Internal Scale Research Articles

Internalized Weight Bias, Weight-Related Experiences, And Peripartum Weight.

The purpose of this study was to investigate internalized weight bias (IWB) and its relationship with pregnancy-related weight changes and postpartum depression. IWB is defined as the internalization of negative attitudes and beliefs about people due to their weight. Although IWB has been linked with weight change and depression in other samples, it has never been investigated in the postpartum period. We used a cross-sectional survey design. Participants were 251 women recruited via social media who were living in the United States and 6 to 12 months postpartum. We calculated percentage of body weight gained during pregnancy and percentage of that weight that was retained postpartum from self-reported weights. Participants completed self-report measures of IWB (modified version of the Weight Bias Internalization Scale) and postpartum depression (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale). Gestational weight gain was not significantly associated with IWB or depression. Postpartum retention of gestational weight was significantly positively associated with both IWB and depressive symptoms. Furthermore, IWB mediated the relationship between postpartum weight retention and depressive symptoms. Postpartum retention of weight gained during pregnancy, but not weight gain itself, was related to both IWB and depressive symptoms. The relationship between pregnancy-related weight changes and psychological distress is complex. Sociocultural pressures to return to a prepregnancy physical state swiftly after giving birth may increase risk for IWB during a time in life when stress is already likely to be high, posing additional psychological risk. IWB existing prepregnancy may also worsen postpartum self-concept, contributing to depression. This is the first study, to our knowledge, to directly assess associations among gestational weight change, IWB, and postpartum depression. In addition to discussing weight in pregnancy, perinatal care providers could improve postpartum health by helping women set realistic, body-positive goals postpartum.

Scalability of the multi-anode plug flow microbial fuel cell as a sustainable prospect for large-scale design

Designing scalable and cost-effective microbial fuel cells for practical applications is a problem in wastewater treatment. The performance and scalability of the new multi-anode plug flow MFC (MAPF-MFC) with a shared cathode, in three different scales or anodic configurations (C1, C3, and C6) and at three different flow rates, Q (Q1: 15.33 mL/min, Q2: 46 mL/min, and Q3: 76.66 mL/min) were evaluated. The results revealed a consecutive increase in power density, energy recovery, organic removal rate, and a decrease in internal resistance scaling up. The MAPF-MFC configuration C6 (57.59 mW/cm2) produced 6.9-times and 27.9-times that of C3 and C1 in power density, and 1.6-times and 3.5-times in CE with 38.2%, that of C3 and C1, respectively. C6 (45.8 gCOD/L/day) was also 24.8-times and 48-times that of C3 and C1, and 1.5-times to 1.8-times higher in continuous current generation. C1, however, achieved 82% COD removal efficiency, 1.05-times and 1.3-times that of C3 and C6, respectively. A cost-benefit analysis of the configurations revealed a potential annual power output of $28,048.9/a by C6 and a 0.062 cost-benefit ratio. The study demonstrated the MAPF-MFC's capacity to significantly improve power production, energy recovery, and wastewater treatment while scaling up MFCs at a high economic potential.

Construction and preliminary validation of an inconsistent responding scale for the HEXACO-100.

Inconsistent responding poses a particular risk to self-report data and is a common phenomenon in undergraduate and community subject pools. The HEXACO-100 personality inventory (Lee & Ashton, 2018) lacks internal validity scales that could be used to identify inconsistent responding. To address this need, the present study developed a HEXACO Inconsistent Responding Test (HIRT). Highly correlated and conceptually overlapping HEXACO-100 item pairs were identified from a derivation sample and cross-validated by comparing real data to randomly generated protocols. The HIRT was highly accurate at identifying both randomly generated and half-randomly generated protocols. HIRT scores exhibited significant correlations with other inconsistency measures (i.e., the Triarchic Assessment Procedure for Inconsistent Responding and the HEXACO's Inter-item Standard Deviation) and were as effective as these other measures at differentiating between consistent and inconsistent responders. This preliminary validation of the HIRT provides strong evidence of its ability to improve the quality of data gathered with the HEXACO-100, which may be especially useful for researchers hoping to utilize the measure in clinically relevant research and applications. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Effects of Photobiomodulation in Sports Performance: A Literature Review

