Separate Dimensions Research Articles

The dimensionality of the Perceived Stress Scale: The presence of opposing items is a source of measurement error

IntroductionThe Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) is a widely recognized patient-reported outcome measure designed to assess an individual's level of perceived stress. The PSS consists of ten items, with six items phrased negatively and four phrased positively. Most studies have found that the PSS consists of two dimensions, with negative and positive items forming separate dimensions. However, some studies suggest a one-dimensional construct. ObjectiveWe aimed to investigate the dimensionality of the PSS and the impact of wording effects on the measurement properties of the scale. MethodsWe tested a modified version of the PSS (mPSS), with negative wording of all items. In a Danish sample, respondents were randomized to answer the PSS or the mPSS. We used confirmative factor analysis and Rasch analysis to assess the validity and reliability of the two versions. The proportion of person misfit was also evaluated. ResultsA total of 326 respondents completed the PSS, whereas 306 completed the mPSS. For the PSS, a two-factor model fitted the data best, and the first positively formulated item showed under-discrimination (Rasch model item fit rejected). The mPSS had higher measurement precision than the PSS, but evidence of local dependence was seen for both versions. Fewer respondents gave improbable responses to the mPSS compared to the PSS. LimitationsData comes from three different respondent samples. ConclusionThe PSS was deemed essentially unidimensional, with the extra variance being attributed to the reversed items. To reduce response bias, clinicians and researchers may apply the mPSS.

Emergence of different dimensions of sleepiness in a general population sample: An EPISONO study

IntroductionRecent evidence supports the idea that sleepiness has several dimensions, comprising psychophysiological phenomena, such as sleep propensity and sleepiness perception. The Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) is among one of the most used sleepiness assessment tools, but recent data suggest that it might not detect problematic impairments in sleep health. More research is warranted investigating sleepiness dimensions with large sample sizes, using both objective and subjective methods of analyzing sleep. MethodsWe used data from the Epidemiological Sleep Study (EPISONO), a major study carried out in Brazil using a representative sample of 1042 participants of the general population of Sao Paulo city, who completed questionnaires and underwent type I polysomnography. Sleepiness was measured by the ESS (sleep propensity) and the UNIFESP Sleep Questionnaire, which asked about the frequency of feeling sleepy during the day (sleepiness perception). The participants were distributed into 4 groups in respect of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) according to the following criteria: 1) having an ESS score >10 (ESS group). 2) feeling sleepy ≥3 times per week (Frequent EDS group). 3) the combined criteria (Combined EDS group). 4) having no evidence of EDS (no EDS group). The UNIFESP Sleep Questionnaire was used to obtain self-reported sleep duration, sleep debt, and sleep duration variability. Participants also completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, the Insomnia Severity Index, and a pre-polysomnography sleep questionnaire. ResultsAfter removing participants with missing data, there were 620 participants with no EDS, 255 individuals in the ESS group, 68 in the Frequent EDS group, and 73 in the Combined EDS group. Compared to the no EDS group, the ESS and Combined EDS groups had significantly increased sleep efficiency, diminished sleep latency, wake after sleep onset, and self-reported weekly sleep duration. The Frequent and Combined EDS groups had significantly higher scores in the Insomnia Severity Index and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. All EDS groups had an increased likelihood of nonrestorative sleep. EDS frequency and the ESS scores were significantly correlated. ConclusionsParticipants with a high sleep propensity had a profile suggesting prior sleep deprivation, while high sleepiness perception was associated with impaired sleep quality. These findings indicated that, in the general population, these instruments evaluated separate sleepiness dimensions with different associations, highlighting that screening using a combination of instruments might be more effective in detecting impairments in sleep health.

Cool under fire: Psychopathic personality traits and decision making in law-enforcement-oriented populations.

