• Title/Summary/Keyword: total utility

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Evaluation of Usefulness of SPECT-CT at the Examination of Digestive System Leakage Patients (소화기계 Leakage 환자 검사 시 SPECT-CT의 유용성 평가)

  • Ham, Jun Cheol;Oh, Shin Hyun;Choi, Yong Hoon;Kang, Chun Koo;Kim, Jae Sam
    • The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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    • v.22 no.1
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    • pp.98-102
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    • 2018
  • Purpose When examining patients with digestive system Leakage, it is not easy to distinguish between bile leakage and bleeding only with Planar images. I would like to evaluate the utility of leakage of bile, confirmation of gastrointestinal bleeding and location discrimination using SPECT-CT. Materials and Methods SPECT-CT was performed according to the request of the reading room after acquiring Planar image for a total of 13 patients, including 8 patients suspected of bile leakage and 5 patients suspected of gastrointestinal bleeding, among patients visiting this specification went. We used Symbia T16 from SIEMENS and Discovery 670 from GE. Planar and SPECT-CT images were evaluated with a score of 1 to 10 by 4 experienced nuclear medicine doctors. Using the sensitivity and the specificity, the evaluation of the inspection by the ROC curve was carried out. The final diagnosis was confirmed by follow-up observation as a result of reoperative surgery. Results The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of SPECT-CT were 91.7%, 100% and 94.2%, respectively. Planar images were 83.3%, 68.8% and 78.8%, respectively. Planar images showed lower diagnostic accuracy compared to SPECT-CT (78.8%, 94.2%, p<0.05). Moreover, the reliability of the diagnosis of SPECT-CT by ROC curve analysis showed a more useful result than the Planar image (p<0.05). Conclusion SPECT-CT had high sensitivity and specificity for diagnosis of biliary leakage and gastrointestinal bleeding and location discrimination. When SPECT-CT is additionally performed together with Planar images, it may be considered to improve bile leakage and diagnosis of gastrointestinal bleeding patients and position discrimination evaluation. There is usefulness depending on the patient's age and position, but consideration of additional CT exposure may be done sufficiently.

A Survey of the Current Information Activities in the Advanced Developing Countries (중진국의 정보유통체제 연구)

  • Choi Sung-jin
    • Journal of the Korean Society for Library and Information Science
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    • v.7
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    • pp.89-195
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    • 1980
  • The advanced developing countries including Korea are assumed to have reached a developmental stage which necessitates them to formulate and implement a plan for a national information network. Most of the governments in the advanced developing countries are well aware of the necessity for such a plan and some of them have actually commenced their studies on the feasibility of a national network of their own hoping to achieve maximum utility of their limited information resources. Two urgent problems facing planners in the design of a national information network are identified. One is lack of an optimum organisational model to enable them to meet their own situations, and the other is lack of a guideline to help designers evaluate the alternative structures and models when they are available. In resolving these two problems, network planners in the advanced developing countries would benefit from the achievement of the objectives of the present study. The major objective is to elicit and describe common information needs, desires and value of the people using information, and other common factors which are responsible for the present information services in the advanced developing countries and which have implications for the basic structure of the national information network. The value of this study is to aid administrators in Korea and those in the other advanced developing countries who are responsible for making national policies and who are now beginning to recognise the need for information services with the planning of economic and social development so as to enable all the groups in the community to have access to the information which are essential for decision making, research work, studies and even for recreational reading. This recognition will hopefully give them a rational basis for formulating right policies on information services. The methodology utlised for collecting the required data in this study falls under the category of observation and largely consists of the two techniques: literature review and postal questionnaire. Background information on the individual advanced developing: countries was gathered from monographic and periodical literature. and country reports presented at the various international conferences were analysed for other relevant data. For most of the data needed for the present study, a questionnaire on 'Library and Information Services as They Are Available in the Selected Countries' was formulated. This questionnaire was designed to be completed without help, by an expert who was well informed of the library and information services in his or her country. The questionnaire was intended to look in details at what information services in the advanced developing countries were doing-whom they were serving, in what way, and how well and establish to what extent they were meeting the nation's information requirements. It was also intended to ascertain the respondents' ideas on possible future developments in information provision in their countries, that is, in the advanced devanced developing countries. The questionnaire was posted to a total of 63 natinal librarians, directors of national information centres and those of other major libraries or information centres in 21 selected countries. Complete usable responses were received from 34 persons in 14 countries. In order to identify common characteristics of the information needs and desires in the advanced developing countries and the present situation of the information services to meet them, and the requirements and constraints peculiar to those countries which bought to be considered in the design of a national information network for advanced developing countries, an individual report on the current status of information activities for each of the fourteen countries chosen for this study, was presented. The procedure used was to arrange the data acquired in the questionnaire responses and other sources, in the form of fifteen country reports to be summarised by cross-section characteristics later.

