Selective classification and quantification model of C&D waste from material resources consumed in residential building construction.

Science.gov (United States)

Mercader-Moyano, Pilar; Ramírez-de-Arellano-Agudo, Antonio

2013-05-01

The unfortunate economic situation involving Spain and the European Union is, among other factors, the result of intensive construction activity over recent years. The excessive consumption of natural resources, together with the impact caused by the uncontrolled dumping of untreated C&D waste in illegal landfills have caused environmental pollution and a deterioration of the landscape. The objective of this research was to generate a selective classification and quantification model of C&D waste based on the material resources consumed in the construction of residential buildings, either new or renovated, namely the Conventional Constructive Model (CCM). A practical example carried out on ten residential buildings in Seville, Spain, enabled the identification and quantification of the C&D waste generated in their construction and the origin of the waste, in terms of the building material from which it originated and its impact for every m(2) constructed. This model enables other researchers to establish comparisons between the various improvements proposed for the minimization of the environmental impact produced by building a CCM, new corrective measures to be proposed in future policies that regulate the production and management of C&D waste generated in construction from the design stage to the completion of the construction process, and the establishment of sustainable management for C&D waste and for the selection of materials for the construction on projected or renovated buildings.

Flexible metabolic pathway construction using modular and divisible selection gene regulators

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rugbjerg, Peter; Myling-Petersen, Nils; Sommer, Morten Otto Alexander

2015-01-01

Genetic selections are important to biological engineering. Although selectable traits are limited,currently each trait only permits simultaneous introduction of a single DNA fragment. Complex pathwayand strain construction however depends on rapid, combinatorial introduction of many genes thaten...

The procedure of selecting the best construction equipment by the set of its quantitative characteristics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Romanov Petr

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Today’s construction projects are highly mechanized. That#x2019;s why selection of right equipment has always been a key factor in the success of any construction project. This decision is typically made by comparison of equipment feature, productivity, capacity and cost. The article describes the approach to selecting the best set of construction equipment from the available options by the set of its quantitative characteristics. It is proposed to carry out the evaluation of options and selection of the best option based on the method of spectral analysis. The article presents the results of the selection of the most appropriate floor screed conveyor for purchasing by construction company using the specified method.

An Approach for Measuring Reductions in Operations, Maintenance, and Energy Costs: Baseline Measures of Construction Industry Practices for the National Construction Goals.

Science.gov (United States)

Chapman, Robert E.; Rennison, Roderick

The Construction and Building Subcommittee of the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) has established seven National Construction Goals for the construction industry and is developing baseline measures for current practices and progress with respect to each goal. This document provides a detailed set of baseline measures for the NSTC…

OECD's Brief Self-Report Measure of Educational Psychology's Most Useful Affective Constructs: Cross-Cultural, Psychometric Comparisons across 25 Countries

Science.gov (United States)

Marsh, Herbert W.; Hau, Kit-Tai; Artelt, Cordula; Baumert, Jurgen; Peschar, Jules L.

2006-01-01

Through a rigorous process of selecting educational psychology's most useful affective constructs, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) constructed the Students' Approaches to Learning (SAL) instrument, which requires only 10 min to measure 14 factors that assess self-regulated learning strategies, self-beliefs,…

Selective transfer in the acquisition of English double object constructions by Brazilian learners

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Júlia Vidigal Zara

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The present study investigates the acquisition of the English double object constructions (GOLDBERG, 1995 by Brazilian learners. We hypothesize that, due to first language (L1 influences, the prepositional ditransitive construction (John gave a book to Mary will be acquired earlier, while the ditransitive construction (John gave Mary a book will be part of the learner's interlanguages (SELINKER, 1972 only at the advanced level of proficiency. We also hypothesize that learners may transfer (ODLIN, 1989 the placement of the object pronoun in pre-verbal position from their L1 to their interlanguage in early stages of acquisition (João me deu um livro / *John me gave a book. We test our hypotheses by comparing the performance of three groups of learners (beginning, intermediate, and advanced and native speakers of English on an acceptability judgment task used as a measure of learnability and generalization. Results confirm the order of acquisition of the English double object constructions predicted for native speakers of Brazilian Portuguese. Moreover, results suggest that, although mother tongue influences may have taken place, they do not do so pervasively, but rather selectively, corroborating the proposal by Kellerman (1983.

Protective measures during construction against radon exposure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Horn, W.

1990-01-01

Radon, thoron as well as their daughter products have an cancerogeneous effect on the human respiratory tracts. In this respect protective measures in the area of construction are of great importance. This article deals with constructional solutions which consist of different individual measures. Sources of radon are outside air, water, fuels, building materials as well as the building ground. Possible protective measures are divided into area-related (floor structure, intermediate floors, exterior walls of cellar, foundation slab, building ground), line-related (joints, cracks, wall ducts) as well as supplementary measures (tightly closing doors, arrangement of natural cross-ventilation and vertical ventilating shafts). (BWI) [de

Construction of human antibody gene libraries and selection of antibodies by phage display.

Science.gov (United States)

Frenzel, André; Kügler, Jonas; Wilke, Sonja; Schirrmann, Thomas; Hust, Michael

2014-01-01

Antibody phage display is the most commonly used in vitro selection technology and has yielded thousands of useful antibodies for research, diagnostics, and therapy.The prerequisite for successful generation and development of human recombinant antibodies using phage display is the construction of a high-quality antibody gene library. Here, we describe the methods for the construction of human immune and naive scFv gene libraries.The success also depends on the panning strategy for the selection of binders from these libraries. In this article, we describe a panning strategy that is high-throughput compatible and allows parallel selection in microtiter plates.

Selection of safety officers in an indian construction organization by using grey relational analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sunku Venkata Siva Rajaprasad

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Stakeholders are responsible for implementing the occupational health and safety provisions in an organization. Irrespective of organization, the role of safety department is purely advisory as it coordinates with all the departments, and this is crucial to improve the performance. Selection of safety officer is vital job for any organization; it should not only be based on qualifications of the applicant, the incumbent should also have sufficient exposure in implementing proactive measures. The process of selection is complex and choosing the right safety professional is a vital decision. The safety performance of an organization relies on the systems being implemented by the safety officer. Application of multi criteria decision-making tools is helpful as a selection process. The present study proposes the grey relational analysis(GRA for selection of the safety officers in an Indian construction organization. This selection method considers fourteen criteria appropriate to the organization and has ranked the results. The data was also analyzed by using technique for order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal solution (TOPSIS and results of both the methods are strongly correlated

Measuring coalition functioning: refining constructs through factor analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Louis D; Feinberg, Mark E; Greenberg, Mark T

2012-08-01

Internal and external coalition functioning is an important predictor of coalition success that has been linked to perceived coalition effectiveness, coalition goal achievement, coalition ability to support evidence-based programs, and coalition sustainability. Understanding which aspects of coalition functioning best predict coalition success requires the development of valid measures of empirically unique coalition functioning constructs. The goal of the present study is to examine and refine the psychometric properties of coalition functioning constructs in the following six domains: leadership, interpersonal relationships, task focus, participation benefits/costs, sustainability planning, and community support. The authors used factor analysis to identify problematic items in our original measure and then piloted new items and scales to create a more robust, psychometrically sound, multidimensional measure of coalition functioning. Scales displayed good construct validity through correlations with other measures. Discussion considers the strengths and weaknesses of the refined instrument.

Construct-level predictive validity of educational attainment and intellectual aptitude tests in medical student selection: meta-regression of six UK longitudinal studies

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background Measures used for medical student selection should predict future performance during training. A problem for any selection study is that predictor-outcome correlations are known only in those who have been selected, whereas selectors need to know how measures would predict in the entire pool of applicants. That problem of interpretation can be solved by calculating construct-level predictive validity, an estimate of true predictor-outcome correlation across the range of applicant abilities. Methods Construct-level predictive validities were calculated in six cohort studies of medical student selection and training (student entry, 1972 to 2009) for a range of predictors, including A-levels, General Certificates of Secondary Education (GCSEs)/O-levels, and aptitude tests (AH5 and UK Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT)). Outcomes included undergraduate basic medical science and finals assessments, as well as postgraduate measures of Membership of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the United Kingdom (MRCP(UK)) performance and entry in the Specialist Register. Construct-level predictive validity was calculated with the method of Hunter, Schmidt and Le (2006), adapted to correct for right-censorship of examination results due to grade inflation. Results Meta-regression analyzed 57 separate predictor-outcome correlations (POCs) and construct-level predictive validities (CLPVs). Mean CLPVs are substantially higher (.450) than mean POCs (.171). Mean CLPVs for first-year examinations, were high for A-levels (.809; CI: .501 to .935), and lower for GCSEs/O-levels (.332; CI: .024 to .583) and UKCAT (mean = .245; CI: .207 to .276). A-levels had higher CLPVs for all undergraduate and postgraduate assessments than did GCSEs/O-levels and intellectual aptitude tests. CLPVs of educational attainment measures decline somewhat during training, but continue to predict postgraduate performance. Intellectual aptitude tests have lower CLPVs than A-levels or GCSEs

Ergonomic measures in construction work: enhancing evidence-based implementation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Visser, S.

2015-01-01

Despite the development and availability of ergonomic measures in the construction industry, the number of construction workers reporting high physical work demands remains high. A reduction of the high physical work demands can be achieved by using ergonomic measures. However, these ergonomic

Activity measurements of radon from construction materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Fior, L; Nicolosi Corrêa, J; Paschuk, S A; Denyak, V V; Schelin, H R; Soreanu Pecequilo, B R; Kappke, J

2012-07-01

This work presents the results of radon concentration measurements of construction materials used in the Brazilian industry, such as clay (red) bricks and concrete blocks. The measurements focused on the detection of indoor radon activity during different construction stages and the analysis of radionuclides present in the construction materials. For this purpose, sealed chambers with internal dimensions of approximately 60×60×60 cm3 were built within a protected and isolated laboratory environment, and stable air humidity and temperature levels were maintained. These chambers were also used for radon emanation reduction tests. The chambers were built in four major stages: (1) assembly of the walls using clay (red) bricks, concrete blocks, and mortar; (2) installation of plaster; (3) finishing of wall surface using lime; and (4) insulation of wall surface and finishing using paint. Radon measurements were performed using polycarbonate etched track detectors. By comparing the three layers applied to the masonry walls, it was concluded that only the last step (wall painting using acrylic varnish) reduced the radon emanation, by a factor of approximately 2. Samples of the construction materials (clay bricks and concrete blocks) were ground, homogenized, and subjected to gamma-ray spectrometry analysis to evaluate the activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K. The values for the index of the activity concentration (I), radium equivalent activity (Raeq), and external hazard index (Hext) showed that these construction materials could be used without restrictions or concern about the equivalent dose limit (1 mSv/year). Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

How Do Contractors Select Suppliers for Greener Construction Projects? The Case of Three Swedish Companies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shahin Mokhlesian

2014-06-01

Full Text Available There are many studies of contractor selection based on clients and the selection of suppliers by contractors. However, supplier selection specifically related to green construction projects has been much less studied. Green construction differs from conventional construction because of differences in its underlying principles and use of environmentally-friendly materials and technologies. This paper studies how procurers in contractor companies in Sweden adopt green projects and how contractor perception of supplier mastery of green knowledge affects supplier selection. The investigation is based on a set of semi-structured interviews conducted among three large contractors in Sweden. A main finding is that the perceived differences between green and conventional projects do not change supplier selection dramatically. An implication is that “greener projects” is a more appropriate denotation than “green project”. Evidence shows that suppliers’ green knowledge is an important factor in supplier selection, as respondents rated suppliers’ knowledge of green projects as very important, and to fix his, there was a consensus among respondents about the need for close collaboration between contractors and suppliers. To ensure knowledge acquisition from suppliers and to increase their competitive advantage over rivals, contractors collaborate with their suppliers in a partnering setting. It is anticipated that the results of this study will be used to fill the gap in the literature on supplier selection in green projects and can also be used for construction firms contemplating getting involved in green projects.

Activity measurements of radon from construction materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fior, L.; Nicolosi Correa, J. [Federal University of Technology - Parana, UTFPR, Av. Sete de Setembro, 3165, Curitiba, PR 80230-901 (Brazil); Paschuk, S.A., E-mail: spaschuk@gmail.com [Federal University of Technology - Parana, UTFPR, Av. Sete de Setembro, 3165, Curitiba, PR 80230-901 (Brazil); Denyak, V.V. [Federal University of Technology - Parana, UTFPR, Av. Sete de Setembro, 3165, Curitiba, PR 80230-901 (Brazil); Schelin, H.R. [Federal University of Technology - Parana, UTFPR, Av. Sete de Setembro, 3165, Curitiba, PR 80230-901 (Brazil); Pele Pequeno Principe Research Institute, Av. Silva Jardim, 1632, Curitiba, PR 80250-200 (Brazil); Soreanu Pecequilo, B.R. [Institute of Nuclear and Energetic Researches, IPEN, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 2242-/05508-000 Sao Paulo (Brazil); Kappke, J. [Federal University of Technology - Parana, UTFPR, Av. Sete de Setembro, 3165, Curitiba, PR 80230-901 (Brazil)

2012-07-15

This work presents the results of radon concentration measurements of construction materials used in the Brazilian industry, such as clay (red) bricks and concrete blocks. The measurements focused on the detection of indoor radon activity during different construction stages and the analysis of radionuclides present in the construction materials. For this purpose, sealed chambers with internal dimensions of approximately 60 Multiplication-Sign 60 Multiplication-Sign 60 cm{sup 3} were built within a protected and isolated laboratory environment, and stable air humidity and temperature levels were maintained. These chambers were also used for radon emanation reduction tests. The chambers were built in four major stages: (1) assembly of the walls using clay (red) bricks, concrete blocks, and mortar; (2) installation of plaster; (3) finishing of wall surface using lime; and (4) insulation of wall surface and finishing using paint. Radon measurements were performed using polycarbonate etched track detectors. By comparing the three layers applied to the masonry walls, it was concluded that only the last step (wall painting using acrylic varnish) reduced the radon emanation, by a factor of approximately 2. Samples of the construction materials (clay bricks and concrete blocks) were ground, homogenized, and subjected to gamma-ray spectrometry analysis to evaluate the activity concentrations of {sup 226}Ra, {sup 232}Th and {sup 40}K. The values for the index of the activity concentration (I), radium equivalent activity (Ra{sub eq}), and external hazard index (H{sub ext}) showed that these construction materials could be used without restrictions or concern about the equivalent dose limit (1 mSv/year). - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Radon activity in air related to building materials was measured. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The index of activity concentration of building materials was evaluated. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The radium equivalent activity of

Properties of Risk Measures of Generalized Entropy in Portfolio Selection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rongxi Zhou

2017-12-01

Full Text Available This paper systematically investigates the properties of six kinds of entropy-based risk measures: Information Entropy and Cumulative Residual Entropy in the probability space, Fuzzy Entropy, Credibility Entropy and Sine Entropy in the fuzzy space, and Hybrid Entropy in the hybridized uncertainty of both fuzziness and randomness. We discover that none of the risk measures satisfy all six of the following properties, which various scholars have associated with effective risk measures: Monotonicity, Translation Invariance, Sub-additivity, Positive Homogeneity, Consistency and Convexity. Measures based on Fuzzy Entropy, Credibility Entropy, and Sine Entropy all exhibit the same properties: Sub-additivity, Positive Homogeneity, Consistency, and Convexity. These measures based on Information Entropy and Hybrid Entropy, meanwhile, only exhibit Sub-additivity and Consistency. Cumulative Residual Entropy satisfies just Sub-additivity, Positive Homogeneity, and Convexity. After identifying these properties, we develop seven portfolio models based on different risk measures and made empirical comparisons using samples from both the Shenzhen Stock Exchange of China and the New York Stock Exchange of America. The comparisons show that the Mean Fuzzy Entropy Model performs the best among the seven models with respect to both daily returns and relative cumulative returns. Overall, these results could provide an important reference for both constructing effective risk measures and rationally selecting the appropriate risk measure under different portfolio selection conditions.

