• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.211-217
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• 2013

Many biobanks were established as biorepositories for biomedical research, and a number of biobanks were founded in the 1990s. The main aim of the biobank is to store and to maintain biomaterials for studying chronic disease, identifying risk factors of specific diseases, and applying personalized drug therapies. This report provides a review of biobanks, including Korean biobanks and an analysis of sample volumes, regulations, policies, and ethical issues of the biobank. Until now, the top 6 countries according to the number of large-scale biobanks are the United Kingdom, United States, Sweden, France, the Netherlands, and Italy, and there is one major National Biobank of Korea (NBK) and 17 regional biobanks in Korea. Many countries have regulations and guidelines for the biobanks, and the importance of good management of biobanks is increasing. Meanwhile, according to a first survey of 456 biobank managers in the United States, biobankers are concerned with the underuse of the samples in their repositories, which need to be advertised for researchers. Korea Biobank Network (KBN) project phase II (2013-2015) was also planned for the promotion to use biospecimens in the KBN. The KBN is continuously introducing for researchers to use biospecimens in the biobank. An accreditation process can also be introduced for biobanks to harmonize collections and encourage use of biospecimens in the biobanks. KBN is preparing an on-line application system for the distribution of biospecimens and a biobank accreditation program and is trying to harmonize the biobanks.

• Strategy21
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• s.37
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• pp.144-176
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• 2015

In September 2013, President Park Geun-hye announced her controversial "Look North" policy, of which the most salient aspect is the "Eurasia Initiative". This comprises various proposals designed to overcome existing constraints by developing new markets and creating new economic partners in continental areas from which South Korea has been alienated since the end of World War II, and this dovetails nicely with China's One Belt, One Road Initiative. The concepts of the "Silk Road Rail Express (SRX)" and the "East Sea Rim Maritime Community (ESRMC)" have also been discussed. SRX is at present a purely symbolic railroad project intended to encourage individual, cultural, trade and diplomatic exchanges. ESRMC is a model for establishing an ad hoc community to promote regional economic cooperation around the East Sea. President Park's Eurasia Initiative will provide South Korean investment for the Northeast to complement Russian plans, like the "Northern Energy Road" being built by Gazprom, and Chinese plans, like the Chang-Ji-Tu Development Plan for the North Korean port of Rajin. China's trade, as well as its energy and food supplies, pass through the Strait of Malacca and the Indian Ocean, and are thus vulnerable to interdiction by India or the US. China is therefore trying to reduce its exposure geopolitical risk by establishing a network of corridors between the Belt and the Road to provide alternative paths. The "China-Pakistan Economic Corridor" and the "China-Myanmar Economic Corridor" provide such connections, and South Korea hopes that SRX and ESRMC can become part of a "China-South Korea Economic Corridor". This concept could do much to revitalize the underdeveloped northern provinces of China and Russia's Far East, not to mention North Korea. By linking up the Trans-Siberian Railway, the Trans-China Railway, the Trans-Mongolian Railway and the Trans-Korean Railway all these Asian countries will be connected to one another, and ultimately to Europe. An interim connection between China and South Korea using a rail-ferry has also been proposed.

• Land and Housing Review
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.147-157
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• 2012

The Korean government required the mandatory ratio of public housing including the housing unit for elderly in February 2012 and the number of them is expected to increase accordingly. To prepare for an aged society, these enabling ubiquitous technology will be able to support efficient health care services, which was mentioned in various studies. Therefore, the aim of this study is to draw the design elements for an apartment for providing health care services according to the degree of independence of elderly people and to grasp the current situation and work out tactics by the evaluation of four actual cases. In housing unit in the elderly housing project, design elements supporting amenity improvement was rated to the highest importance, however, in reality, was reflected at lower rate while the risk management plan for public space was applied at the highest rate. Design elements required by new technology such as health monitoring and community management with outside world are still not reflected, however, in order to realize the concept of 'aging in place', health care services in various aspects should be considered in housing planning.