Compared with other jobs, the law enforcement profession is a high-stakes occupation that has the potential to greatly impact public safety, and officers must face daily dangers not experienced in other professions. Previous research indicates that many law enforcement officers exhibit varying degrees of psychopathic traits, which suggests that it may be useful to examine police officer performance, specifically proxies of excessive use of force, through the lens of the triarchic psychopathy domains. We predicted that high boldness and high meanness would be associated with greater justification of excessive use of force, whereas low boldness, high meanness, and high disinhibition would relate to greater errors in high-stakes decision making ("trigger bias"). We employed criterion profile analysis to elucidate optimal profile configurations in both law enforcement and undergraduate samples in relation to justification of use-of-force scenarios and decision making in high-pressure situations (i.e., police officer's dilemma shooter task). In general, combinations of triarchic psychopathy traits accounted for similar variance in performance criteria as individual psychopathy trait domains. In particular, trait elevations in meanness were associated with ratings of unjustified-use-of-force vignettes, and disinhibition was associated with commission errors on the shooter task (although effect sizes were small for the latter). The findings of this study support the conceptual validity of the separate dimensions of the triarchic psychopathy model and substantiate the moderate utility of personality indicators (e.g., antagonism, difficulties with impulse control) in relation to career-related performance in law enforcement. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Peptide collision cross sections of 22 post-translational modifications

Recent advances have rekindled the interest in ion mobility as an additional dimension of separation in mass spectrometry (MS)-based proteomics. Ion mobility separates ions according to their size and shape in the gas phase. Here, we set out to investigate the effect of 22 different post-translational modifications (PTMs) on the collision cross section (CCS) of peptides. In total, we analyzed ~4300 pairs of matching modified and unmodified peptide ion species by trapped ion mobility spectrometry (TIMS). Linear alignment based on spike-in reference peptides resulted in highly reproducible CCS values with a median coefficient of variation of 0.26%. On a global level, we observed a redistribution in the m/z vs. ion mobility space for modified peptides upon changes in their charge state. Pairwise comparison between modified and unmodified peptides of the same charge state revealed median shifts in CCS between −1.4% (arginine citrullination) and +4.5% (O-GlcNAcylation). In general, increasing modified peptide masses were correlated with higher CCS values, in particular within homologous PTM series. However, investigating the ion populations in more detail, we found that the change in CCS can vary substantially for a given PTM and is partially correlated with the gas phase structure of its unmodified counterpart. In conclusion, our study shows PTM- and sequence-specific effects on the cross section of peptides, which could be further leveraged for proteome-wide PTM analysis.Graphical

Validating the Grit-S scale among postgraduate students in a South African distance education institution

Grit has been associated with student success in a plethora of higher education (HE) studies. In order to measure and evaluate the predictive validity of grit in student success in a particular context, an appropriate, reliable and valid instrument is required. This paper examines the short grit scale’s (Grit-S) psychometric properties among a sample of 837 postgraduate students enrolled at the University of South Africa (UNISA). This appears to be the first study to explore the psychometric rigour of the scale among postgraduates within a South African distance education (DE) setting. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) followed by partial confirmatory factor analysis (PCFA) revealed that the same two factors commonly reported in the grit literature could be detected in the items tested (i.e. ‘passion’ and ‘perseverance’ for long-term goals), and in combination explained 57.22% of the variance. Model fit indices for the two-factor solution were satisfactory (NFI = 0.984; TLI = 0.981; CFI = 0.991; RMSEA = 0.038). Further results from the item analysis indicated that both factors (passion and perseverance) were soundly reliable, as was the overall Grit-S scale, yielding Cronbach Alpha values of ≥0.77. Overall, the study provides promising evidence that the Grit-S scale can validly and reliably be used to operationalise grit (and the separate dimensions of perseverance and passion) among postgraduates pursuing their DE studies. Further theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Research on the impact of the application of artificial intelligence technology on the sustainable development of mobile e-commerce

