The MS Symptom and Impact Diary (MSSID): psychometric evaluation of a new instrument to measure the day to day impact of multiple sclerosis

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to develop further a diary originally devised to measure the impact of multiple sclerosis (MS) as part of a cost utility study of beta interferon, and to evaluate its reliability, validity, and responsiveness in an outpatient sample of people with MS. METHODS: The original diary was further developed using qualitative and quantitative methods to ensure that it addressed the views of people with MS. The psychometric properties of the MS Symptom and Impact Diary (MSSID) were evaluated in a sample of 77 people who completed the MSSID daily for 12 weeks. Internal and test–retest reliability, discriminant and convergent validity, and responsiveness were assessed using traditional psychometric methods. RESULTS: The MSSID formed three, internally consistent scales that measured mobility, fatigue, and the overall impact of MS. The test–retest reliability of the mobility scale was adequate for individual comparisons (ICC.0.90) and the fatigue and overall impact scales were adequate for group comparisons (ICC.0.70). The MSSID was able to distinguish between clinical groups depending on clinical course, indoor ambulation status, and relapse status. It demonstrated associations with other single point instruments in the expected direction. Compared with single point instruments, its responsiveness was similar or better, especially in detecting short term improvements in functioning. CONCLUSIONS: The MSSID may provide a useful complement to currently available instruments to measure the outcomes of MS within clinical trials. Further research is needed to explore its feasibility in the context of a randomised controlled trial and its utility for clinicians

Physical activity barriers in the workplace : an exploration of factors contributing to non-participation in a UK workplace physical activity intervention

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to explore factors contributing to non-participation in a workplace physical activity (PA) intervention in a large UK call centre. Design/methodology/approach – In total, 16 inactive individuals (nine male/seven female), aged 27±9 years, who had not taken part in the intervention were interviewed to explore their perceptions of PA, the intervention and factors which contributed to their non-participation. Transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis. Findings – Six superordinate themes were identified: self-efficacy for exercise; attitudes towards PA; lack of time and energy; facilities and the physical environment; response to the PA programme and PA culture. Barriers occurred at multiple levels of influence, and support the use of ecological or multilevel models to help guide future programme design/delivery. Research limitations/implications – The 16 participants were not selected to be representative of the workplace gender or structure. Future intentions relating to PA participation were not considered and participants may have withheld negative opinions about the workplace or intervention despite use of an external researcher. Practical implications – In this group of employees education about the importance of PA for young adults and providing opportunities to gain social benefits from PA would increase perceived benefits and reduce perceived costs of PA. Workplace cultural norms with respect to PA must also be addressed to create a shift in PA participation. Originality/value – Employees’ reasons for non-participation in workplace interventions remain poorly understood and infrequently studied. The study considers a relatively under-studied population of employed young adults, providing practical recommendations for future interventions

New developments in respiratory medicine: a primary immunodeficiency perspective

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To consider recent developments in respiratory medicine that are of relevance to clinicians caring for adults affected by primary immunodeficiency disorders. RECENT FINDINGS: We consider impulse oscillometry, new bronchoscopic techniques for sampling, MRI and PET, the concept of the human airway microbiome, and new treatment approaches for bronchiectasis and interstitial lung disease to better understand the future of respiratory care for people with PID. SUMMARY: New approaches to the diagnosis and management of respiratory manifestations of PID have been driven by better understanding of the lung in health and disease, progress in imaging and sampling modalities, and new therapeutics

The 6-vertex model of hydrogen-bonded crystals with bond defects

It is shown that the percolation model of hydrogen-bonded crystals, which is a 6-vertex model with bond defects, is completely equivalent with an 8-vertex model in an external electric field. Using this equivalence we solve exactly a particular 6-vertex model with bond defects. The general solution for the Bethe-like lattice is also analyzed.Comment: 13 pages, 6 figures; added references for section

Two-Dimensional Fluorescence Difference Spectroscopy to Characterize Nanoparticles and their Interactions

