Radar Chart Research Articles

Towards a set of indices for relational economy on the example of Hungary

AbstractWhile informal relations between economic and political actors are prevalent in post-communist economies, proper tools for their quantitative measurement are lacking. This paper is a starting point for thinking about this issue. Relying on previous research (Magyar – Madlovics 2020), we elaborate the concept of ‘relational economy,’ and discuss the problem of measuring its peculiar phenomena by existing direct and indirect data. Towards a set of indices for relational economy, we consider the use of proxies in three ways: (1) a radar chart composed of specific company data; (2) ‘moments of truth’ when property movements reveal an actor's de facto ownership status; and (3) ‘moments of truth’ when adoption to or exclusion from the informal patronal network is accompanied by a significant change in financial situation. Illustrations to each of the three methods are provided from the case of Hungary after 2010.

Optimized radiological alert thresholds based on device-dosimetric information to predict peak skin dose between 2 and 4Gy during vascular fluoroscopically guided intervention.

To provide radiologists and physicists with methodological tools to improve patient management after vascular fluoroscopically guided intervention (FGI) by providing optimized thresholds (OT) values that could be used as a surrogate to the thresholds classically proposed by the National Council on Radiation Protection (NCRP) or could be useful to adapt their own substantial radiation dose levels (SRDL) values. PSD of 2000-4000mGy after FGI were calculated for 258 patients with dedicated software. Overall, the kerma and KAP 3D-ROC curves were used to assess the sensitivity (SEN) and specificity (SPE) of NCRP thresholds and OT for each PSD. Kiviat diagram and density curves were plotted for the best SEN/SPE pair of 3D-ROC curves and compared to the NCRP thresholds. OT for both kerma and KAP generating the best SEN/SPE couple for PSD of 2000-4000mGy were obtained. The SEN/SPE couple of each OT was always better than that obtained using NCRP ones. The best OT among all those calculated providing the highest SEN/SPE values for kerma (3020.5mGy) and KAP (741.02Gy.cm2) were obtained when PSD was equal to 3300mGy. We have calculated OT in terms of kerma and KAP based on 3D-ROC curves analysis and peak skin dose calculations that can be obtained to better predict high skin dose. The use of OT that predicted PSD greater than 3000mGy is likely to improve patient follow-up. The methodology developed in this work could be adapted to other institutions in order to better define their own SRDL. • Optimized dose thresholds in terms of kerma and KAP based on 3D-ROC curves analysis and peak skin dose calculations between 2000 and 4000mGy can be obtained to better predict high skin dose. • Patients receiving a peak skin dose between 2000 and 4000mGy have their follow-up enhanced by using the optimized thresholds instead of the NCRP thresholds. • The best-optimized thresholds, corresponding to 3020.5mGy and 741.02Gy.cm2 for kerma and KAP respectively can be used instead of NRCP ones to trigger patient follow-up after fluoroscopically guided vascular interventions.

Introduction of a New Method to Monitor Patient-Relevant Outcomes and Costs: Using a Quality Improvement Project in Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation Care as an Example.

Routine outcome monitoring is becoming standard in care evaluations, but costs are still underrepresented in these efforts. The primary aim of this study was therefore to assess if patient-relevant cost drivers can be used alongside clinical outcomes to evaluate an improvement project and to provide insight into (remaining) areas for improvement. Data from patients who underwent transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) between 2013 and 2018 at a single center in the Netherlands were used. A quality improvement strategy was implemented in October 2015, and pre- (A) and post-quality improvement cohorts (B) were distinguished. For each cohort, clinical outcomes, quality of life (QoL), and cost drivers were collected from the national cardiac registry and hospital registration data. The most appropriate cost drivers in TAVI care were selected from hospital registration data using a novel stepwise approach with an expert panel of physicians, managers, and patient representatives. A radar chart was used to visualize the clinical outcomes, QoL and the selected costs drivers. We included 81 patients in cohort A and 136 patients in cohort B. All-cause mortality at 30 days was borderline significantly lower in cohort B than in cohort A (1.5% vs 7.4%, P = .055). QoL improved after TAVI for both cohorts. The stepwise approach resulted in 21 patient-relevant cost drivers. Costs for pre-procedural outpatient clinic visits (€535, interquartile range [IQR] = 321-675, vs €650, IQR = 512-890, P < .001), costs for the procedure (€1354, IQR = 1236-1686, vs €1474, IQR = 1372-1620, P < .001), and imaging during admission (€318, IQR = 174-441, vs €329, IQR = 267-682, P = .002) were significantly lower in cohort B than in cohort A. Possible improvement potential was seen in 30-day pacemaker implantation and 120-day readmission. A selection of patient-relevant cost drivers is a valuable addition to clinical outcomes for use in evaluation of improvement projects and identification of room for further improvement.

