Valid Tool (valid + tool)

Distribution by Scientific Domains
Distribution within Medical Sciences


Selected Abstracts


Development and responsiveness of a scale to measure clinicians' attitudes to people with mental illness (medical student version)

ACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 2 2010
A. Kassam
Kassam A, Glozier N, Leese M, Henderson C, Thornicroft G. Development and responsiveness of a scale to measure clinicians' attitudes to people with mental illness (medical student version). Objective:, We report the rationale, reliability, validity and responsiveness studies of the Mental Illness: Clinicians' Attitudes (MICA) Scale, a 16-item scale designed to measure attitudes of health care professionals towards people with mental illness. Method:, Items were generated through focus groups with service users, carers, medical students and trainee psychiatrists. Psychometric testing was completed in a number of student samples. The responsiveness of the scale was tested after a 1.5 h mental illness stigma related intervention with medical students. Results:, The MICA scale showed good internal consistency, , = 0.79. The test,retest reliability (concordance) was 0.80 (95% CI: 0.68,0.91). The standardised response mean for the scale was 0.4 (95% CI 0.02,0.8) after a mental illness related stigma intervention. Conclusion:, The MICA scale is a responsive, reliable and valid tool, which can be used in medical education and mental health promotion settings and studies. [source]


Validation of the deCODE Migraine Questionnaire (DMQ3) for use in genetic studies

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY, Issue 11 2006
M. Kirchmann
We assessed the reliability of the diagnosis of migraine with aura (MA) and migraine without aura (MO) based on the third edition of the deCODE Migraine Questionnaire (DMQ3) using a physician-conducted interview as an empirical index of validity. Amongst Danish migraine families recruited from specialist practice we selected 200 cases diagnosed according to the International Classification of Headache Disorders 2nd Edition in a validated physician-conducted telephone interview: 50 patients with exclusively MA, 50 with both MA and MO, 50 with exclusively MO and 50 controls. A written copy of the DMQ3 was mailed to the participant. The DMQ3-based diagnosis was compared with the interview-based diagnosis. Overall, the DMQ3 diagnosed migraine (MA, MO or both) with a sensitivity of 99% (109/110), a specificity of 86% (32/37) and a kappa statistic of 0.89. The most reliable subtype of migraine was MA (with or without co-occurring attacks of MO) which was diagnosed with a sensitivity of 92% (71/77), a specificity of 93% (65/70) and a kappa statistic of 0.85. Exclusively MO was diagnosed with a sensitivity of 91% (30/33), a specificity of 93% (106/114) and a kappa statistic of 0.80. Weakest was the diagnosis of both MO and MA which was diagnosed with a sensitivity of 63% (24/38), a specificity of 92% (100/109) and a kappa statistic of 0.57. In conclusion, the DMQ3 is a valid tool for diagnosing patients with migraine for genetic studies. [source]


Development and utility of a multi-dimensional grid to assess individual mineral metabolism control in hemodialysis patients: A potential aid for therapeutic decision making?

HEMODIALYSIS INTERNATIONAL, Issue 2 2010
A. Ross MORTON
Abstract A grid was developed to evaluate control of serum calcium, phosphate, and parathyroid hormone levels in hemodialysis patients, based on guideline recommendations (National Kidney Foundation Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative and Canadian Society of Nephrology), and its face validity was examined in a representative sample of Canadian patients. A retrospective chart review was undertaken in hemodialysis patients from 7 Canadian units. Patients >18 years, on hemodialysis for ,12 months, and ,3 parathyroid hormone levels measured ,1 month apart were included. The grid classified mineral metabolism control as optimal, suboptimal, or poor (mean of 3 measurements). Medication use, hospitalization, and Emergency Department visits were evaluated in relation to grid occupancy. A second comparative analysis of grid occupancy was undertaken on prevalent hemodialysis cases in British Columbia in 2008. Data from 268 patients (mean age 62.3 years) were analyzed. Using National Kidney Foundation Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative guidelines, 17.5%, 28.8%, and 53.7% of patients had optimal, suboptimal, and poor control, respectively, of all 3 parameters (calcium, phosphate, and parathyroid hormone). Using Canadian Society of Nephrology criteria, optimal, suboptimal, and poor control rates were 6.3%, 4.2%, and 89.5%, respectively. Poor control was a possible or a probable cause of hospitalization or Emergency Department attendance in 8 patients. Data from British Columbia in 2008 (n=1858) show optimal, suboptimal, and poor control rates of 15.8%, 24.5%, and 59.7%, respectively. Poor mineral metabolism control among Canadian hemodialysis patients is not showing improvement. The therapeutic grid is a valid tool and may help guide therapeutic decisions, quality control initiatives, and patient counseling. http://www.ukidney.com/bone-and-mineral-metabolism-resource. [source]


