Method Of Paired Comparisons Research Articles

A Novel Sound Quality Evaluation Method of the Diagnosis of Abnormal Noise in Interior Permanent-Magnet Synchronous Motors for Electric Vehicles

A novel sound quality (SQ) evaluation method is developed to diagnose abnormal noise of interior permanent-magnet synchronous motors (IPMSM) for electric vehicle (EV). A-weighted sound pressure level (A-W SPL) of noise in IPMSM and six psychoacoustic characteristics, which include sharpness, roughness, loudness, articulation index, tonality, and fluctuation strength, are described through the objective evaluation of SQ. The paired comparison method (PCM) and the grade evaluation method (GEM) are respectively applied in subjective evaluation on relative annoyance and absolute annoyance of IPMSM for EV, and the combined application of these two methods is proposed originally. Finally, the BP neural network model for SQ evaluation of abnormal noise in IPMSM is established, the characteristics, conditions, and influencing factors of abnormal noise are effectively diagnosed. This novel evaluation method effectively solves the problem that the annoyance level is unable to be evaluated through the PCM, and the GEM relies on rich audition experience of evaluation subject. It also improves the accuracy of diagnosis of abnormal noise in IPMSM for EV.

Comparative evaluation of thermal decomposition behavior and thermal stability of powdered ammonium nitrate under different atmosphere conditions

In order to analyze the thermal decomposition characteristics of ammonium nitrate (AN), its thermal behavior and stability under different conditions are studied, including different atmospheres, heating rates and gas flow rates. The evolved decomposition gases of AN in air and nitrogen are analyzed with a quadrupole mass spectrometer. Thermal stability of AN at different heating rates and gas flow rates are studied by differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, paired comparison method and safety parameter evaluation. Experimental results show that the major evolved decomposition gases in air are H2O, NH3, N2O, NO, NO2 and HNO3, while in nitrogen, H2O, NH3, NO and HNO3 are major components. Compared with nitrogen atmosphere, lower initial and end temperatures, higher heat flux and broader reaction temperature range are obtained in air. Meanwhile, higher air gas flow rate tends to achieve lower reaction temperature and to reduce thermal stability of AN. Self-accelerating decomposition temperature of AN in air is much lower than that in nitrogen. It is considered that thermostability of AN is influenced by atmosphere, heating rate and gas flow rate, thus changes of boundary conditions will influence its thermostability, which is helpful to its safe production, storage, transportation and utilization.

Sound quality evaluation of air-conditioner noise based on factors of the autocorrelation function

The aim of this paper is to clarify the characteristics of air-conditioner noise and determine the factor that is most influential on the subjective annoyance caused by this noise. The A-weighted equivalent continuous sound pressure level (LAeq) and factors extracted from the autocorrelation function (ACF) were analyzed. Subjective annoyance was evaluated using a paired comparison method. Multiple regression analyses were performed using a linear combination of LAeq, the ACF factors, and their standard deviations (SDs). The results indicated that the noise characteristics caused by each air conditioner and each operating level are determined by LAeq, and by the width of the first decay of the ACF, Wϕ(0), which corresponds to the spectral centroid. The multiple regression analyses indicated that the total subjective annoyance caused by air-conditioner noise can be predicted using the delay time and amplitude of the first maximum peak of the ACF (τ1 and ϕ1) and the SD of ϕ1. Annoyance was found to increase with decreasing τ1 and ϕ1, and with increasing ϕ1 SD, suggesting that noise components with higher pitches, weaker pitch strengths, and larger pitch strength variations cause greater levels of annoyance.

