• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.123-127
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• 1978

The major objective of this research is to identify those hospital characteristics that best explain cost variation among hospitals and to formulate linear models that can predict hospital costs. Specific emphasis is placed on hospital output, that is, the identification of diagnosis related patient groups (DRGs) which are medically meaningful and demonstrate similar patterns of hospital resource consumption. A casemix index is developed based on the DRGs identified. Considering the common problems encountered in previous hospital cost research, the following study requirements are estab-lished for fulfilling the objectives of this research: 1. Selection of hospitals that exercise similar medical and fiscal practices. 2. Identification of an appropriate data collection mechanism in which demographic and medical characteristics of individual patients as well as accurate and comparable cost information can be derived. 3. Development of a patient classification system in which all the patients treated in hospitals are able to be split into mutually exclusive categories with consistent and stable patterns of resource consumption. 4. Development of a cost finding mechanism through which patient groups' costs can be made comparable across hospitals. A data set of Medicare patients prepared by the Social Security Administration was selected for the study analysis. The data set contained 27,229 record abstracts of Medicare patients discharged from all but one short-term general hospital in Connecticut during the period from January 1, 1971, to December 31, 1972. Each record abstract contained demographic and diagnostic information, as well as charges for specific medical services received. The 'AUT-OGRP System' was used to generate 198 DRGs in which the entire range of Medicare patients were split into mutually exclusive categories, each of which shows a consistent and stable pattern of resource consumption. The 'Departmental Method' was used to generate cost information for the groups of Medicare patients that would be comparable across hospitals. To fulfill the study objectives, an extensive analysis was conducted in the following areas: 1. Analysis of DRGs: in which the level of resource use of each DRG was determined, the length of stay or death rate of each DRG in relation to resource use was characterized, and underlying patterns of the relationships among DRG costs were explained. 2. Exploration of resource use profiles of hospitals; in which the magnitude of differences in the resource uses or death rates incurred in the treatment of Medicare patients among the study hospitals was explored. 3. Casemix analysis; in which four types of casemix-related indices were generated, and the significance of these indices in the explanation of hospital costs was examined. 4. Formulation of linear models to predict hospital costs of Medicare patients; in which nine independent variables (i. e., casemix index, hospital size, complexity of service, teaching activity, location, casemix-adjusted death. rate index, occupancy rate, and casemix-adjusted length of stay index) were used for determining factors in hospital costs. Results from the study analysis indicated that: 1. The system of 198 DRGs for Medicare patient classification was demonstrated not only as a strong tool for determining the pattern of hospital resource utilization of Medicare patients, but also for categorizing patients by their severity of illness. 2. The wei틴fed mean total case cost (TOTC) of the study hospitals for Medicare patients during the study years was $11,27.02 with a standard deviation of $117.20. The hospital with the highest average TOTC ($1538.15) was 2.08 times more expensive than the hospital with the lowest average TOTC ($743.45). The weighted mean per diem total cost (DTOC) of the study hospitals for Medicare patients during the sutdy years was $107.98 with a standard deviation of $15.18. The hospital with the highest average DTOC ($147.23) was 1.87 times more expensive than the hospital with the lowest average DTOC ($78.49). 3. The linear models for each of the six types of hospital costs were formulated using the casemix index and the eight other hospital variables as the determinants. These models explained variance to the extent of 68.7 percent of total case cost (TOTC), 63.5 percent of room and board cost (RMC), 66.2 percent of total ancillary service cost (TANC), 66.3 percent of per diem total cost (DTOC), 56.9 percent of per diem room and board cost (DRMC), and 65.5 percent of per diem ancillary service cost (DTANC). The casemix index alone explained approximately one half of interhospital cost variation: 59.1 percent for TOTC and 44.3 percent for DTOC. Thsee results demonstrate that the casemix index is the most importand determinant of interhospital cost variation Future research and policy implications in regard to the results of this study is envisioned in the following three areas: 1. Utilization of casemix related indices in the Medicare data systems. 2. Refinement of data for hospital cost evaluation. 3. Development of a system for reimbursement and cost control in hospitals.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
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• v.35 no.1 s.108
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• pp.60-68
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• 2005

