• Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.177-192
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• 2012

This is a study of match-making systems that considers the mutual satisfaction of matching partners. Recently, recommendation systems have been applied to people recommendation, such as recommending new friends, employees, or dating partners. One of the prominent domain areas is match-making systems that recommend suitable dating partners to customers. A match-making system, however, is different from a product recommender system. First, a match-making system needs to satisfy the recommended partners as well as the customer, whereas a product recommender system only needs to satisfy the customer. Second, match-making systems need to include as many participants in a matching pool as possible for their recommendation results, even with unpopular customers. In other words, recommendations should not be focused only on a limited number of popular people; unpopular people should also be listed on someone else's matching results. In product recommender systems, it is acceptable to recommend the same popular items to many customers, since these items can easily be additionally supplied. However, in match-making systems, there are only a few popular people, and they may become overburdened with too many recommendations. Also, a successful match could cause a customer to drop out of the matching pool. Thus, match-making systems should provide recommendation services equally to all customers without favoring popular customers. The suggested match-making system, called Mutually Beneficial Matching (MBM), considers the reciprocal satisfaction of both the customer and the matched partner and also considers the number of customers who are excluded in the matching. A brief outline of the MBM method is as follows: First, it collects a customer's profile information, his/her preferable dating partner's profile information and the weights that he/she considers important when selecting dating partners. Then, it calculates the preference score of a customer to certain potential dating partners on the basis of the difference between them. The preference score of a certain partner to a customer is also calculated in this way. After that, the mutual preference score is produced by the two preference values calculated in the previous step using the proposed formula in this study. The proposed formula reflects the symmetry of preferences as well as their quantities. Finally, the MBM method recommends the top N partners having high mutual preference scores to a customer. The prototype of the suggested MBM system is implemented by JAVA and applied to an artificial dataset that is based on real survey results from major match-making companies in Korea. The results of the MBM method are compared with those of the other two conventional methods: Preference-Based Matching (PBM), which only considers a customer's preferences, and Arithmetic Mean-Based Matching (AMM), which considers the preferences of both the customer and the partner (although it does not reflect their symmetry in the matching results). We perform the comparisons in terms of criteria such as average preference of the matching partners, average symmetry, and the number of people who are excluded from the matching results by changing the number of recommendations to 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25. The results show that in many cases, the suggested MBM method produces average preferences and symmetries that are significantly higher than those of the PBM and AMM methods. Moreover, in every case, MBM produces a smaller pool of excluded people than those of the PBM method.

• Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.39-54
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• 2013

