• Journal of Distribution Research
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.65-93
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• 2011

As relationship between buyer and seller has been brought closer and long-term relationship has been more important in B2B markets, the importance of service and service convenience increases as well as product. In homogeneous markets, where service offerings are similar and therefore not key competitive differentiator, providing greater convenience may enable a competitive advantage. Service convenience, as conceptualized by Berry et al. (2002), is defined as the consumers' time and effort perceptions related to buying or using a service. For this reason, B2B customers are interested in how fast the service is provided and how much save non-monetary cost like time or effort by the service convenience along with service quality. Therefore, this study attempts to investigate the impact of service convenience on relationship factors such as relationship satisfaction, relationship commitment, and relationship performance. The purpose of this study is to find out whether service convenience can be a new antecedent of relationship quality and relationship performance. In addition, this study tries to examine how five-dimensional service convenience constructs (decision convenience, access convenience, transaction convenience, benefit convenience, post-benefit convenience) affect customers' relationship satisfaction, relationship commitment, and relationship performance. The service convenience comprises five fundamental components - decision convenience (the perceived time and effort costs associated with service purchase or use decisions), access convenience(the perceived time and effort costs associated with initiating service delivery), transaction convenience(the perceived time and effort costs associated with finalizing the transaction), benefit convenience(the perceived time and effort costs associated with experiencing the core benefits of the offering) and post-benefit convenience (the perceived time and effort costs associated with reestablishing subsequent contact with the firm). Earlier studies of perceived service convenience in the industrial market are none. The conventional studies that have dealt with service convenience have usually been made in the consumer market, or they have dealt with convenience aspects in the service process. This service convenience measure for consumer market can be useful tool to estimate service quality in B2B market. The conceptualization developed by Berry et al. (2002) reflects a multistage, experiential consumption process in which evaluations of convenience vary at each stage. For this reason, the service convenience measure is good for B2B service environment which has complex processes and various types. Especially when categorizing B2B service as sequential stage of service delivery like Kumar and Kumar (2004), the Berry's service convenience measure which reflect sequential flow of service deliveries suitable to establish B2B service convenience. For this study, data were gathered from respondents who often buy business service and analyzed by structural equation modeling. The sample size in the present study is 119. Composite reliability values and average variance extracted values were examined for each variable to have reliability. We determine whether the measurement model supports the convergent validity by CFA, and discriminant validity was assessed by examining the correlation matrix of the constructs. For each pair of constructs, the square root of the average variance extracted exceeded their correlations, thus supporting the discriminant validity of the constructs. Hypotheses were tested using the Smart PLS 2.0 and we calculated the PLS path values and followed with a bootstrap re-sampling method to test the hypotheses. Among the five dimensional service convenience constructs, four constructs (decision convenience, transaction convenience, benefit convenience, post-benefit convenience) affected customers' positive relationship satisfaction, relationship commitment, and relationship performance. This result means that service convenience is important cue to improve relationship between buyer and seller. One of the five service convenience dimensions, access convenience, does not affect relationship quality and performance, which implies that the dimension of service convenience is not important factor of cumulative satisfaction. The Cumulative satisfaction can be distinguished from transaction-specific customer satisfaction, which is an immediate post-purchase evaluative judgment or an affective reaction to the most recent transactional experience with the firm. Because access convenience minimizes the physical effort associated with initiating an exchange, the effect on relationship satisfaction similar to cumulative satisfaction may be relatively low in terms of importance than transaction-specific customer satisfaction. Also, B2B firms focus on service quality, price, benefit, follow-up service and so on than convenience of time or place in service because it is relatively difficult to change existing transaction partners in B2B market compared to consumer market. In addition, this study using partial least squares methods reveals that customers' satisfaction and commitment toward relationship has mediating role between the service convenience and relationship performance. The result shows that management and investment to improve service convenience make customers' positive relationship satisfaction, and then the positive relationship satisfaction can enhance the relationship commitment and relationship performance. And to conclude, service convenience management is an important part of successful relationship performance management, and the service convenience is an important antecedent of relationship between buyer and seller such as the relationship commitment and relationship performance. Therefore, it has more important to improve relationship performance that service providers enhance service convenience although competitive service development or service quality improvement is important. Given the pressure to provide increased convenience, it is not surprising that organizations have made significant investments in enhancing the convenience aspect of their product and service offering.

• Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.19-42
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• 2012

Consumer consumption patterns are shifting rapidly as buyers migrate from offline markets to e-commerce routes, such as shopping channels on TV and internet shopping malls. In the offline markets consumers go shopping, see the shopping items, and choose from them. Recently consumers tend towards buying at shopping sites free from time and place. However, as e-commerce markets continue to expand, customers are complaining that it is becoming a bigger hassle to shop online. In the online shopping, shoppers have very limited information on the products. The delivered products can be different from what they have wanted. This case results to purchase cancellation. Because these things happen frequently, they are likely to refer to the consumer reviews and companies should be concerned about consumer's voice. E-commerce is a very important marketing tool for suppliers. It can recommend products to customers and connect them directly with suppliers with just a click of a button. The recommender system is being studied in various ways. Some of the more prominent ones include recommendation based on best-seller and demographics, contents filtering, and collaborative filtering. However, these systems all share two weaknesses : they cannot recommend products to consumers on a personal level, and they cannot recommend products to new consumers with no buying history. To fix these problems, we can use the information which has been collected from the questionnaires about their demographics and preference ratings. But, consumers feel these questionnaires are a burden and are unlikely to provide correct information. This study investigates combining collaborative filtering with the centrality of social network analysis. This centrality measure provides the information to infer the preference of new consumers from the shopping history of existing and previous ones. While the past researches had focused on the existing consumers with similar shopping patterns, this study tried to improve the accuracy of recommendation with all shopping information, which included not only similar shopping patterns but also dissimilar ones. Data used in this study, Movie Lens' data, was made by Group Lens research Project Team at University of Minnesota to recommend movies with a collaborative filtering technique. This data was built from the questionnaires of 943 respondents which gave the information on the preference ratings on 1,684 movies. Total data of 100,000 was organized by time, with initial data of 50,000 being existing customers and the latter 50,000 being new customers. The proposed recommender system consists of three systems : [+] group recommender system, [-] group recommender system, and integrated recommender system. [+] group recommender system looks at customers with similar buying patterns as 'neighbors', whereas [-] group recommender system looks at customers with opposite buying patterns as 'contraries'. Integrated recommender system uses both of the aforementioned recommender systems to recommend movies that both recommender systems pick. The study of three systems allows us to find the most suitable recommender system that will optimize accuracy and customer satisfaction. Our analysis showed that integrated recommender system is the best solution among the three systems studied, followed by [-] group recommended system and [+] group recommender system. This result conforms to the intuition that the accuracy of recommendation can be improved using all the relevant information. We provided contour maps and graphs to easily compare the accuracy of each recommender system. Although we saw improvement on accuracy with the integrated recommender system, we must remember that this research is based on static data with no live customers. In other words, consumers did not see the movies actually recommended from the system. Also, this recommendation system may not work well with products other than movies. Thus, it is important to note that recommendation systems need particular calibration for specific product/customer types.

• Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.67-88
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• 2018

Until recently, as we recognize the significance of sustainable growth and competitiveness of small-and-medium sized enterprises (SMEs), governmental support for tangible resources such as R&D, manpower, funds, etc. has been mainly provided. However, it is also true that the inefficiency of support systems such as underestimated or redundant support has been raised because there exist conflicting policies in terms of appropriateness, effectiveness and efficiency of business support. From the perspective of the government or a company, we believe that due to limited resources of SMEs technology development and capacity enhancement through collaboration with external sources is the basis for creating competitive advantage for companies, and also emphasize value creation activities for it. This is why value chain network analysis is necessary in order to analyze inter-company deal relationships from a series of value chains and visualize results through establishing knowledge ecosystems at the corporate level. There exist Technology Opportunity Discovery (TOD) system that provides information on relevant products or technology status of companies with patents through retrievals over patent, product, or company name, CRETOP and KISLINE which both allow to view company (financial) information and credit information, but there exists no online system that provides a list of similar (competitive) companies based on the analysis of value chain network or information on potential clients or demanders that can have business deals in future. Therefore, we focus on the "Value Chain Network System (VCNS)", a support partner for planning the corporate business strategy developed and managed by KISTI, and investigate the types of embedded network-based analysis modules, databases (D/Bs) to support them, and how to utilize the system efficiently. Further we explore the function of network visualization in intelligent value chain analysis system which becomes the core information to understand industrial structure ystem and to develop a company's new product development. In order for a company to have the competitive superiority over other companies, it is necessary to identify who are the competitors with patents or products currently being produced, and searching for similar companies or competitors by each type of industry is the key to securing competitiveness in the commercialization of the target company. In addition, transaction information, which becomes business activity between companies, plays an important role in providing information regarding potential customers when both parties enter similar fields together. Identifying a competitor at the enterprise or industry level by using a network map based on such inter-company sales information can be implemented as a core module of value chain analysis. The Value Chain Network System (VCNS) combines the concepts of value chain and industrial structure analysis with corporate information simply collected to date, so that it can grasp not only the market competition situation of individual companies but also the value chain relationship of a specific industry. Especially, it can be useful as an information analysis tool at the corporate level such as identification of industry structure, identification of competitor trends, analysis of competitors, locating suppliers (sellers) and demanders (buyers), industry trends by item, finding promising items, finding new entrants, finding core companies and items by value chain, and recognizing the patents with corresponding companies, etc. In addition, based on the objectivity and reliability of the analysis results from transaction deals information and financial data, it is expected that value chain network system will be utilized for various purposes such as information support for business evaluation, R&D decision support and mid-term or short-term demand forecasting, in particular to more than 15,000 member companies in Korea, employees in R&D service sectors government-funded research institutes and public organizations. In order to strengthen business competitiveness of companies, technology, patent and market information have been provided so far mainly by government agencies and private research-and-development service companies. This service has been presented in frames of patent analysis (mainly for rating, quantitative analysis) or market analysis (for market prediction and demand forecasting based on market reports). However, there was a limitation to solving the lack of information, which is one of the difficulties that firms in Korea often face in the stage of commercialization. In particular, it is much more difficult to obtain information about competitors and potential candidates. In this study, the real-time value chain analysis and visualization service module based on the proposed network map and the data in hands is compared with the expected market share, estimated sales volume, contact information (which implies potential suppliers for raw material / parts, and potential demanders for complete products / modules). In future research, we intend to carry out the in-depth research for further investigating the indices of competitive factors through participation of research subjects and newly developing competitive indices for competitors or substitute items, and to additively promoting with data mining techniques and algorithms for improving the performance of VCNS.