PurposeThis article aims to reveal the factors influencing the sustainable development of mobile e-commerce from both user and operational perspectives. It fills the gap in qualitative research on the sustainable development of artificial intelligence (AI) technology in mobile e-commerce based on the grounded theory. This study provides valuable insights and inspiration for sustainable development in this field and lays the theoretical foundation and research reference for future studies.Design/methodology/approachBased on the grounded theory (GT), interview method was used to conduct the study.FindingsThe impact of AI applications on mobile e-commerce is mainly reflected in three stages of the customer shopping process. They are pre-shopping, mid-shopping and after-shopping AI services and each of the three stages has its own separate dimensions that need attention. The study and its persistence aspects are discussed.Practical implicationsThe results of this study can provide forward-looking suggestions and paths for the construction and optimization of future e-commerce platforms, contribute to the sustainable development of e-commerce and contribute to the sustainable and healthy growth of the social economy.Originality/valueThis study proposes sustainable development measures for the application of AI in mobile e-commerce, from operation to supervision, which is an important reference for promoting coordinated and rapid socio-economic development.

The Suitability of Trabecular Patterns in the Assessment of Dental Implant Osseointegration Process through 2D Digital and 3D CBCT Radiographs.

The research aims to determine the suitability of the trabecular pattern in the assessment of the dental implant osseointegration process through two-dimensional (2D) digital and three-dimensional (3D) cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) radiographs. This is a correlation description that explains the relationship between variables. The population consisted of 24 data points on 3D CBCT and 2D digital radiographs from the procedure after dental implants were inserted into the tibia of a New Zealand white rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) on days 3, 14, and 28. The radiograph was selected based on the region of interest (ROI), which covers the peri-implant area with a width of 1 mm and length following the height of the implant. The ROI was analyzed for trabecular thickness (Tb.Th), separation (Tb.Sp), number (Tb.N), and fractal dimension. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to statistically test the data to assess the consistency of intraobserver measurements and the r value (Pearson's correlation coefficient). This determines the correlation between trabecular patterns in both radiographic modalities and the Bland-Altman plot to observe the limits of acceptable discrepancies. The ICC test showed high intraobserver consistency in trabecular pattern measurements on 2D digital radiographs and 3D CBCT. The trabecular space pattern and number showed an r value of 0.88 with radiographic modalities of 0.72 mm and 0.018, respectively. Additionally, the trabecular thickness and fractal dimension had an insignificant correlation, with an r value of 0.22, and the mean of the 2D radiograph was lower than that of CBCT. The 2D radiograph and 3D CBCT showed correlations in the trabecular number and space results but had no correlation in the trabecular thickness and fractal dimension results. Based on intraclass correlation analysis, 3D CBCT appeared to be more reliable for measuring trabecular patterns (Tb.Th, Tb.Sp, Tb.N, and fractal dimension) than 2D radiograph.

Academic motivation of intellectually gifted students and their classmates in regular primary school classes: A multidimensional, longitudinal, person- and variable-centered approach

Most prior studies on academic motivation of intellectually gifted children focused only on intrinsic motivation. To gain insight into the full scope of intellectually gifted students' motivation, differences between clinically diagnosed gifted students and their classmates in multiple motivational dimensions (intrinsic, identified, introjected, and external regulation, and amotivation) were examined across two school years. Using both variable-centered and person-centered techniques, we examined differences in separate motivational dimensions as well as differences in configurations of motivational dimensions (‘profiles’). A sample of 1438 primary school students in Grade 3–5 (5.5% clinically diagnosed as gifted with an IQ > 120) participated. They filled out motivation questionnaires pertaining to their regular class during two waves across two school years. Gifted students reported more favourable motivation at Wave 1 but lost this advantage over time. Specifically, they demonstrated more intrinsic motivation at Wave 1, but a decrease in identified regulation, and a stronger increase in external regulation and amotivation from Wave 1 to Wave 2. Similarly, gifted students were more likely to transition from theoretically more favourable to less favourable profiles. These findings suggest that children who are clinically diagnosed as gifted are at risk for developing unfavourable motivational patterns toward the end of primary school. Educational relevance statementMotivation for school plays a pivotal role in students' school engagement and achievement. This is also the case for intellectually gifted children. Just like other children, motivation enables them to translate their abilities into achievement. Intellectually gifted students in primary school may particularly be at risk of unfavourable motivational developments because it can be difficult for regular schools to provide an optimally challenging learning environment for them. This study aimed to get a full understanding of the motivational dynamics of intellectually gifted children in regular classes. This would be a step toward developing more targeted interventions that can address motivational problems encountered by gifted students in regular classes.The findings of this study indicated that, clinically diagnosed gifted children initially reported more favourable motivation, but lost this advantage over time. Toward the end of primary education, they were more likely than other children to show a decrease in external motivation and amotivation.These findings are of great practical importance. If teachers can identify students who start to become less motivated for school, it may be easier to intervene and prevent motivational problems and subsequent underachievement later on. To identify students who are at risk of developing an unfavourable motivational pattern, teachers or other educational professionals could regularly assess their students' motivation or engage in talks with their students about their motivation. Additionally, prior research suggests teaching practices and interventions which support students' need for autonomy, structure, and relatedness are likely to foster students' motivation for school, for gifted students as well as other students.

