Roe v. Wade. Catholic wisdom.

Science.gov (United States)

Maguire, D

1998-01-01

In this commentary, a Roman Catholic professor of moral theory recounts how, during his doctoral work in Rome, he was taught that abortion was intrinsically evil and could never be justified. He was also taught, however, about Probabilism, a Roman Catholic teaching that held that "where there is doubt, there is freedom." In other words, serious doubts based on a person's own insights allow a person moral freedom to choose a course of action in cases of debated moral issues. This moral teaching, a triumph for the rights of personal conscience, which was formulated in the 16th and 17th centuries, has been well-hidden from the laity and neglected by the clergy during the past 100 years. He also learned about Thomas Aquinas who taught that practical moral principals are valid most of the time but can have exceptions depending on circumstances. In addition, early 17th-century church leaders justified abortions performed to save the life of the women. Thus, the Supreme Court's decision in Roe seems to reflect Catholic thinking more accurately than the Vatican's new-found absolutism against abortion.

The Ethics of ROE

Science.gov (United States)

2010-03-01

the combination of virtues , both those of the intellect and those of character, is where practical wisdom enables ethical virtue to flourish.21...unethical behavior in the fog of individual conflict? Aristotle seems to have lit the way to an answer - - the development of individual virtue ...St ra te gy R es ea rc h Pr oj ec t THE ETHICS OF ROE BY COLONEL JOSEPH P. DIMINICK United States Army DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A

Radiocesium in roe deer and wild boars and their forage in the Chernobyl area

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eriksson, O.; Jungskaer, W. [Uppsala Univ. (Sweden). Dept. of Ecological Botany; Gaichenko, V.; Panov, G. [Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kiev (Ukraine). Schmalhausen Inst. of Zoology; Goshchak, S. [RIA Pripyat, Chernobyl (Ukraine). Restoration Dept.; Jones, B. [Swedish Univ. of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala (Sweden). Dept. of Clinical Chemistry; Petrov, M.; Davydchuk, V. [Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kiev (Ukraine). Inst. of Geography; Shcherbatchenko, A. [Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kiev (Ukraine). Inst. of Nuclear Research

1996-12-31

Tissue samples from 67 roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and 73 wild boars (Sus scrofa L.) were obtained from the evacuated zone around the damaged nuclear reactor in Chernobyl, Ukraine. The samplings were performed from June 1992 to February 1995 regularly during each typical season (spring in mid-May, summer in mid-August, autumn in mid-October and winter in late February). By using botanical analysis of rumen/stomach contents, dominant forage plants were identified and collected in the area where the animals had been foraging. The results show that there is a considerable individual variation in diet selection within each season for both these animal species and also a seasonal variation in the radiocesium contamination of muscular tissue. The seasonal variation is most pronounced in the wild boar. Minimum levels of 137Cs were seen during summer and autumn (mean 6kBq/kg w.w. and 2 kBq/kg w.w., resp.) and maximum levels in winter (mean 113 kBq/kg w.w.). In the roe deer, the minimum levels were seen in winter (mean 6kBq/kg w.w.) and maximum levels in autumn (mean 58 kBq/kg w.w.). These variations are caused by differences in pasture selection during different seasons of the year. One very important forage plant eaten both by roe deer and by wild boars during all seasons was evening primrose (Oenothera biennis L.). Also the underground parts of this plant are consumed by the wild boar. Also the role of soil as an intake source of radioactive contaminants has been estimated by determination of inorganic residues after ashing of rumen/stomach samples. In the winter, wild boars show the highest ash content with 32% (mean of dry matter) and the lowest in summer with 6%. In roe deer, the differences between seasons are smaller, with an average of 9% in the spring and 15% in winter. The level of 137Cs contamination in muscular tissue of these two species has not decreased noticeably in the studied area during the study period from summer 1992 to winter 1995. 18 refs, 8 figs.

Radiocesium in roe deer and wild boars and their forage in the Chernobyl area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eriksson, O.; Jungskaer, W.; Gaichenko, V.; Panov, G.; Goshchak, S.; Jones, B.; Petrov, M.; Davydchuk, V.; Shcherbatchenko, A.

1996-01-01

Tissue samples from 67 roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and 73 wild boars (Sus scrofa L.) were obtained from the evacuated zone around the damaged nuclear reactor in Chernobyl, Ukraine. The samplings were performed from June 1992 to February 1995 regularly during each typical season (spring in mid-May, summer in mid-August, autumn in mid-October and winter in late February). By using botanical analysis of rumen/stomach contents, dominant forage plants were identified and collected in the area where the animals had been foraging. The results show that there is a considerable individual variation in diet selection within each season for both these animal species and also a seasonal variation in the radiocesium contamination of muscular tissue. The seasonal variation is most pronounced in the wild boar. Minimum levels of 137Cs were seen during summer and autumn (mean 6kBq/kg w.w. and 2 kBq/kg w.w., resp.) and maximum levels in winter (mean 113 kBq/kg w.w.). In the roe deer, the minimum levels were seen in winter (mean 6kBq/kg w.w.) and maximum levels in autumn (mean 58 kBq/kg w.w.). These variations are caused by differences in pasture selection during different seasons of the year. One very important forage plant eaten both by roe deer and by wild boars during all seasons was evening primrose (Oenothera biennis L.). Also the underground parts of this plant are consumed by the wild boar. Also the role of soil as an intake source of radioactive contaminants has been estimated by determination of inorganic residues after ashing of rumen/stomach samples. In the winter, wild boars show the highest ash content with 32% (mean of dry matter) and the lowest in summer with 6%. In roe deer, the differences between seasons are smaller, with an average of 9% in the spring and 15% in winter. The level of 137Cs contamination in muscular tissue of these two species has not decreased noticeably in the studied area during the study period from summer 1992 to winter 1995

A Rapid Colorimetric Method Reveals Fraudulent Substitutions in Sea Urchin Roe Marketed in Sardinia (Italy).

Science.gov (United States)

Meloni, Domenico; Spina, Antonio; Satta, Gianluca; Chessa, Vittorio

2016-06-25

In recent years, besides the consumption of fresh sea urchin specimens, the demand of minimally-processed roe has grown considerably. This product has made frequent consumption in restaurants possible and frauds are becoming widespread with the partial replacement of sea urchin roe with surrogates that are similar in colour. One of the main factors that determines the quality of the roe is its colour and small differences in colour scale cannot be easily discerned by the consumers. In this study we have applied a rapid colorimetric method for reveal the fraudulent partial substitution of semi-solid sea urchin roe with liquid egg yolk. Objective assessment of whiteness (L*), redness (a*), yellowness (b*), hue (h*), and chroma (C*) was carried out with a digital spectrophotometer using the CIE L*a*b* colour measurement system. The colorimetric method highlighted statistically significant differences among sea urchin roe and liquid egg yolk that could be easily discerned quantitatively.

Beyond Roe, after Casey: the present and future of a "fundamental" right.

Science.gov (United States)

Benshoof, J

1993-01-01

Although the US Supreme Court recently reaffirmed a woman's right to end a pregnancy before viability, many women remain unable to exercise that right because their access to abortion is limited. 83% of the counties in the nation have no abortion providers, and many women must travel hundreds of miles to obtain an abortion. In its Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania vs. Casey decision, the Supreme Court upheld what it felt were the central tenets of Roe vs. Wade but appointed an "undue burden" standard instead of a "strict scrutiny" standard for the courts to use when determining whether or not a state restriction is to be allowed. This means that women must prove "undue" harm from a restriction. 2 other new concepts contained in Casey are that the state has an interest in fetal life throughout a pregnancy and that the government does not have to remain neutral in an abortion case even if it did not involve the issue of funding. This means that states can try to discourage a woman's choice to have an abortion. Since Casey, the Supreme Court has refused to review several abortion cases and federal courts have taken action allowing abortion restrictions to go into effect in Pennsylvania, Utah, South Dakota, North Dakota, and Mississippi. State courts in Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Alaska, New York, and West Virginia have also heard abortion restriction cases in the past year. These restrictions involved a waiting period, criminalization, a residency requirement, a community hospital's ban on abortions, and state funding for abortion. Following the Casey decision, efforts were made to codify Roe by reintroducing the Freedom of Choice Act in Congress. During the committee process, however, the bill was amended in such a way as to make pro-choice advocates doubt that the amended version will be able to accomplish the aims of the original Act. Because the High Court ruled in Bray vs. Alexandria Women's Health Clinic that the ability of abortion clinics to

Contents of radionuclides and heavy metals in fish roe of commercial fish of the Zaporizhya reservoir

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Belokon', A.S.; Marenkov, O.N.; Dvoretskij, A.I.

2013-01-01

Comprehensive radiation-toxicological studies of fish roe of some commercial fish of the Zaporizhya Reservoir were conducted. It was found that the greatest number of 137 Cs (4,5 Bq/kg) and 90 Sr (3,2 Bq/kg) was accumulated by fish roe of perch. Heavy metals (cadmium, copper, zinc and lead), and natural radionuclides 226 Ra and 232 Th were accumulated to a greater amount of bream fish roe

La moral de los superhéroes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jhon Rozo Mila

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Los superhéroes, el deber moral y la obligación; El caso de Spider-Man y los X-Men. Laura Victoria Bolaño Pérez; Universidad del Rosario, colección Ópera Prima, Bogotá, 2012, 309 págs.

Predicting paddlefish roe yields using an extension of the Beverton–Holt equilibrium yield-per-recruit model

Science.gov (United States)

Colvin, M.E.; Bettoli, Phillip William; Scholten, G.D.

2013-01-01

Equilibrium yield models predict the total biomass removed from an exploited stock; however, traditional yield models must be modified to simulate roe yields because a linear relationship between age (or length) and mature ovary weight does not typically exist. We extended the traditional Beverton-Holt equilibrium yield model to predict roe yields of Paddlefish Polyodon spathula in Kentucky Lake, Tennessee-Kentucky, as a function of varying conditional fishing mortality rates (10-70%), conditional natural mortality rates (cm; 9% and 18%), and four minimum size limits ranging from 864 to 1,016mm eye-to-fork length. These results were then compared to a biomass-based yield assessment. Analysis of roe yields indicated the potential for growth overfishing at lower exploitation rates and smaller minimum length limits than were suggested by the biomass-based assessment. Patterns of biomass and roe yields in relation to exploitation rates were similar regardless of the simulated value of cm, thus indicating that the results were insensitive to changes in cm. Our results also suggested that higher minimum length limits would increase roe yield and reduce the potential for growth overfishing and recruitment overfishing at the simulated cm values. Biomass-based equilibrium yield assessments are commonly used to assess the effects of harvest on other caviar-based fisheries; however, our analysis demonstrates that such assessments likely underestimate the probability and severity of growth overfishing when roe is targeted. Therefore, equilibrium roe yield-per-recruit models should also be considered to guide the management process for caviar-producing fish species.

Radiocaesium transfer to man from moose and roe deer in Sweden

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johanson, Karl J.; Bergstroem, R.

1994-01-01

Studies of radiocaesium in the forest ecosystems in Sweden resulted in aggregated transfer factors quantified for the transfer of 137 Cs from soil to moose and roe deer. These aggregated transfer factors were 0.02 m 2 kg -1 for moose and 0.05 m 2 kg -1 for roe deer. There seems to be no decrease in the 137 Cs activity concentrations in moose harvested in our research area and therefore we suggest the use of the physical half-life of 137 Cs (30 years) as the effective ecological half-life. The time-integrated transfer of 137 Cs from the Chernobyl fall-out to man by moose in Sweden was calculated and found to be 115 GBq, corresponding to 1500 man Sv for moose. The time-integrated transfer by roe deer to man was estimated to be between 25-48 GBq, corresponding to 327-620 man Sv for roe deer. The annual transfer of 137 Cs to man by moose has varied between 2.0-2.7 GBq, corresponding to 27-34 man Sv. Depending on the group studied, the mean annual transfer of 137 Cs can be calculated to be from about 250 to 43'000 Bq. For example, the mean annual transfer of 137 Cs by moose to hunters and their families in Gaevle commune, the most affected commune in Sweden, was estimated to be about 26'000 Bq, corresponding to 0.34 mSv

Phospholipids composition and molecular species of large yellow croaker ( Pseudosciaena crocea ) roe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Liang, Peng; Li, Ruifen; Sun, He

2018-01-01

The research aims to study phospholipids (PL) classes and molecular species of large yellow croaker (Pseudosciaena crocea) roe. Both gas chromatographymass spectroscopy (GC-MS) and high-performance liquid chromatography with evaporative light-scattering detection (HPLC-ELSD) were utilized to anal......-Q-TOF-MS). A total of 92 PLs molecular species was identified, including 49 PCs, 13 PEs, 10 phosphatidic acids (PAs), 13 phosphatidylserines (PSs), 3 phosphatidylglycerols (PGs), 2 sphingomyelins (SMs), and 2 PIs of the P. crocea roe....

Seasonal and altitudinal variation in roe deer (Capreolus pygargus tianschanicus diet on Jeju Island, South Korea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pradeep Adhikari

2016-12-01

Full Text Available In order to understand the feeding ecology and dietary differences of roe deer (Capreolus pygargus tianschanicus in different seasons and altitudes, this study was carried out at three altitudinal sites (Songdang 250–270 m above sea level (ASL, Aradong 330–370 m ASL, Mt. Hallasan 1100 m ASL on Jeju Island, South Korea. Altogether, 205 plants taxa of six categories of foods (forbs-climbers, graminoids, trees, shrubs, conifers, and ferns were identified using morphological and molecular analyses. The highest number of dietary plants was found in summer (93 taxa and at Aradong (124 taxa and lowest at Songdang (71 taxa and in winter (51 taxa. Food categories were significantly different among the seasons (F = 15.646, p < 0.05 and altitudinal sites (F = 3.941, p < 0.05. This study revealed that dietary selectivity of roe deer shifted with seasonal and altitudinal variations and preferred to the nutritive and low fibers food.

Age determination in roe deer - a new approach to tooth wear evaluated on known age individuals

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Høye, Toke Thomas

2006-01-01

A novel, simple, and objective method is presented for ageing roe deer Capreolus capreolus (Linnaeus, 1758) evaluated on 471 lower jaws from roe deer of known age (351 with permanent premolars). It is based on tooth eruption patterns and presence/absence of wear characters in jaws from roe deer...... integrated in a scoring system. Permanent cheek teeth emerge in May-July in the year after birth, which enables precise age determination of individuals with deciduous premolars. For individuals with permanent cheek teeth, the method provides the correct age for all individuals younger than 13 months...... originate from two separated Danish roe deer populations exposed to contrasting habitats, but no difference in wear rate is found between populations. Thus, previous concern about the validity of age determination methods based on tooth wear may have been overstated. The findings demonstrate that objective...

Utilization of tuna roe and using inulin as oil replacer for producing value added omega-3 mayonnaise product

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Kanrawee Hunsakul

2016-03-01

count (TVC, yeast and mold, lactic acid bacteria (LAB and coliformswere measured for microbiological quality. Sensory evaluation using 9-point hedonic scale technique was also monitored. Results: When there was increased inulin gel in the mayonnaise, L* value significantly increased while a* and b* values significantly decreased (p<0.05. Without addition ofinulin gel,tuna roe mayonnaise (IG0 had lower emulsion stability compared with control sample containing egg yolk. It was found that using the inulin gel significantly increased moisture contentsand water activity of the mayonnaise. However, there was no significantly difference found in pH value in any sample. In addition, the tuna roe mayonnaise with and without added inulin gel possessed higher lipid oxidation products determined as PV and TBARS value compared with basic mayonnaise using egg yolk (control sample. All microbiological quality indices were very low and passed through a standard regulation of mayonnaise product. Although consumer acceptability of the mayonnaise producing from tuna roe was lower than that of control, 50% of inulin gel substitution(IG50 seemed to obtain higher sensory score when compared with other inulin gel substitution groups. Therefore, sensory improvement ofthe tuna roemayonnaise product substituted with inulin gel needsto be studied further. Conclusions: The mayonnaise produced from tuna roe and replacedfat with inulin gel between 25 to 100% were successful when determined by emulsion stability, pH value and microbiological quality. However, sensory score of the mayonnaise using 100% tuna roe with and without inulin gel substitution was lower than that of control. The tuna roe mayonnaise substituted with 50% inulin gel (IG50 should be selected for sensory improvement in the further work.

Los arquetipos de los MCM: héroes y antíhéroes de los niños

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OLIVIA VELARDE

1992-01-01

Full Text Available La presente investigación se ha llevado a cabo desde un enfoque que toma en cuenta la interdependencia entre los factores sociales, comunicativos y cognitivos en los procesos de enculturización infantil. La autora analiza las correspondencias existentes entre el uso de los MCM y las representaciones que los niños construyen sobre sí mismos y sobre el mundo que les rodea. Sobre la base de elementos de naturaleza tan heterogénea como los héroes de los relatos en los MCM, se muestra que el laborioso trabajo cognitivo realizado por los niños cuando definen la identidad y el comportamiento de los héroes sirve, sobre todo, para la autoafirmación del rol sexual; y que el trabajo no menos laborioso que llevan a cabo cuando definen qué puede ser imitado y no imitado de los personajes de los MCM y cuál es la importancia social de éstos sirve, sobre todo, para definir el rol de clase.

Is there adaptation of the exocrine pancreas in wild animal? The case of the Roe deer.

Science.gov (United States)

Guilloteau, Paul; Vitari, Francesca; Metzinger-Le Meuth, Valérie; Le Normand, Laurence; Romé, Véronique; Savary, Gérard; Delaby, Luc; Domeneghini, Cinzia; Morisset, Jean

2012-05-28

Physiology of the exocrine pancreas has been well studied in domestic and in laboratory animals as well as in humans. However, it remains quite unknown in wildlife mammals. Roe deer and cattle (including calf) belong to different families but have a common ancestor. This work aimed to evaluate in the Roe deer, the adaptation to diet of the exocrine pancreatic functions and regulations related to animal evolution and domestication. Forty bovine were distributed into 2 groups of animals either fed exclusively with a milk formula (monogastric) or fed a dry feed which allowed for rumen function to develop, they were slaughtered at 150 days of age. The 35 Roe deer were wild animals living in the temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, shot during the hunting season and classified in two groups adult and young. Immediately after death, the pancreas was removed for tissue sample collection and then analyzed. When expressed in relation to body weight, pancreas, pancreatic protein weights and enzyme activities measured were higher in Roe deer than in calf. The 1st original feature is that in Roe deer, the very high content in pancreatic enzymes seems to be related to specific digestive products observed (proline-rich proteins largely secreted in saliva) which bind tannins, reducing their deleterious effects on protein digestion. The high chymotrypsin and elastase II quantities could allow recycling of proline-rich proteins. In contrast, domestication and rearing cattle resulted in simplified diet with well digestible components. The 2nd feature is that in wild animal, both receptor subtypes of the CCK/gastrin family peptides were present in the pancreas as in calf, although CCK-2 receptor subtype was previously identified in higher mammals. Bovine species could have lost some digestive capabilities (no ingestion of great amounts of tannin-rich plants, capabilities to secrete high amounts of proline-rich proteins) compared with Roe deer species. CCK and gastrin could play

Is there adaptation of the exocrine pancreas in wild animal? The case of the Roe Deer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guilloteau Paul

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Physiology of the exocrine pancreas has been well studied in domestic and in laboratory animals as well as in humans. However, it remains quite unknown in wildlife mammals. Roe deer and cattle (including calf belong to different families but have a common ancestor. This work aimed to evaluate in the Roe deer, the adaptation to diet of the exocrine pancreatic functions and regulations related to animal evolution and domestication. Results Forty bovine were distributed into 2 groups of animals either fed exclusively with a milk formula (monogastric or fed a dry feed which allowed for rumen function to develop, they were slaughtered at 150 days of age. The 35 Roe deer were wild animals living in the temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, shot during the hunting season and classified in two groups adult and young. Immediately after death, the pancreas was removed for tissue sample collection and then analyzed. When expressed in relation to body weight, pancreas, pancreatic protein weights and enzyme activities measured were higher in Roe deer than in calf. The 1st original feature is that in Roe deer, the very high content in pancreatic enzymes seems to be related to specific digestive products observed (proline-rich proteins largely secreted in saliva which bind tannins, reducing their deleterious effects on protein digestion. The high chymotrypsin and elastase II quantities could allow recycling of proline-rich proteins. In contrast, domestication and rearing cattle resulted in simplified diet with well digestible components. The 2nd feature is that in wild animal, both receptor subtypes of the CCK/gastrin family peptides were present in the pancreas as in calf, although CCK-2 receptor subtype was previously identified in higher mammals. Conclusions Bovine species could have lost some digestive capabilities (no ingestion of great amounts of tannin-rich plants, capabilities to secrete high amounts of proline-rich proteins

A stochastic Galerkin method for the Euler equations with Roe variable transformation

KAUST Repository

Pettersson, Per; Iaccarino, Gianluca; Nordströ m, Jan

2014-01-01

The Euler equations subject to uncertainty in the initial and boundary conditions are investigated via the stochastic Galerkin approach. We present a new fully intrusive method based on a variable transformation of the continuous equations. Roe variables are employed to get quadratic dependence in the flux function and a well-defined Roe average matrix that can be determined without matrix inversion.In previous formulations based on generalized polynomial chaos expansion of the physical variables, the need to introduce stochastic expansions of inverse quantities, or square roots of stochastic quantities of interest, adds to the number of possible different ways to approximate the original stochastic problem. We present a method where the square roots occur in the choice of variables, resulting in an unambiguous problem formulation.The Roe formulation saves computational cost compared to the formulation based on expansion of conservative variables. Moreover, the Roe formulation is more robust and can handle cases of supersonic flow, for which the conservative variable formulation fails to produce a bounded solution. For certain stochastic basis functions, the proposed method can be made more effective and well-conditioned. This leads to increased robustness for both choices of variables. We use a multi-wavelet basis that can be chosen to include a large number of resolution levels to handle more extreme cases (e.g. strong discontinuities) in a robust way. For smooth cases, the order of the polynomial representation can be increased for increased accuracy. © 2013 Elsevier Inc.

La nueva novela histórica ficción-realidad del héroe

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Carolina lópez Sánchez

2017-08-01

Full Text Available La nueva novela histórica toma la realidad histórica con sus aconteceres para convertirlos en el asunto central de la novela. El objetivo del presente trabajo parte de la pregunta ¿cómo a través de la ficción se presenta a un personaje de la historia (Simón Bolívar como un héroe real y desvanecer el concepto del héroe intachable?, creando una reflexión sobre las situaciones que se presentan en la realidad a la cual se pertenece; para el desarrollo del trabajo se toman bases teóricas desde: Nueva novela histórica, ficción-realidad, héroe y la obra la carroza de Bolívar del escritor colombiano Evelio Rosero Diago. La novela instiga a descubrir la otra faceta de Bolívar y desvanecer la concepción tradicional de héroe. La propuesta permite tomar desde la posición de la literatura la inclinación por lecturas de Nueva novela histórica, donde los personajes históricos (héroes se muestran como hombres de carne y hueso, para ver que también tuvieron sentimientos con aciertos y desaciertos, con equivocaciones como la humanidad de nuestra cotidianidad, y ponernos a la par como hombres que somos, capaces de reconocernos y a la vez de reconocer al otro, así la Nueva Novela Histórica permite dar mayor significación a la narrativa.

Prey Selection of Scandinavian Wolves: Single Large or Several Small?

Science.gov (United States)

Sand, Håkan; Eklund, Ann; Zimmermann, Barbara; Wikenros, Camilla; Wabakken, Petter

2016-01-01

Research on large predator-prey interactions are often limited to the predators' primary prey, with the potential for prey switching in systems with multiple ungulate species rarely investigated. We evaluated wolf (Canis lupus) prey selection at two different spatial scales, i.e., inter- and intra-territorial, using data from 409 ungulate wolf-kills in an expanding wolf population in Scandinavia. This expansion includes a change from a one-prey into a two-prey system with variable densities of one large-sized ungulate; moose (Alces alces) and one small-sized ungulate; roe deer (Capreolus capreolus). Among wolf territories, the proportion of roe deer in wolf kills was related to both pack size and roe deer density, but not to moose density. Pairs of wolves killed a higher proportion of roe deer than did packs, and wolves switched to kill more roe deer as their density increased above a 1:1 ratio in relation to the availability of the two species. At the intra-territorial level, wolves again responded to changes in roe deer density in their prey selection whereas we found no effect of snow depth, time during winter, or other predator-related factors on the wolves' choice to kill moose or roe deer. Moose population density was only weakly related to intra-territorial prey selection. Our results show that the functional response of wolves on moose, the species hitherto considered as the main prey, was strongly dependent on the density of a smaller, alternative, ungulate prey. The impact of wolf predation on the prey species community is therefore likely to change with the composition of the multi-prey species community along with the geographical expansion of the wolf population.

Prey Selection of Scandinavian Wolves: Single Large or Several Small?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Håkan Sand

Full Text Available Research on large predator-prey interactions are often limited to the predators' primary prey, with the potential for prey switching in systems with multiple ungulate species rarely investigated. We evaluated wolf (Canis lupus prey selection at two different spatial scales, i.e., inter- and intra-territorial, using data from 409 ungulate wolf-kills in an expanding wolf population in Scandinavia. This expansion includes a change from a one-prey into a two-prey system with variable densities of one large-sized ungulate; moose (Alces alces and one small-sized ungulate; roe deer (Capreolus capreolus. Among wolf territories, the proportion of roe deer in wolf kills was related to both pack size and roe deer density, but not to moose density. Pairs of wolves killed a higher proportion of roe deer than did packs, and wolves switched to kill more roe deer as their density increased above a 1:1 ratio in relation to the availability of the two species. At the intra-territorial level, wolves again responded to changes in roe deer density in their prey selection whereas we found no effect of snow depth, time during winter, or other predator-related factors on the wolves' choice to kill moose or roe deer. Moose population density was only weakly related to intra-territorial prey selection. Our results show that the functional response of wolves on moose, the species hitherto considered as the main prey, was strongly dependent on the density of a smaller, alternative, ungulate prey. The impact of wolf predation on the prey species community is therefore likely to change with the composition of the multi-prey species community along with the geographical expansion of the wolf population.

Prey Selection of Scandinavian Wolves: Single Large or Several Small?

Science.gov (United States)

Eklund, Ann; Zimmermann, Barbara; Wikenros, Camilla; Wabakken, Petter

2016-01-01

Research on large predator-prey interactions are often limited to the predators’ primary prey, with the potential for prey switching in systems with multiple ungulate species rarely investigated. We evaluated wolf (Canis lupus) prey selection at two different spatial scales, i.e., inter- and intra-territorial, using data from 409 ungulate wolf-kills in an expanding wolf population in Scandinavia. This expansion includes a change from a one-prey into a two-prey system with variable densities of one large-sized ungulate; moose (Alces alces) and one small-sized ungulate; roe deer (Capreolus capreolus). Among wolf territories, the proportion of roe deer in wolf kills was related to both pack size and roe deer density, but not to moose density. Pairs of wolves killed a higher proportion of roe deer than did packs, and wolves switched to kill more roe deer as their density increased above a 1:1 ratio in relation to the availability of the two species. At the intra-territorial level, wolves again responded to changes in roe deer density in their prey selection whereas we found no effect of snow depth, time during winter, or other predator-related factors on the wolves’ choice to kill moose or roe deer. Moose population density was only weakly related to intra-territorial prey selection. Our results show that the functional response of wolves on moose, the species hitherto considered as the main prey, was strongly dependent on the density of a smaller, alternative, ungulate prey. The impact of wolf predation on the prey species community is therefore likely to change with the composition of the multi-prey species community along with the geographical expansion of the wolf population. PMID:28030549

Mismatch between birth date and vegetation phenology slows the demography of roe deer.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Floriane Plard

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Marked impacts of climate change on biodiversity have frequently been demonstrated, including temperature-related shifts in phenology and life-history traits. One potential major impact of climate change is the modification of synchronization between the phenology of different trophic levels. High phenotypic plasticity in laying date has allowed many bird species to track the increasingly early springs resulting from recent environmental change, but although changes in the timing of reproduction have been well studied in birds, these questions have only recently been addressed in mammals. To track peak resource availability, large herbivores like roe deer, with a widespread distribution across Europe, should also modify their life-history schedule in response to changes in vegetation phenology over time. In this study, we analysed the influence of climate change on the timing of roe deer births and the consequences for population demography and individual fitness. Our study provides a rare quantification of the demographic costs associated with the failure of a species to modify its phenology in response to a changing world. Given these fitness costs, the lack of response of roe deer birth dates to match the increasingly earlier onset of spring is in stark contrast with the marked phenotypic responses to climate change reported in many other mammals. We suggest that the lack of phenotypic plasticity in birth timing in roe deer is linked to its inability to track environmental cues of variation in resource availability for the timing of parturition.

Mismatch Between Birth Date and Vegetation Phenology Slows the Demography of Roe Deer

Science.gov (United States)

Plard, Floriane; Gaillard, Jean-Michel; Coulson, Tim; Hewison, A. J. Mark; Delorme, Daniel; Warnant, Claude; Bonenfant, Christophe

2014-01-01

Marked impacts of climate change on biodiversity have frequently been demonstrated, including temperature-related shifts in phenology and life-history traits. One potential major impact of climate change is the modification of synchronization between the phenology of different trophic levels. High phenotypic plasticity in laying date has allowed many bird species to track the increasingly early springs resulting from recent environmental change, but although changes in the timing of reproduction have been well studied in birds, these questions have only recently been addressed in mammals. To track peak resource availability, large herbivores like roe deer, with a widespread distribution across Europe, should also modify their life-history schedule in response to changes in vegetation phenology over time. In this study, we analysed the influence of climate change on the timing of roe deer births and the consequences for population demography and individual fitness. Our study provides a rare quantification of the demographic costs associated with the failure of a species to modify its phenology in response to a changing world. Given these fitness costs, the lack of response of roe deer birth dates to match the increasingly earlier onset of spring is in stark contrast with the marked phenotypic responses to climate change reported in many other mammals. We suggest that the lack of phenotypic plasticity in birth timing in roe deer is linked to its inability to track environmental cues of variation in resource availability for the timing of parturition. PMID:24690936

Roe v. Wade, the next twenty-five years.

Science.gov (United States)

Kissling, F

1998-01-01

There is little left to be said about abortion in the US; most Americans are either bored with the issue or the issue has simply lost its immediacy. The world today is certainly different from the 1970s, when the US Supreme Court issued its Roe vs. Wade decision. That era was marked by societal and economic generosity manifest by greater acceptance of civil rights, liberal sexual mores, acceptance of divorce, ignorance of infertility, and a focus on alleviating the readily apparent suffering of women made desperate by an unwanted pregnancy. In the 25 intervening years, abortion has remained legal even as the US has become more conservative. It may be, therefore, that pro-choices forces are safe enough to attempt to regain the moral edge and lead the way out of the abortion wars. In order to do this, the values that informed early commitment to women's right to make the abortion decision must finally be clearly expressed, explained, and advocated. Also, pro-choice groups must initiate a more meaningful public dialogue about the morality of abortion and offer answers to the hard questions such as whether it is not better to encourage teenagers to talk to their parents about an unwanted pregnancy, what is the moral significance of developing life, is viability a significant threshold, are there better and worse reasons for abortion, and are some pro-abortion arguments morally dubious. While some may consider this course of action threatening, the visionary leadership that is desperately needed involves addressing both the underlying values and hard questions.

Anatomic and craniometric factors in differentiating roe deer (Capreolus capreolus from sheep (Ovis aries and goat (Capra hircus skulls

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Onuk Burcu

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This study was carried out to investigate the bony structures relevant to skull of roe deer, sheep and goat. The skull of five sheep weighing 45-50 kg, three goat weighing 50-60 kg and five roe deer weighing 20-25 kg were used in this study. Macerations of the cranium were performed by the boiling method. The skull of the roe deer was notably similar to that of sheep with the presence of external lacrimal fossa, and to the goat with due to the presence of two points (lateral and medial on the septal process and a significant fissure formed between the nasal, lacrimal, frontal and maxillary bones. In addition to these similarities, the formations which were specific to the roe deer were structures such as the number and position of the lacrimal foramen and presence of an uncertain muscular tubercle in the basilar portion of the occipital bone. In addition, the craniometric parameters specific to the roe deer’s skull were determined as the zygomatic, interorbital, neurocranium and nasal lengths.

Chemical composition of protein concentrate prepared from Yellowfin tuna Thunnus albacares roe by cook-dried process

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Hyun Ji Lee

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Roe is the term used to describe fish eggs (oocytes gathered in skeins and is one of the most valuable food products from fishery sources. Thus, means of processing are required to convert the underutilized yellowfin tuna roes (YTR into more marketable and acceptable forms as protein concentrate. Roe protein concentrates (RPCs were prepared by cooking condition (boil-dried concentrate, BDC and steam-dried concentrate, SDC, respectively and un-cooking condition (freeze-dried concentrate, FDC from yellowfin tuna roe. The yield of RPCs was in the range from 22.2 to 25.3 g/100 g of roe. RPCs contained protein (72.3–77.3 %, moisture (4.3–5.6 %, lipid (10.6–11.3 % and ash (4.3–5.7 % as the major constituents. The prominent amino acids of RPCs were aspartic acid, 8.7–9.2, glutamic acid, 13.1–13.2, and leucine, 8.5–8.6 g/100 g of protein. Major differences were not observed in each of the amino acid. K, S, Na, and P as minerals were the major elements in RPCs. No difference noted in sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis protein band (15–100 K possibly representing partial hydrolysis of myosin. Therefore, RPCs from YTR could be use potential protein ingredient for human food and animal feeds.

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in wild boars, red deer and roe deer in Poland

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Witkowski Lucjan

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Little is known about the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in wild life, particularly game animals in Poland. Meat juice collected during the 2009/2010 and 2010/2011 hunting seasons from 552 red deer (Cervus elaphus, 367 wild boars (Sus scrofa and 92 roe deer (Capreolus capreolus was tested for T. gondii antibodies using the multi-species ID Screen Toxoplasmosis Indirect kit (IDvet, Montpellier, France. Antibodies to T. gondii were detected in 24.1% of red deer (95% CI: 20.7%, 27.8%, 37.6% of wild boar (95% CI: 32.8%, 42.7% and 30.4% of roe deer (95% CI: 22.0%, 40.5%. To the authors’ best knowledge, this is the first epidemiological report of T. gondii prevalence in red deer, roe deer and wild boars in Poland. T. gondii is present in wildlife animal tissues and consumption of the game may be a potential source of infection for humans.

Sustainable monitoring of roe deer in public hunting areas in the Spanish Pyrenes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Herrero, J.; Torres, R. T.; Prada, C.; Garcia-Serrano, A.; Gimenez-Anaya, A.; Fernandez, O.

2013-07-01

Aim of study: Monitoring trends in animal populations is essential for the development of appropriate wildlife management strategies. Area of study: The area is situated in the southern Pyrenees (Aragon), Spain. Material and methods: To measure the abundance, population trends, sex ratio, and mortality of roe deer populations, we analyzed data from i) driven hunts for wild boar (hunting seasons 1995/96-2009/10, n = 1,417, ii) itineraries, which were used to calculate the KAI and density using DS (2003-2010, n = 310 itineraries), iii) roe deer carcass recoveries (2006-2010, n = 100), and iv) data from the deer hunting quota fulfillment (2006-2010, n = 325 hunted animals. Main results: Based on DS, in 2010, the average density of roe deer populations was 2.3 km–2 (CV 17%). Based on the KAI and the battues, the estimated average annual rate of increase was 5.8% and 4.3%, respectively. Based on the KAI and the carcass recoveries, the estimates of the population sex ratio were 0.75 (n = 641) and 0.9 (n = 100) males per female, respectively. Carcass recoveries indicated that mortality was highest in late winter and early spring. The average body masses and sizes of males and females were within the ranges reported for other Iberian and European populations. Research highlights: Monitoring should be continued in the Aragon population of roe deer, although larger sample sizes are required to increase the accuracy of estimates and assessments of the impact of management actions. (Author)

A decision tool for selecting trench cap designs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Paige, G.B.; Stone, J.J.; Lane, L.J. [USDA-ARS, Tucson, AZ (United States)] [and others

1995-12-31

A computer based prototype decision support system (PDSS) is being developed to assist the risk manager in selecting an appropriate trench cap design for waste disposal sites. The selection of the {open_quote}best{close_quote} design among feasible alternatives requires consideration of multiple and often conflicting objectives. The methodology used in the selection process consists of: selecting and parameterizing decision variables using data, simulation models, or expert opinion; selecting feasible trench cap design alternatives; ordering the decision variables and ranking the design alternatives. The decision model is based on multi-objective decision theory and uses a unique approach to order the decision variables and rank the design alternatives. Trench cap designs are evaluated based on federal regulations, hydrologic performance, cover stability and cost. Four trench cap designs, which were monitored for a four year period at Hill Air Force Base in Utah, are used to demonstrate the application of the PDSS and evaluate the results of the decision model. The results of the PDSS, using both data and simulations, illustrate the relative advantages of each of the cap designs and which cap is the {open_quotes}best{close_quotes} alternative for a given set of criteria and a particular importance order of those decision criteria.

ANALYSIS OF MORPHOMETRIC PARAMETERS OF THE ROE DEER MANDIBLE (Capreolus capreolus AND MANDIBLE OF THE SHEEP (Ovis aries

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Rizah Avdić

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Morphology and morphometry of the bones are the methods often used for identification of species, estimation of animals' age, and genetic and forensic investigation. The mandible as the largest bone of the head is perhaps the most representative sample for this research. The aim of this study was to determine the basic morphometric parameters of the mandible of roe deer and sheep in order to identify the species. All samples were described by linear measure morphometric analysis of 12 specific anatomical points on the mandibles of roe deer and sheep. The results obtained are presented in the Table as mean and standard deviation.Key words: morphology, morphometry, mandible, roe deer, shee

The roe dier diet: is floodplain forest optimal habitat?

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Barančeková, Miroslava

2004-01-01

Roč. 53, č. 3 (2004), s. 285-292 ISSN 0139-7893 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IBS6093003; GA AV ČR KSK6005114 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z6093917 Keywords : roe deer * forest habitat * diet Subject RIV: EG - Zoology Impact factor: 0.536, year: 2004 http://www.ivb.cz/folia/53/3/285-292.pdf

Is there adaptation of the exocrine pancreas in wild animal? The case of the Roe Deer

OpenAIRE

Guilloteau, Paul; Vitari, Francesca; Meuth, Valérie Metzinger-Le; Le Normand, Laurence; Romé, Véronique; Savary, Gérard; Delaby, Luc; Domeneghini, Cinzia; Morisset, Jean

2012-01-01

Abstract Background Physiology of the exocrine pancreas has been well studied in domestic and in laboratory animals as well as in humans. However, it remains quite unknown in wildlife mammals. Roe deer and cattle (including calf) belong to different families but have a common ancestor. This work aimed to evaluate in the Roe deer, the adaptation to diet of the exocrine pancreatic functions and regulations related to animal evolution and domestication. Results Forty bovine were distributed into...

EEG feature selection method based on decision tree.

Science.gov (United States)

Duan, Lijuan; Ge, Hui; Ma, Wei; Miao, Jun

2015-01-01

This paper aims to solve automated feature selection problem in brain computer interface (BCI). In order to automate feature selection process, we proposed a novel EEG feature selection method based on decision tree (DT). During the electroencephalogram (EEG) signal processing, a feature extraction method based on principle component analysis (PCA) was used, and the selection process based on decision tree was performed by searching the feature space and automatically selecting optimal features. Considering that EEG signals are a series of non-linear signals, a generalized linear classifier named support vector machine (SVM) was chosen. In order to test the validity of the proposed method, we applied the EEG feature selection method based on decision tree to BCI Competition II datasets Ia, and the experiment showed encouraging results.

Preparation and characterization of protein isolate from Yellowfin tuna Thunnus albacares roe by isoelectric solubilization/precipitation process

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Hyun Ji Lee

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Isoelectric solubilization/precipitation (ISP processing allows selective, pH-induced water solubility of proteins with concurrent separation of lipids and removal of materials not intended for human consumption such as bone, scales, skin, etc. Recovered proteins retain functional properties and nutritional value. Four roe protein isolates (RPIs from yellowfin tuna roe were prepared under different solubilization and precipitation condition (pH 11/4.5, pH 11/5.5, pH 12/4.5 and pH 12/5.5. RPIs contained 2.3–5.0 % moisture, 79.1–87.8 % protein, 5.6–7.4 % lipid and 3.0–3.8 % ash. Protein content of RPI-1 and RPI-2 precipitated at pH 4.5 and 5.5 after alkaline solubilization at pH 11, was higher than those of RPI-3 and RPI-4 after alkaline solubilization at pH 12 (P < 0.05. Lipid content (5.6–7.4 % of RPIs was lower than that of freeze-dried concentrate (10.6 %. And leucine and lysine of RPIs were the most abundant amino acids (8.8–9.4 and 8.5–8.9 g/100 g protein, respectively. S, Na, P, K as minerals were the major elements in RPIs. SDS-PAGE of RPIs showed bands at 100, 45, 25 and 15 K. Moisture and protein contents of process water as a 2’nd byproduct were 98.9–99.0 and 1.3–1.8 %, respectively. Therefore, yellowfin tuna roe isolate could be a promising source of valuable nutrients for human food and animal feeds.

Applying Fuzzy Decision Making Approach to IT Outsourcing Supplier Selection

OpenAIRE

Gülcin Büyüközkan; Mehmet Sakir Ersoy

2009-01-01

The decision of information technology (IT) outsourcing requires close attention to the evaluation of supplier selection process because the selection decision involves conflicting multiple criteria and is replete with complex decision making problems. Selecting the most appropriate suppliers is considered an important strategic decision that may impact the performance of outsourcing engagements. The objective of this paper is to aid decision makers to evaluate and assess possible IT outsourc...

The importance of ROE for calculating EVA Equity: the case of Motor Jikov Strojírenská, a.s.

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Mareček Jan

2017-01-01

Full Text Available A remarkable success depends on a variety of factors, one of which is the ability to motivate the employees, increasing motivation of managers, measuring business processes and measuring and observing values of the company. The tangible results are also shown by the indicator of return on equity (ROE. The article aims at reflecting the importance of ROE for the EVA Equity (economic value added for shareholders calculation of Motor Jikov Strojírenská, a.s. The data come from Albertina database. These are details of financial statements from 2000-2015. As a matter of fact, weighted average costs of capital, alternative cost value of equity capital and EVA Equity are calculated. Software Statistica and its sophisticated tool data mining - automated neural networks was used for finding a correlation between EVA Equity indicator and ROE. In addition, 10,000 neural networks were generated, five of which with the best results have been stored. The results show that EVA Equity is not dependent on the ROE rate.

Abortion Before & After Roe

Science.gov (United States)

Joyce, Ted; Tan, Ruoding; Zhang, Yuxiu

2013-01-01

We use unique data on abortions performed in New York State from 1971–1975 to demonstrate that women travelled hundreds of miles for a legal abortion before Roe. A100- mile increase in distance for women who live approximately 183 miles from New York was associated with a decline in abortion rates of 12.2 percent whereas the same change for women who lived 830 miles from New York lowered abortion rates by 3.3 percent. The abortion rates of nonwhites were more sensitive to distance than those of whites. We found a positive and robust association between distance to the nearest abortion provider and teen birth rates but less consistent estimates for other ages. Our results suggest that even if some states lost all abortion providers due to legislative policies, the impact on population measures of birth and abortion rates would be small as most women would travel to states with abortion services. PMID:23811233

Comparative characteristics of shoulder blade (Scapula and shoulder bone (Humerus of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus and sheep (Ovis aries in order to determine the animal species

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Blagojević Miloš

2016-01-01

Full Text Available In illegal hunting it is often possible only on the basis of morphological characteristics to determine the animal species. By the method of comparison there was performed the forensic analysis of roe deer and sheep osteological features. For the purpose of investigating the shoulder blade (Scapula and shoulder bone (Humerus comparative characteristics, there were used 6 shoulder blades and 6 shoulder bones of roe deer and 8 shoulder blades and 8 shoulder bones of sheep. After the skin, muscles, arterial, venous and lymphatic vessels as well as nerves were removed from the bones, they were thermally treated in an autoclave. Subsequently, the bones were placed in 3% solutioin of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2 for bleaching and degreasing. Then they were air dried and then photographed. Shoulder blade (Scapula is a bone plate (Ossa plana roughly triangular in shape. Scapular spine (Spina scapulae is much more prominent in roe deer with acromion blade in the form of spike, while in sheep it is shorter and ends with acrimion at a right angle. Shoulder blade cup (Cavitas glenoidalis in roe deer is round in shape, and in sheep it is oval. Tuberculum supraglenoidale and Processus coracoideus in sheep are more and in roe deer less developed. Shoulder bone (Humerus in roe deer is relatively long, slender bone with proximal convexity turned cranially in regard to the same bone in sheep, which is stronger and heavier. Tuberculum majus in roe deer is less developed, and in sheep it is in a form of solid bone protuberance. Tuberculum minus and Tuberositas deltoidea in sheep are more developed than in roe deer. At medial condyle (Condylus medialis in sheep there is shallow and wide groove, while in roe deer it is deeper and narrower. On the basis of morphological differences of roe deer and sheep bones, it can be determined with certainty which animal spesies they belong to.

Paralytic shellfish toxins in the sea scallop Placopecten magellanicus on Georges Bank: Implications for an offshore roe-on and whole scallop fishery

Science.gov (United States)

DeGrasse, Stacey; Vanegas, Camilo; Conrad, Stephen

2014-05-01

To protect public health from the potential risk of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) in sea scallops, Placopecten magellanicus, from the Atlantic offshore U.S. waters of Georges Bank, harvesting of roe-on or whole scallops is banned. Only adductor muscles may be sold if harvested from Georges Bank, Gulf of Maine, or the PSP closure areas as far west as 71° West Longitude. Given the limited toxicity data available for sea scallops from this region both prior to and subsequent to implementation of this management strategy, this study sought a more extensive spatial and temporal evaluation of sea scallop gonad and viscera toxicities that would inform management decisions related to the roe-on and whole scallop fishery. Both overall toxicity and toxin composition were measured for sea scallop gonads and viscera collected from 232 stations in 2007 and 23 in 2010. Overall toxicity was assessed using two screening methods: field-deployable Jellett Rapid Tests (JRT) and quantitative, laboratory-based receptor binding assays (in 2007). Additionally, a quantitative liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (LC-FD) method was used to determine toxin composition and overall toxicity (in 2010). The at-sea qualitative JRT screening tool results, whereby a positive indicated the sample contained at least 40 μg saxitoxin (STX) equivalents 100 g-1, were often inconsistent with results obtained using the quantitative methods. Sea scallop viscera toxicity represented the majority of toxin load in the organism and was often in excess of the regulatory guidance level. Sea scallop gonads accounted for a small percentage of total toxicity, but at times reached unsafe levels. Toxin composition in both the gonads and viscera was dominated by STX and gonyautoxin 2/3, as has been reported in previous studies. No predictive indices of gonad toxicity were found. Results at this time do not support a roe-on or whole scallop fishery on Georges Bank. While access restrictions to

Physical and oxidative stability of fish oil-in-water emulsions fortified with enzymatic hydrolysates from common carp (Cyprinus carpio) roe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ghelichi, Sakhi; Sørensen, Ann-Dorit Moltke; García Moreno, Pedro Jesús

2017-01-01

Physical and oxidative stability of 5% (by weight) cod liver oil-in-water emulsions fortified with common carp (C. carpio) roe protein hydrolysate (CRPH) were examined. CRPH was obtained by enzymatic hydrolysis of discarded roe by using Alcalase 2.4 L for 30, 60, 90, and 120 min to yield different...

An implicit turbulence model for low-Mach Roe scheme using truncated Navier-Stokes equations

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Chung-Gang; Tsubokura, Makoto

2017-09-01

The original Roe scheme is well-known to be unsuitable in simulations of turbulence because the dissipation that develops is unsatisfactory. Simulations of turbulent channel flow for Reτ = 180 show that, with the 'low-Mach-fix for Roe' (LMRoe) proposed by Rieper [J. Comput. Phys. 230 (2011) 5263-5287], the Roe dissipation term potentially equates the simulation to an implicit large eddy simulation (ILES) at low Mach number. Thus inspired, a new implicit turbulence model for low Mach numbers is proposed that controls the Roe dissipation term appropriately. Referred to as the automatic dissipation adjustment (ADA) model, the method of solution follows procedures developed previously for the truncated Navier-Stokes (TNS) equations and, without tuning of parameters, uses the energy ratio as a criterion to automatically adjust the upwind dissipation. Turbulent channel flow at two different Reynold numbers and the Taylor-Green vortex were performed to validate the ADA model. In simulations of turbulent channel flow for Reτ = 180 at Mach number of 0.05 using the ADA model, the mean velocity and turbulence intensities are in excellent agreement with DNS results. With Reτ = 950 at Mach number of 0.1, the result is also consistent with DNS results, indicating that the ADA model is also reliable at higher Reynolds numbers. In simulations of the Taylor-Green vortex at Re = 3000, the kinetic energy is consistent with the power law of decaying turbulence with -1.2 exponents for both LMRoe with and without the ADA model. However, with the ADA model, the dissipation rate can be significantly improved near the dissipation peak region and the peak duration can be also more accurately captured. With a firm basis in TNS theory, applicability at higher Reynolds number, and ease in implementation as no extra terms are needed, the ADA model offers to become a promising tool for turbulence modeling.

SALMON SOFT ROE DNA ON BLOOD CELLS SECRETION OF CYTOKINES IN HEALTHY DONORS

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L. N. Fedjanina

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract. Salmon soft roe DNA influence on healthy donors blood cells secretion of early hemopoietic factors (IL-3, GM-CSF, TNFα as well as biologically active substance influence on cytokine balance of Тh1 and Тh2 responses (IFNγ, IL-10 in vitro was studied. It is established, that DNA has modulatory effect on secretion of all investigated cytokines - IL-3, GM-CSF, TNFα, INFγ and IL-10 by blood cells of healthy donors, increases their initially low concentration, reduces initially high and does not have essential influence at an average level of their secretion. Under action of DNA IFNγ level (stimulation index=3,3 increases more significantly than IL-10 level (stimulation index =1,9. Thus, salmon soft roe DNA possesses immunomodulatory properties.

MULTI-PERSON DECISION FOR SUSTAINABLE DESIGN ON IBS FLOOR SYSTEM SELECTION

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Christiono Utomo

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Selecting a design solution (choice problem is one of the natures of design decision. If the problem is more complex and involves multi participants, decision aid is necessary. This paper discusses the nature of group judgment and negotiation on multi-criteria decision-making methodologies. It presents a conceptual model of negotiation support in a multi-person decision on building floor system selection. Decision technique (AHP was applied for decision process in a satisfying options and game theory for coalition formation. An n-person cooperative game is represented by a set of all players. The proposed coalition formation model enables each agent to select individually or coalition. It improves the value of building system decision. It further emphasizes the importance of performance evaluation in the design process and value-based decision. The support model can be extended to an automated negotiation and in different building system selection with proper  modification. Keywords: Multi-person, design decision, IBS, floor system selection.

First report of Setaria tundra in roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) from the Iberian Peninsula inferred from molecular data: epidemiological implications.

Science.gov (United States)

Angelone-Alasaad, Samer; Jowers, Michael J; Panadero, Rosario; Pérez-Creo, Ana; Pajares, Gerardo; Díez-Baños, Pablo; Soriguer, Ramón C; Morrondo, Patrocinio

2016-09-29

Filarioid nematode parasites are major health hazards with important medical, veterinary and economic implications. Recently, they have been considered as indicators of climate change. In this paper, we report the first record of Setaria tundra in roe deer from the Iberian Peninsula. Adult S. tundra were collected from the peritoneal cavity during the post-mortem examination of a 2 year-old male roe deer, which belonged to a private fenced estate in La Alcarria (Guadalajara, Spain). Since 2012, the area has suffered a high roe deer decline rate (75 %), for unknown reasons. Aiming to support the morphological identification and to determine the phylogenetic position of S. tundra recovered from the roe deer, a fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene from the two morphologically identified parasites was amplified, sequenced and compared with corresponding sequences of other filarioid nematode species. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that the isolate of S. tundra recovered was basal to all other formely reported Setaria tundra sequences. The presence of all other haplotypes in Northern Europe may be indicative of a South to North outbreak in Europe. This is the first report of S. tundra in roe deer from the Iberian Peninsula, with interesting phylogenetic results, which may have further implications in the epidemiological and genetic studies of these filarioid parasites. More studies are needed to explore the reasons and dynamics behind the rapid host/geographic expansion of the filarioid parasites in Europe.

Does enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 enter the viable but nonculturable state in salted salmon roe?

Science.gov (United States)

Makino, S I; Kii, T; Asakura, H; Shirahata, T; Ikeda, T; Takeshi, K; Itoh, K

2000-12-01

An outbreak caused by salted salmon roe contaminated with enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157 occurred in Japan in 1998. Since about 0.75 to 1.5 viable cells were estimated to cause infection, we presumed that O157 might enter the viable but nonculturable (VNC) state in salted salmon roe and consequently that viable cell numbers might be underestimated. Although patient-originating O157 cells could not grow on agar plates after 72 h of incubation in 13% NaCl, they were resuscitated in yeast extract broth, and more than 90% of the cells were shown to be viable by fluorescent staining, suggesting that almost all of them could enter the VNC state in NaCl water. Roe-originating O157 was resistant to NaCl because it could grow on agar after 72 h of incubation in NaCl water, but about 20% of cells appeared to enter the VNC state. Therefore, germfree mice were infected with O157 to examine the resuscitation of cells in the VNC state and the retention of pathogenicity. O157 that originated in roe, but not patients, killed mice and was isolated from the intestine. However, these isolates had become sensitive to NaCl. O157 cells of roe origin incubated in normal media also killed mice and were isolated from the intestine, but they also became transiently NaCl sensitive. We therefore propose that bacterial cells might enter the VNC state under conditions of stress, such as those encountered in vivo or in high salt concentrations, and then revive when those conditions have eased. If so, the VNC state in food is potentially dangerous from a public health viewpoint and may have to be considered at the time of food inspection. Finally, the establishment of a simple recovery system for VNC cells should be established.

EL DESTINO DEL HÉROE: EL SACRIFICIO DE SU SENSIBILIDAD FEMENINA

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Sandra Leal Larrarte

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Este artículo explora la presencia de la sensibilidad femenina en los héroes del cómic y en la protagonista de la telenovela Betty la Fea, considerada como un ejemplo del héroe latino. Se analiza el modo en que estos deben sacrificar dicha sensibilidad, en pro de su destino heroico, el cual tiene características masculinas. Con esto se propone una hipótesis interpretativa que vincula las consideraciones sobre género con la estructura del sistema patriarcal, aplican - do a Campbell (1972, Moreno y Nieto (2002 y Greimas (1980 en el proceso. La investigación está basada en la visualización de las películas y cómics de Spiderman, Superman, X-Men y Batman, así como en los capítulos de la te - lenovela colombiana, emitida en 1995. Se discuten sus contenidos desde un punto de vista semio-antropológico con el propósito de interpretar los valores simbólicos y rituales que ellos actualizan.

