Validation of the Short Version (TLS-15) of the Triangular Love Scale (TLS-45) across 37 Languages

Love is a phenomenon that occurs across the world and affects many aspects of human life, including the choice of, and process of bonding with, a romantic partner. Thus, developing a reliable and valid measure of love experiences is crucial. One of the most popular tools to quantify love is Sternberg's 45-item Triangular Love Scale (TLS-45), which measures three love components: intimacy, passion, and commitment. However, our literature review reveals that most studies (64%) use a broad variety of shortened versions of the TLS-45. Here, aiming to achieve scientific consensus and improve the reliability, comparability, and generalizability of results across studies, we developed a short version of the scale-the TLS-15-comprised of 15 items with 5-point, rather than 9-point, response scales. In Study 1 (N = 7,332), we re-analyzed secondary data from a large-scale multinational study that validated the original TLS-45 to establish whether the scale could be truncated. In Study 2 (N = 307), we provided evidence for the three-factor structure of the TLS-15 and its reliability. Study 3 (N = 413) confirmed convergent validity and test-retest stability of the TLS-15. Study 4 (N = 60,311) presented a large-scale validation across 37 linguistic versions of the TLS-15 on a cross-cultural sample spanning every continent of the globe. The overall results provide support for the reliability, validity, and cross-cultural invariance of the TLS-15, which can be used as a measure of love components-either separately or jointly as a three-factor measure.

Cross-language validation of COVID-19 Compliance Scale in 28 languages

Although compliance scales have been used to assess compliance with health guidelines to reduce the spread of COVID-19, no scale known to us has shown content validity regarding global guidelines and reliability across an international sample. We assessed the validity and reliability of a Compliance Scale developed by a group of over 150 international researchers. Exploratory factor analysis determined reliable items on the English version. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the reliability of the six-item scale and convergent validity was found. After invariance testing and alignment, we employed a novel R code to run a Monte Carlo simulation for alignment validation. This scale can be employed to measure compliance across multiple languages, and our alignment validation method can be conducted with future cross-language surveys.

The effects of secondary stressors, social identity, and social support on perceived stress and resilience: Findings from the COVID-19 pandemic

Primary stressors are direct outcomes of extreme events (e.g., viruses, floodwater) whereas secondary stressors stem from pre-disaster life circumstances and societal arrangements (e.g., illness, problematic pre-disaster policies) or from inefficient responses to the extreme event. Secondary stressors can cause significant long-term damage to people affected but are also tractable and amenable to change. In this study we explored the association between secondary stressors, social identity processes, social support, and perceived stress and resilience. Pre-registered analyses of data from the COVIDiSTRESS Global Survey Round II (N = 14,600; 43 countries) show that secondary stressors are positively associated with perceived stress and negatively associated with resilience, even when controlling for the effects of primary stressors. Being a woman or having lower socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with higher exposure to secondary stressors, higher perceived stress, and lower resilience. Importantly, social identification is positively associated with expected support and with increased resilience and lower perceived stress. However, neither gender, SES, or social identification moderated the relationship between secondary stressors and perceived stress and resilience. In conclusion, systemic reforms and the availability of social support are paramount to reducing the effects of secondary stressors.

Mediation analysis of conspiratorial thinking and anti-expert sentiments on vaccine willingness

OBJECTIVE

Vaccines are an effective means to reduce the spread of diseases, but they are sometimes met with hesitancy that needs to be understood.

METHOD

In this study, we analyzed data from a large, cross-country survey conducted between June and August 2021 in 43 countries (N = 15,740) to investigate the roles of trust in government and science in shaping vaccine attitudes and willingness to be vaccinated.

RESULTS

Despite significant variability between countries, we found that both forms of institutional trust were associated with a higher willingness to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Furthermore, we found that conspiratorial thinking and anti-expert sentiments predicted reduced trust in government and science, respectively, and that trust mediated the relationship between these two constructs and ultimate vaccine attitudes. Although most countries displayed similar relationships between conspiratorial thinking and anti-expert sentiments, trust in government and science, and vaccine attitudes, we identified three countries (Brazil, Honduras, and Russia) that demonstrated significantly altered associations between the examined variables in terms of significant random slopes.

