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Study of nosocomial rotavirus infection in neonates admitted to a postpartum-care center (서울시내 1개 산후 조리원에서 시행한 로타바이러스 선별검사에 대한 분석)

  • Park, Ji Young;Kim, Dong Hwan;Bae, Seung Young;Choi, Chang Hee;Cho, Eun Young;Choi, Jeong Hoon;Kim, Sun Mi
    • Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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    • v.14 no.2
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    • pp.145-154
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    • 2007
  • Purpose : Rotavirus is one of the most important etiologic agents of nosocomial infections among the neonates. This study was designed to investigate nosocomial rotavirus infection in neonates who were admitted to a postpartum-care center after birth. Methods : From March 2005 to September 2006, 957 healthy neonates were examined for rotavirus antigen in stool by immunochromatographic method and 216 neonates were rotavirus antigen positive within 24 hours after admitted to a postpartum-care center. We reviewed the nursing charts retrospectively such as characteristics, monthly distribution, birth hospitals, delivery methods, feeding types and clinical manifestations. Results : Among 957 neonates, 216 neonates (22.6%) were rotavirus antigen positive and there were no differences in sex, birth weight, gestational age. Monthly positive rate of rotavirus antigen showed diversity from 10% to 36%. According to birth hospitals, positive rate showed diversity from 3.5% to 53.6%. Out of 957 neonates, 655 cases (68.4%) were born of vaginal delivery and mean hospitalized duration was 2.4 days, 302 cases (31.6%) were born of cesarean section and mean hospitalized duration was 5.7 days. 17.6% of vaginal delivery and 33.4% of cesarean section were rotavirus antigen positive. The positive rate was higher in neonates by cesarean section than vaginal delivery (P<0.001). According to feeding types, positive rate of rotavirus antigen was lower in breast-fed group than formula-fed group (P<0.001). Proportion of symptomatic case among rotavirus antigen positive was 34.7%. Most common clinical manifestation was diarrhea (61.3%), following poor feeding (45.3%), fever (40.0%), vomiting (25.3%), delayed weight gain (12.0%), and decreased urine amount (5.3%). Conclusion : Some neonates were already infected before admission to a postpartum-care center. Without meticulous management, nosocomial rotavirus infection would transmit rapidly in a postpartum-care center spreading to the community. Recommendation of breast-feeding, routine rotavirus screeing test with or without symptom, and isolation of all rotavirus antigen positive neonates in a postpartum-care center seem to be necessary. Also attentive hygiene education and further investigations of rotavirus infection in a postpartum-care center would be needed.

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Relationship between Glycated Hemoglobin and Depression, Anxiety, Alexithymia, Stress Response in Diabetic Patients - A Preliminary Study - (당뇨환자에서 당화혈색소와 관련된 우울, 불안, 감정표현불능, 스트레스반응 - 예비적 연구 -)

  • Jeong, Jong-Hyun;Ko, Seung-Hyun;Hong, Seung-Chul;Han, Jin-Hee;Lee, Sung-Pil;Ahn, Yoo-Bae;Song, Ki-Ho
    • Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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    • v.12 no.2
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    • pp.157-164
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    • 2004
  • Objectives : This study was designed to investigate depression, anxiety, alexithymia, stress responses between well-controlled and poorly-controlled diabetic patients by glycated hemoglobin levels. Methods : The subjects were 55 diabetic patients(mean age : $49.9{\pm}9.9$, 27 men and 28 women) who were confirmed to have diabetes depending on the laboratory findings as well as clinical symptoms at the St. Vincent Hospital Diabetes Clinic, from Mar. 2004 to Aug. 2004. Korean version of Beck Depression Inventory(BDI), State and Trait Anxiety Inventory(STAI), Toronto Alexithymia Scale(TAS) and Stress Response Inventory(SRI) were used for assessment. Based on glycated hemoglobin levels, the patients were divided into 10 well-controlled group(below 7%) and 45 poorly-controlled group(above 7%). We compared BDI, STAI, TAS and SRI scores between two groups by independent t-test. Results 1) Well-controlled diabetics, compared with poorly controlled group, manifested decreased illness duration($12.2{\pm}55.4$months vs. $55.4{\pm}66.6 months)(p=0.000), but other demographic data showed no difference between two groups. 2) The STAI scores of poorly-controlled group were significantly higher in both state anxiety sores $(38.7{\pm}3.8 \;vs.\;43.7{\pm}6.7)(p=0.29)$ and trait anxiety scores$(36.9{\pm}5.7\;vs.\;41.5{\pm}6.4)(p=0.43)$ than well-controlled groups. 3) No significant differences were found in the score of BDI, TAS, SRI between well and poorly-controlled diabetic groups. Conclusion : The above results suggest that poorly-controlled diabetic patients are more likely to have higher anxiety level than well-controlled diabetic patients. However, there were no differences in depression, alexithymia, stress responses between two group. We suggest that physicians should consider integrated approaches for psychiatric problems in the management of diabetic patients.

