• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.215-218
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• 2012

Objective: Traumatic epidural hematomas (EDHs) in children are a relatively unusual occurrence. The cause and outcome vary depending on period and reg ion of study. The aims of this analysis were to review the cause and outcome of pediatric EDHs nowadays and to discuss outcome-related variables in a large consecutive series of surgically treated EDH in children. Methods: This is a retrospective review of 29 patients with surgically treated EDHs between Jan 2000 and February 2010. Patients' medical records, computed tomographic (Cl) scans, and, if performed, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were reviewed to define variables associated with outcome. Variables included in the analysis were age, associated severe intracranial injury, abnormal pupillary response, hematoma thickness, severity of head injury (Glasgow Coma Scale score), parenchymal brain injury, and diffuse axonal injury. Results: The mean (SO) age of the patients was 109 months (0-185 months). Most of the injuries with EDHs occurred in traffic accident (14 cases, 48.2%) and followed by slip down in 6 cases and falls in 6 cases. There were one birth injury and one unknown cause. EDHs in traffic accidents occurred in pedestrians hit by a motor vehicle, 9 cases; motorbike and car accidents, 5 cases and bicycle accidents, 1 case. The locations of hematoma were almost same in both sides (left side in 15 cases). Temporal lobe is the most common site of hematomas (13 cases, 44%). The mean size of the EDHs was 18 mm (range, 5-40 mm). Heterogeneous hematomas in CT scans were 20 cases (67%). Two patients were referred with unilateral or bilateral dilated pupil(s). There was enlargement of EDH in 5 patients (17%). All of them were heterogeneous hematomas in CT scans. Except for 4 patients, all EDHs were associated with skull fracture(s) (87%). There was no case of patient with major organ injury. CT or MRI revealed brain contusion in 5 patients, and diffuse axonal injury in one patient The mortality was zero, and the outcomes were excellent in 26 and good in 2 patients. None of the tested variables were found to have a prognostic relevance. Conclusion: Regardless of the EDH size, the clinical status of the patients, the abnormal pupillary findings, or the cause of injury, the outcome and prognosis of the patients with EDH were excellent.

• The Journal of The Korea Institute of Intelligent Transport Systems
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.28-38
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• 2016

Cooperative-Intelligent Transport Systems (c-ITS) has emphasized a real-time traffic safety service in urgent situations among highway infrastructure and four-wheeled vehicles, while two-wheeled vehicles, e.g. bicycles and motorcycle, sharing highway space and endangering highway safety, have yet been out of its interest. This paper delivers the results of a study conducted to analyze the patterns of two-wheeled-vehicle traffic accidents experienced in the past, the last three years (2011~2013), and to propose the types of service enhancing the safety of the riders of those. It was found from the analysis of historical accident data that the side collision on a link section should be taken care of for further safety treatment, while the old female drivers need additional care to decrease their fatality rate. By combining the services proposed for bicycles and motorcycles, this paper proposes (1) eight different bicycle-to-everything (B2X) services which can be eventually provided in c-ITS and (2) three of those that would be available in the near future with the current communication technologies.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.343-353
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• 2023

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic led to significant changes in the lifestyle patterns of children and affected the patterns of pediatric injuries. This study analyzed the changing patterns of pediatric injury overall and by age groups, based on the datasets before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This study is based on the data of patients who presented with injuries at 23 hospital emergency departments participating in the Emergency Department-based Injury In-depth Surveillance (EDIIS) conducted by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. The surveillance data was categorized by injury mechanism, location, activity, and severity. We analyzed the injury patterns of pediatric patients aged 0 to 15 years. Subgroup analysis was conducted by age group in children aged 7 to 15 years, 1 to 6 years, and <1 year. Results: When comparing the COVID-19 pandemic period to the pre-COVID-19 period, the total number of pediatric patients with injuries decreased by 38.7%, while the proportions of in-home injuries (57.9% vs. 67.9%), and minor injuries (38.9% vs. 39.7%) increased. In the 7 to 15 years group, bicycle riding injuries (50.9% vs. 65.6%) and personal mobility device injuries (2.4% vs. 4.6%) increased. The 1 to 6 years group also showed an increase in bicycle accident injuries (15.8% vs. 22.4%). In the <1 year group, injuries from falls increased (44.5% vs. 49.9%). Self-harm injuries in the 7 to 15 years group also increased (1.6% vs. 2.8%). Conclusions: During the COVID-19 pandemic period, the overall number of pediatric injuries decreased, while injuries occurring at home and during indoor activities increased. Traffic accidents involving bicycles and personal mobility devices and self-harm injuries increased in the 7 to 15 years group. In the <1 year group, the incidence of falls increased. Medical and societal preparedness is needed so that we might anticipate these changes in the patterns of pediatric injuries during future infectious disease pandemics.

