Korea Association of Health Promotion

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are emerging as a major public health challenge in low- to middle-income countries, including Cambodia. Although community-based health promotion programs have been emphasized to prevent these diseases, the importance of the programs is not evident among participants. We aimed to examine the participants’ experiences and perceptions of community-based health club programs in the Prek Pnov region of Cambodia. A qualitative research approach was used to assess the participants’ experiences. Thirty adult residents who had participated in such programs for 12–24 months, between 2022 and 2024, were recruited. They were stratified based on age, sex, and duration of participation, allocated evenly to six homogeneous focus groups, and interviewed on perceived program benefits and proposed improvements. Data were analyzed using a six-step thematic analysis, and a participant-informed logic model was developed to illustrate perceived pathways linking inputs, activities, outcomes, and impacts. As a result of the data analysis, five main themes were identified: (1) perceived health and psychosocial benefits, (2) improved functional capacity and self-management, (3) social and community-level impact, (4) value perception and willingness to pay, and (5) suggestions for program improvement. Participants described notable improvements in their physical and psychosocial health, including increased energy, enhanced capacity for daily work, and enhanced self-efficacy in managing their health. The program also generated positive family and peer influence and contributed to community-level behavior change. The participants valued these benefits beyond monetary terms and expressed a willingness to pay for continued participation. Finally, they proposed several program improvements, including access to indoor exercise spaces and long-term support from governmental or non-governmental organizations. The logic model demonstrated how community-based activities and peer support contributed to increased NCD awareness, improved self-efficacy for NCD self-management, sustained health behaviors, and ultimately improved perceived quality of life. Our results revealed that community-based health clubs have the potential to be effective and sustainable strategies for NCD prevention and health equity in rural Cambodia. Moreover, these health clubs can serve as effective tools for enhancing community engagement in resource-limited settings.

We have reviewed the technological, regulatory, standardization and industrial trends for wireless power transmission (WPT). On the technology front, it appears likely that high-power WPT will be integrated into major markets—such as robotics and electric vehicles—within the next decade. Long-di stance WPT could soon be coupled with sensors in smart factories. Once such technologies permeate daily life, electromagnetic-safety engineering will become the bottleneck. Only the ad vent of safe, high-power WPT will enable this future-oriented technology to be deployed across diverse industrial sectors.

Adult notocotylid flukes (Digenea: Notocotylidae) were recovered from the ceca of Pitalah ducks (Anas sp.) in Aceh Province, Indonesia. These flukes were morphologically characterized by a median ventral ridge with 2 lateral rows of ventral papillae and the absence of both a ventral sucker and pharynx, consistent with the characteristics of the genus Catatropis. They exhibited a genital pore located just posterior to the oral sucker, 10–11 pairs of ventral papillae, a deep and multi-lobed ovary and testes, a metraterm equal in length to the cirrus sac, and ceca bearing numerous diverticula; accordingly, they were identified as Catatropis indicus Srivastava, 1935. Adult specimens measured 3.01–3.77 mm (average 3.47 mm) in length and 0.98–1.21 mm (average 1.11 mm) in width (n=8). Uterine eggs measured 0.016–0.023 mm (average 0.019 mm) in length and 0.008–0.014 mm (average 0.012 mm) in width (n=20), each bearing 2 long polar filaments. These specimens resembled Catatropis vietnamensis Izrailskaia et al., 2019, and Catatropis pakistanensis Schuster and Wibbelt, 2012, sharing features such as a genital pore immediately posterior to the oral sucker and other morphological traits. However, they differed from C. vietnamensis by having a larger body, ceca with numerous diverticula, and a broader anterior distribution of vitelline follicles. They also differed from C. pakistanensis in possessing a longer esophagus and ceca with multiple diverticula. In 28S rDNA sequence analysis, our specimens showed 99.1% identity with both C. indicus and C. vietnamensis. In contrast, internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) sequence comparisons revealed only 96.0%–96.1% identity with C. vietnamensis (no GenBank data available for C. indicus), suggesting that our specimens are phylogenetically distant from C. vietnamensis. This represents the first report of C. indicus from ducks in Indonesia. A brief review of Catatropis species is provided.