Trends of fresh green food for lactating roe deer females

Science.gov (United States)

Menzel, Annette; Stahl, Benjamin; Laube, Julia

2017-04-01

Increasing temperatures, changed precipitation patterns as well as more intense and frequent extreme events will alter the phenology of both flora and fauna and shift species distributions. Moreover, farmers respond to climate change by adapting land use and management, and thus the cultural landscape is changing. Therefore, the health and fitness of wild animals will be largely affected by factors directly and indirectly linked to climate change. Familiar examples of mismatch due to loss of temporal synchrony in food webs are known from birds (timing of migration or egg laying in relation to food resources) and insect pollination (timing of first flights in relation to plant flowering). However, also large herbivory mammals may suffer from climate change induced phenological mismatch if they are not able to "surf on the green wave" any more. Taking roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L.) as key example, we studied changes in the spring phenology of potential food plants during the last four decades in southern Germany. Our analysis is based on the phenological observations of the German Meteorological Service as well as on the comprehensive multi-species dataset of a dedicated citizen scientist. Roe deer is sensitive to slight phenological changes of food plants, since only the first fresh green contains maximal protein contents which are needed by the females to suckle their fawns born mid of May till mid of June. We find indications for an increasing number of food plant species available in the lactation period, however probably with a decreasing food quality over the decades. Since females have delayed implantation it may be difficult to well synchronise the postnatal period to the vegetation development. A unique dataset of marked fawns suggests that also the timing of birth has slightly advanced in recent decades. We discuss these changes in the match-mismatch of lactation period of roe deer and spring leaf phenology and their driving factors in detail.

El auge del género de superhéroes y la nueva industria cinematográfica global

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vicente GARCÍA-ESCRIVÁ

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Proveniente del mundo del cómic, la figura del superhéroe debutó con éxito en el cine a finales de la década de los 70. Sin embargo, ha sido durante los últimos quince años cuando esta figura ha cobrado un extraordinario protagonismo y, en sus múltiples variantes, ha dado pie a buena parte de las franquicias cinematográficas que en la actualidad dominan las salas de cine de todo el planeta. Al hilo de este nuevo paisaje fílmico, el presente artículo se propone explorar la naturaleza del cine de superhéroes, un apabullante espectáculo audiovisual que es consumido por millones de espectadores en todo el mundo, con especial incidencia entre el público infantil y juvenil. Tal indagación conduce a examinar las narrativas desplegadas en estas series de películas, así como a analizar la propia figura del superhéroe en el contexto de un cine saturado de efectos visuales y acción trepidante. Finalmente, el artículo trata de señalar las razones de fondo que han llevado a la industria de Hollywood a apostar por el género de superhéroes como fórmula recurrente para atraer al público a las salas de cine.

Production optimization of flying fish roe analogs using calcium alginate hydrogel beads

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bom-Bi Ha

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Due to decreased supplies of marine resources and byproducts, new processing technologies for the development of analogs for natural fishery products are becoming increasingly important in the fishing industry. In the present study, we investigated the optimal processing conditions for flying fish roe analogs based on alginate hydrogels. Optimized processing of these analogs was performed by response surface methodology. The optimal processing conditions for the flying fish roe analogs (based on sphericity were at a sodium alginate concentration of 2.41 %, calcium chloride solution curing time of 40.65 min, calcium chloride concentration of 1.51 %, and a reactor stir speed of 254×g. When the experiment was performed under these optimized conditions, the size (mm, sphericity (%, and rupture strength (kPa of the analogs were 2.2 ± 0.12, 98.2 ± 0.2, and 762 ± 24.68, respectively, indicating physical properties similar to their natural counterparts.

Combined Influence of Selective Focus and Decision Involvement on Attitude-Decision Consistency in a Memory-based Decision Context

OpenAIRE

A. VAN KERCKHOVE; I. VERMEIR; M. GEUENS

2009-01-01

Marketers often use salient stimuli to draw consumers’ attention to a specific brand in the hope that a selective focus on the own brand increases the sales of this brand. However, previous studies are inconsistent concerning the impact that selectively focusing on a specific brand has on final brand choice. To offer an explanation for these inconsistent results, this paper introduces decision involvement as a moderator of the relation between selective focus and attitude-decision consistency...

Selecting a risk-based tool to aid in decision making

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bendure, A.O.

1995-03-01

Selecting a risk-based tool to aid in decision making is as much of a challenge as properly using the tool once it has been selected. Failure to consider customer and stakeholder requirements and the technical bases and differences in risk-based decision making tools will produce confounding and/or politically unacceptable results when the tool is used. Selecting a risk-based decisionmaking tool must therefore be undertaken with the same, if not greater, rigor than the use of the tool once it is selected. This paper presents a process for selecting a risk-based tool appropriate to a set of prioritization or resource allocation tasks, discusses the results of applying the process to four risk-based decision-making tools, and identifies the ``musts`` for successful selection and implementation of a risk-based tool to aid in decision making.

Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Babesia spp. in roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), fallow deer (Dama dama) and mouflon (Ovis musimon) in Germany.

Science.gov (United States)

Kauffmann, Melanie; Rehbein, Steffen; Hamel, Dietmar; Lutz, Walburga; Heddergott, Mike; Pfister, Kurt; Silaghi, Cornelia

2017-02-01

Infections with the tick-borne pathogens Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Babesia spp. can cause febrile disease in several mammalian species, including humans. Wild ruminants in Europe are suggested to serve as reservoir hosts for particular strains or species of these pathogens. The aims of this study were to investigate the occurrence of A. phagocytophilum and Babesia spp. in roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), fallow deer (Dama dama) and mouflon (Ovis musimon orientalis) in Germany, and the diversity and host association of genetic variants of A. phagocytophilum and Babesia species. From 2009 to 2010, 364 spleen samples from 153 roe deer, 43 fallow deer and 168 mouflon from 13 locations in Germany were tested for DNA of A. phagocytophilum and Babesia spp. by real-time PCR or conventional PCR, respectively. Variants of A. phagocytophilum were investigated with a nested PCR targeting the partial 16S rRNA gene, and species of piroplasms were identified by sequencing. DNA of A. phagocytophilum was detected in 303 (83.2%) samples: roe deer, 96.1% (147/153); fallow deer, 72.1% (31/43); and mouflon, 74.4% (125/168). Sequence analysis of 16S rRNA-PCR products revealed the presence of nine different genetic variants. DNA of Babesia spp. was found in 113 (31.0%) samples: roe deer, 62.8% (96/153); fallow deer, 16.3% (6/43); and mouflon, 6.5% (11/168). Babesia capreoli, Babesia sp. EU1 (referred to also as B. venatorum), B. odocoilei-like and a Theileria species were identified. Co-infections with A. phagocytophilum and Babesia spp. were detected in 30.0% of the animals which were tested positive for A. phagocytophilum and/or Babesia spp. Roe deer had a significantly higher percentage of co-infections (60.8%), followed by fallow deer (14.0%) and mouflon (6.5%). Thus, the results suggest that roe deer plays a key role in the endemic cycles of the pathogens investigated. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Selecting decision strategies: the differential role of affect.

Science.gov (United States)

Scheibehenne, Benjamin; von Helversen, Bettina

2015-01-01

Many theories on cognition assume that people adapt their decision strategies depending on the situation they face. To test if and how affect guides the selection of decision strategies, we conducted an online study (N = 166), where different mood states were induced through video clips. Results indicate that mood influenced the use of decision strategies. Negative mood, in particular anger, facilitated the use of non-compensatory strategies, whereas positive mood promoted compensatory decision rules. These results are in line with the idea that positive mood broadens the focus of attention and thus increases the use of compensatory decision strategies that take many pieces of information into account, whereas negative mood narrows the focus of attention and thus fosters non-compensatory strategies that rely on a selective use of information. The results further indicate that gaining a deeper theoretical understanding of the cognitive mechanisms that govern decision processes requires taking emotions into account.

IDEAL STRUCTURE OF UNIFORM ROE ALGEBRAS OVER SIMPLE CORES

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

CHEN XIAOMAN; WANG QIN

2004-01-01

This paper characterizes ideal structure of the uniform Roe algebra B* (X) over sinple cores X. A necessary and sufficient condition for a principal ideal of B*(X) to be spatial is given and an example of non-spatial ideal of B* (X) is constructed. By establishing an one-one correspondence between the ideals of B* (X) and the ω-filters on X, the maximal ideals of B* (X) are completely described by the corona of the Stone-Cech compactification of X.

Babesia sp. EU1 from Roe Deer and Transmission within Ixodes ricinus

Science.gov (United States)

Jouglin, Maggy; L’Hostis, Monique; Chauvin, Alain

2007-01-01

We report in vitro culture of zoonotic Babesia sp. EU1 from blood samples of roe deer in France. This study provides evidence of transovarial and transstadial transmission of the parasite within Ixodes ricinus, which suggests that this tick could be a vector and reservoir of EU1. PMID:17953093

Selective impairment of decision making under ambiguity in alexithymia.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Lei; Wang, Xue; Zhu, Yu; Li, Hongchen; Zhu, Chunyan; Yu, Fengqiong; Wang, Kai

2017-11-28

Alexithymia is characterised by difficulties identifying and describing emotions. Few studies have investigated how alexithymia influences decision-making under different conditions (ambiguity and risk). This study aimed to examine whether alexithymia contributes to impairment in decision-making. This study included 42 participants with high scores in the Chinese version of Toronto Alexithymia Scale (alexithymia group), and 44 matched subjects with low scores (control group). Decision-making was measured using the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) and the Game of Dice Task (GDT). The main findings of this study revealed selective deficits in IGT performance for the alexithymia group, while GDT performance was unimpaired when compared with the control group. In IGT, total netscores were lower for the alexithymia group compared to the control group, particularly with regard to block 5. Moreover, the alexithymia individuals selected significantly more adverse cards than the controls, indicating significant decision-making impairments. Alexithymia selectively influences decision-making under ambiguity.

Impact of environmental diversity of hunting complexes in the Lublin region on ontogenetic quality indicators in roe deer (Capreolus capreolus).

Science.gov (United States)

Czyżowski, Piotr; Drozd, Leszek; Karpiński, Mirosław; Tajchman, Katarzyna; Goleman, Małgorzata; Wojtaś, Justyna; Zieliński, Damian

2018-01-01

Populations of game are not confined to single ecosystems but function within higher-order units, e.g. ecological landscape. The basis for the establishment of the hunting complexes was the assumption that the existing game hunting grounds, i.e. the basic units implementing game management, are too small and do not cover the natural areas inhabited by game populations. Roe deer are flexible species and easily adapt to various site conditions, so they inhabit many different habitats, from large forest complexes, through small in-field tree stands and shrubs, to treeless grounds and field monocultures. The aim of the study was to determine a possible impact of environmental conditions prevailing in the hunting complexes of the Regional Directorate of State Forests (RDLP in Lublin) on the ontogenetic quality of roe deer. The study was conducted on 518 European roe deer ( Capreolus capreolus ) aged from 4 to 7 years (379 bucks and 139 does) harvested within hunting seasons 2010/2011-2013/2014. The results have shown that animals originating from areas with greater forest cover and denser stands are characterised by lower values of the mean ontogenetic quality parameters (carcase weight, kidney fat index, chest girth, weight of antlers) in comparison with animals from typical agricultural areas with fragmented forest complexes. These results indicate that, even in the case of such a eurytopic species as the roe deer, the ontogenetic quality differs between individual hunting complexes. The study has proved that strategies for hunting management of the roe deer should take into account the impact of the landscape structure, which provides a rationale behind creation of hunting complexes.

Feeding of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L.) in the exclusion zone of the Chernobyl accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petrov, M.F.

1996-01-01

Seasonal feed choice of a roe deer for a 3-year period has been investigated on the basis of the rumen content analysis. Results of the investigation are given. A list of 125 species of forage plants is presented. Seasonal intensity of their consumption is characterized. Significance of main plant assemblages of the evacuated zone of Chernobyl in the diet of the animal population is elucidated. Special attention is paid to the role of the above-ground parts of Oenotera biennis that comprise 34% of the average annual forage of roe deer and are consumed by the animal during 9-10 months. Recent state of the forage base of the population is estimated. An attempt to predict its dynamics for the nearest 10-15 years is made

Patient's decision making in selecting a hospital for elective orthopaedic surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Moser, Albine; Korstjens, Irene; van der Weijden, Trudy; Tange, Huibert

2010-12-01

The admission to a hospital for elective surgery, like arthroplasty, can be planned ahead. The elective nature of arthroplasty and the increasing stimulus of the public to critically select a hospital raise the issue of how patients actually take such decisions. The aim of this paper is to describe the decision-making process of selecting a hospital as experienced by people who underwent elective joint arthroplasty and to understand what factors influenced the decision-making process. Qualitative descriptive study with 18 participants who had a hip or knee replacement within the last 5 years. Data were gathered from eight individual interviews and four focus group interviews and analysed by content analysis. Three categories that influenced the selection of a hospital were revealed: information sources, criteria in decision making and decision-making styles within the GP- patient relationship. Various contextual aspects influenced the decision-making process. Most participants gave higher priority to the selection of a medical specialist than to the selection of a hospital. Selecting a hospital for arthroplasty is extremely complex. The decision-making process is a highly individualized process because patients have to consider and assimilate a diversity of aspects, which are relevant to their specific situation. Our findings support the model of shared decision making, which indicates that general practitioners should be attuned to the distinct needs of each patient at various moments during the decision making, taking into account personal, medical and contextual factors. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Effect of Inclusion of Salmon Roe on Characteristics of Salmon Baby Food Products

Science.gov (United States)

Baby food was formulated from sockeye salmon (puree alone, puree +chunks, puree +pink row, puree +pink row +chunks, puree +red row, puree +red roe +chunks). In the 1st study, physical (pH, instrumental color, water activity) and descriptive sensory (odor, flavor, texture, visual color) characteristi...

Electric power industry restructuring and ROE: The case of Korea Electric Power Corporation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Won, Gu-Hwan

2007-01-01

Korea's electric power industry was previously run by Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) in a natural monopoly-type structure. As economy of scale was waning in influence and management effectiveness began to increase in importance, KEPCO was divided into six subsidiaries and faced competition beginning in April 2001. This study evaluates the restructuring process for Korea's power industry and analyzes the financial outcomes based on return on equity (ROE). The results show that the ROE ratio increased. In the analysis period (1993-2004), the financial ratio showed a better performance than that before restructuring. However, productivity ratios such as productivity of capital (or gross value added to total assets) and gross value added to property, plant, and equipment decreased compared to the situation before restructuring. It is believed that the results were due to the increased financial leverage of KEPCO. For this reason, KEPCO should make further efforts to manage its debt in a systematic way

Dynamic Selective Exposure during Decision-Making.

Science.gov (United States)

Phillips, James G; Hoon, Teressa; Landon, Jason

2016-01-01

To understand dynamic changes in the likelihood that people would access and selectively expose themselves to information online, the present study examined the checking of account balances during simulated gambling. Sixteen participants played 120 hands of computer Blackjack for points, at higher or lower levels of risk (different point multipliers), and after each win or loss the computer recorded if participants checked their account balances. There were individual differences in checking rates. Participants who were more likely to check balances exhibited a selectivity of exposure to decision consonant information after a win at low risk. Although it was expected that people would seek to maintain positive mood, data were better explained in terms of Cognitive Dissonance. The effects of Cognitive Dissonance are liable to extend beyond single static decisions into dynamic online environments.

Generalized Roe's numerical scheme for a two-fluid model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toumi, I.; Raymond, P.

1993-01-01

This paper is devoted to a mathematical and numerical study of a six equation two-fluid model. We will prove that the model is strictly hyperbolic due to the inclusion of the virtual mass force term in the phasic momentum equations. The two-fluid model is naturally written under a nonconservative form. To solve the nonlinear Riemann problem for this nonconservative hyperbolic system, a generalized Roe's approximate Riemann solver, is used, based on a linearization of the nonconservative terms. A Godunov type numerical scheme is built, using this approximate Riemann solver. 10 refs., 5 figs,

Serologic screening for 13 infectious agents in roe deer (Capreolus capreolus in Flanders

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paul Tavernier

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Introduction: In order to investigate the role of roe deer in the maintenance and transmission of infectious animal and human diseases in Flanders, we conducted a serologic screening in 12 hunting areas. Materials and methods: Roe deer sera collected between 2008 and 2013 (n=190 were examined for antibodies against 13 infectious agents, using indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, virus neutralisation, immunofluorescence, or microagglutination test, depending on the agent. Results and discussion: High numbers of seropositives were found for Anaplasma phagocytophilum (45.8%, Toxoplasma gondii (43.2% and Schmallenberg virus (27.9%, the latter with a distinct temporal distribution pattern following the outbreak in domestic ruminants. Lower antibody prevalence was found for Chlamydia abortus (6.7%, tick-borne encephalitis virus (5.1%, Neospora caninum (4.8%, and Mycobacterium avium subsp paratuberculosis (4.1%. The lowest prevalences were found for Leptospira (1.7%, bovine viral diarrhoea virus 1 (1.3%, and Coxiella burnetii (1.2%. No antibodies were found against Brucella sp., bovine herpesvirus 1, and bluetongue virus. A significant difference in seroprevalence between ages (higher in adults >1 year was found for N. caninum. Four doubtful reacting sera accounted for a significant difference in seroprevalence between sexes for C. abortus (higher in females. Conclusions: Despite the more intensive landscape use in Flanders, the results are consistent with other European studies. Apart from maintaining C. abortus and MAP, roe deer do not seem to play an important role in the epidemiology of the examined zoonotic and domestic animal pathogens. Nevertheless, their meaning as sentinels should not be neglected in the absence of other wild cervid species.

Héroes protagónicos y satisfacción en el entretenimiento de los espectadores

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David Fernando Lozano Treviño

2017-02-01

Full Text Available El presente artículo de investigación analiza la forma en la que las Organizaciones de Producción Cinematográficas elaboran sus personajes principales heroicos para satisfacer las necesidades de entretenimiento de los espectadores. Se define el concepto de héroe analizando los tipos y sus descripciones. Se detallan las características de los mismos y cuáles de éstas tienen más agrado entre los espectadores. Otro objetivo de la presente investigación es proponer estrategias de marketing para aumentar la participación de mercado. El concepto de héroe circunstancial se propone con base en las aportaciones recabadas por medio de un focus group y una revisión documental del personaje llamado Deadpool.

Stock Selection for Portfolios Using Expected Utility-Entropy Decision Model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jiping Yang

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Yang and Qiu proposed and then recently improved an expected utility-entropy (EU-E measure of risk and decision model. When segregation holds, Luce et al. derived an expected utility term, plus a constant multiplies the Shannon entropy as the representation of risky choices, further demonstrating the reasonability of the EU-E decision model. In this paper, we apply the EU-E decision model to selecting the set of stocks to be included in the portfolios. We first select 7 and 10 stocks from the 30 component stocks of Dow Jones Industrial Average index, and then derive and compare the efficient portfolios in the mean-variance framework. The conclusions imply that efficient portfolios composed of 7(10 stocks selected using the EU-E model with intermediate intervals of the tradeoff coefficients are more efficient than that composed of the sets of stocks selected using the expected utility model. Furthermore, the efficient portfolio of 7(10 stocks selected by the EU-E decision model have almost the same efficient frontier as that of the sample of all stocks. This suggests the necessity of incorporating both the expected utility and Shannon entropy together when taking risky decisions, further demonstrating the importance of Shannon entropy as the measure of uncertainty, as well as the applicability of the EU-E model as a decision-making model.

THEORETICAL PROPOSAL FOR EXPANSION OF ROE WITH NEW SUB-RATIOS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Danilo Dorović

2017-09-01

Full Text Available ROE is the ratio of profitability which can be separated into three ratios in Du Pont model. The question is - can it be even more comprehensive with more than three Du Pont ratios; that is can it also include liquidity, market share, break-even point, plan vs. actual, structure of assets and liabilities, structure of fixed costs, etc.? If these can be included in calculation, the financial, management accounting and strategic analysis could be more integrated into one more rounded system. Financial ratio analysis would also integrate into one ratio the usually different areas of analysis, like structure of assets, structure of liabili-ties, liquidity, turnover, financial leverage, etc. Strategic management and management accounting ratios, developed in the literature and used in business practice, are represented. The article in front of you presents a theoretical proposal through deduction method of how mentioned measures can potentially be included in ROE, resulting in potential benefits in planning and controlling. Integrated different areas of financial ratio analysis, manage- ment accounting and strategic analysis each represented with its ratios in profitability measure ratio, provides potentially better view of conditions, profit multiplicators and risk the profitability is achieved by. Integration inside profitability measure gives a special qual-itative advantage, having in mind that achieved profit is the main goal for owners of the company`s equity.

Iodine and Selenium Contents in Skeletal Muscles of Red Deer (Cervus elaphus, Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus and Wild Boar (Sus scrofa in the Czech Republic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jaroslav Kursa

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to examine iodine and selenium contents in skeletal muscles of selected species of game animals living in regions with low iodine and selenium contents in the soil and water. Iodine content was determined in 66 samples of skeletal muscles of red deer cut out of the musculus gracilis, 32 samples and 27 samples from the same muscle of roe deer and wild boar, respectively. The shot game animals came from hunting grounds in western and southern regions of the Czech Republic and in Protected Landscape Area Šumava. In red deer muscles the average iodine content was 44.9 ± 15.2 μg I·kg-1 wet weight with the range of 6.9 to 82.0 μg I·kg-1. The lower concentration in roe deer meat with the average 39.3 ± 14.1 μg I·kg-1 and the range from 18.3 to 84.4 μg I·kg-1 may be due to differences between biotopes and food. The average iodine concentration in the musculus gracilis of wild boars was 55.9± 27.0 μg·kg-1 wet weight. Selenium content was determined in 22 samples of red deer, 51 samples of roe deer and 27 samples of wild boar skeletal muscles. The average values of selenium content in the meat of red deer, roe deer and wild boars were 16.2 ± 8.4, 36.9 ± 16.6 and 27.6 ± 19.8 μg Se·kg-1 wet weight, respectively. All three species of game animals are characterised by low content and high variability of selenium concentration in meat with the minimum value 3.9 µg and maximum value 83.3 μg·kg-1 wet weight. The study brings new data on iodine and selenium content in the muscle of game animals in the Czech Republic.

Decision Analysis for Metric Selection on a Clinical Quality Scorecard.

Science.gov (United States)

Guth, Rebecca M; Storey, Patricia E; Vitale, Michael; Markan-Aurora, Sumita; Gordon, Randolph; Prevost, Traci Q; Dunagan, Wm Claiborne; Woeltje, Keith F

2016-09-01

Clinical quality scorecards are used by health care institutions to monitor clinical performance and drive quality improvement. Because of the rapid proliferation of quality metrics in health care, BJC HealthCare found it increasingly difficult to select the most impactful scorecard metrics while still monitoring metrics for regulatory purposes. A 7-step measure selection process was implemented incorporating Kepner-Tregoe Decision Analysis, which is a systematic process that considers key criteria that must be satisfied in order to make the best decision. The decision analysis process evaluates what metrics will most appropriately fulfill these criteria, as well as identifies potential risks associated with a particular metric in order to identify threats to its implementation. Using this process, a list of 750 potential metrics was narrowed to 25 that were selected for scorecard inclusion. This decision analysis process created a more transparent, reproducible approach for selecting quality metrics for clinical quality scorecards. © The Author(s) 2015.

Selection of a tool to decision making for site selection for high level waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Madeira, J.G.; Alvin, A.C.M.; Martins, V.B.; Monteiro, N.A.

2016-01-01

The aim of this paper is to create a panel comparing some of the key decision-making support tools used in situations with the characteristics of the problem of selecting suitable areas for constructing a final deep geologic repository. The tools addressed in this work are also well known and with easy implementation. The decision-making process in matters of this kind is, in general, complex due to its multi-criteria nature and the conflicting opinions of various stakeholders. Thus, a comprehensive study was performed with the literature in this subject, specifically in documents of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), regarding the importance of the criteria involved in the decision-making process. Therefore, we highlighted six judgment attributes for selecting a decision support tool, suitable for the problem. For this study, we have selected the following multi-criteria tools: AHP, Delphi, Brainstorm, Nominal Group Technique and AHP-Delphi. Finally, the AHP-Delphi method has demonstrated to be more appropriate for managing the inherent multiple attributes to the problem proposed. (authors)

Influence of Holocene environmental change and anthropogenic impact on the diversity and distribution of roe deer.

Science.gov (United States)

Baker, K H; Hoelzel, A R

2014-06-01

Extant patterns of population structure and levels of diversity are a consequence of factors that vary in both space and time. Our objective in this study is to investigate a species that has responded to both natural and anthropogenic changes in ways that have shaped modern populations and provide insight into the key processes. The roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) is one of the two species of deer native to Britain. During the last glacial maximum (LGM), the British habitat was largely under ice and there was a land bridge to mainland Europe. As the Earth warmed during the early Holocene, the land bridge was lost. Subsequent hunting on the British mainland left the southern region extirpated of roe deer, whereas a refugial population remained in the north. Later reintroductions from Europe led to population expansion, especially in southern United Kingdom. Here, we combine data from ancient and modern DNA to track population dynamics and patterns of connectivity, and test hypotheses about the influence of natural and anthropogenic environmental change. We find that past expansion and divergence events coincided with a warming environment and the subsequent closure of the land bridge between Europe and the United Kingdom. We also find turnover in British roe deer haplotypes between the late-Holocene and modern day that have likely resulted from recent human disturbance activities such as habitat perturbation, overhunting and restocking.

Parturition date for a given female is highly repeatable within five roe deer populations

Science.gov (United States)

Plard, Floriane; Gaillard, Jean-Michel; Bonenfant, Christophe; Hewison, A. J. Mark; Delorme, Daniel; Cargnelutti, Bruno; Kjellander, Petter; Nilsen, Erlend B.; Coulson, Tim

2013-01-01

Births are highly synchronized among females in many mammal populations in temperate areas. Although laying date for a given female is also repeatable within populations of birds, limited evidence suggests low repeatability of parturition date for individual females in mammals, and between-population variability in repeatability has never, to our knowledge, been assessed. We quantified the repeatability of parturition date for individual females in five populations of roe deer, which we found to vary between 0.54 and 0.93. Each year, some females gave birth consistently earlier in the year, whereas others gave birth consistently later. In addition, all females followed the same lifetime trajectory for parturition date, giving birth progressively earlier as they aged. Giving birth early should allow mothers to increase offspring survival, although few females managed to do so. The marked repeatability of parturition date in roe deer females is the highest ever reported for a mammal, suggesting low phenotypic plasticity in this trait. PMID:23234861

Rejection or selection: influence of framing in investment decisions.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Pi-Yueh; Chiou, Wen-Bin

2010-02-01

According to prospect theory, reflection effects result in preferences for risk-averse choices in gain situations and risk-seeking choices in loss situations. However, relevant literature in regard to decision making has suggested that positive information receives more weight in a selection task, whereas negative information receives more weight in a rejection task. The present study examined whether the nature of a decision task (selection vs rejection) would moderate the reflection effects. Undergraduates (47 men, 49 women; M age = 20.5 yr., SD = 1.1), selected according to specific screening criteria, participated in an experimental study. Typical reflection effects were observed in both selection and rejection task conditions. More importantly, negative information (i.e., the information about probable loss in risky choice of gain situations and the information about certain loss in cautious choice of loss situations) provided in the context of a rejection task received more weight and resulted in more frequent endorsements of the cautious choice in gain situations and of the risky choice in loss situations. Hence, the findings suggest that a decision context characterized by rejection may expand the reflection effects and thereby provide important information about situations in which investment decisions occur in a context characterized by rejection.

Participation of concerned citizens in site selection decisions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Appel, D.

2003-01-01

The contribution presents preliminary results of two international projects aimed at integrating the general public, or parts thereof, in the decision process of selecting ultimate storage sites. The author participated in these projects and is a former member of the task group for selection of ultimate storage sites (Arbeitskreis Auswahlverfahren Endlagerstandorte - AkEnd). The two projects are: Forum on Stakeholder Confidence (FSC) of the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) OECD, Project 'COWAM' (Community Waste Management) of the European Commission. The participants, goals and methods of the two projects were different, but they both presented concrete methods of selecting ultimate storage sites from the view of different actors in the form of case studies. The focus was on the participation of the public and its importance for success. Apart from meeting technical requirements the selection process should also take account of the requirements of democracy and citizens' participation in order to gain wide acceptance for its results. Deficiencies and advantages of the proposed selection processes are analyzed, and general requirements on the decision process in site selection are derived. (orig.) [de

Maximizing Consensus in Portfolio Selection in Multicriteria Group Decision Making

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Michael, Emmerich T. M.; Deutz, A.H.; Li, L.; Asep, Maulana A.; Yevseyeva, I.

2016-01-01

This paper deals with a scenario of decision making where a moderator selects a (sub)set (aka portfolio) of decision alternatives from a larger set. The larger the number of decision makers who agree on a solution in the portfolio the more successful the moderator is. We assume that decision makers

Decision support system to select cover systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bostick, K.V.

1995-01-01

The objective of this technology is to provide risk managers with a defensible, objective way to select capping alternatives for remediating radioactive and mixed waste landfills. The process of selecting containment cover technologies for mixed waste landfills requires consideration of many complex and interrelated technical, regulatory, and economic issues. A Decision Support System (DSS) is needed to integrate the knowledge of experts from scientific, engineering, and management disciplines to help in selecting the best capping practice for the site

Improved Frame Mode Selection for AMR-WB+ Based on Decision Tree

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Jong Kyu; Kim, Nam Soo

In this letter, we propose a coding mode selection method for the AMR-WB+ audio coder based on a decision tree. In order to reduce computation while maintaining good performance, decision tree classifier is adopted with the closed loop mode selection results as the target classification labels. The size of the decision tree is controlled by pruning, so the proposed method does not increase the memory requirement significantly. Through an evaluation test on a database covering both speech and music materials, the proposed method is found to achieve a much better mode selection accuracy compared with the open loop mode selection module in the AMR-WB+.

A Fuzzy Decision Making Approach for Supplier Selection in Healthcare Industry

OpenAIRE

Zeynep Sener; Mehtap Dursun

2014-01-01

Supplier evaluation and selection is one of the most important components of an effective supply chain management system. Due to the expanding competition in healthcare, selecting the right medical device suppliers offers great potential for increasing quality while decreasing costs. This paper proposes a fuzzy decision making approach for medical supplier selection. A real-world medical device supplier selection problem is presented to illustrate the application of the proposed decision meth...

Decision-making in irrigation networks: Selecting appropriate canal structures using multi-attribute decision analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Hosseinzade, Zeinab; Pagsuyoin, Sheree A; Ponnambalam, Kumaraswamy; Monem, Mohammad J

2017-12-01

The stiff competition for water between agriculture and non-agricultural production sectors makes it necessary to have effective management of irrigation networks in farms. However, the process of selecting flow control structures in irrigation networks is highly complex and involves different levels of decision makers. In this paper, we apply multi-attribute decision making (MADM) methodology to develop a decision analysis (DA) framework for evaluating, ranking and selecting check and intake structures for irrigation canals. The DA framework consists of identifying relevant attributes for canal structures, developing a robust scoring system for alternatives, identifying a procedure for data quality control, and identifying a MADM model for the decision analysis. An application is illustrated through an analysis for automation purposes of the Qazvin irrigation network, one of the oldest and most complex irrigation networks in Iran. A survey questionnaire designed based on the decision framework was distributed to experts, managers, and operators of the Qazvin network and to experts from the Ministry of Power in Iran. Five check structures and four intake structures were evaluated. A decision matrix was generated from the average scores collected from the survey, and was subsequently solved using TOPSIS (Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution) method. To identify the most critical structure attributes for the selection process, optimal attribute weights were calculated using Entropy method. For check structures, results show that the duckbill weir is the preferred structure while the pivot weir is the least preferred. Use of the duckbill weir can potentially address the problem with existing Amil gates where manual intervention is required to regulate water levels during periods of flow extremes. For intake structures, the Neyrpic® gate and constant head orifice are the most and least preferred alternatives, respectively. Some advantages

Antimicrobial Effect of Filipendula ulmaria Plant Extract Against Selected Foodborne Pathogenic and Spoilage Bacteria in Laboratory Media, Fish Flesh and Fish Roe Product

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Charalampos Proestos

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Water-methanol extract from Filipendula ulmaria contains a variety of phenolic compounds, such as caffeic, p-coumaric and vanillic acid, myricetin, etc, which demonstrate antibacterial activity. Monitoring this activity in the broth using absorbance measurements showed that species of the Enterobacteriaceae family were more resistant than other Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria tested. Acidic environment enhanced the antibacterial activity of Filipendula ulmaria extract when it was tested against Salmonella Enteritidis PT4 and Listeria monocytogenes Scott A. The efficacy of Filipendula ulmaria extract against selected foodborne psychrotrophic bacteria was also tested using solid laboratory media and low incubation temperatures for better simulation of food preservation conditions. Higher concentrations of the extract, compared to minimum inhibitory concentration determined in the broth, were needed for satisfactory inhibition of spoilage bacteria. Potential use of Filipendula ulmaria extract as natural food preservative was also examined against natural spoilage flora and inoculated pathogenic bacteria on fish flesh and fish roe product (tarama salad. No significant differences of viable populations of spoilage or pathogenic bacteria were found between the treated samples and controls. Further trials of Filipendula ulmaria extract should be carried out in acidic foods with low fat and protein content, supplemented with additional adjuncts, in order to explore its potential as effective natural food antimicrobial agent.

Evaluation of selected environmental decision support software

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sullivan, T.M.; Moskowitz, P.D.; Gitten, M.

1997-06-01

Decision Support Software (DSS) continues to be developed to support analysis of decisions pertaining to environmental management. Decision support systems are computer-based systems that facilitate the use of data, models, and structured decision processes in decision making. The optimal DSS should attempt to integrate, analyze, and present environmental information to remediation project managers in order to select cost-effective cleanup strategies. The optimal system should have a balance between the sophistication needed to address the wide range of complicated sites and site conditions present at DOE facilities, and ease of use (e.g., the system should not require data that is typically unknown and should have robust error checking of problem definition through input, etc.). In the first phase of this study, an extensive review of the literature, the Internet, and discussions with sponsors and developers of DSS led to identification of approximately fifty software packages that met the preceding definition

First Record of Setaria Tundra in Danish Roe Deer (Capreolus Capreolus)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Enemark, Heidi L.; Harslund, Jakob le Fèvre; Oksanen, A.

2011-01-01

No previous finds of the mosquito-borne filarioid nematode Setaria tundra have been reported from Denmark, although it was described decades ago in Swedish and Norwegian reindeer as well as in roe deer from Germany, Bulgaria and more recently also from Italy and Finland. Setaria spp. are usually...... and thereby larger numbers of mosquitoes, it is important to monitor this vector-borne parasite. This will not only increase the understanding of factors promoting its expansion but also help to predict disease outbreaks....

Comparative characteristics of metacarpal bones (Ossa metacarpi and finger articles (Ossa digitorum pedis seu phalanges digitorum of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus and sheep (Ovis aries in order to determine animal species

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Blagojević Miloš

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The method of determining which animal species the bones, on the basis of mor­phological characteristics, belong to, is one of the most commonly used in forensic cases (poaching, fraud, theft, counterfeiting of food of animal origin.For identification of metacarpal bones (Ossa metacarpi as well as finger articles (Ossa digitorum pedis seu phalanges digitorum there were used distal parts of front limb bones, taken from 6 roe deers and 7 sheep. Afer the separation from the soft tissues, the bones were boiled in an autoclave, and for bleaching and degreasing they were kept in 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2. The bones were air dried, and then photographed. In roe deer, there are four developed metacarpal bones: the second, the third, the fourth and the fifth. The third and the fourth mrtacarpal bones form one bone, named the main metacarpal bone. The second and the fifth metacarpal bones are connected by con­nective tissue to distal parts of the third and the fourth metacarpal bones. In sheep, there are three developed metacarpal bones: the third, the fourth and the fifth. The thord and the fourth metacarpal bones are, as in roe deer, grown together along the entire length, forming in that way one single bone - the main metacarpal bone. On the distal part of front limb in roe deer there are four fingers, and in sheep two. In roe deer the second, the third, the fourth and the fifth finger are developed, and in sheep, the third and the fourth. Each finger of front limbs, both in roe deer and in sheep, consists of three articles: Phalanx proximalis, Phalanx media i Phalanx distalis. In the case of certain bone missing, a roe deer can be distinguished from a sheep on the basis of the tird article of the third and fourth finger, which is of characteristic appearance. Plantar edge in roe deer is peaked, and in sheep it is blunt. The method of determining which animal species the bones, on the basis of mor­phological characteristics of roe deer

A Hybrid Decision-Making Model for Selecting Container Seaport in the Persian Gulf

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Jafar Sayareh

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Ports have always played a vital role in international transportation. Port selection decision is a process that requires consideration of many important and relevant criteria. The selection of the influential decision-making criteria is also a significant and vital issue which demands cautious thoughts. The main objective of this paper is to weigh the most dominant decision-making criteria by Technique for Order Preference to Similarity by Ideal Solution (TOPSIS and select an optimised container seaport in the Persian Gulf by Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP according to decisive port selection factors. This paper presents an extensive review of port selection decision-making attributes in different past studies. Finally, by using TOPSIS and AHP, the findings of this research suggest that the working time, stevedoring rate, safety, port entrance, sufficient draft, capacity of port facilities, operating cost, number of berths, ship chandelling, and international policies are critical factors for selecting container seaport in the Persian Gulf.

Supplementary feeding of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L with late harvested hay. A pilot study

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C. Rehbinder

1985-05-01

Full Text Available In order to increase the fodder available for roedeer during wintertime, late harvested hay was placed on racks early in November in three consecutive years. Freeezing kept the hay dry and fresh during all three winters. In the first winter, with much snow, the bulk of the hay was consumed whereas consumption in the two subsequent mild winters was low and selective. The crude protein content of the hay was low (3.5 - 8.4% dry matter. Metabolizable energy estimated from digestion in vitro was 3.5 — 5.6 MJ per kg dry matter. Rumen liquor from roe deer during a mild winter gave lower in vitro digestion than liquor from sheep fed with ordinary rations. The value of this poor hay for roe deer is discussed with respect to the animals requirements, seasonal adaption, the energy and protein content of the hay, water consumption and normal behavior. The results indicate that late harvested hay may be more suitable than regularly harvested hay or concentrates to help roe deer to survive spells of severe winter conditions. With late harvested hay placed out at several localized feeding sites, the risks of indigestion and dehydration, associated with a more concentrated, feed, are minimized and the ranking among the roe deer in particular will be less important and thus more animals will have improved prospects of gaining access to the fodder.Tilskottsutfodring av rådjur (Capreolus capreolus L med sent skordat ho. En pilotstudie.Abstract in Swedish / Sammanfattning: I avsikt att, for rådjur, oka mångden tillgångligt foder under vintertid, skordades och håssjades ho i borjan av november under tre på varandra foljande år. Hoet fros torn och holl sig fårskt alla vintrarna. Forstå vintern med mycket sno konsumerades huvuddelen av hoet medan de två foljande milda vintrarna konsumptionen var låg och selektiv. Mångden råprotein i hoet var lågt (3.5 — 8.4 % i torrsubstans. Innehållet av omsåttbar energi beråknad från digestion in vitro var 3

IDENTIFYING OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS TO SELECT SUITABLE DECISION MODELS FOR A PUBLIC SECTOR EPROCUREMENT DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM

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Mohamed Adil

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Public sector procurement should be a transparent and fair process. Strict legal requirements are enforced on public sector procurement to make it a standardised process. To make fair decisions on selecting suppliers, a practical method which adheres to legal requirements is important. The research that is the base for this paper aimed at identifying a suitable Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA method for the specific legal and functional needs of the Maldivian Public Sector. To identify such operational requirements, a set of focus group interviews were conducted in the Maldives with public officials responsible for procurement decision making. Based on the operational requirements identified through focus groups, criteria-based evaluation is done on published MCDA methods to identify the suitable methods for e-procurement decision making. This paper describes the identification of the operational requirements and the results of the evaluation to select suitable decision models for the Maldivian context.

TreePOD: Sensitivity-Aware Selection of Pareto-Optimal Decision Trees.

Science.gov (United States)

Muhlbacher, Thomas; Linhardt, Lorenz; Moller, Torsten; Piringer, Harald

2018-01-01

Balancing accuracy gains with other objectives such as interpretability is a key challenge when building decision trees. However, this process is difficult to automate because it involves know-how about the domain as well as the purpose of the model. This paper presents TreePOD, a new approach for sensitivity-aware model selection along trade-offs. TreePOD is based on exploring a large set of candidate trees generated by sampling the parameters of tree construction algorithms. Based on this set, visualizations of quantitative and qualitative tree aspects provide a comprehensive overview of possible tree characteristics. Along trade-offs between two objectives, TreePOD provides efficient selection guidance by focusing on Pareto-optimal tree candidates. TreePOD also conveys the sensitivities of tree characteristics on variations of selected parameters by extending the tree generation process with a full-factorial sampling. We demonstrate how TreePOD supports a variety of tasks involved in decision tree selection and describe its integration in a holistic workflow for building and selecting decision trees. For evaluation, we illustrate a case study for predicting critical power grid states, and we report qualitative feedback from domain experts in the energy sector. This feedback suggests that TreePOD enables users with and without statistical background a confident and efficient identification of suitable decision trees.

Our Selections and Decisions: Inherent Features of the Nervous System?

Science.gov (United States)

Rösler, Frank

The chapter summarizes findings on the neuronal bases of decisionmaking. Taking the phenomenon of selection it will be explained that systems built only from excitatory and inhibitory neuron (populations) have the emergent property of selecting between different alternatives. These considerations suggest that there exists a hierarchical architecture with central selection switches. However, in such a system, functions of selection and decision-making are not localized, but rather emerge from an interaction of several participating networks. These are, on the one hand, networks that process specific input and output representations and, on the other hand, networks that regulate the relative activation/inhibition of the specific input and output networks. These ideas are supported by recent empirical evidence. Moreover, other studies show that rather complex psychological variables, like subjective probability estimates, expected gains and losses, prediction errors, etc., do have biological correlates, i.e., they can be localized in time and space as activation states of neural networks and single cells. These findings suggest that selections and decisions are consequences of an architecture which, seen from a biological perspective, is fully deterministic. However, a transposition of such nomothetic functional principles into the idiographic domain, i.e., using them as elements for comprehensive 'mechanistic' explanations of individual decisions, seems not to be possible because of principle limitations. Therefore, individual decisions will remain predictable by means of probabilistic models alone.

Comparative characteristics of metatarsal bones (Ossa metatarsi and finger articles (Ossa digitorum pedis seu phalanges digitorum of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus and sheep (Ovis aries in orderto determine animal species

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Blagojević Miloš

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Metatarsal bones and finger articles of roe deer and sheep are rarely used for animal identification. In practice there are frequent cases where on a corpse the head and distal parts of the limbs are missing. That is in order to prevent the identification of the bones, by which it is easiest to determine the animal species. For identification of metatarsal bones (Ossa metatarsi as well as finger articles (Os­sa digitorum pedis seu phalanges digitorum there were used distal parts of hindlimb bones, taken from 6 roe deers and 7 sheep. Afer the separation from the soft tissues, the bones were boiled in an autoclave, and for bleaching and degreasing they were kept in 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2. The bones were air dried, and then photographed. In roe deer, four metatarsal bones are developed: the second (Os metatarsale secundum, the third (Os metatarsale tertium, the fourth (Os metatarsale quartum and the fifth (Os metatarsale quintum. In sheep, the third (Os metatarsale tertium and the fourth (Os metatarsale quartum metatarsal bones are developed. Both in roe deer and sheep, the third and the fourth metatarsal bones are fused into one single bone - main metatarsal bone. In sheep, on dorsal and plantar side of these bones there are grooves which are more shallow and wider than in roe deer. In roe deer, hindlimbs have four fingers, and in sheep two. In roe deer there is also the difference in the number of articles on the second and fifth finger. In this animal the second and fifth finger have coalesced the first and second article (Ph1 + Ph2 and the third article(Ph3. Based on the third article of the third and fourth finger, it may be distinguished one animal from another. Margo solearis in roe deer is peaky and in sheep it is blunt. In roe deer Processus extensorius is peaky on Margo coronalis, while in shee it is blunt. In the cases when material (fresh meat, blood, hair necessary for some laboratory methods is missing, there is used

HOSPITAL SITE SELECTION USING TWO-STAGE FUZZY MULTI-CRITERIA DECISION MAKING PROCESS

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Ali Soltani

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Site selection for sitting of urban activities/facilities is one of the crucial policy-related decisions taken by urban planners and policy makers. The process of site selection is inherently complicated. A careless site imposes exorbitant costs on city budget and damages the environment inevitably. Nowadays, multi-attributes decision making approaches are suggested to use to improve precision of decision making and reduce surplus side effects. Two well-known techniques, analytical hierarchal process and analytical network process are among multi-criteria decision making systems which can easily be consistent with both quantitative and qualitative criteria. These are also developed to be fuzzy analytical hierarchal process and fuzzy analytical network process systems which are capable of accommodating inherent uncertainty and vagueness in multi-criteria decision-making. This paper reports the process and results of a hospital site selection within the Region 5 of Shiraz metropolitan area, Iran using integrated fuzzy analytical network process systems with Geographic Information System (GIS. The weights of the alternatives were calculated using fuzzy analytical network process. Then a sensitivity analysis was conducted to measure the elasticity of a decision in regards to different criteria. This study contributes to planning practice by suggesting a more comprehensive decision making tool for site selection.

HOSPITAL SITE SELECTION USING TWO-STAGE FUZZY MULTI-CRITERIA DECISION MAKING PROCESS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Soltani

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Site selection for sitting of urban activities/facilities is one of the crucial policy-related decisions taken by urban planners and policy makers. The process of site selection is inherently complicated. A careless site imposes exorbitant costs on city budget and damages the environment inevitably. Nowadays, multi-attributes decision making approaches are suggested to use to improve precision of decision making and reduce surplus side effects. Two well-known techniques, analytical hierarchal process and analytical network process are among multi-criteria decision making systems which can easily be consistent with both quantitative and qualitative criteria. These are also developed to be fuzzy analytical hierarchal process and fuzzy analytical network process systems which are capable of accommodating inherent uncertainty and vagueness in multi-criteria decision-making. This paper reports the process and results of a hospital site selection within the Region 5 of Shiraz metropolitan area, Iran using integrated fuzzy analytical network process systems with Geographic Information System (GIS. The weights of the alternatives were calculated using fuzzy analytical network process. Then a sensitivity analysis was conducted to measure the elasticity of a decision in regards to different criteria. This study contributes to planning practice by suggesting a more comprehensive decision making tool for site selection.

El héroe de la ficción postclásica

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A. Pablo Cano-Gómez

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Este artículo estudia al héroe en la ficción postclásica. Mediante un corpus de características representativas de estos personajes a partir de las teorías de distintos autores (Carl Gustav Jung, Joseph Campbell, Jesús González Requena, entre otros se realiza el análisis fílmico de la serie de ficción norteamericana Hijos de la anarquía.

Selection of a tool to support decision making for site selection for high level waste - 15010

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Madeira, J.G.; Alvim, A.C.M.; Martins, V.B.; Monteiro, N.A.

2015-01-01

The aim of this paper is to create a panel comparing some of the key decision-making support tools used in situations with the characteristics of the problem of selecting suitable areas for constructing a final deep geologic repository. The tools presented in this work are also well-known and with easy implementation. The decision making process in issues of this kind is, in general, complex due to its multi-criteria nature and the conflicting opinions of various of stakeholders. Thus a comprehensive study was performed with the literature on this subject, specifically documents of the International Atomic Energy Agency - IAEA, regarding the importance of the criteria involved in the decision making process. Therefore, we highlighted 6 judgments attributes for selecting an adequate support tool: -) transparency and reliability, -) subjectivity, -) updating and adapting, -) multi-criteria analysis, -) ease of deployment, and -) application time. We have selected the following key decision-making support tools: AHP, Delphi, Brainstorm, Nominal Group Technique, and AHP-Delphi. Finally, the AHP-Delphi method has demonstrated to be more appropriate for managing the inherent multiple attributes to the problem proposed

Evaluation of a prototype decision support system for selecting trench cap designs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paige, G.B.; Stone, J.J.; Lane, L.J.

1996-01-01

A computer-based prototype decision support system (PDSS) to assist the risk manager in selecting an appropriate trench cap design for waste disposal sites is evaluated. The selection of the open-quotes bestclose quotes design among feasible alternatives requires consideration of multiple and often conflicting objectives. The methodology used in the selection process consists of. selecting and parameterizing decision variables, using data, simulation models, or expert opinion; selecting feasible trench cap design alternatives; ordering the decision variables and ranking the design alternatives. The simulation models incorporated in the PDSS are the Hydrologic Evaluation of Landfill Performance (HELP) model which is used to simulate the trench cap water balance and the Chemicals, Runoff, and Erosion from Agricultural Management Systems (CREAMS) erosion component that is used to simulate trench cap erosion. The decision model is based on multi-objective decision theory and uses a unique approach to order the decision variables and rank the design alternatives. The PDSS is evaluated using the Hill Air Force Base landfill cover demonstration project. The water balance and surface erosion of four alternative landfill cover designs were monitored for a 4-yr period. Two of the cover designs were used to calibrate and test the simulation models. The results of the PDSS, using both data from all four designs and long-term simulations from two of the designs, illustrate the relative advantages of each of the cover designs and which cover is the open-quotes bestclose quotes alternative for a given set of criteria and a particular importance order of those decision criteria. 22 refs., 6 figs., 4 tabs

137Cs-migration in soils and its transfer to roe deer in an Austrian forest stand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strebl, F.; Gerzabek, M.H.; Karg, V.; Tataruch, F.

1996-01-01

The depth distribution of 137 Cs in an Austrian spruce forest stand was investigated in soil profiles sampled in thin layers (2 cm) and in pooled soil samples over an area of 200 ha. The 137 Cs concentrations both from Chernobyl and global fallout decrease exponentially with depth. Forty-six percent of Chernobyl-derived caesium and 26% from global fallout are still to be found in the litter layer; 137 Cs content in samples on organic matter as well as cation exchange capacity. Using a compartment model, average residence half-times of 5.3, 9.9, 1.78 and 0.8 years were calculated for the layers litter, 0-5 (Ah 1 ), 5-10 (Ah 2 ) and 10-20 cm (A/B) of mineral soil, respectively. Using the model predictions of soil contamination as a basis and considering that roe deer forage plants' rooting depths, the development of 137 Cs contamination of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) (1987-1993) was well described by applying an aggregated transfer factor

Group decision making in nest-site selection by honey bees

OpenAIRE

Seeley , Thomas; Kirk Visscher , P.

2004-01-01

International audience; In recent years, renewed attention has been paid to the mechanisms of group decision making that underlie the nest-site selection process in honey bees. We review the results of these new investigations by discussing how the recent work builds on the earlier descriptive studies of this decision-making process, how the decision-making abilities of swarms have been tested, and how the mechanisms of this decision-making process have been experimentally analyzed. We conclu...

System for selecting relevant information for decision support.

Science.gov (United States)

Kalina, Jan; Seidl, Libor; Zvára, Karel; Grünfeldová, Hana; Slovák, Dalibor; Zvárová, Jana

2013-01-01

We implemented a prototype of a decision support system called SIR which has a form of a web-based classification service for diagnostic decision support. The system has the ability to select the most relevant variables and to learn a classification rule, which is guaranteed to be suitable also for high-dimensional measurements. The classification system can be useful for clinicians in primary care to support their decision-making tasks with relevant information extracted from any available clinical study. The implemented prototype was tested on a sample of patients in a cardiological study and performs an information extraction from a high-dimensional set containing both clinical and gene expression data.

A roe deer from the Pliocene of Hidalgo, central Mexico

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Eduardo Jiménez-Hidalgo

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Mexican Pliocene cervids are very poorly known. We report on new fossil material of the roe deer Capreolus constantini recovered from the Pliocene Atotonilco El Grande Formation of Santa María Amajac, Hidalgo (central Mexico. The specimens were collected from a series of layers of friable to moderately indurated polymictic conglomerate supported by a sandstone-tuffaceous-calcareous matrix. This species was formerly known only from the late Pliocene of Udunga, Russia, thus implying a dispersal event to North America around 4.0 Ma. This cervid is one of the very small number of mammals recorded from the poorly sampled Pliocene temperate deposits of Mexico.

Cutaneous fibroma in the roe deer (Capreolus capreolus

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Kureljušić Branislav

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Fibromas present very frequent skin neoplasms in different species of wild game of the family Cervidae. Viral etiology of skin neoplasms was proven in certain species of wild game from this family, with the most frequent diagnoses being: fibromas, ossifying fibromas, fibrosarcomas, multiple neurofibromatosis, fibropapillomas, and papillomas. The diagnozed tumor in the roe deer had the histological characteristics of a polimorphous fibroblast, which is not the case with domestic animals. This finding can be considered as a characteristic of fibromas in animals of the family Cervidae. Solitary fibroma or multiple fibroma (fibromatosis does not present a significant cause of deer deaths, but they cause concern among hunters who are in direct contact with them. Although fibromas do not lead to spoilage of game meat, they are esthetically repellent and people are reluctant to consume meat of such game.

Decision Analysis System for Selection of Appropriate Decontamination Technologies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ebadian, M.A.; Boudreaux, J.F.; Chinta, S.; Zanakis, S.H.

1998-01-01

The principal objective for designing Decision Analysis System for Decontamination (DASD) is to support DOE-EM's endeavor to employ the most efficient and effective technologies for treating radiologically contaminated surfaces while minimizing personnel and environmental risks. DASD will provide a tool for environmental decision makers to improve the quality, consistency, and efficacy of their technology selection decisions. The system will facilitate methodical comparisons between innovative and baseline decontamination technologies and aid in identifying the most suitable technologies for performing surface decontamination at DOE environmental restoration sites

X-ray ordinance (RoeV) with regulations for implementation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bischof, W.

