Comparison of Helminth Infection among the Native Populations of the Arctic and Subarctic Areas in Western Siberia Throughout History: Parasitological Researches on Contemporary and the Archaeological Resources

The aim of this parasitological study is examining contemporary (the late 20th century) specimens of the arctic or subarctic areas in Western Siberia and comparing them with the information acquired from archaeological samples from the same area. In the contemporary specimens, we observed the parasite eggs of 3 different species: Opisthochis felineus, Ascaris lumbricoides, and Enterobius vermicularis. Meanwhile, in archaeoparasitological results of Vesakoyakha, Kikki-Akki, and Nyamboyto I burial grounds, the eggs of Diphyllobothrium and Taenia spp. were found while no nematode (soil-transmitted) eggs were observed in the same samples. In this study, we concluded helminth infection pattern among the arctic and subarctic peoples of Western Siberia throughout history as follows: the raw fish-eating tradition did not undergo radical change in the area at least since the 18th century; and A. lumbricoides or E. vermicularis did not infect the inhabitants of this area before 20th century. With respect to the Western Siberia, we caught glimpse of the parasite infection pattern prevalent therein via investigations on contemporary and archaeoparasitological specimens.

Archaeoparasitological Analysis of Samples from the Cultural Layer of Nadym Gorodok dated Back to the 14th-Late 18th Centuries

An archaeoparasitological analysis of the soil samples from Nadym Gorodok site of Western Siberia has been carried out in this study. The archaeological site was dated as the 13 to 18th century, being characterized as permafrost region ensuring good preservation of ancient parasite eggs. Parasite eggs as Opisthorchis felineus, Alaria alata, and Diphyllobothrium sp. were found in the archaeological soil samples, which made clear about the detailed aspects of Nadym Gorodok people's life. We found the Diphyllobothrium sp. eggs throughout the 14 to 18th century specimens, allowing us to presume that raw or undercooked fish might have been commonly used for the foods of Nadym Gorodok inhabitants and their dogs for at least the past 400 years. Our study on Nadym Gorodok specimens also demonstrate that there might have been migratory interactions and strong economic ties between the people and society in Western Siberia, based on archaeoparasitological results of Opisthorchis felineus in Western Siberia.

The relationship between emotional intelligence and happiness in medical students / 한국의학교육

PURPOSE: Emotional intelligence is a factor affecting the health of individuals, and happiness is another factor affecting it. Medical students' health can greatly affect a community's health due to the important role of medical students in maintaining and improving it. Accordingly, we aimed to study the relationship between emotional intelligence and happiness among the students of the Shiraz Medical School. METHODS: This study is an analytical, cross-sectional study. The target population of this study was the medical students who began studying in the medical school and the international branch of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences from September 2014 to September 2017. The sample size was 300 students who were selected by a systematic sampling method. The instruments for collecting information in this study were Oxford Happiness Inventory and Siberia Schering's Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire. The significance level of the tests was set at 0.05. RESULTS: The mean age of 292 responded participants were 20.73 with standard deviation of ±1.81 emotional intelligence (p < 0.001), level of stress (p < 0.001), and grade (p=0.03) and type of personality (p < 0.001) can explain the changes in the happiness level and they were significant effective factors in the regression modeling. CONCLUSION: Emotional intelligence was a predictive factor for happiness in medical students. Students with higher emotional intelligence felt healthier. And happiness in extroverted students was higher than introverted ones. It is suggested that the results of this study should be confirmed with prospective studies.

Taenia sp. in human burial from Kan River, East Siberia

We present an arhaeoparasitological analysis of a unique burial from the Neftprovod II burial ground in East Siberia, which dated from the Bronze Age. Analysis of a sediment sample from the sacral region of the pelvis revealed the presence of Taenia sp. eggs. Because uncooked animal tissue is the primary source of Taenia, this indicated that the individual was likely consuming raw or undercooked meat of roe deer, red deer, or elk infected with Taenia. This finding represents the oldest case of a human infected with Taenia sp. from Eastern Siberia and Russia.

Cadmium-induced apoptosis of Siberian tiger fibroblasts via disrupted intracellular homeostasis

BACKGROUND: Heavy metals can cause great harm to Siberian tigers in the natural environment. Cadmium (Cd2+) is an environmental contaminant that affects multiple cellular processes, including cell proliferation, differentiation, and survival. It has been shown to induce apoptosis in a variety of cell types and tissues. RESULTS: We investigated the apoptotic effects of Cd2+ on Siberian tiger fibroblasts in vitro. Our research revealed the typical signs of apoptosis after Cd²+ exposure. Apoptosis was dose- (0-4.8 µM) and duration-dependent (12-48 h), and proliferation was strongly inhibited. Cd²+ increased the activity of caspase-3, -8, and -9 and disrupted calcium homeostasis by causing oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. It also increased K+ efflux and altered the mRNA levels of Bax, Bcl-2, caspase-3, caspase-8, Fas, and p53. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that Cd2+ triggers the apoptosis of Siberian tiger fibroblasts by disturbing intracellular homeostasis. These results will aid in our understanding of the effects of Cd2+ on Siberian tigers and in developing interventions to treat and prevent cadmium poisoning.

Opisthorchiasis in infant remains from the medieval Zeleniy Yar burial ground of XII-XIII centuries AD

We present a paleoparasitological analysis of the medieval Zeleniy Yar burial ground of the XII-XII centuries AD located in the northern part of Western Siberia. Parasite eggs, identified as eggs of Opisthorchis felineus, were found in the samples from the pelvic area of a one year old infant buried at the site. Presence of these eggs in the soil samples from the infant’s abdomen suggests that he/she was infected with opisthorchiasis and imply consumption of undercooked fish. Ethnographic records collected among the population of the northern part of Western Siberia reveal numerous cases of feeding raw fish to their children. Zeleniy Yar case of opisthorchiasis suggests that this dietary custom has persisted from at least medieval times.

Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome: Historical Aspects / 의사학

A mysterious disease was first reported from Korea when it had been observed during late spring 1951 in UN Forces operating in the central area close to the 38th parallel. The disease showed distinctive features which included high fever, low blood pressure, hemorrhagic tendency and acute renal failure. Historically it was apparently a similar disease to a clinical entity designated as Epidemic hemorrhagic fever in Manchuria or Hemorrhagic nephrosonephritis in Far Eastern Russia. After Lee Ho-Wang succeeded in demonstrating Hantaan virus which caused hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), many studies has revealed various biological and epidemiological aspects of the disease. But the origin of the disease in Korea still remains unknown. This article tests some hypotheses which explain the origin of the disease and reviews the relation between the Korean War and HFRS. It is concluded that the emerging of HFRS would be closely related with the establishment of the munitions supply network in early 1951 in Chinese troop.

Introduction to Physidae (Gastropoda: Hygrophila); biogeography, classification, morphology

Physidae, a world-wide family of freshwater snails with about 80 species, are reclassified by progressive characters of the penial complex (the terminal male reproductive system): form and composition of penial sheath and preputium, proportions and structure of penis, presence or absence of penial stylet, site of pore of penial canal, and number and insertions of penial retractor muscles. Observation of these characters, many not recognized previously, has been possible only by the technique used in anesthetizing, fixing, and preserving. These progressive characters are the principal basis of 23 genera, four grades and four clades within the family. The two established subfamilies are divided into seven new tribes including 11 new genera, with diagnoses and lists of species referred to each. Proposed as new are: in Aplexinae, Austrinautini, with Austrinauta g.n. and Caribnautu harryi g.n., nom.nov.; Aplexini; Amecanautini with Amecanauta jaliscoensis g.n., sp.n., Mexinauta g.n., and Mayabina g.n., with M. petenensis, polita, sanctijohannis, tempisquensis spp.nn., Tropinauta sinusdulcensis g.n., sp.n.; and Stenophysini, with Stenophysa spathidophallus sp.n.; in Physinae, Haitiini, with Haitia moreleti sp.n.; Physini, with Laurentiphysa chippevarum g.n., sp.n., Physa mirollii nom.nou.; and Physellini, with Chiapaphysa g.n., and C. grijalvae, C. pacifica spp.nn., Utahphysa g.n., Archiphysa g.n., with A. ashmuni, A. sonomae spp.nn., Physella hemphilli sp.n., and Ultraphysella sinaloae g.n., sp.n. The simplest reproductive system is found in Austrinauta of the Aplexinae; its penial complex approaches that in the related family Lymnaeidae. Within Physinae a close approximation is found in Haitia. By these two genera the two subfamilies are drawn close together. Four grades of progressive complexity are recognized: (I) penial sheath entirely muscular; (II) penial sheath with both glandular and muscular tissue; (III) penis with penial stylet or other specialization...

A Case of Ulceroglandular Tularemia Occurred In Korea / 한국역학회지

Tularemia is a zoonosis caused by Francisella tularensis. It is primarily a disease of wild animals. Human infection is incidental and usually results from interaction with biting or blood-sucking insect, wild or domestic animals or the environment. It is common in United States. An increasing number of cases have been reported from the Scandinavian countries, eastern Europe, Siberia, and Japan. But In Korea it has not been reported. A 40-year old male visited the department of Surgery on Jan 13, 1997 complaining multiple swollen lymph-nodes on his axillae and upper right arm for about ten days. On Dec 25, 1996, he found a dead wild rabbit at mountainside nearby, cooked it himself and ate it with his friends. He informed us that he got light injury on both hands while he was walking on the mountainside. On Dec 28, he started to suffer from high fever, fatigue and loss of appetite lasting for a day. After medication at a local clinic for several day, symptoms were somewhat relieved. A week later(Jan 4, 1997), several erythematous lesions developed on his both hands, which left ulcerations on the skin. Both axillary lymph nodes were swollen at both sides, but not tender. He visited the department of surgery on Jan 13 and he admitted on Jan 15. During hospitalization, the lymph nodes were surgically removed from both axillae and upper left arm. On microbiologic examination, small aerobic gram negative coccobacilli were grown on the chocolate agar plate in aerobic condition with 5% CO2 at 37 degrees centigrade. On Feb 10, fine needle aspiration from the liver abscess was done, drawing 3 ml of yellowish thick pustular material, but the microorganism was not isolated at the smear and culture of this material in the same condition as described above. After admission, he was treated with antibiotics(cefazole and marocin). His general conditions and laboratory results, including liver function, were markedly improved. He was discharged on Feb 12 and appears well on subsequent follow-ups. The microorganism and lymph nodes were sent to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States for further evaluation. A twostep indirect immunoalkaline phosphatase technique using an anti-F. tularensis antibody was performed on the lyph nodes having a positive reaction. The immunohistochemical stain demonstrated intense positivity in the stellate abscesses and fine granular reaction in some of the vessels in the paracortical region. Also F. tularensis was identified in the agar plug by culture morphology and immunofluorescence antibody test. We report a case of F. tularensis in Korea for the first time. Further studies were recommened for epidemiological characteristics and prevention of the disease.