Cross-species collapse activity of polarized radial glia on retinal ganglion cell axons

Anxiety sensitivity has been implicated as a risk factor in the development and maintenance of anxiety and fear-related disorders. Indeed, persons who score high on the anxiety sensitivity index (ASI) are generally more responsive to biological challenge procedures such as CO2-inhalation that directly evoke the feared bodily events. One would expect, therefore, that persons high on anxiety sensitivity should be more conditionable and hence more likely to acquire fears, than persons low on anxiety sensitivity when CO2-enriched air is used as an unconditioned stimulus (UCS). Undergraduates (N = 96), scoring high, medium and low on the ASI received 8 repeated 20-s inhalations of either 20 or 13% CO2-enriched air (UCSs) paired with one of three CSs differing in fear-relevance (snake, heart and flowers). Several autonomic and self-report measures were assessed. Contrary to expectation, electrodermal and cardiac conditioned responses failed to discriminate between ASI groups. Yet, SUDS and severity and frequency of DSM-IV panic symptoms varied reliably as a function of anxiety sensitivity. Overall, the findings suggest that anxiety sensitivity is related to subjective fear-related complaints, but not autonomic responding and conditionability. We discuss clinical and theoretical implications for understanding the place fo anxiety sensitivity in fear onset.     

Episodic heavy drinking among college students: Methodological issues and longitudinal perspectives.

Longitudinal data from 81 undergraduates (47 women and 34 men) were used for concurrent and predictive validation of binge drinking measures. Results suggest relative strengths and weaknesses of different binge definitions. The conventional binge measure of >5 drinks in a row (≥4 drinks in a row for women) yielded higher prevalence estimates and higher sensitivity but less specificity than other quantity-frequency measures using alcohol-related problems as the criterion. Alternative binge measures resulted in lower prevalence rates and sensitivity but higher specificity for alcohol-related problems. Only a subset of students exhibited heavy drinking patterns consistently over time. Such consistent heavy drinking was significantly more strongly associated with increased risk of adverse alcohol-related consequences. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Screening for dementia with the memory impairment screen

OBJECTIVES: To validate a sensitive and specific screening test for AD and other dementias, assess its reliability and discriminative validity, and present normative data for its use in various applied settings. BACKGROUND: To improve discrimination in screening for AD and dementia, we developed the Memory Impairment Screen (MIS), a 4-minute, four-item, delayed free- and cued-recall test of memory impairment. The MIS uses controlled learning to ensure attention, induce specific semantic processing, and optimize encoding specificity to improve detection of dementia. METHODS: Equivalent forms of the MIS were given at the beginning and end of the testing session to assess alternate forms reliability. Discriminative validity was assessed in a criterion sample of 483 aged individuals, 50 of whom had dementia according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (3rd ed., revised) criteria. RESULTS: The MIS had good alternate forms reliability, high construct validity for memory impairment, and good discriminative validity in terms of sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value. We present normative data for use in settings with different base rates (prevalences) of AD and dementia. CONCLUSION: The MIS provides efficient, reliable, and valid screening for AD and other dementias.     

Criterion validity of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale (CES-D): results from a community-based sample of older subjects in The Netherlands

The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale (CES-D) has been widely used in studies of late-life depression. Psychometric properties are generally favourable, but data on the criterion validity of the CES-D in elderly community-based samples are lacking. In a sample of older (55-85 years) inhabitants of the Netherlands, 487 subjects were selected to study criterion validity of the CES-D. Using the 1-month prevalence of major depression derived from the Diagnostic Interview Schedule (DIS) as criterion, the weighted sensitivity of the CES-D was 100%; specificity 88%; and positive predictive value 13.2%. False positives were not more likely among elderly with physical illness, cognitive decline or anxiety. We conclude that the criterion validity of the CES-D for major depression was very satisfactory in this sample of older adults.     

The Aberrant Salience Inventory: A new measure of psychosis proneness.

Aberrant salience is the unusual or incorrect assignment of salience, significance, or importance to otherwise innocuous stimuli and has been hypothesized to be important for psychosis and psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia. Despite the importance of this concept in psychosis research, no questionnaire measures are available to assess aberrant salience. The current research describes 4 studies designed to develop and validate the Aberrant Salience Inventory (ASI) as a measure of aberrant salience. In Study 1, an overinclusive item pool was subjected to an exploratory factor analysis, and items were kept or discarded based on factor loadings. In Study 2, the 5-factor structure of the ASI was confirmed with a confirmatory factor analysis, and a 2nd-order factor analysis found evidence consistent with a single higher order factor. Study 2 also provided support for the scale score's convergent validity as the ASI was strongly associated with psychosis-proneness measures and dissociation measures and moderately correlated with measures associated with levels of dopamine. This study also provided support for its discriminant validity as the ASI was only weakly associated with social anhedonia. Study 3 found that participants with elevated psychosis proneness had increased ASI scores, but in contrast, participants with elevated social anhedonia had similar scores to comparison participants. Finally, Study 4 found that participants with a history of psychosis had elevated ASI scores compared to a psychiatric comparison group. Overall, the ASI demonstrated sound psychometric properties and may be useful for measuring aberrant salience and psychosis proneness in clinical and nonclinical samples. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Detection of soluble interleukin-2 receptor in the serum of patients with non-Hodgkin''s lymphoma

