Sungkyunkwan University

About: Sungkyunkwan University is a education organization based out in Seoul, South Korea. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Thin film & Graphene. The organization has 28229 authors who have published 56428 publications receiving 1352733 citations. The organization is also known as: 성균관대학교.

Multidrug Resistant Pulmonary Tuberculosis Treatment Regimens and Patient Outcomes: An Individual Patient Data Meta-analysis of 9,153 Patients

Abstract: Background Treatment of multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is lengthy, toxic, expensive, and has generally poor outcomes. We undertook an individual patient data meta-analysis to assess the impact on outcomes of the type, number, and duration of drugs used to treat MDR-TB. Methods and Findings Three recent systematic reviews were used to identify studies reporting treatment outcomes of microbiologically confirmed MDR-TB. Study authors were contacted to solicit individual patient data including clinical characteristics, treatment given, and outcomes. Random effects multivariable logistic meta-regression was used to estimate adjusted odds of treatment success. Adequate treatment and outcome data were provided for 9,153 patients with MDR-TB from 32 observational studies. Treatment success, compared to failure/relapse, was associated with use of: later generation quinolones, (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 2.5 [95% CI 1.1–6.0]), ofloxacin (aOR: 2.5 [1.6–3.9]), ethionamide or prothionamide (aOR: 1.7 [1.3–2.3]), use of four or more likely effective drugs in the initial intensive phase (aOR: 2.3 [1.3–3.9]), and three or more likely effective drugs in the continuation phase (aOR: 2.7 [1.7–4.1]). Similar results were seen for the association of treatment success compared to failure/relapse or death: later generation quinolones, (aOR: 2.7 [1.7–4.3]), ofloxacin (aOR: 2.3 [1.3–3.8]), ethionamide or prothionamide (aOR: 1.7 [1.4–2.1]), use of four or more likely effective drugs in the initial intensive phase (aOR: 2.7 [1.9–3.9]), and three or more likely effective drugs in the continuation phase (aOR: 4.5 [3.4–6.0]). Conclusions In this individual patient data meta-analysis of observational data, improved MDR-TB treatment success and survival were associated with use of certain fluoroquinolones, ethionamide, or prothionamide, and greater total number of effective drugs. However, randomized trials are urgently needed to optimize MDR-TB treatment. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary.

Efficient Inorganic Organic Hybrid Perovskite Solar Cells Based on Pyrene Arylamine Derivatives as Hole-Transporting Materials

Abstract: A set of three N,N-di-p-methoxyphenylamine-substituted pyrene derivatives have successfully been synthesized and characterized by 1H/13C NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and elemental analysis. The optical and electronic structures of the pyrene derivatives were adjusted by controlling the ratio of N,N-di-p-methoxyphenylamine to pyrene, and investigated by UV/vis spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. The pyrene derivatives were employed as hole-transporting materials (HTMs) in fabricating mesoporous TiO2/CH3NH3PbI3/HTMs/Au solar cells. The pyrene-based derivative Py-C exhibited a short-circuit current density of 20.2 mA/cm2, an open-circuit voltage (Voc) of 0.886 V, and a fill factor of 69.4% under an illumination of 1 sun (100 mW/cm2), resulting in an overall power conversion efficiency of 12.4%. The performance is comparable to that of the well-studied spiro-OMeTAD, even though the Voc is slightly lower. Thus, this newly synthesized pyrene derivative holds promise as a HTM for highly efficient perovs...

The effect of brand personality and brand identification on brand loyalty: Applying the theory of social identification

Abstract: This study investigated the effect of brand personality on brand asset management by using the concept of consumers' identification with a brand. The focus was on one important type of high-technology product, the cellular phone. The authors develop a conceptual framework to explain the effect of brand identification on brand loyalty. The important variables of this framework include the attractiveness of the brand personality, the distinctiveness of the brand personality, the self-expressive value of the brand personality, positive word-of-mouth reports of the brand, and brand loyalty. The empirical results indicated that there are positive relationships between attractiveness, distinctiveness, and self-expressive value of brand personality. These relationships had a statistically significant effect on consumers' identification with a brand. Furthermore, brand identification had a direct effect on word-of-mouth reports and an indirect effect on brand loyalty. The theoretical and managerial implications of the empirical results are presented, and suggestions are made regarding both the limitations of the present study and future directions for research.

Encouraging participation in virtual communities

Abstract: Leaders of robust, sustainable virtual communities find ways tostrengthen their members' sense of social identity and motivate their participation in the community's activities.