Quality Evaluation Process Research Articles

Economic effect of software quality evaluation procedure in small IT businesses

IT industry is growing fast from year to year, which leads to growing competition in the respective market. That is why quality evaluation best practices are becoming more widely appreciated. Relevance of the chosen theme results from the fact that appropriate quality evaluation process is required to make a competitive product in the IT industry. The intention of this paper is to suggest a software quality evaluation procedure for small IT businesses. This market segment does not have a formalized basis for comprehensive quality evaluation. The designed procedure includes five steps: describing a software product, selection of key quality measures of the software product and its source code, selection of appropriate methods for measuring, quality evaluation according to the key measures and calculation source code quality metrics, quality rate calculation. The importance of high-quality source code has been demonstrated by a chart which shows a dependency of total implemented functionality from time in two cases: high-quality source code and low-quality source code. As a conclusion, it is claimed that introduction of quality evaluation procedure does not lead to material costs increase, which is highly important for small IT businesses. There is economic effect analysis of introduction of software quality evaluation procedure in small IT businesses.

HPLC-DVD combined with chemometrics to analyze the correlation between the Q-marker content and color of Corni Fructus.

Although Corni Fructus (CF) is a fruit with great economic value and development potential in medicine and food, too much reliance on personal experience for quality evaluation seriously limits the trading and circulation of CF. In the present study, through the research on the correlation between the chemical composition and the appearance color, a standard colorimetric card related to CF quality was established, which simplified the quality evaluation process and improved the accuracy of the visual evaluation of CF. Firstly, a total of 29 batches of CF from different places were collected. Then, "imread" in the MATLAB software was used to convert the color of all samples into RGB values, and HPLC-DVD was used to measure the content of the main chemical components in CF. Thereafter, the correlation between the content and color was studied by using MLR, BP-ANNs and SVM chemometric tools to screen the Q-marker of CF, which was further confirmed by in vivo and in vitro experiments. Finally, the Q-marker standard colorimetric card with the best fitting degree is established according to the prediction model. Thus, this study provides an auxiliary reference for the color evaluation of CF and a reference for the standardization and quantification of the macro characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine and food.

Predictive modeling of extruded filament in the air for bioink in direct ink writing using numerical simulation

Direct ink writing (DIW) is the most widespread 3D printing process for manufacturing parts with bioink. In this paper, a predictive model of extruded filament in the air for bioink in DIW is established using numerical simulation. The predictive model fully considers the complete factors including bioink's material properties, extrusion tool's dimensions and process parameters. This simulation model can be used to predict velocity field and shape of extruded filament in the air which are important parameters for DIW process quality evaluation, control and optimization. The proposed predictive model is then validated through comparison between simulation and experimental results.

Process Quality Evaluation Model with Taguchi Cost Loss Index

Process Capability Indices (PCIs) are not only a good communication tools between sales departments and customers but also convenient tools for internal engineers to evaluate and analyze process capabilities of products. Many statisticians and process engineers are dedicated to research on process capability indices, among which the Taguchi cost loss index can reflect both the process yield and process cost loss at the same time. Therefore, in this study the Taguchi cost loss index was used to propose a novel process quality evaluation model. After the process was stabilized, a process capability evaluation was carried out. This study used Boole’s inequality and DeMorgan’s theorem to derive the (1−α)×100% confidence region of (δ,γ2) based on control chart data. The study adopted the mathematical programming method to find the (1−α)×100% confidence interval of the Taguchi cost loss index then employed a (1−α)×100% confidence interval to perform statistical testing and to determine whether the process needed improvement.

Simple method of acquiring high-quality light fields based on the chromatic aberration of only one defocused image pair.

