• Journal of Cardiovascular Imaging
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.217-225
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• 2018

BACKGROUND: In patients with acute heart failure (AHF), diastolic dysfunction, especially pseudonormal (PN) or restrictive filling pattern (RFP) of left ventricle (LV), is considered to be implicated in a poor prognosis. However, prognostic significance of diastolic dysfunction in patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD) has been rarely investigated in Korea. METHODS: We enrolled 138 patients with IHD presenting as AHF and sinus rhythm during echocardiographic study. Diastolic dysfunction of LV was graded as ${\geq}2$ (group 1) or 1 (group 2) according to usual algorithm using E/A ratio and deceleration time of mitral inflow, E'/A' ratio of tissue Doppler echocardiography and left atrial size. RESULTS: Patients in group 1 showed higher 2-year mortality rate ($36.2%{\pm}6.7%$) than those in group 2 ($13.6%{\pm}4.5%$; p = 0.008). Two-year mortality rate of patient with LV ejection fraction (LVEF) < 40% ($26.8%{\pm}6.0%$) was not different from those with LVEF 40%-49% ($28.0%{\pm}8.0%$) or ${\geq}50%$ ($13.7%{\pm}7.4%$; p = 0.442). On univariate analysis, PN or RFP of LV, higher stage of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and higher New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class were poor prognostic factors, but LVEF or older age ${\geq}75$ years did not predict 2-year mortality. On multivariate analysis, PN or RFP of LV (hazard ratio [HR], 2.52; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.09-5.84; p = 0.031), higher stage of CKD (HR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.14-2.17; p = 0.006) and higher NYHA functional class (HR, 1.81; 95% CI, 1.11-2.94; p = 0.017) were still significant prognostic factors for 2-year mortality. CONCLUSIONS: PN or RFP of LV was a more useful prognostic factor for long-term mortality than LVEF in patients with IHD presenting as AHF.

• STI Policy Review
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.54-86
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• 2015

The study examines the U.S. Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, with a focus on the recent Reauthorization, and compares, in the political context, the U.S. and East Asian countries-Japan, Korea and Taiwan-that adopted the U.S. SBIR program. For the systematic analysis and cross-country comparison, the study employs Kingdon (2003)'s framework-his political theory and Garbage Can Model-to identify political participants and processes underlying the SBIR Reauthorization and to analyze the differences in problem, policy, and politics streams between the U.S. and East Asian countries. For the cross-country comparison, specifically, the study uses various data sources such as OECD, Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions, and World Value Survey. Based on the analysis outcomes, implications of U.S. practices on East Asian countries are extracted as follows. East Asian countries tend to: Have higher entrepreneurial aspiration while lower entrepreneurial activity and attitude than the U.S.; bear higher long term orientation and uncertainty avoidance while lower individualism than the U.S.; and have greater expectations of technology development and higher confidence in political parties while participating less in political action than the U.S. Drawing on the differences, the following policy recommendations are suggested. East Asian countries should: Improve entrepreneurs' access to resources (in particular, financial resource) in order to link their high entrepreneurial aspiration to actual entrepreneurial activities; cultivate failure-tolerating culture and risk-taking entrepreneurs, for instance, by providing a second chance to SBIR-participating businesses that failed to materialize their innovative ideas; and leverage their high expectations of new technology in order to take bold actions regarding their SBIR programs, and update the programs by drawing out constructive dialogues between SBIR stakeholders.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.150-160
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• 2017

