• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.62 no.3
• /
• pp.184-191
• /
• 2007

Background: For the diagnosis of pleural tuberculosis, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of pleural effusion specimens has shown very low sensitivity, which might be due to the small number of bacilli in the samples. The purpose of this investigation is to determine whether the sensitivity of PCR testing can be improved when increasing the amount of pleural effusion specimens. Methods: We prospectively analyzed pleural effusion specimens obtained from 53 patients for whom the exclusion of the possibility of tuberculous pleural effusion was necessary. We performed Mycobacterium tuberculosis PCR testing using the Cobas Amplicor MTB test (Roche Diagnostic Systems) with three different amounts (10ml, 25ml, and 50ml) of pleural effusion specimen in each patient. Pleural tuberculosis was defined as having one of the following: culture-positive pleural fluid sample, histopathologic finding consistent with tuberculosis on pleural biopsy, culture-positive sputum specimen, and/or positive response to anti-tuberculous medication without other possible causes of pleural effusion. Results: Of the 53 patients, 26 received the diagnosis of pleural tuberculosis. The sensitivities of AFB smearing, Mycobacterium tuberculosis culture of pleural effusion specimen, pleural biopsy, and measurement of ADA were 3.8%, 15.4%, 84.6%, and 88.5%, respectively. The results of PCR testing were positive for 3 (11.5%), 4 (15.4%), and 3 (11.5%) of the 26 patients when using 10ml, 25ml, and 50ml of pleural effusion specimens, respectively. These results did not show a statistically significant difference in the sensitivity of PCR testing when increasing the amount of pleural effusion samples (p>0.05, symmetry exact test). Conclusion: For specimens such as pleural effusion, in which the bacillary load is very low, the clinical utility of PCR testing seems highly limited with the kits designed for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis. An increased amount of pleural effusion sample does not improve the sensitivity of PCR testing.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
• /
• v.65 no.4
• /
• pp.468-476
• /
• 2020

This study was performed to establish light intensity conditions for producing stem cuttings for aeroponic systems suitable for seed potato production using a closed-type plant production system. Shoot tip cultured plantlets of 'Sumi' and 'Chubaek' potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) were acclimatized, cuttings were collected, and stem cuttings were planted. The seedlings were raised for 40 days at different LED light intensities (60, 120, 180, and 240 μmol·m^-2·s^-1), and were cultivated in an aeroponic system for 80 days. When stem cuttings were raised at 60 μmol·m^-2·s^-1 LED light intensity, the plant height was the longest, at 17.3 cm for 'Sumi' and 16.1 cm for 'Chubaek', and the number of nodes was the highest in both cultivars. The higher light intensities, produced smaller plants with fewer nodes. The leaf areas, SPAD values, and Fv/Fm values differed slightly between cultivars. The fresh weight of stem cuttings, and the production rate of healthy stem cuttings were the highest at 60 μmol·m^-2·s^-1. In the aeroponic system, seedlings raised at 60 μmol·m^-2·s^-1 with LED light intensity showed a difference between the cultivars, but the fresh weight of stems and leaves above the planting plate was the heaviest. In addition, below the planting plate the stem cuttings were longest and the root weight was heaviest at 60 μmol·m^-2·s^-1 LED light intensity. The number of stolons also differed between cultivars, but was greatest for seedlings raised at 60 μmol·m^-2·s^-1 LED light intensity, at 4.2/plant for 'Sumi' and 7.7/plant for 'Chubaek'. At 60 μmol·m^-2·s^-1 LED light intensity, the tuber number and total tuber weight were the best, but the higher the light intensity, the smaller the total tuber number and total tuber weight for both cultivars. In conclusion, when producing potato stem cuttings for aeroponic systems using a closed-type plant production system, the most suitable LED light intensity for raising seedlings was found to be 60 μmol·m^-2·s^-1.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.35-42
• /
• 2018

