On the Benefits of Using Maximal Reliability in Educational and Behavioral Research.

This note is concerned with the benefits that can result from the use of the maximal reliability and optimal linear combination concepts in educational and psychological research. Within the widely used framework of unidimensional multi-component measuring instruments, it is demonstrated that the linear combination of their components that possesses the highest possible reliability can exhibit a level of consistency considerably exceeding that of their overall sum score that is nearly routinely employed in contemporary empirical research. This optimal linear combination can be particularly useful in circumstances where one or more scale components are associated with relatively large error variances, but their removal from the instrument can lead to a notable loss in validity due to construct underrepresentation. The discussion is illustrated with a numerical example.

Laboratory Tests of Metrological Characteristics of a Non-Repetitive Low-Cost Mobile Handheld Laser Scanner.

The popularity of mobile laser scanning systems as a surveying tool is growing among construction contractors, architects, land surveyors, and urban planners. The user-friendliness and rapid capture of precise and complete data on places and objects make them serious competitors for traditional surveying approaches. Considering the low cost and constantly improving availability of Mobile Laser Scanning (MLS), mainly handheld surveying tools, the measurement possibilities seem unlimited. We conducted a comprehensive investigation into the quality and accuracy of a point cloud generated by a recently marketed low-cost mobile surveying system, the MandEye MLS. The purpose of the study is to conduct exhaustive laboratory tests to determine the actual metrological characteristics of the device. The test facility was the surveying laboratory of the University of Agriculture in Kraków. The results of the MLS measurements (dynamic and static) were juxtaposed with a reference base, a geometric system of reference points in the laboratory, and in relation to a reference point cloud from a higher-class laser scanner: Leica ScanStation P40 TLS. The Authors verified the geometry of the point cloud, technical parameters, and data structure, as well as whether it can be used for surveying and mapping objects by assessing the point cloud density, noise and measurement errors, and detectability of objects in the cloud.

Pinpointing Moisture: The Capacitive Detection for Standing Tree Health.

BACKGROUND: the feasibility of the capacitance method for detecting the water content in standing tree trunks was investigated using capacitance-based equipment that was designed for measuring the water content of standing tree trunks. METHODS: In laboratory experiments, the best insertion depth of the probe for standing wood was determined by measurement experiments conducted at various depths. The bark was to be peeled when specimens and standing wood were being measured. The actual water content of the test object was obtained by specimens being weighed and the standing wood being weighed after the wood core was extracted. RESULTS: A forecast of the moisture content of standing wood within a range of 0 to 180% was achieved by the measuring instrument. The feasibility of the device for basswood and fir trees is preliminarily studied. When compared to the drying method, the average error of the test results was found to be less than 8%, with basswood at 7.75%, and fir at 7.35%. CONCLUSIONS: It was concluded that the measuring instrument has a wide measuring range and is suitable for measuring wood with low moisture content, as well as standing timber with high moisture content. The measuring instrument, being small in size, easy to carry, and capable of switching modes, is considered to have a good application prospect in the field of forest precision monitoring and quality improvement.

Development and current application status of acupuncture manipulation measuring instrument and operating instrument. / é’ˆåˆºæ‰‹æ³•æµ‹å®šä»ªå’Œæ“ä½œä»ªçš„ç ”åˆ¶åŠåº”ç”¨çŽ°çŠ¶.

Acupuncture manipulation, a crucial component of acupuncture procedures, significantly influences the therapeutic outcomes. Acupuncture manipulation measuring instrument and operating instrument have been developed based on modern technology to objectively characterize manipulation parameters, and achieve standardized and normalized output of acupuncture manipulation. This paper systematically reviews the development and current application status of in vivo acupuncture manipulation measuring instrument, ex vivo acupuncture manipulation measuring instrument, and acupuncture manipulation operating instrument worldwide, and explores key issues that acupuncture manipulation operating instruments need to address for clinical applications, and provides insights into the future prospect of acupuncture robots.

The Brief Health Literacy Scale for Adults: Adaptation and Validation of the Health Literacy for School-Aged Children Questionnaire.

