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This article studies the state and disturbance simultaneous estimation problem for a class of nonlinear descriptor systems with δQC$$ \delta \mathrm{QC} $$ using a dynamic event‐triggered mechanism. δQC$$ \delta \mathrm{QC} $$ refers to incremental quadratic constraints, which can provide a unified description of many types of common nonlinear functions. To reduce the negative impact of measurement outliers on the identification estimation, a stubborn state and disturbance observer co‐design scheme is proposed for the first time by embedding dynamic saturation output estimation errors. Meanwhile, a dynamic event‐triggered mechanism is introduced to avoid the need for continuously available output information, which can reduce the pressure on communication resources. By constructing a Lyapunov function, existence conditions of the stubborn state and disturbance observer are obtained in the form of a convex optimization problem so that the error estimation maintains an acceptable estimation performance. Finally, simulation examples illustrate the universality and stubbornness of the proposed observer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The distributed estimation technology is prevalently utilized to solve the leader‐following multi‐agent tracking problem. This technology poses a challenge in practice, since it generally relies on the available absolute state measurements. For this reason, a novel distributed estimation approach based on relative state measurements is developed in this article. The proposed method directly estimates the tracking error between the leader and each follower, rather than using an existing indirect way of estimating and making subtraction under absolute state measurements. Specifically, a distributed directed estimation is first studied to complete estimation tasks within prescribed time under the known directed networks. Then, a fully distributed directed estimation problem is considered under the unknown directed networks. Both distributed and fully distributed results are extended to the robustness cases to resist external disturbances. Simulation examples, including numerical examples and a multiship coordination example, are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness and advantages of the proposed distributed estimation method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nesting animals require information about their environment to place nests in optimal locations. This information can either be derived from an animal's previous experiences (private information), or it may be gained through the observation of the success of conspecifics (public information). This use of public information to locate suitable nesting sites has been explored in birds but not fishes. Many fish construct nests to protect their offspring, and the utilisation of public information could be a suitable strategy for determining which nesting locations would maximise fitness. We studied public and private information use in the bluehead chub, a species of nesting leuciscid in the Southeastern United States, by observing nesting activity and measuring habitat variables along a 0.65 km reach of Toms Creek in Blacksburg, Virginia. We clustered activity data and created generalised linear models to determine if bluehead chubs construct nests within discrete nesting periods during the spawning season and if they use public or private information to select nest sites between these periods. Our results suggest that bluehead chubs construct nests periodically within a single spawning season and use a combination of public and private information when determining suitable nesting sites from one nesting period to another. This study provides some of the first evidence suggesting public information use for nest site selection in a species of fish and opens up a new frontier of research into public information use among fishes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To compare T1 and T2 measurements across commercial and prototype 0.55T MRI systems in both phantom and healthy participants using the same vendor‐neutral pulse sequences, reconstruction, and analysis methods. Methods: Standard spin echo measurements and abbreviated protocol measurements of T1, B1, and T2 were made on two prototype 0.55 T systems and two commercial 0.55T systems using an ISMRM/NIST system phantom. Additionally, five healthy participants were imaged at each system using the abbreviated protocol for T1, B1, and T2 measurement. The phantom measurements were compared to NMR‐based reference measurements to determine accuracy, and both phantom and in vivo measurements were compared to assess reproducibility and differences between the prototype and commercial systems. Results: Vendor‐neutral sequences were implemented across all four systems, and the code for pulse sequences and reconstruction is freely available. For participants, there was no difference in the mean T1 and T2 relaxation times between the prototype and commercial systems. In the phantom, there were no significant differences between the prototype and commercial systems for T1 and T2 measurements using the abbreviated protocol. Conclusion: Quantitative T1 and T2 measurements at 0.55T in phantom and healthy participants are not statistically different across the prototype and commercial systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determining ion‐pair affinities in heteroditopic receptor systems presents a persistent and significant challenge. The plethora of technical and experimental problems implicated in measuring ion‐pair affinities have encouraged the use of several expedient experimental practices as a means of characterising ion‐pair recognition behaviour. Exploiting a model heteroditopic receptor system, we interrogate the reliability of these methods and demonstrate that these commonly used techniques can be highly questionable and without extreme care can lead to incorrect conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hardness is a commonly reported food property, measured by compression at a high strain where the food structure breaks. Hardness should not be reported for foods that deform without breaking. Firmness is an intermediate level of hardness associated with nondestructive compression, at strains typically around 0.1. Sensory perception enables accurate classifications of hardness. Conversely (and perhaps counterintuitively), instrumental measurements of hardness while often precise are not necessarily accurate. The outcome depending on the test protocol, whereby the geometry of the test apparatus, the speed of the test and the degree of deformation all influence the result. Ambiguity occurs in how instrumental measurements of hardness are reported, with some authors using stress, while others use force. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The term Islamophobia is used in research studies; however, it is evident many researchers do not similarly use the term and, subsequently, measure the construct. We evaluate measures based upon their alignment with one first definition of Islamophobia that includes: (1) a perceived fear or threat of Islam/Muslims and (2) an engagement in prejudicial attitudes and/or discriminatory actions. We conducted a systematic literature search of 15 databases to identify Islamophobia‐related measures used in the literature from 1992 to 2018 (updated 2022). The measures were reviewed to examine alignment with the definition of Islamophobia and their psychometric properties. We identified 12 validated measures of Islamophobia and provided an in‐depth review of each measure. Additionally, we cataloged the 249 validated and nonvalidated measures of Islamophobia (N = 24), and the five remaining content areas—prejudicial attitudes (N = 80), discriminatory actions (N = 21), fear of Muslims (N = 23), anti‐other group (N = 52), and experiences of discrimination for Muslims (N = 49) by validity, measure structure, and other criteria (Tables 1–12). This systematic review can assist researchers in identifying and selecting the most reliable and valid measure related to their definition of Islamophobia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To evaluate the agreement between