• Asia pacific journal of information systems
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.139-155
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• 2009

For the last few decades, many studies have tried to explore and unveil venture companies' success factors and unique features in order to identify the sources of such companies' competitive advantages over their rivals. Such venture companies have shown tendency to give high returns for investors generally making the best use of information technology. For this reason, many venture companies are keen on attracting avid investors' attention. Investors generally make their investment decisions by carefully examining the evaluation criteria of the alternatives. To them, credit rating information provided by international rating agencies, such as Standard and Poor's, Moody's and Fitch is crucial source as to such pivotal concerns as companies stability, growth, and risk status. But these types of information are generated only for the companies issuing corporate bonds, not venture companies. Therefore, this study proposes a method for evaluating venture businesses by presenting our recent empirical results using financial data of Korean venture companies listed on KOSDAQ in Korea exchange. In addition, this paper used multi-class SVM for the prediction of DEA-based efficiency rating for venture businesses, which was derived from our proposed method. Our approach sheds light on ways to locate efficient companies generating high level of profits. Above all, in determining effective ways to evaluate a venture firm's efficiency, it is important to understand the major contributing factors of such efficiency. Therefore, this paper is constructed on the basis of following two ideas to classify which companies are more efficient venture companies: i) making DEA based multi-class rating for sample companies and ii) developing multi-class SVM-based efficiency prediction model for classifying all companies. First, the Data Envelopment Analysis(DEA) is a non-parametric multiple input-output efficiency technique that measures the relative efficiency of decision making units(DMUs) using a linear programming based model. It is non-parametric because it requires no assumption on the shape or parameters of the underlying production function. DEA has been already widely applied for evaluating the relative efficiency of DMUs. Recently, a number of DEA based studies have evaluated the efficiency of various types of companies, such as internet companies and venture companies. It has been also applied to corporate credit ratings. In this study we utilized DEA for sorting venture companies by efficiency based ratings. The Support Vector Machine(SVM), on the other hand, is a popular technique for solving data classification problems. In this paper, we employed SVM to classify the efficiency ratings in IT venture companies according to the results of DEA. The SVM method was first developed by Vapnik (1995). As one of many machine learning techniques, SVM is based on a statistical theory. Thus far, the method has shown good performances especially in generalizing capacity in classification tasks, resulting in numerous applications in many areas of business, SVM is basically the algorithm that finds the maximum margin hyperplane, which is the maximum separation between classes. According to this method, support vectors are the closest to the maximum margin hyperplane. If it is impossible to classify, we can use the kernel function. In the case of nonlinear class boundaries, we can transform the inputs into a high-dimensional feature space, This is the original input space and is mapped into a high-dimensional dot-product space. Many studies applied SVM to the prediction of bankruptcy, the forecast a financial time series, and the problem of estimating credit rating, In this study we employed SVM for developing data mining-based efficiency prediction model. We used the Gaussian radial function as a kernel function of SVM. In multi-class SVM, we adopted one-against-one approach between binary classification method and two all-together methods, proposed by Weston and Watkins(1999) and Crammer and Singer(2000), respectively. In this research, we used corporate information of 154 companies listed on KOSDAQ market in Korea exchange. We obtained companies' financial information of 2005 from the KIS(Korea Information Service, Inc.). Using this data, we made multi-class rating with DEA efficiency and built multi-class prediction model based data mining. Among three manners of multi-classification, the hit ratio of the Weston and Watkins method is the best in the test data set. In multi classification problems as efficiency ratings of venture business, it is very useful for investors to know the class with errors, one class difference, when it is difficult to find out the accurate class in the actual market. So we presented accuracy results within 1-class errors, and the Weston and Watkins method showed 85.7% accuracy in our test samples. We conclude that the DEA based multi-class approach in venture business generates more information than the binary classification problem, notwithstanding its efficiency level. We believe this model can help investors in decision making as it provides a reliably tool to evaluate venture companies in the financial domain. For the future research, we perceive the need to enhance such areas as the variable selection process, the parameter selection of kernel function, the generalization, and the sample size of multi-class.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.64-72
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• 2014

