Draft Genome Sequence of Xylaria grammica EL000614, a Strain Producing Grammicin, a Potent Nematicidal Compound

An endolichenic fungus, Xylaria grammica strain EL000614, showed strong nematicidal effects against plant pathogenic nematode, Meloidogyne incognita by producing grammicin.We report genome assembly of X. grammica EL000614 comprised of 25 scaffolds with a total length of 54.73 Mb, N50 of 4.60 Mb, and 99.8% of BUSCO completeness. GC contents of this genome were 44.02%. Gene families associated with biosynthesis of secondary metabolites or regulatory proteins were identified out of 13,730 gene models predicted.

Draft Genome Sequence of Xylaria grammica EL000614, a Strain Producing Grammicin, a Potent Nematicidal Compound

An endolichenic fungus,Xylaria grammica strain EL000614, showed strong nematicidal effects against plant pathogenic nematode, Meloidogyne incognita by producing grammicin. We report genome assembly of X. grammica EL000614 comprised of 25 scaffolds with a total length of 54.73 Mb, N50 of 4.60 Mb, and 99.8% of BUSCO completeness. GC contents of this genome were 44.02%. Gene families associated with biosynthesis of secondary metabolites or regulatory proteins were identified out of 13,730 gene models predicted.

Draft Genome Sequence of Xylaria grammica EL000614, a Strain Producing Grammicin, a Potent Nematicidal Compound

An endolichenic fungus, Xylaria grammica strain EL000614, showed strong nematicidal effects against plant pathogenic nematode, Meloidogyne incognita by producing grammicin.We report genome assembly of X. grammica EL000614 comprised of 25 scaffolds with a total length of 54.73 Mb, N50 of 4.60 Mb, and 99.8% of BUSCO completeness. GC contents of this genome were 44.02%. Gene families associated with biosynthesis of secondary metabolites or regulatory proteins were identified out of 13,730 gene models predicted.

Draft Genome Sequence of Xylaria grammica EL000614, a Strain Producing Grammicin, a Potent Nematicidal Compound

An endolichenic fungus,Xylaria grammica strain EL000614, showed strong nematicidal effects against plant pathogenic nematode, Meloidogyne incognita by producing grammicin. We report genome assembly of X. grammica EL000614 comprised of 25 scaffolds with a total length of 54.73 Mb, N50 of 4.60 Mb, and 99.8% of BUSCO completeness. GC contents of this genome were 44.02%. Gene families associated with biosynthesis of secondary metabolites or regulatory proteins were identified out of 13,730 gene models predicted.

Comparative Genomics Platform and Phylogenetic Analysis of Fungal Laccases and Multi-Copper Oxidases

Laccases (EC 1.10.3.2), a group of multi-copper oxidases (MCOs), play multiple biological functions and widely exist in many species. Fungal laccases have been extensively studied for their industrial applications, however, there was no database specially focused on fungal laccases. To provide a comparative genomics platform for fungal laccases, we have developed a comparative genomics platform for laccases and MCOs (http://laccase.riceblast.snu.ac.kr/). Based on protein domain profiles of characterized sequences, 3,571 laccases were predicted from 690 genomes including 253 fungi. The number of putative laccases and their properties exhibited dynamic distribution across the taxonomy. A total of 505 laccases from 68 genomes were selected and subjected to phylogenetic analysis. As a result, four clades comprised of nine subclades were phylogenetically grouped by their putative functions and analyzed at the sequence level. Our work would provide a workbench for putative laccases mainly focused on the fungal kingdom as well as a new perspective in the identification and classification of putative laccases and MCOs.

Community-Based Pre-HospitalElectrocardiogram TransmissionProgram for Reducing Systemic TimeDelay in Acute ST-Segment ElevationMyocardial Infarction