Recent explosive increase of electronic commerce provides many advantageous purchase opportunities to customers. In this situation, customers who do not have enough knowledge about their purchases, may accept product recommendations. Product recommender systems automatically reflect user's preference and provide recommendation list to the users. Thus, product recommender system in online shopping store has been known as one of the most popular tools for one-to-one marketing. However, recommender systems which do not properly reflect user's preference cause user's disappointment and waste of time. In this study, we propose a novel recommender system which uses data mining and multi-model ensemble techniques to enhance the recommendation performance through reflecting the precise user's preference. The research data is collected from the real-world online shopping store, which deals products from famous art galleries and museums in Korea. The data initially contain 5759 transaction data, but finally remain 3167 transaction data after deletion of null data. In this study, we transform the categorical variables into dummy variables and exclude outlier data. The proposed model consists of two steps. The first step predicts customers who have high likelihood to purchase products in the online shopping store. In this step, we first use logistic regression, decision trees, and artificial neural networks to predict customers who have high likelihood to purchase products in each product group. We perform above data mining techniques using SAS E-Miner software. In this study, we partition datasets into two sets as modeling and validation sets for the logistic regression and decision trees. We also partition datasets into three sets as training, test, and validation sets for the artificial neural network model. The validation dataset is equal for the all experiments. Then we composite the results of each predictor using the multi-model ensemble techniques such as bagging and bumping. Bagging is the abbreviation of "Bootstrap Aggregation" and it composite outputs from several machine learning techniques for raising the performance and stability of prediction or classification. This technique is special form of the averaging method. Bumping is the abbreviation of "Bootstrap Umbrella of Model Parameter," and it only considers the model which has the lowest error value. The results show that bumping outperforms bagging and the other predictors except for "Poster" product group. For the "Poster" product group, artificial neural network model performs better than the other models. In the second step, we use the market basket analysis to extract association rules for co-purchased products. We can extract thirty one association rules according to values of Lift, Support, and Confidence measure. We set the minimum transaction frequency to support associations as 5%, maximum number of items in an association as 4, and minimum confidence for rule generation as 10%. This study also excludes the extracted association rules below 1 of lift value. We finally get fifteen association rules by excluding duplicate rules. Among the fifteen association rules, eleven rules contain association between products in "Office Supplies" product group, one rules include the association between "Office Supplies" and "Fashion" product groups, and other three rules contain association between "Office Supplies" and "Home Decoration" product groups. Finally, the proposed product recommender systems provides list of recommendations to the proper customers. We test the usability of the proposed system by using prototype and real-world transaction and profile data. For this end, we construct the prototype system by using the ASP, Java Script and Microsoft Access. In addition, we survey about user satisfaction for the recommended product list from the proposed system and the randomly selected product lists. The participants for the survey are 173 persons who use MSN Messenger, Daum Caf$\acute{e}$, and P2P services. We evaluate the user satisfaction using five-scale Likert measure. This study also performs "Paired Sample T-test" for the results of the survey. The results show that the proposed model outperforms the random selection model with 1% statistical significance level. It means that the users satisfied the recommended product list significantly. The results also show that the proposed system may be useful in real-world online shopping store.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.40-55
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• 2015

This study aims to evaluate the efficiency of the forest experience center for children led by the local community as experiential management for forest kindergarten education. For this, an importance and performance analysis was conducted on the forest experience center for children in Geumcheon-gu, which, of the 12 forest experience center for kids in Seoul, is the only one led by the local community. The questionnaire sheet for the analysis consisted of a total of 36 questions, 20 about place facility areas and 16 about management program areas(including 6 questions about the management led by the local community). The questionnaire survey was done during the period between January 12th and January 19th, 2015. The participants in the survey consisted of 15 forest education specialists and 50 teachers from 19 kindergartens who participated in the forest experience program. The number of questionnaire sheets collected and used for analysis was 13 copies and 43 copies, respectively. The mean values of importance and performance on the place facility areas were 4.07 and 3.78 for forest education specialists, and 4.16 and 3.84 for kindergarten teachers, respectively. The mean values of importance and performance regarding the management program area were 4.38 and 4.16 for forest education specialists, and 4.40 and 4.00 for kindergarten teachers, respectively. Both groups evaluated the place facility areas lower than the management program areas. They also evaluated performance lower than importance. In place facility area, 'accessibility', 'safety' and 'connectivity to forest trail', 'loose parts' and 'safety facilities' were required to 'keep up the good work', because they showed higher importance and performance in place facility areas. Even though most items of management as led by the local community including 'forest experience activity support' were evaluated as 'important', some, including 'effort for local revitalization', were evaluated as low in performance. However, as they were evaluated as higher in importance, if they pursue 'concentrate here', it is expected that they will be evaluated as higher in performance. In addition, considering that program areas including 'forest education specialist's role' are labeled under the management led by the local community, it reflected a positive evaluation. As a result, management led by the local community is efficient as a management system for the forest experience center for children in an experiential forest kindergarten education. Going forward, if this management system is durable in 'keep up the good work' and 'concentrate here', the forest experience center for children led by the local community will be an alternative for an effective experiential forest kindergarten education.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.86-99
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• 2016

