Residents\u27 Perceptions of Casino Development in Korea: The Kangwon Land Casino Case

This study was developed to examine the underlying relationships among the socio-demographic variables of casino community residents, the perceptions of potential benefits and costs, and the support for casino development based on the social exchange theory. The results show that social and economic benefits were most significant in determining the level of support for casino development. None of the demographic variables significantly affected support level. Based on the results of this study, casino operators and policymakers should make efforts to minimize the negative social factors and maximize social and economic benefits if they want support from residents for further development of casino businesses

Trust transfer effects on values and attitudes toward China and the Shanghai Expo 2010

Despite the increasing popularity of events, the application of trust transfer concepts has yet to be investigated. Linking trust transfer, values, attitude, and behavioral intentions in a theoretical model, this study employs an on-site survey of visitors attending 2010 Shanghai World Expo to test the theory. The results suggest that positive emotional values attributed to the Expo were associated with positive emotions toward China. In addition, positive perceptions of functional values of the Expo carried over to improved perceived functional and emotional perceptions of China and positive attitudes towards the Expo

Influential Factors on Korean Casino Visitor’s Gambling Intention: An Application of the Model of Goal-directed Behavior

By examining the perception of responsible gambling strategy this study developed an extended model of goal-directed behavior (EMGB) in the casino visitor’s decision-making process. This study also aimed to compare EMGB with theory of planned behavior (TPB). The results of the EMGB using structural equation modeling (SEM) indicate that “desire” had the strongest relationship with casino visitors’ intention to play casino gambling. The perception of responsible gambling strategy was also found significant (direct) predictor of both desire and behavioral intention as casino visitors had positive image for casino that implemented responsible gambling strategies. Casino managers should consider responsible gambling strategy as one of the important long-term business activities to increase casino visitor’s intention to play casino gambling

Diagnostic Performance of Core Needle Biopsy and Fine Needle Aspiration Separately or Together in the Diagnosis of Intrathoracic Lesions Under C-arm Guidance

Purpose: To evaluate and compare the diagnostic accuracy of fine needle aspiration (FNA) and core needle biopsy (CNB) of intrathoracic lesions using the same coaxial guide-needle under a C-arm Cone-Beam computed tomography system. Materials and Methods: Two hundred and eighty-eight patients (181 male, 107 female; 65.8 ± 13.3 years) with 293 lesions underwent 300 procedures, in which both FNA and CNB were performed. After inserting the coaxial guide-needle into the target lesion, we performed 18-gauge CNB, followed by 20-gauge FNA through the same coaxial guide-needle. The comparison of the procedures in which both showed adequate sample was performed with McNemar’s test (n = 229). Results: Of 300 procedures, 293 were technically successful. Adequate samples were obtained in 248/300 FNA and 288/300 CNB cases. The sensitivity and specificity for diagnosis of malignancy were respectively 84.7% (133/157), 100% (72/72) for FNA, when atypical cells included benign entity; 97.5% (153/157), 100% (72/72) for FNA, when atypical cells included malignancy; 97.6% (162/166), 100% (102/102) for CNB; and 100% (166/166), 100% (102/102) for combined FNA and CNB. Diagnosis of malignancy was significantly higher for CNB than for FNA ('p' < 0.001); however, it was not significantly higher when atypical cells included malignancy for FNA. Pneumothorax occurred in 50 (16.7%) and hemoptysis in 18 (6.0%) procedures. Conclusions: Combined use of CNB and FNA using the same coaxial guide-needle showed better diagnostic performance than using one alone. When comparing CNB and FNA, CNB showed significantly better performance, when atypical cells included a benign entity in FNA

Evaluation of the internal stability of well-graded silty sand through the long-term seepage test

Suffusion is the phenomenon responsible for internal erosion, and is the process by which finer soil particles are moved through the constrictions between the larger soil particles by seepage forces. Generally, gap-graded soil is known to be susceptible to suffusion. Meanwhile, suffusion of well-graded silty sand and the resulting soil behavior are not well understood. Moreover, the previous researches on laboratory suffusion tests focused on the study of the critical hydraulic gradient, which triggers the internal instability of the soils within a short period of time. Therefore, in this study, long-term suffusion tests were conducted on well-graded silty sand under a hydraulic gradient lower than the critical value. As a result, abrupt increases in permeability and amount of soil discharged were observed due to the progressive migration of the soil particles, resulting in suffusion even at a relatively low hydraulic gradient

Idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis associated with Hashimoto's thyroiditis in a patient with a single functioning kidney

AbstractRetroperitoneal fibrosis (RPF) is a rare disease characterized by the presence of fibroinflammatory tissue around the abdominal aorta and ureteral entrapment in most cases. Idiopathic RPF is frequently reported in association with autoimmune diseases; however, there have been few reports of idiopathic RPF associated with Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Here, we report a case of idiopathic RPF with Hashimoto's thyroiditis in a patient with a single functioning kidney, which was successfully treated by corticosteroid therapy and transient intraureteral stent insertion with a double-J catheter

Interaction and ordering of vacancy defects in NiO

By using a first-principles method employing the local density approximation plus Hubbard parameter approach, we study point defects in NiO and interactions between them. The defect states associated with nickel or oxygen vacancies are identified within the energy gap. It is found that nickel vacancies introduce shallow levels in the density of states for the spin direction opposite to that of the removed Ni atom, while the oxygen vacancy creates more localized in-gap states. The interaction profiles between vacancies indicate that specific defect arrangements are strongly favored for both nickel and oxygen vacancies. In the case of nickel vacancies, defect ordering in a simple-cubic style is found to be most stable, leading to a half-metallic behavior. The ionized oxygen vacancies also show a tendency toward clustering, more strongly than neutral pairs. The microscopic origin of vacancy clustering is understood based on overlap integrals between defect states. &#169; 2008 The American Physical Society.open343

MR Imaging of Medullary Streaks in Osteosclerosis: A Case Report

We present a case of medullary sclerosis of the appendicular skeleton in a patient with chronic renal insufficiency for whom MR imaging findings were characteristic. T1- and T2-weighted MR images showed multiple vertical lines (medullary streaks) of low signal intensity in the metaphyses and diaphyses of the distal femur and proximal tibia