Recommended reporting standards for test accuracy studies of infectious diseases of finfish, amphibians, molluscs and crustaceans: the STRADAS-aquatic checklist

Complete and transparent reporting of key elements of diagnostic accuracy studies for infectious diseases in cultured and wild aquatic animals benefits end-users of these tests, enabling the rational design of surveillance programs, the assessment of test results from clinical cases and comparisons of diagnostic test performance. Based on deficiencies in the Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy (STARD) guidelines identified in a prior finfish study (Gardner et al. 2014), we adapted the Standards for Reporting of Animal Diagnostic Accuracy Studies—paratuberculosis (STRADAS-paraTB) checklist of 25 reporting items to increase their relevance to finfish, amphibians, molluscs, and crustaceans and provided examples and explanations for each item. The checklist, known as STRADAS-aquatic, was developed and refined by an expert group of 14 transdisciplinary scientists with experience in test evaluation studies using field and experimental samples, in operation of reference laboratories for aquatic animal pathogens, and in development of international aquatic animal health policy. The main changes to the STRADAS-paraTB checklist were to nomenclature related to the species, the addition of guidelines for experimental challenge studies, and the designation of some items as relevant only to experimental studies and ante-mortem tests. We believe that adoption of these guidelines will improve reporting of primary studies of test accuracy for aquatic animal diseases and facilitate assessment of their fitness-for-purpose. Given the importance of diagnostic tests to underpin the Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement of the World Trade Organization, the principles outlined in this paper should be applied to other World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)-relevant species.

Validation of the Flexibility of Responses to Self-Critical Thoughts Scale (FoReST) in a clinical population

Background: The Flexibility of Responses to Self-Critical Thoughts Scale (FoReST) is a questionnaire that was developed to assess whether people can be psychologically flexible when experiencing critical thoughts about themselves. This measure could have important application for evaluating third wave therapies such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Compassion Focused therapy (CFT). This study investigated the validity (concurrent, predictive and incremental), internal consistency and factor structure of the FoReST in a sample of people experiencing mental health difficulties. Method: A total of 132 individuals attending Primary Care and Community Mental Health Teams within NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHS GGC) and Psychological Therapy Teams within NHS Lanarkshire participated in this study. Participants completed a battery of assessments that included the FoReST and related measures of similar constructs (psychological flexibility, self-compassion and self-criticism) and measures of mental health and well-being. A cross-sectional correlational design was used. Results: An Exploratory factor analysis described an interpretable 2-factor structure within the items of the FoReST: unworkable action and experiential avoidance. The FoReST demonstrated good internal consistency ( = .89). Concurrent validity was supported through moderate to strong correlations with similar measures and moderate correlations with other mental health and well-being outcomes. Conclusions: The FoReST appears to be a valid assessment measure for using with individuals experiencing mental health difficulties. This new measure will be of use for practitioners using ACT, CFT and those integrating both, to help monitor the process of change in flexibility and self-critical thinking across therapy. Further longitudinal studies are required to assess the test-retest reliability of the FoReST.

Multicenter prospective validation of the Baveno IV and Baveno II/III criteria in cirrhosis patients with variceal bleeding

International audience

Extended use of gamma irradiation in wild mushrooms conservation: validation of 2 kGy dose to preserve their chemical characteristics

Irradiation is recognized by international organizations as a conservation technology, and its application to wild mushrooms has been tested in some species. Our research group evaluated the effectiveness of gamma irradiation to conserve different samples of highly appreciated species, particularly, Lactarius deliciosus, Macrolepiota procera, Boletus edulis and Hydnum repandum. From those results and considering also international recommendations on this subject, the 2 kGy dose was chosen for further studies. Therefore, the application of gamma irradiation at 2 kGy dose was extended to Boletus pinophilus Pilát & Dermek and Clitocybe subconnexa Murrill to validate the proposed technology. Considering the obtained results, some of the analysed chemical parameters (specially sugars and fatty acids), as well as the antioxidant activity, showed significant changes after irradiation treatment, particularly in B. pinophillus, probably due to its higher water content. Nevertheless, the obtained differences did not seem to be sufficient to change the organoleptic characteristics of these mushrooms. Furthermore, the antioxidant activity was generally higher in irradiated samples. In conclusion, the detected chemical changes might be considered as acceptable, when considering the high advantages of gamma irradiation at decontamination and/or disinfestation level.