Background: Recently, a fixed combination of grazoprevir and elbasvir (GE) has been introduced to the arsenal of chemotherapeutics to fight against this virus. The study aimed to provide information on the efficacy and safety of GE for the treatment of HCV infection by performing a meta-analysis of literature data. Methods: PubMed and EMBASE database searches were conducted. Among the literature retrieved, pivotal Phase III clinical studies were analyzed. Statistical analysis of the data was performed by RevMan. Results: Four pivotal Phase III clinical studies compared the efficacy and safety of GE. When HCV patients were treated with GE for 12 weeks, the sustained virologic response, defined as the viral RNA level below the lower limit of quantification at 12 weeks after the cessation of therapy (SVR12), was 94.7%. The clinical advantage of GE involves its use by patients with cirrhosis and/or renal failure without dose adjustment. If the genotype (GT) of the causative virus was GT1a with NS5A polymorphism or GT4 with resistance to peginterferon/ribavirin, treatment with GE plus ribavirin for 16 weeks resulted in a better outcome compared to treatment with GE alone for 12 weeks. Adverse events reported during the four clinical studies were 71.09% in the GE arms and it was 76.61% in the non-GE arms, with the most frequent events being mild central nervous system symptoms. Conclusion: GE was generally safe and effective for the treatment of HCV infection. However, since HCV mutates very rapidly and becomes resistant to antiviral agents, long-term monitoring should be mandatory.

• Korea Trade Review
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.191-209
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• 2020

Project logistics is becoming increasingly important in overseas plant projects. Efficient logistics risk management is needed to reduce construction period and reduce costs. However, Korean construction firms bid unconditionally without sufficient experience and analysis on overseas plants contract, companies are gradually losing profitability on projects due to not considering profitability. Despite the significant effects on the profitability of Korean construction companies, and although these companies still continue to bid on overseas plant projects, policies to manage project logistics risks for safe transport and compliance with the contracted building schedule in the long term is still lacking. Hence, this study investigates the risk factors related to project logistics and to analyze the effect of project logistics risk on overseas plant business performance. We conducted a survey of project-related workers. The results of the analysis are as follows: First, among the logistics risk factors, overseas platform business people recognize operational risk and financial risk factors, which have a positive effect directly on overseas plant performance. Second, the ability to manage project logistics risks can have a significant impact on the success or failure of overseas plants. Finally, if logistics risk factors are managed on the basis of the research results confirmed through empirical analysis, it is possible to carry out more efficient and effective management of the project, which implies that this will have a positive effect on overseas plant business performance.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.153-162
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• 2009

Purpose: To evaluate the long-term results after breast-conserving surgery and radiation therapy in early breast cancer in terms of failure, survival, and cosmesis. Materials and Methods: One hundred fifty-four patients with stage I and II breast cancer were treated with conservative surgery plus radiotherapy between January 1992 and December 2002 at the Keimyung University Dongsan Medical Center. According to TNM stage, 93 patients were stage I, 50 were IIa, and 11 were IIb. The affected breasts were irradiated with 6 MV photons to 50.4 Gy in 28 fractions over 5.5 weeks with a boost irradiation dose of 10~16 Gy to the excision site. Chemotherapy was administered in 75 patients and hormonal therapy in 92 patients with tamoxifen. Follow-up periods were 13~179 months, with a median of 92.5 months. Results: The 5- and 10-year overall survival rates were 97.3% and 94.5%, respectively. The 5- and 10-year disease-free survival (5YDFS and 10YDFS, respectively) rates were 92.5% and 88.9%, respectively; the ultimate 5YDFS and 10YDFS rates after salvage treatment were 93.9% and 90.2%, respectively. Based on multivariate analysis, only the interval between surgery and radiation therapy ($\leq$6 weeks vs. >6 weeks, p=0.017) was a statistically significant prognostic factor for DFS. The major type of treatment failure was distant failure (78.5%) and the most common distant metastatic site was the lungs. The cosmetic results were good-to-excellent in 96 patients (80.7%). Conclusion: Conservative surgery and radiation for early stage invasive breast cancer yielded excellent survival and cosmetic results. Radiation therapy should be started as soon as possible after breast-conserving surgery in patients with early breast cancer, ideally within 6 weeks.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.11-22
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• 2014