CONCLUSIONS

Cross-country differences suggest that local governments' support for COVID-19 prevention policies can influence populations' vaccine attitudes. These findings provide insight for policymakers to develop interventions aiming to increase trust in the institutions involved in the vaccination process. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

The Effect of Code-Switching Experience on the Neural Response Elicited to a Sentential Code Switch

Switching between languages, or codeswitching, is a cognitive ability that multilinguals can perform with ease. This study investigates whether codeswitching during sentence reading affects early access to meaning, as indexed by the robust brain response called the N400. We hypothesize that the brain prioritizes the meaning of the word during comprehension with codeswitching costs emerging at a different stage of processing. Event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded while Spanish-English balanced bilinguals (n = 24) read Spanish sentences containing a target noun that could create a semantic violation, codeswitch or both. Self-reported frequency of daily codeswitching was used as a regressor to determine if the cost of reading a switch is modulated by codeswitching experience. A robust N400 to semantic violations was followed by a late positive component (LPC). Codeswitches modulated the left anterior negativity (LAN) and LPC, but not the N400, with codeswitched semantic violations resulting in a sub-additive interaction. Codeswitching experience modulated the LPC, but not the N400. The results suggest that early access to semantic memory during comprehension happens independent of the language in which the words are presented. Codeswitching affects a separate stage of comprehension with switching experience modulating the brain's response to experiencing a language switch.

Direct measurement of the PSF for Coulomb delocalization - a reconsideration

An interpretation of Coulomb delocalization, which limits the spatial resolution of inelastic TEM or STEM images, is given. We conclude that the corresponding point spread function cannot be measured as a broadening of a STEM probe.

Stress and worry in the 2020 coronavirus pandemic: relationships to trust and compliance with preventive measures across 48 countries in the COVIDiSTRESS global survey

The COVIDiSTRESS global survey collects data on early human responses to the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic from 173 429 respondents in 48 countries. The open science study was co-designed by an international consortium of researchers to investigate how psychological responses differ across countries and cultures, and how this has impacted behaviour, coping and trust in government efforts to slow the spread of the virus. Starting in March 2020, COVIDiSTRESS leveraged the convenience of unpaid online recruitment to generate public data. The objective of the present analysis is to understand relationships between psychological responses in the early months of global coronavirus restrictions and help understand how different government measures succeed or fail in changing public behaviour. There were variations between and within countries. Although Western Europeans registered as more concerned over COVID-19, more stressed, and having slightly more trust in the governments' efforts, there was no clear geographical pattern in compliance with behavioural measures. Detailed plots illustrating between-countries differences are provided. Using both traditional and Bayesian analyses, we found that individuals who worried about getting sick worked harder to protect themselves and others. However, concern about the coronavirus itself did not account for all of the variances in experienced stress during the early months of COVID-19 restrictions. More alarmingly, such stress was associated with less compliance. Further, those most concerned over the coronavirus trusted in government measures primarily where policies were strict. While concern over a disease is a source of mental distress, other factors including strictness of protective measures, social support and personal lockdown conditions must also be taken into consideration to fully appreciate the psychological impact of COVID-19 and to understand why some people fail to follow behavioural guidelines intended to protect themselves and others from infection. The Stage 1 manuscript associated with this submission received in-principle acceptance (IPA) on 18 May 2020. Following IPA, the accepted Stage 1 version of the manuscript was preregistered on the Open Science Framework at https://osf.io/g2t3b. This preregistration was performed prior to data analysis.

Moderation-Mediation Effects in Bilingualism and Cognitive Reserve

We first provide a critical review of the existing findings on bilingualism as a contributor to cognitive reserve from moderator-mediator warranting cause-effect research conclusions. We next address the question of direct or indirect effects between bilingualism and neurocognitive protective factors influencing the associated age-related mental deficits. The existing findings support bilingualism as a predictor and as a moderator. Third, we propose cognitive reserve models of bilingualism describing analytical approaches that allow testing of these models and hypotheses related to path strength and causal relationships between predictors, moderators, and mediators. Lastly and most importantly, we suggest using large datasets available via open repositories. This can aid in the testing of theoretical models, clarifying the roles of moderators and mediators, and assessing the research viability of multi-causal paths that can influence cognitive reserve. Creating collaborative datasets to test these models would greatly advance our field and identify critical variables in the study of the bilingual aging brain.