Background and Objectives@#In acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI),on-site transmission of electrocardiogram (ECG) has been shown to reduce systemic timedelay to reperfusion and improve outcomes. However, it has not been adopted in communitybasedemergency transport system in Korea. @*Methods@#Busan Regional Cardio-cerebrovascular Center and Busan Metropolitan City Fireand Safety Headquarters (BMFSH) jointly developed and conducted a pre-hospital ECGtransmission program. Seven tertiary hospitals and 22 safety stations of BMFSH participated.Systemic time delay to reperfusion of STEMI patients in the program was compared with thatof 95 patients transported by 119 emergency medical system (EMS) before the program wasimplemented. @*Results@#During the study period, 289 ECG transmissions were made by 119 EMS personnel,executed within 5 minutes in 88.1% of cases. Of these, 42 ECGs were interpreted as STsegmentelevation. Final diagnosis of STEMI was made in 20 patients who underwent primarypercutaneous coronary intervention. With the program, systemic time delay to reperfusion wassignificantly reduced (median [interquartile range; IQR], 76.0 [62.2–98.7] vs. 90.0 [75.0–112.0],p<0.01). Significant reduction of door-to-balloon time was also observed (median [IQR], 45.0[34.0–69.5] vs. 58.0 [51.0–68.0], p=0.03). The proportion of patients with systemic time delayshorter than 90 minutes rose (51.6% vs. 75.0%, p=0.08) with pre-hospital ECG transmission. @*Conclusions@#We developed and implemented a community-based pre-hospital ECG transmission program for expeditious triage of STEMI patients. Significant reductions ofsystemic time delay and door-to-balloon time were observed. The expanded use of prehospitalECG transmission should be encouraged to realize the full potential of this program.

Measurement of Socioeconomic Position in Research on Cardiovascular Health Disparities in Korea: A Systematic Review / 예방의학회지

OBJECTIVES: The validity of instruments measuring socioeconomic position (SEP) has been a major area of concern in research on cardiovascular health disparities. The purpose of this systematic review is to identify the current status of the methods used to measure SEP in research on cardiovascular health disparities in Korea and to provide directions for future research. METHODS: Relevant articles were obtained through electronic database searches with manual searches of reference lists and no restriction on the date of publication. SEP indicators were categorized into compositional, contextual, composite, and life-course measures. RESULTS: Forty-eight studies published from 2003 to 2018 satisfied the review criteria. Studies utilizing compositional measures mainly relied on a limited number of SEP parameters. In addition, these measures hardly addressed the time-varying and subjective features of SEP. Finding valid contextual measures at the organizational, community, and societal levels that are appropriate to Korea’s context remains a challenge, and these are rarely modeled simultaneously. Studies have rarely focused on composite and life-course measures. CONCLUSIONS: Future studies should develop and utilize valid compositional and contextual measures and appraise social patterns that vary across time, place, and culture using such measures. Studies should also consider multilevel influences, adding a focus on the interactions between different levels of intertwined SEP factors to advance the design of research. More attention should be given to composite and life-course measures.

Measurement of Socioeconomic Position in Research on Cardiovascular Health Disparities in Korea: A Systematic Review / 예방의학회지

OBJECTIVES@#The validity of instruments measuring socioeconomic position (SEP) has been a major area of concern in research on cardiovascular health disparities. The purpose of this systematic review is to identify the current status of the methods used to measure SEP in research on cardiovascular health disparities in Korea and to provide directions for future research.@*METHODS@#Relevant articles were obtained through electronic database searches with manual searches of reference lists and no restriction on the date of publication. SEP indicators were categorized into compositional, contextual, composite, and life-course measures.@*RESULTS@#Forty-eight studies published from 2003 to 2018 satisfied the review criteria. Studies utilizing compositional measures mainly relied on a limited number of SEP parameters. In addition, these measures hardly addressed the time-varying and subjective features of SEP. Finding valid contextual measures at the organizational, community, and societal levels that are appropriate to Korea’s context remains a challenge, and these are rarely modeled simultaneously. Studies have rarely focused on composite and life-course measures.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Future studies should develop and utilize valid compositional and contextual measures and appraise social patterns that vary across time, place, and culture using such measures. Studies should also consider multilevel influences, adding a focus on the interactions between different levels of intertwined SEP factors to advance the design of research. More attention should be given to composite and life-course measures.

Effect of Nurses' Job Stress on Job Satisfaction: Mediating Effect of Head Nurses' Emotional Leadership Perceived by Nurses / 간호행정학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the mediating effect of head nurses' emotional leadership as perceived by nurses in the relationship between nurses' job stress and job satisfaction. METHODS: Study participants were 278 staff nurses currently working at two university hospitals in Busan, Korea. SPSS/WIN 21.0 program was used for data analysis to analyze descriptive statistics, t-test, correlation, and stepwise multiple regression. The significance level was set at p<.05. RESULTS: Nurses' job satisfaction had a significant correlation with job stress (r=-.31, p<.001) and emotional leadership of nurse managers as perceived by nurses (r=.53, p<.001). Also, head nurses' emotional leadership experienced by nurses had a partial mediating effect in the relationship between nurses' job stress and job satisfaction. CONCLUSION: The results of this study show that the nurse managers' emotional leadership has an important influence on nurses' job stress and job satisfaction. Therefore, head nurses' emotional leadership is very important for effective human resource management and the hospital should offer education and training to booster head nurses' leadership by developing emotional intelligence to promote staff job satisfaction.

