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Pearson's Correlation (pearson + correlation)
Terms modified by Pearson's Correlation Selected AbstractsValidation of the Depression and Somatic Symptoms Scale by comparison with the Short Form 36 scale among psychiatric outpatients with major depressive disorderDEPRESSION AND ANXIETY, Issue 6 2009Ching-I Hung M.D. Abstract Background: The Depression and Somatic Symptoms Scale (DSSS) is a self-administered scale developed for monitoring both depression and somatic symptoms. The aims of this study were to establish the criterion-related validity of the DSSS by testing the correlation between the DSSS and the Short Form 36 (SF-36) scale and to compare the ability of the DSSS and two other scales in predicting the outcome of the SF-36. Methods: The study enrolled 135 outpatients with a major depressive episode, 95 of whom received treatment for 1 month. Four scales were administered and evaluated: the DSSS, the SF-36, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. Pearson correlation was used to test correlations among scales. Multiple linear regressions were used to find the scales most effective in predicting the SF-36. Results: The three scales were significantly correlated with most of the SF-36 subscales. The depression and somatic subscales of the DSSS significantly correlated with the mental and physical subscales of the SF-36, respectively. The DSSS and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale were better able to predict physical and mental subscales of the SF-36, respectively. The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale had a good ability to predict functional impairment. Conclusions: Psychometric scales with appropriate somatic symptoms might be more compatible with both physical and mental dimensions of the SF-36. DSSS proved to be a valid scale for monitoring both depression and somatic symptoms in patients with depression. Future studies should test whether the DSSS is better at predicting the treatment and prognosis of depression than conventional scales for depression. Depression and Anxiety, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] A view from the bridge: agreement between the SF-6D utility algorithm and the Health Utilities IndexHEALTH ECONOMICS, Issue 11 2003Bernie J. O'Brien Abstract Background: The SF-6D is a new health state classification and utility scoring system based on 6 dimensions (,6D') of the Short Form 36, and permits a "bridging" transformation between SF-36 responses and utilities. The Health Utilities Index, mark 3 (HUI3) is a valid and reliable multi-attribute health utility scale that is widely used. We assessed within-subject agreement between SF-6D utilities and those from HUI3. Methods: Patients at increased risk of sudden cardiac death and participating in a randomized trial of implantable defibrillator therapy completed both instruments at baseline. Score distributions were inspected by scatterplot and histogram and mean score differences compared by paired t -test. Pearson correlation was computed between instrument scores and also between dimension scores within instruments. Between-instrument agreement was by intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). Results: SF-6D and HUI3 forms were available from 246 patients. Mean scores for HUI3 and SF-6D were 0.61 (95% CI 0.60,0.63) and 0.58 (95% CI 0.54,0.62) respectively; a difference of 0.03 (p<0.03). Score intervals for HUI3 and SF-6D were (-0.21 to 1.0) and (0.30,0.95). Correlation between the instrument scores was 0.58 (95% CI 0.48,0.68) and agreement by ICC was 0.42 (95% CI 0.31,0.52). Correlations between dimensions of SF-6D were higher than for HUI3. Conclusions: Our study casts doubt on the whether utilities and QALYs estimated via SF-6D are comparable with those from HUI3. Utility differences may be due to differences in underlying concepts of health being measured, or different measurement approaches, or both. No gold standard exists for utility measurement and the SF-6D is a valuable addition that permits SF-36 data to be transformed into utilities to estimate QALYs. The challenge is developing a better understanding as to why these classification-based utility instruments differ so markedly in their distributions and point estimates of derived utilities. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Validation analysis of informant's ratings of cognitive function in African Americans and NigeriansINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRY, Issue 7 2006Jianzhao Shen Abstract Objectives To examine informant validity using the Community Screening Interview for Dementia (CSI ,D') both cross-sectionally and longitudinally in two very different cultures and to explore the effects of informants and study participants' characteristics on the validity of informants' reports. Methods Elderly African Americans age 65 years and older residing in Indianapolis, USA and elderly Yoruba Nigerians age 65 years and older residing in Ibadan, Nigeria were assessed on cognitive functioning using the CSI ,D' at baseline (1992,1993) and five-year follow-up (1997,1998). At baseline, the informant validity in both samples was evaluated against participants' cognitive tests using Pearson correlation and regular regression models. At follow-up, informants ratings on cognitive decline were assessed against participants' cognitive decline scores from baseline to follow-up using biserial correlation and logistic regressions. Results At baseline, informants' reports on cognitive functioning significantly correlated with cognitive scores in both samples (Indianapolis:r,=,,0.43, p,<,0.001; Ibadan:r,=,,0.47, p,<,0.001). The participant,informant relationships significantly affected the informants' reports in the two samples with different patterns (p,=,0.005 for Indianapolis and p,<,0.001 for Ibadan) at a given level of cognitive functioning. African Americans spouses reported more cognitive problems, while siblings reported more problems for the Yoruba Nigerians. At follow-up, informants' ratings on cognitive decline significantly correlated with the cognitive decline scores (Indianapolis r,=,0.38, p,<,0.001; Ibadan r,=,0.32, p,<,0.001). The characteristics of study participants and informants had little impact on the informants' ratings on cognitive decline. Conclusions Informant reports are valid in assessing the cognitive functioning of study participants both cross-sectionally and longitudinally in two very different cultures, languages and environments. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Cigarette dependence questionnaire: development and psychometric testing with male smokersJOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 10 2010Chih-Ling Huang huang c.-l., lin h.-h. & wang h.