Evaluation of mental load using EEG and eye movement characteristics

Mental load is a major cause of human-induced accidents. In this study, an explosive impact sensitivity experiment was used to induce mental load. A combination of subjective questionnaires and objective prospective time-distance tests were used to judge whether subjects experienced mental load. Four indicators, namely, β, γ, mean pupil diameter, and fixation time were selected by statistical analysis and PCA for the construction of a mental load assessment model. The study found that the occipital lobe was the most sensitive to mental load, especially β and γ bands. Lastly, it was found that subjects showed different degrees of mental load for the same mental load induction task. The results of the study are applicable to the evaluation and monitoring of the mental characteristics of workers and provide a scientific basis for adjusting the mental load of workers over time to reduce the rate of accidents and enhance production efficiency.

A screening method based on analytic hierarchy process for closed-loop DBS strategies of Parkinson's disease

BACKGROUND

Closed-loop deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a research hotspot in the treatment of Parkinson's disease. However, a variety of stimulation strategies will increase the selection time and cost in animal experiments and clinical studies. Moreover, the stimulation effect is little difference between similar strategies, so the selection process will be redundant.

OBJECTIVE

The objective was to propose a comprehensive evaluation model based on analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to select the best one among similar strategies.

METHODS

Two similar strategies, namely, threshold stimulation (CDBS) and threshold stimulus after EMD feature extraction (EDBS), were used for analysis and screening. The values of Similar to Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale estimates (SUE), β power and energy consumption were calculated and analysed. The stimulation threshold with the best improvement effect was selected. The weights of the indices were allocated by AHP. Finally, the weights and index values were combined, and the comprehensive scores of the two strategies were calculated using the evaluation model.

RESULTS

The optimal stimulation threshold for CDBS was 52% and for EDBS was 62%. The weights of the indices were 0.45, 0.45 and 0.1, respectively. According to comprehensive scores, different from the situation where either EDBS or CDBS can be called optimal stimulation strategies. But under the same threshold stimulation, the EDBS was better than the CDBS under the optimal level.

CONCLUSION

The evaluation model based on AHP under the optimal stimulation conditions satisfied the screening conditions between the two strategies.

Effects of green manure planting mode on the quality of Korla fragrant pears (Pyrus sinkiangensis Yu)

In this study, a three-year experiment on the fragrant pear orchard was conducted to investigate the effects of different varieties of green manure on the Korla fragrant pear fruit quality, with a view to finding a suitable green manure planting mode for Korla fragrant pear orchard. Green manures were planted in spaces among rows of pear trees, and then smashed and pressed into the soil as fertilisers by the agricultural machinery equipment in their full bloom period. In the experiment, four planting modes of green manure had been set for comparison: SA: Leguminosae green manures alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), SP: Poaceae green manures oats (Avena sativa L.), ST: Cruciferae green manures oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.), and S: orchard authigenic green manures (Chenopodium album L., Mulgedium tataricum (L) DC., and Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud.). Apart from that, eleven fruit quality indicators were analyzed to evaluating the effects of different green manure planting mode on the quality of fragrant pear. According to analysis of variance (ANOVA) results, there were significant differences among four planting modes in terms of nine fruit quality indicators (P<0.05). In addition, the correlation analysis (CA) results revealed that there were different degrees of correlations among quality indicators. On this basis, repeated information among indicators was eliminated by principal component analysis (PCA), thus simplifying and recombining the three principal components. All in all, these three principal components reflect appearance traits, internal nutritive value and taste of fruits, respectively. Specifically, SA significantly improved the internal quality and nutritive value of fruits, SP improved the physical traits of fruits, and ST significantly improved the taste of fruits. Based on the PCA results, a comprehensive evaluation model of fruit quality was constructed. The are comprehensive fruit quality scores:SA>SP>ST>S.

