• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2022

Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) evaluation is a useful tool for monitoring disease activity in various inflammatory and non-inflammatory conditions. ESR is known to be influenced by a multitude of confounding factors. The present study aimed to assess the possible determinants of the ESR and its relationship with various risk factors involved in ischemic stroke. ESR and other hematological and biochemical parameters were investigated in 163 ischemic stroke patients (107 males and 56 females) selected based on imaging techniques including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT) scans. Statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS 16.0 software. Linear regression analysis showed a significant inverse relationship of hemoglobin (Hb) and hematocrit or packed cell volume (PCV) (P<0.001 for females; P<0.01 for males) with the ESR. It was observed that the red blood cell (RBC) count was not strongly correlated with the ESR (P<0.05 for both males and females). It was also observed that sex significantly affected the variables determining the ESR levels, whereas age had no effect. Gender differences were also observed with respect to Hb, RBC, PCV, mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), and ESR. The possible determinants of higher ESR levels in ischemic stroke may be sex, Hb, hematocrit, and RBC count, but the role of other clinical and laboratory parameters cannot be underestimated.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.272-278
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• 2023

Background: Some working conditions may pose a higher physical or psychological demand to pregnant women leading to increased risks of pregnancy complications. Objectives: We assessed the association of woman's employment status and the industrial classification with obstetric complications. Methods: We conducted a national population study using the National Health Information Service database of Republic of Korea. Our analysis encompassed 1,316,310 women who experienced first-order live births in 2010-2019. We collected data on the employment status and the industrial classification of women, as well as their diagnoses of preeclampsia (PE) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) classified as A1 (well controlled by diet) or A2 (requiring medication). We calculated odds ratios (aORs) of complications per employment, and each industrial classification was adjusted for individual risk factors. Results: Most (64.7%) were in employment during pregnancy. Manufacturing (16.4%) and the health and social (16.2%) work represented the most prevalent industries. The health and social work exhibited a higher risk of PE (aOR = 1.11, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03-1.21), while the manufacturing industry demonstrated a higher risk of class A2 GDM (1.20, 95% CI: 1.03-1.41) than financial intermediation. When analyzing both classes of GDM, women who worked in public administration and defense/social security showed higher risk of class A1 GDM (1.04, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.07). When comparing high-risk industries with nonemployment, the health and social work showed a comparable risk of PE (1.02, 95% CI: 0.97, 1.07). Conclusion: Employment was associated with overall lower risks of obstetric complications. Health and social service work can counteract the healthy worker effect in relation to PE. This highlights the importance of further elucidating specific occupational risk factors within the high-risk industries.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.180-187
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• 2021

Background: This study analyzed the effect of applying the diagnosis-related group (DRG)-based payment system, which was implemented in July 2012 for hospitals and clinics nationwide, on the cesarean section rate. Methods: The subjects of the study were divided into new groups that participated in the payment system after July 2012 and maintenance groups that participated in the payment system before July 2012. As an analysis method, a difference-in-difference analysis, which is a quasi-experimental design, was used. The risk-adjusted cesarean section rate was used as a dependent variable. Results: Seven risk factors (malpresentation of fetus, eclampsia, multiple pregnancies, problems in the placenta, previous Cesarean section, cephalopelvic disproportion, problems in amniotic fluid) were included in the final risk-adjustment model, and found to have a statistically significant relationship with the cesarean section rate. Results showed that the risk-adjusted cesarean section rate increased significantly in new groups after the application of the DRG-based payment system. Conclusion: Study results provided policy implications for the reorganization of the DRG-based system should that reflects the demands of obstetricians, such as organizing a consultative body with obstetricians and establishing a reasonable fee.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.53-65
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• 2020

Purpose: This study tests the suitability of a new technology acceptance model for a mobile payment system by checking how statistically significant the change is from the UTAUT (Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology) and UTAUT 2 models. Research, Data, and Methodology: We surveyed 250 students at Incheon University who are using the mobile payment system. The analysis was conducted on 243 valid questionnaires. The survey was conducted for one month in October 2018. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS and hierarchical regression analysis was applied. Results: Using hierarchical regression analysis, this study confirmed whether the newly added hedonic motivation, switching cost, and perceived risk variables in the UTAUT2 model are good explanatory variables. Mobile payment usage experience was found to have a moderating effect on mobile payment reuse intention. According to the analysis, the UTAUT2 model brought about more influential change than the variables of the UTAUT model. Conclusions: This study found that consumers' psychological factors added in the UTAUT2 model greatly influenced the reuse intention for mobile payment. As an implication of this study, mobile payment providers need to develop strategies that could meet hedonic motivation, switching cost and perceived risk for their customers.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.1-9
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• 2001