Falls are the most common type of injury among the elderly, and the source of both functional and psychological morbidity. The aim of this study was to validate the Elderly Fall Screening Test (EFST). In a community primary-care clinic, the members 60 years or older who were functionally independent were screened. Of the 568 elderly persons who met these criteria, 361 were interviewed once and 283 persons were re-interviewed a year later. The EFST, a five-item test, was used to divide participants into low- and high-risk groups. Concurrent criterion validity was assessed by physical examinations conducted by physicians who were blind as to the risk designation. Using data from the follow-up interview, predictive validity was assessed on both fall-related and general health measures. Based on the results of the EFST, 28% of the respondents were designated as being at high risk for falls (i.e. having a score of two or more risk items). The results of physicians' examinations corroborated the screening test results in 75% of the cases, with 83% sensitivity and 69% specificity. In the follow-up interview, the high-risk group, as compared to the low-risk group, was more likely to have high scores on EFST, a fall in the past month or year, frequent near falls, and an injurious fall. Those with high EFST scores were more likely to report four or more sick days in the past six months, a hospitalization in the past year, poor self-rated health, a decline in health in the past 6 months, and symptoms of depression. The EFST has both criterion and predictive validity. It can be useful in community-based prevention programmes with functionally independent elderly people.     

Summation of reinforcement rates when conditioned stimuli are presented in compound.

Three experiments used delay conditioning of magazine approach in rats to examine the summation of responding when two conditioned stimuli (CSs) are presented together as a compound. The duration of each CS varied randomly from trial-to-trial around a mean that differed between the CSs. This meant that the rats' response rate to each CS was systematically related to the reinforcement rate of that CS, but remained steady as time elapsed during the CS (Harris & Carpenter, 2011; Harris, Gharaei, & Pincham, 2011). When the rats were presented with a compound of two CSs that had been conditioned separately, they responded more during the compound than during either of the CSs individually. More significantly, however, in all three experiments, the rats responded to the compound at the same rate as they responded to a third CS that had been reinforced at a rate equal to the sum of the reinforcement rates of the two CSs in compound. We discuss the implications of this finding for associative models (e.g., Rescorla & Wagner, 1972) and rate-based models (Gallistel & Gibbon, 2000) of conditioning. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Identifying comorbid depression in elderly medical patients: Use of the Extracted Hamilton Depression Rating Scale.

The high prevalence and low rate of detection of comorbid depression in primary care is now well documented. Older adults with multiple medical problems represent a population at higher risk for underrecognition. The Extracted Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (XHDRS) was evaluated as a screening instrument for depression diagnosed according to Research Diagnostic Criteria in a sample of 150 geriatric medical and surgical inpatients. Scale reliability and validity were evaluated, and its sensitivity, specificity, and predictive power were calculated at multiple cutoff points. Results indicated good internal consistency, interrater reliability, concurrent validity, convergent validity, and discriminant validity. Additionally, use of the XHDRS offered greatly improved case identification when compared with use of conventional screening procedures. The XHDRS also showed improved specificity and positive predictive power when compared with several widely used self-report symptom scales. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Responding to a conditioned stimulus depends on the current associative status of other cues present during training of that specific stimulus.

The comparator hypothesis is a response rule stating that responding to a Pavlovian conditioned stimulus/stimuli (CS) reflects the associative strength of the CS relative to that of other cues (comparator stimuli) that were present during CS training. Thus, modulation of the associative strength of a CS's comparator stimulus should alter responding to that CS. These studies examined the stimulus specificity of this effect using within-Ss designs. Rats were trained on 2 CSs, each with a unique comparator stimulus, to determine the degree to which posttraining extinction of the comparator stimulus for one CS influences responding to the other CS. Using negative contingency (Exps 1 and 2), overshadowing (Exp 3), and local context (Exp 4) preparations, stimulus specificity was observed. In each case, posttraining extinction of the comparator stimulus for one CS had greater impact on responding to that CS than on responding to the alternate CS. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The BILAG index: a reliable and valid instrument for measuring clinical disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus

The British Isles Lupus Assessment Group (BILAG) index is a computerized index for measuring clinical disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), which was developed according to the principle of the physician's 'intention to treat'. The index allocates separate alphabetic scores to each of eight organ-based systems; a total score is not calculated. This study demonstrated good between-rater reliability for the BILAG index for each organ-based system. There was no evidence of bias between observers. The BILAG index had good overall sensitivity (87%) and specificity (99%) when compared with the 'gold standard' criterion (starting or increasing disease-modifying therapy). There were high positive predictive values overall (80%), and for each organ-based system, with the exception of the neurological system.     

