• Title/Summary/Keyword: Utility

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Preliminary Study for Elevated Serum CXCL10 and CXCL11 in Active Pulmonary Tuberculosis Compared with the Other Pulmonary Diseases (타 폐질환과 비교를 통한 활동성 결핵에서 혈중 CXCL10과 CXCL11 증가의 의의)

  • Park, Mi Young;Kim, Shine Young;Hwang, Sang-Hyun;Kim, Ji-Eun;Lee, Min Ki;Lee, Chang-Hun;Lee, Eun-Yup
    • Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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    • v.66 no.3
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    • pp.205-210
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    • 2009
  • Background: CXCL10 and CXCL11, which are family of CXCR3 ligands, are expressed by lymphocytes and even by bronchial epithelial cells if the cellular immunity is activated. This study evaluated the potential utility of CXCL10 and CXCL11 in the serum for active pulmonary tuberculosis in comparison with lung cancer, which activates the cellular immunity, and benign lung diseases. Methods: Patients who newly visited Pusan National University Hospital from January 2007 to December 2007 and were suspected of having lung cancer or tuberculosis were enrolled prospectively. The patients were classified pathologically and clinically into three groups, 47 with lung cancer, 18 with active pulmonary tuberculosis and 38 control patients with benign pulmonary disease. ELISA was used to determine the levels of CXCL10 and CXCL11 were determined in the serum. Results: The level of CXCL10 and CXCL11 were significantly higher in the active pulmonary tuberculosis group than in the lung cancer and benign lung disease groups (p<0.001, Kruskal-Wallis). The level of CXCL11 was significantly higher in the lung cancer group than in the benign pulmonary disease group, but there was no significant difference in level of CXCL10 between the three groups (p<0.001, p=0.655, respectively, Mann-Whitney U). The level of CXCL10 in patients with stage III+IV lung cancer was significantly higher than those with stage I+II, but there was no significant difference in the level of CXCL11 between the groups (p<0.001, p=0.07, respectively, Mann-Whitney U). There was no significant difference in the level of CXCL10 and CXCL11 between those with the presence and absence of lung cancer metastasis. There was a significant correlation between the level of CXCL10 and CXCL11 (r=0.223, p<0.001). Conclusion: CXCL10 and CXCL11 may be a potential useful markers for active pulmonary tuberculosis if used alongside other diagnostic methods.

Utility of CoaguChek XS for Monitoring the Prothrombin Time (프로트롬빈시간 모니터링을 위한 CoaguChek XS의 유용성)

  • Park, Rojin;Kim, Yong-Hyun;Kwon, Kyung Ock;Na, Jongsung;Won, Yong Soon;Sung, Ki Bum;Lee, Nae-Hee;Choi, Tae Youn;Shin, Jeong Won;Shin, Hee Bong;Lee, Yong-Wha;Lee, You Kyeong
    • Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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    • v.65 no.6
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    • pp.471-475
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    • 2008
  • Background: In order to achieve a maintenance level and to prevent hemorrhagic complications, regular monitoring of the INR is mandatory for patients on oral anticoagulation therapy (OAT). A point-of-care instrument for INR monitoring is convenient for users, but the accuracy of the results has been controversial, and so this calls for exact evaluation of the point-of-care instrument that is used for INR monitoring. Methods: From Aug 2007 through Feb 2008, 85 patients on OAT among the all the patients who were admitted to Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital were involved in this study. Parallel measurements of the PT INR were performed using a CoaguChek-XS and, a CA-7000 laboratory reference instrument and the results were analyzed. In addition, the patients' clinical data, including the diagnosis and the frequency and interval of the INR measurements, were also analyzed. Results: Of the 85 patients, 25 were admitted more than once to undergo INR testing and the mean interval between testing was 8.6 weeks with 39% and 38% of the tests being less than INR 2 units with using the CoaguChek-XS and the reference method, respectively. The coefficients of variation of CoaguChek-XS were 4.50 and 2.45 for the high and low INR patients, respectively. An excellent correlation was found between the two methods with a $R^2$ of 0.966 (p<0.001). Through Bland-Altman analysis, the mean INR difference between the two methods was 0.13 with the limit of agreement being -0.47~+0.72 with a 95% confidence interval. CoaguChek-XS was shown to overestimate the INR value for patients with an increasing INR, as compared to the reference method. Conclusion: CoaguChek-XS demonstrated great precision and accuracy for patients on OAT when compared to the laboratory INR results. Accordingly, the instrument should help to monitor the INR in the patients on OAT.