Research on Comprehensive Evaluation of Equipment for the Tea Processing Craft

Chinese tea has a long history, and the development level of tea mechanization in this country is in the leading position internationally. Equipment for the tea processing craft is one of the most widely used types in China; indispensable technology is used for high-quality tea in the relevant tea processing equipment. The performance of tea processing equipment is always a focus when it is being used. Meanwhile, research evaluating the performance of tea processing equipment has been rarely reported. Thus, it is important to find a methodology to evaluate the performance of equipment for the tea processing craft. In this paper, a new method of rough set theory, as well as a radar chart for quality evaluation of tea processed by different tea processing crafts, is created. Firstly, the important indexes of processed tea are presented, including moisture, tea polyphenols, free amino acids, caffeine, and vitamin C. Then, these indexes for nine different types of processed tea based on different tea processing crafts are experimented and detected. Thirdly, rough set theory and radar chart are adopted to solving the weight of each index and establishing comprehensive evaluation diagram of all kinds of samples. Then, the merit of samples can be achieved. Meanwhile, the best tea processing equipment craft can be also obtained through comparisons between the sensory evaluation and the radar chart. It is concluded that sample 2, sample 3 and sample 4 belong to the best processing samples, and it is verified that the far-infrared radiation tea green removing machine has a significant influence on tea processing equipment craft. In addition, from the comprehensive analysis of green tea sample, not only tea quality but equipment craft of tea processing can be analyzed.

Neural network classification of mobility spectra for volatile organic compounds using tandem differential mobility spectrometry with field induced fragmentation

A spectral library of field induced fragmentation (FIF) spectra for 45 oxygen-containing volatile organic compounds from 5 chemical classes was obtained using tandem differential mobility spectrometry (DMS). Protonated monomers were mobility isolated in a first DMS stage, fragmented with electric fields >10,000 V/cm in a middle (or reactive) stage, and mobility characterized in a second DMS stage. Other spectral libraries were obtained for protonated monomers and for complete mobility spectra from a single DMS stage. Neural networks from Python/Tensorflow software, prepared in-house, and from commercial NeuralWorks Professional II/PLUS were trained to assign spectra into a chemical class. The success at classification was determined for familiar and unfamiliar spectra from these three libraries. Classification test scores were best with FIF spectra with >0.99 for familiar compounds and 0.52 for unfamiliar compounds and were consistent with neural network learning of structural information from fragment ions when compared to other spectral libraries. Radar charts are introduced as measures of classification and as a tool to explore mis-classification. This work shows that ion fragmentation with multi-stage tandem DMS portends molecular identification with the portability and robustness of ambient pressure ion mobility analyzers.

Efficiency evaluation of urban employee's basic endowment insurance expenditure in China based on a three-stage DEA model.

