Factors Influencing Successful Prescribing by Intern Doctors: A Qualitative Systematic Review.

PubMed

R Hansen, Christina; Bradley, Colin P; Sahm, Laura J

2016-08-24

As the majority of prescribing in hospital is undertaken by intern doctors, the aims of this systematic review were to compile the evidence of the qualitative literature on the views and experiences of intern doctors and to examine the role of the pharmacist in assisting in prescribing by interns. A systematic review of the qualitative literature was done according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) Statement. The findings were synthesized using thematic analysis. Seven publications were included. Factors influencing prescribing behaviour were related to the environment; collaboration in medical teams; hierarchical structures; and patient and individual factors. This review confirmed that interns' prescribing behaviour is influenced by multiple factors, and further highlighted the need for an educational intervention that supports the intern completing the prescribing task in a complex environment, and not just addresses the presumed knowledge gap(s).

The Factor Structure of the English Language Development Assessment: A Confirmatory Factor Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuriakose, Anju

2011-01-01

This study investigated the internal factor structure of the English language development Assessment (ELDA) using confirmatory factor analysis. ELDA is an English language proficiency test developed by a consortium of multiple states and is used to identify and reclassify English language learners in kindergarten to grade 12. Scores on item…

Factors Influencing Successful Prescribing by Intern Doctors: A Qualitative Systematic Review

PubMed Central

R. Hansen, Christina; Bradley, Colin P.; Sahm, Laura J.

2016-01-01

As the majority of prescribing in hospital is undertaken by intern doctors, the aims of this systematic review were to compile the evidence of the qualitative literature on the views and experiences of intern doctors and to examine the role of the pharmacist in assisting in prescribing by interns. A systematic review of the qualitative literature was done according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) Statement. The findings were synthesized using thematic analysis. Seven publications were included. Factors influencing prescribing behaviour were related to the environment; collaboration in medical teams; hierarchical structures; and patient and individual factors. This review confirmed that interns’ prescribing behaviour is influenced by multiple factors, and further highlighted the need for an educational intervention that supports the intern completing the prescribing task in a complex environment, and not just addresses the presumed knowledge gap(s). PMID:28970397

The Iranian version of 12-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12): factor structure, internal consistency and construct validity.

PubMed

Montazeri, Ali; Vahdaninia, Mariam; Mousavi, Sayed Javad; Omidvari, Speideh

2009-09-16

The 12-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12) as a shorter alternative of the SF-36 is largely used in health outcomes surveys. The aim of this study was to validate the SF-12 in Iran. A random sample of the general population aged 15 years and over living in Tehran, Iran completed the SF-12. Reliability was estimated using internal consistency and validity was assessed using known groups comparison and convergent validity. In addition, the factor structure of the questionnaire was extracted by performing both exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). In all, 5587 individuals were studied (2721 male and 2866 female). The mean age and formal education of the respondents were 35.1 (SD = 15.4) and 10.2 (SD = 4.4) years respectively. The results showed satisfactory internal consistency for both summary measures, that are the Physical Component Summary (PCS) and the Mental Component Summary (MCS); Cronbach's alpha for PCS-12 and MCS-12 was 0.73 and 0.72, respectively. Known-groups comparison showed that the SF-12 discriminated well between men and women and those who differed in age and educational status (P < 0.001). In addition, correlations between the SF-12 scales and single items showed that the physical functioning, role physical, bodily pain and general health subscales correlated higher with the PCS-12 score, while the vitality, social functioning, role emotional and mental health subscales more correlated with the MCS-12 score lending support to its good convergent validity. Finally the principal component analysis indicated a two-factor structure (physical and mental health) that jointly accounted for 57.8% of the variance. The confirmatory factory analysis also indicated a good fit to the data for the two-latent structure (physical and mental health). In general the findings suggest that the SF-12 is a reliable and valid measure of health related quality of life among Iranian population. However, further studies are needed to

Factor structure and internal consistency of the Greek version of the Flow State Scale.

PubMed

Doganis, G; Iosifidou, P; Vlachopoulos, S

2000-12-01

The present study tested the internal consistency and the factor struc ture of a translated version of the Flow State Scale with Greek sport participants. Sport psychology literature is not conclusive regarding sex differences and the type of sport in flow. The sample was comprised of 144 women from interactive sports (volleyball and handball) who were drawn from the second division of the first national category. Athletes completed the scale immediately after a game. Values of Cronbach alpha were used to estimate the internal consistency of the scale and confirmatory factor analysis to examine the model. The results showed acceptable psychometric prop erties of the scale and suggest a need for improvement of the problematic items.

Factors associated with intern fatigue.

PubMed

Friesen, Lindsay D; Vidyarthi, Arpana R; Baron, Robert B; Katz, Patricia P

2008-12-01

Prior data suggest that fatigue adversely affects patient safety and resident well-being. ACGME duty hour limitations were intended, in part, to reduce resident fatigue, but the factors that affect intern fatigue are unknown. To identify factors associated with intern fatigue following implementation of duty hour limitations. Cross-sectional confidential survey of validated questions related to fatigue, sleep, and stress, as well as author-developed teamwork questions. Interns in cognitive specialties at the University of California, San Francisco. Univariate statistics characterized the distribution of responses. Pearson correlations elucidated bivariate relationships between fatigue and other variables. Multivariate linear regression models identified factors independently associated with fatigue, sleep, and stress. Of 111 eligible interns, 66 responded (59%). In a regression analysis including gender, hours worked in the previous week, sleep quality, perceived stress, and teamwork, only poorer quality of sleep and greater perceived stress were significantly associated with fatigue (p < 0.001 and p = 0.02, respectively). To identify factors that may affect sleep, specifically duty hours and stress, a secondary model was constructed. Only greater perceived stress was significantly associated with diminished sleep quality (p = 0.04), and only poorer teamwork was significantly associated with perceived stress (p < 0.001). Working >80 h was not significantly associated with perceived stress, quality of sleep, or fatigue. Simply decreasing the number of duty hours may be insufficient to reduce intern fatigue. Residency programs may need to incorporate programmatic changes to reduce stress, improve sleep quality, and foster teamwork in order to decrease intern fatigue and its deleterious consequences.

The Specific Level of Functioning Scale: construct validity, internal consistency and factor structure in a large Italian sample of people with schizophrenia living in the community.

PubMed

Mucci, Armida; Rucci, Paola; Rocca, Paola; Bucci, Paola; Gibertoni, Dino; Merlotti, Eleonora; Galderisi, Silvana; Maj, Mario

2014-10-01

The study aimed to assess the construct validity, internal consistency and factor structure of the Specific Levels of Functioning Scale (SLOF), a multidimensional instrument assessing real life functioning. The study was carried out in 895 Italian people with schizophrenia, all living in the community and attending the outpatient units of 26 university psychiatric clinics and/or community mental health departments. The construct validity of the SLOF was analyzed by means of the multitrait-multimethod approach, using the Personal and Social Performance (PSP) Scale as the gold standard. The factor structure of the SLOF was examined using both an exploratory principal component analysis and a confirmatory factor analysis. The six factors identified using exploratory principal component analysis explained 57.1% of the item variance. The examination of the multitrait-multimethod matrix revealed that the SLOF factors had high correlations with PSP factors measuring the same constructs and low correlations with PSP factors measuring different constructs. The confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) corroborated the 6-factor structure reported in the original validation study. Loadings were all significant and ranged from a minimum of 0.299 to a maximum of 0.803. The CFA model was adequately powered and had satisfactory goodness of fit indices (comparative fit index=0.927, Tucker-Lewis index=0.920 and root mean square error of approximation=0.047, 95% CI 0.045-0.049). The present study confirms, in a large sample of Italian people with schizophrenia living in the community, that the SLOF is a reliable and valid instrument for the assessment of social functioning. It has good construct validity and internal consistency, and a well-defined factor structure. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Internalized Homophobia Scale for Gay Chinese Men: Conceptualization, Factor Structure, Reliability, and Associations With Hypothesized Correlates.

PubMed

Ren, Zhengjia; Hood, Ralph W

2018-04-01

This study reports the development of an inventory to assess the perceived internalized homophobia of gay men in a collectivistic Chinese cultural context. The results of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses using two samples suggested the viability and stability of a three-factor model: internalized heteronormativity (IHN), family-oriented identity (FOI), and socially oriented identity (SOI). The 11-item internalized homophobia inventory demonstrated good internal consistency and construct validity. Internalized homophobia was related positively to the extent of a sense of loneliness and negatively to self-evaluation and the discrepancy in self-identification as a gay man. In addition, the participants' internalized SOI consistently predicted their coming out choices in their social surroundings, while their FOI predicted their decisions to enter into heterosexual marriages. The findings suggest that sexual self-prejudice was correlated with IHN, family values, and social norms. The present research demonstrates that a culturally sensitive scale is necessary to understand the cultural and family-oriented values that influence gay Chinese men's everyday lives, self-constructs, and behavioral choices.

The Iranian version of 12-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12): factor structure, internal consistency and construct validity

PubMed Central

Montazeri, Ali; Vahdaninia, Mariam; Mousavi, Sayed Javad; Omidvari, Speideh

2009-01-01

Background The 12-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12) as a shorter alternative of the SF-36 is largely used in health outcomes surveys. The aim of this study was to validate the SF-12 in Iran. Methods A random sample of the general population aged 15 years and over living in Tehran, Iran completed the SF-12. Reliability was estimated using internal consistency and validity was assessed using known groups comparison and convergent validity. In addition, the factor structure of the questionnaire was extracted by performing both exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Results: In all, 5587 individuals were studied (2721 male and 2866 female). The mean age and formal education of the respondents were 35.1 (SD = 15.4) and 10.2 (SD = 4.4) years respectively. The results showed satisfactory internal consistency for both summary measures, that are the Physical Component Summary (PCS) and the Mental Component Summary (MCS); Cronbach's α for PCS-12 and MCS-12 was 0.73 and 0.72, respectively. Known-groups comparison showed that the SF-12 discriminated well between men and women and those who differed in age and educational status (P < 0.001). In addition, correlations between the SF-12 scales and single items showed that the physical functioning, role physical, bodily pain and general health subscales correlated higher with the PCS-12 score, while the vitality, social functioning, role emotional and mental health subscales more correlated with the MCS-12 score lending support to its good convergent validity. Finally the principal component analysis indicated a two-factor structure (physical and mental health) that jointly accounted for 57.8% of the variance. The confirmatory factory analysis also indicated a good fit to the data for the two-latent structure (physical and mental health). Conclusion In general the findings suggest that the SF-12 is a reliable and valid measure of health related quality of life among Iranian population

Factors Associated with Intern Fatigue

PubMed Central

Vidyarthi, Arpana R.; Baron, Robert B.; Katz, Patricia P.

2008-01-01

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND Prior data suggest that fatigue adversely affects patient safety and resident well-being. ACGME duty hour limitations were intended, in part, to reduce resident fatigue, but the factors that affect intern fatigue are unknown. OBJECTIVE To identify factors associated with intern fatigue following implementation of duty hour limitations. DESIGN Cross-sectional confidential survey of validated questions related to fatigue, sleep, and stress, as well as author-developed teamwork questions. SUBJECTS Interns in cognitive specialties at the University of California, San Francisco. MEASUREMENTS Univariate statistics characterized the distribution of responses. Pearson correlations elucidated bivariate relationships between fatigue and other variables. Multivariate linear regression models identified factors independently associated with fatigue, sleep, and stress. RESULTS Of 111 eligible interns, 66 responded (59%). In a regression analysis including gender, hours worked in the previous week, sleep quality, perceived stress, and teamwork, only poorer quality of sleep and greater perceived stress were significantly associated with fatigue (p < 0.001 and p = 0.02, respectively). To identify factors that may affect sleep, specifically duty hours and stress, a secondary model was constructed. Only greater perceived stress was significantly associated with diminished sleep quality (p = 0.04), and only poorer teamwork was significantly associated with perceived stress (p < 0.001). Working >80 h was not significantly associated with perceived stress, quality of sleep, or fatigue. CONCLUSIONS Simply decreasing the number of duty hours may be insufficient to reduce intern fatigue. Residency programs may need to incorporate programmatic changes to reduce stress, improve sleep quality, and foster teamwork in order to decrease intern fatigue and its deleterious consequences. PMID:18807096

Factor structure of the functional movement screen in marine officer candidates.

PubMed

Kazman, Josh B; Galecki, Jeffrey M; Lisman, Peter; Deuster, Patricia A; OʼConnor, Francis G

2014-03-01

Functional movement screening (FMS) is a musculoskeletal assessment that is intended to fill a gap between preparticipation examinations and performance tests. Functional movement screening consists of 7 standardized movements involving multiple muscle groups that are rated 0-3 during performance; scores are combined into a final score, which is intended to predict injury risk. This use of a sum-score in this manner assumes that the items are unidimensional and scores are internally consistent, which are measures of internal reliability. Despite research into the FMS' predictive value and interrater reliability, research has not assessed its psychometric properties. The present study is a standard psychometric analysis of the FMS and is the first to assess the internal consistency and factor structure of the FMS, using Cronbach's alpha and exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Using a cohort of 877 male and 57 female Marine officer candidates who performed the FMS, EFA of polychoric correlations with varimax rotation was conducted to explore the structure of the FMS. Tests were repeated on the original scores, which integrated feelings of pain during movement (0-3), and then on scores discounting the pain instruction and based only on the performance (1-3), to determine whether pain ratings affected the factor structure. The average FMS score was 16.7 ± 1.8. Cronbach's alpha was 0.39. Exploratory factor analysis availed 2 components accounting for 21 and 17% and consisting of separate individual movements (shoulder mobility and deep squat, respectively). Analysis on scores discounting pain showed similar results. The factor structures were not interpretable, and the low Cronbach's alpha suggests a lack of internal consistency in FMS sum scores. Results do not offer support for validity of the FMS sum score as a unidimensional construct. In the absence of additional psychometric research, caution is warranted when using the FMS sum score.

[Factor analysis and internal consistency of pedagogical practices questionnaire among health care teachers].

PubMed

Pérez V, Cristhian; Vaccarezza G, Giulietta; Aguilar A, César; Coloma N, Katherine; Salgado F, Horacio; Baquedano R, Marjorie; Chavarría R, Carla; Bastías V, Nancy

2016-06-01

Teaching practice is one of the most complex topics of the training process in medicine and other health care careers. The Teaching Practices Questionnaire (TPQ) evaluates teaching skills. To assess the factor structure and internal consistency of the Spanish version of the TPP among health care teachers. The TPQ was answered by 315 university teachers from 13 of the 15 administrative Chilean regions, who were selected through a non-probabilistic volunteer sampling. The internal consistency of TPP factors was calculated and the correlation between them was analyzed. Six factors were identified: Student-centered teaching, Teaching planning, Assessment process, Dialogue relationship, Teacher-centered teaching and Use of technological resources. They had Cronbach alphas ranging from 0.60 to 0.85. The factorial structure of TPQ differentiates the most important functions of teaching. It also shows a theoretical consistency and a practical relevance to perform a diagnosis and continuous evaluation of teaching practices. Additionally, it has an adequate internal consistency. Thus, TPQ is valid and reliable to evaluate pedagogical practices in health care careers.

The factor structure of the illness attitude scales in a German population.

PubMed

Weck, Florian; Bleichhardt, Gaby; Hiller, Wolfgang

2009-01-01

The illness attitudes scales (IAS) were developed to identify different dimensions of hypochondrical attitudes, fears, beliefs, and abnormal illness behavior (Kellner 1986). Although there are several studies which focus on the scale structure of the IAS, the factor structure has not yet been made quite clear. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the factor structure of the IAS on a large representative sample. Participants (N = 1,575) comparable with the general German population regarding sex, age, and education level completed the IAS. For the data analyses, a principal components analyses with subsequent oblique rotations was used. The minimum average partial method suggested a three-factor solution. The three factors were named (1) health anxiety, (2) health behavior, and (3) health habits. Internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) for the three scales were (1) alpha = 0.88, (2) alpha = 0.75, and (3) alpha = 0.56. The results support previous findings, namely that the IAS factor structure appears to be less complex than originally suggested by the author. For a sample of the general German population, a three-factor solution fit best. Further items should be added to improve the internal consistency, especially for the third scale (health habits).

Three-and-a-half-factor model? The genetic and environmental structure of the CBCL/6-18 internalizing grouping.

PubMed

Franić, Sanja; Dolan, Conor V; Borsboom, Denny; van Beijsterveldt, Catherina E M; Boomsma, Dorret I

2014-05-01

In the present article, multivariate genetic item analyses were employed to address questions regarding the ontology and the genetic and environmental etiology of the Anxious/Depressed, Withdrawn, and Somatic Complaints syndrome dimensions of the Internalizing grouping of the Child Behavior Checklist/6-18 (CBCL/6-18). Using common and independent pathway genetic factor modeling, it was examined whether these syndrome dimensions can be ascribed a realist ontology. Subsequently, the structures of the genetic and environmental influences giving rise to the observed symptom covariation were examined. Maternal ratings of a population-based sample of 17,511 Dutch twins of mean age 7.4 (SD = 0.4) on the items of the Internalizing grouping of the Dutch CBCL/6-18 were analyzed. Applications of common and independent pathway modeling demonstrated that the Internalizing syndrome dimensions may be better understood as a composite of unconstrained genetic and environmental influences than as causally relevant entities generating the observed symptom covariation. Furthermore, the results indicate a common genetic basis for anxiety, depression, and withdrawn behavior, with the distinction between these syndromes being driven by the individual-specific environment. Implications for the substantive interpretation of these syndrome dimensions are discussed.

Internal shocks in microquasar jets with a continuous Lorentz factor modulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pjanka, Patryk; Stone, James M.

2018-06-01

We perform relativistic hydrodynamic simulations of internal shocks formed in microquasar jets by continuous variation of the bulk Lorentz factor, in order to investigate the internal shock model. We consider one-, two-, and flicker noise 20-mode variability. We observe emergence of a forward-reverse shock structure for each peak of the Lorentz factor modulation. The high pressure in the shocked layer launches powerful outflows perpendicular to the jet beam into the ambient medium. These outflows dominate the details of the jet's kinetic energy thermalization. They are responsible for mixing between the jet and the surrounding medium and generate powerful shocks in the latter. These results do not concur with the popular picture of well-defined internal shells depositing energy as they collide within the confines of the jet, in fact collisions between internal shells themselves are quite rare in our continuous formulation of the problem. For each of our simulations, we calculate the internal energy deposited in the system, the `efficiency' of this deposition (defined as the ratio of internal to total flow energy), and the maximum temperature reached in order to make connections to emission mechanisms. We probe the dependence of these diagnostics on the Lorentz factor variation amplitudes, modulation frequencies, as well as the initial density ratio between the jet and the ambient medium.

Internal quantum efficiency enhancement of GaInN/GaN quantum-well structures using Ag nanoparticles

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Iida, Daisuke; Department of Photonics Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Lyngby; Faculty of Science and Technology, Meijo University, 1-501 Shiogamaguchi Tempaku, 468-8502 Nagoya

2015-09-15

We report internal quantum efficiency enhancement of thin p-GaN green quantum-well structure using self-assembled Ag nanoparticles. Temperature dependent photoluminescence measurements are conducted to determine the internal quantum efficiency. The impact of excitation power density on the enhancement factor is investigated. We obtain an internal quantum efficiency enhancement by a factor of 2.3 at 756 W/cm{sup 2}, and a factor of 8.1 at 1 W/cm{sup 2}. A Purcell enhancement up to a factor of 26 is estimated by fitting the experimental results to a theoretical model for the efficiency enhancement factor.

The Internalizing and Externalizing Structure of Psychiatric Comorbidity in Combat Veterans

PubMed Central

Miller, Mark W.; Fogler, Jason M.; Wolf, Erika J.; Kaloupek, Danny G.; Keane, Terence M.

2013-01-01

This study examined the latent structure of psychiatric disorders in a sample with a high prevalence of PTSD. A series of confirmatory factor analyses tested competing models for the covariation between SCID diagnoses among 1,325 Vietnam veterans. The best fitting solution was a three-factor model that included two correlated internalizing factors: anxious-misery, defined by PTSD and major depression, and fear, defined by panic disorder/agoraphobia and obsessive-compulsive disorder. The third factor, externalizing, was defined by antisocial personality disorder, alcohol abuse/dependence, and drug abuse/dependence. Both substance-related disorders also showed significant, albeit smaller, cross-loadings on the anxious-misery factor. These findings shed new light on the structure of psychiatric comorbidity in a treatment-seeking sample characterized by high rates of PTSD. PMID:18302181

Health Promotion Behavior of Chinese International Students in Korea Including Acculturation Factors: A Structural Equation Model.

PubMed

Kim, Sun Jung; Yoo, Il Young

2016-03-01

The purpose of this study was to explain the health promotion behavior of Chinese international students in Korea using a structural equation model including acculturation factors. A survey using self-administered questionnaires was employed. Data were collected from 272 Chinese students who have resided in Korea for longer than 6 months. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The p value of final model is .31. The fitness parameters of the final model such as goodness of fit index, adjusted goodness of fit index, normed fit index, non-normed fit index, and comparative fit index were more than .95. Root mean square of residual and root mean square error of approximation also met the criteria. Self-esteem, perceived health status, acculturative stress and acculturation level had direct effects on health promotion behavior of the participants and the model explained 30.0% of variance. The Chinese students in Korea with higher self-esteem, perceived health status, acculturation level, and lower acculturative stress reported higher health promotion behavior. The findings can be applied to develop health promotion strategies for this population. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

[Study on the resilience internal factors in a sample of Puerto Rican centenarians].

PubMed

Rosado-Medina, José J; Rodríguez-Gómez, José R; Altieri-Ramirez, Gladys

2012-01-01

Old age is a stage that is usually characterized by lost at the physiological, psychological and social level that generates much distress to individuals. However, the centenaries have been identified as an example of successful aging, within other factors, because they have adequate managed skills that help them to deal with healthy normal losses. Resilience could be one of the factors that may help the Centennials to age successfully. It is necessary more studies with Puerto Rico Centennials since we lack such investigations. This study has an expo facto design; in addition we evaluate psychometrically the Symptoms Check List 90-R (SCL-90-R). The scale of Internal Resilience Factors (EFIR), a semi structured interview and the SCL-90-R were used to identify factors associated with successful aging in the centennials. In addition we explore if there exist gender differences in internal factors of resilience within the sample. 23 Centennials, 15 men and 8 women, of different parts of Puerto Rico (average age = 101. 5 years). Internal resilience factors associated with the aging process were identifying, those were: emotional stability, optimism, behavioral factor and behavioral and emotional skills component. These factors are consistent with the revised literature on positive emotions and adaptive ageing. On the other hand, no statistically significant difference was identified (p <. 05) for the internal factors of resilience on the basis of gender, a finding agreed with the revised literature. The multiple tests administered showed adequate internal consistency (EFIR: (=. 726); SCL-90-R: (=. 941). The Symptoms Check list 90-R (SCL-90-R) was valid with a Cronbach's alpha of. 941. We identified internal resilience factors that could be linked with successfully aging: those factors are encouraging the elderly population. In addition used tests showed adequate internal consistency. Limitations in relation to the size of the sample and the distribution of gender were

External Factors, Internal Factors and Self-Directed Learning Readiness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramli, Nurjannah; Muljono, Pudji; Afendi, Farit M.

2018-01-01

There are many factors which affect the level of self-directed learning readiness. This study aims to investigate the relationship between external factors, internal factors and self-directed learning readiness. This study was carried out by using a census method for fourth year students of medical program of Tadulako University. Data were…

A review and evaluation of the internal structure and consistency of the Approaches to Teaching Inventory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harshman, Jordan; Stains, Marilyne

2017-05-01

This study presents a review from 39 studies that provide evidence for the structural validity and internal consistency of the Approaches to Teaching Inventory (ATI). In addition to this review, we evaluate many alternative factor structures on a sample of 267 first- and second-year chemistry faculty members participating in a professional development, a sample of instructors for which the ATI was originally designed. A total of 26 unique factor structures were evaluated. Through robust checking of assumptions, compilations of existing evidence, and new exploratory and confirmatory analyses, we found that there is greater evidence for the structural validity and internal consistency for the 22-item ATI than the 16-item ATI. Additionally, evidence supporting the original two-factor and four-factor structures proposed by the ATI authors (focusing on information transmission and conceptual change) were not reproducible and while alternative models were empirically viable, more theoretical justification is warranted. Recommendations for ATI use and general comments regarding best practices of reporting psychometrics in educational research contexts are discussed.

Organizational Structures that Support Internal Program Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lambur, Michael T.

2008-01-01

This chapter explores how the structure of large complex organizations such as Cooperative Extension affects their ability to support internal evaluation of their programs and activities. Following a literature review of organizational structure and its relation to internal evaluation capacity, the chapter presents the results of interviews with…

International factors in the formation of refugee movements.

PubMed

Zolberg, A R; Suhrke, A; Aguayo, S

1986-01-01

The authors construct a theoretical framework for analyzing factors influencing international refugee movements. "On the basis of detailed case studies by the authors of the principal refugee flows generated in Asia, Africa, and Latin America from approximately 1960 to the present, it was found that international factors often intrude both directly and indirectly on the major types of social conflict that trigger refugee flows, and tend to exacerbate their effects. Refugees are also produced by conflicts that are manifestly international, but which are themselves often related to internal social conflict among the antagonists." excerpt

A search for structurally similar cellular internal ribosome entry sites

PubMed Central

Baird, Stephen D.; Lewis, Stephen M.; Turcotte, Marcel; Holcik, Martin

2007-01-01

Internal ribosome entry sites (IRES) allow ribosomes to be recruited to mRNA in a cap-independent manner. Some viruses that impair cap-dependent translation initiation utilize IRES to ensure that the viral RNA will efficiently compete for the translation machinery. IRES are also employed for the translation of a subset of cellular messages during conditions that inhibit cap-dependent translation initiation. IRES from viruses like Hepatitis C and Classical Swine Fever virus share a similar structure/function without sharing primary sequence similarity. Of the cellular IRES structures derived so far, none were shown to share an overall structural similarity. Therefore, we undertook a genome-wide search of human 5′UTRs (untranslated regions) with an empirically derived structure of the IRES from the key inhibitor of apoptosis, X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP), to identify novel IRES that share structure/function similarity. Three of the top matches identified by this search that exhibit IRES activity are the 5′UTRs of Aquaporin 4, ELG1 and NF-kappaB repressing factor (NRF). The structures of AQP4 and ELG1 IRES have limited similarity to the XIAP IRES; however, they share trans-acting factors that bind the XIAP IRES. We therefore propose that cellular IRES are not defined by overall structure, as viral IRES, but are instead dependent upon short motifs and trans-acting factors for their function. PMID:17591613

Internal Stress Monitoring of In-Service Structural Steel Members with Ultrasonic Method

PubMed Central

Li, Zuohua; He, Jingbo; Teng, Jun; Wang, Ying

2016-01-01

Internal stress in structural steel members is an important parameter for steel structures in their design, construction, and service stages. However, it is hard to measure via traditional approaches. Among the existing non-destructive testing (NDT) methods, the ultrasonic method has received the most research attention. Longitudinal critically refracted (Lcr) waves, which propagate parallel to the surface of the material within an effective depth, have shown great potential as an effective stress measurement approach. This paper presents a systematic non-destructive evaluation method to determine the internal stress in in-service structural steel members using Lcr waves. Based on theory of acoustoelasticity, a stress evaluation formula is derived. Factor of stress to acoustic time difference is used to describe the relationship between stress and measurable acoustic results. A testing facility is developed and used to demonstrate the performance of the proposed method. Two steel members are measured by using the proposed method and the traditional strain gauge method for verification. Parametric studies are performed on three steel members and the aluminum plate to investigate the factors that influence the testing results. The results show that the proposed method is effective and accurate for determining stress in in-service structural steel members. PMID:28773347

Internal Stress Monitoring of In-Service Structural Steel Members with Ultrasonic Method.

PubMed

Li, Zuohua; He, Jingbo; Teng, Jun; Wang, Ying

2016-03-23

Internal stress in structural steel members is an important parameter for steel structures in their design, construction, and service stages. However, it is hard to measure via traditional approaches. Among the existing non-destructive testing (NDT) methods, the ultrasonic method has received the most research attention. Longitudinal critically refracted (Lcr) waves, which propagate parallel to the surface of the material within an effective depth, have shown great potential as an effective stress measurement approach. This paper presents a systematic non-destructive evaluation method to determine the internal stress in in-service structural steel members using Lcr waves. Based on theory of acoustoelasticity, a stress evaluation formula is derived. Factor of stress to acoustic time difference is used to describe the relationship between stress and measurable acoustic results. A testing facility is developed and used to demonstrate the performance of the proposed method. Two steel members are measured by using the proposed method and the traditional strain gauge method for verification. Parametric studies are performed on three steel members and the aluminum plate to investigate the factors that influence the testing results. The results show that the proposed method is effective and accurate for determining stress in in-service structural steel members.

Structural barriers and facilitators in HIV prevention: a review of international research.

PubMed

Parker, R G; Easton, D; Klein, C H

2000-06-01

This article provides an overview of a growing body of international research focusing on the structural and environmental factors that shape the spread of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and create barriers and facilitators in relation to HIV-prevention programs. OVERVIEW OF STRUCTURAL-FACTORS LITERATURE: Most of the research on structural and environmental factors can be grouped into a small number of analytically distinct but interconnected categories: economic (under)development and poverty; mobility, including migration, seasonal work, and social disruption due to war and political instability; and gender inequalities. An additional focus in research on structural and environmental factors has been on the effects of particular governmental and intergovernmental policies in increasing or diminishing HIV vulnerability and transmission. A smaller subset of the research on structural factors describes and/or evaluates specific interventions in detail. Approaches that have received significant attention include targeted interventions developed for heterosexual women, female commercial sex workers, male truck drivers, and men who have sex with men. The structural and environmental factors literature offers important insights and reveals a number of productive intervention strategies that might be explored in both resource-rich and -poor settings. However, new methodologies are required to document and evaluate the effects of the structural interventions, which by their very nature involve large-scale elements that cannot be easily controlled by experimental or quasi-experimental research designs. Innovative, interdisciplinary approaches are needed that can move beyond the limited successes of traditional behavioral interventions and explicitly attempt to achieve broader social and structural change.

Identifying the Community Structure of the Food-Trade International Multi-Network

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Torreggiani, S.; Mangioni, G.

2018-01-01

Achieving international food security requires improved understanding of how international trade networks connect countries around the world through the import-export flows of food commodities. The properties of international food trade networks are still poorly documented, especially from a multi-network perspective. In particular, nothing is known about the multi-network's community structure. Here we find that the individual crop-specific layers of the multi-network have densely connected trading groups, a consistent characteristic over the period 2001-2011. Further, the multi-network is characterized by low variability over this period but with substantial heterogeneity across layers in each year. In particular, the layers are mostly assortative: more-intensively connected countries tend to import from and export to countries that are themselves more connected. We also fit econometric models to identify social, economic and geographic factors explaining the probability that any two countries are co-present in the same community. Our estimates indicate that the probability of country pairs belonging to the same food trade community depends more on geopolitical and economic factors-such as geographical proximity and trade-agreement co-membership-than on country economic size and/or income. These community-structure findings of the multi-network are especially valuable for efforts to understand past and emerging dynamics in the global food system, especially those that examine potential 'shocks' to global food trade.

Measurement Invariance and the Five-Factor Model of Personality: Asian International and Euro American Cultural Groups.

PubMed

Rollock, David; Lui, P Priscilla

2016-10-01

This study examined measurement invariance of the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI), assessing the five-factor model (FFM) of personality among Euro American (N = 290) and Asian international (N = 301) students (47.8% women, Mage = 19.69 years). The full 60-item NEO-FFI data fit the expected five-factor structure for both groups using exploratory structural equation modeling, and achieved configural invariance. Only 37 items significantly loaded onto the FFM-theorized factors for both groups and demonstrated metric invariance. Threshold invariance was not supported with this reduced item set. Groups differed the most in the item-factor relationships for Extraversion and Agreeableness, as well as in response styles. Asian internationals were more likely to use midpoint responses than Euro Americans. While the FFM can characterize broad nomothetic patterns of personality traits, metric invariance with only the subset of NEO-FFI items identified limits direct group comparisons of correlation coefficients among personality domains and with other constructs, and of mean differences on personality domains. © The Author(s) 2015.

The structure of the nucleon: Elastic electromagnetic form factors

DOE PAGES

Punjabi, V.; Perdrisat, C. F.; Jones, M. K.; ...

2015-07-10

Precise proton and neutron form factor measurements at Jefferson Lab, using spin observables, have recently made a significant contribution to the unraveling of the internal structure of the nucleon. Accurate experimental measurements of the nucleon form factors are a test-bed for understanding how the nucleon's static properties and dynamical behavior emerge from QCD, the theory of the strong interactions between quarks. There has been enormous theoretical progress, since the publication of the Jefferson Lab proton form factor ratio data, aiming at reevaluating the picture of the nucleon. We will review the experimental and theoretical developments in this field and discussmore » the outlook for the future.« less

Effects of Buckling Knockdown Factor, Internal Pressure and Material on the Design of Stiffened Cylinders

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lovejoy, Andrew E.; Hilburger, Mark W.; Chunchu, Prasad B.

2010-01-01

A design study was conducted to investigate the effect shell buckling knockdown factor (SBKF), internal pressure and aluminum alloy material selection on the structural weight of stiffened cylindrical shells. Two structural optimization codes were used for the design study to determine the optimum minimum-weight design for a series of design cases, and included an in-house developed genetic algorithm (GA) code and PANDA2. Each design case specified a unique set of geometry, material, knockdown factor combinations and loads. The resulting designs were examined and compared to determine the effects of SBKF, internal pressure and material selection on the acreage design weight and controlling failure mode. This design study shows that use of less conservative SBKF values, including internal pressure, and proper selection of material alloy can result in significant weight savings for stiffened cylinders. In particular, buckling-critical cylinders with integrally machined stiffener construction can benefit from the use of thicker plate material that enables taller stiffeners, even when the stiffness, strength and density properties of these materials appear to be inferior.

Clues to Ceres' Internal Structure

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-10-26

This frame from an animation shows Ceres as seen by NASA's Dawn spacecraft from its high-altitude mapping orbit at 913 miles (1,470 kilometers) above the surface. The colorful map overlaid at right shows variations in Ceres' gravity field measured by Dawn, and gives scientists hints about the dwarf planet's internal structure. Red colors indicate more positive values, corresponding to a stronger gravitational pull than expected, compared to scientists' pre-Dawn model of Ceres' internal structure; blue colors indicate more negative values, corresponding to a weaker gravitational pull. The animation was created by projecting a map of Ceres onto a rotating sphere. The image scale is about 450 feet (140 meters) per pixel. The animations are available at https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA22083

The Interaction with Disabled Persons scale: revisiting its internal consistency and factor structure, and examining item-level properties.

PubMed

Iacono, Teresa; Tracy, Jane; Keating, Jenny; Brown, Ted

2009-01-01

The Interaction with Disabled Persons scale (IDP) has been used in research into baseline attitudes and to evaluate whether a shift in attitudes towards people with developmental disabilities has occurred following some form of intervention. This research has been conducted on the assumption that the IDP measures attitudes as a multidimensional construct and has good internal consistency. Such assumptions about the IDP appear flawed, particularly in light of failures to replicate its underlying factor structure. The aim of this study was to evaluate the construct validity and dimensionality of the IDP. This study used a prospective survey approach. Participants were recruited from first and second year undergraduate university students enrolled in health sciences, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, community and emergency health, nursing, and combined degrees of nursing and midwifery, and health sciences and social work at a large Australian university (n=373). Students completed the IDP, a 20-item self-report scale of attitudes towards people with disabilities. The IDP data were analysed using a combination of factor analysis (Classical Test Theory approach) and Rasch analysis (Item Response Theory approach). The results indicated that the original IDP 6-factor solution was not supported. Instead, one factor consisting of five IDP items (9, 11, 12, 17, and 18) labelled Discomfort met the four criteria for empirical validation of test quality: interval level scaling (scalability), unidimensionality, lacked of DIF across the two participant groups and data collection occasions, and hierarchical ordering. Researchers should consider using the Discomfort subscale of the IDP in future attitude research since it exhibits sound measurement properties.

The Skin Picking Impact Scale: Factor structure, validity and development of a short version.

PubMed

Snorrason, Ivar; Olafsson, Ragnar P; Flessner, Christopher A; Keuthen, Nancy J; Franklin, Martin E; Woods, Douglas W

2013-08-01

In the present study, we examined the psychometric properties of the Skin Picking Impact Scale (SPIS; Keuthen, Deckersbach, Wilhelm et al., 2001), a 10 item self-report questionnaire designed to assess the psychosocial impact of skin picking disorder (SPD). Participants were 650 individuals who met criteria for SPD in an online survey. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses demonstrated a unitary factor structure with high internal consistency (α = 0.94). Consequently, we constructed an abbreviated 4-item version that retained good internal consistency (α = 0.87) and a robust factor structure. Both the short and the full versions demonstrated discriminant and convergent/concurrent validity. In conclusion, the findings indicate that both versions are psychometrically sound measures of SPD related psychosocial impact; however, some potential limitations of the full scale are discussed. © 2013 The Scandinavian Psychological Associations.

Individual- and Structural-Level Risk Factors for Suicide Attempts Among Transgender Adults.

PubMed

Perez-Brumer, Amaya; Hatzenbuehler, Mark L; Oldenburg, Catherine E; Bockting, Walter

2015-01-01

This study assessed individual (ie, internalized transphobia) and structural forms of stigma as risk factors for suicide attempts among transgender adults. Internalized transphobia was assessed through a 26-item scale including four dimensions: pride, passing, alienation, and shame. State-level structural stigma was operationalized as a composite index, including density of same-sex couples; proportion of Gay-Straight Alliances per public high school; 5 policies related to sexual orientation discrimination; and aggregated public opinion toward homosexuality. Multivariable logistic generalized estimating equation models assessed associations of interest among an online sample of transgender adults (N = 1,229) representing 48 states and the District of Columbia. Lower levels of structural stigma were associated with fewer lifetime suicide attempts (AOR 0.96, 95% CI 0.92-0.997), and a higher score on the internalized transphobia scale was associated with greater lifetime suicide attempts (AOR 1.18, 95% CI 1.04-1.33). Addressing stigma at multiple levels is necessary to reduce the vulnerability of suicide attempts among transgender adults.

Effect of Early Adversity and Childhood Internalizing Symptoms on Brain Structure in Young Men.

PubMed

Jensen, Sarah K G; Dickie, Erin W; Schwartz, Deborah H; Evans, C John; Dumontheil, Iroise; Paus, Tomáš; Barker, Edward D

2015-10-01

Early adversity is an important risk factor that relates to internalizing symptoms and altered brain structure. To assess the direct effects of early adversity and child internalizing symptoms (ie, depression, anxiety) on cortical gray matter (GM) volume, as well as the extent to which early adversity associates with variation in cortical GM volume indirectly via increased levels of internalizing symptoms. A prospective investigation of associations between adversity within the first 6 years of life, internalizing symptoms during childhood and early adolescence, and altered brain structure in late adolescence (age, 18-21 years) was conducted in a community-based birth cohort in England (Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children). Participants from the cohort included 494 mother-son pairs monitored since the mothers were pregnant (estimated date of delivery between April 1, 1991, and December 31, 1992). Data collection for the present study was conducted between April 1, 1991, and November 30, 2010; the neuroimaging data were collected between September 1, 2010, and November 30, 2012, and data analyses for the present study occurred between January 25, 2013, and February 15, 2015. Risk factors were adversity within the first 6 years of the child's life (including prenatal exposure) and the child's internalizing symptoms between age 7 and 13 years. Early childhood adversity. The main outcome was GM volume of cortical regions previously associated with major depression measured through T1-weighted magnetic resonance images collected in late adolescence. Among 494 young men included in this analysis, early adversity was directly associated with lower GM volumes in the anterior cingulate cortex (β = -.18; P = .01) and higher GM volume in the precuneus (β = .18; P = .009). Childhood internalizing symptoms were associated with lower GM volume in the right superior frontal gyrus (β = -.20; P = .002). Early adversity was also associated with higher

Internal Structure and Clinical Utility of the Anxiety Control Questionnaire-Revised (ACQ-R) Spanish Version.

PubMed

Osma, Jorge; Barrada, Juan Ramón; García-Palacios, Azucena; Navarro-Haro, María; Aguilar, Alejandra

2016-10-03

Perceived control has shown predictive value for anxiety severity symptoms as well as cognitive-behavior therapy outcomes. The most commonly used measure of perceived control is the Anxiety Control Questionnaire (ACQ), and more recently the ACQ Revised (ACQ-R). However, both questionnaires have shown structural inconsistencies among several studies. Also, although the ACQ and ACQ-R seem to be multidimensional instruments, a single total score have been commonly used. This study examined the internal structure of the ACQ-R Spanish version using exploratory factor and exploratory bi-factor analysis in a sample of 382 college students and 52 people diagnosed of panic disorder (with or without agoraphobia). Also, in this study we assessed the preliminary diagnostic value of the ACQ-R scores. The results indicated that the ACQ-R Spanish version structure consisted of two factors: one related with perceived control of internal emotional reactions (Emotion Control) and another related with perceived control of external events (Threat and Stress Control). Both specific factors can be adequately summarized by a general factor (General Anxiety Perception of Control; CFI = .973, TLI = .954, RMSEA = .039; p = .002), which accounted for 70% of the common explained variance. The correlations between the ACQ-R scores and with variables like anxiety (r = -.66) or anxiety sensitivity (r = -.50) presented the expected pattern of results. Either the two dimensions structure or the total score have proved to be a good tool to distinguish between participants with panic disorder and non-clinical samples (area under the curve = 0.79).

The effect of internal magnetic structure on the fishbone instability

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Roberts, D.W.; Powell, E.; Kaita, R.

1992-01-01

Plasmas exhibiting the ``fishbone`` instability studied on the PBX-M tokamak show a distinct relationship between the plasma shape, the internal magnetic structure, and the presence or absence of fast ion losses associated with the fishbone mode. We have, for the first time, carried out measurements of the magnetic safety factor profile in fishbone-unstable plasmas, and used the knowledge of the associated experimental equilibria to compare the stability and fast ion loss properties of these plasmas with experimental observations.

The effect of internal magnetic structure on the fishbone instability

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Roberts, D.W.; Powell, E.; Kaita, R.

1992-01-01

Plasmas exhibiting the fishbone'' instability studied on the PBX-M tokamak show a distinct relationship between the plasma shape, the internal magnetic structure, and the presence or absence of fast ion losses associated with the fishbone mode. We have, for the first time, carried out measurements of the magnetic safety factor profile in fishbone-unstable plasmas, and used the knowledge of the associated experimental equilibria to compare the stability and fast ion loss properties of these plasmas with experimental observations.

The p Factor: One General Psychopathology Factor in the Structure of Psychiatric Disorders?

PubMed Central

Caspi, Avshalom; Houts, Renate M.; Belsky, Daniel W.; Goldman-Mellor, Sidra J.; Harrington, HonaLee; Israel, Salomon; Meier, Madeline H.; Ramrakha, Sandhya; Shalev, Idan; Poulton, Richie; Moffitt, Terrie E.

2013-01-01

Mental disorders traditionally have been viewed as distinct, episodic, and categorical conditions. This view has been challenged by evidence that many disorders are sequentially comorbid, recurrent/chronic, and exist on a continuum. Using the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study, we examined the structure of psychopathology, taking into account dimensionality, persistence, co-occurrence, and sequential comorbidity of mental disorders across 20 years, from adolescence to midlife. Psychiatric disorders were initially explained by three higher-order factors (Internalizing, Externalizing, and Thought Disorder) but explained even better with one General Psychopathology dimension. We have called this dimension the p factor because it conceptually parallels a familiar dimension in psychological science: the g factor of general intelligence. Higher p scores are associated with more life impairment, greater familiality, worse developmental histories, and more compromised early-life brain function. The p factor explains why it is challenging to find causes, consequences, biomarkers, and treatments with specificity to individual mental disorders. Transdiagnostic approaches may improve research. PMID:25360393

Factors influencing internal color of cooked meats.

PubMed

Suman, Surendranath P; Nair, Mahesh N; Joseph, Poulson; Hunt, Melvin C

2016-10-01

This manuscript overviews the pertinent research on internal color of uncured cooked meats, biochemical processes involved in meat cookery, and fundamental mechanisms governing myoglobin thermal stability. Heat-induced denaturation of myoglobin, responsible for the characteristic dull-brown color of cooked meats, is influenced by a multitude of endogenous (i.e., pH, muscle source, species, redox state) and exogenous (i.e., packaging, ingredients, storage) factors. The interactions between these factors critically influence the internal cooked color and can confuse the consumers, who often perceive cooked color to be a reliable indicator for doneness and safety. While certain phenomena in cooked meat color are cosmetic in nature, others can mislead consumers and result in foodborne illnesses. Research in meat color suggests that processing technologies and cooking practices in industry as well as households influence the internal cooked color. Additionally, the guidelines of many international public health and regulatory authorities recommend using meat thermometers to determine safe cooking endpoint temperature and to ensure product safety. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

External and internal factors influencing happiness in elite collegiate athletes.

PubMed

Denny, Katherine G; Steiner, Hans

2009-03-01

When under conditions of high demand and allostatic load, are happiness and satisfaction in four domains (family, friends, academics, recreation) influenced more by external or internal factors? Do student-athletes who lead exceedingly complicated lives report happiness as a function of athletic achievement or internal disposition? Stanford student-athletes (N=140) were studied with a standardized questionnaire which examined internal factors ((1) locus of control, (2) mindfulness, (3) self-restraint, and (4) self-esteem) to see whether they better account for happiness than external factors (playing time, scholarship). As predicted, internal factors were more powerful correlates of happiness when holding constant demographics. Regression models differed for different aspects of happiness, but the main postulated result of internal versus external was maintained throughout. These findings have implications for how well athletes cope with adversity which, in turn, could shed light on the development of traits that may provide a buffer against adversity and build resilience.

Understanding comorbidity among internalizing problems: Integrating latent structural models of psychopathology and risk mechanisms

PubMed Central

Hankin, Benjamin L.; Snyder, Hannah R.; Gulley, Lauren D.; Schweizer, Tina H.; Bijttebier, Patricia; Nelis, Sabine; Toh, Gim; Vasey, Michael W.

2016-01-01

It is well known that comorbidity is the rule, not the exception, for categorically defined psychiatric disorders, and this is also the case for internalizing disorders of depression and anxiety. This theoretical review paper addresses the ubiquity of comorbidity among internalizing disorders. Our central thesis is that progress in understanding this co-occurrence can be made by employing latent dimensional structural models that organize both psychopathology as well as vulnerabilities and risk mechanisms and by connecting the multiple levels of risk and psychopathology outcomes together. Different vulnerabilities and risk mechanisms are hypothesized to predict different levels of the structural model of psychopathology. We review the present state of knowledge based on concurrent and developmental sequential comorbidity patterns among common discrete psychiatric disorders in youth, and then we advocate for the use of more recent bifactor dimensional models of psychopathology (e.g., p factor, Caspi et al., 2014) that can help to explain the co-occurrence among internalizing symptoms. In support of this relatively novel conceptual perspective, we review six exemplar vulnerabilities and risk mechanisms, including executive function, information processing biases, cognitive vulnerabilities, positive and negative affectivity aspects of temperament, and autonomic dysregulation, along with the developmental occurrence of stressors in different domains, to show how these vulnerabilities can predict the general latent psychopathology factor, a unique latent internalizing dimension, as well as specific symptom syndrome manifestations. PMID:27739389

Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21): Factor Structure in Traumatic Brain Injury Rehabilitation.

PubMed

Randall, Diane; Thomas, Matt; Whiting, Diane; McGrath, Andrew

To confirm the construct validity of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21) by investigating the fit of published factor structures in a sample of adults with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (posttraumatic amnesia > 24 hours). Archival data from 504 patient records at the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit at Liverpool Hospital, Australia. Participants were aged between 16 and 71 years and were engaged in a specialist rehabilitation program. The DASS-21. Two of the 6 models had adequate fit using structural equation modeling. The data best fit Henry and Crawford's quadripartite model, which comprised a Depression, Anxiety and Stress factor, as well as a General Distress factor. The data also adequately fit Lovibond and Lovibond's original 3-factor model, and the internal consistencies of each factor were very good (α = 0.82-0.90). This study confirms the structure and construct validity of the DASS-21 and provides support for its use as a screening tool in traumatic brain injury rehabilitation.

