Parent-reported social support for child’s fruit and vegetable intake: validity of measures

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The objective of our study was to develop and validate measures of parental social support to increase their child’s fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption. We used a cross-sectional study design by studying participants at school and home. We studied two hundred three parents with at least 1 elemen...

Validation of tungsten cross sections in the neutron energy region up to 100 keV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pigni, Marco T.; Žerovnik, Gašper; Leal, Luiz. C.; Trkov, Andrej

2017-09-01

Following a series of recent cross section evaluations on tungsten isotopes performed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), this paper presents the validation work carried out to test the performance of the evaluated cross sections based on lead-slowing-down (LSD) benchmarks conducted in Grenoble. ORNL completed the resonance parameter evaluation of four tungsten isotopes - 182,183,184,186W - in August 2014 and submitted it as an ENDF-compatible file to be part of the next release of the ENDF/B-VIII.0 nuclear data library. The evaluations were performed with support from the US Nuclear Criticality Safety Program in an effort to provide improved tungsten cross section and covariance data for criticality safety sensitivity analyses. The validation analysis based on the LSD benchmarks showed an improved agreement with the experimental response when the ORNL tungsten evaluations were included in the ENDF/B-VII.1 library. Comparison with the results obtained with the JEFF-3.2 nuclear data library are also discussed.

An Evaluation of the Validity and Reliability of a Food Behavior Checklist Modified for Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Branscum, Paul; Sharma, Manoj; Kaye, Gail; Succop, Paul

2010-01-01

Objective: The objective of this study was to report the construct validity and internal consistency reliability of the Food Behavior Checklist modified for children (FBC-MC), with low-income, Youth Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP)-eligible children. Methods: Using a cross-sectional research design, construct validity was…

Assessment of the MPACT Resonance Data Generation Procedure

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kim, Kang Seog; Williams, Mark L.

Currently, heterogeneous models are being used to generate resonance self-shielded cross-section tables as a function of background cross sections for important nuclides such as 235U and 238U by performing the CENTRM (Continuous Energy Transport Model) slowing down calculation with the MOC (Method of Characteristics) spatial discretization and ESSM (Embedded Self-Shielding Method) calculations to obtain background cross sections. And then the resonance self-shielded cross section tables are converted into subgroup data which are to be used in estimating problem-dependent self-shielded cross sections in MPACT (Michigan Parallel Characteristics Transport Code). Although this procedure has been developed and thus resonance data have beenmore » generated and validated by benchmark calculations, assessment has never been performed to review if the resonance data are properly generated by the procedure and utilized in MPACT. This study focuses on assessing the procedure and a proper use in MPACT.« less

Validity and reliability of rectus femoris ultrasound measurements: Comparison of curved-array and linear-array transducers.

PubMed

Hammond, Kendra; Mampilly, Jobby; Laghi, Franco A; Goyal, Amit; Collins, Eileen G; McBurney, Conor; Jubran, Amal; Tobin, Martin J

2014-01-01

Muscle-mass loss augers increased morbidity and mortality in critically ill patients. Muscle-mass loss can be assessed by wide linear-array ultrasound transducers connected to cumbersome, expensive console units. Whether cheaper, hand-carried units equipped with curved-array transducers can be used as alternatives is unknown. Accordingly, our primary aim was to investigate in 15 nondisabled subjects the validity of measurements of rectus femoris cross-sectional area by using a curved-array transducer against a linear-array transducer-the reference-standard technique. In these subjects, we also determined the reliability of measurements obtained by a novice operator versus measurements obtained by an experienced operator. Lastly, the relationship between quadriceps strength and rectus area recorded by two experienced operators with a curved-array transducer was assessed in 17 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In nondisabled subjects, the rectus cross-sectional area measured with the curved-array transducer by the novice and experienced operators was valid (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC]: 0.98, typical percentage error [%TE]: 3.7%) and reliable (ICC: 0.79, %TE: 9.7%). In the subjects with COPD, both reliability (ICC: 0.99) and repeatability (%TE: 7.6% and 9.8%) were high. Rectus area was related to quadriceps strength in COPD for both experienced operators (coefficient of determination: 0.67 and 0.70). In conclusion, measurements of rectus femoris cross-sectional area recorded with a curved-array transducer connected to a hand-carried unit are valid, reliable, and reproducible, leading us to contend that this technique is suitable for cross-sectional and longitudinal studies.

Electrodisintegration of Li 6

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bishop, G. R.; Bernheim, M.

1963-06-01

For the ( γ,n) reaction in Li 6 a model in which Li 6 splits into a deuteron and an alpha particle that separately absorb the photon energy was recently proposed. The model was tested by studying the inelastic scattering of 101.4-Mev electrons from Li 6. Expressions for the cross sections were obtained, and values calculated for a form factor in the cross sections confirm the validity of the model.

[Study of adaptation and validation of the Practice environment scale of the nursing work index for the Portuguese reality].

PubMed

Ferreira, Maria Regina Sardinheiro do Céu Furtado; Martins, José Joaquim Penedos Amendoeira

2014-08-01

Testing the psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index. A descriptive, analytical and cross-sectional study, for the cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the psychometric properties of the scale. The study participants were 236 nurses from two hospitals in the regions of Lisbon and Vale do Tejo. The 0.92 Cronbach's alpha was obtained for overall reliability and support of a five-dimension structure. The excellent quality of adjustment of analysis confirms the validity of the adapted version to hospital care settings, although there was no total coincidence of items in the five dimensions

Quality-of-life in insect venom allergy: validation of the Turkish version of the "Vespid Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire" (VQLQ-T).

PubMed

Sin, Betül Ayşe; Öztuna, Derya; Gelincik, Aslı; Gürlek, Feridun; Baysan, Abdullah; Sin, Aytül Zerrin; Aydın, Ömür; Mısırlıgil, Zeynep

2016-01-01

"Vespid Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire (VQLQ)" has been used to assess psychological burden of disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate validity, reliability and responsiveness to interventions of the Turkish version. The Turkish language Questionnaire (VQLQ-T) was administered to 81 patients with bee allergy and 65 patients with vespid allergy from different groups to achieve cross-sectional validation. To establish longitudinal validity, the questionnaire was administered to 36 patients treated with venom immunotherapy. The cross-sectional validation in patients with vespid venom allergy showed a correlation coefficient of 0.97 (Cronbach α). Spearman's correlation coefficient of the pretreatment VQLQ-T score with Expectation of Outcome (EoO) questionnaire score was 0.55 (p < 0.001). After treatment, correlation between VQLQ-T score and EoO score was 0.64 (p = 0.003) in these patients. The cross-sectional instrument validation for non-beekeepers with bee venom allergy yielded a correlation coefficient of 0.96 (Cronbach α). Spearman's correlation coefficient between pretreatment VQLQ-T score and EoO score was 0.47 (p < 0.001) and after treatment, correlation between VQLQ-T score and EoO score was 0.78 (p = 0.008) in these patients. These findings indicate cross-sectional validity of VQLQ-T. In the longitudinal validation, there was a positive correlation between EoO and VQLQ-T with a correlation coefficient of 0.562 (p < 0.001). While mean (±SD) VQLQ-T score was 5.27 (±1.29) in pretreatment, it was 2.78 (±1.01) after treatment (p < 0.001). The correlation between the mean change in VQLQ-T score and the mean change in EoO score was 0.42 (p = 0.011). The Turkish version of VQLQ-T enables measurement of Quality of Life (QoL) in patients with either vespid or bee venom allergy. Furthermore, responsiveness of this instrument demonstrates the questionnaire's ability to detect changes over time.

GEOMETRIC CROSS SECTIONS OF DUST AGGREGATES AND A COMPRESSION MODEL FOR AGGREGATE COLLISIONS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Suyama, Toru; Wada, Koji; Tanaka, Hidekazu

2012-07-10

Geometric cross sections of dust aggregates determine their coupling with disk gas, which governs their motions in protoplanetary disks. Collisional outcomes also depend on geometric cross sections of initial aggregates. In a previous paper, we performed three-dimensional N-body simulations of sequential collisions of aggregates composed of a number of sub-micron-sized icy particles and examined radii of gyration (and bulk densities) of the obtained aggregates. We showed that collisional compression of aggregates is not efficient and that aggregates remain fluffy. In the present study, we examine geometric cross sections of the aggregates. Their cross sections decrease due to compression as wellmore » as to their gyration radii. It is found that a relation between the cross section and the gyration radius proposed by Okuzumi et al. is valid for the compressed aggregates. We also refine the compression model proposed in our previous paper. The refined model enables us to calculate the evolution of both gyration radii and cross sections of growing aggregates and reproduces well our numerical results of sequential aggregate collisions. The refined model can describe non-equal-mass collisions as well as equal-mass cases. Although we do not take into account oblique collisions in the present study, oblique collisions would further hinder compression of aggregates.« less

Processing and validation of JEFF-3.1.1 and ENDF/B-VII.0 group-wise cross section libraries for shielding calculations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pescarini, M.; Sinitsa, V.; Orsi, R.; Frisoni, M.

2013-03-01

This paper presents a synthesis of the ENEA-Bologna Nuclear Data Group programme dedicated to generate and validate group-wise cross section libraries for shielding and radiation damage deterministic calculations in nuclear fission reactors, following the data processing methodology recommended in the ANSI/ANS-6.1.2-1999 (R2009) American Standard. The VITJEFF311.BOLIB and VITENDF70.BOLIB finegroup coupled n-γ (199 n + 42 γ - VITAMIN-B6 structure) multi-purpose cross section libraries, based on the Bondarenko method for neutron resonance self-shielding and respectively on JEFF-3.1.1 and ENDF/B-VII.0 evaluated nuclear data, were produced in AMPX format using the NJOY-99.259 and the ENEA-Bologna 2007 Revision of the SCAMPI nuclear data processing systems. Two derived broad-group coupled n-γ (47 n + 20 γ - BUGLE-96 structure) working cross section libraries in FIDO-ANISN format for LWR shielding and pressure vessel dosimetry calculations, named BUGJEFF311.BOLIB and BUGENDF70.BOLIB, were generated by the revised version of SCAMPI, through problem-dependent cross section collapsing and self-shielding from the cited fine-group libraries. The validation results on the criticality safety benchmark experiments for the fine-group libraries and the preliminary validation results for the broad-group working libraries on the PCA-Replica and VENUS-3 engineering neutron shielding benchmark experiments are reported in synthesis.

Poster - 18: New features in EGSnrc for photon cross sections

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ali, Elsayed; Mainegra-Hing, Ernesto; Rogers, Davi

2016-08-15

Purpose: To implement two new features in the EGSnrc Monte Carlo system. The first is an option to account for photonuclear attenuation, which can contribute a few percent to the total cross section at the higher end of the energy range of interest to medical physics. The second is an option to use exact NIST XCOM photon cross sections. Methods: For the first feature, the photonuclear total cross sections are generated from the IAEA evaluated data. In the current, first-order implementation, after a photonuclear event, there is no energy deposition or secondary particle generation. The implementation is validated against deterministicmore » calculations and experimental measurements of transmission signals. For the second feature, before this work, if the user explicitly requested XCOM photon cross sections, EGSnrc still used its own internal incoherent scattering cross sections. These differ by up to 2% from XCOM data between 30 keV and 40 MeV. After this work, exact XCOM incoherent scattering cross sections are an available option. Minor interpolation artifacts in pair and triplet XCOM cross sections are also addressed. The default for photon cross section in EGSnrc is XCOM except for the new incoherent scattering cross sections, which have to be explicitly requested. The photonuclear, incoherent, pair and triplet data from this work are available for elements and compounds for photon energies from 1 keV to 100 GeV. Results: Both features are implemented and validated in EGSnrc.Conclusions: The two features are part of the standard EGSnrc distribution as of version 4.2.3.2.« less

Development and Criterion Validity of Differentiated and Elevated Vocational Interests in Adolescence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hirschi, Andreas

2009-01-01

Interest differentiation and elevation are supposed to provide important information about a person's state of interest development, yet little is known about their development and criterion validity. The present study explored these constructs among a group of Swiss adolescents. Study 1 applied a cross-sectional design with 210 students in 11th…

Measuring and Validating Neutron Capture Cross Sections Using a Lead Slowing-Down Spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thompson, Nicholas

Accurate nuclear data is essential for the modeling, design, and operation of nuclear systems. In this work, the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) Lead Slowing-Down Spectrometer (LSDS) at the Gaerttner Linear Accelerator Center (LINAC) was used to measure neutron capture cross sections and validate capture cross sections in cross section libraries. The RPI LINAC was used to create a fast burst of neutrons in the center of the LSDS, a large cube of high purity lead. A sample and YAP:Ce scintillator were placed in the LSDS, and as neutrons lost energy through scattering interactions with the lead, the scintillator detected capture gammas resulting from neutron capture events in the sample. Samples of silver, gold, cobalt, iron, indium, molybdenum, niobium, nickel, tin, tantalum, and zirconium were measured. Data was collected as a function of time after neutron pulse, or slowing-down time, which is correlated to average neutron energy. An analog and a digital data acquisition system collected data simultaneously, allowing for collection of pulse shape information as well as timing. Collection of digital data allowed for pulse shape analysis after the experiment. This data was then analyzed and compared to Monte Carlo simulations to validate the accuracy of neutron capture cross section libraries. These measurements represent the first time that neutron capture cross sections have been measured using an LSDS in the United States, and the first time tools such as coincidence measurements and pulse height weighting have been applied to measurements of neutron capture cross sections using an LSDS. Significant differences between measurement results and simulation results were found in multiple materials, and some errors in nuclear data libraries have already been identified due to these measurements.

Neutron capture cross section of {sup 14}C of astrophysical interest studied by Coulomb breakup of {sup 15}C

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nakamura, T.; Fukuda, N.; Aoi, N.

2009-03-15

The neutron capture reaction on {sup 14}C leading to the {sup 15}C ground state, which plays an important role in various nucleosynthesis processes, has been studied using the Coulomb breakup of {sup 15}C on a Pb target at 68 MeV/nucleon. The breakup cross section has been converted into the energy-dependent neutron capture cross section using the principle of detailed balance. The energy spectrum shows typical p-wave neutron capture characteristics, which is explained by the fact that the ground state of {sup 15}C possesses a strong single-particle s-wave component and a moderate-sized neutron halo structure. The capture cross section for themore » {sup 14}C(n,{gamma}){sup 15}C reaction derived from the present experiment has been found to be consistent with the most recent data, directly measured using a {sup 14}C target. This result assures the validity of the Coulomb breakup method in deriving the neutron capture cross section for neutron-rich nuclei.« less

Validation of MCNP6 Version 1.0 with the ENDF/B-VII.1 Cross Section Library for Uranium Metal, Oxide, and Solution Systems on the High Performance Computing Platform Moonlight

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chapman, Bryan Scott; MacQuigg, Michael Robert; Wysong, Andrew Russell

In this document, the code MCNP is validated with ENDF/B-VII.1 cross section data under the purview of ANSI/ANS-8.24-2007, for use with uranium systems. MCNP is a computer code based on Monte Carlo transport methods. While MCNP has wide reading capability in nuclear transport simulation, this validation is limited to the functionality related to neutron transport and calculation of criticality parameters such as k eff.

Assessing self-care and social function using a computer adaptive testing version of the pediatric evaluation of disability inventory.

PubMed

Coster, Wendy J; Haley, Stephen M; Ni, Pengsheng; Dumas, Helene M; Fragala-Pinkham, Maria A

2008-04-01

To examine score agreement, validity, precision, and response burden of a prototype computer adaptive testing (CAT) version of the self-care and social function scales of the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory compared with the full-length version of these scales. Computer simulation analysis of cross-sectional and longitudinal retrospective data; cross-sectional prospective study. Pediatric rehabilitation hospital, including inpatient acute rehabilitation, day school program, outpatient clinics; community-based day care, preschool, and children's homes. Children with disabilities (n=469) and 412 children with no disabilities (analytic sample); 38 children with disabilities and 35 children without disabilities (cross-validation sample). Not applicable. Summary scores from prototype CAT applications of each scale using 15-, 10-, and 5-item stopping rules; scores from the full-length self-care and social function scales; time (in seconds) to complete assessments and respondent ratings of burden. Scores from both computer simulations and field administration of the prototype CATs were highly consistent with scores from full-length administration (r range, .94-.99). Using computer simulation of retrospective data, discriminant validity, and sensitivity to change of the CATs closely approximated that of the full-length scales, especially when the 15- and 10-item stopping rules were applied. In the cross-validation study the time to administer both CATs was 4 minutes, compared with over 16 minutes to complete the full-length scales. Self-care and social function score estimates from CAT administration are highly comparable with those obtained from full-length scale administration, with small losses in validity and precision and substantial decreases in administration time.

[Validation of the German version of the Oxford Elbow Score : A cross-sectional study].

PubMed

Marquardt, J; Schöttker-Königer, T; Schäfer, A

2016-08-01

Elbow complaints are complex problems leading to severe consequences for affected people and the healthcare system. The German version of the Oxford Elbow Score (OES) is the first German-speaking instrument that specifically measures elbow complaints from the patient's perspective and changes of their health status. The aim of this study is the validation of the German version of the OES. In this context the internal consistency and the construct validity were investigated. 59 patients with elbow complaints completed the German version of the OES, the DASH and the SF-36 in a cross-sectional study. The internal consistency was calculated with Cronbach's alpha coefficients. Spearman's correlation coefficients were used to confirm construct validity. Cronbach's alpha for pain, function and psychological subscales was 0.88, 0.81 and 0.90, respectively. The whole questionnaire presents a Cronbach's alpha value of 0.93. Convergent construct validity was confirmed with correlation coefficients containing values of -0.84, -0.77 and -0.82 compared to DASH and values ranging from 0.41 to 0.80 compared with the physical domains of the SF-36. The divergent construct validity presented values ranging from 0.07 to 0.20 with the SF-36 domains of "general health perception" and "mental health". The German OES is an internal consistent instrument with good convergent and divergent construct validity. Other aspects of the validity, the reliability and the responsiveness should be confirmed through further studies.

A non-invasive assessment of skin carotenoid status through reflection spectroscopy is a feasible, reliable and potentially valid measure of fruit and vegetable consumption in a diverse community sample

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This study assessed the feasibility, reliability and validity of reflection spectroscopy (RS) to assess skin carotenoids in a racially diverse sample. Study 1 was a cross-sectional study of corner store customers (n= 479) in Eastern North Carolina USA who completed the National Cancer Institute Frui...

A Validation Study of the Revised Personal Safety Decision Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, HaeJung; Hopkins, Karen M.

2017-01-01

Objective: The purpose of this study is to examine the reliability and validity of an 11-item Personal Safety Decision Scale (PSDS) in a sample of child welfare workers. Methods: Data were derived from a larger cross-sectional online survey to a random stratified sample of 477 public child welfare workers in a mid-Atlantic State. An exploratory…

Development and Validation of an Instrument to Assess Student Attitudes toward Science across Grades 5 through 10

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Summers, Ryan; Abd-El-Khalick, Fouad

2018-01-01

The aim of the present study is to enable future studies into students' attitudes toward science, and related constructs, by developing and validating an instrument suitable for cross-sectional designs. Following a thorough review of the literature it was determined that many extant instruments included design aspects that appeared to be limited…

Parent-Reported Social Support for Child's Fruit and Vegetable Intake: Validity of Measures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dave, Jayna M.; Evans, Alexandra E.; Condrasky, Marge D.; Williams, Joel E.

2012-01-01

Objective: To develop and validate measures of parental social support to increase their child's fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption. Design: Cross-sectional study design. Setting: School and home. Participants: Two hundred three parents with at least 1 elementary school-aged child. Main Outcome Measure: Parents completed a questionnaire that…

Validation of Hansen-Roach library for highly enriched uranium metal systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wenz, T.R.; Busch, R.D.

The Hansen-Roach 16-group cross-section library has been validated for use in pure uranium metal systems by modeling the Godiva critical assembly using the neutronics transport theory code ONEDANT to perform effective multiplication factor (k{sub eff}) calculations. The cross-section library used contains data for 118 isotopes (34 unique elements), including the revised cross sections for {sup 235}U and {sup 238}U. The Godiva critical assembly is a 17.4-cm sphere composed of 93.7 wt% {sup 235}U, 1.0 wt% {sup 234}U, and 5.3 wt% {sup 238}U with an effective homogeneous density of 18.7 g/cm{sup 3}.

Validation and Cross-Cultural Adaptation of a Chinese Version of the Emotional and Social Dysfunction Questionnaire in Stroke Patients.

PubMed

Huang, Hui-Chuan; Shyu, Meei-Ling; Lin, Mei-Feng; Hu, Chaur-Jong; Chang, Chien-Hung; Lee, Hsin-Chien; Chi, Nai-Fang; Chang, Hsiu-Ju

2017-12-01

The objectives of this study were to develop a cross-cultural Chinese version of the Emotional and Social Dysfunction Questionnaire (ESDQ-C) and test its validity and reliability among Chinese-speaking stroke patients. Various methods were used to develop the ESDQ-C. A cross-sectional study was used to examine the validity and reliability of the developed questionnaire, which consists of 28 items belonging to six factors, anger, helplessness, emotional dyscontrol, indifference, inertia and fatigue, and euphoria. Satisfactory convergence and known-group validities were confirmed by significant correlations of the ESDQ-C with the Profile of Mood States-Short Form ( p < .05) and with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale ( p < .05). The internal consistency was represented by Cronbach's alpha, which was .96 and .79 to .92 for the entire scale and subscales, respectively. Appropriate application of the ESDQ-C will be helpful to identify critical adjustment-related types of distress and patients who experience difficulty coping with such distress.

Flow Duct Data for Validation of Acoustic Liner Codes for Impedance Eduction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ahuja, K. K.; Munro, Scott; Gaeta, R. J., Jr.

2000-01-01

The objective of the study reported here was to acquire acoustic and flow data with hard and lined duct wall duct sections for validation of a liner prediction code being developed at NASA LaRC. Both the mean flowfield and acoustic flowfields were determined in a cross-plane of the rectangular duct. A flow duct facility with acoustic drivers connected to a rectangular (4.7 x 2.0 inch) source section and a linear acoustic liner mounted downstream of the source section was used in this study. The liner section was designed to allow liner materials to be placed on all 4 walls of the duct. The test liner was of the locally-reacting type and was made from a ceramic material. The material, consisting of a tubular structure, was provided by NASA LaRC. The liner was approximately 8.89 cm (3.5 inches) thick. For the current study, only the two "short" sides of the duct were lined with liner material. The other two sides were hard walls. Two especially built instrumentation sections were attached on either sides of the liner section to allow acoustic and flow measurements to be made upstream and downstream of the liner. The two instrumentation duct sections were built to allow measurement of acoustic and flow properties at planes perpendicular to flow upstream and downstream of the liner section. The instrumentation section was also designed to provide a streamwise gradient in acoustic (complex) pressure from which the acoustic particle velocity, needed for the model validation, can be computed. Flow measurements included pressure, temperature, and velocity profiles upstream of the liner section. The in-flow sound pressure levels and phases were obtained with a microphone probe equipped with a nose cone in two cross planes upstream of the liner and two cross plane downstream of the liner. In addition to the acoustic measurements at the cross planes. axial centerline acoustic data was acquired using an axially traversing microphone probe which was traversed from a location upstream of the liner to some distance downstream of the liner. All probes used here had to be calibrated with respect to a standard microphone equipped with a nose cone to allow for the effects of flow.

Using 171,173Yb(d,p) to benchmark a surrogate reaction for neutron capture

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hatarik, R; Bersntein, L; Burke, J

2008-08-08

Neutron capture cross sections on unstable nuclei are important for many applications in nuclear structure and astrophysics. Measuring these cross sections directly is a major challenge and often impossible. An indirect approach for measuring these cross sections is the surrogate reaction method, which makes it possible to relate the desired cross section to a cross section of an alternate reaction that proceeds through the same compound nucleus. To benchmark the validity of using the (d,p{gamma}) reaction as a surrogate for (n,{gamma}), the {sup 171,173}Yb(d,p{gamma}) reactions were measured with the goal to reproduce the known [1] neutron capture cross section ratiosmore » of these nuclei.« less

Computation of leaky guided waves dispersion spectrum using vibroacoustic analyses and the Matrix Pencil Method: a validation study for immersed rectangular waveguides.

PubMed

Mazzotti, M; Bartoli, I; Castellazzi, G; Marzani, A

2014-09-01

The paper aims at validating a recently proposed Semi Analytical Finite Element (SAFE) formulation coupled with a 2.5D Boundary Element Method (2.5D BEM) for the extraction of dispersion data in immersed waveguides of generic cross-section. To this end, three-dimensional vibroacoustic analyses are carried out on two waveguides of square and rectangular cross-section immersed in water using the commercial Finite Element software Abaqus/Explicit. Real wavenumber and attenuation dispersive data are extracted by means of a modified Matrix Pencil Method. It is demonstrated that the results obtained using the two techniques are in very good agreement. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Measurement of stream channel habitat using sonar

USGS Publications Warehouse

Flug, Marshall; Seitz, Heather; Scott, John

1998-01-01

An efficient and low cost technique using a sonar system was evaluated for describing channel geometry and quantifying inundated area in a large river. The boat-mounted portable sonar equipment was used to record water depths and river width measurements for direct storage on a laptop computer. The field data collected from repeated traverses at a cross-section were evaluated to determine the precision of the system and field technique. Results from validation at two different sites showed average sample standard deviations (S.D.s) of 0.12 m for these complete cross-sections, with coefficient of variations of 10%. Validation using only the mid-channel river cross-section data yields an average sample S.D. of 0.05 m, with a coefficient of variation below 5%, at a stable and gauged river site using only measurements of water depths greater than 0.6 m. Accuracy of the sonar system was evaluated by comparison to traditionally surveyed transect data from a regularly gauged site. We observed an average mean squared deviation of 46.0 cm2, considering only that portion of the cross-section inundated by more than 0.6 m of water. Our procedure proved to be a reliable, accurate, safe, quick, and economic method to record river depths, discharges, bed conditions, and substratum composition necessary for stream habitat studies.

The Investigation of ADHD Prevalence in Kindergarten Children in Northeast Iran and a Determination of the Criterion Validity of Conners' Questionnaire via Clinical Interview

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abdekhodaie, Zahra; Tabatabaei, Seyed Mahmood; Gholizadeh, Mortaza

2012-01-01

In this study, the prevalence of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in kindergarten children in northeast Iran was investigated, and the criterion validity of Conners' parent-teacher questionnaire was evaluated through the use of clinical interviews. This study was a cross-sectional descriptive research project with children in…

The Gap Concept as a Quality of Life Measure: Validation Study of the Child Quality of Life Systemic Inventory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Etienne, Anne-Marie; Dupuis, Gilles; Spitz, Elisabeth; Lemetayer, Fabienne; Missotten, Pierre

2011-01-01

The objective was to determine the interest and psychometric properties of a new QOL self-assessment questionnaire suitable for children 8-12 years old measuring alpha, beta and gamma changes: the "Inventaire Systemique de Qualite de vie pour Enfants" (ISQV-E[C]). This was a cross-sectional validation study. 288 children have completed…

Validation of MCNP6 Version 1.0 with the ENDF/B-VII.1 Cross Section Library for Plutonium Metals, Oxides, and Solutions on the High Performance Computing Platform Moonlight

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chapman, Bryan Scott; Gough, Sean T.

This report documents a validation of the MCNP6 Version 1.0 computer code on the high performance computing platform Moonlight, for operations at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) that involve plutonium metals, oxides, and solutions. The validation is conducted using the ENDF/B-VII.1 continuous energy group cross section library at room temperature. The results are for use by nuclear criticality safety personnel in performing analysis and evaluation of various facility activities involving plutonium materials.

Three dimensional X-ray Diffraction Contrast Tomography Reconstruction of Polycrystalline Strontium Titanate during Sintering and Electron Backscatter Diffraction Validation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Syha, M.; Rheinheimer, W.; Loedermann, B.; Graff, A.; Trenkle, A.; Baeurer, M.; Weygand, D.; Ludwig, W.; Gumbsch, P.

The microstructural evolution of polycrystalline strontium titanate was investigated in three dimensions (3D) using X-ray diffraction contrast tomography (DCT) before and after ex-situ annealing at 1600°C. Post-annealing, the specimen was additionally subjected to phase contrast tomography (PCT) in order to finely resolve the porosities. The resulting microstructure reconstructions were studied with special emphasis on morphology and interface orientation during microstructure evolution. Subsequently, cross-sections of the specimen were studied using electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). Corresponding cross-sections through the 3D reconstruction were identified and the quality of the reconstruction is validated with special emphasis on the spatial resolution at the grain boundaries, the size and location of pores contained in the material and the accuracy of the orientation determination.

Measuring Knowledge Integration Learning of Energy Topics: A two-year longitudinal study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Ou Lydia; Ryoo, Kihyun; Linn, Marcia C.; Sato, Elissa; Svihla, Vanessa

2015-05-01

Although researchers call for inquiry learning in science, science assessments rarely capture the impact of inquiry instruction. This paper reports on the development and validation of assessments designed to measure middle-school students' progress in gaining integrated understanding of energy while studying an inquiry-oriented curriculum. The assessment development was guided by the knowledge integration framework. Over 2 years of implementation, more than 4,000 students from 4 schools participated in the study, including a cross-sectional and a longitudinal cohort. Results from item response modeling analyses revealed that: (a) the assessments demonstrated satisfactory psychometric properties in terms of reliability and validity; (b) both the cross-sectional and longitudinal cohorts made progress on integrating their understanding energy concepts; and (c) among many factors (e.g. gender, grade, school, and home language) associated with students' science performance, unit implementation was the strongest predictor.

Relative Reliability and Validity of the Block Kids Questionnaire among Youth Aged 10 to 17 Years

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This cross-sectional study tested the reliability and validity of the Block Kids Questionnaire to assess diet during the past 7 days. Within a 7-day period, 10- to 17-year-old children and adolescents completed two 24-hour dietary recalls by telephone, followed by the Block Kids Questionnaire at the...

Validity and Reliability of Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness (Cantonese)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Daniel Kim-Wan; Ng, Petrus Y. N.; Pan, Jia-Yan; Cheng, Daphne

2017-01-01

Purpose: This study aims to translate and test the reliability and validity of the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness-Cantonese (ISMI-C). Methods: The original English version of ISMI is translated into the ISMI-C by going through forward and backward translation procedure. A cross-sectional research design is adopted that involved 295…

A scaling law for accretion zone sizes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greenzweig, Yuval; Lissauer, Jack J.

1987-01-01

Current theories of runaway planetary accretion require small random velocities of the accreted particles. Two body gravitational accretion cross sections which ignore tidal perturbations of the Sun are not valid for the slow encounters which occur at low relative velocities. Wetherill and Cox have studied accretion cross sections for rocky protoplanets orbiting at 1 AU. Using analytic methods based on Hill's lunar theory, one can scale these results for protoplanets that occupy the same fraction of their Hill sphere as does a rocky body at 1 AU. Generalization to bodies of different sizes is achieved here by numerical integrations of the three-body problem. Starting at initial positions far from the accreting body, test particles are allowed to encounter the body once, and the cross section is computed. A power law is found relating the cross section to the radius of the accreting body (of fixed mass).

Validation of Cross Sections with Criticality Experiment and Reaction Rates: the Neptunium Case

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leong, L. S.; Tassan-Got, L.; Audouin, L.; Berthier, B.; Le Naour, C.; Stéphan, C.; Paradela, C.; Tarrío, D.; Duran, I.

2014-04-01

The 237Np neutron-induced fission cross section has been recently measured in a large energy range (from eV to GeV) at the n_TOF facility at CERN. When compared to previous measurements the n_TOF fission cross section appears to be higher by 5-7% beyond the fission threshold. To check the relevance of the n_TOF data, we considered a criticality experiment performed at Los Alamos with a 6 kg sphere of 237Np, surrounded by uranium highly enriched in 235U so as to approach criticality with fast neutrons. The multiplication factor keff of the calculation is in better agreement with the experiment when we replace the ENDF/B-VII.0 evaluation of the 237Np fission cross section by the n_TOF data. We also explored the hypothesis of deficiencies of the inelastic cross section in 235U which has been invoked by some authors to explain the deviation of 750 pcm. The large modification needed to reduce the deviation seems to be incompatible with existing inelastic cross section measurements. Also we show that the νbar of 237Np can hardly be incriminated because of the high accuracy of the existing data. Fission rate ratios or averaged fission cross sections measured in several fast neutron fields seem to give contradictory results on the validation of the 237Np cross section but at least one of the benchmark experiments, where the active deposits have been well calibrated for the number of atoms, favors the n_TOF data set. These outcomes support the hypothesis of a higher fission cross section of 237Np.

Cross sections for electron impact excitation of the C 1Π and D 1Σ+ electronic states in N2O

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawahara, H.; Suzuki, D.; Kato, H.; Hoshino, M.; Tanaka, H.; Ingólfsson, O.; Campbell, L.; Brunger, M. J.

2009-09-01

Differential and integral cross sections for electron-impact excitation of the dipole-allowed C Π1 and D Σ1+ electronic states of nitrous oxide have been measured. The differential cross sections were determined by analysis of normalized energy-loss spectra obtained using a crossed-beam apparatus at six electron energies in the range 15-200 eV. Integral cross sections were subsequently derived from these data. The present work was undertaken in order to check both the validity of the only other comprehensive experimental study into these excitation processes [Marinković et al., J. Phys. B 32, 1949 (1998)] and to extend the energy range of those data. Agreement with the earlier data, particularly at the lower common energies, was typically found to be fair. In addition, the BEf-scaling approach [Kim, J. Chem. Phys. 126, 064305 (2007)] is used to calculate integral cross sections for the C Π1 and D Σ1+ states, from their respective thresholds to 5000 eV. In general, good agreement is found between the experimental integral cross sections and those calculated within the BEf-scaling paradigm, the only exception being at the lowest energies of this study. Finally, optical oscillator strengths, also determined as a part of the present investigations, were found to be in fair accordance with previous corresponding determinations.

Cross Section Sensitivity and Propagated Errors in HZE Exposures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heinbockel, John H.; Wilson, John W.; Blatnig, Steve R.; Qualls, Garry D.; Badavi, Francis F.; Cucinotta, Francis A.

2005-01-01

It has long been recognized that galactic cosmic rays are of such high energy that they tend to pass through available shielding materials resulting in exposure of astronauts and equipment within space vehicles and habitats. Any protection provided by shielding materials result not so much from stopping such particles but by changing their physical character in interaction with shielding material nuclei forming, hopefully, less dangerous species. Clearly, the fidelity of the nuclear cross-sections is essential to correct specification of shield design and sensitivity to cross-section error is important in guiding experimental validation of cross-section models and database. We examine the Boltzmann transport equation which is used to calculate dose equivalent during solar minimum, with units (cSv/yr), associated with various depths of shielding materials. The dose equivalent is a weighted sum of contributions from neutrons, protons, light ions, medium ions and heavy ions. We investigate the sensitivity of dose equivalent calculations due to errors in nuclear fragmentation cross-sections. We do this error analysis for all possible projectile-fragment combinations (14,365 such combinations) to estimate the sensitivity of the shielding calculations to errors in the nuclear fragmentation cross-sections. Numerical differentiation with respect to the cross-sections will be evaluated in a broad class of materials including polyethylene, aluminum and copper. We will identify the most important cross-sections for further experimental study and evaluate their impact on propagated errors in shielding estimates.

Assessing self-care and social function using a computer adaptive testing version of the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory Accepted for Publication, Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

PubMed Central

Coster, Wendy J.; Haley, Stephen M.; Ni, Pengsheng; Dumas, Helene M.; Fragala-Pinkham, Maria A.

2009-01-01

Objective To examine score agreement, validity, precision, and response burden of a prototype computer adaptive testing (CAT) version of the Self-Care and Social Function scales of the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI) compared to the full-length version of these scales. Design Computer simulation analysis of cross-sectional and longitudinal retrospective data; cross-sectional prospective study. Settings Pediatric rehabilitation hospital, including inpatient acute rehabilitation, day school program, outpatient clinics; community-based day care, preschool, and children’s homes. Participants Four hundred sixty-nine children with disabilities and 412 children with no disabilities (analytic sample); 38 children with disabilities and 35 children without disabilities (cross-validation sample). Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Summary scores from prototype CAT applications of each scale using 15-, 10-, and 5-item stopping rules; scores from the full-length Self-Care and Social Function scales; time (in seconds) to complete assessments and respondent ratings of burden. Results Scores from both computer simulations and field administration of the prototype CATs were highly consistent with scores from full-length administration (all r’s between .94 and .99). Using computer simulation of retrospective data, discriminant validity and sensitivity to change of the CATs closely approximated that of the full-length scales, especially when the 15- and 10-item stopping rules were applied. In the cross-validation study the time to administer both CATs was 4 minutes, compared to over 16 minutes to complete the full-length scales. Conclusions Self-care and Social Function score estimates from CAT administration are highly comparable to those obtained from full-length scale administration, with small losses in validity and precision and substantial decreases in administration time. PMID:18373991

Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of Persian Achilles tendon Total Rupture Score.

PubMed

Ansari, Noureddin Nakhostin; Naghdi, Soofia; Hasanvand, Sahar; Fakhari, Zahra; Kordi, Ramin; Nilsson-Helander, Katarina

2016-04-01

To cross-culturally adapt the Achilles tendon Total Rupture Score (ATRS) to Persian language and to preliminary evaluate the reliability and validity of a Persian ATRS. A cross-sectional and prospective cohort study was conducted to translate and cross-culturally adapt the ATRS to Persian language (ATRS-Persian) following steps described in guidelines. Thirty patients with total Achilles tendon rupture and 30 healthy subjects participated in this study. Psychometric properties of floor/ceiling effects (responsiveness), internal consistency reliability, test-retest reliability, standard error of measurement (SEM), smallest detectable change (SDC), construct validity, and discriminant validity were tested. Factor analysis was performed to determine the ATRS-Persian structure. There were no floor or ceiling effects that indicate the content and responsiveness of ATRS-Persian. Internal consistency was high (Cronbach's α 0.95). Item-total correlations exceeded acceptable standard of 0.3 for the all items (0.58-0.95). The test-retest reliability was excellent [(ICC)agreement 0.98]. SEM and SDC were 3.57 and 9.9, respectively. Construct validity was supported by a significant correlation between the ATRS-Persian total score and the Persian Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (PFAOS) total score and PFAOS subscales (r = 0.55-0.83). The ATRS-Persian significantly discriminated between patients and healthy subjects. Explanatory factor analysis revealed 1 component. The ATRS was cross-culturally adapted to Persian and demonstrated to be a reliable and valid instrument to measure functional outcomes in Persian patients with Achilles tendon rupture. II.

Photodetachment cross sections of negative ions - The range of validity of the Wigner threshold law

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Farley, John W.

1989-01-01

The threshold behavior of the photodetachment cross section of negative ions as a function of photon frequency is usually described by the Wigner law. This paper reports the results of a model calculation using the zero-core-contribution (ZCC) approximation. Theoretical expressions for the leading correction to the Wigner law are developed, giving the range of validity of the Wigner law and the expected accuracy. The results are relevant to extraction of electron affinities from experimental photodetachment data.

Combined High Spectral Resolution Lidar and Millimeter Wavelength Radar Measurement of Ice Crystal Precipitation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Eloranta, Edwin

The goal of this research has been to improve measurements of snowfall using a combination of millimeter-wavelength radar and High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL) Observations. Snowflakes are large compared to the 532nm HSRL wavelength and small compared to the 3.2 and 8.6 mm wavelength radars used in this study. This places the particles in the optical scattering regime of the HSRL, where extinction cross-section is proportional to the projected area of the particles, and in the Rayleigh regime for the radar, where the backscatter cross-section is proportional to the mass-squared of the particles. Forming a ratio of the radar measuredmore » cross-section to the HSRL measured cross section eliminates any dependence on the number of scattering particles, yielding a quantity proportional to the average mass-squared of the snowflakes over the average area of the flakes. Using simultaneous radar measurements of particle fall velocities, which are dependent particle mass and cross-sectional area it is possible to derive the average mass of the snow flakes, and with the radar measured fall velocities compute the snowfall rate. Since this retrieval requires the optical extinction cross-section we began by considering errors this quantity. The HSRL is particularly good at measuring the backscatter cross-section. In previous studies of snowfall in the high Arctic were able to estimate the extinction cross-section directly as a fixed ratio to the backscatter cross-section. Measurements acquired in the STORMVEX experiment in Colorado showed that this approach was not valid in mid-latitude snowfalls and that direct measurement of the extinction cross-section is required. Attempts to measure the extinction directly uncovered shortcomings in thermal regulation and mechanical stability of the newly deployed DOE HSRL systems. These problems were largely mitigated by modifications installed in both of the DOE systems. We also investigated other sources of error in the HSRL direct measurement of extinction (see appendix II of this report). We also developed improved algorithms to extract extinction from the HSRL data. These have been installed in the standard HSRL data processing software and are now available to all users of HSRL data. Validation of snowfall measurements has proven difficult due to the unreliability of conventional snowfall measurements coupled with the complexity of considering the vast variety of snowflake geometries. It was difficult to tell how well the algorithm’s approach to accommodating differences in snowflakes was working without good measurements for comparison. As a result, we decided to apply this approach to the somewhat simpler, but scientifically important, problem of drizzle measurement. Here the particle shape is known and the conventional measurement are more reliable. These algorithms where successfully applied to drizzle data acquired during the ARM MAGIC study of marine stratus clouds between California and Hawaii (see Appendix I). This technique is likely to become a powerful tool for studying lifetime of the climatically important marine stratus clouds.« less

Monte Carol-based validation of neutronic methodology for EBR-II analyses

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liaw, J.R.; Finck, P.J.

1993-01-01

The continuous-energy Monte Carlo code VIM (Ref. 1) has been validated extensively over the years against fast critical experiments and other neutronic analysis codes. A high degree of confidence in VIM for predicting reactor physics parameters has been firmly established. This paper presents a numerical validation of two conventional multigroup neutronic analysis codes, DIF3D (Ref. 4) and VARIANT (Ref. 5), against VIM for two Experimental Breeder Reactor II (EBR-II) core loadings in detailed three-dimensional hexagonal-z geometry. The DIF3D code is based on nodal diffusion theory, and it is used in calculations for day-today reactor operations, whereas the VARIANT code ismore » based on nodal transport theory and is used with increasing frequency for specific applications. Both DIF3D and VARIANT rely on multigroup cross sections generated from ENDF/B-V by the ETOE-2/MC[sup 2]-II/SDX (Ref. 6) code package. Hence, this study also validates the multigroup cross-section processing methodology against the continuous-energy approach used in VIM.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Anastasiou, Charalampos; Duhr, Claude; Dulat, Falko

In this study, we compute the gluon fusion Higgs boson cross-section at N 3LO through the second term in the threshold expansion. This calculation constitutes a major milestone towards the full N 3LO cross section. Our result has the best formal accuracy in the threshold expansion currently available, and includes contributions from collinear regions besides subleading corrections from soft and hard regions, as well as certain logarithmically enhanced contributions for general kinematics. We use our results to perform a critical appraisal of the validity of the threshold approximation at N 3LO in perturbative QCD.

The Trojan Horse Method in nuclear astrophysics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Spitaleri, C., E-mail: spitaleri@lns.infn.it; Mukhamedzhanov, A. M.; Blokhintsev, L. D.

2011-12-15

The study of energy production and nucleosynthesis in stars requires an increasingly precise knowledge of the nuclear reaction rates at the energies of interest. To overcome the experimental difficulties arising from the small cross sections at those energies and from the presence of the electron screening, the Trojan Horse Method has been introduced. The method provides a valid alternative path to measure unscreened low-energy cross sections of reactions between charged particles, and to retrieve information on the electron screening potential when ultra-low energy direct measurements are available.

Automated Cross-Sectional Measurement Method of Intracranial Dural Venous Sinuses.

PubMed

Lublinsky, S; Friedman, A; Kesler, A; Zur, D; Anconina, R; Shelef, I

2016-03-01

MRV is an important blood vessel imaging and diagnostic tool for the evaluation of stenosis, occlusions, or aneurysms. However, an accurate image-processing tool for vessel comparison is unavailable. The purpose of this study was to develop and test an automated technique for vessel cross-sectional analysis. An algorithm for vessel cross-sectional analysis was developed that included 7 main steps: 1) image registration, 2) masking, 3) segmentation, 4) skeletonization, 5) cross-sectional planes, 6) clustering, and 7) cross-sectional analysis. Phantom models were used to validate the technique. The method was also tested on a control subject and a patient with idiopathic intracranial hypertension (4 large sinuses tested: right and left transverse sinuses, superior sagittal sinus, and straight sinus). The cross-sectional area and shape measurements were evaluated before and after lumbar puncture in patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension. The vessel-analysis algorithm had a high degree of stability with <3% of cross-sections manually corrected. All investigated principal cranial blood sinuses had a significant cross-sectional area increase after lumbar puncture (P ≤ .05). The average triangularity of the transverse sinuses was increased, and the mean circularity of the sinuses was decreased by 6% ± 12% after lumbar puncture. Comparison of phantom and real data showed that all computed errors were <1 voxel unit, which confirmed that the method provided a very accurate solution. In this article, we present a novel automated imaging method for cross-sectional vessels analysis. The method can provide an efficient quantitative detection of abnormalities in the dural sinuses. © 2016 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.

Testing a self-determination theory model of children's physical activity motivation: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Sebire, Simon J; Jago, Russell; Fox, Kenneth R; Edwards, Mark J; Thompson, Janice L

2013-09-26

Understanding children's physical activity motivation, its antecedents and associations with behavior is important and can be advanced by using self-determination theory. However, research among youth is largely restricted to adolescents and studies of motivation within certain contexts (e.g., physical education). There are no measures of self-determination theory constructs (physical activity motivation or psychological need satisfaction) for use among children and no previous studies have tested a self-determination theory-based model of children's physical activity motivation. The purpose of this study was to test the reliability and validity of scores derived from scales adapted to measure self-determination theory constructs among children and test a motivational model predicting accelerometer-derived physical activity. Cross-sectional data from 462 children aged 7 to 11 years from 20 primary schools in Bristol, UK were analysed. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to examine the construct validity of adapted behavioral regulation and psychological need satisfaction scales. Structural equation modelling was used to test cross-sectional associations between psychological need satisfaction, motivation types and physical activity assessed by accelerometer. The construct validity and reliability of the motivation and psychological need satisfaction measures were supported. Structural equation modelling provided evidence for a motivational model in which psychological need satisfaction was positively associated with intrinsic and identified motivation types and intrinsic motivation was positively associated with children's minutes in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. The study provides evidence for the psychometric properties of measures of motivation aligned with self-determination theory among children. Children's motivation that is based on enjoyment and inherent satisfaction of physical activity is associated with their objectively-assessed physical activity and such motivation is positively associated with perceptions of psychological need satisfaction. These psychological factors represent potential malleable targets for interventions to increase children's physical activity.

Common measure of quality of life for people with systemic sclerosis across seven European countries: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Ndosi, Mwidimi; Alcacer-Pitarch, Begonya; Allanore, Yannick; Del Galdo, Francesco; Frerix, Marc; García-Díaz, Sílvia; Hesselstrand, Roger; Kendall, Christine; Matucci-Cerinic, Marco; Mueller-Ladner, Ulf; Sandqvist, Gunnel; Torrente-Segarra, Vicenç; Schmeiser, Tim; Sierakowska, Matylda; Sierakowska, Justyna; Sierakowski, Stanslaw; Redmond, Anthony

2018-02-20

The aim of this study was to adapt the Systemic Sclerosis Quality of Life Questionnaire (SScQoL) into six European cultures and validate it as a common measure of quality of life in systemic sclerosis (SSc). This was a seven-country (Germany, France, Italy, Poland, Spain, Sweden and UK) cross-sectional study. A forward-backward translation process was used to adapt the English SScQoL into target languages. SScQoL was completed by patients with SSc, then data were validated against the Rasch model. To correct local response dependency, items were grouped into the following subscales: function, emotion, sleep, social and pain and reanalysed for fit to the model, unidimensionality and cross-cultural equivalence. The adaptation of the SScQoL was seamless in all countries except Germany. Cross-cultural validation included 1080 patients with a mean age 58.0 years (SD 13.9) and 87% were women. Local dependency was evident in individual country data. Grouping items into testlets corrected the local dependency in most country specific data. Fit to the model, reliability and unidimensionality was achieved in six-country data after cross-cultural adjustment for Italy in the social subscale. The SScQoL was then calibrated into an interval level scale. The individual SScQoL items have translated well into five languages and overall, the scale maintained its construct validity, working well as a five-subscale questionnaire. Measures of quality of life in SSc can be directly compared across five countries (France, Poland Spain, Sweden and UK). Data from Italy are also comparable with the other five countries although require an adjustment. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Sampling Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adolph, Karen E.; Robinson, Scott R.

2011-01-01

Research in developmental psychology requires sampling at different time points. Accurate depictions of developmental change provide a foundation for further empirical studies and theories about developmental mechanisms. However, overreliance on widely spaced sampling intervals in cross-sectional and longitudinal designs threatens the validity of…

Negative Impact and Positive Value in Caregiving: Validation of the COPE Index in a Six-Country Sample of Carers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balducci, Cristian; Mnich, Eva; McKee, Kevin J.; Lamura, Giovanni; Beckmann, Anke; Krevers, Barbro; Wojszel, Z. Beata; Nolan, Mike; Prouskas, Constantinos; Bien, Barbara; Oberg, Birgitta

2008-01-01

Purpose: The present study attempts to further validate the COPE Index on a large sample of carers drawn from six European countries. Design and Methods: We used a cross-sectional survey, with approximately 1,000 carers recruited in each of six countries by means of a common standard evaluation protocol. Our saturation recruitment of a designated…

Sino-Nasal Outcome Test-22: Translation, Cross-cultural Adaptation, and Validation in Hebrew-Speaking Patients.

PubMed

Shapira Galitz, Yael; Halperin, Doron; Bavnik, Yosef; Warman, Meir

2016-05-01

To perform the translation, cross-cultural adaptation, and validation of the Sino-Nasal Outcome Test-22 (SNOT-22) questionnaire to the Hebrew language. A single-center prospective cross-sectional study. Seventy-three chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) patients and 73 patients without sinonasal disease filled the Hebrew version of the SNOT-22 questionnaire. Fifty-one CRS patients underwent endoscopic sinus surgery, out of which 28 filled a postoperative questionnaire. Seventy-three healthy volunteers without sinonasal disease also answered the questionnaire. Internal consistency, test-retest reproducibility, validity, and responsiveness of the questionnaire were evaluated. Questionnaire reliability was excellent, with a high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha coefficient, 0.91-0.936) and test-retest reproducibility (Spearman's coefficient, 0.962). Mean scores for the preoperative, postoperative, and control groups were 50.44, 29.64, and 13.15, respectively (P < .0001 for CRS vs controls, P < .001 for preoperative vs postoperative), showing validity and responsiveness of the questionnaire. The Hebrew version of SNOT-22 questionnaire is a valid outcome measure for patients with CRS with or without nasal polyps. © American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery Foundation 2016.

Differential Cross Sections for Proton-Proton Elastic Scattering

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Norman, Ryan B.; Dick, Frank; Norbury, John W.; Blattnig, Steve R.

2009-01-01

Proton-proton elastic scattering is investigated within the framework of the one pion exchange model in an attempt to model nucleon-nucleon interactions spanning the large range of energies important to cosmic ray shielding. A quantum field theoretic calculation is used to compute both differential and total cross sections. A scalar theory is then presented and compared to the one pion exchange model. The theoretical cross sections are compared to proton-proton scattering data to determine the validity of the models.

Polarization resolved angular optical scattering of aerosol particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Redding, B.; Pan, Y.; Wang, C.; Videen, G.; Cao, Hui

2014-05-01

Real-time detection and identification of bio-aerosol particles are crucial for the protection against chemical and biological agents. The strong elastic light scattering properties of airborne particles provides a natural means for rapid, non-invasive aerosol characterization. Recent theoretical predictions suggested that variations in the polarization dependent angular scattering cross section could provide an efficient means of classifying different airborne particles. In particular, the polarization dependent scattering cross section of aggregate particles is expected to depend on the shape of the primary particles. In order to experimentally validate this prediction, we built a high throughput, sampling system, capable of measuring the polarization resolved angular scattering cross section of individual aerosol particles flowing through an interrogating volume with a single shot of laser pulse. We calibrated the system by comparing the polarization dependent scattering cross section of individual polystyrene spheres with that predicted by Mie theory. We then used the system to study different particles types: Polystyrene aggregates composed 500 nm spheres and Bacillus subtilis (BG, Anthrax simulant) spores composed of elongated 500 nm × 1000 nm cylinder-line particles. We found that the polarization resolved scattering cross section depends on the shape of the constituent elements of the aggregates. This work indicates that the polarization resolved scattering cross section could be used for rapid discrimination between different bio-aerosol particles.

Progress on China nuclear data processing code system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Ping; Wu, Xiaofei; Ge, Zhigang; Li, Songyang; Wu, Haicheng; Wen, Lili; Wang, Wenming; Zhang, Huanyu

2017-09-01

China is developing the nuclear data processing code Ruler, which can be used for producing multi-group cross sections and related quantities from evaluated nuclear data in the ENDF format [1]. The Ruler includes modules for reconstructing cross sections in all energy range, generating Doppler-broadened cross sections for given temperature, producing effective self-shielded cross sections in unresolved energy range, calculating scattering cross sections in thermal energy range, generating group cross sections and matrices, preparing WIMS-D format data files for the reactor physics code WIMS-D [2]. Programming language of the Ruler is Fortran-90. The Ruler is tested for 32-bit computers with Windows-XP and Linux operating systems. The verification of Ruler has been performed by comparison with calculation results obtained by the NJOY99 [3] processing code. The validation of Ruler has been performed by using WIMSD5B code.

Minimal shortening of leukocyte telomere length across age groups in a cross-sectional study for carriers of a longevity-associated FOXO3 allele.

PubMed

Davy, Philip M C; Willcox, D Craig; Shimabukuro, Michio; Donlon, Timothy A; Torigoe, Trevor; Suzuki, Makoto; Higa, Moritake; Masuzaki, Hiroaki; Sata, Masataka; Chen, Randi; Murkofsky, Rachel; Morris, Brian J; Lim, Eunjung; Allsopp, Richard C; Willcox, Bradley J

2018-04-21

FOXO3 is one of the most prominent genes demonstrating a consistently reproducible genetic association with human longevity. The mechanisms by which these individual gene variants confer greater organismal lifespan are not well understood. We assessed the effect of longevity-associated FOXO3 alleles on age-related leukocyte telomere dynamics in a cross-sectional study comprising of samples from 121 healthy Okinawan-Japanese donors aged 21-95 years. We found that telomere length for carriers of the longevity associated allele of FOXO3 single nucleotide polymorphism rs2802292 displayed no significant correlation with age, an effect that was most pronounced in older (>50) participants. This is the first validated longevity gene variant identified to date showing an association with negligible loss of telomere length with age in humans in a cross sectional study. Reduced telomere attrition may be a key mechanism for the longevity-promoting effect of the FOXO3 genotype studied.

Scaling Cross Sections for Ion-atom Impact Ionization

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Igor D. Kaganovich; Edward Startsev; Ronald C. Davidson

2003-06-06

The values of ion-atom ionization cross sections are frequently needed for many applications that utilize the propagation of fast ions through matter. When experimental data and theoretical calculations are not available, approximate formulas are frequently used. This paper briefly summarizes the most important theoretical results and approaches to cross section calculations in order to place the discussion in historical perspective and offer a concise introduction to the topic. Based on experimental data and theoretical predictions, a new fit for ionization cross sections is proposed. The range of validity and accuracy of several frequently used approximations (classical trajectory, the Born approximation,more » and so forth) are discussed using, as examples, the ionization cross sections of hydrogen and helium atoms by various fully stripped ions.« less

Correlates of self-efficacy for disease management in adolescent/young adult cancer survivors: A systematic review.

PubMed

Herts, Kate L; Khaled, Mona M; Stanton, Annette L

2017-03-01

The primary objective of this review was to summarize the literature regarding factors associated with self-efficacy for disease management (SEDM) in cross-sectional studies and the efficacy/effectiveness of psychosocial interventions that are designed to improve SEDM in adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors. The secondary aim was to assess the quality of included studies. We conducted a systematic review using PsycINFO and PubMed to identify studies for review. Eligible studies were conducted in AYA cancer survivors ages 15 to 39; included a measure of SEDM assessed as an outcome or in a cross-sectional analysis; and were published in a peer-reviewed, English-language journal. From the 2,910 records screened, 7 cross-sectional studies and 4 intervention studies met criteria for inclusion. Eleven of the 12 SEDM measures in the studies were author-constructed, limiting the ability to draw conclusions across studies. All cross-sectional studies met at least 21 of 26 relevant quality assessment criteria, and intervention studies met between 4 and 11 of 14 criteria. Cross-sectional findings indicate that SEDM is positively associated with health-promoting behaviors and inversely related to physical and mental health problems. The intervention studies demonstrated that behavioral and educational interventions have the potential to increase SEDM. Directions for research include the need for validated measures of SEDM for AYA cancer survivors, as well as interventions that target both the health care team's and the patient's role in promoting SEDM. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Key Skills Influencing Student Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balch, Tonya; Gruenert, Steve

2009-01-01

A predictive, non-experimental, cross-sectional design (Johnson, 2001) was used to conduct a study to determine if elementary administrators' key counseling skills and select demographics predicted state-level student performance indicators in their respective schools. A secondary purpose of this study was to develop a valid and reliable on-line…

Cross-cultural adaption and validation of the Persian version of the SWAL-QOL.

PubMed

Tarameshlu, Maryam; Azimi, Amir Reza; Jalaie, Shohreh; Ghelichi, Leila; Ansari, Noureddin Nakhostin

2017-06-01

The aim of this study was to translate and cross-culturally adapt the swallowing quality-of-life questionnaire (SWAL-QOL) to Persian language and to determine validity and reliability of the Persian version of the swallow quality-of-life questionnaire (PSWAL-QOL) in the patients with oropharyngeal dysphagia.The cross-sectional survey was designed to translate and cross-culturally adapt SWAL-QOL to Persian language following steps recommended in guideline. A total of 142 patients with dysphagia (mean age = 56.7 ± 12.22 years) were selected by non-probability consecutive sampling method to evaluate construct validity and internal consistency. Thirty patients with dysphagia were completed the PSWAL-QOL 2 weeks later for test-retest reliability.The PSWAL-QOL was favorably accepted with no missing items. The floor effect was ranged 0% to 21% and ceiling effect was ranged 0% to 16%. The construct validity was established via exploratory factor analysis. Internal consistency was confirmed with Cronbach α >0.7 for all scales except eating duration (α = 0.68). The test-retest reliability was excellent with intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) ≥0.75 for all scales.The SWAL-QOL was cross-culturally adapted to Persian and demonstrated to be a valid and reliable self-report questionnaire to measure the impact of dysphagia on the quality-of-life in the Persian patients with oropharyngeal dysphagia.

Cross-cultural adaption and validation of the Persian version of the SWAL-QOL

PubMed Central

Tarameshlu, Maryam; Azimi, Amir Reza; Jalaie, Shohreh; Ghelichi, Leila; Ansari, Noureddin Nakhostin

2017-01-01

Abstract The aim of this study was to translate and cross-culturally adapt the swallowing quality-of-life questionnaire (SWAL-QOL) to Persian language and to determine validity and reliability of the Persian version of the swallow quality-of-life questionnaire (PSWAL-QOL) in the patients with oropharyngeal dysphagia. The cross-sectional survey was designed to translate and cross-culturally adapt SWAL-QOL to Persian language following steps recommended in guideline. A total of 142 patients with dysphagia (mean age = 56.7 ± 12.22 years) were selected by non-probability consecutive sampling method to evaluate construct validity and internal consistency. Thirty patients with dysphagia were completed the PSWAL-QOL 2 weeks later for test–retest reliability. The PSWAL-QOL was favorably accepted with no missing items. The floor effect was ranged 0% to 21% and ceiling effect was ranged 0% to 16%. The construct validity was established via exploratory factor analysis. Internal consistency was confirmed with Cronbach α >0.7 for all scales except eating duration (α = 0.68). The test–retest reliability was excellent with intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) ≥0.75 for all scales. The SWAL-QOL was cross-culturally adapted to Persian and demonstrated to be a valid and reliable self-report questionnaire to measure the impact of dysphagia on the quality-of-life in the Persian patients with oropharyngeal dysphagia. PMID:28658118

Reliability and Validity of the Acanthosis Nigricans Screening Tool for Use in Elementary School-Age Children by School Nurses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scott, Leslie K.; Hall, Lynne M.

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to test the reliability and validity of an acanthosis nigricans (AN) screening tool for use in elementary school-age children of different ethnic groups. Cross-sectional data were collected via observation of 288, 5- to 12-year-old school-age children. Three nurse clinicians used a 0-4 grade AN screening tool to rate…

Computer simulation of Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformation-validation analysis of hemodynamics parameters.

PubMed

Kumar, Y Kiran; Mehta, Shashi Bhushan; Ramachandra, Manjunath

2017-01-01

The purpose of this work is to provide some validation methods for evaluating the hemodynamic assessment of Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformation (CAVM). This article emphasizes the importance of validating noninvasive measurements for CAVM patients, which are designed using lumped models for complex vessel structure. The validation of the hemodynamics assessment is based on invasive clinical measurements and cross-validation techniques with the Philips proprietary validated software's Qflow and 2D Perfursion. The modeling results are validated for 30 CAVM patients for 150 vessel locations. Mean flow, diameter, and pressure were compared between modeling results and with clinical/cross validation measurements, using an independent two-tailed Student t test. Exponential regression analysis was used to assess the relationship between blood flow, vessel diameter, and pressure between them. Univariate analysis is used to assess the relationship between vessel diameter, vessel cross-sectional area, AVM volume, AVM pressure, and AVM flow results were performed with linear or exponential regression. Modeling results were compared with clinical measurements from vessel locations of cerebral regions. Also, the model is cross validated with Philips proprietary validated software's Qflow and 2D Perfursion. Our results shows that modeling results and clinical results are nearly matching with a small deviation. In this article, we have validated our modeling results with clinical measurements. The new approach for cross-validation is proposed by demonstrating the accuracy of our results with a validated product in a clinical environment.

Higgs boson gluon-fusion production beyond threshold in N 3LO QCD

DOE PAGES

Anastasiou, Charalampos; Duhr, Claude; Dulat, Falko; ...

2015-03-18

In this study, we compute the gluon fusion Higgs boson cross-section at N 3LO through the second term in the threshold expansion. This calculation constitutes a major milestone towards the full N 3LO cross section. Our result has the best formal accuracy in the threshold expansion currently available, and includes contributions from collinear regions besides subleading corrections from soft and hard regions, as well as certain logarithmically enhanced contributions for general kinematics. We use our results to perform a critical appraisal of the validity of the threshold approximation at N 3LO in perturbative QCD.

Translation, cross-cultural adaptation and validation of an HIV/AIDS knowledge and attitudinal instrument.

PubMed

Zometa, Carlos S; Dedrick, Robert; Knox, Michael D; Westhoff, Wayne; Siri, Rodrigo Simán; Debaldo, Ann

2007-06-01

An instrument developed in the United States by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to assess HIV/AIDS knowledge and four attitudinal dimensions (Peer Pressure, Abstinence, Drug Use, and Threat of HIV Infection) and an instrument developed by Basen-Engquist et al. (1999) to measure abstinence and condom use were translated, cross-culturally adapted, and validated for use with Spanish-speaking high school students in El Salvador. A back-translation of the English version was cross-culturally adapted using two different review panels and pilot-tested with Salvadorian students. An expert panel established content validity, and confirmatory factor analysis provided support for construct validity. Results indicated that the methodology was successful in cross-culturally adapting the instrument developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the instrument developed by Basen-Engquist et al. The psychometric properties of the knowledge section were acceptable and there was partial support for the four-factor attitudinal model underlying the CDC instrument and the two-factor model underlying the Basen-Engquist et al. instrument. Additional studies with Spanish-speaking populations (either in the United States or Latin America) are needed to evaluate the generalizability of the present results.

Length bias correction in one-day cross-sectional assessments - The nutritionDay study.

PubMed

Frantal, Sophie; Pernicka, Elisabeth; Hiesmayr, Michael; Schindler, Karin; Bauer, Peter

2016-04-01

A major problem occurring in cross-sectional studies is sampling bias. Length of hospital stay (LOS) differs strongly between patients and causes a length bias as patients with longer LOS are more likely to be included and are therefore overrepresented in this type of study. To adjust for the length bias higher weights are allocated to patients with shorter LOS. We determined the effect of length-bias adjustment in two independent populations. Length-bias correction is applied to the data of the nutritionDay project, a one-day multinational cross-sectional audit capturing data on disease and nutrition of patients admitted to hospital wards with right-censoring after 30 days follow-up. We applied the weighting method for estimating the distribution function of patient baseline variables based on the method of non-parametric maximum likelihood. Results are validated using data from all patients admitted to the General Hospital of Vienna between 2005 and 2009, where the distribution of LOS can be assumed to be known. Additionally, a simplified calculation scheme for estimating the adjusted distribution function of LOS is demonstrated on a small patient example. The crude median (lower quartile; upper quartile) LOS in the cross-sectional sample was 14 (8; 24) and decreased to 7 (4; 12) when adjusted. Hence, adjustment for length bias in cross-sectional studies is essential to get appropriate estimates. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.

SCIAMACHY validation by aircraft remote measurements: design, execution, and first results of the SCIA-VALUE mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fix, A.; Ehret, G.; Flentje, H.; Poberaj, G.; Gottwald, M.; Finkenzeller, H.; Bremer, H.; Bruns, M.; Burrows, J. P.; Kleinböhl, A.; Küllmann, H.; Kuttippurath, J.; Richter, A.; Wang, P.; Heue, K.-P.; Platt, U.; Wagner, T.

2004-12-01

For the first time three different remote sensing instruments - a sub-millimeter radiometer, a differential optical absorption spectrometer in the UV-visible spectral range, and a lidar - were deployed aboard DLR's meteorological research aircraft Falcon 20 to validate a large number of SCIAMACHY level 2 and off-line data products such as O3, NO2, N2O, BrO, OClO, H2O, aerosols, and clouds. Within two main validation campaigns of the SCIA-VALUE mission (SCIAMACHY VALidation and Utilization Experiment) extended latitudinal cross-sections stretching from polar regions to the tropics as well as longitudinal cross sections at polar latitudes at about 70° N and the equator have been generated. This contribution gives an overview over the campaigns performed and reports on the observation strategy for achieving the validation goals. We also emphasize the synergetic use of the novel set of aircraft instrumentation and the usefulness of this innovative suite of remote sensing instruments for satellite validation.

SCIAMACHY validation by aircraft remote sensing: design, execution, and first measurement results of the SCIA-VALUE mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fix, A.; Ehret, G.; Flentje, H.; Poberaj, G.; Gottwald, M.; Finkenzeller, H.; Bremer, H.; Bruns, M.; Burrows, J. P.; Kleinböhl, A.; Küllmann, H.; Kuttippurath, J.; Richter, A.; Wang, P.; Heue, K.-P.; Platt, U.; Pundt, I.; Wagner, T.

2005-05-01

For the first time three different remote sensing instruments - a sub-millimeter radiometer, a differential optical absorption spectrometer in the UV-visible spectral range, and a lidar - were deployed aboard DLR's meteorological research aircraft Falcon 20 to validate a large number of SCIAMACHY level 2 and off-line data products such as O3, NO2, N2O, BrO, OClO, H2O, aerosols, and clouds. Within two validation campaigns of the SCIA-VALUE mission (SCIAMACHY VALidation and Utilization Experiment) extended latitudinal cross-sections stretching from polar regions to the tropics as well as longitudinal cross sections at polar latitudes at about 70° N and the equator were generated. This contribution gives an overview over the campaigns performed and reports on the observation strategy for achieving the validation goals. We also emphasize the synergetic use of the novel set of aircraft instrumentation and the usefulness of this innovative suite of remote sensing instruments for satellite validation.

Comparison of a short version of the Food Frequency Questionnaire with its long version--a cross-sectional analysis in the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil).

PubMed

Mannato, Livia Welter; Pereira, Taisa Sabrina Silva; Velasquez-Melendez, Gustavo; Cardoso, Letícia de Oliveira; Benseñor, Isabela Martins; Molina, Maria del Carmen Bisi

2015-01-01

The food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) is the preferred instrument for obtaining dietary information in epidemiological studies. A short form of the FFQ was compared with the original version that was used in the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil), and also with three 24-hour dietary recalls. Cross-sectional study carried out in six Brazilian state capitals. Multiple linear regression was used to reduce the original food and drink list of the FFQ, which had contained 114 food items. The frequency of consumption and nutritional composition of the foods were also taken into consideration. To assess the validity of the shortened FFQ, the energy and nutrients values of the 24-hour dietary recalls were deattenuated and log-transformed. The list of the FFQ of ELSA-Brasil was reduced to 76 food items. The intraclass correlation coefficients in the validation study ranged from 0.17 (selenium) to 0.66 (calcium). The number of items was reduced by 33%, while still maintaining relatively good capacity to measure energy and selected nutrients.

Validation and Reliability of the Portuguese Version of the Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument.

PubMed

Barbosa, Margarida; Saavedra, Ana; Severo, Milton; Maier, Christoph; Carvalho, Davide

2017-04-01

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy is very common in the diabetic population. Early screening for foot pathology is of the utmost importance. The Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument (MNSI) is an easy, brief, and noninvasive screening tool. The aim of this study was to validate the semantics and characteristics of both sections of the Portuguese translation of the MNSI for Portuguese diabetic patients. A cross-sectional study was performed on 87 type 1 and 2 diabetic patients at our outpatient endocrinology department. The final sample was composed of 76 patients. Nerve conduction studies were requested, but only a subsample of 42 patients agreed to participate in them. The scale was internally consistent (Cronbach's alpha > 0.70 in section A, or a clinical history questionnaire and a physical examination [section B]), and the scores of both sections were positively correlated (r = 0.70; P < 0.001). With regard to stability, MNSI scores between test/retest showed high stability (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.91). The receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) demonstrated its validity, with ROC curve values for section A, section B, and sections A + B of 0.913, 0.798, and 0.906 respectively. Considering a cut off of ≥ 3 in section A and of ≥ 2 in section B, we obtained a sensitivity of 100% and 86%; a specificity of 64% and 61%; a positive predictive value of 80% and 73%; and a negative predictive value of 100% and 79%, respectively. The Portuguese MNSI is a reliable and valid tool for screening diabetic neuropathy. © 2016 World Institute of Pain.

Cross-section and rate formulas for electron-impact ionization, excitation, deexcitation, and total depopulation of excited atoms

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vriens, L.; Smeets, A.H.M.

1980-09-01

For electron-induced ionization, excitation, and de-excitation, mainly from excited atomic states, a detailed analysis is presented of the dependence of the cross sections and rate coefficients on electron energy and temperature, and on atomic parameters. A wide energy range is covered, including sudden as well as adiabatic collisions. By combining the available experimental and theoretical information, a set of simple analytical formulas is constructed for the cross sections and rate coefficients of the processes mentioned, for the total depopulation, and for three-body recombination. The formulas account for large deviations from classical and semiclassical scaling, as found for excitation. They agreemore » with experimental data and with the theories in their respective ranges of validity, but have a wider range of validity than the separate theories. The simple analytical form further facilitates the application in plasma modeling.« less

Measurement of the $$\\mathrm{Z}\\gamma^{*} \\to \\tau\\tau$$ cross section in pp collisions at $$\\sqrt{s} = $$ 13 TeV and validation of $$\\tau$$ lepton analysis techniques

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sirunyan, Albert M; et al.

A measurement is presented of themore » $$\\mathrm{Z}/\\gamma^{*} \\to \\tau\\tau$$ cross section in pp collisions at $$\\sqrt{s} = $$ 13 TeV, using data recorded by the CMS experiment at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 2.3 fb$$^{-1}$$. The product of the inclusive cross section and branching fraction is measured to be $$\\sigma(\\mathrm{pp} \\to \\mathrm{Z}/\\gamma^{*}\\text{+X}) \\, \\mathcal{B}(\\mathrm{Z}/\\gamma^{*} \\to \\tau\\tau) = $$ 1848 $$\\pm$$ 12 (stat) $$\\pm$$ 67 (syst+lumi) pb, in agreement with the standard model expectation, computed at next-to-next-to-leading order accuracy in perturbative quantum chromodynamics. The measurement is used to validate new analysis techniques relevant for future measurements of $$\\tau$$ lepton production. The measurement also provides the reconstruction efficiency and energy scale for $$\\tau$$ decays to hadrons+$$\

[Psychometric properties of the third version of family adaptability and cohesion evaluation scales (FACES-III): a study of peruvian adolescents].

