医学教育环境评估量表在我国口腔医学生中应用的信度与效度分析

目的：评价医学教育环境评估量表（DREEM）在我国口腔医学生中应用的信度和效度。方法：采用DREEM量表中文版在重庆医科大学口腔医学本科生中进行问卷调查,最终对调查结果进行统计学分析,考评量表的信度和效度。其中信度采用内部一致性信度和分半信度进行分析;效度采用探索性因素分析和收敛效度进行分析。采用SPSS 22.0软件包对数据进行信度和效度检验。结果：共回收有效问卷260份。量表总的Cronbach α系数为0.936,Guttman 分半信度系数为0.816。经过探索性因子分析,提取5个因子,累积贡献率达47.071%,显示量表存在预想的连带关系和逻辑关系。量表的Spearman等级相关系数为0.447~0.556之间。结论：医学教育环境评估量表在我国口腔医学生中应用具有良好的信度和效度,可在我国口腔医学教育环境的评价中进一步推广应用。     

双侧唇腭裂新生儿数字化模型与硬石膏模型的比较

目的： 比较双侧唇腭裂新生儿口内扫描数字化模型和硅橡胶制取灌注的超硬石膏模型的可靠性和稳定性。方法： 收集19例双侧唇腭裂新生儿病例,分别制取口内扫描数字化模型和硅橡胶取模超硬石膏灌注模型,对上颌牙槽骨长度、上颌牙槽骨宽度、腭裂宽度及上颌中线偏斜量等指标进行测量。采用SPSS 24.0软件包对测量结果进行统计学分析。结果： 2种方法上颌牙槽骨长度、上颌牙槽骨宽度、腭裂宽度及上颌中线偏斜量3次测量间均无统计学差异（P>0.05）,2种方法的测量值无统计学差异（P>0.05）。结论： 双侧唇腭裂新生儿口内扫描获取的数字化模型与硅橡胶取模超硬石膏灌注获取的石膏模型各测量项目之间无显著差异。口内数字化扫描操作过程简便,可以提高诊疗效率,新生儿承受痛苦少,风险小,可广泛用于唇腭裂患儿的研究、诊断分析及临床治疗。     

自体牙移植术前难度预判因素的筛选及分析

目的:设计自体牙移植术前难度预判量表,并进行统计学验证。方法:基于文献支持和临床经验总结,对自体牙移植术前难度预判的可能因素进行统计学分析,筛选出相关性较高的11条因素并编制量表,通过96病例进行实际难度判定。采用SPSS 23.0软件包对量表进行信度和效度检验。结果:对96例病例进行难度预判的结果进行统计学分析,量表检测的克隆巴赫系数（信度值）为0.853,皮尔逊相关系数（内容效度值）为0.745,KMO值（结构效度值）为0.704,以上检验均有统计学意义。结论:所设计自体牙移植术前难度预判量表合理可行,适用于初学者进行术前难度预判分析。     

Reliability of knee extensor neuromuscular structure and function and functional tests’ performance

IntroductionThe aim of this study was to evaluate the intra and inter-rater and inter-analyzer reliability of neuromuscular variables and functional tests.MethodsCross-sectional crossover design. Two independent raters and analyzers evaluated twenty-two healthy subjects. Knee-extensor strength was assessed from three maximal voluntary isometric contractions. Muscle activation was obtained from the vastus lateralis (VL), rectus femoris (RF), and vastus medialis (VM) muscles. VL and RF muscles’ architecture [fascicle length (FL), pennation angle (PA), muscle thickness (MT)] was obtained at rest by ultrasound. The time from five sit-to-stand (STS) trials, and the distance from the 6-min walk test (6MWT) were obtained. Intraclass correlation coefficient was determined and classified as strong (r = 0.75–1.00), moderate (r = 0.40–0.74), and weak (r < 0.40).ResultsStrong intra-rater reliability values were observed for strength (r = 0.97), muscle activation [VL (r = 0.91); RF (r = 0.92); VM (r = 0.80)], VL [FL (r = 0.90); PA (r = 0.94); MT (r = 0.99)] and RF [MT (r = 0.85)] muscle architecture, STS (r = 0.95), and 6MWT (r = 0.98). Inter-rater reliability also presented strong values for strength (r = 0.97), muscle activation [VL (r = 0.94); RF (r = 0.79); VM (r = 0.78)], muscle architecture VL [PA (r = 0.81) and MT (r = 0.88)] and RF [MT (r = 0.80)], STS (r = 0.93), and 6MWT (r = 0.98). A moderate correlation VL muscle architecture [FL (r = 0.69)]. Inter-analyzer muscle architecture reliability presented strong VL [FL (r = 0.77); PA (r = 0.76); MT (r = 0.91)] and RF [MT (r = 0.99)].ConclusionThe high intra and inter-rater and inter-analyzer reliability values for most variables is evidence that they can be used for clinical evaluation. Muscle architecture might need a longer training period by different raters and analyzers to increase reliability.     