This study quantified the storage and annual uptake of carbon by apple trees in orchards as a production-type greenspace, and computed the annual carbon emissions from apple cultivation. Tree individuals in the study orchards were sampled to include the range of stem diameter sizes. The study measured biomass for each part including the roots of sample trees through a direct harvesting method to compute total carbon storage per tree. Annual carbon uptake per tree was quantified by analyzing the radial growth rates of stem samples at ground level. Annual carbon emissions from management practices such as pruning, mowing, irrigation, fertilization, and use of pesticides and fungicides were estimated based on maintenance data, interviews with managers, and actual measurements. Regression models were developed using stem diameter at ground level (D) as an independent variable to easily estimate storage and annual uptake of the carbon. Storage and annual uptake of carbon per tree increased as D sizes got larger. Apple trees with D sizes of 10 and 15 cm stored 9.1 and 21.0 kg of carbon and annually sequestered 1.0 and 1.6 kg, respectively. Storage and annual uptake of carbon per unit area in study orchards were 3.81 t/ha and 0.42 t/ha/yr, respectively, and annual carbon emissions were 1.30 t/ha/yr. Thus, the carbon emissions were about 3 times greater than the annual carbon uptake. The study identified management practices to reduce the carbon footprint of production-type greenspace, including efficient uses of water, pesticides, fungicides, and fertilizers. It breaks new ground by including measured biomass of roots and a detailed inventory of carbon emissions.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.13-21
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• 2014

This study generated regression models to quantify storage and annual uptake of carbon from five native landscape tree species through a direct harvesting method, and established essential information to estimate carbon reduction effects from urban greenspaces. Tree species for the study included the Chionanthus retusus, Prunus armeniaca, Abies holophylla, Cornus officinalis, and Taxus cuspidata, which are usually planted in cities of middle Korea, but for which no information on carbon reduction is available. Ten tree individuals for each species were sampled reflecting various stem diameter sizes at a given interval. The study measured biomass for each part including the roots of sample trees to compute total carbon storage per tree. The annual carbon uptake per tree was quantified by analyzing the radial growth rates of stem samples at breast height or ground level. Regression models were developed using diameter at breast height (dbh) or ground level (dg) as an independent variable to easily estimate storage and annual uptake of carbon per tree for each species. All the regression models showed high fitness with $r^2$ values of 0.92~0.99. Storage and annual uptake of carbon from a tree with dbh of 10 cm were greatest with C. retusus (20.0 kg and 5.9 kg/yr, respectively), followed by P. armeniaca (17.5 kg and 4.5 kg/yr) and A. holophylla (13.2kg and 1.8 kg/yr) in order. A C. officinalis tree and T. cuspidata tree with dg of 10 cm stored 9.3 and 6.3 kg of carbon and annually sequestered 3.2 and 0.6 kg, respectively. The above-mentioned carbon storage equaled the amount of carbon emitted from gasoline consumption of about 23~35 L for C. retusus, P. armeniaca, and A. holophylla, and 11~16 L for C. officinalis and T. cuspidata. A tree with the diameter size of 10 cm annually offset carbon emissions from gasoline use of about 6~10 L for C. retusus, P. armeniaca, and C. officinalis, and 1~3 L for A. holophylla and T. cuspidata. The study breaks new ground to easily quantify biomass and carbon reduction for the tree species by overcoming difficulties in direct cutting and root digging of urban landscape trees.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.16-23
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• 2005

The objective of this study was to construct multi-element ultrasound applicators for the treatment of gynecologic cancer with high dose rate brachytherapy. For the treatment of uterus, piezo-ceramic crystal transducer (PZT -5A) with outer diameter of 4 mm, wall thickness of 1.3 mm, and length of 24.5 mm was selected. For the treatment of cervix or vagina, it should be possible to insert the applicator into the vagina. Thus, a cylindrical PZT -8 material with outer diameter of 24.5 mm, wall thickness of 1.3 mm, and length of 15.2 mm was selected. The operating frequencies determined by vector impedance measurement were 3.2 MHz for the PZT 5A cylinder (OD=4 mm) and 1.7 MHz for the PZT -8 cylinder (OD: 24.5 mm). The ratios of generated acoustic output power to applied electric power were 33% and 61% for the tandem type crystal and the cylinder type crystal, respectively. The radiated acoustic pressure fields from both transducers were calculated using a Matlab code and measured in water using hydrophone. There was good agreement between measured and calculated acoustic pressure field distribution. For a tandem type transducer, the calculated acoustic pressure field decreased from 0.023 MPa at 10 mm to 0.010 Mpa at 30 mm, the reduction of 57%. For the cylinder type transducer which will be used for the treatment of vagina showed 78% reduction at 15 mm and 66% at 25 mm as compared to values at 5 mm from the surface. Based on the characteristics of the transducers, this study demonstrated the possibility of using the crystals as a heating source. Finally, a 3-element and 4-element prototype applicators were constructed. The 3-element applicator is 75 mm long and 4 mm thick and will be used for the treatment of uterus. The 4-element applicator is 61 mm long and 24.5 mm thick and will be used for the treatment of vagina. Using these applicators, it is possible to generate enough power to increase temperature to therapeutic level.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.145-152
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• 2010

