• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.181-190
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• 1999

To evaluate the usefulness of transforming growth factor-$\beta$1 (TGF-$\beta$1) as a new tumor marker, we determined the plasma TGF-$\beta$1 levels using sandwich ELISA assay in cancer patients. Patients with three most common adult cancers in Korea (stomach, liver and breast cancer) and children's cancers (leukemia and two kinds of solid tumor) were enrolled for the study. Furthermore, 39 individuals were subjected to age and sex-stratified plasma TGF-$\beta$1 analysis. No statistical difference was demonstrated with respect to age or sex. The mean plasma TGF-$\beta$1 level (16.0 ng/ ml) of stomach cancer patients was significantly higher than that (8.3 ng/ml) of controls. However, there was no difference among the mean plasma TGF-$\beta$1 levels of liver, breast cancer patients and controls. Seven of 16 patients (43.7%) with stomach cancer, one of 8 (12.5%) with liver cancer, and one of 7 (14.3%) with breast cancer showed higher TGF-$\beta$1 levels compared to controls. Plasma TGF-$\beta$1 concentrations of five leukemic children remained in the normal range regardless of the remission state. In contrast, initial high TGF-$\beta$1 levels from two children with solid tumors returned to normal range on surgical resection of tumors. From the above results, we could conclude that plasma TGF-$\beta$1 levels of apparently healthy individuals seem to be rather constant irrespective of difference in age or sex, and the plasma TGF-$\beta$1 has the limited value as a screening test for the diagnosis of aforementioned adult cancers because of its low sensitivity. Finally, additional studies need to be pursed for the large number of stomach cancer and pediatric solid tumor patients in order to reach a secure conclusion on the usefulness of plasma TGF-$\beta$1 as a tumor marker in these patients.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.53-65
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• 2013

In Korea recently the consumption of coffee has been drastically increased and majority of people who are more than $20^{th}$ are drinking more than a cup of coffee every day. Nowadays coffee a kind of essential items in modern urban society. As the popularity of the coffee is increasing, As the coffee consumption is growing, the studies on coffee also have been increased. Many of the studies on coffee were focused on the consumer attitudes, coffee shops and franchise coffee shops, and coffee components or ingredients. As the products of the coffee are becoming diverse, the consumers of coffee also becoming diverse. There was a study showing that coffee has variety of types, and that motivations and attitudes for coffee consumption are different depend on demographic statistics such as age and life styles. On this study main focus was life style and consumer's motivation on coffee consumption. For this study the survey was conducted on the people living in Seoul City and Kyengkido from March 1, 2013 to March 31, 2013. 600 questionnaires were distributed and 480 were collected and 470 were used for analysis of this study. The statistics program used in this study was SPSS. The method used in the analysis wee factors analysis test, reliability test, validity test, t-testy, One-Way ANOVA, and regression analysis. In this study according to the factor analysis, the life styles were classified the following six categories ; wellbeing pursuit, taste pursuit, atmosphere pursuit, dine-out pursuit, instant pursuit, and economic value pursuit. The factors of coffee consumption motivation were 6; wellbeing consumption motivation, changing mood consumption motivation, social consumption motivation, habitual consumption motivation, and emotional consumption motivation. The demographic factors used in this study were age, marital status, occupation, educational background, residence, income, and eating-out expenses. The hypothesis used in this study were two. The first hypo-thesis was whether the coffee consumption was affected by the life styles. The second hypo-thesis was whether there was any statistical differences on the motivation of coffee consumption according to the characteristics of life style. The outcome of this study demonstrated that life styles had partial impact on coffee consumption motivations. According to the characteristics of the life style, except for the habitual consumption motivation, all the other factors showed statistical differences on coffee consumption motivations according the characteristics of life styles.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.1-28
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• 2008