The Selective Mutism Questionnaire: Measurement Structure and Validity

Science.gov (United States)

Letamendi, Andrea M.; Chavira, Denise A.; Hitchcock, Carla A.; Roesch, Scott C.; Shipon-Blum, Elisa; Stein, Murray B.; Roesch, Scott C.

2010-01-01

Objective To evaluate the factor structure, reliability, and validity of the 17-item Selective Mutism Questionnaire. Method Diagnostic interviews were administered via telephone to 102 parents of children identified with selective mutism (SM) and 43 parents of children without SM from varying U.S. geographic regions. Children were between the ages of 3 and 11 inclusive and comprised 58% girls and 42% boys. SM diagnoses were determined using the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule for Children - Parent Version (ADIS-C/P); SM severity was assessed using the 17-item Selective Mutism Questionnaire (SMQ); and behavioral and affective symptoms were assessed using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted to investigate the dimensionality of the SMQ and a modified parallel analysis procedure was used to confirm EFA results. Internal consistency, construct validity, and incremental validity were also examined. Results The EFA yielded a 13-item solution consisting of three factors: a) Social Situations Outside of School, b) School Situations, and c) Home and Family Situations. Internal consistency of SMQ factors and total scale ranged from moderate to high. Convergent and incremental validity were also well supported. Conclusions Measure structure findings are consistent with the 3-factor solution found in a previous psychometric evaluation of the SMQ. Results also suggest that the SMQ provides useful and unique information in the prediction of SM phenomenon beyond other child anxiety measures. PMID:18698268

Measuring Carbon Emissions of Pavement Construction in China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Youliang Huang

2016-07-01

Full Text Available While various methodologies for quantifying carbon emissions of pavement construction are developed worldwide, adopting and promoting the existing tools to China’s market is found fairly challenging due to institutional constraints. Therefore, the objectives of this study are to propose a methodology for measuring carbon emissions of pavement construction compatible with the fixed pricing systems prevalent in China; and develop an automatic tool for carbon estimations. The total carbon emissions are measured by aggregating emissions of energy consumption and materials used along with four stages, namely material manufacture, transportation, construction, and disposal. A set of composite carbon emission factors for energy and materials was calculated based on existing emission factors with the consideration of the boundaries concerned. The quantity of energy and materials used in pavement construction are obtained through bills of quantity and the fixed price system. The database of the emission factors for energy and materials was embedded into a C# based tool, and validated in a real case.

Danish Public Construction Counselling Selection and Assignment Criteria in European Tendering

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Jesper Kranker; Ussing, Lene Faber; Brunø, Thomas Ditlev

2014-01-01

One of the largest customers in the Danish construction industry is public agencies that own and develop projects. For some of the counselling services, they recur to be put out in European tendering. The aim is to find which selection and assignment criteria are used most in public tendering. How...... projects use selection and assignment criteria for counselling services and finally if there is significant use of selection and assignment methods in public counselling. The method is based on 74 public counselling tenders from the European Tenders Electronic Daily database from January 2010 to March 2013...

Electrical measurements during magnet construction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sintchak, G.; Ganetis, G.; Cottingham, G.

1989-01-01

Throughout the construction phase of the cold mass for SSC magnets, electrical tests are made to determine that no faults in the coil structure have developed. These tests include ones designed to measure turn-to-turn voltage hold-off, hypot tests to ground, coil resistance, and instrumentation checks. These various tests will be described and the test parameters that are used will be covered. 4 figs

Windows for New Construction | Efficient Windows Collaborative

Science.gov (United States)

Foundry Foundry New Construction Windows Window Selection Tool Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Replacement Windows Window Selection Tool Assessing Options Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Understanding Windows Benefits Design Considerations Measuring Performance Performance Standards

Optimal Contractor Selection in Construction Industry: The Fuzzy Way

Science.gov (United States)

Krishna Rao, M. V.; Kumar, V. S. S.; Rathish Kumar, P.

2018-02-01

A purely price-based approach to contractor selection has been identified as the root cause for many serious project delivery problems. Therefore, the capability of the contractor to execute the project should be evaluated using a multiple set of selection criteria including reputation, past performance, performance potential, financial soundness and other project specific criteria. An industry-wide questionnaire survey was conducted with the objective of identifying the important criteria for adoption in the selection process. In this work, a fuzzy set based model was developed for contractor prequalification/evaluation, by using effective criteria obtained from the percept of construction professionals, taking subjective judgments of decision makers also into consideration. A case study consisting of four alternatives (contractors in the present case) solicited from a public works department of Pondicherry in India, is used to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. The final selection of contractor is made based on the integrated score or Overall Evaluation Score of the decision alternative in prequalification as well as bid evaluation stages.

Can Measured Synergy Excitations Accurately Construct Unmeasured Muscle Excitations?

Science.gov (United States)

Bianco, Nicholas A; Patten, Carolynn; Fregly, Benjamin J

2018-01-01

Accurate prediction of muscle and joint contact forces during human movement could improve treatment planning for disorders such as osteoarthritis, stroke, Parkinson's disease, and cerebral palsy. Recent studies suggest that muscle synergies, a low-dimensional representation of a large set of muscle electromyographic (EMG) signals (henceforth called "muscle excitations"), may reduce the redundancy of muscle excitation solutions predicted by optimization methods. This study explores the feasibility of using muscle synergy information extracted from eight muscle EMG signals (henceforth called "included" muscle excitations) to accurately construct muscle excitations from up to 16 additional EMG signals (henceforth called "excluded" muscle excitations). Using treadmill walking data collected at multiple speeds from two subjects (one healthy, one poststroke), we performed muscle synergy analysis on all possible subsets of eight included muscle excitations and evaluated how well the calculated time-varying synergy excitations could construct the remaining excluded muscle excitations (henceforth called "synergy extrapolation"). We found that some, but not all, eight-muscle subsets yielded synergy excitations that achieved >90% extrapolation variance accounted for (VAF). Using the top 10% of subsets, we developed muscle selection heuristics to identify included muscle combinations whose synergy excitations achieved high extrapolation accuracy. For 3, 4, and 5 synergies, these heuristics yielded extrapolation VAF values approximately 5% lower than corresponding reconstruction VAF values for each associated eight-muscle subset. These results suggest that synergy excitations obtained from experimentally measured muscle excitations can accurately construct unmeasured muscle excitations, which could help limit muscle excitations predicted by muscle force optimizations.

design, construction and measured performance of a single-stage

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2012-11-03

Nov 3, 2012 ... Abstract. The design philosophy, construction and measured performances of a single stage, single entry centrifugal pump .... the tachometer spindle to be held against a recess in the motor shaft. The constructed centrifugal ...

Work required for selective quantum measurement

Science.gov (United States)

Konishi, Eiji

2018-06-01

In quantum mechanics, we define the measuring system M in a selective measurement by two conditions. Firstly, when we define the measured system S as the system in which the non-selective measurement part acts, M is independent from the measured system S as a quantum system in the sense that any time-dependent process in the total system S  +  M is divisible into parts for S and M. Secondly, when we can separate S and M from each other without changing the unitary equivalence class of the state of S from that obtained by the partial trace of M, the eigenstate selection in the selective measurement cannot be realized. In order for such a system M to exist, we show that in one selective measurement of an observable of a quantum system S 0 of particles in S, there exists a negative entropy transfer from M to S that can be directly transformed into an amount of Helmholtz free energy of where T is the thermodynamic temperature of the system S. Equivalently, an extra amount of work, , is required to be done by the system M.

AN ASSESSMENT OF FACTORS AFFECTING MATERIAL STOCK CONTROL PRACTICE ON SELECTED CONSTRUCTION SITES IN NIGERIA

OpenAIRE

Adafin, Johnson Kayode; Ayodele, Elijah Olusegun; Daramola, Olufemi

2011-01-01

This research examines the stock control methods utilized by construction firms on construction sites with a view to assessing the factors affecting material stock control practice by construction firms as well as determining the impact of factors affecting material stock control on building project performance. Data were collected with the aid of well-structured questionnaire administered on a number of construction professionals and technicians in some randomly selected building constructio...

Selection of nest-site habitat by interior least terns in relation to sandbar construction

Science.gov (United States)

Sherfy, Mark H.; Stucker, Jennifer H.; Buhl, Deborah A.

2012-01-01

Federally endangered interior least terns (Sternula antillarum) nest on bare or sparsely vegetated sandbars on midcontinent river systems. Loss of nesting habitat has been implicated as a cause of population declines, and managing these habitats is a major initiative in population recovery. One such initiative involves construction of mid-channel sandbars on the Missouri River, where natural sandbar habitat has declined in quantity and quality since the late 1990s. We evaluated nest-site habitat selection by least terns on constructed and natural sandbars by comparing vegetation, substrate, and debris variables at nest sites (n = 798) and random points (n = 1,113) in bare or sparsely vegetated habitats. Our logistic regression models revealed that a broader suite of habitat features was important in nest-site selection on constructed than on natural sandbars. Odds ratios for habitat variables indicated that avoidance of habitat features was the dominant nest-site selection process on both sandbar types, with nesting terns being attracted to nest-site habitat features (gravel and debris) and avoiding vegetation only on constructed sandbars, and avoiding silt and leaf litter on both sandbar types. Despite the seemingly uniform nature of these habitats, our results suggest that a complex suite of habitat features influences nest-site choice by least terns. However, nest-site selection in this social, colonially nesting species may be influenced by other factors, including spatial arrangement of bare sand habitat, proximity to other least terns, and prior habitat occupancy by piping plovers (Charadrius melodus). We found that nest-site selection was sensitive to subtle variation in habitat features, suggesting that rigor in maintaining habitat condition will be necessary in managing sandbars for the benefit of least terns. Further, management strategies that reduce habitat features that are avoided by least terns may be the most beneficial to nesting least terns.

Construction of PAH-degrading mixed microbial consortia by induced selection in soil.

Science.gov (United States)

Zafra, German; Absalón, Ángel E; Anducho-Reyes, Miguel Ángel; Fernandez, Francisco J; Cortés-Espinosa, Diana V

2017-04-01

Bioremediation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)-contaminated soils through the biostimulation and bioaugmentation processes can be a strategy for the clean-up of oil spills and environmental accidents. In this work, an induced microbial selection method using PAH-polluted soils was successfully used to construct two microbial consortia exhibiting high degradation levels of low and high molecular weight PAHs. Six fungal and seven bacterial native strains were used to construct mixed consortia with the ability to tolerate high amounts of phenanthrene (Phe), pyrene (Pyr) and benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) and utilize these compounds as a sole carbon source. In addition, we used two engineered PAH-degrading fungal strains producing heterologous ligninolytic enzymes. After a previous selection using microbial antagonism tests, the selection was performed in microcosm systems and monitored using PCR-DGGE, CO 2 evolution and PAH quantitation. The resulting consortia (i.e., C1 and C2) were able to degrade up to 92% of Phe, 64% of Pyr and 65% of BaP out of 1000 mg kg -1 of a mixture of Phe, Pyr and BaP (1:1:1) after a two-week incubation. The results indicate that constructed microbial consortia have high potential for soil bioremediation by bioaugmentation and biostimulation and may be effective for the treatment of sites polluted with PAHs due to their elevated tolerance to aromatic compounds, their capacity to utilize them as energy source. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Construction of Models for Nondestructive Prediction of Ingredient Contents in Blueberries by Near-infrared Spectroscopy Based on HPLC Measurements.

Science.gov (United States)

Bai, Wenming; Yoshimura, Norio; Takayanagi, Masao; Che, Jingai; Horiuchi, Naomi; Ogiwara, Isao

2016-06-28

Nondestructive prediction of ingredient contents of farm products is useful to ship and sell the products with guaranteed qualities. Here, near-infrared spectroscopy is used to predict nondestructively total sugar, total organic acid, and total anthocyanin content in each blueberry. The technique is expected to enable the selection of only delicious blueberries from all harvested ones. The near-infrared absorption spectra of blueberries are measured with the diffuse reflectance mode at the positions not on the calyx. The ingredient contents of a blueberry determined by high-performance liquid chromatography are used to construct models to predict the ingredient contents from observed spectra. Partial least squares regression is used for the construction of the models. It is necessary to properly select the pretreatments for the observed spectra and the wavelength regions of the spectra used for analyses. Validations are necessary for the constructed models to confirm that the ingredient contents are predicted with practical accuracies. Here we present a protocol to construct and validate the models for nondestructive prediction of ingredient contents in blueberries by near-infrared spectroscopy.

Design and construction of safety devices utilizing methods of measurement and control engineering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Greiner, B; Weidlich, S

1982-08-01

This article considers a proposed concept for the design and construction of measurement and control devices for the safety of chemical plants with the aim of preventing danger to persons and the environment and damage. Such measurement and control devices are generally employed when primary measures adopted for plant safety, such as safety valves, collection vessels, etc. are not applicable or insufficient by themselves. The concept regards the new sheet no. 3 of the VDI/VDE code draft 2180 ''Safety of chemical engineering plant'' and proposes a further subdivision of class A into safety classes A0, A1, and A2. Overall, it is possible, on the basis of the measures for raising the availability of measurement and control equipment which are presented in this article, to make selection appropriate to the potential danger involved. The proposed procedure should not, however, be regarded as a rigid scheme but rather as leading to a systematic view and supporting decisions resting on sound operating experience.

Energy-saving measures in multi-storage housing construction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Мария Дмитриевна Коровина

2017-05-01

Full Text Available In this article the main directions of energy saving in multi-storey housing construction and methods for increasing energy efficiency are considered. The main problems of implementing energy-saving measures were touched; the need for their analysis during the development of each construction project with a view to choosing the most effective complex from the energy, economic, ecological and social points of view was justified. It is noted that such an approach can become an important factor of saving energy in the sphere of housing construction and reducing the energy intensity of the entire Russian economy.

Internet Gaming Disorder as a formative construct: Implications for conceptualization and measurement.

Science.gov (United States)

van Rooij, Antonius J; Van Looy, Jan; Billieux, Joël

2017-07-01

Some people have serious problems controlling their Internet and video game use. The DSM-5 now includes a proposal for 'Internet Gaming Disorder' (IGD) as a condition in need of further study. Various studies aim to validate the proposed diagnostic criteria for IGD and multiple new scales have been introduced that cover the suggested criteria. Using a structured approach, we demonstrate that IGD might be better interpreted as a formative construct, as opposed to the current practice of conceptualizing it as a reflective construct. Incorrectly approaching a formative construct as a reflective one causes serious problems in scale development, including: (i) incorrect reliance on item-to-total scale correlation to exclude items and incorrectly relying on indices of inter-item reliability that do not fit the measurement model (e.g., Cronbach's α); (ii) incorrect interpretation of composite or mean scores that assume all items are equal in contributing value to a sum score; and (iii) biased estimation of model parameters in statistical models. We show that these issues are impacting current validation efforts through two recent examples. A reinterpretation of IGD as a formative construct has broad consequences for current validation efforts and provides opportunities to reanalyze existing data. We discuss three broad implications for current research: (i) composite latent constructs should be defined and used in models; (ii) item exclusion and selection should not rely on item-to-total scale correlations; and (iii) existing definitions of IGD should be enriched further. © 2016 The Authors. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences © 2016 Japanese Society of Psychiatry and Neurology.

