• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.501-509
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• 2016

The economic feasibility of a commercial indirect liquefaction process with the co-gasification process of petroleum coke which has been recognized as hazardous waste because of high sulfur content and bituminous coal and sub-bituminous coal mixtures was assessed. The 2,000 ton/day scale indirect liquefaction process including co-gasification, clean up, Fischer-Tropsch conversion and so on was assumed and used to analyze economical efficiencies with various conditions. Financial data from previous studies were modified and used and economical sensitivities with various mixture ratios were evaluated in this study. As a result, economic values of petroleum coke were superior than those of coals because of increasing sulfur sale. Also, mixtures with petroleum coke and bituminous coal was more favorable that those with petroleum coke and sub-bituminous coal due to lower moisture content. In case of sub-bituminous coal, the mixture ratio with petroleum coke had to be over 40wt% for the IRR of mixture to surpass 10%.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.72-81
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• 2020

Background: The out-of-pocket maximum is one of the distinctive healthcare systems which sets a ceiling on co-payment in order to reduce the burden of households from the unpredictable medical expenditure. However, this leads to an increase in the demand for healthcare services especially in long-term care hospitals (LTCHs) in Korea. Methods: This study analyzed the influence factor of medical service overuse of 165,592 inpatients in LTCHs which out-of-pocket maximum is applied, by utilizing data from the National Health Insurance Service (2016). Based on Anderson Model, the medical service overuse, as a dependent variable, was defined as long-stay admission more than 180 days at the LTCHs. Independent variable was comprised of predisposing factors (gender, age), enabling factors (income level, types of out-of-pocket maximum) and need factors (illness level, patient use of tertiary hospital). Results: The most powerful factor of medical service overuse in LTCHs was availability of pre-payment for the out-of-maximum (odds ratio [OR], 191.66; p<0.001). This tendency was found in high income level status (p<0.001). Furthermore, mild inpatients (OR, 1.50; p<0.001) which had no experience with the tertiary hospitals (OR, 2.06; p<0.001) were more relevant to the medical service overuse in LTCHs, compared to the severe inpatients. Conclusion: It is suggested that a separate standard of out-of pocket maximum with regards to LTCHs is required to secure the beneficial functions of long-term hospitals and prevent unnecessary financial leakage to achieve sustainable and financially sound National Health Insurance.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.26-36
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• 2020

Background: The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between the regional characteristics and the age-adjusted cardio-cerebrovascular disease mortality rates (SCDMR) in 229 si·gun·gu administrative regions. Methods: SCDMR of man and woman was used as a dependent variable using the statistical data of death cause in 2017. As a representative index of regional characteristics, health behavior factors, socio-demographic and economic factors, physical environment factors, and health care factors were selected as independent variables. Ordinary least square (OLS) regression and geographically weighted regression (GWR) were performed to identify their relationship. Results: OLS analysis showed significant factors affecting the mortality rates of cardio-cerebrovascular disease as follows: high-risk drinking rates, the ratio of elderly living alone, financial independence, and walking practice rates. GWR analysis showed that the regression coefficients were varied by regions and the influence directions of the independent variables on the dependent variable were mixed. GWR showed higher adjusted R² and Akaike information criterion values than those of OLS. Conclusion: If there is a spatial heterogeneity problem as Korea, it is appropriate to use the GWR model to estimate the influence of regional characteristics. Therefore, results using the GWR model suggest that it needs to establish customized health policies and projects for each region considering the socio-economic characteristics of each region.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
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• 1999.11a
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• pp.80-101
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• 1999