Purpose - The domestic franchise industry has made significant contributions to industry such as investment, employment, and community economy development, facilitating growth potential. The franchise industry provides management knowhow transfer between parent companies and franchisees as per contracts addressing use of business signs, franchisees' independent position, franchisor support, and royalties to be paid to the franchisors. However, many franchisors lack management knowhow and provide insufficient support because of poor control of franchisees and not having a systematic approach to support. This results in dissatisfied franchisees and failure to establish long-term relationships. Few studies have examined relational commitment and/or re-contract intention by support resources between franchisors and franchisees, despite a considerable output of theories and studies of the growth of the franchise industry. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to examine the effects of the ability to provide resources on relational commitments and re-contract intention, and to suggest causal relationships and implications. Research design, data, and methodology - The subject was domestic franchisors registered with the Association of Franchise with more than 50 franchisees. Franchisees under contract for 2 years and considering re-contract of their franchise 2 years later were used. The subjects totaled 300 franchisees in Seoul. A questionnaire survey was used to investigate the subject of franchisees' concessions during the 10 days from November 21, 2013 to November 30, 2013. After excluding 16 surveys with poor answers, 284 responses were finally used. Four areas and 44 questions were used. A nominal scale was used for four common characteristics questions including gender, ages, educational background, and franchise managing time. Questions regarding ability, relational commitment, and re-contract intention made use of a Likert 5-point scale. Data coding and data cleaning were used. SPSS 18.0 was used as follows. First, frequency analysis was done to investigate demographic characteristics. Second, exploratory factor analysis was done to verify validity of testing tools, and Cronbach's α coefficient was used to verify reliability. Third, correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis were done. An exploratory factor analysis was done to verify validity of concepts. A correlation analysis was done to test relationships between the variables, and multiple regression analysis was done to verify franchisor's ability, franchisees' relational commitment, and re-contract intention. Results - The following were the outcomes. First, store operation management, finance operation management, and human resource management affected the calculated bond. Second, store operation management and finance operation management affected the emotional bond. Third, store operation management, finance operation management, human resource management, and marketing management affected the prescriptive bond. Fourth, calculated bond and prescriptive bond had an effect on re-contract intention. Conclusions - As stated above, in franchise management, parent companies' offer and instruction of core competence to their franchisees as an information resource could improve the relational bond by helping them grow together through the resource sharing. Consequently, core competence factors were promoting factors that could improve franchisees' re-contract intention for a long time.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.38 no.10 s.255
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• pp.693-698
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• 2005

Background: Sinus valsalva aneurysm (SVA) is a rare disease, and it is frequently accompanied by ventricular septal defect and aortic valve regurgitaion. For treatment of SVA, several surgical mordalities were applied, but there was no report on the long-term result after surgical repair in Korea. We reviewed our 28 years of experiences and analyzed the long-term results after treatment of sinus valsalva aneurysm with or without rupture. Material and Method: Between March 1974 and February 2002, 81 patients were operated under the impression of sinus valvsalva aneurysm or sinus valsalva aneurym rupture. Retrospectively we reviewed the patients' record. Mean age of patients was $29.2\pm11.5$ and there were 49 males. Accompanyng diseases were as follows: VSD in 50, PDA in 2, Behcet's disease in 2, TOF in 1, RVOTO in 1, AAE in 1. Seventy-seven $(95\%)$ patients had sinus valsalva rupture and in 14 patients, subacute bacterial endocarditis was accompanied. Degree of aortic valve regurgitation was as follows: grade I: 8, II: 10, III: 9, IV: 4. Most common rupture site was right coronary sinus (66 patients, $81\%$) and most common communication site was right ventricle (53 patients). In repair of sinus valsalva rupture, patch was used in 37 patients, and direct suture was done in 38 patients. Result: There was one surgical death $(1.2\%)$. Follow up was done in 78 patients $(97.5\%)$, mean follow up period was $123.3\pm80.9(3\~330\;months)$. During the follow up period, 3 patients died $(3.8\%)$. One patient died of heart failure, another patient died of arrhythmia and the other one died of unknown cause. In two patients, complete atrio-ventricular block was developed during follow up period, and there was no operation related event or complication. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed $92.5\pm3.5\%$ survival at 15 and 27 years and it seems to be satisfactory. Conclusion: Long-term surgical results and survival is satisfactory after repair of sinus valsalva aneurysm with or without rupture.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Railway
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.649-657
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• 2017