Fuzzy decision approach for selection of most suitable construction method of Green Buildings

OpenAIRE

Sunita Bansal; Srijit Biswas; S.K. Singh

2017-01-01

A big challenge in sustainable projects is selection of appropriate construction method and is considered to be the decisive factor for its success. Many environment friendly prefabricated elements are entering into the market at an increasing pace. This has increased the workload and inquisitiveness of the stakeholders who will need information about their environmental, technical and esthetic aspects. The use of prefabrication in sustainable construction is advantageous but appropriate deci...

Measurement invariance versus selection invariance: Is fair selection possible?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Borsboom, D.; Romeijn, J.W.; Wicherts, J.M.

2008-01-01

This article shows that measurement invariance (defined in terms of an invariant measurement model in different groups) is generally inconsistent with selection invariance (defined in terms of equal sensitivity and specificity across groups). In particular, when a unidimensional measurement

Measurement invariance versus selection invariance : Is fair selection possible?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Borsboom, Denny; Romeijn, Jan-Willem; Wicherts, Jelte M.

This article shows that measurement invariance (defined in terms of an invariant measurement model in different groups) is generally inconsistent with selection invariance (defined in terms of equal sensitivity and specificity across groups). In particular, when a unidimensional measurement

Supplier Selection Proces: An Investigation and Implementation Action at Construction/Building Company

OpenAIRE

Hensmit, Andre

2008-01-01

The investigation was carried out to identify and understand the key characteristic of supplier selection that is to be considered in the real experience by Construction Company in South East Asia, especially Indonesia. The goal of this project focuses on the selection supplier process and its approaches, how the company performing the co-partnership relationship with suppliers, and as well find out the reason fro accomplishing these factors. The project involves interviewing a company in Ind...

Selection of procurement systems in the South African construction industry: An exploratory study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

W. D. Thwala

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Purpose of this paper: Procurement systems are vital in ensuring the successful implementation of construction projects precisely in all the phases of any particular project. Therefore, this paper aims to investigate in a systematic manner the factors that influence the selection of a procurement system in the South African construction industry. Research methodology: An extensive theory and literature review of procurement systems was conducted. The literature reviewed included a sample of case studies of procurement systems successfully implemented in completed building and civil engineering projects in South Africa. A questionnaire using a four-round Delphi survey method was used to conduct the empirical study in order to obtain participants' opinions about factors influencing the selection of procurement systems as well as the utility value of various procurement systems on each factor as identified. Finally, data analysis of both qualitative and quantitative techniques was performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS. Findings: After qualitative analysis, findings of the literature reviewed suggest that factors that influence the selection of procurement systems cut across all the phases of the project as identified in this paper. Therefore, these factors are categorically classified into internal and external factors. Factors from the internal environment were further classified into client characteristics and project characteristics, with client characteristics comprising of variables such as clients' level of knowledge and control, political and social consideration, familiarity of procurement systems, competition, funding arrangement, government public/private sector projects and risk allocation whereas project characteristics comprise of factors (variables such as size and technical complexity of the project, influence of the project life cycle, expedited project delivery, time, quality and price certainty. Factors

Hope and General Self-efficacy: Two Measures of the Same Construct?

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Mingming; Kam, Chester Chun Seng

2016-07-03

The aim of this study was to test the extent to which hope measure is equivalent to general self-efficacy measure. Questionnaire data on these two constructs and other external variables were collected from 199 Chinese college students. The factor analytic results suggested that hope and self-efficacy items measured the same construct. The unidimensional model combining hope items and GSE items fit the data as well as the bidimensional model, indicating that their corresponding items measured the same underlying construct. Further analyses showed that hope and GSE did not correlate with external variables differently in a systematic manner. Most of these correlational differences were non-significant and negligible. These findings suggested that the literatures studying GSE and hope could be considered to be integrated and that researchers need to recognize and acknowledge the conceptual and operational similarities among these constructs in the literature.

Management Model for Evaluation and Selection of Engineering Equipment Suppliers for Construction Projects in Iraq

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kadhim Raheem Erzaij

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Engineering equipment is essential part in the construction project and usually manufactured with long lead times, large costs and special engineering requirements. Construction manager targets that equipment to be delivered in the site need date with the right quantity, appropriate cost and required quality, and this entails an efficient supplier can satisfy these targets. Selection of engineering equipment supplier is a crucial managerial process .it requires evaluation of multiple suppliers according to multiple criteria. This process is usually performed manually and based on just limited evaluation criteria, so better alternatives may be neglected. Three stages of survey comprised number of public and private companies in Iraqi construction sector were employed to identify main criteria and sub criteria for supplier selection and their priorities.The main criteria identified were quality of product, commercial aspect, delivery, reputation and position, and system quality . An effective technique in multiple criteria decision making (MCDM as analytical hierarchy process (AHP have been used to get importance weights of criteria based on experts judgment. Thereafter, a management software system for Evaluation and Selection of Engineering Equipment Suppliers (ESEES has been developed based on the results obtained from AHP. This model was validated in a case study at municipality of Baghdad involved actual cases of selection pumps suppliers for infrastructure projects .According to experts, this model can improve the current process followed in the supplier selection and aid decision makers to adopt better choices in the domain of selection engineering equipment suppliers.

Measurements of respiratory illness among construction painters.

OpenAIRE

White, M C; Baker, E L

1988-01-01

The prevalence of different measurements of respiratory illness among construction painters was examined and the relation between respiratory illness and employment as a painter assessed in a cross sectional study of current male members of two local affiliates of a large international union of painters. Respiratory illness was measured by questionnaire and spirometry. Longer employment as a painter was associated with increased prevalence of chronic obstructive disease and an interactive eff...

An evaluation of waste control measures in construction industry in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

UFUOMA

Key words: Construction processes, waste, factors, effects, control measures. INTRODUCTION ... of construction projects, an optimum material control on site should be .... on site due to mishandling or careless delivery accounted for 20% of.

Development and empirical validation of symmetric component measures of multi-dimensional constructs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Hans Eibe; Slater, Stanley F.

2008-01-01

Atheoretical measure purification may lead to construct deficient measures. The purpose of this paper is to provide a theoretically driven procedure for the development and empirical validation of symmetric component measures of multi-dimensional constructs. We place particular emphasis on establ...

Measuring the effects of using ICT/BIM in construction projects

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lambrecht, Jan Fuglsig; Vestergaard, Flemming; Karlshøj, Jan

2016-01-01

This paper focuses on presenting part of the findings from a research project completed in the period of 2009-2013.The research project was funded by the Danish Building & Property Agency with the primary aim to identify and measure the economic effects of using ICT/BIM in construction projects....... Firstly, this paper presents a conceptual evaluation method developed in order to define and describe how case studies focusing on use of ICT/BIM in construction projects could be completed in order to measure (both quantitatively and qualitatively) the effects achieved from using ICT/BIM in construction...... projects. In this context effects are defined both as tangible and intangible effects (both economically and non-economically) directly and/or indirectly as a consequence of using ICT/BIM in a construction project. Secondly, the paper presents and analyses findings achieved from completing four case...

41 CFR 102-74.135 - Who selects construction and alteration projects that are to be performed?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... and alteration projects that are to be performed? 102-74.135 Section 102-74.135 Public Contracts and... construction and alteration projects that are to be performed? The Administrator of General Services selects construction and alteration projects to be performed. ...

Evaluating measurement of dynamic constructs: defining a measurement model of derivatives.

Science.gov (United States)

Estabrook, Ryne

2015-03-01

While measurement evaluation has been embraced as an important step in psychological research, evaluating measurement structures with longitudinal data is fraught with limitations. This article defines and tests a measurement model of derivatives (MMOD), which is designed to assess the measurement structure of latent constructs both for analyses of between-person differences and for the analysis of change. Simulation results indicate that MMOD outperforms existing models for multivariate analysis and provides equivalent fit to data generation models. Additional simulations show MMOD capable of detecting differences in between-person and within-person factor structures. Model features, applications, and future directions are discussed. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

A New Dynamic Multicriteria Decision-Making Approach for Green Supplier Selection in Construction Projects under Time Sequence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shi Yin

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Nowadays, due to the lack of natural resources and environment problems which have been appearing increasingly, green building is more and more involved in the construction industry. The evaluation and selection of green supplier are a significant part of the development of green building. In this paper, we propose a new dynamic multicriteria decision-making approach in construction projects under time sequence to deal with these problems. First, the paper establishes 4 main criteria and 17 subcriteria for green supplier selection in construction projects. Then, a method considering interaction between criteria and the influence of constructors subjective preference and objective criteria information is proposed. It uses the interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy geometric weighted Heronian means (IVIFGWHM operator and multitarget nonlinear programming model to calculate the comprehensive evaluation results of potential green suppliers. The proposed method is much easier for constructors to select green supplier and make the localization of green supplier more practical and accurate in construction projects. Finally, a case study about a green building project is given to verify practicality and effectiveness of the proposed approach.

Consequences of least tern (Sternula antillarum) microhabitat nest-site selection on natural and mechanically constructed sandbars in the Missouri River

Science.gov (United States)

Stucker, Jennifer H.; Buhl, Deborah A.; Sherfy, Mark H.

2013-01-01

Nest-habitat selection in colonial species has rarely been assessed at multiple spatial scales to evaluate its fitness consequences. Management for the federally endangered U.S. Interior population of Least Terns (Sternula antillarum) has focused on maintenance of breeding habitats, including mechanical construction of sandbars from dredged material. Least Terns are attracted to large areas of unvegetated substrate, yet small-scale habitat features are thought to trigger selection for nesting. We evaluated nest-scale habitat selection to determine (1) whether selection differs between constructed and natural sandbars and (2) the subsequent consequences of habitat selection on nest success. During 2006–2008, we examined 869 Least Tern nest sites on constructed and natural sandbars in the Missouri River for evidence of microhabitat selection at the nest in relation to habitat within the surrounding 3-m area. Least Tern nest sites had coarser and larger substrate materials at the nest, more debris, and less vegetation than the surrounding area. Nests in constructed habitats had a greater percentage of coarse substrates and less vegetation or debris than nests in naturally created habitats. Apparent nest success was 1.8× greater on constructed than on natural sandbars. Nest success was best predicted by models with two spatial scales of predictors, including substrates (nest) and vegetation and debris (nest or surrounding area). Our results indicate that Least Terns select nest microhabitat characteristics that are associated with wind- and water-scoured habitats, and that nest success increases when these habitats are selected.

The influence of construction measurement and structure storey on seismic performance of masonry structure

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Baitao; Zhao, Hexian; Yan, Peilei

2017-08-01

The damage of masonry structures in earthquakes is generally more severe than other structures. Through the analysis of two typical earthquake damage buildings in the Wenchuan earthquake in Xuankou middle school, we found that the number of storeys and the construction measures had great influence on the seismic performance of masonry structures. This paper takes a teachers’ dormitory in Xuankou middle school as an example, selected the structure arrangement and storey number as two independent variables to design working conditions. Finally we researched on the seismic performance difference of masonry structure under two variables by finite element analysis method.

Influence of Selected Stakeholders of Construction Investment Projects on the Course of Project

Science.gov (United States)

Bizon-Górecka, Jadwiga; Górecki, Jarosław

2017-10-01

The article presents an entity perspective of the construction investment projects. In a course of the project there are stakeholders who have an indirect influence (e.g. decision-makers in the selection of projects) or a direct influence (e.g. members of the project team). An intuitive opinion about a significant influence of project stakeholders on the project’s course encouraged the authors to undertake a research in this area. The article illustrates the initial phases of the construction project life cycle in a perspective of the entities and, in particular, a role of different stakeholders in making decisions that affect a course of the project. An analysis of the structure of the construction project life cycle makes a substantial involvement of various subjects in the initial phases of the project, i.e. in an initial phase and during a creation of the structures. A key point is to underline the factors of decision-making by the participants of the construction process. It was indicated that the stakeholders have a different impact on the course of the project. In large projects, which have many stakeholders, their role in the implementation of the investment project can vary, depending on the life cycle of the project. They can have positive or negative impacts on achieving the project objectives. The paper presents the results of 100 surveys made among participants of the building processes, executors of the construction projects in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian region. The study was conducted in December 2016 and January 2017. It revealed what is the impact of individual stakeholders of the construction projects on the course of the project. A special attention was paid to a complex relationship between objectives of the project and stakeholders’ goals. A great care to the smallest possible number of risks, which may arise from the different objectives of the project and its stakeholders’ goals, should be focused on the augmentation of correlation of

Construction of the Examination Stress Scale for Adolescent Students

Science.gov (United States)

Sung, Yao-Ting; Chao, Tzu-Yang

2015-01-01

The tools used for measuring examination stress have three main limitations: sample selected, sample sizes, and measurement contents. In this study, we constructed the Examination Stress Scale (ExamSS), and 4,717 high school students participated in this research. The results indicate that ExamSS has satisfactory reliability, construct validity,…

The struggle with employee engagement: Measures and construct clarification using five samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Byrne, Zinta S; Peters, Janet M; Weston, James W

2016-09-01

Among scholarly researchers, the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) is a popular scale for assessing employee or work engagement. However, challenges to the scale's validity have raised major concerns about the measurement and conceptualization of engagement as a construct. Across 4 field samples, we examined 2 measures of engagement, the UWES and the Job Engagement Scale (JES), in both factor structure and patterns of relationships with theoretically hypothesized antecedents and consequences. In a fifth field sample, we examined the construct-level relationships between engagement and related variables, while controlling for sources of measurement error (i.e., item-specific factor, scale-specific factor, random response, and transient). By examining 2 measures, each derived from different theoretical bases, we provide unique insight into the measurement and construct of engagement. Our results show that, although correlated, the JES and UWES are not interchangeable. The UWES, more so than the JES, assesses engagement with overlap from other job attitudes, requiring improvement in the measurement of engagement. We offer guidance as to when to use each measure. Furthermore, by isolating the construct versus measurement of engagement relative to burnout, commitment, stress, and psychological meaningfulness and availability, we determined (a) the engagement construct is not the same as the opposite of burnout, warranting a reevaluation of the opposite-of-burnout conceptualization of engagement; and (b) psychological meaningfulness and engagement are highly correlated and likely reciprocally related, necessitating a modification to the self-role-expression conceptualization of engagement. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Construction and Selection of Affilin® Phage Display Libraries.

Science.gov (United States)

Settele, Florian; Zwarg, Madlen; Fiedler, Sebastian; Koscheinz, Daniel; Bosse-Doenecke, Eva

2018-01-01

Affilin ® molecules represent a new class of so-called scaffold proteins. The concept of scaffold proteins is to use stable and versatile protein structures which can be endowed with de novo binding properties and specificities by introducing mutations in surface exposed amino acid residues. Complex variations and combinations are generated by genetic methods of randomization resulting in large cDNA libraries. The selection for candidates binding to a desired target can be executed by display methods, especially the very robust and flexible phage display. Here, we describe the construction of ubiquitin based Affilin ® phage display libraries and their use in biopanning experiments for the identification of novel protein ligands.

The BETA ® nursing measure: Calibrating construct validity with ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: The BETA nursing measure has been introduced as a tool to routinely measure and monitor the outcomes of patients' activities of daily living in a restorative nursing care context. Objectives: To investigate the BETA's construct validity using the Rasch model with specific reference to the BETA's potential to be ...

Sustainable material selection for construction industry

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Govindan, Kannan; Shankar, Madan; Kannan, Devika

2016-01-01

a hybrid multi criteria decision making (MCDM) methodology with a specific examination of the UAE. The indicators collected from existing literatures were used in evaluation of sustainable construction materials with the assistance of construction sector-based respondents. The proposed framework...

