Selective Sampling Techniques Research Articles

Hybrid model for enhancement of passenger information management system

The current booking models (systems) used by interstate bus transport service providers (operators) in Nigeria have two major drawbacks: 1) poor management of traveller information; 2) high operating costs. Although attempts have been made to address these issues, the models are far from satisfactory. The booking (and reservation) processes are still cumbersome and time consuming. Thus, there is an urgent need for an enhanced booking model. This paper presents an improved model using Dijkstra algorithm (DA) and demand responsive transport (DRT) technique. The model has three components: services, techniques and service providers. A purposive and selective sampling technique was used to gather data from 20 interstate bus transport operators and analysis of the data confirmed the need for such an improved booking model.

Derivation and validation of a prognostic model for postoperative risk stratification of critically ill patients with faecal peritonitis

Background Prognostic scores and models of illness severity are useful both clinically and for research. The aim of this study was to develop two prognostic models for the prediction of long-term (6 months) and 28-day mortality of postoperative critically ill patients with faecal peritonitis (FP).MethodsPatients admitted to intensive care units with faecal peritonitis and recruited to the European GenOSept study were divided into a derivation and a geographical validation subset; patients subsequently recruited to the UK GAinS study were used for temporal validation. Using all 50 clinical and laboratory variables available on day 1 of critical care admission, Cox proportional hazards regression was fitted to select variables for inclusion in two prognostic models, using stepwise selection and nonparametric bootstrapping sampling techniques. Using Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AuROC) analysis, the performance of the models was compared to SOFA and APACHE II.ResultsFive variables (age, SOFA score, lowest temperature, highest heart rate, haematocrit) were entered into the prognostic models. The discriminatory performance of the 6-month prognostic model yielded an AuROC 0.81 (95% CI 0.76–0.86), 0.73 (95% CI 0.69–0.78) and 0.76 (95% CI 0.69–0.83) for the derivation, geographic and temporal external validation cohorts, respectively. The 28-day prognostic tool yielded an AuROC 0.82 (95% CI 0.77–0.88), 0.75 (95% CI 0.69–0.80) and 0.79 (95% CI 0.71–0.87) for the same cohorts. These AuROCs appeared consistently superior to those obtained with the SOFA and APACHE II scores alone.ConclusionsThe two prognostic models developed for 6-month and 28-day mortality prediction in critically ill septic patients with FP, in the postoperative phase, enhanced the day one SOFA score’s predictive utility by adding a few key variables: age, lowest recorded temperature, highest recorded heart rate and haematocrit. External validation of their predictive capability in larger cohorts is needed, before introduction of the proposed scores into clinical practice to inform decision making and the design of clinical trials.

ANALISIS TERJEMAHAN GAYA BAHASA REPETISI DALAM NOVEL A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS, TEKNIK DAN KUALITASNYA (KAJIAN PENERJEMAHAN DENGAN PENDEKATAN STILISTIKA)

