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Clinical evaluation of a self-rating scale for depressive disorder in childhood (Depression Self-Rating Scale).

The many conceptual and methodological difficulties involved in evaluating depression rating scales for children are discussed. A clinical validation of the Depression Self-Rating Scale for Children (DSRSC) is described. The instrument is easy to use and has a predictive value comparable with that of a psychiatric global rating of depressed appearance and history of depression obtained at interview. There was confirmation that the DSRSC can tap an internal dimension of depression and that children are able to evaluate their feeling states. An examination of misclassified children pointed to diagnostic overlap and some unreliability of diagnosis by clinicians.

Adolescent↗

Improved reliability of the Standardized Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale (SADAS) compared with the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS).

OBJECTIVES: To compare the interrater and intrarater reliability of the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS) with the Standardized Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale (SADAS). DESIGN: A randomized, double blind trial. Sixteen university students were randomized to administer either version of the instrument. Subjects were randomized to three assessments, at 2-week intervals, using the ADAS or the SADAS. Each subject's first and third tests were administered by the same rater, the second by a different rater. SETTING: A geriatric outpatient clinic in a university teaching hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Fifty-four patients with possible or probable Alzheimer's disease living in the community or in a long-term care facility. MEASUREMENTS: The primary outcome was the interrater reliability of total ADAS and SADAS scores. Secondary outcomes were ADAS and SADAS cognitive scores, noncognitive scores, duration of testing, and sample size estimates. RESULTS: The interrater reliability of the SADAS total score was significantly better than that of the ADAS (interrater ICC 0.93 SADAS vs 0.83 ADAS), and the interrater standard deviation of the total SADAS score was lower than that of the ADAS (38%, P < .05). The SADAS cognitive subscale inter and intrarater reliability, although higher than the ADAS, was not significantly different when used by different raters (interrater ICC 0.91 SADAS vs 0.90 ADAS; intrarater ICC 0.88 SADAS vs 0.86 ADAS). The SADAS noncognitive subscale was significantly more reliable than the ADAS (interrater ICC 0.89 SADAS vs 0.42 ADAS; intrarater ICC 0.87 SADAS vs 0.70 ADAS; P < or = .05) and had a lower standard deviation between raters (59%; P < .01) and within raters (40%; P < .05) compared with the ADAS. CONCLUSION: The improved reliability of the SADAS total score means that investigators can now use this score as a primary outcome measure, and important behavioral symptomatology can be included as a marker for treatment efficacy in AD. The smaller standard deviation of the SADAS means that clinical trials using the SADAS as a primary outcome will demonstrate differences, if present, with smaller sample sizes than with the ADAS.

Aged↗

Impact on patients triage distribution utilizing the Australasian Triage Scale compared with its predecessor the National Triage Scale.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of the change from the National Triage Scale (NTS) to the Australasian Triage Scale (ATS) within a hospital ED. METHODS: A retrospective audit of consecutive adult patients attending the ED of Auckland Hospital from July to September 2001, during which patients were triaged according to the NTS, were compared with patients triaged according to the ATS during July to September 2002. RESULTS: In total, 8715 patients attended the department during July to September 2001 compared with 9047 patients during July to September 2002. There was a significant shift in the triage ratios with patient number increases of 28 and 24% in triage categories two and three, respectively, and decreases of 15 and 67% in categories four and five, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The revision of the ATS has had a significant impact on the triage distribution of patients who present to ED. The change of distribution might have implications for meeting performance criteria and assessing casemix.

Adult↗

Large-scale production of mammalian cells and their products: engineering principles and barriers to scale-up.

Mammalian cell products have great medical and clinical importance, but to date, production methods employed to manufacture these products on a large scale are not as cost efficient as they could be. The implementation of process control would greatly improve the productivity of these products. Recently developed methods to produce cells on a large scale, such as microcarriers, artificial capillaries, tubular spiral film, and microencapsulation must be optimized, and the problem of oxygen transfer limitation must be solved. The accumulation of potentially toxic waste products can inhibit growth and reduce productivity. This effect can be reduced by either adjusting the environmental parameters of a fed-batch culture, so that the cell's metabolism is shifted away from producing these compounds, or by continually perfusing medium through the culture. If these technical barriers can be overcome, the cost of producing products derived from mammalian cells can be greatly reduced.

Animals↗

General scales of community reaction to noise (dissatisfaction and perceived affectedness) are more reliable than scales of annoyance.

