• Title/Summary/Keyword: Interest Rates

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An R package UnifiedDoseFinding for continuous and ordinal outcomes in Phase I dose-finding trials

  • Pan, Haitao;Mu, Rongji;Hsu, Chia-Wei;Zhou, Shouhao
    • Communications for Statistical Applications and Methods
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    • v.29 no.4
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    • pp.421-439
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    • 2022
  • Phase I dose-finding trials are essential in drug development. By finding the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of a new drug or treatment, a Phase I trial establishes the recommended doses for later-phase testing. The primary toxicity endpoint of interest is often a binary variable, which describes an event of a patient who experiences dose-limiting toxicity. However, there is a growing interest in dose-finding studies regarding non-binary outcomes, defined by either the weighted sum of rates of various toxicity grades or a continuous outcome. Although several novel methods have been proposed in the literature, accessible software is still lacking to implement these methods. This study introduces a newly developed R package, UnifiedDoseFinding, which implements three phase I dose-finding methods with non-binary outcomes (Quasi- and Robust Quasi-CRM designs by Yuan et al. (2007) and Pan et al. (2014), gBOIN design by Mu et al. (2019), and by a method by Ivanova and Kim (2009)). For each of the methods, UnifiedDoseFinding provides corresponding functions that begin with next that determines the dose for the next cohort of patients, select, which selects the MTD defined by the non-binary toxicity endpoint when the trial is completed, and get oc, which obtains the operating characteristics. Three real examples are provided to help practitioners use these methods. The R package UnifiedDoseFinding, which is accessible in R CRAN, provides a user-friendly tool to facilitate the implementation of innovative dose-finding studies with nonbinary outcomes.

Transmission of Chinese Monetary Policy Shocks: Evidence from Korea (중국 통화정책 변화가 한국에 미치는 영향)

  • Cho, Yujeong
    • Economic Analysis
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    • v.27 no.4
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    • pp.43-69
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    • 2021
  • As the trade linkages and the financial relationship between China and Korea grow stronger, China's influence on Korea is also growing larger. Therefore, it is meaningful to examine key features of Chinese monetary policy operations and the current situation, and to analyze the transmission mechanism of China's monetary policy shocks onto the Korea economy. China's monetary policy shocks can have an impact on the Korea economy through the trade, financial and oil-price channels. In the trade channel, an expansionary Chinese monetary policy can increase Korea's exports of intermediate goods to China under the vertical trade structure, via the vertical trade integration effect. Meanwhile, the expenditure switching effect and the income demand effect show no statistical significance. In the financial and oil-price channels, expansionary Chinese monetary policy shocks can decrease the interest rate and increase both stock prices and the consumer price index in Korea through changes in global portfolio capital flows, interest rates, and raw material prices.

Consumers' perceptions of dietary supplements before and after the COVID-19 pandemic based on big data

  • Eunjung Lee;Hyo Sun Jung;Jin A Jang
    • Journal of Nutrition and Health
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    • v.56 no.3
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    • pp.330-347
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    • 2023
  • Purpose: This study identified words closely associated with the keyword "dietary supplement" (DS) using big data in Korean social media and investigated consumer perceptions and trends related to DSs before (2019) and after the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic (2021). Methods: A total of 37,313 keywords were found for the 2019 period, and 35,336 keywords were found for the 2021 period using blogs and cafes on Daum and Naver. Results were derived by text mining, semantic networking, network visualization analysis, and sentiment analysis. Results: The DS-related keywords that frequently appeared before and after COVID-19 were "recommend", "vitamin", "health", "children", "multiple", and "lactobacillus". "Calcium", "lutein", "skin", and "immunity" also had high frequency-inverse document frequency (TF-IDF) values. These keywords imply a keen interest in DSs among Korean consumers. Big data results also reflected social phenomena related to DSs; for example, "baby" and "pregnant woman" had lower TD-IDF values after the pandemic, suggesting lower marriage and birth rates but higher values for "joint", indicating reduced physical activity. A network centered on vitamins and health care was produced by semantic network analysis in 2019. In 2021, values were highest for deficiency and need, indicating that individuals were searching for DSs after the COVID-19 pandemic due to a lack an awareness of the need for adequate nutrient intake. Before the pandemic, DSs and vitamins were associated with healthcare and life cycle-related topics, such as pregnancy, but after the COVID-19 pandemic, consumer interests changed to disease prevention and treatment. Conclusion: This study provides meaningful clues regarding consumer perceptions and trends related to DSs before and after the COVID-19 pandemic and fundamental data on the effect of the pandemic on consumer interest in dietary supplements.