PubMed

Bazo-Alvarez, Juan Carlos; Bazo-Alvarez, Oscar Alfredo; Aguila, Jeins; Peralta, Frank; Mormontoy, Wilfredo; Bennett, Ian M

2016-01-01

Our aim was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the FACES-III among Peruvian high school students. This is a psychometric cross-sectional study. A probabilistic sampling was applied, defined by three stages: stratum one (school), stratum two (grade) and cluster (section). The participants were 910 adolescent students of both sexes, between 11 and 18 years of age. The instrument was also the object of study: the Olson's FACES-III. The analysis included a review of the structure / construct validity of the measure by factor analysis and assessment of internal consistency (reliability). The real-cohesion scale had moderately high reliability (Ω=.85) while the real-flexibility scale had moderate reliability (Ω=.74). The reliability found for the ideal-cohesion was moderately high (Ω=.89) like for the scale of ideal-flexibility (Ω=.86). Construct validity was confirmed by the goodness of fit of a two factor model (cohesion and flexibility) with 10 items each [Adjusted goodness of fit index (AGFI) = 0.96; Expected Cross Validation Index (ECVI) = 0.87; Normed fit index (NFI) = 0.93; Goodness of fit index (GFI) = 0.97; Root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.06]. FACES-III has sufficient reliability and validity to be used in Peruvian adolescents for the purpose of group or individual assessment.

The Self-esteem Stability Scale (SESS) for Cross-Sectional Direct Assessment of Self-esteem Stability

PubMed Central

Altmann, Tobias; Roth, Marcus

2018-01-01

Self-esteem stability describes fluctuations in the level of self-esteem experienced by individuals over a brief period of time. In recent decades, self-esteem stability has repeatedly been shown to be an important variable affecting psychological functioning. However, measures of self-esteem stability are few and lacking in validity. In this paper, we present the Self-Esteem Stability Scale (SESS), a unidimensional and very brief scale to directly assess self-esteem stability. In four studies (total N = 826), we describe the development of the SESS and present evidence for its validity with respect to individual outcomes (life satisfaction, neuroticism, and vulnerable narcissism) and dyadic outcomes (relationship satisfaction in self- and partner ratings) through direct comparisons with existing measures. The new SESS proved to be a stronger predictor than the existing scales and had incremental validity over and above self-esteem level. The results also showed that all cross-sectional measures of self-esteem stability were only moderately associated with variability in self-esteem levels assessed longitudinally with multiple administrations of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. We discuss this validity issue, arguing that direct and indirect assessment approaches measure relevant, yet different aspects of self-esteem stability. PMID:29487551

The Self-esteem Stability Scale (SESS) for Cross-Sectional Direct Assessment of Self-esteem Stability.

PubMed

Altmann, Tobias; Roth, Marcus

2018-01-01

Self-esteem stability describes fluctuations in the level of self-esteem experienced by individuals over a brief period of time. In recent decades, self-esteem stability has repeatedly been shown to be an important variable affecting psychological functioning. However, measures of self-esteem stability are few and lacking in validity. In this paper, we present the Self-Esteem Stability Scale (SESS), a unidimensional and very brief scale to directly assess self-esteem stability. In four studies (total N = 826), we describe the development of the SESS and present evidence for its validity with respect to individual outcomes (life satisfaction, neuroticism, and vulnerable narcissism) and dyadic outcomes (relationship satisfaction in self- and partner ratings) through direct comparisons with existing measures. The new SESS proved to be a stronger predictor than the existing scales and had incremental validity over and above self-esteem level. The results also showed that all cross-sectional measures of self-esteem stability were only moderately associated with variability in self-esteem levels assessed longitudinally with multiple administrations of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. We discuss this validity issue, arguing that direct and indirect assessment approaches measure relevant, yet different aspects of self-esteem stability.

Pain questionnaire development focusing on cross-cultural equivalence to the original questionnaire: the Japanese version of the Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire.

PubMed

Arimura, Tatsuyuki; Hosoi, Masako; Tsukiyama, Yoshihiro; Yoshida, Toshiyuki; Fujiwara, Daiki; Tanaka, Masanori; Tamura, Ryuichi; Nakashima, Yasunori; Sudo, Nobuyuki; Kubo, Chiharu

2012-04-01

The present study aimed to develop a Japanese version of the Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ-J) that focuses on cross-culturally equivalence to the original English version and to test its reliability and validity. Cross-sectional design. In study 1, SF-MPQ was translated and adapted into Japanese. It included construction of response scales equivalent to the original using a variation of the Thurstone method of equal-appearing intervals. A total of 147 undergraduate students and 44 pain patients participated in the development of the Japanese response scales. To measure the equivalence of pain descriptors, 62 pain patients in four diagnostic groups were asked to choose pain descriptors that described their pain. In study 2, chronic pain patients (N=126) completed the SF-MPQ-J, the Long-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire Japanese version (LF-MPQ-J), and the 11-point numerical rating scale of pain intensity. Correlation analysis examined the construct validity of the SF-MPQ-J. The results from study 1 were used to develop SF-MPQ-J, which is linguistically equivalent to the original questionnaire. Response scales from SF-MPQ-J represented the original scale values. All pain descriptors, except one, were used by >33% in at least one of the four diagnostic groups. Study 2 exhibited adequate internal consistency and test-retest reliability, with the construct validity of SF-MPQ-J comparable to the original. These findings suggested that SF-MPQ-J is reliable, valid, and cross-culturally equivalent to the original questionnaire. Researchers might consider using this scale in multicenter, multi-ethnical trials or cross-cultural studies that include Japanese-speaking patients. Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Spanish Translation and Cross-Language Validation of a Sleep Habits Questionnaire for Use in Clinical and Research Settings

PubMed Central

Baldwin, Carol M.; Choi, Myunghan; McClain, Darya Bonds; Celaya, Alma; Quan, Stuart F.

2012-01-01

Study Objectives: To translate, back-translate and cross-language validate (English/Spanish) the Sleep Heart Health Study Sleep Habits Questionnaire for use with Spanish-speakers in clinical and research settings. Methods: Following rigorous translation and back-translation, this cross-sectional cross-language validation study recruited bilingual participants from academic, clinic, and community-based settings (N = 50; 52% women; mean age 38.8 ± 12 years; 90% of Mexican heritage). Participants completed English and Spanish versions of the Sleep Habits Questionnaire, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and the Acculturation Rating Scale for Mexican Americans II one week apart in randomized order. Psychometric properties were assessed, including internal consistency, convergent validity, scale equivalence, language version intercorrelations, and exploratory factor analysis using PASW (Version18) software. Grade level readability of the sleep measure was evaluated. Results: All sleep categories (duration, snoring, apnea, insomnia symptoms, other sleep symptoms, sleep disruptors, restless legs syndrome) showed Cronbach α, Spearman-Brown coefficients and intercorrelations ≥ 0.700, suggesting robust internal consistency, correlation, and agreement between language versions. The Epworth correlated significantly with snoring, apnea, sleep symptoms, restless legs, and sleep disruptors) on both versions, supporting convergent validity. Items loaded on 4 factors accounted for 68% and 67% of the variance on the English and Spanish versions, respectively. Conclusions: The Spanish-language Sleep Habits Questionnaire demonstrates conceptual and content equivalency. It has appropriate measurement properties and should be useful for assessing sleep health in community-based clinics and intervention studies among Spanish-speaking Mexican Americans. Both language versions showed readability at the fifth grade level. Further testing is needed with larger samples. Citation: Baldwin CM; Choi M; McClain DB; Celaya A; Quan SF. Spanish translation and cross-language validation of a Sleep Habits Questionnaire for use in clinical and research settings. J Clin Sleep Med 2012;8(2):137-146. PMID:22505858

An investigation on the determinants of carbon emissions for OECD countries: empirical evidence from panel models robust to heterogeneity and cross-sectional dependence.

PubMed

Dogan, Eyup; Seker, Fahri

2016-07-01

This empirical study analyzes the impacts of real income, energy consumption, financial development and trade openness on CO2 emissions for the OECD countries in the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) model by using panel econometric approaches that consider issues of heterogeneity and cross-sectional dependence. Results from the Pesaran CD test, the Pesaran-Yamagata's homogeneity test, the CADF and the CIPS unit root tests, the LM bootstrap cointegration test, the DSUR estimator, and the Emirmahmutoglu-Kose Granger causality test indicate that (i) the panel time-series data are heterogeneous and cross-sectionally dependent; (ii) CO2 emissions, real income, the quadratic income, energy consumption, financial development and openness are integrated of order one; (iii) the analyzed data are cointegrated; (iv) the EKC hypothesis is validated for the OECD countries; (v) increases in openness and financial development mitigate the level of emissions whereas energy consumption contributes to carbon emissions; (vi) a variety of Granger causal relationship is detected among the analyzed variables; and (vii) empirical results and policy recommendations are accurate and efficient since panel econometric models used in this study account for heterogeneity and cross-sectional dependence in their estimation procedures.

Psychometric properties of EURO-D, a geriatric depression scale: a cross-cultural validation study.

PubMed

Guerra, Mariella; Ferri, Cleusa; Llibre, Juan; Prina, A Matthew; Prince, Martin

2015-02-05

Many of the assessment tools used to study depression among older people are adaptations of instruments developed in other cultural setting. There is a need to validate those instruments in low and middle income countries (LMIC). A one-phase cross-sectional survey of people aged [greater than or equal to] 65 years from LMIC. EURO-D was checked for psychometric properties. Calibration with clinical diagnosis was made using ICD-10. Optimal cutpoint was determined. Concurrent validity was assessed measuring correlations with WHODAS 2.0. 17,852 interviews were completed in 13 sites from nine countries. EURO-D constituted a hierarchical scale in most sites. The most commonly endorsed symptom in Latin American sites was depression; in China was sleep disturbance and tearfulness; in India, irritability and fatigue and in Nigeria loss of enjoyment. Two factor structure (affective and motivation) were demonstrated. Measurement invariance was demonstrated among Latin American and Indian sites being less evident in China and Nigeria. At the 4/5 cutpoint, sensitivity for ICD-10 depressive episode was 86% or higher in all sites and specificity exceeded 84% in all Latin America and Chinese sites. Concurrent validity was supported, at least for Latin American and Indian sites. There is evidence for the cross-cultural validity of the EURO-D scale at Latin American and Indian settings and its potential applicability in comparative epidemiological studies.

Scattering Cross Section of Sound Waves by the Modal Element Method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baumeister, Kenneth J.; Kreider, Kevin L.

1994-01-01

#he modal element method has been employed to determine the scattered field from a plane acoustic wave impinging on a two dimensional body. In the modal element method, the scattering body is represented by finite elements, which are coupled to an eigenfunction expansion representing the acoustic pressure in the infinite computational domain surrounding the body. The present paper extends the previous work by developing the algorithm necessary to calculate the acoustics scattering cross section by the modal element method. The scattering cross section is the acoustical equivalent to the Radar Cross Section (RCS) in electromagnetic theory. Since the scattering cross section is evaluated at infinite distance from the body, an asymptotic approximation is used in conjunction with the standard modal element method. For validation, the scattering cross section of the rigid circular cylinder is computed for the frequency range 0.1 is less than or equal to ka is less than or equal to 100. Results show excellent agreement with the analytic solution.

Assessing Psychosocial Impairment in the Pediatric Emergency Department: Child/Caregiver Concordance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Montano, Zorash; Mahrer, Nicole E.; Nager, Alan L.; Claudius, Ilene; Gold, Jeffrey I.

2011-01-01

The objective of this study was to examine the level of agreement between child- and caregiver-reports of the child's psychosocial problems presenting to a Pediatric Emergency Department (PED) using a validated screening tool. This was an anonymous, prospective, cross-sectional, multi-informant (child and caregiver) study assessing cognitive,…

Mapping the Diagnosis Axis of an Interface Terminology to the NANDA International Taxonomy

PubMed Central

Juvé Udina, Maria-Eulàlia; Gonzalez Samartino, Maribel; Matud Calvo, Cristina

2012-01-01

Background. Nursing terminologies are designed to support nursing practice but, as with any other clinical tool, they should be evaluated. Cross-mapping is a formal method for examining the validity of the existing controlled vocabularies. Objectives. The study aims to assess the inclusiveness and expressiveness of the nursing diagnosis axis of a newly implemented interface terminology by cross-mapping with the NANDA-I taxonomy. Design/Methods. The study applied a descriptive design, using a cross-sectional, bidirectional mapping strategy. The sample included 728 concepts from both vocabularies. Concept cross-mapping was carried out to identify one-to-one, negative, and hierarchical connections. The analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics. Results. Agreement of the raters' mapping achieved 97%. More than 60% of the nursing diagnosis concepts in the NANDA-I taxonomy were mapped to concepts in the diagnosis axis of the new interface terminology; 71.1% were reversely mapped. Conclusions. Main results for outcome measures suggest that the diagnosis axis of this interface terminology meets the validity criterion of cross-mapping when mapped from and to the NANDA-I taxonomy. PMID:22830046

Mapping the Diagnosis Axis of an Interface Terminology to the NANDA International Taxonomy.

PubMed

Juvé Udina, Maria-Eulàlia; Gonzalez Samartino, Maribel; Matud Calvo, Cristina

2012-01-01

Background. Nursing terminologies are designed to support nursing practice but, as with any other clinical tool, they should be evaluated. Cross-mapping is a formal method for examining the validity of the existing controlled vocabularies. Objectives. The study aims to assess the inclusiveness and expressiveness of the nursing diagnosis axis of a newly implemented interface terminology by cross-mapping with the NANDA-I taxonomy. Design/Methods. The study applied a descriptive design, using a cross-sectional, bidirectional mapping strategy. The sample included 728 concepts from both vocabularies. Concept cross-mapping was carried out to identify one-to-one, negative, and hierarchical connections. The analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics. Results. Agreement of the raters' mapping achieved 97%. More than 60% of the nursing diagnosis concepts in the NANDA-I taxonomy were mapped to concepts in the diagnosis axis of the new interface terminology; 71.1% were reversely mapped. Conclusions. Main results for outcome measures suggest that the diagnosis axis of this interface terminology meets the validity criterion of cross-mapping when mapped from and to the NANDA-I taxonomy.

Uncertainty Quantification Techniques of SCALE/TSUNAMI

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rearden, Bradley T; Mueller, Don

2011-01-01

The Standardized Computer Analysis for Licensing Evaluation (SCALE) code system developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) includes Tools for Sensitivity and Uncertainty Analysis Methodology Implementation (TSUNAMI). The TSUNAMI code suite can quantify the predicted change in system responses, such as k{sub eff}, reactivity differences, or ratios of fluxes or reaction rates, due to changes in the energy-dependent, nuclide-reaction-specific cross-section data. Where uncertainties in the neutron cross-section data are available, the sensitivity of the system to the cross-section data can be applied to propagate the uncertainties in the cross-section data to an uncertainty in the system response. Uncertainty quantification ismore » useful for identifying potential sources of computational biases and highlighting parameters important to code validation. Traditional validation techniques often examine one or more average physical parameters to characterize a system and identify applicable benchmark experiments. However, with TSUNAMI correlation coefficients are developed by propagating the uncertainties in neutron cross-section data to uncertainties in the computed responses for experiments and safety applications through sensitivity coefficients. The bias in the experiments, as a function of their correlation coefficient with the intended application, is extrapolated to predict the bias and bias uncertainty in the application through trending analysis or generalized linear least squares techniques, often referred to as 'data adjustment.' Even with advanced tools to identify benchmark experiments, analysts occasionally find that the application models include some feature or material for which adequately similar benchmark experiments do not exist to support validation. For example, a criticality safety analyst may want to take credit for the presence of fission products in spent nuclear fuel. In such cases, analysts sometimes rely on 'expert judgment' to select an additional administrative margin to account for gap in the validation data or to conclude that the impact on the calculated bias and bias uncertainty is negligible. As a result of advances in computer programs and the evolution of cross-section covariance data, analysts can use the sensitivity and uncertainty analysis tools in the TSUNAMI codes to estimate the potential impact on the application-specific bias and bias uncertainty resulting from nuclides not represented in available benchmark experiments. This paper presents the application of methods described in a companion paper.« less

Strong-potential Born calculations for 1s-1s electron capture from atoms by protons

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McGuire, J.H.; Kletke, R.E.; Sil, N.C.

1985-08-01

The strong-potential Born (SPB) approximation is examined by comparing various SPB calculations of high-velocity 1s-1s electron capture cross sections with one another and with experimental data. Above about 1 MeV, calculations using the SPB method of McGuire and Sil (SPMS) (Phys. Rev. A 28, 3679 (1983)) are in good agreement with total-cross-section observations for protons on H, He, C, Ne, and Ar as expected. For p+H and p+He, the SPB full-peaking (SPB-FP) approximation of Macek and Alston (Phys. Rev. A 26, 250 (1982)) and the SPB transverse-peaking (SPB-TP) approximation of Alston (Phys. Rev. A 27, 2342 (1982)) differ from ourmore » SPMS total cross sections by typically a factor of 2, as expected from general validity criteria. However, the differential cross sections at very forward angles (well within the Thomas angle) are the same in SPMS, SPB-FP, and SPB-TP methods in all cases. Below 1 MeV, cross sections obtained with use of various SPB methods differ considerably from one another, placing a limit of validity for these SPB calculations. We also suggest that in the gap between those energies where continuum intermediate states simply dominate, and above those energies where bound intermediate states simply dominate, detailed conceptual understanding of electron capture is incomplete.« less

Spanish translation and cross-language validation of a sleep habits questionnaire for use in clinical and research settings.

PubMed

Baldwin, Carol M; Choi, Myunghan; McClain, Darya Bonds; Celaya, Alma; Quan, Stuart F

2012-04-15

To translate, back-translate and cross-language validate (English/Spanish) the Sleep Heart Health Study Sleep Habits Questionnaire for use with Spanish-speakers in clinical and research settings. Following rigorous translation and back-translation, this cross-sectional cross-language validation study recruited bilingual participants from academic, clinic, and community-based settings (N = 50; 52% women; mean age 38.8 ± 12 years; 90% of Mexican heritage). Participants completed English and Spanish versions of the Sleep Habits Questionnaire, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and the Acculturation Rating Scale for Mexican Americans II one week apart in randomized order. Psychometric properties were assessed, including internal consistency, convergent validity, scale equivalence, language version intercorrelations, and exploratory factor analysis using PASW (Version18) software. Grade level readability of the sleep measure was evaluated. All sleep categories (duration, snoring, apnea, insomnia symptoms, other sleep symptoms, sleep disruptors, restless legs syndrome) showed Cronbach α, Spearman-Brown coefficients and intercorrelations ≥ 0.700, suggesting robust internal consistency, correlation, and agreement between language versions. The Epworth correlated significantly with snoring, apnea, sleep symptoms, restless legs, and sleep disruptors) on both versions, supporting convergent validity. Items loaded on 4 factors accounted for 68% and 67% of the variance on the English and Spanish versions, respectively. The Spanish-language Sleep Habits Questionnaire demonstrates conceptual and content equivalency. It has appropriate measurement properties and should be useful for assessing sleep health in community-based clinics and intervention studies among Spanish-speaking Mexican Americans. Both language versions showed readability at the fifth grade level. Further testing is needed with larger samples.

Two-photon excitation cross section in light and intermediate atoms in frozen-core LS-coupling approximation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Omidvar, K.

1980-01-01

Using the method of explicit summation over the intermediate states two-photon absorption cross sections in light and intermediate atoms based on the simplistic frozen-core approximation and LS coupling have been formulated. Formulas for the cross section in terms of integrals over radial wave functions are given. Two selection rules, one exact and one approximate, valid within the stated approximations are derived. The formulas are applied to two-photon absorptions in nitrogen, oxygen, and chlorine. In evaluating the radial integrals, for low-lying levels, the Hartree-Fock wave functions, and for high-lying levels, hydrogenic wave functions obtained by the quantum-defect method have been used. A relationship between the cross section and the oscillator strengths is derived.

Introducing the Professionalism Mini-Evaluation Exercise (P-MEX) in Japan: results from a multicenter, cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Tsugawa, Yusuke; Ohbu, Sadayoshi; Cruess, Richard; Cruess, Sylvia; Okubo, Tomoya; Takahashi, Osamu; Tokuda, Yasuharu; Heist, Brian S; Bito, Seiji; Itoh, Toshiyuki; Aoki, Akiko; Chiba, Tsutomu; Fukui, Tsuguya

2011-08-01

Despite the growing importance of and interest in medical professionalism, there is no standardized tool for its measurement. The authors sought to verify the validity, reliability, and generalizability of the Professionalism Mini-Evaluation Exercise (P-MEX), a previously developed and tested tool, in the context of Japanese hospitals. A multicenter, cross-sectional evaluation study was performed to investigate the validity, reliability, and generalizability of the P-MEX in seven Japanese hospitals. In 2009-2010, 378 evaluators (attending physicians, nurses, peers, and junior residents) completed 360-degree assessments of 165 residents and fellows using the P-MEX. The content validity and criterion-related validity were examined, and the construct validity of the P-MEX was investigated by performing confirmatory factor analysis through a structural equation model. The reliability was tested using generalizability analysis. The contents of the P-MEX achieved good acceptance in a preliminary working group, and the poststudy survey revealed that 302 (79.9%) evaluators rated the P-MEX items as appropriate, indicating good content validity. The correlation coefficient between P-MEX scores and external criteria was 0.78 (P < .001), demonstrating good criterion-related validity. Confirmatory factor analysis verified high path coefficient (0.60-0.99) and adequate goodness of fit of the model. The generalizability analysis yielded a high dependability coefficient, suggesting good reliability, except when evaluators were peers or junior residents. Findings show evidence of adequate validity, reliability, and generalizability of the P-MEX in Japanese hospital settings. The P-MEX is the only evaluation tool for medical professionalism verified in both a Western and East Asian cultural context.

Psychometric Properties and Validation of the Arabic Social Media Addiction Scale.

PubMed

Al-Menayes, Jamal

2015-01-01

This study investigated the psychometric properties of the Arabic version of the SMAS. SMAS is a variant of IAT customized to measure addiction to social media instead of the Internet as a whole. Using a self-report instrument on a cross-sectional sample of undergraduate students, the results revealed the following. First, the exploratory factor analysis showed that a three-factor model fits the data well. Second, concurrent validity analysis showed the SMAS to be a valid measure of social media addiction. However, further studies and data should verify the hypothesized model. Finally, this study showed that the Arabic version of the SMAS is a valid and reliable instrument for use in measuring social media addiction in the Arab world.

Psychometric Properties and Validation of the Arabic Social Media Addiction Scale

PubMed Central

Al-Menayes, Jamal

2015-01-01

This study investigated the psychometric properties of the Arabic version of the SMAS. SMAS is a variant of IAT customized to measure addiction to social media instead of the Internet as a whole. Using a self-report instrument on a cross-sectional sample of undergraduate students, the results revealed the following. First, the exploratory factor analysis showed that a three-factor model fits the data well. Second, concurrent validity analysis showed the SMAS to be a valid measure of social media addiction. However, further studies and data should verify the hypothesized model. Finally, this study showed that the Arabic version of the SMAS is a valid and reliable instrument for use in measuring social media addiction in the Arab world. PMID:26347848

A School-Based Survey of Recurrent Non-Specific Low-Back Pain Prevalence and Consequences in Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, M. A.; Stratton, G.; Reilly, T.; Unnithan, V. B.

2004-01-01

The aim of this investigation was to provide evidence of the prevalence and consequences of recurrent low-back pain in children from Northwest England. A cross-sectional survey was conducted involving a standardized questionnaire with established reliability and validity. A cross-sectional sample of 500 boys (n = 249) and girls (n = 251) aged…

Equations for description of nonlinear standing waves in constant-cross-sectioned resonators.

PubMed

Bednarik, Michal; Cervenka, Milan

2014-03-01

This work is focused on investigation of applicability of two widely used model equations for description of nonlinear standing waves in constant-cross-sectioned resonators. The investigation is based on the comparison of numerical solutions of these model equations with solutions of more accurate model equations whose validity has been verified experimentally in a number of published papers.

Aerodynamics of high aspect-ratio sails

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crook, Andrew; Gerritsen, Margot

2003-11-01

Experiments studying the aerodynamics of a 25circular-arc sail section (representative of an AC gennaker cross-section) have been undertaken in the 7x10 ft tunnels at NASA-Ames and Georgia Tech. The aims of the study are to gain a deeper physical understanding of the flow past downwind sails at various angles of incidence and Reynolds numbers, and to create a comprehensive database for validation of numerical models and turbulence models used by the yacht research community and competitive sailing industry. The reason for testing a rectangular planform sail with no spanwise variation in twist or cross-section is to first provide a detailed understanding of the flow topology around generic sail sections. Currently, data of sufficient accuracy to be used for CFD validation are not available. 3D experiments with realistic sail planforms and twisted onset flow are planned for the future. Two models have been tested, one with an AR of 15 and constructed from steel and the other with an AR of 10 and constructed from carbon-fiber and foam. The latter model has pressure tappings, whilst the former was coated with PSP. Pressure distributions, surface flow visualization and PIV reveal the details of the changing flow patterns and separation types with varying angle of incidence.

Assessing self-regulation strategies: development and validation of the tempest self-regulation questionnaire for eating (TESQ-E) in adolescents.

PubMed

De Vet, Emely; De Ridder, Denise; Stok, Marijn; Brunso, Karen; Baban, Adriana; Gaspar, Tania

2014-09-02

Applying self-regulation strategies have proven important in eating behaviors, but it remains subject to investigation what strategies adolescents report to use to ensure healthy eating, and adequate measures are lacking. Therefore, we developed and validated a self-regulation questionnaire applied to eating (TESQ-E) for adolescents. Study 1 reports a four-step approach to develop the TESQ-E questionnaire (n = 1097). Study 2 was a cross-sectional survey among adolescents from nine European countries (n = 11,392) that assessed the TESQ-E, eating-related behaviors, dietary intake and background characteristics. In study 3, the TESQ-E was administered twice within four weeks to evaluate test-retest reliability (n = 140). Study 4 was a cross-sectional survey (n = 93) that assessed the TESQ-E and related psychological constructs (e.g., motivation, autonomy, self-control). All participants were aged between 10 and 17 years. Study 1 resulted in a 24-item questionnaire assessing adolescent-reported use of six specific strategies for healthy eating that represent three general self-regulation approaches. Study 2 showed that the easy-to-administer theory-based TESQ-E has a clear factor structure and good subscale reliabilities. The questionnaire was related to eating-related behaviors and dietary intake, indicating predictive validity. Study 3 showed good test-retest reliabilities for the TESQ-E. Study 4 indicated that TESQ-E was related to but also distinguishable from general self-regulation and motivation measures. The TESQ-E provides a reliable and valid measure to assess six theory-based self-regulation strategies that adolescents may use to ensure their healthy eating.

Flow in curved ducts of varying cross-section

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sotiropoulos, F.; Patel, V. C.

1992-07-01

Two numerical methods for solving the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations are compared with each other by applying them to calculate laminar and turbulent flows through curved ducts of regular cross-section. Detailed comparisons, between the computed solutions and experimental data, are carried out in order to validate the two methods and to identify their relative merits and disadvantages. Based on the conclusions of this comparative study a numerical method is developed for simulating viscous flows through curved ducts of varying cross-sections. The proposed method is capable of simulating the near-wall turbulence using fine computational meshes across the sublayer in conjunction with a two-layer k-epsilon model. Numerical solutions are obtained for: (1) a straight transition duct geometry, and (2) a hydroturbine draft-tube configuration at model scale Reynolds number for various inlet swirl intensities. The report also provides a detailed literature survey that summarizes all the experimental and computational work in the area of duct flows.

Associations of leisure-time physical activity with balance and lower extremity strength: a validation of the neuromuscular part of the Physical Activity Pie.

PubMed

Lindström, Paula J; Suni, Jaana H; Nygård, Clas-Håkan

2009-07-01

The importance of neuromuscular-type exercise (NME) has been recognized in recent recommendations for public health. However, the knowledge on associations and dose response of different types of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) with musculoskeletal fitness and health is incomplete. This study evaluated the validity of the NME recommendation for public health introduced by the Physical Activity Pie. Engagement in LTPA and health-related fitness were assessed in 2 consecutive studies with the same adult population age 30 to 69 years (n = 575). Cross-sectional associations between different LTPA types and motor and musculoskeletal fitness were examined by logistic-regression models. Engagement in NME was associated with good static and dynamic balance and lower extremity strength. The highest odds ratios (OR) were found between brisk NME and static balance (most vs least fit OR = 2.39, moderate vs least fit OR = 1.94) and brisk NME and leg strength (more vs least fit OR = 2.10). Some associations were also found between brisk aerobic exercise and good balance. This cross-sectional study suggests that the recommendation for NME in the Physical Activity Pie is valid in terms of balance and leg strength, the 2 major fitness factors related to mobility functioning, especially among aging adults.

A signature correlation study of ground target VHF/UHF ISAR imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gatesman, Andrew J.; Beaudoin, Christopher J.; Giles, Robert H.; Kersey, William T.; Waldman, Jerry; Carter, Steve; Nixon, William E.

2003-09-01

VV and HH-polarized radar signatures of several ground targets were acquired in the VHF/UHF band (171-342 MHz) by using 1/35th scale models and an indoor radar range operating from 6 to 12 GHz. Data were processed into medianized radar cross sections as well as focused, ISAR imagery. Measurement validation was confirmed by comparing the radar cross section of a test object with a method of moments radar cross section prediction code. The signatures of several vehicles from three vehicle classes (tanks, trunks, and TELs) were measured and a signature cross-correlation study was performed. The VHF/UHF band is currently being exploited for its foliage penetration ability, however, the coarse image resolution which results from the relatively long radar wavelengths suggests a more challenging target recognition problem. One of the study's goals was to determine the amount of unique signature content in VHF/UHF ISAR imagery of military ground vehicles. Open-field signatures are compared with each other as well as with simplified shapes of similar size. Signatures were also acquired on one vehicle in a variety of configurations to determine the impact of monitor target variations on the signature content at these frequencies.

New Parameterization of Neutron Absorption Cross Sections

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tripathi, Ram K.; Wilson, John W.; Cucinotta, Francis A.

1997-01-01

Recent parameterization of absorption cross sections for any system of charged ion collisions, including proton-nucleus collisions, is extended for neutron-nucleus collisions valid from approx. 1 MeV to a few GeV, thus providing a comprehensive picture of absorption cross sections for any system of collision pairs (charged or uncharged). The parameters are associated with the physics of the problem. At lower energies, optical potential at the surface is important, and the Pauli operator plays an increasingly important role at intermediate energies. The agreement between the calculated and experimental data is better than earlier published results.

Simulation of SEU Cross-sections using MRED under Conditions of Limited Device Information

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lauenstein, J. M.; Reed, R. A.; Weller, R. A.; Mendenhall, M. H.; Warren, K. M.; Pellish, J. A.; Schrimpf, R. D.; Sierawski, B. D.; Massengill, L. W.; Dodd, P. E.;

Testing a self-determination theory model of children’s physical activity motivation: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Understanding children’s physical activity motivation, its antecedents and associations with behavior is important and can be advanced by using self-determination theory. However, research among youth is largely restricted to adolescents and studies of motivation within certain contexts (e.g., physical education). There are no measures of self-determination theory constructs (physical activity motivation or psychological need satisfaction) for use among children and no previous studies have tested a self-determination theory-based model of children’s physical activity motivation. The purpose of this study was to test the reliability and validity of scores derived from scales adapted to measure self-determination theory constructs among children and test a motivational model predicting accelerometer-derived physical activity. Methods Cross-sectional data from 462 children aged 7 to 11 years from 20 primary schools in Bristol, UK were analysed. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to examine the construct validity of adapted behavioral regulation and psychological need satisfaction scales. Structural equation modelling was used to test cross-sectional associations between psychological need satisfaction, motivation types and physical activity assessed by accelerometer. Results The construct validity and reliability of the motivation and psychological need satisfaction measures were supported. Structural equation modelling provided evidence for a motivational model in which psychological need satisfaction was positively associated with intrinsic and identified motivation types and intrinsic motivation was positively associated with children’s minutes in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. Conclusions The study provides evidence for the psychometric properties of measures of motivation aligned with self-determination theory among children. Children’s motivation that is based on enjoyment and inherent satisfaction of physical activity is associated with their objectively-assessed physical activity and such motivation is positively associated with perceptions of psychological need satisfaction. These psychological factors represent potential malleable targets for interventions to increase children’s physical activity. PMID:24067078

Health Literacy and Happiness: A Community-Based Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Angner, Erik; Miller, Michael J.; Ray, Midge N.; Saag, Kenneth G.; Allison, Jeroan J.

2010-01-01

The relationship between health literacy and happiness was explored using a cross-sectional survey of community-dwelling older primary-care patients. Health literacy status was estimated with the following previously validated question: "How confident are you in filling out medical forms by yourself?" Happiness was measured using an adapted…

Highlights of Programmatic, Interdisciplinary Research on Writing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berninger, Virginia W.

2009-01-01

An overview of research topics and findings from an interdisciplinary, programmatic line of research on writing over the past 25 years is presented. The cross-sectional assessment studies (grades 1 to 9) showed which measures uniquely explained variance in handwriting, spelling, and composing and thus validated their use in assessment. These and…

Evaluation of pathogen-specific biomarkers for the diagnosis of tuberculosis in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Objective - To develop a noninvasive biomarker based Mycobacterium bovis specific detection system to track infection in domestic and wild animals. Design – Experimental longitudinal study for discovery and cross sectional design for validation Animals - Yearling white-tailed deer fawns (n=8) were ...

Validity and reliability of a self-report instrument to assess social support and physical environmental correlates of physical activity in adolescents

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The purpose of this study was to examine the internal consistency, test-retest reliability, construct validity and predictive validity of a new German self-report instrument to assess the influence of social support and the physical environment on physical activity in adolescents. Methods Based on theoretical consideration, the short scales on social support and physical environment were developed and cross-validated in two independent study samples of 9 to 17 year-old girls and boys. The longitudinal sample of Study I (n = 196) was recruited from a German comprehensive school, and subjects in this study completed the questionnaire twice with a between-test interval of seven days. Cronbach’s alphas were computed to determine the internal consistency of the factors. Test-retest reliability of the latent factors was assessed using intra-class coefficients. Factorial validity of the scales was assessed using principle components analysis. Construct validity was determined using a cross-validation technique by performing confirmatory factor analysis with the independent nationwide cross-sectional sample of Study II (n = 430). Correlations between factors and three measures of physical activity (objectively measured moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), self-reported habitual MVPA and self-reported recent MVPA) were calculated to determine the predictive validity of the instrument. Results Construct validity of the social support scale (two factors: parental support and peer support) and the physical environment scale (four factors: convenience, public recreation facilities, safety and private sport providers) was shown. Both scales had moderate test-retest reliability. The factors of the social support scale also had good internal consistency and predictive validity. Internal consistency and predictive validity of the physical environment scale were low to acceptable. Conclusions The results of this study indicate moderate to good reliability and construct validity of the social support scale and physical environment scale. Predictive validity was only confirmed for the social support scale but not for the physical environment scale. Hence, it remains unclear if a person’s physical environment has a direct or an indirect effect on physical activity behavior or a moderation function. PMID:22928865

Validity and reliability of a self-report instrument to assess social support and physical environmental correlates of physical activity in adolescents.

PubMed

Reimers, Anne K; Jekauc, Darko; Mess, Filip; Mewes, Nadine; Woll, Alexander

2012-08-29

The purpose of this study was to examine the internal consistency, test-retest reliability, construct validity and predictive validity of a new German self-report instrument to assess the influence of social support and the physical environment on physical activity in adolescents. Based on theoretical consideration, the short scales on social support and physical environment were developed and cross-validated in two independent study samples of 9 to 17 year-old girls and boys. The longitudinal sample of Study I (n = 196) was recruited from a German comprehensive school, and subjects in this study completed the questionnaire twice with a between-test interval of seven days. Cronbach's alphas were computed to determine the internal consistency of the factors. Test-retest reliability of the latent factors was assessed using intra-class coefficients. Factorial validity of the scales was assessed using principle components analysis. Construct validity was determined using a cross-validation technique by performing confirmatory factor analysis with the independent nationwide cross-sectional sample of Study II (n = 430). Correlations between factors and three measures of physical activity (objectively measured moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), self-reported habitual MVPA and self-reported recent MVPA) were calculated to determine the predictive validity of the instrument. Construct validity of the social support scale (two factors: parental support and peer support) and the physical environment scale (four factors: convenience, public recreation facilities, safety and private sport providers) was shown. Both scales had moderate test-retest reliability. The factors of the social support scale also had good internal consistency and predictive validity. Internal consistency and predictive validity of the physical environment scale were low to acceptable. The results of this study indicate moderate to good reliability and construct validity of the social support scale and physical environment scale. Predictive validity was only confirmed for the social support scale but not for the physical environment scale. Hence, it remains unclear if a person's physical environment has a direct or an indirect effect on physical activity behavior or a moderation function.

[Selection of risk and diagnosis in diabetic polyneuropathy. Validation of method of new systems].

PubMed

Jurado, Jerónimo; Caula, Jacinto; Pou i Torelló, Josep Maria

2006-06-30

In a previous study we developed a specific algorithm, the polyneuropathy selection method (PSM) with 4 parameters (age, HDL-C, HbA1c, and retinopathy), to select patients at risk of diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN). We also developed a simplified method for DPN diagnosis: outpatient polyneuropathy diagnosis (OPD), with 4 variables (symptoms and 3 objective tests). To confirm the validity of conventional tests for DPN diagnosis; to validate the discriminatory power of the PSM and the diagnostic value of OPD by evaluating their relationship to electrodiagnosis studies and objective clinical neurological assessment; and to evaluate the correlation of DPN and pro-inflammatory status. Cross-sectional, crossed association for PSM validation. Paired samples for OPD validation. Primary care in 3 counties. Random sample of 75 subjects from the type-2 diabetes census for PSM evaluation. Thirty DPN patients and 30 non-DPN patients (from 2 DM2 sub-groups in our earlier study) for OPD evaluation. The gold standard for DPN diagnosis will be studied by means of a clinical neurological study (symptoms, physical examination, and sensitivity tests) and electrodiagnosis studies (sensitivity and motor EMG). Risks of neuropathy, macroangiopathy and pro-inflammatory status (PCR, TNF soluble fraction and total TGF-beta1) will be studied in every subject. Electrodiagnosis studies should confirm the validity of conventional tests for DPN diagnosis. PSM and OPD will be valid methods for selecting patients at risk and diagnosing DPN. There will be a significant relationship between DPN and pro-inflammatory tests.

Automated detection of exudative age-related macular degeneration in spectral domain optical coherence tomography using deep learning.

PubMed

Treder, Maximilian; Lauermann, Jost Lennart; Eter, Nicole

2018-02-01

Our purpose was to use deep learning for the automated detection of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). A total of 1112 cross-section SD-OCT images of patients with exudative AMD and a healthy control group were used for this study. In the first step, an open-source multi-layer deep convolutional neural network (DCNN), which was pretrained with 1.2 million images from ImageNet, was trained and validated with 1012 cross-section SD-OCT scans (AMD: 701; healthy: 311). During this procedure training accuracy, validation accuracy and cross-entropy were computed. The open-source deep learning framework TensorFlow™ (Google Inc., Mountain View, CA, USA) was used to accelerate the deep learning process. In the last step, a created DCNN classifier, using the information of the above mentioned deep learning process, was tested in detecting 100 untrained cross-section SD-OCT images (AMD: 50; healthy: 50). Therefore, an AMD testing score was computed: 0.98 or higher was presumed for AMD. After an iteration of 500 training steps, the training accuracy and validation accuracies were 100%, and the cross-entropy was 0.005. The average AMD scores were 0.997 ± 0.003 in the AMD testing group and 0.9203 ± 0.085 in the healthy comparison group. The difference between the two groups was highly significant (p < 0.001). With a deep learning-based approach using TensorFlow™, it is possible to detect AMD in SD-OCT with high sensitivity and specificity. With more image data, an expansion of this classifier for other macular diseases or further details in AMD is possible, suggesting an application for this model as a support in clinical decisions. Another possible future application would involve the individual prediction of the progress and success of therapy for different diseases by automatically detecting hidden image information.

Development and psychometric testing of the nursing student mentors' competence instrument (MCI): A cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Tuomikoski, Anna-Maria; Ruotsalainen, Heidi; Mikkonen, Kristina; Miettunen, Jouko; Kääriäinen, Maria

2018-06-05

Mentors require competence at a diverse array of skills to mentor students during clinical practice. According to the latest evidence, competence at mentoring includes: knowledge, skills and attributes of individual students' learning objectives, core elements of nursing, learning processes, a reciprocal and trustful relationship, feedback, evaluation, cooperation with stakeholders, and the mentor's personal qualities. The purpose of the study was to test psychometric properties of a mentor's competence instrument developed to self-evaluate mentors' competence at mentoring nursing students in clinical practice. A cross-sectional, descriptive, explorative study design was used. Data were collected from mentors at five university hospitals in Finland in 2016. A total of 576 mentors participated in this study. The instrument was developed through systematic review, experts' evaluations, and pilot versions of the instrument tested in previous studies. The construct validity and reliability of the instrument were tested using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) with promax rotation and Cronbach's alpha. A 10-factor model showed that the instrument has acceptable construct validity. Cronbach's alpha values for the subscales observed ranged from 0.76 to 0.90. The instrument exhibited acceptable psychometric properties, thereby proving itself a valuable tool for evaluating mentors' competence at mentoring students. Further assessments of its reliability, validity and generality for measuring mentor's competence for mentoring students in different contexts and cultures are recommended. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Stability and Change in Social Goals as Related to Goal Structures and Engagement in School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Madjar, Nir

2017-01-01

The current studies explored (a) the extended external validity of social-goal-orientation framework; (b) the mediating role of social goals between classroom goal structures and students' engagement; and (c) whether changes in social goals can be explained by classroom goal structures and engagement. Study 1 was cross-sectional (N = 317), and…

8 CFR 1212.4 - Applications for the exercise of discretion under section 212(d)(1) and 212(d)(3).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... the official record of each conviction, and any other documents relating to commutation of sentence... valid for a period not to exceed the validity of the biometric BCC for applications for admission at U.S... may remain valid. Although the waiver may remain valid, the non-biometric border crossing card portion...

8 CFR 1212.4 - Applications for the exercise of discretion under section 212(d)(1) and 212(d)(3).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... the official record of each conviction, and any other documents relating to commutation of sentence... valid for a period not to exceed the validity of the biometric BCC for applications for admission at U.S... may remain valid. Although the waiver may remain valid, the non-biometric border crossing card portion...

8 CFR 1212.4 - Applications for the exercise of discretion under section 212(d)(1) and 212(d)(3).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... the official record of each conviction, and any other documents relating to commutation of sentence... valid for a period not to exceed the validity of the biometric BCC for applications for admission at U.S... may remain valid. Although the waiver may remain valid, the non-biometric border crossing card portion...

8 CFR 1212.4 - Applications for the exercise of discretion under section 212(d)(1) and 212(d)(3).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... the official record of each conviction, and any other documents relating to commutation of sentence... valid for a period not to exceed the validity of the biometric BCC for applications for admission at U.S... may remain valid. Although the waiver may remain valid, the non-biometric border crossing card portion...

Development and Validation of Attitude toward Gestational Surrogacy Scale in Iranian Infertile Couples

PubMed Central

Rahimi Kian, Fatemeh; Zandi, Afsaneh; Omani Samani, Reza; Maroufizadeh, Saman; Mehran, Abbas

2016-01-01

Background Surrogacy is one of the most challenging infertility treatments engaging ethical, psychological and social issues. Attitudes survey plays an important role to disclosure variant aspects of surrogacy, to help meeting legislative gaps and ambiguities, and to convert controversial dimensions surrounding surrogacy to a normative concept that eliminates stigma. The aim of this study is to develop a comprehensive scale for gestational surrogacy attitudes. Materials and Methods Development process of gestational surrogacy attitudes scale (GSAS) performed based on a descriptive cross-sectional study and included a rich data pool gathered from literature reviews, a qualitative pilot study on 15 infertile couples (n=30), use of expert advisory panel (EAP) consisting of 20 members, as well as use of content validity through qualitative and quantitative study by the means of content validity ratio (CVR) and content validity index (CVI). Also internal consistence using Cronbach’s alpha and test-retest reliability using intracalss correlation coefficient (ICC) were evaluated. Application of GSAS was tested in a cross-sectional study that was conducted on 200 infertile couples (n=400) at Royan Institute, Tehran, Iran, during 2014. Results Final version of GSAS had 30 items within five subscales including "acceptance of surrogacy", "Surrogacy and public attitudes", "Child born through surrogacy", "Surrogate mother", and "Intentional attitude and surrogacy future attempt". Content validity was represented with values of CVR=0.73 and CVI =0.98. Cronbach’s alpha value was 0.91 for the overall scale, while ICC value due to test-retest responses was 0.89. Conclusion Acceptable level of competency and capability of GSAS is significantly indicated; therefore, it seems to be an appropriate tool for the evaluation of gestational surrogacy attitudes in Iranian infertile couples. PMID:27123208

Development and Validation of Attitude toward Gestational Surrogacy Scale in Iranian Infertile Couples.

PubMed

Rahimi Kian, Fatemeh; Zandi, Afsaneh; Omani Samani, Reza; Maroufizadeh, Saman; Mehran, Abbas

2016-01-01

Surrogacy is one of the most challenging infertility treatments engaging ethical, psychological and social issues. Attitudes survey plays an important role to disclosure variant aspects of surrogacy, to help meeting legislative gaps and ambiguities, and to convert controversial dimensions surrounding surrogacy to a normative concept that eliminates stigma. The aim of this study is to develop a comprehensive scale for gestational surrogacy attitudes. Development process of gestational surrogacy attitudes scale (GSAS) performed based on a descriptive cross-sectional study and included a rich data pool gathered from literature reviews, a qualitative pilot study on 15 infertile couples (n=30), use of expert advisory panel (EAP) consisting of 20 members, as well as use of content validity through qualitative and quantitative study by the means of content validity ratio (CVR) and content validity index (CVI). Also internal consistence using Cronbach's alpha and test-retest reliability using intracalss correlation coefficient (ICC) were evaluated. Application of GSAS was tested in a cross-sectional study that was conducted on 200 infertile couples (n=400) at Royan Institute, Tehran, Iran, during 2014. Final version of GSAS had 30 items within five subscales including "acceptance of surrogacy", "Surrogacy and public attitudes", "Child born through surrogacy", "Surrogate mother", and "Intentional attitude and surrogacy future attempt". Content validity was represented with values of CVR=0.73 and CVI =0.98. Cronbach's alpha value was 0.91 for the overall scale, while ICC value due to test-retest responses was 0.89. Acceptable level of competency and capability of GSAS is significantly indicated; therefore, it seems to be an appropriate tool for the evaluation of gestational surrogacy attitudes in Iranian infertile couples.

Use of the Bethe equation for inner-shell ionization by electron impact

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Powell, Cedric J.; Llovet, Xavier; Salvat, Francesc

2016-05-14

We analyzed calculated cross sections for K-, L-, and M-shell ionization by electron impact to determine the energy ranges over which these cross sections are consistent with the Bethe equation for inner-shell ionization. Our analysis was performed with K-shell ionization cross sections for 26 elements, with L-shell ionization cross sections for seven elements, L{sub 3}-subshell ionization cross sections for Xe, and M-shell ionization cross sections for three elements. The validity (or otherwise) of the Bethe equation could be checked with Fano plots based on a linearized form of the Bethe equation. Our Fano plots, which display theoretical cross sections andmore » available measured cross sections, reveal two linear regions as predicted by de Heer and Inokuti [in Electron Impact Ionization, edited by T. D. Märk and G. H. Dunn, (Springer-Verlag, Vienna, 1985), Chap. 7, pp. 232–276]. For each region, we made linear fits and determined values of the two element-specific Bethe parameters. We found systematic variations of these parameters with atomic number for both the low- and the high-energy linear regions of the Fano plots. We also determined the energy ranges over which the Bethe equation can be used.« less

The Development and Preliminary Validation of the Behavior, Environment, and Changeability Survey (BECS)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walsh, Jennifer R.; Hebert, Angel; Byrd-Bredbenner, Carol; Carey, Gale; Colby, Sarah; Brown-Esters, Onikia N.; Greene, Geoffrey; Hoerr, Sharon; Horacek, Tanya; Kattelmann, Kendra; Kidd, Tandalayo; Koenings, Mallory; Phillips, Beatrice; Shelnutt, Karla P.; White, Adrienne A.

2012-01-01

Objective: To develop and test the validity of the Behavior, Environment, and Changeability Survey (BECS) for identifying the importance and changeability of nutrition, exercise, and stress management behavior and related aspects of the environment. Design: A cross-sectional, online survey of the BECS and selected validated instruments. Setting:…

An Inventory Battery to Predict Navy and Marine Corps Recruiter Performance: Development and Validation

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-05-01

Cross-Validation Strategies to Diferent Sections of the Predictor Batery ..................... 27 Personality Scales . . . . . . . . . . . . 0. . a...he generated several performance indices on the basis of assumptions about the recruiting environment and geographical differences in production

Validation of the WIMSD4M cross-section generation code with benchmark results

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Deen, J.R.; Woodruff, W.L.; Leal, L.E.

1995-01-01

The WIMSD4 code has been adopted for cross-section generation in support of the Reduced Enrichment Research and Test Reactor (RERTR) program at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). Subsequently, the code has undergone several updates, and significant improvements have been achieved. The capability of generating group-collapsed micro- or macroscopic cross sections from the ENDF/B-V library and the more recent evaluation, ENDF/B-VI, in the ISOTXS format makes the modified version of the WIMSD4 code, WIMSD4M, very attractive, not only for the RERTR program, but also for the reactor physics community. The intent of the present paper is to validate the WIMSD4M cross-section librariesmore » for reactor modeling of fresh water moderated cores. The results of calculations performed with multigroup cross-section data generated with the WIMSD4M code will be compared against experimental results. These results correspond to calculations carried out with thermal reactor benchmarks of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) unreflected HEU critical spheres, the TRX LEU critical experiments, and calculations of a modified Los Alamos HEU D{sub 2}O moderated benchmark critical system. The benchmark calculations were performed with the discrete-ordinates transport code, TWODANT, using WIMSD4M cross-section data. Transport calculations using the XSDRNPM module of the SCALE code system are also included. In addition to transport calculations, diffusion calculations with the DIF3D code were also carried out, since the DIF3D code is used in the RERTR program for reactor analysis and design. For completeness, Monte Carlo results of calculations performed with the VIM and MCNP codes are also presented.« less

Validation of the WIMSD4M cross-section generation code with benchmark results

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Leal, L.C.; Deen, J.R.; Woodruff, W.L.

1995-02-01

The WIMSD4 code has been adopted for cross-section generation in support of the Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test (RERTR) program at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). Subsequently, the code has undergone several updates, and significant improvements have been achieved. The capability of generating group-collapsed micro- or macroscopic cross sections from the ENDF/B-V library and the more recent evaluation, ENDF/B-VI, in the ISOTXS format makes the modified version of the WIMSD4 code, WIMSD4M, very attractive, not only for the RERTR program, but also for the reactor physics community. The intent of the present paper is to validate the procedure to generatemore » cross-section libraries for reactor analyses and calculations utilizing the WIMSD4M code. To do so, the results of calculations performed with group cross-section data generated with the WIMSD4M code will be compared against experimental results. These results correspond to calculations carried out with thermal reactor benchmarks of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory(ORNL) unreflected critical spheres, the TRX critical experiments, and calculations of a modified Los Alamos highly-enriched heavy-water moderated benchmark critical system. The benchmark calculations were performed with the discrete-ordinates transport code, TWODANT, using WIMSD4M cross-section data. Transport calculations using the XSDRNPM module of the SCALE code system are also included. In addition to transport calculations, diffusion calculations with the DIF3D code were also carried out, since the DIF3D code is used in the RERTR program for reactor analysis and design. For completeness, Monte Carlo results of calculations performed with the VIM and MCNP codes are also presented.« less

An empirical assessment of validation practices for molecular classifiers

PubMed Central

Castaldi, Peter J.; Dahabreh, Issa J.

2011-01-01

Proposed molecular classifiers may be overfit to idiosyncrasies of noisy genomic and proteomic data. Cross-validation methods are often used to obtain estimates of classification accuracy, but both simulations and case studies suggest that, when inappropriate methods are used, bias may ensue. Bias can be bypassed and generalizability can be tested by external (independent) validation. We evaluated 35 studies that have reported on external validation of a molecular classifier. We extracted information on study design and methodological features, and compared the performance of molecular classifiers in internal cross-validation versus external validation for 28 studies where both had been performed. We demonstrate that the majority of studies pursued cross-validation practices that are likely to overestimate classifier performance. Most studies were markedly underpowered to detect a 20% decrease in sensitivity or specificity between internal cross-validation and external validation [median power was 36% (IQR, 21–61%) and 29% (IQR, 15–65%), respectively]. The median reported classification performance for sensitivity and specificity was 94% and 98%, respectively, in cross-validation and 88% and 81% for independent validation. The relative diagnostic odds ratio was 3.26 (95% CI 2.04–5.21) for cross-validation versus independent validation. Finally, we reviewed all studies (n = 758) which cited those in our study sample, and identified only one instance of additional subsequent independent validation of these classifiers. In conclusion, these results document that many cross-validation practices employed in the literature are potentially biased and genuine progress in this field will require adoption of routine external validation of molecular classifiers, preferably in much larger studies than in current practice. PMID:21300697

Assessing the Validity of Self-Rated Health with the Short Physical Performance Battery: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the International Mobility in Aging Study.

PubMed

Pérez-Zepeda, Mario U; Belanger, Emmanuelle; Zunzunegui, Maria-Victoria; Phillips, Susan; Ylli, Alban; Guralnik, Jack

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to explore the validity of self-rated health across different populations of older adults, when compared to the Short Physical Performance Battery. Cross-sectional analysis of the International Mobility in Aging Study. Five locations: Saint-Hyacinthe and Kingston (Canada), Tirana (Albania), Manizales (Colombia), and Natal (Brazil). Older adults between 65 and 74 years old (n = 1,995). The Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) was used to measure physical performance. Self-rated health was assessed with one single five-point question. Linear trends between SPPB scores and self-rated health were tested separately for men and women at each of the five international study sites. Poor physical performance (independent variable) (SPPB less than 8) was used in logistic regression models of self-rated health (dependent variable), adjusting for potential covariates. All analyses were stratified by gender and site of origin. A significant linear association was found between the mean scores of the Short Physical Performance Battery and ordinal categories of self-rated health across research sites and gender groups. After extensive control for objective physical and mental health indicators and socio-demographic variables, these graded associations became non-significant in some research sites. These findings further confirm the validity of SRH as a measure of overall health status in older adults.

Predicting sugar-sweetened behaviours with theory of planned behaviour constructs: Outcome and process results from the SIPsmartER behavioural intervention.

PubMed

Zoellner, Jamie M; Porter, Kathleen J; Chen, Yvonnes; Hedrick, Valisa E; You, Wen; Hickman, Maja; Estabrooks, Paul A

2017-05-01

Guided by the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) and health literacy concepts, SIPsmartER is a six-month multicomponent intervention effective at improving SSB behaviours. Using SIPsmartER data, this study explores prediction of SSB behavioural intention (BI) and behaviour from TPB constructs using: (1) cross-sectional and prospective models and (2) 11 single-item assessments from interactive voice response (IVR) technology. Quasi-experimental design, including pre- and post-outcome data and repeated-measures process data of 155 intervention participants. Validated multi-item TPB measures, single-item TPB measures, and self-reported SSB behaviours. Hypothesised relationships were investigated using correlation and multiple regression models. TPB constructs explained 32% of the variance cross sectionally and 20% prospectively in BI; and explained 13-20% of variance cross sectionally and 6% prospectively. Single-item scale models were significant, yet explained less variance. All IVR models predicting BI (average 21%, range 6-38%) and behaviour (average 30%, range 6-55%) were significant. Findings are interpreted in the context of other cross-sectional, prospective and experimental TPB health and dietary studies. Findings advance experimental application of the TPB, including understanding constructs at outcome and process time points and applying theory in all intervention development, implementation and evaluation phases.

Use of Daily Phone Diary to study religiosity and mood: Convergent validity

PubMed Central

Szczesniak, Rhonda D.; Zou, Yuanshu; Dimitriou, Sophia M.; Quittner, Alexandra L.; Grossoehme, Daniel H.

2017-01-01

Studies of religious/spiritual behavior frequently rely on self-reported questionnaire data, which is susceptible to bias. The Daily Phone Diary (DPD) was developed to minimize bias in reporting activities and behavior across a 24-hour period. A cross-sectional study of 126 parents of children with cystic fibrosis was used to establish the validity of the DPD to study religious/spiritual behaviors. Longitudinal models were used to determine the odds of improved mood during religious/spiritual activities. Convergent validity was found. Participants had increased odds of improved mood during religious/spiritual activities compared to non-religious/spiritual activities. Associations with gender and religious affiliations were found. The DPD is a valid tool for studying religious/spiritual activities and opens novel avenues for chaplaincy research and the development of chaplaincy interventions incorporating these findings. PMID:27869567

Absorption in Sport: A Cross-Validation Study

PubMed Central

Koehn, Stefan; Stavrou, Nektarios A. M.; Cogley, Jeremy; Morris, Tony; Mosek, Erez; Watt, Anthony P.

2017-01-01

Absorption has been identified as readiness for experiences of deep involvement in the task. Conceptually, absorption is a key psychological construct, incorporating experiential, cognitive, and motivational components. Although, no operationalization of the construct has been provided to facilitate research in this area, the purpose of this research was the development and examination of the psychometric properties of a sport-specific measure of absorption that evolved from the use of the modified Tellegen Absorption Scale (MODTAS; Jamieson, 2005) in mainstream psychology. The study aimed to provide evidence of the psychometric properties, reliability, and validity of the Measure of Absorption in Sport Contexts (MASCs). The psychometric examination included a calibration sample from Scotland and a cross-validation sample from Australia using a cross-sectional design. The item pool was developed based on existing items from the modified Tellegen Absorption Scale (Jamieson, 2005). The MODTAS items were reworded and translated into a sport context. The Scottish sample consisted of 292 participants and the Australian sample of 314 participants. Congeneric model testing and confirmatory factor analysis for both samples and multi-group invariance testing across samples was used. In the cross-validation sample the MASC subscales showed acceptable internal consistency and construct reliability (≥0.70). Excellent fit indices were found for the final 18-item, six-factor measure in the cross-validation sample, χ(120)2 = 197.486, p < 0.001; CFI = 0.957; TLI = 0.945; RMSEA = 0.045; SRMR = 0.044. Multi-group invariance testing revealed no differences in item meaning, except for two items. The MASC and the Dispositional Flow Scale-2 showed moderate-to-strong positive correlations in both samples, r = 0.38, p < 0.001 and r = 0.42, p < 0.001, supporting the external validity of the MASC. This article provides initial evidence in support of the psychometric properties, reliability, and validity of the sport-specific measure of absorption. The MASC provides rich research opportunities in sport psychology that can enhance the theoretical understanding between absorption and related constructs and facilitate future intervention studies. PMID:28883802

Adaptation and validation of the Distress Scale for Mexican patients with type 2 diabetes and hypertension: a cross-sectional survey.

PubMed

Martinez-Vega, Ingrid Patricia; Doubova, Svetlana V; Aguirre-Hernandez, Rebeca; Infante-Castañeda, Claudia

2016-03-02

The aim of this study was to adapt and validate the Distress Scale for Mexican patients with type 2 diabetes and hypertension (DSDH17M). Two family medicine clinics affiliated with the Mexican Institute of Social Security. 722 patients with type 2 diabetes and/or hypertension (235 patients with diabetes, 233 patients with hypertension and 254 patients with both diseases). A cross-sectional survey. The validation procedures included: (1) content validity using a group of experts, (2) construct validity from exploratory factor analysis, (3) internal consistency using Cronbach's α, (4) convergent validity between DSDH17M and anxiety and depression using the Spearman correlation coefficient, (5) discriminative validity through the Wilcoxon rank-sum test and (6) test-retest reliability using intraclass correlation coefficient. The DSDH17M has 17 items and three factors explaining 67% of the total variance. Cronbach α ranged from 0.83 to 0.91 among factors. The first factor of 'Regime-related Distress and Emotional Burden' moderately correlated with anxiety and depression scores. Discriminative validity revealed that patients with obesity, those with stressful events and those who did not adhere to pharmacological treatment had significantly higher distress scores in all DSDH17M domains. Test-retest intraclass correlation coefficient for DSDH17M ranged from 0.92 to 0.97 among factors. DSDH17M is a valid and reliable tool to identify distress of patients with type 2 diabetes and hypertension. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

An Observational Assessment of Physical Activity Levels and Social Behaviour during Elementary School Recess

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, Simon J.; Fairclough, Stuart J.; Ridgers, Nicola D.; Porteous, Conor

2013-01-01

Objective: The purpose of the present study was to assess children's physical activity, social play behaviour, activity type and social interactions during elementary school recess using a pre-validated systematic observation system. Design: Cross-sectional. Setting: Two elementary schools located in Merseyside, England. Method: Fifty-six…

Thinking Like a 21st Century Nurse: Theories, Instruments and Methodologies to Improve Clinical Thinking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fountain, Lily

2011-01-01

This cross-sectional descriptive study of the Model of Domain Learning, which describes learners' progress from acclimation through competence to proficiency through the interplay of knowledge, interest and strategic processing/critical thinking (CT), examined its extension to maternity nursing. Based on the identified need for valid, reliable…

Numerical Study of Aeroacoustic Sound on Performance of Bladeless Fan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jafari, Mohammad; Sojoudi, Atta; Hafezisefat, Parinaz

2017-03-01

Aeroacoustic performance of fans is essential due to their widespread application. Therefore, the original aim of this paper is to evaluate the generated noise owing to different geometric parameters. In current study, effect of five geometric parameters was investigated on well performance of a Bladeless fan. Airflow through this fan was analyzed simulating a Bladeless fan within a 2 m×2 m×4 m room. Analysis of the flow field inside the fan and evaluating its performance were obtained by solving conservations of mass and momentum equations for aerodynamic investigations and FW-H noise equations for aeroacoustic analysis. In order to design Bladeless fan Eppler 473 airfoil profile was used as the cross section of this fan. Five distinct parameters, namely height of cross section of the fan, outlet angle of the flow relative to the fan axis, thickness of airflow outlet slit, hydraulic diameter and aspect ratio for circular and quadratic cross sections were considered. Validating acoustic code results, we compared numerical solution of FW-H noise equations for NACA0012 with experimental results. FW-H model was selected to predict the noise generated by the Bladeless fan as the numerical results indicated a good agreement with experimental ones for NACA0012. To validate 3-D numerical results, the experimental results of a round jet showed good agreement with those simulation data. In order to indicate the effect of each mentioned parameter on the fan performance, SPL and OASPL diagrams were illustrated.

Universal Parameterization of Absorption Cross Sections

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tripathi, R. K.; Cucinotta, Francis A.; Wilson, John W.

1997-01-01

This paper presents a simple universal parameterization of total reaction cross sections for any system of colliding nuclei that is valid for the entire energy range from a few AMeV to a few AGeV. The universal picture presented here treats proton-nucleus collision as a special case of nucleus-nucleus collision, where the projectile has charge and mass number of one. The parameters are associated with the physics of the collision system. In general terms, Coulomb interaction modifies cross sections at lower energies, and the effects of Pauli blocking are important at higher energies. The agreement between the calculated and experimental data is better than all earlier published results.

The Influence of Education and Depression on Autonomy of Women with Chronic Pelvic Pain: A Cross-sectional Study.

PubMed

Barbosa, Hermes de Freitas; Nogueira, Antonio Alberto; e Silva, Júlio César Rosa; Poli Neto, Omero Benedicto; dos Reis, Francisco José Candido

2016-01-01

Patient autonomy has great importance for a valid informed consent in clinical practice. Our objectives were to quantify the domains of patient autonomy and to evaluate the variables that can affect patient autonomy in women with chronic pelvic pain. This study is a cross sectional survey performed in a tertiary care University Hospital. Fifty-two consecutive women scheduled for laparoscopic management of chronic pelvic were included. Three major components of autonomy (competence, information or freedom) were evaluated using a Likert scale with 24 validated affirmatives. Competence scores (0.85 vs 0.92; p = 0.006) and information scores (0.90 vs 0.93; p = 0.02) were low for women with less than eight years of school attendance. Information scores were low in the presence of anxiety (0.91 vs 0.93; p = 0.05) or depression (0.90 vs 0.93; p = 0.01). Our data show that systematic evaluation of patient autonomy can provide clinical relevant information in gynecology. Low educational level, anxiety and depression might reduce the patient autonomy in women with chronic pelvic pain.

Proton-nucleus total inelastic cross sections - An empirical formula for E greater than 10 MeV

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Letaw, J. R.; Silberberg, R.; Tsao, C. H.

1983-01-01

An empirical formula for the total inelastic cross section of protons on nuclei with charge greater than 1 is presented. The formula is valid with a varying degree of accuracy down to proton energies of 10 MeV. At high energies (equal to or greater than 2 GeV) the formula reproduces experimental data to within reported errors (about 2%).

Closing Report for NASA Cooperative Agreement NASA-1-242

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maung, Khin Maung

1999-01-01

Reliable estimates of exposures due to ionizing radiations are of paramount importance in achieving human exploration and development of space, and in several technologically important and scientifically significant areas impacting on industrial and public health. For proper assessment of radiation exposures reliable transport codes are needed. An essential input to the transport codes is the information about the interaction of ions and neutrons with the matter. Most of the information about this interaction is put in by nuclear cross section data. In order to obtain an accurate parameterization of cross sections data, theoretical input is indispensable especially for the processes where there is little or no experimental data available. In the grant period reliable data base was developed and a phenomenological model was developed for the total absorption cross sections valid for any charged/uncharged light, medium and heavy collision pairs valid for the entire energy range. It is gratifying to note the success of the model. The cross sections model has been adopted and is in use in NASA cosmic ray detector development projects, the radiation protection and shielding programs and several DoE laboratories and institutions. A list of the publications based on the work done during the grant period is given below and a sample copy of one of the papers is enclosed with this report.

The Utility of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment as a Mental Capacity Assessment Tool for Patients with a Learning Disability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edge, Daniel; Oyefeso, Adenekan; Evans, Carys; Evans, Amber

2016-01-01

Objective: To determine the psychometric properties of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) in patients with a learning disability and examine it's utility for conducting mental capacity assessment. Method: This study was a cross-sectional, instrument validation study in an inpatient hospital setting, located in the East of England. The sample…

Teachers' Attitude towards ICT Use in Secondary Schools: A Scale Development Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aydin, Mehmet Kemal; Semerci, Ali; Gürol, Mehmet

2016-01-01

The current study aims to develop a valid and reliable instrument that measures secondary school teachers' attitudes towards ICT use in teaching and learning process. A cross-sectional survey design was employed with a group of 173 teachers. Based on the literature review, a pool of 21 items was proposed and reviewed by a board of experts. As to…

Training Valence, Instrumentality, and Expectancy Scale (T-VIES-it): Factor Structure and Nomological Network in an Italian Sample

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zaniboni, Sara; Fraccaroli, Franco; Truxillo, Donald M.; Bertolino, Marilena; Bauer, Talya N.

2011-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to validate, in an Italian sample, a multidimensional training motivation measure (T-VIES-it) based on expectancy (VIE) theory, and to examine the nomological network surrounding the construct. Design/methodology/approach: Using a cross-sectional design study, 258 public sector employees in Northeast Italy…

Fast calculation of the light differential scattering cross section of optically soft and convex bodies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gruy, Frédéric

2014-02-01

Depending on the range of size and the refractive index value, an optically soft particle follows Rayleigh-Debye-Gans or RDG approximation or Van de Hulst approximation. Practically the first one is valid for small particles whereas the second one works for large particles. Klett and Sutherland (Klett JD, Sutherland RA. App. Opt. 1992;31:373) proved that the Wentzel-Kramers-Brillouin or WKB approximation leads to accurate values of the differential scattering cross section of sphere and cylinder over a wide range of size. In this paper we extend the work of Klett and Sutherland by proposing a method allowing a fast calculation of the differential scattering cross section for any shape of particle with a given orientation and illuminated by unpolarized light. Our method is based on a geometrical approximation of the particle by replacing each geometrical cross section by an ellipse and then by exactly evaluating the differential scattering cross section of the newly generated body. The latter one contains only two single integrals.

Digital floodplain mapping and an analysis of errors involved

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hamblen, C.S.; Soong, D.T.; Cai, X.

2007-01-01

Mapping floodplain boundaries using geographical information system (GIS) and digital elevation models (DEMs) was completed in a recent study. However convenient this method may appear at first, the resulting maps potentially can have unaccounted errors. Mapping the floodplain using GIS is faster than mapping manually, and digital mapping is expected to be more common in the future. When mapping is done manually, the experience and judgment of the engineer or geographer completing the mapping and the contour resolution of the surface topography are critical in determining the flood-plain and floodway boundaries between cross sections. When mapping is done digitally, discrepancies can result from the use of the computing algorithm and digital topographic datasets. Understanding the possible sources of error and how the error accumulates through these processes is necessary for the validation of automated digital mapping. This study will evaluate the procedure of floodplain mapping using GIS and a 3 m by 3 m resolution DEM with a focus on the accumulated errors involved in the process. Within the GIS environment of this mapping method, the procedural steps of most interest, initially, include: (1) the accurate spatial representation of the stream centerline and cross sections, (2) properly using a triangulated irregular network (TIN) model for the flood elevations of the studied cross sections, the interpolated elevations between them and the extrapolated flood elevations beyond the cross sections, and (3) the comparison of the flood elevation TIN with the ground elevation DEM, from which the appropriate inundation boundaries are delineated. The study area involved is of relatively low topographic relief; thereby, making it representative of common suburban development and a prime setting for the need of accurately mapped floodplains. This paper emphasizes the impacts of integrating supplemental digital terrain data between cross sections on floodplain delineation. ?? 2007 ASCE.

Validation of Metrics as Error Predictors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mendling, Jan

In this chapter, we test the validity of metrics that were defined in the previous chapter for predicting errors in EPC business process models. In Section 5.1, we provide an overview of how the analysis data is generated. Section 5.2 describes the sample of EPCs from practice that we use for the analysis. Here we discuss a disaggregation by the EPC model group and by error as well as a correlation analysis between metrics and error. Based on this sample, we calculate a logistic regression model for predicting error probability with the metrics as input variables in Section 5.3. In Section 5.4, we then test the regression function for an independent sample of EPC models from textbooks as a cross-validation. Section 5.5 summarizes the findings.

Subgroup Benchmark Calculations for the Intra-Pellet Nonuniform Temperature Cases

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kim, Kang Seog; Jung, Yeon Sang; Liu, Yuxuan

A benchmark suite has been developed by Seoul National University (SNU) for intrapellet nonuniform temperature distribution cases based on the practical temperature profiles according to the thermal power levels. Though a new subgroup capability for nonuniform temperature distribution was implemented in MPACT, no validation calculation has been performed for the new capability. This study focuses on bench-marking the new capability through a code-to-code comparison. Two continuous-energy Monte Carlo codes, McCARD and CE-KENO, are engaged in obtaining reference solutions, and the MPACT results are compared to the SNU nTRACER using a similar cross section library and subgroup method to obtain self-shieldedmore » cross sections.« less

On the use temperature parameterized rate coefficients in the estimation of non-equilibrium reaction rates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shizgal, Bernie D.; Chikhaoui, Aziz

2006-06-01

The present paper considers a detailed analysis of the nonequilibrium effects for a model reactive system with the Chapman-Eskog (CE) solution of the Boltzmann equation as well as an explicit time dependent solution. The elastic cross sections employed are a hard sphere cross section and the Maxwell molecule cross section. Reactive cross sections which model reactions with and without activation energy are used. A detailed comparison is carried out with these solutions of the Boltzmann equation and the approximation introduced by Cukrowski and coworkers [J. Chem. Phys. 97 (1992) 9086; Chem. Phys. 89 (1992) 159; Physica A 188 (1992) 344; Chem. Phys. Lett. A 297 (1998) 402; Physica A 275 (2000) 134; Chem. Phys. Lett. 341 (2001) 585; Acta Phys. Polonica B 334 (2003) 3607.] based on the temperature of the reactive particles. We show that the Cukrowski approximation has limited applicability for the large class of reactive systems studied in this paper. The explicit time dependent solutions of the Boltzmann equation demonstrate that the CE approach is valid only for very slow reactions for which the corrections to the equilibrium rate coefficient are very small.

