• Journal of Korean Philosophical Society
• /
• v.105
• /
• pp.49-74
• /
• 2008

Le but de notre recherche est $d^{\prime}{\acute{e}}clairer$ la nature du $d{\acute{e}}passement$ de soi aux actes humaines dnas le Thomisme. Dans le Thomisme la nature humaine qui a la raison et la $volont{\acute{e}}$ a une $intentionnalit{\acute{e}}$ ver la fin ultime. De sorte que les actes humaines qui $corr{\grave{e}}spondent$ cette nature humaine a un $caract{\grave{e}}re$ du $d{\acute{e}}passement$ de soi visant toujours plus que le $pr{\acute{e}}sent$. Le fondement de cet acte du $d{\acute{e}}passement$ de soi est $l^{\prime}{\hat{a}}me$ rationelle qui est la forme substantielle de l'homme et de soi subsistante. Chez st. Thomas ce $caract{\grave{e}}re$ du $d{\acute{e}}passement$ a trois ${\acute{e}}taps$ distinctes : (1)le $d{\acute{e}}passement$ dans l'ordre du $progr{\grave{e}}s$ naturel (2)le $d{\acute{e}}passement$ de soi dans l'ordre morale (3)le $d{\acute{e}}passement$ de soi dans l'ordre de la religion. Le $d{\acute{e}}passement$ dans l'ordre du $progr{\grave{e}}s$ naturel apparaît d'abord au $caract{\grave{e}}re$ de $l^{\prime}{\hat{a}}me$ rationelle. St. Thomas $d{\acute{e}}finit$ les vertus rationelles comme $^{\prime}pl{\acute{e}}nitude$ dans le $f{\acute{e}}blesse$, parce qu'il $consid{\grave{e}}re$ la vertu rationelle comme $finalit{\acute{e}}$ des $facult{\acute{e}}s$ du sens $ext{\acute{e}}rieur$. L'homme par le sens $ext{\acute{e}}rieur$ reçoit des $esp{\grave{e}}ces$ sensibles(especies sensibilis), et $poss{\grave{e}}de$ les images. Puis cette images sensible devenant la $r{\acute{e}}alit{\acute{e}}$ spirituelle sous forme du $m{\acute{e}}moire$ et du souvenir, devient aussi la partie de son existence. Donc chez st. Thomas la vertue rationnelle n'est pas simplement un $facult{\acute{e}}$ $sp{\acute{e}}culative$, mais elle est dans l'ordre du devenir et du $pl{\acute{e}}nitude$. A cette raison st. Thomas compare la raison(ratio) comme $g{\acute{e}}n{\acute{e}}ration$(generatio) et l'intelleigence(intellectus) comme ${\hat{e}}tre$(esse). C'est-${\grave{a}}$-dire la raison $d{\acute{e}}passe$ le sensible et l'intelligence $d{\acute{e}}passe$ la raison. Le $d{\acute{e}}passement$ de soi dans l'ordre morale $li{\acute{e}}$ au $progr{\grave{e}}s$ de la conscience. Chez st. Thomas la perception de l'objet $ext{\acute{e}}rieur$ ayant pour but d'avoir conscience de soi, se perfectionne ${\grave{a}}$ ceci. D'avoir conscience de soi signifie d'avoir $l^{\prime}identit{\acute{e}}$ de soi, et de-$l{\grave{a}}$ apparaît l'acte moral en tnat qu'acte $sp{\acute{e}}cifique$ humain. La raison pour laquelle la vie morale elle-$m{\hat{e}}me$ a un $caract{\grave{e}}$ du $d{\acute{e}}passement$, c'est que l'acte humaine qui corresfonde ${\grave{a}}$ $l^{\prime}identit{\acute{e}}$ du soi est une vie qui vise toujours plus que le $pr{\acute{e}}sent$ ou $l^{\prime}id{\acute{e}}al$. Quant au problem du $d{\acute{e}}passement$ dans l'ordre de la religion, chez st. Thomas en raison de $l^{\prime}affinit{\acute{e}}$ entre Dieu et l'homme, $o{\grave{u}}$ il y a des vertues infuses(virtutes infusas), il y a une sorte du $d{\acute{e}}passement$ religieux. Car ces vertues infuses signifie la communication entre Dieu(${\hat{E}}tre$ absolu) et l'homme(${\hat{e}}tre$ fine) et cela signifie le $d{\acute{e}}passement$ de l'humain vers le divin. Cette $id{\acute{e}}e$ thomiste permet de penser que $o{\grave{u}}$ il y a un $d{\acute{e}}passement$ de soi dans la vie religuse d'une personne, il y a une intervention $r{\acute{e}}elle$ de la providence divine. Cette $pens{\acute{e}}e$ thomiste sera alors un $caract{\grave{e}}$ $r{\acute{e}}aliste$ face ${\grave{a}}$ la $pens{\acute{e}}e$ $id{\acute{e}}aliste$ qui n'admette que le $d{\acute{e}}passement$ absolu comme $d{\acute{e}}passement$ religieux.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
• /
• v.75 no.1
• /
• pp.1-18
• /
• 1986