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Perfusion MR Imaging of the Brain Tumor: Preliminary Report (뇌종야의 관류 자기공명영상: 예비보고)

  • 김홍대;장기현;성수옥;한문희;한만청
    • Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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    • v.1 no.1
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    • pp.119-124
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    • 1997
  • Purpose: To assess the utility of magnetic resonance(MR) cerebral blood volume (CBV) map in the evaluation of brain tumors. Materials and Methods: We performed perfusion MR imaing preoperatively in the consecutive IS patients with intracranial masses(3 meningiomas, 2 glioblastoma multiformes, 3 low grade gliomas, 1 lymphoma, 1 germinoma, 1 neurocytoma, 1 metastasis, 2 abscesses, 1 radionecrosis). The average age of the patients was 42 years (22yr -68yr), composed of 10 males and S females. All MR images were obtained at l.ST imager(Signa, CE Medical Systems, Milwaukee, Wisconsin). The regional CBV map was obtained on the theoretical basis of susceptibility difference induced by first pass circulation of contrast media. (contrast media: IScc of gadopentate dimeglumine, about 2ml/sec by hand, starting at 10 second after first baseline scan). For each patient, a total of 480 images (6 slices, 80 images/slice in 160 sec) were obtained by using gradient echo(CE) single shot echo-planar image(EPI) sequence (TR 2000ms, TE SOms, flip angle $90^{\circ}$, FOV $240{\times}240mm,{\;}matrix{\;}128{\times}128$, slice-thick/gap S/2.S). After data collection, the raw data were transferred to CE workstation and rCBV maps were generated from the numerical integration of ${\Delta}R2^{*} on a voxel by voxel basis, with home made software (${\Delta}R2^{*}=-ln (S/SO)/TE). For easy visual interpretation, relative RCB color coding with reference to the normal white matter was applied and color rCBV maps were obtained. The findings of perfusion MR image were retrospectively correlated with Cd-enhanced images with focus on the degree and extent of perfusion and contrast enhancement. Results: Two cases of glioblastoma multiforme with rim enhancement on Cd-enhanced Tl weighted image showed increased perfusion in the peripheral rim and decreased perfusion in the central necrosis portion. The low grade gliomas appeared as a low perfusion area with poorly defined margin. In 2 cases of brain abscess, the degree of perfusion was similar to that of the normal white matter in the peripheral enhancing rim and was low in the central portion. All meningiomas showed diffuse homogeneous increased perfusion of moderate or high degree. One each of lymphoma and germinoma showed homogenously decreased perfusion with well defined margin. The central neurocytoma showed multifocal increased perfusion areas of moderate or high degree. A few nodules of the multiple metastasis showed increased perfusion of moderate degree. One radionecrosis revealed multiple foci of increased perfusion within the area of decreased perfusion. Conclusion: The rCBV map appears to correlate well with the perfusion state of brain tumor, and may be helpful in discrimination between low grade and high grade gliomas. The further study is needed to clarify the role of perfusion MR image in the evaluation of brain tumor.

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Evaluation of useful treatment which uses dual-energy when curing lung-cancer patient with stereotactic body radiation therapy (폐암 환자의 정위적방사선 치료 시 이중 에너지를 이용한 치료 방법의 유용성 평가)