1977-01-01

The commentary contains, along with an introduction, a detailed survey of the implementation regulations issued by the Bundeslaender, and in those instances where individual regulations are commented upon, information is also given on which authority or institution is responsible for the administrative tasks in the various Laender according to the X-ray Ordinance. Special attention is paid to the application of X-rays in medicine (sections 20 through 29 RoeV), taking into consideration the recommendations of the ICRP. In the annex to the commentary, all guidelines for implementing the X-ray Ordinance, issued by the Federal Ministry for Youth, Family, and Health and the Federal Ministry for Labour and Social Affairs up to this date, are presented with their full wording. (orig./HP) [de

Neural Underpinnings of Decision Strategy Selection: A Review and a Theoretical Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Wichary, Szymon; Smolen, Tomasz

2016-01-01

In multi-attribute choice, decision makers use decision strategies to arrive at the final choice. What are the neural mechanisms underlying decision strategy selection? The first goal of this paper is to provide a literature review on the neural underpinnings and cognitive models of decision strategy selection and thus set the stage for a neurocognitive model of this process. The second goal is to outline such a unifying, mechanistic model that can explain the impact of noncognitive factors (e.g., affect, stress) on strategy selection. To this end, we review the evidence for the factors influencing strategy selection, the neural basis of strategy use and the cognitive models of this process. We also present the Bottom-Up Model of Strategy Selection (BUMSS). The model assumes that the use of the rational Weighted Additive strategy and the boundedly rational heuristic Take The Best can be explained by one unifying, neurophysiologically plausible mechanism, based on the interaction of the frontoparietal network, orbitofrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex and the brainstem nucleus locus coeruleus. According to BUMSS, there are three processes that form the bottom-up mechanism of decision strategy selection and lead to the final choice: (1) cue weight computation, (2) gain modulation, and (3) weighted additive evaluation of alternatives. We discuss how these processes might be implemented in the brain, and how this knowledge allows us to formulate novel predictions linking strategy use and neural signals.

Neural Underpinnings of Decision Strategy Selection: A Review and a Theoretical Model

Science.gov (United States)

Wichary, Szymon; Smolen, Tomasz

2016-01-01

In multi-attribute choice, decision makers use decision strategies to arrive at the final choice. What are the neural mechanisms underlying decision strategy selection? The first goal of this paper is to provide a literature review on the neural underpinnings and cognitive models of decision strategy selection and thus set the stage for a neurocognitive model of this process. The second goal is to outline such a unifying, mechanistic model that can explain the impact of noncognitive factors (e.g., affect, stress) on strategy selection. To this end, we review the evidence for the factors influencing strategy selection, the neural basis of strategy use and the cognitive models of this process. We also present the Bottom-Up Model of Strategy Selection (BUMSS). The model assumes that the use of the rational Weighted Additive strategy and the boundedly rational heuristic Take The Best can be explained by one unifying, neurophysiologically plausible mechanism, based on the interaction of the frontoparietal network, orbitofrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex and the brainstem nucleus locus coeruleus. According to BUMSS, there are three processes that form the bottom-up mechanism of decision strategy selection and lead to the final choice: (1) cue weight computation, (2) gain modulation, and (3) weighted additive evaluation of alternatives. We discuss how these processes might be implemented in the brain, and how this knowledge allows us to formulate novel predictions linking strategy use and neural signals. PMID:27877103

Neural underpinnings of decision strategy selection: a review and a theoretical model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Szymon Wichary

2016-11-01

Full Text Available In multi-attribute choice, decision makers use various decision strategies to arrive at the final choice. What are the neural mechanisms underlying decision strategy selection? The first goal of this paper is to provide a literature review on the neural underpinnings and cognitive models of decision strategy selection and thus set the stage for a unifying neurocognitive model of this process. The second goal is to outline such a unifying, mechanistic model that can explain the impact of noncognitive factors (e.g. affect, stress on strategy selection. To this end, we review the evidence for the factors influencing strategy selection, the neural basis of strategy use and the cognitive models explaining this process. We also present the neurocognitive Bottom-Up Model of Strategy Selection (BUMSS. The model assumes that the use of the rational, normative Weighted Additive strategy and the boundedly rational heuristic Take The Best can be explained by one unifying, neurophysiologically plausible mechanism, based on the interaction of the frontoparietal network, orbitofrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex and the brainstem nucleus locus coeruleus. According to BUMSS, there are three processes that form the bottom-up mechanism of decision strategy selection and lead to the final choice: 1 cue weight computation, 2 gain modulation, and 3 weighted additive evaluation of alternatives. We discuss how these processes might be implemented in the brain, and how this knowledge allows us to formulate novel predictions linking strategy use and neurophysiological indices.

Selection decisions among reindeer herders in Finland

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Kirsi Muuttoranta

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Selection of breeding animals is a tool to improve the revenues in animal production. Information about selection practices and criteria are essential in assessing the possibilities for systematic selection schemes. Attitudes of reindeer herders towards use of selection in improving production were investigated by means of interviews. We interviewed the managers of reindeer herding cooperatives concerning their selection decisions. Fortyfive out of 56 managers answered to the semi-structured questionnaire. Among herding operations, selection of breeding animals was regarded by managers as critical for calf’s autumn weight and survival. The main selection criteria were calf’s health, vigour, body size and muscularity, dam or dam line, and maternal care. Hair quality and hair length were important as well, while such often quoted traits as antler characteristics, e.g. early shedding of antler velvet and thick antler bases, were unimportant. The results show that reindeer herders i acknowledge the importance and effects of selective breeding, and ii have empirical knowledge to list the most important selection criteria.

SADA: Ecological Risk Based Decision Support System for Selective Remediation

Science.gov (United States)

Spatial Analysis and Decision Assistance (SADA) is freeware that implements terrestrial ecological risk assessment and yields a selective remediation design using its integral geographical information system, based on ecological and risk assessment inputs. Selective remediation ...

Detection and molecular characterization of the mosquito-borne filarial nematode Setaria tundra in Danish roe deer (Capreolus capreolus)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Enemark, Heidi Larsen; Oksanen, Antti; Chriél, Mariann

2017-01-01

Setaria tundra is a mosquito-borne filarial nematode of cervids in Europe. It has recently been associated with an emerging epidemic disease causing severe morbidity and mortality in reindeer and moose in Finland. Here, we present the first report of S. tundra in six roe deer (Capreolus capreolus...... Europe. Roe deer are generally considered as asymptomatic carriers and their numbers in Denmark have increased significantly in recent decades. In light of climatic changes which result in warmer, more humid weather in Scandinavia greater numbers of mosquitoes and, especially, improved conditions...... for development of parasite larvae in the mosquito vectors are expected, which may lead to increasing prevalence of S. tundra. Monitoring of this vector-borne parasite may thus be needed in order to enhance the knowledge of factors promoting its expansion and prevalence as well as predicting disease outbreaks. (C...

Abstract and Effector-Selective Decision Signals Exhibit Qualitatively Distinct Dynamics before Delayed Perceptual Reports.

Science.gov (United States)

Twomey, Deirdre M; Kelly, Simon P; O'Connell, Redmond G

2016-07-13

Electrophysiological research has isolated neural signatures of decision formation in a variety of brain regions. Studies in rodents and monkeys have focused primarily on effector-selective signals that translate the emerging decision into a specific motor plan, but, more recently, research on the human brain has identified an abstract signature of evidence accumulation that does not appear to play any direct role in action preparation. The functional dissociations between these distinct signal types have only begun to be characterized, and their dynamics during decisions with deferred actions with or without foreknowledge of stimulus-effector mapping, a commonly studied task scenario in single-unit and functional imaging investigations, have not been established. Here we traced the dynamics of distinct abstract and effector-selective decision signals in the form of the broad-band centro-parietal positivity (CPP) and limb-selective β-band (8-16 and 18-30 Hz) EEG activity, respectively, during delayed-reported motion direction decisions with and without foreknowledge of direction-response mapping. With foreknowledge, the CPP and β-band signals exhibited a similar gradual build-up following evidence onset, but whereas choice-predictive β-band activity persisted up until the delayed response, the CPP dropped toward baseline after peaking. Without foreknowledge, the CPP exhibited identical dynamics, whereas choice-selective β-band activity was eliminated. These findings highlight qualitative functional distinctions between effector-selective and abstract decision signals and are of relevance to the assumptions founding functional neuroimaging investigations of decision-making. Neural signatures of evidence accumulation have been isolated in numerous brain regions. Although animal neurophysiology has largely concentrated on effector-selective decision signals that translate the emerging decision into a specific motor plan, recent research on the human brain has

Comparative characteristics of shoulder blade (Scapula) and shoulder bone (Humerus) of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and sheep (Ovis aries) in order to determine the animal species

OpenAIRE

Blagojević Miloš; Nikolić Zora; Prokić Bogomir Bolka; Ćupić-Miladinović Dejana

2016-01-01

In illegal hunting it is often possible only on the basis of morphological characteristics to determine the animal species. By the method of comparison there was performed the forensic analysis of roe deer and sheep osteological features. For the purpose of investigating the shoulder blade (Scapula) and shoulder bone (Humerus) comparative characteristics, there were used 6 shoulder blades and 6 shoulder bones of roe deer and 8 shoulder blades and 8 shoulder...

MULTIPLE CRITERIA DECISION MAKING APPROACH FOR INDUSTRIAL ENGINEER SELECTION USING FUZZY AHP-FUZZY TOPSIS

OpenAIRE

Deliktaş, Derya; ÜSTÜN, Özden

2018-01-01

In this study, a fuzzy multiple criteria decision-making approach is proposed to select an industrial engineer among ten candidates in a manufacturing environment. The industrial engineer selection problem is a special case of the personal selection problem. This problem, which has hierarchical structure of criteria and many decision makers, contains many criteria. The evaluation process of decision makers also includes ambiguous parameters. The fuzzy AHP is used to determin...

Selective Predation of a Stalking Predator on Ungulate Prey.

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Marco Heurich

Full Text Available Prey selection is a key factor shaping animal populations and evolutionary dynamics. An optimal forager should target prey that offers the highest benefits in terms of energy content at the lowest costs. Predators are therefore expected to select for prey of optimal size. Stalking predators do not pursue their prey long, which may lead to a more random choice of prey individuals. Due to difficulties in assessing the composition of available prey populations, data on prey selection of stalking carnivores are still scarce. We show how the stalking predator Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx selects prey individuals based on species identity, age, sex and individual behaviour. To address the difficulties in assessing prey population structure, we confirm inferred selection patterns by using two independent data sets: (1 data of 387 documented kills of radio-collared lynx were compared to the prey population structure retrieved from systematic camera trapping using Manly's standardized selection ratio alpha and (2 data on 120 radio-collared roe deer were analysed using a Cox proportional hazards model. Among the larger red deer prey, lynx selected against adult males-the largest and potentially most dangerous prey individuals. In roe deer lynx preyed selectively on males and did not select for a specific age class. Activity during high risk periods reduced the risk of falling victim to a lynx attack. Our results suggest that the stalking predator lynx actively selects for size, while prey behaviour induces selection by encounter and stalking success rates.

Risk-Informed Decision Making: Application to Technology Development Alternative Selection

Science.gov (United States)

Dezfuli, Homayoon; Maggio, Gaspare; Everett, Christopher

2010-01-01

NASA NPR 8000.4A, Agency Risk Management Procedural Requirements, defines risk management in terms of two complementary processes: Risk-informed Decision Making (RIDM) and Continuous Risk Management (CRM). The RIDM process is used to inform decision making by emphasizing proper use of risk analysis to make decisions that impact all mission execution domains (e.g., safety, technical, cost, and schedule) for program/projects and mission support organizations. The RIDM process supports the selection of an alternative prior to program commitment. The CRM process is used to manage risk associated with the implementation of the selected alternative. The two processes work together to foster proactive risk management at NASA. The Office of Safety and Mission Assurance at NASA Headquarters has developed a technical handbook to provide guidance for implementing the RIDM process in the context of NASA risk management and systems engineering. This paper summarizes the key concepts and procedures of the RIDM process as presented in the handbook, and also illustrates how the RIDM process can be applied to the selection of technology investments as NASA's new technology development programs are initiated.

Decision Guide for Roof Slope Selection

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sharp, T.R.

1988-01-01

This decision guide has been written for personnel who are responsible for the design, construction, and replacement of Air Force roofs. It provides the necessary information and analytical tools for making prudent and cost-effective decisions regarding the amount of slope to provide in various roofing situations. Because the expertise and experience of the decision makers will vary, the guide contains both basic slope-related concepts as well as more sophisticated technical data. This breadth of information enables the less experienced user to develop an understanding of roof slope issues before applying the more sophisticated analytical tools, while the experienced user can proceed directly to the technical sections. Although much of this guide is devoted to the analysis of costs, it is not a cost-estimating document. It does, however, provide the reader with the relative costs of a variety of roof slope options; and it shows how to determine the relative cost-effectiveness of different options. The selection of the proper roof slope coupled with good roof design, a quality installation, periodic inspection, and appropriate maintenance and repair will achieve the Air Force's objective of obtaining the best possible roofing value for its buildings.

137Cs-migration in soils and its transfer to roe deer in an Austrian forest stand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strebl, F.; Gerzabek, M. H.; Karg, V.; Tataruch, F.

1996-03-01

The depth distribution of 137 Cs in an Austrian spruce forest stand was investigated in soil profiles sampled in thin layers (2 cm) and in pooled soil samples over an area of 200 ha. The 137 Cs concentrations both from Chernobyl and global fallout decrease exponentially with depth. Forty-six percent of Chernobyl-derived cesium and 26 % from global fallout are still to be found in the litter layer; 137 Cs content in samples on organic matter as well as cation exchange capacity. Using a compartment model, average residence half-times of 5.3, 9.9, 1.78 and 0.8 years were calculated for the layers litter, 0-5 (Ah 1 ), 5-10 (Ah 2 ) and 10-20 cm (A/B) of mineral soil, respectively. Using the model predictions of soil contamination as a basis and considering the roe deer forage plants' rooting depths, the development of 137 Cs contamination of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) (1987 - 1993) was well described by applying an aggregated transfer factor. (author)

Héroes civiles. El teatro entre la cultura erudita y la tradición popular en España

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Peter Jehle

2014-06-01

Full Text Available La reforma intelectual y moral que va implícita con el teatro neoclásico se decide, no en último término, en la capacidad de producción de un nuevo tipo de ciudadano que debe conquistar el escenario para la representación de un nuevo modo de vida. Este ciudadano es un pionero del mundo moderno, un héroe civil, que ya no tiene nada en común con la vieja plantilla del teatro de Lope. Moratín, como Diderot, no crea héroes legendarios, sino que pone en escena a individuos de la sociedad de su tiempo. El Neoclasicismo no consiste en una simple renovación de lo clásico, como parece suponer su nombre, sino en una ruptura respecto de qué mundo imitar y cómo hacerlo. Dicha reforma consiste en una serie de desvinculaciones (entre el escenario y el espacio del público, entre lo trágico y lo cómico, lo sagrado y lo profano, lo socialmente alto y bajo, en las que se concretiza la transformación del teatro en una “escuela de virtudes”. Precisamente para devenir elemento de moralización para producir un sujeto ciudadano, un héroe civil, el teatro requiere la autonomía del arte, en cuyo asilo cobra la fuerza para resistir a las persecuciones de la Iglesia.

European roe deer antlers as an environmental archive for fallout 236U and 239Pu

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Froehlich, M.B.; Steier, P.; Wallner, G.; Fifield, L.K.

2016-01-01

Anthropogenic 236 U and 239 Pu were measured in European roe deer antlers hunted between 1955 and 1977 which covers and extends beyond the period of intensive nuclear weapons testing (1954–1962). The antlers were hunting trophies, and hence the hunting area, the year of shooting and the approximate age of each animal is given. Uranium and plutonium are known to deposit in skeletal tissue. Since antler histology is similar to bone, both elements were expected in antlers. Furthermore, roe deer shed their antlers annually, and hence antlers may provide a time-resolved environmental archive for fallout radionuclides. The radiochemical procedure is based on a Pu separation step by anion exchange (Dowex 1 × 8) and a subsequent U purification by extraction chromatography using UTEVA ® . The samples were measured by Accelerator Mass Spectrometry at the VERA facility (University of Vienna). In addition to the 236 U and 239 Pu concentrations, the 240 Pu/ 239 Pu isotopic ratios were determined with a mean value of 0.172 ± 0.023 which is in agreement with the ratio of global fallout (∼0.18). Rather high 236 U/ 238 U ratios of the order of 10 −6 were observed. These measured ratios, where the 236 U arises only from global fallout, have implications for the use of the 236 U/ 238 U ratio as a fingerprint for nuclear accidents or releases from nuclear facilities. Our investigations have shown the potential to use antlers as a temporally resolved archive for the uptake of actinides from the environment. - Highlights: • Roe deer antlers were studied as an environmental archive for the retrospective study of fallout isotopes 236 U and 239 Pu. • The rather high 236 U/ 238 U ratios of about 10 −6 suggest 236 U as a fingerprint tool for nuclear material releases. • The 240 Pu/ 239 Pu atom ratio underpins global fallout as the main anthropogenic contributor in antlers.

Entre Venus y Marte: el viaje del héroe en Desertor (Between Venus and Mars: The Journey of the Hero in Desertor

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Grethel Ramírez Villalobos

2015-11-01

Full Text Available En este artículo se estudia la figura del héroe en la novela Desertor, del costarricense Juan Ramón Rojas. Este relato tiene su ambiente en El Salvador y analiza algunos de los principales hechos históricos de la década de 1980. El protagonista del relato se ve impulsado a revisar sus propias convicciones políticas y emprende un viaje, que resulta análogo a los periplos de los héroes mitológicos. A partir del examen de la conformación del héroe, se discuten los simbolismos literarios y los principales asuntos tratados en la novela. This article addresses the figure of the hero in the novel Desertor, by the Costa Rican Juan Ramón Rojas. It takes place in El Salvador and analyzes some of the main historical events of the 1980s. The protagonist is forced to review his own political convictions and sets out on a journey analogous to those of mythological heroes. Considering the analysis of the conformation of the hero, literary symbolism and the main topics of the novel are examined.

Multi criteria decision making approaches for green supplier evaluation and selection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Govindan, Kannan; Rajendran, S.; Sarkis, J.

2015-01-01

A large and growing body of literature to supplier evaluation and selection exists. Literature on green supplier evaluation that considers environmental factors are relatively limited. Recently, in supply chain management decision making, approaches for evaluating green supplier performance have ...... us to identify improvements for green supplier selection process and possible future directions.......A large and growing body of literature to supplier evaluation and selection exists. Literature on green supplier evaluation that considers environmental factors are relatively limited. Recently, in supply chain management decision making, approaches for evaluating green supplier performance have...... used both qualitative and quantitative environmental data. Given this evolving research field, the goal and purpose of this paper is to analyze research in international scientific journals and international conference proceedings that focus on green supplier selection. We propose the following...

A review of the methods for monitoring roe deer European populations with particular reference to Italy

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Alberto Meriggi

2009-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Throughout the last century, deer populations have shown a remarkable increase both in North America and Europe. As a consequence, the estimate of roe deer density has become a matter of interest. We reviewed the available literature on the methods used for monitoring roe deer populations in Europe from 1950 to 2004, with the aim of detecting the trend of papers and distribution of census techniques by years, countries and habitat types. Particular attention was paid to the census and monitoring methods adopted in Italy and Tuscany, which is the region where the roe deer is more carefully managed. Published papers showed an increasing trend, as did the number of methods used and their complexity. France, Italy, UK and Spain were the countries with the richest literature and the largest variety of methods applied. Eleven census methods have been applied in woods - particularly line transects, pellet group counts, CMR and IKA - with only 6 in open country, mainly pellet group counts. In Europe vantage points are more commonly used for planning culling programs, whilst in Italy, and particularly in Tuscany, the drive census and spotlight counts are mainly used. Unfortunately, in Europe, harvesting programs are still too much based on hunter knowledge and traditions. However the countries where the management of roe deer hunting is of more recent tradition make an exception to this rule. In Italy and Tuscany the methods of monitoring roe deer populations should be improved towards less expensive and more accurate methods. Riassunto Revisione dei metodi di monitoraggio delle popolazioni di capriolo in Europa con particolare riferimento all'Italia Le popolazioni di Cervidi hanno avuto nell'ultimo secolo un notevole incremento sia in America settentrionale, sia in Europa. Di conseguenza la densità delle popolazioni di capriolo è diventata oggetto di interessi diversi e la sua stima

Temporal patterns in road crossing behaviour in roe deer (Capreolus capreolus at sites with wildlife warning reflectors.

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Jim-Lino Kämmerle

Full Text Available Every year, there are millions of documented vehicle collisions involving cervids across Europe and North America. While temporal patterns in collision occurrence are relatively well described, few studies have targeted deer behaviour as a critical component of collision prevention. In this study, we investigated weekly and daily patterns in road crossing behaviour in roe deer. Using road crossing events and movement data obtained from GPS telemetry, we employed mixed-effect models to explain frequency and timing of crossings at five road segments by a number of predictors including traffic volume, deer movement activity and the presence of wildlife warning reflectors. We analysed 13,689 road crossing events by 32 study animals. Individual variation in crossing frequency was high but daily patterns in crossing events were highly consistent among animals. Variation in the intensity of movement activity on a daily and seasonal scale was the main driver of road crossing behaviour. The seasonal variation in crossing frequency reflected differences in movement activity throughout the reproductive cycle, while daily variation in the probability to cross exhibited a clear nocturnal emphasis and reflected crepuscular activity peaks. The frequency of road crossings increased as a function of road density in the home-range, while traffic volume only exerted marginal effects. Movement activity of roe deer in our study coincided with commuter traffic mainly in the early morning and late afternoon during winter and during periods of high spatial activity such as the rut. Both timing and frequency of crossing events remained unchanged in the presence of reflectors. Our results emphasise the importance of behavioural studies for understanding roe deer vehicle-collision patterns and thus provide important information for collision prevention. We suggest that mitigation of collision risk should focus on strategic seasonal measures and animal warning systems

Reappearance of Taenia ovis krabbei muscle cysts in a roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) in Denmark after 60+ years

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Al-Sabi, Mohammad Nafi Solaiman; Chriél, Mariann; Holm, Elisabeth

2013-01-01

The present report describes the reappearance of Taenia ovis krabbei in a roe deer from Denmark after more than 60 years. The cysticerci were isolated from the thigh muscle of the deer, and the diagnosis was based on histostological analysis, morphology of the rostellar-hooks as well as molecular...

Age-related effects of body mass on fertility and litter size in roe deer.

Science.gov (United States)

Flajšman, Katarina; Jerina, Klemen; Pokorny, Boštjan

2017-01-01

We analysed effects of females' body mass and age on reproductive capacity of European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) in a large sample set of 1312 females (305 yearlings and 1007 adults), hunted throughout Slovenia, central Europe, in the period 2013-2015. Body mass positively affected probability of ovulation and potential litter size (number of corpora lutea), although its effect was more pronounced in yearlings than in adults. Between age groups, we found clear differences in responses of both reproductive parameters to body mass which influences primarily reproductive performance of younger, and in particular, lighter individuals: at the same body mass yearlings would at average have smaller litters than adults, and at lower body mass also young to middle-aged adults would have smaller litters than old ones. In addition, while yearlings have to reach a critical threshold body mass to attain reproductive maturity, adult females are fertile (produce ova) even at low body mass. However, at higher body mass also younger individuals shift their efforts into the reproduction, and after reaching an age-specific threshold the body mass does not have any further effects on the reproductive output of roe deer females. Increased reproductive capacity at more advanced age, combined with declining body mass suggests that old does allocate more of their resources in reproduction than in body condition.

Age-related effects of body mass on fertility and litter size in roe deer.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katarina Flajšman

Full Text Available We analysed effects of females' body mass and age on reproductive capacity of European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus in a large sample set of 1312 females (305 yearlings and 1007 adults, hunted throughout Slovenia, central Europe, in the period 2013-2015. Body mass positively affected probability of ovulation and potential litter size (number of corpora lutea, although its effect was more pronounced in yearlings than in adults. Between age groups, we found clear differences in responses of both reproductive parameters to body mass which influences primarily reproductive performance of younger, and in particular, lighter individuals: at the same body mass yearlings would at average have smaller litters than adults, and at lower body mass also young to middle-aged adults would have smaller litters than old ones. In addition, while yearlings have to reach a critical threshold body mass to attain reproductive maturity, adult females are fertile (produce ova even at low body mass. However, at higher body mass also younger individuals shift their efforts into the reproduction, and after reaching an age-specific threshold the body mass does not have any further effects on the reproductive output of roe deer females. Increased reproductive capacity at more advanced age, combined with declining body mass suggests that old does allocate more of their resources in reproduction than in body condition.

Maternal and individual effects in selection of bed sites and their consequences for fawn survival at different spatial scales.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Moorter, Bram; Gaillard, Jean-Michel; McLoughlin, Philip D; Delorme, Daniel; Klein, François; Boyce, Mark S

2009-03-01

We examined the relationship between survival of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) fawns at Trois Fontaines, Champagne-Ardennes, France, and factors related to bed-site selection (predator avoidance and thermoregulation) and maternal food resources (forage availability in the maternal home range). Previous studies have demonstrated that at small scales, the young of large herbivores select bed sites independently from their mothers, although this selection takes place within the limits of their mother's home range. Fawn survival was influenced largely by the availability of good bed sites within the maternal home range, not by the fawn's selection of bed sites; however, selection for thermal cover when selecting bed sites positively influenced survival of young fawns. Typical features of a good home range included close proximity to habitat edges, which is related to forage accessibility for roe deer. The availability of bed sites changed as fawns aged, probably due to an increased mobility of the fawn or a different use of the home range by the mother; sites offering high concealment and thermal protection became less available in favor of areas with higher forage accessibility. Despite the minor influence of bed-site selection on survival, roe deer fawns strongly selected their bed sites according to several environmental factors linked to predator avoidance and thermoregulation. Fawns selected for sites providing concealment, light penetration, and avoided signs of wild boar (Sus scrofa) activity. Avoidance of sites with high light penetration by young fawns positively affected their survival, confirming a negative effect on thermoregulation due to reduced thermal cover. Selection for light penetration by older fawns was less clear. We discuss these results in the context of cross-generational effects in habitat selection across multiple scales, and the potential influence of the 'ghost of predation past'.

Body-mass or sex-biased tick parasitism in roe deer (Capreolus capreolus)? A GAMLSS approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Kiffner, C; Lödige, C; Alings, M; Vor, T; Rühe, F

2011-03-01

Macroparasites feeding on wildlife hosts follow skewed distributions for which basic statistical approaches are of limited use. To predict Ixodes spp. tick burden on roe deer, we applied Generalized Additive Models for Location, Scale and Shape (GAMLSS) which allow incorporating a variable dispersion. We analysed tick burden of 78 roe deer, sampled in a forest region of Germany over a period of 20 months. Assuming a negative binomial error distribution and controlling for ambient temperature, we analysed whether host sex and body mass affected individual tick burdens. Models for larval and nymphal tick burden included host sex, with male hosts being more heavily infested than female ones. However, the influence of host sex on immature tick burden was associated with wide standard errors (nymphs) or the factor was marginally significant (larvae). Adult tick burden was positively correlated with host body mass. Thus, controlled for host body mass and ambient temperature, there is weak support for sex-biased parasitism in this system. Compared with models which assume linear relationships, GAMLSS provided a better fit. Adding a variable dispersion term improved only one of the four models. Yet, the potential of modelling dispersion as a function of variables appears promising for larger datasets. © 2010 The Authors. Medical and Veterinary Entomology © 2010 The Royal Entomological Society.

Multi-Criteria Decision Making For Determining A Simple Model of Supplier Selection

Science.gov (United States)

Harwati

2017-06-01

Supplier selection is a decision with many criteria. Supplier selection model usually involves more than five main criteria and more than 10 sub-criteria. In fact many model includes more than 20 criteria. Too many criteria involved in supplier selection models sometimes make it difficult to apply in many companies. This research focuses on designing supplier selection that easy and simple to be applied in the company. Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) is used to weighting criteria. The analysis results there are four criteria that are easy and simple can be used to select suppliers: Price (weight 0.4) shipment (weight 0.3), quality (weight 0.2) and services (weight 0.1). A real case simulation shows that simple model provides the same decision with a more complex model.

Strategy selection in cue-based decision making.

Science.gov (United States)

Bryant, David J

2014-06-01

People can make use of a range of heuristic and rational, compensatory strategies to perform a multiple-cue judgment task. It has been proposed that people are sensitive to the amount of cognitive effort required to employ decision strategies. Experiment 1 employed a dual-task methodology to investigate whether participants' preference for heuristic versus compensatory decision strategies can be altered by increasing the cognitive demands of the task. As indicated by participants' decision times, a secondary task interfered more with the performance of a heuristic than compensatory decision strategy but did not affect the proportions of participants using either type of strategy. A stimulus set effect suggested that the conjunction of cue salience and cue validity might play a determining role in strategy selection. The results of Experiment 2 indicated that when a perceptually salient cue was also the most valid, the majority of participants preferred a single-cue heuristic strategy. Overall, the results contradict the view that heuristics are more likely to be adopted when a task is made more cognitively demanding. It is argued that people employ 2 learning processes during training, one an associative learning process in which cue-outcome associations are developed by sampling multiple cues, and another that involves the sequential examination of single cues to serve as a basis for a single-cue heuristic.

A model for selecting project team members using multicriteria group decision making

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luciana Hazin Alencar

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Selecting a project team is a complex multi-criteria decision-making problem. For this reason, one appropriate way to tackle such problems involves the use of multi-criteria decision aid methods. However, most of the decisions taken regarding the selection of project teams are made by a group of people. It is this which changes the focus of the problem by moving from one decision-maker (DM to a group of DMs. Analysis needs to be extended in order to consider the preference structure of each individual group member. In this paper, we present a group decision model for project team selection based on a multi-criteria evaluation of the preferences of a client's representatives. It could be applied to any decision problem since it involves a group of decision makers whose preferences diverge little. An application of the model in order to select consultants for a construction project is presented.A seleção da equipe em um projeto é um problema de decisão multicritério. Uma forma apropriada de tratar tais problemas envolve o uso de métodos de apoio multicritério a decisão. Grande parte desses problemas envolve um grupo de decisores. Dessa forma, há uma mudança no foco da decisão de um decisor para um grupo de decisores. A análise deve ser ampliada no intuito de considerar a estrutura de preferência de cada membro do grupo. Nesse artigo, apresentamos um modelo aplicado à seleção de equipe de um projeto baseado na avaliação multicritério das preferências dos representantes do cliente do projeto. Pode ser aplicado a qualquer problema de decisão desde que envolva um grupo de decisores que tenham pequena divergência em relação às suas preferências. Uma aplicação para seleção de parte da equipe de um projeto de construção é apresentada.

Decision support systems in water and wastewater treatment process selection and design: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Hamouda, M A; Anderson, W B; Huck, P M

2009-01-01

The continuously changing drivers of the water treatment industry, embodied by rigorous environmental and health regulations and the challenge of emerging contaminants, necessitates the development of decision support systems for the selection of appropriate treatment trains. This paper explores a systematic approach to developing decision support systems, which includes the analysis of the treatment problem(s), knowledge acquisition and representation, and the identification and evaluation of criteria controlling the selection of optimal treatment systems. The objective of this article is to review approaches and methods used in decision support systems developed to aid in the selection, sequencing of unit processes and design of drinking water, domestic wastewater, and industrial wastewater treatment systems. Not surprisingly, technical considerations were found to dominate the logic of the developed systems. Most of the existing decision-support tools employ heuristic knowledge. It has been determined that there is a need to develop integrated decision support systems that are generic, usable and consider a system analysis approach.

A decision model for energy resource selection in China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Bing; Kocaoglu, Dundar F.; Daim, Tugrul U.; Yang Jiting

2010-01-01

This paper evaluates coal, petroleum, natural gas, nuclear energy and renewable energy resources as energy alternatives for China through use of a hierarchical decision model. The results indicate that although coal is still the major preferred energy alternative, it is followed closely by renewable energy. The sensitivity analysis indicates that the most critical criterion for energy selection is the current energy infrastructure. A hierarchical decision model is used, and expert judgments are quantified, to evaluate the alternatives. Criteria used for the evaluations are availability, current energy infrastructure, price, safety, environmental impacts and social impacts.

Sobre el héroe geminado en Tolstói y Cervantes

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Olga Svetlakova

2016-01-01

Full Text Available A partir del concepto de Bajtín de cronotopo, este trabajo se propone distinguir un dibujo cronotópico particular en la imagen geminada de Pierre/Andréi en Guerra y paz de Tolstói, comparándola con el héroe geminado Sancho/don Quijote de Cervantes. En Pierre y Andréi, así como en don Quijote y Sancho, se correlaciona y se contrapone la voz de todo el ser, que supera por mucho lo humano y lo individual, y también la voz del “yo” singular, distanciado en su pensamiento trágico.

GHL Comfort Hotel Los Héroes. Historia Empresarial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Natalia Álvarez

2008-11-01

Full Text Available En un contexto administrativo, la historia empresarial marca la presencia de un lenguaje en donde se procede a describir, explicar y evaluar la toma de decisiones en el ambiente empresarial. Esta toma de decisiones se convierte entonces en una política, que tomará como base el entorno en el cual se desenvuelve. Es así que resulta imprescindible el comportamiento a nivel interno y externo de la organización, de esta manera se evalúa qué papel juega el control administrativo en la producción, el bienestar y desarrollo no sólo de la empresa, sino además de su personal. En este artículo estableceremos la importancia del análisis y descripción de los procesos claves de éxito que se realizan puntualmente en GHL comfort hotel los héroes, organización que se ha mantenido en el mercado y en su corta vida ha logrando no sólo un posicionamiento, sino además ser una empresa estable e innovadora.

Development of decision support system for employee selection using Adaptive Neuro Fuzzy Inference System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

‘Azzam Abdullah

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The number of children day care is increasing from year to year. Children day care is categorized as service industry that help parents in caring and educate children. This type of service industry plays a substitute for the family at certain hours, usually during work hours. The common problems in this industry is related to the employee performance. Most of employees have a less understanding about the whole job. Some employees only perform a routine task, i.e. feeding, cleaning and putting the child to sleep. The role in educating children is not performed as well as possible. Therefore, the employee selection is an important process to solve a children day care problem. An effective decision support system is required to optimize the employee selection process. Adaptive neuro fuzzy inference system (ANFIS is used to develop the decision support system for employee selection process. The data used to build the system is the historical data of employee selection process in children day care. The data shows the characteristic of job applicant that qualified and not qualified. From that data, the system can perform a learning process and give the right decision. The system is able to provide the right decision with an error of 0,00016249. It means that the decision support system that developed using ANFIS can give the right recommendation for employee selection process.

Reported Influences on Restaurant-Type Food Selection Decision Making in a Grocery Store Chain.

Science.gov (United States)

Bachman, Jessica Lynne; Arigo, Danielle

2018-06-01

To examine food decision-making priorities for restaurant-type foods at grocery stores and determine whether adding calorie information, as required by federal menu labeling laws, affected decision-making priorities. Natural experiment: intervention and control groups with baseline and follow-up. Regional grocery store chain with 9 locations. Participants (n = 393; mean age, 54.8 ± 15.1 years) were primarily women (71%) and Caucasian (95%). Data were collected before and after calorie information was added to restaurant-type foods at 4 intervention locations. Primary influencers of food selection decision making for restaurant-type foods and frequency of use of nutrition information. Quantitative analysis examined the top 3 influencers of food selections and chi-square goodness of fit test determined whether the calorie labeling intervention changed food decision-making priorities. Qualitative data were used to describe responses. Taste, cost, and convenience were the most frequently reported influencers of restaurant-type food selections; 20% of participants rated calories as influential. Calorie labeling did not affect food selection decision making; 16% of participants in intervention stores noticed calorie labels. Qualitative explanations confirmed these findings. Menu labeling laws increase access to calorie information; however, use of this information is limited. Additional interventions are needed to encourage healthier restaurant-type food selections in grocery stores. Copyright © 2018 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Flight distance in roe deer Capreolus capreolus and fallow deer Dama dama as related to hunting and other factors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boer, de H.Y.; Breukelen, van L.; Hootsmans, M.J.M.; Wieren, van S.E.

2004-01-01

Flight distances in roe deer Capreolus capreolus and fallow deer Dama dama with respect to a human observer on foot were measured in four nature reserves in the Netherlands: two dune reserves in the western part (the Amsterdam Water Supply Dunes (AWD) and Kennemerduinen (KD)) and two forested areas

Support System Model for Value based Group Decision on Roof System Selection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christiono Utomo

2011-02-01

Full Text Available A group decision support system is required on a value-based decision because there are different concern caused by differing preferences, experiences, and background. It is to enable each decision-maker to evaluate and rank the solution alternatives before engaging into negotiation with other decision-makers. Stakeholder of multi-criteria decision making problems usually evaluates the alternative solution from different perspective, making it possible to have a dominant solution among the alternatives. Each stakeholder needs to identify the goals that can be optimized and those that can be compromised in order to reach an agreement with other stakeholders. This paper presents group decision model involving three decision-makers on the selection of suitable system for a building’s roof. The objective of the research is to find an agreement options model and coalition algorithms for multi person decision with two main preferences of value which are function and cost. The methodology combines value analysis method using Function Analysis System Technique (FAST; Life Cycle Cost analysis, group decision analysis method based on Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP in a satisfying options, and Game theory-based agent system to develop agreement option and coalition formation for the support system. The support system bridges theoretical gap between automated design in construction domain and automated negotiation in information technology domain by providing a structured methodology which can lead to systematic support system and automated negotiation. It will contribute to value management body of knowledge as an advanced method for creativity and analysis phase, since the practice of this knowledge is teamwork based. In the case of roof system selection, it reveals the start of the first negotiation round. Some of the solutions are not an option because no individual stakeholder or coalition of stakeholders desires to select it. The result indicates

A multi-criteria decision making approach for supplier selection in the flexible packaging industry

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Cristea Ciprian

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The supplier selection problem represents one of the most important components of the supply chain management. This article presents a multiple criteria decision making analysis contributing to the selection of the most convenient supplier in the flexible packaging industry. Due to the fact that in today's supply chain management, the performance of potential suppliers is evaluated against multiple criteria rather than taking into account only the cost factor, the appropriate criteria in the supplier selection have been identified, and the considered variants are assessed, considering the decision maker’s preferences and existing constraints. The variants are ranked in terms of their suitability for selecting a supplier with the use of Electre III method. The results obtained from the simulation experiment suggest that this methodology is a feasible decision support model.

Pengaruh Capital Adequacy Ratio (Car), Loan to Deposit Ratio (Ldr) Dan Bopo Terhadap Profitabilitas (Roa Dan Roe) Bank Persero Indonesia Yang Dipublikasikan Bank Indonesia Periode 2010 – 2015

OpenAIRE

Khoirunnisa, Hani Maulida; Rodhiyah, Rodhiyah; Saryadi, Saryadi

2016-01-01

State-owned banks have involvement with many parties in their business, so the performance maintenance is benecessary to deal with banking risks that may arise. The downward trend in the profitability of state-ownedbanks indicated by Return on Assets (ROA) and Return on Equity (ROE) becomes a problem when the CapitalAdequacy Ratio (CAR), Loan to Deposit Ratio (LDR), and ROA experiencing upward trend.The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of CAR, LDR and ROA on ROA and ROE withe...

To Make Good Decision: A Group DSS for Multiple Criteria Alternative Rank and Selection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chen-Shu Wang

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Decision making is a recursive process and usually involves multiple decision criteria. However, such multiple criteria decision making may have a problem in which partial decision criteria may conflict with each other. An information technology, such as the decision support system (DSS and group DSS (GDSS, emerges to assist decision maker for decision-making process. Both the DSS and GDSS should integrate with a symmetrical approach to assist decision maker to take all decision criteria into consideration simultaneously. This study proposes a GDSS architecture named hybrid decision-making support model (HDMSM and integrated four decision approaches (Delphi, DEMATEL, ANP, and MDS to help decision maker to rank and select appropriate alternatives. The HDMSM consists of five steps, namely, criteria identification, criteria correlation calculation, criteria evaluation, critical criteria selection, and alternative rank and comparison. Finally, to validate the proposed feasibility of the proposed model, this study also conducts a case study to find out the important indexes of corporate social responsibility (CSR from multiple perspectives. As the case study demonstrates the proposed HDMSM enables a group of decision makers to implement the MCDM effectively and help them to analyze the relation and degree of mutual influence among different evaluation factors.

Decision support tool for used oil regeneration technologies assessment and selection.

Science.gov (United States)

Khelifi, Olfa; Dalla Giovanna, Fabio; Vranes, Sanja; Lodolo, Andrea; Miertus, Stanislav

2006-09-01

Regeneration is the most efficient way of managing used oil. It saves money by preventing costly cleanups and liabilities that are associated with mismanagement of used oil, it helps to protect the environment and it produces a technically renewable resource by enabling an indefinite recycling potential. There are a variety of processes and licensors currently offering ways to deal with used oils. Selecting a regeneration technology for used oil involves "cross-matching" key criteria. Therefore, the first prototype of spent oil regeneration (SPORE), a decision support tool, has been developed to help decision-makers to assess the available technologies and select the preferred used oil regeneration options. The analysis is based on technical, economical and environmental criteria. These criteria are ranked to determine their relative importance for a particular used oil regeneration project. The multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) is the core of the SPORE using the PROMETHEE II algorithm.

Reduction in human Lyme neuroborreliosis associated with a major epidemic among roe deer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Nanna Skaarup; Skarphédinsson, Sigurdur; Knudtzen, Fredrikke C

2018-01-01

Lyme neuroborreliosis is the most severe clinical manifestation of Lyme borreliosis. In most of Denmark, and also Europe, the overall prevalence of Lyme borreliosis seems to be stabilising. This is not the case on the island of Funen, Denmark, where the number of human Lyme neuroborreliosis cases...... has markedly declined throughout the last decade. We propose the reason for the decline is a major epidemic among roe deer, killing almost half of their population, resulting in a reduction in the tick population which make it less likely to get a tick bite and therefore to contract Lyme...

Cryopreservation of roe deer abomasal nematodes for morphological identification.

Science.gov (United States)

Beraldo, Paola; Pascotto, Ernesto

2014-02-01

Conventional methods to preserve adult nematodes for taxonomic purposes involve the use of fixative or clearing solutions (alcohol, formaldehyde, AFA and lactophenol), which cause morphological alterations and are toxic. The aim of this study is to propose an alternative method based on glycerol-cryopreservation of nematodes for their subsequent identification. Adults of trichostrongylid nematodes from the abomasum of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus Linnaeus) were glycerol-cryopreserved and compared with those fixed in formaldehyde, fresh and frozen without cryoprotectans. Morphology, transparency and elasticity of the anterior and posterior portion of male nematodes were compared, especially the caudal cuticular bursa and genital accessories. The method presented is quick and easy to use, and the quality of nematode specimens is better than that of nematodes fixed by previously used fixatives. Moreover, glycerol cryopreserved nematodes can be stored for a long time at -20 degrees C in perfect condition and they could be suitable for further analyses, such as histological or ultrastructural examinations.

Spatial distribution of dental fluorosis in roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) from North Bohemia (Czech Republic) and its relationships with environmental factors

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Zemek, František; Heřman, Michal; Kierdorf, H.; Kierdorf, U.; Sedláček, František

2006-01-01

Roč. 370, 2-3 (2006), s. 491-505 ISSN 0048-9697 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60870520 Keywords : biomonitoring * dental fluorosis * environmental pollution * fluoride * GIS * roe deer Subject RIV: EH - Ecology, Behaviour Impact factor: 2.359, year: 2006

Evaluation and selection of decision-making methods to assess landfill mining projects.

Science.gov (United States)

Hermann, Robert; Baumgartner, Rupert J; Vorbach, Stefan; Ragossnig, Arne; Pomberger, Roland

2015-09-01

For the first time in Austria, fundamental technological and economic studies on recovering secondary raw materials from large landfills have been carried out, based on the 'LAMIS - Landfill Mining Austria' pilot project. A main focus of the research - and the subject of this article - was to develop an assessment or decision-making procedure that allows landfill owners to thoroughly examine the feasibility of a landfill mining project in advance. Currently there are no standard procedures that would sufficiently cover all the multiple-criteria requirements. The basic structure of the multiple attribute decision making process was used to narrow down on selection, conceptual design and assessment of suitable procedures. Along with a breakdown into preliminary and main assessment, the entire foundation required was created, such as definitions of requirements to an assessment method, selection and accurate description of the various assessment criteria and classification of the target system for the present 'landfill mining' vs. 'retaining the landfill in after-care' decision-making problem. Based on these studies, cost-utility analysis and the analytical-hierarchy process were selected from the range of multiple attribute decision-making procedures and examined in detail. Overall, both methods have their pros and cons with regard to their use for assessing landfill mining projects. Merging these methods or connecting them with single-criteria decision-making methods (like the net present value method) may turn out to be reasonable and constitute an appropriate assessment method. © The Author(s) 2015.

Hybrid Multicriteria Group Decision Making Method for Information System Project Selection Based on Intuitionistic Fuzzy Theory

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Jian Guo

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Information system (IS project selection is of critical importance to every organization in dynamic competing environment. The aim of this paper is to develop a hybrid multicriteria group decision making approach based on intuitionistic fuzzy theory for IS project selection. The decision makers’ assessment information can be expressed in the form of real numbers, interval-valued numbers, linguistic variables, and intuitionistic fuzzy numbers (IFNs. All these evaluation pieces of information can be transformed to the form of IFNs. Intuitionistic fuzzy weighted averaging (IFWA operator is utilized to aggregate individual opinions of decision makers into a group opinion. Intuitionistic fuzzy entropy is used to obtain the entropy weights of the criteria. TOPSIS method combined with intuitionistic fuzzy set is proposed to select appropriate IS project in group decision making environment. Finally, a numerical example for information system projects selection is given to illustrate application of hybrid multi-criteria group decision making (MCGDM method based on intuitionistic fuzzy theory and TOPSIS method.

Site fidelity of male roe deer in a Mediterranean fragmented area

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Claudia Melis

2004-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract We present data on site fidelity based on 7 adult male roe deer Capreolus capreolus (L., which were studied for two years (March 1999-February 2001 by radiotelemetry. The median site fidelity of roe deer between year 1999-2000 and 2000-2001 was 63%. Throughout the year 2000, the analysis of distance between core areas (50% kernel centres revealed 2 tactics of habitat use by adult males: "annually site-faithful" males, who occupied the same home range over the year and "seasonally site-faithful" males, who moved to a different area during the cold months. Being resident throughout the year could privilege territory holders, already present at the beginning of the territorial season in respect to late-coming males. This supports the view of the "always stay" territorial behaviour, as a "low risk-low gain" strategy maximizing high survival and long tenure. Riassunto Fedeltà al territorio dei maschi di capriolo in un'area mediterranea frammentata Sette maschi adulti di capriolo Capreolus capreolus L. sono stati seguiti per due anni, dal Marzo 1999 al Febbraio 2001, con metodi radiotelemetrici. La sovrapposizione mediana degli home range (fedeltà, fra il 1999-2000 e il 2000-2001, è risultata del 63%. Nel corso del 2000, l'analisi della distanza fra core area (50% kernel ha rivelato due tattiche di uso dell'habitat: "maschi fedeli annualmente", che hanno occupato lo stesso home range durante tutto l'anno, e "maschi fedeli stagionalmente", che si sono spostati in un'area diversa durante i mesi freddi. Essere residente per tutto l'anno potrebbe risultare vantaggioso per i maschi che si trovino già sul posto all'inizio della stagione territoriale, rispetto a maschi che abbiano trascorso l'inverno altrove. Questi risultati concordano con la teoria che i caprioli adottino un comportamento territoriale "permanente", come parte di una strategia a

Recruiter Perceptions of Information that Employment References Should Provide to Assist in Making Selection Decisions

Science.gov (United States)

Evuleocha, Stevina U.; Ugbah, Steve D.; Law, Sweety

2009-01-01

Authors investigated perceptions of campus recruiters (N = 168) in the San Francisco Bay Area regarding the importance of 15 types of information they solicit from job applicants' references in making selection decisions. Results suggest campus recruiters should consider 10 types of information to assist them in making selection decisions. Results…

Multicriteria decision methodology for selecting technical alternatives in the Mixed Waste Integrated Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferrada, J.J.; Berry, J.B.

1993-11-01

The US Department of Energy (DOE) Mixed Waste Integrated Program (MWIP) has as one of its tasks the identification of a decision methodology and key decision criteria for the selection methodology. The aim of a multicriteria analysis is to provide an instrument for a systematic evaluation of distinct alternative projects. Determination of this methodology will clarify (1) the factors used to evaluate these alternatives, (2) the evaluator's view of the importance of the factors, and (3) the relative value of each alternative. The selected methodology must consider the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) decision-making criteria for application to the analysis technology subsystems developed by the DOE Office of Technology Development. This report contains a compilation of several decision methodologies developed in various national laboratories, institutions, and universities. The purpose of these methodologies may vary, but the core of the decision attributes are very similar. Six approaches were briefly analyzed; from these six, in addition to recommendations made by the MWIP technical support group leaders and CERCLA, the final decision methodology was extracted. Slight variations are observed in the many methodologies developed by different groups, but most of the analyzed methodologies address similar aspects for the most part. These common aspects were the core of the methodology suggested in this report for use within MWIP for the selection of technologies. The set of criteria compiled and developed for this report have been grouped in five categories: (1) process effectiveness, (2) developmental status, (3) life-cycle cost, (4) implementability, and (5) regulatory compliance

Hoof Growth Rates of the European Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus for Dating the Hoof’s Isotopic Archive

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Benjamin D. Hafner

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Hooves preserve the isotopic information laid down during their growth and may be used for reconstruction of animal feeding history. To assign certain positions along hooves to corresponding times, growth rates are required. Hoof growth rates are known for domestic animals; however, they cannot be obtained easily in wild animals. We estimated the hoof growth rate of the European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L. by using the immediate drop in δ13C along the hoof as a tag that is assigned to the date of maize (Zea mays L. harvest. Keratin samples were taken each mm along 17 hooves and analyzed for their δ13C. A linear regression between (1 time differences of expected maize harvest to animal death and (2 distances between the points of the δ13C drop to the periople yielded the growth rate. Mean hoof growth rate was 0.122 mm/day (95% CI 0.014 mm/day and 0.365%/day (±0.026%/day of the hoof length and within the range of domestic animals. The method may be applied to determine growth rates of other incrementally growing tissues. Our estimated growth rate fosters dating isotopic information in hooves, facilitating research on feed resources and space use of roe deer.

Multi criteria decision making methods for location selection of distribution centers

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Romita Chakraborty

2013-10-01

Full Text Available In recent years, major challenges such as, increase in inflexible consumer demands and to improve the competitive advantage, it has become necessary for various industrial organizations all over the world to focus on strategies that will help them achieve cost reduction, continual quality improvement, increased customer satisfaction and on time delivery performance. As a result, selection of the most suitable and optimal facility location for a new organization or expansion of an existing location is one of the most important strategic issues, required to fulfill all of these above mentioned objectives. In order to sustain in the global competitive market of 21st century, many industrial organizations have begun to concentrate on the proper selection of the plant site or best facility location. The best location is that which results in higher economic benefits through increased productivity and good distribution network. When a choice is to be made from among several alternative facility locations, it is necessary to compare their performance characteristics in a decisive way. As the facility location selection problem involves multiple conflicting criteria and a finite set of potential candidate alternatives, different multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM methods can be effectively applied to solve such type of problem. In this paper, four well known MCDM methods have been applied on a facility location selection problem and their relative ranking performances are compared. Because of disagreement in the ranks obtained by the four different MCDM methods a final ranking method based on REGIME has been proposed by the authors to facilitate the decision making process.

A decision support tool for sustainable supplier selection in manufacturing firms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ifeyinwa Orji

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Purpose: Most original equipment manufacturers (OEMs are strategically involved in supplier base rationalization and increased consciousness of sustainable development thus, reinforcing need for accurately considering sustainability in supplier selection to improve organizational performance. In real industrial case, imprecise data, ambiguity of human judgment, uncertainty among sustainability factors and the need to capture all subjective and objective criteria are unavoidable and pose huge challenge to accurately incorporate sustainability factors into supplier selection.Methodology: This study develops a model based on integrated multi- criteria decision making (MCDM methods to solve such problems. The developed model applies Fuzzy logic, DEMATEL and TOPSIS to effectively analyze the interdependencies between sustainability criteria and to select the best sustainable supplier in fuzzy environment while capturing all subjective and objective criteria. A case study is illustrated to test the proposed model in a gear manufacturing company, an OEM to provide insights and for practical applications.Findings: Results show that social factors of sustainability ranks as the most important in supplier selection. However, the most influential sustainability sub- criteria are work safety (WS and quality.Originality/Value: The model is capable of capturing all subjective and objective criteria in fuzzy environment to accurately incorporate sustainability factors in supplier selection. It is decision support tool relevant for providing insights to managers while implementing sustainable supplier selection.

Héroes protagónicos y satisfacción en el entretenimiento de los espectadores

OpenAIRE

David Fernando Lozano Treviño

2017-01-01

El presente artículo de investigación analiza la forma en la que las Organizaciones de Producción Cinematográficas elaboran sus personajes principales heroicos para satisfacer las necesidades de entretenimiento de los espectadores. Se define el concepto de héroe analizando los tipos y sus descripciones. Se detallan las características de los mismos y cuáles de éstas tienen más agrado entre los espectadores. Otro objetivo de la presente investigación es proponer estrategias de marketing para a...

Selective attention increases choice certainty in human decision making.

Science.gov (United States)

Zizlsperger, Leopold; Sauvigny, Thomas; Haarmeier, Thomas

2012-01-01

Choice certainty is a probabilistic estimate of past performance and expected outcome. In perceptual decisions the degree of confidence correlates closely with choice accuracy and reaction times, suggesting an intimate relationship to objective performance. Here we show that spatial and feature-based attention increase human subjects' certainty more than accuracy in visual motion discrimination tasks. Our findings demonstrate for the first time a dissociation of choice accuracy and certainty with a significantly stronger influence of voluntary top-down attention on subjective performance measures than on objective performance. These results reveal a so far unknown mechanism of the selection process implemented by attention and suggest a unique biological valence of choice certainty beyond a faithful reflection of the decision process.

Seasonal and altitudinal variation in roe deer (Capreolus pygargus tianschanicus) diet on Jeju Island, South Korea

OpenAIRE

Adhikari, Pradeep; Park, Seon-Mi; Kim, Tae-Wook; Lee, Jun-Won; Kim, Ga-Ram; Han, Sang-Hyun; Oh, Hong-Shik

2016-01-01

In order to understand the feeding ecology and dietary differences of roe deer (Capreolus pygargus tianschanicus) in different seasons and altitudes, this study was carried out at three altitudinal sites (Songdang 250–270 m above sea level (ASL), Aradong 330–370 m ASL, Mt. Hallasan 1100 m ASL) on Jeju Island, South Korea. Altogether, 205 plants taxa of six categories of foods (forbs-climbers, graminoids, trees, shrubs, conifers, and ferns) were identified using morphological and molecular ana...