The evaluation of malocclusion has to be done quantitatively and qualitatively. This will be lead toward an analysis of malocclusion severity as well as treatment difficulty. The method of proper evaluation of malocclusion severity and treatment difficulty is necessary to assess treatment effect and efficiency for the orthodontists and to establish fundamentals for planning and executing the health-related policies in private and public institutions. The purposes of this study as the first part of the objective and quantitative analysis of malocclusion were 1) to measure treatment difficulty based on the opinions of several orthodontists. and 2) to investigate the relationships between objective malocclusion severity and subjective treatment difficulty 100 pairs of dental casts that had various types and severity of malocclusion were selected from the orthodontic departments of Kyurghee University and Samsung Medical Center The objective malocclusion severity was measured with the PAR (Peer Assessment Rating) index and the subjective treatment difficulty was evaluated by 8 experienced orthodontists. The relationships between objective malocclusion severity and subjective treatment difficulty were statistically evaluated. There were significant relationships between objective malocclusion severity and subjective treatment difficulty especially in the measurements of the upper anterior alignment, the buccal occlusion. the overjet, the overbite and the midline discrepancy en the malocclusion components. The results of this study can provide the background knowledge to develop a new occlusal index. which contains both the malocclusion severity and treatment difficulty for Korean orthodontists.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SP
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• v.44 no.4 s.316
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• pp.60-69
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• 2007

The human eye usually experiences a loss of color sensitivity when it is subjected to high levels of luminance, and perceives a discrepancy in color between high and normal-luminance displays, generally known as a hue shift. Accordingly, this paper models the hue-shift phenomenon and proposes a hue-correction method to provide perceptual matching between high and normal-luminance displays. The value of hue-shift is determined by perceived hue matching experiments. At first the phenomenon is observed at three lightness levels, that is, the ratio of luminance is the same between high and normal-luminance display when the perceived hue matching experiments we performed. To quantify the hue-shift phenomenon for the whole hue angle, color patches with the same lightness are first created and equally spaced inside the hue angle. These patches are then displayed one-by-one on both displays with the ratio of luminance between two displays. Next, the hue value for each patch appearing on the high-luminance display is adjusted by observers until the perceived hue for the patches on both displays appears the same visually. After obtaining the hue-shift values, these values are fit piecewise to allow shifted-hue amounts to be approximately determined for arbitrary hue values of pixels in a high-luminance display and then used for correction. Essentially, input RGB values of an image is converted to CIELAB values, and then, LCh (lightness, chroma, and hue) values are calculated to obtain the hue values for all the pixels. These hue values are shifted according to the amount calculated by the functions of the hue-shift model. Finally, the corrected CIELAB values are calculated from corrected hue values, after that, output RGB values for all pixels are estimated. For evaluation, an observer's preference test was performed with hue-shift results and Almost observers conclude that the images from hue-shift model were visually matched with images on normal luminance display.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
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• v.36 no.2 s.115
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• pp.145-152
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was to evaluate electroless plating as a method of increasing the diameter of an orthodontic wire in comparison with eletroplating. After pretreatment plating of the 0.016 inch stainless steel orthodontic wire, electroless plating was performed at $90^{\circ}C$ until the diameter of the wire was increased to 0.018 inch. During the process of electroless plating, the diameter of the wire was measured every 5 minutes to examine the increasing ratio of the wire's diameter per time unit. And to examine the uniformity, the diameter at 3 points on the electroless-plated orthodontic wire was measured. An X-ray diffraction test for analyzing the nature of the plated metal and a 3-point bending test for analyzing the physical property were performed. The electroless-plated wire group showed a increased tendency for stiffness, yield strength, and ultimate strength than the electroplated wire group. And there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups for stiffness and ultimate strength. In the electroless-plated wire group, the increasing ratio of the diameter was $0.00461{\pm}0.00003mm/5min$ (0.00092 mm/min). In the electroplated wire group, it was $0.00821{\pm}0.00015mm/min$. The results of the uniformity test showed a tendency for uniformity in both the plating methods. The results of this study suggest that electroless plating of the wire is closer to the ready-made wire than electroplating wire in terms of the physical property. However, the length of plating time needs further consideration for the clinical application of electroless plating.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.208-215
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• 2009

