Exploring the Dimensions of Knowledge Flow: A Preliminary Process Model

This paper critically explores ways in which knowledge is defined from a hierarchical point of view and a sociological point of view. From the sociological point of view, it suggests a new categorization of knowledge relating to knowledge flow. Then it shows how the knowledge flow approach, with this new categorization, can be a complement to existing business strategies. On the basis of previous research, barriers to effectiveness in knowledge flow are identified. A conceptual model is devised, taking account of identified barriers, to serve as a framework for developing agendas of future research aimed at the development of knowledge flow support tools

Effects of the Web 2.0 and Social Network Services Environment on Information Quality and Intentions to Re-Use

Recent penetration of Web 2.0 and social network services (SNS) seems to make information quality (IQ) in those services more important. The main objective of this research is to grasp the impact from system quality to dimensions of information quality and to analyze relationships among those qualities and intention to re-use in Web 2.0 services including SNS. Based on socio-technical approach, information quality research, the updated IS success model and the IS diffusion variance model, the structural equation model is constructed and empirically tested. The result shows that system quality positively affects both intrinsic IQ and contextual and representational IQ, and that the latter exerts more impact on intention to re-use than the former. System quality also positively affects intention to re-use. Researches for the impact from system quality to information quality are scarce, thus our research contributes to this topic. We also found that the role of technical compatibility and user interaction environment on system quality is important and there is little lock-in effect for Web 2.0 services. The result of this research suggests a strategy for practitioners of these services to keep their competitive edge and retain users

How Team-Level and Individual-Level Conflict Influences Team Commitment: A Multilevel Investigation

We investigate how two different types of conflict (task conflict and relationship conflict) at two different levels (individual-level and team-level) influence individual team commitment. The analysis was conducted using data we collected from 193 employees in 31 branch offices of a Korean commercial bank. The relationships at multiple levels were tested using hierarchical linear modeling (HLM). The results showed that individual-level relationship conflict was negatively related to team commitment while individual-level task conflict was not. In addition, both team-level task and relationship conflict were negatively associated with team commitment. Finally, only team-level relationship conflict significantly moderated the relationship between individual-level relationship conflict and team commitment. We further derive theoretical implications of these findings

Optimal Frequency Intensity of Physical Activity to Reduce the Risk of Hypertension in the Korean Population

PURPOSE: Regular physical activity (PA) is an effective lifestyle modification for preventing hypertension. This study aimed to analyze the optimal frequency of PA required to reduce the incidence of hypertension in the Korean population. Most Korean studies have included only small samples and limited age ranges. METHODS: The present study analyzed 16,299,865 participants aged ≥20 years (44.25±12.74 years) from the 2009 to 2012 Korean National Health Insurance Corporation Survey database. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire was used to assess the frequency and intensity of physical activity. Hazard ratios for incident hypertension were analyzed by physical activity participation, age, and sex using multivariable Cox proportional hazard models, with a non-regular physical activity group as reference. RESULTS: A total of 1,322,674 cases of incident hypertension were identified during the mean follow-up period of over 3 years. Hazard ratios for incident hypertension increased with age, with values of 50.4 and 56.1 for men and women in the older age group, respectively. Hazard ratios for incident hypertension were significantly lower in the regular PA group of middle-aged (4%) and older (7%) adults than in the non-regular PA group. The study revealed that moderate-to-vigorous-intensity PA 3-5 times/week was most effective in reducing the risk of incident hypertension in middle-aged and older adults but not in young adults. We observed no additional lowering of incident hypertension risk in the group undergoing moderate-to-vigorous PA at a frequency of 6-7 days/week compared to the 35 days/week group. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest PA at a frequency of 3-5 times/week for the prevention of incident hypertension in Korean adults

High-Performance Triboelectric Devices via Dielectric Polarization: A Review

Energy harvesting devices based on the triboelectric effect have attracted great attention because of their higher output performance compared to other nanogenerators, which have been utilized in various wearable applications. Based on the working mechanism, the triboelectric performance is mainly proportional to the surface charge density of the triboelectric materials. Various approaches, such as modification of the surface functional group and dielectric composition of the triboelectric materials, have been employed to enhance the surface charge density, leading to improvements in triboelectric performances. Notably, tuning the dielectric properties of triboelectric materials can significantly increase the surface charge density because the surface charge is proportional to the relative permittivity of the triboelectric material. The relative dielectric constant is modified by dielectric polarization, such as electronic, vibrational (or atomic), orientation (or dipolar), ionic, and interfacial polarization. Therefore, such polarization represents a critical factor toward improving the dielectric constant and consequent triboelectric performance. In this review, we summarize the recent insights on the improvement of triboelectric performance via enhanced dielectric polarization

Colorectal Cancer associated with pediatric inflammatory bowel disease: a case series

Background Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is associated with an increased risk of Colorectal cancer (CRC), and its most important risk factors are the duration and extent of the disease. Pediatric-onset inflammatory bowel disease has a tendency for a more extensive, more severe, and longer predicted disease duration than adult-onset inflammatory bowel disease. This study aimed to identify the clinical characteristics of patients with CRC related to pediatric-onset IBD and consider the appropriateness of current surveillance endoscopy recommendations for the detection of premalignant lesions and early-stage CRC. Methods We searched a research platform based on the SUPREME electronic medical record data-mining system to identify cases of colorectal malignancy in patients with pediatric IBD that presented between 2000 and 2020. Results During the follow-up, 4 (1.29 per 1000 person years) out of 443 patients with PIBD was diagnosed with CRC. The median age at diagnosis of CRC was 18.5 (range: 15–24) years, and the median period from diagnosis of IBD to CRC was 9.42 (range: 0.44–11.96) years. The sigmoid colon was the most frequent location of CRC (in 3 of the 4 cases). Adenocarcinoma was the most common histological type (in 2 of the 4 cases). Conclusions Patients with pediatric-onset IBD exhibited a much shorter disease duration than that of adult-onset IBD at the time of diagnosis of CRC, suggesting that surveillance endoscopy for the detection of precancerous lesions and early-stage cancer should be initiated earlier in pediatric patients than in adult patients

Elevated IFNA1 and suppressed IL12p40 associated with persistent hyperinflammation in COVID-19 pneumonia

IntroductionDespite of massive endeavors to characterize inflammation in COVID-19 patients, the core network of inflammatory mediators responsible for severe pneumonia stillremain remains elusive. MethodsHere, we performed quantitative and kinetic analysis of 191 inflammatory factors in 955 plasma samples from 80 normal controls (sample n = 80) and 347 confirmed COVID-19 pneumonia patients (sample n = 875), including 8 deceased patients. ResultsDifferential expression analysis showed that 76% of plasmaproteins (145 factors) were upregulated in severe COVID-19 patients comparedwith moderate patients, confirming overt inflammatory responses in severe COVID-19 pneumonia patients. Global correlation analysis of the plasma factorsrevealed two core inflammatory modules, core I and II, comprising mainly myeloid cell and lymphoid cell compartments, respectively, with enhanced impact in a severity-dependent manner. We observed elevated IFNA1 and suppressed IL12p40, presenting a robust inverse correlation in severe patients, which was strongly associated with persistent hyperinflammation in 8.3% of moderate pneumonia patients and 59.4% of severe patients. DiscussionAberrant persistence of pulmonary and systemic inflammation might be associated with long COVID-19 sequelae. Our comprehensive analysis of inflammatory mediators in plasmarevealed the complexity of pneumonic inflammation in COVID-19 patients anddefined critical modules responsible for severe pneumonic progression