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Introduction: HIV-1 RNA detection is the most reliable method for monitoring treatment response among people living with HIV. Effective quality control measures that include internal quality control (IQC) are challenging in resource-constrained settings., Methods: We ascertained the utility of the kit low positive control (LPC) as an effective IQC to monitor the reliability of the HIV-1 viral load assay. Variations in LPC values were measured for 390 different runs over 10 years (2011-2021) and compared to in-house IQC data using Levey-Jennings control chart., Results: Overall, the Levey-Jennings analysis showed minimal variation (±0.5 log) for both the LPC and IQC data. The mean LPC value for first 20 runs (20 days) was 2.91. The mean LPC value for the 390 runs comprising 35 different lots was 3.01 ± 0.1 log., Conclusion: Our decadal data reveal that Abbott RealTime HIV-1 assay (Abbott Molecular Inc., IL, USA) LPC exhibited no significant biological variation over 390 runs distributed over 10 years. Hence, assay LPC can supplant the IQC for monitoring assay trends as a stable and commutable material in resource-constrained settings., (© 2023 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Science is in the midst of a reproducibility crisis and the integration of artificial intelligence into scientific research has only compounded the problem; yet could the technology hold the solution to its own problems?[Formula: see text].

Introduction: The present study aimed at testing the longitudinal feasibility of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) in an Italian cohort of non-demented amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients., Methods: N = 39 non-demented ALS patients were followed-up at a 5-to-10-month interval (M = 6.8; SD = 1.4) with the MoCA and the Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioral ALS Screen (ECAS). Practice effects, test-retest reliability, and predictive validity (against follow-up ECAS scores) were assessed. Reliable change indices (RCIs) were derived via a regression-based approach by accounting for retest interval and baseline confounders (i.e., demographics, disease duration, and severity and progression rate)., Results: At retest, 100% and 69.2% of patients completed the ECAS and the MoCA, respectively. Patients who could not complete the MoCA showed a slightly more severe and fast-progressing disease. The MoCA was not subject to practice effects (t[32] = -0.80; p = 0.429) and was reliable at retest (intra-class correlation = 0.82). Moreover, baseline MoCA scores predicted the ECAS at retest. RCIs were successfully derived - with baseline MoCA scores being the only significant predictor of retest performances (ps < 0.001)., Conclusions: As long as motor disabilities do not undermine its applicability, the MoCA appears to be longitudinally feasible at a 5-to-10-month interval in non-demented ALS patients. However, ALS-specific screeners - such as the ECAS - should be preferred whenever possible., (© 2024 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Negative symptoms reflect a currently much-untreated loss of normal functioning and are frequently found in psychotic disorders. We present the first translation of the Brief Negative Symptom Scale (BNSS) to European Portuguese and evaluate its validity in a sample of Portuguese male patients with a psychotic spectrum disorder. The Portuguese BNSS showed excellent internal consistency, high convergent validity (i.e., strong correlation with the PANSS negative factor), and high discriminant validity (i.e., a lack of association with the PANSS positive factor). In sum, the present European Portuguese BNSS has shown to be reliable, thus extending this instrument's clinical availability worldwide., (© 2023 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Background: Posterior circulation Acute Stroke Prognosis Early Computed Tomography Scores (pc-ASPECTS) is a rapid method of measuring early ischemic changes. However, there was no agreement study about pc-ASPECTS., Objectives: The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the agreement on pc-ASPECTS based on non-contrast CT (NCCT) and CT angiography (CTA) source images in patients with acute basilar artery occlusion (BAO)., Methods: We prospectively enrolled consecutive patients with acute BAO from January 2022 to August 2022 at the First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China. The NCCT and CTA were scored independently by 15 raters during 2 different reading sessions at least 3 weeks apart. The pc-ASPECTS based on NCCT and CTA were analyzed on the full scale or were dichotomized (0-6 vs. 7-10, 0-7 vs. 8-10, and 0-8 vs. 9-10). The level of agreement was measured using Fleiss κ statistics., Results: The median (IQR) CT-based pc-ASPECTS was 8 (6.75-9). The interrater agreement for CT-based pc-ASPECTS (κ = 0.133 [0.132-0.133]) and CTA-based pc-ASPECTS (κ = 0.204 [0.203-0.204]) was slight for all raters. Dichotomizations obtaining the highest concordance for the CT-based pc-ASPECTS (0-6 vs. 7-10) and the CTA-based pc-ASPECTS (0-8 vs. 9-10) failed to increase the interrater agreement to a substantial level (κ = 0.350 [0.348-0.351] and 0.396 [0.395-0.398], respectively). Intrarater agreement for global CT-based pc-ASPECTS was less than substantial for the 14/15 raters and reached the level of substantial for the 3/15 raters with dichotomization., Conclusions: Agreement between clinicians assessing CT-based