Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess insomnia and the quality of sleep, investigate the concordance between objective and self-report sleep patterns, and identify physiological, psychological, and situational factors influencing insomnia and sleep quality among firefighters. Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted with 103 firefighters in Korea. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS 23.0. Descriptive statistics, the independent t-test, and hierarchical logistic regression analysis were performed. Results: Insomnia was found in 66 (64.1 %) of the total subjects, and the average quality of sleep (PSQI) was 5.65 (SD=2.57). Total sleep time (401.00 minutes) and sleep latency (21.60 minutes) measured using self-reported scales were longer than the ones measured using objective measurements by approximately 48.70 and 17.10 minutes, respectively. Factors related to insomnia included the role as a paramedic (OR=4.28, 95% CI: 1.02~17.92), anxiety (OR=1.12, 95% CI: 1.01~1.24), and sedentary lifestyle (OR=0.85, 95% CI: 0.78~0.94), and factors related to sleep quality were physical illness status (OR=5.17, 95% CI: 1.53~17.51) and social support (OR=0.86, 95% CI: 0.78~0.95). Conclusion The results show a high prevalence of insomnia, poor quality of sleep and the discrepancy between objective and subjective sleep patterns among firefighters. To promote sleep quality and health, early screening and treatment of anxiety and physical illness are required. It is necessary to conduct further studies examining the relationship between physical activity level and sleep.

Purpose: : Assertiveness is a crucial factor in patient safety, workplace violence, and work stress, and is associated with better interpersonal relationships in clinical settings. Despite its significance, a standardized assertiveness scale reflecting Korean healthcare culture is currently lacking. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the validity and reliability of the Korean version of the assertiveness scale for nurses (K-ASN). Methods: : The survey was conducted with 250 nurses working in secondary and tertiary hospitals in Korea. The study examined content, criterion, and construct validity using exploratory factor analysis and also assessed internal consistency reliability. Results: : The K-ASN consists of 22 items and 6 factors, namely self-denial, confrontation, dealing with criticism, positive assertion, spontaneity, and active assertion. The K-ASN demonstrated good content validity and a high criterion validity with the Rathus Assertiveness Schedule (RAS) at .75. The internal consistency reliability was also satisfactory, with a Cronbach’s alpha of .80, and subscale reliability ranging from .52 to .87. Conclusion : The K-ASN is a reliable and valid assertiveness scale for nurses in Korea. The K-ASN can be a valuable tool to be used to assess the assertiveness of healthcare professionals which is associated with improvements in interpersonal relationships, patient safety, and health-related outcomes.

Aspidogastrid trematodes (Subclass Aspidogastrea) are a relatively small group with a characteristic adhesive disc and parasitize in a variety of cold-blooded hosts. Until now, only 2 species in the genus Cotylaspis, i.e., C. coreensis and C. sinensis, have been reported as the aspidogastrid trematode in the Republic of Korea (=Korea). In the present study, we intended to describe a species of aspidogastrids collected from the small intestine of the common carp, Cypri-nus carpio, in a faunistic point of view. Total 51 specimens were collected from a carp caught in Nakdong-gang (River) on May 2015. Some of them were prepared as the specimens for light microscopic observations, and some others were prepared for SEM. They were slightly elongated without head lobes, 2,432×840 μm in average size, and had characteristic adhesive discs with 4 rows and 46 alveoli in average. The ovary was reniform and was located in the posterior-upper part of the body. The single testis was larger than the ovary and was located below the ovary. The uterus was coiled containing numerous eggs and distributed in the posterior 2/3 of the body. The vitellaria were follicular, and distributed from the mid-level of testis to near the posterior end. The morphological characters with dimensions of our specimens were closely identical with those of Aspidogaster ijimai previously described. A new aspidogastrid is added among the Korean trematode fauna by the present study.
Adhesives ; Carps* ; Eggs ; Female ; Head ; Intestine, Small ; Korea* ; Ovary ; Ovum ; Republic of Korea ; Testis ; Uterus

