Test-retest Evaluation Research Articles

The Validity and Reliability of the Turkish Version of the Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale (RUDAS) for Alzheimer’s Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment

Background: With demographic aging, the frequency of cognitive and behavioral disorders gradually increases. Screening tests, which are simple to perform, help detect dementia for the clinician. The Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale (RUDAS) is a screening test developed in Australia, where people from many cultures and languages ​​live together, and it is stated that it is not affected by language and education level. Our aim in this study is to create a wider field of use by evaluating the patients with mild cognitive impairment of this test, whose Turkish validity and reliability study has been done previously for Alzheimer disease patients. Method: The study group was composed of a group with Alzheimer's disease (n = 87), with a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment (n = 95), and a non-dementia control group (n = 80) with similar age, education level, and gender distribution Mini-mental status exam (MMSE) and RUDAS were applied to the patients and the control group. Tests were re-administered seven days later for test-retest evaluation for reliability tests. The internal consistency coefficient was calculated. For validation, patient groups and control group were compared. For parallel test validity, MMSE and RUDAS scores were compared. For time validity, first day and seventh day scores were compared. Results: The Cronbach alpha coefficient of the RUDAS scale is 0.8529. In our analysis, the scale was found to be highly reliable. In our study, the difference between the RUDAS scale mean scores of the groups was found to be statistically significant (p<0.001). In estimating the Alzheimer's Disease patient group, the AUC value under the curve of the RUDAS score was obtained as 0.998, and the mild cognitive impairment AUC value was obtained as 0.971, which was found to be significant. (p<0.001). The degree of the relationship between the RUDAS scale and the MMSE scale was found to be very strong and statistically significant in the positive direction. (r=0.938 p<0.001) Conclusion: This study showed that the Turkish version of the RUDAS is a valid and reliable scale for the evaluation and follow-up of Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment in the Turkish population.

The validity and reliability of the Hungarian version of smartphone addiction scale – Short version (SAS-SV-HU) among university students

The Smartphone Addiction Scale Short Version (SAS-SV) is a widely used tool for examining smartphone addiction, but its Hungarian validation has not been available yet. The purpose of this research is the adaptation of the SAS-SV in Hungarian among university students. A total of 456 university students aged between 18 and 31 years (Mage = 21.9, 74.6% female) participated in this cross-sectional study. We performed a test-retest evaluation with a convenience sample of 50 university students to examine the reliability of the questionnaire. The participants completed the questionnaire twice, 3 weeks apart. The online survey comprised four sections: (a) sociodemographic, (b) mobile phone usage habits, (c) the SAS-SV adapted into Hungarian (SAS-SV-HU), and (d) The Brief Smartphone Addiction Scale (BSAS). The reliability of the SAS-SV-HU was evaluated by internal consistency reliability and test-retest reliability, and the validity of the SAS-SV-HU was evaluated by structural, convergent, and discriminant validity. The internal consistency was assessed by Cronbach's alpha coefficient, which showed a good level of internal consistency (α = 0.79). The test–retest reliability of the SAS-SV-HU questionnaire was excellent (ICC = 0.96, 95% CI = 0.922–0.975, p < 0.001). The modified model was showed acceptable fit indices, where the CMIN/df 2.546; χ2 78.912, p < 0.001, RMSEA 0.058 (90% CI 0.042–0.074) TLI 0.931, CFI 0.952, SRMR 0.046. The SAS-SV-HU scale significantly correlated with the BSAS score (p < 0.001, rs = 0.666) and the mean time spend on smartphones (p < 0.001, rs = 0.233). The results showed that the SAS-SV-HU is a reliable and valid tool for assessing the smartphone addiction of Hungarian university students.