The Health Literacy for School-Aged Children (HLSAC) is a brief, generic instrument measuring health literacy among school-aged children. Given its brevity and broad conceptualization of health literacy, the HLSAC is a potentially valuable measuring instrument among adults as well. This validation study aimed to adapt the HLSAC questionnaire to an adult population through assessment of content validity and subsequently determine the structural validity of the adapted instrument, the Brief Health Literacy scale for Adults (B-HLA). The content validity of the HLSAC was assessed through interviews with respondents and experts, and the structural validity of the adapted instrument (B-HLA) was evaluated using Rasch analysis. The content validity assessment (n = 25) gave rise to adjustments in the wording of five items. The B-HLA demonstrated an overall misfit to the Rasch model (n = 290). Items 6 and 8 had the poorest individual fits. We found no signs of local dependency or differential item functioning concerning sex, age, education, and native language. The B-HLA demonstrated unidimensionality and ability to discriminate across health literacy levels (PSI = 0.80). Discarding items 6 or 8 resulted in an overall model fit and individual fit of all items. In conclusion, the B-HLA appears to be a valid and reliable instrument for assessing health literacy among adults.

[Measurement of Average Glandular Dose Using Multiparameter X-ray Measuring Instrument].

The average glandular dose (AGD) is very important in the quality control of mammography. The AGD calculation requires measurements of half-value layer (HVL) and entrance surface air karma (ESAK). The HVL is measured by the Al-attenuation method using a non-energy-dependent ionization dosimeter. As the Al-attenuation method performs measurements using a succession of added filters, it requires lots of X-ray exposure and measurement time. In recent years, measuring instruments that can measure tube voltage, irradiation time, exposure dose, HVL, and other factors, at the same time, using one shot of X-rays have been developed. In this study, measurement of the AGD using multiparameter X-ray measuring instrument about rhodium (Rh) and tungsten (W) anode X-ray tubes. A comparative study was performed using standard ionization dosimeters. The error in measurements was as follows: HVL 5.8%, ESAK 3.3%, and AGD 2.9%. The AGD measurement using a multiparameter X-ray measuring instrument is simple and can significantly reduce the measurement time while maintaining accuracy.

Simultaneous Measurements of Noncommuting Observables: Positive Transformations and Instrumental Lie Groups.

We formulate a general program for describing and analyzing continuous, differential weak, simultaneous measurements of noncommuting observables, which focuses on describing the measuring instrument autonomously, without states. The Kraus operators of such measuring processes are time-ordered products of fundamental differential positive transformations, which generate nonunitary transformation groups that we call instrumental Lie groups. The temporal evolution of the instrument is equivalent to the diffusion of a Kraus-operator distribution function, defined relative to the invariant measure of the instrumental Lie group. This diffusion can be analyzed using Wiener path integration, stochastic differential equations, or a Fokker-Planck-Kolmogorov equation. This way of considering instrument evolution we call the Instrument Manifold Program. We relate the Instrument Manifold Program to state-based stochastic master equations. We then explain how the Instrument Manifold Program can be used to describe instrument evolution in terms of a universal cover that we call the universal instrumental Lie group, which is independent not just of states, but also of Hilbert space. The universal instrument is generically infinite dimensional, in which case the instrument's evolution is chaotic. Special simultaneous measurements have a finite-dimensional universal instrument, in which case the instrument is considered principal, and it can be analyzed within the differential geometry of the universal instrumental Lie group. Principal instruments belong at the foundation of quantum mechanics. We consider the three most fundamental examples: measurement of a single observable, position and momentum, and the three components of angular momentum. As these measurements are performed continuously, they converge to strong simultaneous measurements. For a single observable, this results in the standard decay of coherence between inequivalent irreducible representations. For the latter two cases, it leads to a collapse within each irreducible representation onto the classical or spherical phase space, with the phase space located at the boundary of these instrumental Lie groups.

Simultaneous Momentum and Position Measurement and the Instrumental Weyl-Heisenberg Group.

