• Title/Summary/Keyword: Follow-up Service

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Evolution of Interferon-Gamma Release Assay Results and Submillisievert Chest CT Findings among Close Contacts of Active Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients

  • Yoon, Soonho;Mihn, Do-CiC;Song, Jin-Wha;Kim, Sung A;Yim, Jae-Joon
    • Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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    • v.83 no.4
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    • pp.283-288
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    • 2020
  • Background: Latent tuberculosis (TB) infection among TB contacts is diagnosed using plain chest radiography and interferon-gamma release assays (IGRAs). However, plain chest radiographs often miss active TB, and the results of IGRA could fluctuate over time. The purpose of this study was to elucidate changes in the results of the serial IGRAs and in the findings of the serial submillisievert chest computed tomography (CT) scans among the close contacts of active pulmonary TB patients. Methods: Patients age 20 or older with active pulmonary TB and their close contacts were invited to participate in this study. Two types of IGRA (QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube assay [QFT-GIT] and the T-SPOT.TB test [T-SPOT]) and submillisievert chest CT scanning were performed at baseline and at 3 and 12 months after enrollment. Results: In total, 19 close contacts participated in this study. One was diagnosed with active pulmonary TB and was excluded from further analysis. At baseline, four of 18 contacts (22.2%) showed positive results for QFT-GIT and T-SPOT; there were no discordant results. During the follow-up, transient and permanent positive or negative conversions and discordant results between the two types of IGRAs were observed in some patients. Among the 17 contacts who underwent submillisievert chest CT scanning, calcified nodules were identified in seven (41.2%), noncalcified nodules in 14 (82.4%), and bronchiectasis in four (23.5%). Some nodules disappeared over time. Conclusion: The results of the QFT-GIT and T-SPOT assays and the CT images may change during 1 year of observation of close contacts of the active TB patients.

A Study on the National and International Research Trend of Biodiversity Assessment method and Its Application of Environmental Impact Assessment (생물다양성 평가기법의 국내외 연구동향 분석 및 환경영향평가 적용가능성에 대한 연구)

  • Koo, Meehyun;Lee, Dong-Kun
    • Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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    • v.21 no.1
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    • pp.119-132
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    • 2012
  • Biodiversity is a key element of ecosystem of which function provides essential product and service in human life. In the course since development projects often causes damages to biodiversity, environmental impact assessment technique must be capable of accurately assessing potential impact from flora and fauna and to entire ecosystem. Korea needs improvement of its assessment technique that is compatible with Korean environmental regulatory standard that is generally stricter than that of most countries. This study attempts to explore both domestic and overseas biodiversity assessment techniques and analyze each stage of environmental impact assessment. The data is collected from numbers of literatures selected by navigating both domestic and overseas literature database with certain keywords. Among the 44 selected papers, overseas publications outnumber those of domestics, and there are more researches on assessment methodology of biodiversity than assessment tool and model. In terms of environmental impact assessment, the number of papers on environmental impact forecast exceeds the numbers of papers on current state of environment and the impact minimizing solution. Therefore, contents and trends of those researches in the different stages of environmental impact assessment discussed in this paper not only suggest potential impact on biodiversity and minimization solutions in detail, but is also a valuable resource particularly for biodiversity relevant environmental assessment technique improvement in Korea. Proposing of a new direction of improvement in biodiversity assessment techniques makes this study significant, and further research for preservation of biodiversity should follow up to provide an improvement scheme for biodiversity assessment techniques in the future.