Validation of Association between Breastfeeding Duration, Facial Profile, Occlusion, and Spacing: A Cross-sectional Study

PubMed Central

Sharma, Mohit; Nehra, Karan; Jayan, Balakrishna; Poonia, Anish; Bhattal, Hiteshwar

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Introduction: This cross-sectional retrospective study was designed to assess the relationships among breastfeeding duration, nonnutritive sucking habits, convex facial profile, nonspaced dentition, and distoclusion in the deciduous dentition. Materials and methods: A sample of 415 children (228 males, 187 females) aged 4 to 6 years from a mixed Indian population was clinically examined by two orthodontists. Information about breastfeeding duration and nonnutritive sucking habits was obtained by written questionnaire which was answered by the parents. Results: Chi-square test did not indicate any significant association among breastfeeding duration, convex facial profile, and distoclusion. Statistically significant association was observed between breastfeeding duration and nonspaced dentition and also between breastfeeding duration and nonnutritive sucking habits. Nonnutritive sucking habits had a statistically significant association with distoclusion and convex facial profile (odds ratio 7.04 and 4.03 respectively). Nonnutritive sucking habits did not have a statistically significant association with nonspaced dentition. Conclusion: The children breastfed < 6 months had almost twofold increased probability for developing sucking habits and nonspaced dentition, respectively, than the children who had breastfeeding > 6 months duration. It can also be hypothesized that nonnutritive sucking habits may act as a dominant variable in the relationship between breastfeeding duration and occurrence of convex facial profile and distoclusion in deciduous dentition. How to cite this article: Agarwal SS, Sharma M, Nehra K, Jayan B, Poonia A, Bhattal H. Validation of Association between Breastfeeding Duration, Facial Profile, Occlusion, and Spacing: A Cross-sectional Study. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2016;9(2):162-166. PMID:27365941

[The practice of special observation in adults in the German-speaking part of Switzerland - a descriptive cross-sectional study].

PubMed

Lienhardt, Andrea; Rabenschlag, Franziska; Panfil, Eva-Maria

2018-06-08

The practice of special observation in adults in the German-speaking part of Switzerland - a descriptive cross-sectional study Abstract. Psychiatric Special Observation (PSO) is an intervention often used by nurses to prevent service users of harming themselves or to protect others. The intervention ranges between control and therapy and is resource intensive. Despite the widespread use of PSO, there is still no data on the practice of the intervention in Switzerland. What is the current practice of PSO in adults in psychiatric hospitals in the German-speaking part of Switzerland? Descriptive cross-sectional study. Nurses from inpatient psychiatric services in the German-speaking part of Switzerland completed a questionnaire based on a concept analysis of PSO. 538 questionnaires were analysed. PSO was more often conducted intermittent than as constant observation. In more than one out of four cases, suicidality reasoned as a cause for prescription. Nurses generally used standardized instruments to assess the risk of harming oneself or others. The duration of PSO lasted eight hours or more in three out of four cases. In every fifth case, there was no validation of the need of the intervention taking place during one shift. Nurses have a neutral attitude towards the intervention and are experiencing no or weak negative feelings during performance of PSO. The results suggest that there is an inconsistent performance of PSO in Switzerland as well as in other countries. The validation of the need of the intervention is insufficient. To facilitate PSO as a justified performance, the preparation of an interprofessional guideline is recommended.

The Koukopoulos Mixed Depression Rating Scale (KMDRS): An International Mood Network (IMN) validation study of a new mixed mood rating scale.

PubMed

Sani, Gabriele; Vöhringer, Paul A; Barroilhet, Sergio A; Koukopoulos, Alexia E; Ghaemi, S Nassir

2018-05-01

It has been proposed that the broad major depressive disorder (MDD) construct is heterogenous. Koukopoulos has provided diagnostic criteria for an important subtype within that construct, "mixed depression" (MxD), which encompasses clinical pictures characterized by marked psychomotor or inner excitation and rage/anger, along with severe depression. This study provides psychometric validation for the first rating scale specifically designed to assess MxD symptoms cross-sectionally, the Koukopoulos Mixed Depression Rating Scale (KMDRS). 350 patients from the international mood network (IMN) completed three rating scales: the KMDRS, Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS). KMDRS' psychometric properties assessed included Cronbach's alpha, inter-rater reliability, factor analysis, predictive validity, and Receiver Operator Curve analysis. Internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.76; 95% CI 0.57, 0.94) and interrater reliability (kappa = 0.73) were adequate. Confirmatory factor analysis identified 2 components: anger and psychomotor excitation (80% of total variance). Good predictive validity was seen (C-statistic = 0.82 95% CI 0.68, 0.93). Severity cut-off scores identified were as follows: none (0-4), possible (5-9), mild (10-15), moderate (16-20) and severe (> 21) MxD. Non DSM-based diagnosis of MxD may pose some difficulties in the initial use and interpretation of the scoring of the scale. Moreover, the cross-sectional nature of the evaluation does not verify the long-term stability of the scale. KMDRS was a reliable and valid instrument to assess MxD symptoms. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Construct Validity of the Societal Outreach Scale (SOS).

PubMed

Fike, David S; Denton, Jason; Walk, Matt; Kish, Jennifer; Gorman, Ira

2018-04-01

The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) has been working toward a vision of increasing professional focus on societal-level health. However, performance of social responsibility and related behaviors by physical therapists remain relatively poorly integrated into practice. Promoting a focus on societal outreach is necessary for all health care professionals to impact the health of their communities. The objective was to document the validity of the 14-item Societal Outreach Scale (SOS) for use with practicing physical therapists. This study used a cross-sectional survey. The SOS was transmitted via email to all therapists who were licensed and practicing in 10 states in the United States that were purposefully selected to assure a broad representation. A sample of 2612 usable responses was received. Factor analysis was applied to assess construct validity of the instrument. Of alternate models, a 3-factor model best demonstrated goodness of fit with the sample data according to conventional indices (standardized root mean squared residual = .03, comparative fit index .96, root mean square error of approximation = .06). The 3 factors measured by the SOS were labeled Societal-Level Health Advocacy, Community Engagement/Social Integration, and Political Engagement. Internal consistency reliability was 0.7 for all factors. The 3-factor SOS demonstrated acceptable validity and reliability. Though the sample included a broad representation of physical therapists, this was a single cross-sectional study. Additional confirmatory factor analysis, reliability testing, and word refinement of the tool are warranted. Given the construct validity and reliability of the 3-factor SOS, it is recommended for use as a validated instrument to measure physical therapists' performance of social responsibility and related behaviors.

[Development and validation of the Family Vulnerability Index to Disability and Dependence (FVI-DD)].

PubMed

Amendola, Fernanda; Alvarenga, Márcia Regina Martins; Latorre, Maria do Rosário Dias de Oliveira; Oliveira, Maria Amélia de Campos

2014-02-01

This exploratory, descriptive, cross-sectional, and quantitative study aimed to develop and validate an index of family vulnerability to disability and dependence (FVI-DD). This study was adapted from the Family Development Index, with the addition of social and health indicators of disability and dependence. The instrument was applied to 248 families in the city of Sao Paulo, followed by exploratory factor analysis. Factor validation was performed using the concurrent and discriminant validity of the Lawton scale and Katz Index. The descriptive level adopted for the study was p < 0.05. The final vulnerability index comprised 50 questions classified into seven factors contemplating social and health dimensions, and this index exhibited good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.82). FVI-DD was validated using both the Lawton scale and Katz Index. We conclude that FVI-DD can accurately and reliably assess family vulnerability to disability and dependence.

Translation, validation, and cultural adaptation of the Rhinosinusitis Disability Index and the Chronic Sinusitis Survey into Arabic.

PubMed

Aldrees, Turki; Almubarak, Zaid; Hassouneh, Basil; Albosaily, Ahamed; Aloulah, Mohammad; Almasoud, Mai; Alsaleh, Saad

2018-01-01

Disease-specific quality of life instruments assess the impact of chronic rhinosinusitis on patients' quality of life (QoL). To the extent of our knowledge, there are no Arabic versions of two instruments-the Rhinosinusitis Disability Index (RSDI) and the Chronic Sinusitis Survey (CSS). Develop an Arabic-validated version of both instruments, thus allowing its use among the Arabic population. Prospective cross-sectional study for instrument validation. Tertiary university hospital. This study was conducted between September 2015 and October 2016. We followed the international comprehensive guidelines for translation and cross-cultural adaptation of QoL instruments. Test-retest reliability, discriminant validity, and responsiveness ability of both the RSDI and CSS Arabic versions. 124. The sample comprised 75 patients diagnosed with chronic rhinosinusitis and 49 healthy control subjects. The Arabic version of both instruments showed high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha: RSDI=0.97, CSS=.88) and the ability to differentiate between diseased and healthy volunteers (P less than .0001). The translated versions also detected significant change in response to an intervention (P less than .0001). These Arabic validated versions of the RSDI and CSS can be used for both clinical and research purposes. This study was performed in only one tertiary hospital. None.

FY2012 summary of tasks completed on PROTEUS-thermal work.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, C.H.; Smith, M.A.

2012-06-06

PROTEUS is a suite of the neutronics codes, both old and new, that can be used within the SHARP codes being developed under the NEAMS program. Discussion here is focused on updates and verification and validation activities of the SHARP neutronics code, DeCART, for application to thermal reactor analysis. As part of the development of SHARP tools, the different versions of the DeCART code created for PWR, BWR, and VHTR analysis were integrated. Verification and validation tests for the integrated version were started, and the generation of cross section libraries based on the subgroup method was revisited for the targetedmore » reactor types. The DeCART code has been reorganized in preparation for an efficient integration of the different versions for PWR, BWR, and VHTR analysis. In DeCART, the old-fashioned common blocks and header files have been replaced by advanced memory structures. However, the changing of variable names was minimized in order to limit problems with the code integration. Since the remaining stability problems of DeCART were mostly caused by the CMFD methodology and modules, significant work was performed to determine whether they could be replaced by more stable methods and routines. The cross section library is a key element to obtain accurate solutions. Thus, the procedure for generating cross section libraries was revisited to provide libraries tailored for the targeted reactor types. To improve accuracy in the cross section library, an attempt was made to replace the CENTRM code by the MCNP Monte Carlo code as a tool obtaining reference resonance integrals. The use of the Monte Carlo code allows us to minimize problems or approximations that CENTRM introduces since the accuracy of the subgroup data is limited by that of the reference solutions. The use of MCNP requires an additional set of libraries without resonance cross sections so that reference calculations can be performed for a unit cell in which only one isotope of interest includes resonance cross sections, among the isotopes in the composition. The OECD MHTGR-350 benchmark core was simulated using DeCART as initial focus of the verification/validation efforts. Among the benchmark problems, Exercise 1 of Phase 1 is a steady-state benchmark case for the neutronics calculation for which block-wise cross sections were provided in 26 energy groups. This type of problem was designed for a homogenized geometry solver like DIF3D rather than the high-fidelity code DeCART. Instead of the homogenized block cross sections given in the benchmark, the VHTR-specific 238-group ENDF/B-VII.0 library of DeCART was directly used for preliminary calculations. Initial results showed that the multiplication factors of a fuel pin and a fuel block with or without a control rod hole were off by 6, -362, and -183 pcm Dk from comparable MCNP solutions, respectively. The 2-D and 3-D one-third core calculations were also conducted for the all-rods-out (ARO) and all-rods-in (ARI) configurations, producing reasonable results. Figure 1 illustrates the intermediate (1.5 eV - 17 keV) and thermal (below 1.5 eV) group flux distributions. As seen from VHTR cores with annular fuels, the intermediate group fluxes are relatively high in the fuel region, but the thermal group fluxes are higher in the inner and outer graphite reflector regions than in the fuel region. To support the current project, a new three-year I-NERI collaboration involving ANL and KAERI was started in November 2011, focused on performing in-depth verification and validation of high-fidelity multi-physics simulation codes for LWR and VHTR. The work scope includes generating improved cross section libraries for the targeted reactor types, developing benchmark models for verification and validation of the neutronics code with or without thermo-fluid feedback, and performing detailed comparisons of predicted reactor parameters against both Monte Carlo solutions and experimental measurements. The following list summarizes the work conducted so far for PROTEUS-Thermal Tasks: Unification of different versions of DeCART was initiated, and at the same time code modernization was conducted to make code unification efficient; (2) Regeneration of cross section libraries was attempted for the targeted reactor types, and the procedure for generating cross section libraries was updated by replacing CENTRM with MCNP for reference resonance integrals; (3) The MHTGR-350 benchmark core was simulated using DeCART with VHTR-specific 238-group ENDF/B-VII.0 library, and MCNP calculations were performed for comparison; and (4) Benchmark problems for PWR and BWR analysis were prepared for the DeCART verification/validation effort. In the coming months, the work listed above will be completed. Cross section libraries will be generated with optimized group structures for specific reactor types.« less

Validation analysis of informant's ratings of cognitive function in African Americans and Nigerians

PubMed Central

Shen, Jianzhao; Gao, Sujuan; Unverzagt, Frederick W.; Ogunniyi, Adesola; Baiyewu, Olusegun; Gureje, Oye; Hendrie, Hugh C.; Hall, Kathleen S.

2011-01-01

SUMMARY 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. PMID:16802282

ANITA-IEAF activation code package - updating of the decay and cross section data libraries and validation on the experimental data from the Karlsruhe Isochronous Cyclotron

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frisoni, Manuela

2017-09-01

ANITA-IEAF is an activation package (code and libraries) developed in the past in ENEA-Bologna in order to assess the activation of materials exposed to neutrons with energies greater than 20 MeV. An updated version of the ANITA-IEAF activation code package has been developed. It is suitable to be applied to the study of the irradiation effects on materials in facilities like the International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility (IFMIF) and the DEMO Oriented Neutron Source (DONES), in which a considerable amount of neutrons with energies above 20 MeV is produced. The present paper summarizes the main characteristics of the updated version of ANITA-IEAF, able to use decay and cross section data based on more recent evaluated nuclear data libraries, i.e. the JEFF-3.1.1 Radioactive Decay Data Library and the EAF-2010 neutron activation cross section library. In this paper the validation effort related to the comparison between the code predictions and the activity measurements obtained from the Karlsruhe Isochronous Cyclotron is presented. In this integral experiment samples of two different steels, SS-316 and F82H, pure vanadium and a vanadium alloy, structural materials of interest in fusion technology, were activated in a neutron spectrum similar to the IFMIF neutron field.

Predictive validity evidence for medical education research study quality instrument scores: quality of submissions to JGIM's Medical Education Special Issue.

PubMed

Reed, Darcy A; Beckman, Thomas J; Wright, Scott M; Levine, Rachel B; Kern, David E; Cook, David A

2008-07-01

Deficiencies in medical education research quality are widely acknowledged. Content, internal structure, and criterion validity evidence support the use of the Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument (MERSQI) to measure education research quality, but predictive validity evidence has not been explored. To describe the quality of manuscripts submitted to the 2008 Journal of General Internal Medicine (JGIM) medical education issue and determine whether MERSQI scores predict editorial decisions. Cross-sectional study of original, quantitative research studies submitted for publication. Study quality measured by MERSQI scores (possible range 5-18). Of 131 submitted manuscripts, 100 met inclusion criteria. The mean (SD) total MERSQI score was 9.6 (2.6), range 5-15.5. Most studies used single-group cross-sectional (54%) or pre-post designs (32%), were conducted at one institution (78%), and reported satisfaction or opinion outcomes (56%). Few (36%) reported validity evidence for evaluation instruments. A one-point increase in MERSQI score was associated with editorial decisions to send manuscripts for peer review versus reject without review (OR 1.31, 95%CI 1.07-1.61, p = 0.009) and to invite revisions after review versus reject after review (OR 1.29, 95%CI 1.05-1.58, p = 0.02). MERSQI scores predicted final acceptance versus rejection (OR 1.32; 95% CI 1.10-1.58, p = 0.003). The mean total MERSQI score of accepted manuscripts was significantly higher than rejected manuscripts (10.7 [2.5] versus 9.0 [2.4], p = 0.003). MERSQI scores predicted editorial decisions and identified areas of methodological strengths and weaknesses in submitted manuscripts. Researchers, reviewers, and editors might use this instrument as a measure of methodological quality.

Cross-Cultural Adaptation, Reliability and Validity Study of the Persian Version of the Clinical COPD Questionnaire.

PubMed

Hasanpour, Neda; Attarbashi Moghadam, Behrouz; Sami, Ramin; Tavakol, Kamran

2016-08-01

The clinical COPD questionnaire (CCQ) has been developed to measure the health status of COPD patients. The aim of this study was to translate CCQ into the Persian language and assess the validity and reliability of the translated version. We used a forward-backward procedure to translate the questionnaire. In a cross-sectional study 100 COPD patients and 50 healthy subjects over 40 years old were selected to assess the reliability and construct validity of the instrument. The face and content validity were used for the questionnaire validity. Validity was examined in a population of patients with COPD, using the Persian validated version of the St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (PSGRQ). In order to assess the questionnaire's reliability, the Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Cronbach's alpha were calculated. Test-retest reliability was tested by re-administering the Persian version of the CCQ (PCCQ) after 1 week. Test-retest carry out of data demonstrates that the PCCQ has excellent reliability (ICC for all 3 domains were higher than 0.9). Internal consistency was found by Cronbach's alpha to be 0.96, 0.94, 0.97, and 0.98 for the symptom, mental state, functional state and total scores respectively. In addition, the correlation between the components of PCCQ and PSGRQ showed satisfactory construct validity. Analyzing the data from healthy subjects and patients divulged that the PCCQ has acceptable discriminant validity. In general, the PCCQ had satisfactory reliability and validity for assessing health-related quality of life status of Iranian COPD patients.

Collision cross section measurements for biomolecules within a high-resolution FT-ICR cell: theory.

PubMed

Guo, Dan; Xin, Yi; Li, Dayu; Xu, Wei

2015-04-14

In this study, an energetic hard-sphere ion-neutral collision model was proposed to bridge-link ion collision cross section (CCS) with the image current collected from a high-resolution Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) cell. By investigating the nonlinear effects induced by high-order electric fields and image charge forces, the energetic hard-sphere collision model was validated through experiments. Suitable application regions for the energetic hard-sphere collision model, as well as for the conventional Langevin and hard-sphere collision models, were also discussed. The energetic hard-sphere collision model was applied in the extraction of ion CCSs from high-resolution FT-ICR mass spectra. Discussions in the present study also apply to FT-Orbitraps and FT-quadrupole ion traps.

Comparative study of Monte Carlo particle transport code PHITS and nuclear data processing code NJOY for recoil cross section spectra under neutron irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iwamoto, Yosuke; Ogawa, Tatsuhiko

2017-04-01

Because primary knock-on atoms (PKAs) create point defects and clusters in materials that are irradiated with neutrons, it is important to validate the calculations of recoil cross section spectra that are used to estimate radiation damage in materials. Here, the recoil cross section spectra of fission- and fusion-relevant materials were calculated using the Event Generator Mode (EGM) of the Particle and Heavy Ion Transport code System (PHITS) and also using the data processing code NJOY2012 with the nuclear data libraries TENDL2015, ENDF/BVII.1, and JEFF3.2. The heating number, which is the integral of the recoil cross section spectra, was also calculated using PHITS-EGM and compared with data extracted from the ACE files of TENDL2015, ENDF/BVII.1, and JENDL4.0. In general, only a small difference was found between the PKA spectra of PHITS + TENDL2015 and NJOY + TENDL2015. From analyzing the recoil cross section spectra extracted from the nuclear data libraries using NJOY2012, we found that the recoil cross section spectra were incorrect for 72Ge, 75As, 89Y, and 109Ag in the ENDF/B-VII.1 library, and for 90Zr and 55Mn in the JEFF3.2 library. From analyzing the heating number, we found that the data extracted from the ACE file of TENDL2015 for all nuclides were problematic in the neutron capture region because of incorrect data regarding the emitted gamma energy. However, PHITS + TENDL2015 can calculate PKA spectra and heating numbers correctly.

EXCITATION OF LEVELS IN Li$sup 7$ BY INELASTIC ELECTRON SCATTERING

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bernheim, M; Bishop, G R

1963-07-15

Cross sections for the excitation of some levels in Li/sup 7/ up to 8- Mev excitation energy were measured by the iiielastic scattering of electrons for a variety of incident electron energies and scatiering angles. The cross section calculated in first Dorn approximation is expected to be valid for this nucleus. The calculated angular distribution is given for different spin and parity and for different levels of excitation. (R.E.U.)

Neutron activation analysis of certified samples by the absolute method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kadem, F.; Belouadah, N.; Idiri, Z.

2015-07-01

The nuclear reactions analysis technique is mainly based on the relative method or the use of activation cross sections. In order to validate nuclear data for the calculated cross section evaluated from systematic studies, we used the neutron activation analysis technique (NAA) to determine the various constituent concentrations of certified samples for animal blood, milk and hay. In this analysis, the absolute method is used. The neutron activation technique involves irradiating the sample and subsequently performing a measurement of the activity of the sample. The fundamental equation of the activation connects several physical parameters including the cross section that is essential for the quantitative determination of the different elements composing the sample without resorting to the use of standard sample. Called the absolute method, it allows a measurement as accurate as the relative method. The results obtained by the absolute method showed that the values are as precise as the relative method requiring the use of standard sample for each element to be quantified.

Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Validation of the FRAIL Scale to Assess Frailty in Mexican Adults.

PubMed

Rosas-Carrasco, Oscar; Cruz-Arenas, Esteban; Parra-Rodríguez, Lorena; García-González, Ana Isabel; Contreras-González, Luis Horacio; Szlejf, Claudia

2016-12-01

The objectives of this study were to cross-culturally adapt and validate the FRAIL scale in Mexican community-dwelling adults. Cross-sectional analysis of a prospective cohort. The FraDysMex study, a 2-round evaluation of community-dwelling adults from 2 municipalities in Mexico City. Participants were 606 men and women living in the designated area in Mexico City. Interviewers obtained data regarding demographics, comorbidities, mental status, nutritional status, dependency in activities of daily living, quality of life, mobility, balance, and strength. The FRAIL scale translated to Spanish and the Fried criteria were applied to screen frailty. The Mexican Spanish version of the FRAIL scale showed internal consistency (4 of 5 items in the scale correlated to the scale's total score, rho = 0.41-0.74), external consistency (interrater correlation CCI = 0.82), known-group validity based on age (9.6% of frailty in persons ≥50 years × 3.2% in persons <50 years, P = .001), convergent validity with the Fried criteria (CCI = 0.63), and the scale was also correlated with other measures related to frailty (such as age, quality of life, self-rated health status, cognition, dependency, nutritional status, depression, and physical performance). The FRAIL scale was successfully adapted to Mexican Spanish and validated in community-dwelling Mexican adults. Copyright © 2016 AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Modeling spanwise nonuniformity in the cross-sectional analysis of composite beams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ho, Jimmy Cheng-Chung

Spanwise nonuniformity effects are modeled in the cross-sectional analysis of beam theory. This modeling adheres to an established numerical framework on cross-sectional analysis of uniform beams with arbitrary cross-sections. This framework is based on two concepts: decomposition of the rotation tensor and the variational-asymptotic method. Allowance of arbitrary materials and geometries in the cross-section is from discretization of the warping field by finite elements. By this approach, dimensional reduction from three-dimensional elasticity is performed rigorously and the sectional strain energy is derived to be asymptotically-correct. Elastic stiffness matrices are derived for inputs into the global beam analysis. Recovery relations for the displacement, stress, and strain fields are also derived with care to be consistent with the energy. Spanwise nonuniformity effects appear in the form of pointwise and sectionwise derivatives, which are approximated by finite differences. The formulation also accounts for the effects of spanwise variations in initial twist and/or curvature. A linearly tapered isotropic strip is analyzed to demonstrate spanwise nonuniformity effects on the cross-sectional analysis. The analysis is performed analytically by the variational-asymptotic method. Results from beam theory are validated against solutions from plane stress elasticity. These results demonstrate that spanwise nonuniformity effects become significant as the rate at which the cross-sections vary increases. The modeling of transverse shear modes of deformation is accomplished by transforming the strain energy into generalized Timoshenko form. Approximations in this transformation procedure from previous works, when applied to uniform beams, are identified. The approximations are not used in the present work so as to retain more accuracy. Comparison of present results with those previously published shows that these approximations sometimes change the results measurably and thus are inappropriate. Static and dynamic results, from the global beam analysis, are calculated to show the differences between using stiffness constants from previous works and the present work. As a form of validation of the transformation procedure, calculations from the global beam analysis of initially twisted isotropic beams from using curvilinear coordinate axes featuring twist are shown to be equivalent to calculations using Cartesian coordinates.

[IBEAS design: adverse events prevalence in Latin American hospitals].

PubMed

Aranaz-Andrés, J M; Aibar-Remón, C; Limón-Ramírez, R; Amarilla, A; Restrepo, F R; Urroz, O; Sarabia, O; Inga, R; Santivañez, A; Gonseth-García, J; Larizgoitia-Jauregui, I; Agra-Varela, Y; Terol-García, E

2011-01-01

To describe the methodological characteristics of the IBEAS study: adverse events prevalence in Latin American hospitals, with the aim of analysing the magnitude, significance and impact of adverse events (AE); to identify the main problems associated with patient safety AE; to increase the capacity of professionals involved in patient safety; and the setting up of patient safety agendas in the participating countries. A patient safety study launched in 35 Latin American hospitals through the analysis of AE in 5 countries: Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico and Peru, using a cross-sectional study using a review of clinical records as the main method. The implications of using a cross-sectional design when studying AE are described, in terms of resources required, internal validity and usefulness related to risk management. The cross-sectional design seems an efficient methodology in terms of time and resources spent, as well as being easy to carry out. Although the cross-sectional design does not review the all hospital episodes, it is able to provide a reliable estimate of prevalence and to support a surveillance system. Because of a possible survival bias, it is likely that the AE which led to hospital admissions will be overestimated, as well as the health related infections or those adverse events which are difficult to identify if the patient is not examined (e.g. contusions). Communication with the ward staff (if the patient is still hospitalised) help in finding the causality and their prevention. Copyright © 2010 SECA. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Cross Sections and Transport Properties of BR- Ions in AR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jovanovic, Jasmina; Stojanovic, Vladimir; Raspopovic, Zoran; Petrovic, Zoran

2014-10-01

We have used a combination of a simple semi-analytic theory - Momentum Transfer Theory (MTT) and exact Monte Carlo (MC) simulations to develop Br- in Ar momentum transfer cross section based on the available data for reduced mobility at the temperature T = 300 K over the range 10 Td <= E / N <= 300 Td. At very low energies, we have extrapolated obtained cross sections towards Langevin's cross section. Also, we have extrapolated data to somewhat higher energies based on behavior of similar ions in similar gases and by the addition of the total detachment cross section that was used from the threshold around 7.7 eV. Relatively complete set was derived which can be used in modeling of plasmas by both hybrid, particle in cell (PIC) and fluid codes. A good agreement between calculated and measured ion mobilities and longitudinal diffusion coefficients is an independent proof of the validity of the cross sections that were derived for the negative ion mobility data. In addition to transport coefficients we have also calculated the net rate coefficients of elastic scattering and detachment. Author acknowledge Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Proj. Nos. 171037 and 410011.

Translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the Cardiff Wound Impact Schedule to Brazilian Portuguese.

PubMed

Augusto, Fabiana da Silva; Blanes, Leila; Nicodemo, Denise; Ferreira, Lydia Masako

2017-05-01

To translate into Brazilian Portuguese and cross-culturally adapt the Cardiff Wound Impact Schedule, a specific measure of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) for patients with chronic wounds. Chronic wounds have a relevant impact on the HRQoL of patients. However, there are few instruments cross-culturally adapted and validated in Brazil to assess HRQoL in patients with wounds. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted following six steps: (1) translation of the original instrument into Brazilian-Portuguese by two independent translators; (2) construction of a consensus version based on both translations; (3) two independent back-translations into English of the consensus version; (4) review by an expert committee and construction of the pre-final version; (5) testing of the pre-final version on patients with chronic wounds; and (6) construction of the final version. The psychometric properties of the instrument were tested on 30 patients with chronic wounds of the lower limb; 76.7% were men, 70.0% had traumatic wounds, and 43.3% had the wound for more than 1 year. Participants were recruited from an outpatient wound care clinic in São Paulo, Brazil. The final version approved by the expert committee was well understood by all patients who participate in the study and had satisfactory face validity, content validity, and internal consistency, with Cronbach's alpha coefficients ranging from 0.681 to 0.920. The cross-culturally adapted Brazilian-Portuguese version of the instrument showed satisfactory face and content validity, good internal consistency, and was named Cardiff Wound Impact Schedule-Federal University of São Paulo School of Medicine or CWIS-UNIFESP/EPM. Copyright © 2016 Tissue Viability Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cross-Cultural adaption, validity and reliability of a Hindi version of the Corah’s Dental Anxiety Scale

PubMed Central

Jain, Meena; Tandon, Shourya; Sharma, Ankur; Jain, Vishal; Rani Yadav, Nisha

2018-01-01

Background: An appropriate scale to assess the dental anxiety of Hindi speaking population is lacking. This study, therefore, aims to evaluate the psychometric properties of Hindi version of one of the oldest dental anxiety scale, Corah’s Dental Anxiety Scale (CDAS) in Hindi speaking Indian adults. Methods: A total of 348 subjects from the outpatient department of a dental hospital in India participated in this cross-sectional study. The scale was cross-culturally adapted by forward and backward translation, committee review and pretesting method. The construct validity of the translated scale was explored with exploratory factor analysis. The correlation of the Hindi version of CDAS with visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to measure the convergent validity. Reliability was assessed through calculations of Cronbach’s alpha and intra class correlation 48 forms were completed for test-retest. Results: Prevalence of dental anxiety in the sample within the age range of 18-80 years was 85.63% [95% CI: 0.815-0.891]. The response rate was 100 %. Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) test value was 0.776. After factor analysis, a single factor (dental anxiety) was obtained with 4 items.The single factor model explained 61% variance. Pearson correlation coefficient between CDASand VAS was 0.494. Test-retest showed the Cronbach’s alpha value of 0.814. The test-retest intraclass correlation coefficient of the total CDAS score was 0.881 [95% CI: 0.318-0.554]. Conclusion: Hindi version of CDAS is a valid and reliable scale to assess dental anxiety in Hindi speaking population. Convergent validity is well recognized but discriminant validity is limited and requires further study. PMID:29744307

Cross-Cultural adaption, validity and reliability of a Hindi version of the Corah's Dental Anxiety Scale.

PubMed

Jain, Meena; Tandon, Shourya; Sharma, Ankur; Jain, Vishal; Rani Yadav, Nisha

2018-01-01

Background: An appropriate scale to assess the dental anxiety of Hindi speaking population is lacking. This study, therefore, aims to evaluate the psychometric properties of Hindi version of one of the oldest dental anxiety scale, Corah's Dental Anxiety Scale (CDAS) in Hindi speaking Indian adults. Methods: A total of 348 subjects from the outpatient department of a dental hospital in India participated in this cross-sectional study. The scale was cross-culturally adapted by forward and backward translation, committee review and pretesting method. The construct validity of the translated scale was explored with exploratory factor analysis. The correlation of the Hindi version of CDAS with visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to measure the convergent validity. Reliability was assessed through calculations of Cronbach's alpha and intra class correlation 48 forms were completed for test-retest. Results: Prevalence of dental anxiety in the sample within the age range of 18-80 years was 85.63% [95% CI: 0.815-0.891]. The response rate was 100 %. Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) test value was 0.776. After factor analysis, a single factor (dental anxiety) was obtained with 4 items.The single factor model explained 61% variance. Pearson correlation coefficient between CDASand VAS was 0.494. Test-retest showed the Cronbach's alpha value of 0.814. The test-retest intraclass correlation coefficient of the total CDAS score was 0.881 [95% CI: 0.318-0.554]. Conclusion: Hindi version of CDAS is a valid and reliable scale to assess dental anxiety in Hindi speaking population. Convergent validity is well recognized but discriminant validity is limited and requires further study.

Facial disability index (FDI): Adaptation to Spanish, reliability and validity

PubMed Central

Gonzalez-Cardero, Eduardo; Cayuela, Aurelio; Acosta-Feria, Manuel; Gutierrez-Perez, Jose-Luis

2012-01-01

Objectives: To adapt to Spanish the facial disability index (FDI) described by VanSwearingen and Brach in 1995 and to assess its reliability and validity in patients with facial nerve paresis after parotidectomy. Study Design: The present study was conducted in two different stages: a) cross-cultural adaptation of the questionnaire and b) cross-sectional study of a control group of 79 Spanish-speaking patients who suffered facial paresis after superficial parotidectomy with facial nerve preservation. The cross-cultural adaptation process comprised the following stages: (I) initial translation, (II) synthesis of the translated document, (III) retro-translation, (IV) review by a board of experts, (V) pilot study of the pre-final draft and (VI) analysis of the pilot study and final draft. Results: The reliability and internal consistency of every one of the rating scales included in the FDI (Cronbach’s alpha coefficient) was 0.83 for the complete scale and 0.77 and 0.82 for the physical and the social well-being subscales. The analysis of the factorial validity of the main components of the adapted FDI yielded similar results to the original questionnaire. Bivariate correlations between FDI and House-Brackmann scale were positive. The variance percentage was calculated for all FDI components. Conclusions: The FDI questionnaire is a specific instrument for assessing facial neuromuscular dysfunction which becomes a useful tool in order to determine quality of life in patients with facial nerve paralysis. Spanish adapted FDI is equivalent to the original questionnaire and shows similar reliability and validity. The proven reproducibi-lity, reliability and validity of this questionnaire make it a useful additional tool for evaluating the impact of facial nerve paralysis in Spanish-speaking patients. Key words:Parotidectomy, facial nerve paralysis, facial disability. PMID:22926474

Combined Sensory Impairment (Deaf-Blindness) in Five Percent of Adults with Intellectual Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meuwese-Jongejeugd, Anneke; van Splunder, Jacques; Vink, Marianne; Stilma, Jan Sietse; van Zanten, Bert; Verschuure, Hans; Bernsen, Roos; Evenhuis, Heleen

2008-01-01

Our purpose in this cross-sectional study with 1,598 adult clients who had intellectual disabilities was to obtain valid prevalences of sensory impairments and to identify associations. The diagnoses were made through ophthalmologic and audiometric assessments, applying WHO/IASSID definitions. Re-weighted prevalences were 5.0% (95% CI 3.9-6.2%)…

Stress state in turbopump bearing induced by shrink fitting

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sims, P.; Zee, R.

1991-01-01

The stress generated by shrink fitting in bearing-like geometries is studied. The feasibility of using strain gages to determine the strain induced by shrink fitting process is demonstrated. Results from a ring with a uniform cross section reveal the validity of simple stress mechanics calculations for determining the stress state induced in this geometry by shrink fitting.

Rates of Physical Activity among Appalachian Adolescents in Ohio

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hortz, Brian; Stevens, Emily; Holden, Becky; Petosa, R. Lingyak

2009-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe the physical activity behavior of high school students living in the Appalachian region of Ohio. Methods: A cross-sectional sample of 1,024 subjects from 11 schools in Appalachian Ohio was drawn. Previously validated instruments were used to measure physical activity behavior over 7 days.…

The Development of Reading and Spelling Abilities in the First 3 Years of Learning Arabic

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mohamed, Wessam; Elbert, Thomas; Landerl, Karin

2011-01-01

In a cross-sectional study, we investigated the development of fluent reading and spelling in the first 3 years of learning Arabic. The goals of our study were to: (1) validate suitable measures for fluent reading and spelling in the first 3 years of learning Arabic; (2) trace the developmental course of the relationship between fluent reading and…

Predicting Oral Health-Related Behaviour in the Parents of Preschool Children: An Application of the Theory of Planned Behaviour

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van den Branden, Sigrid; Van den Broucke, Stephan; Leroy, Roos; Declerck, Dominique; Hoppenbrouwers, Karel

2015-01-01

Objective: This study aimed to test the predictive validity of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) when applied to the oral health-related behaviours of parents towards their preschool children in a cross-sectional and prospective design over a 5-year interval. Methods: Data for this study were obtained from parents of 1,057 children born…

Concurrent Validity of the International Family Quality of Life Survey.

PubMed

Samuel, Preethy S; Pociask, Fredrick D; DiZazzo-Miller, Rosanne; Carrellas, Ann; LeRoy, Barbara W

2016-01-01

The measurement of the social construct of Family Quality of Life (FQOL) is a parsimonious alternative to the current approach of measuring familial outcomes using a battery of tools related to individual-level outcomes. The purpose of this study was to examine the internal consistency and concurrent validity of the International FQOL Survey (FQOLS-2006), using cross-sectional data collected from 65 family caregivers of children with developmental disabilities. It shows a moderate correlation between the total FQOL scores of the FQOLS-2006 and the Beach Center's FQOL scale. The validity of five FQOLS-2006 domains was supported by the correlations between conceptually related domains.

α-induced reaction cross section measurements on 197Au

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szücs, Tamás; Gyürky, György; Halász, Zoltán; Kiss, Gábor Gy.; Fülöp, Zsolt

2018-01-01

The γ-process is responsible for creating the majority of the isotopes of heavier elements on the proton rich side of the valley of stability. The γ-process simulations fail to reproduce the measured solar system abundance of these isotopes. The problem can lie in the not well known astrophysical scenarios where the process takes place, or in the not sufficiently known nuclear physics input. To improve the latter part, α-induced reaction cross section measurements on 197Au were carried out at Atomki. With this dataset new experimental information will become available, which can be later used as validation of the theoretical cross section calculations used in the γ-process simulations.

Long Wave Runup in Asymmetric Bays and in Fjords With Two Separate Heads

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raz, Amir; Nicolsky, Dmitry; Rybkin, Alexei; Pelinovsky, Efim

2018-03-01

Modeling of tsunamis in glacial fjords prompts us to evaluate applicability of the cross-sectionally averaged nonlinear shallow water equations to model propagation and runup of long waves in asymmetrical bays and also in fjords with two heads. We utilize the Tuck-Hwang transformation, initially introduced for the plane beaches and currently generalized for bays with arbitrary cross section, to transform the nonlinear governing equations into a linear equation. The solution of the linearized equation describing the runup at the shore line is computed by taking into account the incident wave at the toe of the last sloping segment. We verify our predictions against direct numerical simulation of the 2-D shallow water equations and show that our solution is valid both for bays with an asymmetric L-shaped cross section, and for fjords with two heads—bays with a W-shaped cross section.

Electroencephalography as a clinical tool for diagnosing and monitoring attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Helgadóttir, Halla; Gudmundsson, Ólafur Ó; Baldursson, Gísli; Magnússon, Páll; Blin, Nicolas; Brynjólfsdóttir, Berglind; Emilsdóttir, Ásdís; Gudmundsdóttir, Gudrún B; Lorange, Málfrídur; Newman, Paula K; Jóhannesson, Gísli H; Johnsen, Kristinn

2015-01-01

Objectives The aim of this study was to develop and test, for the first time, a multivariate diagnostic classifier of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) based on EEG coherence measures and chronological age. Setting The participants were recruited in two specialised centres and three schools in Reykjavik. Participants The data are from a large cross-sectional cohort of 310 patients with ADHD and 351 controls, covering an age range from 5.8 to 14 years. ADHD was diagnosed according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders fourth edition (DSM-IV) criteria using the K-SADS-PL semistructured interview. Participants in the control group were reported to be free of any mental or developmental disorders by their parents and had a score of less than 1.5 SDs above the age-appropriate norm on the ADHD Rating Scale-IV. Other than moderate or severe intellectual disability, no additional exclusion criteria were applied in order that the cohort reflected the typical cross section of patients with ADHD. Results Diagnostic classifiers were developed using statistical pattern recognition for the entire age range and for specific age ranges and were tested using cross-validation and by application to a separate cohort of recordings not used in the development process. The age-specific classification approach was more accurate (76% accuracy in the independent test cohort; 81% cross-validation accuracy) than the age-independent version (76%; 73%). Chronological age was found to be an important classification feature. Conclusions The novel application of EEG-based classification methods presented here can offer significant benefit to the clinician by improving both the accuracy of initial diagnosis and ongoing monitoring of children and adolescents with ADHD. The most accurate possible diagnosis at a single point in time can be obtained by the age-specific classifiers, but the age-independent classifiers are also useful as they enable longitudinal monitoring of brain function. PMID:25596195

Validation of the Waterpipe Tolerance Questionnaire among Jordanian School-Going Adolescent Waterpipe Users

PubMed Central

Alzyoud, Sukaina; Veeranki, Sreenivas P.; Kheirallah, Khalid A.; Shotar, Ali M.; Pbert, Lori

2016-01-01

Introduction: Waterpipe use among adolescents has been increasing progressively. Yet no studies were reported to assess the validity and reliability of nicotine dependence scale. The current study aims to assess the validity and reliability of an Arabic version of the modified Waterpipe Tolerance Questionnaire WTQ among school-going adolescent waterpipe users. Methods: In a cross-sectional study conducted in Jordan, information on waterpipe use among 333 school-going adolescents aged 11-18 years was obtained using the Arabic version of the WTQ. An exploratory factor analysis and correlation matrices were conducted to assess validity and reliability of the WTQ. Results: The WTQ had a 0.73 alpha of internal consistency indicating moderate level of reliability. The scale showed multidimensionality with items loading on two factors, namely waterpipe consumption and morning smoking. Conclusion: This study report nicotine dependence level among school-going adolescents who identify themselves as waterpipe users using the WTQ. PMID:26383198

Using the risk behaviour diagnosis scale to understand Australian Aboriginal smoking — A cross-sectional validation survey in regional New South Wales

PubMed Central

Gould, Gillian Sandra; Watt, Kerrianne; Cadet-James, Yvonne; Clough, Alan R.

2014-01-01

Objective To validate, for the first time, the Risk Behaviour Diagnosis (RBD) Scale for Aboriginal Australian tobacco smokers, based on the Extended Parallel Process Model (EPPM). Despite high smoking prevalence, little is known about how Indigenous peoples assess their smoking risks. Methods In a cross-sectional study of 121 aboriginal smokers aged 18–45 in regional New South Wales, in 2014, RBD subscales were assessed for internal consistency. Scales included measures of perceived threat (susceptibility to and severity of smoking risks) and perceived efficacy (response efficacy and self-efficacy for quitting). An Aboriginal community panel appraised face and content validity. EPPM constructs of danger control (protective motivation) and fear control (defensive motivation) were assessed for cogency. Results Scales had acceptable to good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.65–1.0). Most participants demonstrated high-perceived threat (77%, n = 93); and half had high-perceived efficacy (52%, n = 63). High-perceived efficacy with high-threat appeared consistent with danger control dominance; low-perceived efficacy with high-threat was consistent with fear control dominance. Conclusions In these Aboriginal smokers of reproductive age, the RBD Scale appeared valid and reliable. Further research is required to assess whether the RBD Scale and EPPM can predict quit attempts and assist with tailored approaches to counselling and targeted health promotion campaigns. PMID:26844043

Increased anatomic severity predicts outcomes: Validation of the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma's Emergency General Surgery score in appendicitis.

PubMed

Hernandez, Matthew C; Aho, Johnathon M; Habermann, Elizabeth B; Choudhry, Asad J; Morris, David S; Zielinski, Martin D

2017-01-01

Determination and reporting of disease severity in emergency general surgery lacks standardization. Recently, the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) proposed an anatomic severity grading system. We aimed to validate this system in patients with appendicitis and determine if cross-sectional imaging correlates with disease severity at operation. Patients 18 years or older undergoing treatment for acute appendicitis between 2013 and 2015 were identified. Baseline demographics, procedure types were recorded, and AAST grades were assigned based on intraoperative and radiologic findings. Outcomes including length of stay, 30-day mortality, and complications based on Clavien-Dindo categories and National Surgical Quality Improvement Program variables. Summary statistical univariate, nominal logistic, and standard least squares analyses were performed comparing AAST grade with key outcomes. Bland-Altman analysis compared operative findings with preoperative cross-sectional imaging to compare assigning grades. Three hundred thirty-four patients with mean (±SD) age of 39.3 years (±16.5) were included (53% men), and all patients had cross-sectional imaging. Two hundred ninety-nine underwent appendectomy, and 85% completed laparoscopic. Thirty-day mortality rate was 0.9%, complication rate was 21%. Increased (median [interquartile range, IQR]) AAST grade was recorded in patients with complications (2 [1-4]) compared with those without (1 [1-1], p = 0.001). For operative management, (median [IQR]) AAST grades were significantly associated with procedure type: laparoscopic (1 [1-1]), open (4 [2-5]), conversion to open (3 [1-4], p = 0.001). Increased (median [IQR]) AAST grades were significantly associated in nonoperative management: patients having a complication had a higher median AAST grade (4 [3-5]) compared with those without (3 [2-3], p = 0.001). Bland-Altman analysis comparing AAST grade and cross-sectional imaging demonstrated no difference (-0.02 ± 0.02; p = 0.2; coefficient of repeatability 0.9). The AAST grading system is valid in our population. Increased AAST grade is associated with open procedures, complications, and length of stay. The AAST emergency general surgery grade determined by preoperative imaging strongly correlated to operative findings. Epidemiologic/prognostic study, level III.

Assessing the Validity of Self-Rated Health with the Short Physical Performance Battery: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the International Mobility in Aging Study

PubMed Central

Belanger, Emmanuelle; Zunzunegui, Maria–Victoria; Phillips, Susan; Ylli, Alban; Guralnik, Jack

2016-01-01

Objective The aim of this study was to explore the validity of self-rated health across different populations of older adults, when compared to the Short Physical Performance Battery. Design Cross-sectional analysis of the International Mobility in Aging Study. Setting Five locations: Saint-Hyacinthe and Kingston (Canada), Tirana (Albania), Manizales (Colombia), and Natal (Brazil). Participants Older adults between 65 and 74 years old (n = 1,995). Methods The Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) was used to measure physical performance. Self-rated health was assessed with one single five-point question. Linear trends between SPPB scores and self-rated health were tested separately for men and women at each of the five international study sites. Poor physical performance (independent variable) (SPPB less than 8) was used in logistic regression models of self-rated health (dependent variable), adjusting for potential covariates. All analyses were stratified by gender and site of origin. Results A significant linear association was found between the mean scores of the Short Physical Performance Battery and ordinal categories of self-rated health across research sites and gender groups. After extensive control for objective physical and mental health indicators and socio-demographic variables, these graded associations became non-significant in some research sites. Conclusion These findings further confirm the validity of SRH as a measure of overall health status in older adults. PMID:27089219

Predicting sugar-sweetened behaviours with theory of planned behaviour constructs: Outcome and process results from the SIPsmartER behavioural intervention

PubMed Central

Zoellner, Jamie M.; Porter, Kathleen J.; Chen, Yvonnes; Hedrick, Valisa E.; You, Wen; Hickman, Maja; Estabrooks, Paul A.

2017-01-01

Objective Guided by the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) and health literacy concepts, SIPsmartER is a six-month multicomponent intervention effective at improving SSB behaviours. Using SIPsmartER data, this study explores prediction of SSB behavioural intention (BI) and behaviour from TPB constructs using: (1) cross-sectional and prospective models and (2) 11 single-item assessments from interactive voice response (IVR) technology. Design Quasi-experimental design, including pre- and post-outcome data and repeated-measures process data of 155 intervention participants. Main Outcome Measures Validated multi-item TPB measures, single-item TPB measures, and self-reported SSB behaviours. Hypothesised relationships were investigated using correlation and multiple regression models. Results TPB constructs explained 32% of the variance cross sectionally and 20% prospectively in BI; and explained 13–20% of variance cross sectionally and 6% prospectively. Single-item scale models were significant, yet explained less variance. All IVR models predicting BI (average 21%, range 6–38%) and behaviour (average 30%, range 6–55%) were significant. Conclusion Findings are interpreted in the context of other cross-sectional, prospective and experimental TPB health and dietary studies. Findings advance experimental application of the TPB, including understanding constructs at outcome and process time points and applying theory in all intervention development, implementation and evaluation phases. PMID:28165771

Study of photon emission by electron capture during solar nuclei acceleration, 1: Temperature-dependent cross section for charge changing processes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perez-Peraza, J.; Alvarez, M.; Laville, A.; Gallegos, A.

1985-01-01

The study of charge changing cross sections of fast ions colliding with matter provides the fundamental basis for the analysis of the charge states produced in such interactions. Given the high degree of complexity of the phenomena, there is no theoretical treatment able to give a comprehensive description. In fact, the involved processes are very dependent on the basic parameters of the projectile, such as velocity charge state, and atomic number, and on the target parameters, the physical state (molecular, atomic or ionized matter) and density. The target velocity, may have also incidence on the process, through the temperature of the traversed medium. In addition, multiple electron transfer in single collisions intrincates more the phenomena. Though, in simplified cases, such as protons moving through atomic hydrogen, considerable agreement has been obtained between theory and experiments However, in general the available theoretical approaches have only limited validity in restricted regions of the basic parameters. Since most measurements of charge changing cross sections are performed in atomic matter at ambient temperature, models are commonly based on the assumption of targets at rest, however at Astrophysical scales, temperature displays a wide range in atomic and ionized matter. Therefore, due to the lack of experimental data , an attempt is made here to quantify temperature dependent cross sections on basis to somewhat arbitrary, but physically reasonable assumptions.

Evidence of Validity for the Japanese Version of the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure

PubMed Central

Uematsu, Daisuke; Suzuki, Hidetomo; Sasaki, Shogo; Nagano, Yasuharu; Shinozuka, Nobuyuki; Sunagawa, Norihiko; Fukubayashi, Toru

2015-01-01

Context: The Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM) is a valid, reliable, and self-reported outcome instrument for the foot and ankle region. Objective: To provide evidence for translation, cross-cultural adaptation, validity, and reliability of the Japanese version of the FAAM (FAAM-J). Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Collegiate athletic training/sports medicine clinical setting. Patients or Other Participants: Eighty-three collegiate athletes. Main Outcome Measure(s): All participants completed the Activities of Daily Living and Sports subscales of the FAAM-J and the Physical Functioning and Mental Health subscales of the Japanese version of the Short Form-36v2 (SF-36). Also, 19 participants (23%) whose conditions were expected to be stable completed another FAAM-J 2 to 6 days later for test-retest reliability. We analyzed the scores of those subscales for convergent and divergent validity, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability. Results: The Activities of Daily Living and Sports subscales of the FAAM-J had correlation coefficients of 0.86 and 0.75, respectively, with the Physical Functioning section of the SF-36 for convergent validity. For divergent validity, the correlation coefficients with Mental Health of the SF-36 were 0.29 and 0.27 for each subscale, respectively. Cronbach α for internal consistency was 0.99 for the Activities of Daily Living and 0.98 for the Sports subscale. A 95% confidence interval with a single measure was ±8.1 and ±14.0 points for each subscale. The test-retest reliability measures revealed intraclass correlation coefficient values of 0.87 for the Activities of Daily Living and 0.91 for the Sports subscales with minimal detectable changes of ±6.8 and ±13.7 for the respective subscales. Conclusions: The FAAM was successfully translated for a Japanese version, and the FAAM-J was adapted cross-culturally. Thus, the FAAM-J can be used as a self-reported outcome measure for Japanese-speaking individuals; however, the scores must be interpreted with caution, especially when applied to different populations and other types of injury than those included in this study. PMID:25310247

Assessment of Functional Rhinoplasty with Spreader Grafting Using Acoustic Rhinomanometry and Validated Outcome Measurements

PubMed Central

Paul, Marek A.; Kamali, Parisa; Chen, Austin D.; Ibrahim, Ahmed M. S.; Wu, Winona; Becherer, Babette E.; Medin, Caroline

2018-01-01

Background: Rhinoplasty is 1 of the most common aesthetic and reconstructive plastic surgical procedures performed within the United States. Yet, data on functional reconstructive open and closed rhinoplasty procedures with or without spreader graft placement are not definitive as only a few studies have examined both validated measurable objective and subjective outcomes of spreader grafting during rhinoplasty. The aim of this study was to utilize previously validated measures to assess objective, functional outcomes in patients who underwent open and closed rhinoplasty with spreader grafting. Methods: We performed a retrospective review of consecutive rhinoplasty patients. Patients with internal nasal valve insufficiency who underwent an open and closed approach rhinoplasty between 2007 and 2016 were studied. The Cottle test and Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation survey was used to assess nasal obstruction. Patient-reported symptoms were recorded. Acoustic rhinometry was performed pre- and postoperatively. Average minimal cross-sectional area of the nose was measured. Results: One hundred seventy-eight patients were reviewed over a period of 8 years. Thirty-eight patients were included in this study. Of those, 30 patients underwent closed rhinoplasty and 8 open rhinoplasty. Mean age was 36.9 ± 18.4 years. The average cross-sectional area in closed and open rhinoplasty patients increased significantly (P = 0.019). There was a functional improvement in all presented cases using the Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation scale evaluation. Conclusions: Closed rhinoplasty with spreader grafting may play a significant role in the treatment of nasal valve collapse. A closed approach rhinoplasty including spreader grafting is a viable option in select cases with objective and validated functional improvement. PMID:29707440

Ultrasound is a reproducible and valid tool for measuring scar height in children with burn scars: A cross-sectional study of the psychometric properties and utility of the ultrasound and 3D camera.

PubMed

Simons, M; Kee, E Gee; Kimble, R; Tyack, Z

2017-08-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the reproducibility and validity of measuring scar height in children using ultrasound and 3D camera. Using a cross-sectional design, children with discrete burn scars were included. Reproducibility was tested using Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) for reliability, and percentage agreement within 1mm between test and re-test, standard error of measurement (SEM), smallest detectable change (SDC) and Bland Altman limits of agreement for agreement. Concurrent validity was tested using Spearman's rho for support of pre-specified hypotheses. Forty-nine participants (55 scars) were included. For ultrasound, test-retest and inter-rater reproducibility of scar thickness was acceptable for scarred skin (ICC=0.95, SDC=0.06cm and ICC=0.82, SDC=0.14cm). The ultrasound picked up changes of <1mm. Inter-rater reproducibility of maximal scar height using the 3D camera was acceptable (ICC=0.73, SDC=0.55cm). Construct validity of the ultrasound was supported with a strong correlation between the measure of scar thickness and observer ratings of thickness using the POSAS (ρ=0.61). Construct validity of the 3D camera was also supported with a moderate correlation (ρ=0.37) with the same measure using maximal scar height. The ultrasound is capable of detecting smaller changes or differences in scar thickness than the 3D camera, in children with burn scars. However agreement as part of reproducibility was lower than expected between raters for the ultrasound. Improving the accuracy of scar relocation may go some way to address agreement. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Validity Evidence in Scale Development: The Application of Cross Validation and Classification-Sequencing Validation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Acar, Tu¨lin

2014-01-01

In literature, it has been observed that many enhanced criteria are limited by factor analysis techniques. Besides examinations of statistical structure and/or psychological structure, such validity studies as cross validation and classification-sequencing studies should be performed frequently. The purpose of this study is to examine cross…

Validity of the Associated Symptom Criteria for Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Observations From the Singapore Mental Health Study.

PubMed

Lee, Siau Pheng; Ong, Clarissa; Vaingankar, Janhavi Ajit; Chong, Siow Ann; Subramaniam, Mythily

2017-05-01

Previous findings on the diagnostic validity and reliability of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)-associated symptom criteria suggest need for further evaluation. The current study examined convergent validity and specificity of GAD-associated symptoms in a representative Singapore community sample. The Singapore of Mental Health Study a cross-sectional epidemiological survey conducted among 6166 Singapore residents aged 18 and older. The Composite International Diagnostic Interview version 3.0 was used to diagnose mental disorders. Associated symptoms in the GAD criteria and autonomic hyperactivity symptoms showed convergent validity with a GAD diagnosis. However, associated symptoms of GAD were also linked to major depressive disorder (MDD), bipolar disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder, suggesting lack of adequate specificity. The inability of the diagnostic criteria to differentiate GAD from symptoms of other conditions highlights the need to better define its associated symptoms criteria. The relationship of overlapping symptoms between GAD and MDD is also discussed.

The influence of work personality on job satisfaction: incremental validity and mediation effects.

PubMed

Heller, Daniel; Ferris, D Lance; Brown, Douglas; Watson, David

2009-08-01

Drawing from recent developments regarding the contextual nature of personality (e.g., D. Wood & B. W. Roberts, 2006), we conducted 2 studies (1 cross-sectional and 1 longitudinal over 1 year) to examine the validity of work personality in predicting job satisfaction and its mediation of the effect of global personality on job satisfaction. Study 1 showed that (a) individuals vary systematically in their personality between roles- they were significantly more conscientious and open to experience and less extraverted at work compared to at home; (b) work personality was a better predictor of job satisfaction than both global personality and home personality; and (c) work personality demonstrated incremental validity above and beyond the other two personality measures. Study 2 further showed that each of the work personality dimensions fully mediated the association between its corresponding global personality trait and job satisfaction. Evidence for the discriminant validity of the findings is also presented.

Associations between reported intakes of carotenoid-rich foods and concentrations of carotenoids in plasma: a validation study of a web-based food recall for children and adolescents.

PubMed

Medin, Anine Christine; Carlsen, Monica Hauger; Andersen, Lene Frost

2016-12-01

To validate estimated intakes of carotenoid-rich foods from a web-based food recall (WebFR) using carotenoids in blood as an objective reference method. Cross-sectional validation study using carotenoids in plasma to evaluate estimated intakes of selected carotenoid-rich foods. Participants recorded their food intake in the WebFR and plasma concentrations of β-carotene, α-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutein and zeaxanthin were measured. Schools and homes of families in a suburb of the capital of Norway. A total of 261 participants in the age groups 8-9 and 12-14 years. Spearman's rank correlation coefficients ranged from 0·30 to 0·44, and cross-classification showed that 71·6-76·6 % of the participants were correctly classified, when comparing the reported intakes of carotenoid-rich foods and concentrations of the corresponding carotenoids in plasma, not including lutein and zeaxanthin. Correlations were acceptable and cross-classification analyses demonstrated that the WebFR was able to rank participants according to their reported intake of foods rich in α-carotene, β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin and lycopene. The WebFR is a promising tool for dietary assessment among children and adolescents.

Hydraulic geometry of river cross sections; theory of minimum variance

USGS Publications Warehouse

Williams, Garnett P.

1978-01-01

This study deals with the rates at which mean velocity, mean depth, and water-surface width increase with water discharge at a cross section on an alluvial stream. Such relations often follow power laws, the exponents in which are called hydraulic exponents. The Langbein (1964) minimum-variance theory is examined in regard to its validity and its ability to predict observed hydraulic exponents. The variables used with the theory were velocity, depth, width, bed shear stress, friction factor, slope (energy gradient), and stream power. Slope is often constant, in which case only velocity, depth, width, shear and friction factor need be considered. The theory was tested against a wide range of field data from various geographic areas of the United States. The original theory was intended to produce only the average hydraulic exponents for a group of cross sections in a similar type of geologic or hydraulic environment. The theory does predict these average exponents with a reasonable degree of accuracy. An attempt to forecast the exponents at any selected cross section was moderately successful. Empirical equations are more accurate than the minimum variance, Gauckler-Manning, or Chezy methods. Predictions of the exponent of width are most reliable, the exponent of depth fair, and the exponent of mean velocity poor. (Woodard-USGS)

Automated brain volumetrics in multiple sclerosis: a step closer to clinical application

PubMed Central

Beadnall, H N; Hatton, S N; Bader, G; Tomic, D; Silva, D G

2016-01-01

Background Whole brain volume (WBV) estimates in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) correlate more robustly with clinical disability than traditional, lesion-based metrics. Numerous algorithms to measure WBV have been developed over the past two decades. We compare Structural Image Evaluation using Normalisation of Atrophy-Cross-sectional (SIENAX) to NeuroQuant and MSmetrix, for assessment of cross-sectional WBV in patients with MS. Methods MRIs from 61 patients with relapsing-remitting MS and 2 patients with clinically isolated syndrome were analysed. WBV measurements were calculated using SIENAX, NeuroQuant and MSmetrix. Statistical agreement between the methods was evaluated using linear regression and Bland-Altman plots. Precision and accuracy of WBV measurement was calculated for (1) NeuroQuant versus SIENAX and (2) MSmetrix versus SIENAX. Results Precision (Pearson's r) of WBV estimation for NeuroQuant and MSmetrix versus SIENAX was 0.983 and 0.992, respectively. Accuracy (Cb) was 0.871 and 0.994, respectively. NeuroQuant and MSmetrix showed a 5.5% and 1.0% volume difference compared with SIENAX, respectively, that was consistent across low and high values. Conclusions In the analysed population, NeuroQuant and MSmetrix both quantified cross-sectional WBV with comparable statistical agreement to SIENAX, a well-validated cross-sectional tool that has been used extensively in MS clinical studies. PMID:27071647

The Vocal Cord Dysfunction Questionnaire: Validity and Reliability of the Persian Version.

PubMed

Ghaemi, Hamide; Khoddami, Seyyedeh Maryam; Soleymani, Zahra; Zandieh, Fariborz; Jalaie, Shohreh; Ahanchian, Hamid; Khadivi, Ehsan

2017-12-25

The aim of this study was to develop, validate, and assess the reliability of the Persian version of Vocal Cord Dysfunction Questionnaire (VCDQ P ). The study design was cross-sectional or cultural survey. Forty-four patients with vocal fold dysfunction (VFD) and 40 healthy volunteers were recruited for the study. To assess the content validity, the prefinal questions were given to 15 experts to comment on its essential. Ten patients with VFD rated the importance of VCDQ P in detecting face validity. Eighteen of the patients with VFD completed the VCDQ 1 week later for test-retest reliability. To detect absolute reliability, standard error of measurement and smallest detected change were calculated. Concurrent validity was assessed by completing the Persian Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Assessment Test (CAT) by 34 patients with VFD. Discriminant validity was measured from 34 participants. The VCDQ was further validated by administering the questionnaire to 40 healthy volunteers. Validation of the VCDQ as a treatment outcome tool was conducted in 18 patients with VFD using pre- and posttreatment scores. The internal consistency was confirmed (Cronbach α = 0.78). The test-retest reliability was excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.97). The standard error of measurement and smallest detected change values were acceptable (0.39 and 1.08, respectively). There was a significant correlation between the VCDQ P and the CAT total scores (P < 0.05). Discriminative validity was significantly different. The VCDQ scores in patients with VFD before and after treatment was significantly different (P < 0.001). The VCDQ was cross-culturally adapted to Persian and demonstrated to be a valid and reliable self-administered questionnaire in Persian-speaking population. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluated cross-section libraries and kerma factors for neutrons up to 100 MeV on {sup 12}C

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chadwick, M.B.; Blann, M.; Cox, L.

1995-04-11

A program is being carried out at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory to develop high-energy evaluated nuclear data libraries for use in Monte Carlo simulations of cancer radiation therapy. In this report we describe evaluated cross sections and kerma factors for neutrons with incident energies up to 100 MeV on {sup 12}C. The aim of this effort is to incorporate advanced nuclear physics modeling methods, with new experimental measurements, to generate cross section libraries needed for an accurate simulation of dose deposition in fast neutron therapy. The evaluated libraries are based mainly on nuclear model calculations, benchmarked to experimental measurements wheremore » they exist. We use the GNASH code system, which includes Hauser-Feshbach, preequilibrium, and direct reaction mechanisms. The libraries tabulate elastic and nonelastic cross sections, angle-energy correlated production spectra for light ejectiles with A{le}and kinetic energies given to light ejectiles and heavy recoil fragments. The major steps involved in this effort are: (1) development and validation of nuclear models for incident energies up to 100 MeV; (2) collation of experimental measurements, including new results from Louvain-la-Nueve and Los Alamos; (3) extension of the Livermore ENDL formats for representing high-energy data; (4) calculation and evaluation of nuclear data; and (5) validation of the libraries. We describe the evaluations in detail, with particular emphasis on our new high-energy modeling developments. Our evaluations agree well with experimental measurements of integrated and differential cross sections. We compare our results with the recent ENDF/B-VI evaluation which extends up to 32 MeV.« less

Neuropathological Alterations in Alzheimer Disease

PubMed Central

Serrano-Pozo, Alberto; Frosch, Matthew P.; Masliah, Eliezer; Hyman, Bradley T.

2011-01-01

The neuropathological hallmarks of Alzheimer disease (AD) include “positive” lesions such as amyloid plaques and cerebral amyloid angiopathy, neurofibrillary tangles, and glial responses, and “negative” lesions such as neuronal and synaptic loss. Despite their inherently cross-sectional nature, postmortem studies have enabled the staging of the progression of both amyloid and tangle pathologies, and, consequently, the development of diagnostic criteria that are now used worldwide. In addition, clinicopathological correlation studies have been crucial to generate hypotheses about the pathophysiology of the disease, by establishing that there is a continuum between “normal” aging and AD dementia, and that the amyloid plaque build-up occurs primarily before the onset of cognitive deficits, while neurofibrillary tangles, neuron loss, and particularly synaptic loss, parallel the progression of cognitive decline. Importantly, these cross-sectional neuropathological data have been largely validated by longitudinal in vivo studies using modern imaging biomarkers such as amyloid PET and volumetric MRI. PMID:22229116

Psycho-socioeconomic factors affecting complementary and alternative medicine use among selected rural communities in Malaysia: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Ganasegeran, Kurubaran; Rajendran, Anantha Kumar; Al-Dubai, Sami Abdo Radman

2014-01-01

The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) as a source of cure has gained much spectrum worldwide, despite skeptics and advocates of evidence-based practice conceptualized such therapies as human nostrum. This study aimed to explore the factors affecting CAM use among rural communities in Malaysia. A cross-sectional study was carried out on 288 occupants across four rural villages within the District of Selama, Perak, Malaysia. A survey that consisted of socio-economic characteristics, history of CAM use and the validated Holistic Complementary and Alternative Medicine Questionnaire (HCAMQ) were used. The prevalence of self-reported CAM use over the past one year was 53.1%. Multiple logistic regression analyses yielded three significant predictors of CAM use: monthly household income of less than MYR 2500, higher education level, and positive attitude towards CAM. Psycho-socioeconomic factors were significantly associated with CAM use among rural communities in Malaysia.

Excitation of levels in Li6 by inelastic electron scattering

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bernheim, M.; Bishop, G. R.

1963-07-01

Inelastic scattering of electrons from metallic targets of Li 6 was studied as part of a program to establish the validity of the Born approximation calculation of the cross section. This calculation predicts the separation of the inelastic form factor into two contributions corresponding to the absorption of longitudinal and transverse virtual photons by the bombarded system. (R.E.U.)

Decreasing Sports Activity with Increasing Age? Findings from a 20-Year Longitudinal and Cohort Sequence Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Breuer, Christoph; Wicker, Pamela

2009-01-01

According to cross-sectional studies in sport science literature, decreasing sports activity with increasing age is generally assumed. In this paper, the validity of this assumption is checked by applying more effective methods of analysis, such as longitudinal and cohort sequence analyses. With the help of 20 years' worth of data records from the…

Human Papillomavirus Vaccine Increases High-Risk Sexual Behaviors: A Myth or Valid Concern

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ratanasiripong, Nop T.

2014-01-01

In 2006, the first human pappilomavirus (HPV) vaccine was approved for females aged 9 to 26. However, the national HPV vaccination rate among young women has been low. Public concerns were raised in regard to the fact that HPV vaccination might encourage unsafe sex. This cross-sectional study examined the differences in sexual practices between…

Reliability and Validity of a Shorter Chinese Version for Ryff's Psychological Well-Being Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Ren-Hau

2014-01-01

Objective: The aim of this study was to develop a new and shorter Chinese version of Ryff's psychological well-being scale. Design: Cross-sectional survey. Setting: In recent years there have been several versions of this scale, including 84-item, 54-item and 18-item versions. Researchers in different countries have built on Ryff's version to…

The 9-item Bergen Burnout Inventory: factorial validity across organizations and measurements of longitudinal data.

PubMed

Feldt, Taru; Rantanen, Johanna; Hyvönen, Katriina; Mäkikangas, Anne; Huhtala, Mari; Pihlajasaari, Pia; Kinnunen, Ulla

2014-01-01

The present study tested the factorial validity of the 9-item Bergen Burnout Inventory (BBI-9). The BBI-9 is comprised of three core dimensions: (1) exhaustion at work; (2) cynicism toward the meaning of work; and (3) sense of inadequacy at work. The study further investigated whether the three-factor structure of the BBI-9 remains the same across different organizations (group invariance) and measurement time points (time invariance). The factorial group invariance was tested using a cross-sectional design with data pertaining to managers (n=742), and employees working in a bank (n=162), an engineering office (n=236), a public sector organization divided into three service areas: administration (n=102), education and culture (n=581), and social affairs and health (n=1,505). Factorial time invariance was tested using longitudinal data pertaining to managers, with three measurements over a four-year follow-up period. The confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the three-factor structure of the BBI-9 was invariant across cross-sectional samples. The factorial invariance was also supported across measurement times. To conclude, the factorial structure of the BBI-9 was found to remain the same regardless of the sample properties and measurement times.

Virtopsy - the concept of a centralized database in forensic medicine for analysis and comparison of radiological and autopsy data.

PubMed

Aghayev, Emin; Staub, Lukas; Dirnhofer, Richard; Ambrose, Tony; Jackowski, Christian; Yen, Kathrin; Bolliger, Stephan; Christe, Andreas; Roeder, Christoph; Aebi, Max; Thali, Michael J

2008-04-01

Recent developments in clinical radiology have resulted in additional developments in the field of forensic radiology. After implementation of cross-sectional radiology and optical surface documentation in forensic medicine, difficulties in the validation and analysis of the acquired data was experienced. To address this problem and for the comparison of autopsy and radiological data a centralized database with internet technology for forensic cases was created. The main goals of the database are (1) creation of a digital and standardized documentation tool for forensic-radiological and pathological findings; (2) establishing a basis for validation of forensic cross-sectional radiology as a non-invasive examination method in forensic medicine that means comparing and evaluating the radiological and autopsy data and analyzing the accuracy of such data; and (3) providing a conduit for continuing research and education in forensic medicine. Considering the infrequent availability of CT or MRI for forensic institutions and the heterogeneous nature of case material in forensic medicine an evaluation of benefits and limitations of cross-sectional imaging concerning certain forensic features by a single institution may be of limited value. A centralized database permitting international forensic and cross disciplinary collaborations may provide important support for forensic-radiological casework and research.

[Reliability and validity analysis of simplified Chinese version of QOL questionnaire of olfactory disorders].

PubMed

Jin, X F; Wang, J; Li, Y J; Liu, J F; Ni, D F

2016-09-20

Objective: To cross-culturally translate the questionnaire of olfactory disorders(QOD)into a simplified Chinese version, and evaluate its reliability and validity in clinical. Method: A simplified Chinese version of the QOD was evaluated in test-retest reliability, split-half reliability and internal consistency.Then it was evaluated in validity test including content validity, criterion-related validity, responsibility. Criterion-related validity was using the medical outcome study's 36-item short rorm health survey(SF-36) and the World Health Organization quality of life-brief (WHOQOL-BREF) for comparison. Result: A total of 239 patients with olfactory dysfunction were enrolled and tested, in which 195 patients completed all three surveys(QOD, SF-36, WHOQOL-BREF). The test-retest reliabilities of the QOD-parosmia statements(QOD-P), QOD-quality of life(QOD-QoL), and the QOD-visual simulation(QOD-VAS)sections were 0.799( P <0.01),0.781( P <0.01),0.488( P <0.01), respectively, and the Cronbach' s α coefficients reliability were 0.477,0.812,0.889,respectively.The split-half reliability of QOD-QoL was 0.89. There was no correlation between the QOD-P section and the SF-36, but there were statistically significant correlations between the QOD-QoL and QOD-VAS sections with the SF-36. There was no correlation between the QOD-P section and the WHOQOL-BREF, but there were statistically significant correlations between the QOD-QoL and QOD-VAS sections with the SF-36 in most sections. Conclusion: The simplified Chinese version of the QOD was testified to be a reliable and valid questionnaire for evaluating patients with olfactory dysfunction living in mainland of China.The QOD-P section needs further modifications to properly adapt patients with Chinese cultural and knowledge background. Copyright© by the Editorial Department of Journal of Clinical Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery.

Comparison of the CENTRM resonance processor to the NITAWL resonance processor in SCALE

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hollenbach, D.F.; Petrie, L.M.

1998-01-01

This report compares the MTAWL and CENTRM resonance processors in the SCALE code system. The cases examined consist of the International OECD/NEA Criticality Working Group Benchmark 20 problem. These cases represent fuel pellets partially dissolved in a borated solution. The assumptions inherent to the Nordheim Integral Treatment, used in MTAWL, are not valid for these problems. CENTRM resolves this limitation by explicitly calculating a problem dependent point flux from point cross sections, which is then used to create group cross sections.

