• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권6호
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• pp.2317-2322
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• 2015

Background: Despite the increasing number of screening examinations performed for cervical cancer utilizing the Papanicolaou smear test (Pap test), few studies have examined whether this strategy is cost-effective in Korea. Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of cervical cancer screening strategies incorporating the Pap test based on age at the start and end of screening as well as screening interval. Materials and Methods: We designed four alternative screening strategies based on patient age when screening was started (20 or 30 years) and discontinued (lifetime, 79 years). Each strategy was assessed at screening intervals of 1, 2, 3, or 5 years. A Markov model was developed to determine the cost-effectiveness of the 16 possible cervical cancer screening strategies, and this was evaluated from a societal perspective. The main outcome measures were average lifetime cost, incremental quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). Results: Compared with various strategies comprising younger starting age, discontinuation age, and longer screening intervals, strategies employing annual screening for cervical cancer starting at a target age of 30 years and above were the most cost-effective, with an ICER of 21,012.98 dollars per QALY gained (with a Korean threshold of 30,000,000 KRW or US$27,272). Conclusions: We found that annual screening for cervical cancer beginning at a target age of 30 years and above is most cost-effective screening strategy. Considering the potential economic advantages, more intense screening policies for cervical cancer might be favorable among countries with high rates of cervical cancer and relatively low screening costs.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권18호
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• pp.8265-8270
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• 2016

Purpose: A cost-utility analysis was performed to assess the cost-utility of neoadjuvant chemotherapy regimens containing doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide (AC) versus paclitaxel and gemcitabine (PG) for locally advanced breast cancer patients in Iran. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study in Namazi hospital in Shiraz, in the south of Iran covered 64 breast cancer patients. According to the random numbers, the patients were divided into two groups, 32 receiving AC and 32 PG. Costs were identified and measured from a community perspective. These items included medical and non-medical direct and indirect costs. In this study, a data collection form was used. To assess the utility of the two regimens, the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) was applied. Using a decision tree, we calculated the expected costs and quality adjusted life years (QALYs) for both methods; also, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was assessed. Results: The results of the decision tree showed that in the AC arm, the expected cost was 39,170 US$ and the expected QALY was 3.39 and in the PG arm, the expected cost was 43,336 dollars and the expected QALY was 2.64. Sensitivity analysis showed the cost effectiveness of the AC and ICER=-5535 US$. Conclusions: Overall, the results showed that AC to be superior to PG in treatment of patients with breast cancer, being less costly and more effective.

• 보건행정학회지
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• 제2권2호
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• pp.131-151
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• 1992

The contents of prescription service were comparatively analysed between health centers(HC) and private clinics(PC). Medical chart review was done for 330 otu-patients diagnosed with upper respiratory tract infection(UR) of 120 adults and 90 children, and gastritis or duodenitis of 120 adults. Emphasis on comparison was the prime cost of medication which used in prescription service. The results were as follows; 1. The prime costs fro the medication per visit of HC group were significantly higher than PC group in all three diseases, and the out of pocket payments of patients per visit were significantly lower in the HC group than PC group. 2. The reason for high prime costs of medication per visit of HC in adult case of URI were due to the idverse use of medication and long prescription period per visit. And high medication costs in children cases of URI in HC group were due to the longer prescription day. In cases of gastritis, the prime cost of medication was also higher because of longer prescription period and the higher prime cost of medication. The proportions of medications for injection in the HC and PC groups showed similar features. 3. In depth analysis of the prescription services showed the differences of the contents of medication. In adults cases of URI, the averaged cost of oral medication was significantly lower in HC group, but that of medication for injection was higher in HC group. In children cases of URI, the averaged cost of oral medication and medication for injection was lower in HC group than in PC group. But in the cases of gastritis it was was higher in HC group than in PC group. The prescription periods were longer in HC group than in PC group in all three diseases. As a conclusion prime medication cost and quality of prescription services of HC group were higher than PC group. In terms of health care the cost containment and quality assurance in physician visit for common disease, public sector utilization is good option for those perspectives. But it should not be generalized unless future study about structure and outcome research for quality assurance.

• 청정기술
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• 제29권1호
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• pp.53-58
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• 2023

This study shows the summary of the economic performance of excess electricity conversion to hydrogen as well as methane and returned conversion to electricity using a fuel cell. The methane production process has been examined in a previous study. Here, this study focuses on the conversion of methane to electricity. As a part of this study, capital expenditure (CAPEX) is estimated under various sized plants (0.3, 3, 9, and 30 MW). The study shows a method for economic optimization of electricity generation using a fuel cell. The CAPEX and operating expenditure (OPEX) as well as the feed cost are used to calculate the discounted cash flow. Then the levelized cost of returned electricity (LCORE) is estimated from the discounted cash flow. This study found the LCORE value was ¢10.2/kWh electricity when a 9 MW electricity generating fuel cell was used. A methane production plant size of 1,500 Nm³/hr, a methane production cost of $11.47/mcf, a storage cost of $1/mcf, and a fuel cell efficiency of 54% were used as a baseline. A sensitivity analysis was performed by varying the storage cost, fuel cell efficiency, and excess electricity cost by ±20%, and fuel cell efficiency was found as the most dominating parameter in terms of the LCORE sensitivity. Therefore, for the best cost-performance, fuel cell manufacturing and efficiency need to be carefully evaluated. This study provides a general guideline for cost performance comparison with LCORE.

