Search

Copyright of Listy Cukrovarnicke a Reparske is the property of VUC Praha a.s. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

An essential component of case-based reasoning (CbR) is the similarity function. The existence of incorrect similarity values, one of the primary issues of similarity function, occurs when two cases seem to have a lot in similarity but actually differ greatly from one another. The aim of this study is to suggest a fuzzy similarity function that might be used with CbR, which has been executed in three primary phases. Firstly, a knowledge base is created. Secondly, the inference engines are created. To determine fuzzy similarity values, the proposed approach employs Graded Mean Integration Representation (GMIR), which takes into consideration the impact of each evidence on the case. Finally, model testing is determined by comparing GMIR with the additive function and additive weighting and using them as the sensitivity test. A comparison of similarity methods was carried out using the k-NN, Euclidean, and Pearson similarity. Expert evaluation carries out external validity checking. The degree of similarity between the CbR output solution and the expert solution is determined using the Intuitive Fuzzy Weighted Arithmetic Mean (IFWAM). The results demonstrate that the GMIR function applied with thresholds of 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, and 0.8 provides the fewest instances of similar cases when compared to the additive and additive weighting approaches. GMIR is able to provide a variety of alternatives using the threshold value. IFWAM performs 93.33% when used in 15 test scenarios, and only one of the solutions from the CbR output differs from that offered by the pshycologs. The main reason is the challenge of selecting keywords for every item of evidence provided. When CbR's validity was examined, it was also demonstrated that IFWAM was reliable in estimating the degree of similarity between CbR output and expert solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research developed an eye-style model using intelligent virtual reality technology to enhance the accuracy of surgical skills in residency training. We also assessed the impact of the eye-style model in improving these skills. The sample comprised seven specialists chosen through purposeful sampling (four ophthalmologists and three information and communications technology experts). An eye-style model evaluation form served as the research instrument. The arithmetic mean and standard deviation were used as the statistical metrics. The results demonstrated that the eye-style model enhanced surgical skill accuracy in residency programs. The model was divided into four components: (1) a requirements analysis study with five subcomponents (learning objectives, residency analysis, content analysis, learning activity planning, and simulations); (2) teaching methods, comprising an introduction, an instrument overview, parameter setting, a wet laboratory, and laboratory simulation; (3) an evaluation of the accuracy of surgical skills using intelligent virtual reality technology; and (4) an analysis of feedback. All seven specialists agreed that the eye-style model, which utilizes intelligent virtual reality technology, was highly effective and suitable for enhancing surgical skill accuracy in residency programs. This was indicated by the high average rating given by the specialists (mean = 4.71, standard deviation = 0.45). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to find out the impact of disclosure of sustainability on value added from the stakeholders’ perspective of industrial companies listed on the Amman Stock Exchange. The study consisted of the following variables: the independent variable (disclosure of the dimensions of sustainability represented by the economic, environmental, and social); the dependent variable (value added from the stakeholders’ perspective represented by the point of view of employees, shareholders, tax authorities, and creditors); and the control variables represented by the size of the company and the debt ratio. To achieve the study's objectives, descriptive and analytical methods were used. The current study relied on the reports and bulletins issued by the Amman Stock Exchange during the period (2017-2021). The arithmetic mean, standard deviation, highest value, and lowest value were extracted to describe the study variables, and the following tests were used to test the study hypotheses: Multicollinearity test, Correlation test, and Multiple Linear Regression test. The sample for the study consisted of (31) companies, which provided the necessary data for the study. The study came to several conclusions, the most important of which are that disclosure of the dimensions of sustainability occurred at different levels of disclosure and that there is an impact of disclosure in sustainability on value added from the perspective of stakeholders. The study recommended the following: urging the competent authorities to issue a standard for the disclosure of sustainability; obligating companies to prepare a report on sustainability; increasing the disclosure of sustainability in the financial statements; encouraging companies to increase their awareness of the disclosure of sustainability; and finally, increasing the awareness of stakeholders of the concept of sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Interuniversitaria de Formación del Profesorado is the property of Asociacion Universitaria de Formacion del Profesorado (AUFOP) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Forty-two accessions of eggplant were screened against Ralstonia solanacearum in screen-house environments. This was followed by an assessment of the genetic diversity of the 42 eggplant successions originating from Bangladesh, China, Thailand and Malaysia, accomplished by exploring SSR markers for germplasm characterisation. Five selected resistant genotypes used as a rootstock were further assessed with UPMSE16 strain in a subsequent trial. The pathogenicity test based on area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) and disease severity index (DSI) at four weeks after inoculation indicated that genotypes