• Title/Summary/Keyword: performance differences

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A Study on the Quality of Healthcare Services for Four Critical Illnesses and the Maintenance of Right to Protection and Dignity in a Senior General Hospital (상급종합병원의 4대 중증질환 의료 서비스 품질과 보호받을 권리 및 존엄성 유지에 관한 연구)

  • Woojin Lee;Minsuk Shin
    • Journal of Korean Society for Quality Management
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    • v.51 no.4
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    • pp.531-550
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    • 2023
  • Purpose: The unique nature of life-and-death healthcare services sets them apart from other service industries. While many studies exist on the relationship between healthcare services and customer satisfaction, most of them focus on mildly ill patients, ignoring the differences between critically ill and non-seriously ill patients. This study discusses the actual quality of healthcare services for patients who are facing life-threatening illnesses and are on life support, as well as their right to protection and dignity. Methods: The survey conducted to 149 patients with the four major illnesses: cancer, heart disease, brain disease and rare and incurable disease, those who have experiences with senior general hospitals. Results: The basic statistics of this study are adequate to represent the four major critical illnesses, and the reliability and validity of this study's hypotheses, which were measured by multiple items, were analyzed, and the internal consistency was judged to be high. In addition, it was found that the convergent validity was good and the discriminant validity was also secured. When examining the goodness of fit of the hypotheses, the SRMR, which is the standardized root mean square of residuals that measures the difference between the covariance matrix of the data variables and the theoretical covariance matrix structure of the model, met the optimal criteria. Conclusion: The academic implications of this study are differentiated from other studies by moving away from evaluating the quality of healthcare services for mildly ill patients and focusing on the rights and dignity of patients with life-threatening illnesses in four senior general hospitals. In terms of academic implications, this study enriches the depth of related studies by demonstrating the right to protection and dignity as a factor of patient-centeredness based on physical environment quality, interaction quality, and outcome quality, which are presented as sub-factors of healthcare quality. We found that the three quality factors classified by Brady and Cronin (2001) are optimized for healthcare quality assessment and management, and that the results of patients' interaction quality assessment can be used to provide a comprehensive quality rating for hospitals. Health and human rights are inextricably linked, so assessing the degree to which rights and dignity are protected can be a superior and more comprehensive measurement tool than traditional health level measures for healthcare organizations. Practical implications: Improving the quality of the physical environment and the quality of outcomes is an important challenge for hospital managers who attract patients with life and death conditions, but given the scale and economics of time, money, and human inputs, improving the quality of interactions and defining them as performance indicators in hospital quality management is an efficient way to create maximum value in the short term.

The Impact of the Foreign Investment Law on the Tax Decisions of Korean Companies Operating in China (외상투자법이 재중 한국기업의 세무적 선택에 미치는 영향)

  • Bak-Mun Lee;Eun-Ju Lee
    • Journal of Digital Convergence
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    • v.22 no.3
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    • pp.1-7
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    • 2024
  • This study provides an in-depth analysis of the impact of the deepening reform and opening-up policies announced at the 20th CPC Central Committee's Plenary Session, particularly focusing on the <Foreign Investment Law> and its effects on the tax decisions and organizational restructuring of Korean companies operating in China. Using a comprehensive literature review and policy analysis, the study compares the dual legal structure and tax differences before and after the implementation of the law, assessing how legal unification has influenced the organizational forms and tax strategies of Korean companies. The findings indicate that the <Foreign Investment Law> has played a crucial role in enhancing legal consistency and tax equity between foreign-invested enterprises and domestic enterprises, thereby enabling Korean companies to manage their operations in the Chinese market more stably and efficiently. Additionally, in the context of the ongoing U.S.-China trade conflict, the law's provision of national treatment and tax benefits has proven to be a significant factor in the survival strategy of Korean companies in China. Future research should focus on empirically examining the long-term effects of this law and its impact on actual corporate performance.

