• Title/Summary/Keyword: SURVIVAL RATIO

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The Clinical Characteristics of Lung Cancer in Patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (특발성 폐섬유화증에 동반된 폐암 환자의 임상적 특정)

  • Park, Joo-Hun;Lee, Jin-Seong;Song, Koun-Sik;Shim, Tae-Sun;Lim, Chae-Man;Koh, Youn-Suck;Lee, Sang-Do;Kim, Woo-Sung;Kim, Won-Dong;Kim, Dong-Soon
    • Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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    • v.46 no.5
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    • pp.674-684
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    • 1999
  • Background : It has been generally known that the incidence of lung cancer is higher in the patients with idopathic pumonary fibrosis (IPF) than those in general population. The reported incidence was variable from 4.8 to 43.2%. There were controversies on the most frequent cell type (squamous cell carcinoma vs. adenocarcinoma) and no study was done about the real concordance of cancer and the fibrotic lesion. And the pulmonary fibrosis may influence not only the development of cancer but also the treatment and prognosis of the cancer, but there was no report on that point. Method : Total 63 patients ($66.8{\pm}7.8$ year, M : F=61 : 2) were diagnosed as IPF combined with lung cancer (IFF-CA) at Asan Medical Center. A retrospective analysis was done about the risk factors of the lung cancer, pulmonary function test, the site of cancer(especially the relationship of the cancer with the fibrotic lesion), the histologic types, and the stage of cancer. The histologic types were compared with those of 2,660 patients with lung cancer who were diagnosed at the same institute for the same period. The effect of IPF on the treatment of the cancer was evaluated with the survival time after the detection of lung cancer. Results : The lung cancer was found in 63(22.9%) out of 281 patients with IPF. But in most of them(45 patients), lung cancer was detected at the same time with IPF and only in 18 patients, the cancer was diagnosed during the follow-up($25.2{\pm}17.7$ months) of IPF. So in our study, 6.7% of patients with IPF developed lung cancer during the course of the disease. The age ($66.8{\pm}7.84$ vs. $63.4{\pm}11.1$ years), percentage of smoker (88.9 vs. 67.2%), and the male gender (96.8 vs. 67.6%) were significantly higher in IPF-CA compared with lone IPF (p<0.05). The odds ratio of smoking was 4.7 compared with non smoking IPF controls. The lung cancer was located more frequently in the upper lobe and 55.5% was in the periphery of lung. The cancer was developed in the fibrotic lesion in 23 patients (35.9%), and in the majority of the patients, the cancer was separated from the fibrosis. The cell type of the lung cancer in IPF-CA was squamous cell carcinoma 34.9%, adenocarcinoma 30.2%, small cell carcinoma 19.0%, large cell undifferenciated carcinoma 6.3%, and others 9.5%. No significant difference in the distribution of histologic type of the lung cancer was found between IPF-CA and lone lung cancer. There was no significant difference in demographic features, cell types, location and the stage of the cancer between the group with concurrent IPF-CA and the group with cancer diagnosed during the follow up of IPF. There was a tendency (but statistically not significant : p=0.081) of higher incidence of adenocarcinoma among the cancers developed in the fibrotic area(43.5%) (F-CA) than in the cancers in non-fibrotic area (22.5%) (NF-CA). The prognosis of the patients with F-CA was poor (median survival : 4 months) compared with the patients with NF-CA (7 months, p=0.013), partly because the prevalence of severe IPF (the extent of fibrosis in HRCT 50%) was higher in F-CA group. Conclusion : These data suggest that the lung cancer in the patients with IPF has similar features to the ordinary lung cancer.

