• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.51 no.9
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• pp.971-976
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• 2008

Purpose : Surveillance for detecting and managing latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) is a key component of tuberculosis control. The classic surveillance tool, the tuberculin skin test (TST), may have some limitations when used in the Bacillus Calmette-$Gu{\acute{e}}rin$ (BCG)-vaccinated population. The object was to perform a blood test $QuantiFERON^{(R)}$-TB Gold In Tube (QFT-G IT) based on the detection of interferon-$\gamma$ ($IFN-{\gamma}$) released by T cells in response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis-specific antigens, and to compare the efficacy of this new diagnostic tool for LTBI with that of TST. Methods : For six months, between October 1, 2006 and April 30, 2007, data were collected from 111 patients under 15 years of age at Severance Children's Hospital. TST and QFT-G IT tests were performed with children with or without contact histories of tuberculosis. In addition to these tests, we examined comparative data from 29 adults who had tuberculosis, to detect false negative rates in the QFT-G IT method. Results : Thirty-three children had household contact histories. In this group, 15% and 42% of cases were found to be positive using the QFT-G IT assay and TST, respectively. Agreement was low between these two tests (${\kappa}=0.39$). In the adult active tuberculosis group, the QFT-G IT false negative rate defined as a positive culture and a negative QFT-G IT result was 12.5%. Conclusion : In diagnosing LTBI in children, the usefulness of a whole-blood $IFN-{\gamma}$ assay employing TB-specific antigens will be revealed only by examining additional longitudinal clinical data; this study serves as a starting point in that process.

• Asia pacific journal of information systems
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.1-31
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• 2009

This paper empirically examines factors that potentially influence the success of a Web-based semantic search engine. A research model has been proposed that shows the impact of quality-related factors upon the effectiveness of a semantic search engine, based on DeLone and McLean's(2003) information systems success model. An empirical study has been conducted to test hypotheses formulated around the research model, and statistical methods were applied to analyze gathered data and draw conclusions. Implications for academics and practitioners are offered based on the findings of the study. The proposed model includes three quality dimensions of a Web-based semantic search engine-namely, information quality, system quality and service quality. These three dimensions each have measures designed to collectively assess the respective dimension. The model is intended to examine the relationship between measures of these quality dimensions and measures of two dependent constructs, including individuals' net benefit and user satisfaction. Individuals' net benefit was measured by the extent to which the user's information needs were adequately met, whereas user satisfaction was measured by a combination of the perceived satisfaction with search results and the perceived satisfaction with the overall system. A total of 23 hypotheses have been formulated around the model, and a questionnaire survey has been conducted using a functional semantic search website created by KT and Hakia, so as to collect data to validate the model. Copies of a questionnaire form were handed out in person to 160 research associates and employees working in the area of designing and developing semantic search engines. Those who received the form, 148 respondents returned valid responses. The survey form asked respondents to use the given website to answer questions concerning the system. The results of the empirical study have indicated that, of the three quality dimensions, information quality was found to have the strongest association with the effectiveness of a Web-based semantic search engine. This finding is consistent with the observation in the literature that the aspects of the information quality should serve as a basis for evaluating the search outcomes from a semantic search engine. Measures under the information quality dimension that have a positive effect on informational gratification and user satisfaction were found to be recall and currency. Under the system quality dimension, response time and interactivity, were positively related to informational gratification. On the other hand, only one measure under the service quality dimension, reliability was found to have a positive relationship with user satisfaction. The results were based on the seven hypotheses that have been accepted. One may wonder why 15 out of the 23 hypotheses have been rejected and question the theoretical soundness of the model. However, the correlations between independent variables and dependent variables came out to be fairly high. This suggests that the structural equation model yielded results inconsistent with those of coefficient analysis, because the structural equation model intends to examine the relationship among independent variables as well as the relationship between independent variables and dependent variables. The findings offer some useful implications for owners of a semantic search engine, as far as the design and maintenance of the website is concerned. First, the system should be designed to respond to the user's query as fast as possible. Also it should be designed to support the search process by recommending, revising, and choosing a search query, so as to maximize users' interactions with the system. Second, the system should present search results with maximum recall and currency to effectively meet the users' expectations. Third, it should be capable of providing online services in a reliable and trustworthy manner. Finally, effective increase in user satisfaction requires the improvement of quality factors associated with a semantic search engine, which would in turn help increase the informational gratification for users. The proposed model can serve as a useful framework for measuring the success of a Web-based semantic search engine. Applying the search engine success framework to the measurement of search engine effectiveness has the potential to provide an outline of what areas of a semantic search engine needs improvement, in order to better meet information needs of users. Further research will be needed to make this idea a reality.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.109-116
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• 2005