Inveon PET is a recently developed preclinical PET system for small animal. This study was conducted to measure the performance of Inveon PET as recommended by the NEMA NU 4-2008. We measured the spatial resolution, the sensitivity, the scatter fraction and the NECR using a F-18 source. A 3.432 ns coincidence window was used. A $1\;mm^3$ sized F-18 point source was used for the measurement of spatial resolution within an energy window of 350~625 keV. PET acquisition was performed to obtain the spatial resolution from the center to the 5 cm offset toward the edge of the transverse FOV. Sensitivity, scatter fraction, and NECR were measured within an energy window of 350~750 keV. For measuring the sensitivity, a F-18 line source (length: 12.7 cm) was used with concentric 5 aluminum tubes. For the acquisition of the scatter fraction and the NECR, two NEMA scatter phantoms (rat: 50 mm in diameter, 150 mm in length; mouse: 25 mm in diameter, 70 mm in length) were used and the data for 14 half-lives (25.6 hr) was obtained using the F-18 line source (rat: 316 MBq, mouse: 206 MBq). The spatial resolution of the F-18 point source was 1.53, 1.50 and 2.33 mm in the radial, tangential and axial directions, respectively. The volumetric resolution was $5.43\;mm^3$ in the center. The absolute sensitivity was 6.61%. The peak NECR was 486 kcps @121 MBq (rat phantom), and 1056 kcps @128 MBq (mouse phantom). The values of the scatter fraction were 20.59% and 7.93% in the rat and mouse phantoms, respectively. The performances of the Inveon animal PET scanner were measured in this study. This scanner will be useful for animal imaging.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.36-44
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• 2010

The ambipolar diffusion equation has been solved in a fine-tube lamp of a few mm in diameter. In the diffusion of radial direction, the plasma diffuses and vanishes away at the glass wall by recombination with the characteristic time of plasma loss is given by $\tau_r\;=\;(r_0/2.4)^2/D_a$. With the radius $r_0{\sim}1\;mm$ and the ambipolar diffusion coefficient $D_a{\sim}0.01\;m^2/s$, the vanishing time is calculated $\tau_r{\sim}10\;{\mu}s$ which corresponds to the least value of frequency 30 kHz for the sustaining the plasma in the operation of high voltage AC-power. In the diffusion of longitudinal z-direction, a high density plasma generated at the area of a high voltage electrode, diffuses into the positive column with the characteristic time $\tau_z{\sim}0.1\;s$. The plasma diffusion velocity at the boundary of high density plasma is $u_D{\sim}10^2\;m/s$ at the time $t{\sim}10^{-6}$ s and the diffusion velocity becomes slow as $u_D{\sim}1\;m/s$ at $t{\sim}10^{-3}\;s$. Therefore, for the long lamp of 1 m, it takes about several seconds for the high density plasma at the area of electrode to diffuse through the whole positive column space.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.60 no.1
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• pp.45-50
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• 1983

According to the worldwide decreasing tendency in raw materials and increase in wood demands since 1970, the efficient utilization of raw materials was required internationally. Therefore this study dealt with the dimensional characteristics of branchwood fiber of Quercus serrata Thunb for the complete utilization of whole tree. According to the branch individuals, parts and positions within a tree, fiber length, width and wall-thickness were measured. The results obtained are as follows: 1) As the height of individual branchwood increases from ground toward, fiber length and width, and wall-thickness decreased linearly and their regression equations obtained, were Y=770.03-22.643X, Y=27.444-0.71385X and Y=12.308-0.57320X respectively 2) From the main stem to branch in distal direction, fiber length, width and wall-thickness linearly decreased and their regression equations obtained were Y=752.70-0.6724X, Y=26.152-0.0084867X and Y=11.258-0.006205X, respectively. 3) As the radial direction from pith to hark increases, fiber length, width and wall-thickness increased linearly and their regression equations obtained were Y=679.73+11.231X Y=25.382+0.0925X and Y=10.521+0.11787X, respectively. 4) Mean value of fiber length, width and wall-thickness were 625-765, 26 and $11{\mu}m$, respectively.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.39 no.10 s.267
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• pp.759-764
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• 2006

