• 동아시아경상학회지
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• 제12권1호
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• pp.35-42
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• 2024

Purpose: A railroad project is a complex system with large construction costs in the initial stage and ongoing operating costs over its lifecycle. Current railroad projects tend to be based on construction options, which leads to huge deficiencies in operating costs. This phenomenon results from a lack of appropriate tools to accurately estimate a railroad project's lifecycle costs. This study attempts to analyze the major components of railroad operating costs and to propose a decision-making system for analyzing the long-term lifecycle costs of railroad projects. Research design, data and methodology: We review the literature and analyze the current status of railroad operating costs in Korea and overseas. Based on previous projects, a framework for project options and operating costs is proposed. The framework is applied to actual railroad projects to demonstrate the validity of the model. Results: Case analysis shows that our framework is comprehensive in analyzing the primary aspects of railroad operating costs and plays an effective role in choosing various railroad project options. This study points out that the railway project operates inefficiently because estimating long-term costs without reflecting specific project options causes many errors. Conclusions: A major contribution of this study is the development of an improved framework for accurately estimating operating costs and providing policymakers and engineering firms with a holistic decision support system. Detailed components in estimating operating costs of the railroad business are discussed. And we present a decision-making tool that policymakers and private businesses can use in planning the railroad business.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권10호
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• pp.4157-4160
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• 2015

Treatment of early stage ovarian cancer remains controversial despite advances in chemotherapeutic options. Over the past 30 years, molecular and clinicopathologic studies accelerated and treatment of ovarian cancer has undoubtedly improved although there is a debate as to whether this impacts outcome or not. More recently, the introduction of targeted therapy started a new era. Probably it is because early stage disease comprises a small portion of the epithelial ovarian cancer, studies have mostly ignored this group and still there is no clear consensus regarding systemic treatment of early-stage lesions. However this group of patients has the best chance of cure. In this review, we focus on current developments in the treatment of early stage ovarian cancer and query the options.

• Industrial Engineering and Management Systems
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• 제12권2호
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• pp.85-94
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• 2013

This research investigates the supply chain contract between a distributor and a supplier in which the selling period is relatively short in comparison with long production lead time. At the first stage, supplier who is a Stackelberg leader offers the distributor a contract with a set of parameters, and subjected to those parameters, the distributor places the number of initial orders as well as options. In order to purchase the option, the distributor pays non-linear option premium price with respect to the number of purchased options. At the second stage, based on realized demand, the distributor has the right to exercise option as either put or call which is limited up to the number of purchased options. The wholesale price contract is used as a benchmarking contract. This research has confirmed that the supply chain contract with a non-linear option premium price can help to coordinate the supply chain.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제13권6호
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• pp.2749-2752
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• 2012

Background: Breaking bad news to cancer patients is a delicate and challenging task for most doctors. Better understanding of patients' preferences in breaking bad news can guide doctors in performing this task. Objectives: This study aimed to describe the preferences of Malaysian cancer patients regarding the communication of bad news. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in the Oncology clinic of a tertiary teaching hospital. Two hundred adult cancer patients were recruited via purposive quota sampling. They were required to complete the Malay language version of the Measure of Patients' Preferences (MPP-BM) with minimal researcher assistance. Their responses were analysed using descriptive statistics. Association between demographic characteristics and domain scores were tested using non-parametric statistical tests. Results: Nine items were rated by the patients as essential: "Doctor is honest about the severity of my condition", "Doctor describing my treatment options in detail", "Doctor telling me best treatment options", Doctor letting me know all of the different treatment options", "Doctor being up to date on research on my type of cancer", "Doctor telling me news directly", "Being given detailed info about results of medical tests", "Being told in person", and "Having doctor offer hope about my condition". All these items had median scores of 5/5 (IQR:4-5). The median scores for the three domains were: "Content and Facilitation" 74/85, "Emotional Support" 23/30 and "Structural and Informational Support" 31/40. Ethnicity was found to be significantly associated with scores for "Content and Facilitation" and "Emotional Support". Educational status was significantly associated with scores for "Structural and Informational Support". Conclusion: Malaysian cancer patients appreciate the ability of the doctor to provide adequate information using good communication skills during the process of breaking bad news. Provision of emotional support, structural support and informational support were also highly appreciated.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제28권5호
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• pp.703-715
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• 2015

One of the challenges to increase milk production in a large pasture-based herd with an automatic milking system (AMS) is to grow forages within a 1- km radius, as increases in walking distance increases milking interval and reduces yield. The main objective of this study was to explore sustainable forage option technologies that can supply high amount of grazeable forages for AMS herds using the Agricultural Production Systems Simulator (APSIM) model. Three different basic simulation scenarios (with irrigation) were carried out using forage crops (namely maize, soybean and sorghum) for the spring-summer period. Subsequent crops in the three scenarios were forage rape over-sown with ryegrass. Each individual simulation was run using actual climatic records for the period from 1900 to 2010. Simulated highest forage yields in maize, soybean and sorghum- (each followed by forage rape-ryegrass) based rotations were 28.2, 22.9, and 19.3 t dry matter/ha, respectively. The simulations suggested that the irrigation requirement could increase by up to 18%, 16%, and 17% respectively in those rotations in El-Nino years compared to neutral years. On the other hand, irrigation requirement could increase by up to 25%, 23%, and 32% in maize, soybean and sorghum based rotations in El-Nino years compared to La-Nina years. However, irrigation requirement could decrease by up to 8%, 7%, and 13% in maize, soybean and sorghum based rotations in La-Nina years compared to neutral years. The major implication of this study is that APSIM models have potentials in devising preferred forage options to maximise grazeable forage yield which may create the opportunity to grow more forage in small areas around the AMS which in turn will minimise walking distance and milking interval and thus increase milk production. Our analyses also suggest that simulation analysis may provide decision support during climatic uncertainty.

