• Asia pacific journal of information systems
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.105-130
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• 2008

Consumers of e-learning market differ from those of other markets in that they are replaced in a specific time scale. For example, e-learning contents aimed at highschool senior students cannot be consumed by a specific consumer over the designated period of time. Hence e-learning service providers need to attract new groups of students every year. Due to lack of information on products designed for continuously emerging consumers, the consumers face difficulties in making rational decisions in a short time period. Increased uncertainty of product purchase leads customers to herding behaviors to obtain information of the product from others and imitate them. Taking into consideration of these features of e-learning market, this study will focus on the online herding behavior in purchasing e-learning contents. There is no definite concept for e-learning. However, it is being discussed in a wide range of perspectives from educational engineering to management to e-business etc. Based upon the existing studies, we identify two main view-points regarding e-learning. The first defines e-learning as a concept that includes existing terminologies, such as CBT (Computer Based Training), WBT (Web Based Training), and IBT (Internet Based Training). In this view, e-learning utilizes IT in order to support professors and a part of or entire education systems. In the second perspective, e-learning is defined as the usage of Internet technology to deliver diverse intelligence and achievement enhancing solutions. In other words, only the educations that are done through the Internet and network can be classified as e-learning. We take the second definition of e-learning for our working definition. The main goal of this study is to investigate what factors affect consumer intention to purchase e-learning contents and to identify the differential impact of the factors between consumers with purchase experience and those without the experience. To accomplish the goal of this study, it focuses on herding behavior and perceived usefulness as antecedents to behavioral intention. The proposed research model in the study extends the Technology Acceptance Model by adding herding behavior and usability to take into account the unique characteristics of e-learning content market and e-learning systems use, respectively. The current study also includes consumer experience with e-learning content purchase because the previous experience is believed to affect purchasing intention when consumers buy experience goods or services. Previous studies on e-learning did not consider the characteristics of e-learning contents market and the differential impact of consumer experience on the relationship between the antecedents and behavioral intention, which is the target of this study. This study employs a survey method to empirically test the proposed research model. A survey questionnaire was developed and distributed to 629 informants. 528 responses were collected, which consist of potential customer group (n = 133) and experienced customer group (n = 395). The data were analyzed using PLS method, a structural equation modeling method. Overall, both herding behavior and perceived usefulness influence consumer intention to purchase e-learning contents. In detail, in the case of potential customer group, herding behavior has stronger effect on purchase intention than does perceived usefulness. However, in the case of shopping-experienced customer group, perceived usefulness has stronger effect than does herding behavior. In sum, the results of the analysis show that with regard to purchasing experience, perceived usefulness and herding behavior had differential effects upon the purchase of e-learning contents. As a follow-up analysis, the interaction effects of the number of purchase transaction and herding behavior/perceived usefulness on purchase intention were investigated. The results show that there are no interaction effects. This study contributes to the literature in a couple of ways. From a theoretical perspective, this study examined and showed evidence that the characteristics of e-learning market such as continuous renewal of consumers and thus high uncertainty and individual experiences are important factors to be considered when the purchase intention of e-learning content is studied. This study can be used as a basis for future studies on e-learning success. From a practical perspective, this study provides several important implications on what types of marketing strategies e-learning companies need to build. The bottom lines of these strategies include target group attraction, word-of-mouth management, enhancement of web site usability quality, etc. The limitations of this study are also discussed for future studies.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.403-410
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• 2013

This study was performed to evaluate the microbiological contamination level of raw beef from retail markets in Seoul, Korea. The sampling and laboratory test were performed according to the procedure of "Standard for processing and ingredients specification of livestock product" and "Korean food code". Enterotoxin of Staphylococcus aureus isolates were detected using VIDAS$^{(R)}$ and PCR-based methods. Listeria monocytogenes serotyping and genotyping were carried out using Listeria antisera and L. monocytogenes Fingerprinting kit, respectively. A total of 48 samples were collected from 16 retail markets (butcher's shop: 5, department store: 6, supermarket: 5) in 2011. The level of total bacteria counts in the butcher's shop, department store and supermarket were $4.4{\times}10^3$ CFU/g, $3.9{\times}10^5$ CFU/g and $1.0{\times}10^4$ CFU/g, respectively. The concentrations of Escherichia coli of these three retail markets were $6.4{\times}10$ CFU/g, 7.6 CFU/g and $2.0{\times}10$ CFU/g, respectively. Salmonella species was not detected on all samples. However, S. aureus was isolated in the 3 samples (6.25%) from each type of three retail markets. L. monocytogenes was isolated in the 4 samples (8.3%) from department stores. The level of contamination of these foodborne bacteria was less than 100 CFU/g. The enterotoxin-encoding genes of S. aureus isolates were sea, seh, sei and sep gene. The gene similarity of L. monocytogenes isolated from two retail markets by Rep-PCR showed 57.8-98.1% and 68.1-98.1%, respectively. These results suggest that the HACCP guideline for environmental control in slaughterhouse and retail markets should be provided to prevent cross contamination and manage foodborne pathogens such as L. monocytogenes and S. aureus.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.61-66
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• 2010