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Effects of CDP-Choline, Aminoguanidine and Difluoromethylornithine on the ECS-induced Impairment of Active Conditioned Response Retention (백서의 조건회피반응-유지에 대한 경련성 전기충격의 저해작용에 미치는 CDP-Choline, Aminoguanidine, 및 Difluoromethylornithine의 영향에 관한 연구 : 뇌내 Acetylcholine과 Polyamine 함량-변동에 연관하여)

  • Kim, Hyung-Gun;Kim, Chang-Hyun;Choi, Sang-Hyun;Ihm, Suk-Young;Lee, Min-Soo;Chun, Boe-Gwun
    • The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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    • v.28 no.2
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    • pp.115-128
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    • 1992
  • The training of male wistar rats for active conditioned response (ACR) was performed by one daily training session of 30 consecutive trials for 10 successive days using a two-way shuttle box, and the rats that showed 10 or more ACRs on the last day were treated for further 10 days with electroconvulsive shock (ECS : 50 mA, 0.5 msec; 100 Hz; 1.5 sec) and the following compounds. On the 20th day, all the rats were tested for the ACR rention. The ECS regimens were one ECS per day for 10 days with one day interval $(5{\times}ECS)$, one ECS at 3 hrs (ECS-3h), and one ECS at 24 hrs (ECS-24h), respectively, before the ACR retention test. And CDP-choline (cc: 250 mg/kg), spermine (SM: 10 mg/kg), ${\alpha}-difluoromethylornithine$ (DO: 250 mg/kg), or aminoguanidine (AG: 100 mg/kg) was administered by one daily i.p. injection for 10 days. The ACR number $(13.7{\pm}1.0)$ obtained on the last training day was increased by 37.23% on the 20th day in the control rats. And the ACR increase was significantly suppressed by 5-ECS, ECS-3h, CC, or SM but was little affected by ECS-24h, DO, or AG. However, the 5-ECS induced impairment of ACR retention was significantly suppressed by AG, SM, and CC in the order of potency but was little affected by DFMO. And the ECS-3h induced impairment was moderately worsened by SM or AG. The acetylcholine (ACh) of the rat hypothalamus (HT), hippocampus (HC), and entorhinal cortex (EC) was markedly increased by CC and moderately increased by SM, but little affected by ECS-3h, ECS-24h, DO, or AG. But $5{\times}ECS$ slightly increased the ACh content. The brain putrescine (Pt) content was significantly increased by AG and little affected by CC, SM, or DO. But the $5{\times}ECS$ markedy decreased the brain Pt content, and the decrease was significantly suppressed by CC, SM, or AG. CC induced the marked increases of the spermidine (Sd) and spermine (Sm) contents of all the areas. SM increased the Sd contents of all the areas and the EC-Sm content. DO decreased the brain Sd and Sm contents. And AG increased the HT-Sd content and the Sm contents of all the brain areas. The $5{\times}ECS$ induced decrease of the HC-Sm content was suppressed by CC, SM and AG. These results suggest that the improving effect of aminoguanidine on the $5{\times}ECS$ induced impairment of ACR retention may be ascribed in part to its activity as a diamine oxidase inhibitor.