Mean age-of-onset of familial alzheimer disease caused by presenilin mutations correlates with both increased A,42 and decreased A,40,,§

HUMAN MUTATION, Issue 7 2006
Samir Kumar-Singh
Abstract The varied ways in which mutations in presenilins (PSEN1 and PSEN2) affect amyloid b precursor protein (APP) processing in causing early-onset familial Alzheimer disease (FAD) are complex and not yet properly understood. Nonetheless, one useful diagnostic marker is an increased ratio of Ab42 to Ab40 (Ab42/Ab40) in patients' brain and biological fluids as well as in transgenic mice and cells. We studied Ab and APP processing for a set of nine clinical PSEN mutations on a novel and highly reproducible enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)-based in vitro method and also sought correlation with brain Ab analyzed by image densitometry and mass spectrometry. All mutations significantly increased Ab42/Ab40 in vitro by significantly decreasing Ab40 with accumulation of APP C-terminal fragments, a sign of decreased PSEN activity. A significant increase in absolute levels of Ab42 was observed for only half of the mutations tested. We also showed that age-of-onset of PSEN1-linked FAD correlated inversely with Ab42/Ab40 (r=,0.89; P=0.001) and absolute levels of Ab42 (r=,0.83; P=0.006), but directly with Ab40 levels (r=0.69; P=0.035). These changes also partly correlated with brain Ab42 and Ab40 levels. Together, our data suggested that Ab40 might be protective by perhaps sequestering the more toxic Ab42 and facilitating its clearance. Also, the in vitro method we describe here is a valid tool for assaying the pathogenic potential of clinical PSEN mutations in a molecular diagnostic setting. Hum Mutat 27(7), 686,695, 2006. Published 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


On the use of partial probability weighted moments in the analysis of hydrological extremes

HYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES, Issue 10 2007
Ugo Moisello
Abstract The use of partial probability weighted moments (PPWM) for estimating hydrological extremes is compared to that of probability weighted moments (PWM). Firstly, estimates from at-site data are considered. Two Monte Carlo analyses, conducted using continuous and empirical parent distributions (of peak discharge and daily rainfall annual maxima) and applying four different distributions (Gumbel, Fréchet, GEV and generalized Pareto), show that the estimates obtained from PPWMs are better than those obtained from PWMs if the parent distribution is unknown, as happens in practice. Secondly, the use of partial L-moments (obtained from PPWMs) as diagnostic tools is considered. The theoretical partial L-diagrams are compared with the experimental data. Five different distributions (exponential, Pareto, Gumbel, GEV and generalized Pareto) and 297 samples of peak discharge annual maxima are considered. Finally, the use of PPWMs with regional data is investigated. Three different kinds of regional analyses are considered. The first kind is the regression of quantile estimates on basin area. The study is conducted applying the GEV distribution to peak discharge annual maxima. The regressions obtained with PPWMs are slightly better than those obtained with PWMs. The second kind of regional analysis is the parametric one, of which four different models are considered. The congruence between local and regional estimates is examined, using peak discharge annual maxima. The congruence degree is sometimes higher for PPWMs, sometimes for PWMs. The third kind of regional analysis uses the index flood method. The study, conducted applying the GEV distribution to synthetic data from a lognormal joint distribution, shows that better estimates are obtained sometimes from PPWMs, sometimes from PWMs. All the results seem to indicate that using PPWMs can constitute a valid tool, provided that the influence of ouliers, of course higher with censored samples, is kept under control. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Care dependency of hospitalized children: testing the Care Dependency Scale for Paediatrics in a cross-cultural comparison

JOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 2 2009
Hanan Tork
Abstract Title.,Care dependency of hospitalized children: testing the Care Dependency Scale for Paediatrics in a cross-cultural comparison. Aim., This paper is a report of a study to examine the psychometric properties of the Care Dependency Scale for Paediatrics in Germany and Egypt and to compare the care dependency of school-age children in both countries. Background., Cross-cultural differences in care dependency of older adults have been documented in the literature, but little is known about the differences and similarities with regard to children's care dependency in different cultures. Method., A convenience sample of 258 school-aged children from Germany and Egypt participated in the study in 2005. The reliability of the Care Dependency Scale for Paediatrics was assessed in terms of internal consistency and interrater reliability. Factor analysis (principal component analysis) was employed to verify the construct validity. A Visual Analogue Scale was used to investigate the criterion-related validity. Findings., Good internal consistency was detected both for the Arabic and German versions. Factor analysis revealed one factor for both versions. A Pearson's correlation between the Care Dependency Scale for Paediatrics and Visual Analogue Scale was statistically significant for both versions indicating criterion-related validity. Statistically significant differences between the participants were detected regarding the mean sum score on the Care Dependency Scale for Paediatrics. Conclusion., The Care Dependency Scale for Paediatrics is a reliable and valid tool for assessing the care dependency of children and is recommended for assessing the care dependency of children from different ethnic origins. Differences in care dependency between German and Egyptian children were detected, which might be due to cultural differences. [source]


Distinguishing between task and contextual performance for nurses: development of a job performance scale

JOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 6 2007
Jaimi H. Greenslade
Abstract Title.,Distinguishing between task and contextual performance for nurses: development of a job performance scale Aim., This paper is a report of a development and validation of a new job performance scale based on an established job performance model. Background., Previous measures of nursing quality are atheoretical and fail to incorporate the complete range of behaviours performed. Thus, an up-to-date measure of job performance is required for assessing nursing quality. Methods., Test construction involved systematic generation of test items using focus groups, a literature review, and an expert review of test items. A pilot study was conducted to determine the multidimensional nature of the taxonomy and its psychometric properties. All data were collected in 2005. Findings., The final version of the nursing performance taxonomy included 41 behaviours across eight dimensions of job performance. Results from preliminary psychometric investigations suggest that the nursing performance scale has good internal consistency, good convergent validity and good criterion validity. Conclusion., The findings give preliminary support for a new job performance scale as a reliable and valid tool for assessing nursing quality. However, further research using a larger sample and nurses from a broader geographical region is required to cross-validate the measure. This scale may be used to guide hospital managers regarding the quality of nursing care within units and to guide future research in the area. [source]


Developmental evaluation at age 4: Validity of an Italian parental questionnaire

JOURNAL OF PAEDIATRICS AND CHILD HEALTH, Issue 7-8 2010
Anna Maria Dall'Oglio
Aim: To validate an Italian parental questionnaire designed to evaluate the neuropsychological and behavioural developmental status of 4-year-olds and identify children in need of further evaluation. Methods: The questionnaire (Questionario per la valutazione dello Sviluppo di bambini a 4 anni , Genitori (QS4-G) ) consisted of 93 questions divided into 10 areas: language, visual-motor abilities, memory/attention, fine and gross motor and self-help abilities, lateralisation, social skills, stress, sleep, alimentation and evacuation. It was distributed to 263 parents of 4-year-olds: 94 healthy preterm (gestational age <33 weeks and/or <1500 g, without major neurosensory damage); 44 children with developmental disorders and 125 children with typical development. Cognitive and neuropsychological evaluations were performed using standardised tests. Results: The internal consistency of the areas was adequate (Cronbach's alpha: 0.69,0.79). The correlation coefficients (r=|0.30|,|0.68|) with standardised tests (Griffiths, Vineland and neuropsychological tests) indicated a good concurrent validity. The receiver operating characteristic curve, for predicting a Griffiths Quotient less than 81, showed an area under the curve of 0.90 and a high diagnostic and discriminatory capacity (sensitivity of 0.88 and specificity of 0.84) for the optimal cut-off (value 48.4). Conclusion: The QS4-G seems to be a valid tool for identifying 4-year-old children at risk for low or borderline cognitive development and/or problematic behaviour who need a complete assessment. It can describe individual neuropsychological profiles. QS4-G is not a diagnostic tool. It is useful for outcome studies in preterm children and in other pathologies. It could also be useful for preschooler prevention programmes. [source]


