• Title/Summary/Keyword: cost containment

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ASSESSMENT OF GAS COOLED FAST REACTOR WITH INDIRECT SUPERCRITICAL $CO_2$ CYCLE

  • Hejzlar, P.;Dostal, V.;Driscoll, M.J.;Dumaz, P.;Poullennec, G.;Alpy, N.
    • Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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    • v.38 no.2
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    • pp.109-118
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    • 2006
  • Various indirect power cycle options for a helium cooled gas cooled fast reactor (GFR) with particular focus on a supercritical $CO_2(SCO_2)$ indirect cycle are investigated as an alternative to a helium cooled direct cycle GFR. The balance of plant (BOP) options include helium-nitrogen Brayton cycle, supercritical water Rankine cycle, and $SCO_2$ recompression Brayton power cycle in three versions: (1) basic design with turbine inlet temperature of $550^{\circ}C$, (2) advanced design with turbine inlet temperature of $650^{\circ}C$ and (3) advanced design with the same turbine inlet temperature and reduced compressor inlet temperature. The indirect $SCO_2$ recompression cycle is found attractive since in addition to easier BOP maintenance it allows significant reduction of core outlet temperature, making design of the primary system easier while achieving very attractive efficiencies comparable to or slightly lower than, the efficiency of the reference GFR direct cycle design. In addition, the indirect cycle arrangement allows significant reduction of the GFR &proximate-containment& and the BOP for the $SCO_2$ cycle is very compact. Both these factors will lead to reduced capital cost.

Development of Ceramic Humidity Sensor for the Korean Next Generation Reactor

  • Lee, Na-Young;Hwang, Il-Soon;Song, Chang-Rock;Yoo, Han-Ill;Park, Sang-Duk;Yang, Jun-Seong
    • Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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    • v.30 no.5
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    • pp.435-443
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    • 1998
  • Leak-before-break(LBB) approach has been shown to be both cost effective and risk reductive when applied to high energy Piping in nuclear Power Plants. For the Korean Next Generation Reactor (KNGR) development, LBB application is considered for the Main Steam Line(MSL) piping inside containment. Unlike the primary system leakages, the MSL leak detection systems must be based on principles other than radioactivity measurements. Among humidity, heat and acoustic noise currently being considered as indicators of leakage, we explored humidity as an effective one and developed ceramic-based humidity sensor which can be qualified for LBB applications. The ceramic material, sintered and annealed MgCr$_2$O$_4$-TiO$_2$, is shown to increase its electrical conductivity drastically upon water vapor adsorption over the entire temperature range of interest. With this ceramic sensor specimen, we suggested installation-inside-the-piping method by which we can detect leakage more rapidly and sensitively. In this paper, we describe the progress in the development and characterization of ceramic humidity sensor for the LBB application to the MSL of KNGR.

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Development and Management of Database for School Health Improvement (학교보건 증진을 위한 데이터베이스의 개발 및 관리)

  • Choung Hye Myoung
    • Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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    • v.18 no.1
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    • pp.154-166
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    • 2004
  • The purpose of this study was to design and implementation of database for school health activity. This database system was designed stand-alone application for college school health center without a hospital affiliation and the database system was made of relational database management system, Microsoft access 2000 to be made GUI (Graphic user interface) type design and made up 7 tables: patients. symptoms. departments, income and outgo. medical cures. and medicine. The construction of this database system was patient management. code management. medicine management. and statistics management. The results of the database system were as follows; 1) This database system could be used for college school health center. 2) This database system could be made correct statistic data. 3) This database system could be managed income and outgo. 4) This database system could be changed for the better activity of community health service. 5) This database system could be simply attired administrative system. This database system will be used for students and employees to protect and promote health to measure for health level and quality of health service. In conclusion. this database system can be applied for unit health center to manage the college school health activity and advanced data management can be applied for health profession to do quality improvement. cost containment. management information system. and decision support system.

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Geotechnical challenges at waste landfill sites in Japan

  • Katsumi, Takeshi;Inui, Toru;Kamon, Masashi
    • Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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    • 2009.09a
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    • pp.172-185
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    • 2009
  • This paper presents case histories and research projects related to geotechnical challenges at waste landfill sites in Japan. Due to the limitation of inland space available to waste disposal, coastal landfills and the associated containment systems are important considerations, particularly for metropolitan areas. Experimental works on heavy metals mobility using a large column to simulate the redox potential at the coastal landfill sites are introduced. After the closure of landfill sites, they are expected to be utilized as new land space, since new space is difficult to find in urban area. In the redevelopment of such closed landfill sites, there are possibilities of environmental risks, such as generation of toxic gas and leachate, differential settlement of the waste layer, damage to the lining system. Whether the pile installation through the clay layer acting as a landfill bottom barrier is environmentally acceptable or not has been a great concern in the redevelopment of closed waste landfill sites in particular coastal landfill sites. An analytical study to evaluate the cost-effective remedial option for a dumped waste site located along a landslide area, where cut-off wall keyed into the aquitard might elevate groundwater level and thus may not be employed, is presented.

