• Information Systems Review
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.41-54
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• 2022

Despite the recent rapid advancement of science and technology, we have been experiencing the decline in productivity since the 2000s. This study aims to investigate the decline at both industry and firm levels, by looking at the emergence and growth of large firms such as Amazon, Alphabet, and Apple and M&A trends. Following the results of previous studies, our results show that productivity at industry level has decreased since the 2000s. Particularly, in the period after 2011, the deterioration of allocative efficiency due to the large firms and the decline in the growth rate of surviving firms in the industry with low ratio of large firms contributed to the productivity decline. On the other hand, our analysis at firm level demonstrates that the productivity of firms that acquired IT firms improved over the entire period. While M&As have a positive impact on productivity, M&As with a demand-side motive such as market penetration and expansion of channels have a relatively larger impact than the ones for production or operation efficiency. Our results also suggest that the higher the proportion of large firms in a specific industry, the lower the productivity of individual firms in the same industry. Overall, given that the industry's structural changes for digital transformation tends to strengthen the growth of large firms, our findings have significant implications by empirically identifying the relationships of the emergence of large firms, the acquisition of IT/Non-IT firms, and motivations for M&As to firm/industry productivity.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.1053-1064
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• 2024

Objective: This study aims to investigate the interactive effect of a glycine equivalent (Gly_equi) and standardized ileal digestible threonine (SID Thr) levels in low crude protein diets on performance, blood biochemistry, pectoral muscular creatine content and oxidative stability of meat in broiler chickens from 21 to 42 days. Methods: A total of 1,500, twenty-one-day-old Cobb-Vantress male broiler chickens were distributed in a completely randomized 5×3 factorial arrangement of Gly_equi×SID Thr with five replicates of 20 birds each. Fifteen dietary treatments of 16.5% CP were formulated to contain five levels of total Gly_equi (1.16%, 1.26%, 1.36%, 1.46%, and 1.56%) and three levels of SID Thr (0.58%; 0.68% and 0.78%). Results: Interaction effects (p<0.05) of Gly_equi and SID Thr levels were observed for weight gain, carcass yield, pectoral muscular creatine content and serum uric acid. Higher levels of Gly_equi increased (p = 0.040) weight gain in 0.58% and 0.68% SID Thr diets compare to the 0.78% SID Thr diet. The SID Thr level at 0.68% improved (p = 0.040) feed conversion compared to other SID Thr diets. Levels of Gly_equi equal to or above 1.26% in diets with 0.78% SID Thr resulted in birds with higher (p = 0.033) pectoral muscular creatine content. The breast meat yield observed in the 0.68% SID Thr diet was higher (p = 0.05) compared to the 0.58% SID Thr diet. There was a quadratic effect of Gly_equi levels for pectoral pectoral muscular creatine content (p = 0.008), breast meat yield (p = 0.030), and serum total protein concentrations (p = 0.040), and the optimal levels were estimated to be 1.47%, 1.35%, and 1.40% Gly_equi, respectively. The lowest (p = 0.050) concentration of malondialdehyde in the breast meat was found in 0.68% SID Thr diets at 1.36% Gly_equi. Conclusion: The minimum dietary level of Gly_equi needed to improve performance in low crude protein diets is 1.26% with adequate SID Thr levels for broiler chickens.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.62-70
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• 2024