Study on the effects of tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy on the body's immune function of preschool children

Objective To investigate the effects of tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy on the body's immune function of preschool children. Methods Using paired comparison method, 40 preschool children with OSAHS[average age (4.5±1.2)years] were selected.The peripheral venous blood's white blood cells, neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, immune active cells(total T lymphocytes and total B lymphocytes), immunoglobulin(IgA, IgG, IgM) and the content of C3 and C4 levels in the different periods (after 1 month, 3 months ) before and after tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy were detected.And the immune parameters of 20 healthy children with matched age were selected as control group, the analysis comparison was conducted. Results In preoperative and postoperative 1 month, 3 months compared with the control group, the above immune parameters had no statistically significant differences (t=0.332, 0.212, 0.336, 0.415, 0.579, 1.295, 0.874, 1.143, 1.296, 1.058, 1.261, all P>0.05). At postoperative 1 month, the immune active cells(total T lymphocytes and total B lymphocytes), immunoglobulin (IgA, IgG, IgM) and the content of C3 and C4 levels declined slightly compared with preoperation, but within the normal range, back to normal at postoperative 3 months. Conclusion Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy will not suppress the development of preschool children's immune systems, and the resection is feasible. Key words: Tonsil; Adenoid; Immune function; Child, preschool; Surgical operation

Establishing disability weights for congenital pediatric surgical conditions: a multi-modal approach

BackgroundBurden of disease (BoD) as measured by Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) is one of the criteria for priority-setting in health care resource allocation. DALYs incorporate disability weights (DWs), which are currently expert-derived estimates or non-existent for most pediatric surgical conditions. The objective of this study is to establish DWs for a subset of key pediatric congenital anomalies using a range of health valuation metrics with caregivers in both high- and low-resource settings.MethodWe described 15 health states to health professionals (physicians, nurses, social workers, and therapists) and community caregivers in Kenya and Canada. The health states summaries were expert- and community-derived, consisting of a narrated description of the disease and a functional profile described in EQ-5D-5 L style. DWs for each health state were elicited using four health valuation exercises (preference ranking, visual analogue scale (VAS), paired comparison (PC), and time trade-off (TTO)). The PC data were anchored internally to the TTO and externally to existing data to yield DWs for each health state on a scale from 0 (health) to 1 (dead). Any differences in DWs between the two countries were analyzed.ResultsIn total, 154 participants, matched by profession, were recruited from Kijabe, Kenya (n = 78) and Hamilton, Canada (n = 76). Overall calculated DWs for 15 health states ranged from 0.13 to 0.77, with little difference between countries (intra-class coefficient 0.97). However, DWs generated in Kenya for severe hypospadias and undescended testes were higher than Canadian-derived DWs (p = 0.04 and p < 0.003, respectively).ConclusionsWe have derived country-specific DWs for pediatric congenital anomalies using several low-cost methods and inter-professional and community caregivers. The TTO-anchored PC method appears best suited for future use. The majority of DWs do not appear to differ significantly between the two cultural contexts and could be used to inform further work of estimating the burden of global pediatric surgical disease. Care should be taken in comparing the DWs obtained in the current study to the existent list of DWs because methodological differences may impact on their compatibility.

Оценка уровня абстрактности изложения материала в школьных учебниках по естественным наукам

The technique and results of an assessment of Abstractness of more than 20 modern school textbooks on biology, geography, physics and chemistry are&#x0D; considered by method of pair comparisons. Thus it is assumed that didactic complexity of the textbook is mainly determined by the level of Abstractness&#x0D; of the material stated in it and depends on: the variety and Abstractness of qualitative explanations, their isolation from everyday life (i); the complexity&#x0D; of mathematical methods and models, variety of the solved quantitative problems (ii).&#x0D; The levels of Abstractness of each textbook are determined, their distribution in two-dimensional space of attributes (i) and (ii) is studied. The received&#x0D; results allow to range textbooks on their didactic complexity.

Research on urban landscape design using the interactive genetic algorithm and 3D images