Purpose Standardized uptake value(SUV) has been widely used as a quantitative metric of uptake in PET/CT for diagnosis of malignant tumors and evaluation of tumor therapy response. However, the SUV depends on various factor including PET/CT scanner specifications and reconstruction parameter. The purpose of this study is to validate a EQ PET to evaluate SUV across different PET/CT systems. Materials and Methods First, NEMA IEC body phantom data were used to calculate the EQ filter for OSEM3D with PSF and TOF reconstruction from three different PET/CT systems in order to obtain EARL compliant recovery coefficients of each spheres. The Biograph true point 40 PET/CT images were reconstructed with a OSEM3D+PSF reconstruction, images of the Biograph mCT 40 and Biograph mCT 64 PET/CT scanners were reconstructed with a OSEM3D+PSF, OSEM3D+TOF, OSEM3D+PSF+TOF. Post reconstructions, the proprietary EQ filter was applied to the reconstruction data. Recovery coefficient can be estimated by ratio of measured to true activity concentration for spheres of different volume and coefficient variability(CV) value of RC for each sphere was compared. For clinical study, we compared SUVmax applying different reconstruction algorithms in FDG PET images of 61 patients with lung cancer using Biograph mCT 40 PET/CT scanner. Results For the phantom studied, the mean values of CV for OSEM3D, OSEM3D+PSF, OSEM3D+TOF and OSEM3D+PSF+TOF reconstructions were 0.05, 0.04, 0.04 and 0.03 respectively for RC. Application of the proprietary EQ filter, the mean values of CV for OSEM3D, OSEM3D+PSF, OSEM3D+TOF and OSEM3D+PSF+TOF reconstructions were 0.04, 0.03, 0.03 and 0.02 respectively for RC. Clinical study, there were no statistical significance of the difference applying EQ PET on SUVmax of 61 patients FDG PET image. (p=1.000) Conclusion This study indicates that CV values of RC in phantom were decreased after applying EQ PET for different PET/CT system and The EQ PET reduced reconstruction dependent variation in SUVs for 61 lung cancer patients, Therefore, EQ PET will be expected to provide accurate quantification when the patient is scanned on different PET/CT system.

• Asia pacific journal of information systems
• /
• v.17 no.4
• /
• pp.165-186
• /
• 2007

With the advent of a wide variety of Internet shopping malls, consumers can choose a best appealing shopping mall from among the Bricks-and-Clicks and Pure-Player malls. Pure-Players launched their operation grandiosely with the early stage of Internet use in 1995. However, after the burst of Dot-com company bubbles in 1997, Pure-Players introduce various types of business models to meet potential needs of consumers. While Pure-Players suffer skeptical views from market analysts as well as consumers, traditional offline companies learned important lessons from Dot-com companies collapse phenomena, and expanded their business channels into online in the name of Bricks-and-Clicks. Nowadays, Bricks-and-Clicks successfully establish in the market as one of reliable business partners among consumers. Therefore, it is no surprise that recent competitions between Bricks-and Clicks and Pure-Players become fiercer than ever to attract potential customers to their websites. In this situation, consumers can choose a shopping mall to their best satisfaction. Consumers can enjoy both offline and online options for shopping because Bricks-and Clicks provide both offline and online channels to consumers, which is compared with Pure-Players offering only online channel. Offline channel is unique in providing consumers with chances to touch and feel target products and services. Meanwhile, online channel is considered very viable and convenient shopping options for consumers. In this respect, it is easily assumed that consumers will show different online shopping behavior when they have to choose either Bricks-and-Clicks mall or Pure-Player mall for the sake of shopping. Remaining research issue in this case is how much consumers' schema would influence online shopping behavior between Bricks-and-Clicks and Pure-Players. Basically, schema is a framework for synthetic information recognition that individual consumers have and is very characteristic in that it focuses not on fragmentary facts but on the combination of various causes affecting results. Consumers' schema is closely represented by trust, structural assurance, and perceived relative advantage towards a specific type of shopping mall. In literature, there exist a lot of studies comparing Bricks-and-Clicks and Pure-Players. However, there is no study to pursue the analysis of consumer behaviors comparing Bricks-and Clicks and Pure-Players from the schema perspective. Therefore, this study aims to investigate this research gap. Empirical analysis is adopted by garnering valid questionnaires from 514 Internet shopping mall users. 237 were mainly using Bricks-and-Clicks for shopping, while 277 were found to visit Pure-Players for shopping. PLS was applied to analyze the survey data to verify the proposed research hypotheses. Findings from the empirical test results are as follows. First, consumers perceive more trust and relative advantage in Pure-Players, comparing with Bricks-and-Clicks. This result is against widely-accepted perception that Bricks-and-Clicks would be perceived by consumers as more trustworthy and relatively advantageous because they have offline reputation and stores. Therefore, it becomes more obvious that Internet is becoming daily necessaries, and consumers increasingly feel very comfortable in using the Internet for their own personal purposes. Second, consumers have firm faith in transaction safety, regardless Bricks-and-Clicks and Pure-Players. This seems due to the fact that most of shopping malls showing dubious transaction safety have no place in the market. In a nutshell, empirical results tell us that Pure-Players will grow very much in the future, to the extent that consumers perceive no difference in comparison with Bricks-and-Clicks. Besides, consumers' schema accumulated through trust and perceived relative advantage plays crucial role in determining consumer behavior.