• East Asian Economic Review
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• 제21권2호
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• pp.103-121
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• 2017

This paper experimentally studies the performance of negotiation considering individual and party, like a country, share of benefit over the best ones. It experiments two-stage bargaining games, internal and external negotiations. From the experimental results, this paper shows strong tendency to select fair allocation in the internal negotiations, but the tendency would be weaker with attractive outside option. In addition, the outside option may claim difference in individual benefit. From the regressions on individual performance in the negotiations, being a proposing party would matter to enhance the performance. However, relative individual performance within party fairness matters. Still attractive no-agreement options happen to break the tendency. As policy implication for trade negotiation, this paper warns that possible loss in individual benefit from not active participation to the external negotiations, no active role of proposer in case that players stick to internal allocations, and deviation of advantageous sector due to attractive outside options.

• 유통과학연구
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• 제13권2호
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• pp.15-24
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• 2015

Purpose - Foreign exchange risk control is in an important component in the international supply chain management. This study shows the importance of the reference period in forecasting future exchange rates with a specific illustration of KIKO currency option contracts, and suggests feasible preventive measures. Research design, data, and methodology - Using monthly Won-Dollar exchange rate data for January 1995~July 2007, I evaluate the statistical characteristics of the exchange rate for two sub-periods; 1) a shorter period after the East Asian financial crisis and 2) a longer period including the financial crisis. The key instrument of analysis is the basic normal distribution theory. Results - The difference in the reference period could lead to an unexpected development in contract implementation and a consequent financial loss. We may avoid foreign exchange loss by using derivatives such as forwards or currency options. Conclusions - We should consider not only level values but also the volatilities of financial variables in making a binding financial contract. Appropriate measures may differ depending on the specific supply chain pattern. We may extend the study with surveys on actual risk measures.

• Asian Journal of Innovation and Policy
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• 제4권2호
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• pp.132-153
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• 2015

Rural enterprise clusters in India have often been characterized by low-end products, poor income earning options and a near-absence of innovativeness. This has implied limited market access, inadequate organization of production and distancing from sources of formal knowledge. Policy neglect of rural industrialization notwithstanding this paper explores the nature of institutional constraints to innovation through intensive case studies of five rural artisan clusters (handlooms and handicrafts) in as many Indian states. Whether it relates to access to loan finance or technology support or linking to markets, the formal institutions (public or private) have been distanced by informality that typifies most rural enterprise clusters. An obsession with a sectoral approach to cluster development has negated addressing infirmities of the space of enterprise, even as scope for learning from some Asian economies in rural enterprise promotion exists. The paper also enquires if the innovation systems have been inclusive and pro-poor.

• Industrial Engineering and Management Systems
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• 제11권3호
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• pp.224-232
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• 2012

The paper proposes a non-parametric methodology, data envelopment analysis, for measuring efficiency and productivity in service delivery systems with capacity constraints. The methodology provides allocation approaches for studying behaviors of firm and customers in service delivery strategy. The experimental study is carried out to investigate allocation behaviors and conduct an objective tradeoff between efficiency approach and productivity approach. The experimental result indicates that the efficiency approach allocates resource via maximizing customer efficiency rather than firm productivity as in the productivity approach. Moreover, the experiment reveals that there exists an objective tradeoff between the efficiency approach and the productivity approach. These findings provide strategic options for allocation policy in service delivery systems.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• 제21권2호
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• pp.164-170
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• 2016

Since most of the existing wastewater treatment options lack the ability to treat micro-contaminants, the increased use of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) and release as human waste have become a serious concern in recent years. Constructed wetlands (CWs) are a low-cost technology for wastewater treatment, however, its performance in term of PPCPs removal has not yet been fully investigated. This study aimed to characterize the removal factors and efficiency of acetaminophen (ACT) removal by CWs. The results revealed the decreased concentrations of ACT with increasing hydraulic retention times (HRT) of 0, 3, 5 days. The contribution of removal factors was found to be varied with initial ACT concentration. At the low ACT concentration (i.e. 1 ppb), plant uptake was the dominant, followed by microbial and photolytic removal. In contrast, at the high ACT concentration (i.e. 100 ppb), microbial and photolytic removal were found as dominant factors. On the other hand, hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$) concentration was found at higher level in the plant shoot than in the root probably due to occurrence of the Fenton reaction resulting in PPCPs removal.