• Asia pacific journal of information systems
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.53-74
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• 2012

A challenge in fostering virtual communities is the continuous supply of knowledge, namely members' willingness to contribute knowledge to their communities. Previous research argues that giving away knowledge eventually causes the possessors of that knowledge to lose their unique value to others, benefiting all except the contributor. Furthermore, communication within virtual communities involves a large number of participants with different social backgrounds and perspectives. The establishment of mutual understanding to comprehend conversations and foster knowledge contribution in virtual communities is inevitably more difficult than face-to-face communication in a small group. In spite of these arguments, evidence suggests that individuals in virtual communities do engage in social behaviors such as knowledge contribution. It is important to understand why individuals provide their valuable knowledge to other community members without a guarantee of returns. In virtual communities, knowledge is inherently rooted in individual members' experiences and expertise. This personal nature of knowledge requires social interactions between virtual community members for knowledge transfer. This study employs the social capital theory in order to account for interpersonal relationship factors and identity theory for individual and group factors that may affect knowledge contribution. First, social capital is the relationship capital which is embedded within the relationships among the participants in a network and available for use when it is needed. Social capital is a productive resource, facilitating individuals' actions for attainment. Nahapiet and Ghoshal (1997) identify three dimensions of social capital and explain theoretically how these dimensions affect the exchange of knowledge. Thus, social capital would be relevant to knowledge contribution in virtual communities. Second, existing research has addressed the importance of identity in facilitating knowledge contribution in a virtual context. Identity in virtual communities has been described as playing a vital role in the establishment of personal reputations and in the recognition of others. For instance, reputation systems that rate participants in terms of the quality of their contributions provide a readily available inventory of experts to knowledge seekers. Despite the growing interest in identities, however, there is little empirical research about how identities in the communities influence knowledge contribution. Therefore, the goal of this study is to better understand knowledge contribution by examining the roles of social capital and identity in virtual communities. Based on a theoretical framework of social capital and identity theory, we develop and test a theoretical model and evaluate our hypotheses. Specifically, we propose three variables such as cohesiveness, reciprocity, and commitment, referring to the social capital theory, as antecedents of knowledge contribution in virtual communities. We further posit that members with a strong identity (self-presentation and group identification) contribute more knowledge to virtual communities. We conducted a field study in order to validate our research model. We collected data from 192 members of virtual communities and used the PLS method to analyse the data. The tests of the measurement model confirm that our data set has appropriate discriminant and convergent validity. The results of testing the structural model show that cohesion, reciprocity, and self-presentation significantly influence knowledge contribution, while commitment and group identification do not significantly influence knowledge contribution. Our findings on cohesion and reciprocity are consistent with the previous literature. Contrary to our expectations, commitment did not significantly affect knowledge contribution in virtual communities. This result may be due to the fact that knowledge contribution was voluntary in the virtual communities in our sample. Another plausible explanation for this result may be the self-selection bias for the survey respondents, who are more likely to contribute their knowledge to virtual communities. The relationship between self-presentation and knowledge contribution was found to be significant in virtual communities, supporting the results of prior literature. Group identification did not significantly affect knowledge contribution in this study, inconsistent with the wealth of research that identifies group identification as an important factor for knowledge sharing. This conflicting result calls for future research that examines the role of group identification in knowledge contribution in virtual communities. This study makes a contribution to theory development in the area of knowledge management in general and virtual communities in particular. For practice, the results of this study identify the circumstances under which individual factors would be effective for motivating knowledge contribution to virtual communities.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.65-70
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• 2005