six currently available periapical radiography‐based methods for measuring the root canal curvatures in mesial roots of mandibular first molars, assessed by two examiners with different proficiency levels. Methodology: Non‐endodontically treated mesial roots of 41 human mandibular first molars were radiographed using the parallelling technique. Two independent observers (a specialist in endodontics and radiology and a final‐year dental student) assessed their root canal curvature using the methodologies described by Schneider (1971, Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology and Oral Radiology, 32, 271), Weine (1982, Endodontic therapy), Berbert and Nishiyama (1994, Revista Gaúcha de Odontología, 356), Luiten et al. (1995, Journal of Endodontics, 21, 26), Hankins and ElDeeb (1996, Journal of Endodontics, 22, 123) and Pettiette et al. (1999, Journal of Endodontics, 25, 230). Intra‐ and inter‐examiner reliability was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient. The differences in curvature angle measured by the different methods were compared using the one‐way anova for repeated measures test, followed by Tukey's post hoc analysis. The effect was calculated using the Cohen's d method. To determine the agreement between methods, the Bland–Altman analysis was used. The significance level was set at 5%. Results: Agreement for the observers was excellent (>0.81) for the six methods considered. For the angle comparisons between methods, the maximum differences were for Schneider versus Weine (35.77°) and Luiten versus Hankins (35.14°), whilst the highest percentage of angles with a difference >10° were Weine versus Luiten and Berbert versus Pettiette (90%) and the comparison Weine versus Hankins presented with the lowest frequency (15%). Excellent agreement was found for five comparisons: Weine versus Luiten (0.940), Berbert versus Pettiette (0.917), Weine versus Pettiette (0.907), Luiten versus Pettiette (0.904) and Berbert versus Luiten (0.812). Compared to Schneider's method, the other methods showed a tendency of increasing difference as the angles became more acute. The other methods exhibited linear differences, remaining constant for smaller and larger angles. Conclusions: Reliability was excellent for all methods assessed separately. Maximum differences in curvature angles were found when comparing Schneider versus Weine and Luiten versus Hankins. Excellent agreement was found for Weine versus Luiten, Berbert versus Pettiette, Weine versus Pettiette, Luiten versus Pettiette and Berbert versus Luiten. In the presence of dilacerations, the method by Schneider was less sensitive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Educational measurement is a social science that requires both qualitative and quantitative competencies. Qualitative competencies in educational measurement include developing and applying theories of learning, designing instruments, and identifying the social, cultural, historical, and political contexts of measurement. Quantitative competencies include statistical inference, computational fluency, and psychometric modeling. I review 12 commentaries authored by past presidents of the National Council on Measurement in Education (NCME) published in a special issue prompting them to reflect on the past, present, and future of educational measurement. I explain how a perspective on both qualitative and quantitative competencies yields common themes across the commentaries. These include the appeal and challenge of personalization, the necessity of contextualization, and the value of communication and collaboration. I conclude that elevation of both qualitative and quantitative competencies underlying educational measurement provides a clearer sense of how NCME can advance its mission, "to advance theory and applications of educational measurement to benefit society." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a 1993 EM:IP article, I made six predictions related to measurement policy issues for the approaching millenium. In this article, I evaluate the accuracy of those predictions (Spoiler: I was only modestly accurate) and I proffer a mix of seven contemporary predictions, recommendations, and aspirations regarding assessment generally, NCME as an association, and specific psychometric practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV) Task Forces on Quality of Life and Patient‐Oriented Outcomes and Urticaria and Angioedema has examined the Health‐Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) measurement in the treatment of urticaria. The Dermatology Life Quality Index was the most frequently used HRQoL instrument in clinical trials on urticaria. Many reports of clinical trials of urticaria gave no exact numeric results related to HRQoL changes, making clear conclusions and comparisons with other studies impossible. The interpretation of HRQoL impairment data is more difficult when assessed by instruments without severity stratification systems. The minimal clinically significant difference (MCID) is a more clinically oriented and relevant parameter than depending on statistically significant changes in HRQoL scores. Therefore, using HRQoL instruments with established MCID data in clinical trials and clinical practice is preferred. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to validate the Spanish version of the Family Involvement Questionnaire‐Short Form (FIQ‐SF) for use with Spanish‐speaking families of children enrolled in early childhood education programs. This study examined the factor structure of the FIQ‐SF and established criterion validity for the resulting FIQ‐SF dimension scores. Results from exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses replicated the three dimensions of the English FIQ: Home Engagement, School Engagement, and home–school Conferencing. Mean differences across family demographics were examined. Criterion‐related validity for the three FIQ‐SF dimensions was established by examining correlations with scores on measures of parent‐reported satisfaction with educational experiences, program records of family engagement, direct assessments of child language skills and teacher‐reported approaches to learning. Future directions and practice implications for the use of the Spanish FIQ‐SF to inform program policy and interventions are discussed. Practitioner points: Early childhood programs need validated tools that measure multiple aspects of family engagement for Spanish speaking families.This study examined the Spanish form of the Family Engagement Questionnaire‐ Short Form for parents from Spanish speaking backgrounds enrolled in Head Start.The three scales measured family engagement reliably and were related to parents' report of satisfaction with the program and children's school readiness outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high‐quality (Q) low‐noise amplifier (LNA) combined with a voltage‐controlled oscillator (VCO) is presented for small frequency errors in self‐calibration. The proposed new double capacitive‐cross‐coupled structure controls negative impedance and thus, changes the working mode between the LNA and VCO with a small variation of parasitic capacitance, which results in a small calibration frequency error. High‐Q and low‐noise performances were theoretically analyzed and confirmed by simulation and measurement. The measured LNA operated from 2.2 to 2.44 GHz with a Q‐factor of 34 while the frequency offset was less than 0.9%. A power gain of 27 dB, noise figure of 2.1 dB, and input third‐order intercept point (IIP3) of −17 dBm were obtained while the power dissipations of the LNA and VCO modes were 10.2 and 4.7 mW from a 1.5‐V supply, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimization of the method for calculating influence lines from measurement data As part of the measurement‐based reassessment of steel railway bridges, influence lines resulting from the passage of a load vehicle are used to determine structural loading. The commonly used method for deriving influence lines from measurement data is the Braune method, which computes the influence line step by step from the data. This article discusses the matrix method, an alternative method for determining influence lines, and compares it with the Braune method. For