Personality assessment inventory internalizing and externalizing structure in veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder: associations with aggression.

PubMed

Van Voorhees, Elizabeth E; Dennis, Paul A; Elbogen, Eric B; Clancy, Carolina P; Hertzberg, Michael A; Beckham, Jean C; Calhoun, Patrick S

2014-01-01

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with aggressive behavior in veterans, and difficulty controlling aggressive urges has been identified as a primary postdeployment readjustment concern. Yet only a fraction of veterans with PTSD commit violent acts. The goals of this study were to (1) examine the higher-order factor structure of Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) scales in a sample of U.S. military veterans seeking treatment for PTSD; and (2) to evaluate the incremental validity of higher-order latent factors of the PAI over PTSD symptom severity in modeling aggression. The study sample included male U.S. Vietnam (n = 433) and Iraq/Afghanistan (n = 165) veterans who were seeking treatment for PTSD at an outpatient Veterans Affairs (VA) clinic. Measures included the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale, the PAI, and the Conflict Tactics Scale. The sample was randomly split into two equal subsamples (n's = 299) to allow for cross-validation of statistically derived factors. Parallel analysis, variable clustering analysis, and confirmatory factor analyses were used to evaluate the factor structure, and regression was used to examine the association of factor scores with self-reports of aggression over the past year. Three factors were identified: internalizing, externalizing, and substance abuse. Externalizing explained unique variance in aggression beyond PTSD symptom severity and demographic factors, while internalizing and substance abuse did not. Service era was unrelated to reports of aggression. The constructs of internalizing versus externalizing dimensions of PTSD may have utility in identifying characteristics of combat veterans in the greatest need of treatment to help manage aggressive urges. Published 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

46 CFR 176.610 - Scope of drydock and internal structural examinations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 7 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Scope of drydock and internal structural examinations....610 Scope of drydock and internal structural examinations. (a) A drydock examination conducted in... required to be pulled for examination. (b) An internal structural examination conducted in compliance with...

Examining the Dynamic Structure of Daily Internalizing and Externalizing Behavior at Multiple Levels of Analysis

PubMed Central

Wright, Aidan G. C.; Beltz, Adriene M.; Gates, Kathleen M.; Molenaar, Peter C. M.; Simms, Leonard J.

2015-01-01

Psychiatric diagnostic covariation suggests that the underlying structure of psychopathology is not one of circumscribed disorders. Quantitative modeling of individual differences in diagnostic patterns has uncovered several broad domains of mental disorder liability, of which the Internalizing and Externalizing spectra have garnered the greatest support. These dimensions have generally been estimated from lifetime or past-year comorbidity patters, which are distal from the covariation of symptoms and maladaptive behavior that ebb and flow in daily life. In this study, structural models are applied to daily diary data (Median = 94 days) of maladaptive behaviors collected from a sample (N = 101) of individuals diagnosed with personality disorders (PDs). Using multilevel and unified structural equation modeling, between-person, within-person, and person-specific structures were estimated from 16 behaviors that are encompassed by the Internalizing and Externalizing spectra. At the between-person level (i.e., individual differences in average endorsement across days) we found support for a two-factor Internalizing–Externalizing model, which exhibits significant associations with corresponding diagnostic spectra. At the within-person level (i.e., dynamic covariation among daily behavior pooled across individuals) we found support for a more differentiated, four-factor, Negative Affect-Detachment-Hostility-Disinhibition structure. Finally, we demonstrate that the person-specific structures of associations between these four domains are highly idiosyncratic. PMID:26732546

Scale for positive aspects of caregiving experience: development, reliability, and factor structure.

PubMed

Kate, N; Grover, S; Kulhara, P; Nehra, R

2012-06-01

OBJECTIVE. To develop an instrument (Scale for Positive Aspects of Caregiving Experience [SPACE]) that evaluates positive caregiving experience and assess its psychometric properties. METHODS. Available scales which assess some aspects of positive caregiving experience were reviewed and a 50-item questionnaire with a 5-point rating was constructed. In all, 203 primary caregivers of patients with severe mental disorders were asked to complete the questionnaire. Internal consistency, test-retest reliability, cross-language reliability, split-half reliability, and face validity were evaluated. Principal component factor analysis was run to assess the factorial validity of the scale. RESULTS. The scale developed as part of the study was found to have good internal consistency, test-retest reliability, cross-language reliability, split-half reliability, and face validity. Principal component factor analysis yielded a 4-factor structure, which also had good test-retest reliability and cross-language reliability. There was a strong correlation between the 4 factors obtained. CONCLUSION. The SPACE developed as part of this study has good psychometric properties.

Factors impacting on psychological wellbeing of international students in the health professions: A scoping review.

PubMed

McKenna, Lisa; Robinson, Eddie; Penman, Joy; Hills, Danny

2017-09-01

There are increasing numbers of international students undertaking health professional courses, particularly in Western countries. These courses not only expose students to the usual stresses and strains of academic learning, but also require students to undertake clinical placements and practice-based learning. While much is known about general issues facing international students, less is known about factors that impact on those studying in the health professions. To explore what is known about factors that influence the psychological wellbeing of international students in the health professions. A scoping review. A range of databases were searched, including CINAHL, Medline, Scopus, Proquest and ERIC, as well as grey literature, reference lists and Google Scholar. The review included qualitative or quantitative primary peer reviewed research studies that focused on international undergraduate or postgraduate students in the health professions. The core concept underpinning the review was psychological issues, with the outcome being psychological and/or social wellbeing. Thematic analysis across studies was used to identify key themes emerging. A total of 13 studies were included in the review, from the disciplines of nursing, medicine and speech-language pathology. Four key factor groups emerged from the review: negotiating structures and systems, communication and learning, quality of life and self-care, and facing discrimination and social isolation. International health professional students face similar issues to other international students. The nature of their courses, however, also requires negotiating different health care systems, and managing a range of clinical practice issues including with communication, and isolation and discrimination from clinical staff and patients. Further research is needed to specifically explore factors impacting on student well-being and how international students can be appropriately prepared and supported for their

46 CFR 91.40-3 - Drydock examination, internal structural examination, cargo tank internal examination, and...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... hull barge with internal framing 1 Double hull barge with external framing 2 Single hull barge with..., ends, and bottoms) when the structural framing is on the internal tank surface. 2 Applicable to double hull tank barges (double sides, ends, and bottoms) when the structural framing is on the external tank...

The Factor Structure of the Autobiographical Memory Test in Recent Trauma Survivors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Griffith, James W.; Kleim, Birgit; Sumner, Jennifer A.; Ehlers, Anke

2012-01-01

The objective of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Autobiographical Memory Test (AMT), which is widely used to measure overgeneral autobiographical memory in individuals with depression and a trauma history. Its factor structure and internal consistency have not been explored in a clinical sample. This study examined the…

Reciprocal modulation of internal and external factors determines individual movements.

PubMed

Martin, Jodie; van Moorter, Bram; Revilla, Eloy; Blanchard, Pierrick; Dray, Stéphane; Quenette, Pierre-Yves; Allainé, Dominique; Swenson, Jon E

2013-03-01

Movement is fundamental to individual and population dynamics, as it allows individuals to meet their basic requirements. Although movement patterns reflect interactions between internal and external factors, only few studies have examined the effects of these factors on movement simultaneously, and they generally focused on particular biological contexts (e.g. dispersal, foraging). However, the relative importance of these factors in driving individual routine movements might reflect a species' potential flexibility to cope with landscape changes and therefore buffer their potential impact on fitness. We used data from GPS collars on Scandinavian brown bears to investigate the relative role of these factors, as well as an additional factor (period of the year) on routine movements at two spatial scales (hourly and daily relocations). As expected, internal factors played a major role in driving movement, compared to external factors at both scales, but its relative importance was greater at a finer scale. In particular, the interaction between reproductive status and period of the year was one of the most influential variables, females being constrained by the movement capacity of their cubs in the first periods of the year. The effect of human disturbance on movement was also greater for females with cubs than for lone females. This study showed how reciprocal modulation of internal and external factors is shaping space use of brown bears. We stress that these factors should be studied simultaneously to avoid the risk of obtaining context-dependent inferences. Moreover, the study of their relative contribution is also highly relevant in the context of multiple-use landscapes, as human activities generally affect the landscape more than they affect the internal states of an individual. Species or individuals with important internal constraints should be less responsive to changes in their environment as they have less freedom from internal constraints and should

The Teachers' Sense of Efficacy Scale: Confirming the Factor Structure with Beginning Pre-Service Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duffin, Lisa C.; French, Brian F.; Patrick, Helen

2012-01-01

This study examined the factor structure of the Teachers' Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES; Tschannen-Moran & Woolfolk Hoy, 2001) using the scores of pre-service teachers at the beginning stage of teacher development to gather internal structure score validity evidence. Two plausible rival models derived from prior research were tested using CFA.…

Factors influencing career decisions in internal medicine.

PubMed

Macdonald, C; Cawood, T

2012-08-01

Numerous factors influence career decisions for internal medicine trainees and Fellows. There is a perception that a greater emphasis is placed on work-family balance by younger physicians. To determine the characteristics of the modern internal medicine workforce and ascertain whether job flexibility is important to career decision-making. We hypothesised that factors which reflect flexibility would be highly influential in decision-making, especially for women and those with young children. A questionnaire was mailed to 250 New Zealand internal medicine trainees and Fellows. It focused on factors, including job flexibility, interest and collegial support, and included demographic details which were primarily aimed at ascertaining family responsibilities. Response rate was 54%. The majority of female physicians are the main person responsible for their children (62%), and the majority of their partners work full-time (80%). This contrasts with male physicians, of whom only 4% are the main person responsible for their children. Flexibility was found to be more influential in women, those with young children, trainees and those working in outpatient-based subspecialties. However, contrary to our original hypothesis, flexibility was not reported to be highly influential in any group, with career choice being most influenced by interest and enjoyment, intellectual challenge and variety within the job. It is hoped that results will inform employers and those involved with training to enable them to better cater for the needs of the workforce and also encourage trainees to consider future family commitments when making career decisions. © 2012 The Authors. Internal Medicine Journal © 2012 Royal Australasian College of Physicians.

Factor structure of the geriatric care environment scale.

PubMed

Kim, Hongsoo; Capezuti, Elizabeth; Boltz, Marie; Fairchild, Susan; Fulmer, Terry; Mezey, Mathy

2007-01-01

Older adults comprise approximately 60% of all adult, nonobstetric hospital admissions. Nurses Improving Care for Health System Elders (NICHE) is a national program aimed at system improvement to achieve patient-centered care for older adults. The NICHE hospitals use the Geriatric Institutional Assessment Profile (GIAP) to assess their institutional readiness to provide quality care to older adults and to document improvement in geriatric care delivery. To explore the factorial structure of the 28-item Geriatric Care Environment Scale (GCES) of the GIAP, test its validity with a sample of staff registered nurses (RNs), and evaluate its invariance across 4 groups of RNs who worked at 4 different types of hospitals. Staff RNs (N = 9,400) at 71 acute hospitals, who responded to the GIAP from 1999 to 2004, were split randomly into 2 groups for cross-validation. A 3-step data analysis was completed. The a priori factor structure was developed using exploratory factor analysis. The obtained factor model was validated, and its invariance by types of hospitals was examined by confirmatory factor analyses. The GCES is internally consistent (Cronbach's alpha = .93) and accounts for approximately 55% of the total variance. The 4 factors extracted from the exploratory factor analysis are Aging-Sensitive Care Delivery, Resource Availability, Institutional Values Regarding Older Adults and Staff, and Capacity for Collaboration. The 4-factor structured model is validated in a half-randomly selected sample (normed fit index [NFI] = .931, nonnormed fit index [NNFI] = .933, comparative fit index [CFI] = .939, root-mean-square error of approximation [RMSEA] = .058) and does not vary significantly across the 4 groups of RNs who worked at the 4 different types of hospitals (NFI = .969, NNFI = .975, CFI = .976, RMSEA = .027). The GCES is a reliable measure of RN perception of how care provided to older adults reflects age-sensitive principles and the organizational practice environment

Factor Structure of the Revised TOEIC[R] Test: A Multiple-Sample Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

In'nami, Yo; Koizumi, Rie

2012-01-01

This study examined the factor structure of the listening and reading sections of the revised Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC[R]) test. The data from the TOEIC IP (institutional program) test taken by 569 English learners were randomly split into two samples (n = 285 vs. 284). Four models (higher-order, correlated,…

Factor structure of the Korean version of illness intrusiveness rating scale: cross-cultural implications.

PubMed

Kim, Daeho; Kim, Kwang-iel; Lee, Haewon; Choi, Joonho; Park, Yong-Chon

2005-04-01

The Illness Intrusiveness Rating Scale (IIRS) measures illness-induced disruptions to 13 domains of lifestyles, activities, and interests. A stable three-factor structure has been well documented; however, the cross-cultural validity of this scale needs to be tested. This study investigated the factor structure of the Korean version of IIRS in 712 outpatients at a university medical center. A predominant diagnosis of the patients was rheumatoid arthritis (47%). The Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D), and Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) were also administered. Exploratory Principal Component Analysis identified a two-factor structure, "Relationships and Personal Development (RPD)" and "Instrumental", accounting for 57% of the variance. Confirmatory analyses extracted an identical factor structure. However, a goodness-of-the fit test failed to support two-factor solution (chi(2)=138.2, df=43, p<.001). Two factors had high internal consistency (RPD, alpha=.89; Instrumental, alpha=.75) and significantly correlated with scores of HAQ (RPD, r=.53, p<.001; Instrumental, .r=44, p<.001) and CES-D (RPD, .r=55, p<.001; Instrumental, .r=43, p<.001). These findings supported construct validity of the Korean version of IIRS, but did not support cross-cultural equivalence of the factor structure.

Factor Structure of the Korean Version of Illness Intrusiveness Rating Scale: Cross-cultural Implications

PubMed Central

Kim, Kwang-iel; Lee, Haewon; Choi, Joonho; Park, Yong-Chon

2005-01-01

The Illness Intrusiveness Rating Scale (IIRS) measures illness-induced disruptions to 13 domains of lifestyles, activities, and interests. A stable three-factor structure has been well documented; however, the cross-cultural validity of this scale needs to be tested. This study investigated the factor structure of the Korean version of IIRS in 712 outpatients at a university medical center. A predominant diagnosis of the patients was rheumatoid arthritis (47%). The Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D), and Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) were also administered. Exploratory Principal Component Analysis identified a two-factor structure, "Relationships and Personal Development (RPD)" and "Instrumental", accounting for 57% of the variance. Confirmatory analyses extracted an identical factor structure. However, a goodness-of-the fit test failed to support two-factor solution (χ2=138.2, df=43, p<.001). Two factors had high internal consistency (RPD, α=.89; Instrumental, α=.75) and significantly correlated with scores of HAQ (RPD, r=.53, p<.001; Instrumental, .r=44, p<.001) and CES-D (RPD, .r=55, p<.001; Instrumental, .r=43, p<.001). These findings supported construct validity of the Korean version of IIRS, but did not support cross-cultural equivalence of the factor structure. PMID:15832005

Factor Structure and Psychometric Properties of the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire in Turkish Cancer Patients

PubMed Central

Karataş, Tuğba; Özen, Şükrü; Kutlutürkan, Sevinç

2017-01-01

Objective: The main aim of this study was to investigate the factor structure and psychometric properties of the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (BIPQ) in Turkish cancer patients. Methods: This methodological study involved 135 cancer patients. Statistical methods included confirmatory or exploratory factor analysis and Cronbach alpha coefficients for internal consistency. Results: The values of fit indices are within the acceptable range. The alpha coefficients for emotional illness representations, cognitive illness representations, and total scale are 0.83, 0.80, and 0.85, respectively. Conclusions: The results confirm the two-factor structure of the Turkish BIPQ and demonstrate its reliability and validity. PMID:28217734

Cross-cultural adaptation, validation and factor structure of the Insight Scale for Affective Disorders.

PubMed

de Assis da Silva, Rafael; Mograbi, Daniel C; Camelo, Evelyn V M; Morton, Gregory Duff; Landeira-Fernandez, J; Cheniaux, Elie

2015-06-01

In the last few decades, several tools for studying insight in bipolar disorders have been used. Olaya and colleagues developed the Insight Scale for Affective Disorders (ISAD), which consists of a scale measuring insight through hetero evaluation for patients with mood disorders. The objective of this work is to translate and adapt the original English version of the ISAD to Brazilian Portuguese (ISAD-BR) and to conduct an evaluation of its psychometric properties. Adaptation procedures included translation/back-translation and consultation with a panel of experts. 95 patients with the diagnosis of Type 1 bipolar disorder were evaluated with the final version of the ISAD-BR, which was applied, simultaneously, but independently, by two examiners. Internal consistency and inter-rater reliability were explored and the latent structure of the scale was investigated with principal axis factoring and promax rotation. A second-order factor analysis was conducted to test if the scale had a hierarchical factor structure. The ISAD-BR showed good internal consistency and good inter-rater reliability. The analysis pointed to a four-factor solution of the ISAD-BR: awareness of symptoms associated with activity/energy; awareness of having a disorder; awareness of self-esteem and feelings of pleasure; and awareness of social functioning and relationships. The second order factor analysis indicated a hierarchical factor structure for the ISAD-BR, with the four lower-order factors loading on a single higher-order factor. Insight into bipolar disorder is a multidimensional construct, covering different aspects of the condition and its symptomatology. Nevertheless, insight about activity/energy changes may be a crucial aspect of insight into bipolar disorder. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sixteen-Item Anxiety Sensitivity Index: Confirmatory Factor Analytic Evidence, Internal Consistency, and Construct Validity in a Young Adult Sample from the Netherlands

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vujanovic, Anka A.; Arrindell, Willem A.; Bernstein, Amit; Norton, Peter J.; Zvolensky, Michael J.

2007-01-01

The present investigation examined the factor structure, internal consistency, and construct validity of the 16-item Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI; Reiss Peterson, Gursky, & McNally 1986) in a young adult sample (n = 420) from the Netherlands. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to comparatively evaluate two-factor, three-factor, and…

A systematic review of the factor structure and reliability of the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale.

PubMed

Orgilés, Mireia; Fernández-Martínez, Iván; Guillén-Riquelme, Alejandro; Espada, José P; Essau, Cecilia A

2016-01-15

The Spence Children's Anxiety Scale (SCAS) is a widely used instrument for assessing symptoms of anxiety disorders among children and adolescents. Previous studies have demonstrated its good reliability for children and adolescents from different backgrounds. However, remarkable variability in the reliability of the SCAS across studies and inconsistent results regarding its factor structure has been found. The present study aims to examine the SCAS factor structure by means of a systematic review with narrative synthesis, the mean reliability of the SCAS by means of a meta-analysis, and the influence of the moderators on the SCAS reliability. Databases employed to collect the studies included Scholar Google, PsycARTICLES, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and Scopus since 1997. Twenty-nine and 32 studies, which examined the factor structure and the internal consistency of the SCAS, respectively, were included. The SCAS was found to have strong internal consistency, influenced by different moderators. The systematic review demonstrated that the original six-factor model was supported by most studies. Factorial invariance studies (across age, gender, country) and test-retest reliability of the SCAS were not examined in this study. It is concluded that the SCAS is a reliable instrument for cross-cultural use, and it is suggested that the original six-factor model is appropriate for cross-cultural application. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ): Factor Structure and Gender Equivalence in Norwegian Adolescents.

PubMed

Bøe, Tormod; Hysing, Mari; Skogen, Jens Christoffer; Breivik, Kyrre

2016-01-01

Although frequently used with older adolescents, few studies of the factor structure, internal consistency and gender equivalence of the SDQ exists for this age group, with inconsistent findings. In the present study, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to evaluate the five-factor structure of the SDQ in a population sample of 10,254 16-18 year-olds from the youth@hordaland study. Measurement invariance across gender was assessed using multigroup CFA. A modestly modified five-factor solution fitted the data acceptably, accounting for one cross loading and some local dependencies. Importantly, partial measurement non-invariance was identified, with differential item functioning in eight items, and higher correlations between emotional and conduct problems for boys compared to girls. Implications for use clinically and in research are discussed.

Reliability, convergent validity and factor structure of the DASS-21 in a sample of Vietnamese adolescents.

PubMed

Le, Minh Thi Hong; Tran, Thach Duc; Holton, Sara; Nguyen, Huong Thanh; Wolfe, Rory; Fisher, Jane

2017-01-01

To assess the internal consistency, latent structure and convergent validity of the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) among adolescents in Vietnam. An anonymous, self-completed questionnaire was conducted among 1,745 high school students in Hanoi, Vietnam between October, 2013 and January, 2014. Confirmatory factor analyses were performed to assess the latent structure of the DASS-21. Factorial invariance between girls and boys was examined. Cronbach alphas and correlation coefficients between DASS-21 factor scores and the domain scores of the Duke Health Profile Adolescent Vietnamese validated version (ADHP-V) were calculated to assess DASS-21 internal consistency and convergent validity. A total of 1,606/ 1,745 (92.6%) students returned the questionnaire. Of those, 1,387 students provided complete DASS-21 data. The scale demonstrated adequate internal consistency (Cronbach α: 0.761 to 0.906). A four-factor model showed the best fit to the data. Items loaded significantly on a common general distress factor, the depression, and the anxiety factors, but few on the stress factor (p<0.05). DASS-21 convergent validity was confirmed with moderate correlation coefficients (-0.47 to -0.66) between its factor scores and the ADHP-V mental health related domains. The DASS-21 is reliable and suitable for use to assess symptoms of common mental health problems, especially depression and anxiety among Vietnamese adolescents. However, its ability in detecting stress among these adolescents may be limited. Further research is warrant to explore these results.

Factor structure of the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale for Children and Adolescents.

PubMed

Storch, Eric A; Masia-Warner, Carrie; Heidgerken, Amanda D; Fisher, Paige H; Pincus, Donna B; Liebowitz, Michael R

2006-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the factor structure of the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale for Children and Adolescents (LSAS-CA). The LSAS-CA was administered to 225 children and adolescents as a component of various clinical studies. In addition, other measures of psychopathology and impairment were administered to a subgroup of the sample. Confirmatory factor analyses of the social interaction and performance subscales for the anxiety and avoidance ratings yielded poor fit indices. Exploratory factor analysis supported a two-factor solution with a higher order factor for the LSAS-CA anxiety and avoidance ratings. Based on item content, factors were named Social and School Performance. The internal consistency of the factors was high and the convergent and divergent validity was supported vis-à-vis correlations with measures of depression and social anxiety, and clinician ratings of impairment and functioning. Findings suggest that the anxiety and avoidance ratings are best explained by a two-factor solution that measures social anxiety and avoidance in social and school performance interactions. This factor structure appears to be a reliable and valid framework for assessing childhood social phobia.

Crystal Structure of a Two-domain Fragment of Hepatocyte Growth Factor Activator Inhibitor-1

PubMed Central

Hong, Zebin; De Meulemeester, Laura; Jacobi, Annemarie; Pedersen, Jan Skov; Morth, J. Preben; Andreasen, Peter A.; Jensen, Jan K.

2016-01-01

Hepatocyte growth factor activator inhibitor-1 (HAI-1) is a type I transmembrane protein and inhibitor of several serine proteases, including hepatocyte growth factor activator and matriptase. The protein is essential for development as knock-out mice die in utero due to placental defects caused by misregulated extracellular proteolysis. HAI-1 contains two Kunitz-type inhibitor domains (Kunitz), which are generally thought of as a functionally self-contained protease inhibitor unit. This is not the case for HAI-1, where our results reveal how interdomain interactions have evolved to stimulate the inhibitory activity of an integrated Kunitz. Here we present an x-ray crystal structure of an HAI-1 fragment covering the internal domain and Kunitz-1. The structure reveals not only that the previously uncharacterized internal domain is a member of the polycystic kidney disease domain family but also how the two domains engage in interdomain interactions. Supported by solution small angle x-ray scattering and a combination of site-directed mutagenesis and functional assays, we show that interdomain interactions not only stabilize the fold of the internal domain but also stimulate the inhibitory activity of Kunitz-1. By completing our structural characterization of the previously unknown N-terminal region of HAI-1, we provide new insight into the interplay between tertiary structure and the inhibitory activity of a multidomain protease inhibitor. We propose a previously unseen mechanism by which the association of an auxiliary domain stimulates the inhibitory activity of a Kunitz-type inhibitor (i.e. the first structure of an intramolecular interaction between a Kunitz and another domain). PMID:27189939

Establishing Evidence for Internal Structure Using Exploratory Factor Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watson, Joshua C.

2017-01-01

Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) is a data reduction technique used to condense data into smaller sets of summary variables by identifying underlying factors potentially accounting for patterns of collinearity among said variables. Using an illustrative example, the 5 general steps of EFA are described with best practices for decision making…

Factor structure of the Spanish version of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 in Mexican women.

PubMed

Familiar, Itziar; Ortiz-Panozo, Eduardo; Hall, Brian; Vieitez, Isabel; Romieu, Isabelle; Lopez-Ridaura, Ruy; Lajous, Martin

2015-03-01

Structure of the Spanish version of the nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) has been inconclusive. We report the factor structure of the PHQ-9 in 55,555 women from the Mexican Teachers' Cohort (MTC). Factor structure of the PHQ-9 was assessed by exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses in two sub-samples (n = 27,778 and 27,777 respectively). A one-factor model of the PHQ-9 was the solution with the best fit to the data, exhibiting strong factor loadings (0.71 to 0.90) and high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.89). A prevalence rate of moderate to high severity of depressive symptoms of 12.6% was identified. Results suggest that a global score is an appropriate measure of depressive symptoms and commend the use of the Spanish PHQ-9 as a measure of depression for research and clinical purposes. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Factor structure and psychometric properties of the Body Appreciation Scale among adults in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Ng, Siu-Kuen; Barron, David; Swami, Viren

2015-03-01

Previous research has suggested that the factor structure of Body Appreciation Scale (BAS), a widely-used measure of positive body image, may not be cross-culturally equivalent. Here, we used confirmatory factor analysis to evaluate the conceptual equivalence of a Chinese (Cantonese) translation of the BAS among women (n=1319) and men (n=1084) in Hong Kong. Results showed that neither the one-dimensional nor proposed two-dimensional factor structures had adequate fit. Instead, a modified two-dimensional structure, which retained 9 of the 13 BAS items in two factors, had the best fit. However, only one of these factors, reflective of General Body Appreciation, had adequate internal consistency. This factor also had good patterns of construct validity, as indicated through significant correlations with participant body mass index, self-esteem, and (among women) actual-ideal weight discrepancy. The present results suggest that there may be cultural differences in the concept and experience of body appreciation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Structural contingency theory and individual differences: examination of external and internal person-team fit.

PubMed

Hollenbeck, John R; Moon, Henry; Ellis, Aleksander P J; West, Bradley J; Ilgen, Daniel R; Sheppard, Lori; Porter, Christopher O L H; Wagner, John A

2002-06-01

This article develops and tests a structurally based, integrated theory of person-team fit. The theory developed is an extension of structural contingency theory and considers issues of external fit simultaneously with its examination of internal fit at the team level. Results from 80 teams working on an interdependent team task indicate that divisional structures demand high levels of cognitive ability on the part of teammembers. However, the advantages of high cognitive ability in divisional structures are neutralized when there is poor external fit between the structure and the environment. Instead, emotional stability becomes a critical factor among teammembers when a divisional structure is out of alignment with its environment. Individual differences seem to play little or no role in functional structures, regardless of the degree of external fit.

Identifying the community structure of the food-trade international multi-network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Torreggiani, S.; Mangioni, G.; Puma, M. J.; Fagiolo, G.

2018-05-01

Achieving international food security requires improved understanding of how international trade networks connect countries around the world through the import-export flows of food commodities. The properties of international food trade networks are still poorly documented, especially from a multi-network perspective. In particular, nothing is known about the multi-network’s community structure. Here we find that the individual crop-specific layers of the multi-network have densely connected trading groups, a consistent characteristic over the period 2001–2011. Further, the multi-network is characterized by low variability over this period but with substantial heterogeneity across layers in each year. In particular, the layers are mostly assortative: more-intensively connected countries tend to import from and export to countries that are themselves more connected. We also fit econometric models to identify social, economic and geographic factors explaining the probability that any two countries are co-present in the same community. Our estimates indicate that the probability of country pairs belonging to the same food trade community depends more on geopolitical and economic factors—such as geographical proximity and trade-agreement co-membership—than on country economic size and/or income. These community-structure findings of the multi-network are especially valuable for efforts to understand past and emerging dynamics in the global food system, especially those that examine potential ‘shocks’ to global food trade.

Personality Assessment Inventory scale characteristics and factor structure in the assessment of alcohol dependency.

PubMed

Schinka, J A

1995-02-01

Individual scale characteristics and the inventory structure of the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI; Morey, 1991) were examined by conducting internal consistency and factor analyses of item and scale score data from a large group (N = 301) of alcohol-dependent patients. Alpha coefficients, mean inter-item correlations, and corrected item-total scale correlations for the sample paralleled values reported by Morey for a large clinical sample. Minor differences in the scale factor structure of the inventory from Morey's clinical sample were found. Overall, the findings support the use of the PAI in the assessment of personality and psychopathology of alcohol-dependent patients.

Evaluating WAIS-IV structure through a different psychometric lens: structural causal model discovery as an alternative to confirmatory factor analysis.

PubMed

van Dijk, Marjolein J A M; Claassen, Tom; Suwartono, Christiany; van der Veld, William M; van der Heijden, Paul T; Hendriks, Marc P H

Since the publication of the WAIS-IV in the U.S. in 2008, efforts have been made to explore the structural validity by applying factor analysis to various samples. This study aims to achieve a more fine-grained understanding of the structure of the Dutch language version of the WAIS-IV (WAIS-IV-NL) by applying an alternative analysis based on causal modeling in addition to confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The Bayesian Constraint-based Causal Discovery (BCCD) algorithm learns underlying network structures directly from data and assesses more complex structures than is possible with factor analysis. WAIS-IV-NL profiles of two clinical samples of 202 patients (i.e. patients with temporal lobe epilepsy and a mixed psychiatric outpatient group) were analyzed and contrasted with a matched control group (N = 202) selected from the Dutch standardization sample of the WAIS-IV-NL to investigate internal structure by means of CFA and BCCD. With CFA, the four-factor structure as proposed by Wechsler demonstrates acceptable fit in all three subsamples. However, BCCD revealed three consistent clusters (verbal comprehension, visual processing, and processing speed) in all three subsamples. The combination of Arithmetic and Digit Span as a coherent working memory factor could not be verified, and Matrix Reasoning appeared to be isolated. With BCCD, some discrepancies from the proposed four-factor structure are exemplified. Furthermore, these results fit CHC theory of intelligence more clearly. Consistent clustering patterns indicate these results are robust. The structural causal discovery approach may be helpful in better interpreting existing tests, the development of new tests, and aid in diagnostic instruments.

An examination of the factor structure of the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire-3 in Malaysia.

PubMed

Swami, Viren

2009-03-01

The present study examined the factor structure of a Malay translation of the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire-3 among a community sample of 554 Malaysian women. Results of an exploratory factor analysis revealed the existence of four factors, two of which (Information and Internalization-Athlete) mirrored those found among Western samples. An additional factor was an amalgamation of two factors reported in the West, namely Pressure and Internalization-General. A fourth factor consisted of six items, four of which cross-loaded onto previous factors, and was consequently dropped from analyses. Cronbach's alpha coefficients for the three retained factors were all above .82, and the three factors were significantly correlated with each other and with participants' body mass index. The results of this study stress the need for locally developed scales in the study of body image and a shift away from reliance on scales developed in the West.

The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ): Factor Structure and Gender Equivalence in Norwegian Adolescents

PubMed Central

Hysing, Mari; Skogen, Jens Christoffer; Breivik, Kyrre

2016-01-01

Although frequently used with older adolescents, few studies of the factor structure, internal consistency and gender equivalence of the SDQ exists for this age group, with inconsistent findings. In the present study, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to evaluate the five-factor structure of the SDQ in a population sample of 10,254 16–18 year-olds from the youth@hordaland study. Measurement invariance across gender was assessed using multigroup CFA. A modestly modified five-factor solution fitted the data acceptably, accounting for one cross loading and some local dependencies. Importantly, partial measurement non-invariance was identified, with differential item functioning in eight items, and higher correlations between emotional and conduct problems for boys compared to girls. Implications for use clinically and in research are discussed. PMID:27138259

International Collaboration Patterns and Effecting Factors of Emerging Technologies

PubMed Central

Bai, Xu; Liu, Yun

2016-01-01

With the globalization of the world economy, international innovation collaboration has taken place all over the world. This study selects three emerging technologies (3D printing, big data and carbon nanotubes and graphene technology) among 20 countries as the research objects, using three patent-based indicators and network relationship analysis to reflect international collaboration patterns. Then we integrate empirical analyses to show effecting factors of international collaboration degrees by using panel data. The results indicate that while 3D printing technology is associated with a “balanced collaboration” mode, big data technology is more accurately described by a radial pattern, centered on the United States, and carbon nanotubes and graphene technology exhibits “small-world” characteristics in this respect. It also shows that the factors GDP per capita (GPC), R&D expenditure (RDE) and the export of global trade value (ETV) negatively affect the level of international collaboration. It could be useful for China and other developing countries to make international scientific and technological collaboration strategies and policies in the future. PMID:27911926

Reliability, convergent validity and factor structure of the DASS-21 in a sample of Vietnamese adolescents

PubMed Central

Tran, Thach Duc; Holton, Sara; Nguyen, Huong Thanh; Wolfe, Rory; Fisher, Jane

2017-01-01

Objectives To assess the internal consistency, latent structure and convergent validity of the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) among adolescents in Vietnam. Method An anonymous, self-completed questionnaire was conducted among 1,745 high school students in Hanoi, Vietnam between October, 2013 and January, 2014. Confirmatory factor analyses were performed to assess the latent structure of the DASS-21. Factorial invariance between girls and boys was examined. Cronbach alphas and correlation coefficients between DASS-21 factor scores and the domain scores of the Duke Health Profile Adolescent Vietnamese validated version (ADHP-V) were calculated to assess DASS-21 internal consistency and convergent validity. Results A total of 1,606/ 1,745 (92.6%) students returned the questionnaire. Of those, 1,387 students provided complete DASS-21 data. The scale demonstrated adequate internal consistency (Cronbach α: 0.761 to 0.906). A four-factor model showed the best fit to the data. Items loaded significantly on a common general distress factor, the depression, and the anxiety factors, but few on the stress factor (p<0.05). DASS-21 convergent validity was confirmed with moderate correlation coefficients (-0.47 to -0.66) between its factor scores and the ADHP-V mental health related domains. Conclusions The DASS-21 is reliable and suitable for use to assess symptoms of common mental health problems, especially depression and anxiety among Vietnamese adolescents. However, its ability in detecting stress among these adolescents may be limited. Further research is warrant to explore these results. PMID:28723909

[Clinic-internal and -external factors of length of hospital stay].

PubMed

Schariatzadeh, R; Imoberdorf, R; Ballmer, P E

2011-01-19

In the context of forthcoming initiation of Diagnosis Related Groups (DRG) in Switzerland, the objective of the study was to find factors having an impact on the inpatient's length of hospital stay. The study was performed on two general-medical wards of the Kantonsspital Winterthur, where all admitted patients were included in the study over two months. The various periods of diagnostic and therapeutic management of the patients and all diagnostic and therapeutic measures plus the arrangements after hospitalization were recorded. The determinants influencing the length of hospital stay were classified in clinic-internal or -external. 124 inpatients entered the study. 91 (73.4%) had a length of hospital stay without delay, whereas 33 (26.6%) patients had an extended length of hospital stay. The cumulative length of hospital stay of all patients was 1314 days, whereof 216 days (16.4%) were caused by delays. 67 days were caused by clinic-internal (5.1%) and 149 days by clinic-external factors (11.3%). Delays were substantially more generated by clinic-internal than -external factors. Clinic-internal factors were mainly weekends with interruption of the diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, dead times waiting for diagnostic results and waiting times for consultations. Clinic-external factors were caused by delayed transfer in nursing homes or rehabilitation institutions, waiting for family members for the backhaul and by indetermination of the patient. Also factors relating to the patients' characteristics had an influence on the length of hospital stay. Summing up, a substantial part of the length of hospital stay was caused by delays. However, the many different clinic-internal factors complicate solutions to lower the length of hospital stay. Moreover, factors that cannot be influenced such as waiting for microbiological results, contribute to extended length of hospital stay. Early scheduling of post-hospital arrangements may lower length of hospital stay

Factor structure and correlates of the Mandarin version of the Managing the Emotions of Others (MEOS) scale.

PubMed

Saklofske, Donald H; Austin, Elizabeth J; Yan, Gonggu; Smith, Martin M

2016-02-01

The English-language version of the Managing the Emotions of Others (MEOS) scale has been found to have a six-factor structure. This includes two pairs (Enhance, Divert and Worsen, Inauthentic) that respectively describe prosocial and non-prosocial interpersonal emotion management, together with an emotional concealment factor (Conceal) and a factor assessing poor self-rated emotional skills. A Mandarin translation of the MEOS was completed by 277 Chinese student participants. Factor analysis indicated a four-factor structure comprising a merged Enhance/Divert factor, together with Worsen, Inauthentic and Conceal factors. The emergence of a different factor structure compared to Western samples may be related to culture-dependent attitudes to emotional expression. The associations of the MEOS factors with Five-Factor model personality, the Dark Triad and trait emotional intelligence (EI) were examined; these were similar to but generally weaker than those found for the English-language version. © 2015 International Union of Psychological Science.

MOTIVATION INTERNALIZATION AND SIMPLEX STRUCTURE IN SELF-DETERMINATION THEORY.

PubMed

Ünlü, Ali; Dettweiler, Ulrich

2015-12-01

Self-determination theory, as proposed by Deci and Ryan, postulated different types of motivation regulation. As to the introjected and identified regulation of extrinsic motivation, their internalizations were described as "somewhat external" and "somewhat internal" and remained undetermined in the theory. This paper introduces a constrained regression analysis that allows these vaguely expressed motivations to be estimated in an "optimal" manner, in any given empirical context. The approach was even generalized and applied for simplex structure analysis in self-determination theory. The technique was exemplified with an empirical study comparing science teaching in a classical school class versus an expeditionary outdoor program. Based on a sample of 84 German pupils (43 girls, 41 boys, 10 to 12 years old), data were collected using the German version of the Academic Self-Regulation Questionnaire. The science-teaching format was seen to not influence the pupils' internalization of identified regulation. The internalization of introjected regulation differed and shifted more toward the external pole in the outdoor teaching format. The quantification approach supported the simplex structure of self-determination theory, whereas correlations may disconfirm the simplex structure.

Human Factors and the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peacock, Brian; Rajulu, Sudhakar; Novak, Jennifer; Rathjen, Thomas; Whitmore, Mihriban; Maida, James; Woolford, Barbara

2001-01-01

The purposes of this panel are to inform the human factors community regarding the challenges of designing the International Space Station (ISS) and to stimulate the broader human factors community into participating in the various basic and applied research opportunities associated with the ISS. This panel describes the variety of techniques used to plan and evaluate human factors for living and working in space. The panel members have contributed to many different aspects of the ISS design and operations. Architecture, equipment, and human physical performance requirements for various tasks have all been tailored to the requirements of operating in microgravity.

Ice crystallization in ultrafine water-salt aerosols: nucleation, ice-solution equilibrium, and internal structure.

PubMed

Hudait, Arpa; Molinero, Valeria

2014-06-04

solution. We predict that micrometer-sized particles and nanoparticles have the same equilibrium internal structure. The variation of liquid-vapor surface tension with solute concentration is a key factor in determining whether a solution-embedded ice core or vapor-exposed ice cap is the equilibrium structure of the aerosols. In agreement with experiments, we predict that the structure of mixed-phase HNO3-water particles, representative of polar stratospheric clouds, consists of an ice core surrounded by freeze-concentrated solution. The results of this work are important to determine the phase state and internal structure of sea spray ultrafine aerosols and other mixed-phase particles under atmospherically relevant conditions.

Optimization of Experiment Detecting Kaon and Pion Internal Structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wacht, Jacob

2016-09-01

Pions and kaons are the lightest two-quark systems in Nature. Scientists believe that the rules governing the strong interaction are chirally, symmetric. If this were true, the pion would have no mass. The chiral symmetry is broken dynamically by quark-gluon interactions, giving the pion mass. The pion is thus seen as the key to confirm the mechanism that dynamically generates nearly all of the mass of hadrons and central to the effort to understand hadron structure. The most prominent observables are the meson form factors. Experiments are planned at the 12 GeV Jefferson Lab. An experiment aimed at shedding light on the kaon's internal structure is scheduled to run in 2017. The experimental setup has been optimized for detecting kaons, but it may allow for detecting pions between values of Q2 of 0.4 and 5.5 GeV2. Measurements of the separated pion cross section and exploratory extraction of the pion form factor from electroproduction at low Q2 could be compared to earlier e-pi scattering data, and thus help validating the method. At high Q2, these measurements provide the first L/T separated cross sections and could help guide planned dedicated pion experiments. I will present possible parasitic studies with the upcoming kaon experiment. This work was supported in part by NSF Grant PHY-1306227.

Internal and external environmental factors affecting the performance of hospital-based home nursing care.

PubMed

Noh, J-W; Kwon, Y-D; Yoon, S-J; Hwang, J-I

2011-06-01

Numerous studies on HNC services have been carried out by signifying their needs, efficiency and effectiveness. However, no study has ever been performed to determine the critical factors associated with HNC's positive results despite the deluge of positive studies on the service. This study included all of the 89 training hospitals that were practising HNC service in Korea as of November 2006. The input factors affecting the performance were classified as either internal or external environmental factors. This analysis was conducted to understand the impact that the corresponding factors had on performance. Data were analysed by using multiple linear regressions. The internal and external environment variables affected the performance of HNC based on univariate analysis. The meaningful variables were internal environmental factors. Specifically, managerial resource (the number of operating beds and the outpatient/inpatient ratio) were meaningful when the multiple linear regression analysis was performed. Indeed, the importance of organizational culture (the passion of HNC nurses) was significant. This study, considering the limited market size of Korea, illustrates that the critical factor for the development of hospital-led HNC lies with internal environmental factors rather than external ones. Among the internal environmental factors, the hospitals' managerial resource-related factors (specifically, the passion of nurses) were the most important contributing element. © 2011 The Authors. International Nursing Review © 2011 International Council of Nurses.

Reliability, factor analysis and internal consistency calculation of the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) in French and in English among Lebanese adolescents.

PubMed

Chahoud, M; Chahine, R; Salameh, P; Sauleau, E A

2017-06-01

Our goal is to validate and to verify the reliability of the French and English versions of the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) in Lebanese adolescents. A cross-sectional study was implemented. 104 Lebanese students aged between 14 and 19 years participated in the study. The English version of the questionnaire was distributed to English-speaking students and the French version was administered to French-speaking students. A scale (1 to 7 with 1 = very well understood and 7 = not at all) was used to identify the level of the students' understanding of each instruction, question and answer of the ISI. The scale's structural validity was assessed. The factor structure of ISI was evaluated by principal component analysis. The internal consistency of this scale was evaluated by Cronbach's alpha. To assess test-retest reliability the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used. The principal component analysis confirmed the presence of a two-component factor structure in the English version and a three-component factor structure in the French version with eigenvalues > 1. The English version of the ISI had an excellent internal consistency (α = 0.90), while the French version had a good internal consistency (α = 0.70). The ICC presented an excellent agreement in the French version (ICC = 0.914, CI = 0.856-0.949) and a good agreement in the English one (ICC = 0.762, CI = 0.481-890). The Bland-Altman plots of the two versions of the ISI showed that the responses over two weeks' were comparable and very few outliers were detected. The results of our analyses reveal that both English and French versions of the ISI scale have good internal consistency and are reproducible and reliable. Therefore, it can be used to assess the prevalence of insomnia in Lebanese adolescents.

Surface and Internal Structure of Pristine Presolar Silicon Carbide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stroud, R. M.; Bernatowicz, T. J.

2005-03-01

We report results from transmission electron microcopy studies of the surface and internal structure of two pristine presolar SiC grains, including definitive evidence of an oxide rim on one grain, and the presence of internal TiC and AlN grains.

Rotational Spectrum of 1,1-Difluoroethane: Internal Rotation Analysis and Structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Villamanan, R. M.; Chen, W. D.; Wlodarczak, G.; Demaison, J.; Lesarri, A. G.; Lopez, J. C.; Alonso, J. L.

1995-05-01

The rotational spectrum of CH3CHF2 in its ground state was measured up to 653 GHz. Accurate rotational and centrifugal distortion constants were determined. The internal rotation splittings were analyzed using the internal axis method. An ab initio structure has been calculated and a near-equilibrium structure has been estimated using offsets derived empirically. This structure was compared to an experimental r0 structure. The four lowest excited states (including the methyl torsion) have also been assigned.

Self-Management and Transition Readiness Assessment: Development, Reliability, and Factor Structure of the STARx Questionnaire.

PubMed

Ferris, M; Cohen, S; Haberman, C; Javalkar, K; Massengill, S; Mahan, J D; Kim, S; Bickford, K; Cantu, G; Medeiros, M; Phillips, A; Ferris, M T; Hooper, S R

2015-01-01

The Self-Management and Transition to Adulthood with Rx=Treatment (STARx) Questionnaire was developed to collect information on self-management and health care transition (HCT) skills, via self-report, in a broad population of adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with chronic conditions. Over several iterations, the STARx questionnaire was created with AYA, family, and health provider input. The development and pilot testing of the STARx Questionnaire took place with the assistance of 1219 AYAs with different chronic health conditions, in multiple institutions and settings over three phases: item development, pilot testing, reliability and factor structuring. The three development phases resulted in a final version of the STARx Questionnaire. The exploratory factor analysis of the third version of the 18-item STARx identified six factors that accounted for about 65% of the variance: Medication management, Provider communication, Engagement during appointments, Disease knowledge, Adult health responsibilities, and Resource utilization. Reliability estimates revealed good internal consistency and temporal stability, with the alpha coefficient for the overall scale being .80. The STARx was developmentally sensitive, with older patients scoring significantly higher on nearly every factor than younger patients. The STARx Questionnaire is a reliable, self-report tool with adequate internal consistency, temporal stability, and a strong, multidimensional factor structure. It provides another assessment strategy to measure self-management and transition skills in AYAs with chronic conditions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Factor structure of DSM-IV criteria for obsessive compulsive personality disorder in patients with binge eating disorder.

PubMed

Grilo, C M

2004-01-01

To examine the factor structure of DSM-IV criteria for obsessive compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) in patients with binge eating disorder (BED). Two hundred and eleven consecutive out-patients with axis I diagnoses of BED were reliably assessed with semi-structured diagnostic interviews. The eight criteria for the OCPD diagnosis were examined with reliability and correlational analyses. Exploratory factor analysis was performed to identify potential components. Cronbach's coefficient alpha for the OCPD criteria was 0.77. Principal components factor analysis with varimax rotation revealed a three-factor solution (rigidity, perfectionism, and miserliness), which accounted for 65% of variance. The DSM-IV criteria for OCPD showed good internal consistency. Exploratory factor analysis, however, revealed three components that may reflect distinct interpersonal, intrapersonal (cognitive), and behavioral features.

Learning Activities for International Business.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haynes, Thomas

1998-01-01

The National Standards for Business Education include nine areas relating to international business: awareness, communication, environmental factors, ethics, finance, management, marketing, import/export, and organizational structure of international business. (SK)

Dynamic Structure Factor: An Introduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sturm, K.

1993-02-01

The doubly differential cross-section for weak inelastic scattering of waves or particles by manybody systems is derived in Born approximation and expressed in terms of the dynamic structure factor according to van Hove. The application of this very general scheme to scattering of neutrons, x-rays and high-energy electrons is discussed briefly. The dynamic structure factor, which is the space and time Fourier transform of the density-density correlation function, is a property of the many-body system independent of the external probe and carries information on the excitation spectrum of the system. The relation of the electronic structure factor to the density-density response function defined in linear-response theory is shown using the fluctuation-dissipation theorem. This is important for calculations, since the response function can be calculated approximately from the independent-particle response function in self-consistent field approximations, such as the random-phase approximation or the local-density approximation of the density functional theory. Since the density-density response function also determines the dielectric function, the dynamic structure can be expressed by the dielectric function.