In this paper we evaluated small field dose characteristics of exclusive cone fields versus square fields for stereotactic radiosugery (SRS) which is based on linear accelerators (LINAC). For this test, we used a small beam detector (stereotactic fields detector : SFD) with a 6 MV photon beam and a water phantom system (IBA, Germany). Percentage depth dose (PDD) was measured for different field sets (cones : ${\Phi}1\;cm$, ${\Phi}2\;cm$, ${\Phi}3\;cm$ ; square fields : $1{\times}1\;cm^2$, $2{\times}2\;cm^2$, $3{\times}3\;cm^2$) at a source skin distance (SSD) of 100 cm. We measured the point depths at 1.5 cm, 5 cm, 10 cm, 20 cm, and 30 cm. The output factors were measured under the same geometrical conditions of the PDD and normalized at the maximum dose depth. To analyze the penumbra, we measured the dose profile with 95 cm of SSD, 5 cm of depth for each field sizes (${\Phi}1\;cm$, ${\Phi}3\;cm$, $1{\times}1\;cm^2$, and $3{\times}3\;cm^2$) using SFD. We obtained the values for every 1 mm interval in the physical field (90%) and 0.5 mm interval in the penumbra region (20 to 80%). The PDD variation of exclusive cones and square fields were 4.3 to 7.9% lesser than the standard field size ($10{\times}10\;cm^2$. The variation of PDD was reduced while the field size was increased. To compare the beam quality, we analyzed the $PDD_{20,10}$ and the results showed under the 1% of variations for all experiments except for ${\Phi}1\;cm$ cone and $1{\times}1\;cm^2$ fields. Output factors of exclusive cone were increased 3.1~4.6% than the square fields, and the penumbra region of exclusive cone was reduced 20% as compared to the square fields. As the previous researches report, it is very important for SRS and SFD that precise dosimetry in small beam fields. In this paper, we showed the effectiveness of exclusive cone, compared to square field. And we will study on the various detector characteristics for small beam fields.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.41 no.spc
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• pp.35-41
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• 2008

Nutrient Enrichment Bioassays (NEBs) were conducted in the laboratory during June $22{\sim}28$, 2006 in order to determine primary limiting factor on the phytoplankton growth. For the NEBs, the water was sampled using a 10L polyethylene-lined container and dispensed into 2.5L container in the laboratory. The algal growths response in the control (C) and three treatments of phosphorus (P), 2-fold phosphorus (2P), and nitrate nitrogen $(NO_3-N)$ were monitored during 7 days. In the cubitainers which were spiked as P (T1) and 2P (T2) Chl-${\alpha}$ concentrations were decreased during the test period and the final concentrations was low than initial values. However, Chl-${\alpha}$ in the cubitainers which were spiked as $NO_3$(T3) and $P+NO_3$(T4) showed significant increases compared to the initial values, indicating that in the short-term experiments, nitrogen seemed to be a primary limiting nutrient during the periods of NEBs experiment. Long-term ambient nutrient data of TP and TN, and TN:TP mass ratios, however, showed a potential phosphorus limitation on phytoplankton growth and previous other researchers showed a variations of limiting nutrients by nitrogen or phosphorus depending on the seasons sampled and locations. In this study nitrogen as primary limiting nutrient in the NEBs seem to be an seasonal effect rather than the consistent nitrogen limitation.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.1-8
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• 2014

