• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.71-76
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• 2012

Biofouling by marine organisms such as algae and barnacles causes lots of significant problems in marine systems such as a rise of the maintenance-repair cost for the ship and the marine structures. In this work, a fluoropolymer, perfluoropolyether (PFPE), was applied as an anti-biofouling coating material that prevents the adhesion of marine organisms and facilitates the removal of them. Water contact angles of various surfaces were tested to examine the hydrophobicity of the PFPE-modified surface. The PFPE-modified surface showed the water contact angle of $64.5^{\circ}$ which is a remarkable rise from $46.7^{\circ}$ of amine-treated surface. When the substrate was treated with PFPE, the adhesion on the of the barnacle and other marine organisms were repressed around 15% by the enhanced hydrophobicity. In addition, the removal the of the adhered marine organisms were better comparing to that of the surface prepared by PDMS. Surfaces of the substrate treated by PFPE were characterized through physical and chemical methods to analyze the biofouling results. Degree of biomolecular adhesion to the substrate was quantified by the measurement the fluorescence intensity of marine organisms dyed with green fluorescence. PFPE is expected to be applicable not only to anti-biofouling systems but also to medical devices where the prevention of protein adhesion is required.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.8 no.7
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• pp.93-99
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• 2017

Necessity of adjustment in level of difficulty of national examination for radiological technologists is being brought up. However, objective reasons are required to make those arguments more valid. Therefore in this research, result of national examination for radiological technologists under present system was analyzed in more convergence perspective via statistical analysis. This will provide basic data which is applicable when system of national examination for radiological technologists undergo improvements. For this, statistical analysis such as descriptive statistics and correlation analysis was conducted using SPSS program. Results are as follow. First, ratio of successful applicants for radiological technologists was highly fluctuant relative to other national examinations like doctor, nurse, physical therapist, etc. Second, level of difficulty and discernment of national examination for radiological technologists were differentiated from other examinations like doctor, nurse, physical therapist. Third, the 43th examination for radiological technologists conducted in 2015 had the highest discernment as 0.41, despite of lowest level of difficulty as 89.2, for radiologic applications. The results of this research is expected to be used as basic data when system of national examination for radiological technologists undergo improvements, in accordance with increased supplying plan of work-forces in medical radiological technologists.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.33-49
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• 2017

Background: Health care utilizations and costs of the patients with degenerative lumbar spine disease in Korea increased dramatically. We analyzed whether hospital market competition is associated with charges and length of stay for patients with degenerative lumbar spine disease. Methods: We used Medical claims data of 2002 and 2010 from the nationwide representative sample of National Health Insurance Service of Korea. The study subjects were inpatients with degenerative lumbar spine disease (N=24,768) in 2002 and 2010. We employed a multilevel linear mixed model that included patient- and hospital-level variables in hierarchical data. Results: Higher hospital competition was associated with lower charges (${\beta}=57.5$, p<.0001 in 2002; ${\beta}=353.7$, p<.0001 in 2010) and shorter length of stay (${\beta}=0.3$, p<.0001 in 2002; ${\beta}=0.9$, p<.0001 in 2010) in both 2002 and 2010. Compared to 2002, the magnitude of such association became greater in 2010. However, subgroup analyses show that the influence of competition on charges and length of stay differed by hospital size. Conclusions: This study showed that hospital market structure (e.g., hospital competition) affects hospital efficiency (i.e., hospital charges and length of stay). It is necessary to continue to monitor how changing market structure influences hospital outcomes, including more detailed outcomes such as patient satisfaction.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.535-543
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• 2019