Self-sufficiency ratio of food crops in Korea is estimated under $20{\%}$ in 2010 because total food consumption including feed will be increased. but food grain production will be decreased. It is necessary to maintain the optimum level of food self-sufficiency rate to secure national food demand/supply balance and non-trade and multiple function of agriculture in Korea. It will be possible to produce more food grains having the acceptable quality if the appropriate policy and cropping techniques are developed and practised in future. Breeding for high yielding varieties should be the first target to raise the production potential of food crops . Number of varieties developed during last 30 years is counted as 353 in food crops. New varieties developed in 1990s showed the higher yield potential and the improved agronomic characteristics compared with 1970s and 1980s varieties. But number of varieties planted on the farmer's field over $5{\%}$ of national planting area is less than one third of total varieties developed Breeding efforts to maintain planting area of main food crops should be focussed on consumer's demand and farmer's need. They are the best quality variety in each field of crop utilization, the newly designed variety adapting to changes of natural, rural and cropping environment, and the higher yielding variety. It is also needed to develop new quality crop varieties for inducing more consumption of crop grain produced in Korea for direct food or processing. Development of barley varieties for animal feed. high income soybean varieties, high quality wheat variety. and super yielding rice and barley varieties are also needed to keep or maximize national food production potential. In order to establish the appropriate cropping technique for domestic food security, the strong and continuous interest and financial support on crop breeding are required, and the inter-disciplinary and inter-institutionary researches should be strengthened for successful crop breeding.

• Human Ecology Research
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• v.53 no.5
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• pp.489-502
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• 2015

This study identifies the relation between recognition relatively deprivation and consumption patterns. The data used were the seventh Korea Welfare Panel Study (KOWEPS). The final sample of 1,597 households was selected based on several sampling steps standard weights suggested by KOWEPS were applied. The final sample was subdivided into household recognizing relatively deprivation (51.7%) and non-household recognizing relatively deprivation (48.3%) per level of subjective income and objective income. We derived six consumption patterns from the cluster analysis as per consumption ratio: transportation dominant consumption pattern, essential consumption pattern, other dominant consumption pattern, care attention consumption pattern, private transfer consumption pattern, and education dominant consumption pattern. The results of this study are as follows. The analysis of the determinants of recognizing relatively deprivation in regards to question one found that the household was likely to be relatively deprived when: the head of a household was older, a household had a dual income, children and more total assets then those assessed 1 year ago compared to household living conditions, result of comparing the consumption patterns difference between household recognizing relatively deprivation and non-household recognizing relatively deprivation indicated that household recognizing relatively deprivation was more likely to belong to the transportation dominant consumption pattern, other dominant consumption pattern, and private transfer consumption pattern. The multinomial logistic analysis conducted to understand the determinants affecting the consumption patterns of household recognizing relatively deprivation indicated differences in demographic characteristics, household-related variables, financial variables and perception of economic conditions.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.32-38
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• 2014

Background: This study examined the relationships between stress responses and lifestyle, including sleeping and eating behaviors, in Japanese workers according to sex. Methods: Questionnaires about stress responses and lifestyle were completed by 3,017 workers in a financial enterprise (41.5% men, 58.5% women). Data were collected in Japan in August 2011. Participants were classified into stress and nonstress groups. Relationships between stress responses and lifestyle were investigated using logistic regression analysis with stress response as a dependent variable. Results: There were 254 (8.4%) participants in the stress group and 2,763 (91.6%) in the nonstress group. The results showed that sleeping for shorter periods [odds ratio (OR) = 2.97, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.58-5.60] was associated with stress responses in women, whereas we found no relationship between stress responses and lifestyle among men. However, working overtime was associated with stress responses in men (OR = 2.71, 95% CI: 1.43-5.15). Eating at night was associated with stress responses in the univariate analysis (men: OR = 2.10, 95% CI: 1.16-3.80; women: OR = 1.61, 95% CI: 1.09-2.39). Conclusion: This study showed that stress responses were related to lifestyle among women but not among men. Among women, stress responses were related to sleeping for shorter periods, whereas they were related to working long hours among men. In addition, stress responses were related to eating at night in the univariate analysis, although this relationship was not seen in the multivariate analysis, in either sex.