Present study was performed to survey infection status of digenetic trematode metacercariae in 2 alien fish species, Micropterus salmoides (largemouth bass) and Lepomis macrochirus (bluegill), in 2 rivers draining Chungcheongbuk-do, Republic of Korea. A total of 107 largemouth bass and 244 bluegills were caught in Daecheong-ho (ho=lake) and Musim-cheon (a branch of Geum-gang), in Chungcheongbuk-do April–July 2015. Additionally, 68 native fish of 5 species, i.e., Zacco platypus, Hemibarbus longirostris, Carassius auratus, Pseudogobio esocinus and Puntungia herzi, were caught from the same water bodies. All of the fish collected were examined by artificial digestion method. The metacercariae of Centrocestus armatus, Clinostomum complanatum, Metagonimus sp. and Diplostomum spp. were detected from 4 out of 5 native fish species in Daecheong-ho. However, any metacercariae were not found from 87 M. salmoides and 177 L. macrochirus in Daecheong-ho. In Musim-cheon, metacercariae of Exorchis oviformis and Metacercaria hasegawai were detected from 78% Z. platypus and 34% L. macrochirus, but any metacercariae not found in M. salmoides. We report here that the 2 alien fish species were less infected with the metacercariae than the native ones. Surveys on the metacercariae in the alien fish species in geographically various rivers should be undertaken for better understanding on the role of alien fish species in the trematode infections in Republic of Korea.
Bass ; Chungcheongbuk-do ; Digestion ; Emigrants and Immigrants ; Goldfish ; Heterophyidae ; Humans ; Metacercariae ; Methods ; Perciformes ; Platypus ; Republic of Korea ; Rivers ; Trematode Infections ; Water

This study was undertaken to determine the complete mitochondrial DNA sequence and structure of the mitochondrial genome of Spirometra ranarum, and to compare it with those of S. erinaceieuropaei and S. decipiens. The aim of this study was to provide information of the species level taxonomy of Spirometra spp. using the mitochondrial genomes of 3 Spirometra tapeworms. The S. ranarum isolate originated from Myanmar. The mitochondrial genome sequence of S. ranarum was compared with that of S. erinaceieuropaei (GenBank no. KJ599680) and S. decipiens (Gen-Bank no. KJ599679). The complete mtDNA sequence of S. ranarum comprised 13,644 bp. The S. ranarum mt genome contained 36 genes comprising 12 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNAs and 2 rRNAs. The mt genome lacked the atp8 gene, as found for other cestodes. All genes in the S. ranarum mitochondrial genome are transcribed in the same direction and arranged in the same relative position with respect to gene loci as found for S. erinaceieuropaei and S. decipiens mt genomes. The overall nucleotide sequence divergence of 12 protein-coding genes between S. ranarum and S. decipiens differed by 1.5%, and 100% sequence similarity was found in the cox2 and nad6 genes, while the DNA sequence divergence of the cox1, nad1, and nad4 genes of S. ranarum and S. decipiens was 2.2%, 2.1%, and 2.6%, respectively.
Base Sequence ; Cestoda ; Classification ; DNA, Mitochondrial ; Genes, vif ; Genome ; Genome, Mitochondrial ; Myanmar ; RNA, Transfer ; Spirometra

Acute pancreatitis (AP) rarely occurs in association with food allergy (FA), and the mechanism is not clearly explored. We herein report a rare case of egg protein-induced AP. A 5-year-old girl was brought to the hospital because of tongue pruritus and an increased level of egg white-specific immunoglobulin E. During an oral food challenge, she developed hives, abdominal pain and vomiting after ingestion of a cumulative of 610 mg of boiled egg white (70 mg of protein). After management with intramuscular injection of epinephrine and orally administered prednisolone and levocetirizine, her skin symptoms improved. The next day, blood tests showed elevated levels of amylase and lipase, and computed tomography revealed a swollen pancreas with a low-attenuated necrotic portion. She was diagnosed with AP and treated with food restriction, intravenous methylprednisolone and gabexate mesilate. The serum levels of amylase and lipase were reduced to normal levels on day 5 and her symptoms completely resolved on day 10. A suspicion of food-induced AP is required for correct diagnosis and proper management in children with FA when they manifest severe abdominal pain.

Feline hemotropic mycoplasmosis (hemoplasmosis) is an infection of the red blood cells caused by the Mycoplasma haemofelis (Mhf), Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum (CMhm), and Candidatus Mycoplasma turicensis (CMt). The existence of Mhf, CMhm, and CMt has been demonstrated in feral cats in Korea using molecular methods, but no clinical cases have yet been reported. This study reports 2 clinical cases of hemotropic mycoplasmosis caused by CMhm and CMt in 2 anemic cats. The first case was a client-owned intact female domestic shorthair cat that presented with fever, pale mucous membranes, and normocytic normochromic non-regenerative anemia. Prior to referral, an immunosuppressive prednisolone dose was administered at the local veterinary clinic for 1 month. The cat was diagnosed with high-grade alimentary lymphoma. Organisms were found on the surface of the red blood cells on blood smear examination. The second case was of a rescued cat that presented with dehydration and fever. The cat had normocytic normochromic non-regenerative anemia. Necropsy revealed concurrent feline infectious peritonitis. Polymerase chain reaction assay targeting 16S rRNA revealed CMhm infection in case 1 and dual infection of CMhm and CMt in case 2. Normocytic normochromic non-regenerative anemia was observed in both cats before and during the management of the systemic inflammation. This is the first clinical case report in Korea to demonstrate CMhm and CMt infections in symptomatic cats.

