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Effect of Service Convenience on the Relationship Performance in B2B Markets: Mediating Effect of Relationship Factors (B2B 시장에서의 서비스 편의성이 관계성과에 미치는 영향 : 관계적 요인의 매개효과 분석)

  • Han, Sang-Lin;Lee, Seong-Ho
    • 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.

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The Value of Interleukin-12 as an Activity Marker of Pulmonary Sarcoidosis (폐유육종증의 활동성 지표로서 IL-12의 효용성에 관한 연구)

  • Kim, Tae-Hyung;Jeon, Yong-Gam;Shim, Tae-Sun;Lim, Chae-Man;Koh, Yun-Suck;Lee, Sang-Do;Kim, Woo-Sung;Kim, Won-Dong;Kim, Dong-Soon
    • Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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    • v.46 no.2
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    • pp.215-228
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    • 1999
  • Background: Sarcoidosis is a chronic granulomatous inflammatory disease of unknown etiology often involving the lungs and intrathoracic lymph nodes. The natural course of sarcoidosis is variable from spontaneous remission to significant morbidity or death. But, the mechanisms causing the variable clinical outcomes or any single parameter to predict the prognosis was not known. In sarcoidosis, the number and the activity of CD4 + lymphocytes are significantly increased at the loci of disease and their oligoclonality suggests that the CD4 + lymphocytes hyperreactivity may be caused by persistent antigenic stimulus. Recently, it has been known that CD4+ lymphocytes can be subdivided into 2 distinct population(Th1 and Th2) defined by the spectrum of cytokines produced by these cells. Th1 cells promote cellular immunity associated with delayed type hypersensitivity reactions by generating IL-2 and IFN-$\gamma$. Th2 cells playa role in allergic responses and immediate hypersensitivity reactions by secreting IL-4, IL-5, and IL-10. CD4+ lymphocytes in pulmonary sarcoidosis were reported to be mainly Th1 cells. IL-12 has been known to play an important role in differentiation of undifferentiated naive T cells to Th1 cells. And, Moller et al. observed increased IL-12 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF) in patients with sarcoidosis. So it is possible that the elevated level of IL-12 is necessary for the continuous progression of the disease in active sarcoidosis. This study was performed to test the assumption that IL-12 can be a marker of active pulmonary sarcoidosis. Methods: We measured the concentration of IL-12 in BALF and in conditioned medium of alveolar macrophage(AM) using ELISA(enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) method in 26 patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis(10 males, 16 females, mean age: $39.8{\pm}2.1$ years) and 11 normal control. Clinically, 14 patients had active sarcoidosis and 12 patients had inactive. Results: Total cells counts, percentage and number of lymhocytes, number of AM and CD4/CD8 lymphocyte ratio in BALF were significantly higher in patients with sarcoidosis than in control group. But none of these parameters could differentiate active sarcoidosis from inactive disease. The concentration of IL-12 in BALF was significantly increased in sarcoidosis patients ($49.3{\pm}9.2$ pg/ml) than in normal control ($2.5{\pm}0.4$ pg/ml) (p<0.001). Moreover it was significantly higher in patients with active sarcoidosis ($70.3{\pm}14.8$ pg/ml) than in inactive disease ($24.8{\pm}3.l$ pg/ml) (p=0.001). Also, the concentration of IL-12 in BALF showed significant correlation with the percentage of AM(p<0.001), percentage(p<0.001) and number of lymphocyte(p<0.001) in BALF, suggesting the close relationship between the level of IL-12 in BALF and the inflammatory cell infiltration in the lungs. Furthermore, we found a significant correlation between the level of IL-12 and the concentration of soluble ICAM-1 : in serum(p<0.001) and BALF (p=0.001), and also between IL-12 level and ICAM-1 expression of AM(p<0.001). The AM from patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis secreted significantly larger amount of IL-12 ($206.2{\pm}61.9$ pg/ml) than those of control ($68.3{\pm}43.7$ pg/ml) (p<0.008), but, there was no difference between inactive and active disease group. Conclusion : Our data suggest that the BALF IL-12 level can be used as a marker of the activity of pulmonary sarcoidosis.

