• Title/Summary/Keyword: High-Assurance

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Real Time On-line Quality Assurance System for HDR Brachytherapy (고선량률 근접 방사선 치료를 위한 실시간 온-라인 정도 관리(QA) 시스템 개발)

  • Lee Su Jin;Lee Re Na;Yi Byang Yang;Lim Sang Waak;Choi Jin Ho
    • Progress in Medical Physics
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    • v.15 no.3
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    • pp.156-160
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    • 2004
  • An essential quality assurance (QA) procedure in high dose rate (HDR) remote after-loading brachytherapy is that of the verification of the Ir-192 HDR source positioning accuracy. A number of methods using mechanical rulers or autoradiograph and video cameras have been reported to check the positional error of the Ir-192 source. In this study, the feasibility of a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) PC camera, with a fluorescent screen, was investigated. The agreement between the planned and measured dwell position was better than 1 mm and dwell times better than 0.4 sec. Our results indicate that the CMOS PC camera system could be used as a QA tool for the on-line determination of the source position and dwell time.

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Evaluation of Provider Skills in Performing Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid in the Cervical Cancer Screening Program in the Meknes-Tafilalet Region of Morocco

  • Selmouni, Farida;Sauvaget, Catherine;Zidouh, Ahmed;Plaza, Consuelo Alvarez;Muwonge, Richard;Rhazi, Karima El;Basu, Partha;Sankaranarayanan, Rengaswamy
    • Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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    • v.17 no.9
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    • pp.4313-4318
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    • 2016
  • Background: This study documented the performance of providers of visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) at primary health centers, assessing their compliance with the VIA skills checklist and determinants of non-compliance, and exploring their perceptions of VIA training sessions. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among VIA providers in the $Mekn\grave{e}s$-Tafilalet region of Morocco. Structured observation of their performance was conducted through supervisory visits and multiple focus group discussions (FGDs). Results: Performance of all the recommended steps for effective communication was observed in a low proportion of procedures (36.4%). Midwives/nurses had higher compliance than general practitioners (GPs) (p<0.001). All recommended steps for VIA examination were performed for a high proportion of procedures (82.5%). Compliance was higher among midwives/nurses than among GPs (p<0.001) and among providers in rural areas than those in urban areas (p<0.001). For pre-VIA counselling, all recommended steps were performed for only 36.8% of procedures. For post-VIA counseling, all recommended steps were performed in a high proportion (85.5% for VIA-negative and 85.1% for VIA-positive women). Midwives/nurses had higher compliance than GPs when advising VIA-positive women (p=0.009). All infection prevention practices were followed for only 14.2% of procedures, and compliance was higher among providers in rural areas than those in urban areas (p<0.001). Most FGD participants were satisfied with the content of VIA training sessions. However, they suggested periodic refresher training and supportive supervision. Conclusions: Quality assurance of a cervical cancer screening program is a key element to ensure that the providers perform VIA correctly and confidently.

Comparison of the Perception of Service Quality Between Patients and Physical Therapists (물리치료환자와 치료사간의 물리치료서비스품질에 대한 지각 비교)

  • Bang, Sang-Bun;Lee, Yong-Seok
    • Physical Therapy Korea
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    • v.17 no.2
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    • pp.75-83
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    • 2010
  • This study purposed to analyze difference in the perception of service quality between physical therapy patients and physical therapists and to provide basic materials for maintaining high service quality that meets patients' expectation in each service area. For this study, we conducted a questionnaire survey with physical therapy patients and physical therapists in Jeju from the 6 to 30 of January, 2010. In the survey, we received 133 questionnaires from patients and 125 from physical therapists, and used them in analysis. The instrument used in this study to measure service quality was prepared by the researcher through adapting and supplementing the SERVQUAL model developed by Parasuraman et al (1991). For our physical therapy environment, and it consisted of a total of 23 questions in five areas, namely, tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy. Patients' perception of service quality was high in order of reliability, assurance, empathy, responsiveness, and tangibility. In four areas with exception of reliability, quality perceived by patients was lower than that perceived by physical therapists, and particularly in responsiveness(t=2.82, p=.00) and empathy(t=2.02, p=.04), the difference between patients and physical therapists was statistically significant. In order to reduce the difference in the perception of service quality between patients and physical therapists, it is considered necessary to enhance physical therapists' perception of service quality and to prepare measures for improving service equality so that services would be provided through respectful communication with maintaining the dignity of patients, rather than focusing on disease.

