A-47 The Interplay between Achievement Scores in Math Ability, Visual Working Memory, and Perceptual Reasoning across Race in an Adult Population

Objective The aim of this study is to measure the associations between overall math ability, visual working memory, and perceptual reasoning. Method Data stemmed from an ongoing de-identified database aof clinical adults. Participants were administered the WAIS-IV, KM-3, and WMS-IV. The sample consisted of Caucasians (N = 671, M_edu = 14,45.7% males & 52.5% females), African Americans (N = 154, M_edu = 13, 43.5% males & 56.5% females), and Hispanic (N = 194, M_edu = 13,44.8% males & 53.6% females). Participant’s age ranged from 16 to 81, with a mean of 31.06. Results The analysis corrected for age, education, and gender. The relationship between PR and KM-3 was 0.505 for Caucasians, 0.782 for African Americans, and 0.769 for Hispanics, all p < 0.05. A Fisher Z transformation indicated significance on PR and KM-3 between Caucasians and Hispanics, p < 0.001. The relationship between KM-3 and VWM was 0.408 for Caucasians, 0.828 for African Americans, and 0.591 for Hispanics, all p < 0.05. A Fisher Z transformation indicated significance on KM-3 and VWM between Caucasians and African Americans, p = 0.020. The relationship between KM-3 and VP was 0.349 for Caucasians, 0.584 for African Americans, and.733 for Hispanics, all p < 0.05. A Fisher Z transformation indicated significance on KM-3 and VP between Caucasians and Hispanics, p = 0.04. Discussion Closer analysis of performance between race reveals statistically stronger associations between mathematical ability and perceptual/memory tasks that are visuoconstructional in nature for African Americans and Hispanics when compared to Caucasians. The findings of this study may allude to different approach’s African Americans and Hispanics may use (e.g., mental rotation) when solving mathematical computations.

Low-Contrast High-Pass Visual Acuity Might Help to Detect Glaucoma Damage: A Structure-Function Analysis

Purpose: The conventional visual acuity (VA) test is not sensitive enough to detect glaucoma macular damage. We aimed to investigate whether VA measurements using low-contrast high-pass optotypes are more sensitive to macular dysfunction in glaucoma and to find the potential structural basis of this difference.Methods: A total of 147 subjects were recruited, including 118 patients with glaucoma (mean age: 46.08 ± 14.64 years) and 29 healthy controls (mean age: 39.83 ± 9.81 years). For each participant, monocular best-corrected VA was measured using a conventional chart and six high-pass charts at 100, 50, 10, 5, 2.5, and 1.25% contrast levels, respectively. The macular retinal thickness and circumpapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (cpRNFL) thickness of all the glaucoma patients were obtained by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT).Results: Compared with healthy subjects, glaucoma patients with normal vision demonstrated worse VAs in high-pass acuity measurements (0.22–0.93 vs. 0.28–1.08, p < 0.05). Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) showed that 1.25% low-contrast high-pass VA was optimal for discriminating between the controls and glaucoma patients (AUC: 0.918, p < 0.001; sensitivity: 77.33%; specificity: 96.55%). Compared with conventional VA, 1.25% high-pass VA correlated better with nasal-side macular retinal ganglion cell (RGC)-related parameters (r = −0.419 to −0.446 vs. r = −0.538 to −0.582; Fisher's Z transformation, pz < 0.05). There was no difference in the strength of correlations between the VAs measured using different charts and cpRNFL thickness (Fisher's Z transformation; pz > 0.05).Conclusions: VA measurement taken with low-contrast (1.25%) high-pass acuity chart is more sensitive in detecting central visual loss in glaucoma than that taken with the conventional chart. Macular RGC damage appears to be associated with low-contrast (1.25%) high-pass visual loss in glaucomatous eyes.

Inter-turn fault stability enrichment and diagnostic analysis of power system network using wavelet transformation-based sample data control and fuzzy logic controller

In this paper, performance analysis of power system network is carried out by injecting the inter-turn fault at the power transformer. The injection of inter-turn fault generates the inrush current in the network. The power system network consists of transformer, current transformer, potential transformer, circuit breaker, isolator, resistance, inductance, loads, and generating source. The fault detection and termination related to inrush current has some drawbacks and limitations such as slow convergence rate, less stability and more distortion with the existing methods. These drawbacks motivate the researchers to overcome the drawbacks with new proposed methods using wavelet transformation with sample data control and fuzzy logic controller. The wavelet transformation is used to diagnose the fault type but contribute lesser for fault termination; due to that, sample data of different signals are collected at different frequencies. Further, the analysis of collected sample data is assessed by using Z-transformation and fuzzy logic controller for fault termination. The stability, total harmonic distortion and convergence rate of collected sample data among all three methods (wavelet transformation, Z-transformation and fuzzy logic controller) are compared for fault termination by using linear regression analysis. The complete performance of fault diagnosis along with fault termination has been analyzed on Simulink. It is observed that after fault injection at power transformer, fault recovers faster under fuzzy logic controller in comparison with Z-transformation followed by wavelet transformation due to higher stability, less total harmonic distortion and faster convergence.

Reliability and Validity of Compulsive Buying Scale Without Middle Point

Objective: The study aims at finding out the affect of reliability and validity for the compulsive buying behavior scale by Valence, d’ Astou’s and Fortier Scale without middle point. Methodology: Responses across 5 to 9 point scales are obtained to calculate the reliability and validity of compulsive buying behavior scale by Valence, d’ Astou’s and Fortier Scale. Cronbach’s alpha is used to measure the internal reliability of the scale. To compare the reliability coefficients among different scale points Feldt test and Hakstian-Whalen test are used. Convergent validity for measuring inter-correlations between scales with different numbers of response categories is used and Fisher’s –r to –z transformation is used to test population correlation coefficient. Conclusion: From study it is concluded that there is no change in reliability and validity when the middle point is dropped from the compulsive buying scale.