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The National Survey of Open Lung Biopsy and Thoracoscopic Lung Biopsy in Korea (개흉 및 흉강경항폐생검의 전국실태조사)

  • 대한결핵 및 호흡기학회 학술위원회
    • Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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    • v.45 no.1
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    • pp.5-19
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    • 1998
  • Introduction: Direct histologic and bacteriologic examination of a representative specimen of lung tissue is the only certain method of providing an accurate diagnosis in various pulmonary diseases including diffuse pulmonary diseases. The purpose of national survey was to define the indication, incidence, effectiveness, safety and complication of open and thoracoscopic lung biopsy in korea. Methods: A multicenter registry of 37 university or general hospitals equipped more than 400 patient's bed were retrospectively collected and analyzed for 3 years from the January 1994 to December 1996 using the same registry protocol. Results: 1) There were 511 cases from the 37 hospitals during 3 years. The mean age was 50.2 years(${\pm}15.1$ years) and men was more prevalent than women(54.9% vs 45.9%). 2) The open lung biopsy was performed in 313 cases(62%) and thoracoscopic lung biopsy was performed in 192 cases(38%). The incidence of lung biopsy was more higher in diffuse lung disease(305 cases, 59.7%) than in localized lung disease(206 cases, 40.3%) 3) The duration after abnormalities was found in chest X-ray until lung biopsy was 82.4 days(open lung biopsy: 72.8 days, thoracoscopic lung biopsy: 99.4 days). The bronchoscopy was performed in 272 cases(53.2%), bronchoalveolar lavage was performed in 123 cases(24.1%) and percutaneous lung biopsy was performed in 72 cases(14.1%) before open or thoracoscopic lung biopsy. 4) There were 230 cases(45.0%) of interstitial lung disease, 133 cases(26.0%) of thoracic malignancies, 118 cases(23.1%) of infectious lung disease including tuberculosis and 30 cases (5.9 %) of other lung diseases including congenital anomalies. No significant differences were noted in diagnostic rate and disease characteristics between open lung biopsy and thoracoscopic lung biopsy. 5) The final diagnosis through an open or thoracoscopic lung biopsy was as same as the presumptive diagnosis before the biopsy in 302 cases(59.2%). The identical diagnostic rate was 66.5% in interstitial lung diseases, 58.7% in thoracic malignancies, 32.7% in lung infections, 55.1 % in pulmonary tuberculosis, 62.5% in other lung diseases including congenital anomalies. 6) One days after lung biopsy, $PaCO_2$ was increased from the prebiopsy level of $38.9{\pm}5.8mmHg$ to the $40.2{\pm}7.1mmHg$(P<0.05) and $PaO_2/FiO_2$ was decreased from the prebiopsy level of $380.3{\pm}109.3mmHg$ to the $339.2{\pm}138.2mmHg$(P=0.01). 7) There was a 10.1 % of complication after lung biopsy. The complication rate in open lung biopsy was much higher than in thoracoscopic lung biopsy(12.4% vs 5.8%, P<0.05). The incidence of complication was pneumothorax(23 cases, 4.6%), hemothorax(7 cases, 1.4%), death(6 cases, 1.2%) and others(15 cases, 2.9%). 8) The 5 cases of death due to lung biopsy were associated with open lung biopsy and one fatal case did not describe the method of lung biopsy. The underlying disease was 3 cases of thoracic malignancies(2 cases of bronchoalveolar cell cancer and one malignant mesothelioma), 2 cases of metastatic lung cancer, and one interstitial lung disease. The duration between open lung biopsy and death was $15.5{\pm}9.9$ days. 9) Despite the lung biopsy, 19 cases (3.7%) could not diagnosed. These findings were caused by biopsy was taken other than target lesion(5 cases), too small size to interpretate(3 cases), pathologic inability(11 cases). 10) The contribution of open or thoracoscopic lung biopsy to the final diagnosis was defininitely helpful(334 cases, 66.5%), moderately helpful(140 cases, 27.9%), not helpful or impossible to judge(28 cases, 5.6%). Overall, open or thoracoscopic lung biopsy were helpful to diagnose the lung lesion in 94.4 % of total cases. Conclusions: The open or thoracoscopic lung biopsy were relatively safe and reliable diagnostic method of lung lesion which could not diagnosed by other diagnostic approaches such as bronchoscopy. We recommend the thoracoscopic lung biopsy when the patients were in critical condition because the thoracoscopic biopsy was more safe and have equal diagnostic results compared with the open lung biopsy.

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An Investigation on the self-consciousness Symptoms of the Clerical Workers attendant upon Office Automation (사무 자동화에 따른 사무직 근로자의 건강과 연관된 자각 증상에 대한 조사연구)

