Background: Sapovirus is an increasingly recognized cause of acute gastroenteritis (AGE).Despite its significance, data on sapovirus epidemiology and genetic diversity in Korea are limited. Therefore, we examined sapovirus positivity rates over a 6.5-yr period and analyzed the genetic diversity of strains detected in 2022 in Korea. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 204,563 sapovirus multiplex PCR test results from suspected AGE cases collected between 2017 and 2023 at two institutions. Monthly and age-specific positive rates were evaluated. Forty sapovirus-positive samples from 2022 were genotyped using reverse transcription PCR and sequencing. The sequences were compared with those in the National Center for Biotechnology Information Virus database, and a phylogenetic tree was constructed to assess genetic relationships among sapovirus strains. Results: The overall sapovirus positivity rate from 2017 to 2023 was 2.2%, with an increasing trend in summer and autumn, except during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in 2020 and 2021, when sapovirus was rarely detected. Positivity markedly increased in the summer and autumn of 2022 and 2023 following the COVID-19 pandemic. The predominant genotypes in 2022 were GI.1 and GII.3. Phylogenetic analysis revealed genetic diversity among circulating strains. Conclusions This study highlights the rising incidence of sapovirus in Korea, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite focusing on genotyping data from a single year, these findings emphasize the need for ongoing surveillance to monitor sapovirus evolution and its public health impact. Additionally, our findings provide essential baseline data for future research into the epidemiology and genetics of sapovirus.

Background: The Korean Occupational Stress Scale (KOSS) was developed in 2004. During this time, industrial structures have evolved, and societal awareness of occupational stress has changed. This study aims to develop and validate a revised version of the Korean Occupational Stress Scale (KOSS®19), tailored for workers, reflecting these changes. Methods: The KOSS®19 was developed based on the 26-item KOSS–short form (SF) through a review by eight experts. A survey was conducted including 359 service industry workers, comprising the KOSS®19, Burnout, and Depression scales. The KOSS®19 subscales were restructured, and their reliability and validity were evaluated. Results: The KOSS®19 composed of eight subscales: hazardous physical environment (2 items), high job demand (3 items), insufficient job control (2 items), low social support (2 items), job insecurity (2 items), organizational injustice (4 items), lack of reward (2 items), and work-life imbalance (2 items). The reliability and validity of the KOSS®19 were found to be satisfactory. Conclusions The KOSS®19 is a suitable tool for assessing occupational stress, effectively replacing the original KOSS and KOSS-SF.

Background: Emotional labor refers to the management of emotions and expressions to meet the emotional requirements of a job role. This study aimed to develop a revised version of the Korean Emotional Labor Scale (KELS®11), based on the first edition (KELS-24) introduced in 2014, and to provide practical applications and guidelines for its use in the Korean workplace through a validation process. Methods: The revised version of KELS®11 was derived from the 24-item KELS, following a review process involving eight experts. To validate the scale’s reliability and validity, a self-administered survey was conducted among 359 service industry workers using KELS®11, burnout, and depression scales. KELS®11 was reclassified, and its reliability and validity were evaluated. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was conducted to establish sex-specific cutoff values (normal vs. high-risk groups). Results: KELS®11 was designed to account for individual, organizational, and cultural contexts. It consists of four subscales and 11 items: “emotional regulation” (2 items), “emotional dissonance” (3 items), “organizational monitoring” (2 items), and “organizational protective system for emotional labor” (4 items). KELS®11 demonstrated good validity (content validity ratio: 0.84; item convergence/discriminant validity success rates: 100%; correlation with burnout: r = 0.185–0.436, p < 0.01; correlation with depression: r = 0.128–0.339, p < 0.05) and reliability (Cronbach’s alpha: 0.597–0.795). Additionally, sex-specific reference values were established to determine risk groups based on the intensity of emotional labor exposure. Conclusions KELS®11 is a validated and reliable measurement tool designed to assess the intensity and magnitude of emotional labor in the workplace. The revised tool reflects critical considerations in the development of emotional labor measurement scales.

Background: Workplace violence refers to any act or threat of physical violence, verbal abuse, harassment, intimidation, bullying, mobbing, or other aggressive and disruptive behaviors that occur at work. This study aims to develop and validate a revision of the Korean Workplace Violence Scale (KWVS®13), based on the first edition of the Korean Workplace Violence Scale (KWVS-24), and to provide practical applications and guidelines for the Korean workplace environment. Methods: The revised KWVS®13 was developed by restructuring the 24-item KWVS through a review process involving eight experts. To validate the reliability and validity of KWVS®13, a self-administered survey comprising KWVS®13, burnout, and depression scales was conducted among 359 service industry workers. KWVS®13 was reclassified, and its reliability and validity were assessed. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to establish sex-specific cutoff values (normal vs. risk) of the scale. Results: KWVS®13 consists of 13 items across four subscales: “psychological and sexual violence from customers” (4 items), “psychological and sexual violence from supervisors or coworkers” (4 items), “physical assault from customers, supervisors, or coworkers” (2 items), and “organizational protective system for workplace violence” (3 items). We found that KWVS®13 shows relatively good validity (content validity ratio for content validity: 0.888; success rate of item convergent and discriminant validity: 100%, and significant correlation coefficient with burnout (r = 0.115–0.83, p < 0.05) and depression (r = 0.098–0.348, p < 0.05) with the exception of Organizational Violence Protection System for Workplace Violence) and reliability (Cronbach’s alpha: 0.827–0.860). The reference values for determining risk groups according to the intensity of exposure to workplace violence are presented separately by sex. Conclusions KWVS®13 is a robust and useful measurement tool to objectively and quantitatively assess the intensity and magnitude of workplace violence. It incorporates important considerations for workplace violence assessment and provides a reliable framework for evaluating workplace violence in various professional settings.