Delta Fractional Sturm--Liouville Problems: From Discrete to Continuous

In this study, we consider delta fractional Sturm--Liouville (DFSL) initial value problems in the sense of delta Caputo and delta Riemann-Liouville (R--L) operators. One of the properties of delta fractional difference operators which makes it different from nabla counterpart is to shift its domain. This feature makes it more complex than the nabla fractional operator. We obtain sum representation of solutions for DFSL initial value problems with the help of $\mathcal{Z}-$ transformation. Moreover, we get analytical solutions of homogeneous DFSL problem within Riemann-Liouville (R--L) and Caputo sense, discrete Sturm--Liouville (DSL) problem, continuous fractional Sturm--Liouville (FSL) problem in the sense of R--L and Caputo operators, and continuous Sturm--Liouville (SL) differential problem. From this point of view, we compare all the solutions with each other. Consequently, we show that all results for these four eigenvalue problems are compatible with each other and approach to each other while the orders tends to one, i.e. $\Delta^{\mu }\left( \Delta x\left( t-\mu \right) \right)\cong D_{0^{+}}^{\mu }\left( x^{\prime }\left( t\right) \right)\cong \Delta^2x(n-1) \cong x^{\prime \prime }\left( t\right) =\lambda x\left( t\right),\ \mu\rightarrow1 $ . We support our results comparatively by tables and simulations in detail.

METHODICAL BASES OF EFFECTIVE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ENTERPRISE

At the beginning of the study it was emphasized that there are currently a significant number of publications on the problems of modern enterprise development, but many issues remain unresolved and require further research. The main purpose of the study is to analyze the approaches of well-known scholars to the interpretation of the essence of the concepts of «enterprise development» and «efficiency of enterprise development». Practical use of the method of standardized assessment (z-assessment) to assess the effective development of the enterprise is considered. In addition, the actual question of use of methodical bases for an estimation of efficiency of development of the enterprise is considered in the article. At the beginning of the study, the evolution of the approaches of scientists on the meaning of the concept of the «enterprise development». In the course of research of scientific works of the Ukrainian scholars, two approaches to the definition of the concept of «efficiency of the enterprise» were conditionally distinguished – categorical and economic. The interpretation of the concept of «efficiency of enterprise development» in the views of scholars is given separately. It is emphasized that within the economic approach, all scholars agree that the concept of efficiency should be considered in the form of the ratio of the result obtained and the resources expended. For the analysis of indicators of efficiency of activity of the enterprise, the existing methodical approaches with use of a statistical method are described. It is established that by means of z-transformation of the indicators selected for research, it is possible to analyze in a complex heterogeneous sizes. The z-transformation of five indicators of efficiency of the conditional enterprise was carried out. The possibility of comparing standardized performance indicators of the food industry is graphically showed. The scientific novelty of this study is the classification of the concepts «enterprise development» and «efficiency of the enterprise», as well as the practical use of the method, which allows a comprehensive assessment and analysis of this concept.

New Method of Solving the Economic Complex Systems

In this study, the authors first develop a direct method used to solve the linear nonhomogeneous time-invariant difference equation with the same number for inputs and outputs. Economic cybernetics is the crystallization for the integration of economics and cybernetics. It analyzes the stability, controllability, and observability of the economic system by establishing a system model and enables people to better understand the characteristics of the economic system and solve economic optimization problems. The economic model generally applies the discrete recurrence difference equation. The significant analytic approach for the difference equation is the z-transformation technique. The z-transformation state of the economic cybernetics state-space difference equation generally is a rational function with the same power for the numerator and the denominator. The proposed approach will take the place of the traditional methods without all annoying procedures involving the long division of some complicated polynomials, the expanded multiplication of many polynomial factors, the differentiation of some complicated polynomials, and the complex derivations of all partial fraction parameters. To highlight the novelty of this research, this study especially applies the proposed theorems originally belonging to engineering to the field of economic applications.

Comparison of Schema Modes in Clinical and Non-Clinical Individuals: A Preliminary Finding

This study compares the schema modes between the clinical and non-clinical individuals. A purposive convenient sampling technique was used for the data collection from one hundred and fifty healthy community volunteers, and sixty diagnosed psychiatric patients. The "Schema Mode Inventory (SMI)" was utilized for the mode assessment and group comparison. A series of independent sample t-test depicted that, the clinical group had a significantly higher score on ten out of twelve dysfunctional schema modes and significantly lesser score on both functional schema modes. Identically, Fisher's r-to-z transformation confirmed that the association between dysfunctional schema modes was significantly higher in clinical individuals in comparison to non-clinical individuals. Thus, the present study describes a tendency of individuals with psychiatric disorders to rely more on dysfunctional schema modes in comparison to non-clinical individuals. These findings strengthen the empirical provision of the "schema mode model" for the assessment and treatment of psychiatric disorders.

Numerical Inverse Transformation Methods for Z-Transform

Numerical inverse Z-transformation (NIZT) methods have been efficiently used in engineering practice for a long time. In this paper, we compare the abilities of the most widely used NIZT methods, and propose a new variant of a classic NIZT method based on contour integral approximation, which is efficient when the point of interest (at which the value of the function is needed) is smaller than the order of the NIZT method. We also introduce a vastly different NIZT method based on concentrated matrix geometric (CMG) distributions that tackles the limitations of many of the classic methods when the point of interest is larger than the order of the NIZT method.