  • Jung, Mi Wha
    • Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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    • v.3
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    • pp.54-70
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    • 1993
  • According as the automation of clerical work(OA ; Office Automation) develops, the use of VDT(Visual or Video Display Terminal) is increasing suddenly. But, in proportion to the spread of office automation(OA tendency), the self-conciousness syptom attendant upon the work is appearing also (Kim, Jung Tae, Lee, Young Ook, 1990). The apparatuses of office enable the clerical workers to be convenient and perform mass businesses. But, they are increasing the opportunity to be exposed to VDT syndrom, techno stress, computer terminal disease, pain by muscle strain(RSI), bradycausia of noise nature, and electromagnetic waves, etc. which are referred to as the new type of occupational diseases to the workers. It is the real situation that the workers to use VDT is complaining of the physical inconvenience sense in the recent newspaper and literature, it is the point of time that the sydrome to come from VDT use and computer terminal disease, etc. must be classified into the occupational disease(Lee, Kwang Young 1990, Lee, Kyoo Hak 1990, Lee, Won Ho 1991, Lee, Si Young 1991, Lee, Joon 1991, Choi, Young Tae 1991, Heo, Seung Ho 1989). In addition, it is the real situation that the scientifitic study result about the scope that electromagnetic waves has influence on the human body has not been suggested yet, and criticism on the stable exposure permission standard about electromagnetic waves to be emitted from VDT and on the problem in the health about electromagnetic waves is continuing. (IEEE Spectrum, 1990). In addition according to the experience of nursery business of industry field, it is the real situation that the patients who consult complaining of physical and mental inconvenience sence, among the users of apparatus of office automation, are reaching 10% of the patients coming to doctor's room. Therefore, it is necessary to confirm the self-consciousness symptom that the clerical workers complain of multilaterally with the actual state examination about the use of the apparatuses of offices automaton. Thus, this study was tried as th basic data for the cosultation and education for the maintenance and furtherance of the health of workers as the nurse of industry field, by confirming the contents of self-consciousness symptom attendant upon the use of the apparatus for office outomation making the financial institution in which the spparatus for office automation in most frequently used as the subject, and by examining whether there is the difference according to the subject of study, the data were collected, by using the questionnaire method, making 200 workers who consented to the study participation as the subject, among the persons who have spent over 3 months since they used the apparatuses for office automation and didn't receive the treatment in hospital due to the clerical disease for recent 3 years. The period of data collection was from Oct. 9, 1991 to Oct. 12. As for the measurement instrument about the complaint if self-consciousness symptom attendant upon the use of apparatuses fo office automation, the question item on the complaint symptom of health problem attendant upon the treatment of VDT that Kim(1991) developed and on CMI health problem and the question items on the fatigue degree due to industry were used by previous examination to 25 persons. Collected data were analyzed with the statistical method such as percentage, arithmetic mean, Person correlation coeffient, Kai square verfication, t-test, ANOVA, etc. by using SPSS/PC+ program, and the result is as follows : 1. The self-consciousness symptom that the clerical workers complained of most frequetly appeared high in 'My eyes are tired'(99.4%), 'I feel fatigue and weariness'(99.4%), 'I feel that my head is heavy5(90.0%), 'eyesight fell'(88.8%), 'I have a stiff neck'(88.8%), 'I fell pain in the shoulder'(85.0%), 'I feel cold and painful in the eyes'(76.9%), 'I feel the dry sense of eyeball'(76.2%), 'My nerves are edgy, and I an fretful, (75.6%), 'I feel pain in the waist'(73.2%) and 'I fell pain in the back'(72.8%). It emerged that the subject use the apparatuses for office automation complained of self-consciousness symptoms related to visual symptoms and musculoskeletal symptoms. 2. As for the general feature of examination subjects, the result to see the distribution by classifying into sex, age, school career, use career of apparatuses for office automation, skillfulness degree of the use of apparatus for office automation, use hours of the apparatuses for office automation per 1 day, type of business of the apparatus for office automation, rest hours during the use of apparatus for office automation, satifaction degree of business of office automation, and work circumstance, etc. emerged as follows : As for the sex of subjects, the distribution showed that men were 58.8% and women were 41.3%, Age was average 26.9. As the distribution of school career, the distribution showed that4below the graduation of high school' was 58.8%, 'graduation from junior college-university' was 35.0%, and 'over graduate school' was 6.3%. In the question to ask the existence or non-existence of experience of health consultation in connection with the work of office automation, the response that I had the consultation exprience and I feel the necessity emergerd as 90.1% And, the case that the subject who didn't wear the glasses or lens before using the OA apparatus wear glasses or lens after using OA apparatus emerged as 28.3% of whole. As for the existence or non-existence of use career of OA apparatus, the case under 3 years was highest as 52. 7%. As for the skillfulnness degree about the use of apparatus for office automation, most of them are skillful with the fact that 'common' was 44.4%, 'skill' was 42.5%, and 'unskillful' was 13.1% As for the use average hours of the apparatus for office automation per 1 day, the distribution showed that the case under 3-6 hours was 33.1%, the case under 6-9 hours was 28.1%, the case under 3 hours was 30.6%, and the case over 9 hours was 8.1% Main OA business and the use hours for 1 day showed in the order of keeping and retrieval, business of information transmission(162min), business of information transmission(79.3 min), business of document framing(55.5 min), and business of duplication and printing(25.4min). as for the rest during the use of apparatus for affice automation, that I take rest occasion demands the major portion, but that I take after completing the work emerged as 33.8%. Though the subiness gets to be convenient by the use of the apparatus for of office automation, respondents who showed the dissatisfaction about the present OA business emergd high as 78.1%. The work circumstances of each office was good with the fact that the temperature of office was 21.8, noise was average 42.7db, and the illumination was average 364.4 lx, in the light of ANSi/HFS 100 Standard. 3. Sight syptom, musculoskeletal symptom, skin and other symptoms showed the significant difference according to the extent of skillfulness of the apparatus for office automation. All the symptoms exept skin symptom showed the difference according to the use hours of the apparatus for office automation. All the question items exept the sytoms of digestive organs and the rest hours during the apparatus for office automation showed the signicant difference. The question item which showed the signicant difference from the satisfaction degree of present OA business showed the significant difference from all the question item classified into 6 groups. But, age and school career didn't significant difference from the complaint of any self-consciousness symptoms.

