• Title/Summary/Keyword: Quality Management

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A digital Audio Watermarking Algorithm using 2D Barcode (2차원 바코드를 이용한 오디오 워터마킹 알고리즘)

  • Bae, Kyoung-Yul
    • Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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    • v.17 no.2
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    • pp.97-107
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    • 2011
  • Nowadays there are a lot of issues about copyright infringement in the Internet world because the digital content on the network can be copied and delivered easily. Indeed the copied version has same quality with the original one. So, copyright owners and content provider want a powerful solution to protect their content. The popular one of the solutions was DRM (digital rights management) that is based on encryption technology and rights control. However, DRM-free service was launched after Steve Jobs who is CEO of Apple proposed a new music service paradigm without DRM, and the DRM is disappeared at the online music market. Even though the online music service decided to not equip the DRM solution, copyright owners and content providers are still searching a solution to protect their content. A solution to replace the DRM technology is digital audio watermarking technology which can embed copyright information into the music. In this paper, the author proposed a new audio watermarking algorithm with two approaches. First, the watermark information is generated by two dimensional barcode which has error correction code. So, the information can be recovered by itself if the errors fall into the range of the error tolerance. The other one is to use chirp sequence of CDMA (code division multiple access). These make the algorithm robust to the several malicious attacks. There are many 2D barcodes. Especially, QR code which is one of the matrix barcodes can express the information and the expression is freer than that of the other matrix barcodes. QR code has the square patterns with double at the three corners and these indicate the boundary of the symbol. This feature of the QR code is proper to express the watermark information. That is, because the QR code is 2D barcodes, nonlinear code and matrix code, it can be modulated to the spread spectrum and can be used for the watermarking algorithm. The proposed algorithm assigns the different spread spectrum sequences to the individual users respectively. In the case that the assigned code sequences are orthogonal, we can identify the watermark information of the individual user from an audio content. The algorithm used the Walsh code as an orthogonal code. The watermark information is rearranged to the 1D sequence from 2D barcode and modulated by the Walsh code. The modulated watermark information is embedded into the DCT (discrete cosine transform) domain of the original audio content. For the performance evaluation, I used 3 audio samples, "Amazing Grace", "Oh! Carol" and "Take me home country roads", The attacks for the robustness test were MP3 compression, echo attack, and sub woofer boost. The MP3 compression was performed by a tool of Cool Edit Pro 2.0. The specification of MP3 was CBR(Constant Bit Rate) 128kbps, 44,100Hz, and stereo. The echo attack had the echo with initial volume 70%, decay 75%, and delay 100msec. The sub woofer boost attack was a modification attack of low frequency part in the Fourier coefficients. The test results showed the proposed algorithm is robust to the attacks. In the MP3 attack, the strength of the watermark information is not affected, and then the watermark can be detected from all of the sample audios. In the sub woofer boost attack, the watermark was detected when the strength is 0.3. Also, in the case of echo attack, the watermark can be identified if the strength is greater and equal than 0.5.

Efficient Treatment Methods for Reducing Escherichia coli Populations in Commercially-Available Red Pepper Powder in Korea (국내 유통 고춧가루의 병원성 대장균 오염 및 대장균 저감화 방법)

  • Song, Young-Jin;Park, Se-Won;Chun, Se-Chul;Choi, Mi-Jung;Chung, Koo-Chun;Lee, Si-Kyung
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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    • v.41 no.6
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    • pp.875-880
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    • 2012
  • This study was conducted to investigate the level of contamination of pathogenic Escherichia (E.) coli in 50 types of red pepper powders collected domestically. Pathogenic E. coli was confirmed using real-time PCR to confirm the 4 types of EAEC, EPEC, EHEC and ETEC. One sample out of 50 was contaminated with pathogenic E. coli. The type of pathogenic E. coli detected in the sample was EAEC. This study was also conducted to determine the effect of alcohol treatment on the reduction of E. coli populations in red pepper powder. The amount of E. coli in the control was $1.2{\times}10^6$ cfu/mL. The amount of E. coli in 10 minutes immersion treatment with 10% alcohol was $1.1{\times}10^6$ cfu/mL. In samples treated with over 20% alcohol, E. coli was not detected. This showed that 10 minutes of immersion in over 20% alcohol might be effective to reduce E. coli. This study was also conducted to determine the effect of UV irradiation on E. coli reduction. The number of E. coli in the control group was $5.0{\times}10^5$ cfu/mL. However, the number of E. coli in 45 min of the UV irradiated sample decreased to $1.0{\times}10^3$ cfu/mL, by $10^2$ cfu/mL. In contrast, E. coli was not detected in an over 60 min UV irradiated sample in $10^{-2}dilution$. This study showed that over 20% alcohol treatment and UV irradiation for 60 min was effective to control E. coli in red pepper powder.