Background: The management of cleft lip and palate aims at improving the patient's aesthetic and functional outcomes. Delaying primary repair can disrupt the patient's functional status. Long-term follow-up is essential to evaluate the need for secondary repair or revision surgery. This article presents the epidemiology of cleft lip and palate, including comprehensive patient characteristics, the extent of delay, and secondary repair at our institutional center, the Bandung Cleft Lip and Palate Center, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia. Methods: This retrospective study aimed to determine the epidemiology and recurrence rates of cleft lip and palate at the Bandung Cleft Lip and Palate Center, Indonesia, from January 2007 to December 2021. The inclusion criteria were patients diagnosed with cleft lip and/or palate. Procedures such as labioplasty, palatoplasty, secondary lip and nasal repair, and alveolar bone grafting were performed, and data on recurrence were available. Results: In total, there were 3,618 patients with cleft lip and palate, with an age range of 12 months to 67 years. The mean age was 4.33 years, and the median age was 1.35 years. Males predominated over females in all cleft types (60.4%), and the cleft lip was on the left side in 1,677 patients (46.4%). Most cases were unilateral (2,531; 70.0%) and complete (2,349; 64.9%), and involved a diagnosis of cleft lip and palate (1,981; 54.8%). Conclusion: Delayed primary labioplasty can affect daily functioning. Primary repair for patients with cleft lip and palate may be postponed due to limited awareness, socioeconomic factors, inadequate facilities, and varying adherence to treatment guidelines. Despite variations in the timing of primary cleft lip repair (not adhering to the recommended protocol), only 10% of these patients undergo reoperation. Healthcare providers should prioritize the importance of the ideal timing for primary repair in order to optimize physiological function without compromising the aesthetic results.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information Security & Cryptology
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.335-345
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• 2024

In the digital era, data security has become an increasingly critical issue, drawing significant attention. Particularly, anti-tampering technology has emerged as a key defense mechanism against indiscriminate hacking and unauthorized access. This paper explores case studies that exemplify the trends in the development and application of TPM (Trusted Platform Module) and software anti-tampering technology in today's digital ecosystem. By analyzing various existing security guides and guidelines, this paper identifies ambiguous areas within them and investigates recent trends in domestic and international research on software anti-tampering. Consequently, while guidelines exist for applying anti-tampering techniques, it was found that there is a lack of methods for evaluating them. Therefore, this paper aims to propose a comprehensive and systematic evaluation framework for assessing both existing and future software anti-tampering techniques. To achieve this, it using various verification methods employed in recent research. The proposed evaluation framework synthesizes these methods, categorizing them into three aspects (functionality, implementation, performance), thereby providing a comprehensive and systematic evaluation approach for assessing software anti-tampering technology in detail.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.45-60
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• 2024

This study aims to analyze the accidence of tourist safety accidents in Jeju using GIS and to expand the understanding of tourist safety accidents in the Jeju area. For this purpose, the eastern part of Jeju was selected as the study area, with the research period set for the entire year of 2021. The analysis utilized data on tourist safety accidents and emergency dispatch data resulting from these accidents in Jeju throughout 2021. Based on this safety accident data, an initial analysis was conducted on the accidence of tourist safety accidents across Jeju Island. This analysis identified patterns in the occurrence of tourist safety accidents by month, time, and location. Subsequently, using spatial data, grid analysis, and overlay analysis, the study examined the status of tourist safety accidents and emergency dispatches to identify vulnerable areas. Through this GIS analysis of tourist safety accidents, the study highlights the need for preventive and responsive measures considering the activity characteristics of tourists. It emphasizes the necessity of proactive preventive measures such as inspecting tourist facilities and promoting safety accident prevention, particularly in vulnerable areas..

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.49-56
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• 2024

Purpose: When performing nuclear medicine examinations, body wraps or plastic supports are used to support and immobilize the patient's upper extremities to prevent patient safety accidents. However, the existing plastic supports compromised patient and staff safety, including finger entrapment and falls. Moreover, the body wrap provided by manufacturers compromised image quality such as upper extremities cutoff during whole body bone scan. Therefore, a new design of body wrap was developed to improve the issue, and this study aims to evaluate the usability of this medical body wrap. Materials and Methods: To evaluate the usability of the newly designed medical body wrap, a quality assessment of whole body bone scan images and a user satisfaction survey were conducted. Adult patients (male:female=129:152, age: 60.3±12.4 years, BMI: 24.0±4.2) aged 16 years or older who underwent a whole body bone scan during two periods: June to July 2022 (before improvement, n=139) and June to July 2023 (after improvement, n=142) were randomly selected for image quality evaluation. Five radiotechnologists visually evaluated the posterior view of the whole body bone image, including the left and right elbow (2 points), arm (2 points), whether the hand is extended (2 points), whether the hand is included (2 points), and the number of visible fingers (10 points), with a total of 18 points, which were converted to 100 points and analyzed for difference before and after improvement using an independent sample t-test. The user satisfaction questionnaire was evaluated using a 5-point Likert scale among 16 radiotechnologists from three general hospitals who experienced the new body wrap. Results: The image quality assessment was 82.0±13.8 before the improvement and 89.3±10.1 after the improvement, an average of 7.3 points higher, with a statistically significant difference (t=5.02, p<0.01). The user satisfaction survey showed an overall satisfaction rating of 4.1±0.8 for ease of use, 3.8±0.7 for scan preparation time, 3.9±0.7 for patient safety, 3.8±1.2 for scan accuracy, and 4.2±0.7 for recommendation (87.5% questionnaire response rate). Conclusion: The developed body wrap showed higher image quality and user satisfaction compared to the old method. Considering these results, it is deemed that the new body wrap may be more useful than existing methods.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.57-69
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• 2024