Direct light field acquisition method using a lens array requires a complex system and has a low resolution. On the other hand, the light fields can be also acquired indirectly by back-projection of the focal stack images without lens array, providing a resolution as high as the sensor resolution. However, it also requires the bulky optical system design to fix field-of-view (FOV) between the focal stacks, and an additional device for sensor shifting. Also, the reconstructed light field is texture-dependent and low-quality because it uses either a high-pass filter or a guided filter for back-projection. This paper presents a simple light field acquisition method based on chromatic aberration of only one defocused image pair. An image with chromatic aberration has a different defocus distribution for each R, G, and B channel. Thus, the focal stack can be synthesized with structural similarity (SSIM) 0.96 from only one defocused image pair. Then this image pair is also used to estimate the depth map by depth-from-defocus (DFD) using chromatic aberration (chromatic DFD). The depth map obtained by chromatic DFD is used for high-quality light field reconstruction. Compared to existing light field indirect acquisition, the proposed method requires only one pair of defocused images and can clearly reconstruct light field images with Blind/Referenceless Image Spatial Quality Evaluator (BRISQUE) scores lowered by 17%-38% and with Perception-Based Image Quality Evaluator (PIQE) scores lowered by 19%-45%. A defocused image pair is acquired by our customized compact optical system consisting of only three lenses, including a varifocal lens. Image processing and image quality evaluation are all performed using MATLAB.

Nutrition Care Process Quality Evaluation and Standardization Tool: The Next Frontier in Quality Evaluation of Documentation

Documentation is essential for communicating care between credentialed nutrition and dietetics practitioners and other health care providers. A validated tool that can evaluate quality documentation of the Nutrition Care Process (NCP) encounter, including progress on outcomes is lacking. The aim of the NCP Quality Evaluation and Standardization Tool (QUEST) validation study is to revise an existing NCP audit tool and evaluate it when used within US Veterans Affairs in all clinical care settings. Six registered dietitian nutritionists revised an existing NCP audit tool. The revised tool (NCP-QUEST) was analyzed for clarity, relevance, and reliability. Eighty-five documentation notes (44 initial, 41 reassessment) were received from eight volunteer Veterans Affairs sites. Five of six registered dietitian nutritionists participated in the interrater reliability testing blinded to each other's ratings; and two registered dietitian nutritionists participated in intrarater reliability reviewing the same notes 6 weeks later blinded to the original ratings. Results showed moderate levels of agreement in interrater reliability (Krippendorff’s α = .62 for all items, .66 for total score, and .52 for quality category rating). Intrarater reliability was excellent for all items (α = .86 to .87 for all items; .91 to .94 for total score and.74 to .89 for quality category rating). The NCP-QUEST has high content validity (Content Validity Index = 0.78 for item level, and 0.9 for scale level) after two cycles of content validity review. The tool can facilitate critical thinking, improved linking of NCP chains, and is a necessary foundation for quality data collection and outcomes management. The NCP-QUEST tool can improve accuracy and confidence in charting.

Application-Aware Intrusion Detection: A Systematic Literature Review, Implications for Automotive Systems, and Applicability of AutoML

Modern and flexible application-level software platforms increase the attack surface of connected vehicles and thereby require automotive engineers to adopt additional security control techniques. These techniques encompass host-based intrusion detection systems (HIDSs) that detect suspicious activities in application contexts. Such application-aware HIDSs originate in information and communications technology systems and have a great potential to deal with the flexible nature of application-level software platforms. However, the elementary characteristics of known application-aware HIDS approaches and thereby the implications for their transfer to the automotive sector are unclear. In previous work, we presented a systematic literature review (SLR) covering the state of the art of application-aware HIDS approaches. We synthesized our findings by means of a fine-grained classification for each approach specified through a feature model and corresponding variant models. These models represent the approaches’ elementary characteristics. Furthermore, we summarized key findings and inferred implications for the transfer of application-aware HIDSs to the automotive sector. In this article, we extend the previous work by several aspects. We adjust the quality evaluation process within the SLR to be able to consider high quality conference publications, which results in an extended final pool of publications. For supporting HIDS developers on the task of configuring HIDS analysis techniques based on machine learning, we report on initial results on the applicability of AutoML. Furthermore, we present lessons learned regarding the application of the feature and variant model approach for SLRs. Finally, we more thoroughly describe the SLR study design.