TB3, TB6, TB7, MB16 and BB9 had the greatest degree of resistance. Also, the results of the second trial for grafted and control plants based on DSI and AUDPC at 4 WAI showed that grafted plants had resistance to UPMSE16 strain with no symptoms at 4 WAI. The 42 accessions were grouped into nine major clusters based on SSR markers using Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic mean. Hence, the phenotyping screening reveals that five eggplant accessions were resistant to R. solanacearum and can be used as potential rootstock. As a result, the discovered SSR markers may be effective in marker-assisted selection for future use in developing new rootstock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid acceleration of urbanization and industrialization has led to a significant increase in PM2.5 pollution, making it a critical global concern. The accurate prediction of PM2.5 concentrations is of utmost importance for the effective implementation of protective measures and environmental management. This study presents a machine learning framework for PM2.5 prediction called FC-MIDTR-WCCA. The framework is composed of three main components. The first component involves conducting an analysis of air quality PM2.5 data to identify features highly correlated with PM2.5 and to examine seasonal patterns. This approach facilitates feature crossing (FC) by combining different relevant features. The second component utilizes a feature selection algorithm known as the mutual information decision tree regressor (MIDTR) to effectively account for correlations and contributions among features. This algorithm identifies the optimal feature dataset. The third component involves the adoption of a weighted arithmetic mean fusion algorithm that combines canonical correlation analysis (WCCA) for PM2.5 prediction. This algorithm considers the correlations between prediction models and addresses collinearity issues to achieve stable model weight vectors. We experimentally assessed the performance of four ensemble tree models and the stacking algorithm. The results demonstrated that the FC-MIDTR-WCCA model outperformed all the other methods evaluated in terms of R2 and MAE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scope of multifunctional surfaces in mechanical engineering and instrumentation is constantly expanding. Examples are products with multilayer coatings, products made of composite materials or using additive manufacturing technologies. A feature of multifunctional surfaces is two levels of texture with different parameter values. Various types of filters are used to decomposition and then analyze texture components. Traditionally, for such problems, a robust Gaussian regression filter and a morphological filter are used. The advantage of the morphological filter lies in the lower computational complexity and the ease of removing the shape component from the profile. This research presents generalized analysis of various types of an asymmetric morphological filter based on simulation. The asymmetric filter differs from the standard morphological filter by using different nesting indexes for combinations of morphological opening and closing operations. We have designed a compositional model of profile, which is superposition of two Gaussian distributions with different parameters and waviness. Relative filtering error of the arithmetic mean heights Ra was chosen as evaluation parameter. Based on the Monte Carlo experiments technique, the relative errors of the filters are determined. The main result of the research is algorithm for choosing nesting indexes depending on the type of primary profile. Thus, we give scientifically justified choice of the filter type and its task-specific parameters for applied use. The choice of filter type and two different nesting indexes in accordance with the developed algorithm provide relative error with a coverage interval less 3 % for 95 % coverage probability. The asymmetric morphological filter is effective for scale space analysis of surfaces with significant shape errors and waviness. The results obtained can be used to analyze the tribological properties of multifunctional surfaces of products. • Evaluation of roughness for multifunctional surfaces using standard filters is not always effective. • We designed an asymmetric morphological filter for roughness estimation. • Algorithm for choosing the type of PMADA filter and its task-specific parameters depending on primary profile isproposed. • Error ranges of the asymmetric morphological filter were determined using statistical Monte Carlo experiments technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the data collection of a multi-sensor system, there are problems with large errors, conflicts, and redundancy. To solve the above problem, a multi-sensor data fusion algorithm based on anomaly data preprocessing and adaptive weighted estimation is proposed. To improve the reliability of the algorithm, first, for a single sensor measurement signal sequence, a consistency preprocessing using the off-centre distance method is performed, and the weighting factor of each measurement data is calculated. Then, the measurement signal sequence is weighted and fused; Secondly, in response to the uneven distribution of measurement errors among multiple sensors in different directions, an adaptive weighted data fusion method based on the principle of optimal weight allocation is proposed. The proposed method was compared with the adaptive weighting method and arithmetic mean method. The simulation results showed that the total mean square error of the data fusion results obtained using the proposed algorithm is smaller. The proposed algorithm can effectively improve the accuracy of data measurement, reduce redundancy, and improve the stability of data measurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For two positive real numbers x and y let H, G, A and Q be the harmonic mean, the geometric mean, the arithmetic mean and the quadratic mean of x and y, respectively. In this note, we prove that A ⋅ G ≥ Q ⋅ H , and that for each integer n, it holds A n + G n ≤ Q n + H n. We also discuss and compare the first and the second above inequality for n = 1 with some known inequalities