The main goal of this study is to analyze photobiomodulation therapy’s effectiveness on improving sports practice. Secondarily, the included studies were methodologically analyzed to verify their quality. A review and appraisal of literature found in Web of Science, ProQuest and Scopus databases was carried out. To evaluate the risk of bias of the included studies. The Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale and PEDro Internal Validity Scale (IVS) checklists were used. The included randomized clinical trials were in English, conducted on humans and published since 2016. A total of 15 randomized clinical trials were included, 4 of which found an improvement in oxygen volume after an aerobic stress test, while 2 showed no change. Muscle damage decreased in five studies, however, in two of them muscle damage did not change. Blood lactate concentration decreased in two of the studies, while in three of them there was no difference. Muscle soreness was lower in three studies, however, in four of the articles no change was demonstrated. All selected studies were of good methodological quality. On the IVS, six RCTs had a high internal quality and nine of them moderate. Photobiomodulation therapy has a positive effect on sports performance. Scientific studies on the subject are limited and more research in this line is needed.

The strain gradient elasticity via nonlocal considerations

Strain gradient elasticity and nonlocal elasticity are two enhanced elastic theories intensively used over the last fifty years to explain static and dynamic phenomena that classical elasticity fails to do. The nonlocal elastic theory has a clear differentiation from the classical case by considering stresses at a point of the continuum as an integral of classical stresses defined in the treated elastic body. On the other hand, strain gradient elasticity is characterized as a non-classical theory because considers both potential and kinetic energy densities as not only functions of strains and velocities, respectively but also functions of their gradients. Although the two considerations seem to be completely different from each other, it is a common belief that strain gradient elasticity has a lot in common with nonlocal elasticity. The goal of the present work is to derive all the strain gradient elastic theories appearing so far in the literature via the nonlocal definitions of the potential and kinetic energy densities and Hamilton’s principle. Such a consideration manifests the nonlocal nature of the SGE theories, correlates their internal length scale parameters with the nonlocal horizon of each material point, and proposes nonlocality in both elastic and inertia behavior of the continuum. For the sake of simplicity and brevity, only one-dimensional wave propagation phenomena in infinite domain are considered. However, since the Hamilton’s principle is employed, the definition of the corresponding boundary conditions for finite domains is accomplished simultaneously with the definition of the equation of motion.

Influence of pulse current on the electrodeposition behaviors of CaCO3 scale in the industrial circulating water system

The deposition of the CaCO3 crystals in circulating cooling water is crucial to industrial water softening, which is beneficial to avoiding internal scaling and improving production efficiency. This paper focuses on the practicability of electrochemical techniques to analyze the influence of pulse current on the electrodeposition of CaCO3 in blank and high salinity conditions, including linear sweep voltammetry, chronoamperometry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy tests. We assessed the coverage and compactness of the CaCO3 scale layer by obtaining residual current density (ir) and polarization resistance (Rp) values. Electrochemical results revealed that pulse electrodeposition can generate a more compact CaCO3 scale layer by Ostwald ripening, while the salt effect of NaCl can inhibit the nucleation and growth of CaCO3 crystals. Scanning electron microscope and X-ray diffractometer tests showed that unstable CaCO3 crystals can be dissolved and the size of calcites had changed with Ostwald ripening. Longer pulse-off time is beneficial to Ostwald ripening of CaCO3 crystals and nucleation in the first and second periods can influence the size of calcites formed under pulse current.