Those specifications of the CLIA analytical tolerance limits are consistent with the performance goals in Six Sigma Quality Management. Six sigma analysis determines performance quality from bias and precision statistics. It also shows if the method meets the criteria for the six sigma performance. Performance standards calculates allowable total error from several different criteria. Six sigma means six standard deviations from the target value or mean value and about 3.4 failures per million opportunities for failure. Sigma Quality Level is an indicator of process centering and process variation total error allowable. Tolerance specification is replaced by a Total Error specification, which is a common form of a quality specification for a laboratory test. The CLIA criteria for acceptable performance in proficiency testing events are given in the form of an allowable total error, TEa. Thus there is a published list of TEa specifications for regulated analytes. In terms of TEa, Six Sigma Quality Management sets a precision goal of TEa/6 and an accuracy goal of 1.5 (TEa/6). This concept is based on the proficiency testing specification of target value +/-3s, TEa from reference intervals, biological variation, and peer group median mean surveys. We have found rules to calculate as a fraction of a reference interval and peer group median mean surveys. We studied to develop total error allowable from peer group survey results and CLIA 88 rules in US on 19 items TP, ALB, T.B, ALP, AST, ALT, CL, LD, K, Na, CRE, BUN, T.C, GLU, GGT, CA, phosphorus, UA, TG tests in chematology were follows. Sigma level versus TEa from peer group median mean CV of each item by group mean were assessed by process performance, fitting within six sigma tolerance limits were TP ($6.1{\delta}$/9.3%), ALB ($6.9{\delta}$/11.3%), T.B ($3.4{\delta}$/25.6%), ALP ($6.8{\delta}$/31.5%), AST ($4.5{\delta}$/16.8%), ALT ($1.6{\delta}$/19.3%), CL ($4.6{\delta}$/8.4%), LD ($11.5{\delta}$/20.07%), K ($2.5{\delta}$/0.39mmol/L), Na ($3.6{\delta}$/6.87mmol/L), CRE ($9.9{\delta}$/21.8%), BUN ($4.3{\delta}$/13.3%), UA ($5.9{\delta}$/11.5%), T.C ($2.2{\delta}$/10.7%), GLU ($4.8{\delta}$/10.2%), GGT ($7.5{\delta}$/27.3%), CA ($5.5{\delta}$/0.87mmol/L), IP ($8.5{\delta}$/13.17%), TG ($9.6{\delta}$/17.7%). Peer group survey median CV in Korean External Assessment greater than CLIA criteria were CL (8.45%/5%), BUN (13.3%/9%), CRE (21.8%/15%), T.B (25.6%/20%), and Na (6.87mmol/L/4mmol/L). Peer group survey median CV less than it were as TP (9.3%/10%), AST (16.8%/20%), ALT (19.3%/20%), K (0.39mmol/L/0.5mmol/L), UA (11.5%/17%), Ca (0.87mg/dL1mg/L), TG (17.7%/25%). TEa in 17 items were same one in 14 items with 82.35%. We found out the truth on increasing sigma level due to increased total error allowable, and were sure that the goal of setting total error allowable would affect the evaluation of sigma metrics in the process, if sustaining the same process.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.152-164
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• 2020

Purpose: To compare long-term disease-free survival (DFS) between patients receiving tegafur/gimeracil/oteracil (S-1) or capecitabine plus oxaliplatin (CAPOX) adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) for gastric cancer (GC). Materials and Methods: This retrospective multicenter observational study enrolled 983 patients who underwent curative gastrectomy with consecutive AC with S-1 or CAPOX for stage II or III GC at 27 hospitals in Korea between February 2012 and December 2013. We conducted propensity score matching to reduce selection bias. Long-term oncologic outcomes, including DFS rate over 5 years (over-5yr DFS), were analyzed postoperatively. Results: The median and longest follow-up period were 59.0 and 87.6 months, respectively. DFS rate did not differ between patients who received S-1 and CAPOX for pathologic stage II (P=0.677) and stage III (P=0.899) GC. Moreover, hazard ratio (HR) for recurrence did not differ significantly between S-1 and CAPOX (reference) in stage II (HR, 1.846; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.693-4.919; P=0.220) and stage III (HR, 0.942; 95% CI, 0.664-1.337; P=0.738) GC. After adjustment for significance in multivariate analysis, pT (4 vs. 1) (HR, 11.667; 95% CI, 1.595-85.351; P=0.016), pN stage (0 vs. 3) (HR, 2.788; 95% CI, 1.502-5.174; P=0.001), and completion of planned chemotherapy (HR, 2.213; 95% CI, 1.618-3.028; P<0.001) were determined as independent prognostic factors for DFS. Conclusions: S-1 and CAPOX AC regimens did not show significant difference in over-5yr DFS after curative gastrectomy in patients with stage II or III GC. The pT, pN stage, and completion of planned chemotherapy were prognostic factors for GC recurrence.