The Effect of Social Network on Information Sharing in Franchise System (프랜차이즈시스템의 사회연결망 특성이 정보공유에 미치는 영향)

  • Yun, Han-Sung;Bae, Sang-Wook;Noh, Jung-Koo
    • Journal of Distribution Research
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    • v.16 no.2
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    • pp.95-118
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    • 2011
  • The purpose of this study is as follows. First, we investigate empirically the effects of social network properties such as social network density and centrality of a franchisee on its information sharing with various subjects such as the franchisor and other franchisees in the franchise system. Second, we examine exploratively if tie strength between a franchisee and its franchisor plays a moderating role on the relationship between social network properties and information sharing. The study model was established as shown in

    . We gathered 200 data from franchisees in Busan through a questionnaire survey and used 189 data for our purpose. To improve the quality of data, we selected respondents from the franchisees' owners or managers that had contacted often with their franchisor and other franchisees in the franchise system. Our data analysis began with reliability analysis, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, on the multi-item measures of social network density, social network centrality, tie strength, information sharing and control variables such as shared goals and ownership to assess the reliability and validity of those measures. The results were shown that the presented values satisfied the general criteria for reliability and validity. We tested our hypotheses using a hierarchical multiple regression analysis in four steps. Model 1 regressed the dependent variable(information sharing) only on control variables(shared goals, ownership). Model 2 added main effect variables(social network density, social network centrality) in Model 1. Model 3 added a moderating variable(tie strength) in Model 2. Finally, Model 4 added interaction terms between the main variables and the moderating variable in Model 3. We used a mean-centering method for the main variables and the moderating variable to minimize the multicollinearity problem due to the interaction terms in Model 4. Two important empirical findings emerge from this study. In other words, the effects of social network properties and tie strength on a franchisee's information sharing depend on subject types such as the franchisor and other franchisees in franchise system. First, social network centrality, tie strength, the interaction between social network density and tie strength and the interaction between social network centrality and tie strength all affect significantly a franchisee's information sharing with its franchisor. By the way, the interaction between social network centrality and tie strength has a negative effect on its information sharing while the interaction of social network density and tie strength has a positive effect on its information sharing. Second, both social network centrality affects significantly and directly a franchisee's information sharing with other franchisees in the franchise system. However, there does not exist the moderating role of tie strength in the second case. Finally, we suggest the implications of our findings and some avenues for future research.

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The Importance-Performance Analysis of Bakery Cafe Choice Attributes Perceived by Customers in Seoul (베이커리카페 선택속성의 중요도 및 수행도 분석: 서울지역을 중심으로)

  • Choi, Mi-Kyung;Jung, Jae-Chan
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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    • v.35 no.4
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    • pp.456-463
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    • 2006
  • The purposes of this study were to extract choice attributes of bakery cafe customers and to conduct important- performance analysis (IPA) of choice attributes perceived by bakery cafe customers. The questionnaire was developed through literature review and focus group interview, and modified after pilot test. The questionnaires for main survey were distributed to 320 males and females aged 20 and over in Seoul. A total of 275 questionnaires were used for analysis (85.9%) and the statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS Win (12.0) for descriptive analyses, exploratory factor analysis, reliability analysis, and correlation analyses. The main results were as follows. 'Products', 'convenience to use', 'services and price', 'interior environments' 'brand' and 'location' dimensions were extracted as choice attributes dimensions of bakery cafe customers and customers of bakery cafe regarded 'sanitation and cleanness', 'kindness of employees', 'quality of products', 'comfortable and pleasant facilities' and 'taste of bakery products' as more important than other attributes. In addition, the results of IPA showed that marketing managers of bakery cafes should focused on the dimension of 'services and price' in the reason that this dimension was low at performance although customers regarded it very important. Overall, researchers and managers of bakery cafes should understand unique choice attributes of bakery cafe customers, and make efforts to establish marketing strategies that meet bakery cafe customers' needs.

