• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.57 no.2
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• pp.75-78
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• 2014

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the clinical features of macrocephaly at birth in Korea using ultrasonography. Methods: We retrospectively investigated the medical records of full-term birth neonates in Cheil General Hospital & Women's Healthcare Center from January 2000 to June 2012. The following parameters were recorded and analyzed: gestational age, sex, birth weight, height, occipitofrontal circumference (OFC), physical examination, perinatal problems, and ultrasonography results. Macrocephaly was diagnosed when the OFC was greater than two standard deviations, based on the 2007 Korean National Growth Charts. Results: There were 75 neonates with macrocephaly at birth (52 boys and 23 girls), with a mean OFC of $38.1{\pm}0.49cm$. A comparison of the birth weight and height with the OFC value showed that height was correlated with OFC (r=0.35) but birth weight was not correlated with OFC (r=0.06). There were no remarkable findings in 56 cases (75%). Germinal matrix hemorrhage was identified in 10 cases (13%). An enlarged cerebrospinal fluid space was found in 5 cases (6.7%). There were 3 cases of mega-cisterna magna (4%), 1 case of ventriculomegaly, and 1 case of an enlarged interhemispheric space (6 mm) among these patients. In addition, a choroid plexus cyst was seen in 1 case. Mineralizing vasculopathy in both basal ganglia with no evidence of congenital infection was found in 2 cases and an asymptomatic subarachnoid hemorrhage was found in 1 case. Conclusion: Our results indicate that macrocephaly at birth has benign ultrasonography findings and shows a pattern of male dominance.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.96-103
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• 2021

Background: The number of elderly people with comorbidities who experience dysphagia associated with geriatric disorders, such as stroke, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's dementia, is increasing. Consequently, the demand for long-term prescriptions of powdered medications is expected to rise. Most patients procure repackaged prescription medications from pharmacies; however, the guidelines regarding their expiration dates are unclear. Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess awareness among adults regarding the expiration dates and drug stability issues associated with repackaged prescription medications, including powdered medications. Methods: A questionnaire with 16 components was designed and distributed online (August 1-September 1, 2019) to adults aged 19 years or older. Statistical analyses, including descriptive analysis and chi-square test, were conducted on the obtained data. A p-value <0.05 was considered significant. Results: Data from 254 respondents were analyzed; 191 (75.20%) respondents worked in non-healthcare-related fields. A significant number of healthcare workers recognized the stability issues associated with powdered medications (p<0.001). However, a large proportion of healthcare workers were not aware of the expiration dates (p>0.05). Conclusions: More than half of the total respondents, including healthcare workers, were not familiar with the appropriate expiration dates of repackaged prescription medications. The establishment of evidence-based guidelines regarding drug expiration dates and the dissemination of awareness among patients are required. Furthermore, clinical practices including repackaging or pulverizing medications for long-term prescriptions should be avoided owing to the associated drug stability issues.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.315-346
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• 2016

With the development of big data processing technology, the potential value of healthcare big data has attracted much attention. In order to realize these potential values, various research using the healthcare big data are essential. However, the big data regulatory system centered on the Personal Information Protection Act does not take into account the aspect of big data as an economic material and causes many obstacles to utilize it as a research purpose. The regulatory system of healthcare information, centered on the primary purpose of patient treatment, should be improved in a way that is compatible with the development of technology and easy to use for public interest. To this end, it is necessary to examine the trends of overseas legal system reflecting the concerns about the balance of protection and utilization of personal information. Based on the implications of the overseas legal system, we can derive improvement points in the following directions from our legal system. First, a legal system that specializes in healthcare information and encompasses protection and utilization is needed. De-identification, which is an exception to the Privacy Act, should also clearly define its level. It is necessary to establish a legal basis for linking healthcare big data to create synergy effects in research. It is also necessary to examine the introduction of the opt-out system on the basis of the discussion on the foreign debate and social consensus. But most importantly, it is the people's trust in these systems.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.240-250
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• 2018

