Scaling Ideas Research Articles

Modeling and analysis using piecewise hybrid fractional operator in time scale measure for ebola virus epidemics under Mittag–Leffler kernel

This emerging infectious disease poses one of the most severe threats to public health in these locations, but there are not many reliable therapies yet. In this work, we developed the Ebola virus dynamics and control factors epidemic model with a piecewise hybrid fractional Operator in time scale measure insight of Mittag–Leffler kernel. Patterns and structures that repeat at various scales are the focus of fractal analysis, which has applications in complex systems such as biological ones. Both qualitatively and statistically, a proposed model with the Lipschitz criteria and linear growth is examined, considering positive solutions, boundedness, and uniqueness at equilibrium points with Leray-Schauder results under time scale ideas. The regulation for linear responses approach will be used by Chaos Control to stabilize the system after its equilibrium points. A fractional-order framework with a controlled design will be considered, where solutions are bounded in the feasible domain of relations of different compartments. Ulam–Hyers stability results in the solution are treated when function (constant or rising) for the component of qualitative inquiry in generalized form. The dynamical behaviors of the suggested model are discussed with the Newton polynomial approach used to implement on model in the sense of classical piecewise and Mittag–Leffler kernel at different fractional order values. The model shows that solutions are stable and confined within a feasible range, ensuring reliability. Through detailed simulations, it effectively captures how different interventions and infection rates influence Ebola spread. This fractional-order model enhances understanding of Ebola transmission, providing a strong basis for predicting outbreaks and planning effective control measures, with practical applications for analyzing real-world data.

CHRONIC HEART FAILURE EPIDEMIOLOGY IN KAZAKHSTAN AND OTHER COUNTRIES

The article discusses the etiologic factors contributing to chronic heart failure (CHF) development, as well as CHF main causes. Statistics on CHF prevalence and mortality in Kazakhstan over the past decades is presented in brief. Clinical guidelines of the Kazakhstan Cardiology Society describe many risk factors for CHF in detail, including both underlying and concomitant diseases. According to statistics, 4.7 % of Kazakhstan population (approximately 320,000 people) suffer from CHF. The most common causes or concomitant diseases contributing to CHF development are arterial hypertension, coronary heart disease, chronic kidney disease, atrial fibrillation, postinfarction cardiosclerosis, diabetes mellitus, obesity, malignant neoplasms, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and chronic anemia. The highest incidence of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) is observed in Almaty – 4 %. Mortality from circulatory system diseases in the Republic of Kazakhstan decreased from 207.4 cases per 100,000 people in 2012 to 178.92 cases in 2016. Differences in approaches to CHF coding in the structure of clinical and pathological diagnosis significantly affect data accuracy on CHF prevalence and mortality. These differences are due to the fact that CHF is not an independent disease; it is rather a complication. When we speak about CHF as a disease, we usually consider it as a deuteropathy. Thus, CHF often does not have a code in the structure of the lifetime diagnosis and it is not considered as the primary cause of death in the case of fatality. As a result, we understand the significant impact of CHF on mortality, but do not have an accurate idea of the real scale of the problem.

Computational techniques to monitoring fractional order type-1 diabetes mellitus model for feedback design of artificial pancreas