General upper bound on single-event upset rate. [due to ionizing radiation in orbiting vehicle avionics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chlouber, Dean; O'Neill, Pat; Pollock, Jim

1990-01-01

A technique of predicting an upper bound on the rate at which single-event upsets due to ionizing radiation occur in semiconducting memory cells is described. The upper bound on the upset rate, which depends on the high-energy particle environment in earth orbit and accelerator cross-section data, is given by the product of an upper-bound linear energy-transfer spectrum and the mean cross section of the memory cell. Plots of the spectrum are given for low-inclination and polar orbits. An alternative expression for the exact upset rate is also presented. Both methods rely only on experimentally obtained cross-section data and are valid for sensitive bit regions having arbitrary shape.

Modification and benchmarking of MCNP for low-energy tungsten spectra.

PubMed

Mercier, J R; Kopp, D T; McDavid, W D; Dove, S B; Lancaster, J L; Tucker, D M

2000-12-01

The MCNP Monte Carlo radiation transport code was modified for diagnostic medical physics applications. In particular, the modified code was thoroughly benchmarked for the production of polychromatic tungsten x-ray spectra in the 30-150 kV range. Validating the modified code for coupled electron-photon transport with benchmark spectra was supplemented with independent electron-only and photon-only transport benchmarks. Major revisions to the code included the proper treatment of characteristic K x-ray production and scoring, new impact ionization cross sections, and new bremsstrahlung cross sections. Minor revisions included updated photon cross sections, electron-electron bremsstrahlung production, and K x-ray yield. The modified MCNP code is benchmarked to electron backscatter factors, x-ray spectra production, and primary and scatter photon transport.

Measurement of 58Fe (p , n)58Co reaction cross-section within the proton energy range of 3.38 to 19.63 MeV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, Reetuparna; Badwar, Sylvia; Lawriniang, Bioletty; Jyrwa, Betylda; Naik, Haldhara; Naik, Yeshwant; Suryanarayana, Saraswatula Venkata; Ganesan, Srinivasan

2017-08-01

The 58Fe (p , n)58Co reaction cross-section within Giant Dipole Resonance (GDR) region i.e. from 3.38 to 19.63 MeV was measured by stacked-foil activation and off-line γ-ray spectrometric technique using the BARC-TIFR Pelletron facility at Mumbai. The present data were compared with the existing literature data and found to be in good agreement. The 58Fe (p , n)58Co reaction cross-section as a function of proton energy was also theoretically calculated by using the computer code TALYS-1.8 and found to be in good agreement, which shows the validity of the TALYS-1.8 program.

Shape control of an adaptive wing for transonic drag reduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Austin, Fred; Van Nostrand, William C.

1995-05-01

Theory and experiments to control the static shape of flexible structures by employing internal translational actuators are summarized and plants to extend the work to adaptive wings are presented. Significant reductions in the shock-induced drag are achievable during transonic- cruise by small adaptive modifications to the wing cross-sectional profile. Actuators are employed as truss elements of active ribs to deform the wing cross section. An adaptive-rib model was constructed, and experiments validated the shape-control theory. Plans for future development under an ARPA/AFWAL contract include payoff assessments of the method on an actual aircraft, the development of inchworm TERFENOL-D actuators, and the development of a method to optimize the wing cross-sectional shapes by direct-drag measurements.

Evaluation of psychometric properties of the German Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture and its potential for cross-cultural comparisons: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Gambashidze, Nikoloz; Hammer, Antje; Brösterhaus, Mareen; Manser, Tanja

2017-11-09

To study the psychometric characteristics of German version of the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture and to compare its dimensionality to other language versions in order to understand the instrument's potential for cross-national studies. Cross-sectional multicentre study to establish psychometric properties of German version of the survey instrument. 73 units from 37 departments of two German university hospitals. Clinical personnel (n=995 responses, response rate 39.6%). Psychometric properties (eg, model fit, internal consistency, construct validity) of the instrument and comparison of dimensionality across different language translations. The instrument demonstrated acceptable to good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha 0.64-0.88). Confirmatory factor analysis of the original 12-factor model resulted in marginally satisfactory model fit (root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA)=0.05; standardised root mean residual (SRMR)=0.05; comparative fit index (CFI)=0.90; goodness of fit index (GFI)=0.88; Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI)=0.88). Exploratory factor analysis resulted in an alternative eight-factor model with good model fit (RMSEA=0.05; SRMR=0.05; CFI=0.95; GFI=0.91; TLI=0.94) and good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha 0.73-0.87) and construct validity. Analysis of the dimensionality compared with models from 10 other language versions revealed eight dimensions with relatively stable composition and appearance across different versions and four dimensions requiring further improvement. The German version of Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture demonstrated satisfactory psychometric properties for use in German hospitals. However, our comparison of instrument dimensionality across different language versions indicates limitations concerning cross-national studies. Results of this study can be considered in interpreting findings across national contexts, in further refinement of the instrument for cross-national studies and in better understanding the various facets and dimensions of patient safety culture. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

The validity and reliability of tinnitus handicap inventory Thai version.

PubMed

Limviriyakul, Siriporn; Supavanich, Walop

2012-11-01

Demonstrate the reliability and validity of the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory Thai Version (THI-T), a self-report measure of tinnitus. A cross-sectional psychometric validation study was used to determine internal consistency reliability and validity of the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory Thai Version at the Otoneurology clinic at Tertiary care center The cross-cultural adaptation of the Tinnitus Handicapped Inventory English version (Newman et al, 1996) was translated into Thai version following the steps indicated by Guillemin et al. The reliability was constructed by using Cronbach's coefficient alpha. The validity was analyzed by the correlation between Tinnitus Handicap Inventory Thai version and the 36-items short form health survey and visual analog scale using Spearman and Pearson test. The result showed good internal consistency reliabilities of total, functional, emotional, and catastrophic scale (a = 0.902, 0.804, 0.831 and 0.661, respectively) of Tinnitus Handicap Inventory Thai Version. Spearman correlation showed the significant correlation of Tinnitus Handicap Inventory to 36-items short form health survey and visual analog scale. Tinnitus Handicap Inventory Thai Version will be a vigorous tool in evaluating tinnitus patients as well as monitoring the progress of their symptoms.

Collision cross sections and transport coefficients of O-, O2 -, O3 - and O4 - negative ions in O2, N2 and dry air for non-thermal plasmas modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hennad, Ali; Yousfi, Mohammed

2018-02-01

The ions interaction data such as interaction potential parameters, elastic and inelastic collision cross sections and the transport coefficients (reduced mobility and diffusion coefficients) have been determined and analyzed in the case of the main negative oxygen ions (O-, O2 -, O3 - and O4 -) present in low temperature plasma at atmospheric pressure when colliding O2, N2 and dry air. The ion transport has been determined from an optimized Monte Carlo simulation using calculated elastic and experimentally fitted inelastic collision cross sections. The elastic momentum transfer collision cross sections have been calculated from a semi-classical JWKB approximation based on a ( n-4) rigid core interaction potential model. The cross sections sets involving elastic and inelastic processes were then validated using measured reduced mobility data and also diffusion coefficient whenever available in the literature. From the sets of elastic and inelastic collision cross sections thus obtained for the first time for O3-/O2, O2 -/N2, O3 -/N2, and O4 -/N2 systems, the ion transport coefficients were calculated in pure gases and dry air over a wide range of the density reduced electric field E/N.

Monostatic Radar Cross Section Estimation of Missile Shaped Object Using Physical Optics Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sasi Bhushana Rao, G.; Nambari, Swathi; Kota, Srikanth; Ranga Rao, K. S.

2017-08-01

Stealth Technology manages many signatures for a target in which most radar systems use radar cross section (RCS) for discriminating targets and classifying them with regard to Stealth. During a war target’s RCS has to be very small to make target invisible to enemy radar. In this study, Radar Cross Section of perfectly conducting objects like cylinder, truncated cone (frustum) and circular flat plate is estimated with respect to parameters like size, frequency and aspect angle. Due to the difficulties in exactly predicting the RCS, approximate methods become the alternative. Majority of approximate methods are valid in optical region and where optical region has its own strengths and weaknesses. Therefore, the analysis given in this study is purely based on far field monostatic RCS measurements in the optical region. Computation is done using Physical Optics (PO) method for determining RCS of simple models. In this study not only the RCS of simple models but also missile shaped and rocket shaped models obtained from the cascaded objects with backscatter has been computed using Matlab simulation. Rectangular plots are obtained for RCS in dbsm versus aspect angle for simple and missile shaped objects using Matlab simulation. Treatment of RCS, in this study is based on Narrow Band.

The property of the Japanese version of the Recovery Knowledge Inventory (RKI) among mental health service providers: a cross sectional study.

PubMed

Chiba, Rie; Umeda, Maki; Goto, Kyohei; Miyamoto, Yuki; Yamaguchi, Sosei; Kawakami, Norito

2017-01-01

The Recovery Knowledge Inventory (RKI) is one of the influential scales to assess knowledge and attitude toward recovery-oriented practices among mental health service providers. In the present study, we aimed to develop a Japanese version of RKI and examine the validity and reliability. We translated RKI into Japanese by reference to the guidelines for translating and adapting psychometric scales. A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted with mental health service providers. Of a total of 475 eligible professionals, we used data from the 299 participants without missing value for the analyses (valid response rate = 62.9%). The questionnaire included Japanese RKI, Recovery Attitudes Questionnaire, The positive attitudes scale, and Japanese-language version of the Social Distance Scale. To examine the factorial validity of RKI, explanatory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis was employed. Convergent validity was assessed by calculating Pearson's correlation coefficients between the total RKI score and the scores for the other three scales. We also calculated Cronbach's α coefficients for the total score and for each domain of RKI to assess internal consistency reliability. The participants' mean age was 40.4 years and 30.4% were men. 20-item RKI did not provide any adequate or interpretable factor solutions at any number of factors by EFAs. Thus four items (#1, 4, 5, and 13) were subsequently eliminated in stages, then 16-item RKI was employed as a consequence for further analyses. EFA with four factor structures yielded marginally interpretable constitution. Each factor represented the knowledge regarding psychiatric symptoms and recovery; knowledge about the recovery process; the understanding of what is important for recovery; and the understanding of the challenges and responsibility in recovery, respectively. Subsequent CFA suggested good fit to the data. Good convergent validity and understandable internal consistency reliability were also observed. The Japanese 16-item RKI revealed reasonable factorial validity, good convergent validity, and understandable internal consistency reliability among mental health professionals. Japanese cultural settings seemed to influence the four-factor structure in the present study. It can be used for future study in Japan, while future large-scale research is required to ensure robust verification.

Transcultural adaptation into Spanish of the Induction Compliance Checklist for assessing children's behaviour during induction of anaesthesia.

PubMed

Jerez-Molina, Carmen; Lázaro-Alcay, Juan J; Ullán-de la Fuente, Ana M

2017-10-17

Cross-cultural adaptation into Spanish of the Induction Compliance Checklist (ICC) for assessing children's behaviour during induction of anaesthesia. A descriptive cross-sectional observational study was conducted on a sample of 81 children aged 2 to 12 years operated in an ambulatory surgery unit of a paediatric hospital in Barcelona. Adaptation by translation-back translation of the tool and analysis of the scale's validity and reliability. Face validity of the tool was guaranteed through a discussion group and inter-observer reliability was evaluated, obtaining an intraclass correlation index of r = 0.956. The ICC scale validated for the Spanish population can be an effective tool for the presurgical evaluation of activities carried out to minimise children's anxiety. The ICC is an easy-to-use scale completed by operating room staff in one minute and would provide important information about children's behaviour, specifically during induction. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Behaviour of thin-walled cold-formed steel members in eccentric compression

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ungureanu, Viorel; Kotełko, Maria; Borkowski, Łukasz; Grudziecki, Jan

2018-01-01

Thin-walled cold-formed steel structures are usually made of members of class 4 cross-sections. Since these sections are prematurely prone to local or distortional buckling and due to the fact they do not have a real post-elastic capacity, the failure at ultimate stage of those members, either in compression or bending, always occurs by forming a local plastic mechanism. The present paper investigates the evolution of the plastic mechanisms and the possibility to use them to characterise the ultimate strength of short thin-walled cold-formed steel members subjected to eccentric compression about minor axis, particularly for members with lipped channel cross-section. Five different types of plastic mechanisms for members in compression with different eccentricities are identified and examined on the basis of FE numerical simulations. Preliminary results of experimental validation of numerical results are presented. The research is based on previous studies and some new investigations of the authors.

Computing discharge using the index velocity method

USGS Publications Warehouse

Levesque, Victor A.; Oberg, Kevin A.

2012-01-01

Application of the index velocity method for computing continuous records of discharge has become increasingly common, especially since the introduction of low-cost acoustic Doppler velocity meters (ADVMs) in 1997. Presently (2011), the index velocity method is being used to compute discharge records for approximately 470 gaging stations operated and maintained by the U.S. Geological Survey. The purpose of this report is to document and describe techniques for computing discharge records using the index velocity method. Computing discharge using the index velocity method differs from the traditional stage-discharge method by separating velocity and area into two ratings—the index velocity rating and the stage-area rating. The outputs from each of these ratings, mean channel velocity (V) and cross-sectional area (A), are then multiplied together to compute a discharge. For the index velocity method, V is a function of such parameters as streamwise velocity, stage, cross-stream velocity, and velocity head, and A is a function of stage and cross-section shape. The index velocity method can be used at locations where stage-discharge methods are used, but it is especially appropriate when more than one specific discharge can be measured for a specific stage. After the ADVM is selected, installed, and configured, the stage-area rating and the index velocity rating must be developed. A standard cross section is identified and surveyed in order to develop the stage-area rating. The standard cross section should be surveyed every year for the first 3 years of operation and thereafter at a lesser frequency, depending on the susceptibility of the cross section to change. Periodic measurements of discharge are used to calibrate and validate the index rating for the range of conditions experienced at the gaging station. Data from discharge measurements, ADVMs, and stage sensors are compiled for index-rating analysis. Index ratings are developed by means of regression techniques in which the mean cross-sectional velocity for the standard section is related to the measured index velocity. Most ratings are simple-linear regressions, but more complex ratings may be necessary in some cases. Once the rating is established, validation measurements should be made periodically. Over time, validation measurements may provide additional definition to the rating or result in the creation of a new rating. The computation of discharge is the last step in the index velocity method, and in some ways it is the most straight-forward step. This step differs little from the steps used to compute discharge records for stage-discharge gaging stations. The ratings are entered into database software used for records computation, and continuous records of discharge are computed.

The Effects of Magnetic-Field Geometry on Longitudinal Oscillations of Solar Prominences: Cross-Sectional Area Variation for Thin Tubes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Luna, M.; Diaz, A. J.; Oliver, R.; Terradas, J.; Karpen, J.

2016-01-01

Solar prominences are subject to both field-aligned (longitudinal) and transverse oscillatory motions, as evidenced by an increasing number of observations. Large-amplitude longitudinal motions provide valuable information on the geometry of the filament channel magnetic structure that supports the cool prominence plasma against gravity. Our pendulum model, in which the restoring force is the gravity projected along the dipped field lines of the magnetic structure, best explains these oscillations. However, several factors can influence the longitudinal oscillations, potentially invalidating the pendulum model. Aims. The aim of this work is to study the influence of large-scale variations in the magnetic field strength along the field lines, i.e., variations of the cross-sectional area along the flux tubes supporting prominence threads. Methods. We studied the normal modes of several flux tube configurations, using linear perturbation analysis, to assess the influence of different geometrical parameters on the oscillation properties. Results. We found that the influence of the symmetric and asymmetric expansion factors on longitudinal oscillations is small.Conclusions. We conclude that the longitudinal oscillations are not significantly influenced by variations of the cross-section of the flux tubes, validating the pendulum model in this context.

Validation of a quality-of-life instrument for patients with nonmelanoma skin cancer.

PubMed

Rhee, John S; Matthews, B Alex; Neuburg, Marcy; Logan, Brent R; Burzynski, Mary; Nattinger, Ann B

2006-01-01

To validate a disease-specific quality-of-life instrument--the Skin Cancer Index--intended to measure quality-of-life issues relevant to patients with nonmelanoma skin cancer. Internal reliability, convergent and divergent validity with existing scales, and factor analyses were performed in a cross-sectional study of 211 patients presenting with cervicofacial nonmelanoma skin cancer to a dermatologic surgery clinic. Factor analyses of the Skin Cancer Index confirmed a multidimensional scale with 3 distinct subscales-emotional, social, and appearance. Excellent internal validity of the 3 subscales was demonstrated. Substantial evidence was observed for convergent validity with the Dermatology Life Quality Index, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Lerman's Cancer Worry Scale, and Medical Outcomes Survey Short-Form 12 domains for vitality, emotion, social function, and mental health. These findings validate a new disease-specific quality-of-life instrument for patients with cervicofacial nonmelanoma skin cancer. Studies on the responsiveness of the Skin Cancer Index to clinical intervention are currently under way.

Non-Technical Skills for Surgeons (NOTSS): Critical appraisal of its measurement properties.

PubMed

Jung, James J; Borkhoff, Cornelia M; Jüni, Peter; Grantcharov, Teodor P

2018-02-17

To critically appraise the development and measurement properties, including sensibility, reliability, and validity of the Non-Technical Skills of Surgeons (NOTSS) system. Articles that described development process of the NOTSS system were identified. Relevant primary studies that presented evidence of reliability and validity were identified through a comprehensive literature review. NOTSS was developed through robust item generation and reduction strategies. It was shown to have good content validity, acceptability, and feasibility. Inter-rater reliability increased with greater expertise and number of assessors. Studies demonstrated evidence of cross-sectional construct validity, in that the tool was able to differentiate known groups of varied non-technical skill levels. Evidence of longitudinal construct validity also existed to demonstrate that NOTSS detected changes in non-technical skills before and after targeted training. In populations and settings presented in our critical appraisal, NOTSS provided reliable and valid measurements of intraoperative non-technical skills of surgeons. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Validation of the Regicor Short Physical Activity Questionnaire for the Adult Population

PubMed Central

Molina, Luis; Sarmiento, Manuel; Peñafiel, Judith; Donaire, David; Garcia-Aymerich, Judith; Gomez, Miquel; Ble, Mireia; Ruiz, Sonia; Frances, Albert; Schröder, Helmut; Marrugat, Jaume; Elosua, Roberto

2017-01-01

Objective To develop and validate a short questionnaire to estimate physical activity (PA) practice and sedentary behavior for the adult population. Methods The short questionnaire was developed using data from a cross-sectional population-based survey (n = 6352) that included the Minnesota leisure-time PA questionnaire. Activities that explained a significant proportion of the variability of population PA practice were identified. Validation of the short questionnaire included a cross-sectional component to assess validity with respect to the data collected by accelerometers and a longitudinal component to assess reliability and sensitivity to detect changes (n = 114, aged 35 to 74 years). Results Six types of activities that accounted for 87% of population variability in PA estimated with the Minnesota questionnaire were selected. The short questionnaire estimates energy expenditure in total PA and by intensity (light, moderate, vigorous), and includes 2 questions about sedentary behavior and a question about occupational PA. The short questionnaire showed high reliability, with intraclass correlation coefficients ranging between 0.79 to 0.95. The Spearman correlation coefficients between estimated energy expenditure obtained with the questionnaire and the number of steps detected by the accelerometer were as follows: 0.36 for total PA, 0.40 for moderate intensity, and 0.26 for vigorous intensity. The questionnaire was sensitive to detect changes in moderate and vigorous PA (correlation coefficients ranging from 0.26 to 0.34). Conclusion The REGICOR short questionnaire is reliable, valid, and sensitive to detect changes in moderate and vigorous PA. This questionnaire could be used in daily clinical practice and epidemiological studies. PMID:28085886

Translation and evaluation of the Cultural Awareness Scale for Korean nursing students.

PubMed

Oh, Hyunjin; Lee, Jung-ah; Schepp, Karen G

2015-02-20

To evaluate the effectiveness of a curriculum for achieving high levels of cultural competence, we need to be able to assess education intended to enhance cultural competency skills. We therefore translated the Cultural Awareness Scale (CAS) into Korean (CAS-K). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the cross-cultural applicability and psychometric properties of the CAS-K, specifically its reliability and validity. A cross-sectional descriptive design was used to conduct the evaluation. A convenience sample of 495 nursing students was recruited from four levels of nursing education within four universities in the city of Daejeon, South Korea. This study provided beginning evidence of the validity and reliability of the CAS-K and the cross-cultural applicability of the concepts underlying this instrument. Cronbach's alpha ranged between 0.59 and 0.86 (overall 0.89) in the tests of internal consistency. Cultural competency score prediction of the experience of travel abroad (r=0.084) and the perceived need for cultural education (r=0.223) suggested reasonable criterion validity. Five factors with eigenvalues >1.0 were extracted, accounting for 55.58% of the variance; two retained the same items previously identified for the CAS. The CAS-K demonstrated satisfactory validity and reliability in measuring cultural awareness in this sample of Korean nursing students. The revised CAS-K should be tested for its usability in curriculum evaluation and its applicability as a guide for teaching cultural awareness among groups of Korean nursing students.

Measuring Advance Care Planning: Optimizing the Advance Care Planning Engagement Survey.

PubMed

Sudore, Rebecca L; Heyland, Daren K; Barnes, Deborah E; Howard, Michelle; Fassbender, Konrad; Robinson, Carole A; Boscardin, John; You, John J

2017-04-01

A validated 82-item Advance Care Planning (ACP) Engagement Survey measures a broad range of behaviors. However, concise surveys are needed. The objective of this study was to validate shorter versions of the survey. The survey included 57 process (e.g., readiness) and 25 action items (e.g., discussions). For item reduction, we systematically eliminated questions based on face validity, item nonresponse, redundancy, ceiling effects, and factor analysis. We assessed internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) and construct validity with cross-sectional correlations and the ability of the progressively shorter survey versions to detect change one week after exposure to an ACP intervention (Pearson correlation coefficients). Five hundred one participants (four Canadian and three US sites) were included in item reduction (mean age 69 years [±10], 41% nonwhite). Because of high correlations between readiness and action items, all action items were removed. Because of high correlations and ceiling effects, two process items were removed. Successive factor analysis then created 55-, 34-, 15-, nine-, and four-item versions; 664 participants (from three US ACP clinical trials) were included in validity analysis (age 65 years [±8], 72% nonwhite, 34% Spanish speaking). Cronbach's alphas were high for all versions (four items 0.84-55 items 0.97). Compared with the original survey, cross-sectional correlations were high (four items 0.85; 55 items 0.97) as were delta correlations (four items 0.68; 55 items 0.93). Shorter versions of the ACP Engagement Survey are valid, internally consistent, and able to detect change across a broad range of ACP behaviors for English and Spanish speakers. Shorter ACP surveys can efficiently measure broad ACP behaviors in research and clinical settings. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Optical coherence tomography in the diagnosis of actinic keratosis-A systematic review.

PubMed

Friis, K B E; Themstrup, L; Jemec, G B E

2017-06-01

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a real-time non-invasive imaging tool, introduced in dermatology in the late 1990s. OCT uses near-infrared light impulses to produce images which can be displayed in cross-sectional and en-face mode. The technique has been used to image skin diseases especially non-melanoma skin cancer including actinic keratosis (AK). Morphological characteristics of AK can be visualized in OCT images and can be used for diagnosis as well as disease monitoring. A systematic review of original papers on AK and OCT was performed on 31.03.16 and 24.10.16 in the major databases Pubmed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane and Svemed. Through database search and other sources, we identified 1366 titles of which 21 studies met the inclusion criteria and were used for further investigation. 16/16 Conventional OCT (cross-sectional images) studies described disruption of layers consistent with absence of normal layered architecture in the skin. Thickened epidermis was found in 14/16 studies and white (hyperreflective) streaks and dots were described in 11/16 studies. In High-definition optical coherence tomography (HD-OCT) images disarranged epidermis (cross-sectional images) along with an atypical honeycomb pattern (en-face images) was found in 5/5 studies and well-demarcated dermo-epithelial junction (DEJ) (cross-sectional images) was described in 3/5 studies. Several morphological characteristics of AKs were identified using Conventional OCT and HD-OCT. It is suggested that these may be used in the diagnosis of AK. Additional validation is however required to establish consensus on the optimal diagnostic criteria. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Validity of a Competing Food Choice Construct regarding Fruit and Vegetable Consumption among Urban College Freshmen

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yeh, Ming-Chin; Matsumori, Brandy; Obenchain, Janel; Viladrich, Anahi; Das, Dhiman; Navder, Khursheed

2010-01-01

Objective: This paper presents the reliability and validity of a "competing food choice" construct designed to assess whether factors related to consumption of less-healthful food were perceived to be barriers to fruit and vegetable consumption in college freshmen. Design: Cross-sectional, self-administered survey. Setting: An urban public college…

Ultrasonography of the cervical muscles: a critical review of the literature.

PubMed

Javanshir, Khodabakhsh; Amiri, Mohsen; Mohseni-Bandpei, Mohammad Ali; Rezasoltani, Asghar; Fernández-de-las-Peñas, César

2010-10-01

This article presents a review of the literature concerning size measurement of cervical muscles using real-time ultrasound imaging (RUSI) in patients with neck pain and in healthy populations. A literature search from 1996 to December 2009 making use of Science Direct and PubMed databases was conducted. Medical Subject Headings and other terms were as follows: ultrasonography, cervical, muscle, neck, size, pain, validity, reliability, neck pain, and healthy subjects. We included studies using RUSI for assessing cervical paraspinal muscles both in healthy subjects and in patients with neck pain. We assessed muscles investigated and the reliability and validity of the method used. The literature search yielded 16 studies. Twelve (75%) studies assessed the posterior muscles, whereas in the remaining 4 (25%), the anterior muscles were studied. Three studies quantified the size of the muscles during contraction; 3 assessed the relationship between cross-sectional area, linear dimensions, and anthropometric variables; 1 evaluated the training-induced changes in muscle size; 1 assessed the differences in muscle shape and cross-sectional area of cervical multifidus between patients with chronic neck pain and controls; 8 studies looked at the reliability of using RUSI in patients with neck pain or healthy subjects; and 3 studies evaluated the validity of RUSI compared with magnetic resonance imaging. This literature review has shown that there are not sufficient studies for assessing neck muscles with RUSI. It seems that using constant landmarks, knowledge of anatomy and function of target muscle, and a proper definition of muscle borders can help to take a clear image. Standardized position of the subject, correct placement of the transducer, and using multiple RUSI for statistical analyses may improve results. Copyright © 2010 National University of Health Sciences. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Constitutive Behavior and Finite Element Analysis of FRP Composite and Concrete Members.

PubMed

Ann, Ki Yong; Cho, Chang-Geun

2013-09-10

The present study concerns compressive and flexural constitutive models incorporated into an isoparametric beam finite element scheme for fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) and concrete composites, using their multi-axial constitutive behavior. The constitutive behavior of concrete was treated in triaxial stress states as an orthotropic hypoelasticity-based formulation to determine the confinement effect of concrete from a three-dimensional failure surface in triaxial stress states. The constitutive behavior of the FRP composite was formulated from the two-dimensional classical lamination theory. To predict the flexural behavior of circular cross-section with FRP sheet and concrete composite, a layered discretization of cross-sections was incorporated into nonlinear isoparametric beam finite elements. The predicted constitutive behavior was validated by a comparison to available experimental results in the compressive and flexural beam loading test.

Measurement of inclusive jet and dijet cross sections in proton-proton collisions at 7 TeV centre-of-mass energy with the ATLAS detector

DOE PAGES

Aad, G.; Abbott, B.; Abdallah, J.; ...

2011-02-03

Jet cross sections have been measured for the first time in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV using the ATLAS detector. The measurement uses an integrated luminosity of 17 nb -1 recorded at the Large Hadron Collider. The anti-k t algorithm is used to identify jets, with two jet resolution parameters, R=0.4 and 0.6. The dominant uncertainty comes from the jet energy scale, which is determined to within 7% for central jets above 60 GeV transverse momentum. Inclusive single-jet differential cross sections are presented as functions of jet transverse momentum and rapidity. Dijet cross sections are presentedmore » as functions of dijet mass and the angular variable χ. The results are compared to expectations based on next-to-leading-order QCD, which agree with the data, providing a validation of the theory in a new kinematic regime.« less

Characterization of cross-section correction to charge exchange recombination spectroscopy rotation measurements using co- and counter-neutral-beam views.

PubMed

Solomon, W M; Burrell, K H; Feder, R; Nagy, A; Gohil, P; Groebner, R J

2008-10-01

Measurements of rotation using charge exchange recombination spectroscopy can be affected by the energy dependence of the charge exchange cross section. On DIII-D, the associated correction to the rotation can exceed 100 kms at high temperatures. In reactor-relevant low rotation conditions, the correction can be several times larger than the actual plasma rotation and therefore must be carefully validated. New chords have been added to the DIII-D CER diagnostic to view the counter-neutral-beam line. The addition of these views allows determination of the toroidal rotation without depending on detailed atomic physics calculations, while also allowing experimental characterization of the atomic physics. A database of rotation comparisons from the two views shows that the calculated cross-section correction can adequately describe the measurements, although there is a tendency for "overcorrection." In cases where accuracy better than about 15% is desired, relying on calculation of the cross-section correction may be insufficient.

Validation of COG10 and ENDFB6R7 on the Auk Workstation for General Application to Plutonium Systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Percher, Catherine G

2011-08-08

The COG 10 code package1 on the Auk workstation is now validated with the ENBFB6R7 neutron cross section library for general application to plutonium (Pu) systems by comparison of the calculated keffective to the expected keffective of several relevant experimental benchmarks. This validation is supplemental to the installation and verification of COG 10 on the Auk workstation2.

Nonlinear finite amplitude torsional vibrations of cantilevers in viscous fluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aureli, Matteo; Pagano, Christopher; Porfiri, Maurizio

2012-06-01

In this paper, we study torsional vibrations of cantilever beams undergoing moderately large oscillations within a quiescent viscous fluid. The structure is modeled as an Euler-Bernoulli beam, with thin rectangular cross section, under base excitation. The distributed hydrodynamic loading experienced by the vibrating structure is described through a complex-valued hydrodynamic function which incorporates added mass and fluid damping elicited by moderately large rotations. We conduct a parametric study on the two dimensional computational fluid dynamics of a pitching rigid lamina, representative of a generic beam cross section, to investigate the dependence of the hydrodynamic function on the governing flow parameters. As the frequency and amplitude of the oscillation increase, vortex shedding and convection phenomena increase, thus resulting into nonlinear hydrodynamic damping. We derive a handleable nonlinear correction to the classical hydrodynamic function developed for small amplitude torsional vibrations for use in a reduced order nonlinear modal model and we validate theoretical results against experimental findings.

Experimental and Numerical Study of the Buckling of Composite Profiles with Open Cross Section under Axial Compression

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rozylo, Patryk; Teter, Andrzej; Debski, Hubert; Wysmulski, Pawel; Falkowicz, Katarzyna

2017-10-01

The object of the research are short, thin-walled columns with an open top-hat cross section made of multilayer laminate. The walls of the investigated profiles are made of plate elements. The entire columns are subjected to uniform compression. A detailed analysis allowed us to determine critical forces and post-critical equilibrium paths. It is assumed that the columns are articulately supported on the edges forming their ends. The numerical investigation is performed by the finite element method. The study involves solving the problem of eigenvalue and the non-linear problem of stability of the structure. The numerical analysis is performed by the commercial simulation software ABAQUS®. The numerical results are then validated experimentally. In the discussed cases, it is assumed that the material operates within a linearly-elastic range, and the non-linearity of the FEM model is due to large displacements.

Nutritional attitudes of homosexual people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Chongqing, Southwest China: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Zhou, Wenjie; Ma, Rui; Sharma, Manoj; Zhao, Yong

This article aimed at understanding nutritional knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of homosexual persons living with HIV/AIDS in Chongqing, China. A cross sectional design using a valid and reliable survey was used. The survey was completed in Chongqing, Southwest China (n = 172). Knowledge of nutrition was deficient regarding sources of nutrients such as calcium and iron, relationships between diet/nutrients and disease, and only 36.1% of participants knew about the Balanced Diet Pagoda for Chinese. Eating habits did not meet the nutritional requirements, and a majority (59.3%) did not eat breakfast every day. The average score on the knowledge quiz was 51.8%. This study showed that homosexual persons with HIV/AIDS in China longed for nutrition knowledge, and this was supported by objective data. Efforts and targeted education programs aiming to improve their nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors need to be emphasized.

Factor structure of the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index in patients with adhesive capsulitis.

PubMed

Tveitå, Einar Kristian; Sandvik, Leiv; Ekeberg, Ole Marius; Juel, Niels Gunnar; Bautz-Holter, Erik

2008-07-17

The Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) is a self-administered questionnaire that aims to measure pain and disability associated with shoulder disease. It consists of a pain section and a disability section with 13 items being responded to on visual analogue scales. Few researchers have investigated SPADI validity in specified diagnostic groups, although the selection of an evaluative instrument should be based on evidence of validity in the target patient group. The aim of the present study was to investigate factor structure of the SPADI in a study population of patients with adhesive capsulitis. The questionnaire was administered to 191 patients with adhesive capsulitis. Descriptive statistics for items and a comparison of scores for the two subscales were produced. Internal consistency was analyzed by use of the Cronbach alpha and a principal components analysis with varimax rotation was conducted. Study design was cross-sectional. Two factors were extracted, but the factor structure failed to support the original division of items into separate pain and disability sections. We found minimal evidence to justify the use of separate subscales for pain and disability. It is our impression that the SPADI should be viewed as essentially unidimensional in patients with adhesive capsulitis.

A Thermoelastic Damping Model for the Cone Microcantilever Resonator with Circular Cross-section

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Pu; Zhou, Hongyue

2017-07-01

Microbeams with variable cross-section have been applied in Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) resonators. Quality factor (Q-factor) is an important factor evaluating the performance of MEMS resonators, and high Q-factor stands for the excellent performance. Thermoelastic damping (TED), which has been verified as a fundamental energy lost mechanism for microresonators, determines the upper limit of Q-factor. TED can be calculated by the Zener’s model and Lifshits and Roukes (LR) model. However, for microbeam resonators with variable cross-sections, these two models become invalid in some cases. In this work, we derived the TED model for cone microcantilever with circular cross-section that is a representative non-uniform microbeam. The comparison of results obtained by the present model and Finite Element Method (FEM) model proves that the present model is valid for predicting TED value for cone microcantilever with circular cross-section. The results suggest that the first-order natural frequencies and TED values of cone microcantilever are larger than those of uniform microbeam for large aspect ratios (l/r 0). In addition, the Debye peak value of a uniform microcantilever is equal to 0.5ΔE, while that of cone microcantilever is about 0.438ΔE.

Cross-cultural validation of the Persian version of the Functional Independence Measure for patients with stroke.

PubMed

Naghdi, Soofia; Ansari, Noureddin Nakhostin; Raji, Parvin; Shamili, Aryan; Amini, Malek; Hasson, Scott

2016-01-01

To translate and cross-culturally adapt the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) into the Persian language and to test the reliability and validity of the Persian FIM (PFIM) in patients with stroke. In this cross-sectional study carried out in an outpatient stroke rehabilitation center, 40 patients with stroke (mean age 60 years) were participated. A standard forward-backward translation method and expert panel validation was followed to develop the PFIM. Two experienced occupational therapists (OTs) assessed the patients independently in all items of the PFIM in a single session for inter-rater reliability. One of the OTs reassessed the patients after 1 week for intra-rater reliability. There were no floor or ceiling effects for the PFIM. Excellent inter-rater and intra-rater reliability was noted for the PFIM total score, motor and cognitive subscales (ICC(agreement)0.88-0.98). According to the Bland-Altman agreement analysis, there was no systematic bias between raters and within raters. The internal consistency of the PFIM was with Cronbach's alpha from 0.70 to 0.96. The principal component analysis with varimax rotation indicated a three-factor structure: (1) self-care and mobility; (2) sphincter control and (3) cognitive that jointly accounted for 74.8% of the total variance. Construct validity was supported by a significant Pearson correlation between the PFIM and the Persian Barthel Index (r = 0.95; p < 0.001). The PFIM is a highly reliable and valid instrument for measuring functional status of Persian patients with stroke. The Functional Independence Measure (FIM) is an outcome measure for disability based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). The FIM was cross-culturally adapted and validated into Persian language. The Persian version of the FIM (PFIM) is reliable and valid for assessing functional status of patients with stroke. The PFIM can be used in Persian speaking countries to assess the limitations in activities of daily living of patients with stroke.

Sleep Bruxism-Tooth Grinding Prevalence, Characteristics and Familial Aggregation: A Large Cross-Sectional Survey and Polysomnographic Validation

PubMed Central

Khoury, Samar; Carra, Maria Clotilde; Huynh, Nelly; Montplaisir, Jacques; Lavigne, Gilles J.

2016-01-01

Study Objectives: Sleep bruxism (SB) is characterized by tooth grinding and jaw clenching during sleep. Familial factors may contribute to the occurrence of SB. This study aims are: (1) revisit the prevalence and characteristics of SB in a large cross-sectional survey and assess familial aggregation of SB, (2) assess comorbidity such as insomnia and pain, (3) compare survey data in a subset of subjects diagnosed using polysomnography research criteria. Methods: A sample of 6,357 individuals from the general population in Quebec, Canada, undertook an online survey to assess the prevalence of SB, comorbidities, and familial aggregation. Data on familial aggregation were compared to 111 SB subjects diagnosed using polysomnography. Results: Regularly occurring SB was reported by 8.6% of the general population, decreases with age, without any gender difference. SB awareness is concomitant with complaints of difficulties maintaining sleep in 47.6% of the cases. A third of SB positive probands reported pain. A 2.5 risk ratio of having a first-degree family member with SB was found in SB positive probands. The risk of reporting SB in first-degree family ranges from 1.4 to 2.9 with increasing severity of reported SB. Polysomnographic data shows that 37% of SB subjects had at least one first-degree relative with reported SB with a relative risk ratio of 4.625. Conclusions: Our results support the heritability of SB-tooth grinding and that sleep quality and pain are concomitant in a significant number of SB subjects. Citation: Khoury S, Carra MC, Huynh N, Montplaisir J, Lavigne GJ. Sleep bruxism-tooth grinding prevalence, characteristics and familial aggregation: a large cross-sectional survey and polysomnographic validation. SLEEP 2016;39(11):2049–2056. PMID:27568807

Translation, adaptation and validation of two versions of the Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire in Malaysian patients for speakers of both English and Malay languages: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Khairullah, Shasha; Mahadeva, Sanjiv

2017-01-01

Objective We aimed to adapt, translate and validate the Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire (CLDQ) in Malaysian patients with chronic liver diseases of various aetiologies. Setting Tertiary level teaching institution in Malaysia. Participants The validation process involved 211 adult patients (English language n=101, Malay language n=110) with chronic liver disease. Characteristics of the study subjects were as follows: mean (SD) age was 56 (12.8) years, 58.3% were male and 41.7% female. The inclusion criteria were patients 18 years or older with chronic hepatitis and/or liver cirrhosis of any aetiology. The exclusion criteria were as follows: presence of hepatic encephalopathy, ongoing treatment with interferon and presence of other chronic conditions that have an impact on health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted. Cultural adaptation of the English version of the CLDQ was performed, and a Malay version was developed following standard forward–backward translation by independent native speakers. Psychometric properties of both versions were determined by assessing their internal consistency, test–retest reliability and discriminant and convergent validity. Results Cronbach’s alpha for internal consistency across the various domains of the CLDQ was 0.95 for the English version and 0.92 for the Malay version. Test–retest analysis showed excellent reliability with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.89 for the English version and 0.93 for the Malay version. The average scores of both the English and Malay versions of the CLDQ demonstrated adequate discriminant validity by differentiating between non-cirrhosis (English 6.3, Malay 6.1), compensated cirrhosis (English 5.6, Malay 6.0) and decompensated cirrhosis (English 5.1, Malay 4.9) (p<0.001). Convergent validity showed that correlation was fair between the English (ρ=0.59) and Malay (p=0.47) CLDQ versions with the EQ-5D, a generic HRQOL instrument. Conclusion The English and Malay versions of the CLDQ are reliable and valid disease-specific instruments for assessing HRQOL in Malaysian patients with chronic liver disease. PMID:28550020

Validity and reliability of a structured interview for early detection and risk assessment of parenting and developmental problems in young children: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Preventive child health care is well suited for the early detection of parenting and developmental problems. However, as far as the younger age group is concerned, there are no validated early detection instruments which cover both the child and its environment. Therefore, we have developed a broad-scope structured interview which assesses parents’ concerns and their need for support, using both the parental perspective and the experience of the child health care nurse: the Structured Problem Analysis of Raising Kids (SPARK). This study reports the psychometric characteristics of the SPARK. Method A cross-sectional study of 2012 18-month-old children, living in Zeeland, a province of the Netherlands. Inter-rater reliability was assessed in 67 children. Convergent validity was assessed by comparing SPARK-domains with domains in self-report questionnaires on child development and parenting stress. Discriminative validity was assessed by comparing different outcomes of the SPARK between groups with different levels of socio-economic status and by performing an extreme-groups comparison. The user experience of both parents and nurses was assessed with the aid of an online survey. Results The response rate was 92.1% for the SPARK. Self-report questionnaires were returned in the case of 66.9% of the remaining 1721 children. There was selective non-reporting: 33.1% of the questionnaires were not returned, covering 65.2% of the children with a high-risk label according to the SPARK (p < 0.001). Inter-rater reliability was good to excellent with intraclass correlations between 0.85 and 1.0 for physical topics; between 0.61 and 0.8 for social-emotional topics and 0.92 for the overall risk assessment. Convergent validity was unexpectedly low (all correlations ≤0.3) although the pattern was as expected. Discriminative validity was good. Users were satisfied with the SPARK and identified some topics for improvement. Conclusion The SPARK discriminates between children with a high, increased and low risk of parenting and developmental problems. It does so in a reliable way, but more research is needed on aspects of validity and in other populations. PMID:22697218

Measurement of fragmentation cross sections of 12C ions on a thin gold target with the FIRST apparatus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toppi, M.; Abou-Haidar, Z.; Agodi, C.; Alvarez, M. A. G.; Aumann, T.; Balestra, F.; Battistoni, G.; Bocci, A.; Böhlen, T. T.; Boudard, A.; Brunetti, A.; Carpinelli, M.; Cirio, R.; Cirrone, G. A. P.; Cortes-Giraldo, M. A.; Cuttone, G.; de Napoli, M.; Durante, M.; Fernández-García, J. P.; Finck, Ch.; Golosio, B.; Iarocci, E.; Iazzi, F.; Ickert, G.; Introzzi, R.; Juliani, D.; Krimmer, J.; Kummali, A. H.; Kurz, N.; Labalme, M.; Leifels, Y.; Le Fèvre, A.; Leray, S.; Marchetto, F.; Monaco, V.; Morone, M. C.; Nicolosi, D.; Oliva, P.; Paoloni, A.; Piersanti, L.; Pleskac, R.; Randazzo, N.; Rescigno, R.; Romano, F.; Rossi, D.; Rosso, V.; Rousseau, M.; Sacchi, R.; Sala, P.; Salvador, S.; Sarti, A.; Scheidenberger, C.; Schuy, C.; Sciubba, A.; Sfienti, C.; Simon, H.; Sipala, V.; Spiriti, E.; Tropea, S.; Vanstalle, M.; Younis, H.; Patera, V.; FIRST Collaboration

2016-06-01

A detailed knowledge of the light ions interaction processes with matter is of great interest in basic and applied physics. As an example, particle therapy and space radioprotection require highly accurate fragmentation cross-section measurements to develop shielding materials and estimate acute and late health risks for manned missions in space and for treatment planning in particle therapy. The Fragmentation of Ions Relevant for Space and Therapy experiment at the Helmholtz Center for Heavy Ion research (GSI) was designed and built by an international collaboration from France, Germany, Italy, and Spain for studying the collisions of a 12C ion beam with thin targets. The collaboration's main purpose is to provide the double-differential cross-section measurement of carbon-ion fragmentation at energies that are relevant for both tumor therapy and space radiation protection applications. Fragmentation cross sections of light ions impinging on a wide range of thin targets are also essential to validate the nuclear models implemented in MC simulations that, in such an energy range, fail to reproduce the data with the required accuracy. This paper presents the single differential carbon-ion fragmentation cross sections on a thin gold target, measured as a function of the fragment angle and kinetic energy in the forward angular region (θ ≲6° ), aiming to provide useful data for the benchmarking of the simulation softwares used in light ions fragmentation applications. The 12C ions used in the measurement were accelerated at the energy of 400 MeV/nucleon by the SIS (heavy ion synchrotron) GSI facility.

Cross-cultural validity of four quality of life scales in persons with spinal cord injury

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Quality of life (QoL) in persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) has been found to differ across countries. However, comparability of measurement results between countries depends on the cross-cultural validity of the applied instruments. The study examined the metric quality and cross-cultural validity of the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), the Life Satisfaction Questionnaire (LISAT-9), the Personal Well-Being Index (PWI) and the 5-item World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment (WHOQoL-5) across six countries in a sample of persons with spinal cord injury (SCI). Methods A cross-sectional multi-centre study was conducted and the data of 243 out-patients with SCI from study centers in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Israel, South Africa, and the United States were analyzed using Rasch-based methods. Results The analyses showed high reliability for all 4 instruments (person reliability index .78-.92). Unidimensionality of measurement was supported for the WHOQoL-5 (Chi2 = 16.43, df = 10, p = .088), partially supported for the PWI (Chi2 = 15.62, df = 16, p = .480), but rejected for the LISAT-9 (Chi2 = 50.60, df = 18, p = .000) and the SWLS (Chi2 = 78.54, df = 10, p = .000) based on overall and item-wise Chi2 tests, principal components analyses and independent t-tests. The response scales showed the expected ordering for the WHOQoL-5 and the PWI, but not for the other two instruments. Using differential item functioning (DIF) analyses potential cross-country bias was found in two items of the SWLS and the WHOQoL-5, three items of the LISAT-9 and four items of the PWI. However, applying Rasch-based statistical methods, especially subtest analyses, it was possible to identify optimal strategies to enhance the metric properties and the cross-country equivalence of the instruments post-hoc. Following the post-hoc procedures the WHOQOL-5 and the PWI worked in a consistent and expected way in all countries. Conclusions QoL assessment using the summary scores of the WHOQOL-5 and the PWI appeared cross-culturally valid in persons with SCI. In contrast, summary scores of the LISAT-9 and the SWLS have to be interpreted with caution. The findings of the current study can be especially helpful to select instruments for international research projects in SCI. PMID:20815864

Brazilian validation of the Alberta Infant Motor Scale.

PubMed

Valentini, Nadia Cristina; Saccani, Raquel

2012-03-01

The Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) is a well-known motor assessment tool used to identify potential delays in infants' motor development. Although Brazilian researchers and practitioners have used the AIMS in laboratories and clinical settings, its translation to Portuguese and validation for the Brazilian population is yet to be investigated. This study aimed to translate and validate all AIMS items with respect to internal consistency and content, criterion, and construct validity. A cross-sectional and longitudinal design was used. A cross-cultural translation was used to generate a Brazilian-Portuguese version of the AIMS. In addition, a validation process was conducted involving 22 professionals and 766 Brazilian infants (aged 0-18 months). The results demonstrated language clarity and internal consistency for the motor criteria (motor development score, α=.90; prone, α=.85; supine, α=.92; sitting, α=.84; and standing, α=.86). The analysis also revealed high discriminative power to identify typical and atypical development (motor development score, P<.001; percentile, P=.04; classification criterion, χ(2)=6.03; P=.05). Temporal stability (P=.07) (rho=.85, P<.001) was observed, and predictive power (P<.001) was limited to the group of infants aged from 3 months to 9 months. Limited predictive validity was observed, which may have been due to the restricted time that the groups were followed longitudinally. In sum, the translated version of AIMS presented adequate validity and reliability.

Validity and reliability of the Tibetan version of s-EMBU for measuring parenting styles.

PubMed

Yangzong, Ciren; Lerkiatbundit, Sanguan; Luobu, Ouzhu; Cui, Chaoying; Liabsuetrakul, Tippawan; Kangzhuo, Baima; Quzong, Deji; Zhandui, Luobu; Zhen, Pu; Chongsuvivatwong, Virasakdi

2017-01-01

Parenting style experienced during childhood has profound effects on children's futures. Scales developed in other countries have never been validated in the Tibetan context. The present study aimed to examine the construct validity and reliability of a Tibetan translation of the 23-item short form of the Egna Minnen Beträffande Uppfostran [One's Memories of Upbringing] (s-EMBU) and to test the correlation between the parenting styles of fathers and mothers. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a sample of 847 students aged 12-21 years from Lhasa, Tibet, during September and October 2015 with a participation rate of 97.7%. The Tibetan translation of self-completed s-EMBU was administered. Confirmatory factor analysis was employed to test the scale's validity on the first half of the sample and was then cross-validated with the second half of the sample. The final model consisted of six factors: three (rejection, emotional warmth, and overprotection) for each parent, equality constrained on factor loadings, factor correlations, and error variance between father and mother. Father-mother correlation coefficients ranged from 0.81 to 0.86, and the level of consistency ranged from 0.62 to 0.82. Thus, the slightly modified s-EMBU is suitable for use in the Tibetan culture where both the father and the mother have consistent parenting styles.

Validity and reliability of the Tibetan version of s-EMBU for measuring parenting styles

PubMed Central

Yangzong, Ciren; Lerkiatbundit, Sanguan; Luobu, Ouzhu; Cui, Chaoying; Liabsuetrakul, Tippawan; Kangzhuo, Baima; Quzong, Deji; Zhandui, Luobu; Zhen, Pu; Chongsuvivatwong, Virasakdi

2017-01-01

Parenting style experienced during childhood has profound effects on children’s futures. Scales developed in other countries have never been validated in the Tibetan context. The present study aimed to examine the construct validity and reliability of a Tibetan translation of the 23-item short form of the Egna Minnen Beträffande Uppfostran [One’s Memories of Upbringing] (s-EMBU) and to test the correlation between the parenting styles of fathers and mothers. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a sample of 847 students aged 12–21 years from Lhasa, Tibet, during September and October 2015 with a participation rate of 97.7%. The Tibetan translation of self-completed s-EMBU was administered. Confirmatory factor analysis was employed to test the scale’s validity on the first half of the sample and was then cross-validated with the second half of the sample. The final model consisted of six factors: three (rejection, emotional warmth, and overprotection) for each parent, equality constrained on factor loadings, factor correlations, and error variance between father and mother. Father–mother correlation coefficients ranged from 0.81 to 0.86, and the level of consistency ranged from 0.62 to 0.82. Thus, the slightly modified s-EMBU is suitable for use in the Tibetan culture where both the father and the mother have consistent parenting styles. PMID:28053560

Validity of real-time ultrasound imaging to measure anterior hip muscle size: a comparison with magnetic resonance imaging.

PubMed

Mendis, M Dilani; Wilson, Stephen J; Stanton, Warren; Hides, Julie A

2010-09-01

Clinical measurement, criterion standard. To investigate the validity of real-time ultrasound imaging (USI) to measure individual anterior hip muscle cross-sectional area. The hip flexor muscles are important for hip joint function and could be affected by joint pathology or injury. Objectively documenting individual anterior hip muscle size can be useful in identifying muscle size asymmetry and monitoring treatment efficacy for patients with hip problems. USI offers a novel method of measuring individual muscle size in the clinic, but its validity in measuring the anterior hip muscles has not been investigated. Nine healthy participants (5 males, 4 females) underwent imaging of their iliopsoas, sartorius, and rectus femoris muscles with USI and magnetic resonance imaging. Bilateral muscle cross-sectional areas were measured on images from both modalities. There was no significant difference (P>.05) in mean cross-sectional area measurements from USI and magnetic resonance imaging for each muscle. Agreement between measurements was high for the iliopsoas (left: intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC3,1] = 0.86; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.51, 0.97; right: ICC3,1 = 0.88; 95% CI: 0.57, 0.97), sartorius (left: ICC3,1 = 0.82; 95% CI: 0.41, 0.96; right: ICC3,1 = 0.81; 95% CI: 0.39, 0.95), and rectus femoris (left: ICC3,1 = 0.85; 95% CI: 0.49, 0.96; right: ICC3,1 = 0.89; 95% CI: 0.61, 0.97). Reliability of measuring each muscle with USI was high between 2 trials (ICCs3,1 = 0.84 to 0.94). USI is a valid measure of iliopsoas, sartorius, and rectus femoris muscle size in healthy people, as long as a strict measurement protocol is followed.

Analysis of general power counting rules in effective field theory

DOE PAGES

Gavela, Belen; Jenkins, Elizabeth E.; Manohar, Aneesh V.; ...

2016-09-02

We derive the general counting rules for a quantum effective field theory (EFT) in d dimensions. The rules are valid for strongly and weakly coupled theories, and they predict that all kinetic energy terms are canonically normalized. They determine the energy dependence of scattering cross sections in the range of validity of the EFT expansion. We show that the size of the cross sections is controlled by the Λ power counting of EFT, not by chiral counting, even for chiral perturbation theory (χPT). The relation between Λ and f is generalized to d dimensions. We show that the naive dimensionalmore » analysis 4π counting is related to ℏ counting. The EFT counting rules are applied to χPT, low-energy weak interactions, Standard Model EFT and the non-trivial case of Higgs EFT.« less

Psychometric properties of the SCOFF questionnaire (Chinese version) for screening eating disorders in Hong Kong secondary school students: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Leung, Sau Fong; Lee, Ka Li; Lee, Sze Man; Leung, Sik Chi; Hung, Wing Sze; Lee, Wai Leng; Leung, Yuen Yee; Li, Man Wai; Tse, Tak Kin; Wong, Hoi Kei; Wong, Yuen Ni

2009-02-01

Eating disorders are affecting an increasing number of high school students in Western and Asian countries. The availability of an effective screening tool is crucial for early detection and prompt intervention. The objective of this study was to examine the validity and reliability of the SCOFF questionnaire for screening eating disorders in Hong Kong high school students. This study adopted a cross-sectional design to examine the psychometric properties of the SCOFF questionnaire. A panel of 7 experts and 936 students of a high school participated in the study. The SCOFF questionnaire was translated into Chinese and back-translated into English to ensure the linguistic equivalence. A panel of 7 experts involved in the content validation of the SCOFF questionnaire. The Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q) was used as the "reference standard" to assess its concurrent validity in 936 students of a high school. Its reliability was examined by internal consistency and the test-retest method at a 2-week interval and with 38 students. The SCOFF questionnaire achieved an agreement of 86-100% among the experts for the content relevance. Of 812 students (86.8%) who responded to this study, their SCOFF scores correlated significantly with their global scores on the EDE-Q (r=0.5, P<0.01). Students identified as potentially having eating disorders had significantly higher scores in the EDE-Q than those not identified as such by SCOFF. The SCOFF questionnaire demonstrated moderate test-retest reliability (ICC=0.66) and an acceptable internal consistency reliability (Cronbach's alpha=0.44-0.57) in comparing with previous studies. The SCOFF questionnaire has acceptable psychometric properties in the Chinese culture. It will be useful for detecting potential eating disorders and assisting health promotion activity.

Application of energy derivative method to determine the structural components' contribution to deceleration in crashes.

PubMed

Nagasaka, Kei; Mizuno, Koji; Thomson, Robert

2018-03-26

For occupant protection, it is important to understand how a car's deceleration time history in crashes can be designed using efficient of energy absorption by a car body's structure. In a previous paper, the authors proposed an energy derivative method to determine each structural component's contribution to the longitudinal deceleration of a car passenger compartment in crashes. In this study, this method was extended to 2 dimensions in order to analyze various crash test conditions. The contribution of each structure estimated from the energy derivative method was compared to that from a conventional finite element (FE) analysis method using cross-sectional forces. A 2-dimensional energy derivative method was established. A simple FE model with a structural column connected to a rigid body was used to confirm the validity of this method and to compare with the result of cross-sectional forces determined using conventional analysis. Applying this method to a full-width frontal impact simulation of a car FE model, the contribution and the cross-sectional forces of the front rails were compared. In addition, this method was applied to a pedestrian headform FE simulation in order to determine the influence of the structural and inertia forces of the hood structures on the deceleration of the headform undergoing planar motion. In an oblique impact of the simple column and rigid body model, the sum of the contributions of each part agrees with the rigid body deceleration, which indicates the validity of the 2-dimensional energy derivative method. Using the energy derivative method, it was observed that each part of the column contributes to the deceleration of the rigid body by collapsing in the sequence from front to rear, whereas the cross-sectional force at the rear of the column cannot detect the continuous collapse. In the full-width impact of a car, the contributions of the front rails estimated in the energy derivative method was smaller than that using the cross-sectional forces at the rear end of the front rails due to the deformation of the passenger compartment. For a pedestrian headform impact, the inertial and structural forces of the hood contributed to peaks of the headform deceleration in the initial and latter phases, respectively. Using the 2-dimensional energy derivative method, it is possible to analyze an oblique impact or a pedestrian headform impact with large rotations. This method has advantages compared to the conventional approach using cross-sectional forces because the contribution of each component to system deceleration can be determined.

Cross-Validation of easyCBM Reading Cut Scores in Washington: 2009-2010. Technical Report #1109

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Irvin, P. Shawn; Park, Bitnara Jasmine; Anderson, Daniel; Alonzo, Julie; Tindal, Gerald

2011-01-01

This technical report presents results from a cross-validation study designed to identify optimal cut scores when using easyCBM[R] reading tests in Washington state. The cross-validation study analyzes data from the 2009-2010 academic year for easyCBM[R] reading measures. A sample of approximately 900 students per grade, randomly split into two…

Assessing the validity and reliability of the Malagasy version of Oral Impacts on Daily Performance (OIDP): a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Razanamihaja, Noeline; Ranivoharilanto, Eva

2017-01-01

Evaluating health needs includes measures of the impact of state of health on the quality of life. This entails evaluating the psychosocial aspects of health. To achieve this, several tools for measuring the quality of life related to oral health have been developed. However, it is vital to evaluate the psychometric properties of these tools so they can be used in a new context and on a new population. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Malagasy version of a questionnaire for studying the impacts of oral-dental health on daily activities (Oral Impacts on Daily Performance), and analyse the interrelations between the scores obtained and the oral health indicators. A cross-sectional study was performed for the transcultural adaptation of the Oral Impacts on Daily Performance questionnaire forward translated and back-translated from English to Malagasy and from Malagasy to English, respectively. The psychometric characteristics of the Malagasy version of the Oral Impacts on Daily Performance were then evaluated in terms of internal reliability, test-retest, and construct, criteria and discriminant validity. Four hundred and six adults responded in face-to-face interviews to the Malagasy version of the Oral Impacts on Daily Performance questionnaire. Nearly 74% of the participants indicated impacts of their oral health on their performance in their daily lives during the 6 months prior to the survey. The activities most affected were: "smiling", "eating" and "sleeping and relaxing". Cronbach's alpha was 0.87. The construct validity was demonstrated by a significant association between the Oral Impacts on Daily Performance scores and the subjective evaluation of oral health ( p <0.001). Discriminant validity was demonstrated by the fact that the Oral Impacts on Daily Performance scores were significantly higher in subjects with more than ten missing teeth, compared to those with fewer than ten missing teeth ( p  < 0.001). The Malagasy version of the Oral Impacts on Daily Performance index is a valid and reliable measure for use in Malagasy adults over 55 years old.

Sarcopenia as a predictor of mortality in elderly blunt trauma patients: Comparing the masseter to the psoas using computed tomography.

PubMed

Wallace, James D; Calvo, Richard Y; Lewis, Paul R; Brill, Jason B; Shackford, Steven R; Sise, Michael J; Sise, C Beth; Bansal, Vishal

2017-01-01

Sarcopenia, or age-related loss of muscle mass, is measurable by computed tomography (CT). In elderly trauma patients, increased mortality is associated with decreased psoas muscle cross-sectional area (P-Area) on abdominal CT. Fall is the leading cause of injury in the elderly, and head CT is more often obtained. Masseter muscle cross-sectional area (M-Area) is readily measured on head CT. Hypothesizing that M-Area is a satisfactory surrogate for P-Area, we compared the two as markers of sarcopenia and increased mortality in elderly trauma patients. All blunt-injured patients aged 65 years or older admitted to our trauma center during 2010 were included. Two-year postdischarge mortality was identified by matching records to county, state, and national death indices. Bilateral M-Area was measured on admission head CT at 2 cm below the zygomatic arch. Bilateral P-Area was measured on abdominal CT at the fourth vertebral body. Average M-Area and P-Area values were calculated for each patient. Cox proportional hazards models evaluated the relationship of M-Area and P-Area with mortality. Model predictive performance was calculated using concordance statistics. Among 487 patients, 357 with M-Area and 226 with P-Area were identified. Females had smaller M-Area (3.43 cm vs 4.18 cm; p < 0.050) and P-Area (6.50 cm vs 10.9 cm; p < 0.050) than males. Masseter muscle cross-sectional area correlated with P-Area (rho, 0.38; p < 0.001). Adjusted Cox regression models revealed decreased survival associated with declining M-Area (hazard ratio, 0.76; 95% confidence interval, 0.60-0.96) and P-Area (hazard ratio, 0.68; 95% confidence interval, 0.46-1.00). Masseter muscle cross-sectional area and P-Area discriminated equally well in best-fit models. In elderly trauma patients, M-Area is an equally valid and more readily available marker of sarcopenia and 2-year mortality than P-Area. Future study should validate M-Area as a metric to identify at-risk patients who may benefit from early intervention. Prognostic study, level III.

Optical-model abrasion cross sections for high-energy heavy ions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Townsend, L. W.

1981-01-01

Within the context of eikonal scattering theory, a generalized optical model potential approximation to the nucleus-nucleus multiple scattering series is used in an abrasion-ablation collision model to predict abrasion cross sections for relativistic projectile heavy ions. Unlike the optical limit of Glauber theory, which cannot be used for very light nuclei, the abrasion formalism is valid for any projectile target combination at any incident kinetic energy for which eikonal scattering theory can be utilized. Results are compared with experimental results and predictions from Glauber theory.

Criticality experiments and benchmarks for cross section evaluation: the neptunium case

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leong, L. S.; Tassan-Got, L.; Audouin, L.; Paradela, C.; Wilson, J. N.; Tarrio, D.; Berthier, B.; Duran, I.; Le Naour, C.; Stéphan, C.

2013-03-01

The 237Np neutron-induced fission cross section has been recently measured in a large energy range (from eV to GeV) at the n_TOF facility at CERN. When compared to previous measurement the n_TOF fission cross section appears to be higher by 5-7% beyond the fission threshold. To check the relevance of n_TOF data, we apply a criticality experiment performed at Los Alamos with a 6 kg sphere of 237Np, surrounded by enriched uranium 235U so as to approach criticality with fast neutrons. The multiplication factor ke f f of the calculation is in better agreement with the experiment (the deviation of 750 pcm is reduced to 250 pcm) when we replace the ENDF/B-VII.0 evaluation of the 237Np fission cross section by the n_TOF data. We also explore the hypothesis of deficiencies of the inelastic cross section in 235U which has been invoked by some authors to explain the deviation of 750 pcm. With compare to inelastic large distortion calculation, it is incompatible with existing measurements. Also we show that the v of 237Np can hardly be incriminated because of the high accuracy of the existing data. Fission rate ratios or averaged fission cross sections measured in several fast neutron fields seem to give contradictory results on the validation of the 237Np cross section but at least one of the benchmark experiments, where the active deposits have been well calibrated for the number of atoms, favors the n_TOF data set. These outcomes support the hypothesis of a higher fission cross section of 237Np.

A comprehensive approach to psychometric assessment of instruments used in dementia educational interventions for health professionals: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Wang, Yao; Xiao, Lily Dongxia; He, Guo-Ping

2015-02-01

Suboptimal care for people with dementia in hospital settings has been reported and is attributed to the lack of knowledge and inadequate attitudes in dementia care among health professionals. Educational interventions have been widely used to improve care outcomes; however, Chinese-language instruments used in dementia educational interventions for health professionals are lacking. The aims of this study were to select, translate and evaluate instruments used in dementia educational interventions for Chinese health professionals in acute-care hospitals. A cross-sectional study design was used. A modified stratified random sampling was used to recruit 442 participants from different levels of hospitals in Changsha, China. Dementia care competence was used as a framework for the selection and evaluation of Alzheimer's Disease Knowledge Scale and Dementia Care Attitudes Scale for health professionals in the study. These two scales were translated into Chinese using forward and back translation method. Content validity, test-retest reliability and internal consistency were assessed. Construct validity was tested using exploratory factor analysis. Known-group validity was established by comparing scores of Alzheimer's Disease Knowledge Scale and Dementia Care Attitudes Scale in two sub-groups. A person-centred care scale was utilised as a gold standard to establish concurrent validity of these two scales. Results demonstrated acceptable content validity, internal consistency, test-retest reliability and concurrent validity. Exploratory factor analysis presented a single-factor structure of the Chinese Alzheimer's Disease Knowledge Scale and a two-factor structure of the Chinese Dementia Care Attitudes Scale, supporting the conceptual dimensions of the original scales. The Chinese Alzheimer's Disease Knowledge Scale and Chinese Dementia Care Attitudes Scale demonstrated known-group validity evidenced by significantly higher scores identified from the sub-group with a longer work experience compared to those in the sub-group with less work experience. The use of dementia care competence as a framework to inform the selection and evaluation of instruments used in dementia educational interventions for health professionals has wide applicability in other areas. The results support that Chinese Alzheimer's Disease Knowledge Scale and Chinese Dementia Care Attitudes Scale are reliable and valid instruments for health professionals to use in acute-care settings. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development and validation of a protocol for optimizing the use of paraffin blocks in molecular epidemiological studies: The example from the HPV-AHEAD study.

PubMed

Mena, Marisa; Lloveras, Belen; Tous, Sara; Bogers, Johannes; Maffini, Fausto; Gangane, Nitin; Kumar, Rekha Vijay; Somanathan, Thara; Lucas, Eric; Anantharaman, Devasena; Gheit, Tarik; Castellsagué, Xavier; Pawlita, Michael; de Sanjosé, Silvia; Alemany, Laia; Tommasino, Massimo

2017-01-01

Worldwide use of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded blocks (FFPE) is extensive in diagnosis and research. Yet, there is a lack of optimized/standardized protocols to process the blocks and verify the quality and presence of the targeted tissue. In the context of an international study on head and neck cancer (HNC)-HPV-AHEAD, a standardized protocol for optimizing the use of FFPEs in molecular epidemiology was developed and validated. First, a protocol for sectioning the FFPE was developed to prevent cross-contamination and distributed between participating centers. Before processing blocks, all sectioning centers underwent a quality control to guarantee a satisfactory training process. The first and last sections of the FFPEs were used for histopathological assessment. A consensus histopathology evaluation form was developed by an international panel of pathologists and evaluated for four indicators in a pilot analysis in order to validate it: 1) presence/type of tumor tissue, 2) identification of other tissue components that could affect the molecular diagnosis and 3) quality of the tissue. No HPV DNA was found in sections from empty FFPE generated in any histology laboratories of HPV-AHEAD consortium and all centers passed quality assurance for processing after quality control. The pilot analysis to validate the histopathology form included 355 HNC cases. The form was filled by six pathologists and each case was randomly assigned to two of them. Most samples (86%) were considered satisfactory. Presence of >50% of invasive carcinoma was observed in all sections of 66% of cases. Substantial necrosis (>50%) was present in <2% of samples. The concordance for the indicators targeted to validate the histopathology form was very high (kappa > 0.85) between first and last sections and fair to high between pathologists (kappa/pabak 0.21-0.72). The protocol allowed to correctly process without signs of contamination all FFPE of the study. The histopathology evaluation of the cases assured the presence of the targeted tissue, identified the presence of other tissues that could disturb the molecular diagnosis and allowed the assessment of tissue quality.

Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Injury-Psychological Readiness to Return to Sport scale to Persian language.

PubMed

Naghdi, Soofia; Nakhostin Ansari, Noureddin; Farhadi, Yasaman; Ebadi, Safoora; Entezary, Ebrahim; Glazer, Douglas

2016-10-01

The aim of the present study was to develop and provide validation statistics for the Persian Injury-Psychological Readiness to Return to Sport scale (I-PRRS) following a cross-sectional and prospective cohort study design. The I-PRRS was forward/back-translated and culturally adapted into Persian language. The Persian I-PRRS was administered to 100 injured athletes (93 male; age 26.0 ± 5.6 years; time since injury 4.84 ± 6.4 months) and 50 healthy athletes (36 male; mean age 25.7 ± 6.0 years). The Persian I-PRRS was re-administered to 50 injured athletes at 1 week to examine test-retest reliability. There were no floor or ceiling effects confirming the content validity of Persian I-PRRS. The internal consistency reliability was good. Excellent test-retest reliability and agreement were demonstrated. The statistically significant difference in Persian I-PRRS total scores between the injured athletes and healthy athletes provides an evidence of discriminative validity. The Persian I-PRRS total scores were positively correlated with the Farsi Mood Scale (FARMS) total scores, showing construct validity. The principal component analysis indicated a two-factor solution consisting of "Confidence to play" and "Confidence in the injured body part and skill level". The Persian I-PRRS showed excellent reliability and validity and can be used to assess injured athletes' psychological readiness to return to sport among Persian-speaking populations.

Cross-cultural adaptation, content validation, and reliability of the Nigerian Composite Lifestyle CVD Risk Factors Questionnaire for adolescents among Yoruba rural adolescents in Nigeria.

PubMed

Odunaiya, Nse A; Louw, Quinette A; Grimmer, Karen

2017-06-01

Assessment of lifestyle risk factors must be culturally- and contextually relevant and available in local languages. This paper reports on a study which aimed to cross culturally adapt a composite lifestyle cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors questionnaire into an African language (Yoruba) and testing some of its psychometric properties such as content validity and test retest reliability in comparison to the original English version. This study utilized a cross sectional design. Translation of the English version of the questionnaire into Yoruba was undertaken using the guideline by Beaton et al. The translated instrument was presented to 21 rural adolescents to assess comprehensibility and clarity using a sample of convenience. A test retest reliability was conducted among 150 rural adolescents using a purposive sampling. Data was analyzed using intraclass correlation (ICC ) model 3, Cohen kappa statistics and prevalence rates. ICC ranged between 0.4-0.8. The Yoruba version was completed 15-20 minutes and was reported to be culturally appropriate and acceptable for rural Nigerian adolescents. The Yoruba translation of the Nigerian composite lifestyle risk factors questionnaire performs at least as well as the original English version in terms of content validity and reliability. It took a shorter time to complete therefore may be more relevant to rural adolescents.

Cross-cultural validation of the paediatric Gait, Arms, Legs, Spine (pGALS) tool for the screening of musculoskeletal disorders in Mexican children.

PubMed

Moreno-Torres, Luis Antonio; Hernández-Garduño, Adolfo Gabriel; Arellano-Valdés, Carmen Araceli; Salinas-Rodríguez, Aarón; Rubio-Perez, Nadina; Peláez-Ballestas, Ingris

2016-04-01

The aim of this study was to validate the paediatric Gait, Arms, Legs, Spine (pGALS) tool for Mexican Spanish to screen Mexican paediatric population for musculoskeletal (MSK) disorders. A cross-sectional study was performed in the Paediatric Hospital of the Mexican Social Security Institute in Guadalajara, Jalisco. The validation included children and adolescents aged 6-16 years, 87 patients with musculoskeletal disorders and 88 controls without musculoskeletal disorders. The cross-cultural validation followed the current published guidelines. The average pGALS administration time was 2.9 min (SD 0.54). The internal consistency score (Cronbach's α) was 0.90 (0.89 for inflammatory and 0.77 for non-inflammatory disorders) for MSK disorders, with a sensitivity of 97 % (95 % CI 92-99 %), a specificity of 93 % (95 % CI 86-97 %), a LR+ of 14.3, and a ROC curve of 0.95 (95 % CI 0.92-0.98 %). The inflammatory disorders group had a sensitivity of 97 % (95 % CI 86-99 %), a specificity of 93 % (95 % CI 86-97 %), a LR+ of 14.2, and a ROC curve of 0.95 % (95 % CI 0.91-0.99 %). The non-inflammatory disorders group had a sensitivity of 98 % (95 % CI 89-99 %), a specificity of 93 % (95 % CI 86-97 %), and a LR+ of 14.37, with a ROC curve of 0.95 % (95 % CI 0.92-0.98 %). pGALS is a valid screening tool, fast, easy to administer, and useful for detecting musculoskeletal disorders in Mexican children and adolescents.

Validation of COG10 and ENDFB6R7 on the Auk Workstation for General Application to Highly Enriched Uranium Systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Percher, Catherine G.

2011-08-08

The COG 10 code package1 on the Auk workstation is now validated with the ENBFB6R7 neutron cross section library for general application to highly enriched uranium (HEU) systems by comparison of the calculated keffective to the expected keffective of several relevant experimental benchmarks. This validation is supplemental to the installation and verification of COG 10 on the Auk workstation2.