• Journal of the Korean Operations Research and Management Science Society
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.1-17
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• 2015

In this paper, we propose a portfolio selection model utilizing a Markov chain for investing in the foreign exchange market based on market forecasts and exchange rate movement predictions. The proposed model is utilized to compute optimum investment portfolio weights for investing in margin-based markets such as the FX margin market. We further present an objective investment algorithm for applying the proposed model in real-life investments. Empirical performance of the proposed model and investment algorithm is evaluated by conducting an experiment in the FX market consisting of the 7 most traded currency pairs, for a period of 9 years, from the beginning of 2005 to the end of 2013. We compare performance with 1) the Dollar Index, 2) a 1/N Portfolio that invests the equal amount in the N target assets, and 3) the Barclay BTOP FX Index. Performance is compared in terms of cumulated returns and Sharpe ratios. The results suggest that the proposed model outperforms all benchmarks during the period of our experiment, for both performance measures. Even when compared in terms of pre- and post-financial crisis, the proposed model outperformed all other benchmarks, showing that the model based on objective data and mathematical optimization achieves superior performance empirically.

• Journal of the Korean Operations Research and Management Science Society
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.83-95
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• 2014

In this paper, we develop a portfolio selection model that can be used to invest in markets with margin requirements such as the foreign exchange market. An investment algorithm to implement the proposed portfolio selection model based on objective historical data is also presented. We further conduct empirical analysis on the performance of a hypothetical investment in the foreign exchange market, using the proposed portfolio selection model and investment algorithm. Using 7 currency pairs that recorded the highest trading volume in the foreign exchange market during the most recent 10 years, we compare the performance of 1) the Dollar Index, 2) a 1/N Portfolio which equally allocates capital to all N assets considered for investment, and 3) a hypothetical investment portfolio selected and managed according to the portfolio selection model and investment algorithm proposed in this paper. Performance is compared in terms of accumulated returns and Sharpe ratios for the 10-year period from January 2003 to December 2012. The results show that the hypothetical investment portfolio outperforms both benchmarks, with superior performance especially during the period following financial crisis. Overall, this paper suggests that a mathematical approach for selecting and managing an optimal investment portfolio based on objective data can achieve outstanding performance in the foreign exchange market.

• Journal of the Korean Data and Information Science Society
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.723-736
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• 2013

The importance of lapse rate is highly increasing due to the introduction of Cash Flow Pricing system, non-refund-of-reserve insurance policy, and IFRS (International Financial Reporting System) to the Korean insurance market. Researches on lapse rate have mainly focused on simple data analysis and regression analysis, etc. However, lapse rate can be analyzed by survival analysis and can be well explained in terms of several covariates with Cox proportional hazard model. Guaranteed minimum benefits embedded in variable annuities require more elegant statistical analysis of lapse rate. Hence, this paper analyzes data of policyholders with variable annuities by using Cox proportional hazard model. The key variables of policy holder that influences the lapse rate are payment method, premium, lapse insured to term insured, reserve-GMXB ratio, and age.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.36-40
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• 2012

Purpose: Statistical analysis of facial bone fractures has been performed in various papers. However, reports on risk factors for facial bone fractures are rare. In order to prevent facial bone fractures, it is important to determine the risk factors for their occurrence. This study seeks to perform a statistical analysis on and identify the risk factors associated with facial bone fractures. Methods: A retrospective study was performed to assess facial bone fractures in patients presenting from October 2009 to January 2011 through a chart review. The data collected included age, gender, etiology, and alcohol consumption. Data was analyzed using multinomial logistic regression analysis. The significance level was set at p<0.05 and SAS ver. 9.2 was used. Results: A total of 489 patients were analyzed. The patients' age ranged from 2 to 85 years (mean age, $31.8{\pm}15.4$ years). The ratio of men to women was 5.0:1. The predominant group was age below 19 years old (30.9%). The main causes of facial bone fractures were assaults (37.8%), falls (27.2%), and sport accidents (19.5%). On multinomial logistic regression analysis, age, especially in the teen group was associated with assaults (p<0.05) resulting in facial bone fractures. Alcohol consumption was significantly associated with assaults and falls (p<0.05) leading to facial bone fractures. Conclusion: Facial bone fracture is a challenging problem, because of its high incidence and financial cost. The findings of this study indicate that more effective policies aimed at reducing alcohol intake and teenage violence are needed.