A review of training methods of ANFIS for applications in business and economic

Fuzzy Neural Networks (FNNs) techniques have been effectively used in applications that range from medical to mechanical engineering, to business and economics. Despite of attracting researchers in recent years and outperforming other fuzzy systems, Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) still needs effective parameter training and rule-base optimization methods to perform efficiently when the number of inputs increase. Moreover, the standard gradient based learning via two pass learning algorithm is prone slow and prone to get stuck in local minima. Therefore many researchers have trained ANFIS parameters using metaheuristic algorithms however very few have considered optimizing the ANFIS rule-base. Mostly Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) and its variants have been applied for training approaches used. Other than that, Genetic Algorithm (GA), Firefly Algorithm (FA), Ant Bee Colony (ABC) optimization methods have been employed for effective training of ANFIS networks when solving various problems in the field of business and finance

Accelerated mine blast algorithm for ANFIS training for solving classification problems

Mine Blast Algorithm (MBA) is newly developed metaheuristic technique. It has outperformed Genetic Algorithm (GA), Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) and their variants when solving various engineering optimization problems. MBA has been improved by IMBA, which is modified in this paper to accelerate its convergence speed furthermore. The proposed variant, so called Accelerated MBA (AMBA), replaces the previous best solution with the available candidate solution in IMBA. ANFIS accuracy depends on the parameters it is trained with. Keeping in view the drawbacks of gradients based learning of ANFIS using gradient descent and least square methods in two-pass learning algorithm, many have trained ANFIS using metaheuristic algorithms. In this paper, for getting high performance, the parameters of ANFIS are trained by the proposed AMBA. The experimental results of real-world benchmark problems reveal that AMBA can be used as an efficient optimization technique. Moreover, the results also indicate that AMBA converges earlier than its other counterparts MBA and IMBA

Enhancing Requirements Change Request Categorization and Prioritization in Agile Software Development Using Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP)

Software development now relies heavily on agile methods, which call for the efficient administration and prioritization of change requests. In order to improve requirement prioritization using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) in Agile methods, this study article presents a new framework for classifying software requirements into Small Change Requests (SCRs) and Large Change Requests (LCRs). The paper examines the difficulties associated with requirement prioritization and categorization in Agile settings and offers a methodical system for dividing change requests into categories based on complexity, impact, and timeline. In order to provide a thorough grasp of the project scope and objectives, the framework considers both functional and non-functional needs. A case study containing several Agile software development projects is used to evaluate the performance of the suggested categorization and prioritization model. According to the findings, the combination of SCR and LCR categorization with AHP enables more effective teamwork and greater matching of development goals with partner objectives. The research also shows that the suggested framework's integration into the Agile development process results in a more efficient decision-making process, less time wasted on talks, and improved resource distribution. The model aids in risk mitigation by allowing a methodical and quantifiable approach to requirement prioritization. These risks are related to quick changes in project scope and changing client requirements. By presenting a fresh framework for requirement categorization and prioritization, this study adds to the current discussion on successful requirement management in Agile methods. Agile software development projects become more effective and adaptable overall thanks to the incorporation of AHP, which guarantees a more methodical and objective prioritization process. This study has the potential to greatly improve the administration of shifting needs and user expectations in Agile settings by offering a structured method to classify and rank change requests

A Modified Neuro-Fuzzy System Using Metaheuristic Approaches for Data Classification

The impact of innovated Neuro-Fuzzy System (NFS) has emerged as a dominant technique for addressing various difficult research problems in business. ANFIS (Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference system) is an efficient combination of ANN and fuzzy logic for modeling highly non-linear, complex and dynamic systems. It has been proved that, with proper number of rules, an ANFIS system is able to approximate every plant. Even though it has been widely used, ANFIS has a major drawback of computational complexities. The number of rules and its tunable parameters increase exponentially when the numbers of inputs are large. Moreover, the standard learning process of ANFIS involves gradient based learning which has prone to fall in local minima. Many researchers have used meta-heuristic algorithms to tune parameters of ANFIS. This study will modify ANFIS architecture to reduce its complexity and improve the accuracy of classification problems. The experiments are carried out by trying different types and shapes of membership functions and meta-heuristics Artificial Bee Colony (ABC) algorithm with ANFIS and the training error results are measured for each combination. The results showed that modified ANFIS combined with ABC method provides better training error results than common ANFIS model