Outcomes of partially covered self-expandable metal stents with different uncovered lengths in endoscopic ultrasound-guided hepaticogastrostomy: a Japanese retrospective study

  • Takeshi Okamoto;Takashi Sasaki;Tsuyoshi Takeda;Tatsuki Hirai;Takahiro Ishitsuka;Manabu Yamada;Hiroki Nakagawa;Takafumi Mie;Takaaki Furukawa;Akiyoshi Kasuga;Masato Ozaka;Naoki Sasahira
    • Clinical Endoscopy
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    • v.57 no.4
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    • pp.515-526
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    • 2024
  • Background/Aims: The optimal length of the uncovered portion of partially covered self-expandable metal stents (PCSEMSs) used in endoscopic ultrasound-guided hepaticogastrostomy (EUS-HGS) remains unclear. This study investigated the safety and efficacy of PCSEMSs with different uncovered lengths, with a focus on stent migration and time to recurrent biliary obstruction (RBO). Methods: Outcomes of patients undergoing EUS-HGS using PCSEMSs with 5-mm and 20-mm uncovered portions at our institution from January 2016 to December 2021 were compared. Results: Sixty-two patients underwent EUS-HGS using PCSEMS (5/20-mm uncovered portions: 32/30). Stent migration occurred only in the 5-mm group. There were no differences in RBO rates (28.1% vs. 40.0%) or median time to RBO (6.8 vs. 7.1 months) between the two groups. Median overall survival (OS) was longer in the 20-mm group (3.1 vs. 4.9 months, p=0.037) due to the higher number of patients that resumed chemotherapy after EUS-HGS (56.7% vs. 28.1%, p=0.029). Good performance status, absence of hepatic metastases, and chemotherapy after EUS-HGS were independent predictors of longer OS. Conclusions: No migration was observed in patients treated with PCSEMS with 20-mm uncovered portions. Patients treated with PCSEMS with 20-mm uncovered portions performed at least as well as those treated with 5-mm uncovered portions in all material respects.

Sound Pressure and Vibration Characteristics of Reinforced Concrete Slab with Heavy Weight Mortar for Cross-section Recovery (단면 회복용 중량 모르타르를 사용한 철근콘크리트 슬래브의 음압 및 진동 특성)

  • Jae-Sung Kim;Jin-Man Kim
    • Journal of the Korean Recycled Construction Resources Institute
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    • v.12 no.3
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    • pp.298-305
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    • 2024
  • This paper is a basic study to improve floor impact noise of reinforced concrete slabs. Considering the case where thickness differences occur due to construction, changes in sound insulation characteristics were analyzed when the cross section of a reinforced concrete slab was restored with mortar. The houses subject to analysis were divided into two types, 84 type and 59 type, with different floor plans. When pre-mortaring was done with heavy mortar to restore the cross section on the reinforced concrete slab, the case was when pre-mortaring was done with the reinforced concrete slab alone and with general mortar. Compared with, the difference between vibration acceleration level and sound pressure was measured. As a result of measuring the vibration acceleration level of the slab after pouring the mortar, the CS mortar was 66.4 dB and the ES mortar was 66.1 dB at 84 type 63 Hz, which was more than 2 dB lower than that of regular mortar. In addition, compared to the reinforced concrete slab alone, CS mortar was reduced by 5.5 dB and ES mortar was reduced by 4.6 dB, showing relatively excellent values. As for the floor impact sound pressure, the 84B type was similar at 63 Hz for CS mortar and general mortar at 67.3 dB, and the reduction compared to the reinforced concrete slab alone was 3.6 dB for CS mortar, 2.7 dB for ES mortar, and 2.7 dB for general mortar was reduced by 1.4 dB. By pouring mortar to compensate for the thickness of the reinforced concrete slab, the vibration acceleration level and floor impact noise were reduced, and when a heavy mortar using copper smelting slag fine aggregate was used, relatively excellent performance was found.

lp-norm regularization for impact force identification from highly incomplete measurements

  • Yanan Wang;Baijie Qiao;Jinxin Liu;Junjiang Liu;Xuefeng Chen
    • Smart Structures and Systems
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    • v.34 no.2
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    • pp.97-116
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    • 2024
  • The standard l1-norm regularization is recently introduced for impact force identification, but generally underestimates the peak force. Compared to l1-norm regularization, lp-norm (0 ≤ p < 1) regularization, with a nonconvex penalty function, has some promising properties such as enforcing sparsity. In the framework of sparse regularization, if the desired solution is sparse in the time domain or other domains, the under-determined problem with fewer measurements than candidate excitations may obtain the unique solution, i.e., the sparsest solution. Considering the joint sparse structure of impact force in temporal and spatial domains, we propose a general lp-norm (0 ≤ p < 1) regularization methodology for simultaneous identification of the impact location and force time-history from highly incomplete measurements. Firstly, a nonconvex optimization model based on lp-norm penalty is developed for regularizing the highly under-determined problem of impact force identification. Secondly, an iteratively reweighed l1-norm algorithm is introduced to solve such an under-determined and unconditioned regularization model through transforming it into a series of l1-norm regularization problems. Finally, numerical simulation and experimental validation including single-source and two-source cases of impact force identification are conducted on plate structures to evaluate the performance of lp-norm (0 ≤ p < 1) regularization. Both numerical and experimental results demonstrate that the proposed lp-norm regularization method, merely using a single accelerometer, can locate the actual impacts from nine fixed candidate sources and simultaneously reconstruct the impact force time-history; compared to the state-of-the-art l1-norm regularization, lp-norm (0 ≤ p < 1) regularization procures sufficiently sparse and more accurate estimates; although the peak relative error of the identified impact force using lp-norm regularization has a decreasing tendency as p is approaching 0, the results of lp-norm regularization with 0 ≤ p ≤ 1/2 have no significant differences.

