The symptoms of joint involvement were relieved with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs. She has been followed-up without selleck medication without obvious clinical or laboratory change. We herein report a patient with RDD mimicking RA and SS. We consider that RDD should be kept in mind especially in patients with resistant symptoms to conventional therapies,

younger disease onset, and predominant parotid and lymph node enlargement.”
“Objectives To develop a paper-and-pencil semi-adaptive test for 5 domains of health-related quality of life (PAT-5D-QOL) based on item response theory (IRT).

Methods The questionnaire uses items from previously developed item banks for 5 domains: (1) walking, (2) handling objects, (3) daily activities, (4) pain or discomfort, and (5) feelings. For each domain, respondents are initially classified into 4 functional levels. Selleckchem EGFR inhibitor Depending on the level, they are instructed to respond to a different set of 5 additional questions. IRT scores for each domain and overall health utility scores are obtained using a simple spreadsheet. The questions were selected using psychometric and conceptual criteria. The format of the questionnaire was developed through focus groups and cognitive interviews. Feasibility was tested

in two population surveys. A simulation study was conducted to compare PAT-5D-QOL with a computerized adaptive test (CAT-5D-QOL) and

a fixed questionnaire, developed from the same item banks, in terms of accuracy, bias, precision, and ceiling and floor effects.

Results Close to 90 % of the participants in feasibility studies followed the skip instructions properly. In a simulation study, scores on PAT-5D-QOL for all domains tended to be more accurate, more precise, less biased, and less affected by a ceiling effect than scores on a fixed IRT-based questionnaire of the same length. PAT-5D-QOL was slightly inferior to a fully adaptive instrument.

Conclusions PAT-5D-QOL is a novel, semi-adaptive, IRT-based measure of health-related quality of life with a broad range of potential applications.”
“Light-weight composites reinforced with whole chicken feathers have better flexural strength BEZ235 datasheet than composites reinforced with feather fibers (barbs) and nearly thrice higher tensile strength and seven times higher tensile modulus than composites reinforced with powdered chicken feather quill. Chicken feathers are not only inexpensive and abundantly available but also have unique properties such as low density and hollow centers that make them preferable as reinforcement materials, especially for light-weight composites. However, the traditional methods of developing composites do not provide the flexibility of using feathers in their native form as reinforcement.