Method For Quantitative Analysis Research Articles

Using the golden ratio in detecting the aesthetics of Mosque facades: The case of contemporary Mosques in Erbil city

From ancient Greece till the present, the golden ratio has been considered one of the most significant criteria of beauty in art and architecture. Architectural forms are part of the visual language that is bound by the rules of geometry and proportion. This study aims to identify the extent to which contemporary mosques in the city of Erbil utilize the golden ratio in the aesthetics of their facades. The research attempts to answer the question: was the golden ratio implemented in designing the facade of contemporary mosques in Erbil? The study adopted a mixed quantitative and qualitative analysis method. To achieve the study's aim and answer its questions, six mosques built in the last decade in Erbil were selected. Qualitatively, survey and documentation followed. Quantitatively, Phi matrix software, AutoCAD, and graphic software were applied as a mathematical approach. The study concluded that only one case used the golden ratio in the design of its façade by 100%, while it did not exceed 75% in most other mosques. The study draws the attention of designers and architects in the field of mosque architecture to the adoption of the golden ratio in the designs of mosque facades because of its role in achieving the aesthetic aspect.

Development and validation of a gas chromatography method for quantitative analysis of fatty acids in vegetable oils

Development and validation of a gas chromatography method for quantitative analysis of fatty acids in vegetable oils

In situ ionic liquid-assisted mechanochemical extraction and aqueous two-phase system enrichment of hydrophobic flavonoids from rose

An effective in situ ionic liquid-assisted mechanochemical extraction (MCE) and aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) enrichment method was established. An ATPS can be formed to accomplish the enrichment of the compounds while realizing the MCE for medicinal crop, aiming to establish a pretreatment method for quantitative analysis of active compounds in complex matrices. The effects of ionic liquid amount, milling time, salt amount, vortex time and pH value were investigated, and the optimal conditions for the response surface method were obtained as follows: 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide amount of 250.37 mg, milling time of 1.99 min and salt amount of 4.38 g. After obtaining the optimal conditions, the method has the correlation coefficients of 0.9963–0.9996, and the limits of detection for the analytes were ranged from 0.05 to 0.08 ng/mL. Besides, the recoveries of rose samples were 84–119% at spiked levels of 0.1 and 1 µg/mL. Compared with other extraction methods, this method synchronously combines MCE and ATPS enrichment techniques, which is environmentally friendly and shortens the extraction time, and can effectively extract hydrophobic flavonoids from roses without any organic solvents.

Proposal of Quantitative Analysis Method for Non-linear Electric Circuits Composed of Light Bulbs

Proposal of Quantitative Analysis Method for Non-linear Electric Circuits Composed of Light Bulbs

Unveiling Resilience: Exploring the Adaptive Capacities of Ghana’s Forest Fringe Communities in the Face of Climate Change

This study employed a comprehensive two-stage sampling method to investigate climate change impacts and adaptation strategies in Ghana, focusing on three distinct ecological zones: Dry Semi Deciduous (DSD), Moist Semi-deciduous (North West) MSDNW, and Savannah (SAV). 600 households from randomly selected communities within each ecozone participated in interviews and questionnaire administration over a two-year data collection period. Data was gathered through questionnaires, interviews, and focus group discussions, utilizing both qualitative and quantitative methods for analysis. Descriptive statistical methods were applied to determine socio-economic factors and social vulnerability levels across the ecological zones. The study revealed significant variations in adaptive capacity among the ecological zones. The Savannah (SAV) zone exhibited higher scores in non-farm income-generating activities, adaptive capacity for changing cropping patterns, and adoption of irrigation in response to climate change. Conversely, the Dry Semi-Deciduous (DSD) zone excelled in forest plantation modules, relocation of farming activities due to climatic factors, and modification in agrochemical use. Access to information on climate change varied significantly among ecological zones, emphasizing the necessity for tailored and context-specific strategies. The study's conclusion underscores the importance of recognizing and addressing diverse challenges and opportunities faced by communities in different ecological zones. To enhance adaptive capacity and resilience to climate change in Ghana, the study recommends targeted information dissemination for improved access, support for economic diversification, and promotion of climate-resilient agricultural practices. Emphasizing the role of economic diversification, adaptive agricultural practices, and forest-related measures, the study highlights their critical contribution to building resilience and adaptive capacity in the face of climate change.

