Examining the validity of the Athlete Engagement Questionnaire (AEQ) within a Portuguese sport setting

Sport psychology literature suggests that understanding engagement levels is pivotal to promote positive sporting experiences among athletes. The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Athlete Engagement Questionnaire among Portuguese sport athletes. Two distinct samples of Portuguese athletes from different competitive levels were collected, and the results of a confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated a good fit of the model to the data. A review of the psychometric properties indicated that all factors showed good composite reliability, convergent validity, and discriminant validity. In addition, a multi-groups analysis showed the invariance of the model in two independent samples providing evidence of cross validity. Implications of these results for scholars and coaches are discussed and guidelines for future studies are suggested

Non-AIDS defining cancers in the D:A:D Study-time trends and predictors of survival : a cohort study

BACKGROUND:Non-AIDS defining cancers (NADC) are an important cause of morbidity and mortality in HIV-positive individuals. Using data from a large international cohort of HIV-positive individuals, we described the incidence of NADC from 2004-2010, and described subsequent mortality and predictors of these.METHODS:Individuals were followed from 1st January 2004/enrolment in study, until the earliest of a new NADC, 1st February 2010, death or six months after the patient's last visit. Incidence rates were estimated for each year of follow-up, overall and stratified by gender, age and mode of HIV acquisition. Cumulative risk of mortality following NADC diagnosis was summarised using Kaplan-Meier methods, with follow-up for these analyses from the date of NADC diagnosis until the patient's death, 1st February 2010 or 6 months after the patient's last visit. Factors associated with mortality following NADC diagnosis were identified using multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression.RESULTS:Over 176,775 person-years (PY), 880 (2.1%) patients developed a new NADC (incidence: 4.98/1000PY [95% confidence interval 4.65, 5.31]). Over a third of these patients (327, 37.2%) had died by 1st February 2010. Time trends for lung cancer, anal cancer and Hodgkin's lymphoma were broadly consistent. Kaplan-Meier cumulative mortality estimates at 1, 3 and 5 years after NADC diagnosis were 28.2% [95% CI 25.1-31.2], 42.0% [38.2-45.8] and 47.3% [42.4-52.2], respectively. Significant predictors of poorer survival after diagnosis of NADC were lung cancer (compared to other cancer types), male gender, non-white ethnicity, and smoking status. Later year of diagnosis and higher CD4 count at NADC diagnosis were associated with improved survival. The incidence of NADC remained stable over the period 2004-2010 in this large observational cohort.CONCLUSIONS:The prognosis after diagnosis of NADC, in particular lung cancer and disseminated cancer, is poor but has improved somewhat over time. Modifiable risk factors, such as smoking and low CD4 counts, were associated with mortality following a diagnosis of NADC

Comparison of the Diagnostic Performance of Contrast-enhanced Ultrasound with That of Contrast-enhanced Computed Tomography and Contrast-enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Evaluation of Renal Masses: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) has the potential to be a valuable alternative to contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) and contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (CEMR), the current gold standards in characterisation of renal masses. To systematically review all available evidence on the qualitative diagnostic performance of CEUS versus that of CECT and CEMR in the evaluation of benign and malignant cystic and solid renal masses. The review was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. After screening 1483 articles, six cohort studies and 10 descriptive studies were included. Pooling data from included studies with final diagnosis of benign or malignant renal masses by pathology showed a significant difference in the sensitivity of CEUS (0.96; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.94-0.98) versus that of CECT (0.90; 95% CI 0.86-0.93). Pooling data from included studies with final diagnosis by pathology report or reaffirmed diagnosis by follow-up imaging without pathology report showed significant difference in the sensitivity of CEUS (0.98; 95% CI 0.94-1.0) versus that of CEMR (0.78; 95% CI 0.66-0.91). Preliminary data imply that CEUS may perform at least as well as or better than CECT and CEMR in the diagnosis of renal masses. However, the evidence base is limited, and more high-quality, well-designed, adequately powered, and sampled studies are needed to reach definitive conclusions. Early data suggest that contrast-enhanced ultrasound is a promising option for the evaluation of renal masses, but more reliable evidence is required

Societal-Level vis-à-vis Individual-Level Work Values in the 21st Century Businessworld: An Empirical Analysis of 51 Countries

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