• International Journal of Reliability and Applications
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.1-16
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• 2002

In reliability engineering, the bathtub-shaped hazard rates play an important role in survival analysis and many other applications as well. For the bathtub-shaped, initially the hazard rate decreases from a relatively high value due to manufacturing defects or infant mortality to a relatively stable middle useful life value and then slowly increases with the onset of old age or wear out. In this paper, we present a new two-parameter lifetime distribution function, called the Loglog distribution, with Vtub-shaped hazard rate function. We illustrate the usefulness of the new Vtub-shaped hazard rate function by evaluating the reliability of several helicopter parts based on the data obtained in the maintenance malfunction information reporting system database collected from October 1995 to September 1999. We develop the S-Plus add-in software tool, called Reliability and Safety Assessment (RSA), to calculate reliability measures include mean time to failure, mean residual function, and confidence Intervals of the two helicopter critical parts. We use the mean squared error to compare relative goodness of fit test of the distribution models include normal, lognormal, and Weibull within the two data sets. This research indicates that the result of the new Vtub-shaped hazard rate function is worth the extra function-complexity for a better relative fit. More application in broader validation of this conclusion is needed using other data sets for reliability modeling in a general industrial setting.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.406-411
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• 2011

To investigate the effects of short-term treatment with tri-n-butyltin chloride (TBTCl) and bisphenol A (BPA) on the reproduction of striped field mice, the mice were intramuscularly injected with TBTCl or BPA immediately before the reproductive season and examined in the reproductive season after keeping them for 4 months. As a result, there were no differences between the control and the compound-treated groups regarding body weight in both sexes, the residual levels of the compounds in the adult males, and the gonadosomatic index (GSI) and the histological structures with LM and EM of the testes and epididymides in both the adult and young males. The infant mortality and abortion rate, however, were high in the TBTCl-treated groups and BPA-treated groups respectively, compared to the control group. Conclusively, it was suggested that short-term treatment with TBTCl or BPA in mice in the non-reproductive season might have inhibited the development of the uterine embryos or fetuses, although it did not induce accumulations of these compounds or affect the reproductive organs of adult and young (F1) males.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.63 no.11
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• pp.433-437
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• 2020

Background: Indonesia is one of the countries with the highest preterm birth rate. Preterm infants are more likely than term and normal weight infants to experience neonatal mortality and morbidity due to acute respiratory, gastrointestinal, immunologic, central nervous system, hearing, and vision problems. Kangaroo mother care (KMC) is a proven cost-effective intervention to help reduce mortality rates among preterm infants; however, it has not been fully implemented in hospitals. Purpose: Assess KMC knowledge and perceptions among health providers. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted from December 2015 to April 2016 and consisted of 21 in-depth interviews and 3 focus group discussions (FGDs). The 3 categories of health personnel in the study were clinical providers, hospital management representatives, and Indonesian Midwife Association members. Results: Most health providers know about the benefits of KMC including stabilizing temperatures, weight gain, and maternal-infant bonding and reducing human resources and labor costs. They were also aware of which newborns were eligible for KMC treatment. Their knowledge was mostly gained from observation or obtained from pediatricians and personal experience. They believed that a low birth weight infant in an incubator could not be treated with KMC and that it could only be practiced if a special gown was used when holding the baby. This perception could be caused by a lack of formal KMC training, leading to misunderstanding of its aspects. Conclusion: In conclusion, KMC knowledge of clinical providers in the 2 hospitals was sufficient, primarily due to their health-related educational background. Some perceptions could be potential barriers to or facilitate the implementation of KMC practice. These perceptions should be considered in future KMC training designs.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.214-218
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• 1977