The Influence of Service Quality, Price Fairness, Physical Environment on Patient Loyalty with Patient Experience as an Intervening Variable at Nuraida Hospital

This research aims to analyze the influence of service quality, price fairness, physical environment on patient loyalty with patient experience as an intervening variable at Nuraida Hospital. This research uses a quantitative analysis method with a cross sectional research design, the analysis tool used is SEM AMOS. The sample calculation using purposive sampling was 178. The variables in this research were service quality, price fairness, physical environment, patient loyalty and patient experience. The research uses a questionnaire as a research instrument with a 4-level Likert scale measurement. The research results show that there is a simultaneous, direct or indirect (mediated) influence of service quality, price fairness, physical environment on patient experience and patient loyalty of the Ob-Gyn Polytechnic at Nuraida Hospital.

The Impact of Virtual Learning on Students’ Engagement in the Saudi EFL Context: A Connectivism-Theoretic Perspective

Drawing on the connectivism learning theory (CLT), this paper probes the extent to which virtual learning (VL) influences students’ engagement (SE) in the Saudi EFL context. More specifically, this paper tests the hypothesis of whether or not VL improves SE in terms of eight learning variables: class attendance, class participation, the acquisition of the four language skills, learning anxiety, learning motivation, learning self-efficacy, willingness to communicate, and learning autonomy. This paper adopts a mixed-method approach, represented by both quantitative and qualitative methods of analysis and constituting two methodological instruments: a questionnaire and an interview. The sample consists of 256 EFL majors who are studying English at Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Saudi Arabia, and 14 EFL teachers who are teaching English at the same university. Three main findings are reported in this study: first, there is a positive attitudinal perception by the participants concerning the impact of VL on SE; second, VL increases students’ attendance, enhances their class participation, learning motivation, learning self-efficacy, learning autonomy, and willingness to communicate, and it decreases students’ learning anxiety; and third, SE is influenced by VL in terms of both productive and receptive language skills; positively, with regard to speaking and listening; and negatively, in terms of reading and writing. Pedagogically, the results of this paper necessitate reconsidering the efficiency with which new technologies are used in learning and teaching, and it is further anticipated to offer promising potential for the possibility of whether or not to completely depend on virtual learning in the near future.

Experimental investigation of confinement effect in single molecule amplification via real-time digital PCR on a multivolume droplet array SlipChip

BackgroundDigital polymerase chain reaction (digital PCR) is an important quantitative nucleic acid analysis method in both life science research and clinical diagnostics. One important hypothesis is that by physically constraining a single nucleic acid molecule in a small volume, the relative concentration can be increased therefore further improving the analysis performance, and this is commonly defined as the confinement effect in digital PCR. However, experimental investigation of this confinement effect can be challenging since it requires a microfluidic device that can generate partitions of different volumes and an instrument that can monitor the kinetics of amplification. (96). ResultsHere, we developed a real-time digital PCR system with a multivolume droplet array SlipChip (Muda-SlipChip) that can generate droplet of 125 nL, 25 nL, 5 nL, and 1 nL by a simple “load-slip” operation. In the digital region, by reducing the volume, the relative concentration is increased, the amplification kinetic can be accelerated, and the time to reach the fluorescence threshold, or Cq value, can be reduced. When the copy number per well is much higher than one, the relative concentration is independent of the partition volume, thus the amplification kinetics are similar in different volume partitions. This system is not limited to studying the kinetics of digital nucleic acid amplification, it can also extend the dynamic range of the digital nucleic acid analysis by additional three orders of magnitude by combining a digital and an analog quantification algorithm. (140). SignificanceIn this study, we experimentally investigated for the first time the confinement effect in the community of digital PCR via a new real-time digital PCR system with a multivolume droplet array SlipChip (Muda-SlipChip). And a wider dynamic range of quantification methods compared to conventional digital PCR was validated by this system. This system provides emerging opportunities for life science research and clinical diagnostics. (63).