Background and objectives:In this paper, we developed a significant class of control issues regulated by nonlinear fractal order systems with input and output signals, our goal is to design a direct transcription method with impulsive instant order. Recent advances in the artificial pancreas system provide an emerging treatment option for type 1 diabetes. The performance of the blood glucose regulation directly relies on the accuracy of the glucose-insulin modeling. This work leads to the monitoring and assessment of comprehensive type-1 diabetes mellitus for controller design of artificial panaceas for the precision of the glucose-insulin glucagon in finite time with Caputo fractional approach for three primary subsystems. Methods:For the proposed model, we admire the qualitative analysis with equilibrium points lying in the feasible region. Model satisfied the biological feasibility with the Lipschitz criteria and linear growth is examined, considering positive solutions, boundedness and uniqueness at equilibrium points with Leray–Schauder results under time scale ideas. Within each subsystem, the virtual control input laws are derived by the application of input to state theorems and Ulam Hyers Rassias. Results:Chaotic Relation of Glucose insulin glucagon compartmental in the feasible region and stable in finite time interval monitoring is derived through simulations that are stable and bounded in the feasible regions. Additionally, as blood glucose is the only measurable state variable, the unscented power-law kernel estimator appropriately takes into account the significant problem of estimating inaccessible state variables that are bound to significant values for the glucose-insulin system. The comparative results on the simulated patients suggest that the suggested controller strategy performs remarkably better than the compared methods. Conclusion:In the model under investigation, parametric uncertainties are identified since the glucose, insulin, and glucagon system’s parameters are accurately measured numerically at different fractional order values. In terms of algorithm resilience and Caputo tracking in the presence of glucagon and insulin intake disturbance to maintain the glucose level. A comprehensive analysis of numerous difficult test issues is conducted in order to offer a thorough justification of the planned strategy to control the type 1 diabetes mellitus with designed the artificial pancreas.

State of Charge Estimation of Lithium-Ion Batteries Based on Fractional-Order Model with Mul-ti-Innovations Dual Cubature Kalman Filter Method

An accurate estimation of the lithium battery’s state of charge (SOC) is critical. The article proposes a dual fractional order multi-innovations cubature Kalman filter (DFOMICKF) algorithm for estimating lithium battery SOC. The algorithm adopts the idea of multiple time scales, where one of the FOMICKF is used to identify the circuit model parameters online in the macro time scale. Another FOMICKF is used to estimate the SOC in the micro time scale, and the circuit parameters updated online in real-time are passed into the estimation of the SOC filter to form an online joint estimation method of SOC and circuit parameters. Finally, multiple algorithms of DFOMICKF, FOMICKF, FOCKF, and CKF are compared and experimented under different working conditions to compare and analyze the estimated SOC errors. It is verified that the proposed algorithm can solve the problems of inaccuracy, poor convergence, and poor robustness of the traditional Kalman filtering algorithm for estimating SOC, which has good research value.

Nonlinear Reduced Order Modelling for Korteweg-de Vries Equation

Efficient computational techniques that maintain the accuracy and invariant preservation property of the Korteweg-de Vries (KdV) equations have been studied by a wide range of researchers. In this paper, we introduce a reduced order model technique utilizing kernel principle component analysis (KPCA), a nonlinear version of the classical principle component analysis, in a non-intrusive way. The KPCA is applied to the data matrix, which is formed by the discrete solution vectors of KdV equation. In order to obtain the discrete solutions, the finite differences are used for spatial discretization, and linearly implicit Kahan's method for the temporal one. The back-mapping from the reduced dimensional space, is handled by a non-iterative formula based on the idea of multidimensional scaling (MDS) method. Through KPCA, we illustrate that the reduced order approximations conserve the invariants, i.e., Hamiltonian, momentum and mass structure of the KdV equation. The accuracy of reduced solutions, conservation of invariants, and computational speed enhancements facilitated by classical (linear) PCA and KPCA are exemplified through one-dimensional KdV equation.

Insomnia symptoms as a mediator between school connectedness and suicidal ideation in Chinese adolescents: A three-wave longitudinal model.

School connectedness is related to suicidal ideation (SI) in adolescents. However, little is known about the mediating role of insomnia symptoms in the school connectedness-SI link. This study aimed to examine the longitudinal mediating effect of insomnia symptoms on the relationship between school connectedness and SI as well as the moderating effect of sex using a three-wave longitudinal design. A total of 3110 adolescents completed three online surveys. Data were collected over the course of 1 year, in three waves 6 months apart. Participants completed the School Connectedness Scale, Youth Self-Rating Insomnia Scale, Self-rating Idea of Suicide Scale, Beck Depression Inventory and a self-compiled demographic questionnaire. Linear regressions and mediation analyses were performed to examine the associations between school connectedness, insomnia symptoms and SI. School connectedness had a significant mediating effect on SI through insomnia symptoms (βa×b = -.03, 95% confidence interval = -0.04, -0.02) after controlling for demographics and depressive symptoms. Mediation analyses showed that insomnia symptoms accounted for 23.1% of the total effects in the entire sample, with 13.3% in males and 27.3% in females. Sex had no significant moderating effect on the school connectedness-SI link association. The association between school connectedness and SI appears to be mediated by insomnia symptoms. Assessing and promoting school connectedness, as well as intervening and treating distress associated with insomnia, may have important clinical implications for reducing the risk of SI in adolescents.

