• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.91-100
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• 2013

Purpose : To evaluate the usefulness of cervicothoracic spine sagittal T2-weighted images (CT SAG T2WIs) included in routine lumbar spine MRI. Materials and Methods: Institutional review board approval was obtained and informed consents were waived for this retrospective study. The study group comprised 2,113 patients who underwent lumbar spine MRI from January 2005 to December 2005. CT SAG T2WIs were added in the routine lumbar spine MRIs. Radiologic reports were reviewed retrospectively for pathologic lesions on CT SAG T2WIs by one radiologist. Information of additional cervical or thoracic spine MRI and/or CT for further evaluation of positive findings on CT SAG T2WIs and their treatment were collected by retrospectively reviewing medical records. Results: The CT SAG T2WIs revealed 142 pathologic lesions in 139 (6.58%) of the 2,113 patients. They were easily obtained without positional change in a scan time of less than 2 minutes. Additional cervical or thoracic spine MRI and/or CT for positive findings on CT SAG T2WIs were performed in 13 patients. Seven patients underwent surgical treatment. Conclusion: CT SAG T2WIs included in routine lumbar spine MRI were useful in finding the pathologic lesions in cervicothoracic spine for the patients who assumed to have lesions in lumbar spine.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.113-123
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• 2006

Objective : This research is focused on understanding the current status of the Health Smart Card already in use in other advanced countries. This research will analyze the current status of the medical institutions Health Smart Card system adoption process and its effects, and provide a basis for future policy decisions for the effective adoption and diffusion of a Health Smart Card system, in the medical field, through the completed research and analysis. Method : This research surveys the domestic, and foreign, status of Health Smart Card usage. The research also presents up-to-date methodology for the evaluation of the effects of medical and health care technology. The research also conducts a survey of the domestic medical institutions that have implemented a Health Smart Card system, and then analyzes the results of the survey. Additionally, the research carried out a survey and analysis of medical institutions with no Health Smart Card system implemented, and considered the factors affecting the diffusion of Health Smart Card systems in considering an effective policy for the introduction and diffusion of such a system. Research Results : Through the study of the methodology of medical and health care information technology in advanced countries, the methodology for assessing Health Smart Card technology has been established, and focuses on 6 aspects. The study on the status of foreign implementation has shown a model for the Health Smart Card system. A survey was conducted on the current status of medical institutions with an implemented Health Smart Card system, and the survey results have been analyzed. Also, factors influencing the adoption of Health Smart Card systems have been analyzed through the survey on those medical institutions that have not implemented a Health Smart Card system. Conclusion : The government must provide institutional measures for sharing medical records by constructing an IT infrastructure at the national level to enable the adoption and diffusion of a Health Smart Card system. Such a network will make connections between medical institutions possible, thus making the diffusion of the Health Smart Card system nationwide. For the successful adoption and diffusion of a Health Smart Card system, a model system development, under a medical record sharing system, should be conducted. Additionally, a regional unit based model should be developed for the model project, as is done in advanced countries, along with the application of such results.

• Management & Information Systems Review
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.163-179
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• 2020

Recently, impact investment has attracted attention all over the world. This is intended to effectively solve problems by combining private capital and various financial techniques with social and environmental needs, as it is recognized that it is difficult to solve social and environmental problems. Impact investment means a mixture of financial, social, and environmental aspects. This refers to an investment focused on such a blended value, through which it simultaneously achieves financial and social values such as return on investment. The purpose of this study is to study whether impact investment, which has become a new issue, is actually applicable in Korea. This study first considers the concept and method of impact investment, and a prior study on social enterprises and impact investment that pursue social values. In particular, after analyzing in detail the social performance-related bonds (SIB) and operational cases, we intend to explore the possible applicability of impact investment to Korea. The results and implications of this study are, first, changes in the government's attitude toward impact finance. The government should entrust innovative public works to market-proven service providers to enhance the professionalism and efficiency of public service projects. Second, the legal system must innovate. Impact investment should provide an institutional foundation to pursue social problem solving simultaneously, not maximizing financial performance. Third, when investing in public works in the private sector, impact investment must clearly demand social performance and clarify the evaluation accordingly. The project execution process should create an impact environment that is more free and active.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.40-59
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• 2018

