• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.20
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• pp.8993-9004
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• 2014

Background: The incidence rate and the treatment costs of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are high, especially in Thailand. Previous studies indicated that early detection by a surveillance program could help by down-staging. This study aimed to compare the costs and health outcomes associated with the introduction of a HCC surveillance program with no program and to estimate the budget impact if the HCC surveillance program were implemented. Materials and Methods: A cost utility analysis using a decision tree and Markov models was used to compare costs and outcomes during the lifetime period based on a societal perspective between alternative HCC surveillance strategies with no program. Costs included direct medical, direct non-medical, and indirect costs. Health outcomes were measured as life years (LYs), and quality adjusted life years (QALYs). The results were presented in terms of the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) in Thai THB per QALY gained. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were applied to investigate parameter uncertainties. Budget impact analysis (BIA) was performed based on the governmental perspective. Results: Semi-annual ultrasonography (US) and semi-annual ultrasonography plus alpha-fetoprotein (US plus AFP) as the first screening for HCC surveillance would be cost-effective options at the willingness to pay (WTP) threshold of 160,000 THB per QALY gained compared with no surveillance program (ICER=118,796 and ICER=123,451 THB/QALY), respectively. The semi-annual US plus AFP yielded more net monetary benefit, but caused a substantially higher budget (237 to 502 million THB) than semi-annual US (81 to 201 million THB) during the next ten fiscal years. Conclusions: Our results suggested that a semi-annual US program should be used as the first screening for HCC surveillance and included in the benefit package of Thai health insurance schemes for both chronic hepatitis B males and females aged between 40-50 years. In addition, policy makers considered the program could be feasible, but additional evidence is needed to support the whole prevention system before the implementation of a strategic plan.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Building Construction Conference
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.109-113
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• 2007

This paper introduces a system, Simulation based Stochastic Markup Estimation System (S2ME), for estimating optimum markup for a project. The system was designed and implemented to better represent the real world system involved in construction bidding. The findings obtained from the analysis of existing assumptions used in the previous quantitative markup estimation methods were incorporated to improve the accuracy and predictability of the S2ME. The existing methods has four categories of assumption as follows; (1) The number of competitors and who is the competitors are known, (2) A typical competitor, who is fictitious, is assumed for easy computation, (3) the ratio of bid price against cost estimate (B/C) is assumed to follow normal distribution, (4) The deterministic output obtained from the probabilistic equation of existing models is assumed to be acceptable. However, these assumptions compromise the accuracy of prediction. In practice, the bidding patterns of the bidders are randomized in competitive bidding. To complement the lack of accuracy contributed by these assumptions, bidding project was randomly selected from the pool of bidding database in the simulation experiment. The probability to win the bid in the competitive bidding was computed using the profile of the competitors appeared in the selected bidding project record. The expected profit and probability to win the bid was calculated by selecting a bidding record randomly in an iteration of the simulation experiment under the assumption that the bidding pattern retained in historical bidding DB manifest revival. The existing computation, which is handled by means of deterministic procedure, were converted into stochastic model using simulation modeling and analysis technique as follows; (1) estimating the probability distribution functions of competitors' B/C which were obtained from historical bidding DB, (2) analyzing the sensitivity against the increment of markup using normal distribution and actual probability distribution estimated by distribution fitting, (3) estimating the maximum expected profit and optimum markup range. In the case study, the best fitted probability distribution function was estimated using the historical bidding DB retaining the competitors' bidding behavior so that the reliability was improved by estimating the output obtained from simulation experiment.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.39 no.3 s.164
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• pp.275-288
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• 2006