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Dressing Effect of Phosphorus Fetilizer on the Growth of Soil Improving Species (비료목생장(肥料木生長)에 미치는 인산비료(燐酸肥料)의 시비효과(施肥效果))

  • Ma, Sang Kyu
    • Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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    • v.45 no.1
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    • pp.26-36
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    • 1979
  • Through several trials that has done for making the fertilizing-counter plan on the soil improving species, some results have been got as follows; 1. In the non-phosphorus dressing plots soil improving species have very poor survial ratio and show us to be died step by step. It may be resons that root can not make the nodule in case of non-phosphorus dressing and so tree could not absorb the nitrogen nutrient fixed by the nodule. And root competition with the weedy speces for utilizing the nutrient and oxygen in the soil could be reasons when planting in the heavy weedy rooting site. 2. Triple super phosphate, Fused Mg Phosphate and Fused super phosphate have showed the remarkable effects on the growth of soil improving species within 3rd year after planting. But Koreaan tablet fertilizer(9-12-4) for forest purpose have reacted considerably lower effect in comparision with the above powder and grain type phosphorous fertilizer. 3. In case of tablet type fertilizer tree root will have very little phosphorus absorbing surface because phosphorus can be utilized only from the tablet surface and root can not penetrate into the tablet. This my be reson to show the poor dressing reaction of tablet fertilizer but tablet fertilizer has a possibility to be utilized during long years as a sympton in photo 6. So tablet fertilizer can have a recommendation to dress much fertilizer at p]anting year and then tree root can get much more chance for absorbing the phosphorus that could keep the high survival and for utilizing it during many years without after dressing. 4. The granurar and powder type phosphate can develop the dense root mat like photo 8 because of giving the large surface for absorbing the phosphorus and weedy root can approch to the nodule for taking the nitrogen element. So this type seems to present better effect than tablet type to control the soil movement, stem weight as 200g per meter(l meter long${\times}$0.1m width). When added the lime any effect could not be found and rather give the negative effect. So Lespedeza seed sowing and phosphorus dressing system seems us to be very reasonable method for covering the raw material of basket making, fodder and fuel wood supply. 7. Fused Mg phosphate and Fused super phosphate are good fertilizer to the soil improving species and dressing more than 30g per seedling can be recommendable amount. 5. In the unproductive and dry soil with phosphorus fertilizer Robinia pseudoacacia and Alnus firnui can grow more than 2.3m in height at 3rd year and Alnus inokumae have the rapid height growth that is more than 1.8m at 2nd year. Depending on the growth situation like the above example minirotated management has possibilities and rapid covering of erosed land can be done with the soil improving species and phosphorus fertilizer. 6. In the Lespedeza sowing plot with 40g Fused Mg phosphate dressing per meter in the eroded and unproductive forest soil Lespedeza have completely covered this poor land and produced the green.

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A Study on Market Expansion Strategy via Two-Stage Customer Pre-segmentation Based on Customer Innovativeness and Value Orientation (고객혁신성과 가치지향성 기반의 2단계 사전 고객세분화를 통한 시장 확산 전략)

  • Heo, Tae-Young;Yoo, Young-Sang;Kim, Young-Myoung
    • Journal of Korea Technology Innovation Society
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    • v.10 no.1
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    • pp.73-97
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    • 2007
  • R&D into future technologies should be conducted in conjunction with technological innovation strategies that are linked to corporate survival within a framework of information and knowledge-based competitiveness. As such, future technology strategies should be ensured through open R&D organizations. The development of future technologies should not be conducted simply on the basis of future forecasts, but should take into account customer needs in advance and reflect them in the development of the future technologies or services. This research aims to select as segmentation variables the customers' attitude towards accepting future telecommunication technologies and their value orientation in their everyday life, as these factors wilt have the greatest effect on the demand for future telecommunication services and thus segment the future telecom service market. Likewise, such research seeks to segment the market from the stage of technology R&D activities and employ the results to formulate technology development strategies. Based on the customer attitude towards accepting new technologies, two groups were induced, and a hierarchical customer segmentation model was provided to conduct secondary segmentation of the two groups on the basis of their respective customer value orientation. A survey was conducted in June 2006 on 800 consumers aged 15 to 69, residing in Seoul and five other major South Korean cities, through one-on-one interviews. The samples were divided into two sub-groups according to their level of acceptance of new technology; a sub-group demonstrating a high level of technology acceptance (39.4%) and another sub-group with a comparatively lower level of technology acceptance (60.6%). These two sub-groups were further divided each into 5 smaller sub-groups (10 total smaller sub-groups) through two rounds of segmentation. The ten sub-groups were then analyzed in their detailed characteristics, including general demographic characteristics, usage patterns in existing telecom services such as mobile service, broadband internet and wireless internet and the status of ownership of a computing or information device and the desire or intention to purchase one. Through these steps, we were able to statistically prove that each of these 10 sub-groups responded to telecom services as independent markets. We found that each segmented group responds as an independent individual market. Through correspondence analysis, the target segmentation groups were positioned in such a way as to facilitate the entry of future telecommunication services into the market, as well as their diffusion and transferability.