There appears to be significant problems remained in the treatment of thoracic empyema inspire of the more potent broad spectrum antimicrobial agents available and improved surgical managements. Clinical analysis of 60 patients of thoracic empyema was done who received major and/or minor surgical intervention at the Dept. of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Korea University Hospital in the period of 3 years from May 1973 to July 1976. Following was the results: 1. Male was predominent to female with the ratio of 2.16 to 1, and adult to infant was 2.75: 1. 2. Most frequent predisposing factors of thoracic empyema in infancy and childhood was pneumonia [38.3%], and in adult was pulmonary tuberculosis [36.7%]. 3. Cardinal symptoms were dyspnea, fever, chest pain and productive cough etc. 4. Positive result of bacteriological culture study was reported in 26. 7%, and among them, Staph. aureus [10%], Diplo. pneumonia [3.3%], Streptococcal group [1.7%], Pseu. aeruginosa [1.7%], Paracolon bacilli [1.7%] and others [8.3%] in respectively. No growth of pathologic organism was reported in 60.0%, and not requested in 13.3%. Among the negative group, tuberculosis was confirmed on pathological tissue slide in half and other half was not determined bacteriologically and pathologically. 5. Surgical treatment was performed to the almost all of the patients with closed thoracostomy [48.3%], empyemectomy [28.3%], empyemectomy with pulmonary resection [11.7%] and others [I1.6%] in respectively with favorable results. 6. Mortality rate was 8.3% [5 cases], each one with lung cancer, diabetes mellitus, respiratory insufficiency, sepsis and another, two months old infant with asphyxia.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.28 no.12
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• pp.1132-1138
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• 1995

From 1991 to 1994, we experienced 24 cases of neonatal pneumothorax who were admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit[NICU , Chosun University Hospital. The Following results were obtained.1 The incidence of neonatal pneumothorax was 0.70%, and there were 8 spontaneous pneumothoraces and 16 secondary pneumothoraces. 2 The clinical manifestation of neonatal pneumothorax was as followed. Male infant was dominant[M:F=2:1 , the onset was within 24 hours in the majority[83% , and the right side[62% was more frequent than the left side. The gestation duration and birth weight show no correlation with underlying neonatal pneumothorax. The pulmonary diseases were meconium aspiration syndrome and hyaline membrane disease, and the incidence of those was 58%. Meconium aspiration syndrome occurred earlier than hyaline membrane disease. Symptoms and signs were tachypnea[46% , cyanosis[21% , irritability[13% , chest retraction[8% and apnea[8% .3 The treatments performed were oxygen therapy[17% , thoracentesis[4% and closed thoracostomy with underwater seal drainage[79% . The Mean duration of air leakage was 11.7 hours, and the mean drainage time was 4.35$\pm$1.3day. 4 The overall hospital mortality was 33%, and the rate of complication was 46%. The complications were metabolic acidosis, atelectasis, pleural effusion, pulmonary hemorrhage and pneumonia. We concluded that the prognosis was related to the underlying pulmonary disease.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.57-95
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• 1972

