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 aim of this study was to compare the toxicologic profiles and outcome of poisoned patients by comparing the data obtained through telephone counselling, each provided by emergency medical information center (1339) and emergency dispatch center (119). METHODS: We analyzed the telephone-based poison exposure data before and after Seoul 1339 merged to 119. We compared the Seoul 1339 call response data in 2008 with Seoul and Busan 119 call response data between 2014 and 2016. We analyzed the changes in the trend and quality of data obtained, as well as the quality of service provided by each center before and after this reallocation, by comparing the data each obtained through telephone counselling. RESULTS: The data was collected for a total of 2260 toxin exposure related calls made to Seoul 1339 in 2009, and 1657 calls to 119 in Seoul and Busan between 2014 and 2016. Significant difference was observed for age, sex, and reason for exposure to toxic substance between the two groups. CONCLUSION: After the integration of 1339 with 119, 119 focused on role of field dispatch and hospital transfer, lacking the consulting on drug poisoning. Moreover, data on exposure to toxic substances at the pre-hospital stage indicate that drug information and counseling are missing or unknown. In addition, first aid or follow-up instructions are not provided. Thus, systematic approach and management are required.
Busan ; Counseling ; Emergencies ; First Aid ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Information Centers ; Poisoning ; Seoul ; Telephone*

PURPOSE: Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) accounts for approximately 15% of all-cause mortality in the US and 50% of all cardiovascular mortalities in developed countries; 10% of cases have an underlying structural cardiac abnormality. An echocardiography has widely been used to evaluate cardiac abnormality, but it needs to be performed by emergency physicians available in the emergency department immediately after death, rather than by cardiologists. We aimed to determine whether post-mortem echocardiography (PME) performed in the emergency department may reveal such abnormalities. METHODS: We evaluated the reliability and validity of PME performed by emergency physicians in the emergency department. Measurement by a cardiologist was used as reference. RESULTS: Two emergency physicians performed PME on 3 out of the 4 included patients who died after unsuccessful cardiopulmonary resuscitation. PME was started within 10 minutes of death, and it took 10 minutes to complete. Parasternal views in either supine or left decubitus position were most helpful. The adequacy of the image was rated good to fair, and that of measurements was acceptable to borderline. Regarding the chamber size and left ventricular wall thickness, intraclass correlation coefficients for reliability and validity were 0.97 (n=15) and 0.95 (n=35), respectively (p<0.001). Evaluation of presence/absence of left ventricular wall thinning, valve calcification, and pericardial effusion was incomplete (3/7-5/7), precluding further analysis. CONCLUSION: Emergency physicians could perform reliable and valid PME to assess the chamber size and left ventricular wall thickness. A large prospective study with collaboration between emergency physicians and cardiologists would reveal the feasibility and usefulness of PME in diagnosing structural causes of sudden cardiac arrest.
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation ; Cooperative Behavior ; Death, Sudden, Cardiac* ; Developed Countries ; Echocardiography* ; Emergencies* ; Emergency Service, Hospital* ; Heart Arrest ; Humans ; Mortality ; Pericardial Effusion ; Prospective Studies ; Reproducibility of Results

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical characteristics, therapeutic interventions, and outcomes of patients with septic shock admitted to the emergency department (ED). METHODS: This study was a preliminary, descriptive analysis of a prospective, multi-center, observational registry of the EDs of 10 hospitals participating in the Korean Shock Society. Patients aged 19 years or older who had a suspected or confirmed infection and evidence of refractory hypotension or hypoperfusion were included. RESULTS: A total of 468 patients were enrolled (median age, 71.3 years; male, 55.1%; refractory hypotension, 82.9%; hyperlactatemia without hypotension, 17.1%). Respiratory infection was the most common source of infection (31.0%). The median Sepsis-related Organ Failure Assessment score was 7.5. The sepsis bundle compliance was 91.2% for lactate measurement, 70.3% for blood culture, 68.4% for antibiotic administration, 80.3% for fluid resuscitation, 97.8% for vasopressor application, 68.0% for central venous pressure measurement, 22.0% for central venous oxygen saturation measurement, and 59.2% for repeated lactate measurement. Among patients who underwent interventions for source control (n=117, 25.1%), 43 (36.8%) received interventions within 12 hours of ED arrival. The in-hospital, 28-day, and 90-day mortality rates were 22.9%, 21.8%, and 27.1%, respectively. The median ED and hospital lengths of stay were 6.8 hours and 12 days, respectively. CONCLUSION: This preliminary report revealed a mortality of over 20% in patients with septic shock, which suggests that there are areas for improvement in terms of the quality of initial resuscitation and outcomes of septic shock patients in the ED.
Central Venous Pressure ; Compliance ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Humans ; Hyperlactatemia ; Hypotension ; Lactic Acid ; Male ; Mortality ; Oxygen ; Patient Care Bundles ; Prospective Studies ; Resuscitation ; Sepsis ; Shock* ; Shock, Septic*