This study is to compare the accuracy of evaluation regarding the volume of the prostate, which three-dimensional volume rendering was produced the shape of protrusion, by measuring two kinds of craniocaudal length from the top of the protrusion and from the exclusion of the protrusion as the starting points. For the imaginary protrusion prostate models, total of 10 models were roughly made by using devils-tongue jelly and changing each of the 10 ml of capacity from 10 ml to 100 ml. For the protrusion prostate models aimed at estimating the real volume, through 64 cannel computed tomography (CT) and 3.0 tesla magnetic resonance image (MRI) were conducted by planimetry technique from three-dimensional volume rendering. And then we performed to evaluate on significance of these volumes by wilcoxon signed rank test. Also the obtained volumes data by ellipsoid volume formula were measured the volume of protrusion prostate models two times with each method using the two kinds of craniocaudal length from top of the protrusion and from exclusion of the protrusion as the starting points. Finally, the significance of differences using wilcoxon signed rank test was evaluated between the real volume by planimetry technique and the measured volume by ellipsoid volume formula from three-dimensional volume rendering. The average of the protrusion length on the models was $0.90{\pm}0.18\;mm$ in CT and was $0.75{\pm}0.11\;mm$ in MRI. There were not statistically significant difference between MRI and CT from the volume of protrusion prostate models (p=0.414). In MRI (p=0.139) and CT (p=0.057), there were not statistically significant difference between the real volume by planimetry technique and the measured volume by ellipsoid volume from exclusion of the protrusion as the starting points. While, there were statistically significant difference between the real volume by planimetry technique and the measured volume by ellipsoid volume from top of the protrusion as the starting points in MRI (p=0.005) and CT (p=0.005). For the accurate measurement of the protrusion prostate models, the craniocaudal length of the prostate should be measured from the exclusion of the protrusion as the starting points.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.82-93
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• 2000

Purpose: We characterized the signals obtained from the components of a small gamma camera using Nal(Tl)-position sensitive photomultiplier tube (PSPMT) and optimized the parameters employed in the modules of the system. Materials and Methods: The small gamma camera system consists of a Nal(Tl) crystal ($60{\times}60{\times}6mm^3$) coupled with a Hamamatsu R3941 PSPMT, a resister chain circuit, preamplifiers, nuclear instrument modules (NIMs), an analog to digital converter and a personal computer for control and display. The PSPMT was read out using a resistive charge division circuit which multiplexes the 34 cross wire anode channels into 4 signals (X+, X-, Y+, Y -). Those signals were individually amplified by four preamplifiers and then, shaped and amplified by amplifiers. The signals were discriminated and digitized via triggering signal and used to localize the position of an event by applying the Anger logic. The gamma camera control and image display was performed by a program implemented using a graphic software. Results: The characteristics of signal and the parameters employed in each module of the system were presented. The intrinsic sensitivity of the system was approximately $8{\times}10^3$ counts/sec/${\mu}Ci$. The intrinsic energy resolution of the system was 18% FWHM at 140 keV. The spatial resolution obtained using a line-slit mask and $^{99m}Tc$ point source were, respectively, 2.2 and 2.3 mm FWHM in X and Y directions. Breast phantom containing $2{\sim}7mm$ diameter spheres was successfully imaged with a parallel hole collimator. The image displayed accurate size and activity distribution over the imaging field of view Conclusion: We proposed a simple method for development of a small gamma camera and presented the characteristics of the signals from the system and the optimized parameters used in the modules of the small gamma camera.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.435-443
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• 2008