Validation of the haemoglobin colour scale for screening blood donors in Malawi

Background In 2009 Malawi introduced a new protocol to screen potential blood donors for anaemia, using the WHO Haemoglobin Colour Scale (HCS) for initial screening. Published studies of the accuracy of the HCS to screen potential blood donors show varying levels of accuracy and opinion varies whether this is an appropriate screening test. The aim of the study was to assess the validity of the HCS, as a screening test, by comparison to HemoCue in potential blood donors in Malawi. Study design and Methods This was a blinded prospective study in potential blood donors aged over 18 years, at Malawi Blood Transfusion Service in Blantyre, Malawi. Capillary blood samples were analysed using the HCS and HemoCue, independent of each other. The sensitivity and specificity of correctly identifying ineligible blood donors (Hb≤12g/dL) were calculated. Results From 242 participants 234 (96.7%) were correctly allocated and 8 (3.3%), were wrongly allocated on the basis of the Haemoglobin Colour Scale (HCS) compared to HemoCue, all were subjects that were wrongly accepted as donors when their haemoglobin results were ≤12.0g/dL. This gave a sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 96.7% to detect donor eligibilty. The negative predictive value of the HCS was 100% but the positive predictive value to identify ineligible donors on the basis of anaemia was only 20%. Conclusions Initial screening with the HCS correctly predicts eligibility for blood donation in the majority of potential blood donors at considerable cost saving compared with use of HemoCue as the first line anaemia screening test, however, by this method a small number of anaemic patients were allowed to donate blood.

Preliminary Validation of the "Plausibility of Intraracial Marriage Scale": A Study of Upwardly Mobile African American Women

Like many Americans, African American women often view marriage as an important life goal; however, it is likely that many also view it as one that is out of reach (Dixon, 2009; Wallace, 2014). The present study sought to address this issue by developing a new measure to assess African American women’s experiences in this regard in hopes of shedding light on how it impacts their dating and mating experiences. A total of 251 heterosexual African American women who were either enrolled in college or who had completed some form of postsecondary education completed an online survey assessing a variety of topics including their attitudes and emotions regarding a shortage of marriageable men, their standards to marry, and their willingness to date interracially. Results from this study established preliminary construct validity for a new scale assessing African American women’s attitudes and emotions about the shortage of “marriageable” African American men.

EVIDENCE OF VALIDITY OF THE LSB-50: CROSS-VALIDATION, FACTORIAL INVARIANCE AND EXTERNAL CRITERION ANALYSIS

The aim of this paper was to obtain evidence of the validity of the LSB-50 (de Rivera & Abuín, 2012), a screening measure of psychopathology, in Argentinean adolescents. The sample consisted of 1002 individuals (49.7% male; 50.3% female) between 12 and 18 years-old (M = 14.98; SD = 1.99). A cross-validation study and factorial invariance studies were performed in samples divided by sex and age to test if a seven-factor structure that corresponds to seven clinical scales (Hypersensitivity, Obsessive-Compulsive, Anxiety, Hostility, Somatization, Depression, and Sleep disturbance) was adequate for the LSB-50. The seven-factor structure proved to be suitable for all the subsamples. Next, the fit of the seven-factor structure was studied simultaneously? in the aforementioned subsamples through hierarchical models that imposed different constrains of equivalency?. Results indicated the invariance of the seven clinical dimensions of the LSB-50. Ordinal alphas showed good internal consistency for all the scales. Finally, the correlations with a diagnostic measure of psychopathology (PAI-A) indicated moderate convergence. It is concluded that the analyses performed provide robust evidence of construct validity for the LSB-50

Medico-legal age estimation in a sub-adult portuguese population: validation of Atlas Schour and Massler and London

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

A SCR Model based on Reactor and Engine Experimental Studies for a Cu-zeolite Catalyst

