Feasibility and acceptability of a brief intervention to improve mild traumatic brain injury recovery: Problem-solving training-concussion.

OBJECTIVE: Mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs) are common among Veterans. Although the majority of neurobehavioral symptoms resolve following mTBI, studies with Veteran samples demonstrate a high frequency and chronicity of neurobehavioral complaints (e.g., difficulties with attention, frustration tolerance) often attributed to mTBI. Recent opinions suggest the primacy of mental health treatment, and existing mTBI practice guidelines promote patient-centered intervention beginning in primary care (PC). However, trial evidence regarding effective clinical management in PC is lacking. This study evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of a brief, PC-based problem-solving intervention to reduce psychological distress and neurobehavioral complaints. RESEARCH METHOD/DESIGN: Mixed method open clinical trial of 12 combat Veterans with a history of mTBI, chronic neurobehavioral complaints, and psychological distress. Measures included qualitative and quantitative indicators of feasibility (recruitment and retention metrics, interview feedback), patient acceptability (treatment satisfaction, perceived effectiveness), and change in psychological distress as measured by the Brief Symptom Inventory-18. RESULTS: The protocol was successfully delivered via in-person and telehealth treatment modalities (4.3 sessions attended on average; 58% completed the full protocol). Patient interview data suggested that treatment content was personally relevant, and patients were satisfied with their experience. Treatment completers described the intervention as helpful and reported corresponding reductions in psychological distress (ES = 1.8). Dropout was influenced by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS: Further study with a more diverse, randomized sample is warranted. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

A Practical Guide to Applying the Delphi Technique in Mental Health Treatment Adaptation: The Example of Enhanced Problem-Solving Training (E-PST).

Expert consensus methods, such as the Delphi procedure, are commonly employed in consumer, education, and health services research. However, the utility of this methodology has not widely been described in relation to mental health treatment adaptation efforts. This gap is noteworthy given that evidence-based treatments are often modified in terms of core intervention content, method of delivery, and target populations. Expert consensus methods such as the Delphi procedure offer multiple practical benefits (e.g., flexibility, resource-efficiency) for psychologists who need to adapt existing treatments to meet new research and clinical practice needs. The purpose of this paper is to provide a brief overview of the Delphi procedure, and to offer a practical guide to using this method for treatment adaptation. An example is offered using our team's application of a three-round Delphi procedure to render content and context modifications to an existing problem-solving intervention to optimize its use with a new treatment population. Data were collected from Department of Veterans Affairs clinical subject matter experts. Round 1 utilized semi-structured interviews to determine necessary protocol features and modifications. Rounds 2-3 utilized a forced-choice survey and feedback loop to evaluate expert consensus. More than 91% of rated items reached consensus following Round 2, with the remainder following Round 3. Recommended modifications included minor structural and content edits, and re-balancing time allotments. We conclude that consensus methods may facilitate treatment adaptation efforts, enhance treatment feasibility, and promote content and ecological validity. Considerations for future Delphi-based treatment adaptations are offered.

Path Analysis of the Mediating Roles of Personality, Distress, and Cognitive Flexibility in the Subjective Well-Being of Combat Veterans With Traumatic Brain Injury.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the interrelationships among traumatic brain injury (TBI), maladaptive personality traits (MPT), psychological distress, and cognitive flexibility in the prediction of subjective well-being of post-9/11 veterans concurrently and over time. SETTING: Five Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers and 1 VA outpatient clinic in urban, suburban, and rural areas. PARTICIPANTS: Five hundred Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans at baseline (219 with TBI), 292 at 18-month follow-up (108 with TBI), drawn from a regional registry and clinic referrals. DESIGN: Path analysis of data from a prospective cohort study. MAIN MEASURES: Satisfaction with Life Scale, 36-ltem Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) Health Scale, Personality Assessment Screener, Beck Depression Inventory-II, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist-Military, Trail Making Test, Part B, Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS) Category-Switching Verbal Fluency, and D-KEFS Color-Word Interference Test. RESULTS: There was no direct effect of TBI on well-being at baseline or 18 months later. Psychological distress, MPT, and cognitive flexibility had significant direct effects on well-being at baseline and 18 months. Baseline model accounted for 66% of the variance in well-being; follow-up model accounted for 43% of well-being variance. Negative influence of distress significantly decreased from baseline to follow-up. Direct negative effect of MPT diminished slightly over 18 months; effect of cognitive flexibility increased. Significant relationships were estimated in prediction of distress by MPT, cognitive flexibility, and TBI. TBI predicted MPT. MPT, cognitive flexibility, and TBI had indirect effects on well-being. TBI had a positive indirect influence on distress. Total effects included 4 significant predictors of well-being at baseline and 18 months: distress, MPT, cognitive flexibility, and TBI. CONCLUSION: Experience of TBI alone did not predict subjective well-being at baseline or 18 months later. Psychological distress, MPT, and cognitive flexibility had direct effects on well-being at both time points. Interventions aimed at reducing distress and bolstering resilience and cognitive flexibility are recommended to increase subjective well-being in this population.

