Psychometric properties of the modified Emory functional ambulation profile in stroke patients

Objective: To examine the test &ndash; retest reliability, convergent and predictive validity and responsiveness of the modified Emory Functional Ambulation Profile (mEFAP) in assessing gait function in stroke patients undergoing rehabilitation. Subjects: Forty subacute stroke inpatients were enrolled in the validity and responsiveness study. Twenty chronic patients participated in the reliability study. Setting: Rehabilitation department of a medical centre. Design: In the validity and responsiveness study, patients were tested using the mEFAP, 10-m walking speed test, Barthel Index and Rivermead Mobility Index at admission and at discharge. For the reliability study, the patients completed the mEFAP twice one week apart. Results: The patients\u27 performances on the mEFAP were moderately to highly correlated with results of the 10-m walking speed test and Rivermead Mobility Index (absolute correlation coefficients &ge; 0.67), indicating good convergent validity. Patients\u27 performance on the mEFAP at admission was moderately correlated with the Barthel Index and Rivermead Mobility Index scores at discharge (Spearman\u27s rank correlation coefficients = -0.52 and -0.78, respectively), indicating good predictive validity. The standardized response mean of the mEFAP was 1.1 (P &lt; 0.0001), suggesting good responsiveness. The intraclass correlation coefficient ICC(3,1) for the mEFAP was 0.997, indicating excellent test &ndash; retest reliability. Conclusions: Our results provide strong evidence that the mEFAP has good reliability, validity and responsiveness for assessing stroke patients undergoing rehabilitation. The mEFAP is a useful scale for measuring walking function and recovery in stroke patients.<br /

Novel Benzimidazole Derivatives as Electron-Transporting Type Host To Achieve Highly Efficient Sky-Blue Phosphorescent Organic Light-Emitting Diode (PHOLED) Device

The development of benzimidazole substituted biphenyls as electron-transporting hosts for bis­[2-(4,6-difluoro­phenyl)­pyridinato-C²,N]­(picolinato)­iridium­(III) is reported. Under the optimized conditions, the organic light-emitting diode (OLED) achieves the maximum current efficiency of 57.2 cd/A, power efficiency of 50.4 lm/W, and external quantum efficiency 25.7%

Intracranial subdural hematoma coexisting with improvement in spontaneous intracranial hypotension after an epidural blood patch

A 36-year-old male had spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) presenting with refractory headache for 4 months. Multiple epidural blood patches (EBPs) yielded relief of symptoms, but the course was complicated, with asymptomatic intracranial subdural hematoma (SDH). Except for SDH, other radiological diagnostic signs of SIH were resolved and the patient’s headaches improved after EBP. Owing to a mass effect and persistent cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage, surgical repair of the spinal leakage was performed, but no cranial procedures were carried out. Postoperatively, the SDH completely resolved, but there was still CSF leakage at the level where surgery was performed. The patient has remained free of headache or other events for 3 years. It was reduction rather than elimination of the spinal CSF leak that yielded remission of SIH. In summary, intracranial SDH can be a complication of inadequately treated SIH (i.e. persistent minor CSF leakage). Management of SDH should focus on correction of the underlying SIH rather than craniotomy for hematoma evacuation

Orthogonally Substituted Benzimidazole-Carbazole Benzene As Universal Hosts for Phosphorescent Organic Light-Emitting Diodes

The novel ambipolar hosts of <i><b>o</b></i><b>-CbzBz</b> and <i><b>o</b></i><b>-DiCbzBz</b> contain carbazole and benzimidazole through an <i>ortho</i>-connection. The orthogonal conformations cause the triplet state to be confined at the carbazole units to secure efficient energy transfer. The phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes (PhOLEDs) show a high current efficiency, power efficiency, and low efficiency roll-off. <i><b>o</b></i><b>-DiCbzBz</b> can be used as a host for sky-blue, green, and orange-red PhOLEDs, giving 57.5, 78.4, and 60.3 cd/A, respectively