A Distance-Based Method for Attribute Reduction in Incomplete Decision Systems

There are limitations in recent research undertaken on attribute reduction in incomplete decision systems. In this paper, we propose a distance-based method for attribute reduction in an incomplete decision system. In addition, we prove theoretically that our method is more effective than some other methods.

Generalized Discernibility Function Based Attribute Reduction in Incomplete Decision Systems

A rough set approach for attribute reduction is an important research subject in data mining and machine learning. However, most attribute reduction methods are performed on a complete decision system table. In this paper, we propose methods for attribute reduction in static incomplete decision systems and dynamic incomplete decision systems with dynamically-increasing and decreasing conditional attributes. Our methods use generalized discernibility matrix and function in tolerance-based rough sets.

Analyzing evacuation decisions using multi-attribute utility theory (MAUT)

Emergency managers are faced with critical evacuation decisions. These decisions must balance conflicting objectives as well as high levels of uncertainty. Multi-Attribute Utility Theory (MAUT) provides a framework through which objective trade-offs can be analyzed to make optimal evacuation decisions. This paper is the result of data gathered during the European Commission Project, Evacuation Responsiveness by Government Organizations (ERGO) and outlines a preliminary decision model for the evacuation decision. The illustrative model identifies levels of risk at which point evacuation actions should be taken by emergency managers in a storm surge scenario with forecasts at 12 and 9 hour intervals. The results illustrate how differences in forecast precision affect the optimal evacuation decision. Additional uses for this decision model are also discussed along with improvements to the model through future ERGO data-gathering.

The effects of attribute quality information and sources of information on consumers' perceptions and behavior: A model of Pre-purchase Information Utilization in Service Physical Environments

The search-experience-credence framework from economics of information, the human-environment relations models from environmental psychology, and the consumer evaluation process from services marketing provide a conceptual basis for testing the model of "Pre-purchase Information Utilization in Service Physical Environments." The model addresses the effects of informational signs, as a dimension of the service physical environment, on consumers' perceptions (perceived veracity and perceived performance risk), emotions (pleasure) and behavior (willingness to buy). The informational signs provide attribute quality information (search and experience) through non-personal sources of information (simulated word-of-mouth and non-personal advocate sources).^ This dissertation examines: (1) the hypothesized relationships addressed in the model of "Pre-purchase Information Utilization in Service Physical Environments" among informational signs, perceived veracity, perceived performance risk, pleasure, and willingness to buy, and (2) the effects of attribute quality information and sources of information on consumers' perceived veracity and perceived performance risk.^ This research is the first in-depth study about the role and effects of information in service physical environments. Using a 2 x 2 between subjects experimental research procedure, undergraduate students were exposed to the informational signs in a simulated service physical environment. The service physical environments were simulated through color photographic slides.^ The results of the study suggest that: (1) the relationship between informational signs and willingness to buy is mediated by perceived veracity, perceived performance risk and pleasure, (2) experience attribute information shows higher perceived veracity and lower perceived performance risk when compared to search attribute information, and (3) information provided through simulated word-of-mouth shows higher perceived veracity and lower perceived performance risk when compared to information provided through non-personal advocate sources. ^

Inspection of parts with complex geometry and welds with structural health monitoring techniques

Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) systems were developed to evaluate the integrity of a system during operation, and to quickly identify the maintenance problems. They will be used in future aerospace vehicles to improve safety, reduce cost and minimize the maintenance time of a system. Many SHM systems were already developed to evaluate the integrity of plates and used in marine structures. Their implementation in manufacturing processes is still expected. The application of SHM methods for complex geometries and welds are two important challenges in this area of research. This research work started by studying the characteristics of piezoelectric actuators, and a small energy harvester was designed. The output voltages at different frequencies of vibration were acquired to determine the nonlinear characteristics of the piezoelectric stripe actuators. The frequency response was evaluated experimentally. AA battery size energy harvesting devices were developed by using these actuators. When the round and square cross section devices were excited at 50 Hz frequency, they generated 16 V and 25 V respectively. The Surface Response to Excitation (SuRE) and Lamb wave methods were used to estimate the condition of parts with complex geometries. Cutting tools and welded plates were considered. Both approaches used piezoelectric elements that were attached to the surfaces of considered parts. The variation of the magnitude of the frequency response was evaluated when the SuRE method was used. The sum of the square of the differences was calculated. The envelope of the received signal was used for the analysis of wave propagation. Bi-orthogonal wavelet (Binlet) analysis was also used for the evaluation of the data obtained during Lamb wave technique. Both the Lamb wave and SuRE approaches along with the three methods for data analysis worked effectively to detect increasing tool wear. Similarly, they detected defects on the plate, on the weld, and on a separate plate without any sensor as long as it was welded to the test plate.