In this research, an empirical analysis was performed to determine the correlation between management performance and Empirical Research on the R&D investment for domestic venture businesses in each industry. Specifically, an empirical analysis for each industry was attempted not only to clarify the general hypothesis on the relationship between management performance and R&D investment for venture businesses but also to demonstrate that differences exist for each industry. Empirical analysis was conducted for eight industries with respect to the $2002{\sim}2006$ panel data extracted as investigative results from the "Investigation Report on Science and Technology R&D Activities" published by the Ministry of Science and Technology. Industrial classification was limited to the middle-level classification (2-digit) in the Korea Standard Industry Code (KSIC) owing to the limited number of panels. Although this research only verified the overall positive effect of R&D activities and funds for existing research on corporate value or productivity and management performance, it was able to document the difference for each individual industry and each business size unlike existing research. Furthermore, the reliability of the research results was enhanced by targeting companies that have been continuously conducting R&D and management activities using consistent 5-year panel data in the analysis. Again, this was something that existing research did not have. Finally, through the use of recent data from 2002 after the IMF economic crisis up to 2006 in the empirical analysis, this research proposed the problems due to the prevailing circumstances at the time of entering the advanced nation stage based on an empirical analysis; the prevailing problems during the pursuit of advanced nation status before the IMF crisis broke out were not tackled. The key empirical analysis yielded several results. First, capital and size of the labor force have a positive correlation with the management performance for the entire company or the venture business. This applies to all eight industries as the subjects of the analysis. Second, although the number of years since a company has been established can have positive or negative correlation with management performance for the entire company or venture business in specific industries, a definite overall trend cannot be identified. Third, R&D investment can be said to have an overall positive effect on corporate management performance. Fourth, the size of the research staff cannot be said to be a factor unilaterally affecting the management performance of the entire company or the venture business. Fifth, the number of years a research institute has been in operation, which was assumed to have a positive effect on the management performance of a company because of the accumulated R&D know-how -- definitely acts as a positive factor contributing to the management performance of a company.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.31-39
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• 2009

Purpose : This study proposes the keyhole method in order to improve the time resolution of the proton resonance frequency(PRF) MR temperature monitoring technique. The values of Root Mean Square (RMS) error of measured temperature value and Signal-to-Noise Ratio(SNR) obtained from the keyhole and full phase encoded temperature images were compared. Materials and Methods : The PRF method combined with GRE sequence was used to get MR temperature images using a clinical 1.5T MR scanner. It was conducted on the tissue-mimic 2% agarose gel phantom and swine's hock tissue. A MR compatible coaxial slot antenna driven by microwave power generator at 2.45GHz was used to heat the object in the magnetic bore for 5 minutes followed by a sequential acquisition of MR raw data during 10 minutes of cooling period. The acquired raw data were transferred to PC after then the keyhole images were reconstructed by taking the central part of K-space data with 128, 64, 32 and 16 phase encoding lines while the remaining peripheral parts were taken from the 1st reference raw data. The RMS errors were compared with the 256 full encoded self-reference temperature image while the SNR values were compared with the zero filling images. Results : As phase encoding number at the center part on the keyhole temperature images decreased to 128, 64, 32 and 16, the RMS errors of the measured temperature increased to 0.538, 0.712, 0.768 and 0.845$^{\circ}C$, meanwhile SNR values were maintained as the phase encoding number of keyhole part is reduced. Conclusion : This study shows that the keyhole technique is successfully applied to temperature monitoring procedure to increases the temporal resolution by standardizing the matrix size, thus maintained the SNR values. In future, it is expected to implement the MR real time thermal imaging using keyhole method which is able to reduce the scan time with minimal thermal variations.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.467-474
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• 2011

As a serial study to investigate optimum storing temperature of fresh ginseng (Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer), the respiration rate and internal quality of the ginseng was compared during storage for 16 weeks at $-3^{\circ}C$, $-1.5^{\circ}C$ and $0^{\circ}C$. At initial storage period, respiration rate of fresh ginseng was lower at lower temperature, but thereafter it was negligible. Changes in the firmness of fresh ginseng were not significantly different by the storage temperature. The soluble solids content in fresh ginseng was rapidly increased in the early part of storage, and fresh ginseng stored at a lower temperature had a lower content of soluble solids. The iodine-stained color for starch of the main root was rapidly changed for 4 weeks, and L value of the color was the highest in the center, followed by the cambium and the cortex. pH were a little change depending upon the storage temperature, and as a whole, pH was the lowest at $-3^{\circ}C$, followed by $-1.5^{\circ}C$ and $0^{\circ}C$. Although the content of crude saponin tended to somewhat increased as the storage period passed, the effect of storage temperature on changes in the content was not clear. In the sensory evaluation of 'unique flavor' of fresh ginseng using 5 point scale, higher than 3 point was marked for 8 weeks at $-3^{\circ}C$, 14 weeks at $-1.5^{\circ}C$ and 16 weeks at $-0^{\circ}C$ during storage (p < 0.05).

