Equivalence and measurement properties of an electronic version of the Psoriasis Symptom Inventory

Purpose

To evaluate the equivalence of electronic and paper versions of the Psoriasis Symptom Inventory and to examine measurement properties of the electronic version.

Methods

In a prospective, randomized, crossover, non-interventional study in adult subjects (age ≥18 years) with plaque psoriasis conducted over a period of 15 days, subjects were randomized to two groups, completing either the paper or electronic Psoriasis Symptom Inventory daily for 7 consecutive days followed by the alternate version. Equivalence was assessed by the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) between both administration modes. Differences in scores were also tested using paired Student’s t test. Measurement properties included internal consistency reliability, test–retest reliability, and convergent and discriminant validity between the Psoriasis Symptom Inventory and (1) disease-specific (Dermatology Life Quality Index) and (2) general health (SF-36v2) status.

Results

Eighty subjects [74 % (59/80) moderate-to-severe psoriasis; 26 % (21/80) mild psoriasis receiving systemic treatment] were enrolled from 8 sites in the USA. The two modes were highly concordant for both total (ICC = 0.97) and individual item scores (ICC range = 0.93–0.97). Response bias testing showed no differences based on completion order with all ICC values >0.91. All mean score differences, except for one item (“flaking”), were non-significant (P > 0.05). Minimum values for reliability (>0.70) and validity (convergent, r ≥ 0.40) were exceeded for the electronic Psoriasis Symptom Inventory.

Conclusions

Equivalence between paper and electronic versions of the Psoriasis Symptom Inventory and strong measurement properties of the electronic mode indicated a successful migration from paper to electronic format of the Psoriasis Symptom Inventory.     

Evaluation of Streptococcus mutans adhesion to fluoride varnishes and subsequent change in biofilm accumulation and acidogenicity

Objectives

The aim of this study was to evaluate Streptococcus mutans adhesion to fluoride varnishes and subsequent change in biofilm accumulation and acidogenicity.

Methods

After producing fluoride varnish-coated hydroxyapatite discs using Fluor Protector (FP), Bifluorid 12 (BIF), Cavity Shield (CASH), or Flor-Opal Varnish White (FO), S. mutans biofilms were formed on the discs. To assess S. mutans adhesion to the discs, 4-h-old biofilms were analysed. To investigate the change in biofilm accumulation during subsequent biofilm formation, the biomass, colony forming units (CFU), and water-insoluble extracellular polysaccharides (EP) of 46-, 70-, and 94-h-old biofilms were analysed. To investigate the change in acidogenicity, pH values of the culture medium were determined during the experimental period. The amount of fluoride in the culture medium was also determined during the experimental period.

Results

BIF, CASH, and FO affected S. mutans adhesion (67–98% reduction) and subsequent biofilm accumulation in 46-, 70-, and 94-h-old biofilms. However, the reducing effect of the fluoride varnishes on the biomass, CFU count, water-insoluble EP amount, and acid production rate of the biofilms decreased as the biofilm age increased. These results may be related to the fluoride-release pattern of the fluoride varnishes. Of the fluoride varnishes tested, FO showed the highest reducing effect against the bacterial adhesion and subsequent biofilm accumulation.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that if the results of these experiments are extrapolable to the in vivo situation, then reduced clinical benefit of using fluoride varnishes may occur with time.

Clinical significance

Fluoride varnish application can affect cariogenic biofilm formation but the anti-biofilm activity may be reduced with time.     

Identification of Candida species in the clinical laboratory: a review of conventional,commercial, and molecular techniques

In healthy individuals, Candida species are considered commensal yeasts of the oral cavity. However, these microorganisms can also act as opportunist pathogens, particularly the so‐called non‐albicans Candida species that are increasingly recognized as important agents of human infection. Several surveys have documented increased rates of C. glabrata, C. tropicalis, C. guilliermondii, C. dubliniensis, C. parapsilosis, and C. krusei in local and systemic fungal infections. Some of these species are resistant to antifungal agents. Consequently, rapid and correct identification of species can play an important role in the management of candidiasis. Conventional methods for identification of Candida species are based on morphological and physiological attributes. However, accurate identification of all isolates from clinical samples is often complex and time‐consuming. Hence, several manual and automated rapid commercial systems for identifying these organisms have been developed, some of which may have significant sensitivity issues. To overcome these limitations, newer molecular typing techniques have been developed that allow accurate and rapid identification of Candida species. This study reviewed the current state of identification methods for yeasts, particularly Candida species.     

Quantum Hall Effect across Graphene Grain Boundary

Charge carrier scattering at grain boundaries (GBs) in a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) graphene reduces the carrier mobility and degrades the performance of the graphene device, which is expected to affect the quantum Hall effect (QHE). This study investigated the influence of individual GBs on the QH state at different stitching angles of the GB in a monolayer CVD graphene. The measured voltage probes of the equipotential line in the QH state showed that the longitudinal resistance (R_xx) was affected by the scattering of the GB only in the low carrier concentration region, and the standard QHE of a monolayer graphene was observed regardless of the stitching angle of the GB. In addition, a controlled device with an added metal bar placed in the middle of the Hall bar configuration was introduced. Despite the fact that the equipotential lines in the controlled device were broken by the additional metal bar, only the R_xx was affected by nonzero resistance, whereas the Hall resistance (R_xy) revealed the well-quantized plateaus in the QH state. Thus, our study clarifies the effect of individual GBs on the QH states of graphenes.     