Advancements in the treatment of pediatric acute leukemia and brain tumor - continuous efforts for 100% cure

  • Ju, Hee Young;Hong, Che Ry;Shin, Hee Young
    • Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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    • v.57 no.10
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    • pp.434-439
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    • 2014
  • Treatment outcomes of pediatric cancers have improved greatly with the development of improved treatment protocols, new drugs, and better supportive measures, resulting in overall survival rates greater than 70%. Survival rates are highest in acute lymphoblastic leukemia, reaching more than 90%, owing to risk-based treatment through multicenter clinical trials and protocols developed to prevent central nervous system relapse and testicular relapse in boys. New drugs including clofarabine and nelarabine are currently being evaluated in clinical trials, and other targeted agents are continuously being developed. Chimeric antigen receptor-modified T cells are now attracting interest for the treatment of recurrent or refractory disease. Stem cell transplantation is still the most effective treatment for pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML). However, in order to reduce treatment-related death after stem cell transplantation, there is need for improved treatments. New drugs and targeted agents are also needed for improved outcome of AML. Surgery and radiation therapy have been the mainstay for brain tumor treatment. However, chemotherapy is becoming more important for patients who are not eligible for radiotherapy owing to age. Stem cell transplant as a means of high dose chemotherapy and stem cell rescue is a new treatment modality and is often repeated for improved survival. Drugs such as temozolomide are new chemotherapeutic options. In order to achieve 100% cure in children with pediatric cancer, every possible treatment modality and effort should be considered.

The Research on Economic Valuation of Maintenance Alternatives for Bridge (교량 유지관리 대안의 경제성 평가 연구)

  • Lee, Yongsu
    • KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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    • v.32 no.4D
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    • pp.387-396
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    • 2012
  • Bridge is an indispensable facility as a social overhead capital. This study suggests and examines the ways of Economic valuation on maintenance alternatives for Bridge. In order to evaluate each alterative on the basis of the same time, the concepts of the basic year and the valuation year are introduced and applied. Interest rates and discount rates are also applied according to the time when each cost is incurred. This study also suggests the ways that the objects of the valuation on maintenance alternatives are not limited to construction cost, but the valuation period is fixed and so maintenance cost and remaining value incurred by maintenance alternatives are valuated. Furthermore, this study shows the way to estimate and evaluate maintenance cost through direct construction cost and annuity present value coefficient and the way to estimate remaining value based on the basic year. In addition, this study suggests economic valuation system, cost methods and analyses of the result through verification. The proposed system is considered to be applied to practical business.

Improved CNN Algorithm for Object Detection in Large Images

  • Yang, Seong Bong;Lee, Soo Jin
    • Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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    • v.25 no.1
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    • pp.45-53
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    • 2020
  • Conventional Convolutional Neural Network(CNN) algorithms have limitations in detecting small objects in large image. In this paper, we propose an improved model which is based on Region Of Interest(ROI) selection and image dividing technique. We prepared YOLOv3 / Faster R-CNN algorithms which are transfer-learned by airfield and aircraft datasets. Also we prepared large images for testing. In order to verify our model, we selected airfield area from large image as ROI first and divided it in two power n orders. Then we compared the aircraft detection rates by number of divisions. We could get the best size of divided image pieces for efficient small object detection derived from the comparison of aircraft detection rates. As a result, we could verify that the improved CNN algorithm can detect small object in large images.

A Study on the Somatotype of Women in Their Twenties by Degree of Obesity and Classification of Silhouette (비만도와 실루엣(Silhouette) 분류에 따른 20대 여성의 체형 연구)

  • Kim, Jin-Ah;Lee, Jeong-Ran
    • The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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    • v.19 no.3
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    • pp.419-429
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    • 2008
  • This study was conducted to analyze the characteristics of women's body somatotypes by direct measurements. Through the classification of degree of obesity and silhouette, women in their 20s who have a great interest in body somatotype can grasp their real somatotype and recognize their obesity rate and silhouette easily. The results are as follows: 1. Average sizes of subjects for this study were: height 160.3cm, weight 52.2kg, bust 83.7cm, waist 65.7cm, hips 91.1cm. And average values of each body mass index were: BMI 20.3, Rohrer Index 1.27, Vervaeck Index 84.8. 2. For the BMI value, the Average Numeric Index of normal somatotype was the highest, 76.9%. The Rohrer Index of underweight somatotype was 34.3% and the Average Numeric Index was 1.12. In the Vervaeck Index, underweight somatotype was 35.7%, and the average Numeric Index was 79.1, while the overweight somatotype was 7.4% of the Vervaeck Index and 100.8 of the Average Numeric Index. So the index which had the largest range of normal values from the same subjects, was the BMI, then the Rohrer Index, and finally, the Vervaeck Index in that order. 3. In the result of sorting bodies with silhouettes, when drop value were used to sort, N type (normal somatotype) was 69.4%, H type (one has similar sizes in waist size and hips) was 20.4% and A type (one has big hips) was 10.2% in that order. Among people in their early 20s, A type was 12.1%. H type was high, 22.8%, among women in their late 20s. When Sinozaki's method of classifying body types was used, ideal somatotype was 86.6%, A type was 7.4%, I type was 5.6% and X type was 0.5%. Women in their late 20s showed higher rates of ideal somatotype, the rates of A type and I type were lower than women in their early 20s.