In Silico Sequence Analysis Reveals New Characteristics of Fungal NADPH Oxidase Genes

NADPH oxidases (Noxes), transmembrane proteins found in most eukaryotic species, generate reactive oxygen species and are thereby involved in essential biological processes. However, the fact that genes encoding ferric reductases and ferric-chelate reductases share high sequence similarities and domains with Nox genes represents a challenge for bioinformatic approaches used to identify Nox-encoding genes. Further, most studies on fungal Nox genes have focused mainly on functionality, rather than sequence properties, and consequently clear differentiation among the various Nox isoforms has not been achieved. We conducted an extensive sequence analysis to identify putative Nox genes among 34 eukaryotes, including 28 fungal genomes and one Oomycota genome. Analyses were performed with respect to phylogeny, transmembrane helices, di-histidine distance and glycosylation. Our analyses indicate that the sequence properties of fungal Nox genes are different from those of human and plant Nox genes, thus providing novel insight that will enable more accurate identification and characterization of fungal Nox genes.

Eukaryotic DNAJ/K Database: A Comprehensive Phylogenomic Analysis Platform for the DNAJ/K Family

Proteins in DNAJ/K families are ubiquitous, from prokaryotes to eukaryotes, and function as molecular chaperones. For systematic phylogenomics of the DNAJ/K families, we developed the Eukaryotic DNAJ/K Database (EDD). A total of 12,908 DNAJs and 4,886 DNAKs were identified from 339 eukaryotic genomes in the EDD. Kingdom-wide comparison of DNAJ/K families provides new insights on the evolutionary relationship within these families. Empowered by 'class', 'cluster', and 'taxonomy' browsers and the 'favorite' function, the EDD provides a versatile platform for comparative genomic analyses of DNAJ/K families.

Promotion of periodontal health through professional toothbrushing and education on the use of the interdental brush in the elderly / 대한구강보건학회지

OBJECTIVES: This study is intended to evaluate the effects of promotion of periodontal health in the elderly, through professional toothbrushing and education on the use of the interdental brush, using the Gingival Bleeding Index and the Patient Hygiene Performance Index (PHP index). METHODS: The study was conducted on 87 participants, who had given the informed consent to participate in the study at a general hospital 'B' in Busan from June to August, 2011. After assessing the general health condition and the medical history of the participants, the Watanabe toothbrushing method was used for professional toothbrushing on four different visits, along with imparting of education on the use of the interdental brush for self-management. The periodontal health of the participants was assessed based on the extent of gingival bleeding, by using the Gingival Bleeding Index, and the degree of plaque accumulation, by using the Patient Hygiene Performance Index. The data thus obtained was analyzed using Statistical Analysis Systems (SAS) (ver 9.13), followed by frequency analysis, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and the mixed effect model. RESULTS: The average gingival bleeding index was 1.65 at the commencement of the study and 1.25, 0.88, and 0.65, after the first, second and third trial, respectively. The PHP index of dental plaque was 2.90 prior to commencement of the study, 2.79, 2.77, and 2.76 after the first, second, and third trials, respectively, thus significantly improving with every successive visit. Gingival bleeding index and PHP index significantly reduced with every visit, regardless of age, smoking habits, or systemic chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, central nervous system or cardiovascular diseases. CONCLUSIONS: Education on the use of the interdental brush and professional tooth brushing promotes periodontal health, regardless of the chronic diseases seen in the elderly. Education on self-management of oral health, along with professional care at regular intervals should be recommended to effectively maintain periodontal health in the elderly.