This study was initiated to estimate productivity of Quercus variabilis stand. However the practical objective of this study was to provide some information to establish the basis of selecting the suitable site for Quercus variabilis. The productivity measured in terms of DBH, height, basal area and stem volume was hypothesized, respectively, to be a function of a group of factors. This study considered 32 factors, 20 of which were related to the forest environmental factors such as tree age, latitude, percent slope, etc. and the rest of which were related to soil factors such as soil moisture, total nitrogen, available $P_2O_5$, etc. The data on 4 productivity measurements of Quercus variabilis growth and related factors cited were collected from 99 sample plots in Kyeongbook and chungbook provinces. Some factors considered were, in nature, discrete variables and the others continuous variables. Each kind of factor was classified into 3 or 4 categories and total numbers of such categories were eventually amounted to 110. Then each category was treated as an independent variable. This is amounted to saying that individual variable was treated a dummy variable and assigned a value 1 or 0. However the first category of each factor was deleted from the normal equation for statistical consideration. First of all, each of 4 productivity measurements of Quercus variabilis growth was regressed and, at the same time, those 110 categories. Secondly, the partial correlation coefficients were measured between each pair of 4 productivity measurements and 32 individual foctors. Finally, the relative scores were estimated in order to derive the category ranges. The result of these statistical analyses could be summarized as follows: 1) Growth measurement in terms of height seems to be a more significant criterion for estimation of productivity of Quercus variabilis. 2) Productivity of forest on stocked land may better be estimated in terms of forest environmental factors, on the other hand, that of unstocked land may be estimated in terms of physio-chemical factors of soil. 3) The factors that a strongly positive relation to all growth factors of tree are age group, effective soil, soil moisture, etc. This implies that these factors might effectively be used for criteria for selecting the suitable site for Quercus variabilis. 4) Parent rock, latitude, total nitrogen, age group, effective soil depth, soil moisture, organic matter, etc., had more significant category range for tree growth. Therefore, the suitable site for Quercus variabilis may be selected, based on this information. In conclusion, the above results obtained by the multivariable analysis can be not only the important criteria for estimating the growth of Quercus variabilis but also the useful guidance for selecting the suitable sites and performing the rational of Quercus variabilis forest.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.44 no.4
• /
• pp.871-888
• /
• 1997

Background : It is now thought that the earliest manifestation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is alveolitis, that is, an accumulation of inflammatory and immune effector cells within alveolar walls and spaces. Inflammatory cells including alveolar macrophages and resident normal pulmonary tissue cells participate through the release of many variable mediators such as inflammatory growth factors and cytokines, which contribute to tissue damage and finally cause chronic pulmonary inflammation and fibrosis. This study was performed to investigate the source and distribution pattern of transforming growth factor-${\beta}_1$(TGF-${\beta}_1$), platelet derived growth factor(PDGF), basic fibroblast growth factor(bFGF), interleukin 1(IL-1), interleukin 6(IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-$\alpha$ (TNF-$\alpha$) and the role of these mediators on bleomycin(BLM)-induced pulmonary injury and fibrosis in rats. Method : Wistar rats were divided into three groups(control group, BLM treated group, BLM and vitamine E treated group). Animals were sacrificed periodically at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 14, 21, 28 days after saline or BLM administration. The effects were compared to the results of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid analysis, light microscopic findings, immunohistochemical stains for six different mediators(TGF-${\beta}_1$, PDGF, bFGF, IL-1, IL-6 and TNF-$\alpha$) and mRNA in situ hybridization for TGF-${\beta}_1$. Results : IL-1 and IL-6 are maximally expressed at postbleomycin 1~7th day which are mainly produced by neutrophils and bronchiolar epithelium. It is thought that they induce recruitment of inflammatory cells at the injury site. The expression of IL-1 and IL-6 at the bronchiolar epithelium within 7th day is an indirect evidence of contribution of bronchiolar epithelial cells to promote and maintain the inflammatory and immune responses adjacent to the airways. TNF-$\alpha$ is mainly produced by neutrophils and bronchiolar epithelial cells during 1~5th day, alveolar macrophages during 