The Dutch version of the Spinal Appearance Questionnaire for adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis:patient-based cross-cultural adaptation and measurement properties evaluation

Purpose: Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) affects the appearance of spine and trunk. The Spinal Appearance Questionnaire (SAQ) assesses the perception of appearance in AIS patients. The aim of this study is to translate and culturally adapt the recommended short version of the SAQ into Dutch and to test its measurement properties. Methods: A Dutch SAQ (14-item; appearance and expectations domains) was developed following guidelines for translation and cross-cultural adaptation. The COSMIN Study Design checklist was used for measurement properties evaluation. In this multicenter study, the Dutch SAQ, SRS-22R and NPRS (back pain) were administered to 113 AIS patients (aged 15.4 years [SD 2.2], 21.2% male). Floor and ceiling effects were evaluated for content analysis. For reliability, internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha) and test–retest reliability (ICC; n = 34) were evaluated. Predefined hypotheses of relationships with other questionnaires and between subgroups based on scoliosis severity (radiological and clinical) were tested for construct validity. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed to investigate the validity of the underlying structure of this 14-item questionnaire. Results: No floor and ceiling effects were found for domains and total scores. Cronbach’s alpha ranged from 0.84 to 0.89. ICCs varied from 0.76 to 0.77. For construct validity, 89% (8/9) of the predefined hypotheses were confirmed. Significant higher scores for the appearance domain were found for subgroups based on radiological (Cobb angle; &gt; 25.0°) and clinical outcomes. (Angle of Trunk Rotation; &gt; 9.0°). A two-factor structure was found (EV 5.13; 36.63% explained variance). Conclusion: The Dutch SAQ is an adequate, valid and reliable instrument to evaluate patients’ perception of appearance in AIS. Level of evidence: Level I—diagnostic studies.</p

Citizen science breathes new life into participatory agricultural research : A review

Participatory research can improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and scope of research processes, and foster social inclusion, empowerment and sustainability. Yet despite four decades of agricultural research institutions exploring and developing methods for participatory research, it has never become mainstream in the agricultural technology development cycle. Citizen science promises an innovative approach to participation in research, using the unique facilities of new digital technologies, but its potential in agricultural research participation has not been systematically probed. To this end, we conducted a critical literature review. We found that citizen science opens up four opportunities for creatively reshaping research: i) new possibilities for interdisciplinary collaboration, ii) rethinking configurations of socio-computational systems, iii) research on democratization of science more broadly, and iv) new accountabilities. Citizen science also brings a fresh perspective on the barriers to institutionalizing participation in the agricultural sciences. Specifically, we show how citizen science can reconfigure cost-motivation-accountability combinations using digital tools, open up a larger conceptual space of experimentation, and stimulate new collaborations. With appropriate and persistent institutional support and investment, citizen science can therefore have a lasting impact on how agricultural science engages with farming communities and wider society, and more fully realize the promises of participation

Factor analysis of the scale of prodromal symptoms: Differentiating between negative and depression symptoms.

This study examines the ability of the Scale of Prodromal Symptoms (SOPS) to differentiate between negative and depression symptoms in a young help-seeking ultrahigh risk (UHR) group. SOPS data of 77 help-seeking patients at UHR for psychosis were analyzed with an exploratory factor analysis. The extracted Depression factor was validated with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). The extracted SOPS Negative symptoms factor was validated with the Negative symptoms subscale of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Four factors were extracted from the SOPS: a negative, depression, disorganized and positive factor. The Negative symptom factor consisted of three items (N1: social anhedonia and withdrawal, N3: decreased expression of emotion; N4: decreased experience of emotions and self), and could be validated with the PANSS Negative symptoms subscale. The Depression factor was also made up of three items (G2: dysphoric mood, G4: impaired tolerance to normal stress, and D4: personal hygiene/social attentiveness), and could be validated with the BDI. Our results suggest that 3 items of the Negative symptoms subscale of the SOPS, 2 items of the General and 1 item of the Disorganization subscale differentiate validly between negative and depression symptoms in an UHR populatio

