• Title/Summary/Keyword: US health system

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Compensation of Light Scattering Method for Real-Time Monitoring of Particulate Matters in Subway Stations (지하역사 내 미세먼지 실시간 모니터링을 위한 광산란법 보정)

  • Kim, Seo-Jin;Kang, Ho-Seong;Son, Youn-Suk;Yoon, Sang-Lyeor;Kim, Jo-Chun;Kim, Gyu-Sik;Kim, In-Won
    • Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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    • v.26 no.5
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    • pp.533-542
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    • 2010
  • The $PM_{10}$ concentrations in the underground should be monitored for the health of commuters on the underground subway system. Seoul Metro and Seoul Metropolitan Rapid Transit Corporation are measuring several air pollutants regularly. As for the measurement of $PM_{10}$ concentrations, instruments based on $\beta$-ray absorption method and gravimetric methods are being used. But the instruments using gravimetric method give us 20-hour-average data and the $\beta$-ray instruments can measure the $PM_{10}$ concentration every one hour. In order to keep the $PM_{10}$ concentrations under a healthy condition, the air quality of the underground platform and tunnels should be monitored and controlled continuously. The $PM_{10}$ instruments using light scattering method can measure the $PM_{10}$ concentrations every less than one minute. However, the reliability of the instruments using light scattering method is still not proved. The purpose of this work is to study the reliability of the instruments using light scattering method to measure the $PM_{10}$ concentrations continuously in the underground platforms. One instrument using $\beta$-ray absorption method and two different instruments using light scattering method (LSM1, LSM2) were placed at the platform of the Jegi station of Seoul metro line Number 1 for 10 days. The correlation between the $\beta$-ray instrument and the LSM2 ($r^2$=0.732) was higher than that between the $\beta$-ray instrument and the LSM1 ($r^2$=0.393). Thus the LSM2 was chosen for further analysis. Three different regression analysis methods were tested: Linear regression analysis, Nonlinear regression analysis and Orthogonal regression analysis. When the instruments using light scattering method were used, the data measured these instruments have to be converted to actual $PM_{10}$ concentrations using some factors. With these analyses, the factors could be calculated successfully as linear and nonlinear forms with respect to the data. And the orthogonal regression analysis was performed better than the ordinary least squares method by 28.45% reduction of RMSE. These findings propose that the instruments using light scattering method light scattering method can be used to measure and control the $PM_{10}$ concentrations of the underground subway stations.

Mega Sport Event and Social Capital: A Host Community Perspective Comparison in Korea and the US through Social Conflict Theory (메가스포츠이벤트와 사회적 자본의 역할: 갈등이론을 중심으로 한 한국과 미국의 이벤트 유치지역사회의 관점 비교에 대한 연구)

  • Park, Seong-Hee;Cottingham, Michael;Seo, Won-Jae
    • The Journal of Industrial Distribution & Business
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    • v.9 no.9
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    • pp.63-74
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    • 2018
  • Purpose - The current study is to compare the cognition of stakeholders on hosting a mega sports event between Korea and the United States. In particular, to understand their cognition and perceptual conflict towards hosting a mega sports event, the study employed conflict theory. Furthermore, the study reviewed the role of social capital in the process of managing the mega sports events. Research Design, Data, and Methodology - Of homogeneous sampling, purposeful sampling method and criterion-based selection approach were used to collect interview data from key stakeholders who have been involved in hosting a mega sports events in Korea and the United States. In-depth interview transcripts were reviewed multiple tiems after transcription to extract concepts and meanings that were pertinenet to the experience involving hosting a mega sports event. Further member checks was conducted to increase the credibility of the results. Results - Results can be summarized as followed: First, stakeholders of Korea have a strong desire for positive economic effects of a mega sports event, compared to those in the United States who are more concerned in enhancing the public interests and concerns. Second, in Korea, various socio-political issues emerged at the same time and conflicts among multiple stakeholders have aggravated the situations to coordinate the issues. This was because legal system supporting socio-trust has not been established. On the other hand, major stakeholders of the United States consisted of community members who have socio-trust and networks. Thereby these social resources have been found playing a key role in building social capital that assists the stakeholders to coordinate the current issues and to solve them. Conclusions - The current study analyzed the cognition and perceptual conflict of stakehoders in a mega sports event. Social capital has beend found as a key catalyst to increase a network and cooperation among stakeholders. In order to enhance social capital in managing a mega sports event hosted in Korea, legal systems that establish networks and relationships among the related stakeholders need to be developed. Furthermore, the systematic guideline needs to be developed, organizing the sub-committees according to the types of stakeholders and the categorized common needs.