Clinical effects of nonconvulsive electrotherapy combined with mindfulness-based stress reduction and changes of serum inflammatory factors in depression.

Depression is a common and serious psychological condition, which seriously affects individual well-being and functional ability. Traditional treatment methods include drug therapy and psychological counseling; however, these methods have different degrees of side effects and limitations. In recent years, nonconvulsive electrotherapy (NET) has attracted increasing attention as a noninvasive treatment method. However, the clinical efficacy and potential mechanism of NET on depression are still unclear. We hypothesized that NET has a positive clinical effect in the treatment of depression, and may have a regulatory effect on serum inflammatory factors during treatment. To assess the effects of NET on depression and analyze changes in serum inflammatory factors. This retrospective study enrolled 140 patients undergoing treatment for depression between May 2017 and June 2022, the observation group that received a combination of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and NET treatment (n = 70) and the control group that only received MBSR therapy (n = 70). The clinical effectiveness of the treatment was evaluated by assessing various factors, including the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD)-17, self-rating idea of suicide scale (SSIOS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and levels of serum inflammatory factors before and after 8 wk of treatment. The quality of life scores between the two groups were compared. Comparisons were made using t and χ2 tests. After 8 wk of treatment, the observation group exhibited a 91.43% overall effectiveness rate which was higher than that of the control group which was 74.29% (64 vs 52, χ2 = 7.241; P < 0.05). The HAMD, SSIOS, and PSQI scores showed a significant decrease in both groups. Moreover, the observation group had lower scores than the control group (10.37 ± 2.04 vs 14.02 ± 2.16, t = 10.280; 1.67 ±0.28 vs 0.87 ± 0.12, t = 21.970; 5.29 ± 1.33 vs 7.94 ± 1.35, t = 11.700; P both < 0.001). Additionally, there was a notable decrease in the IL-2, IL-1β, and IL-6 in both groups after treatment. Furthermore, the observation group exhibited superior serum inflammatory factors compared to the control group (70.12 ± 10.32 vs 102.24 ± 20.21, t = 11.840; 19.35 ± 2.46 vs 22.27 ± 2.13, t = 7.508; 32.25 ± 4.6 vs 39.42 ± 4.23, t = 9.565; P both < 0.001). Moreover, the observation group exhibited significantly improved quality of life scores compared to the control group (Social function: 19.25 ± 2.76 vs 16.23 ± 2.34; Emotions: 18.54 ± 2.83 vs 12.28 ± 2.16; Environment: 18.49 ± 2.48 vs 16.56 ± 3.44; Physical health: 19.53 ± 2.39 vs 16.62 ± 3.46; P both < 0.001) after treatment. MBSR combined with NET effectively alleviates depression, lowers inflammation (IL-2, IL-1β, and IL-6), reduces suicidal thoughts, enhances sleep, and improves the quality of life of individuals with depression.

Almost periodic quasi-projective synchronization of delayed fractional-order quaternion-valued neural networks

This paper examines the issue of almost periodic quasi-projective synchronization of delayed fractional-order quaternion-valued neural networks. First, using a direct method rather than decomposing the fractional quaternion-valued system into four equivalent fractional real-valued systems, using Banach’s fixed point theorem, according to the basic properties of fractional calculus and some inequality methods, we obtain that there is a unique almost periodic solution for this class of neural network with some sufficient conditions. Next, by constructing a suitable Lyapunov functional, using the characteristic of the Mittag-Leffler function and the scaling idea of the inequality, the adequate conditions for the quasi-projective synchronization of the established model are derived, and the upper bound of the systematic error is estimated. Finally, further use Matlab is used to carry out two numerical simulations to prove the results of theoretical analysis.

