• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.66-94
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• 2004

The objective of this study is to examine how to maximize the efficiency of hospital management by minimizing the unit cost of hospital operation. For this purpose, this paper proposes to develop a model of the profit maximization based on the cost minimization dictum using the statistical tools of arriving at the maximum likelihood values. The preliminary survey data are collected from the annual statistics and their analyses published by Korea Health Industry Development Institute and Korean Hospital Association. The maximum likelihood value statistical analyses are conducted from the information on the cost (function) of each of 36 hospitals selected by the random stratified sampling method according to the size and location (urban or rural) of hospitals. We believe that, although the size of sample is relatively small, because of the sampling method used and the high response rate, the power of estimation of the results of the statistical analyses of the sample hospitals is acceptable. The conceptual framework of analyses is adopted from the various models of the determinants of hospital costs used by the previous studies. According to this framework, the study postulates that the unit cost of hospital operation is determined by the size, scope of service, technology (production function) as measured by capacity utilization, labor capital ratio and labor input-mix variables, and by exogeneous variables. The variables to represent the above cost determinants are selected by using the step-wise regression so that only the statistically significant variables may be utilized in analyzing how these variables impact on the hospital unit cost. The results of the analyses show that the models of hospital cost determinants adopted are well chosen. The various models analyzed have the (goodness of fit) overall determination (R2) which all turned out to be significant, regardless of the variables put in to represent the cost determinants. Specifically, the size and scope of service, no matter how it is measured, i. e., number of admissions per bed, number of ambulatory visits per bed, adjusted inpatient days and adjusted outpatients, have overall effects of reducing the hospital unit costs as measured by the cost per admission, per inpatient day, or office visit implying the existence of the economy of scale in the hospital operation. Thirdly, the technology used in operating a hospital has turned out to have its ramifications on the hospital unit cost similar to those postulated in the static theory of the firm. For example, the capacity utilization as represented by the inpatient days per employee tuned out to have statistically significant negative impacts on the unit cost of hospital operation, while payroll expenses per inpatient cost has a positive effect. The input-mix of hospital operation, as represented by the ratio of the number of doctor, nurse or medical staff per general employee, supports the known thesis that the specialized manpower costs more than the general employees. The labor/capital ratio as represented by the employees per 100 beds is shown to have a positive effect on the cost as expected. As for the exogeneous variable's impacts on the cost, when this variable is represented by the percent of urban 100 population at the location where the hospital is located, the regression analysis shows that the hospitals located in the urban area have a higher cost than those in the rural area. Finally, the case study of the sample hospitals offers a specific information to hospital administrators about how they share in terms of the cost they are incurring in comparison to other hospitals. For example, if his/her hospital is of small size and located in a city, he/she can compare the various costs of his/her hospital operation with those of other similar hospitals. Therefore, he/she may be able to find the reasons why the cost of his/her hospital operation has a higher or lower cost than other similar hospitals in what factors of the hospital cost determinants.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.9-13
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• 2016

Purpose PET-CT examinations using $^{18}F-FDG$ to treat urinary system cancer are limited in terms of anatomical structure and excretion route of $^{18}F-FDG$. But one of the ongoing examinations utilizing $^{11}C-Acetate$ can compensate for such defects. We would like to introduce a clinical application of $^{11}C-Acetate$ PET-CT in urinary cancer patients. Materials and Methods We conducted a clinical survey of 22 patients diagnosed with urinary cancer at our hospital, 10 prostate cancer patients, 10 renal cell carcinoma patients, and 2 bladder cancer patients. All patients were performed $^{18}F-FDG$ PET-CT examinations, $^{11}C-Acetate$ examinations were performed after two weeks on average. The equipment used to D-710 PET-CT in GE Company and we performed PET-CT procedures 15 minutes after injecting $^{11}C-Acetate$, and a medical doctor from the department of nuclear medicine appraised and compared images between $^{18}F-FDG$ and $^{11}C-Acetate$. Results According to our survey, prostate cancer patients generally had lower uptake of $^{18}F-FDG$ than other cancer patients did. In 2 out of 10 prostate cancer patients, metastasized cancer showed greater uptake in $^{11}C-Acetate$ than $^{18}F-FDG$. In renal cell carcinoma cases, 8 out of 10 patients displayed evidently greater uptake in $^{11}C-Acetate$ than $^{18}F-FDG$. We excluded bladder cancer cases in this study because uptake of $^{18}F-FDG$ in the bladder was too hot, the number of patients was insufficient, and the cases did not meet criteria such as the use of diuretics. Conclusion It is too premature to draw solid conclusions from the survey, since it involved only a small number of participants. However, there are a number of studies conducted abroad that prove the effectiveness of the $^{11}C-Acetate$ PET-CT examinations in treating urinary system cancer, and this study is still ongoing at our hospital. If the tests were to be conducted on a larger number of participants, this study could lead to numerous other potential research topics, such as the correlation between Prostatic specific antigen (PSA) values and $^{11}C-Acetate$ PET-CT, Gleason sum values from biopsy before surgery, Specificity, sensitivity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) between $^{18}F-FDG$ PET-CT examinations and $^{11}C-Acetate$ PET-CT examinations in other urinary system cancers.