• Korean Business Review
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• v.13
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• pp.49-66
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• 2000

Despite the fact that understanding customers satisfaction with transportation services is a subject of great importance, authors, so far, found no systematic researches referred to that issue. From this point, studying the satisfaction with subways services can be extremely useful. Empirical study of key factors in the satisfaction with subway services is the departure point, which holds as objectives, and we believe, will contribute to overall increasing in the number of subways services used and in the amount of public benefits derived from that usage. In order to achieve these goals: First, several items referred to some key factors in the satisfaction of subway usage were systemized. Second, a research of specific weights attached to those key factors by subway passengers was conducted. Knowledge of the satisfaction variables system can provide deep insights into ones perceptual experience when using a subway. The results were as follows: Various interrelated factors compose a passengers satisfaction with subway services. People do not just use subway passively; a number of key factors, like physical and personal services, exact timing, easiness to access etc. determine the passengers satisfaction with subway. In order to find out specific weights of these key factors multiple regression analysis was employed. Results showed that satisfaction with subway is determined by (in order of importance) easiness to access, quality of physical services, friendliness of working stuff and timing exactness. According to the findings, passengers do not use subway as a simple mean of transportation, rather they perceive it as a complex combination of environmental elements and overall satisfaction depends on these various factors. Therefore, to learn passengers satisfaction with subways services, passengers subway experience must be thoroughly studied and analyzed, and this is where papers value resides.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
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• v.32 no.5 s.94
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• pp.327-342
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• 2002

Soft tissue profile is a critical area of interest in the development of an orthodontic treatment and diagnosis. The purpose of this study was to determine the facial profile preference of diversified group and to investigate the relationship between most Preferred facial Profile and existing soft tissue reference lines. A survey instrument of constructed facial silhouettes was evaluated by 894 lay person. The silhouettes had varied nose, lips, chin and soft tissue subnasale point. Seven sets of facial type were computer-generated by an orthodontist to represent distinct facial types. The varied facial profiles were graded on the basis of most preferred to least preferred. Every facial profile were measured by soft tissue reference lines(Ricketts E-line, Burstone B-line) to observe the most preferred facial profile. The results as follows: 1. In reliability test, the childhood group showed lower value than other groups, which means that this group has no concern on facial profile preference. 2. It appears that sexual and age difference made no significant difference in selecting the profile 3. An agreement to least preferred facial profile was higher than an agreement to most preferred facial profile. 4. Coefficient of concordance (Kendall W) was higher in the twentieth group. It means that a profile preference of the twentieth is distinct. 5. A lip protrusion (to Ricketts E-line and Burstone B-line) of most preferred facial profile was similar to measurements of previous study that investigate skeletal and soft tissue of esthetic facial profile of young Korean. So these reference lines can be used valuably in clinics. 6. Profile of excessive lip protrusion or retrusion to E-line & B-line was least preferred. 7. Most preferred profile of all respondents group was straight profile. Profile that showing convex profile was not pre(erred and the least preferred profile was concave profile.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.593-603
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• 2012