Potenential for thermal energy from Tunnels beneath Manchester and Crewe: a case study

potenential for thermal energy from Tunnels beneath Manchester and Crewe: a case study

Internet addiction and suicidal ideation among Chinese college students: the mediating role of psychotic-like experiences.

Individuals with Internet addiction (IA) are at significant risk of suicide-related behaviors. This study aimed to investigate the relationships among IA, psychotic-like experiences (PLEs), and suicidal ideation (SI) among college students. A total of 5,366 college students (34.4% male, mean age 20.02 years) were assessed using the self-compiled sociodemographic questionnaires, Revised Chinese Internet Addiction Scale (CIAS-R), 15-item Positive subscale of the Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences (CAPE-P15), Self-rating Idea of Suicide Scale (SIOSS), and 2-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-2). The prevalence of IA and SI were 9.3 and 12.1% among Chinese college students, respectively. There were direct effects of IA and PLEs on SI. The total effect of IA on SI was 0.18 (p < 0.001). PLEs mediated the relationship between IA and SI (Indirect effect = 0.07). IA had both direct and indirect effects on SI. These findings enable us to elucidate the mechanism of how IA influences individual SI, which can provide vital information for developing and implementing targeted interventions and strategies to alleviate SI among Chinese college students.

The relationship between negative parenting styles and suicidal ideation among Chinese junior middle school students: The roles of negative emotions and hope

AbstractSuicidal ideation is a prominent public health problem among junior middle school students. Previous researchers have explored the influence of parenting style on adolescents' suicidal ideation, but few researchers distinguished the influence of positive and negative parenting styles. The mediating effect of negative emotions between negative parenting styles and suicidal ideation and the moderating effect of hope among Chinese junior middle school students were focused on in this study. 877 junior middle school students in Hunan, Anhui, and Jiangxi provinces in China were investigated with the simplified Parenting Style Questionnaire, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, Children's Hope Scale, and Self‐rating Idea of Suicide Scale. The theoretical models were tested through the PROCESS macro for SPSS. The results showed that: (1) Negative parenting styles had positive effects on suicidal ideation. (2) Negative emotions mediated the relationship between negative parenting styles and suicidal ideation. (3) Hope moderated the relationship between negative emotions and suicidal ideation. This study implies that we could start by improving adolescents' negative parenting styles and raising their level of hope to prevent and intervene in adolescents' suicidal ideation.

Approximation Algorithms for Partial Vertex Covers in Trees

This paper is concerned with designing algorithms for and analyzing the computational complexity of the partial vertex cover problem in trees. Graphs (and trees) are frequently used to model risk management in various systems. In particular, Caskurlu et al. in [4] have considered a system which essentially represents a tripartite graph. The goal in this model is to reduce the risk in the system below a predefined risk threshold level. It can be shown that the main goal in this risk management system can be formulated as a Partial Vertex Cover problem on bipartite graphs. In this paper, we focus on a special case of the partial vertex cover problem, when the input graph is a tree. We consider four possible versions of this setting, depending on whether or not, the vertices and edges are weighted. Two of these versions, where edges are assumed to be unweighted, are known to be polynomial-time solvable. However, the computational complexity of this problem with weighted edges, and possibly with weighted vertices, remained open. The main contribution of this paper is to resolve these questions by fully characterizing which variants of partial vertex cover remain NP-hard in trees, and which can be solved in polynomial time. In the paper, we propose two pseudo-polynomial DP-based algorithms for the most general case in which weights are present on both the edges and the vertices of the tree. One of these algorithms leads to a polynomial-time procedure, when weights are confined to the edges of the tree. The insights used in this algorithm are combined with additional scaling ideas to derive an FPTAS for the general case. A secondary contribution of this work is to propose a novel way of using centroid decompositions in trees, which could be useful in other settings as well.