and CTA-based pc-ASPECTS cannot be sufficient to make reproducible clinical decisions and assessments. The dichotomization failed to improve interrater and intrarater agreement to the level of substantial., (© 2023 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Objectives. Demonstrate the advantages of using ordinal alpha when the assumptions for Cronbach's alpha are not met; show the usefulness of ordinal alpha with the Chilean version of the WHO Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT); and provide the commands in R programming language for performing the respective calculations. Methods. Cronbach's alpha and ordinal alpha were compared in an AUDIT questionnaire administered to 419 students at a Chilean university. Results. In all domains, the result using ordinal alpha was greater than with Cronbach's alpha. This finding was consistent with the literature on the subject. When ordinal alpha was chosen, the reliability of each domain and the survey as a whole was accepted, which does not always happen with Cronbach's alpha. Conclusions. In making decisions about the reliability of a dimension, consideration should be given to an index that meets the required assumptions for using it in order to avoid erroneous conclusions that can have an appreciable effect on research. The values of Cronbach's alpha underestimate the reliability of an instrument when working with ordinal scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To 1) translate / transculturally adapt the original (English-language) combined Foot Care Confidence Scale / Foot-Care Behavior instrument (FCCS-FCB) to produce a Mexican-Spanish version and 2) determine its validity and reliability in a population with diabetes in Tijuana, Mexico. Methods. The original FCCS-FCB was translated (and back-translated), the content validated (by a group of health professional experts), and the instrument applied to 304 patients 23-78 years old in diabetes support groups in Tijuana, Mexico. Internal consistency for the study constructs ("self-efficacy," and risk / preventive foot self-care behaviors) was measured using Cronbach's alpha. The constructs were validated using principal component factor analysis. Results. The Cronbach's alpha values for internal consistency were 0.782 for self-efficacy and 0.505for behaviors. Based on the analysis, two factors explained 49.1% of the total variance for self-efficacy, and six factors explained 57.7% of the total variance for behaviors. The results were consistent with those for the original (English) version of the FCCS-FCB. Conclusions. The Mexican version of the FCCS-FCB is a reliable and valid instrument recommended for use with Mexican-Spanish-speaking patients with diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Analyzing wildlife tracking data frequently involves the estimation of home ranges. However, home range studies frequently lack important analytical steps, or only insufficiently report results. This makes it difficult for other researchers to evaluate, compare, and reproduce results from published home-range studies. To facilitate more thorough home-range analyses and reporting of analytical details, we developed a package for the statistical software package R that offers a user-friendly platform for comprehensive home-range analyses. Importantly, the package automatically generates a summary report that contains all analytical parameters used during analyses, and lists the main findings. To improve usability of the package, we also provide a graphical user interface that can be called from R without any programming skills. We currently implemented the calculation of site fidelity, time to statistical independence, minimum convex polygon, kernel density estimation, Brownian Bridge Movement Model, Jennrich-Turner Ellipses, local convex hull, estimation of home range asymptote, and area-independent core-area estimation. © 2015 The Wildlife Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most important single element of the "ground system" portion of a Mars Sample Return (MSR) Campaign is a facility referred to as the Sample Receiving Facility (SRF), which would need to be designed and equipped to receive the returned spacecraft, extract and open the sealed sample container, extract the samples from the sample tubes, and implement a set of evaluations and analyses of the samples. One of the main findings of the first MSR Sample Planning Group (MSPG, 2019a) states that "The scientific community, for reasons of scientific quality, cost, and timeliness, strongly prefers that as many sample-related investigations as possible be performed in PI-led laboratories outside containment." There are many scientific and technical reasons for this preference, including the ability to utilize advanced and customized instrumentation that may be difficult to reproduce inside in a biocontained facility, and the ability to allow multiple science investigators in different labs to perform similar or complementary analyses to confirm the reproducibility and accuracy of results. It is also reasonable to assume that there will be a desire for the SRF to be as efficient and economical as possible, while still enabling the objectives of MSR to be achieved. For these reasons, MSPG concluded, and MSPG2 agrees, that the SRF should be designed to accommodate only those analytical activities that could not reasonably be done in outside laboratories because they are time- or sterilization-sensitive, are necessary for the Sample Safety