Rank Order Method Research Articles

Temporal Sequencing of Documents

We outline an unsupervised method for temporal rank ordering of sets of historical documents, namely American State of the Union Addresses and DEEDS, a corpus of medieval English property transfer documents. Our method relies upon effectively capturing the gradual change in word usage via a bandwidth estimate for the non-parametric Generalized Linear Models (Fan, Heckman, and Wand, 1995). The number of possible rank orders needed to search through for cost functions related to the bandwidth can be quite large, even for a small set of documents. We tackle this problem of combinatorial optimization using the Simulated Annealing algorithm, which allows us to obtain the optimal document temporal orders. Our rank ordering method significantly improved the temporal sequencing of both corpora compared to a randomly sequenced baseline. This unsupervised approach should enable the temporal ordering of undated document sets.

A SCALE TO MEASURE THE GROUP DYNAMICS EFFECTIVENESS OF THE MEMBERS OF SELF-HELP GROUPS

The present study was conducted to develop and standardize the reliable and valid scale to measure the group dynamics effectiveness of the members of self-help groups. For the development of the scale, Normalized Rank Order Method recommended by Guilford (1954) was used. A total of eight indicators out of fourteen indicators that determine the group dynamics effectiveness were selected based on the relevancy per cent, relevancy weightage and mean relevancy scores. Scale values of each selected indicator were obtained through the rank order method. 84 subitems for the selected indicators were obtained through the relevancy test. Validity (Internal consistency technique) and Reliability (test-retest) were used to know the developed scale is valid and reliable.

Addressing Production and Marketing Constraints of Arecanut Growers: Insights from Tumcos in Davanagere, Karnataka, India

This study was conducted in the Davanagere district of Karnataka to analyze the constraints faced by TUMCOS member and non-member arecanut growers and to propose solutions for overcoming these challenges. A total of 120 areca producers (60 members and 60 non-members) were randomly selected from five TUMCOS branch regions. Data were collected through personal interviews and analysed using frequency, per cent and rank order method. The majority of farmers (90.83%) identified labor shortages as a primary production constraint. Financial challenges included inadequate subsidies (58.33%), while marketing challenges were high transportation costs (69.17%) and remote market locations (66.67%). A significant portion of farmers (65%) suggested improving market infrastructure, including transportation, storage, and weighing facilities, to address these issues.

Komparasi Metode Maut dan Moora dalam Pemilihan Sunscreen untuk Kulit Menggunakan Pembobotan ROC

The skin is the outer layer of the human body that has various important functions. However, high sun exposure in Indonesia can cause damage to the skin due to ultraviolet rays. The use of sunscreen becomes important in preventing sunburn and skin cancer. Women with combination skin types often have difficulty choosing the right sunscreen. This study applies the Multi Attribute Utility Theory (MAUT) and Multi-Objective Optimization on The Basis of Ratio Analysis (MOORA) methods with the weighting of the Centroid Rank Order (ROC) method and the level of accuracy of MSE aims to produce decisions in choosing the right sunscreen for combination skin. At the methodology stage, data on criteria, sub-criteria, and alternatives are collected through observation and interviews. The criteria consist of 6 namely Benefit, Composition, Price, Vitamins, Side Effects, and Size. The ROC is used for weighting, while the MAUT and MOORA methods are used in the assessment and comparison of alternatives and MSE is used for the level of accuracy. The discoveries from this study hold the possibility to offer recommendations for choosing the best sunscreen for combination skin, namely A7 with the brand sunscreen Somethinc Comfort Correct for the MAUT method is 0.7134 and the MOORA method is 0.102. The results of the MSE calculation obtained a deviation value, namely the MOORA method with a value of 215.0091 better than the MAUT method of 207.4922. So that the MOORA method is the best method in choosing sunscreen for combination skin and aims to help people who are still having difficulty choosing the right sunscreen, so as to avoid mistakes in choosing inappropriate sunscreens that can have a negative impact on the skin

