Integrating group Delphi, fuzzy logic and expert systems for marketing strategy development:the hybridisation and its effectiveness

A hybrid approach for integrating group Delphi, fuzzy logic and expert systems for developing marketing strategies is proposed in this paper. Within this approach, the group Delphi method is employed to help groups of managers undertake SWOT analysis. Fuzzy logic is applied to fuzzify the results of SWOT analysis. Expert systems are utilised to formulate marketing strategies based upon the fuzzified strategic inputs. In addition, guidelines are also provided to help users link the hybrid approach with managerial judgement and intuition. The effectiveness of the hybrid approach has been validated with MBA and MA marketing students. It is concluded that the hybrid approach is more effective in terms of decision confidence, group consensus, helping to understand strategic factors, helping strategic thinking, and coupling analysis with judgement, etc

Factors Associated with Revision Surgery after Internal Fixation of Hip Fractures

Background: Femoral neck fractures are associated with high rates of revision surgery after management with internal fixation. Using data from the Fixation using Alternative Implants for the Treatment of Hip fractures (FAITH) trial evaluating methods of internal fixation in patients with femoral neck fractures, we investigated associations between baseline and surgical factors and the need for revision surgery to promote healing, relieve pain, treat infection or improve function over 24 months postsurgery. Additionally, we investigated factors associated with (1) hardware removal and (2) implant exchange from cancellous screws (CS) or sliding hip screw (SHS) to total hip arthroplasty, hemiarthroplasty, or another internal fixation device. Methods: We identified 15 potential factors a priori that may be associated with revision surgery, 7 with hardware removal, and 14 with implant exchange. We used multivariable Cox proportional hazards analyses in our investigation. Results: Factors associated with increased risk of revision surgery included: female sex, [hazard ratio (HR) 1.79, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.25-2.50; P = 0.001], higher body mass index (fo

Techniques and methods in ground-based observation of mercury

International audienceModern telescopes and equipments have permitted excellent ground-based observations of Mercury, despite its proximity to the Sun. This is one of the main reasons why it has been observed using different techniques from high-resolution spectroscopy to high-resolution imaging from visible to infrared up to radio wavelengths. Because there is no obscuration from a thick atmosphere, the surface and exosphere have been imaged and the surface studied by infrared spectroscopy. This manuscript describes the techniques used to obtain information and new data of Mercury giving an overview of advantages and difficulties, and describes important scientific discoveries made with specific telescopic instrumentation

Turn the heat up – A first look at MESSENGER's near-infrared spectra of Mercury using new high-temperature emissivity measurements

Analyzing the surface composition of Mercury's regolith from remote-sensing measurements is a challenging task. In support of the National Aeronautics and Space Agency's MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry and Ranging (MESSENGER) mission and especially in preparation for the Mercury Radiometer and Thermal Infrared Spectrometer (MERTIS) instrument on the BepiColombo mission of the European Space Agency and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, we are developing a Planetary Emissivity Laboratory (PEL) at Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Rahmfahrt (DLR) in Berlin. The PEL allows measurement of the emissivity of Mercury-analogue materials at grain sizes smaller than 25 μm and at temperatures of more than 400°C, typical for Mercury's low-latitude dayside. The PEL development follows a multi-step approach. We have already obtained emissivity data at mid-infrared wavelengths that show significant changes in spectral behavior with temperature indicative of changes in the crystal structure of the samples. We are currently installing a new calibration target that will allow the acquisition of emissivity data over the full wavelength range from 1 to 50 micrometer with good signal-to-noise ratio. Here we present initial data in the range 1 to 1.4 micrometer, the near-infrared wavelength coverage of the Mercury Atmospheric and Surface Composition Spectrometer (MASCS) instrument on MESSENGER. Even these early PEL measurements have important implications for the analysis of the spectral observations obtained during MESSENGER's first Mercury flyby on 14 January 2008 as well as the data to be obtained during the probe's second Mercury flyby on 6 October

Interannual similarity and variation in seasonal circulation of Mars' atmospheric Ar as seen by the Gamma Ray Spectrometer on Mars Odyssey

International audienceMore than 3 Mars' years (MY) of atmospheric argon (Ar) measurements are used to study annual and seasonal variations in atmospheric transport and mixing. Data are obtained over the period 20 May 2002 to 4 May 2008 by the Gamma Subsystem (GS) of the Gamma Ray Spectrometer (GRS) on the Mars Odyssey spacecraft in orbit around Mars. Here we augment previous studies of Mars' Ar in which strong seasonal variations were observed and horizontal meridional mixing coefficients for the southern hemisphere were computed. Comparison of year-to-year seasonal abundance shows strong similarity but also some short-period (~15-30 L s) and interannual variations. Evidence for short periods of strong eddy transport is exhibited during autumn and winter. The seasonal change in Ar concentration for southern latitudes is relatively gradual and well defined, but seasonal changes at high northern latitudes are chaotic and indicate that atmospheric disturbance is ubiquitous. Major topographic landforms (Elysium, Tharsis, Noachis Terra, Hellas) apparently have little control over seasonal Ar concentration at the spatial resolution of the GRS data set. Some indication of local enhanced Ar concentration is present from 30N to 60N for the Hellas and Tharsis sectors in late winter and early spring. The data show some significant (3) differences between MY 26 and MY 27 in geographical sectors that are likely produced by local weather. The GS data do not show seasonal variation of Ar at equatorial and low-latitude zones, in contrast to those from the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) measurements from the Mars Exploration Rovers. Copyright 2012 by the American Geophysical Union