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A STUDY OF INSERTION DEPTH OF GUTTA PERCHA CONES AFTER SHAPING BY NI-TI ROTARY FILES IN SIMULATED CANALS (레진모형 근관에서 Ni-Ti 파일로 근관성형 후 거타퍼챠콘의 근관내 삽입깊이에 대한 연구)

  • Cho, Hyun-Gu;Hwang, Yun-Chan;Hwang, In-Nam;Oh, Won-Mann
    • Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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    • v.32 no.6
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    • pp.550-558
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    • 2007
  • The purpose of this study was to evaluate the insertion depth of several brands of master gutta percha cones after shaping by various Ni-Ti rotary files in simulated canals. Fifty resin simulated J-shape canals were instrumented with ProFile, ProTaper and HEROShaper. Simulated canals were prepared with ProFile .04 taper #25(n=10), .06 taper #25(n=10), ProTaper F2(n=10), HEROShaper .04 taper #25(n=10) and .06 taper #25(n=10). Size #25 gutta percha cones with a .04 & .06 taper from three different brands were used: DiaDent; META; Sure-endo. The gutta percha cones were selected and inserted into the prepared simulated canals. The distance from the apex of the prepared canal to the gutta percha cone tip was measured by image analysis program. Within limited data of this study, the results were as follows 1. When the simulated root canals were prepared with HEROShaper, gutta-percha cones were closely adapted to the root canal. 2. All brands of gutta percha cones fail to go to the prepared length in canal which was instrumented with ProFile, the cones extend beyond the prepared length in canal which was prepared with ProTaper. 3. In canal which was instrumented with HEROShaper .04 taper #25, Sure-endo .04 taper master gutta percha cone was well fitted(p < 0.05). 4. In canal which was instrumented with HEROShaper .06 taper #25, META .06 taper master gutta percha cone was well fitted(p < 0.05). As a result, we concluded that the insertion depth of all brands of master gutta percha cone do not match the rotary instrument, even though it was prepared by crown-down technique, as recommended by the manufacturer. Therefore, the master cone should be carefully selected to match the depth of the prepared canal for adequate obturation.

A Study on Utilizing DEA in Efficiency Evaluation of Social Welfare Agencies (자료포락분석(DEA)을 이용한 사회복지관의 효율성 평가에 관한 연구 : 부산지역 사례를 중심으로)

  • Son, Kwang-Hoon
    • Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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    • v.52
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    • pp.117-141
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    • 2003
  • This study is to identify the efficiency in Busan social welfare agencies between input factors and output factors. For this purpose, gathered are the 2001 services reports of those study agencies. This study used 4 difference model, model 1; comparing input factor(social worker number & labor cost) about output factor(the total number of program used person), model 2; comparing input factor(the total number of social welfare agencies staff & the total working expenses) about output factor(the total number of program used person), model 3; comparing input factor(the total number of volunteer, social welfare agencies staff & a period of operation) about output factor(the total number of program used person), model 4; comparing input factor(the total number of volunteer, social welfare agencies staff, a period of operation & the total working expenses) about output factor(the total number of program used person). Charnes's study(1978) provided an analytical tool for efficiency services output of non-profit organizations, and DEA(Data Envelopment Analysis) was a analytical framework for evaluating the impact of social service outcome. the finding are as follows : (1) In the results of comparing 4 models as same standard, we can find 35-55%(16-25) efficiency agencies among the 45 social welfare agencies. (2) For all DMU becoming the efficiency 1 to standard of output factor, model 1; 33 agencies are increasing the social worker number($\Delta$0.8 number), 10 agencies are raising the labor cost of social worker($\Delta$1,189,000 Won), model 2; 30 agencies are increasing the total number of social welfare agencies staff($\Delta$1.25 number), 14 agencies are raising the total working expenses($\Delta$1,447,000 Won), model 3; 8 agencies are increasing the total number of social welfare agencies staff($\Delta$2.26 number), 14 agencies are increasing the total number of volunteer($\Delta$52 number), and 10 agencies are increasing a period of operation($\Delta$13 month), model 4; 24 agencies are increasing the total number of social welfare agencies staff($\Delta$1.8 number), 12 agencies are raising the total working expenses($\Delta$5,017,000 Won), 12 agencies are increasing the total number of volunteer($\Delta$43.2 number), and 23 agencies are increasing a period of operation($\Delta$16 month).