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The Effect of Brand Extension of Private Label on Consumer Attitude - a focus on the moderating effect of the perceived fit difference between parent brands and an extended brand - (PL의 브랜드확장이 소비자태도에 미치는 영향에 관한 연구 : 모브랜드 적합도 인식 차이의 조절효과를 중심으로)

  • Kim, Jong-Keun;Kim, Hyang-Mi;Lee, Jong-Ho
    • Journal of Distribution Research
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    • v.16 no.4
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    • pp.1-27
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    • 2011
  • Introduction: Sales of private labels(PU have been growing m recent years. Globally, PLs have already achieved 20% share, although between 25 and 50% share in most of the European markets(AC. Nielson, 2005). These products are aimed to have comparable quality and prices as national brand(NB) products and have been continuously eroding manufacturer's national brand market share. Stores have also started introducing premium PLs that are of higher-quality and more reasonably priced compared to NBs. Worldwide, many retailers already have a multiple-tier private label architecture. Consumers as a consequence are now able to have a more diverse brand choice in store than ever before. Since premium PLs are priced higher than regular PLs and even, in some cases, above NBs, stores can expect to generate higher profits. Brand extensions and private label have been extensively studied in the marketing field. However, less attention has been paid to the private label extension. Therefore, this research focuses on private label extension using the Multi-Attribute Attitude Model(Fishbein and Ajzen, 1975). Especially there are few studies that consider the hierarchical effect of the PL's two parent brands: store brand and the original PL. We assume that the attitude toward each of the two parent brands affects the attitude towards the extended PL. The influence from each parent brand toward extended PL will vary according to the perceived fit between each parent brand and the extended PL. This research focuses on how these two parent brands act as reference points to one another in the consumers' choice consideration. Specifically we seek to understand how store image and attitude towards original PL affect consumer perceptions of extended premium PL. How consumers perceive extended premium PLs could provide strategic suggestions for retailer managers with specific suggestions on whether it is more effective: to position extended premium PL similarly or dissimilarly to original PL especially on the quality dimension and congruency with store image. There is an extensive body of research on branding and brand extensions (e.g. Aaker and Keller, 1990) and more recently on PLs(e.g. Kumar and Steenkamp, 2007). However there are no studies to date that look at the upgrading and influence of original PLs and attitude towards store on the premium PL extension. This research wishes to make a contribution to this gap using the perceived fit difference between parent brands and extended premium PL as the context. In order to meet the above objectives, we investigate which factors heighten consumers' positive attitude toward premium PL extension. Research Model and Hypotheses: When considering the attitude towards the premium PL extension, we expect four factors to have an influence: attitude towards store; attitude towards original PL; perceived congruity between the store image and the premium PL; perceived similarity between the original PL and the premium PL. We expect that all these factors have an influence on consumer attitude towards premium PL extension. Figure 1 gives the research model and hypotheses. Method: Data were collected by an intercept survey conducted on consumers at discount stores. 403 survey responses were attained (total 59.8% female, across all age ranges). Respondents were asked to respond to a series of Questions measured on 7 point likert-type scales. The survey consisted of Questions that measured: the trust towards store and the original PL; the satisfaction towards store and the original PL; the attitudes towards store, the original PL, and the extended premium PL; the perceived similarity of the original PL and the extended premium PL; the perceived congruity between the store image and the extended premium PL. Product images with specific explanations of the features of premium PL, regular PL and NB we reused as the stimuli for the Question response. We developed scales to measure the research constructs. Cronbach's alphaw as measured each construct with the reliability for all constructs exceeding the .70 standard(Nunnally, 1978). Results: To test the hypotheses, path analysis was conducted using LISREL 8.30. The path analysis for verification of the model produced satisfactory results. The validity index shows acceptable results(${\chi}^2=427.00$(P=0.00), GFI= .90, AGFI= .87, NFI= .91, RMSEA= .062, RMR= .047). With the increasing retailer use of premium PLBs, the intention of this research was to examine how consumers use original PL and store image as reference points as to the attitude towards premium PL extension. Results(see table 1 & 2) show that the attitude of each parent brand (attitudes toward store and original pL) influences the attitude towards extended PL and their perceived fit moderates these influences. Attitude toward the extended PL was influenced by the relative level of perceived fit. Discussion of results and future direction: These results suggest that the future strategy for the PL extension needs to consider that positive parent brand attitude is more strongly associated with the attitude toward PL extensions. Specifically, to improve attitude towards PL extension, building and maintaining positive attitude towards original PL is necessary. Positioning premium PL congruently to store image is also important for positive attitude. In order to improve this research, the following alternatives should also be considered. To improve the research model's predictive power, more diverse products should be included in study. Other attributes of product should also be included such as design, brand name since we only considered trust and satisfaction as factors to build consumer attitudes.