A NOx reduction efficiency higher than 95% with NH3 slip less than 30 ppm is desirable for heavy-duty diesel (HDD) engines using selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems to meet the US EPA 2010 NOx standard and the 2014-2018 fuel consumption regulation. The SCR performance needs to be improved through experimental and modeling studies. In this research, a high fidelity global kinetic 1-dimensional 2-site SCR model with mass transfer, heat transfer and global reaction mechanisms was developed for a Cu-zeolite catalyst. The model simulates the SCR performance for the engine exhaust conditions with NH3 maldistribution and aging effects, and the details are presented. SCR experimental data were collected for the model development, calibration and validation from a reactor at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and an engine experimental setup at Michigan Technological University (MTU) with a Cummins 2010 ISB engine. The model was calibrated separately to the reactor and engine data. The experimental setup, test procedures including a surrogate HD-FTP cycle developed for transient studies and the model calibration process are described. Differences in the model parameters were determined between the calibrations developed from the reactor and the engine data. It was determined that the SCR inlet NH3 maldistribution is one of the reasons causing the differences. The model calibrated to the engine data served as a basis for developing a reduced order SCR estimator model. The effect of the SCR inlet NO2/NOx ratio on the SCR performance was studied through simulations using the surrogate HD-FTP cycle. The cumulative outlet NOx and the overall NOx conversion efficiency of the cycle are highest with a NO2/NOx ratio of 0.5. The outlet NH3 is lowest for the NO2/NOx ratio greater than 0.6. A combined engine experimental and simulation study was performed to quantify the NH3 maldistribution at the SCR inlet and its effects on the SCR performance and kinetics. The uniformity index (UI) of the SCR inlet NH3 and NH3/NOx ratio (ANR) was determined to be below 0.8 for the production system. The UI was improved to 0.9 after installation of a swirl mixer into the SCR inlet cone. A multi-channel model was developed to simulate the maldistribution effects. The results showed that reducing the UI of the inlet ANR from 1.0 to 0.7 caused a 5-10% decrease in NOx reduction efficiency and 10-20 ppm increase in the NH3 slip. The simulations of the steady-state engine data with the multi-channel model showed that the NH3 maldistribution is a factor causing the differences in the calibrations developed from the engine and the reactor data. The Reactor experiments were performed at ORNL using a Spaci-IR technique to study the thermal aging effects. The test results showed that the thermal aging (at 800°C for 16 hours) caused a 30% reduction in the NH3 stored on the catalyst under NH3 saturation conditions and different axial concentration profiles under SCR reaction conditions. The kinetics analysis showed that the thermal aging caused a reduction in total NH3 storage capacity (94.6 compared to 138 gmol/m3), different NH3 adsorption/desorption properties and a decrease in activation energy and the pre-exponential factor for NH3 oxidation, standard and fast SCR reactions. Both reduction in the storage capability and the change in kinetics of the major reactions contributed to the change in the axial storage and concentration profiles observed from the experiments.

DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF THE ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT INJURY-RISK-ESTIMATION QUIZ (ACL-IQ)

Over 2 million Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injuries occur annually worldwide resulting in considerable economic and health burdens (e.g., suffering, surgery, loss of function, risk for re-injury, and osteoarthritis). Current screening methods are effective but they generally rely on expensive and time-consuming biomechanical movement analysis, and thus are impractical solutions. In this dissertation, I report on a series of studies that begins to investigate one potentially efficient alternative to biomechanical screening, namely skilled observational risk assessment (e.g., having experts estimate risk based on observations of athletes movements). Specifically, in Study 1 I discovered that ACL injury risk can be accurately and reliably estimated with nearly instantaneous visual inspection when observed by skilled and knowledgeable professionals. Modern psychometric optimization techniques were then used to develop a robust and efficient 5-item test of ACL injury risk prediction skill—i.e., the ACL Injury-Risk-Estimation Quiz or ACL-IQ. Study 2 cross-validated the results from Study 1 in a larger representative sample of both skilled (Exercise Science/Sports Medicine) and un-skilled (General Population) groups. In accord with research on human expertise, quantitative structural and process modeling of risk estimation indicated that superior performance was largely mediated by specific strategies and skills (e.g., ignoring irrelevant information), independent of domain general cognitive abilities (e.g., metal rotation, general decision skill). These cognitive models suggest that ACL-IQ is a trainable skill, providing a foundation for future research and applications in training, decision support, and ultimately clinical screening investigations. Overall, I present the first evidence that observational ACL injury risk prediction is possible including a robust technology for fast, accurate and reliable measurement—i.e., the ACL-IQ. Discussion focuses on applications and outreach including a web platform that was developed to house the test, provide a repository for further data collection, and increase public and professional awareness and outreach (www.ACL-IQ.org). Future directions and general applications of the skilled movement analysis approach are also discussed.

An inter-laboratory validation of a real time PCR assay to measure host excretion of bacterial pathogens, particularly of Mycobacterium bovis

Advances in the diagnosis of Mycobacterium bovis infection in wildlife hosts may benefit the development of sustainable approaches to the management of bovine tuberculosis in cattle. In the present study, three laboratories from two different countries participated in a validation trial to evaluate the reliability and reproducibility of a real time PCR assay in the detection and quantification of M. bovis from environmental samples. The sample panels consisted of negative badger faeces spiked with a dilution series of M. bovis BCG Pasteur and of field samples of faeces from badgers of unknown infection status taken from badger latrines in areas with high and low incidence of bovine TB (bTB) in cattle. Samples were tested with a previously optimised methodology. The experimental design involved rigorous testing which highlighted a number of potential pitfalls in the analysis of environmental samples using real time PCR. Despite minor variation between operators and laboratories, the validation study demonstrated good concordance between the three laboratories: on the spiked panels, the test showed high levels of agreement in terms of positive/negative detection, with high specificity (100%) and high sensitivity (97%) at levels of 10(5) cells g(-1) and above. Quantitative analysis of the data revealed low variability in recovery of BCG cells between laboratories and operators. On the field samples, the test showed high reproducibility both in terms of positive/negative detection and in the number of cells detected, despite low numbers of samples identified as positive by any laboratory. Use of a parallel PCR inhibition control assay revealed negligible PCR-interfering chemicals co-extracted with the DNA. This is the first example of a multi-laboratory validation of a real time PCR assay for the detection of mycobacteria in environmental samples. Field studies are now required to determine how best to apply the assay for population-level bTB surveillance in wildlife.