• The Journal of the Korean life insurance medical association
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• v.24
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• pp.49-78
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• 2005

Ⅰ. 연구(硏究) 배경(背景) 및 목적(目的) o 우리나라 보험시장의 세대가입율은 86%로 보험시장 성숙기에 진입하였으며 기존의 전통적인 전업채널에서 방카슈랑스의 도입, 온라인전문보험사의 출현, TM 영업의 성장세 等멀티채널로 진행되고 있음 o LTC(장기간병), CI(치명적질환), 실손의료보험 등(等)선 진형 건강상품의 잇따른 출시로 보험리스크 관리측면에서 언더라이팅의 대비가 절실한 시점임 o 상품과 마케팅 等언더라이팅 측면에서 매우 밀접한 영역의 변화에 발맞추어 언더라이팅의 인수기법의 선진화가 시급히 요구되는 상황하에서 위험을 적절히 분류하고 평가하는 선진적 언더라이팅 기법 구축이 필수 적임 o 궁극적으로 고객의 다양한 보장니드 충족과 상품, 마케팅, 언더라이팅의 경쟁력 강화를 통한 보험사의 종합이익 극대화에 기여할 수 있는 방안을 모색하고자 함 Ⅱ. 선진보험시장(先進保險市場)Risk 세분화사례(細分化事例) 1. 환경적위험(環境的危險)에 따른 보험료(保險料) 차등(差等) (1) 위험직업 보험료 할증 o 미국, 유럽등(等) 대부분의 선진시장에서는 가입당시 피보험자의 직업위험도에 따라 보험료를 차등 적용중(中)임 o 가입하는 보장급부에 따라 직업 분류방법 및 할증방식도 상이하며 일반사망과 재해사망,납입면제, DI에 대해서 별도의 방법을 사용함 o 할증적용은 표준위험율의 일정배수를 적용하여 할증 보험료를 산출하거나, 가입금액당 일정한 추가보험료를 적용하고 있음 - 광부의 경우 재해사망 가입시 표준위험율의 300% 적용하며, 일반사망 가입시 $1,000당 $2.95 할증보험료 부가 (2) 위험취미 보험료 할증 o 취미와 관련 사고의 지속적 다발로 취미활동도 위험요소로 인식되어 보험료를 차등 적용중(中)임 o 할증보험료는 보험가입금액당 일정비율로 부가(가입 금액과 무관)하며, 신종레포츠 등(等)일부 위험취미는 통계의 부족으로 언더라이터가 할증율 결정하여 적용함 - 패러글라이딩 년(年)$26{\sim}50$회(回) 취미생활의 경우 가입금액 $1,000당 재해사망 $2, DI보험 8$ 할증보험료 부가 o 보험료 할증과는 별도로 위험취미에 대한 부담보를 적용함. 위험취미 활동으로 인한 보험사고 발생시 사망을 포함한 모든 급부에 대한 보장을 부(不)담보로 인수함. (3) 위험지역 거주/ 여행 보험료 할증 o 피보험자가 거주하고 있는 특정국가의 임시 혹은 영구적 거주시 기후위험, 거주지역의 위생과 의료수준, 여행위험, 전쟁과 폭동위험 등(等)을 고려하여 평가 o 일반사망, 재해사망 등(等)보장급부별로 할증보험료 부가 또는 거절 o 할증보험료는 보험全기간에 대해 동일하게 적용 - 러시아의 경우 가입금액 $1,000당 일반사망은 2$의 할증보험료 부가, 재해사망은 거절 (4) 기타 위험도에 대한 보험료 차등 o 비행관련 위험은 세가지로 분류(항공운송기, 개인비행, 군사비행), 청약서, 추가질문서, 진단서, 비행이력 정보를 바탕으로 할증보험료를 부가함 - 농약살포비행기조종사의 경우 가입금액 $1,000당 일반사망 6$의 할증보험료 부가, 재해사망은 거절 o 미국, 일본등(等)서는 교통사고나 교통위반 관련 기록을 활용하여 무(無)사고운전자에 대해 보험료 할인(우량체 위험요소로 활용) 2. 신체적위험도(身體的危險度)에 따른 보험료차등(保險料差等) (1) 표준미달체 보험료 할증 1) 총위험지수 500(초과위험지수 400)까지 인수 o 300이하는 25점단위, 300점 초과는 50점 단위로 13단계로 구분하여 할증보험료를 적용중(中)임 2) 삭감법과 할증법을 동시 적용 o 보험금 삭감부분만큼 할증보험료가 감소하는 효과가 있어 청약자에게 선택의 기회를 제공할수 있으며 고(高)위험 피보험자에게 유용함 3) 특정암에 대한 기왕력자에 대해 단기(Temporary)할증 적용 o 질병성향에 따라 가입후 $1{\sim}5$년간 할증보험료를 부가하고 보험료 할증 기간이 경과한 후에는 표준체보험료를 부가함 4) 할증보험료 반환옵션(Return of the extra premium)의 적용 o 보험계약이 유지중(中)이며, 일정기간 생존시 할증보험료가 반환됨 (2) 표준미달체 급부증액(Enhanced annuity) o 영국에서는 표준미달체를 대상으로 연금급부를 증가시킨 증액형 연금(Enhanced annuity) 상품을 개발 판매중(中)임 o 흡연, 직업, 병력 등(等)다양한 신체적, 환경적 위험도에 따라 표준체에 비해 증액연금을 차등 지급함 (3) 우량 피보험체 가격 세분화 o 미국시장에서는 $8{\sim}14$개 의적, 비(非)의적 위험요소에 대한 평가기준에 따라 표준체를 최대 8개 Class로 분류하여 할인보험료를 차등 적용 - 기왕력, 혈압, 가족력, 흡연, BMI, 콜레스테롤, 운전, 위험취미, 거주지, 비행력, 음주/마약 등(等) o 할인율은 회사, Class, 가입기준에 따라 상이(최대75%)하며, 가입연령은 최저 $16{\sim}20$세, 최대 $65{\sim}75$세, 최저보험금액은 10만달러(HIV검사가 필요한 최저 금액) o 일본시장에서는 $3{\sim}4$개 위험요소에 따라 $3{\sim}4$개 Class로 분류 우량체 할인중(中)임 o 유럽시장에서는 영국 등(等)일부시장에서만 비(非)흡연할인 또는 우량체할인 적용 Ⅲ. 국내보험시장(國內保險市場) 현황(現況)및 문제점(問題點) 1. 환경적위험도(環境的危險度)에 따른 가입한도제한(加入限度制限) (1) 위험직업 보험가입 제한 o 업계공동의 직업별 표준위험등급에 따라 각 보험사 자체적으로 위험등급별 가입한도를 설정 운영중(中)임. 비(非)위험직과의 형평성, 고(高)위험직업 보장 한계, 수익구조 불안정화 등(等)문제점을 내포하고 있음 - 광부의 경우 위험1급 적용으로 사망 최대 1억(億), 입원 1일(日) 2만원까지 제한 o 금융감독원이 2002년(年)7월(月)위험등급별 위험지수를 참조 위험율로 인가하였으나, 비위험직은 70%, 위험직은 200% 수준으로 산정되어 현실적 적용이 어려움 (2) 위험취미 보험가입 제한 o 해당취미의 직업종사자에 준(準)하여 직업위험등급을 적용하여 가입 한도를 제한하고 있음. 추가질문서를 활용하여 자격증 유무, 동호회 가입등(等)에 대한 세부정보를 입수하지 않음 - 패러글라이딩의 경우 위험2급을 적용, 사망보장 최대 2 억(億)까지 제한 (3) 거주지역/ 해외여행 보험가입 제한 o 각(各)보험사별로 지역적 특성상 사고재해 다발 지역에 대해 보험가입을 제한하고 있음 - 강원, 충청 일부지역 상해보험 가입불가 - 전북, 태백 일부지역 입원급여금 1일(日)2만원이내 o 해외여행을 포함한 해외체류에 대해서는 일정한 가입 요건을 정하여 운영중(中)이며, 가입한도 설정 보험가입을 제한하거나 재해집중보장 상품에 대해 거절함 - 러시아의 경우 단기체류는 위험1급 및 상해보험 가입 불가, 장기 체류는 거절처리함 2. 