The impact of peer victimization on Chinese left-behind adolescent suicidal ideation: The mediating role of psychological suzhi and the moderating role of family cohesion

BackgroundThe detrimental impact of peer victimization on suicidal thoughts has been tested in numerous previous studies, but the underlying mechanisms tying the two together remain unclear, particularly for left-behind adolescents in China, who are defined as the adolescent staying behind in rural areas for a duration exceeding six months while having one or both parents relocate to urban areas for employment purposes. ObjectiveThis study intends to investigate the relationship between peer victimization and suicidal ideation in Chinese left-behind adolescents and the mediating effect of psychological suzhi (a comprehensive positive quality that related to developmental, adaptive, and creative behaviors) and the moderating role of family cohesion. Participants and settingsA total of 417 Chinese left-behind adolescents (Mage at Time 1 = 14.84 ± 1.08 years; 57.55 % male) were recruited for the study. Participants came from rural counties of central China in Hunan province which has suffered a large labor migration. MethodsWe conducted a two-wave longitudinal study with six-month intervals. Participants completed the measures of the Chinese peer victimization scale for children and adolescents, the adolescent's psychological suzhi questionnaire, the self-rating idea of suicide scale, and the cohesion dimension of the family adaptability cohesion scale. ResultsPath modeling results indicated that psychological suzhi partially mediated the link between peer victimization and suicidal ideation. Family cohesion moderated the association between peer victimization and suicidal ideation. The link between peer victimization and suicidal ideation was weaker for left-behind adolescents with higher family cohesion. ConclusionPeer victimization was found to diminish psychological suzhi, which in turn increases the risk of suicidal ideation. However, family cohesion buffered the negative effect of peer victimization on suicidal ideation, suggesting that left-behind adolescents with greater family cohesion may be better equipped to prevent suicidal ideation, which has implications for future family and school education and provides some ideas and a foundation for future research.

Spatial pattern optimization of rural production-living-ecological function based on coupling coordination degree in shallow mountainous areas of Quyang County, Hebei Province, China

IntroductionThe shallow mountainous area in Hebei province is a crucial part of the ecological security barrier and regional ecological conservation construction in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region. In recent years, the contradictions in the development of the rural “production-living-ecological” function (PLEF) in shallow mountainous areas are prominent, so optimize its spatial pattern is beneficial to rural sustainable development. But there are significant problems in the existing research, such as the lack of fine-scale research and effective guidance for rural PLEF. Based on this, this study takes Quyang County as an example, starts from the perspective of PLEF coordinated development, finally puts forward the optimization strategy of rural production-living-ecological space (PLES) pattern by evaluating rural PLEF and its coupling co-scheduling.MethodsThis study first fused multi-source data such as POI and remote sensing images to build a comprehensive evaluation system of rural PLES, combined with entropy weight method and analytic hierarchy process to give weight to various indicators, and calculated the PLEF distribution of Quyang County on the 300 × 300m grid scale. Then the collaborative development of PLEF is measured by coupling coordination degree model. Finally, according to PLEF and its coupling and coordination, the functional space types are divided according to the principles of coordinated development and ecological optimization, and the optimization strategy of PLES pattern is proposed on the village scale.Results(1) The spatial distribution of PLEF in Quyang County is significantly different, and the order of functional intensity is: ecological space (ES) &amp;gt; production space (PS) &amp;gt; living space (LS). (2) The PLEF coupling coordination degree generally presents the spatial distribution characteristics of “low in the north and high in the south”, which is highly related to its topographic features. The high-value areas are mainly spread over southern plains with developed economy and rich ecological resources, while the low-value areas are located in the northern mountains and the central hills. (3) On the grid scale, the PLES pattern is identified as six types: production-living-ecological balance space (PLEBS), production-living space (PLS), production-ecological space (PES), living-ecological space (LES), ES and PS. Among them, the proportion of PLEBS and ES is larger. (4) On the village scale, it is suggested that PLEBS villages further emphasize high-quality coordinated development; ecological function leading optimization type (EFLOT) villages adhere to ecological priorities and ensure the development of ecological space functions; villages with composite functions should combine their own advantages and the spatial characteristics of the surrounding countryside, optimize and control infrastructure configuration, industrial structure, ecological protection and other aspects of classification, overcome shortcomings and improve the coordination of the PLEF.DiscussionBased on previous studies, this paper explored and improved the research scale, analysis methods, evaluation indexes and optimization ideas in the field of rural PLEF. Therefore, the results can guide for the high-quality coordinated development of territorial space and rural revitalization construction of counties in shallow mountainous areas.