Analyzing the Structure of the International Business Curriculum in India

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Srivastava, Deepak K.

2012-01-01

This article analyzes the structure of the international business curriculum through a questionnaire-based survey among current students and young managers who are studying or have studied international business courses in one of the top B-Schools of India. Respondents have the opinion that international business is more than internationalization…

The Transition Readiness Assessment Questionnaire (TRAQ): its factor structure, reliability, and validity.

PubMed

Wood, David L; Sawicki, Gregory S; Miller, M David; Smotherman, Carmen; Lukens-Bull, Katryne; Livingood, William C; Ferris, Maria; Kraemer, Dale F

2014-01-01

National consensus statements recommend that providers regularly assess the transition readiness skills of adolescent and young adults (AYA). In 2010 we developed a 29-item version of Transition Readiness Assessment Questionnaire (TRAQ). We reevaluated item performance and factor structure, and reassessed the TRAQ's reliability and validity. We surveyed youth from 3 academic clinics in Jacksonville, Florida; Chapel Hill, North Carolina; and Boston, Massachusetts. Participants were AYA with special health care needs aged 14 to 21 years. From a convenience sample of 306 patients, we conducted item reduction strategies and exploratory factor analysis (EFA). On a second convenience sample of 221 patients, we conducted confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Internal reliability was assessed by Cronbach's alpha and criterion validity. Analyses were conducted by the Wilcoxon rank sum test and mixed linear models. The item reduction and EFA resulted in a 20-item scale with 5 identified subscales. The CFA conducted on a second sample provided a good fit to the data. The overall scale has high reliability overall (Cronbach's alpha = .94) and good reliability for 4 of the 5 subscales (Cronbach's alpha ranging from .90 to .77 in the pooled sample). Each of the 5 subscale scores were significantly higher for adolescents aged 18 years and older versus those younger than 18 (P < .0001) in both univariate and multivariate analyses. The 20-item, 5-factor structure for the TRAQ is supported by EFA and CFA on independent samples and has good internal reliability and criterion validity. Additional work is needed to expand or revise the TRAQ subscales and test their predictive validity. Copyright © 2014 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Internalized Homophobia Scale for Vietnamese Sexual Minority Women: Conceptualization, Factor Structure, Reliability, and Associations With Hypothesized Correlates.

PubMed

Nguyen, Trang Quynh; Poteat, Tonia; Bandeen-Roche, Karen; German, Danielle; Nguyen, Yen Hai; Vu, Loan Kieu-Chau; Nguyen, Nam Thi-Thu; Knowlton, Amy R

2016-08-01

We developed the first Vietnamese Internalized Homophobia (IH) scale for use with Vietnamese sexual minority women (SMW). Drawing from existing IH scales in the international literature and based on prior qualitative research about SMW in the Viet Nam context, the scale covers two domains: self-stigma (negative attitudes toward oneself as a sexual minority person) and sexual prejudice (negative attitudes toward homosexuality/same-sex relations in general). Scale items, including items borrowed from existing scales and items based on local expressions, were reviewed and confirmed by members of the target population. Quantitative evaluation used data from an anonymous web-based survey of Vietnamese SMW, including those who identified as lesbian (n = 1187), or as bisexual (n = 641) and those who were unsure about their sexual identity (n = 353). The scale was found to consist of two highly correlated factors reflecting self-stigma (not normal/wholesome and self-reproach and wishing away same-sex sexuality) and one factor reflecting sexual prejudice, and to have excellent internal consistency. Construct validity was evidenced by subscale associations with a wide range of hypothesized correlates, including perceived sexual stigma, outness, social support, connection to other SMW, relationship quality, psychological well-being, anticipation of heterosexual marriage, and endorsement of same-sex marriage legalization. Self-stigma was more strongly associated with psychosocial correlates, and sexual prejudice was more associated with endorsement of legal same-sex marriage. The variations in these associations across the hypothesized correlates and across sexual identity groups were consistent with the minority stress model and the IH literature, and exhibited context-specific features, which are discussed.

An SEM Assessment of the Internal Structure and Predictive Validity of the Abbreviated Early Adolescent HOME Inventory.

PubMed

Green, Samuel B; Pennar, Amy L; Bradley, Robert H

2018-05-01

The Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME) Inventory is designed to assess the quality and quantity of support, stimulation, and structure provided to children in the home environment. HOME has been widely used for research and applied purposes. We focused on an abbreviated version of the Early Adolescent HOME (EA-HOME-A) that was administered to 15-year-old adolescents and their parents ( N = 958) as part of the NICHD (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development. Our study had two objectives. First, we hypothesized and tested a bifactor model that specified a general factor in support of the use of the HOME total score and group factors for subsets of items in support of the content domain scores. Second, we applied structural equation modeling to relate the EA-HOME-A factors to outcome factors assessing maladaptive behaviors, autonomy, self-control, and cognitive-academic performance. The results supported the construct validity of the EA-HOME-A with respect to its internal structure as well as its correlates.

External and Internal Factors Influencing Happiness in Elite Collegiate Athletes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Denny, Katherine G.; Steiner, Hans

2009-01-01

When under conditions of high demand and allostatic load, are happiness and satisfaction in four domains (family, friends, academics, recreation) influenced more by external or internal factors? Do student-athletes who lead exceedingly complicated lives report happiness as a function of athletic achievement or internal disposition? Stanford…

Factors Influencing International PhD Students to Study Physics in Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Choi, Serene H.-J.; Nieminen, Timo A.; Townson, Peter

2012-01-01

Since physics research is an activity of an active international community, international visits are a common way for physicists to share scientific knowledge and skills. International mobility of physicists is also important for PhD physics study and research training. We investigated personal and social factors that influenced the decision for…

External and internal factors influencing self-directed online learning of physiotherapy undergraduate students in Sweden: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Hammarlund, Catharina Sjödahl; Nilsson, Maria H; Gummesson, Christina

2015-01-01

Online courses have become common in health sciences education. This learning environment can be designed using different approaches to support student learning. To further develop online environment, it is important to understand how students perceive working and learning online. The aim of this study is to identify aspects influencing students' learning processes and their adaptation to self-directed learning online. Thirty-four physiotherapy students with a mean age of 25 years (range, 21 to 34 years) participated. Qualitative content analysis and triangulation was used when investigating the students' self-reflections, written during a five week self-directed, problem-oriented online course. Two categories emerged: 'the influence of the structured framework' and 'communication and interaction with teachers and peers.' The learning processes were influenced by external factors, e.g., a clear structure including a transparent alignment of assignments and assessment. Important challenges to over-come were primarily internal factors, e.g., low self-efficacy, difficulties to plan the work effectively and adapting to a new environment. The analyses reflected important perspectives targeting areas which enable further course development. The influences of external and internal factors on learning strategies and self-efficacy are important aspects to consider when designing online courses. Factors such as pedagogical design, clarity of purpose, goals, and guidelines were important as well as continuous opportunities for communication and collaboration. Further studies are needed to understand and scaffold the motivational factors among students with low self-efficacy.

External and internal factors influencing self-directed online learning of physiotherapy undergraduate students in Sweden: a qualitative study

PubMed Central

Hammarlund, Catharina Sjödahl; Nilsson, Maria H.; Gummesson, Christina

2015-01-01

Purpose: Online courses have become common in health sciences education. This learning environment can be designed using different approaches to support student learning. To further develop online environment, it is important to understand how students perceive working and learning online. The aim of this study is to identify aspects influencing students’ learning processes and their adaptation to self-directed learning online. Methods: Thirty-four physiotherapy students with a mean age of 25 years (range, 21 to 34 years) participated. Qualitative content analysis and triangulation was used when investigating the students’ self-reflections, written during a five week self-directed, problem-oriented online course. Results: Two categories emerged: ‘the influence of the structured framework’ and ‘communication and interaction with teachers and peers.’ The learning processes were influenced by external factors, e.g., a clear structure including a transparent alignment of assignments and assessment. Important challenges to over-come were primarily internal factors, e.g., low self-efficacy, difficulties to plan the work effectively and adapting to a new environment. Conclusion: The analyses reflected important perspectives targeting areas which enable further course development. The influences of external and internal factors on learning strategies and self-efficacy are important aspects to consider when designing online courses. Factors such as pedagogical design, clarity of purpose, goals, and guidelines were important as well as continuous opportunities for communication and collaboration. Further studies are needed to understand and scaffold the motivational factors among students with low self-efficacy. PMID:26101401

Assessing the factor structure of the Chinese conformity to masculine norms inventory.

PubMed

Rochelle, Tina L; Yim, K H

2015-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to examine the factor structure and assess the reliability of the Chinese Conformity to Masculine Norms Inventory-46 (CCMNI-46). Using a cohort of 254 Hong Kong-born Chinese males, scale reliability determination involved the internal consistencies of the entire instrument. Ages of respondents ranged from 18 to 81 years (M = 38.05; SD = 17.3). Confirmatory factor analysis provided support for the psychometric properties of the CCMNI-46, thus confirming the multidimensional structure of the CMNI-46 and the replicability of the CMNI using a Hong Kong Chinese sample. All items loaded onto the corresponding factor with the exception of one item from the emotional control subscale. The overall reliability of the CCMNI-46 was lower than previous Western studies and may well reflect the subtle diversity of masculinity across cultures. The findings offered psychometric support for use of the CCMNI-46 in research and practice regarding Hong Kong Chinese masculinity. The CCMNI-46 provides a useful template for the operationalization of masculine norms in Chinese society.

Internal structure of mushroom-shaped salt diapirs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1989-01-01

This book focuses on the dynamics and kinematics of salt diapirs with crestal bulbs shaped like a mushroom, one of the most complex types of diapirs, as interpreted by experimental modeling and from naturally occurring examples. Direct, practical applications of this research include use in the evaluation of salt domes as repositories for radioactive waste, in the exploration and production of salt, potash, and sulfur, and in the search for subtle hydrocarbon traps. The authors conducted 8 centrifuge experiments, which produced more than 100 model diapirs. These experiments were dynamically scaled to U.S. Gulf Coast salt domes, but the qualitativemore » results are also relevant to salt diapirs in other provinces and to granitoid diapirs penetrating metamorphic crust. The centrifuged domes grew under overburdens of constant thickness or under aggrading and prograding overburdens, a new experimental approach. Results indicate that external mushroom structure results from toroidal circulation of buoyant source and immediate cover having similar effective viscosities, whereas internal structure is produced by toroidal circulation confined within the diapir. The internal diapir structure elucidates the mechanics of emplacement and indicates whether an external mushroom shape can be expected and sought by further exploration.« less

Reassessment of the psychometric characteristics and factor structure of the 'Perceived Stress Questionnaire' (PSQ): analysis in a sample of dental students.

PubMed

Montero-Marin, Jesús; Piva Demarzo, Marcelo Marcos; Pereira, Joao Paulo; Olea, Marina; García-Campayo, Javier

2014-01-01

The training to become a dentist can create psychological distress. The present study evaluates the structure of the 'Perceived Stress Questionnaire' (PSQ), its internal consistency model and interrelatedness with burnout, anxiety, depression and resilience among dental students. The study employed a cross-sectional design. A sample of Spanish dental students (n = 314) completed the PSQ, the 'Goldberg Anxiety and Depression Scale' (GADS), 'Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale' (10-item CD-RISC) and 'Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey' (MBI-SS). The structure was estimated using Parallel Analysis from polychoric correlations. Unweighted Least Squares was the method for factor extraction, using the Item Response Theory to evaluate the discriminative power of items. Internal consistency was assessed by squaring the correlation between the latent true variable and the observed variable. The relationships between the PSQ and the other constructs were analysed using Spearman's coefficient. The results showed a PSQ structure through two sub-factors ('frustration' and 'tenseness') with regard to one general factor ('perceived stress'). Items that did not satisfy discriminative capacity were rejected. The model fit were acceptable (GFI = 0.98; RSMR = 0.06; AGFI = 0.98; NFI = 0.98; RFI = 0.98). All the factors showed adequate internal consistency as measured by the congeneric model (≥0.91). High and significant associations were observed between perceived stress and burnout, anxiety, depression and resilience. The PSQ showed a hierarchical bi-factor structure among Spanish dental students. Using the questionnaire as a uni-dimensional scale may be useful in perceived stress level discrimination, while the sub-factors could help us to refine perceived stress analysis and improve therapeutic processes.

Unexpected Control Structure Interaction on International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gomez, Susan F.; Platonov, Valery; Medina, Elizabeth A.; Borisenko, Alexander; Bogachev, Alexey

2017-01-01

On June 23, 2011, the International Space Station (ISS) was performing a routine 180 degree yaw maneuver in support of a Russian vehicle docking when the on board Russian Segment (RS) software unexpectedly declared two attitude thrusters failed and switched thruster configurations in response to unanticipated ISS dynamic motion. Flight data analysis after the maneuver indicated that higher than predicted structural loads had been induced at various locations on the United States (U.S.) segment of the ISS. Further analysis revealed that the attitude control system was firing thrusters in response to both structural flex and rigid body rates, which resonated the structure and caused high loads and fatigue cycles. It was later determined that the thruster themselves were healthy. The RS software logic, which was intended to react to thruster failures, had instead been heavily influenced by interaction between the control system and structural flex. This paper will discuss the technical aspects of the control structure interaction problem that led to the RS control system firing thrusters in response to structural flex, the factors that led to insufficient preflight analysis of the thruster firings, and the ramifications the event had on the ISS. An immediate consequence included limiting which thrusters could be used for attitude control. This complicated the planning of on-orbit thruster events and necessitated the use of suboptimal thruster configurations that increased propellant usage and caused thruster lifetime usage concerns. In addition to the technical aspects of the problem, the team dynamics and communication shortcomings that led to such an event happening in an environment where extensive analysis is performed in support of human space flight will also be examined. Finally, the technical solution will be presented, which required a multidisciplinary effort between the U.S. and Russian control system engineers and loads and dynamics structural engineers to

Assessing motivation for work environment improvements: internal consistency, reliability and factorial structure.

PubMed

Hedlund, Ann; Ateg, Mattias; Andersson, Ing-Marie; Rosén, Gunnar

2010-04-01

Workers' motivation to actively take part in improvements to the work environment is assumed to be important for the efficiency of investments for that purpose. That gives rise to the need for a tool to measure this motivation. A questionnaire to measure motivation for improvements to the work environment has been designed. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability of the domains of the questionnaire have been measured, and the factorial structure has been explored, from the answers of 113 employees. The internal consistency is high (0.94), as well as the correlation for the total score (0.84). Three factors are identified accounting for 61.6% of the total variance. The questionnaire can be a useful tool in improving intervention methods. The expectation is that the tool can be useful, particularly with the aim of improving efficiency of companies' investments for work environment improvements. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Rapid Production of Internally Structured Colloids by Flash Nanoprecipitation of Block Copolymer Blends.

PubMed

Grundy, Lorena S; Lee, Victoria E; Li, Nannan; Sosa, Chris; Mulhearn, William D; Liu, Rui; Register, Richard A; Nikoubashman, Arash; Prud'homme, Robert K; Panagiotopoulos, Athanassios Z; Priestley, Rodney D

2018-05-08

Colloids with internally structured geometries have shown great promise in applications ranging from biosensors to optics to drug delivery, where the internal particle structure is paramount to performance. The growing demand for such nanomaterials necessitates the development of a scalable processing platform for their production. Flash nanoprecipitation (FNP), a rapid and inherently scalable colloid precipitation technology, is used to prepare internally structured colloids from blends of block copolymers and homopolymers. As revealed by a combination of experiments and simulations, colloids prepared from different molecular weight diblock copolymers adopt either an ordered lamellar morphology consisting of concentric shells or a disordered lamellar morphology when chain dynamics are sufficiently slow to prevent defect annealing during solvent exchange. Blends of homopolymer and block copolymer in the feed stream generate more complex internally structured colloids, such as those with hierarchically structured Janus and patchy morphologies, due to additional phase separation and kinetic trapping effects. The ability of the FNP process to generate such a wide range of morphologies using a simple and scalable setup provides a pathway to manufacturing internally structured colloids on an industrial scale.

Adjustable internal structure for reconstructing gradient index profile of crystalline lens.

PubMed

Bahrami, Mehdi; Goncharov, Alexander V; Pierscionek, Barbara K

2014-03-01

Employing advanced technologies in studying the crystalline lens of the eye has improved our understanding of the refractive index gradient of the lens. Reconstructing and studying such a complex structure requires models with adaptable internal geometry that can be altered to simulate geometrical and optical changes of the lens with aging. In this Letter, we introduce an optically well-defined, geometrical structure for modeling the gradient refractive index profile of the crystalline lens with the advantage of an adjustable internal structure that is not available with existing models. The refractive index profile assigned to this rotationally symmetric geometry is calculated numerically, yet it is shown that this does not limit the model. The study provides a basis for developing lens models with sophisticated external and internal structures without the need for analytical solutions to calculate refractive index profiles.

Personal and Contextual Factors Related to Internalizing Problems during Adolescence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oliva, Alfredo; Parra, Águeda; Reina, M. Carmen

2014-01-01

Background: Over the past decades, ample empirical evidence has been collected about the factors linked to internalizing problems during adolescence. However, there is a lack of research that use holistic approaches to study the joint analysis of a series of contextual and personal variables considered to be related to internalizing problems.…

Contribution of SELENE-2 geodetic measurements to constrain the lunar internal structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matsumoto, K.; Kikuchi, F.; Yamada, R.; Iwata, T.; Kono, Y.; Tsuruta, S.; Hanada, H.; Goossens, S. J.; Ishihara, Y.; Kamata, S.; Sasaki, S.

2012-12-01

Internal structure and composition of the Moon provide important clue and constraints on theories for how the Moon formed and evolved. The Apollo seismic network has contributed to the internal structure modeling. Efforts have been made to detect the lunar core from the noisy Apollo data (e.g., [1], [2]), but there is scant information about the structure below the deepest moonquakes at about 1000 km depth. On the other hand, there have been geodetic studies to infer the deep structure of the Moon. For example, LLR (Lunar Laser Ranging) data analyses detected a displacement of the lunar pole of rotation, indicating that dissipation is acting on the rotation arising from a fluid core [3]. Bayesian inversion using geodetic data (such as mass, moments of inertia, tidal Love numbers k2 and h2, and quality factor Q) also suggests a fluid core and partial melt in the lower mantle region [4]. Further improvements in determining the second-degree gravity coefficients (which will lead to better estimates of moments of inertia) and the Love number k2 will help us to better constrain the lunar internal structure. Differential VLBI (Very Long Baseline Interferometry) technique, which was used in the Japanese lunar exploration mission SELENE (Sept. 2007 - June 2009), is expected to contribute to better determining the second-degree potential Love number k2 and low-degree gravity coefficients. SELENE will be followed by the future lunar mission SELENE-2 which will carry both a lander and an orbiter. We propose to put the SELENE-type radio sources on these spacecraft in order to accurately estimate k2 and the low-degree gravity coefficients. By using the same-beam VLBI tracking technique, these parameters will be retrieved through precision orbit determination of the orbiter with respect to the lander which serves as a reference. The VLBI mission with the radio sources is currently one of the mission candidates for SELENE-2. We have conducted a preliminary simulation study on the

[Factor structure of the German version of the BIS/BAS Scales in a population-based sample].

PubMed

Müller, A; Smits, D; Claes, L; de Zwaan, M

2013-02-01

The Behavioural Inhibition System/Behavioural Activation System Scale (BIS/BAS-Scales) developed by Carver and White 1 is a self-rating instrument to assess the dispositional sensitivity to punishment and reward. The present work aims to examine the factor structure of the German version of the BIS/BAS-Scales. In a large German population-based sample (n = 1881) the model fit of several factor models was tested by using confirmatory factor analyses. The best model fit was found for the 5-factor model with two BIS (anxiety, fear) and three BAS (drive, reward responsiveness, fun seeking) scales, whereas the BIS-fear, the BAS-reward responsiveness, and the BAS-fun seeking subscales showed low internal consistency. The BIS/BAS scales were negatively correlated with age, and women reported higher BIS subscale scores than men. Confirmatory factor analyses suggest a 5-factor model. However, due to the low internal reliability of some of the subscales the use of this model is questionable. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Initial validation of the Spanish childhood trauma questionnaire-short form: factor structure, reliability and association with parenting.

PubMed

Hernandez, Ana; Gallardo-Pujol, David; Pereda, Noemí; Arntz, Arnoud; Bernstein, David P; Gaviria, Ana M; Labad, Antonio; Valero, Joaquín; Gutiérrez-Zotes, Jose Alfonso

2013-05-01

The present study examines the internal consistency and factor structure of the Spanish version of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form (CTQ-SF) and the association between the CTQ-SF subscales and parenting style. Cronbach's α and confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were performed in a female clinical sample (n = 185). Kendall's ι correlations were calculated between the maltreatment and parenting scales in a subsample of 109 patients. The Spanish CTQ-SF showed adequate psychometric properties and a good fit of the 5-factor structure. The neglect and abuse scales were negatively associated with parental care and positively associated with overprotection scales. The results of this study provide initial support for the reliability and validity of the Spanish CTQ-SF.

A Survey of the Influencing Factors for International Academic Mobility of Chinese University Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cao, Chun; Zhu, Chang; Meng, Qian

2016-01-01

This research aims to understand the factors influencing international academic mobility within the Chinese higher education context. The inventory of University Students' Perceptions of Influencing Factors for International Academic Mobility was developed and tested to enquire about Chinese university students' perceptions of factors influencing…

Internal Structure of Charged Particles in a GRT Gravitational Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khlestkov, Yu. A.; Sukhanova, L. A.

2018-05-01

With the help of an exact solution of the Einstein and Maxwell equations, the internal structure of a multiply connected space of wormhole type with two unclosed static throats leading out of it into two parallel vacuum spaces or into one space is investigated in GRT for a free electric field and dust-like matter. The given geometry is considered as a particle-antiparticle pair with fundamental constants arising in the form of first integrals in the solution of the Cauchy problem - electric charges ±e of opposite sign in the throats and rest mass m0 - the total gravitational mass of the inner world of the particle in the throat. With the help of the energy conservation law, the unremovable rotation of the internal structure is included and the projection of the angular momentum of which onto the rotation axis is identified with the z-projection of the spin of the charged particle. The radius of 2-Gaussian curvature of the throat R* is identified with the charge radius of the particle, and the z-projection of the magnetic moment and the g-factor are found. The feasibility of the given gravitational model is confirmed by the found condition of independence of the spin quantum number of the electron and the proton s = 1/2 of the charge radius R* and the relativistic rest mass m* of the rotating throat, which is reliably confirmed experimentally, and also by the coincidence with high accuracy of the proton radius calculated in the model R*p = 0.8412·10-13 cm with the value of the proton charge radius obtained experimentally by measuring the Lamb shift on muonic hydrogen. The electron in the given model also turns out to be a structured particle with radius R*e = 3.8617·10-11 cm.

Loss Factor Estimation Using the Impulse Response Decay Method on a Stiffened Structure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cabell, Randolph; Schiller, Noah; Allen, Albert; Moeller, Mark

2009-01-01

High-frequency vibroacoustic modeling is typically performed using energy-based techniques such as Statistical Energy Analysis (SEA). Energy models require an estimate of the internal damping loss factor. Unfortunately, the loss factor is difficult to estimate analytically, and experimental methods such as the power injection method can require extensive measurements over the structure of interest. This paper discusses the implications of estimating damping loss factors using the impulse response decay method (IRDM) from a limited set of response measurements. An automated procedure for implementing IRDM is described and then evaluated using data from a finite element model of a stiffened, curved panel. Estimated loss factors are compared with loss factors computed using a power injection method and a manual curve fit. The paper discusses the sensitivity of the IRDM loss factor estimates to damping of connected subsystems and the number and location of points in the measurement ensemble.

Structure and Etiology of Co-Occurring Internalizing and Externalizing Disorders in Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cosgrove, Victoria E.; Rhee, Soo H.; Gelhorn, Heather L.; Boeldt, Debra; Corley, Robin C.; Ehringer, Marissa A.; Young, Susan E.; Hewitt, John K.

2011-01-01

Several studies suggest that a two-factor model positing internalizing and externalizing factors explains the interrelationships among psychiatric disorders. However, it is unclear whether the covariation between internalizing and externalizing disorders is due to common genetic or environmental influences. We examined whether a model positing two…

Measuring self-concept among African-Americans: validating the factor structure of the self-perception profile for adolescents.

PubMed

Powell-Young, Yolanda M; Spruill, Ida J

2011-12-01

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the reliability and factor structure of the Harter Self-Perception Profile for Adolescents (SPPA) with African-Americans. While the SPPA has demonstrated strong psychometric properties with European-Americans, limited information exists with African-Americans. Three hundred and ten (N = 310) female adolescents, from 14 through 18 years of age, completed the SPPA. Estimations of internal consistency reliability with Cronbach's alpha (alpha), item suitability with Pearson (gamma) correlations, and evaluation of factor structure fit utilizing principle axis extraction with oblimin (oblique) rotation were conducted. When compared with Harter's normative data, psychometric properties of the SPPA varied significantly with the current sample. Findings suggested cautious interpretation of data generated with demographically similar cohorts. Further study is warranted to ascertain the factor structure that is most relevant for use with African-American adolescents.

Internal Structure and Partial Invariance across Gender in the Spanish Version of the Reasoning Test Battery.

PubMed

Elosua, Paula; Mujika, Josu

2015-10-13

The Reasoning Test Battery (BPR) is an instrument built on theories of the hierarchical organization of cognitive abilities and therefore consists of different tasks related with abstract, numerical, verbal, practical, spatial and mechanical reasoning. It was originally created in Belgium and later adapted to Portuguese. There are three forms of the battery consisting of different items and scales which cover an age range from 9 to 22. This paper focuses on the adaptation of the BPR to Spanish, and analyzes different aspects of its internal structure: (a) exploratory item factor analysis was applied to assess the presence of a dominant factor for each partial scale; (b) the general underlined model was evaluated through confirmatory factor analysis, and (c) factorial invariance across gender was studied. The sample consisted of 2624 Spanish students. The results concluded the presence of a general factor beyond the scales, with equivalent values for men and women, and gender differences in the factorial structure which affect the numerical reasoning, abstract reasoning and mechanical reasoning scales.

Structural factors in HIV prevention: concepts, examples, and implications for research.

PubMed

Sumartojo, E

2000-06-01

HIV-prevention behavior is affected by the environment as well as by characteristics of individuals at risk. HIV-related structural factors are defined as barriers to, or facilitators of, an individual's HIV prevention behaviors; they may relate to economic, social, policy, organizational or other aspects of the environment. A relatively small number of intervention studies demonstrates the potential of structural interventions to increase HIV prevention in the United States and internationally. The promise of structural interventions has also been shown in studies of interventions to prevent disease or promote public health in areas other than HIV. Frameworks help define and exemplify structural barriers and facilitators for HIV prevention. One framework developed at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gives examples of structural facilitators in terms of the economic resources, policy supports, societal attitudes, and organizational structures and functions associated with governments, service organizations, businesses, workforce organizations, faith communities, justice systems, media organizations, educational systems, and healthcare systems. Frameworks should assist researchers and health officials to identify important areas for structural research and programming. A structural approach is timely and innovative. Despite limitations, including the challenge of a new perspective on prevention and the difficulty of evaluating their effects, researchers and public health officials are urged to pursue structural interventions to prevent HIV.

The Factor Structure of the Spiritual Well-Being Scale in Veterans Experienced Chemical Weapon Exposure.

PubMed

Sharif Nia, Hamid; Pahlevan Sharif, Saeed; Boyle, Christopher; Yaghoobzadeh, Ameneh; Tahmasbi, Bahram; Rassool, G Hussein; Taebei, Mozhgan; Soleimani, Mohammad Ali

2018-04-01

This study aimed to determine the factor structure of the spiritual well-being among a sample of the Iranian veterans. In this methodological research, 211 male veterans of Iran-Iraq warfare completed the Paloutzian and Ellison spiritual well-being scale. Maximum likelihood (ML) with oblique rotation was used to assess domain structure of the spiritual well-being. The construct validity of the scale was assessed using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), convergent validity, and discriminant validity. Reliability was evaluated with Cronbach's alpha, Theta (θ), and McDonald Omega (Ω) coefficients, intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC), and construct reliability (CR). Results of ML and CFA suggested three factors which were labeled "relationship with God," "belief in fate and destiny," and "life optimism." The ICC, coefficients of the internal consistency, and CR were >.7 for the factors of the scale. Convergent validity and discriminant validity did not fulfill the requirements. The Persian version of spiritual well-being scale demonstrated suitable validity and reliability among the veterans of Iran-Iraq warfare.

New evidence of factor structure and measurement invariance of the SDQ across five European nations.

PubMed

Ortuño-Sierra, Javier; Fonseca-Pedrero, Eduardo; Aritio-Solana, Rebeca; Velasco, Alvaro Moreno; de Luis, Edurne Chocarro; Schumann, Gunter; Cattrell, Anna; Flor, Herta; Nees, Frauke; Banaschewski, Tobias; Bokde, Arun; Whelan, Rob; Buechel, Christian; Bromberg, Uli; Conrod, Patricia; Frouin, Vincent; Papadopoulos, Dimitri; Gallinat, Juergen; Garavan, Hugh; Heinz, Andreas; Walter, Henrik; Struve, Maren; Gowland, Penny; Paus, Tomáš; Poustka, Luise; Martinot, Jean-Luc; Paillère-Martinot, Marie-Laure; Vetter, Nora C; Smolka, Michael N; Lawrence, Claire

2015-12-01

The main purpose of the present study was to analyse the internal structure and to test the measurement invariance of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), self-reported version, in five European countries. The sample consisted of 3012 adolescents aged between 12 and 17 years (M = 14.20; SD = 0.83). The five-factor model (with correlated errors added), and the five-factor model (with correlated errors added) with the reverse-worded items allowed to cross-load on the Prosocial subscale, displayed adequate goodness of-fit indices. Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis showed that the five-factor model (with correlated errors added) had partial strong measurement invariance by countries. A total of 11 of the 25 items were non-invariant across samples. The level of internal consistency of the Total difficulties score was 0.84, ranging between 0.69 and 0.78 for the SDQ subscales. The findings indicate that the SDQ's subscales need to be modified in various ways for screening emotional and behavioural problems in the five European countries that were analysed.

The structure of internal stresses in the uncompacted ice cover

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sukhorukov, K.K.

1995-12-31

Interactions between engineering structures and sea ice cover are associated with an inhomogeneous space/time field of internal stresses. Field measurements (e.g., Coon, 1989; Tucker, 1992) have revealed considerable local stresses depending on the regional stress field and ice structure. These stresses appear in different time and space scales and depend on rheologic properties of the ice. To estimate properly the stressed state a knowledge of a connection between internal stress components in various regions of the ice cover is necessary. To develop reliable algorithms for estimates of ice action on engineering structures new experimental data are required to take intomore » account both microscale (comparable with local ice inhomogeneities) and small-scale (kilometers) inhomogeneities of the ice cover. Studies of compacted ice (concentration N is nearly 1) are mostly important. This paper deals with the small-scale spatial distribution of internal stresses in the interaction zone between the ice covers of various concentrations and icebergs. The experimental conditions model a situation of the interaction between a wide structure and the ice cover. Field data on a drifting ice were collected during the Russian-US experiment in Antarctica WEDDELL-I in 1992.« less

16th International Conference on Nuclear Structure: NS2016

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Galindo-Uribarri, Alfredo

Every two years the Nuclear Structure (NS) conference series brings together researchers from an international community of experimental and theoretical nuclear physicists to present and discuss their latest results in nuclear structure. This biennial conference covered the latest results on experimental and theoretical research into the structure of nuclei at the extremes of isospin, excitation energy, mass, and angular momentum. Topics included many of the most exciting areas of modern nuclear structure research such as transitional behavior, nuclear structure and its evolution across the nuclear landscape, shell structure, collectivity, nuclear structure with radioactive beams, and macroscopic and microscopic approaches tomore » nuclear structure.« less

16th International Conference on Nuclear Structure: NS2016

DOE PAGES

Galindo-Uribarri, Alfredo

2016-10-28

Every two years the Nuclear Structure (NS) conference series brings together researchers from an international community of experimental and theoretical nuclear physicists to present and discuss their latest results in nuclear structure. This biennial conference covered the latest results on experimental and theoretical research into the structure of nuclei at the extremes of isospin, excitation energy, mass, and angular momentum. Topics included many of the most exciting areas of modern nuclear structure research such as transitional behavior, nuclear structure and its evolution across the nuclear landscape, shell structure, collectivity, nuclear structure with radioactive beams, and macroscopic and microscopic approaches tomore » nuclear structure.« less

The factor structure of the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale for Children and Adolescents: development of a brief version.

PubMed

Shachar, Iris; Aderka, Idan M; Gilboa-Schechtman, Eva

2014-06-01

The Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale for Children and Adolescents (LSAS-CA-SR) is a validated instrument for the assessment of social anxiety in youth. The three main objectives of the present study were to (a) examine the factor structure of the LSAS-CA-SR; (b) to validate the factors against relevant personality measures, and (c) to create a brief and reliable version of the questionnaire. A total of 1,362 adolescents completed self-report measures of social anxiety, temperament, character and personality traits. The factor structure was examined using a combination of confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis. The analysis was conducted on both the anxiety and avoidance sub-scales, and identical items for both sub-scales were maintained. Two factors emerged: social interaction and school performance. These factors demonstrated high internal consistency and a significant correlation with relevant self-report measures. A brief version comprised of 14 items was highly correlated (0.96) with the full version. The new factor structure represents advancement over the previous efforts, and holds promise for efficient utilization of the LSAS-CA.

Casein micelles and their internal structure.

PubMed

de Kruif, Cornelis G; Huppertz, Thom; Urban, Volker S; Petukhov, Andrei V

2012-01-01

The internal structure of casein micelles was studied by calculating the small-angle neutron and X-ray scattering and static light scattering spectrum (SANS, SAXS, SLS) as a function of the scattering contrast and composition. We predicted experimental SANS, SAXS, SLS spectra self consistently using independently determined parameters for composition size, polydispersity, density and voluminosity. The internal structure of the casein micelles, i.e. how the various components are distributed within the casein micelle, was modeled according to three different models advocated in the literature; i.e. the classical sub-micelle model, the nanocluster model and the dual binding model. In this paper we present the essential features of these models and combine new and old experimental SANS, SAXS, SLS and DLS scattering data with new calculations that predict the spectra. Further evidence on micellar substructure was obtained by internally cross linking the casein micelles using transglutaminase, which led to casein nanogel particles. In contrast to native casein micelles, the nanogel particles were stable in 6M urea and after sequestering the calcium using trisodium citrate. The changed scattering properties were again predicted self consistently. An important result is that the radius of gyration is independent of contrast, indicating that the mass distribution within a casein micelle is homogeneous. Experimental contrast is predicted quite well leading to a match point at a D(2)O volume fraction of 0.41 ratio in SANS. Using SANS and SAXS model calculations it is concluded that only the nanocluster model is capable of accounting for the experimental scattering contrast variation data. All features and trends are predicted self consistently, among which the 'famous' shoulder at a wave vector value Q=0.35 nm(-1) In the nanocluster model, the casein micelle is considered as a (homogeneous) matrix of caseins in which the colloidal calcium phosphate (CCP) nanoclusters are

Casein micelles and their internal structure

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

De Kruif, Cornelis G; Huppertz, Thom; Urban, Volker S

2012-01-01

The internal structure of casein micelles was studied by calculating the small-angle neutron and X-ray scattering and static light scattering spectrum (SANS, SAXS, SLS) as a function of the scattering contrast and composition. We predicted experimental SANS, SAXS, SLS spectra self consistently using independently determined parameters for composition size, polydispersity, density and voluminosity. The internal structure of the casein micelles, i.e. how the various components are distributed within the casein micelle, was modeled according to three different models advocated in the literature; i.e. the classical sub-micelle model, the nanocluster model and the dual binding model. In this paper we presentmore » the essential features of these models and combine new and old experimental SANS, SAXS, SLS and DLS scattering data with new calculations that predict the spectra. Further evidence on micellar substructure was obtained by internally cross linking the casein micelles using transglutaminase, which led to casein nanogel particles. In contrast to native casein micelles, the nanogel particles were stable in 6 M urea and after sequestering the calcium using trisodium citrate. The changed scattering properties were again predicted self consistently. An important result is that the radius of gyration is independent of contrast, indicating that the mass distribution within a casein micelle is homogeneous. Experimental contrast is predicted quite well leading to a match point at a D{sub 2}O volume fraction of 0.41 ratio in SANS. Using SANS and SAXS model calculations it is concluded that only the nanocluster model is capable of accounting for the experimental scattering contrast variation data. All features and trends are predicted self consistently, among which the 'famous' shoulder at a wave vector value Q = 0.35 nm{sup -1}. In the nanocluster model, the casein micelle is considered as a (homogeneous) matrix of caseins in which the colloidal calcium phosphate (CCP

International migration from non-endemic settings as a protective factor for HIV/STI risk among female sex workers in Vancouver, Canada.

PubMed

Goldenberg, Shira M; Liu, Vivian; Nguyen, Paul; Chettiar, Jill; Shannon, Kate

2015-02-01

Given heterogeneous evidence regarding the impacts of migration on HIV/sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among female sex workers (FSWs), we explored factors associated with international migration among FSWs in Vancouver, Canada. We draw on baseline questionnaire and HIV/STI testing data from a community-based cohort, AESHA, from 2010-2012. Logistic regression identified correlates of international migration. Of 650 FSWs, 163 (25.1%) were international migrants, who primarily worked in formal indoor establishments. HIV/STI prevalence was lower among migrants than Canadian-born women (5.5 vs. 25.9%). In multivariate analysis, international migration was positively associated with completing high school, supporting dependents, and paying a third party, and negatively associated with HIV, injecting drugs and inconsistent condom use with clients. Although migrants experience lower workplace harms and HIV risk than Canadian-born women, they face concerning levels of violence, police harassment, and HIV/STIs. Research exploring structural and socio-cultural factors shaping risk mitigation and migrants' access to support remains needed.

Rotational characterization of methyl methacrylate: Internal dynamics and structure determination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herbers, Sven; Wachsmuth, Dennis; Obenchain, Daniel A.; Grabow, Jens-Uwe

2018-01-01

Rotational constants, Watson's S centrifugal distortion coefficients, and internal rotation parameters of the two most stable conformers of methyl methacrylate were retrieved from the microwave spectrum. Splittings of rotational energy levels were caused by two non equivalent methyl tops. Constraining the centrifugal distortion coefficients and internal rotation parameters to the values of the main isotopologues, the rotational constants of all single substituted 13C and 18O isotopologues were determined. From these rotational constants the substitution structures and semi-empirical zero point structures of both conformers were precisely determined.

Examination of the Beck Depression Inventory-II Factor Structure Among Bariatric Surgery Candidates.

PubMed

Hayes, Sharon; Stoeckel, Nina; Napolitano, Melissa A; Collins, Charlotte; Wood, G Craig; Seiler, Jamie; Grunwald, Heidi E; Foster, Gary D; Still, Christopher D

2015-07-01

The Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) is frequently used to evaluate bariatric patients in clinical and research settings; yet, there are limited data regarding the factor structure of the BDI-II with a bariatric surgery population. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) using principal axis factoring with oblimin rotation was employed with data from 1228 consecutive presurgical bariatric candidates. Independent t tests were used to examine potential differences between sexes. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted with the next 383 consecutive presurgical patients to evaluate the proposed model based on EFA results. EFA revealed three factors: negative perceptions, diminished vigor, and cognitive dysregulation, each with adequate internal consistency. Six BDI-II items did not load significantly on any of the three factors. CFA results largely supported the proposed model. Results suggest that dimensions of depression for presurgical bariatric candidates vary from other populations and raise important caveats regarding the utility of the BDI-II in bariatric research.

Factor Structure, Reliability and Validity of the Taiwanese Version of the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yen, Cheng-Fang; Yang, Pinchen; Wu, Yu-Yu; Hsu, Fan-Ching; Cheng, Chung-Ping

2010-01-01

The aims of this study were to examine the factor structure, internal consistency 1 month test-retest reliability and the discriminant validity for the diagnosis of anxiety disorder of the Taiwanese version of the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children (MASC-T). A total of 12,536 Taiwanese children and adolescents in the community were…

Local perceptions on factors influencing the introduction of international healthcare accreditation in Pakistan.

PubMed

Sax, Sylvia; Marx, Michael

2014-12-01

One contributor to poor health outcomes in developing countries is weak health systems; key to strengthening them are interventions to improve quality of health services. Though the value of healthcare accreditation is increasingly recognized, there are few case studies exploring its adaptation in developing countries. The aim of our study in Pakistan was to identify perceived factors influencing the adaptation of international healthcare accreditation within a developing country context. We used qualitative methods including semi-structured interviews, a structured group discussion, focus groups and non-participant observation of management meetings. Data analysis used a grounded theory approach and a conceptual framework adapted from implementation science. Using our conceptual framework categories of 'inner' and 'outer' setting, we found six perceived inner health system factors that could influence the introduction of healthcare accreditation and two 'outer' setting factors, perceived as external to the health system but able to influence its introduction. Our research identified that there is no 'one size fits all' approach to introducing healthcare accreditation as a means to improve healthcare quality. Those planning to support healthcare accreditation, such as national and provincial ministries and international development partners, need to understand how the three components of healthcare accreditation fit into the local health system and into the broader political and social environment. In our setting this included moving to supportive and transparent external evaluation mechanisms, with a first step of using locally developed and agreed standards. In addition, sustainable implementation of the three components was seen as a major challenge, especially establishment of a well-managed, transparent accreditation agency able to lead processes such as training and support for peer surveyors. Consideration of local change mechanisms and cultural practices is

Factor Structure of Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale in Malaysian patients with coronary artery disease.

PubMed

Kaur, Satpal; Zainal, Nor Zuraida; Low, Wah Yun; Ramasamy, Ravindran; Sidhu, Jaideep Singh

2015-05-01

The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) is a common screening instrument used to determine the levels of anxiety and depression experienced by a patient and has been extensively used in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). This study aimed to establish the factor structure of HADS in a Malaysian sample of 189 patients with CAD. Factor analysis of HADS using principal component analysis with varimax rotation yielded 3 factors. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the use of HADS in assessing 3 distinct dimensions of psychological distress--namely, anxiety, anhedonia, and psychomotor retardation. The HADS showed good internal consistency and was found to be a valid measure of psychological distress among Malaysian patients with CAD. However, low mean scores on the original 2 factors--that is, anxiety and depression--and also on the 2 depression subscales--anhedonia and psychomotor retardation--suggests that the recommended cutoff score to screen for psychological distress among CAD patients be reevaluated. Further research to determine the generalizability and consistency for the tridimensional structure of the HADS in Malaysia is recommended. © 2014 APJPH.

The 1991 International Conference on Aging Aircraft and Structural Airworthiness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harris, Charles E. (Editor)

1992-01-01

Technical sessions of the conference included structural performance, nondestructive evaluation, maintenance and repair, international activities, and commuter airlines. Each session was organized to provide a well-rounded view of the subject from the industry, regulatory, and research perspective. Thirty-four presentations were given by the international technical community.

Examining Factors Which Influence Expatriate Educator Turnover in International Schools Abroad

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gomez, Franklyn Michael

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study is to determine factors affecting the departure of expatriate teachers and expatriate administrators from international schools. The sample for this study is expatriate administrators and expatriate teachers from schools associated with the Association for the Advancement of International Education (AAIE). Expatriate…

PREFACE: International Conference on Structural Nano Composites (NANOSTRUC 2012)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Njuguna, James

2012-09-01

Dear Colleagues It is a great pleasure to welcome you to NanoStruc2012 at Cranfield University. The purpose of the 2012 International Conference on Structural Nano Composites (NanoStruc2012) is to promote activities in various areas of materials and structures by providing a forum for exchange of ideas, presentation of technical achievements and discussion of future directions. NanoStruc brings together an international community of experts to discuss the state-of-the-art, new research results, perspectives of future developments, and innovative applications relevant to structural materials, engineering structures, nanocomposites, modelling and simulations, and their related application areas. The conference is split in 7 panel sessions, Metallic Nanocomposites and Coatings, Silica based Nanocomposites, safty of Nanomaterials, Carboin based Nanocomposites, Multscale Modelling, Bio materials and Application of Nanomaterials. All accepted Papers will be published in the IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering (MSE), and included in the NanoStruc online digital library. The abstracts will be indexed in Scopus, Compedex, Inspec, INIS (International Nuclear Information System), Chemical Abstracts, NASA Astrophysics Data System and Polymer Library. Before ending this message, I would like to acknowledge the hard work, professional skills and efficiency of the team which ensured the general organisation. As a conclusion, I would like to Welcome you to the Nanostruc2012 and wish you a stimulating Conference and a wonderful time. On behalf of the scientific committee, Signature James Njuguna Conference Chair The PDF of this preface also contains committee listings and associates logos.

Psychometric properties and factor structure of the Fertility Problem Inventory in a sample of infertile women undergoing fertility treatment.

PubMed

Gourounti, K; Anagnostopoulos, F; Vaslamatzis, G

2011-10-01

to examine the psychometric properties of the Fertility Problem Inventory (FPI) originally developed by Newton et al. (1999); as there are no data concerning the factorial structure of the FPI, a special focus is placed on construct validity through factor analysis. public hospital in Athens, Greece. a cross-sectional study. 108 women undergoing fertility treatment with in-vitro fertilisation. the FPI was 'forward-backward' translated from English to Greek. The translated instrument was then administered to a set of infertile women for pilot testing. Principal axis factoring with promax rotation was used to test the factor structure of the FPI. Measures of anxiety State Trait Anxiety Inventory, depression (Center for Epidemiologic Studies--Depression Scale) and mood states Profile of Mood States were used to assess the convergent validity of the FPI. Cronbach's α was used to measure internal consistency of the FPI scales. exploratory factor analysis suggested four factors. The majority of relationship and sexual concern items grouped into one solid factor, named 'spousal concern'. The original scales of social concern, need for parenthood and rejection of childfree lifestyle were reproduced after rearranging nine cross-loading items. Construct validity was confirmed by computing correlations between the derived FPI scales and conceptually similar constructions of anxiety, depression and mood states. Internal consistency reliability was satisfactory. the FPI was found to have a relatively stable factor structure and satisfactory reliability, and convergent and discriminant validity. The FPI may enable researchers and clinicians to apply a reliable measure that focuses on various/many dimensions of infertility-related stress. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Failure to replicate the internal structure of Greek-specific thalassemia quality of life instrument in adult thalassemia patients in Sabah.

PubMed

Keowmani, Thamron; Lee, Lily Wong Lee

2016-01-01

To study the validity and reliability of the Malay version of the Specific Thalassemia Quality of Life Instrument (STQOLI) in Sabah's adult thalassemia patients. This cross-sectional study was done at Thalassemia Treatment Centre, Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Sabah, Malaysia. Eighty-two adult thalassemia patients who fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria were conveniently selected for participation in the study. The English version of STQOLI was translated into Malay by using forward and back translations. The content of the questionnaire was validated by the chief hematologist of the hospital. The construct validity of the 40-item questionnaire was assessed by principal component analysis with varimax rotation and the scale reliability was assessed by Cronbach's alpha. The study failed to replicate the internal structure of the Greek STQOLI. Instead, 12 factors have been identified from the exploratory factor analysis, which accounted for 72.2% of the variance. However, only eight factors were interpretable. The factors were iron chelation pump impact, transfusion impact, time spent on treatment and its impact on work and social life, sex life, side effects of treatment, cardiovascular problems, psychology, and iron chelation pill impact. The overall scale reliability was 0.913. This study was unable to replicate the internal structure of the Greek STQOLI in Sabah's adult thalassemia patients. Instead, a new structure has emerged that can be used as a guide to develop a questionnaire specific for adult thalassemia patients in Sabah. Future research should focus on the eight factors identified from this study.