Purpose: Quantitative analysis through count measurement in nuclear medicine planar images is limited by analysis techniques that are useful for obtaining various clinical information or by organ overlap or artifacts in actual clinical practice. On the other hand, the use of SPECT tomography images is quantitative analysis using volume rather than planar, which is not only free from problems such as projection overlap, but also has excellent quantitative accuracy. In the use of developing SPECT quantitative analysis technology, this study aims to compare the accuracy of quantitative analysis between ROI of the conventional planar images and VOI of the SPECT tomographic images in evaluating the count change happened by the volume change of the source. Materials and Methods: A ^99mTcO₄^- source(200.17 MBq) was filled with sterilized water in the syringe to create a phantom with an inner diameter volume of 60 cc, and a planar image and a SPECT image were obtained by reducing the volume by 15 cc (25%) respectively. ROI and VOI(threshold: 1~45%, 5% interval) were set for each image obtained to estimate true count and measure the total count, and compared with the preseted volumetric change rate(%). Results: When volume changes of 25%, 50%, and 75% occurred in the initial volume of 60 cc(100%) of the phantom, the average count changes of the measured planar image were 26.8%, 53.2%, 77.5%, and the average count changes of the SPECT image were 24.4%, 50.9%, and 76.8%. In this case, the VOI size(cm³) set showed an average change rate of 25.4%, 51.1%, and 76.6%. The highest threshold value for the accuracy of radioactive concentration by VOI size (average error -1.03%) was 35%, and the VOI size of the same threshold had an error of -17.1% on average compared to the actual volume. Conclusion: On average, the count-based volumetric change rate in nuclear medicine images was able to track changes more accurately using VOI than ROI, but there was no significant difference with relatively similar value. However, the accuracy of radioactive concentration according to individual VOI sizes did not match, but it is considered that a relatively accurate quantitative analysis can be expected when the size of VOI is set smaller than the actual volume.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.71-79
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• 2024

Purpose: This study aims to identify SUV, SNR, spatial resolution, and axial uniformity under the same reconstruction conditions and to find out the differences between equipment models. Materials and Methods: The equipment was GE's Discovery 600, 710, IQ, MI(GE Healthcare, USA), and the Phantom used ACR(American College of Radiology) Flangeless Esser Phantom and PET/SPECT Performance Phantom. The PET/SPECT Performance Phantom injected 18F-FDG at a concentration of 3.8 kBq/mL, and the ACR Flangeless Esser Phantom made the conditions for Hot Spot and Background activity for 4 : 1. Image evaluation was compared and evaluated for SUV, SNR, spatial resolution, and axial uniformity with the same reconstruction that added SharpIR of VPHD. Results: The SUV_max showed a difference up to 4.6% with an average of 2.71, 2.35, 1.89, and 1.43 from Hot Spot 1 to 4, and the SUV_mean showed a difference up to 4.7% with 2.06, 1.75, 1.49, and 1.27. There was a difference up to 5% between equipment, and there was no significant difference between both SUV_max and SUV_mean. SNR showed a difference up to 0.04 with an average of 0.37, 0.26, 0.18, and 0.11. FWHM showed a difference up to 0.27. Lastly, COV of axial uniformity was up to 0.018. Conclusion: SUV showed differences within 5% between equipment and showed no significant difference. This is considered to be used as basic data that can be used for the development and replacement of equipment because it has the advantage of being able to observe with a large number of equipment.