Glass Dissolution Rates From MCC-1 and Flow-Through Tests

  • Jeong, Seung-Young
    • Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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    • 2004.06a
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    • pp.257-258
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    • 2004
  • The dose from radionuclides released from high-level radioactive waste (HLW) glasses as they corrode must be taken into account when assessing the performance of a disposal system. In the performance assessment (PA) calculations conducted for the proposed Yucca Mountain, Nevada, disposal system, the release of radionuclides is conservatively assumed to occur at the same rate the glass matrix dissolves. A simple model was developed to calculate the glass dissolution rate of HLW glasses in these PA calculations [1]. For the PA calculations that were conducted for Site Recommendation, it was necessary to identify ranges of parameter values that bounded the dissolution rates of the wide range of HLW glass compositions that will be disposed. The values and ranges of the model parameters for the pH and temperature dependencies were extracted from the results of SPFT, static leach tests, and Soxhlet tests available in the literature. Static leach tests were conducted with a range of glass compositions to measure values for the glass composition parameter. The glass dissolution rate depends on temperature, pH, and the compositions of the glass and solution, The dissolution rate is calculated using Eq. 1: $rate{\;}={\;}k_{o}10^{(ph){\eta})}{\cdot}e^{(-Ea/RT)}{\cdot}(1-Q/K){\;}+{\;}k_{long}$ where $k_{0},\;{\eta}$ and Eaare the parameters for glass composition, pH, $\eta$ and temperature dependence, respectively, and R is the gas constant. The term (1-Q/K) is the affinity term, where Q is the ion activity product of the solution and K is the pseudo-equilibrium constant for the glass. Values of the parameters $k_{0},\;{\eta}\;and\;E_{a}$ are the parameters for glass composition, pH, and temperature dependence, respectively, and R is the gas constant. The term (1-Q/C) is the affinity term, where Q is the ion activity product of the solution and K is the pseudo-equilibrium constant for the glass. Values of the parameters $k_0$, and Ea are determined under test conditions where the value of Q is maintained near zero, so that the value of the affinity term remains near 1. The dissolution rate under conditions in which the value of the affinity term is near 1 is referred to as the forward rate. This is the highest dissolution rate that can occur at a particular pH and temperature. The value of the parameter K is determined from experiments in which the value of the ion activity product approaches the value of K. This results in a decrease in the value of the affinity term and the dissolution rate. The highly dilute solutions required to measure the forward rate and extract values for $k_0$, $\eta$, and Ea can be maintained by conducting dynamic tests in which the test solution is removed from the reaction cell and replaced with fresh solution. In the single-pass flow-through (PFT) test method, this is done by continuously pumping the test solution through the reaction cell. Alternatively, static tests can be conducted with sufficient solution volume that the solution concentrations of dissolved glass components do not increase significantly during the test. Both the SPFT and static tests can ve conducted for a wide range of pH values and temperatures. Both static and SPFt tests have short-comings. the SPFT test requires analysis of several solutions (typically 6-10) at each of several flow rates to determine the glass dissolution rate at each pH and temperature. As will be shown, the rate measured in an SPFt test depends on the solution flow rate. The solutions in static tests will eventually become concentrated enough to affect the dissolution rate. In both the SPFt and static test methods. a compromise is required between the need to minimize the effects of dissolved components on the dissolution rate and the need to attain solution concentrations that are high enough to analyze. In the paper, we compare the results of static leach tests and SPFT tests conducted with simple 5-component glass to confirm the equivalence of SPFT tests and static tests conducted with pH buffer solutions. Tests were conducted over the range pH values that are most relevant for waste glass disssolution in a disposal system. The glass and temperature used in the tests were selected to allow direct comparison with SPFT tests conducted previously. The ability to measure parameter values with more than one test method and an understanding of how the rate measured in each test is affected by various test parameters provides added confidence to the measured values. The dissolution rate of a simple 5-component glass was measured at pH values of 6.2, 8.3, and 9.6 and $70^{\circ}C$ using static tests and single-pass flow-through (SPFT) tests. Similar rates were measured with the two methods. However, the measured rates are about 10X higher than the rates measured previously for a glass having the same composition using an SPFT test method. Differences are attributed to effects of the solution flow rate on the glass dissolution reate and how the specific surface area of crushed glass is estimated. This comparison indicates the need to standardize the SPFT test procedure.