<p align="center"><strong>ABSTRACT</strong><strong></strong></p><p align="center"><strong> </strong></p><p align="center"><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Anshoffy Murtafi. S131208003. 2016.</strong><strong> The </strong><strong>Translation</strong><strong> Analysis </strong><strong>o</strong><strong>f Repetition </strong><strong>Language</strong><strong> Style</strong><strong> In Novel <em>A Thousand Splendid Suns</em>. </strong><strong>The </strong><strong>Techni</strong><strong>cque</strong><strong> And</strong><strong> </strong><strong>Quality</strong><strong> </strong><strong>(Translation Stu</strong><strong>dy </strong><strong>U</strong><strong>sing </strong><strong>Stylistics</strong><strong> </strong><strong>Approach).</strong><strong> </strong><strong>Supervisors: (1) Prof. Drs. M.R.Nababan, M.Ed, M.A., Ph.D. (2) Prof. Dr. Djatmika, M.A. Thesis. Postgraduated Program In Linguistics Majoring In Translation Studies. Sebelas</strong><strong> </strong><strong>Maret University. Surakarta.</strong></p><p> </p><p> A best-seller novel entitled <em>"A Thousand Splendid Suns"</em> by Khaled Hosseini translated by M. Nugrahani Berliani comes up with an interesting language use. It can be seen from the content that consists of a great number of language styles, and one of them is repetition that becomes the characteristic of this novel writer. This research aimed to (1) describe and identify the types of repetition language style in the novel A Thousand Splendid Suns, (2) describe the translation techniques used in the novel A Thousand Splendid Suns, and (3) describe the value and impact of the technique used in this study in term of accuracy and acceptability.</p><p> This research used descriptive qualitative method and focused to a single case. The data which were in the form of repetition language style in this study were obtained from the novel A Thousand Splendid Suns and its translations. Further, the data in the form of informant were gathered from the raters who assessed the accuracy and acceptability of the translation. The selected sampling technique was purposive sampling (theoretical based-sampling). The data then were collected using document analysis and focus group discussion.</p><p> The conclusion of this study is the implementation of 10 translation techniques had a positive impact to the accuraracy and acceptability of its translation. The techniques giving positive impact in its translation in term of the accuracy and acceptability are established equivalence, generalization, transposition, amplification, pure borrowing, variation and particularization. Meanwhile, the techniques giving negative impact towards its translation in term of accuracy and acceptability are reduction, modulation, and discursive creation.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong>Keywords: Translation of Language Style, Repetition, <em>A Thousand Splendid Suns</em>, Stylistics</strong></p>

Reliability‐based design optimisation of technical systems: analytical response surface moments method

Reliability-based design optimisation is a process of finding an optimum economical design while conforming to a set of reliability constraints. In this context, the reliability analysis that is simultaneously accurate and computationally efficient is imperative. Since the analytical evaluation of evaluating reliability constraints is mathematically complex, the most probable point search approach using the first and second orders of reliability approximation has become the mainstream technique. However, it is characterised as having a high computational cost and poor convergence in some design problems involving a large number of design variables with highly nonlinear constraints. To overcome the problem, this paper introduces a novel response surface with analytical moment-based reliability analysis technique. It performs distribution fitting using the exact analytical expression of high-order moments of response surface that are precisely calculated using Mellin transform. To boost the computational efficiency, a selective sampling technique is used in constructing the response surface model. Consequently, the proposed method not only provides final solutions of high quality, but it is also significantly faster than representatives of the mainstream reliability approximation methods. For example, when applied to complex design problems, the proposed method is able to converge to dependable solutions while offering the high speed of single-loop optimisation approaches.

A Quantitative Groundwater Resource Management under Uncertainty Using a Retrospective Optimization Framework

Water resources are a major concern for any socio-economic development. As the quality of many surface fresh water sources increasingly deteriorate, more pressure is being imparted into groundwater aquifers. Since groundwater and the aquifers that host it are inherently vulnerable to anthropogenic impacts, there is a need for sustainable pumping strategies. However, groundwater resource management is challenging due to the heterogeneous nature of aquifer systems. Aquifer hydrogeology is highly uncertain, and thus it is imperative that this uncertainty is accounted for when managing groundwater resource pumping. This, therefore, underscores the need for an efficient optimization tool which can sustainably manage the resource under uncertainty conditions. In this paper, we apply a procedure which is new within the context of groundwater resource management—the Retrospective Optimization Approximation (ROA) method. This method is capable of designing sustainable groundwater pumping strategies for aquifers which are characterized by uncertainty arising due to scarcity of input data. ROA framework solves and evaluates a sequence of optimization sub-problems in an increasing number of realizations. We used k-means clustering sampling technique for the realizations selection. The methodology is demonstrated through application to an hypothetical example. The optimization problem was solved and analyzed using “Active Set” algorithm implemented under MATLAB environment. The results indicate that the ROA sampling based method is a promising approach for optimizing groundwater pumping rates under conditions of hydrogeological uncertainty.

