Examining the structural validity of the strengths and difficulties questionnaire (SDQ) in a multilevel framework

The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), proposed by Goodman (1997), has been used by many researchers to measure the social, emotional and behaviour difficulties in children. The SDQ comprises four difficulty subscales measuring emotional, conduct, hyperactivity and peer problems. It also includes a fifth subscale measuring prosocial behaviour. A sample of 5200 Maltese students who were aged between 6 and 16 years was used to investigate the multilevel factor structure underlying the teachers’ version of the SDQ. Statistical analysis in this study was conducted using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) and Multilevel Structural Equation Modelling (MSEM). The study finds that a two-level three-factor model fits the data marginally better than a single-level three-factor model.peer-reviewe

Examining the model structure of the strengths and difficulties questionnaire (SDQ)

The Strengths and Difficulties questionnaire (SDQ), proposed by Goodman 1997, has been used by researchers to measure social, emotional and behaviour difficulties in children. The SDQ includes four difficulty subscales, measuring emotional, conduct, hyperactivity and peer problems. It also includes a fifth subscale, measuring prosocial behaviour. Dickey 2004 suggested that the SDQ factor structure can be reduced to three dimensions comprising the prosocial, externalisation and internalisation subscales. Externalising problems combine conduct and hyperactivity, while internalising problems combine peer and emotional difficulties. A sample of 5200 local students aged between 4 and 16 years was used to investigate the factor structure underlying the teachers' version of the SDQ. Statistical analysis was conducted using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The study finds that the three-factor solution fits the data well. EFA establishes good internal consistency of these three factors. Moreover, several fit indices confirm this three-factor model through CFA. The externalisation construct linking hyperactivity and conduct problems is more robust than the internalisation construct linking emotional to peer problems. Through SEM, it was deduced that the Externalisation Factor dominates both the Internalisation and the Prosocial Factors. This implies that by controlling externalized behaviour leads to a better control of internalized and prosocial behaviours of students.peer-reviewe

Factors influencing the abundance and distribution of feral pigeons (Columba livia) in urban environments in Malta

This study aimed at identifying factors that influence the abundance and distribution of feral pigeons (Columba livia) in urban environments in Malta, making it the first study of its kind locally. Feral pigeons were censused using transect surveys in different types of urban environments, which were categorised as in proximity of an agricultural area, main road, park, side street and suburb. The cluster density and the cluster abundance were then estimated using distance sampling analysis. The number of pigeons in clusters was two or three. The cluster density of feral pigeons was estimated to be 6.51x10-5±1.57x10-5 (1.44x10-5 Km-2) in a total area of 4.52km2, with the highest estimate corresponding to the 'Park' , followed by the 'Mainroad', 'Agricultural area', 'Sidestreet' and 'Suburb' , in this order. The cluster abundance in the same area was estimated to be 293.89±70.87, with the highest estimate corresponding to the 'Mainroad' , followed by 'Park', 'Sidestreet', 'Agricultural area' and 'Suburb' in this order. Negative binomial regression was used to study the possible influence of environmental factors on feral pigeon abundance. The results of statistical analysis showed that the abundance of feral pigeons is mostly affected by architecture: abundance was low where there was a preponderance of modern buildings. This study may contribute to a tailor-made and economical scientific management plan for controlling feral pigeons in urban settings.peer-reviewe

COVID-19 vaccination attitudes across the European continent

This study was conducted to determine the predictors of COVID-19 vaccination attitudes across multiple waves in seven countries geographically spread across the European continent, using data from a COVID-19 survey provided by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology COVID-19. Facebook users from across the globe participated in this survey which collected information on their knowledge of COVID-19, attitudes towards risk and available information, and their willingness or lack thereof to take the vaccine. In this secondary data analysis study, neural networks were used with special attention given to the importance of the predictors of COVID-19 vaccination attitudes. Perception of social norms regarding COVID-19 vaccination was found to be the most important predictor of vaccine acceptance. Country of residence and wave of data collection were among the important predictors, with different patterns for each country emerging across different waves. Other strong predictors included attitudes towards masks and mask wearing; attitudes towards the influenza vaccine; distrust in government health authorities and scientists; and level of knowledge of existing treatments for COVID-19. The results of this study can inform effective public health prevention and intervention efforts against infectious diseases.peer-reviewe

