OBJECTIVESThis study aimed to identify the factors affecting the cognitive function of elderly people in a community by gender.METHODSWe obtained 4,878 secondary data of people aged ≥65 years in 2016 at a dementia prevention center in Gyeyang-gu, Incheon. Data were obtained through Mini-Mental Status Examination optimized for screening dementia and a questionnaire. The data were statistically analyzed using analysis of variance, analysis of covariance, and hierarchical regression.RESULTSThere were significant differences in cognitive function according to gender, and the differences were significant even when age was controlled, but gender differences disappeared when education was controlled. Age, education, social activities, number of comorbid diseases, and alcohol drinking affected cognitive function through interaction with gender, but interaction with gender disappeared when education was controlled. Regression analysis showed that depression, cohabitant, social activities etc., had a significant impact on both men and women under controlled education and age. In men, the effect of social activities was greater than that of women, and hyperlipidemia had the effect only in women.CONCLUSIONSThe differences in gender-related cognitive functions were due to differences in gender education period. The period of education is considered to have a great influence on cognitive function in relation to the economic level, occupation, and social activity.

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The purpose of this study was to ascertain the current state of clinical nursing education at hospitals. Methods: Questionnaires were sent out to 236 hospitals which have over 300 beds. Out of these, 116 hospitals responded, and the collected data was analyzed by mean, frequency, t-test, and ANOVA test. Results: These hospitals have teaching agreements with 4.2 nursing colleges and clinical education lasts 8 months. Clinical education status regarding hospital characteristics, between a university hospital, non-university hospitals, among advanced general hospitals, general hospitals, and special hospitals showed statistical differences in colleges per hospital and nurses' degree. 37.9% of cases have no internal regulation for nursing education, and in 68.1% of cases, students' practice was limited to simple nursing care. The current primary guide for student's practice was head nurse (61.25%), and the course professor took charge of mainly the conference. The difficulties as an educational hospital are increases in work load, difficulties in teaching, excessive number of students, simultaneous practical training, complaints from patients, lack in training manpower, and stress. Conclusion: This study determined that the big hospitals are heavily burdened by nursing education and that it will be necessary to establish standards for educational hospitals to ensure higher quality education.

To study the potential role of potassium channels in the taste response to potassium salts, we applied 4-aminopyridine (4-AP) to the anterior rat tongue and recorded chorda tympani nerve taste responses to chemical stimuli. 4-aminopyridine is a pharmacological blocker that reduces potassium conductance through potassium channels in nerve and muscle. Summated neural responses to stimuli dissolved in water and in 4-AP were compared. Chemical stimuli included concentration ranges of KC1, KBr, KH2PO4, CsCI, RbCI, NH4CI, NaC1 and sucrose. The blocker reduced chorda tympani responses to KC1 and other potassium salts, from 0.025 to 0.25 M. Responses to ammonium, rubidium and cesium salts also were reduced, in order of effectiveness that would be predicted from known ion selectivity properties of potassium channels. Responses to NaC1 and sucrose were not reduced. Other channel blockers, including tetraethylammonium chloride (TEA), BaCI 2 and quinidine, did not reduce the response to KCI. These are the first detailed reports of effects of potassium channel blockers on the peripheral, neural taste response. The results are consistent with a role for potassium channels in apical taste bud cell membranes in transduction for potassium salts.