this purpose, different factors influencing the result quality of the influence lines were investigated using artificial strain lines generated on the static model of the Norderelbe railway overpass and validated using measurement data obtained during the reassessment of the bridge. The findings demonstrate that the matrix method offers a robust approach to influence line determination and the amount of work involved in determining the influence lines can be reduced in comparison to the Braune method. Furthermore, the matrix method can be flexibly integrated into the existing process of influence line determination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the distinct associations between Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participation and different experiences of food‐related hardship. Using a generalization of the Rasch model with USDA Economic Research Service 2022 data for 10 adult‐referenced food security survey items, we find evidence of uniform differential item function. The gap in odds of response between the first item (food‐related worry) and the third item (difficulty acquiring balanced meals) was larger for SNAP households than for non‐SNAP households. Similar differences were observed for other survey items. We consider whether SNAP policy or program changes could increase beneficial impacts differentially for particular food‐related hardships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The USDA Food Security Survey Module (FSSM) is the gold standard for measuring food security; however, research suggests that college students may respond to FSSM items differently than the general population. Students may have a varied portfolio of food and financial resources (thus, complicating interpretations of "money") to acquire food. We conducted a randomized control trial to test whether a preamble to address this issue improves model fit. Results indicated the preamble did not improve model fit, and students' responses deviated from expected patterns. More research could help understand these deviations and their implications for measuring FI on college campuses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Achieving genuine sustainability progress depends on translating strategic goals into actionable steps. This is particularly crucial for hybrid organisations, where managers must integrate socio‐environmental impact information into daily practices. This study explores how managers use impact information for internal (company control and decision‐making) and external (dissemination) purposes. Furthermore, it examines whether there are differences in the usage patterns depending on corporate characteristics. Using sample data produced by an online questionnaire administered to European B Corps, the results show somewhat limited integration of this socio‐environmental information into management decision‐making. However, companies with better alignment between economic and social objectives, alongside highly innovative firms, showcase a more extensive use of this information. This research contributes to the literature by identifying specific organisational characteristics that are linked to the observed variations in the use of impact information. It points out which characteristics are associated with companies that exhibit a more comprehensive integration of this information into management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Minimal detectable change (MDC) represents the smallest amount of change required for an outcome to be considered real and not merely due to measurement error or task variability. This study aimed to examine MDC for cough and lingual strength outcomes among individuals with neurodegenerative disease. Methods: In a single session, individuals diagnosed with Parkinson's disease (PD), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), and cerebellar ataxia completed repeated measurements of voluntary sequential cough via spirometry (n = 143) and lingual isometric and swallowing pressure with the Iowa Oral Performance Instrument (n = 231). The MDC at the 95% confidence level was calculated with the following formula: MDC = 1.96 × √2 × SEM. Results: MDC for cough strength was 0.52 L/s (PD), 0.57 L/s (PSP), and 0.20 L/s (ataxia). On trials with the same number of coughs, MDC for cough strength was 0.18 L/s in PD and 0.24 L/s in ataxia. MDC for lingual isometric pressure was 5.44 kPa (PD), 2.35 kPa (PSP), and 3.41 kPa (ataxia), whereas swallowing pressure was 5.60 kPa (PD), 2.97 kPa (PSP), and 7.34 kPa (ataxia). Conclusions: These findings elucidate MDC for cough and lingual strength outcomes and expand our understanding of change that can be considered "real" and not merely due to task variability. MDC facilitates valid interpretations of changes following treatment, as well as power analyses to determine the smallest effect size of interest before data collection. To illustrate the application of MDC, we situate these findings in the context of hypothetical case studies and research studies. Level of Evidence: 3 Laryngoscope, 134:5034–5040, 2024 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Methods Results Conclusions Stopping or reducing risky or unneeded medications (“deprescribing”) could improve older adults' health. Electronic health data can support observational and intervention studies of deprescribing, but there are no standardized measures for key variables, and healthcare systems have differing data types and availability. We developed definitions for chronic medication use and discontinuation based on electronic health data and applied them in a case study of benzodiazepines and Z‐drugs in five diverse US healthcare systems.We conducted a retrospective cohort study of adults age 65+ from 2017 to 2019 with chronic benzodiazepine or Z‐drug use. We determined whether sites had access to medication orders and/or dispensings. We developed definitions for chronic use and discontinuation using both data types. Discontinuation definitions were based on (1) gaps in medication availability during follow‐up or (2) not having medication available at a fixed time point. We examined the impact of varying the gap length and requiring a 30‐day period without orders/dispensings (“halo”) around the fixed time point. We compared results derived from orders versus dispensings at one site.Approximately 1.6%–2.6% of older adults had chronic benzodiazepine/Z‐drug use (total N = 6775, ranging from 431 to 2122 across sites). Depending on the definition and site, the proportion discontinuing use during 12 months ranged from 6% to 49%. Requiring a longer gap or a 30‐day “halo” resulted in lower estimates. At one site, only 56% of those with chronic use defined from orders also qualified based on dispensings, and the discontinuation rate at 180 days was 20% from orders versus 32% from dispensings.Requiring a gap of ≥90 days or a “halo” around a time point may more accurately capture discontinuation than using a shorter gap or no halo. Orders data underestimate discontinuation compared to dispensings. Work is needed to adapt these definitions for other drug classes and settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Methods Results Conclusion In this article, we examine the extent to which respondents’ support for conspiratorial claims depends on question format. Measuring conspiracy theory beliefs in the general population is challenging, and properly capturing these beliefs is necessary if we are to understand them.We conducted a preregistered vignette experiment of Canadian respondents (N = 3,518) in February 2024. In our experiment, we introduced survey respondents to conspiratorial claims in one of three ways: (1) by asking them whether they support a conspiratorial claim directly through a Likert scale with the response set from very likely to not likely at all, (2) by offering respondents a binary choice between a conspiratorial claim and an alternative claim, and (3) by offering respondents a trichotomous choice between a conspiratorial claim, an alternative claim, and an equally likely option.We find the trichotomous format produces the most conservative estimates of conspiracy endorsement, while the Likert format produces the most permissive estimates. In some cases, the percentage