A simple extension of Roe's scheme for real gases

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arabi, Sina, E-mail: sina.arabi@polymtl.ca; Trépanier, Jean-Yves; Camarero, Ricardo

2017-01-15

The purpose of this paper is to develop a highly accurate numerical algorithm to model real gas flows in local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE). The Euler equations are solved using a finite volume method based on Roe's flux difference splitting scheme including real gas effects. A novel algorithm is proposed to calculate the Jacobian matrix which satisfies the flux difference splitting exactly in the average state for a general equation of state. This algorithm increases the robustness and accuracy of the method, especially around the contact discontinuities and shock waves where the gas properties jump appreciably. The results are compared with an exact solution of the Riemann problem for the shock tube which considers the real gas effects. In addition, the method is applied to a blunt cone to illustrate the capability of the proposed extension in solving two dimensional flows.

A Hybrid Multiple Criteria Decision Making Model for Supplier Selection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chung-Min Wu

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The sustainable supplier selection would be the vital part in the management of a sustainable supply chain. In this study, a hybrid multiple criteria decision making (MCDM model is applied to select optimal supplier. The fuzzy Delphi method, which can lead to better criteria selection, is used to modify criteria. Considering the interdependence among the selection criteria, analytic network process (ANP is then used to obtain their weights. To avoid calculation and additional pairwise comparisons of ANP, a technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS is used to rank the alternatives. The use of a combination of the fuzzy Delphi method, ANP, and TOPSIS, proposing an MCDM model for supplier selection, and applying these to a real case are the unique features of this study.

Partner Selection in a Virtual Enterprise: A Group Multiattribute Decision Model with Weighted Possibilistic Mean Values

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fei Ye

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This paper proposes an extended technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS for partner selection in a virtual enterprise (VE. The imprecise and fuzzy information of the partner candidate and the risk preferences of decision makers are both considered in the group multiattribute decision-making model. The weighted possibilistic mean values are used to handle triangular fuzzy numbers in the fuzzy environment. A ranking procedure for partner candidates is developed to help decision makers with varying risk preferences select the most suitable partners. Numerical examples are presented to reflect the feasibility and efficiency of the proposed TOPSIS. Results show that the varying risk preferences of decision makers play a significant role in the partner selection process in VE under a fuzzy environment.

Rigorously testing multialternative decision field theory against random utility models.

Science.gov (United States)

Berkowitsch, Nicolas A J; Scheibehenne, Benjamin; Rieskamp, Jörg

2014-06-01

Cognitive models of decision making aim to explain the process underlying observed choices. Here, we test a sequential sampling model of decision making, multialternative decision field theory (MDFT; Roe, Busemeyer, & Townsend, 2001), on empirical grounds and compare it against 2 established random utility models of choice: the probit and the logit model. Using a within-subject experimental design, participants in 2 studies repeatedly choose among sets of options (consumer products) described on several attributes. The results of Study 1 showed that all models predicted participants' choices equally well. In Study 2, in which the choice sets were explicitly designed to distinguish the models, MDFT had an advantage in predicting the observed choices. Study 2 further revealed the occurrence of multiple context effects within single participants, indicating an interdependent evaluation of choice options and correlations between different context effects. In sum, the results indicate that sequential sampling models can provide relevant insights into the cognitive process underlying preferential choices and thus can lead to better choice predictions. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Making the Optimal Decision in Selecting Protective Clothing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Price, J. Mark

2008-01-01

Protective Clothing plays a major role in the decommissioning and operation of nuclear facilities. Literally thousands of dress-outs occur over the life of a decommissioning project and during outages at operational plants. In order to make the optimal decision on which type of protective clothing is best suited for the decommissioning or maintenance and repair work on radioactive systems, a number of interrelating factors must be considered. This article discusses these factors as well as surveys of plants regarding their level of usage of single use protective clothing and should help individuals making decisions about protective clothing as it applies to their application. Individuals considering using SUPC should not jump to conclusions. The survey conducted clearly indicates that plants have different drivers. An evaluation should be performed to understand the facility's true drivers for selecting clothing. It is recommended that an interdisciplinary team be formed including representatives from budgets and cost, safety, radwaste, health physics, and key user groups to perform the analysis. The right questions need to be asked and answered by the company providing the clothing to formulate a proper perspective and conclusion. The conclusions and recommendations need to be shared with senior management so that the drivers, expected results, and associated costs are understood and endorsed. In the end, the individual making the recommendation should ask himself/herself: 'Is my decision emotional, or logical and economical?' 'Have I reached the optimal decision for my plant?'

A two-phased multi-criteria decision-making approach for selecting the best smartphone

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yildiz, Aytac

2015-11-01

Full Text Available In the last 20 years, rapid and significant developments have occurred in communication and information technologies. In parallel with these developments, the importance of smartphones has increased. In addition, many smartphone manufacturers have launched and continue to launch a number of new models with many features. People who want to buy a new smartphone have difficulties selecting the best smartphone among the numerous models available on the technology markets. Therefore, smartphone selection has become a complex multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM problem for people. Hence, decision-making processes will be facilitated by using MCDM methods, and these will provide the most appropriate decision. In this paper, the best smartphone among the 28 alternatives determined by the person who will buy them are selected by using three main criteria and 17 sub-criteria with the help of a two-phased MCDM approach. In the first phase, 28 smartphone alternatives are ranked using the analytic network process (ANP. In the second phase, a model that includes the best four alternatives of ANP is created. Afterwards, the best smartphone is selected using the generalised Choquet integral (GCI method according to this model. Finally, the findings and the results are given.

A Multi-criteria neutrosophic group decision making metod based TOPSIS for supplier selection

OpenAIRE

Şahin, Rıdvan; Yiğider, Muhammed

2014-01-01

The process of multiple criteria decision making (MCDM) is of determining the best choice among all of the probable alternatives. The problem of supplier selection on which decision maker has usually vague and imprecise knowledge is a typical example of multi criteria group decision-making problem. The conventional crisp techniques has not much effective for solving MCDM problems because of imprecise or fuzziness nature of the linguistic assessments. To find the exact values for MCDM problems...

Decision Making on Regional Landfill Site Selection in Hormozgan Province Using Smce

Science.gov (United States)

Majedi, A. S.; Kamali, B. M.; Maghsoudi, R.

2015-12-01

Landfill site selection and suitable conditions to bury hazardous wastes are among the most critical issues in modern societies. Taking several factors and limitations into account along with true decision making requires application of different decision techniques. To this end, current paper aims to make decisions about regional landfill site selection in Hormozgan province and utilizes SMCE technique combined with qualitative and quantitative criteria to select the final alternatives. To this respect, we first will describe the existing environmental situation in our study area and set the goals of our study in the framework of SMCE and will analyze the effective factors in regional landfill site selection. Then, methodological procedure of research was conducted using Delphi approach and questionnaires (in order to determine research validity, Chronbach Alpha (0.94) method was used). Spatial multi-criteria analysis model was designed in the form of criteria tree in SMCE using IL WIS software. Prioritization of respective spatial alternatives included: Bandar Abbas city with total 4 spatial alternatives (one zone with 1st priority, one zone with 3rd priority and two zones with 4thpriority) was considered the first priority, Bastak city with total 3 spatial alternatives (one zone with 2nd priority, one zone with 3rdpriorit and one zone with 4th priority) was the second priority and Bandar Abbas, Minab, Jask and Haji Abad cities were considered as the third priority.

A Novel WLAN Roaming Decision and Selection Scheme for Mobile Data Offloading

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Nam Nguyen

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The existing IEEE and 3GPP standards have laid the foundation for integrating cellular and WiFi network to deliver a seamless experience for the end-users when roaming across multiple access networks. However, in recent studies, the issue of making roaming decision and intelligently selecting the most preferable Point of Service to optimize network resource and improve end user’s experience has not been considered properly. In this paper, we propose a novel cellular and WiFi roaming decision and AP selection scheme based on state of the art, 3GPP TS24.312 and IEEE 802.11u, k standards. Our proposed scheme assists the mobile nodes to decide the right timing to make roaming decision and select preferable point of service based on the operator’s policies and real-time network condition. We also introduce our simulation model of a heterogeneous network with cellular and WiFi interworking as well as 3GPP ANDSF, TS24.312. It is a complete end-to-end system model from application to physical layer with considering user’s mobility and realistic traffic model. The proposed scheme outperformed the conventional WiFi selection scheme in terms of dynamically steering mobile node’s data traffic from macrocell to available Access Points. The proposed scheme increased the utilization and balanced the traffic load of access points and improved user’s experienced throughput.

Multicriteria decision group model for the selection of suppliers

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Luciana Hazin Alencar

2008-08-01

Full Text Available Several authors have been studying group decision making over the years, which indicates how relevant it is. This paper presents a multicriteria group decision model based on ELECTRE IV and VIP Analysis methods, to those cases where there is great divergence among the decision makers. This model includes two stages. In the first, the ELECTRE IV method is applied and a collective criteria ranking is obtained. In the second, using criteria ranking, VIP Analysis is applied and the alternatives are selected. To illustrate the model, a numerical application in the context of the selection of suppliers in project management is used. The suppliers that form part of the project team have a crucial role in project management. They are involved in a network of connected activities that can jeopardize the success of the project, if they are not undertaken in an appropriate way. The question tackled is how to select service suppliers for a project on behalf of an enterprise that assists the multiple objectives of the decision-makers.Vários autores têm estudado decisão em grupo nos últimos anos, o que indica a relevância do assunto. Esse artigo apresenta um modelo multicritério de decisão em grupo baseado nos métodos ELECTRE IV e VIP Analysis, adequado aos casos em que se tem uma grande divergência entre os decisores. Esse modelo é composto por dois estágios. No primeiro, o método ELECTRE IV é aplicado e uma ordenação dos critérios é obtida. No próximo estágio, com a ordenação dos critérios, o método VIP Analysis é aplicado e as alternativas são selecionadas. Para ilustrar o modelo, uma aplicação numérica no contexto da seleção de fornecedores em projetos é realizada. Os fornecedores que fazem parte da equipe do projeto têm um papel fundamental no gerenciamento de projetos. Eles estão envolvidos em uma rede de atividades conectadas que, caso não sejam executadas de forma apropriada, podem colocar em risco o sucesso do

Non-performing loans decision making in the Romanian banking system

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Pop Ionuț-Daniel

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Non-Performing Loans (NPLs are representing nowadays one of the main challenges for the banking systems all over the world. Therefore, a sustainable decision-making process should be implemented, for minimizing the effects of credit risk. The current paper uses a dynamic panel regression model to present the determinants of NPLs for the largest five banks of the Romanian Banking System during 2007-2016. A Generalized Method of Moments (GMM regression is used and defined under three different types of variables: bank specific indicators, macroeconomic indicators and qualitative variables. Other studies illustrated also the determinants of NPLs in various banking systems from all around the world, such as Japan, China or several CEE countries (especially the emergent ones. After an in-depth analysis of the literature and Romanian market, the following variables were found to be relevant and were introduced into a dynamic data panel model: unemployment rate, annual average growth rate of gross domestic product, return on equity (ROE, loan to deposit ratio (LTD. The existing literature presents ROE as having a negative impact on NPLs, unemployment rate being positive correlated with NPLs and a negative relationship between economic growth and such loans. Our contribution to the current literature is represented by the introduction of two additional qualitative variables (Board Risk Management Ratio (BRMR, as the proportion of risk managers within the Board of Directors of each bank in question and the Expert Aggregate Priority Vector (EAPV, as the aggregated perceived risk regarding the NPLs. The decision of introducing these variables relies on previous research made in this area, results being validated by experts from the Romanian Banking System, according to the BASEL III and NBR criteria. The results of the current paper are consistent with the existent literature, the correlations and impact of the variables being relevant for the subject

A multicriteria decision making model for assessment and selection of an ERP in a logistics context

Science.gov (United States)

Pereira, Teresa; Ferreira, Fernanda A.

2017-07-01

The aim of this work is to apply a methodology of decision support based on a multicriteria decision analyses (MCDA) model that allows the assessment and selection of an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) in a Portuguese logistics company by Group Decision Maker (GDM). A Decision Support system (DSS) that implements a MCDA - Multicriteria Methodology for the Assessment and Selection of Information Systems / Information Technologies (MMASSI / IT) is used based on its features and facility to change and adapt the model to a given scope. Using this DSS it was obtained the information system that best suited to the decisional context, being this result evaluated through a sensitivity and robustness analysis.

Caracterización del cuidado informal de pacientes dependientes en el policlínico "Héroes de Girón" en el 2009 Characterization of informal care of dependent patients at the polyclinic "Héroes de Girón" in 2009

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Delia Mercedes Herrera Travieso

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Introducción: con el progresivo envejecimiento de la población y la mayor supervivencia de pacientes con enfermedades crónicas y discapacidades, no solo aumenta el número de personas que necesitan cuidados, sino que además existe una mayor exigencia en la prestación de servicios. Objetivo: caracterizar el cuidado informal de pacientes dependientes en el policlínico "Héroes de Girón", en el 2009. Métodos: se realizó un estudio descriptivo, transversal. Se aplicó una encuesta que incluye la entrevista de carga del cuidador. La muestra estuvo constituida por 42 cuidadores informales de pacientes dependientes del policlínico "Héroes de Girón", del municipio Cerro, que corresponde con el total de cuidadores informales del área de salud en el momento del estudio. Resultados: el sexo femenino predominó en los pacientes dependientes 30 (71,43 % y en los cuidadores 35 (83,33 %, 18 (42,86 % de los cuidadores eran esposas, su edad media era de 52 años, fueron amas de casa 17 (40,48 %, y 29 (69,05 % le dedicaba al cuidado más de 12 horas al día. La sobrecarga se presentó en 22 cuidadores (52,38 %. Conclusiones: menos de la mitad de los cuidadores presentó sobrecarga; predominaron las mujeres de 60 años de edad o más (amas de casa, hijas o esposas que dedicaban 12 horas diarias o más ese cuidado. Más del 90 % no ha participado en ningún programa educativo.Introduction: with an aging population and increased survival of patients with chronic diseases and disabilities, the number of people needing care not only increases, but also the provision of services increases in demand. Objective: to characterize the informal care of dependent patients at the polyclinic "Héroes de Girón", in 2009. Methods: we conducted a cross-sectional study. We used a survey including the caregiver burden interview. The sample consisted of 42 caregivers of dependent patients at the polyclinic "Héroes de Girón", Cerro municipality; they correspond to the

A MOORA based fuzzy multi-criteria decision making approach for supply chain strategy selection

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Bijan Sarkar

2012-08-01

Full Text Available To acquire the competitive advantages in order to survive in the global business scenario, modern companies are now facing the problems of selecting key supply chain strategies. Strategy selection becomes difficult as the number of alternatives and conflicting criteria increases. Multi criteria decision making (MCDM methodologies help the supply chain managers take a lead in a complex industrial set-up. The present investigation applies fuzzy MCDM technique entailing multi-objective optimization on the basis of ratio analysis (MOORA in selection of alternatives in a supply chain. The MOORA method is utilized to three suitable numerical examples for the selection of supply chain strategies (warehouse location selection and vendor/supplier selection. The results obtained by using current approach almost match with those of previous research works published in various open journals. The empirical study has demonstrated the simplicity and applicability of this method as a strategic decision making tool in a supply chain.

An Optimization Model For Strategy Decision Support to Select Kind of CPO’s Ship

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Suaibah Nst, Siti; Nababan, Esther; Mawengkang, Herman

2018-01-01

The selection of marine transport for the distribution of crude palm oil (CPO) is one of strategy that can be considered in reducing cost of transport. The cost of CPO’s transport from one area to CPO’s factory located at the port of destination may affect the level of CPO’s prices and the number of demands. In order to maintain the availability of CPO a strategy is required to minimize the cost of transporting. In this study, the strategy used to select kind of charter ships as barge or chemical tanker. This study aims to determine an optimization model for strategy decision support in selecting kind of CPO’s ship by minimizing costs of transport. The select of ship was done randomly, so that two-stage stochastic programming model was used to select the kind of ship. Model can help decision makers to select either barge or chemical tanker to distribute CPO.

A multicriteria decision making approach based on fuzzy theory and credibility mechanism for logistics center location selection.

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Wang, Bowen; Xiong, Haitao; Jiang, Chengrui

2014-01-01

As a hot topic in supply chain management, fuzzy method has been widely used in logistics center location selection to improve the reliability and suitability of the logistics center location selection with respect to the impacts of both qualitative and quantitative factors. However, it does not consider the consistency and the historical assessments accuracy of experts in predecisions. So this paper proposes a multicriteria decision making model based on credibility of decision makers by introducing priority of consistency and historical assessments accuracy mechanism into fuzzy multicriteria decision making approach. In this way, only decision makers who pass the credibility check are qualified to perform the further assessment. Finally, a practical example is analyzed to illustrate how to use the model. The result shows that the fuzzy multicriteria decision making model based on credibility mechanism can improve the reliability and suitability of site selection for the logistics center.

Numerical resolution of a bi-temperature MHD model with a general Ohm's law: Roe solver - Front-tracking - Nonlinear transport equations with discontinuous coefficients. Simulation of a Plasma Opening Switch

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brassier, Stephane

1998-01-01

The Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations represent the coupling between fluid dynamics equations and Maxwell's equations. We consider here a new MHD model with two temperatures. A Roe scheme is first constructed in the one dimensional case, for a multi-species model and a general equation of state. The multidimensional case is treated thanks to the Powell approach. The notion of Roe-Powell matrix, generalization of the notion of Roe matrix for multidimensional MHD, allows us to develop an original scheme on a curvilinear grid. We focus on a second part on the modelling of a Plasma Opening Switch (POS). A front-tracking method is first set up, in order to correctly handle the deformation of the front between the vacuum and the plasma. Besides, by taking into account a general Ohm's law, we have to deal with the Hall effect, which leads to nonlinear transport equations with discontinuous coefficients. Several numerical schemes are proposed and tested on a variety of test cases. This work has allowed us to construct an industrial MHD code, intended to handle complex flows and in particular to correctly simulate the behaviour of the POS. (author) [fr

Reduction in the number of patients with neuroborreliosis, following a significant reduction in roe deer abundance on the island of Funen

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Nanna Skaarup; Moestrup Jensen, Per; Skarphédinson, Sigurdur

and hospitalized with intratecal antibody response to Borrelia Burgdroferi s.l. (A) and/or the diagnosis ICD-10A69.2 Lymes Disease (B), were compared to data from the annual Danish Game Bag Statistic on roe deer(C). Data were analyzed by linear regression modeling using SAS 9,3. Results The data collected from...

Abortion Legalization and Child Living Circumstances: Who is the "Marginal Child?"

OpenAIRE

Jonathan Gruber; Phillip Levine; Douglas Staiger

1997-01-01

We estimate the impact of changes in abortion access in the early 1970s on the average living standards of cohorts born in those years. In particular, we address the selection inherent in the abortion decision: is the marginal child who is not born when abortion access increases more or less disadvantaged than the average child? Legalization of abortion in five states around 1970, followed by legalization nationwide due to the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, generates natural variation which can b...

Cs-137 in roe-deer and other game species in the Federal Republic of Germany, 1986-1992

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fielitz, U.

1993-01-01

The radiocesium contamination of several game species of the Federal Republic in Germany was studied between 1986 - 1987. There were large variations in Cs-137 activity concentration in game meat, depending on it's origin: the minimum measured value was 2 Bq.kg -1 , the maximum was 5400 Bq.kg -1 . The cesium-contamination of roe-deer, which is a good bioindicator, decreases significantly (P -1 , at the investigation site Fuhrberg (Lower Saxony) there were 75 of 600 (13%). (orig.) [de

Temporal dynamics of selective attention and conflict resolution during cross-dimensional go-nogo decisions

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Moschner Carsten

2007-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Decision-making is a fundamental capacity which is crucial to many higher-order psychological functions. We recorded event-related potentials (ERPs during a visual target-identification task that required go-nogo choices. Targets were identified on the basis of cross-dimensional conjunctions of particular colors and forms. Color discriminability was manipulated in three conditions to determine the effects of color distinctiveness on component processes of decision-making. Results Target identification was accompanied by the emergence of prefrontal P2a and P3b. Selection negativity (SN revealed that target-compatible features captured attention more than target-incompatible features, suggesting that intra-dimensional attentional capture was goal-contingent. No changes of cross-dimensional selection priorities were measurable when color discriminability was altered. Peak latencies of the color-related SN provided a chronometric measure of the duration of attention-related neural processing. ERPs recorded over the frontocentral scalp (N2c, P3a revealed that color-overlap distractors, more than form-overlap distractors, required additional late selection. The need for additional response selection induced by color-overlap distractors was severely reduced when color discriminability decreased. Conclusion We propose a simple model of cross-dimensional perceptual decision-making. The temporal synchrony of separate color-related and form-related choices determines whether or not distractor processing includes post-perceptual stages. ERP measures contribute to a comprehensive explanation of the temporal dynamics of component processes of perceptual decision-making.

Simple and rapid determination of 5-nitroimidazoles and metabolites in fish roe samples by salting-out assisted liquid-liquid extraction and UHPLC-MS/MS.

Science.gov (United States)

Hernández-Mesa, Maykel; Cruces-Blanco, Carmen; García-Campaña, Ana M

2018-06-30

A novel multiresidue method is proposed for the determination of 12 5-nitroimidazoles and their metabolites in fish roe samples using UHPLC-MS/MS. A salting-out assisted liquid-liquid extraction procedure was performed prior to sample analysis. The separation of compounds was accomplished using a C18 Zorbax Eclipse Plus column (50 mm × 2.1 mm, 1.8 µm) at 25 °C and a mobile phase consisting of 0.025% (v/v) aqueous formic acid and pure MeOH at a flow rate of 0.5 mL/min. Parameters involved in ionization and fragmentation were also optimized. The method was characterized in terms of linearity (R 2  ≥ 0.9992), extraction efficiency (≥68.9%), repeatability (RSD ≤ 9.8%), reproducibility (RSD ≤ 13.9%) and trueness (recoveries ≥81.4%). Decision limits (CCα) and detection capabilities (CCβ) were obtained in the ranges 0.1-1.0 and 0.2-1.7 µg/kg, respectively. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Farmers’ decision analysis to select certified palm oil seedlings in Lampung, Indonesia

Science.gov (United States)

Utoyo, Bambang; Yolandika, Clara

2018-03-01

This research aimed to analyse (1) decission making process of certified and uncertified palm oil seedlings and (2) factors that influence farmer decision to select certified and uncertified palm oil seedlings. This research was conducted in some districts in Lampung, such as Mesuji, Central Lampung, Tulang Bawang, North Lampung, Way Kanan and South Lampung. The respondents consisted of 30 farmers using certified seeds and 30 farmers using uncertified seeds. The study was conducted from January to May 2017. In addition, factors that influence farmer decision was analysed by logistic regression model. The results showed that decision making on the use of certified or uncertified palm seeds by farmers through the stages: introduction of problems or needs, searching of information, alternative evaluation, purchasing decisions, and post-purchase behaviour. Factors that significantly influence farmer's decision to use certified seeds were land area, seeds price, external influenced, and farmers’ perception.

Reduction in human Lyme neuroborreliosis associated with a major epidemic among roe deer.

Science.gov (United States)

Andersen, Nanna Skaarup; Skarphédinsson, Sigurdur; Knudtzen, Fredrikke C; Olesen, Carsten Riis; Jensen, Thøger Gorm; Jensen, Per Moestrup

2018-02-01

Lyme neuroborreliosis is the most severe clinical manifestation of Lyme borreliosis. In most of Denmark, and also Europe, the overall prevalence of Lyme borreliosis seems to be stabilising. This is not the case on the island of Funen, Denmark, where the number of human Lyme neuroborreliosis cases has markedly declined throughout the last decade. We propose the reason for the decline is a major epidemic among roe deer, killing almost half of their population, resulting in a reduction in the tick population which make it less likely to get a tick bite and therefore to contract Lyme neuroborreliosis. This is the first time such a relationship is described as a naturally occurring phenomenon in Europe. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Study on the Decision-Making Process in Selecting Rail Infrastructure Managers

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Dăneci-Pătrau Daniel

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The current economic context led to a significant decline in job vacancies in parallel with the downsizing numerous organizations were forced to make. Some of them ceased the hiring process as in the case of the national company CFR SA, while those with available positions focus on multiple skills and abilities and expertise exhibited in certain fields. In the context of the research concluded by the author, the identified issue circled around the decision to select the most suitable manager possessing the necessary qualities to participate in a scientific activity within the railway sector. To deliver a scientifically based solution also objectively determined, we built a specific multicriterial tree pattern with utility functions for the professional performances assessment and used the DEXi expert system in view of reaching the optimum version and making the selection decision. This method is our own contribution for the assessment of managers' professional.

OPEN SPATIAL DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM: CASE FOR RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL SITE SELECTION

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Dario Perković

2012-07-01

Full Text Available In recent years the scientific and professional circles frequently discussed about radioactive waste and site selection for radioactive waste disposal. This issue will be further updated with accession of Republic of Croatia to the European Union and the only issue is politicized view of the fact that nuclear power plant Krško Croatia shares with neighbouring Republic of Slovenia. All the necessary studies have been made and these are attended by experts from different areas. Also, all Croatian residents should be familiar with this subject matter in a manner accessible to the general public through all available media. There are some questions: What are the institutions have taken on the issue of informing the public and can it be enough? When selecting a suitable site, with many parameters, the basic element is suitable geological formation, although the landfill must be socially acceptable. Well established methods used in the selection of eligible areas are multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA, geographic information system (GIS and combined GIS-MCDA method. The application of these methods is of great help in making decisions about the location of disposal of radioactive waste. Presentation of results, designed in the form of an open spatial decision support system, could help in education and informing the general public (the paper is published in Croatian.

Multiple criteria decision making with life cycle assessment for material selection of composites

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A. S. Milani

2011-12-01

Full Text Available With the advancement of interdisciplinary approaches in today’s modern engineering, current efforts in optimal design of composites include seeking material selection protocols that can (1 simultaneously consider a series of mechanical/electrical/chemical cost criteria over a set of alternative material options, and (2 closely take into account environmental aspects of final products including recycling and end-of-life disposal options. In this paper, in addition to a review of some recent experimental and methodological advances in the above areas, a new application of multiple criteria decision making (MCDM is presented to deal with decision conflicts often seen among design criteria in composite material selection with the help of life cycle assessment (LCA. To show the application, an illustrative case study on a plastic gear material selection is conducted where the cost, mechanical and thermal properties along with environmental impact criteria are to be satisfied simultaneously. A pure plastic gear is compared to a Polyethylene terephthalate (PET/aluminum-powder composite alternative. Results suggest that simple MCDM models, including a signal-to-noise measure adapted to MCDM in the same case study, can be used to explore both trade-offs and design break-even points in large decision spaces as the decision maker’s perspective over environmental, material performance and cost attributes change during the design process. More advanced topics including the account of material data uncertainties are addressed.

How the risky features of previous selection affect subsequent decision-making: evidence from behavioral and fMRI measures.

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Guangheng; Zhang, Yifen; Xu, Jiaojing; Lin, Xiao; Du, Xiaoxia

2015-01-01

Human decision making is rarely conducted in temporal isolation. It is often biased and affected by environmental variables, particularly prior selections. In this study, we used a task that simulates a real gambling process to explore the effect of the risky features of a previous selection on subsequent decision making. Compared with decision making after an advantageous risk-taking situation (Risk_Adv), that after a disadvantageous risk-taking situation (Risk_Disadv) is associated with a longer response time (RT, the time spent in making decisions) and higher brain activations in the caudate and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Compared with decisions after Risk_Adv, those after Risk_Disadv in loss trials are associated with higher brain activations in the left superior temporal gyrus (STG) and the precuneus. Brain activity and relevant RTs significantly correlated. Overall, people who experience disadvantageous risk-taking selections tend to focus on current decision making and engage cognitive endeavors in value evaluation and in the regulation of their risk-taking behaviors during decision making.

A COPRAS-F base multi-criteria group decision making approach for site selection of wind farm

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Nikhil Chandra Chatterjee

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Today global warming is on the rise and the natural resources are getting consumed at a faster rate. Power consumption has increased many folds to cater the human need. Thus renewable energy resources are the only option available at this juncture. Wind energy is one of the renewable energy. Location selection for wind farm takes an important role on power generation. However, the location selection is a complex multicriteria problem due to the criteria factors which are conflicting in nature as well as uncertain. The process becomes more complex when a group of decision makers are involved in decision making. In the present study, a COPRAS (COmplex PRoportional ASsessment based multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM methodology is done under fuzzy environment with the help of multiple decision makers. More specifically, this study is aimed to focus the applicability of COPRAS-F as a strategic decision making tools to handle the group decision-making problems.

Application Of Decision Tree Approach To Student Selection Model- A Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Harwati; Sudiya, Amby

2016-01-01

The main purpose of the institution is to provide quality education to the students and to improve the quality of managerial decisions. One of the ways to improve the quality of students is to arrange the selection of new students with a more selective. This research takes the case in the selection of new students at Islamic University of Indonesia, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. One of the university's selection is through filtering administrative selection based on the records of prospective students at the high school without paper testing. Currently, that kind of selection does not yet has a standard model and criteria. Selection is only done by comparing candidate application file, so the subjectivity of assessment is very possible to happen because of the lack standard criteria that can differentiate the quality of students from one another. By applying data mining techniques classification, can be built a model selection for new students which includes criteria to certain standards such as the area of origin, the status of the school, the average value and so on. These criteria are determined by using rules that appear based on the classification of the academic achievement (GPA) of the students in previous years who entered the university through the same way. The decision tree method with C4.5 algorithm is used here. The results show that students are given priority for admission is that meet the following criteria: came from the island of Java, public school, majoring in science, an average value above 75, and have at least one achievement during their study in high school.

PENGARUH EARNING PER SHARE (EPS, DEBT TO EQUITY RATIO (DER DAN RETURN ON EQUITY (ROE TERHADAP HARGA SAHAM (Studi Empiris Pada Perusahaan Manufaktur yang Terdaftar di Bursa Efek Indonesia Tahun 2007-2011

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Arum Desmawati Murni Mussalamah

2016-08-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study is to test the effect of Earning Per Share (EPS, Debt to Equity Ratio (DER, and Return On Equity (ROE to stock price. This study was chosen because there were still differences between one study and another. There was also distinct condition between theory and the reality. This study was conducted using secondary data. Samples were taken using purposive sampling technic. From one hundred and twenty manufacture company, sixty were chosen due to its complete financial report from 2007-2011. The analysis methods used for this study is double linier regression analysis. Using regression analysis,it was showed that Earning Per Share (EPS had a positive and significant effect, Debt to Equity Ratio (DER had a negative dan significant effect, meanwhile Return On Equity (ROE had a positive and significant effect to stock price. Taken together, it was showed that 90,4% variation and stock price could be described by EPS, DER and ROE variable.The rest (9,6% could be described by other variables outside the model.

Towards the Significance of Decision Aid in Building Information Modeling (BIM Software Selection Process

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Omar Mohd Faizal

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Building Information Modeling (BIM has been considered as a solution in construction industry to numerous problems such as delays, increased lead in times and increased costs. This is due to the concept and characteristic of BIM that will reshaped the way construction project teams work together to increase productivity and improve the final project outcomes (cost, time, quality, safety, functionality, maintainability, etc.. As a result, the construction industry has witnesses numerous of BIM software available in market. Each of this software has offers different function, features. Furthermore, the adoption of BIM required high investment on software, hardware and also training expenses. Thus, there is indentified that there is a need of decision aid for appropriated BIM software selection that fulfill the project needs. However, research indicates that there is limited study attempt to guide decision in BIM software selection problem. Thus, this paper highlight the importance of decision making and support for BIM software selection as it is vital to increase productivity, construction project throughout building lifecycle.

The multi-objective decision making methods based on MULTIMOORA and MOOSRA for the laptop selection problem

Science.gov (United States)

Aytaç Adalı, Esra; Tuş Işık, Ayşegül

2017-06-01

A decision making process requires the values of conflicting objectives for alternatives and the selection of the best alternative according to the needs of decision makers. Multi-objective optimization methods may provide solution for this selection. In this paper it is aimed to present the laptop selection problem based on MOORA plus full multiplicative form (MULTIMOORA) and multi-objective optimization on the basis of simple ratio analysis (MOOSRA) which are relatively new multi-objective optimization methods. The novelty of this paper is solving this problem with the MULTIMOORA and MOOSRA methods for the first time.

A Novel WLAN Roaming Decision and Selection Scheme for Mobile Data Offloading

OpenAIRE

Nguyen, Nam; Arifuzzaman, Mohammad; Sato, Takuro

2015-01-01

The existing IEEE and 3GPP standards have laid the foundation for integrating cellular and WiFi network to deliver a seamless experience for the end-users when roaming across multiple access networks. However, in recent studies, the issue of making roaming decision and intelligently selecting the most preferable Point of Service to optimize network resource and improve end user’s experience has not been considered properly. In this paper, we propose a novel cellular and WiFi roaming decision ...

Effects of Organizational Citizenship Behaviors on Selection Decisions in Employment Interviews

Science.gov (United States)

Podsakoff, Nathan P.; Whiting, Steven W.; Podsakoff, Philip M.; Mishra, Paresh

2011-01-01

This article reports on an experiment examining the effects of job candidates' propensity to exhibit organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs) on selection decisions made in the context of a job interview. We developed videos that manipulated candidate responses to interview questions tapping task performance and citizenship behavior content in…

Threat and Selective Exposure: The Moderating Role of Threat and Decision Context on Confirmatory Information Search after Decisions

Science.gov (United States)

Fischer, Peter; Kastenmuller, Andreas; Greitemeyer, Tobias; Fischer, Julia; Frey, Dieter; Crelley, David

2011-01-01

Previous studies on the impact of perceived threat on confirmatory information search (selective exposure) in the context of decision making have yielded mixed results. Some studies have suggested that confirmatory information search is reduced, yet others have found contradictory effects. The present series of 5 studies consistently found that…

Decision framework of photovoltaic module selection under interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Long, Shengping; Geng, Shuai

2015-01-01

Highlights: • The evaluation index system is set by the engineering and supply chain perspectives. • The interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy set (IVIFS) to express the performances. • The IVIFS entropy weight method is applied to improve the objectivity of weights. - Abstract: The selection of appropriate photovoltaic module is of extremely high importance for the solar power station project; however the comprehensive problem of evaluation index system, the information loss problem and the lack-objectivity problem in the selection process will decrease the reasonability of the selection result. The innovation points of this paper are as follows: first, the comprehensive evaluation index system of photovoltaic module is established from the engineering management and supply chain management perspectives to solve the comprehensive problem; second, the interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy set (IVIFS) are introduced into the photovoltaic modules selection process to express the alternatives’ performances to solve the information loss problem; third, the IVIFS entropy weight method is applied to improve the objectivity of the criteria’s weights. According to the aforementioned solutions, the decision framework of photovoltaic module selection under interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy environment are established and used in a case study to demonstrate its effectiveness. Therefore, from the theoretical modeling and empirical demonstration, the decision framework proposed in this paper can effectively handle such a complicated problem and lead to an outstanding result.

Current Debates on Variability in Child Welfare Decision-Making: A Selected Literature Review

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Emily Keddell

2014-11-01

Full Text Available This article considers selected drivers of decision variability in child welfare decision-making and explores current debates in relation to these drivers. Covering the related influences of national orientation, risk and responsibility, inequality and poverty, evidence-based practice, constructions of abuse and its causes, domestic violence and cognitive processes, it discusses the literature in regards to how each of these influences decision variability. It situates these debates in relation to the ethical issue of variability and the equity issues that variability raises. I propose that despite the ecological complexity that drives decision variability, that improving internal (within-country decision consistency is still a valid goal. It may be that the use of annotated case examples, kind learning systems, and continued commitments to the social justice issues of inequality and individualisation can contribute to this goal.

The application of a selection of decision-making techniques by employees in a transport work environment in conjunction with their perceived decision-making success and practice

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Theuns F.J. Oosthuizen

2014-03-01

Full Text Available A lack of optimum selection and application of decision-making techniques, in conjunction with suitable decision-making practice and perception of employees in a transport work environment demands attention to improve overall performance. Although multiple decision-making techniques exist, five prevalent techniques were considered in this article, namely the Kepner-Tregoe, Delphi, stepladder, nominal group and brainstorming techniques. A descriptive research design was followed, using an empirical survey which was conducted among 210 workers employed in a transport work environment and studying in the field of transport management. The purpose was to establish to what extent the five decision-making techniques are used in their work environment and furthermore how the decision-making practice of using gut-feel and/or a step-by-step decision-making process and their perception of their decision-making success relate. The research confirmed that the use of decision-making techniques is correlated to perceived decision-making success. Furthermore, the Kepner-Tregoe, stepladder, Delphi and brainstorming techniques are associated with a step-by-step decision-making process. No significant association was confirmed between the use of gut-feel and decision-making techniques. Brainstorming was found to be the technique most frequently used by transport employees; however, it has limitations as a comprehensive decision-making technique. Employees working in a transport work environment need training in order to select and use the four comprehensive decision-making techniques.

Multi-criteria decision making on selection of solar–wind hybrid power station location: A case of China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yunna, Wu; Geng, Shuai

2014-01-01

Highlights: • We summarize the evaluation attributes from the perspective of project management. • The duties of roles are defined in the decision process. • The decision framework can provide various rankings of alternatives. • A China’s solar–wind hybrid power station location selection case is study. - Abstract: Site selection plays an important role in the entire life cycle of solar–wind hybrid power station (SWHPS) project and is worthy to further study. There are problems in the present researches: first, the SWHPS site evaluation results are difficult to be understood by the project managers due to the evaluations of SWHPS site are few from the perspective of project management. Second, the independence of experts is difficult to be protected since the undefined duties of roles in the evaluation process Third, the project managers cannot consider the alternatives thoroughly because that the evaluation result is single. Hence the innovativeness of this paper is as follows: first, the evaluation attributes of SWHPS site selection are summarized from the perspective of project management; second, the duties of roles in the decision process are defined; third, according to the principle of practicality, a decision framework of SWHPS site selection is built based on the analytic hierarchy process method, the merits of this decision framework are that it can provide various rankings of alternatives and is easy to be used. Finally, a case study of China demonstrates the effectiveness of decision framework

Barium concentration in cast roe deer antlers related to air pollution caused by burning of barium-enriched coals in southern Poland.

Science.gov (United States)

Jabłońska, M; Kramarczyk, M; Smieja-Król, B; Janeczek, J

2016-03-01

Concentrations of Ba, Zn, Pb, Fe, and Mn were determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy in freshly cast antlers from male roe deer of different ages (2 to 4 years old and older than 4 years) collected in Balin near Chrzanów and in the vicinity of Żywiec, S Poland. Barium content ranged from 124 to 196 ppm (mean 165 ppm) in the Balin 12 samples and from 207 to 351 ppm (mean 287 ppm) in 3 antlers from Żywiec. The concentration of Ba was comparable to that of Zn (134-275 ppm, mean 169 ppm). Elevated concentrations of Ba in antlers most probably originated from direct uptake of airborne barite nanocrystals through the respiratory system and/or by digestion of barite-rich dust particles deposited on plants. Burning of Ba-enriched coals is regarded as the principal source of Ba in the investigated areas inhabited by roe deer. Increased concentrations of Ba in antlers from the Żywiec area compared to Balin reflect particularly high air pollution caused by coal-burning mostly for domestic purposes combined with an unfavorable topography that impedes efficient air circulation.

Analysis of Low Appropriateness Score Exam Trends in Decision Support-based Radiology Order Entry System.

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, Supriya; Klein, Kandace; Singh, Anand H; Thrall, James H

2017-05-01

Awareness of imaging utilization increased after implementation of Radiology Order Entry with decision support systems (ROE-DS). Our hypothesis is few exams with low Clinical Appropriateness Score (CAS) on ROE-DS are performed. Clinical indications of exams with CAS less than 3 (9-point scale) were re-reviewed and reports analyzed. Structured Query Language-based query retrieved exams with CAS less than 3 in ROE-DS from January 2007 to December 2011. Reasons provided by physicians for ordering these exams and reports of exams performed were analyzed. For each indication, number of exams ordered and performed was calculated. Statistical significance was assessed using Student's t test and χ 2 analysis (P < .05). From 445,984 exams, 12,615 exams (2.8%) had CAS less than 3, and 7,956 exams (63%) were performed. Reasons for ordering of 12,615 low CAS exams were as follows: Requests by physician specialists without further explanation (4,516 = 35.8%), notation of special clinical circumstances (2,877 = 22.8%), requests by nonphysician staff without further explanation (1,383 = 10.9%), absence of suspected finding on previous modality (1,099 = 8.7%), patient preference (737 = 5.8%), and requests based on radiologists' recommendations (706 = 5.6%). Difference between male and female (male < female) preferences for low CAS exams was statistically significant (P < .01). Imaging outcome was highest for extremity MRI cases (66.7%; P < .01). Less than 3% of exams ordered had low CAS and about two-thirds of these were performed. Most common indication for ordering these exams was physician specialist request based on opinion of medical necessity without specification. Extremity MRI constituted the highest positive findings for low CAS exams performed. Published by Elsevier Inc.

A hybrid method for information technology selection combining multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) with technology roadmapping

OpenAIRE

García Mejía, Jaime Andrés

2013-01-01

Abstract: Strategic information technology (IT) management has been recognized as vital for achieving competitive advantage. IT selection, the process of choosing the best technology alternative from a number of available options, is an important part of IT management. The IT selection is a multi-criteria decision making process, where relative importance of each criterion is determined and the degree of satisfaction of every criterion from each alternative is evaluated. Decision makers (DMs)...

A Novel Approach to Site Selection: Collaborative Multi-Criteria Decision Making through Geo-Social Network (Case Study: Public Parking

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Zeinab Neisani Samani

2018-03-01

Full Text Available There are many potential factors that are involved in the decision making process of site selection, which makes it a challenging issue. This paper addresses the collaborative decision making concept through a geo-social network to predict site selection for public parking in Tehran, Iran. The presented approach utilized the analytic hierarchy process (AHP as a multi-criteria decision method (MCDM for weighting the criteria, which was completed in two stages; once by 50 experts, and then by three different levels of users, including 50 experts, 25 urban managers, and 150 pubic citizens, with respect to the case study area. The fuzzy majority method aggregates the archived results of AHP to determine the preferred locations that are suitable for public parking. The proposed method was implemented using a telegram bot platform. Two main advantages of the collaborative decision making scenario for public urban site selection are the fair distribution of the selected locations and the high satisfaction of users, which increased from 65% to 85%. This study presents an application for site selection based on multi-criteria decision making in a geo-social network context.

DECISION SUPPORT CONCEPT TO MANAGEMENT OF CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS - PROBLEM OF CONSTRUCTION SITE SELECTION

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Nikša Jajac

2013-02-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to present Decision Support Concept (DSC for management of construction projects. Focus of our research is in application of multicritera methods (MCM to decision making in planning phase of construction projects (related to the problem of construction sites selection. The problem is identified as a significant one from many different aspects such as economic aspect, civil engineering aspect, etc. what indicates the necessity for evaluation of multiple sites by several different criteria. Therefore, DSC for construction site selection based on PROMETHEE method is designed. In order to define the appropriate criteria, their weights and preference functions for the concept, three groups of stakeholders are involved (investors, construction experts and experts for real estate market in its design. AHP method has been used for determination of criteria weights. The model has been tested on the problem of site selection for construction of residential-commercial building in four largest cities in Croatia.

Six Sigma Project Selection Using Fuzzy TOPSIS Decision Making Approach

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Rajeev Rathi

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Six Sigma is considered as a logical business strategy that attempts to identify and eliminate the defects or failures for improving the quality of product and processes. A decision on project selection in Six Sigma is always very critical; it plays a key role in successful implementation of Six Sigma. Selection of a right Six Sigma project is essentially important for an automotive company because it greatly influences the manufacturing costs. This paper discusses an approach for right Six Sigma project selection at an automotive industry using fuzzy logic based TOPSIS method. The fuzzy TOPSIS is a well recognized tool to undertake the fuzziness of the data involved in choosing the right preferences. In this context, evaluation criteria have been designed for selection of best alternative. The weights of evaluation criteria are calculated by using the MDL (modified digital logic method and final ranking is calculated through priority index obtained by using fuzzy TOPSIS method. In the selected case study, this approach has rightly helped to identify the right project for implementing Six Sigma for achieving improvement in productivity.

PROJECT W-551 INTERIM PRETREATMENT SYSTEM TECHNOLOGY SELECTION SUMMARY DECISION REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

CONRAD EA

2008-01-01

This report provides the conclusions of the tank farm interim pretreatment technology decision process. It documents the methodology, data, and results of the selection of cross-flow filtration and ion exchange technologies for implementation in project W-551, Interim Pretreatment System. This selection resulted from the evaluation of specific scope criteria using quantitative and qualitative analyses, group workshops, and technical expert personnel

Testing Cort-Fitness and Cort-Adaptation hypotheses in a habitat suitability gradient for roe deer

Science.gov (United States)

Escribano-Avila, Gema; Pettorelli, Nathalie; Virgós, Emilio; Lara-Romero, Carlos; Lozano, Jorge; Barja, Isabel; Cuadra, Felipe S.; Puerta, Marisa

2013-11-01

According to the Cort-Fitness Hypothesis, higher stress levels (glucocorticoids) in vertebrates are correlated to lower fitness. However, recent studies have failed to validate this hypothesis. A proposed wider framework suggests that reproduction can be perceived as an overload adds up to other environmental challenges that individuals must adjust to. In this case, elevated glucocorticoids could help individuals to allocate resources to reproduction without comprising other functions, leading to the expectation of a positive cort-fitness relationship. This has been proposed as the Cort-Adaptation Hypothesis. Stress levels result from a complex interaction between the environment and the neuroendocrine system of animals. Accounting for physiological functions involved in how animals cope with their environment would help to clarify the relationship between glucocorticoids and animal performance. We used roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) inhabiting diverse habitats in the Iberian Peninsula to: i) test the Cort-Fitness and Cort-Adaptation hypotheses by indexing fitness using a comprehensive physiological approach which takes into account fundamental physiological functions and their trade-offs; and ii) evaluate the link between primary productivity and individuals' condition in a seasonal environment. We evaluated spatial and temporal variation in stress levels, reproductive hormone levels, nutritional status and immune function from fecal samples collected in 2010. Lower stress levels were related to better condition in non-reproductive seasons but not to higher primary productivity. In contrast, stress levels were always positively related to reproductive condition, which was better in most productive habitats. Summer and winter were the less productive seasons and the more challenging for the species in the habitat gradient studied. In winter, reproductive condition traded off against immune function being biased toward immune function in less productive habitats. In

A competitive interaction theory of attentional selection and decision making in brief, multielement displays.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Philip L; Sewell, David K

2013-07-01

We generalize the integrated system model of Smith and Ratcliff (2009) to obtain a new theory of attentional selection in brief, multielement visual displays. The theory proposes that attentional selection occurs via competitive interactions among detectors that signal the presence of task-relevant features at particular display locations. The outcome of the competition, together with attention, determines which stimuli are selected into visual short-term memory (VSTM). Decisions about the contents of VSTM are made by a diffusion-process decision stage. The selection process is modeled by coupled systems of shunting equations, which perform gated where-on-what pathway VSTM selection. The theory provides a computational account of key findings from attention tasks with near-threshold stimuli. These are (a) the success of the MAX model of visual search and spatial cuing, (b) the distractor homogeneity effect, (c) the double-target detection deficit, (d) redundancy costs in the post-stimulus probe task, (e) the joint item and information capacity limits of VSTM, and (f) the object-based nature of attentional selection. We argue that these phenomena are all manifestations of an underlying competitive VSTM selection process, which arise as a natural consequence of our theory. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Stormwater Decision Support Tools for Infrastructure Selection and the Barriers to Implementation

Science.gov (United States)

Spahr, K.; Hogue, T. S.

2016-12-01

Selecting the most appropriate green, gray, and / or hybrid system for stormwater treatment and conveyance can prove challenging to decision markers across all scales, from site managers to large municipalities. To help streamline the selection process, a multi-disciplinary team of academics and professionals is developing an industry standard for selecting and evaluating the most appropriate stormwater management technology for different regions. To make the tool more robust and comprehensive, life-cycle cost assessment and optimization modules will be included to evaluate non-monetized and ecosystem benefits of selected technologies. Initial work includes surveying advisory board members based in cities that use existing decision support tools in their infrastructure planning process. These surveys will qualify the decisions currently being made and identify challenges within the current planning process across a range of hydroclimatic regions and city size. Analysis of social and other non-technical barriers to adoption of the existing tools is also being performed, with identification of regional differences and institutional challenges. Surveys will also gage the regional appropriateness of certain stormwater technologies based off experiences in implementing stormwater treatment and conveyance plans. In additional to compiling qualitative data on existing decision support tools, a technical review of components of the decision support tool used will be performed. Gaps in each tool's analysis, like the lack of certain critical functionalities, will be identified and ease of use will be evaluated. Conclusions drawn from both the qualitative and quantitative analyses will be used to inform the development of the new decision support tool and its eventual dissemination.

A new spatial multi-criteria decision support tool for site selection for implementation of managed aquifer recharge.

Science.gov (United States)

Rahman, M Azizur; Rusteberg, Bernd; Gogu, R C; Lobo Ferreira, J P; Sauter, Martin

2012-05-30

This study reports the development of a new spatial multi-criteria decision analysis (SMCDA) software tool for selecting suitable sites for Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) systems. The new SMCDA software tool functions based on the combination of existing multi-criteria evaluation methods with modern decision analysis techniques. More specifically, non-compensatory screening, criteria standardization and weighting, and Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) have been combined with Weighted Linear Combination (WLC) and Ordered Weighted Averaging (OWA). This SMCDA tool may be implemented with a wide range of decision maker's preferences. The tool's user-friendly interface helps guide the decision maker through the sequential steps for site selection, those steps namely being constraint mapping, criteria hierarchy, criteria standardization and weighting, and criteria overlay. The tool offers some predetermined default criteria and standard methods to increase the trade-off between ease-of-use and efficiency. Integrated into ArcGIS, the tool has the advantage of using GIS tools for spatial analysis, and herein data may be processed and displayed. The tool is non-site specific, adaptive, and comprehensive, and may be applied to any type of site-selection problem. For demonstrating the robustness of the new tool, a case study was planned and executed at Algarve Region, Portugal. The efficiency of the SMCDA tool in the decision making process for selecting suitable sites for MAR was also demonstrated. Specific aspects of the tool such as built-in default criteria, explicit decision steps, and flexibility in choosing different options were key features, which benefited the study. The new SMCDA tool can be augmented by groundwater flow and transport modeling so as to achieve a more comprehensive approach to the selection process for the best locations of the MAR infiltration basins, as well as the locations of recovery wells and areas of groundwater protection. The new spatial

SOME FEATURES of the DISTRIBUTION, OCCURRENCE and behavior of ROE DEER (Capreolus capreolus l. 1758., Cervidae in the MOUNTAINOUS PART of the REPUBLIC of CHECHNYA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hussein Junuzovic Andrianov

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The subject of this article is the study of certain characteristics of the distribution and abundance of the Caucasus subspecies of European roe deer in the Chechen Republic. The purpose of this study is to analyze the most characteristic features of the species biology and ecology, Adaptive conduct. Methods. Direct observation methods used, the collection traces activity and accounting numbers. The results. The article presents the results of long-term observations of Roe in the Chechen Republic in different seasons of the year. Data on the distribution and characteristics of the region, the distribution of habitats. Discusses the results of reproduction and food species, seasonal cikle of life and some features of behaviour in terms of the Republic. Field of application. The research results can be used to develop measures for the preservation and restoration of the main hunting-fishing species of the Chechen Republic, in carrying out biotechnical activities on hunting farms.

Identification and changes in the seasonal concentrations of heat shock proteins in roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) epididymides.

Science.gov (United States)

Majewska, A M; Kordan, W; Koziorowska-Gilun, M; Wysocki, P

2017-02-01

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) act as molecular chaperones with important regulatory functions. HSPs are considered to be essential factors in animal reproduction. In view of seasonal variations in the secretory activity of the reproductive tract of mature roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), the aims of this study were to identify HSPs in the epididymides and compare the expression of the identified proteins in three periods of the reproductive season. Two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed the highest number of polypeptides in homogenates of epididymal tissues and in caput, corpus and cauda epididymal fluids throughout the reproductive season. Epididymal tissue homogenates and epididymal fluids were analysed by tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) to reveal 31 polypeptides with enzymatic activity, including polypeptides with antioxidant properties, structural and cell signalling functions. Moreover, among the identified polypeptides, five of them were similar to heat shock proteins: endoplasmin (Grp94); heat shock protein 90 kDa (HSP90); 78-kDa glucose-regulated protein (Grp78); chain A, the crystal structure of the human HSP70 ATPase domain and heat shock protein beta-1 isoform X. The concentrations of the analysed polypeptides, expressed in optical density units (ODU), differed significantly (p ≤ .05) across the examined periods of the reproductive season. The highest ODU values for almost all analysed proteins were observed during the rutting period. The presence of HSPs in the epididymal tissues and fluids of roe deer in different periods of the reproductive season could indicate that those proteins play an important role in sperm maturation in the epididymis. © 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Blind Man's Bluff: Instructional Leadership, Teacher Selection and Rational Decision-Making.

Science.gov (United States)

Mertz, Norma T.; McNeely, Sonja R.

Little research has been done to discover the process of selection of teachers by principals. This paper reports the results of a small study in which 29 principals in 11 districts in Tennessee were interviewed to determine the process used to hire a teacher, with the results analyzed for instructional leadership and rational decision making. If…

Multi-criteria decision making on strategic selection of wind farms

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Amy H.I. [Department of Industrial Engineering and System Management, Chung Hua University, Hsinchu (China); Chen, Hsing Hung [Faculty of Management and Administration, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa (Macau); Kang, He-Yau [Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, National Chin-Yi University of Technology, Taiping, Taichung (China)

2009-01-15

With maturity of advanced technologies and urgent requirement for maintaining a healthy environment with reasonable price, China is moving toward a trend of generating electricity from renewable wind resources. How to select a suitable wind farm becomes an important focus for stakeholders. This paper first briefly introduces wind farm and then develops its critical success criteria. A new multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) model, based on the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) associated with benefits, opportunities, costs and risks (BOCR), is proposed to help select a suitable wind farm project. Multiple factors that affect the success of wind farm operations are analyzed by taking into account experts' opinions, and a performance ranking of the wind farms is generated. (author)

Selecting essential information for biosurveillance--a multi-criteria decision analysis.