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The Effects of Consumer Value Cognition on Benefits and Attributes of Culture-Art Products (문화예술상품 소비자의 가치인식이 추구혜택과 상품속성에 미치는 영향)

  • Shin, Eun Joo;Rhee, Young Sun
    • Asia Marketing Journal
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    • v.14 no.2
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    • pp.177-207
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    • 2012
  • Today's consumers perceive consumption as a representation of themselves. It is not simply an act that fulfills a consumer's physical and practical needs. Even in terms of life quality, consumers increasingly want to achieve an emotional and sensible experience through consumption. Consumers now make decisions based on their need to express their position in relation to other people, pursue emotional satisfaction, and try to improve the quality of life. Culture-art products that meet such internal and external demands of consumers have made significant improvements in both quantity and quality, because of the social interest and policy support. The recognition of personal and social values of culture and arts has brought about interest in and need for culture-art products. Businesses have agilely embraced such change and actively implemented various marketing strategies utilizing culture and arts. For example, businesses began to sponsor artists who produce culture-art products while building facilities for cultural and art performances or exhibitions. Businesses have also provided performances and exhibitions free-of-charge or at affordable prices. As a result, the supply in the market has started to exceed its demand as is often the case in many of other markets. However, such imbalance has occurred not because of over-supply but because of a lack of demand. Given these circumstances, the government and culture and art related organizations, which had mainly concentrated on the supply side, started to recognize the importance of creating personal and social values in culture and arts. As a result, the government and various organizations are now creating various strategies that include policy measures to achieve their new found goal. Unfortunately however, such efforts are not meeting the expectations. Focusing on above-mentioned circumstances and problems, this study aims to find measures to create demand for culture-art products in the internal conditions of those who consume culture-art products. In other words, given that the demand for culture-art products has not increased despite all external conditions to encourage consumption, this study aims to find the reasons in consumers' value judgment on culture-art products. Though there were recent studies on culture-art products that applied consumer behavior on marketing theories, most of them focused on peripheral aspects such as people's motivation for or satisfaction from watching culture-art events. Hence, there is a need to understand what kind of value consumers perceive from culture-art products and how such value cognition leads to consumption in a comprehensive manner. This study acts as follow-up to a separate study entitled "Qualitative Study about Value Cognition and Benefits of Consumer on Culture-Art Products". The current study aims to extend practical implications that enhance the effectiveness of marketing strategies among the producing and policy agencies in the industry. The purpose of this study is to investigate dimensions of value cognition, benefits and attributes of culture-art products, and identify the effects of consumer value cognition on benefits and attributes. The questionnaire was developed based on the conceptual structure of qualitative research and previous researches. It was composed of value cognition, benefits, attributes of culture-art products and demographic variables. This survey was conducted on-line and off-line among a total of 662 persons ranging from their teens to their 50's who were living in Seoul, Gyeonggi-do, various metropolitan cities, and small and medium-sized cities. The data collected was analyzed by factor analysis and path analysis using SPSS WIN 18.0 and AMOS 16.0. This empirical study found that the dimensions of value cognition of culture-art products were categorized into personal goods, aesthetic goods and public property. This shows that the consumers perceive culture-art products as products that are worthy enough to pay the costs not just for personal benefits but also for their social values. Also the formation of value cognition for culture-art products requires special conditions unlike that for physical consumer goods and services, which simply require marketing stimuli. The dimensions of benefits pursued by consuming culture-art products were found to be composed of four types - pursuit of aesthetic benefits, pursuit of actual benefits, pursuit of emotional benefits, and pursuit of conspicuous character. This result implies that people consume culture-art products not just to pursue pleasure from emotional and intelligent satisfaction as well as social relations, but also to seek the needs and benefits embodied at a social level. The dimensions of attributes of culture-art products had seven different factors, - environmental, price, evaluation, people, artwork, composition, and personal relations - which is plentiful. This is because the attributes of culture-art products are very complicated compared to other consumer goods or services. Since culture-art products include not just cultural or artistic works but also all physical, human, environmental, and systemic elements of the products in a comprehensive manner, consumers perceive everything they experience in the process of consuming culture-art products as part of the products. The dimensions of value cognition was found to affect attributes of the products, mostly using pursued benefits as a mediating factors. This result is consistent with the result of qualitative research, and proves that applying the means-end chain theory in the reverse direction is reasonable. The result can be interpreted that consumers' value cognitions for culture-art products turns into actual benefits leading to consumers' decisions. Furthermore, this result reveals that when consumers choose culture-art products, they take into account the attributes of culture-art products depending on the benefits they pursue. These results confirm that despite their conceptual and abstract attributes, culture-art products have values that contribute to actual benefits for individual consumers and society. Hence, value cognition generates benefits to be pursued and this in turn affects the consumers' choices of attributes on products. Based on the conceptual structure of consumers' value cognitions on culture-art products and its dimensions, it is possible to find detailed methods to provide opportunities for education and training to form and reinforce positive value cognition on culture-art products. And through those methods, it will be possible to develop attributes of culture-art products according to the dimensions of pursued benefits, and allow conceptual products become the subject to valuable consumption in real life. These results provide theoretical understanding of consumer behavior in culture marketing and useful information to culture-art producers, companies that use culture and art, and government agencies that use culture-art as a mean to improve the public perception of quality of life. As a follow up on this study, there should be experimental studies that can develop criteria visualizing the demands of consumers who purchase culture-art products and identify their detailed attributes. Studies that compare characteristics of different areas within the culture-art product category and in-depth studies on a specific area or genre will also be needed. In order to develop marketing strategies for culture-art products, studies on the formation and reinforcement of positive value cognition on culture-art products and education for the development of consumer demand as well as on the development and differentiation of attributes of culture-art products depending on types of consumer groups should also follow.