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Effects of Dietary Xanthophylls and See Weed By-Products on Growth Performance, Color and Antioxidant Properties in Broiler Chicks (Xanthophylls과 해조 부산물 첨가 급여가 육계의 사양성적, 육색 및 항산화 특성에 미치는 영향)

  • 김창혁;이성기;이규호
    • Food Science of Animal Resources
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    • v.24 no.2
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    • pp.128-134
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    • 2004
  • This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary pigment sources on the performance, color and antioxidant properties in broiler chick. Experimental diet was formulated to have isocalories and isonitrogen during the experiment period. Total xanthophylls content in the experimental diet was formulated to have 30ppm. Experimental trials were done for five weeks with six treatment groups; T1 (Control), T2 (Olo Glo, natural yellow pigment), T3 (Kern Glo, natural red pigment), T4 (canthaxanthin, synthetic red pigment), T5 (asthaxanthine, natural red pigment), and T6 (seaweed by-products). Body weight gain and feed intake were significantly lower (p<0.05) in T6 group than in other treatments. Mortality was lower in T2, T3 and T4 than in control, but higher (p<0.05) in T5 and T6. The sources of pigments did not have any effects on the dressed carcass and abdominal fat pad (p>0.05). The gizzard weight was significantly lower in T6 (p<0.05) than in others. Pigmentation of leg skin was significantly lower (p<0.05) in control and T6. Effects of dietary pigments was greater with red pigments than with yellow pigments, and those were also greater with natural pigments than with synthetic ones. The peroxide value (POV), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and pH values of chicken meat were increased (p<0.05) in all treatments at 12 day storage, and was higher (p<0.05) in pigments supplementation group. No differences of CIE L$\^$*/(lightness) and b$\^$*/(yellowness) were not found by storage days and xanthophylls sources. The a$\^$*/(redness) after 12 day storage was significantly (p<0.05) decreased in all treatments, but those of T4 and T5 were higher than those of others. These results showed that feeding of xanthophylls sources to chick could improve color intensity and inhibit lipid oxidation of leg meat.

Effect of Feeding Multiple Probiotics on Performance and Fecal Noxious Gas Emission in Broiler Chicks (혼합 생균제의 급여가 육계의 생산성 및 계분의 유해가스 발생에 미치는 영향)

  • Yoon C.;Na C. S.;Park J. H.;Han S. K.;Nam Y. M.;Kwon J. T.
    • Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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    • v.31 no.4
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    • pp.229-235
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    • 2004
  • A study was conducted to examine the effect of dietary supplementation of multiple probiotics (EM) on growth performance, blood cholesterol, intestinal micro flora, and fecal gas emission in broiler chicks. A total of 450 one day old male broiler chicks (Ross $\times$ Ross) were divided into six treatments with five replications in each treatment for five weeks. Treatments were factorially designed with two levels of diet containing probiotics (DW; 0, $0.2\%$) and three levels of drinking water containing probiotics (DW; 0, 0.01, $0.1\%$). Basal diets contained $21.5\%$ CP and 3,100 kcal/kg ME for starting and $19\%$ CP and 3,100 kcal/kg ME for finishing period. Weight gain, feed intake, and feed conversions of birds fed with probiotics were not significantly different between Ds. Total cholesterol and triglyceride levels were significantly lower (P<0.05) in birds fed with DW $0.01\%$ or $0.1\%$ compared with no probiotics group, but there was no significant difference between D treatments. The number of E. coli, Salmonella and Lactobacillus in the ileum and cecum of the birds fed multiple probiotics were not significantly different from those of no probiotic groups. There were no significant differences in the $CO_2$ gas emissions of fecal between birds fed with Ds or among birds fed with DW. However, $NH_3$ gas emissions of DW $0.1\%$ were significantly lower (P<0.05) than DW $0\%$. In the results of this study, supplementation of probiotics tended to decrease the serum cholesterol and triglyceride compared to those of control groups and reduction of fecal $NH_3$ gas emission.

