• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.978-982
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• 2014

A mass mortality of 249 finless porpoises Neophocaena asiaeorientalis occurred in the Saemangeum Dyke in February 2011. It was an extraordinary event, notable due to the death toll and the location of the occurrence, a semi-isolated lake enclosed by a man-made structure. We conducted sighting surveys that consisted of a land-based sighting survey recorded from three different platforms, and a ship-based sighting survey in the lake. The land-based survey was dedicated to clarifying the distribution of finless porpoises and whether they passed through two water gates (Shinsi and Garyek) of the dyke from 2011 to 2013. No finless porpoises were observed in the 2011 or January 2012 surveys. In April 2012, two months and one year after the mass mortality, one finless porpoise, swimming 400 m from the Shinsi water gate, was observed by a land-based survey. The number of observed individuals increased to nine in 2012 and reached 10 by May 2013 at the time of the surveys. Most of the porpoises were detected near the Garyek water gate. The density of the animals was $0.075/km^2$ in 2012 and $0.083/km^2$ in 2013. The density of porpoises was $2.063/km^2$ at the time of the mass mortality.

• Archives of Obesity and Metabolism
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.33-38
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• 2022

Although it has been confirmed that excessive body fat increases health risks and all-cause mortality, several epidemiological studies have reported that overweight or obesity in patients with chronic diseases and in older adults is advantageous with respect to mortality. Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain the biological basis of this obesity paradox. The marked heterogeneity of findings observed across studies and the possibility of systematic errors in these studies have cast doubt on the actual existence of the obesity paradox. However, the obesity paradox questioned the validity of body mass index as the best indicator for obesity in terms of predicting its comorbidities and urges clinicians to focus more on changes in body composition and related metabolic derangements, rather than body weight per se.

• Journal of Clinical Nutrition
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.51-55
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• 2018

Purpose: This study was conducted to assess how extreme obesity affects 30-day mortality in this patient group. Methods: A total of 802 patients who underwent emergency gastrointestinal surgery from January 2007 to December 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were divided into three groups according to their body mass index (BMI): group 1, normal weight (BMI: $18.5{\sim}22.9kg/m^2$); group 2, overweight (BMI: $23.0{\sim}29.9kg/m^2$ ); and group 3, obesity ($BMI{\geq}30kg/m^2$). Patients with a BMI under 18.5 were excluded from the analysis. Chi-squared test, Fisher's exact test, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, and the log-rank test were used to assess and compare 30-day mortality rates between groups. Results: The mortality rates of group 1, group 2, and group 3 were 11.3%, 9.0%, and 26.9%, respectively (P<0.017). The mortality rate did not differ significantly between group 1 and 2 (11.3% vs. 9.0%; P=0.341), but group 1 and 2 showed better survival rates than group 3 (11.3% vs. 26.9%; P=0.028, 9.0% vs. 26.9%; P=0.011). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that group 3 had higher mortality than the other two groups (P=0.001). Conclusion: Obesity ($BMI{\geq}30kg/m^2$) was one of the risk factors influencing critically ill patients who underwent emergency surgery.

• Proceedings of the KSRS Conference
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• v.1
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• pp.463-466
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• 2006

During Mid October of 2005 a mass mortality of the corals occurred surrounding Con Dao Islands (South Vietnam) where is the recognized as one of the most famous marine parks of Vietnam. Results from the field survey in October 2005 showed that the mass mortality of corals and benthos focused only on the North-West of the islands whereas there was almost no death recorded in the South - East parts. Based on field data it was assumed that an overlap between high water temperature ($>30^{\circ}C$) and low salinity (<25%o) during short term was the impact causing the situation. In this paper, we try to explain this phenomenon based on the hydrographical view together with analyzing ocean colour images. A coral bleaching warning system also is proposed for Condao site.

• The Korean Journal of Medicine
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• v.93 no.6
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• pp.548-555
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• 2018

Background/Aims: Assessment of fluid status in hemodialysis patents is very important. Overhydration in hemodialysis is associated with generalized edema, cardiovascular complications, and hypertension. The aim of this study was to determine the factors correlated with mortality of hemodialysis patients, assessing body muscle mass and fluid status using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Methods: This study enrolled 93 patients who underwent hemodialysis between January 2010 and May 2015 at CHA Bundang Medical Center. Medical records of enrollees up to June 2017 were reviewed retrospectively. These included laboratory results (serum albumin, C-reactive protein [CRP], lipid profile, etc.) and BIA data (extracellular water, intracellular water, total body water, soft lean mass, fat free mass, skeletal muscle mass, etc.). Results: Eleven of 93 patients had expired by May 2017. Among the surviving subjects, mean age was younger, CRP levels were lower, albumin levels were higher, and extracellular water/total body water (ECW/TBW) ratios were lower than in the expired patient group. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that overhydration (ECW/TBW > 0.4) was associated with higher mortality. Conclusions: In hemodialysis patients, overhydration is an important factor in mortality, and BIA could be a reliable modality in its assessment. We suggest that, for hemodialysis patients, overhydration is more of a risk factor for mortality than is muscle wasting.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.340-346
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• 2013