involving the mentioned classical means, the Seiffert mean P, the logarithmic mean L and the identric mean I of two positive real numbers x and y1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Pamukkale University Journal of Education is the property of Pamukkale University Journal of Education and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Paradigma is the property of Universidad Pedagogica Experimental Libertador and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Gazi University Journal of Gazi Educational Faculty (GUJGEF) is the property of Gazi University Journal of Gazi Educational Faculty (GUJGEF) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The aim of the current research was to detect how undergraduates from the faculties of medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, and health sciences felt about using electronic assessment at the time of COVID-19. Cross-sectional research was made at the University of Sharjah in UAE between January and April 2021. As a study tool, a questionnaire with 26 items was created using Google Forms and disseminated by the registration department via the learner's E-learning platforms. The study's data were analyzed using SPSS software. The outcomes demonstrated that students had a high level of acceptance of the computerized assessment. The overall arithmetic mean of the students' replies was (3.49) and had a standard deviation of (1.33), indicating that they accepted the electronic assessment to a high degree. Furthermore, there was a discernible difference between the acceptance of the internet-based assessment by male and female students, but the College of Medicine (COM) students benefited significantly from the variation in acceptance of the assessment depending on the variable of college. Students who had inadequate computer capacities, on the other hand, were more receptive to electronic testing. The study's findings may be helpful in developing academic methods, rearranging assessment alternatives, and changing the academic curriculum to address the problems and limitations of electronic assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Pamukkale University Journal of Education is the property of Pamukkale University Journal of Education and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Taking the electric eel as a bionic object, a long undulatory fin is designed. The turbulent model standard k-ε is used to solve the N‒S equation of a three-dimensional unsteady incompressible fluid. The hydrodynamic characteristics of the undulatory fin are studied, and the influence of the swing angle, wave frequency and ground effects on the propulsion performance of the undulatory fin are discussed. The mathematical models of the average thrust and average lateral force of the undulatory fin are established by using multiple linear regression. The results show that the thrust and lateral force of the undulatory fin increase with increasing swing angle and swing frequency, but in a motion period, the number of fluctuations of the thrust is approximately twice that of the lateral force. The relationship between the average thrust force and the average lateral force of the undulatory fin and the wave frequency and the maximum swing angle satisfies a specific exponential law. When the undulating fin moves near the wall (d ≤0.2 W), due to the coupling between the vortex at the lower edge and the tail vortex where part of the vortex is transferred to the two sides, the total thrust decreases, and the lateral force increases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Inonu University Journal of the Faculty of Education (INUJFE) is the property of Inonu University Journal of the Faculty of Education and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Analysis of business studies often involves the quantification of qualitative data to derive meaningful insights and making informed decisions. One such challenge is the inappropriate use of the arithmetic mean in economic and financial modeling. The arithmetic mean is a widely used statistical measure of central tendency that sums up a set of values and divides it by the total number of observations. While the arithmetic mean is simple and intuitive, its appropriateness in financial and economic modeling highly depends upon the nature of the data and the specific research question being addressed. This creates a dilemma. Despite the business community traditionally emphasizing quantitative research modeling, the growth of artificial intelligence and big data make qualitative research more desirable, particularly in areas such as ESG scorecards and financial literacy surveys. This paper discusses the challenges presented with analyzing studies after quantifying qualitative data and provides examples of how ordinal regression and other techniques could be used to analyze qualitative variables. This is especially applicable in undergraduate education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-criteria methods are commonly used in facility location problem to evaluate different facility locations in the presence of a set of criteria in order to select the best facility location. The increasing availability of Internet-of-Things (IoT) data, can be a help in gathering the necessary data for the location evaluation. The paper proposes a New Revised Group DEMATEL (NRG-DEMATEL) multi-criteria method, aiming to analyse cause-and-effect relationships among a set of criteria. This method provides general conditions which imply the convergence to the null matrix of the sequence of powers of the initial relation matrix, hence the total influence matrix can be computed. DEMATEL is infeasible when the sequence of powers of the initial relation matrix does not converge to the null matrix. The NRG-DEMATEL can be applicable to all situations feasible or infeasible. For the cases that are feasible, our method leads to the same result as the original method DEMATEL. The causality diagram and the digraph, that can visualize the causal relationships of a set of criteria, are built with the NRG-DEMATEL method. In order to reduce the complexity of the digraph, a threshold value is set to filter out negligible effects. Two methods for computing