Assessment Protocol (SSAP), or are necessary parts of the initial sample characterization process that would allow subsamples to be effectively allocated for investigation. All of this must be accommodated in an SRF, while preserving the scientific value of the samples through maintenance of strict environmental and contamination control standards. Executive Summary The most important single element of the "ground system" portion of a Mars Sample Return (MSR) Campaign is a facility referred to as the Sample Receiving Facility (SRF), which would need to be designed and equipped to enable receipt of the returned spacecraft, extraction and opening of the sealed sample container, extraction of the samples from the sample tubes, and a set of evaluations and analyses of the samples-all under strict protocols of biocontainment and contamination control. Some of the important constraints in the areas of cost and required performance have not yet been set by the necessary governmental sponsors, but it is reasonable to assume there will be a desire for the SRF to be as efficient and economical as is possible, while still enabling the objectives of MSR science to be achieved. Additionally, one of the main findings of MSR Sample Planning Group (MSPG, 2019a) states "The scientific community, for reasons of scientific quality, cost, and timeliness, strongly prefers that as many sample-related investigations as possible be performed in PI-led laboratories outside containment." There are many scientific and technical reasons for this preference, including the ability to utilize advanced and customized instrumentation that may be difficult to reproduce inside a biocontained facility. Another benefit is the ability to enable similar or complementary analyses by multiple science investigators in different laboratories, which would confirm the reproducibility and accuracy of results. For these reasons, the MSPG concluded-and the MSR Science Planning Group Phase 2 (MSPG2) agrees-that the SRF should be designed to accommodate only those analytical activities inside biocontainment that could not reasonably be done in outside laboratories because such activities are time-sensitive, sterilization-sensitive, required by the Sample Safety Assessment Protocol (SSAP), or are necessary parts of the initial sample characterization process that would allow subsamples to be effectively allocated for investigation. All activities within the SRF must be done while preserving the scientific value of the samples through maintenance of strict environmental and contamination control standards. The SRF would need to provide a unique environment that consists of both Biosafety Level 4 (BSL-4) equivalent containment and a very high level of contamination control. The SRF would also need to accommodate the following activities: (1)Receipt of the returned spacecraft, presumably in a sealed shipping container (2)De-integration ( i.e., disassembly) and assessment of the returned system, beginning with the spacecraft exterior and ending with accessing and isolating all Mars material (gas, dust, regolith, and rock) (3)Initial sample characterization, leading to development of a sample catalog sufficient to support sample allocation (see Tait et al., 2022) (4)Science investigations necessary to complete the SSAP (see Kminek et al., 2021) (5)Certain science investigations that are both time- and sterilization-sensitive (see Tosca et al., 2022; Velbel et al., 2022) (6)A managed transition to post-SRF activities that would include analysis of samples (either sterilized or not) outside biocontainment and the transfer of some or all samples to one or more uncontained curation facilities The MSPG2 has produced a compilation of potential design requirements for the SRF, based on the list of activities noted above, that can be used in cost and schedule planning. The text of this report is meant to serve as an overview and explanation of these proposed SRF Design Requirements that have been compiled by the MSPG2 SRF Requirements Focus Group (Supplement 1). Summary of Findings FINDING SRF-1: The quality of the science that can be achieved with the MSR samples will be negatively impacted if they are not protected from contamination and inappropriate environmental conditions. A significant amount of SRF infrastructure would therefore be necessary to maintain and monitor appropriate levels of cleanliness, contamination control, and environmental conditions. FINDING SRF-2: Although most MSR sample investigations would take place outside of the SRF, the SRF needs to include significant laboratory capabilities with advanced instruments and associated sample preparation systems to enable the MSR science objectives to be successfully achieved. FINDING SRF-3: Preliminary studies of different operational scenarios should be started as soon as possible to enable analysis of the trade-offs between the cost and size of the SRF and the amount of time needed to prepare the samples for allocation and analysis. FINDING SRF-4: The ability to add additional analytical capabilities within biocontainment should be preserved to address the contingency scenario in which unsterilized material is not cleared to be analyzed outside of biocontainment. If potential evidence of martian life were to be detected in the samples, for example, it would be a high priority to conduct further investigations related to any putative lifeforms, as well as to enable other sterilization-sensitive science investigations to be conducted in biocontainment.