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Antecedents of Manufacturer's Private Label Program Engagement : A Focus on Strategic Market Management Perspective (제조업체 Private Labels 도입의 선행요인 : 전략적 시장관리 관점을 중심으로)

  • Lim, Chae-Un;Yi, Ho-Taek
    • Journal of Distribution Research
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    • v.17 no.1
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    • pp.65-86
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    • 2012
  • The $20^{th}$ century was the era of manufacturer brands which built higher brand equity for consumers. Consumers moved from generic products of inconsistent quality produced by local factories in the $19^{th}$ century to branded products from global manufacturers and manufacturer brands reached consumers through distributors and retailers. Retailers were relatively small compared to their largest suppliers. However, sometime in the 1970s, things began to slowly change as retailers started to develop their own national chains and began international expansion, and consolidation of the retail industry from mom-and-pop stores to global players was well under way (Kumar and Steenkamp 2007, p.2) In South Korea, since the middle of the 1990s, the bulking up of retailers that started then has changed the balance of power between manufacturers and retailers. Retailer private labels, generally referred to as own labels, store brands, distributors own private-label, home brand or own label brand have also been performing strongly in every single local market (Bushman 1993; De Wulf et al. 2005). Private labels now account for one out of every five items sold every day in U.S. supermarkets, drug chains, and mass merchandisers (Kumar and Steenkamp 2007), and the market share in Western Europe is even larger (Euromonitor 2007). In the UK, grocery market share of private labels grew from 39% of sales in 2008 to 41% in 2010 (Marian 2010). Planet Retail (2007, p.1) recently concluded that "[PLs] are set for accelerated growth, with the majority of the world's leading grocers increasing their own label penetration." Private labels have gained wide attention both in the academic literature and popular business press and there is a glowing academic research to the perspective of manufacturers and retailers. Empirical research on private labels has mainly studies the factors explaining private labels market shares across product categories and/or retail chains (Dahr and Hoch 1997; Hoch and Banerji, 1993), factors influencing the private labels proneness of consumers (Baltas and Doyle 1998; Burton et al. 1998; Richardson et al. 1996) and factors how to react brand manufacturers towards PLs (Dunne and Narasimhan 1999; Hoch 1996; Quelch and Harding 1996; Verhoef et al. 2000). Nevertheless, empirical research on factors influencing the production in terms of a manufacturer-retailer is rather anecdotal than theory-based. The objective of this paper is to bridge the gap in these two types of research and explore the factors which influence on manufacturer's private label production based on two competing theories: S-C-P (Structure - Conduct - Performance) paradigm and resource-based theory. In order to do so, the authors used in-depth interview with marketing managers, reviewed retail press and research and presents the conceptual framework that integrates the major determinants of private labels production. From a manufacturer's perspective, supplying private labels often starts on a strategic basis. When a manufacturer engages in private labels, the manufacturer does not have to spend on advertising, retailer promotions or maintain a dedicated sales force. Moreover, if a manufacturer has weak marketing capabilities, the manufacturer can make use of retailer's marketing capability to produce private labels and lessen its marketing cost and increases its profit margin. Figure 1. is the theoretical framework based on a strategic market management perspective, integrated concept of both S-C-P paradigm and resource-based theory. The model includes one mediate variable, marketing capabilities, and the other moderate variable, competitive intensity. Manufacturer's national brand reputation, firm's marketing investment, and product portfolio, which are hypothesized to positively affected manufacturer's marketing capabilities. Then, marketing capabilities has negatively effected on private label production. Moderating effects of competitive intensity are hypothesized on the relationship between marketing capabilities and private label production. To verify the proposed research model and hypotheses, data were collected from 192 manufacturers (212 responses) who are producing private labels in South Korea. Cronbach's alpha test, explanatory / comfirmatory factor analysis, and correlation analysis were employed to validate hypotheses. The following results were drawing using structural equation modeling and all hypotheses are supported. Findings indicate that manufacturer's private label production is strongly related to its marketing capabilities. Consumer marketing capabilities, in turn, is directly connected with the 3 strategic factors (e.g., marketing investment, manufacturer's national brand reputation, and product portfolio). It is moderated by competitive intensity between marketing capabilities and private label production. In conclusion, this research may be the first study to investigate the reasons manufacturers engage in private labels based on two competing theoretic views, S-C-P paradigm and resource-based theory. The private label phenomenon has received growing attention by marketing scholars. In many industries, private labels represent formidable competition to manufacturer brands and manufacturers have a dilemma with selling to as well as competing with their retailers. The current study suggests key factors when manufacturers consider engaging in private label production.

