• Asia pacific journal of information systems
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.71-96
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• 2011

Within the traditional medical delivery system, patients residing in medically vulnerable areas, those with body movement difficulties, and nursing facility residents have had limited access to good healthcare services. However, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) provides us with a convenient and useful means of overcoming distance and time constraints. ICT is integrated with biomedical science and technology in a way that offers a new high-quality medical service. As a result, rapid technological advancement is expected to play a pivotal role bringing about innovation in a wide range of medical service areas, such as medical management, testing, diagnosis, and treatment; offering new and improved healthcare services; and effecting dramatic changes in current medical services. The increase in aging population and chronic diseases has caused an increase in medical expenses. In response to the increasing demand for efficient healthcare services, a telehealth service based on ICT is being emphasized on a global level. Telehealth services have been implemented especially in pilot projects and system development and technological research. With the service about to be implemented in earnest, it is necessary to study its overall acceptance by consumers, which is expected to contribute to the development and activation of a variety of services. In this sense, the study aims at positively examining the structural relationship among the acceptance factors for telehealth services based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Data were collected by showing audiovisual material on telehealth services to online panels and requesting them to respond to a structured questionnaire sheet, which is known as the information acceleration method. Among the 1,165 adult respondents, 608 valid samples were finally chosen, while the remaining were excluded because of incomplete answers or allotted time overrun. In order to test the reliability and validity of the assessment scale items, we carried out reliability and factor analyses, and in order to explore the causal relation among potential variables, we conducted a structural equation modeling analysis using AMOS 7.0 and SPSS 17.0. The research outcomes are as follows. First, service quality, innovativeness of medical technology, and social influence were shown to affect perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness of the telehealth service, which was statistically significant, and the two factors had a positive impact on willingness to accept the telehealth service. In addition, social influence had a direct, significant effect on intention to use, which is paralleled by the TAM used in previous research on technology acceptance. This shows that the research model proposed in the study effectively explains the acceptance of the telehealth service. Second, the research model reveals that information privacy concerns had a insignificant impact on perceived ease of use of the telehealth service. From this, it can be gathered that the concerns over information protection and security are reduced further due to advancements in information technology compared to the initial period in the information technology industry, and thus the improvement in quality of medical services appeared to ensure that information privacy concerns did not act as a prohibiting factor in the acceptance of the telehealth service. Thus, if other factors have an enormous impact on ease of use and usefulness, concerns over these results in the initial period of technology acceptance may become irrelevant. However, it is clear that users' information privacy concerns, as other studies have revealed, is a major factor affecting technology acceptance. Thus, caution must be exercised while interpreting the result, and further study is required on the issue. Numerous information technologies with outstanding performance and innovativeness often attract few consumers. A revised bill for those urgently in need of telehealth services is about to be approved in the national assembly. As telemedicine is implemented between doctors and patients, a wide range of systems that will improve the quality of healthcare services will be designed. In this sense, the study on the consumer acceptance of telehealth services is meaningful and offers strong academic evidence. Based on the implications, it can be expected to contribute to the activation of telehealth services. Further study is needed to assess the acceptance factors for telehealth services, such as motivation to remain healthy, health care involvement, knowledge on health, and control of health-related behavior, in order to develop unique services according to the categorization of customers based on health factors. In addition, further study may focus on various theoretical cognitive behavior models other than the TAM, such as the health belief model.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.122-128
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• 2007