An Evaluation of Accessibility in Public Convenient Facilities based on the Disabled User Experience - Focus on the community center - (장애인 사용자 경험에 기반한 공공편의시설 접근성 평가 - 주민센터를 중심으로 -)

  • Jung, Ji-Won;Kim, Hyun-Jeong
    • Korean Institute of Interior Design Journal
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    • v.19 no.1
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    • pp.236-244
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    • 2010
  • The objective of this study is to investigate the difference between the standard 'design guideline' in barrier free laws for the disabled and the disabled's real experience in public convenient facilities. It is mainly focused on accessibility by the disabled people who use an electric motion wheel chair, a wheel chair and crutches as well as a visual impaired person in the public resident centers. For this purpose, four resident centers in Busan have been selected as the objects of investigation. We observed and video recorded the disabled people with various handicaps to access and use facilities in four resident centers, and interviewed them afterwards. We found out problems from the perspective of the disabled and figured out the difference between barrier free laws and the disabled's real experience. The research result is as follows. First, it is important to make the arrangement of public convenient facilities according to the flow of the user's movements. Second, it is necessary to provide better conditions for the disabled to access the public toilet easily and conveniently. Third, it is essential for public convenient facilities to be more strictly controlled by regulations. Fourth, we need to make better standards that could reflect real experiences of various disabled users. Fifth, we need to keep providing the best follow-up service for the disabled in terms of using public convenient facilities safely. This study can contribute for designers to understand specific users through their experiences and suggest improvement ideas for better public convenient Facilities.

A Review of Relationship Between Level of Fertility and Contraceptive Prevalence in Korea: Some Implication for Policy Suggestion (최근의 피임실천수준과 출산력추이에 관한 고찰 -몇가지 정책적 제언을 중심으로-)

  • 고갑석
    • Korea journal of population studies
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    • v.8 no.2
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    • pp.79-92
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    • 1985
  • Fertility has been declined since 1966 (see Table 1). This fertility reduction was duely caused by age at first marriage, induced abortion and contraceptive practice which has been largely increased in recent years. Although tbe proximate determinant such as induced abortion, age at marriage and breastfeeding can and do have an effect on fertility, the principal cause of the reduction in fertility in Korea during the fertility transition can be supported by correlation between level of fertility and contraceptive prevalence (See Fig. 4). Taking a regression equation between fertility (TER. Y) and prevalence level (X), the total fertility rate in 1984 was estimated as 1.9 and 2.1 based on lenear and expotential function shown as follow; $Y_1$=5.709-0.0549 X and $Y_2$_______80________ 1+e2.433+0.017X ($R^2$=O. 93) ($R^2$=0. 96) Where $Y_1$ and $Y_2$ denote total fertility rates obtained through two equations respectivelly. The peak of contraceptive prevalence was assumdd as 80 percent which is almost upper limit in human society. On the other hand, an observed value of 1984 fertility level obtained from five month period shows 2.1 which is coincident with logistic fitting after the adjustment of response error assumed around 10 to 20 percent, At any rate, fertility of Korean women will have been reached replacement level (2.1) by 1985.Thus policy for family planning program must be reviewed toward the direction of integrated approach particularly with MCH program inasmuch as fertility in Korea has already shown population replacement level that require more good quality of service in family planning and their There must be an advanced level of fertility in Korea because wide use of contraception and induced life abortion and age at marriage will effect modern fertility which shows up and down trend between 2.1 and 1.5 in general.

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Clinical Effectiveness of Traditional Herbal Medicine in the Treatment of Central Post-Stroke Pain and Thalamic Syndrome: a Systemic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials Based on Traditional Chinese Medicine Journals (뇌졸중 후 중추성 통증 및 시상증후군에 대한 한약치료의 효과 : 체계적 고찰 및 메타분석 - 중의학 저널을 중심으로)

  • Jung, Yu-jin;Kang, Eun-jin;Hong, Sang-hoon
    • The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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    • v.40 no.3
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    • pp.295-311
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    • 2019
  • Objectives: This research aimed to investigate Chinese clinical studies on the treatment of central post-stroke pain (CPSP) and thalamic syndrome after stroke with traditional herbal medicine (THM). Methods: Randomized controlled trials verifying the effects of herbal medicine on treating CPSP and thalamic syndrome after stroke were included in the study. Electrical and hand search were conducted in the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), National Discovery for Science Leaders (NDSL), Research Information Sharing Service (RISS), Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System (Oasis) for CPSP and thalamic syndrome after stroke. A literature search was performed in the Chinese and Korean databases for papers published from January 1, 2010 to October 1, 2018. The selected literature was assessed by Cochrane's risk of bias. Results: Twelve reports on randomized controlled trials met the inclusion criteria from the 227 identified reports. Effective rate, comparison of visual analogy scale, present pain intensity, pain grading index, recurrence rate, follow-up, and a 36-item short form survey instrument were used to evaluate the treatments. The effective rate of the treatment group was significantly higher than that of the control group in all papers. Side effects occurred less frequently in the treatment group than in the western medicine control group. Conclusions: The treatment of CPSP and thalamic syndrome after stroke with THM was shown to be highly effective. Additional well-designed clinical trials are needed. This study can be used as a basis for further research on the treatment of CPSP and thalamic syndrome after stroke.