Background: We analyzed post-operative angiography performed in symptomatic patients to evaluate the patency rates and the roles of grafts. Material and Method: We reviewed 52 (15%) coronary angiograms performed for recurrent angina after prior coronary artery bypass surgery from January 1995 to June 2005. A total of 345 patients underwent coronary artery bypass surgery during this period. There were 41 men and 11 women and the mean age was $64.07{\pm}15.58$ years. The median period from operation to re-angiogram was 68.5 months (range, 1 to 126 months). The numbers of grafts and peripheral anastomoses were 42 and 43 for internal thoracic artery (ITA), 14 and 20 for radial artery (RA), and 49 and 89 for saphenous vein. The mean number of anastomosis was 2.9 per patient, Result: The patency rates of ITA, RA and saphenous vein graft (SVG) were 37/43 (86%), 17/20 (85%) and 34/89 (38.2%). The patency rate of arterial grafts was significantly higher than that of SVG (p< 0.001) and the patency rate of the RA was comparable to that of ITA (p=0.942). The patency rate of sequential SVGs was higher than that of single SVG (40.3% vs 31.8%, p=0.478) and the patency rate of proximal segments in sequential anastomosis was higher than that in single anastomsis (55.6% vs 31.8%, p=0.097), but statistically not significant. Conclusion: Arterial grafts have markedly superior patency rates than SVGs, so consideration should be given to the vigorous use of arterial grafts. The patency rate of the RA was comparable to that of ITA.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.39 no.10 s.267
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• pp.754-758
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• 2006

Background: Surgical role for acute coronary syndrome has been reduced in recent years due to development of drug eluting stent. We evaluated the surgical results of acute coronary syndrome in our hospital. Material and Method: Between January 2001 and August 2005, 416 patients underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) under diagnosis of non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE ACS). Mean age was $61.8{\pm}9.0$ years and 276 (66.3%) patients were male. 324 (77.9%) patients had triple vessel disease and 92 (22.1%) had left main disease at angiographic study. 236 (56.7%) patients had hypertension and 174 (41.8%) had diabetes mellitus. Conventional on-pump CABG was performed in 194 patients (46.6%) and off-pump CABG in 222 (53.4%). Total arterial revascularization with no touch technique was done in 97 patients (23.3%). The number of total distal anastomosis was 1,306 and the number per patient was $3.21{\pm}1.71$. Result: Surgical mortality rate was 1.0% (4 patients) and postoperative complication rate was 15.6% (65 patients). Graft patency was checked at mean $3.7{\pm}7.6$ months (from 1 to 37 months) postoperatively with multi-directional computed tomography in 152 patients. Left internal mammary artery was patent in 95.3%, right internal mammary artery in 98.1%, radial artery in 92.2% and saphenous vein in 89.0%. Conclusion: The surgical treatment of NSTE ACS showed relatively low mortality rate and good graft patency rate. Further study is needed to compare the long term results with drug eluting stent.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.38 no.7 s.252
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• pp.476-482
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• 2005

Recently, coronary artery obstructive disease and coronary artery bypass graft surgery have increased, and the operative result has been improved. We reviewed 154 cases of coronary artery bypass graft surgery from Jan. 1985 to Jun. 2004. Material and Method: We reviewed 148 patients, 154 cases of coronary artery bypass surgery from Jan. 1985 to Jun. 2004. This investigation is designed to illustrate the preoperative diagnosis, severity of disease, operative method, the kind of used bypass graft used, number of distal anasomosis, associated surgery, and postoperative morbidity and mortality. Result: There were 84 males, 64 females and the average age was $58.9\pm8.3$ years old. Preoperative clinical diagnosis were unstable angina in 97 cases $(63.0\%)$, stable angina in 31 cases $(20.1\%)$, acute myocardial infarction in 12 cases $(7.8\%)$ and postinfartion angina in 14 cases $(9.1\%)$. Preoperative angiographic diagnosis were three-vessel disease in 68 $(44.2\%)$, two-vessel disease in 39 $(25.3\%)$, one-vessel disease in 35$(22.7\%)$, and left main disease in 12$(7.8\%)$ cases. There were 78 cases of on-pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery and 76 cases of off-pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery. The total distal anastomoses number was 319, mean number of anastomoses was $2.06\pm0.96$. There were 10 concomitant procedures. Postoperative intra-aortic balloon pump was used in 21$(13.6\%)$ cases, but only 4 cases were used at off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery. Total early mortality was $7.8\%$. The mortality was decreased as $4.5\%$ from Jan. 2001 to Jun. 2004. Post operative complication was perioperative yocardial infarction in 9cases$(5.8\%)$, low cardiac output syndrome in 17 cases$(11\%)$, and arrhythmia in 30 cases$(19.5\%)$ cases. Conclusion: Since 1985, The result of coronary artery bypass graft surgery has been improved because of more refined technique, use of off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery, use of internal thoracic artery and radial artery as bypass graft. We should study the long-term follow up more for better operative results.