Do Wisdom and Well-Being Always Go Hand in Hand? The Role of Dialogues with Oneself

Recently, it has been demonstrated that wisdom positively predicted well-being. The paradox is that the development of wisdom is strongly linked to adverse experiences that can make a person feel “wiser but sadder”. This paper aims to test whether two types of dialogues with oneself, i.e. integrative and identity internal dialogues moderate the relationships of critical life experiences and reminiscence/reflectiveness (as components of wisdom) with psychological well-being. To check this, 202 women and 217 men completed four measures: Self-Assessed Wisdom Scale, Psychological Well-Being Scales, Internal Dialogical Activity Scale—Revised, and Scale of Integration of Perspectives. It was found that critical life experiences and reminiscence/reflectiveness poorly (usually negatively) or not at all predict the general well-being and its dimensions. Integrative and identity internal dialogues moderate these relationships: with a higher intensity of these dialogues the negative relationships weaken, insignificant ones become positively significant, and positive links strengthen. The findings can be used by psychologists to promote the development of clients’ wisdom, and consequently, well-being.

Adaptive mesh refinement for the phase field method: A FEniCS implementation

This paper reports insightful implementation details of the global adaptive refinement procedure for the phase-field method recently published in Freddi and Mingazzi (2022). Phase field approaches reproduce cracks within solids in a smeared manner. The small transition zone between broken and unbroken material, whose width is controlled by an internal scale length parameter, permits to precisely replicate complex sharp crack topologies only if an extremely fine mesh is adopted. Starting from a coarse mesh, the proposed refinement process utilizes an energetic criterion to selectively refine the elements on which cracks may propagate. In fully broken areas, where the phase field is no longer evolving, a specific refinement is adopted to capture the high displacement gradient. The implementation is performed within the open-source finite element software FEniCS (ver. 19.1.0) which provides a framework for automated solutions of partial differential equations. The fundamental aspects of the code are described starting from the functional definition to the various steps of the refinement technique. A representative example is illustrated to supply further information on the code functionality. The code can be downloaded from https://github.com/LorenzoMingazzi/AGu-AGal and be used to easily apply the proposed refinement strategy to different problems or as a starting point for more sophisticated formulations.

Experimental design considerations for studies of human tear proteins

PurposeHuman tears contain abundant, diverse sets of proteins that may serve as biomarkers of ocular surface health. There is a need for reproducible methods that consider multiple factors influencing the tear proteome, in addition to the variable of interest. Here we examined a workflow for proteomic analysis of tear proteins without the need to pool tear samples from multiple individuals, thus allowing for analyses based on individual factors, and increasing opportunities for protein biomarker discovery. MethodsTears were collected by Schirmer strip following topical ocular anesthetic application then individually stored at −80 °C prior to processing for proteomics. Tear proteins were extracted from Schirmer strips, digested using suspension trapping spin columns (S-Trap), and labeled with high multiplicity tandem mass tags (TMT). Peptide digests were then extensively fractionated by two-dimensional chromatography and analyzed by mass spectrometry to identify and measure changes in protein abundance in each sample. Analysis of select samples was performed to test protocols and to compare the impact of clinically relevant parameters. To facilitate comparison of separate TMT experiments, common pool samples were included in each TMT instrument run and internal reference scaling (IRS) was performed. ResultsDifferences in subsets of tear proteins were noted for: geographic site of tear collection, contact lens use, and differences in tear fluid volume among individuals. ConclusionThese findings demonstrate that proteomic analysis of human tear proteins can be performed without the need to pool samples, and that development of analytic workflows must consider factors that may affect outcomes in studies focused on diverse clinical samples.

Afterthought and mirroring in the entrepreneurial classroom

While student reflections is considered one of the key components in entrepreneurship education the term reflection is often widely perceived. Using Illeris we analyze data from two planned reflective “Pit Stop” workshops in an entrepreneurship course where the students reflected on the realization of ideas, educational settings and socio-cultural meanings. The results show how these reflections can be distinctively understood as an interplay of more immediate experiences and as “afterthought” and “mirroring”. Afterthought makes us see an external scale in the entrepreneurial process, for instance the functional side of an idea, while mirroring directs us to see when a personal, internal scale is used reflectively. These distinctions challenge reflection as a more general applied term and it unfolds learning gains and difficulties practicing reflection in a more detailed light when moving from the immediateness of ideas to afterthought and mirroring in a wider societal perspective. The reflective practice from the Pit Stop proposes another way to have reflective conversations with students about assumptions and norms in relation to the entrepreneurial setting and the wider sociocultural interplay they are engaged in. Our findings address the current gap on how students develop and explicate reflective thinking in their entrepreneurial learning process.

