• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.136-142
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• 2020

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease with systemic inflammatory arthritis. This meta-analysis was conducted to examine the association between occupational exposure to silica and the risk of developing RA among different workers. Methods: In this meta-analysis, we searched relevant published studies using major electronic databases including Scopus, PubMed, ISI Web of Science, and Google Scholar search engine up to October 2019, and the references of retrieved articles were also checked for further possible sources. A random-effects model was used to account for heterogeneity among the results of the studies using the pooled odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The Q-statistic and I² tests were calculated to assess heterogeneity between the studies. Results: The pooled calculation of OR indicated a significant association between occupational exposure to silica and risk of developing RA among different workers (OR = 2.59, 95% CI = 1.73 to 3.45). In addition, the pooled estimates of OR in smokers were statistically significant (OR = 2.49, 95% CI = 1.13 to 3.86). Conclusions: The findings of the present study reveal that occupational exposure to silica may be associated with increased risk of developing RA.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.61-68
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• 2022

Background: While the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected all aspects of health care, its impact on cardiac surgical practice and outcomes is yet to be determined. We compared the outcomes of our cardiac surgical practice from the past year during the pandemic to those in a similar pre-pandemic period. Methods: Retrospective data were collected from 307 patients who were involved in all adult cardiac surgical procedures performed between March 2020 and February 2021, which was considered the pandemic period, at Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, India. These were compared with data from the 1-year period between March 2019 and February 2020. During that earlier period, 491 patients underwent surgery, and the surgical outcomes were assessed. Outpatient visit data were also collected to evaluate the effect of COVID-19 on outpatient follow-up visits. Results: A 37% decrease in surgical case volume was observed during the study period. No difference was found in operative mortality between the 2 time periods (3.3% vs. 2.6%, p=0.383). Overall postoperative complications were less frequent during this period, at 23% compared to 38% the previous year (p<0.001). Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic caused a dramatic decrease in surgical volume and outpatient medical follow-up. However, the pandemic and its attendant social restrictions did not yield a significant change in the surgical outcomes of our patients. Hence, it is reasonable to continue cardiac surgical care during global health crises, and this can be done with good results.

• ETRI Journal
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.64-74
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• 2005

Traditional Internet pricing schemes are coming under continual pressure to adapt to, and encourage, a changing mix of Internet applications and consumer usage patterns. Much research effort over the last decade has been focused on developing more efficient and attractive charging schemes. However, none of the proposed models has been widely deployed. This raises questions regarding the inhibiting factors and missing pieces that make pricing the Internet such a challenge. In this paper, we discuss the problems with current Internet pricing schemes, review the history of Internet pricing research over the last ten years, and summarize the key features and motivations of the most significant models. We develop a novel visual approach to comparing and evaluating such schemes using a three-dimensional (3D) metric encompassing technical efficiency, economic efficiency, and social impact. We address and discuss the important factors that have inhibited the deployment of the reviewed models and suggest productive areas of focus for future Internet pricing research.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.2983-2988
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• 2016

Recognizing cancer patients' preferences to obtain health information can help improve and reform the methods of communicating and providing proper services and consequently lead to effective patient education. The present cross-sectional study to prioritize the preferences of cancer patients regarding the acquisition of health informationwas conducted on cancer patients referred to hospitals affiliated to Semnan University of Medical Sciences in 2015. An anonymous self-administered questionnaire was developed. In the field of side effects of medications, 50 (46.7%) reported knowing about weight change, in the area of achieving relative health, 62(57.9%) announced awareness about diet, and 45 (42.1%) reported physical complications as a first regarding information needs. In the area of obtaining information, 50 (46.7%) tended to take their information through means outside of the hospital setting. These results can help with design of clinical information systems, as they inform the most relevant and useful coverage designed for cancer patients. Providing useful information through healthcare providers, the media and clinical information systems can act as a major source of social support for cancer patients.

• Psychiatry investigation
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• v.15 no.12
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• pp.1168-1173
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• 2018

Objective After the Sewol ferry disaster, bereavement with suicidal ideation was a critical mental health problem that was accompanied by various neuropsychological symptoms. This study examined the frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA), heart rate variability (HRV), and several psychological symptoms in bereaved family members (BFM) after the Sewol ferry disaster. Methods Eighty-three BFM after the Sewol ferry disaster were recruited. We assessed FAA, HRV, and psychological symptoms, including depression, post-traumatic stress, post-traumatic growth factor, anxiety, grief, and positive resources, between BFM with the presence and absence of current suicidal ideation. Results Compared to BFM without suicidal ideation, BFM with suicidal ideation showed a higher FAA with right dominance. Significant differences in psychological symptoms were observed between the groups. In BFM with suicidal ideation, the low: high frequency (LF:HF) ratio correlated with social resources and support. Conclusion The FAA and LF:HF ratio may be biomarkers that represent the pathological conditions of BFM with suicidal ideation. If researched further, they may shed light on the interaction between bereavement with suicidal ideation and social resources for therapeutic intervention.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.20 no.7
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• pp.73-86
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• 2022

