Validity Of Concept Research Articles

Local and global Hölder- and Minkowski-type inequalities for nonsymmetric generalized Bajraktarević means

The aim of this paper is to investigate inequalities that are analogous to the Minkowski and Hölder inequalities by replacing the addition and the multiplication by a more general operation, and instead of using power means, generalized Bajraktarević means are considered, in particular, Gini means. A further aim is to introduce the concept of local and global validity of such inequalities and to characterize them in both senses.

A Psychometric Study of the Student Evidence-Based Practice Scale S-EBPQ-Arabic Version for Use among Undergraduate Nursing Students.

Previous studies have demonstrated the significance of evidence-based practice in improving patient care and outcomes. Therefore, integrating evidence-based practice into the health professions' education curriculum has become a pedagogical priority. However, there is a lack of reliable and valid scales to measure students' evidence-based practice usage, attitudes, knowledge, and skills in Arab countries. This study aims to examine the adapted Student Evidence-Based Practice Scale Questionnaire (S-EBPQ) validity at logical statistical level and reliability for use among students in Arabic context. This cross-sectional study included 233 undergraduate nursing students from a university in Saudi Arabia, who were recruited after translating and pilot testing the S-EBPQ. Three distinctive types of validity including conceptual, content, and face validity were assessed to determine the quality of the questionnaire items logically. Exploratory factor analyses were performed to examine the tool's structural validity. Additionally, internal consistency was assessed to evaluate reliability. Findings. All items were considered relevant to Arab culture, and no changes were made to any items. The content validity indices for all items were above 0.80 as this was considered an acceptable value. The exploratory factor analysis identified the same four factors (practice, attitude, retrieving and reviewing evidence, and sharing and applying evidence-based practice). All KMO values for the individual items ≥0.876 were also well above the acceptable 0.6 limit. The four-factor structure explained a total variance of 64%, with factor load score λ ≥ 0.455. The total and subscale S-EBPQ scores showed evidence of reliability, with Cronbach's alpha ≥0.8. This study demonstrated the reliability and validity of the Arabic S-EBPQ version. The study has the potential to advance Arab countries' understanding of evidence-based practice. S-EBPQ is a validated tool that can be used to assess nursing students' knowledge of EBP practices. Since educators need to continually evaluate instructional and curricular design in order to meet contemporary nursing needs, this scale can enhance the educational process and enhance students' competencies.

Translation and linguistic validation of the Sheffield Profile for Assessment and Referral for Care (SPARC) to Colombian Spanish.

We aimed to translate and linguistically and cross-culturally validate Sheffield Profile for Assessment and Referral for Care (SPARC) in Spanish for Colombia (SPARC-Sp). The linguistic validation of SPARC followed a standard methodology. We conducted focus groups to assess the comprehensibility and feasibility. The acceptability was assessed using a survey study with potential users. The comprehensibility assessment showed that additional adjustments to those made during the translation-back-translation process were required to apply SPARC-Sp in rural and low-schooled populations. It also identified the need for alternative administration mechanisms for illiterate people. The acceptability survey showed that potential users found SPARC-Sp as not only acceptable but also highly desirable. However, they desired to expand the number of items in all domains. Beyond the semantic and conceptual validity attained through the back-translation process, actual cultural validity could be acquired thanks to the comprehensibility tests. Although extending the instrument is something potential users would like to do, it would make it less feasible to utilize the SPARC-Sp in clinical settings. Nonetheless, the instrument might benefit from the inclusion of a domain that evaluates challenges encountered when accessing the health-care system. For communities lacking literacy, alternate administration methods must also be considered.

Development of DIGaKiT: identifying students’ alternative conceptions by Rasch analysis model

Alternative conceptions become obstacles in physics. However, it is difficult to find instruments that can identify students' alternative conceptions, especially in gases kinetic theory (DIGaKiT). The purpose of this research was to development of diagnostic instrument of DIGaKiT in identifying students’ alternative conceptions by Rasch analysis model. The research method used the defining, designing, developing, and disseminating (4D). The samples are 31 students (12 male students and 19 female students, their ages were typically 16 years old) at one of the senior high schools at Belitung. Rasch analysis was used to identify the validity, reliability, and distribution of students' alternative conceptions. The result is that the level of validity and reliability of the instrument is in a good category. Meanwhile, alternative conceptions of the kinetic theory of gases can be identified in all questions, and the questions with the highest alternative conceptions are questions with code Q11 (77%) and the lowest are questions with codes Q1, Q5, and Q6 (4%). Therefore, teachers must design learning processes that can reduce students’ alternative conceptions of the kinetic theory of gases material.

