A Study on the Impact Factors for the Difference of Mobile Termination Charges among the Countries

이동통신시장은 초기부터 경쟁을 도입하여 급격히 성장하였으며 통신시장에서 가장 큰 비중을 차지하는 시장으로 등장하였다. 그러나 이동사업자들은 착신망에서의 독점력을 이용하여 비용보다 높은 이동착신접속료를 부과함으로 초과 수익을 달성하게 되었고, 이는 시장의 경쟁 왜곡을 초래하고 소비자 효용을 축소시키는 문제를 야기하게 되었다. 이동착신접속료 규제는 이동통신시장의 핵심 과제로 EU와 호주, 미국 등 대부분의 국가에서 규제하고 있다. 각 국의 이동착신접속료 조사결과 접속료 격차가 매우 큰 것으로 나타났다. 본 논문에서는 28개국 자료를 이용하여 이동착신접속료 결정에 영향을 주는 주요 요인을 밝히기 위하여 국가환경, 시장환경, 규제환경 변수들을 고려한 실증분석을 실시하였다. 실증 연구 결과 이동착신접속료는 규제환경변수인 선불가입자비율과 규제기간에 의해서만 영향을 받는 것으로 나타났다

Interreader Reliability of Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System Treatment Response: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: For a proper management strategy in patients with locoregionally treated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), it is essential that the Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) treatment response algorithm (LR-TR) has high interreader reliability. We aimed to systematically evaluate the interreader reliability of LR-TR and sources of any study heterogeneity. Methods: Original studies reporting the interreader reliability of LR-TR were identified in MEDLINE and EMBASE up to 20 September 2020. The pooled kappa coefficient (kappa) was calculated using the DerSimonian-Laird random effects model. Subgroup analyses were performed according to imaging modality (magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT)). Meta-regression analyses were performed to explore study heterogeneity. Results: Eight studies with 851 HCCs were finally included. Pooled kappa was 0.70 (95% CI, 0.58-0.82) for CT/MRI LR-TR, and those of MRI and CT were 0.71 (95% CI, 0.53-0.89) and 0.71 (95% CI, 0.65-0.78), respectively. Study design (p < 0.001) and type of treatment (p = 0.02) were significantly associated with substantial study heterogeneity. Conclusion: LR-TR showed substantial interreader reliability regardless of the imaging modality. Because of substantial study heterogeneity, which was significantly associated with study design and type of treatment, published values for the interreader reliability of LR-TR should be interpreted with care

Meta-analysis of CT and MRI for differentiation of autoimmune pancreatitis from pancreatic adenocarcinoma

Objectives: To systematically determine the diagnostic performance of computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for differentiating autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) from pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), with a comparison between the two imaging modalities. Methods: Literature search was conducted using PubMed and EMBASE databases to identify original articles published between 2009 and 2019 reporting the diagnostic performance of CT and MRI for differentiating AIP from PDAC. The meta-analytic sensitivity and specificity of CT and MRI were calculated, and compared using a bivariate random effects model. Subgroup analysis for differentiating focal AIP from PDAC was performed. Results: Of the 856 articles screened, 11 eligible articles are remained, i.e., five studies for CT, four for MRI, and two for both. The meta-analytic summary sensitivity and specificity of CT were 59% (95% confidence interval [CI], 41?75%) and 99% (95% CI, 88?100%), respectively, while those of MRI were 84% (95% CI, 68?93%) and 97% (95% CI, 87?99%). MRI had a significantly higher meta-analytic summary sensitivity than CT (84% vs. 59%, p = 0.02) but a similar specificity (97% vs. 99%, p = 0.18). In the subgroup analysis for focal AIP, the sensitivity for distinguishing between focal AIP and PDAC was lower than that for the overall analysis. MRI had a higher sensitivity than CT (76% vs. 50%, p = 0.28) but a similar specificity (97% vs. 98%, p = 0.07). Conclusion: MRI might be clinically more useful to evaluate patients with AIP, particularly for differentiating AIP from PDAC. Key Points: ? MRI had an overall good diagnostic performance to differentiate AIP from PDAC with a meta-analytic summary estimate of 83% for sensitivity and of 97% for specificity. ? CT had a very high specificity (99%), but a suboptimal sensitivity (59%) for differentiating AIP from PDAC. ? Compared with CT, MRI had a higher sensitivity, but a similar specificity

Combined computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging improves diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma <= 3.0 cm