Contextual effects of power differentials: Construct validation and concurrent validity of the Power Differential Scale

Power distance can produce contextual effects that surpass the cultural level of analysis, allowing predicting how the assimilation of these cultural values impacts individuals motivations to attain power positions and behaviors towards authorities. Power distance value can be conceived both at a micro and macro level of analysis. However existing measures used at a cultural level have been the object of several critics, and others applied at the individual level need further study in terms of their psychometric properties. This article presents the main psychometric properties of the Earley and Erez (1997) Power Differential Scale. This scale measures the acceptability of power and status differences both at micro and macro level. Two studies analyse the scale’s construct validity and its factorial invariance across groups of participants (Study 1); and its predictive validity at an individual level (Study 2). The results obtained support the proposed unidimensionality of the scale. Furthermore, it demonstrated predictive power by showing the role of power distance in the prediction of individual motivations to attain power and to respond to power situations using withdrawal or confrontational strategies. Future research is discussed, specifically the impact of power differential construct in individual attitudes and behavior.

The Impact of Community Social Capital on the occurrence of Injuries in adolescents and falls in older adults: Population-based Studies Conducted in Canadian samples

The objectives of this thesis were to study specific Canadian populations in order to examine; (1) relationships between the neighbourhood-level social capital and injuries in youth, as well as (2) falls in older adults, and; (3) to address methodological issues relevant to the study of such relationships. The thesis is comprised of four manuscripts. The first addresses methodological issues surrounding the validation of neighbourhood-level variables for the study of adolescent health, and demonstrates the existence of structural confounding in the study of related etiological relationships. Informed by the latter, the second manuscript examines the association between neighbourhood-level social capital and injuries in youth, and demonstrates that lower levels of social capital are protective factors for girls but not for boys. Manuscript 3 uses an international database focused on older adults, and shows that our existing measure of social capital is valid at neighbourhood levels, but also that there is a high possibility for the existence of structural confounding among Canadian older adults. The fourth manuscript then examines the association between neighbourhood-level social capital and the occurrence of falls in older adults and determines that differences between neighbourhoods are important factors in the occurrence of falls, and that higher levels of social capital are a risk factor for falls. Taken together, results from this thesis provide a better understanding of the role of neighbourhood-level social capital on the occurrence of injuries in Canadian youth and on the occurrence of falls in older adults. Our contributions were important both methodologically and etiologically.

Portuguese Version of the Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised: Validation Data and the Establishment of a Cut-Score for Screening Purposes

The aim of the present study is to provide validation data regarding the Portuguese version of the Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire Revised in nonclinical individuals. Two studies were undertaken with two different nonclinical samples in order to demonstrate reliability, concurrent, predictive, and construct validity, and in order to establish an appropriate cut-score for nonclinical individuals. A sample of 810 community adults participated in Study 1. Results from this study provided information regarding scale internal consistency, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, and concurrent validity. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis established a cut-off score to be used for screening purposes with nonclinical individuals. A sample of 440 young adults participated in Study 2, which demonstrated scale score internal consistency and 5-month predictive validity. Further, 5-month test-retest reliability was also evaluated and the correlations of SBQ-R scale scores with two other measures that assess constructs related to suicidality, depression and psychache, were also performed. In addition, confirmatory factor analysis was undertaken to demonstrate the robustness of the result obtained in Study 1. Overall, findings supported the psychometric appropriateness of the Portuguese Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revise

The Decent Work Questionnaire (DWQ): Development and validation in two samples of knowledge workers

This research aimed to develop a questionnaire measure of workers’ perceptions of decent work. The initial pool of 72 items covered the substantive elements used by the International Labour Organization to characterize decent work. It was administered to workers from Portugal (N = 636) and Brazil (N = 1039) and submitted to exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. The final 31-item version yields seven factor scores in addition to the global decent work score. With good reliability, convergent and discriminant validity indices, the DWQ could open new avenues for empirical studies of the decent work concept.