Effect of prior general anesthesia or sedation and antiseizure drugs on the diagnostic utility of wireless video electroencephalography in dogs

Background Ambulatory wireless video electroencephalography (AEEG) is the method of choice to discriminate epileptic seizures from other nonepileptic episodes. However, the influence of prior general anesthesia (GA), sedation, or antiseizure drug (ASD) on the diagnostic ability of AEEG is unknown. Hypothesis/Objectives The use of sedation/GA or ASD treatment before AEEG recording may affect the diagnostic ability of AEEG and the time to first abnormality on AEEG. Animals A total of 108 client-owned dogs undergoing ambulatory AEEG for paroxysmal episodes. Methods Retrospective cohort study. Proportions of diagnostic AEEG and time to first abnormality were compared between dogs that received sedation/GA or neither for instrumentation as well as dogs receiving at least 1 ASD and untreated dogs. Results Ambulatory EEG was diagnostic in 60.2% of all dogs including 49% of the sedation/GA dogs and 68% of dogs that received neither (odds ratio [OR], 2.25; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02-5.00;P= .05). The AEEG was diagnostic in 51% of dogs receiving at least 1 ASD and 66% of untreated dogs (OR, 1.95; 95% CI, 0.9-4.3;P= .11). No difference was found in time to first abnormality between sedation/GA or neither or ASD-treated or untreated dogs (P= .1 andP= .3 respectively). Ninety-five percent of dogs had at least 1 abnormality within 277 minutes. Conclusion and Clinical Importance Sedation/GA and concurrent ASD administration were not identified as confounding factors for decreasing AEEG diagnostic capability nor did they delay the time to first abnormality. A 4-hour minimal recording period is recommended.Peer reviewe

Seizure frequency discrepancy between subjective and objective ictal electroencephalography data in dogs

Background Many studies of epilepsy in veterinary medicine use subjective data (eg, caregiver-derived histories) to determine seizure frequency. Conversely, in people, objective data from electroencephalography (EEG) are mainly used to diagnose epilepsy, measure seizure frequency and evaluate efficacy of antiseizure drugs. These EEG data minimize the possibility of the underreporting of seizures, a known phenomenon in human epileptology. Objective To evaluate the correlation between reported seizure frequency and EEG frequency of ictal paroxysmal discharges (PDs) and to determine whether seizure underreporting phenomenon exists in veterinary epileptology. Animals Thirty-three ambulatory video-EEG recordings in dogs showing >= 1 ictal PD, excluding dogs with status epilepticus. Methods Retrospective observational study. Ictal PDs were counted manually over the entire recording to obtain the frequency of EEG seizures. Caregiver-reported seizure frequency from the medical record was categorized into weekly, daily, hourly, and per minute seizure groupings. The Spearman rank test was used for correlation analysis. Results The coefficient value (r(s)) comparing reported seizure to EEG-confirmed ictal PD frequencies was 0.39 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.048-0.64, P = .03). Other r(s) values comparing history against various seizure types were: 0.36 for motor seizures and 0.37 for nonmotor (absence) seizures. Conclusions and Clinical Importance A weak correlation was found between the frequency of reported seizures from caregivers (subjective data) and ictal PDs on EEG (objective data). Subjective data may not be reliable enough to determine true seizure frequency given the discrepancy with EEG-confirmed seizure frequency. Confirmation of the seizure underreporting phenomenon in dogs by prospective study should be carried out.Peer reviewe

Mutations in succinate dehydrogenase B (SDHB) enhance neutrophil survival independent of HIF-1α expression.

status: publishe

Prolyl hydroxylase 2 inactivation enhances glycogen storage and promotes excessive neutrophilic responses.