Background/purpose Imaging diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is important, but the diagnostic performance of combined computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using the Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) v2018 is not fully understood. We evaluated the clinical usefulness of combined CT and MRI for diagnosing HCC <= 3.0 cm using LI-RADS. Methods In 222 patients at risk of HCC who underwent both contrast-enhanced dynamic CT and gadoxetate disodium-enhanced MRI in 2017, 291 hepatic nodules <= 3.0 cm were retrospectively analyzed. Two radiologists performed image analysis and assigned a LI-RADS category to each nodule. The diagnostic performance for HCC was evaluated for CT, ordinary-MRI (washout confined to portal venous-phase), and modified-MRI (washout extended to hepatobiliary phase), and sensitivity and specificity were calculated for each modality. Generalized estimating equations were used to compare the diagnostic performance for HCC between combined CT and ordinary-MRI, combined CT and modified-MRI, and CT or MRI alone. p < 0.0062 (0.05/8) was considered statistically significant following Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons. Results In 291 nodules, the sensitivity and specificity of CT, ordinary-MRI, and modified-MRI were 70.2% and 92.8%, 72.6% and 96.4%, and 84.6% and 88.0%, respectively. Compared with CT or MRI alone, both combined CT and ordinary-MRI (sensitivity, 83.7%; specificity, 95.2%) and combined CT and modified-MRI (sensitivity, 88.9%; specificity, 89.2%) showed significantly higher sensitivity (p <= 0.006), without a significant decrease in specificity (p >= 0.314). Conclusions Compared with CT or MRI alone, combined CT and MRI can increase sensitivity for diagnosing HCC <= 3.0 cm, without a significant decrease in specificity

Meta-Analysis of the Accuracy of Abbreviated Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Surveillance: Non-Contrast versus Hepatobiliary Phase-Abbreviated Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Simple Summary Ultrasonography is recommended as a standard surveillance modality, but the performance of surveillance ultrasound for detecting early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is limited. Motivated to provide a more sensitive method, abbreviated magnetic resonance imaging (AMRI) protocols have been introduced for HCC surveillance. We aimed to systematically determine the diagnostic performance of surveillance AMRI for detecting HCC. This meta-analysis of 10 studies comprising 1547 patients found that the pooled sensitivity and specificity of surveillance AMRI for detecting HCC were 86% and 96%, respectively. Hepatobiliary phase contrast-enhanced AMRI showed significantly higher sensitivities for detecting HCC than non-contrast AMRI (87% vs. 82%), but significantly lower specificities (93% vs. 98%). Therefore, surveillance AMRI had overall good diagnostic performance for detecting HCC and might be clinically useful for HCC surveillance. In addition, AMRI protocol should be selected with consideration of the advantages and disadvantages of each protocol. We aimed to determine the performance of surveillance abbreviated magnetic resonance imaging (AMRI) for detecting hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and to compare the performance of surveillance AMRI according to different protocols. Original research studies reporting the performance of surveillance AMRI for the detection of HCC were identified in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of surveillance AMRI were calculated using a hierarchical model. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of contrast-enhanced hepatobiliary phase (HBP)-AMRI and non-contrast (NC)-AMRI were calculated and compared using bivariate meta-regression. Ten studies, including 1547 patients, reported the accuracy of surveillance AMRI. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of surveillance AMRI for detecting any-stage HCC were 86% (95% confidence interval (CI), 80-90%; I-2 = 0%) and 96% (95% CI, 93-98%; I-2 = 80.5%), respectively. HBP-AMRI showed a significantly higher sensitivity for detecting HCC than NC-AMRI (87% vs. 82%), but significantly lower specificity (93% vs. 98%) (p = 0.03). Study quality and MRI magnet field strength were factors significantly associated with study heterogeneity (p <= 0.01). In conclusion, surveillance AMRI showed good overall diagnostic performance for detecting HCC. HBP-AMRI had significantly higher sensitivity for detecting HCC than NC-AMRI, but lower specificity

Transition metal oxide composite and manufacturing method and the use thereof

본 발명은 전이금속 산화물 복합체, 이의 제조 방법과 용도에 관한다. 구체적으로, 본 발명은 전이금속 산화물 복합체, 이의 제조 방법, 이를 포함하는 촉매, 상기 촉매를 포함하는 전극 및 상기 전극을 포함하는 수소발생장치에 관한다. 본 발명의 전이금속 산화물 복합체는 현저히 향상된 촉매 활성 및 수소 발생 반응 성능을 가진다. 본 발명의 전이금속 산화물 복합체는 촉매로 안정적으로 작용할 수 있고 이 때 향상된 내구성을 가진다. 본 발명의 전이금속 산화물 복합체는 백금 기반 촉매 대비 저렴하다. 본 발명의 전이금속 산화물 복합체의 제조 방법은 비교적 간단한 과정을 통해 전이금속 산화물 복합체를 만들 수 있다