• Health Policy and Management
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.37-49
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• 2020

Background: Unmet healthcare needs have many advantages for measuring inequalities in healthcare use. However, the existing indicator is difficult to capture the reality of unmet healthcare needs sufficiently and is not quite appropriate in comparing regional inequality. The purpose of this study is to critically analyze the utilization of the unmet healthcare need indicator for regional healthcare inequalities research. Methods: We used the level of healthcare accessibility and healthcare need to categorize the regions that are known to cause differences in healthcare utilization between regions and verified how existing unmet healthcare need indicator is distributed at the regional level. Results: Four types of regions were classified according to the high and low levels of healthcare needs and accessibility. The hypothesis about the regional type expected to have the highest unmet healthcare need was not proved. The hypothesis about the lowest expected regional type was proved, but the difference in the average rate of unmet healthcare needs among regional types was not significant. The standard deviation of the rate of unmet healthcare needs among regions within the same type was also higher than the overall regional variation, which also disproved the whole frame of hypothesis. Conclusion: Failure to prove the hypothesis means the gap between the supposed meaning of the indicator and the reality. In order to understand the current state of healthcare utilization of people in various regions of Korea and to resolve inequality, fundamental research on the in-depth structure and mechanisms of healthcare utilization is needed.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.79-96
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• 2005

The use of high-strength concrete (HSC) has significantly increased over the last decade, especially in offshore structures, long-span bridges, and tall buildings. The behavior of such concrete is noticeably different from that of normal-strength concrete (NSC) due to its different microstructure and mode of failure. In particular, the shear capacity of structural members made of HSC is a concern and must be carefully evaluated. The shear fracture surface in HSC members is usually trans-granular (propagates across coarse aggregates) and is therefore smoother than that in NSC members, which reduces the effect of shear transfer mechanisms through aggregate interlock across cracks, thus reducing the ultimate shear strength. Current code provisions for shear design are mainly based on experimental results obtained on NSC members having compressive strength of up to 50MPa. The validity of such methods to calculate the shear strength of HSC members is still questionable. In this study, a new approach based on artificial neural networks (ANNs) was used to predict the shear capacity of NSC and HSC beams without shear reinforcement. Shear capacities predicted by the ANN model were compared to those of five other methods commonly used in shear investigations: the ACI method, the CSA simplified method, Response 2000, Eurocode-2, and Zsutty's method. A sensitivity analysis was conducted to evaluate the ability of ANNs to capture the effect of main shear design parameters (concrete compressive strength, amount of longitudinal reinforcement, beam size, and shear span to depth ratio) on the shear capacity of reinforced NSC and HSC beams. It was found that the ANN model outperformed all other considered methods, providing more accurate results of shear capacity, and better capturing the effect of basic shear design parameters. Therefore, it offers an efficient alternative to evaluate the shear capacity of NSC and HSC members without stirrups.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.449-458
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• 2015

The compilation of a flood hazard map is an efficient technique in managing areas at risk of flooding in the case of a dam-break. A scenario-based numerical modeling approach is commonly used to compile a flood hazard map related to dam-break and to determine the model parameters that capture peak discharge, including breach formation and progress, which are important in the modeling method. This approach might be considered less reliable if an existing model is used without local validation. In this study, a dam-break model is linked to a routing model to identify flood-risk areas in the case of failure of the Sandae Reservoir Gyeongju, Gyeongbuk. Model parameters are extracted from a DEM, and maps of land use and soil texture. The simulation results are compared with on-site investigations in terms of inundation and depth. The model reproduces the inundation zone with reasonable accuracy.

• Advances in aircraft and spacecraft science
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.61-75
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• 2016

Climate changes brought on by human interventions have proved to be more devastating than predicted during the recent decades. Recognition of seriousness of the situation has led regulatory organisations to impose strict targets on allowable carbon dioxide emissions from automotive vehicles. As a possible solution, it has been proposed that Fibre Metal Laminate (FML) system is used to reduce the weight of future vehicles. To facilitate this investigation, FML based on steel and self-reinforced polypropylene was stamp formed into dome shapes under different blank holder forces (BHFs) at room temperature and its forming behaviour analysed. An open-die configuration was used in a hydraulic press so that a 3D photogrammetric measurement system (ARAMIS) could capture real-time surface strains. This paper presents findings on strain evolutions at different points along and at $45^{\circ}$ to fibre directions of circular FML blank, through various stages of forming. It was found initiation and rate of deformation varied with distance from the pole, that the mode of deformations range from biaxial stretching at the pole to drawing towards flange region, at decreasing magnitudes away from the pole in general. More uniform strain distribution was observed for the FML compared to that of plain steel and the most significant effects of BHF were its influence on forming depth and level of strain reached before failure.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.310-322
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• 2019