• Journal of Technologic Dentistry
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.159-169
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• 1988

Fixed prosthetic appliance is the restorations of damaged teeth with cast metal or porcelain, and of replacing missing teeth with fixed, or cemented prosthesis. Successfully treating a patient by means of fixed prosthodontics requires the thoughtful combination of dentist and dental laboratory technician. In order to know the satisfaction of dentisits about fixed prosthetic appliances-porcelain, precious and non precious metal-, this study was conducted for 69 practicing dentisis in Pusan during Fed. to Mar. 1988 using a questionnaire method and was analyzed by the use of percentage, $X^2$-test The results are obtained as follow: 1. General characteristics of the respondents, The rate of age distribution of practcing dentists responded was as follow : 31$\sim$35 age group is 29.0%, 51$\sim$55age group 18.8%, 41$\sim$45 age group and 46$\sim$50 group each 11.6%, 36$\sim$40 age group and 56$\sim$60 age group 8.7%, over 60 age group 7.3%, below 30 age group 4.3% respectively. The tate of term of practice experience distribution of dentists responded was as follow : 6$\sim$10 year group 26.1%, 25$\sim$25year group 18.8%, 11$\sim$15 years group and 16~20 years group each 13.0%, below 5 years group and over 30 years group each 10.2%, 26$\sim$30 years group 8.7% in order. The rate of respondents’ degree was follow : bachelor group 81.2%, doctor group 13.0%, master group 5.8% in order. The rate of respondents’completed medical specialist course was as follow : non-complete group 75.4%, complete group 24.6%. The rate of having own laboratory in respondents’clinic was as follow : no having own laboratory group 58.0%, having own labiratory group 42.0% The rate of being lab. technician in respondent;s clinic was as follow: non-being lab. technician group 91.3%, being lab. technician group 8.7%. The rate of transactional commercial dental lab. numbers was as follow : I dental lab. group 40.6%, 2 dental lab. group 30.4%, 3 dental lab. group 20.3%, production at own lab. group 8.7% 2. Cognitions about the respondent's job, About cognition of patient numvers, there were neither many nor few group 62.3%, few group 17.4%, many group 15.9%, too many group 4.4% in order.(P<.01) As compared with the ratio of dentists to patient prothetic treatment, there were moderate level group 46.4%, high level group 33.6%, low level group 18.8% in order.(P<.01) By job satisfaction of respondents, the highest percentage group was satisfied group 44.9%, neither astisfied nor disstified group 33.3%, dissatisfied group 14.5%, much satisfied group 7.3%(P<.01). As compared with the level of prosthetics price, the were moderate level group 71.0%, low level group 23.2%, high level group 5.8%(P<.01) 3. Satisfaction and assessment of dissatisfied factor of the fixed prosthetic appliance, As compared with the satisfaction of al prosthetic appliance, there were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied group 59.4%, satisfied group 20.3% dissatisfied group 18.8%, much satisfied group 1.5% in order.(P<.01). About precious and non precious metal crown and bridge, there were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied group 60.9%, satisfied group 24.6%, dissatisfied group 11.6%, much satisfied group 2.9% in order.(P<.01) The reat of respondent;s satisfaction about porcelain crown and bridge was as follow : neither satisfied nor dissatisfied group 43.5%, dissatisfied group 33.3%, satisfied group 21.7%, much satisfied group 1.5%(P<.01). The rate of respondent's dissatisfied factor item of precious and non precious metal crown and bridge was as follow : inadequate margin fit item 39.1% respondent, inadequate occlusion item 24.6%, inadequate adaptation item 23.2%, poor anat omic form item 15.9%, inadequate contact item 31.9%, improper polishing item 4.4%, the rest item 11.6% respectively. The rate of respondent's dissatisfied factor item of porcelain crown and bridge was as follow : inadequate margin fit item 52.2%, inadequate occlusion item 2.9%, inadequate adaptation item 10.1%, poor anatomic form item 11.6%, improper polishing item 1.5%, shade mismatching item 71%, the rest item 7.2% respectively. The rate of cognition of respondents’ about cause of dissatisfied factor on fixed prosthetic appliance by item was as follow : deficiency of sincerity item 55.1%, deficiency of knowledge about work item 47.8%, deficiency of experience item 15.9%, poor quality of using material item 5.8%, the rest item 2.9% respectively.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.485-494
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• 2004