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Feasibility Study of Constructed Wetland System for Sewage Treatment in Rural Area

  • Ham, Jong-Hwa;Yoon, Chun-Gyeong
    • Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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    • v.19 no.5
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    • pp.426-432
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    • 2000
  • Field experiment was performed from August 1996 to December 1999 to examine the feasibility of constructed wetland system for sewage treatment in rural areas. A pilot system was installed in Konkuk University and the effluent of septic tank for school building was used as an influent to the wetland treatment basin. The system was composed of sand and reed, and operated continuously including winter time. Average removal rate of about 70% was observed for BOD, COD, and SS, about 50% for T-P, and about 25% for T-N. The reason for poor T-N removal might be due to high loading rate and short retention time. The system demonstrated satisfactory effluent concentration and stable performance in growing season. And it also worked adequately in wintertime even below $10^{\circ}C$ without freezing, and removal was still significant. The amount removed in BOD, COD, and SS was almost the same as in the growing season, and the amount removed in nutrients was about half of the one in growing season. Overall performance of the experimental system was compared with existing data base (NADB, 1994), and it was within the range of general system performance. As study period increased, removal rates for BOD, COD, SS, and T-P were consistently maintained and even enhanced, but removal rate for T-N decreased slightly. Wetland system was thought to be a feasible alternative for sewage treatment in rural area considering its low cost and low maintenance requirement. However, the effluent of the experimental wetland system often exceeded current effluent water quality standards, therefore, further treatment could be required if the effluent should be discharged to public waters. Wetland system of interest locates in rural area and is a part of rural ecosystem, therefore, ultimate disposal of reclaimed sewage for agricultural purpose or subsequent land treatment might be available and further research in this matter is recommended.

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Detection of E. coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes, and Appraisal for Microbiological Qualities in the Commercial Frozen Yogurt Products in Korea (국내 시판용 Frozen Yogurt의 병원성 미생물 검출 및 미생물학적 품질 평가에 관한 연구)

  • 윤성식
    • Food Science of Animal Resources
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    • v.18 no.1
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    • pp.63-74
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    • 1998
  • Recently the high outbreaks of intestinal disease caused by the consumption of frozen dairy foods containing pathogenic bacteria has generated considerable interest in the causative agent such as Listeria monocytogenes and E. coli O157:H7. This study was carried out to detect the above pathogens and compare the microbiological qualities of three commercial forzen yogurt products. The main results obtained were as follows. L. monocytogenes coliforms and E. coli O157:H7 were not detected in the total of seven frozen yogurt samples. For microbiological qualities the viable lactic counts of products manufactured by FA company were about 2.9$\times$108 -1.6$\times$109cfu/ml 1.7$\times$106 cfu/ml for FB's and 1.2$\times$106 cfu/ml for FC's The PH values of FA's FB's and FC's products was in the range of pH 4.1~5.3 and the values of FA's were 4.1~4.6 compared by the pH 5.2~5.3 of FB's and FC's products. During refrigeration of the test samples the survival rates of L. monocytogenes spiked into thawed frozen yogurt sample(FA's FB,s and FC's) were 0.55% 15.61% and 16.89% respectively. On the other hand E. coli O157:H7 and L. monocytogenes were 12.4% and 25.0% for FA's 10.8% and 20.8% for FB's and 10.26% and 22.7% for FC's under 37$^{\circ}C$ storage, As the results described above each frozen yogurt products were different in microbiological qualities. The survival rates of pathogens spiked into the samples increased with the pH of the products. This indicates that the pH or any other factors pre-sumable supressed the growth of E. coli O157:H7 and L. monocytogenes in frozen yogurt products.

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Labor Force Withdrawal And Entry (Surrounding First Birth of Married Women) (출산을 전후한 시기 여성의 노동시장 이탈과 진입 (미국 기혼여성의 경우))

  • 장지연
    • Korea journal of population studies
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    • v.20 no.2
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    • pp.5-42
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    • 1997
  • This study contributes to understanding women's labor market behavior by focusing on a particular set of labor force transitions - labor force withdrawal and entry during the period surrounding the first birth of a child. In particular, this study provides a dynamic analyses, using longitudinal data and event history analysis, to conceptualize labor force behaviors in a straightforward way. The main research question addresses which factors increase or decrease the hazard rates of leaving and entering the labor market. This study used piecewise Gompertz model, following the guide of the non-parametric analysis on the hazard rates, which allowed relatively detailed description on the distribution of timing of leave and entry to the labor market as parameters of interest. The results show that preferences and structural variables, as well as economic considerations, are very important factors to explain the labor market behavior of women in the period surrounding childbirth.

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