​Process Optimisation and Quality Evaluation of Passion Fruit and Pineapple based Probiotic Drink

Background: The functions of food has extended from satisfying hunger and providing nutrients to the body, health maintenance, well being and prevention of diseases. Probiotics are such functional food and when they are incorporated to locally available foods, it helps to improve the nutritional profile and therapeutic value. Hence, the study entitled “Process optimisation and quality evaluation of passion fruit and pineapple probiotic drink” was undertaken with the objective of standardising probiotic fruit drink with passion fruit and pineapple and also to evaluate the nutritional and organoleptic qualities of these developed passion fruit and pineapple probiotic drinks. Methods: In the present study 5 treatments along with one control with 3 replications were standardized. Passion fruit juice (PFJ) was used as the major ingredient and used in varying proportions starting from 50 to 90 per cent with 10 to 50 per cent of pineapple juice (PJ). The best treatment was selected through sensory evaluation along with control by using a score card with nine point hedonic scale. In the selected treatments optimization for the growth of Lactobacillus acidophilus with regard to substrate concentration, time of incubation, temperature of incubation and inoculum concentration were done. The probiotic drinks and their respective controls were then analysed for their nutrient composition like TSS, titratable acidity, energy and ascorbic acid. Result: Among the various treatments, highest scores for organoleptic qualities was observed in treatment having 70 per cent passion fruit juice and 30 per cent pineapple juice (T3) with a mean score of 8.52 for overall acceptability. The selected juice was optimized for the growth of Lactobacillus acidophilus and had a viable count of 13.38 log cfu ml-1. The probiotic and non probiotic drinks had TSS content of 12.8 and 13.5° Brix, titratable acidity of 2.28 and 2.03 per cent, energy of 59.32 and 68.96 Kcal and ascorbic acid of 10 and 12.8 mg 100g-1 respectively.

Nondestructive Detection of Moisture Content in Walnut Kernel by Near-Infrared Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy

The rapid and accurate detection of the moisture content is of great significance to the quality evaluation and oil extraction process of walnut kernel. Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy is an ideal method for measuring the moisture content in walnut kernel. In this study, a regression model for moisture content in walnut kernel was developed based on NIR diffuse reflectance spectroscopy using chemometric methods. The different spectral pretreatment methods were adopted to preprocess the original spectral data. The whole spectra band was divided into 5 subbands, 10 subbands, 15 subbands, and 20 subbands to screen specific wavelengths relevant to the walnut kernel moisture content. PLS (partial least square regression), MLR (multivariate linear regression), PCR (principle component regression), and SVR (support vector regression) were used to establish the relationship model between the spectral data and measurement values of the moisture content. In comparison, the optimized modeling conditions were determined as follows: detection wavelength 1349–1490 nm, SNV-FD (standard normal variate transformation and first derivative) preprocessing method, and PLS algorithm. Under these conditions, the square correlation coefficient (R2) and root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) of the prediction model were 0.9865 and 0.0017, respectively. The results of this study provided a feasible method for the rapid detection of moisture content in walnut kernel. To improve the performance and applicability of the model, it is necessary to continuously expand the size of the sample set.

Fuzzy Evaluation Model of Process Improvement Capability with Costs Consideration

The Taguchi capability index, which reflects the expected loss and the yield of a process, is a useful index for evaluating the quality of a process. Several scholars have proposed a process improvement capability index based on the expected value of the Taguchi loss function as well as the corresponding cost of process improvement. There have been a number of studies using the Taguchi capability index to develop suppliers’ process quality evaluation models, whereas models for evaluating suppliers’ process improvement potential have been relatively lacking. Thus, this study applies the process improvement capability index to develop an evaluation model of the supplier’s process improvement capability, which can be provided to the industry for application. Besides, owing to the current need to respond quickly, coupled with cost considerations and the limits of technical capabilities, the sample size for sampling testing is usually not large. Consequently, the evaluation model of the process improvement capability developed in this study adopts a fuzzy testing method based on the confidence interval. This method reduces the risk of misjudgment due to sampling errors and improves the testing accuracy because it can incorporate experts and their accumulated experiences.