The Relationship between Leisure Traveler’s Hotel Attribute Satisfaction and Overall Satisfaction

Manystudies have been conducted about hotel attributesrelated tothehotel choice decision as a part ofacustomer’s pre- purchase behavior(Dolnicar&Otter, 2003). Althoughit iscritical for hotel managerstounderstand post-trip behavior because such behaviorsmaydirectlyinfluence their futurebehavior, therearefew researchstudieswhich examine hotel attributesrelated to acustomer’spost-trip behavior.This studyteststhe relationship between leisure traveler’shotel attribute satisfaction and overall satisfaction in the post-trip behaviorperspectiveina hotel setting andexaminestherelative impactofhotel attributesatisfaction in influencing overall satisfaction. Multiple regressionwas used totestthe relationship and hotel attribute satisfaction isan important antecedent tooverall satisfaction. Theoretical and practical implications ofthe studyare discussed.

The Relationship Between Leisure Traveler's hotel Attribute Satisfaction and Overall Satisfaction

Manystudies have been conducted about hotel attributesrelated tothehotel choice decision as a part ofacustomer’s pre- purchase behavior(Dolnicar&Otter, 2003). Althoughit iscritical for hotel managerstounderstand post-trip behavior because such behaviorsmaydirectlyinfluence their futurebehavior, therearefew researchstudieswhich examine hotel attributesrelated to acustomer’spost-trip behavior.This studyteststhe relationship between leisure traveler’shotel attribute satisfaction and overall satisfaction in the post-trip behaviorperspectiveina hotel setting andexaminestherelative impactofhotel attributesatisfaction in influencing overall satisfaction. Multiple regressionwas used totestthe relationship and hotel attribute satisfaction isan important antecedent tooverall satisfaction. Theoretical and practical implications ofthe studyare discussed.

Les méthodes de construction des ponts couverts de bois du Québec ; un guide d'inspection et d'entretien

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

A randomized trial comparing the diagnostic accuracy of visual inspection with acetic acid to Visual Inspection with Lugol's Iodine for cervical cancer screening in HIV-infected women.

Visual inspection with Acetic Acid (VIA) and Visual Inspection with Lugol’s Iodine (VILI) are increasingly recommended in various cervical cancer screening protocols in low-resource settings. Although VIA is more widely used, VILI has been advocated as an easier and more specific screening test. VILI has not been well-validated as a stand-alone screening test, compared to VIA or validated for use in HIV-infected women. We carried out a randomized clinical trial to compare the diagnostic accuracy of VIA and VILI among HIV-infected women. Women attending the Family AIDS Care and Education Services (FACES) clinic in western Kenya were enrolled and randomized to undergo either VIA or VILI with colposcopy. Lesions suspicious for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 2 or greater (CIN2+) were biopsied. Between October 2011 and June 2012, 654 were randomized to undergo VIA or VILI. The test positivity rates were 26.2% for VIA and 30.6% for VILI (p = 0.22). The rate of detection of CIN2+ was 7.7% in the VIA arm and 11.5% in the VILI arm (p = 0.10). There was no significant difference in the diagnostic performance of VIA and VILI for the detection of CIN2+. Sensitivity and specificity were 84.0% and 78.6%, respectively, for VIA and 84.2% and 76.4% for VILI. The positive and negative predictive values were 24.7% and 98.3% for VIA, and 31.7% and 97.4% for VILI. Among women with CD4+ count < 350, VILI had a significantly decreased specificity (66.2%) compared to VIA in the same group (83.9%, p = 0.02) and compared to VILI performed among women with CD4+ count ≥ 350 (79.7%, p = 0.02). VIA and VILI had similar diagnostic accuracy and rates of CIN2+ detection among HIV-infected women.

Les méthodes de construction des ponts couverts de bois du Québec ; un guide d'inspection et d'entretien