• Journal of Technology Innovation
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.1-34
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• 1995

Since 1982, the government of Korea has actively promoted vertical cooperative R&D programs between government-sponsored research institutes (GRIs) and private firms. A number of firms participated in the programs because cooperative R&D could lower the risk and could contribute to rapid commercialization of many technologies. This paper examines the effectiveness of vertical cooperative R&D projects by the modes of cooperation between GRIs and industrial firms, and analyzes the performance of participating firms' technology sourcing strategies for commercial utilization of cooperative R&D results at the project performed from 1982 to 1989 under the Government-Industry Cooperative R&D Program sponsored by the Ministry of Science and Technology(MOST) in Korea. The cooperative R&D projects are classified into 4 groups by two criteria, i.e., the level of participation of firms, and the breadth of cooperation. The findings suggest that firms should actively participate in cooperative R&D projects. In addition, in order to enhance commercial success, cooperation between GRIs and industrial firms should not be limited to R&D stage only. The breadth of cooperation should be extended to commercialization stage. Small- and medium-sized firms participating in vertical cooperative R&D projects in Korea usually lack internal technological capabilities that are needed to commercialize the results of cooperative R&D. Three different technology sourcing strategies - exclusive cooperative R&D strategy, in-house development augmented cooperative R&D strategy, and licensing-in supplemented cooperative R&D strategy - are empirically derived through cluster analysis of the relative usage rates cooperative R&D and of other supplementary technology acquisition methods. The findings suggest that the firms participating in vertical cooperative R&D projects should try to utilize other supplementary technology acquisition methods in order to achieve commercial utilization of the vertical cooperative R&D results.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.1-5
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• 2007

Unprecedented amount of genetic information being generated from the result of Human Genome Project (HGP) and advances in genetic research is already forcing changes in the paradigm of health and disease. The ultimate goal of genetic medicine is to use genetic information and technology to develop new ways of treatment or even prevention of the disease on an individual level for 'personalized medicine'. Genetics is play ing an increasingly important role in the diagnosis, monitoring and management of common multifactorial diseases in addition to rare single-gene disorders. While wide range of genetic testing have provided benefits to patients and family, uncertainties surrounding test interpretation, the current lack of available medical options for the diseases, and risks for discrimination and social stigmatization may remain to be resolved. However an increasing number of genetic tests are becoming commercially available, including direct to consumer genetic testing, yet public is often unaw are of their clinical and social implications. The personal nature of information generated by a genetic test, its power to affect major life decisions and family members, and its potential misuse raise important ethical considerations. Therefore appropriate genetic counseling is needed for patient to be informed with the benefits, limitations and risks of genetic tests, prior to informed consent for the tests. Physician also should be familiar with the legal and ethical issues involved in genetic testing to tell patients how w ell a particular genetic risk factor relates with likelihood of disease, and be able to provide appropriate genetic counseling. Genetic counseling become a mandatory requirement as global standard for many genetic testing such as prenatal diagnosis, presymtomatic DNA diagnostic tests and cancer susceptibility gene test for familial cancer syndrome. In oder to meet the challenge of genetic medicine of 21 century in korean health care system, professional education program and certification board for medical genetics specialist including non-MD genetic counselors should be addressed by medical society and regulatory policy of national health insurance reimbursement for genetic counseling to be in place to promote the implementation of clinical genetic service including genetic counseling for proper genetic testing.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.277-287
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• 2019

Background: Diabetes is known as one of the most important ambulatory care sensitive conditions. This study purposed to assess the status of continuity of care (COC) and diabetes-related avoidable hospitalizations (DRAHs) of a group of middle- and old-aged patients and to observe the relationship of the two elements by the two age groups. Methods: This study utilized the National Health Insurance Service's National Sample Cohort data and the subjects are diabetes patients of 45 and over, classified into two groups of 'middle-aged'(45-64 years) and 'old-aged'(${\geq}65years$) patients. The dependent variable was DRAHs, which was defined in accordance with the definition of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development "Health Care Quality Indicators" project. COC, as an independent variable, is measured by the COC index in this study. Two-part model (multi-variate and multi-level analyses) was utilized. Results: Factors associated with the status and the number of DRAHs differed by each age group. Meanwhile, the two-part model showed that higher COC was associated with a lower risk of preventable hospitalizations in both middle- and old-aged groups. Conclusion: Study findings can provide health policy insights and implications in order to strengthen the primary care system for further improvement of diabetes management, especially for middle- and old-aged groups.