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The Palliative Radiation Therapy in Malignant Extra-Hepatic Biliary Obstruction (간외 폐쇄성 황달 환자에서 고식적 방사선치료의 결과)

  • Kay Chul-Seoung;Jang Hong-Suk;Kim Sung-hwan;Ryu Mi-Ryeong;Kim Yeon-Shil;Chung Su-Mi;Yoon Sei-Chul
    • Radiation Oncology Journal
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    • v.17 no.3
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    • pp.209-216
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    • 1999
  • Purpose : To evaluate the effectiveness of external radiation therapy and the prognostic factors, we retrospectively analyzed therapeutic results of malignant extrahepatic biliary obstruction (EHBO). Methods and Materials : We analyzed the results of the external radiation therapy in 59 patients of inoperable malignant EHBO who had been treated with more than 10 Gy of external radiation therapy from April 1984 to December 1990. There were 21 stomach cancer ($35.6\%$), 12 pancreas cancer ($20.3\%$), 15 extrahepatic biliary cancer ($18.0\%$) and 11 another cancer ($18.0\%$). Their pathologies were confirmed in 31 patients ($52.5\%$). They divided into 27 adenocarcinoma and 4 nonadenocarcinoma. Their chief complaints were jaundice in 47 patients ($79.7\%$) and abdominal pain in 15 patients ($49.2\%$). Twelve patients had slightly increased bilirubin level in liver function test without jaundice. We treated twenty four patients ($40.6\%$) with percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) and 32 patients ($54\%$) with systemic chemotherapy (CT). We performed external radiation therapy (ERT) upto $10.8\~55.8$ Gy (median 37.8 Gy) with palliative aim. Results : Overall median survival duration was $7.80\pm1.15$ months. The response rates of jaundice were $81.8\%$ in PTBO group and $66.7\%$ in non-PTBD group without statistical significance. The improving rate of jaundice was not significantly different in decreased ratio of total bilirubin level. But abdominal pain was more decreased in CT group than non-CT group (p<0.05). The significant prognostic factors were high performance status (Karnofski Performance Status >70), total radiation dose more than 35 Gy and good response of pain after therapy. There were increased in bacterial cholagitis in PTBD group and gastrointestinal complications in CT group. Conclusion : External radiotheapy could improve jaundice and abdominal pain in malignant EHBO patients, Overall survival duration was prolonged in patients with higher performance status and patients who had been treated with more than 35 Gy of total radiation dose. In the future, we expect not only better palliative role but also the prolongation of survival of using the ERT combined with other treatment method. But to achieve certain conclusion, we need luther study consisted with many kinds of treatment methods including new technologies in RT.

