• Journal of the Society of Disaster Information
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.351-368
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• 2024

Purpose: In general, traffic accidents occur sporadically, so there are various limitations in terms of time and cost when conducting field investigations to prepare prevention and prevention measures. In particular, with the transition to a non-face-to-face society after the COVID-19, there is a greater need to prepare a replacement for field surveys. Therefore, in this study, Roadview provided by various websites was used as an alternative to field surveys in Sasang-gu, Busan City. The possibility was evaluated. Method: The research method was to extract vulnerable points for traffic accidents that occurred between 2016 and 22 and analyze road views based on the field survey evaluation items provided in the Traffic Safety Diagnosis Guidelines. Result: The main result was that Sasang-gu was most vulnerable to accidents involving elderly pedestrians at Sasang-ro, Daedong-ro, and Hakjang-ro. As a result of a detailed analysis of vulnerable points through Road View, Sasang-ro needed control of commercial vehicles and protection of the transportation vulnerable in the market commercial area. Daedong-ro was vulnerable to illegal on-street parking and slope merging sections, and Hakjang-ro was vulnerable to roads that were prone to speeding. When evaluating the possibility of replacing Roadview's field survey based on the results of this analysis, Roadview was able to effectively evaluate most items, such as separation of sidewalks and the location and spacing of safety facilities. However, there were limitations in items such as actual measurement performance. Conclusion: In other words, the road view can replace most field surveys, and the actual measurement evaluation items can be judged to be useful as auxiliary data, resulting in time and cost savings and high efficiency.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.87-95
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• 2024

Recent studies explore a wide array of desalination and water treatment methods, encompassing membrane processes such as reverse osmosis (RO), nanofiltration (NF), and electrodialysis (ED) to advanced capacitive deionization (CDI) and its membrane variant (MCDI). Comparative analyses reveal ED's cost-effectiveness in low-salinity scenarios, while hybrid systems (NF-MCDI, RO-NF-MCDI) show improved salt removal and energy efficiency. Novel ion separation methods (NF-CDI, NF-FCDI) offer enhanced efficacy and energy savings. These studies also highlight the efficiency of these methods in treating complex wastewater specific to various industries. Environmental impact assessments emphasize the need for sustainability in system selection. Additionally, the integration of microfabricated sensors into membranes allows real-time monitoring, advancing technology development. These studies underscore the variety and promise of emerging desalination and water treatment technologies. They provide valuable insights for enhancing efficiency, minimizing energy usage, tackling industry-specific issues, and innovating to surpass conventional method limitations. The future of sustainable water treatment appears bright, with continual advancements focused on improving efficiency, minimizing environmental impact, and ensuring adaptability across diverse applications.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.120-131
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• 2024

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of implementing a clinical pathways (CPs) on the clinical outcomes and costs of patients undergoing breast cancer surgery. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included patients who were newly diagnosed with primary breast cancer at the Samsung Medical Center between 2014 and 2019 (N=8482; 2931 patients in the pre-path and 5551 patients in the post-path). Clinical outcomes included reoperation during hospitalization, readmission, and emergency room visits within 30 days of discharge. The cost data for each unit were obtained from an activity-based management accounting system. We performed an interrupted time series analysis. Results: The post-path period showed a significantly shorter hospital length of stay (LOS) than the pre-path period (6.3 days in pre-path vs. 5.0 days in post-path; -1.3 days' difference; p=.001), and fewer reoperations during hospitalization and within 30 days after discharge than the pre-path period. After adjusting for inflation rates and relative value scores, the model demonstrated savings of $146 per patient in the post-path for total costs, and $537 per patient for patient out-of-pocket costs (p=.001). Conclusion: CPs can help reduce costs without compromising the quality of care by reducing the number of reoperations, readmissions, and complications.

• Journal of the Korea Society for Simulation
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.1-11
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• 2024

A cyber-physical system is a technology that connects the physical systems of a manufacturing environment with a cyber space to enable simulation. One of the major challenges in this technology is the seamless communication between these two environments. In complex manufacturing processes, it is crucial to adapt to various protocols of manufacturing equipment and ensure the transmission and reception of a large volume of data without delays or errors. In this study, we propose a method for constructing agent models for real-time simulation-capable cyberphysical systems. To achieve this, we design data collection units as independent agent models and effectively integrate them with existing simulation tools to develop the overall system architecture. To validate the proposed structure and ensure reliability, we conducted empirical testing by integrating various equipment from a real-world smart microfactory system to assess the data collection capabilities. The experiments involved testing data delay and data gaps related to data collection cycles. As a result, the proposed approach demonstrates flexibility by enabling the application of various internal data collection methods and accommodating different data formats and communication protocols for various equipment with relatively low communication delays. Consequently, it is expected that this approach will promote innovation in the manufacturing industry, enhance production line efficiency, and contribute to cost savings in maintenance.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.298-305
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• 2023

Burkitt's lymphoma is a distinct subtype of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma originating from B-cells that is notorious for its aggressive growth and association with immune system impairments, potentially resulting in rapid and fatal outcomes if not addressed promptly. Optimizing the use of Food and Drug Administration-approved medications, such as combining known safe drugs, can lead to time and cost savings. This method holds promise in accelerating the progress of novel treatments, ultimately facilitating swifter access for patients. This study explores the potential of a dual-targeted therapeutic strategy, combining the bruton tyrosine kinase-targeting drug Ibrutinib and the epidermal growth factor receptor/human epidermal growth factor receptor-2-targeting drug Lapatinib. Ramos and Daudi cell lines, well-established models of Burkitt's lymphoma, were used to examine the impact of this combination therapy. The combination of Ibrutinib and Lapatinib inhibited cell proliferation more than using each drug individually. A combination treatment induced apoptosis and caused cell cycle arrest at the S and G2/M phases. This approach is multifaceted in its benefits. It enhances the efficiency of the drug development timeline and maximizes the utility of currently available resources, ensuring a more streamlined and resource-effective research process.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.403-409
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• 2024