This study was conducted to identify the factors related to the patient demographics and smoking factors on smoking cessation success and maintenance of subjects at the 6th and 12th week at a public hospital. This study utilized secondary data collected through the smoking cessation program of the 2014 public health care program, which is mediated for 6 weeks and checked for maintenance on the 12th week. The data were analyzed by the chi-square test, t-test and logistic regression analysis. There were 90 subjects in total, 85 men (94.45%) and 5 women (5.55%). The smoking success group and smoking failure group showed significant differences in family type (${\chi}^2=4.496$, p=0.037), education (${\chi}^2=12.253$, p=0.002), smoking amount per day before program (t=-2.906, p=0.005), and nicotine dependence before program (t=-3.081, p=0.003) after 6 weeks. Factors influencing smoking cessation success were religion (OR=3.719, 95% CI=1.076-12.859) and nicotine dependence before program (OR=0.713, 95% CI=0.520-0.976). Factors influencing smoking cessation maintenance were family type (OR=0.017, 95% CI=0.001-0.507) and no-smoking willingness (OR=2.062, 95% CI=1.059-4.015). For smoking cessation to be successful and sustainable, it is necessary to develop programs specific for the characteristics of the subjects; accordingly, continuous research and support are needed.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.34-39
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• 2021

This study investigated the anti-cancer effects of Salicornia herbacea L. fractions in human ovarian cancer cells (OVCAR-3). S. herbacea powder was extracted with 95% EtOH and sequentially fractionated with hexane, dichloromethane (DCM), ethyl acetate, butanol, and H2O. Further, the growth inhibitory effects of the six fractions were determined using the MTS assay. The DCM fraction dramatically decreased cell viability. Similarly, the cell cycle was arrested at the subG1 phase in DCM-treated cells. To confirm apoptosis, the cells were stained with annexin V/FITC-PI solution. Total, early, and late apoptotic cells were significantly increased in the DCM fraction. The mRNA expression of Bcl-2 was reduced, whereas the pro-apoptotic factors Bax and Bak were increased in DCM fraction-treated cells. These results indicated that the DCM fraction in S. herbacea exhibited strong apoptotic effects through the p53-dependent signaling pathway.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.1176-1190
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• 2023

The purpose of this study was to clarify the attributes of the concept of clinical performance skills in simulation-based practical training and to organize them in order to establish theoretical foundations for clinical competence. The research method employed was the concept analysis process of Walker and Avant (2011). Papers related to clinical competence published between January 2000 and April 2023 were selected by searching various databases such as PubMed, CINAHL, Ovid-Medline, DBpia, KISS, and others. The attributes of clinical competence were found to be (1) the clinical competence of knowledge, judgment, and skills, (2) Adaptability to Changing Healthcare Environment (3) the ability to perform nursing roles appropriately in response to the demands of nursing subjects. This study is significant as a concept analysis study that recognizes the importance of nursing from a nursing perspective in a situation where research on clinical competence is active in simulation-based training. Based on the results of this study, it is necessary to develop training programs and tools including the attributes of clinical competence in simulation nursing education and to measure the effectiveness of the programs using them. nursing perspective in a situation where research on clinical competence is active. Based on the results of this study, it is necessary to develop training programs and tools including the attributes of clinical competence in simulation nursing education and to measure the effectiveness of the programs using them.

• Journal of the Economic Geographical Society of Korea
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.91-105
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• 2005

The assessment (or the evaluation) of spatial disparity is the main concern for the study of spatial disparities or spatial inequalities. In order to evaluate the spatial disparity, the regional differences have to be counted quantitatively. Several measurements have been introduced for evaluating the development potentials of each region. Most of them are the composite indices of the socio-economic variables rather than the real potentials of the region. This study attempts to investigate the spatial disparity in Korea. For the purpose, the levels of opportunity potentials of the cities have been calculated by the Potential Model redefined by Lee(1995). The opportunity potentials have been calculated for the educational, cultural, medical service, environmental sectors, income, and consumption sectors, and the spatial patterns of various opportunity potentials have been analyzed. The spatial patterns of opportunity potentials show the severe concentration on the Metropolitan Seoul area through all sectors. The next level concentration appears at the other end of the Keuyng-Bu axis. And the cities relatively high opportunity potential values are distributed along the Keuyng-Bu axis. Remain parts of the country show quietly low opportunity potential values. In particular, the southern-west and the northern-east parts show relatively very low values. This pattern appears for all sectors except for the opportunity potential of the environmental sector. It means that the spatial disparity in Korea have been promoted and enhanced by the national development policies concentrated the investment on the large cities along the Keuyng-Bu axis during the last 40 years.