What is an experiment in mathematical practice? New evidence from mining the Mathematical Reviews

From a purely formalist viewpoint on the philosophy of mathematics, experiments cannot (and should not) play a role in warranting mathematical statements but must be confined to heuristics. Yet, due to the incorporation of new mathematical methods such as computer-assisted experimentation in mathematical practice, experiments are now conducted and used in a much broader range of epistemic practices such as concept formation, validation, and communication. In this article, we combine corpus studies and qualitative analyses to assess and categorize the epistemic roles experiments are seen—by mathematicians—to have in actual mathematical practice. We do so by text-mining a corpus of reviews from the Mathematical Reviews, which include the indicator word “experiment”. Our qualitative, grounded classification of samples from this corpus allows us to explore the various roles played by experiments. We thus identify instances where experiments function as references to established knowledge, as tools for heuristics or exploration, as epistemic warrants, as communication or pedagogy, and instances simply proposing experiments. Focusing on the role of experiments as epistemic warrants, we show through additional sampling that in some fields of mathematics, experiments can warrant theorems as well as methods. We also show that the expressed lack of experiments by reviewers suggests concordant views that experiments could have provided epistemic warrants. Thus, our combination of corpus studies and qualitative analyses has added a typology of roles of experiments in mathematical practice and shown that experiments can and do play roles as epistemic warrants depending on the mathematical field.

Halusinasi Terhadap Hantu Dalam Karya Lukis Surealisme

Based on the scientific consensus, ghosts are not a scientifically valid concept. Their existence cannot be explained. Even though it has been investigated for centuries, there is not a single piece of scientific evidence that shows that a place can be inhabited by the spirits of the dead. In Islam there is no such thing as a ghost, Islam calls them jinn, devils and demons. Of the many types of ghosts, the one most feared by people is the ghost of the dead. Some ordinary people think that ghosts are the spirits of dead people who wander around, especially curious dead people whose spirits are trapped in the natural world. The fact that ghosts are the incarnations of dead people cannot be justified. Islam does not reject the existence of spirits, in fact supernatural matters such as the existence of spirits must be believed because the Pillars of Faith themselves consist of supernatural things that must be believed in.

Is anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis real? I. Diagnostic challenges

After conducting a thorough analysis of clinical, neurophysiological, neuroimmunological, neurobiological, and neuropathological research findings, the authors of the review question on the validity of the anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis concept. The review highlights the significance of studying sanogenetic mechanisms in medicine and warns against hasty interpretations of neurobiological data without clinical knowledge.

Short-term forecasting of German generation-based CO2 emission factors using parametric and non-parametric time series models

This study focuses on forecasting German generation-based CO2 emission factors to develop accurate prediction models, which help to shift flexible loads in time with low emissions. While most existing research relies on point forecasts to predict CO2 emission factors, the presented methods are utilized to perform interval forecasts. In addition, compared to other studies, recent data that extends over a long period is used. The study describes the used data and discusses the concept of walk-forward validation. Further, various models are employed and tuned to forecast the emission factors, including benchmark, parametric (e.g., SARIMAX), and non-parametric (bagging, random forest, gradient boosting, CNN, LSTM, MLP) models. The study reveals that all applied parametric and non-parametric models yield better results than the benchmark models, while the gradient boosting model has the lowest mean absolute error with 40.66 gCO2/kWh, the lowest mean absolute percentage error 8.17%, and the random forest has the lowest root mean square error with 57.61 gCO2/kWh. However, the potential of the deep learning models was not fully exploited. In a live application, the implementation effort should be evaluated against the benefit of better prediction.

Mechanisms of Yellow Fever Transmission: Gleaning the Overlooked Records of Importance and Identifying Problems, Puzzles, Serious Issues, Surprises and Research Questions.

In viral disease research, few diseases can compete with yellow fever for the volume of literature, historical significance, richness of the topics and the amount of strong interest among both scientists and laypersons. While the major foci of viral disease research shifted to other more pressing new diseases in recent decades, many critically important basic tasks still remain unfinished for yellow fever. Some of the examples include the mechanisms of transmission, the process leading to outbreak occurrence, environmental factors, dispersal, and viral persistence in nature. In this review, these subjects are analyzed in depth, based on information not only in old but in modern literatures, to fill in blanks and to update the current understanding on these topics. As a result, many valuable facts, ideas, and other types of information that complement the present knowledge were discovered. Very serious questions about the validity of the arbovirus concept and some research practices were also identified. The characteristics of YFV and its pattern of transmission that make this virus unique among viruses transmitted by Ae. aegypti were also explored. Another emphasis was identification of research questions. The discovery of a few historical surprises was an unexpected benefit.