Reassessment of the Psychometric Characteristics and Factor Structure of the ‘Perceived Stress Questionnaire’ (PSQ): Analysis in a Sample of Dental Students

PubMed Central

Montero-Marin, Jesús; Piva Demarzo, Marcelo Marcos; Pereira, Joao Paulo; Olea, Marina; García-Campayo, Javier

2014-01-01

Background The training to become a dentist can create psychological distress. The present study evaluates the structure of the ‘Perceived Stress Questionnaire’ (PSQ), its internal consistency model and interrelatedness with burnout, anxiety, depression and resilience among dental students. Methods The study employed a cross-sectional design. A sample of Spanish dental students (n = 314) completed the PSQ, the ‘Goldberg Anxiety and Depression Scale’ (GADS), ‘Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale’ (10-item CD-RISC) and ‘Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey’ (MBI-SS). The structure was estimated using Parallel Analysis from polychoric correlations. Unweighted Least Squares was the method for factor extraction, using the Item Response Theory to evaluate the discriminative power of items. Internal consistency was assessed by squaring the correlation between the latent true variable and the observed variable. The relationships between the PSQ and the other constructs were analysed using Spearman’s coefficient. Results The results showed a PSQ structure through two sub-factors (‘frustration’ and ‘tenseness’) with regard to one general factor (‘perceived stress’). Items that did not satisfy discriminative capacity were rejected. The model fit were acceptable (GFI = 0.98; RSMR = 0.06; AGFI = 0.98; NFI = 0.98; RFI = 0.98). All the factors showed adequate internal consistency as measured by the congeneric model (≥0.91). High and significant associations were observed between perceived stress and burnout, anxiety, depression and resilience. Conclusions The PSQ showed a hierarchical bi-factor structure among Spanish dental students. Using the questionnaire as a uni-dimensional scale may be useful in perceived stress level discrimination, while the sub-factors could help us to refine perceived stress analysis and improve therapeutic processes. PMID:24466330

The Positive Psychology Outcome Measure (PPOM) for people with dementia: Psychometric properties and factor structure.

PubMed

Stoner, Charlotte R; Orrell, Martin; Spector, Aimee

To conduct an in-depth psychometric assessment of the PPOM; a measure of hope and resilience. An observational study at five NHS trusts across England. Participants either completed the study using self-complete or interview led procedures, depending on their preference. Assessments were internal consistency, floor and ceiling effects, test-retest reliability, convergent validity and factor structure. 225 participants were recruited and completed the study, with a subsample of 48 comprising the test-retest sample. Internal consistency was excellent α = 0.94, and significant correlations were observed between quality of life (r = 0.627, p < .001), depression (r = -0.699, p < .001) and the Control, Autonomy, Self-realisation and Pleasure Scale (CASP-19; r = 0.73, p < .001). The PPOM remained moderately stable over a one week period (ICC: 880) and factor analyses indicated a two-factor structure solution with acceptable fit indices. The PPOM has robust psychometric properties and is now suitable for use research and practice. People who met the clinical criteria for depression were more likely to have lower scores on the PPOM, indicating criterion validity. Future work is needed to establish the PPOM as sensitive to change and to investigate the relationship between hope, resilience and depression further. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

XVII International Conference on Hadron Spectroscopy and Structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2017-09-01

The Hadron 2017 Conference is the seventeenth of a series of biennial conferences started in 1985 at Maryland, USA. Its official name, XVII International Conference on Hadron Spectroscopy and Structure, includes for the first time the term structure to emphasize the importance that this issue has acquired in recent editions of the series. The aim of the conference is to provide an overview of the present status and progress in hadron structure and dynamics, as well as a preview of the forthcoming investigations. It will cover lectures on both experimental and theoretical aspects, including in particular the presentation of new results.

Factors Associated With Pharmacy Student Interest in International Study

PubMed Central

Owen, Chelsea; Breheny, Patrick; Ingram, Richard; Pfeifle, William; Cain, Jeff

2013-01-01

Objectives. To examine the interest of pharmacy students in international study, the demographic factors and involvement characteristics associated with that interest, and the perceived advantages and barriers of engaging in international opportunities during pharmacy school. Methods. A self-administered electronic survey instrument was distributed to first-, second-, and third-year pharmacy students at the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy. Results. There were 192 total respondents, for a response rate of 50.9%. Seventy-two percent reported interest in international study. Previous international study experience (p=0.001), previous international travel experience (p=0.002), year in pharmacy school (p=0.03), level of academic involvement (p<0.001), and level of diversity involvement (p<0.001) were associated with international study interest. Positive influences to international study included desire to travel and availability of scholarships. Perceived barriers included an inability to pay expenses and lack of foreign language knowledge. Conclusions. The needs and interests of pharmacy students should be considered in the development and expansion of internationalization programs in order to effectively optimize global partnerships and available international experiences. Colleges and schools of pharmacy should engage students early in the curriculum when interest in study-abroad opportunities is highest and seek to alleviate concerns about expenses as a primary influence on study-abroad decisions through provision of financial assistance. PMID:23610472

Factors associated with pharmacy student interest in international study.

PubMed

Owen, Chelsea; Breheny, Patrick; Ingram, Richard; Pfeifle, William; Cain, Jeff; Ryan, Melody

2013-04-12

OBJECTIVES. To examine the interest of pharmacy students in international study, the demographic factors and involvement characteristics associated with that interest, and the perceived advantages and barriers of engaging in international opportunities during pharmacy school. METHODS. A self-administered electronic survey instrument was distributed to first-, second-, and third-year pharmacy students at the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy. RESULTS. There were 192 total respondents, for a response rate of 50.9%. Seventy-two percent reported interest in international study. Previous international study experience (p=0.001), previous international travel experience (p=0.002), year in pharmacy school (p=0.03), level of academic involvement (p<0.001), and level of diversity involvement (p<0.001) were associated with international study interest. Positive influences to international study included desire to travel and availability of scholarships. Perceived barriers included an inability to pay expenses and lack of foreign language knowledge. CONCLUSIONS. The needs and interests of pharmacy students should be considered in the development and expansion of internationalization programs in order to effectively optimize global partnerships and available international experiences. Colleges and schools of pharmacy should engage students early in the curriculum when interest in study-abroad opportunities is highest and seek to alleviate concerns about expenses as a primary influence on study-abroad decisions through provision of financial assistance.

Internalization Mechanisms of the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor after Activation with Different Ligands

PubMed Central

Henriksen, Lasse; Grandal, Michael Vibo; Knudsen, Stine Louise Jeppe; van Deurs, Bo; Grøvdal, Lene Melsæther

2013-01-01

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) regulates normal growth and differentiation, but dysregulation of the receptor or one of the EGFR ligands is involved in the pathogenesis of many cancers. There are eight ligands for EGFR, however most of the research into trafficking of the receptor after ligand activation focuses on the effect of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and transforming growth factor-α (TGF-α). For a long time it was believed that clathrin-mediated endocytosis was the major pathway for internalization of the receptor, but recent work suggests that different pathways exist. Here we show that clathrin ablation completely inhibits internalization of EGF- and TGF-α-stimulated receptor, however the inhibition of receptor internalization in cells treated with heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HB-EGF) or betacellulin (BTC) was only partial. In contrast, clathrin knockdown fully inhibits EGFR degradation after all ligands tested. Furthermore, inhibition of dynamin function blocked EGFR internalization after stimulation with all ligands. Knocking out a number of clathrin-independent dynamin-dependent pathways of internalization had no effect on the ligand-induced endocytosis of the EGFR. We suggest that EGF and TGF-α lead to EGFR endocytosis mainly via the clathrin-mediated pathway. Furthermore, we suggest that HB-EGF and BTC also lead to EGFR endocytosis via a clathrin-mediated pathway, but can additionally use an unidentified internalization pathway or better recruit the small amount of clathrin remaining after clathrin knockdown. PMID:23472148

Bacterial Sigma Factors and Anti-Sigma Factors: Structure, Function and Distribution

PubMed Central

Paget, Mark S.

2015-01-01

Sigma factors are multi-domain subunits of bacterial RNA polymerase (RNAP) that play critical roles in transcription initiation, including the recognition and opening of promoters as well as the initial steps in RNA synthesis. This review focuses on the structure and function of the major sigma-70 class that includes the housekeeping sigma factor (Group 1) that directs the bulk of transcription during active growth, and structurally-related alternative sigma factors (Groups 2–4) that control a wide variety of adaptive responses such as morphological development and the management of stress. A recurring theme in sigma factor control is their sequestration by anti-sigma factors that occlude their RNAP-binding determinants. Sigma factors are then released through a wide variety of mechanisms, often involving branched signal transduction pathways that allow the integration of distinct signals. Three major strategies for sigma release are discussed: regulated proteolysis, partner-switching, and direct sensing by the anti-sigma factor. PMID:26131973

Methods for computing internal flattening, with applications to the Earth's structure and geodynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Denis, C.; Amalvict, M.; Rogister, Y.; Tomecka-Suchoń, S.

1998-03-01

After general comments (Section 1) on using variational procedures to compute the oblateness of internal strata in the Earth and slowly rotating planets, we recall briefly some basic concepts about barotropic equilibrium figures (Section 2), and then proceed to discuss several accurate methods to derive the internal flattening. The algorithms given in Section 3 are based on the internal gravity field theory of Clairaut, Laplace and Lyapunov. They make explicit use of the concept of a level surface. The general formulation given here leads to a number of formulae which are of both theoretical and practical use in studying the Earth's structure, dynamics and rotational evolution. We provide exact solutions for the figure functions of three Earth models, and apply the formalism to yield curves for the internal flattening as a function of the spin frequency. Two more methods, which use the general deformation equations, are discussed in Section 4. The latter do not rely explicitly on the existence of level surfaces. They offer an alternative to the classical first-order internal field theory, and can actually be used to compute changes of the flattening on short timescales produced by variations in the LOD. For short durations, the Earth behaves elastically rather than hydrostatically. We discuss in some detail static deformations and Longman's static core paradox (Section 5), and demonstrate that in general no static solution exists for a realistic Earth model. In Section 6 we deal briefly with differential rotation occurring in cylindrical shells, and show why differential rotation of the inner core such as has been advocated recently is incompatible with the concept of level surfaces. In Section 7 we discuss first-order hydrostatic theory in relation to Earth structure, and show how to derive a consistent reference Earth model which is more suitable for geodynamical modelling than are modern Earth models such as 1066-A, PREM or CORE11. An important result is that a

Assessing Protective Factors for Violence Risk in U.K. General Mental Health Services Using the Structured Assessment of Protective Factors.

PubMed

Haines, Alina; Brown, Andrew; Javaid, Syed Fahad; Khan, Fayyaz; Noblett, Steve; Omodunbi, Oladipupo; Sadiq, Khurram; Zaman, Wahid; Whittington, Richard

2017-12-01

Violence risk assessment and management are key tasks in mental health services and should be guided by validated instruments covering both risk and protective factors. This article is part of an international effort to validate the Structured Assessment of Protective Factors (SAPROF) for violence. The SAPROF, Historical, Clinical, Risk Management-20 (HCR-20) and the Psychopathy Checklist-Screening Version (PCL-SV) were administered in a sample of 261 patients in U.K. forensic, general inpatient, and community mental health settings. There was significant variation between these groups on SAPROF scores with fewer protective factors in the forensic group. The prospective validity of the SAPROF for nonviolence in the general inpatient and community samples was moderate (area under the curve [AUC] = .60). Adoption of the SAPROF or similar instruments as a supplement to risk-focused assessments has the potential to improve awareness of protective factors and enhance therapeutic engagement in a range of mental health services.

Factor structure and psychometric properties of a Romanian translation of the Body Appreciation Scale-2.

PubMed

Swami, Viren; Tudorel, Otilia; Goian, Cosmin; Barron, David; Vintila, Mona

2017-12-01

We examined the psychometric properties of a Romanian translation of the 10-item Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2). A total of 453 university students from Romania completed the BAS-2, along with measures of disordered eating, self-esteem, satisfaction with life, and subjective happiness. In addition, a separate sample of university students (N=109) completed only the BAS-2 at two time-points three weeks apart. Principal-axis factor analysis indicated that BAS-2 scores had a one-dimensional factor structure in both women and men. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that this factor structure had adequate fit, but invariance across sex was not supported. Further analyses indicated that BAS-2 scores evidenced internal consistency, convergent validity, and test-retest reliability in both women and men. These results suggest that BAS-2 scores reduce to one dimension in Romanian adults, but the lack of sex invariance may indicate that the same latent construct is not being measured in women and men. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Studies on muon tomography for archaeological internal structures scanning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gómez, H.; Carloganu, C.; Gibert, D.; Jacquemier, J.; Karyotakis, Y.; Marteau, J.; Niess, V.; Katsanevas, S.; Tonazzo, A.

2016-05-01

Muon tomography is a potential non-invasive technique for internal structure scanning. It has already interesting applications in geophysics and can be used for archaeological purposes. Muon tomography is based on the measurement of the muon flux after crossing the structure studied. Differences on the mean density of these structures imply differences on the detected muon rate for a given direction. Based on this principle, Monte Carlo simulations represent a useful tool to provide a model of the expected muon rate and angular distribution depending on the composition of the studied object, being useful to estimate the expected detected muons and to better understand the experimental results. These simulations are mainly dependent on the geometry and composition of the studied object and on the modelling of the initial muon flux at surface. In this work, the potential of muon tomography in archaeology is presented and evaluated with Monte Carlo simulations by estimating the differences on the muon rate due to the presence of internal structures and its composition. The influence of the chosen muon model at surface in terms of energy and angular distributions in the final result has been also studied.

Institutional and Managerial Factors Affecting International Student Recruitment Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ross, Mitchell; Heaney, Joo-Gim; Cooper, Maxine

2007-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate international student recruitment from an institutional perspective and to consider institutional factors that may affect recruitment. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative study is undertaken in which education marketing practitioners are interviewed regarding aspects of international…

Measurement invariance of the alcohol use disorders identification test: Establishing its factor structure in different settings and across gender.

PubMed

Moehring, Anne; Krause, Kristian; Guertler, Diana; Bischof, Gallus; Hapke, Ulfert; Freyer-Adam, Jennis; Baumann, Sophie; Batra, Anil; Rumpf, Hans-Juergen; Ulbricht, Sabina; John, Ulrich; Meyer, Christian

2018-05-31

The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) is an internationally well-established screening tool for the assessment of hazardous and harmful alcohol consumption. To be valid for group comparisons, the AUDIT should measure the same latent construct with the same structure across groups. This is determined by measurement invariance. So far, measurement invariance of the AUDIT has rarely been investigated. We analyzed measurement invariance across gender and samples from different settings (i.e., inpatients from general hospital, patients from general medical practices, general population). A sample of n = 28,345 participants from general hospitals, general medical practices and the general population was provided from six studies. First, we used Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to establish the factorial structure of the AUDIT by comparing a single-factor model to a two-factor model for each group. Next, Multiple Group CFA was used to investigate measurement invariance. The two-factor structure was shown to be preferable for all groups. Furthermore, strict measurement invariance was established across all groups for the AUDIT. A two-factor structure for the AUDIT is preferred. Nevertheless, the one-factor structure also showed a good fit to the data. The findings support the AUDIT as a psychometrically valid and reliable screening instrument. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The curious case of Mercury's internal structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hauck, Steven A.; Margot, Jean-Luc; Solomon, Sean C.; Phillips, Roger J.; Johnson, Catherine L.; Lemoine, Frank G.; Mazarico, Erwan; McCoy, Timothy J.; Padovan, Sebastiano; Peale, Stanton J.; Perry, Mark E.; Smith, David E.; Zuber, Maria T.

2013-06-01

The recent determination of the gravity field of Mercury and new Earth-based radar observations of the planet's spin state afford the opportunity to explore Mercury's internal structure. These observations provide estimates of two measures of the radial mass distribution of Mercury: the normalized polar moment of inertia and the fractional polar moment of inertia of the solid portion of the planet overlying the liquid core. Employing Monte Carlo techniques, we calculate several million models of the radial density structure of Mercury consistent with its radius and bulk density and constrained by these moment of inertia parameters. We estimate that the top of the liquid core is at a radius of 2020 ± 30 km, the mean density above this boundary is 3380 ± 200 kg m-3, and the density below the boundary is 6980 ± 280 kg m-3. We find that these internal structure parameters are robust across a broad range of compositional models for the core and planet as a whole. Geochemical observations of Mercury's surface by MESSENGER indicate a chemically reducing environment that would favor the partitioning of silicon or both silicon and sulfur into the metallic core during core-mantle differentiation. For a core composed of Fe-S-Si materials, the thermodynamic properties at elevated pressures and temperatures suggest that an FeS-rich layer could form at the top of the core and that a portion of it may be presently solid.

Validation of the Factor Structure of the Positive Life Assets Scale for High School Students in Thailand

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tripathi, Suriyadeo

2018-01-01

The aim of the present study was to determine the factor structure of the Positive Life Assets Scale (PLAS), a new measure to identify both internal and external life assets among high school students in Thailand, and to further examine the usefulness of the PLAS for a comprehensive, developmental, and strengths-based school and community…

Maxwell-Higgs vortices with internal structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bazeia, D.; Marques, M. A.; Menezes, R.

2018-05-01

Vortices are considered in relativistic Maxwell-Higgs systems in interaction with a neutral scalar field. The gauge field interacts with the neutral field via the presence of generalized permeability, and the charged and neutral scalar fields interact in a way dictated by the presence of first order differential equations that solve the equations of motion. The neutral field may be seen as the source field of the vortex, and we study some possibilities, which modify the standard Maxwell-Higgs solution and include internal structure to the vortex.

Effects of internal structure on equilibrium of field-reversed configuration plasma sustained by rotating magnetic field

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yambe, Kiyoyuki; Inomoto, Michiaki; Okada, Shigefumi

The effects of an internal structure on the equilibrium of a field-reversed configuration (FRC) plasma sustained by rotating magnetic field is investigated by using detailed electrostatic probe measurements in the FRC Injection Experiment apparatus [S. Okada, et al., Nucl. Fusion. 45, 1094 (2005)]. An internal structure installed axially on the geometrical axis, which simulates Ohmic transformer or external toroidal field coils on the FRC device, brings about substantial changes in plasma density profile. The internal structure generates steep density-gradients not only on the inner side but on the outer side of the torus. The radial electric field is observed tomore » sustain the ion thermal pressure-gradient in the FRC without the internal structure; however, the radial electric field is not sufficient to sustain the increased ion thermal pressure-gradient in the FRC with the internal structure. Spontaneously driven azimuthal ion flow will be accountable for the imbalance of the radial pressure which is modified by the internal structure.« less

International migration from non-endemic settings as a protective factor for HIV/STI risk among female sex workers in Vancouver, Canada

PubMed Central

Goldenberg, Shira M.; Liu, Vivian; Nguyen, Paul; Chettiar, Jill; Shannon, Kate

2014-01-01

Background Given heterogeneous evidence regarding the impacts of migration on HIV/sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among female sex workers (FSWs), we explored factors associated with international migration among FSWs in Vancouver, Canada. Methods We draw on baseline questionnaire and HIV/STI testing data from a community-based cohort, AESHA, from 2010-2012. Logistic regression identified correlates of international migration. Results Of 650 FSWs, 163 (25.1%) were international migrants, who primarily worked in formal indoor establishments. HIV/STI prevalence was lower among migrants than Canadian-born women (5.5% vs. 25.9%). In multivariate analysis, international migration was positively associated with completing high school, supporting dependents, and paying a third party, and negatively associated with HIV, injecting drugs and inconsistent condom use with clients. Discussion Although migrants experience lower workplace harms and HIV risk than Canadian-born women, they face concerning levels of violence, police harassment, and HIV/STIs. Research exploring structural and socio-cultural factors shaping risk mitigation and migrants’ access to support remains needed. PMID:24700025

Design of complex bone internal structure using topology optimization with perimeter control.

PubMed

Park, Jaejong; Sutradhar, Alok; Shah, Jami J; Paulino, Glaucio H

2018-03-01

Large facial bone loss usually requires patient-specific bone implants to restore the structural integrity and functionality that also affects the appearance of each patient. Titanium alloys (e.g., Ti-6Al-4V) are typically used in the interfacial porous coatings between the implant and the surrounding bone to promote stability. There exists a property mismatch between the two that in general leads to complications such as stress-shielding. This biomechanical discrepancy is a hurdle in the design of bone replacements. To alleviate the mismatch, the internal structure of the bone replacements should match that of the bone. Topology optimization has proven to be a good technique for designing bone replacements. However, the complex internal structure of the bone is difficult to mimic using conventional topology optimization methods without additional restrictions. In this work, the complex bone internal structure is recovered using a perimeter control based topology optimization approach. By restricting the solution space by means of the perimeter, the intricate design complexity of bones can be achieved. Three different bone regions with well-known physiological loadings are selected to illustrate the method. Additionally, we found that the target perimeter value and the pattern of the initial distribution play a vital role in obtaining the natural curvatures in the bone internal structures as well as avoiding excessive island patterns. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An examination of the factor structure and sex invariance of a French translation of the Body Appreciation Scale-2 in university students.

PubMed

Kertechian, Sevag; Swami, Viren

2017-06-01

The Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2) is a measure of positive body image that has been found that have a one-dimensional factor structure in a number of different cultural groups. Here, we examined the factor structure and sex-based measurement invariance of a French translation of the BAS-2. A total of 652 university students (age M=21.33, SD=3.18) completed a newly-translated French version of the BAS-2. Exploratory factor analyses with a randomly selected split-half subsample revealed that the BAS-2 had a one-dimensional factor structure in both sexes. Confirmatory factor analyses with a second split-half subsample indicated that the one-dimensional factor structure had adequate fit following modifications and was invariant across sex. French BAS-2 scores had adequate internal consistency and men had significantly higher body appreciation than women (ds=.16-.23). These results provide preliminary support for the factorial validity of the French BAS-2. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The reasons for betel-quid chewing scale: assessment of factor structure, reliability, and validity.

PubMed

Little, Melissa A; Pokhrel, Pallav; Murphy, Kelle L; Kawamoto, Crissy T; Suguitan, Gil S; Herzog, Thaddeus A

2014-06-03

Despite the fact that betel-quid is one of the most commonly used psychoactive substances worldwide and a major risk-factor for head-and-neck cancer incidence and mortality globally, currently no standardized instrument is available to assess the reasons why individuals chew betel-quid. A measure to assess reasons for chewing betel-quid could help researchers and clinicians develop prevention and treatment strategies. In the current study, we sought to develop and evaluate a self-report instrument for assessing the reasons for chewing betel quid which contributes toward the goal of developing effective interventions to reduce betel quid chewing in vulnerable populations. The current study assessed the factor structure, reliability and convergent validity of the Reasons for Betel-quid Chewing Scale (RBCS), a newly developed 10 item measure adapted from several existing "reasons for smoking" scales. The measure was administered to 351 adult betel-quid chewers in Guam. Confirmatory factor analysis of this measure revealed a three factor structure: reinforcement, social/cultural, and stimulation. Further tests revealed strong support for the internal consistency and convergent validity of this three factor measure. The goal of designing an intervention to reduce betel-quid chewing necessitates an understanding of why chewers chew; the current study makes considerable contributions towards that objective.

The Internalized Homophobia Scale for Vietnamese Sexual Minority Women (IHVN-W): Conceptualization, factor structure, reliability, and associations with hypothesized correlates

PubMed Central

Nguyen, Trang Quynh; Poteat, Tonia; Bandeen-Roche, Karen; German, Danielle; Nguyen, Yen Hai; Vu, Loan Kieu-Chau; Nguyen, Nam Thi-Thu; Knowlton, Amy R.

2016-01-01

We developed the first Vietnamese internalized homophobia (IH) scale, for use with Vietnamese sexual minority women (SMW). Drawing from existing IH scales in the international literature and based on prior qualitative research about SMW in the Viet Nam context, the scale covers two domains: self-stigma (negative attitudes toward oneself as a sexual minority person) and sexual prejudice (negative attitudes toward homosexuality/same-sex relations in general). Scale items, including items borrowed from existing scales and items based on local expressions, were reviewed and confirmed by members of the target population. Quantitative evaluation used data from an anonymous web-based survey of Vietnamese SMW, including those who identified as lesbian (n=1187), or as bisexual (n=641) and those who were unsure about their sexual identity (n=353). The scale was found to consist of two highly correlated factors reflecting self-stigma (not normal/wholesome and self-reproach and wishing away same-sex sexuality) and one factor reflecting sexual prejudice, and to have excellent internal consistency. Construct validity was evidenced by subscales’ associations with a wide range of hypothesized correlates including perceived sexual stigma, outness, social support, connection to other SMW, relationship quality, psychological well-being, anticipation of heterosexual marriage and endorsement of same-sex marriage legalization. Self-stigma was more strongly associated with psychosocial correlates and sexual prejudice was more associated with endorsement of legal same-sex marriage. The variations in these associations across the hypothesized correlates and across sexual identity groups were consistent with the Minority Stress Model and the IH literature, and exhibited context-specific features, which are discussed. PMID:27007469

Thermal and Compositional Variation of Glassy Metal Structure Factors.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

From, Milton

The x-ray total structure factor of the glassy -metal alloys Mg_{70}Zn_ {30}, Ca_{70}Mg_{30 } and Mg_{85.5}Cu _{14.5} has been measured at three temperatures: 9K, 150K, and 300K. The data have a statistical precision of about.8% and an absolute accuracy of roughly 3%. Percus-Yevick hard sphere structure factors may be fitted quite accurately to the data in the region of the first peak. In addition, the variation of the experimental structure factor with composition is found to be consistent with the Percus-Yevick theory. At low k values, Percus -Yevick and other theoretical model structure factors are in poor agreement with the data. Within experimental error, the temperature dependence of the structure factors is in agreement with the Debye plane wave phonon model of atomic vibrations. The measured structure factors are used to calculate the electrical resistivity from the Faber-Ziman equation. In most cases, the calculations yield both the correct magnitude of resistivity and sign of the temperature coefficient of resistivity.

Representing and organizing information to describe the lived experience of health from a personal factors perspective in the light of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF): a discussion paper.

PubMed

Geyh, Szilvia; Schwegler, Urban; Peter, Claudio; Müller, Rachel

2018-03-06

To discuss the representation and organization of information describing persons' lived experience of health from a personal factors perspective in the light of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, using spinal cord injury as a case in point for disability. The scientific literature was reviewed, discussion rounds conducted, and qualitative secondary analyses of data carried out using an iterative inductive-deductive approach. Conceptual considerations are explicated that distinguish the personal factors perspective from other components of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. A representation structure is developed that organizes health-related concepts describing the internal context of functioning. Concepts are organized as individual facts, subjective experiences, and recurrent patterns of experience and behavior specifying 7 areas and 211 concept groups. The article calls for further scientific debate on the perspective of personal factors in the light of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. A structure that organizes concepts in relation to a personal factors perspective can enhance the comprehensiveness, transparency and standardization of health information, and contribute to the empowerment of persons with disabilities. Implications for rehabilitation The present study collected data from scientific literature reviews, discussion rounds and qualitative secondary analyses in order to develop a representation and organization of information describing persons' lived experience of health from a personal factors perspective in the light of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. The following representation structure for health-related information from a personal factors perspective was developed: (i) Individuals facts (i.e., socio-demographical factors, position in the immediate social and physical context, personal history

Protection of cooled blades of complex internal structure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glamiche, P.

1977-01-01

The problem of general protection of cooled blades of complex internal structure was solved by a method called SF technique which makes possible the protection of both external and internal surfaces, as well as those of the orifices of cooling air, whatever their diameter. The SF method is most often applied in the case of pack process, at controlled or high activity; it can be of use on previously uncoated parts, but also on pieces already coated by a thermochemical, chemical or PVD method. The respective thickness of external and internal coatings may be precisely predetermined, no parasitic particle being liable to remain inside the parts after application of the protecting treatment. Results obtained to date by application of this method are illustrated by the presentation and examination of a various selection of advanced turbo engines.

Measuring Alexithymia via Trait Approach-I: A Alexithymia Scale Item Selection and Formation of Factor Structure

PubMed Central

TATAR, Arkun; SALTUKOĞLU, Gaye; ALİOĞLU, Seda; ÇİMEN, Sümeyye; GÜVEN, Hülya; AY, Çağla Ebru

2017-01-01

Introduction It is not clear in the literature whether available instruments are sufficient to measure alexithymia because of its theoretical structure. Moreover, it has been reported that several measuring instruments are needed to measure this construct, and all the instruments have different error sources. The old and the new forms of Toronto Alexithymia Scale are the only instruments available in Turkish. Thus, the purpose of this study was to develop a new scale to measure alexithymia, selecting items and constructing the factor structure. Methods A total of 1117 patients aged from 19 to 82 years (mean = 35.05 years) were included. A 100-item pool was prepared and applied to 628 women and 489 men. Data were analyzed using Explanatory Factor Analysis, Confirmatory Factor Analysis, and Item Response Theory and 28 items were selected. The new form of 28 items was applied to 415 university students, including 271 women and 144 men aged from 18 to 30 (mean=21.44). Results The results of Explanatory Factor Analysis revealed a five-factor construct of “Solving and Expressing Affective Experiences,” “External Locused Cognitive Style,” “Tendency to Somatize Affections,” “Imaginary Life and Visualization,” and “Acting Impulsively,” along with a two-factor construct representing the “Affective” and “Cognitive” components. All the components of the construct showed good model fit and high internal consistency. The new form was tested in terms of internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and concurrent validity using Toronto Alexithymia Scale as criteria and discriminative validity using Five-Factor Personality Inventory Short Form. Conclusion The results showed that the new scale met the basic psychometric requirements. Results have been discussed in line with related studies. PMID:29033633

Role of carbohydrate in multimeric structure of factor VIII/von Willebrand factor protein.

PubMed Central

Gralnick, H R; Williams, S B; Rick, M E

1983-01-01

The carbohydrate moiety of the factor VIII/von Willebrand (vW) factor protein is important in the expression of vW factor activity and the intravascular survival of the protein. Studies of normal human factor VIII/vW factor protein indicate that there is a requirement of a full complement of penultimate galactose for the maintenance of a normal multimeric structure. Release of penultimate galactose by beta-galactosidase or modification by galactose oxidase results in loss of the largest molecular weight multimers and increased numbers of intermediate and smaller multimers. In contrast, terminal galactose on the factor VIII/vW factor protein does not appear to play a significant role in the maintenance of the multimer organization. The abnormalities in multimeric structure and molecular size were demonstrated by NaDodSO4/polyacrylamide/agarose gel electrophoresis, NaDodSO4/glyoxyl-agarose electrophoresis, and sucrose density ultracentrifugation. These studies indicate that the penultimate galactose plays a role in the maintenance of the largest multimers of the factor VIII/vW factor protein. This may explain why, in some patients with variant forms of vW disease, a carbohydrate abnormality also may affect the multimeric structure of the plasma factor VIII/vW factor protein. Images PMID:6601805

Internal Structure of Mini-CEX Scores for Internal Medicine Residents: Factor Analysis and Generalizability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cook, David A.; Beckman, Thomas J.; Mandrekar, Jayawant N.; Pankratz, V. Shane

2010-01-01

The mini-CEX is widely used to rate directly observed resident-patient encounters. Although several studies have explored the reliability of mini-CEX scores, the dimensionality of mini-CEX scores is incompletely understood. Objective: Explore the dimensionality of mini-CEX scores through factor analysis and generalizability analysis. Design:…

Factors That Contribute to the Adjustment of International Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mesidor, Jean Kesnold; Sly, Kaye F.

2016-01-01

Leaving home to attend college is an important milestone for college students. However, the transition from home to college can be challenging, especially for students studying abroad. In this article, the authors explore factors that contribute to the academic, cultural, social, and psychological adjustments of international students. Adjustment…

Advancing viral RNA structure prediction: measuring the thermodynamics of pyrimidine-rich internal loops

PubMed Central

Phan, Andy; Mailey, Katherine; Saeki, Jessica; Gu, Xiaobo

2017-01-01

Accurate thermodynamic parameters improve RNA structure predictions and thus accelerate understanding of RNA function and the identification of RNA drug binding sites. Many viral RNA structures, such as internal ribosome entry sites, have internal loops and bulges that are potential drug target sites. Current models used to predict internal loops are biased toward small, symmetric purine loops, and thus poorly predict asymmetric, pyrimidine-rich loops with >6 nucleotides (nt) that occur frequently in viral RNA. This article presents new thermodynamic data for 40 pyrimidine loops, many of which can form UU or protonated CC base pairs. Uracil and protonated cytosine base pairs stabilize asymmetric internal loops. Accurate prediction rules are presented that account for all thermodynamic measurements of RNA asymmetric internal loops. New loop initiation terms for loops with >6 nt are presented that do not follow previous assumptions that increasing asymmetry destabilizes loops. Since the last 2004 update, 126 new loops with asymmetry or sizes greater than 2 × 2 have been measured. These new measurements significantly deepen and diversify the thermodynamic database for RNA. These results will help better predict internal loops that are larger, pyrimidine-rich, and occur within viral structures such as internal ribosome entry sites. PMID:28213527

Magnetic field effects on charge structure factors of gapped graphene structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rezania, Hamed; Tawoose, Nasrin

2018-02-01

We present the behaviors of dynamical and static charge susceptibilities of undoped gapped graphene using the Green's function approach in the context of tight binding model Hamiltonian. Specially, the effects of magnetic field on the plasmon modes of gapped graphene structure are investigated via calculating correlation function of charge density operators. Our results show the increase of magnetic field leads to disappear high frequency plasmon mode for gapped case. We also show that low frequency plasmon mode has not affected by increase of magnetic field and chemical potential. Finally the temperature dependence of static charge structure factor of gapp graphene structure is studied. The effects of both magnetic field and gap parameter on the static structure factor are discusses in details.

On the spottedness, magnetism and internal structure of stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gershberg, R. E.

Kinematical structures within stellar interiors that are the result of a self-organization of these interiors as thermodynamically open nonlinear systems are proposed as the physical basis for stellar magnetism. It is noted that the ubiquitousness of stellar magnetism that follows from the hypothesis is not in contradiction with observations. These kinematical structures may be energy reservoirs, and changes in these structures may be connected with variations of an energy flux emergent from a stellar surface, while its internal energy sources remain constant, explaining the radiation deficit from sunspots and starspots.

Detection of internal structure by scattered light intensity: Application to kidney cell sorting

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goolsby, C. L.; Kunze, M. E.

1985-01-01

Scattered light measurements in flow cytometry were sucessfully used to distinguish cells on the basis of differing morphology and internal structure. Differences in scattered light patterns due to changes in internal structure would be expected to occur at large scattering angles. Practically, the results of these calculations suggest that in experimental situations an array of detectors would be useful. Although in general the detection of the scattered light intensity at several intervals within the 10 to 60 region would be sufficient, there are many examples where increased sensitivity could be acheived at other angles. The ability to measure at many different angular intervals would allow the experimenter to empirically select the optimum intervals for the varying conditions of cell size, N/C ratio, granule size and internal structure from sample to sample. The feasibility of making scattered light measurements at many different intervals in flow cytometry was demonstrated. The implementation of simplified versions of these techniques in conjunction with independant measurements of cell size could potentially improve the usefulness of flow cytometry in the study of the internal structure of cells.

Gender differences in extreme mathematical achievement: an international perspective on biological and social factors.

PubMed

Penner, Andrew M

2008-01-01

Genetic and other biological explanations have reemerged in recent scholarship on the underrepresentation of women in mathematics and the sciences. This study engages this debate by using international data-including math achievement scores from the Third International Mathematics and Sciences Study and country-level data from the World Bank, the United Nations, the International Labour Organization, the World Values Survey, and the International Social Survey Programme-to demonstrate the importance of social factors and to estimate an upper bound for the impact of genetic factors. The author argues that international variation provides a valuable opportunity to present simple and powerful arguments for the continued importance of social factors. In addition, where previous research has, by and large, focused on differences in population means, this work examines gender differences throughout the distribution. The article shows that there is considerable variation in gender differences internationally, a finding not easily explained by strictly biological theories. Modeling the cross-national variation in gender differences with country-level predictors reveals that differences among high achievers are related to gender inequality in the labor market and differences in the overall status of men and women.

A Validation Study of the Dutch Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form: Factor Structure, Reliability, and Known-Groups Validity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thombs, Brett D.; Bernstein, David P.; Lobbestael, Jill; Arntz, Arnoud

2009-01-01

Objective: The 28-item Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form (CTQ-SF) has been translated into at least 10 different languages. The validity of translated versions of the CTQ-SF, however, has generally not been examined. The objective of this study was to investigate the factor structure, internal consistency reliability, and known-groups…

Students' Knowledge about the Internal Structure of Mice and Cockroaches in Their Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kilic, Selda

2013-01-01

The aim of this study is to determine 9th class students knowledge about the internal structures of mice and cockroaches using drawings. Drawings of 122 students from the 9th class of a high school in the center of Konya about the internal structures of mice and cockroaches have been analyzed. Drawings were analyzed independently by two…

Validity and factor structure of the bodybuilding dependence scale.

PubMed

Smith, D; Hale, B

2004-04-01

To investigate the factor structure, validity, and reliability of the bodybuilding dependence scale and to investigate differences in bodybuilding dependence between men and women and competitive and non-competitive bodybuilders. Seventy two male competitive bodybuilders, 63 female competitive bodybuilders, 87 male non-competitive bodybuilders, and 63 non-competitive female bodybuilders completed the bodybuilding dependence scale (BDS), the exercise dependence questionnaire (EDQ), and the muscle dysmorphia inventory (MDI). Confirmatory factor analysis of the BDS supported a three factor model of bodybuilding dependence, consisting of social dependence, training dependence, and mastery dependence (Q = 3.16, CFI = 0.98, SRMR = 0.04). Internal reliability of all three subscales was high (Cronbach's alpha = 0.92, 0.92, and 0.93 respectively). Significant (p<0.001) and moderate correlations were found between all BDS and MDI subscales, and between five of the eight EDQ subscales. A multivariate analysis of covariance, with univariate F tests and Tukey HSD tests, revealed that both male and female competitive bodybuilders scored significantly (p<0.05) higher on all three BDS subscales than the male and female non-competitive bodybuilders. However, there were no significant sex differences on any of the BDS subscales (p>0.05). The three factor BDS appears to be a reliable and valid measure of bodybuilding dependence. Symptoms of bodybuilding dependence are more prevalent in competitive bodybuilders than non-competitive ones, but there are no significant sex differences in bodybuilding dependence.

Validity and factor structure of the bodybuilding dependence scale

PubMed Central

Smith, D; Hale, B

2004-01-01

Objectives: To investigate the factor structure, validity, and reliability of the bodybuilding dependence scale and to investigate differences in bodybuilding dependence between men and women and competitive and non-competitive bodybuilders. Methods: Seventy two male competitive bodybuilders, 63 female competitive bodybuilders, 87 male non-competitive bodybuilders, and 63 non-competitive female bodybuilders completed the bodybuilding dependence scale (BDS), the exercise dependence questionnaire (EDQ), and the muscle dysmorphia inventory (MDI). Results: Confirmatory factor analysis of the BDS supported a three factor model of bodybuilding dependence, consisting of social dependence, training dependence, and mastery dependence (Q = 3.16, CFI = 0.98, SRMR = 0.04). Internal reliability of all three subscales was high (Cronbach's α = 0.92, 0.92, and 0.93 respectively). Significant (p<0.001) and moderate correlations were found between all BDS and MDI subscales, and between five of the eight EDQ subscales. A multivariate analysis of covariance, with univariate F tests and Tukey HSD tests, revealed that both male and female competitive bodybuilders scored significantly (p<0.05) higher on all three BDS subscales than the male and female non-competitive bodybuilders. However, there were no significant sex differences on any of the BDS subscales (p>0.05). Conclusion: The three factor BDS appears to be a reliable and valid measure of bodybuilding dependence. Symptoms of bodybuilding dependence are more prevalent in competitive bodybuilders than non-competitive ones, but there are no significant sex differences in bodybuilding dependence. PMID:15039255

Women's perceived internal control of future pregnancy outcomes and its related factors.

PubMed

Maleki, Azam; Mazloomzadeh, Saeideh

2013-03-01

With regards to the importance of women's beliefs in improving pregnancy outcomes, this study was performed to determine the perceived internal control on future pregnancy outcomes and its related factors in women who participated in pre-marital counseling. In a cross-sectional study, women's perceived internal control was investigated. The study population comprised the women in reproductive age of whom 400 were selected by random sampling. Data collection instrument was a questionnaire consisting of demographic, pre-conceptional care, and internal control questions. Two categories of favorite and not favorite levels of internal control were defined based on the total score. The validity of the questionnaire was determined via content validity method by use of experts' opinion and its reliability was evaluated through the calculation of Cronbach's alpha coefficient which was 0.76. Data were analyzed through frequency tables, correlation coefficient, and Chi-square test at the confidence level of 0.95. Two hundred sixty-five (65%) women had a good perceived internal control and it was significantly associated with the age, educational level, and hearing about pre-conceptional care. The internal control score also showed a positive and significant correlation with both age and the subject knowledge about folic acid (r = 0.19 and r = 0.15, respectively). The majority of women had a favorite perceived internal control. Since age and educational level were the affecting factors on the perceived internal control of women, promoting the level of internal control in young women and those with low education in pre-marital counseling classes seems necessary.

Practical methods for including torsional anharmonicity in thermochemical calculations on complex molecules: the internal-coordinate multi-structural approximation.

PubMed

Zheng, Jingjing; Yu, Tao; Papajak, Ewa; Alecu, I M; Mielke, Steven L; Truhlar, Donald G

2011-06-21

Many methods for correcting harmonic partition functions for the presence of torsional motions employ some form of one-dimensional torsional treatment to replace the harmonic contribution of a specific normal mode. However, torsions are often strongly coupled to other degrees of freedom, especially other torsions and low-frequency bending motions, and this coupling can make assigning torsions to specific normal modes problematic. Here, we present a new class of methods, called multi-structural (MS) methods, that circumvents the need for such assignments by instead adjusting the harmonic results by torsional correction factors that are determined using internal coordinates. We present three versions of the MS method: (i) MS-AS based on including all structures (AS), i.e., all conformers generated by internal rotations; (ii) MS-ASCB based on all structures augmented with explicit conformational barrier (CB) information, i.e., including explicit calculations of all barrier heights for internal-rotation barriers between the conformers; and (iii) MS-RS based on including all conformers generated from a reference structure (RS) by independent torsions. In the MS-AS scheme, one has two options for obtaining the local periodicity parameters, one based on consideration of the nearly separable limit and one based on strongly coupled torsions. The latter involves assigning the local periodicities on the basis of Voronoi volumes. The methods are illustrated with calculations for ethanol, 1-butanol, and 1-pentyl radical as well as two one-dimensional torsional potentials. The MS-AS method is particularly interesting because it does not require any information about conformational barriers or about the paths that connect the various structures.

Extracting the Evaluations of Stereotypes: Bi-factor Model of the Stereotype Content Structure

PubMed Central

Sayans-Jiménez, Pablo; Cuadrado, Isabel; Rojas, Antonio J.; Barrada, Juan R.

2017-01-01

Stereotype dimensions—competence, morality and sociability—are fundamental to studying the perception of other groups. These dimensions have shown moderate/high positive correlations with each other that do not reflect the theoretical expectations. The explanation for this (e.g., halo effect) undervalues the utility of the shared variance identified. In contrast, in this work we propose that this common variance could represent the global evaluation of the perceived group. Bi-factor models are proposed to improve the internal structure and to take advantage of the information representing the shared variance among dimensions. Bi-factor models were compared with first order models and other alternative models in three large samples (300–309 participants). The relationships among the global and specific bi-factor dimensions with a global evaluation dimension (measured through a semantic differential) were estimated. The results support the use of bi-factor models rather than first order models (and other alternative models). Bi-factor models also show a greater utility to directly and more easily explore the stereotype content including its evaluative content. PMID:29085313

Internal structure changes of eyelash induced by eye makeup.

PubMed

Fukami, Ken-Ichi; Inoue, Takafumi; Kawai, Tomomitsu; Takeuchi, Akihisa; Uesugi, Kentaro; Suzuki, Yoshio

2014-01-01

To investigate how eye makeup affects eyelash structure, internal structure of eyelashes were observed with a scanning X-ray microscopic tomography system using synchrotron radiation light source. Eyelash samples were obtained from 36 Japanese women aged 20-70 years and whose use of eye makeup differed. Reconstructed cross-sectional images showed that the structure of the eyelash closely resembled that of scalp hair. The eyelash structure is changed by use of eye makeup. There was a positive correlation between the frequency of mascara use and the degree of cracking in cuticle. The positive correlation was also found between the frequency of mascara use and the porosity of the cortex. By contrast, the use of eyelash curler did not affect the eyelash structure with statistical significance.

Advancing viral RNA structure prediction: measuring the thermodynamics of pyrimidine-rich internal loops.

PubMed

Phan, Andy; Mailey, Katherine; Saeki, Jessica; Gu, Xiaobo; Schroeder, Susan J

2017-05-01

Accurate thermodynamic parameters improve RNA structure predictions and thus accelerate understanding of RNA function and the identification of RNA drug binding sites. Many viral RNA structures, such as internal ribosome entry sites, have internal loops and bulges that are potential drug target sites. Current models used to predict internal loops are biased toward small, symmetric purine loops, and thus poorly predict asymmetric, pyrimidine-rich loops with >6 nucleotides (nt) that occur frequently in viral RNA. This article presents new thermodynamic data for 40 pyrimidine loops, many of which can form UU or protonated CC base pairs. Uracil and protonated cytosine base pairs stabilize asymmetric internal loops. Accurate prediction rules are presented that account for all thermodynamic measurements of RNA asymmetric internal loops. New loop initiation terms for loops with >6 nt are presented that do not follow previous assumptions that increasing asymmetry destabilizes loops. Since the last 2004 update, 126 new loops with asymmetry or sizes greater than 2 × 2 have been measured. These new measurements significantly deepen and diversify the thermodynamic database for RNA. These results will help better predict internal loops that are larger, pyrimidine-rich, and occur within viral structures such as internal ribosome entry sites. © 2017 Phan et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press for the RNA Society.

Further insights on the French WISC-IV factor structure through Bayesian structural equation modeling.

PubMed

Golay, Philippe; Reverte, Isabelle; Rossier, Jérôme; Favez, Nicolas; Lecerf, Thierry

2013-06-01

The interpretation of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children--Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) is based on a 4-factor model, which is only partially compatible with the mainstream Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) model of intelligence measurement. The structure of cognitive batteries is frequently analyzed via exploratory factor analysis and/or confirmatory factor analysis. With classical confirmatory factor analysis, almost all cross-loadings between latent variables and measures are fixed to zero in order to allow the model to be identified. However, inappropriate zero cross-loadings can contribute to poor model fit, distorted factors, and biased factor correlations; most important, they do not necessarily faithfully reflect theory. To deal with these methodological and theoretical limitations, we used a new statistical approach, Bayesian structural equation modeling (BSEM), among a sample of 249 French-speaking Swiss children (8-12 years). With BSEM, zero-fixed cross-loadings between latent variables and measures are replaced by approximate zeros, based on informative, small-variance priors. Results indicated that a direct hierarchical CHC-based model with 5 factors plus a general intelligence factor better represented the structure of the WISC-IV than did the 4-factor structure and the higher order models. Because a direct hierarchical CHC model was more adequate, it was concluded that the general factor should be considered as a breadth rather than a superordinate factor. Because it was possible for us to estimate the influence of each of the latent variables on the 15 subtest scores, BSEM allowed improvement of the understanding of the structure of intelligence tests and the clinical interpretation of the subtest scores. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

[National and international impact factor of Revista Española de Cardiología].

PubMed

Aleixandre Benavent, Rafael; Valderrama Zurián, Juan C; Castellano Gómez, Miguel; Miguel-Dasit, Alberto; Simó Meléndez, Raquel; Navarro Molina, Carolina

2004-12-01

The aim of this paper is to present the bibliometric indicators for Revista Española de Cardiologíathat were obtained from the "Potential impact factor of Spanish medical journals in 2001" study financed by the Spanish Ministerio de Educacion, Cultura y Deporte. Citations to Revista Española de Cardiología, its national and international impact factor, and its immediacy index were calculated with methods similar to those used by the Institute for Scientific Information. National indicators were based only on citations from 87 Spanish journals considered source journals, whereas international indicators were calculated on the basis of citations from both national journals and foreign source journals in the Science Citation Index. Revista Española de Cardiologíaobtained a national impact factor of 0.719 and an international impact factor of 0.837, placing it at the head of the ranking of Spanish medical journals.