Fully activated innate immune cells are required for effective responses to infection, but their prompt deactivation and removal are essential for limiting tissue damage. Here, we have identified a critical role for the prolyl hydroxylase enzyme Phd2 in maintaining the balance between appropriate, predominantly neutrophil-mediated pathogen clearance and resolution of the innate immune response. We demonstrate that myeloid-specific loss of Phd2 resulted in an exaggerated inflammatory response to Streptococcus pneumonia, with increases in neutrophil motility, functional capacity, and survival. These enhanced neutrophil responses were dependent upon increases in glycolytic flux and glycogen stores. Systemic administration of a HIF-prolyl hydroxylase inhibitor replicated the Phd2-deficient phenotype of delayed inflammation resolution. Together, these data identify Phd2 as the dominant HIF-hydroxylase in neutrophils under normoxic conditions and link intrinsic regulation of glycolysis and glycogen stores to the resolution of neutrophil-mediated inflammatory responses. These results demonstrate the therapeutic potential of targeting metabolic pathways in the treatment of inflammatory disease.This work was principally supported by a Wellcome Trust Senior Clinical Fellowship award (098516 to SRW), Medical Research Council (MRC) Clinical Training Fellowship awards (G0802255 to AART; MR/K023845/1 to RSD), an Academy of Medical Sciences (AMS) starter grant (to AART), a Wellcome Trust Senior Clinical Fellowship award (076945 to DHD), British Lung Foundation Fellowship (F05/7 to HMM), and a Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and Medical Research Council grant (EP/L016559/1, JAW). The MRC /University of Edinburgh Centre for Inflammation Research is supported by an MRC Centre Grant. The work of PC is supported by long-term structural funding-Methusalem funding from the Flemish Government. CJS thanks the Wellcome Trust and Cancer Research UK for support

Using generalized linear models to model compositional response data

This work proposes a multivariate logit model which models the influence of explanatory variables on continuous compositional response variables. This multivariate logit model generalizes an elegant method that was suggested previously by Wedderburn (1974) for the analysis of leaf blotch data in the special case of J = 2, leading to our naming this new approach as the generalized Wedderburn method. In contrast to the logratio modelling approach devised by Aitchison (1982, J. Roy Stat. Soc. B.), the multivariate logit model used under the generalized Wedderburn approach models the expectation of a compositional response variable directly and is also able to handle zeros in the data. The estimation of the parameters in the new model is carried out using the technique of generalized estimating equations (GEE). This technique relies on the specification of a working variance-covariance structure. A working variance-covariance structure which caters for the specific variability arising in compositional data is derived. The GEE estimator that is used to estimate the parameters of the multivariate logit model is shown to be invariant to the values of the correlation and dispersion parameters in the working variance-covariance structure. Due to this invariance property and the fact that the estimating equations used under the generalized Wedderburn method are linear and unbiased, the GEE estimator achieves full efficiency across a wide class of potential dispersion and correlation matrices for the compositional response variables. As for any other GEE estimator, the estimator used in the generalized Wedderburn method is also asymptotically unbiased and consistent, provided that the marginal mean model specification is correct. The theoretical results derived in this thesis are substantiated by simulation experiments, and properties of the new model are also studied empirically on some classic datasets from the literatur

The state of mixed methods research in nursing: A focused mapping review and synthesis.

AIMS To consider the scope and quality of mixed methods research in nursing. DESIGN Focused mapping review and synthesis (FMRS). DATA SOURCES Five purposively selected journals: International Journal of Nursing Studies, Journal of Nursing Scholarship, Journal of Advanced Nursing, Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing, and Journal of Mixed Methods Research. REVIEW METHODS In the target journals, titles and abstracts from papers published between 2015-2018 were searched for the words or derivative words 'mixed methods'. Additional keyword searches were undertaken using each journal's search tool. We included studies that investigated nursing and reported to use a mixed methods approach. Articles that met the inclusion criteria were read in full and information was extracted onto a predetermined pro forma. Findings across journals were then synthesized to illustrate the current state of mixed methods research in nursing. RESULTS We located 34 articles that reported on mixed methods research, conducted across 18 countries. Articles differed significantly both within and across journals in terms of conformity to a mixed methods approach. We assessed the studies for the quality of their reporting as regard the use of mixed methods. Nineteen studies were rated as satisfactory or good, with 15 rated as poorly described. Primarily, a poor rating was due to the absence of stating an underpinning methodological approach to the study and/or limited detail of a crucial integration phase. CONCLUSIONS Our FMRS revealed a paucity of published mixed methods research in the journals selected. When they are published, there are limitations in the detail given to the underpinning methodological approach and theoretical explanation