Screening for postdeployment conditions: development and cross-validation of an embedded validity scale in the neurobehavioral symptom inventory.

PubMed

Vanderploeg, Rodney D; Cooper, Douglas B; Belanger, Heather G; Donnell, Alison J; Kennedy, Jan E; Hopewell, Clifford A; Scott, Steven G

2014-01-01

To develop and cross-validate internal validity scales for the Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory (NSI). Four existing data sets were used: (1) outpatient clinical traumatic brain injury (TBI)/neurorehabilitation database from a military site (n = 403), (2) National Department of Veterans Affairs TBI evaluation database (n = 48 175), (3) Florida National Guard nonclinical TBI survey database (n = 3098), and (4) a cross-validation outpatient clinical TBI/neurorehabilitation database combined across 2 military medical centers (n = 206). Secondary analysis of existing cohort data to develop (study 1) and cross-validate (study 2) internal validity scales for the NSI. The NSI, Mild Brain Injury Atypical Symptoms, and Personality Assessment Inventory scores. Study 1: Three NSI validity scales were developed, composed of 5 unusual items (Negative Impression Management [NIM5]), 6 low-frequency items (LOW6), and the combination of 10 nonoverlapping items (Validity-10). Cut scores maximizing sensitivity and specificity on these measures were determined, using a Mild Brain Injury Atypical Symptoms score of 8 or more as the criterion for invalidity. Study 2: The same validity scale cut scores again resulted in the highest classification accuracy and optimal balance between sensitivity and specificity in the cross-validation sample, using a Personality Assessment Inventory Negative Impression Management scale with a T score of 75 or higher as the criterion for invalidity. The NSI is widely used in the Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs as a symptom-severity assessment following TBI, but is subject to symptom overreporting or exaggeration. This study developed embedded NSI validity scales to facilitate the detection of invalid response styles. The NSI Validity-10 scale appears to hold considerable promise for validity assessment when the NSI is used as a population-screening tool.

Validation of a Quality-of-Life Measure for Deaf or Hard of Hearing Youth

PubMed Central

Patrick, Donald L.; Edwards, Todd C.; Skalicky, Anne H.; Schick, Brenda; Topolski, Tari D.; Kushalnagar, Poorna; Leng, Mei; O'Neill-Kemp, Aprille M.; Sie, Kathleen

2014-01-01

Objective Quailty-of-life (QOL) measures targeting youth with hearing loss are useful in population needs assessment, educational placement, and program design and evaluation. This study assesses the cross-sectional validity of the Youth Quality of Life Instrument–Deaf and Hard of Hearing Module (YQOL-DHH). Study Design Instrument development and cross-sectional survey. Setting Recruitment through schools, professional organizations, clinics, and programs for youth who are deaf or hard of hearing. Subjects and Methods Thirty-five candidate items were administered to 230 adolescents aged 11 to 18 years: 49% female, 61% white, 11% mild hearing loss, 20% moderate/moderate-severe, 41% severe/profound, and 28% with cochlear implants. Participants completed individual or group-administered questionnaires by paper and pencil (58%), Web-based English (29%), American Sign Language (ASL) or Pidgin Signed English (PSE) (9%) on DVD, or interviewer-supervised ASL or PSE DVD (4%). The Children's Depression Inventory (CDI-S) was also completed. Factor structure, reliability, construct validity, and respondent burden were assessed. Results Thirty-two Items were retained in the final instrument covering 3 domains: seif-acceptance/advocacy (14 items, Cronbach α = 0.84), perceived stigma (8 items, Cronbach α = 0.85), and participation (10 items, Cronbach α = 0.86). QOL was not significantly associated with hearing level. One-week test-retest coefficients were acceptable: self-acceptance/advocacy (0.70), perceived stigma (0.78), and participation (0.92). As predicted, the total CDI-S score was associated in the appropriate direction (P < .0001) with all YQOL-DHH domains. Time to complete the paper-and-pencil version was 12 minutes. Conclusion The YQOL-DHH shows good reliability and validity for assessing hearing-specific QOL in adolescents. PMID:21493349

Is questionnaire-based sitting time inaccurate and can it be improved? A cross-sectional investigation using accelerometer-based sitting time

PubMed Central

Gupta, Nidhi; Christiansen, Caroline Stordal; Hanisch, Christiana; Bay, Hans; Burr, Hermann; Holtermann, Andreas

2017-01-01

Objectives To investigate the differences between a questionnaire-based and accelerometer-based sitting time, and develop a model for improving the accuracy of questionnaire-based sitting time for predicting accelerometer-based sitting time. Methods 183 workers in a cross-sectional study reported sitting time per day using a single question during the measurement period, and wore 2 Actigraph GT3X+ accelerometers on the thigh and trunk for 1–4 working days to determine their actual sitting time per day using the validated Acti4 software. Least squares regression models were fitted with questionnaire-based siting time and other self-reported predictors to predict accelerometer-based sitting time. Results Questionnaire-based and accelerometer-based average sitting times were ≈272 and ≈476 min/day, respectively. A low Pearson correlation (r=0.32), high mean bias (204.1 min) and wide limits of agreement (549.8 to −139.7 min) between questionnaire-based and accelerometer-based sitting time were found. The prediction model based on questionnaire-based sitting explained 10% of the variance in accelerometer-based sitting time. Inclusion of 9 self-reported predictors in the model increased the explained variance to 41%, with 10% optimism using a resampling bootstrap validation. Based on a split validation analysis, the developed prediction model on ≈75% of the workers (n=132) reduced the mean and the SD of the difference between questionnaire-based and accelerometer-based sitting time by 64% and 42%, respectively, in the remaining 25% of the workers. Conclusions This study indicates that questionnaire-based sitting time has low validity and that a prediction model can be one solution to materially improve the precision of questionnaire-based sitting time. PMID:28093433

Validation of patient health questionnaire (PHQ) for major depression in Chinese outpatients with multiple somatic symptoms: a multicenter cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Xiong, Nana; Fritzsche, Kurt; Wei, Jing; Hong, Xia; Leonhart, Rainer; Zhao, Xudong; Zhang, Lan; Zhu, Liming; Tian, Guoqing; Nolte, Sandra; Fischer, Felix

2015-03-15

Despite the high co-morbidity of depressive symptoms in patients with multiple somatic symptoms, the validity of the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) has not yet been investigated in Chinese patients with multiple somatic symptoms. The multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted in ten outpatient departments located in four cities in China. The psychometric properties of the PHQ-9 were examined by confirmative factor analysis (CFA). Criterion validation was undertaken by comparing results with depression diagnoses obtained from the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) as the gold standard. Overall, 491 patients were recruited of whom 237 had multiple somatic symptoms (SOM+ group, PHQ-15≥10). Cronbach׳s α of the PHQ-9 was 0.87, 0.87, and 0.90 for SOM+ patients, SOM- patients, and total sample respectively. All items and the total score were moderately correlated. The factor models of PHQ-9 tested by CFA yielded similar diagnostic performance when compared to sum score estimation. Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis based on unidimensional model showed similar psychometric properties over the groups with low and high somatic symptom burden. The optimal cut-off point to detect depression in Chinese outpatients was 10 for PHQ-9 (sensitivity=0.77, specificity=0.76) and 3 for PHQ-2 (sensitivity=0.77, specificity=0.74). Potential selection bias and nonresponse bias with applied sampling method. PHQ-9 (cut-off point=10) and PHQ-2 (cut-off point=3) were reliable and valid to detect major depression in Chinese patients with multiple somatic symptoms. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Validation of a quality-of-life measure for deaf or hard of hearing youth.

PubMed

Patrick, Donald L; Edwards, Todd C; Skalicky, Anne M; Schick, Brenda; Topolski, Tari D; Kushalnagar, Poorna; Leng, Mei; O'Neill-Kemp, Aprille M; Sie, Kathleen Sie

2011-07-01

Quality-of-life (QOL) measures targeting youth with hearing loss are useful in population needs assessment, educational placement, and program design and evaluation. This study assesses the cross-sectional validity of the Youth Quality of Life Instrument-Deaf and Hard of Hearing Module (YQOL-DHH). STUDY DESIGN. Instrument development and cross-sectional survey. Recruitment through schools, professional organizations, clinics, and programs for youth who are deaf or hard of hearing. SUBJECTS AND METHODS. Thirty-five candidate items were administered to 230 adolescents aged 11 to 18 years: 49% female, 61% white, 11% mild hearing loss, 20% moderate/moderate-severe, 41% severe/profound, and 28% with cochlear implants. Participants completed individual or group-administered questionnaires by paper and pencil (58%), Web-based English (29%), American Sign Language (ASL) or Pidgin Signed English (PSE) (9%) on DVD, or interviewer-supervised ASL or PSE DVD (4%). The Children's Depression Inventory (CDI-S) was also completed. Factor structure, reliability, construct validity, and respondent burden were assessed. Thirty-two items were retained in the final instrument covering 3 domains: self-acceptance/advocacy (14 items, Cronbach α = 0.84), perceived stigma (8 items, Cronbach α = 0.85), and participation (10 items, Cronbach α = 0.86). QOL was not significantly associated with hearing level. One-week test-retest coefficients were acceptable: self-acceptance/ advocacy (0.70), perceived stigma (0.78), and participation 0.92). As predicted, the total CDI-S score was associated in the appropriate direction (P < .0001) with all YQOL-DHH domains. Time to complete the paper-and-pencil version was 12 minutes. The YQOL-DHH shows good reliability and validity for assessing hearing-specific QOL in adolescents.

Creating and validating an instrument to identify the workload at an oncology and hematology outpatient service

PubMed Central

Martin, Lelia Gonçalves Rocha; Gaidzinski, Raquel Rapone

2014-01-01

Objective Construct and to validate an instrument for measuring the time spent by nursing staff in the interventions/activities in Outpatient Oncology and Hematology, interventions based on Nursing Interventions Classification (NIC), for key areas of Pediatric Oncology and Oncology Nursing. Methods Cross-sectional study divided into two steps: (1) construction of an instrument to measure the interventions/Nursing activities and (2) validation of this instrument. Results We selected 32 essential interventions from NIC for Pediatric Oncology and Oncology Nursing areas. The judges agreed with removing 13 and including 6 interventions in the instrument, beyond personal activity. Conclusion The choice of essential interventions from NIC is justified by the gain time on research. PMID:25295454

Content Validation and Semantic Evaluation of a Check-List Elaborated for the Prevention of Gluten Cross-Contamination in Food Services.

PubMed

Farage, Priscila; Puppin Zandonadi, Renata; Cortez Ginani, Verônica; Gandolfi, Lenora; Pratesi, Riccardo; de Medeiros Nóbrega, Yanna Karla

2017-01-06

Conditions associated to the consumption of gluten have emerged as a major health care concern and the treatment consists on a lifelong gluten-free diet. Providing safe food for these individuals includes adapting to safety procedures within the food chain and preventing gluten cross-contamination in gluten-free food. However, a gluten cross-contamination prevention protocol or check-list has not yet been validated. Therefore, the aim of this study was to perform the content validation and semantic evaluation of a check-list elaborated for the prevention of gluten cross-contamination in food services. The preliminary version of the check-list was elaborated based on the Brazilian resolution for food safety Collegiate Board Resolution 216 (RDC 216) and Collegiate Board Resolution 275 (RDC 275), the standard 22000 from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO 22000) and the Canadian Celiac Association Gluten-Free Certification Program documents. Seven experts with experience in the area participated in the check-list validation and semantic evaluation. The criteria used for the approval of the items, as to their importance for the prevention of gluten cross-contamination and clarity of the wording, was the achievement of a minimal of 80% of agreement between the experts (W-values ≥ 0.8). Moreover, items should have a mean ≥4 in the evaluation of importance (Likert scale from 1 to 5) and clarity (Likert scale from 0 to 5) in order to be maintained in the instrument. The final version of the check-list was composed of 84 items, divided into 12 sections. After being redesigned and re-evaluated, the items were considered important and comprehensive by the experts (both with W-values ≥ 0.89). The check-list developed was validated with respect to content and approved in the semantic evaluation.

Content Validation and Semantic Evaluation of a Check-List Elaborated for the Prevention of Gluten Cross-Contamination in Food Services

PubMed Central

Farage, Priscila; Puppin Zandonadi, Renata; Cortez Ginani, Verônica; Gandolfi, Lenora; Pratesi, Riccardo; de Medeiros Nóbrega, Yanna Karla

2017-01-01

Conditions associated to the consumption of gluten have emerged as a major health care concern and the treatment consists on a lifelong gluten-free diet. Providing safe food for these individuals includes adapting to safety procedures within the food chain and preventing gluten cross-contamination in gluten-free food. However, a gluten cross-contamination prevention protocol or check-list has not yet been validated. Therefore, the aim of this study was to perform the content validation and semantic evaluation of a check-list elaborated for the prevention of gluten cross-contamination in food services. The preliminary version of the check-list was elaborated based on the Brazilian resolution for food safety Collegiate Board Resolution 216 (RDC 216) and Collegiate Board Resolution 275 (RDC 275), the standard 22000 from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO 22000) and the Canadian Celiac Association Gluten-Free Certification Program documents. Seven experts with experience in the area participated in the check-list validation and semantic evaluation. The criteria used for the approval of the items, as to their importance for the prevention of gluten cross-contamination and clarity of the wording, was the achievement of a minimal of 80% of agreement between the experts (W-values ≥ 0.8). Moreover, items should have a mean ≥4 in the evaluation of importance (Likert scale from 1 to 5) and clarity (Likert scale from 0 to 5) in order to be maintained in the instrument. The final version of the check-list was composed of 84 items, divided into 12 sections. After being redesigned and re-evaluated, the items were considered important and comprehensive by the experts (both with W-values ≥ 0.89). The check-list developed was validated with respect to content and approved in the semantic evaluation. PMID:28067805

The Short International Physical Activity Questionnaire: cross-cultural adaptation, validation and reliability of the Hausa language version in Nigeria.

PubMed

Oyeyemi, Adewale L; Oyeyemi, Adetoyeje Y; Adegoke, Babatunde O; Oyetoke, Fatima O; Aliyu, Habeeb N; Aliyu, Salamatu U; Rufai, Adamu A

2011-11-22

Accurate assessment of physical activity is important in determining the risk for chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, cancer and obesity. The absence of culturally relevant measures in indigenous languages could pose challenges to epidemiological studies on physical activity in developing countries. The purpose of this study was to translate and cross-culturally adapt the Short International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-SF) to the Hausa language, and to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Hausa version of IPAQ-SF in Nigeria. The English IPAQ-SF was translated into the Hausa language, synthesized, back translated, and subsequently subjected to expert committee review and pre-testing. The final product (Hausa IPAQ-SF) was tested in a cross-sectional study for concurrent (correlation with the English version) and construct validity, and test-retest reliability in a sample of 102 apparently healthy adults. The Hausa IPAQ-SF has good concurrent validity with Spearman correlation coefficients (ρ) ranging from 0.78 for vigorous activity (Min Week-1) to 0.92 for total physical activity (Metabolic Equivalent of Task [MET]-Min Week-1), but poor construct validity, with cardiorespiratory fitness (ρ = 0.21, p = 0.01) and body mass index (ρ = 0.22, p = 0.04) significantly correlated with only moderate activity and sitting time (Min Week-1), respectively. Reliability was good for vigorous (ICC = 0.73, 95% C.I = 0.55-0.84) and total physical activity (ICC = 0.61, 95% C.I = 0.47-0.72), but fair for moderate activity (ICC = 0.33, 95% C.I = 0.12-0.51), and few meaningful differences were found in the gender and socioeconomic status specific analyses. The Hausa IPAQ-SF has acceptable concurrent validity and test-retest reliability for vigorous-intensity activity, walking, sitting and total physical activity, but demonstrated only fair construct validity for moderate and sitting activities. The Hausa IPAQ-SF can be used for physical activity measurements in Nigeria, but further construct validity testing with objective measures such as an accelerometer is needed.

Emotional job demands and the role of matching job resources: a cross-sectional survey study among health care workers.

PubMed

de Jonge, Jan; Le Blanc, Pascale M; Peeters, Maria C W; Noordam, Hanneke

2008-10-01

Research on emotional labour in health care work has not yet revealed under what conditions emotional job demands have an impact on employee health and well-being. There is a need for more theory to unveil the black box of emotional labour processes. To test the moderating role of matching (i.e. emotional) and non-matching (i.e. cognitive) job resources in the relation between emotional job demands and employee health/well-being (i.e. emotional exhaustion, employee creativity, and work motivation). A cross-sectional survey with anonymous questionnaires was conducted. A large organization for residential elderly care with eight locations in an urban area in the Netherlands. Questionnaires were distributed to 1259 health care workers, of which 826 people returned the questionnaire (66% response rate). In addition to descriptive statistics, multivariate multiple regression analysis (LISREL 8.54) with cross-validation was conducted. Findings showed that emotional job resources moderated the relation between emotional job demands and health/well-being outcomes. Firstly, emotional job resources were able to moderate the relation between emotional job demands and emotional exhaustion. Secondly, both emotional job resources and, to a lesser extent, cognitive job resources were able to moderate the relation between emotional job demands and positive well-being outcomes (i.e. employee creativity and work motivation). Finally, cross-validation showed that parameter estimates did not vary across subsamples. Job resources could compensate for resources lost through meeting the requirements of emotional job demands, thereby reducing stress-reactions and increasing well-being. Providing health care workers with more, preferably matching, job resources could make emotional job demands less stressful, and even stimulating and challenging. Future longitudinal studies should investigate the interplay of emotional job demands and (matching) job resources more profoundly.

Psychometric properties of HeartQoL, a core heart disease-specific health-related quality of life questionnaire, in Danish implantable cardioverter defibrillator recipients.

PubMed

Zangger, Graziella; Zwisler, Ann-Dorthe; Kikkenborg Berg, Selina; Kristensen, Marie S; Grønset, Charlotte N; Uddin, Jamal; Pedersen, Susanne S; Oldridge, Neil B; Thygesen, Lau C

2018-01-01

Background Patient-reported health-related quality of life is increasingly used as an outcome measure in clinical trials and as a performance measure to evaluate quality of care. The objective of this study was to assess the psychometric properties of the Danish HeartQoL questionnaire, a core heart disease-specific health-related quality of life questionnaire, in implantable cardioverter defibrillator recipients. Design This study involved cross-sectional and test-retest study designs. Method Implantable cardioverter defibrillator recipients in the cross-sectional study completed the HeartQoL, the Short-Form 36 Health Survey, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. The HeartQoL structure, construct-related validity (convergent and discriminative) and reliability (internal consistency) were assessed. HeartQoL reproducibility (test-retest) was assessed in an independent sample of implantable cardioverter defibrillator recipients. Results Mokken scale analysis supported the bi-dimensional structure of HeartQoL among 358 implantable cardioverter defibrillator recipients. Convergent ( r > 0.72) and discriminative validity were confirmed. The HeartQoL scales demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha > 0.90). Test-retest reliability (two weeks interval) was assessed in 89 implantable cardioverter defibrillator recipients and found to be acceptable for each scale (intra-class correlation > 0.90). Conclusion The Danish HeartQoL questionnaire demonstrated satisfactory key psychometric attributes of validity and reliability in this implantable cardioverter defibrillator population. This study adds support for the HeartQoL as a core heart-specific health-related quality of life questionnaire in a broad group of patients with heart disease including implantable cardioverter defibrillator recipients.

The Recovery Assessment Scale - Domains and Stages (RAS-DS): Sensitivity to change over time and convergent validity with level of unmet need.

PubMed

Scanlan, Justin Newton; Hancock, Nicola; Honey, Anne

2018-03-01

There is a need for robust outcome measures for use in psychiatric services. Particularly lacking are self-rated recovery measures with evidence of sensitivity to change. This study was established to examine the convergent validity and sensitivity to change over time (responsiveness) of the Recovery Assessment Scale - Domains and Stages (RAS-DS), in comparison to level of unmet need as measured by the Camberwell Assessment of Need - Short Appraisal Scale (CANSAS). Convergent validity was examined through cross-sectional correlations between 540 CANSAS and RAS-DS scores collected on the same day for the same individuals. Sensitivity to change was examined using correlations between change scores in CANSAS and RAS-DS where both were collected on the same day and the two time points were separated by 90 days or more (n = 498). Results demonstrated moderate, significant cross-sectional correlations between CANSAS scores and RAS-DS total and domain scores and between change scores of both instruments. Results suggest that the RAS-DS is sensitive enough to detect change over time. Only moderate correlation between the RAS-DS and CANSAS suggests that, in the context of recovery-oriented service provision, it is important to measure self-reported recovery in addition to level of unmet needs. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Structured Interview & Scoring Tool-Massachusetts Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (SIST-M): development, reliability, and cross-sectional validation of a brief structured clinical dementia rating interview.

PubMed

Okereke, Olivia I; Copeland, Maura; Hyman, Bradley T; Wanggaard, Taylor; Albert, Marilyn S; Blacker, Deborah

2011-03-01

The Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) and CDR Sum-of-Boxes can be used to grade mild but clinically important cognitive symptoms of Alzheimer disease. However, sensitive clinical interview formats are lengthy. To develop a brief instrument for obtaining CDR scores and to assess its reliability and cross-sectional validity. Using legacy data from expanded interviews conducted among 347 community-dwelling older adults in a longitudinal study, we identified 60 questions (from a possible 131) about cognitive functioning in daily life using clinical judgment, inter-item correlations, and principal components analysis. Items were selected in 1 cohort (n=147), and a computer algorithm for generating CDR scores was developed in this same cohort and re-run in a replication cohort (n=200) to evaluate how well the 60 items retained information from the original 131 items. Short interviews based on the 60 items were then administered to 50 consecutively recruited older individuals, with no symptoms or mild cognitive symptoms, at an Alzheimer's Disease Research Center. Clinical Dementia Rating scores based on short interviews were compared with those from independent long interviews. In the replication cohort, agreement between short and long CDR interviews ranged from κ=0.65 to 0.79, with κ=0.76 for Memory, κ=0.77 for global CDR, and intraclass correlation coefficient for CDR Sum-of-Boxes=0.89. In the cross-sectional validation, short interview scores were slightly lower than those from long interviews, but good agreement was observed for global CDR and Memory (κ≥0.70) as well as for CDR Sum-of-Boxes (intraclass correlation coefficient=0.73). The Structured Interview & Scoring Tool-Massachusetts Alzheimer's Disease Research Center is a brief, reliable, and sensitive instrument for obtaining CDR scores in persons with symptoms along the spectrum of mild cognitive change.

Cross-Validation of easyCBM Reading Cut Scores in Oregon: 2009-2010. Technical Report #1108

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Park, Bitnara Jasmine; Irvin, P. Shawn; Anderson, Daniel; Alonzo, Julie; Tindal, Gerald

2011-01-01

This technical report presents results from a cross-validation study designed to identify optimal cut scores when using easyCBM[R] reading tests in Oregon. The cross-validation study analyzes data from the 2009-2010 academic year for easyCBM[R] reading measures. A sample of approximately 2,000 students per grade, randomly split into two groups of…

Reliability and Validity of a Chinese Version of the Stroke Action Test: A New Instrument for Assessment of Stroke Knowledge and Response

PubMed Central

HA, Mei; QIAN, Xiaoling; YANG, Hong; HUANG, Jichun; LIU, Changjiang

2016-01-01

Background: The public’s cognition of stroke and responses to stroke symptoms are important to prevent complications and decrease the mortality when stroke occurs. The aim of study was to develop and validate the Chinese version of the Stroke Action Test (C-STAT) in a Chinese population. Methods: This study was rigorously implemented with the published guideline for the translation, adaptation and validation of instruments for the cross-cultural use in healthcare care research. A cross-sectional study was performed among 328 stroke patients and family members in the Department of Neurology in the Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Gansu province, China in 2014. Results: The Chinese version of the instrument showed favorable content equivalence with the source version. Values of Cronbach’s alpha and test-retest reliability of the C-STAT were 0.88 and 0.86, respectively. Principal component analysis supported four-factor solutions of the C-STAT. Criterion-related validity showed that the C-STAT was a significant predictor of the 7-item stroke symptom scores (R = 0.77; t = 21.74, P< 0.001). Conclusion: The C-STAT is an intelligible and brief psychometrical tool to assess individuals’ knowledge of the appropriate responses to stroke symptoms in Chinese populations. It could also be used by health care providers to assess educational programs on stroke prevention. PMID:28053925

Inter-rater and intra-rater reliability of the Bahasa Melayu version of Rose Angina Questionnaire.

PubMed

Hassan, N B; Choudhury, S R; Naing, L; Conroy, R M; Rahman, A R A

2007-01-01

The objective of the study is to translate the Rose Questionnaire (RQ) into a Bahasa Melayu version and adapt it cross-culturally, and to measure its inter-rater and intrarater reliability. This cross sectional study was conducted in the respondents' homes or workplaces in Kelantan, Malaysia. One hundred respondents aged 30 and above with different socio-demographic status were interviewed for face validity. For each inter-rater and intra-rater reliability, a sample of 150 respondents was interviewed. Inter-rater and intra-rater reliabilities were assessed by Cohen's kappa. The overall inter-rater agreements by the five pair of interviewers at point one and two were 0.86, and intrarater reliability by the five interviewers on the seven-item questionnaire at poinone and two was 0.88, as measured by kappa coefficient. The translated Malay version of RQ demonstrated an almost perfect inter-rater and intra-rater reliability and further validation such as sensitivity and specificity analysis of this translated questionnaire is highly recommended.

A Simple Endoscopic Technique for Measuring the Cross-Sectional Area of the Upper Airway in a Rabbit Model.

PubMed

Wistermayer, Paul R; McIlwain, Wesley R; Ieronimakis, Nicholas; Rogers, Derek J

2018-04-01

Validate an accurate and reproducible method of measuring the cross-sectional area (CSA) of the upper airway. This is a prospective animal study done at a tertiary care medical treatment facility. Control images were obtained using endotracheal tubes of varying sizes. In vivo images were obtained from various timepoints of a concurrent study on subglottic stenosis. Using a 0° rod telescope, an instrument was placed at the level of interest, and a photo was obtained. Three independent and blinded raters then measured the CSA of the narrowest portion of the airway using open source image analysis software. Each blinded rater measured the CSA of 79 photos. The t testing to assess for accuracy showed no difference between measured and known CSAs of the control images ( P = .86), with an average error of 1.5% (SD = 5.5%). All intraclass correlation (ICC) values for intrarater agreement showed excellent agreement (ICC > .75). Interrater reliability among all raters in control (ICC = .975; 95% CI, .817-.995) and in vivo (ICC = .846;, 95% CI, .780-.896) images showed excellent agreement. We validate a simple, accurate, and reproducible method of measuring the CSA of the airway that can be used in a clinical or research setting.

The 9-item Bergen Burnout Inventory: Factorial Validity Across Organizations and Measurements of Longitudinal Data

PubMed Central

Feldt, Taru; RANTANEN, Johanna; HYVÖNEN, Katriina; MÄKIKANGAS, Anne; HUHTALA, Mari; PIHLAJASAARI, Pia; KINNUNEN, Ulla

2013-01-01

The present study tested the factorial validity of the 9-item Bergen Burnout Inventory (BBI-9)1). The BBI-9 is comprised of three core dimensions: (1) exhaustion at work; (2) cynicism toward the meaning of work; and (3) sense of inadequacy at work. The study further investigated whether the three-factor structure of the BBI-9 remains the same across different organizations (group invariance) and measurement time points (time invariance). The factorial group invariance was tested using a cross-sectional design with data pertaining to managers (n=742), and employees working in a bank (n=162), an engineering office (n=236), a public sector organization divided into three service areas: administration (n=102), education and culture (n=581), and social affairs and health (n=1,505). Factorial time invariance was tested using longitudinal data pertaining to managers, with three measurements over a four-year follow-up period. The confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the three-factor structure of the BBI-9 was invariant across cross-sectional samples. The factorial invariance was also supported across measurement times. To conclude, the factorial structure of the BBI-9 was found to remain the same regardless of the sample properties and measurement times. PMID:24366535

Validity and reliability of the "German Utilization Questionnaire-Dissemination and Use of Research" to measure attitude, availability, and support toward implementation of research in nursing practice.

PubMed

Haslinger-Baumann, Elisabeth; Lang, Gert; Müller, Gerhard

2014-01-01

In nursing practice, research results have to undergo a systematic process of transformation. Currently in Austria, there is no empirical data available concerning the actual implementation of research results. An English validated questionnaire was translated into German and tested for validity and reliability. A survey of 178 registered nurses (n = 178) was conducted in a multicenter, quantitative, cross-sectional study in Austria in 2011. Cronbach's alpha values (.82-.92) were calculated for 4 variables ("use," "attitude," "availability," "support") after the reduction of 7 irrelevant items. Exploratory factor analysis was calculated with Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) ranging from .78 to .92; the total variance ranged from 46% to 56%. A validated German questionnaire concerning the implementation of research results is now available for the nursing practice.

Constitutive Behavior and Finite Element Analysis of FRP Composite and Concrete Members

PubMed Central

Ann, Ki Yong; Cho, Chang-Geun

2013-01-01

The present study concerns compressive and flexural constitutive models incorporated into an isoparametric beam finite element scheme for fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) and concrete composites, using their multi-axial constitutive behavior. The constitutive behavior of concrete was treated in triaxial stress states as an orthotropic hypoelasticity-based formulation to determine the confinement effect of concrete from a three-dimensional failure surface in triaxial stress states. The constitutive behavior of the FRP composite was formulated from the two-dimensional classical lamination theory. To predict the flexural behavior of circular cross-section with FRP sheet and concrete composite, a layered discretization of cross-sections was incorporated into nonlinear isoparametric beam finite elements. The predicted constitutive behavior was validated by a comparison to available experimental results in the compressive and flexural beam loading test. PMID:28788312

Concurrent validity and interrater reliability of a new smartphone application to assess 3D active cervical range of motion in patients with neck pain.

PubMed

Stenneberg, Martijn S; Busstra, Harm; Eskes, Michel; van Trijffel, Emiel; Cattrysse, Erik; Scholten-Peeters, Gwendolijne G M; de Bie, Rob A

2018-04-01

There is a lack of valid, reliable, and feasible instruments for measuring planar active cervical range of motion (aCROM) and associated 3D coupling motions in patients with neck pain. Smartphones have advanced sensors and appear to be suitable for these measurements. To estimate the concurrent validity and interrater reliability of a new iPhone application for assessing planar aCROM and associated 3D coupling motions in patients with neck pain, using an electromagnetic tracking device as a reference test. Cross-sectional study. Two samples of neck pain patients were recruited; 30 patients for the validity study and 26 patients for the reliability study. Validity was estimated using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs), and by calculating 95% limits of agreement (LoA). To estimate interrater reliability, ICCs were calculated. Cervical 3D coupling motions were analyzed by calculating the cross-correlation coefficients and ratio between the main motions and coupled motions for both instruments. ICCs for concurrent validity and interrater reliability ranged from 0.90 to 0.99. The width of the 95% LoA ranged from about 5° for right lateral bending to 11° for total rotation. No significant differences were found between both devices for associated coupling motion analysis. The iPhone application appears to be a useful discriminative tool for the measurement of planar aCROM and associated coupling motions in patients with neck pain. It fulfills the need for a valid, reliable, and feasible instrument in clinical practice and research. Therapists and researchers should consider measurement error when interpreting scores. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A new automated method for the determination of cross-section limits in ephemeral gullies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castillo, Carlos; Ángel Campo-Bescós, Miguel; Casalí, Javier; Giménez, Rafael

2017-04-01

The assessment of gully erosion relies on the estimation of the soil volume enclosed by cross sections limits. Both 3D and 2D methods require the application of a methodology for the determination of the cross-section limits what has been traditionally carried out in two ways: a) by visual inspection of the cross-section by a certain expert operator; b) by the automated identification of thresholds for different geometrical variables such as elevation, slope or plan curvature obtained from the cross-section profile. However, for these last methods, typically, the thresholds are not of general application because they depend on absolute values valid only for the local gully conditions where they were derived. In this communication we evaluate an automated method for cross-section delimitation of ephemeral gullies and compare its performance with the visual assessment provided by five scientists experienced in gully erosion assessment, defining gully width, depth and area for a total of 60 ephemeral gullies cross-sections obtained from field surveys conducted on agricultural plots in Navarra (Spain). The automated method only depends on the calculation of a simple geometrical measurement, which is the bank trapezoid area for every point of each gully bank. This rectangle trapezoid (right-angled trapezoid) is defined by the elevation of a given point, the minimum elevation and the extremes of the cross-section. The gully limit for each bank is determined by the point in the bank with the maximum trapezoid area. The comparison of the estimates among the different expert operators showed large variation coefficients (up to 70%) in a number of cross-sections, larger for cross sections width and area and smaller for cross sections depth. The automated method produced comparable results to those obtained by the experts and was the procedure with the highest average correlation with the rest of the methods for the three dimensional parameters. The errors of the automated method when compared with the average estimate of the experts were occasionally high (up to 40%), in line with the variability found among experts. The automated method showed no apparent systematic errors which approximately followed a normal distribution, although these errors were slightly biased towards overestimation for the depth and area parameters. In conclusion, this study shows that there is not a single definition of gully limits even among gully experts where a large variability was found. The bank trapezoid method was found to be an automated, easy-to-use (readily implementable in a basic excel spread-sheet or programming scripts), threshold-independent procedure to determine consistently gully limits similar to expert-derived estimates. Gully width and area calculations were more prone to errors than gully depth, which was the least sensitive parameter.

MC 2 -3: Multigroup Cross Section Generation Code for Fast Reactor Analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, Changho; Yang, Won Sik

This paper presents the methods and performance of the MC2 -3 code, which is a multigroup cross-section generation code for fast reactor analysis, developed to improve the resonance self-shielding and spectrum calculation methods of MC2 -2 and to simplify the current multistep schemes generating region-dependent broad-group cross sections. Using the basic neutron data from ENDF/B data files, MC2 -3 solves the consistent P1 multigroup transport equation to determine the fundamental mode spectra for use in generating multigroup neutron cross sections. A homogeneous medium or a heterogeneous slab or cylindrical unit cell problem is solved in ultrafine (2082) or hyperfine (~400more » 000) group levels. In the resolved resonance range, pointwise cross sections are reconstructed with Doppler broadening at specified temperatures. The pointwise cross sections are directly used in the hyperfine group calculation, whereas for the ultrafine group calculation, self-shielded cross sections are prepared by numerical integration of the pointwise cross sections based upon the narrow resonance approximation. For both the hyperfine and ultrafine group calculations, unresolved resonances are self-shielded using the analytic resonance integral method. The ultrafine group calculation can also be performed for a two-dimensional whole-core problem to generate region-dependent broad-group cross sections. Verification tests have been performed using the benchmark problems for various fast critical experiments including Los Alamos National Laboratory critical assemblies; Zero-Power Reactor, Zero-Power Physics Reactor, and Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz experiments; Monju start-up core; and Advanced Burner Test Reactor. Verification and validation results with ENDF/B-VII.0 data indicated that eigenvalues from MC2 -3/DIF3D agreed well with Monte Carlo N-Particle5 MCNP5 or VIM Monte Carlo solutions within 200 pcm and regionwise one-group fluxes were in good agreement with Monte Carlo solutions.« less

Is email a reliable means of contacting authors of previously published papers? A study of the Emergency Medicine Journal for 2001.

PubMed

O'Leary, F

2003-07-01

To determine whether it is possible to contact authors of previously published papers via email. A cross sectional study of the Emergency Medicine Journal for 2001. 118 articles were included in the study. The response rate from those with valid email addresses was 73%. There was no statistical difference between the type of email address used and the address being invalid (p=0.392) or between the type of article and the likelihood of a reply (p=0.197). More responses were obtained from work addresses when compared with Hotmail addresses (86% v 57%, p=0.02). Email is a valid means of contacting authors of previously published articles, particularly within the emergency medicine specialty. A work based email address may be a more valid means of contact than a Hotmail address.

The 10-Item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale: Factorial Structure, Reliability, Validity, and Correlates Among Student Nurses in Southwestern Nigeria.

PubMed

Aloba, Olutayo; Olabisi, Oluseyi; Aloba, Tolulope

2016-01-01

The 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) has demonstrated satisfactory psychometric properties as a measure of resilience in all the previous studies conducted in developed countries. The objective of this study was to explore the psychometric characteristics of the 10-item CD-RISC among students nurses in southwestern Nigeria. This descriptive cross-sectional study involved a total of 449 student nurses who completed the 10-item CD-RISC in addition to measures of self-esteem, depression, religiosity, and psychological distress. The scale demonstrated adequate reliability (Cronbach's α = .81) and satisfactory validity with significant correlations with the measures of self-esteem, depression, religiosity, and psychological distress. Factor analyses revealed that resilience was best explained by a two-factor construct. The scale is a valid measure of resilience among Nigerian student nurses. © The Author(s) 2016.

Adaptation and validation of the Evidence-Based Practice Belief and Implementation scales for French-speaking Swiss nurses and allied healthcare providers.

PubMed

Verloo, Henk; Desmedt, Mario; Morin, Diane

2017-09-01

To evaluate two psychometric properties of the French versions of the Evidence-Based Practice Beliefs and Evidence-Based Practice Implementation scales, namely their internal consistency and construct validity. The Evidence-Based Practice Beliefs and Evidence-Based Practice Implementation scales developed by Melnyk et al. are recognised as valid, reliable instruments in English. However, no psychometric validation for their French versions existed. Secondary analysis of a cross sectional survey. Source data came from a cross-sectional descriptive study sample of 382 nurses and other allied healthcare providers. Cronbach's alpha was used to evaluate internal consistency, and principal axis factor analysis and varimax rotation were computed to determine construct validity. The French Evidence-Based Practice Beliefs and Evidence-Based Practice Implementation scales showed excellent reliability, with Cronbach's alphas close to the scores established by Melnyk et al.'s original versions. Principal axis factor analysis showed medium-to-high factor loading scores without obtaining collinearity. Principal axis factor analysis with varimax rotation of the 16-item Evidence-Based Practice Beliefs scale resulted in a four-factor loading structure. Principal axis factor analysis with varimax rotation of the 17-item Evidence-Based Practice Implementation scale revealed a two-factor loading structure. Further research should attempt to understand why the French Evidence-Based Practice Implementation scale showed a two-factor loading structure but Melnyk et al.'s original has only one. The French versions of the Evidence-Based Practice Beliefs and Evidence-Based Practice Implementation scales can both be considered valid and reliable instruments for measuring Evidence-Based Practice beliefs and implementation. The results suggest that the French Evidence-Based Practice Beliefs and Evidence-Based Practice Implementation scales are valid and reliable and can therefore be used to evaluate the effectiveness of organisational strategies aimed at increasing professionals' confidence in Evidence-Based Practice, supporting its use and implementation. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Cross-Cultural Validation of the Patient Perception of Integrated Care Survey.

PubMed

Tietschert, Maike V; Angeli, Federica; van Raak, Arno J A; Ruwaard, Dirk; Singer, Sara J

2017-07-20

To test the cross-cultural validity of the U.S. Patient Perception of Integrated Care (PPIC) Survey in a Dutch sample using a standardized procedure. Primary data collected from patients of five primary care centers in the south of the Netherlands, through survey research from 2014 to 2015. Cross-sectional data collected from patients who saw multiple health care providers during 6 months preceding data collection. The PPIC survey includes 59 questions that measure patient perceived care integration across providers, settings, and time. Data analysis followed a standardized procedure guiding data preparation, psychometric analysis, and included invariance testing with the U.S. dataset. Latent scale structures of the Dutch and U.S. survey were highly comparable. Factor "Integration with specialist" had lower reliability scores and noninvariance. For the remaining factors, internal consistency and invariance estimates were strong. The standardized cross-cultural validation procedure produced strong support for comparable psychometric characteristics of the Dutch and U.S. surveys. Future research should examine the usability of the proposed procedure for contexts with greater cultural differences. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

An ab initio chemical reaction model for the direct simulation Monte Carlo study of non-equilibrium nitrogen flows.

PubMed

Mankodi, T K; Bhandarkar, U V; Puranik, B P

2017-08-28

A new ab initio based chemical model for a Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) study suitable for simulating rarefied flows with a high degree of non-equilibrium is presented. To this end, Collision Induced Dissociation (CID) cross sections for N 2 +N 2 →N 2 +2N are calculated and published using a global complete active space self-consistent field-complete active space second order perturbation theory N 4 potential energy surface and quasi-classical trajectory algorithm for high energy collisions (up to 30 eV). CID cross sections are calculated for only a selected set of ro-vibrational combinations of the two nitrogen molecules, and a fitting scheme based on spectroscopic weights is presented to interpolate the CID cross section for all possible ro-vibrational combinations. The new chemical model is validated by calculating equilibrium reaction rate coefficients that can be compared well with existing shock tube and computational results. High-enthalpy hypersonic nitrogen flows around a cylinder in the transition flow regime are simulated using DSMC to compare the predictions of the current ab initio based chemical model with the prevailing phenomenological model (the total collision energy model). The differences in the predictions are discussed.

Psycho-Socioeconomic Factors Affecting Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use among Selected Rural Communities in Malaysia: A Cross-Sectional Study

PubMed Central

Ganasegeran, Kurubaran; Rajendran, Anantha Kumar; Al-Dubai, Sami Abdo Radman

2014-01-01

Introduction The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) as a source of cure has gained much spectrum worldwide, despite skeptics and advocates of evidence-based practice conceptualized such therapies as human nostrum. Objective This study aimed to explore the factors affecting CAM use among rural communities in Malaysia. Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out on 288 occupants across four rural villages within the District of Selama, Perak, Malaysia. A survey that consisted of socio-economic characteristics, history of CAM use and the validated Holistic Complementary and Alternative Medicine Questionnaire (HCAMQ) were used. Results The prevalence of self-reported CAM use over the past one year was 53.1%. Multiple logistic regression analyses yielded three significant predictors of CAM use: monthly household income of less than MYR 2500, higher education level, and positive attitude towards CAM. Conclusion Psycho-socioeconomic factors were significantly associated with CAM use among rural communities in Malaysia. PMID:25375256

Evaluation of the Clinical Learning Experience of Nursing Students: a Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study.

PubMed

Gurková, Elena; Žiaková, Katarína

2018-05-18

The purpose of the cross-sectional descriptive study was to explore and compare the students' experiences of the clinical environment and supervision in Slovakia. Students' clinical learning experience were measured by the valid and reliable clinical learning instrument. A higher frequency of successful supervisory experience was found in the universities which provided accredited mentor preparation programmes or courses and individualised supervisory approaches. Frequency of supervision meetings, the occupational title of a supervisor and mainly the supervision model have an association with students 'perceptions of different domains of clinical learning environment. The duration of the placement was not related to students' experience and perceptions of the learning environment. Slovak students reported higher score regarding the quality of nursing care or ward culture than in the supervisory relationships between students, clinical and school staff. Further studies in this field, extended to different Eastern European countries and clinical settings, may help us to understand factors affecting workplace training.

From cutting-edge pointwise cross-section to groupwise reaction rate: A primer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sublet, Jean-Christophe; Fleming, Michael; Gilbert, Mark R.

2017-09-01

The nuclear research and development community has a history of using both integral and differential experiments to support accurate lattice-reactor, nuclear reactor criticality and shielding simulations, as well as verification and validation efforts of cross sections and emitted particle spectra. An important aspect to this type of analysis is the proper consideration of the contribution of the neutron spectrum in its entirety, with correct propagation of uncertainties and standard deviations derived from Monte Carlo simulations, to the local and total uncertainty in the simulated reactions rates (RRs), which usually only apply to one application at a time. This paper identifies deficiencies in the traditional treatment, and discusses correct handling of the RR uncertainty quantification and propagation, including details of the cross section components in the RR uncertainty estimates, which are verified for relevant applications. The methodology that rigorously captures the spectral shift and cross section contributions to the uncertainty in the RR are discussed with quantified examples that demonstrate the importance of the proper treatment of the spectrum profile and cross section contributions to the uncertainty in the RR and subsequent response functions. The recently developed inventory code FISPACT-II, when connected to the processed nuclear data libraries TENDL-2015, ENDF/B-VII.1, JENDL-4.0u or JEFF-3.2, forms an enhanced multi-physics platform providing a wide variety of advanced simulation methods for modelling activation, transmutation, burnup protocols and simulating radiation damage sources terms. The system has extended cutting-edge nuclear data forms, uncertainty quantification and propagation methods, which have been the subject of recent integral and differential, fission, fusion and accelerators validation efforts. The simulation system is used to accurately and predictively probe, understand and underpin a modern and sustainable understanding of the nuclear physics that is so important for many areas of science and technology; advanced fission and fuel systems, magnetic and inertial confinement fusion, high energy, accelerator physics, medical application, isotope production, earth exploration, astrophysics and homeland security.

A Comparison of Monte Carlo and Deterministic Solvers for keff and Sensitivity Calculations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Haeck, Wim; Parsons, Donald Kent; White, Morgan Curtis

Verification and validation of our solutions for calculating the neutron reactivity for nuclear materials is a key issue to address for many applications, including criticality safety, research reactors, power reactors, and nuclear security. Neutronics codes solve variations of the Boltzmann transport equation. The two main variants are Monte Carlo versus deterministic solutions, e.g. the MCNP [1] versus PARTISN [2] codes, respectively. There have been many studies over the decades that examined the accuracy of such solvers and the general conclusion is that when the problems are well-posed, either solver can produce accurate results. However, the devil is always in themore » details. The current study examines the issue of self-shielding and the stress it puts on deterministic solvers. Most Monte Carlo neutronics codes use continuous-energy descriptions of the neutron interaction data that are not subject to this effect. The issue of self-shielding occurs because of the discretisation of data used by the deterministic solutions. Multigroup data used in these solvers are the average cross section and scattering parameters over an energy range. Resonances in cross sections can occur that change the likelihood of interaction by one to three orders of magnitude over a small energy range. Self-shielding is the numerical effect that the average cross section in groups with strong resonances can be strongly affected as neutrons within that material are preferentially absorbed or scattered out of the resonance energies. This affects both the average cross section and the scattering matrix.« less

Validation of the Spanish version of the Index of Spouse Abuse.

PubMed

Plazaola-Castaño, Juncal; Ruiz-Pérez, Isabel; Escribà-Agüir, Vicenta; Jiménez-Martín, Juan Manuel; Hernández-Torres, Elisa

2009-04-01

Partner violence against women is a major public health problem. Although there are currently a number of validated screening and diagnostic tools that can be used to evaluate this type of violence, such tools are not available in Spain. The aim of this study is to analyze the validity and reliability of the Spanish version of the Index of Spouse Abuse (ISA). A cross-sectional study was carried out in 2005 in two health centers in Granada, Spain, in 390 women between 18 and 70 years old. Analyses of the factorial structure, internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and construct validity were conducted. Cutoff points for each subscale were also defined. For the construct validity analysis, the SF-36 perceived general health dimension, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and the Goldberg 12-item General Health Questionnaire were included. The psychometric analysis shows that the instrument has good internal consistency, reproducibility, and construct validity. The scale is useful for the analysis of partner violence against women in both a research setting and a healthcare setting.

Validation of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Sleep Questions

PubMed Central

Jungquist, Carla R.; Mund, Jaime; Aquilina, Alan T.; Klingman, Karen; Pender, John; Ochs-Balcom, Heather; van Wijngaarden, Edwin; Dickerson, Suzanne S.

2016-01-01

Study Objective: Sleep problems may constitute a risk for health problems, including cardiovascular disease, depression, diabetes, poor work performance, and motor vehicle accidents. The primary purpose of this study was to assess the validity of the current Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) sleep questions by establishing the sensitivity and specificity for detection of sleep/ wake disturbance. Methods: Repeated cross-sectional assessment of 300 community dwelling adults over the age of 18 who did not wear CPAP or oxygen during sleep. Reliability and validity testing of the BRFSS sleep questions was performed comparing to BFRSS responses to data from home sleep study, actigraphy for 14 days, Insomnia Severity Index, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and PROMIS-57. Results: Only two of the five BRFSS sleep questions were found valid and reliable in determining total sleep time and excessive daytime sleepiness. Conclusions: Refinement of the BRFSS questions is recommended. Citation: Jungquist CR, Mund J, Aquilina AT, Klingman K, Pender J, Ochs-Balcom H, van Wijngaarden E, Dickerson SS. Validation of the behavioral risk factor surveillance system sleep questions. J Clin Sleep Med 2016;12(3):301–310. PMID:26446246

Stressors in anaesthesiology: development and validation of a new questionnaire: A cross-sectional study of Portuguese anaesthesiologists.

PubMed

Lapa, Teresa A; Carvalho, Sérgio A; Viana, Joaquim S; Ferreira, Pedro L; Pinto-Gouveia, José

2016-11-01

Stress in anaesthesiologists is a common and multifactorial problem related to patients, colleagues and organisations. The consequences of stress include depression, work-home conflicts and burnout. Reduction in stress can be achieved by reducing the number and magnitude of stressors or by increasing resilience strategies. We have created the self-reporting 'Stress Questionnaire in Anaesthesiologists' (SQA), to qualify the sources of stress in anaesthesiologists' professional lives, and measure the level of associated stress. Our study aimed to develop and validate the SQA using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Construct validity was assessed through correlations between SQA and negative psychological outcomes as well as by comparing perception of stress among different known groups. A questionnaire-based cross-sectional, correlational, observational study. The study was conducted between January 2014 and December 2014, throughout different anaesthesia departments in Portuguese hospitals. Data collection was from a representative subset at one specific time point. A sample of 710 anaesthesia specialists and residents from Portugal. The primary outcome measure was to identify specific stressors in anaesthesiologists. Secondary outcome was the association between stressors and burnout, depression symptoms, anxiety, stress, rumination, satisfaction with life and functional impairment. The exploratory analysis showed the SQA is a tri-dimensional instrument and confirmatory analysis showed the tri-dimensional structure presented good model fit. The three dimensions of SQA correlated positively with other stress measures and burnout, but negatively with satisfaction with life. SQA is a well adjusted measure for assessing stressors in anaesthesia physicians and includes clinical, organisational and team stress factors. Results showed that the SQA is a robust and reliable instrument.

Validating the WRF-Chem model for wind energy applications using High Resolution Doppler Lidar data from a Utah 2012 field campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitchell, M. J.; Pichugina, Y. L.; Banta, R. M.

2015-12-01

Models are important tools for assessing potential of wind energy sites, but the accuracy of these projections has not been properly validated. In this study, High Resolution Doppler Lidar (HRDL) data obtained with high temporal and spatial resolution at heights of modern turbine rotors were compared to output from the WRF-chem model in order to help improve the performance of the model in producing accurate wind forecasts for the industry. HRDL data were collected from January 23-March 1, 2012 during the Uintah Basin Winter Ozone Study (UBWOS) field campaign. A model validation method was based on the qualitative comparison of the wind field images, time-series analysis and statistical analysis of the observed and modeled wind speed and direction, both for case studies and for the whole experiment. To compare the WRF-chem model output to the HRDL observations, the model heights and forecast times were interpolated to match the observed times and heights. Then, time-height cross-sections of the HRDL and WRF-Chem wind speed and directions were plotted to select case studies. Cross-sections of the differences between the observed and forecasted wind speed and directions were also plotted to visually analyze the model performance in different wind flow conditions. A statistical analysis includes the calculation of vertical profiles and time series of bias, correlation coefficient, root mean squared error, and coefficient of determination between two datasets. The results from this analysis reveals where and when the model typically struggles in forecasting winds at heights of modern turbine rotors so that in the future the model can be improved for the industry.

Use of boron nitride for neutron spectrum characterization and cross-section validation in the epithermal range through integral activation measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Radulović, Vladimir; Trkov, Andrej; Jaćimović, Radojko; Gregoire, Gilles; Destouches, Christophe

2016-12-01

A recent experimental irradiation and measurement campaign using containers made from boron nitride (BN) at the Jožef Stefan Institute (JSI) TRIGA Mark II reactor in Ljubljana, Slovenia, has shown the applicability of BN for neutron spectrum characterization and cross-section validation in the epithermal range through integral activation measurements. The first part of the paper focuses on the determination of the transmission function of a BN container through Monte Carlo calculations and experimental measurements. The second part presents the process of tayloring the sensitivity of integral activation measurements to specific needs and a selection of suitable radiative capture reactions for neutron spectrum characterization in the epithermal range. A BN container used in our experiments and its qualitative effect on the neutron spectrum in the irradiation position employed is displayed in the Graphical abstract.

Reliable Digit Span: A Systematic Review and Cross-Validation Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schroeder, Ryan W.; Twumasi-Ankrah, Philip; Baade, Lyle E.; Marshall, Paul S.

2012-01-01

Reliable Digit Span (RDS) is a heavily researched symptom validity test with a recent literature review yielding more than 20 studies ranging in dates from 1994 to 2011. Unfortunately, limitations within some of the research minimize clinical generalizability. This systematic review and cross-validation study was conducted to address these…

Proposed re-evaluation of the 154Eu thermal ( n, γ) capture cross-section based on spent fuel benchmarking studies

DOE PAGES

Skutnik, Steven E.

2016-09-22

154Eu is a nuclide of considerable importance to both non-destructive measurements of used nuclear fuel assembly burnup as well as for calculating the radiation source term for used fuel storage and transportation. But, recent evidence from code validation studies of spent fuel benchmarks have revealed evidence of a systemic bias in predicted 154Eu inventories when using ENDF/B-VII.0 and ENDF/B-VII.1 nuclear data libraries, wherein Eu-154 is consistently over-predicted on the order of 10% or more. Further, this bias is found to correlate with sample burnup, resulting in a larger departure from experimental measurements for higher sample burnups. Here, the bias in Eu-154 is characterized across eleven spent fuel destructive assay benchmarks from five different assemblies. Based on these studies, possible amendments to the ENDF/B-VII.0 and VII.1 evaluations of the 154Eu (n,γ) 155Eu are explored. By amending the location of the first resolved resonance for the 154Eu radiative capture cross-section (centered at 0.195 eV in ENDF/B-VII.0 and VII.1) to 0.188 eV and adjusting the neutron capture width proportional tomore » $$\\sqrt1/E$$, the amended cross-section evaluation was found to reduce the bias in predicted 154Eu inventories by approximately 5–7%. And while the amended capture cross-section still results in a residual over-prediction of 154Eu (ranging from 2% to 9%), the effect is substantially attenuated compared with the nominal ENDF/B-VII.0 and VII.1 evaluations.« less

Proposed re-evaluation of the 154Eu thermal ( n, γ) capture cross-section based on spent fuel benchmarking studies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Skutnik, Steven E.

154Eu is a nuclide of considerable importance to both non-destructive measurements of used nuclear fuel assembly burnup as well as for calculating the radiation source term for used fuel storage and transportation. But, recent evidence from code validation studies of spent fuel benchmarks have revealed evidence of a systemic bias in predicted 154Eu inventories when using ENDF/B-VII.0 and ENDF/B-VII.1 nuclear data libraries, wherein Eu-154 is consistently over-predicted on the order of 10% or more. Further, this bias is found to correlate with sample burnup, resulting in a larger departure from experimental measurements for higher sample burnups. Here, the bias in Eu-154 is characterized across eleven spent fuel destructive assay benchmarks from five different assemblies. Based on these studies, possible amendments to the ENDF/B-VII.0 and VII.1 evaluations of the 154Eu (n,γ) 155Eu are explored. By amending the location of the first resolved resonance for the 154Eu radiative capture cross-section (centered at 0.195 eV in ENDF/B-VII.0 and VII.1) to 0.188 eV and adjusting the neutron capture width proportional tomore » $$\\sqrt1/E$$, the amended cross-section evaluation was found to reduce the bias in predicted 154Eu inventories by approximately 5–7%. And while the amended capture cross-section still results in a residual over-prediction of 154Eu (ranging from 2% to 9%), the effect is substantially attenuated compared with the nominal ENDF/B-VII.0 and VII.1 evaluations.« less

Validation of King's transaction process for healthcare provider-patient communication in pharmaceutical context: One cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Wang, Dan; Liu, Chenxi; Zhang, Zinan; Ye, Liping; Zhang, Xinping

2018-03-27

With the impressive advantages of patient-pharmacist communication being advocated and poor pharmacist-patient communication in different settings, it is of great significance and urgency to explore the mechanism of the pharmacist-patient communicative relationship. The King's theory of goal attainment is proposed as one of the most promising models to be applied, because it takes into consideration both improving the patient-pharmacist relationship and attaining patients' health outcomes. This study aimed to validate the King's transaction process and build the linkage between the transaction process and patient satisfaction in a pharmaceutical context. A cross-sectional study was conducted in four tertiary hospitals in two provincial cities (Wuhan and Shanghai) in central and east China in July 2017. Patients over 18 were investigated in the pharmacies of the hospitals. The instrument for the transaction process was revised and tested. Path analysis was conducted for the King's transaction process and its relationship with patient satisfaction. Five hundred eighty-nine participants were investigated for main study. Prior to the addition of covariates, the hypothesised model of the King's transaction process was validated, in which all paths of the transaction process were statistically significant (p < 0.001). The transaction process had direct effects on patient satisfaction (p < 0.001). After controlling the effects of covariates, the Multiple Indicators, Multiple Causes (MIMIC) model showed good fit to data (Tucker-Lewis index [TLI] = 0.99, comparative fit index [CFI] = 0.99, root mean square error of approximation [RMSEA] = 0.05, weighted root mean square residual [WRMR] = 1.00). The MIMIC model showed that chronic disease and site were predictors for both identifying problems and patient satisfaction (p < 0.05). Based on the well-fitting path analytic model, the transaction process was established as one valid theoretical framework of healthcare provider-patient communication in a pharmaceutical context. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cross-Cultural Validation of the Korean Version of the Chalder Fatigue Scale.

PubMed

Ha, Hyeju; Jeong, Donghee; Hahm, Bong-Jin; Shim, Eun-Jung

2018-06-01

University students are vulnerable to fatigue. If not adequately dealt with, fatigue might develop into various health problems and negatively affect quality of life (QOL). The present study examined psychometric properties of the Korean version of the Chalder Fatigue Scale (K-CFQ) in university students. Data were obtained from two samples of undergraduate students in Korea. The first dataset (N = 557) was collected in a cross-sectional survey in 2015 and the second dataset (N = 338) from a longitudinal survey with three time points over a semester period in 2016. Participants completed measures of fatigue, QOL, depression, anxiety, and sleep quality. Three-factor model (physical fatigue, low energy, and mental fatigue) rather than the original two-factor model (physical and mental fatigue) provided a better goodness of fit indices to the data. Internal consistency of the K-CFQ was satisfactory, with Cronbach's α value of 0.88 for the total scale and those of subscales ranging from 0.73 to 0.87. Its convergent validity was supported by its significant association with anxiety, depression, sleep quality, and QOL. Significant association between T1 K-CFQ with physical QOL at T2 and T3 supported its predictive validity. Its known-group validity was proven with higher K-CFQ scores observed in the participants with depression and those with poor sleep quality. Current results suggest that K-CFQ is a valid and reliable measure of fatigue, and a better model fit of the three-factor structure of the K-CFQ implies potential cross-cultural differences in the dimensionality of fatigue.

Validation of Long Bone Mechanical Properties from Densitometry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whalen, R.; Katz, B.; Cleek, T.; Hargens, Alan R. (Technical Monitor)

1995-01-01

The objective of this study was to assess whether cross-sectional areal properties, calculated from densitometry, correlate to the true flexural properties. Right and left male embalmed tibiae were used in the study. Prior to scanning, the proximal end of each tibia was potted in a fixture with registration pins, flushed thoroughly with water under pressure to remove trapped air, and then placed in a constant thickness water bath attached to a precision indexer. Two sets of three scans of the entire tibia were taken with an Hologic QDR 1000/W densitometer at rotations of 0, 45, and 90 degrees about the tibia long axis. An aluminum step phantom and a bone step phantom, machined from bovine cortical bone, were also in the bath and scanned separately. Pixel attenuation data from the two sets of scans were averaged to reduce noise. Pixel data from the high energy beam were then converted to equivalent thicknesses using calibration equations. Cross-sectional areal properties (centroid, principal area moments and principal angle) along the length were computed from the three registered scans using methods developed in our laboratory. Flexural rigidities. Four strain gages were bonded around the circumference of each of 5 cross-sections encompassing the entire diaphysis. A known transverse load was then applied to the distal end and the bone was rotated 360 degrees in eight increments of 45 degrees each. Strains from the eight orientations were analyzed along with the known applied bending moments at each section to compute section centroids, curvatures, principal flexural rigidities and principal angle. Reference axes between the two methods were maintained within +/- 0.5 degrees using an electronic inclinometer. Principal angles (flexural - areal) differed by -2.0 +/- 4.0 degrees, and 1.0 +/- 2.5 degrees for the right and left tibia, respectively. Section principal flexural rigidities were highly correlated to principal areal moments (right: r(sup 2)= 0.997; left: r(sup 2)= 0.978) indicating a nearly constant effective flexural modulus. Right and left tibia exhibited a very high degree of symmetry when comparing either flexural or areal properties. To our knowledge this is the first study to validate the use of densitometry (DXA) to predict three dimensional structural properties of long bones. Our initial results support the conclusion that bone mineral and its distribution are the primary determinants of flexural modulus and rigidity.

Reexamining the Validity and Dimensionality of the Moorong Self-Efficacy Scale: Improving Its Clinical Utility.

PubMed

Middleton, James W; Tran, Yvonne; Lo, Charles; Craig, Ashley

2016-12-01

To improve the clinical utility of the Moorong Self-Efficacy Scale (MSES) by reexamining its factor structure and comparing its performance against a measure of general self-efficacy in persons with spinal cord injury (SCI). Cross-sectional survey design. Community. Adults with SCI (N=161; 118 men and 43 women) recruited from Australia (n=82) and the United States (n=79), including 86 with paraplegia and 75 with tetraplegia. None. Confirmatory factor analysis deriving fit indices on reported 1-, 2-, and 3-factor structures for the MSES. Exploratory factor analysis of MSES using principal component analysis with promax oblique rotation and structure validation, with correlations and multiple regression using cross-sectional data from the Sherer General Self-Efficacy Scale and Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36). The MSES was confirmed to have a 3-factor structure, explaining 61% of variance. Two of the factors, labeled social function self-efficacy and personal function self-efficacy, were SCI condition-specific, whereas the other factor (accounting for 9.7% of variance) represented general self-efficacy, correlating most strongly with the Sherer General Self-Efficacy Scale. Correlations and multiple regression analyses between MSES factors, Sherer General Self-Efficacy Scale total score, SF-36 Physical and Mental Component Summary scores, and SF-36 domain scores support validity of this MSES factor structure. No significant cross-cultural differences existed between Australia and the United States in total MSES or factor scores. The findings support a 3-factor structure encompassing general and SCI domain-specific self-efficacy beliefs and better position the MSES to assist SCI rehabilitation assessment, planning, and research. Copyright © 2016 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mesure de la section efficace de production de paires de quarks top dans le canal μ + jets + τ + b-jet(s) + Energie transverse manquante auprès de l'expérience DØ du Tevatron

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jammes, Jerome

2011-09-09

The purpose of high energy physics is to improve our knowledge about the fundamental structure of matter, in particular about particles that constitute the world. One of these is the top quark, that was discovered in 1995 by the CDF and D0 collaborations at the Tevatron protons-antiprotons collider. One of the primary aim of the Tevatron has been then the fine study of the top quark properties, in particular the top-antitop production cross section. Different analysis have been performed in the leptons (μ,e,τ) + jets, dileptons, and all hadronic channels to determine accurately the values of these parameters, and thusmore » to test the validity of the Standard Model. The main goal of this thesis is to verify one of the theoretical predictions of the Standard Model of particle physics, the top-antitop production cross section, at the Tevatron collider.« less

Empirical Performance of Cross-Validation With Oracle Methods in a Genomics Context.

PubMed

Martinez, Josue G; Carroll, Raymond J; Müller, Samuel; Sampson, Joshua N; Chatterjee, Nilanjan

2011-11-01

When employing model selection methods with oracle properties such as the smoothly clipped absolute deviation (SCAD) and the Adaptive Lasso, it is typical to estimate the smoothing parameter by m-fold cross-validation, for example, m = 10. In problems where the true regression function is sparse and the signals large, such cross-validation typically works well. However, in regression modeling of genomic studies involving Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNP), the true regression functions, while thought to be sparse, do not have large signals. We demonstrate empirically that in such problems, the number of selected variables using SCAD and the Adaptive Lasso, with 10-fold cross-validation, is a random variable that has considerable and surprising variation. Similar remarks apply to non-oracle methods such as the Lasso. Our study strongly questions the suitability of performing only a single run of m-fold cross-validation with any oracle method, and not just the SCAD and Adaptive Lasso.

Heat transfer enhancement and entropy generation analysis of Al2O3-water nanofluid in an alternating oval cross-section tube using two-phase mixture model under turbulent flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Najafi Khaboshan, Hasan; Nazif, Hamid Reza

2018-04-01

Heat transfer and turbulent flow of Al2O3-water nanofluid within alternating oval cross-section tube are numerically simulated using Eulerian-Eulerian two-phase mixture model. The primary goal of the present study is to investigate the effects of nanoparticles volume fraction, nanoparticles diameter and different inlet velocities on heat transfer, pressure drop and entropy generation characteristics of the alternating oval cross-section tube. For numerical simulation validation, the numerical results were compared with experimental data. Also, constant wall temperature boundary condition was considered on the tube wall. In addition, the comparison of thermal-hydraulic performance and the entropy generation characteristics between alternating oval cross-section tube and circular tube under same fluids were done. The results show that the heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop of alternating oval cross-section tube is more than base tube under same fluids. Also, these two parameters are increased when adding Al2O3 nanoparticle into water fluid, at any inlet velocity for both tubes. Furthermore, compared to the base fluid, the value of the heat transfer enhancement of nanofluid is higher than the increase of friction factor of nanofluid at the same given inlet boundary conditions. The results of entropy generation analysis illustrate that the total entropy generation increase with increasing the nanoparticles volume fraction and decreasing the nanoparticles diameter of nanofluid. The generation of thermal entropy is the main part of irreversibility, and Bejan number with an increase of the nanoparticles diameter slightly increases. Finally, at any given inlet velocity the frictional irreversibility is grown with an increase the nanoparticles volume fraction.

Simultaneous ocean cross-section and rainfall measurements from space with a nadir-pointing radar

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meneghini, R.; Atlas, D.

1984-01-01

A method to determine simultaneously the rainfall rate and the normalized backscattering cross section of the surface was evaluated. The method is based on the mirror reflected power, p sub m which corresponds to the portion of the incident power scattered from the surface to the precipitation, intercepted by the precipitation, and again returned to the surface where it is scattered a final time back to the antenna. Two approximations are obtained for P sub m depending on whether the field of view at the surface is either much greater or much less than the height of the reflection layer. Since the dependence of P sub m on the backscattering cross section of the surface differs in the two cases, two algorithms are given by which the path averaged rain rate and normalized cross section are deduced. The detectability of P sub m, the relative strength of other contributions to the return power arriving simultaneous with P sub m, and the validity of the approximations used in deriving P sub m are discussed.

Improved surface-roughness scattering and mobility models for multi-gate FETs with arbitrary cross-section and biasing scheme

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lizzit, D.; Badami, O.; Specogna, R.; Esseni, D.

2017-06-01

We present a new model for surface roughness (SR) scattering in n-type multi-gate FETs (MuGFETs) and gate-all-around nanowire FETs with fairly arbitrary cross-sections, its implementation in a complete device simulator, and the validation against experimental electron mobility data. The model describes the SR scattering matrix elements as non-linear transformations of interface fluctuations, which strongly influences the root mean square value of the roughness required to reproduce experimental mobility data. Mobility simulations are performed via the deterministic solution of the Boltzmann transport equation for a 1D-electron gas and including the most relevant scattering mechanisms for electronic transport, such as acoustic, polar, and non-polar optical phonon scattering, Coulomb scattering, and SR scattering. Simulation results show the importance of accounting for arbitrary cross-sections and biasing conditions when compared to experimental data. We also discuss how mobility is affected by the shape of the cross-section as well as by its area in gate-all-around and tri-gate MuGFETs.

Effect of the cross sectional aspect ratio on the flow past a twisted cylinder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jung, Jae Hwan; Yoon, Hyun Sik

2013-11-01

The cross-flow around twisted cylinders of cross sectional aspect ratio (A/B) from 1 to 2.25 is investigated at a subcritical Reynolds number (Re) of 3000 using large eddy simulation (LES). The flow past a corresponding smooth and wavy cylinder is also calculated for comparison and validation against experimental data. The effect of twisted surface assessed in terms of the mean drag and root-mean-square (RMS) value of fluctuating lift. The shear layer of the twisted cylinder covering the recirculation region is more elongated than those of the smooth and the wavy cylinder. Successively, vortex shedding of the twisted cylinder is considerably suppressed, compared with those of the smooth and the wavy cylinder. The maximum drag reduction of up to 13% compared with a smooth cylinder is obtained at a certain cross sectional aspect ratio. The fluctuating lift coefficient of the twisted cylinder is also significantly suppressed. We found that the cross sectional cross sectional aspect ratio (A/B) plays an essential role in determining the vortical structures behind the twisted cylinder which has a significant effect on the reduction of the fluctuating lift and suppression of flow-induced vibration. This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (MSIP) through GCRC-SOP (No. 2011-0030013).

Intravenous volume tomographic pulmonary angiography imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ning, Ruola; Strang, John G.; Chen, Biao; Conover, David L.; Yu, Rongfeng

1999-05-01

This study presents a new intravenous (IV) tomographic angiography imaging technique, called intravenous volume tomographic digital angiography (VTDA) for cross sectional pulmonary angiography. While the advantages of IV-VTDA over spiral CT in terms of volume scanning time and resolution have been validated and reported in our previous papers for head and neck vascular imaging, the superiority of IV-VTDA over spiral CT for cross sectional pulmonary angiography has not been explored yet. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the advantage of isotropic resolution of IV-VTDA in the x, y and z directions through phantom and animal studies, and to explore its clinical application for detecting clots in pulmonary angiography. A prototype image intensifier-based VTDA imaging system has been designed and constructed by modifying a GE 8800 CT scanner. This system was used for a series of phantom and dog studies. A pulmonary vascular phantom was designed and constructed. The phantom was scanned using the prototype VTDA system for direct 3D reconstruction. Then the same phantom was scanned using a GE CT/i spiral CT scanner using the routine pulmonary CT angiography protocols. IV contrast injection and volume scanning protocols were developed during the dog studies. Both VTDA reconstructed images and spiral CT images of the specially designed phantom were analyzed and compared. The detectability of simulated vessels and clots was assessed as the function of iodine concentration levels, oriented angles, and diameters of the vessels and clots. A set of 3D VTDA reconstruction images of dog pulmonary arteries was obtained with different IV injection rates and isotropic resolution in the x, y and z directions. The results of clot detection studies in dog pulmonary arteries have also been shown. This study presents a new tomographic IV angiography imaging technique for cross sectional pulmonary angiography. The results of phantom and animal studies indicate that IV-VTDA is superior to spiral CT for cross sectional pulmonary angiography.

Criticality Calculations with MCNP6 - Practical Lectures

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brown, Forrest B.; Rising, Michael Evan; Alwin, Jennifer Louise

2016-11-29

These slides are used to teach MCNP (Monte Carlo N-Particle) usage to nuclear criticality safety analysts. The following are the lecture topics: course information, introduction, MCNP basics, criticality calculations, advanced geometry, tallies, adjoint-weighted tallies and sensitivities, physics and nuclear data, parameter studies, NCS validation I, NCS validation II, NCS validation III, case study 1 - solution tanks, case study 2 - fuel vault, case study 3 - B&W core, case study 4 - simple TRIGA, case study 5 - fissile mat. vault, criticality accident alarm systems. After completion of this course, you should be able to: Develop an input modelmore » for MCNP; Describe how cross section data impact Monte Carlo and deterministic codes; Describe the importance of validation of computer codes and how it is accomplished; Describe the methodology supporting Monte Carlo codes and deterministic codes; Describe pitfalls of Monte Carlo calculations; Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of Monte Carlo and Discrete Ordinants codes; The diffusion theory model is not strictly valid for treating fissile systems in which neutron absorption, voids, and/or material boundaries are present. In the context of these limitations, identify a fissile system for which a diffusion theory solution would be adequate.« less

Radiation Transport and Shielding for Space Exploration and High Speed Flight Transportation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maung, Khin Maung; Trapathi, R. K.