The reasons for betel-quid chewing scale: assessment of factor structure, reliability, and validity

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Despite the fact that betel-quid is one of the most commonly used psychoactive substances worldwide and a major risk-factor for head-and-neck cancer incidence and mortality globally, currently no standardized instrument is available to assess the reasons why individuals chew betel-quid. A measure to assess reasons for chewing betel-quid could help researchers and clinicians develop prevention and treatment strategies. In the current study, we sought to develop and evaluate a self-report instrument for assessing the reasons for chewing betel quid which contributes toward the goal of developing effective interventions to reduce betel quid chewing in vulnerable populations. Methods The current study assessed the factor structure, reliability and convergent validity of the Reasons for Betel-quid Chewing Scale (RBCS), a newly developed 10 item measure adapted from several existing “reasons for smoking” scales. The measure was administered to 351 adult betel-quid chewers in Guam. Results Confirmatory factor analysis of this measure revealed a three factor structure: reinforcement, social/cultural, and stimulation. Further tests revealed strong support for the internal consistency and convergent validity of this three factor measure. Conclusion The goal of designing an intervention to reduce betel-quid chewing necessitates an understanding of why chewers chew; the current study makes considerable contributions towards that objective. PMID:24889863

Study of structure defect interactions in aluminum by the acoustic method. [internal friction in pure aluminum

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nicolaescu, I. I.

1974-01-01

Using echo pulse and resonance rod methods, internal friction in pure aluminum was studied as a function of frequency, hardening temperature, time (internal friction relaxation) and impurity content. These studies led to the conclusion that internal friction in these materials depends strongly on dislocation structure and on elastic interactions between structure defects. It was found experimentally that internal friction relaxation depends on the cooling rate and on the impurity content. Some parameters of the dislocation structure and of the diffusion process were determined. It is shown that the dislocated dependence of internal friction can be used as a method of nondestructive testing of the impurity content of high-purity materials.

Correlations of External Landmarks With Internal Structures of the Temporal Bone.

PubMed

Piromchai, Patorn; Wijewickrema, Sudanthi; Smeds, Henrik; Kennedy, Gregor; O'Leary, Stephen

2015-09-01

The internal anatomy of a temporal bone could be inferred from external landmarks. Mastoid surgery is an important skill that ENT surgeons need to acquire. Surgeons commonly use CT scans as a guide to understanding anatomical variations before surgery. Conversely, in cases where CT scans are not available, or in the temporal bone laboratory where residents are usually not provided with CT scans, it would be beneficial if the internal anatomy of a temporal bone could be inferred from external landmarks. We explored correlations between internal anatomical variations and metrics established to quantify the position of external landmarks that are commonly exposed in the operating room, or the temporal bone laboratory, before commencement of drilling. Mathematical models were developed to predict internal anatomy based on external structures. From an operating room view, the distances between the following external landmarks were observed to have statistically significant correlations with the internal anatomy of a temporal bone: temporal line, external auditory canal, mastoid tip, occipitomastoid suture, and Henle's spine. These structures can be used to infer a low lying dura mater (p = 0.002), an anteriorly located sigmoid sinus (p = 0.006), and a more lateral course of the facial nerve (p < 0.001). In the temporal bone laboratory view, the mastoid tegmen and sigmoid sinus were also regarded as external landmarks. The distances between these two landmarks and the operating view external structures were able to further infer the laterality of the facial nerve (p < 0.001) and a sclerotic mastoid (p < 0.001). Two nonlinear models were developed that predicted the distances between the following internal structures with a high level of accuracy: the distance from the sigmoid sinus to the posterior external auditory canal (p < 0.001) and the diameter of the round window niche (p < 0.001). The prospect of encountering some of the more technically challenging anatomical

Probing the internal structure of the asteriod Didymoon with a passive seismic investigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murdoch, N.; Hempel, S.; Pou, L.; Cadu, A.; Garcia, R. F.; Mimoun, D.; Margerin, L.; Karatekin, O.

2017-09-01

Understanding the internal structure of an asteroid has important implications for interpreting its evolutionary history, for understanding its continuing geological evolution, and also for asteroid deflection and in-situ space resource utilisation. Given the strong evidence that asteroids are seismically active, an in-situ passive seismic experiment could provide information about the asteroid surface and interior properties. Here, we discuss the natural seismic activity that may be present on Didymoon, the secondary component of asteroid (65803) Didymos. Our analysis of the tidal stresses in Didymoon shows that tidal quakes are likely to occur if the secondary has an eccentric orbit. Failure occurs most easily at the asteroid poles and close to the surface for both homogeneous and layered internal structures. Simulations of seismic wave propagation in Didymoon show that the seismic moment of even small meteoroid impacts can generate clearly observable body and surface waves if the asteroid's internal structure is homogeneous. The presence of a regolith layer over a consolidated core can result in the seismic energy becoming trapped in the regolith due to the strong impedance contrast at the regolith-core boundary. The inclusion of macro-porosity (voids) further complexifies the wavefield due to increased scattering. The most prominent seismic waves are always found to be those traveling along the surface of the asteroid and those focusing in the antipodal point of the seismic source. We find also that the waveforms and ground acceleration spectra allow discrimination between the different internal structure models. Although the science return of a passive seismic experiment would be enhanced by having multiple seismic stations, one single seismic station can already vastly improve our knowledge about the seismic environment and sub-surface structure of an asteroid. We describe several seismic measurement techniques that could be applied in order to study the

Factors influencing korean international students' preferences for mental health professionals: a conjoint analysis.

PubMed

Lee, Eun-Jeong; Chan, Fong; Ditchman, Nicole; Feigon, Maia

2014-01-01

Asian students comprise over half of all international students in the United States, yet little is known about their help-seeking behaviors and preferences for mental health professionals. The purpose of this study was to use conjoint analysis to examine characteristics of mental health professionals influencing Korean international students' preferences when choosing a mental health professional. Korean international students from three universities in the United States were recruited on a volunteer basis to participate in this study (N = 114). Results indicated that mental health professional characteristics, including ethnicity, age, professional identity, and training institution, were significant factors in students' preference formation; however, gender of the mental health professional was not found to be a significant factor in the present study. Ethnic similarity was the most powerful predictor of preference formation. Implications for promoting help-seeking and mental health service utilization among Asian international students are discussed.

Structure-preserving and rank-revealing QR-factorizations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bischof, C.H.; Hansen, P.C.

1991-11-01

The rank-revealing QR-factorization (RRQR-factorization) is a special QR-factorization that is guaranteed to reveal the numerical rank of the matrix under consideration. This makes the RRQR-factorization a useful tool in the numerical treatment of many rank-deficient problems in numerical linear algebra. In this paper, a framework is presented for the efficient implementation of RRQR algorithms, in particular, for sparse matrices. A sparse RRQR-algorithm should seek to preserve the structure and sparsity of the matrix as much as possible while retaining the ability to capture safely the numerical rank. To this end, the paper proposes to compute an initial QR-factorization using amore » restricted pivoting strategy guarded by incremental condition estimation (ICE), and then applies the algorithm suggested by Chan and Foster to this QR-factorization. The column exchange strategy used in the initial QR factorization will exploit the fact that certain column exchanges do not change the sparsity structure, and compute a sparse QR-factorization that is a good approximation of the sought-after RRQR-factorization. Due to quantities produced by ICE, the Chan/Foster RRQR algorithm can be implemented very cheaply, thus verifying that the sought-after RRQR-factorization has indeed been computed. Experimental results on a model problem show that the initial QR-factorization is indeed very likely to produce RRQR-factorization.« less

X-Ray Diffraction Study of the Internal Structure of Supercooled Water

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dorsch, Robert G.; Boyd, Bemrose

1951-01-01

A Bragg X-ray spectrometer equipped with a volume-sensitive Geiger counter and Soller slits and employing filtered molybdenum Ka radiation was used to obtain a set of diffracted intensity curves as a Punction of angle for supercooled water. Diffracted intensity curves in the temperature region of 21 to -16 C were obtained. The minimum between the two main diffraction peaks deepened continuously with lowering temperature, indicating a gradual change in the internal structure of the water. No discontinuity in this trend was noted at the melting point. The internal structure of supercooled water was concluded to become progressively more ice-like as the temperature is lowered.

Factor Structure of the Psychotherapy Supervisor Development Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barnes, Kristin L.; Moon, Simon M.

2006-01-01

The goodness of fit of 3 models of factor structure of the Psychotherapy Supervisor Development Scale (PSDS; C. E. Watkins, L. J. Schneider, J. Haynes, & R. Nieberding, 1995) were examined using a sample of counseling supervisors. The results indicated that the factor structure of the PSDS was largely consistent with the original 4-factor…

Practical Methods for Including Torsional Anharmonicity in Thermochemical Calculations on Complex Molecules: The Internal-Coordinate Multi-Structural Approximation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zheng, J.; Yu, T.; Papajak, E.

2011-01-01

Many methods for correcting harmonic partition functions for the presence of torsional motions employ some form of one-dimensional torsional treatment to replace the harmonic contribution of a specific normal mode. However, torsions are often strongly coupled to other degrees of freedom, especially other torsions and low-frequency bending motions, and this coupling can make assigning torsions to specific normal modes problematic. Here, we present a new class of methods, called multi-structural (MS) methods, that circumvents the need for such assignments by instead adjusting the harmonic results by torsional correction factors that are determined using internal coordinates. We present three versions ofmore » the MS method: (i) MS-AS based on including all structures (AS), i.e., all conformers generated by internal rotations; (ii) MS-ASCB based on all structures augmented with explicit conformational barrier (CB) information, i.e., including explicit calculations of all barrier heights for internal-rotation barriers between the conformers; and (iii) MS-RS based on including all conformers generated from a reference structure (RS) by independent torsions. In the MS-AS scheme, one has two options for obtaining the local periodicity parameters, one based on consideration of the nearly separable limit and one based on strongly coupled torsions. The latter involves assigning the local periodicities on the basis of Voronoi volumes. The methods are illustrated with calculations for ethanol, 1-butanol, and 1-pentyl radical as well as two one-dimensional torsional potentials. The MS-AS method is particularly interesting because it does not require any information about conformational barriers or about the paths that connect the various structures.« less

Social cognition in schizophrenia: factor structure, clinical and functional correlates.

PubMed

Buck, Benjamin E; Healey, Kristin M; Gagen, Emily C; Roberts, David L; Penn, David L

2016-08-01

Social cognition is consistently impaired in people with schizophrenia, separable from general neurocognition, predictive of real-world functioning and amenable to psychosocial treatment. Few studies have empirically examined its underlying factor structure. This study (1) examines the factor structure of social cognition in both a sample of individuals with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders and non-clinical controls and (2) explores relationships of factors to neurocognition, symptoms and functioning. A factor analysis was conducted on social cognition measures in a sample of 65 individuals with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, and 50 control participants. The resulting factors were examined for their relationships to symptoms and functioning. Results suggested a two-factor structure in the schizophrenia sample (social cognition skill and hostile attributional style) and a three-factor structure in the non-clinical sample (hostile attributional style, higher-level inferential processing and lower-level cue detection). In the schizophrenia sample, the social cognition skill factor was significantly related to negative symptoms and social functioning, whereas hostile attributional style predicted positive and general psychopathology symptoms. The factor structure of social cognition in schizophrenia separates hostile attributional style and social cognition skill, and each show differential relationships to relevant clinical variables in schizophrenia.

Exploration of the perceptions of emergency physicians and interns regarding the medical documentation practices of interns.

PubMed

Isoardi, Jonathon; Spencer, Lyndall; Sinnott, Michael; Nicholls, Kim; O'Connor, Angela; Jones, Fleur

2013-08-01

The primary objective of the present study was to learn the factors that influence the documentation practices of ED interns. A second objective was to identify the expectations of emergency physicians (EPs) towards the medical record documentation of ED interns. A qualitative design was adopted using semi-structured interviews in convenience samples drawn from both groups. Eighteen interviews were conducted with intern volunteers and 10 with EP volunteers. One (5%) intern and two (20%) EPs had received medical documentation training. Factors that encouraged interns' documentation included: patient acuity (the more critical the condition, the more comprehensive the documentation) and the support of senior colleagues. Inhibiting factors included uncertainty about how much to write, and the shift being worked (interns indicated they wrote less at night). Factors of consequence to senior personnel included the apparent reluctance of interns to document management plans. They noted that interns frequently confine their notes to assessment, investigations and treatments, whereas EPs preferred records that demonstrated intern thought processes and included such matters as future actions to follow immediate treatment. A positive theme that emerged included the high level of support interns received from their senior colleagues. Another theme, the influence of patient acuity, held both positive and negative implications for intern writing practices. The lack of formal training is an impediment to the production of useful medical records by ED interns. One solution proposed by both interns and senior personnel was the introduction of the subject into intern education programmes. © 2013 Australasian College for Emergency Medicine and Australasian Society for Emergency Medicine.

A Persian version of the parental bonding instrument: factor structure and psychometric properties.

PubMed

Behzadi, Behnaz; Parker, Gordon

2015-02-28

The Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI) is a widely used self-report measure for quantifying key parenting styles as perceived by the child during its first 16 years. While its development study identified two key parental dimensions, subsequent studies have variably confirmed those two or argued for one or more additional parental constructs. We developed a Persian translation of the PBI and administered it to a sample of 340 high school students. The construct validity of the Persian PBI was examined by Exploratory Factor Analysis while Confirmatory Factor Analysis was used to identify the most adequate model. Analyses of the Persian PBI favored a four-factor model for both parental forms. The Persian PBI has a factorial structure consistent with constructs identified in western cultures, as well as high internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Multivariate analyses indicated significant differences between boys and girls across some factors. The PBI appears an acceptable and appropriate measure for quantifying parent-child bonding in Iranian samples. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

External and internal structure of weevils (Insecta: Coleoptera) investigated with phase-contrast X-ray imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hönnicke, M. G.; Cusatis, C.; Rigon, L.; Menk, R.-H.; Arfelli, F.; Foerster, L. A.; Rosado-Neto, G. H.

2010-08-01

Weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) are identified by the external structure (dorsal, ventral and lateral features) and also by internal structure. The genitalia can be used to distinguish the sex and to identify the insects when the external structure appears identical. For this purpose, a destructive dissecting microscopy procedure is usually employed. In this paper, phase contrast X-ray imaging (radiography and tomography) is employed to investigate the internal structure (genitalia) of two entire species of weevils that presents very similar external structures ( Sitophilus oryzae and Sitophilus zeamais). The detection of features, which looks like the genital structure, shows that such non-destructive technique could be used as an alternative method for identification of insects. This method is especially useful in examining the internal features of precious species from museum collections, as already described in the recent literature.

Test-retest reliability and factor structures of organizational citizenship behavior for Hong Kong workers.

PubMed

Lam, S S

2001-02-01

In 1990 Podsakoff, MacKenzie, Moorman, and Fetter developed a scale to measure the five dimensions of organizational citizenship behavior. Test-retest data over 15 weeks are reported for this scale for a sample of 82 female and 32 male Chinese tellers (ages 18 to 54 years) from a large international bank in Hong Kong. Stability was .83, and there was no significant change between Times 1 and 2. Analysis indicated the five-factor structure and showed it to be a reliable measure when used with a nonwestern sample.

Investigations of internal noise levels for different target sizes, contrasts, and noise structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Minah; Choi, Shinkook; Baek, Jongduk

2014-03-01

To describe internal noise levels for different target sizes, contrasts, and noise structures, Gaussian targets with four different sizes (i.e., standard deviation of 2,4,6 and 8) and three different noise structures(i.e., white, low-pass, and highpass) were generated. The generated noise images were scaled to have standard deviation of 0.15. For each noise type, target contrasts were adjusted to have the same detectability based on NPW, and the detectability of CHO was calculated accordingly. For human observer study, 3 trained observers performed 2AFC detection tasks, and correction rate, Pc, was calculated for each task. By adding proper internal noise level to numerical observer (i.e., NPW and CHO), detectability of human observer was matched with that of numerical observers. Even though target contrasts were adjusted to have the same detectability of NPW observer, detectability of human observer decreases as the target size increases. The internal noise level varies for different target sizes, contrasts, and noise structures, demonstrating different internal noise levels should be considered in numerical observer to predict the detection performance of human observer.

Selection Factors among International Medical Graduates and Psychiatric Residency Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shiroma, Paulo R.; Alarcon, Renato D.

2010-01-01

Objective: The authors examine the association between the selection factors used in a psychiatric residency program and subsequent clinical and academic performance among international medical graduate (IMG) candidates. Methods: The authors completed a retrospective review of application files and residency evaluations of 50 IMG residents who…

Factor Structure of the Escala de Autoeficacia para la Depresión en Adolescentes (EADA)

PubMed Central

Díaz-Santos, Mirella; Cumba-Avilés, Eduardo; Bernal, Guillermo; Rivera-Medina, Carmen

2018-01-01

The current concept and measures of self-efficacy for depression in adolescents do not consider developmental and cultural aspects essential to understand and assess this construct in Latino youth. We examined the factor structure of the Escala de Autoeficacia para la Depresión en Adolescentes (EADA): a Spanish instrument designed to assess this construct as experienced by this population. Participants were 116 Puerto Rican adolescents aged 13 to 17 years who completed the EADA and two other self-report measures. An exploratory factor analysis yielded a two-factor solution (Personal Self-Efficacy for Depression and Interpersonal Self-Efficacy for Depression) accounting for 37.57% of the total variance. Results revealed that EADA factors have excellent internal consistency as well as concurrent and construct validity, supporting its adequacy to assess Latino adolescents’ self-efficacy for depression. The conceptual meaning of the factors was consistent with the distinction between aspects of this construct hypothesized to be important among Latino youth.

Internal and external factors affecting the development of neuropathic pain in rodents. Is it all about pain?

PubMed

Vissers, K; De Jongh, R; Hoffmann, V; Heylen, R; Crul, B; Meert, T

2003-12-01

It is important to know the factors that will influence animal models of neuropathic pain. A good reproducibility and predictability in different strains of animals for a given test increases the clinical relevance and possible targeting. An obligatory requirement for enabling comparisons of results of different origin is a meticulous definition of the specific sensitivities of a model for neuropathic pain and a description of the test conditions. Factors influencing neuropathic pain behavior can be subdivided in external and internal factors. The most important external factors are; timing of the measurement of pain after induction of neuropathy, circadian rhythms, seasonal influences, air humidity, influence of order of testing, diet, social variables, housing and manipulation, cage density, sexual activity, external stress factors, and influences of the experimenter. The internal factors are related to the type of animal, its genetic background, gender, age, and the presence of homeostatic adaptation mechanisms to specific situations or stress. In practice, the behavioral presentations to pain depend on the combination of genetic and environmental factors such as accepted social behavior. It also depends on the use of genetic manipulation of the animals such as in transgenic animals. These make the interpretation of data even more difficult. Differences of pain behavior between in- and outbred animals will be better understood by using modern analysis techniques. Substrains of animals with a high likelihood for developing neuropathic pain make the unraveling of specific pathophysiological mechanisms possible. Concerning the effect of stress on pain, it is important to differentiate between external and internal stress such as social coping behavior. The individual dealing with this stress is species sensitive, and depends on the genotype and the social learning. In the future, histo-immunological and genetic analysis will highlight similarities of the different

Investigation of structural factors of safety for the space shuttle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

A study was made of the factors governing the structural design of the fully reusable space shuttle booster to establish a rational approach to select optimum structural factors of safety. The study included trade studies of structural factors of safety versus booster service life, weight, cost, and reliability. Similar trade studies can be made on other vehicles using the procedures developed. The major structural components of a selected baseline booster were studied in depth, each being examined to determine the fatigue life, safe-life, and fail-safe capabilities of the baseline design. Each component was further examined to determine its reliability and safety requirements, and the change of structural weight with factors of safety. The apparent factors of safety resulting from fatigue, safe-life, proof test, and fail-safe requirements were identified. The feasibility of reduced factors of safety for design loads such as engine thrust, which are well defined, was examined.

Examining the factor structure of the Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale.

PubMed

Fitzgerald, Shawn M; Li, Jian; Rumrill, Phillip D; Merchant, William; Bishop, Malachy

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the factor structure of the Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale (MSIS-29) to assess its suitability for modeling the impact of MS on a nation-wide sample of individuals from the United States. Investigators completed a Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to examine the two-factor structure proposed by Hobart et al. [17]. Although the original MSIS-29 factor structure did not fit the data exactly, the hypothesized two-factor model was partially supported in the current data. Implications for future instrument development and rehabilitation practice are discussed.

[Validity and internal consistency of the Maslach Burnout Inventory in Dental Students from Cartagena, Colombia].

PubMed

Simancas-Pallares, Miguel Angel; Fortich Mesa, Natalia; González Martínez, Farith Damián

To determine the internal consistency and content validity of the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey (MBI-SS) in dental students from Cartagena, Colombia. Scale validation study in 886 dental students from Cartagena, Colombia. Factor structure was determined through exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Internal consistency was measured using the Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Analyses were performed using the Stata v.13.2 for Windows (Statacorp., USA) and Mplus v.7.31 for Windows (Muthén & Muthén, USA) software. Internal consistency was α=.806. The factor structure showed three that accounted for the 56.6% of the variance. CFA revealed: χ 2 =926.036; df=85; RMSEA=.106 (90%CI, .100-.112); CFI=.947; TLI=.934. The MBI showed an adequate internal consistency and a factor structure being consistent with the original proposed structure with a poor fit, which does not reflect adequate content validity in this sample. Copyright © 2016 Asociación Colombiana de Psiquiatría. Publicado por Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

Thermo-Elastic Analysis of Internally Cooled Structures Using a Higher Order Theory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arnold, Steven M.; Bednarcyk, Brett A.; Aboudi, Jacob

2001-01-01

This paper presents the results of a study on the thermomechanical behavior of internally cooled silicon nitride structures. Silicon nitride is under consideration for elevated temperature aerospace engine applications. and techniques for lowering the operating temperature of structures composed of this material are under development. Lowering the operating temperature provides a large payoff in terms of fatigue life and may be accomplished through the use of thermal barrier coatings (TBC's) and the novel concept of included cooling channels. Herein, an in-depth study is performed on the behavior of a flame-impinged silicon nitride plate with a TBC and internal channels cooled by forced air. The analysis is performed using the higher order theory for functionally graded materials (HOTFGM), which has been developed through NASA Glenn Research Center funding over the past several years. HOTFGM was chosen over the traditional finite element approach as a prelude to an examination of functionally graded silicon nitride structures for which HOTFGM is ideally suited. To accommodate the analysis requirement% of the internally cooled plate problem, two crucial enhancements were made to the two-dimensional Cartesian-based version of HOTFGM. namely, incorporation of internal boundary capabilities and incorporation of convective boundary conditions. Results indicate the viability and large benefits of cooling the plate via forced air through cooling channels. Furthermore, cooling can positively impact the stress and displacement fields present in the plate, yielding an additional payoff in terms of fatigue life. Finally, a spin-off capability resulted from inclusion of internal boundaries within HOTFGM; the ability to simulate the thermo-elastic response of structures with curved surfaces. This new capability is demonstrated, and through comparison with an analytical solution, shown to be viable and accurate.

Social cognition in schizophrenia: Factor structure, clinical and functional correlates

PubMed Central

Buck, Benjamin E.; Healey, Kristin M.; Gagen, Emily C.; Roberts, David L.; Penn, David L.

2016-01-01

Background Social cognition is consistently impaired in people with schizophrenia, separable from general neurocognition, predictive of real-world functioning, and amenable to psychosocial treatment. Few studies have empirically examined its underlying factor structure. Aims The present study (1) examines the factor structure of social cognition in both a sample of individuals with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders and non-clinical controls, and (2) explores relationships of factors to neurocognition, symptoms and functioning. Method A factor analysis was conducted on social cognition measures in a sample of sixty-five individuals with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, and fifty control participants. The resulting factors were examined for their relationships to symptoms and functioning. Results Results suggested a two-factor structure in the schizophrenia sample (social cognition skill and hostile attributional style) and a three-factor structure in the non-clinical sample (hostile attributional style, higher-level inferential processing, and lower-level cue detection). In the schizophrenia sample, the social cognition skill factor was significantly related to negative symptoms and social functioning, while hostile attributional style predicted positive and general psychopathology symptoms. Conclusions The factor structure of social cognition in schizophrenia separates hostile attributional style and social cognition skill, and each show differential relationships to relevant clinical variables in schizophrenia. PMID:26747063

Relativistic effects on x-ray structure factors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Batke, Kilian; Eickerling, Georg

2016-04-01

Today, combined experimental and theoretical charge density studies based on quantum chemical calculations and x-ray diffraction experiments allow for the investigation of the topology of the electron density at subatomic resolution. When studying compounds containing transition metal elements, relativistic effects need to be adequately taken into account not only in quantum chemical calculations of the total electron density ρ ({r}), but also for the atomic scattering factors employed to extract ρ ({r}) from experimental x-ray diffraction data. In the present study, we investigate the magnitude of relativistic effects on x-ray structure factors and for this purpose {F}({{r}}*) have been calculated for the model systems M(C2H2) (M = Ni, Pd, Pt) from four-component molecular wave functions. Relativistic effects are then discussed by a comparison to structure factors obtained from a non-relativistic reference and different quasi-relativistic approximations. We show, that the overall effects of relativity on the structure factors on average amount to 0.81%, 1.51% and 2.78% for the three model systems under investigation, but that for individual reflections or reflection series the effects can be orders of magnitude larger. Employing the quasi-relativistic Douglas-Kroll-Hess second order or the zeroth order regular approximation Hamiltonian takes these effects into account to a large extend, reducing the differences between the (quasi-)relativistic and the non-relativistic result by one order of magnitude. In order to further determine the experimental significance of the results, the magnitude of the relativistic effects is compared to the changes of the model structure factor data when charge transfer and chemical bonding is taken into account by a multipolar expansion of {F}({{r}}*).

The Factors That Influence Dietary Habits among International Students in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alakaam, Amir A.; Castellanos, Diana C.; Bodzio, Jessica; Harrison, Lee

2015-01-01

This study examines the dietary intake changes and factors related to dietary acculturation in international students attending an urban university in the United States. The researchers administered seven focus groups of college-age international students (n = 32) between June and August 2012. The participants were enrolled in Northeastern and…

Internal and external factors in professional burnout of substance abuse counsellors in Croatia.

PubMed

Tatalović Vorkapić, Sanja; Mustapić, Jelena

2012-01-01

In this study, burnout and its internal and external factors were investigated among substance abuse counsellors (no. = 68) who worked in Centres for Prevention and Substance Abuse Treatment (no. = 18) in Croatia. Maslach Burnout Inventory was used which measured three burnout dimensions: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and personal accomplishment; and questionnaire of internal and external burnout factors. The higher levels of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, and the higher level of personal accomplishment were determined. Factors such as work conditions, emotions about us and work, work organization and certain personality traits showed significant relationship with three burnout dimensions. Overall, findings implicated a certain specificity of professional burnout in substance abuse counsellors, and the need for specific design of mental health care for them.

Making the Transition from Diagnosis to Treatment-Planning: Validity, Reliability and Factor Structure of the Autism Spectrum Disorder Behaviour Checklist

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bitsika, Vicki; Sharpley, Christopher F.

2018-01-01

The validity, reliability and factor structure of the Autism Spectrum Disorder Behaviour Checklist-Revised (ASDBC-R) were measured in a sample of 140 boys with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) aged between 6 and 18 years. Internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) was satisfactory and the ASDBC-R significantly correlated with the Social Responsiveness…

Tree-Structured Infinite Sparse Factor Model

PubMed Central

Zhang, XianXing; Dunson, David B.; Carin, Lawrence

2013-01-01

A tree-structured multiplicative gamma process (TMGP) is developed, for inferring the depth of a tree-based factor-analysis model. This new model is coupled with the nested Chinese restaurant process, to nonparametrically infer the depth and width (structure) of the tree. In addition to developing the model, theoretical properties of the TMGP are addressed, and a novel MCMC sampler is developed. The structure of the inferred tree is used to learn relationships between high-dimensional data, and the model is also applied to compressive sensing and interpolation of incomplete images. PMID:25279389

How large B-factors can be in protein crystal structures.

PubMed

Carugo, Oliviero

2018-02-23

Protein crystal structures are potentially over-interpreted since they are routinely refined without any restraint on the upper limit of atomic B-factors. Consequently, some of their atoms, undetected in the electron density maps, are allowed to reach extremely large B-factors, even above 100 square Angstroms, and their final positions are purely speculative and not based on any experimental evidence. A strategy to define B-factors upper limits is described here, based on the analysis of protein crystal structures deposited in the Protein Data Bank prior 2008, when the tendency to allow B-factor to arbitrary inflate was limited. This B-factor upper limit (B_max) is determined by extrapolating the relationship between crystal structure average B-factor and percentage of crystal volume occupied by solvent (pcVol) to pcVol =100%, when, ab absurdo, the crystal contains only liquid solvent, the structure of which is, by definition, undetectable in electron density maps. It is thus possible to highlight structures with average B-factors larger than B_max, which should be considered with caution by the users of the information deposited in the Protein Data Bank, in order to avoid scientifically deleterious over-interpretations.

Recovery of Weak Factor Loadings When Adding the Mean Structure in Confirmatory Factor Analysis: A Simulation Study

PubMed Central

Ximénez, Carmen

2016-01-01

This article extends previous research on the recovery of weak factor loadings in confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) by exploring the effects of adding the mean structure. This issue has not been examined in previous research. This study is based on the framework of Yung and Bentler (1999) and aims to examine the conditions that affect the recovery of weak factor loadings when the model includes the mean structure, compared to analyzing the covariance structure alone. A simulation study was conducted in which several constraints were defined for one-, two-, and three-factor models. Results show that adding the mean structure improves the recovery of weak factor loadings and reduces the asymptotic variances for the factor loadings, particularly for the models with a smaller number of factors and a small sample size. Therefore, under certain circumstances, modeling the means should be seriously considered for covariance models containing weak factor loadings. PMID:26779071

Probabilistic simulation of the human factor in structural reliability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shah, Ashwin R.; Chamis, Christos C.

1991-01-01

Many structural failures have occasionally been attributed to human factors in engineering design, analyses maintenance, and fabrication processes. Every facet of the engineering process is heavily governed by human factors and the degree of uncertainty associated with them. Factors such as societal, physical, professional, psychological, and many others introduce uncertainties that significantly influence the reliability of human performance. Quantifying human factors and associated uncertainties in structural reliability require: (1) identification of the fundamental factors that influence human performance, and (2) models to describe the interaction of these factors. An approach is being developed to quantify the uncertainties associated with the human performance. This approach consists of a multi factor model in conjunction with direct Monte-Carlo simulation.

Improving the Factor Structure of Psychological Scales

PubMed Central

Zhang, Xijuan; Savalei, Victoria

2015-01-01

Many psychological scales written in the Likert format include reverse worded (RW) items in order to control acquiescence bias. However, studies have shown that RW items often contaminate the factor structure of the scale by creating one or more method factors. The present study examines an alternative scale format, called the Expanded format, which replaces each response option in the Likert scale with a full sentence. We hypothesized that this format would result in a cleaner factor structure as compared with the Likert format. We tested this hypothesis on three popular psychological scales: the Rosenberg Self-Esteem scale, the Conscientiousness subscale of the Big Five Inventory, and the Beck Depression Inventory II. Scales in both formats showed comparable reliabilities. However, scales in the Expanded format had better (i.e., lower and more theoretically defensible) dimensionalities than scales in the Likert format, as assessed by both exploratory factor analyses and confirmatory factor analyses. We encourage further study and wider use of the Expanded format, particularly when a scale’s dimensionality is of theoretical interest. PMID:27182074

Factor structure of the Body Appreciation Scale among Malaysian women.

PubMed

Swami, Viren; Chamorro-Premuzic, Tomas

2008-12-01

The present study examined the factor structure of a Malay version of the Body Appreciation Scale (BAS), a recently developed scale for the assessment of positive body image that has been shown to have a unidimensional structure in Western settings. Results of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses based on data from community sample of 591 women in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, failed to support a unidimensional structure for the Malay BAS. Results of a confirmatory factor analysis suggested two stable factors, which were labelled 'General Body Appreciation' and 'Body Image Investment'. Multi-group analysis showed that the two-factor structure was invariant for both Malaysian Malay and Chinese women, and that there were no significant ethnic differences on either factor. Results also showed that General Body Appreciation was significant negatively correlated with participants' body mass index. These results are discussed in relation to possible cross-cultural differences in positive body image.

An examination of the psychometric structure of the Multidimensional Pain Inventory in temporomandibular disorder patients: a confirmatory factor analysis

PubMed Central

Andreu, Yolanda; Galdon, Maria J; Durá, Estrella; Ferrando, Maite; Pascual, Juan; Turk, Dennis C; Jiménez, Yolanda; Poveda, Rafael

2006-01-01

Background This paper seeks to analyse the psychometric and structural properties of the Multidimensional Pain Inventory (MPI) in a sample of temporomandibular disorder patients. Methods The internal consistency of the scales was obtained. Confirmatory Factor Analysis was carried out to test the MPI structure section by section in a sample of 114 temporomandibular disorder patients. Results Nearly all scales obtained good reliability indexes. The original structure could not be totally confirmed. However, with a few adjustments we obtained a satisfactory structural model of the MPI which was slightly different from the original: certain items and the Self control scale were eliminated; in two cases, two original scales were grouped in one factor, Solicitous and Distracting responses on the one hand, and Social activities and Away from home activities, on the other. Conclusion The MPI has been demonstrated to be a reliable tool for the assessment of pain in temporomandibular disorder patients. Some divergences to be taken into account have been clarified. PMID:17169143

Factor structure of the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index in patients with adhesive capsulitis.

PubMed

Tveitå, Einar Kristian; Sandvik, Leiv; Ekeberg, Ole Marius; Juel, Niels Gunnar; Bautz-Holter, Erik

2008-07-17

The Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) is a self-administered questionnaire that aims to measure pain and disability associated with shoulder disease. It consists of a pain section and a disability section with 13 items being responded to on visual analogue scales. Few researchers have investigated SPADI validity in specified diagnostic groups, although the selection of an evaluative instrument should be based on evidence of validity in the target patient group. The aim of the present study was to investigate factor structure of the SPADI in a study population of patients with adhesive capsulitis. The questionnaire was administered to 191 patients with adhesive capsulitis. Descriptive statistics for items and a comparison of scores for the two subscales were produced. Internal consistency was analyzed by use of the Cronbach alpha and a principal components analysis with varimax rotation was conducted. Study design was cross-sectional. Two factors were extracted, but the factor structure failed to support the original division of items into separate pain and disability sections. We found minimal evidence to justify the use of separate subscales for pain and disability. It is our impression that the SPADI should be viewed as essentially unidimensional in patients with adhesive capsulitis.

Bem Sex Role Inventory Validation in the International Mobility in Aging Study.

PubMed

Ahmed, Tamer; Vafaei, Afshin; Belanger, Emmanuelle; Phillips, Susan P; Zunzunegui, Maria-Victoria

2016-09-01

This study investigated the measurement structure of the Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI) with different factor analysis methods. Most previous studies on validity applied exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to examine the BSRI. We aimed to assess the psychometric properties and construct validity of the 12-item short-form BSRI in a sample administered to 1,995 older adults from wave 1 of the International Mobility in Aging Study (IMIAS). We used Cronbach's alpha to assess internal consistency reliability and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to assess psychometric properties. EFA revealed a three-factor model, further confirmed by CFA and compared with the original two-factor structure model. Results revealed that a two-factor solution (instrumentality-expressiveness) has satisfactory construct validity and superior fit to data compared to the three-factor solution. The two-factor solution confirms expected gender differences in older adults. The 12-item BSRI provides a brief, psychometrically sound, and reliable instrument in international samples of older adults.

Cis-regulatory underpinnings of human GLI3 expression in embryonic craniofacial structures and internal organs.

PubMed

Abbasi, Amir A; Minhas, Rashid; Schmidt, Ansgar; Koch, Sabine; Grzeschik, Karl-Heinz

2013-10-01

The zinc finger transcription factor Gli3 is an important mediator of Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling. During early embryonic development Gli3 participates in patterning and growth of the central nervous system, face, skeleton, limb, tooth and gut. Precise regulation of the temporal and spatial expression of Gli3 is crucial for the proper specification of these structures in mammals and other vertebrates. Previously we reported a set of human intronic cis-regulators controlling almost the entire known repertoire of endogenous Gli3 expression in mouse neural tube and limbs. However, the genetic underpinning of GLI3 expression in other embryonic domains such as craniofacial structures and internal organs remain elusive. Here we demonstrate in a transgenic mice assay the potential of a subset of human/fish conserved non-coding sequences (CNEs) residing within GLI3 intronic intervals to induce reporter gene expression at known regions of endogenous Gli3 transcription in embryonic domains other than central nervous system (CNS) and limbs. Highly specific reporter expression was observed in craniofacial structures, eye, gut, and genitourinary system. Moreover, the comparison of expression patterns directed by these intronic cis-acting regulatory elements in mouse and zebrafish embryos suggests that in accordance with sequence conservation, the target site specificity of a subset of these elements remains preserved among these two lineages. Taken together with our recent investigations, it is proposed here that during vertebrate evolution the Gli3 expression control acquired multiple, independently acting, intronic enhancers for spatiotemporal patterning of CNS, limbs, craniofacial structures and internal organs. © 2013 The Authors Development, Growth & Differentiation © 2013 Japanese Society of Developmental Biologists.

Factor Scores, Structure Coefficients, and Communality Coefficients

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodwyn, Fara

2012-01-01

This paper presents heuristic explanations of factor scores, structure coefficients, and communality coefficients. Common misconceptions regarding these topics are clarified. In addition, (a) the regression (b) Bartlett, (c) Anderson-Rubin, and (d) Thompson methods for calculating factor scores are reviewed. Syntax necessary to execute all four…

Risk factors for development of internal neoplasms in koi carp Cyprinus carpio koi.

PubMed

Ott Knüsel, F; Doherr, M G; Knüsel, R; Wahli, T; Schmidt-Posthaus, H

2015-06-03

Fish, like mammals, can be affected by neoplastic proliferations. As yet, there are only a very small number of studies reporting on the occurrence of tumours in koi carp Cyprinus carpio koi and only sporadic reports on the nature of the tumours or on risk factors associated with their development. Between 2008 and 2012, koi with abdominal swelling were examined pathologically: neoplastic lesions were diagnosed and classified histologically. We evaluated possible risk factors for the development of these internal neoplasms in koi carp in Switzerland, using an online 2-part questionnaire sent to fish keepers with koi affected by internal tumours and to fish keepers who had not previously reported any affected koi. Part 1 addressed all participants and focused on general information about koi husbandry and pond technical data; Part 2 addressed participants that had one or several case(s) of koi with internal tumour(s) between 2008 and 2012, and consisted of specific questions about affected koi. A total of 112 internal tumours were reported by the 353 koi keepers participating in the survey. Analysis of the obtained data revealed that tumour occurrence was significantly associated with the location (indoors vs. outdoors) and volume of the pond, frequency of water changes, origin of the koi, number of koi kept in a pond and the use of certain pond disinfectant/medication products. Our results contribute to the identification of possible risk factors, which in turn could help to establish prophylactic measures in order to reduce the occurrence of internal neoplasms in koi.

Factor Structure of the Exercise Self-Efficacy Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cornick, Jessica E.

2015-01-01

The current study utilized exercise self-efficacy ratings from undergraduate students to assess the factor structure of the Self-Efficacy to Regulate Exercise Scale (Bandura, 1997, 2006). An exploratory factor analysis (n = 759) indicated a two-factor model solution and three separate confirmatory factor analyses (n = 1,798) supported this…

WOrk-Related Questionnaire for UPper extremity disorders (WORQ-UP): Factor Analysis and Internal Consistency.

PubMed

Aerts, Bas R; Kuijer, P Paul; Beumer, Annechien; Eygendaal, Denise; Frings-Dresen, Monique H

2018-04-17

To test a 17-item questionnaire, the WOrk-Related Questionnaire for UPper extremity disorders (WORQ-UP), for dimensionality of the items (factor analysis) and internal consistency. Cross-sectional study. Outpatient clinic. A consecutive sample of patients (N=150) consisting of all new referral patients (either from a general physician or other hospital) who visited the orthopedic outpatient clinic because of an upper extremity musculoskeletal disorder. Not applicable. Number and dimensionality of the factors in the WORQ-UP. Four factors with eigenvalues (EVs) >1.0 were found. The factors were named exertion, dexterity, tools & equipment, and mobility. The EVs of the factors were, respectively, 5.78, 2.38, 1.81, and 1.24. The factors together explained 65.9% of the variance. The Cronbach alpha values for these factors were, respectively, .88, .74, .87, and .66. The 17 items of the WORQ-UP resemble 4 factors-exertion, dexterity, tools & equipment, and mobility-with a good internal consistency. Copyright © 2018 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Factors associated with external and internal lymphedema in patients with head-and-neck cancer.

PubMed

Deng, Jie; Ridner, Sheila H; Dietrich, Mary S; Wells, Nancy; Wallston, Kenneth A; Sinard, Robert J; Cmelak, Anthony J; Murphy, Barbara A

2012-11-01

The purpose of this study was to examine factors associated with the presence of secondary external and internal lymphedema in patients with head-and-neck cancer (HNC). The sample included 81 patients ≥3 months after HNC treatment. Physical and endoscopic examinations were conducted to determine if participants had external, internal, and/or combined head-and-neck lymphedema. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the factors associated with the presence of lymphedema. The following factors were statistically significantly associated with presence of lymphedema: (1) location of tumor associated with presence of external (P=.009) and combined lymphedema (P=.032); (2) time since end of HNC treatment associated with presence of external (P=.004) and combined lymphedema (P=.005); (3) total dosage of radiation therapy (P=.010) and days of radiation (P=.017) associated with the presence of combined lymphedema; (4) radiation status of surgical bed was associated with the presence of internal lymphedema, including surgery with postoperative radiation (P=.030) and (salvage) surgery in the irradiated field (P=.008); and (5) number of treatment modalities associated with external (P=.002), internal (P=.039), and combined lymphedema (P=.004). No demographic, health behavior-related, or comorbidity factors were associated with the presence of lymphedema in the sample. Select tumor and treatment parameters are associated with increased occurrence of lymphedema in patients with HNC. Larger and longitudinal studies are needed to identify adjusted effects and causative risk factors contributing to the development of lymphedema in patients with HNC. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Temperature and composition dependence of Mg-based amorphous-alloy structure factors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

From, M.; Muir, W. B.

1992-01-01

Measurements of the x-ray total structure factors for amorphous Mg70Zn30, Ca70Mg30, and Mg85.5Cu14.5 at 9, 150, and 300 K have been made. The composition dependence of the room-temperature structure factors of MgxZn1-x have also been measured for values of x=0.65, 0.70, and 0.75. These compositional changes can be accounted for by the increase in average atomic size as the fraction of the larger Mg atoms increases with x. Also the Perkus-Yevick hard-sphere model is sufficient to calculate the change in structure factor with composition if an experimental structure factor is available from which the sphere diameters and packing fraction can be extracted. The temperature dependence of the structure factors is consistent with the observed thermal expansion and a Debye phonon model with Meisel and Cote's approximation for the multiphonon contribution to the structure factor.

Relevance of Internal Friction and Structural Constraints for the Dynamics of Denatured Bovine Serum Albumin.

PubMed

Ameseder, Felix; Radulescu, Aurel; Holderer, Olaf; Falus, Peter; Richter, Dieter; Stadler, Andreas M

2018-05-17

A general property of disordered proteins is their structural expansion that results in a high molecular flexibility. The structure and dynamics of bovine serum albumin (BSA) denatured by guanidinium hydrochloride (GndCl) were investigated using small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) and neutron spin-echo spectroscopy (NSE). SANS experiments demonstrated the relevance of intrachain interactions for structural expansion. Using NSE experiments, we observed a high internal flexibility of denatured BSA in addition to center-of-mass diffusion detected by dynamic light scattering. Internal motions measured by NSE were described using concepts based on polymer theory. The contribution of residue-solvent friction was accounted for using the Zimm model including internal friction (ZIF). Disulfide bonds forming loops of amino acids of the peptide backbone have a major impact on internal dynamics that can be interpreted with a reduced set of Zimm modes.

Quick screen of patients’ numeracy and document literacy skills: the factor structure of the Newest Vital Sign

PubMed Central

Huang, Yen-Ming; Shiyanbola, Olayinka O; Smith, Paul D; Chan, Hsun-Yu

2018-01-01

Introduction The Newest Vital Sign (NVS) is a survey designed to measure general health literacy whereby an interviewer asks six questions related to information printed on a nutritional label from an ice cream container. It enables researchers to evaluate several health literacy dimensions in a short period of time, including document literacy, comprehension, quantitative literacy (numeracy), application, and evaluation. No study has empirically examined which items belong to which latent dimensions of health literacy in the NVS using factor analysis. Identifying the factor structure of the NVS would enable health care providers to choose appropriate intervention strategies to address patients’ health literacy as well as improve their health outcomes accordingly. This study aimed to explore the factor structure of the NVS that is used to assess multiple dimensions of health literacy. Methods A cross-sectional study administering the NVS in a face-to-face manner was conducted at two family medicine clinics in the USA. One hundred and seventy four individuals who participated were at least 20 years old, diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, prescribed at least one oral diabetes medicine, and used English as their primary language. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were conducted to investigate the factor structure of the NVS. Results Numeracy and document literacy are two dimensions of health literacy that were identified and accounted for 63.05% of the variance in the NVS. Internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha) of the NVS were 0.78 and 0.91 for numeracy and document literacy, respectively. Conclusion Numeracy and document literacy appropriately represent the factor structure of the NVS and may be used for assessing health literacy in greater detail for patients with type 2 diabetes. PMID:29844661

Adaptive cellular structures and devices with internal features for enhanced structural performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pontecorvo, Michael Eugene

This dissertation aims to develop a family of cellular and repeatable devices that exhibit a variety of force-displacement behaviors. It is envisioned that these cellular structures might be used either as stand-alone elements, or combined and repeated to create multiple types of structures (i.e. buildings, ship hulls, vehicle subfloors, etc.) with the ability to passively or actively perform multiple functions (harmonic energy dissipation, impact mitigation, modulus change) over a range of loading types, amplitudes, and frequencies. To accomplish this goal, this work combines repeatable structural frameworks, such as that provided by a hexagonal cellular structure, with internal structural elements such as springs, viscous dampers, buckling plates, bi-stable von Mises trusses (VMTs), and pneumatic artificial muscles (PAMs). The repeatable framework serves to position damping and load carrying elements throughout the structure, and the configuration of the internal elements allow each cell to be tuned to exhibit a desired force-displacement response. Therefore, gradient structures or structures with variable load paths can be created for an optimal global response to a range of loads. This dissertation focuses on the development of cellular structures for three functions: combined load-carrying capability with harmonic energy dissipation, impact mitigation, and cell modulus variation. One or more conceptual designs are presented for devices that can perform each of these functions, and both experimental measurements and simulations are used to gain a fundamental understanding of each device. Chapter 2 begins with a presentation of a VMT model that is the basis for many of the elements. The equations of motion for the VMT are derived and the static and dynamic behavior of the VMT are discussed in detail. Next, two metrics for the energy dissipation of the VMT - hysteresis loop area and loss factor - are presented. The responses of the VMT to harmonic displacement

The structure factor of primes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, G.; Martelli, F.; Torquato, S.

2018-03-01

Although the prime numbers are deterministic, they can be viewed, by some measures, as pseudo-random numbers. In this article, we numerically study the pair statistics of the primes using statistical-mechanical methods, particularly the structure factor S(k) in an interval M ≤slant p ≤slant M + L with M large, and L/M smaller than unity. We show that the structure factor of the prime-number configurations in such intervals exhibits well-defined Bragg-like peaks along with a small ‘diffuse’ contribution. This indicates that primes are appreciably more correlated and ordered than previously thought. Our numerical results definitively suggest an explicit formula for the locations and heights of the peaks. This formula predicts infinitely many peaks in any non-zero interval, similar to the behavior of quasicrystals. However, primes differ from quasicrystals in that the ratio between the location of any two predicted peaks is rational. We also show numerically that the diffuse part decays slowly as M and L increases. This suggests that the diffuse part vanishes in an appropriate infinite-system-size limit.