Statistical Analysis and Scenario Modeling of Non-Stationary Runoff Change in the Loess Plateau: A Novel Application of the Generalized Additive Model in Location, Scale and Shape

The hydrological series in the Loess Plateau region has exhibited shifts in trend, mean, and/or variance as the environmental conditions have changed, indicating a departure from the assumption of stationarity. As the variations accumulate, the compound effects caused by the driving variables on runoff variations grow complex and interactive, posing a substantial risk to water security and the promotion of high-quality development in regions or river basins. This study focuses on the Tuwei River Basin in the Loess Plateau, which experiences significant changes in vegetation coverage and minimal human disturbance, and examines the cross-driving relationship between the runoff change and its driving variables (including hydrometeorological and environmental variables). A quantitative statistical analysis method based on the GAMLSS is then developed to estimate the interacting effects of changes in the driving variables and their contribution to runoff changes. Finally, various anticipated scenarios are used to simulate the changes in driving variables and runoff disturbances. The findings indicate the following: (1) The developed GU, LO, and NO distribution-based GAMLSSs provide a notable advantage in effectively capturing the variations in groundwater storage variables, actual evapotranspiration, and underlying surface parameters, as well as accurately estimating the impacts of other relevant variables. (2) The precipitation and groundwater storage variables showed predominantly positive contributions to the runoff change, but actual evapotranspiration had an adverse effect. The changes in underlying surface parameters, particularly since 2000, increase actual evapotranspiration, while decreasing groundwater storage, resulting in a progressive decrease in runoff as their contribution grows. (3) The scenario simulation results reveal that alterations to the underlying surface have a substantial influence on the evolution of runoff in the Tuwei River Basin. Additionally, there are cross-effects between the impact of various driving variables on runoff, potentially compounding the complexity of inconsistent changes in runoff sequences.

A multi-level quantitative analysis method on the scale, shape and quantity of rockeries in Chinese classical gardens: taking Wanfang Anhe rockery in the Old Summer Palace as an example

Currently, the use of digital technology for the protection and research of cultural heritage has become a trend in this field. Rockeries in Chinese classical gardens have become an important cultural heritage type because of their unique shape, ingenious skills and rich connotations. Based on relevant historical information and 3D digital technology, this paper puts forward a multi-level quantitative analysis method on the scale, shape and quantity of rockeries in Chinese classical gardens, aiming at exploring the objective description and quantitative analysis path of rockeries at different levels. This method develops four levels: overall, regional, hierarchical, and individual and their corresponding quantitative contents, which in turn enable data extraction and analysis of the rockery through the different levels. The proposed method was applied to seven different Chinese classical garden rockeries, and taking Wanfang Anhe Rockery in the Old Summer Palace as an example for objective and comprehensive quantitative analysis and verification. The results show that this method is feasible and effective for quantitative analysis of the scale, shape and quantity of rockeries, which can help understand the basic background of stone rockeries and enhance a refined understanding of stone rockery construction, thereby providing data for preventive protection and informatization management of stone rockeries. The 3D rockery model database based on the overall, regional, hierarchical and individual quantitative analysis and numbering method brings a good application prospect for preventive protection and informatization management of the rockery.