Multi-Way Analysis Coupled with Near-Infrared Spectroscopy in Food Industry: Models and Applications.

Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a fast and powerful analytical tool in the food industry. As an advanced chemometrics tool, multi-way analysis shows great potential for solving a wide range of food problems and analyzing complex spectroscopic data. This paper describes the representative multi-way models which were used for analyzing NIRS data, as well as the advances, advantages and limitations of different multi-way models. The applications of multi-way analysis in NIRS for the food industry in terms of food process control, quality evaluation and fraud, identification and classification, prediction and quantification, and image analysis are also reviewed. It is evident from this report that multi-way analysis is presently an attractive tool for modeling complex NIRS data in the food industry while its full potential is far from reached. The combination of multi-way analysis with NIRS will be a promising practice for turning food data information into operational knowledge, conducting reliable food analyses and improving our understanding about food systems and food processes. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first paper that systematically reports the advances on models and applications of multi-way analysis in NIRS for the food industry.

Research on modeling of cloud manufacturing resources selection

Cloud Manufacturing (CMfg) combines computing resources of the Internet and manufacturing resources of the enterprise into a large data resource pool to realize the configuration of manufacturing resources and manufacturing tasks. In order to solve the hugeness and complexity of the resource pool in CMfg, simplify the process links and save manufacturing resources, shorten the production time of enterprises and improve the production efficiency of enterprises, a model for the optimal selection of cloud manufacturing resources is proposed, which was based on production cost, production time, processing quality and other evaluation factors.

Effects of different scanning patterns on nickel alloy-directed energy deposition based on thermal analysis

ABSTRACT A novel and comprehensive evaluation index considering various processing parameters in additive manufacturing with four different scanning patterns was proposed. The relationship between the evaluation index and the performance of parts made by directed energy deposition was established and verified by experiments. The differences of thermal evolution between four scanning patterns were analysed. Comprehensive evaluation indices corresponding to different scanning patterns were calculated by integrating the contributions of various parameters, such as delamination, warping, porosity, heat accumulation, cooling rate, dendrite spacing, and deposition efficiency. The comprehensive evaluation indices off our scanning patterns were ranked in the following order (from lowest to highest): single-track zigzag, single-track, bi-direction, and spiral inward patterns. The performance of the single-track zigzag pattern was the best, and that of the spiral inward pattern was the worst. The single-track and bi-direction patterns showed intermediate performances under the same conditions. The closer the index is to zero, the better the performance. This index can be used for the quantitative evaluation of process quality and prediction of performance. It provides guidance for additive manufacturing process development and optimisation, reduces workload, and provides a new idea for quantitative performance evaluation and prediction of parts fabricated by additive manufacturing.

Evaluation of college English classroom teaching quality dependent on triangular fuzzy number

With economic globalization and the informatization of social life, English has become a language extensively used around the globe. The research on the evaluation of English teaching quality is of crucial practical significance and theoretical value. Hence, student evaluation form for the college English classroom teaching quality that has been evaluated and has good reliability is used in this paper to expound the principles of the triangular fuzzy number evaluation method and the range method based on the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). Examples are used to analyze the differences between the two methods as well as their advantages and disadvantages. The comprehensive evaluation result of the teaching quality evaluation of a teacher by using the range method is excellent (85.500 points), and the comprehensive evaluation result by using the triangular fuzzy number method based on the analytic hierarchy process is good (64.818 points). The results show that the range method is better for the comprehensive evaluation of teachers' teaching quality. The statistical analysis results suggest that there are differences between the two methods in the evaluation of the classroom teaching quality in colleges and universities (t = 11.197, P < 0.0001). In the evaluation of the teaching quality by using the triangular fuzzy number evaluation method based on the analytic hierarchy process, the non-linear and fuzzy features of evaluation factors are taken into consideration comprehensively. The weight values of various evaluation indexes are calculated scientifically. The qualitative and quantitative evaluations are combined to obtain the evaluation result of the classroom teaching quality of teachers more objectively, which is of great significance in the practical teaching quality evaluation process.