신체적위험도(身體的危險度)에 따른 인수차별화(引受差別化) (1) 표준미달체 인수방법 o 체증성, 항상성 위험에 대한 초과위험지수를 보험금삭감법으로 전환 사망보험에 적용(최대 5년(年))하여 5년(年)이후 보험 Risk노출 심각 o 보험료 할증은 일부 회사에서 주(主)보험 중심으로 사용중(中)이며, 총위험지수 300(8단계)까지 인수 - 주(主)보험 할증시 특약은 가입 불가하며, 암 기왕력자는 대부분 거절 o 신체부위 39가지, 질병 5가지에 대해 부담보 적용(입원, 수술 등(等)생존급부에 부담보) (2) 비(非)흡연/ 우량체 보험료 할인 o 1999년(年)최초 도입 이래 $3{\sim}4$개의 위험요소로 1개 Class 운영중(中)임 S생보사의 경우 비(非)흡연우량체, 비(非)흡연표준체의 2개 Class 운영 o 보험료 할인율은 회사, 상품에 따라 상이하며 최대 22%(영업보험료기준)임. 흡연여부는 뇨스틱을 활용 코티닌테스트를 실시함 o 우량체 판매는 신계약의 $2{\sim}15%$수준(회사의 정책에 따라 상이) Ⅳ. 언더라이팅 기법(技法) 선진화(先進化) 방안(方案) 1. 직업위험도별 보험료 차등 적용 o 생 손보 직업위험등급 일원화와 연계하여 3개등급으로 위험지수개편, 비위험직 기준으로 보험요율 차별적용 2. 위험취미에 대한 부담보 적용 o 해당취미를 원인으로 보험사고(사망포함) 발생시 부담보 제도 도입 3. 표준미달체 인수기법 선진화를 통한 인수범위 대폭 확대 o 보험료 할증법 적용 확대를 통한 Risk 헷지로 총위험지수 $300{\rightarrow}500$으로 확대(거절건 최소화) 4. 보험료 할증법 보험금 삭감 병행 적용 o 삭감기간을 적용한 보험료 할증방식 개발, 고객에게 선택권 제공 5. 기한부 보험료할증 부가 o 위암, 갑상선암 등(等)특정암의 성향에 따라 위험도가 높은 가입초기에 평준할증보험료를 적용하여 인수 6. 보험료 할증법 부가특약 확대 적용, 부담보 병행 사용 o 정기특약 등(等)사망관련 특약에 할증법 확대, 생존급부 특약은 부담보 7. 표준체 고객 세분화 확대 o 콜레스테롤, HDL 등(等)위험평가요소 확대를 통한 Class 세분화 Ⅴ. 기대효과(期待效果) 1. 고(高)위험직종사자, 위험취미자, 표준미달체에 대한 보험가입 문호개방 2. 보험계약자간 형평성 제고 및 다양한 고객의 보장니드에 부응 3. 상품판매 확대 및 Risk헷지를 통한 수입보험료 증대 및 사차익 개선 4. 본격적인 가격경쟁에 대비한 보험사 체질 개선 5. 회사 이미지 제고 및 진단 거부감 해소, 포트폴리오 약화 방지 Ⅵ. 결론(結論) o 종래의 소극적이고 일률적인 인수기법에서 탈피하여 피보험자를 다양한 측면에서 위험평가하여 적정 보험료 부가와 합리적 가입조건을 제시하는 적절한 위험평가 수단을 도입하고, o 언더라이팅 인수기법의 선진화와 함께 언더라이팅 인력의 전문화, 정보입수 및 시스템 인프라의 구축 등이 병행함으로써, o 보험사의 사차손익 관리측면에서 뿐만 아니라 보험시장 개방 및 급변하는 보험환경에 대비한 한국 생보언더라이팅 경쟁력 강화 및 언더라이터의 글로벌화에도 크게 기여할 것임.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.51-63
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• 1981

The results of a crossbreeding experiment with a total of 315 litters and 325 pigs of Berkshires, Hampshires, Durocs, Landraces, Large Whites, eight different two-breed crosses and twelve different three-breed crosses, produced at Livestock Experiment Station from 1975 through 1979, are summarized as follows. 1. Number born alive per litter was largest in the D♂${\times}$(Lw♂${\times}$L♀) $F_1$ ♀ mating, followed by the D♂${\times}$(H♂${\times}$L♀) $F_1$ mating, and smallest in the Hampshires. The pigs in the 3rd-6th parities had larger litter size at birth than those in other parities. 2. Birth weight of pig was heaviest in L♂${\times}$Lw♀ mating and lightest in the Large White. The total litter weight at birth was heaviest in the D♂${\times}$(Lw♂${\times}$L♀) $F_1$ ♀ mating, followed by D♂${\times}$(H♂${\times}$L♀) $F_1$ ♀ and Lw♂${\times}$L♀ matings, and was smaller in Hampshires and Birkshires. 3. Litter size at weaning was largest in the D♂${\times}$(Lw♂${\times}$L♀) $F_1$ ♀ mating, followed by D♂${\times}$(H♂${\times}$L♀) $F_1$ ♀ and Lw♂${\times}$L♀ matings, and was smaller in Durocs and Hampshires. The pigs in the 3rd-6th parities had larger litter size at weaning than those in other parities. 4. The total litter weight at weaning was heaviest in the D♂${\times}$(Lw♂${\times}$L♀) $F_1$ ♀ mating, followed by H♂${\times}$(Lw♂${\times}$L♀) $F_1$♀ and Lw♂${\times}$L♀ matings, and was lighter in Durocs and Hampshires. The weaning weight of pig was largest in D♂${\times}$(Lw♂${\times}$L♀) $F_1$ ♀ mating and lightest in L♂${\times}$H♀ mating. 5. Survival rate at weaning was highest in L♂${\times}$Lw♀ mating, followed by D♂${\times}$(L♂${\times}$H♀) $F_1$ ♀ and D♂${\times}$(H♂${\times}$L♀) $F_1$ ♀ mating, and was lowest in Durocs. 