• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.81 no.1
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• pp.176-189
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• 2020

Purpose To evaluate the clinical efficacy of real-time sonoelastography (RTS) for the follow-up of congenital muscular torticollis, based on measurements of muscle elasticity. Materials and Methods Thirty-four infants (23 male, 11 female) with congenital sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle torticollis underwent ultrasonography and elastography between November 2012 and December 2014. We evaluated the thickness, morphology (mass-like, fusiform, or overall thickened shape), and echogenicity of the SCM muscle on grayscale images and color patterns (homogeneous blue, mixed green < 50% and ≥ 50%, and green to red) on elastography. Strain ratios were measured using Q-lab software. A clinician classified the degree of neck rotation and side flexion deficits using a 5-point grade system based on angles of neck rotation and side flexion. Correlations between the ultrasonography and clinical findings were evaluated by statistical analysis. Results Twenty-two infants had right and 12 had left SCM torticollis, respectively. Linear regression analysis showed that involved/contralateral SCM thickness differences, morphology, elasticity color scores, and strain ratios of the affected SCM muscles were significantly correlated with neck rotation and side flexion deficit scores (p < 0.05). The elasticity color score of the affected SCM muscle was the most significant factor. Conclusion RTS might provide a reliable means for evaluating and monitoring congenital muscular torticollis.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.275-283
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• 2016

An anti-amnesic effect of water extract from Dendropanax morbifera Lev. leaves (DMW) on memory dysfunction in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats was investigated to assess its potential industrial value. Daily administration of DMW (11 weeks) significantly reduced serum glucose, insulin, and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels increased by an intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ, 55 mg/kg). In addition, the administration of DMW decreased escape latency and increased the time spent in the platform quadrant in the Morris water maze test. Step-through latency in a passive avoidance test was also improved. Finally, DMW produced ameliorating effects on STZ-induced cholinergic deficit through an inhibitory effect on acetylcholinesterase and the increment of acetylcholine level in the hippocampus. These results suggest that DMW might be used as a natural substance for improving diabetic induced cognitive impairment.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.661-665
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• 2013

The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-amnesic effect of daebo (Castanea crenata) extract on trimethyltin chloride (TMT)-induced learning and memory impairment, in vivo. The inner skin of daebo was extracted using distilled water under reflux conditions. At the end of the adaptation period, ICR mice were divided into a control group, a TMT injection group (negative control), and a sample group (C5: 5 mg/kg body weight; C10: 10 mg/kg body weight; and C20: 20 mg/kg body weight), and were tested with learning and memory tests. The ethylacetate fraction of the daebo inner skin extract was found to increase TMT-induced memory deficit in the Y-maze and passive avoidance test. Brain tissue analysis showed that the ethylacetate fraction of daebo extract lowered the acetylcholine esterase (AChE) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) content of neuronal cells, both of which are indicative of lipid peroxidation.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.13 no.9
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• pp.47-57
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• 2015

Purpose - The aim of this paper is to investigate the explanatory power of the Pecking-order theory (the cost of financing increases with asymmetric information) among Korean retail firms from the perspective of debt capacity. According to the Pecking-order theory, a firm's first preference is to use internal funds for its capital needs, its next preference is the issuance of debt, and its last preference is the issuance of equity; this is due to the information asymmetry problem between existing shareholders and investors. However, prior empirical studies, such as Lemmon and Zender (2010), argue that the entire sample test for the Pecking-order theory could be misleading due to the different levels of debt issuance capability of each of the individual firms; in fact, they confirm that the explanatory power of the Pecking-order theory improves after taking into account the differences in debt capacity of the U.S. firms they examined. This paper implements a case study approach among Korean retail firms to examine the relationship between debt capacity and the explanatory power of the Pecking-order theory in Korea. Research design, data, and methodology - This study uses the sample of public retail firms on the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) from the time period of 1990 to 2013. We gather related financial and accounting statements from the financial information firm WISEfn. Credit rating information is provided by the Korea Investor Service. We employ the models of Lemmon and Zender (2010) and Son and Kim (2013) to measure a firm's debt capacity. Their logit models use the rating dummy variable as a dependent variable and incorporate other firm characteristics as independent variables to estimate debt capacity. To test the Pecking-order theory, we adopt variants of the financing deficit model of Shyam-Sunder and Myers (1999). In the test of the Pecking-order theory, we consider all of the changes in total debt obligations, current debt obligations, and long-term debt obligations. Results - Our main contribution to the literature is our confirmation of the predicted relationship between debt capacity and the explanatory power of the Pecking-order theory among Korean retail firms. The coefficients on financing deficits become greater as a firm's debt capacity improves. This is consistent with the results of Lemmon and Zender (2010). The coefficients on the square of the financing deficits are also negative for the firms in the largest debt capacity group, which is also consistent with the predictions in prior literature. Conclusions - This study takes a case study approach by examining Korean retail firms. We confirm that the Pecking-order theory explains the capital structure of retail firms more appropriately, after taking into account the debt capacity of each firm. This result suggests the importance of debt capacity consideration in the testing of the Pecking-order theory. Our result also implies that there has been a potential underestimation of the explanatory power of the Pecking-order theory in existing studies.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.941-951
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• 2015