Perception and Knowledge of Solar Photovoltaic Technology in Climate Change Mitigation by Households in Embu County, Kenya

Climatic changes continue to impact our ecosystems and livelihoods globally. In the past few decades, have experienced an increase in unpredictable and extreme weather events, precipitating to the three planetary crises of biodiversity loss, climate change and pollution. Embu County in Kenya has not been spared from the resultant climate change impacts. Although globally solar energy is promoted as a sustainable source of energy, its uptake in Embu County remains low. The study sought to assess the uptake of solar photovoltaic technology by households in climate change mitigation and identify the determinants of solar photovoltaic technology uptake. Cross sectional data from a sample size of 395 households in Mbeere- north Sub County in Embu County was collected using data collection tools including questionnaires, interviews, and observations. Purposive and simple random sampling was employed to select the respondents for inclusion in the study. After data collection, qualitative and quantitative data analysis methods were employed to analyze the data including SPSS (statistical package for the social sciences). The results indicate an overall increasing temperature and overall decreasing rainfall in Embu County. Income demonstrated a greater influence compared to other factors in determining the decision to adopt solar appliances at p =0.397. A significant proportion of respondents (36.9%) reported having limited awareness of climate change and its impacts. Social and mass media were main sources of climate information. There was a positive significant correlation between respondents who displayed awareness of climate change and its impacts and the adoption of solar energy and awareness on solar energy adoption as a solution to climate change at p values of 0.348 and 0.140. The results assisted in assessing the uptake of solar photovoltaic in climate change mitigation in Embu County and identify the determinants driving households on the uptake of solar photovoltaic technology.

Taking Texts Seriously

Abstract Many international law scholars have found inspiration in quantitative methods of text analysis in recent years. Such methods enable scholars to identify patterns in large quantities of text and challenge pre-existing assumptions about various aspects of international law, how it is developed, practiced, interpreted and applied. Yet, subjecting legal texts to quantitative methods of analysis also comes with notable shortcomings. When treating texts as abstract data in accordance with the logic of data science, researchers often fail to appreciate texts as means of human interaction and communication, thereby diverting attention from terms and meaning to numbers and statistics. The aim of this article is threefold: to offer a lay of the land of the burgeoning empirical legal scholarship that adopts text analytical approaches in its study of international law, exhibit what gets lost when insights from linguistics are ignored, and demonstrate what is gained when they are not.

A Language-independent Quantitative Analysis Method on Conformance between Legal Contract and Smart Contract

The analysis on conformance between legal contracts and smart contracts is necessary and precondition for constructing the secure blockchain. Currently, the analysis method is the language-dependent single qualitative analysis. There doesn't exist quantitative metrics and quantitative analysis methods. Hence the quantitative metric and language-independent quantitative analysis method are proposed to analyze the conformance between legal contract and smart contract. First, the definitions and metrics of partial conformance and complete conformance are proposed, and then rewrite logic and language-independent symbol execution are used to construct a language-independent quantitative method; Then, the executable formal semantic for legal contract description language Business Process Model and Notation2.0 (BPMN2.0) is presented. Finally, the conformance of the five main methods for mapping BPMN2.0 legal contracts to Solidity smart contracts is analyzed. The results show that three methods have partial conformance, one method has complete conformance, and one method hasn't complete conformance and partial conformance.

Exploring stigmatization in digital newspaper coverage of substance use disorder

Substance use disorder is a global health issue that profoundly affects both individuals and societies. Social stigma acts as a significant barrier to treatment motivation. Mass media plays a substantial role in shaping societal perceptions. This study aims to identify stigmatizing attitudes in news narratives concerning substance use disorder as portrayed in digital newspapers. We examined news articles from the top eight national digital newspapers published during 2022 by using quantitative and retrospective content analysis. Following the review, we collected 1.233 news articles, removed 480 articles which were irrelevant or duplicate, and analyzed the remaining 753 articles using quantitative content analysis methods on SPSS 26.0. The majority of news articles depict substance use disorder in a negative consideration. The analysis revealed that nearly all news sources were news agencies and only 11% of the articles offered potential solutions. Alarmingly, 69.7% of the articles contained stigmatizing content, while 53.1% directly impacted the social lives of individuals with substance use disorder. Furthermore, 44.1% of the articles reinforced a dangerous perception associated with individuals with substance use disorder. To address these issues, we recommend a more empathetic portrayal of substance use disorder, support for help-seeking behavior, and advocacy for effective solutions in news coverage.