The canonical commutation relation, [Q,P]=iℏ, stands at the foundation of quantum theory and the original Hilbert space. The interpretation of P and Q as observables has always relied on the analogies that exist between the unitary transformations of Hilbert space and the canonical (also known as contact) transformations of classical phase space. Now that the theory of quantum measurement is essentially complete (this took a while), it is possible to revisit the canonical commutation relation in a way that sets the foundation of quantum theory not on unitary transformations but on positive transformations. This paper shows how the concept of simultaneous measurement leads to a fundamental differential geometric problem whose solution shows us the following. The simultaneous P and Q measurement (SPQM) defines a universal measuring instrument, which takes the shape of a seven-dimensional manifold, a universal covering group we call the instrumental Weyl-Heisenberg (IWH) group. The group IWH connects the identity to classical phase space in unexpected ways that are significant enough that the positive-operator-valued measure (POVM) offers a complete alternative to energy quantization. Five of the dimensions define processes that can be easily recognized and understood. The other two dimensions, the normalization and phase in the center of the IWH group, are less familiar. The normalization, in particular, requires special handling in order to describe and understand the SPQM instrument.

A Cost-Effective Lightning Current Measuring Instrument with Wide Current Range Detection Using Dual Signal Conditioning Circuits.

Lightning strikes can cause significant damage to critical infrastructure and pose a serious threat to public safety. To ensure the safety of facilities and investigate the causes of lightning accidents, we propose a cost-effective design method for a lightning current measuring instrument that uses a Rogowski coil and dual signal conditioning circuits to detect a wide range of lightning currents, ranging from hundreds of A to hundreds of kA. To implement the proposed lightning current measuring instrument, we design signal conditioning circuits and software capable of detecting and analyzing lightning currents from ±500 A to ±100 kA. By employing dual signal conditioning circuits, it offers the advantage of detecting a wide range of lightning currents compared to existing lightning current measuring instruments. The proposed instrument has the following features: First, the peak current, polarity, T1 (front time), T2 (time to half value), and Q (amount of energy of the lightning current) can be analyzed and measured with a fast sampling time of 380 ns. Second, it can distinguish whether a lightning current is induced or direct. Third, a built-in SD card is provided to save the detected lightning data. Finally, it provides Ethernet communication capability for remote monitoring. The performance of the proposed instrument is evaluated and validated by applying induced and direct lightning using a lightning current generator.

Validation of a Modified Version of Interpersonal Reactivity Index for Medical Students Using Rasch Analysis.

Construct: Empathy has been accepted to interweave both cognitive aspects (the ability to put oneself in another person's place), and affective (or emotional) aspects, indicating an emotional reaction or response to another person's emotional state. Literature supports the positive influences of empathy on doctor-patient relationship, patient satisfaction, and positive clinical outcomes. Background: Many studies have dealt with the development of empathy measurement tools for physicians and medical students. A frequently used empathy measuring instrument for medical students is the "Interpersonal Reactivity Index" (IRI) which was designed to measure the multi-dimensional aspects of empathy in the general adult population. Most previous literature which validated IRI for medical students has used factor analysis, whilst studies applying Rasch models have been limited. Our study aimed to investigate the psychometric properties of a modified version of IRI for medical students using Rasch analysis. Approach: Medical students (1,293) from 15 medical schools in South Korea participated in an online questionnaire consisting of 28 items of the Korean translated version of IRI. We applied exploratory factor analysis (EFA) using polychoric correlation matrix to determine the optimal number of factors followed by Rasch analysis and McDonald's Omega calculation. Findings: The adapted IRI-MS (IRI for medical students) consisted of 17 items in four dimensions: empathic concern (5), fictitious situation (4), perspective taking (4), and personal distress (4). The overall fit of IRI-MS revealed an acceptable goodness-of-fit for all 17 items and a positive point measure correlation for all items. Reliability indices from the Rasch modeling and McDonald's Omega values of all four dimensions were satisfactory for research. We found the Wright-Andrich maps and category probability curves of the IRI's four dimensions to be less than optimal in measuring empathy levels with adequate precision. Conclusions: Rasch analysis of IRI-MS fell short from being able to prove satisfactory validity in measuring the multidimensional nature of empathy in medical students. However, our study applying Rasch analysis may serve as groundwork for future studies, to further develop from the shortcomings of our findings.Supplemental data for this article are available online at at www.tandfonline.com/htlm .