This study aims to analyze the voices of the patients with voice disorders including vocal fold paralysis, vocal fold cyst and vocal nodule/polyp in the aspect of acoustic phonetics. This study intends to collect subsidiary acoustic data in order to make a speech treatment and an standardization of vocal disorders. Subjects and Methods: The subjects of this study were 64 adult patients who underwent indirect laryngoscopy and laryngostroboscopy, and were diagnosed as vocal fold paralysis, vocal fold cyst or vocal nodule/polyp. Experimental group consisted of 20 patients who were diagnosed as vocal fold paralysis, 21 patients who were diagnosed as vocal fold cyst and had the average age of 42.0 $({\pm}10.03)$ ; and 23 patients who were diagnosed as vocal nodule/polyp and had the average age of 40.9 $({\pm}13.75)$. For the methodology of this study, the patients listed above were asked to sit in a comfortable position at intervals of 10cm apart from the patient's mouth and a microphone, and subsequently to phonate a vowel sound /e/ for the maximum phonation time with natural tone and vocal volume then the sound was directly inputted on a computer. During recording, sampling rate was set to 44,100Hz and the 1-second area corresponding to stable zone except the first and the last stage of waveform of the vowel sound /e/ vocalized by the individual patients was analyzed. Results: First, there was no statistically significant difference in jitter and shimmer between vocal fold paralysis and vocal fold cyst, while there was highly statistically significant difference in them between vocal fold paralysis and vocal nodule/polyp. Second, looking into the mean values obtained from NNE, HNR and SNR results associated with noise ratio, the disease showing the most abnormal characteristics was vocal fold paralysis, followed by cyst and nodule/polyp in order. For NNE, there was statistically significant difference between vocal nodule/polyp, and cyst or paralysis. In other words, it was found that the NNE of vocal nodule/polyp was weaker than that of cyst or paralysis. Similarly, HNR and SNR also showed the same characteristics; there was statistically significant difference between vocal fold paralysis and vocal fold cyst or nodule/polyp, and HNR and SNR values of vocal fold paralysis were lower than those of vocal fold cyst or nodule/polyp. Conclusion: For vocal fold paralysis, the abnormal values of acoustic parameters associated with frequency, amplitude and noise ratio were statistically significantly higher than those of vocal fold cyst and nodule/polyp. This finding suggests that the voices of the patients with vocal fold paralysis are the most severely injured due to less stability of vocal fold movement, asymmetry and incomplete glottic closure. In addition, there was no statistically significant difference in the acoustic parameters of tremor among vocal fold paralysis, vocal fold cyst and vocal nodule/polyp. Further studies need to ascertain reasonable acoustic parameters with various vocal disorders as well as to clarify the correlation between acoustics-based objective tools and subjective evaluations.

• Journal of the Korean Geophysical Society
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.193-206
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• 2004

Geophysical data including chirp (3 7 kHz) subbottom profile and detailed bathymetry were obtained over three seamounts in the Ogasawara Fracture Zone (OFZ) of the western Pacific, as a part of manganese crust survey onboard R/V Onnuri in 2003. The OFZ is a 150-km-wide, 600-km-long rift zone, which separates the East Mariana and Pigafetta Basin. The OFZ is unique in that it includes many seamounts (e.g., Magellan Seamounts andseamounts on the Dutton Ridge). The sub-seafloor acoustic echoes obtained near the OFZ were classified into following types on the basis of their characteristics: types I-1(pelagic sediment with parallel or subparallel reflectors), I-2 (pelagic sediment with no internal reflectors), and III-1 (reef build-up complex) on summit; types II-1 and III-2 (basement outcrop) on flank rift zone and upper slope, respectively; type III-3 (slump) on the lower slope and embayment between the flank rift zones; types II-2 (debrite) on the base of slope and basin floor; and types II-3 (turbidite or pelagic sediment) and II-4 (turbidite) on the basin floor. The mass-wasting that produced the complex of type II-2 debrite and III-3 slump on the lower slope and basin may have been caused by (1) strong tensional stress in the OFZ which may cause the numerous fissures or basement faults and (2) complex of the faults on the summit and steep upper slope. The variations in the echo type of pelagic sediment in the summit of seamounts may be related with the changes in the depositional and/or erosional environments. Type I-2 pelagic sediment, which is characterized by a thin and intermittent coverage, was probably deposited at a sheltered area when the current was strong, whereas type I-1 pelagic deposit occurred during a stage of progressive sedimentation.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.164-173
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• 2004

To delineate geothermal water movement at the Pohang geothermal development site, Self-Potential (SP) survey and monitoring were carried out during pumping tests. Before drilling, background SP data have been gathered to figure out overall potential distribution of the site. The pumping test was performed in two separate periods: 24 hours in December 2003 and 72 hours in March 2004. SP monitoring started several days before the pumping tests with a 128-channel automatic recording system. The background SP survey showed a clear positive anomaly at the northern part of the boreholes, which may be interpreted as an up-flow Bone of the deep geothermal water due to electrokinetic potential generated by hydrothermal circulation. The first and second SP monitoring during the pumping tests performed to figure out the fluid flow in the geothermal reservoir but it was not easy to see clear variations of SP due to pumping and pumping stop. Since the area is covered by some 360 m-thick tertiary sediments with very low electrical resistivity (less than 10 ohm-m), the electrokinetic potential due to deep groundwater flow resulted in being seriously attenuated on the surface. However, when we compared the variation of SP with that of groundwater level and temperature of pumping water, we could identify some areas responsible to the pumping. Dominant SP changes are observed in the south-west part of the boreholes during both the preliminary and long-term pumping periods, where 3-D magnetotelluric survey showed low-resistivity anomaly at the depth of $600m\~1,000m$. Overall analysis suggests that there exist hydraulic connection through the southwestern part to the pumping well.