We have confirmed the first case of mass mortality which occurred in the wild populations of larval toad, Bufo bufo gargarizans during 2007~2009 at Mangwel pond, which is a long time breeding site, and is located at the south eastern area in Daegu. We have investigated through microbiological tests the cause of mass decease of the larval toad, and detected numerous bacteria from the intestine by histological examines and cultures. The pathogen isolated from the infected larval toads has been identified as Aeromonas hydrophila, which is widely distributed in aquatic environment. However, this phenomenon of mass lethal pattern of the larval toad disappeared at the breeding pond after maintaining better water levels and low temperature in spring during breeding season in 2010. We propose that the high temperatures during the 2007~2009 breeding season resulted in lower water levels and drier conditions leading to explosive propagation of A. hydrophila in the pond which impacted the larval toad's immune function.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.31 no.4 s.63
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• pp.604-615
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• 1998

Although previous studies revealed the association of physical activity with mortality rate, it is unclear whether there is a linear trend between physical activity and mortality rate. In this study, the association of physical activity with the risk of all-cause mortality was analysed using Cox's proportional hazard model for a cohort of 14,204 healthy Korean men aged 40-59 years followed up for 4 years(Jan. 1993-Dec. 1996). Physical activity and other life style were surveyed by a postal questionnaire in December 1992. Total of 14,204 subjects were grouped into quartiles by physical activity. Using death certificate data, 123 deaths were identified. The second most active quartile had a lowest mortality .ate with relative risk of 0.44(95% C.I. : 0.23-0.84) compared with most sedentary quartile, showing a J-shape pattern of physical activity-mortality curve. By examining the difference in proportion of cause of the death between most active quartile and the other quartiles, there was no significant difference of proportional mortality from cardiovascular deaths, cerebrovascular deaths or deaths from trauma. The covariates were stratified into two group between which the trend of RR was compared to test the effect modification. There was no remarkable effect modification by alcohol intake, smoking, body mass index, calorie consumption, percent fat consumption. In conclusion, moderate activity was found to have more protective effect on all-cause mortality than vigorous activity and that the J-shape pattern of physical activity-mortality curve was not due to the difference of mortality pattern or effect modification by alcohol intake, smoking, body mass index, calorie consumption and percent fat consumption.

• Journal of Obesity & Metabolic Syndrome
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.201-202
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• 2018

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.52-58
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• 1991

Mass mortality of Halocynthia roretzi has been occurred in culturing grounds of southern coast of Korea during the long period of summer drought and the unusal high water temperature in 1988. Especially Halocynthia roretzi was damaged severely in 2 years group. Therefore we verified these phenomena by observing the environmental factors of culturing grounds and by evaluating oxygen consumption rate in indoor experiment. In culturing grounds, the mortality rate was high in Namhae Mizo area where water temperature was the highest and the lowest in dissolved oxygen concentration as low as 3.76m/l in field observation. In indoor experiment, the higher the water temperature, the more mortality was occurred and the salinity above 30 had no effect on its mortality. In oxygen consumption rate experiment, the smaller needs more oxygen than larger one, i. e., oxygen demand per unit weight was higher in 2 years group than that of 3 years. The theoretical and the actual minimum oxygen demands(MOB) for preventing asphixation was 3.7ml/kg/h at $20^{\circ}C$ and 6.3ml/kg/h gat $25^{\circ}C$, But actual MOD was 4.3ml/kg/h at $25^{\circ}C$ in indoor experiment. It seemed that mass mortality of Halocynthia roretzi in summer was caused by metabolism disorder due to insufficient oxygen level influenced by the high water temperature and the high density of Halocynthia roretzi, which results in the paucity of oxygen especially in 2 years groups.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.165-176
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• 2010

In May 2007, mass mortality of Israeli carp, Cyprinus carpio L., was occured on a pond farm located in Jeollabukdo Province, Korea. The mortality rates reached up to 2% of the total fish in the farm per day. Typical clinical signs were abdominal distension, reddish foci on the skin, enteritis, liver congestion and enlarged spleen and kidney. On the basis of biochemical characteristics and 16S rDNA sequence, the causative bacteria isolated from affected carp were identified as Aeromonas veronii. Histologically, degeneration of hepatocytes and congestion in sinusoids were observed in the liver. Spleen showed hemorrhage and the destruction of the sheathed tissues. In kidney, necrotized renal tubules and glomerular destructions were observed. Intestinal tissues revealed necrotized and severe hemorrhage. Mass hemorrhage was observed in muscles. This is the first report that A. veronii caused mortality in cultured Israeli carp in Korea.