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Indication of Dissection of the 14v Lymph Node in Advanced Distal Gastric Cancer (원위부 진행성 위암에서의 상장간막정맥(14v) 림프절 절제술의 적응증)

  • Lim, Jung-Taek;Jung, Oh;Kim, Ji-Hoon;Oh, Sung-Tae;Kim, Byung-Sik;Park, Kun-Choon;Yook, Jeong-Hwan
    • Journal of Gastric Cancer
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    • v.6 no.3
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    • pp.154-160
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    • 2006
  • Purpose: According to the 2nd English Edition of the Japanese Gastric Cancer Association (JGCA) in 1998, in case of distal gastric cancer, the 14v (superior mesenteric vein) lymph node (LN) is included in the N2 group. However, in Korea, a modified radical gastrectomy is performed, and a 14v LN dissection is not done as a routine procedure. Thus, we investigated the rate of metastatic 14v LNs, evaluated the necessity of dissection of the 14v LN, and searched for indications of 14v LN dissection. Materials and Methods: From April 2004 to August 2005, we enrolled the patients who were diagnosed as having advanced gastric cancer in the distal third portion of the stomach. We peformed a distal gastrectomy with D2 lymph node dissection as defined in the 2nd English edition of the JGCA classification. We calculated the positive rate of metastatic LNs of each station and analyzed the relationship between the positive rates of No.6 LNs and 14v LNs. We also compared the positive 14v LN group with the negative 14v LN group. Results: The total number of patients was 50, the mean age was 56 (range $30{\sim}80$) years, and sex ratio (Male/Female) was 1.63 : 1. In 47 (94%) cases, distal a gastrectomy with gastroduodenostomy was done, and in the remaining 3 (6%) cases, a distal gastrectomy with gastrojejunostomy was done. The most frequently metastatic LNs were nos. 3 and 6 (54%). The metastatic rate of the f4v LN was 10%, which was similar to that of LN no. 9. In the comparison of the 14v positive group with the 14v negative group, there were significant differences in the numbers of metastatic LNs (mean 25.4 vs 4.91, P<0.001) and the numbers of metastatic no. 6 LNs, (mean 6.8 vs 1.42, P<0.001), and if no. 6 LNs were metastatic, the possibility of metastasis to the 14v LN was 19.2%. In the 14v positive group, all cases were more than stage 3 by the UICC 6th edition. Conclusion: In cases of advanced cancer with metastasis to the no. 6 IN, there was a good chance of metastasis to the 14v LN. Thus, in the operative field, if the tumor is advanced to more than stage 3 by the UICC classification and the no. 6 LN is metastatic, a 14v LN dissection is necessary. However, the usefulness of a 14v LN dissection should be evaluated prospectively through an analysis of tumor recurrence and long-term survival.