A structured communication adolescent guide (SCAG): assessment of reliability and validity

MEDICAL EDUCATION, Issue 5 2005
Kim Blake
Purpose, To assess the reliability and validity of a Structured Communication Adolescent Guide (SCAG) in an undergraduate medical education setting using trained adolescent raters. Method, The SCAG is a 49-item, 6-section (A,F), protocol derived from the Calgary Cambridge Observation Guide that incorporates adolescent psychosocial data collection with the physician's communication skills. Four trained female adolescents scored 42 videotaped adolescent clinical encounters using the SCAG; a trained psychologist's rating for each videotape was used as the gold standard. Results, Agreement among adolescent raters was determined by calculating intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). The individual SCAG item scores, combined with the global ratings for each section, resulted in an overall ICC value of 0.93, indicating very strong agreement among the 4 raters. The global rating scores for the sections (,initiating the session', ,initiating separation', ,once adolescent is alone , lifestyle' and ,closure') produced an ICC range of 0.58,0.93. However, the ICC values for the 2 remaining sections (,how was information collected' and ,gathering information') global rating scores were below 0.30, signifying low agreement. Overall agreement between the adolescent raters and the gold standard resulted in an ICC value of 0.78. This is evidence of the SCAG's criterion validity. Conclusion, The SCAG is a reasonably valid tool for use in guiding an encounter with an adolescent patient. However, 2 sections require modifications to improve their reliability and thus the SCAG's overall performance. Our results suggest that the SCAG shows promise as a potentially useful teaching resource in undergraduate medical education in adolescent medical interviewing. [source]


Validation of a questionnaire for assessment of asthma patient knowledge and behaviour

ALLERGY, Issue 1 2009
F. Trebuchon
Background:, For several years, educational programmes have been highlighted because care success depends on patient's knowledge and patient's asthma management. However, no tool is available to assess change in patient knowledge and behaviour before and after completing an educational programme. Objective:, To validate a questionnaire measuring the knowledge and behaviour of asthmatics participating in an educational programme and to gauge the benefit of such a programme. Methods:, The Asthma Behaviour Change (ABC) questionnaire was generated from literature, patient surveys and clinical situations. It was organized in eight dimensions assessing patient behaviour in seven different clinical situations and two assessing patient (pathophysiology and therapeutic) knowledge. A total of 139 asthmatics filled out the questionnaire before, during and after the educational programme. Results:, The principal component analysis confirmed the structure empirically made by clinical situations. Internal consistency analysis yielded high Cronbach's alpha values. Different dimensions and the two global scores were able to discriminate patients according to asthma severity. Finally, the effect size of difference before and after educational programme was at least 0.47, and was larger than 0.74 for both global behaviour and knowledge scores. The difference between visit 1 and 3 for global behaviour and knowledge scores reached 18.84 ± 20.83 (P < 0.001, 95% CI: 13.18,24.43) and 11.06 ± 14.98 (P < 0.001, 95% CI: 7.10,15.03), respectively. Conclusion:, ABC questionnaire is a valid tool to assess asthmatics' knowledge and behaviour. Furthermore, this study confirmed that educational programmes lead to better awareness of asthma by patients. [source]