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A New Paradigm for Education: Is Flipped Learning a Threat or an Opportunity? (교육의 새로운 패러다임: Flipped Learning 기회인가 위협인가?)

  • Im, Jin-Hyouk
    • Korean Medical Education Review
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    • v.16 no.3
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    • pp.132-140
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    • 2014
  • Higher education is under unprecedented pressure for quality improvement and cost containment/reduction due to global competition and ever-increasing tuition costs. These twin challenges require an unconventional approach, and massive open online courses (MOOCs) and flipped learning have recently emerged as two promising educational alternatives not only to address the current problems but also to direct the future of education. This paper discusses the rapidly changing environment for education, MOOCs, and flipped learning as learning alternatives, the relationship between MOOCs and flipped learning, and course redesign for the implementation of flipped learning. The case of Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) is also discussed for benchmarking purposes since it has been pioneering an innovative educational methodology for teaching and learning IT-enabled active learning methods from its inception in 2009. It has redesigned almost 70 courses (20% of all the courses to offer) for flipped learning. The objectives of UNIST's educational experiment are three-fold: improving the quality of education for students, improving teaching productivity for the faculty, and containing/reducing education costs for the university.

Facilitating the Usage of Value Management Processes by Charactering Capital Facility Projects

  • Cha Hee Sung
    • Korean Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
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    • v.5 no.2 s.18
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    • pp.144-152
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    • 2004
  • Defining value as a measure of how well the project value objectives are met, Value Management Process (VMP) is considered to be any management effort or process that can proactively pursue one or more project objectives (i.e., security/safety, cost effectiveness, schedule optimization, and risk containment). The collection of 44 VMPs has been established based on a rigorous effort conducted by Construction Industry Institute (CII). Because varying circumstances on each project determine the level of suitability, it is crucial to identify which VMP should be implemented on a particular project. The current VMP selection process is primarily based on human intuition. The main objective of this paper is to provide a systematic method to facilitate the usage of VMPs on a particular project. This paper identified and quantified the selection principles (i.e., targeted value objectives, timing of initiation, project characteristics, and relative impact). The data collected from industry practitioners and VMP experts characterized each VMP in terms of the magnitude of benefit. An automated selection tool by Visual Basic Application (VBA) on MS Excel TM, was developed and proved its validity. As a pioneering study, this paper provides a comprehensive and structured knowledge on the subject of VMPs. From the industry's perspective, the automated selection tool, the premier of this study, contributes the facilitation of the VMP implementations in the construction industry thereby maximizing the potential benefits to a particular project.

Pediatric Outpatient Anesthesia (소아 외래마취의 특성)

  • Seo, Il-Sook
    • Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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    • v.18 no.2
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    • pp.145-169
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    • 2001
  • In recent years, health care cost containment concerns have resulted in an increase in outpatient (or same-day) surgery. Many procedures previously performed on an inpatient surgery basis have been shifted to outpatient settings. Anesthesia for outpatient surgery is exactly the same as inpatient anesthesia, except that the primary concern is the selection of patients who can be discharged safely on the day of surgery. The anesthesiologist should have a sound rational basis for choice of pharmacologic agents that are geared to expeditious patient discharge from the hospital. Cost concerns aside, outpatient surgery has many additional advantages in the pediatric setting. It minimizes the length of time the child is hospitalized, decreases separation anxiety, promotes parental involvement in the child's postoperative care in the more congenial environment of home, and decreases risk of nosocomial infection and iatrogenic illness.

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Review on Patient Outcomes Research (환자진료결과연구에 대한 고찰 -미국의 PORT 연구를 중심으로-)

  • Park, Eun-Cheol;Kim, Han Joong;Cho, Woo Hyun;Sohn, Myongsei
    • Quality Improvement in Health Care
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    • v.5 no.1
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    • pp.152-165
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    • 1998
  • Background : In this paper patient outcomes research is going to be reviewed and described, to be compared with relevant studies, and to consider the application in Korea. Methods : We compiled and reviewed the articles and materials related to patient outcomes research especially by PORT(Patient Outcomes Research Team) and rearranged them for seeking the main point and comparing with relevant studies. Results : Patient outcomes research emphasizes patient outcomes as well as conventional clinical outcomes. It is prospective study observing effectiveness in real situation instead of efficacy in ideal condition. Patient outcomes research comprises of 6 fields ; literature review and meta-analysis, use of claims data, decision modeling, outcomes assessment, cost of care, dissemination of research findings. SAA(small-area variations analysis), appropriateness study and clinical practice guideline are connected with patient outcomes research. Conclusion : In view of the fact that current medical policy in Korea is shifting its focus from accessibility to the improvement in quality and cost containment, and is stressing patient-based research, patient outcomes research is one direction for which the medicine is accountable and assessable. Considering that the number of patient receiving medical treatment in Korea is higher than the West, patient outcomes research has competitive power as against the West.