Vortex beam production and contrast enhancement from a magnetic spiral phase plate

Electron vortex beam probes offer the possibility of mapping magnetic moments with atomic resolution. In this work we consider using the stray magnetic field produced from a narrow ferromagnetic rod magnetised along its long axis to produce a vortex beam probe, as an alternative to the currently used holographic apertures or gratings. We show through numerical modelling, electron holography observations and direct imaging of the electron probe, that a long narrow ferromagnetic rod induces a phase shift in the wave-function of passing electrons that approximately describes a helix in the regions near its ends. Directing this rod towards the optical axis of a charged-particle beam probe forming system at a limiting aperture position, with the free-end sufficiently close to the axis, is shown to offer a point spread function composed of vortex modes, with evidence of this appearing in observations of the electron probe formed from inserting a micro-fabricated CoFe rod into the beam path of a 300 keV transmission electron microscope (TEM). If the rod is arranged to contain the magnetic flux of h/e, thus producing a maximum phase shift of 2π, it produces a simple spiral-like phase contrast transfer function for weak phase objects. In this arrangement the ferromagnetic rod can be used as a phase plate, positioned at the objective aperture position of a TEM, yielding enhanced image contrast which is simulated to be intermediate between comparable Zernike and Hilbert phase plates. Though this aspect of the phase plate performance is not demonstrated here, agreement between our observations and models for the probe formed from an example rod containing a magnetic flux of ~2.35h/e, indicate this phase plate arrangement could be a simple means of enhancing contrast and gaining additional information from TEM imaged weak phase samples, while also offering the capability to produce vortex beam probes. However, steps still need to be taken to either remove or improve the support membrane for the rod in our experiments to reduce any effects from charging in the phase plate.

Characterisation of ferromagnetic rings for Zernike phase plates using the Aharonov-Bohm effect

Holographic measurements on magnetised thin-film cobalt rings have demonstrated both onion and vortex states of magnetisation. For a ring in the vortex state, the difference between phases of electron paths that pass through the ring and those that travel outside it was found to agree very well with Aharonov-Bohm theory within measurement error. Thus the magnetic flux in thin-film rings of ferromagnetic material can provide the phase shift required for phase plates in transmission electron microscopy. When a ring of this type is used as a phase plate, scattered electrons will be intercepted over a radial range similar to the ring width. A cobalt ring of thickness 20 nm can produce a phase difference of π/2 from a width of just under 30 nm, suggesting that the range of radial interception for this type of phase plate can be correspondingly small.

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Effect of prednisolone on hormone profiles during primary endocrine treatment of advanced breast cancer

Various plasma hormones were measured in 13 pre- and 20 post-menopausal women with advanced breast cancer before and for 12 months after ovarian irradiation or during continuous administration of tamoxifen at a dose of 10 mg twice a day, respectively; some patients received additional prednisolone at a dose of 5 mg twice a day. These patients were taken from a larger clinical trial which demonstrated a higher response to primary endocrine therapy when prednisolone was added. Levels of dehydropiandrosterone sulfate were depressed in patients receiving prednisolone, confirming adrenal suppression. Estradiol levels were reduced in all patients, while luteinizing hormone and follicular stimulating hormone increased after ovarian irradiation, but all three hormones fell during tamoxifen administration; no further changes were caused by the addition of prednisolone. Prolactin and thyroxine remained constant throughout the study. There were no differences between responders and nonresponders in hormone profiles or in changes in the profiles after treatment.

Effect of pectin on gastric emptying and gut hormone release in the dumping syndrome

The effect of pectin on gastric emptying, gut hormone release, and symptoms was studied in four patients with dumping syndrome and in two healthy volunteers after ingestion of a hypertonic glucose meal with and without addition of pectin. The initial fraction emptied from the stomach was reduced in the patients, whose symptoms of dumping were abolished or alleviated by pectin. This change of the emptying seems to be caused by a prolonged stomach transit, probably due to the viscous nature of the pectin meal. Pectin had no effect on the gastric emptying of the volunteers. The motor activity of the stomach was not altered by pectin in either the patients or volunteers. In the patients insulin, enteroglucagon, neurotensin, and gastric inhibitory polypeptide rose to higher levels after the glucose meal than after the glucose-pectin meal. The individual differences in the hormone release were considered secondary to the altered gastric emptying produced by pectin.