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The Early Experience with a Laparoscopy-assisted Pylorus-preserving Gastrectomy: A Comparison with a Laparoscopy-assisted Distal Gastrectomy with Billroth-I Reconstruction (복강경 보조 유문부보존 위절제술의 초기 경험: 복강경 보조 원위부 위절제술 후 Billroth-I 재건술과의 비교)

  • Park, Jong-Ik;Jin, Sung-Ho;Bang, Ho-Yoon;Chae, Gi-Bong;Paik, Nam-Sun;Moon, Nan-Mo;Lee, Jong-Inn
    • Journal of Gastric Cancer
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    • v.8 no.1
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    • pp.20-26
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    • 2008
  • Purpose: Pylorus-preserving gastrectomy (PPG), which retains pyloric ring and gastric function, has been accepted as a function-preserving procedure for early gastric cancer for the prevention of postgastrectomy syndrome. This study was compared laparoscopy-assisted pylorus-preerving gastrectomy (LAPPG) with laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy with Billroth-I reconstruction (LADGB I). Materials and Methods: Between November 2006 and September 2007, 39 patients with early gastric cancer underwent laparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy in the Department of Surgery at Korea Cancer Center Hospital. 9 of these patients underwent LAPPG and 18 underwent LADGBI. When LAPPG was underwent, we preserved the pyloric branch, hepatic branch, and celiac branch of the vagus nerve, the infrapyloric artery, and the right gastric artery and performed D1+$\beta$ lymphadenectomy to the exclusion of suprapyloric lymph node dissection. The distal stomach was resected while retaining a $2.5{\sim}3.0\;cm$ pyloric cuff and maintaining a $3.0{\sim}4.0\;cm$ distal margin for the resection. Results: The mean age for patients who underwent LAPPG and LADGBI were $59.9{\pm}9.4$ year-old and $64.1{\pm}10.0$ year-old, respectively. The sex ratio was 1.3 : 1.0 (male 5, female 4) in the LAPPG group and 2.6 : 1.0 (male 13, female 5) in the LADGBI group. Mean total number of dissected lymph nodes ($28.3{\pm}11.9$ versus $28.1{\pm}8.9$), operation time ($269.0{\pm}34.4$ versus $236.3{\pm}39.6$ minutes), estimated blood loss ($191.1{\pm}85.7$ versus $218.3{\pm}150.6\;ml$), time to first flatus ($3.6{\pm}0.9$ versus $3.5{\pm}0.8$ days), time to start of diet ($5.1{\pm}0.9$ versus $5.1{\pm}1.7$ days), and postoperative hospital stay ($10.1{\pm}4.0$ versus $9.2{\pm}3.0$ days) were not found significant differences (P>0.05). The postoperative complications were 1 patient with gastric stasis and 1 patient with wound seroma in LAPPG group and 1 patient with left lateral segment infarct of liver in the LADGB I group. Conclusion: Patients treated by LAPPG showed a comparable quality of surgical operation compared with those treated by LADGBI. LAPPG has an important role in the surgical management of early gastric cancer in terms of quality of postoperative life. Randomized controlled studies should be undertaken to analyze the optimal survival and long-term outcomes of this operative procedure.

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Correlation Between the Parameters of Radiosensitivity in Human Cancer Cell Lines (인체 암세포주에서 방사선감수성의 지표간의 상호관계)