Investigating Relations between Traumatic Brain Injury and Relationship Functioning among OIF/OEF Veterans.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the most common injuries among Veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). TBI can negatively affect Veterans' close relationships, undermining an important source of support to aid recovery and rehabilitation. Given the complex symptom profile of TBI, the present research aimed to pinpoint key mediators of the link between TBI and marital functioning to help identify targets for intervention. Data from married OIF/OEF Veterans (N=188) were drawn from a larger sample. Mediation analyses simultaneously examined the potential roles of depressive, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and post-concussive symptoms in the association between TBI and Veterans' marital satisfaction. Results revealed associations between TBI and all three types of symptoms; however, only depressive symptoms independently mediated the association between TBI and marital satisfaction. These findings suggest depression as a mechanism by which TBI may interfere with healthy relationship functioning and highlight targets for intervention.

Qualitative exploration of traumatic brain injury-related beliefs among U.S. military veterans.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE: Explore cognitive, affective, and experiential factors that inform veterans' traumatic brain injury (TBI)-related beliefs. Research Method/Design: Qualitative descriptive study of 22 veterans who received care for TBI at a VA Medical Center in the Northeastern United States using directed content analysis. Measures included a semistructured interview, demographic survey, the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption Items (AUDIT-C), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), PTSD Checklist (PCL), Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory (NSI), and Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). RESULTS: Results were organized according to Leventhal et al.'s (1997) illness perception model, including veterans' self-reports regarding: (a) knowledge of TBI, labels, and symptoms (identity); (b) etiology (cause); (c) the biopsychosocial impact of TBI (consequences); (d) symptom chronicity (timeline); and (e) recovery expectancy and management strategies (controllability). Participants identified common causes of TBI, as well as acute symptoms. Uncertainty was present with regard to TBI nomenclature, recovery expectancies and trajectories, and the impact of co-occurring mental health diagnoses. CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS: Opportunity exists to improve TBI-related education in the course of routine, patient-centered care. Clinicians should take into account the subjective beliefs and experiences, including co-occurring mental health conditions, that inform patients' illness representations to improve patient-provider communication and the quality of TBI care. (PsycINFO Database Record

Longitudinal study of objective and subjective cognitive performance and psychological distress in OEF/OIF Veterans with and without traumatic brain injury.

OBJECTIVE: To describe changes in post-deployment objective and subjective cognitive performance in combat Veterans over 18 months, relative to traumatic brain injury (TBI) status and psychological distress. METHOD: This prospective cohort study examined 500 Veterans from Upstate New York at four time points, six months apart. TBI status was determined by a structured clinical interview. Neuropsychological instruments focused on attention, memory, and executive functions. Subjective cognitive complaints were assessed with the Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory (NSI). A psychological distress composite included measures of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and generalized anxiety. RESULTS: Forty-four percent of the sample was found to have sustained military-related TBI, 97% of which were classified as mild (mTBI), with a mean time since injury of 41 months. Veterans with TBI endorsed moderate cognitive symptoms on the NSI. In contrast to these subjective complaints, mean cognitive test performance was within normal limits at each time point in all domains, regardless of TBI status. Multilevel models examined effects of TBI status, time, and psychological distress. Psychological distress was a strong predictor of all cognitive domains, especially the subjective domain. Substantial proportions of both TBI+ and TBI- groups remained in the clinically significant range at the initial and final assessment for all three distress measures, but the TBI+ group had higher proportions of clinically significant cases. CONCLUSIONS: Objective cognitive performance was generally within normal limits for Veterans with mTBI across all assessments. Psychological distress was elevated and significantly related to both objective and subjective cognitive performance.