• Land and Housing Review
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.1-16
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• 2023

As population ageing and shrinking accompanied by dramatically expanded individual life expectancy and declining fertility rate is a global phenomenon, ageing becomes its broader perspective of ageing well embedded into sustained health and well-being, and also the fourth industrial revolution speeds up a more robust and inclusive view of smart ageing. While the latest paradigm of SA has gained considerable attention in the midst of sharply surging demand for health and social services and rapidly declining labor force, the definition has been widely and constantly discussed. This research is to constitute a conceptual framework of smart ageing (SA) from systematic literature review and the use of a series of secondary data and Geographical Information Systems(GIS), and to explore its components. The findings indicate that SA is considered to be an innovative approach to ensuring quality of life and protecting dignity, and identifies its constituents. Indeed, the construct of SA elaborates the multidimensional nature of independent living, encompassing three spheres - Aging in Place (AP), Well Aging (WA), and Active Ageing (AA). AP aims at maintaining independence and autonomy, entails safety, comfort, familiarity and emotional attachment, and it values social supports and services. WA assures physical, psycho-social and economic domains of well-being, and it concerns subjective happiness. AA focuses on both social engagement and economic participation. Moreover, the three constructs of SA are underpinned by specific elements (right to housing, income adequacy, health security, social care, and civic engagement) which are interrelated and interconnected.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.1897-1904
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• 2010

The administration data of the national health insurance and health insurance bills were utilized in this study. The data of 432,915 patients who were at the age of 30 and up and used the out-patient departments of every medical institution located in some regions involving two southern and northern provinces once or more during a 184-day period from July to December. As a result of analyzing their prescription compliance and factors affecting it, the following findings were given: The average rate of the prescription compliance of the patients stood at 61.5 percent. It denoted that they were prescribed to take medicine for approximately 113 days during the six-month(184 days) period of time, and the rate of the patients who complied with the prescriptions just stood at 13.0 percent. They used out-patient department for 4.3 days on the average due to hypertension and they visited 1.1 medical institutions on the average. 94.9 percent just used a medical institution. The largest group (11.6%) suffered from diabetes as co-morbidity, and 23.3 percent of the hypertensives had co-morbidity. Concerning the relationship between their characteristics and prescription compliance, those who were male, who were beneficiaries of the national health insurance, who mainly used general hospitals and who suffered from co-morbidity complied better with the prescription they got. Their prescription compliance got better at the age of 65 to 74 and got worse afterwards. As for factors affecting their prescription compliance, the patients who were male, who were aged between 55 and 64 and who were beneficiaries of the national health insurance, who mainly used specialized general hospitals, general hospitals and public health centers and who had heart diseases and diabetes as co-morbidity complied better with the prescriptions. The above-mentioned findings of the study suggested that it's needed to make a factor analysis of the poor prescription compliance of patients from diverse angles, and that existing hypertension care plans should carefully be reviewed to improve the prescription compliance of patients and to find a feasible alternative. As hypertensives are easily likely to develop co-morbidity like diabetes, systematic health education should be provided for them to get into the right life habits such as taking low-salt meals or quitting smoking. In addition, the development of health care programs is required.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.12-22
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• 2021

Backgrounds: Proper distribution and supply of physicians are factors that affect national health care systems. This study investigated the payment distribution levels and the determinants that influence the salary levels of hospital hired physicians. Methods: We analyzed 4,014 job advertisements posted on an internet invitation information site about physician recruitment from May 2016 to May 2019. We used univariate analysis to determine the relationship between average monthly salary and the other related variables. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine the predictors of physician salary level. Results: The average monthly salary for the service physician was 15.4 million won, highest for orthopedic surgeons with 22.24 million won, and lowest for diagnostic laboratory physician with 11.4 million won. The factors significantly associated with average monthly salary were; non-major specialty, housing provision, no severance pay, and incentives(p<0.05). Non-major specialty, incentives, and the regions were predictors of the average standardized monthly salary(p<0.05). Conclusion: Factors associated with average monthly salary as revealed by this study were; medical specialty, hospital regional location, housing provision, payment of retirement allowance, and payment of other incentives respectively. However, this study was a cross-sectional study, and further studies will be required.