Participatory community action research in homeless shelters: Outcomes for shelter residents and service-learning research assistants

The article reports empirical outcomes of an ongoing transdisciplinary participatory community action research project that implements behavioral activation in homeless shelters. The overall goal of this Project is twofold: (1) to improve psychosocial functioning of shelter residents and enhance their opportunities to overcome homelessness; and (2) to enhance civic development of service-learning students who assist in Project implementation. Two studies are reported, representing these goals. Study 1 found that residents of a men’s shelter (n = 892), women’s shelter (n = 433), and transitional housing (n = 40) perceived behavioral activation sessions as immediately beneficial (i.e., important, meaningful, worthy of repeating, and enjoyable), and over the course of shelter stay, they perceived behavioral activation as contributing to their hope, empowerment/self-sufficiency, quality of life, purpose/meaning in life, wellbeing, social support, shelter social climate, and relationships with staff. Quantitative findings are supported by qualitative data (comments by residents on forms). Study 2, which replicates and extends past research on civic-development in service-learning students, used a new quasi-experimental design to compare service-learning students (n = 41) in an interdisciplinary course on homelessness versus non-service-learning students (n = 16) in a psychology course. Service-learning students showed pre- to post-semester improvements in community service self-efficacy, decreases in stigmatizing attitudes, and increases in awareness of privilege and oppression, but students not engaged in service-learning did not show these civic-related changes. These quantitative results are supported by qualitative data (written reflections by students). Results and implications are discussed within the context of the concept of psychopolitical validity.

Primacy of theory? Exploring perspectives on validity in conceptual psychometrics.

Several conceptions of validity have emphasized the contingency of validity on theory. Here we revisit several contributions to the discourse on the concept of validity, which we consider particularly influential or insightful. Despite differences in metatheory, both Cronbach and Meehl's construct validity, and Borsboom, Mellenbergh and van Heerden's early concept of validity regard validity as a criterion for successful measurement and thus, as crucial for the soundness of psychological science. Others, such as Borgstede and Eggert, regard recourses to validity as an appeal to an (unscientific) folk psychology. Instead, they advocate theory-based measurement. It will be demonstrated that these divergent positions converge in their view of psychological theory as indispensable for the soundness of psychological measurement. However, the formulation of the concept (and scope) of scientific theory differs across the presented conceptions of validity. These differences can be at least partially attributed to three disparities in metatheoretical and methodological stances. The first concerns the question of the structure of scientific theories. The second concerns the question of psychology's subject matter. The third regards whether, and if, to which extent, correlations can be indicative of causality and therefore point toward validity. These results indicate that metatheory may help to structure the discourse on the concept of validity by revealing the contingencies the concrete positions rely on.

РЕПРЕЗЕНТАЦИЯ КОНЦЕПТА ЗЛА В ФИЛЬМЕ «ЛЮТЕР»

This article delves into the persona of the German reformer Martin Luther (1483–1546) as portrayed in the eponymous German-US production of 2003. The creators, including director Eric Till and screenwriters Camille Thomasson and Bart Gavigan, alongside the stellar cast, aimed to present Luther in his most humanistic light. However, in pursuit of attempting to craft a “man-centric film,” they compromised historical accuracy. Nonetheless, even in this watered-down version, two issues surface: a political struggle (both against Papal Rome and among his peers) and a psychological one, centered on Luther’s autonomous manifestation of auratic evil within his psyche. While a degree of historical authenticity resonates concerning the political power play (between German religious-political Protestantism led by Luther and the Roman Catholic Church under the Pope), the psychological dimension extends to the religious-state realm. Luther, though, is depicted one-dimensionally: as an entirely positive and progressive figure concerned solely with the moral and ideological renewal of the church institution (despite actually acting in the interests of Elector Frederick the Wise); also, there is a complete absence of critical scrutiny regarding certain chauvinistic aspects of Luther’s beliefs in the film. The article authors endeavor to elucidate the validity of the cinematic concept, prompting a critical appraisal of critiques on the film Luther and scholarly works on Luther the reformer’s historical import. This scrutiny exposes the incongruity between the cinematic personalities and their historical counterparts, necessitating an in-depth analysis of the film’s dramaturgy. In conclusion, the authors articulate the presence of evil as a concept in the actions of Luther and his milieu.