Better use of available radiology resources for women's health in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Despite the United Nations Millennium Development Goals and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, women in numerous countries still face many challenges in obtaining good-quality health care. For example, various nations in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) do not have access to complex radiology technologies. However, conventional radiography, ultrasound, mammography, and computed tomography are available and can be used to address such women's health concerns as breast and cervical cancers, postpartum bleeding, and tuberculosis. LAC countries face additional difficulties in radiology services with respect to quality human resources, quality assurance programs, standardization, and functioning of diagnostic imaging units. These deficiencies affect the quality of the services rendered. Appropriate measures must be implemented to produce quality services and quality images and to reduce adverse events. These steps will ensure better outcomes and consequently reduce mortality and morbidity.

A pesar de los Objetivos de Desarrollo del Milenio y los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible para el 2030 de las Naciones Unidas, en muchos países las mujeres todavía tienen grandes dificultades para acceder a una atención de salud de buena calidad. Por ejemplo, varios países de América Latina y el Caribe no tienen acceso a las técnicas radiológicas más complejas. Sin embargo, es posible recurrir a las radiografías convencionales, el ultrasonido, las mamografías y la tomografía computarizada y emplear estas técnicas para abordar los problemas de salud de la mujer, como el cáncer de mama, el cáncer cervicouterino, las hemorragias puerperales y la tuberculosis. En los países de América Latina y el Caribe los servicios de radiología también tienen dificultades en lo que respecta a la calidad de los recursos humanos, los programas de garantía de la calidad y la normalización y funcionamiento de las unidades de imagenología. Estas deficiencias afectan la calidad de los servicios prestados. Es preciso adoptar medidas apropiadas para lograr servicios e imágenes de calidad y reducir los eventos adversos. Así se podrán obtener mejores resultados y, por ende, disminuir la mortalidad y la morbilidad.

Apesar dos Objetivos de Desenvolvimento do Milênio e da Agenda 2030 para o Desenvolvimento Sustentável das Nações Unidas, as mulheres em diversos países ainda enfrentam muitos desafios para obter assistência de saúde de boa qualidade. Vários países da América Latina e do Caribe não têm acesso às tecnologias de imagem complexas, porém eles dispõem de recursos de radiologia convencional, ultrassom, mamografia e tomografia computadorizada que podem ser usados para lidar com os problemas da saúde da mulher como o câncer de mama e o câncer do colo do útero, a hemorragia pós-parto e a tuberculose. Os países da América Latina e Caribe ainda enfrentam outras dificuldades nos serviços de diagnóstico por imagem como qualificação dos recursos humanos, prestação de serviços de qualidade e padronização e funcionamento das unidades. Essas deficiências comprometem a qualidade dos serviços prestados. Devem ser tomadas medidas adequadas para melhorar a qualidade dos serviços prestados e dos exames realizados e reduzir os desfechos adversos. Estas medidas podem assegurar resultados melhores com consequente redução da morbidade e mortalidade.

Better use of available radiology resources for women's health in Latin America and the Caribbean / Mejora en el uso de los recursos radiológicos disponibles para la atención de salud de la mujer en América Latina y el Caribe / Melhor utilização dos recursos existentes de diagnóstico por imagem na saúde da mulher na América Latina e no Caribe

ABSTRACT Despite the United Nations Millennium Development Goals and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, women in numerous countries still face many challenges in obtaining good-quality health care. For example, various nations in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) do not have access to complex radiology technologies. However, conventional radiography, ultrasound, mammography, and computed tomography are available and can be used to address such women's health concerns as breast and cervical cancers, postpartum bleeding, and tuberculosis. LAC countries face additional difficulties in radiology services with respect to quality human resources, quality assurance programs, standardization, and functioning of diagnostic imaging units. These deficiencies affect the quality of the services rendered. Appropriate measures must be implemented to produce quality services and quality images and to reduce adverse events. These steps will ensure better outcomes and consequently reduce mortality and morbidity.