7~28th day. At the earlier period, TNF-$\alpha$ causes recruitment of inflammatory cells at the injury site and later stimulates pulmonary fibrosis. The main secreting cells of TGF-${\beta}_1$ are alveolar macrophages and bronchiolar epithelium and the target is pulmonary fibroblasts and extracellular matrix. TGF-${\beta}_1$ and PDGF stimulate proliferation of pulmonary fibroblasts and TGF-${\beta}_1$ and bFGF incite the fibroblasts to produce extracellular matrix. The vitamine E and BLM treated group shows few positive cells(p<0.05). Conclusion : After endothelial and epithelial injury, the neutrophils and bronchiolar epithelium secrete IL-1, IL-6, TNF-$\alpha$ which induce infiltration of many neutrophils. It is thought that variable enzymes and $O_2$ radicals released by these neutrophils cause destruction of normal lung architecture and progression of pulmonary fibrosis. At the 7~28th day, TGF-${\beta}_1$, PDGF, bFGF, TNF-$\alpha$ secreted by alveolar macrophages sting pulmonary fibroblasts into proliferating with increased production of extracellular matrix and finally, they make progression of pulmonary fibrosis. TNF-$\alpha$ compares quite important with TGF-${\beta}_1$ to cause pulmonary fibrosis. Vitamine E seems to decrease the extent of BLM induced pulmonary fibrosis.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
• /
• v.27 no.6 s.65
• /
• pp.979-995
• /
• 1997

The purpose of this study was to identify the preventive and the progressive inhibitory effects of enamel demineralization with fluoride releasing light-and self-cured orthodontic sealants(FluoroBond), in vitro, under the polarizing light microscope and the scanning electon microscope. The polarizing light microscopic group was subdivided into seven groups(Group A-Group G). The scanning electron microscopic group was also subdivided into seven groups(Group A'-Goup G'). For polarizing light microscopic evaluation, longitudinal sections were made longitudinally by Maruto cutter(Maruto Co., Japan) and Maruto grinding machine(Maruto Co., Japan). Sections were examined and photographed by the polarizing light microscope(Olympus Optical Co., Japan) using crossed polars and with the enamel rod longitudinal axis oriented at $45^{\circ}$ to the extinction position. For scanning electron microscopic evaluation, the specimens were coated with a highly conducting layer of gold palladium in a model Hus-4 high-vacuum evaporator and examined in an ISI-100B scanning electron microcope operated at 20kV. The results of this study were as follows : 1. The mean depths of artificial carious lesions under a polarized light microscope were $Group\;A(5.08{\mu}m),\;Group\;B(47.82{\mu}m,\;Group\;C(8.42{\mu}m),\;Group\;D(7.20{\mu}m),\;Group\;E(85.41{\mu}m),\;Group\;F(60.38{\mu}m),\;Group\;G(60.13{\mu}m)$. 2. There were statistically significant differences in Group B compared with Group A, C, and D(p<0.05), and also, in Group I compared with Group F and Group G(p<0.05). 3. Light-and self-cured orthodontic sealants had the preventive effects of enamel demineralization. 4. Light-and self-cured orthodontic sealants had the progressive inhibitory effects of enamel demineralization. 5. The time progress of demineralizing agent had no influence on the samples of light-and self-cured orthodontic sealants under the scanning electron microscope. 6. There was no difference between the specimens of light-and self-cured orthodontic sealants both in the polarized light microscopic group and in the scanning electron microscopic group.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
• /
• v.40 no.5
• /
• pp.100-108
• /
• 2012

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the influence of shading and ventilation on Mean Radiant Temperature(MRT) of the outdoor space at a summer outdoor. The Wind Speed(WS), Air Temperature(AT) and Globe Temperature(GT) were recorded every minute from $1^{st}$ of May to the $30^{th}$ of September 2011 at a height of 1.2m above in four experimental plots with different shading and ventilating conditions, with a measuring system consisting of a vane type anemometer(Barini Design's BDTH), Resistance Temperature Detector(RTD, Pt-100), standard black globe(${\O}$ 150mm) and data acquisition systems(National Instrument's Labview and Compfile Techs' Moacon). To implement four different ventilating and shading conditions, three hexahedral steel frames, and one natural plot were established in the open grass field. Two of the steel frames had a dimension of $3m(W){\times}3m(L){\times}1.5m(H)$ and every vertical side covered with transparent polyethylene film to prevent lateral ventilation(Ventilation Blocking Plot: VP), and an additional shading curtain was applied on the top side of a frame(Shading and Ventilation Blocking Plot: SVP). The third was $1.5m(W){\times}1.5m(L){\times}1.5m(H)$, only the top side of which was covered by the shading curtain without the lateral film(Shading Plot: SP). The last plot was natural condition without any kind of shading and wind blocking material(Natural Open Plot: NP). Based on the 13,262 records of 44 sunny days, the time serial difference of AT and GT for 24 hour were analyzed and compared, and statistical analysis was done based on the 7,172 records of daytime period from 7 A.M. to 8 P.M., while the relation between the MRT and solar radiation and wind speed was analyzed based on the records of the hottest period from 11 A.M. to 4 P.M.. The major findings were as follows: 1. The peak AT was $40.8^{\circ}C$ at VP and $35.6^{\circ}C$ at SP showing the difference about $5^{\circ}C$, but the difference of average AT was very small within${\pm}1^{\circ}C$. 2. The difference of the peak GT was $12^{\circ}C$ showing $52.5^{\circ}C$ at VP and $40.6^{\circ}C$ at SP, while the gap of average GT between the two plots was $6^{\circ}C$. Comparing all four plots including NP and SVP, it can be said that the shading decrease $6^{\circ}C$ GT while the wind blocking increase $3^{\circ}C$ GT. 3. According to the calculated MRT, the shading has a cooling effect in reducing a maximum of $13^{\circ}C$ and average $9^{\circ}C$ MRT, while the wind blocking has heating effect of increasing average $3^{\circ}C$ MRT. In other words, the MRT of the shaded area with natural ventilation could be cooler than the wind blocking the sunny site to about $16^{\circ}C$ MRT maximum. 4. The regression and correlation tests showed that the shading is more important than the ventilation in reducing the MRT, while both of them do an important role in improving the outdoor thermal comfort. In summary, the results of this study showed that the shade is the first and the ventilation is the second important factor in terms of improving outdoor thermal comfort in summer daylight hours. Therefore, it can be apparently said that the more shade by the forest, shading trees etc., the more effective in conditioning the microclimate of an outdoor space reducing the useless or even harmful heat energy for human activities. Furthermore, the delicately designed wind corridor or outdoor ventilation system can improve even the thermal environment of urban area.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.54 no.2
• /
• pp.178-190
• /
• 2003

Background : The committee of tuberculosis(TB) survey planning for the year 2000 decided to construct the Korean Tuberculosis Surveillance System (KTBS), based on a doctor's routine reporting method. The successful keys of the KTBS rely on the precision of the recorded TB notification forms. The purpose of this study was to determine that the accuracy of the TB notification form written at a private general hospital given to the corresponding health center and to improve the comprehensiveness of these reporting systems. Materials and Methods : 291 adult TB patients who had been diagnosed from August 2000 to January 2001, were enrolled in this study. The lists of TB notification forms were compared with the medical records and the various laboratory results; case characteristics, history of previous treatment, examinations for diagnosis, site of the TB by the international classification of the disease, and treatment. Results : In the list of examinations for a diagnosis in 222 pulmonary TB patients, the concordance rate of the 'sputum smear exam' was 76% but that of the 'sputum culture exam' was only 23%. Among the 198 cases of the sputum culture exam labeled 'not examined', 43(21.7%) cases proved to be true 'not examined', 70 cases(35.4%) were proven to be 'culture positive', and 85(43.0%) cases were proven to be 'culture negative'. In the list of examinations for a diagnosis in 69 extrapulmonary TB patients, the concordance rate of the 'smear exam other than sputum' was 54%. In the list of treatments, the overall concordance rate of the 'type of registration' in the TB notification form was 85%. Among the 246 'new' cases on the TB notification form, 217(88%) cases were true 'new' cases and 13 were proven to be 'relapse', 2 were proven to be 'treatment after failure', one was proven to be 'treatment after default', 12 were proven to be 'transferred-in' and one was proven to be 'chronic'. Among the 204 HREZ prescribed regimen, 172(84.3%) patients were taking the HREZ regimen, and the others were prescribed other drug regimens. Conclusion : Correct recording of the TB notification form at the private sectors is necessary for supporting the effective TB surveillance system in Korea.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.48 no.6
