The Preferences Scale: Multinational Assessment of a New Measure of Morningness

Author(s):  
Carlla S. Smith ◽  
Simon Folkard ◽  
Robert A. Schmieder ◽  
Luis F. Parra ◽  
Evelien Spelten ◽  
...  

Several self-report scales have been developed to measure morningness, or the preference for early morning or late evening activity (i.e., larks vs. owls). This individual difference in human circadian (time-of-day) rhythms has applications in the selection and placement of shiftworkers for night work in industry. Researchers have recently questioned the suitability of existing scales for people with alternate sleep-wake schedules and lifestyles. These factors may also render existing scales inappropriate for use in some cultures. To address this deficiency, we developed a new morningness scale (the preferences scale) that is not yoked to specific times of the 24-hour day and has a simplified response format. Data on the preferences scale were collected from university students (total N=1,212) in four countries (U.S., England, Holland, and Spain). Responses on external validity measures (self-rated alertness over the waking day and actual and preferred arise and bed times) and another morningness scale (for comparative purposes) were also collected. Although scale statistics (aggregate and by country) suggest that the psychometric properties of the preferences scale were adequate, scale mean differences existed across countries. These results may indicate cultural, as well as the established biological, differences in morningness. However, a more thorough psychometric assessment is needed to substantiate this possibility.

Weed Science ◽  
1976 ◽  
Vol 24 (6) ◽  
pp. 567-570 ◽  
Author(s):  
David L. Doran ◽  
Robert N. Andersen

Bentazon [3-isopropyl-1H-2,1,3-benzothiadiazin-(4) 3H-one 2, 2-dioxide] was applied postemergence to common cocklebur (Xanthium pensylvanicumWallr.) and velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrastiMedic.) at various times of the day in growth chamber and field studies and to soybeans [Glycine max(L.) Merr.] in field studies. Soybeans were tolerant of bentazon regardless of time of day when treated. Results with common cocklebur and velvetleaf suggest that the time of day when bentazon is applied can be of practical importance. Poor control might occur following application in late evening, night, or early morning.


2013 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 690-695 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregory J. Stopps ◽  
Robert E. Nurse ◽  
Peter H. Sikkema

The effect of time of day (TOD) on the activity of six common POST herbicides was investigated in field trials from 2007 to 2009 at two locations in southwestern Ontario. Percentage weed control was assessed following application of bentazon, chlorimuron-ethyl, fomesafen, glyphosate, imazethapyr, or quizalofop-p-ethyl applied at 3-h intervals from 6:00 A.M. to midnight, when weeds averaged 15 cm tall. The effect of time of day varied with weed species, but weed control was generally reduced when herbicides were applied at 6:00 A.M., 9:00 P.M., and midnight. Herbicide activity on velvetleaf was most frequently reduced, especially for chlorimuron-ethyl, glyphosate, and imazethapyr. Control of common ragweed with glyphosate and imazethapyr was also affected by the timing of application, and pigweed species only showed an effect with glyphosate. Variation in temperature, relative humidity, and dew presence/absence at different times of the day, as well as morphological/physiological characteristics such as weed size at time of application and diurnal leaf movement in response to light intensity, may account for the variation in weed control at different times of the day. Significant soybean yield loss was not observed in this study, but may occur if herbicide efficacy is severely reduced by application at inappropriate times of day. These results provide valuable information for growers, and suggest that POST herbicides are most effective when applied midday, rather than in the early morning or late evening.


Author(s):  
Rudolf P. Trenkenshu ◽  
Alexander S. Lelekov ◽  
Anatoliy A. Chekushkin

The paper shows the possibility of using linear splines in modeling the daily change in solar radiation. The calculations were based on the generally accepted cosine expression used for modeling insolation changes on the surface of lakes and the ocean. The equation parameters are set for the conditions of Sevastopol (44°35'N, 33°30' E): the maximum height of the sun above the horizon is about 68 degrees, the day length is 15 hours. The model curve was divided into three sections. For the early morning hours and late evening, the sunlight intensity is low and is below the “compensation point” of photosynthesis. So these areas were not considered during modeling. Three sites: the increase in irradiation from 6 to 12 hours, the maximum irradiation from 12 to 14 hours, and the decrease in irradiation from 14 to 20 hours are described by linear equations. It is shown that the deviations in the description of the data of the dependence of the sunlight intensity on the time of day by linear splines from the generally accepted formula in the form of a cosine do not exceed 5%. An example of experimental data of linear growth of productivity of A. platensis culture is given. Based on the assumption that the growth rate of microalgae culture is proportional to the amount of energy absorbed, the linear increase in productivity can be explained by a linear increase in the intensity of sunlight.