Research and application of a new multilevel fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method for cold stress in dairy cows

Effective and comprehensive evaluation of cold stress is critical for healthy dairy cow breeding in the winter. Previous studies on dairy cow cold stress have considered thermal environmental factors but not physiological factors or air quality. Therefore, this study aimed to propose a multilevel fuzzy comprehensive evaluation (FCE) method for cold stress in dairy cows based on the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and a genetic algorithm (GA). First, the AHP was used to construct an evaluation index system for cold stress in dairy cows from 3 dimensions: thermal environment (temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and illumination), physiological factors (respiratory rate, body surface temperature), and air quality [NH₃, CO₂, inhalable particulate matter (PM₁₀)]. Second, the consistency test of the judgment matrix was transformed into a nonlinear constrained optimization problem and solved using the GA. Next, based on fuzzy set theory, the comment set and membership function were established to classify the degree of cold stress into 5 levels: none, mild, moderate, high, and extreme. Then, the degree of cold stress in cows was obtained using multilevel fuzzy comprehensive judgment. To investigate the effect of illumination indicators on cold stress in dairy cows, 24 prelactation cows from the south and north sides were selected for a 117-d comprehensive cold stress evaluation. The results showed that the mean mild cold stress durations were 605.3 h (25.22 d) and 725.5 h (30.23 d) and the moderate cold stress durations were 67.2 h (2.8 d) and 96 h (4.0 d) on the south and north sides, respectively. Simultaneously, generalized linear mixed model showed that there were significant correlations between the daily cold stress duration and milk yield, feeding time, lying time, and active steps in the cows on both sides. This method can reasonably indicate cow cold stress conditions and better guide cold protection practices in actual production.

Comprehensive evaluation system for stability of multiple dams in a uranium tailings reservoir: based on the TOPSIS model and bow tie model

The main purposes of this study are to analyse the evaluation of tailings dam stability under multiple factors and prevent accidents more effectively by proposing a composite risk analysis model. The evaluation model combining the TOPSIS model and bow tie model is presented in this paper. Firstly, a new formula was adopted to calculate the integrated weights based on the subjective and objective weights and the theory of the TOPSIS model was introduced. Secondly, taking a uranium tailings reservoir in south China as an example, the index values and constant weights of the 10 dams are determined according to eight aspects of accumulating dam crest elevation, dam slope, mechanical properties, seepage capacity, topographical conditions, flood control capacity, rainstorm resistance capacity and earthquake resistance capacity. Thirdly, the fitting degree between the stability and ideal solution of each dam is calculated by using the TOPSIS model. The stability fitting degree of the 10 dams is 76%, 93%, 82%, 90%, 66%, 79%, 85%, 96%, 32%, 89% in sequence. This result shows that among the 10 dams, the 9^# dam ranks the lowest in stability. The actual results are in good consistency with those calculated by the TOPSIS model, which can provide a scientific and reliable new idea for the safety of other multi-index comprehensive evaluations. It is worth mentioning that it can still maintain high accuracy of dam stability evaluation under multiple indexes and multiple dams. Also, the comprehensive evaluation model proposed in this paper can more effectively reflect the subtle differences between similar evaluation objects. Fourthly, safety barriers from both the cause of the accident and the consequences was established by using the bow tie model to block the path of the accident, and to propose safety measures to make the evaluation system more complete.

[Exploration and research on comprehensive evaluation model of Chinese patent medicines supply in national essential drugs]

Chinese medicine prices often have sharp rise or fall, and even the impact of short-term price rise on the quality of feed can't be ignored.On the other hand, the production of traditional Chinese medicine is strictly subject to resource constraints, so much of the industrial production due to lack of or prohibited use of resources must bestopped. Based on 203 Chinese patent medicines in the National Essential Drugs (2012 Edition), the factors that influence the supply of essential drugs of traditional Chinese medicine were analyzed and seven indicators for the supply of essential medicines were designed in this paper. According to the Chinese herbal medicine resources survey and dynamic monitoring service system data, a multi-index comprehensive evaluation model based on radar chart analysis was proposed, providing a holistic and overall evaluation of the supply situation of essential drugs of traditional Chinese medicine. The evaluation results were concise, clear and intuitive. In this paper, Jiuwei Qianghuo Wan and Ganmao Qingre Keli were taken as the examples to prove that the proposed comprehensive evaluation method is concise, clear, intuitive, credible and practical.