Measurement of the Nursing Workload by Patient Classification System in a Secondary Hospital;As a Preliminary Step for Computerization of Nursing Staffing and Scheduling (환자분류에 의한 일개 2차 의료기관의 간호업무량 조사;전산화를 위한 기초작업으로서)

  • Park, Jung-Ho;Joe, Hyon;Park, Hyeoun-Ae;Han, Hye-Rah
    • Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing Administration
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    • v.1 no.1
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    • pp.132-146
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    • 1995
  • Even though Korean medical law stipulates that number of patients attended by a nurse is 2.5 for hospitalization and 30 for ambulatory care, the number of patients cared by a nurse per day is much greater than the standard prescribed by the medical law. Current productivity of nurses is not desirable unless the quality of care is considered. And nursing manpower staffing based on neither current nurses' productivity nor standard of medical law cannot respond properly to dynamic situation of the medical services. Under this background, the necessity of more efficient management of nursing manpower occupying 1/3 of total hospital workers has been recognized by many nursing administrators. Many nursing researchers have studied to foretell the nursing manpower objectively on the basis of measured nursing workload according to patient classification as well. Most of These researches, however, have been conducted in the tertiary hospitals, so it is imperative to conduct other researches to predict necessary nursing manpower in the secondary and the primary hospitals. The study was performed to measure nursing workload and predict pertinent nursing manpower to a secondary hospital with 400beds. Nursing workload was surveyed using measuring tool for direct and indirect care hours in a surgical unit and a medical unit. Survey was conducted from Sep.10 to Sep.16 and from Oct.5 to Oct.11, 1994 respectively by two skilled nurses, Subjects were patients, patients' family members and nursing personnels. Results are follows : 1. Patient classification distributed as 22% of class I (mildly ill patient), 57% of class II (moderately ill patient), and 21% of class III (acutely ill patient) in the medical nursing unit, while 23% of class I, 29% of class II, 12% of class III, and 36% of classIV (critically ill patient) in the surgical nursing unit. There was no difference of inpatient number between weekday and weekend. Bed circulation rate was 89% in both units and average patients number per day was 37.4 (total 42beds) in the medical nursing unit, 32.9 (total 37beds) in the medical nursing unit. 2. Direct care hours per day measured as 2.8hrs for class I, 3.3hrs for class II, and 3.5hrs for class III in the medical nursing unit, while 3.1hrs for class I, 3hrs for class II, 2.7hrs for class III, and 2.2hrs for classIV in the surgical nursing unit. Meanwhile, hours for nursing assistant activities per patient by patients' family members were 11mins and 200mins respectively. Direct care hour rate by shift was day 36%, evening 25%, and night 39% in the medical nursing unit, while 40%, 29%, and and 31% respectively in the surgical nursing unit. 3. Measurement and observation activity held 44.2% of direct care activities of nurses and medication 36.7%, communication 11.7%, exercise 1.8%, treatment 1.3%, hygiene 1.3%, elimination and irrigation 1.1%, suction 1%, nutrition 0.5%, thermotherapy 0.3%, oxygen therapy 0.1% in order. 4. Indirect care hours per day were 294.2mins in the medical nursing unit, and 273.9mins in the surgical nursing unit. By shift, evening was the highest in both units. Indirect care hours for each patient were 44.5mins in the medical nursing unit and 46mins in the surgical nursing unit. 5. checking activities including doctor's order, medication, and delivering patients to the next shift occupied 39.7% of indirect care activities, and preparation 26%, recording 23.8%, communication and conference 6.7%, managing equipments 2.1%, messenger activity 1.7% in order. 6. On the ground of these results, nursing manpower needed in a secondary hospital was estimated ; 27 nursing personnels for the medical nursing unit of 37beds, and 20 nursing personnels for the surgical nursing unit of 33beds.