Measuring single constructs by single items: Constructing an even shorter version of the "Short Five" personality inventory.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kenn Konstabel

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to construct a short, 30-item personality questionnaire that would be, in terms of content and meaning of the scores, as comparable as possible with longer, well-established inventories such as NEO PI-R and its clones. To do this, we shortened the formerly constructed 60-item "Short Five" (S5 by half so that each subscale would be represented by a single item. We compared all possibilities of selecting 30 items (preserving balanced keying within each domain of the five-factor model in terms of correlations with well-established scales, self-peer correlations, and clarity of meaning, and selected an optimal combination for each domain. The resulting shortened questionnaire, XS5, was compared to the original S5 using data from student samples in 6 different countries (Estonia, Finland, UK, Germany, Spain, and China, and a representative Finnish sample. The correlations between XS5 domain scales and their longer counterparts from well-established scales ranged from 0.74 to 0.84; the difference from the equivalent correlations for full version of S5 or from meta-analytic short-term dependability coefficients of NEO PI-R was not large. In terms of prediction of external criteria (emotional experience and self-reported behaviours, there were no important differences between XS5, S5, and the longer well-established scales. Controlling for acquiescence did not improve the prediction of criteria, self-peer correlations, or correlations with longer scales, but it did improve internal reliability and, in some analyses, comparability of the principal component structure. XS5 can be recommended as an economic measure of the five-factor model of personality at the level of domain scales; it has reasonable psychometric properties, fair correlations with longer well-established scales, and it can predict emotional experience and self-reported behaviours no worse than S5. When subscales are essential, we would still recommend using the

Are we really measuring what we say we're measuring? Using video techniques to supplement traditional construct validation procedures.

Science.gov (United States)

Podsakoff, Nathan P; Podsakoff, Philip M; Mackenzie, Scott B; Klinger, Ryan L

2013-01-01

Several researchers have persuasively argued that the most important evidence to consider when assessing construct validity is whether variations in the construct of interest cause corresponding variations in the measures of the focal construct. Unfortunately, the literature provides little practical guidance on how researchers can go about testing this. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to describe how researchers can use video techniques to test whether their scales measure what they purport to measure. First, we discuss how researchers can develop valid manipulations of the focal construct that they hope to measure. Next, we explain how to design a study to use this manipulation to test the validity of the scale. Finally, comparing and contrasting traditional and contemporary perspectives on validation, we discuss the advantages and limitations of video-based validation procedures. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

The Construction of the Malaysian Educators Selection Inventory (MEdSI: A Large Scale Assessment Initiative

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joharry Othman

2008-06-01

Full Text Available The crucial role that teachers and schools play in the development of a nation’s human resource is undeniable. In Malaysia, teaching has always been perceived as a financially secure and relatively easy job by many, resulting in mass application for entry into teacher education programmes. Many of those who aspire and opto to go into the teaching profession however do so regardless of their personal interests, potential, and values. Pursuing a program that does not fit a person’s personality and interest – despite initially having good academic credentials and excellent co-curricular involvement in school – may result in unsatisfactory academic performance, frustration, change of program and even withdrawal at college level. Hence, in the quest for selecting suitable teacher trainee candidates, a psychometrically sound instrument known as the Malaysian Educators Selection Inventory (MEdSI was developed as a screening measure to filter the large number of teacher hopefuls. This paper specifically describes the theoretical basis and the constructs of the instrument developed.

Measuring Instrument Constructs of Return Factors for Green Office Building Investments Variables Using Rasch Measurement Model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Isa Mona

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This paper is a preliminary study on rationalising green office building investments in Malaysia. The aim of this paper is attempt to introduce the application of Rasch measurement model analysis to determine the validity and reliability of each construct in the questionnaire. In achieving this objective, a questionnaire survey was developed consists of 6 sections and a total of 106 responses were received from various investors who own and lease office buildings in Kuala Lumpur. The Rasch Measurement analysis is used to measure the quality control of item constructs in the instrument by measuring the specific objectivity within the same dimension, to reduce ambiguous measures, and a realistic estimation of precision and implicit quality. The Rasch analysis consists of the summary statistics, item unidimensionality and item measures. A result shows the items and respondent (person reliability is at 0.91 and 0.95 respectively.

Principles in selecting human capital measurements and metrics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pharny D. Chrysler-Fox

2014-09-01

Research purpose: The study explored principles in selecting human capital measurements,drawing on the views and recommendations of human resource management professionals,all experts in human capital measurement. Motivation for the study: The motivation was to advance the understanding of selectingappropriate and strategic valid measurements, in order for human resource practitioners tocontribute to creating value and driving strategic change. Research design, approach and method: A qualitative approach, with purposively selectedcases from a selected panel of human capital measurement experts, generated a datasetthrough unstructured interviews, which were analysed thematically. Main findings: Nineteen themes were found. They represent a process that considers thecentrality of the business strategy and a systemic integration across multiple value chains inthe organisation through business partnering, in order to select measurements and generatemanagement level-appropriate information. Practical/managerial implications: Measurement practitioners, in partnership withmanagement from other functions, should integrate the business strategy across multiplevalue chains in order to select measurements. Analytics becomes critical in discoveringrelationships and formulating hypotheses to understand value creation. Higher educationinstitutions should produce graduates able to deal with systems thinking and to operatewithin complexity. Contribution: This study identified principles to select measurements and metrics. Noticeableis the move away from the interrelated scorecard perspectives to a systemic view of theorganisation in order to understand value creation. In addition, the findings may help toposition the human resource management function as a strategic asset.

The construction of marketing measures: the case of viewability

OpenAIRE

Cluley, Robert

2018-01-01

This study seeks to develop a critical understanding of marketing measures. Marketing measures inform a variety of marketing practices and have been subject to ethical, discursive and epistemological critique. Informed by a range of theoretical work, this study sheds light on the construction of a key marketing measure in digital advertising: viewability. It shows how a range of competing interests can be mobilized and aligned; how an object of interest can be stabilized; and how standards fo...

Integrated Supplier Selection Framework in a Resilient Construction Supply Chain: An Approach via Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP and Grey Relational Analysis (GRA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ting-Kwei Wang

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Construction supply chain management is a unique and problematic issue within the construction industry due to its inevitable external risks and variations. The resilience capability of a supplier is of significance in supplier selection; a supplier selected in the context of a resilient construction supply chain (RCSC is referred to in this research as a “resilient construction supplier”. This paper proposes a supplier selection framework tailored to effective information integration for supply chain management. The proposed framework works by integrating building information modeling (BIM and a geographic information system (GIS in a RCSC. BIM and GIS together provide highly transparent construction material information, enhanced supply chain status visualization, and workable access information for supplier selection. Supplier performance is evaluated via seventeen resilient criteria under a combined methodology consisting of the analytic hierarchy process (AHP and grey relational analysis (GRA; AHP and GRA weigh the criteria and rank the suppliers respectively. By varying the weightings given to each criterion, sensitivity analysis was conducted to identify the criteria of resilience which impact the selection priorities of suppliers. An illustrative example is also provided to show the overall process of the proposed framework.

Construct validity in Operations Management by using Rasch Measurement Theory. The case of the construct “motivation to implement continuous improvement"

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lidia Sanchez-Ruiz

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Construct design and validation is a common practise in the Operations Management field. In this sense, the aim of this study is to present Rasch Measurement Theory (RMT as richful and useful methodology in order to validate constructs. In order to do so, the measurement controversy in the social science is presented; then, RMT is explained as a solution for this measurement issue; after that, the different applications of RMT are described and, finally, the different stages of the validation process are presented. Thus, this work aims to serve as a guide for those researchers interested in the methodology. Therefore, a specific case is included: the validation of the construct “motivation to implement continuous improvement”.

Measuring single constructs by single items: Constructing an even shorter version of the “Short Five” personality inventory

Science.gov (United States)

Konstabel, Kenn; Lönnqvist, Jan-Erik; Leikas, Sointu; García Velázquez, Regina; Qin, Hiaying; Verkasalo, Markku; Walkowitz, Gari

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to construct a short, 30-item personality questionnaire that would be, in terms of content and meaning of the scores, as comparable as possible with longer, well-established inventories such as NEO PI-R and its clones. To do this, we shortened the formerly constructed 60-item “Short Five” (S5) by half so that each subscale would be represented by a single item. We compared all possibilities of selecting 30 items (preserving balanced keying within each domain of the five-factor model) in terms of correlations with well-established scales, self-peer correlations, and clarity of meaning, and selected an optimal combination for each domain. The resulting shortened questionnaire, XS5, was compared to the original S5 using data from student samples in 6 different countries (Estonia, Finland, UK, Germany, Spain, and China), and a representative Finnish sample. The correlations between XS5 domain scales and their longer counterparts from well-established scales ranged from 0.74 to 0.84; the difference from the equivalent correlations for full version of S5 or from meta-analytic short-term dependability coefficients of NEO PI-R was not large. In terms of prediction of external criteria (emotional experience and self-reported behaviours), there were no important differences between XS5, S5, and the longer well-established scales. Controlling for acquiescence did not improve the prediction of criteria, self-peer correlations, or correlations with longer scales, but it did improve internal reliability and, in some analyses, comparability of the principal component structure. XS5 can be recommended as an economic measure of the five-factor model of personality at the level of domain scales; it has reasonable psychometric properties, fair correlations with longer well-established scales, and it can predict emotional experience and self-reported behaviours no worse than S5. When subscales are essential, we would still recommend using the full version

Selection Process for New Windows | Efficient Windows Collaborative

Science.gov (United States)

Foundry Foundry New Construction Windows Window Selection Tool Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Replacement Windows Window Selection Tool Assessing Options Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Understanding Windows Benefits Design Considerations Measuring Performance Performance Standards

Selection Process for Replacement Windows | Efficient Windows Collaborative

Science.gov (United States)

Foundry Foundry New Construction Windows Window Selection Tool Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Replacement Windows Window Selection Tool Assessing Options Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Understanding Windows Benefits Design Considerations Measuring Performance Performance Standards

Asian American Acculturation and Enculturation: Construct Clarification and Measurement Consolidation

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Shengying; Moradi, Bonnie

2013-01-01

An overview of the evolution of Asian American acculturation and enculturation theory and measurement is offered, focusing on major theoretical advancements and methodological issues that are salient for measuring these constructs. Informed by these considerations, an empirical approach is taken to clarifying the dimensions of Asian American…

The method of selecting an integrated development territory for the high-rise unique constructions

Science.gov (United States)

Sheina, Svetlana; Shevtsova, Elina; Sukhinin, Alexander; Priss, Elena

2018-03-01

On the basis of data provided by the Department of architecture and urban planning of the city of Rostov-on-don, the problem of the choice of the territory for complex development that will be in priority for the construction of high-rise and unique buildings is solved. The objective of the study was the development of a methodology for selection of the area and the implementation of the proposed method on the example of evaluation of four-territories complex development. The developed method along with standard indicators of complex evaluation considers additional indicators that assess the territory from the position of high-rise unique building. The final result of the study is the rankings of the functional priority areas that takes into account the construction of both residential and public and business objects of unique high-rise construction. The use of the developed methodology will allow investors and customers to assess the investment attractiveness of the future unique construction project on the proposed site.

The construction strategy and measures for ecological analysis of China's ports

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Lu; Zhao, Junjie; Shou, Youping; Wang, Ning; Qiao, Jianzhe; Tian, Mingjing

2018-04-01

The Port is an important transport hub, one of the important infrastructure of the national economy, the corresponding regional development has a great role in promoting.The construction of the port has been developed rapidly, but it has also brought about more serious environmental problems. Therefore, this paper discusses the nature of ecological ports, summarized the experience of ecological protection measures on the international advanced ports and port construction ecology. The central idea is to explore the construction of ecological port ideas and development countermeasures.

Measure Guideline: Energy-Efficient Window Performance and Selection

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carmody, J.; Haglund, K.

2012-11-01

This document provides guidelines for the selection of energy-efficient windows in new and existing residential construction in all US climate zones. It includes information on window products, their attributes and performance. It provides cost/benefit information on window energy savings as well as information on non-energy benefits such as thermal comfort and reduced HVAC demands. The document also provides information on energy impacts of design decisions such as window orientation, total glazing area and shading devices and conditions. Information on resources for proper window installation is included as well. This document is for builders, homeowners, designers and anyone making decisions about selecting energy efficient window. It is intended to complement other Building America information and efforts.

Measurement plan and observational construction program on drift excavation at the Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamasaki, Masanao; Yamaguchi, Takehiro; Funaki, Hironori; Fujikawa, Daisuke; Tsusaka, Kimikazu

2008-09-01

The Horonobe URL Project is being pursued by the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) to enhance the reliability of relevant disposal technologies through investigations of the deep geological environment within the host sedimentary formations at Horonobe, northern Hokkaido. The project consists of two major research areas, 'Geoscientific Research' and 'R and D' on Geological Disposal', and proceeds in three overlapping phases, 'Phase I: Surface-based investigation', 'Phase II: Construction' and 'Phase III: Operation', over a period of 20 years. On the Horonobe URL Project, 'Phase 1' was finished in 2005FY and construction of the underground facility was started since then. Now, 'Phase 2' (investigations during construction of the underground facilities) is on-going. On the 'Development of engineering techniques for use in the deep underground environment' in Phase 1, based on the various types of data acquired on investigations from the surface, the design of underground facility in advance was planned. At the inception of the Phase II investigations, an investigation report titled 'Measurement Plan and Observational Construction Program on Shaft Excavation at the Horonobe URL Project' (hereinafter referred to as 'Observational Construction Program') was published. The Observational Construction Program summarizes followings from the Phase I investigations: measurements for safety/reasonable construction, measurements for R and D on enhancement of shaft design/construction technology, and measurements for verification of the deep geological environment model estimated before shaft excavation, and it is on-going. This report summarizes the measurement plan during construction of drifts based on the design in advance and the observational construction program for feedback measurements data into design and construction on subsequent steps. This report also describes about design and construction management program of underground facility and R and D program on

Design, construction, and characterization of high-performance membrane fusion devices with target-selectivity.

Science.gov (United States)

Kashiwada, Ayumi; Yamane, Iori; Tsuboi, Mana; Ando, Shun; Matsuda, Kiyomi

2012-01-31

Membrane fusion proteins such as the hemagglutinin glycoprotein have target recognition and fusion accelerative domains, where some synergistically working elements are essential for target-selective and highly effective native membrane fusion systems. In this work, novel membrane fusion devices bearing such domains were designed and constructed. We selected a phenylboronic acid derivative as a recognition domain for a sugar-like target and a transmembrane-peptide (Leu-Ala sequence) domain interacting with the target membrane, forming a stable hydrophobic α-helix and accelerating the fusion process. Artificial membrane fusion behavior between the synthetic devices in which pilot and target liposomes were incorporated was characterized by lipid-mixing and inner-leaflet lipid-mixing assays. Consequently, the devices bearing both the recognition and transmembrane domains brought about a remarkable increase in the initial rate for the membrane fusion compared with the devices containing the recognition domain alone. In addition, a weakly acidic pH-responsive device was also constructed by replacing three Leu residues in the transmembrane-peptide domain by Glu residues. The presence of Glu residues made the acidic pH-dependent hydrophobic α-helix formation possible as expected. The target-selective liposome-liposome fusion was accelerated in a weakly acidic pH range when the Glu-substituted device was incorporated in pilot liposomes. The use of this pH-responsive device seems to be a potential strategy for novel applications in a liposome-based delivery system. © 2011 American Chemical Society

Management of metrology in measuring of the displacement of building construction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jiří Kratochvíl

2007-06-01

Full Text Available The metrology management of the measurement of the displacement of building construction is not regulated in the standard ČSN ISO 73 0405 - Measurement of the displacement of building construction. But the metrology management has to be included in the project of measurement of the displacement (Stage of project. Then we have to pay an attention to the metrological management during this measurement (Stage of realization and during the evaluation of this measurement (Stage of evaluation. We have to insist on the subsequent improving of metrology management within the frame of the next project (so-called feedback. The metrology management in the measurement of the displacement during the stages should be based on an application of statutory instruments and technical standards. We should insist especially on the system of standards for the quality control ISO 9000. Considering specialities of geodetic measurements it is necessary to adapt the metrology management. That is why it will differ from the metrology management in other fields of knowledge. This paper includes some steps of metrological provision which must not be ignored.