of respondents who endorsed conspiracy theories in the Likert questions was more than three times as high as in the trichotomous format, and in many cases was around twice as large.Different question formats lead to substantially different estimates of conspiracy beliefs. While we believe that it is impossible to create completely bias‐free questions measuring conspiracy belief, researchers must acknowledge the likely biases (in particular, social desirability bias and acquiescence bias) that may be present in their survey designs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We review the literature and relevant standards related to image quality characterization of medical devices using near‐eye displays (NEDs). First, we discuss the experimental considerations for NED measurements and the methods for aligning the light measuring device (LMD) to the NED. Second, we discuss measurement methods for several critical image quality characteristics, namely luminance, contrast, spatial resolution, geometrical distortion, and spatiotemporal properties including the methods' limitations. These characteristics were selected due to the importance of medical device NED applications. Finally, modeling methods for image quality of NEDs are discussed. Accurate and reproducible evaluation methods for image quality are essential for the safe and effective adoption of augmented and virtual reality NEDs into medical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article addresses the global regulation by periodic event‐triggered output feedback control for a class of feedforward nonlinear systems. Particularly, the considered systems suffer from parameter uncertainties and unknown measurement sensitivity, which entail integrating advanced compensation strategies within the event‐triggered framework. To this end, a time‐varying gain is devised to tackle uncertain nonlinearities as well as the sampling error. Subsequently, a novel periodic event‐triggered output feedback controller is constructed based on the delicate choice of design parameters. Notably, the proposed control scheme is able to avoid the continuous monitoring of the system behavior, and guarantee that all closed‐loop system states are globally bounded and ultimately converge to zero. Finally, a practical example is given to illustrate the main results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the role of measurement as a cognitive technology across human history, emphasizing the coexistence of formal and informal measurement systems. While standardized systems dominate contemporary culture and are well documented across large‐scale societies of the past, this manuscript highlights the less explored domain of informal measurement practices that have been integral to daily life from the past to the present. Through the examination of body‐based measurement systems and proportional heuristics, we demonstrate how these informal strategies were not merely precursors to formal standards but essential adaptive tools for solving everyday problems. Often, these informal solutions come with practical advantages. This manuscript calls for a broader recognition of their significance in cultural and technological evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although periodic photonic structures, especially associated with nonlinearity, play a prominent role in optics nowadays, effective detection of their nonlinearity still remains a critical challenge. Here, an approach is proposed to detect the nonlinearity of photonic lattices in a direct way. By properly launching structured beams, namely Airy beams, into the lattices, the nonlinear response function of the discrete system can be directly obtained in the nonlinearly‐shaped beam profiles. To be specific, a single Airy beam is utilized to map self‐defocusing nonlinearity, while self‐focusing nonlinearity, which is hard to visualize in the bulk case, is readily discerned by employing double Airy beams in photonic structures. The proposed method is validated numerically and experimentally by detecting different types of nonlinearities of photonic lattices fabricated in a nonlinear crystal. These findings introduce a promising route for characterizing the nonlinear response of optical structures, thereby broadening the scope of nonlinear measurement and is expected to be extended into other periodic photonic structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims Design, setting and participants Measurements Findings Conclusions Amid escalating cannabis legalization and daily consumption in the United States (US), determining the risk of cannabis use disorder (CUD) and relevant consequences among daily consumers has become a public health priority. Understanding these risks requires valid assessment of the daily quantity of delta‐9‐tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) consumed and its relation to consequences. This study characterized daily cannabis consumption using a new method for estimating milligrams of THC (mgTHC), and examined the relationship between daily mgTHC and CUD severity in a large national sample of daily consumers.US adult (aged 18+ years) daily cannabis consumers (n = 4134) completed a comprehensive online survey of cannabis consumption patterns (e.g. frequency, quantity, product types, potencies, administration methods) and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM‐5) CUD criteria.The primary exposure was past‐week daily mgTHC consumption, calculated from survey responses to queries about product type, amount and potency consumed and including adjustments for puff size and loss of THC from specific methods of administration. The primary outcomes were (1) number of CUD criteria (range = 0–11) and (2) CUD severity categories: none, mild, moderate, severe.Median daily consumption was ~130 mgTHC, with substantial variability (25% ≤ 50 mg and 25% ≥ 290 mg). On average, participants endorsed 2.5 CUD criteria, and 65% met criteria for CUD (39% mild, 18% moderate, 8% severe). Greater daily mgTHC predicted higher CUD criteria count [betalog(mgTHC) = 0.50, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.267–0.734] and higher odds of mild [log odds ratio (logOR) = 0.238, 95% CI = 0.184–0.292], moderate (logOR = 0.303, 95% CI = 0.232–0.374) or severe (logOR = 0.335, 95% CI = 0.236–0.435) CUD.Among daily consumers of cannabis, there appears to be a positive relationship between the daily quantity of cannabis consumed (measured in milligrams of delta‐9‐tetrahydrocannabinol) and both the risk and severity of cannabis use disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interband Cascade Lasers (ICL) have matured into a versatile technological platform in the mid‐infrared spectral domain. To broaden their applicability even further, ongoing research pursues the emission of ultrashort pulses. The most promising approach is passive mode‐locking with a fast saturable absorber. However, despite vast attempts no passive mode‐locked ICL has been demonstrated up to date. In this study, pump‐probe measurements are conducted on the ICL gain, demonstrating that ≈$\approx$60–70% of its dynamic behavior is characterized by a rapid recovery time of 2 ps. The findings explain why passive mode‐locking of ICLs has not succeeded so far, shedding a new light on ICL dynamics as strategies are proposed to overcome the current limitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT A chemically cross‐linked version of polystyrene is presented here that allows the preparation of reversibly mechanically compressible gels as NMR weakly aligning media. The gels can be successfully swollen in aromatic solvents such as toluene‐d8 and pyridine‐d5, as well as in CDCl3, and provided accurate measurements of 1DCH RDCs and 13C‐RCSAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study examines the factorial structure and psychometric properties of the Eating Disorder‐15 questionnaire (ED‐15) in a large clinical sample, as well as the instrument's sensitivity to early clinical change in therapy and ability to measure remission. Method: Participants with eating disorders (N = 278) referred to the Flinders University Services for Eating Disorders in South Australia completed the ED‐15 as well as other measures of eating disorder symptoms and