Time-Based Modeling of Human Performance

Author(s):  
Esa M. Rantanen ◽  
Brian R. Levinthal

This paper presents a probabilistic approach to modeling human performance. Instead of focusing on mean performance, the effects of taskload on the distributions of performance variables are examined. From such data, probabilities of given levels of performance can be derived and methods of measurement that expand the analyses beyond those of the mean developed. Results from two experiments, one abstract, the other realistic, are presented in terms of timely performance on required tasks. As taskload increased, the participants were less likely to act on the experimental tasks at an earliest opportunity than under low taskload, resulting in increase of “too late” errors. Measurement of taskload and performance in temporal terms also allowed for bracketing and making inferences about mental workload, which is not directly measurable.

2000 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 107-114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louis M. Hsu ◽  
Judy Hayman ◽  
Judith Koch ◽  
Debbie Mandell

Summary: In the United States' normative population for the WAIS-R, differences (Ds) between persons' verbal and performance IQs (VIQs and PIQs) tend to increase with an increase in full scale IQs (FSIQs). This suggests that norm-referenced interpretations of Ds should take FSIQs into account. Two new graphs are presented to facilitate this type of interpretation. One of these graphs estimates the mean of absolute values of D (called typical D) at each FSIQ level of the US normative population. The other graph estimates the absolute value of D that is exceeded only 5% of the time (called abnormal D) at each FSIQ level of this population. A graph for the identification of conventional “statistically significant Ds” (also called “reliable Ds”) is also presented. A reliable D is defined in the context of classical true score theory as an absolute D that is unlikely (p < .05) to be exceeded by a person whose true VIQ and PIQ are equal. As conventionally defined reliable Ds do not depend on the FSIQ. The graphs of typical and abnormal Ds are based on quadratic models of the relation of sizes of Ds to FSIQs. These models are generalizations of models described in Hsu (1996) . The new graphical method of identifying Abnormal Ds is compared to the conventional Payne-Jones method of identifying these Ds. Implications of the three juxtaposed graphs for the interpretation of VIQ-PIQ differences are discussed.


1993 ◽  
Vol 69 (01) ◽  
pp. 035-040 ◽  
Author(s):  
A M H P van den Besselaar ◽  
R M Bertina

SummaryFour thromboplastin reagents were tested by 18 laboratories in Europe, North-America, and Australasia, according to a detailed protocol. One thromboplastin was the International Reference Preparation for ox brain thromboplastin combined with adsorbed bovine plasma (coded OBT/79), and the second was a certified reference material for rabbit brain thromboplastin, plain (coded CRM 149R). The other two thromboplastin reagents were another rabbit plain brain thromboplastin (RP) with a lower ISI than CRM 149R and a rabbit brain thromboplastin combined with adsorbed bovine plasma (RC). Calibration of the latter two reagents was performed according to methods recommended by the World Health Organization (W. H. O.).The purpose of this study was to answer the following questions: 1) Is the calibration of the RC reagent more precise against the bovine/combined (OBT/79) than against the rabbit/plain reagent (CRM 149R)? 2) Is the precision of calibration influenced by the magnitude of the International Sensitivity Index (ISI)?The lowest inter-laboratory variation of ISI was observed in the calibration of the rabbit/plain reagent (RP) against the other rabbit/plain reagent (CRM 149R) (CV 1.6%). The highest interlaboratory variation was obtained in the calibration of rabbit/plain (RP) against bovine/combined (OBT/79) (CV 5.1%). In the calibration of the rabbit/combined (RC) reagent, there was no difference in precision between OBT/79 (CV 4.3%) and CRM 149R (CV 4.2%). Furthermore, there was no significant difference in the precision of the ISI of RC obtained with CRM 149R (ISI = 1.343) and the rabbit/plain (RP) reagent with ISI = 1.14. In conclusion, the calibration of RC could be performed with similar precision with either OBT/79 or CRM 149R, or RP.The mean ISI values calculated with OBT/79 and CRM 149R were practically identical, indicating that there is no bias in the ISI of these reference preparations and that these reference preparations have been stable since their original calibration studies in 1979 and 1987, respectively.International Normalized Ratio (INR) equivalents were calculated for a lyophilized control plasma derived from patients treated with oral anticoagulants. There were small but significant differences in the mean INR equivalents between the bovine and rabbit thromboplastins. There were no differences in the interlaboratory variation of the INR equivalents, when the four thromboplastins were compared.