Blind Measurement Selection: A Random Matrix Theory Approach

KAUST Repository

Elkhalil, Khalil

2016-12-14

This paper considers the problem of selecting a set of $k$ measurements from $n$ available sensor observations. The selected measurements should minimize a certain error function assessing the error in estimating a certain $m$ dimensional parameter vector. The exhaustive search inspecting each of the $n\\\\choose k$ possible choices would require a very high computational complexity and as such is not practical for large $n$ and $k$. Alternative methods with low complexity have recently been investigated but their main drawbacks are that 1) they require perfect knowledge of the measurement matrix and 2) they need to be applied at the pace of change of the measurement matrix. To overcome these issues, we consider the asymptotic regime in which $k$, $n$ and $m$ grow large at the same pace. Tools from random matrix theory are then used to approximate in closed-form the most important error measures that are commonly used. The asymptotic approximations are then leveraged to select properly $k$ measurements exhibiting low values for the asymptotic error measures. Two heuristic algorithms are proposed: the first one merely consists in applying the convex optimization artifice to the asymptotic error measure. The second algorithm is a low-complexity greedy algorithm that attempts to look for a sufficiently good solution for the original minimization problem. The greedy algorithm can be applied to both the exact and the asymptotic error measures and can be thus implemented in blind and channel-aware fashions. We present two potential applications where the proposed algorithms can be used, namely antenna selection for uplink transmissions in large scale multi-user systems and sensor selection for wireless sensor networks. Numerical results are also presented and sustain the efficiency of the proposed blind methods in reaching the performances of channel-aware algorithms.

The method of selecting an integrated development territory for the high-rise unique constructions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sheina Svetlana

2018-01-01

Full Text Available On the basis of data provided by the Department of architecture and urban planning of the city of Rostov-on-don, the problem of the choice of the territory for complex development that will be in priority for the construction of high-rise and unique buildings is solved. The objective of the study was the development of a methodology for selection of the area and the implementation of the proposed method on the example of evaluation of four-territories complex development. The developed method along with standard indicators of complex evaluation considers additional indicators that assess the territory from the position of high-rise unique building. The final result of the study is the rankings of the functional priority areas that takes into account the construction of both residential and public and business objects of unique high-rise construction. The use of the developed methodology will allow investors and customers to assess the investment attractiveness of the future unique construction project on the proposed site.

Constructing Proxy Variables to Measure Adult Learners' Time Management Strategies in LMS

Science.gov (United States)

Jo, Il-Hyun; Kim, Dongho; Yoon, Meehyun

2015-01-01

This study describes the process of constructing proxy variables from recorded log data within a Learning Management System (LMS), which represents adult learners' time management strategies in an online course. Based on previous research, three variables of total login time, login frequency, and regularity of login interval were selected as…

Measurements required to construct the Shiva laser fusion facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rien, H.J.

1979-01-01

The construction of a large laser fusion system involves all aspects of metrology. This report covers some of the technical problems encountered and how the science of weights and measures was used to identify and solve them. The techniques used range from very simple and inexpensive handheld equipment to sophisticated scientific apparatus costing thousands of dollars. The success of the 30 trillion watt Shiva laser system would not have been possible without reliable and accurate measurements

Covariance-Based Measurement Selection Criterion for Gaussian-Based Algorithms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fernando A. Auat Cheein

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Process modeling by means of Gaussian-based algorithms often suffers from redundant information which usually increases the estimation computational complexity without significantly improving the estimation performance. In this article, a non-arbitrary measurement selection criterion for Gaussian-based algorithms is proposed. The measurement selection criterion is based on the determination of the most significant measurement from both an estimation convergence perspective and the covariance matrix associated with the measurement. The selection criterion is independent from the nature of the measured variable. This criterion is used in conjunction with three Gaussian-based algorithms: the EIF (Extended Information Filter, the EKF (Extended Kalman Filter and the UKF (Unscented Kalman Filter. Nevertheless, the measurement selection criterion shown herein can also be applied to other Gaussian-based algorithms. Although this work is focused on environment modeling, the results shown herein can be applied to other Gaussian-based algorithm implementations. Mathematical descriptions and implementation results that validate the proposal are also included in this work.

Analysis of labour accidents in tunnel construction and introduction of prevention measures.

Science.gov (United States)

Kikkawa, Naotaka; Itoh, Kazuya; Hori, Tomohito; Toyosawa, Yasuo; Orense, Rolando P

2015-01-01

At present, almost all mountain tunnels in Japan are excavated and constructed utilizing the New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM), which was advocated by Prof. Rabcewicz of Austria in 1964. In Japan, this method has been applied to tunnel construction since around 1978, after which there has been a subsequent decrease in the number of casualties during tunnel construction. However, there is still a relatively high incidence of labour accidents during tunnel construction when compared to incidence rates in the construction industry in general. During tunnel construction, rock fall events at the cutting face are a particularly characteristic of the type of accident that occurs. In this study, we analysed labour accidents that possess the characteristics of a rock fall event at a work site. We also introduced accident prevention measures against rock fall events.

Measurements of respiratory illness among construction painters.

Science.gov (United States)

White, M C; Baker, E L

1988-08-01

The prevalence of different measurements of respiratory illness among construction painters was examined and the relation between respiratory illness and employment as a painter assessed in a cross sectional study of current male members of two local affiliates of a large international union of painters. Respiratory illness was measured by questionnaire and spirometry. Longer employment as a painter was associated with increased prevalence of chronic obstructive disease and an interactive effect was observed for smoking and duration of employment as a painter. Multiple regression analysis showed a significant association between years worked as a painter and a decrement in FEV1 equal to about 11 ml for each year worked. This association was larger among painters who had smoked. The prevalence of chronic bronchitis was significantly associated with increased use of spray application methods.

Handbook for the design, selection, and construction of a rock cover for retired uranium-mill tailings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parker, G.B.

1982-09-01

As part of a Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) study to assess the long-term protection of retired uranium mill tailings, the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) is developing a Handbook to guide the design, selection, and construction of a rock cover (riprap) for decommissioned and reclaimed uranium-mill tailings. The rock cover is designed for long-term protection of mill tailings from wind and water erosion. The purpose of the Handbook is twofold. First, it can be used as a manual by the uranium mill operators for designing, selecting, and constructing a rock cover. Second, the Handbook can be used as a guide to help the NRC evaluate the decommissioning and reclamation plans submitted to them by mill operators. Although the Handbook is not site-specific, it is structured to allow the design of a rock cover for any NRC-licensed tailings impoundment

Benchmarking the Performance of Construction Procurement Methods against Selection Criteria in Nigeria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stephen Okunlola Ojo

2009-01-01

Full Text Available The study developed performance indices by the widely used procurement options in Nigeria on selection criteria. The traditional mean and standardized ratio were used to form the utility coefficients. Results revealed that performance by the procurement options depended on the respondents’ categorization and cost categorization of projects. Public clients ranked the lump sum contracts more able to achieve speed for projects up to N100 million (Naira while the private clients believe it is the design-build. As regards quality, public clients rated the Build-Own-Operate-Transfer (BOOT system as most able to achieve the quality criterion whereas private clients rated design-build for projects up to N100 million (Naira. The study then concluded that, in the Nigerian construction industry participants do not agree on the performance of the procurement options on selection criteria.

Analysis of labour accidents in tunnel construction and introduction of prevention measures

Science.gov (United States)

KIKKAWA, Naotaka; ITOH, Kazuya; HORI, Tomohito; TOYOSAWA, Yasuo; ORENSE, Rolando P.

2015-01-01

At present, almost all mountain tunnels in Japan are excavated and constructed utilizing the New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM), which was advocated by Prof. Rabcewicz of Austria in 1964. In Japan, this method has been applied to tunnel construction since around 1978, after which there has been a subsequent decrease in the number of casualties during tunnel construction. However, there is still a relatively high incidence of labour accidents during tunnel construction when compared to incidence rates in the construction industry in general. During tunnel construction, rock fall events at the cutting face are a particularly characteristic of the type of accident that occurs. In this study, we analysed labour accidents that possess the characteristics of a rock fall event at a work site. We also introduced accident prevention measures against rock fall events. PMID:26027707

A preliminary study to assess the construct validity of a cultural intelligence measure on a South African sample

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bright Mahembe

2014-09-01

Research purpose: The purpose of the current study was to assess the construct validity of the CQS on a South African sample. The results of the psychometric assessment offer some important insights into the factor structure of the cultural intelligence construct. Motivation for the study: The current study sought to provide some practical validity confirmation of the CQS for the effective management of cultural diversity in the South African context. Research approach, design and method: The CQS was administered on a non-probability sample of 229 young adults in South Africa. Item analysis was performed to ascertain reliability. Exploratory factor analysis was used to test the unidimensionality of CQS subscales. The first-order and second-order factor structures underlying contemporary models of cultural intelligence were tested using confirmatory factor analysis. Main findings: Results indicated that the CQS is a reliable and valid measure of cultural intelligence as evidenced by the high internal consistency coefficients in all the subscales. Good construct validity for both the first-order and second-order models was obtained via confirmatory factor analysis. Practical/managerial implications: The study finds good measurement properties of the CQS in a South African context. The CQS can be confidently used for applications such as selecting, training and developing a more culturally competent workforce. Contribution: The study extends the body of knowledge on the reliability and construct validity of the CQS in the South African milieu. It further indicates that cultural intelligence can be represented by a general cultural intelligence factor that drives more specific dimensions of cultural intelligence.

Construction of multiple linear regression models using blood biomarkers for selecting against abdominal fat traits in broilers.

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, J Q; Zhang, X Y; Wang, S Z; Jiang, X F; Zhang, K; Ma, G W; Wu, M Q; Li, H; Zhang, H

2018-01-01

Plasma very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) can be used to select for low body fat or abdominal fat (AF) in broilers, but its correlation with AF is limited. We investigated whether any other biochemical indicator can be used in combination with VLDL for a better selective effect. Nineteen plasma biochemical indicators were measured in male chickens from the Northeast Agricultural University broiler lines divergently selected for AF content (NEAUHLF) in the fed state at 46 and 48 d of age. The average concentration of every parameter for the 2 d was used for statistical analysis. Levels of these 19 plasma biochemical parameters were compared between the lean and fat lines. The phenotypic correlations between these plasma biochemical indicators and AF traits were analyzed. Then, multiple linear regression models were constructed to select the best model used for selecting against AF content. and the heritabilities of plasma indicators contained in the best models were estimated. The results showed that 11 plasma biochemical indicators (triglycerides, total bile acid, total protein, globulin, albumin/globulin, aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, uric acid, creatinine, and VLDL) differed significantly between the lean and fat lines (P linear regression models based on albumin/globulin, VLDL, triglycerides, globulin, total bile acid, and uric acid, had higher R2 (0.73) than the model based only on VLDL (0.21). The plasma parameters included in the best models had moderate heritability estimates (0.21 ≤ h2 ≤ 0.43). These results indicate that these multiple linear regression models can be used to select for lean broiler chickens. © 2017 Poultry Science Association Inc.

Differential evolution algorithm-based kernel parameter selection for Fukunaga-Koontz Transform subspaces construction

Science.gov (United States)

Binol, Hamidullah; Bal, Abdullah; Cukur, Huseyin

2015-10-01

The performance of the kernel based techniques depends on the selection of kernel parameters. That's why; suitable parameter selection is an important problem for many kernel based techniques. This article presents a novel technique to learn the kernel parameters in kernel Fukunaga-Koontz Transform based (KFKT) classifier. The proposed approach determines the appropriate values of kernel parameters through optimizing an objective function constructed based on discrimination ability of KFKT. For this purpose we have utilized differential evolution algorithm (DEA). The new technique overcomes some disadvantages such as high time consumption existing in the traditional cross-validation method, and it can be utilized in any type of data. The experiments for target detection applications on the hyperspectral images verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.

SELECTION OF PROJECT MANAGERS IN CONSTRUCTION FIRMS USING ANALYTIC HIERARCHY PROCESS (AHP AND FUZZY TOPSIS: A CASE STUDY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fatemeh Torfi

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Selecting a project manager is a major decision for every construction company. Traditionally, a project manager is selected by interviewing applicants and evaluating their capabilities by considering the special requirements of the project. The interviews are usually conducted by senior managers, and the selection of the best candidate depends on their opinions. Thus, the results may not be completely reliable. Moreover, conducting interviews for a large group of candidates is time-consuming. Thus, there is a need for computational models that can be used to select the most suitable applicant, given the project specifications and the applicants’ details. In this paper, a case study is performed in which a Fuzzy Multiple Criteria Decision Making (FMCDM model is used to select the best candidate for the post of project manager in a large construction firm. First, with the opinions of the senior managers, all the criteria and sub-criteria required for the selection are gathered, and the criteria priorities are qualitatively specified. Then, the applicants are ranked using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP, approximate weights of the criteria, and fuzzy technique for order performance by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS. The results of the case study are shown to be satisfactory.

Selecting, engineering and constructing drilling sites at the Geysers geothermal field. Geysers chinetsu ryoiki ni okeru kussaku shikichi no sentei engineering kochiku

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1993-04-01

This paper describes some examples of selection, engineering and construction of drilling sites at the Geysers geothermal field in the northern district of California State. Steep landform, thin-layered soil and violent rainfall create unstable conditions bringing about numerous landslide in the field. Selection of a well drilling site appropriate in such conditions is started by analyzing the aerial photographs by technical staff. After site selection, prospecting and soil test are conducted and a working plan in the well site is decided to prepare engineering drawings. In the construction, land preparation, the open-cutting of base-line trench, etc. are carried out. The base-line trench is a large and sufficiently deep one which is open-cut to the front end or the middle of the bottom part of the well plateau. The final construction work is to build a leading casing for interpolating cementing. The well site construction in the Geysers geothermal field is done in consideration of protecting human life, health and properties. 1 fig.

Selected Laws Relating to the Construction and Repair of Public School Facilities in North Carolina.

Science.gov (United States)

North Carolina State Dept. of Public Instruction, Raleigh.