Simulation of Drying Grain with Solar-Heated Air (태양에너지를 이용한 곡물건조시스템의 시뮬레이션에 관한 연구)

  • 금동혁;김용운
    • Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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    • v.4 no.2
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    • pp.65-83
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    • 1979
  • Low-temperature drying systems have been extensively used for drying cereal grain such as shelled corn and wheat. Since the 1973 energy crisis, many researches have been conducted to apply solar energy as supplemental heat to natural air drying systems. However, little research on rough rice drying has been done in this area, especially very little in Korea. In designing a solar drying system, quality loss, airflow requirements, temperature rise of drying air, fan power and energy requirements should be throughly studied. The factors affecting solar drying systems are airflow rate, initial moisture content, the amount of heat added to drying air, fan operation method and the weather conditions. The major objectives of this study were to analyze the effects of the performance factors and determine design parameters such as airflow requirements, optimum bed depth, optimum temperature rise of drying air, fan operation method and collector size. Three hourly observations based on the 4-year weather data in Chuncheon area were used to simulate rough rice drying. The results can be summarized as follows: 1. The results of the statistical analysis indicated that the experimental and predicted values of the temperature rise of the air passing through the collector agreed well. 2. Equilibrium moisture content was affected a little by airflow rate, but affected mainly by the amount of heat added, to drying air. Equilibrium moisture content ranged from 12.2 to 13.2 percent wet basis for the continuous fan operation, from 10.4 to 11.7 percent wet basis for the intermittent fan operation respectively, in range of 1. 6 to 5. 9 degrees Centigrade average temperature rise of drying air. 3. Average moisture content when top layer was dried to 15 percent wet basis ranged from 13.1 to 13.9 percent wet basis for the continuous fan operation, from 11.9 to 13.4 percent wet basis for the intermittent fan operation respectively, in the range of 1.6 to 5.9 degrees Centigrade average temperature rise of drying air and 18 to 24 percent wet basis initial moisture content. The results indicated that grain was overdried with the intermittent fan operation in any range of temperature rise of drying air. Therefore, the continuous fan operation is usually more effective than the intermittent fan operation considering the overdrying. 4. For the continuous fan operation, the average temperature rise of drying air may be limited to 2.2 to 3. 3 degrees Centigrade considering safe storage moisture level of 13.5 to 14 perceut wet basis. 5. Required drying time decrease ranged from 40 to 50 percent each time the airflow rate was doubled and from 3.9 to 4.3 percent approximately for each one degrees Centigrade in average temperature rise of drying air regardless of the fan operation methods. Therefore, the average temperature rise of drying air had a little effect on required drying time. 6. Required drying time increase ranged from 18 to 30 percent approximately for each 2 percent increase in initial moisture content regardless of the fan operation methods, in the range of 18 to 24 percent moisture. 7. The intermittent fan operation showed about 36 to 42 percent decrease in required drying time as compared with the continuous fan operation. 8. Drymatter loss decrease ranged from 34 to 46 percent each time the airflow rate was doubled and from 2 to 3 percent approximately for each one degrees Centigrade in average temperature rise of drying air, regardless of the fan operation methods. Therefore, the average temperature rise of drying air had a little effect on drymatter loss. 9. Drymatter loss increase ranged from 50 to 78 percent approximately for each 2 percent increase in initial moisture content, in the range of 18 to 24 percent moisture. 10. The intermittent fan operation: showed about 40 to 50 percent increase in drymatter loss as compared with the continuous fan operation and the increasing rate was higher at high level of initial moisture and average temperature rise. 11. Year-to-year weather conditions had a little effect on required drying time and drymatter loss. 12. The equations for estimating time required to dry top layer to 16 and 1536 wet basis and drymatter loss were derived as functions of the performance factors. by the least square method. 13. Minimum airflow rates based on 0.5 percent drymatter loss were estimated. Minimum airflow rates for the intermittent fan operation were approximately 1.5 to 1.8 times as much as compared with the continuous fan operation, but a few differences among year-to-year. 14. Required fan horsepower and energy for the intermittent fan operation were 3. 7 and 1. 5 times respectively as much as compared with the continuous fan operation. 15. The continuous fan operation may be more effective than the intermittent fan operation considering overdrying, fan horsepower requirements, and energy use. 16. A method for estimating the required collection area of flat-plate solar collector using average temperature rise and airflow rate was presented.

