Assessment and the Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology’s Evidence Base Updates Series: Evaluating the Tools for Gathering Evidence

In 2014, Michael Southam-Gerow and Mitch Prinstein launched the Evidence Base Updates series. As invited contributors, authors of Evidence Base Updates articles offer the field an invaluable resource: regular evaluations of the latest data on tools for addressing the mental health needs of children and adolescents. Until now, authors of Evidence Base Updates articles have focused exclusively on evaluating treatment techniques. In this article, we outline how the Evidence Base Updates series will evolve to also include evaluations of assessment techniques. In our treatment-focused updates, contributors follow strict criteria when evaluating the evidence. Following these criteria allows authors of Evidence Base Updates articles to provide mental health professionals with clear “take-home messages” about the evidence underlying the treatments evaluated. Similarly, we outline the criteria that authors will follow when preparing Evidence Base Updates articles that evaluate assessments. We also highlight the formats of these articles, which will include evaluations of condition-focused measures (e.g., anxiety, conduct problems); transdiagnostic constructs (e.g., parenting, rumination); specific, widely used measures that cut across conditions; and updates on field-wide considerations regarding measurement (e.g., clinical utility, incremental validity).     

Advances in the Treatment of Non–small Cell Lung Cancer: Focus on Nivolumab,Pembrolizumab, and Atezolizumab

Immunotherapy is revolutionizing the treatment of non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Immune checkpoint inhibitors, including programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) monoclonal antibodies, are being introduced to routine clinical practice. This review summarizes clinical trials of nivolumab, pembrolizumab, and atezolizumab in patients with NSCLC. These agents have efficacy against NSCLC and a unique toxicity profile. The role of PD-L1 as a predictive biomarker is still unclear, partially because of the nuances of PD-L1 testing. These novel therapies also challenge our existing methodologies of radiologic assessment and efficacy analysis. This new era of immunotherapy has ushered in as much hope for patients as questions from physicians that need to be answered to clarify the optimal use of these agents.     

Evidence for zoonotic transmission of species A rotavirus from goat and cattle in nomadic herds in Morocco, 2012–2014

Virus Genes - Species A rotaviruses (RVAs) are a leading cause of diarrhea in children and in the young of a large variety of mammalian and avian host species. The purpose of this study was to...     

New Biodegradable Hydrogels Based on Inulin and α,β-Polyaspartylhydrazide Designed for Colonic Drug Delivery: In Vitro Release of Glutathione and Oxytocin

Succinic derivatives of inulin (INU–SA) with two different degrees of derivatization (20% and 30%, mol/mol) were cross-linked with α,β-polyaspartylhydrazide (PAHy) to obtain INUPAHy hydrogels. Cross-linking was performed using N-ethyl-N-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-carbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC) and N-hydroxysulfosuccinimide (NHSS) as coupling agents and by varying the reaction time (4 h, 8 h and 24 h). All samples prepared were characterized by FT-IR analysis and swelling measurements in different media. In vitro assays, performed in the presence of inulinase, demonstrated the degradability of the prepared hydrogels. Cell compatibility was evaluated using Caco-2 cells through both direct and indirect assay. Glutathione (GSH) and oxytocin (OT), both potential agents for the treatment of colonic inflammation, were entrapped into a INUPAHy hydrogel and their release was evaluated in simulated gastrointestinal fluids. The obtained results suggest that GSH- and OT-loaded INUPAHy hydrogels are potentially useful for the oral treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.     

The Utility of Measures of Child and Adolescent Anxiety: A Meta-Analytic Review of the Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale,the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children,and the Child Behavior Checklist

We evaluated the ability of the Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale (RCMAS), the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAIC), and the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) to (a) discriminate between youth with an anxiety disorder and youth without a disorder, (b) discriminate between youth with an anxiety disorder and youth with either externalizing disorders or affective disorders, and (c) measure treatment change. In addition, variables, including age and sex, were explored as possible moderators of instrument utility. A meta-analysis of 43 articles was conducted. A large effect size was found when the instruments were used to compare youth with an anxiety disorder to youth without a disorder. When comparing anxious youth to psychiatric control groups, the picture was mixed; the instruments were found to be useful when discriminating between youth with an anxiety disorder and youth with an externalizing disorder, but not between youth with an anxiety disorder and children and adolescents with an affective disorder. The RCMAS, STAIC, and CBCL were found to be moderately sensitive to treatment gains.     

Potential for genotoxic and reprotoxic effects of vanadium compounds due to occupational and environmental exposures: An article based on a presentation at the 8th International Symposium on Vanadium Chemistry,Biological Chemistry,and Toxicology,Washington DC,August 15–18, 2012

Abstract

Research on the biological effects of vanadium in humans has shown that acute poisoning in workers can manifest itself in a number of symptoms. There are no reports in humans about reproductive and developmental effects induced by vanadium compounds in humans; however, some studies with rats and mice indicate that vanadium can cross the placental barrier and accumulate in fetal membranes rather than the fetus itself. In this case, probably most consequences of administration of vanadium to pregnant females like reabsorptions, fetal death and reduction in size can be the result of maternal toxicity. Concerning genetic and related effects in humans exposed to different vanadium compounds, data are controversial. Data on genotoxic effects in workers exposed to vanadium indicate that they can have an increased risk to develop cancer, and DNA instability can give rise to an onset of genetic syndromes, fetal malformations, and cancer. This paper presents materials presented at the 8th International Symposium on Vanadium Chemistry, Biological Chemistry, and Toxicology in a session titled ‘Relationship between occupational and environmental exposure to vanadium compounds and the reprotoxic and genotoxic effects’.     

Antimicrobial resistance and molecular epidemiology using whole-genome sequencing of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Neisseria gonorrhoeae</Emphasis> in Ireland, 2014–2016: focus on extended-spectrum cephalosporins and azithromycin

High-level resistance and treatment failures with ceftriaxone and azithromycin, the first-line agents for gonorrhoea treatment are reported and antimicrobial-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae is an urgent public health threat. Our aims were to determine antimicrobial resistance rates, resistance determinants and phylogeny of N. gonorrhoeae in Ireland, 2014–2016. Overall, 609 isolates from four University Hospitals were tested for susceptibility to extended-spectrum cephalosporins (ESCs) and azithromycin by the MIC Test Strips. Forty-three isolates were whole-genome sequenced based on elevated MICs. The resistance rate to ceftriaxone, cefixime, cefotaxime and azithromycin was 0, 1, 2.1 and 19%, respectively. Seven high-level azithromycin-resistant (HLAzi-R) isolates were identified, all susceptible to ceftriaxone. Mosaic penA alleles XXXIV, X and non-mosaic XIII, and G120K plus A121N/D/G (PorB1b), H105Y (MtrR) and A deletion (mtrR promoter) mutations, were associated with elevated ESC MICs. A2059G and C2611T mutations in 23S rRNA were associated with HLAzi-R and azithromycin MICs of 4–32 mg/L, respectively. The 43 whole-genome sequenced isolates belonged to 31 NG-MAST STs. All HLAzi-R isolates belonged to MLST ST1580 and some clonal clustering was observed; however, the isolates differed significantly from the published HLAzi-R isolates from the ongoing UK outbreak. There is good correlation between previously described genetic antimicrobial resistance determinants and phenotypic susceptibility categories for ESCs and azithromycin in N. gonorrhoeae. This work highlights the advantages and potential of whole-genome sequencing to be applied at scale in the surveillance of antibiotic resistant strains of N. gonorrhoeae, both locally and internationally.