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A STUDY ON THE RELATIONS OF VARIOUS PARTS OF THE PALATE FOR PRIMARY AND PERMANENT DENTITION (유치열과 영구치열의 구개 각부의 관계에 관한 연구)

  • Lee, Yong-Hoon;Yang, Yeon-Mi;Lee, Yong-Hee;Kim, Sang-Hoon;Kim, Jae-Gon;Baik, Byeong-Ju
    • Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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    • v.31 no.4
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    • pp.569-578
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    • 2004
  • The purpose of this study was to clarify the palatal arch length, width and height in the primary and permanent dentition. Samples were consisted of normal occlusions both in the primary dentition(50 males and 50 females) and in the permanent dentition(50 males and 50 females). With their upper plaster casts were used and through 3-dimensional laser scanning(3D Scanner, DS4060, LDI, U.S.A.), cloud data, polygonization, section curve and loft surface, fit and horizontal plane were based to measure the palatal arch length, width and height(Surfacer 10.0, Imageware, U.S.A.). T-tests were applied for the statistical analyze of the data. The results were as follows : 1. In the measurement values, the values of the male were higher than those of the female except primary anterior palatal height. There were not only statistically significant differences in anterior palatal width(p<0.05) and posterior palatal width(p<0.01) in primary dentition but palatal width(p<0.05), anterior palatal length(p<0.01), middle and posterior palatal length(p<0.05) in permanent dentition between male and female. 2. In the indices of palate, there were statistically significant differences in height-length index(p<0.05) and width-length index(p<0.01) between male and female in primary dentition. In permanent dentition, there was statistically difference between male and female. 3. In the measurement values, posterior palatal width was increased most greatly. Posterior palatal height, anterior palatal width and anterior palatal length were followed by descending order. On the other hand, anterior palatal height and posterior palatal length were decreased. 4. In the indices of palate, the height-length index, the width-length index and posterior height-width index were increased, but the others were decreased.

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The Framework of Research Network and Performance Evaluation on Personal Information Security: Social Network Analysis Perspective (개인정보보호 분야의 연구자 네트워크와 성과 평가 프레임워크: 소셜 네트워크 분석을 중심으로)

  • Kim, Minsu;Choi, Jaewon;Kim, Hyun Jin
    • Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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    • v.20 no.1
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    • pp.177-193
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    • 2014
  • Over the past decade, there has been a rapid diffusion of electronic commerce and a rising number of interconnected networks, resulting in an escalation of security threats and privacy concerns. Electronic commerce has a built-in trade-off between the necessity of providing at least some personal information to consummate an online transaction, and the risk of negative consequences from providing such information. More recently, the frequent disclosure of private information has raised concerns about privacy and its impacts. This has motivated researchers in various fields to explore information privacy issues to address these concerns. Accordingly, the necessity for information privacy policies and technologies for collecting and storing data, and information privacy research in various fields such as medicine, computer science, business, and statistics has increased. The occurrence of various information security accidents have made finding experts in the information security field an important issue. Objective measures for finding such experts are required, as it is currently rather subjective. Based on social network analysis, this paper focused on a framework to evaluate the process of finding experts in the information security field. We collected data from the National Discovery for Science Leaders (NDSL) database, initially collecting about 2000 papers covering the period between 2005 and 2013. Outliers and the data of irrelevant papers were dropped, leaving 784 papers to test the suggested hypotheses. The co-authorship network data for co-author relationship, publisher, affiliation, and so on were analyzed using social network measures including centrality and structural hole. The results of our model estimation are as follows. With the exception of Hypothesis 3, which deals with the relationship between eigenvector centrality and performance, all of our hypotheses were supported. In line with our hypothesis, degree centrality (H1) was supported with its positive influence on the researchers' publishing performance (p<0.001). This finding indicates that as the degree of cooperation increased, the more the publishing performance of researchers increased. In addition, closeness centrality (H2) was also positively associated with researchers' publishing performance (p<0.001), suggesting that, as the efficiency of information acquisition increased, the more the researchers' publishing performance increased. This paper identified the difference in publishing performance among researchers. The analysis can be used to identify core experts and evaluate their performance in the information privacy research field. The co-authorship network for information privacy can aid in understanding the deep relationships among researchers. In addition, extracting characteristics of publishers and affiliations, this paper suggested an understanding of the social network measures and their potential for finding experts in the information privacy field. Social concerns about securing the objectivity of experts have increased, because experts in the information privacy field frequently participate in political consultation, and business education support and evaluation. In terms of practical implications, this research suggests an objective framework for experts in the information privacy field, and is useful for people who are in charge of managing research human resources. This study has some limitations, providing opportunities and suggestions for future research. Presenting the difference in information diffusion according to media and proximity presents difficulties for the generalization of the theory due to the small sample size. Therefore, further studies could consider an increased sample size and media diversity, the difference in information diffusion according to the media type, and information proximity could be explored in more detail. Moreover, previous network research has commonly observed a causal relationship between the independent and dependent variable (Kadushin, 2012). In this study, degree centrality as an independent variable might have causal relationship with performance as a dependent variable. However, in the case of network analysis research, network indices could be computed after the network relationship is created. An annual analysis could help mitigate this limitation.

