• 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.

• 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.

• Atmosphere
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.203-216
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• 2024

The National Institute of Meteorological Sciences in Korea has developed the Weather Modification Hybrid Rocket (WMHR), an advanced system that offers enhanced stability and cost-effectiveness over conventional solid-fuel rockets. Designed for precise operation, the WMHR enables accurate control over the ejection altitude of pyrotechnics by modulating the quantity of oxidizer, facilitating specific cloud seeding at various atmospheric layers. Furthermore, the rate of descent for pyrotechnic devices can be adjusted by modifying parachute sizes, allowing for controlled dispersion time and concentration of seeding agents. The rocket's configuration also supports adjustments in the pyrotechnic device's capacity, permitting tailored seeding agent deployment. This innovation reflects significant technical progression and collaborations with local manufacturers, in addition to efforts to secure testing sites and address hybrid rocket production challenges. Notable outcomes of this project include the creation of a national framework for weather modification technology utilizing hybrid rockets, enhanced cloud seeding methods, and the potential for broader meteorological application of hybrid rockets beyond precipitation augmentation. An illustrative case study confirmed the WMHR's operational effectiveness, although the impact on cloud seeding was limited by unfavorable weather conditions. This experience has provided valuable insights and affirmed the system's potential for varied uses, such as weather modification and deploying high-altitude meteorological sensors. Nevertheless, the expansion of civilian weather rocket experiments in Korea faces challenges due to inadequate infrastructure and regulatory limitations, underscoring the urgent need for advancements in these areas.

• Information Systems Review
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.137-158
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• 2018

Online platforms recently expanded their connectivity through an authing service. The growth of authing services enabled consumers to enjoy easy log in access without exerting extra effort. However, multiple points of access increases the security vulnerability of platform ecosystems. Despite the importance of balancing authing service and security, only a few studies examined platform connectivity. This study examines the optimal level of authing service of a platform and how authing strategies impact participants in a platform ecosystem. We used a game-theoretic approach to analyze security problems associated with authing services provided by online platforms for consumers and other linked platforms. The main findings are as follows: 1) the decreased expected loss of consumers will increase the number of players who participate in the platform; 2) linked platforms offer strong benefits from consumers involved in an authing service; 3) the main platform will increase its effort level, which includes security cost and checking of linked platform's security if the expected loss of the consumers is low. Our study contributes to the literature on the relationship between technology convenience and security risk and provides guidelines on authing strategies to platform managers.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.39-49
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• 2024

The construction of underground infrastructure is garnering growing increasing research attention owing to population concentration and infrastructure overcrowding in urban areas. An important associated task is establishing a monitoring system to evaluate stability during infrastructure construction and operation, which relies on developing techniques for ground investigation that can evaluate ground stability, verify design validity, predict risk, facilitate safe operation management, and reduce construction costs. The method proposed here uses satellite imaging in a cost-effective and accurate ground investigation technique that can be applied over a wide area during the construction and operation of infrastructure. In this study, analysis was performed using Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data with the time-series radar interferometric technique to observe surface displacement during the construction of urban underground roads. As a result, it was confirmed that continuous surface displacement was occurring at some locations. In the future, comparing and analyzing on-site measurement data with the points of interest would aid in confirming whether displacement occurs due to tunnel excavation and assist in estimating the extent of excavation impact zones.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.223-242
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• 2024

Single-shell tunnels, introduced to South Korea in the early 2000s, have not been adopted for the main tunnels of roads or railways over the past two decades despite several attempts starting with the Gwangju City Bypass. This reluctance likely arises from concerns about the long-term performance of supporting materials and the absence of relevant criteria and specifications. However, recent progress, including the incorporation of high-strength shotcrete standards and corrosion-resistant rock bolt specifications, alongside equipment and technique enhancements, necessitates a reassessment of single-shell tunnels. While the single-shell tunnel method offers advantages in environmental impact, construction cost and period compared to the conventional NATM, it is crucial to address the challenges, such as limited design and construction experience, incomplete detailed standards, and insufficient construction specifications, through further research and pilot projects. This paper reviewed the basic principles of single-shell tunnel, current application and research status, technical development trends, criteria and specifications, and remaining challenges. It aims to reignite discussions on the feasibility of applying single-shell tunnels in South Korea.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.1-11
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• 2024