Study on Case-Mix in Long-Term Care Facilities for Elderly (장기요양시설 노인의 환자구성에 관한 연구)

  • Jeon, Yi-Jee;Kim, Suck-Il;Hum, Yu-Seung;Yi, Sang-Wook
    • Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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    • v.6 no.3
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    • pp.130-147
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    • 2001
  • This study is about major symptoms of elderly and medical services for elderly in long-tenn care facilities. The subject of this study was 298 patients over 00 years old staying in two geriatric hospitals and two nursing homes. The symptoms and medical services were level of patient classification from RUG(Resource Utilization Group)-III which is applied for both Medicare and Medicaid for skilled nursing facilities reimbursement system in US and designed for measuring patient characteristics and medical staff time. This classification is explained by each patient resource(staff time) utilization level which is called CMI(Case-Mix Index). In this study, the symptoms and services were compared by facility type and they were categorized by level and compared by CMI. Major findings are as follows; 1. There were more elderly who have cognitive function problems in nursing homes than patients in geriatric hospitals. There were more patients with behavioral problems in geriatric hospitals than residents in nursing homes. These results were both statistically significant. 2. The patients in geriatric hospitals received significantly more nursing rehabilitation services, rehabilitation services and extensive services than residents in nursing homes. Other hands, special care services were provided significantly more to residents in nursing homes than elderly in geriatric hospitals. 3. ADL and depression variables had higher CMI when the symptoms were heavier condition. The CMI were not matched with levels of cognitive function problems and behavioral problems. 4. The CMI matched well significantly with levels of nursing rehabilitation services, special care services, and clinically complex services provided for the patient in geriatric hospitals and only nursing rehabilitation services in nursing homes. The CMI for rehabilitation services level and extensive services had regular trends. From the result of this study, the resource utilization level and services provided for elderly in each long-term care facilities were figured out. For the further study, it needs to have more concern about RUG-ill which classification variables were just analyzed.

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High Frequency Noise Reduction in ECG using a Time-Varying Variable Cutoff Frequency Lowpass Filter (시변 가변차단주파수 저역통과필터를 이용한 심전도 고주파 잡음의 제거)

  • 최안식;우응제;박승훈;윤영로
    • Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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    • v.25 no.2
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    • pp.137-144
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    • 2004
  • ECG signals are often contaminated with high-frequency noise such as muscle artifact, power line interference, and others. In the ECG signal processing, especially during a pre-processing stage, numerous noise removal techniques have been used to reduce these high-frequency noise without much distorting the original signal. This paper proposes a new type of digital filter with a continuously variable cutoff frequency to improve the signal quality This filter consists of a cutoff frequency controller (CFC) and variable cutoff frequency lowpass filter (VCF-LPF). From the noisy input ECG signal, CFC produces a cutoff frequency control signal using the signal slew rate. We implemented VCF-LPF based on two new filter design methods called convex combination filter (CCF) and weight interpolation fille. (WIF). These two methods allow us to change the cutoff frequency of a lowpass filter In an arbitrary fine step. VCF-LPF shows an excellent noise reduction capability for the entire time segment of ECG excluding the rising and falling edge of a very sharp QRS complex. We found VCF-LPF very useful and practical for better signal visualization and probably for better ECG interpretation. We expect this new digital filter will find its applications especially in a home health management system where the measured ECG signals are easily contaminated with high-frequency noises .

A case research for standard of cost in design service (디자인서비스의 대가기준 사례조사 연구)

  • Ahn, Jinho;Lee, Jeungsun;Kim, Injun
    • Journal of Service Research and Studies
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    • v.9 no.3
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    • pp.61-72
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    • 2019
  • Design is a knowledge service industry that is undervalued in Korea despite its large impact on the development of high - tech industries such as national industrial policy and the fourth industrial revolution. In the design industry, the strategic outsourcing system collapses. This phenomenon is not confined to the domestic market, and the design service companies of design-developed countries such as Europe and the US are also struggling with the classic. Accordingly, some implications were found through the case study of domestic design projects, including overseas, that private companies are more concerned with design cost reduction and cost structure to secure liquidity rather than improving design quality level and pursuing innovation through design outsourcing. It is big. As design is a core competency of a company, internalizing core design tasks, and as products and services become platforms, regional design countermeasures have been reduced, which has led to a decline in the cost standard for large companies' design service outsourcing. In design service industry, design outsourcing is performed at the request of the client, and the service value of the outsourcing is received. In the early 2000s, the importance of design management led global consulting companies to pursue M & A rather than cooperate with design service companies, and Samsung Electronics and other large corporations acquired a large number of excellent design personnel and developed their own design management research institute. This study investigated the design service outsourcing cases of public and private companies (large corporations, midsize companies) widely in relation to the design service price criterion, and grasped the indicators of the actual size and level of the design industry. I will make suggestions about the value and direction of the global design industry through interviews with experts and literature on the changes and influences of these cost criteria.

