Validity and reliability of telephone administration of the patient-specific functional scale for the assessment of recovery from snakebite envenomation

OBJECTIVES: Although more than 1.8 million people survive snakebite envenomation each year, their recovery is understudied. Obtaining long-term follow-up is challenging in both high- and low-resource settings. The Patient-Specific Functional Scale (PSFS) is an easily administered, well-accepted patient-reported outcome that is validated for assessing limb recovery from snakebite envenomation. We studied whether the PSFS is valid and reliable when administered by telephone. METHODS: This is a secondary analysis of data from a randomized clinical trial. We analyzed the results of PSFS collected in-person on days 3, 7, 14, 21, and 28 and by telephone on days 10, 17, and 24. We assessed the following scale psychometric properties: (a) content validity (ceiling and floor effects), (b) internal structure and consistency (Cronbach\u27s alpha), and (c) temporal and external validity using Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC). Temporal stability was assessed using Spearman\u27s correlation coefficient and agreement between adjacent in-person and telephonic assessments with Cohen\u27s kappa. Bland Altman analysis was used to assess differential bias in low and high score results. RESULTS: Data from 74 patients were available for analysis. Floor effects were seen in the early post-injury time points (median: 3 (IQR: 0, 5) at 3 days post-enrollment) and ceiling effects in the late time points (median: 9 (IQR: 8, 10). Internal consistency was good to excellent with both in-person (Cronbach α: 0.91 (95%CI 0.88, 0.95)) and telephone administration (0.81 (0.73, 0.89). Temporal stability was also good (ICC: 0.83 (0.72, 0.89) in-person, 0.80 (0.68, 0.88) telephone). A strong linear correlation was found between in-person and telephone administration (Spearman\u27s ρ: 0.83 (CI: 0.78, 0.84), consistency was assessed as excellent (Cohen\u27s κ 0.81 (CI: 0.78, 0.84), and Bland Altman analysis showed no systematic bias. CONCLUSIONS: Telephone administration of the PSFS provides valid, reliable, and consistent data for the assessment of recovery from snakebite envenomation

Applications of tissue culture to the genetic improvement of grapevines

The grapevine was among the first plants to be cultured in vitro (1944). Regeneration by somatic embryogenesis and organogenesis was reported in the 1970s and plantlet production from cell suspensions or callus is now a routine procedure in many laboratories. Methods for isolating grapevine protoplasts have yet to be achieved. The fragmented apex technique, involving high-frequency adventitious bud formation, is a novel and efficient method for rapid multiplication of grapevines but culture of anthers and pollen has been generally unsuccessful. Micropropagation procedures for vinifera grapes, Vitis species and interspecific hybrids, including rootstocks, are all available. Seedless-seedless hybridization, involving embryo rescue in crosses with stenospermocarpic female parents, is of major significance in breeding seedless table grapes. There has been substantial progress in protoplast cell, tissue and organ culture of grapevines, but this technology is still less well developed than with some other fruit crops (notably citrus and apples). So far, tissue culture has little impact on genetic improvement. Exploitation of somaclonal variation for clonal selection is an attractive option for premium wine cultivars. There is evidence of somaclonal variation in vitro but the usefulness of this random genetic variation in viticulture is still uncertain. To date, results of field trials with vines from somatic embryos have been disappointing. The grapevine is proving to be a difficult subject for Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation (A. tumefaciens and A. rhizogenes) and microprojectile technology is another option which is being investigated

Carnival: from Colombia to West Plains, Missouri

In October, St. Louis artist Carmen Dence brought the famous Latin carnival of her hometown, Barranquilla, Colombia, to Glenwood R-VIII Elementary School, just a few miles outside West Plains in southern Missouri. Dence was selected for the residency because of her experience as an artist and educator. She is a Colombian folkloric dancer and choreographer, is co-director of the St. Louis based Grupo Atlántico, and a Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program master artist. She is also a Research Associate Professor in Radiology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. As a member of the Missouri Folk Arts Program's pilot school-residency project, Dence spent three days at Glenwood Elementary School, working with students in the fifth through eighth grades. With help from drummer Arthur Moore and dancer Donald Kelly, she taught the students about Colombian dance and culture

Organogenesis in internode explants of grapevines

Organogenesis was studied in cultured internodes of grapevine cultivars, hybrids and species. Adventitious root formation occurred with a wide range of media and genotypes. Adventitious buds were formed in explanrts grown in ag1tated liquid culture with NITscH medium supplemented with benzyladenine (1 μM) and 2,4-D (5 μM} or a mixture of 2,4-D and ß-naphthoxyacetic acid (5 μM). Bud formation occurred only in cultures derived from seedlings of Muscadinia rotundifolia, Gloryvine (Vitis vinifera L. x Vitis rupestris ScHEELE) and V. vinifera x Gloryvine, i.e. (Grenache x Cabernet Sauvignon) x Gloryvine and (Sumoll x Cabernet Sauvignon) x Gloryvine. Cuttings from mature vines of V. vinifera cultivars, or from clonal Gloryvine, gave explants which failed to produce buds. Results are discussed in relation to effects of composition of media, origin of explant, maturity of the mother plant and genotype.Organogenese bei Internodienexplaotaten von RebenBei Kalluskulturen aus Internodien verschiedener Rebsorten, -kreuzungen und -arten wurde die Organogenese untersucht. Adventivwurzeln bildeten sich auf zahlreichen Nährmedien und bei vielen Genotypen. Adventivknospen entstanden an Explantaten in Schüttelkulturen auf einem flüssigen Medium nach NITSCH mit einem Zusatz von Benzyladenin (1 μM) und 2,4-D (5 μM) oder einem Gemisch von 2,4-D und ß-Naphthyloxyessigsäure (5 μM). Knospen bildeten sich nur in Kulturen aus Sämlingen von Muscadinia rotundifolia, Gloryvine (Vitis vinifera L. x Vitis rupestris SCHEELE) sowie V. vinifera x Gloryvine, nämlich (Grenache x Cabernet Sauvignon) x Gloryvine und (Sumoll x Cabernet Sauvignon) x Gloryvine. Aus ausgereiftem Holz von V. -vinifera-Sorten oder einem Gloryvine-Klon hergestellte Stecklinge ergaben Explantate, die keine Knospenbildung zeigten. Die Ergebnisse werden im Hinblick auf die Zusammensetzung der Nährmedien, den Ursprung des Explantats, den Reifezustand der Mutterpflanze und den Genotyp diskutiert

Somatic embryo formation by cultured ovules of Cabernet Sauvignon grape: Effects of fertilization and of the male gameticide toluidine blue

Maximum numbers of pollen tubes were found in styles of plants growing at 27 °C (day) and 22 °C (night). Fertilization generally occurred by 24 h after anthesis. Treatment of both isolated pollen and inflorescences of intact vines with toluidine blue (10-100mg l-1) reduced pollen germination and tube growth. Pollen tubes which penetrated the styles of toluidine blue-treated flowers appeared to be abnormal. Somatic embryos were produced with equal frequency by nucellus tissue from cultured ovules from both normally-fertilized and toluidine blue-treated flowers. There was degeneration of embryosacs in all cultured ovules. The grape appears to be unresponsive to toluidine blue as an inducer of haploid parthenogenesis

Determination of mean atmospheric densities from the explorer ix satellite

Mean atmospheric densities from changes in orbital elements of Explorer IX satellit