Geometrically necessary dislocations and related kinematic hardening in gradient grained materials: A nonlocal crystal plasticity study

Gradient grained metals whose microstructure is characterized by a spatially graded grain size distribution show a better strength-ductility combination than their homogeneous counterparts. Kinematic hardening associated with geometrically necessary dislocations (GNDs) is considered to be a dominant strengthening mechanism in gradient grained metals. However, the precise kinematics of GND accumulation and the nature of the back stress fields remain unclear, restricting the understanding of their deformation mechanisms. In this work, a nonlocal crystal plasticity model which explicitly accounts for the interaction between dislocations and grain boundaries is developed. The nonlocal feature is achieved by introducing a flux term to account for the spatial redistribution of dislocations due to their motion. In addition, back stress produced by the spatial variation of GND density introduces an explicit internal length scale into the model. The nonlocal nature of the model on the slip system level enables the direct investigation of strain gradient effects caused by internal deformation heterogeneities. Furthermore, the interaction between dislocations and grain boundaries leads to the formation of pileups near grain boundaries, which is key to studying the grain size effects in polycrystals. Finite element implementation of the model for polycrystals with different grain sizes quantitatively captures the grain size effect. Simulation results of gradient grained materials and their homogeneous counterparts demonstrate that smaller grains lead to higher GND density and enhanced back stress. Small grains significantly contribute to the GND-induced isotropic hardening and GND-induced kinematic hardening in gradient grained metals. This investigation helps to understand the underlying strengthening mechanisms of gradient grained metals, and the model can be readily applied to other kinds of heterogeneous materials.

Nonlocal antiplane shear interfacial waves

In this paper, non-local shear interfacial waves between two non-local elastic half-spaces in perfect contact along a common boundary are investigated. For the sake of simplicity, an anti-plane problem formulated through the framework of Eringen’s theory is considered. The non-locality is taken only in the transverse coordinate making the analysis of the problem easier than that of non-local problems of 2D. Effective boundary conditions are obtained, with the help of a small internal characteristic length scale, along the interface utilizing an asymptotic approach enabling one to write the non-local stresses through their local counterparts. Antiplane non-local shear interfacial waves are analysed by the derived formulation. Numerical results are presented for certain characteristic values of the problem parameters.

Psychometric evaluation of the Telenursing Interaction and Satisfaction Scale.

Interaction between caller and telenurse in telenursing is important for caller satisfaction and subsequent compliance. Despite this, satisfaction measures with focus on interaction in telenursing are scarce and rarely anchored in nursing theory. The aim was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Telenursing Interaction and Satisfaction Scale (TISS) with focus on data quality, factor structure, convergent validity, and reliability. This psychometric study was based on cross-sectional data. Callers to the National Medical Advisory Service in Sweden (n=616) completed the 60-item Telenursing Interaction and Satisfaction Questionnaire based on Cox's Interaction Model of Client Health Behavior. Twenty-five of these items were selected to form the TISS in four subscales according to the model. Data quality was evaluated in terms of missing data patterns and score distributions. The factor structure was evaluated with confirmatory factor analysis for ordinal data, convergent validity with Spearman correlations, internal consistency with ordinal alpha, scale reliability with composite reliability coefficients, and test-retest reliability with intraclass correlations. The amount of missing data was acceptable and equally distributed. Data deviated significantly from a normal distribution. All response options were endorsed. The factor analysis confirmed the hypothesised four-factor structure; factor loadings ranged from 0.56 to 0.97 and factor correlations were high (0.88-0.96). Internal consistency (ordinal alpha=0.82-0.97), scale reliability (0.88-0.99), and test-retest reliability (ICC=0.77-0.86) were satisfactory for all scales. The study design did not allow drop-out analysis. The TISS showed satisfactory psychometric properties in the study sample. It provides a measure that enables quantitative measurement of caller satisfaction with interaction in telenursing.