This study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of service by maternity aids concerning maternal and child health in improving simultaneously infant mortality, contraception and vital registration among expectant mothers in rural Korea, where there is less apportunity for maternal and child health care. It is unrealistic to expect to solve this problem in rural Korea through professional persons considering the situation of medical facilities and the socioeconomic condition of residents. So, we intended to adopt a system of services by maternity aids who were educated formally among indigenous women. After the women were trained in maternal and child health, contraception, and registration for a short period, they were assigned as a maternity aids to each village to help with various activities concerning maternal and child health, for example, registration of pregnant women, home visiting to check for complications, supplying of delivery kits, attendance at delivery, persuasion of contraception, and invitation for registration and so on. Mean-while, four researchers called on the maternity aids to collect materials concerning vital events, maternal child health, contraception and registration, and to give further instruction and supervision as the program proceeded. A. Changes of women's attitude by services of maternity aid. Now, we examined to what extent' such a service system to expectant mothers affected a change in attitude of women residing in the study area as compared to women of the control area. 1) In the birth and death places, there were no changes between last and present infants, in study or control area. 2) In regard to attendants at delivery, there were no changes except for a small percentage of attendance (8%) by maternity aid in study area. But, I expect that more maternity sids could be used as attendants at delivery if they would be trained further and if there was more explanation to the residents about such a service. 3) Considering the rate of utilization of sterilized delivery kit, I am sure that more than 90 percent would be used if the delivery kit were supplied in the proper time. There were significant differences in rates between the study and the control areas. 4) Taking into consideration the utilization rate of the clinic for prenatal care and well baby care, if suck facilities were installed, it would probably be well utilized. 5) In the contraception, the rate of approval was as high as 89 percent in study area as compared to 82 percent in the control area. 6) Considering the rate of pre-and post-partum acceptance on contraception were as much as 70 percent or more, if motivation to use contraception was given to them adequately, the government could reach the goals for family planning as planned. 7) In the vital registration, the rate of birth registration in the study area was some what improved compared to that of the control area, while the rate of death registration was not changed at all. Taking into account the fact that the rate of confirmation of vital events by maternity aids was remarkably high, if the registration system changed to a 'notification' system instead of formal registration ststem, it would be improved significantly compared to present system. B. Effect of the project Thus, with changes in the residents' attitude, was there a reduction in the infant death rate? 1) It is very difficult problem to compare the mortality of infants between last and present infants, because many women don't want to answer accurately about their dead children especially the infants that died within a few days after birth. In this study the data of present death comes from the maternity aides who followed up every pregnancy they had recorded to see what had happened. They seem to have very reliable information on what happened in first few weeks with follow up visitits to check out later changes. From these calculaton, when we compared the rate of infant death between last and present infant, there was remarkable reduction of death rate for present infant compare to that of last children, namely, the former was 30, while the latter 42. The figure is the lowest rate that I have ever heard. As the quality of data we could assess by comparing the causes of death. In the current death rate by communicable disease was much lower compare to the last child especially, tetanus cases and pneumonia. 2) Next, how many respondents used contraception after birth because of frequent contact with the maternity aid. In the registered cases, the respondents showed a tendency to practice contraception at an earlier age and with a small number of children. In a comparison of the rate of contraception between the study and the control area, the rate in the former was significantly higher than that of the latter. What is more, the proportion favoring smaller numbers of children and younger women rose in the study area as compared to the control area. 3) Regarding vital registration, though the rate of registration was gradually improved by efforts of maternity aid, it would be better to change the registration system. 4) In the crude birth rate, the rate in the study area was 22.2 while in the control area was 26.5. Natural increase rate showed 15.4 in the study area, while control area was 19.1. 5) In assessment of the efficiency of the maternity aids judging by the cost-effect viewpoint, the workers in the Medium area seemed to be more efficiency than those of other areas.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.342-356
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• 2019

Background: The objectives of the study are to find out the effect of the implementing reform in three Central Asian countries, identify its impact on health status and health care delivery systems. This study address to identify strong and weak points of the health systems and provide a recommendation for further health care organization. Methods: A comparative analysis was conducted to evaluate the effects of implemented policy on health care system efficiency and equity. Secondary data were collected on selected health indicators using information from the World Health Organization Global Health Expenditure Database, European Health Information Platform, and World Bank Open Data. Results: In terms of population status, countries achieved relatively good results. Infant mortality and under-5 mortality rate decreased in all countries; also, life expectancy increased, and it was more than 70 years. Regulations of the health systems are still highly centralized, and the Ministry of Health is the main organ responsible for national health policy developing and implementation. Among the three countries, only Kyrgyzstan was successful in introducing a national health system. Distribution of health expenditure between public expenditure and out-of-pocket payments was decreased, and out-of-pocket payments were less the 50% of total health expenditure in all countries, in 2014. Conclusion: After independent, all three countries implemented a certain number of the policy reform, mostly it was directed to move away from the old the Soviet system. Subsequent reform should be focused on evidence-based decision making and strengthening of primary health care in terms of new public health concepts.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.15-59
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• 1992