With the deepening of population aging, the expenditure of basic endowment insurance in China is increasing. The urban employees' basic endowment insurance(UEBEI) system for is an important part of China's basic social endowment insurance system, which is the most important institutional guarantee for the basic needs of employees after retirement. It not only relates to the living standards of retired employees but also relates to the stability of the whole society. Especially considering the acceleration of urbanization process, the financial sustainability of the basic endowment insurance for employees is of great significance for safeguarding the pension rights of retired employees and realizing the normal operation of the whole system, and the operation efficiency of urban employees' basic endowment insurance(UEBEI) fund inevitably becomes the focus of increasing attention. Based on the panel data of 31 provinces in China from 2016 to 2020, this paper established a three-stage DEA-SFA model, and compared the differences of comprehensive technical efficiency, pure technical efficiency and scale efficiency with radar chart, aiming to explore the operating efficiency of the UEBEI in China and how environmental factors affect it. The empirical results show that at present, the overall level of the expenditure efficiency of the UEBEI fund for urban workers is not high, and all provinces have not reached the efficiency frontier level, and there is still a certain space for efficiency improvement. Fiscal autonomy and elderly dependency ratio are negatively correlated with fund expenditure efficiency, while urbanization level and marketization level are positively correlated with fund expenditure efficiency. The regional difference of fund operation efficiency is significant, from high to low, it is East China, Central China and West China. Reasonable control of environmental variables and narrowing of regional economic development and fund expenditure efficiency differences can provide some enlightenment for better realization of common prosperity.

Impacts of fertilization management strategies on improved sorghums varieties in smallholder farming systems in Mali: Productivity and profitability differences

Sorghum is an important cereal crop cultivated by smallholder farmers of Mali, contributing significantly to their food demand and security. The study evaluated different fertilization strategies that combined organic and inorganic fertilizer applications with three sorghum varieties. The experiments were conducted over three cropping seasons (2017–2019) in three sites (Bamako, Bougouni, and Koutiala respectively) within the Sudanian region of Mali. Our results showed a significant effect of season, variety, and fertilization strategies on grain and stalk yields. Grain yield increased by 8–40% in Koutiala, 11–53% in Bougouni, and 44–110% in Bamako while the average stalk yield was above 5000 kg ha−1 with fertilized treatment compared to unfertilized treatment in the three sites. Fadda performed the best variety, mean grain yield was 23% and 42% higher than that of Soumba and Tieble, respectively. Similarly, there was a progressive increase in grain yield with an increasing level of poultry manure (PM) from 0 to 150 g/hill and cattle manure (CM) from 0 to 100 g/hill. However, the application of 100 g/hill of CM and PM plus 3 g/hill of Di-ammonium Phosphate (DAP) increased yield by 8% and 12% respectively compared to only CM or PM treatments. The results further revealed higher yield gain by 51% (Bamako), 57% (Koutiala), and 42% (Bougouni) for T10-[PM (100 g/hill) + Micro-D_DAP (3 g/hill)] equivalent to 73 kgNha−1 than others (T2-T9), but not proportionate to the highest value-cost ratio (VCR). Radar charts used to visualize sustainable intensification (SI) performance in the three domains (productivity, profitability, and environment) showed that the environmental variable has a direct influence on productivity, meanwhile profitability across the strategies ranged from low to moderate value across sites and different fertilizer strategies. Our study, therefore, recommends the use of multiple-choice fertilizer strategies includingT2-CM (50 g/hill)+PM(50 g/hill), T5-DAP-Micro-D (3 g/hill), T6-DAP41:46:00 and T9-PM(50 g/hill) alongside with improved sorghum varieties tested, for higher productivity and profitability across the region.

The rheological properties of high-viscosity modified reclaimed asphalt binder at multiple application temperatures

