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Measures reflecting cardiac sympathovagal activity, particularly those associated with heart rate variability (HRV), are widely recognized and utilized in both scientific and clinical contexts. This study aimed to assess the inter- and intra-examiner reliability of short-term HRV parameters in patients hospitalized with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). A total of 103 patients (both sexes) diagnosed with COVID-19 were included in the study. HRV was analyzed using both linear and nonlinear methods. Reliability was evaluated through intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC2.1), minimum detectable change (MDC), standard error of measurement (SEM), and coefficient of variation (CV). According to Fleiss' criteria, excellent reliability was demonstrated, with ICC values ranging from 0.970 to 0.999 for Examiner 1, and from 0.956 to 0.999, for Examiner 2. In the inter-examiner analysis, the ICCs of HRV parameters ranged from 0.972 to 0.999. SEM values for intra-examiner reliability for Examiner 1 ranged from 0.02 to 5.64, with MDC values from 0.05 to 15.64, and CV (%) from 0.28 to 8.04. For Examiner 2, SEM values ranged from 0.02 to 8.18, MDC values from 0.05 to 22.68, and CV (%) from 0.24 to 8.14. For inter-examiner reliability, SEM values ranged from 0.02 to 6.17, MDC from 0.06 to 17.11, and CV (%) from 0.34 to 9.81. Across all analyses, CVs for HRV parameters remained below 10%. Considering different time points and different examiners, short-term resting HRV measurements in patients hospitalized with COVID-19, as evaluated using a portable heart rate device, exhibit high reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: We aimed to determine the predictors of maximum bite force (MBF), as measured with the Innobyte system, and to assess the reliability and reference values for MBF in young adults with natural dentitions. Methods: This cross-sectional test–retest study included 101 dental students with natural dentitions. Participants had their dental occlusion examined and completed three questionnaires: the Temporomandibular disorders Pain Screener, Oral Behavior Checklist, and Jaw Functional Limitation Scale. Body mass index and muscle mass percentage were determined, and handgrip strength was measured with a dynamometer. The MBF was measured with Innobyte, with reliability assessed by the intraclass correlation coefficient, expressing reference values as MBF percentiles. Bivariate tests and multiple linear regression models were used for statistical analysis. Results: The intraclass correlation coefficient for the MBF was 0.90, with 10th to 90th percentiles of 487–876 N for females and 529–1003 N for males. A positive relationship existed between the MBF and male sex, muscle mass percentage, overbite, handgrip strength, and possible sleep/awake bruxism. Stepwise regression showed that overbite, handgrip strength, and possible sleep/awake bruxism had the greatest effect on the MBF, explaining 27% of the variation. Conclusions: This study provides reference values for MBF when using the Innobyte system and shows excellent reliability. Overbite, general strength, and self-reported bruxism appear to be important predictors of MBF. Clinical relevance: Innobyte is a reliable device that can be used to measure MBF bilaterally. Self-reported bruxism is associated with an 8%–10% increase in MBF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Aims were to (i) report prevalence and (ii) evaluate reliability of the radiographic findings in examinations of patients suspected of subacromial impingement syndrome (SIS), performed before a patient's first consultation at orthopaedic department. Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study examined radiographs from 850 patients, age 18 to 63 years, referred to orthopaedic clinic on suspicion of SIS. Prevalence (%) of radiographic findings were registered. Inter- and intrarater reliability was analysed using expected and observed agreement (%), kappa coefficients, Bland–Altman plots, or intraclass coefficients. Results: A total of 850 patients with a mean age of 48.2 years (SD = 8.8) were included. Prevalence of the radiographic findings was as follows: calcification 24.4%, Bigliani type III (hooked) acromion 15.8%, lateral/medial acromial spurs 11.1%/6.6%, acromioclavicular osteoarthritis 12.0%, and Bankart/Hill-Sachs lesions 7.1%. Inter- and intrarater Kappa values for most radiographic findings ranged between 0.40 and 0.89; highest values for the presence of calcification (0.85 and 0.89) and acromion type (0.63 and 0.66). The inter- and intrarater intraclass coefficients ranged between 0.41 and 0.83; highest values for acromial tilt (0.79 and 0.83) and calcification area (0.69 and 0.81). Conclusion: Calcification, Bigliani type III (hooked) acromion, and acromioclavicular osteoarthritis were prevalent findings among patients seen in orthopaedic departments on suspicion of SIS. Spurs and Bankart/Hill-Sachs lesions were less common. Optimal reliabilities were found for the presence of calcification, calcification area, and acromial tilt. Calcification qualities, acromion type, lateral spur, and acromioclavicular osteoarthritis showed suboptimal reliabilities. Newer architectural measures (acromion index and lateral acromial angle) performed well with respect to reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) scale assesses the severity of temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD), yet a European Portuguese translation is lacking. Objectives: To translate, cross-culturally adapt and to examine the psychometric properties (construct validity and reliability) of the TMJ scale. Methods: Translation and cultural adaptation were carried out according to international recommendations, including initial translation, evaluation of this translation and cultural adaptation by a panel of experts, and back translation. The final Portuguese version was used to examine the reliability and validity, and participants with TMD were recruited from a Portuguese outpatient clinic. Reliability measures included internal consistency with Cronbach's alpha and test-retest reliability with the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC2,1). The Spearman correlation comparing the TMJ scale with the Fonseca and Helkimo indexes was used to assess the construct validity. Results: A total of 63 participants (23 ± 2 years; 61,9% female) were included. Similar internal consistency was observed between the two moments of application (0.921 and 0.918), and test-retest reliability was excellent, with an ICC2,1 = 0.998 (95%CI: 0.988–0.999). Robust positive correlations (rho 0.554–0.611, p < 0.001) were found between the TMJ scale and Fonseca and Helkimo indexes. Conclusion: The European Portuguese version of TMJ scale is now available to improve the assessment of severity of TMD in routine clinical practice. This version is also reliable and valid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wind power DC collection system, as a crucial component of wind farms, plays a vital role in ensuring the safe and stable operation of the entire wind farm. This paper proposes a reliability assessment method for wind power DC collection systems based on MLFTA-SMC. Firstly, it analyzes the topology and key equipment of wind power DC collection systems. Secondly, based on the topology of different wind power DC collection systems, it constructs multi-level fault tree models to calculate the comprehensive importance of different events, thus providing data support for subsequent reliability assessment. Then, it utilizes the MLFTA-SMC method to assess and analyze the reliability of different wind power DC collection system topologies. Finally, taking a 100 MW wind farm in Northwest China as an example, the proposed reliability assessment method is verified through simulation. The results indicate that this method exhibits good effectiveness and superiority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Fear of progression (FOP) is a significant psychological concern among cancer patients. The Fear of Progression Questionnaire-Short Form (FOPQ-SF) is one of the significant and reliable tools to evaluate FOP. This study aims to validate the psychometric features of the Persian version of FOPQ-SF in Iranian cancer patients. Methods: The translation of the FOPQ-SF was developed using a "forward–backward" approach. This cross-sectional study included 120 cancer patients who completed the questionnaires. The validity and reliability of the FOPQ-SF were evaluated, and the factor structure was examined using both exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Results: The FOPQ-SF demonstrated high test–retest and internal reliability, with a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.84. EFA revealed a one-factor structure consisting of 12 items. The FOPQ-SF exhibited high convergent validity, as indicated by significant correlations with anxiety, depression, the total score of HADS, and symptoms. It also demonstrated moderate divergent validity, with negative correlations observed between function and global health. Furthermore, FOP significantly differed among pre-defined groups based on cancer stages. Discussion: The results indicate that the Persian version of the FOPQ-SF is a reliable and valid questionnaire