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The Factors Affecting Attitudes Toward HSDPA Service and Intention to Use: A Cross-Cultural Comparison between Asia and Europe (대영향(对影响)HSDPA복무적태도화사용의도적인소적연구(服务的态度和使用意图的因素的研究): 재아주화구주지간적(在亚洲和欧洲之间的)-개과문화비교(个跨文化比较))

  • Jung, Hae-Sung;Shin, Jong-Kuk;Park, Min-Sook;Jung, Hong-Seob;Hooley, Graham;Lee, Nick;Kwak, Hyok-Jin;Kim, Sung-Hyun
    • Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
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    • v.19 no.4
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    • pp.11-23
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    • 2009
  • HSDPA (High-Speed Downlink Packet Access) is a 3.5-generation asynchronous mobile communications service based on the third generation of W-CDMA. In Korea, it is mainly provided in through videophone service. Because of the diffusion of more powerful and diversified services, along with steep advances in mobile communications technology, consumers demand a wide range of choices. However, because of the variety of technologies, which tend to overflow the market regardless of consumer preferences, consumers feel increasingly confused. Therefore, we should not adopt strategies that focus only on developing new technology on the assumption that new technologies are next-generation projects. Instead, we should understand the process by which consumers accept new forms of technology and devise schemes to lower market entry barriers through strategies that enable developers to understand and provide what consumers really want. In the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use are suggested as the most important factors affecting the attitudes of people adopting new technologies (Davis, 1989; Taylor and Todd, 1995; Venkatesh, 2000; Lee et al., 2004). Perceived usefulness is the degree to which a person believes that a particular technology will enhance his or her job performance. Perceived ease of use is the degree of subjective belief that using a particular technology will require little physical and mental effort (Davis, 1989; Morris and Dillon, 1997; Venkatesh, 2000). Perceived pleasure and perceived usefulness have been shown to clearly affect attitudes toward accepting technology (Davis et al., 1992). For example, pleasure in online shopping has been shown to positively impact consumers' attitudes toward online sellers (Eighmey and McCord, 1998; Mathwick, 2002; Jarvenpaa and Todd, 1997). The perceived risk of customers is a subjective risk, which is distinguished from an objective probabilistic risk. Perceived risk includes a psychological risk that consumers perceive when they choose brands, stores, and methods of purchase to obtain a particular item. The ability of an enterprise to revolutionize products depends on the effective acquisition of knowledge about new products (Bierly and Chakrabarti, 1996; Rothwell and Dodgson, 1991). Knowledge acquisition is the ability of a company to perceive the value of novelty and technology of the outside (Cohen and Levinthal, 1990), to evaluate the outside technology that has newly appeared (Arora and Gambaradella, 1994), and to predict the future evolution of technology accurately (Cohen and Levinthal, 1990). Consumer innovativeness is the degree to which an individual adopts innovation earlier than others in the social system (Lee, Ahn, and Ha, 2001; Gatignon and Robertson, 1985). That is, it shows how fast and how easily consumers adopt new ideas. Innovativeness is regarded as important because it has a significant effect on whether consumers adopt new products and on how fast they accept new products (Midgley and Dowling, 1978; Foxall, 1988; Hirschman, 1980). We conducted cross-national comparative research using the TAM model, which empirically verified the relationship between the factors that affect attitudes - perceived usefulness, ease of use, perceived pleasure, perceived risk, innovativeness, and perceived level of knowledge management - and attitudes toward HSDPA service. We also verified the relationship between attitudes and usage intention for the purpose of developing more effective methods of management for HSDPA service providers. For this research, 346 questionnaires were distributed among 350 students in the Republic of Korea. Because 26 of the returned questionnaires were inconsistent or had missing data, 320 questionnaires were used in the hypothesis tests. In UK, 192 of the total 200 questionnaires were retrieved, and two incomplete ones were discarded, bringing the total to 190 questionnaires used for statistical analysis. The results of the overall model analysis are as follows: Republic of Korea x2=333.27(p=0.0), NFI=0.88, NNFI=0.88, CFI=0.91, IFI=0.91, RMR=0.054, GFI=0.90, AGFI=0.84, UK x2=176.57(p=0.0), NFI=0.88, NNFI=0.90, CFI=0.93, IFI=0.93, RMR=0.062, GFI=0.90, AGFI=0.84. From the results of the hypothesis tests of Korean consumers about the relationship between factors that affect intention to use HSDPA services and attitudes, we can conclude that perceived usefulness, ease of use, pleasure, a high level of knowledge management, and innovativeness promote positive attitudes toward HSDPA mobile phones. However, ease of use and perceived pleasure did not have a direct effect on intention to use HSDPA service. This may have resulted from the fact that the use of video phones is not necessary for everyday life yet. Moreover, it has been shown that attitudes toward HSDPA video phones are directly correlated with usage intention, which means that perceived usefulness, ease of use, pleasure, a high level of knowledge management, and innovativeness. These relationships form the basis of the intention to buy, contributing to a situation in which consumers decide to choose carefully. A summary of the results of the hypothesis tests of European consumers revealed that perceived usefulness, pleasure, risk, and the level of knowledge management are factors that affect the formation of attitudes, while ease of use and innovativeness do not have an effect on attitudes. In particular, with regard to the effect value, perceived usefulness has the largest effect on attitudes, followed by pleasure and knowledge management. On the contrary, perceived risk has a smaller effect on attitudes. In the Asian model, ease of use and perceived pleasure were found not to have a direct effect on intention to use. However, because attitudes generally affect the intention to use, perceived usefulness, pleasure, risk, and knowledge management may be considered key factors in attitude development from which usage intention arises. In conclusion, perceived usefulness, pleasure, and the level of knowledge management have an effect on attitude formation in both Asian and European consumers, and such attitudes shape these consumers' intention to use. Furthermore, the hypotheses that ease of use and perceived pleasure affect usage intention are rejected. However, ease of use, perceived risk, and innovativeness showed different results. Perceived risk had no effect on attitude formation among Asians, while ease of use and innovativeness had no effect on attitudes among Europeans.