Schools in North Carolina are governed by numerous laws pertaining to construction and repair. A selection of these laws is presented. Financial concerns constitute the bulk of these statutes, covering areas such as bids (financial outlay, advertisement, rejecting bids, and withdrawing bids); sources of state funds; the selling or buying of school…

Personal selling constructs and measures: Emic versus etic approaches to cross-national research

NARCIS (Netherlands)

J. Herché (Joel); M.J. Swenson (Michael); W.J.M.I. Verbeke (Willem)

1996-01-01

textabstractEvaluates transportability of personal selling measures across cultural boundaries. Concept of measurement development; Emic and etic approaches to developing measures for cross-cultural applications; Cross-national dimensionality, reliability and construct validity of adaptive selling

Design and construction of cavity frequency measurement and tuning systems of traveling wave electron linear accelerator

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S Ahmadiannamin

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The main purpose for designing and constructing electroradio frequency linear accelerators is to reach better beam quality with higher power and energy by lower RF power consumption. The main step for this purpose is doing research and development in the area of designing, constructing, measuring and tuning of accelerator RF cavities. Institute for Research in Fundamental Sciences (IPM linear accelerator projecta is the first Iranian project for construction of electrolinear accelerator. In this paper, a brief introduction to construction procedure has been given. Then, the measurement and tuning of a disk-loaded periodic structure before and after tuning was reported. In addition, the detailed design and measurement setup for electric field measurement by perturbation method was investigated  

Measures and limits of models of fixation selection.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Niklas Wilming

Full Text Available Models of fixation selection are a central tool in the quest to understand how the human mind selects relevant information. Using this tool in the evaluation of competing claims often requires comparing different models' relative performance in predicting eye movements. However, studies use a wide variety of performance measures with markedly different properties, which makes a comparison difficult. We make three main contributions to this line of research: First we argue for a set of desirable properties, review commonly used measures, and conclude that no single measure unites all desirable properties. However the area under the ROC curve (a classification measure and the KL-divergence (a distance measure of probability distributions combine many desirable properties and allow a meaningful comparison of critical model performance. We give an analytical proof of the linearity of the ROC measure with respect to averaging over subjects and demonstrate an appropriate correction of entropy-based measures like KL-divergence for small sample sizes in the context of eye-tracking data. Second, we provide a lower bound and an upper bound of these measures, based on image-independent properties of fixation data and between subject consistency respectively. Based on these bounds it is possible to give a reference frame to judge the predictive power of a model of fixation selection. We provide open-source python code to compute the reference frame. Third, we show that the upper, between subject consistency bound holds only for models that predict averages of subject populations. Departing from this we show that incorporating subject-specific viewing behavior can generate predictions which surpass that upper bound. Taken together, these findings lay out the required information that allow a well-founded judgment of the quality of any model of fixation selection and should therefore be reported when a new model is introduced.

Design and construction of an instrument for measuring thermistor electrical characteristic

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Budiono; Yudi Herdiana

2007-01-01

In this work an instrument for measuring the electrical characteristic of thermistor has been designed and constructed. The instrument was constructed from main components i.e. a micro controller AT89C51, 3 ADC-0804, a LM35 temperature sensor and IC MAX 232. The IC MAX 232 component is used to connect the micro controller to the personal computer serially by using RS-232 standard. While ADC-0804 was used to convert the analog data (DC voltage) to the digital one so that the data was readable by the micro controller. Digital data from 3 ADC-0804 circuit which have been read by the micro controller was sent directly to the personal computer. The data from the measurement which have been stored in the personal computer was then processed to know the value of temperature and measured thermistor resistance. The processed data could be either stored in a data base or displayed in a monitor or printed in the form of table data and in the form a graph of thermistor resistance as the function of temperature. The result of measurement from measuring instrument of the characteristic of thermistor electric's had been made, being compared by measuring calibrated instrument, the deviation is about 0.33 %. (author)

Personal selling constructs and measures: Emic versus etic approaches to cross-national research

OpenAIRE

Herché, Joel; Swenson, Michael; Verbeke, Willem

1996-01-01

textabstractEvaluates transportability of personal selling measures across cultural boundaries. Concept of measurement development; Emic and etic approaches to developing measures for cross-cultural applications; Cross-national dimensionality, reliability and construct validity of adaptive selling (ADAPTS) and customer-oriented selling (SOCO).

CHALLENGES IN MEASURING A NEW CONSTRUCT : PERCEPTION OF VOLUNTARINESS FOR RESEARCH AND TREATMENT DECISION MAKING

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Miller, Victoria A.; Reynolds, William W.; Ittenbach, Richard F.; Luce, Mary Frances; Beauchamp, Tom L.; Nelson, Robert M.

RELIABLE AND VALID MEASURES OF RELEVANT constructs are critical in the developing field of the empirical study of research ethics. The early phases of scale development for such constructs can be complex. We describe the methodological challenges of construct definition and operationalization and

Tris(2-ethylhexyl)phosphine oxide as an effective solvent mediator for constructing a serotonin-selective membrane electrode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ueda, Keisuke; Yonemoto, Rei; Komagoe, Keiko; Masuda, Kazufumi; Hanioka, Nobumitsu; Narimatsu, Shizuo; Katsu, Takashi

2006-01-01

A series of solvent mediators containing a phosphoryl (P=O) group, such as tris(2-ethylhexyl)phosphate, bis(2-ethylhexyl) 2-ethylhexylphosphonate, 2-ethylhexyl bis(2-ethylhexyl)phosphinate, and tris(2-ethylhexyl)phosphine oxide, were used to construct serotonin-selective membrane electrodes. We found that replacing the alkoxy groups attached to phosphorus atoms in P=O groups with alkyl groups strengthened the response of the electrode to serotonin, suppressing remarkably interference from inorganic cations, such as Na + . Thus, an electrode combining tris(2-ethylhexyl)phosphine oxide with an ion-exchanger, sodium tetrakis[3,5-bis(2-methoxyhexafluoro-2-propyl)phenyl]borate, gave a detection limit of 9 x 10 -6 M with a slope of 55.2 mV per concentration decade in physiological saline containing 150 mM NaCl and 10 mM NaH 2 PO 4 /Na 2 HPO 4 (pH 7.4). This is the best detection limit of any serotonin-selective electrode developed to date. The selectivity of this electrode for serotonin was over 10 3 times that for inorganic cations, such as Na + and K + , and lipophilic quaternary ammonium ions, such as acetylcholine and (C 2 H 5 ) 4 N + . Using the electrode, we measured the amount of serotonin released from platelets and found that the results agreed well with those obtained by a conventional fluorimetric assay of serotonin

A new diagnostic accuracy measure and cut-point selection criterion.

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Tuochuan; Attwood, Kristopher; Hutson, Alan; Liu, Song; Tian, Lili

2017-12-01

Most diagnostic accuracy measures and criteria for selecting optimal cut-points are only applicable to diseases with binary or three stages. Currently, there exist two diagnostic measures for diseases with general k stages: the hypervolume under the manifold and the generalized Youden index. While hypervolume under the manifold cannot be used for cut-points selection, generalized Youden index is only defined upon correct classification rates. This paper proposes a new measure named maximum absolute determinant for diseases with k stages ([Formula: see text]). This comprehensive new measure utilizes all the available classification information and serves as a cut-points selection criterion as well. Both the geometric and probabilistic interpretations for the new measure are examined. Power and simulation studies are carried out to investigate its performance as a measure of diagnostic accuracy as well as cut-points selection criterion. A real data set from Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative is analyzed using the proposed maximum absolute determinant.

Measure Guideline. Energy-Efficient Window Performance and Selection

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carmody, John [Univ. of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN (United States). NorthernSTAR; Haglund, Kerry [Univ. of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN (United States). NorthernSTAR

2012-11-01

This document provides guidelines for the selection of energy-efficient windows in new and existing residential construction in all U.S. climate zones. It includes information on window products, their attributes and performance. It provides cost/benefit information on window energy savings as well as information on non-energy benefits such as thermal comfort and reduced HVAC demands. The report also provides information on energy impacts of design decisions such as window orientation, total glazing area and shading devices and conditions. Information on resources for proper window installation is included as well.

Constructing a Measurement in Service Quality for Indian Banks: Structural Equation Modeling Approach

OpenAIRE

Anil Kumar; Manoj Kumar Dash

2013-01-01

The aim of this paper is to construct a measure in service quality for Indian banks and establishes a causal relationship of service attributes performance with customer satisfaction. The SERVQUAL model is used. The quantification of service quality led to the attempt to construct an index. The index is constructed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) as the underlying frameworks. The analysis is based on data of 200 bank customers from the ...

A Decision Support Concept for a construction design project – selecting the type of glass façade

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Franjo Šimić

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The paper describes research into the possibility of developing a concept for supporting decisions in planning construction projects (one of the most important stages of construction project management. The focus is on supporting decisions in selecting the type of and solution for the glass façade in the main design. Materials and types of soluteons for a glass façade were analyzed and alternative solutions were obtained. The concept was developed in that it included relevant stakeholders in the decision-making process during the construction design. These stakeholders were the investor, architect, and construction contractor. The analysis was carried out and a hierarchical structure of objectives was formed as a goal tree. The criteria at the last hierarchical level were used to evaluate alternative solutions for the glass façade, and their weights were determined by all stakeholders using the AHP method (Analytic Hierarchy Process. Using PROMETHEE (Preference Ranking Method for Enrichment Evaluation, a comparison of alternative solutions for the glass façade was conducted and the alternatives were ranked according to the priorities for inclusion into the main design. The concept was tested by selecting a type of glass façade on a residential-commercial building in the city of Rijeka, Croatia.

Country Selection Model for Sustainable Construction Businesses Using Hybrid of Objective and Subjective Information

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kang-Wook Lee

2017-05-01

Full Text Available An important issue for international businesses and academia is selecting countries in which to expand in order to achieve entrepreneurial sustainability. This study develops a country selection model for sustainable construction businesses using both objective and subjective information. The objective information consists of 14 variables related to country risk and project performance in 32 countries over 25 years. This hybrid model applies subjective weighting from industrial experts to objective information using a fuzzy LinPreRa-based Analytic Hierarchy Process. The hybrid model yields a more accurate country selection compared to a purely objective information-based model in experienced countries. Interestingly, the hybrid model provides some different predictions with only subjective opinions in unexperienced countries, which implies that expert opinion is not always reliable. In addition, feedback from five experts in top international companies is used to validate the model’s completeness, effectiveness, generality, and applicability. The model is expected to aid decision makers in selecting better candidate countries that lead to sustainable business success.

Site selection of the construction of the system for the production of pasta in AP Vojvodina

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paunović Goran

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In the growing race for the market share, companies geographically position their production and office buildings according to the new business rules. In order for the company to survive in the market, it is necessary to maximize the profit, minimize the costs, maintain a good quality of the product and constantly improve it. The choice of location is one of the vital decisions in the process of building of a production system, although the selection of the location is a problem related to certain time sections in the life of a given production system, the need for research on the effect locations have is stable in time. The aim of the research is the methodological approach to the selection criteria of broader and narrower location for the construction of the production system for pastry production in Vojvodina as an area which has a rich base in raw material. The Agricultural and food industry as branches of industry have a long time tradition as well as a great potential in strengthening economic performances of the Economy of Vojvodina. Evaluation criteria and their use in the model of dimensional analysis will allow a good selection of a good location for the construction of the business systems for the production of pastry.

Item Construction Using Reflective, Formative, or Rasch Measurement Models: Implications for Group Work

Science.gov (United States)

Peterson, Christina Hamme; Gischlar, Karen L.; Peterson, N. Andrew

2017-01-01

Measures that accurately capture the phenomenon are critical to research and practice in group work. The vast majority of group-related measures were developed using the reflective measurement model rooted in classical test theory (CTT). Depending on the construct definition and the measure's purpose, the reflective model may not always be the…

Instructor Strategic Ambiguity: Delineation of the Construct and Development of a Measure

Science.gov (United States)

Klyukovski, Andrei A.; Medlock-Klyukovski, Amanda L.

2016-01-01

This article presents research to delineate the construct of instructor strategic ambiguity (ISA) and develop a measure. The first study analyzed instructor uses of ambiguity, identified 18 strategies, and classified them into four categories. The second study developed an Instructor Strategic Ambiguity Measure (ISAM) for the college classroom.…

Regulatory principles, criteria and guidelines for site selection, design, construction and operation of uranium tailings retention systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coady, J.R.; Henry, L.C.

1978-01-01

Principles, criteria and guidelines developed by the Atomic Energy Control Board for the management of uranium mill tailings are discussed. The application of these concepts is considered in relation to site selection, design and construction, operation and decommissioning of tailings retention facilities

Selection and ranking of occupational safety indicators based on fuzzy AHP: A case study in road construction companies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Janackovic, Goran Lj.

2013-11-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the factors, performance, and indicators of occupational safety, as well as a method to select and rank occupational safety indicators based on the expert evaluation method and the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (fuzzy AHP. A case study is done on road construction companies in Serbia. The key safety performance indicators for the road construction industry are identified and ranked according to the results of a survey that included experts who assessed occupational safety risks in these companies. The case study confirmed that organisational factors have a dominant effect on the quality of the occupational health and safety management system in Serbian road construction companies.

Selection of adequate site location during early stages of construction project management: A multi-criteria decision analysis approach

Science.gov (United States)

Marović, Ivan; Hanak, Tomaš

2017-10-01

In the management of construction projects special attention should be given to the planning as the most important phase of decision-making process. Quality decision-making based on adequate and comprehensive collaboration of all involved stakeholders is crucial in project’s early stages. Fundamental reasons for existence of this problem arise from: specific conditions of construction industry (final products are inseparable from the location i.e. location has a strong influence of building design and its structural characteristics as well as technology which will be used during construction), investors’ desires and attitudes, and influence of socioeconomic and environment aspects. Considering all mentioned reasons one can conclude that selection of adequate construction site location for future investment is complex, low structured and multi-criteria problem. To take into account all the dimensions, the proposed model for selection of adequate site location is devised. The model is based on AHP (for designing the decision-making hierarchy) and PROMETHEE (for pairwise comparison of investment locations) methods. As a result of mixing basis feature of both methods, operational synergies can be achieved in multi-criteria decision analysis. Such gives the decision-maker a sense of assurance, knowing that if the procedure proposed by the presented model has been followed, it will lead to a rational decision, carefully and systematically thought out.

Measuring individual work performance: identifying and selecting indicators.

Science.gov (United States)

Koopmans, Linda; Bernaards, Claire M; Hildebrandt, Vincent H; de Vet, Henrica C W; van der Beek, Allard J

2014-01-01

Theoretically, individual work performance (IWP) can be divided into four dimensions: task performance, contextual performance, adaptive performance, and counterproductive work behavior. However, there is no consensus on the indicators used to measure these dimensions. This study was designed to (1) identify indicators for each dimension, (2) select the most relevant indicators, and (3) determine the relative weight of each dimension in ratings of work performance. IWP indicators were identified from multiple research disciplines, via literature, existing questionnaires, and expert interviews. Subsequently, experts selected the most relevant indicators per dimension and scored the relative weight of each dimension in ratings of IWP. In total, 128 unique indicators were identified. Twenty-three of these indicators were selected by experts as most relevant for measuring IWP. Task performance determined 36% of the work performance rating, while the other three dimensions respectively determined 22%, 20% and 21% of the rating. Notable consensus was found on relevant indicators of IWP, reducing the number from 128 to 23 relevant indicators. This provides an important step towards the development of a standardized, generic and short measurement instrument for assessing IWP.

Development and empirical validation of symmetric component measures of multidimensional constructs: customer and competitor orientation.

Science.gov (United States)

Sørensen, Hans Eibe; Slater, Stanley F

2008-08-01

Atheoretical measure purification may lead to construct deficient measures. The purpose of this paper is to provide a theoretically driven procedure for the development and empirical validation of symmetric component measures of multidimensional constructs. Particular emphasis is placed on establishing a formalized three-step procedure for achieving a posteriori content validity. Then the procedure is applied to development and empirical validation of two symmetrical component measures of market orientation, customer orientation and competitor orientation. Analysis suggests that average variance extracted is particularly critical to reliability in the respecification of multi-indicator measures. In relation to this, the results also identify possible deficiencies in using Cronbach alpha for establishing reliable and valid measures.

Construction and applications of exon-trapping gene-targeting vectors with a novel strategy for negative selection.