for assessing FOP in 20–60 Iranian cancer patients ages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Providing quality service is the major concern of many public organizations. However, the way to provide immediate service (responsiveness), the capacity to deliver on promises of accurate and consistent service (reliability), the degree of trust and confidence of students in the service provided by the college (assurance), the physical appearances of the service that the college offers (tangibility) and understanding the needs of students in the college are not as such potential. Thus, the study aims to investigate the effect of a quality service system on student satisfaction in Business and Economics College, University of Gondar. An explanatory research design with a quantitative research approach was employed to address the specified objectives. The population of the study was 6323 and out of these, 376 samples were drawn through stratified random sampling technique. Of 376 self-administer questionnaires, 263 were valuable for this analysis. One of the objectives of the study was to understand the dominant service quality dimension. The finding of the mean score of SERVQUAL dimensions portrays that students are less satisfied with dimension responsiveness (M = 2.31), which implies that the way students get an immediate response for their need showed very low followed by dimension empathy (M = 2.63) i.e., the willingness of staff to support or help students, spontaneous care and concern of staff to student's needs, is lower, whereas with tangibles, assurance, and reliability are better. The PLS-SEM analysis result confirmed that tangibility and assurance has a significant effect but other service quality dimensions are not. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In contemporary times, as accident rates continue to rise, there is a growing interest in vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs) as a means to reduce accidents and vehicle damage, as well as enhance public safety. VANETs facilitate the transmission of messages within predefined areas to ensure system safety and efficiency. However, ensuring message authenticity in such a dynamic environment presents a significant challenge, with previous research focusing less on security aspects. Some previous protocols send plain message, which leads to the compromise of the message confidentiality. Although few algorithms work on security, they involve the communication to the trusted authority, which lead to increased latency. Thus, in this paper we propose a robust cryptographic scheme for reliable data communication in VANET which minimizes the involvement of trusted authority and uses communication ID of vehicle for communication in place of real entities. Security analysis of the proposed scheme is showing the sturdiness of the proposed protocol again various types of safety spasms. The evaluation of its performance includes assessing communication cost and time, revealing the proposed algorithm's efficiency compared to others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimization is the process of creating the best possible outcome while taking into consideration the given conditions. The ultimate goal of optimization is to maximize or minimize the desired effects to meet the technological and management requirements. When faced with a problem that has several possible solutions, an optimization technique is used to identify the best one. This involves checking different search domains at the right time, depending on the specific problem. To solve these optimization problems, nature-inspired algorithms are used as part of stochastic methods. In civil engineering, numerous design optimization problems are nonlinear and can be difficult to solve via traditional techniques. In such points, metaheuristic algorithms can be a more useful and practical option for civil engineering usages. These algorithms combine randomness and decisive paths to compare multiple solutions and select the most satisfactory one. This article briefly presents and discusses the application and efficiency of various metaheuristic algorithms in civil engineering topics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Finger vein recognition is an emerging biometric trait known for its privacy features. Despite the remarkable performance of deep learning methods like convolutional neural networks on challenging finger vein datasets, their reliability and robustness need further examination. This study evaluates the robustness of three recognition methods—the traditional Miura Method, a supervised convolutional neural network, and an unsupervised convolutional auto-encoder—through the challenging and more realistic scenario of cross-dataset comparisons. We also analyse the reliability of these methods in terms of sample quality. We introduce a novel vein quality metric to measure vein clarity and complexity and compare it against an existing image quality metric, natural image quality evaluator. Our findings reveal differences in how these recognition methods utilise finger vein images for comparisons, highlighting the need for robust recognition techniques in more realistic scenarios. In addition, our vein quality metric effectively detects defective images, reducing the zero false-match rate from 34.98% to 8.18% on the SDUMLA-HMT dataset. These results indicate the need for metrics more focussing on finger vein image characteristics for effective quality assessment for finger vein images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To address the prominent problem of collapse instability in shallow buried soft ground tunnels, a non-invasive stochastic finite element method was introduced. Taking Fujian Puyan Wenbishan tunnel as the background project, ABAQUS finite element software was used to analyze the tunnel excavation mechanics and parameter sensitivity. And developed the software interface program based on Python to output explicit limit state equation for the key mechanical indexes of the tunnel, so as to evaluate the tunnel reliability under different excavation methods, quantitatively. Study results show a significant improvement in efficiency and accuracy when calculating the probability of failure in tunnel excavation by the non-invasive stochastic finite element method. The maximum displacement monitoring points for the Wenbishan tunnel portal section were all vault settlement, with displacements of 33.6 mm, 30.2 mm, and 25.3 mm, respectively, using the annular retained core soil method, single sidewall guide pit and double sidewall guide pit method, with probabilities of failure of 36.11%, 28.03%, and 20.02%. It is found that the reliability of the tunnel is mainly determined by the geotechnical weight, elastic modulus and cohesion of the weak sandy soil layer, which can provide ideas for this type of engineering researches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past few years, photovoltaic (PV) installations have experienced a surge in popularity, primarily driven by growing environmental concerns. However, the rise of large-scale PV installations has brought about challenges, such as the risk of overvoltage and grid overload. Instances of voltage violations notably escalate with increased PV penetration, often leading to inverter shutdowns. These occurrences cast a shadow over the viability of implementing high PV penetration. Moreover, integrating a substantial intermittent power source into an outdated power grid raises concerns about the reliability of the entire power network. Enhancing the power system to accommodate significant intermittent power poses a considerable challenge, and retrofitting the entire system would be prohibitively expensive. To address these issues without incurring exorbitant costs, the adoption of flexible power point tracking (FPPT) emerges as a crucial solution. FPPT effectively reduces ripple current stress, thereby extending the lifespan of critical components in a grid-connected PV system, including PV panels, DC link capacitors, and PV inverters. The significance of this research is underscored through an analytical study that scrutinizes various system entities, considering maximum power point tracking (MPPT) and FPPT separately. Furthermore, theoretical observations are substantiated by simulation results on the Matlab platform, illustrating the practical impact of FPPT compared to MPPT. Analytical findings highlight an overall improvement in the lifespan of system components when FPPT is employed as a substitute for MPPT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A transmission network is an important part of the power transformers to transmit the generated energy and power to the load centers. As such, the transmission network requires significant expansion costs to alleviate congestion as well as to supply an acceptable reliability level. In this matter, transmission network expansion planning (TNEP) is known as a large-scale mathematical problem including long-term effects of the power system. In this paper, long-term effect of demand response (DR) is explored on the loading rate of the system as well as subsequent line loading influence on line failure rates. To investigate the DR effectiveness on TNEP, its cost is addressed in the objective of the proposed mixed integer nonlinear planning model. Moreover, alleviating