BACKGROUND: Self-reported mood is a valuable clinical data source regarding disease state and course in patients with mood disorders. However, validated, quick, and scalable digital self-report measures that can also detect relapse are still not available for clinical care. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we aim to validate the newly developed ASERT (Aktibipo Self-rating) questionnaire-a 10-item, mobile app-based, self-report mood questionnaire consisting of 4 depression, 4 mania, and 2 nonspecific symptom items, each with 5 possible answers. The validation data set is a subset of the ongoing observational longitudinal AKTIBIPO400 study for the long-term monitoring of mood and activity (via actigraphy) in patients with bipolar disorder (BD). Patients with confirmed BD are included and monitored with weekly ASERT questionnaires and monthly clinical scales (Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale [MADRS] and Young Mania Rating Scale [YMRS]). METHODS: The content validity of the ASERT questionnaire was assessed using principal component analysis, and the Cronbach α was used to assess the internal consistency of each factor. The convergent validity of the depressive or manic items of the ASERT questionnaire with the MADRS and YMRS, respectively, was assessed using a linear mixed-effects model and linear correlation analyses. In addition, we investigated the capability of the ASERT questionnaire to distinguish relapse (YMRS≥15 and MADRS≥15) from a nonrelapse (interepisode) state (YMRS<15 and MADRS<15) using a logistic mixed-effects model. RESULTS: A total of 99 patients with BD were included in this study (follow-up: mean 754 days, SD 266) and completed an average of 78.1% (SD 18.3%) of the requested ASERT assessments (completion time for the 10 ASERT questions: median 24.0 seconds) across all patients in this study. The ASERT depression items were highly associated with MADRS total scores (P<.001; bootstrap). Similarly, ASERT mania items were highly associated with YMRS total scores (P<.001; bootstrap). Furthermore, the logistic mixed-effects regression model for scale-based relapse detection showed high detection accuracy in a repeated holdout validation for both depression (accuracy=85%; sensitivity=69.9%; specificity=88.4%; area under the receiver operating characteristic curve=0.880) and mania (accuracy=87.5%; sensitivity=64.9%; specificity=89.9%; area under the receiver operating characteristic curve=0.844). CONCLUSIONS: The ASERT questionnaire is a quick and acceptable mood monitoring tool that is administered via a smartphone app. The questionnaire has a good capability to detect the worsening of clinical symptoms in a long-term monitoring scenario.
- Klíčová slova
- bipolar disorder, ecological mood assessment, mobile application, mobile phone, relapse detection, symptom monitoring,
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
Alkaline flocculation has been studied due to its potential as a low-cost harvesting method for microalgae. However, surface properties (zeta potential, contact angles) as inputs into physicochemical interaction models have not yet been applied systematically. In this work, forced alkaline flocculation of the freshwater microalgae Chlorella vulgaris induced by calcium phosphate precipitates was studied as a model system. Response surface methodology was used to quantify the effect of independent variables (concentration of Ca2+ (0.5-0.5 mM) and PO43- (0.05-0.35 mM), pH (8-12) and ionic strength (1-19 mM)) on the zeta potential (ZP) of microalgae, and the turbidity (T) of inorganic precipitates. Flocculation tests and their modified versions were carried out. The flocculation efficiencies obtained were interpreted with respect to predictions of physicochemical interaction models. It was found that flocculation was possible under conditions where appropriate precipitates were formed in the presence of cells. Under these conditions, flocculation of negatively charged Chlorella vulgaris was induced not only by positively charged, but also by negatively charged calcium phosphate precipitates at an early phase of nucleation. The driving force for interactions between oppositely charged cells and precipitate particles was electrostatic attraction, while the attraction between equally charged entities may have resulted from a negative total balance of apolar (Lifsitz-van der Waals) and polar (acid-base) interactions. Medium components did not interfere with flocculation, while cellular organic matter decreased flocculation efficiency only to a very limited extent.
- Klíčová slova
- Calcium phosphate precipitates, DLVO theory, Microalgae, Surface interactions, Thermodynamic model,
- MeSH
- Chlorella vulgaris účinky léků metabolismus MeSH
- fosforečnany vápenaté farmakologie MeSH
- mikrořasy účinky léků metabolismus MeSH
- termodynamika MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- Názvy látek
- calcium phosphate MeSH Prohlížeč
- fosforečnany vápenaté MeSH
To detect the presence of Clostridium difficile toxins A and B in the stools of patients hospitalized in the University Hospital Olomouc who developed diarrhoea or other abdominal symptoms (abdominal pain, tympanites, indigestion, partial intestinal obstruction) related to antibiotic therapy. Given occasional dyspepsia and necrotizing enterocolitis in preterm neonates, to consider the potential role of these toxins, in addition to that of the immature intestine, in the development of the condition. To confirm the hypothesis by stool tests to detect the toxins also in normal neonates or those with no gastrointestinal symptoms. In selected stool samples, to compare detection of the toxins with C. difficile strains confirmed by culture.
- MeSH
- bakteriální toxiny analýza MeSH
- Clostridioides difficile * izolace a purifikace MeSH
- feces mikrobiologie MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- novorozenec MeSH
- pseudomembranózní enterokolitida diagnóza mikrobiologie MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- novorozenec MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- Názvy látek
- bakteriální toxiny MeSH