    . In conclusion, the self-consciousness symptoms of the subjects to use OA apparatus appeared differently, according to sex distiction, skillfull degree of OA apparatus, use hours of OA apparatus, the rest hours during th use of OA apparatus, and the satiafaction degree of persent business. Therefore, it is necessary that the nurse in the inuctry field must recognize to receive the education about the human technological physical condition which is most proper for te use of OA apparatus and about the proper rest method until they get accustomed to the use of OA apparatus. In addition, the simple exercise relax the tention of muscle due to the repetitive simple movement, and the education for the protection of eyesight are necessary.

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  • Studies on the effect of phthalimido methyl-O,O-dimethyl-phosphorodithioate (Imidan) and its possible metabolites on the growth of rice plant (Phthalimido methyl-O,O-dimethyl phosphorodithioate (Imidan)과 그의 대사물질(代謝物質)이 수도(水稻) 생육(生育)에 미치는 영향(影響)에 관(關)한 연구(硏究))

    • Lee, Sung-Hwan;Lee, Dong-Suk;Lee, Jae-Koo
      • Applied Biological Chemistry
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      • v.7
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      • pp.105-117
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      • 1966
    • This experiment was conducted to investigate the effet of phthalimido-methyl-O,O-dimethyl-phosphorodithioate (Imidan) known as an acaricide and its possible metabolic products on the growth of plant, when sprayed on the leaves of rice plant. The results are summarized as follows. 1) Possible metabolic products of Imidan, the following compounds were synthesized or recrystallized for the present experiment a) N-Hydroxymethyl phthalimidem b) Phthalimide c) Phthalamidic acid d) Phthalic acid e) Anthranilic acid f) p-Amino benzoic acid g) p-Hydroxy benzoic acid h) Benzoic acid 2) Among the above materials, a), c), d), e), and Imidan were dissolved in a buffer solution respectively to be 10 and 20 p.p.m. and tested with the wheat coleoptile straight growth method. According to the results, Imidan inhibited the growth of coleoptile in both 10 and 20 p.p.m., whereas the others showed much better growth than the control, especially phthalamidic acid in 10 p.p.m. It appears that Imidan itself inhibits the coleoptile growth, whereas the metabolites derived from Imidan through various metabolisms, including hydrolysis in plant tissues show growth-regulating activity. (refer: Table 1, Fig. 1) 3) 20, 100 and 200 p.p.m. solutions of Imidall emulsion in xylene f·ere prepared. The lengths of shoot and root of rice seeds germinated on the re-respective media were measured after 12 days. The data showed that root was much more elongated in Imidan 20 p.p.m., whereas shoot in Imidan 100 p.p.m., respectively, than in the xylene control. An interesting finding was that xylene used as solvent had a tendency to inhibit seriously the root growth of rice seed. (refer: Table 2,5). 4) The emulsions of concentrations in 10, 25, 50 and 100 p.p.m's of control, Imidan, N-hydroxy methyl phthalimide, anthranilic acid, and phthalmide, respectively, were sprayed twice on the rice plant on pot. After a certain period of time lengths of rice culms were measured, showing that plots treated with Imidan and N-hydroxy methyl phthalimide exhibited much more growth than those of control and the others. 5) Loaves and stems of rice plant were sampled and extracted with dried acetone at the intervals of 3-, 5-, 7-, and 14 days after treated with Imidan 250 p.p.m. emulsion. This sample extracted with acetone was purified by means of prechromatographic purification method with acetonitrile and paperchromatographed to detect the following metabolic products. Imidan (Rf: 0.97-0,98), N-hydroxy-methyl phthalimide (Rf: 0.87) phthalimide (Rf: 0.86-0.87), phthalamidic acid (Rf: 0.13-0.14), phthalic acid (Rf: 0.02-0.03), benzoic acid (Rf: 0.42-0.43), p-amino benzoic acid or p-hydroxy benzoic acid (Rf: 0.08-0.09), and unidentified compounds (Rf: 0.73, 0.59, 0.33, 0.23. 0.07). In addition, in the early stages, such as 3- and 5 days nonhydrolyzed Imidan and its first hydrolytic product, N-hydroxymethyl phthalimide were detected in relatively large amounts, whereas in the last stages of 7- and 14 days due to further decomposition, the afore-mentioned two materials were reduced in the amount and p-hthalic, phthalamidic, benzoic, and p-Hydroxy benzoic, or p-Amino benzoic acids were detected in a considerably large amount. It is, therefore, believed that most of Imidan applied to the leaves of rice plant may be decomposed within almost 14 days. In the light of above observations it is considered that Imidan itself is not involved in plant growth regulating activity, whereas various phthaloyl derivatives produced in the course of metabolism (namelr, enzymic action) in plant tissues may have such effect.