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The Effect of Corporate Association on the Perceived Risk of the Product (소비자의 제품 지각 위험에 대한 기업연상과 효과: 지식과 관여의 조절적 역활을 중심으로)

  • Cho, Hyun-Chul;Kang, Suk-Hou;Kim, Jin-Yong
    • Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
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    • v.18 no.4
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    • pp.1-32
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    • 2008
  • Brown and Dacin (1997) have investigated the relationship between corporate associations and product evaluations. Their study focused on the effects of associations with a company's corporate ability (CA) and its corporate social responsibility (CSR) on consumers' product evaluations. Their study has found that both of CA and CSR influenced product evaluation but CA association has a stronger effect than CSR associations. Brown and Dacin (1997) have, however, claimed that there are few researches on how corporate association impacts product responses. Accordingly, some of researchers have found the variables to moderate or to mediate the relationship between the corporate association and the product responses. In particular, there has been existed a few of studies that tested the influence of the reputation on the product-relevant perceived risk, but the effects of two types of the corporate association on the product-relevant perceived risk were not identified so far. The primary goal of this article is to identify and empirically examine some variables to moderate the effects of CA association and CSR association on the perceived risk of the product. In this articles, we take the concept of the corporate associations that Brown and Dacin (1997) had proposed. CA association is those association related to the company's expertise in producing and delivering its outputs and CSR association reflected the organization's status and activities with respect to its perceived societal obligations. Also, this study defines the risk, which is the uncertainty or loss of the product and corporate that consumers have taken in a particular purchase decision or after having purchased. The risk is classified into product-relevant performance risk and financial risk. Performance risk is the possibility or the consequence of a product not functioning at some expected level and financial risk is the monetary loss one perceives to be incurring if a product does not function at some expected level. In relation to consumer's knowledge, expert consumers have much of the experiences or knowledge of the product in consumer position and novice consumers does not. The model tested in this article are shown in Figure 1. The model indicates that both of CA association and CSR association influence on performance risk and financial risk. In addition, the effects of CA and CSR are moderated by product category knowledge (product knowledge) and product category involvement (product involvement). In this study, the relationships between the corporate association and product-relevant perceived risk are hypothesized as the following form. For example, Hypothesis 1a($H_{1a}$) is represented that CA association has a positive influence on the performance risk of consumer. Also, the hypotheses that identified some variables to moderate the effects of two types of corporate association on the perceived risk of the product are laid down. One of the hypotheses of the interaction effect is Hypothesis 3a($H_{3a}$), it is described that consumer's knowledges of the product moderates the negative relationship between CA association and product-relevant performance risk. A field experiment was conducted in order to examine our model. The company tested was not real but imagined to meet the internal validity. Water purifiers were used for our study. Four scenarios have been developed and described as the imaginary company: Type A with both of superior CA and CSR, Type B with superior CSR and inferior CA, Type C with superior CA and inferior CSR, and Type D with both inferior of CA and CSR. The respondents of this study were classified into four groups. One type of four scenarios (Type A, B, C, or D) in its questionnaire was given to the respondent who filled out questions. Data were collected by means of a self-administered questionnaire to the respondents, chosen in convenience. A total of 300 respondents filled out the questionnaire but 207 were used for further analysis. Table 1 indicates that the scales in this study are reliable because the range of coefficients of Cronbach's $\alpha$ are from 0.85 to 0.92. The composite reliability is in the range of 0,85 to 0,92 and average variance extracted is in 0.72-0.98 range that is higher than the base level of 0.6. As shown in Table 2, the values for CFI, NNFI, root-mean-square error approximation (RMSEA), and standardized root-mean-square residual (SRMR) are acceptably close to the standards suggested by Hu and Bentler (1999):.95 for CFI and NNFI,.06 for RMSEA, and.08 for SRMR. We also tested discriminant validity provided by Fornell and Larcker (1981). As shown in Table 2, we found strong evidence for discriminant validity between each possible pair of latent constructs in all samples. Given that these batteries of overall goodness-of-fit indices were accurate and that the model was developed on theoretical bases, and given the high level of consistency across samples, this enables us to proceed the previously defined scales. We used the moderated hierarchical regression analysis to test the influence of the corporate association(CA and CSR associations) on product-relevant perceived risk(performance and financial risks) and to identify the variables moderating the relationship between the corporate association and product-relevant performance risk. In this study, dependent variables are performance and financial risk. CA and CSR associations are described the independent variables. The moderating variables are product category knowledge and product category involvement. The results are, as expected, found that CA association has statistically a significant influence on the perceived risk of the product, but CSR association does not. Product category knowledge and involvement moderate the relationship between the CA association and the perceived risk of the product. However, the effect of CSR association on the perceived risk of the product is not moderated by the consumers' knowledge and involvement. For this result, it is necessary for a corporate to inform its customers CA association more than CSR association so that they could be felt to be the reduction of the perceived risk. The important theoretical contribution of this research is the meanings that two types of corporate association that Brown and Dacin(1997), and Brown(1998) have proposed replicated the difference of the effects on product evaluation. According to Hunter(2001), it was an important affair to accomplish the validity of a particular study and we had to take about ten studies to deduce a strict study. Next, there is the contribution of the this study to find that the effects of corporate association on the perceived risk of the product are varied by the moderator variables. In particular, the moderating effect of knowledge on the relationship between corporate association and product-relevant perceived risk has not been tested in Korea. In the managerial implications of this research, we suggest the necessity to stress the ability that corporate manufactures the product well(CA association) than the accomplishment of corporate's social obligation(CSR association). This study suffers from various limitations that imply future research directions. The moderating effects of product category knowledge and involvement on the relationship between corporate association and perceived risk need to be replicated. Next, future research could explore whether the mediated effects of the perceived risk has the relationship between corporate association and consumer's product purchase. In addition, to ensure the external validity of the study will be needed to use realistic company, not artificial.