Plasma neurotensin release and gastric emptying in the dumping syndrome

Seventy-three patients were studied after ingesting a liquid glucose meal, tagged with 113Indium. Nineteen of these patients were awaiting surgery for their duodenal ulcer, while 54 were studied postoperatively, 25 of whom experienced troublesome postprandial (dumping) symptoms in their daily lives. The radioactive marker emptied significantly faster in the symptomatic patients than in the symptomfree, pre and post-operative groups (initial emptying rate 3.45 +/- 0.23, compared with 1.16 +/- 0.19 and 1.27 +/- 0.15% fall in counts/min respectively; p less than 0.01). Initial (20 min) rises in the plasma concentrations of neurotensin-like immunoreactivity measured during the test correlated significantly with the rate of gastric emptying in all patients, being greatest in patients with dumping symptoms. Physiological concentrations of neurotensin have been shown to delay gastric emptying. The excessive rise in plasma neurotensin-like immunoreactivity in patients with dumping symptoms, presumably occurring as a result of the rapid passage of nutrients to the neurotensin-rich ileum, may possibly have a compensatory role in slowing further emptying from the stomach.

Gut hormone profile and gastric emptying in the dumping syndrome. A hypothesis concerning the pathogenesis

Insulin, enteroglucagon, neurotensin, gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP), and motilin have been measured in plasma during an oral glucose test in 76 patients before or after different upper gastrointestinal operations for peptic ulceration. The patients were divided into three clinical groups in accordance with their spontaneous symptoms of dumping after ordinary meals: 26 postoperative patients into a dumping group, 30 postoperative patients into a non-dumping group, and 20 preoperative patients into a reference group. The fasting values of the five hormones were similar in the operated and non-operated groups. Insulin, enteroglucagon, neurotensin, and GIP rose significantly in all patients. The increment of insulin, enteroglucagon, and neurotensin was greater in the postoperative patients with dumping symptoms than in the postoperative and preoperative patients without dumping symptoms. All the patients had a small decrement of motilin. The resulting hypothesis is that an impaired neural control of the gastric emptying is the essential aetiological factor in the dumping syndrome. The excessively rapid delivery of the meal into the jejunum is the abnormal stimulus to the exaggerated hormone release. The response of the small intestine with regard to the hormone release is considered proportionate to the given stimulus. The abrupt fall in circulating blood volume is suggested to play a role in producing the polymorphic symptoms. Neurotensin and GIP cannot be excluded from being the factors arresting the rapid gastric emptying in patients whose neural control has been impaired after gastric surgery.

Gastric emptying after peptic ulcer surgery. Some pathophysiological mechanisms of the dumping syndrome

In 76 patients before or after different operations for peptic ulceration, the gastric emptying and changes in plasma volume and blood glucose were studied after ingestion of a radionuclide-labelled hypertonic glucose meal. The patients were divided into three clinical categories in accordance with their spontaneous symptoms of dumping after ordinary meals: (a) 26 postoperative patients formed a dumping group, (b) 30 postoperative patients formed a non-dumping group, and (c) 20 preoperative patients formed a control group. A precipitous early phase of gastric emptying was the only specific finding in patients with spontaneous symptoms of dumping. This early fraction of precipitous emptying was not present preoperatively or in patients without symptoms. It is concluded that the excessively rapid delivery of the hypertonic solution into the upper intestine is the primary stimulus leading to the changes in plasma volume and blood glucose observed in the dumping syndrome. The response of the jejunum with regard to the blood glucose and haematocrit rises is considered proportionate to the given stimulus.