• Journal of the Architectural Institute of Korea Planning & Design
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.73-81
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is to draw safe environmental project factors for enhancing the safety of children in peripheral space around children's park and suggest environmental project measures for peripheral spaces around children's parks, based on the survey of children's park users' consciousness on peripheral spaces. Physical space range for this study was limited to low-rise housing area wihtin the radius of 250m, as peripheral spaces around children's parks in which children's playgrounds were built. In addition, the target areas for examining users' consciousness on peripheral spaces around children's parks were selected according to following criteria. 1)areas with highter portion of children; 2) those with higher portion of single-family houses/multi-housing/tenement houses, which constitute low-rise housing areas; and 3) those with higher safety accident rate of children, which was measured based on criminal and traffic accidents. The finding are as follows: first, users' consciousness on safety accidents that are likely to occur in peripheral spaces around children's parks was examined to show that there is most prominent difference between satisfaction and necessity. This result suggests that users are clearly conscious of the necessity of environmental improvement rather than the satisfaction with the current peripheral environment around children's park.; second, for the difference between satisfaction with and necessity of environmental project factors for access/boundary spaces around children's pakrs, there is most significant difference between the satisfaction with and the necessity of establishment of facilities against illegal parking for clear visibility of community roads, for access spaces, and the separate establishment of bicycle racks around main entry into parks, for boundary spaces. Users' necessity of the establishment of them is judged to be derived from the fact that the safety of children and even adults is threatened, because bicycles invaded into the deep inside of children parks. This study analyzed a correlation between satisfaction and necessity through factor and IPA analysis, and should be initially considenred if the future environmental improvement project would be conducted to promote safe environment in peripheral spaces around children's parks in the future. It will be necessary to provide practical environmental project factors through a field investigation.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.195-201
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• 2022

Purpose: The objective of this study was to determine the effects of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on the volume of trauma patients, the number of orthopedic trauma operations, and the severity of injuries. We also investigated the correlations between social distancing and these variables. Methods: This was a retrospective review of trauma patient cases at a single focused training center for trauma in Korea from January 2017 to April 2021. The COVID-19 group included patients treated from January 1 to April 30 in 2020 and 2021, and the control group included patients treated during the same months from 2017 to 2019. The volume of trauma patients according to the level of social distancing was evaluated among patients treated from August 2, 2020 to November 23, 2020. Results: The study included 3,032 patients who presented to the emergency department with traumatic injuries from January to April 2017 to 2021. The average number of patients was 646.7 and 546.0 in the control and COVID-19 groups, respectively. The percentage of patients injured in traffic accidents (TAs) decreased from 25.0% to 18.2% (P<0.0001). The proportions of in-car TAs and pedestrian TAs also decreased from 6.7% and 10.8% to 3.5% and 6.0%, respectively (P=0.0002 and P<0.0001). The percentage of bicycle TAs increased from 2.4% to 4.0% (P=0.0128). The proportion of patients with an Injury Severity Score above 15 and the mortality rate did not change significantly. As the level of social distancing increased, the number of trauma patients and the number of trauma injuries from TAs decreased. The number of orthopedic trauma operations also depended on the social distancing level. Conclusions: The number of trauma patients presenting to the emergency department decreased during the COVID-19 period. The volume of trauma patients and orthopedic trauma operations decreased as the social distance level increased.