• Health Policy and Management
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.17-25
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• 2024

Background: This study aimed to assess the appropriate allocation of emergency medical beds across 17 provinces and presume the economic benefits associated with such allocation. Methods: To estimate the optimal allocation of emergency medical beds by province, data from the Statistics Korea's "cause of death statistics (2014-2021)," regional statistics on "area, population, gender, age," and "population projections" were utilized. The "number of emergency beds by city and district" provided by the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service was also used. In estimating the economic benefits of preventing avoidable emergency deaths due to the expansion of emergency medical facilities, guidelines from the Korea Development Institute and the Korea Transport Institute were referenced to calculate the wage loss costs associated with emergency deaths and estimate the economic benefits. Results: The optimal ratio of emergency medical beds allocation by region was highest in Gyeonggi, Seoul, Gyeongnam, Gyeongbuk, and Busan, while Daejeon, Jeju, and Sejong showed lower ratios. Additionally, the prevention of avoidable deaths and economic benefits resulting from the increase in emergency medical facilities were highest in Gyeonggi, Seoul, Gyeongbuk, Gyeongnam, and Busan. However, when standardized by population, the prevention of avoidable deaths and economic benefits were analyzed to be highest in Gyeongbuk, Chungnam, Jeonnam, Gyeongnam, and Busan. Conclusion: The results of this study can serve as foundational data for future policy measures aimed at addressing the imbalance in the supply of emergency medical facilities across regions. Considering regional characteristics in the distribution of emergency medical facilities is expected to ultimately increase the efficiency of national finances and yield economic benefits.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.405-413
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• 2015

In the US, the number of cases of subterranean water contamination from tritium leaking through a damaged buried nuclear power plant pipe continues to increase, and the degradation of the buried metal piping is emerging as a major issue. A pipe blocked from corrosion and/or degradation can lead to loss of cooling capacity in safety-related piping resulting in critical issues related to the safety and integrity of nuclear power plant operation. The ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Codes Committee (BPVC) has recently approved Code Case N-755 that describes the requirements for the use of polyethylene (PE) pipe for the construction of Section III, Division 1 Class 3 buried piping systems for service water applications in nuclear power plants. This paper contains tensile and slow crack growth (SCG) test results for high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe welds under the environmental conditions of a nuclear power plant. Based on these tests, the fracture surface of the PENT specimen was analyzed, and the fracture mechanisms of each fracture area were determined. Finally, by using 3D finite element analysis, limit loads of HDPE related to premature failure were verified.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.7
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• pp.1019-1025
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• 2006

Two experiments were conducted separately to study the effect of astaxanthin on production performance and egg quality in laying hens and meat quality in finishing pigs. In Experiment 1, four hundred Brown Hy-Line layers, 26 weeks of age, were randomly divided into five treatments according to a single factorial arrangement. Each treatment had four replicates comprising 20 birds each. The dietary treatments were: 0, 0.7, 0.9, 1.1 and 1.3 ppm of astaxanthin fed for 14 days. Then all the birds were fed an astaxanthin-free diet (0 ppm astaxanthin) for an additional 7 days. The results showed that dietary astaxanthin had no significant effect on layer production performance. There was no significant effect (p>0.05) on egg weight, yolk height and Haugh unit (HU) with increasing dietary astaxanthin level and increased storage time. Yolk color was linearly increased (p<0.01) with the increasing dietary astaxanthin level and significantly decreased with the increasing storage time (p<0.05). The TBARS value in yolk decreased linearly (p<0.05) with increasing amount of dietary astaxanthin and storage time. When the diets were replaced with the astaxanthin-free feeds, all parameters concerning egg quality decreased with increasing days of measurement, especially the yolk color, and HU significantly decreased (p<0.05). In experiment 2, thirty-six barrows ($L{\times}Y{\times}D$), $107{\pm}3.1kg$ BW, were randomly divided into three treatments according to a single factorial arrangement. Each treatment had three replicates comprising 4 pigs each. The dietary treatments were: 0, 1.5 and 3.0 ppm of astaxanthin fed for 14 days. The results showed that dietary astaxanthin had no significant effects on production performance. There was a linear effect (p<0.05) on dressing percentage, backf.at thickness and loin muscle area with increasing dietary astaxanthin level. There were no significant effects (p>0.05) on the TBARS value, drip loss, meat color, marbling and $L^*$, $a^*$, $b^*$ values. Cholesterol concentration in meat was not affected by dietary addition of astaxanthin. It could be concluded that astaxanthin supplementation was beneficial to improve egg yolk color; egg quality during storage and it also could improve the meat quality of finishing pigs.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.175-183
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• 2012