6. The three-breed cross from D♂${\times}$(H♂${\times}$L♀) $F_1$ ♀ mating had the highest average gain and lowest feed requirement per unit gain, followed by the D♂${\times}$(Lw♂${\times}$L♀) $F_1$ ♀ and H♂${\times}$(Lw♂${\times}$L♀) $F_1$ ♀ matings. The Birkshires and Landraces ranked lowest among the 25 mating groups compared for both of the traits. Males had higher average daily gain than females by about 0.06kg and had lower feed requirement by about 0.14. 7. The three-breed crosses from D♂${\times}$(H♂${\times}$L♀) $F_1$ ♀, D♂${\times}$(Lw♂${\times}$L♀) $F_1$ ♀ and H♂${\times}$(Lw♂${\times}$L♀) $F_1$ ♀ matings reached 90kg body weight at younger age than the other groups. The D♂${\times}$(H♂${\times}$L♀) $F_1$ ♀ group reached 90kg at younger age than the Landrace by 39 days. 8. The dressing percentage and lean meat percentage tended to be higher in H♂${\times}$(Lw♂${\times}$L♀) $F_1$ ♀, H♂${\times}$L♀ and L♂${\times}$B♀ matings compared to the other mating groups. The loin-eye area was largest in the Lw♂${\times}$L♀ mating and smallest in the B♂${\times}$L♀ mating. Males had higher dressing percentage, higher lean meat percentage and lion-eye area than females. The backfat was thinnest in purebred Hampshire and was thickest in B♂${\times}$L♀ mating. 9. The results obtained in this study suggest that the two-breed cross from Lw♂${\times}$L♀ mating, and the three-breed crosses from D♂${\times}$(Lw♂${\times}$L-♀) $F_1$ ♀ and D♂${\times}$(H♂${\times}$L♀) $F_1$♀ matings are superior crossbreds for reproductive and pork prodnction performance.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.219-229
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• 2003

Background : The management of thoracic empyema and complicated parapneumonic effusion requires adequate antibiotics use and prompt drainage of infected pleural space. Tube thoracostomy for loculated empyema has low success rate and is also an invasive procedure with potential morbidity. Complications include hemothorax, perforation of intra-abdominal or intra-thoracic organs, diaphragmatic laceration, empyema, pulmonary edema, and Horner's syndrome. Given the potential morbidity of traditional chest tube insertion, use of the image-guided pigtail catheter drainage(PCD) of empyema has been employed. We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of patients with empyema or complicated parapneumonic effusion to determine the efficacy of percutaneous pigtail catheter drainage. Materials and Methods : 45 patients with complicated parapneumonic effusions or empyema were treated at Gil medical center from January 1998 to June, 1999. All were initially given PCD procedure and the following data were collected: clinical symptoms at the time of diagnosis, alcohol and smoking history, the characteristics of pleural effusion, radiologic findings (at the time of catheter insertion, removal and 1 month after catheter removal), the amount of effusion drained for initial 24 hours, the time from catheter insertion to removal and the use of surgical approach. Results : Male gender was more frequent (42 men vs. 3 women), the mean age of the study population was 52(range: 21~74) years. Empyema was found in 23 patients, complicated parapneumonic effusion in 22 patients. Four patients(three, parapneumonic effusion and one, with empyema) with PCD only treated, were cast off. Among the available patients, 36(80%) patients were treated with PCD only