• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.169-184
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• 2016

Objectives: To investigate the neurophysiological effect of acupuncture treatment on insomnia patients using quantitative electroencephalography (QEEG) and standardized Low Resolution Brain Electromagnetic Tomography method (sLORETA).Background: Insomnia is one of the commonly encountered symptoms in primary medical care. Recent studies of acupuncture for insomnia reported that the acupuncture groups showed significant improvements compared with the control groups. However, the neurophysiological mechanism of acupuncture in the treatment of insomnia has not been revealed and a few studies have measured the effect of acupuncture treatment using QEEG.Methods: Participants who had some problems in initiating or maintaining sleep, or had non-restorative sleep for more than 3 days a week and ISI scores above 8 and below 21 were treated by acupuncture for 2 weeks (3 times a week, total 6 times). We assessed the effectiveness of acupuncture for insomnia by the PSQI (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index) at baseline and at 2 weeks after the end of treatment (4th week). Also, we performed EEG and analysed the EEG data at baseline and at the end of treatment (2nd week) on the linked ears montage using the Neuroguide software program and sLORETA.Results: Thirty-two participants were enrolled and 2 participants dropped out because of personal reasons. Among the 30 participants, EEGs of 12 participants were included in the analysis of QEEG and sLORETA. Total score on the ISI and PSQI was significantly decreased after acupuncture treatment. The number of electrodes exceeding the range of 90% (±1.65) or 95% (±1.96) in the z scored absolute power of beta was significantly decreased after acupuncture treatment. There was no significant change in brain activation between pre- and post-acupuncture using sLORETA.Conclusions: The deviation of absolute power compared to the normative database was significantly decreased after acupuncture treatment in the alpha and beta ranges. Therefore, we suggest that acupuncture treatment for insomnia might be effective through the central nervous system especially in the brain. There are many limitations to drawing any conclusion. Further studies are needed in the future to overcome these limitations.

• Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.1-17
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• 2001

This paper deals with an agent-based decision-supporting system for Taguchi experiment planning. Among the four major parts of Taguchi experiment, the planning phase includes the most important decision-making issues such as determination of experiment objectives, quality characteristics, and control factors. The planning phase, however, has not been paid proper attention by experiment designers. In this research, an agent-based decision-supporting system for Taguchi experiment planning has been developed to facilitate the planning tasks of experiment designer. The decision-supporting system is composed of two agent-based mechanisms. The first employs an Internet agent that collects the domain knowledge from knowledge providers who may be distributed in remote places. Another agent then visualizes the collected knowledge and reports it to the experiment designer. Engineers who would normally have difficulties in collaborating because of limitations on their time or because they are in different places can easily work together in the same experiment team and brainstorm to make good decisions. The second agent-based mechanism offers context-sensitive advice generated by another intelligent agent during the experiment planning process. it prevents the experiment designer from making improper decisions, which will increase the feasibility of the experiment and minimize the unnecessary expense of time and resources.

• Journal of Korean Library and Information Science Society
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• v.9
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• pp.179-211
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• 1982

Many problems which today's research libraries are confronted with should be taken the measures to find some solutions in any ways. The purpose of this study is to identify the main stream of chaining of research libraries as an existing collector and distributor of scholarly information into a communication system adopting the concept of resource sharing and on-line bibliographic search as some possible ways for solutions. The conclusions of this study can be summarized as follows: 1) The research libraries will be imposed on more and more responsibilities to be a reservoir of the intellectual heritage of an individual, a nation and mankind. 2) The research libraries in the near future will have to develop their collections in the new environment of austerity with the limited budget. 3) It is more desirable for the future research libraries to have the attitude that they are in the business of information and communication rather than being an entity as "a library". 4) The resource sharing developed to solve the severe problems confrontal by research libraries will improve the organizational and technical mechanism for the access to the scholarly information. 5) The research libraries will produce more and more bibliographic database to expand the library materials which can be available and shared. 6) Though on-line search service will be sure to provide a considerable profit to the scholarly information users, it will take a long time for this service to be popularize because of the high ratio of service fee. 7) Two problems should be solved for the efficient service by on-line search. One is the continuous, updating training for the professional librarians. The other is that the common efforts for the quality control and standardization of data base by the data base producers should be made. 8) Taking all the items of the conclusions derived from the study of research libraries mainly in the United States into a consideration, the followings should be paid an attention. - The status-quo of the research libraries in Korea should be analyzed in very detailed and accurate way. - The problems of research libraries in Korea as the major scholarly communication system should be clarified based on the analysis. - The measures for the problems should be taken in the light of the unique characteristics of korean environment. - For the developing the most efficient measures, the formal organize action to lead and govern the long-aimed study on the problems of research libraries should be established and the government-level su n.0, pport for the legislation and finance should be provided for the realization of the result of the study.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics and Information Engineers
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.164-173
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• 2014