1999 ◽  
Vol 87 (1) ◽  
pp. 243-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
John W. Castellani ◽  
Andrew J. Young ◽  
James E. Kain ◽  
Michael N. Sawka

This study examined how time of day affects thermoregulation during cold-water immersion (CWI). It was hypothesized that the shivering and vasoconstrictor responses to CWI would differ at 0700 vs. 1500 because of lower initial core temperatures (Tcore) at 0700. Nine men were immersed (20°C, 2 h) at 0700 and 1500 on 2 days. No differences ( P > 0.05) between times were observed for metabolic heat production (M˙, 150 W ⋅ m−2), heat flow (250 W ⋅ m−2), mean skin temperature (T sk, 21°C), and the mean body temperature-change in M˙(ΔM˙) relationship. Rectal temperature (Tre) was higher ( P < 0.05) before (Δ = 0.4°C) and throughout CWI during 1500. The change in Tre was greater ( P < 0.05) at 1500 (−1.4°C) vs. 0700 (−1.2°C), likely because of the higher Tre-T skgradient (0.3°C) at 1500. These data indicate that shivering and vasoconstriction are not affected by time of day. These observations raise the possibility that CWI may increase the risk of hypothermia in the early morning because of a lower initial Tcore.


Author(s):  
Irena Boskovic ◽  
Thomas Merten ◽  
Harald Merckelbach

AbstractSome self-report symptom validity tests, such as the Self-Report Symptom Inventory (SRSI), rely on a detection strategy that uses bizarre, extreme, or very rare symptoms. Thus, items are constructed to invite respondents with an invalid response style to affirm pseudosymptoms that are usually not experienced by genuine patients. However, these pseudosymptoms should not be easily recognizable, because otherwise sophisticated over-reporters could strategically avoid them and go undetected. Therefore, we tested how well future psychology professionals were able to differentiate between genuine complaints and pseudosymptoms in terms of their plausibility and prevalence.Psychology students (N = 87) received the items of the SRSI online and were given the task to rate each item as to its plausibility and prevalence in the community.Students evaluated genuine symptoms as significantly more plausible and more prevalent than pseudosymptoms. However, 56% of students rated pseudosymptoms as moderately plausible, whereas 17% rated them as moderately prevalent in the general public.Overall, it appears that psychology students are successful in distinguishing bizarre, unusual, or rare symptoms from genuine complaints. Yet, the majority of students still attributed relatively high prima facie plausibility to pseudosymptoms. We contend that if such a trusting attitude is true for psychology students, it may also be the case for young psychology practitioners, which, consequently, may diminish the probability of employing self-report validity measures in psychological assessments.


2014 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-47
Author(s):  
B.E. Bergstrom ◽  
J.H. Foreman ◽  
C.R. Foreman ◽  
A.M. Barger

Sodium bicarbonate and other alkalinising solutions (‘milkshakes’) have been given to horses surreptitiously before exercise to provide exogenous buffering effects. After an initial positive blood test, some accused horse trainers claim that their horses ‘naturally test high’, so some jurisdictions allow a secured quarantine in which the horse is tested multiple times. The objective of this experiment was to determine the intra- and inter-day variability of plasma total CO2 (tCO2) and other plasma strong ions in a group of sedentary horses housed similarly to a quarantine period. The hypothesis was that plasma tCO2 would not remain constant over a multi-day monitoring interval, but would vary measurably during that interval. Eight sedentary (unconditioned) horses were studied for 2 weeks. Horses were acclimated to a climate-controlled indoor environment and an alfalfa-only diet for a minimum of 10 days prior to sampling. Horses were sampled 3 times daily for 5 consecutive days at 7:00, 11:00 and 15:00 h. Blood samples were collected directly into 10 ml heparinised evacuated glass tubes by jugular venipuncture using a double-ended 0.91 mm needle. Samples were chilled until concentrations of plasma tCO2, Na+, K+, and Cl-, were determined within 1-3 h of sampling using an automated serum chemistry analyzer which was calibrated daily using commercial reagents obtained from the manufacturer as well as externally-obtained NIST-traceable calibrating solutions. Mean results documented mild variations in mean plasma tCO2 (range 28.9-31.6 mmol/l), but individual horses’ plasma tCO2 ranged over 4-7 units. Results showed that there was considerable intra- and inter-individual variability in plasma tCO2. Mean pooled tCO2 and measured strong ion difference (SIDm) differed by time-of-day, with both late morning and early afternoon values lower than early morning values (P<0.001). There was a strong positive linear relationship between plasma SIDm and tCO2 (r=0.75, P<0.001).