Implementation of EDAS Method in the Selection of the Best Students with ROC Weighting

This study aims to provide recommendations for the best students to be selected using the EDAS method and ROC weighting, so as to help schools in decision making. The EDAS method requires a lot of input, and preference must be precise in the determination of the weight of the criteria. To fix the problem of weighting criteria in the EDAS method, the Centroid Rank Order (ROC) method is used. ROC is a simple method used to assign weight values to each criterion used. The results of this study provide recommendations for the best students to be selected using the EDAS method and ROC weighting, so as to help schools in decision making. The application of the EDAS method in the selection of exemplary student candidates resulted in exemplary prospective students obtained on behalf of Hadi Santoso with a final score of 0.70885 and obtained 1st rank. The results of these recommendations can help the school determine the selection of the best students by applying the EDAS method and ROC weighting.

Stress, anxiety and perceived social support among hemodialysis patients with chronic kidney disease

Hemodialysis Patients face an emotional challenge due to several modifications required in their lifestyle and the impairments in physical and role functioning. Therefore, it is essential to find out resources that buffer them from the adverse effects of stress and anxiety. Purpose of this study was to examine the level of Stress, Anxiety and Perceived Social Support among Hemodialysis Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease in India. Also, the relationship between stress, anxiety and perceived social support has been explored using Cross Sectional Study design. The sample of the study consisted of 50 Hemodialysis patients with Chronic Kidney Disease, within the age range of 35 to 55 years who were purposively selected from two private hospitals in Uttar Pradesh. Data was collected using Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-2, 1995) and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS, 1988). The descriptive statistics were applied to describe the level of Stress, Anxiety and Perceived Social Support among Hemodialysis Patients. Spearman’s Rank-Order Method was applied to assess the correlation between the variables. The results showed severe level of Stress and Anxiety, and moderate level of Perceived Social Support among the Hemodialysis Patients.

Aspiration of Rural Youth in Agriculture and Allied Sectors

Youth are the most potent segment of the population of a country. Today's youth are the hope of the future. They are the real spirit of future agriculture. Young people look not only for their own livelihood, but also for the dignity and purpose in life. It is a well-known fact that few young people engage in agriculture, although the majority of rural youth have the energy and enthusiasm to do well in agriculture and allied jobs. In this context, it is worthwhile to know the aspirations of youth in agriculture and allied activities. Keeping this in mind, a study was conducted in Warangal district in Telangana province with a total sample of 120 youth selected using a simple random sampling method. The data was collected from primary sources with structured interview schedule. The study employed descriptive statistics and rank order method to analyse the data. The study indicated that majority (41.6 per cent) of the youth belonged to high level of aspiration category followed by medium (35.0 per cent) and low (23.4 per cent). Among male youth nearly half (46.6 per cent) of the youth belonged to high level of aspiration category followed by medium (30.0 per cent) and low (23.4 per cent). Among female youth 40.0 per cent of the youth belonged to medium level of aspiration category followed by high (36.6 per cent) and low (23.4 per cent).

Sustainability Intelligent Evaluation of Regional Microgrid Interconnection System Based on Combination Entropy Weight Rank Order-TOPSIS and NILA-KELM

Sustainability evaluation of regional microgrid interconnection system is conducive to a profound and comprehensive understanding of the impact of interconnection system projects. In order to realize the comprehensive and scientific intelligent evaluation of the system, this paper proposes an evaluation model based on combination entropy weight rank order-technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution (TOPSIS) and Niche Immune Lion Algorithm-Extreme Learning Machine with Kernel (NILA-KELM). Firstly, the sustainability evaluation indicator system of the regional microgrid interconnection system is constructed from four aspects of economic, environmental, social, and technical characteristics, and the evaluation indicators are explained. Then, the classical evaluation model based on TOPSIS is constructed, and the entropy weight method and rank order method (RO) are coupled to obtain the indicator weight. The niche immune algorithm is used to improve the lion algorithm, and the improved lion algorithm is used to optimize the parameters of KELM, and the intelligent evaluation model based on NILA-KELM is obtained to realize fast real-time calculation. Finally, the scientificity and accuracy of the model proposed in this paper are verified. The model proposed in this paper has the lowest RMSE, MAE and RE values, indicating that its intelligent evaluation results are the most accurate. This study is conducive to the horizontal comparison of the overall performance of regional microgrid interconnection system projects, helps investors to choose the most promising project scheme, and helps the government to find feasible project.