This study develops ESP (Ensemble Streamflow Prediction) system by using medium-term numerical weather prediction model which is GDAPS(T213) of KMA. The developed system forecasts medium- and long-range exceedance Probability for streamflow and RPSS evaluation scheme is used to analyze the accuracy of probability forecasts. It can be seen that the daily probability forecast results contain high uncertainties. A sensitivity analysis with respect to forecast time resolution shows that uncertainties decrease and accuracy generally improves as the forecast time step increase. Weekly ESP results by using the GDAPS output with a lead time of up to 28 days are more accurately predicted than traditional ESP results because conditional probabilities are stably distributed and uncertainties can be reduced. Therefore, it can be concluded that the developed system will be useful tool for medium- and long-term reservoir inflow forecasts in order to manage water resources.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2019

Well logging technologies are used to measure the physical properties of reservoirs through boreholes. These technologies have been utilized to understand reservoir characteristics, such as porosity, fluid saturation, etc., using equations based on rock physics models. The analysis of well logs is performed by selecting a reliable rock physics model adequate for reservoir conditions or characteristics, comparing the results using the Archie's equation or simandoux method, and determining the most feasible reservoir properties. In this study, we developed a joint inversion algorithm to estimate physical properties in shaly sandstone reservoirs based on the pre-existing algorithm for sandstone reservoirs. For this purpose, we proposed a rock physics model with respect to shale volume, constructed the Jacobian matrix, and performed the sensitivity analysis for understanding the relationship between well-logging data and rock properties. The joint inversion algorithm was implemented by adopting the least-squares method using probabilistic approach. The developed algorithm was applied to the well-logging data obtained from the Colony gas sandstone reservoir. The results were compared with the simandox method and the joint inversion algorithms of sand stone reservoirs.

• Journal of Korean Library and Information Science Society
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.145-166
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• 2021

The study was aimed at verifying the effectiveness of Book-Coding reading education as a reader activity of older elementary school children at a time when high-dimensional thinking abilities were formed. To this end, 30 fifth-grade children of N Elementary School in N-si, Gyeonggi-do, comprised of 15 students from a reading education program using Book-Coding, and 15 students from a reading comprehension program, and applied the reading education program over a total of 12 sessions. The main results of the study are summarized as follows. First, when the effects of the convergence reading education program using Book-Coding on the logical thinking ability of the students in the upper grades in the elementary school were analyzed, all the six sub-factors of logical thinking ability, that is, conservation logic, proportional logic, variable controlling logic, probabilistic logic, correlational inference logic, and combinational logic, were proved to have statistically more meaningful difference than the group writing a book report. Second, the analysis result of the influence of the convergence reading education program using Book-Coding on the creativity of the students in the upper grades of the elementary school showed that all the 13 elements of curiosity, persistence, effectiveness, independence, adventurousness, openness, knowledge, imagination, originality, sensitivity, fluency, flexibility, and accuracy were statistically meaningfully different compared to the book report group. Third, when it was analyzed how the convergence reading education program using Book-Coding affected the creative personality of the elementary school students, all the six factors of curiosity, task commitment, independence, awareness of risk, and openness of thinking, and aesthetics were found out to have a statistically more meaningful difference than the group that wrote a book report.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.484-491
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• 2005

Quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) analyzes potential hazard of microorganisms on public health and offers structured approach to assess risks associated with microorganisms in foods. This paper addresses specific risk management questions associated with Staphylococcus aureus in kimbab and improvement and dissemination of QMRA methodology, QMRA model was developed by constructing four nodes from retail to table pathway. Predictive microbial growth model and survey data were combined with probabilistic modeling to simulate levels of S. aureus in kimbab at time of consumption, Due to lack of dose-response models, final level of S. aureus in kimbeb was used as proxy for potential hazard level, based on which possibility of contamination over this level and consumption level of S. aureus through kimbab were estimated as 30.7% and 3.67 log cfu/g, respectively. Regression sensitivity results showed time-temperature during storage at selling was the most significant factor. These results suggested temperature control under $10^{\circ}C$ was critical control point for kimbab production to prevent growth of S. aureus and showed QMRA was useful for evaluation of factors influencing potential risk and could be applied directly to risk management.