Personal Best Cuckoo Search Algorithm for Global Optimization

Real-life optimization problems demand robust algorithms that perform efficient search in the environment without trapping in local optimal locations. Such algorithms are equipped with balanced explorative and exploitative capabilities. Cuckoo search (CS) algorithm is also one of such optimization algorithms, which is inspired from nature. Despite effective search strategies using Lévy flights and solution switching approach, CS suffers from lack of population diversity when implemented in hard optimization problems. In this paper, enhanced local and global search strategies have been proposed in CS algorithm. The proposed variant employs personal best information in solution generation process, hence called Personal Best Cuckoo Search (pBestCS). Moreover, instead of constant value for switching parameter, pBestCS dynamically updates switching parameter as the iterations proceed. The prior approach enhances local search ability, whereas the later modification enforces effective global search ability in the algorithm. The experimental results on both unimodal and multimodal test functions with different dimensionalities validated the efficiency of the proposed modification. Based on comprehensive statistical analysis and comparisons, pBestCS outperformed the standard CS algorithm, as well as, other popular swarm-based metaheuristic algorithms particle swarm optimization (PSO) and artificial bee colony (ABC)

Two Stage Portfolio Selection and Optimization Model with the Hybrid Particle Swarm Optimization

The selection criteria play an important role in the portfolio optimization using any ratio model. In this paper, the authors have considered the mean return as profit and variance of return as risk on the asset return as selection criteria, as the first stage to optimize the selected portfolio. Furthermore, the sharp ratio (SR) has been considered to be the optimization ratio model. In this regard, the historical data taken from Shanghai Stock Exchange (SSE) has been considered. A metaheuristic technique has been developed, with financial tool box available in MATLAB and the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm. Hence, called as the hybrid particle swarm optimization (HPSO) or can also be called as financial tool box particle swarm optimization (FTB-PSO). In this model, the budgets as constraint, where as two different models i.e. with and without short sale, have been considered. The obtained results have been compared with the existing literature and the proposed technique is found to be optimum and better in terms of profit

CFD Modeling of N2/H2 Gaseous Flow with Geometric Variations in a Monolithic Channel

AbstractGeometric variations by means of orientation of obstructions to the fluid flow can have a significant effect on the flow dynamics of gases in pursuit of maintaining required mixing in a low Reynolds number flow for a prospective reaction between the two gases. In this study, the effect of placing the obstructions parallel and perpendicular to the N2 and H2 flow was observed initially. Parallel placement resulted in favorable conditions in maintaining the desired ratio of the two components giving more than 90% mixing index throughout the channel length while perpendicular placement signaled better lateral movement on encountering the obstruction. Taking a cue from this, geometries having a combination of parallel and perpendicular obstructions were proposed based on results of parametric study on number of wires and spacing between them. Increasing perpendicular obstruction sets beyond 5 took the mixing index down to as low as 60%. Increasing spacing from 1.5mm to 2mm deteriorated mixing index further but reducing perpendicular sets from 5 to 3 with 2mm spacing resulted in 90% mixing index throughout the channel and benchmark observed in axial-only configuration was regained. Also, increasing number of axial wires on a given perpendicular set or reducing their spacing did not alter desired mixing index to a great extent

Povezanost tržišne vrijednosti marke temeljene na percepciji potrošača i angažmana s markom: korištenje razdvojenog dvostupanjskog PLS-SEM pristupa

