Analysis of Mie Gacoan Customer Loyalty through Customer Experience and Perceived Quality

Penelitian ini dilaksanakan untuk mengetahui loyalitas konsumen atau costumer loyalty pegunjung gerai Mie Gacoan melalui customer experience dan perceived quality di masa pandemi covid-19. Responden dalam penelitian ini adalah para pengunjung gerai Mie Gacoan dari pelajar maupun pekerja di kota semarang dengan sampel 100 responden dari keseluruhan populasi. Penelitian ini menggunakan alat analisis faktor konfirmatori dan maximum likehood estimation pada SEM (Structural Equations Modeling) dari paket statistik AMOS 24.0 (Analysis of Moment Structure). Teknik pengumpulan data menggunakan kuesioner dengan insidential sampling. Hasil estimasi parameter sesuai dengan hipotesis bahwa customer experience secara signifikan mempengaruhi costumer loyalty dengan nilai critical ratio (c.r) 4,666 dan P-Value ***, perceived quality berpengaruh positif terhadap costumer loyalty dengan nilai critical ratio (c.r) 5,926 dan P-Value ***. Dari penelitian ini dapat disimpulkan bahwa ditengah pandemi covid-19 saat ini para konsumen masih sangat antusias dan setia untuk datang membeli Mie Gacoan maupun pesan secara online walaupun banyak pesaing dalam bisnis kuliner sejenis.

Hidden Hypergraphs, Error-Correcting Codes, and Critical Learning in Hopfield Networks

In 1943, McCulloch and Pitts introduced a discrete recurrent neural network as a model for computation in brains. The work inspired breakthroughs such as the first computer design and the theory of finite automata. We focus on learning in Hopfield networks, a special case with symmetric weights and fixed-point attractor dynamics. Specifically, we explore minimum energy flow (MEF) as a scalable convex objective for determining network parameters. We catalog various properties of MEF, such as biological plausibility, and them compare to classical approaches in the theory of learning. Trained Hopfield networks can perform unsupervised clustering and define novel error-correcting coding schemes. They also efficiently find hidden structures (cliques) in graph theory. We extend this known connection from graphs to hypergraphs and discover n-node networks with robust storage of 2Ω(n1−ϵ) memories for any ϵ>0. In the case of graphs, we also determine a critical ratio of training samples at which networks generalize completely.

Plasma-Induced Fibrillation and Surface Functionalization of Cellulose Microfibrils

The classical production of microfibrillar cellulose involves intensive mechanical processing and discontinuous chemical treatment in solvent-based media in order to introduce additional chemical surface modification. By selecting appropriate conditions of a pulsed plasma reactor, a solvent-free and low-energy input process can be applied with the introduction of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and maleic anhydride (MA) powders. The plasma processing results in the progressive fibrillation of the cellulose powder into its elementary fibril structure and in-situ modification of the produced fibrils with more hydrophobic groups that provide good stability against re-agglomeration of the fibrils. The selection of a critical ratio MA/MCC = 2:1 allows separating the single cellulose microfibrils with changeable morphologies depending on the plasma treatment time. Moreover, the density of the hydrophobic surface groups can be changed through a selection of different plasma duty cycle times, while the influence of plasma power and pulse frequency is inferior. The variations in treatment time can be followed along the plasma reactor, as the microfibrils gain smaller diameter and become somewhat longer with increasing time. This can be related to the activation of the hierarchical cellulose structure and progressive diffusion of the MA within the cellulose structure, causing progressive weakening of the hydroxyl bonding. In parallel, the creation of more reactive species with time allows creating active surface sites that allow for interaction between the different fibrils into more complex morphologies. The in-situ surface modification has been demonstrated by XPS and FTIR analysis, indicating the successful esterification between the MA and hydroxyl groups at the cellulose surface. In particular, the crystallinity of the cellulose has been augmented after plasma modification. Furthermore, AFM evaluation of the fibrils shows surface structures with irregular surface roughness patterns that contribute to better interaction of the microfibrils after incorporation in an eventual polymer matrix. In conclusion, the combination of physical and chemical processing of cellulose microfibrils provides a more sustainable approach for the fabrication of advanced nanotechnological materials.

Research of the Gaze during Perception of Textbook’s Page Elements in Bulgarian

A study about perception of a page from a textbook of Bulgarian is presented in the article. Participants in the experiment are 30 students of age 15 to 19 from high schools in Sofia. The study is realized through an eye tracking system. For the purposes of the study 8 stimuli (textbook pages) were constructed, containing the components as follows: “text”, “image”, and “diagram”. In each stimulus the quantity of the components differs. All possible pairs in a combination in the left and in the right field of view are presented in the stimuli. The goal of the research is to be examined the fixation of the gaze on each elements of a textbook page. To assess the characteristic of the gaze was calculated the number of saccades in the left and right visual field of the slides. The data are organized in spreadsheets. Statistical analysis is performed in two-group t-test (two samples with different variances). Mean number of saccades, standard deviation, standard error, critical ratio are calculated.

