• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.91-96
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• 2016

Purpose - Although various studies have been conducted on the stress of service employees, there are still lack of studies regarding job stress and job satisfaction of call center workers. Especially there are quite few studies on the job stress according to employment type. This study focused on job stress and job satisfaction for call center employees and the correlation between the two factors and aimed to provide basic materials for seeking for the plans to reduce job stress and improve job satisfaction. Research design, data, and methodology - Frequency, percentage, and mean value were calculated through descriptive statistics in order to find out demographic characteristics, level of job stress, and job satisfaction. Differences in job stress according to employment type were calculated by using one-way ANOVA. Correlation between job stress and job satisfaction were identified through empirical analysis with Pearson's correlation coefficient. 150 materials were used for final analysis. The collected materials were analyzed to get statistics by using SPSS 20. Results - First, as for the job stress of call center workers, overall mean value was 2.54 in 4-point scales. Among the six sub-factors, job demands had the highest score, which was 2.67. Second, as for the job stress according to employment type, others showed higher score than mean value followed by contract job and full-time job in that order, in terms of job insecurity and organizational system. In terms of inappropriate remuneration, contract job showed higher score than mean value followed by others and full-time job. Third, as for the satisfaction with job, the mean value was 2.37 in 4-point scale and "very much satisfied" was only 3.3%. Lastly, in terms of job stress and job satisfaction, all sub-factors except for job demands showed significant correlation. The more job stress increased, the more job satisfaction decreased. Conclusions - First, as a result of analyzing job stress according to the employment type of call center workers, job stress increased more when the employment type was not full-time. Therefore, it was assumed that self-rescue efforts should be followed for effective employment management of call center business where contract employment takes most part as well as efforts to transfer them to full-time job. Second, decrease in job satisfaction of call center workers may affect the performance of an organization as well as service quality of the company providing the service. Therefore, various supports are required to decrease job stress and increase job satisfaction for call center workers through the expansion of rest area or break time. Third, I could recognize that there were lack of academic research on call center business in the whole service industry. Therefore, further research should be conducted more actively in the future. In particular, this study has special significance in the aspect that there were few studies on the job stress of call center workers according to employment type.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.55-62
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• 2008

This study investigated the status and problems of marine-related environmental impact assessment and a utilization-consultation system in Korea and suggested improvement of the review organization. Also, it conducted SWOT analysis based on evaluation of functions, roles and performance of the marine environmental impact assessment center and proposed development strategies of the center through introduction of expert opinions and advanced systems. The performance statement-review by the center in 2007 included 358 cases in total; 165 (46.1%) for consultation on utilization of sea area, 104 for environmental impact assessment (29.0%), and 89 (24.9%) for prior environmental review. The consultation on utilization of sea area can be divided into that for public water surface-use (41%) and reclamation (32%), and sea aggregate extraction process (21%). Although bad impacts on marine environment are reducing under the current system, there are some limits and problems to supplement it in terms of content, system and operation. Review system on sea area utilization-impact(marine environmental impact assessment center) by marine environmental management law needs to obtain expertise, fairness and efficiency and, to do so, have operational supports and institutional improvement to maximize its own functions and roles. At the same time, it is necessary for the center to establish identity and the status as a professional review organization by setting active development strategies inside the center. Finally, it should strengthen an consultation system of marine environmental impact assessment led by the related ministry to achieve effective coastal management.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.96-104
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• 2022

Chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis (CRMO) is an inflammatory bone disorder presenting with sterile osteomyelitis, most often presenting in childhood. Although the etiology is understood incompletely, its association with other auto-inflammatory diseases including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD); psoriasis; Wegener's disease; arthritis; and synovitis, acne, pustulosis, hyperostosis, and osteitis (SAPHO) syndrome suggests that dysregulated innate immunity may play an important role in the pathogenesis. We report a case of a 13-year-old boy with CRMO associated with Crohn's disease (CD) successfully treated with infliximab after failure of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) treatment. He initially was diagnosed with CRMO based on symmetric and aseptic bone lesions with no fever, lack of response to antibiotic treatment, vertebral involvement, and normal blood cell counts. Despite five months of NSAID treatment, his musculoskeletal symptoms were aggravated, and he developed gastrointestinal symptoms. Finally, he was diagnosed with CRMO associated with CD. Due to the severity of symptoms, infliximab was initiated and produced symptom improvement. This case supports infliximab as another choice for treatment of bowel symptoms in addition to the bone and joint symptoms of CRMO when other first-line treatments are ineffective.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.23 no.10
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• pp.939-948
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• 2022