• Atmosphere
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.185-191
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• 2015

Ambient measurements of aerosol light absorption (${\sigma}_a$) and scattering coefficients (${\sigma}_s$) were done at Gosan climate observatory during summer 2008 using a 3-wavelength photoacoustic soot spectrometer (PASS). PASS was deployed photoacoustic method for light absorption and integrated nephelometry for light scattering measurements. The ${\sigma}_a$ and ${\sigma}_s$ from PASS were compared with those from co-located aethalometer and nephelometer measurements. The aethalometer measurements of ${\sigma}_a$ correlated reasonably well with photoacoustic measurements, but the slope of the linear fitting line indicated the PASS measurement values of ${\sigma}_a$ were larger by a factor of 1.53. The nephelometer measurement values of ${\sigma}_s$ correlated very well with PASS measurements of ${\sigma}_s$, with a slope of 1.12 and a small offset. Comparing to the aethalometer measurements, the photoacoustic measurements of ${\sigma}_a$ didn't exhibit a significant (i.e., the ratio between aethalometer and PASS increased) change with increasing relative humidity (RH). The ratio of ${\sigma}_s$ between nephelometer and PASS increased with increasing RH, especially when the RH increased beyond 80%. This apparent increase in ${\sigma}_s$ with RH may be due to the contribution of hygroscopic growth of aerosols.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.48 no.7
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• pp.553-566
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• 2015

Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers(ADCPs) have capability to concurrently capitalize three-dimensional velocity vector and bathymetry with highly efficient and rapid manner, and thereby enabling ADCPs to document the hydrodynamic and morphologic data in very high spatial and temporal resolution better than other contemporary instruments. However, ADCPs are also limited in terms of the inevitable unmeasured regions near bottom, surface, and edges of a given cross-section. The velocity in those unmeasured regions are usually extrapolated or assumed for calculating flow discharge, which definitely affects the accuracy in the discharge assessment. This study aimed at scrutinizing a conventional extrapolation method(i.e., the 1/6 power law) for estimating the unmeasured regions to figure out the accuracy in ADCP discharge measurements. For the comparative analysis, we collected spatially dense velocity data using ADV as well as stationary ADCP in a real-scale straight river channel, and applied the 1/6 power law for testing its applicability in conjunction with the logarithmic law which is another representative velocity law. As results, the logarithmic law fitted better with actual velocity measurement than the 1/6 power law. In particular, the 1/6 power law showed a tendency to underestimate the velocity in the near surface region and overestimate in the near bottom region. This finding indicated that the 1/6 power law could be unsatisfactory to follow actual flow regime, thus that resulted discharge estimates in both unmeasured top and bottom region can give rise to discharge bias. Therefore, the logarithmic law should be considered as an alternative especially for the stationary ADCP discharge measurement. In addition, it was found that ADCP should be operated in at least more than 0.6 m of water depth in the left and right edges for better estimate edge discharges. In the future, similar comparative analysis might be required for the moving boat ADCP discharge measurement method, which has been more widely used in the field.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.87-101
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• 2017