The responsiveness of the OAB-q among OAB patient subgroups,

NEUROUROLOGY AND URODYNAMICS, Issue 2 2007
Karin S. Coyne
Abstract Aims Although the majority of patients with overactive bladder (OAB) are continent, most patient-reported outcome measures for OAB were designed for patients with urinary incontinence. The overactive bladder questionnaire (OAB-q) was developed to assess symptom bother and HRQL among both continent and incontinent OAB patients; however, the responsiveness of the OAB-q among continent patients has not been evaluated. The purpose of this analysis was to assess the responsiveness of the OAB-q among OAB patient subgroups with a focus on continent patients. Methods Post-hoc analyses were conducted from two 12-week trials of tolterodine for the treatment of OAB. Patients completed the OAB-q and daily bladder diaries (assessing frequency, urgency, and incontinence episodes) at baseline, 4 weeks, and 12 weeks. Three patient subgroups were identified on the basis of continence status at all three timepoints: (1) continent; (2) incontinent; and (3) incontinent at baseline and continent by Week 12 (ITC). General linear models were used to compare changes from baseline, and Spearman correlations assessed the association between OAB-q changes and bladder diary changes. Effect sizes were computed separately for each group. Results A total of 262 continent, 552 incontinent, and 397 ITC patients were included in this analysis. Continent patients tended to be younger than incontinent patients, and patients were predominantly female, although continent patients had the highest percentage of male patients in both studies. Compared with continent patients, patients who were incontinent at baseline tended to have greater symptom bother and lower HRQL at baseline. All OAB-q change scores were consistently greatest for the ITC group (12.1,33.9), and greater for continent patients (10.8,28.6) than for incontinent patients (7.6,20.1). All three groups of patients experienced reductions in frequency and urgency episodes, and these changes were significantly correlated with changes in the OAB-q scales. Among all three groups, effect sizes were in the moderate-to-large range for all OAB-q subscales except Social Interaction. Conclusions The OAB-q is highly responsive to change between continent and incontinent patients with OAB, and is a valid tool for measuring treatment outcomes among continent OAB patients. Neurourol. Urodynam. 26:196,203, 2007. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


Differential Capture of Serum Proteins for Expression Profiling and Biomarker Discovery in Pre- and Posttreatment Head and Neck Cancer Samples,

THE LARYNGOSCOPE, Issue 1 2008
Gary L. Freed MD
Abstract Introduction: A long-term goal of our group is to develop proteomic-based approaches to the detection and use of protein biomarkers for improvement in diagnosis, prognosis, and tailoring of treatment for head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC). We have previously demonstrated that protein expression profiling of serum can identify multiple protein biomarker events that can serve as molecular fingerprints for the assessment of HNSCC disease state and prognosis. Methods: An automated Bruker Daltonics (Billerica, MA) ClinProt matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometer was used. Magnetic chemical affinity beads were used to differentially capture serum proteins prior to MALDI-TOF analysis. The resulting spectra were analyzed using postprocessing software and a pattern recognition genetic algorithm (ClinProt 2.0). An HNSCC cohort of 48 sera samples from 24 patients consisting of matched pretreatment and 6 to 12 month posttreatment samples was used for further analysis. Low-mass differentially expressed peptides were identified using MALDI-TOF/TOF. Results: In the working mass range of 1,000 to 10,000 m/z, approximately 200 peaks were resolved for ionic bead capture approaches. For spectra generated from weak cation bead capture, a k-nearest neighbor genetic algorithm was able to correctly classify 94% normal from pretreatment HNSCC samples, 80% of pretreatment from posttreatment samples, and 87% of normal from posttreatment samples. These peptides were then analyzed by MALDI-TOF/TOF mass spectometry for sequence identification directly from serum processed with the same magnetic bead chemistry or alternatively after gel electrophoresis separation of the captured proteins. We were able to compare this with similar studies using surface-enhanced laser desorption ionization (SELDI)-TOF to show this method as a valid tool for this process with some improvement in the identification of our groups. Conclusions: This initial study using new high-resolution MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry coupled with bead fractionation is suitable for automated protein profiling and has the capability to simultaneously identify potential biomarker proteins for HNSCC. In addition, we were able to show improvement with the MALDI-TOF in identifying groups with HNSCC when compared with our prior data using SELDI-TOF. Using this MALDI-TOF technology as a discovery platform, we anticipate generating biomarker panels for use in more accurate prediction of prognosis and treatment efficacies for HNSCC. [source]


Development of a Japanese Version of the Care Planning Assessment Tool

AUSTRALASIAN JOURNAL ON AGEING, Issue 1 2010
Sumiko Kanegae
Aim:, To develop a Japanese version of the Care Planning Assessment Tool (J-CPAT), originally developed in Australia as a comprehensive assessment of people with dementia. Methods:, The process of adapting the CPAT into Japanese included translation into Japanese, assessment of item comprehension, and a validity and reliability study. The J-CPAT is composed of eight domains: Communication, physical problems, self-help skills, confusion, behaviour, social interaction, psychiatric observations and carer dependency. The participants were 199 aged care clients. Measures were the J-CPAT, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Care Levels used in the Long-term Care Insurance scheme. Results:, Cronbach's alpha values in each J-CPAT domain were 0.74,0.95. The correlation coefficient between the score of Confusion and MMSE was ,0.90, and those between physical problems, self-help skills, carer dependency in the J-CPAT, and care level were 0.70, 0.75 and 0.67. Conclusions:, The J-CPAT appears to be a reliable and valid tool for care planning in Japan. [source]