How deep is the ocean?

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A cross-lagged study of the associations among problematic smartphone use, depressive symptoms, and suicidal ideation in chinese university students.

The present study aimed to investigate the longitudinal and reciprocal relationships among problematic smartphone use (PSU), depressive symptoms (DS), and suicidal ideation (SI) in Chinese university students. Using a cross-lagged design, the Mobile Phone Addiction Inventory Scale, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, and the Self-Rating Idea of Suicide Scale as research instruments, 194 university students completed a questionnaire four consecutive times. June of Year 1, December of Year 2, June of Year 2, and December of Year 3 of their college study. We refer to these as the Time 1 (T1), Time 2 (T2), Time 3 (T3), and Time 4 (T4) assessments, respectively. The levels of PSU and DS fluctuated significantly over time. DS at T1 was significantly predicted to influence SI at T2 (β = 0.17, p < .05); DS at T3 was significantly predicted by PSU and by SI at T2 (respectively, β = 0.30, p < .05; β = 0.21, p < .05); DS at T2 significantly predicted PSU at T3 (β = 0.14, p < .05); and DS at T3 significantly predicted SI at T4 (β = 0.14, p < .05) in the cross-lagged pathway. DS at T3 fully mediated the relationship between PSU at T2 and SI at T4 (indirect effect: β = 0.133, 95% CI = [0.063, 0.213]). The results suggest that there is a reciprocal relationship between PSU and DS and, furthermore, that DS plays an important mediating role between PSU and SI. Our results suggest the importance of early identification and treatment of SI. Timely reduction of PSU and improvement of DS among university students may help prevent SI.

Deficits in psychological resilience and problem-solving ability in adolescents with suicidal ideation

ObjectivesThis study aimed to explore differences between psychological resilience and problem-solving ability in grade one junior middle school adolescents with and without suicidal ideation, focusing on the relationship between these factors and suicidal ideation.MethodsNinety-nine adolescents (aged 10 to 14) were divided into Suicidal Ideation (SI, n = 49) and Non-Suicidal Ideation (NSI, n = 50) grouped by the Self-rating Idea of Suicide Scale (SIOSS). The Psychological Resilience Scale (PRS) and Tower of Hanoi task (TOH) were applied to assess psychological resilience and problem-solving ability, respectively.ResultsThe SI group scored significantly lower than the NSI group on PRS (p < 0.001) and performed more poorly on TOH than the NSI group, with more mistakes in the number of errors index (p < 0.001) and requiring a longer time in the task completion time index (p < 0.05). Among all the participants in this study, a significant negative correlation was observed between PRS and SIOSS (r = − 0.413, p < 0.01). The sub-dimensions of PRS including emotional control, family support, and interpersonal assistance were significantly negatively correlated with the SIOSS total score (r = − 0.361, − 0.360, − 0.382; p < 0.01).ConclusionsThis study profiled the characteristics and differences in psychological resilience and problem-solving ability between adolescents with and without suicidal ideation. The data suggested adolescents with SI might have deficits in psychological resilience and problem-solving ability, which may serve as potential targets for suicide intervention.

Impact of alexithymia on suicidal ideation among patients with ovarian cancer: a moderated mediation model of self-perceived burden and general self-efficacy.

Suicidal ideation (SI) and alexithymia are common psychological problems among patients with cancer. Studying how alexithymia predicts SI is helpful for its intervention and prevention strategies. The present study aimed to investigate whether self-perceived burden (SPB) mediates the impact of alexithymia on SI and if general self-efficacy moderates the associations of alexithymia with SPB and SI. To measure SI, alexithymia, SPB, and general self-efficacy, 200 patients with ovarian cancer at all stages regardless of the type of treatment completed the Chinese version of the Self-Rating Idea of Suicide Scale, Toronto Alexithymia Scale, Self-Perceived Burden Scale, and General Self-Efficacy Scale in a cross-sectional study. The PROCESS macro for SPSS v4.0 procedure was applied to perform moderated mediation analysis. SPB significantly mediated the positive impact of alexithymia on SI (a×b = 0.082, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.026, 0.157). General self-efficacy significantly moderated the positive association between alexithymia and SPB (β = -0.227, P < 0.001). The mediating role of SPB was gradually reduced as general self-efficacy grew (low: 0.087, 95% CI: 0.010, 0.190; medium: 0.049, 95% CI: 0.006, 0.108; high: 0.010, 95% CI: -0.014, 0.046). Thus, a moderated mediation model involving SPB and general self-efficacy for explaining how alexithymia causes SI was supported. Alexithymia could cause SI by inducing SPB among patients with ovarian cancer. General self-efficacy could attenuate the association between alexithymia and SPB. Interventions aimed at reducing SPB and enhancing general self-efficacy could reduce SI by partially preventing and attenuating the impact of alexithymia.