• The Journal of Korean Society for School & Community Health Education
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.65-76
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• 2018

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the hygiene behaviors according to obesity in adolescents and to provide basic data for school health project. Methods: The data from the 10th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey(KYRBWS) were analyzed by STATA 13.0 statistical packages. The demographic characteristics were analyzed by frequency analysis. The relationship between obesity and hygiene behaviors according to demographic characteristics were analyzed by chi-square test. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used for the correlation among the variables. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the effect of obesity on the hand washing and oral hygiene behaviors. The significance level for significance was set at 0.05. Results: Obesity, hand washing before eating and hand washing after using the bathroom were significant negative correlation. Hand washing before eating and hand washing after using the bathroom were significant positive correlation. Hand washing after using the bathroom were positive correlation with toothbrushing after lunch. Washing before eating was 1.079 times higher than that of obese people(p<0.05), and toothbrushing after lunch was higher by 1.298 times in Odds ratio than normal weight(p<0.001). Conclusions: There is a need to develop a school dental health program by collecting hygiene behaviors such as obesity, hand washing, and brushing after lunch.

• Journal of vocational education research
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.37-56
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to develop a competency model and analyze the competency needs for construction manager in D Co., Ltd.. The delphi method of 25 excellent construction managers working in D Co., Ltd. was used to develop a competency model. The results showed that there would be a construction manager competency model which consisted of 3 competency clusters, 11 competencies, and 60 key actions. Then the survey of 114 construction managers working in D Co., Ltd. was conducted to examine concurrent construct validity of the competency model for construction manager and to analyze construction managers' competency needs by using the Borich's formula and the Locus for Focus Model(LfFM). The results showed that construction managers perceived 'communication', 'risk management', 'goal orientation', 'customer orientation', and 'project management' as top five priorities of competencies for construction managers. Based upon the above results, some implications were suggested for developing construction managers' competencies and improving their performance.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.82 no.3
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• pp.194-200
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• 2019

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is a major infectious disease in South Korea causing substantial disease burden, particularly in the elderly. This study aimed to identify the case detection rate of mobile TB screening for the elderly conducted in the Jeollanam-do region and to analyze risk factors of active TB. Methods: We screened the elderly population (${\geq}65$ years old) in Jeollanam-do from August to December 2017. Chest radiography was performed for all participants. Participants with TB presumptive signs were asked to submit sputum specimen(s). Sputum smear, culture, and polymerase chain reaction analyses were performed. Cascade analysis, chi-squared tests, and Fisher exact tests were used to evaluate screening performance. Results: In total, 12,402 participants were screened, and 211 (1.7%) were suspected to have active TB; 181 of the suspected patients (85.8%) underwent sputum smear test, and 16 (8.8%) patients were confirmed to have TB. The TB prevalence among the elderly was bacteriologically confirmed to be 129 per 100,000 individuals, which was similar to national TB notification data for the same age groups. The proportion of active TB cases increased with age, and differed based on sex and past TB history. However, TB-related symptoms, comorbidity status, and TB screening history within 12 months were not predictive of active TB. Conclusion: This study identified that the prevalence rate was similar to national TB notification data from the same age groups. Periodic, community-based, systematic TB screening among the elderly population is recommended.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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• v.23 no.7
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• pp.881-888
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• 2019

Dangerous cargo in maritime transportation is increasing in international trade. The types and forms of dangerous cargo are very diverse, complex, and the scope is expanding widely. For this reason, it is increase risk of accident threatens the safety of ships and other cargoes, as well as serious damage. Carriers' require special care and handling of dangerous cargo and have a duty of care for safe transport. The shipper is obliged to notify the carrier of the nature and characteristics of the dangerous cargo prior to loading on the ship, the responsibility of the carrier varies depending on the notification or not. This study compares and analyzes the concept and classification of dangerous cargoes, the provisions of the Hague rules, Hamburg Rules and Rotterdam Rules about Carriers' Dangerous Cargo Liability Regulations, after reviewing case studies. We intend to provide information to dangerous cargo handling, the carrier.