• Asia pacific journal of information systems
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.31-50
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• 2014

The ubiquitous accessibility of information through mobile devices has led to an increased mobility of workers from their fixed workplaces. Market researchers estimate that by 2016, 350 million workers will be using their smartphones for business purposes, and the use of smartphones will offer new business benefits. Enterprises are now adopting mobile technologies for numerous applications to increase their operational efficiency, improve their responsiveness and competitiveness, and cultivate their innovativeness. For these reasons, various organizational aspects concerning "mobile work" have received a great deal of recent attention. Moreover, many CIOs plan to allocate a considerable amount of their budgets mobile work environments. In particular, with the consumerization of information technology, enterprise mobile applications (EMA) have played a significant role in the explosive growth of mobile computing in the workplace, and even in improving sales for firms in this field. EMA can be defined as mobile technologies and role-based applications, as companies design them for specific roles and functions in organizations. Technically, EMA can be defined as business enterprise systems, including critical business functions that enable users to access enterprise systems via wireless mobile devices, such as smartphones or tablets. Specifically, EMA enables employees to have greater access to real-time information, and provides them with simple features and functionalities that are easy for them to complete specific tasks. While the impact of EMA on organizational workers' productivity has been given considerable attention in various literatures, relatively little research effort has been made to examine how EMA actually lead to users' job performance. In particular, we have a limited understanding of what the key antecedents are of such an EMA usage outcome. In this paper, we focus on employees' perceived job performance as the outcome of EMA use, which indicates the successful role of EMA with regard to employees' tasks. Thus, to develop a deeper understanding of the relationship among EMA, its environment, and employees' perceived job performance, we develop a comprehensive model that considers the perceived-fit between EMA and employees' tasks, satisfaction on EMA, and the organizational environment. With this model, we try to examine EMA to explain how job performance through EMA is revealed from both the task-technology fit for EMA and satisfaction on EMA, while also considering the antecedent factors for these constructs. The objectives of this study are to address the following research questions: (1) How can employees successfully manage EMA in order to enhance their perceived job performance? (2) What internal and/or external factors are important antecedents in increasing EMA users' satisfaction on MES and task-technology fit for EMA? (3) What are the impacts of organizational (e.g. organizational agility), and task-related antecedents (e.g., task mobility) on task-technology fit for EMA? (4) What are the impacts of internal (e.g., self-efficacy) and external antecedents (e.g., system reputation) for the habitual use of EMA? Based on a survey from 254 actual employees who use EMA in their workplace across industries, our results indicate that task-technology fit for EMA and satisfaction on EMA are positively associated with job performance. We also identify task mobility, organizational agility, and system accessibility that are found to be positively associated with task-technology fit for EMA. Further, we find that external factor, such as the reputation of EMA, and internal factor, such as self-efficacy for EMA that are found to be positively associated with the satisfaction of EMA. The present findings enable researchers and practitioners to understand the role of EMA, which facilitates organizational workers' efficient work processes, as well as the importance of task-technology fit for EMA. Our model provides a new set of antecedents and consequence variables for a TAM involving mobile applications. The research model also provides empirical evidence that EMA are important mobile services that positively influence individuals' performance. Our findings suggest that perceived organizational agility and task mobility do have a significant influence on task-technology fit for EMA usage through positive beliefs about EMA, that self-efficacy and system reputation can also influence individuals' satisfaction on EMA, and that these factors are important contingent factors for the impact of system satisfaction and perceived job performance. Our findings can help managers gauge the impact of EMA in terms of its contribution to job performance. Our results provide an explanation as to why many firms have recently adopted EMA for efficient business processes and productivity support. Our findings additionally suggest that the cognitive fit between task and technology can be an important requirement for the productivity support of EMA. Further, our study findings can help managers in formulating their strategies and building organizational culture that can affect employees perceived job performance. Managers, thus, can tailor their dependence on EMA as high or low, depending on their task's characteristics, to maximize the job performance in the workplace. Overall, this study strengthens our knowledge regarding the impact of mobile applications in organizational contexts, technology acceptance and the role of task characteristics. To conclude, we hope that our research inspires future studies exploring digital productivity in the workplace and/or taking the role of EMA into account for employee job performance.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.80-84
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• 2010