The analysis was carried out with meta-analysis on master's and doctoral dissertations, and academic journals that analyzed the effects of STEAM education between 2012 and 2015. From the total number of 75 dissertations and articles analyzed, 183 different effect sizes were calculated. The analysis was done to find out the kinds of differences that would be created according to the effect size of creativity, problem-solving ability, and researcher, target area, student division research design type, and level of schools. The total effect size of creativity scored 0.776, and demonstrated satisfaction in symmetry of funnel plot, with no publication biases. The fail-safe N scored 780, and since the number is smaller than 8,945, the results of this research has credibility. Furthermore, problem-solving ability shows intermediate level of effect size with a score of 0.584. It also showed satisfaction in symmetry with funnel plot, with no publication bias. With the different research methods of the sub-factors of creativity, fluency scored the highest with 0.929, flexibility with 0.881, originality with 0.838, sophistication with 0.653, abstractness with title 0.705, and resistance to termination, 0.527. This study finds its significance in the demonstration of average effect size of STEAM education through meta-analysis. According to research results, the effects of inclusive education could be determined, yet the specific effect cause or learning principles were difficult to find. It was found that the effects of STEAM education do not rise or fall depending on school age, and demonstrated differences in creativity according to the research methods or the researchers.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.126-138
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• 2012

Ultrasonic method is widely used for the evaluation of weathering index and of degree of deterioration because it is easily applicable $in$ $situ$. The basic idea of the method is that the ultrasonic velocity decreases as a rock is being weathered. Thus, the difference of ultrasonic velocities between fresh rock and weathered rock indicates the degree of weathering. In this method, the ultrasonic velocity of fresh rock is assumed to be 5,000 m/s. However, this assumption can cause significant errors in estimating weathering index, especially in case that those rocks of the same type have a wide range of ultrasonic velocities such as in Korea. Therefore, we obtained twenty rock specimens and sixty core samples commonly used for stone cultural heritages in Korea, and measured ultrasonic velocities. From the results, we found that the ultrasonic velocities of the same rock type, granite samples range from 3,118 to 5,380 m/s, and that the estimated weathering index can be highly biased if we use the fixed value of 5,000 m/s. We created a database (DB) by combining the measurement data and reported it. We also measured ultrasonic velocities by direct and indirect methods to quantify the calibration coefficient for each sampling site. We found that the calibration coefficients vary widely from site to site (1.31-1.76). Other factors, such as operator bias and temperature did not show any significant effect on errors in ultrasonic velocity measurements. Lastly, we applied our ultrasonic velocity DB and calibration coefficients to a stone cultural heritage, Bonghwang-ri Buddha statue. Our estimation of the weathering index was 0.3, 0.1 smaller than that by conventional method. The degree of deterioration was also different, "moderately weathered", while conventional method gave "highly weathered". Since other independent studies reported that the degree of deterioration of the Buddha statue was "moderately weathered", our estimation seems to be more accurate. Thus our method can help accurately evaluate the weathering index and the conservation planning for a stone cultural heritage.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.37 no.7
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• pp.448-464
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• 2016

The purpose of this study is to optimize the parameters related to consensus coherency within the PCL 1300, the operating program of wind profiler, from a validation of wind data between rawinsonde and wind profiler at Chupungryeong ($36^{\circ}13^{\prime}$, $127^{\circ}59^{\prime}$) site in Korea. It is then to analyze the diurnal and seasonal characteristics of the turbulence energy dissipation rate (${\varepsilon}$) in clear and rainy days from March 2009 to February 2010. In comparison of the wind data between wind profiler and rawinsonde during April 22-23, 2010, it was shown in a big error more than $10ms^{-1}$ over the height of 3,000 meters in the zonal (u) and meridional (v) wind components. When removing more than $10ms^{-1}$ in each wind speed difference of u an v components between the two instruments, the correlation coefficients of these wind components were 0.92 and 0.88, respectively, and the root mean square errors were 3.07 and $1.06ms^{-1}$. Based on these results, when the data processing time and the minimum available data within the PCL 1300 program were adjusted as 30 minutes and 60%, respectively, the bias errors were small. In addition, as a result of an analysis of sensitivity to consensus coherency of u and v components within the PCL1300 program, u components were underestimated in radial coherency, instantaneous and winbarbs coherency, whereas v components were overestimated. Finally by optimizing parameters of the PCL1300 program, the diurnal and seasonal means of ${\varepsilon}$ at each height were higher in rainy days than those in clear days because of increasing in the vertical wind speed due to upward and downward motions. The mean ${\varepsilon}$ for clear and rainy days in winter was lower than those of other seasons, due to stronger horizontal wind speed in winter than those in other seasons. Consequently, when the turbulence energy dissipation rates in the vertical wind speed of more than ${\pm}10cm\;s^{-1}$ were excluded for clear and rainy days, the mean ${\varepsilon}$ in rainy days was 6-7 times higher than that in clear days, but when considering them, it was 4-5 times higher.