Data quality certification using ISO/IEC 25012: Industrial experiences

The most successful organizations in the world are data-driven businesses. Data is at the core of the business of many organizations as one of the most important assets, since the decisions they make cannot be better than the data on which they are based. Due to this reason, organizations need to be able to trust their data. One important activity that helps to achieve data reliability is the evaluation and certification of the quality level of organizational data repositories. This paper describes the results of the application of a data quality evaluation and certification process to the repositories of three European organizations belonging to different sectors. We present findings from the point of view of both the data quality evaluation team and the organizations that underwent the evaluation process. In this respect, several benefits have been explicitly recognized by the involved organizations after achieving the data quality certification for their repositories (e.g., long-term organizational sustainability better internal knowledge of data, and a more efficient management of data quality). As a result of this experience, we have also identified a set of best practices aimed to enhance the data quality evaluation process.

VFS-based OFSP model for groundwater pollution study of domestic waste landfill.

The groundwater quality is essential for high quality of life and social development. Thus, the importance and necessity of the accurate and rigorous requirements for contaminated groundwater assessment has increasingly attracted engineers' and researchers' attentions. In order to improve the precision and robustness of the groundwater quality evaluation of domestic waste landfills, based on the variable fuzzy set (VFS) pair and the optimized N.L. Nemerow index, we develop an optimized fuzzy set pair (OFSP) model for groundwater quality assessment. Then, we devise the OFSP model by five key elements of optimized synthesis operator "C", relative difference[Formula: see text], connection degree"ui", optimized N.L. Nemerow index "Pi," and pollution load ratio "Ji", which can achieve the reasonable groundwater quality assessment model, the stable groundwater quality evaluation process, and the convincing evaluation results. Finally, a case study on groundwater quality assessment of various domestic landfills in China is conducted to explore the comprehensive impacts of domestic landfills in different regions and types on groundwater pollution from multiple perspectives, and demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed OFSP model. The groundwater quality assessment results of various domestic landfills indicate that the pollution level of groundwater under unregulated domestic landfills in eastern and southern China is the worst. Based on the assessment results of groundwater quality, we compare the groundwater quality levels obtained by various mainstream methods. In line with precision (0.985), correlation (0.934), robustness (0.953), and rationality (0.946), our designed OFSP model has the best performance. In addition, according to the indexes of discrimination (0.217) and versatility (0.837), the designed OFSP model also has a good ability. Results of experiments well prove that the proposed OFSP model could play a good performance on groundwater quality evaluation in domestic landfills, compared with other mainstream models.

A null allele of granule bound starch synthase (Wx-B1) may be one of the major genes controlling chapatti softness

Chapatti (unleavened flatbread) is a staple food in northern India and neighboring countries but the genetics behind its processing quality are poorly understood. To understand the genes determining chapatti quality, differentially expressed genes were selected from microarray data of contrasting chapatti cultivars. From the gene and trait association studies, a null allele of granule bound starch synthase (GBSS; Wx-B1) was found to be associated with low amylose content and good chapatti quality. For validation, near-isogenic lines (NILs) of this allele were created by marker assisted backcross (MAB) breeding. Background screening indicated 88.2 to 96.7% background recovery in 16 selected BC3F5 NILs. Processing quality and sensory evaluation of selected NILs indicated improvement in chapatti making quality. Traits that showed improvement were mouthfeel, tearing strength and softness indicating that the Wx-B1 may be one of the major genes controlling chapatti softness.