1979 ◽  
Vol 42 (04) ◽  
pp. 1073-1114 ◽  

SummaryIn collaborative experiments in 199 laboratories, nine commercial thromboplastins, four thromboplastins held by the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBS & C), London and the British Comparative Thromboplastin were tested on fresh normal and coumarin plasmas, and on three series of freeze-dried plasmas. One of these was made from coumarin plasmas and the other two were prepared from normal plasmas; in each series, one plasma was normal and the other two represented different degrees of coumarin defect.Each thromboplastin was calibrated against NIBS&C rabbit brain 70/178, from the slope of the line joining the origin to the point of intersection of the mean ratios of coumarin/normal prothrombin times when the ratios obtained with the two thromboplastins on the same fresh plasmas were plotted against each other. From previous evidence, the slopes were calculated which would have been obtained against the NIBS&C “research standard” thromboplastin 67/40, and termed the “calibration constant” of each thromboplastin. Values obtained from the freeze-dried coumarin plasmas gave generally similar results to those from fresh plasmas for all thromboplastins, whereas values from the artificial plasmas agreed with those from fresh plasmas only when similar thromboplastins were being compared.Taking into account the slopes of the calibration lines and the variation between laboratories, precision in obtaining a patient’s prothrombin time was similar for all thromboplastins.


1985 ◽  
Vol 54 (04) ◽  
pp. 739-743 ◽  
Author(s):  
Federica Delaini ◽  
Elisabetta Dejana ◽  
Ine Reyers ◽  
Elisa Vicenzi ◽  
Germana De Bellis Vitti ◽  
...  

SummaryWe have investigated the relevance of some laboratory tests of platelet function in predicting conditions of thrombotic tendency. For this purpose, we studied platelet survival, platelet aggregation in response to different stimuli, TxB2 and 6-keto-PGFlα production in serum of rats bearing a nephrotic syndrome induced by adriamycin. These animals show a heavy predisposition to the development of both arterial and venous thrombosis. The mean survival time was normal in nephrotic rats in comparison to controls. As to aggregation tests, a lower aggregating response was found in ADR-treated rats using ADP or collagen as stimulating agents. With arachidonic acid (AA) we observed similar aggregating responses at lower A A concentrations, whereas at higher AA concentrations a significantly lower response was found in nephrotic rats, despite their higher TxB2 production. Also TxB2 and 6-keto-PGFlα levels in serum of nephrotic rats were significantly higher than in controls. No consistent differences were found in PGI2-activity generated by vessels of control or nephrotic rats.These data show that platelet function may appear normal or even impaired in rats with a markedly increased thrombotic tendency. On the other hand, the significance of high TxB2 levels in connection with mechanisms leading to thrombus formation remains a controversial issue.


2004 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 233-240 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Kim

This paper describes a Voronoi analysis method to analyze a soccer game. It is important for us to know the quantitative assessment of contribution done by a player or a team in the game as an individual or collective behavior. The mean numbers of vertices are reported to be 5–6, which is a little less than those of a perfect random system. Voronoi polygons areas can be used in evaluating the dominance of a team over the other. By introducing an excess Voronoi area, we can draw some fruitful results to appraise a player or a team rather quantitatively.


Author(s):  
Valerio Viero ◽  
Tamara Triossi ◽  
Daniele Bianchi ◽  
Alessandro Campagna ◽  
Giovanni Melchiorri

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kartiani Dewi ◽  
Suryani S ◽  
Ahmad Yamin

Lecturers are responsible for implementing the three main responsibilities in university (Tridharma Perguruan Tinggi) with 12 credits to 16 credits each semester. However, many lecturers feel that the workload is very excessive. The purpose of this study was to describe the mental workload of lecturers at the Faculty of X Padjadjaran University. The method of this research was quantitative descriptive by using a total sampling technique involving 43 lecturers. Data collection used NASA-TLX instruments. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics. The results of the study showed that overall the mental workload of the Faculty of X Padjadjaran University lecturers was included in the high category both in education and teaching assignments (74.4%), research assignments (76.7%), and community service assignments (74.4%). ) Effort dimensions have the highest mean value that is equal to 51.8, while the dimensions that have the lowest mean are Perfomance dimension, namely 9.4, where the greater the mean dimension shows the large contribution in the mental workload felt by the lecturer. The conclusions, this study show that most lecturers have a high mental workload. It is suggested that the lecturers need to have balance numbers of tasks according to their abilities, balance the time working with recreation, and meet the needs of rest. The results of this study need to be followed up by examining methods or efforts that can reduce the lecturers' mental workload.