Arsenic Removal Mechanism of the Residual Slag Generated after the Mineral Carbonation Process in Aqueous System (광물탄산화 공정 이후 발생하는 잔사슬래그의 수계 내 비소 제거 기작)

  • Kim, Kyeongtae;Latief, Ilham Abdul;Kim, Danu;Kim, Seonhee;Lee, Minhee
    • Economic and Environmental Geology
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    • v.55 no.4
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    • pp.377-388
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    • 2022
  • Laboratory-scale experiments were performed to identify the As removal mechanism of the residual slag generated after the mineral carbonation process. The residual slags were manufactured from the steelmaking slag (blast oxygen furnace slag: BOF) through direct and indirect carbonation process. RDBOF (residual BOF after the direct carbonation) and RIBOF (residual BOF after the indirect carbonation) showed different physicochemical-structural characteristics compared with raw BOF such as chemical-mineralogical properties, the pH level of leachate and forming micropores on the surface of the slag. In batch experiment, 0.1 g of residual slag was added to 10 mL of As-solution (initial concentration: 203.6 mg/L) titrated at various pH levels. The RDBOF showed 99.3% of As removal efficiency at initial pH 1, while it sharply decreased with the increase of initial pH. As the initial pH of solution decreased, the dissolution of carbonate minerals covering the surface was accelerated, increasing the exposed area of Fe-oxide and promoting the adsorption of As-oxyanions on the RDBOF surface. Whereas, the As removal efficiency of RIBOF increased with the increase of initial pH levels, and it reached up to 70% at initial pH 10. Considering the PZC (point of zero charge) of the RIBOF (pH 4.5), it was hardly expected that the electrical adsorption of As-oxyanion on surface of the RIBOF at initial pH of 4-10. Nevertheless it was observed that As-oxyanion was linked to the Fe-oxide on the RIBOF surface by the cation bridge effect of divalent cations such as Ca2+, Mn2+, and Fe2+. The surface of RIBOF became stronger negatively charged, the cation bridge effect was more strictly enforced, and more As can be fixed on the RIBOF surface. However, the Ca-products start to precipitate on the surface at pH 10-11 or higher and they even prevent the surface adsorption of As-oxyanion by Fe-oxide. The TCLP test was performed to evaluate the stability of As fixed on the surface of the residual slag after the batch experiment. Results supported that RDBOF and RIBOF firmly fixed As over the wide pH levels, by considering their As desorption rate of less than 2%. From the results of this study, it was proved that both residual slags can be used as an eco-friendly and low-cost As remover with high As removal efficiency and high stability and they also overcome the pH increase in solution, which is the disadvantage of existing steelmaking slag as an As remover.

The Effect of Customer Satisfaction on Corporate Credit Ratings (고객만족이 기업의 신용평가에 미치는 영향)