or PCD with urokinase. Among the 23 patients with empyema, surgical approach was required in five patients(27.1%, one required decortication, four open thoracostomy), one patient, treated with surgical procedure, died of sepsis. There was no significant difference of the duration of catheter insertion, the duration of hospital admission after catheter insertion and the mean amount of effusion drained for initial 24 hours between the patients with only PCD treated and the patients treated with PCD and urokinase. The duration of catheter insertion($9.4{\pm}5.25days$ vs. $19.2{\pm}9.42days$, p<0.05) and the duration of hospital admission after catheter insertion($15.9{\pm}10.45days$ vs. $38.6{\pm}11.46days$, p<0.01) of the patients with only PCD treated were more longer than those of the patients treated with surgical procedure after PCD. They were same between the patients treated with urokinase after PCD and the patients treated with surgical procedure after PCD($11.1{\pm}7.35days$ vs. $19.2{\pm}9.42days$, p<0.05, $17.5{\pm}9.17days$ vs. $38.6{\pm}11.46days$, p<0.01). In 16 patients(44.4%) with only PCD treated or PCD and urokinase treated, the amount of effusion at the time of catheter removal was decreased more than 75% and in 17 patients(47.2%) effusion decreased 50~75%. .In one patient effusion decreased 25~50%, in two patients effusion decreased less than 25%. One month after catheter removal, in 35 patients(97.2%, four patients were cast off), the amount of pleural effusion was successfully decreased more than 50%. There were no complications related to pigtail catheter insertion. Conclusion : In this study, PCD seemed to be an early efficacious procedure in treating the patients with complicated parapneumonic effusion or empyema without any serious procedure related complication.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.286-305
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to investigate the recognition and satisfaction with the menu quality of food services in an immigration detention center. The survey was conducted from January 22, 2010 to April 22, 2010 by questionnaires. A survey with 265 respondents was conducted and data analyzed by the SAS Program. In analyzing leftovers, the most common was kimchi (37.61%), followed by breads (21.52%), and beans/bean curd (17.99%). The common cause for leftover were undesirable taste (31.84%), sickness or a lack of desire for eating (19.85%). In terms of cooking methods, stir-frying, broiling, and frying were highly preferred to steaming, boiling, and salting. In the analysis of preferences in the taste and satisfaction of food service, there were significant differences in hot, sour, bitter, and light tastes (p<0.05, p<0.01, p<0.001). Satisfaction was low with hot and light tastes, whereas sour and the bitter tastes showed a high degree of satisfaction. In the opinions for quality improvement, most immigrants wanted a tastier food supply (58.69%), a diverse food supply (40.54%), and clean utensils (36.68%). In the analysis of the gap between importance and performance, food taste, variety, and sanitation were recognized as poorly performed, causing major dissatisfaction with the food. The overall satisfaction score was 'average' (3 points out of 5 points) with 3.26 points. The satisfaction score showed insignificant difference depending on religions and duration of stay in Korea, but showed significant differences depending on nationality (p<0.001).