The Prevalence of High Myopia in 19 Year-Old Men in Busan, Ulsan and Gyeongsangnam-Do / 예방의학회지

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence and correlated factors of high myopia in 19 year-old men in Southeast Korea. METHODS: This retrospective study was based on the medical checkup data of conscription during 2005. The study subjects were 19 years old men in Busan, Ulsan and Gyeongsangnam-do. The health checkup data of the conscripts consisted of noncycloplegic autorefraction test, the biometric data and social factors. To analyze the social and biometric effects, we classified the biometric factors into 4 or 5 groups and the social factors into 3 groups. High myopia was defined as a spherical equivalent of under -6.0 diopter. Data analysis was performed using the chi square test for trends and multiple logistic regression analysis. The SAS(version 9.1) program was used for all the analyses. RESULTS: The prevalence of high myopia was 12.39% (6256 / 50 508). The factors correlated with high myopia were the residence area (OR, 2.07; 95% CI, 1.77 to 2.4 for small city; OR, 2.01; 95% CI, 1.72 to 2.34 for metropolis; the reference group was rural area), academic achievement (OR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.34 to 1.53 for students of 4-and 6-year-course university; the reference group was high school graduates & under) and blood pressure (OR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.10 to 2.16 for hypertension; OR, 1.09; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.17 for prehypertension; OR, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.20 for hypotension; the reference group was normal blood pressure). CONCLUSIONS: More than one tenth of the young men were high myopia as one of the risk factor for visual loss. Further studies on high myopia and its complications are needed to improve eye health in Southeast Korea.

Soft Rot on Cucumis melo var. makuwa Caused by Rhizopus oryzae

Rhizopus oryzae is reported for the first time on Cucumis melo L. var. makuwa Makino. A detailed description of this Korean specimen is given, along with its rDNA internal transcribed spacer sequence. On the basis of mycological characteristics and molecular data, the fungus was identified as R. oryzae Went & Prinsen Geerligs.

Prevalence of Myopia in 19-Year-Old Men in Gyeongsangnam-do, Ulsan and Busan in 2002

PURPOSE: To investigate the prevalence of myopia and its influencing factors in an epidemiologic study of conscripts living in Gyeongsangnam-do, Ulsan and Busan. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 19-year-old conscripts in Gyeongsangnam-do, Ulsan and Busan. Health checkup data of the conscripts were collected and analyzed along with subjective visual acuity, noncycloplegic autorefraction test, biometric data, and social factors such as education level and residence area. Myopia and high myopia were defined as having a refractive error of more than -0.5D, -6.0D, respectively. To analyze the social and biometric effects, we classified social factors into three groups and biometric factors into five groups. The estimated myopic prevalence was calculated adding excluded conscripts who scored under 0.5 on the subjective visual acuity test and missed autorefraction data. Data analysis was performed with descriptive analysis and the chi square test for trends using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 14.0K. RESULTS: From 66,917 eligible conscripts, 50,243 were analyzed. The prevalence of myopia and high myopia in 19-year-old men in Gyeongsangnam-do, Ulsan and Busan were 45.60% (95% CI: 45.17~46.03) and 11.50% (95% CI: 11.23~11.77). The estimated myopic prevalence using 66,917 eligible conscripts was 54.31% (95% CI: 53.88~54.74). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of myopia and high myopia and the estimated prevalence of myopia in 19-year-old men in Gyeongsangnam-do, Ulsan and Busan were 45.60%, 11.50% and 54.31%, respectively.

The Association of Central Obesity with Type 2 Diabetes among Koreans according to the Serum Gamma-Glutamyltransferase Level: Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study / 예방의학회지

OBJECTIVES: This cross-sectional study was performed to examine if the serum gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) level that is within its normal range is associated with the risk of type 2 diabetes and if the association between the waist hip ratio (WHR) and type 2 diabetes is different depending on the serum GGT levels. METHODS: The study subjects were 23,436 persons aged 40 years or older and who participated in regular health check-ups at 11 hospitals (males: 5,821, females: 17,615). The gender-specific quintiles of the serum GGT and WHR were used to examine the associations with type 2 diabetes. RESULTS: The serum GGT levels within their normal range were positively associated with type 2 diabetes only in women. The adjusted odds ratios (ORs) were 1.0, 1.0, 1.4, 2.1, and 2.5 according to the quintiles of the serum GGT (p(trend)<0.01). The WHR was more strongly associated with the prevalence of diabetes among the women with a high-normal serum GGT level as compared with those with a low-normal serum GGT level (p for interaction=0.02). For example, the adjusted ORs for women with a low normal serum GGT level were 1.0, 1.2, 1.5, 2.2, and 2.4 according to the quintiles of the WHR, while those figures were 1.0, 2.4, 3.6, 5.0, and 8.3 among the women with a high normal serum GGT level. However, in men, the serum GGT was very weakly associated with type 2 diabetes and the association between the WHR and type 2 diabetes was not different depending on the serum GGT level. CONCLUSIONS: Serum GGT within its normal range was positively associated with type 2 diabetes, and central obesity was more strongly associated with the prevalence of type 2 diabetes when the serum GGT level was high-normal. However, these associations were observed only in women, which is different from the previous findings. The stronger relation between central obesity and type 2 diabetes among women with a high-normal serum GGT level can be useful for selecting a group that is at high risk for type 2 diabetes irregardless of whatever the underlying mechanism is.