Structures requiring chemical resistance are usually coated with surface protecting agents, but the cost for maintenance and re-construction is incurred due to the low durability. Therefore, in this study, sulfur was polymerized and the performance was examined so that it could be used as the concrete surface protecting agents for structures requiring chemical resistance. The evaluation results indicated that for the spray of the sulfur polymer surface coating agents, the application of the gravity type was appropriate; and for the number of coating times, about 3 cycle spray gave the best results. For the surface condition of the concrete to be coated with the surface protecting agents, outstanding quality was obtained above room temperature ($20{\sim}30^{\circ}C$), and the bond strength increased as the temperature increased. The evaluation results of the strength characteristics depending on the filler content of the surface protecting agents indicated that about 20~40% filler mixing contributed to the strength improvement as it reduced the shrinkage of the sulfur polymer. Also, the mixing of silica showed larger increase in the bond strength than the mixing of fly ash, and the most outstanding bond strength characteristics could be obtained by the mixing of both silica and fly ash. In the case of the chemical resistance, the strength reduction was minimized and outstanding chemical resistance was obtained when the fly ash and silica were substituted by 20%, respectively. The performance evaluation of the chloride ion penetration indicated that for the specimens coated with the sulfur polymer surface protecting agents, the chloride ion penetration resistance increased by 29~48% compared to the specimen without the coating of the surface protecting agent. The examination of the coating condition of the surface protecting agents, compressive strength, bond strength, chemical resistance, and salt damage resistance indicated that in the range of this study, the optimal level was when the silica and fly ash were substituted by 20%, respectively, as the filler for the sulfur polymer.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.217-223
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• 2008

Amylose and protein contents are important traits determining the edible quality of rice, especially in East Asian countries. Near-Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy (NIRS) has become a powerful tool for rapid and nondestructive quantification of natural compounds in agricultural products. To test the practically of using NIRS for estimation of brown rice amylose and protein contents, the spectral reflectances ($400{\sim}2500\;nm$) of total 9,483 accessions of rice germplasm in Rural development Administration (RDA) Genebank ere obtained and compared to chemically determined amylose and protein content. The protein content of tested 119 accessions ranged from 6.5 to 8.0% and 25 accessions exhibited protein contents between 8.5 to 9.5%. In case of amylose content, all tested accessions ranged from 18.1 to 21.7% and the grade from 18.1 to 19.9% includes most number of accessions as 152 and 4 accessions exhibited amylose content between 20.5 to 21.7%. The optimal performance calibration model could be obtained from original spectra of brown rice using MPLS (Modified Partial Least Squares) with the correlation coefficients ($r_2$) for amylose and protein content were 0.865 and 0.786, respectively. The standard errors of calibration (SEC) exhibited good statistic values: 2.078 and 0.442 for amylose and protein contents, respectively. All these results suggest that NIR spectroscopy may serve as reputable and rapid method for quantification of brown rice protein and amylose contents in large numbers of rice germplasm.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.283-288
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• 2011

This study was conducted to study the environment effects on live weight, carcass weight, dressing percentage, eye muscle area, backfat thickness, and marbling score, which are the carcass traits of Hanwoo, based on the estimates and all the possible regression for the selection of variable and significance test for 231,382 heads that underwent the carcass measurements. The average and standard deviation for the live weight, carcass weight, dressing percentage, eye muscle area, backfat thickness, and marbling score were 654.79${\pm}$91.61 kg, 362.30${\pm}$67.15 kg, 59.52${\pm}$0.03%, 81.79${\pm}$12.21 $cm^2$, 11.39${\pm}$5.40 mm, 4.38${\pm}$2.29, respectively. The live weight, carcass weight, dressing percentage, eye muscle area, backfat thickness, and marbling score for cow were 532.79${\pm}$78.38 kg, 313.40${\pm}$44.90 kg, 56.50${\pm}$0.03%, 75.24${\pm}$10.69 $cm^2$, 11.82${\pm}$5.10 mm, 4.30${\pm}$2.06, respectively, while for bull were 619.74${\pm}$93.27 kg, 376.89${\pm}$48.62 kg, 58.61${\pm}$0.02%, 85.61${\pm}$10.46 $cm^2$, 5.64${\pm}$2.71 mm, 1.41${\pm}$0.83, respectively, and for steer were 681.78${\pm}$70.72 kg, 415.23${\pm}$49.43 kg, 60.19${\pm}$0.02%, 88.29${\pm}$10.27 $cm^2$, 12.71${\pm}$5.23 mm, 5.42${\pm}$1.99, respectively. In the environmental variables selection based on the variables selection method, the examination by carcass traits suggested that the most appropriate model could be determined when five variables were selected for the live weight, carcass weight, dressing percentage, eye muscle area, and four variables for backfat thickness, and marbling score. When they were considered at a time altogether based on multiple traits, it was deemed to be desirable to insert all five variables into the variables for analysis. In addition, high significance was found by carcass traits.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.105-110
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• 2011

