Scopulariopsis brevicaulis is a widely distributed soil fungus known as a common saprotroph of biodegradation. It is also an opportunistic human pathogen that can produce various secondary metabolites. Here, we report the first complete mitochondrial genome sequence of S. brevicaulis isolated from air in South Korea. Total length of the mitochondrial genome is 28,829 bp and encoded 42 genes (15 protein-coding genes, 2 rRNAs, and 25 tRNAs). Nucleotide sequence of coding region takes over 26.2%, and overall GC content is 27.6%. Phylogenetic trees present that S. brevicaulis is clustered with Lomentospora prolificans with presenting various mitochondrial genome length.

Scopulariopsis brevicaulis is a widely distributed soil fungus known as a common saprotroph of biodegradation. It is also an opportunistic human pathogen that can produce various secondary metabolites. Here, we report the first complete mitochondrial genome sequence of S. brevicaulis isolated from air in South Korea. Total length of the mitochondrial genome is 28,829 bp and encoded 42 genes (15 protein-coding genes, 2 rRNAs, and 25 tRNAs). Nucleotide sequence of coding region takes over 26.2%, and overall GC content is 27.6%. Phylogenetic trees present that S. brevicaulis is clustered with Lomentospora prolificans with presenting various mitochondrial genome length.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the usefulness and necessity of an emergency medical service director program for board certified emergency physicians. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of records of direct medical advice provided by board certified emergency physicians in the Busan area from April 1, 2011 to July 11, 2011 was conducted. The medical and legal validity of the medical direction was evaluated by two independent emergency physicians with experience and certification in the field of medical control. RESULTS: Fifteen emergency physicians provided direct medical control during the study period. Five of them were certified as an emergency medical service (EMS) director by the Korean council of EMS physicians (KCEMSP), and the other 10 were not. An analysis of 992 cases of direct medical direction was performed. No differences in the diagnostic appropriateness and medical validity of medical advice were observed between the two groups. A significant difference was observed in legal validity (p=0.048). However, in multivariate analysis, experience as a certified emergency physician was a significant factor determining legal validity (p=0.02), while certification by the KCEMSP was not significant. CONCLUSION: The current EMS director certification program did not have a significant influence on the appropriateness of direct medical direction. EMS director courses and emergency medicine residency programs are in need of improvement in the legal aspect of prehospital emergency service.
Certification ; Emergencies ; Emergency Medical Service Communication Systems ; Emergency Medical Services ; Emergency Medicine ; Humans ; Internship and Residency ; Jurisprudence ; Multivariate Analysis ; Physician Executives ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND: The treatment of choice for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA). However, not all patients are eligible for PEA, and some patients experience recurrence of pulmonary hypertension even after PEA. METHODS: Patients who underwent balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) between December 2015 and April 2017 were enrolled from the Samsung Medical Center CTEPH registry. Enrolled patients underwent right heart catheterization, echocardiography, and 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) at baseline, 4 and 24 weeks after their first BPA session. We compared clinical and hemodynamic parameters at the baseline and last BPA session. RESULTS: Fifty-two BPA sessions were performed in 15 patients, six of whom had a history of PEA. BPA resulted in improvements in World Health Organization (WHO) functional class (2.9 ± 0.8 to 1.7 ± 0.6, P = 0.002), 6MWD (387.0 ± 86.4 to 453.4 ± 64.8 m, P = 0.01), tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (14.1 ± 3.6 to 15.6 ± 4.3 mm, P = 0.03) and hemodynamics, including a decline in mean pulmonary artery pressure (41.1 ± 13.1 to 32.1 ± 9.5 mmHg, P < 0.001) and in pulmonary vascular resistance (607.4 ± 452.3 to 406.7 ± 265.4 dyne.sec.cm−5, P = 0.01) but not in cardiac index (2.94 ± 0.79 to 2.96 ± 0.93 L/min/m2, P = 0.92). Six cases of complications were recorded, including two cases of reperfusion injury. CONCLUSION: BPA might be a safe and effective treatment strategy for both inoperable CTEPH patients and patients with residual pulmonary hypertension after PEA.
Angioplasty ; Cardiac Catheterization ; Cardiac Catheters ; Echocardiography ; Endarterectomy ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; Peas ; Pulmonary Artery ; Recurrence ; Reperfusion Injury ; Vascular Resistance ; World Health Organization