ІМІТАЦІЙНЕ МОДЕЛЮВАННЯ СКЛАДНИХ СИСТЕМ

The article examines simulation modeling of complex systems. Simulation modeling offers a means to replicate real-world processes in a controlled virtual environment, providing insights into system dynamics, interactions, and behaviors that may be difficult or impractical to observe directly. With the rapid advancement of computational technologies, simulation models have become increasingly sophisticated, allowing for more accurate and detailed representations of complex systems. In today's interconnected and rapidly changing world, decision-makers in business, healthcare, finance, environmental science, and many other sectors rely on simulation modeling to analyze scenarios, evaluate strategies, and make informed decisions. It serves as a valuable tool for forecasting outcomes, optimizing processes, and identifying potential risks and opportunities. Moreover, simulation modeling plays a crucial role in innovation and research by providing a platform for hypothesis testing, data analysis, and validation of theoretical concepts. It facilitates the exploration of new ideas, designs, and strategies in a risk-free virtual environment before implementation in the real world. Additionally, the educational significance of simulation modeling cannot be overstated. It offers students and researchers a hands-on approach to learning complex concepts, enhancing their understanding and practical skills in various disciplines. By engaging with simulation models, learners can develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills essential for success in today's competitive landscape. It is noted that simulation modeling, in particular machine simulation, is widely used in the study of complex systems due to a number of advantages. These advantages include the ability to quickly obtain information at the early stages of the preliminary design of systems, the study of conditions that are not amenable to full-scale experiments, the prediction of system behavior, the reduction of time for testing simulation models, the acquisition of a large amount of information about real processes, and the solution of optimization tasks of economic systems. This approach makes it possible to solve tasks that are often impossible or very difficult to perform with the help of other research methods.

Time-pH and time-humidity scaling of ionic conductivity spectra of polyelectrolyte multilayers.

In this systematic study, ionic conductivity spectra of poly(diallyl-dimethylammonium)/poly(acrylic acid) (PDADMA/PAA)n polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEMs) are investigated regarding superposition principles. In this context, charge transport as well as charge compensation processes in polyelectrolyte assemblies are discussed. The validity of different scaling concepts is tested to differentiate between changes in the mobility and charge carrier density, caused by the variation of a parameter X, where X is either relative humidity during measurement, or salt concentration or pH during preparation. For the first time, time-X scaling for conductivity spectra of PEMs is reported for all three parameters X, resulting in individual mastercurves. Furthermore, a super-mastercurve can be obtained including variations of all three parameters. Changes in plasticization caused by either varied humidity, pH or ionic strength imply non-constant charge carrier mobilities in accordance with a Summerfield-type of scaling, while the charge carrier density remains constant. Interestingly, for preparation conditions which favor extrinsic charge compensation, significant deviations from such Summerfield-type scaling are observed, indicating a variation of the number density of mobile charge carriers with humidity.

Validation of the nutritrauma concept for the detection of potential harmful effects of medical nutritional treatment in critically ill patients in real life.

Introduction: medical nutritional treatment (MNT) can be complex and may be associated with potential metabolic complications, which has been recently described as nutritrauma. Objective: the aim of our work is to describe whether the application of the nutritrauma concept in real life is feasible and useful to detect the metabolic complications associated with the prescription of MNT. Material and methods: in this descriptive, prospective study at a single center we enrolled 30 consecutive critically ill patients in a 14-bed medical-surgical intensive care unit. The nutritrauma strategy implementation was based in four "M" steps: Metabolic screening, MNT prescription, biochemical Monitoring, and nutritional Management. Results: we analyzed 28 patients (mean age, 69.7 ± 11.3 years; APACHE II, 18.1 ± 8.1; SOFA, 7.5 ± 3.7; Nutric Score, modified, 4.3 ± 2.01, and mean BMI, 27.2 ± 3.8). The main cause of admission was sepsis (46.4 %). Length of ICU stay was 20.6 ± 15.1 days; 39.3 % of subjects died during their ICU stay. Enteral nutrition (82.1 %) was more frequent than parenteral nutrition (17.9 %). During nutritional monitoring, 54 specific laboratory determinations were made. Hyperglycemia was the most frequent metabolic alteration (83.3 % of measurements). Electrolyte disturbances included hypocalcemia (50 %), hypophosphatemia (29.6 %) and hypokalemia (27.8 %). The most frequent lipid profile abnormalities were hypocholesterolemia (64.8 %) and hypertriglyceridemia (27.8 %). Furthermore, nutritional prescription was modified for 53.6 % of patients: increased protein dosage (25 %), increased calorie dosage (21.4 %) and change to organ-specific diet (17.8 %). Conclusions: in conclusion, the application of the nutritrauma approach facilitates detection of metabolic complications and an evaluation of the appropriate prescription of MNT.