Background : To assess the effects of mDOT implementation on sputum smear conversion for AFB (Acid fast bacilli) positive pulmonary tuberculosis patients, modified Directly Observed Treatment (mDOT) was started on October $8^{th}$ 2001 at a health center in Seoul. mDOT was defined through weekly interviewing and supervising of a patient by a supervisor (doctor, nurse, or lay health worker). The sputum smear conversion of a mDOT group was compared with that of a self-medication (self) group. Methods : This study included 52 AFB positive pulmonary tuberculosis patients registered at a health center in Seoul between October $8^{th}$ 2001 and April $23^{rd}$ 2002. 24 and 28 patients were enrolled in the mDOT and self medication groups, respectively. Paired (1:1) individual matching, by gender, extent of disease, relapse and age-matching variables, was performed between the two groups, resulting in 20 paired matches. This prospective study was planned as an unblinded, non-randomized quasiexperimental pilot project. Outcomes were identified from results of sputum smear examinations for AFB in both groups at 2 weeks, and 1 and 2 months. The paired matching data were analyzed using the SAS program version 8.1 by McNemar test. Results : At the end of 2 weeks of treatment, the sputum smear conversion of the mDOT group was somewhat higher than that of the self medication group (78.57 vs. 50%, p-value=0.289), and after 1 month of treatment no statistically significant difference was shown between the two groups (83.33 vs. 50, p-value=0.125). At the end of 2 months of treatment (initial intensive phase), the sputum smear conversions of the mDOT and self groups were 95 and 75%, respectively (p-value=0.219). Conclusions : The implementation of mDOT did not result in clinically significant increases in the sputum smear conversion at 2 weeks, and 1 and 2 months compared with that of the self medication group. However, the increases experienced might contribute to diminishing the infectious period of AFB positive patients, and this approach may act as a guide for a specific group of patients. In this study, mDOT was performed for one hundred percent of the intensive treatment phase. It can also be an effective treatment for pulmonary tuberculosis patients, and may be useful for some high risk tuberculosis patients.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.137-144
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• 2001

Purpose : Pain is the most serious symptom that cancer patients experience. About $60{\sim}90%$ of advanced cancer patients and four million patients worldwide, according to the WHO statistics, are reported to suffer from cancer pain. Although about $70{\sim}80%$ of the pain could be controlled according to the pain control principles, to our regret, only $30{\sim}40%$ are managed appropriately. This research was aimed to (1) investigates the prevalence of pain among cancer patients, (2) compare patients' perception of pain with physician's recognition and (3) evaluate appropriateness of the doctor's prescription of analgesic. Materials and Methods : Patients with advanced or terminal cancers admitted at department of internal medicine of Seoul National University Hospital for at least 7 days were enrolled. A questionnaire for the patients and the physicians in charge were given and the answers were compared for each other. We also examined their medical records and the physician's orders. Results : Total 59 patients were enrolled. Among them, 43 patients answered the questionnaire, and 27 patients (62.8%) suffered hem cancer pain. The survey also showed that physicians underestimated the severity of pain, overlooked frequently analgesic prescription principle, and that as the patients' pain became severe, the less adequate was pain managements. Conclusion : For cancer patients, pain was frequently overlooked, and treatment still inadequate. Based on this evidence, it seemed that more active practice and education about evaluation and management of cancer pain are needed.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.258-266
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• 1998