The purpose of this study is to set up disaster prevention plan and risk assessment system considering combustion velocity at traditional housing zone. The combustion velocity analysis could contribute to build in disaster prevention technique through the potential risk analysis of the area, such analysis also able to set up comprehensive disaster prevention management system. Following results have achieved through the combustion velocity calculation. \circled1 The combustion velocity was calculated in order of the below winds, the above winds and the side winds. \circled2 It must be careful to set up disaster prevention plan in case of the below winds. \circled3 The combustion velocity was calculated at the density Bone where neighboring Distance and Length was small. \circled4 It proved that factors of each parameter not mostly effect to analyse the combustion velocity in limit of the 30 minutes after ignition. \circled5 At the density zone where Distance and Length is small the duration of transfer to neighboring house takes up to 4 minutes, it is required to set up of emergency response plan to minimize the fire dispersion.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.7 no.6
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• pp.351-363
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• 2020

The objective of this paper is to explore how board gender diversity affects corporate sustainability performance. Therefore, this paper examines the direct association between board gender diversity with corporate sustainability performance and the mediation effect of enterprise risk management (ERM) on this association. The study employed a cross-sectional survey method. Data were collected from annual reports, websites, and through the questionnaires that were distributed to Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) of all the listed companies of Dhaka Stock Exchange, Bangladesh. The partial least square technique of Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) approach was employed for data analysis. The result did not find support for the direct association between board gender diversity and sustainability performance in Bangladesh context. This implies that contextual factors, such as, male-dominant board, appointment of female directors based on family ties, lack of education and expertise etc. may discount gender diversity direct influence on sustainability performance. However, the study finds strong support for the mediating role of ERM use within the corporate structure. Further analysis of indirect effect suggests that ERM use mediates the relationship of board gender diversity and sustainability performance in full. This implies that in the Bangladesh context effective use of ERM is highly recommended.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Intelligent Systems
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.174-179
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• 2015

Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) has been used by Dynamic Positioning (DP) system for risk and reliability analysis. However, there are limitations associated with its implementation in offshore project. 1) since the failure data measured from the SCADA system is missing or unreliable, assessments of Severity, Occurrence, Detection are based on expert's knowledge; 2) it is not easy for experts to precisely evaluate the three risk factors. The risk factors are often expressed in a linguistic way. 3) the relative importance among three risk factors are rarely even considered. To solve these problems and improve the effectiveness of the traditional FMEA, we suggest a Fuzzy-FMEA method for risk and failure mode analysis in Dynamic Positioning System of offshore. The information gathered from DP FMEA report and DP FMEA Proving Trials is expressed using fuzzy linguistic terms. The proposed method is applied to an offshore Dynamic Positioning system, and the results are compared with traditional FMEA.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.323-329
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• 2001

The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between clothing involvement and fashion leadership of fashion models and college women. For this study, 113 fashion models and 265 female college students were analyzed. Factor analysis, Correlation, t-test and Regression analysis were used in data analyses. Clothing involvement was factor analyzed resulting five factors such as interest, pleasure, fashionability, risk perception and symbolism. Three clothing involvement factors had highly positive relations with total clothing involvement. Interest, pleasure and fashionability factors were related with each other: Fashionability and interest factors had an effect on fashion opinion-leadership and fashion innovation. Significant differences were found between fashion models and female college students in regard to clothing involvement and fashion leadership. Fashion models and female college students differed significantly in clothing interest and fashionability. Fashion models and female college students differed significantly in fashion opinion-leadership and fashion innovation. Fashion models were more fashion opinion leaders and fashion innovators than female college students.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.167-173
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• 2014

Hydrogen energy is expanding in range for civil use together with development of pollution-free power sources recently, and it is judged that the use of hydrogen will increase more as a part of carbon dioxide reduction measures according to the Climatic Change Convention. Especially, it is thought that the securement of safety of the used dispenser will be the biggest obstacle in the use of high-pressure hydrogen because the hydrogen station is operated in a high pressure. This study found risks in the process and problems on operation by making use of HAZOP(6 kinds), a qualitative safety evaluation technique, and FMEA(5 kinds), a fault mode effect analysis, for the hydrogen charging system at a hydrogen gas station, derived 6 risk factors from HAZOP and 5 risk factors from FMEA, and prepared measures for it.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.157-167
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• 2016

Objectives: This study was undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of the Neurofeedback training programme (NFT), and systematically search for factors related to the NFT.Methods: This study applied meta-analysis to thesis and journal articles published in Korea. A total of 42 papers published between 2001 to August in 2015 were evaluated, which were selected through a database search.Results: Summarizing the evaluation, the quality of results was low. The meta-analysis revealed that the effect size of the neurofeedback programme training was 0.691, over the median. Also, the variables were statistically significant to the neurofeedback programme training effect, and were consistent with the subject characteristics, their disabilities/non disabilities, and level of education. The results were also statistically significant to the neuro-feedback programme training effect according to the research method (training method), the sessions per a week, total sessions, and training time.Conclusions: The RoBANS result of 42 studies is at a risk of being highly biased. However, statistically, the meta-analysis result of the factors evaluated is significantly high.