-h. (2010) Cigarette dependence questionnaire: development and psychometric testing with male smokers. Journal of Advanced Nursing,66(10), 2341,2349. Abstract Aim., This paper is a report of a study conducted to develop and test a theoretically derived Cigarette Dependence Questionnaire for adult male smokers. Background., Fagerstrom questionnaires have been used worldwide to assess cigarette dependence. However, these assessments lack any theoretical perspective. A theory-based approach is needed to ensure valid assessment. Methods., In 2007, an initial pool of 103 Cigarette Dependence Questionnaire items was distributed to 109 adult smokers in Taiwan. Item analysis was conducted to select items for inclusion in the refined scale. The psychometric properties of the Cigarette Dependence Questionnaire were further evaluated 2007,08, when it was administered to 256 respondents and their saliva was collected and analysed for cotinine levels. Criterion validity was established through the Pearson correlation between the scale and saliva cotinine levels. Exploratory factor analysis was used to test construct validity. Reliability was determined with Cronbach's alpha coefficient and a 2-week test,retest coefficient. Results., The selection of 30 items for seven perspectives was based on item analysis. One factor accounting for 44·9% of the variance emerged from the factor analysis. The factor was named as cigarette dependence. Cigarette Dependence Questionnaire scores were statistically significantly correlated with saliva cotinine levels (r = 0·21, P = 0·01). Cronbach's alpha was 0·95 and test,retest reliability using an intra-class correlation was 0·92. Conclusion., The Cigarette Dependence Questionnaire showed sound reliability and validity and could be used by nurses to set up smoking cessation interventions based on assessment of cigarette dependence. [source] The shifting trajectory of growth in femur length during gestationJOURNAL OF BONE AND MINERAL RESEARCH, Issue 5 2010Åshild Bjørnerem Abstract Bone size is a determinant of bone strength and tracks in its percentile of origin during childhood and adolescence. We hypothesized that the ranking of an individual's femur length (FL) is established in early gestation and tracks thereafter. Fetal FL was measured serially using 2D ultrasound in 625 Norwegian fetuses. Tracking was assessed using Pearson correlation, a generalized estimating equation model, and by calculating the proportion of fetuses whose FL remained within the same quartile. Baseline FL Z -score (weeks 10 to 19) and later measurements correlated, but more weakly as gestation advanced: r,=,0.59 (weeks 20 to 26); r,=,0.45 (weeks 27 to 33); and r,=,0.32 (weeks 34 to 39) (p,<,0.001). Tracking within the same quartile throughout gestation occurred in 13% of fetuses. Of the 87% deviating, 21% returned to the quartile of origin, so 34% began and ended in the same quartile, 38% deviated by one quartile, and 28% deviated by two or more quartiles by the end of gestation. A standard deviation higher baseline FL Z -score, placental weight (150,g), maternal height (5,cm), and weight (10,kg), was associated with a 0.25, 0.15, 0.10, and 0.05 SD higher FL Z -score at the end of gestation, respectively (p ranging from <0.001 to 0.02). Tracking within the same percentile throughout the whole of gestation, as suggest by growth charts, is uncommon. Deviation from tracking is more common and is the result of changes in growth velocity within and between fetuses and is partly influenced by maternal, fetal, and placental factors. © 2010 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research [source] PROFESSION AND SOCIETY: Recovered Medical Error InventoryJOURNAL OF NURSING SCHOLARSHIP, Issue 3 2010DNSc, Patricia C. Dykes RN Abstract Purpose: To describe the development and psychometric testing of the Recovered Medical Error Inventory (RMEI). Design and Methods: Content analysis of structured interviews with expert critical care registered nurses (CCRNs) was used to empirically derive a 25-item RMEI. The RMEI was pilot tested with 345 CCRNs. The data set was randomly divided to use the first half for reliability testing and the second half for validation. A principal components analysis with Varimax rotation was conducted. Cronbach's alpha values were examined. A t test and Pearson correlation were used to compare scores of the two samples. Findings: The RMEI consists of 25 items and two subscales. Evidence for initial reliability includes a total scale alpha of .9 and subscale alpha coefficients of .88 (mistake) and .75 (poor judgment). Conclusions: The RMEI subscales have satisfactory internal consistency reliability and evidence for construct validity. Additional testing is warranted. Clinical Relevance: A tool to measure CCRNs' experiences with recovering medical errors allows quantification of nurse surveillance in promoting safe care and preventing unreimbursed hospital costs for treating nosocomial events. [source] Factors associated with resilience of school age children with cancerJOURNAL OF PAEDIATRICS AND CHILD HEALTH, Issue 7-8 2010Dong H Kim Aim: To identify factors associated with resilience of school age children with cancer. Methods: The participants were 74 children, 10,15 years old who were diagnosed with cancer at least 6 months prior to data collection. The instruments used were; a self-reported questionnaire on resilience, Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale III, measurements of relationship with friends and teachers. Descriptive, Pearson correlation and multiple regression analyses were used to analyse the data. Results: The average score for resilience was 98.49 (range: 32,128). There was no statistically significant relationship with resilience for age, gender, religion, existence of siblings, mother's age, academic performance, duration of illness or type of cancer. In bivariate analysis, family adaptability and cohesion (r= 0.535, P < 0.001), relationship with friends (r= 0.520, P < 0.001) and teachers (r= 0.318, P < 0.01) were significantly related to resilience. However, the results of multiple regression analysis showed that only family function (,= 0.257, P < 0.05) and relationship with friends (,= 0.581, P < 0.01) were significantly associated with resilience. Conclusions: School age children with cancer who reported higher family function and positive relationships with friends showed higher resiliency than their counterparts. Thus, it is important to help the families of children with cancer to enhance family function and help children to adjust to school re-entry by maintaining ties with school friends and teachers during treatment. Development of counselling programmes for parents to promote family adaptation and cohesion and educational programmes for classmates and teachers are recommended. [source] PHYSICAL, SENSORY AND CHEMICAL EVALUATION OF COOKED SPAGHETTIJOURNAL OF TEXTURE STUDIES, Issue 6 2007CRISTINA S. MARTINEZ ABSTRACT The objectives of this research were to estimate the ability of chemical analysis, cooking properties, sensory evaluation and instrumental texture assays as descriptive quality parameters, and to evaluate the association between sensory and instrumental measurements on commercial pasta samples. Five commercial samples, Com1 to Com5, were analyzed. Moisture, protein and ash contents were determined from raw materials, while cooking loss, water absorption and leached amylose were measured in cooked samples. Color parameters (L*, a* and b*) were determined spectrophotometrically and color scores were calculated from raw and cooked samples. Three instrumental texture assays by a texture analyzer (TA-xT2i) and seven sensory parameters were evaluated. Chemical analysis, cooking properties, sensory evaluation and texture measurement were found to be sensitive quality parameters. From the analysis of the results, Com1 showed the best quality. A significant relationship between the sensory and instrumental measurements according to Pearson correlation and the principal component analysis was also observed. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS In this work, the quality of different commercial pastas was assessed by means of chemical analysis, cooking properties, sensory evaluation and instrumental texture. The goal of this study was to identify the most important determinations related to pasta quality, and it allowed the establishment of the relationship between the sensory properties and texture measurements. [source] Similarity measures, author cocitation analysis, and information theoryJOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR INFORMATION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, Issue 7 2005Loet Leydesdorff The use of Pearson's correlation coefficient in Author Cocitation Analysis was compared with Salton's cosine measure in a number of recent contributions. Unlike the Pearson correlation, the cosine is insensitive to the number of zeros. However, one has the option of applying a logarithmic transformation in correlation analysis. Information calculus is based on both the logarithmic transformation and provides a non-parametric statistics. Using this methodology, one can cluster a document set in a precise way and express the differences in terms of bits of information. The algorithm is explained and used on the data set, which was made the subject of this discussion. [source] Reliability and validity of the direct observation clinical encounter examination (DOCEE)MEDICAL EDUCATION, Issue 3 2003Hossam Hamdy Context, The College of Medicine and Medical Sciences at the Arabian Gulf University, Bahrain, replaced the traditional long case/short case clinical examination on the final MD examination with a direct observation clinical encounter examination (DOCEE). Each student encountered four real patients. Two pairs of examiners from different disciplines observed the students taking history and conducting physical examinations and jointly assessed their clinical competence. Objectives, To determine the reliability and validity of the DOCEE by investigating whether examiners agree when scoring, ranking and classifying students; to determine the number of cases and examiners necessary to produce a reliable examination, and to establish whether the examination has content and concurrent validity. Subjects, Fifty-six final year medical students and 22 examiners (in pairs) participated in the DOCEE in 2001. Methods, Generalisability theory, intraclass correlation, Pearson correlation and kappa were used to study reliability and agreement between the examiners. Case content and Pearson correlation between DOCEE and other examination components were used to study validity. Results, Cronbach's alpha for DOCEE was 0·85. The intraclass and Pearson correlation of scores given by specialists and non-specialists ranged from 0·82 to 0·93. Kappa scores ranged from 0·56 to 1·00. The overall intraclass correlation of students' scores was 0·86. The generalisability coefficient with four cases and two raters was 0·84. Decision studies showed that increasing the cases from one to four improved reliability to above 0·8. However, increasing the number of raters had little impact on reliability. The use of a pre-examination blueprint for selecting the cases improved the content validity. The disattenuated Pearson correlations between DOCEE and other performance measures as a measure of concurrent validity ranged from 0·67 to 0·79. Conclusions, The DOCEE was shown to have good reliability and interrater agreement between two independent specialist and non-specialist examiners on the scoring, ranking and pass/fail classification of student performance. It has adequate content and concurrent validity and provides unique information about students' clinical competence. [source] Agreement between administrative databases and medical charts for pregnancy-related variables among asthmatic women,PHARMACOEPIDEMIOLOGY AND DRUG SAFETY, Issue 4 2008Anne Vilain MSc Abstract Purpose To determine the validity of pregnancy variables recorded in administrative databases of Quebec using patient medical charts as the gold standard among asthmatic pregnant women. Methods Three administrative databases were linked and provided information on maternal, pregnancy and infant characteristics for 726 pregnant asthmatic women who delivered in 1990,2000. Algorithms were developed to measure variables that were not recorded directly in the databases or to minimize the number of missing values for variables recorded in two or more databases. Medical file data were collected by two trained research nurses in 43 hospitals. The validity of categorical variables was assessed with sensitivity, specificity, predictive positive values (PPVs) and predictive negative values (PNVs), whereas the validity of continuous variables was assessed with Pearson correlation using the medical chart as the gold standard. Results The sensitivity of the sex of the baby, previous live birth and previous pregnancy ranged from 0.97 to 0.99. Corresponding figures were 0.92,0.98 for specificity. We also found high correlation coefficients, ranging from 0.875 to 0.999 for the length of gestation, dates of last menstruation and delivery, maternal age and birth weight. Conclusion Pregnancy-related variables recorded in administrative databases or derived from algorithms based on two or more databases were found to be highly valid as compared to the medical chart among asthmatic women. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] National trend of antidepressant consumption and its impact on suicide rate in Hungary,PHARMACOEPIDEMIOLOGY AND DRUG SAFETY, Issue 4 2008Réka Viola MSc Pharm Abstract Purpose The aim of this study was to analyse the changes in the amount and structure of Hungarian antidepressant consumption at national and regional level, furthermore to investigate the possible relationship between antidepressant sales and trends in suicide rates using regional data. Method Retrospective analysis of antidepressant sales data was performed on a 12 years period (1993,2004), applying the ATC/DDD methodology developed by WHO. Linear regression model was set up to investigate the trends in antidepressant utilisation. The association between antidepressant consumption and suicide rates was measured by Pearson correlation. Results The nationwide utilisation of antidepressants revealed more than five-fold increase in the studied 12 year period. The usage of tricyclic antidepressants (N06AA) decreased to one third of the previous value, while the usage of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (N06AB) multiplied by 21. The consumption of ,other antidepressants' (N06AX) was found very low (3.66 DDD/1000inhabitants/day in 2004). There was not found any significant correlation between increased antidepressant consumption and decreased suicide rates at regional level by our statistical analysis (rmin,=,,0.160; rmax,=,,0.314). Conclusion Further investigation is required to identify determinants that have contributed to recent decline in suicide rate in Hungary. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Enzyme and acid treatment of fish meal for incorporation into formulated microbound diets for barramundi (Lates calcarifer) larvaeAQUACULTURE NUTRITION, Issue 2 2009L. NANKERVIS Abstract This study reports on two experiments in which the use of enzyme- and acid-treated fish meal were evaluated for incorporation into formulated microbound diets for barramundi (Lates calcarifer) larvae. In the first experiment, partially hydrolysed fish meal was used to determine whether partial hydrolysis increased the dietary value of fish meal used in microbound diets fed to L. calcarifer larvae. Total length and dry weight at the end of the experiment were both higher for larvae fed diets containing untreated fish meal than those fed diets containing any level of hydrolysate. Larval survival ranged from 15.8% to 47.2% but there were no significant differences between treatments (Fig. 3; P > 0.05). Carcass pepsin levels of larvae fed diets containing untreated fish meal were significantly higher than pepsin levels of larvae fed all other diets (P < 0.05). The second experiment determined the effects of incorporating graded levels of denatured fish meal (DF) into microbound diets for L. calcarifer larvae. Acid treatment increased the digestibility of fish meal approximately twofold when compared with intact fish meal. Larvae fed diets containing 45% DF had significantly higher total length and dry weight at the end of the growth trial than those fed a diet containing only intact fish meal. Larval survival ranged from 30.2% to 58.2%, with no significant differences between treatments. Whole homogenate pepsin levels were significantly affected by the level of dietary DF inclusion with larvae fed diets containing a greater proportion of intact fish meal containing higher pepsin levels. There was a significant correlation between dietary DF inclusion level and decreasing pepsin level (r2 = 0.569, P < 0.01); however, larval pepsin level did not correlate to either dry weight or total length (Pearson correlation, P > 0.05). The results of this study are a valuable contribution to our understanding of factors influencing the utilization of ingredients in microbound diets developed for marine fish larvae and will facilitate development of more effective formulated foods for them. Figure 3. ,Mean (±SE) survival of barramundi larvae fed experimental diets containing fish meal hydrolysed for varying period (7.5,60 min), from 14 to 28 days after hatching. Means with different superscripts are significantly different (P < 0.05). [source] Covariate Adjusted Correlation Analysis with Application to,FMR1,Premutation Female Carrier DataBIOMETRICS, Issue 3 2009Damla, entürk Summary Motivated by molecular data on female premutation carriers of the fragile X mental retardation 1 (FMR1) gene, we present a new method of covariate adjusted correlation analysis to examine the association of messenger RNA (mRNA) and number of CGG repeat expansion in the,FMR1,gene. The association between the molecular variables in female carriers needs to adjust for activation ratio (ActRatio), a measure which accounts for the protective effects of one normal X chromosome in females carriers. However, there are inherent uncertainties in the exact effects of ActRatio on the molecular measures of interest. To account for these uncertainties, we develop a flexible adjustment that accommodates both additive and multiplicative effects of ActRatio nonparametrically. The proposed adjusted correlation uses local conditional correlations, which are local method of moments estimators, to estimate the Pearson correlation between two variables adjusted for a third observable covariate. The local method of moments estimators are averaged to arrive at the final covariate adjusted correlation estimator, which is shown to be consistent. We also develop a test to check the nonparametric joint additive and multiplicative adjustment form. Simulation studies illustrate the efficacy of the proposed method. (Application to,FMR1,premutation data on 165 female carriers indicates that the association between mRNA and CGG repeat after adjusting for ActRatio is stronger.) Finally, the results provide independent support for a specific jointly additive and multiplicative adjustment form for ActRatio previously proposed in the literature. [source] Trends in childhood leukemia mortality in Brazil and correlation with social inequalitiesCANCER, Issue 8 2007Karina B. Ribeiro DDS Abstract BACKGROUND. Mortality from childhood leukemia has declined substantially in developed countries but less markedly in the developing world. This study was designed to describe mortality trends in childhood leukemia and the impact of social inequalities on these trends in Brazil from 1980 to 2002. METHODS. Cancer mortality data by cause and estimates of resident population stratified by age and sex were obtained from the Brazilian Mortality Information System (SIM) for the years 1980 to 2002. Age-standardized (ages 0-19 years) mortality rates were calculated by the direct method using the 1960 world standard population. Trends were modeled using linear regression with 3-year moving average rates as the dependent variable and with the midpoint of the calendar year interval (1991) as the independent variable. The Index of Social Exclusion was used to classify the 27 Brazilian states. Pearson correlation was used to describe the correlation between social exclusion and variations in mortality in each state. RESULTS. Age-standardized mortality rates for boys decreased from 2.05 per 100,000 habitants in 1984 to 1.44 100,000 habitants in 1995, whereas the observed corresponding decline among girls was from 1.60 per 100,000 habitants in 1986 to 1.14 per 100,000 habitants in 1995. Statistically significant declining trends in mortality rates were observed for boys (adjusted correlation coefficient [r2] = 0.68; P < .001) and girls (adjusted r2 = 0.62; P < .001). Significant negative correlations between social inequality and changes in mortality were noted for boys (r = ,0.66; P = .001) and for girls (r = ,0.78; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS. A consistent decrease in mortality rates from childhood