the failure rate of old lines can decrease the construction of new lines while providing the desirable reliability of the system. Furthermore, a decrease in the loading rate of existing transmission lines provides valuable gains at the horizon year. Thus, the value of the transmission system in the objective function would increase by DR. Besides, peak clipping prevents local marginal price (LMP) inflation and smoothens the LMP profile across the system buses; so congestion surpluses will decrease. Afterward, the sensitivity analysis in the simulation part is implemented to investigate how demand response can influence on value of LMP at different nodes. Eventually, the developed model is executed on IEEE 24-bus reliability test system for three scenarios in order to assess the efficiency of the proposed approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To discern the religious coping methods which individuals employ when confronting life stressors, Pargament devised the Religious Coping Scale (RCOPE) in 1997. Subsequently, in 1998, Pargament et al. formulated an abbreviated iteration, the Brief RCOPE, intended for both research and practical application. The Brief RCOPE has been found to be a reliable and valid measure, however much of the research looking into the psychometric properties of this measure has been conducted in the United States. The aim of the current review was to draw together findings from studies which have investigated the reliability and/or validity of the measure amongst populations outside of the United States. A narrative approach was adopted, involving searches of academic databases using keywords and the application of specific inclusion criteria. It was found that the reliability of the measure has been demonstrated across a number of countries, and across a range of different religions. The measure has also demonstrated good convergent, construct and concurrent validity in diverse cultures. The findings from this review suggest that the Brief RCOPE can be used in a range of diverse religions and cultures. However, more research is needed to ascertain the accuracy of the measure with other religions and cultures and with those in minority groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was twofold: firstly, to develop a novel scale for measuring the concept of spiritual leadership, and secondly, to evaluate the psychometric properties of this scale. The principal objective was to facilitate the assessment of spiritual leadership on the part of managerial personnel. In the course of the research, a three-stage process was undertaken. In the initial phase, the theoretical underpinnings of the concept were established through a comprehensive review of the spiritual leadership literature, and an item pool was constructed. In the second stage, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was employed to ascertain the factor structure of the scale. In the third stage, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was employed to corroborate the identified structure and criterion validity analysis was conducted. The EFA results indicated that the scale exhibited a single-factor structure. The CFA results demonstrated that the model exhibited good fit indices, thereby confirming the single-factor structure. In the reliability analyses, the internal consistency coefficient (Cronbach's alpha) of the scale was 0.988, which indicated a high level of reliability. These findings collectively demonstrate that the spiritual leadership scale possesses sufficient validity and reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the psychometric properties of the Korean version of the Brief Religious Coping Scale (RCOPE) among Korean Protestant Christians to determine its reliability and validity in South Korea considering the unique characteristics of Korean Protestant Christianity. Exploratory Factor Analysis (n = 251) and confirmatory factor analysis (n = 268) identified the original two-factor structure of the positive and negative religious coping subscales. Also, the scale exhibited robust reliability and construct validity. This study affirmed the scale is a valid and reliable instrument for measuring religious coping in Korean Christian adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To report the accuracy and reliability of Cobb angle (CA), axial vertebral rotation (AVR), kyphotic and lordotic angles (KA and LA) measurements on using a new 3D ultrasound (US) system. Methods: Forty participants (34 F, 6 M, aged 14.0 ± 2.3 years) were recruited. The first 20 participants were scanned by the validated US system and the new US system. The other 20 participants were scanned with the new US system only. Two raters (R1 and R2) performed the measurements: R1 has 10 years of experience in radiology but is new in ultrasound scoliosis, while R2 has 30 years of scoliosis experience. All US images were measured twice by R1, and once by R2. Forty posteroanterior and 30 lateral standing radiographs were obtained and measured once by R1. Statistical analysis consisted of mean absolute difference (MAD), intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC (2,1)), and Bland-Altman plots. Results: R1 showed excellent intra-rater and inter-rater reliability for US measurements with ICCs(2,1) ≥ 0.91. The inter-method reliability was good between the two US systems for all parameters with ICCs(2,1) ≥ 0.85 and maximum MAD of 3.4°. The new US showed good reliability and accuracy compared to radiographs for CA, AVR and KA with ICCs(2,1) ≥ 0.81 and maximum MAD of 5.8°, but poor results for LA with ICCs(2,1) of 0.27–0.35 and MADs of 14.0°-15.4°. Conclusion: The new 3D US system showed good reliability and accuracy for CA, AVR and KA measurements, but a large measurement discrepancy on LA. A new measurement method for US LA may need to investigate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Disorganised attachment is a key concept in understanding the development of psychosis. However, existing questionnaires of adult attachment do not adequately measure this construct hindering future research into the psychosocial causes of psychosis. The most widely measure of adult attachment in people experiencing psychosis is the Psychosis Attachment Measure (PAM). The measure has recently been revised to include disorganised attachment items. This study develops previous research by providing a rigorous examination the psychometric properties of the revised questionnaire (PAM-R). Methods: A total of 407 participants with self-reported experiences of psychosis completed a battery of questionnaires which included the PAM-R and other measures which were conceptually related to the concept of disorganised attachment. Results: Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) indicated a three-factor solution with factors corresponding to anxious, avoidant, and disorganised attachment. The majority of the fit statistics were acceptable with the exception of the RMSEA statistic. Internal consistency and test–retest reliability were good for all subscales. The disorganised subscale correlated in expected directions with other measures of attachment, dissociation, trauma, and psychotic experiences. Conclusion: The PAM-R is a valid and reliable measure of adult attachment. It is a practical assessment tool for clinicians and researchers to measure insecure and disorganised attachment patterns that is acceptable to people experiencing psychosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Systematic reviews evaluating and comparing the measurement properties of outcome measurement instruments (OMIs) play an important role in OMI selection. Earlier overviews of review quality (2007, 2014) evidenced substantial concerns with regards to alignment to scientific standards. This overview aimed to investigate whether the quality of recent systematic reviews of OMIs lives up to the current scientific standards. Methods: One hundred systematic reviews of OMIs published from June 1, 2021 onwards were randomly selected through a systematic literature search performed on March 17, 2022 in MEDLINE and EMBASE. The quality of systematic reviews was appraised by two independent reviewers. An updated data extraction form was informed by the earlier studies, and results were compared to these earlier studies' findings. Results: A quarter of the reviews had an unclear research question or aim, and in 22% of the reviews the search strategy did not match the aim. Half of the reviews had an incomprehensive search strategy, because relevant search terms were not included. In 63% of the reviews (compared to 41% in 2014 and 30% in 2007) a risk of bias assessment was conducted. In 73% of the reviews (some) measurement properties were evaluated (58% in 2014 and 55% in 2007). In 60% of the reviews the data were (partly) synthesized (42% in 2014 and 7% in 2007); evaluation of measurement properties and data syntheses was not conducted separately for subscales in the majority. Certainty assessments of the quality of the total body of evidence were conducted in only 33% of reviews (not assessed in 2014 and 2007). The majority (58%) did not make any recommendations on which OMI (not) to use. Conclusion: Despite clear improvements in risk of bias assessments, measurement property evaluation and data synthesis, specifying the research question, conducting the search strategy and performing a certainty assessment remain poor. To ensure that systematic reviews of OMIs meet current scientific standards, more consistent conduct and reporting of systematic reviews of OMIs is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dizziness handicap inventory (DHI) is a widely used questionnaire for assessing the impact of dizziness on daily life. There is a need for validated translations of the DHI to accommodate diverse linguistic populations, enabling clinical and research comparisons. This study aimed to translate and validate the DHI into Hindi language. The DHI was translated into Hindi following established guidelines. The translated version underwent validation among Hindi-speaking patients presenting with dizziness at an outpatient ENT clinic in this cross-sectional study. Reliability and validity analyses were conducted, including Cronbach's alpha, split-half reliability, and factor analysis. A total of 153 participants completed the DHI-Hindi, with a mean score of 37.28 (SD = 15.63). Ceiling and floor effects were absent. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the overall scale was 0.785, indicating good reliability. Factor analysis revealed a three-factor solution, consistent with previous studies, indicating good construct validity.The translation and validation process yielded a reliable and valid version of the DHI in Hindi language, suitable for assessing the impact of dizziness in Hindi-speaking population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As real-time systems are safety critical, guaranteeing a high reliability threshold is as important as meeting all deadlines. Periodic tasks are replicated to mitigate the negative impact of transient faults, which leads to redundancy and high energy consumption. On the other hand, energy saving is widely identified as increasingly relevant issues in real-time systems. In this paper, we formalize this challenging tri-criteria optimization problem, i.e., minimizing the expected energy consumption while enforcing the reliability threshold and meeting all task deadlines, and propose several mapping and scheduling heuristics to solve it. Specifically, a novel approach is designed to (i) map an arbitrary number of replicas onto processors, (ii) schedule each replica of each task instance on its assigned processor with less temporal overlap. The platform is composed of processing units with different characteristics, including speed profile, energy cost and fault rate. The heterogeneity of the computing platform makes the problem more complicated, because different mappings achieve different levels of reliability and consume different amounts of energy. Moreover, scheduling plays an important role in energy saving, as the expected energy consumption is the average over all failure scenarios. Once a task replica is successful, the other replicas of that task instance can be canceled, which calls for minimizing the overlap between any replica pair. Finally, to quantitatively analyze our methods, we derive a theoretical lower-bound for the expected energy consumption. Comprehensive experiments are conducted on a large set of execution scenarios and parameters. The comparison results reveal that our strategies perform better than the random baseline under almost all settings, with an average gain in energy consumption of more than 40%, and our best heuristic achieves an excellent performance: its energy saving is only 2% less than the lower-bound on average. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a methodology for the physical analysis of defects on p-GaN power HEMTs that have been electrically stressed under DC surge or voltage switching stresses. The methodology includes a backside approach for sample preparation and defect localization. It is crucial to adapt the preparation process according to the position of the defect in the device structure (including metallurgy, dielectric layers, epitaxy, etc.), which depends on the type of stress applied. In our study of the reliability of the transistor under increased electrical stress in lifetime operation mode, failure analysis is used to identify the weakest areas in the design with respect to the type of stress applied. This paper presents a failure analysis consisting of techniques such as electrical characterization, photon emission microscopy and lock-in thermography for defect localization, focused ion beam slice and view, transmission electron microscopy analysis, and frontside conductive atomic force microscopy after immersion in hydrofluoric acid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to develop a valid and reliable tool for measuring beliefs and attitudes regarding incest. Incest can be considered a widespread social problem. Despite the prevalence of incest, a tool that can measure knowledge of and attitudes toward incest in Turkey is still a necessity. In this study, 457 adults participated in the first and 255 adults in the second stage. To collect the data, Incest Scale, Childhood Emotional Incest Scale and demographic form were used. Exploratory/Confirmatory factor analysis, parallel analysis, reliability analysis were performed, and criterion validity was tested. A 23-item and 5-factor scale was obtained. The fit indexes obtained as a result of confirmatory factor analysis were satisfactory. Positive significant correlations were found between incest and childhood emotional incest. The reliability coefficients ​​were found to be within acceptable limits. This study is expected to fill a significant gap in the field, promote awareness regarding incest, and make an important contribution to the field to combat incest effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many existing reinforced concrete buildings have been designed based on earlier codes of practice that underestimated seismic forces, making them vulnerable to damage during seismic action. Equipping existing buildings with shear links and eccentric braces is one of the available seismic retrofitting methods to dissipate seismic energy away from the main structural members. In this paper, a proposal for the seismic retrofitting of two existing reinforced concrete buildings using aluminium shear links and steel braces is presented. First, a capacity-based design approach is followed to determine the required sizes of the shear links and eccentric braces. Second, numerical analyses are used to compare how the original and retrofitted buildings responded. These tests include pushover analysis, nonlinear time-history analysis, damage analysis, incremental dynamic analysis, fragility and reliability analysis, and damage analysis. The results reveal that the proposed retrofitting method can sufficiently upgrade the performance level of the buildings and reduce their storey displacements and interstorey drifts, as shear links are found to absorb almost all seismic energy, therefore keeping other structural members responding elastically. Yet, using shear links alters the local behaviour of the surrounding structural members, which should be considered in the design process. Furthermore, compared to the original buildings, retrofitted buildings are expected to undergo less structural damage as they have lower damage indices. Meanwhile, the fragility of retrofitted buildings is significantly reduced compared to the original ones, which indicates the efficiency of the proposed retrofitting methods in upgrading the performance of seismically deficient reinforced concrete buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reliability of multiprocessor systems is now a crucial concern in parallel computing, which can be characterized as connectivity and diagnosability. The s-extra connectivity (s-EC) κ s (G) of a network G is the minimum number of nodes whose deletion disconnects the network G, and every remaining component has no less than s + 1 nodes. The s-extra diagnosability (s-ED) t s (G) of a network G is the maximum cardinality of faulty nodes that can be identified, given that each remaining component has at least s + 1 nodes. This paper investigates the s-EC and s-ED of the complete cubic network CCN(n). Specifically, we initially demonstrate that the s-EC of CCN(n) is κ s (C C N (n)) = (s + 1) (n + 1) - s (s + 3) 2 for n ≥ 3 and 0 ≤ s ≤ n - 2 . Subsequently, we demonstrate that the s-ED under the PMC model is t s (C C N (n)) = (s + 1) (n + 1) - s (s + 3) 2 + s for n ≥ 3 and 1 ≤ s ≤ n - 2 . Similarly, under the MM* model, the s-ED is t s (C C N (n)) = (s + 1) (n + 1) - s (s + 3) 2 + s for n ≥ 6 and 1 ≤ s ≤ n - 2 4 . Finally, we conduct simulation experiments, and the results indicate that the s-EC consistently surpasses other known connectivities, including classical connectivity and s-component connectivity. Additionally, the s-ED consistently outperforms classical diagnosability and s-component diagnosability of CCN(n). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales, Short Form (DASS-21) was developed for adults, its authors noted no compelling reasons to not use the measure with youth as young as 12 years. Despite increasingly widespread use with youth, psychometric evidence in support of its use with this population needs to be investigated to fully understand its utility. Objective: The goal of this paper was to conduct a systematic review to identify and appraise evidence for the psychometric properties of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales, Short Form (DASS-21) when used with youth populations. Methods: Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, this systematic review identified 18 studies that reported relevant information on the psychometrics of the DASS-21 with youth samples. Each article was coded for evidence of three indicators of particular importance to progress monitoring: reliability, validity, and sensitivity to change. Results: Studies have found varied factor structures (i.e., 1–4 factors) for the DASS-21 and validity evidence based on relations to other variables has been limited. As such, further research is needed to understand the utility of the depression, anxiety, and stress subscales. Furthermore, no information is currently available about the sensitivity to change of the measure. Conclusions: Most studies reporting psychometric properties in this review utilized the DASS-21 with mixed-gender groups of secondary school students, thus supporting its use with similar populations. Pending additional inquiry, however, both researchers and practitioners are encouraged to utilize the total score, for which stronger evidence of reliability and validity exist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indexes for estimating the overall reliability of a test in the framework of knowledge space theory (KST) are proposed and analyzed. First, the possibility of applying in KST the existing classical test theory (CTT) methods, based on the ratio between the true score variance and the total variance of the measure, has been explored. However, these methods are not suitable because in KST error and true score are not independent. Therefore, two new indexes based on the concepts of entropy and conditional entropy are developed. One index is used to estimate the reliability of the response pattern given the knowledge state, while the second one refers to the reliability of the estimated knowledge state of a person. Some theoretical considerations as well as simulations and an empirical example on real data are provided within a study of the behavior of these indexes under a certain number of different conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the increasing popularity of ambulatory assessment, the reliability and validity of psychophysiological signals from wearable devices is unproven in daily life settings. We evaluated the reliability and validity of physiological signals (electrocardiogram, ECG; photoplethysmography, PPG; electrodermal activity, EDA) collected from two wearable devices (Movisens EcgMove4 and Empatica E4) in the lab (N = 67) and daily life (N = 20) among adults aged 18–64 with Mindware as the laboratory gold standard. Results revealed that both wearable devices' valid data rates in daily life were lower than in the laboratory (Movisens ECG 82.94 vs. 93.10%, Empatica PPG 8.79 vs. 26.14%, and Empatica EDA 41.16 vs. 42.67%, respectively). The poor valid data rates of Empatica PPG signals in the laboratory could be partially attributed to participants' hand movements (r = –.27, p =.03). In laboratory settings, heart rate (HR) derived from both wearable devices exhibited higher concurrent validity than heart rate variability (HRV) metrics (ICCs 0.98–1.00 vs. 0.75–0.97). The number of skin conductance responses (SCRs) derived from Empatica showed higher concurrent validity than skin conductance level (SCL, ICCs 0.38 vs. 0.09). Movisens EcgMove4 provided more reliable and valid HRV measurements than Empatica E4 in both laboratory (split-half reliability: 0.95–0.99 vs. 0.85–0.98; concurrent validity: 0.95–1.00 vs. 0.75–0.98; valid data rate: 93.10 vs. 26.14%) and ambulatory settings (split-half reliability: 0.99–1.00 vs. 0.89–0.98; valid data rate: 82.94 vs. 8.79%). Although the reliability and validity of wearable devices are improving, findings suggest researchers should select devices that yield consistently robust and valid data for their measures of interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is rather uncontroversial that gender should have no influence on treating others as equal epistemic agents. However, is this view reflected in practice? This paper aims to test whether the gender of the testifier and the accused of assault is related to the perception of a testimony's reliability and the guilt of the potential perpetrator. Two experiments were conducted: the subjects (n = 361, 47% females, 53% males) assessed the reliability of the testifier in four scenarios of assault accusation, in which the only difference was the gender of the people presented. During the study, we have observed dependencies of gender and ascription of reliability, but only marginal differences in guilt attribution. The results of our research may constitute an argument for the existence of different epistemic status endowed on people depending on their gender and existing gender stereotypes. Our results suggest that gender bias may be situated at a deeper level than the linguistically triggered representation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Insomnia is a prevalent sleep disorder among patients undergoing hemodialysis for chronic kidney disease. This study aimed to translate the sleep condition indicator (SCI), an insomnia screening tool based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), into a traditional Chinese version (SCI-TC) and evaluate the reliability and validity of this version for patients undergoing hemodialysis. Methods: This cross-sectional study conducted from November 2022 to June 2023 involved 200 patients on hemodialysis (mean age, 65.56 years; 61.5% men). Participants completed a series of questionnaires, with insomnia diagnosed according to DSM-5 criteria as the gold standard. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was conducted to examine the sensitivity and specificity of the SCI-TC. Results: According to the DSM-5 criteria, 38% of the participants had insomnia. Cronbach's alpha for the SCI-TC was 0.92. The SCI-TC exhibited a good fit as a two-factor model, and its scores were significantly associated with those of the traditional Chinese versions of the Insomnia Severity Index, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, EuroQol 5-Dimensions scale, and EuroQol Visual Analogue Scale (r = − 0.94, − 0.53, − 0.38, 0.27, and 0.30, respectively; all p < 0.05). The ROC curve analysis revealed an optimal cutoff of 16 points, with the sensitivity, specificity, and area under curve of 88.2%, 84.7%, and 0.91(95% confidence interval, 0.87–0.95), respectively. Conclusion: The SCI-TC demonstrates robust reliability and validity in detecting insomnia among patients undergoing hemodialysis. These findings suggest that health-care providers should considering using the SCI as an easy-to-use tool for the timely detection of insomnia in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several scales to assess pharyngeal residue in Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES) are currently available. The study aimed to compare the reliability and the applicability in real clinical practice among four rating scales: the Pooling Score (P-SCORE), the Boston Residue and Clearance Scale (BRACS), the Yale Pharyngeal Residue Severity Rating Scale (YPRSRS), and the Residue Ordinal Rating Scale (RORS). Twenty-five FEES videos were evaluated four times, once for each scale, by four speech and language pathologists. To test intra-rater reliability, the same raters re-assessed the videos two weeks apart. To test the applicability, raters recorded the time required to complete each assessment and the perceived difficulty/ease on a visual-analog scale (VAS). The intra-rater and the inter-rater reliability were calculated with Cohen's weighted Kappa and the Fleiss weighted Kappa, respectively. Time and perceived difficulty/ease scores were compared. The intra-rater reliability analysis showed almost perfect agreement for YPRSRS (k = 0.91) and RORS (k = 0.83) and substantial agreement for P-SCORE (k = 0.76) and BRACS (k = 0.74). Pairwise comparison showed no significant differences among the scales. The inter-rater reliability for the YPRSRS (k = 0.78) was significantly higher than P-SCORE (k = 0.52, p < 0.001), BRACS (k = 0.56, p < 0.001), and RORS (k = 0.65, p = 0.005). The BRACS required the longest time (p < 0.001) and was perceived as the most difficult scale (p < 0.001). The RORS was perceived as the easiest scale (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the YPRSRS showed the highest reliability, while raters perceived the RORS as the easiest to score. These results will allow clinicians to consciously choose which scale to use in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The purpose of the study was to verify the psychometric properties of the Bengali-translated Incontinence Severity Index (ISI) questionnaire. Materials and methods: A test–retest data collection method was conducted with 47 respondents using the Bengali-translated ISI questionnaire. Results: The mean age of the respondents was 41.4 years; standard deviation (S.D.) ± 9.90. Most of the women were suffering with moderate severity of urinary incontinence 48.9% (n = 23). The present study determined that Bengali-translated ISI questionnaire was valid and reliable. In addition, present study reflected on the content validity of the