This study was for analyzing the external environment and internal space structure and improving the way of use efficiency in waterfront through the Dragon boat festival to utilize waterfront actively. Through from the four target area, Hongkong, Busan, Incheon and Daejeon, this study was for an importance and satisfaction analysis for users about the element effect on the waterfront use efficiency and the contribution to cultural contents revitalization of waterfront by giving basic data. The result is as follows. First, in the importance analysis about 12 items, modern cultural infra around the waterfront was ranked highest, 8.26 and waterfront landscape, square & openspaces, convenience facilities, transport, green area, quality of viewing space, historic resources, pedestrian, suitability of width, wave, depth, water quality, berth & mooring were ranked in descending order. Second, waterfront landscape was interpreted by rather the external environmental impact according to city size than the matter of spatial structure in target area and judged as an important factor effect on site selection for waterfront. In the analysis of waterfront landscape, the reason of the high satisfaction about domestic target area was that riverside parks were recently made considering their waterfront activities. Viewing space was major infra where people could experience the pleasant waterfront and watch dynamic water leisure sports like Dragon boat three dimensionally and was thought to be improved for the use efficiency. Third, tourism resources were very important element that affect the use efficiency of waterfront, so waterfront users react sensitively to modern tourism resources rather than to historic resources. This meant that tourism infrastructure for shopping and leisure of the young affected the use efficiency of waterfront, so Hongkong and Busan were in a better position in terms of using waterfront that was near the tourism infrastructure. Fourth, in the analysis of traffic accessibility, both Hongkong and Busan were high evaluated in terms of excellent traffic accessibility by subway. Daejeon was low rated in terms of the satisfaction of use efficiency, because of the relative lower place awareness compared with transportation infrastructure. In Hongkong, waterfront was connected with downtown and in Busan, housing complex and shopping centers were located in the place for users in an easily accessible on foot, so the satisfaction was high-pitched. Finally, in the importance of water surface width and the analysis of satisfaction, except Incheon, all the three were over 200m in width of water surface and this meant the surface width above certain level was interpreted to interrupt the concentration of enjoying the water leisure sports. In the analysis of surface condition such as water quality, water depth and wave, through a survey, Busan had a problem with water quality and Gapcheon in Daejeon had a problem with optimal water depth by the festival participants.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.463-471
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• 2008

This study investigated the clinical effectiveness and safety of sealed bleaching compared to conventional in-office bleaching using a randomized clinical trial of split arch design. Ten participants received a chairside bleaching treatment on the upper anterior teeth, and each side was randomly designated as sealed or control side. A mixture of Brite powder (PacDent, Walnut, USA), 3% hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide (KoolWhite, PacDent, Walnut, USA) were used as bleaching agent. The control side was unwrapped and the experimental side was covered with a linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) wrap for sealed bleaching. The bleaching gel was light activated for 1 hour. The tooth shades were evaluated before treatment, after treatment, and at one week check up by means of a visual shade (VS) assessment using a value oriented shade guide and a computer assisted shade assessment using a spectrophotometer (SP). The data were analyzed by paired t-test. In the control and sealed groups, the visual shade scores after bleaching treatment and at check up showed statistically significant difference from the preoperative shade scores (p<.05). The shade scores of the sealed group were significantly lighter than the control immediately after bleaching and at the check-up appointment (p<0.05). Compared to prebleaching status, the ${\Delta}E$ values at post bleaching condition were $4.35{\pm}1.38\;and\;5.08{\pm}1.34$ for the control and sealed groups, respectively. The ${\Delta}E$ values at check up were $3.73{\pm}1.95\;and\;4.38{\pm}2.08$ for the control and sealed groups. ${\Delta}E$ values were greater for the sealed group both after bleaching (p<.05) and at check up (p<.05). In conclusion, both ${\Delta}E$ and shade score changes were greater for the sealed bleaching group than the conventional bleaching group, effectively demonstrating the improvement of effectiveness through sealing.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.16 no.9
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• pp.6080-6088
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• 2015