the thresholds are considered in this paper: the arithmetic mean method and the arithmetic mean - standard deviation method. An application of the NRG-DEMATEL to hospital facility problem is realized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wireless Communication is a system for communicating information from one point to other, without utilizing any connections like wire, cable, or other physical medium. Cognitive Radio (CR) based systems and networks are a revolutionary new perception in wireless communications. Spectrum sensing is a vital task of CR to avert destructive intrusion with licensed primary or main users and discover the accessible spectrum for the efficient utilization of the spectrum. Centralized Cooperative Spectrum Sensing (CSS) is a kind of spectrum sensing. Most of the test metrics designed till now for sensing the spectrum is produced by using the Sample Covariance Matrix (SCM) of the received signal. Some of the methods that use the SCM for the process of detection are Pietra-Ricci Index Detector (PRIDe), Hadamard Ratio (HR) detector, Gini Index Detector (GID), etc. This paper presents the simulation and comparative performance analysis of PRIDe with various other detectors like GID, HR, Arithmetic to Geometric Mean (AGM), Volume-based Detector number 1 (VD1), Maximumto-Minimum Eigenvalue Detection (MMED), and Generalized Likelihood Ratio Test (GLRT) using the MATLAB software. The PRIDe provides better performance in the presence of variations in the power of the signal and the noise power with less computational complexity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Electronic Journal of Research in Educational Psychology is the property of Editorial of the University of Almeria (Spain) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study aimed to determine the degree of availability of knowledge economy skills among female mathematics students at the College of Science and Human Studies in Saudi Arabia (Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University) according to their perceived future roles. To achieve this, a descriptive analytical method was employed and a newly developed questionnaire administered to a random sample of 100 female students. Data were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) (Cronbach's Alpha, Split-Half, Spearman's correlation coefficient, Arithmetic mean, Standard deviation, Standard error, Order). The results indicated a high level of problem-solving and decision-making skills (the first dimension) among students with an arithmetic mean of 2.68 (89.42%), followed by communication skills with an arithmetic mean of 2.63 (87.67%), innovation skills with an arithmetic mean of 2.42 (80.9%), both critical thinking skills and using technology with an arithmetic mean of 2.3 (78.33%), and a medium level of teamworking skills with an arithmetic mean of 2.07 (69.25%). The arithmetic mean for the general level of skills was 2.42 (80.65%), indicating a general increase in the availability of knowledge economy skills among these female mathematics students. Statistically significant differences (0.01) in the availability of knowledge economy skills were also found in academic stage (Bachelor-Master) in favour of undergraduate students. The researchers recommend an increased focus on teamworking skills, and that students, particularly master's students, should receive more training on knowledge economy skills and be encouraged to keep up to date with recent developments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this research is to compare Turkey and the countries of Japan, South Korea and Russia with high success in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study -TIMSS-2019 exam, in terms of the preparedness of schools, teachers and students for the Covid 19 period and to make suggestions for Turkey. In the research, document analysis method, a qualitative research method, was used. The research population consists of 38 countries that are members of -OECD- the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. As a sample, Turkey and the OECD countries Japan, South Korea and Russia, which were successful in the 2019 TIMSS research, were selected. The countries of Japan, South Korea and Russia achieved success by scoring above the OECD average in science and mathematics at 4th and 8th grades in the TIMSS 2019 survey. Therefore, the type of sampling is criterion sampling. Research data were obtained from international reports and statistics. Thus, it is seen that there is no problem of validity and reliability of the data. As a result of the research, when evaluated in terms of the preparedness of schools for the Covid 19 period; School principals in Turkey think that insufficient internet in schools does not hinder education to a large extent. However, it is understood that school principals in Japan think that insufficient internet affects education negatively, higher than the OECD average. When examined in terms of teachers, it is seen that teachers in Turkey and Russia think that they are good in -ICT- information and communication technologies skills. In terms of teachers' openness to change, Japan and South Korea were below the OECD average, while Russia and Turkey were found to be above the OECD average. When evaluated in terms of students, it is seen that while the rate of students' computer ownership in Turkey and Japan is below the OECD average, it is above the OECD average in South Korea and Russia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes the development of an index to assess rural development based on a set of 25 demographic, economic, environmental, and social welfare indicators previously selected through a Delphi approach. Three widely accepted aggregation methods were then tested: a mixed arithmetic/geometric mean without weightings for each indicator; a weighted arithmetic mean using the weights previously generated by the Delphi panel and an aggregation through Principal Component Analysis. These three methodologies were later applied to 9 Portuguese NUTS III regions using the most recent data available (2009–2020) and the results were presented to a group of experts in rural development who indicated which of the aggregation