• Childhood Kidney Diseases
• /
• v.4 no.2
• /
• pp.144-153
• /
• 2000

Purpose : Effects to predict tile progression of chronic renal failure (CRF) in children, using mathematical models based on transformations of serum creatinine (Scr) concentration, have failed. Error may be introduced by age-related variations in creatinine production rate. Height (Ht) is a reliable reference for creatinine production in children. Thus, Scr, factored for Ht, could provide a more accurate predictive model. We examined this hypothesis. Methods : The progression of of was detected in 63 children who proceeded to end-stage renal disease. Derivatives of Scr, including 1/Scr, log Scr & Ht/Scr, were defined fir the period Scr was between 2 and 5 mg/dl. Regression equation were used to predict the time, in months, to Scr > 10 mg/dl. The prediction error (PE) was defined as the predicted time minus actual time for each Scr transformation. Result : The PE for Ht/Scr was lower than the PE for either 1/Scr or log Scr (median: -0.01, -2.0 & +10.6 mos respectively; P<0.0001). For children with congenital renal diseases, the PE for Ht/Scr was also lower than for the other two transformations (median: -1.2, -3.2 & +8.2 mos respectively; P<0.0001). However, the PEs for children with glomerular diseases was not as clearly different (median: +0.9, +0.5 & +9.9 respectively). In children < 13 yrs, PE for Ht/Scr was tile lowest, while in older children, 1/Scr provided the lowest PE but not significantly different from that for Ht/Scr. The logarithmic transformation tended to predict a slower progression of CRF than actually occurred. Conclusion : Scr, floored for Ht, appears to be a useful model to predict the rate of progression of CRF, particularly in the prepubertal child with congenital renal disease.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.31 no.2
• /
• pp.272-277
• /
• 1998

Filtering rates of two farming ascidians Styela clava and S. plicata, and of a farming mussel Mytilus edulis were experimentally investigated with reference to effects of water temperature and size. Absorptiometric determinations of filtering rates were carried out in a closed system with experimental animals being decreased indicate dyes neutral red. Optical density (OD) of 440 nm in path length 22 mm cell used as the indication of food particles absorption was appeared directly in proportion with the concentration of neutral red dyes. The filtering rate F is calculated by Kim's equation $F\;=\;V(1-e^{-z})$, where V is the water volume ($\ell$) in the experimental jar, and Z is the decreasing coefficient of OD as meaning of instantaneous removal speed as In $C_t\;=\;In\;C_{o}-Z{\cdot}t$, in this formula $C_t$ is OD at the time t. Filtering rate of S. clava increased as exponential function with increasing temperature while not over critical limit, and the critical temperature for filtering rate was assumed to be between $28^{\circ}C$ and $29^{\circ}C$. In case of S. plicata, the critical temperature was to be below $13^{\circ}C$, and through the temperature range $15\~25^{\circ}C$ appeared a little difference in level even though with significant. M. edulis was not appear any significant effects by water temperature less than $29^{\circ}C$. The model formula derived from the results is as below, where F is filtering rate (${\ell}/hr/animal$), T is water temperature ($^{\circ}C$), and DW is dry meat weight (g) of experimental animal. $$S.\;Clava;\;F\;=\;e xp\;(0.119\;T-4.540)\;(DW)^{0.6745},\;T<29^{\circ}C$$) $$S.\;plicata;\;F\;=\;e xp\;(A_t)\;(DW)^{0.5675},\;(13^{\circ}C $$[A_t =-8.56+0.6805\;T-0.0153\;T^2]$$ $$M.\;edulis;\;F\;=\;0.3844\;(DW)^{0.4952},\;<29^{\circ}C$$)

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
• /
• v.94 no.6
• /
• pp.488-495
• /
• 2005