Purpose: Considering the COVID-19 pandemic and the increasing number of online food delivery applications (OFDA), this study aims to assess the distribution of the presence of Indonesian OFDA and to measure the factors that influence the spending habits of OFDA users. Research design, data and methodology: Two hundred and nine OFDA users from Jakarta's Generation Z were surveyed via a questionnaire. The data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling and SMART PLS 3.0. Results: OFDAs were introduced into Indonesia in the recent past with varying degrees of popularity determined by the number of downloads. Users' intention to use was not determined by the speed of the introduction of an OFDA. This study also reveals that previous experience of the service, the orientation of time and price savings had a significant effect on spending habits. A moderating role of the saving variable on time and price was not demonstrated. Conclusions: The results of the study suggest that, in COVID-19 pandemic conditions, the spending habits of Generation Z are not based on impulse, thrift, or extravagance. The pandemic shaped specific motivations in spending habits, namely prioritizing need. This study has limitations, including the small sample size and the use of internal variables.

• Journal of Information Science Theory and Practice
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.40-54
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• 2020

This proposed work aims to understand the Korean Academic Circle (KAC)'s research trend on the "One Belt One Road" (OBOR) by employing a quantitative analysis of the recent research articles published by the KAC. To do so, this proposed research has used the well-known network analysis software, Ucinet 6, by which the papers on related topics are collected and filtered from Korea Citation Index. To perform the analytical selection, the proposed work has chosen 'keywords' as the core research object and performed analysis from transverse to longitudinal aspects, and from holistic to individual aspects, respectively; and from this, the KAC's research trend on OBOR is derived. The present work has established that the KAC's attention is continuously increasing on OBOR and has sustainability. Centered on the OBOR, Korean researchers have spread their studies in various dimensions ranging from the issues like China's political economy to Sino-Korea economic and trade exchanges, and so on. The KAC has even combined OBOR with Korea's international development initiatives, which can help Korea benefit from active and sustainable cooperation with China. Moreover, the proposed work has found that Korean researchers have also actively expressed their growing attention, highlighted Korea's interest, and showed concern about China hegemony and Sinocentrism in their recent documented research works.

• Asian Journal of Innovation and Policy
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.94-110
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• 2017

This paper approaches knowledge capital as social infrastructure and analyzes its impact on economic growth. To this end, we constructed a panel dataset for 120 countries for the years 2000-2014 and estimated the economic growth function using the panel analysis. As proxies for knowledge capital, we used the R&D expenditure per capita and the number of patent applications per thousand people in each country, both measured in stock. Economic growth was measured in terms of real GDP per capita and real value added per capita at the industry level. The empirical findings demonstrate that knowledge capital accumulated in a society significantly promotes economic growth. Especially R&D stock increases real value added per capita in all industries-not only manufacturing, but also services and agriculture-implying substantial inter-industry spillover effects. The findings of this study suggest that knowledge capital boosts economic growth as core social infrastructure.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.85-94
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• 2017

The paper examines critical factors affecting consumer behavioral intentions in accepting online health communication through social networking sites. Unlike recent research under this topic, the paper assimilates some components of service quality dimensions and consumer behavior theories. The paper employs factor analysis and structural equation modelling analysis with latent variables to identify critical factors from the survey data collected from Korean consumers. The results of the study identifies three major constructs: consumer needs for health information, the perceived value of tangible attributes of health information providers, and the perceived value of intangible attributes of health information providers. The results show that consumer needs for health information and the tangible and intangible attributes of health information providers should be considered as important antecedents of accepting online health communication through social networking sites. The findings suggest that the success of online health communication via social networking sites largely depends on the tangible and intangible attributes of health information providers.

• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.99-118
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• 2009

In Korean society, a housewife and mother often plays the role of family resource manager. In 2008, the newly appointed Korean government proposed a new direction in social policies, including family policy, that is, "active social welfare". According to "active social welfare", family policy focuses on a preventive policy and a family needs-oriented policy. In other words, newly established family policies should reflect parents' needs in their family resource management. In this economic downturn, family policies should be established to satisfy parents' needs to overcome their own family's economic crisis. This study focuses on policy recipients' real voices and their needs: they need the government's help supporting their efforts to overcome the economic crises within their families.