Contextual control over conditioned responding in an extinction paradigm.

Four experiments studied contextual control over rats' freezing to conditioned stimuli (CSs) that had been paired with shock and were then extinguished. In Experiment 1, rats were exposed to a CS A–shock and a CS B–shock pairing in Context C. CS A was then extinguished in Context A, and CS B in Context B. Freezing was renewed when each CS was presented in the context where the other CS had been extinguished. In Experiments 2–4, rats were exposed to a CS A–shock pairing in A and a CS B–shock pairing in B. They were then exposed to Context C where one, both, or neither of the CSs were extinguished, or where both CSs continued to be reinforced. On test, the rats froze more to CS A than to CS B in Context A, and more to CS B than to CS A in Context B, but only if the CSs had been extinguished. Thus, after extinction, rats use contexts to regulate retrieval not only of their memory for extinction, but also of their memory for the original conditioning episode. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Usefulness of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors in the diagnosis of renovascular hypertension. III. Evaluation of the validity of the captopril test and the reno-scintigraphic captopril test in the diagnosis of renovascular hypertension according to accepted criteria

The aim of the study was to evaluate diagnostic validity of captopril test and scintigraphic test before and after captopril for the detection of renovascular hypertension (RVH) according to applied criteria. Employing blood pressure response to captopril as a criteria sensitivity was 37.0%, specificity 92.1%, positive predictive value 75.0% and negative predictive value 70.2% in the captopril test. Applying plasma renin activity (PRA) response to captopril as a criteria sensitivity was 92.5%, specificity 100%, positive predictive value 100% and negative predictive value 96.0% in the same test. Renin captopril test has excellent sensitivity and positive predictive value, is easy to perform and inexpensive and therefore may be a useful screening test for RVH in unselected population. With the own criteria used, captopril renoscintigraphy detected RVH with 87.5% sensitivity, 91.7% specificity, 87.5% positive predictive value and 91.7% negative predictive value. Captopril renoscintigraphy is an accurate diagnostic test for the identification of RVH in a clinically selected high-risk population. Common evaluation of both tests does not improve their accuracy in diagnosis of RVH.     

The role of transvaginal ultrasonography and outpatient diagnostic hysteroscopy in the evaluation of patients with menorrhagia

To verify the reliability of transvaginal ultrasonography in diagnosing intrauterine disease and in evaluating the operability of submucous myomas and to determine the feasibility, acceptability and validity of hysteroscopy for menorrhagia, we performed a prospective 5 year study on 793 women of mean age +/- SD of 41.5 +/- 7.8 years. All the patients referred for excessive menstrual bleeding with uterine volume <12 week pregnancy who underwent complete physical examination, transvaginal ultrasonography and outpatient hysteroscopy with endometrial biopsy were included in the study. Outpatient hysteroscopy was not completed due to intolerance or was unsatisfactory due to excessive bleeding in 23 cases (2.9%). Only 28 women (3.5%) declared they would have refused the procedure had they imagined the pain involved. One case of pelvic infection was observed. Compared with hysteroscopy, transvaginal ultrasonography had 96% sensitivity, 86% specificity, 91% positive predictive value and 94% negative predictive value in the diagnosis of intrauterine abnormality. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of ultrasonography in identifying submucous myomas operable hysteroscopically (intramural extension <50%) were respectively 80, 69, 83 and 65% with a k index of agreement between ultrasonography and hysteroscopy of 0.48. Thus, considering the good specificity and high negative predictive value, transvaginal ultrasonography may be suggested as the initial investigation in menorrhagic patients, limiting hysteroscopy to cases with positive or doubtful sonographic findings.     

Validity and reliability of the MTI photoscreener

OBJECTIVES: The prevalence and necessity for early detection of vision problems illustrate the need for improved methods of vision screening in preschool children. This study assessed the validity and reliability of a new device, the MTI photoscreener in a cross-sectional field study. METHODS: An appropriate sample size (> 140) was calculated and recruited for the study. All children (N = 161) in a migrant workers summer education program were screened with the MTI Photoscreener. Simultaneously and in a masked design, disease status was determined by the Modified Clinic Technique, a well established method for diagnosing the conditions which the MTI screener was designed to detect. RESULTS: Validity measures revealed a sensitivity of 54%, specificity of 87%, phi coefficient of 0.40, and positive predictive value of 52%. Repeatability was assessed by the kappa coefficient, by a test for effect modification by examiner, and by comparison of sensitivity and specificity across 12 masked examiners. The kappa coefficient was 0.38. A test for effect modification suggested that differences existed among the examiners. Variability of sensitivity was high, but variability of specificity was low. CONCLUSIONS: Methods for vision screening in preschool children are limited. The MTI Photoscreener is an easy and efficient method, but the validity and reliability is a concern. Comparison of our results with other studies suggests future potential for this instrument provided protocols are refined and further field studies reveal efficacy.     