The present study was conducted to investigate the relationships of muscle fiber characteristics to dietary energy density [3.0(Low-E) vs. 3.2 (Med-E) Mcal DE/kg)] and slaughter weight [SW; 110, 125, and 138 kg] in finishing pigs (gilt vs. barrow) using a $2{\times}3{\times}2$ factorial treatment design. Forty-one longissimus dorsi muscle (LM) samples were analyzed histochemically, with growth performance and physicochemical data for the 41 animals and their LM out of 192 animals and 72 LM used in a previous study retrospectively included. The ADG was less (P<0.01) in the Low-E than in the Med-E group (0.93 vs. 0.73 kg) whereas lightness ($L^*$) and redness ($a^*$) of LM were greater in the Low-E group SW did not influence these variables. The diameter and perimeter of the type I (slow-oxidative), type IIA (fast oxido-glycolytic) and type IIB (fast glycolytic) fibers increased with increasing SW whereas densities of the fibers decreased. However, the number and area percentages of the fiber types were not influenced by SW or dietary energy density. The percentage and per-$mm^2$ density of type IIB fibers were negatively correlated with SW (r = -0.33 and -0.57, with P<0.05 and <0.01, respectively), whereas type I fiber number percentage was positively correlated with SW (r = 0.31; P<0.05). Marbling score was negatively correlated (P<0.05) with type I (r = -0.36) and type IIB (r = -0.39) fiber densities. The $a^*$ was correlated (P<0.01) with both type I and type IIB fiber number percentages in the opposite way (r = 0.42 and -0.47, respectively). However, $L^*$ (lightness), drip loss and $pH_{24h}$ were not correlated with the fiber number percentage or density of any fiber type. Collectively, results indicate that muscle fibers grow by hypertrophy during the late finishing period, but that fiber characteristics other than the size are not significantly influenced by dietary energy density or SW.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.91-113
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• 2002

We report and analyze the Korean physicians' recent general strike over the implementation of the Separation of Prescribing and Dispensing Practice (SPDP) in which more than 18,000 private clinics and 280 hospitals participated. Utilizing game-theoretic models of bargaining we explain why the Korean physicians were so successful in organizing intense collective action against the government and securing very favorable policy outcomes. In particular, we highlight the role of distributional conflict among social actors in shaping the details of institutional reform. The introduction of the SPDP was a necessary first step in the overall reform of health care system in Korea. However, the SPDP was perceived to be a serious threat to the economic viability of their profession by the vast majority of Korean physicians who had long been relied on the profits from selling medicines to compensate for the loss of income due to the low service fee under the previous health care system. The strong political coalition among heterogeneous physicians enabled them to organize an intense form of collective action, the general strike. Thus, physicians were successful not only in dragging the government to a bargaining table, but also winning in the bargaining and securing an outcome vastly favorable to them. On the other hand, the lack of an overall reform plan in the health care policy area, especially the finance of the National Health Insurance and the need for maintaining an image as a successful reform initiator, motivated the government to reach a quick resolution with the striking physicians.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.169-172
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• 2012

A 12-year-old castrated male Shih-tzu dog presented with vomiting, anorexia, and weight loss. The patient's medical history and hematological, radiographic, ultrasonographic, and endoscopic findings were used for diagnosis. The patient's medical history showed that he was being treated for chronic kidney disease since a few weeks. The serum biochemical analysis showed moderate azotemia. However, abdominal radiographic and ultrasonographic findings showed the presence of a mass in the pylorus area of the stomach. On gastrointestinal endoscopic examination, the proliferative mass was found in the pyloric antrum. The histopathological results of the endoscopic biopsy specimen indicated that it was strongly suspected a gastric adenoma; therefore, we surgically excised the pyloric outflow region via a Y-U pyloroplasty. The histopathological examination of the surgically excised specimen also indicated that the mass was a gastric adenoma. After surgical treatment, the patient's condition improved gradually, and the clinical symptoms diminished in approximately 3 weeks after surgery. The patient's condition was well controlled until recently, i.e., 18 months after surgery. This case report describes the clinical findings, imaging characteristics, endoscopic findings, and histopathological features of a gastric adenoma in the pyloric outflow tract of a dog.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.27-44
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• 2020

Objectives : The authors conducted randomized, Double-blinded, and placebo-controlled parallel-group clinical experiment study to evaluate efficacy of fermented soybean(Bio-Peptone)cream in pruritus. Methods : The research had been conducted for 4 months from the date of IRB approval(May 26 in 2017) to Sept 2017. The experiment started by randomly distributing 25 subjects with pruritus into experimental group and control group, respectively. The experimental group applied fermented soybean(Bio-Peptone)cream twice a day, in the morning and evening, for one week on itchy area. The effect of the product was evaluated by comparing the PSS(Patient subjective score), moisture level by measuring skin moisture content(Corneometer) and transepidermal water loss(Tewameter), and the Korean version of Skindex-29(index of quality of life improvement) before applying the cream, after applying the cream for one week and after stop applying the cream for one week. The control group conducted identical experiment with the experimental group, except the control group applied placebo instead of the fermented soybean(Bio-Peptone)cream. Results : Pruritus, criterion of the first validation testing, indicates fermented soybean(Bio-Peptone)cream tend to reduce pruritus compare to placebo, although the result is not statistically noticeable. Significant difference in reduction of prutitus, the second validation test was not discovered in both groups. Corneometer and life quality tend to be improved with soy cream than placebo, but not statistically effective and both groups did not show any difference in terms of Tewameter measurement. Conclusions : The result of clinical experiment didn't prove that the fermented soybean(Bio-Peptone)cream is more effective in reducing pruritus than placebo, statistically. The clinical use of soybean product for pruritus requires further studies to be verified.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.559-564
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• 2009

