• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.105-121
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• 2011

Objectives: This paper presents the framework and protocol design for a construction industry risk management toolbox. The construction industry needs a comprehensive, systematic approach to assess and control occupational risks. These risks span several professional health and safety disciplines, emphasized by multiple international occupational research agenda projects including: falls, electrocution, noise, silica, welding fumes, and musculoskeletal disorders. Yet, the International Social Security Association says, "whereas progress has been made in safety and health, the construction industry is still a high risk sector." Methods: Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) employ about 80% of the world's construction workers. In recent years a strategy for qualitative occupational risk management, known as Control Banding (CB) has gained international attention as a simplified approach for reducing work-related risks. CB groups hazards into stratified risk 'bands', identifying commensurate controls to reduce the level of risk and promote worker health and safety. We review these qualitative solutions-based approaches and identify strengths and weaknesses toward designing a simplified CB 'toolbox' approach for use by SMEs in construction trades. Results: This toolbox design proposal includes international input on multidisciplinary approaches for performing a qualitative risk assessment determining a risk 'band' for a given project. Risk bands are used to identify the appropriate level of training to oversee construction work, leading to commensurate and appropriate control methods to perform the work safely. Conclusion: The Construction Toolbox presents a review-generated format to harness multiple solutions-based national programs and publications for controlling construction-related risks with simplified approaches across the occupational safety, health and hygiene professions.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.364-371
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• 2022

Background: Respiratory masks can provide healthcare workers with protection from biological hazards when they have good performance. There is a direct relationship between the visual specifications of a mask and its efficacy; thus, the aim of this study was to develop tools for qualitative assessment of the performance of masks used by healthcare workers. Methods: A mixed-methods design was used to develop a qualitative assessment tool for medical face masks (MFM) and particle filtering half masks (PFHM). The development of domains and items was undertaken using observation and interviews, the opinions of an expert panel, and a review of texts and international standards. The second phase evaluated the psychometric properties of tools. Finally, the validated Mask Qualitative Assessment Tools (MQAT) were used to assess six samples from 10 brands of the two types of masks. Results: MQAT-MFM and MQAT-PHFM shared 42 items across seven domains: "cleanliness," "design," "marking, labeling and packaging," "mask layers," "mask strap," "materials and construction," and "nose clip." MQAT-MFM included one additional item. MQAT-PHFM included another nine items associated with an eighth "Practical Performance" domain, and the valve version had another additional "Exhalation Valve" domain and six items. The evaluation indicated 80% compliance for MFM and 71% compliance for PFHM. "Marking, labeling and packaging" and "Layers" were associated with the least compliance in both types of masks and should be checked carefully for defining mask quality. Conclusion: MQAT can be used for immediate screening and initial assessment of MFM and PHFM through appearance, simple tools, and visual inspection.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Near Infrared Spectroscopy Conference
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• 2001.06a
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• pp.3111-3111
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• 2001

The implementation of NIR and chemometrics in the Pharmaceutical industries is still in strong progress, both regarding qualitative and quantitative applications and beneficial results are seen. Looking at the development so far, NIR will change the pharmaceutical industry even more in the future. This presentation will address the experiences and progress achieved regarding the application and implementation of quantitative methods for determination of content uniformity and assay of tablets with less than 10% w/w of active, using Near Infrared transmittance spectroscopy in combination with PLS. Also qualitative methods for identification of the same tablets by Near Infrared reflectance spectroscopy will be discussed. Four commercial tablet strengths are formulated and produced from two different compositions by direct compression. Three different strengths are dose proportional, i.e. fixed concentration by varying in size. The aim was to replace the conventional primary methods for analysing content uniformity, assay and identification by NIR. Studies were performed on comparing transmittance versus reflectance spectroscopy for both applications on the dose proportional tablets. The model for determination of content uniformity and assay was developed to cover both coated and uncoated tablets, whereas the qualitative model was developed to identify coated tablets only. The impact of the tablet formulation, tablet size and coating, resulted in individual models far each composition The best calibration was achieved using diffuse reflectance for the identification purposes and diffuse transmittance for the quantitative determination of the active content within the tablets. As NIR in combination with other techniques opens up the possibility of total quality management within the production, the transfer of the above-mentioned models from a laboratory based approach to an at-line approach at H.Lundbeck will be addressed too.

• Journal of Korean Society of Rural Planning
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.19-28
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• 2017

While the significance and need of landscape assessment for rural area has been recognised, an appropriate method has not been established due to the lack of statutory ground and policy status in Korea. For that reason, current studies have been limited to dominantly amenity field survey in specific rural areas and stayed in academic. In particular, the majority of research on rural landscape amenity or character assessment methodologies so far has been attempted with quantitative processes. Such quantitative methods produced sometimes, heavily overlapped, conflicted, and not much meaningful characterisation and classification. Moreover, such results could not only have been reflected to policy implementation but provide vision for rural areas. Therefore, this study offers new facets for landscape character assessment methods through the lens of practitioners' qualitative survey methods and moreover, seek a policy implementation of newly developed methodologies. In order to carry out such analysis, the study employed a case study of England's Landscape Character Assessment and survey location was Gateshead Council, Northeast of England. The study suggests meaningful qualitative landscape character assessment method and review of its policy implementation.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Building Construction
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.136-144
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• 2011