  • Jeon, In-soo;Chun, Myung-hoon;Yu, Jung-su
    • Asia Marketing Journal
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    • v.14 no.1
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    • pp.1-24
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    • 2012
  • Nowadays, customer satisfaction has been one of company's major objectives, and the index to measure and communicate customer satisfaction has been generally accepted among business practices. The major issues of CSI(customer satisfaction index) are three questions, as follows: (a)what level of customer satisfaction is tolerable, (b)whether customer satisfaction and company performance has positive causality, and (c)what to do to improve customer satisfaction. Among these, the second issue is recently attracting academic research in several perspectives. On this study, the second issue will be addressed. Many researchers including Anderson have regarded customer satisfaction as core competencies, such as brand equity, customer equity. They want to verify following causality "customer satisfaction → market performance(market share, sales growth rate) → financial performance(operating margin, profitability) → corporate value performance(stock price, credit ratings)" based on the process model of marketing performance. On the other hand, Insoo Jeon and Aeju Jeong(2009) verified sequential causality based on the process model by the domestic data. According to the rejection of several hypotheses, they suggested the balance model of marketing performance as an alternative. The objective of this study, based on the existing process model, is to examine the causal relationship between customer satisfaction and corporate value performance. Anderson and Mansi(2009) proved the relationship between ACSI(American Customer Satisfaction Index) and credit ratings using 2,574 samples from 1994 to 2004 on the assumption that credit rating could be an indicator of a corporate value performance. The similar study(Sangwoon Yoon, 2010) was processed in Korean data, but it didn't confirm the relationship between KCSI(Korean CSI) and credit ratings, unlike the results of Anderson and Mansi(2009). The summary of these studies is in the Table 1. Two studies analyzing the relationship between customer satisfaction and credit ratings weren't consistent results. So, in this study we are to test the conflicting results of the relationship between customer satisfaction and credit ratings based on the research model considering Korean credit ratings. To prove the hypothesis, we suggest the research model as follows. Two important features of this model are the inclusion of important variables in the existing Korean credit rating system and government support. To control their influences on credit ratings, we included three important variables of Korean credit rating system and government support, in case of financial institutions including banks. ROA, ER, TA, these three variables are chosen among various kinds of financial indicators since they are the most frequent variables in many previous studies. The results of the research model are relatively favorable : R2, F-value and p-value is .631, 233.15 and .000 respectively. Thus, the explanatory power of the research model as a whole is good and the model is statistically significant. The research model has good explanatory power, the regression coefficients of the KCSI is .096 as positive(+) and t-value and p-value is 2.220 and .0135 respectively. As a results, we can say the hypothesis is supported. Meanwhile, all other explanatory variables including ROA, ER, log(TA), GS_DV are identified as significant and each variables has a positive(+) relationship with CRS. In particular, the t-value of log(TA) is 23.557 and log(TA) as an explanatory variables of the corporate credit ratings shows very high level of statistical significance. Considering interrelationship between financial indicators such as ROA, ER which include total asset in their formula, we can expect multicollinearity problem. But indicators like VIF and tolerance limits that shows whether multicollinearity exists or not, say that there is no statistically significant multicollinearity in all the explanatory variables. KCSI, the main subject of this study, is a statistically significant level even though the standardized regression coefficients and t-value of KCSI is .055 and 2.220 respectively and a relatively low level among explanatory variables. Considering that we chose other explanatory variables based on the level of explanatory power out of many indicators in the previous studies, KCSI is validated as one of the most significant explanatory variables for credit rating score. And this result can provide new insights on the determinants of credit ratings. However, KCSI has relatively lower impact than main financial indicators like log(TA), ER. Therefore, KCSI is one of the determinants of credit ratings, but don't have an exceedingly significant influence. In addition, this study found that customer satisfaction had more meaningful impact on corporations of small asset size than those of big asset size, and on service companies than manufacturers. The findings of this study is consistent with Anderson and Mansi(2009), but different from Sangwoon Yoon(2010). Although research model of this study is a bit different from Anderson and Mansi(2009), we can conclude that customer satisfaction has a significant influence on company's credit ratings either Korea or the United State. In addition, this paper found that customer satisfaction had more meaningful impact on corporations of small asset size than those of big asset size and on service companies than manufacturers. Until now there are a few of researches about the relationship between customer satisfaction and various business performance, some of which were supported, some weren't. The contribution of this study is that credit rating is applied as a corporate value performance in addition to stock price. It is somewhat important, because credit ratings determine the cost of debt. But so far it doesn't get attention of marketing researches. Based on this study, we can say that customer satisfaction is partially related to all indicators of corporate business performances. Practical meanings for customer satisfaction department are that it needs to actively invest in the customer satisfaction, because active investment also contributes to higher credit ratings and other business performances. A suggestion for credit evaluators is that they need to design new credit rating model which reflect qualitative customer satisfaction as well as existing variables like ROA, ER, TA.

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