The Relationship between Locus of Control and Academic Adaptability Among College Students: Mediating Effect of Academic Self-Efficacy

Learning adaptability is a necessary condition for students to complete their learning tasks and achieve good performance. From the connotation of locus of control, academic self-efficacy and learning adaptability, we can see that there is a strong logical connection among the three. The aim of this paper was to explore the characteristics of locus of control, academic self-efficacy and learning adaptability in college students, and analyze the relationship among the above 3 variables. Stratified random sampling was used to select five hundred and nineteen college students from 7 universities in Guangdong Province. They were investigated with Academic Self- Efficacy Scale (ASES), Learning Adaptability Scale for College Students (LAS), and Internality, Powerful Others, and Chance Scale (IPC). The survey results indicated the following three points. First, the total scores of ASES, LAS, IPC were (68.90±10.95), (95.61± 15.46), (27.70±5.65), (18.06±7.73) and (19.65±6.83), respectively; Second, there was a pairwise correlation among the scores of internality, academic ability self-efficacy and LAS (r=0.69, 0.37, 0.61, all P<0.01), a pairwise correlation among the scores of internality, academic behavior self-efficacy and LAS (r=0.67, 0.37, 0.23, all P<0.01), as well as a pairwise correlation among the scores of internality, academic self-efficacy and LAS (r=0.71, 0.37, 0.55, all P<0.01); Third, the scores of academic ability self-efficacy, academic behavior self-efficacy and academic self-efficacy played a partly mediating effect in the relationship between the score of internality and LAS, with the mediation effect counting for 57.8 %, 27.2 % and 72.9% of the total effect, respectively. It is therefore suggested that internality not only has a direct role on the learning adaptability of college students, but also indirectly affects it through academic self-efficacy.

Density of States for the Unitary Fermi Gas and the Schwarzschild Black Hole

The density of states of a quantum system can be calculated from its definition, but, in some cases, this approach is quite cumbersome. Alternatively, the density of states can be deduced from the microcanonical entropy or from the canonical partition function. After discussing the relationship among these procedures, we suggest a simple numerical method, which is equivalent in the thermodynamic limit to perform a Legendre transformation, to obtain the density of states from the Helmholtz free energy. We apply this method to determine the many-body density of states of the unitary Fermi gas, a very dilute system of identical fermions interacting with a divergent scattering length. The unitary Fermi gas is highly symmetric due to the absence of any internal scale except for the average distance between two particles and, for this reason, its equation of state is called universal. In the last part of the paper, by using the same thermodynamical techniques, we review some properties of the density of states of a Schwarzschild black hole, which shares the problem of finding the density of states directly from its definition with the unitary Fermi gas.

Variation characteristics analysis of sandstone strength parameters in discrete element method by using internal scale ratio

Variation characteristics analysis of sandstone strength parameters in discrete element method by using internal scale ratio

Elastic solution of surface loaded layer with couple and surface stress effects

In this study, an elastic solution of an axisymmetrically surface-loaded thin layer resting on a rigid substrate is established by taking the surface stress and material microstructural effects into account. Derived solutions provide not only a means to investigate the size effects on the mechanical response but also a set of fundamental solutions essential for tackling contact problems in a micro/nano scale. In the formulation, the couple stress and surface elasticity theories are adopted to simulate the microstructured bulk layer and the surface material, respectively. A general solution of an elastic field within the bulk layer is obtained first by Hankel transform method and subsequently used together with the surface equations and boundary conditions to form a set of conditions essential for determining all unknown constants. After being fully tested with available benchmark solutions, results are used to study the role of surface and couple stresses on the load transferring mechanism to the substrate and its size-dependent characteristic for a wide range of external length scales relative to the internal length scales.