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Efficacy of Dextranomer/Hyaluronic Acid Copolymer ($Deflux^{(R)}$) Injection for Vesicoureteral Reflux in Children (방광요관역류 환아에서 내시경적 요관 점막하 Dextranomer/hyaluronic acid copolymer ($Deflux^{(R)}$) 주사요법의 효과에 대한 연구)

  • Hong, Suk-Jin;Hwng, Hyun-Hee;Hong, Eun-Hui;Cho, Min-Hyun;Chung, Sung-Kwang
    • Childhood Kidney Diseases
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    • v.13 no.2
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    • pp.229-234
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    • 2009
  • Purpose : The aim of this study was evaluating the efficacy of endoscopic $Deflux^{(R)}$ submucosal injection in children with primary vesicoureteral reflux (VUR). Methods : Retrospective analysis of medical record was conducted on 38 children (59 ureters) who underwent endoscopic $Deflux^{(R)}$ injection due to primary VUR. Data were collected from March 2000 to February 2006. Mean infused amount of $Deflux^{(R)}$ was 0.77 cc. After $Deflux^{(R)}$ injection, patients were reassessed by voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG) 6 months later. Results : The success rate of endoscopic $Deflux^{(R)}$ submucosal injection 6 months later by VCUG was 100% for grade 1 VUR, 87.5% for grade 2, 60% for grade 3, 26.6% for grade 4, 16.6% for grade 5, respectively and there was negatively significant correlation between success rate and grade of VUR (P<.01). Degree of improvement of VUR by endoscopic $Deflux^{(R)}$ submucosal injection was not related to age at diagnosis, time to operation, existence of voiding dysfunction or constipation and infused amount of $Deflux^{(R)}$. However, group with anticholinergics medication had significantly lower success rate than non-medication group (P<0.047). Conclusion : Endoscopic $Deflux^{(R)}$ submucosal injection is effective therapy in patient with primary VUR, especially low grade VUR. It can be not only a useful substitute for prophylaxis with antibiotics, but also an effective management prior to ureteroneocystostomy in children with primary VUR.

The Study of Affecting Image Quality according to forward Scattering Dose used Additional Filter in Diagnostic Imaging System (부가필터 사용 시 전방 산란선량에 따른 화질 영향에 대한 연구)

  • Choi, Il-Hong;Kim, Kyo-Tae;Heo, Ye-Ji;Park, Hyong-Hu;Kang, Sang-Sik;Noh, Si-Cheol;Park, Ji-Koon
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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    • v.10 no.8
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    • pp.597-602
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    • 2016
  • Recent clinical field utilizes the aluminium filter in order to reduce the low-energy photons. However, the usage of the filter can cause adverse effect on the image quality because of the scattered dose that is generated by X-ray hardening phenomenon. Further, usage of filter with improper thickness can be a reason of dose creep phenomenon where unnecessary exposure is generated towards the patient. In this study, the author evaluated the RMS and the RSD analysis in order to have a quantitative evaluation for the effect of forward scattering dose by the filter on the image. as a result of the study, the FSR and the RSD was increased together with the increasing of thickness of the filter. In this study the RSD means the standard deviation of the mean value is relatively size. It can be understood that the signal-to-noise ratio decreases when the average value is taken as a signal and the standard deviation is judged as a noise. The signal-to-noise ratio can understanding as index of resolution at image. Based on these findings, it was quantitatively verified that there is a correlation of the image quality with the FSR by using an additional filter. The results, a 2.5 mmAl which is as recommended by NCRP in the tube voltage of 70 kVp or more showed the 14.6% on the RSD when the filter was not in used. these results are considered able to be utilized as basic data for the study about the filter to improve the quality of the image.

A Study on the Dietary Quality Assessment among the Elderly in Jeonju Area (전주지역 노인의 식사의 질 평가에 관한 연구)