Science.gov (United States)

Saito, Shinta; Ura, Kiyoe; Kodama, Miho; Adachi, Noritaka

2015-06-30

Targeted gene modification by homologous recombination provides a powerful tool for studying gene function in cells and animals. In higher eukaryotes, non-homologous integration of targeting vectors occurs several orders of magnitude more frequently than does targeted integration, making the gene-targeting technology highly inefficient. For this reason, negative-selection strategies have been employed to reduce the number of drug-resistant clones associated with non-homologous vector integration, particularly when artificial nucleases to introduce a DNA break at the target site are unavailable or undesirable. As such, an exon-trap strategy using a promoterless drug-resistance marker gene provides an effective way to counterselect non-homologous integrants. However, constructing exon-trapping targeting vectors has been a time-consuming and complicated process. By virtue of highly efficient att-mediated recombination, we successfully developed a simple and rapid method to construct plasmid-based vectors that allow for exon-trapping gene targeting. These exon-trap vectors were useful in obtaining correctly targeted clones in mouse embryonic stem cells and human HT1080 cells. Most importantly, with the use of a conditionally cytotoxic gene, we further developed a novel strategy for negative selection, thereby enhancing the efficiency of counterselection for non-homologous integration of exon-trap vectors. Our methods will greatly facilitate exon-trapping gene-targeting technologies in mammalian cells, particularly when combined with the novel negative selection strategy.

Measuring the environmental costs of tidal power plant construction: A choice experiment study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Joo-Suk; Yoo, Seung-Hoon

2009-01-01

Korea is considering the construction of a tidal power plant (TPP) at Garolim Bay. However, as the construction of the Garolim TPP (GTPP) is expected to entail some environmental damage, it has become an increasingly important topic for public debate. Using a choice experiment (CE) approach, this study attempts to measure the economic cost that results from the environmental damage caused by the construction of GTPP. The CE is used to measure the environmental costs of individual attributes, including the reduction in the area of the tidal flat, the degradation of seawater quality, and the destruction of marine life. The results indicate that the annual willingness to pay (WTP) per household for mitigating the environmental damage that results from the worst-possible situation in relation to the present situation is about 96,042 Korean won (USD 101.1) in the seven biggest cities (off-site regions) and 18,584 Korean won (USD 19.6) in Seosan and Taean (on-site regions). This study is expected to provide policy-makers with quantitative information that will be useful to decide whether or not GTPP should be constructed.

The situation of the earthquake-proof reconstruction construction using laser measurement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maruyama, Tomoyoshi

2009-01-01

Until now, the on-site investigation in a nuclear power plant performs measurement by the hand for which the worker used the tape measure etc., and although the technique of making the fair copy of a sketch figure in handwriting is adopted conventionally, since it becomes the work under high dose environment while being inefficient-like, a big improvement towards contamination reduction is being desired. This report carries in 3D laser measurement apparatus in a nuclear power plant, and reports the situation developed to on-site investigation - formation nature investigation - earthquake-proof construction. (author)

Evaluation of uncertainty in the measurement of sense of natural language constructions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bisikalo Oleg V.

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The task of evaluating uncertainty in the measurement of sense in natural language constructions (NLCs was researched through formalization of the notions of the language image, formalization of artificial cognitive systems (ACSs and the formalization of units of meaning. The method for measuring the sense of natural language constructions incorporated fuzzy relations of meaning, which ensures that information about the links between lemmas of the text is taken into account, permitting the evaluation of two types of measurement uncertainty of sense characteristics. Using developed applications programs, experiments were conducted to investigate the proposed method to tackle the identification of informative characteristics of text. The experiments resulted in dependencies of parameters being obtained in order to utilise the Pareto distribution law to define relations between lemmas, analysis of which permits the identification of exponents of an average number of connections of the language image as the most informative characteristics of text.

The measurement of radon concentration of soil in a civil construction site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Hanbin; Fan Guang

2004-01-01

Radon is one of radioactive resources which do harm to human body. Therefore, its concentration in the soil should be measured before the civil construction works. Code for Indoor Environmental Pollution Control of Civil Building Engineering (GB50325-2001) is the main norm used for soil radon concentration measurement. By using FD-3017 RaA radon measuring equipment, the soil radon concentration in a civil building engineering site has been measured, the result shows that the concentration is lower than the regional average value, radon protective measures should not be installed in that site. (authors)

Test methods for selection of materials of construction for high-level radioactive waste vitrification. Revision

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bickford, D.F.; Corbett, R.A.; Morrison, W.S.

1986-01-01

Candidate materials of construction were evaluated for a facility at the Department of Energy's Savannah River Plant to vitrify high-level radioactive waste. Limited operating experience was available under the corrosive conditions of the complex vitrification process. The objective of the testing program was to provide a high degree of assurance that equipment will meet or exceed design lifetimes. To meet this objective in reasonable time and minimum cost, a program was designed consisting of a combination of coupon immersion and electrochemical laboratory tests and pilot-scale tests. Stainless steels and nickel-based alloys were tested. Alloys that were most resistant to general and local attack contained nickel, molybdenum (>9%), and chromium (where Cr + Mo > 30%). Alloy C-276 was selected as the reference material for process equipment. Stellite 6 was selected for abrasive service in the presence of formic acid. Alloy 690 and ALLCORR were selected for specific applications

Nonperturbative theory of weak pre- and post-selected measurements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kofman, Abraham G., E-mail: kofmana@gmail.com; Ashhab, Sahel; Nori, Franco

2012-11-01

This paper starts with a brief review of the topic of strong and weak pre- and post-selected (PPS) quantum measurements, as well as weak values, and afterwards presents original work. In particular, we develop a nonperturbative theory of weak PPS measurements of an arbitrary system with an arbitrary meter, for arbitrary initial states of the system and the meter. New and simple analytical formulas are obtained for the average and the distribution of the meter pointer variable. These formulas hold to all orders in the weak value. In the case of a mixed preselected state, in addition to the standard weak value, an associated weak value is required to describe weak PPS measurements. In the linear regime, the theory provides the generalized Aharonov–Albert–Vaidman formula. Moreover, we reveal two new regimes of weak PPS measurements: the strongly-nonlinear regime and the inverted region (the regime with a very large weak value), where the system-dependent contribution to the pointer deflection decreases with increasing the measurement strength. The optimal conditions for weak PPS measurements are obtained in the strongly-nonlinear regime, where the magnitude of the average pointer deflection is equal or close to the maximum. This maximum is independent of the measurement strength, being typically of the order of the pointer uncertainty. In the optimal regime, the small parameter of the theory is comparable to the overlap of the pre- and post-selected states. We show that the amplification coefficient in the weak PPS measurements is generally a product of two qualitatively different factors. The effects of the free system and meter Hamiltonians are discussed. We also estimate the size of the ensemble required for a measurement and identify optimal and efficient meters for weak measurements. Exact solutions are obtained for a certain class of the measured observables. These solutions are used for numerical calculations, the results of which agree with the theory

Nonperturbative theory of weak pre- and post-selected measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kofman, Abraham G.; Ashhab, Sahel; Nori, Franco

2012-01-01

This paper starts with a brief review of the topic of strong and weak pre- and post-selected (PPS) quantum measurements, as well as weak values, and afterwards presents original work. In particular, we develop a nonperturbative theory of weak PPS measurements of an arbitrary system with an arbitrary meter, for arbitrary initial states of the system and the meter. New and simple analytical formulas are obtained for the average and the distribution of the meter pointer variable. These formulas hold to all orders in the weak value. In the case of a mixed preselected state, in addition to the standard weak value, an associated weak value is required to describe weak PPS measurements. In the linear regime, the theory provides the generalized Aharonov–Albert–Vaidman formula. Moreover, we reveal two new regimes of weak PPS measurements: the strongly-nonlinear regime and the inverted region (the regime with a very large weak value), where the system-dependent contribution to the pointer deflection decreases with increasing the measurement strength. The optimal conditions for weak PPS measurements are obtained in the strongly-nonlinear regime, where the magnitude of the average pointer deflection is equal or close to the maximum. This maximum is independent of the measurement strength, being typically of the order of the pointer uncertainty. In the optimal regime, the small parameter of the theory is comparable to the overlap of the pre- and post-selected states. We show that the amplification coefficient in the weak PPS measurements is generally a product of two qualitatively different factors. The effects of the free system and meter Hamiltonians are discussed. We also estimate the size of the ensemble required for a measurement and identify optimal and efficient meters for weak measurements. Exact solutions are obtained for a certain class of the measured observables. These solutions are used for numerical calculations, the results of which agree with the theory

Assessing participation in the ACL injured population: Selecting a patient reported outcome measure on the basis of measurement properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Letchford, Robert; Sparkes, Valerie; van Deursen, Robert W M

2015-06-01

A return to pre injury activity participation remains a common but often elusive goal following ACL injury. Investigations to improve our understanding of participation restrictions are limited by inconsistent use of insufficiently investigated measurement tools. The aim of this study was to follow the consensus based standards for the selection of health measurement instruments (COSMIN) guideline to provide a comparative evaluation of four patient reported outcomes (PROMs) on the basis of measurement properties. This will inform recommendations for measuring participation of ACL injured subjects, particularly in the United Kingdom (UK) National Health Service (NHS). Thirteen criteria were compiled from the COSMIN guideline. These included reliability, measurement error, content validity, construct validity, responsiveness and interpretability. Data from 51 subjects collected as part of a longitudinal observational study of recovery over the first year following ACLR was used in the analysis. Of the thirteen criteria, the required standard was met in 11 for Tegner, 11 for International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC), 6 for Cincinnati Sports Activity Scale (CSAS) and 6 for Marx. The two weaknesses identified for the Tegner are more easily compensated for during interpretation than those in the IKDC; for this reason the Tegner is the recommended PROM. The Tegner activity rating scale performed consistently well in respect of all measurement properties in this sample, with clear benefits over the other PROMs. The measurement properties presented should be used to inform implementation and interpretation of this outcome measure in clinical practice and research. Level II prospective study. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Design, construction and characterization of pneumatic system for measurement of roughness

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Germán A. Bacca-Bastidas

2015-07-01

Full Text Available This article aims to present the results obtained from the design, construction and characterization of a pneumatic flapper-nozzle amplifier, employed in the measurement of average surface roughness. In the construction of the sensor, low cost materials were used and most pieces were obtained by machining. The data acquisition was performed through PC, using an Arduino interface board. The nonlinear mathematical model of the sensor is based on equations of perfect gas flow through an orifice and the continuity law for a control volume. The characterization of physical parameters obtained through laboratory techniques based on the transient response of the gas pressure in the pressurization and depressurization processes of constant volume chambers, using computational tools for adjusting experimental curves. The validation of the model was based on the specifications of transient response that presents a dynamic system for a step input. For the measurement of the roughness, the mathematical model of average roughness, Ra, was used, and the measured data by the sensor were obtained in sandpapers from P1000 to P2000 size, with reference for validation values of average roughness indicated by the FEPA standard.

Adaptive measurement selection for progressive damage estimation

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Wenfan; Kovvali, Narayan; Papandreou-Suppappola, Antonia; Chattopadhyay, Aditi; Peralta, Pedro

2011-04-01

Noise and interference in sensor measurements degrade the quality of data and have a negative impact on the performance of structural damage diagnosis systems. In this paper, a novel adaptive measurement screening approach is presented to automatically select the most informative measurements and use them intelligently for structural damage estimation. The method is implemented efficiently in a sequential Monte Carlo (SMC) setting using particle filtering. The noise suppression and improved damage estimation capability of the proposed method is demonstrated by an application to the problem of estimating progressive fatigue damage in an aluminum compact-tension (CT) sample using noisy PZT sensor measurements.

Phantom's construction for dose measurement in brachytherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tri Harjanto; Hidayat Joko Puspito; Joko Triyanto

2009-01-01

In nuclear medicine, dose rate validation is the key for a successful process in therapy and diagnose of any deases. Therefore, the brachytherapy equipment being designed and constructed is to be validated its dose rate received by the radiated object. A phantom for such validation purpose is designed and constructed as a correct as if on site geometrical position of sources. The design of phantom consists of seven layers of flexi glass plates: 10 mm thick, 105 mm wide, and 280 mm length. All the plates are to be holed according to the size of the applicator to be used. Every surface of the flexi glass layers is grooved 1 mm wide, 1 mm depth, and 10 mm distance between the groove. The applicator inside the phantom is positioned at a certain reference for measurement. Every TLD installed has a fix position toward the reference coordinate and has an index number. By this system of phantom, the isodose system can be plotted. (author)

Protein-protein networks construction and their relevance measurement based on multi-epitope-ligand-kartographie and gene ontology data of T-cell surface proteins for polymyositis.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Fang-Zhen; Gao, Feng

2012-08-01

Polymyositis is an inflammatory myopathy characterized by muscle invasion of T-cells penetrating the basal lamina and displacing the plasma membrane of normal muscle fibers. In order to understand the different adhesive mechanisms at the T-cell surface, Schubert randomly selected 19 proteins expressed at the T-cell surface and studied them using MELK technique [4], among which 15 proteins are picked up for further study by us. Two types of functional similarity networks are constructed for these proteins. The first type is MELK similarity network, which is constructed based on their MELK data by using the McNemar's test [24]. The second type is GO similarity network, which is constructed based on their GO annotation data by using the RSS method to measuring functional similarity. Then the subset surprisology theory is employed to measure the degree of similarity between two networks. Our computing results show that these two types of networks are high related. This conclusion added new values on MELK technique and expanded its applications greatly.

Design and construction of a strain gage compression load cell to measure rolling forces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schoeffer, L.; Borchardt, I.G.; Carvalho, L.F.A.

1978-05-01

A complete detailed mechanical desion of a strain gauge compression load cell is presented. This cell was specialy designed to measure rolling forces at conventional duo or trio industrial roughing stands. The stands, in general, have little space (height) to adjust to the cells. Moreover the contact stands surfaces are very rough. Do to this facts, load cells of elastic cilindrical geometries are not recommended for accuracies better than 8%. This work describes the complete design and the construction of a circular (membrane) steel plate load cell. A prototype of 300 KN (approximately 30t) capacity, with 2% accuracies and with a height of 6 cm was constructed and tested. The design proposed is a general one and permits the construction of small load cells to measure any compression load [pt

Measure Guideline: Ventilation Guidance for Residential High-Performance New Construction - Multifamily

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lstiburek, Joseph [Building Science Corporation, Westford, MA (United States)

2017-01-01

The measure guideline provides ventilation guidance for residential high performance multifamily construction that incorporates the requirements of the ASHRAE 62.2 ventilation and indoor air quality standard. The measure guideline focus is on the decision criteria for weighing cost and performance of various ventilation systems. The measure guideline is intended for contractors, builders, developers, designers and building code officials. The guide may also be helpful to building owners wishing to learn more about ventilation strategies available for their buildings. The measure guideline includes specific design and installation instructions for the most cost effective and performance effective solutions for ventilation in multifamily units that satisfies the requirements of ASHRAE 62.2-2016.

Design, Construction And Characterization Of A Pyranometer For Measuring Global Solar Radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Onah, D.U; Osuji, R.O.

