[Use of the Symptom Validation Test BEVA in Social Medical Assessment]. / Einsatz des Beschwerdenvalidierungstests BEVA in der sozialmedizinischen Begutachtung.

The present study investigates whether the BEVA is suitable to detect negative response bias by claimants with psychosomatic symptoms in the social medical assessment. 107 claimants for disability pension to a psychosomatic disorder fulfilled the BEVA, SIMS and a sociodemographic questionnaire. The social medical examiners assess the credibility of the complaints representation. A Known-Group-Design and a Bootstrapping-Design was used to estimate the validity of the BEVA. For the external criterion SFSS the following psychometric characteristics for the BEVA could be determined: specificity=0.86, sensitivity=0.42, positive predictive value=0.81, negative predictive value=0.51. The interrater reliability estimates with Cohen κ=0.253. If the expert's assessments are chosen as external criterion following psychometric characteristics were estimated: specificity=0.71, sensitivity=0.32, positive predictive value=0.38, negative predictive value=0.66. The rater agreement is Cohen κ=0.031. The results show that the BEVA has an excellent specificity in the detection of negative response bias. This is highly desirable in terms of an ethically moral discussion. Furthermore, the study shows that - in addition to the expert estimates - further screenings can improve the assessment of negative response bias.

Are soluble carbohydrates ecologically relevant for salt tolerance in halophytes?

A general response of plants to high soil salinity relies on the cellular accumulation of osmolytes, which help the plant to maintain osmotic balance under salt stress condition and/or act as 'osmoprotectants' with chaperon or reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging activities. Yet the ecological relevance of this response for the salt tolerance mechanisms of halophytes in their natural habitats remains largely unknown. In this review, we describe and discuss published data supporting the participation of compatible solutes in those mechanisms, with especial focus on soluble carbohydrates. Evidence for a functional role of carbohydrates in salt tolerance include: (i) relatively high levels of specific sugars and polyols have been detected in many halophytic taxa; (ii) an increase in salt tolerance has often been observed in parallel with increased intracellular levels of particular soluble carbohydrates, in transgenic plants overexpressing the corresponding biosynthetic enzymes; (iii) there are several examples of genes involved in carbohydrate metabolism which are induced under salt stress conditions; (iv) specific sugars or polyols have been shown to accumulate in different halophytes upon controlled salt treatments; and (v) although very few field studies on environmentally induced carbohydrate changes in halophytes exist, in general they also support the involvement of this type of osmolytes in salt stress tolerance mechanisms. We also highlight the complexities of unequivocally attributing carbohydrates a biological role in salt tolerance mechanisms of a given tolerant species. It is proposed that research on halophytes in their natural ecosystems should be intensified, correlating seasonal changes in carbohydrate contents with the degree of environmental stress affecting the plants. This could be an important complement to experiments made under more controlled (but artificial) conditions, such as laboratory set-ups.

Predicting fermentability of wood hydrolyzates with responses from electronic noses

The fermentability of lignocellulose hydrolyzates have been predicted from the responses of a combination of chemical gas sensors. The hydrolyzates were prepared by dilute-acid hydrolysis of wood from pine, aspen, birch, and spruce. The volatile emission from the hydrolyzates before fermentation was measured, and the sensor array response pattern was compared with the observed fermentability of the hydrolyzates, i.e. with the final ethanol concentration after fermentation and the maximum specific ethanol production rate. Two concentration parameters in the hydrolyzates, furfural and the sum of furfural and 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural (HMF), were also predicted from the responses. The sensors used were metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFET), tin oxide semiconductor devices, and conductive polymer sensors configured in two sensor arrays. The sensor array response pattern was analyzed by principal component analysis and artificial neural networks. Predictions from artificial neural networks deviated from measured values with less than 15%.

Helicobacter pylori infection in non-ulcer dyspeptic and ulcer patients. Determinants and consequences in 'real life'.

BACKGROUND: Infection rates are high in patients with ulcer disease, but even non-ulcer dyspepsia (NUD) patients have Helicobacter pylori infection. The Notodden Helicobacter study is an 'outcome study' of clinical practice in a local hospital. The study may identify factors associated with infection and evaluate whether H. pylori infection predicts symptoms in both ulcer disease and NUD. METHODS: Base-line results on infection, symptoms, endoscopy, and treatment were registered in 587 ulcer and NUD patients. H. pylori status was assessed with a rapid urease test. Questionnaire data (5-43 months after treatment) give information about symptoms. Regression models to identify H. pylori status were developed. RESULTS: Ulcer patients (H. pylori +/-) were similar to infected NUD patients. In contrast, uninfected NUD patients were younger, had less severe symptoms, and used less medication than other patients. In NUD, infection rate increased with epigastric pain, male sex, and age. CONCLUSION: From a local hospital's point of view, H. pylori-infected NUD patients are like ulcer patients with regard to symptoms and demographics. The results suggest that H. pylori infection may give dyspeptic symptoms through other mechanisms than ulcer. We propose a division of the NUD group into HINUD (Helicobacter-infected NUD) and NINUD (non-infected NUD).