Objective: Evidence supports the efficacy of coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA)-based risk scores in cardiovascular risk stratification of patients with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD). We aimed to compare two CCTA-based risk score algorithms, Leiden and Confirm scores, in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) and suspected CAD. Materials and Methods: This single-center prospective cohort study consecutively included 1241 DM patients (54.1% male, 60.2 ± 10.4 years) referred for CCTA for suspected CAD in 2015-2017. Leiden and Confirm scores were calculated and stratified as < 5 (reference), 5-20, and > 20 for Leiden and < 14.3 (reference), 14.3-19.5, and > 19.5 for Confirm. Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) were defined as the composite outcomes of cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, and unstable angina requiring hospitalization. The Cox model and Kaplan-Meier method were used to evaluate the effect size of the risk scores on MACE. The area under the curve (AUC) at the median follow-up time was also compared between score algorithms. Results: During a median follow-up of 31 months (interquartile range, 27.6-37.3 months), 131 of MACE were recorded, including 17 cardiovascular deaths, 28 nonfatal MIs, 64 unstable anginas requiring hospitalization, and 22 strokes. An incremental incidence of MACE was observed in both Leiden and Confirm scores, with an increase in the scores (log-rank p < 0.001). In the multivariable analysis, compared with Leiden score < 5, the hazard ratios for Leiden scores of 5-20 and > 20 were 2.37 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.53-3.69; p < 0.001) and 4.39 (95% CI: 2.40-8.01; p < 0.001), respectively, while the Confirm score did not demonstrate a statistically significant association with the risk of MACE. The Leiden score showed a greater AUC of 0.840 compared to 0.777 for the Confirm score (p < 0.001). Conclusion: CCTA-based risk score algorithms could be used as reliable cardiovascular risk predictors in patients with DM and suspected CAD, among which the Leiden score outperformed the Confirm score in predicting MACE.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.67 no.2
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• pp.285-310
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• 2015

The purpose of this study is to verify qualitatively and quantitatively practitioners' perceptions of functions and roles of community child center which plays a pivotal role in afterschool care in Korea. To achieve its purposes, we investigate environments, services, workers, service users, and delivery systems of community child center. As a result, 4 types of perception of community child center(service integration-oriented type focusing on professional workers, care-oriented type based on child care center's physical environment, delivering service-oriented type working in collaboration with schools, and individual case management-oriented type) were examined. These results were also classified into two categories. One focused on the importance of workers and supports for service environments. The other focused more on the functions of community child center to find commonality and originality in other afterschool care systems. This study can be valuable in understanding practitioners' different perception on functions and roles of community child center which have not yet been confirmed statistically. The results allow us to apply diverse practitioners' perceptions to the practice, and to elicit discussions regarding improved practice directions for managing community child center. It also can provide useful baseline data in policy decisions and enforcement.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.545-557
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• 2017

Objective: The aim of this study was to find risk factors in cultivating ginseng based on risk assessments and suggest safety measures for main risks. Background: Safety education and training is one of the practical and effective methods to prevent occupational accidents and injuries. In agricultural sector, there are few contents of safety education as compared to other industries. Especially, farm work has different cultivation characteristics according to the crops, so it needs special education materials for each crop. Among the various types of crops, ginseng contains various risk factors due to its long cultivating period and unique environment. Therefore, safety education material specified for ginseng is necessary to improve ginseng farmers' safety. Method: Risk assessment for cultivating tasks of ginseng was carried out through data obtained from various methods (site survey, interview, literature survey). To improve objectivity, the risk assessment was applied with 3-criteria (researcher estimate, interview, previous research results). Finally, the three high-risk tasks were selected and safety measures for those tasks were provided. Results: Three tasks, such as 'Mounting, maintenance and removing supports', 'Pest control' and 'Harvest', were selected as risky tasks among total tasks. (1) In 'Mounting' and maintenance and removing supports', the farmers found to be exposed to the risks of musculoskeletal disorders and accidents related to operating the tablet machine. (2) In 'Pest control', agrichemical poisoning, musculoskeletal disorders and hyperthermia were main risks. Finally, (3) In 'Harvest', the farmers are mainly exposed to the possibility of accidents of agricultural machines and risks of musculoskeletal disorders. Thus, it needs to apply appropriate safety measures to those risky tasks, such as safety guidelines, convenience equipment, protective kit, and so on. Conclusion: This study can be used as basic data for agricultural safety and expected that it would be useful for further study. In addition, the results of the research will be produced in the form of animation, which will enhance the safety consciousness for aged farmers. Application: The result of this study can be used in developing safety education materials for ginseng farmers which is essential to prevent occupational accidents and injuries among ginseng farmers.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.169-177
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• 2016