BackgroundGenerally, there are different optimal solutions with regard to urban landscape planning depending on the area and the opinions and characteristics of community residents. Furthermore, when considering urban landscape and/or city-planning regulations, it is important to include residents’ opinions based on voluntary activities like participation in town development on a regional scale and its management. However, residents’ opinions are difficult to quantify, as many do not have specialized knowledge. Therefore, when an administrative body plans a city, a system to include residents’ opinions on urban landscape options is required.MethodsIn this study, an optimization system for urban landscape design was proposed using an interactive genetic algorithm (IGA). In this system, three properties of an urban landscape, that is, wall surface positions, heights, and building textures, were varied and the resulting urban landscape images, developed using OpenGL, were subjectively evaluated by users. Weighted scores were then calculated using the paired comparison method. In this system, a site of 200 m × 70 m was assumed and 20 buildings were located on 20 m × 20 m lots. The building widths were fixed at 20 m, and wall positions from the sidewalk varied from 10 m to 20 m at 2 m intervals. The building heights varied from 20 m to 40 m at 4 m intervals, and eight building textures were considered. Two simulations were performed: Case 1, in which the three parameters were evaluated simultaneously; and Case 2, in which the three parameters were evaluated individually. The same 10 users participated in both cases. Following completion of each case, questionnaires were administered to users in which they were asked to confirm that the results obtained matched their expectations.ResultsThe results demonstrated that individual users were satisfied with the results generated based on their evaluations. In both cases, the results were obtained from the optimal results of the system as the result of questionnaires.ConclusionsIt is necessary to re-examine the evaluation order and evaluation method used as evaluation order may affect optimal results. Furthermore, since users generated different optimal results, it is necessary to develop an optimization system for urban landscapes that allows for collaboration between users.

Performance of Four Subjective Video Quality Assessment Protocols and Impact of Different Rating Preprocessing and Analysis Methods

Standardization bodies recommend various protocols to conduct subjective quality assessment (QA) of imaging systems. While many studies have compared these QA protocols, few have assessed the impact of different approaches for preprocessing and analyzing quality ratings. Furthermore, the effect of large versus small quality differences on the discrimination performance of protocols has not been extensively studied in video QA. This study examines these issues for four QA protocols. H.264 compressed medical videos and denoised natural scene videos were evaluated by expert and naive subjects. Scores were collected with four QA protocols—forced choice (FC), two ratio-scaled paired comparison methods: preference (Pref) and dissimilarity (Dissim), and single stimulus (SS)—and analyzed using combinations of different rating preprocessing approaches, generating a total of 14 methods. Performance metrics—probability and effect size—quantified the ability of the methods to discriminate between quality levels. The Pref and Dissim methods analyzed with classical multidimensional scaling and the SS method with Z-score transformation consistently outperformed the other methods. The type of preprocessing introduced large differences in the performance of individual protocols. Grouping stimuli pairs by small and large quality differences introduced significant differences in the performance rankings of the methods, with Pref and Dissim being most sensitive to small quality differences. For the future, we suggest further validation of the FC method, due to its simplicity and ease of use, and continued investigation into more robust raw scores transformation and statistical analysis methods for both SS and FC ratings.

АЛГОРИТМ ОПРЕДЕЛЕНИЯ СТЕПЕНИ ЦЕННОСТИ КОНФИДЕНЦИАЛЬНЫХ ДОКУМЕНТОВ ОРГАНИЗАЦИИ

To solve the problem of information security management the method was proposed that allows determining the degree of importance of confidential documents of the organization. The urgency of the proposed algorithm was substantiated taking into account the requirements of the legislation of the Russian Federation in the sphere of information security. The stages prior to the formation of the list of confidential documents of the organization were described. A review of the main documents of the legal and regulatory framework was carried out including documents relating to the state regulation of relations in the sphere of information security. The classes of protected information for the accessing categories were considered. The criteria changes of the value of information in the process of time were represented. The algorithm of formation of the list of confidential documents of the organization based on the properties of information was offered. The algorithm is based on an expert method of pair comparison of alternatives. The result of the use of this method is a number of confidential documents, ranked in descending order of importance. For each document the weighting factor of importance can be calculated. The verification stage of the degree of expert consistency was included in the methodology to eliminate the use of erroneous expert data. The application of the methodology is illustrated by a calculated example.

Analysis of Criteria Used in the Risk Assessment of Technical Innovations

This paper presents the dependence between criteria that can be used for risk assessment of technical innovation. The practical part demonstrates the effect of defined criteria on the assessment of innovation risks. The dependence between criteria is significant for assessing the weight according to the method used to determine the weight of criteria. This paper analyses the relationship between criteria and the use of the regression function. To achieve this goal, we used the method of pair comparison and assigned a relative weight to each criterion. The results presented in the paper may have a significant value for companies implementing technical innovations.

