and its surfacing on a distinctive breed of media platforms.

• The Journal of Information Systems
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.379-400
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• 2017

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of ICT on multilevel marketing organizations (MLMs) whose members are both salespeople and consumers. This study explores the effects of the latest ICT convergence on the direct selling, which is the oldest sales method, and suggests the direction for the development of network marketing. Therefore, we will propose the changes in direct sales brought by ICT and predict the future direction of network marketing in preparation for the 4th Industrial Revolution era. Design/methodology/approach Exploratory case study was the methodology selected for this paper. The case study enables the use of multiple methods for data collection and analysis. This study applies qualitative case-study methodology on Amway Korea, which is the top seller of MLM organizations, to better understand the impact of ICT. This study conducted an in-depth interview with four different levels of MLM members (e.g. membership, ruby, emerald, diamond) which are based on the qualification system of MLM organizations and observed their behaviors. Findings This study revealed that the ICT impact on network marketing organizations(MLMs) could be summarized as follows : new membership growth, easier communication with customers, increase in work efficiency, increase in organizational trust, change in educational environment, and increase in the use of social media. Based on the interview, we propose the changes of network marketing organizations in the fourth industrial revolution era and the future strategy of Amway Korea as follows: (1) retention of royal ABOs, (2) harmony with SMEs, (3) utilization of Big Data, (4) creation of IoT business model, and (5) construction of successful O2O business platform.

• Spatial Information Research
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.99-106
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• 2013

Through the rapid economic growth, modern society have achieved the industrialization but needed to respond to climate change and low-carbon green growth on a scale of urban area. Many studies about the low-carbon city and the green city are on going, but most of them are not integrated but go along in each area(construction, transportation, energy, etc) In this paper, we surveyed the current status of researches about information system to design low-carbon city or green city, and define the method to integrate the outcomes from the each area. As a result integrated model of 'Low-carbon Urban Planning integrated System' in the paper, Individual system is developed by way of C/S form because web system raised problems for data load in analysis. The integrated system was decided to develop by way of Web form, and integrated system was developed by can use the analysed DB in the individual system. We expect this study can help future researches to develop more economical and efficient integrated information system model to design the low-carbon city and the green city.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.676-686
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• 2013

Background To overcome the potential drawbacks of a short half-life and dose-related adverse effects of using active transforming growth factor-beta 1 for cartilage engineering, a cell-mediated latent growth factor activation strategy was developed incorporating latent transforming growth factor-${\beta}$1 (LTGF) into an electrospun poly(L-lactide) scaffold. Methods The electrospun scaffold was surface modified with NH3 plasma and biofunctionalised with LTGF to produce both random and orientated biofunctionalised electrospun scaffolds. Scaffold surface chemical analysis and growth factor bioavailability assays were performed. In vitro biocompatibility and human nasal chondrocyte gene expression with these biofunctionalised electrospun scaffold templates were assessed. In vivo chondrogenic activity and chondrocyte gene expression were evaluated in athymic rats. Results Chemical analysis demonstrated that LTGF anchored to the scaffolds was available for enzymatic, chemical and cell activation. The biofunctionalised scaffolds were non-toxic. Gene expression suggested chondrocyte re-differentiation after 14 days in culture. By 6 weeks, the implanted biofunctionalised scaffolds had induced highly passaged chondrocytes to re-express Col2A1 and produce type II collagen. Conclusions We have demonstrated a proof of concept for cell-mediated activation of anchored growth factors using a novel biofunctionalised scaffold in cartilage engineering. This presents a platform for development of protein delivery systems and for tissue engineering.

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.939-947
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• 2010

With the rising numbers of elderly and disabled people, the demand for welfare services using a robotic system and not involving human effort is likewise increasing. This study deals with a mobile-robot system combined with a BWS (Body Weight Support) system for gait rehabilitation. The BWS system is designed via the kinematic analysis of the robot's body-lifting characteristics and of the walking guide system that controls the total rehabilitation system integrated in the mobile robot. This mobile platform is operated by utilizing the AGV (Autonomous Guided Vehicle) driving algorithm. Especially, the method that integrates geometric path tracking and obstacle avoidance for a nonholonomic mobile robot is applied so that the system can be operated in an area where the elderly users are expected to be situated, such as in a public hospital or a rehabilitation center. The mobile robot follows the path by moving through the turning radius supplied by the pure-pursuit method which is one of the existing geometric path-tracking methods. The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified through the real experiments those are conducted for path tracking with static- and dynamic-obstacle avoidance. Finally, through the EMG (Electromyography) signal measurement of the subject, the performance of the proposed system in a real operation condition is evaluated.