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Simulation of Drying Grain with Solar-Heated Air (태양에너지를 이용한 곡물건조시스템의 시뮬레이션에 관한 연구)

  • Keum, Dong-Hyuk
    • Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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    • v.4 no.2
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    • pp.64-64
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    • 1979
  • Low-temperature drying systems have been extensively used for drying cereal grain such as shelled corn and wheat. Since the 1973 energy crisis, many researches have been conducted to apply solar energy as supplemental heat to natural air drying systems. However, little research on rough rice drying has been done in this area, especially very little in Korea. In designing a solar drying system, quality loss, airflow requirements, temperature rise of drying air, fan power and energy requirements should be throughly studied. The factors affecting solar drying systems are airflow rate, initial moisture content, the amount of heat added to drying air, fan operation method and the weather conditions. The major objectives of this study were to analyze the effects of the performance factors and determine design parameters such as airflow requirements, optimum bed depth, optimum temperature rise of drying air, fan operation method and collector size. Three hourly observations based on the 4-year weather data in Chuncheon area were used to simulate rough rice drying. The results can be summarized as follows: 1. The results of the statistical analysis indicated that the experimental and predicted values of the temperature rise of the air passing through the collector agreed well.2. Equilibrium moisture content was affected a little by airflow rate, but affected mainly by the amount of heat added, to drying air. Equilibrium moisture content ranged from 12.2 to 13.2 percent wet basis for the continuous fan operation, from 10.4 to 11.7 percent wet basis for the intermittent fan operation respectively, in range of 1. 6 to 5. 9 degrees Centigrade average temperature rise of drying air.3. Average moisture content when top layer was dried to 15 percent wet basis ranged from 13.1 to 13.9 percent wet basis for the continuous fan operation, from 11.9 to 13.4 percent wet basis for the intermittent fan operation respectively, in the range of 1.6 to 5.9 degrees Centigrade average temperature rise of drying air and 18 to 24 percent wet basis initial moisture content. The results indicated that grain was overdried with the intermittent fan operation in any range of temperature rise of drying air. Therefore, the continuous fan operation is usually more effective than the intermittent fan operation considering the overdrying.4. For the continuous fan operation, the average temperature rise of drying air may be limited to 2.2 to 3. 3 degrees Centigrade considering safe storage moisture level of 13.5 to 14 perceut wet basis.5. Required drying time decrease ranged from 40 to 50 percent each time the airflow rate was doubled and from 3.9 to 4.3 percent approximately for each one degrees Centigrade in average temperature rise of drying air regardless of the fan operation methods. Therefore, the average temperature rise of drying air had a little effect on required drying time.6. Required drying time increase ranged from 18 to 30 percent approximately for each 2 percent increase in initial moisture content regardless of the fan operation methods, in the range of 18 to 24 percent moisture.7. The intermittent fan operation showed about 36 to 42 percent decrease in required drying time as compared with the continuous fan operation.8. Drymatter loss decrease ranged from 34 to 46 percent each time the airflow rate was doubled and from 2 to 3 percent approximately for each one degrees Centigrade in average temperature rise of drying air, regardless of the fan operation methods. Therefore, the average temperature rise of drying air had a little effect on drymatter loss. 9. Drymatter loss increase ranged from 50 to 78 percent approximately for each 2 percent increase in initial moisture content, in the range of 18 to 24 percent moisture. 10. The intermittent fan operation: showed about 40 to 50 percent increase in drymatter loss as compared with the continuous fan operation and the increasing rate was higher at high level of initial moisture and average temperature rise.11. Year-to-year weather conditions had a little effect on required drying time and drymatter loss.12. The equations for estimating time required to dry top layer to 16 and 1536 wet basis and drymatter loss were derived as functions of the performance factors. by the least square method.13. Minimum airflow rates based on 0.5 percent drymatter loss were estimated.Minimum airflow rates for the intermittent fan operation were approximately 1.5 to 1.8 times as much as compared with the continuous fan operation, but a few differences among year-to-year.14. Required fan horsepower and energy for the intermittent fan operation were3. 7 and 1. 5 times respectively as much as compared with the continuous fan operation.15. The continuous fan operation may be more effective than the intermittent fan operation considering overdrying, fan horsepower requirements, and energy use.16. A method for estimating the required collection area of flat-plate solar collector using average temperature rise and airflow rate was presented.