Purpose: Surgical reconstruction of an ischial soft tissue defect presents a challenging problem owing to a high rate of recurrence, especially paraplegic patients. Although various muscle, musculocutaneous and fasciocuta - neous flaps have been used in the reconstruction of ischial soft tissue defect, it is still debated which type of flaps are the best. We had performed a relatively durable adductor magnus perforator island flap based on the perforators originated from the first medial branch of the profunda femoris artery for coverage of ischial soft tissue defect where was not a region universally reconstructed by perforator flap. Methods: From August 2005 until January 2008, the adductor magnus perforator island flap had been used for resurfacing of the ischial soft tissue defects in a series of 6 patients (4 male and 2 female). Ages ranged from 26 to 67 years (mean, 47.5 years), and follow - up period from 13 to 26 months (mean, 16.7 months). Causes were 4 pressure ulcers, 1 cellulitis and 1 suppurative keratinous cyst. Results: The sizes of these flaps ranged from 12 to 18 cm in length and 7 to 9 cm in width. The flaps survived in all patients. Marginal loss over the distal area of the flap by infection was noted in one patient, which was treated successfully with a subsequent split - thickness skin graft. Average thickness of the flap was 0.94 cm, which was more thicker than other perforator flaps. Long term follow - up showed a good flap durability. Conclusion: In planning a reconstructive option of ischial soft tissue defect, the adductor magnus perforator island flap is a relatively large cutaneous flap with a durable thickness. With proper patient selection, careful vascular dissection and postoperative management, we recommend this flap is a good and suitable option for coverage of the ischial soft tissue defect.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.483-491
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• 2021

The identification of regional collision risks in water areas is significant for the safety of navigation. This paper introduces a new method of collision risk assessment that incorporates a clustering method based on the distance factor - hierarchical clustering - and uses real-time data in case of several surrounding vessels, group methodology and preliminary assessment to classify vessels and evaluate the basis of collision risk evaluation (called HCAAP processing). The vessels are clustered using the hierarchical program to obtain clusters of encounter vessels and are combined with the preliminary assessment to filter relatively safe vessels. Subsequently, the distance at the closest point of approach (DCPA) and time to the closest point of approach (TCPA) between encounter vessels within each cluster are calculated to obtain the relation and comparison with the collision risk index (CRI). The mathematical relationship of CRI for each cluster of encounter vessels with DCPA and TCPA is constructed using a negative exponential function. Operators can easily evaluate the safety of all vessels navigating in the defined area using the calculated CRI. Therefore, this framework can improve the safety and security of vessel traffic transportation and reduce the loss of life and property. To illustrate the effectiveness of the framework proposed, an experimental case study was conducted within the coastal waters of Mokpo, Korea. The results demonstrated that the framework was effective and efficient in detecting and ranking collision risk indexes between encounter vessels within each cluster, which allowed an automatic risk prioritization of encounter vessels for further investigation by operators.

• Journal of the Society of Disaster Information
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.532-544
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• 2023

Purpose: To identify and evaluate the risk of chemical fire causative substances by using thermal analysis methods (DSC, TGA) for the hazards and physical property changes that occur when newly used biofuels are mixed with existing fuels It is to use it for identification and evaluation of the cause of fire by securing data related to the method and the hazards of the material according to it. Method: The research method used in this experiment is the differential scanning calorimeter (DSC: Difference in heat flux) through quantitative information on the caloric change from the location, shape, number, and area of peaks. flux) was measured, and the weight change caused by decomposition heat at a specific temperature was continuously measured by performing thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA: Thermo- gravimetric Analyzer). Result: First, in the heat flux graph, the boiling point of the material and the intrinsic characteristic value of the material or the energy required for decomposition can be checked. Second, as the content of biodiesel increased, many peaks were identified. Third, it was confirmed through analysis that substances with low expected boiling points were contained. Conclusion: It was shown that the physical risk of the material can be evaluated by using the risk of biodiesel, which is currently used as a new energy source, through various physical and chemical analysis techniques (DSC + TGA).In addition, it is expected that the comparison of differences between test methods and the accumulation and utilization of know-how on experiments in this study will be helpful in future studies on physical properties of hazardous materials and risk assessment of materials.