A cross-cultural study of the reliability and factorial dimensions of the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS)

The factor-structure and the reliability of the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) was investigated in a group of short stay psychiatric patients in a Dutch university clinic. It was found that the BPRS has a good inter-rater reliability. With the exception of a new Disorientation subscale all original five subscales could be replicated when compared with an American study.     

Exploring the Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS) as a possible measure of nicotine dependence

ABSTRACT

Background: The time to first cigarette (TTFC) of the day is an emerging single-item indicator of nicotine dependence due to its robust associations with indices of physical dependence. However, it is unclear if this measure adequately captures other dimensions of dependence. The Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS) is a brief questionnaire used to assess psychological aspects of dependence that has not yet been extensively applied to smoking research. Methods: We examined associations between the SDS and TTFC among 255 smokers during the baseline session of a cessation trial. We also examined associations of the SDS and TTFC with biobehavioral dependence indices, quitting behaviors, and cognitive-affective variables and compared the relative contributions of both measures in predicting these variables. Results: TTFC was unrelated to SDS total score, but was related to individual SDS items. TTFC, but not SDS, was correlated with indices of physical dependence (e.g., cigarettes per day [CPD], carbon monoxide [CO]). Both TTFC and SDS were associated with quitting behaviors, with opposite directionality of associations. TTFC and SDS were both associated with cognitive-affective variables, but SDS outperformed TTFC in strength and number of these relationships. Including both the SDS and TTFC as regression model predictors often increased the amount of variance explained. Conclusions: Findings suggest that SDS and TTFC assess different constructs of nicotine dependence; among smokers, the SDS appears to tap into nonphysical components of dependence (e.g., loss of control) that relate to quitting motivation and affect. Assessing nicotine dependence using only the SDS may fail to capture physical dependence and, further, may not reflect the same domains of addiction the SDS assesses in other drugs of abuse. Nonetheless, using 3 SDS items in addition to TTFC may offer utility over using TTFC alone.     

The spiral after effect (SAE) as a measure of motion sickness susceptibility and the effect on the SAE of an antimotion sickness drug and a central nervous system depressant

A study was carried out to determine whether the spiral after effect (SAE) could be considered a reliable measure of motion sickness susceptibility as measured by Reason's motion sickness questionnaire (MSQ). In an initial correlative study it was found that MSQ scores were significantly correlated with neuroticism (N) scores on the Eysenck Personality Inventory. However, the correlation between MSQ and a measure of the SAE duration was not significant. In the subsequent controlled drug study it was shown that both dimenhydrinate, an antinauseant, and temazepam, a minor tranquillizer, decreased the duration of the SAE: although significance was only obtained with the latter drug. The results of both experiments are discussed in terms of Reason's theory of motion sickness and it is suggested, on the basis of Reason's results and those obtained in the present study, that the SAE has both a cortical and a vestibular component in its mechanism of action.     

synthesis and preliminary biologic evaluation of 5-substituted-2-(4-substituted phenyl)-1,3-benzoxazoles as a novel class of influenza virus A inhibitors

The diversity-oriented chemistry synthesis together with the random screening approach has permitted the discovery and optimization of novel antiviral lead compounds. In this paper, a series of novel 5-substituted-2-(4-substituted phenyl)-1,3-benzoxazoles was synthesized and evaluated for their in vitro anti-influenza A virus and anti-influenza B virus activity. The activity was monitored by the MTS assay in the Madin-Darby canine kidney cells. Compound 7h showed excellent inhibitory activity and selective index against A/H3N2 (EC(50) = 37.03 μm, SI > 5), which were all higher than that of the reference drug oseltamivir (EC(50) > 59.00 μm, SI > 1). However, no compound displays inhibitory activity against influenza B virus.