• The Korean Journal of Financial Management
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.179-197
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• 1991

선도환의 가격을 결정하는 접근방법에는 2차자산(derivative assets)이라는 선도계약의 기본특성에 기초한 재정거래(arbitrage)에 의한 방법이 가장 많이 이용되고 있다. 재정거래방식에는 선도환과 현물외환가격간의 상호관련성에 의하여 선도환가격을 이자율평가설(covered interest rate parity : CIRP), 즉 현물가격과 양국간의 이자율차이의 합으로 표시하고 있다. 특히 현물가격과 이자율은 모두 현재시점에서 의사결정자에게 알려져 있기때문에 선도환가격은 확실성하에서 결정되어 미래에 대한 예측이나 투자자의 위험회피도와는 관계없이 결정된다는 것이 특징이다. 이자율평가설에 관한 많은 실증연구는 거래 비용을 고려한 경우 현실적으로 적절하다고 보고 있다(Frenkel and Levich ; 1975, 1977). 다른 방법으로는 선도환의 미래예측기능에만 촛점을 맞추어 가격결정을 하는 투기, 예측접근방법(speculative efficiency approach : 이하에서는 SEA라 함)이 있다. 이 방법 중에서 가장 단순한 형태로 표시된 가설, 즉 '선도환가격은 미래기대현물가격과 같다'는 가설은 대부분의 실증분석에서 기각되고 있다. 이에 따라 SEA에서는 선도환가격이 미래에 대한 기대치뿐만 아니라 위험프리미엄까지 함께 포함하고 있다는 새로운 가설을 설정하고 이에 대한 실증분석을 진행한다. 이 가설은 이론적 모형에서 출발한 것이 아니기 때문에, 특히 기대치와 위험프레미엄 모두가 측정 불가능하다는 점으로 인하여 실증분석상 많은 어려움을 겪게 된다. 이러한 어려움을 피하기 위하여 많은 연구에서는 이자율평가설을 이용하여 선도환가격에 포함된 위험프레미엄에 대해 추론 내지 그 행태를 설명하려고 한다. 이자율평가설을 이용하여 분석모형을 설정하고 실증분석을 하는 것은 몇가지 근본적인 문제점을 내포하고 있다. 먼저, 앞서 지적한 바와 같이 이자율평가설을 가정한다는 것은 SEA에서 주된 관심이 되는 미래예측이나 위험프레미엄과는 관계없이 선도가격이 결정 된다는 것을 의미한다. 따라서 이자율평가설을 가정하여 설정된 분석모형은 선도환시장의 효율성이나 균형가격결정에 대한 시사점을 제공할 수 없다는 것을 의미한다. 즉, 가정한 시장효율성을 실증분석을 통하여 다시 검증하려는 것과 같다. 이러한 개념적 차원에서의 문제점 이외에도 실증분석에서의 추정상의 문제점 또한 존재한다. 대부분의 연구들이 현물자산의 균형가격결정모형에 이자율평가설을 추가로 결합하기 때문에 이러한 방법으로 설정한 분석모형은 그 기초가 되는 현물가격모형과는 달리 자의적 조작이 가능한 형태로 나타나며 이를 이용한 모수의 추정은 불필요한 편기(bias)를 가지게 된다. 본 연구에서는 이러한 실증분석상의 편기에 관한 문제점이 명확하고 구체적으로 나타나는 Mark(1985)의 실증연구를 재분석하고 실증자료를 통하여 위험회피도의 추정치에 편기가 발생하는 근본원인이 이자율평가설을 부적절하게 사용하는데 있다는 것을 확인 하고자 한다. 실증분석결과는 본문의 <표 1>에 제시되어 있으며 그 내용을 간략하게 요약하면 다음과 같다. (A) 실증분석모형 : 본 연구에서는 다기간 자산가격결정모형중에서 대표적인 Lucas (1978)모형을 직접 사용한다. $$1={\beta}\;E_t[\frac{U'(C_{t+1})\;P_t\;s_{t+1}}{U'(C_t)\;P_{t+1}\;s_t}]$$ (2) $U'(c_t)$와 $P_t$는 t시점에서의 소비에 대한 한계효용과 소비재의 가격을, $s_t$와 $f_t$는 외환의 현물과 선도가격을, $E_t$와 ${\beta}$는 조건부 기대치와 시간할인계수를 나타낸다. Mark는 위의 식 (2)를 이자율평가설과 결합한 다음의 모형 (4)를 사용한다. $$0=E_t[\frac{U'(C_{t+1})\;P_t\;(s_{t+1}-f_t)}{U'(C_t)\;P_{t+1}\;s_t}]$$ (4) (B) 실증분석의 결과 위험회피계수 ${\gamma}$의 추정치 : Mark의 경우에는 ${\gamma}$의 추정치의 값이 0에서 50.38까지 매우 큰 폭의 변화를 보이고 있다. 특히 비내구성제품의 소비량과 선도프레미엄을 사용한 경우 ${\gamma}$의 추정치의 값은 17.51로 비정상적으로 높게 나타난다. 반면에 본 연구에서는 추정치가 1.3으로 주식시장자료를 사용한 다른 연구결과와 비슷한 수준이다. ${\gamma}$추정치의 정확도 : Mark에서는 추정치의 표준오차가 최소 15.65에서 최대 42.43으로 매우 높은 반면 본 연구에서는 0.3에서 0.5수준으로 상대적으로 매우 정확한 추정 결과를 보여주고 있다. 모형의 정확도 : 모형 (4)에 대한 적합도 검증은 시용된 도구변수(instrumental variables)의 종류에 따라 크게 차이가 난다. 시차변수(lagged variables)를 사용하지 않고 현재소비와 선도프레미엄만을 사용할 경우 모형 (4)는 2.8% 또는 2.3% 유의수준에서 기각되는 반면 모형 (2)는 5% 유의수준에서 기각되지 않는다. 위와같은 실증분석의 결과는 앞서 논의한 바와 같이 이자율평가설을 사용하여 균형자산가격 결정모형을 변형시킴으로써 불필요한 편기를 발생시킨다는 것을 명확하게 보여주는 것이다.