University Librarians' Perception and Needs Assessment of Library Services Development Applying Virtual/Augmented Reality(VR/AR) Technologies (가상·증강현실 기술을 활용한 대학도서관 서비스 증진에 대한 사서들의 인식)

  • Kwon, Sunyoung;Koo, Joung Hwa
    • Journal of Korean Library and Information Science Society
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    • v.51 no.4
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    • pp.375-403
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    • 2020
  • The purpose of the research is to discuss the directions of university library services development applying virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) technologies and contents. In order to achieve the goal, the research investigated university librarians' awareness and demands regarding to applying VR/AR technologies and contents to university library services. The following questions are asked via online survey method to university librarians: what kinds of necessity and awareness about VR/AR technologies they have, what kinds of competency and environment (infrastructure) are required for the services, and how to conduct continuing education for service development, etc. On the basis of the survey results, the research suggested the matters to be noted when applying VR/AR technologies and contents to university library services. Furthermore, the contents and strategies to be considered and prepared when developing a library program using VR/AR technologies and contents were discussed and follow-up research topics were suggested.

The Structural Relationship among Job-crafting, Work Engagement, Informal Learning, Social Support and Positive Psychological Capital of Safety Workers in Large Corporations (대기업 안전직 근로자의 직무재창조와 직무열의, 무형식학습, 사회적 지지 및 긍정심리자본의 구조적 관계)

  • Lee, Ju-Seok;Song, Seong-Suk
    • Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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    • v.24 no.1
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    • pp.49-60
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    • 2022
  • The purpose of this study is to verify the structural relationship between job crafting and job enthusiasm, informal learning, social support, and positive psychological capital, and to investigate the effect of informal learning, social support, and positive psychological capital on job crafting through job enthusiasm. A survey was conducted on 451 safety workers at large domestic companies, and the collected data were analyzed for model suitability, influence relations between variables, and mediating effects with AMOS 23.0 using SPSS 23.0. Through research, we found five important results. First, the structural model of job crafting, job enthusiasm, informal learning, social support, and positive psychological capital properly explained the empirical data. Second, social support and positive psychological capital had a positive effect on job enthusiasm, but informal learning did not significantly affect job enthusiasm. Third, informal learning and positive psychological capital had a positive effect on job crafting, while social support did not significantly affect job crafting. Fourth, job enthusiasm had a positive effect on job crafting. Finally, job enthusiasm was found to mediate the relationship between social support and positive psychological capital and job crafting. These suggest that continuous environmental efforts and systematic management measures are needed to promote job crafting of safety workers so that informal learning, social support, positive psychological capital, and job enthusiasm can be expressed. Therefore, the necessity of developing various sub-factors of informal learning that can promote job crafting of safety workers was suggested as a follow-up study.

Current status of foodservice nutrition management and effects of welfare facility support for the elderly in Cheongju City