Many aspergilli that belongs to ascomycetes have sexuality. In a homothallic or self-fertile fungus, a number of fruiting bodies or cleistothecia are formed in a thallus grown from a single haploid conidia or ascospores. Genome-sequencing project revealed that two mating genes (MAT) encoding the regulatory proteins that are necessary for controlling partner recognition in heterothallic fungi were conserved in most aspergilli. The MAT gene products in some self-fertile species were not required for recognition of mating partner at pheromone-signaling stage but required at later stages of sexual development. Various environmental factors such as nutritional status, culture conditions and several stresses, influence the decision or progression of sexual reproduction. A large number of genes are expected to be involved in sexual development of Emericella nidulans (anamorph: Aspergillus nidulans), a genetic and biological model organism in aspergilli. The sexual development process can be grouped into several development stages, including the decision of sexual reproductive cycle, mating process, growth of fruiting body, karyogamy followed by meiosis, and sporulation process. Complicated regulatory networks, such as signal transduction pathways and gene expression controls, may work in each stage and stage-to-stage linkages. In this review, the components joining in the regulatory pathways of sexual development, although they constitute only a small part of the whole regulatory networks, are briefly mentioned. Some of them control sexual development positively and some do negatively. Regarding the difficulties for studying sexual differentiation compare to asexual one, recent progresses in molecular genetics of E. nidulans enlarge the boundaries of understanding sexual development in the non-fertile species as well as in fertile fungi.
Ascomycota ; Aspergillus ; Emericella ; Fruit ; Fungi ; Gene Expression ; Haploidy ; Meiosis ; Models, Biological ; Molecular Biology ; Nutritional Status ; Proteins ; Reproduction ; Sex Differentiation ; Sexual Development ; Sexuality ; Signal Transduction ; Spores, Fungal

PURPOSE: This study evaluated the effectiveness of a low-heat treated intercalary autograft reconstruction in primary malignant bone tumors mainly involving the diaphysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty patients who had primary malignant bone tumors underwent a low-heat treated intercalary autograft reconstruction between May 1987 and May 2004. The mean age was 24 years, and the mean follow up was 59.8 months. Osteosynthesis between host bone and low-heat treated autograft was carried out using plates and screws (n=7), rigid IM nails (n=6), plates and flexible IM nails or K-wires (n=4), and rigid IM nail and plate (n=3). Intramedullary cement augmentation was performed in 10 patients but the primary bone graft on the host-graft junction was not performed. RESULTS: The mean segmental excised bone length was 152 mm. One patient died from acute cardiac arrest unrelated to the tumor but there was no local recurrence and metastasis. Host graft union was achieved in 18 patients after a mean of 8.5 months after surgery. Complications were observed in 7 patients (35%), including 3 fractures, 2 nonunions, and 2 infections. The mean functional outcome was 82% (24.6). CONCLUSION: A low-heat treated intercalary autograft is a simple, economic and best fitting reconstruction system with a low rate of ultimate failure in carefully selected patients. However, a long term study will be needed to evaluate the graft incorporation and possibility of bone resorption.
Autografts* ; Bone Resorption ; Diaphyses ; Extremities* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart Arrest ; Humans ; Limb Salvage* ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Recurrence ; Transplants