RESUMEN A pesar de los Objetivos de Desarrollo del Milenio y los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible para el 2030 de las Naciones Unidas, en muchos países las mujeres todavía tienen grandes dificultades para acceder a una atención de salud de buena calidad. Por ejemplo, varios países de América Latina y el Caribe no tienen acceso a las técnicas radiológicas más complejas. Sin embargo, es posible recurrir a las radiografías convencionales, el ultrasonido, las mamografías y la tomografía computarizada y emplear estas técnicas para abordar los problemas de salud de la mujer, como el cáncer de mama, el cáncer cervicouterino, las hemorragias puerperales y la tuberculosis. En los países de América Latina y el Caribe los servicios de radiología también tienen dificultades en lo que respecta a la calidad de los recursos humanos, los programas de garantía de la calidad y la normalización y funcionamiento de las unidades de imagenología. Estas deficiencias afectan la calidad de los servicios prestados. Es preciso adoptar medidas apropiadas para lograr servicios e imágenes de calidad y reducir los eventos adversos. Así se podrán obtener mejores resultados y, por ende, disminuir la mortalidad y la morbilidad.

RESUMO Apesar dos Objetivos de Desenvolvimento do Milênio e da Agenda 2030 para o Desenvolvimento Sustentável das Nações Unidas, as mulheres em diversos países ainda enfrentam muitos desafios para obter assistência de saúde de boa qualidade. Vários países da América Latina e do Caribe não têm acesso às tecnologias de imagem complexas, porém eles dispõem de recursos de radiologia convencional, ultrassom, mamografia e tomografia computadorizada que podem ser usados para lidar com os problemas da saúde da mulher como o câncer de mama e o câncer do colo do útero, a hemorragia pós-parto e a tuberculose. Os países da América Latina e Caribe ainda enfrentam outras dificuldades nos serviços de diagnóstico por imagem como qualificação dos recursos humanos, prestação de serviços de qualidade e padronização e funcionamento das unidades. Essas deficiências comprometem a qualidade dos serviços prestados. Devem ser tomadas medidas adequadas para melhorar a qualidade dos serviços prestados e dos exames realizados e reduzir os desfechos adversos. Estas medidas podem assegurar resultados melhores com consequente redução da morbidade e mortalidade.

The natural history of sleep disturbance among OEF/OIF veterans with TBI and PTSD and the role of proxy variables in its measurement.

OBJECTIVE: Sleep disturbance crosscuts post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI). Though previous cross-sectional findings demonstrate a compounding effect of PTSD and TBI comorbidity, relatively little is known about the longitudinal trajectory of sleep-related complaints in veterans with TBI history and current PTSD symptoms. In this study, we explored patterns and predictors of sleep complaints in a sample of combat veterans with and without TBI and PTSD. METHODS: Secondary analysis of data gathered during a longitudinal study of U.S. veterans of Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) with and without TBI. Data from a subsample of 291 participants with sleep self-report data were analyzed using multinomial logistic regression logit testing and linear mixed models. RESULTS: Over an 18-month period, we observed an average 23-28% reduction in sleep symptoms in our sample as measured by two proxy scales, with the bulk of change (12-14% overall reduction) detected at the first six-month follow-up assessment. TBI history emerged, overall, as the most prominent predictor of worse general sleep symptoms, though baseline PTSD and pain status also demonstrated an association with worse sleep symptoms. CONCLUSION: Whereas changes in PTSD symptoms over time were associated with worsening sleep symptoms, improvement in sleep reports was most consistently predicted by the passage of time. Our data also provide preliminary support for using three-to-four core items (i.e., trouble sleeping, changes in sleep, fatigue, and nightmares) to screen for sleep complaints in veterans with TBI and PTSD and/or track sleep-related outcomes.

Evaluation of commercial extension plates for the ACR CT accreditation phantom.