The Quality Assurance Technique of Resistance Spot Welding Pieces using Neuro-Fuzzy Algorithm (뉴로-퍼지 알고리즘을 이용한 점용접재의 강도추론 기술)

  • Kim, Joo-Seok;Choo, Youn-Joon;Lee, Sang-Ryong
    • Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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    • v.16 no.10
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    • pp.141-151
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    • 1999
  • The resistance Spot Welding is widely used in the field of assembling the plates. However we don't still have any satisfactory solution, which is non-destructive quality evaluation in real-time or on-line, against it. Moreover, even though the rate of welding under the condition of expulsion has been high until now, quality control of welding against expulsion hasn't still been established. In this paper, it was proposed on the quality assurance technique of resistance spot welding pieces using Neuro-Fuzzy algorithm. Four parameters from electrode separation signal in the case of non-expulsion, and dynamic resistance patterns in the case of expulsion are selected as fuzzy input parameters. The parameters consist of Fuzzy Inference System are determined through Neuro-Learning algorithm. And then, fuzzy Inference System is constructed. It was confirmed that the fuzzy inference values of strength have within ${\pm}$4% error specimen in comparison with real strength for the total strength range, and the specimen percent having within ${\pm}$1% error was 88.8%. According to KS(Korean Industrial Standard), tensile-shear strength limit for electric coated of zinc is 400kgf/mm2. Judging to the quality of welding is good or bad, according to this criterion and the results of inference, the probability of misjudgement that good quality is valuated into poor one was 0.43%, on contrary it was 2.59%. Finally, the proposed Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System can infer the tensile-shear strength of resistance spot welding pieces with high performance for all cases-non-expulsion and expulsion. And On-Line Welding Quality Inspection System will be realized sooner or later.

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Factors Affecting Cost-Sharing Charges for Inpatients (입원환자 본인부담액에 영향을 미치는 요인)

  • An, Byeung Ki
    • Health Policy and Management
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    • v.22 no.3
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    • pp.451-465
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    • 2012
  • In order to strengthen assurance of National Health Insurance, co-payment should be reduced. This can happen with collaborative efforts of patients, medical institutes, and government altogether at the same time. This research applied Dutton(1986)'s medical service research model with high R-square, and analyzed 2008 Korea Health Panel Data (Beta Version 1), that was examined by Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs and National Health Insurance, in order to figure out influential variables on co-payment. In result of Multiple Linear Regression Analysis, R-square was 46.7%, the older the age, the patients who had surgery, the longer days of hospital treatment are, the higher gross income of a household is, the more hospitalized in upper grade general hospitals, and the more upper grade rooms and selecting a doctor are used. The results have statistical significance. When conducting research applying medical service research model, there is a need to apply Dutton(1986)'s medical service research model with high R-square. In order to strengthen assurance of National Health Insurance, first conditions should be that patients are hospitalized in upper grade general hospital, and at the same time, are patients who had surgery with long stay of hospitalization. In addition, if proven that patients used upper grade rooms and selecting a doctor due to lack of regular treatment and rooms, for certain number of days of such hospitalization, it is suggested to be provided with health care insurance in upper grade rooms and selecting a doctor in calculating co-payment limit.

A new method for optimal selection of sensor location on a high-rise building using simplified finite element model

  • Yi, Ting-Hua;Li, Hong-Nan;Gu, Ming
    • Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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    • v.37 no.6
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    • pp.671-684
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    • 2011
  • Deciding on an optimal sensor placement (OSP) is a common problem encountered in many engineering applications and is also a critical issue in the construction and implementation of an effective structural health monitoring (SHM) system. The present study focuses with techniques for selecting optimal sensor locations in a sensor network designed to monitor the health condition of Dalian World Trade Building which is the tallest in the northeast of China. Since the number of degree-of-freedom (DOF) of the building structure is too large, multi-modes should be selected to describe the dynamic behavior of a structural system with sufficient accuracy to allow its health state to be determined effectively. However, it's difficult to accurately distinguish the translational and rotational modes for the flexible structures with closely spaced modes by the modal participation mass ratios. In this paper, a new method of the OSP that computing the mode shape matrix in the weak axis of structure by the simplified multi-DOF system was presented based on the equivalent rigidity parameter identification method. The initial sensor assignment was obtained by the QR-factorization of the structural mode shape matrix. Taking the maximum off-diagonal element of the modal assurance criterion (MAC) matrix as a target function, one more sensor was added each time until the maximum off-diagonal element of the MAC reaches the threshold. Considering the economic factors, the final plan of sensor placement was determined. The numerical example demonstrated the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed scheme.

Study of Hardware AES Module Backdoor Detection through Formal Method (정형 기법을 이용한 하드웨어 AES 모듈 백도어 탐색 연구)

  • Park, Jae-Hyeon;Kim, Seung-joo
    • Journal of the Korea Institute of Information Security & Cryptology
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    • v.29 no.4
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    • pp.739-751
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    • 2019
  • Security in embedded devices has become a significant issue. Threats on the sup-ply chain, like using counterfeit components or inserting backdoors intentionally are one of the most significant issues in embedded devices security. To mitigate these threats, high-level security evaluation and certification more than EAL (Evaluation Assurance Level) 5 on CC (Common Criteria) are necessary on hardware components, especially on the cryptographic module such as AES. High-level security evaluation and certification require detecting covert channel such as backdoors on the cryptographic module. However, previous studies have a limitation that they cannot detect some kinds of backdoors which leak the in-formation recovering a secret key on the cryptographic module. In this paper, we present an expanded definition of backdoor on hardware AES module and show how to detect the backdoor which is never detected in Verilog HDL using model checker NuSMV.