1997-01-01

Transportation of ions and neutrons in matter is of direct interest in several technologically important and scientific areas, including space radiation, cosmic ray propagation studies in galactic medium, nuclear power plants and radiological effects that impact industrial and public health. For the proper assessment of radiation exposure, both reliable transport codes and accurate data are needed. Nuclear cross section data is one of the essential inputs into the transport codes. In order to obtain an accurate parametrization of cross section data, theoretical input is indispensable especially for processes where there is little or no experimental data available. In this grant period work has been done on the studies of the use of relativistic equations and their one-body limits. The results will be useful in choosing appropriate effective one-body equation for reaction calculations. Work has also been done to improve upon the data base needed for the transport codes used in the studies of radiation transport and shielding for space exploration and high speed flight transportation. A phenomenological model was developed for the total absorption cross sections valid for any system of charged and/or uncharged collision pairs for the entire energy range. The success of the model is gratifying. It is being used by other federal agencies, national labs and universities. A list of publications based on the work during the grant period is given below and copies are enclosed with this report.

Planar near-field scanning for compact range bistatic radar cross-section measurement. Thesis Final Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tuhela-Reuning, S. R.; Walton, E. K.

1991-01-01

The design, construction, and testing of a low cost, planar scanning system to be used in a compact range environment for bistatic radar cross-section (bistatic RCS) measurement data are discussed. This scanning system is similar to structures used for measuring near-field antenna patterns. A synthetic aperture technique is used for plane wave reception. System testing entailed comparison of measured and theoretical bistatic RCS of a sphere and a right circular cylinder. Bistatic scattering analysis of the ogival target support, target and pedestal interactions, and compact range room was necessary to determine measurement validity.

Baryon number violation and nonperturbative weak processes at Superconducting Super Collider energies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shuryak, E. V.; Verbaarschot, J. J. M.

1992-04-01

Baryon number violation and multiple production of W and Higgs bosons are described semiclassically in terms of the instanton-anti-instanton valley. We find (i) two saddle points, one describing reflection from a barrier and the other describing tunneling through it. We find (ii) a critical energy Ec~35 TeV where the cross section is suppressed as exp(-const/g2w), but the formulas are no longer valid; (iii) however, depending on the (still uncertain) Higgs bosson action, the cross section at this point may be large enough to be observable.

Simple shoulder test and Oxford Shoulder Score: Persian translation and cross-cultural validation.

PubMed

Naghdi, Soofia; Nakhostin Ansari, Noureddin; Rustaie, Nilufar; Akbari, Mohammad; Ebadi, Safoora; Senobari, Maryam; Hasson, Scott

2015-12-01

To translate, culturally adapt, and validate the simple shoulder test (SST) and Oxford Shoulder Score (OSS) into Persian language using a cross-sectional and prospective cohort design. A standard forward and backward translation was followed to culturally adapt the SST and the OSS into Persian language. Psychometric properties of floor and ceiling effects, construct convergent validity, discriminant validity, internal consistency reliability, test-retest reliability, standard error of the measurement (SEM), smallest detectable change (SDC), and factor structure were determined. One hundred patients with shoulder disorders and 50 healthy subjects participated in the study. The PSST and the POSS showed no missing responses. No floor or ceiling effects were observed. Both the PSST and POSS detected differences between patients and healthy subjects supporting their discriminant validity. Construct convergent validity was confirmed by a very good correlation between the PSST and POSS (r = 0.68). There was high internal consistency for both the PSST (α = 0.73) and the POSS (α = 0.91 and 0.92). Test-retest reliability with 1-week interval was excellent (ICCagreement = 0.94 for PSST and 0.90 for POSS). Factor analyses demonstrated a three-factor solution for the PSST (49.7 % of variance) and a two-factor solution for the POSS (61.6 % of variance). The SEM/SDC was satisfactory for PSST (5.5/15.3) and POSS (6.8/18.8). The PSST and POSS are valid and reliable outcome measures for assessing functional limitations in Persian-speaking patients with shoulder disorders.

The influence of muscle pennation angle and cross-sectional area on contact forces in the ankle joint.

PubMed

Sopher, Ran S; Amis, Andrew A; Davies, D Ceri; Jeffers, Jonathan Rt

2017-01-01

Data about a muscle's fibre pennation angle and physiological cross-sectional area are used in musculoskeletal modelling to estimate muscle forces, which are used to calculate joint contact forces. For the leg, muscle architecture data are derived from studies that measured pennation angle at the muscle surface, but not deep within it. Musculoskeletal models developed to estimate joint contact loads have usually been based on the mean values of pennation angle and physiological cross-sectional area. Therefore, the first aim of this study was to investigate differences between superficial and deep pennation angles within each muscle acting over the ankle and predict how differences may influence muscle forces calculated in musculoskeletal modelling. The second aim was to investigate how inter-subject variability in physiological cross-sectional area and pennation angle affects calculated ankle contact forces. Eight cadaveric legs were dissected to excise the muscles acting over the ankle. The mean surface and deep pennation angles, fibre length and physiological cross-sectional area were measured. Cluster analysis was applied to group the muscles according to their architectural characteristics. A previously validated OpenSim model was used to estimate ankle muscle forces and contact loads using architecture data from all eight limbs. The mean surface pennation angle for soleus was significantly greater (54%) than the mean deep pennation angle. Cluster analysis revealed three groups of muscles with similar architecture and function: deep plantarflexors and peroneals, superficial plantarflexors and dorsiflexors. Peak ankle contact force was predicted to occur before toe-off, with magnitude greater than five times bodyweight. Inter-specimen variability in contact force was smallest at peak force. These findings will help improve the development of experimental and computational musculoskeletal models by providing data to estimate force based on both surface and deep pennation angles. Inter-subject variability in muscle architecture affected ankle muscle and contact loads only slightly. The link between muscle architecture and function contributes to the understanding of the relationship between muscle structure and function.

Neutron capture measurement on {sup 173}Lu at LANSCE with DANCE detector

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Theroine, C.; Ebran, A.; Meot, V.

2013-06-10

The (n,{gamma}) cross section on the unstable {sup 173}Lu(t{sub 1/2} = 1.37y) has been measured from thermal energy up to 200 eV at Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) with The Detector for Advanced Neutron Capture Experiements (DANCE). The main aim of this study is to validate and optimize reaction models for unstable nucleus. A preliminary capture yield will be presented in this paper.

Reach and Validity of an Objective Medication Adherence Measure Among Safety Net Health Plan Members with Diabetes: A Cross-Sectional Study.

PubMed

Ratanawongsa, Neda; Karter, Andrew J; Quan, Judy; Parker, Melissa M; Handley, Margaret; Sarkar, Urmimala; Schmittdiel, Julie A; Schillinger, Dean

2015-08-01

With the expansion of Medicaid and low-cost health insurance plans among diverse patient populations, objective measures of medication adherence using pharmacy claims could advance clinical care and translational research for safety net care. However, safety net patients may experience fluctuating prescription drug coverage, affecting the performance of adherence measures. To evaluate the performance of continuous medication gap (CMG) for diverse, low-income managed care members with diabetes. We conducted this cross-sectional analysis using administrative and clinical data for 680 members eligible for a self-management support trial at a nonprofit, government-sponsored managed care plan. We applied CMG methodology to cardiometabolic medication claims for English- , Cantonese- , or Spanish-speaking members with diabetes. We examined inclusiveness (the proportion with calculable CMG) and selectivity (sociodemographic and medical differences from members without CMG). For validity, we examined unadjusted associations of suboptimal adherence (CMG >  20%) with suboptimal cardiometabolic control. 429 members (63%) had calculable CMG. Compared with members without CMG, members with CMG were younger, more likely employed, and had poorer glycemic control but had better blood pressure and lipid control. Suboptimal adherence occurred more frequently among members with poor cardiometabolic control than among members with optimal control (28% vs. 12%, P = 0.02). CMG demonstrated acceptable inclusiveness and validity in a diverse, low-income safety net population, comparable with its performance in studies among other insured populations. CMG may provide a useful tool to measure adherence among increasingly diverse Medicaid populations, complemented by other strategies to reach those not captured by CMG.

Validation of the kidney disease quality of life-short form: a cross-sectional study of a dialysis-targeted health measure in Singapore.

PubMed

Joshi, Veena D; Mooppil, Nandakumar; Lim, Jeremy Fy

2010-12-20

In Singapore, the prevalence of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and the number of people on dialysis is increasing. The impact of ESRD on patient quality of life has been recognized as an important outcome measure. The Kidney Disease Quality Of Life-Short Form (KDQOL-SF™) has been validated and is widely used as a measure of quality of life in dialysis patients in many countries, but not in Singapore. We aimed to determine the reliability and validity of the KDQOL-SF™ for haemodialysis patients in Singapore. From December 2006 through January 2007, this cross-sectional study gathered data on patients ≥21 years old, who were undergoing haemodialysis at National Kidney Foundation in Singapore. We used exploratory factor analysis to determine construct validity of the eight KDQOL-SF™ sub-scales, Cronbach's alpha coefficient to determine internal consistency reliability, correlation of the overall health rating with kidney disease-targeted scales to confirm validity, and correlation of the eight sub-scales with age, income and education to determine convergent and divergent validity. Of 1980 haemodialysis patients, 1180 (59%) completed the KDQOL-SF™. Full information was available for 980 participants, with a mean age of 56 years. The sample was representative of the total dialysis population in Singapore, except Indian ethnicity that was over-represented. The instrument designers' proposed eight sub-scales were confirmed, which together accounted for 68.4% of the variance. All sub-scales had a Cronbach's α above the recommended minimum value of 0.7 to indicate good reliability (range: 0.72 to 0.95), except for Social function (0.66). Correlation of items within subscales was higher than correlation of items outside subscales in 90% of the cases. The overall health rating positively correlated with kidney disease-targeted scales, confirming validity. General health subscales were found to have significant associations with age, income and education, confirming convergent and divergent validity. The psychometric properties of the KDQOL-SF™ resulting from this first-time administration of the instrument support the validity and reliability of the KDQOL-SF™ as a measure of quality of life of haemodialysis patients in Singapore. It is, however, necessary to determine the test-retest reliability of the KDQOL-SF™ among the haemodialysis population of Singapore.

The city of hope-quality of life-ostomy questionnaire: persian translation and validation.

PubMed

Anaraki, F; Vafaie, M; Behboo, R; Esmaeilpour, S; Maghsoodi, N; Safaee, A; Grant, M

2014-07-01

Since there is no disease-specific instrument for measuring quality-of-life (QOL) in Ostomy patients in Persian language. This study was designed to translate and evaluate the validity and reliability of City of Hope-quality of life-Ostomy questionnaire (COH-QOL-Ostomy questionnaire). This study was designed as cross-sectional study. Reliability of the subscales and the summary scores were demonstrated by intra-class correlation coefficients. Pearson's correlations of an item with its own scale and other scales were calculated to evaluated convergent and discriminant validity. Clinical validity was also evaluated by known-group comparisons. Cronbach's alpha coefficient for all subscales was about 0.70 or higher. Results of interscale correlation were satisfactory and each subscale only measured a single and specified trait. All subscales met the standards of convergent and discriminant validity. Known group comparison analysis showed significant differences in social and spiritual well-being. The findings confirmed the reliability and validity of Persian version of COH-QOL-Ostomy questionnaire. The instrument was also well received by the Iranian patients. It can be considered as a valuable instrument to assess the different aspects of health related quality-of-life in Ostomy patients and used in clinical research in the future.

Effect of damage on elastically tailored composite laminates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Armanios, Erian; Badir, Ashraf; Berdichevsky, Victor

1991-01-01

A variationally consistent theory is derived in order to predict the response of anisotropic thin-walled closed sections subjected to axial load, torsion and bending. The theory is valid for arbitrary cross-sections made of laminated composite materials with variable thickness and stiffness. Closed form expressions for the stiffness coefficients are provided as integrals in terms of lay-ups parameters and cross-sectional geometry. A comparison of stiffness coefficients and response with finite element predictions and a closed form solution is performed. The theory is applied to the investigation of the effect of damage on the extension-twist coupling in a thin-walled closed section beam. The damage is simulated as a progressive ply-by-ply failure. Results show that damage can have a significant effect on the extension-twist coupling.

Measurement of alienation among adolescents: construct validity of three scales on powerlessness, meaninglessness and social isolation.

PubMed

Rayce, Signe Boe; Kreiner, Svend; Damsgaard, Mogens Trab; Nielsen, Tine; Holstein, Bjørn Evald

2017-01-01

Psychological alienation is an important concept in the study of adolescents' health and behavior but no gold standard for measuring alienation among adolescents exists. There is a need for new scales with high validity for use in adolescent health and social research. The purpose of the present study was to develop and validate alienation scales in accordance with Seeman's conceptualization of alienation focusing on three independent variants specifically relevant in adolescent health research: powerlessness, meaninglessness and social isolation. Cross-sectional data from 3083 adolescents aged 13 to 15 years from the Danish contribution to the cross-national study Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) were used. We identified and developed items, addressed content and face validity through interviews, and examined the criterion-related construct validity of the scales using graphical loglinear Rasch models (GLLRM). The three scales each comprised three to five face valid items. The powerlessness scale reflected the adolescent's expectancy as to whether his/her behavior can determine the outcome or reinforcement he/she seeks. The meaninglessness scale reflected the expectancy as to whether satisfactory predictions regarding the effects of one's behavior are possible. Finally, the social isolation scale reflected whether the adolescent had a low expectancy for inclusion and social acceptance. All scales contained some uniform local dependency and differential item functioning. However, only to a limited degree, which could be accounted for using GLLRM. Thus the scales fitted GLLRMs and can therefore be considered to be essentially construct valid and essentially objective. The three alienation scales appear to be content and face valid and fulfill the psychometric properties of a good construct valid reflective scale. This suggests that the scales may be appropriate in future large-scale surveys to examine the relation between alienation and a range of adolescent health outcomes such as health, behavior and wellbeing.

On the tidal prism-channel area relations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Alpaos, Andrea; Lanzoni, Stefano; Marani, Marco; Rinaldo, Andrea

2010-03-01

We verify the broad applicability of tidal prism cross-sectional area relationships, originally proposed to relate the total water volume entering a lagoon during a characteristic tidal cycle (the tidal prism) to the size of its inlet, to arbitrary sheltered cross sections within a tidal network. We suggest, with reasonable approximation defining a statistical tendency rather than a pointwise equivalence, that the regime of tidal channels may be anywhere related to local landscape-forming prisms embedded in a characteristic spring tide oscillation. The importance of the proposed extension stems from its potential for quantitative predictions of the long-term morphological evolution of whole tidal landforms, in response to forcings affecting tidal prisms. This is the case, in particular, for alterations of relative mean sea levels possibly driven by climate change. Various 1-D and 2-D morphodynamic and hydrodynamic models are employed to evaluate peak flow rates, bottom shear stresses, and the ensuing local tidal prisms. One-dimensional morphodynamic models describing both the longitudinal and cross-sectional evolution of tidal channels are used to verify the validity of the relationship for sheltered sections. Relevant hydrodynamic features determined through accurate 2-D numerical models are compared with those obtained through time-invariant equivalents, defining a mean watershed by an energy landscape from averaged free surface gradients. Empirical evidence gathered within the lagoon of Venice (Italy) supports the proposed extension. We conclude that the geomorphic law relating tidal prisms to channel cross-sectional areas anywhere within a tidal landscape is a valuable tool for studies on long-term tidal geomorphology.

Developing and testing the patient-centred innovation questionnaire for hospital nurses.

PubMed

Huang, Ching-Yuan; Weng, Rhay-Hung; Wu, Tsung-Chin; Lin, Tzu-En; Hsu, Ching-Tai; Hung, Chiu-Hsia; Tsai, Yu-Chen

2018-03-01

Develop the patient-centred innovation questionnaire for hospital nurses and establish its validity and reliability. Patient-centred care has been adopted by health care managers in their efforts to improve health care quality. It is regarded as a core concept for developing innovation. A cross-sectional study was employed to collect data from hospital nurses in Taiwan. This study was divided into two stages: pilot study and main study. In the main study, 596 valid responses were collected. This study adopted reliability analysis, exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and selected nurse innovation scale as a criterion to test criterion-related validity. Five-dimension patient-centred innovation questionnaire was proposed: access and practicability, co-ordination and communication, sharing power and responsibility, care continuity, family and person focus. Each dimension demonstrated a reliability of 0.89-0.98. All dimensions had acceptable convergent and discriminate validity. The patient-centred innovation questionnaire and nurse innovation scale exhibited a significantly positive correlation. Patient-centred innovation questionnaire not only had a good theoretical basis but also had sufficient reliability and construct validity, and criterion-related validity. Patient-centred innovation questionnaire could give a measure for evaluating the implementation of patient-centred care and could be used as a management tool during the process of nurse innovation. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

An energy harvesting solution based on the post-buckling response of non-prismatic slender beams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiao, Pengcheng; Borchani, Wassim; Hasni, Hassene; Alavi, Amir H.; Lajnef, Nizar

2017-04-01

Systems based on post-buckled structural elements have been extensively used in many applications such as actuation, remote sensing and energy harvesting thanks to their efficiency enhancement. The post-buckling snap- through behavior of bilaterally constrained beams has been used to create an efficient energy harvesting mechanism under quasi-static excitations. The conversion mechanism has been used to transform low-rate and low-frequency excitations into high-rate motions. Electric energy can be generated from such high-rate motions using piezoelectric transducers. However, lack of control over the post-buckling behavior severely limits the mechanism's efficiency. This study aims to maximize the levels of the harvestable power by controlling the location of the snapping point along the beam at different buckling transitions. Since the snap-through location cannot be controlled by tuning the geometry properties of a uniform cross-section beam, non-uniform cross sections are examined. An energy-based theoretical model is herein developed to predict the post-buckling response of non-uniform cross-section beams. The total potential energy is minimized under constraints that represent the physical confinement of the beam between the lateral boundaries. Experimentally validated results show that changing the shape and geometry dimensions of non- uniform cross-section beams allows for the accurate control of the snap-through location at different buckling transitions. A 78.59% increase in harvested energy levels is achieved by optimizing the beam's shape.

Complete velocity distribution in river cross-sections measured by acoustic instruments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cheng, R.T.; Gartner, J.W.; ,

2003-01-01

To fully understand the hydraulic properties of natural rivers, velocity distribution in the river cross-section should be studied in detail. The measurement task is not straightforward because there is not an instrument that can measure the velocity distribution covering the entire cross-section. Particularly, the velocities in regions near the free surface and in the bottom boundary layer are difficult to measure, and yet the velocity properties in these regions play the most significant role in characterizing the hydraulic properties. To further characterize river hydraulics, two acoustic instruments, namely, an acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP), and a "BoogieDopp" (BD) were used on fixed platforms to measure the detailed velocity profiles across the river. Typically, 20 to 25 stations were used to represent a river cross-section. At each station, water velocity profiles were measured independently and/or concurrently by an ADCP and a BD. The measured velocity properties were compared and used in computation of river discharge. In a tow-tank evaluation of a BD, it has been confirmed that BD is capable of measuring water velocity at about 11 cm below the free-surface. Therefore, the surface velocity distribution across the river was extracted from the BD velocity measurements and used to compute the river discharge. These detailed velocity profiles and the composite velocity distribution were used to assess the validity of the classic theories of velocity distributions, conventional river discharge measurement methods, and for estimates of channel bottom roughness.

Automated brain volumetrics in multiple sclerosis: a step closer to clinical application.

PubMed

Wang, C; Beadnall, H N; Hatton, S N; Bader, G; Tomic, D; Silva, D G; Barnett, M H

2016-07-01

Whole brain volume (WBV) estimates in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) correlate more robustly with clinical disability than traditional, lesion-based metrics. Numerous algorithms to measure WBV have been developed over the past two decades. We compare Structural Image Evaluation using Normalisation of Atrophy-Cross-sectional (SIENAX) to NeuroQuant and MSmetrix, for assessment of cross-sectional WBV in patients with MS. MRIs from 61 patients with relapsing-remitting MS and 2 patients with clinically isolated syndrome were analysed. WBV measurements were calculated using SIENAX, NeuroQuant and MSmetrix. Statistical agreement between the methods was evaluated using linear regression and Bland-Altman plots. Precision and accuracy of WBV measurement was calculated for (1) NeuroQuant versus SIENAX and (2) MSmetrix versus SIENAX. Precision (Pearson's r) of WBV estimation for NeuroQuant and MSmetrix versus SIENAX was 0.983 and 0.992, respectively. Accuracy (Cb) was 0.871 and 0.994, respectively. NeuroQuant and MSmetrix showed a 5.5% and 1.0% volume difference compared with SIENAX, respectively, that was consistent across low and high values. In the analysed population, NeuroQuant and MSmetrix both quantified cross-sectional WBV with comparable statistical agreement to SIENAX, a well-validated cross-sectional tool that has been used extensively in MS clinical studies. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

On the feasibility to perform integral transmission experiments in the GELINA target hall at IRMM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leconte, Pierre; Jean, Cyrille De Saint; Geslot, Benoit; Plompen, Arjan; Belloni, Francesca; Nyman, Markus

2017-09-01

Shielding experiments are relevant to validate elastic and inelastic scattering cross sections in the fast energy range. In this paper, we are focusing on the possibility to use the pulsed white neutron time-of-flight facility GELINA to perform this kind of measurement. Several issues need to be addressed: neutron source intensity, room return effect, distance of the materials to be irradiated from the source, and the sensitivity of various reaction rate distributions through the material to different input cross sections. MCNP6 and TRIPOLI4 calculations of the outgoing neutron spectrum are compared, based on electron/positron/gamma/neutron simulations. A first guess of an integral transmission experiment through a 238U slab is considered. It shows that a 10 cm thickness of uranium is sufficient to reach a high sensitivity to the 238U inelastic scattering cross section in the [2-5 MeV] energy range, with small contributions from elastic and fission cross sections. This experiment would contribute to reduce the uncertainty on this nuclear data, which has a significant impact on the power distribution in large commercial reactors. Other materials that would be relevant for the ASTRID 4th generation prototype reactor are also tested, showing that a sufficient sensitivity to nuclear data would be obtained by using a 50 to 100cm thick slab of side 60x60cm. This study concludes on the feasibility and interest of such experiments in the target hall of the GELINA facility.

Validation and cross-cultural pilot testing of compliance with standard precautions scale: self-administered instrument for clinical nurses.

PubMed

Lam, Simon C

2014-05-01

To perform detailed psychometric testing of the compliance with standard precautions scale (CSPS) in measuring compliance with standard precautions of clinical nurses and to conduct cross-cultural pilot testing and assess the relevance of the CSPS on an international platform. A cross-sectional and correlational design with repeated measures. Nursing students from a local registered nurse training university, nurses from different hospitals in Hong Kong, and experts in an international conference. The psychometric properties of the CSPS were evaluated via internal consistency, 2-week and 3-month test-retest reliability, concurrent validation, and construct validation. The cross-cultural pilot testing and relevance check was examined by experts on infection control from various developed and developing regions. Among 453 participants, 193 were nursing students, 165 were enrolled nurses, and 95 were registered nurses. The results showed that the CSPS had satisfactory reliability (Cronbach α = 0.73; intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.79 for 2-week test-retest and 0.74 for 3-month test-retest) and validity (optimum correlation with criterion measure; r = 0.76, P < .001; satisfactory results on known-group method and hypothesis testing). A total of 19 experts from 16 countries assured that most of the CSPS findings were relevant and globally applicable. The CSPS demonstrated satisfactory results on the basis of the standard international criteria on psychometric testing, which ascertained the reliability and validity of this instrument in measuring the compliance of clinical nurses with standard precautions. The cross-cultural pilot testing further reinforced the instrument's relevance and applicability in most developed and developing regions.

Evaluation of Non-Laboratory and Laboratory Prediction Models for Current and Future Diabetes Mellitus: A Cross-Sectional and Retrospective Cohort Study

PubMed Central

Hahn, Seokyung; Moon, Min Kyong; Park, Kyong Soo; Cho, Young Min

2016-01-01

Background Various diabetes risk scores composed of non-laboratory parameters have been developed, but only a few studies performed cross-validation of these scores and a comparison with laboratory parameters. We evaluated the performance of diabetes risk scores composed of non-laboratory parameters, including a recently published Korean risk score (KRS), and compared them with laboratory parameters. Methods The data of 26,675 individuals who visited the Seoul National University Hospital Healthcare System Gangnam Center for a health screening program were reviewed for cross-sectional validation. The data of 3,029 individuals with a mean of 6.2 years of follow-up were reviewed for longitudinal validation. The KRS and 16 other risk scores were evaluated and compared with a laboratory prediction model developed by logistic regression analysis. Results For the screening of undiagnosed diabetes, the KRS exhibited a sensitivity of 81%, a specificity of 58%, and an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AROC) of 0.754. Other scores showed AROCs that ranged from 0.697 to 0.782. For the prediction of future diabetes, the KRS exhibited a sensitivity of 74%, a specificity of 54%, and an AROC of 0.696. Other scores had AROCs ranging from 0.630 to 0.721. The laboratory prediction model composed of fasting plasma glucose and hemoglobin A1c levels showed a significantly higher AROC (0.838, P < 0.001) than the KRS. The addition of the KRS to the laboratory prediction model increased the AROC (0.849, P = 0.016) without a significant improvement in the risk classification (net reclassification index: 4.6%, P = 0.264). Conclusions The non-laboratory risk scores, including KRS, are useful to estimate the risk of undiagnosed diabetes but are inferior to the laboratory parameters for predicting future diabetes. PMID:27214034

Validation of Bengali perceived stress scale among LGBT population.

PubMed

Mozumder, Muhammad Kamruzzaman

2017-08-29

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) population encounter more stressful life circumstances compared to general population. Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) can be a useful tool for measuring their stress. However, psychometric properties of PSS have never been tested on LGBT population. This cross sectional study employed a two-stage sampling strategy to collect data from 296 LGBT participants from six divisional districts of Bangladesh. Exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were carried out on PSS 10 along with analysis of reliability and validity. EFA revealed a two-factor structure of PSS for LGBT population explaining 43.55% - 51.45% of total variance. This measurement model was supported by multiple fit indices during CFA. Acceptable Cronbach's alpha indicated internal consistency reliability and high correlations with Self Reporting Questionnaire 20 demonstrated construct validity of PSS 10 for LGBT population. This study provided evidence of satisfactory psychometric properties of Bengali PSS 10 in terms of factor structure, internal consistency and validity among LGBT population.

Electromagnetic retroreflection augmented by spherical and conical metasurfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shang, Yuping; Shen, Zhongxiang

2017-11-01

The focus of this paper is on phase gradient metasurfaces conformal to spherical and conical bodies of revolution, with an aim of engineering retroreflections and therefore augmenting backscattering cross-sections of those three-dimensional geometries under the illumination of a plane electromagnetic wave. Based on the conducting sphere and cone, the effect of the geometric revolution property on the selection of the unit inclusion of metasurfaces is considered. The procedure for using the selected unit inclusion to implement the proper reflection phase gradient onto the illuminated surfaces of those objects is formulated in detail. Retroreflections resembling conducting plates under normal incidence are observed for both the conducting sphere and cone coated with conformal metasurfaces. As a result, the redirection-induced retroreflection effectively contributes to the backscattering cross-section enhancement. A good agreement between full-wave simulations and measurements demonstrates the validity and effectiveness of backscattering cross-section enhancement using spherical and conical metasurfaces.

extrap: Software to assist the selection of extrapolation methods for moving-boat ADCP streamflow measurements

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mueller, David S.

2013-01-01

profiles from the entire cross section and multiple transects to determine a mean profile for the measurement. The use of an exponent derived from normalized data from the entire cross section is shown to be valid for application of the power velocity distribution law in the computation of the unmeasured discharge in a cross section. Selected statistics are combined with empirically derived criteria to automatically select the appropriate extrapolation methods. A graphical user interface (GUI) provides the user tools to visually evaluate the automatically selected extrapolation methods and manually change them, as necessary. The sensitivity of the total discharge to available extrapolation methods is presented in the GUI. Use of extrap by field hydrographers has demonstrated that extrap is a more accurate and efficient method of determining the appropriate extrapolation methods compared with tools currently (2012) provided in the ADCP manufacturers’ software.

FY17 Status Report on NEAMS Neutronics Activities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, C. H.; Jung, Y. S.; Smith, M. A.

2017-09-30

Under the U.S. DOE NEAMS program, the high-fidelity neutronics code system has been developed to support the multiphysics modeling and simulation capability named SHARP. The neutronics code system includes the high-fidelity neutronics code PROTEUS, the cross section library and preprocessing tools, the multigroup cross section generation code MC2-3, the in-house meshing generation tool, the perturbation and sensitivity analysis code PERSENT, and post-processing tools. The main objectives of the NEAMS neutronics activities in FY17 are to continue development of an advanced nodal solver in PROTEUS for use in nuclear reactor design and analysis projects, implement a simplified sub-channel based thermal-hydraulic (T/H)more » capability into PROTEUS to efficiently compute the thermal feedback, improve the performance of PROTEUS-MOCEX using numerical acceleration and code optimization, improve the cross section generation tools including MC2-3, and continue to perform verification and validation tests for PROTEUS.« less

Generation of 238U Covariance Matrices by Using the Integral Data Assimilation Technique of the CONRAD Code

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Privas, E.; Archier, P.; Bernard, D.; De Saint Jean, C.; Destouche, C.; Leconte, P.; Noguère, G.; Peneliau, Y.; Capote, R.

2016-02-01

A new IAEA Coordinated Research Project (CRP) aims to test, validate and improve the IRDF library. Among the isotopes of interest, the modelisation of the 238U capture and fission cross sections represents a challenging task. A new description of the 238U neutrons induced reactions in the fast energy range is within progress in the frame of an IAEA evaluation consortium. The Nuclear Data group of Cadarache participates in this effort utilizing the 238U spectral indices measurements and Post Irradiated Experiments (PIE) carried out in the fast reactors MASURCA (CEA Cadarache) and PHENIX (CEA Marcoule). Such a collection of experimental results provides reliable integral information on the (n,γ) and (n,f) cross sections. This paper presents the Integral Data Assimilation (IDA) technique of the CONRAD code used to propagate the uncertainties of the integral data on the 238U cross sections of interest for dosimetry applications.

Using a cross section to train veterinary students to visualize anatomical structures in three dimensions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Provo, Judy; Lamar, Carlton; Newby, Timothy

2002-01-01

A cross section was used to enhance three-dimensional knowledge of anatomy of the canine head. All veterinary students in two successive classes (n = 124) dissected the head; experimental groups also identified structures on a cross section of the head. A test assessing spatial knowledge of the head generated 10 dependent variables from two administrations. The test had content validity and statistically significant interrater and test-retest reliability. A live-dog examination generated one additional dependent variable. Analysis of covariance controlling for performance on course examinations and quizzes revealed no treatment effect. Including spatial skill as a third covariate revealed a statistically significant effect of spatial skill on three dependent variables. Men initially had greater spatial skill than women, but spatial skills were equal after 8 months. A qualitative analysis showed the positive impact of this experience on participants. Suggestions for improvement and future research are discussed.

Linguistic Validation and Cultural Adaptation of Bulgarian Version of Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPSC).

PubMed

Stoyanova, Rumyana; Dimova, Rositsa; Tarnovska, Miglena; Boeva, Tatyana

2018-05-20

Patient safety (PS) is one of the essential elements of health care quality and a priority of healthcare systems in most countries. Thus the creation of validated instruments and the implementation of systems that measure patient safety are considered to be of great importance worldwide. The present paper aims to illustrate the process of linguistic validation, cross-cultural verification and adaptation of the Bulgarian version of the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (B-HSOPSC) and its test-retest reliability. The study design is cross-sectional. The HSOPSC questionnaire consists of 42 questions, grouped in 12 different subscales that measure patient safety culture. Internal con-sistency was assessed using Cronbach's alpha. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test and the split-half method were used; the Spear-man-Brown coefficient was calculated. The overall Cronbach's alpha for B-HSOPSC is 0.918. Subscales 7 Staffing and 12 Overall perceptions of safety had the lowest coefficients. The high reliability of the instrument was confirmed by the Split-half method (0.97) and ICC-coefficient (0.95). The lowest values of Spearmen-Broun coefficients were found in items A13 and A14. The study offers an analysis of the results of the linguistic validation of the B-HSOPSC and its test-retest reliability. The psychometric characteristics of the questions revealed good validity and reliability, except two questions. In the future, the instrument will be administered to the target population in the main study so that the psychometric properties of the instrument can be verified.

Evaluation of Psychometric Properties of Voice Activity and Participation Profile (VAPP): A Spanish Version.

PubMed

Bermúdez-de-Alvear, Rosa M; Gálvez-Ruiz, Pablo; Martínez-Arquero, A Ginés; Rando-Márquez, Sara; Fernández-Contreras, Elena

2018-06-11

This study aimed to analyze the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Voice Activity and Participation Profile (SVAPP) questionnaire. A randomized, cross-sectional sampling strategy with controls was used. Two samples with a total of 169 participants were analyzed, specifically 61 men (mean age 37.02) and 108 women (mean age 37.78). Of these participants, 112 were patients and 57 were controls. The instrument was submitted to reliability (internal consistency and corrected item-total correlations) and reproducibility analyses. Validation assessment was based on the construct validity, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and concurrent validity. The global internal consistency was excellent (Cronbach's α = 0.976), corrected item-total correlations were satisfactory and ranged 0.63-0.89, and factor loadings were above 0.50. The different subscales showed good internal consistency (alpha coefficients ranged 0.830-0.956) and test-retest values were consistently associated. The exploratory factor analysis evidenced a strongly defined five factors internal structure, with factors loadings ranging 0.51-0.86. Convergent validity demonstrated that all subscales and scores were very strongly correlated (Pearson r above 0.735) and significantly associated. The discriminant validity analysis showed that SVAPP had good specificity to distinguish dysphonic from healthy voice subjects. Concurrent validity with Voice Handicap Index Spanish version (SVHI) showed very strong correlations between total scores, and between SVHI total score and SVAPP Daily and Social Communication subscales; correlations between both tests subscales were strong; only between SVAPP Work and SVHI Physical sections correlations were moderate. The findings of the present study demonstrated evidence for the SVAPP questionnaire reliability and validity, and provided insightful implications of voice disorders on Spanish patients' quality of life. However, further investigations are required. Copyright © 2018 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Association between elder abuse and poor sleep: A cross-sectional study among rural older Malaysians.

PubMed

Yunus, Raudah Mohd; Wazid, Syeda Wasfeea; Hairi, Noran N; Choo, Wan Yuen; Hairi, Farizah M; Sooryanarayana, Rajini; Ahmad, Sharifah N; Razak, Inayah A; Peramalah, Devi; Aziz, Suriyati A; Mohamad, Zaiton L; Mohamad, Rosmala; Ali, Zainudin M; Bulgiba, Awang

2017-01-01

To examine the association between elder abuse and poor sleep using a Malay validated version of Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). This study was divided into two phases. Phase I tested the construct validity and reliability of the Malay version of PSQI. Phase II was a population-based, cross-sectional study with a multi-stage cluster sampling method. Home-based interviews were conducted by trained personnel using a structured questionnaire, to determine exposure and outcome. Kuala Pilah, a district in Negeri Sembilan which is one of the fourteen states in Malaysia. 1648 community-dwelling older Malaysians. The Malay version of PSQI had significant test re-test reliability with intra-class correlation coefficients of 0.62. Confirmatory factor analyses revealed that one factor PSQI scale with three components (subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, and sleep disturbances) was most suitable. Cronbach's Alpha was 0.60 and composite reliability was 0.63. PSQI scores were highest among neglect (4.11), followed by physical (4.10), psychological (3.96) and financial abuse (3.60). There was a dose-response relationship between clustering of abuse and PSQI scores; 3.41, 3.50 and 3.84 for "no abuse", "1 type of abuse" and "2 types or more". Generalized linear models revealed six variables as significant determinants of sleep quality-abuse, co-morbidities, self-rated health, income, social support and gait speed. Among abuse subtypes, only neglect was significantly associated with poor sleep. The Malay PSQI was valid and reliable. Abuse was significantly associated with poor sleep. As sleep is essential for health and is a good predictor for mortality among older adults, management of abuse victims should entail sleep assessment. Interventions or treatment modalities which focus on improving sleep quality among abuse victims should be designed.

Development and Validation of a Cross-Country Hospital Patient Quality of Care Assessment Tool in Europe.

PubMed

Villiers-Tuthill, Amanda; Doulougeri, Karolina; McGee, Hannah; Montgomery, Anthony; Panagopoulou, Efharis; Morgan, Karen

2017-12-01

Patient perceptions of quality of care (QoC) are directly linked with patient safety and clinical effectiveness. We need patient-designed QoC instruments that work across languages and countries to optimise studies across systems in this area. Few QoC measurement tools exist that assess all aspects of QoC from the patient perspective. This paper describes the development and validation of a comprehensive measure to assess patient perceptions of QoC that incorporates technical and interpersonal aspects of care and is grounded in the established Institute of Medicine (IOM) QoC framework. We conducted a multi-country cross-sectional study. Following a literature review and patient focus groups, an expert panel generated questionnaire items. Following a pilot study, item numbers were reduced. The final questionnaire consisted of three sections: demographics, perceived QoC and one open-ended question. Data was collected from patients (n = 531) discharged from hospitals across seven countries in South East Europe (languages: Turkish, Greek, Portuguese, Romanian, Croatian, Macedonian and Bulgarian). Reliability and validity of the measure were assessed. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to compare various factor models of patient-perceived QoC. Good model fit was demonstrated for a two-factor model: communication and interpersonal care, and hospital facilities. The ORCAB (Improving quality and safety in the hospital: The link between organisational culture, burnout and quality of care) Patient QoC questionnaire has been collaboratively and exhaustively developed between healthcare professionals and patients. It enables patient QoC data to be assessed in the context of the IOM pillars of quality, considering both technical and interpersonal dimensions of care. It represents an important first step in including the patient perspective.

Modeling and measurement of angle-beam wave propagation in a scatterer-free plate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dawson, Alexander J.; Michaels, Jennifer E.; Michaels, Thomas E.

2017-02-01

Wavefield imaging has been shown to be a powerful tool for improving the understanding and characterization of wave propagation and scattering in plates. The complete measurement of surface displacement over a 2-D grid provided by wavefield imaging has the potential to serve as a useful means of validating ultrasonic models. Here, a preliminary study of ultrasonic angle-beam wave propagation in a scatterer-free plate using a combination of wavefield measurements and 2-D finite element models is described. Both wavefield imaging and finite element analysis are used to study the propagation of waves at a refracted angle of 56.8° propagating in a 6.35 mm thick aluminum plate. Wavefield imaging is performed using a laser vibrometer mounted on an XYZ scanning stage, which is programmed to move point-to-point on a rectilinear grid to acquire waveform data. The commercial finite element software package, PZFlex, which is specifically designed to handle large, complex ultrasonic problems, is used to create a 2-D cross-sectional model of the transducer and plate. For model validation, vertical surface displacements from both the wavefield measurements and the PZFlex finite element model are compared and found to be in excellent agreement. The validated PZFlex model is then used to explain the mechanism of Rayleigh wave generation by the angle-beam wedge. Since the wavefield measurements are restricted to the specimen surface, the cross-sectional PZFlex model is able to provide insights the wavefield data cannot. This study illustrates how information obtained from ultrasonic experiments and modeling results can be combined to improve understanding of angle-beam wave generation and propagation.

Psychometric properties of the Thai Spiritual Well-Being Scale.

PubMed

Chaiviboontham, Suchira; Phinitkhajorndech, Noppawan; Hanucharurnkul, Somchit; Noipiang, Thaniya

2016-04-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the psychometric properties of the modified Thai Spiritual Well-Being Scale in patients with advanced cancer. This cross-sectional study was employed to investigate psychometric properties. Some 196 participants from three tertiary hospitals in Bangkok and suburban Thailand were asked to complete a Personal Information Questionnaire (PIQ), The Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale (MSAS), and the Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWBS). Validity was determined by known-group, concurrent, and constructs validity. Reliability was estimated using internal consistency by Cronbach's α coefficients. Three factors were extracted: so-called existential well-being, religious well-being, and peacefulness accounted for 71.44% of total variance. The Cronbach's α coefficients for total SWB, EWB, RWB, and peacefulness were 0.96, 0.94, and 0.93, respectively. These findings indicate that the Thai SWBS is a valid and reliable instrument, and it presented one more factor than the original version.

Study of BenW (n = 1-12) clusters: An electron collision perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Modak, Paresh; Kaur, Jaspreet; Antony, Bobby

2017-08-01

This article explores electron scattering cross sections by Beryllium-Tungsten clusters (BenW). Beryllium and tungsten are important elements for plasma facing wall components, especially for the deuterium/tritium phase of ITER and in the recently installed JET. The present study focuses on different electron impact interactions in terms of elastic cross section (Qel), inelastic cross section (Qinel), ionization cross section (Qion), and momentum transfer cross section (Qmtcs) for the first twelve clusters belonging to the BenW family. It also predicts the evolution of the cross section with the size of the cluster. These cross sections are used as an input to model processes in plasma. The ionization cross section presented here is compared with the available reported data. This is the first comprehensive report on cross section data for all the above-mentioned scattering channels, to the best of our knowledge. Such broad analysis of cross section data gives vital insight into the study of local chemistry of electron interactions with BenW (n = 1-12) clusters in plasma.

Appraisals of negative events by preadolescent children of divorce.

PubMed

Sheets, V; Sandler, I; West, S G

1996-10-01

This study investigated the appraisals of the significance of negative events made by 256 preadolescent children of divorce. Appraisals were assessed by a 24-item self-report scale. Confirmatory factor analysis of this scale found support for a 3-dimensional model: negative self-appraisal, negative other-appraisal, and material loss. Differentiation between the dimensions of appraisal increased with age in both cross-sectional and over-time data. Evidence for convergent and discriminant validity of the self-report measure of appraisals was found with scores derived from children's open-ended descriptions of their appraisals. Cross-sectional structural equation models found significant paths between negative appraisal and psychological symptoms, over and above the direct effects of the traditional life event measure of stress. Structural equation modeling of longitudinal (5.5 months) data found a significant path from Time 1 appraisal to Time 2 anxiety for the older children.

Lorentz violation, gravitoelectromagnetic field and Bhabha scattering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santos, A. F.; Khanna, Faqir C.

2018-01-01

Lorentz symmetry is a fundamental symmetry in the Standard Model (SM) and in General Relativity (GR). This symmetry holds true for all models at low energies. However, at energies near the Planck scale, it is conjectured that there may be a very small violation of Lorentz symmetry. The Standard Model Extension (SME) is a quantum field theory that includes a systematic description of Lorentz symmetry violations in all sectors of particle physics and gravity. In this paper, SME is considered to study the physical process of Bhabha Scattering in the Gravitoelectromagnetism (GEM) theory. GEM is an important formalism that is valid in a suitable approximation of general relativity. A new nonminimal coupling term that violates Lorentz symmetry is used in this paper. Differential cross-section for gravitational Bhabha scattering is calculated. The Lorentz violation contributions to this GEM scattering cross-section are small and are similar in magnitude to the case of the electromagnetic field.

Prevalence of smoking among bar workers prior to the Republic of Ireland smokefree workplace legislation.

PubMed

Mullally, B J; Greiner, B A; Allwright, S; Paul, G; Perry, I J

2008-12-01

This study establishes baseline prevalence of smoking and cigarette consumption among Cork bar workers prior to the Republic of Ireland's (ROI) smokefree workplace legislation and compares gender- and age-specific smoking rates and estimates the adjusted odds of being a smoker for Cork bar workers relative to the general population. Cross-sectional random sample of bar workers in Cork city and cross-sectional random telephone survey of the general population were conducted prior to the smokefree legislation. Self reported smoking prevalence among Cork bar workers (n = 129) was 54% (58% using cotinine-validated measures), with particularly high rates in women (70%) and 18-28 years old (72%). Within the ROI (n = 1,240) sub-sample rates were substantially lower at 28%. Bar workers were twice as likely to be smokers as the general population sub-sample (OR = 2.15). Cork bar workers constitute an occupational group with an extremely high smoking prevalence.

Theory of the stopping power of fast multicharged ions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yudin, G.L.

1991-12-01

The processes of Coulomb excitation and ionization of atoms by a fast charged particle moving along a classical trajectory are studied. The target electrons are described by the Dirac equation, while the field of the incident particle is described by the Lienard-Wiechert potential. The theory is formulated in the form most convenient for investigation of various characteristics of semiclassical atomic collisions. The theory of sudden perturbations, which is valid at high enough velocities for a high projectile charge, is employed to obtain probabilities and cross sections of the Coulomb excitation and ionization of atomic hydrogen by fast multiply charged ions.more » Based on the semiclassical sudden Born approximation, the ionization cross section and the average electronic energy loss of a fast ion in a single collision with an atom are investigated over a wide specific energy range from 500 keV/amu to 50 MeV/amu.« less

Developing a validation for environmental sustainability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adewale, Bamgbade Jibril; Mohammed, Kamaruddeen Ahmed; Nawi, Mohd Nasrun Mohd; Aziz, Zulkifli

2016-08-01

One of the agendas for addressing environmental protection in construction is to reduce impacts and make the construction activities more sustainable. This important consideration has generated several research interests within the construction industry, especially considering the construction damaging effects on the ecosystem, such as various forms of environmental pollution, resource depletion and biodiversity loss on a global scale. Using Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling technique, this study validates environmental sustainability (ES) construct in the context of large construction firms in Malaysia. A cross-sectional survey was carried out where data was collected from Malaysian large construction firms using a structured questionnaire. Results of this study revealed that business innovativeness and new technology are important in determining environmental sustainability (ES) of the Malaysian construction firms. It also established an adequate level of internal consistency reliability, convergent validity and discriminant validity for each of this study's constructs. And based on this result, it could be suggested that the indicators for organisational innovativeness dimensions (business innovativeness and new technology) are useful to measure these constructs in order to study construction firms' tendency to adopt environmental sustainability (ES) in their project execution.

Validation of In utero Tractography of Human Fetal Commissural and Internal Capsule Fibers with Histological Structure Tensor Analysis

PubMed Central

Mitter, Christian; Jakab, András; Brugger, Peter C.; Ricken, Gerda; Gruber, Gerlinde M.; Bettelheim, Dieter; Scharrer, Anke; Langs, Georg; Hainfellner, Johannes A.; Prayer, Daniela; Kasprian, Gregor

2015-01-01

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and tractography offer the unique possibility to visualize the developing white matter macroanatomy of the human fetal brain in vivo and in utero and are currently under investigation for their potential use in the diagnosis of developmental pathologies of the human central nervous system. However, in order to establish in utero DTI as a clinical imaging tool, an independent comparison between macroscopic imaging and microscopic histology data in the same subject is needed. The present study aimed to cross-validate normal as well as abnormal in utero tractography results of commissural and internal capsule fibers in human fetal brains using postmortem histological structure tensor (ST) analysis. In utero tractography findings from two structurally unremarkable and five abnormal fetal brains were compared to the results of postmortem ST analysis applied to digitalized whole hemisphere sections of the same subjects. An approach to perform ST-based deterministic tractography in histological sections was implemented to overcome limitations in correlating in utero tractography to postmortem histology data. ST analysis and histology-based tractography of fetal brain sections enabled the direct assessment of the anisotropic organization and main fiber orientation of fetal telencephalic layers on a micro- and macroscopic scale, and validated in utero tractography results of corpus callosum and internal capsule fiber tracts. Cross-validation of abnormal in utero tractography results could be achieved in four subjects with agenesis of the corpus callosum (ACC) and in two cases with malformations of internal capsule fibers. In addition, potential limitations of current DTI-based in utero tractography could be demonstrated in several brain regions. Combining the three-dimensional nature of DTI-based in utero tractography with the microscopic resolution provided by histological ST analysis may ultimately facilitate a more complete morphologic characterization of axon guidance disorders at prenatal stages of human brain development. PMID:26732460

Brain activation patterns in women with acquired hypoactive sexual desire disorder and women with normal sexual function: a cross-sectional pilot study.

PubMed

Woodard, Terri L; Nowak, Nicole T; Balon, Richard; Tancer, Manuel; Diamond, Michael P

2013-10-01

To examine and compare brain activation patterns of premenopausal women with normal sexual function and those with hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) during viewing of validated sexually explicit film clips. Cross-sectional pilot study. University-based clinical research center. Premenopausal women. None. Areas of brain activation during viewing of sexually explicit film clips. Women with normal sexual function showed significantly greater activation of the right thalamus, left insula, left precentral gyrus, and left parahippocampal gyrus in comparison with women with HSDD, who exhibited greater activation of the right medial frontal gyrus and left precuneus regions. Women with HSDD may have alterations in activation of limbic and cortical structures responsible for acquiring, encoding, and retrieving memory, the processing and memory of emotional reactions, and areas responsible for heightened attention to one's own physical state. Copyright © 2013 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Brain activation patterns in women with acquired hypoactive sexual desire disorder and women with normal sexual function: a cross-sectional pilot study

PubMed Central

Woodard, Terri L.; Nowak, Nicole T.; Balon, Richard; Tancer, Manuel; Diamond, Michael P.

2013-01-01

Objective To examine and compare brain activation patterns of premenopausal women with normal sexual function and those with hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) during viewing of validated sexually explicit film clips. Design Cross-sectional pilot study. Setting University-based clinical research center. Patient(s) Premenopausal women. Intervention(s) None. Main Outcome Measure(s) Areas of brain activation during viewing of sexually explicit film clips. Result(s) Women with normal sexual function showed significantly greater activation of the right thalamus, left insula, left precentral gyrus, and left parahippocampal gyrus in comparison with women with HSDD, who exhibited greater activation of the right medial frontal gyrus and left precuneus regions. Conclusion(s) Women with HSDD may have alterations in activation of limbic and cortical structures responsible for acquiring, encoding, and retrieving memory, the processing and memory of emotional reactions, and areas responsible for heightened attention to one’s own physical state. PMID:23830149

Experimental and theoretical triple differential cross sections for electron-impact ionization of Ar (3p) for equal energy final state electrons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amami, Sadek; Ozer, Zehra N.; Dogan, Mevlut; Yavuz, Murat; Varol, Onur; Madison, Don

2016-09-01

There have been several studies of electron-impact ionization of inert gases for asymmetric final state energy sharing and normally one electron has an energy significantly higher than the other. However, there have been relatively few studies examining equal energy final state electrons. Here we report experimental and theoretical triple differential cross sections for electron impact ionization of Ar (3p) for equal energy sharing of the outgoing electrons. Previous experimental results combined with some new measurements are compared with distorted wave born approximation (DWBA) results, DWBA results using the Ward-Macek (WM) approximation for the post collision interaction (PCI), and three-body distorted wave (3DW) which includes PCI without approximation. The results show that it is crucially important to include PCI in the calculation particularly for lower energies and that the WM approximation is valid only for high energies. The 3DW, on the other hand, is in reasonably good agreement with data down to fairly low energies.

Nurses' systems thinking competency, medical error reporting, and the occurrence of adverse events: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Hwang, Jee-In; Park, Hyeoun-Ae

2017-12-01

Healthcare professionals' systems thinking is emphasized for patient safety. To report nurses' systems thinking competency, and its relationship with medical error reporting and the occurrence of adverse events. A cross-sectional survey using a previously validated Systems Thinking Scale (STS), was conducted. Nurses from two teaching hospitals were invited to participate in the survey. There were 407 (60.3%) completed surveys. The mean STS score was 54.5 (SD 7.3) out of 80. Nurses with higher STS scores were more likely to report medical errors (odds ratio (OR) = 1.05; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.02-1.08) and were less likely to be involved in the occurrence of adverse events (OR = 0.96; 95% CI = 0.93-0.98). Nurses showed moderate systems thinking competency. Systems thinking was a significant factor associated with patient safety. Impact Statement: The findings of this study highlight the importance of enhancing nurses' systems thinking capacity to promote patient safety.

Translation, adaptation and validation of two versions of the Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire in Malaysian patients for speakers of both English and Malay languages: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Khairullah, Shasha; Mahadeva, Sanjiv

2017-05-25

We aimed to adapt, translate and validate the Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire (CLDQ) in Malaysian patients with chronic liver diseases of various aetiologies. Tertiary level teaching institution in Malaysia. The validation process involved 211 adult patients (English language n=101, Malay language n=110) with chronic liver disease. Characteristics of the study subjects were as follows: mean (SD) age was 56 (12.8) years, 58.3% were male and 41.7% female. The inclusion criteria were patients 18 years or older with chronic hepatitis and/or liver cirrhosis of any aetiology. The exclusion criteria were as follows: presence of hepatic encephalopathy, ongoing treatment with interferon and presence of other chronic conditions that have an impact on health-related quality of life (HRQOL). A cross-sectional study was conducted. Cultural adaptation of the English version of the CLDQ was performed, and a Malay version was developed following standard forward-backward translation by independent native speakers. Psychometric properties of both versions were determined by assessing their internal consistency, test-retest reliability and discriminant and convergent validity. Cronbach's alpha for internal consistency across the various domains of the CLDQ was 0.95 for the English version and 0.92 for the Malay version. Test-retest analysis showed excellent reliability with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.89 for the English version and 0.93 for the Malay version. The average scores of both the English and Malay versions of the CLDQ demonstrated adequate discriminant validity by differentiating between non-cirrhosis (English 6.3, Malay 6.1), compensated cirrhosis (English 5.6, Malay 6.0) and decompensated cirrhosis (English 5.1, Malay 4.9) (p<0.001). Convergent validity showed that correlation was fair between the English (ρ=0.59) and Malay (p=0.47) CLDQ versions with the EQ-5D, a generic HRQOL instrument. The English and Malay versions of the CLDQ are reliable and valid disease-specific instruments for assessing HRQOL in Malaysian patients with chronic liver disease. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Learning Style Scales: a valid and reliable questionnaire.

PubMed

Abdollahimohammad, Abdolghani; Ja'afar, Rogayah

2014-01-01

Learning-style instruments assist students in developing their own learning strategies and outcomes, in eliminating learning barriers, and in acknowledging peer diversity. Only a few psychometrically validated learning-style instruments are available. This study aimed to develop a valid and reliable learning-style instrument for nursing students. A cross-sectional survey study was conducted in two nursing schools in two countries. A purposive sample of 156 undergraduate nursing students participated in the study. Face and content validity was obtained from an expert panel. The LSS construct was established using principal axis factoring (PAF) with oblimin rotation, a scree plot test, and parallel analysis (PA). The reliability of LSS was tested using Cronbach's α, corrected item-total correlation, and test-retest. Factor analysis revealed five components, confirmed by PA and a relatively clear curve on the scree plot. Component strength and interpretability were also confirmed. The factors were labeled as perceptive, solitary, analytic, competitive, and imaginative learning styles. Cronbach's α was >0.70 for all subscales in both study populations. The corrected item-total correlations were >0.30 for the items in each component. The LSS is a valid and reliable inventory for evaluating learning style preferences in nursing students in various multicultural environments.

Psychometric properties of KIDSCREEN health-related quality of life questionnaire in Iranian adolescents.

PubMed

Parizi, Ahmad Shahabeddin; Garmaroudi, Gholamreza; Fazel, Mojtaba; Omidvari, Sepideh; Azin, Seyed Ali; Montazeri, Ali; Jafarpour, Saba

2014-09-01

Health-related quality of life (HRQOL), which is receiving increasing attention, is a multidimensional concept that encompasses different areas including the physiological, psychological, social, and spiritual aspects of life. The KIDSCREEN-52 questionnaire is designed to measure the HRQOL of 8-18-year-old children and adolescents. The aim of this study was to develop a Persian version of KIDSCREEN-52 and analyze the validity and reliability of the translated version. The KIDSCREEN-52 was translated into Persian in keeping with the international cross-cultural translation guidelines. A cross-sectional study was performed in the city of Tehran during 2012-2013. 328 students ranging in age from 8 to 18 years were enrolled in the study. The reliability for each dimension was estimated using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. To examine the validity of the questionnaire, a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient was higher than 0.7 in all ten dimensions except self-perception. Validity of this questionnaire was confirmed by CFA. (Relative chi square (χ (2)/df) = 1.73; root-mean-square error of approximation = 0.047; normed fit index = 0.93; Tucker-Lewis index = 0.97; comparative fit index = 0.97; and relative fit index = 0.92.) The Persian version of KIDSCREEN-52 is reliable and valid and can be used as a self-administered instrument for measuring HRQOL in children and adolescents in Iran.

[Validation of a knowledge-questionnaire about asthma applied to teachers of elementary school of Monterrey, Mexico].

PubMed

González Diaz, Sandra Nora; Cruz, Alfredo Arias; González González, Arya Yannel; Félix Berumen, José Alfredo; Weinmann, Alejandra Macías

2010-01-01

asthma is one of the most common chronic childhood diseases; is increasing in prevalence and an important cause of school absenteeism. Previous studies have failed to evaluate knowledge about asthma among elementary school teachers worldwide because of the lack of validated questionnaires. to validate a questionnaire about asthma knowledge for elementary school teachers in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon. an observational, cross sectional, descriptive study, from February to December 2004, by applying a questionnaire to a group of elementary school teachers in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon. The questionnaire is a translation and adaptation to the questionnaire of 13 questions used to assess the knowledge about asthma among parents, according to the National Asthma Education Program of US. a total of 179 questionnaires were applied, in which 6 of the 13 questions were answered correctly by more than 90% of the teachers. The internal consistency reliability was adequate with a Cronbach a coefficient of 0.75. in order to obtain reliable data using questionnaires, these must undergo a validation process. Our questionnaire got validation because of the reliability shown according to the internal consistency analysis.

Empirical Performance of Cross-Validation With Oracle Methods in a Genomics Context

PubMed Central

Martinez, Josue G.; Carroll, Raymond J.; Müller, Samuel; Sampson, Joshua N.; Chatterjee, Nilanjan

2012-01-01

When employing model selection methods with oracle properties such as the smoothly clipped absolute deviation (SCAD) and the Adaptive Lasso, it is typical to estimate the smoothing parameter by m-fold cross-validation, for example, m = 10. In problems where the true regression function is sparse and the signals large, such cross-validation typically works well. However, in regression modeling of genomic studies involving Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNP), the true regression functions, while thought to be sparse, do not have large signals. We demonstrate empirically that in such problems, the number of selected variables using SCAD and the Adaptive Lasso, with 10-fold cross-validation, is a random variable that has considerable and surprising variation. Similar remarks apply to non-oracle methods such as the Lasso. Our study strongly questions the suitability of performing only a single run of m-fold cross-validation with any oracle method, and not just the SCAD and Adaptive Lasso. PMID:22347720

The psychometric properties of cellular phone dependency questionnaire in students of Isfahan: A pilot study.

PubMed

Alavi, Seyyed Salman; Maracy, Mohammad Reza; Jannatifard, Fereshte; Ojaghi, Rezvan; Rezapour, Hossein

2014-01-01

A number of diagnostic scales or questionnaires have been developed in recent years, to assess mobile phone dependency. A valid and reliable assessment instrument for correspondence of Iranian culture is essential. The aim of our study is to validate the Iranian version of the Cell Phone Dependency Questionnaire (CPDQ). In this cross-sectional study, data were collected from 784 students, who were studying in four main Isfahan Universities. The participants completed the demographic questionnaire, CPDQ, anonymously. To analyze the data we used concurrent validity, factor analysis, internal consistency, split-half, and test-retest. We extracted three factors including Salience, Overusing of the cell phone, compulsive use of SMS. Cronbach's alpha of the CPDQ was. 88 (Cronbach's alpha of the factors were 0.85, 0.70, and 0.76, respectively). The CPDQ proved to be a reliable questionnaire to assess the extent of problems caused by the 'misuse' of the cell phone in Iranian society.

Development of Internet-Based Tasks for the Executive Function Performance Test.

PubMed

Rand, Debbie; Lee Ben-Haim, Keren; Malka, Rachel; Portnoy, Sigal

The Executive Function Performance Test (EFPT) is a reliable and valid performance-based tool to assess executive functions (EFs). This study's objective was to develop and verify two Internet-based tasks for the EFPT. A cross-sectional study assessed the alternate-form reliability of the Internet-based bill-paying and telephone-use tasks in healthy adults and people with subacute stroke (Study 1). It also sought to establish the tasks' criterion reliability for assessing EF deficits by correlating performance with that on the Trail Making Test in five groups: healthy young adults, healthy older adults, people with subacute stroke, people with chronic stroke, and young adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (Study 2). The alternative-form reliability and initial construct validity for the Internet-based bill-paying task were verified. Criterion validity was established for both tasks. The Internet-based tasks are comparable to the original EFPT tasks and can be used for assessment of EF deficits. Copyright © 2018 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

Design of a Competency Evaluation Model for Clinical Nursing Practicum, Based on Standardized Language Systems: Psychometric Validation Study.

PubMed

Iglesias-Parra, Maria Rosa; García-Guerrero, Alfonso; García-Mayor, Silvia; Kaknani-Uttumchandani, Shakira; León-Campos, Álvaro; Morales-Asencio, José Miguel

2015-07-01

To develop an evaluation system of clinical competencies for the practicum of nursing students based on the Nursing Interventions Classification (NIC). Psychometric validation study: the first two phases addressed definition and content validation, and the third phase consisted of a cross-sectional study for analyzing reliability. The study population was undergraduate nursing students and clinical tutors. Through the Delphi technique, 26 competencies and 91 interventions were isolated. Cronbach's α was 0.96. Factor analysis yielded 18 factors that explained 68.82% of the variance. Overall inter-item correlation was 0.26, and total-item correlation ranged between 0.66 and 0.19. A competency system for the nursing practicum, structured on the NIC, is a reliable method for assessing and evaluating clinical competencies. Further evaluations in other contexts are needed. The availability of standardized language systems in the nursing discipline supposes an ideal framework to develop the nursing curricula. © 2015 Sigma Theta Tau International.

An Approach for Validating Actinide and Fission Product Burnup Credit Criticality Safety Analyses: Criticality (k eff) Predictions

DOE PAGES

Scaglione, John M.; Mueller, Don E.; Wagner, John C.

2014-12-01

One of the most important remaining challenges associated with expanded implementation of burnup credit in the United States is the validation of depletion and criticality calculations used in the safety evaluation—in particular, the availability and use of applicable measured data to support validation, especially for fission products (FPs). Applicants and regulatory reviewers have been constrained by both a scarcity of data and a lack of clear technical basis or approach for use of the data. In this study, this paper describes a validation approach for commercial spent nuclear fuel (SNF) criticality safety (k eff) evaluations based on best-available data andmore » methods and applies the approach for representative SNF storage and transport configurations/conditions to demonstrate its usage and applicability, as well as to provide reference bias results. The criticality validation approach utilizes not only available laboratory critical experiment (LCE) data from the International Handbook of Evaluated Criticality Safety Benchmark Experiments and the French Haut Taux de Combustion program to support validation of the principal actinides but also calculated sensitivities, nuclear data uncertainties, and limited available FP LCE data to predict and verify individual biases for relevant minor actinides and FPs. The results demonstrate that (a) sufficient critical experiment data exist to adequately validate k eff calculations via conventional validation approaches for the primary actinides, (b) sensitivity-based critical experiment selection is more appropriate for generating accurate application model bias and uncertainty, and (c) calculated sensitivities and nuclear data uncertainties can be used for generating conservative estimates of bias for minor actinides and FPs. Results based on the SCALE 6.1 and the ENDF/B-VII.0 cross-section libraries indicate that a conservative estimate of the bias for the minor actinides and FPs is 1.5% of their worth within the application model. Finally, this paper provides a detailed description of the approach and its technical bases, describes the application of the approach for representative pressurized water reactor and boiling water reactor safety analysis models, and provides reference bias results based on the prerelease SCALE 6.1 code package and ENDF/B-VII nuclear cross-section data.« less

Psychometric validation of a condom self-efficacy scale in Korean.

PubMed

Cha, EunSeok; Kim, Kevin H; Burke, Lora E

2008-01-01

When an instrument is translated for use in cross-cultural research, it needs to account for cultural factors without distorting the psychometric properties of the instrument. To validate the psychometric properties of the condom self-efficacy scale (CSE) originally developed for American adolescents and young adults after translating the scale to Korean (CSE-K) to determine its suitability for cross-cultural research among Korean college students. A cross-sectional, correlational design was used with an exploratory survey methodology through self-report questionnaires. A convenience sample of 351 students, aged 18 to 25 years, were recruited at a university in Seoul, Korea. The participants completed the CSE-K and the intention of condom use scales after they were translated from English to Korean using a combined translation technique. A demographic and sex history questionnaire, which included an item to assess actual condom usage, was also administered. Mean, variance, reliability, criterion validity, and factorial validity using confirmatory factor analysis were assessed in the CSE-K. Norms for the CSE-K were similar, but not identical, to norms for the English version. The means of all three subscales were lower for the CSE-K than for the original CSE; however, the obtained variance in CSE-K was roughly similar with the original CSE. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the total scale was higher for the CSE-K (.91) than that for either the CSE (.85) or CSE in Thai (.85). Criterion validity and construct validity of the CSE-K were confirmed. The CSE-K was a reliable and valid scale in measuring condom self-efficacy among Korean college students. The findings suggest that the CSE was an appropriate instrument to conduct cross-cultural research on sexual behavior in adolescents and young adults.

Lymphoedema Functioning, Disability and Health Questionnaire for Lower Limb Lymphoedema (Lymph-ICF-LL): reliability and validity.

PubMed

Devoogdt, Nele; De Groef, An; Hendrickx, Ad; Damstra, Robert; Christiaansen, Anke; Geraerts, Inge; Vervloesem, Nele; Vergote, Ignace; Van Kampen, Marijke

2014-05-01

Patients may develop primary (congenital) or secondary (acquired) lymphedema, causing significant physical and psychosocial problems. To plan treatment for lymphedema and monitor a patient's progress, swelling, and problems in functioning associated with lymphedema development should be assessed at baseline and follow-up. The purpose of this study was to investigate the reliability (test-retest, internal consistency, and measurement variability) and validity (content and construct) of data obtained with the Lymphoedema Functioning, Disability and Health Questionnaire for Lower Limb Lymphoedema (Lymph-ICF-LL). This was a multicenter, cross-sectional study. The Lymph-ICF-LL is a descriptive, evaluative tool containing 28 questions about impairments in function, activity limitations, and participation restrictions in patients with lower limb lymphedema. The questionnaire has 5 domains: physical function, mental function, general tasks/household activities, mobility activities, and life domains/social life. The reliability and validity of the Lymph-ICF-LL were examined in 30 participants with objective lower limb lymphedema. Intraclass correlation coefficients for test-retest reliability ranged from .69 to .94, and Cronbach alpha coefficients for internal consistency ranged from .82 to .97. Measurement variability was acceptable (standard error of measurement=5.9-12.6). Content validity was good because all questions were understandable for 93% of participants, the scoring system (visual analog scale) was clear, and the questionnaire was comprehensive for 90% of participants. Construct validity was good. All hypotheses for assessing convergent validity and divergent validity were accepted. The known-groups validity and responsiveness of the Dutch Lymph-ICF-LL and the cross-cultural validity of the English version of the Lymph-ICF-LL were not investigated. The Lymph-ICF-LL is a Dutch questionnaire with evidence of reliability and validity for assessing impairments in function, activity limitations, and participation restrictions in people with primary or secondary lower limb lymphedema.

A spectral-Tchebychev solution for three-dimensional dynamics of curved beams under mixed boundary conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bediz, Bekir; Aksoy, Serdar

2018-01-01

This paper presents the application of the spectral-Tchebychev (ST) technique for solution of three-dimensional dynamics of curved beams/structures having variable and arbitrary cross-section under mixed boundary conditions. To accurately capture the vibrational behavior of curved structures, a three-dimensional (3D) solution approach is required since these structures generally exhibit coupled motions. In this study, the integral boundary value problem (IBVP) governing the dynamics of the curved structures is found using extended Hamilton's principle where the strain energy is expressed using 3D linear elasticity equation. To solve the IBVP numerically, the 3D spectral Tchebychev (3D-ST) approach is used. To evaluate the integral and derivative operations defined by the IBVP and to render the complex geometry into an equivalent straight beam with rectangular cross-section, a series of coordinate transformations are applied. To validate and assess the performance of the presented solution approach, two case studies are performed: (i) curved beam with rectangular cross-section, (ii) curved and pretwisted beam with airfoil cross-section. In both cases, the results (natural frequencies and mode shapes) are also found using a finite element (FE) solution approach. It is shown that the difference in predicted natural frequencies are less than 1%, and the mode shapes are in excellent agreement based on the modal assurance criteria (MAC) analyses; however, the presented spectral-Tchebychev solution approach significantly reduces the computational burden. Therefore, it can be concluded that the presented solution approach can capture the 3D vibrational behavior of curved beams as accurately as an FE solution, but for a fraction of the computational cost.

Elder Abuse and Chronic Pain: Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Results from the Preventing Elder Abuse and Neglect Initiative.

PubMed

Yunus, Raudah M; Hairi, Noran N; Choo, Wan Y; Tan, Maw P; Hairi, Farizah; Sooryanarayana, Rajini; Ismail, Norliana; Kandiben, Shatanapriya; Peramalah, Devi; Ali, Zainudin M; Ahmad, Sharifah N; Razak, Inayah A; Othman, Sajaratulnisah; Mydin, Fadzilah Hm; Chinna, Karuthan; Bulgiba, Awang

2018-03-30

To examine the cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships between elder abuse and neglect (EAN) and chronic pain in rural older Malaysians. Two-year prospective cohort study. Kuala Pilah, a district in Negeri Sembilan approximately 100 km from the capital city, Kuala Lumpur. Community-dwelling older adults aged 60 and older. Using a multistage cluster sampling strategy, 1,927 respondents were recruited and assessed at baseline, of whom 1,189 were re-assessed 2 years later. EAN was determined using the modified Conflict Tactic Scale, and chronic pain was assessed through self-report using validated questions. The prevalence of chronic pain was 20.4%. Cross-sectional results revealed 8 variables significantly associated with chronic pain-age, education, income, comorbidities, self-rated health, depression, gait speed, and EAN. Abused elderly adults were 1.52 times as likely to have chronic pain (odds ratio=1.52, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.03-2.27), although longitudinal analyses showed no relationship between EAN and risk of chronic pain (risk ratio=1.14, 95% CI=0.81-1.60). This lack of causal link was consistent when comparing analysis with complete cases with that of imputed data. Our findings indicate no temporal relationship between EAN and chronic pain but indicated cross-sectional associations between the two. This might indicate that, although EAN does not lead to chronic pain, individuals with greater physical limitations are more vulnerable to abuse. Our study also shows the importance of cohort design in determining causal relationships between EAN and potentially linked health outcomes. © 2018, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2018, The American Geriatrics Society.

A Study of the Effects of Material Type and Configuration on Optical Cross Section

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-09-01

a whole. In order to understand these optical signatures, a means to accurately measure, model , and simulate the space objects is necessary. The space...subject to a penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information if it does not display a currently valid OMB control number. 1. REPORT...THIS PAGE unclassified Standard Form 298 (Rev. 8-98) Prescribed by ANSI Std Z39-18 as Bidrectional Reflectivity Distribution Function ( BRDF ) can

Increased anatomic severity predicts outcomes: validation of the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma's emergency general surgery score in appendicitis

PubMed Central

Hernandez, Matthew; Aho, Johnathan M.; Habermann, Elizabeth B.; Choudhry, Asad; Morris, David; Zielinski, Martin

2016-01-01

Background Determination and reporting of disease severity in emergency general surgery (EGS) lacks standardization. Recently, the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) proposed an anatomic severity grading system. We aimed to validate this system in patients with appendicitis, and determine if cross sectional imaging correlates with disease severity at operation. Methods Patients 18 years or older undergoing treatment for acute appendicitis between 2013 and 2015 were identified. Baseline demographics, procedure types were recorded, and AAST grades were assigned based on intraoperative and radiologic findings. Outcomes including length of stay, 30 day mortality, and complications based on Clavien-Dindo categories and National Surgical Quality Improvement Program variables. Summary statistical univariate, nominal logistic and standard least squares analyses were performed comparing AAST grade with key outcomes. Bland-Altman analysis compared operative findings to preoperative cross sectional imaging to compare assigning grades. Results 334 patients with mean (±SD) age of 39.3 years (±16.5) were included (53% male) and all patients had cross sectional imaging. 299 underwent appendectomy, and 85% completed laparoscopic. 30 day mortality rate was 0.9%, complication rate 21%. Increased median [IQR] AAST grade was recorded in patients with complications 2 [1-4] compared to those without 1 [1-1], p=0.001. For operative management, a median [IQR] AAST grades were significantly associated with procedure type: laparoscopic 1 [1-1], open 4 [2-5] conversion to open 3 [1-4], p=0.001. Increased median [IQR] AAST grades were significantly associated in non-operative management: patients having a complication had a higher median AAST grade of 4 [3-5], compared to those without 3 [2-3], p=0.001. Bland Altman analysis comparing AAST grade and cross sectional imaging demonstrated no difference; −0.02 ±0.02 p = 0.2 coefficient of repeatability 0.9. Conclusions The AAST grading system is valid in our population. Increased AAST grade is associated with open procedures, complications, and length of stay. AAST EGS grade determined by preoperative imaging strongly correlated to operative findings. PMID:27805996

Imaging the Material Properties of Bone Specimens using Reflection-Based Infrared Microspectroscopy

PubMed Central

Acerbo, Alvin S.; Carr, G. Lawrence; Judex, Stefan; Miller, Lisa M.