In underwater robotics, vision would be a key element for recognition in underwater environments. However, due to turbidity an underwater optical camera is rarely available. An underwater imaging sonar, as an alternative, delivers low quality sonar images which are not stable and accurate enough to find out natural objects by image processing. For this, artificial landmarks based on the characteristics of ultrasonic waves and their recognition method by a shape matrix transformation were proposed and were proven in Part 1. But, this is not working properly in undulating and dynamically noisy sea-bottom. To solve this, we propose a framework providing a selection phase of likelihood candidates, a selection phase for final candidates, recognition phase and tracking phase in sequence images, where a particle filter based selection mechanism to eliminate fake candidates and a mean shift based tracking algorithm are also proposed. All 4 steps are running in parallel and real-time processing. The proposed framework is flexible to add and to modify internal algorithms. A pool test and sea trial are carried out to prove the performance, and detail analysis of experimental results are done. Information is obtained from tracking phase such as relative distance, bearing will be expected to be used for control and navigation of underwater robots.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.701-707
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• 2007

Anti-diabetic effect of Platycodi radix (PR) extract fractions was determined if vitro by investigating insulin-like action, insulin sensitizing action, glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, gene expression related to ${\beta}-cell$ function and mass, and ${\alpha}$-glucoamylase suppressing action. Insulin-like activity was not promoted by the treatment of PR methanol factions in 373-L1 fibroblast. However, treatment with 0, 20 and 100% PR methanol fractions along with 1 ng/mL insulin increased insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in 373-L1 adipocytes. In addition, the treatment of 0% and 100% methanol fractions along with differentiation inducers significantly increased the differentiation of 373-L1 fibroblasts to adipocytes. These fractions may contain insulin sensitizer. The 20%, 80% and 100% methanol fractions enhanced glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in Min6 cells, insulin secreting cell line. This was related to the mechanism to promote glucose sensing and ${\beta}-cell$ proliferation, which was regulated by the induction of IRS-2, glucokinase and PDX-1 genes. As expected, 20, 80 and 100% methanol fractions increased mRNA levels of IRS-2, glucokinase and PDX-1 genes. However, PR fractions did not affect the ${\alpha}-glucoamylase$ activity in vitro. These data suggested that PR extract fractions have anti-diabetic actions through improving insulin sensitization, glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, and ${\beta}-cell$ proliferation. Therefore, PR extracts can be beneficial for anti-diabetic treatment in lean diabetic patients.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.08a
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• pp.130.2-130.2
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• 2013

Today, chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of hydrocarbon gases has been demonstrated as an attractive method to synthesize large-area graphene layers. However, special care should be taken to precisely control the resulting graphene layers in CVD due to its sensitivity to various process parameters. Therefore, a facile synthesis to grow graphene layers with high controllability will have great advantages for scalable practical applications. In order to simplify and create efficiency in graphene synthesis, the graphene growth by thermal annealing process has been discussed by several groups. However, the study on growth mechanism and the detailed structural and optoelectronic properties in the resulting graphene films have not been reported yet, which will be of particular interest to explore for the practical application of graphene. In this study, we report the growth of few-layer, large-area graphene films using rapid thermal annealing (RTA) without the use of intentional carbon-containing precursor. The instability of nickel films in air facilitates the spontaneous formation of ultrathin (<2~3 nm) carbon- and oxygen-containing compounds on a nickel surface and high-temperature annealing of the nickel samples results in the formation of few-layer graphene films with high crystallinity. From annealing temperature and ambient studies during RTA, it was found that the evaporation of oxygen atoms from the surface is the dominant factor affecting the formation of graphene films. The thickness of the graphene layers is strongly dependent on the RTA temperature and time and the resulting films have a limited thickness less than 2 nm even for an extended RTA time. The transferred films have a low sheet resistance of ~380 ${\Omega}/sq$, with ~93% optical transparency. This simple and potentially inexpensive method of synthesizing novel 2-dimensional carbon films offers a wide choice of graphene films for various potential applications.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.62-69
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• 2014