Response to protein complicates immunotherapy research.

Objectives. To describe the translation into Brazilian Portuguese and cross-cultural adaptation of the Motor Activity Log (MAL), an instrument specifically designed to assess function of the more severely affected upper limb in hemiplegics. Methods. The MAL was translated and adapted according to standardized procedures and submitted to test-retest reliability assessment (intraclass correlation coefficient, ICC). Other psychometric properties were investigated using Rasch analysis in 77 chronic hemiplegics (41 men, mean age = 57.5 ± 12.4 years). Results. An excellent ICC (0.98) was obtained for the total scores of both the quantity and quality MAL scales. When assessing degree of difficulty, "using a key to unlock the door" was the most difficult item on the quantity scale, whereas "washing hands" was the easiest one. On the quality scale, the most difficult item was "using the TV remote control," and the easiest one was "drying hands." The analyses showed that the set of items as a whole fit into the model; however, the individual analyses indicated that four items did not meet the expectations of the model in both the quantity (items 21, 16, 14, and 13) and quality (items 9, 21, 23, and 22) scales. Irregular response patterns were observed, and five subjects obtained the minimum score. There was disagreement between item difficulty and sample ability, suggesting that the abilities of individuals were below the degree of difficulty of the assessed items. A significant correlation was observed between grip strength of the more severely affected upper limb and motor skill measurement among individuals on the quantity (r = 0.51, P < 0.0001) and quality scales (r = 0.57, P < 0.0001), and also between the two scales when measuring the individuals' motor skills (r = 0.97, P < 0.0001). Conclusions. MAL-Brazil is potentially useful to evaluate the more severely affected upper limb in Brazilian patients with chronic hemiplegia. However, the instrument has limitations for use with individuals with severe limb impairments. Also, construct validity was affected by the presence of irregular score patterns. MAL-Brazil should be applied to additional samples to further investigate its validity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. To design a questionnaire for assessment of self-efficacy toward physical activity in school children, as well as to measure its construct validity, test-retest reliability, and internal consistency. Methods. A four-stage multimethod approach was used: (1) bibliographic research followed by exploratory study and the formulation of questions and responses based on a dichotomous scale of 14 items; (2) validation of the content by a panel of experts; (3) application of the preliminary version of the questionnaire to a sample of 900 school-aged children in Mexico City; and (4) determination of the construct validity, test-retest reliability, and internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha). Results. Three factors were identified that explain 64.15% of the variance: the search for positive alternatives to physical activity, ability to deal with possible barriers to exercising, and expectations of skill or competence. The model was validated using the goodness of fit, and the result of 65% less than 0.05 indicated that the estimated factor model fit the data. Cronbach's consistency alpha was 0.733; test-retest reliability was 0.867. Conclusions. The scale designed has adequate reliability and validity. These results are a good indicator of self-efficacy toward physical activity in school children, which is important when developing programs intended to promote such behavior in this age group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. To translate the HIV/AIDS-Targeted Quality of Life Instrument (HATQoL) into Brazilian Portuguese, culturally adapt it, and evaluate its psychometric properties (validity and reliability) as a Brazilian version. Methods. This cross-sectional study was carried out at the laboratory of infectious diseases at Escola Paulista de Medicina (Universidade Federal de São Paulo). Data were collected on clinical and sociodemographic characteristics of 106 HIV-infected individuals who answered the HAT-QoL and the SF-36®. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to measure construct validity. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha and intraclass correlation coefficients. Results. The sample was 70.8% male. The mean age was 39.9 years, with 40.5% of the participants being homosexual or bisexual. Eleven (10.4%) patients had a CD4 cell count ≥ 200 cells/mm3. A substantial ceiling effect was observed in 7 of 9 HAT-QoL domains (overall function, life satisfaction, health worries, medication worries, HIV acceptance, provider trust, and sexual function). Sexual function was the domain with the highest ceiling effect (63.2%). A substantial floor effect (30.2%) was observed for financial worries. Statistically significant associations were observed between the HAT-QoL domains and clinical and sociodemographic characteristics, as well as with SF-36 domains. Internal consistency was satisfactory (Cronbach's alpha = 0.73-0.90). Inter- and intraobserver reproducibility was very high (0.87-0.98 and 