  • Park, Woo-Yoon;Kim, Won-Dong;Min, Kyung-Soo
    • Radiation Oncology Journal
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    • v.16 no.2
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    • pp.99-106
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    • 1998
  • Purpose : We conducted clonogenic assay using human cancer cell lines (MKN-45, PC-14, Y-79, HeLa) to investigate a correlation between the parameters of radiosensitivity. Materials and Methods : Human cancer cell lines were irradiated with single doses of 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 and 10Gy for the study of radiosensitivity and subrethal damage repair capacity was assessed with two fractions of 5Gy separated with a time interval of 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 24 hours. Surviving fraction was assessed with clonogenic assay using $Sperman-H\"{a}rbor$ method and mathematical analysis of survival curves was done with linear-quadratic (LQ) , multitarget-single hit(MS) model and mean inactivation dose$(\v{D})$. Results : Surviving fractions at 2Gy(SF2) were variable among the cell lines, ranged from 0.174 to 0.85 The SF2 of Y-79 was lowest and that of PC-14 was highest(p<0.05, t-test). LQ model analysis showed that the values of $\alpha$ for Y-79, MKN-45, HeLa and PC-14 were 0.603, 0.356, 0.275 and 0.102 respectively, and those of $\beta$ were 0.005, 0.016, 0.025 and 0.027 respectively. Fitting to MS model showed that the values of Do for Y-79. MKN-45, HeLa and PC-14 were 1.59. 1.84. 1.88 and 2.52 respectively, and those of n were 0.97, 1.46, 1.52 and 1 69 respectively. The $\v{D}s$ calculated by Gauss-Laguerre method were 1.62, 2.37, 2,01 and 3.95 respectively So the SF2 was significantly correlated with $\alpha$, Do and $\v{D}$. Their Pearson correlation coefficiencics were -0.953 and 0,993. 0.999 respectively(p<0.05). Sublethal damage repair was saturated around 4 hours and recovery ratios (RR) at plateau phase ranged from 2 to 3.79. But RR was not correlated with SF2, ${\alpha}$, ${\beta}$, Do, $\v{D}$. Conclusion : The intrinsic radiosensitivity was very different among the tested human cell lines. Y-79 was the most sensitive and PC-l4 was the least sensitive. SF2 was well correlated with ${\alpha}$, Do, and $\v{D}$. RR was high for MKN-45 and HeLa but had nothing to do with radiosensitivity parameters. These basic parameters can be used as baseline data for various in vitro radiobiological experiments.

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Clinical Manifestations of the Lung Involvement in Behçet's Syndrome (Behçet 증후군에서 폐침범의 임상양상에 관한 고찰)

  • Park, Kwang Joo;Park, Seung Ho;Kim, Sang Jin;Kim, Hyung Jung;Chang, Joon;Ahn, Chul Min;Kim, Sung Kyu;Lee, Won Young
    • Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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    • v.43 no.5
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    • pp.763-773
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    • 1996
  • Background : Behçet's syndrome is a chronic multisystemic disease affecting many organs such as skin, mucosa, eye, joint, central nervous system and blood vessels. Lung involvement occurs in 5% of Behçet's syndrome and is thought to be due to the pulmonary vasculitis leading to thromboembolism, aneurysm and arteriobronchial fistula. Pulmonary vasculitis in Behçet's syndrome is a unique clinical feature, differing from other vasculitis affecting the lung and is one of the major causes of death. Therefore, we examined the incidence, the clinical features, the radioloic findings and the clinical courses of the lung involvement in Behçet's syndrome. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records and radiologic studies of 10 cases of the lung involvement in Behçet's syndrome diagnosed at Yongdong Severance Hospital and Severance Hospital from 1986 to 1995. We analysed the clinical features, the radiological findings, the treatment modalities and the clinical courses. Results: 1) The incidence of the lung involvement in Behçet's syndrome was 2%(10/487). The male to female ratio was 8 : 2 and the mean age was 34 years. The presenting symptom was hemoptysis in 5 of 10 cases, and massive hemoptysis was noted in 2 cases. Other pulmonary symptoms were cough(6/10), dyspnea(4/10), and chest pain(2/10). Other manifestations were oral ulcers(10/10), genital ulcers(9/10), skin lesions(7/10), and eye lesions(6/10). 2) The laboratory findings were nonspecific. The posteroanterior views of chest radiographies showed multiple infiltrates(6/10), nodular or mass-like opacities(4/10), or normal findings(2/10). The chest CT scans showed multifocal consolidations(6/8), and aneurysms of the pulmonary aneries(4/8). The pulmonary angiographies were performed in 3 cases, and showed pulmonary artery aneurysms in 2 cases. The ventilation-perfusion scans in 2 cases of normal chest x-ray showed multiple mismatched findings. 3) The patients were treated with combination therapy consisting of corticosteroids, cyclophosphamide, and colchicine or anticoagulant agents. Surgical resection was performed in one case with a huge aneurysm. 4) We have followed up nine of ten cases. Three cases are well-being with medical therapy, two cases are severely disabled now and four cases died due to massive hemoptysis, massive pulmonary embolism, or sepsis. Conclusion : Pulmonary vasculitis is a main feature of the lung involvement of Behçet's syndrome, causing hemorrhage, aneurysmal formation, and/or thromboemboism. The lung involvement of Behçet's syndrome is uncommon but is one of the most serious prognostic factors of the disease. Therefore, an aggressive diagnostic work-up for early detection and proper treatment are recommended to improve the clinical course and the survival.

