Validation of the Pediatric Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Questionnaire (Version 2.0) in Brain Tumor Survivors Aged 13 Years and Older

Yoo, Heejung,Kim, Dong-Seok,Shin, Hee-Young,Lai, Jin-Shei,Cella, David,Park, Hyeon-Jin,Ra, Young-Shin,Kim, Woo-Chul,Shin, Yong-Soon Elsevier 2010 Journal of pain and symptom management Vol.40 No.4

<P><B>Abstract</B></P><P>We evaluated the reliability and validity of the Pediatric Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Childhood Brain Tumor Survivor Questionnaire (pedsFACT-BrS, Version 2). This was specifically directed to patients aged 13 years and older (adolescents). The pedsFACT-BrS was translated and cross-culturally adapted into Korean, following standard Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy methodology. The psychometric properties of the pedsFACT-BrS in adolescents were evaluated in 161 brain tumor (BT) patients (mean age=15.53 years). Pretesting was performed in 30 patients, and the results indicated good symptom coverage and overall comprehensibility. In validating the pedsFACT-BrS for adolescents, we found high internal consistency, with Cronbach's α coefficients ranging from 0.76 to 0.91. The pedsFACT-BrS for adolescents also demonstrated good convergent and divergent validities when correlated with the Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale and the Kovacs' Children's Depression Inventory. The pedsFACT-BrS for adolescents showed good clinical validity and effectively differentiated between clinically distinct patient groups according to Karnofsky score, type of treatment, and treatment on/off status. This reliable and valid instrument can now be used to properly evaluate the quality of life of Korean adolescent BT patients.</P>

Agreement between pediatric brain tumor patients and parent proxy reports regarding the Pediatric Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–Childhood Brain Tumor Survivors questionnaire, version 2

Yoo, Hee-Jung,Ra, Young-Shin,Park, Hyeon-Jin,Lai, Jin-Shei,Cella, David,Shin, Hee-Young,Kim, Dong-Seok Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 2010 Cancer Vol.116 No.15

<B>BACKGROUND:</B><P>This study investigated the agreement between self-reports from pediatric brain tumor patients and proxy reports from their parents regarding the patients' quality of life (QOL), as assessed using a brain tumor-specific QOL assessment tool, the Pediatric Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Childhood Brain Tumor Survivors (pedsFACT-BrS) questionnaire. The authors expected moderate correlation and similar mean scores between patient and parent reports.</P><B>METHODS:</B><P>The pedsFACT-BrS for those aged 7 to 18 years was completed by 351 brain tumor patients (166 children and 185 adolescents), and the parent proxy reports were completed by 351 mother proxies and 37 father proxies. Statistical analyses, including the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient, intraclass correlation, and comparison of group means, were used to compare the 33 items shared by all 4 versions of the pedsFACT-BrS.</P><B>RESULTS:</B><P>The correlation between reports completed by pediatric patients and their parent proxies was significant (P = .59-.84), whereas that between the reports of adolescent patients and their parent proxies was slightly weaker (P = .47-.78). The patient and parent proxy reports showed moderate-to-good agreement and yielded similar mean scores in both the child and adolescent brain tumor patient groups; the sole exception was a difference in emotional well-being scores.</P><B>CONCLUSIONS:</B><P>The results indicate that proper use of the pedsFACT-BrS for patients and their parent proxies can provide clinicians with valid information about the overall QOL of child and adolescent brain tumor patients, including both their general health and their brain tumor-specific well-being. Cancer 2010. © 2010 American Cancer Society.</P>

OSCAR is a collagen receptor that costimulates osteoclastogenesis in DAP12-deficient humans and mice

Barrow, A.D.,Raynal, N.,Andersen, T.L.,Slatter, D.A.,Bihan, D.,Pugh, N.,Cella, M.,Kim, T.,Rho, J.,Negishi-Koga, T. American Society for Clinical Investigation 2011 The Journal of clinical investigation Vol.121 No.9

NDVI derived from near-infrared-enabled digital cameras: Applicability across different plant functional types

Filippa, Gianluca,Cremonese, Edoardo,Migliavacca, Mirco,Galvagno, Marta,Sonnentag, Oliver,Humphreys, Elyn,Hufkens, Koen,Ryu, Youngryel,Verfaillie, Joseph,Morra di Cella, Umberto,Richardson, Andrew D. Elsevier 2018 Agricultural and forest meteorology Vol.249 No.-