Italian validation of the pelvic floor Impact questionnaire − 7 (PFIQ-7)

Introduction and hypothesisThis study aims to translate and validate the Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire − short form 7 (PFIQ-7) in Italian, assessing its validity, internal consistency, and test–retest reliability. MethodsThe final version of the questionnaire was submitted to women referred to urogynecological outpatient care for genital prolapse or urinary incontinence and who either reported sexual disorders (controls) or not (cases). The questionnaire was translated into Italian using established procedural stages. Two weeks later, cases got the questionnaire for the test–retest evaluation. The non-parametric Wilcoxon test was employed to evaluate the variations between the case and control groups. Convergent validity was tested using the Italian version of the PFDI-20. The internal consistency was measured using Cronbach’s Alpha. Using Cohen’s kappa, the degree of concordance/agreement was determined. The test–retest results for different individuals were evaluated for absolute agreement using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). ResultsThe study then included 45 women with a mean age of 38.0 ± 11.7 years who answered the questionnaire with no dropouts or missing items. Participants were categorized into cases and controls based on their self-reported symptoms. The questionnaire demonstrated significant construct validity by effectively distinguishing between symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals. Convergent validity testing with the PFDI-20 showed a strong linear correlation (F < 0.001) between scores. Internal consistency was excellent, with Cronbach’s Alpha values ranging from 0.90 to 0.93. Test-retest reliability was confirmed, with Cohen’s Kappa values ranging from 0.62 to 0.92 and intraclass correlation coefficients from 0.88 to 0.94, indicating high reliability. ConclusionThe Italian version of the PFIQ-7 is reliable, valid, and consistent.

Deep learning for fully automated echocardiographic measurements of left ventricular wall thickness and chamber dimensions in the parasternal long-axis view

Abstract Background Accurate quantification of left ventricular (LV) wall thickness and chamber dimensions in the echocardiographic parasternal long-axis view (PLAX) is crucial for clinical decisions in patients with heart disease. However, there is a need for more reproducible and time-efficient methods. Fully automated deep learning (DL)-based methods could address this need. Purpose To develop a DL-based method for fully automated measurements of LV wall thickness and chamber dimensions in PLAX, validate its performance in a large population cohort, and evaluate its capacity to differentiate between hypertensive and normotensive groups. Methods DL networks were trained on PLAX recordings from 207 subjects. The DL method performed cardiac segmentation, timing of end-systole and end-diastole, and measured LV wall thickness and chamber dimensions in PLAX. The model was validated in a large populational echocardiography dataset including a subset with test-retest evaluation. Agreement with expert reference measurements, test-retest reproducibility, and comparison of normotensive and hypertensive (defined as those on hypertensive medication or with systolic blood pressure &amp;gt;160 mmHg) groups were evaluated. Results In the populational study of 2047 subjects, the novel DL method demonstrated a feasibility of 97.6%. Strong agreement was observed between the automated DL method and expert readers in measuring end-diastolic septal thickness, posterior wall thickness, and LV diameter (bias 0.1 mm, 0.2 mm, and 2.2 mm, respectively, Figure 1). In a test-retest dataset (n=40, with 2 recordings per patient and 4 readers), the novel DL method displayed improved reproducibility compared to inter-reader measurements, with minimal detectable change for interventricular septal diameter 2.2 mm versus 2.6 mm, posterior wall diameter 1.2 mm versus 2.5 mm, and LV diameter 5.0 mm versus 6.3 mm (Figure 2). The DL method measured significantly wider septal diameter in the hypertensive group compared to normotensive group (p&amp;lt;0.001). Mean analysis time for wall thickness and chamber dimensions using the DL method was 1.2 seconds. Conclusion The novel DL method accurately measured LV wall thickness and chamber dimensions in the PLAX view, and demonstrated improved test-retest reproducibility compared to experienced echocardiographers. Additionally, it was able to detect significantly wider septal diameters in the hypertensive population. By providing fast and reliable measurements in retrospective data, and with potential for real-time measurements during image acquisition, this DL method has the potential to improve the yield, efficiency, and workflow in echocardiography.Bland-Altman posterior wall diameterTest-retest posterior wall diameter

Validity and Reliability of the Japanese Version of the Frontal Assessment Battery in Patients with Stroke.

The Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB), which is used to assess executive function, has been translated into several languages and shown to be valid and reliable. However, the validity and reliability of the Japanese version in patients with stroke are unknown. This study aimed to investigate the validity and reliability of the Japanese version of the FAB in patients with stroke. The Japanese version of the FAB for dementia was modified and evaluated in 52 patients with stroke. FAB measurements were obtained twice over a 10-day period. Convergent validity was assessed using the Stroop Color Word Test (SCWT) and the Trail Making Test (TMT) part B. Internal consistency was measured using Cronbach's alpha (Cα). Test-retest evaluations were performed using intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC (2.1)] measurements, and limits of agreement (LOA) were calculated using the total FAB score. The mean total FAB score was 13.4 ± 2.8 points, the ICC (2.1) was 0.856, and Cα was 0.92. The total FAB score was correlated with SCWT scores for parts I through IV (r = 0.70 to 0.77) and the TMT score for part B (ρ = -0.53). The LOA were -1.7 to 2.9 points. The Japanese version of the FAB had higher validity and reliability in patients with stroke.

Psychometric testing of the training needs for advance care planning scale for clinicians and nurses

BackgroundStudies have shown that Chinese Clinicians and nurses have positive attitudes toward ACP, but no local tools exist to assess their need for ACP knowledge and skills training. resulting in their inability to initiate ACP conversations as well as poor end-of-life care for patients. Therefore, this study aims to assess the needs of Chinese Clinicians and nurses for ACP knowledge and skills training and assess the validity and reliability of a questionnaire on the Training Needs for Advance Care Planning (TNACP) scale.MethodsFrom October to November 2021, 170 clinicians and nurses were pre-surveyed using a preliminary draft of the questionnaire. The responses were screened using item analysis, Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) to describe the internal consistency and stability of the questionnaire. The Content validity index (CVI), Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used to test the validity of the questionnaire.ResultsAfter independent samples t-test analysis, Except for the entry “A2”, the critical ratio between the two groups of the remaining 23 items was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Based on the above screening methods, the “A2” item was deleted, and the final number of questionnaire items was 23. The I-CVI was 0.79–1.00, and the S-CVI/Ave was 0.90. Three common factors were extracted—the cumulative contribution rate was 69.969%, and the factor loading of all items was 0.506–0.843 (all > 0.40). The results of confirmatory factor analysis showed that the Training Needs for Advance Care Planning (TNACP) scale model fit well(X2/df = 2.504, RMSEA = 0.092, GFI = 0.809, AGFI = 0.745, CFI = 0.931, IFI = 0.932, TLI = 0.916); the Cronbach’s α = 0.888 for the total questionnaire, and the three dimensions of Cronbach’s α were 0.729 to 0.959; and the ICC for the overall scores between the test-retest evaluations was 0.884 (p < 0.001).ConclusionsThe TNACP scale has good reliability and validity and can be used to assess Chinese Clinicians and nurses’ training needs for implementing ACP.

Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Validation of the Romanian Musculoskeletal Tumor Society Scoring System for Patients with Extremity Bone Sarcomas.

Background and Objectives: Primary malignant bone tumors are rare lesions, and their complex treatment can lead to functional impairment. It is important to have a postoperative assessment tool for patients' functional outcomes to be evaluated and to consequently adapt future treatments in the pursuit of a continuous improvement of their quality of life. The Musculoskeletal Tumor Society Score (MSTS) is a validated specific system score that is used frequently in the follow-up of these patients. We found no information about a valid translated Romanian version of this score neither for the upper limb nor for the lower limb. We proposed in this study to translate the original version of the MSTS Score into Romanian and to perform validation analysis of the Romanian-language MSTS Score. Materials and Methods: We selected 48 patients who underwent limb-salvage surgery after resection of bone sarcomas. Patients were interrogated twice according to the translated Romanian version of the MSTS Score during their follow-up. The translation was performed according to the recommended guidelines. A total number of 96 questionnaires were valid for statistical analysis. Results: Internal consistency and reliability were good for both sets of questionnaires' analytic measurements, with Cronbach's alpha values of 0.848 (test) and 0.802 (retest). The test-retest evaluation proved to be statistically strong for reproducibility and validity with Spearman's rho = 0.9 (p < 0.01, 95% CI). Conclusions: This study permitted the translation of this score and the validation of psychometric data. Our results showed that the Romanian version of the MSTS is a reliable means of assessment of the functional outcome of patients who received limb-salvage surgery for the upper and lower extremities.