• /
• pp.932-943
• /
• 2000

Background : Nonspecific interstitial pneumonitis (NSIP) is most likely to be confused with usual interstitial pneumonitis (UIP). Unlike patients witþ UIP, the majority of patients with NSIP have a good prognosis, with most patients improving after treatment with corticosteroids. Therefore it is clinically important to differentiate NSIP from UIP. Up to now, the only means of differentiating these two diseases was by means of surgical lung biopsy. American Thoracic Society (ATS) proposed a clinical diagnostic criteria for UIP to provide assistance to clinicians in its diagnosis without surgical lung biopsy. This study is aimed to investigate whether there were clinical and radiological differences between NSIP and UIP, and the usefulness of ATS clinical diagnostic criteria for UIP in Korea. Methods : We studied 60 patients with UIP and NSIP confirmed by surgical lung biopsy. Clinical manifestations, pulmonary function test, arterial blood gas analysis, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), and high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) were evaluated and analyzed by Chi-square test or t-test. The clinical criteria for UIP proposed by ATS were applied to all patients with idiopathic interstitial pneumonia. Results : Forty-two patients with UIP and 18 with NSIP were pathologically identified. Among the 18 patients with NSIP (M : F=1 : 17), the mean age was 55.2$\pm$8.4 (44~73) yr. Among the 42 patients with UIP (M : F=33 : 9), the mean age was 59.5$\pm$7.1 (45~74) yr (p=0.046). Fever was more frequent in NSIP (39%) (p=0.034), but clubbing was frequently observed in UIP (33%) (p=0.023). BAL lymphocytosis was more frequent (23%) (p=0.0001) and CD4/CD8 ratio was lower in NSIP (p=0.045). On HRCT, UIP frequently showed honeycomb appearance (36 of 42 patients) though not in NSIP (p=0.0001). Six of 42 UIP patients (14.3%) met the ATS clinical criteria for IPF, and 3 of 16 NSIP patients (18.8%) met the diagnostic criteria. Conclusion : Being a relatively young female and having short duration of illness, fever, BAL lymphocytosis, low CD4/CD8 ratio with the absence of clubbing and honeycomb appearance in HRCT increase the likelihood of the illness being NSIP. The usefulness of ATS clinical diagnostic criteria for UIP may be low in Korea.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.45 no.6
• /
• pp.1199-1213
• /
• 1998

Background : The number of immunocompromised hosts has been increasing steadily and a new pulmonary infiltrate in these patients is a potentially lethal condition which needs rapid diagnosis and treatment. In this study we sought to examine the clinical manifestations, radiologic findings, and therapeutic outcomes of pulmonary mycoses presenting as a new pulmonary infiltrate in immunocompromised hosts. Method : All cases presenting as a new pulmonary infiltrate in immunocompromised hosts and confirmed to be pulmonary mycoses by pathologic examination or by positive culture from a sterile site between October of 1996 and April of 1998 were included in the study and their chart and radiologic findings were retrospectively reviewed. Results : In all, 14 cases of pulmonary mycoses from 13 patients(male : female ratio = 8 : 5, median age 47 yr) were found. Twelve cases were diagnosed as aspergillosis while two were diagnosed as mucormycosis. Major risk factors for fungal infections were chemotherapy for hematologic malignancy(10 cases) and organ transplant recipients(4 cases). Three cases were receiving empirical amphotericin B at the time of appearance of new lung infiltrates. Cases in the hematologic malignancy group had more prominent symptoms : fever(9/10), cough(6/10), sputum(5/10), dyspnea(4/10), chest pain(5/10). Patients in the organ transplant group had minimal symptoms(p<0.05). On simple chest films, all of the cases presented as single or multiple nodules(6/14) or consolidations(8/14). High resolution computed tomograph showed peri-lesional ground glass opacities(14/14), pleural