The asphalt binder of permeable asphalt concrete has high requirements and there are few studies on mixing reclaimed asphalt (RA) with high-viscosity asphalt (HVA) for recycled permeable asphalt concrete. This study aims to research the wide-temperature-range rheological properties of high-viscosity modified reclaimed asphalt binder (HVRA) which is the bituminous binder in recycled permeable asphalt concrete. First, HVRA was prepared by mixing RA and HVA, wherein RA was extracted from reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) and HVA was prepared in the laboratory. Then, the properties of HVRA at multiple application temperatures were analyzed by basic indexes test, dynamic shear rheological test, and bending beam rheometer test. Finally, the comprehensive performance was contrastively evaluated by radar chart. The results revealed that the properties of HVRA are excellent when the high-viscosity modifier (HVM) content is 18 % and 20 %. Additionally, the rheological properties and fatigue resistance of the HVRA showed a decreasing trend with adding RA. Among them, considering rheological properties, the optimal content of HVM in HVA is 18 % − 20 %, and the optimal proportion of RA in HVRA is 10 % − 20 %. Furthermore, the fatigue performance of HVRA is significantly enhanced when HVM content is 18 %, especially the fatigue life of HVRA with 10% RAP is 5–9 times HVA containing 12 % HVM which is regularly used as the bituminous binder.

A Comprehensive Analysis of Fatigue and Healing Capacity of Sasobit Polymer-Modified Asphalt from Two Perspectives: Binder and FAM

Wax-based Sasobit synthetic hard wax can be designed for producing asphalt with less energy consumption and lower carbon emissions in the pavement industry. This study investigated the effectiveness of Sasobit synthetic hard wax on microscopic properties, fatigue-fracture behavior, and healing potential of polymer-modified asphalt (PMA) from two perspectives: asphalt binder and fine aggregate matrix (FAM). First, microscopic morphology, dispersion mechanism, and thermal stability of styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS)– and crumb rubber (CR)–modified asphalt binders under the influence of Sasobit synthetic hard wax were characterized. Second, linear viscoelastic properties and evolution law of fatigue life of Sasobit synthetic hard wax/polymer-modified asphalt binders and FAM with and without healing interval were assessed under the framework of the simplified viscoelastic continuum damage (S-VECD) model. Third, the correlation between properties of the modified asphalt binder and FAM was statistically analyzed by radar chart. Thermodynamic analysis indicated that Sasobit synthetic hard wax enhanced the thermal stability of PMA but slightly reduced the low-temperature performance. Morphological observations showed that Sasobit synthetic hard wax had limited effectiveness on the dispersion of the polymer particles in PMA. Dynamic modulus master curves and fatigue and healing tests demonstrated that Sasobit synthetic hard wax contributes to the stiffness, fatigue resistance, and self-healing capability of the asphalt binder and mixture. Finally, statistical analysis revealed that the asphalt binder performance lacked a close correlation with the FAM owing to the complex composition system.

Evaluation of freezing state of sandstone using ultrasonic time-frequency characteristics

Common problems in engineering projects that involve artificial ground freezing of soil or rock include inadequate thickness, strength and continuity of artificial frozen walls. It is difficult to evaluate the freezing state using only a few thermometer holes at fixed positions or with other existing approaches. Here we report a novel experimental design that investigates changes in ultrasonic properties (received waveform, wave velocity Vp, wave amplitude, frequency spectrum, centroid frequency fc, kurtosis of the frequency spectrum KFS, and quality factor Q) measured during upward freezing, compared with those during uniform freezing, in order to determine the freezing state in 150 mm cubic blocks of Ardingly sandstone. Water content, porosity and density were estimated during upward freezing to ascertain water migration and changes of porosity and density at different stages. The period of receiving the wave increased substantially and coda waves changed from loose to compact during both upward and uniform freezing. The trend of increasing Vp can be divided into three stages during uniform freezing. During upward freezing, Vp increased more or less uniformly. The frequency spectrum could be used as a convenient and rapid method to identify different freezing states of sandstone (unfrozen, upward frozen, and uniformly frozen). The continuous changes in reflection coefficient rφ, refraction coefficient tφ and acoustic impedance field are the major reason for larger reflection and refraction during upward freezing compared with uniform freezing. Wave velocity Vp, wave amplitude Ah, centroid frequency fc and quality factor Q were adopted as ultrasonic parameters to evaluate quantitatively the temperature T of uniformly frozen sandstone, and their application within a radar chart is recommended. Determination of Vp provides a convenient method to evaluate the freezing state and calculate the cryofront height and frozen section thickness of upward frozen sandstone, with accuracies of 73.37%–99.23%.