In the results of monitoring nitrate concentration in more than 8,000 groundwater wells around agro-livestock, the average and maximum nitrate concentration was 9.4 mg/L and 101.2 mg/L, respectively. Since about 31% of the monitoring wells was exceed the quality standard for drinking water, nitrate control such as remediation or source regulation is required to conserve safe-groundwater in South Korea. Typical nitrate-treatment technologies include ion exchange, reverse osmosis, and biological denitrification. Among the treatment methods, biological denitrification by indigenous microorganism has environmental and economic advantages for the complete elimination of nitrate because of lower operating costs compared to other methods. Major mechanism of the process is microbial reduction of nitrate to nitrite and nitrogen gas. Three functional genes (nosZ, nirK, nirS) that encode for the enzyme involved in the pathway. In this work, we tried to develop simple process to determine possibility of natural denitrification reaction by monitoring the functional gene. For the work, the functional genes in nitrate-contaminated groundwater were monitored by using PCR with specific target primers. In the result, functional genes (nosZ and nirK) encoding denitrification enzymes were detected in the groundwater samples. This method can help to determine the possibility of natural-nitrate degradation in target groundwater wells without multiplex experimental process. In addition, for field-remediation application we selected nitrate-contaminated site where 200~600 mg/L of nitrate is continuously detected. To determine the possibility of nitrate-degradation by stimulated-natural attenuation, groundwater was sampled in two different wells of the site and nitrate concentration of the samples was 300 mg/L and 616 mg/L, respectively. Fumarate for different C/N ratio was added into microcosm bottles containing the groundwater to examine denitrification rate depending on carbon concentration. In the result, once 1.5 times more than amount of fumarate stoichiometry required was added, the 616 mg/L of nitrate and 300 mg/L of nitrate were completely degraded in 8 days and 30 days. The nitrite, byproduct of denitrification process, was also completely degraded during the experimental period.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.494-500
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• 2019

Objective: Feed consumption contributes a large percentage for total production costs in the poultry industry. Detecting genes associated with feeding traits will be of benefit to improve our understanding of the molecular determinants for feed efficiency. The objective of this study was to identify candidate genes associated with feed conversion ratio (FCR) via genomewide association study (GWAS) using sequence data imputed from single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) panel in a Chinese indigenous chicken population. Methods: A total of 435 Chinese indigenous chickens were phenotyped for FCR and were genotyped using a 600K SNP genotyping array. Twenty-four birds were selected for sequencing, and the 600K SNP panel data were imputed to whole sequence data with the 24 birds as the reference. The GWAS were performed with GEMMA software. Results: After quality control, 8,626,020 SNPs were used for sequence based GWAS, in which ten significant genomic regions were detected to be associated with FCR. Ten candidate genes, ubiquitin specific peptidase 44, leukotriene A4 hydrolase, ETS transcription factor, R-spondin 2, inhibitor of apoptosis protein 3, sosondowah ankyrin repeat domain family member D, calmodulin regulated spectrin associated protein family member 2, zinc finger and BTB domain containing 41, potassium sodium-activated channel subfamily T member 2, and member of RAS oncogene family were annotated. Several of them were within or near the reported FCR quantitative trait loci, and others were newly reported. Conclusion: Results from this study provide valuable prior information on chicken genomic breeding programs, and potentially improve our understanding of the molecular mechanism for feeding traits.

• Journal of Appropriate Technology
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.94-102
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• 2020

Renewable energy (RE) is essential to comprise sustainable societies, especially, in rural villages of developing countries. Furthermore, application of off-grid RE systems to health care can improve the quality of life. In this research, a RE-based vaccination supply management system was constructed to enlarge the cold-chain in developing countries for the safe storage and delivery of vaccines. The system was comprised of the construction of RE plants and development of vaccine carriers. RE plants were constructed and connected to health posts in local villages. The cooling mechanism of vaccine carriers was improved and monitoring devices were installed. The effect of the system on vaccine cold-chain was evaluated from the field test and topographical analysis in the southern village of Nepal. RE plants were normally operated for the vaccine refrigerator in the health post. The modified vaccine carriers had a longer operation time and better temperature control via monitoring and RE-based recharging functionality. The topographical analysis estimated that the system can cover larger region. The system prototype showed great potential regarding the possibility of a sustainable and enlarged cold-chain. Thus, RE-based vaccine supply management is expected to facilitate vaccine availability while minimizing waste in the supply chain.

• Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.61-118
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• 2008