<P><B>Abstract</B></P> <P>Time series of vegetation indices (e.g. normalized difference vegetation index [NDVI]) and color indices (e.g. green chromatic coordinate [<I>G</I> <SUB> <I>CC</I> </SUB>]) based on radiometric measurements are now available at different spatial and temporal scales ranging from weekly satellite observations to sub-hourly <I>in situ</I> measurements by means of near-surface remote sensing (e.g. spectral sensors or digital cameras). <I>In situ</I> measurements are essential for providing validation data for satellite-derived vegetation indices. In this study we used a recently developed method to calculate NDVI from near-infrared (NIR) enabled digital cameras (NDVI<SUB> <I>C</I> </SUB>) at 17 sites (for a total of 74 year-sites) encompassing six plant functional types (PFT) from the PhenoCam network.</P> <P>The seasonality of NDVI<SUB> <I>C</I> </SUB> was comparable to both NDVI measured by ground spectral sensors and by the moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS). We calculated site- and PFT-specific scaling factors to correct NDVI<SUB> <I>C</I> </SUB> values and recommend the use of site-specific NDVI from MODIS in order to scale NDVI<SUB> <I>C</I> </SUB>. We also compared <I>G</I> <SUB> <I>CC</I> </SUB> extracted from red-green-blue images to NDVI<SUB> <I>C</I> </SUB> and found PFT-dependent systematic differences in their seasonalities. During senescence, NDVI<SUB> <I>C</I> </SUB> lags behind <I>G</I> <SUB> <I>CC</I> </SUB> in deciduous broad-leaf forests and grasslands, suggesting that <I>G</I> <SUB> <I>CC</I> </SUB> is more sensitive to changes in leaf color and NDVI<SUB> <I>C</I> </SUB> is more sensitive to changes in leaf area. In evergreen forests, NDVI<SUB> <I>C</I> </SUB> peaks later than <I>G</I> <SUB> <I>CC</I> </SUB> in spring, probably tracking the processes of shoot elongation and new needle formation. Both <I>G</I> <SUB> <I>CC</I> </SUB> and NDVI<SUB> <I>C</I> </SUB> can be used as validation tools for the MODIS Land Cover Dynamics Product (MCD12Q2) for deciduous broad-leaf spring phenology, whereas NDVI<SUB> <I>C</I> </SUB> is more comparable than <I>G</I> <SUB> <I>CC</I> </SUB> with autumn phenology derived from MODIS. For evergreen forests, we found a poor relationship between MCD12Q2 and camera-derived phenology, highlighting the need for more work to better characterize the seasonality of both canopy structure and leaf biochemistry in those ecosystems.</P> <P>Our results demonstrate that NDVI<SUB> <I>C</I> </SUB> is in excellent agreement with NDVI obtained from spectral measurements, and that NDVI<SUB> <I>C</I> </SUB> and <I>G</I> <SUB> <I>CC</I> </SUB> can complement each other in describing ecosystem phenology. Additionally, NDVI<SUB> <I>C</I> </SUB> allows the detection of structural changes in the canopy that cannot be detected by visible-wavelength imagery.</P> <P><B>Highlights</B></P> <P> <UL> <LI> We analyze 74 site-years of green chromatic coordinate (GCC) and camera NDVI data. </LI> <LI> Camera NDVI is comparable to traditional NDVI measurements. </LI> <LI> Camera NDVI and GCC can complement each other in describing ecosystem phenology. </LI> <LI> Both can be used as validation tools for satellite phenology products. </LI> </UL> </P>

Suspected Bacterial Endophthalmitis Following Sustained-release Dexamethasone Intravitreal Implant: A Case Report

Mücella Arıkan Yorgun,Melek Mutlu,Yasin Toklu,Hasan Basri Çakmak,Nurullah Çağıl 대한안과학회 2014 Korean Journal of Ophthalmology Vol.28 No.3

A 58-year-old man admitted to our opthalmology department with the complaint of branch retinal veinocclusion. He was treated with intravitreal Ozurdex in the right eye. Two days after the injection, the patientpresented with ocular pain and the visual acuity was hand movement. A diagnosis of endophthalmitiswas made. We performed emergent pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) and the implant was removed fromthe vitreous cavity using a retinal forceps. A combination of vancomycin 1.0 mg and amikacin 0.4 mgwas injected intravitreally. However, because of the blurring in the vitreus one week after the procedure,phacoemulsification and a repeat PPV was performed. Five days after the last procedure the signs andsymptoms of endophthalmitis were resolved. Our case demonstrated that endophthalmitis could developafter intravitreal implantation of Ozurdex. Surgical removal of the implant and immediate vitrectomy seemsto be a useful treatment option in these cases.