Purpose : To determine the usefulness of additional Mn-DPDP MRI for preoperative evaluation of the patients with colorectal cancers by comparison of dual-phase CT scan, Mn-DPDP enhanced MRI and combination of CT and MRI. Materials and Methods : Fifty-three colorectal cancer patients with 92 metastatic nodules underwent dualphase (arterial and portal) helical CT scan and Mn-DPDP MRI prior to surgery. The indication of MRI was presence or suspected of having metastatic lesions at CT scan and/or increased serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels (10 ng/mL or more). The diagnosis was established by the combination of findings at surgery, intraoperative ultrasonography, and histopathologic examination. Two radiologists interpreted CT, MRI, and combination of CT-MRI at discrete sessions and evaluated each lesion for location, size, and intrinsic characteristics. The lesions were divided into three groups according to their diameter; 1cm<, 1-2 cm, and >2 cm. Diagnostic accuracy was evaluated using the alternative-free response receiver operating characteristic method. Detection and false positive rate were also evaluated. Results : In the lesions smaller than 1 cm, detection rate of combined CT-MRI was superior to CT or MRI alone (82%, p=0.036). The mean accuracy (Az values) of combined CT and MRI was significantly higher than that of CT in the lesions smaller than 2 cm (1 cm<, p=0.034; 1-2 cm, p=0.045). However, there was no significant difference between MRI and combined CT-MRI. The false positive rate of CT was higher than those of combined CT-MR in the lesions smaller than 1 cm (28%, p=0.023). Conclusion : Additional MRI using Mn-DPDP besides routine CT scan was helpful in differentiating the hepatic lesions (<2 cm) and could improve detection of the small hepatic metastases (<1 cm) from colorectal carcinoma.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.815-822
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• 2006

The purposes of this study were to investigate the consumer's perception of the subject to manage the foodservice operation in the university, and to analyze the effects of consumer's perception of the university foodservice qualify on intent to revisit and intent to recommend. The questionnaires were distributed to 575 students in the K University located in Masan, who were sampled by proportionate stratified sampling method. The surveys were peformed from May 17 to June 2, 2005. The 566 questionnaires were responded, and 6 unusable questionnaires were excluded, then 560 were used for the final analysis (response rate: 97.4%). For the statistical analysis, SPSS (12.0) was used to conduct the descriptive analysis, factor analysis reliability analysis, and multiple regression analysis. The results of this study were as follows: First 254 respondants (47.3%) did not know that their foodservice operation was managed by contract foodservice company, and 374 students (66.8%) did not know the name of the contract foodservice company which runned their foodservice operation. Second, the food factor of university foodservice quality had a significant positive effect on intent to revisit (P<0.001), and the food factor of university foodservice quality also had a significant positive effect on Intent to recommend (p<0.001). It was concluded that as the food factor of university foodservice qualify Increased, the intent to revisit and the intent to recommend the university foodservice increased. So when university foodservice managers plan the foodservice operation strategy, they should focus on increasing the perception of customers' foodservice quality and also advertising contract foodservice company's brand name.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.25-31
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• 1986

This study was conducted to determine the effects of 5 years continuous application of compost and rice straw with the different rates of nitrogen fertilizer on physico-chemical properties of paddy soils and yield of rice. The results obtained were as follows; 1. The yield of rice was 7 and 4% higher at straw and compost treatment compared to the non-application of organic matter. The rate of yield response for nitrogen fertilizer was lowered as the amount of nitrogen application increased under the condition of organic matter application. 2. Dry mayer weight and total nitrogen content of rice plants were increased in the order of straw > compost > non-application of organic matter. Above two factors were positive correlations with yield but total nitrogen content was negative correlation with ripening rate. 3. $NH_4-N$ in the soil was higher at plot applicated with compost and straw than non-application. It was positive correlation ($r=0.62^*-0.79^{**}$) with total nitrogen content in rice plants from 15 days after transplanting to heading stage. 4. The physical properties of soil, hardness and infilteration rate, after 5 years experiment, were improved in the order of straw > compost > non-application of organic matter. Organic matter content in the soil was decreased 0.1% on the straw treatment after 4 years, 0.1% on the compost after 3 and 4 years, and 0.1% on the non-application every years.

• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.129-137
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• 2015

Diabetes mellitus type 2 is a metabolic disorder that is characterized by hyperglycemia (high blood sugar level) in the context of insulin resistance and relative lack of insulin. Recently, much scientific evidence has shown that the risk of diabetes mellitus type 2 could be reduced by dairy intake. A significantly strong relationship has been noted between this disease and dairy intake. In particular, from the different types of fat in dairy foods that were reported to have a beneficial impact, low-fat dairy foods have been found to have the best effect with respect to reducing the risk of diabetes mellitus type 2. Therefore, the role of specific components of dairy foods, such as calcium, vitamin D, dairy fat, and trans-palmitoleic acid, which could be responsible for this effect and for the positive effect of dairy foods in obesity and metabolic syndrome, needs to be identified. There is a strong and relatively consistent body of accumulating evidence indicating that dairy foods may significantly reduce the risk of diabetes mellitus type 2, likely in a dose-response manner. Dairy recommendations should be an essential part of public health guidance, and identifying strategies to increase dairy food consumption to optimal levels is of utmost importance. Hence, this review summarizes various positive effects of dairy foods with respect to reducing the risk of diabetes mellitus type 2, based on available evidence, and discusses the need for further research on preventing or decreasing the risk of diabetes mellitus type 2.

• Journal of Gifted/Talented Education
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.125-149
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• 2004

The purpose of this study is to provide basic information on the current status of elementary school teachers' perception of gifted education. For this purpose, this study wi1l analyze elementary school teachers' perception of the gifted education (i.e., general perception of gifted education, characteristics of gifted children, identification of gifted children, programs for gifted education, and teachers of gifted education). A questionnaire survey was used for the purpose and research questions of this study. The questionnaire used in this study was constructed by taking into account the results of surveys conducted in previous studies and the literature on gifted education. Before conducting the research, a preliminary inquiry was made to identify problems that may occur while the subjects were participating in the survey, as well as to determine the appropriateness of the questionnaire and the amount of time needed. The preliminary inquiry was conducted with ten randomly selected elementary school teachers who did not participate as subjects in the actual research. The results were later used as initial data for the actual research. The subjects of this study were teachers who were teaching in8 elementary schools under each office of education in Seoul. This process was conducted for 180 elementary school teachers from April to May 2004. The results were analyzed using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Science) Ver. 10.1, a software program for statistical research. After the data were analyzed, the following conclusions were arrived at: 1. The result of the genera1 perception of gifted education by elementary school teachers were positive and reasonably high. The level of their perception of detailed information or knowledge, however, was relatively low. 2. As for their perceptions of the emotional characteristics of gifted children, t11e results showed a low level of understanding of the characteristics of gifted children. 3. As for their perceptions of identification of gifted children, the results showed a high level of understanding of the appropriate time to provide special education to gifted children and of the methods to identify such. On the other hand, their understanding of the identification of gifted children in an actual class was poor. 4. The respondents' level of perceptions of programs for gifted education was very low since many subjects did not have any experiences with such programs. 5. The results showed a very positive response to receiving training on gifted education, though they were very reluctant to be assigned as teachers of gifted education because of the excessive work that is associated with such and their lack of capability in handling gifted children.

• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.99-128
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• 2008

