• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.18-27
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• 2018

Purposes: This study aims to investigate the policy effect of mandatory application of DRG for 7 disease groups in general and tertiary hospitals. Methodology: As DRG was fully implemented in July 2013, this study compares two periods before and after the change(from July 2012 to June 2013, and from July 2013 to June 2014). The benefit claim data of the National Health Insurance Service was used for the comparison. Target patients were those who visited general or tertiary hospitals between July 2012 to June 2014. For pharmaceutical consumption, Interrupted Time Series (ITS) analysis was used to see the effect of DRG mandatory application. Findings: The number of drugs prescribed per patient and pharmaceutical expenditure both showed significant reduction compared to before the DRG implementation. Practical Implications: This study used 2 sets of 1 year period data from before and after the full implementation of DRG to analyze pharmaceutical consumption. When the comparison data accumulates further, it would be possible to conduct more diverse analysis to assess policy effect and to provide way forward for the future.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.89-94
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• 2002

Intervention levels for foodstuff restriction in a radiological emergency in Korea are suggested based on the justification and the optimization through the cost-benefit approach method from IAEA Safty Series 109 recommendation. Intervention levels are specified for three broad groups of radionuclides with similar values of committed effective dose per unit intake and specified for two broad categories of foodstuff grouped according to value per kg. It is also discussed on the applicability of revised intervention levels for foodstuff restriction.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.8
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• pp.4063-4066
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• 2012

To determine the clinical outcome of breast cancer BI-RADS 4 lesions and seek a more effective management guideline, we conducted a retrospective study of all BI-RADS4 patients diagnosed between 2003-2008 with follow up time not less than 2 years. A total of 392 cases of BI-RADS 4 were identified and 320 could be sub-categorised as 4a, 4b and 4c. Overall malignant positive results were 7.65, 38.7 and 58.percent, respectively. In all cases assigned to the close follow up group, no malignancy was detectable (P<0.02). The results of the study suggested that BI-RADS sub-categories have benefit for cancer diagnosis and treatment decisions of clinicians and it might be possible to set up a safe follow-up guideline in selected groups of patients to minimize un-necessary tissue biopsy for breast cancer detection.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.51-59
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• 2016

The purpose of present study is to examine differences between habitual speech (HS) and clear speech (CS) in individuals with mild dysarthria. Twelve speakers with mild dysarthria and twelve healthy control speakers read sentences in two speaking styles. Formant and intensity related values, triangular area, and center of gravity of /a/, /i/, and /u/ were measured. In addition, formant-ratio variables such as vowel space area(VSA), vowel articulatory index (VAI), formant centralization ratio (FCR) and F2i/F1u ratio (F2 ratio) were calculated. The results of repeated-measures ANOVA showed a significant difference in F2 of vowel /i/ and F2 energy of vowel /a/ between groups. Regarding formant energy, F2 energy of vowel /a/ were observed as meaningful variables between speaking styles. There were significant speaking style-by-group interactions for F2 energy of vowel /a/. These findings indicated that current parameters could discriminate healthy group and mild dysarthria group meaningfully and that speaker with dysarthria had larger clear speech benefit than healthy talkers. We also claim that various acoustic changes of clear speech may contribute to improving vowel intelligibility.

• East Asian Economic Review
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.67-96
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• 2012

Previous literature has looked merely into the effect of trade facilitation on aggregate trade, or analyzed trade growth using the extensive and intensive margins. This paper blends these two lines of research for a detailed analysis of the impact of trade facilitation on trade by using highly disaggregated trade data and a more composite index for measuring trade facilitation, also taking into account the export sectors and income levels of countries. As a result, this paper finds that developing countries with higher trade facilitation levels export a wider range of products, especially primary goods. While trade facilitation levels do not have a statistically significant association with trade at the intensive margin in general, further analysis shows that the impact of advanced trade facilitation is the largest for lower middle-income countries in primary goods trade at the intensive margin, and the largest for upper middle-income countries in manufactured goods trade at the intensive margin. More importantly, our policy simulation results suggest that trade facilitation-related policy reforms enable developing countries to benefit from increased trade in manufactured goods at the extensive margin.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.8
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• pp.3483-3486
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• 2014

Background: To evaluate the overtreatment rate with the see and treat approach in the management of women with abnormal cervical cytology. Materials and Methods: A retrospective review of patients with abnormal cervical cytology who underwent S&T at MSMC between January 2008 and December 2012 was conducted. Loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP), histological results, cytology and colposcopic impression were analyzed to evaluate overtreatment rate, cyto-histologic correlation and related factors. Results: Average age of S&T cases was 42 years. Ninety seven percents were referred from affiliated health care providers. The study revealed 83.2% patients had HSIL or higher from cervical cytology. Correlation between HSIL and final histology was relatively low at 75% compared to other studies. Overtreatment rate was 28%. Conclusions: S&T was done in 197 patients in a tertiary care health facility with patient satisfaction. Overtreatment occurred, but the rate can be reduced with appropriate recommendations. HSIL Pap smears should be reexamined before S&T while low grade and lesser colposcopic impression groups should obtain conventional colposcopic approach for patient future reproductive benefit.