Purpose : The aims of this study were to investigate the long-term outcomes in children with infantile spasms (IS) and to identify the prognostic factors influencing their neurodevelopment. Methods : We retrospectively evaluated seventy two children over five years old who were treated for IS at Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea, between 1994 and 2007. Forty-three children were contacted by telephone or medical follow-up to assess their current neurodevelopmental status. Multiple logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence interval (95% CIs) of risk factors for unfavorable outcomes.Results : The mean follow-up duration for these 43 children was $7.2{\pm}1.5$ years (range, 4.5 to 13.0 years). Of these, 13 (30.2%) had cryptogenic and 30 (69.8%) had symptomatic IS. Eleven (25.6%) children were initially treated with adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) therapy, with a mean treatment lag of $1.3{\pm}1.9$ months (range; 0.1 to 7.0 months). Eighteen (41.8%) children clinically responded to initial treatment, as shown by EEG response. Overall, 22 (51.2%) children had at least moderate neurodevelopmental disorders and 2 (4.8%) died. In univariate analysis, etiology (symptomatic) and poor electroclinical response to initial treatment were related to long-term unfavorable outcomes. In multivariate analysis, response to primary treatment was the sole significant independent risk factor with a high OR. Conclusion : Overall prognosis of children with IS was poor. Electroclinical non-responsiveness to initial treatment was related to unfavorable long-term outcomes, indicating that initial control of seizures may be important in reducing the likelihood of poor neurodevelopment.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.169-176
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• 2010

Purpose : We aimed to evaluate predictive parameters for non-response to intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) in patients with Kawasaki disease (KD) before IVIG use using two controls. Methods : We evaluated 229 consecutive KD patients who were treated with 2 g/kg of IVIG at a single center. Those who had persistent fever >24 hours after IVIG infusion made up the 23 IVIG non-responders; the first control included a total 206 defervesced cases and the second control included 46 cases that were matched for age and pre-treatment fever duration to non-responders. Results : Demographic and clinical characteristics were similar in IVIG non-responders and responders at presentation. As for laboratory findings, the neutrophil differential, CRP, AST, ALT, and LDH were higher, and lymphocyte differential, total protein, albumin, platelet count, and total cholesterol were significantly lower in IVIG non-responders compared to responders by univariate analysis in both study designs. However in multivariate analysis, non-responders showed a significantly higher neutrophil differential (cutoff value, >77%, sensitivity 68.4% and specificity 79.5%) and lower cholesterol (<124 mg/dL, sensitivity 79% and specificity 70.5%). Whereas plasma albumin (<3.6 g/dL, sensitivity 73.7% and specificity 60%) was the sole laboratory parameter of non-responders in the second study design. Conclusion : Severity of inflammation in KD was reflected by higher or lower laboratory values at presentation. Because the multivariate analysis for these indices may be influenced by some confounding factors, including the numbers of patients of different ages and fever duration, other assessment modalities are needed for KD patients with the greatest risk of coronary artery lesions.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.8 s.88
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• pp.1090-1099
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• 2007

Myristicin, l-allyl-3,4-methylenedioxy-5-methoxybenzene, was one of the major essential oils of nutmeg. However, its anti-allergic effect in the Th1/Th2 immune response was poorly understood. Recently, it was shown that T-bet and GATA-3 was master Th1 and Th2 regulatory transcription factors. In this study, we have attempted to determine whether myristicin regulates Th1/Th2 cytokine production, T-bet and GATA-3 gene expression in ovalbumin (OVA)-induced asthma model mice. Myristicin reduced levels of IL-4, Th2 cytokine production in OVA-sensitized and challenged mice. In the other side, it increased $IFN-{\gamma}$, Th1 cytokine production in myristicin administrated mice. We also examined to ascertain whether myristicin could influence eosinophil peroxidase (EPO) activity. After being sensitized and challenged with ovalbumin (OVA) showed typical asthmatic reactions. These reactions included an increase in the number of eosinophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, an increase in inflammatory cell infiltration into the lung tissue around blood vessels and airways, and the development of airway hyper-responsiveness (AHR). The administration of myristicin before the last airway OVA challenge resulted in a significant inhibition of all asthmatic reactions. Accordingly, these findings provide new insight into the immunopharmacological role of myristicin in terms of its effects in a murine model of asthma.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.163-170
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• 1999

