• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.158-163
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• 2020

This study examines and presents reasonable improvement measures for the operation and revision of the relative value scoring system, and the basis for performance of a medical technologist. Seven hospitals were enrolled in the study, and included 5 resident laboratory medicine specialists and 53 medical technologists, giving a ratio of 10.6 technologists per laboratory medicine specialist. The average of professional manpower scores was 18, and the average of each medical institution's total score was 78. Ratings and additional rates were in the range 2~3%, and quality-added ratios were 2~3%, with no significance. Excluding pathological testing and assessing physiological functions, the average number of diagnostic tests for health insurance claims were 9,618,062, including 4,378,146 points for 5% of the total relative value scores. According to the DEA, the appropriate number of medical technologist is one person per 49,974 points of relative value. In conclusion, our study results indicate that it would be desirable to set the appropriate workforce for medical technologist to one person per 50,000 points of relative value. Our data could be used as a basis for enhancing productivity of the workforce and balancing health care resources.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.59 no.3
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• pp.126-131
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• 2016

Purpose: To evaluate the diagnostic value of the Vesikari Scoring System (VSS) as an early predictor of pathogens in children with acute gastroenteritis (AG). Methods: In this retrospective study, the VSS score, absolute neutrophil count (ANC), and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were analyzed in 107 hospitalized children with AG, aged 6 months to 17 years. Patients were divided into nonspecific, viral, and bacterial groups according to the pathogens detected using a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. Results: Patients in the bacterial group had significantly higher CRP values and VSS scores compared to those in the viral group and significantly higher VSS scores compared to those in the nonspecific group (P<0.05). Patients in the viral group had significantly higher VSS scores than those in the nonspecific group (P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis revealed that VSS was the most effective diagnostic tool for predicting the type of pathogen (P<0.05). The area under the receiver operating characteristics curve of VSS was significantly greater than that for ANC and CRP (P<0.05). At a cutoff point of 10 in the VSS, an acceptable diagnostic accuracy could be achieved for distinguishing between bacterial and viral pathogens in AG. Conclusion: VSS can be considered a useful and reliable infectious marker for pediatric gastroenteritis. VSS may be a good early predictor of the type of pathogen, enabling development of a treatment plan before results from a stool culture or PCR test are available.

• Journal of Korean Society of Rural Planning
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.7-16
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• 2007

This study aims to develop an evaluation method of green-tourism potential in village level with amenity resources of rural villages, considering human resources of the village. The amenity resources evaluation system was classified into three sub-classes with social, industrial, and natural resources. The system consisted of a relationship diagram between three classes resources and tourists' behavior. The new methodology considers human resources as a key factor for green-tourism potential evaluation of villages, including the amenity resources of three sub-classes. In quantitative method for the criteria, this study adopted a new method of continuous linear score method, which is applying fuzzy theory, not to give score with the existing discrete scoring method with several steps. The weighting values of the evaluation criteria were calculated from the step wise pair-comparision results by AHP(Analytic Hierachy Process) method, which industrial, natural, and social resources have relative weighting values of 523/1000, 319/1000, and 158/1000, respectively. In evaluation of another weighting value by the same methodology, the results showed that the amenity and the human resources have weighting values of 627/100 and 373/1000, respectively. The new evaluation method was applied to make the potential evaluation for rural villages of the study area, which located on Narial-myun, Keumsan-gun, Chungnam province. The development priority among the villages could be suggested reasonably by the new findings of this study, according to the evaluation results showing that the village with high possibility for development in green-tourism has high score in the potential evaluation.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.22 no.8
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• pp.1323-1331
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• 2021

Objective: To identify the association between renal tumor complexity and pathologic renal sinus invasion (RSI) and evaluate the usefulness of computed tomography tumor features for predicting RSI in patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included 276 consecutive patients who underwent radical nephrectomy for RCC with a size of ≤ 7 cm between January 2014 and October 2017. Tumor complexity and anatomical renal sinus involvement were evaluated using two standardized scoring systems: the radius (R), exophytic or endophytic (E), nearness to collecting system or sinus (N), anterior or posterior (A), and location relative to polar lines (RENAL) nephrometry and preoperative aspects and dimensions used for anatomical classification (PADUA) system. CT-based tumor features, including shape, enhancement pattern, margin at the interface of the renal sinus (smooth vs. non-smooth), and finger-like projection of the mass, were also assessed by two independent radiologists. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to identify significant predictors of RSI. The positive predictive value, negative predictive value (NPV), accuracy of anatomical renal sinus involvement, and tumor features were evaluated. Results: Eighty-one of 276 patients (29.3%) demonstrated RSI. Among highly complex tumors (RENAL or PADUA score ≥ 10), the frequencies of RSI were 42.4% (39/92) and 38.0% (71/187) using RENAL and PADUA scores, respectively. Multivariable analysis showed that a non-smooth margin and the presence of a finger-like projection were significant predictors of RSI. Anatomical renal sinus involvement showed high NPVs (91.7% and 95.2%) but low accuracy (40.2% and 43.1%) for RSI, whereas the presence of a non-smooth margin or finger-like projection demonstrated comparably high NPVs (90.0% and 91.3% for both readers) and improved accuracy (67.0% and 73.9%, respectively). Conclusion: A non-smooth margin or the presence of a finger-like projection can be used as a preoperative CT-based tumor feature for predicting RSI in patients with RCC.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.29-41
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• 2014

The Korean government has purchased land properties alongside any significant water bodies before setting up the buffers to secure water qualities. Since the annual budgets are limited, however, there has always been the issue of which land parcels ought to be given the priority. Therefore, this study aims to develop efficient mechanism for land acquisition priorities in stream corridors that would ultimately be vegetated for riparian buffer zones. The criteria of land acquisition priority were driven through literary review along with experts' advice. The relative weights of their value and priorities for each criterion were computed using the Analytical Hierarchy Process(AHP) method. Major findings of the study are as follows: 1. The decision-making structural model for land acquisition priority focuses mainly on the reduction of non-point source pollutants(NSPs). This fact is highly associated with natural and physical conditions and land use types of surrounding areas. The criteria were classified into two categories-NSPs runoff areas and potential NSPs runoff areas. 2. Land acquisition priority weights derived for NSPs runoff areas and potential NSPs runoff areas were 0.862 and 0.138, respectively. This implicates that much higher priority should be given to the land parcels with NSPs runoff areas. 3. Weights and priorities of sub-criteria suggested from this study include: proximity to the streams(0.460), land cover(0.189), soil permeability(0.117), topographical slope(0.096), proximity to the roads(0.058), land-use types(0.036), visibility to the streams(0.032), and the land price(0.012). This order of importance suggests, as one can expect, that it is better to purchase land parcels that are adjacent to the streams. 4. A standard scoring system including the criteria and weights for land acquisition priority was developed which would likely to allow expedited decision making and easy quantification for priority evaluation due to the utilization of measurable spatial data. Further studies focusing on both point and non-point pollutants and GIS-based spatial analysis and mapping of land acquisition priority are needed.