effusions(5/14), and cavitary changes(7/14). Definitive diagnostic methods were as follows : 10 cases underwent minithoracotomy, 2 underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery, 1 underwent percutaneous needle aspiration and 1 case was diagnosed by culture of abscess fluid. All cases received treatment with amphotericin B with 1 case each being treated with liposomal amphotericin B and itraconazole due to renal toxicity. Lung lesion improved in 12 of 14 patient but 4 patients died before completing therapy. Conclusion : When a new lung infiltrate develops presenting either as a nodule or consolidation in a neutropenic patient with hematologic malignancy or in a transplant recipient, you should always consider pulmonary mycoses as one of the differential diagnosis. By performing aggressive work up and early treatment, we may improve prognosis of these patients.

• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
• /
• v.14 no.2
• /
• pp.109-153
• /
• 1992

This paper estimates a translog cost function for the Korea's banking industry and derives various implications on the prospect for the Korean banking structure in the future based on the estimated efficiency indicators for the banking sector. The Korean banking industry is permitted to operate trust business to the full extent and the security business to a limited extent, while it is formally subjected to the strict, specialized banking system. Security underwriting and investment businesses are allowed in a very limited extent only for stocks and bonds of maturity longer than three year and only up to 100 percent of the bank paid-in capital. Until the end of 1991, the ceiling was only up to 25 percent of the total balance of the demand deposits. However, they are prohibited from the security brokerage business. While the in-house integration of security businesses with the traditional business of deposit and commercial lending is restrictively regulated as such, Korean banks can enter the security business by establishing subsidiaries in the industry. This paper, therefore, estimates the efficiency indicators as well as the cost functions, identifying the in-house integrated trust business and security investment business as important banking activities, for various cases where both the production and the intermediation function approaches in modelling the financial intermediaries are separately applied, and the banking businesses of deposit, lending and security investment as one group and the trust businesses as another group are separately and integrally analyzed. The estimation results of the efficiency indicators for various cases are summarized in Table 1 and Table 2. First, security businesses exhibit economies of scale but also economies of scope with traditional banking activities, which implies that in-house integration of the banking and security businesses may not be a nonoptimal banking structure. Therefore, this result further implies that the transformation of Korea's banking system from the current, specialized system to the universal banking system will not impede the improvement of the banking industry's efficiency. Second, the lending businesses turn out to be subjected to diseconomies of scale, while exhibiting unclear evidence for economies of scope. In sum, it implies potential efficiency gain of the continued in-house integration of the lending activity. Third, the continued integration of the trust businesses seems to contribute to improving the efficiency of the banking businesses, since the trust businesses exhibit economies of scope. Fourth, deposit services and fee-based activities, such as foreign exchange and credit card businesses, exhibit economies of scale but constant returns to scope, which implies, the possibility of separating those businesses from other banking and trust activities. The recent trend of the credit card business being operated separately from other banking activities by an independent identity in Korea as well as in the global banking market seems to be consistent with this finding. Then, how can the possibility of separating deposit services from the remaining activities be interpreted? If one insists a strict definition of commercial banking that is confined to deposit and commercial lending activities, separating the deposit service will suggest a resolution or a disappearance of banking, itself. Recently, however, there has been a suggestion that separating banks' deposit and lending activities