The American College of Radiology (ACR) Computed Tomography (CT) Accreditation Program requires submission of phantom scans acquired with the ACR accreditation phantom. There is a known issue with some wide-beam scanners in which the Hounsfield unit (HU) value of water may be correct when using the scanner manufacturer's phantom, but will be out of range in some scan modes when scanning the accreditation phantom. The phantom manufacturer has developed a product known as Extension Plates to eliminate the water HU value issue. The purpose of this technical note is to evaluate the effectiveness of the Extension Plates in alleviating the water HU issue. The ACR phantom was scanned on nine different CT scanners representing four CT manufacturers at eight different facilities. Scanner models included 16- and 64-channel geometries from each manufacturer. All scanners passed routine daily water HU testing per the manufacturer's instructions. The accreditation phantom was scanned in helical and axial modes both with and without the Extension Plates present. Regions of interest were placed on the linearity test objects as well as the water HU test object in Module 1 of the phantom. Mean values were recorded and compared with the acceptable ranges specified by the ACR accreditation phantom testing instructions. Water HU values failed for one scanner model when scanned in helical mode using the widest collimation available and the Extension Plates were not present. All other scanner models passed the water HU linearity test with or without the Extension Plates in both axial and helical scan modes. Three of the four manufacturers tested failed the linearity test for different materials. The presence of the Extension Plates only affected the HU measurement for the water test object.

Isolation and kinetic characterisation of hydrophobically distinct populations of form I Rubisco.

BACKGROUND: Rubisco (Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase) is a Calvin Cycle enzyme involved in CO2 assimilation. It is thought to be a major cause of photosynthetic inefficiency, suffering from both a slow catalytic rate and lack of specificity due to a competing reaction with oxygen. Revealing and understanding the engineering rules that dictate Rubisco's activity could have a significant impact on photosynthetic efficiency and crop yield. RESULTS: This paper describes the purification and characterisation of a number of hydrophobically distinct populations of Rubisco from both Spinacia oleracea and Brassica oleracea extracts. The populations were obtained using a novel and rapid purification protocol that employs hydrophobic interaction chromatography (HIC) as a form I Rubisco enrichment procedure, resulting in distinct Rubisco populations of expected enzymatic activities, high purities and integrity. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate here that HIC can be employed to isolate form I Rubisco with purities and activities comparable to those obtained via ion exchange chromatography (IEC). Interestingly, and in contrast to other published purification methods, HIC resulted in the isolation of a number of hydrophobically distinct Rubisco populations. Our findings reveal a so far unaccounted diversity in the hydrophobic properties within form 1 Rubisco. By employing HIC to isolate and characterise Spinacia oleracea and Brassica oleracea, we show that the presence of these distinct Rubisco populations is not species specific, and we report for the first time the kinetic properties of Rubisco from Brassica oleracea extracts. These observations may aid future studies concerning Rubisco's structural and functional properties.

The relationships among premilitary vocational aptitude assessment, traumatic brain injury, and postdeployment cognitive functioning in combat veterans.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) in Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans is frequently associated with a variety of complaints, including cognitive problems and posttraumatic stress disorder. In this study, the authors explored the predictive impact of premilitary cognitive abilities on postdeployment cognitive functioning, as mitigated by posttraumatic stress symptoms in a sample of veterans with and without history of TBI. Measures included clinical interview, neuropsychological tests, the PTSD Checklist-Military Version, and the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery. In contrast to history of TBI, premilitary abilities and posttraumatic stress symptoms emerged as significant predictors of postdeployment cognitive deficits.

Dimensionality, reliability, and validity of the combat experiences scale.