leukemia was noted in Brazil. Higher decreases in mortality were observed in more developed states, possibly reflecting better health care. Cancer 2007. © 2007 American Cancer Society. [source] Development of the Bipolar Inventory of Symptoms Scale: concurrent validity, discriminant validity and retest reliabilityINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF METHODS IN PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH, Issue 4 2008Jodi M. Gonzalez Abstract Scales used in studies of bipolar disorder have generally been standardized with major depressive or hospitalized manic patients. A clinician rated scale based on a semi-structured interview for persons with bipolar disorder, with comprehensive coverage of bipolar symptomatology, is needed. We report concurrent, divergent and convergent psychometric reliability, discriminant validity and relationship to a measure of overall function for a new psychometric rating instrument. A primarily outpatient sample of 224 subjects was assessed using the Bipolar Inventory of Symptoms Scale (BISS). The BISS total score and depression and mania subscales were compared to the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS), the Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and the Global Assessment of Functioning Scale (GAF). Clinical mood states were also compared using the BISS. The BISS scores demonstrated good concurrent validity, with estimates (Pearson correlations) ranging from 0.74 to 0.94 for YMRS and MADRS and test,retest reliability from 0.95 to 0.98. BISS concurrent validity with the GAF was significant for four clinical states, but not mixed states. The BISS discriminated primary bipolar mood states as well as subjects recovered for eight weeks compared to healthy controls. In conclusion, the BISS is a reliable and valid instrument broadly applicable in clinical research to assess the comprehensive domains of bipolar disorder. Future directions include factor analysis and sensitivity to change from treatment studies. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham, version IV scale , parent formINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF METHODS IN PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH, Issue 1 2008Susan Shur-Fen Gau Abstract This study aimed to establish the psychometric properties of parent ratings on the Chinese version of the Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham IV scale (SNAP-IV) in a school-based sample of 3534 students in grades 1 to 8 from two cities and two suburbs in Taiwan and 189 children diagnosed with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (aged 6 to 15) consecutively recruited from a medical center in Taipei. Parents completed the Chinese versions of the SNAP-IV, Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, and Child Behavior Checklist. The Chinese SNAP-IV demonstrated similar three factor structure (Inattention, Hyperactivity/Impulsivity, and Oppositional) as its English version, and satisfactory test,retest reliability (intraclass correlation = 0.59,0.72), internal consistency (alpha = 0.88,0.90), concurrent validity (Pearson correlations = 0.56,0.72), and discriminant validity. Boys scored higher than girls across the eight school grade levels. The SNAP-IV clearly distinguished children with ADHD from school-based participants. Comorbidity with oppositional defiant disorder/conduct disorder predicted higher SNAP-IV scores among children with ADHD. Our findings suggest that the Chinese SNAP-IV is a reliable and valid instrument for rating ADHD-related symptoms in both clinical and community settings in Taiwan. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Validity of the World Health Organization Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS) Screener in a representative sample of health plan membersINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF METHODS IN PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH, Issue 2 2007Ronald C. Kessler Abstract The validity of the six-question World Health Organization Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS) Screener was assessed in a sample of subscribers to a large health plan in the US. A convenience subsample of 668 subscribers was administered the ASRS Screener twice to assess test-retest reliability and then a third time in conjunction with a clinical interviewer for DSM-IV adult ADHD. The data were weighted to adjust for discrepancies between the sample and the population on socio-demographics and past medical claims. Internal consistency reliability of the continuous ASRS Screener was in the range 0.63,0.72 and test-retest reliability (Pearson correlations) in the range 0.58,0.77. A four-category version The ASRS Screener had strong concordance with clinician diagnoses, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.90. The brevity and ability to discriminate DSM-IV cases from non-cases make the six-question ASRS Screener attractive for use both in community epidemiological surveys and in clinical outreach and case-finding initiatives. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Reliability and Validity of a Steadiness ScoreJOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 9 2005Daniel O. Clark PhD Objectives: To determine the internal consistency and construct and predictive validity of three survey questions regarding steadiness in a sample of community-dwelling lower-income older adults. Design: A 6-month prospective cohort study. Setting: Community-based. Participants: Three hundred fifty-seven older adults who completed a baseline and 6-month follow-up interviewer-administered survey. These older adults received care at a single, public health system and were judged by insurance status to be of low income. Measurements: Self-report measures of steadiness while walking and transferring; difficulty in mobility, activities of daily living (ADLs), and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs); chronic illness; falls; hospitalization; and sociodemographic characteristics. Results: The three steadiness questions showed good internal consistency (0.88); construct validity in Pearson correlations with mobility (0.57), ADL (0.53), and IADL scores (0.41); and predictive validity. With regard to predictive validity, steadiness was predictive of falls, hospitalization, and decline in ADL and IADL function over a subsequent 6-month period. Conclusion: Steadiness questions are a potentially valuable addition to survey research and clinical screening to identify persons with current impairment status and falls and disability risk. [source] Exploring the Subconcepts of the Wittmann-Price Theory of Emancipated Decision-Making in Women's Health CareJOURNAL OF NURSING SCHOLARSHIP, Issue 4 2006Ruth A. Wittmann-Price Purpose: To explore the subconcepts of the Wittmann-Price Theory of Emancipated Decision-Making (EDM); which is proposed as a new theoretical model for the nursing care of women to increase women's satisfaction with decision-making about healthcare issues. Infant