The purpose of study is to find difference in the quality of life and related factors according to the employment status. Using data from the fifth National Health and Nutrition Survey, economically active population of 20-69 years old 3,429 participants who said to questions of 'economic activity status' were finally used as analysis subjects in Korea. According to economic activity status, individuals were divided by the six different employment status and their quality of life was inspected using the EQ-5D dimensions and index score as well as analyzing the factors affecting the quality of life. As a result, unemployed compared to full-time workers, had significantly higher needs of four dimensions and Unpaid family workers had in the dimensions of Mobility, Self-care and Usual activities and temporary job had in the dimensions of Self-care and Usual activities. After figuring out life quality factors according to employment status, it was found that compared to full-time workers greater age(${\beta}=-0.089$, p<0.001), more stress(${\beta}=-0.143$, p<0.0001), hyperlipidemia(${\beta}=-0.064$, p<0.0001), stroke, arthritis(${\beta}=-0.160$, p<0.0001), respiratory diseases(${\beta}=-0.055$, p<0.001) and chronic health conditions were more influential to low quality of life for temporary job(${\beta}=-0.034$, p<0.05), day workers(${\beta}=-0.078$, p<0.0001) and unemplyed(${\beta}=-0.052$, p<0.01). The study is reported that it is to find difference in the quality of life and related factors according to the employment status and it is considered to provide basis for health evaluation of utilization in the same field of study.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.407-419
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• 2002

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the arterial wall characterized by progressive accumulation of lipids, cells, and extracellular matrix. Matrix metalloproteinases(MMPs) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases(TIMPS) contribute to vascular matrix remodeling in atherosclerosis, and some cytokines may play role in the synthesis or activation of MMPs or TIMPs. Material and Method： We produced experimental atherosclerotic plaques in 9 rabbits by atherogenic hypercholesterol diet for 12 weeks, and 10 other rabbits were used as control group with standard laboratory chow, At that time, 19 rabbits were sacrificed and aorta, coronary arteries and blood specimens were prepared. The expressions of MMP-9, TIMP-2 and interleukin(IL)-18, and the bioactivity of IL-6 were investigated with H&E stain, immunohistochemical stain, immunoblotting(Western blot analysis), and bioassay. Result： Serum cholesterol in the experimental group increased up to 1258$\pm$262 mg/dL(control group： 41$\pm$7 mg/dL). All experimental group showed well-developed atherosclerotic plaques in aorta and coronary artery. The expression of MMP-9 in aorta and coronary artery of the experimental group showed significant increase than that of the control group by immunohistochemistry. Among the experimental group, complicated lesions with intimal rupture or complete luminal occlusion, demonstrated stronger expression of MMP-9. Interestingly, there was no difference in expression of TIMP-2 between the experimental and the control group. These findings were confirmed by Western blot analysis. The bioassay revealed significant up-regulation of serum bioactivity of IL-6 in the experimental group(4819.60$\pm$2021.25 IU/$m\ell$) compared to that of IL-6 in the control group(27.20 $\pm$ 12.19 IU/$m\ell$). IL-18 was expressed in all atherosclerotic plaques, whereas little or no expression was detected in the control group. Conclusion： The increased MMP-9 expression along with the unchanged TIMP-2 expression seem to be contributory factors in extracellular matrix degradation in atherosclerosis. Focal overexpression of MMP-9 may promote plaque destabilization and cause complications of atherosclerotic plaques such as thrombosis with/without acute coronary syndrome. Elevation of IL-6 and IL-18 may be more than just markers of atherosclerosis but actual participants in lesion development. Identification of critical regulatory pathway is important to improve the understanding of the cellular and molecular basis of atherosclerosis and may open the way for novel therapeutic strategies.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.28 no.4 s.51
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• pp.911-923
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• 1995