Objectives : We report on the contents and reviews of the guidelines for clinical trials of herbal medicine for psoriasis. Methods : After reviewing the existing reports, the guidelines were drafted by the writing committee on guidelines for Korean medicine clinical trial center in Kyung Hee university Korean medicine hospital. Since then, the guidelines have been consulted by the experts in diseases, clinical trials and pharmaceuticals. In addition, the guidelines have been certified by the Korean medicine clinical trial center association and Korean Medicine Ophthalmology & Otolaryngology & Dermatology Society. Results : The guidelines for clinical trials are divided into 8 categories: (1) general contents, (2) evaluation standards of effectiveness, (3) outcome valuables, (4) selection of study participants, (5) designs of clinical trials, (6) safety evaluations, (7) combination therapies in psoriasis treatment and (8) Korean medical considerations. Conclusions : There are 3 major contents for discussion: (1) obscurity of Korean medical considerations to differentiate from existing guidelines, (2) the absence of Korean version of PASI and DLQI, which are validity parameters and (3) realistic institutional problem using the herbal medicine.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.85-98
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• 1999

The purpose of this study was to find the proper methods of school food service conducted from June 20th July 30th in 1996. The subjects of this study were 587 parents of students, 794 students and 359 school teachers at 508 middle and high schools in Seoul and Kyunggi area. And the result was as follow. A total of 48.3% of respondent answered they had breakfast regularly. The reasons why they had breakfast, were habits(34.4%) followed by hunger(28.2%), health(19.9%), parent's persuasion(17.5%). They reasons why they didn't have breakfast are, lacks of time(68.8%) followed by absence of appetite(20.5%), diet(4.5%). About the question the problem of eating habits the most of parents of students, chose an unbalanced diet(25.9%), followed by overeating of snacks(21.7%), voracious eating(18.0%), not eating meals(17.5%), eating little(10%) and overeating(6.8%). At the research of an unbalanced diet, the 63.3% of respondents said they eat evenly while the 36.7% said they had an unbalanced diet. From the research of correlativity between food service at elementary schools and eating habits, we knew that the experience of school food service had an effect on an unbalanced diet. And the students living in Seoul complained more than in Kyunggi. The question about the quality of food, 69.0% of respondents said they were not so bad. While 21.2% said not delicious at all just 9.8% of students said they were very satisfied with the taste. Interestingly, more middle school students both in Kyunggi and Seoul answered the food was delicious than high school students. About the question of the price, 49.5% of students thought appropriate(49.5%) while 44.3% said it was too high. Just 5.9% students answered cheap(5.9%). And students living in Kyunggi thought the price was high than students in Seoul. 62.9% of respondents think their refectories were clean while 22.8% think not clean. And 14.3% answered said dirty. Snack bars at school were managed by the contract with trusters(63.2%), while by the school itself(32.6%).

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.30-40
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• 2012