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Nicholas Generous

Full Text Available The National Strategy for Biosurveillance defines biosurveillance as "the process of gathering, integrating, interpreting, and communicating essential information related to all-hazards threats or disease activity affecting human, animal, or plant health to achieve early detection and warning, contribute to overall situational awareness of the health aspects of an incident, and to enable better decision-making at all levels." However, the strategy does not specify how "essential information" is to be identified and integrated into the current biosurveillance enterprise, or what the metrics qualify information as being "essential". The question of data stream identification and selection requires a structured methodology that can systematically evaluate the tradeoffs between the many criteria that need to be taken in account. Multi-Attribute Utility Theory, a type of multi-criteria decision analysis, can provide a well-defined, structured approach that can offer solutions to this problem. While the use of Multi-Attribute Utility Theoryas a practical method to apply formal scientific decision theoretical approaches to complex, multi-criteria problems has been demonstrated in a variety of fields, this method has never been applied to decision support in biosurveillance.We have developed a formalized decision support analytic framework that can facilitate identification of "essential information" for use in biosurveillance systems or processes and we offer this framework to the global BSV community as a tool for optimizing the BSV enterprise. To demonstrate utility, we applied the framework to the problem of evaluating data streams for use in an integrated global infectious disease surveillance system.

Acute Stress Induces Selective Alterations in Cost/Benefit Decision-Making

Science.gov (United States)

Shafiei, Naghmeh; Gray, Megan; Viau, Victor; Floresco, Stan B

2012-01-01

Acute stress can exert beneficial or detrimental effects on different forms of cognition. In the present study, we assessed the effects of acute restraint stress on different forms of cost/benefit decision-making, and some of the hormonal and neurochemical mechanisms that may underlie these effects. Effort-based decision-making was assessed where rats chose between a low effort/reward (1 press=2 pellets) or high effort/reward option (4 pellets), with the effort requirement increasing over 4 blocks of trials (2, 5, 10, and 20 lever presses). Restraint stress for 1 h decreased preference for the more costly reward and induced longer choice latencies. Control experiments revealed that the effects on decision-making were not mediated by general reductions in motivation or preference for larger rewards. In contrast, acute stress did not affect delay-discounting, when rats chose between a small/immediate vs larger/delayed reward. The effects of stress on decision-making were not mimicked by treatment with physiological doses of corticosterone (1–3 mg/kg). Blockade of dopamine receptors with flupenthixol (0.25 mg/kg) before restraint did not attenuate stress-induced effects on effort-related choice, but abolished effects on choice latencies. These data suggest that acute stress interferes somewhat selectively with cost/benefit evaluations concerning effort costs. These effects do not appear to be mediated solely by enhanced glucocorticoid activity, whereas dopaminergic activation may contribute to increased deliberation times induced by stress. These findings may provide insight into impairments in decision-making and anergia associated with stress-related disorders, such as depression. PMID:22569506

Acute stress induces selective alterations in cost/benefit decision-making.

Science.gov (United States)

Shafiei, Naghmeh; Gray, Megan; Viau, Victor; Floresco, Stan B

2012-09-01

Acute stress can exert beneficial or detrimental effects on different forms of cognition. In the present study, we assessed the effects of acute restraint stress on different forms of cost/benefit decision-making, and some of the hormonal and neurochemical mechanisms that may underlie these effects. Effort-based decision-making was assessed where rats chose between a low effort/reward (1 press=2 pellets) or high effort/reward option (4 pellets), with the effort requirement increasing over 4 blocks of trials (2, 5, 10, and 20 lever presses). Restraint stress for 1 h decreased preference for the more costly reward and induced longer choice latencies. Control experiments revealed that the effects on decision-making were not mediated by general reductions in motivation or preference for larger rewards. In contrast, acute stress did not affect delay-discounting, when rats chose between a small/immediate vs larger/delayed reward. The effects of stress on decision-making were not mimicked by treatment with physiological doses of corticosterone (1-3 mg/kg). Blockade of dopamine receptors with flupenthixol (0.25 mg/kg) before restraint did not attenuate stress-induced effects on effort-related choice, but abolished effects on choice latencies. These data suggest that acute stress interferes somewhat selectively with cost/benefit evaluations concerning effort costs. These effects do not appear to be mediated solely by enhanced glucocorticoid activity, whereas dopaminergic activation may contribute to increased deliberation times induced by stress. These findings may provide insight into impairments in decision-making and anergia associated with stress-related disorders, such as depression.

Selecting essential information for biosurveillance--a multi-criteria decision analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Generous, Nicholas; Margevicius, Kristen J; Taylor-McCabe, Kirsten J; Brown, Mac; Daniel, W Brent; Castro, Lauren; Hengartner, Andrea; Deshpande, Alina

2014-01-01

The National Strategy for Biosurveillance defines biosurveillance as "the process of gathering, integrating, interpreting, and communicating essential information related to all-hazards threats or disease activity affecting human, animal, or plant health to achieve early detection and warning, contribute to overall situational awareness of the health aspects of an incident, and to enable better decision-making at all levels." However, the strategy does not specify how "essential information" is to be identified and integrated into the current biosurveillance enterprise, or what the metrics qualify information as being "essential". The question of data stream identification and selection requires a structured methodology that can systematically evaluate the tradeoffs between the many criteria that need to be taken in account. Multi-Attribute Utility Theory, a type of multi-criteria decision analysis, can provide a well-defined, structured approach that can offer solutions to this problem. While the use of Multi-Attribute Utility Theoryas a practical method to apply formal scientific decision theoretical approaches to complex, multi-criteria problems has been demonstrated in a variety of fields, this method has never been applied to decision support in biosurveillance.We have developed a formalized decision support analytic framework that can facilitate identification of "essential information" for use in biosurveillance systems or processes and we offer this framework to the global BSV community as a tool for optimizing the BSV enterprise. To demonstrate utility, we applied the framework to the problem of evaluating data streams for use in an integrated global infectious disease surveillance system.

Acute Q fever infection in Thuringia, Germany, after burial of roe deer fawn cadavers (Capreolus capreolus: a case report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B.T. Schleenvoigt

2015-11-01

Full Text Available We report on a case of a 48-year-old man who presented with acute Q fever infection after burying two fawn cadavers (Capreolus capreolus. Recent outbreaks of Q fever in Europe have been traced back to intensive goat breeding units, sheep flocks in the proximity of highly populated urban areas or to farmed deer. To our knowledge, this is the first case report describing Q fever infection in a human linked to roe deer as a source of infection.

A Hybrid Multiple-Criteria Decision-Making Approach for Photovoltaic Solar Plant Location Selection

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Amy H. I. Lee

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Due to decaying fossil resource and increasing environmental consciousness, the demand of renewable energy resources is escalating these days. Photovoltaic solar energy is one of the most popular renewable energy resources in places where sunlight is abundant. The selection of a desirable location for constructing a photovoltaic solar plant is the first and one of the most important stages in the plant construction to provide a long-term energy production. In this paper, a comprehensive multiple-criteria decision-making model, which incorporates the interpretive structural modeling (ISM, fuzzy analytic network process (FANP and VIKOR (VlseKriterijumska OptimizacijaI Kompromisno Resenje in Serbian,meaning multi-criteria optimization and compromise solution, is proposed to select the most suitable photovoltaic solar plant location. The ISM is applied first to determine the interrelationships among the criteria and among the sub-criteria,andtheresults are used to construct a decision-making network. The FANP is applied next to solve the network and to calculate the importance weights of the sub-criteria. Finally, the VIKOR is adopted to determine the ranking of the photovoltaic solar plant locations. The proposed model is applied in a case study in evaluating photovoltaic solar plant locations in Taiwan. By applying the proposed model, decision makers can have a better thinking process and make more appropriate decisions justifiably.

Consumer Decision Process in Restaurant Selection: An Application of the Stylized EKB Model

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Eugenia Wickens

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Purpose – The aim of this paper is to propose a framework based on empirical work for understanding the consumer decision processes involved in the selection of a restaurant for leisure meals. Design/Methodology/Approach – An interpretive approach is taken in order to understand the intricacies of the process and the various stages in the process. Six focus group interviews with consumers of various ages and occupations in the South East of the United Kingdom were conducted. Findings and implications – The stylized EKB model of the consumer decision process (Tuan-Pham & Higgins, 2005 was used as a framework for developing different stages of the process. Two distinct parts of the process were identified. Occasion was found to be critical to the stage of problem recognition. In terms of evaluation of alternatives and, in particular, sensitivity to evaluative content, the research indicates that the regulatory focus theory of Tuan-Pham and Higgins (2005 applies to the decision of selecting a restaurant. Limitations – It is acknowledged that this exploratory study is based on a small sample in a single geographical area. Originality – The paper is the first application of the stylized EKB model, which takes into account the motivational dimensions of consumer decision making, missing in other models. It concludes that it may have broader applications to other research contexts.

Del dios cine y otros héroes. El mito griego a 24 fotografías por segundo

OpenAIRE

Míguez Santa Cruz, Antonio; Cañas Pelayo, Marcos Rafael

2012-01-01

Los autores presentan en este artículo una revisión de la Mitología Clásica a través del cine. Para ello se hace además un estudio crítico de las fuentes históricas disponibles y otras artes, como, por ejemplo, teatro y literatura. Como conclusión, se analiza el papel y la evolución de los héroes más célebres de la Antigüedad y sus modificaciones hasta nuestros días.

Measuring process performance within healthcare logistics - a decision tool for selecting measuring technologies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Feibert, Diana Cordes; Jacobsen, Peter

2015-01-01

Performance measurement can support the organization in improving the efficiency and effectiveness of logistical healthcare processes. Selecting the most suitable technologies is important to ensure data validity. A case study of the hospital cleaning process at a public Danish hospital...... was conducted. Monitoring tasks and ascertaining quality of work is difficult in such a process. Based on principal-agent theory, a set of decision indicator has been developed, and a decision framework for assessing technologies to enable performance measurement has been proposed....

Designing a Decision Support System (DSS for Supplier Selection in Multiple Discount Environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marzieh Shahrezaee

2012-09-01

Full Text Available This research aims at developing original components of Decision Support System (DSS in order to support the evaluation and selection of suppliers in multi products having limited capacity. To achieve this purpose, researchers have proposed three different models based on which suppliers allow selecting their own desired type of discount. Firstly based on the performed studies, some criteria have been suggested for evaluating the suppliers’ capability. These criteria will be selected by the buyer with respect to the purchase condition and type of the industry, and their importance level will be determined. Then based on multi-criteria decision models, evaluation of all the suppliers will be done. In this study fuzzy numbers are applied so as to translate qualitative criteria into quantitative one. Suppliers have been ranked according to the scores they have gained and the selection share of each from the whole quantity has been determined based on the multi-objective mathematical model. The existing model has exerted practical ways such as taking loans with determined interest as well as certain variables in order to compensate the shortage of budget the buyer encounters with. Outputs, which are, the selective suppliers and orders assigned to each of them are also to be considered by using Genetic Algorithm in MATLAB software for three parts in Emersan Company accordingly.

A framework to support decision making in the selection of sustainable drainage system design alternatives.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Mingming; Sweetapple, Chris; Fu, Guangtao; Farmani, Raziyeh; Butler, David

2017-10-01

This paper presents a new framework for decision making in sustainable drainage system (SuDS) scheme design. It integrates resilience, hydraulic performance, pollution control, rainwater usage, energy analysis, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and costs, and has 12 indicators. The multi-criteria analysis methods of entropy weight and Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) were selected to support SuDS scheme selection. The effectiveness of the framework is demonstrated with a SuDS case in China. Indicators used include flood volume, flood duration, a hydraulic performance indicator, cost and resilience. Resilience is an important design consideration, and it supports scheme selection in the case study. The proposed framework will help a decision maker to choose an appropriate design scheme for implementation without subjectivity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

De héroes, naciones milenarias y guerras fratricidas. Tres mitos fundacionales en tres relatos historiográficos de la nación mexicana

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Oscar Javier Linares Londoño

2011-08-01

Full Text Available La interpretación canónica de la independencia de México explica los hechos que van de 1810 a 1821 como la emancipación de la nación mexicana, pueblo milenario que remonta su identidad nacional a los mexicas, habitantes del Valle de México, antes de la llegada de los españoles. Por trescientos años el pueblo fue oprimido bajo el yugo español, y logra su independencia gracias al movimiento nacionalista de sus héroes. Esta interpretación construida por los relatos historiográficos del siglo XIX, está basada en loque llamaré los mitos fundacionales de la nación: el mito de la nación milenaria, el mito de loshéroes y el mito de la pugna irreconciliable entre criollos y españoles. La historiografía decimonónica difundirá estos mitos con la firme intención de legitimar el movimiento independentista y de dotar de un relato homogéneo a la naciente nación.

Neural representation of cost-benefit selections in rat anterior cingulate cortex in self-paced decision making.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Shuai; Shi, Yi; Li, Bao-Ming

2017-03-01

The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is crucial for decision making which involves the processing of cost-benefit information. Our previous study has shown that ACC is essential for self-paced decision making. However, it is unclear how ACC neurons represent cost-benefit selections during the decision-making process. In the present study, we trained rats on the same "Do More Get More" (DMGM) task as in our previous work. In each trial, the animals stand upright and perform a sustained nosepoke of their own will to earn a water reward, with the amount of reward positively correlated to the duration of the nosepoke (i.e., longer nosepokes earn larger rewards). We then recorded ACC neuronal activity on well-trained rats while they were performing the DMGM task. Our results show that (1) approximately 3/5 ACC neurons (296/496, 59.7%) exhibited changes in firing frequency that were temporally locked with the main events of the DMGM task; (2) about 1/5 ACC neurons (101/496, 20.4%) or 1/3 of the event-modulated neurons (101/296, 34.1%) showed differential firing rate changes for different cost-benefit selections; and (3) many ACC neurons exhibited linear encoding of the cost-benefit selections in the DMGM task events. These results suggest that ACC neurons are engaged in encoding cost-benefit information, thus represent the selections in self-paced decision making. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The application of a selection of decision-making techniques by employees in a transport work environment in conjunction with their perceived decision-making success and practice

OpenAIRE

Theuns F.J. Oosthuizen

2014-01-01

A lack of optimum selection and application of decision-making techniques, in conjunction with suitable decision-making practice and perception of employees in a transport work environment demands attention to improve overall performance. Although multiple decision-making techniques exist, five prevalent techniques were considered in this article, namely the Kepner-Tregoe, Delphi, stepladder, nominal group and brainstorming techniques. A descriptive research design was followed, using an empi...

Encapsulation of a Decision-Making Model to Optimize Supplier Selection via Structural Equation Modeling (SEM)

Science.gov (United States)

Sahul Hameed, Ruzanna; Thiruchelvam, Sivadass; Nasharuddin Mustapha, Kamal; Che Muda, Zakaria; Mat Husin, Norhayati; Ezanee Rusli, Mohd; Yong, Lee Choon; Ghazali, Azrul; Itam, Zarina; Hakimie, Hazlinda; Beddu, Salmia; Liyana Mohd Kamal, Nur

2016-03-01

This paper proposes a conceptual framework to compare criteria/factor that influence the supplier selection. A mixed methods approach comprising qualitative and quantitative survey will be used. The study intend to identify and define the metrics that key stakeholders at Public Works Department (PWD) believed should be used for supplier. The outcomes would foresee the possible initiatives to bring procurement in PWD to a strategic level. The results will provide a deeper understanding of drivers for supplier’s selection in the construction industry. The obtained output will benefit many parties involved in the supplier selection decision-making. The findings provides useful information and greater understanding of the perceptions that PWD executives hold regarding supplier selection and the extent to which these perceptions are consistent with findings from prior studies. The findings from this paper can be utilized as input for policy makers to outline any changes in the current procurement code of practice in order to enhance the degree of transparency and integrity in decision-making.

A note on “An alternative multiple attribute decision making methodology for solving optimal facility layout design selection problems”

OpenAIRE

R. Venkata Rao

2012-01-01

A paper published by Maniya and Bhatt (2011) (An alternative multiple attribute decision making methodology for solving optimal facility layout design selection problems, Computers & Industrial Engineering, 61, 542-549) proposed an alternative multiple attribute decision making method named as “Preference Selection Index (PSI) method” for selection of an optimal facility layout design. The authors had claimed that the method was logical and more appropriate and the method gives directly the o...

Experimental Evaluation of Suitability of Selected Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Methods for Large-Scale Agent-Based Simulations.

Science.gov (United States)

Tučník, Petr; Bureš, Vladimír

2016-01-01

Multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) can be formally implemented by various methods. This study compares suitability of four selected MCDM methods, namely WPM, TOPSIS, VIKOR, and PROMETHEE, for future applications in agent-based computational economic (ACE) models of larger scale (i.e., over 10 000 agents in one geographical region). These four MCDM methods were selected according to their appropriateness for computational processing in ACE applications. Tests of the selected methods were conducted on four hardware configurations. For each method, 100 tests were performed, which represented one testing iteration. With four testing iterations conducted on each hardware setting and separated testing of all configurations with the-server parameter de/activated, altogether, 12800 data points were collected and consequently analyzed. An illustrational decision-making scenario was used which allows the mutual comparison of all of the selected decision making methods. Our test results suggest that although all methods are convenient and can be used in practice, the VIKOR method accomplished the tests with the best results and thus can be recommended as the most suitable for simulations of large-scale agent-based models.

USING A MULTI CRITERIA DECISION MAKING APPROACH FOR OPEN AND DISTANCE LEARNING SYSTEM SELECTION

OpenAIRE

KAMIŞLI ÖZTÜRK, Zehra

2015-01-01

Today, there's a wide variety of open and distance learning (ODL) systems around the world. Herein, for lifelong learning how to select an ODL program becomes a critic question for a learner who wants to extent abilities on his/her career path. This is a complex decision problem with interdependent criteria. The Analytic Network Process (ANP) is a multicriteria decision making methodology  that  reflects  these  interdependencies.  Within &...

Linguistic Multi-Attribute Group Decision Making with Risk Preferences and Its Use in Low-Carbon Tourism Destination Selection

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Hui; Wang, Zhou-Jing

2017-01-01

Low-carbon tourism plays an important role in carbon emission reduction and environmental protection. Low-carbon tourism destination selection often involves multiple conflicting and incommensurate attributes or criteria and can be modelled as a multi-attribute decision-making problem. This paper develops a framework to solve multi-attribute group decision-making problems, where attribute evaluation values are provided as linguistic terms and the attribute weight information is incomplete. In order to obtain a group risk preference captured by a linguistic term set with triangular fuzzy semantic information, a nonlinear programming model is established on the basis of individual risk preferences. We first convert individual linguistic-term-based decision matrices to their respective triangular fuzzy decision matrices, which are then aggregated into a group triangular fuzzy decision matrix. Based on this group decision matrix and the incomplete attribute weight information, a linear program is developed to find an optimal attribute weight vector. A detailed procedure is devised for tackling linguistic multi-attribute group decision making problems. A low-carbon tourism destination selection case study is offered to illustrate how to use the developed group decision-making model in practice. PMID:28926985

Linguistic Multi-Attribute Group Decision Making with Risk Preferences and Its Use in Low-Carbon Tourism Destination Selection.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Hui; Wang, Zhou-Jing

2017-09-17

Low-carbon tourism plays an important role in carbon emission reduction and environmental protection. Low-carbon tourism destination selection often involves multiple conflicting and incommensurate attributes or criteria and can be modelled as a multi-attribute decision-making problem. This paper develops a framework to solve multi-attribute group decision-making problems, where attribute evaluation values are provided as linguistic terms and the attribute weight information is incomplete. In order to obtain a group risk preference captured by a linguistic term set with triangular fuzzy semantic information, a nonlinear programming model is established on the basis of individual risk preferences. We first convert individual linguistic-term-based decision matrices to their respective triangular fuzzy decision matrices, which are then aggregated into a group triangular fuzzy decision matrix. Based on this group decision matrix and the incomplete attribute weight information, a linear program is developed to find an optimal attribute weight vector. A detailed procedure is devised for tackling linguistic multi-attribute group decision making problems. A low-carbon tourism destination selection case study is offered to illustrate how to use the developed group decision-making model in practice.

Record of Decision Remedial Alternative Selection for the Gunsite 113 Access Road (631-24G) Operable Unit: Final Action

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palmer, E.

1997-01-01

This decision document presents the selected remedial action for the Gunsite 113 Access Road Unit located at the Savannah River Site near Aiken, SC. The selected action was developed in accordance with CERCLA, as amended, and to the extent practicable, the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP). The selected remedy satisfies both CERCLA and RCRA 3004(U) requirements. This decision is based ont he Administrative Record File for this specific RCRA/CERCLA Unit

GIS and Multicriteria Decision Analysis for Landfill Site Selection in AL-HashimyahQadaa

OpenAIRE

Alanbari, Mohammad Ali; Al-Ansari, Nadhir; Jasim, Hadeel Kareem

2014-01-01

Waste management system is not well regulated in Iraq. Despite the fact that there are various techniques used for solid waste disposal, landfill is the most common mode for the disposal of solid waste in Iraq, landfill site selection criteria is quite complex process and it depends on several regulation and factors. In this study landfill site selection is performed by using Multicriteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) and Geographic Information System (GIS) for the Al-Hashimyahqadaa. Existing lan...

Selection of materials using multi-criteria decision-making methods with minimum data

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Shankar Chakraborty

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Selection of material for a specific engineering component, which plays a significant role in its design and proper functioning, is often treated as a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM problem where the most suitable material is to be chosen based on a given set of conflicting criteria. For solving these MCDM problems, the designers do not generally know what should be the optimal number of criteria required for arriving at the best decisive action. Those criteria should be independent to each other and their number should usually limit to seven plus or minus two. In this paper, five material selection problems are solved using three common MCDM techniques to demonstrate the effect of number of criteria on the final rankings of the material alternatives. It is interesting to observe that the choices of the best suited materials solely depend on the criterion having the maximum priority value. It is also found that among the three MCDM methods, the ranking performance of VIKOR (Vlse Kriterijumska Optimizacija Kompromisno Resenje method is the best.

Using multi-criteria decision methods for selecting a language school

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Mileine Henriques Elias Velasco

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Nowadays, the interest of organizations by professionals who have deep knowledge concerning more than one language has been increasing. In this scenario, the choice of a language school has been one of the most common decision problems, which has been often made on the basis of word-of-mouth, marketing activities of schools and trials without criteria. In order to contribute to this problem, this paper presents a study in which two multi-criteria decision aid methods (AHP and Weighted Average were used to select a language school. Thus, the degree of importance of criteria relating to the problem and the degree of satisfaction of undergraduate and postgraduate students in relation to language schools they study were taken into account. The best ranked language school was the same for both MCDA methods, although some schools have obtained different positions. It was found that the analysis with AHP is richer and more elaborate than with the Weighted Average method. However, the large number of pairwise comparisons which were required to the study demanded significant attention and cognitive effort from the decision maker, and more time to perform the analysis - aspects that may contribute to the preference for the Weighted Average method in similar studies.

Strategic decisions in transport: a case study for a naval base selection in Brazil

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Amaury Caruzzo

2016-04-01

Full Text Available A decision on a military strategic environment, such as the selection of a new naval base, is a complex process and involves various criteria. In this context, few studies are available on the problems of military-naval transport decisions. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to present a maritime transport case study using a multi-methodology framework in a process of strategic decision making in logistics. Through a review of the literature, normative documents from the Brazilian armed forces, and interviews with military officers, criteria and preferences were identified and a hierarchical structure was constructed for a case study in the Brazilian Navy–the location of the second Fleet Headquarters. The results indicated that São Marcos Bay, in Maranhão State, was the best location among the alternatives. The multi-criteria approach was shown to be a valuable tool in assisting the decision making process and to understand the trade-offs between strategic and operational criteria in a transport decision.

Creative Accounting and Managerial Decision on Selected Financial Institutions in Nigeria

OpenAIRE

Sunday O. Effiok; Okon E. Eton

2012-01-01

The study was conducted to appraise the impact of creative accounting on managementdecisions of selected companies listed in the Nigerian Stock Exchange. With the background,the main objective of the study includes the examination of the extent to which macromanipulationof financial statement affects management decisions; to examine the extent towhich macro-manipulation of financial statement affects share price performance; and todetermine the impact of misreported assets and liabilities as ...

A Novel Extension Decision-Making Method for Selecting Solar Power Systems

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Meng-Hui Wang

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Due to the complex parameters of a solar power system, the designer not only must think about the load demand but also needs to consider the price, weight, and annual power generating capacity (APGC and maximum power of the solar system. It is an important task to find the optimal solar power system with many parameters. Therefore, this paper presents a novel decision-making method based on the extension theory; we call it extension decision-making method (EDMM. Using the EDMM can make it quick to select the optimal solar power system. The paper proposed this method not only to provide a useful estimated tool for the solar system engineers but also to supply the important reference with the installation of solar systems to the consumer.

A decision modeling for phasor measurement unit location selection in smart grid systems

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Seung Yup

As a key technology for enhancing the smart grid system, Phasor Measurement Unit (PMU) provides synchronized phasor measurements of voltages and currents of wide-area electric power grid. With various benefits from its application, one of the critical issues in utilizing PMUs is the optimal site selection of units. The main aim of this research is to develop a decision support system, which can be used in resource allocation task for smart grid system analysis. As an effort to suggest a robust decision model and standardize the decision modeling process, a harmonized modeling framework, which considers operational circumstances of component, is proposed in connection with a deterministic approach utilizing integer programming. With the results obtained from the optimal PMU placement problem, the advantages and potential that the harmonized modeling process possesses are assessed and discussed.

Statistical Decision Theory Estimation, Testing, and Selection

CERN Document Server

Liese, Friedrich

2008-01-01

Suitable for advanced graduate students and researchers in mathematical statistics and decision theory, this title presents an account of the concepts and a treatment of the major results of classical finite sample size decision theory and modern asymptotic decision theory

Factor Of Vendor Selection And Employees’ Morale Towards Human Resource Outsourcing Decision In Organization

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Hiean Tan Kok

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study is to investigate factor of vendor selection and employees’ morale towards human resource outsourcing decision in organization. Study was conducted in Melaka within private organizations. Questionnaire was distributed and only 60 respondents were collected back. Data analysis was perform using SPSS version 21. Findings shows that employee’s morale show high significant relationship (r=0.761, p <0.05 with human resource outsourcing decision. Limitation and conclusion were discussed in this study.

Selecting Products Considering the Regret Behavior of Consumer: A Decision Support Model Based on Online Ratings

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Xia Liang

2018-05-01

Full Text Available With the remarkable promotion of e-commerce platforms, consumers increasingly prefer to purchase products online. Online ratings facilitate consumers to choose among products. Thus, to help consumers effectively select products, it is necessary to provide decision support methods for consumers to trade online. Considering the decision makers are bounded rational, this paper proposes a novel decision support model for product selection based on online ratings, in which the regret aversion behavior of consumers is formulated. Massive online ratings provided by experienced consumers for alternative products associated with several evaluation attributes are obtained by software finders. Then, the evaluations of alternative products in format of stochastic variables are conducted. To select a desirable alternative product, a novel method is introduced to calculate gain and loss degrees of each alternative over others. Considering the regret behavior of consumers in the product selection process, the regret and rejoice values of alternative products for consumer are computed to obtain the perceived utility values of alternative products. According to the prior order of the evaluation attributes provided by the consumer, the prior weights of attributes are determined based on the perceived utility values of alternative products. Furthermore, the overall perceived utility values of alternative products are obtained to generate a ranking result. Finally, a practical example from Zol.com.cn for tablet computer selection is used to demonstrate the feasibility and practically of the proposed model.

Study of decision framework of offshore wind power station site selection based on ELECTRE-III under intuitionistic fuzzy environment: A case of China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Yunna; Zhang, Jinying; Yuan, Jianping; Geng, Shuai; Zhang, Haobo

2016-01-01

Highlights: • A novel MCDM framework is applied to assist group decision in OWPS site selection. • The index system consisting of veto and evaluation criteria is constructed. • A case study is carried five sites in coastal areas of Shandong in East China. - Abstract: Offshore wind power projects have been rapidly proposed in China due to policy promotion. Site selection immensely decides the success of any offshore wind power development and is a complex multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) problem. However, canonical MCDM methods tend to fail the site selection process due to the following three problems. Firstly, the compensation problem exists in information processing. Secondly, there exists the problem of incomplete utilization of decision information and information loss in the decision process. Thirdly, the interaction problem in the fuzzy environment is easy to be ignored. To deal with the above problems, this study builds a framework for offshore wind farm site selection decision utilizing Elimination et Choix Traduisant la Realité-III (ELECTRE-III) in the intuitionistic fuzzy environment. First of all, the comprehensive index system of OWPS site selection consisting of veto criteria and evaluation criteria is constructed. Then, the intuitionistic fuzzy set is used in the group decision for the decision makers to express the imperfect knowledge. Moreover, the generalized intuitionistic fuzzy ordered weighted geometric interaction averaging (GIFWGIA) operator is applied to deal with the interaction problem. Together with the likelihood-based valued comparisons, imprecise decision information is reasonably used and information loss problem is rationally avoided. Then a case of China is studied based on the proposed framework, demonstrating the site selection methodology valid and practical. This study implements evaluation method for offshore wind power site selection and also provides a theoretical basis for the development of offshore wind power

A multi-attribute decision model for portfolio selection aiming to replace technologies in industrial motor systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vanderley Herrero Sola, Antonio; Mota, Caroline Maria de Miranda

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► We propose a multicriteria decision model for technology replacement. ► We prioritize induction motors in order to improve the energy efficiency. ► The best portfolio of options is selected based on decision maker’s utilities. ► The model contribute to surpass some organizational barriers. - Abstract: The energy efficient technologies offered by the market are in constant evolution, but their insertion in the productive sector comes up against organizational barriers, which obstruct decision making in firms. This paper proposes a multicriteria decision model in order to replace technologies in industrial energy systems, regarding organizational barriers for energy efficiency. The proposed model is applied in industrial motor systems, using Multi-Attribute Utility Theory (MAUT), in order to select the best portfolio of options based on the decision maker’s utilities. Portfolios of options from the prioritized set of motors compiled by the operational area of the studied industry are analyzed, including diverse suppliers and different classes of motors. The results show that it is essential to structure the proposed model in two steps, beginning with the operational level, to ensure that important technologies for the production system are prioritized, thus preserving the interests of the organization and improving the efficiency of industrial energy systems.

Minimizing Project Cost by Integrating Subcontractor Selection Decisions with Scheduling

Science.gov (United States)

Biruk, Sławomir; Jaśkowski, Piotr; Czarnigowska, Agata

2017-10-01

Subcontracting has been a worldwide practice in the construction industry. It enables the construction enterprises to focus on their core competences and, at the same time, it makes complex project possible to be delivered. Since general contractors bear full responsibility for the works carried out by their subcontractors, it is their task and their risk to select a right subcontractor for a particular work. Although subcontractor management has been admitted to significantly affect the construction project’s performance, current practices and past research deal with subcontractor management and scheduling separately. The proposed model aims to support subcontracting decisions by integrating subcontractor selection with scheduling to enable the general contractor to select the optimal combination of subcontractors and own crews for all work packages of the project. The model allows for the interactions between the subcontractors and their impacts on the overall project performance in terms of cost and, indirectly, time and quality. The model is intended to be used at the general contractor’s bid preparation stage. The authors claim that the subcontracting decisions should be taken in a two-stage process. The first stage is a prequalification - provision of a short list of capable and reliable subcontractors; this stage is not the focus of the paper. The resulting pool of available resources is divided into two subsets: subcontractors, and general contractor’s in-house crews. Once it has been defined, the next stage is to assign them to the work packages that, bound by fixed precedence constraints, form the project’s network diagram. Each package is possible to be delivered by the general contractor’s crew or some of the potential subcontractors, at a specific time and cost. Particular crews and subcontractors can be contracted more than one package, but not at the same time. Other constraints include the predefined project completion date (the project is

Application of a collaborative modelling and strategic fuzzy decision support system for selecting appropriate resilience strategies for seaport operations

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Andrew John

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The selection of an appropriate resilience investment strategy to optimize the operational efficiency of a seaport is a challenging task given that many criteria need to be considered and modelled under an uncertain environment. The design of such a complex decision system consists of many subjective and imprecise parameters contained in different quantitative and qualitative forms. This paper proposes a fuzzy multi-attribute decision making methodology for the selection of an appropriate resilience investment strategy in a succinct and straightforward manner. The decision support model allows for a collaborative modelling of the system by multiple analysts in a group decision making process. Fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (FAHP was utilized to analyse the complex structure of the system to obtain the weights of all the criteria while fuzzy technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS was employed to facilitate the ranking process of the resilience strategies. Given that it is often financially difficult to invest in all the resilience strategies, it is envisaged that the proposed approach could provide decision makers with a flexible and transparent tool for selecting appropriate resilience strategies aimed at increasing the resilience of seaport operations.

FSAW for REIT selection in multi-criteria decision making

Science.gov (United States)

Adawiyah, C. W. Rabiatul; Abdullah, Lazim

2014-07-01

Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) is profitable investments that gain Malaysian investors' attention. It can be a great way to increase our net worth. Due to the existence of many property trusts, investors face difficulties in determining the best property trusts to invest their wealth. This high risk investment makes investors cautious in choosing the platform for investing their wealth. In real world situation, the data collected are inexact and ambiguous. Investment reminds investors to beware because it carries risk no matter low or high. There are lots of things that investors need to consider before invest in any property or trust. The aim of this paper is to identify the best criteria of REIT and determine the best property trust that helps investors gain profits in their investment. Four experts in areas of investment are randomly selected to assess and provide information regarding to Malaysia's REITs. Decision makers were asked to rate the criteria for every alternatives by using the linguistic variables. The five linguistic variables were used as input data to test fuzzy simple additive weighting (FSAW) model. From the study conducted, transparency indicates the necessary criteria for each property trust. This decision making model used to be possible to test FSAW model in investment sector. The decision makers also asked to evaluate the alternatives based on the linguistic ranking variables to rank the alternatives and the result shows the best alternative in this case is Amanah Harta Tanah PNB. The ranking signifies the impact of the criterion and alternatives to investors especially REITs investors.

Clinical Decision Support Tools for Selecting Interventions for Patients with Disabling Musculoskeletal Disorders

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gross, Douglas P; Armijo-Olivo, Susan; Shaw, William S

2016-01-01

Purpose We aimed to identify and inventory clinical decision support (CDS) tools for helping front-line staff select interventions for patients with musculoskeletal (MSK) disorders. Methods We used Arksey and O'Malley's scoping review framework which progresses through five stages: (1) identifying...... the research question; (2) identifying relevant studies; (3) selecting studies for analysis; (4) charting the data; and (5) collating, summarizing and reporting results. We considered computer-based, and other available tools, such as algorithms, care pathways, rules and models. Since this research crosses...

Developing an efficient decision support system for non-traditional machine selection: an application of MOORA and MOOSRA

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Asis Sarkar

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to find out an efficient decision support method for non-traditional machine selection. It seeks to analyze potential non-traditional machine selection attributes with a relatively new MCDM approach of MOORA and MOOSRA method. The use of MOORA and MOOSRA method has been adopted to tackle subjective evaluation of information collected from an expert group. An example case study is shown here for better understanding of the said selection module which can be effectively applied to any other decision-making scenario. The method is not only computationally very simple, easily comprehensible, and robust, but also believed to have numerous subjective attributes. The rankings are expected to provide good guidance to the managers of an organization to select a feasible non-traditional machine. It shall also provide a good insight for the non-traditional machine manufacturer who might encourage research work concerning non-traditional machine selection.

Decision support model for selecting and evaluating suppliers in the construction industry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fernando Schramm

2012-12-01

Full Text Available A structured evaluation of the construction industry's suppliers, considering aspects which make their quality and credibility evident, can be a strategic tool to manage this specific supply chain. This study proposes a multi-criteria decision model for suppliers' selection from the construction industry, as well as an efficient evaluation procedure for the selected suppliers. The model is based on SMARTER (Simple Multi-Attribute Rating Technique Exploiting Ranking method and its main contribution is a new approach to structure the process of suppliers' selection, establishing explicit strategic policies on which the company management system relied to make the suppliers selection. This model was applied to a Civil Construction Company in Brazil and the main results demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed model. This study allowed the development of an approach to Construction Industry which was able to provide a better relationship among its managers, suppliers and partners.

Short-Run Asset Selection using a Logistic Model

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Walter Gonçalves Junior

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Investors constantly look for significant predictors and accurate models to forecast future results, whose occasional efficacy end up being neutralized by market efficiency. Regardless, such predictors are widely used for seeking better (and more unique perceptions. This paper aims to investigate to what extent some of the most notorious indicators have discriminatory power to select stocks, and if it is feasible with such variables to build models that could anticipate those with good performance. In order to do that, logistical regressions were conducted with stocks traded at Bovespa using the selected indicators as explanatory variables. Investigated in this study were the outputs of Bovespa Index, liquidity, the Sharpe Ratio, ROE, MB, size and age evidenced to be significant predictors. Also examined were half-year, logistical models, which were adjusted in order to check the potential acceptable discriminatory power for the asset selection.

Blood plasma proteins and protein fractions in roe deer Capreolus capreolus L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dorota CYGAN-SZCZEGIELNIAK

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The aim of the research was to investigate some selected biochemical blood parameters in roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L.. The experiment covered 15 from 2 to 3-year-old bucks from Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship. The animals were shot by individual hunters on the shooting grounds during the hunting season of 2008/2009 (in the accordance with the Journal of Laws No 48. The material for the research was blood plasma obtained after centrifuging full, nonhemolyzed blood. The blood was collected from the zygomatic vein directly to the test tubes with EDTA and transported in cooling conditions to the laboratory. After transporting the samples of blood to a certified analytical laboratory, the following elements of the obtained blood plasma were examined: ceruloplasmin . using turbidimetric method; transferrin . using immunoturbimetric method; troponin- using a third generation assay on an Elecsys; total protein, albumin, globulin . using spectrophotometric method and total iron . using colorimetric method. The results were statistically analyzed, i.e. the correlation between the parameters was measured by means of Pearsonfs correlation coefficient. The analysis of the results revealed a number of statistically significant relations between the parameters under the investigation, especially among the compounds directly responsible for metabolism of iron and copper. A statistically important positive correlation was observed between ceruloplasmin and ferritin (r = 0.563; P.0.05 and a negative one between transferrin and troponin (r = -0.609; P.0.05. Moreover, the content of transferrin . an iron-binding protein . was 0.17 g/l, while the concentration of iron was 58 ƒĘmol/l. The content of ceruloplasmin . a protein responsible for metabolism of copper . was very low (0.036 g/l. The level of proteins in the blood plasma of the animals under the research was approximately 72 g/l, with the share of albumins about 46%. The albumin-globulin ratio was 0.86.

El héroe en el cine de animación contemporáneo de principios de siglo XXI

OpenAIRE

Estévez Martín, Ana

2016-01-01

El presente trabajo abordará el estudio de los protagonistas de las películas de animación Shrek (Dreamworks, 2001), Gru, mi villano favorito (Universal, 2010) y Brave (Disney-Pixar, 2012), con el fin de identificar aquellas estructuras y características básicas sobre las que se sustenta la historia y la evolución de los protagonistas, en tanto héroes de cada uno de los relatos analizados. El cine es un arte vivo, en constante evolución, que busca incesante nuevas formas de expresión. Sin emb...

Transfer of 137 Cs to milk of cow and muscle of roe deer. Investigations of dairy farms and forest areas in Central Sweden after the Chernobyl accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karlen, G.

1993-01-01

The thesis comprises two articles, both separately indexed, which discuss the 137 Cs content of milk and roe deer meat respectively on the basis of measurements performed in 1987 and 1988. It is concluded that the Cs content of deer will remain high much longer than the Cs content of milk. 46 refs

Decision Support System for Determining Scholarship Selection using an Analytical Hierarchy Process

Science.gov (United States)

Puspitasari, T. D.; Sari, E. O.; Destarianto, P.; Riskiawan, H. Y.

2018-01-01

Decision Support System is a computer program application that analyzes data and presents it so that users can make decision more easily. Determining Scholarship Selection study case in Senior High School in east Java wasn’t easy. It needed application to solve the problem, to improve the accuracy of targets for prospective beneficiaries of poor students and to speed up the screening process. This research will build system uses the method of Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) is a method that solves a complex and unstructured problem into its group, organizes the groups into a hierarchical order, inputs numerical values instead of human perception in comparing relative and ultimately with a synthesis determined elements that have the highest priority. The accuracy system for this research is 90%.

Decision support for selecting exportable nuclear technology using the analytic hierarchy process: A Korean case

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Deok Joo; Hwang, Jooho

2010-01-01

The Korean government plans to increase strategically focused R and D investment in some promising nuclear technology areas to create export opportunities of technology in a global nuclear market. The purpose of this paper is to present a decision support process for selecting promising nuclear technology with the perspective of exportability by using the AHP based on extensive data gathered from nuclear experts in Korea. In this study, the decision criteria for evaluating the export competitiveness of nuclear technologies were determined, and a hierarchical structure for the decision-making process was systematically developed. Subsequently relative weights of decision criteria were derived using AHP methodology and the export competitiveness of nuclear technology alternatives was quantified to prioritize them. We discuss the implications of our results with a viewpoint toward national nuclear technology policy.

A Qualitative Study into the Supplier Selection Decision-Making Process in the Malaysian SME Manufacturing Industry

OpenAIRE

Rahaman, F.J.

2017-01-01

In manufacturing, supplier selection is viewed as the foundation of supply chain management, as the choice of the supplier will inherently affect all other aspects of business. This study explores the supplier selection decision-making process within Malaysian manufacturing firms. Previous studies in supplier selection have focused on company performance and quality management. Preceding research in this field, offers evidence that the application of information technology tools, business int...

Fuzzy decision-making: a new method in model selection via various validity criteria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shakouri Ganjavi, H.; Nikravesh, K.

2001-01-01

Modeling is considered as the first step in scientific investigations. Several alternative models may be candida ted to express a phenomenon. Scientists use various criteria to select one model between the competing models. Based on the solution of a Fuzzy Decision-Making problem, this paper proposes a new method in model selection. The method enables the scientist to apply all desired validity criteria, systematically by defining a proper Possibility Distribution Function due to each criterion. Finally, minimization of a utility function composed of the Possibility Distribution Functions will determine the best selection. The method is illustrated through a modeling example for the A verage Daily Time Duration of Electrical Energy Consumption in Iran

OPTIMAL BUSINESS DECISION SYSTEM FOR MULTINATIONALS: A MULTIFACTOR ANALYSIS OF SELECTED MANUFACTURING FIRMS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oforegbunam Thaddeus Ebiringa

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Traditional MIS has been made more effective through the integration of organization, human andtechnology factors into a decision matrix. The study is motivated by the need to find an optimal mixof interactive factors that will optimize the result of decision to apply ICT to manufacturingprocesses. The study used Factor analysis model based on the sampled opinion of forty (40operations/production managers and two thousand (2000 production line workers of three leadingmanufacturing firms: Uniliver Plc., PZ Plc, and Nigerian Breweries Plc operating in Aba IndustrialEstate of Nigeria. The results shows that a progressive mixed factor loading matrix, based on thepreferred ordered importance of resources factors in the formulation, implementation, monitoring,control and evaluation of ICT projects of the selected firms led to an average capability improvementof 0.764 in decision efficiency. This is considered strategic for achieving balanced corporate growthand development.

Decision support system of e-book provider selection for library using Simple Additive Weighting

Science.gov (United States)

Ciptayani, P. I.; Dewi, K. C.

2018-01-01

Each library has its own criteria and differences in the importance of each criterion in choosing an e-book provider for them. The large number of providers and the different importance levels of each criterion make the problem of determining the e-book provider to be complex and take a considerable time in decision making. The aim of this study was to implement Decision support system (DSS) to assist the library in selecting the best e-book provider based on their preferences. The way of DSS works is by comparing the importance of each criterion and the condition of each alternative decision. SAW is one of DSS method that is quite simple, fast and widely used. This study used 9 criteria and 18 provider to demonstrate how SAW work in this study. With the DSS, then the decision-making time can be shortened and the calculation results can be more accurate than manual calculations.

Selection of remedial alternatives for mine sites: a multicriteria decision analysis approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Betrie, Getnet D; Sadiq, Rehan; Morin, Kevin A; Tesfamariam, Solomon

2013-04-15

The selection of remedial alternatives for mine sites is a complex task because it involves multiple criteria and often with conflicting objectives. However, an existing framework used to select remedial alternatives lacks multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) aids and does not consider uncertainty in the selection of alternatives. The objective of this paper is to improve the existing framework by introducing deterministic and probabilistic MCDA methods. The Preference Ranking Organization Method for Enrichment Evaluation (PROMETHEE) methods have been implemented in this study. The MCDA analysis involves processing inputs to the PROMETHEE methods that are identifying the alternatives, defining the criteria, defining the criteria weights using analytical hierarchical process (AHP), defining the probability distribution of criteria weights, and conducting Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS); running the PROMETHEE methods using these inputs; and conducting a sensitivity analysis. A case study was presented to demonstrate the improved framework at a mine site. The results showed that the improved framework provides a reliable way of selecting remedial alternatives as well as quantifying the impact of different criteria on selecting alternatives. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Key Determinant Derivations for Information Technology Disaster Recovery Site Selection by the Multi-Criterion Decision Making Method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chia-Lee Yang

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Disaster recovery sites are an important mechanism in continuous IT system operations. Such mechanisms can sustain IT availability and reduce business losses during natural or human-made disasters. Concerning the cost and risk aspects, the IT disaster-recovery site selection problems are multi-criterion decision making (MCDM problems in nature. For such problems, the decision aspects include the availability of the service, recovery time requirements, service performance, and more. The importance and complexities of IT disaster recovery sites increases with advances in IT and the categories of possible disasters. The modern IT disaster recovery site selection process requires further investigation. However, very few researchers tried to study related issues during past years based on the authors’ extremely limited knowledge. Thus, this paper aims to derive the aspects and criteria for evaluating and selecting a modern IT disaster recovery site. A hybrid MCDM framework consisting of the Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL and the Analytic Network Process (ANP will be proposed to construct the complex influence relations between aspects as well as criteria and further, derive weight associated with each aspect and criteria. The criteria with higher weight can be used for evaluating and selecting the most suitable IT disaster recovery sites. In the future, the proposed analytic framework can be used for evaluating and selecting a disaster recovery site for data centers by public institutes or private firms.

Application of an integrated multi-criteria decision making AHP-TOPSIS methodology for ETL software selection.

Science.gov (United States)

Hanine, Mohamed; Boutkhoum, Omar; Tikniouine, Abdessadek; Agouti, Tarik

2016-01-01

Actually, a set of ETL software (Extract, Transform and Load) is available to constitute a major investment market. Each ETL uses its own techniques for extracting, transforming and loading data into data warehouse, which makes the task of evaluating ETL software very difficult. However, choosing the right software of ETL is critical to the success or failure of any Business Intelligence project. As there are many impacting factors in the selection of ETL software, the same process is considered as a complex multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) problem. In this study, an application of decision-making methodology that employs the two well-known MCDM techniques, namely Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) methods is designed. In this respect, the aim of using AHP is to analyze the structure of the ETL software selection problem and obtain weights of the selected criteria. Then, TOPSIS technique is used to calculate the alternatives' ratings. An example is given to illustrate the proposed methodology. Finally, a software prototype for demonstrating both methods is implemented.

Age-dependent associations between telomere length and environmental conditions in roe deer.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilbourn, Rachael V; Froy, Hannah; McManus, Marie-Christina; Cheynel, Louise; Gaillard, Jean-Michel; Gilot-Fromont, Emmanuelle; Regis, Corinne; Rey, Benjamin; Pellerin, Maryline; Lemaître, Jean-François; Nussey, Daniel H

2017-09-01

Telomere length (TL) represents a promising biomarker of overall physiological state and of past environmental experiences, which could help us understand the drivers of life-history variation in natural populations. A growing number of studies in birds suggest that environmental stress or poor environmental conditions are associated with shortened TL, but studies of such relationships in wild mammals are lacking. Here, we compare leucocyte TL from cross-sectional samples collected from two French populations of roe deer which experience different environmental conditions. We found that, as predicted, TL was shorter in the population experiencing poor environmental conditions but that this difference was only significant in older individuals and was independent of sex and body mass. Unexpectedly, the difference was underpinned by a significant increase in TL with age in the population experiencing good environmental conditions, while there was no detectable relationship with age in poor conditions. These results demonstrate both the environmental sensitivity and complexity of telomere dynamics in natural mammal populations, and highlight the importance of longitudinal data to disentangle the within- and among-individual processes that generate them. © 2017 The Authors.

Application of alternating decision trees in selecting sparse linear solvers

KAUST Repository

Bhowmick, Sanjukta; Eijkhout, Victor; Freund, Yoav; Fuentes, Erika; Keyes, David E.

2010-01-01

The solution of sparse linear systems, a fundamental and resource-intensive task in scientific computing, can be approached through multiple algorithms. Using an algorithm well adapted to characteristics of the task can significantly enhance the performance, such as reducing the time required for the operation, without compromising the quality of the result. However, the best solution method can vary even across linear systems generated in course of the same PDE-based simulation, thereby making solver selection a very challenging problem. In this paper, we use a machine learning technique, Alternating Decision Trees (ADT), to select efficient solvers based on the properties of sparse linear systems and runtime-dependent features, such as the stages of simulation. We demonstrate the effectiveness of this method through empirical results over linear systems drawn from computational fluid dynamics and magnetohydrodynamics applications. The results also demonstrate that using ADT can resolve the problem of over-fitting, which occurs when limited amount of data is available. © 2010 Springer Science+Business Media LLC.

Attribute Based Selection of Thermoplastic Resin for Vacuum Infusion Process: A Decision Making Methodology

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Raghavalu Thirumalai, Durai Prabhakaran; Lystrup, Aage; Løgstrup Andersen, Tom

2012-01-01

The composite industry looks toward a new material system (resins) based on thermoplastic polymers for the vacuum infusion process, similar to the infusion process using thermosetting polymers. A large number of thermoplastics are available in the market with a variety of properties suitable...... be beneficial. In this paper, the authors introduce a new decision making tool for resin selection based on significant attributes. This article provides a broad overview of suitable thermoplastic material systems for vacuum infusion process available in today’s market. An illustrative example—resin selection...... for vacuum infused of a wind turbine blade—is shown to demonstrate the intricacies involved in the proposed methodology for resin selection....

Decision support tools for evaluation and selection of technologies for soil remediation and disposal of halogenated waste

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Khelifi, O.; Zinovyev, S.; Lodolo, A.; Vranes, S.; Miertus, S. [ICS-UNIDO, Trieste (Italy)

2004-09-15

One of the most justified demands in abating the pollution created by polychlorinated substances is the remediation of contaminated sites, mainly soil remediation, which is also the most complex technical task in removing pollution because of the necessity to process huge quantities of matrix and to account for numerous side factors. The commercial technologies are usually based on rather direct and simplified but also secure processes, which often approach remediation in a general way, where different types of pollutants can be decontaminated at the same time by each technology. A number of different soil remediation technologies are nowadays available and the continuous competition among environmental service companies and technology developers generates a further increase in the clean-up options. The demand for decision support tools that could help decision makers in selecting the most appropriate technology for the specific contaminated site has consequently increased. These decision support tools (DST) are designed to help decision makers (site owners, local community representatives, environmentalists, regulators, etc.) to assess available technologies and preliminarily select the preferred remedial options. The analysis for the identification of the most suitable options in the DST is based on technical, economic, environmental, and social criteria. These criteria are ranked by all parties involved in the decision process to determine their relative importance for a particular remediation project. The aim of the present paper is to present the new approach for building decision support tool to evaluate different technologies for remediation and disposal of halogenated waste.

Reappearance of Taenia ovis krabbei muscle cysts in a roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) in Denmark after 60+ years.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Sabi, Mohammad Nafi Solaiman; Chriél, Mariann; Holm, Elisabeth; Jensen, Tim Kåre; Ståhl, Marie; Enemark, Heidi Larsen

2013-09-01

The present report describes the reappearance of Taenia ovis krabbei in a roe deer from Denmark after more than 60 years. The cysticerci were isolated from the thigh muscle of the deer, and the diagnosis was based on histostological analysis, morphology of the rostellar-hooks as well as molecular typing of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (cox1) gene. The exact definitive host was not revealed in this report, but domestic dogs may play a role of the definitive host in the area. This finding is of concern to hunters and deer meat producers, since the infected meat is usually condemned due to esthetic reasons. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Humans Optimize Decision-Making by Delaying Decision Onset

Science.gov (United States)

Teichert, Tobias; Ferrera, Vincent P.; Grinband, Jack

2014-01-01

Why do humans make errors on seemingly trivial perceptual decisions? It has been shown that such errors occur in part because the decision process (evidence accumulation) is initiated before selective attention has isolated the relevant sensory information from salient distractors. Nevertheless, it is typically assumed that subjects increase accuracy by prolonging the decision process rather than delaying decision onset. To date it has not been tested whether humans can strategically delay decision onset to increase response accuracy. To address this question we measured the time course of selective attention in a motion interference task using a novel variant of the response signal paradigm. Based on these measurements we estimated time-dependent drift rate and showed that subjects should in principle be able trade speed for accuracy very effectively by delaying decision onset. Using the time-dependent estimate of drift rate we show that subjects indeed delay decision onset in addition to raising response threshold when asked to stress accuracy over speed in a free reaction version of the same motion-interference task. These findings show that decision onset is a critical aspect of the decision process that can be adjusted to effectively improve decision accuracy. PMID:24599295

A New Decision-Making Method for Stock Portfolio Selection Based on Computing with Linguistic Assessment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chen-Tung Chen

2009-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of stock portfolio selection is how to allocate the capital to a large number of stocks in order to bring a most profitable return for investors. In most of past literatures, experts considered the portfolio of selection problem only based on past crisp or quantitative data. However, many qualitative and quantitative factors will influence the stock portfolio selection in real investment situation. It is very important for experts or decision-makers to use their experience or knowledge to predict the performance of each stock and make a stock portfolio. Because of the knowledge, experience, and background of each expert are different and vague, different types of 2-tuple linguistic variable are suitable used to express experts' opinions for the performance evaluation of each stock with respect to criteria. According to the linguistic evaluations of experts, the linguistic TOPSIS and linguistic ELECTRE methods are combined to present a new decision-making method for dealing with stock selection problems in this paper. Once the investment set has been determined, the risk preferences of investor are considered to calculate the investment ratio of each stock in the investment set. Finally, an example is implemented to demonstrate the practicability of the proposed method.

Decision precision or holistic heuristic?: Insights on on-site selection of student nurses and midwives.