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
E. M. Samogim ◽  
T. C. Oliveira ◽  
Z. N. Figueiredo ◽  
J. M. B. Vanini

The combine harvest for soybean crops market are currently available two types of combine with header or platform, one of conventional with revolving reel with metal or plastic teeth to cause the cut crop to fall into the auger header and the other called "draper" headers that use a fabric or rubber apron instead of a cross auger, there are few test about performance of this combine header for soybean in Mato Grosso State. The aim of this work was to evaluate the soybean harvesting quantitative losses and performance using two types combine header in four travel speed. The experiment was conducted during soybean crops season 2014/15, the farm Tamboril in the municipality of Pontes e Lacerda, State of Mato Grosso. The was used the experimental design of randomized blocks, evaluating four forward harvesting speeds (4 km h-1, 5 km h-1, 6 km h-1 and 7 km h-1), the natural crops losses were analyzed, loss caused by the combine harvester (combine header, internal mechanisms and total losses) and was also estimated the  field performance of each combine. Data were submitted to analysis of variance by F test and compared of the average by Tukey test at 5% probability. The results show the draper header presents a smaller amount of total loss and in most crop yield when compared with the conventional cross auger.


1997 ◽  
Vol 35 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 131-138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pirjo-Riitta Rantala ◽  
Hannu Wirola

The aim of the study was to determine if solid, slightly soluble compounds can be used as nutrient source in activated sludge treatment plants instead of liquid phosphoric acid. Four different solid materials were tested in lab-scale solubility tests to find compounds which are least soluble. Two materials were chosen for further studies: apatite and raw phosphate. The use of apatite and raw phosphate as nutrient source was studied in lab-scale activated sludge reactors along with a control reactor where phosphorus was added in liquid form. The phosphorus dosage, measured as elementary phosphorus, was the same for all three reactors. The reactors were fed with pre-clarified chemi-thermomechanical pulp mill (CTMP) wastewater. There were no significant differences in the reductions of organic matter between the three reactors. The mean effluent concentration of total phosphorus was 3 mg P/l in the control reactor and less than 1 mg P/1 in the other two reactors. The soluble phosphorus concentration was more than 2 mg P/l in the control reactor and less than 0.5 mg P/l in the other two. Apatite was an even better nutrient source than raw phosphate. Further lab-scale tests were conducted using two different grain sizes of apatite. No significant differences were found between the studied grain sizes (&lt;0.074 mm and 0.074 mm-0.125 mm). Apatite was then used in full-scale at a CTMP-mill two different times. The experiments showed that the mean concentrations of phosphorus can be reduced radically by using apatite as a nutrient source instead of liquid phosphorus. Solid phosphorus compounds are a viable alternative to reduce the phosphorus load from forest industry wastewater treatment plants.


2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Naresh Singla ◽  
Mamandeep Kaur

The growth of agriculture and allied sectors is critical for the Indian economy as about 49 percent of the population is directly or indirectly dependent on agriculture. During the last decade and so, the agriculture sector has undergone profound changes resulting in sharp deceleration in its growth. The study has attempted to analyze growth and performance of the agriculture sector in India since 1980-81 and tries to comprehend some of the factors responsible for the deceleration in growth. The study has shown that agriculture sector has been able to show tremendous improvement in expansion of area and production of food grain and non-food grain crops. However, there are so many underlying factors responsible for slowdown of the agricultural growth. Some of the factors identified include: Increase in area under non-agriculture uses, excessive dependence on rain fed farming, increase in number of agricultural labourers, reducing size of the operation holdings, over use of agri-inputs, inequity in the distribution of agriculture credit along with sharp deceleration in public gross capital formation in agriculture etc. The study pointed in order to achieve higher growth rate, there is a need to enhance the gross capital formation in agriculture sector particularly on irrigation so that more area can be brought under assured irrigation. Bringing equity in distribution of agricultural credit coupled with judicious and need-based agricultural inputs are some of the other recommendations drawn based upon the study.


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