Purpose – The study aims to theoretically establish brand personality, brand experience, brand attributes, and brand affect as antecedents of brand engagement. Additionally, this study seeks to enhance customer-based brand equity and relationship marketing theories in relation to brand engagement behavior. Design/methodology/approach – Through a survey questionnaire, 426 responses were collected from automobile customers. Following the multistage cluster sampling technique, respondents were contacted through the mall intercept method. The respondents’ data was analyzed through PLS-SEM path modeling using the disjoint two-stage approach. Findings and implications – Brand personality, brand experience, brand attributes, and brand affect significantly the brand engagement behavior being explained, especially, brand affect mediated between these antecedents and brand engagement. Limitation – The cross-sectional research design of the study has some limitations. Further, brand affect, as a mediator, has explained 40.7% of the variation in brand engagement. Other mediators may explain the rest of the variation in brand engagement. As the study is related to the automobile market in Pakistan, the results may not be generalized to other parts of the world. Originality – It is the first study to examine brand affect as a mediator that theoretically links brand personality, experience, attributes to brand engagement in an integrative framework, specifically for automobile brands. The disjoint two-stage approach of PLS-SEM in this study has been rarely used in marketing and business management research.Svrha – Cilj je rada teorijski utvrditi osobnost, doživljaj i osobine marke te naklonjenost marki kao prethodnice angažmana s markom. Dodatno, radom se nastoji poboljšati znanja o tržišnoj vrijednosti marke temeljenoj na percepciji potrošača i teorijama marketinga odnosa i suradnje povezanim s angažmanom s markom. Metodološki pristup – Korištenjem anketnog upitnika prikupljeno je 426 odgovora od kupaca automobila. Slijedeći tehniku klasterskog uzorkovanja u više koraka, ispitanici su kontaktirani u trgovačkim centrima. Podaci dobiveni od ispitanika analizirani su korištenjem PLS-SEM modeliranja strukturnih jednadžbi s razdvojenim dvostupanjskim pristupom. Rezultati i implikacije – Osobnost, doživljaj i osobine marke te naklonjenost marki značajno objašnjavaju angažman s markom. Posebice, naklonjenost marki je medijator između prethodnica i angažmana s markom. Ograničenja – Kros-selekcijski dizajn istraživanja ima određena ograničenja. Nadalje, naklonjenost marki kao medijator objašnjava 40,7% varijacije angažmana s markom. Drugi medijatori mogu objasniti ostatak varijacije angažmana s markom. Rezultati se ne mogu generalizirati s obzirom da je istraživanje povezano s tržištem automobila u Pakistanu. Doprinos – Ovo je prvi rad koji istražuje naklonjenost marki kao medijatora koji teorijski povezuje osobnost, doživljaj i osobine marki s angažmanom s markom u sveobuhvatni okvir, specifično za marke automobila. Razdvojeni dvostupanjski pristup u PLS-SEM-u rijetko je korišten u istraživanjima u marketingu i menadžmentu

Induced sputum versus gastric aspirate for microbiological confirmation of pulmonary tuberculosis in infants and young children: A prospective cohort study

Introduction: The diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) is challenging in children due to the paucibacillary nature of disease and difficulty in sample collection. Gastric lavage (GL) is recommended in children because children tend to swallow sputum and do not expectorate; however, it is invasive, stressful and requires admission. Objective: The objective of this study was to compare the yield of GL samples with that of induced sputum, which is a non-invasive method and can be done on an outpatient basis. Methods: A prospective cohort study was done on 55 children, who were <6 years of age, admitted for suspected pulmonary TB (PTB) in Medical College, Aligarh, from December 2011 to December 2013. Sputum induction and GL were done on 3 consecutive days according to the standard procedure. All samples were stained for acid-fast bacilli and each sample was cultured for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Results: The median age of the children in the study group was 28 months. A positive smear and culture were positive for M. tuberculosis in 7.2% and 20% of children, respectively. There was no significant difference in smear positivity from induced sputum samples compared to gastric aspirate samples. However, the culture positivity for M. tuberculosis was better with induced sputum than gastric aspirate and the difference was statistically significant (p<0.05). Sputum induction procedures were well tolerated; minor side effects were vomiting, mild epistaxis, coughing, or transient wheezing. Conclusion: Sputum induction is safe and useful for microbiological confirmation of TB in young children. This technique is preferable to GL for diagnosis of PTB

Emergence of Multidrug-Resistant (MDR) and Extensively Drug- Resistant (XDR) Typhoid Fever in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh: A Case Series

Salmonella Typhi is a Gram-negative rod which causes enteric fever in humans. The introduction of antibiotics to treat typhoid has considerably improved its outcome, but rising multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) cases due to injudicious use of antibiotics is a matter of grave concern. This case series presents four cases of XDR typhoid fever from a tertiary care centre in northern India. The patients presented in Pediatrics OPD between June 2022 to August 2022, and were admitted and managed in the Pediatrics ward, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, AMU, Aligarh. There were two males and two females with a mean age of 10.5 ± 1.73 years. All the patients presented with fever of more than 10 days duration (median duration of symptom before admission 13 ± 5.74 days, IQR 10.5-20.5) and had been on oral cefixime for enteric fever. But, these patients did not show clinical resolution of fever and other symptoms such as fatigue, weakness etc. After the addition of Azithromycin, patients showed clinical improvement and were subsequently discharged over a period of 6-7 days. We are witnessing rapid emergence of XDR typhi strains across the world particularly in resource limited countries like ours. Azithromycin can be used as safer alternative in both MDR and XDR salmonella bacteremia. Additionally, blood culture should be sent of all suspected patients before start of antibiotics