A comprehensive list of occupational diseases among farmers is crucial for both compensation and prevention efforts. In Korea, most farmers are self-employed, and some occupational diseases are compensated through farmer safety insurance. However, it is not harmonized with industrial accident compensation insurance and does not adequately reflect the true burden of occupational diseases among farmers. To address this gap, the authors compiled a list of occupational diseases tailored to Korean farmers by reviewing the International Labor Organization’s list of occupational diseases, the Korean Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance List, the occupational disease lists of other countries, and relevant literature on farmers’ work-related diseases.

Purpose: Since 1995, the Korean Gastric Cancer Association (KGCA) has been periodically conducting nationwide surveys on patients with surgically treated gastric cancer. This study details the results of the survey conducted in 2023. Materials and Methods: The survey was conducted from March to December 2024 using a standardized case report form. Data were collected on 86 items, including patient demographics, tumor characteristics, surgical procedures, and surgical outcomes. The results of the 2023 survey were compared with those of previous surveys. Results: Data from 12,751 cases were collected from 66 institutions. The mean patient age was 64.6 years, and the proportion of patients aged ≥71 years increased from 9.1% in 1995 to 31.7% in 2023. The proportion of upper-third tumors slightly decreased to 16.8% compared to 20.9% in 2019. Early gastric cancer accounted for 63.1% of cases in 2023.Regarding operative procedures, a totally laparoscopic approach was most frequently applied (63.2%) in 2023, while robotic gastrectomy steadily increased to 9.5% from 2.1% in 2014.The most common anastomotic method was the Billroth II procedure (48.8%) after distal gastrectomy and double-tract reconstruction (51.9%) after proximal gastrectomy in 2023.However, the proportion of esophago-gastrostomy with anti-reflux procedures increased to 30.9%. The rates of post-operative mortality and overall complications were 1.0% and 15.3%, respectively. Conclusions The results of the 2023 nationwide survey demonstrate the current status of gastric cancer treatment in Korea. This information will provide a basis for future gastric cancer research.

Purpose: To assess the effectiveness of the prostate health index (PHI) in patients with no index lesions on multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) or with negative findings on past prostate biopsy if there was an index lesion on mpMRI. Materials and Methods: Patients without an index lesion on MRI or with a negative result on combined biopsy for index lesions were assessed. Patients who underwent transperineal mapping biopsy among those suspected of having prostate cancer (PCa) due to persistently elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels were analyzed. Results: Of the 291 patients, 82 (28.2%) were diagnosed with PCa. Sixty-five of 291 patients had negative finding in previous combined biopsy. In total, 226 patients did not have any index lesions. The mean age of the PCa group was 64.33±8.88 years and that of the non-cancer group was 59.88±10.26 years (p<0.001). The PHI was 46.75±28.22 in the PCa group and 37.74±17.37 in the noncancer group (p=0.001), and the prostate volume was 41.52±15.77 mL in the PCa group and 50.78±23.97 mL in the non-cancer group (p=0.001). In multivariate analysis, age (odds ratio [OR] 1.096, p<0.001), PHI (OR 1.021, p=0.005), and prostate volume (OR 0.954, p<0.001) were identified as significant factors for PCa detection. The optimal cutoff value of the PHI for PCa detection was 44.6 and the PHI density (PHID) was 0.88. Conclusions In patients with elevated PSA levels but no index lesions on mpMRI or negative biopsy findings, PHI and PHID demonstrated significant potential for improving PCa detection.

Background/Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the performance of the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) 3.0 for predicting mortality and liver-related complications compared with the Child-Pugh classification, albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) grade, the MELD, and the MELD sodium (MELDNa) score. Methods: We evaluated a multicenter retrospective cohort of incorporated patients with cirrhosis between 2013 and 2019. We conducted comparisons of the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of the MELD3.0 and other models for predicting 3-month mortality. Additionally, we assessed the risk of cirrhosis-related complications according to the MELD3.0 score. Results: A total of 3,314 patients were included. The mean age was 55.9±11.3 years, and 70.2% of the patients were male. Within the initial 3 months, 220 patients (6.6%) died, and the MELD3.0had the best predictive performance among the tested models, with an AUROC of 0.851, outperforming the Child-Pugh classification, ALBI grade, MELD, and MELDNa. A high MELD3.0score was associated with an increased risk of mortality. Compared with that of the group with a MELD3.0 score <10 points, the adjusted hazard ratio of the group with a score of 10–20 pointswas 2.176, and that for the group with a score of ≥20 points was 4.892. Each 1-point increase inthe MELD3.0 score increased the risk of cirrhosis-related complications by 1.033-fold. The risk of hepatorenal syndrome showed the highest increase, with an adjusted hazard ratio of 1.149, followed by hepatic encephalopathy and ascites. Conclusions The MELD3.0 demonstrated robust prognostic performance in predicting mortality in patients with cirrhosis. Moreover, the MELD3.0 score was linked to cirrhosis-related complications, particularly those involving kidney function, such as hepatorenal syndrome and ascites.