0.82-0.97, respectively). Conclusion. The Brazilian Portuguese version of the HAT-QoL is valid, reliable, and may contribute to evaluating the impact of HIV infection on the quality of life of patients in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To test the psychometric properties of an instrument for measuring psychological variables and adherence to treatment behaviors in persons with HIV infection or AIDS. Methods. A cross-sectional study was performed with 68 subjects who were seropositive for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and who were being treated in a health facility in the city of Hermosillo (Sonora), Mexico, at the time the study was carried out. Five consecutive statistical testing procedures were applied for data analysis: the Student t test for comparison of means, for assessing the comprehensibility of the questions; an exploratory factorial analysis with varimax rotation for determining construct validity; Cronbach's α coefficient for determining reliability; Pearson's correlation coefficient (r) for assessing concurrent validity; and multiple linear regression for determining predictive value. Results. In 25 out of a total of 30 questions, the Student t test for comparison of means gave statistical significance values of P ≤ 0.05, P ≤ 0.005, P ≤ 0.01, and P ≤ 0.001. A four-factor structure was found with the factorial analysis with varimax rotation: (1) current adherence behavior and treatment; (2) underlying reasons for adherence or lack of adherence; (3) psychological well-being and social competencies; (4) past adherence behavior with values above 1 that, taken as a whole, explain 65.50% of the variance. An overall α coefficient of 0.852 was obtained with the test for reliability. The test for concurrent validity showed correlations between factors 1 and 2 (r = 0.615; P = < 0.01), between factor 2 and factors 3 and 4 (r = -0.178; P < 0.05 and r = 0.265; P < 0,05, respectively), and between factor 3 and duration of infection in months (r = 0.265; P < 0.05). Finally, multiple linear regression showed that psychological factors 2 and 4, which together explain 48.6% of the variance, predicted current adherence behavior (adjusted determination coefficient [R²] = 0.486). Conclusion. According to the results obtained, the instrument has optimal reliability as well as construct validity, concurrent validity, and predictive validity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fractional flow reserve (FFR) is routinely used to evaluate coronary stenosis in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), although no studies currently address its reliability in this particular population. The clinical impact of correct assessment of coronary stenosis in AF is particularly high in light of the antithrombotic therapy imposed by both AF and coronary stenting., Objectives: Given the hemodynamic variability and microvascular dysfunction described in AF, the aim of this study was to evaluate the hyperemic response to intracoronary adenosine in AF in comparison with sinus rhythm (SR)., Methods and Results: This retrospective study included 36 patients in AF and 36 patients in SR. The hyperemic curves were derived in a subset of patients where the required information was available (n = 16 AF, n = 10 SR). AF patients presented a hyperemic response after intracoronary administration of adenosine, which was equivalent to SR in terms of magnitude and time to maximal hyperemia., Conclusion: There is equivalent hyperemic response in FFR-guided revascularization in AF versus SR population. Our findings support the use of FFR in evaluating intermediate coronary stenosis in AF., (© 2022 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Anisotropic plasmonic nanoparticles have found applications in a wide range of scientific and technological fields, including medicine, energy storage and production, ultrasensitive sensing, catalysis, and photonics. These colloids owe their all-around success in such different scenarios to the development of rapid, scalable, and rational synthetic schemes. Gold nanotriangles (AuNTs), geometrically termed truncated triangular bipyramids, have attracted the attention of the scientific community because of their combination of well-defined crystallography, anisotropic plasmon spatial distribution, sharp tips that favor the generation of high electric fields, atomically flat surfaces, and a wide spectral tunability within the visible and infrared ranges combined with narrow bandwidths of their plasmon resonances. In this context, we previously reported a procedure for the production of AuNTs, based on a seed-mediated approach that guarantees batch-to-batch reproducibility in both size (within 5 nm in edge-length) and extinction spectra (down to 1 nm precision). The protocol involves numerous synthetic steps, and reproducibility requires awareness and familiarity with several details, which are usually learned through practice and repetition and may not always be intuitive on the basis of standard experimental protocols. We provide herein an enhanced protocol with full details and demonstration videos, which we expect will further foster the utilization of this fascinating type of anisotropic nanomaterials by researchers who are less experienced in the preparation and handling of gold colloids.