Nearly all Koreans are insured through National Health Insurance(NHI). While NHI coverage is nearly universal, it is not complete. Coverage is largely limited to minimal level of hospital and physician expenses, and copayments are required in each case. As a result, Korea's public insurance system covers roughly 50% of overall individual health expenditures, and the remaining 50% consists of copayments for basic services, spending on services that are either not covered or poorly covered by the public system. In response to these gaps in the public system, 64% of the Korean population has supplemental private health insurance. Expansion of private health insurance raises negative externality issue. Like public financing schemes in other countries, the Korean system imposes cost-sharing on patients as a strategy for controlling utilization. Because most insurance policies reimburse patients for their out-of-pocket payments, supplemental insurance is likely to negate the impact of the policy, raising both total and public sector health spending. So far, most empirical analysis of supplemental health insurance to date has focused on the US Medigap programme. It is found that those with supplements apparently consume more health care. Two reasons for higher health care consumption by those with supplements suggest themselves. One is the moral hazard effect: by eliminating copayments and deductibles, supplements reduce the marginal price of care and induce additional consumption. The other explanation is that supplements are purchased by those who anticipate high health expenditures - adverse effect. The main issue addressed has been the separation of the moral hazard effect from the adverse selection one. The general conclusion is that the evidence on adverse selection based on observable variables is mixed. This article investigates the extent to which private supplementary insurance affect use of health care services by public health insurance enrollees, using Korean administrative data and private supplements related data collected through all relevant private insurance companies. I applied a multivariate two-part model to analyze the effects of various types of supplements on the likelihood and level of public health insurance spending and estimated marginal effects of supplements. Separate models were estimated for inpatients and outpatients in public insurance spending. The first part of the model estimated the likelihood of positive spending using probit regression, and the second part estimated the log of spending for those with positive spending. Use of a detailed information of individuals' public health insurance from administration data and of private insurance status from insurance companies made it possible to control for health status, the types of supplemental insurance owned by theses individuals, and other factors that explain spending variations across supplemental insurance categories in isolating the effects of supplemental insurance. Data from 2004 to 2006 were used, and this study found that private insurance increased the probability of a physician visit by less than 1 percent and a hospital admission by about 1 percent. However, supplemental insurance was not found to be associated with a bigger health care service utilization. Two-part models of health care utilization and expenditures showed that those without supplemental insurance had higher inpatient and outpatient expenditures than those with supplements, even after controlling for observable differences.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.181-189
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between obesity indices, nutritional knowledge, nutritional intake status, and some blood parameters in obese middle-school students. Anthropometric measurement, 24-hour recall for dietary intake, blood analysis and Questionnaire response including nutritional knowledge, nutritional attitude, and self-satisfaction were conducted in 42 obese middle-school students (28 male and 14 female) participated in the nutritional camp program carried by Bucheon district public health center in Kyunggi-do. The mean age of subjects was 13.9 years. The average body weight, BMI, obesity index, WHR and percent body fat were 75.5 kg, 29.1 kg/$m^2$, 30.1, 0.89 and 33.3% in male subjects, and 67.8 kg, 27.5 kg/$m^2$, 25.3, 0.81 and 34.6% in female subjects. The average nutritional attitude, the self-satisfaction and the nutritional knowledge scores were no significant difference between male and female subjects. Average intake of energy were 85.5% of RDA in males and 98.1% of RDA in females. The percentage of energy from fat was higher in both male (29%) and female (26%) subjects than recommended level. Calcium, iron, zinc, vitamin A, vitamin B$_2$, vitamin C, niacin and folate intakes were below the RDA for them. In the results of correlation analysis, body weight, BMI and obesity index were positively correlated with systolic blood pressure and cholesterol intake. There was a negative correlation between percent body fat and nutritional knowledge. Body weight was negatively related to HDL-cholesterol, whereas it has positive relation with RBC, hemoglobin and hematocrit. BMI and obesity index were negatively related to HDL-cholesterol, but positively related to RBC, respectively. WHR showed positive relationship with serum GPT, glucose and MCV.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.111-120
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• 2004

We investigated the reproductive cycle of Corbicula japonica with its gonadal development by histological observations, and the seasonal changes in biochemical mass and foot muscle of the adductor muscle, visceral mass and foot muscle of the clam by biochemical analysis, from January to December, 2003. The reproductive cycle of this species can be classified into five successive stages: early active stage (February to April), late active stage (April to July), ripe stage (June to August), partially spawned stage (July to September) and spent/inactive stage (September to March). According to ANOVA test, there were significant differences (p < 0.05) in total protein, total lipid and glycogen contents among months for all of the visceral mass, adductor muscle and foot muscle. Total protein content was highest in adductor muscle, while lowest in visceral mass. There was no correlation in total protein content between visceral mass and adductor muscle (p = 0.208). However, strong positive correlation was found between adductor muscle and foot muscle (r = 0.769, p < 0.001). In visceral mass, total lipid content was the highest; it was 2 or 3-fold higher than in adductor muscle or foot muscle. The monthly change was also most dynamic in visceral mass. It decreased from January to March (early active stage), and reached maximum in April (late active stage). From May to August (ripe and partially spawned stage), it dradually decreased and then increased again until October (spent/inactive stage). Multiple comparisons showed that total lipid content in visceral mass between all of the adjacent two months was significaltly different (p < 0.05). There were strong negative correlations in total lipid content between visceral mass and adductor muscle (r = 0.687, p < 0.001), and between visceral mass and foot muscle (r = 0.473, p = 0.008). Changes of glycogen content were more or less similar to the changes of lipid contents in visceral mass, adductor muscle and foot muscle, except for April. In April, glycogen content in visceral mass was over four times higher than that in adductor muscle or foot muscle. There was a positive correlation in glycogen content between adductor muscle and foot muscle (r = 0.686, p < 0.001). Especially, total lipid content showed a negative correlation between the adductor muscle and visceral mass. Therefore, these results indicate that the nutrient content of the adductor muscle, visceral muscle and foot muscle changed in response to gonadal energy needs.