Science.gov (United States)

Macduff, Colin; Stephen, Audrey; Taylor, Ruth

2016-01-01

Concerns about quality of care delivery in the UK have led to more scrutiny of criteria and methods for the selection of student nurses. However few substantive research studies of on-site selection processes exist. This study elicited and interpreted perspectives on interviewing processes and related decision making involved in on-site selection of student nurses and midwives. Individual and focus group interviews were undertaken with 36 lecturers, 5 clinical staff and 72 students from seven Scottish universities. Enquiry focused primarily on interviewing of candidates on-site. Qualitative content analysis was used as a primary strategy, followed by in-depth thematic analysis. Students had very mixed experiences of interview processes. Staff typically took into account a range of candidate attributes that they valued in order to achieve holistic assessments. These included: interpersonal skills, team working, confidence, problem-solving, aptitude for caring, motivations, and commitment. Staff had mixed views of the validity and reliability of interview processes. A holistic heuristic for overall decision making predominated over belief in the precision of, and evidence base for, particular attribute measurement processes. While the development of measurement tools for particular attributes continues apace, tension between holism and precision is likely to persist within on-site selection procedures. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multicriteria Decision Analysis of Material Selection of High Energy Performance Residential Building

Science.gov (United States)

Čuláková, Monika; Vilčeková, Silvia; Katunská, Jana; Krídlová Burdová, Eva

2013-11-01

In world with limited amount of energy sources and with serious environmental pollution, interest in comparing the environmental embodied impacts of buildings using different structure systems and alternative building materials will be increased. This paper shows the significance of life cycle energy and carbon perspective and the material selection in reducing energy consumption and emissions production in the built environment. The study evaluates embodied environmental impacts of nearly zero energy residential structures. The environmental assessment uses framework of LCA within boundary: cradle to gate. Designed alternative scenarios of material compositions are also assessed in terms of energy effectiveness through selected thermal-physical parameters. This study uses multi-criteria decision analysis for making clearer selection between alternative scenarios. The results of MCDA show that alternative E from materials on nature plant base (wood, straw bales, massive wood panel) present possible way to sustainable perspective of nearly zero energy houses in Slovak republic

Applications of decision theory to test-based decision making

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Linden, Willem J.

1987-01-01

The use of Bayesian decision theory to solve problems in test-based decision making is discussed. Four basic decision problems are distinguished: (1) selection; (2) mastery; (3) placement; and (4) classification, the situation where each treatment has its own criterion. Each type of decision can be

Site selection process for new nuclear power plants - a method to support decision making and improving public participation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martins, Vivian B.; Cunha, Tatiana S. da; Simoes Filho, Francisco Fernando Lamego; Lapa, Celso Marcelo F.

2011-01-01

The Brazilian Energy Plan (PNE 2030) that guides the Government in formulating its strategy for expanding energy supply by 2030 highlights the need for the Brazilian electrical system have more than 4,000 MW from nuclear sources by 2025. Therefore, the Government presented a proposal to build four more nuclear power plants with capacity of 1,000 MW each, at first, two in the Northeast and two in Southeast. The selection and site assessment are key parts of the installation process of a nuclear plant and may significantly affect the cost, public acceptance and safety of the facility during its entire life cycle. The result of this initial stage, it can even seriously affect program success. Wrong decisions in the process of site selection may also require a financial commitment to higher planned in a later phase of the project, besides causing extensive and expensive downtime. Select the location where these units will be built is not a trivial process, because involves the consideration of multiple criteria and judgments in addition to obtaining, organizing and managing a diverse range of data, both qualitative and quantitative, to assist in decision making and ensure that the site selected is the most appropriate in relation to safety and technical, economic and environmental feasibility. This paper presents an overview of the site selection process and its stages, the criteria involved in each step, the tools to support decision making that can be used and the difficulties in applying a formal process of decision making. Also discussed are ways to make the process more transparent and democratic, increasing public involvement as a way to improve acceptance and reduce opposition from various sectors of society, trying to minimize the expense and time involved in the implementation of undertakings of this kind. (author)

Reliable molecular differentiation of Trichuris ovis and Trichuris discolor from sheep (Ovis orientalis aries) and roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and morphological characterisation of their females: morphology does not work sufficiently.

Science.gov (United States)

Vejl, Pavel; Nechybová, Stanislava; Peřinková, Pavla; Melounová, Martina; Sedláková, Vladimíra; Vašek, Jakub; Čílová, Daniela; Rylková, Kateřina; Jankovská, Ivana; Vadlejch, Jaroslav; Langrová, Iva

2017-08-01

The main aim of the study was to evaluate associations between morphological variability of Trichuris females from sheep and roe deer and their rDNA polymorphism in whipworm populations from the Czech Republic. The results introduced the use of new molecular markers based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS)1-5.8S RNA-ITS2 region polymorphisms, as useful tools for the unambiguous differentiation of congeners Trichuris ovis and Trichuris discolor. These markers revealed both parasites in roe deer and in sheep; however, T. ovis females predominated in sheep while T. discolor females occurred mostly in roe deer. Additional analysis of ITS1-5.8 rRNA-ITS2 discovered the genetic uniformity of the analysed T. discolor but high haplotype variation of T. ovis. Simultaneously, molecularly designated female individuals of both species were categorised into four morphotypes (MT) on the basis of morphology of genital pore area. MT1 and MT4 (vulvar opening on everted vaginal appendage/on visible cuticular bulge) occurred only in T. ovis, MT2 (uneverted vagina-vulvar opening without any elevation) was identified only in T. discolor and MT3 (transient type of vulvar opening on a small swelling) was observed in both species. Statistical analysis of biometric data confirmed that morphology of vulva is not a reliable marker for the species determination. On the basis of the ITS1-5.8S RNA-ITS2 region variability, we carried out a phylogenetic analysis (maximum likelihood method, Hasegawa-Kishino-Yano model) which showed that T. ovis haplotypes from the Czech Republic and Ireland and T. discolor haplotypes from the Czech Republic, Spain, Iran and Japan are sister OTUs.

Selection of adequate site location during early stages of construction project management: A multi-criteria decision analysis approach

Science.gov (United States)

Marović, Ivan; Hanak, Tomaš

2017-10-01

In the management of construction projects special attention should be given to the planning as the most important phase of decision-making process. Quality decision-making based on adequate and comprehensive collaboration of all involved stakeholders is crucial in project’s early stages. Fundamental reasons for existence of this problem arise from: specific conditions of construction industry (final products are inseparable from the location i.e. location has a strong influence of building design and its structural characteristics as well as technology which will be used during construction), investors’ desires and attitudes, and influence of socioeconomic and environment aspects. Considering all mentioned reasons one can conclude that selection of adequate construction site location for future investment is complex, low structured and multi-criteria problem. To take into account all the dimensions, the proposed model for selection of adequate site location is devised. The model is based on AHP (for designing the decision-making hierarchy) and PROMETHEE (for pairwise comparison of investment locations) methods. As a result of mixing basis feature of both methods, operational synergies can be achieved in multi-criteria decision analysis. Such gives the decision-maker a sense of assurance, knowing that if the procedure proposed by the presented model has been followed, it will lead to a rational decision, carefully and systematically thought out.

BIM-Based Decision Support System for Material Selection Based on Supplier Rating

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abiola Akanmu

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Material selection is a delicate process, typically hinged on a number of factors which can be either cost or environmental related. This process becomes more complicated when designers are faced with several material options of building elements and each option can be supplied by different suppliers whose selection criteria may affect the budgetary and environmental requirements of the project. This paper presents the development of a decision support system based on the integration of building information models, a modified harmony search algorithm and supplier performance rating. The system is capable of producing the cost and environmental implications of different material combinations or building designs. A case study is presented to illustrate the functionality of the developed system.

Analyzing Decision Logs to Understand Decision Making in Serious Crime Investigations.

Science.gov (United States)

Dando, Coral J; Ormerod, Thomas C

2017-12-01

Objective To study decision making by detectives when investigating serious crime through the examination of decision logs to explore hypothesis generation and evidence selection. Background Decision logs are used to record and justify decisions made during serious crime investigations. The complexity of investigative decision making is well documented, as are the errors associated with miscarriages of justice and inquests. The use of decision logs has not been the subject of an empirical investigation, yet they offer an important window into the nature of investigative decision making in dynamic, time-critical environments. Method A sample of decision logs from British police forces was analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively to explore hypothesis generation and evidence selection by police detectives. Results Analyses revealed diversity in documentation of decisions that did not correlate with case type and identified significant limitations of the decision log approach to supporting investigative decision making. Differences emerged between experienced and less experienced officers' decision log records in exploration of alternative hypotheses, generation of hypotheses, and sources of evidential inquiry opened over phase of investigation. Conclusion The practical use of decision logs is highly constrained by their format and context of use. Despite this, decision log records suggest that experienced detectives display strategic decision making to avoid confirmation and satisficing, which affect less experienced detectives. Application Potential applications of this research include both training in case documentation and the development of new decision log media that encourage detectives, irrespective of experience, to generate multiple hypotheses and optimize the timely selection of evidence to test them.

Record of decision remedial alternative selection for the F-area burning/rubble pits (231-F, 231-1F, and 231-2F)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palmer, E.

1997-02-01

This decision document presents the selected remedial alternative for the FBRP located at the SRS in Aiken, South Carolina. The selected alternative was developed in accordance with CERCLA, as amended, and to the extent practicable, the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan. This decision is based on the Administrative Record File for this specific RCRA/CERCLA unit

Selecting team players: Considering the impact of contextual performance and workplace deviance on selection decisions in the National Football League.

Science.gov (United States)

Whiting, Steven W; Maynes, Timothy D

2016-04-01

Contextual performance and workplace deviance likely influence team functioning and effectiveness and should therefore be considered when evaluating job candidates for team-based roles. However, obtaining this information is difficult given a lack of reliable sources and the desire of job applicants to present themselves in a favorable light. Thus, it is unknown whether those selecting employees for teams incorporate prior contextual performance and workplace deviance into their evaluations, or whether doing so improves the quality of selection decisions. To address these issues, we examined the impact of prior task performance, contextual performance, and workplace deviance on National Football League (NFL) decision maker (organizational insider) and external expert (organizational outsider) evaluations of college football players in the NFL draft, using a content analysis methodology to generate measures of contextual performance and workplace deviance. Our findings indicate that insiders value contextual performance more than outsiders, which is likely because of differing interests and goals that lead to different levels of motivation and/or ability to acquire information about prior contextual performance. We also propose that prior task performance, contextual performance, and workplace deviance will predict player performance in the NFL. Our results support this prediction for task and contextual performance. In addition, we investigated the quality of insider and outsider judgments using Brunswik's (1952) lens model. Implications of our findings for the team selection, contextual performance, and workplace deviance literatures are discussed. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Heuristics and Criterion Setting during Selective Encoding in Visual Decision-Making: Evidence from Eye Movements.

Science.gov (United States)

Schotter, Elizabeth R; Gerety, Cainen; Rayner, Keith

2012-01-01

When making a decision, people spend longer looking at the option they ultimately choose compared other options-termed the gaze bias effect-even during their first encounter with the options (Glaholt & Reingold, 2009a, 2009b; Schotter, Berry, McKenzie & Rayner, 2010). Schotter et al. (2010) suggested that this is because people selectively encode decision-relevant information about the options, on-line during the first encounter with them. To extend their findings and test this claim, we recorded subjects' eye movements as they made judgments about pairs of images (i.e., which one was taken more recently or which one was taken longer ago). We manipulated whether both images were presented in the same color content (e.g., both in color or both in black-and-white) or whether they differed in color content and the extent to which color content was a reliable cue to relative recentness of the images. We found that the magnitude of the gaze bias effect decreased when the color content cue was not reliable during the first encounter with the images, but no modulation of the gaze bias effect in remaining time on the trial. These data suggest people do selectively encode decision-relevant information on-line.

«Y lo crió a escondidas de los dioses, deseosa de hacerlo inmortal» : algunos tabúes de ciertos héroes (-niños griegos

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Diana Rodríguez Pérez

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Se realiza el análisis de algunos tabúes y prescripciones en relación a Erictonio, Sosípolis, Ofeltes y Yamo, todos ellos héroes niños cuyo futuro se truncó por la ruptura de un tabú. Como elemento invariablemente presentado junto a estos héroes aparece la serpiente, cuya importancia en la religión y mito griego es indudable. Así mismo, la miel, el tabú de no tocar el suelo o la difícil posición de los niños en el sistema griego son elementos tratados en este artículo.Analysis of some taboos and proscriptions in relation to some Greek baby heroes whose life was cut short because a taboo had been broken: Erichthonios, Sosipolis, Opheltes, Yamos. The snake, whose prominent role in Greek rites and myths is beyond all doubt, appears in all these accounts to be closely related with those heroes. Moreover, the honey, the taboo of not to touch the earth and the awkward position of the children within the Greek system of thought are also discuss here.

[ARTÍCULO RETRACTADO - RETRACTED ARTICLE] Iconografía emblemática del héroe nacional costarricense Juan Santamaría

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Brenes Tencio, Guillermo

2009-12-01

Full Text Available [ARTÍCULO RETRACTADO POR EL EDITOR]Se informa que el artículo de Guillermo Brenes Tencio, titulado"Iconografía emblemática del héroe nacional costarricense Juan Santamaría", publicado en el anterior numero monográfico de ARBOR “Relatos icónicos de la nación en Iberoamérica y España” vol. CLXXXV nº 740 (2009, páginas 1243-1257ha sido excluido de dicho número monográfico.Esta decisión de Arbor y de los coordinadores del número monográfico, se debe a que el autor ha publicado dicho artículo con anterioridad, con contenido idéntico o esencialmente idéntico, en las siguientes revistas:Brenes Tencio, Guillermo, “Y se hizo la imagen del héroe nacional costarricense... Iconografía emblemática de Juan Santamaría”. Historia crítica, Núm. 37, enero-abril, 2009, pp. 26-53. http://historiacritica.uniandes.edu.co/view.php/569/1.php [03/02/2010]Brenes Tencio, Guillermo, “Iconografía emblemática del héroe nacional costarricense Juan Santamaría”. Acta Republicana, Año 7, Número 7 (2008, pp. 13-25. http://www.publicaciones.cucsh.udg.mx/pperiod/republicana/pdf/ActaRep07/pags13-26.pdf [03/02/2010]y ha utilizado indebidamente y sin citar de manera específica diversos párrafos de ensayos publicados previamente y en el ámbito local de Costa Rica por historiadores de dicho país (Prof. Iván Molina Jiménez y Prof. David Díaz Arias, quienes han presentado las pruebas correspondientes.La dirección de ARBOR, según los usos habituales en caso de fraude o conducta editorial inapropiada, procede a la retractación formal de la publicación de este artículo, por lo cual no tendrá en consideración las posibles réplicas, contrarréplicas o comentarios.Esta nota editorial se incorporará junto con la versión electrónica del artículo, y se publicará en la edición impresa del próximo número.Madrid, 4 de febrero de 2010[THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN RETRACTED BY THE EDITOR]Please read the Spanish version of the Abstract or the

Application of preference selection index method for decision making over the design stage of production system life cycle

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Rajesh Attri

2015-07-01

Full Text Available The life cycle of production system shows the progress of production system from the inception to the termination of the system. During each stage, mainly in the design stage, certain strategic decisions have to be taken. These decisions are more complex as the decision makers have to assess a wide range of alternatives based on a set of conflicting criteria. As the decision making process is found to be unstructured, characterized by domain dependent knowledge, there is a need to apply an efficient multi-criteria decision making (MCDM tool to help the decision makers in making correct decisions. This paper explores the application of a novel MCDM method i.e. Preference selection index (PSI method to solve various decision-making problems that are generally encountered in the design stage of production system life cycle. To prove the potentiality, applicability and accuracy of PSI method in solving decision making problem during the design stage of production system life cycle, five examples are cited from the literature and are compared with the results obtained by the past researchers.

Range Sensor-Based Efficient Obstacle Avoidance through Selective Decision-Making.

Science.gov (United States)

Shim, Youngbo; Kim, Gon-Woo

2018-03-29

In this paper, we address a collision avoidance method for mobile robots. Many conventional obstacle avoidance methods have been focused solely on avoiding obstacles. However, this can cause instability when passing through a narrow passage, and can also generate zig-zag motions. We define two strategies for obstacle avoidance, known as Entry mode and Bypass mode. Entry mode is a pattern for passing through the gap between obstacles, while Bypass mode is a pattern for making a detour around obstacles safely. With these two modes, we propose an efficient obstacle avoidance method based on the Expanded Guide Circle (EGC) method with selective decision-making. The simulation and experiment results show the validity of the proposed method.

Range Sensor-Based Efficient Obstacle Avoidance through Selective Decision-Making

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Youngbo Shim

2018-03-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we address a collision avoidance method for mobile robots. Many conventional obstacle avoidance methods have been focused solely on avoiding obstacles. However, this can cause instability when passing through a narrow passage, and can also generate zig-zag motions. We define two strategies for obstacle avoidance, known as Entry mode and Bypass mode. Entry mode is a pattern for passing through the gap between obstacles, while Bypass mode is a pattern for making a detour around obstacles safely. With these two modes, we propose an efficient obstacle avoidance method based on the Expanded Guide Circle (EGC method with selective decision-making. The simulation and experiment results show the validity of the proposed method.

Decision-Making Approach to Selecting Optimal Platform of Service Variants

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Vladimir Modrak

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Nowadays, it is anticipated that service sector companies will be inspired to follow mass customization trends of industrial sector. However, services are more abstract than products and therefore concepts for mass customization in manufacturing domain cannot be transformed without a methodical change. This paper is focused on the development of a methodological framework to support decisions in a selection of optimal platform of service variants when compatibility problems between service options occurred. The approach is based on mutual relations between waste and constrained design space entropy. For this purpose, software for quantification of constrained and waste design space is developed. Practicability of the methodology is presented on a realistic case.

Fuzzy decision approach for selection of most suitable construction method of Green Buildings

OpenAIRE

Sunita Bansal; Srijit Biswas; S.K. Singh

2017-01-01

A big challenge in sustainable projects is selection of appropriate construction method and is considered to be the decisive factor for its success. Many environment friendly prefabricated elements are entering into the market at an increasing pace. This has increased the workload and inquisitiveness of the stakeholders who will need information about their environmental, technical and esthetic aspects. The use of prefabrication in sustainable construction is advantageous but appropriate deci...

Interim action record of decision remedial alternative selection: TNX area groundwater operable unit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palmer, E.R.

1994-10-01

This document presents the selected interim remedial action for the TNX Area Groundwater Operable Unit at the Savannah River Site (SRS), which was developed in accordance with CERCLA of 1980, as amended by the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) of 1986, and to the extent practicable, the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution contingency Plan (NCP). This decision is based on the Administrative Record File for this specific CERCLA unit

Selection for inpatient rehabilitation after severe stroke: what factors influence rehabilitation assessor decision-making?

Science.gov (United States)

Hakkennes, Sharon; Hill, Keith D; Brock, Kim; Bernhardt, Julie; Churilov, Leonid

2013-01-01

This study aimed to identify factors that assessors considered important in decision-making regarding suitability for inpatient rehabilitation after acute severe stroke. Multi-site prospective observational cohort study. Consecutive acute, severe stroke patients and their assessors for inpatient rehabilitation. Rehabilitation assessors completed a questionnaire, rating the importance (10 point visual analogue scale) and direction (positive, negative or neutral) of 15 patient related and 2 organisational items potentially affecting their decision regarding patients' acceptance to rehabilitation. Of the 75 patients referred to rehabilitation and included in this study 61 (81.3%) were accepted for inpatient rehabilitation. The items considered to be most important in the decision to accept the patient for rehabilitation were pre-morbid cognition, pre-morbid mobility and pre-morbid communication. For those not accepted the most important items were current mobility, social support and current cognition. Factor analysis revealed 3 underlying factors, interpreted as post-stroke status, pre-morbid status, and social attributes, accounting for 61.8% of the total variance. All were independently associated with acceptance for rehabilitation (p decision making process for acceptance to rehabilitation following severe stroke. Future models for selection for rehabilitation should consider inclusion of these factors.

Software development to support decision making in the selection of nursing diagnoses and interventions for children and adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Silva, Kenya de Lima; Évora, Yolanda Dora Martinez; Cintra, Camila Santana Justo

2015-01-01

to report the development of a software to support decision-making for the selection of nursing diagnoses and interventions for children and adolescents, based on the nomenclature of nursing diagnoses, outcomes and interventions of a university hospital in Paraiba. a methodological applied study based on software engineering, as proposed by Pressman, developed in three cycles, namely: flow chart construction, development of the navigation interface, and construction of functional expressions and programming development. the software consists of administrative and nursing process screens. The assessment is automatically selected according to age group, the nursing diagnoses are suggested by the system after information is inserted, and can be indicated by the nurse. The interventions for the chosen diagnosis are selected by structuring the care plan. the development of this tool used to document the nursing actions will contribute to decision-making and quality of care.

Selection of Representative Models for Decision Analysis Under Uncertainty

Science.gov (United States)

Meira, Luis A. A.; Coelho, Guilherme P.; Santos, Antonio Alberto S.; Schiozer, Denis J.

2016-03-01

The decision-making process in oil fields includes a step of risk analysis associated with the uncertainties present in the variables of the problem. Such uncertainties lead to hundreds, even thousands, of possible scenarios that are supposed to be analyzed so an effective production strategy can be selected. Given this high number of scenarios, a technique to reduce this set to a smaller, feasible subset of representative scenarios is imperative. The selected scenarios must be representative of the original set and also free of optimistic and pessimistic bias. This paper is devoted to propose an assisted methodology to identify representative models in oil fields. To do so, first a mathematical function was developed to model the representativeness of a subset of models with respect to the full set that characterizes the problem. Then, an optimization tool was implemented to identify the representative models of any problem, considering not only the cross-plots of the main output variables, but also the risk curves and the probability distribution of the attribute-levels of the problem. The proposed technique was applied to two benchmark cases and the results, evaluated by experts in the field, indicate that the obtained solutions are richer than those identified by previously adopted manual approaches. The program bytecode is available under request.

Supplier Selection Process Using ELECTRE I Decision Model and an Application in the Retail Sector

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Oğuzhan Yavuz

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Supplier selection problem is one of the main topic for the today’s businesses. The supplier selection problem within the supply chain management activities is very important for the businesses, particularly operating in the retail sector. Thus, in this study, the supplier selection problem was discussed in order of importance between energy drinks suppliers of food business in the retail sector. Costs, delivery, quality and flexibility variables were used to select suppliers, and ELECTRE I Method, one of the multiple decision methods, was used to ranking suppliers according to this variables. Which suppliers are more important for the food company was determined by ranking suppliers according to computing net superior values and net inferior values. Results obtained werepresented in tables and certain steps

A Group Decision Framework with Intuitionistic Preference Relations and Its Application to Low Carbon Supplier Selection.

Science.gov (United States)

Tong, Xiayu; Wang, Zhou-Jing

2016-09-19

This article develops a group decision framework with intuitionistic preference relations. An approach is first devised to rectify an inconsistent intuitionistic preference relation to derive an additive consistent one. A new aggregation operator, the so-called induced intuitionistic ordered weighted averaging (IIOWA) operator, is proposed to aggregate individual intuitionistic fuzzy judgments. By using the mean absolute deviation between the original and rectified intuitionistic preference relations as an order inducing variable, the rectified consistent intuitionistic preference relations are aggregated into a collective preference relation. This treatment is presumably able to assign different weights to different decision-makers' judgments based on the quality of their inputs (in terms of consistency of their original judgments). A solution procedure is then developed for tackling group decision problems with intuitionistic preference relations. A low carbon supplier selection case study is developed to illustrate how to apply the proposed decision model in practice.

Handling equipment Selection in open pit mines by using an integrated model based on group decision making

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Abdolreza Yazdani-Chamzini

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Process of handling equipment selection is one of the most important and basic parts in the project planning, particularly mining projects due to holding a high charge of the total project's cost. Different criteria impact on the handling equipment selection, while these criteria often are in conflicting with each other. Therefore, the process of handling equipment selection is a complex and multi criteria decision making problem. There are a variety of methods for selecting the most appropriate equipment among a set of alternatives. Likewise, according to the sophisticated structure of the problem, imprecise data, less of information, and inherent uncertainty, the usage of the fuzzy sets can be useful. In this study a new integrated model based on fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP and fuzzy technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (FTOPSIS is proposed, which uses group decision making to reduce individual errors. In order to calculate the weights of the evaluation criteria, FAHP is utilized in the process of handling equipment selection, and then these weights are inserted to the FTOPSIS computations to select the most appropriate handling system among a pool of alternatives. The results of this study demonstrate the potential application and effectiveness of the proposed model, which can be applied to different types of sophisticated problems in real problems.

A Methodology for the Selection of Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis Methods in Real Estate and Land Management Processes

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Maria Rosaria Guarini

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Real estate and land management are characterised by a complex, elaborate combination of technical, regulatory and governmental factors. In Europe, Public Administrators must address the complex decision-making problems that need to be resolved, while also acting in consideration of the expectations of the different stakeholders involved in settlement transformation. In complex situations (e.g., with different aspects to be considered and multilevel actors involved, decision-making processes are often used to solve multidisciplinary and multidimensional analyses, which support the choices of those who are making the decision. Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA methods are included among the examination and evaluation techniques considered useful by the European Community. Such analyses and techniques are performed using methods, which aim to reach a synthesis of the various forms of input data needed to define decision-making problems of a similar complexity. Thus, one or more of the conclusions reached allow for informed, well thought-out, strategic decisions. According to the technical literature on MCDA, numerous methods are applicable in different decision-making situations, however, advice for selecting the most appropriate for the specific field of application and problem have not been thoroughly investigated. In land and real estate management, numerous queries regarding evaluations often arise. In brief, the objective of this paper is to outline a procedure with which to select the method best suited to the specific queries of evaluation, which commonly arise while addressing decision-making problems. In particular issues of land and real estate management, representing the so-called “settlement sector”. The procedure will follow a theoretical-methodological approach by formulating a taxonomy of the endogenous and exogenous variables of the multi-criteria analysis methods.

A Scientific Decision Framework for Supplier Selection under Interval Valued Intuitionistic Fuzzy Environment

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R. Krishankumar

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This paper proposes a new scientific decision framework (SDF under interval valued intuitionistic fuzzy (IVIF environment for supplier selection (SS. The framework consists of two phases, where, in the first phase, criteria weights are estimated in a sensible manner using newly proposed IVIF based statistical variance (SV method and, in the second phase, the suitable supplier is selected using ELECTRE (ELimination and Choice Expressing REality ranking method under IVIF environment. This method involves three categories of outranking, namely, strong, moderate, and weak. Previous studies on ELECTRE ranking reveal that scholars have only used two categories of outranking, namely, strong and weak, in the formulation of IVIF based ELECTRE, which eventually aggravates fuzziness and vagueness in decision making process due to the potential loss of information. Motivated by this challenge, third outranking category, called moderate, is proposed, which considerably reduces the loss of information by improving checks to the concordance and discordance matrices. Thus, in this paper, IVIF-ELECTRE (IVIFE method is presented and popular TOPSIS method is integrated with IVIFE for obtaining a linear ranking. Finally, the practicality of the proposed framework is demonstrated using SS example and the strength of proposed SDF is realized by comparing the framework with other similar methods.

Risk-based decision-making framework for the selection of sediment dredging option.

Science.gov (United States)

Manap, Norpadzlihatun; Voulvoulis, Nikolaos

2014-10-15

The aim of this study was to develop a risk-based decision-making framework for the selection of sediment dredging option. Descriptions using case studies of the newly integrated, holistic and staged framework were followed. The first stage utilized the historical dredging monitoring data and the contamination level in media data into Ecological Risk Assessment phases, which have been altered for benefits in cost, time and simplicity. How Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) can be used to analyze and prioritize dredging areas based on environmental, socio-economic and managerial criteria was described for the next stage. The results from MCDA will be integrated into Ecological Risk Assessment to characterize the degree of contamination in the prioritized areas. The last stage was later described using these findings and analyzed using MCDA, in order to identify the best sediment dredging option, accounting for the economic, environmental and technical aspects of dredging, which is beneficial for dredging and sediment management industries. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Decision-Making Method with Grey Multi-Source Heterogeneous Data and Its Application in Green Supplier Selection

Science.gov (United States)

Dang, Yaoguo; Mao, Wenxin

2018-01-01

In view of the multi-attribute decision-making problem that the attribute values are grey multi-source heterogeneous data, a decision-making method based on kernel and greyness degree is proposed. The definitions of kernel and greyness degree of an extended grey number in a grey multi-source heterogeneous data sequence are given. On this basis, we construct the kernel vector and greyness degree vector of the sequence to whiten the multi-source heterogeneous information, then a grey relational bi-directional projection ranking method is presented. Considering the multi-attribute multi-level decision structure and the causalities between attributes in decision-making problem, the HG-DEMATEL method is proposed to determine the hierarchical attribute weights. A green supplier selection example is provided to demonstrate the rationality and validity of the proposed method. PMID:29510521

A Decision-Making Method with Grey Multi-Source Heterogeneous Data and Its Application in Green Supplier Selection.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Huifang; Dang, Yaoguo; Mao, Wenxin

2018-03-03

In view of the multi-attribute decision-making problem that the attribute values are grey multi-source heterogeneous data, a decision-making method based on kernel and greyness degree is proposed. The definitions of kernel and greyness degree of an extended grey number in a grey multi-source heterogeneous data sequence are given. On this basis, we construct the kernel vector and greyness degree vector of the sequence to whiten the multi-source heterogeneous information, then a grey relational bi-directional projection ranking method is presented. Considering the multi-attribute multi-level decision structure and the causalities between attributes in decision-making problem, the HG-DEMATEL method is proposed to determine the hierarchical attribute weights. A green supplier selection example is provided to demonstrate the rationality and validity of the proposed method.

An integrated multi-criteria decision-making methodology for conveyor system selection

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Pairat Jiamruangjarus

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Material handling equipment (MHE is important for every industry because it has an effect on the productivity of manufacturing. Conveyor systems are presently one popular type of MHE. This paper presents an integration of the analytic network process (ANP with the benefits, opportunities, costs and risk (BOCR model in order to select the best conveyor system. The proposed model established a network with four merits, six strategies criteria, and twenty six sub-criteria with four alternatives (present, roller conveyor, chain conveyor, and monorail. The ANP is to determine the relative weights of an evaluative criteria and decision alternatives. Therefore, the final ranking of the alternatives are calculated by synthesizing the score of each alternative under BOCR. The results showed that the best alternative under all five methods is the chain conveyor. These research results can be easily applied, adapted and used to improve performance of selecting the conveyer system in small and medium enterprises through large industries.

Detection of heat abduction on the walls by artificial neural network and selection of materials with decision support system

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Egemen Tekkanat

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Today energy conservation is a very important issue in the world and Turkey. The aim of this study is to minimize the heat abduction, thus to save energy by utilizing the factors to prevent the heat abduction on the walls of buildings. First of all, a back-propagation network model with artificial neural network model was used for the factors that can cause heat loss on the walls. Whether the walls have insulation were considered. After that, Decision Support Systems were used for heat insulation to select the appropriate materials. A Decision Support Model with Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP was recommended to meet the needs of a customer best and to make better decisions for the selection of the materials. The method was used by construction firms for their decision processes for the best materials and the results were evaluated. After the evaluations were done, the factors that cause heat loss were considered and it became clear which factors were more important for the prevention of heat loss.

Radiation protection technology. Specific course for authorized radiation protection representatives according the qualification guidelines technology for the radiation protection regulations (StrlSchV) and X-ray regulation (RoeV). 2. rev. ed.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rahn, Hans-Joachim

2012-01-01

The specific course for authorized radiation protection representatives according the qualification guidelines technology for the radiation protection regulations (StrlSchV) and X-ray regulation (RoeV). Covers the following issues: radiation protection - generally; licenses and notifications; scientific fundamentals; dosimetry, surveillance, control, documentation; technical radiation protection; radiation protection calculations.

Public Speaking Apprehension, Decision-Making Errors in the Selection of Speech Introduction Strategies and Adherence to Strategy.

Science.gov (United States)

Beatty, Michael J.

1988-01-01

Examines the choice-making processes of students engaged in the selection of speech introduction strategies. Finds that the frequency of students making decision-making errors was a positive function of public speaking apprehension. (MS)

Software development to support decision making in the selection of nursing diagnoses and interventions for children and adolescents

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kenya de Lima Silva

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Objective: to report the development of a software to support decision-making for the selection of nursing diagnoses and interventions for children and adolescents, based on the nomenclature of nursing diagnoses, outcomes and interventions of a university hospital in Paraiba.Method: a methodological applied study based on software engineering, as proposed by Pressman, developed in three cycles, namely: flow chart construction, development of the navigation interface, and construction of functional expressions and programming development.Result: the software consists of administrative and nursing process screens. The assessment is automatically selected according to age group, the nursing diagnoses are suggested by the system after information is inserted, and can be indicated by the nurse. The interventions for the chosen diagnosis are selected by structuring the care plan.Conclusion: the development of this tool used to document the nursing actions will contribute to decision-making and quality of care.

The Application of a Decision-making Approach based on Fuzzy ANP and TOPSIS for Selecting a Strategic Supplier

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Rajesri Govindaraju

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Supplier selection becomes very important when used in the context of strategic partnerships because of the long-term orientation of the relationship. This paper describes the application of a decision-making approach for selecting a strategic partner (supplier. The approach starts with defining a set of criteria that fits the company’s condition. In the next steps, a combination of fuzzy-ANP and TOPSIS methods is used to determine the weight for each criterion and rank all the alternatives. The application of the approach in an Indonesian manufacturing company showed that the three factors that got the highest weight were “geographical location”, “current operating performance”, and “reliability”. Geographical location got the highest weight because it affects many other factors such as reaction to changes in demand, after-sales service, and delivery lead-time. Application of the approach helps decision-makers to gain effectiveness and efficiency in the decision-making process because it facilitates them to express their group’s collective preferences while also providing opportunities for members to express their individual preferences. Future research can be directed at combining qualitative and quantitative criteria to develop the best criteria and methods for the selection of the best suppliers based on fuzzy ANP and TOPSIS.

Materials Down Select Decisions Made Within the Department of Energy Hydrogen Sorption Center of Excellence

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Simpson, Lin [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2009-11-30

Technical report describing DOE's Hydrogen Sorption Center of Excellence investigation into various adsorbent and chemisorption materials and progress towards meeting DOE's hydrogen storage targets. The report presents a review of the material status as related to DOE hydrogen storage targets and explains the basis for the down select decisions.

A pragmatic pairwise group-decision method for selection of sites for nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kutbi, I.I.

1987-01-01

A pragmatic pairwise group-decision approach is applied to compare two regions in order to select the more suitable one for construction of nulcear power plants in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The selection methodology is based on pairwise comparison by forced choice. The method facilitates rating of the regions or sites using simple calculations. Two regions, one close to Dhahran on the Arabian Gulf and another close to Jeddah on the Red Sea, are evaluated. No specific site in either region is considered at this stage. The comparison is based on a set of selection criteria which include (i) topography, (ii) geology, (iii) seismology, (iv) meteorology, (v) oceanography, (vi) hydrology and (vii) proximetry to oil and gas fields. The comparison shows that the Jeddah region is more suitable than the Dhahran region. (orig.)

Reliability-based decision making for selection of ready-mix concrete supply using stochastic superiority and inferiority ranking method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chou, Jui-Sheng; Ongkowijoyo, Citra Satria

2015-01-01

Corporate competitiveness is heavily influenced by the information acquired, processed, utilized and transferred by professional staff involved in the supply chain. This paper develops a decision aid for selecting on-site ready-mix concrete (RMC) unloading type in decision making situations involving multiple stakeholders and evaluation criteria. The uncertainty of criteria weights set by expert judgment can be transformed in random ways based on the probabilistic virtual-scale method within a prioritization matrix. The ranking is performed by grey relational grade systems considering stochastic criteria weight based on individual preference. Application of the decision aiding model in actual RMC case confirms that the method provides a robust and effective tool for facilitating decision making under uncertainty. - Highlights: • This study models decision aiding method to assess ready-mix concrete unloading type. • Applying Monte Carlo simulation to virtual-scale method achieves a reliable process. • Individual preference ranking method enhances the quality of global decision making. • Robust stochastic superiority and inferiority ranking obtains reasonable results

Public participation in the process of decision making related to site selection of low and intermediate radioactive waste repository

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cerskov Klika, M.

1994-01-01

This paper presents the work with public related to the acceptance of low and intermediate radioactive waste disposal facility in the Republic of Croatia. Activities performing in the field of public relations in the Hazardous Waste Management Agency - APO have been described. The fact that all the important decisions on site selections and constructions of different facilities, frequently controversial, were made in the former system without involvement of the public, makes them more significant. Therefore, the public is afraid of being cheated and manipulated again. In order to represent APO not only as the expert ecologically interested actor in the decision-making process on site selection, the study on forming the ecological image of the agency, has been done. In accordance with the results of the study, the activities related to the permanent informing and educating of the public, are being performed. In the end, it has been concluded that it is not enough to inform the public properly, accurately and timely, but it is necessary to educate the public too, because only in the way the public can be thoroughly involved in the decision-making process on site selection of radioactive waste disposal

Decision Making in Liver Transplant Selection Committees

Science.gov (United States)

Volk, Michael L; Biggins, Scott W; Huang, Mary Ann; Argo, Curtis K; Fontana, Robert J; Anspach, Renee R

2011-01-01

Background In order to receive a liver transplant, patients must first be placed on the waiting list – a decision made in most transplant centers by a multidisciplinary committee. The function of these committees has never been studied. Objectives To describe decision making in liver transplant committees and identify opportunities for process improvement. Design Observational multi-center Setting We observed 63 meetings and interviewed 50 committee members at 4 liver transplant centers. Study Subjects Transplant committee members. Measurements Recorded transcripts and field notes were analyzed using standard qualitative sociological methods. Results While the structure of meetings varied by center, the process was uniform and involved reviewing possible reasons for patient exclusion using primarily inductive reasoning. Stated justifications for excluding patients were a) too well, b) non-hepatic comorbidities or advanced age, c) too sick in the setting of advanced liver disease, d) substance abuse, or e) other psychosocial barriers. Dominant themes identified included members’ angst over deciding who lives and dies, a high correlation between psychosocial barriers to transplant and patients’ socioeconomic status, and the influence of external forces on decision making. Consistently identified barriers to effective group decision making were: 1) unwritten center policies, and 2) confusion regarding advocacy versus stewardship roles. Limitations The use of qualitative methods provides broad understanding but limits specific inferences. These four centers may not be reflective of every transplant center nationwide. Conclusion The difficult decisions made by these committees are reasonably consistent and always well-intentioned, but might be improved by more explicit written policies and clarifying roles. This process may help inform resource allocation in other areas of medicine. Primary funding source The Greenwall Foundation. PMID:22007044

Selection of disposal contractor by multi criteria decision making methods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cenker Korkmazer

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Hazardous waste is substance that threaten people and environment in case of improper storage, disposal and transport due to its concentration, physical and chemical properties. Companies producing hazardous waste as a result of several activities mostly do not have any own disposal facilities. In addition, they do not pay attention enough to determine the right contractor as a disposal facility. On the other hand, there are various qualitative and quantitative criteria affecting the selection of the contractor and conflicting with each other. The aim of the performed study is to assist one of these companies producing hazardous waste in the selection of the best contractor that eliminates hazardous waste economic and harmless way. In the study, contractor weights in percentage is calculated by using Analytic Network Process (ANP as one of the multi-criteria decision making (MCDM methods and widely used in the literature which considers both qualitative and quantitative criteria. In the next step, by the help of the mathematical model, contractors that will be given which type of hazardous waste are identified. This integrated approach can be used as a guide for similar firms.

An Integrated Approach with Group Decision-Making for Strategy Selection in SWOT Analysis

OpenAIRE

İhsan Yüksel

2012-01-01

The main aim of this study was to improve the analytical dimension of SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis with group decision-making, which underlines the analysis of internal and external environments that in turn, will improve the definition of corporate strategy within the strategic planning process. The main issue of the study was how to select the most appropriate strategy by taking into consideration different effects of each factor of SWOT analysis on strat...

A multi-criteria decision making approach for the selection of a flexible packaging equipment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristea Ciprian

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Flexible packaging is one of the fastest growing segments of the packaging industry, combining paper, plastic film and aluminum foil to deliver a broad array of products for food and beverage, personal care products, and pharmaceutical industries. In order to preserve the quality and safety of the product contained in them, there are currently a variety of flexible packaging equipment options available. However their relative costs and performance differ. This study proposes an application of a ranking methodology to assess a selection of the most suitable flexible packaging equipment. The adequate criteria in the selection of equipment have been identified, and the considered options are assessed, considering the decision maker’s preferences and existing constraints. The options are ranked in terms of their suitability for selecting equipment by using the Electre III method. The results obtained from the simulation experiment highlight the effectiveness of the model in outranking different options in the process of equipment selection.

Demonstration of risk-based decision analysis in remedial alternative selection and design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Evans, E.K.; Duffield, G.M.; Massmann, J.W.; Freeze, R.A.; Stephenson, D.E.

1993-01-01

This study demonstrates the use of risk-based decision analysis (Massmann and Freeze 1987a, 1987b) in the selection and design of an engineering alternative for groundwater remediation at a waste site at the Savannah River Site, a US Department of Energy facility in South Carolina. The investigation focuses on the remediation and closure of the H-Area Seepage Basins, an inactive disposal site that formerly received effluent water from a nearby production facility. A previous study by Duffield et al. (1992), which used risk-based decision analysis to screen a number of ground-water remediation alternatives under consideration for this site, indicated that the most attractive remedial option is ground-water extraction by wells coupled with surface water discharge of treated effluent. The aim of the present study is to demonstrate the iterative use of risk-based decision analysis throughout the design of a particular remedial alternative. In this study, we consider the interaction between two episodes of aquifer testing over a 6-year period and the refinement of a remedial extraction well system design. Using a three-dimensional ground-water flow model, this study employs (1) geostatistics and Monte Carlo techniques to simulate hydraulic conductivity as a stochastic process and (2) Bayesian updating and conditional simulation to investigate multiple phases of aquifer testing. In our evaluation of a remedial alternative, we compute probabilistic costs associated with the failure of an alternative to completely capture a simulated contaminant plume. The results of this study demonstrate the utility of risk-based decision analysis as a tool for improving the design of a remedial alternative through the course of phased data collection at a remedial site

A review of multi-criteria decision making techniques for supplier evaluation and selection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Prince Agarwal

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Supplier evaluation and selection has been a vital issue of strategic importance for long time. Different multi-criteria decision making (MCDM approaches have been proposed by the researchers in past, to solve the supplier evaluation and selection problem. In this paper, we present a review of various MCDM methodologies reported in the literature for solving the supplier evaluation and selection process. The review is solely based on sixty-eight research articles, including eight review articles in the academic literature from 2000 to 2011. We try to find out the most prevalent approach in the articles and thereby present the future scope of arriving at an optimal solution to the problem, based on the specifications, the strategies and the requirements of the buyers. The study presents that with the change in processes and the requirements, how the approach of the manufacturing industry has shifted from striving for operational effectiveness to the strategic partnership in the dyadic relationship.

Decision method for optimal selection of warehouse material handling strategies by production companies

Science.gov (United States)

Dobos, P.; Tamás, P.; Illés, B.

2016-11-01

Adequate establishment and operation of warehouse logistics determines the companies’ competitiveness significantly because it effects greatly the quality and the selling price of the goods that the production companies produce. In order to implement and manage an adequate warehouse system, adequate warehouse position, stock management model, warehouse technology, motivated work force committed to process improvement and material handling strategy are necessary. In practical life, companies have paid small attantion to select the warehouse strategy properly. Although it has a major influence on the production in the case of material warehouse and on smooth costumer service in the case of finished goods warehouse because this can happen with a huge loss in material handling. Due to the dynamically changing production structure, frequent reorganization of warehouse activities is needed, on what the majority of the companies react basically with no reactions. This work presents a simulation test system frames for eligible warehouse material handling strategy selection and also the decision method for selection.

A Cercla-Based Decision Model to Support Remedy Selection for an Uncertain Volume of Contaminants at a DOE Facility

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Christine E. Kerschus

1999-03-31

The Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PGDP) operated by the Department of Energy is challenged with selecting the appropriate remediation technology to cleanup contaminants at Waste Area Group (WAG) 6. This research utilizes value-focused thinking and multiattribute preference theory concepts to produce a decision analysis model designed to aid the decision makers in their selection process. The model is based on CERCLA's five primary balancing criteria, tailored specifically to WAG 6 and the contaminants of concern, utilizes expert opinion and the best available engineering, cost, and performance data, and accounts for uncertainty in contaminant volume. The model ranks 23 remediation technologies (trains) in their ability to achieve the CERCLA criteria at various contaminant volumes. A sensitivity analysis is performed to examine the effects of changes in expert opinion and uncertainty in volume. Further analysis reveals how volume uncertainty is expected to affect technology cost, time and ability to meet the CERCLA criteria. The model provides the decision makers with a CERCLA-based decision analysis methodology that is objective, traceable, and robust to support the WAG 6 Feasibility Study. In addition, the model can be adjusted to address other DOE contaminated sites.

A Cercla-Based Decision Model to Support Remedy Selection for an Uncertain Volume of Contaminants at a DOE Facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Christine E. Kerschus

1999-01-01

The Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PGDP) operated by the Department of Energy is challenged with selecting the appropriate remediation technology to cleanup contaminants at Waste Area Group (WAG) 6. This research utilizes value-focused thinking and multiattribute preference theory concepts to produce a decision analysis model designed to aid the decision makers in their selection process. The model is based on CERCLA's five primary balancing criteria, tailored specifically to WAG 6 and the contaminants of concern, utilizes expert opinion and the best available engineering, cost, and performance data, and accounts for uncertainty in contaminant volume. The model ranks 23 remediation technologies (trains) in their ability to achieve the CERCLA criteria at various contaminant volumes. A sensitivity analysis is performed to examine the effects of changes in expert opinion and uncertainty in volume. Further analysis reveals how volume uncertainty is expected to affect technology cost, time and ability to meet the CERCLA criteria. The model provides the decision makers with a CERCLA-based decision analysis methodology that is objective, traceable, and robust to support the WAG 6 Feasibility Study. In addition, the model can be adjusted to address other DOE contaminated sites

A Hybrid Multiple Criteria Group Decision-Making Approach for Green Supplier Selection in the TFT-LCD Industry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Che-Wei Tsui

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The awareness of the need for environmental protection is increasing throughout the world. The focuses of green supplier selection are on considering environmental criteria and strengthening the competitiveness of the entire supply chain. The purpose of this study is to develop a green supplier selection procedure for the thin film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD industry using polarizer suppliers as an example. First, a decision framework for green supplier selection is developed based on literatures and the supplier audit forms provided by an anonymous flat panel display manufacturer in Taiwan. Then, a hybrid multiple criteria group decision-making (MCGDM method is proposed based on analytic hierarchy process (AHP, entropy, elimination and choice expressing the reality III (ELECTRE III, and the linear assignment method to assist the manufacturer in choosing among four polarizer suppliers. The final ranking results for green supplier selection and different opinions from each department are provided. An improvement report is suggested to enhance suppliers’ performance. For the evaluation procedure, most managers emphasize the importance of current capability and the capability of research and development. Furthermore, we found that the subsidiary supplier should improve quality control competence immediately to be considered as the potential candidate of primary supplier.

Optimal Channel Selection Based on Online Decision and Offline Learning in Multichannel Wireless Sensor Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mu Qiao

2017-01-01

Full Text Available We propose a channel selection strategy with hybrid architecture, which combines the centralized method and the distributed method to alleviate the overhead of access point and at the same time provide more flexibility in network deployment. By this architecture, we make use of game theory and reinforcement learning to fulfill the optimal channel selection under different communication scenarios. Particularly, when the network can satisfy the requirements of energy and computational costs, the online decision algorithm based on noncooperative game can help each individual sensor node immediately select the optimal channel. Alternatively, when the network cannot satisfy the requirements of energy and computational costs, the offline learning algorithm based on reinforcement learning can help each individual sensor node to learn from its experience and iteratively adjust its behavior toward the expected target. Extensive simulation results validate the effectiveness of our proposal and also prove that higher system throughput can be achieved by our channel selection strategy over the conventional off-policy channel selection approaches.

Review of tri-generation technologies: Design evaluation, optimization, decision-making, and selection approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al Moussawi, Houssein; Fardoun, Farouk; Louahlia-Gualous, Hasna

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Trigeneration technologies classified and reviewed according to prime movers. • Relevant heat recovery equipment discussed with thermal energy storage. • Trigeneration evaluated based on energy, exergy, economy, environment criteria. • Design, optimization, and decision-making methods classified and presented. • System selection suggested according to user preferences. - Abstract: Electricity, heating, and cooling are the three main components constituting the tripod of energy consumption in residential, commercial, and public buildings all around the world. Their separate generation causes higher fuel consumption, at a time where energy demands and fuel costs are continuously rising. Combined cooling, heating, and power (CCHP) or trigeneration could be a solution for such challenge yielding an efficient, reliable, flexible, competitive, and less pollutant alternative. A variety of trigeneration technologies are available and their proper choice is influenced by the employed energy system conditions and preferences. In this paper, different types of trigeneration systems are classified according to the prime mover, size and energy sequence usage. A leveled selection procedure is subsequently listed in the consecutive sections. The first level contains the applied prime mover technologies which are considered to be the heart of any CCHP system. The second level comprises the heat recovery equipment (heating and cooling) of which suitable selection should be compatible with the used prime mover. The third level includes the thermal energy storage system and heat transfer fluid to be employed. For each section of the paper, a survey of conducted studies with CHP/CCHP implementation is presented. A comprehensive table of evaluation criteria for such systems based on energy, exergy, economy, and environment measures is performed, along with a survey of the methods used in their design, optimization, and decision-making. Moreover, a classification

Multi-criteria decision-making in the selection of a renewable energy project in spain: The Vikor method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

San Cristobal, J.R.

2011-01-01

One of the characteristics of the Spanish energy system is its high degree of dependence on imports. In 2005, the Spanish government approved the new Renewable Energy Plan in the following sectors: Windpower, Hydroelectric, Solar Thermal, Solar Thermo-electric, Photovoltaic, Biomass, Biogas and Biofuels. The aim of the Plan is to make it possible to reach the target of 12% of primary energy being met from renewable sources by 2010. When selecting one from various Renewable Energy investment projects different groups of decision-makers become involved in the process. Decision-making has to take into consideration several conflicting objectives because of the increasingly complex social, economic, technological, and environmental factors that are present. Traditional single-criterion decision-making is no longer able to handle these problems. The Compromise Ranking method, also known as the VIKOR method, introduces the Multi-criteria ranking index based on the particular measure of ''closeness'' to the ''ideal'' solution. In this paper, we apply the method in the selection of a Renewable Energy project corresponding to the Renewable Energy Plan launched by the Spanish Government. The method is combined with the Analytical Hierarchy Process method for weighting the importance of the different criteria, which allows decision-makers to assign these values based on their preferences. The results show that the Biomass plant option (Co-combustion in a conventional power plant) is the best choice, followed by the Wind power and Solar Thermo-electric alternatives. (author)

Material Selection for Dye Sensitized Solar Cells Using Multiple Attribute Decision Making Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarita Baghel

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Dye sensitized solar cells (DSCs provide a potential alternative to conventional p-n junction photovoltaic devices. The semiconductor thin film plays a crucial role in the working of DSC. This paper aims at formulating a process for the selection of optimum semiconductor material for nanostructured thin film using multiple attribute decision making (MADM approach. Various possible available semiconducting materials and their properties like band gap, cost, mobility, rate of electron injection, and static dielectric constant are considered and MADM technique is applied to select the best suited material. It was found that, out of all possible candidates, titanium dioxide (TiO2 is the best semiconductor material for application in DSC. It was observed that the proposed results are in good agreement with the experimental findings.

Financial performance as a decision criterion of credit scoring models selection [doi: 10.21529/RECADM.2017004

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rodrigo Alves Silva

2017-09-01

Full Text Available This paper aims to show the importance of the use of financial metrics in decision-making of credit scoring models selection. In order to achieve such, we considered an automatic approval system approach and we carried out a performance analysis of the financial metrics on the theoretical portfolios generated by seven credit scoring models based on main statistical learning techniques. The models were estimated on German Credit dataset and the results were analyzed based on four metrics: total accuracy, error cost, risk adjusted return on capital and Sharpe index. The results show that total accuracy, widely used as a criterion for selecting credit scoring models, is unable to select the most profitable model for the company, indicating the need to incorporate financial metrics into the credit scoring model selection process. Keywords Credit risk; Model’s selection; Statistical learning.

Selection of examples in case-based computer-aided decision systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mazurowski, Maciej A; Zurada, Jacek M; Tourassi, Georgia D

2008-01-01

Case-based computer-aided decision (CB-CAD) systems rely on a database of previously stored, known examples when classifying new, incoming queries. Such systems can be particularly useful since they do not need retraining every time a new example is deposited in the case base. The adaptive nature of case-based systems is well suited to the current trend of continuously expanding digital databases in the medical domain. To maintain efficiency, however, such systems need sophisticated strategies to effectively manage the available evidence database. In this paper, we discuss the general problem of building an evidence database by selecting the most useful examples to store while satisfying existing storage requirements. We evaluate three intelligent techniques for this purpose: genetic algorithm-based selection, greedy selection and random mutation hill climbing. These techniques are compared to a random selection strategy used as the baseline. The study is performed with a previously presented CB-CAD system applied for false positive reduction in screening mammograms. The experimental evaluation shows that when the development goal is to maximize the system's diagnostic performance, the intelligent techniques are able to reduce the size of the evidence database to 37% of the original database by eliminating superfluous and/or detrimental examples while at the same time significantly improving the CAD system's performance. Furthermore, if the case-base size is a main concern, the total number of examples stored in the system can be reduced to only 2-4% of the original database without a decrease in the diagnostic performance. Comparison of the techniques shows that random mutation hill climbing provides the best balance between the diagnostic performance and computational efficiency when building the evidence database of the CB-CAD system.

Control mechanisms of mutability: Studies on the (radiation-resistant) mutant rar-2 of Drosophila melanogaster

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rudolph, P.

1981-01-01

The author attempts a quantitative description of the resistance factor of the 2nd chromosome (rar-2) on the mutation rate after irradiation, an explanation of the mechanism of action via an analysis of induced numerical aberration, and an analysis of the genetic position of this factor and its delimination with the aid of phenotypically visible markers. A comparison of the two strains ROeI 0 and ROeI 40 was to help to investigate possible modifications of the resistance factor in the strain ROeI 40 , obtained by further selection from ROeI 0 . There was no difference between the two strains as far as the effects of the resistance factor rar-2 were concerned. (orig./MG) [de

Lesions to the left lateral prefrontal cortex impair decision threshold adjustment for lexical selection.