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

Numerical Modelling of Eddy Current Probes for CANDU® Fuel Channel Inspection

Multi-frequency Eddy Current (EC) inspection with a transmit-receive probe (two horizontally offset coils) is used to monitor the Pressure Tube (PT) to Calandria Tube (CT) gap of CANDU® fuel channels. Accurate gap measurements are crucial to ensure fitness of service; however, variations in probe liftoff, PT electrical resistivity, and PT wall thickness can generate systematic measurement errors. Validated mathematical models of the EC probe are very useful for data interpretation, and may improve the gap measurement under inspection conditions where these parameters vary. As a first step, exact solutions for the electromagnetic response of a transmit-receive coil pair situated above two parallel plates separated by an air gap were developed. This model was validated against experimental data with flat-plate samples. Finite element method models revealed that this geometrical approximation could not accurately match experimental data with real tubes, so analytical solutions for the probe in a double-walled pipe (the CANDU® fuel channel geometry) were generated using the Second-Order Vector Potential (SOVP) formalism. All electromagnetic coupling coefficients arising from the probe, and the layered conductors were determined and substituted into Kirchhoff’s circuit equations for the calculation of the pickup coil signal. The flat-plate model was used as a basis for an Inverse Algorithm (IA) to simultaneously extract the relevant experimental parameters from EC data. The IA was validated over a large range of second layer plate resistivities (1.7 to 174 µΩ∙cm), plate wall thickness (~1 to 4.9 mm), probe liftoff (~2 mm to 8 mm), and plate-to plate gap (~0 mm to 13 mm). The IA achieved a relative error of less than 6% for the extracted FP resistivity and an accuracy of ±0.1 mm for the LO measurement. The IA was able to achieve a plate gap measurement with an accuracy of less than ±0.7 mm error over a ~2.4 mm to 7.5 mm probe liftoff and ±0.3 mm at nominal liftoff (2.42±0.05 mm), providing confidence in the general validity of the algorithm. This demonstrates the potential of using an analytical model to extract variable parameters that may affect the gap measurement accuracy.

Pig producer perspectives on the use of meat inspection as an animal health and welfare diagnostic tool in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland

Background
Currently, there is growing interest in developing ante and post mortem meat inspection (MI) to incorporate measures of pig health and welfare for use as a diagnostic tool on pig farms. However, the success of the development of the MI process requires stakeholder engagement with the process. Knowledge gaps and issues of trust can undermine the effective exchange and utilisation of information across the supply chain. A social science research methodology was employed to establish stakeholder perspectives towards the development of MI to include measures of pig health and welfare. In this paper the findings of semi-structured telephone interviews with 18 pig producers from the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland are presented.

Results
Producers recognised the benefit of the utilisation of MI data as a health and welfare diagnostic tool. This acknowledgment, however, was undermined for some by dissatisfaction with the current system of MI information feedback, by trust and fairness concerns, and by concerns regarding the extent to which data would be used in the producers’ interests. Tolerance of certain animal welfare issues may also have a negative impact on how producers viewed the potential of MI data. The private veterinary practitioner was viewed as playing a vital role in assisting them with the interpretation of MI data for herd health planning.

Conclusions
The development of positive relationships based on trust, commitment and satisfaction across the supply chain may help build a positive environment for the effective utilisation of MI data in improving pig health and welfare. The utilisation of MI as a diagnostic tool would benefit from the development of a communication strategy aimed at building positive relationships between stakeholders in the pig industry.

Professionalizing school governance: the disciplinary effects of school autonomy and inspection on the changing role of school governors

Since the 1980s, state schools in England have been required to ensure transparency and accountability through the use of indicators and templates derived from the private sector and, more recently, globally circulating discourses of ‘good governance’ (an appeal to professional standards, technical expertise, and performance evaluation as mechanisms for improving public service delivery). The rise of academies and free schools (‘state-funded independent schools’) has increased demand for good governance, notably as a means by which to discipline schools, in particular school governors – those tasked with the legal responsibility of holding senior leadership to account for the financial and educational performance of schools. A condition and effect of school autonomy, therefore, is increased monitoring and surveillance of all school governing bodies. In this paper, I demonstrate how these twin processes combine to produce a new modality of state power and intervention; a dominant or organizing principle by which government steer the performance of governors through disciplinary tools of professionalization and inspection, with the aim of achieving the ‘control of control’. To explain these trends, I explore how various established and emerging school governing bodies are (re)constituting themselves to meet demands for good governance.

Case-based reasoning in course timetabling: an attribute graph approach

An earlier Case-based Reasoning (CBR) approach developed by the authors for educational course timetabling problems employed structured cases to represent the complex relationships between courses. Previous solved cases represented by attribute graphs were organized hierarchically into a decision tree. The retrieval searches for graph isomorphism among these attribute graphs. In this paper, the approach is further developed to solve a wider range of problems. We also attempt to retrieve those graphs that have common similar structures but also have some differences. Costs that are assigned to these differences have an input upon the similarity measure. A large number of experiments are performed consisting of different randomly produced timetabling problems and the results presented here strongly indicate that a CBR approach could provide a significant step forward in the development of automated system to solve difficult timetabling problems. They show that using relatively little effort, we can retrieve these structurally similar cases to provide high quality timetables for new timetabling problems.

Machine for visual inspection

The project was made during the Erasmus+ Program in Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto, Portugal. I had a pleasure to do this in Gislotica Mechanical Solution, Lda. This document presents a process of design a vertical inspection station for truck tires. The first part contains an introduction. There are information about Gislotica Company and also first analysis of problem. In next part is presented way to figured out the task and described all issues connected with designed machine. In last part were made some conclusions about problems and results. There is a place not only for sum up design process but also my develop during the project. I repeatedly pointed out which issues were new for me. A lot of times I focus on myself and gained experience and information about design process.