Interaction mechanisms of interface management risks in complex systems of high-speed rail construction projects: an association rule mining-based modeling framework

PurposeThis study aims to develop an interface management risk interaction modeling and analysis methodology applicable to complex systems in high-speed rail construction projects, reveal the interaction mechanism of interface management risk and provide theoretical support for project managers to develop appropriate interface management risk response strategies.Design/methodology/approachThis paper introduces the association rule mining technique to improve the complex network modeling method. Taking China as an example, based on the stakeholder perspective, the risk factors and significant accident types of interface management of high-speed rail construction projects are systematically identified, and a database is established. Then, the Apriori algorithm is used to mine and analyze the strong association rules among the factors in the database, construct the complex network, and analyze its topological characteristics to reveal the interaction mechanism of the interface management risk of high-speed rail construction projects.FindingsThe results show that the network is both scale-free and small-world, implying that construction accidents are not random events but rather the result of strong interactions between numerous interface management risks. Contractors, technical interfaces, mechanical equipment, and environmental factors are the primary direct causal factors of accidents, while owners and designers are essential indirect causal factors. The global importance of stakeholders such as owners, designers, and supervisors rises significantly after considering the indirect correlations between factors. This theoretically explains the need to consider the interactions between interface management risks.Originality/valueThe interaction mechanism between interface management risks is unclear, which is an essential factor influencing the decision of risk response measures. This study proposes a new methodology for analyzing interface management risk response strategies that incorporate quantitative analysis methods and considers the interaction of interface management risks.

Segmentation-Based Fusion of CT and MR Images.

In this paper, a segmentation-based image fusion method is proposed for the fusion of MR and CT images to obtain a high contrast fused image that contains complementary information from both input images. The proposed method uses the fuzzy C-mean method to extract information about the skull from the CT image. This skull information is used to extract soft tissue information from the MR image. Both the skull information and the soft tissue information are then fused using the fusion rule. The efficiency of the proposed method over other state-of-the-art fusion methods is analyzed and compared using qualitative and quantitative analysis methods. Qualitative analysis shows the improvement in the contrast between the bone and the soft tissue using the proposed method over other state-of-the-art methods without introducing any artifacts or distortions. Classical and gradient-based quantitative analysis also show significant improvement in the fused image obtained using the proposed method over the five state-of-the-art methods. The percentage improvement in the standard deviation, average gradient, entropy, spatial frequency, QABF, and LABF of the proposed method over the best value obtained by the five state-of-the-art methods is 27.11%, 12.06%, 23.64%, 11.30%, 5.59%, and 13.70% respectively.

The Role of Fintech in Financial Inclusion (Case Study of MSME Entrepreneurs in Surabaya)

This research aims to investigate the influence of certain factors on financial inclusion in Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the City of Surabaya. The quantitative analysis method was used by collecting data through questionnaires from 100 respondents who were MSME owners. The research results show that financial risk factors have a positive and significant influence on financial inclusion, while the perceived usefulness and trust factors do not have a significant influence. These findings provide important insights for stakeholders in designing policies that support MSME financial inclusion in the city of Surabaya.