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Protoplast Fusion of Nicotiana glauca and Solanum tuberosum Using Selectable Marker Genes (표식유전자를 이용한 담배와 감자의 원형질체 융합)

  • Park, Tae-Eun;Chung, Hae-Joun
    • The Journal of Natural Sciences
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    • v.4
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    • pp.103-142
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    • 1991
  • These studies were carried out to select somatic hybrid using selectable marker genes of Nicotiana glauca transformed by NPTII gene and Solanum tuberosum transformed by T- DNA, and to study characteristics of transformant. The results are summarized as follows. 1. Crown gall tumors and hairy roots were formed on potato tuber disc infected by A. tumefaciens Ach5 and A. rhizogenes ATCC15834. These tumors and roots could be grown on the phytohormone free media. 2. Callus formation from hairy root was prompted on the medium containing 2, 4 D 2mg/I with casein hydrolysate lg/l. 3. The survival ratio of crown gall tumor callus derived from potato increased on the medium containing the activated charcoal 0. 5-2. 0mg/I because of the preventions on the other hand, hairy roots were necrosis on the same medium. 4. Callus derived from hairy root were excellently grown for a short time by suspension culture on liquid medium containing 2, 4-D 2mg/I and casein hydrolysate lg/l. 5. The binary vector pGA643 was mobilized from E. coli MC1000 into wild type Agrobacteriurn tumefaciens Ach5, A. tumefaciens $A_4T$ and disarmed A. tuniefaciens LBA4404 using a triparental mating method with E. ccli HB1O1/pRK2013. Transconjugants were obtained on the minimal media containing tetracycline and kanamycin. pGA643 vectors were confirmed by electrophoresis on 0.7% agarose gel. 6. Kanamycin resistant calli were selected on the media supplemented with 2, 4-D 0.5mg/1 and kanamycin $100\mug$/ml after co- cultivating with tobacco stem explants and A. tumefaciens LBA4404/pGA643, and selected calli propagated on the same medium. 7. The multiple shoots were regenerated from kanamycin resistant calli on the MS medium containing BA 2mg/l. 8. Leaf segments of transformed shoot were able to grow vigorusly on the medium supplemented with high concentration of kanamycin $1000\mug$/ml. 9. Kanamycin resistant shoots were rooting and elongated on medium containing kanamycin $100\mug$/ml, but normal shoot were not. 10. For the production of protoplast from potato calli transformed by T-DNA and mesophyll tissue transformed by NPTII gene, the former was isolated in the enzyme mixture of 2.0% celluase Onozuka R-10, 1.0% dricelase, 1.0% macerozyme. and 0.5M mannitol, the latter was isolated in the enzyme mixture 1.0% Celluase Onozuka R-10, 0.3% macerozyme, and 0.7M mannitol. 11. The optimal concentrationn of mannitol in the enzyme mixture for high protoplast yield was 0.8M at both transformed tobacco mesophyll and potato callus. The viabilities of protoplast were shown above 90%, respectively. 12. Both tobacco mesophyll and potato callus protoplasts were fused by using PEG solution. Cell walls were regenerated on hormone free media supplemented with kanamycin after 5 days, and colonies were observed after 4 weeks culture.