Frustration-induced internal stresses are responsible for quasilocalized modes in structural glasses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lerner, Edan; Bouchbinder, Eran

2018-03-01

It has been recently shown [E. Lerner, G. Düring, and E. Bouchbinder, Phys. Rev. Lett. 117, 035501 (2016), 10.1103/PhysRevLett.117.035501] that the nonphononic vibrational modes of structural glasses at low frequencies ω are quasilocalized and follow a universal density of states D (ω ) ˜ω4 . Here we show that the gapless nature of the observed density of states depends on the existence of internal stresses that generically emerge in glasses due to frustration, thus elucidating a basic element underlying this universal behavior. Similarly to jammed particulate packings, low-frequency modes in structural glasses emerge from a balance between a local elasticity term and an internal stress term in the dynamical matrix, where the difference between them is orders of magnitude smaller than their typical magnitude. By artificially reducing the magnitude of internal stresses in a computer glass former in three dimensions, we show that a gap is formed in the density of states below which no vibrational modes exist, thus demonstrating the crucial importance of internal stresses. Finally, we show that while better annealing the glass upon cooling from the liquid state significantly reduces its internal stresses, the self-organizational processes during cooling render the gapless D (ω ) ˜ω4 density of state unaffected.

Preliminary validation of the Malay Yale Food Addiction Scale: Factor structure and item analysis in an obese population.

PubMed

Swarna Nantha, Yogarabindranath; Abd Patah, Norafidza Ashiquin; Ponnusamy Pillai, Mahalakshmi

2016-12-01

Researchers suggest that the rise in obesity rates may be explained by the addictive properties of certain types of food. In view of the growing obesity epidemic in South-East Asia, there is a need for a psychometric tool to assess the concept of food addiction amongst high-risk populations. The objective of this study is to translate the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) into the Malay language and subsequently validate its use in an obese population. Between the year 2014 and 2015, a total of 250 obese adults were assessed for food addiction utilizing the Malay version of the YFAS at a primary care clinic. An assessment of the psychometric properties of the scale was performed to determine the factor structure, item statistics and internal consistency of the scale. A one factorial structure of YFAS was confirmed in this study through factor analysis. All items except 4 (items 19, 22, 24 and 25) had factor loadings >0.42. The internal reliability (KR-20) coefficient of the one-factor solution was α = 0.76. The mean YFAS symptom count was M = 2.74 (SD = 1.57) with 10.4% (N = 26) of the participants received the diagnosis of food addiction. The determination of construct validity and the identification of other latent variables in the Malay food addiction model is necessary prior to the formal utilization of the scale as a tool to detect addictive eating patterns in the community. Copyright © 2016 European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis of Korean Students' International Mobility by 2-D Model: Driving Force Factor and Directional Factor

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Park, Elisa L.

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study is to understand the dynamics of Korean students' international mobility to study abroad by using the 2-D Model. The first D, "the driving force factor," explains how and what components of the dissatisfaction with domestic higher education perceived by Korean students drives students' outward mobility to seek…

Developmental trajectories of externalizing and internalizing behaviors: Factors underlying resilience in physically abused children

PubMed Central

Lansford, Jennifer E.; Malone, Patrick S.; Stevens, Kristopher I.; Dodge, Kenneth A.; Bates, John E.; Pettit, Gregory S.

2009-01-01

Using a multisite community sample of 585 children, this study examined how protective and vulnerability factors alter trajectories of teacher-reported externalizing and internalizing behavior from kindergarten through Grade 8 for children who were and were not physically abused during the first 5 years of life. Early lifetime history of physical abuse (11.8% of sample) was determined through interviews with mothers during the prekindergarten period; mothers and children provided data on vulnerability and protective factors. Regardless of whether the child was abused, being African American; being male; having low early social competence, low early socioeconomic status (SES), and low adolescent SES; and experiencing adolescent harsh discipline, low monitoring, and low parental knowledge were related to higher levels of externalizing problems over time. Having low early social competence, low early SES, low adolescent SES, and low proactive parenting were related to higher levels of internalizing problems over time. Furthermore, resilience effects, defined as significant interaction effects, were found for unilateral parental decision making (lower levels are protective of externalizing outcomes for abused children), early stress (lower levels are protective of internalizing outcomes for abused children), adolescent stress (lower levels are protective of internalizing outcomes for abused children), and hostile attributions (higher levels are protective of internalizing outcomes for abused children). The findings provide a great deal of support for an additive or main effect perspective on vulnerability and protective factors and some support for an interactive perspective. It appears that some protective and vulnerability factors do not have stronger effects for physically abused children, but instead are equally beneficial or harmful to children regardless of their abuse status. PMID:16478551

The Psychometric Properties of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale in Chinese Primary Care Patients: Factor Structure, Construct Validity, Reliability, Sensitivity and Responsiveness

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Background The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) is a commonly used instrument to measure depressive symptomatology. Despite this, the evidence for its psychometric properties remains poorly established in Chinese populations. The aim of this study was to validate the use of the CES-D in Chinese primary care patients by examining factor structure, construct validity, reliability, sensitivity and responsiveness. Methods and Results The psychometric properties were assessed amongst a sample of 3686 Chinese adult primary care patients in Hong Kong. Three competing factor structure models were examined using confirmatory factor analysis. The original CES-D four-structure model had adequate fit, however the data was better fit into a bi-factor model. For the internal construct validity, corrected item-total correlations were 0.4 for most items. The convergent validity was assessed by examining the correlations between the CES-D, the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) and the Short Form-12 Health Survey (version 2) Mental Component Summary (SF-12 v2 MCS). The CES-D had a strong correlation with the PHQ-9 (coefficient: 0.78) and SF-12 v2 MCS (coefficient: -0.75). Internal consistency was assessed by McDonald’s omega hierarchical (ωH). The ωH value for the general depression factor was 0.855. The ωH values for “somatic”, “depressed affect”, “positive affect” and “interpersonal problems” were 0.434, 0.038, 0.738 and 0.730, respectively. For the two-week test-retest reliability, the intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.91. The CES-D was sensitive in detecting differences between known groups, with the AUC >0.7. Internal responsiveness of the CES-D to detect positive and negative changes was satisfactory (with p value <0.01 and all effect size statistics >0.2). The CES-D was externally responsive, with the AUC>0.7. Conclusions The CES-D appears to be a valid, reliable, sensitive and responsive instrument for screening and

The Psychometric Properties of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale in Chinese Primary Care Patients: Factor Structure, Construct Validity, Reliability, Sensitivity and Responsiveness.

PubMed

Chin, Weng Yee; Choi, Edmond P H; Chan, Kit T Y; Wong, Carlos K H

2015-01-01

The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) is a commonly used instrument to measure depressive symptomatology. Despite this, the evidence for its psychometric properties remains poorly established in Chinese populations. The aim of this study was to validate the use of the CES-D in Chinese primary care patients by examining factor structure, construct validity, reliability, sensitivity and responsiveness. The psychometric properties were assessed amongst a sample of 3686 Chinese adult primary care patients in Hong Kong. Three competing factor structure models were examined using confirmatory factor analysis. The original CES-D four-structure model had adequate fit, however the data was better fit into a bi-factor model. For the internal construct validity, corrected item-total correlations were 0.4 for most items. The convergent validity was assessed by examining the correlations between the CES-D, the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) and the Short Form-12 Health Survey (version 2) Mental Component Summary (SF-12 v2 MCS). The CES-D had a strong correlation with the PHQ-9 (coefficient: 0.78) and SF-12 v2 MCS (coefficient: -0.75). Internal consistency was assessed by McDonald's omega hierarchical (ωH). The ωH value for the general depression factor was 0.855. The ωH values for "somatic", "depressed affect", "positive affect" and "interpersonal problems" were 0.434, 0.038, 0.738 and 0.730, respectively. For the two-week test-retest reliability, the intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.91. The CES-D was sensitive in detecting differences between known groups, with the AUC >0.7. Internal responsiveness of the CES-D to detect positive and negative changes was satisfactory (with p value <0.01 and all effect size statistics >0.2). The CES-D was externally responsive, with the AUC>0.7. The CES-D appears to be a valid, reliable, sensitive and responsive instrument for screening and monitoring depressive symptoms in adult Chinese primary care

Enhancement of white light OLED efficiency by combining both internal and external light extraction structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kao, I.-Ling; Ku, Chun-Neng; Chen, Yi-Ping; Lin, Ding-Zheng

2012-09-01

We proposed an internal nanostructure with a high reflective index planarization layer to solve the optical loss due to the reflective index mismatch between ITO and glass substrate. In our experiments, we found the electrical property of OLED device was significantly influenced by the internal nanostructures without planarization layer. Moreover, the internal extraction structure (IES) is not necessarily beneficial for light extraction. Therefore, we proposed a new substrate combine both internal and external extraction structure (EES) to extract trapping light. We successfully developed a high refractive index (N 1.7) planarization material with flat surface (RMS roughness < 2 nm), and improved about 70% device efficiency compared to traditional glass substrate.

Rotational spectroscopy of antipyretics: Conformation, structure, and internal dynamics of phenazone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Écija, Patricia; Cocinero, Emilio J.; Lesarri, Alberto; Fernández, José A.; Caminati, Walther; Castaño, Fernando

2013-03-01

The conformational and structural preferences of phenazone (antipyrine), the prototype of non-opioid pyrazolone antipyretics, have been probed in a supersonic jet expansion using rotational spectroscopy. The conformational landscape of the two-ring assembly was first explored computationally, but only a single conformer was predicted, with the N-phenyl and N-methyl groups on opposite sides of the pyrazolone ring. Consistently, the microwave spectrum evidenced a rotational signature arising from a single molecular structure. The spectrum exhibited very complicated fine and hyperfine patterns (not resolvable with any other spectroscopic technique) originated by the simultaneous coupling of the methyl group internal rotation and the spins of the two 14N nuclei with the overall rotation. The internal rotation tunnelling was ascribed to the C-CH3 group and the barrier height established experimentally (7.13(10) kJ mol-1). The internal rotation of the N-CH3 group has a lower limit of 9.4 kJ mol-1. The structure of the molecule was determined from the rotational parameters, with the phenyl group elevated ca. 25° with respect to the average plane of the pyrazolic moiety and a phenyl torsion of ca. 52°. The origin of the conformational preferences is discussed in terms of the competition between intramolecular C-H⋯N and C-H⋯O weak hydrogen bonds.

Exploring the Factor Structure of a Recovery Assessment Measure among Substance-Abusing Youth.

PubMed

Gonzales, Rachel; Hernandez, Mayra; Douglas, Samantha B; Yu, Chong Ho

2015-01-01

To date, the measurement of recovery in the field of substance abuse is limited. Youth recovery from substance abuse is an important area to consider, given the complexities of such issues. The Recovery Assessment Scale (RAS) has been validated with mental health patient populations; however, its measurement characteristics have not been examined for individuals in substance abuse treatment. The current study explored the factor structure of the RAS with a sample of 80 substance-abusing youth who participated in a pilot aftercare study (Mage 20.5, SD=3.5; 71.3% male). Reliability analysis showed an internal consistency of α=.90 for the entire RAS measure among the youth sample. Results of exploratory factor analysis identified the following four factors: personal determination, skills for recovery, self-control in recovery, and social support/moving beyond recovery among the substance-abusing youth sample. The RAS also demonstrated sound convergent and divergent validity in comparison to other validated measures of functioning, sobriety, and well-being. Collectively, results support that the RAS has adequate psychometric properties for measuring recovery among substance-abusing youth.

Internal and External Factors That Support Children's Minority First Language and English.

PubMed

Pham, Giang; Tipton, Timothy

2018-05-22

Sequential bilingual children in the United States often speak 2 languages that have different social statuses (minority-majority) and separate contexts for learning (home-school). Thus, distinct factors may support the development of each language. This study examined which child internal and external factors were related to vocabulary skills in a minority language versus English. Participants included 69 children, aged 5-8 years, who lived in Southern California, spoke Vietnamese as the home language, and received school instruction in English. All participants had at least 1 foreign-born parent, and most mothers reported limited English proficiency. Parents completed a telephone survey, and children completed measures of receptive and expressive vocabulary in each language. Using correlations and stepwise regression, we examined predictors of vocabulary skills in each language that were internal to the child (age, gender, analytical reasoning, phonological memory) or that pertained to the surrounding environment (cumulative exposure, quantity and quality of input/output). Vietnamese vocabulary outcomes were related to multiple external factors, of which input and enrichment activities were the best predictors. In contrast, English vocabulary outcomes were related to internal factors, of which age and phonological memory were the best predictors. Parental use of Vietnamese contributed to children's Vietnamese vocabulary outcomes but was not related to children's English vocabulary outcomes. Vietnamese exposure does not hinder English development. Children from immigrant families are learning English with or without familial support. Rich and frequent exposure and opportunities for practice are essential for the continued development of a minority first language.

Spanish adaptation of the internal functioning of the Work Teams Scale (QFI-22).

PubMed

Ficapal-Cusí, Pilar; Boada-Grau, Joan; Torrent-Sellens, Joan; Vigil-Colet, Andreu

2014-05-01

The aim of this article is to develop the Spanish adaptation of the internal functioning of Work Teams Scale (QFI-22). The scale was adapted from the French version, and was applied to a sample of 1,055 employees working for firms operating in Spain. The article analyses the internal structure (exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis) and internal consistency, and provides convergent validity evidence of the scale. The QFI-22 scale shows the same internal structure as the original. Factor analysis confirmed the existence of two factors: interpersonal support and team work management, with good internal consistency coefficients (α1 = .93, α2 = .92). Regarding validity evidence, the QFI-22 scale has significant correlations with other correlates and alternative scales used for comparison purposes. The two factors correlated positively with team vision, participation safety, task orientation and support for innovation (Team Climate Inventory, TCI scale), with progressive culture (Organisational Culture, X-Y scale), and with creating change, customer focus and organisational learning (Denison Organizational Culture Survey, DOCS scale). In contrast, the two factors correlated negatively with traditional culture (X-Y scale). The QFI-22 scale is a useful instrument for assessing the internal functioning of work teams.

Structural Deterministic Safety Factors Selection Criteria and Verification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Verderaime, V.

1992-01-01

Though current deterministic safety factors are arbitrarily and unaccountably specified, its ratio is rooted in resistive and applied stress probability distributions. This study approached the deterministic method from a probabilistic concept leading to a more systematic and coherent philosophy and criterion for designing more uniform and reliable high-performance structures. The deterministic method was noted to consist of three safety factors: a standard deviation multiplier of the applied stress distribution; a K-factor for the A- or B-basis material ultimate stress; and the conventional safety factor to ensure that the applied stress does not operate in the inelastic zone of metallic materials. The conventional safety factor is specifically defined as the ratio of ultimate-to-yield stresses. A deterministic safety index of the combined safety factors was derived from which the corresponding reliability proved the deterministic method is not reliability sensitive. The bases for selecting safety factors are presented and verification requirements are discussed. The suggested deterministic approach is applicable to all NASA, DOD, and commercial high-performance structures under static stresses.

40 CFR Table 26 to Subpart G of... - Seal Related Factors for Internal Floating Roof Vessels

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 9 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Seal Related Factors for Internal..., and Wastewater Pt. 63, Subpt. G, Table 26 Table 26 to Subpart G of Part 63—Seal Related Factors for Internal Floating Roof Vessels Seal type KS n Liquid mounted resilient seal: Primary seal only 3.0 0 With...

40 CFR Table 26 to Subpart G of... - Seal Related Factors for Internal Floating Roof Vessels

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 9 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Seal Related Factors for Internal..., and Wastewater Pt. 63, Subpt. G, Table 26 Table 26 to Subpart G of Part 63—Seal Related Factors for Internal Floating Roof Vessels Seal type KS n Liquid mounted resilient seal: Primary seal only 3.0 0 With...

Factors associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms among international university students in the Philippines.

PubMed

Lee, Romeo B; Maria, Madelene Sta; Estanislao, Susana; Rodriguez, Cristina

2013-11-01

Over the years, the number of international university students has been increasing in the Philippines. Depression tends to be common among this demographic sector, because of the varying challenges and expectations associated with studying abroad. Depression can be prevented if its symptoms, particularly those at higher levels, are identified and addressed early and effectively. This survey examined the social and demographic factors that are significantly associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms. One hundred twenty-six international university students were interviewed using the University Students Depression Inventory. Of the 13 factors analyzed, 3 were found with statistically significant associations with more intense levels of depressive symptoms. These factors were: level of satisfaction with one's financial condition, level of closeness with parents, and level of closeness with peers. In identifying international students with greater risk for depression, characteristics related to their financial condition and primary group relationships can be considered. There is a need to carry out more studies to confirm this initial evidence. The findings can help guide further discourse, research and program to benefit international students with higher levels of depressive symptoms.

Emotional and Behavioral Problems among Impoverished Kenyan Youth: Factor Structure and Sex-Differences

PubMed Central

Harder, Valerie S.; Mutiso, Victoria N.; Khasakhala, Lincoln I.; Burke, Heather M.; Rettew, David C.; Ivanova, Masha Y.; Ndetei, David M.

2014-01-01

Data on youth emotional and behavioral problems from societies in Sub-Saharan Africa are lacking. This may be due to the fact that few youth mental health assessments have been tested for construct validity of syndrome structure across multicultural societies that include developing countries, and almost none have been tested in Sub-Saharan Africa. The Youth Self-Report (YSR), for example, has shown great consistency of its syndrome structure across many cultures, yet data from only one developing country in Sub-Saharan Africa have been included. In this study, we test the factor structure of YSR syndromes among Kenyan youth ages 11–18 years from an informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya and examine sex-differences in levels of emotional and behavioral problems. We find the eight syndrome structure of the YSR to fit these data well (Root Mean Square Error of Approximation=.049). While Kenyan girls have significantly higher internalizing (Anxious/Depressed, Withdrawn/Depressed, Somatic) problem scores than boys, these differences are of similar magnitude to published multicultural findings. The results support the generalizability of the YSR syndrome structure to Kenyan youth and are in line with multicultural findings supporting the YSR as an assessment of emotional and behavioral problems in diverse societies. PMID:25419046

Changing state structures: Outside in

PubMed Central

Krasner, Stephen D.

2011-01-01

In explaining the development of institutional structures within states, social science analysis has focused on autochthonous factors and paid less attention to the way in which external factors, especially purposive agent-directed as opposed to more general environmental factors, can influence domestic authority structures. For international relations scholarship, this lacunae is particularly troubling or perhaps, just weird. If the international system is anarchical, then political leaders can pursue any policy option. In some cases, the most attractive option would be conventional state to state interactions, diplomacy, or war. In other instances, however, changing the domestic authority structures of other states might be more appealing. In some cases, domestic authority structures have been influenced through bargaining, and in others through power. Power may reflect either explicit agent-oriented decisions or social processes that reflect the practices, values, and norms of more powerful entities. PMID:22198756

46 CFR 71.50-3 - Drydock examination, internal structural examination, underwater survey, and alternate hull exam...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

..., underwater survey, and alternate hull exam intervals. 71.50-3 Section 71.50-3 Shipping COAST GUARD...-3 Drydock examination, internal structural examination, underwater survey, and alternate hull exam... wooden hulls must undergo two drydock and two internal structural examinations within any five year...

Minimizing distortion and internal forces in truss structures by simulated annealing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kincaid, Rex K.; Padula, Sharon L.

1990-01-01

Inaccuracies in the length of members and the diameters of joints of large space structures may produce unacceptable levels of surface distortion and internal forces. Here, two discrete optimization problems are formulated, one to minimize surface distortion (DSQRMS) and the other to minimize internal forces (FSQRMS). Both of these problems are based on the influence matrices generated by a small-deformation linear analysis. Good solutions are obtained for DSQRMS and FSQRMS through the use of a simulated annealing heuristic.

Factor structure and clinical utility of the Beck depression inventory in patients with binge eating disorder and obesity.

PubMed

Udo, Tomoko; McKee, Sherry A; Grilo, Carlos M

2015-01-01

The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) is often used to assess depression symptoms, but its factor structure and its clinical utility have not been evaluated in patients with binge eating disorder (BED) and obesity. A total of 882 treatment-seeking obese patients with BED were administered structured interviews (Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition Axis I Disorders) and completed self-report questionnaires. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported a brief 16-item BDI version with a three-factor structure (affective, attitudinal and somatic). Both 21- and 16-item versions showed excellent internal consistency (both α=0.89) and had significant correlation patterns with different aspects of eating disorder psychopathology; three factors showed significant but variable associations with eating disorder psychopathology. Area under the curves (AUC) for both BDI versions were significant in predicting major depressive disorder (MDD; AUC=0.773 [16-item], 73.5% sensitivity/70.2% specificity, AUC=0.769 [21-item], 79.5% sensitivity/64.1% specificity) and mood disorders (AUC=0.763 [16-item], 67.1% sensitivity/71.5% specificity, AUC=0.769 [21-item], 84.2% sensitivity/55.7% specificity). The 21-item BDI (cutoff score ≥16) showed higher negative predictive values (94.0% vs. 93.0% [MDD]; 92.4% vs. 88.3% [mood disorders]) than the brief 16-item BDI (cutoff score ≥13). Both BDI versions demonstrated moderate performance as a screening instrument for MDD/mood disorders in obese patients with BED. Advantages and disadvantages for both versions are discussed. A three-factor structure has potential to inform the conceptualization of depression features. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Reflections on a Seminal Force in International Accounting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cascini, Karen T.

2007-01-01

Accounting is a manifestation of several important environmental factors within a country, including economic, educational and political, and, as such, is evolutionary in accordance with those changing social structures. Because of the major impact that international accounting has had on countries' internal accounting systems, it is important to…

Cross-Cultural Adaptation of the Profile Fitness Mapping Neck Questionnaire to Brazilian Portuguese: Internal Consistency, Reliability, and Construct and Structural Validity.

PubMed

Ferreira, Mariana Cândido; Björklund, Martin; Dach, Fabiola; Chaves, Thais Cristina

The purpose of this study was to adapt and evaluate the psychometric properties of the ProFitMap-neck to Brazilian Portuguese. The cross-cultural adaptation consisted of 5 stages, and 180 female patients with chronic neck pain participated in the study. A subsample (n = 30) answered the pretest, and another subsample (n = 100) answered the questionnaire a second time. Internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and construct validity (hypothesis testing and structural validity) were estimated. For construct validity, the scores of the questionnaire were correlated with the Neck Disability Index (NDI), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK), and the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36). Internal consistency was determined by adequate Cronbach's α values (α > 0.70). Strong reliability was identified by high intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC > 0.75). Construct validity was identified by moderate and strong correlations of the Br-ProFitMap-neck with total NDI score (-0.56 factor analysis revealed 2 factors for the Symptom scale: intensity index and the Function scale. Symptom scale-frequency index identified 1 factor. Structural validity was determined by percentage of cumulative variance >50%, Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin index > 0.50, eigenvalue > 1, and factor loadings > 0.2. Br-ProFitMap-neck had adequate psychometric properties and can be used in clinical settings, as well as research, in patients with chronic neck pain. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

46 CFR 176.600 - Drydock and internal structural examination intervals.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... States port, it must undergo the required examination before sailing. (c) If your vessel is not operated... exclusively by divers, the vessel must undergo two alternate hull exams and two internal structural exams within any five-year period. If a vessel completes a satisfactory alternate hull exam, with the...

Application of the TDR technique for the detection of changes in the internal structure of an earthen flood levee

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Janik, Grzegorz; Dawid, Małgorzata; Walczak, Amadeusz; Słowińska-Osypiuk, Joanna; Skierucha, Wojciech; Wilczek, Andrzej; Daniel, Anna

2017-03-01

Failures of earthen flood protection structures cause enormous material loss. Despite this, in the majority these are structures that were built decades ago. As an example, in Poland, the time of operation of approximately three quarters of existing levees and embankments is over 40 years. A similar situation exists in many other European countries. In the period 1998-2009 the economic losses caused by floods amounted to over 60 thousand million Euro. This accounts for approximately one third of the total losses caused by environmental factors. Ruptures of embankments or levees occur as a result of long-lasting elevated water levels in rivers, and such events are always preceded by changes in their internal structure. Such changes cannot be detected from the outside. This paper presents a new method, never used before, for the determination of changes in the internal structure of the body of a levee. The dynamics of the displacements is described by means of new mathematical formulae. The input data necessary for their application include the dynamics of changes in the value of volumetric moisture that is measured with a freely selected short time step by means of the time-domain-reflectrometry technique. The formulae were created on the basis of hitherto unnoticed and uninterpreted drops in moisture a moment before and a moment after the saturation of inner spaces of the levee body. The results obtained from calculations were compared with data from measurements on a physical model of a levee. The settlement values calculated using the method proposed are convergent with those of the true settlement. The maximum relative error was as low as 19%. The method proposed permits the location of changes in the internal structure of a levee before its rupture. Its application is the main component of a system of early warning against floods.

Factor Structure, Factorial Invariance, and Validity of the Multidimensional Shame-Related Response Inventory-21 (MSRI-21)

PubMed Central

Garcia, Antonio F.; Acosta, Melina; Pirani, Saifa; Edwards, Daniel; Osman, Augustine

2017-01-01

We describe 2 studies designed to evaluate scores on the Multidimensional Shame-related Response Inventory-21 (MSRI-21), a recently developed instrument that measures affective and behavioral responses to shame. The inventory assesses shame-related responses in 3 categories: negative self-evaluation, fear of social consequences, and maladaptive behavior tendency. For Study 1, (N = 743) undergraduates completed the MSRI-21. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the validity of the MSRI-21 3-factor structure. Latent variable modeling of coefficient-α provided strong evidence for the internal consistency of scores on each scale. In Study 2, (N = 540) undergraduates completed the instrument along with 5 concurrent measures chosen for clinical significance. Achievement of factorial invariance supported the use of MSRI-21 scale scores to make valid mean comparisons across gender. In addition, MSRI-21 scale scores were associated as expected with scores on measures of self-harm, suicide, and other risk factors. Taken together, results of 2 studies support the internal consistency reliability, factorial validity, factorial invariance, and convergent validity of scores on the MSRI-21. Further work is needed to assess the temporal stability of the MSRI-21 scale scores, invariance across clinical status and other groupings, item-level measurement properties, and viability in highly symptomatic samples. PMID:28182490

Psychometric Properties and Factor Structure of the German Version of the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5.

PubMed

Müller-Engelmann, Meike; Schnyder, Ulrich; Dittmann, Clara; Priebe, Kathlen; Bohus, Martin; Thome, Janine; Fydrich, Thomas; Pfaltz, Monique C; Steil, Regina

2018-05-01

The Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) is a widely used diagnostic interview for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Following fundamental modifications in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition ( DSM-5), the CAPS had to be revised. This study examined the psychometric properties (internal consistency, interrater reliability, convergent and discriminant validity, and structural validity) of the German version of the CAPS-5 in a trauma-exposed sample ( n = 223 with PTSD; n =51 without PTSD). The results demonstrated high internal consistency (αs = .65-.93) and high interrater reliability (ICCs = .81-.89). With regard to convergent and discriminant validity, we found high correlations between the CAPS severity score and both the Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale sum score ( r = .87) and the Beck Depression Inventory total score ( r = .72). Regarding the underlying factor structure, the hybrid model demonstrated the best fit, followed by the anhedonia model. However, we encountered some nonpositive estimates for the correlations of the latent variables (factors) for both models. The model with the best fit without methodological problems was the externalizing behaviors model, but the results also supported the DSM-5 model. Overall, the results demonstrate that the German version of the CAPS-5 is a psychometrically sound measure.

Model of carbon nanofiber internal structure formation and instability of catalytic growth interface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Merkulov, I. A.; Merkulov, V. I.; Melechko, A. V.; Klein, K. L.; Lowndes, D. H.; Simpson, M. L.

2007-07-01

It is well known that the internal structure determines the properties of carbon nanotubes and carbon nanofibers. However, a fundamental understanding of the processes that drive structure formation is missing, hindering the development of controlled synthesis strategies. Here we use theoretical calculations to explore the time evolution of the shape of the interface between the catalyst nanoparticle and its associated graphitic nanofiber at the initial stages of growth. This phenomenological description of the behavior of the catalyst nanoparticle-graphite interface constructed with model parameters provides new understanding of the mechanisms that control the internal structure of carbon nanofibers. We show that if the magnitude of the interface curvature exceeds a critical value κcrit , the interface loses stability and a cavity forms in the center of the nanofiber.

Jacking mechanism for upper internals structure of a liquid metal nuclear reactor

DOEpatents

Gillett, James E.; Wineman, Arthur L.

1984-01-01

A jacking mechanism for raising the upper internals structure of a liquid metal nuclear reactor which jacking mechanism uses a system of gears and drive shafts to transmit force from a single motor to four mechanically synchronized ball jacks to raise and lower support columns which support the upper internals structure. The support columns have a pin structure which rides up and down in a slot in a housing fixed to the reactor head. The pin has two locking plates which can be rotated around the pin to bring bolt holes through the locking plates into alignment with a set of bolt holes in the housing, there being a set of such housing bolt holes corresponding to both a raised and a lowered position of the support column. When the locking plate is so aligned, a surface of the locking plate mates with a surface in the housing such that the support column is then supported by the locking plate and not by the ball jacks. Since the locking plates are to be installed and bolted to the housing during periods of reactor operation, the ball jacks need not be sized to react the large forces which occur or potentially could occur on the upper internals structure of the reactor during operation. The locking plates react these loads. The ball jacks, used only during refueling, can be smaller, which enable conventionally available equipment to fulfill the precision requirements for the task within available space.

Detection of internal cracks in rubber composite structures using an impact acoustic modality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Q.; Kurfess, T. R.; Omar, M.; Gramling, F.

2014-01-01

The objective of this study is to investigate the use of impact acoustic signals to non-intrusively inspect rubber composite structures for the presence of internal cracks, such as those found in an automobile tyre. Theoretical contact dynamic models for both integral and defective rubber structures are developed based on Hertz's impact model, further modified for rubber composite materials. The model generates the prediction of major impact dynamic quantities, namely the maximum impact force, impact duration and contact deformation; such parameters are also theoretically proven to be correlated with the presence of internal cracks. The tyre structures are simplified into cubic rubber blocks, to mitigate complexity for analytical modelling. Both impact force and impact sound signals are measured experimentally, and extraction of useful features from both signals for defect identification is achieved. The impact force produces two direct measurements of theoretical impact dynamic quantities. A good correlation between these experimental discriminators and the theoretical dynamic quantities provide validation for the contact dynamics models. Defect discriminators extracted from the impact sound are dependent on both time- and frequency-domain analyses. All the discriminators are closely connected with the theoretical dynamic quantities and experimentally verified as good indicators of internal cracks in rubber composite structures.

A factor analysis of landscape pattern and structure metrics

Treesearch

Kurt H. Riitters; R.V. O' Neill; C.T. Hunsaker; James D. Wickham; D.H. Yankee; S.P. Timmins; K.B. Jones; B.L. Jackson

1995-01-01

Fifty-five metrics of landscape pattern and structure were calculated for 85 maps of land use and land cover. A multivariate factor analysis was used to identify the common axes (or dimensions) of pattern and structure which were measured by a reduced set of 26 metrics. The first six factors explained about 87% of the variation in the 26 landscape metrics. These...

Factors That Predict Persistence for Non-Immigrant, International Students at a Private, Four-Year University in Georgia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adams, Shawn M.

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore factors that predict the persistence of international, non-immigrant students in higher education. A sample of international students from a four-year private university in Georgia served as the focused population for this study. Persistence research asserts that six factors predict persistence: academic…

The Persistence of Structural Inequality?: A Network Analysis of International Trade, 1965-2000

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mahutga, Matthew C.

2006-01-01

This article reports results from a network analysis of international trade from 1965 through 2000. It addresses the impact of changes associated with globalization and the "new international division of labor" (NIDL) on structural inequality in the world economy. To assess this impact, I ask three specific questions. (1) Do patterns of…

Modelling the factor structure of the Child Depression Inventory in a population of apparently healthy adolescents in Nigeria.

PubMed

Olorunju, Samson Bamidele; Akpa, Onoja Matthew; Afolabi, Rotimi Felix

2018-01-01

Childhood and adolescent depression is common and often persists into adulthood with negative implications for school performances, peer relationship and behavioural functioning. The Child Depression Inventory (CDI) has been used to assess depression among adolescents in many countries including Nigeria but it is uncertain if the theoretical structure of CDI appropriately fits the experiences of adolescents in Nigeria. This study assessed varying theoretical modelling structure of the CDI in a population of apparently healthy adolescents in Benue state, Nigeria. Data was extracted on CDI scale and demographic information from a total of 1, 963 adolescents (aged 10-19 years), who participated in a state wide study assessing adolescent psychosocial functioning. In addition to descriptive statistics and reliability tests, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor analysis (CFA) were used to model the underlying factor structure and its adequacy. The suggested new model was compared with existing CDI models as well as the CDI's original theoretical model. A model is considered better, if it has minimum Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA<0.05), Minimum value of Discrepancy (CMIN/DF<3.0) and Akaike information criteria. All analyses were performed at 95% confidence level, using the version 21 of AMOS and the R software. Participants were 14.7±2.1 years and mostly male (54.3%), from Monogamous homes (67.9%) and lived in urban areas (52.2%). The measure of the overall internal consistency of the 2-factor CDI was α = 0.84. The 2-factor model had the minimum RMSEA (0.044), CMIN/DF (2.87) and least AIC (1037.996) compared to the other five CDI models. The child depression inventory has a 2-factor structure in a non-clinical general population of adolescents in Nigeria. Future use of the CDI in related setting may consider the 2-factor model.

Guidelines for Analysis of Socio-Cultural Factors in Health. Volume 4: Socio-Cultural Factors in Health Planning. International Health Planning Methods Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fraser, Renee White

Intended to assist Agency for International Development (AID) officers, advisors, and health officials in incorporating health planning into national plans for economic development, this fourth of ten manuals in the International Health Planning Methods Series deals with sociocultural, psychological, and behavioral factors that affect the planning…

Exploring Regional and Institutional Factors of International Students' Dropout: The South Korea Case

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jung, Jisun; Kim, Yangson

2018-01-01

With an increasing number of international students in South Korea, the issue of retaining these students and reducing their dropout rates has become important. This study explores the multilevel factors that affect the institutional dropout rate among international students in Korea. The research questions are as follows: (a) to what extent do…

Evaluating Individual Students' Perceptions of Instructional Quality: An Investigation of their Factor Structure, Measurement Invariance, and Relations to Educational Outcomes

PubMed Central

Scherer, Ronny; Nilsen, Trude; Jansen, Malte

2016-01-01

Students' perceptions of instructional quality are among the most important criteria for evaluating teaching effectiveness. The present study evaluates different latent variable modeling approaches (confirmatory factor analysis, exploratory structural equation modeling, and bifactor modeling), which are used to describe these individual perceptions with respect to their factor structure, measurement invariance, and the relations to selected educational outcomes (achievement, self-concept, and motivation in mathematics). On the basis of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2012 large-scale data sets of Australia, Canada, and the USA (N = 26,746 students), we find support for the distinction between three factors of individual students' perceptions and full measurement invariance across countries for all modeling approaches. In this regard, bifactor exploratory structural equation modeling outperformed alternative approaches with respect to model fit. Our findings reveal significant relations to the educational outcomes. This study synthesizes different modeling approaches of individual students' perceptions of instructional quality and provides insights into the nature of these perceptions from an individual differences perspective. Implications for the measurement and modeling of individually perceived instructional quality are discussed. PMID:26903917

Evaluating Individual Students' Perceptions of Instructional Quality: An Investigation of their Factor Structure, Measurement Invariance, and Relations to Educational Outcomes.

PubMed

Scherer, Ronny; Nilsen, Trude; Jansen, Malte

2016-01-01

Students' perceptions of instructional quality are among the most important criteria for evaluating teaching effectiveness. The present study evaluates different latent variable modeling approaches (confirmatory factor analysis, exploratory structural equation modeling, and bifactor modeling), which are used to describe these individual perceptions with respect to their factor structure, measurement invariance, and the relations to selected educational outcomes (achievement, self-concept, and motivation in mathematics). On the basis of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2012 large-scale data sets of Australia, Canada, and the USA (N = 26,746 students), we find support for the distinction between three factors of individual students' perceptions and full measurement invariance across countries for all modeling approaches. In this regard, bifactor exploratory structural equation modeling outperformed alternative approaches with respect to model fit. Our findings reveal significant relations to the educational outcomes. This study synthesizes different modeling approaches of individual students' perceptions of instructional quality and provides insights into the nature of these perceptions from an individual differences perspective. Implications for the measurement and modeling of individually perceived instructional quality are discussed.

On the Internal Structure of Bacteriophage Lambda

PubMed Central

Kaiser, A. D.

1966-01-01

The structure of bacteriophage lambda has been studied by electron microscopy of negatively stained particles. The phage particles will eject their DNA if they are heated or dialyzed against a chelating agent. The ghost particles, so formed, have a channel running down their tails. Since the channel is not visible in normal particles, the channel may be filled with part of the DNA molecule. Up to 30% of the ghosts contain round objects about half the internal diameter of the head. The round objects, called "cores," have the same buoyant density as the coat protein. The core may be a protein spool about which the phage DNA is wound. PMID:5967429

Characterization of Slosh Damping for Ortho-Grid and Iso-Grid Internal Tank Structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Westra, Douglas G.; Sansone, Marco D.; Eberhart, Chad J.; West, Jeffrey S.

2016-01-01

Grid stiffened tank structures such as Ortho-Grid and Iso-Grid are widely used in cryogenic tanks for providing stiffening to the tank while reducing mass, compared to tank walls of constant cross-section. If the structure is internal to the tank, it will positively affect the fluid dynamic behavior of the liquid propellant, in regard to fluid slosh damping. As NASA and commercial companies endeavor to explore the solar system, vehicles will by necessity become more mass efficient, and design margin will be reduced where possible. Therefore, if the damping characteristics of the Ortho-Grid and Iso-Grid structure is understood, their positive damping effect can be taken into account in the systems design process. Historically, damping by internal structures has been characterized by rules of thumb and for Ortho-Grid, empirical design tools intended for slosh baffles of much larger cross-section have been used. There is little or no information available to characterize the slosh behavior of Iso-Grid internal structure. Therefore, to take advantage of these structures for their positive damping effects, there is much need for obtaining additional data and tools to characterize them. Recently, the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center conducted both sub-scale testing and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations of slosh damping for Ortho-Grid and Iso-Grid tanks for cylindrical tanks containing water. Enhanced grid meshing techniques were applied to the geometrically detailed and complex Ortho-Grid and Iso-Grid structures. The Loci-STREAM CFD program with the Volume of Fluid Method module for tracking and locating the water-air fluid interface was used to conduct the simulations. The CFD simulations were validated with the test data and new empirical models for predicting damping and frequency of Ortho-Grid and Iso-Grid structures were generated.

Internal genetic structure and outcrossing rate in a natural population of Araucaria angustifolia (Bert.) O. Kuntze.

PubMed

Mantovani, Adelar; Morellato, L Patrícia C; Dos Reis, Maurício S

2006-01-01

The internal genetic structure and outcrossing rate of a population of Araucaria angustifolia (Bert.) O. Kuntze were investigated using 16 allozyme loci. Estimates of the mean number of alleles per loci (1.6), percentage of polymorphic loci (43.8%), and expected genetic diversity (0.170) were similar to those obtained for other gymnosperms. The analysis of spatial autocorrelation demonstrated the presence of internal structure in the first distance classes (up to 70 m), suggesting the presence of family structure. The outcrossing rate was high (0.956), as expected for a dioecious species. However, it was different from unity, indicating outcrossings between related individuals and corroborating the presence of internal genetic structure. The results of this study have implications for the methodologies used in conservation collections and for the use or analysis of this forest species.

Internalization of exogenous ADP-ribosylation factor 6 (Arf6) proteins into cells.

PubMed

Afroze, Syeda H; Uddin, M Nasir; Cao, Xiaobo; Asea, Alexzander; Gizachew, Dawit

2011-08-01

Endogenous Arf6 is a myristoylated protein mainly involved in endosomal membrane traffic and structural organization at the plasma membrane. It has been shown that Arf6 mediates cancer cell invasion and shedding of plasma membrane microvesicles derived from tumor cells. In this article, we determined that Arf6 proteins both in the GDP and GTPγS bound forms can enter cells when simply added in the cell culture medium without requiring the myristoyl group. The GTPγS bound can enter cells at a faster rate than the GDP-bound Arf6. Despite the role of the endogenous Arf6 in endocytosis and membrane trafficking, the internalization of exogenous Arf6 may involve non-endocytic processes. As protein therapeutics is becoming important in medicine, we examined the effect of the uptake of Arf6 proteins on cellular functions and determined that exogenous Arf6 inhibits proliferation, invasion, and migration of cells. Future studies of the internalization of Arf6 mutants will reveal key residues that play a role in the internalization of Arf6 and its interaction and possible structural conformations bound to the plasma membrane.

Copper phthalocyanine-based CMPs with various internal structures and functionalities.

PubMed

Ding, Xuesong; Han, Bao-Hang

2015-08-18

Several kinds of copper phthalocyanine-based conjugated microporous polymers have been synthesized, which present enhanced long-wavelength photon absorption capability and high efficiency for singlet oxygen generation under low energy light irradiation. This strategy opens a facile avenue towards expanding the scope of phthalocyanine-based porous materials with various internal structures and functionalities.

RCWA and FDTD modeling of light emission from internally structured OLEDs.

PubMed

Callens, Michiel Koen; Marsman, Herman; Penninck, Lieven; Peeters, Patrick; de Groot, Harry; ter Meulen, Jan Matthijs; Neyts, Kristiaan

2014-05-05

We report on the fabrication and simulation of a green OLED with an Internal Light Extraction (ILE) layer. The optical behavior of these devices is simulated using both Rigorous Coupled Wave Analysis (RCWA) and Finite Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) methods. Results obtained using these two different techniques show excellent agreement and predict the experimental results with good precision. By verifying the validity of both simulation methods on the internal light extraction structure we pave the way to optimization of ILE layers using either of these methods.

Internal structure analysis of particle-double network gels used in a gel organ replica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abe, Mei; Arai, Masanori; Saito, Azusa; Sakai, Kazuyuki; Kawakami, Masaru; Furukawa, Hidemitsu

2016-04-01

In recent years, the fabrication of patient organ replicas using 3D printers has been attracting a great deal of attention in medical fields. However, the cost of these organ replicas is very high as it is necessary to employ very expensive 3D printers and printing materials. Here we present a new gel organ replica, of human kidney, fabricated with a conventional molding technique, using a particle-double network hydrogel (P-DN gel). The replica is transparent and has the feel of a real kidney. It is expected that gel organ replicas produced this way will be a useful tool for the education of trainee surgeons and clinical ultrasonography technologists. In addition to developing a gel organ replica, the internal structure of the P-DN gel used is also discussed. Because the P-DN gel has a complex structure comprised of two different types of network, it has not been possible to investigate them internally in detail. Gels have an inhomogeneous network structure. If it is able to get a more uniform structure, it is considered that this would lead to higher strength in the gel. In the present study we investigate the structure of P-DN gel, using the gel organ replica. We investigated the internal structure of P-DN gel using Scanning Microscopic Light Scattering (SMILS), a non-contacting and non-destructive.

Factors Associated With Revision Surgery After Internal Fixation of Hip Fractures.

PubMed

Sprague, Sheila; Schemitsch, Emil H; Swiontkowski, Marc; Della Rocca, Gregory J; Jeray, Kyle J; Liew, Susan; Slobogean, Gerard P; Bzovsky, Sofia; Heels-Ansdell, Diane; Zhou, Qi; Bhandari, Mohit

2018-05-01

Femoral neck fractures are associated with high rates of revision surgery after management with internal fixation. Using data from the Fixation using Alternative Implants for the Treatment of Hip fractures (FAITH) trial evaluating methods of internal fixation in patients with femoral neck fractures, we investigated associations between baseline and surgical factors and the need for revision surgery to promote healing, relieve pain, treat infection or improve function over 24 months postsurgery. Additionally, we investigated factors associated with (1) hardware removal and (2) implant exchange from cancellous screws (CS) or sliding hip screw (SHS) to total hip arthroplasty, hemiarthroplasty, or another internal fixation device. We identified 15 potential factors a priori that may be associated with revision surgery, 7 with hardware removal, and 14 with implant exchange. We used multivariable Cox proportional hazards analyses in our investigation. Factors associated with increased risk of revision surgery included: female sex, [hazard ratio (HR) 1.79, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.25-2.50; P = 0.001], higher body mass index (for every 5-point increase) (HR 1.19, 95% CI 1.02-1.39; P = 0.027), displaced fracture (HR 2.16, 95% CI 1.44-3.23; P < 0.001), unacceptable quality of implant placement (HR 2.70, 95% CI 1.59-4.55; P < 0.001), and smokers treated with cancellous screws versus smokers treated with a sliding hip screw (HR 2.94, 95% CI 1.35-6.25; P = 0.006). Additionally, for every 10-year decrease in age, participants experienced an average increased risk of 39% for hardware removal. Results of this study may inform future research by identifying high-risk patients who may be better treated with arthroplasty and may benefit from adjuncts to care (HR 1.39, 95% CI 1.05-1.85; P = 0.020). Prognostic Level II. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Psychometric properties and factor structure of the 13-item satisfaction with daily occupations scale when used with people with mental health problems.

PubMed

Eklund, Mona; Bäckström, Martin; Eakman, Aaron M

2014-12-24

In mental health care practice and research it is increasingly recognized that clients' subjective perceptions of everyday occupations, such as satisfaction, are important in recovery from mental illness. Instruments thus need to be developed to assess satisfaction with everyday occupations. The aim of the present study was to assess psychometric properties of the 13-item Satisfaction with Daily Occupation (SDO-13) when used with people with mental health problems, including its internal consistency, factor structure, construct validity and whether the scale produced ceiling or floor effects. An additional question concerned if the factor structure varied whether the participants were, or were not, presently engaged in the activity they rated. The interview-based SDO-13 includes items pertaining to work/studies, leisure, home maintenance, and self-care occupations. Whether the person currently performs an occupation or not, he/she is asked to indicate his/her satisfaction with that occupation. The SDO-13 was completed with 184 persons with mental illness. Residual variables were created to remove the variation linked with currently performing the targeted occupation or not and to assess the factor structure of the SDO-13. The indicators of general satisfaction with daily occupations, self-esteem and global functioning were used to assess construct validity. The statistical methods included tests of homogeneity, confirmatory factor analysis and Pearson correlations. The internal consistency was satisfactory at 0.79. A three-factor solution indicated that the construct behind the SDO-13 was composed of three facets; Taking care of oneself and the home, Work and studies, and Leisure and relaxation. The same factor structure was valid for both original scores and the residuals. An expected pattern of correlations with the indicators was mainly found, suggesting basic construct validity. No ceiling or floor effects were found. Taken together, the findings suggest the

Factor Structure, Reliability and Criterion Validity of the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ): A Study in Dutch Population and Patient Groups

PubMed Central

Bartels, Meike; Cath, Danielle C.; Boomsma, Dorret I.

2008-01-01

The factor structure of the Dutch translation of the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ; a continuous, quantitative measure of autistic traits) was evaluated with confirmatory factor analyses in a large general population and student sample. The criterion validity of the AQ was examined in three matched patient groups (autism spectrum conditions (ASC), social anxiety disorder, and obsessive–compulsive disorder). A two factor model, consisting of a “Social interaction” factor and “Attention to detail” factor could be identified. The internal consistency and test–retest reliability of the AQ were satisfactory. High total AQ and factor scores were specific to ASC patients. Men scored higher than women and science students higher than non-science students. The Dutch translation of the AQ is a reliable instrument to assess autism spectrum conditions. PMID:18302013

Development and Validation of a Coping with Discrimination Scale: Factor Structure, Reliability, and Validity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wei, Meifen; Alvarez, Alvin N.; Ku, Tsun-Yao; Russell, Daniel W.; Bonett, Douglas G.

2010-01-01

Four studies were conducted to develop and validate the Coping With Discrimination Scale (CDS). In Study 1, an exploratory factor analysis (N = 328) identified 5 factors: Education/Advocacy, Internalization, Drug and Alcohol Use, Resistance, and Detachment, with internal consistency reliability estimates ranging from 0.72 to 0.90. In Study 2, a…

From SARS to Avian Influenza: The Role of International Factors in China's Approach to Infectious Disease Control.