Sliding slab track system, which consists of low friction sliding layer between track slab and bridge deck, is recently devised to reduce track-bridge interaction effect of continuously welded rail(CWR) without applying special devices such as rail expansion joint(REJ). In this study, a series of track-bridge interaction analyses of a long-span bridge with sliding slab track and REJ are performed respectively and the results are compared. The bridge model includes PSC box girder bridge with 9 continuous spans, and steel-concrete composite girder bridge with 2 continuous spans. The total length of the bridge model is 1,205m, and the maximum spacing between the two fixed supports is 825m. Analyses results showed that the sliding slab track system is highly effective on interaction reduction since lower rail additional axial stress is resulted than REJ application. Additionally, horizontal reaction forces in fixed supports were also reduced compared to the results of REJ application. However, higher slab axial forces were developed in the sliding slab track due to the temperature load. Therefore, track slab section of the sliding slab track system should be carefully designed against slab axial forces.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.02a
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• pp.246-246
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• 2012

Smart catalyst design though novel catalyst preparation methods can improve catalytic activity of transition metals on reducible oxide supports such as titania by enhancement of metal oxide interface effects. In this work, we investigated Pt nanoparticles/titania catalysts under CO oxidation reaction by using novel preparation methods in order to enhance its catalytic activity by optimizing metal oxide interface. Arc plasma deposition (APD) and metal impregnation techniques are employed to achieve Pt metal deposition on titania supports which are prepared by multi-target sputtering and Sol-gel techniques. In order to tailor metal-support interface for catalytic CO oxidation reaction, Pt nanoparticles and thin films are deposited in varying surface coverages on sputtered titania films using APD. To assess the role of oxide support at the interface, APD-Pt is deposited on sputtered and Sol-gel prepared titania films. Lastly, characteristics of APD-Pt process are compared with Pt impregnation technique. Our results show that activity of Pt nanoparticles is improved when supported over Sol-Gel prepared titania than sputtered titania film. It is suggested that this enhanced activity can be partly ascribed to a very rough titania surface with the higher free metal surface area and higher number of sites at the interface between the metal and the support. Also, APD-Pt shows superior catalytic activity under CO oxidation as compared to Pt impregnation on sputtered titania support. XPS results show that bulk oxide is formed on Pt when deposited through impregnation and has higher proportion of oxidized Pt in the form of $Pt^{2+/4+}$ oxidation states than Pt metal. APD-Pt shows, however, mild oxidation with large proportion of active Pt metal. APD-Pt also shows trend of increasing CO oxidation activity with number of shots. The activity continues to increase with surface coverage beyond 100%, thus suggesting a very rough and porous Pt films with higher active surface metal sites due to an increased surface area available for the reactant CO and $O_2$ molecules. The results suggest a novel approach for systematic investigation into metal oxide interface by rational catalysts design which can be extended to other metal-support systems in the future.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare Studies
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.267-290
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• 2011

This research attempts to analyze the effects of demographic factors, socioeconomic factors, health behaviors and social/familial supports on health inequalities among Korean elderly. For this end, this study adopts the multiple linear regression analysis to process data on population aged over 65 contained in 'The Third Korea Welfare Panel Study' published in 2008. The following are the results. First, the less educated they are, the smaller income they earn, the less they drink, the less satisfied with relationships with their family members, the more they turn out to feel depressed. Second, the less educated they are, the smaller income they earn, the less they drink, the less they are satisfied with relationship with family members, the more they benefit from social welfare services, the worse they turn out to rate their health. Based on these findings, three following suggestions could be forwarded. First, vulnerable aged groups including female elderly, low-income elderly, less-educated elderly need customized social supports. Second, new social policy for households is required to enhance elderly people's satisfaction with their family relationships with the rapid trend of a growing number of nuclear families and aging. Third, social welfare service programs need to be reevaluated to enhance their function for the aged.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.202-210
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• 2015

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe depression, caregiving burden and the correlation of the two variables in the families of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and to clarify factors predicting caregiving burden. Methods: A descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted with 139 family members who provided care to patients with ALS. The characteristics of patients and families, Korean-Beck Depression Inventory (K-BDI), Korean version of Zarit Burden Interview (K-ZBI) and Korean-Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale - Revised (K-ALSFRS-R) were used as study measures. Results: The mean score for K-BDI was 19.39 out of 63 suggesting sub-clinical depression and 38.2% of the family members exhibited depression. The mean score for K-ZBI was 66.03 out of 88. The predictors for K-ZBI were K-BDI, age of family member, length of time spent per day in caring, relationship to patient and K-ALSFRS-R. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that levels of depression and caregiving burden are high among family members caring for patients with ALS. As depression is associated with caregiving burden, screening and emotional supports should be provided to reduce the burden of care for these family. Support programs to alleviate the care burden are also needed, considering family demographics, time per day in caring giving and K-ALSFRS-R.