The Norwegian version of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ III): Initial validation study using a national sample of registered nurses.

Employers are legally obligated to ensure the safety and health of employees, including the organizational and psychosocial working environment. The Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ III) covers multiple dimensions of the work environment. COPSOQ III has three parts: a) work environment b) conflicts and offensive behaviours and c) health and welfare. We translated all three parts into Norwegian and evaluated the statistical properties of the 28 work environment dimensions in part a), using a sample of registered nurses. The original English version was translated into Norwegian and back translated into English; the two versions were compared, and adjustments made. In total, 86 of 99 items from the translated version were included in a survey to which 8804 registered nurses responded. Item response theory models designed for ordinal manifest variables were used to evaluate construct validity and identify potential redundant items. A standard confirmatory factor analysis was performed to verify the latent dimensionality established in the original version, and a more exploratory factor analysis without restrictions is included to determine dependency between items and to identify separable dimensions. The measure of sampling adequacy shows that the data are well suited for factor analyses. The latent dimensionality in the original version is confirmed in the Norwegian translated version and the scale reliability is high for all dimensions except 'Demands for Hiding Emotions'. In this homogenous sample, eight of the 28 dimensions are found not to be separate dimensions as items covering these dimensions loaded onto the same factor. Moreover, little information is provided at the low and high ends of exposure for some dimensions in this sample. Of the 86 items included, 14 are found to be potential candidates for removal to obtain a shorter Norwegian version. The established Norwegian translation of COPSOQ III can be used in further research about working environment factors and health and wellbeing in Norway. The extended use of the instrument internationally enables comparative studies, which can increase the knowledge and understanding of similarities and differences between labour markets in different countries. This first validation study shows that the Norwegian version has strong statistical properties like the original, and can be used to assess work environment factors, including relational and emotional risk factors and resources available at the workplace.

Societies of strangers do not speak less complex languages.

Many recent proposals claim that languages adapt to their environments. The linguistic niche hypothesis claims that languages with numerous native speakers and substantial proportions of nonnative speakers (societies of strangers) tend to lose grammatical distinctions. In contrast, languages in small, isolated communities should maintain or expand their grammatical markers. Here, we test these claims using a global dataset of grammatical structures, Grambank. We model the impact of the number of native speakers, the proportion of nonnative speakers, the number of linguistic neighbors, and the status of a language on grammatical complexity while controlling for spatial and phylogenetic autocorrelation. We deconstruct "grammatical complexity" into two separate dimensions: how much morphology a language has ("fusion") and the amount of information obligatorily encoded in the grammar ("informativity"). We find several instances of weak positive associations but no inverse correlations between grammatical complexity and sociodemographic factors. Our findings cast doubt on the widespread claim that grammatical complexity is shaped by the sociolinguistic environment.

Do you read me?