PubMed

Goldizen, Fiona C

2016-01-01

Over the past decades global environmental change, globalization, urbanization, and the rise in movement of people have increased the risk for pandemic disease outbreaks. As environmental exposures do not respect state borders, a globalist concept of global health response has developed, which requires transparency and cooperation for coordinated responses to disease outbreaks. Countries that avoid cooperation on health issues for social or political reasons can endanger the global community. The aim of this study was to examine the rapid change in China's infectious disease policy between 2000 and 2013, from actively rejecting the assistance of international health experts during the HIV/AIDS and severe acute respiratory syndrome crises to following best-practice disease response policies and cooperating with international health actors during the 2013 avian influenza outbreak. Using international relations theory, I examined whether international political factors had a major influence on this change. Using the case studies of international reputation, socialization with international organizations, and the securitization of infectious disease, this study examined the influence of international and domestic pressures on Chinese infectious disease policy. Although international relations theory, especially theories popular in global health diplomacy literature, provide valuable insight into the role of international factors and foreign policy interests in China's changing approach to infectious disease control, it cannot provide viable explanations without considering the domestic interests of the Chinese government. Analysis of state responses to infectious disease using international relations theories must consider domestic political factors. Copyright © 2016 The Author. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The effects of internal and external control factors on college students' marijuana use and cessation of use.

PubMed

Lo, C C; Globetti, G

1995-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine how selected internal and external control variables influence lifetime use, frequency of use, and cessation of use of marijuana. The internal control factor, comprising the variables 1) perceived risk of marijuana use and 2) attitudes toward prohibition of marijuana use, refers to a built-in personal tendency toward conventionality. The external control factor refers to social-environmental forces which discourage marijuana use. External control is indicated by factors including the number of extra-curricular activities in which an individual is involved; place of residence; the availability of marijuana; peer attitudes toward marijuana use; the number of an individual's friends who use marijuana; and the number of occasions on which an individual has observed others using marijuana. The study's results show that both internal and external control factors are significant predictors of the frequency of marijuana use. The external control factor, however, plays a more important role in explaining lifetime marijuana use and cessation of marijuana use.

Knowledge, Internal, and Environmental Factors on Environmental Care Behaviour among Aboriginal Students in Malaysia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rahman, Norshariani Abd

2016-01-01

This study determined the contribution of predictor factors (i.e. knowledge about the environment as well as internal and environmental factors) on environmental care behaviour among aboriginal students. The knowledge about the environment that was investigated in this research includes environmental knowledge and environmental action knowledge.…

An Investigation of Relationships between Internal and External Factors Affecting Technology Integration in Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hur, Jung Won; Shannon, David; Wolf, Sara

2016-01-01

Various factors affecting technology integration have been identified, but little research has examined the relationships between factors, especially internal and external ones, and whether they directly or indirectly influenced each other. To fill this research gap, this study examined the significance and relationships of five factors…

[National and international impact factor of Actas Españolas de Psiquiatría].

PubMed

Aleixandre Benavent, R; Valderrama Zurián, J C; Castellano Gómez, M; Simó Meléndez, R; Navarro Molina, C

2004-01-01

The aim of this paper is to present the bibliometric indicators of Actas Españolas de Psiquiatría that were obtained from the study "Potential impact factor of the Spanish medical journals in 2001", financed by the Spanish Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte. The citations made in Actas Españolas de Psiquiatría and its national and international impact factor and immediacy index have been obtained by the use of a methodology similar to the one used by the Institute for Scientific Information. The national indicators only take into account the citations made in 87 Spanish journals considered as sources, while those from the foreign source journals of Science Citation Index have been added to the previously cited ones. Actas Españolas de Psiquiatría has obtained a national impact factor of 0.315 and an international impact factor of 0.395, which places it as a leader in the Spanish psychiatric journals.

Spinor Structure and Internal Symmetries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Varlamov, V. V.

2015-10-01

Spinor structure and internal symmetries are considered within one theoretical framework based on the generalized spin and abstract Hilbert space. Complex momentum is understood as a generating kernel of the underlying spinor structure. It is shown that tensor products of biquaternion algebras are associated with the each irreducible representation of the Lorentz group. Space-time discrete symmetries P, T and their combination PT are generated by the fundamental automorphisms of this algebraic background (Clifford algebras). Charge conjugation C is presented by a pseudoautomorphism of the complex Clifford algebra. This description of the operation C allows one to distinguish charged and neutral particles including particle-antiparticle interchange and truly neutral particles. Spin and charge multiplets, based on the interlocking representations of the Lorentz group, are introduced. A central point of the work is a correspondence between Wigner definition of elementary particle as an irreducible representation of the Poincaré group and SU(3)-description (quark scheme) of the particle as a vector of the supermultiplet (irreducible representation of SU(3)). This correspondence is realized on the ground of a spin-charge Hilbert space. Basic hadron supermultiplets of SU(3)-theory (baryon octet and two meson octets) are studied in this framework. It is shown that quark phenomenologies are naturally incorporated into presented scheme. The relationship between mass and spin is established. The introduced spin-mass formula and its combination with Gell-Mann-Okubo mass formula allows one to take a new look at the problem of mass spectrum of elementary particles.

Rural settlements transition (RST) in a suburban area of metropolis: Internal structure perspectives.

PubMed

Ma, Wenqiu; Jiang, Guanghui; Wang, Deqi; Li, Wenqing; Guo, Hongquan; Zheng, Qiuyue

2018-02-15

Rural settlements transition (RST) is one of the most significant indices for understanding the phenomena of rural reconstruction and urban-rural transformation in China. However, a systematic overview of RST is missing, and there is a lack of evidence regarding its characteristics from the internal structure perspectives. In this paper, we systematically explore the RST regarding spatio-temporal change characteristics of internal structure, patterns and impacts on rural environment and development by using practical survey internal land-use data from 2005 to 2015. The results show that the temporal change characteristics of the internal structure of rural settlements demonstrate a tendency for housing land to decrease and other land-use types to increase. The spatial change characteristics reveal that the structure inclines to more complexity and diversity from an exurban area to an urban-rural fringe area. Based on this finding, we identify that rapid development of rural industrialization, more agglomerate and effective industrial land-use, and improved public infrastructure construction are the general RST patterns. Spatially, there exists a physical decay pattern in the exurban area, thereby resulting in the hollowing-out of rural industries and of the population. In addition, the extensive and disorderly pattern in the suburban area causes low efficiency output and serious environmental pollution. The RST pattern in the urban hinterland promoted the "men-environment" compatible development. The study concludes that regional differentiation in patterns and impacts are significant in the process of RST. Future adaptive strategies for rural settlements adjustment should be conducted according to regional characteristics, including socio-economic status, physical geography condition and economic location to improve the rural environmental sustainability. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Factor structure of the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire short form for restaurant employees.

PubMed

Hancer, Mura; George, R Thomas

2004-02-01

The factor structure of the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire short form for nonsupervisory restaurant employees was explored in questions among 2000 employees of three full-service restaurant chains operating in midwestern United States. A total of 2000 surveys were distributed to hourly employees of the three chains. From the mailing, 924 surveys were returned and found useable, a 46.2% response rate. Principal factors analysis identified a four-factor structure for the employees, in contrast to the original two-factor structure, but as in other studies the structure was multifactorial.

Method of using sacrificial materials for fabricating internal cavities in laminated dielectric structures

DOEpatents

Peterson, Kenneth A [Albuquerque, NM

2009-02-24

A method of using sacrificial materials for fabricating internal cavities and channels in laminated dielectric structures, which can be used as dielectric substrates and package mounts for microelectronic and microfluidic devices. A sacrificial mandrel is placed in-between two or more sheets of a deformable dielectric material (e.g., unfired LTCC glass/ceramic dielectric), wherein the sacrificial mandrel is not inserted into a cutout made in any of the sheets. The stack of sheets is laminated together, which deforms the sheet or sheets around the sacrificial mandrel. After lamination, the mandrel is removed, (e.g., during LTCC burnout), thereby creating a hollow internal cavity in the monolithic ceramic structure.

Psychometric Structure of a Comprehensive Objective Structured Clinical Examination: A Factor Analytic Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Volkan, Kevin; Simon, Steven R.; Baker, Harley; Todres, I. David

2004-01-01

Problem Statement and Background: While the psychometric properties of Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) have been studied, their latent structures have not been well characterized. This study examines a factor analytic model of a comprehensive OSCE and addresses implications for measurement of clinical performance. Methods: An…

Modeling the Internal Structure of Mars Using Normal Mode Relaxation Theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pithawala, T. M.; Ghent, R. R.; Bills, B. G.

2010-12-01

We seek to resolve an apparent paradox between two sets of observations, which seem to suggest quite different thermal structures for the deep interior of Mars. The orbit of Phobos is observed to be accelerating along-track at a rate of (273.4 ± 1.2) 10^(-5) deg/yr^(2), which implies that the orbit is shrinking at (4.03 ± 0.03) cm/yr, and losing energy at a rate of 3.4 MW. The most likely sink for that energy is tidal dissipation within Mars, seemingly requiring a warm interior. However, static support of the gravity and topography of Mars requires a thick elastic lithosphere, indicating a relatively cool (and therefore stiff) mantle. Using normal mode relaxation theory we model the internal viscosity structure of Mars by analyzing its response to tidal forcing from Phobos. We investigate spherical axisymmetric layered viscoelastic models, seeking to satisfy what is known about planetary differentiation, to support large-scale topography via a thick elastic lithosphere, and to yield the observed tidal dissipation rate. We present a family of 4-layer models (core, mantle, lithosphere, and thin weak layer) that satisfy these constraints, and discuss the implications for Mars’ internal structure.

Weight bias internalization across weight categories among school-aged children. Validation of the Weight Bias Internalization Scale for Children.

PubMed

Zuba, Anna; Warschburger, Petra

2018-06-01

Anti-fat bias is widespread and is linked to the internalization of weight bias and psychosocial problems. The purpose of this study was to examine the internalization of weight bias among children across weight categories and to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Weight Bias Internalization Scale for Children (WBIS-C). Data were collected from 1484 primary school children and their parents. WBIS-C demonstrated good internal consistency (α = .86) after exclusion of Item 1. The unitary factor structure was supported using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses (factorial validity). Girls and overweight children reported higher WBIS-C scores in comparison to boys and non-overweight peers (known-groups validity). Convergent validity was shown by significant correlations with psychosocial problems. Internalization of weight bias explained additional variance in different indicators of psychosocial well-being. The results suggest that the WBIS-C is a psychometrically sound and informative tool to assess weight bias internalization among children. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Factors That Influence Stay Intention of Thai International Students Following Completion of Degrees in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Yi; Kingminghae, Worapinya

2017-01-01

Based on data recently collected in China, this study examined factors influencing Thai international students' stay/leave intentions after completion of degrees in Chinese universities. Paying attention to the concrete situations and lived experiences of international students in a more integrated Asia-Pacific region, we found that…

Selecting the "Best" Factor Structure and Moving Measurement Validation Forward: An Illustration.

PubMed

Schmitt, Thomas A; Sass, Daniel A; Chappelle, Wayne; Thompson, William

2018-04-09

Despite the broad literature base on factor analysis best practices, research seeking to evaluate a measure's psychometric properties frequently fails to consider or follow these recommendations. This leads to incorrect factor structures, numerous and often overly complex competing factor models and, perhaps most harmful, biased model results. Our goal is to demonstrate a practical and actionable process for factor analysis through (a) an overview of six statistical and psychometric issues and approaches to be aware of, investigate, and report when engaging in factor structure validation, along with a flowchart for recommended procedures to understand latent factor structures; (b) demonstrating these issues to provide a summary of the updated Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL-5) factor models and a rationale for validation; and (c) conducting a comprehensive statistical and psychometric validation of the PCL-5 factor structure to demonstrate all the issues we described earlier. Considering previous research, the PCL-5 was evaluated using a sample of 1,403 U.S. Air Force remotely piloted aircraft operators with high levels of battlefield exposure. Previously proposed PCL-5 factor structures were not supported by the data, but instead a bifactor model is arguably more statistically appropriate.

Structural language, pragmatic communication, behavior, and social competence in children adopted internationally: A pilot study.

PubMed

Petranovich, Christine L; Walz, Nicolay Chertkoff; Staat, Mary Allen; Chiu, Chung-Yiu Peter; Wade, Shari L

2017-01-01

The objectives of this study were to examine the association of structural language and pragmatic communication with behavior problems and social competence in girls adopted internationally. Participants included girls between 6-12 years of age who were internationally adopted from China (n = 32) and Eastern-Europe (n = 25) and a control group of never-adopted girls (n = 25). Children completed the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence. Parents completed the Child Communication Checklist- second edition, the Child Behavior Checklist, and the Home and Community Social Behavior Scales. Compared to the controls, parents in the Eastern European group reported more problems with social competence, externalizing behaviors, structural language, and pragmatic communication. The Chinese group evidenced more internalizing problems. Using generalized linear regression, interaction terms were examined to determine if the associations of pragmatic communication and structural language with behavior problems and social competence varied across groups. Controlling for general intellectual functioning, poorer pragmatic communication was associated with more externalizing problems and poorer social competence. In the Chinese group, poorer pragmatic communication was associated with more internalizing problems. Post-adoption weaknesses in pragmatic communication are associated with behavior problems and social competence. Internationally adopted children may benefit from interventions that target pragmatic communication.

PIV measurement of internal structure of diesel fuel spray

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Z.-M.; Nishino, K.; Mizuno, S.; Torii, K.

2000-12-01

This paper reports particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurements of diesel fuel spray injected from a single-hole nozzle at injection pressures ranging from 30 to 70MPa, which are comparable to partial-load operating conditions of commercial diesel engines. The fuel is injected into a non-combusting environment pressurized up to 2.0MPa. A laser-induced fluorescent (LIF) technique is utilized to visualize internal structures of fuel sprays formed by densely-distributing droplets. A specially designed synchronization system is developed to acquire double-frame spray images at an arbitrary time delay after injection. A direct cross-correlation PIV technique is applied to measure instantaneous droplet velocity distribution. Unique large-scale structures in droplet concentration, called `branch-like structures' by Azetsu etal. (1990), are observed and shown to be associated with active vortical motions, which appear to be responsible for the mixing between droplets and the surrounding gas. It is found that the droplets tend to move out of the vortical structures and accumulate in the regions of low vorticity. Some other interesting features concerning droplet velocity fields are also presented.

PIV measurement of internal structure of diesel fuel spray

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Z.-M.; Nishino, K.; Mizuno, S.; Torii, K.

This paper reports particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurements of diesel fuel spray injected from a single-hole nozzle at injection pressures ranging from 30 to 70MPa, which are comparable to partial-load operating conditions of commercial diesel engines. The fuel is injected into a non-combusting environment pressurized up to 2.0MPa. A laser-induced fluorescent (LIF) technique is utilized to visualize internal structures of fuel sprays formed by densely-distributing droplets. A specially designed synchronization system is developed to acquire double-frame spray images at an arbitrary time delay after injection. A direct cross-correlation PIV technique is applied to measure instantaneous droplet velocity distribution. Unique large-scale structures in droplet concentration, called `branch-like structures' by Azetsu etal. (1990), are observed and shown to be associated with active vortical motions, which appear to be responsible for the mixing between droplets and the surrounding gas. It is found that the droplets tend to move out of the vortical structures and accumulate in the regions of low vorticity. Some other interesting features concerning droplet velocity fields are also presented.

Teacher Observation of Classroom Adaptation--Checklist: Development and Factor Structure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koth, Christine W.; Bradshaw, Catherine P.; Leaf, Philip J.

2009-01-01

Two studies examined the validity and factor structure of the Teacher Observation of Classroom Adaptation-Checklist, an instrument used to evaluate school-based programs. The checklist is a cost-effective alternative to the original interview format, and the factor structure is consistent across gender, race, age, and time of administration.…

An empirical examination of the factor structure of compassion.

PubMed

Gu, Jenny; Cavanagh, Kate; Baer, Ruth; Strauss, Clara

2017-01-01

Compassion has long been regarded as a core part of our humanity by contemplative traditions, and in recent years, it has received growing research interest. Following a recent review of existing conceptualisations, compassion has been defined as consisting of the following five elements: 1) recognising suffering, 2) understanding the universality of suffering in human experience, 3) feeling moved by the person suffering and emotionally connecting with their distress, 4) tolerating uncomfortable feelings aroused (e.g., fear, distress) so that we remain open to and accepting of the person suffering, and 5) acting or being motivated to act to alleviate suffering. As a prerequisite to developing a high quality compassion measure and furthering research in this field, the current study empirically investigated the factor structure of the five-element definition using a combination of existing and newly generated self-report items. This study consisted of three stages: a systematic consultation with experts to review items from existing self-report measures of compassion and generate additional items (Stage 1), exploratory factor analysis of items gathered from Stage 1 to identify the underlying structure of compassion (Stage 2), and confirmatory factor analysis to validate the identified factor structure (Stage 3). Findings showed preliminary empirical support for a five-factor structure of compassion consistent with the five-element definition. However, findings indicated that the 'tolerating' factor may be problematic and not a core aspect of compassion. This possibility requires further empirical testing. Limitations with items from included measures lead us to recommend against using these items collectively to assess compassion. Instead, we call for the development of a new self-report measure of compassion, using the five-element definition to guide item generation. We recommend including newly generated 'tolerating' items in the initial item pool, to determine

Factor structure and reliability of the depression, anxiety and stress scales in a large Portuguese community sample.

PubMed

Vasconcelos-Raposo, José; Fernandes, Helder Miguel; Teixeira, Carla M

2013-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to assess the factor structure and reliability of the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales (DASS-21) in a large Portuguese community sample. Participants were 1020 adults (585 women and 435 men), with a mean age of 36.74 (SD = 11.90) years. All scales revealed good reliability, with Cronbach's alpha values between .80 (anxiety) and .84 (depression). The internal consistency of the total score was .92. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the best-fitting model (*CFI = .940, *RMSEA = .038) consisted of a latent component of general psychological distress (or negative affectivity) plus orthogonal depression, anxiety and stress factors. The Portuguese version of the DASS-21 showed good psychometric properties (factorial validity and reliability) and thus can be used as a reliable and valid instrument for measuring depression, anxiety and stress symptoms.

HIV-Related Stigma, Shame, and Avoidant Coping: Risk Factors for Internalizing Symptoms Among Youth Living with HIV?

PubMed

Bennett, David S; Hersh, Jill; Herres, Joanna; Foster, Jill

2016-08-01

Youth living with HIV (YLH) are at elevated risk of internalizing symptoms, although there is substantial individual variability in adjustment. We examined perceived HIV-related stigma, shame-proneness, and avoidant coping as risk factors of internalizing symptoms among YLH. Participants (N = 88; ages 12-24) completed self-report measures of these potential risk factors and three domains of internalizing symptoms (depressive, anxiety, and PTSD) during a regularly scheduled HIV clinic visit. Hierarchical regressions were conducted for each internalizing symptoms domain, examining the effects of age, gender, and maternal education (step 1), HIV-related stigma (step 2), shame- and guilt-proneness (step 3), and avoidant coping (step 4). HIV-related stigma, shame-proneness, and avoidant coping were each correlated with greater depressive, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms. Specificity was observed in that shame-proneness, but not guilt-proneness, was associated with greater internalizing symptoms. In multivariable analyses, HIV-related stigma and shame-proneness were each related to greater depressive and PTSD symptoms. Controlling for the effects of HIV-related stigma and shame-proneness, avoidant coping was associated with PTSD symptoms. The current findings highlight the potential importance of HIV-related stigma, shame, and avoidant coping on the adjustment of YLH, as interventions addressing these risk factors could lead to decreased internalizing symptoms among YLH.

Factors influencing adherence to psychopharmacological medications in psychiatric patients: a structural equation modeling approach.

PubMed

De Las Cuevas, Carlos; de Leon, Jose; Peñate, Wenceslao; Betancort, Moisés

2017-01-01

To evaluate pathways through which sociodemographic, clinical, attitudinal, and perceived health control variables impact psychiatric patients' adherence to psychopharmacological medications. A sample of 966 consecutive psychiatric outpatients was studied. The variables were sociodemographic (age, gender, and education), clinical (diagnoses, drug treatment, and treatment duration), attitudinal (attitudes toward psychopharmacological medication and preferences regarding participation in decision-making), perception of control over health (health locus of control, self-efficacy, and psychological reactance), and level of adherence to psychopharmacological medications. Structural equation modeling was applied to examine the nonstraightforward relationships and the interactive effects among the analyzed variables. Structural equation modeling demonstrated that psychiatric patients' treatment adherence was associated: 1) negatively with cognitive psychological reactance (adherence decreased as cognitive psychological reactance increased), 2) positively with patients' trust in their psychiatrists (doctors' subscale), 3) negatively with patients' belief that they are in control of their mental health and that their mental health depends on their own actions (internal subscale), and 4) positively (although weakly) with age. Self-efficacy indirectly influenced treatment adherence through internal health locus of control. This study provides support for the hypothesis that perceived health control variables play a relevant role in psychiatric patients' adherence to psychopharmacological medications. The findings highlight the importance of considering prospective studies of patients' psychological reactance and health locus of control as they may be clinically relevant factors contributing to adherence to psychopharmacological medications.

On the internal structure of relativistic jets collimated by ambient gas pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beskin, V. S.; Chernoglazov, A. V.; Kiselev, A. M.; Nokhrina, E. E.

2017-12-01

Recent progress in very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) observations of relativistic jets outflowing from active galactic nuclei gives us direct information about jet width rjet(l) dependence on the distance l from the 'central engine'. Being the missing link in previous works, this relation opens the possibility of determining the internal structure of a jet. In this article, we consider a relativistic jet submerged in an external medium with finite gas pressure Pext. Neither an external magnetic field nor an infinitely thin current sheet will be assumed. This approach allows us to construct a reasonable solution in which both the magnetic field and the flow velocity vanish at the jet boundary r = rjet. In particular, the connection between external gas pressure and internal structure of a relativistic jet is determined.

The Flow of International Students from a Macro Perspective: A Network Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barnett, George A.; Lee, Moosung; Jiang, Ke; Park, Han Woo

2016-01-01

This paper provides a network analysis of the international flow of students among 210 countries and the factors determining the structure of this flow. Among these factors, bilateral hyperlink connections between countries and the number of telephone minutes (communication variables) are the most important predictors of the flow's structure,…

ILEAL HERNIATION THROUGH THE FORAMEN OF WINSLOW: OVEREATING AS A RISK FACTOR FOR INTERNAL HERNIATION.

PubMed

Kirigin, Lora Stanka; Nikolić, Marko; Kruljac, Ivan; Marjan, Domagoj; Penavić, Ivan; Ljubicić, Neven; Budimir, Ivan; Vrkljan, Milan

2016-03-01

Internal hernias have an overall incidence of less than 1% and are difficult to diagnose clinically due to their nonspecific presentation. Most internal hernias present as strangulating closed-loop obstruction and delay in surgical intervention is responsible for a high mortality rate (49%). We present a case of ileal herniation through the foramen of Winslow. A 29-year-old previously healthy female presented with acute onset right upper quadrant pain, abdominal fullness, and nausea. The pain was sudden in onset and began shortly after a dinner party where she consumed larger portions of food. Laboratory investigations revealed mild leukocytosis with left shift. Dual-phase multi-detector computed tomography disclosed herniation of the small bowel into the lesser sac. The patient underwent an emergency median laparotomy that revealed ileal herniation through the foramen of Winslow. Adhesiolysis and manual reduction of the bowel was performed, and the reduced bowel showed only congestive changes. The postoperative recovery was uneventful and the patient was discharged on the third postoperative day. Risk factors for internal herniation still remain unclear, although excessively mobile bowel loops and an enlarged foramen of Winslow have been described. Our case demonstrated that overeating could be an additional risk factor for internal herniation. We describe our clinical and radiology findings, as well as surgical management. Due to the high rates of morbidity and mortality, it is imperative that clinicians be aware of the possible risks factors for internal herniation. Internal hernias should be included in the differential diagnosis of small bowel obstruction so that appropriate steps can be made in the work-up of these patients, followed by timely surgical intervention.

Youth Withdrawal Moderates the Relationhips between Neighborhood Factors and Internalizing Symptoms in Adolescence

PubMed Central

Rabinowitz, Jill A.; Drabick, Deborah A.G.; Reynolds, Maureen D.

2015-01-01

Adolescents higher in temperamental withdrawal are at risk for anxiety and depressive symptoms; however, not all youth higher in withdrawal exhibit internalizing symptoms, suggesting that contextual factors may influence these relationships. We examined whether youth withdrawal moderates the relationships between neighborhood processes (crime, social cohesion) and internalizing symptoms and whether findings were consistent with diathesis-stress or differential susceptibility hypotheses. Participants were 775 adolescents (M=15.50 ± 0.56 years, 72% male, 76% White). Adolescents higher in withdrawal manifested higher internalizing symptoms in the context of lower neighborhood crime and lower neighborhood social cohesion than youth lower in withdrawal, supporting diathesis-stress. These findings elucidate neighborhood processes associated with internalizing symptoms, which can inform models of risk and resilience for these symptoms among children who differ in temperamental withdrawal. PMID:26149949

Human Factors Engineering Requirements for the International Space Station - Successes and Challenges

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitmore, M.; Blume, J.

2003-01-01

Advanced technology coupled with the desire to explore space has resulted in increasingly longer human space missions. Indeed, any exploration mission outside of Earth's neighborhood, in other words, beyond the moon, will necessarily be several months or even years. The International Space Station (ISS) serves as an important advancement toward executing a successful human space mission that is longer than a standard trip around the world or to the moon. The ISS, which is a permanently occupied microgravity research facility orbiting the earth, will support missions four to six months in duration. In planning for the ISS, the NASA developed an agency-wide set of human factors standards for the first time in a space exploration program. The Man-Systems Integration Standard (MSIS), NASA-STD-3000, a multi-volume set of guidelines for human-centered design in microgravity, was developed with the cooperation of human factors experts from various NASA centers, industry, academia, and other government agencies. The ISS program formed a human factors team analogous to any major engineering subsystem. This team develops and maintains the human factors requirements regarding end-to-end architecture design and performance, hardware and software design requirements, and test and verification requirements. It is also responsible for providing program integration across all of the larger scale elements, smaller scale hardware, and international partners.

Latent factor structure of a behavioral economic marijuana demand curve.

PubMed

Aston, Elizabeth R; Farris, Samantha G; MacKillop, James; Metrik, Jane

2017-08-01

Drug demand, or relative value, can be assessed via analysis of behavioral economic purchase task performance. Five demand indices are typically obtained from drug purchase tasks. The goal of this research was to determine whether metrics of marijuana reinforcement from a marijuana purchase task (MPT) exhibit a latent factor structure that efficiently characterizes marijuana demand. Participants were regular marijuana users (n = 99; 37.4% female, 71.5% marijuana use days [5 days/week], 15.2% cannabis dependent) who completed study assessments, including the MPT, during a baseline session. Principal component analysis was used to examine the latent structure underlying MPT indices. Concurrent validity was assessed via examination of relationships between latent factors and marijuana use, past quit attempts, and marijuana expectancies. A two-factor solution was confirmed as the best fitting structure, accounting for 88.5% of the overall variance. Factor 1 (65.8% variance) reflected "Persistence," indicating sensitivity to escalating marijuana price, which comprised four MPT indices (elasticity, O max , P max , and breakpoint). Factor 2 (22.7% variance) reflected "Amplitude," indicating the amount consumed at unrestricted price (intensity). Persistence factor scores were associated with fewer past marijuana quit attempts and lower expectancies of negative use outcomes. Amplitude factor scores were associated with more frequent use, dependence symptoms, craving severity, and positive marijuana outcome expectancies. Consistent with research on alcohol and cigarette purchase tasks, the MPT can be characterized with a latent two-factor structure. Thus, demand for marijuana appears to encompass distinct dimensions of price sensitivity and volumetric consumption, with differential relations to other aspects of marijuana motivation.

Cultural, Social, and Economic Capital Constructs in International Assessments: An Evaluation Using Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caro, Daniel H.; Sandoval-Hernández, Andrés; Lüdtke, Oliver

2014-01-01

The article employs exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) to evaluate constructs of economic, cultural, and social capital in international large-scale assessment (LSA) data from the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) 2006 and the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2009. ESEM integrates the…

[Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire-Brief - Likert format: Factor structure analysis in general population in France].

PubMed

Ferchiou, A; Todorov, L; Lajnef, M; Baudin, G; Pignon, B; Richard, J-R; Leboyer, M; Szöke, A; Schürhoff, F

2017-12-01

The main objective of the study was to explore the factorial structure of the French version of the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire-Brief (SPQ-B) in a Likert format, in a representative sample of the general population. In addition, differences in the dimensional scores of schizotypy according to gender and age were analyzed. As the study in the general population of schizotypal traits and its determinants has been recently proposed as a way toward the understanding of aetiology and pathophysiology of schizophrenia, consistent self-report tools are crucial to measure psychometric schizotypy. A shorter version of the widely used Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ-Brief) has been extensively investigated in different countries, particularly in samples of students or clinical adolescents, and more recently, a few studies used a Likert-type scale format which allows partial endorsement of items and reduces the risk of defensive answers. A sample of 233 subjects representative of the adult population from an urban area near Paris (Créteil) was recruited using the "itinerary method". They completed the French version of the SPQ-B with a 5-point Likert-type response format (1=completely disagree; 5=completely agree). We examined the dimensional structure of the French version of the SPQ-B with a Principal Components Analysis (PCA) followed by a promax rotation. Factor selection was based on Eigenvalues over 1.0 (Kaiser's criterion), Cattell's Scree-plot test, and interpretability of the factors. Items with loadings greater than 0.4 were retained for each dimension. The internal consistency estimate of the dimensions was calculated with Cronbach's α. In order to study the influence of age and gender, we carried out a simple linear regression with the subscales as dependent variables. Our sample was composed of 131 women (mean age=52.5±18.2 years) and 102 men (mean age=53±18.1 years). SPQ-B Likert total scores ranged from 22 to 84 points (mean=43.6�

Ion-ion dynamic structure factor of warm dense mixtures

DOE PAGES

Gill, N. M.; Heinonen, R. A.; Starrett, C. E.; ...

2015-06-25

In this study, the ion-ion dynamic structure factor of warm dense matter is determined using the recently developed pseudoatom molecular dynamics method [Starrett et al., Phys. Rev. E 91, 013104 (2015)]. The method uses density functional theory to determine ion-ion pair interaction potentials that have no free parameters. These potentials are used in classical molecular dynamics simulations. This constitutes a computationally efficient and realistic model of dense plasmas. Comparison with recently published simulations of the ion-ion dynamic structure factor and sound speed of warm dense aluminum finds good to reasonable agreement. Using this method, we make predictions of the ion-ionmore » dynamical structure factor and sound speed of a warm dense mixture—equimolar carbon-hydrogen. This material is commonly used as an ablator in inertial confinement fusion capsules, and our results are amenable to direct experimental measurement.« less

Factor Structure of Autistic Traits in Children with ADHD

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Joanna; Hamshere, Marian L.; O'Donovan, Michael C.; Rutter, Michael; Thapar, Anita

2014-01-01

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often co-occur. Factor analyses of ASD traits in children with and without ASD indicate the presence of social and restrictive-repetitive behaviour (RRB) factors. This study used exploratory factor analyses to determine the structure of ASD traits (assessed using…

Simulation on the internal structure of three-dimensional proximal tibia under different mechanical environments.

PubMed

Fang, Juan; Gong, He; Kong, Lingyan; Zhu, Dong

2013-12-20

Bone can adjust its morphological structure to adapt to the changes of mechanical environment, i.e. the bone structure change is related to mechanical loading. This implies that osteoarthritis may be closely associated with knee joint deformity. The purposes of this paper were to simulate the internal bone mineral density (BMD) change in three-dimensional (3D) proximal tibia under different mechanical environments, as well as to explore the relationship between mechanical environment and bone morphological abnormity. The right proximal tibia was scanned with CT to reconstruct a 3D proximal tibia model in MIMICS, then it was imported to finite element software ANSYS to establish 3D finite element model. The internal structure of 3D proximal tibia of young normal people was simulated using quantitative bone remodeling theory in combination with finite element method, then based on the changing pattern of joint contact force on the tibial plateau in valgus knees, the mechanical loading was changed, and the simulated normal tibia structure was used as initial structure to simulate the internal structure of 3D proximal tibia for old people with 6° valgus deformity. Four regions of interest (ROIs) were selected in the proximal tibia to quantitatively analyze BMD and compare with the clinical measurements. The simulation results showed that the BMD distribution in 3D proximal tibia was consistent with clinical measurements in normal knees and that in valgus knees was consistent with the measurement of patients with osteoarthritis in clinics. It is shown that the change of mechanical environment is the main cause for the change of subchondral bone structure, and being under abnormal mechanical environment for a long time may lead to osteoarthritis. Besides, the simulation method adopted in this paper can more accurately simulate the internal structure of 3D proximal tibia under different mechanical environments. It helps to better understand the mechanism of

Simulation on the internal structure of three-dimensional proximal tibia under different mechanical environments

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Bone can adjust its morphological structure to adapt to the changes of mechanical environment, i.e. the bone structure change is related to mechanical loading. This implies that osteoarthritis may be closely associated with knee joint deformity. The purposes of this paper were to simulate the internal bone mineral density (BMD) change in three-dimensional (3D) proximal tibia under different mechanical environments, as well as to explore the relationship between mechanical environment and bone morphological abnormity. Methods The right proximal tibia was scanned with CT to reconstruct a 3D proximal tibia model in MIMICS, then it was imported to finite element software ANSYS to establish 3D finite element model. The internal structure of 3D proximal tibia of young normal people was simulated using quantitative bone remodeling theory in combination with finite element method, then based on the changing pattern of joint contact force on the tibial plateau in valgus knees, the mechanical loading was changed, and the simulated normal tibia structure was used as initial structure to simulate the internal structure of 3D proximal tibia for old people with 6° valgus deformity. Four regions of interest (ROIs) were selected in the proximal tibia to quantitatively analyze BMD and compare with the clinical measurements. Results The simulation results showed that the BMD distribution in 3D proximal tibia was consistent with clinical measurements in normal knees and that in valgus knees was consistent with the measurement of patients with osteoarthritis in clinics. Conclusions It is shown that the change of mechanical environment is the main cause for the change of subchondral bone structure, and being under abnormal mechanical environment for a long time may lead to osteoarthritis. Besides, the simulation method adopted in this paper can more accurately simulate the internal structure of 3D proximal tibia under different mechanical environments. It helps to better

Reliability, Validity, and Factor Structure of the Imaginative Capability Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liang, Chaoyun; Chia, Tsorng-Lin

2014-01-01

Three studies were combined to test the reliability, validity, and factor structure of the imaginative capability scale (ICS). The ICS was a new self-report measure, which was developed to be empirically valid and easy to administer. Study 1 consisted in an exploratory factor analysis to determine the most appropriate structure of the ICS in a…

Surface and Internal Structure of Pristine Presolar Silicon Carbide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stroud, Rhonda, M.; Bernatowicz, Thomas J.

2005-01-01

Silicon carbide is the most well-studied type of presolar grain. Isotope measurements of thousands [1,2] and structural data from over 500 individual grains have been reported [3]. The isotope data indicate that approximately 98% originated in asymptotic giant branch stars and 2% in supernovae. Although tens of different polytypes of SiC are known to form synthetically, only two polytypes have been reported for presolar grains. Daulton et al. [3] found that for SiC grains isolated from Murchison by acid treatments, 79.4% are 3C cubic beta-SiC, 2.7% are 2H hexagonal alpha-SiC, 17.1% are intergrowths of and , and 0.9% are heavily disordered. They report that the occurrence of only the and polytypes is consistent with the observed range of condensation temperatures of circumstellar dust for carbon stars. Further constraint on the formation and subsequent alteration of the grains can be obtained from studies of the surfaces and interior structure of grains in pristine form, i.e., prepared without acid treatments [4,5]. The acid treatments remove surface coatings, produce etch pits around defect sites and could remove some subgrains. Surface oxides have been predicted by theoretical modeling as a survival mechanism for SiC grains exposed to the hot oxidizing solar nebula [6]. Scanning electron microscopy studies of pristine SiC shows some evidence for the existence of oxide and organic coatings [4]. We report herein on transmission electron microscopy studies of the surface and internal structure of two pristine SiC grains, including definitive evidence of an oxide rim on one grain, and the presence of internal TiC and AlN grains.

Examining Functioning and Contextual Factors in Individuals with Joint Contractures from the Health Professional Perspective Using the ICF: An International Internet-Based Qualitative Expert Survey.

PubMed

Fischer, Uli; Müller, Martin; Strobl, Ralf; Bartoszek, Gabriele; Meyer, Gabriele; Grill, Eva

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to identify disease-related aspects of functioning and disability in people with joint contractures from a health professionals' perspective and to describe the findings, using categories of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF). An Internet-based expert survey. We asked international health professionals for typical problems in functioning and important contextual factors of individuals with joint contractures using an Internet-based open-ended questionnaire. All answers were linked to the ICF according to established rules. Absolute and relative frequencies of the linked ICF categories were reported. Eighty experts named 1785 meaning units which could be linked to 256 ICF categories. Among the categories, 24.2% belonged to the component Body Functions, 20.7% to Body Structures, 36.3% to Activities and Participation, and 18.8% to Environmental Factors. Health professionals addressed a large variety of functional problems and multifaceted aspects due to the symptom joint contractures. International health professionals reported a large variety of aspects of functioning and health, which are related to joint contractures. © 2014 Association of Rehabilitation Nurses.

The factor structure of the Spanish version of the Work-Family Culture Scale in a sample of workers from the advertising sector.

PubMed

Beléndez Vázquez, Marina; Martín Llaguno, Marta; Hernández Ruiz, Alejandra

2013-01-01

The Work-Family Culture Scale (WFCS) was designed to assess employee perceptions of the extent to which their organizations facilitates a work-family balance. The WFCS comprises three dimensions: Oorganizational time demands, Managerial support and Negative career consequences. The primary purpose of the present study was to analyze the factor structure and reliability of the Spanish version of the Work-Family Culture Scale in a sample of 795 employees (447 females and 348 males) working for twenty-three firms in the Spanish advertising sector. Both EFA and CFA using split-half data sets yielded an 11-item three-factor model (Managerial support, Career consequences and Organizational time demands) that fits the data very well. The findings for structural equation modeling were as follows: χ(2) (41) = 63.85; CFI = .99; GFI = .97; and RMSEA = .038. Internal consistency for the WFCS factors proved adequate. The results of the analysis indicate that this three-factor model confirms previous exploratory analyses of the original scale.

Learning about the internal structure of categories through classification and feature inference.

PubMed

Jee, Benjamin D; Wiley, Jennifer

2014-01-01

Previous research on category learning has found that classification tasks produce representations that are skewed toward diagnostic feature dimensions, whereas feature inference tasks lead to richer representations of within-category structure. Yet, prior studies often measure category knowledge through tasks that involve identifying only the typical features of a category. This neglects an important aspect of a category's internal structure: how typical and atypical features are distributed within a category. The present experiments tested the hypothesis that inference learning results in richer knowledge of internal category structure than classification learning. We introduced several new measures to probe learners' representations of within-category structure. Experiment 1 found that participants in the inference condition learned and used a wider range of feature dimensions than classification learners. Classification learners, however, were more sensitive to the presence of atypical features within categories. Experiment 2 provided converging evidence that classification learners were more likely to incorporate atypical features into their representations. Inference learners were less likely to encode atypical category features, even in a "partial inference" condition that focused learners' attention on the feature dimensions relevant to classification. Overall, these results are contrary to the hypothesis that inference learning produces superior knowledge of within-category structure. Although inference learning promoted representations that included a broad range of category-typical features, classification learning promoted greater sensitivity to the distribution of typical and atypical features within categories.

Internal consistency and factor structure of personality disorders in a forensic intellectual disability sample.

PubMed

Lindsay, William R; Steptoe, Lesley; Hogue, Todd E; Taylor, John L; Mooney, Paul; Haut, Fabian; Johnston, Susan; O'Brien, Gregory

2007-06-01

The publication of the DSM-III (American Psychiatric Association (APA), 1980) prompted a significant increase in interest and research on personality disorder (PD), and the concept has subsequently been incorporated into mental health legislation in the developed world. Despite this, such research on people with intellectual disability (ID) has been sporadic, with widely varying results. The present study addresses a number of criticisms directed at previous research. DSM-IV (APA, 2000) diagnoses of PD were made on 164 participants with ID on the basis of four independent sources of classification. Reliability data for each PD was acceptable and alpha was .74 or above, with the exception of schizotypal PD (.63). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted, with the former revealing a 4-factor solution accounting for 58.9% of the variance, and a 2-factor solution accounting for 37.2% of the variance emerging for the latter. The factors were orthogonal, and we called the first factor "avoidant/rumination/inhibited" and the second factor "acting out". We review these findings in relation to previous research on PD and alternative frameworks for the understanding of personality. We hypothesise consistencies between these findings and previous work on personality and ID. A number of drawbacks to the research are discussed, including a caution on the pejorative nature of a diagnosis of PD in an already devalued population.

The Internal Structure of Jupiter Family Comet Nuclei: The Talps or Layered Pile Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belton, Michael J.; Members of theDeep Impact Science Team

2006-09-01

The characteristics of layered structures seen on the nucleus of Tempel 1 in the Deep Impact images, and also seen on Wild 2 and Borrelly are noted. We consider the implications of the hypothesis that such structures are ubiquitous on Jupiter Family Comets and is an essential element of their internal stucture. If correct this hypothesis implies that the internal structure of JFCs are primordial remnants of the early agglomeration phase and that the physical structure of their interiors, except for possible compositional changes, is essentially as it was when they were formed. This hypothesis has implications for their place of origin and their subsequent collisional evolution. Current models of the latter are in conflict with this hypothesis. Possible resolutions of this conflict are noted. A new conceptual model of the interior of a typical JFC called the Talps or "layered pile" model is presented.

Structural characteristics of internally mixed carbonaceous aggregates from Barcelona (Spain) during DAURE winter campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coz, Esther; Casuccio, Gary S.; Robinson, Allen L.; Moreno, Teresa; Mohr, Claudia; Prevot, Andre S. H.; Artíñano, Begoña.

2010-05-01

Particle structure, understood as the characterization of size, morphology, texture and the spatial distribution of the different compounds at an individual particle level, influences carbonaceous aggregates behavior in the atmosphere and the respiratory system. Additionally, the absorption and scattering of light is modified by the particle structure and also influences water absorption and water vapor nucleation and, hence cloud formation, residence time in the atmosphere and removal processes. Two factors seem determinant in these processes: quantity of scattering material adsorbed onto the light absorbing core during the residence in the atmosphere and subsequent aging, and the spatial distribution of this condensed matter (commonly discussed as internally/externally mixtures). Morning, noon, afternoon, and evening samples were collected for electron microscopy analyses during 3 consecutive days during an atmospheric episode of thermal inversion in February 2009 in an urban background area within the city of Barcelona. The main goal of this study was to quantify the variations in morphology and state of mixture of carbonaceous soot-like aggregate structures observed during different times of the day. The study was part of the winter campaign: "Determination of the sources of atmospheric Aerosols in Urban and Rural Environments in the western Mediterranean" (DAURE, February/March 2009). The analysis of the aggregate structure was conducted by digital image analysis of several thousand particles to determine variations on size, shape and texture by means of several different mathematical descriptors such as aspect ratio/elongation, compactness and roughness through fractal dimension analysis, textural energy and entropy. Results indicate that carbon aggregates were mostly within 200-400 nm of geometric size, with slightly smaller sizes during time intervals associated to traffic peaks compared to the daily average. The morphological parameters obtained for these

Factor Structure of the Student-Teacher Relationship Scale for Norwegian School-Age Children Explored with Confirmatory Factor Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drugli, May Britt; Hjemdal, Odin

2013-01-01

The validity of the Student-Teacher Relationship Scale (STRS) was examined in a national sample of 863 Norwegian schoolchildren in grades 1-7 (aged 6-13). The original factor structure of the STRS was tested by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The CFA results did not support the original three-factor structure of the STRS. Subsequent CFA of the…

Factor Scores, Structure and Communality Coefficients: A Primer

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Odum, Mary

2011-01-01

(Purpose) The purpose of this paper is to present an easy-to-understand primer on three important concepts of factor analysis: Factor scores, structure coefficients, and communality coefficients. Given that statistical analyses are a part of a global general linear model (GLM), and utilize weights as an integral part of analyses (Thompson, 2006;…

Factors Associated with Medical Knowledge Acquisition During Internal Medicine Residency

PubMed Central

Zeger, Scott L.; Kolars, Joseph C.

2007-01-01

BACKGROUND Knowledge acquisition is a goal of residency and is measurable by in-training exams. Little is known about factors associated with medical knowledge acquisition. OBJECTIVE To examine associations of learning habits on medical knowledge acquisition. DESIGN, PARTICIPANTS Cohort study of all 195 residents who took the Internal Medicine In-Training Examination (IM-ITE) 421 times over 4 years while enrolled in the Internal Medicine Residency, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN. MEASUREMENTS Score (percent questions correct) on the IM-ITE adjusted for variables known or hypothesized to be associated with score using a random effects model. RESULTS When adjusting for demographic, training, and prior achievement variables, yearly advancement within residency was associated with an IM-ITE score increase of 5.1% per year (95%CI 4.1%, 6.2%; p < .001). In the year before examination, comparable increases in IM-ITE score were associated with attendance at two curricular conferences per week, score increase of 3.9% (95%CI 2.1%, 5.7%; p < .001), or self-directed reading of an electronic knowledge resource 20 minutes each day, score increase of 4.5% (95%CI 1.2%, 7.8%; p = .008). Other factors significantly associated with IM-ITE performance included: age at start of residency, score decrease per year of increasing age, −0.2% (95%CI −0.36%, −0.042%; p = .01), and graduation from a US medical school, score decrease compared to international medical school graduation, −3.4% (95%CI −6.5%, −0.36%; p = .03). CONCLUSIONS Conference attendance and self-directed reading of an electronic knowledge resource had statistically and educationally significant independent associations with knowledge acquisition that were comparable to the benefit of a year in residency training. PMID:17468889

Organizational Structures for International Universities: Implications for Campus Autonomy, Academic Freedom, Collegiality, and Conflict

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Ron; Crosling, Glenda; Lim, Ngat-Chin

2014-01-01

One significant form of transnational higher education is the International Branch Campus (IBC), in effect an "outpost" of the parent institution located in another country. Its organizational structure is alignable with offshore subsidiaries of multinational corporations (MNCs). The implications of organizational structure for academic…

Deletion of internal structured repeats increases the stability of a leucine-rich repeat protein, YopM

PubMed Central

Barrick, Doug

2011-01-01

Mapping the stability distributions of proteins in their native folded states provides a critical link between structure, thermodynamics, and function. Linear repeat proteins have proven more amenable to this kind of mapping than globular proteins. C-terminal deletion studies of YopM, a large, linear leucine-rich repeat (LRR) protein, show that stability is distributed quite heterogeneously, yet a high level of cooperativity is maintained [1]. Key components of this distribution are three interfaces that strongly stabilize adjacent sequences, thereby maintaining structural integrity and promoting cooperativity. To better understand the distribution of interaction energy around these critical interfaces, we studied internal (rather than terminal) deletions of three LRRs in this region, including one of these stabilizing interfaces. Contrary to our expectation that deletion of structured repeats should be destabilizing, we find that internal deletion of folded repeats can actually stabilize the native state, suggesting that these repeats are destabilizing, although paradoxically, they are folded in the native state. We identified two residues within this destabilizing segment that deviate from the consensus sequence at a position that normally forms a stacked leucine ladder in the hydrophobic core. Replacement of these nonconsensus residues with leucine is stabilizing. This stability enhancement can be reproduced in the context of nonnative interfaces, but it requires an extended hydrophobic core. Our results demonstrate that different LRRs vary widely in their contribution to stability, and that this variation is context-dependent. These two factors are likely to determine the types of rearrangements that lead to folded, functional proteins, and in turn, are likely to restrict the pathways available for the evolution of linear repeat proteins. PMID:21764506

Deep Internal Structure of Mars and the Geophysical Package of Netlander

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lognonne, P.; Giardini, D.; Banerdt, B.; Dehant, V.; Barriot, J. P.; Musmann, G.; Menvielle, M.