• Journal of Korea Soil Environment Society
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.81-94
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• 1997

In many solute transport studies, either flux or resident concentration has been used. Choice of the concentration mode was dependent on the monitoring device in solute displacement experiments. It has been accepted that no priority exists in the selection of concentration mode in the study of solute transport. It would be questionable, however, to accept the equivalency in the solute transport parameters between flux and resident concentrations in structured soils exhibiting preferential movement of solute. In this study, we investigate how they differ in the monitored breakthrough curves (BTCs) and transport parameters for a given boundary and flow condition by performing solute displacement experiments on a number of undisturbed soil columns. Both flux and resident concentrations have been simultaneously obtained by monitoring the effluent and resistance of the horizontally-positioned TDR probes. Two different solute transport models namely, convection-dispersion equation (CDE) and convective lognormal transfer function (CLT) models, were fitted to the observed breakthrough data in order to quantify the difference between two concentration modes. The study reveals that soil columns having relatively high flux densities exhibited great differences in the degree of peak concentration and travel time of peak between flux and resident concentrations. The peak concentration in flux mode was several times higher than that in resident one. Accordingly, the estimated parameters of flux mode differed greatly from those of resident mode and the difference was more pronounced in CDE than CLT model. Especially in CDE model, the parameters of flux mode were much higher than those of resident mode. This was mainly due to the bypassing of solute through soil macropores and failure of the equilibrium CDE model to adequate description of solute transport in studied soils. In the domain of the relationship between the ratio of hydrodynamic dispersion to molecular diffusion and the peclet number, both concentrations fall on a zone of predominant mechanical dispersion. However, it appears that more molecular diffusion contributes to the solute spreading in the matrix region than the macropore region due to the nonliearity present in the pore water velocity and dispersion coefficient relationship.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.39
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• pp.350-373
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• 1999

The patient population of U. S. state mental hospitals has changed drastically since the 1960s, when the deintstitutionalization movement began. This paper is designed to look at what happened to the number of inpatients of state hospitals in California during the last 150 years and, from this, to explore implications for the future of the mental health system in Korea, especially for the viability of mental hospitals. The data had been collected by field research(visits to state hospitals and State Department of Mental Health, and interviews with mental health administrators) and accessing statistical publications and various reports. Since the first state hospital opened in 1851 the statewide inpatient population of individuals who were mentally disabled has grown and peaked at 37,489 in 1959. The number of patients in state hospitals, however, began declining in the early 1960s and was reduced to 10,874 by 1971, and to 4,973 by 1986. As of 1997, there were only 4, 263 inpatients remaining in the state hospital system. This dramatic decrease slowed down somewhat in 1980s and 1990s, but this trend seems irreversible except for the inpatients referred by the court. Now the beds in state hospitals are filled with more and more forensic patients, which constitutes nearly 70% of the total inpatient population. Based on these findings, it is well expected that the number of inpatients of mental hospitals in Korea will also be reduced in a significant way as the community-based mental health care system is gradually replacing the traditional one. Mental hospitals need to introduce more diversified programs for the care of the mentally ill, and concurrently more vigorous aftercare programs are required in the community.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
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• v.33 no.3 s.98
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• pp.199-210
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• 2003

Tooth movement is the result of bone metabolism in the periodontium, where various cytokines take important roles. Interleukin-6(II-6) and nitrous oxide (NO) were reported to be secreted from osteoblasts in the process of bone resorption. The mechanism of the process has not been clearly understood, but the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) was known to be an important process in the release of the inflammatory cytotines in macrophages. In this regard, to prove the role of MAPK in the release of IL-6 and NO in MC3T3E-1 osteoblasts, Northern blot analysis, Western blot analysis and immune complex kinase assay were used. As a result, the treatment of MC3T3E-1 osteoblast cultures with combined $interferon-\gamma(IFN-\gamma)$, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and tumor necrosis $factor-\alpha(TNF-\alpha)$ induces expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and IL-6, resulting in sustained releases of large amounts of NO and IL-6. However, $IFN-\gamma,\;LPS,\;and\;TNF-\alpha$ individually induce a non-detectable or small amount of NO and IL-6 in MC3T3E-1 osteoblasts. The role of MAPK activation in the early intracellular signal transduction involved in iNOS and IL-6 transcription in the combined agents-stimulated osteoblasts has been investigated. The p38 MAPK pathway is specifically involved in the combined agents-induced NO and IL-6 release, since NO and IL-6 release in the presence of a specific inhibitor of p38 MAPK, 4-(4-fluorophenyl)-2-(4-metylsulfinylphenyl)-5-(4-metylsulfinylphenyl)-5-(4-pyridyl)imidazole) (SB203580), were significantly diminished. In contrast, PD98059, a specific inhibitor of MEK1, had no effect on NO and IL-6 release. Northern blot analysis showed that the p3a MAPK pathway controlled the iNOS and IL-6 transcription level. These data suggest that p38 MAPK play an important role in the secretion of NO and IL-6 in $LPS/IFN{\gamma}-or\;TNF-\gamma-treated\;MC3T3E-1$ osteoblasts.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.1-24
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• 2013