In this study, fatigue testing was carried out for long-term use of rail according to track type. From S-N curves for 50%~0.01% failure probability, the fatigue life of the long-term use rail for each track type was derived using the weight probability analysis technique on the experimental data. Because the rails used in the fatigue test have different cumulative tonnages, the number of repetitions was modified by averaging the cumulative tonnage. In addition, the bending stresses of rail bottoms, considering rail surface irregularities, track support stiffnesses and train speeds, were evaluated using the predicted rail bending stresses derived from existing studies. As a result, for rail fatigue life evaluation, the fatigue life of rail on the ballast track was found to be more than 200 million tons higher than the standard value for rail replacement. Also, the fatigue life of rail on concrete track is more than 300 million tons higher than that on ballast track. The Haibach rule is adaptable for the fatigue life evaluation of rail for stress range under fatigue limit.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.607-612
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• 1997

Between March 1963, and December 1994, fifty-three patients with a ruptured aneurysm of sinus of Vasalva(RSV) were operated. The RSV originated from the right coronary sinus in 43 patients(81%), from the non coronary sinus in 7 patients(13%), and from combined sinuses in 2 patients. The RSV from the right coronary sinus mainly drained to the right ventricle(81.4%), and the RSV from the non coronary sinus mainly drained to the right atrium(71.4%). Recently, we are using patch to repair the RSV through a double approach. During the operation, concomitant . procedures were performed; 32 Patch repairs of VSD, 14 aortic valvuloplasty, 10 aortic valve replacement, 2 tricuspid valvuloplasty, and one Bentall's procedure. During the follow up period between 1 and 31 years(mean 8 years, 94% follow up), there were 2 late deaths and 14 late complications. Actuarial 10-year survival rate .was 95%, and 10-year actuarial freedom from late event was 53 %. Factor analysis revealed that the combined SBE is a risk factor of late event. Actuarial freedom from failure of aortic valvuloplasty was 55% at 9 years. Although surgical repair of RSV achieved excellent long term survival, aortic regurgitation and endocarditis revealed significant risk factor in long-term results. Therefore, more attention should be required in patients of RSV associated with aortic regurgitation or endocarditis.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.16-33
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• 2021

Objectives This study aims to provide directions for future Korean pediatric medicine treatment and researches by analyzing the characteristics of diseases of Korean pediatric outpatients before and after the COVID-19 epidemic. Methods We analyzed the medical records of 10,868 new patients aged 0-18 who visited the Korean pediatrics at Kyung Hee university hospital from January 1, 2019 to June 30, 2021. All patients were divided into 2 groups; patients who visited from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2019, before the coronavirus epidemic, and patients who visited from January 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021, after the coronavirus epidemic. Within the two groups, the diagnosis distribution was performed for the entire population, by gender and by age group. Diagnoses were classified as allergy, growth, gastrointestinal, respiratory, general body supplementation, neuropsychiatric, skin, urogenital, musculoskeletal, and other systems. Results According to the comparative analysis results of before and after the COVID epidemic, there was a decreasing trend of diagnoses in relates to allergy, respiratory, urogenital, musculoskeletal system. On the other side, there was an increasing trend in gastrointestinal, general body supplementation, growth, neuropsychiatric, skin and other system. Changes in diagnosis based on gender and age group will be described below. Conclusions This study analyzed the characteristics of diseases of Korean pediatric outpatients before and after the COVID-19 epidemic, and suggested the direction of future Korean medicine treatment and researches for pediatrics. Also, this study aimed to propose proper treatments for children by showing the role of Korean pediatric medicine related to growth and development of children during the epidemic. However, this study has limitations such as failure to track the long-term impact of COVID-19. Thus, long term follow-up studies are needed to show the effect of COVID-19 on Korean pediatric medicine.