With increased use of neurotoxic agents in manufacturing industries, hazardous effects of neurotoxic agents pose significant problems in protecting health of workers who work in these industries. A normal range of neurobehavioral performance is required to study hazardous effects of neurotoxic agents among workers. However, such reference for Korean population is not available yet. The objective of this study is to estimate a normal range of neurobehavioral test performance of female workers in Korea. Data for neurobehavioral test performance developed by the World Health Organization were obtained from 165 female workers. Study subjects, 140 production workers and 25 clerks, who voluntarily participated in this study were not occupationally exposed to neurotoxic agents. The mean age and the mean education years of them were 32 years and 10.9 years, respectively Santa Ana dexterity, pursuit aiming, digit symbol, simple reaction time, and Benton visual retention tests among the Neurobehavioral Core Test Battery(NCTB) were included in the evaluation. Subjects were interviewed by a trained interviewer for their detailed occupational history $Mean({\pm}SD)$ performance of the participants were: $45.7{\pm}7.1\;and\;41.9{\pm}6.4$ in the Santa Ana dexterity test of the preferred and non-preferred hands; $45.7{\pm}7.1\;and\;41.9{\pm}6.4$ in correct dot of the pursuit aiming test; $57.7{\pm}16.0$ in the digit symbol test; $274.8{\pm}44.6$ msec in the mean simple reaction time and $70.5{\pm}69.0$ msec in the mean standard deviation of it; and $7.8{\pm}1.7$ in the Benton visual retention test. Most neurobehavioral performance scores were correlated significantly with age and educational level. Educational level was found to be a significant independent variable which was associated with all test scores. Age was significantly associated with scores of pursuit aiming and digit symbol tests.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.90-103
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• 1996

The purpose of this paper is to compare two approach to assessment of coping patterns. The sampling method was a purposive sampling technique. The study participants were out patients 113 of rheumatoid arthritis center of one University hospitals in Seoul. Datas were collected from Nov. 13 to Nov. 24, 1995. The instruments used for this study were Graphic Rating Scales of pain, The Beck Depression Inventory and Coping Patterns tool. The collected data were analyzed for frequency, means, SD, factor analysis., Pearsons' correlations and ANOVA. The results were summerized as follows ; 1. When raw scores were used : there were not correlation in all three coping patterns. 2. When relative scores were used : there were significantly correlated in all three coping patterns. 1) Active coping and Positive-cognitive coping (r=-0.352, p< 0.0001) 2) Positive-cognitive coping and Negative-cognitive coping (r=-0.594, p< 0.0001) 3) Active coping and Negative-cognitive coping(r=-0.544, p< 0.0001) The results of this research with relative scales provided more insight into the correlation in all three coping patterns. 3. Pearsons' Correlations were computed for each coping pattern, age, pain level, duration of pain and BDI. 1) Using raw score : (1) Active coping was significantly related to pain level(sensory score ; r=0.268, p<0.05, affective score ; r=0.266, p< 0.05) (2) Positive-cognitive coping was significantly related to age (r=-0.252, p< 0.05), pain level (sensory score ; r= -0.244, p< 0.05) (3) Negative-cognitive coping was significantly related to depression level (r=0.312 p< 0.0001). 2) Using relative score (1) Active coping was significantly related to pain level(sensory score ; r=0.299, p<0.05, affective score ; r=0.246, p< 0.05) (2) Positive-cognitive coping was significantly related to age (r= -0.187, P< 0.05), pain level (sensory score ; r=-0.317, p<0.0001, affective score : r=-0.305, p<0.0001) and depression level(-0.339, p<0.0001)) (3) Negative-cognitive coping was significantly related to depression. level(r=0.313, p<0.0001). 4. When raw and realtive coping scores were compared to those of age groups, religious groups and BDI level(high, middle, low) ; 1) Using raw score : (1) Active coping : there were not significantly difference (2) Positive-cognitive coping ; 20-39 age group and 50-59age group had significantly higher scores than over 60age group. BDI-low level group had significantly higher scores than other groups. (3) Negative-cognitive coping : 20-39age group and over 60age group had significantly higher scores than 40-49age group. Non-religious group had significantly higher scores than christian group. BDI-high level group had significantly higher scores than other groups. 2) Using relative score : (1) Active coping : over 60 age group had significantly higher scores than 20-39 age group and 40-49age group had significantly higher scores than 20-39 age group (2) Positive-cognitive coping ; 40-49age group, 20-39age group and 50-59age group had significantly higher scores than over 60age group. Christian group had significantly higher scores than non-religious group. BDI-low level group had significantly higher scores than other groups. (3) Negative-cognitive coping ; Non-religious group had significantly higher scores than christian group and buddhistic group. BDI-high level group had significantly higher scores than other groups. The current data suggest that relative scores may yield a different perspective on coping patters than raw scores. The use of relative scores reveals the relation clearly, without its being blurred statistically by the effect of other coping strategies or being relegated to a partial correlation. The use of relative scores holds promise for delineating the relations between ways of coping and health-related behavior.