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Improvement of Insulation System for LNG Storage Tank Base Slab (LNG 저장탱크 바닥판 단열 시스템 개선)

  • Lee, Yong-Jin;Lho, Byeong-Cheol
    • Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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    • v.14 no.4
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    • pp.141-147
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    • 2010
  • Liquefied natural gas(LNG) is natural gas that has been converted temporarily to liquid form for ease of storage and transport it. Natural gas is the worlds cleanest burning fossil fuel and it has emerged as the environmentally preferred fuel of choice. In Korea, the demand of this has been increased since the first import from the Indonesia in 1986. LNG takes up about 1/600th the volume of natural gas in the gaseous state by cooling it to approximately $-162^{\circ}C(-260^{\circ}F)$. The reduction in volume therefore makes it much more cost efficient to transport and store it. Modern LNG storage tanks are typically the full containment type, which is a double-wall construction with reinforced concrete outer wall and a high-nickel steel inner tank, with extremely efficient insulation between the walls. The insulation will be installed to LNG outer tank for the isolation of cryogenic temperature. The insulation will be installed in the base slab, wall and at the roof. According to the insulation's arrangement, the different aspects of temperature transmission is shown around the outer tank. As the result of the thermal & stress analysis, by the installing cellular glass underneath the perlite concrete, the temperature difference is greatly reduced between the ambient temperature and inside of concrete wall, also reducing section force according to temperature load.

Analysis of Source of Increase in Medical Expenditure for Medical Insurance Demonstration Area before(1982-1987) and after(1988-1990) National Health Insurance (의료보험 시범지역의 전국민 의료보험실시전후의 진료비증가 기여도 분석)

  • Cha, Byeong-Jun;Park, Jae-Yong;Kam, Sin
    • Health Policy and Management
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    • v.2 no.2
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    • pp.221-237
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    • 1992
  • The reasons for cost inflation in medical insurance expenditure are classified into demand pull inflation and cost push inflation. The former includes increase in the number of beneficiaries and utilization rate, while the latter includes increase in medical insurance fee and the charges per case. This study was conducted to analyze sources of increases of expenditure in medical insurance demonstration area by the period of 1982-1987 which was earlier than national health insurance and the period of national health insurance(1988-1990). The major findings were as follows: Medical expenditure in these areas increased by 9.4%(15.1%) annually between 1982 and 1990 on the basis of costant price(current price) and for this period, the yearly average increasing rate of expenses for outpatient care[10.5%(15.8%)] was higher than that of inpatient care [7.3%(12.6%)]. Medical expenditure increased by 6.3%(8.9%) annually between 1982 and 1987, the period of medical insurance demonstration, while it increased by 10.7%(18.9%) after implementing national health insurance(1988-1990). Medical expenditure increased by 35.9%(45.9%) between 1982 and 1987. Of this increase, 115.2%(92.1%) was attributable to the increase in the frequencies of utilization per beneficiary and 61.0%(68.1%) was due to the increase in the charges per case, but the expenditure decreased by 76.2%(60.2%) due to the reduction in the number of beneficiaries. Beteen 1988 and 1990, the period of national health insurance, medical expenditure increased by 21.2%(41.4%). Of this increase, 87.5%(46.4%) was attributable to the increase in the frequencies of utilization per beneficiary and 52.4%(73.4%) was due to the increase in the charges per case, and of the increase in the charges per case, 69.6%(40.8%) was attributable to the increase in the days of visit per case. Medical expenses per person in these areas increased by 78.2%(89.0%) between 1982 and 1987. Of this increase, 76.6%(69.1%) was attributable to the increase in the frequencies of utilization per beneficiary and 23.4%(30.9%) was due to the increase in the charges per case. For this period, demand-pull factor was the major cause of the increase in medical expenses and the expenses per treatment day was the major attributable factor in cost-push inflation. Betwee 1988 and 1990, medical expenditure per person increased by 31.2%(53.1%). Of this increase, 60.8%(37.2%) was attributable to the demand-pull factor and 39.2%(62.8%) was due to the increase in the charges per case which was one of cost-push factors. In current price, the attributalbe rate of the charges per case which was one of cost-push factors was higher than that of utilization rate in the period of national health insurance as compared to the period of medical insurance demonstration. In consideration of above findings, demand-pull factor led the increase in medical expenditure between 1982 and 1987, the period of medical insurance medel trial, but after implementing national health insurance, the attributable rate of cost-push factor was increasing gradually. Thus we may conclude that for medical cost containment, it is requested to examine the new reimbursement method to control cost-push factor and service-intensity factor.

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