ANALISIS KARAKTERISTIK MUZAKKI DAN TATA KELOLA LAZ TERHADAP MOTIVASI MEMBAYAR ZAKAT PENGHASILAN

Zakat is not something new in the eyes of Muslims. Muslims really believe and believe that zakat is one of the pillars of Islam. Problems often arise in the community we are to whom Zakat should be given. More major distributed directly by muzakki to mustahiq, or otherwise through amil zakat. For that goal to be achieved in this research is to analyze the influence of Gender ¸ The Faith, Knowledge of Islam, Governance LAZ, and Income Level on Motivation Paying Zakat on LPDU Sultan Agung. The population in this study are all obligatory zakat (muzakki) who pay zakat on income with a pay cut. And the sample in this study is the individual obligation of zakat in LPDU Sultan Agung as many as 125 people. Then the selected sampling technique was purposive sampling analysis tool used is multiple regression analysis.The results obtained from this study is that it can be concluded that the test results influence the motivation Gender pay zakat suggests that Type klamin no significant effect on the motivation to pay zakat. While the results of testing the influence of level of faith, knowledge of islam, LAZ governance and motivation level of income to pay zakat indicates that the variable has positive and significant impact on motivation to pay zakat.

Sustainability Measurement for Ecotourism Destination in Malaysia: A Study on Lake Kenyir, Terengganu

Sustainable tourism uses the resources of an area and attempts to create a balance between potential and existing activities. Practical case studies of sustainable tourism are difficult to identify because of the involvement of interrelated variables and dimensions. The study measures the index of sustainability for ecotourism in Lake Kenyir from social, economic, and environmental dimensions. The study follows non-probability convenience sampling design with purposive sampling technique for the sample selection. The study uses 47 indicators under six relationship aspects, namely, resource on community, community on resource, resource on tourism, tourism on resource, tourism on community, and community on tourism to measure the ecotourism sustainability of the study site based on respondent perception. Based on the Barometer of Sustainability, the result demonstrates that Kenyir is classified as “potential sustainable” ecotourism destination. The study identifies four relationship aspects, namely, resource community, resource tourism, community tourism, and tourism community with potential sustainable level. The community and tourism resources have the poorest sustainability, and fall within the potentially unsustainable level. Result reveals the good interrelationship between tourism and community in the study site.

Longitudinal Study of Escherichia coli O157 Shedding and Super Shedding in Dairy Heifers

A longitudinal study was conducted to assess the methods available for detection of Escherichia coli O157 and to investigate the prevalence and occurrence of long-term shedding and super shedding in a cohort of Australian dairy heifers. Samples were obtained at approximately weekly intervals from heifers at pasture under normal management systems. Selective sampling techniques were used with the aim of identifying heifers with a higher probability of shedding or super shedding. Rectoanal mucosal swabs (RAMS) and fecal samples were obtained from each heifer. Direct culture of feces was used for detection and enumeration. Feces and RAMS were tested by enrichment culture. Selected samples were further tested retrospectively by immunomagnetic separation of enriched samples. Of 784 samples obtained, 154 (19.6%) were detected as positive using culture methods. Adjusting for selective sampling, the prevalence was 71 (15.6%) of 454. In total, 66 samples were detected as positive at >102 CFU/g of which 8 were >104 CFU/g and classed as super shedding. A significant difference was observed in detection by enriched culture of RAMS and feces. Dairy heifers within this cohort exhibited variable E. coli O157 shedding, consistent with previous estimates of shedding. Super shedding was detected at a low frequency and inconsistently from individual heifers. All detection methods identified some samples as positive that were not detected by any other method, indicating that the testing methods used will influence survey results.

Entrepreneurial Mobility in Industrial Estates of Bangladesh : A Study on Selected Industrial Estates of Sylhet Division , Bangladesh

The mobility of entrepreneurs, which is an integral part of human life, can occur in all aspects of occupation and location. Finding out the general trends of mobility in entrepreneurship can be used in the effective motivational activities. As Sylhet is a remittance and raw materials rich but industrially backward area, the mobility of entrepreneurship in both aspects in this area is to be analyzed. The researchers tired to find out the trends from inter generation and intra generation mobility along with location mobility from the entrepreneurs of two industrial estates of Sylhet district. The selective sampling technique is used to select 20 entrepreneurs from different industries to represents all the industrial groups. The findings of the study indicated that entrepreneurial mobility followed a simple trend of occupational independence from narrower to wider and wider. This happened in both inter generation and intra generation mobility. The location mobility followed the convenience in operation like proximity to market, nearness to home and other family needs, utilities, infrastructure, socio-political environment, etc. So the entrepreneurial development program in this region should highlights those points and motivate the entrepreneurs to build a perfect entrepreneurial base in this area.