Few studies have measured combat exposure during deployment to a war zone. Valid, reliable, and specific measurement is needed to broaden existing knowledge of combat experiences to accurately answer clinically important questions regarding postcombat treatment and recovery, particularly with the recognition of new kinds of combat and resulting psychological sequelae. The Combat Experiences Scale (CES) is a 33-item measure that assesses deployment-related experiences. The psychometrics of this measure, however, were undefined before this study. The purpose of this study was to examine aspects of internal and external validity of the CES. Data were collected as part of a study of 500 veterans of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan across five Veterans Affairs medical centers in Upstate New York. An exploratory factor analysis suggested that three factors represented the scale well: Exposure to Combat Environment, Physical Engagement, and Proximity to Serious Injury and Death. The CES scores showed adequate internal consistency, and evidence for convergent validity and discriminant validity was also found. This study underscores the importance of casting a wide net with regard to the assessment of deployment-related experiences and provides evidence that probable post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety are highly correlated with all forms of deployment-related experiences.

The relation between posttraumatic stress disorder and mild traumatic brain injury acquired during Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.

OBJECTIVE: To understand the relations of mild traumatic brain injury (TBI), blast exposure, and brain white matter structure to severity of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). DESIGN: Nested cohort study using multivariate analyses. PARTICIPANTS: Fifty-two OEF/OIF veterans who served in combat areas between 2001 and 2008 were studied approximately 4 years after the last tour of duty. MAIN MEASURES: PTSD Checklist-Military; Combat Experiences Survey, interview questions concerning blast exposure and TBI symptoms; anatomical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) scanning of the brain. RESULTS: PTSD severity was associated with higher 1st percentile values of mean diffusivity on DTI (regression coefficient [r] = 4.2, P = .039), abnormal MRI (r = 13.3, P = .046), and the severity of exposure to combat events (r = 5.4, P = .007). Mild TBI was not significantly associated with PTSD severity. Blast exposure was associated with lower 1st percentile values of fractional anisotropy on DTI (odds ratio [OR] = 0.38 per SD; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.15-0.92), normal MRI (OR = 0.00, 95% likelihood ratio test CI, 0.00-0.09), and the severity of exposure to traumatic events (OR = 3.64 per SD; 95% CI, 1.40-9.43). CONCLUSIONS: PTSD severity is related to both the severity of combat stress and underlying structural brain changes on MRI and DTI but not to a clinical diagnosis of mild TBI. The observed relation between blast exposure and abnormal DTI suggests that subclinical TBI may play a role in the genesis of PTSD in a combat environment.

Osmosensitive changes of carbohydrate metabolism in response to cellulose biosynthesis inhibition.

Cellulose is the most abundant biopolymer in the world, the main load-bearing element in plant cell walls, and represents a major sink for carbon fixed during photosynthesis. Previous work has shown that photosynthetic activity is partially regulated by carbohydrate sinks. However, the coordination of cellulose biosynthesis with carbohydrate metabolism and photosynthesis is not well understood. Here, we demonstrate that cellulose biosynthesis inhibition (CBI) leads to reductions in transcript levels of genes involved in photosynthesis, the Calvin cycle, and starch degradation in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) seedlings. In parallel, we show that CBI induces changes in carbohydrate distribution and influences Rubisco activase levels. We find that the effects of CBI on gene expression and carbohydrate metabolism can be neutralized by osmotic support in a concentration-dependent manner. However, osmotic support does not suppress CBI-induced metabolic changes in seedlings impaired in mechanoperception (mid1 complementing activity1 [mca1]) and osmoperception (cytokinin receptor1 [cre1]) or reactive oxygen species production (respiratory burst oxidase homolog DF [rbohDF]). These results show that carbohydrate metabolism is responsive to changes in cellulose biosynthesis activity and turgor pressure. The data suggest that MCA1, CRE1, and RBOHDF-derived reactive oxygen species are involved in the regulation of osmosensitive metabolic changes. The evidence presented here supports the notion that cellulose and carbohydrate metabolism may be coordinated via an osmosensitive mechanism.