Objectives: The aims of this study are 1) to determine if GAST is a better indicator in predicting ovarian response to COH compared with patient's age or basal FSH level and 2) to evaluate its role in detecting abnormal ovarian response. Design: Prospective study in 118 patients undergoing IVF-ET using GnRH-a short protocol during May-September 1995. Materials and Methods: After blood sampling for basal FSH and estradiol $(E_2)$ on cycle day two, 0.5ml (0.525mg) GnRH agonist ($Suprefact^{(r)}$, Hoechst) was injected subcutaneously. Serum $E_2$ was measured 24 hours later. Initial $E_2$ difference $({\Delta}E_2)$ was defined as the change in $E_2$ on day 3 over the baseline day 2 value. Sixteen patients with ovarian cyst or single ovary or incorrect blood collection time were excluded from the analysis. The patients were divided into three groups by ${\Delta}E_2$; group A (n=30):${\Delta}E_2$<40 pg/ml, group B (n=52): 40 pg/ml${\leq}{\Delta}E_2$<100 pg/ml, group C (n=20): ${\Delta}E_2{\leq}100$ pg/ml. COH was done by GnRH agonist/HMG/hCG and IVF-ET was followed. Ratio of $E_2$ on day of hCG injection over the number of ampules of gonadotropins used ($E_2hCGday$/Amp) was regarded as ovarian responsiveness. Poor ovarian response and overstimulation were defined as $E_2$ hCGday less than 600 pg/ml and greater than 5000 pg/ml, respectively. Results: Mean age $({\pm}SEM)$ in group A, B and C were $33.7{\pm}0.8^*,\;31.5{\pm}0.6\;and\;30.6{\pm}0.5^*$, respectively ($^*$: p<0.05). Mean basal FSH level of group $A(11.1{\pm}1.1mlU/ml)$ was significantly higher than those of $B(7.4{\pm}0.2mIU/ml)$ and C $(6.8{\pm}0.4mIU/ml)$ (p<0.001). Mean $E_2hCGday$ of group A was significantly lower than those of group B or C, i.e., $1402.1{\pm}187.7pg/ml,\;3153.2{\pm}240.0pg/ml,\;4078.8{\pm}306.4pg/ml$ respectively (p<0.0001). The number of ampules of gonadotropins used in group A was significantly greater than those in group B or C: $38.6{\pm}2.3,\;24.2{\pm}1.1\;and\;18.5{\pm}1.0$ (p<0.0001). The number of oocytes retrieved in group A was significantly smaller than those in group B or C: $6.4{\pm}1.1,\;15.5{\pm}1.1\;and\;18.6{\pm}1.6$, respectively (p<0.0001). By stepwise multiple regression, only ${\Delta}E_2$ showed a significant correlation (r=0.68, p<0.0001) with $E_2HCGday$/Amp, while age or basal FSH level were not significant. Likewise, only ${\Delta}E_2$ correlated significantly with the number of oocytes retrieved (r=0.57, p<0.001). All four patients whose COH was canceled due to poor ovarian response belonged to group A only (Fisher's exact test, p<0.01). Whereas none of 30 patients in group A (0%) had overstimulation, 14 patients among 72 patients (19.4%) in group B and C had overstimulation (Fisher's exact test, p<0.01). Conclusions: These data suggest that initial $E_2$ difference after GAST may be a better prognostic indicator of ovarian response to COH than age or basal FSH level. Since initial $E_2$ difference demonstrates significant association with abnormal ovarian response such as poor ovarian response necessitating cycle cancellation or overstimulation, GAST may be helpful in monitoring and consultation of patients during COH in IVF-ET cycle.