A Novel Method for Detection of Internet Worm Malcodes using Principal Component Analysis and Multiclass Support Vector Machine

Internet worms are malware programs that imitate themselves and spread around the network. Internet worm, a wide spreading malcode exploits vulnerability in the operating system, hard disk, software and web browsers. This paper analyzes and classifies the Internet worm, depending on the training signatures. This work presents the Internet worm detection mechanism, using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Support Vector Machine (SVM). A Selective sampling technique is applied to maximize the performance of the classifier and to reduce misleading data instances. The results obtained show improved memory utilization, detection time and detection accuracy for Internet worms. Keyword - Malcode, Selective sampling, Multiclass SVM and PCA

MLRMPA: An R package of multiple linear regression model population analysis based on a cluster sampling technique for variable selection of high dimensional data

We develop an R package MLRMPA for fitting a pool of models between response variable and chemical descriptors. It is an embedded method combining feature selection with model building. The feature selection procedure is a cluster sampling method and different from model population analysis (MPA) that was implemented in a previously published study. The modeling process performs multiple stepwise regression analysis using the sampled features from the clustered group. This paper provides the algorithm and method implemented in the R package, which includes VarCor feature selection, cluster sampling, model building and model checking. This package is applied to establish an optimal linear model to predict the response and detect outliers from sub-optimal models.

Inventory Management - A Tool for Optimal Use of Resources and Overall Efficiency in Manufacturing SMEs

Observation shows that there is a serious problem regarding inventory management in manufacturing organizations, particularly in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). This has prompted the desire to embark on a study that will examine the problem and strive to proffer useful suggestions. This paper intends to bring to the fore the salient issue of inefficiency in the practice of inventory management and its effects on production operations of manufacturing concerns. Survey design was used with the application of random sampling technique in selection of units within the case study areas. Primary data were collected through the use of structured questionnaires and the analysis was done using Pearson correlation coefficient and frequency counts and percentages to give adequate descriptions. The study concluded that efficient management of stock would be achieved through determination of stock levels, engagement of skilled store personnel, and the use of automated stock control. It went further to assert that the achievement of optimal use of resources through efficiency in the management of stock will eliminate the problems of sudden lack of stock; the resultant low capacity utilization, loss of production time, and thereby improving overall efficiency of the manufacturing SMEs and breed high performing entrepreneurs.

The Distribution and Function of Chondroitin Sulfate and Other Sulfated Glycosaminoglycans in the Human Bladder and Their Contribution to the Protective Bladder Barrier

Glycosaminoglycan replenishment therapies are commonly applied to treat bladder inflammatory conditions such as bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis. Although there is evidence that these therapies are clinically effective, much is still unknown about the location and function of different types of glycosaminoglycans in the bladder. We investigated the location of sulfated glycosaminoglycans in the bladder and evaluated their contribution to the urothelial barrier. The location of different glycosaminoglycans (heparan sulfate, chondroitin sulfate and dermatan sulfate) in human and porcine bladders was investigated with immunofluorescence staining and isolating glycosaminoglycans using selective urothelial sampling techniques. Barrier function was evaluated with transepithelial electrical resistance measurements (Ω.cm(2)) on primary porcine urothelial cell cultures. The contribution of different glycosaminoglycans to the bladder barrier was investigated with specific glycosaminoglycan digesting enzymes and protamine. High glycosaminoglycan concentrations are located around the urothelial basal membrane and at the urothelial luminal surface. After removing the glycosaminoglycan layer, urothelial permeability increased. Natural recovery of the glycosaminoglycan layer takes less than 24 hours. Chondroitin sulfate was the only sulfated glycosaminoglycan that was located on the urothelial luminal surface and that contributed to urothelial barrier function. This study reveals an important role for chondroitin sulfate in bladder barrier function. Therapies aiming at restoring the luminal glycosaminoglycan layer in pathological conditions such as bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis are based on a sound principle.