Adaptation of Panic-Related Psychopathology Measures to Russian.

The study reports results of adaptation of panic-related psychopathology measures to Russian, including the Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI), the Agoraphobic Cognitions Questionnaire (ACQ), and the Mobility Inventory for Agoraphobia (MIA). Psychometric properties (e.g., reliability, factor structure, endorsement) and external validity of the adaptations were evaluated in a representative sample of Moscow residents (N=390) and Ukrainian undergraduates (N=492). The adapted ASI was generally equivalent to the original English-language version. The ACQ showed structural equivalency but did not exhibit expected specificity to panic. Finally, the MIA displayed notable structural discrepancies but had external validity comparable to the original. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Inhibitory learning tests of conditioned stimulus associability in rats with lesions of the amygdala central nucleus.

Normal rats showed faster inhibitory learning about a light conditioned stimulus (CS) if it had previously been an inconsistent predictor of a tone CS than if it had been a consistent predictor of the tone. In contrast, the inhibitory learning of rats with ibotenic acid lesions of the amygdala central nucleus (CN) was unaffected by the prior predictive value of the light. These results support claims that the CN is critical to surprise-induced enhancement of attentional processing of CSs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Understanding and using the Implicit Association Test: III. Meta-analysis of predictive validity.

This review of 122 research reports (184 independent samples, 14,900 subjects) found average r = .274 for prediction of behavioral, judgment, and physiological measures by Implicit Association Test (IAT) measures. Parallel explicit (i.e., self-report) measures, available in 156 of these samples (13,068 subjects), also predicted effectively (average r = .361), but with much greater variability of effect size. Predictive validity of self-report was impaired for socially sensitive topics, for which impression management may distort self-report responses. For 32 samples with criterion measures involving Black–White interracial behavior, predictive validity of IAT measures significantly exceeded that of self-report measures. Both IAT and self-report measures displayed incremental validity, with each measure predicting criterion variance beyond that predicted by the other. The more highly IAT and self-report measures were intercorrelated, the greater was the predictive validity of each. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Hepatitis B validity of drug users' self-report.

Although drug users' self-report has provided data for much of the published literature about drug use, little is known about self-report validity when participants are asked about diseases that are associated with drug abuse, such as hepatitis. Injecting drug users and crack cocaine smokers (N?=?669) were recruited in Anchorage, Alaska, and asked whether they had been diagnosed previously with hepatitis B. These self-report data were compared to various hepatitis B and C seromarkers as measures of validity of self-report expressed as sensitivity and specificity. Results indicate that although test-retest reliability for self-report is high (.905) and specificity is high (96.06% for hepatitis C virus, or HCV), sensitivity is low (23.74% for HCV). Thus, because of its low sensitivity, self-report of hepatitis should be used only as a prevalence estimate lower bound. More than half of the drug users who had contracted hepatitis had never been told that they were infected. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Prediction of head-up tilt test result by analysis of early heart rate variations

BACKGROUND: Head-up tilt testing is a useful test for investigating vasovagal syncope. The determination of early, accurate, predictive criteria for a negative result would permit a reduction in the duration of the tilt test. METHODS AND RESULTS: Patients with no drug use and no illnesses other than recurrent unexplained syncope were recruited. In an initial study (110 consecutive patients), we aimed to determine a predictive criterion based on heart rate variations during the first minutes of upright tilting that could distinguish between patients with positive and negative tilt tests (patients with an early continual decrease in heart rate or blood pressure were excluded). Then we tested the predictive value of the established criterion in a second independent sample of patients with unexplained syncope (109 consecutive patients). An early sustained increase in heart rate < or = 18 bpm during the first 6 minutes of upright tilting at a 60 degree angle allowed us to predict negative tilt tests with 100% specificity, 100% positive predictive value, and 88.6% sensitivity. This criterion was validated in the second, prospective arm of the study (96.4% specificity, 98.4% positive predictive value, and 87.3% sensitivity), even with subsequent use of isoproterenol in low doses. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with no drug use and no illnesses other than recurrent unexplained syncope, a simple clinical criterion identifies patients who will not develop syncope during a prolonged upright tilt.