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    Radiation Dose-escalation Trial for Glioblastomas with 3D-conformal Radiotherapy (3차원 입체조형치료에 의한 아교모세포종의 방사선 선량증가 연구)

    • Cho, Jae-Ho;Lee, Chang-Geol;Kim, Kyoung-Ju;Bak, Jin-Ho;Lee, Se-Byeoung;Cho, Sam-Ju;Shim, Su-Jung;Yoon, Dok-Hyun;Chang, Jong-Hee;Kim, Tae-Gon;Kim, Dong-Suk;Suh, Chang-Ok
      • Radiation Oncology Journal
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      • v.22 no.4
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      • pp.237-246
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      • 2004
    • Purpose: To investigate the effects of radiation dose-escalation on the treatment outcome, complications and the other prognostic variables for glioblastoma patients treated with 3D-conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT). Materials and Methods: Between Jan 1997 and July 2002, a total of 75 patients with histologically proven diagnosis of glioblastoma were analyzed. The patients who had a Karnofsky Performance Score (KPS) of 60 or higher, and received at least 50 Gy of radiation to the tumor bed were eligible. All the patients were divided into two arms; Arm 1, the high-dose group was enrolled prospectively, and Arm 2, the low-dose group served as a retrospective control. Arm 1 patients received $63\~70$ Gy (Median 66 Gy, fraction size $1.8\~2$ Gy) with 3D-conformal radiotherapy, and Arm 2 received 59.4 Gy or less (Median 59.4 Gy, fraction size 1.8 Gy) with 2D-conventional radiotherapy. The Gross Tumor Volume (GTV) was defined by the surgical margin and the residual gross tumor on a contrast enhanced MRI. Surrounding edema was not included in the Clinical Target Volume (CTV) in Arm 1, so as to reduce the risk of late radiation associated complications; whereas as in Arm 2 it was included. The overall survival and progression free survival times were calculated from the date of surgery using the Kaplan-Meier method. The time to progression was measured with serial neurologic examinations and MRI or CT scans after RT completion. Acute and late toxicities were evaluated using the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group neurotoxicity scores. Results: During the relatively short follow up period of 14 months, the median overall survival and progression free survival times were $15{\pm}1.65$ and $11{\pm}0.95$ months, respectively. The was a significantly longer survival time for the Arm 1 patients compared to those in Arm 2 (p=0.028). For Arm 1 patients, the median survival and progression free survival times were $21{\pm}5.03$ and $12{\pm}1.59$ months, respectively, while for Arm 2 patients they were $14{\pm}0.94$ and $10{\pm}1.63$ months, respectively. Especially in terms of the 2-year survival rate, the high-dose group showed a much better survival time than the low-dose group; $44.7\%$ versus $19.2\%$. Upon univariate analyses, age, performance status, location of tumor, extent of surgery, tumor volume and radiation dose group were significant factors for survival. Multivariate analyses confirmed that the impact of radiation dose on survival was independent of age, performance status, extent of surgery and target volume. During the follow-up period, complications related directly with radiation, such as radionecrosis, has not been identified. Conclusion: Using 3D-conformal radiotherapy, which is able to reduce the radiation dose to normal tissues compared to 2D-conventional treatment, up to 70 Gy of radiation could be delivered to the GTV without significant toxicity. As an approach to intensify local treatment, the radiation dose escalation through 3D-CRT can be expected to increase the overall and progression free survival times for patients with glioblastomas.