  • Jang, Hyeong Jun;Lee, Yeong Gyu;Kim, Yeong Jae;Park, Yeong Gyu
    • The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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    • v.28 no.2
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    • pp.87-99
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    • 2016
  • Purpose : This study will evaluate the clinical utility by applying clinical schematic that uses monoenergy or dual energy as according to the location of tumors to the stereotactic radiotherapy to compare the change in actual dose given to the real tumor and the dose that locates adjacent to the tumor. Materials and Methods : CT images from a total of 10 patients were obtained and the clinical planning were planned based on the volumetric modulated arc therapy on monoenergy and dual energy. To analyze the change factor in the tumor, Comformity Index(CI) and Homogeneity Index(HI) and maximum dose quantity were each calculated and comparing the dose distribution on normal tissues, $V_{10}$ and $V_5$, first ~ fourth ribs closest to the tumor ($1^{st}{\sim}4^{th}$ Rib), Spinal Cord, Esophagus and Trachea were selected. Also, in order to confirm the accuracy on which the planned dose distribution is really measured, the 2-dimensional ion chamber array was used to measure the dose distribution. Results : As of the tumor factor, CI and HI showed a number close to 1 when the two energies were used. As of the maximum dose, the front chest wall showed 2% and the dorsal tumor showed equivalent value. As of normal tissue, the front chest wall tumors were reduced by 4%, 5% when both energies were used in the adjacent rib and as of trachea, reduced by 11%, 17%. As of the dose in the lung, as of $V_{10}$, it reduced by 1.5%, $V_5$ by 1%. As of the rear chest wall, when both energies were used, the ribs adjacent to the tumors showed 6%, 1%, 4%, 12% reduction, and in the lung dose distribution, $V_{10}$ reduced by 3%, and $V_5$ reduced by 3.1%. The dose measurement in all energies were in accordance to the results of Gamma Index 3mm/3%. Conclusion : It is considered that rather than using monoenergy, utilizing double energy in the clinical setting can be more effectively applied to the superficial tumors.

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International Success the Second Time Around: A Case Study (제이륜국제성공(第二轮国际成功): 일개안례연구(一个案例研究))

  • Colley, Mary Catherine;Gatlin, Brandie
    • Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
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    • v.20 no.2
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    • pp.173-178
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    • 2010
  • A privately held, third generation family owned company, Boom Technologies, Inc. (BTI), a provider of products and services to the electric utility, telecommunications and contractor markets, continues to make progress in exporting. Although export sales only equaled 5% of total revenue in 2008, BTI has an entire export division. Their export division's Managing Director reveals the trial and errors of a privately held company and their quest for success overseas. From its inception, BTI has always believed its greatest asset is its employees. When export sales struggled due to lack of strategy and direction, BTI hired a Managing Director for its export division. With leadership and guidance from BTI's president and from the Managing Director, they utilized the department's skills and knowledge. Structural changes were made to expand their market presence abroad and increase export sales. As a result, export sales increased four-fold, area managers in new countries were added and distribution networks were successfully cultivated. At times, revenue generation was difficult to determine due to the structure of the company. Therefore, in 1996, the export division was restructured as a limited liability company. This allowed the company to improve the tracking of revenue and expenses. Originally, 80% of BTI's export sales came from two countries; therefore, the initial approach to selling overseas was not reaching their anticipated goals of expanding their foreign market presence. However, changes were made and now the company manages the details of selling to over 80 countries. There were three major export expansion challenges noted by the Managing Director: 1. Product and Shipping - The major obstacle for BTI was product assembly. Originally, the majority of the product was assembled in the United States, which increased shipping and packaging costs. With so many parts specified in the order, many times the order would arrive with parts missing. The missing parts could equate to tens of thousands of dollars. Shipping these missing parts separately in another shipment also cost tens of thousands of dollar, plus a delivery delay time of six to eight weeks; all of which came out of the BTI's pockets. 2. Product Adaptation - Safety and product standards varied widely for each of the 80 countries to which BTI exported. Weights, special licenses, product specification requirements, measurement systems, and truck stability can all differ from country to country and can serve as a type of barrier to entry, making it difficult to adapt products accordingly. Technical and safety standards are barriers that serve as a type of protection for the local industry and can stand in the way of successfully pursuing foreign markets. 3. Marketing Challenges - The importance of distribution creates many challenges for BTI as they attempt to determine how each country prefers to operate with regard to their distribution systems. Some countries have competition from a small competitor that only produces one competing product; whereas BTI manufactures over 100 products. Marketing material is another concern for BTI as they attempt to push marketing costs to the distributors. Adapting the marketing material can be costly in terms of translation and cultural differences. In addition, the size of paper in the United States differs from those in some countries, causing many problems when attempting to copy the same layout and With distribution being one of several challenges for BTI, the company claims their distribution network is one of their competitive advantages, as the location and names of their distributors are not revealed. In addition, BTI rotates two offerings yearly: training to their distributors one year and then the next is a distributor's meeting. With a focus on product and shipping, product adaptation, and marketing challenges, the intricacies of selling overseas takes time and patience. Another competitive advantage noted is BTI's cradle to grave strategy, where they follow the product from sale to its final resting place, whether the truck is leased or purchased new or used. They also offer service and maintenance plans with a detailed cost analysis provided to the company prior to purchasing or leasing the product. Expanding abroad will always create challenges for a company. As the Managing Director stated, "If you don't have patience (in the export business), you better do something else." Knowing how to adapt quickly provides BTI with the skills necessary to adjust to the changing needs of each country and its own unique challenges, allowing them to remain competitive.