Content is now recognized as a key resource to sustain competitive advantage in the OTT market and for e-commerce companies. Coupang is pursuing a content growth strategy to maximize the lock-in effect that binds consumers to the subscription economy and its ecosystem. Given this background, this study aims to explain Coupang's content growth momentum through a case study method and examine Coupang's content strategy in detail. Based on this, this study describes Coupang's content growth strategy in detail and confirms that Coupang differentiates its content from the competition by focusing on sports and low prices to build a lock-in effect in the subscription economy. As a result, we can summarize that the purpose of Coupang's content strategy is to build a lock-in effect for the subscription economy based on content differentiation focused on sports, a bundle strategy linked to e-commerce, and a low-cost strategy. This study contributes to the field of venture creation research by carefully analyzing how Coupang grew from a venture firm to a Decacorn corporation and developed the influence of its content in a completely different industry, and systematically explains the importance of content strategy in strengthening the lock-in effect for the subscription economy. Future research should compare the impact of content strategy of venture and startups in the contents industry to broaden the scope of research in the field and suggest deeper lessons learned.

• Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
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• v.8
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• pp.375-402
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• 2001

While the national economy has rapidly grown, both insufficience in indirect capital facilities of society and attempt to avoid having a logistical job as one of the so-called dirty, difficult and dangerous jobs have resulted in the leak of labor in the logistical industry. First of all, it was shown that the functional utilization level of the logistical information system had a partial effect on the logistical performance, that the reduction of logistical costs was influenced by the information system of connecting and supporting functions, and that the improvement of customer service was significantly influenced by only the supporting-function system. Second, the logistical performance was partially influenced by the linkage between logistical activities, only the customer linkage had a significant effect on the reduction of logistical costs, and the improvement of customer service was influenced by the intra-company linkage. Third, in verifying a hypothesis that the logistical information system's functional utilization level and organizational structure would interact with each other and have an effect on the logistical performance, it was shown that based on their mutual interaction at a normalized level this center's functional information system had a significant effect on the reduction of logistical costs. Fourth, in testing a hypothesis that both the linkage between logistical activities and logistical organization structure would interact with each other and would have an effect on the logistical performance, it was shown that their interaction at a normalized level was significant concerning only the reduction of logistical costs, while there was I10 its significance in the customer service. In proving a hypothesis that the linkage between logistical activities and logistical strategy patterns would interact with each other and would have an effect on the logistical performance, it was shown in a differentiated, aggressive investment one among variously patterned logistical strategies that the customer linkage had a significant effect on the reduction of logistical costs, and in the improvement of customer service that the supplier linkage had a remarkable impact. It also was shown that in case of the cost reduction and offensive control strategy, the customer linkage had a remarkable effect, and th at in the improvement of customer service the intra-company and customer linkage had a significant effect. In the marketing and customer service strategy, finally, there was no any significant influence while the customer linkage had a significant impact in the improvement of customer service. Accordingly, whether or not individual companies utilize the logistical information system's functional utilization levels well will have an effect on their logistical performance, and how their supply chain management is well-linked will affect their logistical performance.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.337-343
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• 2017

This study is going to contribute the activation of ecosystem services written in the 3rd National Basic Plan for Nature Conservation(2016~2025) in Korea. Meanwhile we considered the benefits that the nature has given to the humankind as free goods or services which we may consume traditionally without due payment therefore. But on account of the expansion of cities and expedition of development, as the carrying capacity of the nature has been breached, people have come to try to restore and enhance artificially such vulnerable capacity. It is necessary to compensate the opportunity cost which the land owners or occupiers have to pay for conservation and maintenance of natural capitals which yield the ecosystem services. Therefore the institutionalization of ecosystem services should be established that the consumers who enjoy such services should share the interest from enjoying services with the land owners or occupiers who produce the ecosystem services, under the legal system which will make it possible to connect the benefit sharing with the conservation of environment. However it is the first task that the present legal system could not realize the fair and equitable benefit sharing between the producers and consumers of ecosystem services. And the second task in such legal system is that the value of ecosystem services could not be fully considered in the process of development planning. According to the analysis of this study, the institutionalization of ecosystem services in the government side and the civilian side could be realized to somewhat extent, although not sufficient. Especially the transactions of ecosystem services through the private contract among stakeholder are possible in the course of development planning or without any relevancy to a development project. The final task in the institutionalization of ecosystem services is how to assess the ecosystem services and to value the economic benefits therefrom on the basis of what kinds of procedures relating to some development processes. To overcome such difficulties, it is necessary that the state, trend and change of ecosystem services confronting with a developing project should be assessed concretely at the threshold of development. It is possible to integrate the ecosystem services into the environmental impact assessment(IEA), not by way of the Act of IEA, but by way of the Decree thereof.