This paper argues that there are three separable but related dimensions that are important to the legal notion of consent. One is a consenting state of mind, the ‘going along with’ a plan of action, which may or may not be communicated or even reflected upon, but which certainly can be. A second is displaying behaviour which reveals or is an expression of consenting. Another is intentionally communicating consent. I illustrate how the communicative act is often vitally important as evidence of an underlying consenting state, but the underlying consenting state has to be postulated and brought to the fore since consensual actions (e.g. sexual intercourse) can, and more often than not do, take place without the communicative acts, and the communicative acts might for various reasons be made in the absence of the genuinely consenting state of mind. The arguments I put forward offer a reframing of cases in which an apparent intentional communication of consent was treated as consent, rather than as a piece of evidence which may or may not be indicative of a consenting state of mind. This paper emphasises that we must not allow the importance of something as evidential to eclipse the underlying phenomenon, which is itself, however hard to access otherwise, the thing of primary legal importance.

A Limit to Accelerated Free-Sintering: Nano-Phase Separation Interferes With Organic Debinding

Nano-phase separating Ni–12 at. pct Ag powders are processed via high-energy ball milling and brought into a supersaturated state with a reduction of the grain size to the nanocrystalline scale, a combination that is designed to encourage rapid densification by phase separation upon heating. This unstable powder is then characterized by dilatometry, in-situ x-ray diffraction, thermogravimetry and microstructure analysis for sintering cycles up to 940 °C. However, these powder compacts exhibit excessive pore evolution and significant macroscopic swelling caused by removal of the organic process additives. This competition of organic removal with densification is known in nanocrystalline metals, but the present study adds an additional dimension of phase separation, which shifts the dominant swelling mechanism as the formation of the second phase traps the volatilizing organics and hinders the debinding process. The creep swelling and overall loss in relative density is then dominated by the creep deformation of the second Ag phase. The interference between organic removal and low-temperature onset of consolidation represents a new challenge to efforts aimed at rapid free sintering and should guide the design of rapidly sintering alloys; specifically, the present work emphasizes the need to select alloys that have their sintering-accelerating phase separation temperature above the range where gases are evolved.

Right in two: capabilities of ion mobility spectrometry for untargeted metabolomics.

This mini review focuses on the opportunities provided by current and emerging separation techniques for mass spectrometry metabolomics. The purpose of separation technologies in metabolomics is primarily to reduce complexity of the heterogeneous systems studied, and to provide concentration enrichment by increasing sensitivity towards the quantification of low abundance metabolites. For this reason, a wide variety of separation systems, from column chemistries to solvent compositions and multidimensional separations, have been applied in the field. Multidimensional separations are a common method in both proteomics applications and gas chromatography mass spectrometry, allowing orthogonal separations to further reduce analytical complexity and expand peak capacity. These applications contribute to exponential increases in run times concomitant with first dimension fractionation followed by second dimension separations. Multidimensional liquid chromatography to increase peak capacity in metabolomics, when compared to the potential of running additional samples or replicates and increasing statistical confidence, mean that uptake of these methods has been minimal. In contrast, in the last 15years there have been significant advances in the resolution and sensitivity of ion mobility spectrometry, to the point where high-resolution separation of analytes based on their collision cross section approaches chromatographic separation, with minimal loss in sensitivity. Additionally, ion mobility separations can be performed on a chromatographic timescale with little reduction in instrument duty cycle. In this review, we compare ion mobility separation to liquid chromatographic separation, highlight the history of the use of ion mobility separations in metabolomics, outline the current state-of-the-art in the field, and discuss the future outlook of the technology. "Where there is one, you're bound to divide it. Right in two", James Maynard Keenan.

Comprehensive reversed-phase×chiral two-dimensional liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole-time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry with post-first dimension flow splitting for untargeted enantioselective amino acid analysis.