• Asia pacific journal of information systems
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.177-200
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• 2009

AIn the advanced - economy, the services industry hasbecome a dominant sector. Evidently, the services sector has grown at a much faster rate than any other. For instance, in such developed countries as the U.S., the proportion of the services sector in its GDP is greater than 75%. Even in the developing countries including India and China, the magnitude of the services sector in their GDPs is rapidly growing. The increasing dependence on service gives rise to new initiatives including service science and service-dominant logic. These new initiatives propose a new theoretical prism to promote the better understanding of the changing economic structure. From the new perspectives, service is no longer regarded as a transaction or exchange, but rather co-creation of value through the interaction among service users, providers, and other stakeholders including partners, external environments, and customer communities. The purpose of this study is the following. First, we review previous literature on service, service innovation, and service systems and integrate the studies based on service dominant logic. Second, we categorize the ten propositions of service dominant logic into conceptual propositions and the ones that are directly related to service provision. Conceptual propositions are left out to form the research model. With the selected propositions, we define the research constructs for this study. Third, we develop measurement items for the new service concepts including service provider network, customer network, value co-creation, and convergence of service with product. We then propose a research model to explain the relationship among the factors that affect the value creation mechanism. Finally, we empirically investigate the effects of the factors on firm performance. Through the process of this research study, we want to show the value creation mechanism of service systems in which various participants in service provision interact with related parties in a joint effort to create values. To test the proposed hypotheses, we developed measurement items and distributed survey questionnaires to domestic companies. 500 survey questionnaires were distributed and 180 were returned among which 171 were usable. The results of the empirical test can be summarized as the following. First, service providers' network which is to help offer required services to customers is found to affect customer network, while it does not have a significant effect on value co-creation and product-service convergence. Second, customer network, on the other hand, appears to influence both value co-creation and product-service convergence. Third, value co-creation accomplished through the collaboration of service providers and customers is found to have a significant effect on both product-service convergence and firm performance. Finally, product-service convergence appears to affect firm performance. To interpret the results from the value creation mechanism perspective, service provider network well established to support customer network is found to have significant effect on customer network which in turn facilitates value co-creation in service provision and product-service convergence to lead to greater firm performance. The results have some enlightening implications for practitioners. If companies want to transform themselves into service-centered business enterprises, they have to consider the four factors suggested in this study: service provider network, customer network, value co-creation, and product-service convergence. That is, companies becoming a service-oriented organization need to understand what the four factors are and how the factors interact with one another in their business context. They then may want to devise a better tool to analyze the value creation mechanism and apply the four factors to their own environment. This research study contributes to the literature in following ways. First, this study is one of the very first empirical studies on the service dominant logic as it has categorized the fundamental propositions into conceptual and empirically testable ones and tested the proposed hypotheses against the data collected through the survey method. Most of the propositions are found to work as Vargo and Lusch have suggested. Second, by providing a testable set of relationships among the research variables, this study may provide policy makers and decision makers with some theoretical grounds for their decision making on what to do with service innovation and management. Finally, this study incorporates the concepts of value co-creation through the interaction between customers and service providers into the proposed research model and empirically tests the validity of the concepts. The results of this study will help establish a value creation mechanism in the service-based economy, which can be used to develop and implement new service provision.