In this paper, the guidelines for the design of an Artificial Intelligence(AI) based Integrated Process Safety Management(PSM) system to enhance workplace safety using data from process safety reports submitted by hazardous and risky facility operators in accordance with the Occupational Safety and Health Act is proposed. The system composed of the proposed guidelines is to be implemented separately by individual facility operators and specialized process safety management agencies for single or multiple workplaces. It is structured with key components and stages, including data collection and preprocessing, expansion and segmentation, labeling, and the construction of training datasets. It enables the collection of process operation data and change approval data from various processes, allowing potential fault prediction and maintenance planning through the analysis of all data generated in workplace operations, thereby supporting decision-making during process operation. Moreover, it offers utility and effectiveness in time and cost savings, detection and prediction of various risk factors, including human errors, and continuous model improvement through the use of accurate and reliable training data and specialized datasets. Through this approach, it becomes possible to enhance workplace safety and prevent accidents.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.97-108
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• 2008

The use of fly ash to replace a portion of cement has resulted significant savings in the cost of cement production. Fly ash blended cement concretes require a longer curing time and their early strength is low when compared to ordinary Portland cement(OPC) concrete. By adopting various activation techniques such as physical, thermal and chemical method, hydration of fly ash blended cement concrete was accelerated and thereby improved the corrosion-resistance of concrete. Concrete specimens prepared with 10-40% of activated fly ash replacement were evaluated for their open circuit potential measurements, weight loss measurements, impedance measurements, linear polarization measurements, water absorption test, rapid chloride ion penetration test and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) test and the results were compared with those for OPC concrete without fly ash. All the studies confirmed that up to a critical level of 20-30% replacement; activated fly ash cement improved the corrosion-resistance properties of concrete. It was also confirmed that the chemical activation of fly ash better results than the other methods of activation investigated in this study.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.51-59
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• 2023

Despite countries' efforts to reduce carbon emissions, carbon emissions have increased in recent decades along with energy use, of which building energy uses account for a large proportion. Energy savings are essential as a strategy to reduce carbon emissions in existing buildings. The field experiment on the roof of a building located in Seoul was designed to measure the temperature reduction effect of green roof with rainwater storage tank to reduce cooling energy consumption in summer. The results showed that the mean mean surface temperature under the green roof was 14.77 degrees lower than that of the non-green roof from 13:00 P.M. to 15:00 P.M., which would have a great effect on reducing cooling energy. From 01:00 A.M. to 03:00 A.M., the effect was 3.36 degrees, showing that tropical nights could be improved. The temperature reduction effect due to the rainwater storage system increased by 1.45 degrees during the day and decreased by 0.63 degrees at night. The storage system can be strategically utilized to reduce carbon emissions during the week when cooling energy increases significantly.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.405-411
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• 2024

This study aims to address the sustainability of South Korea's conscription system, which is being questioned due to issues like low birth rates and societal changes, and to explore the necessity and implementation strategies for transitioning to an all-volunteer force (AVF). South Korea has long maintained national security through conscription, but it now faces challenges such as a decrease in military resources and the advancement of high-tech military technologies. To address these challenges, the study analyzes domestic and international cases of AVF and assesses the current state and issues of South Korea's military service system. The findings indicate that an AVF can enhance military professionalism and efficiency, respect individual choice, and contribute to reducing gender imbalance and promoting social equity. A phased roadmap for the implementation of the AVF is proposed, along with the need for legal and institutional frameworks and measures to foster public consensus. The study also discusses the potential positive economic impacts and long-term cost savings of the AVF. This research aims to provide concrete strategies and policy recommendations for adopting a Korean-style AVF, thereby proactively responding to changes in the future security environment and establishing a sustainable national defense posture.

• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• v.34
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• pp.3.1-3.12
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• 2022

Background: Influenza illness causes several disruptions to the workforce. The absenteeism that often ensues has economic implications for employers. This study aimed to estimate the cost-benefit of influenza vaccination in a healthcare setting from the employer's perspective. Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted in a private hospital in 2018-2019 comparing voluntary vaccinated with non-vaccinated employees with influenza vaccine. The analyses were made based on self-reporting on absenteeism and presenteeism from Influenza-like illnesses (ILIs). The costs incurred, both direct and indirect costs, were included in the study. A cost-benefit analysis was performed by measuring the cost of the vaccination program. The costs of absenteeism and reduced productivity were calculated using 3 hypothesised levels of effectiveness in the following percentage of productivity of 30%, 50%, and 70%. The costs were also calculated based on four scenarios: with and without operating income and with and without replacement. The benefits of the influenza vaccination from the employer's perspective were analysed. The benefit to cost ratio was determined. Results: A total of four hundred and twenty-one respondents participated. The influenza vaccination rate was 63.0%. The rate of ILI of 38.1% was significantly lower among vaccinated. The ILI-related absenteeism reported was also significantly lower amongst vaccinated employees at 30% compared to 70% non-vaccinated. Employers could save up to USD 18.95 per vaccinated employee when only labour cost was included or 54.0% of cost savings. The cost-saving rose to USD 155.56 when the operating income per employee was also included. The benefit to cost ratio confirmed that the net cost-benefit gained from the vaccination was more than the net cost of vaccination. Conclusions: Influenza vaccination for working adults was cost-saving and cost-beneficial when translated into financial investments for the employer. A workplace vaccination demonstrates a significant cost-benefit strategy to be applied in any institutional setting.