The Use of the Korean Version of Short Form Geriatric Depression Scale (SGDS-K)in the Community Dwelling Elderly in Korea

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the diagnostic validity of the Korean version of short form (15 item version) Geriatric Depression Scale (SGDS-K) was maintained well in the community dwelling elderly. METHODS: In a face-to-face household survey conducted in Korea, 2,004 subjects aged more than 65 were interviewed by trained interviewers. 63 subjects diagnosed as dementia were excluded. The Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and SGDS-K were administered. Major depressive disorder (MDD) and minor depressive disorder (MnDD) were diagnosed with the diagnostic section of depressive disorder of the Korean version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (K-CIDI) according to DSM-IV diagnostic criteria. The sensitivity, the specificity and optimal cut-off point estimation and receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve analysis were performed to investigate the diagnostic validity of the SGDS-K to screen MDD and MnDD. The diagnostic validity tests were also compared between two groups (with cognitive impairment and without cognitive impairment) divided by the MMSE scores. RESULTS: We suggest a score of 8 (sensitivity 0.9365, specificity 0.7603) as optimal cut-off score of SGDS-K for screening MDD and a score of 6 (sensitivity 0.7898, specificity 0.6586) as optimal cut-off score for screening both MDD and MnDD. The area under curve (AUC) was 0.900 for screening MDD and 0.797 for both MDD and MnDD. In the community dwelling elderly suffering from cognitive impairment, the sensitivity and specificity were 0.9500, 0.6870 with a cut off score of 8 for screening MDD and 0.8409, 0.5691 with a cut off score of 6 for screening both MDD and MnDD. The AUC was 0.893 for MDD and 0.767 for both MDD and MnDD. CONCLUSION: The SGDS-K was useful in screening MDD, both MDD and MnDD in the community dwelling elderly and also useful in the elderly suffering from cognitive impairment.

First Report of Sclerotium Rot on Cymbidium Orchids Caused by Sclerotium rolfsii in Korea

Sclerotium rot was found on Cymbidium orchids at Seosan-si, Chungcheongnam-do, Korea, in July, 2010. Symptoms occurred on low leaves, which turned yellowish, after which the entire plant wilted. Severely infected plants were blighted and eventually died. White mycelial mats and sclerotia appeared on pseudobulbs. Based on the mycological characteristics and pathogenicity, the causal fungus was identified as Sclerotium rolfsii. This is the first report of new Sclerotium rot on Cymbidium spp. caused by S. rolfsii in Korea.

Fusarium Fruit Rot of Citrus in Jeju Island

Twenty-three isolates of Fusarium spp. were obtained from decayed citrus fruits in the fields and storages in 1998-1999. Of them, six and five isolates belonged to F. proliferatum and F. moniliforme, respectively, which were the most common. F. solani and F. sambucinum had each two isolates, F. equiseti had one isolate and seven isolates were unidentified. They produced symptoms of two types in pathogenicity test: those with leathery, beige to light or dark brown, and sunken lesions without surface mycelium (type-1) and those with lesions covered with white, beige or pink surface mycelium (type-2). Four of six isolates identified to F. proliferatum and two unidentified isolates produced type-1 lesions, and all isolates identified to F. moniliforme, F. solani, F. sambucinum, F. equiseti and five unidentified isolates produced type-2 lesions.