GIS-based Market Analysis and Sales Management System : The Case of a Telecommunication Company (시장분석 및 영업관리 역량 강화를 위한 통신사의 GIS 적용 사례)

  • Chang, Nam-Sik
    • Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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    • v.17 no.2
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    • pp.61-75
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    • 2011
  • A Geographic Information System(GIS) is a system that captures, stores, analyzes, manages and presents data with reference to geographic location data. In the later 1990s and earlier 2000s it was limitedly used in government sectors such as public utility management, urban planning, landscape architecture, and environmental contamination control. However, a growing number of open-source packages running on a range of operating systems enabled many private enterprises to explore the concept of viewing GIS-based sales and customer data over their own computer monitors. K telecommunication company has dominated the Korean telecommunication market by providing diverse services, such as high-speed internet, PSTN(Public Switched Telephone Network), VOLP (Voice Over Internet Protocol), and IPTV(Internet Protocol Television). Even though the telecommunication market in Korea is huge, the competition between major services providers is growing more fierce than ever before. Service providers struggled to acquire as many new customers as possible, attempted to cross sell more products to their regular customers, and made more efforts on retaining the best customers by offering unprecedented benefits. Most service providers including K telecommunication company tried to adopt the concept of customer relationship management(CRM), and analyze customer's demographic and transactional data statistically in order to understand their customer's behavior. However, managing customer information has still remained at the basic level, and the quality and the quantity of customer data were not enough not only to understand the customers but also to design a strategy for marketing and sales. For example, the currently used 3,074 legal regional divisions, which are originally defined by the government, were too broad to calculate sub-regional customer's service subscription and cancellation ratio. Additional external data such as house size, house price, and household demographics are also needed to measure sales potential. Furthermore, making tables and reports were time consuming and they were insufficient to make a clear judgment about the market situation. In 2009, this company needed a dramatic shift in the way marketing and sales activities, and finally developed a dedicated GIS_based market analysis and sales management system. This system made huge improvement in the efficiency with which the company was able to manage and organize all customer and sales related information, and access to those information easily and visually. After the GIS information system was developed, and applied to marketing and sales activities at the corporate level, the company was reported to increase sales and market share substantially. This was due to the fact that by analyzing past market and sales initiatives, creating sales potential, and targeting key markets, the system could make suggestions and enable the company to focus its resources on the demographics most likely to respond to the promotion. This paper reviews subjective and unclear marketing and sales activities that K telecommunication company operated, and introduces the whole process of developing the GIS information system. The process consists of the following 5 modules : (1) Customer profile cleansing and standardization, (2) Internal/External DB enrichment, (3) Segmentation of 3,074 legal regions into 46,590 sub_regions called blocks, (4) GIS data mart design, and (5) GIS system construction. The objective of this case study is to emphasize the need of GIS system and how it works in the private enterprises by reviewing the development process of the K company's market analysis and sales management system. We hope that this paper suggest valuable guideline to companies that consider introducing or constructing a GIS information system.

Clinical Utility of Prominent Hypointense Signals in the Draining Veins on Susceptibility-Weighted Imaging in Acute Cerebral Infarct: As a Marker of Penumbra and a Predictor of Prognosis (급성 뇌경색에서 자화율강조영상에서 보이는 현저한 유출정맥 저신호 강도의 임상적 유용성: Penumbra 및 예후 예측인자로서 가능성)