Quantitative analysis of microplastics in water environments based on Raman spectroscopy and convolutional neural network

With the increasing interest in microplastics (MPs) pollutants, quantitative analysis of MPs in water environment is an important issue. Vibrational spectroscopy, represented by Raman spectroscopy, is widely used in MP detection because they can provide unique fingerprint characteristics of chemical components of MPs, but it is difficult to provide quantitative information. In this paper, an ingenious method for quantitative analysis of MPs in water environment by combining Raman spectroscopy and convolutional neural network (CNN) is proposed. It is innovatively proposed to collect the average mapping spectra (AMS) of the samples to improve the uniformity of Raman spectroscopy detection, and to increase the effective detection range of concentration by filtering different volumes of the same MP solutions. In order to verify the universality and effectiveness of the proposed method, 6 different sizes of Polyethylene (PE) MPs were used as detection objects and mixed into 5 different actual water environments. The R2 and RMSE of CNN for identifying the concentration of PE solutions could reach 0.9972 and 0.033, respectively. Meanwhile, by comparing machine learning models such as Random Forest (RF) and Support Vector Machine (SVM) were compared, and CNN combined with Raman spectroscopy has significant advantages in identifying the concentration of MPs.

Quantitative analysis method for absorption mechanism and energy consumption of CO2 capture by amino acid ionic liquids

Amino acid ionic liquids (AAILs) are attractive candidates for CO2 capture due to their high solubility for CO2. Quantitatively analyzing the interaction of amino groups in AAILs with CO2 and evaluating the energy consumption of CO2 capture is critical to the molecular design of ideal AAILs. In this work, a thermodynamic model based on the cubic plus association equation of state was proposed to calculate the contribution from the chemical reactions between various stoichiometric ratios of CO2 and AAIL (Nm:n,m:n is stoichiometric ratio) on CO2 solubility. The results show that the larger contribution to the CO2 solubility in [Glu], [Tyr] and [Gln]-IL with strong polar groups is derived from association scheme N1:2, while the N1:1 association interaction is the dominant contribution of [Gly], [Ala], [Val] and [Pro]-IL with hydrogen atom or short alkyl side chains, and [VBIm]-IL with multiple amino groups. The N2:1 association interaction is primary between CO2 and [Cho][His] or [Cho][Arg]. Besides, the contributions of these association effects are greater than that of dispersion and repulsion to CO2 solubility. Then, the solvent cyclic capacity and regeneration energy of AAILs in the pressure swing and temperature swing CO2 capture system were estimated. More amino groups result in higher regeneration energy consumption and do not necessarily increase solvent cyclic capacity. Among the studied AAILs, [Cho][Gly] which exhibits high cyclic capacity and low energy consumption has great potential in CO2 capture solvent.

Identification and quantification of microplastics in salts by complementary approaches using pyrolysis-gas chromatography/quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry (Py-GC/QTOFMS) and laser direct infrared (LDIR) chemical imaging analysis

Microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) have been suspected as contaminants in various foodstuffs, including salts, all over the world. Regarding the different sizes and polymer types, the mass concentrations of actual plastic particles in salt are not very clear. The purpose of this study is to develop a scalable method for qualitative and quantitative analysis of MPs and NPs by using Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography Quadrupole-Time of Flight mass spectrometry (Py-GC/QTOFMS) to detect their mass concentrations in salt samples. The targeted and suspected lists of polymers in salts were compiled based on the combined results of the high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) full scanning with auxiliary MS dataset and the laser direct infrared (LDIR) chemical imaging analysis. The seven targeted MPs with polymer standards, i.e., polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polycarbonate (PC), were first subjected to a full MS scanning mode of the Py-GC/QTOFMS analysis. Subsequently, the parental masses of their pyrolysis compounds were used as the seeds to generate the related daughter masses. This process established both retention time and mass-pairs matching for the target MS/MS mode for enabling the identification and quantification of the particles. The suspected MPs with a matching degree >0.65 in the LDIR list were explored either by the full scan MS. Only PVC was identified, and PET was suspected. The Py-GC/QTOFMS result is complementary and comparable to the LDIR detection with the matching degree >0.85. We identified that PVC and PET (suspected) can be measured in both commercial and bulk sea salts, and their concentrations in sea salts are much higher than in rock salts, implying heavy contamination of the seawater.