• The Journal of Industrial Distribution & Business
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• v.12 no.10
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• pp.31-41
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• 2021

Purpose: This study estimates the threshold values of institutional quality through investigating the non-linear effect of six sub-indices of Worldwide Governance Indicators on FDI inflows in 34 developing countries in Asia and Eastern Europe over the period from 2000-2017. Research Design, data and methodology: GMM EGLS is employed which does not include the lagged value of the dependent variable as an independent variable. As a proxy for the institutional quality, either one of the six sub-indices of WGI from World Bank or the composite index obtained through a principal component analysis is used in a separate model. Results: An improvement in institutional quality, when the quality stays below a certain threshold level, does not increase FDI inflows, and only when the quality is above the threshold, it can positively influence FDI inflows. The threshold values of political stability and absence of violence, government effectiveness, and rule of law are relatively higher than those of the other dimensions of WGI. Conclusion: Institutional quality of the developing economies of Asia and Eastern Europe has a non-linear effect on FDI inflows. The target countries need to upgrade their institutional quality above the threshold in order to attract more FDIs.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.127-134
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• 2021

Purpose: In patients with acute enterocolitis, radiologic findings are sometimes accompanied by secondary inflammation of the appendix. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical features of acute enterocolitis with secondary inflammation of the appendix. Methods: Medical records from patients who underwent abdominal ultrasonography or computed tomography (CT) among those admitted for acute enterocolitis were retrospectively reviewed. Clinical features were compared by distinguishing patients with inflammation of the appendix from those without, based on their symptoms and laboratory findings. Results: Of the 165 patients, 12 (7.3%) had secondary inflammation of the appendix on ultrasonography and/or CT. Patients with secondary inflammation of the appendix were significantly older than those without (11.7 vs. 6.1 years, p=0.011) and more frequently had fever (83.3% vs. 49.0%, p=0.033), and high values of C-reactive protein (CRP) (5.38 vs. 0.32 mg/dL, p<0.001). The proportion of bacterial pathogens was higher in patients with secondary inflammation of the appendix (60% vs. 15.1%, p=0.004). Conclusion: Patients with acute enterocolitis accompanied by secondary appendicitis more commonly have fever, higher CRP levels, higher bacterial pathogen detection rates, and longer hospital stays. Treatment equivalent to that of bacterial infection is required for patients with secondary appendicitis, and that their symptoms should be closely and continuously monitored and followed-up.

• Journal of Apiculture
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.137-140
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• 2019

Although honeybees (Apis mellifera) are crucial for maintenance of the ecosystem, population of honeybee has been steadily decreasing due to diseases including nosemosis. Nosemosis is a disease caused by Nosema ceranae and is now considered as a major threat to honeybees. N. ceranae is a microsporidian that stays in form of spore even before the infection, which makes it harder to control than other pathogens. People are now aware of this parasite, however, cure and preventive candidates for nosemosis are hardly found until today. In this study, in vitro experiment of Lespedeza cuneata treatment to prevent nosemosis were done using Trichoplusia ni cell line, BTI-TN5B1-4. Normal T. ni cells exhibited round shape without abnormal size. On the other hand, when N. ceranae were treated, cells deteriorated and some cells abnormally enlarged due to N. ceranae infection. Interestingly, treatment of T. ni cells with L. cuneate extract protected abnormal cell shape induced by N. ceranae infection to normal shape. Some N. ceranae spores were observed outside of the cells. Effective concentration range for N. ceranae control were experimented. Lowest concentration which can control nosemosis were 50 ㎍/mL. When the concentration of L. cuneata extract was exceeded 200 ㎍/mL, cytotoxicity started to show up.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.65 no.6
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• pp.853-860
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• 2022

Objective : This prospective, randomized, double-blinded trial aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of prophylactic ramosetron administration against postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in patients undergoing microvascular decompression (MVD). Methods : In this study, 100 patients undergoing MVD were randomly allocated to the control (normal saline, 2 mL) or ramosetron (ramosetron, 0.3 mg) groups at the end of surgery. The incidence and severity of PONV, need for rescue antiemetics, patient satisfaction score, duration of hospital stay, and the occurrence of adverse events were evaluated 48 hours post-surgery. Results : Data obtained from 97 patients were included in the final analysis. The incidence of PONV was significantly lower in the ramosetron group than in the control group throughout the 48-hour postoperative period (29.2% vs. 51.0%, p=0.028). A similar trend was observed with regard to PONV severity (p=0.041). The need for rescue antiemetics, satisfaction score, duration of hospital stays, and the occurrence of adverse events did not significantly differ between the groups. Conclusion : Prophylactic ramosetron administration reduced the incidence and severity of PONV in patients undergoing MVD without causing serious adverse events. Thus, ramosetron use may improve patient recovery following MVD.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.232-239
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• 2022

Purpose: The recent increase in electric scooter (e-scooter) use has been accompanied by an increase in injuries from e-scooter-related accidents. Studies have reported that most such injuries are minor, and physicians may therefore underestimate the severity of such injuries. This study investigated the types and severity of injuries caused by isolated e-scooter accidents (i.e., those that did not involve colliding with other cars or falling from heights). Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted from May to December 2021 at Dankook University Hospital tertiary medical center. The demographic data of patients injured in isolated e-scooter-related accidents were collected. All injuries were categorized by body part. Results: Fifty eligible patients visited our emergency department during the study period. Of these, 76% were categorized as nonemergency, and 62% were discharged after initial evaluation and treatment at the emergency department. Another 10% were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) and 18% to the ward, with nine patients receiving at least one operation. The average hospital stays were 2.4 days in the ICU and 9 days in the ward. One death occurred due to traumatic brain injury (overall mortality rate, 2%). Multiple fractures of the left third through ninth ribs combined with lung laceration and fractures of T12 and L4 were noted. Conclusions: Various types and severities of injuries can occur in isolated e-scooter accidents. While most such injuries are minor, some will require ICU admission or surgery, and deaths can occur. Physicians should not underestimate the severity of such injuries.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.428-450
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• 2023