Improving some functional utility properties of garment using cross-linked acrylic fabrics

PurposeThis study aims to use hexanediol, pentaerythritol and keratin as crosslinking agents on the acrylic fabric used as garments.Design/methodology/approachPlain 1/1 acrylic fabric was produced with 14 and 11 weft yarn/cm using yarn count 28/2 Ne, then it was modified with different agents, and the effect of crosslinking on some of the inherent properties was determined. The color strength as well as washing fastness was evaluated. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy determined the changes that acted in the structure of the treated acrylic fabrics. Several physical and functional utility characteristics were studied such as stiffness, crease recovery, tensile strength and elongation, pilling, air permeability, absorbency and static electricity.FindingsPolyacrylonitrile is one of the man-made materials used in the textile field; despite novel characteristics, it has some negative properties, especially in absorbency and pilling, which are improved after treatment.Originality/valueThe results presented that the different conditions that were used with cross-linkers enhanced the acrylic fabrics properties. Where analysis of variance test atP-value 0.05 and radar chart area offered that the treated acrylic fabric with 5% (w/v) keratin accomplished the highest preferable properties for end use.

Abstract PD18-09: ACE-Breast-03: Efficacy and safety of ARX788 in patients with HER2+ metastatic breast cancer previously treated with T-DM1

Abstract Background: Amplification of the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) gene with consequent HER2 protein overexpression occurs in approximately 20% of breast cancers (BC) and is a major driver of tumor development and progression. The HER2-targeted ADC trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) has been approved for the treatment of HER2-positive metastatic BC (mBC) after prior trastuzumab and taxane therapy. However, disease progression occurs in all patients requiring additional therapeutic options. The use of second-generation anti-HER2 ADCs using alternative molecules is being investigated to overcome drug resistance. ARX788 is a next-generation ADC using a technology platform whereby a HER2-specific monoclonal antibody is conjugated with Amberstatin269, a potent cytotoxic tubulin inhibitor. Site-specificity, high homogeneity, and stable covalent conjugation of ARX788 lead to its slow release and prolongation of the peak serum pAF-AS269 concentration, which may contribute to the lower systemic toxicity and increased targeted delivery of payload to tumor cells at a lower effective dose compared to other HER2 ADCs. Here, early evidence of activity of ARX788 in patients previously treated with T-DM1 is shown. Methods: ACE-Breast-03 (NCT04829604) is an ongoing global, phase 2, single-arm study evaluating ARX788 in patients with HER2+ mBC whose disease has progressed following T-DM1, T-DXd, and/or tucatinib-containing regimens. The ARX788 is administered with an initial dose of 1.5 mg/kg Q4W and subsequent doses of 1.3 mg/kg Q4W. Eligibility criteria included central laboratory confirmed HER2+ mBC per ASCO/CAP guidelines, measurable disease, and adequate organ function. Stable treated brain metastases are allowed. Patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) or pneumonitis in prior 12 months; active ocular infections or any chronic corneal disorder; are excluded. The primary endpoint is overall response rate (ORR). Results: At the data cutoff of 11-Jul-2022, 7 patients were enrolled in ACE-Breast-03 (v1.0) who previously experienced disease progression on T-DM1 and had response-evaluable disease. Pts had a median age of 59 years and had received a median of 5 lines of prior anti-HER2 cancer therapy (range: 2-8). None of the pts in this subset had received T-DXd or tucatinib. 5 pts were previously treated with HER2-targeted TKIs (neratinib and lapatinib), as well as an investigational HER2 ADC and responded to ARX788 (3 PR; 2 SD). Two patients had hormone receptor (HR)-positive disease and 5 had HR-negative mBC. Treatment with ARX788 remains ongoing with the median time of ARX788 therapy of 4.5 months. The confirmed ORR was 57.1% (4/7 pts) and an unconfirmed ORR of 71.4% (5/7 pts) as one pt experienced an unconfirmed response with PR after 2 cycles. The disease control rate (DCR) was 100% (7/7 pts). No drug-related grade ≥3 AEs were reported; 57.1% (4/7 pts) reported ocular AEs including grade 1 events in 3 pts (i.e., dry eye, blurred vision) and a grade 2 event in one pt (lagophthalmos). No pneumonitis or ILD was observed. ARX788 was well-tolerated, and AEs were manageable. Conclusion: In this small cohort of patients previously treated with T-DM1, ARX788 had a manageable AE profile and demonstrated promising clinical activity (confirmed ORR 57%; DCR 100%). Figure 1: ACE-Breast-03 Spider Plot for patients with mBC who were previously treated with T-DM1 Figure 1: ACE-Breast-03 Spider Plot for patients with mBC who were previously treated with T-DM1 ARX788 demonstrated promising clinical activity in patients previously treated with T-DM1. Citation Format: Sara Hurvitz, Kevin Kalinsky, Vinod Ganju, Kashif Ali, Laila Agrawal, William Gradishar, George Sledge, Anu Thummala, Arlene Chan, Sophia Frentzas, Joo Hyuk Sohn, Kyong-Hwa Park, Keon Uk Park, Catherine Shannon, Joshua Drago, Sara Tolaney, Hope Rugo, Michael F. Press, Alex Alika, Dong Xu, Janice Lu, Debu Tripathy. ACE-Breast-03: Efficacy and safety of ARX788 in patients with HER2+ metastatic breast cancer previously treated with T-DM1 [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2022 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2022 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(5 Suppl):Abstract nr PD18-09.