Path to Poverty of Sick Workers and Fictional Korean Social Security (아픈 노동자는 왜 가난해지는가? - 아픈 노동자의 빈곤화과정과 소득보장제의 경험)

  • Lee, Sophia Seung-yoon;Kim, Ki-tae
    • 한국사회정책
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    • v.24 no.4
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    • pp.113-150
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    • 2017
  • This study analyzes how workers become impoverished and have their jobs less stabilized after they suffer from non-job-related sickness. Given that South Korea lacks sickness benefits, which most of OECD member states legislate and implement except US and Switzerland, this study examines its impact on laborers' job stability and povertization in Korea. The researchers have conducted in-depth interviews with nine former or present laborers who have the experiences and four experts on the issue in July-September, 2017 for the qualitative analysis. It is found that laborers, after becoming aware of their sickness, at first endure their pain without informing their employers not to lose their jobs. The attititude is observed especially among non-standard laborers, because sickness more often leads to job loss for them than for standard laborers. After workers have to leave their jobs due to their sickness in the end, they have no choice but to keep working in less stable jobs to compensate for income losses. They become gradually impoverished with their social capital like family bond declining. We observe laborers who are eligible for industrial accident insurance compensation could not benefit from the system because some employers refrain from the legal reporting duty. Due to this illegal practices, some industrial accident victims unduly lose their jobs due to "non-job-related sickness". Second, some employers report to the authority that their sick laborers have left their jobs 'voluntarily' even when they have quitted it without their volition, in which case the newly unemployed are not eligible for unemployment benefits. Large holes in Korea's safety nets for those suffering from multiple risks of sickness and unemployment.

Non-invasive Brain Stimulation and its Legal Regulation - Devices using Techniques of TMS and tDCS - (비침습적 뇌자극기술과 법적 규제 - TMS와 tDCS기술을 이용한 기기를 중심으로 -)

  • Choi, Min-Young
    • The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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    • v.21 no.2
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    • pp.209-244
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    • 2020
  • TMS and tDCS are non-invasive devices that treat the diseases of patients or individual users, and manage or improve their health by applying stimulation to a brain through magnetism and electricity. The effect and safety of these devices have proved to be valid in several diseases, but research in this area is still much going on. Despite increasing cases of their application, legislations directly regulating TMS and tDCS are hard to find. Legal regulation regarding TMS and tDCS in the United States, Germany and Japan reveals that while TMS has been approved as a medical device with a moderate risk, tDCS has not yet earned approval as a medical device. However, the recent FDA guidance, European MDR changes, recalls in the US, and relevant legal provisions of Germany and Japan, as well as recommendations from expert groups all show signs of tDCS growing closer to getting approved as a medical device. Of course, safety and efficacy of tDCS can still be regulated as a general product instead of as a medical device. Considering multiple potential impacts on a human brain, however, the need for independent regulation is urgent. South Korea also lacks legal provisions explicitly regulating TMS and tDCS, but they fall into the category of the grade 3 medical devices according to the notifications of the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. And safety and efficacy of TMS are to be evaluated in compliance with the US FDA guidance. But no specific guidelines exist for tDCS yet. Given that tDCS devices are used in some hospitals in reality, and also at home by individual buyers, such a regulatory gap must quickly be addressed. In a longer term, legal system needs to be in place capable of independently regulating non-invasive brain stimulating devices.

Associations of serum 25(OH)D levels with depression and depressed condition in Korean adults: results from KNHANES 2008-2010 (한국 성인의 혈청 25(OH)D 수준과 우울증 및 우울증상 경험과의 연관성: 국민건강영양조사 2008-2010 분석 결과)

  • Koo, Sle;Park, Kyong
    • Journal of Nutrition and Health
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    • v.47 no.2
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    • pp.113-123
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    • 2014
  • Purpose: Vitamin D has been known to play an important role in the central nervous system and brain functions in the human body, and cumulative evidence has shown that vitamin D deficiency might be linked with various mental health conditions. Epidemiologic studies have shown that vitamin D deficiency may be associated with higher risk of depression in the US and European populations. However, limited information is available regarding the association between vitamin D status and depression in the Korean population. The objective of this study was to examine the associations between vitamin D levels and prevalence of depression. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis using nationally representative data from the 2008-2010 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from which serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations were available. A total of 18,735 adults who had available demographic, dietary, and lifestyle information were included in our analysis. We defined "depression" with a diagnosis by a physician. "Depressed condition" was defined as having feelings of sadness or depression without diagnosis by a physician. Results: The prevalence of depression was 1.63% and 5.43% in Korean men and women, respectively; 12.5% of men and 26.1% of women were defined as the group having depressed conditions. In multivariate logistic regression models, no significant associations were observed between vitamin D status and prevalence of depression or depressed conditions in Korean men and women. Conclusion: We found no association between vitamin D insufficiency and depression/depressed conditions in Korean adults. Future large prospective studies and randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm this relationship.