    Effects of Reward Programs on Brand Loyalty in Online Shopping Contexts (인터넷쇼핑 상황에서 보상프로그램이 브랜드충성도에 미치는 영향에 관한 연구)

    • Kim, Ji-Hern;Kang, Hyunmo;Munkhbazar, M.
      • Asia Marketing Journal
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      • v.14 no.2
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      • pp.39-63
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      • 2012
    • Previous studies of reward programs have generally focused on designing the best programs for consumers and suggested that consumers' perception of the value of reward programs can vary according to the type of reward program (e.g., hedonic vs. utilitarian and direct vs. indirect) and its timing (e.g., immediate vs. delayed). These studies have typically assumed that consumers' preference for reward programs has a positive effect on brand loyalty. However, Dowling and Uncles (1997) pointed out that this preference does not necessarily foster brand loyalty. In this regard, the present study verifies this assumption by examining the effects of consumers' perception of the value of reward programs on their brand loyalty. Although reward programs are widely used by online shopping malls, most studies have examined the conditions under which consumers are most likely to value loyalty programs in the context of offline shopping. In the context of online shopping, however, consumers' preferences may have little effect on their brand loyalty because they have more opportunities for comparing diverse reward programs offered by many online shopping malls. That is, in online shopping, finding attractive reward programs may require little effort on the part of consumers, who are likely to switch to other online shopping malls. Accordingly, this study empirically examines whether consumers' perception of the value of reward programs influences their brand loyalty in the context of online shopping. Meanwhile, consumers seek utilitarian and/or hedonic value from their online shopping activity(Jones et al., 2006; Barbin et al., 1994). They visit online shopping malls to buy something necessary (utilitarian value) and/or enjoy the process of shopping itself (hedonic value). In this sense, reward programs may reinforce utilitarian as well as hedonic value, and their effect may vary according to the type of reward (utilitarian vs. hedonic). According to Chaudhuri and Holbrook (2001), consumers' perception of the value of a brand can influence their brand loyalty through brand trust and affect. Utilitarian value influences brand loyalty through brand trust, whereas hedonic value influences it through brand affect. This indicates that the effect of this perception on brand trust or affect may be moderated by the type of reward program. Specifically, this perception may have a greater effect on brand trust for utilitarian reward programs than for hedonic ones, whereas the opposite may be true for brand affect. Given the above discussion, the present study is conducted with three objectives in order to provide practical implications for online shopping malls to strategically use reward program for establishing profitable relationship with customers. First, the present study examines whether reward programs can be an effective marketing tool for increasing brand loyalty in the context of online shopping. Second, it investigates the paths through which consumers' perception of the value of reward programs influences their brand loyalty. Third, it analyzes the effects of this perception on brand trust and affect by considering the type of reward program as a moderator. This study suggests and empirically analyzes a new research model for examining how consumers' perception of the value of reward programs influences their brand loyalty in the context of online shopping. The model postulates the following 10 hypotheses about the structural relationships between five constructs: (H1) Consumers' perception of the value of reward programs has a positive effect on their program loyalty; (H2) Program loyalty has a positive effect on brand loyalty; (H3) Consumers' perception of the value of reward programs has a positive effect on their brand trust; (H4) Consumers' perception of the value of reward programs has a positive effect on their brand affect; (H5) Brand trust has a positive effect on program loyalty; (H6) Brand affect has a positive effect on program loyalty; (H7) Brand trust has a positive effect on brand loyalty; (H8) Brand affect has a positive effect on brand loyalty; (H9) Consumers' perception of the value of reward programs is more likely to influence their brand trust for utilitarian reward programs than for hedonic ones; and (H10) Consumers' perception of the value of reward programs is more likely to influence their brand affect for hedonic reward programs than for utilitarian ones. To test the hypotheses, we considered a sample of 220 undergraduate students in Korea (male:113). We randomly assigned these participants to one of two groups based on the type of reward program (utilitarian: transportation card, hedonic: movie ticket). We instructed the participants to imagine that they were offered these reward programs while visiting an online shopping mall. We then asked them to answer some questions about their perception of the value of the reward programs, program loyalty, brand loyalty, brand trust, and brand affect, in that order. We also asked some questions about their demographic backgrounds and then debriefed them. We employed the structural equation modeling (SEM) method with AMOS 18.0. The results provide support for some hypotheses (H1, H3, H4, H7, H8, and H9) while providing no support for others (H2, H5, H6, H10) (see Figure 1). Noteworthy is that the path proposed by previous studies, "value perception → program loyalty → brand loyalty," was not significant in the context of online shopping, whereas this study's proposed path, "value perception → brand trust/brand affect → brand loyalty," was significant. In addition, the results indicate that the type of reward program moderated the relationship between consumers' value perception and brand trust but not the relationship between their value perception and brand affect. These results have some important implications. First, this study is one of the first to examine how consumers' perception of the value of reward programs influences their brand loyalty in the context of online shopping. In particular, the results indicate that the proposed path, "value perception → brand trust/brand affect → brand loyalty," can better explain the effects of reward programs on brand loyalty than existing paths. Furthermore, these results suggest that online shopping malls should place greater emphasis on the type of reward program when devising reward programs. To foster brand loyalty, they should reinforce the type of shopping value that consumers emphasize by providing them with appropriate reward programs. If consumers prefer utilitarian value to hedonic value, then online shopping malls should offer utilitarian reward programs and vice versa.