Purpose : Cases of adenoviral penumonia with rapidly progressive clinical course were experienced. We reviewed these patients in viewpoint of clinical manifestation and adenoviral serotypes. Methods : Culture and indirect immunofluorescence for respiratory viruses including respiratory syncytial virus, influenza virus, parainfluenza virus, adenovirus was done with nasopharyngeal aspirates from patients who admitted due to respiratory infections in Fatima Hospital, Masan from Nov. 1996 to Jul. 1997. Cultured adenovirus was serotyped by both neutralization and hemagglutination inhibition test. Medical records were reviewed for 5 patients with respiratory failure from adenovirus was isolated and serotyped. Results : The total number of examined patients was 460 patients. We isolated respiratory viruses in 143(30.9%) patients. Adenovirus was isolated from 66 out of 143(46.2%) patients. During Jan 1997 to May 1997, five patients with ages of 18 days to 11 months who were infected by adenovirus and had high fever with dyspnea and required assisted mechanical ventilation. One patients discharged against doctor's advice then died. Two of four patients had complications of disseminated intravascular coagulation; two had bronchiolitis obliterans. Two isolates were serotype 7, and one was serotype 5, and two were untyped. Conclusion : Severe pneumonia caused by serotype 7 continued to occur in 1997 following the epidemic in 1996, and severe pneumonia may also be caused by serotype 5 and other serotypes.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.20 no.2 s.22
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• pp.312-321
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• 1987

To investigate the maternal and child factors associated with early detection of cerebral palsy, 74 mothers of cerebral palsy children who were born since January 1, 1980 and being treated at Taegu Rehabilitation Center for the Handicapped, Rehabilitiation Center of Taegu University, St. Paul Children's House and Pusan Welfare Association of Cerebral Palsy Children were interviewed from February to April 1987. There is no association between age of child when parents noticed the child's abnormality and educational level of father but it tend to be detected earlier when education level of mother is college or above compared with high school or under. There is a trend of earlier detection of child's abnormality although statistically not significant in case father is professional or managerial worker, monthly income of father is over \610,000, child is first-born, age of the parents is 34 years or under, child is a boy, and child has periodic well-baby check-up. The child's abnormality is detected earlier when mothers had 7 prenatal visits or more compared with those who had 6 visits or less (p<0.05). Parents noticed the child's abnormality first in 85.1% of the cases whereas doctors detected it first in 2.7% and this percentage was not different whether the child had periodic well-baby check-up or not. The first physician's diagnosis of the children was cerebral palsy in 36.5% and the rest was normal, need for observation, uncertain, etc. Parents took the child to doctor for diagnosis 2-3 months after they noticed the child's abnormality and after the child was diagnosed as cerebral palsy parents either took no therapeutic measure or brought the child to physiotherapy or acupuncture or gave herb medicine before they started specific rehabilitative therapy. For early detection of the cerebral palsy children, teaching of evaluation method for child development should be reinforced both in medical school and clinical training course and should train the specialist for diagnosis and treatment of crippling conditions. Also, public education is needed for the importance of early detection of crippling conditions and currently available methods for diagnosis and treatment.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.52 no.5
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• pp.576-580
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• 2009

Purpose : Growth-promoting attempts are widespread in Korea, but little is known about their prevalence or associated factors. This study was designed to assess the prevalence of growth-promoting attempts among children visiting a university growth clinic. Methods : A questionnaire-based survey was carried out with 823 children (416 boys, 407 girls) who visited the growth clinic at Paik Hospital. Results : The mean age of the subjects was $10.4{\pm}2.6$ yr, and the height z-score was $-1.58{\pm}0.91$. Approximately 33.4% of the children had tried growth promotion. Among the height-gain methods, herbal medicine was the most frequently used (37.8%), followed by health-promoting supplements (37.1%), exercise or machine (3.0%), and growth hormone treatment (2.9 %). The mean age at which the parents began to worry about their children's height was 7.7 yr. The mean age at which they started height-gain methods was 8.9 yr for herbal medicine, 9.1 yr for health-promoting supplements, 9.4 yr for exercise or machine, and 9.9 yr for growth hormone treatment. Motivating factors included advice from relatives or friends (36.0%), advertisements in the Internet or newspaper (28.4%), advice from pharmacist (16.8%), and advice from their medical doctor (5.5%). The degree of satisfaction from the height-gain methods was 29.1% with growth hormone treatment, 6.6% with exercise or machine, 6.4% with herbal medicine, and 2.8% with growth-promoting supplements. Conclusion : Approximately one third of the children reported use of growth-promoting methods, but the satisfaction rate was not high. The benefits of growth-promoting methods should be carefully weighed against their costs and side effects.

