Incomplete analytic hierarchy process with minimum weighted ordinal violations

ABSTRACT

Incomplete pairwise comparison matrices offer a natural way of expressing preferences in decision-making processes. Although ordinal information is crucial, there is a bias in the literature: cardinal models dominate. Ordinal models usually yield nonunique solutions; therefore, an approach blending ordinal and cardinal information is needed. In this work, we consider two cascading problems: first, we compute ordinal preferences, maximizing an index that combines ordinal and cardinal information; then, we obtain a cardinal ranking by enforcing ordinal constraints. Notably, we provide a sufficient condition (that is likely to be satisfied in practical cases) for the first problem to admit a unique solution and we develop a provably polynomial-time algorithm to compute it. The effectiveness of the proposed method is analyzed and compared with respect to other approaches and criteria at the state of the art.     

建筑材料供应中断对承包商成本的冲击研究——基于鲁棒模型分析

为了揭示供应商与承包商为主体的二级供应链中，两者间耦合作用条件下发生的供应中断对供应商最优决策及对承包商成本的影响机制，且剖析供应中断对承包商成本的冲击效应，以供应商存在高退出风险为研究对象，在仅知产量均值与方差条件下，运用Scarf提出的“极大极小值”鲁棒决策方法，通过设定不同决策情况下的供应链系统反馈，分析了不同退出标准情况下二级供应链的博弈过程。基于理论支撑下的鲁棒模型数值仿真结果得出：在退出标准α为100时，中间变量在290~350范围内，供应商存在最优决策，但承包商最优决策无法确定；与α为0时相比，在订货量达到一定状态，即α为140时，承包商成本增加了1.5%，表明承包商成本与供应商退出标准呈正相关，退出标准越高，对承包商成本造成的冲击效应越大。此研究结论为供应链初期不稳定且信息不完整条件下发生的供应中断影响机理提供了新的视角。     

A deep neural network based classifier for brain tumor diagnosis

Classification process plays a key role in diagnosing brain tumors. Earlier research works are intended for identifying brain tumors using different classification techniques. However, the False Alarm Rates (FARs) of existing classification techniques are high. To improve the early-stage brain tumor diagnosis via classification the Weighted Correlation Feature Selection Based Iterative Bayesian Multivariate Deep Neural Learning (WCFS-IBMDNL) technique is proposed in this work. The WCFS-IBMDNL algorithm considers medical dataset for classifying the brain tumor diagnosis at an early stage. At first, the WCFS-IBMDNL technique performs Weighted Correlation-Based Feature Selection (WC-FS) by selecting subsets of medical features that are relevant for classification of brain tumors. After completing the feature selection process, the WCFS-IBMDNL technique uses Iterative Bayesian Multivariate Deep Neural Network (IBMDNN) classifier for reducing the misclassification error rate of brain tumor identification. The WCFS-IBMDNL technique was evaluated in JAVA language using Disease Diagnosis Rate (DDR), Disease Diagnosis Time (DDT), and FAR parameter through the epileptic seizure recognition dataset.     

Visually deficient working conditions and reduced work performance in office workers: Is it mediated by visual discomfort?

IntroductionThe main purpose of this cross-sectional study was to investigate whether visual discomfort acts as a mediating factor between perceived visual ergonomic working conditions and self-rated visual performance among office workers who carry out administrative tasks and computer-based work at the Swedish Tax Agency.MethodsA questionnaire was sent to 94 office workers addressing: 1) perceived visual quality of the visual display units; 2) prevalence of eye symptoms; and 3) self-rated visual performance. Eighty-six persons (54 women (63%), 31 men (36%), and 1 of unspecified sex) answered the questionnaire. Multiple regression analysis investigated the association between visual ergonomic working conditions and visual performance, both with and without visual discomfort as a mediator.ResultsThe group mean of the Indexed survey questions indicated a reasonably good quality of visual ergonomic working conditions, a relative absence of eye symptoms, and acceptable self-rated visual performance. Results from multiple regression analysis showed a significant association between perceived visual ergonomic working conditions and self-rated visual performance (r² = 0.30, β = 0.327, p < 0.01). When visual discomfort was used as a mediator, the association between perceived visual ergonomic working conditions and self-rated visual performance remained the same (r² = 0.32, β = 0.315, p < 0.01).DiscussionIt was remarkable to discover that self-rated visual performance was independent of visual discomfort. Possible explanations include exposure factors not included in the current study, such as dry air and sensory irritation in the eyes, psychosocial stress, time spent performing near work activities, or time exposed to visually deficient working conditions.Relevance to industryThe strong connection between satisfaction with visual ergonomic working conditions and productivity in this study has implications for workplace profitability and staff satisfaction. If productivity is enhanced by better visual ergonomic working conditions, then managers of workplaces may be able to improve work outcomes by optimizing the physical work environment.     