VLSI-DSP based real time solution of DSC–SRI for an ultrasound system

In this paper, VLSI-DSP based a real time solution for Digital Scan Conversion (DSC) and speckle reduced imaging (SRI) of an ultrasonography (USG) are proposed. DSC is needed to convert the polar format data to Cartesian coordinate to make them compatible for the display device. To reduce Moirè artifact a new interpolation algorithm is proposed which is a combination of warped distance based adaptive bilinear interpolation method and modified selective sampling technique. This new algorithm is implemented on TMS320C64x + DSP and is capable of processing 640 × 480 size images at the rate of 83 frames per second. Moreover, to reduce speckle noise a modified aggressive region growing filter is implemented on Xilinx XC2VP30 FPGA. It operates at 128.29 MHz frequency, which is equivalent to processing 417 frames per second. With such high frame rate, motion blind detection of the objects may be possible using USG.

The impact of hypertension on active life expectancy among senior citizens of Beijing

The aim of the study is to explore the influence of hypertension on life expectancy (LE), active life expectancy (ALE) and active life expectancy/life expectancy (ALE/LE) among senior citizens in Beijin. The sample derived from Beijing multidimensional longitudinal study on aging, baseline survey consisted of 1847 elderly people aged 60 years and over dwelling in the communities from one urban district (Xuanwu), one suburban country (Daxing) and one mountainous country (Huairou) in Beijing, 2004. Cluster, stratified and randomly selected sampling technique was used and a follow-up program was carried out in 2007. The subjects were invited to fill in questionnaires at home through well-trained interviewers, together with medical history of hypertension and repeated blood pressure measurements adopted. The state of activity was defined according to whether they could perform activities of daily life (ADL). IMaCH software for multi-state life table method was used to calculate the life expectancy (LE), active life expectancy (ALE) and active life expectancy/life expectancy (ALE/LE) in people with hypertension and normal blood tension, as well as on those people with hypertension with or without cardio-cerebral disease. The study manifested that hypertensives were associated with the reduction of LE, ALE and ALE/LE compared to the normotensives. The ALE/LE was descending along with ageing, and the speed of reduction was much faster in the hypertensive group, especially within senile population. LE, ALE and LE/LE among the hypertensives with cardio-cerebral vascular diseases were shorter than the hypertensives without the disease. Difference in ALE/LE was striking in people with virile senility. Hypertension remarkably impacted the active life expectancy on senior citizens living in Beijing, especially for elderly. Hypertensives with cardio-cerebral vascular diseases exerted further influence on active life expectancy, particularly among population of virile senility. The finding underlined the tremendous importance of preventing high blood pressure and its complication.

Selective sampling techniques for feedback-based data retrieval

As many databases have been brought online, data retrieval--finding relevant data from large databases--has become a nontrivial task. A feedback-based data retrieval system was proposed to provide user with an intuitive way for expressing their preferences in queries. The system iteratively receives a partial ordering on a sample of data from the user, learns a ranking function, and returns highly ranked results according to the function. An important issue in such retrieval systems is minimizing the number of iterations or the amount of feedback to learn an accurate ranking function. This paper proposes selective sampling (or active learning) techniques for RankSVM that can be used in the retrieval systems. The proposed techniques minimizes the amount of user interaction to learn an accurate ranking function thus facilitates users formulating a preference query in the data retrieval system.

High dissolved extracellular enzymatic activity in the deep central Atlantic Ocean

