• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.65 no.5
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• pp.751-757
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• 2022

Objective : Tumours of the brain are a rare occurrence accounting for approximately 2% of all neoplasms in adults. Few studies have been done in Nigeria on the profile of brain tumours. The aim of this study is to determine the profile of brain tumours in general and determine the change in Kanofsky Performance Score (KPS) after treatment. Methods : This is a prospective hospital-based study in Kaduna. All consecutive patients over 18 years of age with diagnosis of brain tumours from January 2016 to December 2019 were included in the study. Demographic and clinical data was collected using a proforma during the study. Patients who received treatment were followed up for 12 months. The primary outcome data was the difference in the quality of life as measured by KPS at the point of first contact and at 1-month after treatment and at 12-month follow up. Data obtained was analysed with SPSS version 25.0 for Windows. Descriptive statistics was done to determine the profile. Paired t-test at 95% confidence interval was done to check for significant correlation between the mean KPS. Results : A total of 39 consecutive patients were included in the study. There was a slight male preponderance with a M : F of 1.17 : 1. Meningioma and metastasis were more common in females while gliomas and pituitary tumours were more common in males. The mean age of patients was 49.8 years and standard deviation of 11.8 years. Pituitary tumours were the most common tumours. The most common location of the tumour was frontal lobe followed by the pituitary gland. The mean duration of symptoms before neurosurgical consultation was 38 weeks. The most common presenting symptoms of patient with brain tumour was headache. The quality of life improve compare to the baseline in 81% of patient at discharge and at 1 year follow up. The overall mortality rate was 25.6%. Conclusion : The most common brain tumour in our study is pituitary tumour. Most patients present late. The most common presenting symptoms is headache. There is significant improvement in the KPS of patients following treatment. The overall mortality rate at 1-year post treatment is 25.6%.

• Land and Housing Review
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.125-135
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• 2023

In South Korea, it has been increased the necessity of supplying housing services to meet the needs and desires of various residents by reflecting various demographic and social changes. In particular, various smart device has been widely utilized in South Korea and the smart technologies, such as artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things has been developed rapidly. These smart technologies could support smart housing that allows residents to easily and comfortably employ residential services. However, it is necessary to improve the awareness of users in order to spread the smart housing residential services connected to smart technologies. For this reason, this study observed changes in users' perceptions of smart housing residential service technology using Living Lab. As a result, after experiencing the Living Lab, users' awareness of smart housing housing service increased, and it was observed that the preferred housing service technology was more detailed than before the Living Lab experience. This study shows that it is important to raise users' awareness for the dissemination of smart housing residential service technology, and that Living Lab can be an effective means for this purpose.

• Journal of Korea Entertainment Industry Association
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.169-176
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to investigate attitudes toward aging and depression among elderly welfare facility users. For this purpose, a questionnaire-based survey was conducted with 280 elderly participants in the facilities of 15 institutions in Gyeonggi-do. In total, 258 data points were used for analysis. The measuring instruments used an attitude scale and depression scale for aging. The results of this study are as follows. First, there was no difference in attitude toward aging and depression among elderly welfare institution users by gender. Second, attitudes toward aging among elderly welfare facility users were also assessed according to final educational background. Positive attitudes in general (lack of depression) and positive attitudes toward aging were found to be higher with a higher rate of final academic completion. Third, attitudes toward aging were assessed according to experience with welfare facilities among the elderly, and it was found that depression has a significant impact on perceptions of physical change caused by aging. As a result, even when attitudes toward aging are generally negative, an elderly person cannot be judged to be depressed because this is highly related to final academic completion. Therapists working in welfare facilities for the elderly are more likely to have negative attitudes toward aging and depression when the number of facilities used is lower.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.112 no.2
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• pp.248-257
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• 2023

Because of various societal changes, such as the recent improvement in income levels and extension of the flexible work system, the demand for forest recreation activities and their use patterns are undergoing a change. Accordingly, it is necessary to identify the characteristics of each type through the segmentation of the overall forest recreation and welfare markets and to plan differentiated policies for each market type. This study classifies the forest recreation and welfare activities according to four types of users (i.e., passive usage type, ordinary type, active lover type, and indifferent type) using the Latent Class Analysis and examines their demographic and socioeconomic characteristics to explain the differences between the groups. Three policy implications were derived from the results obtained: 1) the group experiencing forest recreation welfare is subdivided; 2) the socioeconomic characteristics that distinguish the groups undertaking forest recreation activities were identified; and 3) the policy targets and characteristics that can increase the experience of forest recreation welfare were identified. This study is insightful as it suggests differentiated policies for each group and proposes policy measures to move to the desirable group.