• Management & Information Systems Review
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.143-172
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• 2012

While e-commerce market(B2C) grows rapidly, many experts argue that EC(B2C) transactions have not reached its full potential. A notable difference between online and offline consumer markets that is suppressing the growth of EC(B2C) is the decreased presence of human and social elements in the online shopping environments. Generally online shopping lacks human warmth and sociability. In this study, social presence in online shopping mall was proposed as a substitute for face-to-face social interaction in the traditional commerce and author explored what variables affect social presence(human warmth and sociability) on online shopping malls and how human warmth and sociability can influence on online store loyalty. To achieve research objectives, we reviewed literatures related with marketing, psychology and communication research areas. Based on literature review, we proposed a research model on the online shopping mall. To examine the proposed research model, we gathered data by using a self-report questionnaire. Respondents consists of online shoppers with at least five or more times of purchase experience in online shopping malls. Because social presence is a feeling which needs frequent contacts with malls to experience, respondents must have enough purchase experiences. The empirical results are as follows : First, shopping mall's customization efforts influence perceived social presence on the mall significantly. Second, shopping mall's responsiveness influences perceived social presence significantly. Third, perceived activity of community of online shopping mall influences perceived social presence significantly. Mall managers have to activate their customer community to reinforce social presence, resulting in trust building. Finally, perceived social presence influences trust and enjoyment on the mall significantly. And then trust and enjoyment on the mall affect store loyalty significantly. From these findings it can be inferred that perceived social presence appears determinant which is critical to the formation of core variables(trust and loyalty) in existing online shopping papers.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.27-34
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• 1999

Purpose: This study was designed to investigate the changes in soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) level in sera and urines of children with primary nephrotic syndrome, eliminating the confounding effects of age, proteinuria, and steroid treatment. Methods: Soluble IL-2R was measured by ELISA in sera and urines from patients with minimal change nephrotic syndrome or focal segmental glomerulosclerosis as well as from healthy controls. The serum levels and urinary sIL-2R/creatinine ratios were compared between control group and the 12 patient groups divided by their ages (0-1, 2-4, over 5 years), and presence or absence of proteinuria and/or steroid treatment (PU+Tx-, PU+Tx+, PU-Tx+, PU-Tx-). Results: Though the differences were not statistically significant probably because of the small numbers, serum sIL-2R levels seemed to be higher in younger age groups both in patients and control group. Nephrotic children did not show higher serum levels than normal children. Among the patients, proteinuric condition seemed to raise and steroid treatment tended to suppress the serum sIL-2R levels. Urinary sIL-2R/creatinine ratios were higher in younger age groups, more significantly in patients (P<0.001). Proteinuria and steroid treatment affected the urinary sIL-2R/creatinine ratios by the same way as the serum sIL-2R levels. Serum sIL-2R levels and urinary sIL-2R/creatinine ratios were not different between groups of different histologic findings or steroid responsiveness (P>0.05). Conclusion: Serum sIL-2R levels and the urinary sIL-2R/creatinine ratios were higher in younger age, and they were not higher in nephrotic patients compared to control group. The patients in relapse showed higher levels, while the levels were suppressed with steroid treatment. In proteinuric state, urinary sIL-2R/creatinine ratios reflected serum sIL-2R levels.

• 대한공업교육학회지
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.267-286
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• 2013

