• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.395-402
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• 2018

Floor location of adjacent buildings may be different in terms of height elevation, and thus, the slab may hit on the columns of adjacent insufficiently separated buildings during severe ground motions. Such impacts, often referred to as mid-column pounding, can be catastrophic. Substantial pounding damage or even total collapse of structures was often observed in large amount of adjacent low rise buildings. The research on the mid-column pounding between low rise buildings is in urgency need. In present study, the responses of two adjacent low rise buildings with unequal heights and different dynamic properties have been analyzed. Parametric studies have also been conducted to assess the influence of story height difference, gap distance and input direction of ground motion on the effect of structural pounding response. Another emphasis of this study is to analyze the near-fault effect, which is important for the structures located in the near-fault area. The analysis results show that collisions exhibit significant influence on the local shear force response of the column suffering impact. Because of asymmetric configuration of systems, the structural seismic behavior is distinct by varying the incident directions of the ground motions. Results also show that near-fault earthquakes induced ground motions can cause more significant effect on the pounding responses.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.545-558
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• 2020

A design method of a Multiple Tuned Mass Damper (MTMD) system is presented for wind induced vibration control of a cable-supported roof structure. Modal contribution analysis is carried out to determine the dominating modes of the structure for the MTMD design. Two MTMD systems are developed for two most dominating modes. Each MTMD system is composed of multiple TMDs with small masses spread at multiple locations with large responses in the corresponding mode. Frequencies of TMDs are distributed uniformly within a range around the dominating frequencies of the roof structure to enhance the robustness of the MTMD system against uncertainties of structural frequencies. Parameter optimizations are carried out by minimizing objective functions regarding the structural responses, TMD strokes, robustness and mass cost. Two optimization approaches are used: Single Objective Approach (SOA) using Sequential Quadratic Programming (SQP) with multi-start method and Multi-Objective Approach (MOA) using Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm-II (NSGA-II). The computation efficiency of the MOA is found to be superior to the SOA with consistent optimization results. A Pareto optimal front is obtained regarding the control performance and the total weight of the TMDs, from which several specific design options are proposed. The final design may be selected based on the Pareto optimal front and other engineering factors.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.793-796
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• 2014

Background: This study aimed to examine possible effects of implementing a national query program on site-specific cancer mortality rates. Materials and Methods: A total of 2,874 query letters were sent out by the Department of Statistics, Ministry of Health and Welfare of Taiwan between January 2009 and December 2011 to medical certifiers who reported "neoplasm with uncertain nature" on the death certificate asking for more detailed information for coding. Results: Of the 2,571 responses, in 1,398 cases (54%) medical certifiers were still unable to determine the nature of the neoplasm. There were four neoplasm sites for which more than 50% of the responses changed the category to malignant, the gastrointestinal system (73%), urinary system (60%), stomach (55%) and rectum (53%). The liver was the cancer site that showed the largest absolute increase in the number of deaths after the query; however, the brain showed the largest relative increase, at 12%. Conclusions: Different neoplasm sites showed different magnitudes of change in nature after the query. Brain cancer mortality rates exhibited the largest increase.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.15 no.9
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• pp.63-74
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• 2017

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to contribute to the literature on casino services by investigating critical service failures using the critical incident technique (CIT) and provide effective recovery strategies that can be adopted in practice. Research design, data, and methodology - The data were collected from Asian casinos' HNI customers in China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea. This is the first study that has investigated VIP casino customers in leading Asian countries. The research used the critical incident technique (CIT) collect and a total of 227 incidents were analyzed. Results - The results show that three main categories and eleven subcategories are deduced. The first group concerns casino service system failures. The second group relates to service providers' responses to VIP customer complaints. The last group covers employees' attitudes and behavior toward customers. Conclusions - First, the most serious service problem in casinos was the service providers' attitudes rather than the service system failures. Second, Tangible recovery strategies such as "all pay" and "additional comps" were proven to enhance a casino's image and lower customers' intentions to switch. Customers, however, preferred intangible recovery strategies such as considerate responses, reliable problem management, sincere apologies, and accurate explanations.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing Administration
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.315-327
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• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the patient safety culture in Korean nursing homes using the Nursing Home Survey Patient Safety Culture (NHS-PC), a valid tool, provided by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and to compare the results with AHRQ data. Methods: Administrators and staff (N=151) of six nursing homes in Seoul, Busan, Kyeonggi Province and Gyeongsangnam Province completed the survey in July, 2010. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, positive response rate, t-test, ANOVA, DUNCAN, Cronbach's ${\alpha}$. Results: The total mean (SD) positive response rate for patient safety culture was not significantly different from the AHRQ data. For composite levels, the results of 'handoffs' were significantly higher, and the results of 'feedback and communication about incidents' and 'nonpunitive responses to mistakes' were significantly lower than the AHRQ data. Conclusion: More effective strategies related to nonpunitive responses to mistakes and management activities for patient safety are needed to improve patient safety culture in nursing homes.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.13 no.10
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• pp.57-63
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• 2015