Adapting assessment processes to consider cultural mistrust in forensic practices: An example with the MMPI instruments.

Our first goal in this study was to identify cultural mistrust critical items (CMCIs) on two versions of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)-the MMPI-Second Edition-Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF) and MMPI-Third Edition (MMPI-3)-that might be endorsed by people of color because of cultural mistrust rather than clinical paranoia. Our second goal was to determine whether CMCIs and items on the MMPI-2-RF/MMPI-3 Ideas of Persecution scale (Restructured Clinical Scale 6 [RC6]) were endorsed at different rates across cultural groups in a nonclinical college sample and a forensic inpatient sample. Our primary hypothesis was that expert raters would reliably identify a subset of MMPI-2-RF and MMPI-3 items as reflective of cultural mistrust. Black college students would endorse the highest level of CMCIs, followed by Latina/o students, and then White students. We hypothesized that the same pattern of findings would occur in forensic inpatients but that the differences would be attenuated because of the high base rate of psychiatric symptomatology and the nature of the forensic assessment setting. Three Black female and three Black male psychologists rated the degree to which each item on the MMPI-2-RF and MMPI-3 reflected cultural mistrust. Black (n = 90), Latina/o (n = 83), and White (n = 100) college students were compared on CMCIs and on MMPI-2-RF/MMPI-3 RC6 item endorsement. The same comparisons were made among Black (n = 221), Latina/o (n = 142), and White (n = 483) forensic inpatients who completed the MMPI-2-RF. Black college students endorsed the highest levels of cultural mistrust, followed by Latina/o students, and then White students, resulting in small-to-medium effect sizes (Hedges's gs = 0.14-0.52). Although we observed some item-level differences in forensic patients, the overall pattern of item endorsement did not significantly differ in this group. There are multiple reasons for the reporting of clinical paranoia and cultural mistrust in forensic assessment. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Scale in Scale for SAR Ship Instance Segmentation

Ship instance segmentation in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images can provide more detailed location information and shape information, which is of great significance for port ship scheduling and traffic management. However, there is little research work on SAR ship instance segmentation, and the general accuracy is low because the characteristics of target SAR ship task, such as multi-scale, ship aspect ratio, and noise interference, are not considered. In order to solve these problems, we propose an idea of scale in scale (SIS) for SAR ship instance segmentation. Its essence is to establish multi-scale modes in a single scale. In consideration of the characteristic of the targeted SAR ship instance segmentation task, SIS is equipped with four tentative modes in this paper, i.e., an input mode, a backbone mode, an RPN mode (region proposal network), and an ROI mode (region of interest). The input mode establishes multi-scale inputs in a single scale. The backbone mode enhances the ability to extract multi-scale features. The RPN mode makes bounding boxes better accord with ship aspect ratios. The ROI mode expands the receptive field. Combined with them, a SIS network (SISNet) is reported, dedicated to high-quality SAR ship instance segmentation on the basis of the prevailing Mask R-CNN framework. For Mask R-CNN, we also redesign (1) its feature pyramid network (FPN) for better small ship detection and (2) its detection head (DH) for a more refined box regression. We conduct extensive experiments to verify the effectiveness of SISNet on the open SSDD and HRSID datasets. The experimental results reveal that SISNet surpasses the other nine competitive models. Specifically, the segmentation average precision (AP) index is superior to the suboptimal model by 4.4% on SSDD and 2.5% on HRSID.