Sense of Coherence and Ego-Resiliency as Predictors of Maladaptive Coping Among Juveniles With Different Levels of Delinquency

The purpose of the study is to determine the role of the sense of coherence and ego-resiliency as buffers for maladaptive coping among juveniles with different levels of delinquency. The study included 561 juveniles referred by a family court to youth education or probation centers throughout Poland. We used SEM to search for relations between variables and the critical ratio test for differences between groups. The results demonstrate that in both groups, the relationships between the components of the sense of coherence and the emotional style were negative. In both groups, the sense of comprehensibility was significantly associated with the search for social contacts. The impact of ego-resiliency on social-diversion coping was significantly stronger for the group with high compared with low demoralization. The study demonstrate that juveniles with a high degree of delinquency are more prone to emotion-oriented coping. Both groups of juveniles use two types of avoidance style to a similar extent. The results show that the stronger the sense of coherence, the less often juveniles cope with stress by reducing emotional tension and by escaping into substitute activities. Furthermore, our findings reveal the dark side of ego-resiliency.

SP2.1.17Prognostic significance of competition ratios in surgical specialty training selection

Aims A Competition Ratio (CR) indicates the ratio of total applications for a training post when compared with numbers of specialty posts available. This study aimed to evaluate CRs’ influence on National Training Number (NTN) selection in a single UK Statutory Education Body. Methods Consecutive Core Surgical Trainees numbering 154 (median years since graduation: four, 105 male, 49 female) were studied over a six-year period. Annual specialty specific CRs were obtained from Health Education England’s website, and primary outcome measure was UK National Training Number (NTN) appointment. Results Overall NTN appointment was 45.5%. Median CR was 2.36; range OMFS 0.70 (2020) to Neurosurgery 22.0 (2020). Multivariable analysis revealed that NTN success was associated with: CR (OR 0.46, p = 0.003), a single scientific publication (OR 6.25, p = 0.001), cohort year (2019, OR 12.65, p = 0.003), and Universal ARCP Outcome 1 (OR 45.24, p < 0.001). CRs predicted NTN appointment with a Youden index defined critical ratio of 4.42; 28.6% (n = 8) vs. 49.2% (n = 62), p = 0.018. Conclusions CRs displayed 30-fold variation, with CRs below 4.42 associated with two-fold better NTN promotion, but strong clinical competence and academic reach again emerged as the principal drivers of career advancement.

Responses of Ecological Stoichiometric Characteristics of Carbon, Nitrogen, and Phosphorus to Periodic Submergence in Mega-Reservoir: Growth of Taxodium distichum and Taxodium ascendens

Ecological stoichiometric studies can be useful for managing the deteriorated riparian zones of mega-reservoirs in which nutrients significantly impact the balanced vegetation cover. The present study aims to explore the effects of periodic submergence on the stoichiometric ecological characteristics of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P), as well as the growth conditions of two leading conifer species (Taxodium distichum and Taxodium ascendens) in the hydro-fluctuation zone of the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) region, China. The stoichiometrical contents of C, N, and P in fine roots, leaves, and branches, and the growth conditions of T. distichum and T. ascendens were measured in July 2019. The results showed that periodic submergence affected the stoichiometric characteristics and growth conditions of these two woody species, and the impact was restrained, but both grew well. The effects of inundation on the C, N, and P ecological stoichiometric characteristics differed in different parts of trees. In general, the C contents showed the following pattern: leaves > branches > fine roots. The N and P content showed the following pattern: leaves > fine roots > branches, while the C/N and C/P ratios showed an opposite trend to that of N and P. The N and P content in all parts of T. distichum (with means of 17.18 and 1.70 g/kg for leaves, 4.80 and 0.57 g/kg for branches, and 6.88 and 1.10 g/kg for fine roots, respectively) and T. ascendens (with means of 14.56 and 1.87 g/kg for leaves, 5.03 and 0.63 g/kg for branches, and 8.17 and 1.66 g/kg for fine roots, respectively) were higher than the national average level (with means of 14.14 and 1.11 g/kg for leaves, 3.04 and 0.31 g/kg for branches, and 4.85 and 0.47 g/kg for fine roots, respectively). Except for N and P contents in the leaves of T. distichum, there was a significant correlation between N and P elements in other parts (p < 0.05). Nevertheless, the N/P ratio (10.15, 8.52, 6.44, and 7.93, 8.12, 5.20 in leaves, branches, and fine roots of T. distichum and T. ascendens, respectively) was lower than the critical ratio of 14. The growth conditions of T. distichum and T. ascendens were significantly negatively correlated with their leaf C contents and significantly positively correlated with their fine root N and P contents. This study showed that T. distichum and T. ascendens could maintain their normal growth needs by properly allocating nutrients between different organs to adapt to the long periodic submergence in the hydro-fluctuation zone of the TGR region.