Comparison of untargeted and targeted perfluoroalkyl acids measured in adolescent girls

Quantitative biomonitoring (e.g., targeted analysis) has served as the gold standard for environmental exposure biomonitoring for several decades. Recent advancements to broaden exposomic research brought new semi-quantitative untargeted assays that capture a wide range of endogenous metabolites and exogenous exposures in a single assay for discovery, though usually at the expense of absolute quantitation. The high-resolution mass spectrometers (HRMS) typically used in untargeted workflows are sensitive and robust, but there do not yet exist comprehensive comparisons between environmental chemicals at population exposure levels measured using targeted and untargeted assays. Using liquid chromatography (LC)-HRMS, we measured per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) including perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), n-perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), n-perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) in plasma of 180 girls from New York City, and compared them to previously obtained targeted measures using correlation and rank order methods. We showed high agreement between the methods with Spearman Rhos ranging from 0.69 to 0.92 and weighted Kappa's from 0.62 to 0.82 for tertiles among the PFAS. This finding demonstrates that semi-quantitative data from untargeted assays designed for exposomics can be reliably used to estimate environmental exposures occurring in the general population, providing an economic alternative to targeted assays. We also describe an approach that can be used to compare relative quantitation measurements from an untargeted assay to traditional targeted measures to establish fit-for-purpose usability and validation. These results suggest that environmental exposure measures from untargeted assays can serve as reliable inputs into statistical analysis for discovery and for determining their resultant biological impacts. Future efforts to develop new statistical approaches for standardization and merging with targeted measures—toward harmonization—will further enhance the utility of untargeted assays in environmental epidemiology.

Image quality evaluation for OLED-based smart-phone displays at various lighting conditions

The image quality of three organic light-emitting diode (OLED) based smart-phone displays was assessed at three levels of ambient lighting conditions corresponding to the darkroom, indoor and outdoor environment, respectively. Seven perceptual attributes, i.e., naturalness, colorfulness, brightness, contrast, sharpness, preference, and overall image quality (IQ), were evaluated in both standard dynamic range (SDR) and high dynamic range (HDR) mode via psychophysical experiments by rank order method, while readability was assessed only in SDR mode and gradation was investigated only in HDR mode. The experimental results demonstrate that, besides the color gamut, the tone reproduction curve is also an important factor affecting the colorfulness of mobile display in the two modes. Higher peak luminance would not mean better performance on brightness and contrast for HDR images, which is opposite to SDR mode. Further analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicates that the ranking results of all perceptual attributes are not significantly affected by the ambient lighting levels in both SDR and HDR modes.

Analysis of educational disparities in border areas of India: a study of Gurez Valley

