• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.369-379
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• 2021

This paper investigated the relationship between corporate governance mechanisms and firm performance in Vietnam. Based on a dataset of 101 HOSE-listed manufacturing firms, the results showed that CEOs' knowledge capability, gender diversity, and board size are positively associated with firm performance, whereas firm age is negatively associated. These findings suggested that firms should consider enlarging the boardrooms, but to a certain extent to avoid an inverse-U-shaped decline of performance; furthermore, firms should promote women executives' presence in a boardroom for it brings greater cultural-diversity benefits and inhibits information asymmetry. Contrary, the aging process impedes firms' growth. It depreciates their values in terms of total assets, so managers must review their assets' net value after each working year to avoid such a hardship. However, the thesis constrains itself since it did not treat the TMTs' knowledge capability equally as the CEOs' and completely excluded their treatment. Besides, it did not regard the effect of external governance mechanisms such as the supply-demand relationship, customer behavior, market imperfections, and market concentration due to data unavailability. Based on the main findings, several suggestions are set forth for firms and managers to enhance performance and minimize a poor governance mechanism's adverse consequence.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.37-41
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• 2021

This paper presents the multiscale calculation results of the very fast volume transport in micro/nano cylindrical tubes with the wall slippage. There simultaneously occurs the adsorbed layer flow and the intermediate continuum fluid flow which are respectively on different scales. The modeled fluid is water and the tube wall is somewhat hydrophobic. The calculation shows that the power loss on the tube no more than 1.0 Watt/m can generate the wall slippage even if the fluid-tube wall interfacial shear strength is 1 MPa; The power loss on the scale 104 Watt/m produces the volume flow rate through the tube more than one hundred times higher than the classical hydrodynamic theory calculation even if the fluid-tube wall interfacial shear strength is 1 MPa. When the wall slippage occurs, the volume flow rate through the tube is in direct proportion to the power loss on the tube but in inverse proportion to the fluid-tube wall interfacial shear strength. For low interfacial shear strengths such as no more than 1 kPa, the transport in the tube appears very fast with the magnitude more than 4 orders higher than the classical calculation if the power loss on the tube is on the scale 104 Watt/m.

• Korean Circulation Journal
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• v.53 no.11
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• pp.775-786
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• 2023

Background and Objectives: Tricuspid valve (TV) repair techniques other than annuloplasty remain challenging and frequently end in tricuspid valve replacement (TVR) in complicated cases. However, the results of TVR are suboptimal compared with TV repair. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of TV edge-to-edge repair (E2E) compared to TVR for severe tricuspid regurgitation (TR). Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 230 patients with severe TR who underwent E2E (n=139) or TVR (n=91) from 2001 to 2020. Clinical and echocardiographic results were analyzed using inverse probability of treatment weighting analysis and propensity score matching. Results: The two groups showed no significant differences in early mortality and morbidities. During the mean follow-up of 106.2±68.8 months, late severe TR and TV reoperation rates were not significantly different between groups. E2E group, however, showed better outcomes in overall survival (p=0.023), freedom from significant tricuspid stenosis (TS) (trans-tricuspid pressure gradient ≥5 mmHg, p=0.021), and freedom from TV-related events (p<0.001). Matched analysis showed consistent results. Conclusions: E2E for severe TR presented more favorable clinical outcomes than TVR. Our study supports that E2E might be a valuable option in severe TR surgery, avoiding TVR.

• School Mathematics
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.357-374
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• 2008

The complex number system is supposed to introduce first chapter in the first grade of high school. When number system is expanded to complex numbers, the main aim is to understand preservation of algebraic structure with regard to the flow of curriculum and textbook. This research reviewed overall alternative articulation and treatment of textbooks from a logical viewpoint. Two research questions are developed below. First, in the structure of the current curriculum, when we consider student's 'level', how are the alternative articulation and treatment of textbooks in complex unit on a logical point of view? Second, What are more logical alternative articulation and treatment? What alternative articulation and treatment are suitable for a running goal? and what are the improvement which is definitive?