This meta-analysis examined the surgical management of older patients (>80 years) with gastric cancer, who were often excluded from randomized controlled trials. We analyzed 23 retrospective cohort studies involving 18,372 patients and found that older patients had a higher in-hospital mortality rate (relative risk [RR], 3.23; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.46-7.17; P<0.01) and more post-operative complications (RR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.19-1.56; P<0.01) than did younger patients. However, the surgical complications were similar between the two groups. Older patients were more likely to undergo less extensive lymph node dissection and longer hospital stays. Although older patients had statistically significant post-operative medical complications, they were not deprived of surgery for gastric cancer. The comorbidities and potential risks of post-operative complications should be carefully evaluated in older patients, highlighting the importance of careful patient selection. Overall, this meta-analysis provides recommendations for the surgical management of older patients with gastric cancer. Careful patient selection and evaluation of comorbidities should be performed to minimize the risk of post-operative complications in older patients, while recognizing that they should not be deprived of surgery for gastric cancer.

• Journal of English Language & Literature
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.557-575
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• 2010

Pierre breaks the rules of convention and acquires the 'potential not to do.' To transform the traditional hero into the new potential subject, Pierre moves from his hometown, Saddle Meadows, New York City to the dungeon of the city prison and creates three different relationships that symbolize what ideology and principles repress his mind and behavior and how he handles them. Firstly, in Saddle Meadows, Pierre has a narcissistic relationship with his mother, Mary, who teaches him the principles of American manhood and forces him to be docile: he has to obey Mary's order that a man should be a gentleman. Therefore, since he does not know his potential, he does not create his own work and is involved in plagiarism. Secondly, in New York City, Pierre creates an associated relationship with Isabel, his half-sister, who represents an ambiguous and mysterious character and has the 'potential not to do' that leads Pierre to destroys the beliefs of American manhood and performs the potential to do. Consequently, Pierre puts himself in an extreme situation and is absolutely liberated from the influence of his dead father, who unconsciously controls Pierre's behavior and thoughts. Thus, he makes a dissociated relationship with his father. In the dungeon, he physically dies, but symbolically metamorphoses into Isabel, so that he blurs the differences between Isabel and himself. Furthermore, he never stays in his own way: in this on-going process, Pierre cannot determine which is good or bad, legitimate or illegitimate and life or death.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Communications and Information Sciences
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.824-834
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• 1993

In cellular mobile communication systems, if the size of a cell is decreasing for economic utilization of frequency resources, frequent handovers may be requested because the time a mobile stays in a cell is decreasing. In general the measured parameters to decide handover including RSSI, BER, and the distance between mobile station and base station, are usually incorrect and handover decision using single parameter insufficient. Therefore, the better handover algorithm should take over the problems of this uncertain measurements, and make the decision more robust and flexible by the consideration of all those decision parameters at the same time. We propose a novel handover algorithm based the multicriteria decision making, in which those parameters are participated in the decision process using aggregation function in fuzzy set theory. As a simulation results, the overall decision making is more reliable and flexible than the conventional method using only one parameter, RSSI in terms of call force ratio, and handover request ratio.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Communications and Information Sciences
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• v.29 no.1B
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• pp.86-100
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• 2004

To provide the end-to-end service differentiation for assured services, the random early demotion and promotion (REDP) marker in the edge router at each domain boundary monitors the aggregate flow of the incoming in-profile packets and demotes in-profile packets or promotes the previously demoted in-profile packets at the aggregate flow level according to the negotiated interdomain service level agreement (SLA). The REDP marker achieves UDP fairness in demoting and promoting packets through random and early marking decisions on packets. But, TCP fairness of the REDP marker is not obvious as for UDP sources. In this paper, to improve TCP fairness of the REDP marker, we propose a modified REDP marker where we combine a dropper, meters and a token filling rate configuration component with the REDP marker. To make packet transmission rates of TCP flows more fair, at the aggregate flow level the combined dropper drops incoming excessive in-profile packets randomly with a constant probability when the token level in the leaky bucket stays in demotion region without incoming demoted in-profile packets. Considering the case where the token level cannot stay in demotion region without the prior demotion, we propose a token filling rate configuration method using traffic meters. By using the token filling rate configuration method, the modified REDP marker newly configures a token filling rate which is less than the negotiated rate determined by interdomain SLA and larger than the current input aggregate in-profile traffic rate. Then, with the newly configured token filling rate, the token level in the modified REDP marker can stay in demotion region pertinently fir the operation of the dropper to improve TCP fairness. We experiment with the modified REDP marker using ns2 simulator fur TCP sources at the general case where the token level cannot stay in demotion region without the prior demotion at the negotiated rate set as the bottleneck link bandwidth. The simulation results demonstrate that through the combined dropper with the newly configured token filling rate, the modified REDP marker also increases both aggregate in-profile throughput and link utilization in addition to TCP fairness improvement compared to the REDP marker.

• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.189-206
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• 2015

There has been a recurring call for using visual representations in textbooks to improve the teaching and learning of proportional reasoning. However, the quantity as well as quality of visual representations used in textbooks is still very limited. In this article, we analyzed visual representations presented in a Grade 6 textbook from two perspectives of proportional reasoning, multiple-batches perspective and variable-parts perspective, and discussed the potential of the double number line and the double tape diagram to help develop the idea 'things covary while something stays the same', which is critical to reason proportionally. We also classified situations that require proportional reasoning into five categories and provided ways of using the double number line and the double tape diagram for each category.