Incremental criterion prediction of personality facets over factors: obtaining unbiased estimates and confidence intervals

 Many researchers have argued that higher order models of personality such as the Five Factor Model are insufficient, and that facet-level analysis is required to better understand criteria such as well-being, job performance, and personality disorders. However, common methods in the extant literature used to estimate the incremental prediction of facets over factors have several shortcomings. This paper delineates these shortcomings by evaluating alternative methods using statistical theory, simulation, and an empirical example. We recommend using differences between Olkin-Pratt adjusted r-squared for factor versus facet regression models to estimate the incremental prediction of facets and present a method for obtaining confidence intervals for such estimates using double adjusted-. r-squared bootstrapping. We also provide an R package that implements the proposed methods.

An enhanced stability criterion for time-delay systems via a new bounding technique

In the past few years, a great deal of effort has been devoted to improve delay-dependent conditions for stability of linear systems with an interval time-varying delay. To reduce conservatism of stability conditions, in the framework of the Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional (LKF) method, the bounding technique plays a key role. In this paper, a new bounding technique based on a new integral inequality is proposed. By employing the newly bounding technique proposed in this paper, an enhanced stability criterion for a class of linear systems with an interval time-varying delay is derived. The effectiveness and a significant improvement of the obtained results are shown by numerical examples.

Prediction of ductile failure in CP-Titanium as criterion of SPD process design

Application of damage model in combination with finite element analysis to design and optimization of equal channel angular pressing - conform of commercially pure titanium against ductile failure is demonstrated. The properties required for precise simulation of the process and prediction of damage accumulation (equivalent stress as function of equivalent strain and temperature and low bound ductility function) are obtained in the temperature interval 20-400 °C and described in details.

An improved stability criterion for time-delay power systems with electric vehicles and high voltage direct current power links

This paper presents an improved stability criterion for load frequency control (LFC) of time-delay power systems including AC/HVDC transmission links and EVs. By employing a novel refined Jensen-based inequality, an improved stability condition is derived in terms of feasible linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) which allow us to compute the maximal upper bounds of time-delay ensuring stability of the LFC scheme equipped with an embedded controller. Cases studies here are implemented for LFC scheme of a two-area power system, which is interconnected by parallel (AC/HVDC) links, with embedded proportional integral (PI) controller for discharged EVs. The relationships between the parameters of PI controller, supplementary control of HVDC links and delay margins of the LFC scheme are also discussed. As a consequence of facts, the results of delay margins can be used as a guideline to tune PI controller and set-up parameters for HVDC control.

The excellence criterion

Why would the MPACs need more funding? After all, they are already among the best-funded cultural organisations in the country. Opera Australia is the single largest recipient of Australia Council funding, receiving $20.5 million in 2014, plus another $4.2 million from the New South and Victorian governments. All up, Opera Australia receives more government funding than the 145 small-to-medium organisations put together. But such an imbalance is par for the course in performing arts funding.

Criterion validity of the activPAL™ and ActiGraph for assessing children's sitting and standing time in a school classroom setting

BACKGROUND: Few studies have investigated the accuracy of the ActiGraph (AG) GTX3 accelerometer for assessing children's sitting and standing time. The activPAL (aP) has an inclinometer function that enables it to distinguish between sitting/lying and standing; however, its accuracy for assessing sitting and standing in older children is unknown. This study validated the accuracy of these devices for estimating sitting and standing time in a school classroom against a criterion measure of direct observation (DO).

FINDINGS: Forty children in grades 5-7 wore both devices while being video recorded during two school lessons. AG and aP data were simultaneously collected in 15-s epochs. Individual participant DO and aP data were recorded as total time spent sitting/lying, standing and stepping. AG data were converted into time spent sitting and standing using previously established cut-points. Compared with DO, the aP underestimated sitting time (mean bias = -1.9 min, 95 % LoA = -8.9 to 5.2 min) and overestimated standing time (mean bias = 1.8 min, 95% LoA = -9.6 to 13.3 min). The best-performing AG cut-point across both sitting and standing (<75 counts/15 s) was more accurate than the aP, underestimating sitting time (mean bias = -0.8 min, 95 % LoA = -10.5 to 9.9 min) and standing time (mean bias = -0.4 min, 95% LoA = -9.8 to 9.1 min), but was less precise as evidenced by wider LoAs and poorer correlations with DO (sitting r = 0.86 aP vs 0.80 AG; standing r = 0.78 aP vs 0.60 AG).

CONCLUSIONS: The aP demonstrated good accuracy and precision for assessing free-living sitting and standing time in classroom settings. The AG was most accurate using a cut-point of < 75 counts/15 s. Further studies should validate the monitors in settings with greater inter- and intra-individual variation in movement patterns.

An explicit criterion for finite-time stability of linear nonautonomous systems with delays

In this paper, the problem of finite-time stability of linear nonautonomous systems with time-varying delays is considered. Using a novel approach based on some techniques developed for linear positive systems, we derive new explicit conditions in terms of matrix inequalities ensuring that the state trajectories of the system do not exceed a certain threshold over a pre-specified finite time interval. These conditions are shown to be relaxed for the Lyapunov asymptotic stability. A numerical example is given to illustrate the effectiveness of the obtained result.