  • 김인숙;유현희;서은숙;서은아;이형자
    • Journal of Nutrition and Health
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    • v.35 no.3
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    • pp.352-367
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    • 2002
  • In order to assess the quality of dietary intake among the elderly, a survey was conducted during Jucy-August, 1999, of 230 subjects who were 65 years or older and who were living in Jeonju City. Results of the analysis of the data are as follows : Regarding Dietery Variety Score (DVS), the average number of food items consumed per person was significantly higher for males (19.6) than for females (17.7). The intake of plant food was higher than animal food for both sexes the proportion of plant versus animal foods consumed by fresh weight was 85 : 15 for males and 89 : 11 for females. Diet Diversity Score (DDS) is determined by how many from five food groups (cereal, meat, dairy, vegetable and fruit) consumed per day while Korean Diet Diversity Score (KDDS) is determined by how many from five different food groups (cereal, meat, vegetable, dairy and oil) consumed per day. The subjects'average DDS and KDDS were 4.0 and 3.5 for males, and 3.7 and 3.2 for females, respectively. Overall, the distribution of DDS was lower than that of KDDS. The average Meal Balance Score (MBS : Apply the KDDS at breakfast, lunch and dinner) was 9.1 for malts and 8.1 for females. Average daily caloric intake for males and females was 1,740 kcal and 1,433 kcal, which was 84.0% and 80.9% of the RDA, respectively. Average daily protein intake for males and females, at 67 g and 49 g (100.7% and 88.3% of the RDA), respectively, was satisfactory. However, intakes of calcium and vitamin A were below 75% of the RDA (calcium : 62.7% for males and 55.3% for females ; vitamin A : 60.7% for males and 53.9% far females). The average proportional contribution of protein/fat/carbohydrate (PFC) to total calorie intake was 15.8 : 15.7 : 68.5 for males and 13.8 : 13.2 : 73.0 for females. Distribution of energy for each meal (breakfast : lunch : afternoon snack : dinner : night snack) was 29.2 : 32.4 : 5.0 : 31.2 : 2.2 among males and 30.5 : 33.5 : 4.5 : 28.6 : 2.91 among females. The Index of Nutritional Quality (INQ) was above 1 for protein, phosphorus, iron, vitamin B$_1$, niacin, and vitamin C. However, the INQ of calcium and vitamin A were below 1 among both males and females, and the INQ of vitamin B$_2$was below l among females. The Nutrient Adequacy Ratio (NAR = nutrient intake %RDA) was below 1 for all nutrients, and the NAR of vitamin A were the lowest among 9 nutrients (protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron, vitamin A, vitamin B$_1$, vitamin B$_2$, niacin, vitamin C) for both males and females, with values of 0.52 and 0.42, respectively. The second and third lowest NAR values were for calcium(males: 0.68: females: 0.54) and vitamin B$_2$(males: 0.77: females: 