methods best measured the levels of rural development of the different territories. Finally, it was concluded that the unweighted arithmetic/geometric mean was the most accurate methodology for aggregating indicators to create a Rural Development Index. • Development of a rural development index using indicators selected by an expert panel. • Create rural development indexes by applying different aggregation methods. • Testing the most accurate method to aggregate indicators in a rural development index. • An effective tool for both policymakers and managers of rural development programs. • A useful tool to measure the impact of cohesion policy and structural programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to determine self-regulated learning strategies used by students to prepare for mathematics lesson exams. The data were collected from high- and low-achievement students considering their general grade point averages and grade point averages in mathematics courses. The students were enrolled in the 7th grade of two different middle schools during the time of data collection. Case study method, which is a qualitative research approach, was used in this study. Data were collected with an interview form containing questions on potential sample events and situations that students may encounter while preparing for mathematics lesson exams. Descriptive analysis method was utilized for data analysis . Considering students' mathematics achievement and academic averages, it was concluded that the high-achievement students used all the strategies more or less, but the low-achievement students used only some of these strategies. According to the findings, these self- regulated learning strategies that used by low-achievers determined as self-assessment, seeking information and help, environmental regulation, and reviewing notes before maths exams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Turkish Educational Sciences is the property of Journal of Turkish Educational Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Fintech is the driving force behind the digital economy, with the goal of improving cross-national interaction. However, the future development of Fintech in ASEAN-6 remains ambiguous, with little attention paid to an investigation. This study, therefore, aims to examine the Fintech ecosystem in ASEAN-6 countries by constructing a Fintech Index over the period of 2017 to 2019. This index consists of the readiness and capacity to participate in Fintech activity, the level of demand for Fintech services, and the possible future growth of Fintech. To achieve this objective, this study employs the averaging methods, that is, arithmetic mean, geometric mean, and entropy form. The results show that Singapore has the strongest Fintech ecosystem, followed by Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines. The findings imply that there is no single nation dominating the index by overlapping all aspects; ASEAN-6 countries are advised to resolve the major obstacles to enhance the Fintech development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Education Policy Analysis Archives / Archivos Analíticos de Políticas Educativas / Arquivos Analíticos de Políticas Educativas is the property of Educational Policy Analysis Archives & Education Review and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The aim of this study was to compare surface roughness of three different types of chairside monolithic ceramic and ceramic-like CAD/CAM restorative materials finished and polished with two)stage diamond impregnated polishing disc systems. before- and after- clinician experience. For each test material such as: glass ceramic (VITA Mark II, VITA-Zahnfabric, Bad Sackingen, Germany), polymer infiltrated ceramic (VITA Enamic, VITA-Zahnfabric, Bad Sackingen, Germany), nano hybrid ceramic (Lava Ultimate, 3M-ESPE, Seefeld, Germany), 20 disc shaped specimens (radius=10mm, thickness=2mm) were prepared. Then each test groups were subdivided into two groups depending on operator’s experience. Finishing and polishing procedure was achieved before (n=10) and after (n=10) experience of operator, respectively. Average surface roughness (Ra) measurement were obtained using a surface profilometer. For each test group ten specimens were prepared and roughness was measured in five different positions using a profilometer with a traversing distance of 4 mm and a cut-off value of 0.8mm. The radius of the tracing diamond tip was 5µm and measuring force and speed was 4mN and 0.5 mm/s, respectively. The surface roughness of each individual disk was taken as the arithmetic mean of the Ra values measured in five different positions. It can be concluded that finishing and polishing of ceramic and ceramic-like CAD/CAM restorative materials are dependent both material structure and experience of operator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate mobile multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) molecular communication via diffusion (MCvD) system which is consisted of two source nodes, two destination nodes and one relay node in the mobile three-dimensional channel. First, the combinations of decode-and-forward (DF) relaying protocol and network coding (NC) scheme are implemented at relay node. The adaptive thresholds at relay node and destination nodes can be obtained by maximum a posteriori (MAP) probability detection method. Then the mathematical expressions of the average bit error probability (BEP) of this mobile MIMO MCvD system based on DF and NC scheme are derived. Furthermore, in order to minimize the average BEP, we establish the optimization problem with optimization variables which include the ratio of the number of emitted molecules at two source nodes and the initial position of relay node. We put forward an iterative scheme based on block coordinate descent algorithm which can be used to solve the optimization problem and get optimal values of the optimization variables simultaneously. Finally, the numerical results reveal that the proposed iterative method has good convergence behavior. The average BEP performance of this system can be improved by performing the joint optimizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Ambiente