Impact of Infectious Disease after Lactococcus lactis Strain Plasma Intake in Vietnamese Schoolchildren: A Randomized,Placebo-Controlled,Double-Blind Study

Lactococcus lactis strain Plasma (LC-Plasma) is reported to have anti-viral effects via direct activation of plasmacytoid dendritic cells, which upregulate the production of type I and III interferons. A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, parallel group study was designed for elementary schoolchildren, grades 1 to 3, in Vietnam. LC-Plasma or a control were administered to schoolchildren as a beverage (1.0 × 10¹¹ count LC-Plasma/day/person). The primary endpoint was to determine the efficacy of LC-Plasma in reducing the cumulative days absent from school due to upper respiratory disease (URID) and gastrointestinal disease (GID), and the secondary endpoint was to evaluate the potency of LC-Plasma on URID/GID symptoms and general well-being scores. LC-Plasma intake significantly reduced the cumulative days absent from school due to URID/GID (Odds ratio (OR) = 0.57, p = 0.004) and URID alone (OR = 0.56, p = 0.005); LC-Plasma also significantly reduced the number of cumulative fever positive days during the first 4 weeks of intervention (OR = 0.58, p = 0.001) and cumulative days with diarrhea during the last 4 weeks of the intervention period (OR = 0.78, p = 0.01). The number of positive general wellbeing days was significantly improved in the LC-Plasma group compared with the control throughout the intervention period (OR = 0.93, 0.93, p = 0.03, 0.04 in the first and last 4 weeks of the intervention, respectively). These data suggest that LC-Plasma seems to improve the health condition of elementary schoolchildren and reduces school absenteeism due to infectious disease, especially URID.     

Management of COPD in Asia: A position statement of the Asian Pacific Society of Respirology

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major disease in Asia. However, how to manage specifically Asian COPD patients has not been proposed. Awareness of COPD is very low and underdiagnosis/undertreatment is common in Asian countries. Low utilization of pulmonary function test and inhalers is also a problem. Moreover, high smoking prevalence and air pollution are barriers to managing Asian patients with COPD. The relatively low body mass index of Asian patients with COPD can increase their risk for experiencing adverse effects from COPD drugs. Physicians should consider the unique features of Asian populations with COPD such as the high prevalence rates of bronchiectasis and tuberculosis‐destroyed lungs, biomass smoke exposure and parasitic infection.     

国内六大行政区域六城市中老年人群膝关节骨性关节炎患病危险因素比较

目的：了解中国不同地区间中老年人群膝关节骨性关节炎患病危险因素。方法：调查时间为2005—07／08。①从中国六大行政区（西北，华北，华东。中南，东北，西南）选出六城市（西安，石家庄，上海。广州，哈尔滨市，成都），用分层多阶段整群抽样方法，抽取6218名40岁及以上具有正式户口常住男女人群进行膝关节骨性关节炎的流行病学问卷调查（包括一般情况、现病史、既往史、体格检查、X射线片检查情况和疾病诊断6个方面，共计94个问题141个变量指标），并对其中4808名有症状者进行X射线平片膝正侧位投照。②膝关节骨性关节炎诊断标准为临床症状阳性加X射线Kellgren ＆ Lawrence分级二级及以上者。③计算患病率，并采用Epilnf06．0和SPSS 10．0软件对其中83个变量进行多因素非条件Logistfc回归分析，表示疾病与暴露因素之间联系强度的指标用比值比（OR），若OR〉1，说明疾病发生危险性增加，与暴露因素呈正关联；若OR〈1，说明疾病发生危险性减少，与暴露因素呈负关联。 结果：①六城市膝关节骨性关节炎总患病率为15．6％，其中西安7．7％，石家庄11．2％，上海9．8％。广州30．5％，哈尔滨16．9％，成都17．5％，各城市患病率比较差异显著（P〈0．01）。②Logistic回归分析膝关节骨性关节炎在大部分城市有共同的危险因素如年龄大（OR=1．032—1．181），使用蹲坑排便年限长（OR=1．021-1．077），体质量高（OR=1．048—1．073），和开始饮酒年龄大（OR=1．008～1．028）；而从事专职体育运动（OR=1．651，西安），骨质疏松病史（OR=3．311，石家庄），吸烟（OR=2．654，石家庄），类风湿关节炎病史（OR=4．964，上海），文化程度高（OR=2．593，上海），女性（OR=2．510，广州），姐妹骨关节炎史（OR=13．251，哈尔滨），母亲骨关节炎史（OR=5．683，成都）等危险因素分别在不同地区出现． 结论：年龄大、使用蹲坑排便年限长、体质量高和开始饮酒年龄大是中国六地区膝关节骨性关节炎患病的共同危险因素，同时，不同地区主要危险因素又有一定差异。