In Korea, elderly population aged 65 and older are about 5.0% and 10.7% in 1990 and 2009, respectively. Since elderly people may experience physiologic changes with aging and their pharmacodynamic and pharmcokinetic parameters also have been undergone changes, several adverse drug reactions can occur more frequently than young people. Especially, neuropsychiatric adverse drug reactions such as delirium and drowsiness endanger elderly patients more. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the outpatient prescriptions using drug causing delirium and drowsiness in elderly patients aged 65 and older. We retrospectively reviewed prescriptions for elderly patients collected from four community pharmacies from January 2nd to February 1st, 2010. One pharmacy was located closed to a general hospital, and others were located closed to a internal medicine or an ENT clinic. The each number of the collected prescriptions was followings; Group A (n=496) from internal medicine department of a general hospital; Group B (n=44) from ENT department of general hospital; Group C (n=144) from internal medicine clinic; Group D (n=110) from ENT clinic. In result, in Group A, the average number of prescribed drugs causing delirium or drowsiness per Rx was 2.38 In Group B, the average number of prescribed drugs causing delirium or drowsiness per Rx was 2.09 In Group C, the average number of prescribed drugs causing delirium or drowsiness per Rx was 2.51. In Group D, the average number of prescribed drugs causing delirium or drowsiness per Rx was 2.72. Especially, in Group D, the percentage of prescription that drugs causing delirium or drowsiness per Rx prescribed more than 3 is 52.73% In all the 4 groups, over the 60% of drugs causing delirium and/or drowsiness per prescription of elderly patients were prescribed. It means elderly patients take 2 drugs causing delirium and/or drowsiness among 3 drugs, which is very serious. Frequently prescribed drugs causing delirium and/or drowsiness were followings; GI agents, antitussives & expectorants, histamine H1 antagonist, analgesics, antibiotics. Among these drugs, GI agents was high raking in all the 4 groups, and pharmacists should caution elderly patients when counseling. In the internal medicine groups (Group A,C), drugs concerning chronic diseases were prescribed frequently. In conclusion, pharmacist's role is important. Pharmacists are well informed of the drugs causing delirium or drowsiness and it is important to explain about ADRs slowly and easily to the elderly patients that receive drugs causing delirium or drowsiness. And institutional device is needed. For example, when doctors prescribe drugs for the elderly patients, message is needed that supply some informations about drugs causing delirium or drowsiness.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.162-169
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• 2012

The purpose of this research is to investigate ways to improve science teacher education in order to subsequently develop students' key competencies. Since the OECD redefined key competencies as 'what people should know and be able to do in order to lead a successful life in a well-functioning society, many countries have emphasized competency-based curriculum. In this research, we collected and analyzed foreign and domestic classroom cases that have implemented competency-based curriculum in science teaching. Through open-ended interviews with the teachers and principals we explored ways to improve science teacher education to develop students' key competencies. According to the results, the competency-based curriculum necessitates a shift in teachers' roles including teachers as role models for their students, multifaceted roles of teachers, and teachers as researchers. In light of the teacher's community, teachers need to form a professional learning community, increase practice-based professional development opportunities, build the teacher's knowledge base, put various experts into the classroom, and build a partnership with the local community and other experts. In the conclusion section, we also discussed institutional and political supports necessary for the competency based education.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.62 no.2
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• pp.57-85
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• 2010

Using the Survey of Wisconsin Works Families, the survey of the Child Support Demonstration Evaluation (CSDE) project in Wisconsin, this study examines whether the family structures of nonresident fathers and resident mothers are associated with nonresident fathers' economic contributions, measured by the level of informal support provided to their children living in the mothers' households. Findings show that the level of informal support is associated with not only individual and economic characteristics of nonresident fathers and resident mothers, but also family structures and institutional factors such as child support arrangements and the CSDE experiment. Both mothers' repartnering with another man and fathers' repartnering with another woman are negatively associated with the level of informal support. Fathers who lived together with mothers when their children were born provide more informal support than do fathers who did not. Fathers' multiple partner fertility is not associated with the level of informal support provided. Among fathers who have children with multiple partners, fathers provide more informal support to their children born by their first partner. Fathers who have multiple children with the mother of the focal child provide more informal support. Fathers who have other biological children living elsewhere provide less informal support. Fathers who pay higher levels of formal child support also provide higher levels of informal support. Fathers associated mothers assigned to the CSDE experiment group provide more informal support. The findings suggest that child support programs may increase informal support, thereby improving the well-being of resident mothers and their children living in poverty.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.49-68
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• 2001