Science.gov (United States)

Anders, Royce; Riès, Stéphanie; Van Maanen, Leendert; Alario, F-Xavier

Patients with lesions in the left prefrontal cortex (PFC) have been shown to be impaired in lexical selection, especially when interference between semantically related alternatives is increased. To more deeply investigate which computational mechanisms may be impaired following left PFC damage due to stroke, a psychometric modelling approach is employed in which we assess the cognitive parameters of the patients from an evidence accumulation (sequential information sampling) modelling of their response data. We also compare the results to healthy speakers. Analysis of the cognitive parameters indicates an impairment of the PFC patients to appropriately adjust their decision threshold, in order to handle the increased item difficulty that is introduced by semantic interference. Also, the modelling contributes to other topics in psycholinguistic theory, in which specific effects are observed on the cognitive parameters according to item familiarization, and the opposing effects of priming (lower threshold) and semantic interference (lower drift) which are found to depend on repetition. These results are developed for the blocked-cyclic picture naming paradigm, in which pictures are presented within semantically homogeneous (HOM) or heterogeneous (HET) blocks, and are repeated several times per block. Overall, the results are in agreement with a role of the left PFC in adjusting the decision threshold for lexical selection in language production.

An ArcGIS decision support tool for artificial reefs site selection (ArcGIS ARSS)

Science.gov (United States)

Stylianou, Stavros; Zodiatis, George

2017-04-01

Although the use and benefits of artificial reefs, both socio-economic and environmental, have been recognized with research and national development programmes worldwide their development is rarely subjected to a rigorous site selection process and the majority of the projects use the traditional (non-GIS) approach, based on trial and error mode. Recent studies have shown that the use of Geographic Information Systems, unlike to traditional methods, for the identification of suitable areas for artificial reefs siting seems to offer a number of distinct advantages minimizing possible errors, time and cost. A decision support tool (DSS) has been developed based on the existing knowledge, the multi-criteria decision analysis techniques and the GIS approach used in previous studies in order to help the stakeholders to identify the optimal locations for artificial reefs deployment on the basis of the physical, biological, oceanographic and socio-economic features of the sites. The tool provides to the users the ability to produce a final report with the results and suitability maps. The ArcGIS ARSS support tool runs within the existing ArcMap 10.2.x environment and for the development the VB .NET high level programming language has been used along with ArcObjects 10.2.x. Two local-scale case studies were conducted in order to test the application of the tool focusing on artificial reef siting. The results obtained from the case studies have shown that the tool can be successfully integrated within the site selection process in order to select objectively the optimal site for artificial reefs deployment.

A Diagnostic Decision Support System for BMP Selection in Small Urban Watersheds

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Y.; Montas, H. J.; Leisnham, P.; Shirmohammadi, A.; Brubaker, K. L.; Reiling, S.

2013-12-01

Overall water quality in the United States has improved since the establishment of the Clean Water Act in 1972. While waste water and other point source discharge treatments are expanding and improving in quality, non-point source pollution remains a problem. Best Management Practices (BMPs) are structural and nonstructural methods to mitigate these problems. Much attention has focused on non-point source pollutants in rural areas, where agricultural activities increase the nutrients (fertilizers), toxics (pesticides), and sediments in surface water. Urban and suburban areas also suffer from severe water quantity and quality problems, largely due to stormwater. Low Impact Development (LID), a series of spatially distributed and engineered small-scale hydrologic controls, is an appropriate approach to reduce flow rate and improve urban stormwater quality before it discharges into surface water bodies. This research sought to develop a Diagnostic Decision Support System (DDSS) for urban BMP/LID selection. The process-based hydrologic model, Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), was used to simulate the hydrologic processes and to estimate related water quality variables. A logic based simple method was developed to identify the critical water quality and quantity hotspots using the SWAT outputs for multiple Hydrologic Response Units (HRUs) within the study watershed. The DDSS consisted of two parts: a Diagnostic Expert System (DES), which identifies the most likely reasons for excessive pollutants; and a Prescriptive Expert System (PES), which selects the best set of spatially distributed BMPs. The DDSS is tested in Watts Branch, a small urban subwatershed in metropolitan Washington D.C. A SWAT model for the watershed was calibrated and validated first. The DDSS was then applied. The final selected series of BMPs was simulated again in the SWAT model for a ten-year period to quantify their effectiveness. The identified hotspots, possible reasons, and BMP solutions

Making the optimal decision in selecting protective clothing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Price, J. Mark

2007-01-01

Protective Clothing plays a major role in the decommissioning and operation of nuclear facilities. Literally thousands of employee dress-outs occur over the life of a decommissioning project and during outages at operational plants. In order to make the optimal decision on which type of protective clothing is best suited for the decommissioning or maintenance and repair work on radioactive systems, a number of interrelating factors must be considered, including - Protection; - Personnel Contamination; - Cost; - Radwaste; - Comfort; - Convenience; - Logistics/Rad Material Considerations; - Reject Rate of Laundered Clothing; - Durability; - Security; - Personnel Safety including Heat Stress; - Disposition of Gloves and Booties. In addition, over the last several years there has been a trend of nuclear power plants either running trials or switching to Single Use Protective Clothing (SUPC) from traditional protective clothing. In some cases, after trial usage of SUPC, plants have chosen not to switch. In other cases after switching to SUPC for a period of time, some plants have chosen to switch back to laundering. Based on these observations, this paper reviews the 'real' drivers, issues, and interrelating factors regarding the selection and use of protective clothing throughout the nuclear industry. (authors)

Project Decision Chain

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rolstadås, Asbjørn; Pinto, Jeffrey K.; Falster, Peter

2015-01-01

To add value to project performance and help obtain project success, a new framework for decision making in projects is defined. It introduces the project decision chain inspired by the supply chain thinking in the manufacturing sector and uses three types of decisions: authorization, selection......, and plan decision. A primitive decision element is defined where all the three decision types can be accommodated. Each task in the primitive element can in itself contain subtasks that in turn will comprise new primitive elements. The primitive elements are nested together in a project decision chain....

[ARTÍCULO RETRACTADO - RETRACTED ARTICLE] Iconografía emblemática del héroe nacional costarricense Juan Santamaría

OpenAIRE

Brenes Tencio, Guillermo

2009-01-01

[ARTÍCULO RETRACTADO POR EL EDITOR]Se informa que el artículo de Guillermo Brenes Tencio, titulado"Iconografía emblemática del héroe nacional costarricense Juan Santamaría", publicado en el anterior numero monográfico de ARBOR “Relatos icónicos de la nación en Iberoamérica y España” vol. CLXXXV nº 740 (2009), páginas 1243-1257ha sido excluido de dicho número monográfico.Esta decisión de Arbor y de los coordinadores del número monográfico, se debe a que el autor ha publicado dicho artículo con...

The use of decision analytic techniques in energy policy decisions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haemaelaeinen, R.P.; Seppaelaeinen, T.O.

1986-08-01

The report reviews decision analytic techniques and their applications to energy policy decision making. Decision analysis consists in techniques for structuring the essential elements of a decision problem and mathematical methods for ranking the alternatives from a set of simple judgments. Because modeling subjective judgments is characteristic of decision analysis, the models can incorporate qualitative factors and values, which escape traditional energy modeling. Decision analysis has been applied to choices among energy supply alternatives, siting energy facilities, selecting nuclear waste repositories, selecting research and development projects, risk analysis and prioritizing alternative energy futures. Many applications are done in universities and research institutions, but during the 70's the use of decision analysis has spread both to the public and the private sector. The settings where decision analysis has been applied range from aiding a single decision maker to clarifying opposing points of view. Decision analytic methods have also been linked with energy models. The most valuable result of decision analysis is the clarification of the problem at hand. Political decisions cannot be made solely on the basis of models, but models can be used to gain insight of the decision situation. Models inevitably simplify reality, so they must be regarded only as aids to judgment. So far there has been only one decision analysis of energy policy issues in Finland with actual political decision makers as participants. The experiences of this project and numerous foreign applications do however suggest that the decision analytic approach is useful in energy policy questions. The report presents a number of Finnish energy policy decisions where decision analysis might prove useful. However, the applicability of the methods depends crucially on the actual circumstances at hand

A grey-based group decision-making methodology for the selection of hydrogen technologiess in Life Cycle Sustainability perspective

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Manzardo, Alessandro; Ren, Jingzheng; Mazzi, Anna

2012-01-01

The objective of this research is to develop a grey-based group decision-making methodology for the selection of the best renewable energy technology (including hydrogen) using a life cycle sustainability perspective. The traditional grey relational analysis has been modified to better address...... the issue of uncertainty. The proposed methodology allows multi-person to participate in the decision-making process and to give linguistic evaluation on the weights of the criteria and the performance of the alternative technologies. In this paper, twelve hydrogen production technologies have been assessed...... using the proposed methodology, electrolysis of water technology by hydropower has been considered to be the best technology for hydrogen production according to the decision-making group....

Validation and selection of ODE based systems biology models: how to arrive at more reliable decisions.

Science.gov (United States)

Hasdemir, Dicle; Hoefsloot, Huub C J; Smilde, Age K

2015-07-08

Most ordinary differential equation (ODE) based modeling studies in systems biology involve a hold-out validation step for model validation. In this framework a pre-determined part of the data is used as validation data and, therefore it is not used for estimating the parameters of the model. The model is assumed to be validated if the model predictions on the validation dataset show good agreement with the data. Model selection between alternative model structures can also be performed in the same setting, based on the predictive power of the model structures on the validation dataset. However, drawbacks associated with this approach are usually under-estimated. We have carried out simulations by using a recently published High Osmolarity Glycerol (HOG) pathway from S.cerevisiae to demonstrate these drawbacks. We have shown that it is very important how the data is partitioned and which part of the data is used for validation purposes. The hold-out validation strategy leads to biased conclusions, since it can lead to different validation and selection decisions when different partitioning schemes are used. Furthermore, finding sensible partitioning schemes that would lead to reliable decisions are heavily dependent on the biology and unknown model parameters which turns the problem into a paradox. This brings the need for alternative validation approaches that offer flexible partitioning of the data. For this purpose, we have introduced a stratified random cross-validation (SRCV) approach that successfully overcomes these limitations. SRCV leads to more stable decisions for both validation and selection which are not biased by underlying biological phenomena. Furthermore, it is less dependent on the specific noise realization in the data. Therefore, it proves to be a promising alternative to the standard hold-out validation strategy.

Outsourcing strategy selection for transportation services based on the Make or Buy decision

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria CIEŚLA

2015-06-01

Full Text Available This paper is related to the practical approach to logistics strategies in enterprises and advanced practical applications. This article presents an analysis and solution to a specific problem, which is the subject of transport in the enterprise. It presents an analysis based on Make-or-Buy decision involving the selection of best internal or external transport service. It will be used for an exemplary production company. This case study presents the basis for the construction of logistics strategy of the company as a competitive advantage in the market.

Use of Information Technology Tools in Source Selection Decision Making: A Study on USAF's KC-X Tanker Replacement Program

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Kaymaz, Sidar; Diri, Alaattin

2008-01-01

... and subjectivity is usually inevitable in this kind of a decision making process. The purpose of this project is to demonstrate how the USAF's current source selection method (color rating method...

De héroes, naciones milenarias y guerras fratricidas. Tres mitos fundacionales en tres relatos historiográficos de la nación mexicana

OpenAIRE

Oscar Javier Linares Londoño

2011-01-01

La interpretación canónica de la independencia de México explica los hechos que van de 1810 a 1821 como la emancipación de la nación mexicana, pueblo milenario que remonta su identidad nacional a los mexicas, habitantes del Valle de México, antes de la llegada de los españoles. Por trescientos años el pueblo fue oprimido bajo el yugo español, y logra su independencia gracias al movimiento nacionalista de sus héroes. Esta interpretación construida por los relatos historiográficos del siglo...

Advances in the application of decision theory to test-based decision making

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Linden, Willem J.

This paper reviews recent research in the Netherlands on the application of decision theory to test-based decision making about personnel selection and student placement. The review is based on an earlier model proposed for the classification of decision problems, and emphasizes an empirical

Group Decisions in Value Management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christiono Utomo

2015-04-01

Full Text Available This research deals with a technique to expedite group decision making during the selection of technical solutions for value management process. Selection of a solution from a set of alternatives is facilitated by evaluating using multicriteria decision making techniques. During the process, every possible solution is rated on criteria of function and cost. Function deals more with quality than with quantity, and cost can be calculated based on the theoretical time value of money. Decision-making techniques based on satisfying games are applied to determine the relative function and cost of solutions and hence their relative value. The functions were determined by function analysis system technique. Analytical hierarchy process was applied to decision making and life-cycle cost analysis were used to calculate cost. Cooperative decision making was shown to consist of identifying agreement options, analyzing, and forming coalitions. The objective was attained using the satisfying game model as a basis for two main preferences. The model will improve the value of decision regarding design. It further emphasizes the importance of performance evaluation in the design process and value analysis. The result of the implementation, when applied to the selection of a building wall system, demonstrates a process of selecting the most valuable technical solution as the best-fit option for all decision makers. This work is relevant to group decision making and negotiation, as it aims to provide a framework to support negotiation in design activity.

Sustainability assessment tool for the decision making in selection of energy system-Bosnian case

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Begic, Fajik; Afgan, Naim H.

2007-01-01

In this paper the multi-criteria sustainability assessment of various options of the energy power system of the JP Elektroprivreda of Bosnia and Herzegovina is performed. The rehabilitation of a 110 MW Thermal Power Unit is compared with other options, such as: a thermal power unit with a coal-fueled boiler with combustion in fluidized bed; combined cycle gas turbine plants; hydropower plant, power plants based on solar energy (photovoltaic [PV] systems); wind turbines; and biomass power plants. The assessment methodology comprise a system of stochastic models of uncertainty, enabling decision makers to perform the assessment of various systems, as well as to obtain normalization indexes by using non-numeric (ordinal), non-exact (interval) and non-complete information (NNN-information). Through the analysis of multi-criteria assessment of potential options, the decision-makers are able to evaluate options and select the optimal new power plant capacity

Early developed section of the jaw as an index of prenatal growth conditions in adult roe deer Capreolus capreolus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Høye, Toke Thomas; Forchhammer, Mads Cedergreen

2006-01-01

-maturing bones are poor predictors of resource limitations during early development, as later benign conditions may lead to compensatory growth. We analysed the temporal growth dynamics of different sections of the lower jaw of roe deer Capreolus capreolus and found that the medioanterior section of the lower......Increasing evidence suggests that conditions in early life have important consequences for ultimate body size and fitness. Skeletal parts are often used as retrospective indices of body size and growth constraints because of their resistance to seasonal variation in resource availability. Yet, slow...... post partum and, as such, potentially leaves a fingerprint of prenatal growth conditions that is evident even in adult individuals. This supports earlier findings in ungulates of a shift in skeletal growth spurts after weaning, and suggests that the choice of skeletal index for population and cohort...

A rough set approach for determining weights of decision makers in group decision making.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Qiang; Du, Ping-An; Wang, Yong; Liang, Bin

2017-01-01

This study aims to present a novel approach for determining the weights of decision makers (DMs) based on rough group decision in multiple attribute group decision-making (MAGDM) problems. First, we construct a rough group decision matrix from all DMs' decision matrixes on the basis of rough set theory. After that, we derive a positive ideal solution (PIS) founded on the average matrix of rough group decision, and negative ideal solutions (NISs) founded on the lower and upper limit matrixes of rough group decision. Then, we obtain the weight of each group member and priority order of alternatives by using relative closeness method, which depends on the distances from each individual group member' decision to the PIS and NISs. Through comparisons with existing methods and an on-line business manager selection example, the proposed method show that it can provide more insights into the subjectivity and vagueness of DMs' evaluations and selections.

Supplier Selection in the Thermal Tourism Enterprises with Using Multi Criteria Decision Making Techniques

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hatice Gündüz

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Turkey has many natural health resources and the interest in Thermal Tourism has increased. Thermal Tourism Enterprises serve their experienced medical staff, treatment methods and the curative springs for the purpose of care services. On the other hand, these enterprises are also the place to have both a rest and a good time. In this study, the supplier selection application is performed in the Thermal Tourism Enterprise that offers a combination of services as health, recreation and entertainment. The criteria as product quality and performance, product information, product arrival time, price, quality practices, flexibility and the collaboration level have been considered. By using multi-criteria decision making techniques as Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP and TOPSIS then the suggestions on the selecting the best supplier are offered.

Application of risk-based multiple criteria decision analysis for selection of the best agricultural scenario for effective watershed management.

Science.gov (United States)

Javidi Sabbaghian, Reza; Zarghami, Mahdi; Nejadhashemi, A Pouyan; Sharifi, Mohammad Bagher; Herman, Matthew R; Daneshvar, Fariborz

2016-03-01

Effective watershed management requires the evaluation of agricultural best management practice (BMP) scenarios which carefully consider the relevant environmental, economic, and social criteria involved. In the Multiple Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) process, scenarios are first evaluated and then ranked to determine the most desirable outcome for the particular watershed. The main challenge of this process is the accurate identification of the best solution for the watershed in question, despite the various risk attitudes presented by the associated decision-makers (DMs). This paper introduces a novel approach for implementation of the MCDM process based on a comparative neutral risk/risk-based decision analysis, which results in the selection of the most desirable scenario for use in the entire watershed. At the sub-basin level, each scenario includes multiple BMPs with scores that have been calculated using the criteria derived from two cases of neutral risk and risk-based decision-making. The simple additive weighting (SAW) operator is applied for use in neutral risk decision-making, while the ordered weighted averaging (OWA) and induced OWA (IOWA) operators are effective for risk-based decision-making. At the watershed level, the BMP scores of the sub-basins are aggregated to calculate each scenarios' combined goodness measurements; the most desirable scenario for the entire watershed is then selected based on the combined goodness measurements. Our final results illustrate the type of operator and risk attitudes needed to satisfy the relevant criteria within the number of sub-basins, and how they ultimately affect the final ranking of the given scenarios. The methodology proposed here has been successfully applied to the Honeyoey Creek-Pine Creek watershed in Michigan, USA to evaluate various BMP scenarios and determine the best solution for both the stakeholders and the overall stream health. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Spatial attention during saccade decisions.

Science.gov (United States)

Jonikaitis, Donatas; Klapetek, Anna; Deubel, Heiner

2017-07-01

Behavioral measures of decision making are usually limited to observations of decision outcomes. In the present study, we made use of the fact that oculomotor and sensory selection are closely linked to track oculomotor decision making before oculomotor responses are made. We asked participants to make a saccadic eye movement to one of two memorized target locations and observed that visual sensitivity increased at both the chosen and the nonchosen saccade target locations, with a clear bias toward the chosen target. The time course of changes in visual sensitivity was related to saccadic latency, with the competition between the chosen and nonchosen targets resolved faster before short-latency saccades. On error trials, we observed an increased competition between the chosen and nonchosen targets. Moreover, oculomotor selection and visual sensitivity were influenced by top-down and bottom-up factors as well as by selection history and predicted the direction of saccades. Our findings demonstrate that saccade decisions have direct visual consequences and show that decision making can be traced in the human oculomotor system well before choices are made. Our results also indicate a strong association between decision making, saccade target selection, and visual sensitivity. NEW & NOTEWORTHY We show that saccadic decisions can be tracked by measuring spatial attention. Spatial attention is allocated in parallel to the two competing saccade targets, and the time course of spatial attention differs for fast-slow and for correct-erroneous decisions. Saccade decisions take the form of a competition between potential saccade goals, which is associated with spatial attention allocation to those locations. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

Cloud decision model for selecting sustainable energy crop based on linguistic intuitionistic information

Science.gov (United States)

Peng, Hong-Gang; Wang, Jian-Qiang

2017-11-01

In recent years, sustainable energy crop has become an important energy development strategy topic in many countries. Selecting the most sustainable energy crop is a significant problem that must be addressed during any biofuel production process. The focus of this study is the development of an innovative multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) method to handle sustainable energy crop selection problems. Given that various uncertain data are encountered in the evaluation of sustainable energy crops, linguistic intuitionistic fuzzy numbers (LIFNs) are introduced to present the information necessary to the evaluation process. Processing qualitative concepts requires the effective support of reliable tools; then, a cloud model can be used to deal with linguistic intuitionistic information. First, LIFNs are converted and a novel concept of linguistic intuitionistic cloud (LIC) is proposed. The operations, score function and similarity measurement of the LICs are defined. Subsequently, the linguistic intuitionistic cloud density-prioritised weighted Heronian mean operator is developed, which served as the basis for the construction of an applicable MCDM model for sustainable energy crop selection. Finally, an illustrative example is provided to demonstrate the proposed method, and its feasibility and validity are further verified by comparing it with other existing methods.

A Decision Support Concept for a construction design project – selecting the type of glass façade

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Franjo Šimić

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The paper describes research into the possibility of developing a concept for supporting decisions in planning construction projects (one of the most important stages of construction project management. The focus is on supporting decisions in selecting the type of and solution for the glass façade in the main design. Materials and types of soluteons for a glass façade were analyzed and alternative solutions were obtained. The concept was developed in that it included relevant stakeholders in the decision-making process during the construction design. These stakeholders were the investor, architect, and construction contractor. The analysis was carried out and a hierarchical structure of objectives was formed as a goal tree. The criteria at the last hierarchical level were used to evaluate alternative solutions for the glass façade, and their weights were determined by all stakeholders using the AHP method (Analytic Hierarchy Process. Using PROMETHEE (Preference Ranking Method for Enrichment Evaluation, a comparison of alternative solutions for the glass façade was conducted and the alternatives were ranked according to the priorities for inclusion into the main design. The concept was tested by selecting a type of glass façade on a residential-commercial building in the city of Rijeka, Croatia.

Selection of a suitable method for the preparation of polymeric nanoparticles: multi-criteria decision making approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Krishnamoorthy, Kannan; Mahalingam, Manikandan

2015-03-01

The present study is aimed to select the suitable method for preparation of camptothecin loaded polymeric nanoparticles by utilizing the multi-criteria decision making method. Novel approaches of drug delivery by formulation using nanotechnology are revolutionizing the future of medicine. Recent years have witnessed unprecedented growth of research and application in the area of nanotechnology. Nanoparticles have become an important area of research in the field of drug delivery because they have the ability to deliver a wide range of drug to varying areas of body. Despite of extensive research and development, polymeric nanoparticles are frequently used to improve the therapeutic effect of drugs. A number of techniques are available for the preparation of polymeric nanoparticles. The Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) is a method for decision making, which are derived from individual judgements for qualitative factors, using the pair-wise comparison matrix. In AHP, a decision hierarchy is constructed with a goal, criteria and alternatives. The model uses three main criteria 1) Instrument, 2) Process and Output and 3) Cost. In addition, there are eight sub-criteria's as well as eight alternatives. Pair-wise comparison matrixes are used to obtain the overall priority weight and ranking for the selection of suitable method. Nanoprecipitation technique is the most suitable method for the preparation of camptothecin loaded polymeric nanoparticles with the highest overall priority weight of 0.297 CONCLUSION: In particular, the result indicates that the priority weights obtained from AHP could be defined as a multiple output for finding out the most suitable method for preparation of camptothecin loaded polymeric nanoparticles.

Decision Support Model for Selection Technologies in Processing of Palm Oil Industrial Liquid Waste

Science.gov (United States)

Ishak, Aulia; Ali, Amir Yazid bin

2017-12-01

The palm oil industry continues to grow from year to year. Processing of the palm oil industry into crude palm oil (CPO) and palm kernel oil (PKO). The ratio of the amount of oil produced by both products is 30% of the raw material. This means that 70% is palm oil waste. The amount of palm oil waste will increase in line with the development of the palm oil industry. The amount of waste generated by the palm oil industry if it is not handled properly and effectively will contribute significantly to environmental damage. Industrial activities ranging from raw materials to produce products will disrupt the lives of people around the factory. There are many alternative technologies available to process other industries, but problems that often occur are difficult to implement the most appropriate technology. The purpose of this research is to develop a database of waste processing technology, looking for qualitative and quantitative criteria to select technology and develop Decision Support System (DSS) that can help make decisions. The method used to achieve the objective of this research is to develop a questionnaire to identify waste processing technology and develop the questionnaire to find appropriate database technology. Methods of data analysis performed on the system by using Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and to build the model by using the MySQL Software that can be used as a tool in the evaluation and selection of palm oil mill processing technology.

THE DECISION MAKING OF BUSINESS TRAVELLERS IN SELECTING ONLINE TRAVEL PORTALS FOR TRAVEL BOOKING: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY OF DELHI NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION, INDIA

OpenAIRE

Bivek DATTA; Manohar SAJNANI; Joby THOMAS

2018-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to understand the decision making pattern of the Business Travellers in Delhi National Capital Region in India while booking their trips through Online Travel Portals. The study revolves around purchase decision pattern of Business Travellers by investigating their travel decision making style in selecting online travel portals for their trip booking. The authors have adopted the quantitative methodology to achieve the objective of the study. The study is confi...

Ethical decision making

OpenAIRE

Zsolnai, László

2011-01-01

The self-centeredness of modern organizations leads to environmental destruction and human deprivation. The principle of responsibility developed by Hans Jonas requires caring for the beings affected by our decisions and actions. Ethical decision-making creates a synthesis of reverence for ethical norms, rationality in goal achievement, and respect for the stakeholders. The maximin rule selects the "least worst alternative" in the multidimensional decision space of deontologica...

Spaceborne construction and operations planning - Decision rules for selecting EVA, telerobot, and combined work-systems

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Jeffrey H.

1992-01-01

An approach is presented for selecting an appropriate work-system for performing construction and operations tasks by humans and telerobots. The decision to use extravehicular activity (EVA) performed by astronauts, extravehicular robotics (EVR), or a combination of EVA and EVR is determined by the ratio of the marginal costs of EVA, EVR, and IVA. The approach proposed here is useful for examining cost trade-offs between tasks and performing trade studies of task improvement techniques (human or telerobotic).

Decision making model design for antivirus software selection using Factor Analysis and Analytical Hierarchy Process

OpenAIRE

Nurhayati Ai; Gautama Aditya; Naseer Muchammad

2018-01-01

Virus spread increase significantly through the internet in 2017. One of the protection method is using antivirus software. The wide variety of antivirus software in the market tends to creating confusion among consumer. Selecting the right antivirus according to their needs has become difficult. This is the reason we conduct our research. We formulate a decision making model for antivirus software consumer. The model is constructed by using factor analysis and AHP method. First we spread que...

Comparative characteristics of metatarsal bones (Ossa metatarsi) and finger articles (Ossa digitorum pedis seu phalanges digitorum) of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and sheep (Ovis aries) in orderto determine animal species

OpenAIRE

Blagojević Miloš; Nikolić Zora; Zorić Zoran; Ćupić-Miladinović Dejana

2016-01-01

Metatarsal bones and finger articles of roe deer and sheep are rarely used for animal identification. In practice there are frequent cases where on a corpse the head and distal parts of the limbs are missing. That is in order to prevent the identification of the bones, by which it is easiest to determine the animal species. For identification of metatarsal bones (Ossa metatarsi) as well as finger articles (Os­sa digitorum pedis seu phalanges digitorum) ther...

Intelligent Decision Support in Proportional–Stop-Loss Reinsurance Using Multiple Attribute Decision-Making (MADM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shirley Jie Xuan Wang

2017-11-01

Full Text Available This article addresses the possibility of incorporating intelligent decision support systems into reinsurance decision-making. This involves the insurance company and the reinsurance company, and is negotiated through reinsurance intermediaries. The article proposes a decision flow to model the reinsurance design and selection process. This article focuses on adopting more than one optimality criteria under a more generic combinational design of commonly used reinsurance products, i.e., proportional reinsurance and stop-loss reinsurance. In terms of methodology, the significant contribution of the study the incorporation of the well-established decision analysis tool multiple-attribute decision-making (MADM into the modelling of reinsurance selection. To illustrate the feasibility of incorporating intelligent decision supporting systems in the reinsurance market, the study includes a numerical case study using the simulation software @Risk in modeling insurance claims, as well as programming in MATLAB to realize MADM. A list of managerial implications could be drawn from the case study results. Most importantly, when choosing the most appropriate type of reinsurance, insurance companies should base their decisions on multiple measurements instead of single-criteria decision-making models so that their decisions may be more robust.

Investigating the Effect of Normalization Norms in Flexible Manufacturing Sytem Selection Using Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Methods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Prasenjit Chatterjee

2014-07-01

Full Text Available The main objective of this paper is to assess the effect of different normalization norms within multi-criteria decisionmaking (MADM models. Three well accepted MCDM tools, namely, preference ranking organization method for enrichment evaluation (PROMETHEE, grey relation analysis (GRA and technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS methods are applied for solving a flexible manufacturing system (FMS selection problem in a discrete manufacturing environment. Finally, by the introduction of different normalization norms to the decision algorithms, its effct on the FMS selection problem using these MCDM models are also studied.

Effects of Information Visualization on Older Adults' Decision-Making Performance in a Medicare Plan Selection Task: A Comparative Usability Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Price, Margaux M; Crumley-Branyon, Jessica J; Leidheiser, William R; Pak, Richard

2016-06-01

Technology gains have improved tools for evaluating complex tasks by providing environmental supports (ES) that increase ease of use and improve performance outcomes through the use of information visualizations (info-vis). Complex info-vis emphasize the need to understand individual differences in abilities of target users, the key cognitive abilities needed to execute a decision task, and the graphical elements that can serve as the most effective ES. Older adults may be one such target user group that would benefit from increased ES to mitigate specific declines in cognitive abilities. For example, choosing a prescription drug plan is a necessary and complex task that can impact quality of life if the wrong choice is made. The decision to enroll in one plan over another can involve comparing over 15 plans across many categories. Within this context, the large amount of complex information and reduced working memory capacity puts older adults' decision making at a disadvantage. An intentionally designed ES, such as an info-vis that reduces working memory demand, may assist older adults in making the most effective decision among many options. The objective of this study is to examine whether the use of an info-vis can lower working memory demands and positively affect complex decision-making performance of older adults in the context of choosing a Medicare prescription drug plan. Participants performed a computerized decision-making task in the context of finding the best health care plan. Data included quantitative decision-making performance indicators and surveys examining previous history with purchasing insurance. Participants used a colored info-vis ES or a table (no ES) to perform the decision task. Task difficulty was manipulated by increasing the number of selection criteria used to make an accurate decision. A repeated measures analysis was performed to examine differences between the two table designs. Twenty-three older adults between the ages of 66

Understanding Managers Decision Making Process for Tools Selection in the Core Front End of Innovation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Appio, Francesco P.; Achiche, Sofiane; McAloone, Tim C.

2011-01-01

New product development (NPD) describes the process of bringing a new product or service to the market. The Fuzzy Front End (FFE) of Innovation is the term describing the activities happening before the product development phase of NPD. In the FFE of innovation, several tools are used to facilita...... hypotheses are tested. A preliminary version of a theoretical model depicting the decision process of managers during tools selection in the FFE is proposed. The theoretical model is built from the constructed hypotheses....

Roe v. Wade and American Fertility

OpenAIRE

Phillip B. Levine; Douglas Staiger; Thomas J. Kane; David J. Zimmerman

1996-01-01

We consider the effect of abortion legalization on births in the United States. A simple theoretical model demonstrates that the impact of abortion legalization on the birth rate is ambiguous, because both pregnancy and abortion decisions could be affected. We use variation in the timing of legalization across states in the early 1970's to estimate the effect of abortion on birth rates. Our findings indicate that states legalizing abortion experienced a 5% decline in births relative to other ...

Decision Making under Uncertainty: A Neural Model based on Partially Observable Markov Decision Processes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rajesh P N Rao

2010-11-01

Full Text Available A fundamental problem faced by animals is learning to select actions based on noisy sensory information and incomplete knowledge of the world. It has been suggested that the brain engages in Bayesian inference during perception but how such probabilistic representations are used to select actions has remained unclear. Here we propose a neural model of action selection and decision making based on the theory of partially observable Markov decision processes (POMDPs. Actions are selected based not on a single optimal estimate of state but on the posterior distribution over states (the belief state. We show how such a model provides a unified framework for explaining experimental results in decision making that involve both information gathering and overt actions. The model utilizes temporal difference (TD learning for maximizing expected reward. The resulting neural architecture posits an active role for the neocortex in belief computation while ascribing a role to the basal ganglia in belief representation, value computation, and action selection. When applied to the random dots motion discrimination task, model neurons representing belief exhibit responses similar to those of LIP neurons in primate neocortex. The appropriate threshold for switching from information gathering to overt actions emerges naturally during reward maximization. Additionally, the time course of reward prediction error in the model shares similarities with dopaminergic responses in the basal ganglia during the random dots task. For tasks with a deadline, the model learns a decision making strategy that changes with elapsed time, predicting a collapsing decision threshold consistent with some experimental studies. The model provides a new framework for understanding neural decision making and suggests an important role for interactions between the neocortex and the basal ganglia in learning the mapping between probabilistic sensory representations and actions that maximize

Implementation of multi-criteria decision making approach for the team leader selection in IT sector

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sandhya

2016-12-01

Full Text Available In the era of technology, the demand of the software development increases at a very high speed, as software has touched the human’s life in all aspects. The better quality software development acquiring minimum development time leads to the team work in which a group of people has been formed that work together in a team for the software development. One of the most signifi-cant issues in effective and efficient teamwork is the team leader selection because the team lead-er is the person in any team that is going to handle all types of managerial activities such as lead-ership, motivation to others, etc. The team leader selection process may be dependent on numer-ous conflicting selection indexes that make it a Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM prob-lem. In the present research, an MCDM approach namely, Euclidean Distance Based Approxi-mation (EDBA which is based on the calculation of the composite distance value for each alter-native from a hypothetical optimal point is presented. The result of this study provides a compre-hensive ranking of team leaders that leads to the right selection of team leader in information technology (IT sector.

Participation of concerned citizens in site selection decisions; Einbeziehung der Betroffenen in die Entscheidungen bei Standortauswahlverfahren

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Appel, D. [PanGeo - Geowissenschaftliches, Buero (Germany)

2003-07-01

The contribution presents preliminary results of two international projects aimed at integrating the general public, or parts thereof, in the decision process of selecting ultimate storage sites. The author participated in these projects and is a former member of the task group for selection of ultimate storage sites (Arbeitskreis Auswahlverfahren Endlagerstandorte - AkEnd). The two projects are: Forum on Stakeholder Confidence (FSC) of the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) OECD, Project 'COWAM' (Community Waste Management) of the European Commission. The participants, goals and methods of the two projects were different, but they both presented concrete methods of selecting ultimate storage sites from the view of different actors in the form of case studies. The focus was on the participation of the public and its importance for success. Apart from meeting technical requirements the selection process should also take account of the requirements of democracy and citizens' participation in order to gain wide acceptance for its results. Deficiencies and advantages of the proposed selection processes are analyzed, and general requirements on the decision process in site selection are derived. (orig.) [German] Im folgenden wird ueber (vorlaeufige) Ergebnisse zweier internationaler Projekte zur Einbeziehung der Oeffentlichkeit bzw. von Teilen davon in den Entscheidungsprozess bei der Auswahl von Endlagerstandorten berichtet, an denen der Autor im Auftrag des Bundesumweltministers und als (ehemaliges) Mitglied des Arbeitskreises Auswahlverfahren Endlagerstandorte (AkEnd) beteiligt war bzw. ist: - Forum on Stakeholder Confidence (FSC) der Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) OECD, - Projekt 'COWAM' (Community Waste Management) der Europaeischen Kommission (abgeschlossen, Abschlussbericht erscheint in diesem Jahr). Die Zusammensetzung der Teilnehmergruppen beider Projekte, genaue Zielsetzung der Projekte und die Arbeitsweise sind unterschiedlich. In beiden

Detection of Rickettsia helvetica in Ixodes ricinus infesting wild and domestic animals and in a botfly larva (Cephenemyia stimulator) infesting roe deer in Germany.

Science.gov (United States)

Scheid, Patrick; Speck, Stephanie; Schwarzenberger, Rafael; Litzinger, Mark; Balczun, Carsten; Dobler, Gerhard

2016-10-01

Ixodes ricinus is a well-known vector of different human pathogens including Rickettsia helvetica. The role of wild mammals in the distribution and probable maintenance of Rickettsia in nature is still to be determined. We therefore investigated various parasites from different wild mammals as well as companion animals for the presence of Rickettsia. A total of 606 I. ricinus, 38 Cephenemyia stimulator (botfly larvae), one Dermacentor reticulatus, 24 Haematopinus suis (hog lice) and 30 Lipoptena cervi (deer flies) were collected from free-ranging animals during seasonal hunting, and from companion animals. Sample sites included hunting leases at three main sampling areas and five additional areas in West and Central Germany. All collected parasites were screened for Rickettsia spp. and I. ricinus were investigated for tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) in addition. While no TBEV was detected, the minimum infection rate (MIR) of I. ricinus with Rickettsia was 4.1% referring to all sampling sites and up to 6.9% at the main sampling site in Koblenz area. Sequencing of a fragment of the ompB gene identified R. helvetica. Approximately one third (29.5%) of the animals carried Rickettsia-positive ticks and the MIR in ticks infesting wild mammals ranged from 4.1% (roe deer) to 9.5%. These data affirm the widespread distribution of R. helvetica in Germany. One botfly larva from roe deer also harboured R. helvetica. Botfly larvae are obligate parasites of the nasal cavity, pharynx and throat of cervids and feed on cell fragments and blood. Based on this one might hypothesise that R. helvetica likely induces rickettsemia in cervids thus possibly contributing to maintenance and distribution of this rickettsia in the field. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

区间数分级决策的特征选择方法研究%Research on Feature Selection Method for Interval Sorting Decision

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

宋鹏; 梁吉业; 钱宇华; 李常洪

2017-01-01

In the field of multiple attributes decision making,sorting decision has become an important kind of issue and been widely concerned in many practical application areas.In the process of making sorting decision,the rational and effective feature selection methods can extract informative and pertinent attributes,and thus improve the efficiency of decision making.From the extant literatures,many valuable researches have been provided for more reasonably solving this problem in the context of diverse data types,such as single value,null value and set value.However,very few studies focus on the sorting decision in term of interval-valued data.The objective of this paper is to provide a new feature selection approach for interval sorting decision by using the interval outranking relation.By integrating rough set model and information entropy theory,a new measurement called complementary condition entropy,which investigates the complementary nature of the relevant sets,is proposed for feature evaluation through analyzing the inherent implication of correlation between considered attributes in the problem of interval sorting decision.Furthermore,on the basis of the difference of the values of complementary condition entropy,the representation of the indispensable attributes and the measurement of attributes importance are presented,and then develop a heuristic feature selection algorithm is proposed for interval sorting decision.Finally,two illustrative applications,namely,the issues of venture investment and portfolio selection,are employed to demonstrate the validity of the proposed method.For the problem of multi-stage venture investment decision,through investigating the competitiveness,development capacity and financial capability of 16 investment projects,the corresponding probabilistic decision rules having better generalization capability,which can be used to determine whether to perform further investment.As to the issue of portfolio selection,91 stocks coming

Decisive management in selecting locations for development of construction projects

Science.gov (United States)

Szafranko, E.; Pawłowicz, J. A.

2017-08-01

The location of an investment project is one of the most important decisions in the construction and land development business. The shape of a new building and aspects of its future use depend on making a good choice of a land plot where it will be constructed. There are many characteristics involved descriptions of land available for development. On the one hand, different buildings (with different envisaged use) fit differently to a given location. Residential homes, for example, require a location which will ensure a peaceful lifestyle, with places for walks and recreation, situated in a relatively quite setting. On the other hand, close proximity to schools, shops or a health clinic is another important consideration. Industrial buildings should be localized so as not to be a nuisance to others, and their location should facilitate efficient transport of raw materials and ready products. Yet other requirements are defined for public buildings. It is therefore evident that the characteristics included in an evaluation of the location of a planned building can be highly diverse and their diversity makes the evaluation difficult. Selection of a location can be supported by a variety of methods. For instance, an evaluation can rely on assigning points which indicate the fulfillment of certain criteria. This approach generates a complex evaluation in the form of tables and maps of usefulness. Another possibility is to make an assessment of the criteria that a given land parcels should satisfy in order to develop a specific type of a building. Having combined these two sets of information, we can create a system or a model for the management of land resources, which will easily help to support decision making processes pertaining to the choice of a location. This article shows a model approach for a specific building.

Decision making in the manufacturing environment using graph theory and fuzzy multiple attribute decision making methods

CERN Document Server

Rao, Ravipudi Venkata

2007-01-01

Manufacturing is the backbone of any industrialized nation. Recent worldwide advances in manufacturing technologies have brought about a metamorphism in the industry. Fast-changing technologies on the product front have created a need for an equally fast response from manufacturing industries. To meet these challenges, manufacturing industries have to select appropriate manufacturing strategies, product designs, manufacturing processes, work piece and tool materials, and machinery and equipment. The selection decisions are complex as decision making is more challenging today. Decision makers i

Using the Situated Clinical Decision-Making framework to guide analysis of nurses' clinical decision-making.

Science.gov (United States)

Gillespie, Mary

2010-11-01

Nurses' clinical decision-making is a complex process that holds potential to influence the quality of care provided and patient outcomes. The evolution of nurses' decision-making that occurs with experience has been well documented. In addition, literature includes numerous strategies and approaches purported to support development of nurses' clinical decision-making. There has been, however, significantly less attention given to the process of assessing nurses' clinical decision-making and novice clinical educators are often challenged with knowing how to best support nurses and nursing students in developing their clinical decision-making capacity. The Situated Clinical Decision-Making framework is presented for use by clinical educators: it provides a structured approach to analyzing nursing students' and novice nurses' decision-making in clinical nursing practice, assists educators in identifying specific issues within nurses' clinical decision-making, and guides selection of relevant strategies to support development of clinical decision-making. A series of questions is offered as a guide for clinical educators when assessing nurses' clinical decision-making. The discussion presents key considerations related to analysis of various decision-making components, including common sources of challenge and errors that may occur within nurses' clinical decision-making. An exemplar illustrates use of the framework and guiding questions. Implications of this approach for selection of strategies that support development of clinical decision-making are highlighted. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparative characteristics of metacarpal bones (Ossa metacarpi) and finger articles (Ossa digitorum pedis seu phalanges digitorum) of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and sheep (Ovis aries) in order to determine animal species

OpenAIRE

Blagojević Miloš; Nikolić Zora; Zorić Zoran; Prokić Bogomir Bolka; Ćupić-Miladinović Dejana

2016-01-01

The method of determining which animal species the bones, on the basis of mor­phological characteristics, belong to, is one of the most commonly used in forensic cases (poaching, fraud, theft, counterfeiting of food of animal origin).For identification of metacarpal bones (Ossa metacarpi) as well as finger articles (Ossa digitorum pedis seu phalanges digitorum) there were used distal parts of front limb bones, taken from 6 roe deers and 7 sheep. Afer the se...

Using multi-attribute decision-making approaches in the selection of a hospital management system.

Science.gov (United States)

Arasteh, Mohammad Ali; Shamshirband, Shahaboddin; Yee, Por Lip

2018-01-01

The most appropriate organizational software is always a real challenge for managers, especially, the IT directors. The illustration of the term "enterprise software selection", is to purchase, create, or order a software that; first, is best adapted to require of the organization; and second, has suitable price and technical support. Specifying selection criteria and ranking them, is the primary prerequisite for this action. This article provides a method to evaluate, rank, and compare the available enterprise software for choosing the apt one. The prior mentioned method is constituted of three-stage processes. First, the method identifies the organizational requires and assesses them. Second, it selects the best method throughout three possibilities; indoor-production, buying software, and ordering special software for the native use. Third, the method evaluates, compares and ranks the alternative software. The third process uses different methods of multi attribute decision making (MADM), and compares the consequent results. Based on different characteristics of the problem; several methods had been tested, namely, Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS), Elimination and Choice Expressing Reality (ELECTURE), and easy weight method. After all, we propose the most practical method for same problems.

DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM THE SELECTION REQUEST FOR CREDIT EMPLOYEES COOPERATIVE IN THE INDONESIA REPUBLIC (KPRI USING AHP-TOPSIS

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hilman gani HG

2016-04-01

Full Text Available In this study discusses the selection of a decision support system of credit proposals, which make loans to members of the Cooperative Republic of Indonesia ( KPRI savings and loan. Decision support system used to aid managers in determining which members are entitled to be given a loan. Errors in granting loans to members of the cooperative will menyebebakan loss or bad credit cooperatives. The method used in this study are TOPSIS ( Technique Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution and AHP ( Analytical Hierarchy Process . TOPSIS is used for ranking members of the cooperative are given a loan, while the AHP is used for the weighting of the criteria used in TOPSIS. The results of this study is an application or software that can menentukkan members who make loans based on lending criteria, large installment, destination, length installment, the basic salary, the last member status, previous loans, and deposits. So that these applications can provide a solution for managers in selecting members to be given credit loans.

Causal Inference for Cross-Modal Action Selection: A Computational Study in a Decision Making Framework.

Science.gov (United States)

Daemi, Mehdi; Harris, Laurence R; Crawford, J Douglas

2016-01-01

Animals try to make sense of sensory information from multiple modalities by categorizing them into perceptions of individual or multiple external objects or internal concepts. For example, the brain constructs sensory, spatial representations of the locations of visual and auditory stimuli in the visual and auditory cortices based on retinal and cochlear stimulations. Currently, it is not known how the brain compares the temporal and spatial features of these sensory representations to decide whether they originate from the same or separate sources in space. Here, we propose a computational model of how the brain might solve such a task. We reduce the visual and auditory information to time-varying, finite-dimensional signals. We introduce controlled, leaky integrators as working memory that retains the sensory information for the limited time-course of task implementation. We propose our model within an evidence-based, decision-making framework, where the alternative plan units are saliency maps of space. A spatiotemporal similarity measure, computed directly from the unimodal signals, is suggested as the criterion to infer common or separate causes. We provide simulations that (1) validate our model against behavioral, experimental results in tasks where the participants were asked to report common or separate causes for cross-modal stimuli presented with arbitrary spatial and temporal disparities. (2) Predict the behavior in novel experiments where stimuli have different combinations of spatial, temporal, and reliability features. (3) Illustrate the dynamics of the proposed internal system. These results confirm our spatiotemporal similarity measure as a viable criterion for causal inference, and our decision-making framework as a viable mechanism for target selection, which may be used by the brain in cross-modal situations. Further, we suggest that a similar approach can be extended to other cognitive problems where working memory is a limiting factor, such

Argumentative SOX Compliant and Quality Decision Support Intelligent Expert System over the Suppliers Selection Process

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Jesus Angel Fernandez Canelas

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The objective of this paper is to define a decision support system over SOX (Sarbanes-Oxley Act compatibility and quality of the Suppliers Selection Process based on Artificial Intelligence and Argumentation Theory knowledge and techniques. The present SOX Law, in effect nowadays, was created to improve financial government control over US companies. This law is a factor standard out United States due to several factors like present globalization, expansion of US companies, or key influence of US stock exchange markets worldwide. This paper constitutes a novel approach to this kind of problems due to following elements: (1 it has an optimized structure to look for the solution, (2 it has a dynamic learning method to handle court and control gonvernment bodies decisions, (3 it uses fuzzy knowledge to improve its performance, and (4 it uses its past accumulated experience to let the system evolve far beyond its initial state.

A Selection Approach for Optimized Problem-Solving Process by Grey Relational Utility Model and Multicriteria Decision Analysis

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Chih-Kun Ke

2012-01-01

Full Text Available In business enterprises, especially the manufacturing industry, various problem situations may occur during the production process. A situation denotes an evaluation point to determine the status of a production process. A problem may occur if there is a discrepancy between the actual situation and the desired one. Thus, a problem-solving process is often initiated to achieve the desired situation. In the process, how to determine an action need to be taken to resolve the situation becomes an important issue. Therefore, this work uses a selection approach for optimized problem-solving process to assist workers in taking a reasonable action. A grey relational utility model and a multicriteria decision analysis are used to determine the optimal selection order of candidate actions. The selection order is presented to the worker as an adaptive recommended solution. The worker chooses a reasonable problem-solving action based on the selection order. This work uses a high-tech company’s knowledge base log as the analysis data. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed selection approach is effective.

A decision-making support system to select forages according to environmental conditions in Colombia

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Blanca Aurora Arce Barboza

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Low food supply is a major problem affecting a large percentage of the livestock population in Colombia and is largely associated to inappropriate choice of forage species; and thus not well adapted to the environmental conditions of a specific region. To mitigate this problem, without incurring increasing costs associated to changing environmental conditions, it is possible to match the adaptive capacity of species to the environment in which they grow. A decision support system was developed to select suitable forage species for a given environment. The system is based on the use of existing information about requirements of the species rather than specific experimentation. From the information gathered, a database was generated and implemented on ASP.NET in C # and SQL Server database. This system allows users to search and select pastures and forage species for specific soil and climatic conditions of a particular farm or region, through a user-friendly web platform.

Decision support for the selection of reference sites using 137Cs as a soil erosion tracer

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L. Arata

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The classical approach of using 137Cs as a soil erosion tracer is based on the comparison between stable reference sites and sites affected by soil redistribution processes; it enables the derivation of soil erosion and deposition rates. The method is associated with potentially large sources of uncertainty with major parts of this uncertainty being associated with the selection of the reference sites. We propose a decision support tool to Check the Suitability of reference Sites (CheSS. Commonly, the variation among 137Cs inventories of spatial replicate reference samples is taken as the sole criterion to decide on the suitability of a reference inventory. Here we propose an extension of this procedure using a repeated sampling approach, in which the reference sites are resampled after a certain time period. Suitable reference sites are expected to present no significant temporal variation in their decay-corrected 137Cs depth profiles. Possible causes of variation are assessed by a decision tree. More specifically, the decision tree tests for (i uncertainty connected to small-scale variability in 137Cs due to its heterogeneous initial fallout (such as in areas affected by the Chernobyl fallout, (ii signs of erosion or deposition processes and (iii artefacts due to the collection, preparation and measurement of the samples; (iv finally, if none of the above can be assigned, this variation might be attributed to turbation processes (e.g. bioturbation, cryoturbation and mechanical turbation, such as avalanches or rockfalls. CheSS was exemplarily applied in one Swiss alpine valley where the apparent temporal variability called into question the suitability of the selected reference sites. In general we suggest the application of CheSS as a first step towards a comprehensible approach to test for the suitability of reference sites.

Treatment selection of early stage non-small cell lung cancer: the role of the patient in clinical decision making.

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Mokhles, S; Nuyttens, J J M E; de Mol, M; Aerts, J G J V; Maat, A P W M; Birim, Ö; Bogers, A J J C; Takkenberg, J J M

2018-01-15

The objective of this study is to investigate the role and experience of early stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patient in decision making process concerning treatment selection in the current clinical practice. Stage I-II NSCLC patients (surgery 55 patients, SBRT 29 patients, median age 68) were included in this prospective study and completed a questionnaire that explored: (1) perceived patient knowledge of the advantages and disadvantages of the treatment options, (2) experience with current clinical decision making, and (3) the information that the patient reported to have received from their treating physician. This was assessed by multiple-choice, 1-5 Likert Scale, and open questions. The Decisional Conflict Scale was used to assess the decisional conflict. Health related quality of life (HRQoL) was measured with SF-36 questionnaire. In 19% of patients, there was self-reported perceived lack of knowledge about the advantages and disadvantages of the treatment options. Seventy-four percent of patients felt that they were sufficiently involved in decision-making by their physician, and 81% found it important to be involved in decision making. Forty percent experienced decisional conflict, and one-in-five patients to such an extent that it made them feel unsure about the decision. Subscores with regard to feeling uninformed and on uncertainty, contributed the most to decisional conflict, as 36% felt uninformed and 17% of patients were not satisfied with their decision. HRQoL was not influenced by patient experience with decision-making or patient preferences for shared decision making. Dutch early-stage NSCLC patients find it important to be involved in treatment decision making. Yet a substantial proportion experiences decisional conflict and feels uninformed. Better patient information and/or involvement in treatment-decision-making is needed in order to improve patient knowledge and hopefully reduce decisional conflict.

Decision Trajectories in Dementia Care Networks: Decisions and Related Key Events.

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Groen-van de Ven, Leontine; Smits, Carolien; Oldewarris, Karen; Span, Marijke; Jukema, Jan; Eefsting, Jan; Vernooij-Dassen, Myrra

2017-10-01

This prospective multiperspective study provides insight into the decision trajectories of people with dementia by studying the decisions made and related key events. This study includes three waves of interviews, conducted between July 2010 and July 2012, with 113 purposefully selected respondents (people with beginning to advanced stages of dementia and their informal and professional caregivers) completed in 12 months (285 interviews). Our multilayered qualitative analysis consists of content analysis, timeline methods, and constant comparison. Four decision themes emerged-managing daily life, arranging support, community living, and preparing for the future. Eight key events delineate the decision trajectories of people with dementia. Decisions and key events differ between people with dementia living alone and living with a caregiver. Our study clarifies that decisions relate not only to the disease but to living with the dementia. Individual differences in decision content and sequence may effect shared decision-making and advance care planning.

Which species? A decision-support tool to guide plant selection in stormwater biofilters

Science.gov (United States)

Payne, Emily G. I.; Pham, Tracey; Deletic, Ana; Hatt, Belinda E.; Cook, Perran L. M.; Fletcher, Tim D.

2018-03-01

Plant species are diverse in form, function and environmental response. This provides enormous potential for designing nature-based stormwater treatment technologies, such as biofiltration systems. However, species can vary dramatically in their pollutant-removal performance, particularly for nitrogen removal. Currently, there is a lack of information on how to efficiently select from the vast palette of species. This study aimed to identify plant traits beneficial to performance and create a decision-support tool to screen species for further testing. A laboratory experiment using 220 biofilter columns paired plant morphological characteristics with nitrogen removal and water loss for 20 Australian native species and two lawn grasses. Testing was undertaken during wet and dry conditions, for two biofilter designs (saturated zone and free-draining). An extensive root system and high total biomass were critical to the effective removal of total nitrogen (TN) and nitrate (NO3-), driven by high nitrogen assimilation. The same characteristics were key to performance under dry conditions, and were associated with high water use for Australian native plants; linking assimilation and transpiration. The decision-support tool uses these scientific relationships and readily-available information to identify the morphology, natural distribution and stress tolerances likely to be good predictors of plant nitrogen and water uptake.