The purpose of this research is to construct research framework for international franchising based on existing literature and to identify research components in the framework. Franchise can be defined as management styles that allow franchisee use various management assets of franchisor in order to make or sell product or service. It can be divided into product distribution franchise that is designed to sell products and business format franchise that is designed for running it as business whatever its form is. International franchising can be defined as a way of internationalization of franchisor to foreign country by providing its business format or package to franchisee of host country. International franchising is growing fast for last four decades but academic research on this is quite limited. Especially in Korea, research about international franchising is carried out on by case study format with single case or empirical study format with survey based on domestic franchise theory. Therefore, this paper tries to review existing literature on international franchising research, providing research framework, and then stimulating new research on this field. International franchising research components include motives and environmental factors for decision of expanding to international franchising, entrance modes and development plan for international franchising, contracts and management strategy of international franchising, and various performance measures from different perspectives. First, motives of international franchising are fee collection from franchisee. Also it provides easier way to expanding to foreign country. The other motives including increase total sales volume, occupying better strategic position, getting quality resources, and improving efficiency. Environmental factors that facilitating international franchising encompasses economic condition, trend, and legal or political factors in host and/or home countries. In addition, control power and risk management capability of franchisor plays critical role in successful franchising contract. Final decision to enter foreign country via franchising is determined by numerous factors like history, size, growth, competitiveness, management system, bonding capability, industry characteristics of franchisor. After deciding to enter into foreign country, franchisor needs to set entrance modes of international franchising. Within contractual mode, there are master franchising and area developing franchising, licensing, direct franchising, and joint venture. Theories about entrance mode selection contain concepts of efficiency, knowledge-based approach, competence-based approach, agent theory, and governance cost. The next step after entrance decision is operation strategy. Operation strategy starts with selecting a target city and a target country for franchising. In order to finding, screening targets, franchisor needs to collect information about candidates. Critical information includes brand patent, commercial laws, regulations, market conditions, country risk, and industry analysis. After selecting a target city in target country, franchisor needs to select franchisee, in other word, partner. The first important criteria for selecting partners are financial credibility and capability, possession of real estate. And cultural similarity and knowledge about franchisor and/or home country are also recognized as critical criteria. The most important element in operating strategy is legal document between franchisor and franchisee with home and host countries. Terms and conditions in legal documents give objective information about characteristics of franchising agreement for academic research. Legal documents have definitions of terminology, territory and exclusivity, agreement of term, initial fee, continuing fees, clearing currency, and rights about sub-franchising. Also, legal documents could have terms about softer elements like training program and operation manual. And harder elements like law competent court and terms of expiration. Next element in operating strategy is about product and service. Especially for business format franchising, product/service deliverable, benefit communicators, system identifiers (architectural features), and format facilitators are listed for product/service strategic elements. Another important decision on product/service is standardization vs. customization. The rationale behind standardization is cost reduction, efficiency, consistency, image congruence, brand awareness, and competitiveness on price. Also standardization enables large scale R&D and innovative change in management style. Another element in operating strategy is control management. The simple way to control franchise contract is relying on legal terms, contractual control system. There are other control systems, administrative control system and ethical control system. Contractual control system is a coercive source of power, but franchisor usually doesn't want to use legal power since it doesn't help to build up positive relationship. Instead, self-regulation is widely used. Administrative control system uses control mechanism from ordinary work relationship. Its main component is supporting activities to franchisee and communication method. For example, franchisor provides advertising, training, manual, and delivery, then franchisee follows franchisor's direction. Another component is building franchisor's brand power. The last research element is performance factor of international franchising. Performance elements can be divided into franchisor's performance and franchisee's performance. The conceptual performance measures of franchisor are simple but not easy to obtain objectively. They are profit, sale, cost, experience, and brand power. The performance measures of franchisee are mostly about benefits of host country. They contain small business development, promotion of employment, introduction of new business model, and level up technology status. There are indirect benefits, like increase of tax, refinement of corporate citizenship, regional economic clustering, and improvement of international balance. In addition to those, host country gets socio-cultural change other than economic effects. It includes demographic change, social trend, customer value change, social communication, and social globalization. Sometimes it is called as westernization or McDonaldization of society. In addition, the paper reviews on theories that have been frequently applied to international franchising research, such as agent theory, resource-based view, transaction cost theory, organizational learning theory, and international expansion theories. Resource based theory is used in strategic decision based on resources, like decision about entrance and cooperation depending on resources of franchisee and franchisor. Transaction cost theory can be applied in determination of mutual trust or satisfaction of franchising players. Agent theory tries to explain strategic decision for reducing problem caused by utilizing agent, for example research on control system in franchising agreements. Organizational Learning theory is relatively new in franchising research. It assumes organization tries to maximize performance and learning of organization. In addition, Internalization theory advocates strategic decision of direct investment for removing inefficiency of market transaction and is applied in research on terms of contract. And oligopolistic competition theory is used to explain various entry modes for international expansion. Competency theory support strategic decision of utilizing key competitive advantage. Furthermore, research methodologies including qualitative and quantitative methodologies are suggested for more rigorous international franchising research. Quantitative research needs more real data other than survey data which is usually respondent's judgment. In order to verify theory more rigorously, research based on real data is essential. However, real quantitative data is quite hard to get. The qualitative research other than single case study is also highly recommended. Since international franchising has limited number of applications, scientific research based on grounded theory and ethnography study can be used. Scientific case study is differentiated with single case study on its data collection method and analysis method. The key concept is triangulation in measurement, logical coding and comparison. Finally, it provides overall research direction for international franchising after summarizing research trend in Korea. International franchising research in Korea has two different types, one is for studying Korean franchisor going overseas and the other is for Korean franchisee of foreign franchisor. Among research on Korean franchisor, two common patterns are observed. First of all, they usually deal with success story of one franchisor. The other common pattern is that they focus on same industry and country. Therefore, international franchise research needs to extend their focus to broader subjects with scientific research methodology as well as development of new theory.