2000-01-01

Our present understanding of the interior structure of Mars is mostly based on the interpretation of gravity and rotation data, the chemistry of the SNC (shergottites, nakhlites, chassignites) meteoroids, and a comparison with the much better-known interior structure of the Earth. However geophysical information from previous missions have been insufficient to determine the deep internal structure of the planet. Therefore the state and size of the core and the depth and type of mantle discontinuities are unknown. Most previous seismic experiments have indeed failed, either due to a launch failure (as for the Optimism seismometer onboard the small surface stations of Mars 96) or after failure on Mars (as for the Viking 1 seismometer). The remaining Viking 2 seismometer did not produce a convincing marsquake detection, basically due to too strong wind sensitivity and too low resolution in the teleseismic frequency band. After almost a decade of continuous activity and proposals, the first network mission to Mars, NetLander (NL), is expected to be launched between 2005 and 2007. One of the main scientific objectives of this four-lander network mission will be the determination of the internal structure of the planet using a geophysical package. This package will have a seismometer, a magnetometer, and a geodetic experiment, allowing a complementary approach that will yield many new constraints on the mineralogy and temperature of the mantle and core of the planet.

Factor structure of the Brief Negative Symptom Scale.

PubMed

Strauss, Gregory P; Hong, L Elliot; Gold, James M; Buchanan, Robert W; McMahon, Robert P; Keller, William R; Fischer, Bernard A; Catalano, Lauren T; Culbreth, Adam J; Carpenter, William T; Kirkpatrick, Brian

2012-12-01

The current study examined the factor structure of the Brief Negative Symptom Scale (BNSS), a next-generation negative symptom rating instrument developed in response to the NIMH-sponsored Consensus Development Conference on Negative Symptoms. Participants included 146 individuals with a DSM-IV diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Principal axis factoring indicated two distinct factors explaining 68.7% of the variance. Similar to previous findings, the factors reflected motivation and pleasure and emotional expressivity. These findings provide further support for the construct validity of the BNSS, and for the existence of these two negative symptom factors. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An Adapted Measure of Sibling Attachment: Factor Structure and Internal Consistency of the Sibling Attachment Inventory in Youth.

PubMed

Noel, Valerie A; Francis, Sarah E; Tilley, Micah A

2018-04-01

Parent-youth and peer relationship inventories based on attachment theory measure communication, trust, and alienation, yet sibling relationships have been overlooked. We developed the Sibling Attachment Inventory and evaluated its psychometric properties in a sample of 172 youth ages 10-14 years. We adapted the 25-item Sibling Attachment Inventory from the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment-Revised peer measure. Items loaded onto three factors, identified as communication, trust, and alienation, α = 0.93, 0.90, and 0.76, respectively. Sibling trust and alienation correlated with depression (r s  = -0.33, r s  = 0.48) and self-worth (r s  = 0.23; r s  = -0.32); sibling trust and alienation correlated with depression after controlling for parent trust and parent alienation (r s  = -0.23, r s  = 0.22). Preliminary analyses showed good internal consistency, construct validity, and incremental predictive validity. Following replication of these properties, this measure can facilitate large cohort assessments of sibling attachment.

Quality failures in residential aged care in Australia: The relationship between structural factors and regulation imposed sanctions.

PubMed

Baldwin, Richard; Chenoweth, Lynnette; Dela Rama, Marie; Liu, Zhixin

2015-12-01

To examine the relationship between structural factors and the imposition of sanctions on residential aged care services across Australia for regulatory compliance failure. Poisson Regression analysis was used to examine the association between the number of sanctions imposed and the structural characteristics of residential aged care services in Australia. Residential aged care services that have a greater likelihood of having government sanctions imposed on them are operated by for-profit providers and located in remote locations and in Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory. The findings confirm the international literature on the relationship between residential aged care service location, ownership type and the likelihood of sanctions. In the light of the predicted expansion of residential aged care services, policy makers should give consideration to structural elements most likely to be associated with a failure to meet and maintain service standards. © 2014 ACOTA.

Acculturation and Linguistic Factors on International Students' Self-Esteem and Language Confidence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lopez, Iris Y.; Bui, Ngoc H.

2014-01-01

Acculturation and linguistic factors were examined as predictors of self-esteem and language confidence among 91 international college students. The majority of participants were Asian (64.8%), female (59.3%), and graduate students (76.9%). Assimilative (adopting host cultural values) and integrative (blending both host and home cultural values)…

Temperament Factor Structure in Fragile X Syndrome: The Children's Behavior Questionnaire

PubMed Central

Roberts, Jane E.; Tonnsen, Bridgette L.; Robinson, Marissa; McQuillin, Samuel D.; Hatton, Deborah D.

2014-01-01

Early patterns of temperament lay the foundation for a variety of developmental constructs such as self-regulation, psychopathology, and resilience. Children with fragile X syndrome (FXS) display unique patterns of temperament compared to age-matched clinical and non-clinical samples, and early patterns of temperament have been associated with later anxiety in this population. Despite these unique patterns in FXS and recent reports of atypical factor structure of temperament questionnaires in Williams Syndrome (Leyfer, John, Woodruff-Borden, & Mervis, 2012), no studies have examined the latent factor structure of temperament scales in FXS to ensure measurement validity in this sample. The present study used confirmatory factor analysis to examine the factor structure of a well-validated parent-reported temperament questionnaire, the Children's Behavior Questionnaire (Rothbart, Ahadi, Hershey, & Fisher, 2001), in a sample of 90 males with FXS ages 3-9 years. Our data produced a similar, but not identical, three-factor model that retained the original CBQ factors of negative affectivity, effortful control, and extraversion/surgency. In particular, our FXS sample demonstrated stronger factor loadings for fear and shyness than previously reported loadings in non-clinical samples, consistent with reports of poor social approach and elevated anxiety in this population. Although the original factor structure of the Children's Behavior Questionnaire is largely retained in children with FXS, differences in factor loading magnitudes may reflect phenotypic characteristics of the syndrome. These findings may inform future developmental and translational research efforts. PMID:24380785

Structural Empowerment and Organizational Commitment of Lecturers in Private International Educational Institutions at Thailand

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Puncreobutr, Vichian

2016-01-01

The purpose of this research was to measure the level of structural empowerment and organizational commitment of lecturers at private international educational institutions at Thailand. Further to measure the relationship between structural empowerment and organizational commitment of lecturers. The target respondents of the study were lecturers…

Factor structure and psychometric properties of the Body Appreciation Scale-2 in university students in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Swami, Viren; Ng, Siu-Kuen

2015-09-01

Previous studies have suggested that there may not be cross-cultural equivalence in the factor structure of body appreciation. Here, we examine the conceptual equivalence of a Chinese (Cantonese) translation of the Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2; Tylka & Wood-Barcalow, 2015b), a newly-developed measure of body appreciation. Participants were 457 women and 417 men from a university in Hong Kong. The results of exploratory factor analyses showed that, like its English version, the Chinese BAS-2 had a one-dimensional structure. Body appreciation scores had good internal consistency and were also significantly associated with respondent body mass index, self-esteem, life satisfaction, and (in women) actual-ideal weight discrepancy. Men had significantly higher scores than women, while comparisons with data from Tylka and Wood-Barcalow (2015b) suggest that cross-cultural differences are small-to-moderate at best. The present findings suggest that the BAS-2 may prove to be a useful tool for the assessment of body appreciation across cultures. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Factor structure and diagnostic efficiency of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, criteria for avoidant personality disorder in Hispanic men and women with substance use disorders.

PubMed

Becker, Daniel F; Añez, Luis Miguel; Paris, Manuel; Bedregal, Luis; Grilo, Carlos M

2009-01-01

This study examined the internal consistency, factor structure, and diagnostic efficiency of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV), criteria for avoidant personality disorder (AVPD) and the extent to which these metrics may be affected by sex. Subjects were 130 monolingual Hispanic adults (90 men, 40 women) who had been admitted to a specialty clinic that provides psychiatric and substance abuse services to Spanish-speaking patients. All were reliably assessed with the Spanish-Language Version of the Diagnostic Interview for DSM-IV Personality Disorders. The AVPD diagnosis was determined by the best-estimate method. After evaluating internal consistency of the AVPD criterion set, an exploratory factor analysis was performed using principal components extraction. Afterward, diagnostic efficiency indices were calculated for all AVPD criteria. Subsequent analyses examined men and women separately. For the overall group, internal consistency of AVPD criteria was good. Exploratory factor analysis revealed a 1-factor solution (accounting for 70% of the variance), supporting the unidimensionality of the AVPD criterion set. The best inclusion criterion was "reluctance to take risks," whereas "interpersonally inhibited" was the best exclusion criterion and the best predictor overall. When men and women were examined separately, similar results were obtained for both internal consistency and factor structure, with slight variations noted between sexes in the patterning of diagnostic efficiency indices. These psychometric findings, which were similar for men and women, support the construct validity of the DSM-IV criteria for AVPD and may also have implications for the treatment of this particular clinical population.

Enabling School Structures, Trust, and Collective Efficacy in Private International Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gray, Julie A.; Summers, Robert

2016-01-01

This article explores the role of enabling school structures, collegial trust, and collective efficacy in 15 pre-Kindergarten to 12th grade international, private schools in South and Central America and Mexico. While most of these schools shared an "American" curriculum the local culture and school norms affected the climate of the…

The Structure of Musical Preferences: A Five-Factor Model

PubMed Central

Rentfrow, Peter J.; Goldberg, Lewis R.; Levitin, Daniel J.

2011-01-01

Music is a cross-cultural universal, a ubiquitous activity found in every known human culture. Individuals demonstrate manifestly different preferences in music, and yet relatively little is known about the underlying structure of those preferences. Here, we introduce a model of musical preferences based on listeners’ affective reactions to excerpts of music from a wide variety of musical genres. The findings from three independent studies converged to suggest that there exists a latent five-factor structure underlying music preferences that is genre-free, and reflects primarily emotional/affective responses to music. We have interpreted and labeled these factors as: 1) a Mellow factor comprising smooth and relaxing styles; 2) an Urban factor defined largely by rhythmic and percussive music, such as is found in rap, funk, and acid jazz; 3) a Sophisticated factor that includes classical, operatic, world, and jazz; 4) an Intense factor defined by loud, forceful, and energetic music; and 5) a Campestral factor comprising a variety of different styles of direct, and rootsy music such as is often found in country and singer-songwriter genres. The findings from a fourth study suggest that preferences for the MUSIC factors are affected by both the social and auditory characteristics of the music. PMID:21299309

The structure of musical preferences: a five-factor model.

PubMed

Rentfrow, Peter J; Goldberg, Lewis R; Levitin, Daniel J

2011-06-01

Music is a cross-cultural universal, a ubiquitous activity found in every known human culture. Individuals demonstrate manifestly different preferences in music, and yet relatively little is known about the underlying structure of those preferences. Here, we introduce a model of musical preferences based on listeners' affective reactions to excerpts of music from a wide variety of musical genres. The findings from 3 independent studies converged to suggest that there exists a latent 5-factor structure underlying music preferences that is genre free and reflects primarily emotional/affective responses to music. We have interpreted and labeled these factors as (a) a Mellow factor comprising smooth and relaxing styles; (b) an Unpretentious factor comprising a variety of different styles of sincere and rootsy music such as is often found in country and singer-songwriter genres; (c) a Sophisticated factor that includes classical, operatic, world, and jazz; (d) an Intense factor defined by loud, forceful, and energetic music; and (e) a Contemporary factor defined largely by rhythmic and percussive music, such as is found in rap, funk, and acid jazz. The findings from a fourth study suggest that preferences for the MUSIC factors are affected by both the social and the auditory characteristics of the music. 2011 APA, all rights reserved

The Influence of External and Internal Factors on Forming the System of Managers' Professional Development at Transnational Corporations in Poland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Banit, Olga

2017-01-01

The author performs analysis of external and internal factors that influence organization of the system of Polish managers' professional development. These factors can be united into two groups. We will attribute the factors formed under the influence of external factors to the first group, to the second--the internal ones. So, due to the dynamic…

Measuring the dynamic structure factor of a quantum gas undergoing a structural phase transition

PubMed Central

Landig, Renate; Brennecke, Ferdinand; Mottl, Rafael; Donner, Tobias; Esslinger, Tilman

2015-01-01

The dynamic structure factor is a central quantity describing the physics of quantum many-body systems, capturing structure and collective excitations of a material. In condensed matter, it can be measured via inelastic neutron scattering, which is an energy-resolving probe for the density fluctuations. In ultracold atoms, a similar approach could so far not be applied because of the diluteness of the system. Here we report on a direct, real-time and nondestructive measurement of the dynamic structure factor of a quantum gas exhibiting cavity-mediated long-range interactions. The technique relies on inelastic scattering of photons, stimulated by the enhanced vacuum field inside a high finesse optical cavity. We extract the density fluctuations, their energy and lifetime while the system undergoes a structural phase transition. We observe an occupation of the relevant quasi-particle mode on the level of a few excitations, and provide a theoretical description of this dissipative quantum many-body system. PMID:25944151

Review of International Research on Factors Underlying Teacher Absenteeism. REL 2015-087

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Mary; Goodman, Crystal; Dandapani, Nitara; Kekahio, Wendy

2015-01-01

Throughout the U.S.-affiliated Pacific Region, teacher absenteeism has posed a long-standing challenge. This report draws on research literature from international contexts and case studies to identify the underlying factors that may relate to teacher absenteeism. Resources included in this report were selected with a focus on non-U.S. Pacific…

Relations between structural and dynamic thermal characteristics of building walls

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kossecka, E.; Kosny, J.

1996-10-01

The effect of internal thermal structure on dynamic characteristics of walls is analyzed. The concept of structure factors is introduced and the conditions they impose on response factors are given. Simple examples of multilayer walls, representing different types of thermal resistance and capacity distribution, are analyzed to illustrate general relations between structure factors and response factors. The idea of the ``thermally equivalent wall``, a plane multilayer structure, with dynamic characteristics similar to those of a complex structure, in which three-dimensional heat flow occurs, is presented.

Factor Structure of the Piagetian Stage of Concrete Operations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klausmeier, Herbert J.; Sipple, Thomas S.

1982-01-01

The Piagetian developmental stage of concrete operational thought and the theoretical groupement structures underlying children's performance of 12 concrete operations tasks are discussed. Tasks were shown to develop in five related sets. Three factor structures were found in this longitudinal study. (Author/CM)

Brief Symptom Inventory Factor Structure in Antisocial Adolescents: Implications for Juvenile Justice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitt, Ahmed; Howard, Matthew O.

2012-01-01

Objectives: The Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) is widely used in juvenile justice settings; however, little is known regarding its factor structure in antisocial youth. The authors evaluated the BSI factor structure in a state residential treatment population. Methods: 707 adolescents completed the BSI. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses…

3D reconstruction of internal structure of animal body using near-infrared light

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tran, Trung Nghia; Yamamoto, Kohei; Namita, Takeshi; Kato, Yuji; Shimizu, Koichi

2014-03-01

To realize three-dimensional (3D) optical imaging of the internal structure of animal body, we have developed a new technique to reconstruct CT images from two-dimensional (2D) transillumination images. In transillumination imaging, the image is blurred due to the strong scattering in the tissue. We had developed a scattering suppression technique using the point spread function (PSF) for a fluorescent light source in the body. In this study, we have newly proposed a technique to apply this PSF for a light source to the image of unknown light-absorbing structure. The effectiveness of the proposed technique was examined in the experiments with a model phantom and a mouse. In the phantom experiment, the absorbers were placed in the tissue-equivalent medium to simulate the light-absorbing organs in mouse body. Near-infrared light was illuminated from one side of the phantom and the image was recorded with CMOS camera from another side. Using the proposed techniques, the scattering effect was efficiently suppressed and the absorbing structure can be visualized in the 2D transillumination image. Using the 2D images obtained in many different orientations, we could reconstruct the 3D image. In the mouse experiment, an anesthetized mouse was held in an acrylic cylindrical holder. We can visualize the internal organs such as kidneys through mouse's abdomen using the proposed technique. The 3D image of the kidneys and a part of the liver were reconstructed. Through these experimental studies, the feasibility of practical 3D imaging of the internal light-absorbing structure of a small animal was verified.

Burnout and stress amongst interns in Irish hospitals: contributing factors and potential solutions.

PubMed

Hannan, E; Breslin, N; Doherty, E; McGreal, M; Moneley, D; Offiah, G

2018-05-01

The transition from medical school to internship can be daunting for newly qualified doctors. High rates of stress and burnout have been reported, with negative impacts on patient care and physician wellbeing. We surveyed interns in our hospital group to evaluate rates of stress and burnout, as well as identify the causative factors and propose potential solutions to these. A hundred and one interns working in four different hospitals over a 2-year period were invited to participate in an anonymous survey. The survey collected basic demographic details and surveyed aspects of mental health using the burnout scale, Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and the stress scale and 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). Interns were also asked to rate a variety of workplace factors on a Likert scale based on the degree of stress caused. Finally, they were surveyed on their awareness of support services available to them. Our results showed that 37% of interns met the criteria for psychological distress, high levels of emotional exhaustion, high depersonalisation and a low sense of personal accomplishment were reported in 55.4, 51.5 and 41.6%, respectively. Inadequate preparation for practice, financial worries, poor role definition and sleep deprivation were reported as significant stressors. Most were unaware of available support services and expressed interest in leaving Ireland after internship. Burnout and stress are significant problems amongst doctors in Irish hospitals. Ensuring better preparation for clinical practice and awareness of support services is vital to tackle this issue.

Burnout status of interns and associated factors.

PubMed

Sevencan, Funda; Cayir, Ebru; Uner, Sarp

2010-01-01

It is well known that due to long working hours and stressful working conditions, doctors experience burnout more often than other professional groups. Their career burnout begins in the early years, continues to increase and becomes most evident in the internship of medical school. On this wise, the purpose of this study was to investigate the burnout status of intern doctors and the associated factors. Participants in this cross-sectional study were sixth-year medical students (n = 302). Data were collected under observation using a questionnaire including some sociodemographic characteristics and the Maslach Burnout Inventory, SF-36, General Health Questionnaire and COPE Inventory. The mean age of the participants was 24.5 +/- 1.1 years and 53.4% of them were male. Mean scores of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and personal accomplishment were 25.5 +/- 7.5, 11.3 +/- 3.9 and 24.7 +/- 3.4, respectively and the three sub-dimension scores of the burnout scale showed no association with gender. Students' emotional exhaustion scores significantly differed according to the socioeconomic status (p < 0.05). Participants who had lower scores on the mental and physical dimensions of SF-36 and higher scores on GHQ-12 showed significantly more emotional exhaustion and depersonalization.Positive coping methods showed negative correlation with the subscales of burnout and individuals using problem-focused coping felt more successful (personal accomplishment) confirming the relationship between mental health and burnout. The medical education curricula (both theoretical and practical studies) should be reviewed and appropriate adjustments should be made according to the needs of intern doctors.

Structure and dynamics of zymogen human blood coagulation factor X.

PubMed

Venkateswarlu, Divi; Perera, Lalith; Darden, Tom; Pedersen, Lee G

2002-03-01

The solution structure and dynamics of the human coagulation factor X (FX) have been investigated to understand the key structural elements in the zymogenic form that participates in the activation process. The model was constructed based on the 2.3-A-resolution x-ray crystallographic structure of active-site inhibited human FXa (PDB:1XKA). The missing gamma-carboxyglutamic acid (GLA) and part of epidermal growth factor 1 (EGF1) domains of the light chain were modeled based on the template of GLA-EGF1 domains of the tissue factor (TF)-bound FVIIa structure (PDB:1DAN). The activation peptide and other missing segments of FX were introduced using homology modeling. The full calcium-bound model of FX was subjected to 6.2 ns of molecular dynamics simulation in aqueous medium using the AMBER6.0 package. We observed significant reorientation of the serine-protease (SP) domain upon activation leading to a compact multi-domain structure. The solution structure of zymogen appears to be in a well-extended conformation with the distance between the calcium ions in the GLA domain and the catalytic residues estimated to be approximately 95 A in contrast to approximately 83 A in the activated form. The latter is in close agreement with fluorescence studies on FXa. The S1-specificity residues near the catalytic triad show significant differences between the zymogen and activated structures.

Measuring Filial Piety in the 21st Century: Development, Factor Structure, and Reliability of the 10-Item Contemporary Filial Piety Scale.

PubMed

Lum, Terry Y S; Yan, Elsie C W; Ho, Andy H Y; Shum, Michelle H Y; Wong, Gloria H Y; Lau, Mandy M Y; Wang, Junfang

2016-11-01

The experience and practice of filial piety have evolved in modern Chinese societies, and existing measures fail to capture these important changes. Based on a conceptual analysis on current literature, 42 items were initially compiled to form a Contemporary Filial Piety Scale (CFPS), and 1,080 individuals from a representative sample in Hong Kong were surveyed. Principal component analysis generated a 16-item three-factor model: Pragmatic Obligations (Factor 1; 10 items), Compassionate Reverence (Factor 2; 4 items), and Family Continuity (Factor 3; 2 items). Confirmatory factor analysis revealed strong factor loadings for Factors 1 and 2, while removing Factor 3 and conceptually duplicated items increased total variance explained from 58.02% to 60.09% and internal consistency from .84 to .88. A final 10-item two-factor structure model was adopted with a goodness of fit of 0.95. The CFPS-10 is a data-driven, simple, and efficient instrument with strong psychometric properties for assessing contemporary filial piety. © The Author(s) 2015.

The internal structure of the Brunt Ice Shelf, Antarctica from ice-penetrating radar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

King, Edward; De Rydt, Jan; Gudmundsson, Hilmar

2016-04-01

The Brunt Ice Shelf is a small feature on the Coats Land Coast of the Weddell Sea, Antarctica. It is unusual among Antarctic ice shelves because the ice crossing the grounding line from the ice sheet retains no structural integrity, so the ice shelf comprises icebergs of continental ice cemented together by sea ice, with the whole blanketed by in-situ snowfall. The size and distribution of the icebergs is governed by the thickness profile along the grounding line. Where bedrock troughs discharge thick ice to the ice shelf, the icebergs are large and remain close together with little intervening sea ice. Where bedrock ridges mean the ice crossing the grounding line is thin, the icebergs are small and widely-scattered with large areas of sea ice between them. To better understand the internal structure of the Brunt Ice Shelf and how this might affect the flow dynamics we conducted ice-penetrating radar surveys during December 2015 and January 2016. Three different ground-based radar systems were used, operating at centre frequencies of 400, 50 and 10 MHz respectively. The 400 MHz system gave detailed firn structure and accumulation profiles as well as time-lapse profiles of the active propagation of a crevasse. The 50 MHz system provided intermediate-level detail of iceberg distribution and thickness as well as information on the degree of salt water infiltration into the accumulating snow pack. The 10 MHz system used a high-power transmitter in an attempt to measure ice thickness beneath salt-impregnated ice. In this poster we will present example data from each of the three radar systems which will demonstrate the variability of the internal structure of the ice shelf. We will also present preliminary correlations between the internal structure and the surface topography from satellite data.

Exploring the Factor Structure of Neurocognitive Measures in Older Individuals

PubMed Central

Santos, Nadine Correia; Costa, Patrício Soares; Amorim, Liliana; Moreira, Pedro Silva; Cunha, Pedro; Cotter, Jorge; Sousa, Nuno

2015-01-01

Here we focus on factor analysis from a best practices point of view, by investigating the factor structure of neuropsychological tests and using the results obtained to illustrate on choosing a reasonable solution. The sample (n=1051 individuals) was randomly divided into two groups: one for exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and principal component analysis (PCA), to investigate the number of factors underlying the neurocognitive variables; the second to test the “best fit” model via confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). For the exploratory step, three extraction (maximum likelihood, principal axis factoring and principal components) and two rotation (orthogonal and oblique) methods were used. The analysis methodology allowed exploring how different cognitive/psychological tests correlated/discriminated between dimensions, indicating that to capture latent structures in similar sample sizes and measures, with approximately normal data distribution, reflective models with oblimin rotation might prove the most adequate. PMID:25880732

[Perceived Autonomy in Old Age scale: Factor structure and psychometric properties of the Polish adaptation].

PubMed

Kroemeke, Aleksandra

2015-01-01

Sense of autonomy - the possibility to choose and decide - is one of the markers of positive and active aging. The goal of this study was to examine the Polish adaptation of the Perceived Autonomy in Old Age (PAA) scale and to determine its internal structure and psychometric properties: reliability, as well as construct and discriminant validity. 277 seniors (female=187; male=90), without cognitive function disorders aged 60 to 100 (M=77.4; SD=9.2) took part in the study. Apart from the PAA, the ADL and IADL scales (self-reliance assessment) were used, as well as the Emotional State Questionnaire (a measure for positive and negative emotions) and the WHOQoL-Brief (a measure for health-related quality of life). As a result of an exploratory and confirmation factor analysis a one-factor tool with five items was built. Reliability coefficients of the scale measured with the internal consistency method and test-retest were ≥ 0.80. Positive correlations were found with indicators in the ADL, IADL, as well as in the somatic and psychological domain of life quality, and positive emotions. Negative correlations were found for negative emotions. The obtained results indicated very high reliability and accuracy for the Polish adaptation of the SPA. The tool can be used as a predictor and/or indicator of successful aging and life quality of seniors.

A Qualitative Investigation of the Factors Affecting Arab International Students' Persistence in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rabia, Hazza Abu

2017-01-01

This qualitative study explored the factors that enhance Arab international students' persistence and facilitate their academic and cultural adjustment at postsecondary institutions in the United States. The sample for this study consisted of Arab international students from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Syria, UAE, Iraq, and Jordan. In-depth…

Aligning internal organizational factors with a service excellence mission: an exploratory investigation in health care.

PubMed

Ford, Robert C; Sivo, Stephen A; Fottler, Myron D; Dickson, Duncan; Bradley, Kenneth; Johnson, Lee

2006-01-01

In today's competitive health care environment, service excellence is rapidly becoming a major differentiating advantage between health care providers. Too often, senior executives talk about their commitment to a mission statement that extols the virtues of providing world class service to their patients only to undermine those statements with what they do, write, and say. This article presents an exploratory investigation into a new application of an internal mission alignment instrument that seeks to assess the extent to which an organization's internal processes are aligned with its service mission. This instrument was sent to 250 randomly selected employees from all clinical departments of a large southeastern hospital to explore the underlying alignment factors. A factor analysis of the data revealed eight factors that predicted beneficial employee outcomes such as organizational commitment and satisfaction with the job and organization.

Factor structure of the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) in adult women with fibromyalgia from Southern Spain: the al-Ándalus project.

PubMed

Estévez-López, Fernando; Pulido-Martos, Manuel; Armitage, Christopher J; Wearden, Alison; Álvarez-Gallardo, Inmaculada C; Arrayás-Grajera, Manuel Javier; Girela-Rejón, María J; Carbonell-Baeza, Ana; Aparicio, Virginia A; Geenen, Rinie; Delgado-Fernández, Manuel; Segura-Jiménez, Víctor

2016-01-01

Fibromyalgia is a syndrome characterized by the presence of widespread chronic pain. People with fibromyalgia report lower levels of Positive Affect and higher levels of Negative Affect than non-fibromyalgia peers. The Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS)-a widely used questionnaire to assess two core domains of affect; namely 'Positive Affect' and 'Negative Affect' -has a controversial factor structure varying across studies. The internal structure of a measurement instrument has an impact on the meaning and validity of its score. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to assess the structural construct validity of the PANAS in adult women with fibromyalgia. This population-based cross-sectional study included 442 adult women with fibromyalgia (age: 51.3 ± 7.4 years old) from Andalusia (Southern Spain). Confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to test the factor structure of the PANAS. A structure with two correlated factors (Positive Affect and Negative Affect) obtained the best fit; S-B χ(2) = 288.49, df = 155, p < .001; RMSEA = .04; 90% CI of RMSEA = (.036, .052); the best fit SRMR = .05; CFI = .96; CAIC = -810.66, respectively. The present study demonstrates that both Positive Affect and Negative Affect are core dimensions of affect in adult women with fibromyalgia. A structure with two correlated factors of the PANAS emerged from our sample of women with fibromyalgia from Andalusia (Southern Spain). In this model, the amount of variance shared by Positive Affect and Negative Affect was small. Therefore, our findings support to use and interpret the Positive Affect and Negative Affect subscales of the PANAS as separate factors that are associated but distinctive as well.

Factor Structure of ImPACT® in Adolescent Student Athletes.

PubMed

Gerrard, Paul B; Iverson, Grant L; Atkins, Joseph E; Maxwell, Bruce A; Zafonte, Ross; Schatz, Philip; Berkner, Paul D

2017-02-01

ImPACT ® (Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing) is a computerized neuropsychological screening battery, which is widely used to measure the acute effects of sport-related concussion and to monitor recovery from injury. This study examined the factor structure of ImPACT ® in several samples of high school student athletes. We hypothesized that a 2-factor structure would be present in all samples. A sample of 4,809 adolescent student athletes was included, and subgroups with a history of treatment for headaches or a self-reported history of learning problems or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder were analyzed separately. Exploratory principal axis factor analyses with Promax rotations were used. As hypothesized, both the combination of Verbal Memory and Visual Memory Composite scores loaded on one (Memory) factor, while Visual Motor Speed and Reaction Time loaded on a different (Speed) factor, in the total sample and in all subgroups. These results provide reasonably compelling evidence, across multiple samples, which ImPACT ® measures 2 distinct factors: memory and speed. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Fast flexible modeling of RNA structure using internal coordinates.

PubMed

Flores, Samuel Coulbourn; Sherman, Michael A; Bruns, Christopher M; Eastman, Peter; Altman, Russ Biagio

2011-01-01

Modeling the structure and dynamics of large macromolecules remains a critical challenge. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are expensive because they model every atom independently, and are difficult to combine with experimentally derived knowledge. Assembly of molecules using fragments from libraries relies on the database of known structures and thus may not work for novel motifs. Coarse-grained modeling methods have yielded good results on large molecules but can suffer from difficulties in creating more detailed full atomic realizations. There is therefore a need for molecular modeling algorithms that remain chemically accurate and economical for large molecules, do not rely on fragment libraries, and can incorporate experimental information. RNABuilder works in the internal coordinate space of dihedral angles and thus has time requirements proportional to the number of moving parts rather than the number of atoms. It provides accurate physics-based response to applied forces, but also allows user-specified forces for incorporating experimental information. A particular strength of RNABuilder is that all Leontis-Westhof basepairs can be specified as primitives by the user to be satisfied during model construction. We apply RNABuilder to predict the structure of an RNA molecule with 160 bases from its secondary structure, as well as experimental information. Our model matches the known structure to 10.2 Angstroms RMSD and has low computational expense.

A Point Rainfall Generator With Internal Storm Structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marien, J. L.; Vandewiele, G. L.

1986-04-01

A point rainfall generator is a probabilistic model for the time series of rainfall as observed in one geographical point. The main purpose of such a model is to generate long synthetic sequences of rainfall for simulation studies. The present generator is a continuous time model based on 13.5 years of 10-min point rainfalls observed in Belgium and digitized with a resolution of 0.1 mm. The present generator attempts to model all features of the rainfall time series which are important for flood studies as accurately as possible. The original aspects of the model are on the one hand the way in which storms are defined and on the other hand the theoretical model for the internal storm characteristics. The storm definition has the advantage that the important characteristics of successive storms are fully independent and very precisely modelled, even on time bases as small as 10 min. The model of the internal storm characteristics has a strong theoretical structure. This fact justifies better the extrapolation of this model to severe storms for which the data are very sparse. This can be important when using the model to simulate severe flood events.

Factors influencing successful physician recruitment in pediatrics and internal medicine.

PubMed

King, Kelvin; Camfield, Peter; Breau, Lynn

2005-01-01

The objective of the study was to survey recently hired physicians to Canadian Academic Departments of Pediatric and Internal Medicine to understand the factors that underlay successful recruitment. Recruits and Chairs agreed on the 10 most important values. Chairs overvalued the 10 least important Recruit values. Statistical analysis revealed five core themes - in order of importance they are: family lifestyle and opportunities, compensation methodology, children/community (housing, schools, recreational), professional working conditions (technology, staffing, facilities), and academic opportunities. Core themes varied by demographics and academic profile.

Structure of Plasmodium falciparum ADP-ribosylation factor 1

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cook, William J.; Smith, Craig D.; Senkovich, Olga

Vesicular trafficking may play a crucial role in the pathogenesis and survival of the malaria parasite. ADP-ribosylation factors (ARFs) are among the major components of vesicular trafficking pathways in eukaryotes. The crystal structure of ARF1 GTPase from Plasmodium falciparum has been determined in the GDP-bound conformation at 2.5 {angstrom} resolution and is compared with the structures of mammalian ARF1s.

International migration network: Topology and modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fagiolo, Giorgio; Mastrorillo, Marina

2013-07-01

This paper studies international migration from a complex-network perspective. We define the international migration network (IMN) as the weighted-directed graph where nodes are world countries and links account for the stock of migrants originated in a given country and living in another country at a given point in time. We characterize the binary and weighted architecture of the network and its evolution over time in the period 1960-2000. We find that the IMN is organized around a modular structure with a small-world binary pattern displaying disassortativity and high clustering, with power-law distributed weighted-network statistics. We also show that a parsimonious gravity model of migration can account for most of observed IMN topological structure. Overall, our results suggest that socioeconomic, geographical, and political factors are more important than local-network properties in shaping the structure of the IMN.

International migration network: topology and modeling.

PubMed

Fagiolo, Giorgio; Mastrorillo, Marina

2013-07-01

This paper studies international migration from a complex-network perspective. We define the international migration network (IMN) as the weighted-directed graph where nodes are world countries and links account for the stock of migrants originated in a given country and living in another country at a given point in time. We characterize the binary and weighted architecture of the network and its evolution over time in the period 1960-2000. We find that the IMN is organized around a modular structure with a small-world binary pattern displaying disassortativity and high clustering, with power-law distributed weighted-network statistics. We also show that a parsimonious gravity model of migration can account for most of observed IMN topological structure. Overall, our results suggest that socioeconomic, geographical, and political factors are more important than local-network properties in shaping the structure of the IMN.

Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1 RNA Crystal Structures Reveal Heterogeneous 1×1 Nucleotide UU Internal Loop Conformations⊥

PubMed Central

Kumar, Amit; Park, HaJeung; Fang, Pengfei; Parkesh, Raman; Guo, Min; Nettles, Kendall W.; Disney, Matthew D.

2011-01-01

RNA internal loops often display a variety of conformations in solution. Herein, we visualize conformational heterogeneity in the context of the 5′CUG/3′GUC repeat motif present in the RNA that causes myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1). Specifically, two crystal structures are disclosed of a model DM1 triplet repeating construct, 5′r(UUGGGC(CUG)3GUCC)2, refined to 2.20 Å and 1.52 Å resolution. Here, differences in orientation of the 5′ dangling UU end between the two structures induce changes in the backbone groove width, which reveals that non-canonical 1×1 nucleotide UU internal loops can display an ensemble of pairing conformations. In the 2.20 Å structure, CUGa, the 5′UU forms one hydrogen-bonded pairs with a 5′UU of a neighboring helix in the unit cell to form a pseudo-infinite helix. The central 1×1 nucleotide UU internal loop has no hydrogen bonds, while the terminal 1×1 nucleotide UU internal loops each form a one hydrogen-bonded pair. In the 1.52 Å structure, CUGb, the 5′ UU dangling end is tucked into the major groove of the duplex. While the canonical paired bases show no change in base pairing, in CUGb the terminal 1×1 nucleotide UU internal loops form now two hydrogen-bonded pairs. Thus, the shift in major groove induced by the 5′UU dangling end alters non-canonical base patterns. Collectively, these structures indicate that 1×1 nucleotide UU internal loops in DM1 may sample multiple conformations in vivo. This observation has implications for the recognition of this RNA, and other repeating transcripts, by protein and small molecule ligands. PMID:21988728

Myotonic dystrophy type 1 RNA crystal structures reveal heterogeneous 1 × 1 nucleotide UU internal loop conformations.

PubMed

Kumar, Amit; Park, HaJeung; Fang, Pengfei; Parkesh, Raman; Guo, Min; Nettles, Kendall W; Disney, Matthew D

2011-11-15

RNA internal loops often display a variety of conformations in solution. Herein, we visualize conformational heterogeneity in the context of the 5'CUG/3'GUC repeat motif present in the RNA that causes myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1). Specifically, two crystal structures of a model DM1 triplet repeating construct, 5'r[UUGGGC(CUG)(3)GUCC](2), refined to 2.20 and 1.52 Å resolution are disclosed. Here, differences in the orientation of the 5' dangling UU end between the two structures induce changes in the backbone groove width, which reveals that noncanonical 1 × 1 nucleotide UU internal loops can display an ensemble of pairing conformations. In the 2.20 Å structure, CUGa, the 5' UU forms a one hydrogen-bonded pair with a 5' UU of a neighboring helix in the unit cell to form a pseudoinfinite helix. The central 1 × 1 nucleotide UU internal loop has no hydrogen bonds, while the terminal 1 × 1 nucleotide UU internal loops each form a one-hydrogen bond pair. In the 1.52 Å structure, CUGb, the 5' UU dangling end is tucked into the major groove of the duplex. While the canonically paired bases show no change in base pairing, in CUGb the terminal 1 × 1 nucleotide UU internal loops now form two hydrogen-bonded pairs. Thus, the shift in the major groove induced by the 5' UU dangling end alters noncanonical base patterns. Collectively, these structures indicate that 1 × 1 nucleotide UU internal loops in DM1 may sample multiple conformations in vivo. This observation has implications for the recognition of this RNA, and other repeating transcripts, by protein and small molecule ligands.

Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1 RNA Crystal Structures Reveal Heterogeneous 1 × 1 Nucleotide UU Internal Loop Conformations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kumar, Amit; Park, HaJeung; Fang, Pengfei

2012-03-27

RNA internal loops often display a variety of conformations in solution. Herein, we visualize conformational heterogeneity in the context of the 5'CUG/3'GUC repeat motif present in the RNA that causes myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1). Specifically, two crystal structures of a model DM1 triplet repeating construct, 5'r[{und UU}GGGC(C{und U}G){sub 3}GUCC]{sub 2}, refined to 2.20 and 1.52 {angstrom} resolution are disclosed. Here, differences in the orientation of the 5' dangling UU end between the two structures induce changes in the backbone groove width, which reveals that noncanonical 1 x 1 nucleotide UU internal loops can display an ensemble of pairing conformations.more » In the 2.20 {angstrom} structure, CUGa, the 5' UU forms a one hydrogen-bonded pair with a 5' UU of a neighboring helix in the unit cell to form a pseudoinfinite helix. The central 1 x 1 nucleotide UU internal loop has no hydrogen bonds, while the terminal 1 x 1 nucleotide UU internal loops each form a one-hydrogen bond pair. In the 1.52 {angstrom} structure, CUGb, the 5' UU dangling end is tucked into the major groove of the duplex. While the canonically paired bases show no change in base pairing, in CUGb the terminal 1 x 1 nucleotide UU internal loops now form two hydrogen-bonded pairs. Thus, the shift in the major groove induced by the 5' UU dangling end alters noncanonical base patterns. Collectively, these structures indicate that 1 x 1 nucleotide UU internal loops in DM1 may sample multiple conformations in vivo. This observation has implications for the recognition of this RNA, and other repeating transcripts, by protein and small molecule ligands.« less

Faculty as Bridges to Co-Curricular Engagement and Community for First-Generation International Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glass, Chris R.; Gesing, Peggy; Hales, Angela; Cong, Cong

2017-01-01

The proportion of first-generation international students at US institutions ranges from one-tenth to one-half of the total international student body. First-generation status is an underexplored, and potentially significant, demographic factor in international students' adaptation to college. Researchers used structural equation modelling (SEM)…

Validating the German Version of the Quality of Relationship Inventory: Confirming the Three-Factor Structure and Report of Psychometric Properties

PubMed Central

Reiner, Iris; Beutel, Manfred; Skaletz, Christian; Brähler, Elmar; Stöbel-Richter, Yve

2012-01-01

Research on psychosocial influences such as relationship characteristics has received increased attention in the clinical as well as social-psychological field. Several studies demonstrated that the quality of relationships, in particular with respect to the perceived support within intimate relationships, profoundly affects individuals' mental and physical health. There is, however, a limited choice of valid and internationally known assessments of relationship quality in Germany. We report the validation of the German version of the Quality of Relationships Inventory (QRI). First, we evaluated its factor structure in a representative German sample of 1.494 participants by means of confirmatory factor analysis. Our findings support the previously proposed three-factor structure. Second, importance and satisfaction with different relationship domains (family/children and relationship/sexuality) were linked with the QRI scales, demonstrating high construct validity. Finally, we report sex and age differences regarding the perceived relationship support, conflict and depth in our German sample. In conclusion, the QRI is a reliable and valid measurement to assess social support in romantic relationships in the German population. PMID:22662151

Factors associated with intern noncompliance with the 2003 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education's 30-hour duty period requirement.

PubMed

Maloney, Christopher G; Antommaria, Armand H Matheny; Bale, James F; Ying, Jian; Greene, Tom; Srivastava, Rajendu

2012-07-13

In 2003 the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education mandated work hour restrictions. Violations can results in a residency program being cited or placed on probation. Recurrent violations could results in loss of accreditation. We wanted to determine specific intern and workload factors associated with violation of a specific mandate, the 30-hour duty period requirement. Retrospective review of interns' performance against the 30-hour duty period requirement during inpatient ward rotations at a pediatric residency program between June 24, 2008 and June 23, 2009. The analytical plan included both univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses. Twenty of the 26 (77%) interns had 80 self-reported episodes of continuous work hours greater than 30 hours. In multivariable analysis, noncompliance was inversely associated with the number of prior inpatient rotations (odds ratio: 0.49, 95% confidence interval (0.38, 0.64) per rotation) but directly associated with the total number of patients (odds ratio: 1.30 (1.10, 1.53) per additional patient). The number of admissions on-call, number of admissions after midnight and number of discharges post-call were not significantly associated with noncompliance. The level of noncompliance also varied significantly between interns after accounting for intern experience and workload factors. Subject to limitations in statistical power, we were unable to identify specific intern characteristics, such as demographic variables or examination scores, which account for the variation in noncompliance between interns. Both intern and workload factors were associated with pediatric intern noncompliance with the 30-hour duty period requirement during inpatient ward rotations. Residency programs must develop information systems to understand the individual and experience factors associated with noncompliance and implement appropriate interventions to ensure compliance with the duty hour regulations.

Solving the mystery of the internal structure of casein micelles.

PubMed

Ingham, B; Erlangga, G D; Smialowska, A; Kirby, N M; Wang, C; Matia-Merino, L; Haverkamp, R G; Carr, A J

2015-04-14

The interpretation of milk X-ray and neutron scattering data in relation to the internal structure of the casein micelle is an ongoing debate. We performed resonant X-ray scattering measurements on liquid milk and conclusively identified key scattering features, namely those corresponding to the size of and the distance between colloidal calcium phosphate particles. An X-ray scattering feature commonly assigned to the particle size is instead due to protein inhomogeneities.

Peplau's Theory of Interpersonal Relations: An Alternate Factor Structure for Patient Experience Data?

PubMed

Hagerty, Thomas A; Samuels, William; Norcini-Pala, Andrea; Gigliotti, Eileen

2017-04-01

A confirmatory factor analysis of data from the responses of 12,436 patients to 16 items on the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems-Hospital survey was used to test a latent factor structure based on Peplau's middle-range theory of interpersonal relations. A two-factor model based on Peplau's theory fit these data well, whereas a three-factor model also based on Peplau's theory fit them excellently and provided a suitable alternate factor structure for the data. Though neither the two- nor three-factor model fit as well as the original factor structure, these results support using Peplau's theory to demonstrate nursing's extensive contribution to the experiences of hospitalized patients.

The Structure of Personality Disorders in Individuals with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

PubMed Central

Wolf, Erika J.; Miller, Mark W.; Brown, Timothy A.

2015-01-01

Research on the structure of personality disorders (PDs) has relied primarily on exploratory analyses to evaluate trait-based models of the factors underlying the covariation of these disorders. This study used confirmatory factor analysis to evaluate whether a model that included both PD traits and a general personality dysfunction factor would account for the comorbidity of the PDs better than a trait-only model. It also examined if the internalizing/externalizing model of psychopathology, developed previously through research on the structure of Axis I disorders, might similarly account for the covariation of the Axis II disorders in a sample of 245 veterans and non-veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder. Results indicated that the best fitting model was a modified bifactor structure composed of nine lower-order common factors. These factors indexed pathology ranging from aggression to dependency, with the correlations among them accounted for by higher-order Internalizing and Externalizing factors. Further, a general factor, reflecting a construct that we termed boundary disturbance, accounted for additional variance and covariance across nearly all the indicators. The Internalizing, Externalizing, and Boundary Disturbance factors evidenced differential associations with trauma-related covariates. These findings suggest continuity in the underlying structure of psychopathology across DSM-IV Axes I & II and provide empirical evidence of a pervasive, core disturbance in the boundary between self and other across the PDs. PMID:22448802

Measuring the learning capacity of organisations: development and factor analysis of the Questionnaire for Learning Organizations.

PubMed

Oudejans, S C C; Schippers, G M; Schramade, M H; Koeter, M W J; van den Brink, W

2011-04-01

To investigate internal consistency and factor structure of a questionnaire measuring learning capacity based on Senge's theory of the five disciplines of a learning organisation: Personal Mastery, Mental Models, Shared Vision, Team Learning, and Systems Thinking. Cross-sectional study. Substance-abuse treatment centres (SATCs) in The Netherlands. A total of 293 SATC employees from outpatient and inpatient treatment departments, financial and human resources departments. Psychometric properties of the Questionnaire for Learning Organizations (QLO), including factor structure, internal consistency, and interscale correlations. A five-factor model representing the five disciplines of Senge showed good fit. The scales for Personal Mastery, Shared Vision and Team Learning had good internal consistency, but the scales for Systems Thinking and Mental Models had low internal consistency. The proposed five-factor structure was confirmed in the QLO, which makes it a promising instrument to assess learning capacity in teams. The Systems Thinking and the Mental Models scales have to be revised. Future research should be aimed at testing criterion and discriminatory validity.

Exploring the factor structure of the Food Cravings Questionnaire-Trait in Cuban adults

PubMed Central

Rodríguez-Martín, Boris C.; Molerio-Pérez, Osana

2014-01-01

Food cravings refer to an intense desire to eat specific foods. The Food Cravings Questionnaire-Trait (FCQ-T) is the most commonly used instrument to assess food cravings as a multidimensional construct. Its 39 items have an underlying nine-factor structure for both the original English and Spanish version; but subsequent studies yielded fewer factors. As a result, a 15-item version of the FCQ-T with one-factor structure has been proposed (FCQ-T-reduced; see this Research Topic). The current study aimed to explore the factor structure of the Spanish version for both the FCQ-T and FCQ-T-reduced in a sample of 1241 Cuban adults. Results showed a four-factor structure for the FCQ-T, which explained 55% of the variance. Factors were highly correlated. Using the items of the FCQ-T-reduced only showed a one-factor structure, which explained 52% of the variance. Both versions of the FCQ-T were positively correlated with body mass index (BMI), scores on the Food Thoughts Suppression Inventory and weight cycling. In addition, women had higher scores than men and restrained eaters had higher scores than unrestrained eaters. To summarize, results showed that (1) the FCQ-T factor structure was significantly reduced in Cuban adults and (2) the FCQ-T-reduced may represent a good alternative to efficiently assess food craving on a trait level. PMID:24672503

Development and Structure of Internal Glands and External Glandular Trichomes in Pogostemon cablin

PubMed Central

Guo, Jiansheng; Yuan, Yongming; Liu, Zhixue; Zhu, Jian

2013-01-01

Pogostemon cablin possesses two morphologically and ontogenetically different types of glandular trichomes, one type of bristle hair on the surfaces of leaves and stems and one type of internal gland inside the leaves and stems. The internal gland originates from elementary meristem and is associated with the biosynthesis of oils present inside the leaves and stems. However, there is little information on mechanism for the oil biosynthesis and secretion inside the leaves and stems. In this study, we identified three kinds of glandular trichome types and two kinds of internal gland in the Pogostemon cablin. The oil secretions from internal glands of stems and leaves contained lipids, flavones and terpenes. Our results indicated that endoplasmic reticulum and plastids and vacuoles are likely involved in the biosynthesis of oils in the internal glands and the synthesized oils are transported from endoplasmic reticulum to the cell wall via connecting endoplasmic reticulum membranes to the plasma membrane. And the comparative analysis of the development, distribution, histochemistry and ultrastructures of the internal and external glands in Pogostemon cablin leads us to propose that the internal gland may be a novel secretory structure which is different from external glands. PMID:24205002

Cultural factors and the International Space Station.