Citation: Hurst, M. N., & DeLong, R. K. (2016). Two-Dimensional Fluorescence Difference Spectroscopy to Characterize Nanoparticles and their Interactions. Scientific Reports, 6, 9. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep33287Two dimensional fluorescence difference spectroscopy (2D FDS) detects nanoparticle interactions following surface functionalization and biomolecule loading by generating a spectral signature of the fluorescent intensity per excitation and emission wavelengths. Comparing metal oxide nanoparticles revealed a unique spectral signature per material composition. 2D FDS showed to be sensitive to changes in surface properties between ZnO NPs synthesized by different methods. ZnO NP loaded with glycol chitosan, polyacrylic acid (PAA), or methoxy polyethylene glycol (mPEG) exhibited a distinct spectral signature shift. ZnO NP loaded with Torula Yeast RNA (TYRNA)(640 nm), polyinosinic: polycytidylic acid (pIC)(680 nm), or splice switching oligonucleotide (SSO)(650 nm) each revealed a shift in emission. Ras-Binding domain (RBD) at three concentrations (25, 37.5, 50 mu g/mL) showed that fluorescent intensity was inversely related to the concentration of protein loaded. These data support 2D FDS as a novel technique in identifying nanoparticles and their surface interactions as a quality assurance tool

Can taste be ergogenic?

Taste is a homeostatic function that conveys valuable information, such as energy density, readiness to eat, or toxicity of foodstuffs. Taste is not limited to the oral cavity but affects multiple physiological systems. In this review, we outline the ergogenic potential of substances that impart bitter, sweet, hot and cold tastes administered prior to and during exercise performance and whether the ergogenic benefits of taste are attributable to the placebo effect. Carbohydrate mouth rinsing seemingly improves endurance performance, along with a potentially ergogenic effect of oral exposure to both bitter tastants and caffeine although subsequent ingestion of bitter mouth rinses is likely required to enhance performance. Hot and cold tastes may prove beneficial in circumstances where athletes’ thermal state may be challenged. Efficacy is not limited to taste, but extends to the stimulation of targeted receptors in the oral cavity and throughout the digestive tract, relaying signals pertaining to energy availability and temperature to appropriate neural centres. Dose, frequency and timing of tastant application likely require personalisation to be most effective, and can be enhanced or confounded by factors that relate to the placebo effect, highlighting taste as a critical factor in designing and administering applied sports science interventions

Validation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease recording in the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD-GOLD)

Objectives: The optimal method of identifying people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) from electronic primary care records is not known. We assessed the accuracy of different approaches using the Clinical Practice Research Datalink, a UK electronic health record database. Setting: 951 participants registered with a CPRD practice in the UK between 1 January 2004 and 31 December 2012. Individuals were selected for ≥1 of 8 algorithms to identify people with COPD. General practitioners were sent a brief questionnaire and additional evidence to support a COPD diagnosis was requested. All information received was reviewed independently by two respiratory physicians whose opinion was taken as the gold standard. Primary outcome measure: The primary measure of accuracy was the positive predictive value (PPV), the proportion of people identified by each algorithm for whom COPD was confirmed. Results: 951 questionnaires were sent and 738 (78%) returned. After quality control, 696 (73.2%) patients were included in the final analysis. All four algorithms including a specific COPD diagnostic code performed well. Using a diagnostic code alone, the PPV was 86.5% (77.5-92.3%) while requiring a diagnosis plus spirometry plus specific medication; the PPV was slightly higher at 89.4% (80.7-94.5%) but reduced case numbers by 10%. Algorithms without specific diagnostic codes had low PPVs (range 12.2-44.4%). Conclusions: Patients with COPD can be accurately identified from UK primary care records using specific diagnostic codes. Requiring spirometry or COPD medications only marginally improved accuracy. The high accuracy applies since the introduction of an incentivised disease register for COPD as part of Quality and Outcomes Framework in 2004