Border areas have their problems and peculiarities. People of Jammu and Kashmir living close to the international border have to deal with special problems arising out of their distinct geo-physical situation. Gurez Valley, a tehsil of district Bandipora also shares borders with Pakistan. The Line of Control, one of the most militarized frontiers on earth runs just a few miles north of Gurez. This region remains cut off from rest of the world for nearly six months due to adverse climatic conditions and also because the valley was declared off-limits to outsiders at the beginning of 1947. Despite being covered under the Border Area Development Programme, Gurez exhibits low levels of development especially in terms of education. The Dakar Framework for Action adopted in Senegal in 2000, identified conflict as a major barrier towards attaining Education for All’. Further, all countries had agreed to eliminate gender disparities in primary and secondary education by 2005 and to achieving gender equality by 2015. According to the 2011 census, there is a gender gap of more than 30% in the literacy rate of Gurez. The present study assesses the situation of education in Gurez, including the disparities in educational development across villages by applying the Kendall’s Rank Order method. Secondary sources of data particularly Census of India reports; Digest of Statistics, District Handbooks, etc. have been used to collect information about various educational indicators. The villages are classified subsequently into three development categories according to the values of the constructed ranks. Results indicate that almost all the villages of Tulail zone have a literacy rate of less than 50%. Villages like Malangam and Gujran have literacy rate as low as 24.91% and 35.87% respectively. Disparities in terms of gender have also been analysed by comparing the female literacy rates and enrollment of girls in schools to that of boys in various villages. Of the total 28 villages, 17 have a female literacy rate of less than 40%. Some villages like Forest Block, Niru, and Abdullan have a gap of 76.94, 52.67, and 39.13% in the male–female literacy rates.

Users’ Needs in Designing a Mobile Dialysis Device. Insights from an Interview in a Mixed Methods Study

The goal of this study is to identify ways to increase the usability of a mobile dialysis device through semi-structured interviews during the early stage of product development. We analyzed interview data using a mixed method of rank order and open-ended questions. The results from the open-ended questions showed that patients and care partners prefer the device being carried on patients’ backs, followed by the waist and the shoulder. We also identified 13 key categories of ideal features that the mobile dialysis device must hold. The results from the rank order question showed that the participants significantly preferred the Vest over the Backpack, Shoulder bag, and Distributed model. Accuracy of the device is more important compared to Safety, Ease of attachment, Comfort, Size, Operational simplicity, and Invisibility. The prioritized needs from patients and care partners provide designers and clinicians with better target solutions for designing a mobile dialysis device.

Scaling Problems in the System of Transition from Elementary to Secondary Education in Turkey with the Rank-Order Method

The purpose of this study is to scale level of significance regarded to problems that experienced in transition from elementary to secondary by using rank-order method. Thus, study was conducted as mixed-methods research. For sample of qualitative phase, 42 8th and 9th grade students who studied at different types of public schools, also 15 teachers who worked at same schools were selected. The sample in quantitative phase constituted of 336 8th and 397 9th grade students, plus 130 8th and 139 9th grade teachers. To gather qualitative data, a composition instruction and semi-structured interviews were used. Then, scaling forms for students and teachers were developed in accordance with qualitative data. The qualitative data was analyzed with content analysis technique. In analysis of ranked data, Thurstone's law of comparative and the composite standard solutions were used. The stimulus of constantly and rapidly changes in transition to secondary education was scaled as most significant problem by 8thgrade students and teachers. Not allocating time for leisure time activities stimulus was evaluated as most crucial problem by 9th grade students. Rankings of stimuli were more consistent in terms of independent variables, in 8th graders’ judgments. However, according to 9th grade students’ judgments, there was less similarity in rankings for both gender and school type variables. Besides, according to judgments of teachers, rankings descriptively differed in terms of branch and seniority level variables.

A GIS-Based Multicriteria Analysis in Modeling Optimum Sites for Rainwater Harvesting