The Development of the Sustainability Appraisal Indicators for Clean Development Mechanism(CDM) Projects by Multi-Criteria Analysis(MCA) (청정개발체제(CDM)사업의 지속가능성평가 지표 개발 -다 기준분석법(MCA)을 활용하여-)

  • Yang, Chun-Seung;Park, Sung-Hwan;Park, Jung-Gu
    • Journal of Environmental Policy
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    • v.8 no.2
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    • pp.83-118
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    • 2009
  • Clean Development Mechanism(CDM) projects under the Kyoto Protocol have two objectives. One is to assist the Parties included in Annex I in achieving compliance with their quantified emission limitation and reduction commitments in cost-effective ways by allowing them to implement emission reduction projects in Non-Annex I countries and receive CERs, which will offset their reduction commitments. The other is to assist Parties not included in Annex I in achieving sustainable development and technology transfers through investments by Annex I countries. However, in reality, it is said that the former objective is achievable but the latter is not. In this light, this article suggests sustainability appraisal criteria applicable for Korea. Among various methodologies, we used the 'multi-attributes utility theory(MAUT)'; one of the 'multi-criteria analysis (MCA)' methodologies judged to be the most practical and relevant. Based on the guidelines of the MAUT methodology, we identified sustainability criteria that meet the guidelines. We took two tracks, the first to find the preferences of Korean experts, and the other to check foreign cases. In all, 37 preliminary criteria were suggested to Korean experts and each criterion was scored, from between 1 and 3, in terms of relevance, possibility of real improvement, easiness of data collection, and preferences. We combined foreign cases and the results of a survey conducted in Korea and selected 12 core criteria and 10 additional criteria. After that, all the criteria were converted into indicators. The indicators were applied to a CDM project for case study. We chose the "Sihwa Tidal Power Project", which is currently the biggest tidal power plant in the world. Twelve core indicators and 3 additional indicators were applied. In order to weight each indicator, the 'analytical hierarchy process (AHP)' was used. A total of 30 experts were asked to suggest weights and 21 answered. Among them, only 14 respondents were proven to meet the consistency ratio. We analyzed the 14 responses through Expert Choice and the CDM project was scored (+)53.082. In addition, sensitivity analysis was undertaken with the result of (+)44.667 to (+)65.522. As a result of this study, it was proven that this project would contribute to the sustainable development of Korea.

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The Clinical Usefulness of Spiral CT Angiography in the Diagnosis of Pulmonary Thromboembolism (폐색전증 진단에서 나선식 전산화 단층촬영 혈관조영술의 임상적 유용성)

  • Kim, Woo-Gyu;Lim, Byung-Sung;Kim, Mi-Young;Hwang, Hweung-Kon
    • Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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    • v.47 no.5
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    • pp.669-680
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    • 1999
  • Background: Pulmonary thromboembolism(PTE) is a life threatening disease that needs early diagnosis. Spiral CT angiography depict thromboemboli in the central pulmonary vessels with greater than 90% sensitivity and specificity, which approaches the results of pulmonary angiography in the Prospective Investigation of Pulmonary Embolism Diagnosis(PIOPED) study. This study was performed to evaluate the findings and the diagnostic value(clinical utility) of the spiral CT angiography with 2D image(multiplanar reformation) and 3D images(Shaded surface display, Minimal intensity projection) in the pulmonary thromboembolism. Methods: We retrospectively analysed spiral CT angiography and pulmonary angiography, lung scan and clinical recordings of 20 patients who had PTE diagnosed by spiral CT angiography(n=19 cases) or pulmonary angiography(n=l case) from September 1997 to August 1998. Among 20 patients who had underwent spiral CT angiography, 14 patients could be performed lung perfusion scan at the same time. We analyzed the vascular and parenchymal change in spiral CT angiogram. Results: Anatomical distribution of PTE was as follows: 1) left lung(n= 103)

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Accounting Conservatism and Excess Executive Compensation (회계 보수주의와 경영자 초과보상)