Effects of weight stigma on BMI and inflammatory markers among people living with obesity

ObjectiveWeight stigma (WS) and prejudice are one of the most prevalent ways of discrimination among adults, comparable with rates of racial discrimination. Exposure to WS among patients with obesity (PWO) may make the adoption of healthy dietary patterns and regular physical activity even more challenging and, therefore, the achievement of weight loss. Additionally, WS could also induce physiological responses such as increased levels of inflammatory markers, due to stress exposure. MethodSubjects attending two obesity clinics were evaluated at baseline and after a minimum follow-up of six months. The weight Bias Internalization Scale (WBIS) and the Stigmatizing Situations Inventory (SSI) were administered to evaluate WS. Also, anthropometric and inflammatory markers, including cortisol, ferritin and C-reactive protein (CRP), were recorded at baseline. Results79 PWO (87.3%♀, 45.5 ± 1.3 years, 35.9 ± 6.3 kg/m2) were included. At baseline, 72.2% started liraglutide as anti-obesity drug. Baseline body mass index (BMI) correlated positively with both WBIS (r = 0.23; p = 0.03) and SSI (r = 0.25; p = 0.02) scores. Mean percentual weight loss after a mean follow-up of six months was -7.28%. However, there was a negative, but not statistically significant, correlation between weight loss and both WBIS (r=-0.14; p = 0.2) and SSI (r=-0.19; p = 0.08). Regarding inflammatory markers, plasma cortisol levels at baseline correlated positively with WBIS (p = 0.005) and SSI (p = 0.02). CRP at baseline also presented a positive correlation with SSI (p = 0.03). No significant correlations were found for stigma tests and ferritin levels. DiscussionAs weight increases among PWO, so does stigma. Despite we did not find a significant negative association between the presence of WS and weight loss outcomes, there was an increase in inflammatory markers among PWO who experienced higher levels of WS.

Adaptation of the Global Motivation Scale (GMS-28) in Indonesian Version

Motivation is one of the important variables for study, whereas many motivational studies have been conducted to predict learning, performance, and behavior change. The motivational scale that has gone through psychometric testing is required in motivational research to accurately describe the construct. There is still low availability of motivational scale in Indonesia that has passed the psychometric testing. Therefore, this study aims to adapt the Global Motivation Scale (GMS-28) into Indonesian. The adaptation process refers to the adaptation guidelines by the International Test Commission, where the process of adaptation also involves psychometric testing. Data collection was carried out using an online questionnaire on 383 participants aged 18-25 years. The psychometric test was carried out using internal consistency reliability and validity based on internal structure. The internal consistency scale has revealed all acceptable reliability coefficients aspects with a range of a = 0.703 – 0.810. Item analysis pointed out that all items have good item-total correlation and item mean. Findings from First-order Confirmatory Factor Analysis showed that all aspects have acceptable model fit and all of the items significantly measures the aspects on GMS-28. Based on these results, it can be concluded that the Indonesian version of the GMS-28 is suitable for use for further studies. However, further testing needs to be done using a larger sample to be used in all Indonesian populations.

Batch correction methods for nontarget chemical analysis data: application to a municipal wastewater collection system

Nontarget chemical analysis using high-resolution mass spectrometry has increasingly been used to discern spatial patterns and temporal trends in anthropogenic chemical abundance in natural and engineered systems. A critical experimental design consideration in such applications, especially those monitoring complex matrices over long time periods, is a choice between analyzing samples in multiple batches as they are collected, or in one batch after all samples have been processed. While datasets acquired in multiple analytical batches can include the effects of instrumental variability over time, datasets acquired in a single batch risk compound degradation during sample storage. To assess the influence of batch effects on the analysis and interpretation of nontarget data, this study examined a set of 56 samples collected from a municipal wastewater system over 7 months. Each month’s samples included 6 from sites within the collection system, one combined influent, and one treated effluent sample. Samples were analyzed using liquid chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry in positive electrospray ionization mode in multiple batches as the samples were collected and in a single batch at the conclusion of the study. Data were aligned and normalized using internal standard scaling and ComBat, an empirical Bayes method developed for estimating and removing batch effects in microarrays. As judged by multiple lines of evidence, including comparing principal variance component analysis between single and multi-batch datasets and through patterns in principal components and hierarchical clustering analyses, ComBat appeared to significantly reduce the influence of batch effects. For this reason, we recommend the use of more, small batches with an appropriate batch correction step rather than acquisition in one large batch.Graphical abstract