This study was carried out to investigate the ecological succession sere and conservative value, and to provide the basic data for the planning of the Provincial Park Management in Seonamsagol(Valley), Jogyesan(Mt.) Provincial Park(altitude 884m), Suncheon City, Korea by analysing the structure of the plant community. Twenty plots(size is $20m{\times}20m$) were set up at an altitude of range from 315m to 480m. As a result of analysis of TWINSPAN which is one of the ordination technique, the plant communities were divided into four groups which are community I(Quercus variabilis community), community II(Q. serrata community), community III(Decideous broad-leaved plant community), and community IV(Carpinus tschonoskii community). The warmth index is $104^{\circ}C{\cdot}month$ based on the data of monthly mean temperature during the past thirty years(1981~2010), so we found out that the vegetation of the study site located in the South Temperate Climate Zone. We supposed that the ecological succession sere of the study site is in the early stage of developing from Q. serrata community to Carpinus tshonoskii community, however we should do a long-term monitoring to investigate the changes of the ecological succession each plant community, meanwhile Sasa borealis was dominant species in the shrub layer. The diameter at breast height of specimen tree is range from 20 to 55cm(average 36cm) and the height of that is range from 14 to 35m(average 23cm). The age of community I was 64 years old, that of community II was from 59 to 64 years old, that of community III was from 51 to 62 years old, and that of community IV was from 41 to 68 years old, thus the age of the study site is about from 38 to 72 years old. According to the index of Shnnon's diversity(unit: $400m^2$), community IV was ranged from 0.8452 to 1.2312, community III was ranged from 0.8044 to 1.1404, community II was ranged from 0.8221 to 0.9971, and community I was 0.8324.

• Management & Information Systems Review
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.51-68
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• 2016

In this paper, we aim to analyze the effect of accounting policy change subsequent to the adoption of K-IFRS in Korea, whereby the firms are required to recognize impairment losses on goodwill on a periodic basis rather than to amortize over a specific period. As a principle-based accounting standard, the K-IFRS expands the scope of fair value measurement with a view to enhance the relevance and timeliness of accounting information. In the same vein, intangibles with indefinite useful life, of which goodwill is an example, are subject to regulatory impairment tests at least once a year. Related literature on the impact of mandatory change in goodwill policy document that impairment recognition is more likely to be practiced opportunistically, mainly because managers have a greater discretion to conduct the tests under K-IFRS. However, existing literature examined the frequency and/or magnitude of the goodwill impairment before versus after the K-IFRS adoption, failing to notice the impairment symptoms at individual firm level. Borrowing the definition of impairment symptoms suggested by Ramanna and Watts(2012), this study performs a series of tests to determine whether the goodwill impairment recognition achieves the goal of communicating timelier information under the K-IFRS regime. Using 947 firm-year observations from domestic companies listed in KRX and KOSDAQ markets from 2008 to 2011, we document overall delays in recognizing impairment losses on goodwill after the adoption of K-IFRS relative to prior period, based on logistic and OLS regression analyses. The results are qualitatively similar in robustness tests, which use alternative proxy for goodwill impairment symptom. Afore-mentioned results indicate that managers are likely to take advantage of the increased discretion to recognize the impairment losses on goodwill rather than to provide timelier information on impairment, inconsistent with the goal of regulatory authority, which is in line with the improvement of timeliness and relevance of accounting information in conjunction with the full implementation of K-IFRS. This study contributes to the extant literature on goodwill impairment from a methodological viewpoint. We believe that the method employed in this paper potentially diminishes the bias inherent in researches relying on ex post impairment recognition, by conducting tests based on ex ante impairment symptoms, which allows direct examination of the timeliness changes between before and after K-IFRS adoption.

• Management & Information Systems Review
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.167-195
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• 2012

This study focuses on the characteristic of socio-psychological gender of a consumer except a biological gender. Socio-psychological gender is the self-image of a consumer which is related to the gender role. The goal of this study is, first, to examine if socio-psychological gender has more effect on the purchase intention than biological gender. Second, by classifying a group with femininity among socio-psychological gender, it is to examine what kinds of shopping value it aims at. Finally, it is to examine the difference between men and women from the purchase intention according to the circumstances. The result of this study is summarized as follows. First, a consumer can have both characteristics of biological gender and socio-psychological gender. There are masculinity, femininity, bisexuality, and undifferentiated type for the classification of socio-psychological gender. This study shows that there is relatively much bisexuality which has masculinity and femininity at the same time. The outcome showed that the purchase intention was higher for the product which corresponds to socio-psychological gender of a consumer than biological gender. Second, it indicated that a group with femininity pursued pleasurable shopping as compared to a group with masculinity. By contrast, it showed that a group with masculinity aimed at practical shopping more greatly. Finally, it showed that while women are less sensitive to the purchase intention at the male-dominated circumstances, men's purchase intention get lower at the female-dominated circumstances.