The evaluation of pilots performance and mental workload by eye movement

Pilots make important decisions often using ambiguous information, while under stresses and with very little time. During flight operations detecting the warning light of system failure is a task with real-world application relates to measurement of pilot's performance and eye movement. The demand for a pilot’s visual and situational awareness in multiple tasks can be detrimental during pilots’ mental overload conditions. The purpose of this research is to evaluate the relationship between pilot’s mental workload and operational performance by eye tracking. Collecting eye movement data during flight operations in a virtual reality of flight simulator provided useful information to analysis participants’ cognitive processes. There were 36 pilots participated in this research, the experience of flight hours between 320 and 2,920, the range of age between 26 and 51 years old. The apparatus included Applied Science Laboratories (ASL) eye tracking, IDF flight simulator and NASA_TLX for data collection. The results show that pilots with high SA detecting hydraulic malfunction have shorter total fixation duration on Air Speed Indicator and longer total fixation duration on Altitude Indicator, Vertical Speed Indicator, Right multi-display and Left multi-display compared with pilots without detecting the signal of hydraulic malfunction. Pilots’ total fixation time on Integration Control Panel, Altitude Indicator, Attitude Indicator and Right Multi-display, and pilots’ subjective rating on NASA-TLX effort dimension for the mission of close pattern have significant relationship with pilots’ performance on the operational time for completing the tactic mission. Experienced pilots operate aircraft familiar with monitoring Airspeed Indicator and kinetic maneuvering result in less fuel consumption. This study could provide guidelines for future training design to reduce pilots mental workload and improve situational awareness for enhancing flight safety

Study of Thermodynamic and Dynamic Properties of Heterogeneous LiLSX Zeolite for Use in a Medical Oxygen Concentrator

An isothermal-isobaric column dynamic test apparatus was built to measure equilibrium adsorption isotherms of pure N2, O2, Ar and N2-O2 mixtures at 0, 30 and 65 oC in the pressure range of 0 – 6 atm on LiLSX zeolite. New experimental data successfully passed an integral and a differential thermodynamic consistency test between pure and binary gas isotherms. Three analytical adsorption isotherm models were tested. Pure gas isosteric heats of adsorption and model analysis of the data indicate that the zeolite behaved like a nearly homogeneous adsorbent for Ar adsorption while it exhibited substantial heterogeneity for adsorption of N2 and milder heterogeneity for adsorption of O2. Effective mass transfer coefficients (k^e,s^(-1)) for adsorption of pure N2, O2 and Ar into LiLSX zeolite were estimated. The over-all mass transfer coefficient for N2, O2 and Ar adsorption were comparable in magnitude and a large skin resistance at the adsorbent particle surface was observed.The measured binary selectivities of N2 over O2 were functions of gas phase mole fraction and pressure and the performance of a MOC- RPSA process using a LiLSX zeolite was improved when the adsorbent exhibited higher selectivity of adsorption of N2 over O2. The results of a literature search (1995 – 2015) for experimental data on binary and ternary gas adsorption selectivity and their estimation from the corresponding pure gas adsorption isotherms by Ideal Adsorbed Solution Theory (IAST) are summarized which indicate the selectivity of adsorption of a component of a binary or a ternary gas mixture can be a complex function and it must be experimentally measured for reliable design of adsorptive gas separation processes

Banking System, Real Estate Markets, and Nonperforming Loans

This paper examines the link between nonperforming loans, real estate prices, and the banking system. We found that the level of nonperforming loans affects bank profitability as well as the price performance of real estate markets. We also analyzed the factors that cause the ratio of nonperforming loans to total loans to fluctuate. We observed that a higher ratio of corporateloans to individual loans results in a lower percentage of nonperforming loans. In contrast, a lower real estate lending rate relative to the primary lending rate leads to a higher percentage of nonperforming loans. These results suggest that the percentage of nonperforming loans can be partially governed by the lending practices of banks.Nonperforming Loans, Real Estate, Banking System

The predicting effects of depression and self-esteem on suicidal ideation among adolescents in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Background: In Malaysia, the prevalence of adolescents’ suicidal ideation has increased over the years. Therefore, it is crucial to investigate the predictors of suicidal ideation among adolescents. Hence, the aim of this study was to examine the predicting effects of depression and self-esteem on suicidal ideation among Malaysian adolescents. In addition, the relationships between depression, self-esteem, and adolescents’ suicidal ideation were explored as well. Methods: By using a multistage cluster sampling method, a cross-sectional study was conducted in secondary schools in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The participants were comprised of 852 adolescents (51% males and 49% females) aged 13-17 years old who completed self-administered questionnaires. Pearson’s Correlation analysis was used to analyse the relationships among depression, self-esteem, and adolescents’ suicidal ideation, while Standard Multiple Regression analysis was used to examine the predicting effects of depression and self-esteem on adolescents’ suicidal ideation. Results: Depression had a positive correlation with adolescents’ suicidal ideation (r = .290, p < .001), while self-esteem had a negative correlation with adolescents’ suicidal ideation (r = -.283, p < .001). Results also showed that both depression (β = .200, p < .001) and self-esteem (β = -.186, p < .001) significantly predicted adolescents’ suicidal ideation. Conclusion: The study found that depression is a risk factor, while self-esteem is a protective factor of adolescents’ suicidal ideation