Beihang University

About: Beihang University is a education organization based out in Beijing, China. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Computer science & Control theory. The organization has 67002 authors who have published 73507 publications receiving 975691 citations. The organization is also known as: Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Testing the Difference Between Reliability Coefficients Alpha and Omega.

Abstract: Reliable measurements are key to social science research. Multiple measures of reliability of the total score have been developed, including coefficient alpha, coefficient omega, the greatest lower bound reliability, and others. Among these, the coefficient alpha has been most widely used, and it is reported in nearly every study involving the measure of a construct through multiple items in social and behavioral research. However, it is known that coefficient alpha underestimates the true reliability unless the items are tau-equivalent, and coefficient omega is deemed as a practical alternative to coefficient alpha in estimating measurement reliability of the total score. However, many researchers noticed that the difference between alpha and omega is minor in applications. Since the observed differences in alpha and omega can be due to sampling errors, the purpose of the present study, therefore, is to propose a method to evaluate the difference of coefficient alpha ([Formula: see text]) and omega ([Formula: see text]) statistically. In particular, the current article develops a procedure to estimate the SE of ([Formula: see text]) and consequently the confidence interval (CI) for ([Formula: see text]). This procedure allows us to test whether the observed difference ([Formula: see text]) is due to sample error or [Formula: see text] is significantly greater than [Formula: see text]. The developed procedure is then applied to multiple real data sets from well-known scales to empirically verify the values of ([Formula: see text]) in practice. Results showed that in most of the comparisons the differences are significantly above zero but cases also exist where the CIs contain zero. An R program for calculating [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], and the SE of ([Formula: see text]) is also included in the present study so that the developed procedure is easily accessible to applied researchers.

Optimal Placement and Sizing of Distributed Generation via an Improved Nondominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II

Abstract: An improved nondominated sorting genetic algorithm–II (INSGA-II) has been proposed for optimal planning of multiple distributed generation (DG) units in this paper. First, multiobjective functions that take minimum line loss, minimum voltage deviation, and maximal voltage stability margin into consideration have been formed. Then, using the proposed INSGA-II algorithm to solve the multiobjective planning problem has been described in detail. The improved sorting strategy and the novel truncation strategy based on hierarchical agglomerative clustering are utilized to keep the diversity of population. In order to strengthen the global optimal searching capability, the mutation and recombination strategies in differential evolution are introduced to replace the original one. In addition, a tradeoff method based on fuzzy set theory is used to obtain the best compromise solution from the Pareto-optimal set. Finally, several experiments have been made on the IEEE 33-bus test case and multiple actual test cases with the consideration of multiple DG units. The feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed algorithm for optimal placement and sizing of DG in distribution systems have been proved.

Yb- and Er-doped fiber laser Q-switched with an optically uniform, broadband WS2 saturable absorber.

Abstract: We demonstrate a ytterbium (Yb) and an erbium (Er)-doped fiber laser Q-switched by a solution processed, optically uniform, few-layer tungsten disulfide saturable absorber (WS2-SA). Nonlinear optical absorption of the WS2-SA in the sub-bandgap region, attributed to the edge-induced states, is characterized by 3.1% and 4.9% modulation depths with 1.38 and 3.83 MW/cm2 saturation intensities at 1030 and 1558 nm, respectively. By integrating the optically uniform WS2-SA in the Yb- and Er-doped laser cavities, we obtain self-starting Q-switched pulses with microsecond duration and kilohertz repetition rates at 1030 and 1558 nm. Our work demonstrates broadband sub-bandgap saturable absorption of a single, solution processed WS2-SA, providing new potential efficacy for WS2 in ultrafast photonic applications.