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Introduction of a System for a Sustainable Ecotourism and International Cooperation - Focusing on the Korea-China-Japan Ecotourism Certification/Designation System - (생태관광의 지속가능성 확보를 위한 제도 도입 및 국제협력방안 - 한·중·일 생태관광 인증/지정제도를 중심으로 -)

  • Choi, Hee-Sun;Kim, Hyun-Ae
    • Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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    • v.40 no.6
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    • pp.13-22
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    • 2012
  • This study was conducted to establish ecotourism as an introduction to sustainability and international cooperation. As a plan to retain the original meaning of ecotourism, the introduction of a program to certify/designateecotourism is being vitalized in many countries around the world. In Korea as well, an agenda to the introduction of an "Ecotourism Designation System,"which aims to ensure the quality of ecotourism at a certain level, was submitted by the Ministry of Environment to the National Assembly in June 2011, and the promotion for a demonstration program is planned this year to introduce the system. Japan has been carrying out the certification systems Good Eco-tour, which certifies the sustainability of ecotourism providers and accommodations since 2006, respectively, and has been securing the sustainability of ecotourism by enactment in 2008, as the world's first law to promote ecotourism. And the second general conference of the first Global Partnership for Sustainable Tourism(GPST) was held in Korea in March 2012, particularly, there was an agreement that the promotion of Asia and the Pacific Area Network for sustainable tourism would center around Korea, and accordingly, it is expected that Korea's status as a core country for ecotourism in the Asia-Pacific Area will increase. While the demand for an approach to natural resources is rapidly increasing, we should be active in providing an institutional strategy such as a designation system to secure the sustainability of ecotourism and seeking a plan for cooperation and network vitalization in the Asia-Pacific Area where similar natural resources and cultures are shared.

An Economic Factor Analysis of Air Pollutants Emission Using Index Decomposition Methods (대기오염 배출량 변화의 경제적 요인 분해)

  • Park, Dae Moon;Kim, Ki Heung
    • Environmental and Resource Economics Review
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    • v.14 no.1
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    • pp.167-199
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    • 2005
  • The following policy implications can be drawn from this study: 1) The Air Pollution Emission Amount Report published by the Ministry of Environment since 1991 classifies industries into 4 sectors, i. e., heating, manufacturing, transportation and power generation. Currently, the usability of report is very low and extra efforts should be given to refine the current statistics and to improve the industrial classification. 2) Big pollution industries are as follows - s7, s17 and s20. The current air pollution control policy for these sectors compared to other sectors are found to be inefficient. This finding should be noted in the implementation of future air pollution policy. 3) s10 and s17 are found to be a big polluting industrial sector and its pollution reduction effect is also significant. 4) The effect of emission coefficient (${\Delta}f$) has the biggest impact on the reduction of emission amount change and the effect of economic growth coefficient (${\Delta}y$) has the biggest impact on the increase of emission volume. The effect of production technology factor (${\Delta}D$) and the effect of the change of the final demand structure (${\Delta}u$) are insignificant in terms of the change of emission volume. 5) Further studies on emission estimation techniques on each industry sector and the economic analysis are required to promote effective enforcement of the total volume control system of air pollutants, the differential management of pollution causing industrial sectors and the integration of environment and economy. 6) Korea's economic growth in 1990 is not pollution-driven in terms of the Barry Commoner's hypothesis, even though the overall industrial structure and the demand structure are not environmentally friendly. It indicates that environmental policies for the improvement of air quality depend mainly on the government initiatives and systematic national level consideration of industrial structures and the development of green technologies are not fully incorporated.

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Mechanisms of Cold Injury and Cultural Practices for Reducing Damage of Rice (벼 냉해발성 기작과 피해 경감대책)

  • Lee, Moon-Hee;Park, Nam-Kyu;Park, Suk-Hong
    • KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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    • v.34 no.s02
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    • pp.34-44
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    • 1989
  • The stability of rice cultivation in Korea is largely depended on climatic conditions, especially, low temperature at the period of early growth stage and after heading. The improvement of cold tolerant varieties and appropriate cultural practices in rice are very effective to minimize the cold damage. This paper is summarized the mechanism and counterplans of cold injury of rice plants. The paddy area having commonly cold injury in Korea is approximately 15, 522ha in 1,709 sites on the national scale. The cold damage at seedling stage in nursery bed appeared to poor germination, leaf discoloration, dead seedlings and seedling rot ect.. At the vegetative stage, the decreased tiller number due to poor rooting and the delayed heading caused by slow growth and panicle differentiation are commonly showed. The cold injury at early reproductive stage appeared to the degeneration of spikelets and rachis - branches, while that at meiosis stage showed to increased sterility due to poor development of pollen and shortened panicle length with delaying heading, therefore the grain yield is largely decreased. The cold damage at heading and ripening stages showed to poor pollination and fertilization, low panicle exsertion, poor grain filling and finally grain quality became low. To minimize the cold injury to rice plants by low temperature, following counterplans would be recommonded ; Improvement of the cold toelrant rice varieties for the regions of midmountains and alpines. Raising healthy seedlings at upland nursery beds and by using of growth regulators such as ABA, Fuchiwang and Tachiace. Soil improvement and organic matter application to reduce cold damage by increasing water and fertilizer holding capacities in the paddy field having commonly cold water and in the place where cold damage is regularly occurred. Appropriate fertilization for raising healthy rice plants to tolerate under low temperature condition. Water management to increase water temperature in the paddy such as depth watering, round channels and polyethylene tubes around the field. Establishment of the optimum cultivation time of rice based on minimum, mean and maximum temperatures at different regions with appropriate rice varieties.