• Journal of Korea Society of Industrial Information Systems
• /
• v.8 no.3
• /
• pp.51-60
• /
• 2003

In the radical char]go of the business environments that the existing facilities can not guarantee the business-frosts anymore, enterprises have been importing ERP system. In Korea, Sam-sung Electronics did it for the first tin in the latter half of 1994 and other enterprises succeeded. Currently, government and public enterprises as well as most of the large enterprises are employing ERP system to sharpen the competitiveness and to win the business transparency. On the other hand, it is harder for small and medium enterprises shaded by the large enterprises to be well-equipped with information system such as ERP, because they have already suffered from chronic financial difficulties and shortage of many resources. Most of all, they prefer the short-term project that does not need much tine for them to make decisions and to carry out fully. Grounded on the above factors, in this work, I suggest the suitable ERP model for the small and medium enterprises and the successful importing process of ERP, which is derived from the previous researches made by other masters' thesis. If necessary information and human resources are interchanged pertinently between local education institute and small and medium enterprise, the latter could not only deal with the confronted difficulties successfully inside and outside but attain the goal of being proficient in up-to-minute high technology. Besides, giving the students the opportunity of researching into the practice of the business they have not ever known, local universities could help their students accumulate knowledges and acquire ideas which could not be achieved in pure academic studies. When the above-mentioned procedure is over, the students might get the intellectual faculty to ponder on the future more concretely and enter a profession more carefully. In the result, we would raise up the percentage of the employment among the graduates. And active participation of university professors is the last important factor that assists the small and medium enterprises for introducing ERP system successfully. Their scholarly attainments play an important role in strengthening local economy and make the business competitiveness balanced between the capital and the local economy.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• /
• v.1 no.1
• /
• pp.119-124
• /
• 1997

Purpose: To assess the utility of magnetic resonance(MR) cerebral blood volume (CBV) map in the evaluation of brain tumors. Materials and Methods: We performed perfusion MR imaing preoperatively in the consecutive IS patients with intracranial masses(3 meningiomas, 2 glioblastoma multiformes, 3 low grade gliomas, 1 lymphoma, 1 germinoma, 1 neurocytoma, 1 metastasis, 2 abscesses, 1 radionecrosis). The average age of the patients was 42 years (22yr -68yr), composed of 10 males and S females. All MR images were obtained at l.ST imager(Signa, CE Medical Systems, Milwaukee, Wisconsin). The regional CBV map was obtained on the theoretical basis of susceptibility difference induced by first pass circulation of contrast media. (contrast media: IScc of gadopentate dimeglumine, about 2ml/sec by hand, starting at 10 second after first baseline scan). For each patient, a total of 480 images (6 slices, 80 images/slice in 160 sec) were obtained by using gradient echo(CE) single shot echo-planar image(EPI) sequence (TR 2000ms, TE SOms, flip angle $90^{\circ}$, FOV $240{\times}240mm,{\;}matrix{\;}128{\times}128$, slice-thick/gap S/2.S). After data collection, the raw data were transferred to CE workstation and rCBV maps were generated from the numerical integration of ${\Delta}R2^{*} on a voxel by voxel basis, with home made software (${\Delta}R2^{*}=-ln (S/SO)/TE). For easy visual interpretation, relative RCB color coding with reference to the normal white matter was applied and color rCBV maps were obtained. The findings of perfusion MR image were retrospectively correlated with Cd-enhanced images with focus on the degree and extent of perfusion and contrast enhancement. Results: Two cases of glioblastoma multiforme with rim enhancement on Cd-enhanced Tl weighted image showed increased perfusion in the peripheral rim and decreased perfusion in the central necrosis portion. The low grade gliomas appeared as a low perfusion area with poorly defined margin. In 2 cases of brain abscess, the degree of perfusion was similar to that of the normal white matter in the peripheral enhancing rim and was low in the central portion. All meningiomas showed diffuse homogeneous increased perfusion of moderate or high degree. One each of lymphoma and germinoma showed homogenously decreased perfusion with well defined margin. The central neurocytoma showed multifocal increased perfusion areas of moderate or high degree. A few nodules of the multiple metastasis showed increased perfusion of moderate degree. One radionecrosis revealed multiple foci of increased perfusion within the area of decreased perfusion. Conclusion: The rCBV map appears to correlate well with the perfusion state of brain tumor, and may be helpful in discrimination between low grade and high grade gliomas. The further study is needed to clarify the role of perfusion MR image in the evaluation of brain tumor.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.79-85
• /
• 2012