  • Lee, Hyun Sil;Ahn, Kook Jin;Choi, Hyun Seok;Jang, Jin Hee;Jung, So Lyung;Kim, Bum Soo;Yang, Dong Won
    • Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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    • v.18 no.4
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    • pp.332-340
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    • 2014
  • Purpose : A relative increase in deoxyhemoglobin levels in hypoperfused tissue can cause prominent hypointense signals in the draining veins (PHSV) within areas of impaired perfusion in susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI). The purpose of this study is to evaluate the usefulness of SWI in patients with acute cerebral infarction by evaluating PHSV within areas of impaired perfusion and to investigate the usefulness of PHSV in predicting prognosis of cerebral infarction. Materials and Methods: In 18 patients with acute cerebral infarction who underwent brain MRI with diffusion-weighted imaging and SWI and follow-up brain MRI or CT, we reviewed the presence and location of the PHSV within and adjacent to areas of cerebral infarction qualitatively and measured the signal intensity difference ratio of PHSVs to contralateral normal appearing cortical veins quantitatively on SWI. The relationship between the presence of the PHSV and the change in the extent of infarction in follow-up images was analyzed. Results: Of the 18 patients, 10 patients showed progression of the infarction, and 8 patients showed little change on follow- up imaging. On SWI, of the 10 patients with progression 9 patients showed peripheral PHSV and the newly developed infarctions corresponded well to area with peripheral PHSV on initial SWI. Only one patient without peripheral PHSV showed progression of the infarct. The patients with infarction progression revealed significantly higher presence of peripheral PHSV (p=0.0001) and higher mean signal intensity difference ratio (p=0.006) comparing to the patients with little change. Conclusion: SWI can demonstrate a peripheral PHSV as a marker of penumbra and with this finding we can predict the prognosis of acute infarction. The signal intensity difference of PHSV to brain tissue on SWI can be used in predicting prognosis of acute cerebral infarction.

On the Study of Forest Sampling Methods in Natural Deciduous Forest (활엽수림(闊葉樹林)에 대(對)한 자원조사법(資源調査法)의 연구(硏究))

  • Kim, Kap Duk
    • Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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    • v.17 no.1
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    • pp.35-42
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    • 1973
  • Deciduous trees grown naturally in the forest of Korea usually have an irregular Lee-form and their utility has been decreased. In Korea, most of the deciduous stands are distributed in the hinterland. A shortage of the total growing stock made utilization of them necessary in this country even though some difficulties to be cutted and transported are accompanied. Therefore, this study was conducted to select the suitable sampling method for surveying them. The results investigated are as follows. 1. Three locations being 10 hectares in each location for the plots were chosen and surveyed with six $20m{\times}50m$ rectangular sample plots by four types of sampling method below. And the result is shown in Table 1. A. Random sampling by grids B. Random sampling by co-ordinates C. Systematic line plot. D. Sub-sampling 2. One hundred and fifty hectares from all plots were sectioned through the application of aerial photography scaled of 1 : 15,000. The author divided forest types according to diameter class and crown density with mirror stereoscope. The forest types were divided into three classes. Seven sample plots from the area of 150 hectars are systematically arranged and the results investigated on the circular sample point of 0.1 hectare are shown in Table 4. 3. There were no significant differences between results by sampling method and by diameter measurement method (population mean) as shown in Table 3. 4. Random sampling by grid and systematic line plot are better than others. 5. There are more over-estimated values when the circular sample point is used than where the rectangular sample point. 6. As forest stands are irregular, smaller number of sample points will make many errors.

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Assessing Relative Importance of Laver Attributes for Infants Using Conjoint Analysis (컨조인트 분석을 이용한 영유아 김 선택 속성의 상대적 중요도 분석)