Bengali version of ISI questionnaire was 1 > 0.75; internal consistency α = 0.80 and intra-class correlation (ICC) = 0.86 respectively. Conclusion: The Bengali version of ISI questionnaire is valid and reliable measurement tool to extent the severity of urinary incontinence in the cultural context of Bangladesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Oral Submucous fibrosis has a substantial burden on the Indian population; thus there is a substantial need for a validated questionnaire assessing QoL in Hindi. Thus, a prospective cross-sectional study was designed to translate and validate the English version of the OHR QoL-OSF questionnaire into Hindi. Methodology: We followed the guidelines suggested by the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) for the translation procedure and subsequently validated the translated questionnaire with reliability and validity. Results: A total of 50 patients were included in this pilot study. Cronbach's alpha for 17 items was 0.87 signifying high reliability. All questions had an I-CVI of 1.00, demonstrating complete agreement among the content experts regarding the relevance and clarity of items in the questionnaire. Convergent validity was adequately established for all factors except for factor 3 for which it was around 0.43. The intraclass coefficient was 0.803 showing good agreement between the test–retest results. Conclusion: The Hindi version of the OHR QoL questionnaire is a reliable instrument having good reliability, good content, good acceptability, and good responsiveness, and thus appears to be a valid instrument. Large studies with large sample sizes can be conducted in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Satellite swarm networks have occupied a prominent position in many modern applications due to their low cost, simplicity of design, and flexibility. Reliability is an influential factor in the design of satellite networks with different structures. Usually, small satellites are based on COST components, which may reduce continues operability due to the lack of using backup system on board the sagecraft. Any failure in one subsystem means a complete loss of the function and data stored in this subsystem; hence the need for a reliable and applicable solution for this matter is a crucial topic. Using the redundancy strategy in satellite swarm networks increases reliability and availability. Blockchain is characterized by using a distributed ledger which enables the database to be replicated across nodes in the network and results in increasing transparency, security, and trust. This paper suggests adoption of blockchain technology in distributed multi-satellite mission swarm networks to provide a high level of reliability and availability of the entire system; the blockchain is usually used to secure system transactions in multilayer approach by storage of the key parameters in more than one node; here we suggest the adoption of this approach not only to secure satellite network transaction, but also to increase system reliability so that failure of one node can be recovered by other nodes. We compared this approach with similar traditional networks that do not use blockchain. The results show a higher reliability efficiency of 95.3% for applying blockchain technology compared to 64.3% without the use of blockchain, as well as a higher availability of 99% compared to 91%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inherent uncertainties of biomass-driven systems including seasonality, supply chain problems, and energy conversion limitations put reliability and availability of such systems under question. The optimization of the energy systems taken into account the reliability, availability and maintainability (denoted by RAM), parameters, and constraints can dramatically change the system design, configuration, and operation. An enviro-economic optimization of biomass-powered energy systems, considering the impact of the reliability and maintainability parameters in the final optimal cost of the energy generation and after-commissioning operation, is pinpointed in this study. The objective function was developed as an explicit function to provide the system performance parameters such as rated capacities and utilization times and reliability elements such as maintenance intervals and mean time to failure (denoted by MTTF) as independent parameters for the multivariable nonlinear optimization problem. Such parameters are then used for deriving maintainability and availability parameters such as mean time to repair (denoted by MTTR) to assure the required availability levels. Developing a methodology to be used for performing the same analysis for other configurations using distinguished energy systems, storage or biomass fuel is another problem that was considered in this research. The results showed that integrating RAM parameters to optimization analysis still keeps the biomass-fueled systems competitive economically with other energy systems. The study showed that a biomass-powered system is more sensitive to electrical module performance parameters than to thermal module and biomass types. Furthermore, thermal module requires more frequent maintenance activities in comparison with electrical module in order to retain a system reliability level above the thresholds. Moreover, reliability can be integrated as a nonlinear constraint into the above-mentioned optimization problem, resulting in optimal rated capacities closer to maximum nominal capacities in case of electrical module. RAM integration to optimization changes the performance parameters of an enviro-economic optimization analysis. The sensitivity to parameters and approaches could be high, and other fuels, technologies, or system configurations shall be considered to deliver more confident results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicon (Si) and its oxide (SiO2) have been the workhorse of the scaling-driven semiconductor industry. Almost a decade and a half ago, the high-κ metal gate (HKMG) was introduced by Intel for 45-nm technology and by IBM for 32-nm-based complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) technology, wherein hafnium oxide (HfO2) and titanium nitride (TiN) were used in the gate stack as the preferred high-κ dielectric and work function metal, respectively. The performance of these scaled CMOS devices at sub-5 nm and beyond relies on accurate control of materials in the bulk and at the interfaces in terms of chemical composition, nature of atomic species, and defects. The defects in gate oxides and at their interfaces influence the threshold voltage shift and mobility degradation. Employing first-principles modeling based on density functional theory, we discuss ways to engineer the effective work function (EWF). We also discuss the variability in the EWF and the reliability issues due to the presence of oxygen point defects in the HKMG stack. We point out the possibilities for EWF engineering through material innovation, point defects, and interface dipole engineering, in order to achieve the required threshold voltage (VT) of aggressively scaled CMOS devices at sub-5-nm technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the synthesis and improvement of existing methods, a forecasting model is proposed, which includes an algorithm for checking the performance of a product based on the results of monitoring its units. Models have been developed for predicting the monitoring parameters of complex technical systems and methods for optimizing the number of tests of units of technical systems when monitoring their performance. The effectiveness of the proposed performance prediction algorithm is demonstrated using an example. The materials and results of this article can be used by engineering workers at design bureaus, research institutes, and research and production associations in the process of designing highly reliable systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The stress experienced by parents in fulfilling their parental role has consequences for couple dynamics, parent–child interactions, and the mental health of parents. However, studies on the psychometric properties of the PSI-SF, particularly among Latin American parents, are scarce. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Parenting Stress Index-Short Form (PSI-SF). Methods: The participants were Peruvian mothers and fathers with children in early childhood and primary education, with a mean age of 34.4 years (SD = 6.8). The sample was obtained in two phases: 130 participants for the Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and 791 participants for the Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). Results: The study results show a modified three-factor structure of the PSI-SF scale, with adequate fit indices (GFI =.99, AGFI =.99, SRMR =.024, CFI =.98, TLI =.98, RMSEA =.074) and loadings above 0.40. Additionally, the three factors of the scale demonstrated high reliability, with Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega values for Parental Distress (α =.94; ω =.95), Parent–Child Dysfunctional Interaction (α =.97; ω =.97), and Difficult Child (α =.94; ω =.94). The scale was also found to be invariant with respect to gender. Conclusion: In conclusion, the study results suggest that the modified PSI-SF has adequate psychometric properties and is invariant for assessing parental stress in Peruvian fathers and mothers with children in early childhood and primary education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: With the fast-paced advancements of robot technology, human–robot interaction (HRI) has become increasingly popular and complex, and self-efficacy in HRI has received extensive attention. Despite its popularity, this topic remains understudied in China. Objective: In order to provide a psychometrically sound instrument in China, this study aimed to translate and validate the Self-Efficacy in Human–Robot Interaction Scale (SE-HRI) in two Chinese adult samples (N1 = 300, N2 = 500). Methods: The data was analyzed by SPSS 26.0 and Amos 24.0. Item analysis and exploratory factor analysis were conducted using Sample 1 data. Confirmatory factor analysis, criterion-related validity analysis, and reliability analysis were then performed using Sample 2 data. Results: The results revealed that the Chinese SE-HRI scale consisted of 13 items in a two-factor model, suggesting a good model fit. Moreover, general self-efficacy and willingness to accept the use of artificial intelligence (AI) were both positively correlated with self-efficacy in HRI, while negative attitudes toward robots showed an inverse correlation, proving the Chinese SE-HRI scale exhibited excellent criterion-related validity. Conclusion: The Chinese SE-HRI scale is a reliable assessment tool for evaluating self-efficacy in HRI in China. The study discussed implications and limitations, and suggested future directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visual events of high salience are thought to automatically attract visual processing resources to their location. Hence, we should expect that stimuli with sexual content should trigger such a movement of visual resources. However, evidence for such an allocation of visual resources is sparse and rather contradictory. In two studies we tested this hypothesis. Using a dot-probe task, Experiment 1 showed that targets occurring at the location of a briefly presented and uninformative cue (hence engaging "exogenous" attention) with sexual content were responded to more rapidly than those that occurred at the location of the neutral cue - thus confirming that sexual stimuli can attract automatic attention to their location. However, the effect was small and had a low level of reliability. No consistent gender differences were found. In Experiment 2, we examined whether this cueing effect remained even for low-visibility cues. No cueing effects were found, but the task manipulation also abolished the cueing effect for high visibility cues. While the study supports the notion of spatial allocation of visual resources to sexual stimuli, it highlights that this effect is not robust or reliable, and discusses the implications of this. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stress changes the food preferences of individuals, causing an increase in the intake of sweet food, and consequently, the total energy. Stress also leads to a short-term reduction in the appetite. These two contrary scenarios result in nutritional problems in the affected population. In this context, a validity and reliability study was conducted for the Salzburg Stress Eating Scale (SSES) adapted for children and adolescents and presented here. The study was designed as a methodological, descriptive, and correlational study, conducted with 9–18-year-old students (n = 257). A socio-demographic information form and the SSES were used for data collection. The collected data were evaluated based on factor analysis, discriminatory power, McDonald's omega, Cronbach's alpha, and the item–total score. The contribution of the ten-item scale to total variance was determined to be 48.869%. The factor loadings of the scale determined based on the exploratory factor analysis and the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were above 0.30. The fit indices were found to be well matched and the questionnaire had a one-factor structure. The McDonald's omega and Cronbach's alpha values determined for the scale were 0.884 and 0.881, respectively. The correlation analysis of the items with the scale's total score revealed values ranging between 0.470 and 0.757. Accordingly, it was concluded that the SSES was a valid and reliable measurement tool for Turkish-speaking students in the 9–18 age group. Therefore, the SSES is applicable for the assessment of stress eating among children and adolescents aged 9–18 in the general population. It is recommended to adapt the scale in different cultures to determine the level of direct stress eating in children and adolescents and the affecting factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To adapt the Charlotte Attitudes Toward Sleep (CATS) scale, the only self-assessment instrument measuring non-dysfunctional attitudes toward sleep, into Portuguese and to study its psychometric properties in a Portuguese sample. Method: A sample of 1858 participants, recruited through non-probabilistic methods, was randomly split in two subsamples; one was used to develop the CATS model, the other for testing model invariance. We used structural equation models to assess factorial validity, measurement invariance, and relationships with other variables (e.g., the Karolinska Sleep Questionnaire) through confirmatory factorial analysis and causal models using a robust maximum likelihood method with Satorra-Bentler correction. Results: The CATS factorial model showed excellent evidence of factorial validity (robust CFI = 0.987, TLI = 0.979, SRMR = 0.026, RMSEA = 0.043), good reliability indicators (α and ώ1 > 0.75), and strict invariance of measurement (|∆CFI|< 0.01). CATS factors were weak-to-moderate predictors of sleep behaviors (β < 0.4). The scale showed evidence of divergent validity with the Karolinska Sleep Questionnaire. Some items had significant sensitivity problems and/or did not have adequate factorial weights and had to be dropped from the model. Conclusions: The CATS is a new and promising scale with solid evidence of validity in terms of internal structure, but with sensitivity issues at item level. Further work should be carried out at item level to increase sensitivity and predictive validity, and further research with other samples, such as clinical sleep medicine patients, should be conducted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019 imposed significant shifts in global health, particularly in understanding and addressing anxiety disorders precipitated by pandemic-related stressors. The current study aimed to adapt and validate the COVID-19 Anxiety Questionnaire (C-19 A) for Arabic-speaking populations (C-19 A-A), assessing its structural integrity, concurrent validity, factorial validity, and reliability. Methods: The data of 571 individuals, including age range, educational history, gender, and marital status, were collected through online platforms. The translation process of C-19 A-A underwent rigorous verification by linguistic and subject matter experts. Several advanced statistical procedures were used to examine the C-19 A-A's reliability, validity, and measurement invariances across demographic subsets. Results: The results indicated robust internal consistency, with a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.889, confirming the questionnaire's reliability. Concurrent validity showed significant and positive correlations between C-19-A and FCV-19S (r = 0.77, p < 0.000). EFA revealed a dominant factor explaining 60.4% of the variance, bolstering the questionnaire's factorial validity. CFA further validated the model's adequacy across different demographic groups. Specifically, demographic factors such as age, gender, and educational level showed distinct patterns of COVID-19-related anxiety. Conclusion: The validated Arabic version of the C-19 A-A represents a pivotal tool for assessing pandemic-induced anxiety within Arabic-speaking communities. Its deployment enables targeted identification of vulnerable individuals, facilitating tailored health interventions and informing clinical strategies. This research underscores the pivotal role of culturally attuned assessment instruments in shaping effective public health responses and therapeutic interventions aimed at mitigating the psychological sequelae of global health crises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breast cancer impacts the psychological well-being of women, leaving them at risk of developing depression, anxiety, and other stress-related disorders. The Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21) is a widely used measure, although empirical evidence regarding its psychometric properties in the breast cancer population is limited. The purpose of this study was to conduct an exhaustive analysis of the psychometric properties of the DASS-21 in a sample of Spanish women diagnosed with breast cancer. Participants were 289 breast cancer patients who completed the DASS-21 and other questionnaires measuring life satisfaction, positive and negative affect, flourishing, perceived stress, and breast cancer-specific stressors. In terms of validity evidence based on the internal structure of the DASS-21, adequate fit indices were obtained for the model based on three first-order factors (depression, anxiety, stress) and one second-order