Psychometric study of the Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) uses the Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory (NSI) to measure postconcussive symptoms in its comprehensive traumatic brain injury (TBI) evaluation. This study examined the NSI's item properties, internal consistency, and external validity. Data were obtained from a federally funded study of the experiences of combat veterans. Participants included 500 Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom veterans, 219 of whom sustained at least one TBI. Data were collected at five VA medical centers and one VA outpatient clinic across upstate New York. Measures included neuropsychological interview, NSI, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory-II, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist-Military Version. The NSI demonstrated high internal consistency (total alpha = 0.95; subscale alpha = 0.88 to 0.92). Subscale totals based on Caplan et al.'s factor analysis correlated highly with the NSI total score (r = 0.88 to 0.93). NSI scores differentiated veterans with TBI history from those without but were strongly influenced by variance associated with probable posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and generalized anxiety. Results suggest that the NSI is a reliable and valid measure of postconcussive symptoms. Scale validity is evident in the differentiation of TBI and non-TBI classifications. The scale domain is not limited to TBI, however, and extends to detection of probable effects of additional affective disorders prevalent in the veteran population.

Reliability, sensitivity, and specificity of the VA traumatic brain injury screening tool.

OBJECTIVE: To provide item analyses, estimates of temporal reliability and internal consistency, and examination of the sensitivity and specificity of a traumatic brain injury-screening tool. PARTICIPANTS: Five hundred veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan enrolled in the study, approximately half of whom (248) volunteered. The remaining 252 participants were referred to Veteran Affairs (VA) neuropsychology or polytrauma clinics. DESIGN: This psychometric study constitutes part of a larger 4-year, multisite prospective cohort study of veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. SETTING: Five VA medical centers and one VA outpatient clinic. MAIN MEASURES: Veteran traumatic brain injury screening tool (VATBIST), a structured diagnostic interview for traumatic brain injury; a military-oriented posttraumatic stress disorder checklist. RESULTS: The VATBIST appeared to have high-internal consistency (0.77) and test-retest reliability (0.80), high sensitivity (0.94) and moderate specificity (0.59). Diagnostic odds ratios for the screening tool ranged from 12.6 for the total sample to 24, when veterans with probable posttraumatic stress disorder were excluded from analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The VATBIST appears to be a reliable and valid instrument. The presence of significant posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, however, reduces the accuracy of the measure and highlights the need for careful clinical follow-up of persons who screen positive.

Primary care screening for cognitive impairment in elderly veterans.

The objective of this study was to examine the diagnostic accuracy of a primary care screening procedure for identifying cognitive impairment in elderly veterans, in comparison with 4 brief standardized neuropsychological tests. The sample included 100 primary care patients who met age and other criteria requiring screening for cognitive impairment. The results indicated that 3 of the tests significantly discriminated normal from mildly impaired status on the Dementia Rating Scale, but the existing procedure failed to correctly identify any cases in the entire sample. Correct classification rates were near 80% for the Mini-Mental State Exam, Clock Drawing Test, and both Trail Making Test (TMT)-A and TMT-B, with high specificity but variable sensitivity. TMT-B produced good results across eight predictive validity indicators when a cutoff of 3 minutes to completion (1 SD) was used to identify cases. There was no evidence to support the current interview-based screening procedure. Additional research with brief standardized screening is encouraged.

Sources of fatty acids stored in liver and secreted via lipoproteins in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is characterized by the accumulation of excess liver triacylglycerol (TAG), inflammation, and liver damage. The goal of the present study was to directly quantify the biological sources of hepatic and plasma lipoprotein TAG in NAFLD. Patients (5 male and 4 female; 44 +/- 10 years of age) scheduled for a medically indicated liver biopsy were infused with and orally fed stable isotopes for 4 days to label and track serum nonesterified fatty acids (NEFAs), dietary fatty acids, and those derived from the de novo lipogenesis (DNL) pathway, present in liver tissue and lipoprotein TAG. Hepatic and lipoprotein TAG fatty acids were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. NAFLD patients were obese, with fasting hypertriglyceridemia and hyperinsulinemia. Of the TAG accounted for in liver, 59.0% +/- 9.9% of TAG arose from NEFAs; 26.1% +/- 6.7%, from DNL; and 14.9% +/- 7.0%, from the diet. The pattern of labeling in VLDL was similar to that in liver, and throughout the 4 days of labeling, the liver demonstrated reciprocal use of adipose and dietary fatty acids. DNL was elevated in the fasting state and demonstrated no diurnal variation. These quantitative metabolic data document that both elevated peripheral fatty acids and DNL contribute to the accumulation of hepatic and lipoprotein fat in NAFLD.