Verbal fluency as a possible predictor for psychosis

Background: Neurocognitive abnormalities are prevalent in both first episode schizophrenia patients and in ultra high risk (UHR) patients. Aim: To compare verbal fluence performance at baseline in UHR in patients that did and did not make the transiton to psychosis. Method: Baseline verbal fluence performanace in UHR-patients (n=47) was compared to match first episode patients (n=69) and normal controls (n=42) Results: Verbal fluency (semantic category) score in UHR-patients did not differ significantly from the score in first episode schizophrenia patients. Both the UHR group (p <0.003) and the patient group (p <0.0001) performed significantly worse than controls. Compared to the non-transition group, the transition group performed worse on verbel fluency, semantic category (p <0.006) at baseline. Conclusions: Verbel fluency (semantic category) is disturbed in UHR-patients that make the transition to psychosis and could contribute to an improved prediction of transition to psychosis in UHR-patients. (C) 2009 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserve

Symptomatology and neuropsychological functioning in cannabis using subjects at ultra-high risk for developing psychosis and healthy controls

Objective: The relationship between cannabis use and psychosis has been studied intensively. Few data, however, are available on the relationship between cannabis use, ultra-high risk for developing psychosis and neurocognition. The aim of the present cross-sectional study was therefore to investigate the relationship between cannabis use, ultra-high-risk (UHR) symptoms and cognitive functioning in UHR patients and healthy controls. Methods: A total of 63 ultra-high-risk patients (34 cannabis users) and 58 control subjects (28 cannabis users) were assessed with clinical measures and a neuropsychological test battery. Patients were eligible for the study if they were between the ages of 12 and 35 years and if they fell into one or more of the following inclusion groups: familial risk and reduced functioning, attenuated psychotic symptoms, brief limited intermittent psychotic symptoms and basic symptoms. Control subjects were eligible for the study if they were between the ages 12 and 35, had no present or past psychiatric illness, no family history of psychiatric illness, no drug use in the non-cannabis-using group, and use of at least four joints per week in the cannabis-using control group. Results: In the UHR and the control group, cannabis users experienced more basic symptoms and UHR symptoms than the non-cannabis users. Moreover, cannabis users in the control group performed at the level of the UHR subjects on a test of verbal memory and verbal fluency. Frequency of cannabis use correlated with severity of several UHR symptoms. Conclusions: Cannabis-using UHR patients have more basic symptoms than non-using patients. In addition, healthy cannabis users have more subclinical UHR and basic symptoms and more neuropsychological dysfunctions than non-cannabis users. More frequent cannabis use was related to increased severity of certain UHR symptom

Neurocognitive functioning before and after the first psychotic episode: does psychosis result in cognitive deterioration?

Cognitive impairment is considered to be a core characteristic of schizophrenia. The relationship between psychosis and cognitive deterioration, however, remains unclear. This longitudinal study investigated the neuropsychological functioning of patients before and after their first psychotic episode. Cognitive functioning of participants who later developed a psychosis was compared to that of people at ultra-high risk (UHR) for psychosis who did not develop psychosis at follow-up and healthy controls.MethodParticipants were 41 persons at UHR for psychosis (the UHR group), of whom 17 developed psychosis between the first and second assessment. Seventeen healthy controls were included in the study. Cognitive performance was assessed at intake (T0) and again after 18 months (T1). The areas of cognitive functioning assessed include verbal memory and learning, visuospatial working memory, executive function, sustained attention and motor speed. The transition group did not perform significantly worse at the second assessment than at the first on any of the outcome measures. The UHR group performed better on a verbal learning and memory test at T1 compared to T0. At T0, the control group scored significantly better than the UHR group and the transition group on the verbal learning and memory test and the verbal fluency test. The results indicate that no cognitive deterioration occurs during the first psychotic episode. Problems in verbal memory may be present before the first episode of psychosi