e Água is the property of Revista Ambiente e Agua and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In this study, the relationship between pre-service teachers' critical thinking dispositions and their epistemological belief perceptions was examined. The relational screening model was used in the study designed in quantitative research approach. The study group of the research is 234 teacher candidates who study at Education Faculties of Gaziantep University and are determined by simple random sampling method. In the study, data were collected with scales developed for two different variables as epistemological belief and critical thinking disposition. SPSS 22.0 packaged software has been used in the process of data analysis. During the research process, the data were evaluated using the arithmetic mean, Pearson Product Moments Correlation Coefficient and multiple regression analysis. In the study, it was determined that the epistemological belief perceptions of teacher candidates differ according to dimensions and their critical thinking dispositions were at a high level. However, positive relationships were determined between sub-dimensions of pre-service teachers' epistemological belief perceptions and sub-dimensions of critical thinking dispositions. Accordingly, a positive and a low level relationship between "access and acquisition of knowledge" and "reasoning" dimensions with "simple knowledge" and "reaching judgment" dimensions; a positive and moderate relationship between 'simple knowledge' and 'reasoning' dimensions were found. In addition, it was determined that 'reasoning', 'open-mindedness' and 'reaching judgment', which are sub-dimensions of the pre-service teachers' critical thinking dispositions; significantly predicted their perception of the epistemological beliefs regarding 'access to knowledge' and 'simple knowledge'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Harbin Institute of Technology. Social Sciences Edition / Haerbin Gongye Daxue Xuebao. Shehui Kexue Ban is the property of Harbin Institute of Technology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The aim of the article is to investigate the relationship between trade and economic security. Economic research over several decades has shown that the high level of growth and success of the catching-up economic development of small and medium-sized economies is due to export-oriented trade. A correlation analysis has been performed to analyze the relationship between the arithmetic mean of fulfilled economic security indicators and exports as a percentage of the Gross Domestic Product of the EU Member States. In the course of the study, the levels of exports of goods and services from Bulgaria for 2019 have been established. There is a steady trend for exports of goods with a low degree of processing, as well as raw materials and goods with relatively low added value. Specific recommendations have been made to increase the level of economic security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study aimed to shed light on the role of customer participation in provoking the purchasing behavior of a sample of customers and persuasive representatives of mobile phone companies and stores in the Middle Euphrates region, consisting of (115) customers. The purchasing behavior variable includes five main dimensions (product advantage, brand name, social impact, demand, and price), while the customer participation variable includes five dimensions (excitement, interest, absorption, interaction, and identity). For the purpose of achieving the goal of the study, a questionnaire was adopted to collect data related to the study variables, and then analyzed them by adopting some statistical methods such as (arithmetic mean, standard deviation, linear correlation coefficient, simple coefficient and regression coefficient). The statistical program (SPSS.V.25) and the program (Amos.V.25) were used to analyze the data, and a set of conclusions were reached, the most prominent of which was the existence of a correlation and effect between the study variables (purchasing behavior, and customer participation in conclusions), based on to it, and a set of recommendations were presented, the most important of which were. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The important of the study lie in his particle aspect that combined both total quality management and university performance in both public and private university, which can be achieved by introducing the scientific bases that all the university must followed. The problem of the paper is that most of the Iraqi universities do not apply the total quality management tools in its performance therefore the paper focus on identifying the relationship between total quality management and university performance, the study include preparing questionnaires forms and distributed on a sample of faculty deans, their assistants, and department heads and these questionnaires were analysis using statistical program (SPSS) by frequency and percentages. In order to know the direction of each hypothesis and the evidence validity or incorrectness of the hypothesis and the extent to which the phrases coincide with the hypothesis, the following measures were used (arithmetic mean, standard deviation, and mode). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1953, and extended over the following two decades, John Harsanyi published a theorem suggesting that Bayesian rationality postulates together with interpersonal utility comparisons entail an average utilitarian theory. This article summarizes critique on key assumptions of his account. First, irrational and antisocial preferences entail undesirable consequences. Second, the von Neumann-Alorgenstern utility function is a cardinal theory of utility. Third, rational, self-interested, and impartial parties choose acceptable moral principles. Fourth, the observer assigns an equal probability to all positions in society. Fifth, different observers have uniform extencled preferences and no personal preferences. This summary is followed by a discussion of modd extensions that aim at making welfare interpersonally comparable. These accounts are either based on Harsanyi's original process of 'imaginative empathy' or a process of 'deep imaginative empathy', including a conceptualization based on life years in perfect utility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assesses the patterns of variation in body shape, and relations of morphological similarity among species of the Theraps-- Paraneetroplus clade in order to determine whether body shape may be a trait in phylogenetic relations. A total of 208 specimens belonging to 10 species of the Theraps--Paraneetroplus clade were examined. The left side of each specimen was photographed; in each photograph, 27 fixed landmarks were placed to identify patterns in body shape variation. Images were processed by using geometric morphometrics, followed by a phylogenetic principal component analysis. The phylogenetic signal for body shape was then calculated. To determine the relations in morphological similarity, a dendrogram was created using the unweighted pair group method and arithmetic mean values, while a Procrustes ANOVA and post-hoc test were used to evaluate significant differences between species and habitats. We found three morphological groups that differed in body length and depth, head size, and the position of the mouth and eyes. The body shape analysis recovered the morphotypes of seven species, and statistical differences were demonstrated in eight species. Based on traits associated with cranial morphology, Wajpamheros nourissati (Allgayer, 1989) differed the most among the species examined. No phylogenetic signal was found for body shape; this trait shows independence from ancestral relatedness, indicating that there is little congruence between morphological and genetic interspecific patterns. As evidenced by the consistently convergent morphology of the species in the Theraps--Paraneetroplus clade, the diversification of the group is related to an ecological opportunity for habitat use and the exploitation of food resources. Although no phylogenetic signal was detected for body shape, there appears to be an order associated with cranial morphology-based phylogeny. However, it is important to evaluate the intraspecific morphologic plasticity produced by ecological segregation or partitioning of resources. Therefore, future morphological evolutionary studies should consider cranial structures related to the capture and processing of food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Ljetopis Socijalnog Rada / Annual of Social Work is the property of Pravni Fakultet Sveucilista u Zagrebu, Studijski Centar Socijalnog Rada and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A novel hybrid algorithm called Multi-Objective Hybrid Grey Wolf Cuckoo Search (MOGWOCS) is developed for spatial truss designs in this study. A new simple yet efficient mechanism to select the best candidates is proposed. Furthermore, harmonic averaging is employed to be a replacement for conventional arithmetic mean for higher effectiveness. Additionally, the Lévy flight in Cuckoo Search (CS) is utilized to increase efficiency in early searching and also reduce local entrapment possibility. For verification purposes, MOGWOCS is first performed on some mathematical functions and 11 CEC2020 mechanical problems. It is then examined on four large-scale truss design problems, in two of which multi-objective optimization is studied for the first time. To demonstrate the superiority of the proposed approach, five up-to-date algorithms, and various indicators are included for validation. It is found that MOGWOCS is able to produce solutions with higher optimality in terms of diversity and accuracy. • A novel hybridization of GWO and CS for multi-objective optimization is proposed. • Lévy flight and Harmonic averaging are exploited to enhance performance. • A new efficient mechanism to select the best candidates is introduced. • 11 CEC2020 mechanical problems and four spatial truss structures are examined. • The proposed algorithm produces solutions with better diversity and accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of the Cukurova University Institute of Social Sciences is the property of Cukurova University Institute of Social Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of the Cukurova University Institute of Social Sciences is the property of Cukurova University Institute of Social Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Gel image analysis is a cornerstone in electrophoresis-based experiments. Nature of the experiment determines the target of the analysis. Implemented features within different software for gel images and their outputs are variable. EgyGene GelAnalyzer4 software aimed to make a powerful, easy, and almost all-in-one software for gel image analysis. Results: EgyGene GelAnalyzer4 is a software for analyzing the gel images. The program consists of six main parts: gel image enhancement, image analysis, data merging, molecular markers detection, phylogenetic tree prediction, and population parameters estimation. Firstly, the gel image enhancement part enhances the gel image colors and clarity. Then, the image is analyzed in the second part using both automatic and manual detection of lanes and bands. The third part, data merging, is for merging several analyses for different samples/gels together to produce one table comprises the entire experiment. The fourth section, markers detection, collects several pre-analyzed data for the same samples to detect their molecular markers based on some user-defined criteria. The fifth part uses the outputs of the previous parts to draw the phylogenetic tree between samples. The program constructs a phylogenetic tree using unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) method. Fourteen different equations are used to calculate the similarity percentages: Anderberg, Czekanowski, Dice, Faith, Gower and Legendre, Jaccard, Nei and Li, Rogers and Tanimoto, Russel and Rao, simple matching, Sokal and Michener, Sokal and Sneath 1, Sokal and Sneath 2, and Sorensen. The last section calculates the population parameters for the pre-analyzed images before. EgyGene GelAnalyzer4 is designed and programed using Microsoft Visual Studio 2012 Express version, based on the Dot Net FrameWork 4.5 edition, whereas its icons are created