  • Byun, Seol-Won;Park, Sang-Bong
    • Management & Information Systems Review
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    • v.37 no.2
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    • pp.187-207
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    • 2018
  • This study examines the negative relationship between accounting conservatism and excess executive compensation and examines whether their relationship increases as managerial incentive compensation intensity increases. For this purpose, a total of 2,755 company-years were selected for the analysis of the companies listed on the Korea Stock Exchange from December 2012 to 2016 as the final sample. The results of this study are as follows. First, there is a statistically significant negative relationship between accounting conservatism and manager overpayment. This implies that managers' incentives to distort future cash flow estimates by over booking assets or accounting profits in order to maximize their compensation when manager compensation is linked to firm performance. In this sense, accounting conservatism can reduce opportunistic behavior by restricting managerial accounting choices, which can be interpreted as a reduction in overpayment to managers. Second, we found that the relationship between accounting conservatism and excess executive compensation increases with the incentive compensation for accounting performance. The higher the managerial incentive compensation intensity of accounting performance is, the more likely it is that the manager has the incentive to make earnings adjustments. Therefore, the high level of incentive compensation for accounting performance means that the ex post settling up problem due to over-compensation can become serious. In this case, the higher the managerial incentive compensation intensity for accounting performance, the greater the role and utility of conservatism in manager compensation contracts. This study is based on the fact that it presents empirical evidence on the usefulness of accounting conservatism in managerial compensation contracts theoretically presented by Watts (2003) and the additional basis that conservatism can be used as a useful tool for investment decision.

On the Study of Forest Sampling Methods in Natural Deciduous Forest (활엽수림(闊葉樹林)에 대(對)한 자원조사법(資源調査法)의 연구(硏究))

  • Kim, Kap Duk
    • Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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    • v.17 no.1
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    • pp.35-42
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    • 1973
  • Deciduous trees grown naturally in the forest of Korea usually have an irregular Lee-form and their utility has been decreased. In Korea, most of the deciduous stands are distributed in the hinterland. A shortage of the total growing stock made utilization of them necessary in this country even though some difficulties to be cutted and transported are accompanied. Therefore, this study was conducted to select the suitable sampling method for surveying them. The results investigated are as follows. 1. Three locations being 10 hectares in each location for the plots were chosen and surveyed with six $20m{\times}50m$ rectangular sample plots by four types of sampling method below. And the result is shown in Table 1. A. Random sampling by grids B. Random sampling by co-ordinates C. Systematic line plot. D. Sub-sampling 2. One hundred and fifty hectares from all plots were sectioned through the application of aerial photography scaled of 1 : 15,000. The author divided forest types according to diameter class and crown density with mirror stereoscope. The forest types were divided into three classes. Seven sample plots from the area of 150 hectars are systematically arranged and the results investigated on the circular sample point of 0.1 hectare are shown in Table 4. 3. There were no significant differences between results by sampling method and by diameter measurement method (population mean) as shown in Table 3. 4. Random sampling by grid and systematic line plot are better than others. 5. There are more over-estimated values when the circular sample point is used than where the rectangular sample point. 6. As forest stands are irregular, smaller number of sample points will make many errors.

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Assessing Relative Importance of Laver Attributes for Infants Using Conjoint Analysis (컨조인트 분석을 이용한 영유아 김 선택 속성의 상대적 중요도 분석)

  • Lee, Ho-Jin;Lee, Min-A;Park, Hye-Kyung
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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    • v.45 no.6
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    • pp.894-902
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    • 2016
  • The purpose of this study was to analyze the attributes considered as important by parents in the selection of laver for infants through conjoint analysis techniques. A total of 917 questionnaires were distributed in January 2016, of which 211 were completed (23.0%). Statistical data analyses were performed using SPSS/Win 21.0 for descriptive statistics and conjoint analysis. The conjoint design was applied to evaluate the hypothetical laver for infants. According to the analysis of attributes and levels of laver for infants, the relative importance of each attribute was follows: seasoning (26.55%), flavor (19.33%), texture (18.75%), oil (15.15%), size (10.61%), and certification (9.61%). The results of the conjoint analysis indicate that parents raising infants preferred laver with the characteristics of non-seasoning, general flavor, softness, half-size, organic certification, and perilla oil. The most preferred laver for infants gained a 53.7% potential market share from choice simulation compared with laver being sold. Using utility and relative importance, the laver market for infants was classified into two segments. As a result of market segmentation, parents of cluster 1 preferred the laver model being sold (soy seasoning) while parents of cluster 2 preferred the optimized laver model (non-seasoning).