co‐occurring psychopathology, including depression, anxiety, and stress. Results: Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) revealed a two‐factor model for the ED‐15. The ED‐15 had good internal consistency. It showed satisfactory concurrent validity with moderate correlations with the EDE‐Q global score and contribution of unique variance to that score. Correlations indicated good convergent validity with clinical impairment and good divergent validity from depression, anxiety, and stress. The ED‐15 showed a significant medium effect size change within the first four sessions of therapy. Good discriminant validity was indicated by cut‐off scores used for remission, with significantly different levels of ED psychopathology and other impairments between the two groups. Discussion: This study adds to the four previous psychometric studies of the ED‐15, confirming robustness of the English version in a clinical sample. The brevity and psychometric robustness of the ED‐15 makes it a preferable measure to the Eating Disorder Examination for sessional assessment of progress in treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, hole generation in a 60 nm thick polarization‐doped AlxGa1–xN (x = 0.9–0.35)‐graded layer with some Mg doping (5 × 1018 cm−3) is demonstrated by using a 10 nm thick heavily (1 × 1020 cm−3) Mg‐doped Al0.35Ga0.65N contact layer. First, light emission from a deep‐ultraviolet light‐emitting diode is observed with the AlxGa1–xN (x = 0.9–0.35)‐graded layer and the Al0.35Ga0.65N contact layer, indicating a vertical hole transport from the Al0.35Ga0.65N contact layer to the active region through the polarization‐doped AlGaN‐graded layer. Second, hole concentration, mobility, and resistivity values of the AlxGa1–xN (x = 0.9–0.35)‐graded layer and the Al0.35Ga0.65N contact layer are evaluated by Hall effect measurement. A hole concentration of 1.8 × 1018 cm−3 is clearly observed by removing the AlGaN contact layer (not underneath of electrodes) to minimize a parallel conduction. The hole concentration shows a very weak temperature dependence from room temperature down to 150 K, suggesting that the holes are generated by polarization doping. Hole generation in the fully strained AlxGa1–xN (x = 0.9–0.35)‐graded layer is directly evaluated by Hall effect measurement with the AlGaN contact layer just underneath the electrodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the potential influences of administration context on the measurement of child skills. The Brief Observation of Social‐Communication Change (BOSCC) was administered at two time points to preschool‐aged children with autism in two contexts: (1) at school by trained research staff and (2) at home by the parent. Participants were of ages 3–5 years (M = 4.27 years) old with a confirmed diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Of the 13 participants (nine male), eight were White, three Asian, one Black and one White/Black; all identified as non‐Hispanic. The social‐communication and Core total scores yield similar information in both contexts, but Restricted and Repetitive Behaviors and Other Abnormal Behavior subscales scores were not related. These results underscore the importance of purposeful selection of measures and their administration context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the influence of habit on health behaviour, or the formation or disruption of health habits over time, requires reliable and valid measures of automaticity. The most used measure, the Self‐Report Behavioural Automaticity Index (SRBAI; derived from the Self‐Report Habit Index [SRHI]), comprises four items, which may be impractical in some research contexts. Responding to demand from fellow researchers, this study sought to identify whether and which single items from the SRBAI adequately detect hypothesised effects of automaticity, via secondary analysis of 16 datasets, incorporating 16,838 participants and seven different behaviours. We assessed construct validity through correlations between each item and the full SRBAI (and where possible, the SRHI) and predictive validity by examining correlations with behaviour. All four single‐item measures independently met construct and predictive validity criteria. We recognise compelling conceptual and methodological arguments regarding why people should not attempt to assess automaticity via a single, self‐report item. However, where circumstances require brief measures, three SRBAI items each offer a credible and practical one‐item measure that can substitute for the SRBAI or SRHI. We recommend one item in particular—'Behaviour X is something I do automatically'—because it tended to most closely replicate the effects of the four‐item SRBAI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An important question in teamwork research is how to maximize performance and the aspects of the team's dynamics and collaboration process that underpin it. Prior research has shown that when team members who are collaborating towards a common purpose experience flow together (team flow; optimal experiences that occur simultaneously at the individual and team levels, entailing deep focus and intrinsic motivation to perform an activity), the team significantly improves its performance and team members experience many positive results at both the individual and team levels. Further advances have built a model of team flow and a means for measuring the construct, as well as qualitative results in business teams to confirm how the elements of team flow interact to generate the positive experiences and higher performance. This study adds practical value to the research by providing proof‐of‐concept for an intervention that promotes team flow in business teams. This cross‐case‐study of 15 teams across five different organizations uses the Team Flow Monitor as a barometer of team health and dynamics, which in turn serves as the centerpiece of an iterative intervention protocol for leading/guiding teams in targeted self‐reflection that can generate virtuous cycles of improving dynamics and performance. In addition to a significant amount of qualitative data confirming the efficacy of the intervention in enabling teams to overcome obstacles and experience more team flow, quantitative analysis of Team Flow Monitor scores showed an increase on average team flow scores across the teams over the course of the intervention (Cohen's d = 0.6). Implications for translating team flow research to field situations are discussed, along with further potential uses of the Team Flow Monitor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What are the psychometric properties of the Continence and Mobility in Older Adults Knowledge Quiz? Our previous research revealed gaps in practicing and student nurses' knowledge of mobility and continence in older people. To address this gap, we developed a self‐directed e‐learning module on continence and mobility to enhance student nurses knowledge. The module provided education about continence, mobility, and the links between them. Since we were unable to locate a continence and mobility measure that captured both lower urinary track symptoms and elements of mobility, we developed a continence and mobility knowledge quiz. For researchers and educators to be able to use this quiz with confidence, psychometric testing of our continence and mobility knowledge quiz was required. When caring for older people, two geriatric challenges—continence and mobility—are often linked and viewed as indicators of frailty. Functional changes related to continence and/or mobility can indicate an acute illness in older persons and, if left untreated, can result in permanent changes managing continence needs. Continence care is often viewed negatively and is not prioritized by nurses. We employed stages in development of the Continence and Mobility Knowledge Quiz. In stage one, we developed 18 item true/false items from the literature with the guidance of a continence expert. In stage two, we tested the Quiz with nursing students from three universities in Canada. In stage three, (the current stage) we assessed the validity of the scale using a factor analysis and a reliability analysis (via standardized Cronbach's alpha). From our sample of 420, factor analysis