By the end of 2017, in a world of 7.6 billion people, there were inequalities in healthcare indices both within and between nations, and this gap continues to increase. Therefore, this study aims to understand the current status of regional inequalities in healthcare indices and to find an action plan to tackle regional health inequality through a geo-economic review in Korea. Since 2008, there was great inequality in life expectancy and healthy life expectancy by region in not only metropolitan cities but also districts in Korea. While the community health statistics from 2008-2017 show a continuous increase of inequality during the last 10 years in most healthcare indices related to noncommunicable diseases (except for some, like smoking), the inequality has doubled in 254 districts. Furthermore, health inequality intensified as the gap between urban (metropolitan cities) and rural regions (counties) for rates of obesity (self-reported), sufficient walking practices, and healthy lifestyle practices increased from twofold to fivefold. However, regionalism and uneven development are natural consequences of the spatial perspective caused by state-lead developmentalism as Korea has fixed the accumulation strategy as its model for growth with the background of export-led industrialization in the 1960s and heavy and chemical industrialization in the 1970s, although the Constitution of the Republic of Korea recognizes the legal value of balanced development within the regions by specifying "the balanced development of the state" or "ensuring the balanced development of all regions." In addition, the danger of a 30% decline or extinction of local government nationwide is expected by 2040 as we face not only a decline in general and ageing populations but also the era of the demographic cliff. Thus, the government should continuously operate the "Special Committee on Regional Balanced Development" with a government-wide effort until 2030 to prevent disparities in the health conditions of local residents, which is the responsibility of the nation in terms of strengthening governance. To address the regional inequalities of rural and urban regions, it is necessary to re-adjust the basic subsidy and cost-sharing rates with local governments of current national subsidies based mainly on population scale, financial independence of local government, or distribution of healthcare resources and healthcare indices (showing high inequalities) overall.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.247-255
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• 2017

Background: South Korea has experienced problems with excessive pharmaceutical expenditures. In 2010, the South Korean government introduced an outpatient prescription incentive program to effectively manage pharmaceutical expenditures. Therefore, we examined the relationship between the outpatient prescription incentive program and pharmaceutical expenditures. Methods: We used data from the Korean National Health Insurance claims database, which included medical claims filed for 22,732 clinics from 2011-2014 to evaluate associated pharmaceutical expenditures. We performed multiple regression analysis and Poisson regression analysis using generalized estimating equation models to examine the associations between outpatient prescription incentives and the outcome variables. Results: The data used in this study consisted of 123,392 cases from 22,372 clinics (average 5.4 periods follow-up). Clinics that had received outpatient prescription incentives in the last period had better cost saving and Outpatient Prescribing Costliness Index (OPCI) (received: proportion of cost saving, ${\beta}=6.8179$; p-value < 0.0001; OPCI, ${\beta}=-0.0227$; p-value < 0.0001; reference = non-received). Moreover, these clinics had higher risk in the provision of outpatient prescription incentive (relative risk, 2.772; 95% confidence interval, 2.720 to 2.824). The associations were higher in clinics that had separate prescribing and dispensing programs, or had professional staff. Conclusion: The introduction of an outpatient prescription incentive program for clinics effectively managed problems with rapid increases of pharmaceutical expenditures in South Korea. However, the pharmaceutical expenditures still increased in spite of the positive impact of the outpatient prescription incentive program. Therefore, healthcare professionals and health policy makers should develop more effective alternatives (i.e., for clinics without separate prescribing and dispensing programs) based on our results.

• Journal of The Korea Institute of Healthcare Architecture
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.15-24
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• 2017

Purpose: Korea is expected to enter an aged society in 2018 and then a super-aged society in early 2025. The country's aging is progressing faster than any other country in the world. However, the foundation of the elderly friendly industry is weak, and measures at the government level are urgently needed. Especially, housing problems of the elderly are one of the most urgent measures to be taken. Korea does not have the minimum residential area standard for the elderly, and the current general minimum residential area standard is based on the survey of the housing situation without scientific evidence. Therefore, both standards need to be revised as soon as possible based on scientific evidence. Methods: The minimum residential area standard has been calculated following Karl H. E. Kroemer's Min or Max design also being called as-single cut and dual cut theory- as the maximum population value and minimum population value theory of Ernest J. McCormick. Therefore there is a need for a formula made using a few key factors, such as corresponding dimension, practical dimension, clearance, spare dimension, integrated dimension. These elements can be defined and used as formulas to calculate minimum residential area standards. Results: Assuming the results of the spatial variability in this study showed that it is possible to raise the standard of living in a terms of sustainable minimum size for the young, old and all residents. Implications: The government should set a minimum residential area standard with scientific grounds and set up a policy improving the life of people who live in an needy residential environment.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.101-108
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• 2024