2017 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 345-358 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma Henriksson ◽  
Anne-Laure Huber ◽  
Erin K. Soto ◽  
Anna Kriebs ◽  
Megan E. Vaughan ◽  
...  

Metformin is widely used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes to lower blood glucose. Although metformin is a relatively safe and effective drug, its clinical efficacy is variable and under certain circumstances it may contribute to life-threatening lactic acidosis. Thus, additional understanding of metformin pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics could provide important information regarding therapeutic use of this widely prescribed drug. Here we report a significant effect of time of day on acute blood glucose reduction in response to metformin administration and on blood lactate levels in healthy mice. Furthermore, we demonstrate that while metformin transport into hepatocytes is unaltered by time of day, the kinetics of metformin-induced activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in the liver are remarkably altered with circadian time. Liver-specific ablation of Bmal1 expression alters metformin induction of AMPK and blood glucose response but does not completely abolish time of day differences. Together, these data demonstrate that circadian rhythms affect the biological responses to metformin in a complex manner.


Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 3219
Author(s):  
James E. Sprinkle ◽  
Joseph K. Sagers ◽  
John B. Hall ◽  
Melinda J. Ellison ◽  
Joel V. Yelich ◽  
...  

The objective was to determine if low- or high-residual feed intake (LRFI or HRFI, n = 24 for each) Hereford × Angus cows on continuously or rotationally grazed rangeland altered their grazing behavior when provided a protein supplement in late autumn. Treatments included continuously grazed, control (CCON, n = 12); continuously grazed, supplemented (CTRT, n = 12); rotationally grazed, control (RCON, n = 12); and rotationally grazed, supplemented pastures (RTRT, n = 12). Cows in each treatment had grazing time (GT), resting time (RT), and walking time (WLK) measured for 2 years with accelerometers. Bite rate (BR) was also measured. Time distributions of GT and RT differed by year (p < 0.05), being influenced by colder temperatures in 2016. Cattle in 2016 spent more time grazing during early morning and late evening (p < 0.05) and rested more during the day (p < 0.05). In 2017, cattle in the CCON treatment walked more (p < 0.05) during early morning time periods than did the CTRT cattle, indicative of search grazing. All supplemented cattle had greater BR (p < 0.05) than control cattle in 2017. Cattle with increased nutritional demands alter grazing behavior in a compensatory fashion when grazing late-season rangelands.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 19363-19366
Author(s):  
Subrat Debata

Activity pattern of the Golden Jackal was studied by camera trapping survey in an urban influenced protected habitat in Odisha, eastern India from January to April 2019. A total of 552 independent photos of Golden Jackals were obtained from 771 trap nights. Although Golden Jackals were active throughout the day, they showed two major peaks in activity; the first peak during late evening after sunset, and the second peak during early morning until sunrise. The reduced activity of Golden Jackal during day time in the present study area might be due to less movement of prey species, intense heat, and heavy human traffic.


2016 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 200-206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin Walsh ◽  
Jay K. Brinker

Abstract. When using Short Message Service (SMS) as a tool for data collection in psychological research, participants can be contacted at any time. This study examined how sampling frequency and time of day of contact impacted on response rates, response completeness, and response delay in repeated measures data collected via SMS. Eighty-five undergraduate students completed a six-item self-report questionnaire via SMS, in response to 20 SMS prompts sent on a random schedule. One group responded across 2 days, the other on a compressed schedule of 1 day. Overall, there was a high response rate. There was no significant difference in response rate, completeness, and delay of those responding across 1 or 2 days. Timing between prompts did not impact on response behavior. Responses were more likely to be complete if prompts were sent during the working day. The shortest time between prompts was 15 min, however, and use of an undergraduate sample limits generalizability. When conducting repeated measures sampling using SMS, researchers should be aware that more frequent sampling can be associated with poorer data quality, and should aim to collect data during the working day rather than mornings or evenings.


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