by allowing a depository institution which specialize in deposit taking and investing deposit fund only in the safest securities such as government securities to administer the deposit activity will alleviate the risk of a bank run. This method, in turn, will help improve the safety of the payment system (Robert E. Litan, What should Banks Do? Washington, D.C., The Brookings Institution, 1987). In this context, the possibility of separating the deposit activity will imply that a new type of depository institution will arise naturally without contradicting the efficiency of the banking businesses, as the size of the banking market grows in the future. Moreover, it is also interesting to see additional evidences confirming this statement that deposit taking and security business are cost complementarity but deposit taking and lending businesses are cost substitute (see Table 2 for cost complementarity relationship in Korea's banking industry). Finally, it has been observed that the Korea's banking industry is lacking in the characteristics of natural monopoly. Therefore, it may not be optimal to encourage the merger and acquisition in the banking industry only for the purpose of improving the efficiency.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.55 no.1
• /
• pp.69-87
• /
• 2003

Background : LB20304(gemifloxacin) is a new fluoroquinolone antibacterial agent with excellent activity against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive organisms. In vitro studies using clinical isolates have shown gemifloxacin to be highly active against penicillin-resistant strains of S. pneumoniae and in contrast to other reference quinolones, gemifloxacin retained good activity against clinical isolates of S. pneumoniae that were resistant to other members of the quinolone class. Therefore, gemifloxacin is thought to be effective in treating acute bacterial exacerbation of chronic bronchitis(AECB). The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of oral gemifloxacin at doses of 160mg or 320mg once daily for 7 days for the treatment of AECB in Korean adult population. Methods : This was a randomized, multicenter, double-blind, parallel group Phase II study to assess the clinical and antibacterial efficacy and safety of oral gemifloxacin for the treatment of AECB. Treatment Group A (67 patients) took oral gemifloxacin 160mg once daily for seven days and treatment Group B (70 patients) took oral gemifloxacin 320mg once daily for seven days. Results : The demographic profiles of the two treatment groups were similar. The clinical response at follow-up was 84.2% in the gemifloxacin 160-mg group, and 88.7% in the gemifloxacin-320 mg group, showing no statistically significant difference between two treatment groups(p=0.49). The clinical response at the end of therapy was 96.5% in the 160-mg group, and 96.4% in the 320-mg group. The bacteriological response at the end of therapy and follow-up were 81.8% and 78.9%, respectively, in the 160-mg group, and 86.4% and 84.2%, respectively, in the 320-mg group, showing no statistically significant difference between two treatment groups(p=0.68 and 0.68, respectively). S. pneumoniae(12 isolates) and H. influenzae(10 isolates) were the most prevalent pathogens. The MICs were lower for gemifloxacin than other quinolones against these key pathogens, and for S. pneumoniae, the MICs for gemifloxacin were considerably lower(${\leq}0.03$ ug/mL) than those for other quinolones, beta-lactams and macrolides. In the period on-therapy plus 30 days post-therapy, a total of 18 patients(26.9%) in the gemifloxacin 160mg group and 22 patients(31.4%) in the 320mg group reported at least one adverse event(AE). The most frequently reported AE was abdominal pain(3/67 patients, 4.5%) in the gemifloxacin 160mg group and increased level of hepatic enzyme(5/70 patients, 7.1%) in the 320mg group. The overall AE profiles for the two treatment groups were similar. Two out of 67 patients(3.0%) in the gemifloxacin 160mg group and 1/70 patients(1.4%) in the 320mg group reported at least one serious AE, however, none of which was considered by the investigator to be of suspected or probable relationship to study medication. Conclusion : The results of this study showed that gemifloxacin at doses of 160mg or 320mg once daily for 7 days in the treatment of acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis(AECB) in adult Koreans was a very effective and safe treatment both clinically and bacteriologically.