OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to correct the statistical errors in the previous article on "The Development of the 'Mental Fitness' Scale" (MFS) and to confirm the validity of factor structure via confirmatory factor analysis. METHODS: Based on re-analysis of the factor structure of 25 preliminary items using the original dataset, we identified 22 items of the MFS and assessed test-retest reliability. Concurrent validity was assessed by correlating the new set of MFS with total scores of the Beck Depression Inventory and Positive and Negative Affect Schedule. We also performed confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) in order to verify the factor structure resulting from the exploratory factor analysis. RESULTS: Re-analysis yielded five factors of 22 items, which is different from four factors of 20 items in the previous paper. 'Self-understanding' was added as one of the five factors. The test-retest reliability coefficients were significantly high, ranging between 0.57-0.73. Internal consistency was computed, and Cronbach's alpha for five factors ranged between 0.67-0.86, and was 0.91 for the total score. Concurrent validity and discriminant validity were both significant. The validity of five factor structure based on CFA was verified as root mean square error of approximation was significant. CONCLUSION: Based on results of confirmatory factor analysis, the validity and utility of the revised MFS was increased.
Appointments and Schedules ; Depression ; Factor Analysis, Statistical*

OBJECTIVE: According to the increase of older people, the need for effective methods to maintain or improve cognitive functions in the elderly has increased. These cognitive enhancing methods may contribute to the prevention of elderly cognitive decline by aging and dementing illness as well. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of multistrategic memory training with the metamemory concept on cognitive functions in the normal health elderly in Korea. METHODS: The program used in this study was developed by psychiatrists and psychologists in accordance with Korean situations. We applied the training program to the community-dwelling elderly with subjective memory complaints. Twenty participants were randomly received the intervention with 20 non-treatment controls. This program consisted of 10 sessions and was administered once a week. We examined the effects of this memory training for verbal memory, visuospatial memory, working memory, and verbal fluency ability by repeated ANOVA. RESULTS: There were significant improvements in Word List Short-term Delayed Free and Cued Recall, Word list Long-term Delayed Free and Cued Recall and visuospatial recognition memory. Performance improvements in visuospatial span forwards and the Categorical Fluency Test were also significant. These improvements were still significant after adjusting for depression improvement exact categorical fluency. CONCLUSION: This study shows that multistrategic memory training with the metamemory concept may improve memory ability and other cognitive functions which are not trained and that these improvements may be achieved by pure cognitive training effects.
Adult ; Aged ; Aging ; Depression ; Humans ; Memory ; Memory, Short-Term ; Psychiatry

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical and radiological outcomes after total hip arthroplasty using the S-ROM modular system for osteonecrosis of the femoral head, and to compare the results between the groups using metal-on-metal articulation and ceramic-on-ceramic articulation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-six patients (78 hips) with osteonecrosis of the femoral head were evaluated after primary total hip arthroplasty between January 2001 and December 2004, using an S-ROM proximal modular femoral stem. The average follow-up was 77 months (range, 60 to 122 months) and all patients were followed for more than five years. RESULTS: The average Harris hip score improved from 53 points to 88.5 points at the final follow-up. At the latest radiologic evaluation, sixty-seven stems had bony ingrowth stability, and 10 stems had stable fibrous ingrowth. However, one stem had diffuse extensive osteolysis and loosening, which was revised at 9 years. Postoperative complications included 4 cases of heterotrophic ossificiation, 1 case of linear fracture after insertion of the femoral stem, 1 case of dislocation, 2 cases of infection, and 1 case of extensive osteolysis and loosening. There were 3 cases of revision and Kaplan-Meier survivorship analysis with revision estimated at a 95.7% chance of survival for the femoral component during 122 months. CONCLUSION: Our study showed that total hip arthroplasty using the S-ROM modular system with metal-on-metal articulation or ceramic-on-ceramic articulation had favorable clinical and radiological mid- to long-term results.
Arthroplasty ; Dislocations ; Follow-Up Studies ; Head ; Hip ; Humans ; Osteolysis ; Osteonecrosis ; Postoperative Complications ; Survival Rate

In our previous studies, dietary supplements of silk protein, sericin, and fibroin, were beneficial for improving epidermal levels of ceramides, which are the major lipids for maintaining the epidermal barrier. In this study, we investigated the dietary effects of silk protein on epidermal levels of free sphingoid bases and their phosphates such as C18 sphingosine (So), C18 sphinganine (Sa), C18 sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), and C18 sphinganine-1-phosphate (Sa1P), which are either synthetic substrate or degradative metabolites of ceramides. Forty-five male NC/Nga mice, an animal model of atopic dermatitis (AD), were divided into three groups: group CA was an atopic control and fed a control diet, group S was fed a 1% sericin diet, and group F was fed a 1% fibroin diet. Fifteen male BALB/c mice served as group C (control group) and were fed the control diet. All mice were fed with diets and water ad libitum for 10 weeks. Sa in group CA was lower than that in group C, but So in group CA was similar to that in group C. So and Sa were higher in groups S and F than those in group CA; So level was even higher than that in group C, and Sa level was similar to that of group C. The So/Sa ratio in group CA, which is reported to increase in AD, was significantly higher than that of group C. The So/Sa ratio was lower in groups S and F than that in group CA, and decreased further in group F. However, S1P and Sa1P in groups S and F were similar to those in group CA. Taken together, we demonstrated that silk protein, sericin and fibroin dietary supplements, increased So and Sa levels, and decreased the So/Sa ratio.
Animals ; Ceramides ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Diet ; Dietary Supplements ; Fibroins ; Humans ; Lysophospholipids ; Male ; Mice ; Models, Animal ; Phosphates ; Sericins ; Silk ; Sphingosine ; Water