Investigating the Effects of Positive Psychological Capital on Ethical Behavior in the Private Sector in Ghana

Aims: The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of positive psychological capital on ethical behavior in some selected private organizations in Ghana. Managers in five Regions in Northern Ghana were selected to examine the causality of the variables under study. Study Design: The study used questionnaires in which only managers were made to answer within a period of 4 months. Place and Duration of Study: Managers in five Regions in Northern Ghana (Northern, Savannah, North East, Upper East and Upper West Regions) were selected to examine the causality of the variables under studybetweenMarch 2020 and July 2021. Methodology: The sample method used was stratified and systematic random sampling technique which aims at collecting data in a regular or ordered manner. The study also used factor analysis and structural equation model to conduct the analysis. The study analyzed 385 questionnaires comprising 158 for Northern region, Upper East 78, Upper West 65, Savannah 52 and North East 32. Results: The results shows that the fit of the structural model for the relationship is good with = 411.368 (df = 245), = 1.679, CFI = 0.983, GFI = 0.916, TLI = 0.981 and RMSEA = 0.042. The results of the structural path estimates revealed that the standardised estimate of -0.369 between PPC and EB was statistically significant (P-Value=0.002) and a negative relationship was predicted. Furthermore, the C.R. value was -3.138 greater than 1.69 indicating that the probability of obtaining a critical ratio as large as 3.138 in absolute value is less than 0.05. This implies that the regression weight for PPC in the prediction of ethical behavior is significantly different from zero at 0.001 level. Overall, the result confirmed that the relationship between Positive Psychological and Ethical Behavior is supported by previous studies.

Innovative System for Scheduling Production Using a Combination of Parametric Simulation Models

The article deals with the design of an innovative system for scheduling piece and small series discrete production using a combination of parametric simulation models and selected optimization methods. An innovative system for solving production scheduling problems is created based on data from a real production system at the workshop level. The methodology of the innovative system using simulation and optimization methods deals with the sequential scheduling problem due to its versatility, which includes several production systems and due to the fact that in practice, several modifications to production scheduling problems are encountered. Proposals of individual modules of the innovative system with the proposed communication channels have been presented, which connect the individual elements of the created library of objects for solving problems of sequential production scheduling. With the help of created communication channels, it is possible to apply individual parameters of a real production system directly to the assembled simulation model. In this system, an initial set of optimization methods is deployed, which can be applied to solve the sequential problem of production scheduling. The benefit of the solution is an innovative system that defines the content of the necessary data for working with the innovative system and the design of output reports that the proposed system provides for production planning for the production shopfloor level. The DPSS system works with several optimization methods (CR—Critical Ratio, S/RO—Slack/Remaining Operations, FDD—Flow Due Date, MWKR—Most Work Remaining, WSL—Waiting Slack, OPFSLK/PK—Operational Flow Slack per Processing Time) and the simulation experiments pove that the most suitable solution for the FT10 problem is the critical ratio method in which the replaceability of the equipment was not considered. The total length of finding all solutions by the DPSS system was 1.68 min. The main benefit of the DPSS system is the combination of two effectively used techniques not only in practice, but also in research; the mentioned techniques are production scheduling and discrete computer simulation. By combining techniques, it is possible to generate a dynamically and interactively changing simulated production program. Subsequently, it is possible to decide in the emerging conditions of certainty, uncertainty, but also risk. To determine the conditions, models of production systems are used, which represent physical production systems with their complex internal processes. Another benefit of combining techniques is the ability to evaluate a production system with a number of emerging problem modifications.

Research on Damage Assessment of Buried Standard and Carbon-Fibre-Reinforced Polymer Petroleum Pipeline Subjected to Shallow Buried Blast Loading in Soil

Buried petroleum pipelines may encounter threats from blast loading due to terrorist attacks, accidental explosions, and artificial blasting during in-progress construction. Carbon-fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP) is often used for the repair and reinforcement of buried petroleum pipelines. It is meaningful and necessary to distinguish the different responses and establish an effective damage assessment method for standard petroleum pipelines and CFRP-supported petroleum pipelines buried in soil under blast loading. In this study, under fixed end constraints, experimental analysis and numerical simulations were combined to assess the damage of a standard petroleum pipeline and a CFRP petroleum pipeline buried in soil under blast loading. The results showed that, for a scaled distance of 0.19 m/kg1/3, plastic deformation occurred on the surfaces of the two pipelines facing the explosive. The antiexplosion performance of the CFRP pipeline was better than that of the standard pipeline, and the CFRP sheets had a positive effect on the protection of the buried petroleum pipeline during the buried blast loading. Furthermore, based on pressure-impulse damage theory and with consideration of the feasibility under real circumstances, two pressure-impulse damage evaluation curves for standard and CFRP pipelines facing explosive loads were established separately based on a new critical ratio of the dent depth and length. Finally, based on the two pressure-impulse damage evaluation curves and the new critical ratio, two pressure-impulse damage criteria for these two buried petroleum pipelines were defined. Moreover, with the two pressure-impulse damage evaluation curves, mathematical formulae for the two different buried petroleum pipelines were established to generate pressure-impulse diagrams. With the established formulae, the damage to the standard buried pipeline and the CFRP pipeline could be evaluated effectively. Damage to other similar standard pipelines or CFRP pipelines buried in soil with different design parameters due to shallow buried blast loading could also be evaluated using this method.