Validity and Reliability of the Korean Version of the Communication Acceptance Scale Questionnaire

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop the Korean version of the Communication and Acceptance Scale (KCAS) and to examine its validity and reliability.Methods: The 18 items of the Communication and Acceptance Scale questionnaire were translated into Korean following the steps of forward translation, expert panel review, back-translation, pre-testing, cognitive interviewing, and final version refinement. For the test-retest evaluation of the KCAS, 39 adults with hearing loss participated. Concurrent validity was also assessed by evaluating the Korean Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly (KHHIE).Results: The KCAS was constructed with a total of 16 question items after excluding 2 items (2 and 18) that failed reliability tests. Cronbach’s α for all 16 items was 0.89, and the Wilcoxon-Signed rank test indicated test-retest reliability. A significant negative correlation (rho = -0.77) was observed between KCAS and KHHIE.Conclusion: The KCAS questionnaire has been demonstrated to be a reliable and valid tool. It is also useful for assessing communication difficulties and the utilization of communication strategies among the hearing impaired.

Immediate Effect of Simulated High Heels on Pelvic and Spinal Posture in Healthy Young Subjects: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background Investigations regarding the role of high-heeled shoes in the alteration of the spinopelvic profile attempted to identify a correlation with pain in the lower back. Conclusions from these studies, however, are controversial. In authors knowledge no studies were carried out to investigate the effect of heels on male population, which has been overlooked due to gender-related customs. Research question What is the immediate effect of the height of heels on the sagittal back profile (trunk inclination (TI), pelvic inclination, lordotic lumbar angle (ITL-ILS), kyphotic dorsal angle, lumbar arrow, and cervical arrow) in females and males, not used to wearing high-heeled shoes? Methods One hundred healthy young adult subjects were enrolled. Three were excluded. The remaining 97 subjects (48 female and 49 male) underwent a three-dimensional analysis of the posterior surface of the trunk, using rasterstereography. The spinopelvic profile in the barefoot condition, and with the heel raised by 3 and 7 cm, was recorded. To evaluate the reproducibility of the measure, the neutral evaluation was repeated twice in 23 subjects (13 males, 10 females). Results The change of heel height did not show statistically significant differences for any of the variables used; instead, significant differences were found stratifying the results according to the sex of the subjects tested. Test-retest evaluation in the neutral condition showed no significant differences using the Student's t-test (p > 0.05). Repeatability was excellent and significant for all data used (minimum TI r = 0.85, maximum ITL-ILS r = 0.97). Significance Studying the effect of heels on the spino-pelvic profile also in the male population is crucial for promoting gender-inclusive healthcare, enhancing occupational health practices and developing possible preventive measures. Nevertheless, in the sample of females and males evaluated in this study, the different heights of heel lift did not immediately induce significant changes in pelvis and spine posture. If there is therefore a correlation between low-back pain and the use of heels, it should not reasonably be sought in the immediate change of the spino-pelvic profile caused by raising the heels. However, the variables analyzed differed according to sex.

Validation of the Turkish version of the Neurological Fatigue Index for Stroke

ABSTRACT Introduction Post-stroke fatigue is an often overlooked problem that hinders recovery. Therefore, stroke patients should be evaluated for fatigue during the recovery period. This study aimed to adapt the Neurological Fatigue Index for Stroke (NFI-Stroke) into the Turkish language. Methods This methodological study was carried out on 110 stroke patients admitted to a university hospital in Istanbul. In addition to the NFI-Stroke, Functional Independence Measure, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, modified-Rankin Scale, Fatigue Severity-Scale, and Stroke Self Efficacy Questionnaire were used to collect data. Results Since the linguistic validity study of the scale has already been carried out, only psychometric properties were evaluated. The items in the scale were grouped under two factors. The Cronbach`s alpha coefficient was found to be 0.96 for the physical sub-dimension and 0.84 for the cognitive sub-dimension. Item-total correlation coefficients were found between 0.74-0.91 for the physical sub-dimension, and 0.82-0.91 for the cognitive sub-dimension. The test-retest evaluation confirmed the consistency of the responses to the scale against time. The scale was correlated with other scales used in the study as expected. Conclusions The NFI-Stroke will be useful in clinical practice in assessment of fatigue, which may affect the adaptation of patients to rehabilitation.