Development of a brief screening interview for adjustment disorders and major depression in patients with cancer

CANCER, Issue 10 2003
Nobuya Akizuki M.D.
Abstract BACKGROUND Adjustment disorders and major depression are common psychiatric disorders in patients with cancer and have a serious impact on quality of life. The problem in clinical oncology settings is underrecognition of these disorders; as a result, screening is recommended to detect them. The goal of the current study was to develop a new, brief screening tool for adjustment disorders and major depression and to compare its performance with that of existing screening methods. METHODS Patients with cancer completed the newly developed One-Question Interview (a 1-item, structured interview); the Distress Thermometer (a 1-item, self-report questionnaire), which previously was developed as a brief screening tool; and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS; a 14-item, self-report questionnaire). Psychiatric diagnoses of adjustment disorders and major depression were made by psychiatrists and were based on criteria set forth by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition. RESULTS Two hundred seventy-five patients participated in the study. Scores on both the One-Question Interview and the Distress Thermometer were significantly correlated with HADS score (One-Question Interview: r = ,0.66, P < 0.01; Distress Thermometer: r = 0.71, P < 0.01). At the optimal cutoff points, the sensitivity and specificity for detection of adjustment disorders and major depression were 80% and 61%, respectively, for the One-Question Interview; 84% and 61%, respectively, for the Distress Thermometer; and 92% and 57%, respectively, for the HADS. CONCLUSIONS The results of the current study suggested that the One-Question Interview was a valid tool for use in screening patients with cancer for adjustment disorders and major depression. Its performance was inferior to that of the HADS but comparable to that of the Distress Thermometer. The One-Question Interview may be suitable for widespread use in routine screening. Cancer 2003;10:2605,13. © 2003 American Cancer Society. DOI 10.1002/cncr.11358 [source]


Validity of BMI based on self-reported weight and height in adolescents

ACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 1 2010
H Fonseca
Abstract Aim:, To assess in a subset of a nationally representative sample of Portuguese adolescents, the validity of Body Mass Index (BMI) based on self-reported weight and height. Methods:, This study included 462 students in grades 6, 8 and 10 (mean age 14.0 ± 1.9 years) from 12 public schools randomly selected from the list of schools which took part in the 2006 Health Behaviour in School Aged Children Portuguese survey, corresponding to approximately 10% of the sample. Self-reported weight and height were recorded and then measured. Results:, Prevalence of normal weight, overweight and obesity based on self-report compared with that of measured values was not significantly different for boys and girls, and among age groups. BMI based on measured weight and height was underestimated compared with BMI based on self-reported data, both among girls and boys. Larger limits of agreement were found for boys, indicating a higher variability of self-reported BMI in estimating measured BMI, specifically below the age of 14 years. Conclusion:, These data suggest that BMI based on self-reported weight and height is not accurate for BMI prediction at an individual level. However, self-reported BMI may be used as a simple and valid tool for BMI estimates of overweight and obesity in epidemiological studies. [source]


Psychometric properties of the Swedish PedsQL, Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 generic core scales

ACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 9 2009
Solveig Petersen
Abstract Aim:, To study the psychometric performance of the Swedish version of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) 4.0 generic core scales in a general child population in Sweden. Methods:, PedsQL forms were distributed to 2403 schoolchildren and 888 parents in two different school settings. Reliability and validity was studied for self-reports and proxy reports, full forms and short forms. Confirmatory factor analysis tested the factor structure and multigroup confirmatory factor analysis tested measurement invariance between boys and girls. Results:, Test-retest reliability was demonstrated for all scales and internal consistency reliability was shown with , value exceeding 0.70 for all scales but one (self-report short form: social functioning). Child-parent agreement was low to moderate. The four-factor structure of the PedsQL and factorial invariance across sex subgroups were confirmed for the self-report forms and for the proxy short form, while model fit indices suggested improvement of several proxy full-form scales. Conclusion:, The Swedish PedsQL 4.0 generic core scales are a reliable and valid tool for health-related quality of life (HRQoL) assessment in Swedish child populations. The proxy full form, however, should be used with caution. The study also support continued use of the PedsQL as a four-factor model, capable of revealing meaningful HRQoL differences between boys and girls. [source]