Development of Village Health Worker Training Program in Tuguegarao, Phillipines / 農村醫學 地域保健

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to develop and execute the village heath worker(VHW) training program which based on short term overseas medical volunteer and medical mission. METHODS: Through case studies of previous VHW program and review articles about the state of medical volunteer and medical mission, we developed the VHW training program. Pilot test of the program was carried out in Tugeugarao city, Phillipines on July, 2008. The subject were 32 persons from 15 villages around Tuguegarao city. After training we surveyed regarding the satisfaction of training and the degree of getting knowledge and skills. RESULTS: Through article review, we got the common subjects of previous VHW training program and the limitations of overseas medical volunteer and medical mission. We developed VHW training program aiming to community health promotion through community participation and community change. The main text was "Where There Is No Doctor" of Hesperian Foundation. The program executed through 1 day intensive lecture and practice. The satisfaction of the program was 8.95+/-1.70 on 10 point rating scale. CONCLUSIONS: We strongly expect VHW training program can be available as new model of short overseas medical volunteer as well as medical mission if we could systemize it with the confirming subject before training, management after training and continuous support through connection with the field.

Functional genomics in the rice blast fungus to unravel the fungal pathogenicity / 浙江大学学报（英文版）（B辑：生物医学和生物技术）

A rapidly growing number of successful genome sequencing projects in plant pathogenic fungi greatly increase the demands for tools and methodologies to study fungal pathogenicity at genomic scale. Magnaporthe oryzae is an economically important plant pathogenic fungus whose genome is fully sequenced. Recently we have reported the development and application of functional genomics platform technologies in M. oryzae. This model approach would have many practical ramifications in design and implementation of upcoming functional genomics studies of filamentous fungi aimed at understanding fungal pathogenicity.

Antifungal Susceptibility Testing of Candida Species Using ATB FUNGUS 2 / 대한피부과학회지

BACKGROUND: Because of recently increasing reports of resistance of Candida (C.) species to antifungal agents, it is necessary to perform antifungal susceptibility testing. ATB FUNGUS 2 (bioMerieux, France) is an easy-to-perform in-vitro antifungal susceptibility test. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to investigate the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of antifungal agents against Candida species isolated from skin lesion using ATB FUNGUS 2. METHODS: Eighty two clinical isolates of Candida species (including 56 C. albicans, 14 C. parapsilosis, 7 C. guilliermondii, 5 C. glabrata) were testeding ATB FUNGUS 2. MICs against itraconazole (ICZ), fluconazole (FCZ), flucytosine (FC) and amphotericin B (AMP) were read after 24 hours incubation. RESULTS: MIC of ICZ was or =2.0microgram/ml on four strains (3 C. albicans, 1 C. glabrata) and 0.25~0.5microgram/ml on five strains (1 C. parapsilosis, 3 C. guilliermondii, 1 C. glabrata). MIC of FCZ was 128microgram/ml on 3 C. albicans and 16microgram/ml on 1 C. parapsilosis. MIC of FC was 64microgram/ml on 6 C. albicans. MIC of AMP was all (100.0%) <0.5microgram/ml. CONCLUSION: ATB FUNGUS 2 represented a simple and valuable method for antifungal susceptibility testing of Candida species.

A Case of Tinea Barbae Caused by Trichophyton mentagrophytes / 대한피부과학회지

We report a case of tinea barbae in a 51-year-old man, who presented with erythematous pustules on the upper lip, and a relatively well-defined pustular patch on his left cheek. Histopathologically, fungal hyphae were found in the hair shaft upon PAS staining. A fungal culture from scales and tissue of the lesions was grown on Sabouraud's dextrose agar and showed typical Trichophyton mentagrophytes. The patient was treated with 250 mg of terbinafine, 10 mg of prednisolone and 300 mg of roxithromycin daily for the first week, then 250 mg of terbinafine combined with topical lanoconazole for 4 weeks. The skin lesions improved 5 weeks after treatment, and recurrence has not been observed.