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    Studies on Takju Brewing with Potatoes (감자를 이용(利用)한 탁주제조(濁酒製造)에 관(關)한 연구(硏究))

    • Kim, S.Y.;Oh, M.J.;Kim, C.J.
      • Applied Biological Chemistry
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      • v.17 no.2
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      • pp.81-92
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      • 1974
    • In order to prepare the mashing materials for 'Takju', Korean wine, with potatoes, theywere steamed, dryed, and pulverized, and their chemical components were analyzed. As a brewing method of Takju with potatoes, general 2nd stage process with Ipkuk and Bunkuk (enzyme sources), commonly used now, was carried out and the effects of preparing conditions of Ipkuk(koji) with potato flour, mashing materials and brewing conditions on the contents of Takju mash, and of storing time on the contents of Takju, were investigated and the results obtained were summarized as follows, 1. Chemical components of steamed potatoes and potato flour were Moisture; 76.2, 10.8%, Total sugar; 16.1, 69.8%, Reducing sugar; 3.45, 13.4%, Crude protein; 2.1, 11.3%, Total acid; 0.012, 0.023% and Volatile acid; 0.0012, 0.0025% respectively. 2. The most effective preparing conditions of Ipkuk with potato flour were to incubate the potato flour added 40-50% of water for 48 hours by general preparing process of Koji, and liquefying and saccharogenic amylase activities of Ipkuk incubated at above conditions were $D40^{\circ}$ 30' 128 W.V. and 13.2 A.U.. 3. The effects of various brewing conditions on the contents of Takju mashes were as follows; 1) Optimum ratio of mashing water and materials for Takju brewing with potato flour was 140ml of water to 60g of flour in 1st stage and 260ml to 140g in 2nd stage. 2) Optimum fermentating times and temperatures for Takju brewing were at $25^{\circ}C$ for 48 hours in 1st stage and at $30^{\circ}C$ for 48 hours in 2nd stage. 3) Optimum amounts of enzyme sources for Takju brewing were 20-30% of Ipkuk and 0.5% of Bunkuk in 1st stage and 1.0% of Bunkuk in 2nd stage. 4) Methanol content of the Takju mash brewed with raw potato flour was much more than that with steamed potato flour. 5) Alcohol, fusel oil and Formol nitrogen contents of the Takju mash brewed with potato flour were less than that with wheat flour, on the contrary, methanol contents and total acidifies of them were showed conversely above. 4. The changes of chemical components and microflora in the mashes during the brewing potato flour Takju were as follows; 1) The accumulation of ethanol followed rapidly in early stage, being the highest at 72 hours (11.9%). 2) Total sugar content of the mash was decreased considerably within 48-72 hours, being 2.62% at 72 hours, and thereafter slowly. 3) Reducing sugar of the mash had a tendency of decreasing, being 0.29% at 48 hours. 4) Total acidity, volatile acidity and Formol nitrogen content of the mash were increased slowly, being 7.30, 0.20, 2.55 at 48 hours. 5) Total cells of yeast appeared the highest in 72 hours ($2.1{\times}10^8$) and thereafter decreased slowly. 6) Total cells of bacteria appeared the highest in 48 hours ($2.4{\times}10^8$) and thereafter decreased or increased slightly. 5. Takju was made from the fermented mash mixed with water to be 6% of alcohol content, and the change of alcohol content, total acidity, total cells of yeast and bacteria during the storing at $30^{\circ}C$ were as follows; 1) Alcohol content of Takju was increased slightly at 24 hours (6.2%), and thereafter decreased slowly. 2) Total acidity of Takju was increased gradually, being 6.1 at 72 hours 3) Total cells of yeast and bacteria appeared the highest at 48 hours ($2.3{\times}10^8,\;1.5{\times}10^8$), and thereafter decreased slowly. 6. Alcohol content, total acidity and Formol nitrogen content of the Takju brewed with potato flour Ipkuk or wheat flour Ipkuk and steamed potatoes(1:5) were 9.8-11.3%, 5.8-7.4, 2.5-3.3 respectively, and the color of the Takju. was similar to commercial Takju. 7. The results of sensory test for various experimental Takju, showed that the Takjues brewed with the materials combined with wheat flour and steamed potatoes(4:5 or 3.5:7.5) were not significantly different in color, taste and flavor from commercial Takju, However, those with potato flour and wheat flour (1:1 or 7:3) were significantly different from commercial Takju.