0.67). Values of Mean Adequacy Ratio (MAR = sum of 9 NARs/9) for males (0.82) were higher than for females (0.73). These results indicate that the intakes of calcium and vitamin A were severely inadequate. The results of a stepwise multiple regression analysis, where the DVS or MAR were the dependent variables and the DDS, KDDS, and MBS were independent variables, indicated that DDS is a more useful variable than KDDS in determining the quality of meals of the elderly.

Multicenter Analysis of Gestational Trophoblastic Neoplasia in Turkey

  • Ozalp, Sabit Sinan;Telli, Elcin;Oge, Tufan;Tulunay, Gokhan;Boran, Nurettin;Turan, Taner;Yenen, Mufit;Kurdoglu, Zehra;Ozler, Ali;Yuce, Kunter;Ulker, Volkan;Arvas, Macit;Demirkiran, Fuat;Bese, Tugan;Tokgozoglu, Nedim;Onan, Anil;Sanci, Muzaffer;Gokcu, Mehmet;Tosun, Gokhan;Dikmen, Yilmaz;Ozsaran, Aydin;Terek, Mustafa Cosan;Akman, Levent;Yetimalar, Hakan;Kilic, Derya Sakarya;Gungor, Tayfun;Ozgu, Emre;Yildiz, Yunus;Kokcu, Arif;Kefeli, Mehmet;Kuruoglu, Serkan;Yuksel, Hasan;Guvenal, Tevfik;Hasdemir, Pinar Solmaz;Ozcelik, Bulent;Serin, Serdar;Dolanbay, Mehmet;Arioz, Dagistan Tolga;Tuncer, Nadire;Bozkaya, Hasan;Guven, Suleyman;Kulaksiz, Deniz;Varol, Fusun;Ali, Yanik;Ogurlu, Gonca;Simsek, Tayyup;Toptas, Tayfun;Dogan, Selen;Camuzoglu, Hakan;Api, Murat;Guzin, Kadir;Eray, Caliskan;Doger, Emek
    • Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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    • v.15 no.8
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    • pp.3625-3628
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    • 2014
  • Background: To evaluate the incidence, diagnosis and management of GTN among 28 centers in Turkey. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study was designed to include GTN patients attending 28 centers in the 10-year period between January 2003 and May 2013. Demographical characteristics of the patients, histopathological diagnosis, the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) anatomical and prognostic scores, use of single-agent and multi-agent chemotherapy, surgical interventions and prognosis were evaluated. Results: From 2003-2013, there were 1,173,235 deliveries and 456 GTN cases at the 28 centers. The incidence was calculated to be 0.38 per 1,000 deliveries. According to the evaluated data of 364 patients, the median age at diagnosis was 31 years (range, 15-59 years). A histopathological diagnosis was present for 45.1% of the patients, and invasive mole, choriocarcinoma and PSTTs were diagnosed in 22.3% (n=81), 18.1% (n=66) and 4.7% (n=17) of the patients, respectively. Regarding final prognosis, 352 (96.7%) of the patients had remission, and 7 (1.9%) had persistence, whereas the disease was mortal for 5 (1.4%) of the patients. Conclusions: Because of the differences between countries, it is important to provide national registration systems and special clinics for the accurate diagnosis and treatment of GTN.

