Effectiveness of Cognitive Training based on Virtual Reality for the Elderly

OBJECTIVE: Virtual reality (VR) has been thought to have great usability to enhance cognitive functions. This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of a VR program which was developed to improve cognition of the elderly. METHOD: After developing a VR program, we set special input units and a large projection type monitor for the elderly. The VR program simulated 17 different house-hold tasks. Thirty elderly persons including 9 mild-dementia and 21 none-dementia were involved and were randomly divided into two groups. Fifteen were belonged to the training group and the other 15 belonged to the control group. The training group subjects underwent this VR program for 4 weeks by 3 times a week. Cognitive function change was assess by neuropsychological test scores before and after training period. RESULTS: In the training group, scores in attention and immediate and delayed auditory memory tests were improved after training. However the control group didn't show any changes. And most subjects of the training group enjoyed this program. CONCLUSION: VR based cognitive training is a useful method to enhance cognitive functions for the elderly.

Comparative Study on Development of Mouse Embryos in Three Commercial Media and Hatching Rates of Mouse Embryos with/without Pronase / 대한불임학회지

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this present study was to compare mouse embryo development in 3 commercial media and hatching competence of mouse embryo with or without enzymatic treatment. METHODS: Collected 375 mouse embryos were divided into three groups, and then cultured in IVF-20 (G2), Medicult IVF (M3), P-1 (blastocyst M), respectively. Three day mouse morulae were cultured in G2 media treated with pronase. The results were analyzed using Chi-square test, and considered statistically significant when p<0.01. RESULTS: The developmental rate of 2 cell mouse embryo after 72 hours was highest in IVF-20 (G2) among conventional 3 media. The hatching rate of mouse morulae was low when clultured in G2 media without pronase during 48 hours. However, it was higher when cultured in media treated with l mg/ml, 2.5 mg/ml, 5 mg/ml pronase, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Using good media and digestion of zona pellucida with enzymatic treatment improve development and hatching rate of embryo. Therefore, implantation and pregnancy rate could be improved.

Diagnosis of Tuberculous Cervical Lymphadenitis using Nested Polymerase Chain Reaction

Tuberculous cervical lymphadenitis(TCL) has some problems in microbiologic, pathologic, immunologic diagnostic procedures. More accurate diagnostic means has been needed beacuse TCL requires long-term antituberculous chamotherapy as long as 18 months. Recently, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) which amplifies known DNA segments was applied to the diagnosis of tuberculosis. However, the sensitivity of PCR is low with the samples of low-microorganism-burden. Nested PCR (nPCR) was introduced as a good alternative increasing the sensitivity of PCR by repeated amplification of DNA segment with inner primers which exist in the DNA sequence of first PCR products. Fifteen cases which were suspected to TCL were undertaken fine needle aspiration (FNA) and/or excisonal biopsy from enlarged cervical lymph nodes. All samples were examined with pathologic studies, simple PCR using INS-1/INS-2 primers, and nPCR using outer SCL-1/SCL-2 primers and inner SCL-3/SCL-4 primers. Eeight in fifteen patients were pathologically diagnosed to tuberculosis. Aspiration cytology diagnosed 2 cases to tuberculosis and did not confirm but suspect tuberculosis in 3 cases of thier 12 cases. A case of cases compatible with tuberculosis was diagnosed to subacute necrotizing lymphadenitis with tissue...