  • Lee, Ho-Jin;Lee, Min-A;Park, Hye-Kyung
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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    • v.45 no.6
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    • pp.894-902
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    • 2016
  • The purpose of this study was to analyze the attributes considered as important by parents in the selection of laver for infants through conjoint analysis techniques. A total of 917 questionnaires were distributed in January 2016, of which 211 were completed (23.0%). Statistical data analyses were performed using SPSS/Win 21.0 for descriptive statistics and conjoint analysis. The conjoint design was applied to evaluate the hypothetical laver for infants. According to the analysis of attributes and levels of laver for infants, the relative importance of each attribute was follows: seasoning (26.55%), flavor (19.33%), texture (18.75%), oil (15.15%), size (10.61%), and certification (9.61%). The results of the conjoint analysis indicate that parents raising infants preferred laver with the characteristics of non-seasoning, general flavor, softness, half-size, organic certification, and perilla oil. The most preferred laver for infants gained a 53.7% potential market share from choice simulation compared with laver being sold. Using utility and relative importance, the laver market for infants was classified into two segments. As a result of market segmentation, parents of cluster 1 preferred the laver model being sold (soy seasoning) while parents of cluster 2 preferred the optimized laver model (non-seasoning).

A study on Perfume case (향(香) 집에 관한연구)

  • 이선재
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Costume
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    • v.33
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    • pp.117-142
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    • 1997
  • This study is on perfume case that is one of a great number of ornaments which was designed by out ancestors. We had developed the tradition and the history of perfume case bag fan-weight etc. These have the same function as the present perfume. case. There were basket-shaped perfume cases which were the smellest one among the personal girdle ornaments in the silla era. The various patterned perfume case were made of gold metal coral platinum or green jadeite etc. In the single-crop trinkets a embroidered perfume bag with the gold and silver thread whose forms perfectly match their functions appeared during the Yi Dynasty. There was also a perfume bag which was one of the daily necessities. A precious "jul perfume" was carried by noble women. A fan-weight perfume bag was attached to the fan to emphasize the intrinsic beauty of utility and function. It is necessary to know the function of prefume case. As perfume case is weared on the clothes it was given more decorative effects as well as the function of medicinal amulet with a sweet smell. Therefore it is very important for us to study perfume case that has various function as an ornament. So The purpose of this study is to investigate the practical and decorative side of perfume case with the general examines of perfume finding how to practice use through our life. The results were as follows; 1. The first use of perfume is perfume through smoke which is for ceremony of religion It removes human body odor by degrees and spreads a sweet odor. Also the materials for making perfume of early age is aromatic plants which will be used flour-made flowers stems. As the materials for making perfume use is increasing today we can invent alcohol perfume today 2. Our country the custom of perfume-used is wide. Among them men's perfume-used was very special phenomenon. For example men were wearing perfume bag in the Silla era. Because perfume represented wealth and noble in those days. They shew off social position personality through perfume-used. 3. One of early religion ceremony article there was the perfume. And perfume case was means for containing perfume. Gradually the perfume case was used widly as increasing needs of perfume in human life. 4. In the middle period of 'Koryo' Dynasty perfume cases had a close relationship with clothes but after Mongolian has been attacked 'Koryo' there were changes in wearing clothes therefore the position of perfume cases were transfered to coat string that was the origin of decoration style that they began. That is to say the perfume case has been influenced the position of perfume case shapes with changing of fashion. 5. The perfume case has been made manifest various function as an ornament. In the practical side First medical-perfume in perfume case has been played an important role in first-aid medicine in critical condition. Second it was amulet for self protection. That is the shape pattern color materials perfume of the perfume case was represented the amuletive nature. Third it was used as substitute article of perfume. Modern women use liquid-perfume as our ancestors used perfume case bag or jul perfume As started above. Also In the decorative side the perfume case has a beautiful formative arts by itself as well as a close relationship with clothes. That well as a close relationship with clothes. That is when the perfume case is worn on the clothes costume is showed aesthetices. That is the materials shapes color pattern of the perfume case we can see the visual beauty also the materials colors embroidered pattern knots tassel that are used the perfume case are increased the decorative beauty of costume. Sixth the symbol in pattern of the pattern case is shown ancetor's wealth and rank health longevity immortality many-born-boy in those days. Today the perfume case is not used with changing of costume by degrees, Accordingly I hope that the result of this study is an influened in devlopment of the perfume case design with matching the modern fashion.