In the recent years, Korean construction companies have been awarded 680 billion USD in the oversea projects which lead to a successful quantitative growth. However, due to the lack of capability in the core technology and project management compared to the leading companies, in addition to low-price bidding, massive deficit projects have caused problems to the companies. In order to overcome the limitations of the lack of capabilities, the term constructability has been researched recently by developed countries to apply in the practical use. The concept of constructability must be applied for Korean companies to compete in the EPC construction projects. The term constructability is defined as the factor that affect the overall construction process of a project which is defined by the ease of construction and to secure the project quality. Therefore, this study aims to develop a constructability assessment model using the structural equation to assess the factors that affect the constructability in the design and construction stage. The purpose of using the structural equation is to analyze the direct and indirect correlation between each factor that affects the international construction projects. Total of 8 latent variables and 34 measured variables are derived through literature review, corporate reports, experts' interview and surveys. The result of the model suggests the constructability factors that are to be managed the most efficiently to reduce cost, time and improve the quality as well as a countermeasure strategy to successfully execute the target international construction projects.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.53-61
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• 2012

Purpose: To determine feasibility of RapidArc in sequential or simultaneous integrated tumor boost in whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT) for poor prognostic patients with four or more brain metastases. Materials and Methods: Nine patients with multiple (${\geq}4$) brain metastases were analyzed. Three patients were classified as class II in recursive partitioning analysis and 6 were class III. The class III patients presented with hemiparesis, cognitive deficit, or apraxia. The ratio of tumor to whole brain volume was 0.8-7.9%. Six patients received 2-dimensional bilateral WBRT, (30 Gy/10-12 fractions), followed by sequential RapidArc tumor boost (15-30 Gy/4-10 fractions). Three patients received RapidArc WBRT with simultaneous integrated boost to tumors (48-50 Gy) in 10-20 fractions. Results: The median biologically effective dose to metastatic tumors was 68.1 $Gy_{10}$ and 67.2 $Gy_{10}$ and the median brain volume irradiated more than 100 $Gy_3$ were 1.9% (24 $cm^3$) and 0.8% (13 $cm^3$) for each group. With less than 3 minutes of treatment time, RapidArc was easily applied to the patients with poor performance status. The follow-up period was 0.3-16.5 months. Tumor responses among the 6 patients who underwent follow-up magnetic resonance imaging were partial and stable in 3 and 3, respectively. Overall survival at 6 and 12 months were 66.7% and 41.7%, respectively. The local progression-free survival at 6 and 12 months were 100% and 62.5%, respectively. Conclusion: RapidArc as a component in whole brain radiation therapy for poor prognostic, multiple brain metastases is an effective and safe modality with easy application.

• Journal of architectural history
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• v.2 no.1 s.3
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• pp.25-41
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• 1993

This study was made to analyze the housing adjustment phenomenon in the first half of Chosun Dynasty by applying Microsociological approach. By reviewing the housing adjustment theory of Morris and Winter, research model for the period was developed in terms of socioeconomic characteristics, normative housing deficit (=cultural norm-housing condition+family norm), constraints, behavioral propensities, and housing adjustment mechanism with the following results : 1. In the first half of Chosun Dynasty the size of the house, the house site and decorating items were specified by law (cultural norm) according to the social status. Although the law was constraints for the housing phenomenon, it was not applied universally. Frequantly the law was violated by the upper class. By the middle of the Dynasty the family norm became more important for the housing phenomenon than the cultural norm. 2. Efforts were made to practice the Confucianism as a cultural norm in the first half of Chosun Dynasty At that time Husband-Living-in-Wife's-House was more popular than Wife-Living-in-Husband's-House. Because the customs were against the Confucianism, the latter was encouraged by law. But it did not change. Instead a compromised system became popular in the middle of the Dynasty. The house shrine was practiced to increase the symbolism of the family, which, in turn, exerted influences in deciding the housing site (cultural norm). These cultural norm was not accepted as the family norm untill the second half of the Dynasty. These trends forced the man and woman use separate areas of the house, and formulated a hierarchic positions within a house. 3. It was shown that the settlement of Confucianism as a family norm was closely related to the popularization of the Ondol system in the house, which functioned as one of the behavioral propensities to encourage diversity of space for many purposes. Though the Ondol system was accepted as a useful heating system earlier, this became more popular in the middle of the Dynasty because the housing pattern with Ondol fitted very well with a large family system with patriarchism. Ondol system for one or two rooms substituted Ondol for all rooms in the second half of the Dynasty. 4. From the beginning of the Dynasty housing adjustment of the family was determined by the social status and by law (cultural norm). Within this cultural norm each family decided its adjustment mechanism according to its economic ability (family norm). Family norm was more important factor than the cultural norm to determine the micro-space pattern in the house. But this period witnessed the formations of new conditions by the ruling class's efforts to implement new ethics for hierarchy and sexual discrimination. According to these conditions the Confucianism overruled the family norm in the later period.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.337-345
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship between the characteristics of Korean family firms and the impact of debt financing. The analysis period was 10 years from 2004 to 2013, and the sample consisted of 4,008 non-financial firms listed on the Korea Exchange. For the analysis, the unbalanced panel data with time - series, cross - section data were formed and analyzed using panel data regression analysis. The results are as follows. First, Korean family firms use relatively less debt than non - family firms. It can be understood that family firms in which the dominant family owns and dominates the corporation are less likely to increase their debt because the agent problem is alleviated and the need for the control effect of Jensen (1986) is lowered. Second, in the verification of the packing order theory using the model proposed by Shyam-Sunder and Myers (1999), family firms have higher compliance with the packing order theory than non-family firms do. When financing is needed, debt is preferred over equity issuance. However, for Korean family firms, 24.38% of the deficit funds are financed through the issuance of net debt, which is relatively low compared to the 75% shown in the analysis of Shyam-Sunder and Myers (1999). These results reveal the limit to the strong claim that the Korean family firms follow the packing order theory.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.351-355
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• 2009