• Journal of Christian Education in Korea
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• v.72
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• pp.49-70
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• 2022

The purpose of this study is to suggest a response and solution through Christian educational care to the crisis and change of the era of low birth rate faced by Korean society and the Korean church. This study proposes to find an alternative to the biblical aspect of pregnancy, childbirth, and parenthood as God's blessing for the demographic cliff and low birth rate problem that have become a reality in Korean society and churches. Being a parent in an age of low birth rate is very difficult, but on the other hand, it gives happiness and joy. Being a parent is a blessing from God, and is the most important and valuable thing in life. However, modern society emphasizes the right and necessity to choose one's own parenthood status. In the nuclear family, the decrease in the number of children, and the development of child research, parents feel more responsibility and economic burden for raising children than ever before. Therefore, it is a reality that the number of people who delay becoming parents or voluntarily do not have children is gradually increasing. To improve the perception of becoming a parent due to a decrease in responsibility for raising children, it is necessary to shed light on marriage, pregnancy, childbirth, and childrearing from a Christian educational point of view. In addition, it is necessary to understand the recognition of being a parent and the characteristics of childbirth and rearing, and to analyze past and present value changes. This study will also discuss the causes of low birthrate and try to provide Christian educational care for childcare including solving the low birthrate problem.

• 한국노년학
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.729-742
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to examine the changes of emotion experiences in old age and confirm the effects of emotional characteristics on the subjective well-being in old age by the longitudinal study. This longitudinal study started from 2003 and every two year we performed panel study. We analysed the data from old participants who participated tree-times(2003, 2005, 2007)and over 65 year-old. Finally, 844 old participants(male, 340; female, 504)' data were analysed. The elderly experienced more positive emotions than negatives and these results represented affective optimization. We performed mixed ANOVA method and confirmed significant change of emotion experiences during 6 years. Positive emotion experiences and negative emotion experiences were decreased as they get older. We also examined the effects of emotional experiences on the subjective well-being. In results, emotion experiences were more effective than the demographic variables for maintaining subjective well-being in old age. Decreasing negative emotion experiences and increasing positive emotion experiences can keep happy life up in old age. The importance of the quality of emotional life in old age and the necessity of longitudinal study of aging were discussed.

• The Southeast Asian review
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.1-56
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• 2009

It is generally acknowledged that Philippines politics has achieved a basic soil for democracy at the macro-level by the two incidents of 'People Power' (1986 & 2001). However, in spite of such an achievement, Philippine politics at the micro-level, does not enjoy the same reputation. Institutionalized 'Bossism' or 'patron/clientelism' political culture has been attributed to make such a gap. This paper aims to bridge the gap by a longitudinal observation on local politics of a particular province in the Philippines. Surigao del Norte is the province picked up for the study. The reason why this particular province attracts special concerns is that there appears to come a very dynamic local politics, led by an indigenous Christian organization, the PBMA (Philippines Benevolent Missionary Association), which was founded in the mid 1960s. With the coming of the organization in the province, the political power of the traditional families has been narrowed. On the other hand, new families, not only the leader family of the PBMA but also the family allied with the PBMA, has expanded political influence. Following steps are adopted to understand the meaning of such a change. First, institutional frame of Philippine politics and elections will be reviewed. Second, demographic changes will be investigated on Surigao del Norte province to find out how popular the PBMA organization is among the people. Third, local election outcomes will be examined to describe the changing nature of political landscape of the province. This will reveal how the relationship between the old and new families has been developed in the province. Lastly, based on the facts discovered by a longitudinal observation, an attempt to evaluate theories on Philippines politics will be made Conclusions are as follows. To understand the dynamics of Philippine politics, 'expectations from the below,' or, 'passions of the people,' suggested by Ileto, needs more attention. Furthermore, 'mutual accommodation' between domination and resistance, coined by Abinales, also demands more appreciation. The case of local politics in the Surigao del Norte, with the coming of the PBMA, is sure to show a concrete example of changing politics in the 'changeless land.'