General measures of reaction to noise, which assess the respondent's perceived affectedness or dissatisfaction, appear to be more valid and internally consistent than more narrow measures, such as specific assessment of noise annoyance. However, the test-retest reliability of general and specific measures has yet to be compared. As a part of the large-scale Sydney Airport Health Study, 97 respondents participated in the same interview twice, several weeks apart. Test-retest reliabilities were found to be significant (p < 0.001) for two general questions and three specific "annoyance" questions. The general measures were significantly more valid for four of the six correlations (with activity disturbance), and more stable than the annoyance scales for five of the six possible test-retest comparisons. Amongst 1,015 respondents at Time 1, the questions regarding general reaction were more internally consistent than the questions regarding annoyance. Taken together, these data indicate that general measures of reaction to noise have superior psychometric properties (validity, internal consistency, and stability) compared with measures of specific reactions such as annoyance.

Adolescent↗

Retrospective assessment of initial stroke severity: comparison of the NIH Stroke Scale and the Canadian Neurological Scale.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and the Canadian Neurological Scale (CNS) have been reported to be useful for the retrospective assessment of initial stroke severity. However, unlike the CNS, the NIHSS requires detailed neurological assessments that may not be reflected in all patient records, potentially limiting its applicability. We assessed the reliability of the retrospective algorithms and the proportions of missing items for the NIHSS and CNS in stroke patients admitted to an academic medical center (AMC) and 2 community hospitals. METHODS: Randomly selected records of patients with ischemic stroke admitted to an AMC (n=20) and community hospitals with (CH1, n=19) and without (CH2, n=20) acute neurological consultative services were reviewed. NIHSS and CNS scores were assigned independently by 2 neurologists using published algorithms. Interrater reliability of the scores was determined with the intraclass correlation coefficient, and the numbers of missing items were tabulated. RESULTS: The intraclass correlation coefficient for NIHSS and CNS, respectively, were 0.93 (95% CI, 0.82 to 1.00) and 0.97 (95% CI, 0.90 to 1.00) for the AMC, 0.89 (95% CI, 0.75 to 1.00) and 0.88 (95%, 0.73 to 1.00) for the CH1, and 0.48 (95% CI, 0.26 to 0.70) and 0.78 (95% CI, 0.60 to 0.96) for the CH2. More NIHSS items were missing at the CH2 (62%) versus the AMC (27%) and the CH1 (23%, P:=0.0001). In comparison, 33%, 0%, and 8% of CNS items were missing from records from CH2, AMC, and CH1, respectively (P:=0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The levels of interrater agreement were almost perfect for retrospectively assigned NIHSS and CNS scores for patients initially evaluated by a neurologist at both an AMC and a CH. Levels of agreement for the CNS were substantial at a CH2, but interrater agreement for the NIHSS was only moderate in this setting. The proportions of missing items are higher for the NIHSS than the CNS in each setting, particularly limiting its application in the hospital without acute neurological consultative services.

Aged↗

The motor agitation and retardation scale: a scale for the assessment of motor abnormalities in depressed patients.

Increasing recognition of the neurologic aspects of depressive disorder has aroused new interest in the potential neuropathologic significance of "psychomotor" symptoms in depression. Psychomotor symptoms have yet to be clearly defined, however. The Motor Agitation and Retardation Scale (MARS) was developed to provide a comprehensive and nonredundant measure of the motor abnormalities associated with agitation and retardation in depression. Forty-one depressed in patients and 20 normal control subjects were assessed. In this sample, the MARS provided a reliable and valid scale for the clinical assessment of 19 abnormal motor behaviors associated with agitation and retardation in depression. The MARS may be useful for investigation of the pathophysiologic significance of various manifestations of motor abnormalities in depression and, as part of a larger battery, for the investigation of the relative contribution of motor abnormalities to psychomotor impairment in depression.

Antidepressive Agents↗

Concurrent and predictive validity of the cognitive adaptive test/clinical linguistic and auditory milestone scale (CAT/CLAMS) and the Mental Developmental Index of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development.

The Cognitive Adaptive Test/Clinical Linguistic and Auditory Milestone Scale (CAT/CLAMS) was designed for use by primary pediatric health care providers to identify children with developmental delays. This study assesses the concurrent and predictive validity of CAT/CLAMS developmental quotient (DQ) scores and the Mental Developmental Index (MDI) of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development in healthy children without risk factors for developmental delay. Overall CAT/CLAMS DQ scores correlated significantly with Bayley MDI scores at both 12 (r = 0.393; p = 0.008) and 30 months (r = 0.742; p = 0.0001) of age. Overall CAT/CLAMS DQ scores at 12 months of age also correlated modestly with Bayley MDI scores at 30 months of age (r = 0.181; p = 0.036). Despite its modest predictive validity at 12 months, its satisfactory concurrent validity plus its ease and speed of administration make the CAT/CLAMS a reasonable choice for assessment of early development by primary pediatric health care providers.