• The Transactions of the Korea Information Processing Society
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.284-290
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• 2024

Speech emotion recognition (SER) is a technique that is used to analyze the speaker's voice patterns, including vibration, intensity, and tone, to determine their emotional state. There has been an increase in interest in artificial intelligence (AI) techniques, which are now widely used in medicine, education, industry, and the military. Nevertheless, existing researchers have attained impressive results by utilizing acted-out speech from skilled actors in a controlled environment for various scenarios. In particular, there is a mismatch between acted and spontaneous speech since acted speech includes more explicit emotional expressions than spontaneous speech. For this reason, spontaneous speech-emotion recognition remains a challenging task. This paper aims to conduct emotion recognition and improve performance using spontaneous speech data. To this end, we implement deep learning-based speech emotion recognition using the VGG (Visual Geometry Group) after converting 1-dimensional audio signals into a 2-dimensional spectrogram image. The experimental evaluations are performed on the Korean spontaneous emotional speech database from AI-Hub, consisting of 7 emotions, i.e., joy, love, anger, fear, sadness, surprise, and neutral. As a result, we achieved an average accuracy of 83.5% and 73.0% for adults and young people using a time-frequency 2-dimension spectrogram, respectively. In conclusion, our findings demonstrated that the suggested framework outperformed current state-of-the-art techniques for spontaneous speech and showed a promising performance despite the difficulty in quantifying spontaneous speech emotional expression.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.22 no.7
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• pp.1185-1193
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• 2021

Objective: Clear cell sarcoma of the kidney (CCSK) is the second-most common but extremely rare primary renal malignancy in children after Wilms' tumor. The aims of this study were to evaluate the imaging features that could distinguish between CCSK and Wilms' tumor and to assess the features with diagnostic value for identifying CCSK. Materials and Methods: We reviewed the initial contrast-enhanced abdominal-pelvic CT scans of children with CCSK and Wilms' tumor between 2010 to 2019. Fifty-eight children (32 males and 26 females; age, 0.3-10 years), 7 with CCSK, and 51 with Wilms' tumor, were included. The maximum tumor diameter, presence of engorged perinephric vessels, maximum density of the tumor (Tmax) of the enhancing solid portion, paraspinal muscle, contralateral renal vein density, and density ratios (Tmax/muscle and Tmax/vein) were analyzed on the renal parenchymal phase of contrast-enhanced CT. Fisher's exact tests and Mann-Whitney U tests were conducted to analyze the categorical and continuous variables, respectively. Logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic curve analyses were also performed. Results: The age, sex, and tumor diameter did not differ between the two groups. Engorged perinephric vessels were more common in patients in the CCSK group (71% [5/7] vs. 16% [8/51], p = 0.005). Tmax (median, 148.0 vs. 111.0 Hounsfield unit, p = 0.004), Tmax/muscle (median, 2.64 vs. 1.67, p = 0.002), and Tmax/vein (median, 0.94 vs. 0.59, p = 0.002) were higher in the CCSK compared to the Wilms' group. Multiple logistic regression revealed that engorged vessels (odds ratio 13.615; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.770-104.730) and Tmax/muscle (odds ratio 5.881; 95% CI, 1.337-25.871) were significant predictors of CCSK. The cutoff values of Tmax/muscle (86% sensitivity, 77% specificity) and Tmax/vein (71% sensitivity, 86% specificity) for the diagnosis of CCSK were 1.97 and 0.76, respectively. Conclusion: Perinephric vessel engorgement and greater tumor enhancement (Tmax/muscle > 1.97 or Tmax/vein > 0.76) are helpful for differentiating between CCSK and Wilms' tumor in children aged below 10 years.