In the present study we first report in Korea the identification and characterization of Fusarium oxysporum isolated from rotten stems and roots of paprika (Capsicum annuum var. grossum) at Masan, Kyungsangnamdo in 2006. The fungal species produced white aerial mycelia accompanying with dark violet pigment on PDA. The optimal temperature and pH for the growth of the species was 25degrees C and pH 7, respectively. Microscopic observation of one of isolates of the species shows that its conidiophores are unbranched and monophialides, its microconidia have oval-ellipsoidal shape with no septate and are of 3.0~11 x 1.5~3.5 microm sizes, its macroconidia are of 15~20 x 2.0~3.5 microm sizes and have slightly curved or slender shape with 2~3 septate. The results of molecular analysis show that the ITS rDNA of F. oxysporum from paprika shares 100% sequence identity with that of known F. oxysporum isolates. The identified species proved it's pathogenicity by causing rotting symptom when it was inoculated on paprika fruits. The growth of F. oxysporum from paprika was suppressed on PDA by agrochemicals such as benomyl, tebuconazole and azoxystrobin. The identified species has the ability of producing extracelluar enzymes that degrade cellobiose and pectin.
Agrochemicals ; Benomyl ; Capsicum* ; Cellobiose ; DNA, Ribosomal ; Fruit ; Fusarium* ; Gyeongsangnam-do ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Korea* ; Viola ; Virulence

PURPOSE: This study evaluated the oncological and functional results of a surgical treatment for malignant pelvic bone tumors using a low-heat-treated autologous bone graft. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eleven patients with malignant pelvic bone tumors who were followed-up for more than one year were enrolled in this study. There were six males and five females. The mean age was forty-one years and the mean follow-up period was thirty months. Nine patients had primary bone tumors and two patients had metastatic tumors with various histological origins. A surgical resection was carried out according to the anatomic location (Type I/II 3 cases, Type II 2 cases, Type II/III 6 cases). The surgical methods used were a wide resection, a low-heat-treated autologous bone graft, total hip arthroplasty and rigid internal fixation. The ISOLS score was used to determine the oncological outcome. RESULTS: The mean ISOLS score was 61.2% at the final follow-up. The index of pain and emotional acceptance showed high scores, but functional ability, support, walking ability and gait showed relatively low scores. Bone union was achieved at a mean post-operative 6 months. The post-operative complications were one case of a local recurrence, two cases of infection and one case of a dislocation of the total hip arthroplasty. CONCLUSION: A wide resection and reconstruction with a low-heat-treated autologous bone graft in malignant pelvic bone tumors were satisfactory oncologically as well as functionally in the brief period. However, a longer follow-up and an examination of more cases will be needed.
Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip ; Dislocations ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gait ; Hot Temperature* ; Humans ; Male ; Pelvic Bones* ; Recurrence ; Replantation* ; Transplants ; Walking

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the morphologic changes within 24 hours after a single gamma-irradiation in the rat brain. METHODS: Forty Sprague-Dawley rats were used. After a burr hole trephination on right parietal area, cerebral hemisphere was irradiated with 2Gy and 5Gy using iridium-192(192Ir), respectively. The effect was assessed at 4, 8, 12 and 24 hours after irradiation. The histological changes were scored following the detection of edema or disarray severity. TUNEL-positive cells exhibiting apoptotic morphology were counted in irradiated region. RESULTS: Cortical edema and disarray were initially showed at 4 or 8hour and almost all defined at 24hour after irradiation. And the injury was wedge shape. TUNEL-positive cells were minimal at 8hour after irradiation as the number of positive cells were 2.6+/-5.27(n=5) after 2Gy, and 0.8+/-0.84(n=5) after 5Gy. But, the number of apoptotic cells were increased markedly to 60+/-6.24 at 12hour after 2Gy and to 104+/-19.7 at 24hour after 5Gy. CONCLUSION: There were prominent morphologic changes immediately after gamma-irradiation. And, apoptosis was increased according to the time period. These findings implicate that brain irradiation induces rapid apoptotic change, which may play an important role in the pathogenesis of radiation-induced pathologic conditions.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Brain* ; Cerebral Cortex* ; Cerebrum ; Cranial Irradiation ; Edema ; Rabeprazole ; Radiation Effects* ; Radiation Injuries ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Trephining