• Asian Oncology Nursing
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.195-203
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• 2012

Purpose: To summarize and review the methodological quality of the evidence from trials examining the effectiveness of physical exercise in patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (Allo-HSCT). Methods: Six randomized clinical trials (RCTs) were identified, reviewed for substantive results, and assessed for methodological quality. Results: Six trials met all methodological criteria on the modified Jadad score above 3 out of 5 points. Failure to blind the outcome assessor, and failure to describe the method of blinding of outcome assessor appropriately were the most prevalent methodological shortcomings. Various exercise modalities have been applied, differing in content, frequency, intensity, and duration. Positive results have been observed in part for a diverse set of outcomes, including physical and psychological performance. Conclusion: The trials reviewed in this study were of moderate methodological quality. They suggest that exercise in patients undergoing Allo-HSCT may be safe and feasible, and in part patients benefit from increased physical performance both during and after transplantation. Future RCTs should use larger samples, appropriate comparison groups, and a standard of outcome measures, and examine what kind of exercise intervention (aerobic vs. resistance vs. combined) is the most effective for Allo-HSCT patients. It would be necessary to define contraindication for exercise to guarantee its safety.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.127-132
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• 1996

Effects on feed intake, liveweight gain and economic benefits of supplementing lambs with urea molasses blocks, were studied. Forty eight crossbred lambs were divided into 6 groups and assigned randomly to grazing on native pasture (CONT) or along with supplements of Commercial ration (COM) and urea molasses blocks (UMBs) containing two levels of cement and calcium oxide as a binding agent. Analysis of variance revealed highly significant (p<0.01) differences in dry matter (DMI, g/day), crude protein (CPI, g/day) and metabolizable energy (MEI, MJ/day) intakes. Differences in liveweight gain (LWG, g/day), feed conversion ratio (FCR) and net economic benefit of supplementation were also highly variable. The intake of DM, CP and ME varied from 974 to 1002, 66-70 and 7.6-8.4 in lambs supplemented with UMBs, significantly (p<0.01) greater than 848, 52.5 and 5.6 in lambs supplemented with COM or FCR and net economic benefits (54.3; 57.8; 17.1 and 1.96; 2.4) in lambs supplemented with COM and UMB-2, were CONT or supplemented with UMB-1, UMB-3 and UMB-4 respectively. Factors responsible for differences in feed intake, liveweight gain and economic benefits, are discussed.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.135-148
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• 2008

Purpose: This study compared the effects of forced air warming and radiant heating on body temperature and shivering of patients with postoperative hypothermia. Methods: The quasi-experimental study was conducted with two experimental groups who had surgery under general anesthesia; 20 patients of group 1 experimented with the Bair Hugger as a forced air warming and 20 patients of group 2 experimented with the Radiant heater. The study was performed from July 3 to August 31, 2006 in a recovery room of an university hospital in a city. The effects of the experiment were measured by postoperative body temperature and chilling score at arrival and after every 10 minutes. The data were analyzed by t-test or ${\chi}^2$-test, repeated measures ANCOVA using SPSS/WIN 12.0. Results: The mean body temperature showed differences between the Bair Hugger group and Radiant Heater group at 40 minutes(F=-2.579, p=.034), 50minutes(F=-2.752, p=.027), and 60 minutes(F=-2.470, p=.047) after arrival to the recovery room. So, hypothesis 1 was partially accepted. The mean score of shivering showed differences between the Bair Hugger group and the Radiant Heater group, but it had no significant meaning. Hypothesis 2 was not accepted. Conclusion: We need more study to explore the effects and side effects of heating modalities to select a more effective heat treatment. The efficiency of heat modalities with regards to cost benefit, time consumption, and patients' discomfort such as burns should be considered.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.947-950
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• 2013

Background: We performed this meta-analysis to assess the effectiveness and safety of axillary dissection in old women. Methods: The Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMBASE and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database were searched and all randomized controlled trials of axillary dissection in old women (at least 60 years old) were considered. Meta-analyses were completed using RevMan5.1. Results: Three eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) including 5,337 patients were considered. There was weak evidence in favour of axillary dissection (AD) in old women. The meta-analysis showed that the overall survival (OS) after 1, 3, 5 and 7 years and the disease free survival (DFS) after 1, 3 and 5 year were not statistically significantly different between AD and no AD groups. However, there was a difference in the 7 year DFS. Conclusions: Axillary dissection did not provide survival benefit to the old women with breast cancer analysed. Therefore, axillary dissection is not well-indicated in old women with breast cancer.