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Growth and Yield of Rice in Levels of Nitrogen and Water Management of Reclaimed Saline Soil in Southwestern Area (서남부간척지에서 벼 질소시비와 물관리 방법별 생육 및 수량)

  • Kim, Young-Doo;Choi, Min-Kyu;Lee, Kyung-Do;Baek, Man-Gee;Ku, Bon-Il;Kang, Shin-Gu;Park, Hong-Kyu;Kim, Bo-Kyong
    • KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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    • v.57 no.3
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    • pp.203-208
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    • 2012
  • Field experiment was carried out to identify the proper water exchange interval for the rice cultivation on reclaimed saline soil with different nitrogen levels in southwestern area. The nitrogen fertilizer was applied 14, 17 and 20 kg per 10a by ingredient, and intervals of water exchange treated 3, 6 and 9-day periods from transplanting of rice(Oryza sativa var. Cheongho) to maturing stage in Munpo soil series. The salinity levels ranged 0.10~0.24% and 0.24~0.32% of 3-day and 6-day respectively, whileas it ranged 0.35~0.52% for 9-day interval of water exchange during vegetative stage. Water exchange and nitrogen level showed significant effects on the plant growth, yield, and quality. The yield of milled rice on 3-day and 6-day interval of water exchange showed 497 kg/10a and 492 kg/10a and that were significantly higher than that of 9-day interval in 2008 and 2009. Milled rice yield of 9-day interval of water exchange was lower than that of 3-day and 6-day interval of all nitrogen levels. Plant growth and yield components were not significantly different between 3-day and 6-day interval of water exchange of all nitrogen levels. The combination of nitrogen fertilizer level of 17 kg/10a and 6-day interval of water exchange after transplanting might be recommended for maximum yield realization and minimize salt injury at reclaimed medium saline soil in southwestern area.

Risk Factors for the Progression of Pediatric Chronic Kidney Disease-A Single Center Study (소아 만성 신질환 진행의 위험인자 분석-단일기관 연구)

  • Han, Kyoung-Hee;Lee, Sung-Ha;Lee, Hyun-Kyung;Choi, Hyun-Jin;Lee, Bum-Hee;Cho, Hee-Yeon;Cheong, Hae-Il;Choi, Yong;Ha, Il-Soo
    • Childhood Kidney Diseases
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    • v.11 no.2
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    • pp.239-246
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    • 2007
  • Purpose : The progressive deterioration of renal function in children can impose a serious and lifelong impact on their lives. The ultimate goal in the management of children with chronic kidney disease(CKD) is to prolong survival, to prevent complications, and to promote growth and neurodevelopment. The aim of this study is to investigate the risk factors for the decline of renal function in pediatric CKD patients. Methods : Data from patients who met the criteria for the Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative(K/DOQI) CKD stage 2 to 4 between August 1999 and March 2007 were retrospectively analyzed. The estimated glomerular filtration rate(eGFR) was calculated by the Schwartz formula, using serum creatinine levels and height. We calculated the annual eGFR change from the difference between the baseline eGFR and the last eGFR divided by the duration(years) of the follow-up period. We analyzed the association between the annual eGFR change and factors such as age, gender, K/DOQI stage, underlying renal disease, serum calcium, and inorganic phosphorous during the follow-up period. Results : Sixty one children(44 boys & 17 girls) were enrolled. The age at entry was $7.1{\pm}4.7$ years. The annual eGFR change was $-1.2{\pm}11.9 mL/min/1.73m^2/year$. Our study showed that older age(P=0.005). hypocalcemia(P=0.012), and hypenhosphatemia(P=0.002) were significantly related to more rapid decline in renal function. Conclusion : In pediatric CKD, older age, hypocalcemia and hyperphosphatemia are related to more rapid deterioration of renal function.

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