‘Whether it pleases the locals or not’: Empire and Consent in Portuguese Asia during the Sixteenth Century

Is consent a valid or useful concept in the context of sixteenth century Portuguese Asia? Given the specific characteristics of this empire, a study of consent has the potential to shed light on its nature, the form in which it was built, and how it survived. It may likewise prove useful for clarifying the complexity of this empire’s dynamics, namely its relations with the Asian powers. In some cases, consent formed part of the guidance and orders issued from Lisbon, and to some extent it was integrated into the Portuguese Crown’s policy towards war and diplomacy. A number of interesting contrasts are revealed by an analysis of a set of regional and local differences concerning the extent to which consent formed part of the routine practices deployed in the political and diplomatic life of Portuguese Asia. Finally, a survey of a further set of examples demonstrate how the issue of consent had a limited impact on the forms in which the empire was historicized, legitimized, and framed in the historiographical discourse. This article is part of the special theme section on Consenting to Early Modern Empires, which has been guest-edited by Sonia Tycko.

Efficient Rollout of a Dynamic Optimization Algorithm

A successful deployment process of a complex software solution, such as optimization algorithms in a dynamic production environment is an extremely complicated and time-consuming task. Over this, the acceptance by those employees where the software solution is to be used later should not be underestimated; it is essential to involve them in the entire development process, as they can be game changers. This paper summarizes some best practices and lessons learned about the full integration of an optimization algorithm in the dynamic steelmaking environment of voestalpine Stahl GmbH. The focus is on the development of a practical test strategy and ultimately a generally valid rollout concept for an arbitrary complex software system for every conceivable industry. Over that, emerging gaps between theory and practice are highlighted, an attempt is made to justify their cause, and, as a result, possible solutions to tackle those challenges are presented.

Antenna Deembedding in Directional Channel Measurements With Virtual Array Concept and Experimental Validation

Antenna Deembedding in Directional Channel Measurements With Virtual Array Concept and Experimental Validation

Application of PROTACs in Target Identification and Target Validation.

PROTAC, as a novel therapeutic drug model, has received widespread attention from the academic and pharmaceutical industries. At the same time, PROTAC technology has led many researchers to focus on developing chemical biology tool properties due to its unique operating mechanism and protein dynamic regulatory properties. In recent years, the rapid development of PROTAC technology has gradually made it an essential tool for target identification and target validation. To further promote the application of PROTAC tools in drug discovery and basic medical sciences research, this review distinguished between target identification and target validation concepts. It summarized the research progress of PROTAC technology in these aspects.

The validation of regulatory test methods - Conceptual, ethical, and philosophical foundations.

Validation establishes the reproducibility and relevance of regulatory test methods, particularly for new approach methods (NAMs) as alternatives to animal testing. While validation concepts provide a framework to assess method suitability, they rarely undergo method-critical assessment. This paper explores the philosophical and ethical foundations of the validation process, drawing from various philosophical traditions and contemporary ethical frameworks. How validation intersects with utilitarian principles, ethics of responsibility, and post-modern critiques is examined, offering a multifaceted perspective on its role in scientific progress and societal values. The paper argues for a paradigm shift in validation, moving beyond traditional animal-based comparisons towards more flexible, fit-for-purpose approaches that embrace emerging technologies and ethical con-siderations. Key ethical principles guiding NAM validation are discussed, including beneficence, non-maleficence, justice, and respect for animal welfare. Integrating these principles with scientific rigor can create a more holistic validation framework that balances human safety, animal welfare, and technological innovation. By critically examining the philosophical underpinnings of validation, this paper aims to stimulate dialogue on reforming the process to better align with contemporary scientific knowledge, ethical standards, and societal expectations. It calls for a more adaptive, transparent, and ethically grounded approach to validation that can accelerate the adoption of innovative and human-relevant toxicological methods while maintaining scientific integrity and public trust.