Objective: It has been expected that patient with posttraumatic recurrent anterior shoulder dislocation might have limited daily life activity because of pain and apprehension of dislocation. But there have been only a small number of investigations regarding the rotator strength in this patient. The aim of this study is to find the characteristics about rotator strength of patient with posttraumatic recurrent anterior shoulder dislocation using an isokinetic testing. Method: We enrolled thirteen patients with posttraumatic recurrent anterior shoulder dislocation and fifteen sex, age-matched healthy nonathletic subjects in this controlled study. All participants were male and there were no significant differences between the two groups in age, height, weight, BMI. Isokinetic internal rotator and external rotator strength was evaluated with a Biodex Isokinetic Testing machine (Biodex Medical Systems, Shirley, NY, USA), tests were performed at 60 deg/sec and 180 deg/sec for both sides. Peak torque normalized to body weight, external rotator to internal rotator ratio, total work and fatigue were calculated for each angular velocity. The association between internal rotator and external rotator strength and shoulder instability was analyzed by comparisons with a control group. Results: Any notable differences could not be found between the two groups given all data from no symptomatic left shoulder. There were no significant differences between the two groups statistically in internal rotation strength of right shoulder. However, there has been a tendency that at all angular velocities, external rotator peak torque to body weight, total work and external rotator to internal rotator ratio were significantly lower in the anterior instability group than the control group at all angular velocities. There was no substantial difference between those groups with respect to the fatigue of external rotator and internal rotator in our study. Conclusion: The prominent characteristics of posttraumatic recurrent anterior shoulder dislocation are external rotator weakness and loss of balance with external rotator and internal rotator. Therefore selective training using this information rotator might be helpful in conservative treatment and rehabilitation.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
• /
• v.6 no.1
• /
• pp.69-89
• /
• 2000