Purpose - This study investigates the effects consumer perceptions of wine attributes have on repurchase intention. It examineshow wine purchase channels (online or offline) influence perceptions about wine attributes and repurchase intention. Research design, data, and methodology - A total of 390 responses from Florida residents over 21 were collected using online surveys. Responses were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis to identify the underlying wine attribute factors. Multiple regression and multi-group analysis were employed to test the hypotheses. Results - Results revealed that consumer perceptions of wine attributes (sensory, origin, reputation, and price point) significantly influence their repurchase intention. Additionally, the effects of wine attributes on repurchase intentions were found to be significantly different based on the channel used. Findings indicated that wine attributes pertaining to reputation and price point strongly influenced repurchase behavior of online consumers, while offline wine consumers were influenced more by sensory and origin attributes. Conclusions - Study findings provide useful information for wine industry sales channels for developing new marketing strategies to effectively attract wine consumers to repurchase wine.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.71-76
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• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine changes in autonomic nerve responses after low-frequency transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). Methods: Research subjects were 24 students who attend University. Subjects were divided into two groups: 1 = a low intensity group; 2 = a high intensity group. Electrodes were attached to the forearm of the dominant arm and electrical stimuli were administered for 15 minutes. Outcome measures were skin conduction velocity, skin temperature, blood flow, and pulse frequency, each of which was measured a total of 4 times. The data were analyzed using a repeated measures ANOVA. Results: In changes in conduction velocity, the main effect of time variation (in black) was statistically significant. The interaction between time and group main effects was not statistically significant; nor was the difference between the groups. Results showed that skin conduction velocity changed without any relation to group. Conclusions: Low frequency TENS selectively increases skin conduction velocity, which may be helpful for activating sudomotor function regardless of intensity.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.110-115
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• 2004

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of light intensities on the growth responses, carbohydrate contents and the characteristics of leaf gas exchange in Miscanthus sinensis and Pennisetum purpurascens. The plant height and leaf length were increased to about 30% in the sun. However, those were reduced severely in the shade, and leaf necrosis was also observed. The representative growth index and the dry weight of 2 species were 50% higher than shade and the rate was reduced according to the decrease of light intensities. Total carbohydrate contents showed very similar changes to that of dry weight. However, any notable influences were observed at above the light intensities of 250~500${\mu}mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$ in the half shade. The size of spikes and the earliest spiking appeared in the sun and the spike color was decolorized as decreased in light intensities, irrespective of species. Photosynthetic rate of 2 species was 2 times higher in the sun than those in the shade, and it showed the typical photoresponses of sun plant. Stomatal conductances and intercelluar $CO_2$ concetration showed similar changes to that of photosynthetic rate. On the contrary, vapor pressure deficit was increased more in the shade than in the sun.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.29-41
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• 2014

As the online shopping mall market faces severe competition, marketers have focused on visual factors that generate positive consumer responses in order to induce more consumers. Although product photos are crucial in the communication of product information as well as in the development of positive images of online shopping mall, there was little intention the effect of diverse types of product photo. In this study, three types of backgrounds (i.e., no background, indoor background, street background) are compared in order to explore whether consumer sensibility factors are different according to photo backgrounds. Moreover, it investigates the effect of sensibility toward photo backgrounds on consumer attitude. A total of 222 consumers participated in the experiments. As a result, six sensibility factors were generated from online model photos, including structure, upscale, uniqueness, interest, simpleness, and easiness factors. Among these factors, simpleness and structure showed the highest means; simpleness was the factor indicating the differences according to photo backgrounds. Sensibility factors affecting attitude toward online shopping malls were uniqueness in the case of no background, interest in the case of indoor background, and upscale in the case of street background photo.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.571-581
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• 2019

Objectives: This study was conducted to measure the knowledge, attitude, and practices on occupational health and the analysis factors influencing them among researchers working at corporate research centers. Methods: A total of 298 researchers working at corporate research centers participated in the study. After eliminating 12 insufficient responses, the responses of 286 participants were used for the final estimate. The questionnaire consisted of questions about general and occupational characteristics as well as knowledge, attitude, and practices on occupational health. Results: Factors influencing occupational health practices were type of business, job position, and attitude toward occupational health. Attitude toward occupational health was found to have the greatest influence. Conclusions: It is necessary to develop educational contents appropriate for each type of industry, implement educational programs for researchers working at corporate research centers, and take actions to prevent health problems among researchers through various health-care activities such as experience-based activities and discussions.