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창의성과 비판적 사고

  • Kim, Yeong Jeong
    • Korean Journal of Cognitive Science
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    • v.13 no.4
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    • pp.80-80
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    • 2002
  • The main thesis of this article is that the decisive point of creativity education is the cultivation of critical thinking capability. Although the narrow conception of creativity as divergent thinking is not subsumed under that of critical thinking, the role of divergent thinking is not so crucial in the science context of creative problem-solving. On the contrary, the broad conception of creativity as focusing on the reference to utility and the third conception of creativity as a process based on the variation and combination of existing pieces of information are crucial in creative problem-solving context, which are yet subsumed under that of critical thinking. The emphasis on critical thinking education is connected with the characteristics of contemporary knowledge-based society. This rapidly changing society requires situation-adaptive or situation-sensitive cognitive ability, whose core is critical thinking capability. Hence, the education of critical thinking is to be centered on the learning of blowing-how and procedural knowledge but not of knowing-that and declarative knowledge. Accordingly, the learning of critical thinking is to be headed towards the cultivation of competence but not just of performance. In conclusion, when a rational problem-solving through critical and logical thinking turns out consequently to be novel, we call it creative thinking. So, creativity is an emergent property based on critical and logical thinking.

창의성과 비판적 사고

  • 김영정
    • Korean Journal of Cognitive Science
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    • v.13 no.4
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    • pp.81-90
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    • 2002
  • The main thesis of this article is that the decisive point of creativity education is the cultivation of critical thinking capability. Although the narrow conception of creativity as divergent thinking is not subsumed under that of critical thinking, the role of divergent thinking is not so crucial in the science context of creative problem-solving. On the contrary, the broad conception of creativity as focusing on the reference to utility and the third conception of creativity as a process based on the variation and combination of existing pieces of information are crucial in creative problem-solving context, which are yet subsumed under that of critical thinking. The emphasis on critical thinking education is connected with the characteristics of contemporary knowledge-based society. This rapidly changing society requires situation-adaptive or situation-sensitive cognitive ability, whose core is critical thinking capability. Hence, the education of critical thinking is to be centered on the learning of blowing-how and procedural knowledge but not of knowing-that and declarative knowledge. Accordingly, the learning of critical thinking is to be headed towards the cultivation of competence but not just of performance. In conclusion, when a rational problem-solving through critical and logical thinking turns out consequently to be novel, we call it creative thinking. So, creativity is an emergent property based on critical and logical thinking.

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Calcium Removal from Effluent of Electronics Wastewater Using Hydrodynamic Cavitation Technology (수리동력학적 캐비테이션을 이용한 전자폐수 처리수에 함유된 칼슘저감에 관한 연구)

  • Park, Jin-Young;Kim, Sun-Jip;Lee, Yong-Woo;Lee, Jae-Jin;Hwang, Kyu-Won;Lee, Won-Kwon
    • Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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    • v.29 no.6
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    • pp.715-721
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    • 2007
  • Residual calcium concentration is high, in general, at the effluent of the fluoride removal process in the electronics industry manufacturing semiconductor and LCD. To increase the stability of the membrane process incorporated for reuse of wastewater, the residual calcium is required to be pre-removed. Hyperkinetic Vortex Crystallization(HVC) process was installed in the electronics industry manufecturing semi conductor as a pilot scale for accelerating calcification of calcium ion. Compared to the conventional soda ash method, the 31% higher calcium removal efficiency was achieved when HVC was applied at the same sodium carbonate dosage. In order to maintain the economic calcium removal target of 70% preset by manufacturer, the dosing concentration of the soda ash was 530 mg/L based on influent flowrate. The seed concentration in the reactor was one of the critical factors and should be maintained in the range of $800\sim1,200mg$ SS/L to maximize the calcium removal efficiency. The calcite production rate was 0.30 g SS/g $Na_2CO_3$ in the average. The economic HVC passing time of the mixture was in the range of $2\sim5$ times. Relatively, stable calcium concentration was maintained in the range of $30\sim72$ mg/L(average 49 mg/L) although the calcium concentration in the feed was severely fluctuated with $74\sim359$ mg/L(average 173 mg/L). The HVC process was characterized as environment-friendly technology reducing chemical dosage and chemical sludge production and minimizing maintenance cost.