feeding method was used as the clinical exemplar. Design and Method: A descriptive correlational design was used to test the five identified subconcepts of EDM (empowerment, flexible environment, personal knowledge, reflection, and social norms) in women's healthcare. The relationship of emancipated decision-making and satisfaction were explored with the Subject Demographic Questionnaire (SDQ), the Wittmann-Price Theory of Emancipated Decision-making Scale (EDMS), and the Satisfaction with Decision (SWD) scale. The research design was retrospective, without random sampling of subjects. Four research questions were posed for this investigation. Women who had uncomplicated deliveries and met the selected criteria were enrolled (N=97). Findings: All five subconcepts of EDM were scored on subscales on the EDMS; flexible environment and personal knowledge had the highest mean scores. Pearson correlations showed that all five subscales were significantly related to each other except reflection with personal knowledge and reflection with social norms. A significant relationship was found between the EDM and satisfaction with the decision. Personal knowledge and flexible environment were the best predictors of satisfaction with the decision. Conclusions: The Wittmann-Price Theory of EDM is a theoretical model with implications for nursing care of women who are involved in a healthcare decision, such as choice of infant feeding. Further studies are needed to determine the importance of each of the subconcepts in relation to emancipated decision-making. [source] Initial evaluation of the first year of the Foundation Assessment ProgrammeMEDICAL EDUCATION, Issue 1 2009Helena Davies Objectives, This study represents an initial evaluation of the first year (F1) of the Foundation Assessment Programme (FAP), in line with Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board (PMETB) assessment principles. Methods, Descriptive analyses were undertaken for total number of encounters, assessors and trainees, mean number of assessments per trainee, mean number of assessments per assessor, time taken for the assessments, mean score and standard deviation for each method. Reliability was estimated using generalisability coefficients. Pearson correlations were used to explore relationships between instruments. The study sample included 3640 F1 trainees from 10 English deaneries. Results, A total of 2929 trainees submitted at least one of all four methods. A mean of 16.6 case-focused assessments were submitted per F1 trainee. Based on a return per trainee of six of each of the case-focused assessments, and eight assessors for multi-source feedback, 95% confidence intervals (CIs) ranged between 0.4 and 0.48. The estimated time required for this is 9 hours per trainee per year. Scores increased over time for all instruments and correlations between methods were in keeping with their intended focus of assessment, providing evidence of validity. Conclusions, The FAP is feasible and achieves acceptable reliability. There is some evidence to support its validity. Collated assessment data should form part of the evidence considered for selection and career progression decisions although work is needed to further develop the FAP. It is in any case of critical importance for the profession's accountability to the public. [source] Deciduous tooth crown size and asymmetry in strabismic childrenORTHODONTICS & CRANIOFACIAL RESEARCH, Issue 4 2002T Heikkinen Structured Abstract Authors , Heikkinen T, Alvesalo L, Tienari J Objectives , To explore deciduous tooth crown dimensions in strabismic children and the relationship between the type of strabismus and tooth crown mesio-distal (M-D) and labio-lingual (L-L) size asymmetries. Material , Dental casts at mixed dentition of 2159 Collaborative Perinatal Study black and white children were measured, 123 of them strabismic at 1 year of age, age ranging from 6 to 12 years. Methods, Directional and fluctuating asymmetries in antimeric teeth were explored in various types of strabismus having unilateral, bilateral or alternating expression. ANOVA and T-square test were used for size comparisons and calculated asymmetries were explored by comparing the variances and Pearson correlations. Results , Strabismus was associated with significant M-D size increase of deciduous maxillary canines in black boys and white girls, black girls had size reduction in their mandibular canine, but white boys were unaffected. Right side size dominance was found in the strabismic children in the lower second deciduous molar M-D dimensions and in the children with alternating strabismus in their upper deciduous canine M-D dimensions. Children with unilateral strabismus had random fluctuating dental asymmetry in their upper deciduous second molar L-L dimensions when compared with healthy normals. Higher left-right correlations were found in lower second deciduous molar dimensions in strabismic girls when compared with that in controls and in strabismic boys, suggesting better developmental canalization in female. Conclusions , Asymmetries in the head area, such as promoted here in strabismic children, may have associations with asymmetries in the dentition, focusing the embryonal origins and timing of developmental processes. [source] Quantifying calcium intake in school age children: Development and validation of the Calcium Counts!© food frequency questionnaire,AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN BIOLOGY, Issue 2 2010Babette S. Zemel Quantifying dietary behavior is difficult and can be intrusive. Calcium, an essential mineral for skeletal development during childhood, is difficult to assess. Few studies have examined the use of food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) for assessing calcium intake in school-age children. This study evaluated the validity and reliability of the Calcium Counts!© FFQ (CCFFQ) for estimating calcium intake in school children in the US. Healthy children, aged 7,10 years (n = 139) completed the CCFFQ and 7-day weighed food records. A subset of subjects completed a second CCFFQ within 3.6 months. Concurrent validity was determined using Pearson correlations between the CCFFQ and food record estimates of calcium intake, and the relationship between quintiles for the two measures. Predictive validity was determined using generalized linear regression models to explore the effects of age, race, and gender. Inter- and intra-individual variability in calcium intake was high (>300 mg/day). Calcium intake was ,300 mg/day higher by CCFFQ compared to food records. Concurrent validity was moderate (r = 0.61) for the entire cohort and higher for selected subgroups. Predictive validity estimates yielded significant relationships between CCFFQ and food record estimates of calcium intake alone and in the presence of such potential effect modifiers as age group, race, and gender. Test,retest reliability was high (r = 0.74). Although calcium intake estimated by the CCFFQ was greater than that measured by food records, the CCFFQ provides valid and reliable estimates of calcium intake in children. The CCFFQ is especially well-suited as a tool to identify children with low calcium intakes. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 2010. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Success Factors in New Ventures: A Meta-analysis,THE JOURNAL OF PRODUCT INNOVATION MANAGEMENT, Issue 1 2008Michael Song Technology entrepreneurship is key to economic development. New technology ventures (NTVs) can have positive effects on employment and could rejuvenate industries with disruptive technologies. However, NTVs have a limited survival rate. In our most recent empirical study of 11,259 NTVs established between 1991 and 2000 in the United States, we found that after four years only 36 percent, or 4,062, of companies with more than five full-time employees, had survived. After five years, the survival rate fell to 21.9 percent, leaving only 2,471 firms still in operation with more than five full-time employees. Thus, it is important to examine how new technology ventures can better survive. In the academic literature, a number of studies focus on success factors for NTVs. Unfortunately, empirical results are often controversial and fragmented. To get a more integrated picture of what factors lead to the success or failure of new technology ventures, we conducted a meta-analysis to examine the success factors in NTVs. We culled the academic literature to collect data from existing empirical studies. Using Pearson correlations as effect size statistics, we conducted a meta-analysis to analyze the findings of 31 studies and identified the 24 most widely researched success factors for NTVs. After correcting for artifacts and sample size effects, we found that among the 24 possible success factors identified in the literature, 8 are homogeneous significant success factors for NTVs (i.e., they are homogeneous positive significant metafactors that are correlated to venture performance): (1) supply chain integration; (2) market scope; (3) firm age; (4) size of founding team; (5) financial resources; (6) founders' marketing experience; (7) founders' industry experience; and (8) existence of patent protection. Of the original 24 success factors, 5 were not significant: (1) founders' research and development (R&D) experience; (2) founders' experience with start-ups; (3) environmental dynamism; (4) environmental heterogeneity; and (5) competition intensity. The remaining 11 success factors are heterogeneous. For those heterogeneous success factors, we conducted a moderator analysis. Of this set, three appeared to be success factors, and two were failure factors for subgroups within the NTVs' population. To facilitate the development of a body of knowledge in technology entrepreneurship, this study also identifies high-quality measurement scales for future research. The article concludes with future research directions. [source] 4354: Relationship between flicker FDF perimetry and standard automated perimetryACTA OPHTHALMOLOGICA, Issue 2010P CALVO PEREZ Purpose To compare the main indices of flicker FDF perimetry (FDF, Heidelberg Engineering, Germany) with standard automated perimetry (SAP). Methods Twenty healthy subjects and twenty-three glaucoma patients were prospectively and consecutively selected. Glaucomatous patients had an intraocular pressure higher than 21 mmHg and glaucomatous optic disc appearance. All of them underwent at least one reliable perimetry with each device. SAPs were performed with a FDF perimeter (24-2 ASTA-Standard test) and Humphrey perimeter (Carl Zeiss (24-2 SITA standard algorithm). The Kolmogorov Smirnov test was applied to check that the data were normally distributed. Only one eye per subject was included in the study. Pearson correlations were calculated between both devices : mean deviation (MD), pattern standard deviation (PSD), and visual field index (VFI). Results Mean age was 58.41±12,4 years. MD of SAP was -2.82 ± 4.8 dB, and MD of FDF was -4.47 ± 4.8 dB (p=0.123); PSD of SAP was 3.11 ± 3.1, and PSD of FDF was 3.14 ± 1.4 (p = 0.953). The correlations between MDs were 0.521 (p<0.001) and between PSDs were 0.350 (p<0.001) Conclusion Moderate correlations were found between main visual field indices both devices. Altough no differences were found, FDF tends to present MD values lower than Humphrey. [source] Relationship between standard automated perimetry and high-resolution optical coherence tomography in glaucoma patientsACTA OPHTHALMOLOGICA, Issue 2009P CALVO PEREZ Purpose To determine the relationship between the main indices of standard automated perimetry (SAP) and the peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness measured with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) in patients with glaucomatous visual field defects. Methods 47 consecutive patients with open-angle glaucoma were included in the study. Only one eye per subject was randomly selected. SAPs were performed with a Humphrey perimeter and the 24-2 SITA standard algorithm. All of them underwent imaging with the Spectralis OCT (Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany). Left eye data were converted to a right eye format. The Kolmogorov Smirnov test was applied to check that the data were normally distributed. Pearson correlations were calculated between SAP indices (mean deviation, pattern standard deviation, and visual field index) and OCT parameters Results The average visual field mean deviation was -6.50 dB. Mild to moderate correlations were observed between SAP indices and most OCT parameters. The strongest correlations were found between the inferior quadrant thickness and pattern standard deviation (-0.544). Conclusion The RNFL thicknesses measured with high-resolution OCT showed moderate correlations with SAP indices in glaucoma patients. These results may help to understand the relationship between structural and functional changes in open-angle glaucoma. [source] Are overweight adolescents at higher risk of engaging in unhealthy weight-control behaviours?ACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 5 2009Helena Fonseca Abstract Aim: To examine correlates of unhealthy weight-control behaviours (UNWCB), and to explore possible associated variables. Methods: Sample included 3762, 8th and 10th grade public school Portuguese students who participated in the 2002 Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children (HBSC)/World Health Organization (WHO) survey of adolescent health. Factor analysis was used, and two scales were identified as ,healthy weight-control behaviours' (HWCB) and ,UNWCB' through Kaiser criteria analysis. Frequency scores were developed and used in analysis of variance (ANOVAs) test as dependent variables, according to gender and age. Pearson correlations and post-hoc analysis were performed to identify potential associations. Results: UNWCB were significantly higher among those who were dieting or not dieting, but considering they should, and were significantly and