The effect of somatostatin analogs on secretion of growth, pancreatic, and gastrointestinal hormones in man

The potency and specificity of somatostatin (SS) and four of its analogs were compared in seven patients with pancreatic endocrine tumors. The analogs tested were [D-Trp8]-SS, [D-Trp8, D-Cys14]-SS, Des-Asn5-[D-Trp8, D-Ser13]-SS, and Des (AA)1,2,4,5,12,13, [D-Trp8]-SS, and they did not show selective effects on the suppression of basal concentrations of GH, insulin, glucagon, pancreatic polypeptide, gastrin, gastric inhibitory peptide, motilin, enteroglucagon, or neurotensin. The observation that the potency of these analogs is similar to that of the parent molecule throws considerable light on the structure/activity relationship of the somatostatin molecule. Des-AA1,2,4,5,12,13, [D-Trp8]-Ss has been reported to have a prolonged action when administered sc. When administered iv, however, this octapeptide analog ws not long acting, suggesting that the prolonged action seen in the previous study was a result of delayed uptake from the injection site. An increment in plasma SS concentrations of 19 +/- 3 pmol/liter suppressed basal concentrations of GH, insulin, glucagon, and several gastrointestinal hormones by more than 50%, suggesting that even small changes in plasma SS levels may be physiologically important.

Pancreatic endocrine responses to physiological changes in plasma neurotensin concentration in the calf

1. Plasma neurotensin concentration was found to increase by between 3 and 18 pmol/l 20 min after feeding in conscious 2-6 week old calves. 2. Synthetic bovine neurotensin was infused I.V. at a dose which reproduced the rise in the plasma concentration (1 pmol. kg-1 min-1), in calves of the same age, which were also receiving a continuous I.V. infusion of glucose (0.03 mmol. kg-1. min-1) to mimic alimentary hyperglycaemia. Under these conditions neurotensin caused a significant rise in the mean concentration of both insulin and pancreatic polypeptide (PP), but not that of glucagon, in the arterial plasma. 3. The rise of plasma insulin concentration, but not that of PP, in response to the same dose of neurotensin was strongly potentiated during infusions of exogenous amino acids. There was also a significant rise in plasma glucagon concentration in response to neurotensin in the calves given amino acids. 4. It is concluded that neurotensin is a physiological incretin in the calf.

Pancreatic endocrine responses to exogenous neurotensin in the conscious calf

1. Responses to neurotensin have been investigated in conscious calves 2-5 weeks after birth given continuous I.V. infusions of the peptide for 15 min (5 pmol. kg-1 . min-1). 2. In control calves the concentration of the peptide in the arterial plasma had risen by 160 +/- 10 pmol/l at the end of the infusion,. after which it fell exponentially (t1/2: 1.4 min). 3. This dose of neurotensin produced no significant change in mean heart rate, aortic blood pressure, plasma gastrin or glucose concentration. 4. It was found that neurotensin could produce a pronounced rise in the concentration of both insulin and pancreatic polypeptide (PP) in the arterial plasma, together with a much smaller rise in pancreatic glucagon concentration. 5. Each of these three pancreatic endocrine responses was found to be glucose-sensitive within the range ca. 5.0-9.0 mmol/l. Hyperglycaemia potentiated insulin release and inhibited release of PP and glucagon. 6. The results are discussed in relation to the findings of other workers in other species.

Pancreatic tumours produce neurotensin

Tumour tissue may secrete substances which are not normally secreted by the original tissue. We have found that 6 out of 21 pancreatic tumours producing vasoactive intestinal peptide also produce neurotensin-like peptides. These are sometimes secreted and very high plasma levels of neurotensin-like immunoreactivity may be found in the circulation.

Plasma neurotensin in term and preterm neonates

The new ileal peptide neurotensin has not been studied hitherto in the human neonate. Plasma concentrations of neurotensin were measured by radioimmunoassay in 276 healthy term or preterm infants either at birth or pre- or post-prandially during the neonatal period. In addition, a group of 10 6-day-old preterm infants were studied who had never been enterally fed on account of hyaline membrane disease. Plasma neurotensin values were obtained also in 12 healthy fasting adults. Term infants had higher plasma neurotensin concentration than preterm infants at birth. Both groups showed a significant postnatal surge in basal (pre-prandial) neurotensin concentrations exceeding adult values, but no postnatal neurotensin elevation was found in the unfed group. In preterm infants, who were studied further into the neonatal period than term infants, there was a progressive increase in the rise of neurotensin following a milk feed, with a massive neurotensin response by 24 days of age. In 6-day-old term infants, the neurotensin response to bottle feeding was significantly greater than to breast feeding. These findings add further weight to the concept that neurotensin may be of physiological importance as a gut hormone. The high neurotensin levels and large feed responses seen in neonates may indicate a unique role for neurotensin in early life.