• Journal of Gifted/Talented Education
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.457-476
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• 2009

The research aimed to investigate characteristics of middle school students in a biology class as science gifted education in terms of self-regulated learning abilities, personality traits and learning preferences. The twenty subject in the study responded to questionnaires of a self-regulated learning ability instrument, a personality trait tool, and a learning preference survey in March, 2009. It was found that the research subjects showed higher levels of cognitive strategies, meta-cognition, and motivation than those students in a previous study(Jung et. al., 2004), while environment was opposite. The level of cognitive strategies was significantly correlated with meta-cognition(r=.610, p=.004) and motivation (r=.538, p=.014) and meta-cognition with environment(r=.717, p=.000). Those students who showed highest levels of self-regulated learning ability displayed various personality traits. One male student with the highest level of self-regulated learning ability showed a personality of hardworking, tender-minded, and conscientious traits and wanted to be a medical doctor. The female student with the second highest level of self-regulated learning ability presented a personality as creative, abstract and divergent thinker and she showed a strong aspiration to be a world-famous biologist with breakthrough contribution. The five students with highest levels of self-regulated learning ability showed a common preference in science learning: they dislike memory-oriented and theory-centered lecture with note-taking from teacher's writings on chalkboard; they prefer science learning with inquiry-oriented laboratory work, discussion among students as well as teachers. However, reasons to prefer discussion were diverse as one student wants to listen other students' opinions while the other student want to present his opinion to other students. The most favorable science teachers appeared to be who ask questions frequently, increase student interests, behave friendly with students, and is a active person. In conclusion, science teaching for the gifted should employ individualized teaching strategies appropriate for individual personality and preferred learning styles as well as meeting with individual interests in science themes.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.292-300
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• 1993

Background: To evaluate the effect of doctor's cessation order Methods: From January 1989 to December 1990, Total 1981 patients (male 922, female 1059), who visited OPD of Daedong hospital were selected to investigate the cigarette smoking habits and the success rates of the physician's cessation orders. Results: 1) Among male patients, 64.43% and 27.00% revealed as smoke and non-smoker, respectively and and 8.57% as ex-smoker. In the 20 years old or less age group smoker were 36.11%. 2) Among female patients, the rates of smoker were only 2.83%, ex-smoker were 0.38%. No female patient smoked under 20 years old. 3) As compared with the number of daily smoked cigarettes among the male patients, patient who smoked less than 10 cigarettes were in 2.69%, 11-20 cigarettes in 39.23%, 21-40 cigarettes in 46.30%, more than 40 cigarettes in 11.78%, under 20 years old age gorup the number of smoked cigarettes were 11.54%, 61.54%, 23.08%, 3.84% respectively. Among female patients, smoker were only 37 patients and the number of daily used cigarette were 2.7%, 67.57%, 24.32%, 5.41% respectively. 4) As compared with systemic disease and the smoking habits, female excluded from statistics because of too small number of smoker. Among male patients ex-smoker associated with respiratory disease were 15.21% which was much higher than other disease group (4.35%-8.11%), and among cardiovascular diseae patients, smoker were 81.08% & among cardiovascular disease patients, smoker were 81.08% & among gastrointestinal disease patient 68.93% and among respiratory disease patient 60.84%. In respiratory disease patients group 16.25% smoked more than 40 cigarettes dialy and 13.01% in gastrointestinal disease patients group. 5) Among patients who treated more than 3 months via OPD the success rates of the physcian's cessation order were 62.03% of male patients (we excluded female patients) and there is no gross difference in each age group, but it was highest as 75% in 41-60 years old age group. As compared with difference of systeic disease, the success rate were highest in respiratory disease patients as 78.13% and lowest in gastrointestinal disease patients as 49.94% Conclusion: The smoking rates among the out patients including male and female of internal medical department of General Hospital were same as the general population. Although the sample size was small, on account of the success rates of physician's cessation orders were more than half, we think the cessation recommendation by physician's order is very effective. And we think the cessation recommendation are more effective. And we think the cessation recommendation are more effective than the ex-smoking education in the excluded patients due to fail to follow up more than 3 months.