BACKGROUND: In this study, 5 different treatments such as non-treatment, mixed expeller cake 1.0 N (standard nitrogen fertilizer), rice straw, rice straw+mixed expeller cake 0.5 N, rice straw+mixed expeller cake 1.0 N were performed over 4 cropping seasons over 2 years in order to identify the optimal application rate of mixture of rice straw and mixed expeller cake, organic source in organic cultivation of tomatoes. METHODS AND RESULTS: There was no difference in all treatments in case of 200 mg/kg in the nitrate nitrogen content in soil prior to the first cropping season test under the criteria for nitrogen nutrient based on yield of crops, cultivation without fertilizers seems possible. But in the second cropping season, no treatment and rice straw showed the reduction of yield and in the third cropping season, rice-straw+mixed expeller cake 0.5 N treatment showed the significant difference. The content of nitrate nitrogen in soil prior to cropping seasons was evaluated in 160 mg/kg and standard fertilization such as mixed expeller cake, source of nitrogen, are needed due to the deficiency of nitrogen. In terms of application of organic resources, rice straw showed the effects of improvements on physical properties of soil such as bulk density, cation exchange capacity and humus contents, but the mixed expeller cake did not show any significant differences in improvements on physical properties of soil. CONCLUSION(s): Fertilizer management in organic cultivation of tomatoes is thought to produce the reliable quantity of crops as well as keep the high quality of soils by using the optimal application rate of mixed expeller cake according to the contents of nitrate nitrogen in soil and rice straw which improves the physical properties of soil.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.332-341
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• 2010

The chemical composition characteristics of jujube wine using different preparation methods including extraction in -soju (25%) and fermentation were investigated. The jujube wine was prepared by soaking in soju using- whole fruit(WJ-S1) or seed-removed fruit(WJ-S2). Fermentations of the jujube wine were started by using whole fruit(WJ-F1), seed-removed fruit(WJ-F2) or extracts of whole fruit(WJ-F3) after adding 24% sucrose. The pH of all samples decreased from a range of 4.92~5.42 at the start time to 3.66~4.97 after 100 days. The treatment WJ-F3 showed the lowest pH among all treatments. Total acid content was 0.67~1.01% at the initial stage and then changed to 0.51~0.88% after 100 days. Total sugar and reducing sugar contents were 1.20~13.8% and 0.50~4.45% at initial stage and then changed to 1.53~4.52% and 1.75~3.82% after 100 days respectively. These sugars decreased during the preparation and fermentation of the jujube wine. The amounts of free sugars including fructose, glucose, and sucrose ranged from 1.53~4.52% and treatment WJ-F3 showed the highest amount(1.95~13.64%) compared the other treatment. Glucose level were high in treatment WJ-S1 and WJ-S2, and fructose was increased in treatments WJ-F1, WJ-F2, and WJ-F3 after 60 days. Amino nitrogen content was 0.02~0.11% after 20 days and 0.07~0.14% after 40 days respectively. Solid content was 2.68~7.76% at the initial fermentation stage and changed to 4.81~9.73% after 100 days. Hunter color(L values) were 88.45~96.74 at the initial stage and then changed to 92.62~100.45 after 100 days. Preference tests a significant difference between the two types (extraction and fermentation) of jujube wine. And treatment WJ-S2 received the highest preference scores among the all treatments.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.203-212
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• 2008

Objective: During cryopreservation process, cold shock and cryo-injury affect the fertilizing capacity of the sperm by damaging cell membranes with loss of functional integrity. A longstanding concept for preventing the cryo-damage is to stabilize the plasma membrane by incorporating cholesterol. This study was to determine the effects of cholesterol in freezing media on the motility and functional integrity of human sperm after cryopreservation. Methods: Control group (non-cholesterol treated) and different concentrations of cholesterol-treated sperm (14 healthy males) were frozen and thawed. After freezing and thawing of sperm, the quality of sperm was evaluated by sperm analysis, acrosome reaction test and sperm chromatin structure assay. Results: When human sperm were incubated in sperm freezing medium (SFM) containing $0.5{\mu}g$ cholesterol and then freezing/thawing, the motility of sperm have significantly improved compared to those untreated cholesterol ($33.46{\pm}1.48%$ vs. $30.10{\pm}1.07%$, p<0.05). The rate of calcium ionophore-induced acrosome reactions in post-thawed sperm was significantly higher than that ($53.60{\pm}1.60%$ vs. $47.40{\pm}1.86%$, p<0.05) in SFM containing cholesterol. Sperm chromatin structure assay revealed that DNA damage to the sperm in the cholesterol-treated group was lower than that of non-treated group. Conclusion: These results suggest that increased cholesterol content of sperm plasma membrane by supplementation of cholesterol in SFM improves sperm motility, capacitation status, and DNA integrity. Therefore, addition of cholesterol into SFM could be a useful for protecting human sperm from cold shock and cryo-injury during cryopreservation.