Purpose: Cervical necrotizing fasciitis tends to involve the deep soft tissues and spread caudally to the anterior chest and mediastinum, often resulting in major complications and death. It may rapidly spread into the thorax along fascial planes, and the associated diagnostic delay results in this descending necrotizing mediastinitis. So, aggressive multidisciplinary therapy with surgical drainage is mandatory. We present a very rare case of descending necrotizing mediastinitis with literature review. Methods: A 53 years old male visited our department 7 days after trauma in neck. His premorbid conditions and risk factors of necrotizing fasciitis were concealed hepatoma, trauma history, chronic liver disease, and nutrition deficit. Computed tomographic scans of the head and neck region were performed in this patient : signs of necrotizing fasciitis, were seen in the platysma, sternocleidomastoid, trapezius muscle and strap muscles of the neck. Fluid accumulations involved multiple neck spaces and mediastinum. At the time, he diagnosed as necrotizing fasciitis on his neck and anterior chest. Necrotic wound was excised serially and we treated this with the Vacuum - assisted closure(VAC, Kinetics Concepts International, San Antonio, Texas) system device. After appropriately shaping the sponge and achieving additional 3 pieces drainage tubes in the pockets, continuous negative pressure of 125 mmHg was applied. The VAC therapy was utilized for a period of 12 days. Results: We obtained satisfactory results from wide excision, abscess drainage with the VAC system, and then split thickness skin graft. The postoperative course was uneventful. Conclusion: The refined technique using the VAC system can provide a means of simple and effective management for the descending necrotizing mediastinitis, with better cosmetic and functional results. Finally, the VAC system has been adopted as the standard treatment for deep cervical and mediastinal wound infections as a result of the excellent clinical outcome.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.863-871
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• 2007

Objects : To gain better insights of East-west integrated treatment of ischemic stroke. We analyzed 89 patients with severe acute ischemic stroke who were admitted to the East-west integrated intensive care unit. Methods : Subjects enrollment was from the East-west integrated intensive care unit of Kyung Hee Medical Center from March 2006 to February 2007. Patients were admitted within 14 days after the onset of ischemic stroke. We assessed the subjects' general characteristics, risk factors, admitting routes and periods, diagnostic imaging, process of western treatment and Korean traditional treatment, complication and consequence. Results : The proportion of males was 50.6%, of females 49.4%, average age was male 66.0$\pm$10.3 and female 71.1$\pm$10.5. Average length of hospital stays was 19.5 days. Monthly admissions were highest in November and December. The admission route was through emergency room (61.8%) or ward (34.8%). Mean Glasgow coma scale score was 10.0$\pm$2.5, average time from symptom of onset to hospital admission was 2.3$\pm$2.2 days. Dominant ischemic vascular territory was middle cerebral artery (66.3%). Initial western treatment was argatroban (22.5%), urokinase (28.1%), and heparinization (38.2%). Distribution of Sasang constitution of So-yang to Tae-eum to So-eum was equal to 5.4 to 2.9 to 1.5. Major complications were observed in 40 (42.7%) patients. In hospital mortality was 12.4% (11 deaths), all of them caused by aggravation of neurological deficit and only 3 of them with major complications. There appears to be a significant positive relationship between length of hospital stay and occurrence of complications (P<0.05). After discharge from the ICU, 64 (71.9%) patients were improved, 11 (12.4%) patients had expired, and 14 (15.8%) patients were transferred. Conclusions : From this study, we suggest that patients with severe acute ischemic stroke should be treated with East-west integrated therapy for more favorable consequences and decreased mortality.