OBJECTIVE The Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) is a screening instrument for physical nicotine dependence and is extensively used in various countries. The objective of the present report was to review articles related to the psychometric properties of the FTND. METHODS A systematic search for articles published up through December of 2007 was carried out in various electronic d...

The goal of this study was to translate and adapt The Pain Disability Questionnaire (PDQ) to Brazilian Portuguese, as well as to assess its psychometric properties and practicability. The following methodological steps were followed: translation, synthesis, back-translation, expert committee assessment and pre-test. The psychometric properties were assessed through the application of a question...

We set up a label-free direct binding assay for the detection of noncoding RNAs. The assay is based on nanomechanical cantilever arrays for the detection of surface stress induced by immobilized biomolecules and their interaction partners. We used various means to significantly reduce the drift of the cantilever readout that was a prominent feature in experiments with readout in stationary flui...

We show how to combine program slicing and constraint solving in order to obtain better slice accuracy. The method is used in the VALSOFT slicing system. One particular application is the validation of computer-controlled measurement systems. VALSOFT will be used by the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt for verification of legally required calibration standards. The article describes the VA...