Development and evaluation of the Family Needs Questionnaire for Pediatric Rehabilitation.

To develop the Family Needs Questionnaire-Pediatric Rehabilitation (FNQ-PR) version and evaluate the reliability and concurrent validity of this self-report measure for caregivers of children with disabilities who receive pediatric rehabilitation services. The 39-item FNQ-PR was developed through a modified Delphi Technique. For test-retest evaluation, parents completed the FNQ-PR twice through an online REDCap survey, 1-3 weeks apart. Concurrent validity data (parent-report Impact on Family Scale [IFS-15] and Measure of Processes of Care [MPOC-20]) were collected at baseline. Reliability analyses included ICCs (95%CI) and internal consistency evaluation. Twenty-five caregivers of children ages 2-18 years (mean age 12.2 years) with a disability completed the FNQ-PR at baseline, and 21 completed the retest. FNQ-PR total score demonstrated excellent test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.84); internal consistency was high. The FNQ-PR total score was strongly negatively associated with IFS-15 total score (r = -0.62) and showed fair to strong association with MPOC subscale scores (0.45 ≤ r ≤ 0.70). Participants did not identify issues with the online format or FNQ-PR item rating. The FNQ-PR demonstrated excellent overall reliability and strong evidence of validity. It fills a gap in clinical care of families of children with disabilities, providing a systematic way for families to identify the extent to which their needs are perceived to have been met. Clinicians can use this tool to target unmet needs that are most important to families. FNQ-PR use in future research will support exploration of the impact of specific child and family factors on family needs.

A cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Turkish version of American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society Metatarsophalangeal-Interphalangeal Scale (AOFAS-MTP-IP) for the hallux.

In this study, we aimed to translate and culturally adapt the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) Hallux Metatarsophalangeal (MTP)-Interphalangeal (IP) scale, which is used for the clinical assessment of patients with hallux valgus (HV), into Turkish and to evaluate its validity and reliability. Between February 2022 and October 2022, a total of 67 patients (18 males, 49 females; mean age: 51.5±15.9 years; range, 18 to 68 years) with HV deformity and able to communicate in Turkish were included. Following the translation of the AOFAS hallux MTP-IP scale into Turkish, its cultural appropriateness was confirmed. Intra-rater and inter-rater reliabilities were assessed by intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs), using data collected by two orthopedists. Agreement among test-retest evaluations was conducted using the Bland-Altman analysis. The construct validity of the scale was determined by the Manchester-Oxford Foot Questionnaire (MOXFQ) and Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). Content validity was confirmed by the floor/ceiling effects. The Turkish AOFAS hallux MTP-IP had an excellent intra-rater reliability of 0.971. The intra-rater reliability of the pain, function, and alignment subscales ranged from 0.904 to 0.978. The inter-rater reliability was 0.913 for the total score, while ranging from 0.838 to 0.918 for the subscales. The total score of the AOFAS hallux MTP-IP had a high correlation with the physical domains of the MOXFQ and SF-36, while weaker correlations with mental domains were observed. No floor/ceiling effect was observed for the overall Turkish AOFAS hallux MTP-IP. The Turkish translated and culturally adapted AOFAS hallux MTP-IP scale is a valid and reliable measure, ensuring its use in assessing the clinical status of Turkish patients with HV deformity.

CONCURRENT VALIDITY OF LINEAR ACCELERATIONS MEASURED BY A LOW SAMPLING FREQUENCY ACCELEROMETER DURING OVERGROUND WALKING IN ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS

The tendency towards using inertial sensors for remote monitoring of the patients at home is increasing. One of the most important characteristics of the sensors is sampling rate. Higher sampling rate results in higher resolution of the sampled signal and lower amount of noise. However, higher sampling frequency comes with a cost. The main aim of our study was to determine the validity of measurements performed by low sampling frequency (12.5 Hz) accelerometers (SENS) in patients with knee osteoarthritis compared to standard sensor-based motion capture system (Xsens). We also determined the test-retest reliability of SENS accelerometers.Participants were patients with unilateral knee osteoarthritis. Gait analysis was performed simultaneously by using Xsens and SENS sensors during two repetitions of over-ground walking at a self-selected speed. Gait data from Xsens were used as an input for AnyBody musculoskeletal modeling software to measure the accelerations at the exact location of two defined virtual sensors in the model (VirtualSENS). After preprocessing, the signals from SENS and VirtualSENS were compared in different coordinate axes in time and frequency domains. ICC for SENS data from first and second trials were calculated to assess the repeatability of the measurements.We included 32 patients (18 females) with median age 70.1[48.1 – 85.4]. Mean height and weight of the patients were 173.2 ± 9.6 cm and 84.2 ± 14.7 kg respectively. The correlation between accelerations in time domain measured by SENS and VirtualSENS in different axes was r = 0.94 in y-axis (anteroposterior), r = 0.91 in x-axis (vertical), r = 0.83 in z-axis (mediolateral), and r = 0.89 for the magnitude vector. In frequency domain, the value and the power of fundamental frequencies (F0) of SENS and VirtualSENS signals demonstrated strong correlation (r = 0.98 and r = 0.99 respectively). The result of test-retest evaluation showed excellent repeatability for acceleration measurement by SENS sensors. ICC was between 0.89 to 0.94 for different coordinate axes.Low sampling frequency accelerometers can provide valid and reliable measurements especially for home monitoring of the patients, in which handling big data and sensors cost and battery lifetime are among important issues.

Translation, cross-cultural adaptation and measurement properties of three implementation measures into Brazilian-Portuguese

BackgroundTo translate and cross-culturally adapt into Brazilian-Portuguese, and to test the measurement properties of the following items of implementation outcome measures: Acceptability of Intervention Measure (AIM), Intervention Appropriateness Measure (IAM) and Feasibility of Intervention Measure (FIM).MethodsThis was a measurement properties study in accordance with the Consensus-based Standards for the selection of health status Measurement Instruments (COSMIN). We conducted a translation and cross-cultural adaptation of three implementation measures according to guidelines for translation and cross-cultural adaptation, then we collected information from patients who had participated in remotely delivered physical therapy treatment for musculoskeletal condition. The patients answered the translated versions of the implementation outcome measures. The measurement properties of the three implementation outcome measures were collected in a test–retest assessment, with an interval of 7 to 14 days.. The measurement properties evaluated in this study were interpretability, measured using Ceiling and Floor Effects, reliability in test–retest evaluation, measured using Cronbach’s Alpha Coefficient, internal consistency, measured using Intraclass Correlation Coefficient and construct validity, measured using Pearson Correlation.ResultsWe included 104 participants (76 female). The average age of the sample was 56.8 (SD 14.8) years old. The items of implementation outcome measures (AIM, IAM, and FIM) showed 66.39%, 63.11%, and 63.93% of ceiling effects. The items of implementation outcome measures showed adequate internal consistency measured using Cronbach’s Alpha Coefficient (AIM: 0.89, IAM: 0.91, FIM: 0.93) and values of Standard Error of Measurement between 5 and 10%, showing good measurement error. The results of AIM and IAM was classified as moderate reliability and the FIM as substantial reliability. In a total 96 correlations, > 75% of correlations met our prior hypothesis.ConclusionThe three Brazilian-Portuguese versions of items of implementation outcome measures had adequate internal consistency, measurement error and construct validity. The three implementation outcome measures showed moderate to substantial reliability values. The Ceiling Effect was observed in the three measures, showing maximum values ​​in more than 15% of the evaluations.

An assessment of the validity and reliability of the P022–P version of e-Celsius core temperature capsules