  • Lee, Joo-Eun
    • Nutrition Research and Practice
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    • v.16 no.4
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    • pp.527-536
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    • 2022
  • BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: South Korea is representative of countries experiencing rapid societal aging. This study aimed to understand the current status of foodservice nutrition management provided to welfare facilities for the elderly and to understand improvements after support from "the Center for Social Welfare Foodservice Management (CSWFM)" in Cheongju City. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The status of foodservice nutrition management was assessed by dietitians and hired by the CSWFM, who visited 40 welfare facilities (registered members of the CSWFM) for the elderly in Cheongju City. After visiting each facility three times from July to December 2019, the results of inspections on four areas, that is, 'menu', 'meal provision', 'cooking', and 'distribution' management for 2nd and 3rd visits (support visits) were compared with results obtained at initial visits. RESULTS: Before support as determined during 1st visits, compliance rates with 'menu', 'meal provision', 'cooking', and 'distribution' requirements were 72.1%, 75.5%, 58.3%, and 77.5%, respectively. The mean compliance rate for all 15 items on the questionnaire used was 70.8%. Items with low compliance rates were 'Is the soup provided by foodservice at the recommended salinity?' (compliance rate 37.5%) and 'Is the foodservice cooking conducted by referring to a recipe?' (42.5%). At the two support visits, mean compliance rates increased significantly (P < 0.01, P < 0.001), mean total score had significantly increased from 71.80 to 90.26 (P < 0.001), and mean soup salinity decreased significantly from 0.82% at 1st visits to 0.68% (P < 0.001) and 0.56% (P < 0.001) at the 1st and second follow-up visits. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that the status of nutrition management at welfare facilities for the elderly was much improved by CSWFM involvement, and indicate the CSWFM should continuously provide nutrition management support to facilities and that finances and opportunities for more welfare facilities for the elderly be expanded.

A Study on Zero Pay Image Recognition Using Big Data Analysis

  • Kim, Myung-He;Ryu, Ki-Hwan
    • International Journal of Internet, Broadcasting and Communication
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    • v.14 no.3
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    • pp.193-204
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    • 2022
  • The 2018 Seoul Zero Pay is a policy actively promoted by the government as an economic stimulus package for small business owners and the self-employed who are experiencing economic depression due to COVID-19. However, the controversy over the effectiveness of Zero Pay continues even after two years have passed since the implementation of the policy. Zero Pay is a joint QR code mobile payment service introduced by the government, Seoul city, financial companies, and private simple payment providers to reduce the burden of card merchant fees for small business owners and self-employed people who are experiencing economic difficulties due to the economic downturn., it was attempted in the direction of economic revitalization for the return of alleyways[1]. Therefore, this study intends to draw implications for improvement measures so that the ongoing zero-pay can be further activated and the economy can be settled normally. The analysis results of this study are as follows. First, it shows the effect of increasing the income of small business owners by inducing consumption in alleyways through the economic revitalization policy of Zero Pay. Second, the issuance and distribution of Zero Pay helps to revitalize the local economy and contribute to the establishment of a virtuous cycle system. Third, stable operation is being realized by the introduction of blockchain technology to the Zero Pay platform. In terms of academic significance, the direction of Zero Pay's policies and systems was able to identify changes in the use of Zero Pay through big data analysis. The implementation of the zero-pay policy is in its infancy, and there are limitations in factors for examining the consumer image perception of zero-pay as there are insufficient prior studies. Therefore, continuous follow-up research on Zero Pay should be conducted.

A Study on Novel Steganography Communication Technique based on Thumbnail Images in SNS Messenger Environment (SNS 메신저 환경에서의 썸네일 이미지 기반의 새로운 스테가노그래피 통신 기법 연구)

  • Yuk, Simun;Cho, Youngho
    • Journal of Internet Computing and Services
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    • v.22 no.6
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    • pp.151-162
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    • 2021
  • Steganography is an advanced technique that hides secret messages by transforming them into subtle noise and spreading them within multimedia files such as images, video and audio. This technology has been exploited in a variety of espionage and cyber attacks. SNS messenger is an attractive SNS Service platform for sending and receiving multimedia files, which is the main medium of steganography. In this study, we proposed two noble steganography communication techniques that guarantee the complete reception rate through the use of thumbnail images in the SNS messenger environment. In addition, the feasibility was verified through implementation and testing of the proposed techniques in a real environment using KakaoTalk, a representative SNS messenger in south korea. By proposing new steganography methods in this study, we re-evaluate the risk of the steganography methods and promoted follow-up studies on the corresponding defense techniques.