Bioconcentration Factor(BCF) of Perchlorate from Agricultural Products and Soils (농산물과 토양에 대한 퍼클로레이트 함량 평가 및 생물농축계수 산출)

  • Kim, Ji-Young;Kim, Min-Ji;Lee, Jeong-Mi;Kim, Doo-Ho;Park, Ki-Moon;Kim, Won-Il
    • Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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    • v.32 no.3
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    • pp.224-230
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    • 2013
  • BACKGROUND: Perchlorate(${ClO_4}^-$) is an anion that is extremely water-soluble and environmentally stable. It mostly exists in the form of sodium perchlorate, ammonium perchlorate and potassium perchlorate which are used in rocket fuels, propellants, ignitable sources, air bag inflation systems and explosives. Perchlorate can be taken into the thyroid glands and interfere with iodide uptake. The determination of perchlorate in agricultural products is important due to its potential health impact on humans. The objective of this study was to determine the perchlorate concentrations in the samples of various agricultural products and soils. METHODS AND RESULTS: In this study, samples of cereal(Rice, Barley, Corn, Bean), vegetable(Spinach, Lettuce, Sesame, Chives, Chili, Pumpkin, Tomato), fruit(Apple, Pear, Tangerine, Grape) were analyzed for perchlorate contents. Perchlorate concentrations were analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The results showed that agricultural products respectively contained perchlorate concentrations in the range of : cereals N.D.~$7.46{\mu}g/kg$, vegetables $0.52{\sim}23.06{\mu}g/kg$, fruits $0.19{\sim}2.66{\mu}g/kg$. Bioconcentration factor was in the order of : vegetables > cereals > fruits. Bioconcentration factor was highest follwed by Sesame 37.88, Corn 21.51, Spinach 10.57, Tangerine 4.39, Chives 2.89 and Lettuce 1.90. The recoveries of perchlorate from spiked agricultural products and soils ranged from 87.72~111.26% and 102.09~111.23%. CONCLUSION(S): The health risk assessment results obtained in this study are lower than the RfD(Reference Dose, 0.0007 mg/kg/body weight/day) value as suggested by the Integrated Risk Information System(US IRIS). Our results indicate that, people currently exposed to perchlorate from agricultural products consumption are considered as safe.

Proposal on for Response System to International Terrorism (국제 테러리즘의 대응체제 구축방안)

  • Suh, Sang-Yul
    • Korean Security Journal
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    • no.9
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    • pp.99-131
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    • 2005
  • Terrorism which became today's common phenomena over the world is one of the most serious threats the world confront. Although International society make and operate outstanding anti-terrorism system, terror would never end without solving fundamental problems. The main body of terrorism converts from nation to organization and from organization to cell, which makes it difficult for us to recognize the main body. Since the target of today's new terrorism is many and unspecified persons, terrorists will never hesitate to use mass destruction weapons such as nuclear, biological, chemical weapons, and also use cyber-technique or cyber-terrorism. So, effective counter-terrorism measures should be performed as follows. First, it must be better for international society should make long-time plan of solving fundamental problems of terrorism other than to operate directly on terror organization and its means. Second, preventive method should be made. The most effective method of eradicating terrorism is prevention. For this, it is necessary to remove environmental elements of terrorism and terrorist bases, and to stop inflow of money and mass destruction weapons to terrorists. Third, integrated anti-terror organization should be organized and operated for continuous counter-terrorism operations. Also international alliance for anti-terrorism should be maintained to share informations and measures. Fourth, concerned department in the government should prepare counter-terrorism plans in their own parts as follows and make efforts to integrate the plans. - Ministry of Government Administration and Home Affairs : conventional terror - Ministry of Health and Welfare : bio-terror - Ministry of Science and Technology : nuclear-terror Especially, they should convert their policy and operation from post-terror actions to pre-terror actions, designate terror as national disaster and organize integrated emergency response organization including civil, government, and military elements. In conclusion, pre-terror activities and remedy of fundamental causes is the best way to prevent terror. Also, strengthening of intelligence activities, international cooperations, and preventive and comprehensive counter-measures must not ignored.

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