Core temperature monitoring is a research tool used in many studies, though most popularly, heat strain. Ingestible core temperature capsules are a non-invasive and increasingly popular choice for measuring core body temperature, particularly considering the well-established validation of capsule systems. A newer version of the e-Celsius ingestible core temperature capsule has been released since the preceding validation study resulting in a paucity of validated research for the current version of capsules, P022–P, used by researchers. Using a 1:1 ratio of propylene glycol to water in a circulating water bath, and a reference thermometer with resolution and uncertainty of 0.01 °C, we assessed the validity and reliability of 24 P022–P e-Celsius capsules in three groups of eight, at seven temperature plateaus between 35 °C, and 42 °C in a test-retest format. The systematic bias of these capsules across all 3360 measurements was found to be −0.038 °C ± 0.086 °C (p < .001), The TEST-RETEST evaluation revealed excellent reliability by way of a minute overall mean difference of 0.0095 °C ± 0.048 °C (p < .001), and an intraclass correlation coefficient of 1.00 for each of TEST and RETEST conditions. Although quite small, differences in systematic bias across temperature plateaus were observed for both the OVERALL bias—between 0.00066 °C and 0.041°C—and TEST/RETEST bias—between 0.00010 °C and 0.016 °C. We found that the new capsule version outperforms manufacturer guarantees, with half of the systematic bias observed in a validation study of the previous capsule version. Though these capsules tend to slightly underestimate temperature, we find they possess excellent validity and reliability between 35 °C and 42 °C.

Test-retest evaluation of a notched-noise test using consumer-grade mobile audio equipment

Objective The aim of this study was to investigate whether consumer-grade mobile audio equipment can be reliably used as a platform for the notched-noise test, including when the test is conducted outside the laboratory. Design Two studies were conducted: Study 1 was a notched-noise masking experiment with three different setups: in a psychoacoustic test booth with a standard laboratory PC; in a psychoacoustic test booth with a mobile device; and in a quiet office room with a mobile device. Study 2 employed the same task as Study 1, but compared circumaural headphones to insert earphones. Study sample Nine and ten young, normal-hearing participants completed studies 1 and 2, respectively. Results The test-retest accuracy of the notched-noise test on the mobile implementation did not differ from that for the laboratory setup. A possible effect of the earphone design was identified in Study 1, which was corroborated by Study 2, where test-retest variability was smallest when comparing results from experiments conducted using identical acoustic transducers. Conclusions Results and test-retest repeatability comparable to standard laboratory settings for the notched-noise test can be obtained with mobile equipment outside the laboratory.

Evaluation Of The Validity And Reliability Of The Turkish Version Of The Perceived Vulnerability To Disease Scale

The spread of communicable diseases and causing disease in many living things is defined as an epidemic. Epidemics lead to an increase in anxiety and fear levels in society. Studies show that disgust also promotes psychologically-based response behaviors that serve as the first line of defense against pathogens, especially in situations such as pandemics. All of these defensive responses are referred to as the "behavioral immune system". The behavioral immune system is involved in triggering perceived vulnerability to infectious disease (PVD). This system is hypersensitive to any sign that might represent a threat from a pathogen, thus minimizing the possibility of infection. Studies show that protective behaviors are based on perceptions of high vulnerability to the disease. This study aims to evaluate the validity and reliability of the PVD-S for Turkish society and language. The study is methodological research conducted between February and April 2021. The participants were university students studying at different faculties. In the reliability analysis of the Turkish version of the scale, the internal consistency of Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.712. Test-retest evaluation of the scale yielded an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.882 and a Spearman correlation coefficient of 0.815. When content equivalent form validity was evaluated, it was found that there was a weak and positive correlation between the SAI and PVD-S scores (r=0.268; p=0.003). The total variance explained by the scale after EFA was calculated as 56.517% and it was found that the scale items were divided into 4 sub-dimensions (infection perception, infection perception reverse-scored, germ avoidance, germ avoidance reverse-scored) using the Varimax rotation method. According to the data we obtained as a result of our study, it appears that the Turkish version of the PVD-S has sufficient psychometric properties and has adequate validity and reliability, especially in the young population.

Reproducibility of diffusion tensor imaging-derived parameters: implications for the streptozotocin-induced type 1 diabetic rats.