indicated a two‐factor model (as suggested by Kaiser's rule), explained 22% of the variation in responses to the assessment items. We recommend removing item 7 as it does not contribute to the internal consistency of the tool. Cronbach's alpha after removing 7 is 0.65, indicating satisfactory reliability. To our knowledge, this is the first validated tool for measuring nurse knowledge about continence and mobility that addresses both a range of lower urinary tract symptoms and elements of mobility in older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radio map reconstruction is a fundamental problem of great relevance in numerous real‐world applications, such as network planning and fingerprint localization. Sampling the complete radio map is prohibitively costly in practice and difficult to achieve. Such methods for reconstructing radio maps from a subset of measurements are now gaining additional attention. In this paper, we first explore the spatial features of signals on the radio map and formulate the reconstruction problem as an optimization problem with feature penalties. Then, we propose an iteration algorithm with spatial feature learning to reconstruct signals on the radio map, which improves the reconstruction accuracy by using an adaptive feature dictionary. Numerical examples are given to demonstrate the viability and performance of our method at last. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: The precision of the doubly labeled water (DLW) method is determined by the precision and accuracy of the isotopic measurements. Quality control (QC) procedures to mitigate sample variability require additional measurements if sample duplicates differ more than a factor of instrument precision. We explored the effect of widening QC ranges on total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) determined using the two‐point sampling method. Methods: We screened DLW data from 121 individuals for instances where samples were analyzed more than twice using our existing QC criteria (±2.0 per mil [δ] for 2H and ±0.5 δ for 18O). We then applied wider QC ranges for accepting duplicate measures and recalculated TDEE. Results: Widening the 2H QC range to ±10.0 δ in samples collected on the first day (most enriched) and to ±5.0 δ in samples collected on the final day (less enriched) produced almost identical mean TDEE compared to the originally calculated TDEE (2684 ± 508 vs. 2687 ± 512 kcal/day, p = 0.40). There was a strong correlation with the originally calculated TDEE (r2 = 0.97, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Expanding the 2H QC range to ±10.0 δ for samples collected on the first day and ±5.0 δ for samples collected on the final day provides similar mean TDEE results. These findings may help DLW labs optimize QC criteria and reduce analytical costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although family scholars have long relied on longitudinal data, electronic methods of data collection like web‐ and app‐based surveys have greatly increased the amount of data with many repeated measures at short intervals, sometimes called intensive longitudinal data. The authors provide a conceptual overview of this type of data, paying particular attention to the appropriate frequency for the intervals, and discuss some of the unique contributions to Life Course Theory that can be generated with such data. They illustrate two analytic techniques that especially benefit from an intensive longitudinal design—sequence analysis and between‐within regression—by applying these methods to intensive longitudinal data from the Relationship Dynamics and Social Life Study that represent a "micro life course" of pregnancy risk (partnering, pregnancy desire, sex, and contraception) during the transition to adulthood. Their sequence analysis shows that singlehood, hormonal contraception, or partnered abstinence dominated most young women's micro‐life courses. Black/African‐American young women's micro life courses were similarly dominated by singlehood but were even more frequently dominated by partnered abstinence than their non‐Black/African‐American peers'. However, Black/African‐American women's micro life courses were less stable, potentially explaining their higher undesired pregnancy rates. A between‐within regression model shows that Black/African‐American coital contraceptors were less likely than their non‐Black/African‐American peers to use withdrawal (rather than condoms). They conclude by suggesting some potential ways that intensive longitudinal data capturing micro‐life courses can contribute to important outstanding research questions in family research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This article outlines for family scholars and researchers designing surveys or searching for data on sexual and gender‐diverse (SGD) families the latest methodological advancements in United States population‐based surveys for studying SGD partnerships by reviewing five recently collected, publicly available, population‐representative data sets. Background: LGBTQIA+ adults and SGD partnerships are an expanding demographic group in the United States. Yet, measurement limitations have restricted studies of these partnerships that use population‐based studies. To address this issue, researchers designing population‐representative data collections have adopted new strategies to measure SGD partnerships accurately. However, most population representative surveys continue to lack data on growing segments of the LGBTQIA+ population by relying solely on the sex of partners or limited sexual and gender identity measures. Conclusion: We recommend expanding population‐based surveys to incorporate inclusive measures of sexual and gender identity, directly asking about the gender composition of a couple and measurement of cohabiting and other nonmarital relationships. These approaches are especially important for understanding relationships among younger populations who do not follow heteronormative relationship trajectories and hold diverse gender and sexual identities. Implications: Although the research opportunities on SGD individuals and partnerships are expanding; researchers must remain mindful of the limitations of current data sets and advocate for updates to the United States population data infrastructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poor measurement quality has set back the utility of anthropometry in defining childhood malnutrition, prompting calls for alternative measurement techniques. This study aimed to assess the reliability of anthropometric measurements using a digital height board in comparison to an analog height board in Namibian children under 5 years of age. A cross‐sectional, descriptive study was conducted (n = 425) between the age of 6 and 59 months, using anthropometric measurements of weight, height and mid‐upper arm circumference. Two trained enumerators each collected four height measurements of each child: two using an analog height board and two using a digi‐board. The repeated height measurements between and within the enumerators were used to determine intra‐ and interobserver reliability. Reliability of the digi‐board was assessed using the technical error of measurement (TEM), relative TEM (%TEM), intraclass correlation and a Bland–Altman analysis to assess the agreement between the two methods. In all these assessments, the analog height board was considered as the gold standard and used for comparison. The digi‐board showed superiority to the analog height board in terms of reliability (analog TEM = 0.22, digi‐board TEM = 0.16). Although the digi‐board has potential to improve child anthropometry, further clinical and large survey studies are needed to validate the used of this tool in routine population‐based surveys. Key messages: Malnutrition is a global health concern, specifically in children under 5 years, emphasizing the need for interventions to address malnutrition at the population level.Moving anthropometric measurement from analog (which is prone to human error) to digital has the potential to improve data quality in anthropometric measurements in children.Accurate and reliable measurements are important in identifying populations that are at risk of malnutrition.The digi‐board has better reliability compared to the analog height board.An increased measurement error was observed in younger children (6–23 months) compared to children between 24 and 59 months of age for both the analog board and the digi‐board. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimal child growth requires a combination of nutrition‐specific and sensitive interventions in the first 1,000 days. There is limited guidance on how to measure the population‐level coverage of nutrition‐sensitive social protection (NSSP), which is designed with explicit nutrition goals and often provides food or cash transfers and co‐coverage with nutrition and health intervention. In this study in India, we designed a questionnaire that captures seven core NSSP program elements (transfer type, size, modality, population, timing, provider, conditionalities), then used cognitive testing to refine the questionnaire, and then implemented the questions as part of a telephone survey. Cognitive testing indicated variability in understanding the terms used to specify NSSP programs, including the need to use regional program names. Respondents also had difficulty recalling the timing of the benefit receipt. We included the refined NSSP coverage questions in a phone‐based survey with 6,627 mothers with children <2 years across six states. Coverage of subsidized food was 73% across all households. Women were more likely to report receiving food than cash transfers during pregnancy (89% vs. 60%) and during lactation (75% vs. 13%). Co‐coverage of NSSP with nutrition and health interventions during pregnancy (16%) and early childhood (3%) was low. It was feasible to measure coverage of NSSP investments in these populations; however, further research is needed to comprehensively assess all the dimensions of the NSSP benefits, including benefit adequacy and the validity of these questions when administered in person and by phone. Key messages: Nutrition‐sensitive social protection (NSSP) programs have diverse intervention designs and delivery channels that present challenges for standardized coverage measurement. There is limited guidance on how to measure the population‐level coverage of NSSP, which is designed with explicit nutrition goals.This study developed and operationalized indicators of NSSP coverage and co‐coverage across the first 1,000 days using an evidenced‐based NSSP measurement framework to cognitively test the appropriateness of the survey questions. Our findings also revealed important insights into what types of benefits mothers were receiving for nutrition and areas that were lacking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most studies regarding heat transfer on low‐finned tubes address the condensation of refrigerants and water on copper tubes. Existing models are mainly validated for this use case since studies regarding different substances or tube materials are scarce in the literature. This paper presents measurement data on the condensation of n‐propanol, isopropanol, isobutanol, and acetone on low‐finned stainless‐steel tubes. Together with experimental data from the literature, the measurements are used to test the performance of models from the literature. As the investigated models fail to describe all measurement data, a new model based on a set of dimensionless numbers is derived and fitted to the experimental data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Medical students are demanders and future suppliers of antibiotic use. Understanding their knowledge, attitude and practice is important for appropriately using antibiotics and controlling antibiotic resistance. The objective of this study was to assess the measurement properties of existed instruments and summarize measurement items and results. Methods: Five English and Chinese databases were searched to comprehensively identify related studies between January 2000 and May 2023. Included instruments were assessed using consensus‐based standards for the selection of health measurement instruments checklist. Descriptive tables and narrative texts were applied to summary the data. Results: Of 3524 studies identified, 25 were finally included, from which 22 measurement instruments were included. Of these, 14 instruments were found with adequate content validity, only one study reported structural validation process and two studies reported reliability test results. Similar items were divided into different dimensions in different studies. Gaps and misconceptions in knowledge and attitude were indicated in antibiotic use principles, including antibiotic use indications and selection. Conclusions: Limitations existed in the current measurement instrument including lacking validation, inconsistent classification of item and lacking item regarding the perspective of suppliers. Scientific tools for objective and accurate measure are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The UPPS‐P Impulsive Behavior Scale is a widely used self‐report measure of impulsivity, but there is currently no validated German version that includes the Positive Urgency scale. Methods: We combined existing German translations of UPPS scales and included the Positive Urgency dimension to validate the UPPS‐P in a sample of 399 participants. In addition, we developed a revised short version of the UPPS‐P (SUPPS‐P) with 20 items and conducted a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to verify the structure in an independent validation sample with 349 participants. To determine evidence of convergent and discriminant validity, we used measures of impulsivity, depression, anxiety, stress, problematic alcohol and substance use. Results: CFA of the five factorial structure of the UPPS‐P demonstrated acceptable fits and evidence of validity and reliability for the subscales. Psychometric characteristics of the SUPPS‐P using the original item configuration were not satisfactory. As a result, we developed a revised German version of the SUPPS‐P and confirmed the five‐factor structure using a CFA in the validation sample. For the revised version, model fits and evidence of validity and internal consistencies were good. Associations with other constructs were as expected. For example, whereas Sensation Seeking was associated moderately with problematic alcohol use, lacking associations of Lack of Premeditation to internalizing symptoms showed evidence of discriminant validity. Discussion: The German translations of both UPPS‐P and SUPPS‐P are valid tools for measuring impulsive behaviors. They are well‐suited for exploring the associations between different facets of impulsivity and psychopathological phenomena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this letter, we investigate the radio propagation characteristics in an open outdoor place through a frequency‐domain channel measurement campaign at a frequency band of 2.1 GHz via asymmetric beam patterns. Specifically, we focus on the large‐scale fading characteristics and analyze the transceivers' separation‐dependent and boresight direction‐dependent received power, shadow fading (SF), and SF auto‐correlation properties under the case of perfect beam alignment. Furthermore, the effects of asymmetric beamwidths are also thorough investigated. The measured results reveal that transceivers' beams can reduce the shadow fading variances evidently in contrast to the omnidirectional antennas' case. Besides, it is found that the pattern where mobile receiver (Rx) uses narrow beams and static transmitter (Tx) adopts the omnidirectional antenna yields a high SF auto‐correlation value compared to the other beam patterns. The conclusions help to understand the impacts of variable beamwidths on radio propagation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION: The Health and Retirement Study International Partner Surveys (HRS IPS) have rich longitudinal data, but the brevity of cognitive batteries is a limitation. METHODS: We used data from a substudy of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) administering detailed cognitive assessments with the Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol (ELSA‐HCAP) (N = 1273) to inform approaches for estimating cognition in ELSA (N = 11,213). We compared two novel approaches: confirmatory factor analysis (CFA)‐ and