Data visualisation analysis of online novel websites

With the development of science and technology and the progress of the times, the online novel reading industry is also developing at a rapid pace, and online novel reading websites have also emerged. In order to make users better understand the current trend of popular novel genre popularity and give corresponding reference when users choose the novels to read. This study analyses novel creation data, novel creation genres, novel creation era, author writings and other data visualisation methods through bar charts, pie charts, radar charts, heat maps, word cloud charts and other data visualisation methods. Using web scraper, data on novel information is collected to ensure that the data is authentic and reliable. On the basis of cleaning the data using Python, the Echarts plugin is used to visualise the basic information of novels as well as the author's information to present the information of novels and readers in a more visual and vivid way. The study helps to obtain richer information about the novels and authors that one wishes to know, while making the readers' experience better and helping the website to operate and develop better.

Executive functions and psycho-behavioural skills in artistic gymnasts: age, developmental stage and sex-related differences

ABSTRACT During the talent development (TD) process in sport, cognitive and psycho-behavioural skills are necessary to successfully overcome TD-specific challenges. This cross-sectional study explored executive functions (EF) and psycho-behavioural skills (PCDE), in male and female high-level artistic gymnasts between 9 and 26 years old. The first objective was to investigate if an ideal profile would emerge for these gymnasts. In the youngest age group (9–12yo), a general improvement with age for EF was observed, and gymnasts scored higher on imagery use than the quasi-control group. The older age group showed that gymnasts had significantly higher scores on inhibition, imagery use and self-directed control and management than the quasi-control group. The second objective was to conduct a person-centred approach, investigating the individual profiles of a selected group of four high-level gymnasts. The radar charts revealed a relatively similar profile in all four gymnasts and the quasi-control group for the EF components, while there was a pronounced within group and between groups variation for the PCDE profiles. This study showed that inhibition, imagery use and self-directed control and management could be potential performance indicators in gymnastics. The radar charts support the idea that, once an athlete scores above a specific threshold on all variables, there is no necessity for trying to maximise each and every of these skills but rather, it might be better to leave room for individual profile variation. Since individually different profiles were indeed observed, we recommend an athlete-centred approach in all TD phases from a young age onwards.