Mid-Term Performance of Clinical LINAC in Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy

  • Rahman, Mohammad Mahfujur;Kim, Chan Hyeong;Kim, Seonghoon
    • Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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    • v.44 no.1
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    • pp.43-52
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    • 2019
  • Background: The mid-term performance of clinical linear accelerator (LINAC) during volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) treatment period is not performed in clinical practice and usually replaced with one-time plan quality assurance (QA). In this research we aim to monitor daily reproducibility of VMAT delivery from tracking individual leaf movement error and dosimetric error to evaluate the mid-term quality of the machine used. Materials and Methods: First, multileaf collimator (MLC) information was imported into MATLAB program to determine which of the MLC leaves in the leaf bank had the maximum RMS position error (maxRMS). We estimated where the maximum positional errors (maxPE) of the chosen leaf occur along its path length and tracked its daily variations over the entire treatment period. Secondly, picture information of dosimetric error from portal dosimetry was imported into MATLAB where representative high gamma index region (HGR) was determined as HGR with length of > 1 cm and their centers were daily tracked. Results and Discussion: The maxPEs in the brain and tongue cases were distributed broader than in other cases, but all data were found located within ${\pm}0.5mm$. From first day to last day all of five cases show the similar visual pattern of HGRs and Centers of the longest HGRs remained within ${\pm}1mm$ of that in first day. These findings prove excellent mid-term performance of the LINAC used in VMAT treatments over a full course of treatment. Conclusion: Tracking the daily location changes of leaf movement and dosimetric error can be a good indicator of predicting the daily quality like stability and reproducibility of beam delivering in VMAT treatment.

A Study about the current infra-structural status of the aged care worker to improve the quality of long-term care in Germany (독일 노인장기요양보험의 서비스 질 향상을 위한 인프라 구축 현황에 대한 연구)

  • Lee, Sang-Myung
    • 한국사회정책
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    • v.19 no.3
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    • pp.49-83
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    • 2012
  • Currently in Germany, there is talk of 'state of emergency care', which is addressed to the problems of quality assurance in aged care and shortage of aged care workers. In order to solve this problem in the aging German society, the federal government has set itself the goal of providing high qualified care givers through a systematic and on a high level of professional training opportunities. Various projects and measures have been carried out to improve the reputation of the primarily care profession in society and for the purpose of attracting especially young trainees for the aged care professions. The present work considers training and qualifications in the long-term care sector in Germany; it points out both the characteristics of aged care education and the learning content in the aged care education and attempts to highlight what roles and perception of tasks contained therein.

Difference of Prescription Services between the Health Center and the Private Clinic (일부 보건소와 일반의원에서의 투약서비스 비교연구)

  • 이선희;조공민;손명세;김한중
    • Health Policy and Management
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    • v.2 no.2
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    • pp.131-151
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    • 1992
  • The contents of prescription service were comparatively analysed between health centers(HC) and private clinics(PC). Medical chart review was done for 330 otu-patients diagnosed with upper respiratory tract infection(UR) of 120 adults and 90 children, and gastritis or duodenitis of 120 adults. Emphasis on comparison was the prime cost of medication which used in prescription service. The results were as follows; 1. The prime costs fro the medication per visit of HC group were significantly higher than PC group in all three diseases, and the out of pocket payments of patients per visit were significantly lower in the HC group than PC group. 2. The reason for high prime costs of medication per visit of HC in adult case of URI were due to the idverse use of medication and long prescription period per visit. And high medication costs in children cases of URI in HC group were due to the longer prescription day. In cases of gastritis, the prime cost of medication was also higher because of longer prescription period and the higher prime cost of medication. The proportions of medications for injection in the HC and PC groups showed similar features. 3. In depth analysis of the prescription services showed the differences of the contents of medication. In adults cases of URI, the averaged cost of oral medication was significantly lower in HC group, but that of medication for injection was higher in HC group. In children cases of URI, the averaged cost of oral medication and medication for injection was lower in HC group than in PC group. But in the cases of gastritis it was was higher in HC group than in PC group. The prescription periods were longer in HC group than in PC group in all three diseases. As a conclusion prime medication cost and quality of prescription services of HC group were higher than PC group. In terms of health care the cost containment and quality assurance in physician visit for common disease, public sector utilization is good option for those perspectives. But it should not be generalized unless future study about structure and outcome research for quality assurance.

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