Sensory Integration Training Tool Design for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

This study aims to design a training tool for therapy of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASDs). Typically, ASDs pass through obstacle track several times with sandbags, which should be picked up from starting point and threw into a box at the end during sensory integration therapy. Counting the sandbags can help ASDs to have concept about the progress of mission. We redesign the counting box named “Skybox” which can help counting by playing sound after detect something throw in it. Aims to probe into the sound preference of two main subjects, an experiment with four kinds of sounds is conducted in this paper by using the method of paired comparisons. The result shows they like animals most, followed by human voice and nature sounds, and music instrument is the last. The material preference experiment shows two subjects like acrylic most, wood and paper are secondary while furry is the last. Skybox shortens their training time for 23.53%, 29.87% and 37.37% in three different projects. We consider that Skybox attracts ASDs therefore reduces their distraction and improves their performance in the usability test.

Assessment and analysis of the intellectual potential of universities in the Republic of Bashkortostan

In the conditions of increasing competition in the market of educational services, one of the main tasks of the university management is the effective management of its intellectual potential. This will make it possible to increase the competitiveness of Russian universities. To effectively manage the intellectual potential of an educational institution, its objective evaluation is necessary. Evaluation of the intellectual capacity of the educational institution will allow to quickly manage the activity of the university and determine those areas of innovative development that will ensure its competitiveness, stability and flexibility in changing external conditions. Currently, there is a wide variety of methods for assessing intellectual potential, but insufficiently developed techniques directly applied to the analysis and evaluation of the intellectual potential of a higher education institution. Therefore, the problem of developing a single, universal methodology for assessing intellectual potential, which would allow the most accurate, objective assessment of the intellectual potential of the university, remains urgent. This is due to the fact that the very notion of intellectual potential is relatively new and there are contradictions regarding the definition of its content and structure. The correct choice of the system of indicators, which allows to characterize the potential in a variety of ways in a complex manner, and the choice of the most reliable method for its evaluation will ensure the objectivity of evaluating the intellectual potential of the university. The purpose of this study is the approbation of the proposed system of indicators and methodology for assessing the intellectual potential of the university on the example of universities in the Republic of Bashkortostan. The research materials are based on the results of monitoring the activities of educational institutions of higher education. Methods of research include the method of paired comparisons, a method of comparative analysis. Results of the research: a system of indicators for evaluating the intellectual potential of higher education institutions and a methodology for its evaluation were proposed, an assessment of intellectual potential was made using the example of five universities of the Republic of Bashkortostan and their comparative analysis. Based on the results of the comparative analysis of the universities of the Republic of Bashkortostan, the relevant conclusions were drawn. The system of indicators proposed in the study and the methodology for evaluating the intellectual potential of the university make it possible to determine the capabilities of the university in the implementation of innovative activity and to make effective management decisions.

Optimizing the reconstruction filter in cone-beam CT to improve periodontal ligament space visualization: An in vitro study.

PurposeEvaluation of alveolar bone is important in the diagnosis of dental diseases. The periodontal ligament space is difficult to clearly depict in cone-beam computed tomography images because the reconstruction filter conditions during image processing cause image blurring, resulting in decreased spatial resolution. We examined different reconstruction filters to assess their ability to improve spatial resolution and allow for a clearer visualization of the periodontal ligament space.Materials and MethodsCone-beam computed tomography projections of 2 skull phantoms were reconstructed using 6 reconstruction conditions and then compared using the Thurstone paired comparison method. Physical evaluations, including the modulation transfer function and the Wiener spectrum, as well as an assessment of space visibility, were undertaken using experimental phantoms.ResultsImage reconstruction using a modified Shepp-Logan filter resulted in better sensory, physical, and quantitative evaluations. The reconstruction conditions substantially improved the spatial resolution and visualization of the periodontal ligament space. The difference in sensitivity was obtained by altering the reconstruction filter.ConclusionModifying the characteristics of a reconstruction filter can generate significant improvement in assessments of the periodontal ligament space. A high-frequency enhancement filter improves the visualization of thin structures and will be useful when accurate assessment of the periodontal ligament space is necessary.