progressively increasing from those perceiving themselves as thin, to those perceiving themselves as being the right size and those perceiving themselves as fat. Overweight reported more frequently than non-overweight, both HWCB and UNWCB. Finally, there were significant differences concerning alcohol use, with UNWCB increasing progressively from reporting ,drinking rarely or never' to ,drinking every week' and ,everyday'. Conclusion: Because UNWCB are associated with both medical and psychological health risks, routine screening is warranted. Special attention needs to be directed towards youth at greatest risk for disordered eating, including overweight youth. [source] The therapeutic power of play: examining the play of young children with leukaemiaCHILD: CARE, HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 6 2003N. Gariépy Abstract Background The therapeutic function of play has been investigated in relation to recognized stressors such as hospitalization, illness and medical treatments for ill children. While medical treatments in the past 30 years have improved survival rates, children's psychological experiences and quality of life during and after their illness have received limited attention. Objective The present study investigated the therapeutic effects of play on 3- to 5-year-old children with leukaemia compared with a control group of healthy children. Method The participants with leukaemia (n = 11) were from the external oncology clinic of an urban children's hospital; control children (n = 11) attended a day care centre. Measures included children's experience of stress, social and cognitive play behaviours, and daily mood. Results A series of manova revealed that the children with leukaemia, compared with the control children, engaged in (a) significantly fewer total play behaviours, and in particular less (b) parallel, (c) group and (d) dramatic play. Pearson correlations revealed significant relationships between reports of ,being happy' and play only for children with leukaemia. Quantitative and qualitative analyses revealed a pattern of repetitive play activities week after week for children with leukaemia, but not controls. Discussion Findings are discussed in light of the theoretical and practical implications for children undergoing treatment for leukaemia. [source] Unsupervised immunophenotypic profiling of chronic lymphocytic leukemiaCYTOMETRY, Issue 3 2006Luzette K. Habib Abstract Background Proteomics and functional genomics have revolutionized approaches to disease classification. Like proteomics, flow cytometry (FCM) assesses concurrent expression of many proteins, with the advantage of using intact cells that may be differentially selected during analysis. However, FCM has generally been used for incremental marker validation or construction of predictive models based on known patterns, rather than as a tool for unsupervised class discovery. We undertook a retrospective analysis of clinical FCM data to assess the feasibility of a cell-based proteomic approach to FCM by unsupervised cluster analysis. Methods Multicolor FCM data on peripheral blood (PB) and bone marrow (BM) lymphocytes from 140 consecutive patients with B-cell chronic lymphoproliferative disorders (LPDs), including 81 chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLLs), were studied. Expression was normalized for CD19 totals, and recorded for 10 additional B-cell markers. Data were subjected to hierarchical cluster analysis using complete linkage by Pearson's correlation. Analysis of CLL in PB samples (n = 63) discovered three major clusters. One cluster (14 patients) was skewed toward "atypical" CLL and was characterized by high CD20, CD22, FMC7, and light chain, and low CD23. The remaining two clusters consisted almost entirely (48/49) of cases recorded as typical BCLL. The smaller "typical" BCLL cluster differed from the larger cluster by high CD38 (P = 0.001), low CD20 (P = 0.001), and low CD23 (P = 0.016). These two typical BCLL clusters showed a trend toward a difference in survival (P = 0.1090). Statistically significant cluster stability was demonstrated by expanding the dataset to include BM samples, and by using a method of random sampling with replacement. Conclusions This study supports the concept that unsupervised immunophenotypic profiling of FCM data can yield reproducible subtypes of lymphoma/chronic leukemia. Expanded studies are warranted in the use of FCM as an unsupervised class discovery tool, akin to other proteomic methods, rather than as a validation tool. © 2006 International Society for Analytical Cytology [source] Development and application of the human intestinal tract chip, a phylogenetic microarray: analysis of universally conserved phylotypes in the abundant microbiota of young and elderly adultsENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 7 2009-Stojanovi, Mirjana Rajili Summary In this paper we present the in silico assessment of the diversity of variable regions of the small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene based on an ecosystem-specific curated database, describe a probe design procedure based on two hypervariable regions with minimal redundancy and test the potential of such probe design strategy for the design of a flexible microarray platform. This resulted in the development and application of a phylogenetic microarray for studying the human gastrointestinal microbiota , referred as the human intestinal tract chip (HITChip). Over 4800 dedicated tiling oligonucleotide probes were designed based on two hypervariable regions of the SSU rRNA gene of 1140 unique microbial phylotypes (< 98% identity) following analysis of over 16 000 human intestinal SSU rRNA sequences. These HITChip probes were hybridized to a diverse set of human intestinal samples and SSU rRNA clones to validate its fingerprinting and quantification potential. Excellent reproducibility (median Pearson's correlation of 0.99) was obtained following hybridization with T7 polymerase transcripts generated in vitro from SSU rRNA gene amplicons. A linear dose,response was observed with artificial mixtures of 40 different representative amplicons with relative abundances as low as 0.1% of total microbiota. Analysis of three consecutively collected faecal samples from ten individuals (five young and five elderly adults) revealed temporal dynamics and confirmed that the adult intestinal microbiota is an individual-specific and relatively stable ecosystem. Further analysis of the stable part allowed for the identification of a universal microbiota core at the approximate genus level (90% sequence similarity). This core consists of members of Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes. Used as a phylogenetic fingerprinting tool with the possibility for relative quantification, the HITChip has the potential to bridge the gaps in our knowledge in the quantitative and qualitative description of the human gastrointestinal microbiota composition. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||