• Asia pacific journal of information systems
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.325-344
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• 2014

Technical support of Window XP ended in March, 8, 2014, and it makes OS(Operating System) users fall in a state of confusion. Sudden decision making of OS upgrade and replacement is not a simple problem. Firms need to change the long term capacity plan in enterprise IS management, but they are pressed for time and cost to complete it. Individuals can not help selecting the second best plan, because the following OSs of Window XP are below expectations in performances, new PC sales as the opportunities of OS upgrade decrease, and the potential risk of OS technical support ending had not announced to OS users at the point of purchase. Microsoft as the OS vendors had not presented precaution or remedy for this confusion. Rather, Microsoft announced that the technical support of the other following OSs of Wndow XP such as Window 7 would ended in two years. This conflict between OS vendor and OS users could not happen in one time, but could recur in recent future. Although studies on the ways of OS user protection policy would be needed to escape from this conflict, few prior studies had conducted this issue. This study had challenge to cautiously investigate in such OS user's reactions as the confirmation with OS user's expectation in the point of purchase, three types of justice perception on the treatment of OS vendor, psychological contract violation, satisfaction and the other betrayal behavioral intention in the case of Window XP technical support ending. By adopting the justice perception on this research, and by empirically validating the impact on OS user's reactions, I could suggest the direction of establishing OS user protection policy of OS vendor. Based on the expectation-confirmation theory, the theory of justice, literatures about psychological contract violation, and studies about consumer betrayal behaviors in the perspective of Herzberg(1968)'s dual factor theory, I developed the research model and hypothesis. Expectation-confirmation theory explain that consumers had expectation on the performance of product in the point of sale, and they could satisfied with their purchase behaviors, when the expectation could have confirmed in the point of consumption. The theory of justice in social exchange argues that treatee could be willing to accept the treatment by treater when the three types of justice as distributive, procedural, and interactional justice could be established in treatment. Literatures about psychological contract violation in human behaviors explains that contracter in a side could have the implied contract (also called 'psychological contract') which the contracter in the other side would sincerely execute the contract, and that they are willing to do vengeance behaviors when their contract had unfairly been broken. When the psychological contract of consumers had been broken, consumers feel distrust with the vendors and are willing to decrease such beneficial attitude and behavior as satisfaction, loyalty and repurchase intention. At the same time, consumers feel betrayal and are willing to increase such retributive attitude and behavior as negative word-of-mouth, complain to the vendors, complain to the third parties for consumer protection. We conducted a scenario survey in order to validate our research model at March, 2013, when is the point of news released firstly and when is the point of one year before the acture Window XP technical support ending. We collected the valid data from 238 voluntary participants who are the OS users but had not yet exposed the news of Window OSs technical support ending schedule. The subject had been allocated into two groups and one of two groups had been exposed this news. The data had been analyzed by the MANOVA and PLS. MANOVA results indicate that the OSs technical support ending could significantly decrease all three types of justice perception. PLS results indicated that it could significantly increase psychological contract violation and that this increased psychological contract violation could significantly reduce the trust and increase the perceived betrayal. Then, it could significantly reduce satisfaction, loyalty, and repurchase intention, and it also could significantly increase negative word-of-month intention, complain to the vendor intention, and complain to the third party intention. All hypothesis had been significantly approved. Consequently, OS users feel that the OSs technical support ending is not natural value added service ending, but the violation of the core OS purchase contract, that it could be the posteriori prohibition of OS user's OS usage right, and that it could induce the psychological contract violation of OS users. This study would contributions to introduce the psychological contract violation of the OS users from the OSs technical support ending in IS field, to introduce three types of justice as the antecedents of psychological contract violation, and to empirically validate the impact of psychological contract violation both on the beneficial and retributive behavioral intentions of OS users. For practice, the results of this study could contribute to make more comprehensive OS user protection policy and consumer relationship management practices of OS vendor.