The purpose of this study was 1) to review communal housing in the UK, 2) to consider the policy implications for elderly communal housing in Korea. The research methods used were 1) literature review about communal housing and related policy in the UK 2) field survey in the UK 3) interpretative suggestion for the proper policy implication to develope communal housing for the elderly in Korea. Sheltered housing in the UK had been developed as communal housing for the elderly with special needs since the 1970s. The type of sheltered housing were category 1 and category 2. Very sheltered housing with more facilities and meal services was added in 1980s. Sheltered housing was evaluated as the most humanistic solution for older people in the UK in 1980s. Because of the policy of moving institutional care to community care, sheltered housing became less in demand because of more options for older people including being able to stay in their own home. So new completion of sheltered housing by registered social landlords reduced saliently. Sheltered housing already totalled over half million units in which 5% of all elderly over 65 still lived and a small quantity of private sector for sale schemes emerged in the 1990s. The reason why the residents moved to sheltered housing was for sociable, secure, and manageable living arrangements. In general the residents were satisfied with these characteristics but dissatisfied with the service charge and quality of meals, especially in category 2.5 schemes. The degree of utilisation of communal spaces and facilities depended on the wardens ability and enthusiasm. Evaluation of sheltered housing indicated several problems such as wardens duty as a \"good neighbour\" ; difficult-to-let problems with poor location or individual units of bedsittiing type with shared bathroom ; and the under use of communal spaces and facilities. Some ideas to solve these problems were suggested by researchers through expanding wardens duty as a professional, opening the scheme to the public, improving interior standards, and accepting non-elderly applicants who need support. Some researchers insisted continuing development of sheltered housing, but higher standards must be considered for the minority who want to live in communal living arrangement. Recently, enhanced sheltered housing with greater involvement of relatives and with tied up policy in registration and funding suggested as an alternative for residential care. In conclusion, the rights of choice for older people should be policy support for special needs housing. Elderly communal housing, especially a model similar to sheltered housing category 2 with at least 1 meal a day might be recommended for a Korean Model. For special needs housing development either for rent or for sale, participation of the public sector and long term and low interest financial support for the private sector must be developed in Korea. Providing a system for scheme managers to train and retrain must be encouraged. The professional ability of the scheme manager to plan and to deliver services might be the most important factor for the success of elderly communal housing projects in Korea. In addition the expansion of a public health care service, the development of leisure programs in Senior Citizens Centre, home helper both for the elderly in communal housing and the elderly in mainstream housing of the community as well. Providing of elderly communal housing through the modified general Construction Act rather than the present Elderly Welfare Act might be more helpful to encourage the access of general people in Korea. in Korea.

• Journal of Internet Computing and Services
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.87-103
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• 2010

In the study, we introduce the trend in domestic and foreign web accessibility, as well as the legal system that ensures web accessibility. Based on Korean Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (KWCAG)1.0, we investigated the web content accessibility of 80 tertiary health-care hospitals and general hospitals in Korea. We evaluated accessibility by combining accessibility-based criteria (ABC) with usability-based criteria (UBC). ABC was limited to an alternative text for Guideline 1, using a small number of frames and keyboard accessibility for Guideline 2. UBC checked the voice service (TTS), resizing text, providing multi-lingual websites, and disclosing web accessibility policy. KADO-WAH2.0 was used for representing the compliance rate. The evaluation result was a considerable improvement from previous results, even though the rate of compliance with web accessibility was generally insufficient. There was a significant difference between those medical centers which did and did not comply with web accessibility. Incidentally, many hospitals were found to have attempted to confront and come to terms with web accessibility. In future, the following factors are advisable for medical centers with publicity or public interest: they must employ active and aggressive promotion of establishment of independent accessibility guidelines to secure web accessibility, they should effect an improvement of the realization of web accessibility, there can be constant education and promotion, and there can be an institutional supplementation, as well as others.