Since the late 2000s, fashion exhibitions have expanded to encompass a variety of concepts and sizes, and the need for research on exhibition planning, installation, and direction, including curating, is emerging. In this context, basic research is deemed necessary to encourage more experimental and in-depth research into the planning and orientation of domestic fashion exhibitions. Accordingly, by analyzing the exhibitions of Judith Clark, a pioneering fashion curator, and fashion exhibition planner, the aim of this study is to examine the characteristics and directing points of her curation. This study proceeds as follows: first, the concept and type of fashion exhibition and curation are investigated. Second, the exhibition cases curated or produced and installed by Judith Clark are examined and analyzed. Finally, based on this analysis, the characteristics and directing points of her curation are identified. In exhibitions, Clark's directing style features use of a variety of objects, the diversification of the flow-path through space division, and collaborations with various fields or experts. Clark's curation points, based on such characteristics, are as follows: reproduction-oriented curation to capture the age of the time based on historical research; storytelling-based curation; and transboundary curation with multiple methods and open processes. This study is expected to serve as a foundation and precedent that will lead to further research on fashion exhibitions and implementation.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.72-77
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• 2019

Soil type in LID infiltration practices plays a major role in runoff reduction efficacy. In this study, the effects of infiltration rate of foundation ground under bioretention on annual runoff reduction rate was evaluated using LIDMOD3 which is a simple excel based model for evaluating LID practices. A bioretention area of about 3.2 % was required to capture surface runoff from an impervious area for a 25.4 mm rainfall event. The relative error of runoff from bioretention using LIDMOD3 is 10 % less than that of SWMM5.1 for a total rainfall event of 257.1 mm during the period of Aug. 1 ~ 18, 2017, hence, the applicability of LIDMOD3 was confirmed. Annual runoff reduction rates for the period 2008 ~ 2017 were evaluated for various infiltration rates of foundation ground under the bioretention which ranged from 0.001 to 0.600 m/day and were converted to annual runoff reduction for hydrologic soil group. The runoff reduction rates within hydrologic soil group C and D were steeply increased through increased infiltration rate but not steep within hydrologic A and B with reduction rates ranging from 53 ~ 68 %. The estimated time required to completely empty a bioretention which has a storage depth of 0.632 m is 3.5 ~ 6.9 days and we could assume that the annual average of antecedent rainfall is longer than 3.5 ~ 6.9 days. Therefore, we recommended B type as the minimum hydrologic soil group installed LID infiltration practices for high runoff reduction rate.

• International Journal of Computer Science & Network Security
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.110-119
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• 2021

The Coronavirus or COVID-19 is contagiousness virus that infected almost every single part of the world. This pandemic forced a major country did lockdown and stay at a home policy to reduce virus spread and the number of victims. Interactions between humans and robots form a popular subject of research worldwide. In medical robotics, the primary challenge is to implement natural interactions between robots and human users. Human communication consists of dynamic processes that involve joint attention and attracting each other. Coordinated care involves sharing among agents of behaviours, events, interests, and contexts in the world from time to time. The robotics arm is an expensive and complicated system because robot simulators are widely used instead of for rehabilitation purposes in medicine. Interaction in natural ways is necessary for disabled persons to work with the robot simulator. This article proposes a low-cost rehabilitation system by building an arm gesture tracking system based on a depth camera that can capture and interpret human gestures and use them as interactive commands for a robot simulator to perform specific tasks on the 3D block. The results show that the proposed system can help patients control the rotation and movement of the 3D arm using their hands. The pilot testing with healthy subjects yielded encouraging results. They could synchronize their actions with a 3D robotic arm to perform several repetitive tasks and exerting 19920 J of energy (kg.m².S^-2). The average of consumed energy mentioned before is in medium scale. Therefore, we relate this energy with rehabilitation performance as an initial stage and can be improved further with extra repetitive exercise to speed up the recovery process.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.25-40
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• 2022