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is a useful approach for studying neuronal integrity in animals. However, the test-retest reproducibility of DTI techniques in animals has not been discussed. Therefore, the first part of this work was to systematically elucidate the reliability of DTI-derived parameters in an animal study. Subsequently, we applied the DTI approach to an animal model of diabetes in a longitudinal manner. In Study 1, nine rats underwent two DTI sessions using the same scanner and protocols, with a gap of 4weeks. The reliability of the DTI-derived parameters was evaluated in terms of sessions and raters. In Study 2, nine rats received a single intraperitoneal injection of 70mg/kg streptozotocin (STZ) to develop diabetes. Longitudinal DTI scans were used to assess brain alterations before and 4weeks after STZ administration. In the test-retest evaluation, the inter-scan coefficient of variation (CoV) ranged from 3.04 to 3.73% and 2.12-2.59% for fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD), respectively, in different brain regions, suggesting excellent reproducibility. Moreover, rater-dependence had minimal effects on FA and MD quantification, with all inter-rater CoV values less than 4%. Following the onset of diabetes, FA in striatum and cortex were noted to be significantly lower relative to the period where they had not developed diabetes (both P < 0.05). However, when compared to the control group, a significant change in FA caused by diabetes was detected only in the striatum (P < 0.05), but not in the cortex. These results demonstrate good inter-rater and inter-scan reliability of DTI in animal studies, and the longitudinal setting has a beneficial effect on detecting small changes in the brain due to diseases.

Cerebral blood flow and cardiovascular risk effects on resting brain regional homogeneity

Regional homogeneity (ReHo) is a measure of local functional brain connectivity that has been reported to be altered in a wide range of neuropsychiatric disorders. Computed from brain resting-state functional MRI time series, ReHo is also sensitive to fluctuations in cerebral blood flow (CBF) that in turn may be influenced by cerebrovascular health. We accessed cerebrovascular health with Framingham cardiovascular risk score (FCVRS). We hypothesize that ReHo signal may be influenced by regional CBF; and that these associations can be summarized as FCVRS→CBF→ReHo. We used three independent samples to test this hypothesis. A test-retest sample of N = 30 healthy volunteers was used for test-retest evaluation of CBF effects on ReHo. Amish Connectome Project (ACP) sample (N = 204, healthy individuals) was used to evaluate association between FCVRS and ReHo and testing if the association diminishes given CBF. The UKBB sample (N = 6,285, healthy participants) was used to replicate the effects of FCVRS on ReHo. We observed strong CBF→ReHo links (p<2.5 × 10−3) using a three-point longitudinal sample. In ACP sample, marginal and partial correlations analyses demonstrated that both CBF and FCVRS were significantly correlated with the whole-brain average (p<10−6) and regional ReHo values, with the strongest correlations observed in frontal, parietal, and temporal areas. Yet, the association between ReHo and FCVRS became insignificant once the effect of CBF was accounted for. In contrast, CBF→ReHo remained significantly linked after adjusting for FCVRS and demographic covariates (p<10−6). Analysis in N = 6,285 replicated the FCVRS→ReHo effect (p = 2.7 × 10−27). In summary, ReHo alterations in health and neuropsychiatric illnesses may be partially driven by region-specific variability in CBF, which is, in turn, influenced by cardiovascular factors.

Work-related stress in medical personnel: A new instrument for screening and evidence-based recommendations for therapeutic management

Medical personnel is constantly exposed to a variety of stressful events, starting from work overloading, to threats to one’s own health or personal integrity, disruptions in personal relationships due to high stress in the professional environment, continuous need to keep in touch with the advances of medical science and therapeutic guidelines etc. Structured evaluation of work-related stress disorders (WRSD) is important both for screening purposes in a vulnerable population like the medical personnel, and for the monitoring of the overall status evolution during individual or organizational interventions. Beside burnout syndrome, major depressive episodes, anxiety disorders, acute stress reactions, posttraumatic stress reactions, substance use disorders, adjustment disorders are also included in the category of WRSD. A specific instrument has been designed for the purpose of screening for WRSD in this specific population, i.e. the Work-related Stress Inventory for Medical Personnel, structured as a 20 items, self-administered instrument (WRSIMP-20). This inventory evaluates three main dimensions- (1) mood symptoms and somatic equivalents, (2) work and professional environment-related discomfort, and (3) interpersonal relationship-associated distress. The results of online administration of WRSIMP-20 in 81 health care workers and 52 individuals not related in any way to health care professions (control group) were consistent with the premises, as this inventory has been proven valid for the targeted population. Larger trials and test-retest evaluation are needed in order to complete the psychometric properties of WRSIMP-20, but this instrument seems promising in the detection of individuals vulnerable to WRSD