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    Studies on Takju Brewing with Potatoes (감자를 이용(利用)한 탁주제조(濁酒製造)에 관(關)한 연구(硏究))

    • Kim, S.Y.;Oh, M.J.;Kim, C.J.
      • Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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      • v.1 no.1
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      • pp.67-81
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      • 1974
    • In order to prepare the mashing materials for "Takju", Korean wine, with potatoes they were steamed, dryed, and pulverized, and their chemical components were analyzed. As a brewing method of Takju with potatoes, general 2nd stage process with Ipkuk and Bunkuk (enzyme sources), commonly used now, was carried out and the effects of preparing conditions of Ipkuk(koji) with potato flour, mashing materials and brewing conditions on the contents of Takju mash and of storing time on the contents of Takju, were investigated and the results obtained were summarized as follows. 1. Chemical components of steamed potatoes and potato flour were Moisture; 76.2, 10.8%, Total sugar; 16.1, 69.8%, Reducing sugar; 3.45, 13.4%, Crude protein; 2.1, 11.3%, Total acid; 0.012, 0.023% and Volatile acid; 0.0012, 0.0025% respectively 2. The most effective preparing conditions of Ipkuk with potato flour were to incubate the potato flour added 40-50% of water for 48 hours by general preparing process of Koji, and liquefying and saccharogenic amylase activities of Ipkuk incubated at above conditions were $D_{40^{\circ}}{^{30{\prime}}}$ 128 W.V. and 13.2 A. U. 3. The effects of various brewing conditions on the contents of Takju mashes wereas follows; 1) Optimum ratio of mashing water and materials for Takju brewing with potato flour was 140ml of water to 60g of flour in 1st stage and 260ml to 140g in 2nd stage. 2) Optimum fermentating times and temperatures for Takju brewing were at $25^{\circ}C$ for 48 hours in 1st stage and at $30^{\circ}C$ for 48 hours in 2nd stage. 3) Optimum amounts of enzyme sources for Takju brewing 20-30% of Ipkuk and 0.5% of Bunkuk in 1st stage and 1.0% of Bunkuk in 2nd stage. 4) Methanol content of the Takju mash brewed with raw potato flour was much more than that with steamed potato flour. 5) Alcohol fusel oil and Formal nitrogen contents of the Takju mash brewed with potato flour were less than that with wheat flour, on the contrary, methanol contents and total acidities of them were showed conversely above. 4. The changes of chemical components and microflora in the mashes during the brewing potato flour Takju were as follows; 1) The accumulation of ethanol followed rapidly in early stage, being the highest at 72 hours (11.9%) 2) Total sugar content of the mash was decreased considerably within 48-72 hours, being 2.62% at 72 hours, and thereafter slowly. 3) Reducing sugar of the mash had a tendency of decreasing, being 0.29% at 48 hours. 4) Total acidity, volatile acidity and Formal nitrogen content of the mash were increased slowly, being 7.30, 0.20, 2.55 at 48 hours. 5) Total cells of yeast appeared the highest in 72 hours ($2.1{\times}10^8$) and thereafter decreased slowly. 6) Total cells of bacteria appeared the highest in 48 hours ($2.4{\times}10^8$) and thereafter decreased or increased slightly. 5. Takju was made from the fermented mash mixed with water to be 6% of alcohol content, and the change of alcohol content, total acidity, total cells of yeast and bateria during the storing at $30^{\circ}C$ were as follows; 1) Alcohol content of Takju was increased slightly at 24 hours (6.2%), and thereafter decreased slowly. 2) Total acidity of Takju was increased gradually, being 6.1 at 72 hours 3) Total cells of yeast and bacteria appeared the highest at 48 hours ($2.3{\times}10^8$, $1.5{\times}10^8$) and thereafter decreased slowly. 6. Alcohol content, total acidity and Formol nitrogen content of the Takju brewed with potato flour Ipkuk or wheat flour Ipkuk and steamed potatoes(1:5) were 9.8-11.3%, 5.8-7.4, 2.5-3.3 respectively, and the color of the Takju was similar to commercial Takju. 7. The results of sensory test for various experimental Takju, showed that the Takjues brewed with the materials combined with wheat flour and steamed potatoes (4:5 or 3.5:7.5) were not significantly different in color, taste and flavor from commercial Takju, However, those with potato flour and wheat flour (1:1 or 7:3) were significantly different from commercial Takju.

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