Comparison of content-toxicity-activity of six ingenane-type diterpenoids between Euphorbia kansui before and after stir-fried with vinegar by using UFLC-MS/MS, zebrafish embryos and HT-29 cells

The dried roots of Euphorbia kansui (EK) are especially beneficial for the treatment of edema, but the severe toxicity limits their clinical applications. Euphorbia kansui stir-fried with vinegar (VEK) is traditionally employed to reduce the toxicity of EK. However, the material basis for the toxicity reduction with effectivity conservation is still unclear. Therefore, in this study, a rapid, sensitive, and reliable ultra-fast liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UFLC-MS/MS) method was firstly established to simultaneously determine six ingenane-type diterpenoids, i.e. kansuiphorin C (1), 5-O-benzoyl-20-deoxyingenol (2), 20-deoxyingenol (3), 3-O-(2’E,4’E-decadienoyl)-20-O-acetylingenol (4), 20-O-(2’E,4’Z-decadienoyl)ingenol (5), and ingenol (6), in EK and VEK based on the processing conversion. Then, the toxicity evaluation on zebrafish embryos and modulation of the expression of aquaporin-3 (AQP3) proteins in HT-29 cells were employed to investigate the toxicity-activity of six compounds. Chromatographic separation was obtained on Waters BEH RP18 column (2.1 mm × 100 mm, 2.5 μm) with the mobile phase composed of 0.1 % formic acid in acetonitrile and water, respectively. The column temperature was 35 ℃ at a flow rate of 0.4 mL min−1. Multiple reaction monitoring was conducted in both positive and negative modes for quantitative analysis. The method was then successfully used for the determination of six compounds in EK and VEK. In addition, 1, 2, 4, and 5 had evident cardiotoxicity, intestinal irritation and nutrient absorption disorders on zebrafish larvae, while no in-vivo toxicity was seen for groups given 3 and 6 (LC50 > 200 μM). Meanwhile, 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6 significantly increased the expression of AQP3 protein (p < 0.05) to promote the excretion of water in the colon. This study demonstrated that toxic ingenane-type diterpenoids converted into the less toxic compounds with the same core structure through the breakage of multiple ester bonds in the side chain. At the same time, the laxative effect was retained, providing useful information for the optimization of the process of EK and quality evaluation of other similar toxic Chinese herbal medicines.

The Fuzzy Process Quality Evaluation Model for the STB Quality Characteristic of Machining

Whether it is important components of a machine tool itself or various important components processed by the machine tool, many vital quality characteristics mostly belong to the smaller-the-better type. When the process quality levels of these quality characteristics do not attain to the criteria, friction loss may increase during the machine operation, affecting not only the process precision and accuracy but also the lifetime of the product. Therefore, this study applied a smaller-the-better six-sigma quality index simultaneously demonstrating process quality level and process yield. Besides, in coping with statistical process control data, a one-tail confidence-interval-based fuzzy testing method was developed to evaluate process quality. Because this approach is built on the basis of confidence intervals, it can reduce the possibility of misjudgment resulting from sampling errors as well as integrate past experience to enhance the accuracy and precision of the assessment, and then it can grasp the timeliness of improvement.

Humanistic care and psychological counseling on psychological disorders in medical students after COVID-19 outbreak: A protocol of systematic review.

Background:The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of humanistic care and psychological counseling (HCPC) on psychological disorders (PD) in medical students after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak.Methods:We will search randomized controlled trials or case-controlled studies of HCPC on PD in medical students after COVID-19 outbreak in the following electronic databases: PUBMED/MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, AMED, WANGFANG, and CNKI. The time is restricted from the construction of each database to the present. All process of study selection, data collection, and study quality evaluation will be carried out by two independent authors. Any different opinions will be solved by a third author through discussion. We will employ RevMan 5.3 software to conduct statistical analysis.Results:This study will provide a better understanding of HCPC on PD in medical students after COVID-19 outbreak.Conclusions:This study may offer strong evidence for clinical practice to treat PD in medical students after COVID-19 outbreak.Study registration:CRD42020193199.