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Validation Purposes (validation + purpose)
Selected AbstractsEvaluation of a computer-adaptive test for the assessment of depression (D-CAT) in clinical applicationINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF METHODS IN PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH, Issue 1 2009Herbert Fliege Abstract In the past, a German Computerized Adaptive Test, based on Item Response Theory (IRT), was developed for purposes of assessing the construct depression [Computer-adaptive test for depression (D-CAT)]. This study aims at testing the feasibility and validity of the real computer-adaptive application. The D-CAT, supplied by a bank of 64 items, was administered on personal digital assistants (PDAs) to 423 consecutive patients suffering from psychosomatic and other medical conditions (78 with depression). Items were adaptively administered until a predetermined reliability (r , 0.90) was attained. For validation purposes, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CES-D) scale, and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were administered. Another sample of 114 patients was evaluated using standardized diagnostic interviews [Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI)]. The D-CAT was quickly completed (mean 74 seconds), well accepted by the patients and reliable after an average administration of only six items. In 95% of the cases, 10 items or less were needed for a reliable score estimate. Correlations between the D-CAT and the HADS, CES-D, and BDI ranged between r = 0.68 and r = 0.77. The D-CAT distinguished between diagnostic groups as well as established questionnaires do. The D-CAT proved an efficient, well accepted and reliable tool. Discriminative power was comparable to other depression measures, whereby the CAT is shorter and more precise. Item usage raises questions of balancing the item selection for content in the future. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Validation of a 28-item version of the Systemic Clinical Outcome and Routine Evaluation in an Irish context: the SCORE-28JOURNAL OF FAMILY THERAPY, Issue 3 2010Paul Cahill This article describes the development, in an Irish context, of a three-factor, twenty-eight-item version of the Systemic Clinical Outcome and Routine Evaluation (SCORE) questionnaire for assessing progress in family therapy. The forty- item version of the SCORE was administered to over 700 Irish participants including non-clinical adolescents and young adults, families attending family therapy, and parents of young people with physical and intellectual disabilities and cystic fibrosis. For validation purposes, data were also collected using brief measures of family and personal adjustment. A twenty-eight-item version of the SCORE (the SCORE-28) containing three factor scales that assess family strengths, difficulties and communication was identified through exploratory principal components analysis. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the factor structure of the SCORE-28 was stable. The SCORE-28 and its three factor scales were shown to have excellent internal consistency reliability, satisfactory test-retest reliability and construct validity. The SCORE-28 scales correlated highly with the General Functioning Scale of the Family Assessment Device, and moderately with the Global Assessment of Relational Functioning Scale, the Kansas Marital and Parenting Satisfaction Scales, the Satisfaction with Life Scale, the Mental Health Inventory , 5, and the total problems scale of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Correlational analyses also showed that the SCORE-28 scales were not strongly associated with demographic characteristics or social desirability response set. The SCORE-28 may routinely be administered to literate family members aged over 12 years before and after family therapy to evaluate therapy outcome. [source] Development and validation of the Unified Multiple System Atrophy Rating Scale (UMSARS)MOVEMENT DISORDERS, Issue 12 2004Gregor K. Wenning MD Abstract We aimed to develop and validate a novel rating scale for multiple system atrophy (Unified Multiple System Atrophy Rating Scale - UMSARS). The scale comprises the following components: Part I, historical, 12 items; Part II, motor examination, 14 items; Part III, autonomic examination; and Part IV, global disability scale. For validation purposes, 40 MSA patients were assessed in four centers by 4 raters per center (2 senior and 2 junior raters). The raters applied the UMSARS, as well as a range of other scales, including the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) and the International Cooperative Ataxia Rating Scale (ICARS). Internal consistency was high for both UMSARS-I (Crohnbach's alpha = 0.84) and UMSARS-II (Crohnbach's alpha = 0.90) sections. The interrater reliability of most of the UMSARS-I and -II items as well as of total UMSARS-I and -II subscores was substantial (k (w) = 0.6,0.8) to excellent (k (w) > 0.8). UMSARS-II correlated well with UPDRS-III and ICARS (rs > 0.8). Depending on the degree of the patient's disability, completion of the entire UMSARS took 30 to 45 minutes. Based on our findings, the UMSARS appears to be a multidimensional, reliable, and valid scale for semiquantitative clinical assessments of MSA patients. © 2004 Movement Disorder Society [source] Modelling a modified atmosphere packaging system for fresh scallops (Argopecten purpuratus)PACKAGING TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE, Issue 2 2007R. Simpson Abstract Seafood is a highly perishable food, which has a relative short shelf-life. Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) is a system that offers a way of extending the shelf-life of seafood products, maintaining quality and inhibiting bacterial growth. The objective of this research was to study and determine the optimal conditions for packaging scallops in a modified atmosphere system, which includes CO2/O2/N2 mixture, headspace:food ratio and storage temperature, utilizing an integrated mathematical model for MAP systems with its respective experimental validation. For validation purposes, two experiments were conducted, using gas mixtures of: (a) 45% CO2/10% O2/45% N2; and (b) 60% CO2/10% O2/30% N2. In addition, two experiments, at 6°C and 20°C, were conducted to obtain the shelf-life model, utilizing the following gas mixtures: 30% CO2/10% O2/60% N2; 45% CO2/10% O2/45% N2; 60% CO2/10% O2/30% N2; and 75% CO2/10% O2/15% N2. Gas mixtures with CO2 concentrations between 30% and 70% and different headspace:food ratios were tested during simulations. The optimal conditions for scallop storage were a 60% CO2/10% O2/30% N2 gas mixture and a headspace:food ratio of 2:1. With these conditions, a simulated shelf-life of 21 days was obtained. Optimal conditions consider maximum shelf-life, an adequate film collapse criterion, and time to reach the pseudo-equilibrium condition. The predictive mathematical model, coupled with experimental studies for specific products, can be efficiently utilized to evaluate packaging alternatives (size, material and selected thickness) for different temperatures and initial gas concentration scenarios of MAP products. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Earliest gestational age for fetal sexing in cell-free maternal plasmaPRENATAL DIAGNOSIS, Issue 13 2003R. J. P. Rijnders Abstract Objectives To evaluate at what gestational age fetal DNA can reliably be detected at the earliest in maternal plasma. Methods We performed consecutive blood sampling in the first trimester of pregnancy in 17 women who were pregnant after in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intrauterine insemination (IUI). DNA was isolated and the Y-chromosome specific SRY was amplified by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). We likewise studied 31 women prior to invasive prenatal diagnosis procedures for test validation purposes. All test results were compared to cytogenetic sex or sex at birth. Results The earliest SRY detection was at a gestational age of 5 weeks and 2 days. In none of 4 pregnancies ending in a miscarriage was SRY detected. We detected SRY in maternal plasma in 1 of 2 patients (50%) carrying a male fetus at a gestational age of 5 weeks, in 4 of 5 (80%) at a gestational age of 7 weeks, in 4 of 4 (100%) at a gestational age of 9 weeks. In all 7 women pregnant with a male fetus, the correct fetal sex was detected by 10 weeks. In none of the 6 patients who delivered a girl was SRY detected. In the validation group, SRY was detected in 13 of the 13 male, and none of the 18 female fetuses. Conclusions We conclude that real-time PCR of the SRY gene promises to be a reliable technique for early fetal sexing in maternal plasma. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] | ||||||||||