using the freeware Greenfish Icon Editor Pro 3.2.5.1. Conclusions: EgyGene GelAnalyzer4 is a simple, fast, and user-friendly software with six novel features: changing the order of lanes within the gel image, splitting the detecting lane into two lanes, merging of several detected lanes into just one, splitting a single band into two bands, merging two or more bands to be a single band, and comparing data of several analyzed images with a big number of samples and merging it together in a single table and detection of molecular markers between samples. In addition to the basic features and outputs of other image analysis software such as calculation of relative mobility values, molecular weights/sizes estimation, DNA/RNA/protein quantity within bands, table of present/absent of bands, polymorphism percentage, similarity percentages and phylogeny, population parameters, enhancing the image colors and clarity, and merging data for several gels. In addition, writing names of samples and the detected markers on the image. EgyGene GelAnalyzer4 provides many several features, which may be not available together in any other alternative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to identify the different teaching practices of mathematics male and female teachers according to the framework of PISA 2018 and its relation to their beliefs towards their students. The study used the descriptive survey approach. The sample consisted of (421) mathematics male and female teachers in AL-Taif city in the year 2020. After testing the reliability and validity; two tools were used to collect data: a questionnaire and a scale. Results showed that both genders, male and female teachers, have a high level of formulation of mathematics; the mean was (2.4840). Moreover, their teaching practices level of employing mathematics was high and reached the mean (2.3976). Meanwhile their level of teaching practices of the process of mathematics explanation was at the mean (2.2130). Results also showed that there is a statistical significant difference in the level (α≤ 0.05). The previous result is related to the gender variable in which females outperformed the males, and to the teaching experience in which the more experienced respondents outperformed the inexperienced ones. Finally, results showed that there was no statistical significant difference in the level (α≤ 0.05) for the level of education variable. Based on the results of the study, the following recommendations might be taken into consideration: workshops might be hilled to improve the teachers' teaching practices of mathematics formulation and explanation in addition to some steps and procedures in PISA framework must be embedded in the teacher's guide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to analyze the mathematical literacy abilities of students using IRT with the GPCM approach. The results of the model compatibility test show that the GPCM is suitable for analyzing mathematical literacy test instruments with 4 levels of mathematical literacy. The results of the item parameter estimation show that there is 1 level of mathematical literacy which has a high category for item discrimination, while the other 3 levels have a medium category. Based on item difficulty levels, 1 level of mathematical literacy has a difficult category, while 3 levels have easy categories. Most students are at the level of ability 0 < θ < 1, and there are 52% of students above the average mathematical literacy. Based on the test information function and the standard error shows that the mathematical literacy instrument is suitable for students with the ability -2 < θ < -0.5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to ascertain the degree to which teacher trainers of both genders were committed to professional teaching ethics at the University of Al Ain, UAE, from the perspective of teacher trainees. The study considered the variables of gender, accumulative percentage average, years of experience, and the teachers’ academic qualifications. The study population and its sample was comprised of all students in the Faculty of Education, Humanities and Social Sciences who were expected to graduate in the first semester of the academic year 2018/2019. These 75 students were enrolled in the module entitled Practical Education (Field Training). The study formulated a questionnaire composed of 40 sections distributed over five main themes, regarding teacher trainers’ ethical attitudes toward: their profession, students, colleagues, work leadership, and society. The results of the study showed that the mathematical averages for all themes were both high and within close range; specifically, they fell between 4.50–4.72. The theme of ethical attitude towards work leadership was highest (average 4.72), while that towards the students was last (4.50). The results also indicated that there were no differences with statistical precursors that could be due to the variables of gender, years of experience, educational level, or accumulative percentage average. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Understanding the relationship between populations at different scales plays an important role in many demographic analyses. OBJECTIVE We show that when a population can be partitioned into subgroups, the death rate for the entire population can be written as the weighted harmonic mean of the death rates in each subgroup, where the weights are given by the numbers of deaths in each subgroup. This decomposition can be generalized to other types of occurrence-exposure rates. Using different weights, the death rate for the entire population can also be expressed as an arithmetic mean of the death rates in each subgroup. CONCLUSIONS We use these relationships as a starting point for investigating how demographers can correctly aggregate rates across non-overlapping subgroups. Our analysis reveals conceptual links between classic demographic models and length-biased sampling. To illustrate how the harmonic mean can suggest new interpretations of demographic relationships, we present as an application a new expression for the frailty of the dying, given a standard demographic frailty model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]