A 12-year nationwide survey (2008–2019) was performed to investigate the prevalence of Enterobius vermicularis infection among preschool children in Seoul, 4 large cites (Busan, Incheon, Daegu, and Ulsan), and 9 provinces (grouped into 5 localities) in the Republic of Korea (=Korea). The survey was carried out once a year by 16 regional offices of the Korea Association of Health Promotion. The cello-tape perianal swab method (1 smear per child) was applied to detect eggs of E. vermicularis and other helminths. According to the results, the egg positive rate of E. vermicularis infection in 2008–2009 was 1.8–2.0%, but it decreased gradually to 0.6% in 2019 (P<0.05). The prevalence was significantly higher in boys (0.7–5.0%, mean 1.8%) than in girls (0.5–2.8%, mean 1.3%) (P<0.05). The 2 most southern localities, Jeju-do (Province) and Jeolla-do (inclusive of Jeollabuk-do and Jeollanam-do) and a mid-western province, Gyeonggi-do, revealed higher prevalences, whereas Seoul and Gangwon-do showed lower prevalences. The results indicate that a low-grade prevalence of E. vermicularis infection (less than 4%) has been maintained for the recent 12 years among preschool children in Korea. Continuous monitoring of enterobiasis in the child age group is necessary in Korea.

Present study was performed to know the infection status of Gnathostoma sp. larvae in swamp eels from Cambodia. We purchased total 30 Asian swamp eels, Monopterus albus, from local markets in Pursat and Takeo Provinces and Phnom Penh on May and November 2017 and May 2018. All collected eels were transferred to our laboratory with ice and each of them was examined by artificial digestion method. A total of 15 larval gnathostomes (1–5 larvae) were detected from 55.6% (5/9) swamp eels in Pursat Province. No larval gnathostomes were found in 21 swamp eels in Takeo Province and Phnom Penh. The advanced third-stage larvae (AdL3) detected were 2.575–3.825 (3.250) mm in length and 0.375–0.425 (0.386) mm in width. They had the characteristic head bulb (av. 0.104×0.218 mm) with 4 rows of hooklets, long muscular esophagus (1.048 mm), and 2 pairs of cervical sacs (0.615 mm). The number of hooklets in 4 rows on the head bulb was 41, 44, 47, and 50. In scanning electron microscopy, characteristic features were 4 rows of hooklets on the head bulb, cervical papillae, tegumental spines regularly arranged in transverse striations, and anus. The larval gnathostomes were identified as AdL3 of Gnathostoma spinigerum based on the morphological characters. By the present study, it has been confirmed that G. spinigerum larvae are infected in Asian swamp eels, M. albus, in Pursat Province, Cambodia.

ABSTRACT Disclosing research and development (R&D) information to the outside is a business strategy that can influence the growth of a focal firm and the industry to which it belongs. Voluntary R&D disclosure is intentionally carried out in accordance with the firm’s strategic goals, and is made through various disclosure methods. In this study, we analyze the signalling effects of two disclosure methods on business performance: press releases and annual reports. Press releases contain general information related to R&D, while annual reports contain the technological details of R&D. Analysing the firm-level data of 142 firms from 2014 to 2015, we find that voluntary disclosure through annual reports has a positive effect on market share and cash inflow from financing activities, and that press release disclosures exhibit a negative impact on market share. In addition, comparing the effects using elasticity reveals that the annual report is a more effective way to increase market share than a press release is.

This study compared the anthelminthic effects of three different brands of praziquantel being used in Sudan against Schistosoma haematobium (S. haematobium) infection. We enrolled 1,286 schoolchildren from six primary schools and examined their urine samples for eggs of S. haematobium at the baseline survey and follow-up two weeks after administering the medication. The schoolchildren were divided into three groups based on the three brands of praziquantel (different material production), with two school children for one brand. The overall baseline prevalence of S. haematobium infection was 15.5%. Two weeks after treatment with brands A, B, and C of praziquantel, cure rates were 87.1%, 82.4% and 83.8% respectively, and the egg-reduction rates were 69.0%, 81.0% and 70.6% respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in cure rates and egg-reduction rates between the three brands. We conclude that the three different commercial brands of praziquantel used in Sudan have similar anthelminthic effects on S. haematobium.