factor (general psychological distress). Reliability coefficients (McDonald's omega) ranged from.84 to.95. Validity evidence based on relationships with other variables was also provided by moderate and strong correlations with well-being indicators and stress measures. The results support the use of the DASS-21 for measuring general psychological distress in the breast cancer context, where it may provide useful information for the design of psychological interventions with patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emotion regulation (ER) flexibility is defined as the ability to match ER strategies to situational demands. Several components of flexibility have been identified, such as the ability to detect the presence or absence of contextual cues (i.e., context-sensitivity), the ability to use flexibly diverse strategies (i.e., repertoire), and the ability to monitor and adapt strategies (i.e., feedback). The goal of this study was to validate French versions of the Context-Sensitivity Index (CSI) and the Flexible Regulation of Emotional Expression (FREE) scale. This online study comprised questionnaires designed to analyse the psychometric properties of the two questionnaires in a French population (N = 397). Both scales show satisfactory internal consistency (with ω = 0.81 for the FREE), convergent validity and acceptable test-retest validity (with 0.81 for the FREE; 0.71 for the CSI). Our findings support the hierarchical and four-dimension structures of the FREE scale, with all approximate fit indices demonstrating adequate model fit (CFI = 0.94; RMSEA = 0.05; Chi-square = 1450.656, df = 120, p <.001). Common limits of self-reported measures are associated with this study. Moreover, our results should be replicated in future studies. The French versions of the CSI and FREE scale can be considered as adequate instruments for assessing context-sensitivity and repertoire as components of ER flexibility. Significance Statement: The present study explores the psychometric properties of two questionnaires measuring two components of emotion regulation flexibility. The results reveal that the French versions of the Context Sensitivity Index (CSI) and of the Flexible Regulation of Emotional Expression scale (FREE) display proper psychometric properties and can be considered reliable instruments in the French community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Most studies of the DSM-5 proposed non-suicidal self-injury disorder (NSSID) have focused on documenting its prevalence, associated features, and evaluating the validity of the criteria. There is scant data assessing the temporal course, or onset and offset, of NSSID. This study examined the course of NSSID and each criterion over a one-year period. Method: Data were obtained from 171 young adults (mean age = 18.79; 84% women, 92% White, 37% in treatment) with past year NSSI engagement (mean frequency = 12.47, SD = 20.9) who completed a minimum of two, out of three, waves of data collection. Participants completed the Non-Suicidal Self-Injury Disorder Scale along with demographic measures at baseline, 6-month, and 12-month follow-up. Results: Over a third of participants met NSSID criteria at each time point, with moderate persistence (K = 0.42 to 0.46). Chi-square tests revealed significant onset and offset patterns of NSSID and among select criteria. Binary logistic regression analyses revealed that meeting the criterion A (frequency of NSSI) and criterion E (impairment) thresholds at baseline were the only meaningful predictors of diagnostic status at 6- and 12-month follow-up. Limitations: The use of self-report measures and having a homogenous sample restrict generalizability of the findings. Conclusions: Meeting NSSID criteria appears to persist over time, but only 2 of the 6 criteria may be relevant to diagnostic status across time. Further research on the temporal course, reliability, and clinical validity of the proposed disorder, especially within diverse clinically severe, populations is greatly needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To report the rate of fusion in a sample of patients undergoing lumbar fusion surgery and assess interrater reliability of computed tomography (CT)-based parameters for the assessment of fusion. Methods: All adult patients who underwent lumbar fusion surgery from 2017 to 2021 were retrospectively identified. Patient demographics and surgical characteristics were collected through chart review of the electronic medical records. CT scans were reviewed independently by two attending spine surgeons and two spine fellows. Fusion was defined as evidence of bone bridging in any one of (1) posterolateral gutters, (2) facets, or (3) interbody (when applicable) on any CT views. Evidence of screw haloing was indicative of nonunion. Interrater reliability was determined using cohen's kappa. Afterwards, a consensus agreement for each component of fusion was reached between participants. Results: The overall fusion rate among all procedures was 63/69 (91.3%). Overall 22/25 (88.0%) TLIF, 16/19 (84.2%) PLDF, 3/3 (100%) LLIF, and 22/22 (100%) circumferential fusions experienced a successful fusion. Interrater reliability was good for interbody fusion (k = 0.734) and moderate for all other measures (k = 0.561 for posterolateral fusion; k = 0.471 for facet fusion; k = 0.458 for screw haloing). Overall, interrater reliability as to whether a patient had a fusion or nonunion was moderate (k = 0.510). Conclusion: There was only moderate interrater reliability across most radiographic measures used in assessing lumbar fusion status. Reliability was highest when evaluating the presence of interbody fusion. The majority of fusions occurred across the facet joints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scenario-based verification defines the current state of the art for examining a vessel's control systems for reliability and safety. However, software updates after release can only be covered to a limited extent. To take changes to a deployed system into account, the design and test phase must be harmonized with the operational phase. For all phases, regulatory, technical and safety requirements provide the scope to which the development process and the scenario-based tests need to be aligned and whose specifications the System under Test (SuT) must adhere to during operation. For this reason, a procedure is needed that converts the requirements into a format that can be utilized across all phases and measured in a structured manner comparing the original system to the updated version. This work does so by combining scenario-based verification methods with formal composition and monitoring techniques based on contract-based design into an integrated development approach. It is shown how safety requirements can be transferred into a Verification Descriptor that in turn provides the foundation for the division into model-based system development, contract-based virtual integration testing and a scenario-based test environment. For the entire lifecycle of the System under Test (SuT) to be included, the extended scenario and contract descriptors are carried forward up to the operational phase, such that the previously defined properties of the SuT can be monitored and validated during runtime. The approach is designed alongside a minimal-viable system and evaluated on an actual implementation of a safety-critical maritime LiDAR-based positioning system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Floating production storage and offloading unit (FPSO) is an offshore vessel, producing, storing natural gas or crude oil, prior to oil shuttle tanker transport. The equivalent of natural gas is known as floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG). Robust prediction of the extreme mooring hawser tensions, during FPSO operations, is an important design and engineering reliability and safety concern. Excessive mooring hawser tensions may occur during certain types of offloading operations, posing potential operational risks. In this study, ANSYS-AQWA-software package has been used to model vessel dynamics, subjected to hydrodynamic wave loads, acting on FPSO or liquefied natural gas (LNG) vessel, under actual in situ environmental conditions. Experimental validation of the numerical results has been briefly discussed as well. This study presents novel multi-dimensional reliability method, based on Monte Carlo simulations (or alternatively on measurements). Proposed methodology provides accurate failure or damage risks assessment, utilizing available underlying dataset efficiently. Described approach may be well utilized at the vessel design stage, while selecting optimal vessel's parameters, minimizing potential FPSO mooring hawser tensions. The aim of this study was to benchmark state of the art Gaidai reliability method, proposed recently; this novel methodology opens up the possibility to predict simply and efficiently failure or damage risks for non-linear multi-dimensional dynamic offshore energy system as a whole. Key advantage of the suggested methodology is its multi-dimensionality (with unlimited number of system dimensions/components/processes, all having different physical dimensions), while classic reliability methods typically are not covering dimensions higher than two. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]