As image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) has been commonly used for more accurate patient setup and monitoring tumor movement during radiation therapy, the necessity for management of imaging dose is increased. However, it has not been an interest issue to radiation therapy communities because the imaging dose is much lower than the therapeutic dose. However, since the cumulative dose from 4DCT and repeated imaging for daily setup verificationin would not be ignorable, appropriate dose management based on ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable) principle is required. In this study, we aimed that (1) survey on imaging equipments and modalities used for IGRT, (2) estimation of IGRT imaging dose depending on treatment types and equipments, (3) collecting data of effective dose on treatment sites from each equipment and imaging protocol, and thus finally provide guideline for imaging dose reduction and optimization.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.115-131
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• 1996

Tourism is multi-faceted phenomenon which involves movement to stay in destinations outside the normal place of residence. Thus, tourism is a composite phenomenon which incorporates the diversity of variables and relationships to be found in the tourist travel process. Tourism-behaviors are of major economic and social significance. With the growth of mass-tourism, the government departments of tourism is to provide many tourist facilities, to develop travel destination and tourism resources. At same time, the growth of mass-tourism has prompted perceptive travellers to raise many questions concerning the many travel destination and the tourism resources of encouraging further tourism demand. Most of tourism have a mental in their minds about various objects. This allowed him to choose tourism destination as a important rules. In tourism geography, behavioral approach to wildness, tourism resources and places has risen since 1960's. The tourist profile can be viewed under two major categories: the tourist social-economic and behavioral characteristic. Particulary, the motivations, attitude, need, values and preference of travel destinations are of crucial importance in contributing to their desion-making process. In this view, this paper is emprical study investigated travel patterns and behavioral characteristic of tourists and potential tourist in East Chonnam. The purpose of this paper is to show the spatial preference and tourism behavior of travel destinations. For this study, we are undertaken the questionary method employed by recreation geographers in order to collect research data for the East Chonnam-citizens functioned as a major tourist demand. The East Chonnam Province have many tourist-places including national park, provincial park, and local tourist-places. Thus, citizen of the East Chonnam evaluate many tourist-places very high, but evaluate the facilities of tourist place very low. The high ranks of preferences to travel destinations among tourist-places are Hyangilam, Geomoon island, Odongis land, Songkwang temple. The major travel destinations occurred the temporary travel trip are Odong island, Sunam temple, Songkwang temple. Heungkook temple, Hyangilam which are the type of mountainous in located inland. The relationship between the degree of preference and tourism behavior of travel trip for the travel destinations does not correlate each other. The result of analysis about the degree of seasonal preferences presented spatial differences according to characteristics of tourist-places. The typical travel destination are divided into seasons : Odong island. Mt. Backwoon, Goemoon island of spring, Goemoon island, Sungbul valley, Banggukpo beach of summer, Songkwang temple, Mt. Pal young of fall. The future of tourism will be rapidly grow with increase of personal mobility and leisure time, chang of tourism behavior. Thus, it is imperative that planning and development for tour-root, facilities of tourist-places should be implemented to increase tourism demand.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.8 no.8
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• pp.285-292
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• 2008

This study was initiated to evaluate the Phosphorus(P) leaching potential in the putting green soils and P uptake by the turfgrass in the golf course using the P fertilizers. The turfgrass, Floradwarf bermudagrass(Cynodon dactylon L. PERS,) was planted and grown in the mixture of sand and peat moss in this lysimeter study. Five representative P fertilizers, such as, ammonium polyphosphate (APP), monopotassium phosphate (MKP), MAP(monoammonium phosphate), 0-20-20(liquid), and concentrated superphosphate(CSP, solid) were used in this study. Based on the total P quantity of leachate collected during the whole 12 weeks, MKP and APP are the first group of P fertilizers contributing to the leaching of P, then MAP and 0-20-20 are the second group of P fertilizers causing the P leaching. Finally, CSP is the third group of P fertilizer resulting in the P leaching. However, most of P applied and collected in the lysimeter were leached during the first period of two and four weeks, compared to that of P leached during the second period of six, eight, ten, and twelve weeks. Applications of MAP, APP and CSP, MKP and 0-20-20 in order produced the largest amount of total dry matter. However, APP, MKP and MAP, CSP and 0-20-20 in order showed the largest amount of P uptake. Therefore, based on the data of P leaching, dry matter production, and plant P uptake, it appears that CSP, 0-20-20, and MAP are the environmentally sound fertilizers recommended in the turfgrass putting green soil of golf course.