Diagnostic Approach to the Solitary Pulmonary Nodule : Reappraisal of the Traditional Clinical Parameters for Differentiating Malignant Nodule from Benign Nodule (고립성 폐결절에 대한 진단적 접근 : 악성결절과 양성결절의 감별 지표에 대한 재검토)

  • Kho, Won Jung;Kim, Cheol Hyeon;Jang, Seung Hun;Lee, Jae Ho;Yoo, Chul Gyu;Chung, Hee Soon;Kim, Young Whan;Han, Sung Koo;Shim, Young-Soo
    • Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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    • v.43 no.4
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    • pp.500-518
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    • 1996
  • Background : The solitary pulmonary nodule(SPN) presents a diagnostic dilemma to the physician and the patient. Many clinical characteristics(i.e. age, smoking history, prior history of malignancy) and radiological characteristics( i.e. size, calcification, growth rate, several findings of computed tomography) have been proposed to help to determine whether the SPN was benign or malignant. However, most of these diagnostic guidelines are based on the data collected before computed tomography(CT) has been introduced and lung cancer was not as common as these days. Moreover, it is not well established whether these guidelines from western populations could be applicable to Korean patients. Methods : We had a retrospective analysis of the case records and radiographic findings in 114 patients presenting with SPN from Jan. 1994 to Feb. 1995 in Seoul National University Hospital, a tertiary referral hospital. Results : We observed the following results ; (1) Out of 113 SPNs, the etiology was documented in 94 SP IS. There were 34 benign SP s and 60 malignant SPNs. Among which, 49 SPNs were primary lung cancers and the most common hi stologic type was adenocarcinoma. (2) The average age of patients with benign and malignant SPNs was $49.7{\pm}12.0$ and $58.1{\pm}10.0$ years, respectively( p=0.0004), and the malignant SPNs had a striking linear propensity to increase with age. (3) No significant difference in the hi story of smoking was noted between the patients with benign SPNs($13.0{\pm}17.6$ pack- year) and those with malignant SPNs($18.6{\pm}25.1$ pack-year) (p=0.2108). (4) 9 out of 10 patients with prior history of malignancy had malignant SPNs. 5 were new primary lung cancers with no relation to prior malignancy. (5) The average size of benign SPNs($3.01{\pm}1.20cm$) and malignant SPNs($2.98{\pm}0.97cm$) was not significantly different(p=0.8937). (6) The volume doubling time could be calculated in 22 SPNs. 9 SPNs had the volume doubling time longer than 400 days. Out of these, 6 were malignant SPNs. (7) The CT findings suggesting malignancy included the lobulated or spiculated border, air- bronchogram, pleural tail, and lymphadenopathy. In contrast, calcification, central low attenuation, cavity with even thickness, well-marginated border, and peri nodular micronodules were more suggestive for benign nodule. (8) The diagnostic yield of percutaneous needle aspiration and biopsy was 57.6%(19/33) of benign SPNs and 81.0%(47/58) of malignant SPNs. The diagnostic value of sputum analysis and bronchoscopic evaluations were relatively very low. (9) 42.3%(11/26) of SPNs of undetermined etiology preoperatively turned out to be malignant after surgical resection. Overall, 75.4%(46/61) of surgically resected SPNs were malignant. Conclusions : We conclude that the likelihood of malignant SPN correlates the age of patient, prior history of malignancy, some CT findings including lobulated or spiculated border, air-bronchogram, pleural tail and lymphadenopathy. However, the history of smoking, the size of the nodule, and the volume doubling time are not helpful to determent whether the SPN is benign or malignant, which have been regarded as valuable clinical parameters previously. We suggest that aggressive diagnostic approach including surgical resection is necessary in patient with SPNs.

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