After world war II Japanese life expectancy has been improved remarkably, and reached the highest level in the world around late 1970's. The life expectancy of Korean has also shown tremendous improvement in recent years with about 20 year's gap from the Japanese. The reason of rapid improvement of life expectancy can be explained by changes in the structure of cause of death due to health system, living standard, social welfare, health behavior of individuals and so on. Korean in Japan is placed under different situations from both Korean in Korea and Japanese in these regards, and expected to show different picture of cause of death pattern. The objective of this study is the comparision of changing patterns of cause of death of three population groups, Korean in Japan, Korean in Korea and Japanese, and to investigate the reasons which effect to the structural difference of mortality cause with special emphasis on health ecological aspects. One of the major limitations of the Korean causes of death statistics is the under-registration which ranges about 10% of the total events, and inaccuracy of the exact cause of death. Some 20% of registered deaths were unable to classify by ICD. However, it is concluded that the Korean data are evaluated as sufficient to stand for over-viewing of trends of cause of death pattern. The evaluation is done by comparing data from registration and field survey over the same population sample. Population data of Korean in Japan differ between two sources of data; census and foreigner's registration. Correction is done by life table method under the assumption that age-specific mortality pattern would accord with that of the Japanese. The crude death rate was lowest among Korean in Japan, 5.7 deaths per 1,000 population in 1965. The crude death rates of Korean in Japan and Japanese are increasing recently influenced by age structure while Korean in Korea still shows decreasing tendency. The adjusted death rate is lowest among Japanese, followed by Korean in Japan, and Korean in Korea. The leading causes of death of Korean in Korea until 1960's was infectious diseases including pneumonia and tuberculosis. The causes of death structure changed gradually to accidents, neoplasm, hypertensive disease, cerebro-vascular disease in order. The main difference in cause of death between Korean and Japanese if high rate of liver diseases and diabetes for both Korean in Japan and Korea. A special feature of cause of death among Korean in Korea is remakably high rate of hypertensive disease, which is assumed to be caused by physicians tendency in choosing diagnostic categories. The low ischemic heart disease and high vasculo-cerebral disease are the distinctive characteristic of the three population groups compared to western countries. Specific causes of death were selected for detailed sex, age and ethnic group comparisons based on their high death rates. Cancer is the cause of death which showed most dramatical increase in all three population groups. In Korea 20.1% of all death were caused by cancer in 1990 compared with 10.5% in 1981. Cancer of the liver is the leading cause of cancer death among Korean in Japan for both sexes, followed by cancer of the lung and cancer of the stomach, while that of Korean in Korea is cancer of the stomach, followed by cancer of the liver and cancer of the lung for male. Causes of infant mortality were examined among the three population groups since 1980 on yearly bases. For both Japanese and Korean in Japan, leading cause of death ranks as conditions originating in the perinatal period, congenital anomalies, accidents and other violent causes. Trends since 1980 for these two population groups in the leading cause of infant mortality showed no changes. On the contrary, significant changes in leading cause of death structure in Korea were observed : the ranking of leading cause of death in 1981 were congenital asnomalies, pneumonia bronchitis, infectious disease, heart disease, conditions originating in the perinatal period, accident and other violent causes ; in 1990 the ranking shifted to congenital anomalies, accident, pneumonia bronchities, conditions originating in the perinatal period, infectious disease. The mortality rate by congenital anomalies in Korea continuously grew than any other causes. Larger increase ocurred during the 1990's

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.1-23
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• 2008

In the shortest period of time, we achieved both industrialization and democratization. We also achieved good performance in health care sector. Whole population are covered by health insurance since 1989 and health outcomes, such as infant mortality, life expectance show good level. However, health care system has several problems, rapidly increasing rate of health care expenditure, dissatisfaction of both consumers and suppliers. Current health care system does not reconcile with market competition principle. Causes of these problems originated from 1977 paradigm which was formed to expand health insurance to whole population within short period. Dominant assumption of 1977 paradigm is to assure equitable access of health care by government's command and control. We urgently demand to reform the 1977 paradigm to suitable in 21th century. Our economy entered into a road to advancement. We have concerns how President Lee's administration reform health care system to harmonize with economic development and to achieve advancement in health care sector.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.825-828
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• 1987

Authors carried out a retrospective study in 22 infants with Bochdaleck`s hernia who were operated upon, the results are; 1] the male to female ratio was 2:1 and the incidence of left side was threefold prevalent than right, 2] the chief complaint of those who were operated upon in neonatal period was dyspnea and diagnosis was possible by chest A-P, 3] primary repair was possible except one patient in whom a prosthesis was used. 4] complication occurred in 41% and pulmonary complication was most common including 5 pneumothorax, 5] mortality rate was 14%, the deaths occurred in infants who were operated upon within 48 hours of life and the lesion was left without sac, the defect was larger than average and all died within 72 hours after operation.