Child Development↗

The Spoken Knowledge in Low Literacy in Diabetes scale: a diabetes knowledge scale for vulnerable patients.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a new knowledge scale for patients with type 2 diabetes and poor literacy: the Spoken Knowledge in Low Literacy patients with Diabetes (SKILLD). METHODS: The authors evaluated the 10-item SKILLD among 217 patients with type 2 diabetes and poor glycemic control at an academic general medicine clinic. Internal reliability was measured using the Kuder-Richardson coefficient. Performance on the SKILLD was compared to patient socioeconomic status, literacy level, duration of diabetes, and glycated hemoglobin (A1C). RESULTS: Respondents' mean age was 55 years, and they had diabetes for an average of 8.4 years; 38% had less than a sixth-grade literacy level. The average score on the SKILLD was 49%. Less than one third of patients knew the signs of hypoglycemia or the normal fasting blood glucose range. The internal reliability of the SKILLD was good (0.72). Higher performance on the SKILLD was significantly correlated with higher income (r = 0.22), education level (r = 0.36), literacy status (r = 0.33), duration of diabetes (r = 0.30), and lower A1C (r = -0.16). When dichotomized, patients with low SKILLD scores (< or = 50%) had significantly higher A1C (11.2% vs 10.3%, P < .01). This difference remained significant when adjusted for covariates. CONCLUSION: The SKILLD demonstrated good internal consistency and validity. It revealed significant knowledge deficits and was associated with glycemic control. The SKILLD represents a practical scale for patients with diabetes and low literacy.

Adult↗

Responsiveness of the Multiple Sclerosis Impairment Scale in comparison with the Expanded Disability Status Scale.

The Multiple Sclerosis Impairment Scale (MSIS) is a measure of accumulated deficits assessed by means of a standard neurological examination. We compared the responsiveness of the MSIS with that of the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). We reviewed 4300 records collected systematically from 1995 to 2003 and identified 534 patients who had clinically definite multiple sclerosis and had had at least two clinical assessments with a time interval of 2-5 years. The rate of deterioration was significantly higher on the MSIS than on the EDSS. The annualized change in EDSS exhibited a maximum at baseline EDSS 4 and a subsequent rapid decline at higher baseline EDSS, while the annualized change in MSIS was fairly stable over a wide middle range of baseline MSIS. The variance of the annualized change in EDSS fluctuated markedly between the baseline EDSS categories, being highest at baseline EDSS 2, while the variance of the annualized change in MSIS was stable. The study indicates that the responsiveness of the MSIS is better than that of the EDSS in terms of both magnitude and stability over the range of measurement

Disability Evaluation↗

The Social Functioning Scale. The development and validation of a new scale of social adjustment for use in family intervention programmes with schizophrenic patients.

Social functioning as an outcome variable in family interventions with schizophrenic patients has been a relatively neglected area. The requirements of a scale of social functioning to measure the efficacy of family interventions include: the measurement of skill/behaviour relevant to the impairments and the demography of this group; the ability to yield considerable information with an economy of clinical time; and the establishment of 'comparative' need through comparison between subscales and with appropriate reference groups. Results from three samples show that the Social Functioning Scale is reliable, valid, sensitive and responsive to change.

Activities of Daily Living↗

A scale for evaluating emotional disorders in severely and profoundly mentally retarded persons. Development of the Diagnostic Assessment for the Severely Handicapped (DASH) scale.

The DASH scale was used to assess 506 profoundly and severely mentally retarded persons (247 females and 259 males). The scale, covering 13 major psychiatric disorders, consists of 83 items derived from DSM-III-R as well as previously published studies of this population. Data were collected on symptom frequency, duration and severity in individual interviews with direct-care staff. Elimination and pervasive developmental disorders were most frequent, self-injurious behaviour disorders most severe. Most symptoms had been evident for at least a year. Inter-rater reliability was generally good.

Adult↗

The Perception of Teasing Scale (POTS): a revision and extension of the Physical Appearance Related Teasing Scale (PARTS).

This article describes the development and validation of a revised measure for the assessment of history of being teased about physical appearance. Study 1 involved the preliminary psychometric evaluation of the questionnaire on a sample of 227 college women, Two factors emerged: Weight-Related Teasing (WT) and Teasing About Abilities/Competencies (Competency Teasing; CT). The integrity of the factor structure of these two scales was established in Study 2 with a sample of 87 college women. Internal consistency ratios in this sample were also found to be acceptable. In Study 3, 92 college women were administered measures of body image, eating disturbance, and self-esteem to test for convergence with the Perception of Teasing Scale. Subjects also rated teasing items for frequency and effect (e.g., how upset they were by the teasing). Two-week test-retest reliabilities for these measures were acceptable. Weight-Related Teasing correlated to a greater degree with other measures than Competency Teasing. Regression analyses revealed the importance of a frequency versus effect dimension. Findings are discussed in light of recent research on developmental factors in body image and eating disturbance.

Journal Article↗

Comparison of Kaufman's short form of the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities and the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales--Fourth Edition.