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Biliary Atresia in Korea - A Survey by the Korean Association of Pediatric Surgeons - (담도폐색증 - 대한소아외과학회회원 대상 전국조사 -)

  • Choi, Kum-Ja;Kim, S.C.;Kim, S.K.;Kim, W.K.;Kim, I.K.;Kim, J.E.;Kim, J.C.;Kim, H.Y.;Kim, H.H.;Park, K.W.;Park, W.H.;Song, Y.T.;Oh, S.M.;Lee, D.S.;Lee, M.D.;Lee, S.K.;Lee, S.C.;Jhung, S.Y.;Jhung, S.E.;P.M., Jung;S.O., Choi;Choi, S.H.;Han, S.J.;Huh, Y.S.;Hong, C.;Hwbang, E.H.
    • Advances in pediatric surgery
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    • v.8 no.2
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    • pp.143-155
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    • 2002
  • A survey on biliary atresia was made among 26 members of the Korean Association of Pediatric Surgeons. The members were required to complete a questionnaire and a case registration form for each patient during the twentyone-year period of 1980-2000. Three hundred and eighty patients were registered from 18 institutions. The average number of patients per surgeon was one to two every year. The male to female ratio was 1:1.3. The age of patients on diagnosis with biliary atresia was on average $65.4{\pm} 36.2$ days old. The national distribution was 32.8% in Seoul, 25.3% in Gyoungki-Do, 21.6% in Gyoungsang-Do, 9.27% in Choongchung-Do, etc. in order. The most common clinical presentation was jaundice (98.4%) and change of stool color (86.2%) was second. Two hundred eighty (74.7%) of 375 patients were operated by 80 days of age. Three hundred thirty six (9 1.9%) of 366 patients were operated on by the original Kasai procedure, and 305 (84.3%) of 362 patients were observed by bile-drainage postoperatively. The overall postoperative complication rate was 18.5% and the overall postoperative mortality rate was 6.8%. The associated anomalies were observed in 72 cases (22.5%). One hundred ninty five (64.7%) of 302 patients have been alive in follow-up and 49 (25.1%) have survived over 5 years without problem after operation. Ascending cholangitis, varices and ascites affected survival significantly, and the important long-term prognostic factor was the occurrence of complications.

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A Study on Startups' Dependence on Business Incubation Centers (창업보육서비스에 따른 입주기업의 창업보육센터 의존도에 관한 연구)