AI-OCR (Artificial Intelligence Optical Character Recognition) combines OCR technology with Artificial Intelligence to overcome limitations that required human intervention. To enhance the performance of AI-OCR, training on diverse data sets is essential. However, the recognition rate declines when image colors have similar brightness levels. To solve this issue, this study employs Homomorphic filtering as a preprocessing step to clearly differentiate color levels, thereby increasing text recognition rates. While Homomorphic filtering is ideal for text extraction because of its ability to adjust the high and low frequency components of an image separately using a gamma value, it has the downside of requiring manual adjustments to the gamma value. This research proposes a range for gamma threshold values based on tests involving image contrast, brightness, and entropy. Experimental results using the proposed range of gamma values in Homomorphic filtering suggest a high likelihood for effective AI-OCR performance.

• Journal of Information Technology Applications and Management
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.227-242
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• 2012

It is a daunting task to theorize the process effectiveness of IT convergence based service model. Despite the criticalness of investigating process enhancement impact of IT-convergence based service model, the theoretical research in this field is relatively scarce, possibly due to the too wide and comprehensiveness of research scope. In this vein, we conducted exploratory study to understand the contributional impact of IT convergence based service model on resolving service process limitations. We first identified five IT convergence based service models in the area of typical service industry, which include entertainment, learning, location based services, tourism, and healthcare. Our research model classified value creation factors of the IT convergence model in twofold. The one is defined as basic value creation factor of the IT convergence, which is treated as the second-order factor that consists of two first-order factors of mobile functionality and Internet with digital contents merging functionality. The other is defined as service process limitations resolving factor which are comprised with the two first-order factors of simultaneousity and perishability. Both the second-order factors are modeled, each respectively, with the two first-order factors in formative manner. Using PLS, empirical validation is executed to analyze each value creating factor's contribution impact on the relative advantage, as well as the mediating effect of basic value creation factor on resolving service process limitations. On the basis of the insights revealed from this paper, further theory building research could be elaborated in the area of IT convergence applications for service industry.

• Proceedings of the CALSEC Conference
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• 2005.03a
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• pp.149-154
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• 2005

Recently, lots of EDI-VAN (Electronic Data Interchange-Value Added Network) companies challenge to convert their business systems into Web-based e-business frameworks to avoid high cost and closed structure of EDI system. This research proposes e-Transformation strategies for EDI-VAN companies to adopt Web-based e-business standard frameworks such as ebXML (e-business using XML) and RosettaNet. Four migration strategies for EDI companies are presented, and their properties are described in detail. Transformation procedures of two representative strategies are also provided fur the convenience of medium-sized companies. The result of this work can be used as a practical guideline for EDI companies to develop there own transformation strategy suitable to its scale and capability, while minimizing the impacts on the pre-existing business processes.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.320-329
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• 2023

Background: Oral frailty has garnered considerable interest following its identification as a risk factor for physical frailty. The Korean oral frailty diagnosis criteria have emphasized the need for extensive research on oral frailty diagnostic items and interventions. Our study performed an in-depth analysis of the tongue-palate pressure patterns in healthy community-dwelling older adults. Methods: Of the 217 older adults aged ≥60 years who visited a senior center in Wonju, 205 participants who completed tongue pressure measurement were included in the final analysis. Pressure changes over time were recorded by instructing the participants to press their tongue against the hard palate with for 7 seconds per cycle. The participants were divided into the normal and abnormal tongue pressure (NTP and ATP, respectively) groups based on whether they achieved the target tongue pressure at least once; tongue pressure patterns were compared between the groups. Furthermore, the average time taken to achieve the standard tongue pressure value was calculated for the participants in the NTP group and used to evaluate the decrease in tongue pressure in the ATP group. Results: Among the 205 participants, 40.5% had ATP. The tongue pressure graph revealed a gentle and consistent incline that was maintained even after achieving standard tongue pressure in the NTP group. The graph was more extreme in the ATP group, and the changes in the pressure type varied across individuals; the tongue pressure was only 48.4%, 40.7%, 31.9%, and 22.6% of the NTP in the participants in their 60s, 70s, 80s, and ≥90s, respectively (p<0.05). Conclusion: Tongue pressure weakness was observed in 40.5% of the healthy community-dwelling older adults. Furthermore, ATP graphs were observed in the patients with tongue pressure weakness. Thus, activities improving the oral function in community-dwelling older adults and systematic oral rehabilitation programs should be devised to promote normal swallowing.