A serological survey was performed using ELISA to estimate the prevalence of tissue and luminal helminthic infections among hospital patients in Hanoi region, Vietnam. An overall seroprevalence of tissue and luminal helminthiases was 64.0% (95% CI 61.2–66.8) among 1,120 patients who visited Hanoi Medical University Hospital, Vietnam in 2018. The highest seroprevalence was observed against Toxocara spp. (59.0%), followed by Strongyloides stercoralis (46.3%), Gnathostoma spp. (25.5%), cysticercus (12.8%), Angiostrongylus cantonensis (10.5%), Fasciola spp. (11.1%), and Clonorchis sinensis (8.7%). Mono-infection by one species (11.1%) was lower than multiple infections (53.0%) (P<0.05). The seroprevalence in males (59.3%) was lower than in females (66.2%) but not statistically significant (P>0.05). Children (<15 years) revealed lower seroprevalence (34.0%) than adults (68.4%), and the age group 51–70 years revealed the highest seroprevalence (76.0%). Among the seropositive patients, eosinophilia (≥8.0%) was noted in 80.2%. The present results suggested active transmission of various tissue and luminal helminths among people in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Chinese edible frogs, Hoplobatrachus rugulosus, were examined to estimate the potential risks of human gnathostomiasis and sparganosis in Myanmar. A total of 20 frogs were purchased in a local market of Yangon and examined with naked eyes and the artificial digestion method after skin peeling in June 2018 and June 2019. Larvae of gnathostomes and Spirometra (=spargana) were detected in 15 (75.0%) and 15 (75.0%) frogs with average intensities of 10.5 and 6.3 larvae per infected frog, respectively. Gnathostome larvae were 2.75–3.80 (av. 3.30) mm long and 0.29–0.36 (0.33) mm wide. They had a characteristic head bulb with 4 rows of hooklets, a muscular long esophagus, and 2 pairs of cervical sac. The mean number of hooklets were 41, 44, 47, and 50 on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th row, respectively. Collected spargana were actively moving, particularly with the scolex part, and have ivory-white color and variable in size. Conclusively, it has been first confirmed that Chinese edible frogs, H. rugulosus, are highly infected with larval gnathostomes and spargana in this study. Consuming these frogs is considered a potential risk of human gnathostomiasis and sparganosis in Myanmar.

Echinostoma flukes armed with 37 collar spines on their head collar are called as 37-collar-spined Echinostoma spp. (group) or ‘Echinostoma revolutum group’. At least 56 nominal species have been described in this group. However, many of them were morphologically close to and difficult to distinguish from the other, thus synonymized with the others. However, some of the synonymies were disagreed by other researchers, and taxonomic debates have been continued. Fortunately, recent development of molecular techniques, in particular, sequencing of the mitochondrial (nad1 and cox1) and nuclear genes (ITS region; ITS1-5.8S-ITS2), has enabled us to obtain highly useful data on phylogenetic relationships of these 37-collar-spined Echinostoma spp. Thus, 16 different species are currently acknowledged to be valid worldwide, which include E. revolutum, E. bolschewense, E. caproni, E. cinetorchis, E. deserticum, E. lindoense, E. luisreyi, E. mekongi, E. miyagawai, E. nasincovae, E. novaezealandense, E. paraensei, E. paraulum, E. robustum, E. trivolvis, and Echinostoma sp. IG of Georgieva et al., 2013. The validity of the other 10 species is retained until further evaluation, including molecular analyses; E. acuticauda, E. barbosai, E. chloephagae, E. echinatum, E. jurini, E. nudicaudatum, E. parvocirrus, E. pinnicaudatum, E. ralli, and E. rodriguesi. In this review, the history of discovery and taxonomic debates on these 26 valid or validity-retained species are briefly reviewed.