In this study, 3D coupled-consolidation numerical parametric study was conducted to predict the deformation mechanism of a 20 storey building sitting on (4×4) piled raft (with length of piles, L_p=30 m) to adjacent 6 m diameter (D) tunnelling in stiff clay. The influences of different tunnel locations relative to piles (i.e., z_t/L_p) were investigated in this parametric study. In first case, the tunnel was excavated near the pile shafts with depth of tunnel axis (z_t) of 9 m (i.e., z_t/L_p). In second and third cases, tunnels were driven at z_t of 30 m and 42 m (i.e., z_t/L_p = 1.0 and 1.4), respectively. An advanced hypoplastic clay model (which is capable of taking small-strain stiffness in account) was adopted to capture soil behaviour. The computed results revealed that tunnelling activity adjacent to a building resting on piled raft caused significant settlement, differential settlement, lateral deflection, angular distortion in the building. In addition, substantial bending moment, shear forces and changes in axial load distribution along pile length were induced. The findings from the parametric study revealed that the building and pile responses significantly influenced by tunnel location relative to pile.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.419-434
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• 2024

A flat slab is a structural system where columns directly support it without the presence of beam elements. However, despite its wide advantages, this structural system undergoes a major deficiency where stresses are concentrated around the column perimeter, resulting in the progressive collapse of the entire structure as a result of losing the shear transfer mechanisms at the cracked interface. Predicting the punching shear capacity of RC flat slabs is a challenging problem where the factors contributing to the overall slab strength vary broadly in their significance and effect extent. This study proposed a new expression for predicting the slab's capacity in punching shear using a nonuniform concrete tensile stress distribution assumption to capture, as well as possible, the induced strain effect within a thick RC flat slab. Therefore, the overall punching shear capacity is composed of three parts: concrete, aggregate interlock, and dowel action contributions. The factor of the shear span-to-depth ratio (a_v/d) was introduced in the concrete contribution in addition to the aggregate interlock part using the maximum aggregate size. Other significant factors were considered, including the concrete type, concrete grade, size factor, and the flexural reinforcement dowel action. The efficiency of the proposed model was examined using 86 points of published experimental data from 19 studies and compared with five code standards (ACI318, EC2, MC2010, CSA A23.3, and JSCE). The obtained results revealed the efficiency and accuracy of the model prediction, where a covariance value of 4.95% was found, compared to (13.67, 14.05, 15.83, 19.67, and 20.45) % for the (ACI318, CSA A23.3, MC2010, EC2, and JSCE), respectively.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.12
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• pp.7143-7147
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• 2013

Background: The survival outcomes for women presenting with early breast cancer are influenced by treatment decisions. In Malaysia, survival outcome is generally poor due to late presentation. Of those who present early, many refuse treatment for complementary therapy. Objective: This study aimed to explore the decision making experiences of women with early breast cancer. Materials and Methods: A qualitative study using individual in-depth interviews was conducted to capture the decision making process of women with early breast cancer in Malaysia. We used purposive sampling to recruit women yet to undergo surgical treatment. A total of eight participants consented and were interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide. These women were recruited from a period of one week after they were informed of their diagnoses. A topic guide, based on the Ottawa decision support framework (ODSF), was used to facilitate the interviews, which were audio recorded, transcribed and analysed using a thematic approach. Results: We identified four phases in the decision-making process of women with early breast cancer: discovery (pre-diagnosis); confirmatory ('receiving bad news'); deliberation; and decision (making a decision). These phases ranged from when women first discovered abnormalities in their breasts to them making final surgical treatment decisions. Information was vital in guiding these women. Support from family members, friends, healthcare professionals as well as survivors also has an influencing role. However, the final say on treatment decision was from themselves. Conclusions: The treatment decision for women with early breast cancer in Malaysia is a result of information they gather on their decision making journey. This journey starts with diagnosis. The women's spouses, friends, family members and healthcare professionals play different roles as information providers and supporters at different stages of treatment decisions. However, the final treatment decision is influenced mainly by women's own experiences, knowledge and understanding.