In the present study, a Spirometra species of Tanzania origin obtained from an African leopard (Panthera pardus) and spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) was identified based on molecular analysis of cytochrome c oxidase I (cox1) and NADH dehydrogenase subunit I (nad1) as well as by morphological observations of an adult tapeworm. One strobila and several segments of a Spirometra species were obtained from the intestine of an African male leopard (Panthera pardus) and spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) in the Maswa Game Reserve of Tanzania. The morphological characteristics of S. theileri observed comprised 3 uterine loops on one side and 4 on the other side of the mid-line, a uterine pore situated posterior to the vagina and alternating irregularly either to the right or left of the latter, and vesicular seminis that were much smaller than other Spirometra species. Sequence differences in the cox1 and nad1 genes between S. theileri (Tanzania origin) and S. erinaceieuropaei were 10.1% (cox1) and 12.0% (nad1), while those of S. decipiens and S. ranarum were 9.6%, 9.8% (cox1) and 13.0%, 12.6% (nad1), respectively. The morphological features of the Tanzania-origin Spirometra specimens coincided with those of S. theileri, and the molecular data was also consistent with that of S. theileri, thereby demonstrating the distribution of S. theileri in Tanzania. This places the leopard (Panthera pardus) and spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) as new definitive hosts of this spirometrid tapeworm.
Adult ; Animals ; Cestoda ; Electron Transport Complex IV ; Humans ; Hyaenidae ; Intestines ; Male ; NADH Dehydrogenase ; Panthera ; Spirometra ; Tanzania ; Vagina

In the present study, we identified a Spirometra species of Myanmar origin (plerocercoid) by molecular analysis using mitochondrial cox1 and nad1 genes, as well as by morphological observations of an adult tapeworm. Spargana specimens were collected from a paddy-field in Taik Kyi Township Tarkwa Village, Yangon, Myanmar in December 2017. A total of 5 spargana were obtained from 20 frogs Hoplobatrachus rugulosus; syn: Rana rugulosa (Wiegmann, 1834) or R. tigrina (Steindachner, 1867). The plerocercoids were used for experimental infection of a dog. After 4 weeks of infection, an adult tapeworm was recovered from the intestine of the dog. Morphologically, the distinct features of Spirometra sp. (Myanmar origin) relative to S. erinaceieuropaei and S. decipiens include a uterine morphology comprising posterior uterine coils that larger than the terminal uterine ball and coiling of the uteri diagonally (swirling) rather than spirally. The cox1 sequences (1,566 bp) of the Myanmar-origin Spirometra species showed 97.9% similarity to a reference sequence of S. decipiens (GenBank no. KJ599679) and 90.5% similarity to a reference sequence of S. erinaceieuropaei (GenBank no. KJ599680). Phylogenetic tree topologies were identical and presented high confidence level of values for the 3 major branches of the 3 Spirometra species in cox1 and nad1 genes. These results indicated that Myanmar-origin Spirometra species coincided with those of S. ranarum and may be considered as a valid species.
Adult ; Animals ; Cestoda ; Dogs ; Genes, vif ; Humans ; Intestines ; Myanmar ; Ranidae ; Spirometra ; Trees ; Uterus

The present study was performed with morphological and molecular analysis (cox1 and nad1 mitochondrial genes) to identify the proglottids of spirometrid tapeworm found in the stool of an African lion, Panthera leo, in the Serengeti plain of Tanzania. A strand of tapeworm strobila, about 75 cm in length, was obtained in the stool of a male African lion in the Serengeti National Park (34° 50′ E, 02° 30′ S), Tanzania, in February 2012. The morphological features of the adult worm examined exhibited 3 uterine coils with a bow tie appearance and adopted a diagonal direction in the second turn. The posterior uterine coils are larger than terminal uterine ball and the feature of uteri are swirling rather than spirally coiling. The sequence difference between the Spirometra species (Tanzania origin) and S. erinaceieuropaei (GenBank no. KJ599680) was 9.4% while those of S. decipiens (GenBank no. KJ599679) differed by 2.1% in the cox1 and nad1 genes. Phylogenetic tree topologies generated using the 2 analytic methods were identical and presented high level of confidence values for the 3 major branches of the 3 Spirometra species in the cox1 gene. The morphological and molecular findings obtained in this study were nearly coincided with those of S. ranarum. Therefore, we can know for the first time that the African lion, Panthera leo, is to the definitive host of this tapeworm.
Adult ; Cestoda ; Humans ; Lions ; Male ; Panthera ; Parks, Recreational ; Spirometra ; Tanzania ; Trees ; Uterus