Purpose: Gated myocardial perfusion SPECT provides not only myocardial perfusion status but also various functional parameters of left ventricle. We compared left ventricular ejection fraction, end-diastolic volume, LV mass by cardiac SPECT using Quantitative Gated SPECT (QGS), 4D-MSPECT software and standard 2D-echocardiography. Materials and Methods: One hundred fourteen patients (male 51, female 63; 29-85 years old, mean $61.3\;{\pm}\;13.3$ years old) with normal perfusion status on Tc-99m tetrofosmin gated myocardial perfusion SPECT were analyzed retrospectively. Ejection fraction (LVEF), End-diastolic volume (LVED), LV mass (LVM) were calculated using QGS, 4D-MSPECT, and LVEF, LVM using 2D-echocardiography. Statistical analysis including Bland-Altman plot was performed using $MedCalc^{(R)}$ (MedCalc software, Mariakerke, Belgium). Results: The correlation of LVEF between methods was good: 0.95/0.96 (stress/rest) between QGS and 4D-MSPECT, 0.79 between QGS and echocardiography, 0.79 between 4D-MSPECT and echocardiography (p<0.001). Using Bland-Altman plot, the 95% confidence interval of agreement between QGS and 4D-MSPECT ranged from -12.7% to 7.3% / from -12.2% to 6.5% (stress/rest). The agreement between QGS and echocardiography, 4D-MSPECT and echocardiography ranged from -17.4% to 24.0%, and -14.8% to 27.0% respectively. The correlation of LVM between methods was also good: 0.95 between QGS and 4D-MSPECT, 0.76 between QGS and echocardiography, 0.73 between 4D-MSPECT and echocardiography (p<0.001). The 95% confidence interval of agreement between QGS and 4D-MSPECT ranged from -33.8g to 14.1g (stress/rest), The 95% confidence interval of agreement between QGS and echocardiography, 4D-MSPECT and echocardiography ranged from -148.7 g to 21.8. g, and -142.8 g to 35.5 g, respectively. Conclusion: There was a good correlation for LVEF, LVEO, LVM among methods (QGS, 4D-MSPECT, echocardiography), but the variance between methods was big. Therefore, the functional parameters by each method cannot be used interchangeably.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.123-130
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• 1977

A laboratory study was made to develop a simple and economic model method for the systematic determination of functional properties of 'Soy Protein Isolates (SPI)' prepared from defatted soybean meal. These are required to evaluate and to predict how SPI may behave in specific systems and such proteins can be used to simulate or replace conventional proteins. Data concerning the effects of pH, salt concentration, temperature, and protein concentration on the functional properties which include solubility, heat denaturation, gel forming capacity, emulsifying capacity, and foaming capacity are presented. The results are as follows: 1) The yield of SPI from defatted soybean meal increased to 83.9 % as the soybean meal was extracted with 0.02 N NaOH. 2) The suitable viscocity of a dope solution for spinning fiber was found to be 60 Poises by using syringe needle (0.3 mm) with 15 % SPI in 0.6 % NaOH. 3) Heat caused thickening and gelation in concentration of 8 % with a temperature threshold of $70^{\circ}C$. At $8{\sim}12\;%$ protein concentration, gel was formed within $10{\sim}30\;min$ at $70{\sim}100\;^{\circ}C$. It was, however, disrupted rapidly at $125\;^{\circ}C$ of overheat treatment. The gel was firm, resilient and self-supporting at protein concentration of 14 % and less susceptible to disruption of overheating. 4) The emulsifying capacity (EC) of SPI was correlated positively to the solubility of protein at ${\mu}=0$. At pH of the isoelectric point of SPI (pH 4.6), EC increased as concentration of sodium chloride increased. Using model system$(mixing\;speed:\;12,000\;r.p.m.,\;oil\;addition\;rate:\;0.9\;ml/sec,\;and\;temperature\;:\;20{\pm}1\;^{\circ}C)$, the maximum EC of SPI was found to be 47.2 ml of oil/100 mg protein, at the condition of pH 8.7 and ${\mu}=0.6$. The milk casein had greater EC than SPI at lower ionic strength while the EC of SPI was the same as milk casein at higher ionic strength. 5) The shaking test was used in determining the foam-ability of proteins. Progressively increasing SPI concentration up to 5 % indicated that the maximum protein concentration for foaming capacity was 2 %. Sucrose reduced foam expansion slightly but enhanced foam stability. The results of comparing milk casein and egg albumin were that foaming properties of SPI were the same as egg albumin, and better than milk casein, particularly in foam stability.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.218-225
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• 1992