• Journal of the Korea Knowledge Information Technology Society
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.273-286
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• 2018

Korean government has taken various population policy so far According to demographic results, The aging population is rapidly aging and it is expected to deepen in the future. However, many senior citizens are also exposed to poor economic conditions and inconsistent health care risks Most seniors suffer from mental illness and chronic diseases. seniors in traditional cities feel very alienated as they change from large family to small family. As the number of elderly people living alone grows, social problems increase. At present, the health care for the elderly who live alone is not being taken properly, and they are under a very poor management system, both physically and mentally. Every human being has to be old, and we aim to spend our old age processes physically and mentally healthy. As the basic age of the elderly increases, it is necessary to consider various aspects of the welfare policies and medical policies that are followed. In this study, 100 elderly people over the age of 65 were surveyed for economic situations and physical and mental health conditions, and specially performed study on utility of 'urban senior multi care zone' to prove the necessity of introducing the latest digital devices to resolve these problems more effectively by analyzing serious feelings of alienation, loneliness, and emotional situations. Lastly, We conducted this research to find ways to help the elderly through customized health care.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.19-44
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• 2014

This study was conducted to investigate the types of personality of North Korean female refugees, which were extracted from the T-scores of SPFQ(scales of the Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire) and psychological adaptation. For this, The data of 158 North Korean female refugees located in Seoul Yangchun-Gu and Gayang-Gu was analyzed. The results were as follows. Firstly, the ratio of over 65T in ego-strength, self-control, social-boldness, anxiety scales and under 34T in abstractedness and openness to change scales was higher than in other scales. Secondly, there were statistically significant differences in personality characteristics based on the demographic variables especially age and the term of residence in South Korea. Thirdly, three distinct groups were extracted from the K-means cluster analysis. The first group was characterized with emotional-unstability and negative emotionality. And the North Korean female refugees in the second group hesitated to enter into and maintain proper relationships with south korean, while they were unlikely to accept norms and rules in South Korea. The third group, characterized by higher emotional stability, ego-strength, and agreeableness, was met normal range in all the scale of SPFQ. Finally, each three groups were showed statistically significant differences in psychological adaptation scales(self-identity and resilience). We expected that these results contributed to explore the psychological and the political plans for North Korean female refugees' settlement in South Korea.

• Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.59-88
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• 2008