An mHealth App for Decision-Making Support in Wound Dressing Selection (WounDS): Protocol for a User-Centered Feasibility Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Jordan, Scott; McSwiggan, Jane; Parker, Joanne; Halas, Gayle A; Friesen, Marcia

2018-04-24

Primary care health professionals, especially family physicians, see a variety of wounds, and yet-despite the frequency of providing wound care-many family physicians do not feel confident in wound care management. This is partly due to a lack of formal wound education in Family Medicine programs. While there are numerous electronic wound care resources available in the UK and North America, none were identified that address the specific need in supporting clinical decision-making in wound dressing selection. At the same time, healthcare providers are increasingly using technology in personal and professional contexts, and a logical extension is to use technology for knowledge translation strategies. This work developed a prototype mobile health software application named WounDS, designed to support clinical decision-making in selecting wound dressings. This article presents the development and evaluation plan for the WounDS app. WounDS has been developed on the iOS platform. The primary specification included ease of use, in that one of the primary influences in user adoption would be the ability to receive a wound dressing recommendation in under 30 seconds and under 5 taps on the screen. The WounDS app guides users through a series of binary decisions for assessing the wound and provides a wound dressing recommendation. The selection algorithm is based in best practices using the Wound Bed Preparation Paradigm. Current work is underway to examine the implementation needs for WounDS to be most effectively utilized and to pilot test its feasibility and use in clinical care. Data will be collected through user trials, focus groups, and user metadata will be collected within the app. Optimizing these preconditions will enable a subsequent phase of study to determine effects on clinical decision-making and clinical outcomes. WounDS is designed for knowledge translation, use of technology in clinical decision-making, and continuity of care. The benefits of Woun

Selection of boron based tribological hard coatings using multi-criteria decision making methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Çalışkan, Halil

2013-01-01

Highlights: • Boron based coating selection problem for cutting tools was solved. • EXPROM2, TOPSIS and VIKOR methods were used for ranking the alternative materials. • The best coatings for cutting tool were selected as TiBN and TiSiBN. • The ranking results are in good agreement with cutting test results in literature. - Abstract: Mechanical and tribological properties of hard coatings can be enhanced using boron as alloying element. Therefore, multicomponent nanostructured boron based hard coatings are deposited on cutting tools by different methods at different parameters. Different mechanical and tribological properties are obtained after deposition, and it is a difficult task to select the best coating material. In this paper, therefore, a systematic evaluation model was proposed to tackle the difficulty of the material selection with specific properties among a set of available alternatives. The alternatives consist of multicomponent nanostructured TiBN, TiCrBN, TiSiBN and TiAlSiBN coatings deposited by magnetron sputtering and ion implantation assisted magnetron sputtering at different parameters. The alternative coating materials were ranked by using three multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods, i.e. EXPROM2 (preference ranking organization method for enrichment evaluation), TOPSIS (technique for order performance by similarity to ideal solution) and VIKOR (VIšekriterijumsko KOmpromisno Rangiranje), in order to determine the best coating material for cutting tools. Hardness (H), Young’s modulus (E), elastic recovery, friction coefficient, critical load, H/E and H 3 /E 2 ratios were considered as material selection criteria. In order to determine the importance weights of the evaluation criteria, a compromised weighting method, which composes of the analytic hierarchy process and Entropy methods, were used. The ranking results showed that TiBN and TiSiBN coatings deposited at given parameters are the best coatings for cutting tools

A Conceptual Framework for Procurement Decision Making Model to Optimize Supplier Selection: The Case of Malaysian Construction Industry

Science.gov (United States)

Chuan, Ngam Min; Thiruchelvam, Sivadass; Nasharuddin Mustapha, Kamal; Che Muda, Zakaria; Mat Husin, Norhayati; Yong, Lee Choon; Ghazali, Azrul; Ezanee Rusli, Mohd; Itam, Zarina Binti; Beddu, Salmia; Liyana Mohd Kamal, Nur

2016-03-01

This paper intends to fathom the current state of procurement system in Malaysia specifically in the construction industry in the aspect of supplier selection. This paper propose a comprehensive study on the supplier selection metrics for infrastructure building, weight the importance of each metrics assigned and to find the relationship between the metrics among initiators, decision makers, buyers and users. With the metrics hierarchy of criteria importance, a supplier selection process can be defined, repeated and audited with lesser complications or difficulties. This will help the field of procurement to improve as this research is able to develop and redefine policies and procedures that have been set in supplier selection. Developing this systematic process will enable optimization of supplier selection and thus increasing the value for every stakeholders as the process of selection is greatly simplified. With a new redefined policy and procedure, it does not only increase the company’s effectiveness and profit, but also make it available for the company to reach greater heights in the advancement of procurement in Malaysia.

A group-based spatial decision support system for wind farm site selection in Northwest Ohio

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gorsevski, Pece V.; Cathcart, Steven C.; Mirzaei, Golrokh; Jamali, Mohsin M.; Ye, Xinyue; Gomezdelcampo, Enrique

2013-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the benefits of applying a spatial decision support system (SDSS) framework for evaluating the suitability for wind farm siting in Northwest Ohio. The multiple criteria evaluation (MCE) prototype system is intended for regional planning but also for promoting group decision making that could involve participants with different interests in the development of decision alternatives. The framework integrates environmental and economic criteria and builds a hierarchy for wind farm siting using weighted linear combination (WLC) techniques and GIS functionality. The SDSS allows the multiple participants to interact and develop an understanding of the spatial data for assigning importance values to each factor. The WLC technique is used to combine the assigned values with map layers, which are standardized using fuzzy set theory, to produce individual suitability maps. The maps created by personal preferences from the participants are aggregated for producing a group solution using the Borda method. Sensitivity analysis is performed on the group solution to examine how small changes in the factor weights affect the calculated suitability scores. The results from the sensitivity analysis are intended to aid understanding of compromised solutions through changes in the input data from the participant's perspective. - Highlights: ► We present a prototype tool that we developed for wind farm site selection. ► Multiple participants rank the factors for promoting group-based decision making. ► The factors are aggregated by WLC technique to generate maps from participants. ► Group-based solution uses Borda method to aggregate the maps from participants. ► Sensitivity analysis is performed on the group solution to examine solution affects

TOOL SUPPORT OF DECISION-MAKING AT SELECTION AND PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL TAKING INTO ACCOUNT MOTIVATION

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Vadim Alexandrovich Lomazov

2013-10-01

Full Text Available The purpose of work consists in development of methods of information and algorithmic support of decision-making at an assessment and personnel selection taking into account motivation. The methods of a multicriteria assessment of alternatives and expert technologies are used as researching tools. The main result of the presented work is creation of the mathematical model that allows estimating a motivational orientation in the actions of the staff and job applicants. The scope of results of the work is the sphere of theoretical and applied questions of human resource management of the organizations.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.12731/2218-7405-2013-8-31

A Decision-Making Model for Evaluating and Selecting Suppliers for the Sustainable Operation and Development of Enterprises in the Aerospace Industry

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Chin-Tsai Lin

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Due to rigorous quality requirements and high unit prices, the manufacture of machines used in the aerospace industry is characterized by a high entry threshold, high risk and a long payback period. A good decision-making model for evaluating and selecting suppliers is vital for sustainable enterprise development. Therefore, this study presents a new two-stage model for evaluating and selecting suppliers in the aerospace industry. In the first stage, a hierarchical structure is built with five main and 16 sub-criteria for supplier evaluation and selection following the modified Delphi method; in the second stage, the best alternative solution is selected following the analytic network process (ANP method. Finally, this study verifies the feasibility of the above model based on the purchase of high-precision and high-cost 3D measuring tools by Aerowin Technology Corporation, which is listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange. The results show that the five criteria in the above model are ranked by their degree of importance, as follows: quality > cost > delivery > marketing > organizational planning. The findings of this research can be used as a reference for decision-making during the purchase of high-precision and high-priced machine tools in the aerospace industry.

Multi-criteria decision aid approach for the selection of the best compromise management scheme for ELVs: the case of Cyprus.

Science.gov (United States)

Mergias, I; Moustakas, K; Papadopoulos, A; Loizidou, M

2007-08-25

Each alternative scheme for treating a vehicle at its end of life has its own consequences from a social, environmental, economic and technical point of view. Furthermore, the criteria used to determine these consequences are often contradictory and not equally important. In the presence of multiple conflicting criteria, an optimal alternative scheme never exists. A multiple-criteria decision aid (MCDA) method to aid the Decision Maker (DM) in selecting the best compromise scheme for the management of End-of-Life Vehicles (ELVs) is presented in this paper. The constitution of a set of alternatives schemes, the selection of a list of relevant criteria to evaluate these alternative schemes and the choice of an appropriate management system are also analyzed in this framework. The proposed procedure relies on the PROMETHEE method which belongs to the well-known family of multiple criteria outranking methods. For this purpose, level, linear and Gaussian functions are used as preference functions.

Multi-criteria decision making in the selection of machining parameters for Inconel 718

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thirumalai, R.; Senthilkumaar, J. S.

2013-01-01

Taguchi's methods and design of experiments are invariably used and adopted as quality improvement techniques in several manufacturing industries as tools for offline quality control. These methods optimize single-response processes. However, Taguchi's method is not appropriate for optimizing a multi-response problem. In other situations, multi-responses need to be optimized simultaneously. This paper presents multi-response optimization techniques. A set of non-dominated solutions are obtained using non-sorted genetic algorithm for multi-objective functions. Multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) is proposed in this work for selecting a single solution from nondominated solutions. This paper addresses a new method of MCDM concept based on technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS). TOPSIS determines the shortest distance to the positive-ideal solution and the greatest distance from the negative-ideal solution. This work involves the high-speed machining of Inconel 718 using carbide cutting tool with six objective functions that are considered as attributes against the process variables of cutting speed, feed, and depth of cut. The higher-ranked solution is selected as the best solution for the machining of Inconel 718 in its respective environment.

Multi-criteria decision making in the selection of machining parameters for Inconel 718

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thirumalai, R. [SNS College of Technology, Coimbatore (India); Senthilkumaar, J. S. [Bharathithasan Engineering College, Nattrampalli (India)

2013-04-15

Taguchi's methods and design of experiments are invariably used and adopted as quality improvement techniques in several manufacturing industries as tools for offline quality control. These methods optimize single-response processes. However, Taguchi's method is not appropriate for optimizing a multi-response problem. In other situations, multi-responses need to be optimized simultaneously. This paper presents multi-response optimization techniques. A set of non-dominated solutions are obtained using non-sorted genetic algorithm for multi-objective functions. Multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) is proposed in this work for selecting a single solution from nondominated solutions. This paper addresses a new method of MCDM concept based on technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS). TOPSIS determines the shortest distance to the positive-ideal solution and the greatest distance from the negative-ideal solution. This work involves the high-speed machining of Inconel 718 using carbide cutting tool with six objective functions that are considered as attributes against the process variables of cutting speed, feed, and depth of cut. The higher-ranked solution is selected as the best solution for the machining of Inconel 718 in its respective environment.

Balance del proceso de Desmovilización, Desarme y Reinserción (DDR de los bloques Cacique Nutibara y Héroes de Granada en la ciudad de Medellín Overview of the Process of Demobilization, Disarmament and Re-integration (DDR in the Cacique Nutibara and Héroes de Granada Blocks in the City of Medellín

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manuel Alberto Alonso Espinal

2008-07-01

Full Text Available El artículo realiza una descripción general y un balance del proceso de Desmovilización, Desarme y Reinserción (DDR de los bloques Cacique Nutibara y Héroes de Granada en la ciudad de Medellín. El primero, desmovilizado el 9 de diciembre de 2003, con 868 excombatientes y 467 armas entregadas; el segundo, el 1 de agosto de 2005, con 2.033 excombatientes y 1.120 armas entregadas. El artículo describe y analiza el proceso local, con base en las variables propuestas por Gleichman y su grupo de trabajo en el año de 2004, y lo contrapone con el nacional, a la vez que construye una serie hipótesis que se deben tener presentes a la hora de caracterizar la naturaleza del paramilitarismo en la ciudad. El resultado es un programa con fortalezas y logros, pero también con vacíos y limitaciones.This article carries out a general description and an overview of the processes of De-mobilization, Disarmament and Re-insertion (DDR in the Cacique Nutibara y Héroes de Granada blocks in the city of Medellín. The first of these areas, was demobilized December 9, 2003, with 868 ex-combatants and 467 weapons delivered; the second, August 1, 2005, with 2,033 ex-combatants and 1,120 weapons delivered. The article describes and analyzes the local processes, based on the variables proposed by Gleichman and his working group in the year 2004, it and contrasts them with the national one, at the same time building a series of hypotheses that should be kept in mind at the moment of characterizing the nature of para-militarism in the city. The result is a program with strengths and achievements, but also with empty spaces and limitations.

Study of decision framework of wind farm project plan selection under intuitionistic fuzzy set and fuzzy measure environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Yunna; Geng, Shuai; Xu, Hu; Zhang, Haobo

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Experts’ opinions are expressed by using the intuitionistic fuzzy values. • Fuzzy measure is used to solve the dependence problem of criteria. • The compensatory problem of performance scores is reasonably processed. - Abstract: Project selection plays an important role in the entire life cycle of wind farm project and the multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) methods are very important in the whole wind farm project plan selection process. There are problems in the present MCDM methods decrease evaluation quality of the wind farm project plans: first, the information loss exists in the wind farm project plan evaluation process. Second, it is difficult to satisfy the independent assumption of the multi-criteria decision making methods used in the wind farm project plan evaluation in fact. Third, the compensatory problem of performance scores of the wind farm project plans is processed unreasonably. Hence the innovation points of this paper are as follows: first, the intuitionistic fuzzy numbers are used instead of fuzzy numbers or numerical values to reflect the experts’ intuitive preferences to decrease the probability of information loss; second, the fuzzy measure is used to rate the important degrees of criteria in order to avoid the independent assumption and to increase the reasonability; third, the partial compensatory problem of performance scores is well processed by using intuitionistic fuzzy Choquet (IFC) operator and generalized intuitionistic fuzzy ordered geometric averaging (GIFOGA) operator. These operators can deal with the compensatory performance scores and non-compensatory performance scores respectively. Finally, a case study demonstrates the effectiveness of decision framework

Identification of Biomarkers for Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Using Feature Selection and Decision Tree Methods

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Chun-Wei Tung

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC is one of the most common fatal human cancers. The identification of biomarkers for early detection could be a promising strategy to decrease mortality. Previous studies utilized microarray techniques to identify more than one hundred genes; however, it is desirable to identify a small set of biomarkers for clinical use. This study proposes a sequential forward feature selection algorithm to design decision tree models for discriminating ESCC from normal tissues. Two potential biomarkers of RUVBL1 and CNIH were identified and validated based on two public available microarray datasets. To test the discrimination ability of the two biomarkers, 17 pairs of expression profiles of ESCC and normal tissues from Taiwanese male patients were measured by using microarray techniques. The classification accuracies of the two biomarkers in all three datasets were higher than 90%. Interpretable decision tree models were constructed to analyze expression patterns of the two biomarkers. RUVBL1 was consistently overexpressed in all three datasets, although we found inconsistent CNIH expression possibly affected by the diverse major risk factors for ESCC across different areas.

Understanding health decisions using critical realism: home-dialysis decision-making during chronic kidney disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Harwood, Lori; Clark, Alexander M

2012-03-01

Understanding health decisions using critical realism: home-dialysis decision-making during chronic kidney disease This paper examines home-dialysis decision making in people with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) from the perspective of critical realism. CKD programmes focus on patient education for self-management to delay the progression of kidney disease and the preparation and support for renal replacement therapy e.g.) dialysis and transplantation. Home-dialysis has clear health, societal and economic benefits yet service usage is low despite efforts to realign resources and educate individuals. Current research on the determinants of modality selection is superficial and insufficient to capture the complexities embedded in the process of dialysis modality selection. Predictors of home-dialysis selection and the effect of chronic kidney disease educational programmes provide a limited explanation of this experience. A re-conceptualization of the problem is required in order to fully understand this process. The epistemology and ontology of critical realism guides our knowledge and methodology particularly suited for examination of these complexities. This approach examines the deeper mechanisms and wider determinants associated with modality decision making, specifically who chooses home dialysis and under what circumstances. Until more is known regarding dialysis modality decision making service usage of home dialysis will remain low as interventions will be based on inadequate epistemology. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Decision making model design for antivirus software selection using Factor Analysis and Analytical Hierarchy Process

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nurhayati Ai

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Virus spread increase significantly through the internet in 2017. One of the protection method is using antivirus software. The wide variety of antivirus software in the market tends to creating confusion among consumer. Selecting the right antivirus according to their needs has become difficult. This is the reason we conduct our research. We formulate a decision making model for antivirus software consumer. The model is constructed by using factor analysis and AHP method. First we spread questionnaires to consumer, then from those questionnaires we identified 16 variables that needs to be considered on selecting antivirus software. This 16 variables then divided into 5 factors by using factor analysis method in SPSS software. These five factors are security, performance, internal, time and capacity. To rank those factors we spread questionnaires to 6 IT expert then the data is analyzed using AHP method. The result is that performance factors gained the highest rank from all of the other factors. Thus, consumer can select antivirus software by judging the variables in the performance factors. Those variables are software loading speed, user friendly, no excessive memory use, thorough scanning, and scanning virus fast and accurately.

Effect of Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosure on Financial Performance with Audit Quality as a Moderating Variable

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Kartika Dewi

2016-09-01

Full Text Available This article aimed to examine the influence of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR disclosure to the financial performance proxy on Return on Assets (ROA, Return on Equity (ROE, and company value proxy on Price to Book Value (PBV empirically as well as knowing the existence of the audit quality as moderating variable whether it will affect the relationship between CSR disclosure on ROA, ROE, and PBV. The object of this study was mining companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange period 2010-2012. The sample was selected using a purposive sampling method and obtained samples as many as 26 companies with a total data of 78 data. Hypothesis testing methods used were simple regression analysis and moderated regression analysis. The results of this study showed that Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR disclosure had an effect on ROA, but had no effect on ROE and PBV, and audit quality as a moderating variable could not affect the relationship of CSR disc losure on ROA, ROE, and PBV.

Multiple Attribute Decision Making Based Relay Vehicle Selection for Electric Vehicle Communication

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Zhao Qiang

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Large-scale electric vehicle integration into power grid and charging randomly will cause serious impacts on the normal operation of power grid. Therefore, it is necessary to control the charging behavior of electric vehicle, while information transmission for electric vehicle is significant. Due to the highly mobile characteristics of vehicle, transferring information to power grid directly might be inaccessible. Relay vehicle (RV can be used for supporting multi-hop connection between SV and power grid. This paper proposes a multiple attribute decision making (MADM-based RV selection algorithm, which considers multiple attribute, including data transfer rate, delay, route duration. It takes the characteristics of electric vehicle communication into account, which can provide protection for the communication services of electric vehicle charging and discharging. Numerical results demonstrate that compared to previous algorithm, the proposed algorithm offer better performance in terms of throughput, transmission delay.

Market Performance and Accounting Information as the Reference of Stocks Portfolio Formation in Indonesia Stock Exchange

OpenAIRE

Pasaribu, Rowland Bismark Fernando

2009-01-01

This study aimed to a stock portfolio formed with composite of companies market (PER, PBV, ROE, EPS, PSR, and B/M, VaR) and accounting performance (ROE, and EPS) also their market capitalization in Indonesia Stock Exchange period 2003-2006. Some clarification need to achieved, such as: real difference among variabel refer to their market capitalization and influence of predictor to stock return. Hereinafter, the performance of selected portfolio were evaluated. The evaluation result conclude ...

The role intuitive decision making plays in project selection in the residential property market: a case study of a medium sized

OpenAIRE

Ryan, Diarmuid

2013-01-01

non-peer-reviewed This thesis addresses the role of intuition in project selection in residential property development. The paper provides a comprehensive review of existing literature in relation to project selection and decision making. In addition, the examination of the project files of M.A. Ryan & Sons Ltd., a medium sized property development company, has enabled a case study to be carried out on three projects carried out by the organisation. Through the case study, t...

A Fuzzy-Grey Multicriteria Decision Making Approach for Green Supplier Selection in Low-Carbon Supply Chain

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Qinghua Pang

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Due to the increasing awareness of global warming and environmental protection, many practitioners and researchers have paid much attention to the low-carbon supply chain management in recent years. Green supplier selection is one of the most critical activities in the low-carbon supply chain management, so it is important to establish the comprehensive criteria and develop a method for green supplier selection in low-carbon supply chain. The paper proposes a fuzz-grey multicriteria decision making approach to deal with these problems. First, the paper establishes 4 main criteria and 22 subcriteria for green supplier selection. Then, a method integrating fuzzy set theory and grey relational analysis is proposed. It uses the membership function of normal distribution to compare each supplier and uses grey relation analysis to calculate the weight of each criterion and improves fuzzy comprehensive evaluation. The proposed method can make the localization of individual green supplier more objectively and more accurately in the same trade. Finally, a case study in the steel industry is presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.

Critical infrastructure protection decision support system decision model : overview and quick-start user's guide.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Samsa, M.; Van Kuiken, J.; Jusko, M.; Decision and Information Sciences

2008-12-01

The Critical Infrastructure Protection Decision Support System Decision Model (CIPDSS-DM) is a useful tool for comparing the effectiveness of alternative risk-mitigation strategies on the basis of CIPDSS consequence scenarios. The model is designed to assist analysts and policy makers in evaluating and selecting the most effective risk-mitigation strategies, as affected by the importance assigned to various impact measures and the likelihood of an incident. A typical CIPDSS-DM decision map plots the relative preference of alternative risk-mitigation options versus the annual probability of an undesired incident occurring once during the protective life of the investment, assumed to be 20 years. The model also enables other types of comparisons, including a decision map that isolates a selected impact variable and displays the relative preference for the options of interest--parameterized on the basis of the contribution of the isolated variable to total impact, as well as the likelihood of the incident. Satisfaction/regret analysis further assists the analyst or policy maker in evaluating the confidence with which one option can be selected over another.

Decision making tools for selecting sustainable wastewater treatment technologies in Thailand

Science.gov (United States)

Wongburi, Praewa; Park, Jae K.

2018-05-01

Wastewater consists of valuable resources that could be recovered or reused. Still it is under threat because of ineffective wastewater management and systems. In Thailand, less than 25% of wastewater generated may be treated while then rest is inadequately treated and sent back directly into waterbodies or the environment. Furthermore, the technologies that have been applied may be inefficient and unsustainable. Efficiency, sustainability, and simplicity are important concepts when designing an appropriate wastewater treatment system in developing countries. The objectives of this study were to review and evaluate wastewater treatment technologies and propose a method to improve or select an appropriate technology. An expert system in Excel® program was developed to determine the best solution. Sensitivity analysis was applied to compare and assess uncertainty factors. Due to the different conditions of each area, the key factor of interest was varied. Furthermore, Robust Decision Making tool was applied to determine the best way to improve existing wastewater treatment facility and to choose the most appropriate wastewater treatment technology.

Inclusion of social indicators in decision support tools for the selection of sustainable site remediation options.

Science.gov (United States)

Cappuyns, Valérie

2016-12-15

Sustainable remediation requires a balanced decision-making process in which environmental, economic and social aspects of different remediation options are all considered together and the optimum remediation solution is selected. More attention has been paid to the evaluation of environmental and economic aspects, in particular to reduce the human and environmental risks and the remediation costs, to the exclusion of social aspects of remediation. This paper investigates how social aspects are currently considered in sustainability assessments of remediation projects. A selection of decision support tools (DSTs), used for the sustainability assessment of a remediation project, is analyzed to define how social aspects are considered in those tools. The social indicator categories of the Sustainable Remediation Forum - United Kingdom (SuRF-UK), are used as a basis for this evaluation. The consideration of social aspects in the investigated decision support tools is limited, but a clear increase is noticed in more recently developed tools. Among the five social indicator categories defined by SuRF-UK to facilitate a holistic consideration of social aspects of a remediation project only "Human health and safety" is systematically taken into account. "Neighbourhood and locality" is also often addressed, mostly emphasizing the potential disturbance caused by the remediation activities. However, the evaluation of 'Ethics and Equality', Communities and community involvement', and 'Uncertainty and evidence' is often neglected. Nevertheless, concrete examples can be found in some of the investigated tools. Specific legislation, standard procedures, and guidelines that have to be followed in a region or country are mainly been set up in the context of protecting human and ecosystem health, safety and prevention of nuisance. However, they sometimes already include some of the aspects addressed by the social indicators. In this perspective the use of DST to evaluate the

A hybrid multi-criteria decision modeling approach for the best biodiesel blend selection based on ANP-TOPSIS analysis

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G. Sakthivel

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The ever increasing demand and depletion of fossil fuels had an adverse impact on environmental pollution. The selection of appropriate source of biodiesel and proper blending of biodiesel plays a major role in alternate energy production. This paper describes an application of hybrid Multi Criteria Decision Making (MCDM technique for the selection of optimum fuel blend in fish oil biodiesel for the IC engine. The proposed model, Analytical Network Process (ANP is integrated with Technique for Order Performance by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS and VlseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje (in Serbian (VIKOR to evaluate the optimum blend. Evaluation of suitable blend is based on the exploratory analysis of the performance, emission and combustion parameters of the single cylinder, constant speed direct injection diesel engine at different load conditions. Here the ANP is used to determine the relative weights of the criteria, whereas TOPSIS and VIKOR are used for obtaining the final ranking of alternative blends. An efficient pair-wise comparison process and ranking of alternatives can be achieved for optimum blend selection through the integration of ANP with TOPSIS and VIKOR. The obtained preference order of the blends for ANP-VIKOR and ANP-TOPSIS are B20 > Diesel > B40 > B60 > B80 > B100 and B20 > B40 > Diesel > B60 > B80 > B100 respectively. Hence by comparing both these methods, B20 is selected as the best blend to operate the internal combustion engines. This paper highlights a new insight into MCDM techniques to evaluate the best fuel blend for the decision makers such as engine manufactures and R& D engineers to meet the fuel economy and emission norms to empower the green revolution.

Calm and smart? A selective review of meditation effects on decision making.

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Sun, Sai; Yao, Ziqing; Wei, Jaixin; Yu, Rongjun

2015-01-01

Over the past two decades, there has been a growing interest in the use of meditation to improve cognitive performance, emotional balance, and well-being. As a consequence, research into the psychological effects and neural mechanisms of meditation has been accumulating. Whether and how meditation affects decision making is not yet clear. Here, we review evidence from behavioral and neuroimaging studies and summarize the effects of meditation on social and non-social economic decision making. Research suggests that meditation modulates brain activities associated with cognitive control, emotion regulation and empathy, and leads to improved non-social and social decision making. Accordingly, we propose an integrative model in which cognitive control, emotional regulation, and empathic concern mediate the effects of meditation on decision making. This model provides insights into the mechanisms by which meditation affects the decision making process. More evidence is needed to test our explanatory model and to explore the function of specific brain areas and their interactive effects on decision making during meditation training.

Impaired decision-making and selective cortical frontal thinning in Cushing's syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Crespo, Iris; Esther, Granell-Moreno; Santos, Alicia; Valassi, Elena; Yolanda, Vives-Gilabert; De Juan-Delago, Manel; Webb, Susan M; Gómez-Ansón, Beatriz; Resmini, Eugenia

2014-12-01

Cushing's syndrome (CS) is caused by a glucocorticoid excess. This hypercortisolism can damage the prefrontal cortex, known to be important in decision-making. Our aim was to evaluate decision-making in CS and to explore cortical thickness. Thirty-five patients with CS (27 cured, eight medically treated) and thirty-five matched controls were evaluated using Iowa gambling task (IGT) and 3 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to assess cortical thickness. The IGT evaluates decision-making, including strategy and learning during the test. Cortical thickness was determined on MRI using freesurfer software tools, including a whole-brain analysis. There were no differences between medically treated and cured CS patients. They presented an altered decision-making strategy compared to controls, choosing a lower number of the safer cards (P behaviour was driven by short-term reward and long-term punishment, indicating learning problems because they did not use previous experience as a feedback factor to regulate their choices. These alterations in decision-making and the decreased cortical thickness in frontal areas suggest that chronic hypercortisolism promotes brain changes which are not completely reversible after endocrine remission. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Decision making in liver transplant selection committees: a multicenter study.

Science.gov (United States)

Volk, Michael L; Biggins, Scott W; Huang, Mary Ann; Argo, Curtis K; Fontana, Robert J; Anspach, Renee R

2011-10-18

To receive a liver transplant, patients must first be placed on a waiting list-a decision made at most transplant centers by a multidisciplinary committee. The function of these committees has never been studied. To describe decision making in liver transplant committees and identify opportunities for process improvement. Observational multicenter study. 4 liver transplant centers in the United States. 68 members of liver transplant committees across the 4 centers. 63 meetings were observed, and 50 committee members were interviewed. Recorded transcripts and field notes were analyzed by using standard qualitative sociologic methods. Although the structure of the meetings varied by center, the process was uniform and primarily involved inductive reasoning to review possible reasons for patient exclusion. Patients were excluded if they were too well, too sick (in the setting of advanced liver disease), or too old or had nonhepatic comorbid conditions, substance abuse problems, or other psychosocial barriers. Dominant themes in the discussions included member angst over deciding who lived or died, a high correlation between psychosocial barriers to transplantation and the patient's socioeconomic status, and the influence of external forces on decision making. Unwritten center policies and confusion regarding advocacy versus stewardship roles were consistently identified as barriers to effective group decision making. The use of qualitative methods provides broad understanding but limits specific inferences. The 4 centers may not reflect the practices of every transplant center nationwide. The difficult decisions made by liver transplant committees are reasonably consistent and well-intentioned, but the process might be improved by having more explicit written policies and clarifying roles. This may inform resource allocation in other areas of medicine. The Greenwall Foundation and the National Institutes of Health.

Combining Fuzzy AHP with GIS and Decision Rules for Industrial Site Selection

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Aissa Taibi

2017-12-01

Full Text Available This study combines Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP, Geographic Information System (GIS and Decision rules to provide decision makers with a ranking model for industrial sites in Algeria. A ranking of the suitable industrial areas is a crucial multi-criteria decision problem based on socio-economical and technical criteria as on environmental considerations. Fuzzy AHP is used for assessment of the candidate industrial sites by combining fuzzy set theory and analytic hierarchy process (AHP. The decision rule base serves as a filter that performs criteria pre-treatment involving a reduction of their numbers. GIS is used to overlay, generate criteria maps and for visualizing ranked zones on the map. The rank of a zone so obtained is an index that guides decision-makers to the best utilization of the zone in future.

Material selection for the tool holder working under hard milling conditions using different multi criteria decision making methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Çalışkan, Halil; Kurşuncu, Bilal; Kurbanoğlu, Cahit; Güven, Şevki Yılmaz

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► The material selection problem for tool holders used in hard milling was solved. ► EXPROM2, TOPSIS and VIKOR methods were used for ranking the alternative materials. ► The weighting of criteria was performed by compromised weighting method. ► The best material for the tool holder was selected as Fe–5Cr–Mo–V aircraft steel. -- Abstract: Nowadays machining of materials in their hardened state, also called hard machining, is a challenge in production of tools and molds. It has some advantages such as lower process time and lower manufacturing cost when compared to conventional machining. In machining of hard workpiece materials, however, very high stresses act on the tool holder through the cutting tool. These stresses necessitate the tool holder to have some specific properties. Especially in hard milling, the tool holder should have high stiffness and should be able to dissipate the energy generated during interrupted cutting. Material cost of the tool holder is also important since lower costs provide a competitive advantage for manufacturers. The material selection for the tool holder should be conducted considering aforementioned requirements. To tackle the difficulty of the material selection with specific properties from a large number of alternatives, multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods have been used. In this paper a decision model including extended PROMETHEE II (EXPROM2) (preference ranking organization method for enrichment evaluation), TOPSIS (technique for order performance by similarity to ideal solution) and VIKOR (VIšekriterijumsko KOmpromisno Rangiranje) methods were used for the selection of the best material for the tool holder used in hard milling. The criteria weighting was performed by compromised weighting method composed of AHP (analytic hierarchy process) and Entropy methods. The candidate materials were ranked by using these methods and the results obtained by each method were compared. It was confirmed

Decision analysis for the selection of tank waste retrieval technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

DAVIS, FREDDIE J.; DEWEESE, GREGORY C.; PICKETT, WILLIAM W.

2000-01-01

The objective of this report is to supplement the C-104 Alternatives Generation and Analysis (AGA) by providing a decision analysis for the alternative technologies described therein. The decision analysis used the Multi-Attribute Utility Analysis (MUA) technique. To the extent possible information will come from the AGA. Where data are not available, elicitation of expert opinion or engineering judgment is used and reviewed by the authors of the AGA. A key element of this particular analysis is the consideration of varying perspectives of parties interested in or affected by the decision. The six alternatives discussed are: sluicing; sluicing with vehicle mounted transfer pump; borehole mining; vehicle with attached sluicing nozzle and pump; articulated arm with attached sluicing nozzle; and mechanical dry retrieval. These are evaluated using four attributes, namely: schedule, cost, environmental impact, and safety

PREVALENCE OF ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANT STRAINS OF ESCHERICHIA COLI AND ENTEROCOCCUS SPP. IN ROE DEER (CAPREOLUS CAPREOLUS AND RED DEER (CERVUS ELAPHUS AT THE PARCO NAZIONALE DEI MONTI SIBILLINI, ITALY

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I. Pisano

2009-09-01

Full Text Available A case control study was performed in the Parco Nazionale dei Monti Sibillini, Italy, to find out whether roe deer (Capreolus capreolus and red deer (Cervus elaphus were more likely to harbour antibiotic resistant Escherichia coli in their faeces, compared to Enterococcus spp. Ten areas were selected and samples were collected during a fourmonths (May to August, 2008 sampling period. Samples of water (n=12 and feces (n=59, collected at 10 different sites, were cultured for E. coli and Enterococcus spp. The resulting colonies were screened for tetracycline, ampicillin and kanamycin resistance using the Lederberg Replica Plating method (breakpoint 4 μg/ml. All resistant isolates were then selected, and subjected to the CLSI antimicrobial plate susceptibility test (7. Among the water specimens contaminated by E. coli, 80% were found to be resistant to ampicillin, 80% to tetracycline and 40% to kanamycin. Among the water specimens contaminated by Enterococcus spp., 14.29% were found to be resistant to ampicillin, 14.29% to tetracycline and 71.3% to kanamycin. Among the 39 strains of E. coli isolated from red deer feces, 12 were resistant to ampicillin (30.77%, 5 to tetracycline (12,82% and 3 to kanamycin (7.69%. Among the 19 strains of Enterococcus spp. isolated from red deer feces, 0 were resistant to ampicillin (0%, 1 to tetracycline (5.26% and 19 to kanamycin (100. These are significant findings, indicating that antibiotic resistance can be found in naïve animal populations and that red deer and fallow deer could act as sentinels for antimicrobial resistance. Key words Antibiotic-resistance, red deer, fallow deer, Escherichia

Categorization = Decision Making + Generalization

Science.gov (United States)

Seger, Carol A; Peterson, Erik J.

2013-01-01

We rarely, if ever, repeatedly encounter exactly the same situation. This makes generalization crucial for real world decision making. We argue that categorization, the study of generalizable representations, is a type of decision making, and that categorization learning research would benefit from approaches developed to study the neuroscience of decision making. Similarly, methods developed to examine generalization and learning within the field of categorization may enhance decision making research. We first discuss perceptual information processing and integration, with an emphasis on accumulator models. We then examine learning the value of different decision making choices via experience, emphasizing reinforcement learning modeling approaches. Next we discuss how value is combined with other factors in decision making, emphasizing the effects of uncertainty. Finally, we describe how a final decision is selected via thresholding processes implemented by the basal ganglia and related regions. We also consider how memory related functions in the hippocampus may be integrated with decision making mechanisms and contribute to categorization. PMID:23548891

Human Errors in Decision Making

OpenAIRE

Mohamad, Shahriari; Aliandrina, Dessy; Feng, Yan

2005-01-01

The aim of this paper was to identify human errors in decision making process. The study was focused on a research question such as: what could be the human error as a potential of decision failure in evaluation of the alternatives in the process of decision making. Two case studies were selected from the literature and analyzed to find the human errors contribute to decision fail. Then the analysis of human errors was linked with mental models in evaluation of alternative step. The results o...

CorRECTreatment: a web-based decision support tool for rectal cancer treatment that uses the analytic hierarchy process and decision tree.

Science.gov (United States)

Suner, A; Karakülah, G; Dicle, O; Sökmen, S; Çelikoğlu, C C

2015-01-01

The selection of appropriate rectal cancer treatment is a complex multi-criteria decision making process, in which clinical decision support systems might be used to assist and enrich physicians' decision making. The objective of the study was to develop a web-based clinical decision support tool for physicians in the selection of potentially beneficial treatment options for patients with rectal cancer. The updated decision model contained 8 and 10 criteria in the first and second steps respectively. The decision support model, developed in our previous study by combining the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method which determines the priority of criteria and decision tree that formed using these priorities, was updated and applied to 388 patients data collected retrospectively. Later, a web-based decision support tool named corRECTreatment was developed. The compatibility of the treatment recommendations by the expert opinion and the decision support tool was examined for its consistency. Two surgeons were requested to recommend a treatment and an overall survival value for the treatment among 20 different cases that we selected and turned into a scenario among the most common and rare treatment options in the patient data set. In the AHP analyses of the criteria, it was found that the matrices, generated for both decision steps, were consistent (consistency ratiodecisions of experts, the consistency value for the most frequent cases was found to be 80% for the first decision step and 100% for the second decision step. Similarly, for rare cases consistency was 50% for the first decision step and 80% for the second decision step. The decision model and corRECTreatment, developed by applying these on real patient data, are expected to provide potential users with decision support in rectal cancer treatment processes and facilitate them in making projections about treatment options.

Structure of nucleoli in first-order spermatocytes of selected free-living animal species.

Science.gov (United States)

Andraszek, Katarzyna; Gryzińska, Magdalena; Ceranka, Mariola; Larisch, Agnieszka

2015-10-01

Nucleoli are the product of the activity of nucleolar organizer regions (NOR) in certain chromosomes. Their main functions are the formation of ribosomal subunits from ribosomal protein molecules and the transcription of genes encoding rRNA. Nucleoli are present in the nuclei of nearly all eukaryotic cells because they contain housekeeping genes. The size and number of nucleoli gradually decrease during spermatogenesis. Some of the material originating in the nucleolus probably migrates to the cytoplasm and takes part in the formation of chromatoid bodies (CB). Nucleolus fragmentation and CB assembly take place at the same stage of spermatogenesis. CB are involved in the formation of the acrosome, the migration of mitochondria to the midpiece, and the formation of the sperm tail fibrous sheath. The aim of the study was to characterize the nucleoli in the early prophase of spermatogenesis in the wild boar and the roe deer. The roe deer cells have larger nucleoli and a larger cell nucleus than the wild boar cells. The area of the nucleolus as a percentage of the total area of the nucleus was larger as well. The coefficients of variation for all parameters were higher in the roe deer. In the wild boar cells the nucleoli were mainly regularly shaped. The size of the nucleolus and the nucleus of the spermatocyte is a species-specific trait associated with karyotype and the number of nucleolar organizer regions in a given species. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Decision Support System to Compare the Transportation Modes in Logistics

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Eren Özceylan

2010-06-01

Full Text Available The selection of an optimal transportation mode is one of the most important factors in supply chain and logistic planning. Furthermore, the selection transportation mode is a complex, multi-criteria decision problem. The decision makers have to face and take attention with a lot of criteria; such as cost, quality, delivery time, safety, accessibility and etc while choosing the best mode. Under these criteria, there must be a selection between motorway, seaway, airway, pipeline, railway and also intermodal modes. Selection the transportation mode is very promising issue because it affects about 60-65 % of total logistic cake. There are some techniques which can be heuristics and logical approaches are used to reach the best option. The analytical hierarchy process (AHP which is one of the mathematical methods can be very useful in involving several decision makers with different conflicting objectives to arrive at a consensus decision. In this paper, the selection of an optimal transportation mode using an AHP-based model was evaluated for logistic activities. To solve this transportation mode selection problem, we developed a decision support system based AHP. By using the developed decision support system, the best transportation modes is determined and discussed.

Dissociation of hedonic reaction to reward and incentive motivation in an animal model of the negative symptoms of schizophrenia.

Science.gov (United States)

Ward, Ryan D; Simpson, Eleanor H; Richards, Vanessa L; Deo, Gita; Taylor, Kathleen; Glendinning, John I; Kandel, Eric R; Balsam, Peter D

2012-06-01

We previously showed that mice that selectively and reversibly overexpress striatal D2 receptors (D2R-OE) model the negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Specifically, D2R-OE mice display a deficit in incentive motivation. The present studies investigated the basis for this deficit. First, we assessed whether hedonic reaction to reward is intact in D2R-OE mice. We assessed licking behavior and video-scored positive hedonic facial reactions to increasing concentrations of sucrose in control and D2R-OE mice. We found no difference between D2R-OE mice and controls in hedonic reactions. To further understand the basis of the motivational deficit, mice were given a choice between pressing a lever for access to a preferred reward (evaporated milk) or consuming a freely available less preferred reward (home-cage chow). D2R-OE mice pressed less for the preferred milk and consumed more of the freely available less preferred chow, indicating that striatal overexpression of postsynaptic D2Rs can alter cost/benefit computations, leading to a motivational deficit. This motivational impairment was ameliorated when the transgene was turned off and D2R levels were normalized. Such a deficit may arise from impaired ability to represent the value of future rewards. To test this, we used operant concurrent schedules and found reduced sensitivity to the value of future outcomes in D2R-OE mice. These results demonstrate for the first time in a transgenic animal model of schizophrenia a dissociation between hedonic reaction to reward and incentive motivation, and show a striking parallel to the proposed neurobiological and psychological mechanisms of impaired incentive motivation in schizophrenia.

Indoor radon in selected homes in Aburi Municipality: measurement uncertainty, decision analysis and remediation strategy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yeboah, M. S.

2014-07-01

The main source of natural internal irradiation of man is radon and its decay products. In this study, the radon concentration levels in selected homes in Aburi of the Akuapim North Municipal Assembly in Eastern Region, Ghana were estimated using time-intergrated passive radon detector; LR-115 Type II solid state nuclear track detector (SSNTD) technique. The primary objective of the study was to measure radon levels in 30 selected homes in the Aburi municipality and determine the uncertainties associated with the measured radon concentrations in order to take a decision on remedial actions to be adopted in case of any abnormality using simple qualitative decision analysis method. Measurements were carried out from December, 2013 to March, 2014. After each month of exposure for a period of three months, the detectors were subjected to chemical etching in a 2.5M analytical grade of sodium hydroxide solution at (60 ± I )OC, for 90mins in a constant temperature water bath to enlarge the latent tracks produced by alpha particles from the decay of radon. The etched tracks were magnified using the microfiche reader and counted with a tally counter. The results obtained from the study revealed that concentration of radon in most of the selected homes in the Aburi municipality is low and it is within the internationally accepted action level of 100Bqm-3 set by WHO (2009). The analysis of the results established that the average radon concentrations vary in the range 23.72- 92.24Bqm -3 , 19.07-124.36 Bqm -3 and 31.63-123.87 Bqm -3 for month I, month 2 and month 3 respectively. The corresponding mean values are 46.77, 45.92 and 56.66 Bqm -3 respectively with standard deviations of ±2.18. ±2.38 and ±2.76. These gave a mean of 49.78 ± 12.50 for the three months. Two (2) of the rooms investigated had values above 20 % of the remedial action level of 100Bqm -3 in two of the months but with their average values slightly lower than the remedial action level. From the

Towards Integrated Health Technology Assessment for Improving Decision Making in Selected Countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Oortwijn, Wija; Determann, Domino; Schiffers, Krijn; Tan, Siok Swan; van der Tuin, Jeroen

2017-09-01

To assess the level of comprehensiveness of health technology assessment (HTA) practices around the globe and to formulate recommendations for enhancing legitimacy and fairness of related decision-making processes. To identify best practices, we developed an evaluation framework consisting of 13 criteria on the basis of the INTEGRATE-HTA model (integrative perspective on assessing health technologies) and the Accountability for Reasonableness framework (deliberative appraisal process). We examined different HTA systems in middle-income countries (Argentina, Brazil, and Thailand) and high-income countries (Australia, Canada, England, France, Germany, Scotland, and South Korea). For this purpose, desk research and structured interviews with relevant key stakeholders (N = 32) in the selected countries were conducted. HTA systems in Canada, England, and Scotland appear relatively well aligned with our framework, followed by Australia, Germany, and France. Argentina and South Korea are at an early stage, whereas Brazil and Thailand are at an intermediate level. Both desk research and interviews revealed that scoping is often not part of the HTA process. In contrast, providing evidence reports for assessment is well established. Indirect and unintended outcomes are increasingly considered, but there is room for improvement. Monitoring and evaluation of the HTA process is not well established across countries. Finally, adopting transparent and robust processes, including stakeholder consultation, takes time. This study presents a framework for assessing the level of comprehensiveness of the HTA process in a country. On the basis of applying the framework, we formulate recommendations on how the HTA community can move toward a more integrated decision-making process using HTA. Copyright © 2017 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Methodology for the selection of routes for international cross-border line projects involving multiple objectives and decision-makers in the analyses of restrictions and environmental possibilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Angel S, Enrique; Cadena, Luis Fernando

2005-01-01

A scheme was developed and applied to select the optimum environmental route for international cross-border line projects, in a decision making context involving multiple objectives and multiple decision-makers, the project studied was the electricity interconnection for central America (SIEPAC) for which a prospective assessment was carried out regarding the restrictions and possibilities in the light of the Colombian environmental dimensions management model. The methodology proposed followed these stages: Definition and approval of the structure of environmental restriction and criticality variables, sectorization and selection of complex sections, definition of decision-makers for multi-objective analysis; design and application of consultation tool; definition and modeling of options applying SIG; sensitivity analysis of alternative routes and project's environment management. Different options were identified for insertion and permanence of the project according to the criteria of various interest groups and actors consulted: environmental authorities, electricity companies, scientific community and civil society

Is Shared Decision Making for End-of-Life Decisions Associated With Better Outcomes as Compared to Other Forms of Decision Making? A Systematic Literature Review

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Negin Hajizadeh MD, MPH

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Background: Whether shared decision making (SDM has been evaluated for end-of-life (EOL decisions as compared to other forms of decision making has not been studied. Purpose: To summarize the evidence on SDM being associated with better outcomes for EOL decision making, as compared to other forms of decision making. Data Sources: PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and CINAHL databases were searched through April 2014. Study Selection: Studies were selected that evaluated SDM, compared to any other decision making style, for an EOL decision. Data Extraction: Components of SDM tested, comparators to SDM, EOL decision being assessed, and outcomes measured. Data Synthesis: Seven studies met the inclusion criteria (three experimental and four observational studies. Results were analyzed using narrative synthesis. All three experimental studies compared SDM interventions to usual care. The four observational studies compared SDM to doctor-controlled decision making, or reported the correlation between level of SDM and outcomes. Components of SDM specified in each study differed widely, but the component most frequently included was presenting information on the risks/benefits of treatment choices (five of seven studies. The outcome most frequently measured was communication, although with different measurement tools. Other outcomes included decisional conflict, trust, satisfaction, and “quality of dying.” Limitations: We could not analyze the strength of evidence for a given outcome due to heterogeneity in the outcomes reported and measurement tools. Conclusions: There is insufficient evidence supporting SDM being associated with improved outcomes for EOL decisions as opposed to other forms of decision making. Future studies should describe which components of SDM are being tested, outline the comparator decision making style, and use validated tools to measure outcomes.

Neutrosophic Logic Applied to Decision Making

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Madsen, Henrik; Albeanu, Grigore; Burtschy, Bernard

2014-01-01

Decision making addresses the usage of various methods to select "the best", in some way, alternative strategy (from many available) when a problem is given for solving. The authors propose the usage of neutrosophic way of thinking, called also Smarandache's logic, to select a model by experts when...... degrees of trustability, ultrastability (falsehood), and indeterminacy are used to decide. The procedures deal with multi-attribute neutrosophic decision making and a case study on e-learning software objects is presented....

Los relatos de la independencia: La invención de los héroes y de una memoria histórica en la primera mitad del siglo XIX colombiano

OpenAIRE

Román Romero, Raúl; Niño De Villeros, Vanessa

2015-01-01

Este artículo examina el papel que jugaron algunos intelectuales y políticos neogranadinos en los primeros años de la república en la elaboración de relatos y héroes de la independencia. Estos políticos ilustrados se dieron a la tarea de elaborar unas narrativas e interpretaciones sobre el pasado inmediato de la emancipación y del periodo colonial con el propósito de entender en qué medida la reelaboración de ese pasado podía ser útil para consolidar un nuevo proyecto de Estado nación y de re...

Investigation of Multi-Criteria Decision Consistency: A Triplex Approach to Optimal Oilfield Portfolio Investment Decisions

Science.gov (United States)

Qaradaghi, Mohammed

Complexity of the capital intensive oil and gas portfolio investments is continuously growing. It is manifested in the constant increase in the type, number and degree of risks and uncertainties, which consequently lead to more challenging decision making problems. A typical complex decision making problem in petroleum exploration and production (E&P) is the selection and prioritization of oilfields/projects in a portfolio investment. Prioritizing oilfields maybe required for different purposes, including the achievement of a targeted production and allocation of limited available development resources. These resources cannot be distributed evenly nor can they be allocated based on the oilfield size or production capacity alone since various other factors need to be considered simultaneously. These factors may include subsurface complexity, size of reservoir, plateau production and needed infrastructure in addition to other issues of strategic concern, such as socio-economic, environmental and fiscal policies, particularly when the decision making involves governments or national oil companies. Therefore, it would be imperative to employ decision aiding tools that not only address these factors, but also incorporate the decision makers' preferences clearly and accurately. However, the tools commonly used in project portfolio selection and optimization, including intuitive approaches, vary in their focus and strength in addressing the different criteria involved in such decision problems. They are also disadvantaged by a number of drawbacks, which may include lacking the capacity to address multiple and interrelated criteria, uncertainty and risk, project relationship with regard to value contribution and optimum resource utilization, non-monetary attributes, decision maker's knowledge and expertise, in addition to varying levels of ease of use and other practical and theoretical drawbacks. These drawbacks have motivated researchers to investigate other tools and

A New Dynamic Multicriteria Decision-Making Approach for Green Supplier Selection in Construction Projects under Time Sequence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shi Yin

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Nowadays, due to the lack of natural resources and environment problems which have been appearing increasingly, green building is more and more involved in the construction industry. The evaluation and selection of green supplier are a significant part of the development of green building. In this paper, we propose a new dynamic multicriteria decision-making approach in construction projects under time sequence to deal with these problems. First, the paper establishes 4 main criteria and 17 subcriteria for green supplier selection in construction projects. Then, a method considering interaction between criteria and the influence of constructors subjective preference and objective criteria information is proposed. It uses the interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy geometric weighted Heronian means (IVIFGWHM operator and multitarget nonlinear programming model to calculate the comprehensive evaluation results of potential green suppliers. The proposed method is much easier for constructors to select green supplier and make the localization of green supplier more practical and accurate in construction projects. Finally, a case study about a green building project is given to verify practicality and effectiveness of the proposed approach.

Age Effects and Heuristics in Decision Making.

Science.gov (United States)

Besedeš, Tibor; Deck, Cary; Sarangi, Sudipta; Shor, Mikhael

2012-05-01

Using controlled experiments, we examine how individuals make choices when faced with multiple options. Choice tasks are designed to mimic the selection of health insurance, prescription drug, or retirement savings plans. In our experiment, available options can be objectively ranked allowing us to examine optimal decision making. First, the probability of a person selecting the optimal option declines as the number of options increases, with the decline being more pronounced for older subjects. Second, heuristics differ by age with older subjects relying more on suboptimal decision rules. In a heuristics validation experiment, older subjects make worse decisions than younger subjects.

Effects of selective serotonin reuptake inhibition on neural activity related to risky decisions and monetary rewards in healthy males

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Macoveanu, Julian; Fisher, Patrick M; Haahr, Mette E

2014-01-01

the involvement of the normally functioning 5HT-system in decision-making under risk and processing of monetary rewards. The data suggest that prolonged SSRI treatment might reduce emotional engagement by reducing the impact of risk during decision-making or the impact of reward during outcome evaluation.......Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as fluoxetine are commonly prescribed antidepressant drugs targeting the dysfunctional serotonin (5-HT) system, yet little is known about the functional effects of prolonged serotonin reuptake inhibition in healthy individuals. Here we used...... functional MRI (fMRI) to investigate how a three-week fluoxetine intervention influences neural activity related to risk taking and reward processing. Employing a double-blinded parallel-group design, 29 healthy young males were randomly assigned to receive 3 weeks of a daily dose of 40 mg fluoxetine...

Selection of Film Clips and Development of a Video for the Investigation of Sexual Decision Making among Men Who Have Sex with Men

Science.gov (United States)

Woolf-King, Sarah E.; Maisto, Stephen; Carey, Michael; Vanable, Peter

2013-01-01

Experimental research on sexual decision making is limited, despite the public health importance of such work. We describe formative work conducted in advance of an experimental study designed to evaluate the effects of alcohol intoxication and sexual arousal on risky sexual decision making among men who have sex with men. In Study 1, we describe the procedures for selecting and validating erotic film clips (to be used for the experimental manipulation of arousal). In Study 2, we describe the tailoring of two interactive role-play videos to be used to measure risk perception and communication skills in an analog risky sex situation. Together, these studies illustrate a method for creating experimental stimuli to investigate sexual decision making in a laboratory setting. Research using this approach will support experimental research that affords a stronger basis for drawing causal inferences regarding sexual decision making. PMID:19760530

Sobre los comienzos: La renuncia del héroe Baltasar y sus proyecciones en la narrativa de Edgardo Rodríguez Juliá

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carolina Sancholuz

2007-09-01

Full Text Available This paper suggests a reading of Edgardo Rodríguez Juliá's first novel -La renuncia del héroe Baltasar- starting from the concept of the beginnings theorized by Edward Said, since it is possible to notice in the text a narrowing of senses which the author resumes, explores and continues in his later work. On the other hand, the novel also deals, from fiction, with the origins of Puerto Rican nationality through erotic metaphors which account for tensions among white, mulatto and black people in eighteenth century colonial Puerto Rican society. Conflicts derived from slavery converge on spaces such as the palenque, slave revolts, cimarronaje's attempts to run away, that is, various images that closely link this work in particular and subsequent texts by the author to a larger scope which exceeds Puerto Rican national limits and comprises Antillean history.

Building a Lego wall: Sequential action selection.

Science.gov (United States)

Arnold, Amy; Wing, Alan M; Rotshtein, Pia

2017-05-01

The present study draws together two distinct lines of enquiry into the selection and control of sequential action: motor sequence production and action selection in everyday tasks. Participants were asked to build 2 different Lego walls. The walls were designed to have hierarchical structures with shared and dissociated colors and spatial components. Participants built 1 wall at a time, under low and high load cognitive states. Selection times for correctly completed trials were measured using 3-dimensional motion tracking. The paradigm enabled precise measurement of the timing of actions, while using real objects to create an end product. The experiment demonstrated that action selection was slowed at decision boundary points, relative to boundaries where no between-wall decision was required. Decision points also affected selection time prior to the actual selection window. Dual-task conditions increased selection errors. Errors mostly occurred at boundaries between chunks and especially when these required decisions. The data support hierarchical control of sequenced behavior. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).