This experiment was carried out to compare the varietal differences of winter hardiness based on the values of winter hardiness index(W1) and the dry weight of plant per relative tiller appearance rate (DWIRTAR), and the evaluate the method of measurements for winter hardiness in 17 orchardgrass varieties grown under mountainous area of Tackwalyon, Kangwon-do. Korea. The results were summarized as follows: 1. Seedling vigours(SV) of plant before wintering indicated highly significant negative correlation with the dry weight of 1st cutting(DW) and the dry weight of plant per relative tiller appearance rates (DWIRTAR). 2. The dry weight of 1st cutting(DW) indicated significant positive correlations with the number of tillers per plant(NT). dry weight of a tiller(WT), lield survival rate(SR). heading rate(HR) and the dry weight of heading tillers(HDW). 3. Correlation coefficients of the dry weight of 1st cutting(DW) with winter hardiness index(W1) was 0.499(p<0.05), and the dry weight of plant per relative tiller appearance rates(DW/RTAR) was 0.895(p<0.001), respectively. 4. Between the winter hardiness index(W1) and field survival rate(SR) showed highly significant positive correlation(p<0.001). And, the dry weight of plant per relative tiller appearance rates(DW/RTAR) showed highly significant positive correlation(p<0.001) with the dry weight of a tiller(WT) and the dry weight of heading tillers(HDW). 5. The varieties were classified into 2 groups by winter hardiness index(W1). The 13 varieties of Hallmark. lna, Rancho, Amba, Filippa, Sparta, Hokuto, Kitamidori, Okamidori, Wasemidori, Shinyo, Potomac and Summer-green belong to the group of W1)100, and 4 varieties of Able, Juno, Napier and Jesper belong to the group of WI(100, respectively. 6. And, also classified into 2 groups by the dry weight of plant per relative tiller appearance rates (DWIRTAR). The 4 varieties of Amba, Okamidori, Wasemidori and Summer-green belong to the group of DW1RTAR)l.O and 13 varieties of Able, Hallmark, Ina, Juno, Napier, Rancho, Filippa. Jesper, Sparta, Hokuto, Kitamidori, Shinyo and Potomac belong to the group of DW/RTAR(1.0, respectively. The variety with DW/RTAR)I.O is belong to the group of high potential winter hardiness, and also obtained a high values over the 100 of winter hardiness index(W1). 7. The dry weight of plant per relative tiller appearance rates(DW/RTAR) may be a very useful ecological character to evaluate the potential winter hardiness of orchardgrass varieties grown under mountainous area of Taekwalyon(altitudinal ranges about 800m).

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.51 no.5
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• pp.386-395
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• 2006

The core questions for determining nitrogen topdress rate (Npi) at panicle initiation stage (PIS) are 'how much nitrogen accumulation during the reproductive stage (PNup) is required for the target rice yield or protein content depending on the growth and nitrogen nutrition status at PIS?' and 'how can we diagnose the growth and nitrogen nutrition status easily at real time basis?'. To address these questions, two years experiments from 2001 to 2002 were done under various rates of basal, tillering, and panicle nitrogen fertilizer by employing a rice cultivar, Hwaseongbyeo. The response of grain yield and milled-rice protein content was quantified in relation to RVIgreen (green ratio vegetation index) and SPAD reading measured around PIS as indirect estimators for growth and nitrogen nutrition status, the regression models were formulated to predict PNup based on the growth and nitrogen nutrition status and Npi at PIS. Grain yield showed quadratic response to PNup, RVIgreen around PIS, and SPAD reading around PIS. The regression models to predict grain yield had a high determination coefficient of above 0.95. PNup for the maximum grain yield was estimated to be 9 to 13.5 kgN/10a within the range of RVIgreen around PIS of this experiment. decreasing with increasing RVIgreen and also to be 10 to 11 kgN/10a regardless of SPAD readings around PIS. At these PNup's the protein content of milled rice was estimated to rise above 9% that might degrade eating quality seriously Milled-rice protein content showed curve-linear increase with the increase of PNup, RVIgreen around PIS, and SPAD reading around PIS. The regression models to predict protein content had a high determination coefficient of above 0.91. PNup to control the milled-rice protein content below 7% was estimated as 6 to 8 kgN/10a within the range of RVIgreen and SPAD reading of this experiment, showing much lower values than those for the maximum grain yield. The recovery of the Npi applied at PIS ranged from 53 to 83%, increasing with the increased growth amount while decreasing with the increasing Npi. The natural nitrogen supply from PIS to harvest ranged from 2.5 to 4 kg/10a, showing quadratic relationship with the shoot dry weight or shoot nitrogen content at PIS. The regression models to estimate PNup was formulated using Npi and anyone of RVIgreen, shoot dry weight, and shoot nitrogen content at PIS as predictor variables. These models showed good fitness with determination coefficients of 0.86 to 0.95 The prescription method based on the above models predicting grain yield, protein content and PNup and its constraints were discussed.