In order to select suitable rainwater harvesting sites within the study area, rainwater harvesting criteria needed to be determined, defined, and structured. Several criteria played an important role in selecting the most suitable rainwater harvesting sites. A multicriteria analysis (MCA) approach, which is widely used to classify potential rainwater harvesting sites, was chosen to help select potential sites in the Wadi Horan region of Iraq. An MCA approach offered a systematic methodology focused on mathematics as well as professional expertise to organize and evaluate complex decisions. Unfortunately, there is no method for choosing among them the most appropriate for a given decision problem, as the choice remains a subjective task. This study used a geographic information system (GIS)-based approach with remote sensing to identify the optimal sites for rainwater harvesting. Four indices: evaporation, cost–benefit, sediment, and hydrology were selected in order to compare the potential sites. The analytic hierarchy process (AHP), fuzzy AHP, and rank order method (ROM) were used to assign weight to the study criteria. The results were then compared using a statistical (variance inverse (VI)) method. A sensitivity analysis was done to test the uncertainties and robustness of the results for each method. The results showed that the ROM and VI methods affected the ranking priority and considered all of the criteria that were sensitive to impact in the ranking process at the different levels compared to the methods of AHP and fuzzy AHP.

Evaluating the Graininess Attribute by Visual Scaling for Coatings with Special-Effect Pigments

In our society, objects’ visual appearance is an essential factor because it allows us to recognize and differentiate one object from another. In different industrial sectors like cosmetics, textiles and automotive, special-effect pigments are largely used to achieve attractive visual features. These pigments provide a color change with viewing and illumination direction, and visually provide texture. Depending on a finish’s properties, and also on the viewing and illumination conditions, coatings exhibit sparkle or a graininess-like texture. Currently, not many scientific works on the visual perception of these texture effects can be found in the literature. In addition, choice of experimental method can influence the measurement scale obtained from visual data. For this reason, the purpose of this work was to analyze graininess visual scaling constructed by two different psychophysical methods. The experimental design was based on the rank-order and paired-comparison methods. The data analysis was conducted by following the law of comparative judgments to obtain a visual scale of the graininess attribute to compare it to instrumental data. A good correlation appeared between both magnitudes with a correlation coefficient close to 0.9. Both methods provided useful results with a reasonable correspondence between them, which ensures that data can be considered reliable, while the visual obtained scale can act as a good graininess scale perceived by the human visual system.

Objective evaluation of sizing morphology of E-glass filament yarn

In spinning, sizing agent makes originally rigid glass filament yarn soft, smooth, reduces mechanical wear, and alleviates static electricity. In order to produce “stronger, thinner, and more uniform” E(Electronic) fiberglass cloth, the sized filament yarn is required to have good strand integrity and uniform belt-like shape. Currently, the sizing effect can only be evaluated artificially according to the image of cross section or longitudinal section of yarns. The goal of the paper is to find an objective evaluation method for sizing effects on strand integrity and performance of belt-forming of E-glass filament yarn. The image of cross section of yarn is captured by Keyence VK-X110 and analyzed by Image-Pro Plus to obtain the central position and diameter of each filament. The threshold of fiber spacing is set to determine whether filaments are clustered in group. The area of outer enveloping convex polygon containing all the clustered filaments is calculated and fiber-filling rate is calculated accordingly. By using the least square method, the minimum rectangle containing all groups of filaments is obtained to describe the basic contour of yarn cross section. The outer envelope polygon is divided into several equal parts to calculate the coefficient variation of thickness distribution and yarn distribution. These objective values well reflect the strand integrity and feature of belt-forming of yarn, and are consistent with the subjective evaluation. Rank order method is used to compare the sizing morphology of the yarns based on the values. A standard is also suggested for objective grade assessment of sized E-Glass yarns.

Emotional Reaction to Fear- and Disgust-Evoking Snakes: Sensitivity and Propensity in Snake-Fearful Respondents.