Pollution characteristics and ecological risks of trace elements in PM2.5 over three COALESCE network sites - Bhopal, Mesra, and Mysuru, India

Time-synchronized, 24 h integrated PM2.5 trace element (TE) measurements made as a part of the COALESCE project (Venkataraman et al., 2020) at Bhopal, Mesra, and Mysore during all of 2019 were analyzed in this study. The concentrations of 15 key elements ranged between 0.05 ng m−3 and 50 μg m−3 across the study sites. Pronounced seasonal variation of elements from multiple source classes showed that the crustal origin elements (Al, Si, Fe, Ti, and Ca) peaked during the pre-monsoon season, while the anthropogenic activities driven element (P, S, K, V, Mn, Cu, Zn, and Pb) concentrations increased during the winter and post-monsoon seasons. Spearman correlation coupled with hierarchical clustering separated the matrix of elements into three common clusters at all sites, corresponding to crustal sources, combustion and biomass burning emissions, and industrial/non-exhaust vehicular emissions, respectively. Furthermore, episodes of metal pollution throughout the year were examined using characteristic radar charts of TEs to identify the association between TE sources and poor air quality. For example, maximum metal pollution in Bhopal occurred during the post-monsoon season, attributable to biomass burning, dust storms, industrial and non-exhaust vehicular emissions. Finally, an ecological risk assessment revealed that the risk index was higher than the threshold value of 600 for all heavy metals at all sites. Pb, Cu, and Zn were the top contributors to ‘extremely high risk’ amongst all heavy metals. Overall, the results show that although TE concentrations at all three locations were much lower than in other urban locations in India, the risk from heavy metals to the ecosystem (and likely to human health) cannot be ignored. The findings warrant a full source apportionment of fine PM to better identify TE-rich source contributions and future studies to examine the atmospheric processing and eco-system uptake of TEs.

Integrated workflow for interpretation of satellite imageries using machine learning to assess and monitor algal blooms in Utah Lake, USA

An integrated workflow is developed to estimate the spatial distribution of harmful algal blooms, especially cyanobacteria concentrations in inland water bodies. The methodology comprises satellite data extraction and preprocessing for atmospheric and water surface corrections, identifying feature importance, in-situ sample collection, training and testing of machine learning algorithms, and prediction. Six input bands are selected using feature importance algorithms from 12 original bands of Sentinel-2 satellite imagery. In-situ sample data that are synchronous with Sentinel-2 image capture time were obtained from a public database. These models are evaluated and compared using spider plots of different error calculations. The workflow developed in this study and the predicted spatial concentration of harmful algal blooms across the lake can be used to improve warning and advisory systems for the public and avoid exposure. The incorporation of other parameters such as water temperature, nutrient concentrations, and surface wind speed could improve the machine-learning models.

Origami plot: a novel multivariate data visualization tool that improves radar chart

ObjectivesWe propose the origami plot, which maintains the original functionality of a radar chart and avoids potential misuse of its connected regions, with newly added features to better assist multicriteria decision-making. Study Design and SettingBuilt upon a radar chart, the origami plot adds additional auxiliary axes and points such that the area of the connected region of all dots is invariant to the ordering of axes. As such, it enables ranking different individuals by the overall performance for multicriteria decision-making while maintaining the intuitive visual appeal of the radar chart. We develop extensions of the origami plot, including the weighted origami plot, which allows reweighting of each attribute to define the overall performance, and the pairwise origami plot, which highlights comparisons between two individuals. ResultsWe illustrate the different versions of origami plots using the hospital compare database developed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The plot shows individual hospital's performance on mortality, readmission, complication, and infection, as well as patient experience and timely and effective care, as well as their overall performance across these metrics. The weighted origami plot allows weighing the attributes differently when some are more important than others. We illustrate the potential use of the pairwise origami plot in electronic health records (EHR) system to monitor five clinical measures (body mass index [BMI]), fasting glucose level, blood pressure, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein ([LDL] cholesterol) of a patient across multiple hospital visits. ConclusionThe origami plot is a useful visualization tool to assist multicriteria decision making. It improves radar charts by avoiding potential misuse of the connected regions. It has several new features and allows flexible customization.