Monitoring the colonization of sugarcane and rice plants by the endophytic diazotrophic bacterium Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus marked with gfp and gusA reporter genes

LETTERS IN APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 3 2010
L.F.M. Rouws
Abstract Aims:, To evaluate the colonization process of sugarcane plantlets and hydroponically grown rice seedlings by Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus strain PAL5 marked with the gusA and gfp reporter genes. Methods and Results:, Sugarcane plantlets inoculated in vitro with PAL5 carrying the gfp::gusA plasmid pHRGFPGUS did not present green fluorescence, but ,-glucuronidase (GUS)-stained bacteria could be observed inside sugarcane roots. To complement this existing inoculation methodology for micropropagated sugarcane with a more rapid colonization assay, we employed hydroponically grown gnotobiotic rice seedlings to study PAL5,plant interaction. PAL5 could be isolated from the root surface (108 CFU g,1) and from surface-disinfected root and stem tissues (104 CFU g,1) of inoculated plants, suggesting that PAL5 colonized the internal plant tissues. Light microscopy confirmed the presence of bacteria inside the root tissue. After inoculation of rice plantlets with PAL5 marked with the gfp plasmid pHRGFPTC, bright green fluorescent bacteria could be seen colonizing the rice root surface, mainly at the sites of lateral root emergence, at root caps and on root hairs. Conclusion:, The plasmids pHRGFPGUS and pHRGFPTC are valid tools to mark PAL5 and monitor the colonization of micropropagated sugarcane and hydroponic rice seedlings. Significance and Impact of the Study:, These tools are of use to: (i) study PAL5 mutants affected in bacteria,plant interactions, (ii) monitor plant colonization in real time and (iii) distinguish PAL5 from other bacteria during the study of mixed inoculants. [source]


Adolescent Homosexuality and Culturally Competent Nursing

NURSING FORUM, Issue 3 2000
Leslie G. Dootson
Nursing is striving for cultural competency. Cultural competency includes the ability to deliver care to disenfranchised and marginalized people. The adolescent gay, lesbian, or bisexual person is at risk for violence, disease, harassment, and problems with identity development. Ethnic/minority youth who are also gay, lesbian, and bisexual suffer from prejudice and disenfranchisement within their ethnic community as well as in the dominant white culture. Healthcare workers exhibit homophobia and heterosexism in the delivery of care to patients. Nursing needs to evaluate its own values and prejudices and incorporate sexual orientation into culturally valid tools of assessment to provide competent care. [source]


The Relevance of student seminars on clinically related subjects in a biochemistry course for medical and nutrition students,

BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY EDUCATION, Issue 1 2002
Marcelo Hermes-Lima
Abstract The aim of this study was to determine the value of a system of seminars on clinically related biochemistry topics for undergraduate students in medicine and nutrition at the University of Brasília, Brazil. During the second semester of 1998 (1998,2), the teaching staff decided to establish new and stricter rules for the seminar method and to adopt a system of peer tutoring, whereby former good to excellent students of the class Bioquímica e Biofísica helped in the planning and preparation of the oral presentations. The average performance grades for the seminars in the first semester of 1998 (1998,1) (7.19 ± 1.42) were significantly lower than those for the following semesters (ranging from 8.10 to 8.91), indicating some degree of success with the new system. We also conducted, by means of questionnaires, an evaluation (scores ranging from 0 to 4) of each student seminar (14 topics) in relation to the overall biochemistry learning experience connected to the clinical expectations of the students. All seminars but one averaged above 3.0. Moreover, when asked whether (i) the seminars were relevant to a more clinical approach to biochemistry and whether (ii) the oral presentations could be viewed as valid tools for the understanding of biochemistry, 96% (n = 188) and 80.6% (n = 150) of the students, respectively, answered, "yes." The students also scored the work of the peer tutors high (ranging from 3.38 to 3.90, out of 4). A seminar system for a clinically related biochemistry course may also open the minds of students about the relevance of biochemistry to their future medical or nutritional practices. [source]