regression‐based prediction. RESULTS: Compared to estimates from the full HCAP battery, estimated cognitive functioning derived using regression models or CFA had high correlations (regression: r = 0.85 [95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.83 to 0.87]; CFA: r = 0.83 [95% CI: 0.81 to 0.85]) and reasonable mean squared error (regression: 0.25 [0.22 to 0.27]; CFA: 0.29 [0.26 to 0.32]) in held‐out data. The use of additional items from waves 7 to 9 improved performance. DISCUSSION: Both approaches are recommended for future research; the similarity in approaches may be due to the brevity of available cognitive assessments in ELSA. Highlights: Estimates of cognitive functioning informed by English Longitudinal Study of Ageing‐Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol (ELSA‐HCAP) data had an adequate performance.Standard errors were smaller for associations with example risks when using measures informed by ELSA‐HCAP.Performance was better when including additional cognitive measures available in waves 7 to 9.Conceptual advantages to the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) approach were not important in practice due to the brevity of the ELSA cognitive battery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a new scale, the Consumers' Cognitive Flexibility Scale (CCF‐Scale). Consumers' Cognitive Flexibility (CCF) is conceptualized as the adaptation to changes in the environment and to product options by exhibiting flexible thoughts, feelings, and actions. This scale is a new measure of consumers' mental capabilities to understand and evaluate unknown products. Especially, really new products (RNPs) are highly innovative and different from well‐known products in the market. A flexible mindset can help integrate RNPs into existing knowledge structures. The CCF‐Scale was developed and tested with four prestudies and four representative studies with 1057, 696, 494 German, and 506 US consumers. The prestudies were used to ensure face and content validity and to select products for criterion validity. The findings demonstrate a reliable and valid scale in both countries consisting of 14 items with three CCF‐facets: Coping (with consumption problems), Perspective (change for product/information evaluation), and Alignment (to changes in the environment). Results show that the CCF‐facets help explain RNP‐acceptance across different categories (e.g., food, furniture, and digital services). One limitation is the article's focus on RNPs. Still, marketers can use these findings to adjust instructions on how to use RNPs and to communicate more effectively, for example by using analogies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Distortion risk measures (DRM) are risk measures that are law invariant and comonotonic additive. The present paper is an extensive inquiry into this class of risk measures in light of new ideas such as qualitative robustness, prudence and no reward for concentration, and tail relevance. Results include several characterizations of prudent DRMs, a novel representation of coherent DRMs as well as an axiomatization of the Expected Shortfall alternative to the one recently provided by Wang and Zitikis. By linking the two axiomatizations, the paper provides a new perspective on the idea of no reward for concentration. The paper also contains results of independent interest such as the lower semicontinuity with respect to convergence in distribution of the Haezendonck–Goovaerts risk measures, the extension of non‐necessarily convex risk measures as well as the structure of the core of a general submodular distortion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zero‐flow recordings in gauged streamflow data are critically important for intermittent stream research. Acknowledging the high uncertainty in zero‐flow recordings, many studies pick a small number as zero‐flow threshold, below which the flow is considered to be zero. The choice of zero‐flow threshold is often arbitrary or unjustified, which leads us to wonder: would selecting a slightly different threshold change analysis result significantly? Here, we used a simple sensitivity analysis to assess how the choice of zero‐flow threshold impacts the calculated values of relevant metrics to intermittent stream research. Results show that these metrics tended to be more sensitive to lower zero‐flow thresholds, suggesting that even choosing a slightly different threshold could lead to meaningfully different results from the management perspective. This study highlights the need for reasonable justification of the choice of zero‐flow threshold and concludes with potential ways to reduce uncertainty in zero‐flow measurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To compare different measurement techniques of the posterior tibial slope (PTS) on lateral radiographs with the actual in situ PTS and evaluate the effect of tibial malrotation and image section length. Methods: Actual PTS was measured on eight fresh‐frozen tibiae using a portable 6‐axis measuring arm with an accuracy of ±0.01°. True lateral radiographs were taken in the neutral position and after applying 10/20/30° internal/external rotation (IR/ER) and 5/10/15° varus/valgus rotation. The PTS was measured radiographically using five different reference axes: anterior tibial cortex (ATC), anatomical tibial axis, proximal tibial anatomical axis (PTAA), posterior tibial cortex (PTC) and fibular shaft axis (FSA). Results: The ATC and PTAA methods showed the lowest deviation from the actual PTS, while the PTC method showed the highest difference of 5.5 ± 1.5° (medial) and 7.1 ± 1.8° (lateral) among all tested methods (p <.001). The PTAA technique showed a 1.9 ± 1.4° (medial) and 2.9 ± 1.8° (lateral) difference from the actual slope (n.s.). ER caused the PTS to increase 0.7 ± 2.0° (10° ER, n.s.) to 3.4 ± 2.1° (30° ER, p <.05), whereas IR caused the PTS to decrease 1.6 ± 1.3° (n.s) to 4.1 ± 1.7° (p <.05) when comparing to the PTAA method for the neutral position. Varus and valgus rotation showed the highest deviation from the neutral rotation at 15° valgus (3.1 ± 2.1°, n.s.). Conclusion: Tibial slope measurements have a high degree of variability between different measurement methods, while the ATC and PTAA methods showed the least deviation from the actual PTS measured in this in vitro model. Malrotation resulted in a severe distortion of the PTS values, which may alter preoperative planning and intraoperative results. Therefore, radiographic PTS measurements may be contrasted with more objective, reproducible and reliable measuring methods. Level of Evidence: There is no level of evidence as this study was an experimental laboratory study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Aims Materials and Methods Results Discussion Conclusion Several authors have argued that vaccine hesitancy should be conceptualized as indecision in the vaccination decision‐making process, but no established measure with support for its psychometric properties and validity has been created from this operational definition.To resolve this tension, this article undergoes a four‐study scale development process to create the 4‐item Unidimensional Vaccine Hesitancy Scale (UVHS).We conduct four survey studies utilizing a total sample size of 884.In Studies 1 (n = 297) and 2 (n = 298), we provide psychometric support for the measure via exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. In Studies 3 (n = 193) and 4 (n = 106), we support the concurrent and discriminant validity of the measure by assessing its relations with relevant constructs, such as vaccination readiness and acceptance, and we also provide initial indicators of the scale's possible predictive qualities by testing its time‐separated effects with vaccination willingness, receipt and word‐of‐mouth.We leverage these results to provide a number of theoretical insights and suggestions for future practice. Of note, we highlight that different conceptualizations and operationalizations for the same construct can produce notably differing empirical findings, and vaccine hesitancy is no different.Our cumulative efforts indicate that the UVHS is an appropriate measure to assess vaccine hesitancy as indecision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]