The regional geography had been at the height of prosperity in the first half of the twentieth century since Alexander von Humboldt and Carl Ritter. The geography remained stationary in the late 19th century had greatly developed around the regional geography in European countries since the early 20th century. Particularly, A. Hettner and O. $Schl{\ddot{u}}ter$ in Germany, Vidal de la Blache in France and A. J. Herbertson in Britain developed their own methods of regional studies and produced many results of empirical studies ; accordingly the regional geography had been at the height of prosperity in the 1920s and 1930s. This paper aims to study the regional concepts and the methods of regional studies of Germany geographers in the 1920s and 1930s. This study is useful to understand the current methods of classifications of regions and descripitive systems of regions. The noteworthy results of studies are summarized as follows : First, The regional geography of Germany had been developed by Hettner who regarded the geography as the chorological science of the earth's surface, $Schl{\ddot{u}}ter$ who did the geography as the study of cultural landscape and Penck's students, the morphologists of landscape (Landschaftsmorphologie). Hettner defined the geography as the chorological science, maintained that the earth's surface was classify according to its localized difference -continents, lands, districts and localities(Erdteile, $L{\ddot{a}}nder$, Landschaften und Ortlichkeiten) and emphasized on the total character of areas. He tried to classify downward from continents to localities based on the sizes of regions. He also gave the logic of causal relation to schematic approach(Das $L{\ddot{a}}nderkundliche$ Schema) and further developed it. $Schl{\ddot{u}}ter$ argued that The process of change on the landscape through time must be studied. And Passarge and Penck's pupils, morphologists of landscape, tried to classify the landscape synthetically. Thereafter, De Geer and $Gran{\ddot{o}}$ employed the creative methods of regional classification which used signs and simbols. Second, The regional geography of Germany differed from that of France on the next points ; 1. The former was analytic, but the latter was synthetic. 2. The former placed great emphasis on physical elements, terrain and climate etc., but the latter did great emphasis on both physical and human elements. 3. The former gave priority to the studies of large scale regions, but the latter did priority to the studies of small scale regions. In 1920s and 1930s the regional study of Germany geographers exerted direct influence on the development of geography of Japan. Especially, Tanaka Keiji, Japanese typical regional geographer, tried to classify Japan synthetically on the bases of terrain, climate, vegetation and human elements under the influence of European geographers. He exerted great influence on both Japanese and Korean geographers at that time.

• Management & Information Systems Review
• /
• v.35 no.3
• /
• pp.1-22
• /
• 2016

We analyzed the international comovements and structural changes in the quarterly real GDP by the Markov-switching vector autoregressive model (MS-VAR) from 1971(1) to 2016(1). The main results of this study were as follows. First, the business cycle phenomenon that occurs in the models or individual time series in real GDP has been grasped through the MS-VAR models. Unlike previous studies, this study showed the significant comovements, asymmetry and structural changes in the MS-VAR model using a real GDP across countries. Second, even if there was a partial difference, there were remarkable structural changes in the economy contraction regime(recession), such as 1988(2) ending the global oil shock crisis and 2007(3) starting the global financial crisis by the MS-VAR model. Third, large-scale structural changes were generated in the economic expansion and/or contraction regime simultaneously among countries. We found that the second world oil shocks that occurred after the first global oil shocks of 1973 and 1974 were the main reasons that caused the large-scale comovements of the international real GDP among countries. In addition, the spillover between Korea and 5 countries has been weak during the Asian currency crisis from 1997 to 1999, but there was strong transmission between Korea and 5 countries at the end of 2007 including the period of the global financial crisis. Fourth, it showed characteristics that simultaneous correlation appeared to be high due to the country-specific shocks generated for each country with the regime switching using real GDP since 1973. Thus, we confirmed that conclusions were consistent with a number of theoretical and empirical evidence available, and the macro-economic changes were mainly caused by the global shocks for the past 30 years. This study found that the global business cycles were due to large-scale asymmetric shocks in addition to the general changes, and then showed the main international comovements and/or structural changes through country-specific shocks.

• Management & Information Systems Review
• /
• v.37 no.1
• /
• pp.139-154
• /
• 2018

R programming is free and open source system associated with a rich and ever-growing set of libraries of functions developed and submitted by independent end-users. It is recognized as a popular tool for handling big data sets and analyzing them. Reflecting these characteristics, R has been gaining popularity from data analysts. However, the antecedents of R technology acceptance has not been studied yet. In this study we identify and investigates cognitive factors contributing to build user acceptance toward R in education environment. We extend the existing technology acceptance model by incorporating social norms and software capability. It was found that the factors of subjective norm, perceived usefulness, ease of use affect positively on the intention of acceptance R programming. In addition, perceived usefulness is related to subjective norms, perceived ease of use, and software capability. The main difference of this research from the previous ones is that the target system is not a stand-alone. In addition, the system is not static in the sense that the system is not a final version. Instead, R system is evolving and open source system. We applied the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to the target system which is a platform where diverse applications such as statistical, big data analyses, and visual rendering can be performed. The model presented in this work can be useful for both colleges that plan to invest in new statistical software and for companies that need to pursue future installations of new technologies. In addition, we identified a modified version of the TAM model which is extended by the constructs such as subjective norm and software capability to the original TAM model. However one of the weak aspects that might inhibit the reliability and validity of the model is that small number of sample size.