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.77-83
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• 2001

The present study was conducted to elucidate whether the expression level of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) is related to the ultraviolet radiation (UV)-induced apoptosis. After treatment of the mammalian cell lines HeLa S3 and Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) with 50 J/m2 UV, induction of apoptosis was determined by several means during 24 h post-incubation. Incidence of apoptosis was much lower in CHO than HeLa S3 cells based on the percentage of apoptotic cells in terms of morphological changes in nucleus or direct counting of viable cells and qualitative or quantitative DNA fragmentation. Interestingly, when the expression level of PARP was measured by western blotting, the amounts of PARP that was retained at each time point inversely correlated with the incidences of apoptosis in these cells. Concomitant with generation of the 85 kDa fragment, 116 kDa PARP disappeared in HeLa S3 within 6 h after UV treatment, whereas a fair amounts of 116 kDa band was still retained in CHO cells at 36 h post-incubation. This inverse relationship was also observed in the adaptive response system, in which cells weve treated with a high dose of UV after pretreatment with a low dose. As expected, typical adaptive responses appeared in CHO cells but not in HeLa cells, showing greater cell viability and lesser DNA fragmentation. During the adaptive response in CHO cells, PARP was expressed at much higher level compared to the single, high dose-treated cells. Interestingly, even though PARP was induced at 6 h post-incubation In both cell types, its expression was more prominent in CHO cells. Thus, our data indicate that the retained level of intact PARP against UV damage inversely correlates with incidence of apoptosis in mammalian cells, and also suggest that a machinery to protect the PARP degradation against UV damage exists in CHO but not in HeLa S3 cells.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.476-486
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• 2020

Objectives: The objective of this study was to estimate the risk of lung cancer in relation to angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) use among patients with hypertension from the Korean National Health Insurance Service-National Health Screening Cohort. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients with hypertension who started to take antihypertensive medications and had a treatment period of at least 6 months. We calculated the weighted hazard ratios (HRs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of lung cancer associated with ARB use compared with calcium channel blocker (CCB) use using inverse probability treatment weighting. Results: Among a total of 60 469 subjects with a median follow-up time of 7.8 years, 476 cases of lung cancer were identified. ARB use had a protective effect on lung cancer compared with CCB use (HR, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.59 to 0.96). Consistent findings were found in analyses considering patients who changed or discontinued their medication (HR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.32 to 0.77), as well as for women (HR, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.34 to 0.93), patients without chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (HR, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.56 to 1.00), never-smokers (HR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.42 to 0.99), and non-drinkers (HR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.49 to 0.97). In analyses with different comparison antihypertensive medications, the overall protective effects of ARBs on lung cancer risk remained consistent. Conclusions: The results of the present study suggest that ARBs could decrease the risk of lung cancer. More evidence is needed to establish the causal effect of ARBs on the incidence of lung cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.2097-2100
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• 2013

Background: To estimate the numbers and trends in cervix cancer cases visiting the Radiotherapy Department at Manipal Teaching Hospital, Pokhara, Nepal, statistical modelling from retrospective data was applied. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study was carried out on data for a total of 159 patients treated for cervix cancer at Manipal Teaching Hospital, Pokhara, Nepal, between $28^{th}$ September 2000 and $31^{st}$ December 2008. Theoretical statistics were used for statistical modelling and forecasting. Results: Using curve fitting method, Linear, Logarithmic, Inverse, Quadratic, Cubic, Compound, Power and Exponential growth models were validated. Including the constant term, none of the models fit the data well. Excluding the constant term, the cubic model demonstrated the best fit, with $R^2$=0.871 (p=0.004). In 2008, the observed and estimated numbers of cases were same (12). According to our model, 273 patients with cervical cancer are expected to visit the hospital in 2015. Conclusions: Our data predict a significant increase in cervical cancer cases in this region in the near future. This observation suggests the need for more focus and resource allocation on cervical cancer screening and treatment.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.125-129
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• 2005