Reliability of forearm medial-anterior surface dimensional changes at different isometric hand grip forces

Indirect techniques of predicting hand grip force are fundamental to develop hand control systems for assistive devices. The purpose of this study was to determine the reliability of 3D position of forearm surface at different isometric hand grip forces. Three-dimensional motion analysis was used to measure displacement of 24 discrete and standardized surface markers placed on forearm in 20 healthy participants. The relative displacements were measured for isometric grip forces at 0%, 5%, 20% 50% and 80% of maximum voluntary contraction (MVC). Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for relative radial displacement (RRD) of each marker was calculated. Averaged single measure ICC of 24 markers at five grip forces was 0.61; while the highest averaged single measure ICC (0.80) for all markers was achieved at 80% of MVC and the lowest (0.47) at 0% of MVC. The average measure ICC for each grip force across the 24 markers also increased with grip force from 0.80 at 0% of MVC to the maximum of 0.95 at 80% of MVC. In conclusion, RRD showed moderate and high ICCs for single and average measures respectively. Overall, this study suggests that the reliable dimensional changes of 3D positions of forearm surface might be considered as an indirect and non-invasive method to predict hand grip force in future.     

Psychometric Properties of the Self-Report Version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire in Korea

Objective

To examine the reliability and validity of the self-report Korean version of Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ-Kr) in the community sample.

Methods

The SDQ-Kr was administered to a large sample of school children and adolescents (n=2814) and youth attendees of a psychiatric clinic (n=385) aged 11-16 years. To examine temporal stability, the same questionnaire was administered to a subsample of 167 school youths five to six weeks after the initial assessment. To examine the reliability, we calculated Cronbach''s alpha coefficients for internal consistency and Pearson''s correlations for test-retest stability. In order to evaluate the factorial structure of the SDQ-Kr items, we conducted an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) with varimax rotation. Finally, discriminant validity was examined by using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves employing the area under the curve (AUC) as an index of discriminant ability.

Results

Although the internal consistency of some subscales of the SDQ-Kr was somewhat less satisfactory (alpha coefficients; 0.28-0.54) than the English original, coefficients for the total difficulties scores approached sufficient levels (coefficients; 0.69). Other psychometric properties including discriminant validity (AUC for total difficulties and four subscales >0.7) were comparable to those obtained in other language studies.

Conclusion

The self-report SDQ-Kr exhibited a low level of reliability, indicating that some items need to be further evaluated and revised to improve the psychometric properties. We suggest that the total difficulties score could be used with more confidence for screening possible mental health problems in youths.     

The Australian/Canadian Osteoarthritis Hand Index in a community‐dwelling population of older adults: Reliability and validity

Objective

To assess the acceptability and measurement properties of the Australian/Canadian Osteoarthritis Hand Index (AUSCAN) applied to a community‐dwelling population of older adults with hand problems.

Methods

Data were obtained from 2 related sources: 2,113 responders to a 2‐stage cross‐sectional postal survey who reported hand problems in the previous 12‐months, and 55 participants with hand problems completing a clinical assessment. The AUSCAN subscales were assessed for data quality and scaling properties. Test–retest reliability was assessed in clinical participants reporting no change in their hand condition at 1 month. Construct and criterion validity were evaluated using other data from the survey and clinical assessment. Internal consistency of the subscales was tested using Cronbach's alpha and item‐total correlations.

Results

AUSCAN subscales had high completion rates in the survey (missing data: 2.3–2.7%). Subscale scores covered the possible range but were skewed towards lower pain, stiffness, and functional problems. Test–retest reliability estimates supported the use of the pain and stiffness subscales (ρ > 0.7), with the estimate for stiffness being slightly lower (ρ = 0.64). The subscales demonstrated both construct validity (significantly higher subscale scores in participants reporting a recent general practitioner consultation for their hand problems and high correlations with hand function performance measures) and criterion validity (high correlations with generic health measures and disease‐specific measures).

Conclusion

The AUSCAN is a valid and reliable measure of hand problems in a community‐dwelling population of older adults. The AUSCAN performs well both in terms of its internal reliability and its relationship with external constructs.     

Does clinical experience affect the reproducibility of cervical vertebrae maturation method?

Objective:To assess interobserver and intraobserver reproducibility of the cervical vertebrae maturation method (CVMM) among three panels of judges with different levels of orthodontic experience (OE).Materials and Methods:Fifty individual lateral cephalograms of good quality with complete visualization of cervical vertebrae 1 to 4 were selected. Thirty clinicians, divided according to their OE into three groups (junior group, JU, OE ≤ 1 year; postgraduate group, PG, 2 ≤ OE ≤ 4 years; specialist group, SP, OE ≥ 7 years), evaluated the cephalograms in two sessions (T₁ and T₂) at 3 weeks apart. Kendall''s W and weighted Cohen''s kappa (κ) coefficients were performed to assess interobserver and intraobserver agreement. The level of significance was set as P < .05. For both the interobserver and the intraobserver datasets, the percentage of perfect agreement (PPA) and the number of stages apart for each disagreement were calculated.Results:Kendall''s W at T₁ was SP  =  0.61, PG  =  0.70, and JU  =  0.87; at T₂ it was SP  =  0.78, PG  =  0.85, and JU  =  0.86. The percentage of total interobserver perfect agreement (Inter-PPA) was 42.3% at T₁ and 46.3% at T₂. The JU group had the highest Cohen''s κ coefficient at 0.78, while the PG and SP had coefficients of 0.64 each. The percentage of total intraobserver perfect agreement (Intra-PPA) was 54.2%.Conclusions:The reproducibility of the method was not improved by the level of orthodontic experience. The group with the lowest level of orthodontic experience had the best performance.