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.570-593
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• 1996

This study was intended to perform the influence of condyle positional change after surgical correction of skeletal Class III malocclusion after BSSRO in 20 patients(males 9, females 11) using computed tomogram that were taken in centric occlusion before, immediate, and long term after surgery and lateral cephalogram that were taken in centric occlusion before, 7 days within the period intermaxillary fixation, 24hour after removing intermaxillary fixation and long term after surgery. 1. Mean intercondylar distance was $84.45{\pm}4.01mm$ and horizontal long axis of condylar angle was $11.89{\pm}5.19^{\circ}$on right, $11.65{\pm}2.09^{\circ}$on left side and condylar lateral poles were located about 12mm and medial poles about 7mm from reference line(AA') on the axial tomograph. Mean intercondylar distance was $84.43{\pm}3.96mm$ and vertical axis angle of condylar angle was $78.72{\pm}3.43^{\circ}$on right, $78.09{\pm}6.12^{\circ}$on left. 2. No statistical significance was found on the condylar change(T2C-T1C) but it had definitive increasing tendency. There was significant decreasing of the distance between both condylar pole and the AA'(p<0.05) during the long term(TLC-T2C). 3. On the lateral cephalogram, no statistical significance was found between immediate after surgery and 24 hours after the removing of intermaxillary fixation but only the lower incisor tip moved forward about 0.33mm(p<0.05). Considering individual relapse rate, mean relapse rate was 1.2% on L1, 5.0% on B, 2.0% on Pog, 9.1% on Gn, 10.3% on Me(p<0.05). 4. There was statistical significance on the influence of the mandibular set-back to the total mandibular relapse(p<0.05). 5. There was no statistical significance on the influence of the mandibular set-back(T2-T1) to the condylar change(T2C-T1C), the condylar change(T2C-T1C, TLC-T2C) to the mandibular total relapse, the pre-operative condylar position to the condylar change(T2C-T1C, TLC-T2C), the pre-operative mandibular posture to the condylar change(T2C-T1C, TLC-T2C)(p>0.05). 6. The result of multiple regression analysis on the influence of the pre-operative condylar position to the total mandibular relapse revealed that the more increasing of intercondylar distance and condylar vertical axis angle and decreasing of condyalr head long axis angle, the more increasing of mandibular horizontal relapse(L1,B,Pog,Gn,Me) on the right side condyle. The same result was founded in the case of horizontal relapse(L1,Me) on the left side condyle.(p<0.05). 7. The result of multiple regression analysis on the influence of the pre-operative condylar position to the pre-operative mandibular posture revealed that the more increasing of intercondylar distance and condylar vertical axis angle and decreasing of condylar head long axis angle, the more increasing of mandibular vertical length on the right side condyle. and increasing of vertical lengh & prognathism on the left side condyle(p<0.05). 8. The result of simple regression analysis on the influence of the pre-operative mandibular posture to the mandibular total relapse revealed that the more increasing of prognathism, the more increasing of mandibular total relapse in B and the more increasing of over-jet the more increasing of mandibular total relapse(p<0.05). Consequently, surgical mandibular repositioning was not significantly influenced to the change of condylar position with condylar reposition method.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.452-461
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• 1994

Background: Tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-$\alpha$ and Interleukin(lL)-$1{\beta}$ are thought to play a major role in the pathogenesis of the septic syndrome, which is frequently associated with adult respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS). In spite of many reports for the role of TNF-$\alpha$ in the pathogenesis of ARDS, including human studies, it has been reported that TNF-$\alpha$ is not sensitive and specific marker for impending ARDS. But there is a possibility that the results were affected by the diversity of pathogenetic mechanisms leading to the ARDS because of various underlying disorders of the study group in the previous reports. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the roles of TNF-$\alpha$ and IL-$1{\beta}$ as a predictable marker for development of ARDS in the patients with septic syndrome, in which the pathogenesis is believed to be mainly cytokine-mediated. Methods: Thirty-six patients of the septic syndrome hospitalized in the intensive care units of the Asan Medical Center were studied. Sixteens suffered from ARDS, whereas the remaining 20 were at the risk of developing ARDS(acute hypoxemic respiratory failure, AHRF). In all patients venous blood samples were collected in heparin-coated tubes at the time of enrollment, at 24 and 72 h thereafter. TNF-$\alpha$ and IL-$1{\beta}$ was measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). All data are expressed as median with interquartile range. Results: 1) Plama TNF-$\alpha$ levels: Plasma TNF-$\beta$ levels were less than 10pg/mL, which is lowest detection value of the kit used in this study within the range of the $mean{\pm}2SD$, in all of the normal controls, 8 of 16 subjects of ARDS and in 8 in 20 subjects of AHRF. Plasma TNF-$\alpha$ levels from patients with ARDS were 10.26pg/mL(median; <10-16.99pg/mL, interquartile range) and not different from those of patients at AHRF(10.82, <10-20.38pg/mL). There was also no significant difference between pre-ARDS(<10, <10-15.32pg/mL) and ARDS(<10, <10-10.22pg/mL). TNF-$\alpha$ levels were significantly greater in the patients with shock than the patients without shock(12.53pg/mL vs. <10pg/mL) (p<0.01). There was no statistical significance between survivors(<10, <10-12.92pg/mL) and nonsurvivors(11.80, <10-20.8pg/mL) (P=0.28) in the plasma TNF-$\alpha$ levels. 2) Plasma IL-$1{\beta}$ levels: Plasma IL-$1{\beta}$ levels were less than 0.3ng/mL, which is the lowest detection value of the kit used in this study, in one of each patients group. There was no significant difference in IL-$1{\beta}$ levels of the ARDS(2.22, 1.37-8.01ng/mL) and of the AHRF(2.13, 0.83-5.29ng/mL). There was also no significant difference between pre-ARDS(2.53, <0.3-8.34ngfmL) and ARDS(5.35, 0.66-11.51ng/mL), and between patients with septic shock and patients without shock (2.51, 1.28-8.34 vs 1.46, 0.15-2.13ng/mL). Plasma IL-$1{\beta}$ levels were significantly different between survivors(1.37, 0.4-2.36ng/mL) and nonsurvivors(2.84, 1.46-8.34ng/mL). Conclusion: Plasma TNF-$\alpha$ and IL-$1{\beta}$ level are not a predictable marker for development of ARDS. But TNF-$\alpha$ is a marker for shock in septic syndrome. These result could not exclude a possibility of pathophysiologic roles of TNF-$\alpha$ and IL-$1{\beta}$ in acute lung injury because these cytokine could be locally produced and exert its effects within the lungs.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.303-314
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• 2001

Background : Matrix metalioproteinase(MMP)-2 and MMP-9 have been known to play an important role in cell migration and the tissue remodeling process by type IV collagen lysis, a major component of the basement membrane. Intra-alveolar fibrosis, secondary to an injury to the basement membrane of the alveolar epithelial lining, is a major process in the pathogenesis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis(IPF). Therefore, MMP-2 and MMP-9 was hypothesized to play an important role in IPF pathogenesis. As a result, their level may reflect the activity or prognosis. Method : Forty one progressive IPF patients(age $59.82{\pm}1.73$ years, M:F=23:18), 16 patients with stable IPF for more than one year without therapy(age : $63.6{\pm}2.8$ years, M:F=13:3), and 7 normal controls were enrolled in this study. The MMP-2 and MMP-9 levels in the BAL fluid and alveolar macrophage conditioned media(AM-CM) were measured by zymography and the TIMP-1 level was measured by ELISA. Results : 1) The MMP-2 level in BALF was highest in the progressive IPF group ($1.36{\pm}0.28$) followed by the stable group ($0.46{\pm}0.13$) and the controls ($0.08{\pm}0.09$), which was statistically significant. The MMP-9 level of the IPF ($0.31{\pm}0.058$) and the stable group ($0.22{\pm}0.078$) were higher than that of the control group ($0.002{\pm}0.004$). In the AM-CM, only MMP-9 was detected, which was significantly higher in IPF group ($0.80{\pm}0.1O$) than in the control group($0.23{\pm}0.081$). The TIMP-1 level was also higher in both the IPF ($36.34{\pm}8.62\;{\mu}g/ml$) and stable group ($20.83{\pm}8.53\;{\mu}g/ml$) compared to the control group ($2.80{\pm}1.05\;{\mu}g/ml$) (p<0.05). 3) There was a correlation between the MMP-2 level in the BALF with the total cell number(r=0.298) and neutrophils(r=0.357) (p<0.05), and the MMP-9 level with the number of neutrophils (r=0.407) and lymphocytes (r=0.574)(p<0.05). The TIMP-1 level correlated with the total number of cell (r=0.338, p<0.05) and neutrophils(r=0.449, p=0.059). Conclusion : Both MMP and TIMP appear to play an important role in IPF pathogenesis, and their level may reflect the disease activity.