2012-01-01

Fourier Transform InfraRed Microspectroscopy (FTIRM) is a widely used method for mapping the material properties of bone and other mineralized tissues, including mineralization, crystallinity, carbonate substitution, and collagen cross-linking. This technique is traditionally performed in a transmission-based geometry, which requires the preparation of plastic-embedded thin sections, limiting its functionality. Here, we theoretically and empirically demonstrate the development of reflection-based FTIRM as an alternative to the widely adopted transmission-based FTIRM, which reduces specimen preparation time and broadens the range of specimens that can be imaged. In this study, mature mouse femurs were plastic-embedded and longitudinal sections were cut at a thickness of 4 μm for transmission-based FTIRM measurements. The remaining bone blocks were polished for specular reflectance-based FTIRM measurements on regions immediately adjacent to the transmission sections. Kramers-Kronig analysis of the reflectance data yielded the dielectric response from which the absorption coefficients were directly determined. The reflectance-derived absorbance was validated empirically using the transmission spectra from the thin sections. The spectral assignments for mineralization, carbonate substitution, and collagen cross-linking were indistinguishable in transmission and reflection geometries, while the stoichiometric/non-stoichiometric apatite crystallinity parameter shifted from 1032 / 1021 cm−1 in transmission-based to 1035 / 1025 cm−1 in reflection-based data. This theoretical demonstration and empirical validation of reflection-based FTIRM eliminates the need for thin sections of bone and more readily facilitates direct correlations with other methods such nanoindentation and quantitative backscatter electron imaging (qBSE) from the same specimen. It provides a unique framework for correlating bone’s material and mechanical properties. PMID:22455306

An ultrasonic methodology for muscle cross section measurement of support space flight

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hatfield, Thomas R.; Klaus, David M.; Simske, Steven J.

2004-09-01

The number one priority for any manned space mission is the health and safety of its crew. The study of the short and long term physiological effects on humans is paramount to ensuring crew health and mission success. One of the challenges associated in studying the physiological effects of space flight on humans, such as loss of bone and muscle mass, has been that of readily attaining the data needed to characterize the changes. The small sampling size of astronauts, together with the fact that most physiological data collection tends to be rather tedious, continues to hinder elucidation of the underlying mechanisms responsible for the observed changes that occur in space. Better characterization of the muscle loss experienced by astronauts requires that new technologies be implemented. To this end, we have begun to validate a 360° ultrasonic scanning methodology for muscle measurements and have performed empirical sampling of a limb surrogate for comparison. Ultrasonic wave propagation was simulated using 144 stations of rotated arm and calf MRI images. These simulations were intended to provide a preliminary check of the scanning methodology and data analysis before its implementation with hardware. Pulse-echo waveforms were processed for each rotation station to characterize fat, muscle, bone, and limb boundary interfaces. The percentage error between MRI reference values and calculated muscle areas, as determined from reflection points for calf and arm cross sections, was -2.179% and +2.129%, respectively. These successful simulations suggest that ultrasound pulse scanning can be used to effectively determine limb cross-sectional areas. Cross-sectional images of a limb surrogate were then used to simulate signal measurements at several rotation angles, with ultrasonic pulse-echo sampling performed experimentally at the same stations on the actual limb surrogate to corroborate the results. The objective of the surrogate sampling was to compare the signal output of the simulation tool used as a methodology validation for actual tissue signals. The disturbance patterns of the simulated and sampled waveforms were consistent. Although only discussed as a small part of the work presented, the sampling portion also helped identify important considerations such as tissue compression and transducer positioning for future work involving tissue scanning with this methodology.

Cross-section Trichometry: A Clinical Tool for Assessing the Progression and Treatment Response of Alopecia

PubMed Central

Wikramanayake, Tongyu Cao; Mauro, Lucia M; Tabas, Irene A; Chen, Anne L; Llanes, Isabel C; Jimenez, Joaquin J

2012-01-01

Background: To properly assess the progression and treatment response of alopecia, one must measure the changes in hair mass, which is influenced by both the density and diameter of hair. Unfortunately, a convenient device for hair mass evaluation had not been available to dermatologists until the recent introduction of the cross-section trichometer, which directly measures the cross-sectional area of an isolated bundle of hair. Objective: We sought to evaluate the accuracy and sensitivity of the HairCheck® device, a commercial product derived from the original cross-section trichometer. Materials and Methods: Bundles of surgical silk and human hair were used to evaluate the ability of the HairCheck® device to detect and measure small changes in the number and diameter of strands, and bundle weight. Results: Strong correlations were observed between the bundle's cross-sectional area, displayed as the numeric Hair Mass Index (HMI), the number of strands, the silk/hair diameter, and the bundle dry weight. Conclusion: HMI strongly correlated with the number and diameter of silk/hair, and the weight of the bundle, suggesting that it can serve as a valid indicator of hair mass. We have given the name cross-section trichometry (CST) to the methodology of obtaining the HMI using the HairCheck® system. CST is a simple modality for the quantification of hair mass, and may be used as a convenient and useful tool to clinically assess changes in hair mass caused by thinning, shedding, breakage, or growth in males and females with progressive alopecia or those receiving alopecia treatment. PMID:23766610

Correlation between optical return loss and transmission fringe noise in high-index contrast waveguides

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xiong, Chi; Martin, Yves; Khater, Marwan

2017-05-15

We present a phenomenological model correlating optical return loss and amplitude of fringes in transmission spectrum due to distributed backscattering in high-index-contrast waveguides. The model is validated experimentally using four different waveguide cross sections.

Positron annihilation processes update

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Guessoum, Nidhal; Skibo, Jeffrey G.; Ramaty, Reuven

1997-01-01

The present knowledge concerning the positron annihilation processes is reviewed, with emphasis on the data of the cross sections of the various processes of interest in astrophysical applications. Recent results are presented including results on reaction rates and line widths, the validity of which is verified.

Prediction of energy expenditure and physical activity in preschoolers

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Accurate, nonintrusive, and feasible methods are needed to predict energy expenditure (EE) and physical activity (PA) levels in preschoolers. Herein, we validated cross-sectional time series (CSTS) and multivariate adaptive regression splines (MARS) models based on accelerometry and heart rate (HR) ...

Essential elements of the nursing practice environment in nursing homes: Psychometric evaluation.

PubMed

de Brouwer, Brigitte Johanna Maria; Kaljouw, Marian J; Schoonhoven, Lisette; van Achterberg, Theo

2017-06-01

To develop and psychometrically test the Essentials of Magnetism II in nursing homes. Increasing numbers and complex needs of older people in nursing homes strain the nursing workforce. Fewer adequately trained staff and increased care complexity raise concerns about declining quality. Nurses' practice environment has been reported to affect quality of care and productivity. The Essentials of Magnetism II © measures processes and relationships of practice environments that contribute to productivity and quality of care and can therefore be useful in identifying processes requiring change to pursue excellent practice environments. However, this instrument was not explicitly evaluated for its use in nursing home settings so far. In a preparatory phase, a cross-sectional survey study focused on face validity of the essentials of magnetism in nursing homes. A second cross-sectional survey design was then used to further test the instrument's validity and reliability. Psychometric testing included evaluation of content and construct validity, and reliability. Nurses (N = 456) working at 44 units of three nursing homes were included. Respondent acceptance, relevance and clarity were adequate. Five of the eight subscales and 54 of the 58 items did meet preset psychometric criteria. All essentials of magnetism are considered relevant for nursing homes. The subscales Adequacy of Staffing, Clinically Competent Peers, Patient Centered Culture, Autonomy and Nurse Manager Support can be used in nursing homes without problems. The other subscales cannot be directly applied to this setting. The valid subscales of the Essentials of Magnetism II instrument can be used to design excellent nursing practice environments that support nurses' delivery of care. Before using the entire instrument, however, the other subscales have to be improved. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Potential reliability and validity of a modified version of the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale that could be administered remotely

PubMed Central

Abdolahi, Amir; Scoglio, Nicholas; Killoran, Annie; Dorsey, Ray; Biglan, Kevin M.

2013-01-01

Background By permitting remote assessments of patients and research participants, telemedicine has the potential to reshape clinical care and clinical trials for Parkinson disease. While the majority of the motor Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) items can be conducted visually, rigidity and retropulsion pull testing require hands-on assessment by the rater and are less feasible to perform remotely in patients' homes. Methods In a secondary data analysis of the Comparison of the Agonist pramipexole vs. Levodopa on Motor complications in Parkinson’s Disease (CALM-PD) study, a randomized clinical trial, we assessed the cross-sectional (baseline and 2 years) and longitudinal (change from baseline to 2 years) reliability of a modified motor UPDRS (removing rigidity and retropulsion items) compared to the standard motor UPDRS (all items) using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), stratified by treatment group. Internal consistency of the modified UPDRS (mUPDRS) was measured using Cronbach’s alpha, and concurrent validity was assessed using Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r) between the standard motor UPDRS and mUPDRS. Results The mUPDRS versus standard motor UPDRS is cross-sectionally (ICC ≥ 0.92) and longitudinally (ICC ≥ 0.92) reliable for both treatment groups. High internal consistencies were also observed (α ≥ 0.96). The mUPDRS had high concurrent validity with the standard UPDRS at both time points and longitudinally (r ≥ 0.93, p < 0.0001). Conclusions A modified version of the motor UPDRS without rigidity and retropulsion pull testing is reliable and valid and may lay the foundation for its use in remote assessments of patients and research participants. PMID:23102808

Potential reliability and validity of a modified version of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale that could be administered remotely.

PubMed

Abdolahi, Amir; Scoglio, Nicholas; Killoran, Annie; Dorsey, E Ray; Biglan, Kevin M

2013-02-01

By permitting remote assessments of patients and research participants, telemedicine has the potential to reshape clinical care and clinical trials for Parkinson disease. While the majority of the motor Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) items can be conducted visually, rigidity and retropulsion pull testing require hands-on assessment by the rater and are less feasible to perform remotely in patients' homes. In a secondary data analysis of the Comparison of the Agonist pramipexole vs. Levodopa on Motor complications in Parkinson's Disease (CALM-PD) study, a randomized clinical trial, we assessed the cross-sectional (baseline and 2 years) and longitudinal (change from baseline to 2 years) reliability of a modified motor UPDRS (removing rigidity and retropulsion items) compared to the standard motor UPDRS (all items) using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), stratified by treatment group. Internal consistency of the modified UPDRS (mUPDRS) was measured using Cronbach's alpha, and concurrent validity was assessed using Pearson's correlation coefficient (r) between the standard motor UPDRS and mUPDRS. The mUPDRS versus standard motor UPDRS is cross-sectionally (ICC ≥ 0.92) and longitudinally (ICC ≥ 0.92) reliable for both treatment groups. High internal consistencies were also observed (α ≥ 0.96). The mUPDRS had high concurrent validity with the standard UPDRS at both time points and longitudinally (r ≥ 0.93, p < 0.0001). A modified version of the motor UPDRS without rigidity and retropulsion pull testing is reliable and valid and may lay the foundation for its use in remote assessments of patients and research participants. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Using wound care algorithms: a content validation study.

PubMed

Beitz, J M; van Rijswijk, L

1999-09-01

Valid and reliable heuristic devices facilitating optimal wound care are lacking. The objectives of this study were to establish content validation data for a set of wound care algorithms, to identify their associated strengths and weaknesses, and to gain insight into the wound care decision-making process. Forty-four registered nurse wound care experts were surveyed and interviewed at national and regional educational meetings. Using a cross-sectional study design and an 83-item, 4-point Likert-type scale, this purposive sample was asked to quantify the degree of validity of the algorithms' decisions and components. Participants' comments were tape-recorded, transcribed, and themes were derived. On a scale of 1 to 4, the mean score of the entire instrument was 3.47 (SD +/- 0.87), the instrument's Content Validity Index was 0.86, and the individual Content Validity Index of 34 of 44 participants was > 0.8. Item scores were lower for those related to packing deep wounds (P < .001). No other significant differences were observed. Qualitative data analysis revealed themes of difficulty associated with wound assessment and care issues, that is, the absence of valid and reliable definitions. The wound care algorithms studied proved valid. However, the lack of valid and reliable wound assessment and care definitions hinders optimal use of these instruments. Further research documenting their clinical use is warranted. Research-based practice recommendations should direct the development of future valid and reliable algorithms designed to help nurses provide optimal wound care.

Predictive and construct validity of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development and the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence with the Taiwan Birth Cohort Study instrument.

PubMed

Lung, For-Wey; Chen, Po-Fei; Shu, Bih-Ching

2012-08-01

This study aimed to investigate the concurrent validity of the parent-report Taiwan Birth Cohort Study Developmental Instrument (TBCS-DI) with the Bayley Scales of Infant Development-Second Edition (BSID-II) and the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence-Revised (WPPSI-R) at 6, 18, 36, and 60 months. 100 children were recruited at 6 months, 88 children followed-up at 18 months, 71 at 36 months, and 53 at 60 months. Longitudinally, the parent-report TBCS-DI, with the professional psychological assessments of the BSID-II and the WPPSI-R showed predictive validity. Looking at each time point in cross section, at 6 and 18 months the TBCS-DI had good concurrent validity with the BSID-II, and at 36 and 60 months the TBCS-DI was correlated only with the motor and performance domains of the BSID-II and WPPSI-R. With further investigation, the TBCS-DI may be used both in research and in clinical settings.

Do recent observations of very large electromagnetic dissociation cross sections signify a transition towards non-perturbative QED?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Norbury, John W.

1992-01-01

The very large electromagnetic dissociation (EMD) cross section recently observed by Hill, Wohn, Schwellenbach, and Smith do not agree with Weizsacker-Williams (WW) theory or any simple modification thereof. Calculations are presented for the reaction probabilities for this experiment and the entire single and double nucleon removal EMD data set. It is found that for those few reactions where theory and experiment disagree, the probabilities are exceptionally large. This indicates that WW theory is not valid for these reactions and that one must consider higher order corrections and perhaps even a non-perturbative approach to quantum electrodynamics (QED).

Radar cross-section reduction based on an iterative fast Fourier transform optimized metasurface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Yi-Chuan; Ding, Jun; Guo, Chen-Jiang; Ren, Yu-Hui; Zhang, Jia-Kai

2016-07-01

A novel polarization insensitive metasurface with over 25 dB monostatic radar cross-section (RCS) reduction is introduced. The proposed metasurface is comprised of carefully arranged unit cells with spatially varied dimension, which enables approximate uniform diffusion of incoming electromagnetic (EM) energy and reduces the threat from bistatic radar system. An iterative fast Fourier transform (FFT) method for conventional antenna array pattern synthesis is innovatively applied to find the best unit cell geometry parameter arrangement. Finally, a metasurface sample is fabricated and tested to validate RCS reduction behavior predicted by full wave simulation software Ansys HFSSTM and marvelous agreement is observed.

The Role of Electroweak Corrections for the Dark Matter Relic Abundance

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ciafaloni, Paolo; Comelli, Denis; Simone, Andrea De

2013-10-01

We analyze the validity of the theorems concerning the cancellation of the infrared and collinar divergences in the case of dark matter freeze-out in the early universe. In particular, we compute the electroweak logarithmic corrections of infrared origin to the annihilation cross section of a dark matter particle being the neutral component of a SU(2){sub L} multiplet. The inclusion of processes with final state W can modify significantly the cross sections computed with only virtual W exchange. Our results show that the inclusion of infrared logs is necessary for a precise computation of the dark matter relic abundance.

Triple Photoionization of Neon and Argon Near Threshold

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bluett, Jaques B.; Lukić, Dragan; Sellin, Ivan A.; Whitfield, Scott B.; Wehlitz, Ralf

2003-05-01

The threshold behavior of the triple ionization cross-section of neon and argon was investigated using monochromatized synchrotron radiation and ion time-of-flight spectrometry. The Ne^3+ and Ar^3+ cross-sections are found to follow the Wannier power law(G.H. Wannier, Phys. Rev. 90), 817 (1953). consistent with a Wannier exponent of 2.162 predicted by theory. This is also consistent with the findings of Samson and Angel(J.A.R. Samson and G.C. Angel, Phys. Lett. 61), 1584 (1988). for the case of Ne. In the case of argon we find a much shorter range of validity than for neon.

Detecting Initiation or Risk for Initiation of Substance Use before High School during Pediatric Well-Child Check-Ups

PubMed Central

Ridenour, Ty A.; Willis, David; Bogen, Debra L.; Novak, Scott; Scherer, Jennifer; Reynolds, Maureen D.; Zhai, Zu Wei; Tarter, Ralph E.

2015-01-01

Background Youth substance use (SU) is prevalent and costly, affecting mental and physical health. American Academy of Pediatrics and Affordable Care Act call for SU screening and prevention. The Youth Risk Index© (YRI) was tested as a screening tool for having initiated and propensity to initiate SU before high school (which forecasts SU disorder). YRI was hypothesized to have good to excellent psychometrics, feasibility and stakeholder acceptability for use during well-child check-ups. Design A high-risk longitudinal design with two cross-sectional replication samples, ages 9–13 was used. Analyses included receiver operating characteristics and regression analyses. Participants A one-year longitudinal sample (N=640) was used for YRI derivation. Replication samples were a cross-sectional sample (N=345) and well-child check-up patients (N=105) for testing feasibility, validity and acceptability as a screening tool. Results YRI has excellent test-retest reliability and good sensitivity and specificity for concurrent and one-year-later SU (odds ratio=7.44 CI=4.3–13.0) and conduct problems (odds ratios=7.33 CI=3.9–13.7). Results were replicated in both cross-sectional samples. Well-child patients, parents and pediatric staff rated YRI screening as important, acceptable, and a needed service. Conclusions Identifying at-risk youth prior to age 13 could reap years of opportunity to intervene before onset of SU disorder. Most results pertained to YRI’s association with concurrent or recent past risky behaviors; further replication ought to specify its predictive validity, especially adolescent-onset risky behaviors. YRI well identifies youth at risk for SU and conduct problems prior to high school, is feasible and valid for screening during well-child check-ups, and is acceptable to stakeholders. PMID:25765481

[Evaluation of Suicide Risk Levels in Hospitals: Validity and Reliability Tests].

PubMed

Macagnino, Sandro; Steinert, Tilman; Uhlmann, Carmen

2018-05-01

Examination of in-hospital suicide risk levels concerning their validity and their reliability. The internal suicide risk levels were evaluated in a cross sectional study of in 163 inpatients. A reliability check was performed via determining interrater-reliability of senior physician, therapist and the responsible nurse. Within the scope of the validity check, we conducted analyses of criterion validity and construct validity. For the total sample an "acceptable" to "good" interrater-reliability (Kendalls W = .77) of suicide risk levels were obtained. Schizophrenic disorders showed the lowest values, for personality disorders we found the highest level of interrater-reliability. When examining the criterion validity, Item-9 of the BDI-II is substantial correlated to our suicide risk levels (ρ m  = .54, p < .01). Within the scope of construct validity check, affective disorders showed the highest correlation (ρ = .77), compatible also with "convergent validity". They differed with schizophrenic disorders which showed the least concordance (ρ = .43). In-hospital suicide risk levels may represent an important contribution to the assessment of suicidal behavior of inpatients experiencing psychiatric treatment due to their overall good validity and reliability. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Validation of the Malay version of the Inventory of Functional Status after Childbirth questionnaire.

PubMed

Noor, Norhayati Mohd; Aziz, Aniza Abd; Mostapa, Mohd Rosmizaki; Awang, Zainudin

2015-01-01

This study was designed to examine the psychometric properties of Malay version of the Inventory of Functional Status after Childbirth (IFSAC). A cross-sectional study. A total of 108 postpartum mothers attending Obstetrics and Gynaecology Clinic, in a tertiary teaching hospital in Malaysia, were involved. Construct validity and internal consistency were performed after the translation, content validity, and face validity process. The data were analyzed using Analysis of Moment Structure version 18 and Statistical Packages for the Social Sciences version 20. The final model consists of four constructs, namely, infant care, personal care, household activities, and social and community activities, with 18 items demonstrating acceptable factor loadings, domain to domain correlation, and best fit (Chi-squared/degree of freedom = 1.678; Tucker-Lewis index = 0.923; comparative fit index = 0.936; and root mean square error of approximation = 0.080). Composite reliability and average variance extracted of the domains ranged from 0.659 to 0.921 and from 0.499 to 0.628, respectively. The study suggested that the four-factor model with 18 items of the Malay version of IFSAC was acceptable to be used to measure functional status after childbirth because it is valid, reliable, and simple.

Assessing clinical reasoning (ASCLIRE): Instrument development and validation.

PubMed

Kunina-Habenicht, Olga; Hautz, Wolf E; Knigge, Michel; Spies, Claudia; Ahlers, Olaf

2015-12-01

Clinical reasoning is an essential competency in medical education. This study aimed at developing and validating a test to assess diagnostic accuracy, collected information, and diagnostic decision time in clinical reasoning. A norm-referenced computer-based test for the assessment of clinical reasoning (ASCLIRE) was developed, integrating the entire clinical decision process. In a cross-sectional study participants were asked to choose as many diagnostic measures as they deemed necessary to diagnose the underlying disease of six different cases with acute or sub-acute dyspnea and provide a diagnosis. 283 students and 20 content experts participated. In addition to diagnostic accuracy, respective decision time and number of used relevant diagnostic measures were documented as distinct performance indicators. The empirical structure of the test was investigated using a structural equation modeling approach. Experts showed higher accuracy rates and lower decision times than students. In a cross-sectional comparison, the diagnostic accuracy of students improved with the year of study. Wrong diagnoses provided by our sample were comparable to wrong diagnoses in practice. We found an excellent fit for a model with three latent factors-diagnostic accuracy, decision time, and choice of relevant diagnostic information-with diagnostic accuracy showing no significant correlation with decision time. ASCLIRE considers decision time as an important performance indicator beneath diagnostic accuracy and provides evidence that clinical reasoning is a complex ability comprising diagnostic accuracy, decision time, and choice of relevant diagnostic information as three partly correlated but still distinct aspects.

Methodological quality of meta-analyses on treatments for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a cross-sectional study using the AMSTAR (Assessing the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews) tool.

PubMed

Ho, Robin S T; Wu, Xinyin; Yuan, Jinqiu; Liu, Siya; Lai, Xin; Wong, Samuel Y S; Chung, Vincent C H

2015-01-08

Meta-analysis (MA) of randomised trials is considered to be one of the best approaches for summarising high-quality evidence on the efficacy and safety of treatments. However, methodological flaws in MAs can reduce the validity of conclusions, subsequently impairing the quality of decision making. To assess the methodological quality of MAs on COPD treatments. A cross-sectional study on MAs of COPD trials. MAs published during 2000-2013 were sampled from the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effect. Methodological quality was assessed using the validated AMSTAR (Assessing the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews) tool. Seventy-nine MAs were sampled. Only 18% considered the scientific quality of primary studies when formulating conclusions and 49% used appropriate meta-analytic methods to combine findings. The problems were particularly acute among MAs on pharmacological treatments. In 48% of MAs the authors did not report conflict of interest. Fifty-eight percent reported harmful effects of treatment. Publication bias was not assessed in 65% of MAs, and only 10% had searched non-English databases. The methodological quality of the included MAs was disappointing. Consideration of scientific quality when formulating conclusions should be made explicit. Future MAs should improve on reporting conflict of interest and harm, assessment of publication bias, prevention of language bias and use of appropriate meta-analytic methods.

Methodological quality of meta-analyses on treatments for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a cross-sectional study using the AMSTAR (Assessing the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews) tool

PubMed Central

Ho, Robin ST; Wu, Xinyin; Yuan, Jinqiu; Liu, Siya; Lai, Xin; Wong, Samuel YS; Chung, Vincent CH

2015-01-01

Background: Meta-analysis (MA) of randomised trials is considered to be one of the best approaches for summarising high-quality evidence on the efficacy and safety of treatments. However, methodological flaws in MAs can reduce the validity of conclusions, subsequently impairing the quality of decision making. Aims: To assess the methodological quality of MAs on COPD treatments. Methods: A cross-sectional study on MAs of COPD trials. MAs published during 2000–2013 were sampled from the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effect. Methodological quality was assessed using the validated AMSTAR (Assessing the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews) tool. Results: Seventy-nine MAs were sampled. Only 18% considered the scientific quality of primary studies when formulating conclusions and 49% used appropriate meta-analytic methods to combine findings. The problems were particularly acute among MAs on pharmacological treatments. In 48% of MAs the authors did not report conflict of interest. Fifty-eight percent reported harmful effects of treatment. Publication bias was not assessed in 65% of MAs, and only 10% had searched non-English databases. Conclusions: The methodological quality of the included MAs was disappointing. Consideration of scientific quality when formulating conclusions should be made explicit. Future MAs should improve on reporting conflict of interest and harm, assessment of publication bias, prevention of language bias and use of appropriate meta-analytic methods. PMID:25569783

Defining and Estimating Healthy Aging in Spain: A Cross-sectional Study.

PubMed

Rodriguez-Laso, Angel; McLaughlin, Sara J; Urdaneta, Elena; Yanguas, Javier

2018-03-19

Using an operational continuum of healthy aging developed by U.S. researchers, we sought to estimate the prevalence of healthy aging among older Spaniards, inform the development of a definition of healthy aging in Spain, and foster cross-national research on healthy aging. The ELES pilot study is a nationwide, cross-sectional survey of community-dwelling Spaniards 50 years and older. The prevalence of healthy aging was calculated for the 65 and over population using varying definitions. To evaluate their validity, we examined the association of healthy aging with the 8 foot up & go test, quality of life scores and self-perceived health using multiple linear and logistic regression. The estimated prevalence of healthy aging varied across the operational continuum, from 4.5% to 49.2%. Prevalence figures were greater for men and those aged 65 to 79 years and were higher than in the United States. Predicted mean physical performance scores were similar for 3 of the 4 definitions, suggesting that stringent definitions of healthy aging offer little advantage over a more moderate one. Similar to U.S. researchers, we recommend a definition of healthy aging that incorporates measures of functional health and limiting disease as opposed to definitions requiring the absence of all disease in studies designed to assess the effect of policy initiatives on healthy aging.

Cross-Cultural Validation of the Five-Factor Structure of Social Goals: A Filipino Investigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Ronnel B.; Watkins, David A.

2012-01-01

The aim of the present study was to test the cross-cultural validity of the five-factor structure of social goals that Dowson and McInerney proposed. Using both between-network and within-network approaches to construct validation, 1,147 Filipino high school students participated in the study. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the…

The Cross Validation of the Attitudes toward Mainstreaming Scale (ATMS).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berryman, Joan D.; Neal, W. R. Jr.

1980-01-01

Reliability and factorial validity of the Attitudes Toward Mainstreaming Scale was supported in a cross-validation study with teachers. Three factors emerged: learning capability, general mainstreaming, and traditional limiting disabilities. Factor intercorrelations varied from .42 to .55; correlations between total scores and individual factors…

Validity of parent's self-reported responses to home safety questions.

PubMed

Osborne, Jodie M; Shibl, Rania; Cameron, Cate M; Kendrick, Denise; Lyons, Ronan A; Spinks, Anneliese B; Sipe, Neil; McClure, Roderick J

2016-09-01

The aim of the study was to describe the validity of parent's self-reported responses to questions on home safety practices for children of 2-4 years. A cross-sectional validation study compared parent's self-administered responses to items in the Home Injury Prevention Survey with home observations undertaken by trained researchers. The relationship between the questionnaire and observation results was assessed using percentage agreement, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and intraclass correlation coefficients. Percentage agreements ranged from 44% to 100% with 40 of the total 45 items scoring higher than 70%. Sensitivities ranged from 0% to 100%, with 27 items scoring at least 70%. Specificities also ranged from 0% to 100%, with 33 items scoring at least 70%. As such, the study identified a series of self-administered home safety questions that have sensitivities, specificities and predictive values sufficiently high to allow the information to be useful in research and injury prevention practice.

Improving machine learning reproducibility in genetic association studies with proportional instance cross validation (PICV).

PubMed

Piette, Elizabeth R; Moore, Jason H

2018-01-01

Machine learning methods and conventions are increasingly employed for the analysis of large, complex biomedical data sets, including genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Reproducibility of machine learning analyses of GWAS can be hampered by biological and statistical factors, particularly so for the investigation of non-additive genetic interactions. Application of traditional cross validation to a GWAS data set may result in poor consistency between the training and testing data set splits due to an imbalance of the interaction genotypes relative to the data as a whole. We propose a new cross validation method, proportional instance cross validation (PICV), that preserves the original distribution of an independent variable when splitting the data set into training and testing partitions. We apply PICV to simulated GWAS data with epistatic interactions of varying minor allele frequencies and prevalences and compare performance to that of a traditional cross validation procedure in which individuals are randomly allocated to training and testing partitions. Sensitivity and positive predictive value are significantly improved across all tested scenarios for PICV compared to traditional cross validation. We also apply PICV to GWAS data from a study of primary open-angle glaucoma to investigate a previously-reported interaction, which fails to significantly replicate; PICV however improves the consistency of testing and training results. Application of traditional machine learning procedures to biomedical data may require modifications to better suit intrinsic characteristics of the data, such as the potential for highly imbalanced genotype distributions in the case of epistasis detection. The reproducibility of genetic interaction findings can be improved by considering this variable imbalance in cross validation implementation, such as with PICV. This approach may be extended to problems in other domains in which imbalanced variable distributions are a concern.

Dental care access among individuals with Down syndrome: a Malaysian scenario.

PubMed

Abdul Rahim, Farah Salwa; Mohamed, Alizae Marny; Marizan Nor, Murshida; Saub, Roslan

2014-11-01

The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to assess the legal representatives' perceptions on dental care access of individuals with Down syndrome (DS) compared to their non-DS siblings in Peninsular Malaysia. This cross-sectional study was conducted throughout community-based rehabilitation centers (CBRC) and the Down Syndrome Organization. Legal representatives of individuals with DS within the criteria were given a structured and validated questionaire. This study demonstrated that individuals with DS (76.9%) significantly utilized more health services than non-DS siblings (23.1%). The service most regularly used was speech therapy followed by opthalmology and dental services. Twenty-five per cent of respondents reported difficulty in finding dental care services for their DS child and 46.9% admitted that healthcare for their DS child took more time. The majority of DS individuals received less complex dental treatment and none received any orthodontic treatment, despite their severe occlusal problems. A high proportion of parents appear to be able to access dental and medical care for their DS child. However, some parents perceived difficulty in finding oral healthcare.

A cross-sectional observational study to assess inhaler technique in Saudi hospitalized patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

PubMed Central

Ammari, Maha Al; Sultana, Khizra; Yunus, Faisal; Ghobain, Mohammed Al; Halwan, Shatha M. Al

2016-01-01

Objectives: To assess the proportion of critical errors committed while demonstrating the inhaler technique in hospitalized patients diagnosed with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Methods: This cross-sectional observational study was conducted in 47 asthmatic and COPD patients using inhaler devices. The study took place at King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia between September and December 2013. Two pharmacists independently assessed inhaler technique with a validated checklist. Results: Seventy percent of patients made at least one critical error while demonstrating their inhaler technique, and the mean number of critical errors per patient was 1.6. Most patients used metered dose inhaler (MDI), and 73% of MDI users and 92% of dry powder inhaler users committed at least one critical error. Conclusion: Inhaler technique in hospitalized Saudi patients was inadequate. Health care professionals should understand the importance of reassessing and educating patients on a regular basis for inhaler technique, recommend the use of a spacer when needed, and regularly assess and update their own inhaler technique skills. PMID:27146622

Finite Element Analysis of Tube Hydroforming in Non-Symmetrical Dies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nulkar, Abhishek V.; Gu, Randy; Murty, Pilaka

2011-08-01

Tube hydroforming has been studied intensively using commercial finite element programs. A great deal of the investigations dealt with models with symmetric cross-sections. It is known that additional constraints due to symmetry may be imposed on the model so that it is properly supported. For a non-symmetric model, these constraints become invalid and the model does not have sufficient support resulting in a singular finite element system. Majority of commercial codes have a limited capability in solving models with insufficient supports. Recently, new algorithms using penalty variable and air-like contact element (ALCE) have been developed to solve positive semi-definite finite element systems such as those in contact mechanics. In this study the ALCE algorithm is first validated by comparing its result against a commercial code using a symmetric model in which a circular tube is formed to polygonal dies with symmetric shapes. Then, the study investigates the accuracy and efficiency of using ALCE in analyzing hydroforming of tubes with various cross-sections in non-symmetrical dies in 2-D finite element settings.

Development and validation of the patient evaluation scale (PES) for primary health care in Nigeria.

PubMed

Ogaji, Daprim S; Giles, Sally; Daker-White, Gavin; Bower, Peter

2017-03-01

Questionnaires developed for patient evaluation of the quality of primary care are often focussed on primary care systems in developed countries. Aim To report the development and validation of the patient evaluation scale (PES) designed for use in the Nigerian primary health care context. An iterative process was used to develop and validate the questionnaire using patients attending 28 primary health centres across eight states in Nigeria. The development involved literature review, patient interviews, expert reviews, cognitive testing with patients and waves of quantitative cross-sectional surveys. The questionnaire's content validity, internal structures, acceptability, reliability and construct validity are reported. Findings The full and shortened version of PES with 27 and 18 items, respectively, were developed through these process. The low item non-response from the serial cross-sectional surveys depicts questionnaire's acceptability among the local population. PES-short form (SF) has Cronbach's α of 0.87 and three domains (codenamed 'facility', 'organisation' and 'health care') with Cronbach's αs of 0.78, 0.79 and 0.81, respectively. Items in the multi-dimensional questionnaire demonstrated adequate convergent and discriminant properties. PES-SF scores show significant positive correlation with scores of the full PES and also discriminated population groups in support of a priori hypotheses. The PES and PES-SF contain items that are relevant to the needs of patients in Nigeria. The good measurement properties of the questionnaire demonstrates its potential usefulness for patient-focussed quality improvement activities in Nigeria. There is still need to translate these questionnaires into major languages in Nigeria and assess their validity against external quality criteria.

Validation of the Spanish Version of the Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire-Parent Form (S-FAQLQ-PF).

PubMed

Manso, L; Pineda, R; Huertas, B; Fernández-Rivas, M; Diéguez, M C; Cerecedo, I; Muriel, A; Fernández, F B; DunnGalvin, A; Antolín-Amérigo, D; De la Hoz, B

2017-01-01

Food allergy is an emerging health problem. Several questionnaires can be used to establish health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in food allergy patients. Current questionnaires should be translated in such a way that they take account of the culture of the country in which they are to be used. Objective: To translate and perform a cross-sectional validation of the Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire-Parent Form (FAQLQ-PF). The parents of 54 children diagnosed with food allergy were recruited to assess the Spanish version of the FAQLQ-PF (S-FQLQ-PF). The S-FQLQ-PF was translated into Spanish according to WHO guidelines (including a forward-backward translation). The statistical analysis showed that feasibility, reliability, and internal consistency were very good for the global S-FAQLQ-PF score and for the different domains. Assessment of construct validity indicated that S-FAQLQ-PF has reduced capacity for measurement of HRQOL in younger children. Cross-sectional validation of the S-FAQLQ-PF demonstrated that HRQOL of a Spanish pediatric population was affected by patient age, severity of symptoms, and number of reactions. HRQOL was not affected by sex, food implicated, number of foods implicated, ingestion of the implicated food, or presence of anaphylaxis. Translation into Spanish and cultural validation of the FAQLQ-PF demonstrated the influence of factors, such as patient age, severity of symptoms, and number of reactions on the HRQOL of a pediatric Spanish population.

Azimuthal Signature of Coincidental Brightness Temperature and Normalized Radar Cross-Section Obtained Using Airborne PALS Instrument

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Colliander, Andreas; Kim, Seungbum; Yueh, Simon; Cosh, Mike; Jackson, Tom; Njoku, Eni

2010-01-01

Coincidental airborne brightness temperature (TB) and normalized radar-cross section (NRCS) measurements were carried out with the PALS (Passive and Active L- and S-band) instrument in the SMAPVEX08 (SMAP Validation Experiment 2008) field campaign. This paper describes results obtained from a set of flights which measured a field in 45(sup o) steps over the azimuth angle. The field contained mature soy beans with distinct row structure. The measurement shows that both TB and NRCS experience modulation effects over the azimuth as expected based on the theory. The result is useful in development and validation of land surface parameter forward models and retrieval algorithms, such as the soil moisture algorithm for NASA's SMAP (Soil Moisture Active and Passive) mission. Although the footprint of the SMAP will not be sensitive to the small resolution scale effects as the one presented in this paper, it is nevertheless important to understand the effects at smaller scale.

Predictive Validity of an Empirical Approach for Selecting Promising Message Topics: A Randomized-Controlled Study

PubMed Central

Lee, Stella Juhyun; Brennan, Emily; Gibson, Laura Anne; Tan, Andy S. L.; Kybert-Momjian, Ani; Liu, Jiaying; Hornik, Robert

2016-01-01

Several message topic selection approaches propose that messages based on beliefs pretested and found to be more strongly associated with intentions will be more effective in changing population intentions and behaviors when used in a campaign. This study aimed to validate the underlying causal assumption of these approaches which rely on cross-sectional belief–intention associations. We experimentally tested whether messages addressing promising themes as identified by the above criterion were more persuasive than messages addressing less promising themes. Contrary to expectations, all messages increased intentions. Interestingly, mediation analyses showed that while messages deemed promising affected intentions through changes in targeted promising beliefs, messages deemed less promising also achieved persuasion by influencing nontargeted promising beliefs. Implications for message topic selection are discussed. PMID:27867218

Development and validation of a numerical model for cross-section optimization of a multi-part probe for soft tissue intervention.

PubMed

Frasson, L; Neubert, J; Reina, S; Oldfield, M; Davies, B L; Rodriguez Y Baena, F

2010-01-01

The popularity of minimally invasive surgical procedures is driving the development of novel, safer and more accurate surgical tools. In this context a multi-part probe for soft tissue surgery is being developed in the Mechatronics in Medicine Laboratory at Imperial College, London. This study reports an optimization procedure using finite element methods, for the identification of an interlock geometry able to limit the separation of the segments composing the multi-part probe. An optimal geometry was obtained and the corresponding three-dimensional finite element model validated experimentally. Simulation results are shown to be consistent with the physical experiments. The outcome of this study is an important step in the provision of a novel miniature steerable probe for surgery.

Comparison and validation of screening tools for substance use in pregnancy: a cross-sectional study conducted in Maryland prenatal clinics.

PubMed

Coleman-Cowger, Victoria H; Oga, Emmanuel A; Peters, Erica N; Trocin, Kathleen; Koszowski, Bartosz; Mark, Katrina

2018-02-17

Prescription-drug use in the USA has increased by more than 60% in the last three decades. Prevalence of prescription-drug use among pregnant women is currently estimated around 50%. Prevalence of illicit drug use in the USA is 14.6% among pregnant adolescents, 8.6% among pregnant young adults and 3.2% among pregnant adults. The first step in identifying problematic drug use during pregnancy is screening; however, no specific substance-use screener has been universally recommended for use with pregnant women to identify illicit or prescription-drug use. This study compares and validates three existing substance-use screeners for pregnancy-4 P's Plus, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Quick Screen/Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) and the Substance Use Risk Profile-Pregnancy (SURP-P) scale. This is a cross-sectional study designed to evaluate the sensitivity, specificity and usability of existing substance-use screeners. Recruitment occurs at two obstetrics clinics in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. We are recruiting 500 participants to complete a demographic questionnaire, NIDA Quick Screen/ASSIST, 4 P's Plus and SURP-P (ordered randomly) during their regularly scheduled prenatal appointment, then again 1 week later by telephone. Participants consent to multidrug urine testing, hair drug testing and allowing access to prescription drug and birth outcome data from electronic medical records. For each screener, reliability and validity will be assessed. Test-retest reliability analysis will be conducted by examining the results of repeated screener administrations within 1 week of original screener administrations for consistency via correlation analysis. Furthermore, we will assess if there are differences in the validity of each screener by age, race and trimester. This study is approved by the Institutional Review Board of the University of Maryland (HP-00072042), Baltimore, and Battelle Memorial Institute (0619-100106433). All participants are required to give their informed consent prior to any study procedure. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Comparison and validation of screening tools for substance use in pregnancy: a cross-sectional study conducted in Maryland prenatal clinics

PubMed Central

Coleman-Cowger, Victoria H; Peters, Erica N; Trocin, Kathleen; Koszowski, Bartosz; Mark, Katrina

2018-01-01

Introduction Prescription-drug use in the USA has increased by more than 60% in the last three decades. Prevalence of prescription-drug use among pregnant women is currently estimated around 50%. Prevalence of illicit drug use in the USA is 14.6% among pregnant adolescents, 8.6% among pregnant young adults and 3.2% among pregnant adults. The first step in identifying problematic drug use during pregnancy is screening; however, no specific substance-use screener has been universally recommended for use with pregnant women to identify illicit or prescription-drug use. This study compares and validates three existing substance-use screeners for pregnancy—4 P’s Plus, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Quick Screen/Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) and the Substance Use Risk Profile-Pregnancy (SURP-P) scale. Methods and analysis This is a cross-sectional study designed to evaluate the sensitivity, specificity and usability of existing substance-use screeners. Recruitment occurs at two obstetrics clinics in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. We are recruiting 500 participants to complete a demographic questionnaire, NIDA Quick Screen/ASSIST, 4 P’s Plus and SURP-P (ordered randomly) during their regularly scheduled prenatal appointment, then again 1 week later by telephone. Participants consent to multidrug urine testing, hair drug testing and allowing access to prescription drug and birth outcome data from electronic medical records. For each screener, reliability and validity will be assessed. Test–retest reliability analysis will be conducted by examining the results of repeated screener administrations within 1 week of original screener administrations for consistency via correlation analysis. Furthermore, we will assess if there are differences in the validity of each screener by age, race and trimester. Ethics and dissemination This study is approved by the Institutional Review Board of the University of Maryland (HP-00072042), Baltimore, and Battelle Memorial Institute (0619–100106433). All participants are required to give their informed consent prior to any study procedure. PMID:29455170

Social support and its correlation with loneliness: a cross-cultural study of Nepalese older adults.

PubMed

Chalise, Hom Nath; Kai, Ichiro; Saito, Tami

2010-01-01

The aim of this study was to analyze the situation of social support exchange among elderly men and women and to study the cross-cultural validity of predictors of loneliness in two Nepalese castes/ethnicities of older adults. Data for this study were taken from a cross-sectional study of the elderly at least 60 years old living in one ward of Kathmandu City, conducted in 2005. Loneliness was measured using a three-item loneliness scale based on the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) Loneliness Scale. Sources of social support were classified as spouse, children living with their elders, children living apart, and friends/neighbors. Study findings indicate that the main social support exchange for the elderly was with adult children living together, spouse, and friends/neighbors. Results also show gender difference in social support. Significant variables of loneliness were social support received from spouse, social support provided to spouse, and children living together with both elderly parents. This finding shows there is a high degree of cross-cultural invariance in the predictor sources of social support on loneliness among two Nepalese castes/ethnicities older adults.

Smoothed particle hydrodynamic modeling of volcanic debris flows: Application to Huiloac Gorge lahars (Popocatépetl volcano, Mexico)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haddad, Bouchra; Palacios, David; Pastor, Manuel; Zamorano, José Juan

2016-09-01

Lahars are among the most catastrophic volcanic processes, and the ability to model them is central to mitigating their effects. Several lahars recently generated by the Popocatépetl volcano (Mexico) moved downstream through the Huiloac Gorge towards the village of Santiago Xalitzintla. The most dangerous was the 2001 lahar, in which the destructive power of the debris flow was maintained throughout the extent of the flow. Identifying the zone of hazard can be based either on numerical or empirical models, but a calibration and validation process is required to ensure hazard map quality. The Geoflow-SPH depth integrated numerical model used in this study to reproduce the 2001 lahar was derived from the velocity-pressure version of the Biot-Zienkiewicz model, and was discretized using the smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method. The results of the calibrated SPH model were validated by comparing the simulated deposit depth with the field depth measured at 16 cross sections distributed strategically along the gorge channel. Moreover, the dependency of the results on topographic mesh resolution, initial lahar mass shape and dimensions is also investigated. The results indicate that to accurately reproduce the 2001 lahar flow dynamics the channel topography needed to be discretized using a mesh having a minimum 5 m resolution, and an initial lahar mass shape that adopted the source area morphology. Field validation of the calibrated model showed that there was a satisfactory relationship between the simulated and field depths, the error being less than 20% for 11 of the 16 cross sections. This study demonstrates that the Geoflow-SPH model was able to accurately reproduce the lahar path and the extent of the flow, but also reproduced other parameters including flow velocity and deposit depth.

Sheehan Suicidality Tracking Scale (S-STS): reliability, convergent and discriminative validity in young Italian adults.

PubMed

Preti, Antonio; Sheehan, David V; Coric, Vladimir; Distinto, Marco; Pitanti, Mirko; Vacca, Irene; Siddi, Alessandra; Masala, Carmelo; Petretto, Donatella Rita

2013-10-01

The Sheehan Suicidality Tracking Scale (S-STS) is a patient self-report or clinician-administered rating scale that tracks spontaneous and treatment-emergent suicidal ideation and behaviors. This study set out to evaluate the reliability, convergent and divergent validity of the S-STS in a sample of college students, a population with a high risk of completed and attempted suicide. Cross-sectional, survey design. Participants (303 undergraduate students; males: 42%) completed several measures assessing psychological distress (General Health Questionnaire; GHQ); self-esteem (Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale; RSES); social support (Modified Social Support Survey; MOSSS); and suicidal behavior, including ideation and attempts (S-STS). Both internal consistency and test-retest stability were excellent for the S-STS-global score. The S-STS subscale on suicide ideation also showed good reliability, while the subscale on suicidal behavior showed some inconsistency at retest. Convergent and divergent validity of S-STS was confirmed. All S-STS items loaded on a single factor, which had an excellent fit for the unidimensional model, thus justifying the use of the S-STS as a screening tool. In a mediation model, self-esteem and social support explained 45% of the effects of psychological distress on suicide ideation and behavior as measured by the S-STS-global score. This study provided promising evidence on the convergent, divergent, internal consistency and test-retest stability of the Sheehan Suicidality Tracking Scale. The cross-sectional design and lack of measures of hopelessness and helplessness prevent any conclusion about the links of suicidal behavior with self-esteem and social support. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Assessment of Physiotherapy Practice (APP) is a valid measure of professional competence of physiotherapy students: a cross-sectional study with Rasch analysis.

PubMed

Dalton, Megan; Davidson, Megan; Keating, Jenny

2011-01-01

Is the Assessment of Physiotherapy Practice (APP) a valid instrument for the assessment of entry-level competence in physiotherapy students? Cross-sectional study with Rasch analysis of initial (n=326) and validation samples (n=318). Students were assessed on completion of 4, 5, or 6-week clinical placements across one university semester. 298 clinical educators and 456 physiotherapy students at nine universities in Australia and New Zealand provided 644 completed APP instruments. APP data in both samples showed overall fit to a Rasch model of expected item functioning for interval scale measurement. Item 6 (Written communication) exhibited misfit in both samples, but was retained as an important element of competence. The hierarchy of item difficulty was the same in both samples with items related to professional behaviour and communication the easiest to achieve and items related to clinical reasoning the most difficult. Item difficulty was well targeted to person ability. No Differential Item Functioning was identified, indicating that the scale performed in a comparable way regardless of the student's age, gender or amount of prior clinical experience, and the educator's age, gender, or experience as an educator, or the type of facility, university, or clinical area. The instrument demonstrated unidimensionality confirming the appropriateness of summing the scale scores on each item to provide an overall score of clinical competence and was able to discriminate four levels of professional competence (Person Separation Index=0.96). Person ability and raw APP scores had a linear relationship (r(2)=0.99). Rasch analysis supports the interpretation that a student's APP score is an indication of their underlying level of professional competence in workplace practice. Copyright © 2011 Australian Physiotherapy Association. Published by .. All rights reserved.

Covert checks by standardised patients of general practitioners' delivery of new periodic health examinations: clustered cross-sectional study from a consumer organisation

PubMed Central

Thaler, Kylie; Harris, Mark F

2012-01-01

Objective To assess if data collected by a consumer organisation are valid for a health service research study on physicians' performance in preventive care. To report first results of the analysis of physicians performance like consultation time and guideline adherence in history taking. Design Secondary data analysis of a clustered cross-sectional direct observation survey. Setting General practitioners (GPs) in Vienna, Austria, visited unannounced by mystery shoppers (incognito standardised patients (ISPs)). Participants 21 randomly selected GPs were visited by two different ISPs each. 40 observation protocols were realised. Main outcome measures Robustness of sampling and data collection by the consumer organisation. GPs consultation and waiting times, guideline adherence in history taking. Results The double stratified random sampling method was robust and representative for the private and contracted GPs mix of Vienna. The clinical scenarios presented by the ISPs were valid and believable, and no GP realised the ISPs were not genuine patients. The average consultation time was 46 min (95% CI 37 to 54 min). Waiting times differed more than consultation times between private and contracted GPs. No differences between private and contracted GPs in terms of adherence to the evidence-based guidelines regarding history taking including questions regarding alcohol use were found. According to the analysis, 20% of the GPs took a perfect history (95% CI 9% to 39%). Conclusions The analysis of secondary data collected by a consumer organisation was a valid method for drawing conclusions about GPs preventive practice. Initial results, like consultation times longer than anticipated, and the moderate quality of history taking encourage continuing the analysis on available clinical data. PMID:22872721

Reach and Validity of An Objective Medication Adherence Measure among Safety Net Health Plan Members with Diabetes: A Cross-Sectional Study

PubMed Central

Ratanawongsa, Neda; Karter, Andrew J.; Quan, Judy; Parker, Melissa M.; Handley, Margaret; Sarkar, Urmimala; Schmittdiel, Julie A.; Schillinger, Dean

2015-01-01

Background With the expansion of Medicaid and low-cost health insurance plans among diverse patient populations, objective measures of medication adherence using pharmacy claims could advance clinical care and translational research for safety net care. However, safety net patients may experience fluctuating prescription drug coverage, affecting the performance of adherence measures. Objective To evaluate the performance of continuous medication gap (CMG) for diverse, low-income managed care members with diabetes. Methods We conducted this cross-sectional analysis using administrative and clinical data for 680 members eligible for a self-management support trial at a non-profit, government-sponsored managed care plan. We applied CMG methodology to cardiometabolic medication claims for English-, Cantonese-, or Spanish-speaking members with diabetes. We examined inclusiveness (the proportion with calculable CMG) and selectivity (sociodemographic and medical differences from members without CMG). To examine validity, we examined unadjusted associations of suboptimal adherence (CMG>20%) with suboptimal cardiometabolic control. Results 429 members (63%) had calculable CMG. Compared to members without CMG, members with CMG were younger; more likely employed; and had poorer glycemic control, but better blood pressure and lipid control. Suboptimal adherence occurred more frequently among members with poor cardiometabolic control than among members with optimal control (28% vs. 12%, p=0.02). Conclusions CMG demonstrated acceptable inclusiveness and validity in a diverse, low-income safety net population, comparable to its performance in studies among other insured populations. CMG may provide a useful tool to measure adherence among increasingly diverse Medicaid populations, complemented by other strategies to reach those not captured by CMG. Trial Registration NCT00683020 PMID:26233541

Validation of the Compassion Fatigue Short Scale among Chinese medical workers and firefighters: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Sun, Binghai; Hu, Mengna; Yu, Shitian; Jiang, Yiru; Lou, Baona

2016-01-01

Objectives To examine the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the C-Compassion Fatigue (CF)-Short Scale among 4 independent samples of Chinese emergency workers (medical workers and firefighters). Design Cross-sectional. Setting 6 hospitals in Zhejiang Province and 12 fire stations in Shanghai. Participants Emergency workers (medical and firefighters) were consecutively recruited and divided into 4 groups: the MW1 group (medical workers, n=167), the FF1 group (firefighters, n=157), the MW2 group (medical workers, n=265) and the FF2 group (firefighters, n=231). Interventions All patients completed the C-CF-Short Scale to identify factors associated with compassion fatigue. The MW1 and FF1 groups were used for the exploratory analyses. The MW2 and FF2 groups were used for the confirmatory factor analyses. Primary and secondary outcome measures Factor loading, correlations with previously validated questionnaires (the Ego-Resiliency Scale, the Social Support Questionnaire and the Job Pressure Scale) and Cronbach's α coefficient were tested for each factor. Results The C-CF-Short Scale demonstrated excellent construct validity and good internal consistency. Specifically, the results of exploratory factor analyses in the MW1 and FF1 groups showed that secondary trauma and job burnout were associated with compassion fatigue in these emergency workers. The confirmatory factor analyses in the MW2 and FF2 groups indicated that all the fit indices of the 2-factor model were satisfactory. Finally, the Cronbach's α coefficient of each factor was excellent. Conclusions The findings suggest that the C-CF-Short Scale has good psychometric properties and can be applied to study Chinese emergency workers. PMID:27363817

Concurrent validity of single-item measures of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization in burnout assessment.

PubMed

West, Colin P; Dyrbye, Liselotte N; Satele, Daniel V; Sloan, Jeff A; Shanafelt, Tait D

2012-11-01

Burnout is a common problem among physicians and physicians-in-training. The Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) is the gold standard for burnout assessment, but the length of this well-validated 22-item instrument can limit its feasibility for survey research. To evaluate the concurrent validity of two questions relative to the full MBI for measuring the association of burnout with published outcomes. DESIGN, PARTICIPANTS, AND MAIN MEASURES: The single questions "I feel burned out from my work" and "I have become more callous toward people since I took this job," representing the emotional exhaustion and depersonalization domains of burnout, respectively, were evaluated in published studies of medical students, internal medicine residents, and practicing surgeons. We compared predictive models for the association of each question, versus the full MBI, using longitudinal data on burnout and suicidality from 2006 and 2007 for 858 medical students at five United States medical schools, cross-sectional data on burnout and serious thoughts of dropping out of medical school from 2007 for 2222 medical students at seven United States medical schools, and cross-sectional data on burnout and unprofessional attitudes and behaviors from 2009 for 2566 medical students at seven United States medical schools. We also assessed results for longitudinal data on burnout and perceived major medical errors from 2003 to 2009 for 321 Mayo Clinic Rochester internal medicine residents and cross-sectional data on burnout and both perceived major medical errors and suicidality from 2008 for 7,905 respondents to a national survey of members of the American College of Surgeons. Point estimates of effect for models based on the single-item measures were uniformly consistent with those reported for models based on the full MBI. The single-item measures of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization exhibited strong associations with each published outcome (all p ≤ 0.008). No conclusion regarding the relationship between burnout and any outcome variable was altered by the use of the single-item measures rather than the full MBI. Relative to the full MBI, single-item measures of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization exhibit strong and consistent associations with key outcomes in medical students, internal medicine residents, and practicing surgeons.

[Validity and Reliability of Korean Version of the Spiritual Care Competence Scale].

PubMed

Chung, Mi Ja; Park, Youngrye; Eun, Young

2016-12-01

The aim of this study was to examine the validity and reliability of the Korean Version of the Spiritual Care Competence Scale (K-SCCS). A cross-sectional study design was used. The K-SCCS consisted of 26 questions to measure spiritual care competence of nurses. Participants, 228 nurses who had more than 3 years'experience as a nurse, completed the survey. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to examine the construct validity and correlations of K-SCCS and spiritual well-being (SWB) were used to examine the criterion validity of K-SCCS. Cronbach's alpha was used to test internal consistency. The construct and the criterion-related validity of K-SCCS were supported as measures of spiritual care competence. Cronbach's alpha was .95. Factor loadings of the 26 questions ranged from .60 to .96. Construct validity of K-SCCS was verified by confirmatory factor analysis (RMSEA=.08, CFI=.90, NFI=.85). Criterion validity compared to the SWB showed significant correlation (r=.44, p<.001). The findings suggest that K-SCCS serves as an appropriate measure of spiritual care competence with validity and reliability. However, further study is needed to retest the verification of the factor analysis related to factor 2 (professionalisation and improving the quality of spiritual care) and factor 3 (personal support and patient counseling). Therefore, we recommend using the total score without distinguishing subscales.

Perceived annoyance from environmental odors and association with atmospheric ammonia levels in non-urban residential communities: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Objective Odor exposure is an environmental stressor that is responsible of many citizens complains about air pollution in non-urban areas. However, information about the exposure-response relation is scarce. One of the main challenges is to identify a measurable compound that can be related with odor annoyance responses. We investigated the association between regional and temporal variation of ammonia (NH3) concentrations in five Danish non-urban regions and environmental odor annoyance as perceived by the local residents. Methods A cross-sectional study where NH3 concentration was obtained from the national air quality monitoring program and from emission-dispersion modelling, and odor pollution perception from questionnaires. The exposure-response model was a sigmoid model. Linear regression analyses were used to estimate the model constants after equation transformations. The model was validated using leave-one-out cross validation (LOOCV) statistical method. Results About 45% of the respondents were annoyed by odor pollution at their residential areas. The perceived odor was characterized by all respondents as animal waste odor. The exposure-annoyance sigmoid model showed that the prevalence of odor annoyance was significantly associated with NH3 concentrations (measured and estimated) at the local air quality monitoring stations (p < 0.01,R2 = 0.99; and p < 0.05,R2 = 0.93; respectively). Prediction errors were below 5.1% and 20% respectively. The seasonal pattern of odor perception was associated with the seasonal variation in NH3 concentrations (p < 0.001, adjusted R2 = 0.68). Conclusion The results suggest that atmospheric NH3 levels at local air quality stations could be used as indicators of prevalence of odor annoyance in non-urban residential communities. PMID:22513250

Ratios of W and Z cross sections at large boson $$p_T$$ as a constraint on PDFs and background to new physics

DOE PAGES

Malik, Sarah Alam; Watt, Graeme

2014-02-05

We motivate a measurement of various ratios of W and Z cross sections at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at large values of the boson transverse momentum (p T ≳ M W,Z ). We study the dependence of predictions for these cross-section ratios on the multiplicity of associated jets, the boson p T and the LHC centre-of-mass energy. We present the flavour decomposition of the initial-state partons and an evaluation of the theoretical uncertainties. We also show that the W + /W - ratio is sensitive to the up-quark to down-quark ratio of parton distribution functions (PDFs), while other theoreticalmore » uncertainties are negligible, meaning that a precise measurement of the W + /W - ratio at large boson p T values could constrain the PDFs at larger momentum fractions x than the usual inclusive W charge asymmetry. The W ± /Z ratio is insensitive to PDFs and most other theoretical uncertainties, other than possibly electroweak corrections, and a precise measurement will therefore be useful in validating theoretical predictions needed in data-driven methods, such as using W (→ ℓν) + jets events to estimate the Z(→ νν¯) + jets background in searches for new physics at the LHC. Furthermore, the differential W and Z cross sections themselves, dσ/dp T , have the potential to constrain the gluon distribution, provided that theoretical uncertainties from higher-order QCD and electroweak corrections are brought under control, such as by inclusion of anticipated next-to-next-to-leading order QCD corrections.« less

Radiation characteristics and effective optical properties of dumbbell-shaped cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heng, Ri-Liang; Pilon, Laurent

2016-05-01

This study presents experimental measurements of the radiation characteristics of unicellular freshwater cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. during their exponential growth in F medium. Their scattering phase function at 633 nm average spectral absorption and scattering cross-sections between 400 and 750 nm were measured. In addition, an inverse method was used for retrieving the spectral effective complex index of refraction of overlapping or touching bispheres and quadspheres from their absorption and scattering cross-sections. The inverse method combines a genetic algorithm and a forward model based on Lorenz-Mie theory, treating bispheres and quadspheres as projected area and volume-equivalent coated spheres. The inverse method was successfully validated with numerically predicted average absorption and scattering cross-sections of suspensions consisting of bispheres and quadspheres, with realistic size distributions, using the T-matrix method. It was able to retrieve the monomers' complex index of refraction with size parameter up to 11, relative refraction index less than 1.3, and absorption index less than 0.1. Then, the inverse method was applied to retrieve the effective spectral complex index of refraction of Synechocystis sp. approximated as randomly oriented aggregates consisting of two overlapping homogeneous spheres. Both the measured absorption cross-section and the retrieved absorption index featured peaks at 435 and 676 nm corresponding to chlorophyll a, a peak at 625 nm corresponding to phycocyanin, and a shoulder around 485 nm corresponding to carotenoids. These results can be used to optimize and control light transfer in photobioreactors. The inverse method and the equivalent coated sphere model could be applied to other optically soft particles of similar morphologies.

Obstacle Crossing During Gait in Children With Cerebral Palsy: Cross-Sectional Study With Kinematic Analysis of Dynamic Balance and Trunk Control.

PubMed

Malone, Ailish; Kiernan, Damien; French, Helen; Saunders, Valerie; O'Brien, Timothy

2016-08-01

Balance problems are common in children who have cerebral palsy (CP) but are active and ambulant. Control of the whole-body center of mass is critical in maintaining dynamic stability during challenging mobility tasks, such as clearing an obstacle while walking. The objective of this study was to compare trunk and lower limb kinematics and center-of-mass control in children with CP and those in children with typical development during obstacle crossing. This was a cross-sectional study. Thirty-four children who were 5 to 17 years of age (17 with CP and 17 with typical development) and matched in age and height completed 2 gait trials involving crossing a 10-cm obstacle. Three-dimensional kinematic and kinetic data were captured with a general-purpose 3-dimensional motion tracking system and forceplates. Trunk data were captured with a validated model. All children cleared the obstacle with similar hip and knee kinematics, step length, and single-support duration. In children with CP, step width was increased by 4.81 cm, and center-of-mass velocity was significantly slower at lead limb toe-off (0.31 m/s) and during lead limb clearance (0.2 m/s). Children with CP showed altered trunk and pelvis movement, characterized by significantly greater pelvic obliquity, pelvic tilt, and trunk rotation throughout the task, increased lateral trunk lean during lead limb crossing (3.7°), and greater sagittal trunk movement as the trail limb crossed (5.1°). The study was not powered to analyze differences between children with diplegia and those with hemiplegia. Children with CP required greater adjustments at the trunk and pelvis to achieve successful obstacle crossing. The increase in trunk movement could have been compensatory for reduced stability distally or for a primary problem reflecting poor proximal control. The findings suggest that rehabilitation should focus on both proximal trunk control and distal stability to improve balance. © 2016 American Physical Therapy Association.

Application of the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire (SAQ) in Albanian hospitals: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Gabrani, Adriatik; Hoxha, Adrian; Simaku, Artan; Gabrani, Jonila (Cyco)

2015-01-01

Objective To establish the reliability and validity of the translated version of the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire (SAQ) by evaluating its psychometric properties and to determine possible differences among nurses and physicians regarding safety attitudes. Design A cross-sectional study utilising the Albanian version of the SAQ and a demographic questionnaire. Setting Four regional hospitals in Albania. Participants 341 healthcare providers, including 132 nurses and 209 doctors. Main outcome measure(s) The translation, construct validity and internal validity of the SAQ. The SAQ includes six scales and 30 items. Results A total of 341 valid questionnaires were returned, for a response rate of 70%. The confirmatory factor analysis and its goodness-of-fit indices (standardised root mean square residual 0.075, root mean square error of approximation 0.044 and comparative fit index 0.97) showed good model fit. The Cronbach's α values for each of the scales of the SAQ ranged from 0.64 to 0.82. The percentage of hospital healthcare workers who had a positive attitude was 60.3% for the teamwork climate, 57.2% for the safety climate, 58.4% for job satisfaction, 37.4% for stress recognition, 59.3% for the perception of management and 49.5% for working conditions. Intercorrelations showed that the subscales had moderate-to-high correlations with one another. Nurses were more hesitant to admit and report errors; only 55% of physicians and 44% of nurses endorsed this statement (χ2=4.9, p=0.02). Moreover, nurses received lower scores on team work compared with doctors (N 45.7 vs D 52.3, p=0.01). Doctors denied the effects of stress and fatigue on their performance (N 46.7 vs D 39.5, p<0.01), neglecting the workload. Conclusions The SAQ is a useful tool for evaluating safety attitudes in Albanian hospitals. In light of the health workforce's poor recognition of stress, establishing patient safety programmes should be a priority among policymakers in Albania. PMID:25877270

Is questionnaire-based sitting time inaccurate and can it be improved? A cross-sectional investigation using accelerometer-based sitting time.

PubMed

Gupta, Nidhi; Christiansen, Caroline Stordal; Hanisch, Christiana; Bay, Hans; Burr, Hermann; Holtermann, Andreas

2017-01-16

To investigate the differences between a questionnaire-based and accelerometer-based sitting time, and develop a model for improving the accuracy of questionnaire-based sitting time for predicting accelerometer-based sitting time. 183 workers in a cross-sectional study reported sitting time per day using a single question during the measurement period, and wore 2 Actigraph GT3X+ accelerometers on the thigh and trunk for 1-4 working days to determine their actual sitting time per day using the validated Acti4 software. Least squares regression models were fitted with questionnaire-based siting time and other self-reported predictors to predict accelerometer-based sitting time. Questionnaire-based and accelerometer-based average sitting times were ≈272 and ≈476 min/day, respectively. A low Pearson correlation (r=0.32), high mean bias (204.1 min) and wide limits of agreement (549.8 to -139.7 min) between questionnaire-based and accelerometer-based sitting time were found. The prediction model based on questionnaire-based sitting explained 10% of the variance in accelerometer-based sitting time. Inclusion of 9 self-reported predictors in the model increased the explained variance to 41%, with 10% optimism using a resampling bootstrap validation. Based on a split validation analysis, the developed prediction model on ≈75% of the workers (n=132) reduced the mean and the SD of the difference between questionnaire-based and accelerometer-based sitting time by 64% and 42%, respectively, in the remaining 25% of the workers. This study indicates that questionnaire-based sitting time has low validity and that a prediction model can be one solution to materially improve the precision of questionnaire-based sitting time. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Reliability and construct validity of the Spanish version of the 6-item CTS symptoms scale for outcomes assessment in carpal tunnel syndrome.

PubMed

Rosales, Roberto S; Martin-Hidalgo, Yolanda; Reboso-Morales, Luis; Atroshi, Isam

2016-03-03

The purpose of this study was to assess the reliability and construct validity of the Spanish version of the 6-item carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) symptoms scale (CTS-6). In this cross-sectional study 40 patients diagnosed with CTS based on clinical and neurophysiologic criteria, completed the standard Spanish versions of the CTS-6 and the disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand (QuickDASH) scales on two occasions with a 1-week interval. Internal-consistency reliability was assessed with the Cronbach alpha coefficient and test-retest reliability with the intraclass correlation coefficient, two way random effect model and absolute agreement definition (ICC2,1). Cross-sectional precision was analyzed with the Standard Error of the Measurement (SEM). Longitudinal precision for test-retest reliability coefficient was assessed with the Standard Error of the Measurement difference (SEMdiff) and the Minimal Detectable Change at 95 % confidence level (MDC95). For assessing construct validity it was hypothesized that the CTS-6 would have a strong positive correlation with the QuickDASH, analyzed with the Pearson correlation coefficient (r). The standard Spanish version of the CTS-6 presented a Cronbach alpha of 0.81 with a SEM of 0.3. Test-retest reliability showed an ICC of 0.85 with a SRMdiff of 0.36 and a MDC95 of 0.7. The correlation between CTS-6 and the QuickDASH was concordant with the a priori formulated construct hypothesis (r 0.69) CONCLUSIONS: The standard Spanish version of the 6-item CTS symptoms scale showed good internal consistency, test-retest reliability and construct validity for outcomes assessment in CTS. The CTS-6 will be useful to clinicians and researchers in Spanish speaking parts of the world. The use of standardized outcome measures across countries also will facilitate comparison of research results in carpal tunnel syndrome.

Measurement Properties of the NIH-Minimal Dataset Dutch Language Version in Patients With Chronic Low Back Pain.

PubMed

Boer, Annemarie; Dutmer, Alisa L; Schiphorst Preuper, Henrica R; van der Woude, Lucas H V; Stewart, Roy E; Deyo, Richard A; Reneman, Michiel F; Soer, Remko

2017-10-01

Validation study with cross-sectional and longitudinal measurements. To translate the US National Institutes of Health (NIH)-minimal dataset for clinical research on chronic low back pain into the Dutch language and to test its validity and reliability among people with chronic low back pain. The NIH developed a minimal dataset to encourage more complete and consistent reporting of clinical research and to be able to compare studies across countries in patients with low back pain. In the Netherlands, the NIH-minimal dataset has not been translated before and measurement properties are unknown. Cross-cultural validity was tested by a formal forward-backward translation. Structural validity was tested with exploratory factor analyses (comparative fit index, Tucker-Lewis index, and root mean square error of approximation). Hypothesis testing was performed to compare subscales of the NIH dataset with the Pain Disability Index and the EurQol-5D (Pearson correlation coefficients). Internal consistency was tested with Cronbach α and test-retest reliability at 2 weeks was calculated in a subsample of patients with Intraclass Correlation Coefficients and weighted Kappa (κω). In total, 452 patients were included of which 52 were included for the test-retest study. factor analysis for structural validity pointed into the direction of a seven-factor model (Cronbach α = 0.78). Factors and total score of the NIH-minimal dataset showed fair to good correlations with Pain Disability Index (r = 0.43-0.70) and EuroQol-5D (r = -0.41 to -0.64). Reliability: test-retest reliability per item showed substantial agreement (κω=0.65). Test-retest reliability per factor was moderate to good (Intraclass Correlation Coefficient = 0.71). The Dutch language version measurement properties of the NIH-minimal were satisfactory. N/A.

Preparation and benchmarking of ANSL-V cross sections for advanced neutron source reactor studies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Arwood, J.W.; Ford, W.E. III; Greene, N.M.

1987-01-01

Validity of selected data from the fine-group neutron library was satisfactorily tested in performance parameter calculations for the BAPL-1, TRX-1, and ZEEP-1 thermal lattice benchmarks. BAPL-2 is an H/sub 2/O moderated, uranium oxide lattice; TRX-1 is an H/sub 2/O moderated, 1.31 weight percent enriched uranium metal lattice; ZEEP-1 is a D/sub 2/O-moderated, natural uranium lattice. 26 refs., 1 tab.

The investigation of O and N2 densities from the OSO-7 extreme UV data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

The results of solar radiation observations in the extreme ultra-violet spectrum from 200 A to 600 A made by the OSO-7 Satellite were studied. The results of the influence of attenuation by the atmosphere in the 250 to 500 km altitude range are presented. Using published molecular absorption cross-sections at 304 A and 256 A, the Jaccia atmospheric model is validated, and shows that a mean exospheric of 1050 K is appropriate for the sunset data.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xue, B.; Japan Science and Technology Agency, CREST, 5 Sanbancho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 102-0075; Katan, C.

This study demonstrates a measurement system for a non-degenerate two-photon absorption (NDTPA) spectrum. The NDTPA light sources are a white light super continuum beam (WLSC, 500 ∼ 720 nm) and a fundamental beam (798 nm) from a Ti:Sapphire laser. A reliable broadband NDTPA spectrum is acquired in a single-shot detection procedure using a 128-channel lock-in amplifier. The NDTPA spectra for several common laser dyes are measured. Two photon absorption cross section enhancements are found in the experiment and validated by theoretical calculation for all of the chromophores.

Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Arabic version of the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly among community-dwelling older adults in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Alqarni, Ayidh M; Vennu, Vishal; Alshammari, Sulaiman A; Bindawas, Saad M

2018-01-01

Older adults are the fastest growing population group worldwide. Regular physical activity (PA) is reported to reduce the risk of health conditions and improve personal well-being. Few validated instruments can be used to measure the PA levels among older adults in Saudi Arabia. The Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE) is used worldwide for evaluating the PA levels of the elderly in epidemiological studies. However, this scale has not been translated into Arabic. This study aimed to cross-culturally adapt the PASE into Arabic language and evaluate its reliability and validity among community-dwelling older adults in Saudi Arabia. This study was a cross-sectional one following Beaton guidelines to translate and perform cultural adaptation, as well as test the reliability and validity of the PASE Arabic version (PASE-A). Elderly (N=74) people from both genders, who lived in a community dwelling in Riyadh city, were selected from several primary health care centers. The study used Cronbach's alpha coefficient to assess the internal consistency reliability, while intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC 2,1 ) was used for test-retest reliability and the Spearman's rank correlation coefficient ( r ) was used to evaluate the correlation among PASE-A and grip strength, Timed Up and Go test, body mass index, and fat percentage. Out of 74 older adults, 59 (79.7%) completed the PASE-A questionnaire twice. The internal consistency of the PASE-A components was good (Cronbach's alpha 0.70-0.75), and the reliability of the components was excellent (ICC 2,1 0.90-0.98). A higher PASE-A score was associated with higher grip strength ( r =0.28, p =0.05) and with shorter Timed Up and Go test times ( r =-0.45, p =0.01). The PASE-A version was easy, understandable, and relevant for Saudi older adults' culture. This scale was a reliable and valid tool for evaluating and assessing the PA level among community-dwelling older adults in Saudi Arabia.