• Neonatal Medicine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.189-196
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• 2011

Purpose: Surfactants have been used to improve oxygenation for infants with meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS). We evaluated the change of pulmonary indices after surfactant therapy for MAS through a systematic meta-analysis. Methods: Relevant randomized controlled studies (RCTs) were identified by database searches in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CENTRAL, up to June 2011, and by additional hand searches. Data were extracted regarding pulmonary indices, such as the oxygen index and arterial alveolar oxygen gradient. Meta-analyses were separately conducted for the studies of surfactant lavage therapy and surfactant bolus therapy. The risk of bias was assessed, and clinical as well as statistical heterogeneities were also investigated. Results: Two RCTs for bolus surfactant therapy and two RCTs for surfactant lavage therapy were identified. The oxygenation index results were heterogeneous between the two studies in which bolus surfactant therapy was given, while a/A $PO_2$ showed significantly better results in the treatment group over time after use of surfactant (12 hours: WMD 0.08, 95% CI 0.04-0.12; 24 hours: WMD 0.17, 95% CI 0.06-0.28). For surfactant lavage therapy, both studies consistently suggested an interventional benefit in terms of the pulmonary indices although it did not reach statistical significance. Conclusion: Surfactant therapy appeared to improve oxygenation of infants with MAS. Since a limited number of RCTs are available in the current literature and those studies were also clinically heterogeneous in terms of illness severity and the method of surfactant use, further research is needed to gather evidence to support surfactant therapy in MAS.