Two kinds of physical treatments were examined for the analysis both of intrinsic surface and interior nature of CuInS $e_2$[CIS] and CuGaS $e_2$[CGS] films grown in separated systems. For the first method, a selenium protection layer which was immediately deposited after the growth of the CIS was investigated. The Se cap layer protects CISe surface from oxidation and contamination during the transport under ambient atmosphere. The Se cap was removed by thermal annealing at temperature above 15$0^{\circ}C$. After the decapping treatment at 2$25^{\circ}C$ for 60 min, ultraviolet photoemission and inverse photoemission measurements of the CIS film showed that its valence band maximum(VBM) and conduction band minimum (CBM) are located at 0.58 eV below and 0.52 eV above the Fermi level $E_{F}$, respectively. For the second treatment, an Ar ion beam etching was exploited. The etching with ion kinetic energy $E_{k}$ above 500 eV resulted in broadening of photoemission spectra of core signals and occasional development of metallic feature around $E_{F}$. These degradations were successfully suppressed by decreasing $E_{k}$ below 400 eV. CGS films etched with the beam of $E_{k}$ = 400 eV showed a band gap of 1.7 eV where $E_{F}$ was almost centered.st centered.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.11
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• pp.1942-1951
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• 2017

Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli are important foodborne pathogenic bacteria, particularly in poultry meat. In this study, the presence of extracellular DNase activity was investigated for biofilm-deficient Campylobacter strains versus biofilm-forming Campylobacter strains isolated from chickens, to understand the relationship between extracellular DNase activity and biofilm formation. A biofilm-forming reference strain, C. jejuni NCTC11168, was co-incubated with biofilm non-forming strains isolated from raw chickens or their supernatants. The biofilm non-forming strains or supernatants significantly prohibited the biofilm formation of C. jejuni NCTC11168. In addition, the strains degraded pre-formed biofilms of C. jejuni NCTC11168. Degradation of C. jejuni NCTC11168 biofilm was confirmed after treatment with the supernatant of the biofilm non-forming strain 2-1 by confocal laser scanning microscopy. Quantitative analysis of the biofilm matrix revealed reduction of extracellular DNA (16%) and proteins (8.7%) after treatment. Whereas the biofilm-forming strains C. jejuni Y23-5 and C. coli 34-3 isolated from raw chickens and the C. jejuni NCTC11168 reference strain showed no extracellular DNase activity against their own genomic DNA, most biofilm non-forming strains tested, including C. jejuni 2-1, C. coli 34-1, and C. jejuni 63-1, exhibited obvious extracellular DNase activities against their own or 11168 genomic DNA, except for one biofilm non-former, C. jejuni 22-1. Our results suggest that extracellular DNase activity is a common feature suppressing biofilm formation among biofilm non-forming C. jejuni or C. coli strains of chicken origin.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.105-109
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• 2008

In our country, limiting nutrient is known as phosphorus in the most lakes. Therefore, the removal of phosphorus is a very important process in sewage treatment. However, many of the sewage treatment plants employ the conventional activated sludge process, known to remove $10{\sim}30%$ of phosphorus. Thus, additional phosphorous removal process will be needed. Oyster shells have been known to remove phosphorus in water. The removal efficiency of phosphorus was highest at smallest size of oyster shells and at the highest pH for batch test. The phosphorous removal rate with various calcium concentrations was increased by increasing calcium concentration. At the 20 mg/l of calcium, more than 90% of phosphorous was removed in two hours. The removal efficiency of phosphorous was increased greatly at 300% of recirculation rate. With 300% of recirculation rate, the removal efficiency reached 80% at pH 11. The negative effects of bicarbonate on crystallization were observed in oyster shells. The effects of bicarbonate on rate constant were also investigated by applying these results to experimental equation. The rate constant was decreased at the inverse logarithm bicarbonate concentration.