VUV-absorption cross section of carbon dioxide from 150 to 800 K and applications to warm exoplanetary atmospheres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Venot, O.; Bénilan, Y.; Fray, N.; Gazeau, M.-C.; Lefèvre, F.; Es-sebbar, Et.; Hébrard, E.; Schwell, M.; Bahrini, C.; Montmessin, F.; Lefèvre, M.; Waldmann, I. P.

2018-01-01

Context. Most exoplanets detected so far have atmospheric temperatures significantly higher than 300 K. Often close to their star, they receive an intense UV photons flux that triggers important photodissociation processes. The temperature dependency of vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) absorption cross sections are poorly known, leading to an undefined uncertainty in atmospheric models. Similarly, data measured at low temperatures similar to those of the high atmosphere of Mars, Venus, and Titan are often lacking. Aims: Our aim is to quantify the temperature dependency of the VUV absorption cross sections of important molecules in planetary atmospheres. We want to provide high-resolution data at temperatures prevailing in these media, and a simple parameterisation of the absorption in order to simplify its use in photochemical models. This study focuses on carbon dioxide (CO2). Methods: We performed experimental measurements of CO2 absorption cross sections with synchrotron radiation for the wavelength range (115-200 nm). For longer wavelengths (195-230 nm), we used a deuterium lamp and a 1.5 m Jobin-Yvon spectrometer. We used these data in our one-dimensional (1D) thermo-photochemical model in order to study their impact on the predicted atmospheric compositions. Results: The VUV absorption cross section of CO2 increases with the temperature. The absorption we measured at 150 K seems to be close to the absorption of CO2 in the fundamental ground state. The absorption cross section can be separated into two parts: a continuum and a fine structure superimposed on the continuum. The variation in the continuum of absorption can be represented by the sum of three Gaussian functions. Using data at high temperature in thermo-photochemical models significantly modifies the abundance and the photodissociation rates of many species in addition to CO2, such as methane and ammonia. These deviations have an impact on synthetic transmission spectra, leading to variations of up to 5 ppm. Conclusions: We present a full set of high-resolution (Δλ = 0.03 nm) absorption cross sections of CO2 from 115 to 230 nm for temperatures ranging from 150 to 800 K. A parameterisation allows us to calculate the continuum of absorption in this wavelength range. Extrapolation at higher temperature has not been validated experimentally and therefore should be used with caution. Similar studies on other major species are necessary to improve our understanding of planetary atmospheres. The data presented in Fig. 1 are only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (http://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/609/A34

COMPI Fertility Problem Stress Scales is a brief, valid and reliable tool for assessing stress in patients seeking treatment.

PubMed

Sobral, Maria P; Costa, Maria E; Schmidt, Lone; Martins, Mariana V

2017-02-01

Are the Copenhagen Multi-Centre Psychosocial Infertility research program Fertility Problem Stress Scales (COMPI-FPSS) a reliable and valid measure across gender and culture? The COMPI-FPSS is a valid and reliable measure, presenting excellent or good fit in the majority of the analyzed countries, and demonstrating full invariance across genders and partial invariance across cultures. Cross-cultural and gender validation is needed to consider a measure as standard care within fertility. The present study is the first attempting to establish comparability of fertility-related stress across genders and countries. Cross-sectional study. First, we tested the structure of the COMPI-FPSS. Then, reliability and validity (convergent and discriminant) were examined for the final model. Finally, measurement invariance both across genders and cultures was tested. Our final sample had 3923 fertility patients (1691 men and 2232 women) recruited in clinical settings from seven different countries: Denmark, China, Croatia, Germany, Greece, Hungary and Sweden. Participants had a mean age of 34 years and the majority (84%) were childless. Findings confirmed the original three-factor structure of the COMPI-FPSS, although suggesting a shortened measurement model using less items that fitted the data better than the full version model. While data from the Chinese and Croatian subsamples did not fit, all other counties presented good fit (χ 2 /df ≤ 5.4; comparative fit index ≥ 0.94; root-mean-square error of approximation ≤ 0.07; modified expected cross-validation index ≤ 0.77). In general, reliability, convergent validity, and discriminant validity were observed in all subscales from each country (composite reliability ≥ 0.63; average variance extracted ≥ 0.38; squared correlation ≥ 0.13). Full invariance was established across genders, and partial invariance was demonstrated across countries. Generalizability regarding the validation of the COMPI-FPSS cannot be made regarding infertile individuals not seeking treatment, or non-European patients. This study did not investigate predictive validity, and hence the capability of this instrument in detecting changes in fertility-specific adjustment over time and predicting the psychological impact needs to be established in future research. Besides extending knowledge on the psychometric properties of one of the most used fertility stress questionnaire, this study demonstrates both research and clinical usefulness of the COMPI-FPSS. This study was supported by European Union Funds (FEDER/COMPETE-Operational Competitiveness Program, and by national funds (FCT-Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology) under the projects PTDC/MHC-PSC/4195/2012 and SFRH/BPD/85789/2012). There are no conflicts of interest to declare. N/A. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The City of Hope-Quality of Life-Ostomy Questionnaire: Persian Translation and Validation

PubMed Central

Anaraki, F; Vafaie, M; Behboo, R; Esmaeilpour, S; Maghsoodi, N; Safaee, A; Grant, M

2014-01-01

Background: Since there is no disease-specific instrument for measuring quality-of-life (QOL) in Ostomy patients in Persian language. Aim: This study was designed to translate and evaluate the validity and reliability of City of Hope-quality of life-Ostomy questionnaire (COH-QOL-Ostomy questionnaire). Subjects and Methods: This study was designed as cross-sectional study. Reliability of the subscales and the summary scores were demonstrated by intra-class correlation coefficients. Pearson's correlations of an item with its own scale and other scales were calculated to evaluated convergent and discriminant validity. Clinical validity was also evaluated by known-group comparisons. Results: Cronbach's alpha coefficient for all subscales was about 0.70 or higher. Results of interscale correlation were satisfactory and each subscale only measured a single and specified trait. All subscales met the standards of convergent and discriminant validity. Known group comparison analysis showed significant differences in social and spiritual well-being. Conclusion: The findings confirmed the reliability and validity of Persian version of COH-QOL-Ostomy questionnaire. The instrument was also well received by the Iranian patients. It can be considered as a valuable instrument to assess the different aspects of health related quality-of-life in Ostomy patients and used in clinical research in the future. PMID:25221719

Cross-cultural Adaptation and Validation of the Medication Regimen Complexity Index Adapted to Spanish.

PubMed

Saez de la Fuente, Javier; Such Diaz, Ana; Cañamares-Orbis, Irene; Ramila, Estela; Izquierdo-Garcia, Elsa; Esteban, Concepcion; Escobar-Rodríguez, Ismael

2016-11-01

The most widely used validated instrument to assess the complexity of medication regimens is the Medication Regimen Complexity Index (MRCI). This study aimed to translate, adapt, and validate a reliable version of the MRCI adapted to Spanish (MRCI-E). The cross-cultural adaptation process consisted of an independent translation by 3 clinical pharmacists and a backtranslation by 2 native English speakers. A reliability analysis was conducted on 20 elderly randomly selected patients. Two clinical pharmacists calculated the MRCI-E from discharge treatments and 2 months later. For the validity analysis, the sample was augmented to 60 patients. Convergent validity was assessed by analyzing the correlation between the number of medications; discriminant validity was stratified by gender; and predictive validity was determined by analyzing the ability to predict readmission and mortality at 3 and 6 months. The MRCI-E retained the original structure of 3 sections. The reliability analysis demonstrated an excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's α=0.83), and the intraclass correlation coefficient exceeded 0.9 in all cases. The correlation coefficient with the number of medications was 0.883 ( P<0.001). No significant differences were found when stratified by gender (3.6; 95%CI=-2.9 to 10.2; P=0.27). Patients who were readmitted at 3 months had a higher MRCI-E score (10.7; 95%CI=4.4 to 17.2; P=0.001). The differences remained significant in patients readmitted at 6 months, but differences in mortality were not detected. The MRCI-E retains the reliability and validity of the original index and provides a suitable tool to assess the complexity of medication regimens in Spanish.

Validating a Spanish Version of the PIMRS: Application in National and Cross-National Research on Instructional Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fromm, Germán; Hallinger, Philip; Volante, Paulo; Wang, Wen Chung

2017-01-01

The purposes of this study were to report on a systematic approach to validating a Spanish version of the Principal Instructional Management Rating Scale and then to apply the scale in a cross-national comparison of principal instructional leadership. The study yielded a validated Spanish language version of the PIMRS Teacher Form and offers a…

The Fuge Tube Diode Array Spectrophotometer

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arneson, B. T.; Long, S. R.; Stewart, K. K.; Lagowski, J. J.

2008-01-01

We present the details for adapting a diode array UV-vis spectrophotometer to incorporate the use of polypropylene microcentrifuge tubes--fuge tubes--as cuvettes. Optical data are presented validating that the polyethylene fuge tubes are equivalent to the standard square cross section polystyrene or glass cuvettes generally used in…

Psychometric evaluation of the Chinese version of the Patient Perceptions of Empowerment Scale (PPES).

PubMed

Yeh, Mei-Yu; Lin, Sieh-Hwa; Tung, Tao-Hsin

2014-01-01

To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Patient Perceptions of Empowerment Scale (PPES) and to perform a cross-cultural validity assessment. In this cross-sectional survey, 554 inpatients in three general hospitals in northern Taiwan were recruited. Principal component analysis was used to examine the factor structure of the scale. Confirmatory factor analyses were conducted on the measurement model of the Chinese version of the PPES. Confirmatory factor analyses supported the presence of a second-order four-factor model (information, decision, individual, and self-management) of the Chinese version of the PPES when used with a Taiwanese inpatient population. The results indicate that the 11-item, second-order, four-factor Chinese version of the PPES provided best goodness-of-fit for the data in this study. The 11-item four-factor Chinese version of the PPES is a self-completion scale. This study demonstrated that the Chinese version of the PPES is a reliable and valid self-report instrument for the assessment of patient perceptions of empowerment in clinical practice. Further adaptation and evaluation of the scale will hopefully stimulate further studies on PPES in the fields of psychometrics in Taiwan.

Psychometric Evaluation of the Chinese Version of the Patient Perceptions of Empowerment Scale (PPES)

PubMed Central

Lin, Sieh-Hwa

2014-01-01

Objectives. To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Patient Perceptions of Empowerment Scale (PPES) and to perform a cross-cultural validity assessment. Methods. In this cross-sectional survey, 554 inpatients in three general hospitals in northern Taiwan were recruited. Principal component analysis was used to examine the factor structure of the scale. Confirmatory factor analyses were conducted on the measurement model of the Chinese version of the PPES. Results. Confirmatory factor analyses supported the presence of a second-order four-factor model (information, decision, individual, and self-management) of the Chinese version of the PPES when used with a Taiwanese inpatient population. The results indicate that the 11-item, second-order, four-factor Chinese version of the PPES provided best goodness-of-fit for the data in this study. Conclusion. The 11-item four-factor Chinese version of the PPES is a self-completion scale. This study demonstrated that the Chinese version of the PPES is a reliable and valid self-report instrument for the assessment of patient perceptions of empowerment in clinical practice. Further adaptation and evaluation of the scale will hopefully stimulate further studies on PPES in the fields of psychometrics in Taiwan. PMID:24971354

Some applications of categorical data analysis to epidemiological studies.

PubMed Central

Grizzle, J E; Koch, G G

1979-01-01

Several examples of categorized data from epidemiological studies are analyzed to illustrate that more informative analysis than tests of independence can be performed by fitting models. All of the analyses fit into a unified conceptual framework that can be performed by weighted least squares. The methods presented show how to calculate point estimate of parameters, asymptotic variances, and asymptotically valid chi 2 tests. The examples presented are analysis of relative risks estimated from several 2 x 2 tables, analysis of selected features of life tables, construction of synthetic life tables from cross-sectional studies, and analysis of dose-response curves. PMID:540590

Change of electric dipole moment in charge transfer transitions of ferrocene oligomers studied by ultrafast two-photon absorption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mikhaylov, Alexander; Arias, Eduardo; Moggio, Ivana; Ziolo, Ronald; Uudsemaa, Merle; Trummal, Aleksander; Cooper, Thomas; Rebane, Aleksander

2017-02-01

Change of permanent electric dipole moment in the lower-energy charge transfer transitions for a series of symmetrical and non-symmetrical ferrocene-phenyleneethynylene oligomers were studied by measuring the corresponding femtosecond two-photon absorption cross section spectra, and were determined to be in the range Δμ = 3 - 10 D. Quantum-chemical calculations of Δμ for the non-symmetrical oligomers show good quantitative agreement with the experimental results, thus validating two-photon absorption spectroscopy as a viable experimental approach to study electrostatic properties of organometallics and other charge transfer systems.

Are loss of control while eating and overeating valid constructs? A critical review of the literature

PubMed Central

Goldschmidt, Andrea B.

2017-01-01

Background Binge eating is a marker of weight gain and obesity, and a hallmark feature of eating disorders. Yet, its component constructs—overeating and loss of control (LOC) while eating—are poorly understood and difficult to measure. Objective To critically review the human literature concerning the validity of LOC and overeating across the age and weight spectrum. Data sources English-language articles addressing the face, convergent, discriminant, and predictive validity of LOC and overeating were included. Results LOC and overeating appear to have adequate face validity. Emerging evidence supports the convergent and predictive validity of the LOC construct, given its unique cross-sectional and prospective associations with numerous anthropometric, psychosocial, and eating behavior-related factors. Overeating may be best conceptualized as a marker of excess weight status. Limitations Binge eating constructs, particularly in the context of subjectively large episodes, are challenging to measure reliably. Few studies addressed overeating in the absence of LOC, thereby limiting conclusions about the validity of the overeating construct independent of LOC. Additional studies addressing the discriminant validity of both constructs are warranted. Discussion Suggestions for future weight-related research and for appropriately defining binge eating in the eating disorders diagnostic scheme are presented. PMID:28165655

Verification and Validation for Flight-Critical Systems (VVFCS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Graves, Sharon S.; Jacobsen, Robert A.

2010-01-01

On March 31, 2009 a Request for Information (RFI) was issued by NASA s Aviation Safety Program to gather input on the subject of Verification and Validation (V & V) of Flight-Critical Systems. The responses were provided to NASA on or before April 24, 2009. The RFI asked for comments in three topic areas: Modeling and Validation of New Concepts for Vehicles and Operations; Verification of Complex Integrated and Distributed Systems; and Software Safety Assurance. There were a total of 34 responses to the RFI, representing a cross-section of academic (26%), small & large industry (47%) and government agency (27%).

Analysis for stresses and buckling of heated composite stiffened panels and other structures, phase 3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Viswanathan, A. V.; Tamekuni, M.

1973-01-01

Analytical methods based on linear theory are presented for predicting the thermal stresses in and the buckling of heated structures with arbitrary uniform cross section. The structure is idealized as an assemblage of laminated plate-strip elements, curved and planar, and beam elements. Uniaxially stiffened plates and shells of arbitrary cross section are typical examples. For the buckling analysis the structure or selected elements may be subjected to mechanical loads, in additional to thermal loads, in any desired combination of inplane transverse load and axial compression load. The analysis is also applicable to stiffened structures under inplane loads varying through the cross section, as in stiffened shells under bending. The buckling analysis is general and covers all modes of instability. The analysis has been applied to a limited number of problems and the results are presented. These while showing the validity and the applicability of the method do not reflect its full capability.

Modelling of hyperconcentrated flood and channel evolution in a braided reach using a dynamically coupled one-dimensional approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xia, Junqiang; Zhang, Xiaolei; Wang, Zenghui; Li, Jie; Zhou, Meirong

2018-06-01

Hyperconcentrated sediment-laden floods often occur in a braided reach of the Lower Yellow River, usually leading to significant channel evolution. A one-dimensional (1D) morphodynamic model using a dynamically coupled solution approach is developed to simulate hyperconcentrated flood and channel evolution in the braided reach with an extremely irregular cross-sectional geometry. In the model, the improved equations for hydrodynamics account for the effects of sediment concentration and bed evolution, which are coupled with the equations of non-equilibrium sediment transport and bed evolution. The model was validated using measurements from the 1977 and 2004 hyperconcentrated floods. Furthermore, the effects were investigated of different cross-sectional spacings and allocation modes of channel deformation area on the model results. It was found that a suitable cross-sectional distance of less than 3 km should be adopted when simulating hyperconcentrated floods, and the results using the uniform allocation mode can agree better with measurements than other two allocation modes.

Experimental examination of ultraviolet Raman cross sections of chemical warfare agent simulants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kullander, F.; Landström, L.; Lundén, H.; Wästerby, Pär.

2015-05-01

Laser induced Raman scattering from the commonly used chemical warfare agent simulants dimethyl sulfoxide, tributyl phosphate, triethyl phosphonoacetate was measured at excitation wavelengths ranging from 210 to 410 nm using a pulsed laser based spectrometer system with a probing distance of 1.4 m and with a field of view on the target of less than 1mm. For the purpose of comparison with well explored reference liquids the Raman scattering from simulants was measured in the form of an extended liquid surface layer on top of a silicon wafer. This way of measuring enabled direct comparison to the Raman scattering strength from cyclohexane. The reference Raman spectra were used to validate the signal strength of the simulants and the calibration of the experimental set up. Measured UV absorbance functions were used to calculate Raman cross sections. Established Raman cross sections of the simulants make it possible to use them as reference samples when measuring on chemical warfare agents in droplet form.

Development and evaluation of the Andhra Pradesh Children and Parent Study Physical Activity Questionnaire (APCAPS-PAQ): a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Matsuzaki, Mika; Sullivan, Ruth; Ekelund, Ulf; Krishna, K V Radha; Kulkarni, Bharati; Collier, Tim; Ben-Shlomo, Yoav; Kinra, Sanjay; Kuper, Hannah

2016-01-19

There is limited availability of context-specific physical activity questionnaires in low and middle income countries. The aim of this study was to develop and examine the validity of a new Indian physical activity questionnaire, the Andhra Pradesh Children and Parent Study Physical Activity Questionnaire (APCAPS-PAQ). The current study was conducted with the cohort from the Hyderabad DXA Study (n = 2321), recruited in 2009-2010. Criterion validity (n = 245) was examined by comparing the APCAPS-PAQ to a combined heart rate and motion sensor worn for 8 days. Construct validity (n = 2321) was assessed with linear regression, comparing APCAPS-PAQ against BMI, percent body fat, and pulse rate. The APCAPS-PAQ criterion validity was variable depending on the PA intensity groups (ρ = 0.26, 0.07, 0.39; к = 0.14, 0.04, 0.16 for sedentary, light, moderate/vigorous physical activity (MVPA) respectively). Sedentary and light intensity activities from the questionnaire were underestimated when compared to the criterion data while MVPA in APCAPS-PAQ was overestimated. Higher time spent in sedentary activity in APCAPS-PAQ was associated with higher BMI and percent body fat, suggesting construct validity. The APCAPS-PAQ validity is comparable to other physical activity questionnaires. This tool is able to assess sedentary behavior, moderate/vigorous activity and physical activity energy expenditure on a group level with reasonable validity. This new questionnaire may be used for ranking individuals according to their sedentary time and physical activity in southern India.

Validity of one-repetition maximum predictive equations in men with spinal cord injury.

PubMed

Ribeiro Neto, F; Guanais, P; Dornelas, E; Coutinho, A C B; Costa, R R G

2017-10-01

Cross-sectional study. The study aimed (a) to test the cross-validation of current one-repetition maximum (1RM) predictive equations in men with spinal cord injury (SCI); (b) to compare the current 1RM predictive equations to a newly developed equation based on the 4- to 12-repetition maximum test (4-12RM). SARAH Rehabilitation Hospital Network, Brasilia, Brazil. Forty-five men aged 28.0 years with SCI between C6 and L2 causing complete motor impairment were enrolled in the study. Volunteers were tested, in a random order, in 1RM test or 4-12RM with 2-3 interval days. Multiple regression analysis was used to generate an equation for predicting 1RM. There were no significant differences between 1RM test and the current predictive equations. ICC values were significant and were classified as excellent for all current predictive equations. The predictive equation of Lombardi presented the best Bland-Altman results (0.5 kg and 12.8 kg for mean difference and interval range around the differences, respectively). The two created equation models for 1RM demonstrated the same and a high adjusted R 2 (0.971, P<0.01), but different SEE of measured 1RM (2.88 kg or 5.4% and 2.90 kg or 5.5%). All 1RM predictive equations are accurate to assess individuals with SCI at the bench press exercise. However, the predictive equation of Lombardi presented the best associated cross-validity results. A specific 1RM prediction equation was also elaborated for individuals with SCI. The created equation should be tested in order to verify whether it presents better accuracy than the current ones.

Small vertebral cross-sectional area and tall intervertebral disc in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

PubMed

Ponrartana, Skorn; Fisher, Carissa L; Aggabao, Patricia C; Chavez, Thomas A; Broom, Alexander M; Wren, Tishya A L; Skaggs, David L; Gilsanz, Vicente

2016-09-01

When compared to boys, girls have smaller vertebral cross-sectional area, which conveys a greater spinal flexibility, and a higher prevalence of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. To test the hypothesis that small vertebral cross-sectional area and tall intervertebral disc height are structural characteristics of patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Using multiplanar imaging techniques, measures of vertebral cross-sectional area, vertebral height and intervertebral disc height in the lumbar spine were obtained in 35 pairs of girls and 11 pairs of boys with and without adolescent idiopathic scoliosis of the thoracic spine matched for age, height and weight. Compared to adolescents without spinal deformity, girls and boys with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis had, on average, 9.8% (6.68 ± 0.81 vs. 7.40 ± 0.99 cm(2); P = 0.0007) and 13.9% (8.22 ± 0.84 vs. 9.55 ± 1.61 cm(2); P = 0.009) smaller vertebral cross-sectional dimensions, respectively. Additionally, patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis had significantly greater values for intervertebral disc heights (9.06 ± 0.85 vs. 7.31 ± 0.62 mm and 9.09 ± 0.87 vs. 7.61 ± 1.00 mm for girls and boys respectively; both P ≤ 0.011). Multiple regression analysis indicated that the presence of scoliosis was negatively associated with vertebral cross-sectional area and positively with intervertebral disc height, independent of sex, age and body mass index. We provide new evidence that girls and boys with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis have significantly smaller vertebral cross-sectional area and taller intervertebral disc heights - two major structural determinants that influence trunk flexibility. With appropriate validation, these findings may have implications for the identification of children at the highest risk for developing scoliosis.

Prediction of adult height in girls: the Beunen-Malina-Freitas method.

PubMed

Beunen, Gaston P; Malina, Robert M; Freitas, Duarte L; Thomis, Martine A; Maia, José A; Claessens, Albrecht L; Gouveia, Elvio R; Maes, Hermine H; Lefevre, Johan

2011-12-01

The purpose of this study was to validate and cross-validate the Beunen-Malina-Freitas method for non-invasive prediction of adult height in girls. A sample of 420 girls aged 10-15 years from the Madeira Growth Study were measured at yearly intervals and then 8 years later. Anthropometric dimensions (lengths, breadths, circumferences, and skinfolds) were measured; skeletal age was assessed using the Tanner-Whitehouse 3 method and menarcheal status (present or absent) was recorded. Adult height was measured and predicted using stepwise, forward, and maximum R (2) regression techniques. Multiple correlations, mean differences, standard errors of prediction, and error boundaries were calculated. A sample of the Leuven Longitudinal Twin Study was used to cross-validate the regressions. Age-specific coefficients of determination (R (2)) between predicted and measured adult height varied between 0.57 and 0.96, while standard errors of prediction varied between 1.1 and 3.9 cm. The cross-validation confirmed the validity of the Beunen-Malina-Freitas method in girls aged 12-15 years, but at lower ages the cross-validation was less consistent. We conclude that the Beunen-Malina-Freitas method is valid for the prediction of adult height in girls aged 12-15 years. It is applicable to European populations or populations of European ancestry.

Scaled plane-wave Born cross sections for atoms and molecules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanaka, H.; Brunger, M. J.; Campbell, L.; Kato, H.; Hoshino, M.; Rau, A. R. P.

2016-04-01

Integral cross sections for optically allowed electronic-state excitations of atoms and molecules by electron impact, by applying scaled plane-wave Born models, are reviewed. Over 40 years ago, Inokuti presented an influential review of charged-particle scattering, based on the theory pioneered by Bethe forty years earlier, which emphasized the importance of reliable cross-section data from low eV energies to high keV energies that are needed in many areas of radiation science with applications to astronomy, plasmas, and medicine. Yet, with a couple of possible exceptions, most computational methods in electron-atom scattering do not, in general, overlap each other's validity range in the region from threshold up to 300 eV and, in particular, in the intermediate region from 30 to 300 eV. This is even more so for electron-molecule scattering. In fact this entire energy range is of great importance and, to bridge the gap between the two regions of low and high energy, scaled plane-wave Born models were developed to provide reliable, comprehensive, and absolute integral cross sections, first for ionization by Kim and Rudd and then extended to optically allowed electronic-state excitation by Kim. These and other scaling models in a broad, general application to electron scattering from atoms and molecules, their theoretical basis, and their results for cross sections along with comparison to experimental measurements are reviewed. Where possible, these data are also compared to results from other computational approaches.

Development of ORIGEN Libraries for Mixed Oxide (MOX) Fuel Assembly Designs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mertyurek, Ugur; Gauld, Ian C.

In this research, ORIGEN cross section libraries for reactor-grade mixed oxide (MOX) fuel assembly designs have been developed to provide fast and accurate depletion calculations to predict nuclide inventories, radiation sources and thermal decay heat information needed in safety evaluations and safeguards verification measurements of spent nuclear fuel. These ORIGEN libraries are generated using two-dimensional lattice physics assembly models that include enrichment zoning and cross section data based on ENDF/B-VII.0 evaluations. Using the SCALE depletion sequence, burnup-dependent cross sections are created for selected commercial reactor assembly designs and a representative range of reactor operating conditions, fuel enrichments, and fuel burnup.more » The burnup dependent cross sections are then interpolated to provide problem-dependent cross sections for ORIGEN, avoiding the need for time-consuming lattice physics calculations. The ORIGEN libraries for MOX assembly designs are validated against destructive radiochemical assay measurements of MOX fuel from the MALIBU international experimental program. This program included measurements of MOX fuel from a 15 × 15 pressurized water reactor assembly and a 9 × 9 boiling water reactor assembly. The ORIGEN MOX libraries are also compared against detailed assembly calculations from the Phase IV-B numerical MOX fuel burnup credit benchmark coordinated by the Nuclear Energy Agency within the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Finally, the nuclide compositions calculated by ORIGEN using the MOX libraries are shown to be in good agreement with other physics codes and with experimental data.« less

Production and testing of the ENEA-Bologna VITJEFF32.BOLIB (JEFF-3.2) multi-group (199 n + 42 γ) cross section library in AMPX format for nuclear fission applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pescarini, Massimo; Orsi, Roberto; Frisoni, Manuela

2017-09-01

The ENEA-Bologna Nuclear Data Group produced the VITJEFF32.BOLIB multi-group coupled neutron/photon (199 n + 42 γ) cross section library in AMPX format, based on the OECD-NEA Data Bank JEFF-3.2 evaluated nuclear data library. VITJEFF32.BOLIB was conceived for nuclear fission applications as European counterpart of the ORNL VITAMIN-B7 similar library (ENDF/B-VII.0 data). VITJEFF32.BOLIB has the same neutron and photon energy group structure as the former ORNL VITAMIN-B6 reference library (ENDF/B-VI.3 data) and was produced using similar data processing methodologies, based on the LANL NJOY-2012.53 nuclear data processing system for the generation of the nuclide cross section data files in GENDF format. Then the ENEA-Bologna 2007 Revision of the ORNL SCAMPI nuclear data processing system was used for the conversion into the AMPX format. VITJEFF32.BOLIB contains processed cross section data files for 190 nuclides, obtained through the Bondarenko (f-factor) method for the treatment of neutron resonance self-shielding and temperature effects. Collapsed working libraries of self-shielded cross sections in FIDO-ANISN format, used by the deterministic transport codes of the ORNL DOORS system, can be generated from VITJEFF32.BOLIB through the cited SCAMPI version. This paper describes the methodology and specifications of the data processing performed and presents some results of the VITJEFF32.BOLIB validation.

Development of ORIGEN Libraries for Mixed Oxide (MOX) Fuel Assembly Designs

DOE PAGES

Mertyurek, Ugur; Gauld, Ian C.

2015-12-24

In this research, ORIGEN cross section libraries for reactor-grade mixed oxide (MOX) fuel assembly designs have been developed to provide fast and accurate depletion calculations to predict nuclide inventories, radiation sources and thermal decay heat information needed in safety evaluations and safeguards verification measurements of spent nuclear fuel. These ORIGEN libraries are generated using two-dimensional lattice physics assembly models that include enrichment zoning and cross section data based on ENDF/B-VII.0 evaluations. Using the SCALE depletion sequence, burnup-dependent cross sections are created for selected commercial reactor assembly designs and a representative range of reactor operating conditions, fuel enrichments, and fuel burnup.more » The burnup dependent cross sections are then interpolated to provide problem-dependent cross sections for ORIGEN, avoiding the need for time-consuming lattice physics calculations. The ORIGEN libraries for MOX assembly designs are validated against destructive radiochemical assay measurements of MOX fuel from the MALIBU international experimental program. This program included measurements of MOX fuel from a 15 × 15 pressurized water reactor assembly and a 9 × 9 boiling water reactor assembly. The ORIGEN MOX libraries are also compared against detailed assembly calculations from the Phase IV-B numerical MOX fuel burnup credit benchmark coordinated by the Nuclear Energy Agency within the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Finally, the nuclide compositions calculated by ORIGEN using the MOX libraries are shown to be in good agreement with other physics codes and with experimental data.« less

Cardiovascular Diseases and Fat Soluble Vitamins: Vitamin D and Vitamin K.

PubMed

Tsugawa, Naoko

2015-01-01

Recently, the associations between insufficiency of fat soluble vitamins and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) have been reported. Vitamin D affects the cardiovascular system via several pathways, such as suppression of parathyroid hormone, the renin- angiotensin-aldosterone system and vascular endothelial growth and the immune system. Cross-sectional and longitudinal studies have shown the association between the concentration of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD), which is a vitamin D metabolite indicating nutritional vitamin D status, and hypertension, myocardial infarction, heart failure and CVD mortality. On the other hand, the association between vitamin K status and CVDs, especially vascular calcification, has been also reported. Cross-sectional and cohort studies show that high vitamin K status is associated with reduced coronary artery calcification, CVDs and mortality risk. Epidemiological and basic studies indicate that vitamin K possesses a benefit in the prevention of the progression of coronary artery calcification via activation of matrix-gla protein (MGP). While these data in epidemiological and basic studies suggest the protective role of vitamin D and K in CVDs, the benefits of supplementation of both vitamins have not been validated in randomized controlled trials. Further basic and interventional studies are needed to confirm the benefit of both vitamins in protection against CVDs.

Energy drink consumption is associated with reduced sleep quality among college students: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Faris, Mo'ez Al-Islam E; Jahrami, Haitham; Al-Hilali, Marwa M; Chehyber, Noor J; Ali, Sara O; Shahda, Sara D; Obaid, Reyad S

2017-07-01

Intake of caffeinated energy drinks has significantly increased, specifically among young adults and adolescents. College students are prone to developing unhealthy eating habits and dependence on stimulants, which puts them at a greater risk of sleep problems. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of caffeinated energy drink consumption and its association with sleep quality in college students. A sample of 919 randomly selected adults (237 males and 682 females) from various colleges at the University of Sharjah/United Arab Emirates participated in this cross-sectional study. Data were collected using an online validated questionnaire. The current study revealed that 376 students (41%) were consuming energy drinks on a regular basis. Approximately half of the students had normal sleep patterns; the other half had sleep problems (anxiety and intermittent sleep). Results of the present study revealed a significant (r = -0.10, P < 0.05) relationship between the consumption of energy drinks and sleep quality and patterns. Moderate consumption of energy drinks was reported among college students. Consumption of energy drinks was significantly associated with changes in sleep quality and patterns of students. © 2016 Dietitians Association of Australia.

Validation of Malay Version of Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale: Comparison between Depressed Patients and Healthy Subjects at an Out-Patient Clinic in Malaysia

PubMed Central

NG, Chong Guan; CHIN, Soo Cheng; YEE, Anne Hway Ann; LOH, Huai Seng; SULAIMAN, Ahmad Hatim; Sherianne Sook Kuan, WONG; HABIL, Mohamed Hussain

2014-01-01

Background: The Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale (SHAPS) is a self-assessment scale designed to evaluate anhedonia in various psychiatric disorders. In order to facilitate its use in Malaysian settings, our current study aimed to examine the validity of a Malay-translated version of the SHAPS (SHAPS-M). Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 44 depressed patients and 82 healthy subjects were recruited from a university out-patient clinic. All participants were given both the Malay and English versions of the SHAPS, Fawcett-Clark Pleasure Scale (FCPS), General Health Questionnaire 12 (GHQ-12), and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) to assess their hedonic state, general mental health condition and levels of depression. Results: The results showed that the SHAPS-M has impressive internal consistency (α = 0.96), concurrent validity and good parallel-form reliability (intraclass coefficient, ICC = 0.65). Conclusion: In addition to demonstrating good psychometric properties, the SHAPS-M is easy to administer. Therefore, it is a valid, reliable, and suitable questionnaire for assessing anhedonia among depressed patients in Malaysia. PMID:25246837

Validation of Malay Version of Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale: Comparison between Depressed Patients and Healthy Subjects at an Out-Patient Clinic in Malaysia.

PubMed

Ng, Chong Guan; Chin, Soo Cheng; Yee, Anne Hway Ann; Loh, Huai Seng; Sulaiman, Ahmad Hatim; Sherianne Sook Kuan, Wong; Habil, Mohamed Hussain

2014-05-01

The Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale (SHAPS) is a self-assessment scale designed to evaluate anhedonia in various psychiatric disorders. In order to facilitate its use in Malaysian settings, our current study aimed to examine the validity of a Malay-translated version of the SHAPS (SHAPS-M). In this cross-sectional study, a total of 44 depressed patients and 82 healthy subjects were recruited from a university out-patient clinic. All participants were given both the Malay and English versions of the SHAPS, Fawcett-Clark Pleasure Scale (FCPS), General Health Questionnaire 12 (GHQ-12), and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) to assess their hedonic state, general mental health condition and levels of depression. The results showed that the SHAPS-M has impressive internal consistency (α = 0.96), concurrent validity and good parallel-form reliability (intraclass coefficient, ICC = 0.65). In addition to demonstrating good psychometric properties, the SHAPS-M is easy to administer. Therefore, it is a valid, reliable, and suitable questionnaire for assessing anhedonia among depressed patients in Malaysia.

Examining the validity of AHRQ's patient safety indicators (PSIs): is variation in PSI composite score related to hospital organizational factors?

PubMed

Shin, Marlena H; Sullivan, Jennifer L; Rosen, Amy K; Solomon, Jeffrey L; Dunn, Edward J; Shimada, Stephanie L; Hayes, Jennifer; Rivard, Peter E

2014-12-01

Increasing use of Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's Patient Safety Indicators (PSIs) for hospital performance measurement intensifies the need to critically assess their validity. Our study examined the extent to which variation in PSI composite score is related to differences in hospital organizational structures or processes (i.e., criterion validity). In site visits to three Veterans Health Administration hospitals with high and three with low PSI composite scores ("low performers" and "high performers," respectively), we interviewed a cross-section of hospital staff. We then coded interview transcripts for evidence in 13 safety-related domains and assessed variation across high and low performers. Evidence of leadership and coordination of work/communication (organizational process domains) was predominantly favorable for high performers only. Evidence in the other domains was either mixed, or there were insufficient data to rate the domains. While we found some evidence of criterion validity, the extent to which variation in PSI rates is related to differences in hospitals' organizational structures/processes needs further study. © The Author(s) 2014.

[Validity of anthropometric measurements and weight perceptions reported by relatives of children under 4 years old].

PubMed

Patiño-Villena, Begoña; Chirlaque, María Dolores; Salmerón, Diego; González, Eduardo; Navarro, Carmen

2016-01-01

To assess the validity of weight and height measurements reported by parents and the perception of their children's weight status in order to assess the prevalence of overweight children under 4 years old. Cross-sectional study. Anthropometric data was collected by self-report questionnaires completed by parents of children 3-45 months old: 1) information from paediatric check-ups (gold standard); 2) information reported from the home environment; and 3) data from individual perceptions. WHO standards were used. Reported height was underestimated, thus reported weight/height and BMI/age were overestimated. Overweight prevalence according to paediatric check-ups was 18.6%, compared to 26.5% reported prevalence, showing a moderate concordance (Kappa: 0.47 [0.34-0.60]), 70% sensitivity and 84% specificity. Subjective perception was 11.2%, representing 30% sensitivity and 93% specificity. The reported information has little validity for population-based studies, as height is underestimated and overweight status is not correctly perceived due to distortion of individual perception. Questionnaires must be validated and awareness raised among families. Copyright © 2016 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Developing the Polish Educational Needs Assessment Tool (Pol-ENAT) in rheumatoid arthritis and systemic sclerosis: a cross-cultural validation study using Rasch analysis.

PubMed

Sierakowska, Matylda; Sierakowski, Stanisław; Sierakowska, Justyna; Horton, Mike; Ndosi, Mwidimi

2015-03-01

To undertake cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the educational needs assessment tool (ENAT) for use with people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic sclerosis (SSc) in Poland. The study involved two main phases: (1) cross-cultural adaptation of the ENAT from English into Polish and (2) Cross-cultural validation of Polish Educational Needs Assessment Tool (Pol-ENAT). The first phase followed an established process of cross-cultural adaptation of self-report measures. The second phase involved completion of the Pol-ENAT by patients and subjecting the data to Rasch analysis to assess the construct validity, unidimensionality, internal consistency and cross-cultural invariance. An adequate conceptual equivalence was achieved following the adaptation process. The dataset for validation comprised a total of 278 patients, 237 (85.3 %) of which were female. In each disease group (145, RA and 133, SSc), the 7 domains of the Pol-ENAT were found to fit the Rasch model, X (2)(df) = 16.953(14), p = 0.259 and 8.132(14), p = 0.882 for RA and SSc, respectively. Internal consistency of the Pol-ENAT was high (patient separation index = 0.85 and 0.89 for SSc and RA, respectively), and unidimensionality was confirmed. Cross-cultural differential item functioning (DIF) was detected in some subscales, and DIF-adjusted conversion tables were calibrated to enable cross-cultural comparison of data between Poland and the UK. Using a standard process in cross-cultural adaptation, conceptual equivalence was achieved between the original (UK) ENAT and the adapted Pol-ENAT. Fit to the Rasch model, confirmed that the construct validity, unidimensionality and internal consistency of the ENAT have been preserved.

Reliability, Validity, and Minimal Detectable Change of Four-Step Stair Climb Power Test in Community-Dwelling Older Adults.

PubMed

Ni, Meng; Brown, Lorna G; Lawler, Danielle; Bean, Jonathan F

2017-07-01

Stair climb power is an important clinical measure of lower-extremity power. The stair climb power test (SCPT) was validated by requiring individuals to climb a full flight of stairs. A 4-step SCPT (4SCPT) would be more clinically feasible and easier to perform, yet its reliability and validity are unknown. To evaluate reliability, validity, and minimal detectable change of 4SCPT among community-dwelling older adults. This study is a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from a clinical trial. Fifty older adults ≥65 years of age, at risk for mobility decline, consented to participate in this ancillary study. Test-retest reliability was derived from 2 measurements within each participant measured by a single assessor. Pearson correlation analyses among leg power measures (4SCPT, SCPT, single leg press power at 40% and 70% of the 1-repetition maximum [SLP40, SLP70]) were performed. Separate multivariate linear regressions were conducted evaluating the associations between each leg power measure and 2 mobility outcomes, the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) and habitual gait speed (HGS). Minimal detectable change was based on a 90% confidence interval (MDC 90 ). The 4SCPT had excellent test-retest reliability (ICC(2,1) = 0.951), and strong correlation with SCPT, SLP40, and SLP70 ( r = 0.85-0.96). The 4SCPT explained a greater amount of variance in the SPPB (R 2 = 0.31) than other leg power measurements (R 2 = 0.23-0.25). The 4SCPT (R 2 = 0.41) and SCPT (R 2 = 0.42) described equivalent amounts of variance in HGS, and greater than that with SLP40 (R 2 = 0.28) and SLP70 (R 2 = 0.30). The MDC 90 for 4SCPT was 44.0 watts. This was a cross-sectional analysis within a small, nonrepresentative sample. Interrater reliability was not evaluated. The 4SCPT shows scientific promise as a valid and reliable leg power measurement among community-dwelling older adults. © 2017 American Physical Therapy Association

The influence of muscle pennation angle and cross-sectional area on contact forces in the ankle joint

PubMed Central

Sopher, Ran S; Amis, Andrew A; Davies, D Ceri; Jeffers, Jonathan RT

2016-01-01

Data about a muscle’s fibre pennation angle and physiological cross-sectional area are used in musculoskeletal modelling to estimate muscle forces, which are used to calculate joint contact forces. For the leg, muscle architecture data are derived from studies that measured pennation angle at the muscle surface, but not deep within it. Musculoskeletal models developed to estimate joint contact loads have usually been based on the mean values of pennation angle and physiological cross-sectional area. Therefore, the first aim of this study was to investigate differences between superficial and deep pennation angles within each muscle acting over the ankle and predict how differences may influence muscle forces calculated in musculoskeletal modelling. The second aim was to investigate how inter-subject variability in physiological cross-sectional area and pennation angle affects calculated ankle contact forces. Eight cadaveric legs were dissected to excise the muscles acting over the ankle. The mean surface and deep pennation angles, fibre length and physiological cross-sectional area were measured. Cluster analysis was applied to group the muscles according to their architectural characteristics. A previously validated OpenSim model was used to estimate ankle muscle forces and contact loads using architecture data from all eight limbs. The mean surface pennation angle for soleus was significantly greater (54%) than the mean deep pennation angle. Cluster analysis revealed three groups of muscles with similar architecture and function: deep plantarflexors and peroneals, superficial plantarflexors and dorsiflexors. Peak ankle contact force was predicted to occur before toe-off, with magnitude greater than five times bodyweight. Inter-specimen variability in contact force was smallest at peak force. These findings will help improve the development of experimental and computational musculoskeletal models by providing data to estimate force based on both surface and deep pennation angles. Inter-subject variability in muscle architecture affected ankle muscle and contact loads only slightly. The link between muscle architecture and function contributes to the understanding of the relationship between muscle structure and function. PMID:29805194

Reliability and validity of the visual analogue scale for disability in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain.

PubMed

Boonstra, Anne M; Schiphorst Preuper, Henrica R; Reneman, Michiel F; Posthumus, Jitze B; Stewart, Roy E

2008-06-01

To determine the reliability and concurrent validity of a visual analogue scale (VAS) for disability as a single-item instrument measuring disability in chronic pain patients was the objective of the study. For the reliability study a test-retest design and for the validity study a cross-sectional design was used. A general rehabilitation centre and a university rehabilitation centre was the setting for the study. The study population consisted of patients over 18 years of age, suffering from chronic musculoskeletal pain; 52 patients in the reliability study, 344 patients in the validity study. Main outcome measures were as follows. Reliability study: Spearman's correlation coefficients (rho values) of the test and retest data of the VAS for disability; validity study: rho values of the VAS disability scores with the scores on four domains of the Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) and VAS pain scores, and with Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire scores in chronic low back pain patients. Results were as follows: in the reliability study rho values varied from 0.60 to 0.77; and in the validity study rho values of VAS disability scores with SF-36 domain scores varied from 0.16 to 0.51, with Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire scores from 0.38 to 0.43 and with VAS pain scores from 0.76 to 0.84. The conclusion of the study was that the reliability of the VAS for disability is moderate to good. Because of a weak correlation with other disability instruments and a strong correlation with the VAS for pain, however, its validity is questionable.

Shear viscosity of an ultrarelativistic Boltzmann gas with isotropic inelastic scattering processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El, A.; Lauciello, F.; Wesp, C.; Bouras, I.; Xu, Z.; Greiner, C.

2014-05-01

We derive an analytic expression for the shear viscosity of an ultra-relativistic gas in presence of both elastic 2→2 and inelastic 2↔3 processes with isotropic differential cross sections. The derivation is based on the entropy principle and Grad's approximation for the off-equilibrium distribution function. The obtained formula relates the shear viscosity coefficient η to the total cross sections σ22 and σ23 of the elastic resp. inelastic processes. The values of shear viscosity extracted using the Green-Kubo formula from kinetic transport calculations are shown to be in excellent agreement with the analytic results which demonstrates the validity of the derived formula.

Carbon dioxide electron cooling rates in the atmospheres of Mars and Venus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campbell, L.; Brunger, M. J.; Rescigno, T. N.

2008-08-01

The cooling of electrons in collisions with carbon dioxide in the atmospheres of Venus and Mars is investigated. Calculations are performed with both previously accepted electron energy transfer rates and with new ones determined using more recent theoretical and experimental cross sections for electron impact on CO2. Emulation of a previous model for Venus confirms the validity of the current model and shows that use of the updated cross sections leads to cooling rates that are lower by one third. Application of the same model to the atmosphere of Mars gives more than double the previous cooling rates at altitudes where the electron temperature is very low.

Magnetically confined electron beam system for high resolution electron transmission-beam experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lozano, A. I.; Oller, J. C.; Krupa, K.; Ferreira da Silva, F.; Limão-Vieira, P.; Blanco, F.; Muñoz, A.; Colmenares, R.; García, G.

2018-06-01

A novel experimental setup has been implemented to provide accurate electron scattering cross sections from molecules at low and intermediate impact energies (1-300 eV) by measuring the attenuation of a magnetically confined linear electron beam from a molecular target. High-resolution electron energy is achieved through confinement in a magnetic gas trap where electrons are cooled by successive collisions with N2. Additionally, we developed and present a method to correct systematic errors arising from energy and angular resolution limitations. The accuracy of the entire measurement procedure is validated by comparing the N2 total scattering cross section in the considered energy range with benchmark values available in the literature.

The relationship between wind vector and normalized radar cross section used to derive Seasat-A Satellite Scatterometer winds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schroeder, L. C.; Jones, W. L.; Boggs, D. H.; Halberstam, I. M.; Dome, G.; Pierson, W. J.; Wentz, F. J.

1982-01-01

The Seasat-A Satellite Scatterometer (SASS) ocean normalized radar cross section (NRCS) dependence on the 19.5-m neutral stability wind vector may be specified as a function of radar incidence angle, the angle between wind direction and radar azimuth, and the neutral stability wind speed expressed in m/sec at a height of 19.5 m. An account is given of the development of models both expressing this relationship and providing the basis of inversion of NRCS to SASS winds, from initially aircraft scatterometer measurement-based forms to three Seasat field-validation experiments which furnish model NRCS versus surface windspeed data for comparison with SASS data.

Particle physics on ice: constraints on neutrino interactions far above the weak scale.

PubMed

Anchordoqui, Luis A; Feng, Jonathan L; Goldberg, Haim

2006-01-20

Ultrahigh energy cosmic rays and neutrinos probe energies far above the weak scale. Their usefulness might appear to be limited by astrophysical uncertainties; however, by simultaneously considering up- and down-going events, one may disentangle particle physics from astrophysics. We show that present data from the AMANDA experiment in the South Pole ice already imply an upper bound on neutrino cross sections at energy scales that will likely never be probed at man-made accelerators. The existing data also place an upper limit on the neutrino flux valid for any neutrino cross section. In the future, similar analyses of IceCube data will constrain neutrino properties and fluxes at the theta(10%) level.

Validation of Medical Tourism Service Quality Questionnaire (MTSQQ) for Iranian Hospitals.

PubMed

Qolipour, Mohammad; Torabipour, Amin; Khiavi, Farzad Faraji; Malehi, Amal Saki

2017-03-01

Assessing service quality is one of the basic requirements to develop the medical tourism industry. There is no valid and reliable tool to measure service quality of medical tourism. This study aimed to determine the reliability and validity of a Persian version of medical tourism service quality questionnaire for Iranian hospitals. To validate the medical tourism service quality questionnaire (MTSQQ), a cross-sectional study was conducted on 250 Iraqi patients referred to hospitals in Ahvaz (Iran) from 2015. To design a questionnaire and determine its content validity, the Delphi Technique (3 rounds) with the participation of 20 medical tourism experts was used. Construct validity of the questionnaire was assessed through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Data were analyzed by Excel 2007, SPSS version18, and Lisrel l8.0 software. The content validity of the questionnaire with CVI=0.775 was confirmed. According to exploratory factor analysis, the MTSQQ included 31 items and 8 dimensions (tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy, exchange and travel facilities, technical and infrastructure facilities and safety and security). Construct validity of the questionnaire was confirmed, based on the goodness of fit quantities of model (RMSEA=0.032, CFI= 0.98, GFI=0.88). Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.837 and 0.919 for expectation and perception questionnaire. The results of the study showed that the medical tourism SERVQUAL questionnaire with 31 items and 8 dimensions was a valid and reliable tool to measure service quality of medical tourism in Iranian hospitals.

University Students' Subjective Knowledge of Green Computing and Pro-Environmental Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahmad, Tunku Badariah Tunku; Nordin, Mohamad Sahari

2014-01-01

This cross-sectional survey examined the structure of university students' subjective knowledge of green computing--hypothesized to be a multidimensional construct with three important dimensions--and its association with pro-environmental behavior (PEB). Using a previously validated green computing questionnaire, data were collected from 842…

Job Embeddedness Demonstrates Incremental Validity When Predicting Turnover Intentions for Australian University Employees

PubMed Central

Heritage, Brody; Gilbert, Jessica M.; Roberts, Lynne D.

2016-01-01

Job embeddedness is a construct that describes the manner in which employees can be enmeshed in their jobs, reducing their turnover intentions. Recent questions regarding the properties of quantitative job embeddedness measures, and their predictive utility, have been raised. Our study compared two competing reflective measures of job embeddedness, examining their convergent, criterion, and incremental validity, as a means of addressing these questions. Cross-sectional quantitative data from 246 Australian university employees (146 academic; 100 professional) was gathered. Our findings indicated that the two compared measures of job embeddedness were convergent when total scale scores were examined. Additionally, job embeddedness was capable of demonstrating criterion and incremental validity, predicting unique variance in turnover intention. However, this finding was not readily apparent with one of the compared job embeddedness measures, which demonstrated comparatively weaker evidence of validity. We discuss the theoretical and applied implications of these findings, noting that job embeddedness has a complementary place among established determinants of turnover intention. PMID:27199817

Development of the Teen Oral Health-Related Quality of Life Instrument.

PubMed

Wright, Wanda G; Spiro, Avron; Jones, Judith A; Rich, Sharron E; Garcia, Raul I

2017-03-01

The aim of this study was to develop the Teen Oral Health-Related Quality of Life instrument (TOQOL) and demonstrate its validity and reliability in a diverse sample of 13-18-year-old adolescents. A total of 363 adolescents aged 13-18 years participated in this cross sectional study. Oral screening examinations were conducted to collect oral health status data. Adolescents completed the TOQOL and a generic measure of health-related quality of life, the PedsQL. The psychometric properties of the TOQOL were evaluated in terms of face, content, convergent, concurrent and discriminant validity in addition to internal reliability. The 16-item TOQOL covers five domains: Physical functioning, Role functioning, Social functioning, Oral problems, and Emotional functioning. The total scale and subscales showed satisfactory reliability with Cronbach alpha ranging from 0.75 to 0.92. TOQOL scores showed significant associations with perceived oral health status and the PedsQL (convergent validity) and discriminated well between adolescents with caries and adolescents who were caries free (discriminate validity). The TOQOL is a valid and reliable oral health-related quality of life measurement that can be recommended for self-report in adolescents aged 13-18 years. © 2016 American Association of Public Health Dentistry.

A Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Student Evidence-Based Practice Questionnaire (S-EBPQ) in an Australian sample.

PubMed

Beccaria, Lisa; Beccaria, Gavin; McCosker, Catherine

2018-03-01

It is crucial that nursing students develop skills and confidence in using Evidence-Based Practice principles early in their education. This should be assessed with valid tools however, to date, few measures have been developed and applied to the student population. To examine the structural validity of the Student Evidence-Based Practice Questionnaire (S-EBPQ), with an Australian online nursing student cohort. A cross-sectional study for constructing validity. Three hundred and forty-five undergraduate nursing students from an Australian regional university were recruited across two semesters. Confirmatory Factor Analysis was used to examine the structural validity. Confirmatory Factor Analysis was applied which resulted in a good fitting model, based on a revised 20-item tool. The S-EBPQ tool remains a psychometrically robust measure of evidence-based practice use, attitudes, and knowledge and skills and can be applied in an online Australian student context. The findings of this study provided further evidence of the reliability and four factor structure of the S-EBPQ. Opportunities for further refinement of the tool may result in improvements in structural validity. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Validation and adaptation of the Norwegian version of Hayes Ability Screening Index for intellectual difficulties in a psychiatric sample.

PubMed

Søndenaa, Erik; Nygård, Øyvind; Nøttestad, Jim Aage; Linaker, Olav Martin

2011-02-01

Intellectual disabilities (ID) among psychiatric patients have traditionally been neglected. A lack of convenient instruments and competency in ID may have worsened the conditions and treatment availability for these patients. Validation and adaptation of a screening instrument for ID (Hayes Ability Screening Index; HASI) in a psychiatric hospital setting. This is a cross-sectional study of 50 psychiatric patients in two Norwegian psychiatric hospitals comparing results of the HASI with the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI). The HASI correlated well with the standard IQ test used (r= 0.67, P< 0.001). At a stated cut-off score of 85, the HASI had a sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 34%. The HASI is a valid and time-saving screening instrument for ID among psychiatric patients. The prescribed cut-off score, however, resulted in a large number of false positives.

Criterion Validity of the Child's Challenging Behavior Scale, Version 2 (CCBS-2).

PubMed

Bourke-Taylor, Helen M; Cordier, Reinie; Pallant, Julie F

The Child's Challenging Behavior Scale, Version 2 (CCBS-2), measures maternal rating of a child's challenging behaviors that compromise maternal mental health. The CCBS-2, the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) were compared in a sample of typically developing young Australian children. Criterion validity was investigated by correlating the CCBS-2 with "gold standard" measures (CBCL and SDQ subscales). Data were collected in a cross-sectional survey of mothers (N = 336) of children ages 3-9 yr. Correlations with the CBCL externalizing subscales demonstrated moderate (ρ = .46) to strong (ρ = .66) correlations. Correlations with the SDQ externalizing behaviors subscales were moderate (ρ = .35) to strong (ρ = .60). The criterion validity established in this study strengthens the psychometric properties that support ongoing development of the CCBS-2 as an efficient tool that may identify children in need of further evaluation. Copyright © 2018 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

Validation of the respiratory toxics exposure score (RTES) for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease screening.

PubMed

Salameh, Pascale; Khayat, Georges; Waked, Mirna

2011-12-01

Our aim is to evaluate the validity of exhaled carbon monoxide (CO) and of a newly-created score as markers of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). The CO level was measured in a derivation subsample of a cross-sectional study and linked to COPD diagnosis; its predictors were evaluated, and a scale was constructed. It was evaluated in a validation subsample and in a clinical setting. Individuals with COPD had higher CO levels than healthy individuals. CO level significant predictors were cigarettes per day, waterpipes per week, lower age, male gender, living close to diesel exhaust, heating home with the use of diesel, and having indoor family smokers. A score composed of CO predictors was able to significantly predict COPD (Ora = 4-7.5). Coupled with the clinical judgment of physicians, this scale would be an excellent low-cost tool for screening COPD, in absence of spirometry.

The Spanish version of the Emotional Labour Scale (ELS): a validation study.

PubMed

Picardo, Juan M; López-Fernández, Consuelo; Hervás, María José Abellán

2013-10-01

To validate the Spanish version of the Emotional Labour Scale (ELS), an instrument widely used to understand how professionals working with people face emotional labor in their daily job. An observational, cross-sectional and multicenter survey was used. Nursing students and their clinical tutors (n=211) completed the self-reported ELS when the clinical practice period was over. First order and second order Confirmatory Factor Analyses (CFA) were estimated in order to test the factor structure of the scale. The results of the CFA confirm a factor structure of the scale with six first order factors (duration, frequency, intensity, variety, surface acting and deep acting) and two larger second order factors named Demands (duration, frequency, intensity and variety) and Acting (surface acting and deep acting) establishing the validity of the Spanish version of the ELS. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

CFD Simulation and Experimental Validation of Fluid Flow and Particle Transport in a Model of Alveolated Airways

PubMed Central

Ma, Baoshun; Ruwet, Vincent; Corieri, Patricia; Theunissen, Raf; Riethmuller, Michel; Darquenne, Chantal

2009-01-01

Accurate modeling of air flow and aerosol transport in the alveolated airways is essential for quantitative predictions of pulmonary aerosol deposition. However, experimental validation of such modeling studies has been scarce. The objective of this study is to validate CFD predictions of flow field and particle trajectory with experiments within a scaled-up model of alveolated airways. Steady flow (Re = 0.13) of silicone oil was captured by particle image velocimetry (PIV), and the trajectories of 0.5 mm and 1.2 mm spherical iron beads (representing 0.7 to 14.6 μm aerosol in vivo) were obtained by particle tracking velocimetry (PTV). At twelve selected cross sections, the velocity profiles obtained by CFD matched well with those by PIV (within 1.7% on average). The CFD predicted trajectories also matched well with PTV experiments. These results showed that air flow and aerosol transport in models of human alveolated airways can be simulated by CFD techniques with reasonable accuracy. PMID:20161301

CFD Simulation and Experimental Validation of Fluid Flow and Particle Transport in a Model of Alveolated Airways.

PubMed

Ma, Baoshun; Ruwet, Vincent; Corieri, Patricia; Theunissen, Raf; Riethmuller, Michel; Darquenne, Chantal

2009-05-01

Accurate modeling of air flow and aerosol transport in the alveolated airways is essential for quantitative predictions of pulmonary aerosol deposition. However, experimental validation of such modeling studies has been scarce. The objective of this study is to validate CFD predictions of flow field and particle trajectory with experiments within a scaled-up model of alveolated airways. Steady flow (Re = 0.13) of silicone oil was captured by particle image velocimetry (PIV), and the trajectories of 0.5 mm and 1.2 mm spherical iron beads (representing 0.7 to 14.6 mum aerosol in vivo) were obtained by particle tracking velocimetry (PTV). At twelve selected cross sections, the velocity profiles obtained by CFD matched well with those by PIV (within 1.7% on average). The CFD predicted trajectories also matched well with PTV experiments. These results showed that air flow and aerosol transport in models of human alveolated airways can be simulated by CFD techniques with reasonable accuracy.

Validity of self-reported intensity of exposure to second-hand smoke at home against environmental and personal markers.

PubMed

Martínez-Sánchez, José M; González-Marrón, Adrián; Martín-Sánchez, Juan Carlos; Sureda, Xisca; Fu, Marcela; Pérez-Ortuño, Raúl; Lidón-Moyano, Cristina; Galán, Iñaki; Pascual, José Antonio; Fernández, Esteve

2017-11-02

The objective of this study was to assess the validity of two questions about the perception of intensity of exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) at home using as a reference environmental markers (airborne nicotine and benzene) and biomarkers of exposure (cotinine in saliva and urine). This was a cross-sectional study in a convenience sample of 49 non-smoking volunteers. We found a high correlation between self-reported SHS exposure and airborne nicotine (r sp =0.806, p<0.05), salivary cotinine (r sp =0.752, p<0.05), and urinary cotinine (r sp =0.626, p<0.05). We did not find differences between the score question and the conventional ones (p >0.05). In conclusion, the significant correlation of the two questions proposed with environmental markers and personal markers indicates their potential validity to assess exposure to SHS at home. Copyright © 2017 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

A New Lebanese Medication Adherence Scale: Validation in Lebanese Hypertensive Adults.

PubMed

Bou Serhal, R; Salameh, P; Wakim, N; Issa, C; Kassem, B; Abou Jaoude, L; Saleh, N

2018-01-01

A new Lebanese scale measuring medication adherence considered socioeconomic and cultural factors not taken into account by the eight-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8). Objectives were to validate the new adherence scale and its prediction of hypertension control, compared to MMAS-8, and to assess adherence rates and factors. A cross-sectional study, including 405 patients, was performed in outpatient cardiology clinics of three hospitals in Beirut. Blood pressure was measured, a questionnaire filled, and sodium intake estimated by a urine test. Logistic regression defined predictors of hypertension control and adherence. 54.9% had controlled hypertension. 82.4% were adherent by the new scale, which showed good internal consistency, adequate questions (KMO coefficient = 0.743), and four factors. It predicted hypertension control (OR = 1.217; p value = 0.003), unlike MMAS-8, but the scores were correlated (ICC average measure = 0.651; p value < 0.001). Stress and smoking predicted nonadherence. This study elaborated a validated, practical, and useful tool measuring adherence to medications in Lebanese hypertensive patients.

Proposing a Parkinson's disease-specific tremor scale from the MDS-UPDRS.

PubMed

Forjaz, Maria João; Ayala, Alba; Testa, Claudia M; Bain, Peter G; Elble, Rodger; Haubenberger, Dietrich; Rodriguez-Blazquez, Carmen; Deuschl, Günther; Martinez-Martin, Pablo

2015-07-01

This article proposes an International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society (MDS)-UPDRS tremor-based scale and describes its measurement properties, with a view to developing an improved scale for assessing tremor in Parkinson's disease (PD). This was a cross-sectional, multicenter study of 435 PD patients. Rasch analysis was performed on the 11 MDS-UPDRS tremor items. Construct validity, precision, and test-retest reliability were also analyzed. After some modifications, which included removal of an item owing to redundancy, the obtained MDS-UPDRS tremor scale showed moderate reliability, unidimensionality, absence of differential item functioning, satisfactory convergent validity with medication, and better precision than the raw sum score. However, the scale displayed a floor effect and a need for more items measuring lower levels of tremor. The MDS-UPDRS tremor scale provides linear scores that can be used to assess tremor in PD in a valid, reliable way. The scale might benefit from modifications and studies that analyze its responsiveness. © 2015 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Anxiety and Spiritual Well-Being in Nursing Students: A Cross-Sectional Study.

PubMed

Fabbris, Jéssika Leão; Mesquita, Ana Cláudia; Caldeira, Sílvia; Carvalho, Ana Maria Pimenta; Carvalho, Emilia Campos de

2016-06-20

To analyze the relation between anxiety and spiritual well-being in undergraduate nursing students. Cross sectional, correlational, and survey design. A total of 169 students from a Brazilian Nursing School completed three instruments: demographic data, Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWBS), and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). The mean score of SWBS was high, and the mean score of BAI was low. When experiencing anxiety, there was lower probability of experiencing high spiritual well-being. For those students considering religiosity very important, the score of SWBS was high. Students scoring lower in SWBS had more probability of experiencing moderate/high anxiety. Higher scores of SWBS and importance given to religiosity were related to lower scores of BAI. Also, the performance and score of spiritual well-being were related to anxiety scores. Further research is worthy to identify and validate which educational aspects could promote spiritual well-being and reduce anxiety as well as research to analyze the relation between spiritual well-being score and learning outcomes. © The Author(s) 2016.

Photodisintegration cross section of the reaction (4)He(γ,p)(3)H between 22 and 30 MeV.

PubMed

Raut, R; Tornow, W; Ahmed, M W; Crowell, A S; Kelley, J H; Rusev, G; Stave, S C; Tonchev, A P

2012-01-27

The two-body photodisintegration cross section of (4)He into a proton and triton was measured with monoenergetic photon beams in 0.5 MeV energy steps between 22 and 30 MeV. High-pressure (4)He-Xe gas scintillators of various (4)He/Xe ratios served as targets and detectors. Pure Xe gas scintillators were used for background studies. A NaI detector together with a plastic scintillator paddle was employed for determining the incident photon flux. Our comprehensive data set follows the trend of the theoretical calculations of the Trento group very well, although our data are consistently lower in magnitude by about 5%. However, they differ significantly from the majority of the previous data, especially from the recent data of Shima et al. The latter data had put into question the validity of theoretical approaches used to calculate core-collapse supernova explosions and big-bang nucleosynthesis abundances of certain light nuclei.

A simulation-based study on the influence of beam hardening in X-ray computed tomography for dimensional metrology.

PubMed

Lifton, Joseph J; Malcolm, Andrew A; McBride, John W

2015-01-01

X-ray computed tomography (CT) is a radiographic scanning technique for visualising cross-sectional images of an object non-destructively. From these cross-sectional images it is possible to evaluate internal dimensional features of a workpiece which may otherwise be inaccessible to tactile and optical instruments. Beam hardening is a physical process that degrades the quality of CT images and has previously been suggested to influence dimensional measurements. Using a validated simulation tool, the influence of spectrum pre-filtration and beam hardening correction are evaluated for internal and external dimensional measurements. Beam hardening is shown to influence internal and external dimensions in opposition, and to have a greater influence on outer dimensions compared to inner dimensions. The results suggest the combination of spectrum pre-filtration and a local gradient-based surface determination method are able to greatly reduce the influence of beam hardening in X-ray CT for dimensional metrology.

Design study of beam position monitors for measuring second-order moments of charged particle beams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yanagida, Kenichi; Suzuki, Shinsuke; Hanaki, Hirofumi

2012-01-01

This paper presents a theoretical investigation on the multipole moments of charged particle beams in two-dimensional polar coordinates. The theoretical description of multipole moments is based on a single-particle system that is expanded to a multiparticle system by superposition, i.e., summing over all single-particle results. This paper also presents an analysis and design method for a beam position monitor (BPM) that detects higher-order (multipole) moments of a charged particle beam. To calculate the electric fields, a numerical analysis based on the finite difference method was created and carried out. Validity of the numerical analysis was proven by comparing the numerical with the analytical results for a BPM with circular cross section. Six-electrode BPMs with circular and elliptical cross sections were designed for the SPring-8 linac. The results of the numerical calculations show that the second-order moment can be detected for beam sizes ≧420μm (circular) and ≧550μm (elliptical).

γ production and neutron inelastic scattering cross sections for 76Ge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rouki, C.; Domula, A. R.; Drohé, J. C.; Koning, A. J.; Plompen, A. J. M.; Zuber, K.

2013-11-01

The 2040.7-keV γ ray from the 69th excited state of 76Ge was investigated in the interest of Ge-based double-β-decay experiments like the Germanium Detector Array (GERDA) experiment. The predicted transition could interfere with valid 0νββ events at 2039.0 keV, creating false signals in large-volume 76Ge enriched detectors. The measurement was performed with the Gamma Array for Inelastic Neutron Scattering (GAINS) at the Geel Electron Linear Accelerator (GELINA) white neutron source, using the (n,n'γ) technique and focusing on the strongest γ rays originating from the level. Upper limits obtained for the production cross section of the 2040.7-keV γ ray showed no possible influence on GERDA data. Additional analysis of the data yielded high-resolution cross sections for the low-lying states of 76Ge and related γ rays, improving the accuracy and extending existing data for five transitions and five levels. The inelastic scattering cross section for 76Ge was determined for incident neutron energies up to 2.23 MeV, significantly increasing the energy range for which experimental data are available. Comparisons with model calculations using the talys code are presented indicating that accounting for the recently established asymmetric rotor structure should lead to an improved description of the data.

Cross-cultural Adaption and Validation of the Danish Voice Handicap Index.

PubMed

Sorensen, Jesper Roed; Printz, Trine; Mehlum, Camilla Slot; Heidemann, Christian Hamilton; Groentved, Aagot Moeller; Godballe, Christian

2018-02-02

We aimed to assess psychometric properties, including internal consistency, reliability, and clinical validity of the Danish version of the Voice Handicap Index (VHI). A cross-sectional survey study was carried out. For validation, the existing nonvalidated Danish version of the VHI was used. Data from 208 patients with voice disorders of different etiology (neurogenic, functional, and structural) and a control group of 85 vocally healthy individuals were included. A test-retest reliability analysis of 42 patients and 45 control persons was performed. The internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and clinical validity of the questionnaire were assessed. Internal consistency was high with a Cronbach α >0.90 for both the patient and control group. Test-retest reliability measured as intraclass correlation coefficient was good with 0.93 (95% confidence interval [95% confidence interval]: 0.87-0.96) for patients and 0.78 (95% confidence interval: 0.63-0.87) for the control group which indicates sufficient reliability of the questionnaire. The Danish VHI has good clinical validity as it has a strong correlation between patient's perception of the severity of their voice disorder and the VHI score from the Spearman correlation of 0.69. The existing Danish version of the VHI has been thoroughly validated and found to be in line with the original VHI from Jacobsen et al. It showed good internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and clinical validity. It is suitable for use in daily practice and in research projects as it is able to assess patients' perception of their voice disorder severity. Copyright © 2018 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Derivation and Cross-Validation of Cutoff Scores for Patients With Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders on WAIS-IV Digit Span-Based Performance Validity Measures.

PubMed

Glassmire, David M; Toofanian Ross, Parnian; Kinney, Dominique I; Nitch, Stephen R

2016-06-01

Two studies were conducted to identify and cross-validate cutoff scores on the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Fourth Edition Digit Span-based embedded performance validity (PV) measures for individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. In Study 1, normative scores were identified on Digit Span-embedded PV measures among a sample of patients (n = 84) with schizophrenia spectrum diagnoses who had no known incentive to perform poorly and who put forth valid effort on external PV tests. Previously identified cutoff scores resulted in unacceptable false positive rates and lower cutoff scores were adopted to maintain specificity levels ≥90%. In Study 2, the revised cutoff scores were cross-validated within a sample of schizophrenia spectrum patients (n = 96) committed as incompetent to stand trial. Performance on Digit Span PV measures was significantly related to Full Scale IQ in both studies, indicating the need to consider the intellectual functioning of examinees with psychotic spectrum disorders when interpreting scores on Digit Span PV measures. © The Author(s) 2015.

Reduction of the radar cross section of arbitrarily shaped cavity structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chou, R.; Ling, H.; Lee, S. W.

1987-01-01

The problem of the reduction of the radar cross section (RCS) of open-ended cavities was studied. The issues investigated were reduction through lossy coating materials on the inner cavity wall and reduction through shaping of the cavity. A method was presented to calculate the RCS of any arbitrarily shaped structure in order to study the shaping problem. The limitations of this method were also addressed. The modal attenuation was studied in a multilayered coated waveguide. It was shown that by employing two layers of coating, it was possible to achieve an increase in both the magnitude of attenuation and the frequency band of effectiveness. The numerical method used in finding the roots of the characteristic equation breaks down when the coating thickness is very lossy and large in terms of wavelength. A new method of computing the RCS of an arbitrary cavity was applied to study the effects of longitudinal bending on RCS reduction. The ray and modal descriptions for the fields in a parallel plate waveguide were compared. To extend the range of validity of the Shooting and Bouncing Ray (SBR) method, the simple ray picture must be modified to account for the beam blurring.

Attitudes toward science among grades 3 through 12 Arab students in Qatar: findings from a cross-sectional national study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Said, Ziad; Summers, Ryan; Abd-El-Khalick, Fouad; Wang, Shuai

2016-03-01

This study assessed students' attitudes toward science in Qatar. A cross-sectional, nationwide probability sample representing all students enrolled in grades 3 through 12 in the various types of schools in Qatar completed the 'Arabic Speaking Students' Attitudes toward Science Survey' (ASSASS). The validity and reliability of the 32-item instrument, encompassing five sub-scales, have already been shown to be robust. The present analysis focused on responses from 1978 participants representing the students who completed the ASSASS in Arabic. Descriptive statistics were computed and a competing pair of multiple indicators multiple causes models is presented that attempt to link patterns in students' responses to the ASSASS with a set of indicators. The final model retained student age, gender, nationality (i.e. Qatari vs. Non-Qatari Arab), and school type as indicators. Findings from this study suggest that participants' attitudes toward science decrease with age, and that these attitudes and related preferences are influenced by students' nationality and the type of school they attend. Equally important, the often-reported advantages for male over female precollege students in terms of attitudes toward science were much less prominent in the present study.