Recently, the advanced company has been sparing no efforts in improving necessary core knowledge and technology to achieve outstanding work performance. In this rapidly changing knowledge-based society, the company has confronted the task of creating a high value-added knowledge. The role of R&D workforce that corresponds to the characteristic and role of knowledge worker is getting more significant. As the life cycle of technical knowledge and skill shortens, in every industry, the technical knowledge and skill have become essential elements for successful business. It is difficult to improve competitiveness of the company without enhancing the competency of individual and organization. As the competency development which is a part of human resource management in the company is being spread now, it is required to focus on the research of determining necessary competency and to analyze the competency of a core organization in the research institute. 'H' is the semiconductor manufacturing company which has a affiliated research institute with its own R&D engineers. Based on focus group interview and job analysis data, vision and necessary competency were confirmed. And to confirm whether the required competency by job is different or not, analysis was performed by dividing members into workers who are in charge of circuit design and design before process development and who are in the process actualization and process development. Also, this research included members' importance awareness of the determined competency. The interview and job analysis were integrated and analyzed after arranging by groups and contents and the analyzed results were resorted after comparative analysis with a competency dictionary of Spencer & Spencer and competency models which are developed from the advanced research. Derived main competencies are: challenge, responsibility, and prediction/responsiveness, planning a new business, achievement -oriented, training, cooperation, self-development, analytic thinking, scheduling, motivation, communication, commercialization of technology, information gathering, professionalism on the job, and professionalism outside of work. The highly required competency for both jobs was 'Professionalism'. 'Attitude', 'Performance Management', 'Teamwork' for workers in charge of circuit design and 'Challenge', 'Training', 'Professionalism on the job' and 'Communication' were recognized to be required competency for those who are in charge of process actualization and process development. With above results, this research has determined the necessary competency that the 'H' company's affiliated research institute needs and found the difference of required competency by job. Also, it has suggested more enthusiastic education methods or various kinds of education by confirming the importance awareness of competency and individual's level of awareness about the competency.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.356-363
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• 2009

Purpose : A polymorphism in the IGF-I gene promoter region is known to be associated with serum IGF-I levels, birth weight, and body length, suggesting that IGF-I gene polymorphism might influence postnatal growth. The present study aimed to investigate the role of this polymorphic cytosine-adenine (CA) repeat of the IGF-I gene in children with idiopathic short stature. Methods : The study involved 131 children (72 boys and 59 girls) diagnosed with idiopathic short stature, aged 715 years. Genomic DNA was extracted from anticoagulated peripheral whole blood. The primers were designed to cover the promoter region containing the polymorphic CA repeat. Data were analyzed using GeneMapper software. The correlations between age and serum IGF-I levels were analyzed using Spearmans correlation coefficient. Results : The CA repeat sequences ranged from 15 to 22, with 19 CA repeats the most common with an allele frequency of 40.6%. Homozygous for 19 CA repeat was 13.0%, heterozygous for 19 CA repeat was 56.5%, and 19 CA non-carrier was 30.5%. The three different genotype groups showed no significant differences in height, body weight and body mass index, and serum IGF-I levels. The serum IGF-I level and age according to the IGF-I genotypes were significantly correlated in the entire group, 19 CA repeat carrier group, and the non-carrier group. The three groups also showed no significant differences in the first year responsiveness to GH treatment. Conclusion : There were no significant different correlations between 19 CA repeat polymorphism and serum IGF-I levels according to genotype. Our results suggest that the IGF-I 19 CA repeat gene polymorphism is not functional in children with idiopathic short stature.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.228-234
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• 2010

Purpose : Although intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) treatment is an effective first-line treatment for Kawasaki disease, 10-20% of the patients develop persistent fever or coronary artery complications. Medical records of Kawasaki disease patients were reviewed to assess the characteristic laboratory findings of IVIG nonresponsiveness. Methods : We reviewed the clinical records of 118 children with Kawasaki disease who were treated at the Chonnam National University Hospital from March 2003 to February 2008. The laboratory findings of the IVIG-responder group (n=110) and the IVIG-nonresponder group (n=8) were compared at admission day and at 48 hours and 14 days after IVIG administration. Results : At admission, the level of creatine kinase (CK) was lower (P =0.03) and that of total protein was higher (P <0.01) in the nonresponders than in the responders. At 48 hours after IVIG administration, the white blood cell (WBC) count (P =0.04) and neutrophil% (P <0.01) was higher in the nonresponders than in the responders. The neutrophil% (P <0.01) and CK (P =0.01) level at admission was lower than that at 48 hours after IVIG administration in the responders; this decrease was not as apparent in the nonresponders. Conclusion : IVIG nonresponders have lower CK and higher total protein levels at admission and higher WBC count and neutrophil% at 48 hours after IVIG administration. The decrease in the neutrophil% and CK level between at admission and at 48 hours after IVIG administration is remarkably higher in responders than in nonresponders.