This work describes a comprehensive achiral × chiral two-dimensional liquid chromatography separation for enantioselective amino acid analysis coupled to electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry detection using data-independent acquisition. Flow splitting after the first and second dimension separation was utilized for volumetric flow reduction and for enabling a multi-detector approach (with ultraviolet, fluorescence, charged aerosol, and MS detection), respectively. Derivatization with 6-aminoquinolyl-N-hydroxysuccinimidyl carbamate provided a chromophore, a fluorophore, and an efficient mass tag for efficient ionization in positive electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry. Chiral columns often have limitations in terms of their chemoselectivity, which may be a problem when complex sample mixtures with structurally related compounds need to be separated. It can be alleviated by a reversed-phase×chiral two-dimensional-liquid chromatography setup, in which the first dimension provides the chemoselectivity and a chiral tandem column constituted of quinine-carbamate derived weak anion-exchanger and zwitterionic ion-exchanger in the second dimension separation of D- and L-amino acid enantiomers. The method was used to control the stereointegrity of the therapeutic peptide octreotide. After hydrolysis, all amino acid constituents were detected with the correct configuration and composition. Some options for flow splitting and integration of destructive detectors in the first dimension separation are outlined.

Optimum collision energies for proteomics: The impact of ion mobility separation.

Ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) is a widespread separation technique used in various research fields. It can be coupled to liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) methods providing an additional separation dimension. During IMS, ions are subjected to multiple collisions with buffer gas, which may cause significant ion heating. The present project addresses this phenomenon from the bottom-up proteomics point of view. We performed LC-MS/MS measurements on a cyclic ion mobility mass spectrometer with varied collision energy (CE) settings both with and without IMS. We investigated the CE dependence of identification score, using Byonic search engine, for more than 1000 tryptic peptides from HeLa digest standard. We determined the optimal CE values-giving the highest identification score-for both setups (i.e., with and without IMS). Results show that lower CE is advantageous when IMS separation is applied, by 6.3 V on average. This value belongs to the one-cycle separation configuration, and multiple cycles may supposedly have even larger impact. The effect of IMS is also reflected in the trends of optimal CE values versus m/z functions. The parameters suggested by the manufacturer were found to be almost optimal for the setup without IMS; on the other hand, they are obviously too high with IMS. Practical consideration on setting up a mass spectrometric platform hyphenated to IMS is also presented. Furthermore, the two CID (collision induced dissociation) fragmentation cells of the instrument-located before and after the IMS cell-were also compared, and we found that CE adjustment is needed when the trap cell is used for activation instead of the transfer cell. Data have been deposited in the MassIVE repository (MSV000090944).

“Blockchain in government: toward an evaluation framework”

The adoption of a new technology such as Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) in government is a complex process with numerous potential benefits, but also costs and risks. Early pilots introducing DLT into the public sector show that its potential impact will likely vary depending on the context, including, the type of public service. Even within the same public service, the impact of DLT might be distinct for each of the stakeholders involved (the government, civil servants and citizens, among others). As the public sector is diverse, it is critical to get a proper analysis and understanding of the process of introduction of this technology, which encompasses the different dimensions that play a role in the process. This paper presents an original and multi-dimensional evaluation framework to analyze and compare the benefits, costs and risks of the introduction of DLT in the public sector. It considers a comprehensive set of factors, identified and extracted after conducting a systematic review of the literature, representing potential benefits, costs and risks of DLT in the public sector. These are categorized into four separate dimensions: technological, socio-economic, organizational-cultural, and institutional (legal and political). This evaluation framework has been designed to be used by policy-makers interested in analyzing and comparing the benefits and risks of the introduction of DLT in real-world applications of this technology in the public sector.

Prevalent falls, fall frequencies and health-related quality of life among community-dwelling older Chinese adults.