Digital Convergence means integration between industry, technology, and contents, and in marketing, it usually comes with creation of new types of product and service under the base of digital technology as digitalization progress in electro-communication industries including telecommunication, home appliance, and computer industries. One can see digital convergence not only in instruments such as PC, AV appliances, cellular phone, but also in contents, network, service that are required in production, modification, distribution, re-production of information. Convergence in contents started around 1990. Convergence in network and service begins as broadcasting and telecommunication integrates and DMB(digital multimedia broadcasting), born in May, 2005 is the symbolic icon in this trend. There are some positive and negative expectations about DMB. The reason why two opposite expectations exist is that DMB does not come out from customer's need but from technology development. Therefore, customers might have hard time to interpret the real meaning of DMB. Time is quite critical to a high tech product, like DMB because another product with same function from different technology can replace the existing product within short period of time. If DMB does not positioning well to customer's mind quickly, another products like Wibro, IPTV, or HSPDA could replace it before it even spreads out. Therefore, positioning strategy is critical for success of DMB product. To make correct positioning strategy, one needs to understand how consumer interprets DMB and how consumer's interpretation can be changed via communication strategy. In this study, we try to investigate how consumer perceives a new product, like DMB and how AD strategy change consumer's perception. More specifically, the paper segment consumers into sub-groups based on their DMB perceptions and compare their characteristics in order to understand how they perceive DMB. And, expose them different printed ADs that have messages guiding consumer think DMB in specific ways, either cellular phone or personal TV. Research Question 1: Segment consumers according to perceptions about DMB and compare characteristics of segmentations. Research Question 2: Compare perceptions about DMB after AD that induces categorization of DMB in direction for each segment. If one understand and predict a direction in which consumer perceive a new product, firm can select target customers easily. We segment consumers according to their perception and analyze characteristics in order to find some variables that can influence perceptions, like prior experience, usage, or habit. And then, marketing people can use this variables to identify target customers and predict their perceptions. If one knows how customer's perception is changed via AD message, communication strategy could be constructed properly. Specially, information from segmented customers helps to develop efficient AD strategy for segment who has prior perception. Research framework consists of two measurements and one treatment, O1 X O2. First observation is for collecting information about consumer's perception and their characteristics. Based on first observation, the paper segment consumers into two groups, one group perceives DMB similar to Cellular phone and the other group perceives DMB similar to TV. And compare characteristics of two segments in order to find reason why they perceive DMB differently. Next, we expose two kinds of AD to subjects. One AD describes DMB as Cellular phone and the other Ad describes DMB as personal TV. When two ADs are exposed to subjects, consumers don't know their prior perception of DMB, in other words, which subject belongs 'similar-to-Cellular phone' segment or 'similar-to-TV' segment? However, we analyze the AD's effect differently for each segment. In research design, final observation is for investigating AD effect. Perception before AD is compared with perception after AD. Comparisons are made for each segment and for each AD. For the segment who perceives DMB similar to TV, AD that describes DMB as cellular phone could change the prior perception. And AD that describes DMB as personal TV, could enforce the prior perception. For data collection, subjects are selected from undergraduate students because they have basic knowledge about most digital equipments and have open attitude about a new product and media. Total number of subjects is 240. In order to measure perception about DMB, we use indirect measurement, comparison with other similar digital products. To select similar digital products, we pre-survey students and then finally select PDA, Car-TV, Cellular Phone, MP3 player, TV, and PSP. Quasi experiment is done at several classes under instructor's allowance. After brief introduction, prior knowledge, awareness, and usage about DMB as well as other digital instruments is asked and their similarities and perceived characteristics are measured. And then, two kinds of manipulated color-printed AD are distributed and similarities and perceived characteristics for DMB are re-measured. Finally purchase intension, AD attitude, manipulation check, and demographic variables are asked. Subjects are given small gift for participation. Stimuli are color-printed advertising. Their actual size is A4 and made after several pre-test from AD professionals and students. As results, consumers are segmented into two subgroups based on their perceptions of DMB. Similarity measure between DMB and cellular phone and similarity measure between DMB and TV are used to classify consumers. If subject whose first measure is less than the second measure, she is classified into segment A and segment A is characterized as they perceive DMB like TV. Otherwise, they are classified as segment B, who perceives DMB like cellular phone. Discriminant analysis on these groups with their characteristics of usage and attitude shows that Segment A knows much about DMB and uses a lot of digital instrument. Segment B, who thinks DMB as cellular phone doesn't know well about DMB and not familiar with other digital instruments. So, consumers with higher knowledge perceive DMB similar to TV because launching DMB advertising lead consumer think DMB as TV. Consumers with less interest on digital products don't know well about DMB AD and then think DMB as cellular phone. In order to investigate perceptions of DMB as well as other digital instruments, we apply Proxscal analysis, Multidimensional Scaling technique at SPSS statistical package. At first step, subjects are presented 21 pairs of 7 digital instruments and evaluate similarity judgments on 7 point scale. And for each segment, their similarity judgments are averaged and similarity matrix is made. Secondly, Proxscal analysis of segment A and B are done. At third stage, get similarity judgment between DMB and other digital instruments after AD exposure. Lastly, similarity judgments of group A-1, A-2, B-1, and B-2 are named as 'after DMB' and put them into matrix made at the first stage. Then apply Proxscal analysis on these matrixes and check the positional difference of DMB and after DMB. The results show that map of segment A, who perceives DMB similar as TV, shows that DMB position closer to TV than to Cellular phone as expected. Map of segment B, who perceive DMB similar as cellular phone shows that DMB position closer to Cellular phone than to TV as expected. Stress value and R-square is acceptable. And, change results after stimuli, manipulated Advertising show that AD makes DMB perception bent toward Cellular phone when Cellular phone-like AD is exposed, and that DMB positioning move towards Car-TV which is more personalized one when TV-like AD is exposed. It is true for both segment, A and B, consistently. Furthermore, the paper apply correspondence analysis to the same data and find almost the same results. The paper answers two main research questions. The first one is that perception about a new product is made mainly from prior experience. And the second one is that AD is effective in changing and enforcing perception. In addition to above, we extend perception change to purchase intention. Purchase intention is high when AD enforces original perception. AD that shows DMB like TV makes worst intention. This paper has limitations and issues to be pursed in near future. Methodologically, current methodology can't provide statistical test on the perceptual change, since classical MDS models, like Proxscal and correspondence analysis are not probability models. So, a new probability MDS model for testing hypothesis about configuration needs to be developed. Next, advertising message needs to be developed more rigorously from theoretical and managerial perspective. Also experimental procedure could be improved for more realistic data collection. For example, web-based experiment and real product stimuli and multimedia presentation could be employed. Or, one can display products together in simulated shop. In addition, demand and social desirability threats of internal validity could influence on the results. In order to handle the threats, results of the model-intended advertising and other "pseudo" advertising could be compared. Furthermore, one can try various level of innovativeness in order to check whether it make any different results (cf. Moon 2006). In addition, if one can create hypothetical product that is really innovative and new for research, it helps to make a vacant impression status and then to study how to form impression in more rigorous way.