This study was conducted to understand the influences of forest structure on throughfall, stemflow and interception loss. The study plots included the natural old-growth deciduous, Pinus koraiensis and Abies holophylla forests in Gwangneung and the rehabilitated young mixed forest in Yangju, Gyeonggido. The Pinus koraiensis and Abies hotophylla had been planted in 1976. The rehabilitated young mixed forest had been established to control erosion in 1974. Total and net rainfall were monitored from March, 2003 to October, 2004. Tipping bucket rain gauge recorded total rainfall. Throughfall and stemflow were measured by custom-made tipping bucket and CR10X data logger at each $10m{\times}10m$ plots at intervals of 30 minutes. Interception loss in the Pinus koraiensis plot were most as 37.2% of total rainfall and least as 22.6% in the rehabilitated young mixed forest. Stemflow in the rehabilitated young mixed forest was 10.7% of total rainfall and stemflow in the Pinus koraiensis plot was 2.4%. The average throughfall ratio ranged from 66% to 77% depending on the canopy coverage. The relationship of stemflow and total rainfall represented in a linear regression equation though the variation of data was large. The ratio of stemflow-conversion was 2% of total rainfall in the Pinus koraiensis plot and 12% in the rehabilitated young mixed forest, respectively. The stem storage of the natural old-growth deciduous was the largest of 0.21 mm whereas that of the Pinus koraiensis plot was the least of 0.003 mm. A deciduous forest produced stemflow more than a coniferous forest due to a smooth bark and steeply angled branches. Interception loss of all study plots increased linearly as total rainfall increased. The distribution of interception loss data related in total rainfall became wider in a deciduous forest than a coniferous. It resulted from seasonality of leaf area index in a deciduous forest. As considered above results, it was confirmed that there were great differences of throughfall, stemflow and interception loss depending on forest stand structures. The simulation model for predicting interception loss must have parameters such as forest stand characteristics and LAI in order to describe the influence of forest structure on interception loss.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
• /
• v.13 no.6
• /
• pp.155-166
• /
• 2018

The purpose of this study is to analyze the impact of self-efficacy of SMEs' organization members on job engagement and job performance, and to analyze the difference between gender and marital status by applying SEM-ANN analysis. To accomplish the study purpose, 285 valid samples were collected from 400 SMEs' organization members and analyzed. In this study, self - efficacy consisted of three sub-dimensions: self-confidence, self-regulation efficacy, and task difficulty preference. As a result of the analysis, self - efficacy such as self-confidence, self-regulation efficacy, and task difficulty preference had a positive direct effect on job engagement. In addition, self-efficacy and self-control efficacy have a positive effect on job performance, but the preference of task difficulty has no significant effect. In addition, job engagement has a positive(+) effect on job performance, and has a mediating role in the relationship between self-efficacy and job performance. Also, married males preferred self-regulation efficacy, while females preferred self-regulation and self-control efficacy regardless of marital status. The purpose of this study is to present the framework of self-efficacy-job engagement-job performance of SMEs by measuring the self-efficacy related researches mainly in education and service industries, and is meaningful that companies can help to find the basis of management of organization members by gender and marital status of organization members. In addition, the SEM-ANN analysis process of this study is different in that it explains the nonlinear (nonobservative) relationship that can analyze the influence or the combination of the reference variables in the linear (compensatory) relation using the SEM.

• Laboratory Medicine Online
• /
• v.2 no.1
• /
• pp.10-14
• /
• 2012

Background: Measurement of HbA_1c levels is widely used to diagnose diabetes mellitus and to evaluate and monitor plasma-glucose concentrations over 6-8 weeks. In this study, we evaluated the diagnostic performance of the newly developed latex immunoturbidimetric method by using Autolab HbA_1c. Methods: We analyzed and compared the diagnostic performance of Autolab HbA_1c with that of Toshiba 200FR between April 2009 and July 2009. According to guidelines (EP5-A2, EP6-P, EP9-A2) of the clinical and laboratory standards institute (CLSI), we compared linearity, precision and correlation of Autolab HbA_1c with those of G7 (Tosoh Corp., Kyoto, Japan) by using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method. Results: Data obtained using Autolab HbA_1c showed good linearity in mixtures of samples with low (3.1%) and high (15.1%) levels of HbA_1c (r²=0.9997). In the analysis of within-run precision of the samples with HbA_1c levels of 5.1% and 12.1%, the SDs were 0.04 and 0.06 and covariances of these samples were 0.8% and 0.5%, respectively. In the Deming regression model, the regression equation was as follows: Autolab HbA_1c=1.0859×Tosoh HPLC-0.6957. Conclusions: In this study, Autolab HbA_1c method showed better performance characteristics than Tosoh G7 did. In reference review, there was no interference of variant hemoglobin. The data acquisition time of Autolab HbA_1c was lower than that of Tosoh G7. The advantages of Autolab HbA_1c are that it can be used as an autoanlyzer in routine chemical analysis, it does not require pre-analytical treatment, and the samples are automatically treated with distilled water for hemolysis.