This paper continues our previous study in which we examined the respondents’ reaction to two morphologically different snake stimuli categories – one evoking exclusively fear and another evoking exclusively disgust. Here we acquired Likert-type scale scores of fear and disgust evoked by the same snake stimuli by a total of 330 respondents. Moreover, we collected data about the respondents’ age, gender, education, snake fear [Snake Questionnaire (SNAQ)], and disgust propensity [Disgust Scale-Revised (DS-R)], and we analyzed the effect of these variables on the emotional scores (with special focus on snake-fearful respondents). In addition, we collected the SNAQ and DS-R scores from the respondents tested in the previous study using the rank-ordering method to directly compare the results of these two approaches. The results showed that non-fearful respondents give high scores of fear to the fear-eliciting snakes and high scores of disgust to the disgust-eliciting snakes, but they give low scores of the other emotional dimension (disgust/fear) to each. In contrast, snake-fearful respondents not only give higher fear and disgust scores to the respective snake stimuli, but they also give high scores of fear to the disgust-eliciting snakes and high scores of disgust to the fear-eliciting snakes. Both Likert-scale scores and rank-ordering data show that the clear border dividing both snake stimuli categories dissolves when evaluated by the snake-fearful respondents.

Interdepartmental collaboration in a teaching hospital - A force field analysis

Background: In health care, good collaboration and team work between specialty departments are needed to provide comprehensive care to the patients. There are incidents on conflicts and poor patient management and mistakes due to ineffective collaboration. To improve collaboration, we need to establish guidelines and protocols. Understanding the perceptions of physicians on interdepartmental collaboration would help in establishing these guidelines. Aims and Objectives: This study was done to understand the perceptions of doctors in different departments to develop protocols and guidelines needed for good collaboration in a teaching hospital. Materials and Methods: A force field analysis was done using rank order and Likert scale questionnaire method with both closed and open ended questions. Ninety-eight clinicians (47 juniors and 51 seniors) completed the questionnaire. Statistical analysis was done using Friedman test and Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test. Results: Ego between power and capability was ranked highest among factors hindering collaboration. Communication and understanding were considered as most important for good collaboration. Evaluation of collaboration based on patient outcome was ranked highest to improve collaboration. Seniors (>10 years-experience) were more agreeable for monitoring and for getting feedback from patients when compared to juniors. Incompetency and administrative problems were ranked higher by seniors, whereas lack of communication and understanding was higher by juniors. Conclusion: Regular objective evaluation based on patient outcome could be an important step in improving collaboration. Training programs and workshops should be developed for team building and communication skills in both Junior as well as senior faculty.

Checking the Possibility of an International Comparative Study of Reading Literacy Assessment for Children Starting School

The early years of school, when a child is only learning to read, are critically important for later development and learning. Cross-cultural comparative assessments of reading literacy provide a rich source of data for researchers, practitioners and politicians on the opportunities and prospects of early childhood development in different countries, circumstances and contexts. There are few publications of this sort available, and none of them has involved Russian-speaking children on entry to school so far.Data obtained using two language versions of the International Performance Indicators in Primary Schools (iPIPS) on representative samples of first-graders from the Republic of Tatarstan and Scotland is used to compare the early reading assessment results between children starting school in countries with linguistic, cultural, and school entry age differences.Two studies are conducted to analyze the possible methods of comparing assessment results of children from different countries in the absence of a common measurement scale. The first study uses the rank-ordering method to establish a correspondence between the levels of reading literacy among Russian- and English-speaking children by expert judgment. In the second study, the obtained model of literacy levels is used to establish the cut-off scores (benchmarks) of student assessment outcomes.

Implemententasi Metode Rank Order Cendroid (ROC) dan Operational Competitiveness Rating Analysis (OCRA) dalam Penilaian Kinerja Dosen Komputer Menerapkan (Studi Kasus: STMIK Budi Darma)

As an educator, the responsibilities of lecturers are demanded on three things, known as the tri dharma of higher education. A lecturer must be able to make a real contribution to students. Not only to students but also required to be able to cooperate well with the institutions where the lecturers serve. In order for the performance of a lecturer to be better, then, in this case, the educational institution can conduct a performance appraisal of the lecturers at the institute. Effective assessment is certainly needed so that the results obtained are better and more appropriate. For this reason, the writer tries to use the Operational Competitiveness Rating Analysis (OCRA) and Centroid Rank Order (ROC) methods in evaluating the performance of lecturers at STMIK Budi Darma.