The distribution of prokaryotic abundance (PA), prokaryotic heterotrophic production (PHP), and suspended particulate organic material (POM), as well as total and dissolved (operationally defined as passing through 0.2 mu m pore size filters) potential extracellular enzymatic activities (EEA; alpha- and beta-glucosidase [AGase and BGase], leucine aminopeptidase [LAPase], and alkaline phosphatase [APase]) were determined in the meso- and bathypelagic waters of the (sub)tropical Atlantic along an eastern zonal transatlantic transect and a western N-S transect. Significant differences between both transects were found for POM concentration but not for PA, PHP (except in the subsurface and oxygen minimum layer), and dissolved and total EEA. PHP decreased by 3 orders of magnitude from the lower euphotic zone to bathypelagic waters, while PA and cell-specific PHP decreased only by 1 and 2 orders of magnitude, respectively. The proportion of the dissolved to the total EEA was high in the dark ocean for all the enzymes, ranging from 54 to 100, 56 to 100, 65 to 100 and 57 to 97 % for AGase, BGase, LAPase and APase, respectively. The kinetic parameters (V-max, and K-m) of both the dissolved and total fractions of LAPase and APase were very similar throughout the water column, suggesting a similar origin for both dissolved and particulate EEA. Significant correlations of both dissolved and total EEA were found with prokaryotic metabolism and the POM pool. Based on the previous notion that the fraction of dissolved EEA is higher in particle-attached than in free-living microbes, our results suggest that microbial activity in the dark ocean occurs mainly on colloidal and particulate material. This is in agreement with recent genomic evidence. However, these colloidal and particulate materials are prone to disruption during the sampling process. Hence, more selective sampling techniques are needed to specifically collect these deep-water aggregates that probably represent hotspots of microbial activity in the deep ocean.

Sentinel node biopsy in colorectal cancer: Must we believe it?

Lymph node metastasis predicts survival and recurrence in colon cancer (CC), so decisions regarding adjuvant therapy are largely based on nodal status. Chemotherapy is not a routine treatment for node-negative CC because its toxicity and expense exceed its limited benefit in patients without evidence of nodal involvement. The sentinel lymph node (SLN) procedure is a selective sampling technique that can be used to ultrastage regional nodes. The real problem of SLN biopsy in CC is the procedure sensitivity rate. In future, studies concerning SLNs will have to consider issues such as the role of laparoscopy in colorectal resection (which cause technical difficulties in identification of SLNs) and the risk of overstaging of illness as well as the need to exclude T4 CC and, probably, rectal cancer from the studies. Is this the future of correct staging of colorectal cancer? Lymphadenectomy is at the present an integral part of colorectal surgery and surgeons must perform it correctly to improve their results. Nevertheless, for the future another "staging system" is necessary in colorectal cancer which takes into account biologic aspects of the tumor to identify patients with aggresive illness in order to treat them with more effective and less toxic therapies.

Management of Emotions to Cope with depressive state among youth in Balochsitan.

Psychological studies are based on scientific study of behavior and mental process while human psychological discomforts are known as the mental health problem, which exist in every age, culture and society. Emotional response patterns consist of behaviors that deal with particular situations and physiological responses (both autonomic and hormonal) that support the behaviors (Neil & Buskist: 1997). This study on adolescent’s emotional distress and psychological discomforts in Balochistan is carried out with the objective to set guidance for management of emotional distress condition and to determine the depressive symptoms among youth in Balochistan. Data for the study was collected from 60 adolescents of Balochistan through selective sampling techniques while Abraham Hick’s emotional guidance scale with 22 items and a self-designed questionnaire with 22 similar statements were applied. The study was conducted in two phases described as A and B. Phase-A was without guidance scale while Phase-B was conducted with emotional guidance scale. Results of the study suggest that effect of guidance transform the emotions to management side, which is appropriate for preventing and coping depressive state and other mental and behavioral distress.

The influence of xylitol containing toothpaste on plaque formation inhibition on fixed bridge

Background: Plaque is the main cause of teeth and periodontal tissue damage, which usually accumulates on crown surfaces. To avoid this, plaque control is the best way that not only has a close connection to oral hygiene but also become important element in dental practice. Previously, xylitol was used as alternative sweetener for diabetic patients, but later it is used to maintain healthy teeth. Xylitol is capable to inhibit Streptococcus mutans growth which changes sugar and other carbohydrate into acid, because xylitol cannot be fermented. Purpose: This study was aimed to understand the inhibition capability of toothpaste containing xylitol to plaque formation on fixed bridge. Methods: This clinical experiment study was carried out in fifteen patients wearing fixed bridge at Prosthodontics Department, Faculty of Dentistry, Airlangga University in Surabaya from 2005 to 2008. Samples were based on selective random sampling technique. Plaque index was analyzed by Mann Whitney test. Result: This study showed that there was significant difference of plaque scores in patients who brush their teeth using xylitol containing toothpaste compared to the control group (placebo). Conclusion: Xylitol was capable to inhibit plaque formation on fixed bridge.