Efficacy of information extraction from bar, line, circular, bubble and radar graphs

With the emergence of enormous amounts of data, numerous ways to visualize such data have been used. Bar, circular, line, radar and bubble graphs that are ubiquitous were investigated for their effectiveness. Fourteen participants performed four types of evaluations: between categories (cities), within categories (transport modes within a city), all categories, and a direct reading within a category from a graph. The representations were presented in random order and participants were asked to respond to sixteen questions to the best of their ability after visually scanning the related graph. There were two trials on two separate days for each participant. Eye movements were recorded using an eye tracker. Bar and line graphs show superiority over circular and radial graphs in effectiveness, efficiency, and perceived ease of use primarily due to eye saccades. The radar graph had the worst performance. “Vibration-type” fill pattern could be improved by adding colors and symbolic fills. Design guidelines are proposed for the effective representation of data so that the presentation and communication of information are effective.

CONFLICT MANAGEMENT IN ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT TEAMS

The main research objective is to analyze behavioral styles of members of the enterprise development project team in conflict situations using the Thomas-Kilmann method and graphic techniques to show the importance and value of such analysis for preventive conflict management in business entities. The work has been performed in the following logical sequence: characteristics of behavior styles; survey of members of the project management team using the Thomas-Kilmann method; description of data using graphic techniques; context diagram of the process of analyzing the behavior styles of project team members in a conflict situation. According to the results of the survey of the project team members on the manifestations of a particular behavioral style in a conflict situation based on the Thomas-Kilmann method, diagrams and analysis (“petal” and “bubble”) have been presented. The diagrams allowed: to compare scores of the project team members demonstrating different behavioral styles in a conflict situation; to evaluate the ratio of project team members behavioral styles, identify the dominant style; with the help of visual aids to find out which group includes a particular behavioral style in terms of the level of its manifestation (weak, medium and strong. The obtained results indicate the feasibility of testing employees to determine the prevailing behavioral styles in a conflict situation for further consideration of data in the personnel management process. A matrix of project team members behavioral styles in a conflict situation and their characteristics in terms of cooperation and assertiveness have been presented. Radar charts, scatter plots and comparative histograms of the behavioral styles of the project team members in a conflict situation have been designed. The contextual diagram with the analysis of the behavioral styles of the project team members in a conflict situation has been given. This study has been conducted in the specific Ukrainian cultural and organizational context. The results of the research can be useful for Ukrainian industrial enterprises in order to achieve projects results for enterprise development.

Remediation of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) contaminated black soil by freeze-thaw aging biochar

Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), a complex structure with high toxicity, is a common organic pollutant. This study investigated the effects of fresh biochar (FBC), and freeze-thaw cycled aged biochar (FTC-BC) on DEHP-contaminated soils using a pot experiment. The specific surface area of FBC increased from 145.20 to 303.50 m2/g, and oxygen-containing functional groups increased from 1.26 to 1.48 mol/g after freeze-thaw cycles, greatly enhancing the adsorption of DEHP by biochar in the soil. The comprehensive radar chart evaluation showed that FBC and FTC-BC reduced DEHP growth stress and improved the soil properties. Compared with FBC, FTC-BC performed better in protecting the normal growth of pakchoi and improving soil properties. In addition, the application of biochar increased the diversity and abundance of bacteria in the DEHP-contaminated soil and changed the composition of the soil bacterial community. The partial least squares path model (PLS-PM) showed that adding biochar as a soil remediation agent significantly positively impacted soil nutrients and indirectly reduced the DEHP levels in soil and plants by increasing soil microbial diversity. Compared with FBC, FTC-BC creates a more satisfactory living environment for microorganisms and has a better effect on the degradation of DEHP in the soil. This study provides a theoretical basis for future biochar remediation of DEHP-contaminated soils in cold high-latitude regions.