一种改进的最小二乘回归子空间分割方法

最小二乘回归(LSR)算法是一种常见的子空间分割方法，由于LSR具有解析解，因此它的聚类性能较高。然而LSR算法是应用谱聚类方法聚类数据，谱聚类方法初始化聚类中心是随机的，会影响后面的聚类效果。针对这一问题，提出一种基于聚类中心局部密度和距离这2个特点的改进的LSR算法（LSR-DC）。在Extended Yale B数据集上进行实验，结果表明，该算法有较高的聚类精度，具有一定的鲁棒性，优于现有LSR等子空间分割方法。     

Investigation of the piezoelectric and anti-reduction properties of (Ba,Ca) (Ti,Sn, Hf) textured ceramics prepared under low oxygen partial pressure conditions at low sintering temperatures

Multilayer piezoelectric ceramics must be sintered in a reducing atmosphere, preventing oxidation of the inner base metal. Plate-like textured (Ba, Ca)(Ti, Sn, Hf)O₃ ceramics with a <001> preferred orientation were successfully developed at a low oxygen partial pressure (PO₂:10^?8 atm) using a BaTiO₃ (BT) template with sintering temperatures < 1300 °C, which is beneficial for multilayer applications using base metal co-firing with ceramics. When adding the 3 wt% BT template, the proposed samples had a Lottgering factor of 84 %, piezoelectric coefficients d₃₃ = 324 pC/N, -d₃₁ = 122 (pC/N), and Q_m = 452, and the strain values increased from 0.07 % for the randomly oriented ceramics to 0.115 % at 20 kV/cm for the textured ceramics, confirming that the texturing behavior assisted the grain growth and improved both the soft and hard behaviors and insulation resistance of the proposed lead-free ceramics. These findings make a significant contribution to the production of high-power piezoelectric components.     

A rapid method to quantify casein in fluid milk by front-face fluorescence spectroscopy combined with chemometrics

Casein in fluid milk determines cheese yield and affects cheese quality. Traditional methods of measuring casein in milk involve lengthy sample preparations with labor-intensive nitrogen-based protein quantifications. The objective of this study was to quantify casein in fluid milk with different casein-to-crude-protein ratios using front-face fluorescence spectroscopy (FFFS) and chemometrics. We constructed calibration samples by mixing microfiltration and ultrafiltration retentate and permeate in different ratios to obtain different casein concentrations and casein-to-crude-protein ratios. We developed partial least squares regression and elastic net regression models for casein prediction in fluid milk using FFFS tryptophan emission spectra and reference casein contents. We used a set of 20 validation samples (including raw, skim, and ultrafiltered milk) to optimize and validate model performance. We externally tested another independent set of 20 test samples (including raw, skim, and ultrafiltered milk) by root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP), residual prediction deviation (RPD), and relative prediction error (RPE). The RMSEP for casein content quantification in raw, skim, and ultrafiltered milk ranged from 0.12 to 0.13%, and the RPD ranged from 3.2 to 3.4. The externally validated error of prediction was comparable to the existing rapid method and showed practical model performance for quality-control purposes. This FFFS-based method can be implemented as a routine quality-control tool in the dairy industry, providing rapid quantification of casein content in fluid milk intended for cheese manufacturing.     

2011～2020年华北平原气溶胶光学厚度时空分布特征及潜在源分析

随着经济高速增长和城市化进程不断加快,华北平原区域性空气污染问题愈演愈烈。针对该区域开展长时序气溶胶光学厚度时空分布特征和潜在源分析研究,对华北平原大气污染治理具有重要意义。基于长时序MODIS/Terra C6.1 MOD04_L2气溶胶光学厚度产品,分析华北平原气溶胶光学厚度的时空分布特征,并利用后向轨迹聚类分析讨论华北平原7个重点城市气团输送的季节变化,并以污染较为严重的河北石家庄为例进行潜在源分析和浓度权重分析,探究影响其大气质量的污染物潜在源区。结果表明:2011～2020年华北平原气溶胶光学厚度月均值呈显著的周期性变化,以年为周期,每个周期内峰值一般出现在6月至8月; 气溶胶光学厚度月际年内呈单峰分布,峰值出现在6月(0.75),最小值出现在12月(0.37); 气溶胶光学厚度季均值从大到小依次为夏季(0.67)、春季(0.59)、冬季(0.49)、秋季(0.46); 10年间气溶胶光学厚度呈下降趋势,整体下降幅度达36.84%,其中2011年最高(0.72),2018年最低(0.45); 华北平原7个重点城市春、夏、秋、冬四季主要受短距离气团输送影响较大,长距离气团输送影响较小; 2014～2020年河北石家庄的空气质量优良天数占比相对较小,空气质量状况差,影响其空气质量的污染物多为本地生成,同时也受周边省市近距离输送的影响。