  • Park, JaeSung;Lee, Chul;Kim, JaeJon
    • Korean small business review
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    • v.31 no.2
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    • pp.103-120
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    • 2009
  • As business incubation centers (BICs) have been operating for more than 10 years in Korea, many early stage startups tend to use the services provided by the incubating centers. BICs in Korea have accumulated the knowledge and experience in the past ten years and their services have been considerably improved. The business incubating service has three facets : (1) business infrastructure service, (2) direct service, and (3) indirect service. The mission of BICs is to provide the early stage entrepreneurs with the incubating service in a limited period time to help them grow strong enough to survive the fierce competition after graduating from the incubation. However, the incubating services sometimes fail to foster the independence of new startup companies, and raise the dependence of many companies on BICs. Thus, the dependence on BICs is a very important factor to understand the survival of the incubated startup companies after graduation from BICs. The purpose of this study is to identify the main factors that influence the firm's dependence on BICs and to characterize the relationships among the identified factors. The business incubating service is a core construct of this study. It includes various activities and resources, such as offering the physical facilities, legal service, and connecting them with outside organizations. These services are extensive and take various forms. They are provided by BICs directly or indirectly. Past studies have identified various incubating services and classify them in different ways. Based on the past studies, we classify the business incubating service into three categories as mentioned above : (1) business infrastructure support, (2) direct support, and (3) networking support. The business infrastructure support is to provide the essential resources to start the business, such as physical facilities. The direct support is to offer the business resources available in the BICs, such as human, technical, and administrational resources. Finally, the indirect service was to support the resource in the outside of business incubation center. Dependence is generally defined as the degree to which a client firm needs the resources provided by the service provider in order to achieve its goals. Dependence is generated when a firm recognizes the benefits of interacting with its counterpart. Hence, the more positive outcomes a firm derives from its relationship with the partner, the more dependent on the partner the firm must inevitably become. In business incubating, as a resident firm is incubated in longer period, we can predict that her dependence on BICs would be stronger. In order to foster the independence of the incubated firms, BICs have to be able to manipulate the provision of their services to control the firms' dependence on BICs. Based on the above discussion, the research model for relationships between dependence and its affecting factors was developed. We surveyed the companies residing in BICs to test our research model. The instrument of our study was modified, in part, on the basis of previous relevant studies. For the purposes of testing reliability and validity, preliminary testing was conducted with firms that were residing in BICs and incubated by the BICs in the region of Gwangju and Jeonnam. The questionnaire was modified in accordance with the pre-test feedback. We mailed to all of the firms that had been incubated by the BICs with the help of business incubating managers of each BIC. The survey was conducted over a three week period. Gifts (of approximately ₩10,000 value) were offered to all actively participating respondents. The incubating period was reported by the business incubating managers, and it was transformed using natural logarithms. A total of 180 firms participated in the survey. However, we excluded 4 cases due to a lack of consistency using reversed items in the answers of the companies, and 176 cases were used for the analysis. We acknowledge that 176 samples may not be sufficient to conduct regression analyses with 5 research variables in our study. Each variable was measured through multiple items. We conducted an exploratory factor analysis to assess their unidimensionality. In an effort to test the construct validity of the instruments, a principal component factor analysis was conducted with Varimax rotation. The items correspond well to each singular factor, demonstrating a high degree of convergent validity. As the factor loadings for a variable (or factor) are higher than the factor loadings for the other variables, the instrument's discriminant validity is shown to be clear. Each factor was extracted as expected, which explained 70.97, 66.321, and 52.97 percent, respectively, of the total variance each with eigen values greater than 1.000. The internal consistency reliability of the variables was evaluated by computing Cronbach's alphas. The Cronbach's alpha values of the variables, which ranged from 0.717 to 0.950, were all securely over 0.700, which is satisfactory. The reliability and validity of the research variables are all, therefore, considered acceptable. The effects of dependence were assessed using a regression analysis. The Pearson correlations were calculated for the variables, measured by interval or ratio scales. Potential multicollinearity among the antecedents was evaluated prior to the multiple regression analysis, as some of the variables were significantly correlated with others (e.g., direct service and indirect service). Although several variables show the evidence of significant correlations, their tolerance values range between 0.334 and 0.613, thereby demonstrating that multicollinearity is not a likely threat to the parameter estimates. Checking some basic assumptions for the regression analyses, we decided to conduct multiple regression analyses and moderated regression analyses to test the given hypotheses. The results of the regression analyses indicate that the regression model is significant at p < 0.001 (F = 44.260), and that the predictors of the research model explain 42.6 percent of the total variance. Hypotheses 1, 2, and 3 address the relationships between the dependence of the incubated firms and the business incubating services. Business infrastructure service, direct service, and indirect service are all significantly related with dependence (β = 0.300, p < 0.001; β = 0.230, p < 0.001; β = 0.226, p < 0.001), thus supporting Hypotheses 1, 2, and 3. When the incubating period is the moderator and dependence is the dependent variable, the addition of the interaction terms with the antecedents to the regression equation yielded a significant increase in R2 (F change = 2.789, p < 0.05). In particular, direct service and indirect service exert different effects on dependence. Hence, the results support Hypotheses 5 and 6. This study provides several strategies and specific calls to action for BICs, based on our empirical findings. Business infrastructure service has more effect on the firm's dependence than the other two services. The introduction of an additional high charge rate for a graduated but allowed to stay in the BIC is a basic and legitimate condition for the BIC to control the firm's dependence. We detected the differential effects of direct and indirect services on the firm's dependence. The firms with long incubating period are more sensitive to indirect service positively, and more sensitive to direct service negatively, when assessing their levels of dependence. This implies that BICs must develop a strategy on the basis of a firm's incubating period. Last but not least, it would be valuable to discover other important variables that influence the firm's dependence in the future studies. Moreover, future studies to explain the independence of startup companies in BICs would also be valuable.