• 한국생산제조학회지
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• 제24권4호
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• pp.386-393
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• 2015

A study is carried out on investigation on pattern costs, identification of geometric parameters for the cost, and development of cost estimation models for casting patterns. Pattern costs for machine tool structures are collected and analyzed to identify the important geometric parameters that affect the costs. The parameters are used for the development of the costing models. It is found that the geometric parameters can be easily obtained from a CAD system and then the costing models estimate a pattern cost in a minimum time. The models are verified with the structures whose pattern cost was used for this study. It is expected that this costing models can evaluate the cost of casting structures of machine tools in search of a near-optimal design based on manufacturing cost and, for example, weight at the design stage.

• KIEE International Transactions on Power Engineering
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• 제11A권4호
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• pp.21-26
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• 2001

As competition is introduced in the electricity supply industry, congestion becomes a more important issue. Congestion in a transmission network occurs due to an operating condition that causes limit violations on the transmission capacities. Congestion leads to inefficient use of the system, or causes additional costs (Congestion cost). One way to reduce this inefficiency or congestion cost is to control the transmission flow through the installation of UPFC (Unified Power Flow Controller). This paper also deals with an optimal siting of the UPFC for reducing congestion cost by using shadow prices. A performance index for an optimal siting is defined as a combination of line flow sensitivities and shadow prices. The proposed algorithm is applied to the sample system with a condition, which is concerning the quadratic cost functions. Test results show that the siting of the UPFC is optimal to minimize the congestion cost by the proposed algorithm.

• 한국표면공학회지
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• 제43권5호
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• pp.211-216
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• 2010

Vacuum carburizing process is well known process for its environment-friendly, low-cost, high-quality characteristics, compared with gas carburizing. In this study, a research was carried out to develop a process of vacuum carburizing for essential components of automotive transmission that is difficult to control its distortion. As a result, vacuum carburizing process is superior to gas carburizing in terms of cost, environment and quality.

• 한국태양에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국태양에너지학회 2011년도 추계학술발표대회 논문집
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• pp.314-319
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• 2011

Energy Cost has been rapidly increased with the internal heat gain of data center to keep the temperature condition. But the cooling units for server systems are fully operated to satisfy the indoor temperature condition, it results in the excessive energy consumption. In this study, various cooling systems were studied for data center and cold aisle containment system was proved to be the best solution for server cooling system. Because it protects the cooling zone from the hot aisle space. Effective cooling and prohibition of recirculation air from hot aisle was possible by the cold aisle containment system.

• 환경영향평가
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• 제22권6호
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• pp.581-589
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• 2013

Generally, Sewage Treatment Plants(STPs) are complexes systems in which a range of physical, chemical and biological processes occur. However, their performance strongly depends on the know-how acquired by the field-engineer. Recently, in order to solve this situations, various operation and management technologies based on the Instrumentation, Control and Automation(ICA) have been developed. As a economies-environmental affect point of view, this study was for the performance evaluation and assessment of results from the Smart Operation System(SOS) in full-scale STP. The SOS in STP consisted of the process monitoring module, including real-time influent prediction and effluent simulation, and the Smart Air Control(SAC) module. According to the results from field test for 2 years, the results of economical evaluation, amount of benefits and cost saving by the SOS have shown to be much higher than that of traditional operation. Nevertheless, the removal load(kg/yr) of BOD 13.3 %, COD 28.2 %, TN 44.4 % and TP 20.8 % were increased, respectively. Remarkable improvement of removal load could be achieved after the SOS was adapted. It was concerned that the SOS offer a user friendly functionalities and cost saving needed by the field-engineers. In addition, it was expected that the results of this study would supply helpful information for design and cost saving for the SOS in full-scale STP.

• 대한원격탐사학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한원격탐사학회 2003년도 Proceedings of ACRS 2003 ISRS
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• pp.843-845
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• 2003

Shortest Path Problems are among the most studied network flow optimization problems, with interesting applications in various fields. One such field is the route determination service, where various kinds of shortest path problems need to be solved in location-based service. Our research aim is to propose a route technique in real-time locationbased service (LBS) environments according to user’s route preferences such as shortest, fastest, easiest and so on. Turn costs modeling and computation are important procedures in route planning. There are major two kinds of cost parameters in route planning. One is static cost parameter which can be pre-computed such as distance and number of traffic-lane. The other is dynamic cost parameter which can be computed in run-time such as number of turns and risk of congestion. In this paper, we propose a new cost modeling method for turn costs which are traditionally attached to edges in a graph. Our proposed route determination technique also has an advantage that can provide service interoperability by implementing XML web service for the OpenLS route determination service specification. In addition to, describing the details of our shortest path algorithms, we present a location-based service system by using proposed routing algorithms.