21 kindergarten children completed the Stanford-Binet-IV (Binet-IV) and the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities. Kaufman's (1977) estimated General Cognitive Index (GCI) was computed from the entire McCarthy scales. There was only one significant difference among the Binet-IV and estimated GCI scores. Abstract/Visual Reasoning was significantly lower than the Kaufman GCI. Correlations of the five Binet-IV Standard Age Scores and the Kaufman GCI ranged from .29 to .67. The correlation between the GCI and the Kaufman estimated GCI was .91.

Aptitude↗

Rasch scaling paranormal belief and experience: structure and semantics of Thalbourne's Australian Sheep-Goat Scale.

Research on the relation between demographic variables and paranormal belief remains controversial given the possible semantic distortions introduced by item and test level biases. We illustrate how Rasch scaling can be used to detect such biases and to quantify their effects, using the Australian Sheep-Goal Scale as a substantive example. Based on data from 1.822 respondents, this test was Rasch scalable, reliable, and unbiased at the test level. Consistent with other research in which unbiased measures of paranormal belief were used, extremely weak age and sex effects were found (partial eta2 = .005 and .012, respectively).

Adolescent↗

Reliability and responsiveness of the lower extremity functional scale and the anterior knee pain scale in patients with anterior knee pain.

STUDY DESIGN: Prospective methodological study of repeated measures using a sample of consecutive patients. OBJECTIVE: To determine the test-retest reliability and responsiveness of the Anterior Knee Pain Scale (AKPS) and the Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS) in patients with anterior knee pain. BACKGROUND: Anterior knee pain is one of the most common orthopedic complaints affecting the knee. Yet there is currently no self-report outcome measure that has well-established reliability and responsiveness, specifically for this population. As a result, clinicians and researchers may be making inappropriate conclusions regarding patient outcomes by using questionnaires that are misleading. METHODS AND MEASURES: This multisite study involved 30 patients from 4 outpatient physical therapy clinics in Dallas, TX (24 women, 6 men; age range, 16-50 years; mean+/-SD age, 35.2+/-9.1 years). Patients receiving physical therapy for a chief complaint of anterior knee pain completed the AKPS and LEFS at their initial appointment and again 2 to 3 days later. Upon completion of physical therapy, the patients completed the AKPS, LEFS, and a global rating of change form. The treating therapist also completed a global rating of change form at the patient's final visit. The mean of the patient's and therapist's global rating of change was used as the criterion measure of change. RESULTS: Test-retest reliability was high for both questionnaires (ICC2,1 = 0.95 for the AKPS and 0.98 for the LEFS). A significant correlation was found between the criterion measure of change and both questionnaires. Receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that both questionnaires were moderately responsive with the area under the curve slightly higher for the LEFS (0.77) than the AKPS (0.69). CONCLUSION: The LEFS and the AKPS both demonstrated high test-retest reliability and appear to be moderately responsive to clinical change in patients with anterior knee pain. Reliability and responsiveness were slightly higher in the LEFS than the AKPS. Further research is needed to determine if these measures could be modified, or new measures created, to produce an even more sensitive tool for this population.

Adolescent↗

Assessment of level of consciousness following severe neurological insult. A comparison of the psychometric qualities of the Glasgow Coma Scale and the Comprehensive Level of Consciousness Scale.

An alternative method of coma assessment is presented and compared with the Glasgow Coma Scale. The merits of the Comprehensive Level of Consciousness Scale as a research tool are presented. An analysis of 101 consecutive consciousness-impaired patients with their short-term outcome is presented.

Adolescent↗

Co-digestion of energy crops and industrial confectionery by-products with cow manure: batch-scale and farm-scale evaluation.

The possible co-digestion of energy crops and industrial confectionery by-products with cow manure was evaluated firstly, through long-term batch experiments and secondly, in a farm-scale digester. In batch assays, digestion with mesophilically digested cow manure as inoculum resulted in specific methane yields (m3 kg(-1) VS added waste) of 0.35 for grass hay (particle size <1.0 cm); 0.26 for oats (0.5 cm) and 0.21 for clover (2.0 cm) harvested at vegetative stage and 0.14 (2.0 cm) for clover harvested at flowering stage. Specific methane yields (m3 kg(-1) VS added waste) for confectionery by-products were 0.37 for chocolate, 0.39 for black candy and 0.32 for confectionery raw material. Out the three particle sizes (2.0, 1.0 and 0.5 cm) tested, particle size of 1.0 cm was found ideal for digestion of grass hay and clover while, particle size reduction did not influence methane production from oats. Stage of the crop influenced the methane yields, with clover harvested at vegetative stage yielding 33% higher methane than when harvested at flowering stage. An approximate 60% enhancement in methane yield was noticed with the co-digestion of industrial confectionery wastes with cow manure in a full-scale farm digester.

Animal Feed↗