• Journal of Distribution Research
• /
• v.15 no.1
• /
• pp.1-24
• /
• 2010

I. Introduction The industry of domestic discount store was reorganized with 2 bigs and 1 middle, and then Home Plus took over Home Ever in 2008. In present, Oct, 2008, E-Mart has 118 outlets, Home Plus 112 outlets, and Lotte Mart 60 stores. With total number of 403 outlets, they are getting closer to a saturation point. We know that the industry of discount store has been getting through the mature stage in retail life cycle. There are many efforts to maintain existing customers rather than to get new customers. These competitions in this industry lead firms to acknowledge 'store loyalty' to be the first strategic tool for their sustainable competitiveness. In other words, the strategic goal of discount store is to boost up the repurchase rate of customers throughout increasing store loyalty. If owners of retail shops can figure out main factors for store loyalty, they can easily make more efficient and effective retail strategies which bring about more sales and profits. In this practical sense, there are many papers which are focusing on the antecedents of store loyalty. Many researchers have been inspecting causal relationships between antecedents and store loyalty; store characteristics, store image, atmosphere in store, sales promotion in store, service quality, customer characteristics, crowding, switching cost, trust, satisfaction, commitment, etc., In recent times, many academic researchers and practitioners have been interested in 'dual path model for service loyalty'. There are two paths in store loyalty. First path has an emphasis on symbolic and emotional dimension of service brand, and second path focuses on quality of product and service. We will call the former an extrinsic path and call the latter an intrinsic path. This means that consumers' cognitive path for store loyalty is not single but dual. Existing studies for dual path model are as follows; First, in extrinsic path, some papers in domestic settings show that there is 'store personality-identification-loyalty' path. Second, service quality has an effect on loyalty, which is a behavioral variable, in the mediation of customer satisfaction. But, it's very difficult to find out an empirical paper applied to domestic discount store based on this mediating model. The domestic research for store loyalty concentrates on not only intrinsic path but also extrinsic path. Relatively, an attention for intrinsic path is scarce. And then, we acknowledge that there should be a need for integrating extrinsic and intrinsic path. Also, in terms of retail industry, this study is meaningful because retailers want to achieve their competitiveness by using store loyalty. And so, the purpose of this paper is to integrate and complement two existing paths into one specific model, dual path model. This model includes both intrinsic and extrinsic path for store loyalty. With this research, we would expect to understand the full process of forming customers' store loyalty which had not been clearly explained. In other words, we propose the dual path model for discount store loyalty which has been originated from store personality and service quality. This model is composed of extrinsic path, discount store personality$\rightarrow$store identification$\rightarrow$store loyalty, and intrinsic path, service quality of discount store$\rightarrow$customer satisfaction$\rightarrow$store loyalty. II. Research Model Dual path model integrates intrinsic path and extrinsic path into one specific model. Intrinsic path put an emphasis on quality characteristics and extrinsic path focuses on brand characteristics. Intrinsic path is based on information processing perspective, and extrinsic path emphasizes symbolic and emotional dimension of brand. This model is composed of extrinsic path, discount store personality$\rightarrow$store identification$\rightarrow$store loyalty, and intrinsic path, service quality of discount store$\rightarrow$customer satisfaction$\rightarrow$store loyalty. Hypotheses are as follows; Hypothesis 1: Service quality perceived by customers in discount store has an positive effect on customer satisfaction Hypothesis 2: Store personality perceived by customers in discount store has an positive effect on store identification Hypothesis 3: Customer satisfaction in discount store has an positive effect on store loyalty. Hypothesis 4: Store identification has an positive effect on store loyalty. III. Results and Implications We examined consumers who patronize discount stores for samples of this study. With the structural equation model(SEM) analysis, we empirically tested the validity and fitness of the dual path model for store loyalty in discount stores. As results, the fitness indices of this model were well fitted to data obtained. In an intrinsic path, service quality(SQ) is positively related to customer satisfaction(CS), customer satisfaction(CS) has very significantly positive effect on store loyalty(SL). Also, in an extrinsic path, the store personality(SP) is positively related to store identification(SI), it shows significant effect on store loyalty. Table 1 shows the results as follows; There are some theoretical and practical implications. First, Many studies on discount store loyalty have been executed from various perspectives. But there has been no integrative view on this issue. And so, this research was theoretically designed to integrate various and controversial arguments into one systematic model. We empirically tested dual path model forming store loyalty, and brought up a systematic and integrative framework for future studies. We want to expect creative and aggressive research activities. Second, a few established papers are focused on the relationship between antecedents and store loyalty; store characteristics, atmosphere, sales promotion in store, service quality, trust, commitment, etc., There has been some limits in understanding thoroughly the formation process of store loyalty with a singular path, intrinsic or extrinsic. Beyond these limits in single path, we could propose the new path for store loyalty. This is meaningful. Third, discount store firms make and execute marketing strategies for increasing store loyalty. This research provides real practitioners with reference framework needed for actual strategy formation. Because this paper shows integrated and systematic path for store loyalty. A special feature of this study is to represent 6 sub dimensions of service quality in intrinsic path and 4 sub dimensions of store personality in extrinsic path. Marketers can make more analytic marketing planning with concrete sub dimensions of service quality and store personality. When marketers of discount stores make strategic planning like MPR, Ads, campaign, sales promotion, they can use many items which are more competitive than competitors.