Fall is a serious health hazard to older adults. The aim of our study was to investigate the relationship between falls and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in mainland China. Data from 4579 Chinese community-dwelling older adults was analyzed. Data of falls was self-reported by participants, the HRQOL of older adults was measured by the 3-Level EQ-5D (EQ-5D-3L, 3L). Regression models were built to explore the associations of falls (experience and frequency) with the 3L data (index score, EQ-VAS score and health problems). The potential interaction effects between falls and gender on HRQOL were assessed using a likelihood ratio test, sex-stratified analysis was also performed to separately investigate the associations in men and women. A total of 368 (8.0%) participants had the experience of fall during the last year. Falls (experience and frequency) were significantly related to EQ-5D-3L index and EQ-VAS scores, fall experience contributed to pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression problems, while fall frequency was associated with physical-related problems and pain/discomfort. Significant interactions between falls and sex in several EQ-5D measures were also observed, and men had lager magnitude of associations than women. Falls were negative associated with overall HRQOL as well as separate HRQOL dimensions among older adults. It also appears that the HRQOL influence on older men is more evident than older women.

User Satisfaction and Dissatisfaction: Bipolar versus Unipolar Conceptualizations

ABSTRACT User satisfaction is a longstanding determinant of information systems (IS) post-adoption continuance intention. Traditionally, user satisfaction has been conceptualized as a bipolar continuum, stretching from high dissatisfaction to high satisfaction, with neutrality as a midpoint. This view may limit the effectiveness of user satisfaction measurements as it implies that users cannot experience mixed feelings of satisfaction and dissatisfaction. However, users often have simultaneous mixed feelings. By considering user satisfaction and dissatisfaction as separate unipolar dimensions, each ranging from neutral to high, we address the limitation of the bipolar approach. Data collected from an online survey supports this unipolar perspective, enabling the representation of mixed feelings and mitigating the limitations of the bipolar view. Furthermore, both user satisfaction and dissatisfaction uniquely contribute to continuance intention, broadening our understanding of user post-adoption behavior. This study paves the way for future research on the antecedents and consequences of user satisfaction and dissatisfaction.

Dört Çubuk Mekanizmalı Diz Protezlerinin Arı Algoritması ve Genetik Algoritma ile Boyut Optimizasyonu

: In knee prostheses, the curve of the instantaneous center of rotation (ICR) and, therefore, stability of the prothesis are the most important parameters to be considered. The ICR curve depends on many parameters. One of them and the most effective one is the dimensions of four bar mechanism. In polycentric knee mechanisms, it has become inevitable to use optimization techniques while determining the dimensions of the mechanism for the stability of the prosthesis in the stance position. In this study, definitions of knee prostheses and polycentric knee mechanisms are given, optimization studies written in this field are mentioned thorough literature research. The study aims to find mechanism dimensions that gives ICR curve close to the reference curve by optimizing the mechanism dimensions of four-bar knee mechanisms. The Bees Algorithm and Genetic Algorithm (GA) were used for this purpose. The limits and objective function for the optimization were determined, and after many trials, separate mechanism dimensions with The Bees Algorithm and the Genetic Algorithm are obtained. By comparing the results, it has been observed that the dimensions obtained by The Bees Algorithm produced a better approximation to the reference instantaneous center of rotation curve.

Quantum Multi-Agent Meta Reinforcement Learning

Although quantum supremacy is yet to come, there has recently been an increasing interest in identifying the potential of quantum machine learning (QML) in the looming era of practical quantum computing. Motivated by this, in this article we re-design multi-agent reinforcement learning (MARL) based on the unique characteristics of quantum neural networks (QNNs) having two separate dimensions of trainable parameters: angle parameters affecting the output qubit states, and pole parameters associated with the output measurement basis. Exploiting this dyadic trainability as meta-learning capability, we propose quantum meta MARL (QM2ARL) that first applies angle training for meta-QNN learning, followed by pole training for few-shot or local-QNN training. To avoid overfitting, we develop an angle-to-pole regularization technique injecting noise into the pole domain during angle training. Furthermore, by exploiting the pole as the memory address of each trained QNN, we introduce the concept of pole memory allowing one to save and load trained QNNs using only two-parameter pole values. We theoretically prove the convergence of angle training under the angle-to-pole regularization, and by simulation corroborate the effectiveness of QM2ARL in achieving high reward and fast convergence, as well as of the pole memory in fast adaptation to a time-varying environment.