Analisis Strategi Pemasaran Jasa Laboratorium Pangan (Studi Kasus pada M-Brio Food Laboratory)

The competition is very tight, so M-BRIO Food Laboratory as one of the food testing laboratory requires suitable of marketing strategy. The purpose of this study were (1) Identify and analyze internal and external environmental factors that affect effectivity of the marketing strategy at M-BRIO Food Laboratory, (2) Recommend priorities and appropriate marketing strategies can be applied to the M-BRIO Food Laboratory. Formulation of marketing strategies that go through three stages, (1) the input stage using EFE matrix and IFE matrix,(2) matching stage using the SWOT matrix and,(3) decision stages using paired comparison method for selecting alternative strategies and continued with the analitycal hierarchy process (AHP) method to prioritize marketing strategies appropriate for the company. Internal environmental factors that become the main force is lead by a food expert that has been recognized nationally and internationally. While its main weakness are display of exterior and interior of the laboratory building has not been well-organized and performance of employees who have not been standardized. External environmental factors that can be used as the main opportunity is the development of the technology food testing laboratory. While the main threat for companies is bargaining power of consumers against the company's so high. Priorities recommended marketing strategies are (1) Conduct promotion and education to inform the quality of service, scope of product coverage and the parameters that have been accredited, to food companies, (2) campaign of food safety to the public as a form of promotion and education through food expert as endorser.

A comparison of scapulothoracic muscle electromyographic activity in subjects with and without subacromial impingement syndrome during a functional task

Shoulder impingement syndrome (SIS) is the common cause of shoulder pain and disability and the individuals suffering from it are usually in different levels of physical activity covering an extensive age range. In spite of limited scientific evidence for an altered motor pattern in the shoulder muscles of patients with SIS, they are frequently referred to physiotherapists in an attempt to optimize coordination and strength of the affected muscles. The aim of this study was to compare scapular muscle activity in a general population of subjects with and without SIS during an arm elevation task executed at different speeds in two load conditions. The study is that of a comparative observational using a simple convenience sampling method, comprising 8 females (31.63 ± 9.39) with SIS and 10 females (29.10 ± 6.57) without SIS, matched in terms of age, body mass index (BMI) and levels of physical activity. The surface EMG (SEMG) of all the trapezius muscles, i.e., -upper fibers (UT), middle fibers (MT), and lower fibers (LT) serratus anterior (SA), and middle deltoid were recorded during shoulder elevation in a scapular plane at three speeds (slow, moderate, and fast) and two load conditions (with and without load). Data were analyzed using independent t-tests and three-factor repeated measures analysis of variance and Bonferroni method for paired comparisons. The EMG tests results in muscle activities revealed no significant differences between the two groups at three speeds, and with and without load. The findings do not support the claim that SIS necessarily accompanies changes in scapula thoracic and glenohumeral muscle activity.

METHODS OF THE INFORMATIVENESS AND DIDACTIC COMPLEXITY ESTIMATION OF EDUCATIONAL CONCEPTS, PICTURES AND TEXTS

The article analyzes the problem of assessment of the informativeness (or informational content) and the didactic complexity of various learning material elements (educational concepts, pictures and education texts). The informativeness of learning material elements (LMEs) is considered equal to the number of concepts to be used for its presentation or the description. Under the didactic complexity of LME it is offered to understand the value proportional to the time or amount of the efforts demanded by the 5–class Russian schoolchild for his/her studying this LME. As all educational information is presented in a verbal form, to define the complexity of LME it is necessary to decompose LME into separate concepts, to estimate their separate difficulty, and then to summarize it. The article considers: 1) the estimation of difficulty of experimental and theoretical studying of a concept using the method of paired comparisons; 2) spreading out cards with scientific concepts on them in order of increasing complexity; 3) the calculation of the objects and links in the picture taking into account their abstractness degree; 4) the determination of terms (concepts) number in the text, accounting their complexity. Uniform criteria for estimation of the words (concepts) complexity in educational texts on natural-science disciplines are elaborated and the abstract-ness scale is constructed. The received results can be used to assess the complexity of textbooks in natural sciences. The developed estimation method of didactic complexity of the physics textbooks includes: 1) the estimation of the physics complexity of the textbook summing up the complexity of the physical objects, phenomena, experiments, statements and theories; 2) the measurement of mathematical complexity of the textbook by counting the number of formulas (considering their complexity) and drawings presenting mathematical abstractions (a vector, power lines, graphs); 3) the calculation of the total index of the textbook didactic complexity. With the help of this method 16 Russian physics textbooks for school and university have been analyzed, their distribution within the characteristics space physical complexity - mathematical complexity has been studied. Article visualizations:

Online Education Resources and Student Needs: Stylistic Aspects

Objectives: This work continues a long-term study of the student needs and preferences by using open network education resources oriented to online support of the educational process. Methods: The importance of online education resource components has been determined by pedagogical university students using the method of paired comparisons from two points of view – that of the student and that of the teacher (corresponding to learning/teaching stylistics). Findings: During the study: a) a comparative analysis of the stylistic characteristics of the respondents in 2011 and 2016 has been undertaken and changing attitudes of future teachers to the teaching stylistics from “expert” to “facilitator” have been revealed; b) the importance of resource components in physics correlated with their stylistic features has been defined; c) the prevailing learning and teaching styles of open network education resources, affecting the efficiency of user training, have been identified; d) arguments in support of taking into consideration student’s stylistic preferences at the design stage of education resources have been posed. These methods of studying stylistic peculiarities of Internet education resources are unique, and the authors are interested in discussing the results. Applications/Improvements: Consideration of the diversity of the student audience needs allows adapting the learning resources to rapidly changing conditions of the educational process. The results can be used to improve the efficiency and comfort of online self-study process.

Accounting for diverging paths in most similar cases: corruption in Baltics and Caucasus

This paper discusses the conditions under which post-Soviet states succeed in fighting corruption. The method of paired comparison of most similar cases, Estonia and Latvia on the one hand and Georgia and Armenia on the other, is used to tease out the variables that vary within and across pairs and produce divergence. It is argued that young, and structurally and ideologically cohesive, groups in power that are antagonistically predisposed toward the former colonial patron and free from the influence of the old guard are more likely to reform while enduring political-economic networks undermine anti-corruption reform.

Effects of age and ambient illuminance on visual comfort for reading on a mobile device

AbstractA psychophysical experiment was carried out to investigate visual comfort for reading on an iPad under various illuminance levels, ranging from 50 lx to 1200 lx, in order to see whether and how the following variables can influence the visual comfort: observer's age, gender, the illuminance of ambient lighting, and the background colour in a document layout. A panel of 21 young and 22 older Taiwanese observers participated in the study. The paired comparison method was used for data collection and analysis. The experimental results show that for all lighting conditions, young observers tended to prefer reading documents that had a moderate CIELAB lightness difference between text and background, while older observers tended to prefer reading those with an extremely large lightness difference. The results also show that female observers tended to feel less comfortable than male observers when reading documents with an extremely large lightness difference. These findings were found not to be affected by the ambient illuminance. Regarding the influence of document background colour on visual comfort, the observers tended to feel more comfortable reading documents that had a gray background than reading those with a background colour of either white or black. It was also found that the visual comfort was slightly higher for positive polarity than for negative polarity, but the difference between the two settings was insignificant. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 42, 352–361, 2017

Usulan Rancangan Key Performance Indicators Menggunakan Pendekatan Perspektif Balanced Scorecard Pada PT. Pelayaran Hub Maritim Indonesia

Indonesia is the largest archipelago in the world which of course, has many ports as a place reliance ship. Ports in Indonesia is always crowded by various ship activities. Such vessels require fossil fuels as the material preparation to continue the journey. This has become a business opportunity for PT. Pelayaran Hub Maritim Indonesia as a company engaged in fuel distribution. The operational activities of PT. Pelayaran Hub Maritim Indonesia has made performance measurement yet of the financial aspects only. Therefore, this study aims to design a performance measurement system for companies based on four perspectives of the balanced scorecard is a financial perspective, a marketing perspective, internal business process perspective and learning and growth perspective. This study uses a qualitative method research approach to the type of research in the form of action research case study, the data used is primary data. Data from this study obtained by interviewing the informant is determined based on the balanced scorecard perspectives. Results of this research is a performance measurement system and the weighting of each of the key performance indicators with paired comparison method to get the level of importance of each strategic objective.