Neurotensin infusion in man: pharmacokinetics and effect on gastrointestinal and pituitary hormones

Synthetic neurotensin was infused into five healthy subjects at a mean dose of 2.3 pmol/kg . min for 30 min, producing a rise in plasma neurotensin concentrations, measured by RIA of 104 +/- 10 (mean +/- SEM) pmol/liter. The mean disappearance half-time on stopping the infusion was 3.8 +/- 0.2 min. The MCR was 16 +/- 1 ml/kg . min, and the apparent space of distribution was 88 +/- 6 ml/kg. During the neurotensin infusions, plasma pancreatic polypeptide rose by 145 +/- 54 pmol/liter. In contrast to results in experimental animals, there was no significant change in the pulse or blood pressure of the subjects or any significant change in blood glucose or plasma concentrations of insulin, glucagon, gastric inhibitory peptide, gastrin, motilin, or vasoactive intestinal peptide. Similarly, there was no change in plasma concentrations of TSH, GH, PRL, LH, and FSH.

Elevation of plasma neurotensin in the dumping syndrome

1. The pathophysiology of the dumping syndrome is poorly understood. Plasma levels of four small intestinal hormones have been measured after an oral glucose provocation test in 19 patients with dumping symptoms and in matched controls. 2. Plasma levels of neurotensin, a newly discovered highly potent, hypotensive ileal peptide, were significantly increased in symptomatic patients compared with those of controls [20 min rise of 43 +/- 6.0 (mean +/- SEM) pmol/l in 19 symptomatic patients, 8.0 +/- 5.5 pmol/l in 20 postoperative symptom-free patients, and 4.1 +/- 3.5 pmol/l in 20 pre-operative patients with duodenal ulcer, P < 0.01]. 3. The rise in enteroglucagon was greater than normal but of similar magnitude to that seen in several other gastrointestinal conditions not associated with dumping symptoms. 4. The release of both gastric inhibitory peptide and motilin did not differ significantly from that of controls.

Breast vs bottle: endocrine responses are different with formula feeding

Differences in pancreatic and gut-hormone release between breast-fed and bottle-fed infants have not been documented although these hormones may play a key role in postnatal adaptation. In a study of 77 six-day-old healthy term infants, bottle-fed neonates ('Cow and Gate Premium') had significant changes in plasma-concentrations of insulin, motilin, enteroglucagon, neurotensin, and pancreatic polypeptide after feeding, whereas in breast-fed infants these changes were reduced or absent. Basal levels of gastric inhibitory polypeptide, motilin, neurotensin, and vasoactive intestinal peptide were also higher in the bottle-fed infants than in those who were breast-fed. These findings may partly explain differences in the deposition of subcutaneous fat and in stool frequency between breast-fed and bottle-fed neonates.

Effect of neurotensin on gastric function in man

Neurotensin is a peptide recently discovered in the human ileum and it is released into plasma after ingestion of food. Neurotensin was infused intravenously into 12 healthy volunteers at a mean dose of 2.4 pmol/kg/min, the mean rise in plasma levels being 89 +/- 8 pmol/l. An inhibition of both gastric acid and pepsin output, and also a delay in gastric emptying of oral glucose, were observed. Neurotensin may therefore have a physiological role in modulating gastric function in man.

A radioimmunoassay for neurotensin in human plasma

A specific radioimmunoassay for neurotensin in human plasma has been developed capable of detecting changes of 5 pmol/l with 95% confidence. Neurotensin-like immunoreactivity has been detected in human plasma in two molecular forms and rises by 27 +/- 8 (S.E.M.) pmol/l (n = 9) after ingestion of food.

Gut-hormone profile in coeliac disease

Patients with coeliac disease have a highly significant reduction in the release of secretin and gastric inhibitory polypeptide from the upper small intestine, but a greatly increased release of enteroglucagon, and also of neurotensin, from the lower part of the small intestine. The release of gastrin and pancreatic polypeptide, from the antrum and pancreas respectively, is, however, normal. Thus the pattern of hormone release reflects the location of the mucosal lesion. The gut-hormone profile may also help to characterise other gastrointestinal diseases.