The form-work operation of concrete structures is a major element determining the period and cost of construction projects. However, the selection of the appropriate form-work system is dependent on the experience of the site personnel only. In this paper, existing methods (Aluminum form, Sky deck) and new slab form-work methods (AFB: Aluminum panel Form with dropping Beam) were selected. Each method was estimated by means of Delphi techniques based on the qualitative analysis data. This paper suggests an evaluation methodology of slab form-work application in construction sites by calculating qualitative evaluation scores. The methodology finding quantified scores of qualitative criteria can be available to be applied to other construction operation evaluation methods.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.99-109
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• 2018

Objectives: To analyze the reports of qualitative research about depressed mood and suicidal ideation of Korean Seniors. Methods: Eleven published qualitative research studies were selected for analysis. We extracted common topics and factors of each stage, Selected factors were paralleled and synthesized to make a flow chart of the phenomena. Results: Depressed mood arousals of Korean seniors are categorized by causation factors, which include economic, psychosomatic, and social factors, and positive-negative coping strategies, which include cognitive-behavioral factors. Suicidal experiences are categorized as ideation, suicidal attempt, and after-suicide stage. In the latter, participants reported three types of lifestyles by their enthusiasm for 'being alive'. Conclusions: Through the qualitative synthesis of research, we could analyze and categorize major factors and coping strategies of participants who exhibited a depressed mood or suicidal ideation.

• The Journal of Korean Academic Society of Nursing Education
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.337-346
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• 2018

Purpose: The aim of this study was to understand and describe difficulties and needs experienced by head nurses in the clinical practice education of nursing students. Methods: A qualitative descriptive method was employed. A convenience sampling method was used to recruit participants from four hospitals in South Korea. Twenty-one head nurses participated in the first interview and 17 of them participated in the second interview. Data were collected through two in-depth interviews and field notes were written. Qualitative content analysis method was utilized for data analysis using ATLAS.ti 6.2 software. Results: Thirty-one codes and twelve categories were identified. Four themes emerged from data analysis, which included 'too many tasks', 'limitations of student education', 'many differences', and 'lack of support and resources.' Conclusion: This qualitative study described head nurses' many difficulties and needs in the clinical practice education of nursing students. The results of this study provide valuable understanding and knowledge of head nurses' experiences in students' clinical education, which leads to improvement of the quality of clinical education for nursing students.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.176-186
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• 2018

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to describe work experiences of triage nurses working at emergency departments in Korea. Methods: A qualitative descriptive research method was used. Twenty-one nurses of emergency department participated in the first interview and 16 of them participated in the second interview. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and field notes. Qualitative content analysis was utilized to analyze the data. Results: Forty-eight codes, 12 categories, and six themes emerged from the data analysis: caring on the frontline, burden as an initial evaluator, handling things alone, lack of others' understanding, becoming an expert, and needs for improvement. Participating triage nurses faced many challenges and difficult situations in emergency departments. They felt burden and loneliness as initial evaluator. Also, they felt pride in their work and struggled to become a professional. Conclusion: This study is the first qualitative study that has focused on exploring the experiences of triage nurses in emergency departments in Korea. The results provide description and in-depth understanding of working experiences of triage nurses. The results provide valuable fundamental data for regulation, clinical practice, education, and research for triage nurses in Korean emergency departments.

• Korean Journal of Schizophrenia Research
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.15-28
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• 2020

Objectives: This study investigated the relationship between clock-drawing test (CDT) performance and neuropsychological functions in patients with chronic schizophrenia. Methods: Thirty-one patients with schizophrenia and 30 healthy controls participated in this study. The CDT was administered in three conditions and analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative scoring systems. Comprehensive neuropsychological tests were administered. Results: The results of the quantitative analysis showed that the schizophrenia group performed significantly worse in all three conditions of the CDT compared with the control group. However, no significant differences were observed between the two groups, when the IQ and educational level were controlled. The qualitative analysis showed that the schizophrenia group exhibited significantly more errors in "graphic difficulty" compared with the control group. In addition, CDT quantitative scores were significantly correlated with visuospatial function, memory, attention and executive functions in patients with schizophrenia. Conversely, each qualitative error type was correlated with specific cognitive domains. Furthermore, "graphic difficulty" and "spatial/planning deficit" were identified as predictors of depression symptoms in patients with schizophrenia. Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that the CDT is useful for assessing cognitive dysfunctions in patients with schizophrenia, while qualitative analyses provide more specific information about cognitive deficits compared with quantitative analyses.

• 제어로봇시스템학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2004.08a
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• pp.110-115
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• 2004

The hybrid fault diagnosis method based on a combination of the signed digraph (SDG) and the partial least-squares (PLS) has the advantage of improving the diagnosis resolution, accuracy and reliability, compared to those of previous qualitative methods, and of enhancing the ability to diagnose multiple fault. In this study, the method is applied for the multiple fault diagnosis of the Tennessee Eastman challenge process, which is a realistic industrial process for evaluating process contol and monitoring methods. The process is decomposed using the local qualitative relationships of each measured variable. Dynamic PLS (DPLS) model is built to estimate each measured variable, which is then compared with the estimated value in order to diagnose the fault. Through case studies of 15 single faults and 44 double faults, the proposed method demonstrated a good diagnosis capability compared with previous statistical methods.