• The Journal of Information Systems
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.47-74
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• 2015

Purpose By participating in the business ecosystems, customers make both positive and negative impacts in the ecosystem. In particular, users of platform businesses participate in the business ecosystem as partial employees who voluntarily create and manage content. According to the organizational behavior literature, employees' psychological ownership toward the organization has an influence on the organizational competitiveness. Thus, with an assumption that customers gain psychological ownership toward the business that they participate in, it is important to analyze the process and the factors that influence their psychological ownership. This study proposes a research model that describes the process: customers undertake customer socialization, which then lead them to participate in the business-level and the business ecosystem-level activities. Through the participation, customers gain psychological ownership toward the business. Design/methodology/approach Based on a structural equation model, this study analyzes the data regarding the factors in the research model. Data was collected by surveying college students who represent themselves as Facebook and DaumKakao users. By analyzing the collected data, the relationships are validated between customer socialization and customer participations (i.e., both business-level and business ecosystem-level participation), and between the participations and customers' psychological ownership. Findings Based on the validation, this study confirms the importance of managing customers' psychological ownership and offers customers' participation by their socialization as a solution for increasing customers' psychological ownership. Also, this study proposes the business ecosystem research model as the general research framework for future research and expands the scope of strategic management from the individual level strategy to the business ecosystem wide perspective.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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• v.22 no.9
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• pp.1179-1184
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• 2018

Korean travel agencies that have been utilizing the Internet passively feel threatened as global online travel agencies are quickly permeating the Korean travel market. Under these circumstances, this study conducted a focused analysis on how ICT affects the business environment of travel agencies. Based on the analyzed data, it also presents coping strategies for the Korean travel agencies. First, it is imperative to accelerate platform development to counteract the distribution structure of global tourism products. Second, it is essential that travel agencies actively utilize big data, the new paradigm of technology where data are generated at high speed, high volume, and for numerous purposes. Third, it is necessary to actively utilize a travel blog marketing strategy. As a communication tool for travel agencies, the continuing development of the Internet highlights the usefulness of marketing activities using blogs. Finally, it is essential to provide each customer more specialized travel consultancy.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.173-177
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• 2006

In this study, a novel strategy was developed for the highly selective immobilization of proteins, using the polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) depolymerase substrate binding domain (SBD) as an active binding domain. In order to determine the appropriacy of this method for immunodiagnostic assays, the single-chain antibody (ScFv) against the hepatitis B virus (HBV) preS2 surface protein and the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) envelope protein (SCVe) were fused to the SBD, then directly immobilized on PH A-coated slides via microspotting. The fluorescence-labeled HBV antigen and the antibody against SCVe were then utilized to examine specific interactions on the PHA-coated surfaces. Fluorescence signals were detected only at the spotted positions, thereby indicating a high degree of affinity and selectivity for their corresponding antigens/antibodies. Furthermore, we detected small amounts of ScFv-SBD (2.7 ng/mL) and SCVe-SBD fusion proteins (0.6ng/mL). Therefore, this microarray platform technology, using PHA and SBD, appears generally appropriate for immunodiagnosis, with no special requirements with regard to synthetic or chemical modification of the biomolecules or the solid surface.

• Smart Media Journal
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.93-100
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• 2015

Markets of e-book and app book in Korea see novel as genre literature and webtoon account for 80 percents in sales so that market share is too based towards some specific fields. In readiblily and easy-to-buy convenience, different from paper books mostly sold off-line, app books are more advantageous but it works as a weak point to take long to publicly spread them before they are generally accepted. Meanwhile, the sales of the e-book market in Korea has been steeply risen. Further, the market is not only restricted to genre literature but also has come into the stage that various experimental challenges are issued in the field of publication contents. This study is aimed at developing the sightseeing app book as a future web-mobile platform with planning and develping the first app book dealing with localized contents based on Busan tour contents, making up for its defect that it offers only current simple information and then suggesting a strategy that the travelers' app book should be available for constant utilization connected to purchase by charged download.

• Journal of Internet Computing and Services
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.1-13
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• 2013

The recent emergence of diverse platform-based media devices such as smart phones and iPads has aroused interest of consumers all across the world. This interest has led to digitalization of paper books and a steep growth in the digital publishing industry at home and abroad. However, advent of various devices and content has caused the issue of compatibility and produced needs and demand for standardization to exchange and share content related to digital publication. Through collection of opinions of 16 stakeholders from the industrial, academic, research, and public sectors, this study aims to examine predictable future changes about content and its distribution, devices, standardization, technical protective measures, and obstacles in future digital publishing and eventually to draw out areas and elements for future standards development.