2004-01-01

Due to cost and stringent importation requirement, we have designed and constructed a Pyranometer from locally available materials. The constructed Pyranometer was calibrated against a standard calibrated Eppley pyranometer model PSP17190F3. the two pyranometers were used simultaneously in measuring global solar radiation at Nsukka, Nigeria on latitude 6.8 degree North and longitude 7.35 degree East, located 488m above sea level. The average insolation for each of the two typical clear sky days were 3.221KW per square metre and 3.266KW per square metre. The maximum insolation obtained with the constructed pyranometer was 965.5 W per square metre on 16/1/03. The corresponding insolation obtained with the reference Eppley pyranometre on the same day was 1087.5W per square metre. We are happy to remark that there was not significant difference between the performances of the constructed pyranometer and the standard Eppley pyranometer

Ion-selective electrodes

CERN Document Server

Mikhelson, Konstantin N

2013-01-01

Ion-selective electrodes (ISEs) have a wide range of applications in clinical, environmental, food and pharmaceutical analysis as well as further uses in chemistry and life sciences. Based on his profound experience as a researcher in ISEs and a course instructor, the author summarizes current knowledge for advanced teaching and training purposes with a particular focus on ionophore-based ISEs. Coverage includes the basics of measuring with ISEs, essential membrane potential theory and a comprehensive overview of the various classes of ion-selective electrodes. The principles of constructing I

Chiral measurements with the Fixed-Point Dirac operator and construction of chiral currents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hasenfratz, P.; Hauswirth, S.; Holland, K.; Joerg, T.; Niedermayer, F.

2002-01-01

In this preliminary study, we examine the chiral properties of the parametrized Fixed-Point Dirac operator D FP , see how to improve its chirality via the Overlap construction, measure the renormalized quark condensate Σ-circumflex and the topological susceptibility χ t , and investigate local chirality of near zero modes of the Dirac operator. We also give a general construction of chiral currents and densities for chiral lattice actions

The Measurement of Time: Children's Construction of Transitivity, Unit Iteration, and Conservation of Speed.

Science.gov (United States)

Long, Kathy; Kamii, Constance

2001-01-01

Interviews 120 children in kindergarten and grades 2, 4, and 6 with five Piagetian tasks to determine the grade level at which most have constructed transitive reasoning, unit iteration, and conservation of speed. Indicates that construction of the logic necessary to make sense of the measurement of time is generally not complete before sixth…

Surface facilities for geological deep repositories - Measures against dangers during construction and operation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2013-09-01

This brochure published by the Swiss National Cooperative for the Disposal of Radioactive Waste (NAGRA) discusses the measures that are to be taken to address the dangers encountered during the construction and operation of deep geological repositories for nuclear wastes. Firstly, the operation of such repositories during the emplacement of nuclear wastes is discussed and examples of possible repositories for fuel rods and highly-radioactive waste are presented. Various emission-protection issues and safety measures to be taken during construction of such repositories are looked at as is the protection of ground water. Safety considerations during the operational phase are discussed, including inclusion methods used for the wastes and radiation protection. The handling of radioactive wastes, the recognition of dangers and measures to be taken to counteract them are discussed. Various possible accidents are looked at

Use of Ergonomic Measures Related to Musculoskeletal Complaints among Construction Workers: A 2-year Follow-up Study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boschman, Julitta S.; Frings-Dresen, Monique H. W.; van der Molen, Henk F.

2015-01-01

The physical work demands of construction work can be reduced using ergonomic measures. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of ergonomic measures related to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among construction workers. A questionnaire was sent at baseline and 2 years later to 1,130

Niche construction game cancer cells play.

Science.gov (United States)

Bergman, Aviv; Gligorijevic, Bojana

2015-10-01

Niche construction concept was originally defined in evolutionary biology as the continuous interplay between natural selection via environmental conditions and the modification of these conditions by the organism itself. Processes unraveling during cancer metastasis include construction of niches, which cancer cells use towards more efficient survival, transport into new environments and preparation of the remote sites for their arrival. Many elegant experiments were done lately illustrating, for example, the premetastatic niche construction, but there is practically no mathematical modeling done which would apply the niche construction framework. To create models useful for understanding niche construction role in cancer progression, we argue that a) genetic, b) phenotypic and c) ecological levels are to be included. While the model proposed here is phenomenological in its current form, it can be converted into a predictive outcome model via experimental measurement of the model parameters. Here we give an overview of an experimentally formulated problem in cancer metastasis and propose how niche construction framework can be utilized and broadened to model it. Other life science disciplines, such as host-parasite coevolution, may also benefit from niche construction framework adaptation, to satisfy growing need for theoretical considerations of data collected by experimental biology.

Niche construction game cancer cells play

Science.gov (United States)

Bergman, Aviv; Gligorijevic, Bojana

2015-10-01

Niche construction concept was originally defined in evolutionary biology as the continuous interplay between natural selection via environmental conditions and the modification of these conditions by the organism itself. Processes unraveling during cancer metastasis include construction of niches, which cancer cells use towards more efficient survival, transport into new environments and preparation of the remote sites for their arrival. Many elegant experiments were done lately illustrating, for example, the premetastatic niche construction, but there is practically no mathematical modeling done which would apply the niche construction framework. To create models useful for understanding niche construction role in cancer progression, we argue that a) genetic, b) phenotypic and c) ecological levels are to be included. While the model proposed here is phenomenological in its current form, it can be converted into a predictive outcome model via experimental measurement of the model parameters. Here we give an overview of an experimentally formulated problem in cancer metastasis and propose how niche construction framework can be utilized and broadened to model it. Other life science disciplines, such as host-parasite coevolution, may also benefit from niche construction framework adaptation, to satisfy growing need for theoretical considerations of data collected by experimental biology.

The Measurement of Entrepreneurial Outsourcing: Preliminary Scale Development, Dimensionality Assessment, and Construct Validation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Davari

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Studying the outsourcing concept, as a strategy for efficient and effective business management, has been implemented less in the field of entrepreneurship. Accordingly, the present study aims to develop a measurement instrument for measuring entrepreneurial outsourcing construct utilizing empirical evidence in Iran’s telecommunications and automotive industries. Employing a sample of 203 senior managers and executive experts of companies operating in these industries, the gathered data were analyzed using PLS-SEM method. According to our results, the proposed scale of entrepreneurial outsourcing comprises six dimensions: strategic factors, economical factors, technological factors, task specifications, risk relating factors, and entrepreneurial performance. Moreover, the scale enjoys sufficient multidimensionality, reliability, and construct validity in terms of convergent and discriminate validity.

Volumetric water content measurement probes in earth-dam construction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bardanis Michael

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Two frequency domain reflectometry (FDR probes have been used. They were used on compacted soils both in the laboratory and in the field. Measurements in the laboratory were intended for calibration. The range of densities and types of materials where insertion of the probes can be achieved was investigated first. The effect of sporadic presence of coarser grains and density on these calibrations, once insertion could be achieved, were investigated second. Measurements on laboratory prepared samples with the same moisture content were different when the sample was kept in the mould from when it was extruded from it. Also both these measurements were different from that in a sample of the same density but significantly larger in diameter. It was found that measurements with these probes are affected by dilation exhibited by soil around the rods of the probes during insertion. Readings immediately after insertion of the sensors on samples extruded from their moulds were the ones closer to measured values. These readings combined with total volume and mass obtained from sand-cone tests during the construction of an earth-dam allowed fairly accurate estimation of the dry unit weight but not the gravimetric water content.

A comparative analysis of selected parameters of roofing used in the Polish construction industry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Radziszewska-Zielina Elżbieta

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Roofing is an important element in the construction of the roof. It is also one of the essential elements of the whole building. The choice of roofing should depend on technical parameters that affect the quality of the materials used and the price. The present paper is a comparative analysis of the properties of five roofing materials selected as examples with respect to twelve parameters. As can be seen from the comparative analysis of the roofing parameters, roofing tile is by far the best material, receiving the highest score in the ranking

Spaceborne construction and operations planning - Decision rules for selecting EVA, telerobot, and combined work-systems

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Jeffrey H.

1992-01-01

An approach is presented for selecting an appropriate work-system for performing construction and operations tasks by humans and telerobots. The decision to use extravehicular activity (EVA) performed by astronauts, extravehicular robotics (EVR), or a combination of EVA and EVR is determined by the ratio of the marginal costs of EVA, EVR, and IVA. The approach proposed here is useful for examining cost trade-offs between tasks and performing trade studies of task improvement techniques (human or telerobotic).

Superstring construction

CERN Document Server

1989-01-01

The book includes a selection of papers on the construction of superstring theories, mainly written during the years 1984-1987. It covers ten-dimensional supersymmetric and non-supersymmetric strings, four-dimensional heterotic strings and four-dimensional type-II strings. An introduction to more recent developments in conformal field theory in relation to string construction is provided.

A Guide for Selecting Protection Measures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Korn, H.; Strilek, I.

2000-01-01

An important task of emergency planning is to determine countermeasures during different time phases of an airborne plume. For this purpose a Catalogue of Countermeasures was created. The purpose of the catalogue it to be a primary guide for experts of competent governmental and state authorities as well as for persons belonging to the respective advisory and supporting panel, who have to assess and evaluate the situation and to select protection measures in the case of a nuclear event with radiological consequences off-site. Since radiation is generally not directly measurable, it is, for practical purposes, not the radiation dose itself but the derived measurable quantities that are used for decision-making. On this basis the catalogue is a tool for deciding on the initiation of countermeasures based on Operational Intervention Levels. (author)

Optimization of the choice of unmanned aerial vehicles used to monitor the implementation of selected construction projects

Science.gov (United States)

Skorupka, Dariusz; Duchaczek, Artur; Waniewska, Agnieszka; Kowacka, Magdalena

2017-07-01

Due to their properties unmanned aerial vehicles have huge number of possibilities for application in construction engineering. The nature and extent of construction works performedmakes the decision to purchase the right equipment significant for the possibility for its further use while monitoring the implementation of these works. Technical factors, such as the accuracy and quality of the applied measurement instruments are especially important when monitoring the realization of construction projects. The paper presents the optimization of the choice of unmanned aerial vehicles using the Bellinger method. The decision-making analysis takes into account criteria that are particularly crucial by virtue of the range of monitoring of ongoing construction works.

Issues and measures in the design process from the perspective of risk management of construction projects. study of power plant construction projects accident cases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iwahara, Hirohiko; Shiraki, Wataru; Inomo, Hitoshi; Hasegawa, Syuichi

2015-01-01

Construction of power plants, foundation work, consisting of a wide variety of construction work, such as plant equipment work. And, civil engineering, technician electrical such as different engineering field, is a comprehensive construction project that works for the design conditions of the structure. However, if the cooperation design conditions is not sufficient, as a construction project, the optimal structures may not be said to have been built. As a result, total cost or increased, including the initial cost of the end construction projects, it is be a cause of the accident. Previous studies, plant equipment construction, is related to safety management and risk of foundation work such as individual construction were many. In this paper, as an example the power plant construction, and performs the following discussion from the point of view of risk management of large-scale construction projects that these individual construction work together with each other. The importance of design conditions cooperation, (1) 'Challenges and countermeasures of ordering method of construction projects', to verify from the (2) 'actually happened substation foundation displacement accident'. And on whether or not the construction project order institutions can be involved in the design from the site preparation stage, we study (3) for 'construction work scope and risk control the construction project ordering institutions to implement' the risk to the natural disaster (earthquake). From these, we describe the challenges and measures in the construction project of the design process. (author)

Measures of spiritual and transpersonal constructs for use in yoga research

Science.gov (United States)

MacDonald, Douglas A; Friedman, Harris L

2009-01-01

This article presents information on standardized paper-and-pencil measures of spiritual and transpersonal constructs that hold promise for use in yoga research. Nine instruments are discussed at length including the Assessment Schedule for Altered States of Consciousness, Ego Grasping Orientation, Expressions of Spirituality Inventory, Hindu Religious Coping Scale, Measures of Hindu Pathways, Self-Expansiveness Level Form, Spiritual Orientation Inventory, Spiritual Transcendence Scale, and the Vedic Personality Inventory. As well, a listing of an additional 14 measures, along with primary citations, is provided. In conclusion, the authors proffer recommendations for the use of psychometric tests and provide a general proposal for programmatic research. PMID:21234209

An FDA oncology analysis of CD3 bispecific constructs and first-in-human dose selection.

Science.gov (United States)

Saber, Haleh; Del Valle, Pedro; Ricks, Tiffany K; Leighton, John K

2017-11-01

We retrospectively examined the nonclinical studies conducted with 17 CD3 bispecific constructs in support of first-in-human (FIH) trials in oncology. We also collected information on the design of dose-finding clinical trials. Sponsors have used different MABEL approaches for FIH dose selection. To better assess acceptable approaches, FIH doses were computed from nonclinical studies and compared to the maximum tolerated doses (MTDs) in patients, to the highest human doses (HHDs) when an MTD was not identified, or to the recommended human dose (RHD) for blinatumomab. We concluded that approaches based on receptor occupancy, highest non-severely toxic dose, or no-observed adverse effect level are not acceptable for selecting the FIH dose as they resulted in doses close to or above the MTDs, HHDs, or the RHD. A FIH dose corresponding to 10%-30% pharmacologic activity (PA) was an acceptable approach. A FIH dose corresponding to 50% PA was acceptable for all except one construct, potentially due to its biological or structural properties. The most common toxicities in animals and patients were those related to cytokine release. Doses were better tolerated when intra-animal or intra-patient dose escalation was used. Exposing naïve patients to an MTD achieved with intra-patient dose escalation design may be unsafe. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Identifying the Critical Factors Affecting Safety Program Performance for Construction Projects within Pakistan Construction Industry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zubair Ahmed Memon

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Many studies have shown that the construction industry one of the most hazardous industries with its high rates of fatalities and injuries and high financial losses incurred through work related accident. To reduce or overcome the safety issues on construction sites, different safety programs are introduced by construction firms. A questionnaire survey study was conducted to highlight the influence of the Construction Safety Factors on safety program implementation. The input from the questionnaire survey was analyzed by using AIM (Average Index Method and rank correlation test was conducted between different groups of respondents to measure the association between different groups of respondent. The finding of this study highlighted that management support is the critical factor for implementing the safety program on projects. From statistical test, it is concluded that all respondent groups were strongly in the favor of management support factor as CSF (Critical Success Factor. The findings of this study were validated on selected case studies. Results of the case studies will help to know the effect of the factors on implementing safety programs during the execution stage.

Defining and Measuring Safety Climate: A Review of the Construction Industry Literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Schwatka, Natalie V; Hecker, Steven; Goldenhar, Linda M

2016-06-01

Safety climate measurements can be used to proactively assess an organization's effectiveness in identifying and remediating work-related hazards, thereby reducing or preventing work-related ill health and injury. This review article focuses on construction-specific articles that developed and/or measured safety climate, assessed safety climate's relationship with other safety and health performance indicators, and/or used safety climate measures to evaluate interventions targeting one or more indicators of safety climate. Fifty-six articles met our inclusion criteria, 80% of which were published after 2008. Our findings demonstrate that researchers commonly defined safety climate as perception based, but the object of those perceptions varies widely. Within the wide range of indicators used to measure safety climate, safety policies, procedures, and practices were the most common, followed by general management commitment to safety. The most frequently used indicators should and do reflect that the prevention of work-related ill health and injury depends on both organizational and employee actions. Safety climate scores were commonly compared between groups (e.g. management and workers, different trades), and often correlated with subjective measures of safety behavior rather than measures of ill health or objective safety and health outcomes. Despite the observed limitations of current research, safety climate has been promised as a useful feature of research and practice activities to prevent work-related ill health and injury. Safety climate survey data can reveal gaps between management and employee perceptions, or between espoused and enacted policies, and trigger communication and action to narrow those gaps. The validation of safety climate with safety and health performance data offers the potential for using safety climate measures as a leading indicator of performance. We discuss these findings in relation to the related concept of safety culture and

Noticeable aspects of selecting intervention measures for nuclear accidents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guo Yong; Shi Yuanming

1993-01-01

Referring to the experience of intervention measures taken for protecting the public after Chernobyl accident and to recent knowledge of source terms of reactor accidents, the noticeable aspects of selecting of intervention measures for nuclear accidents is discussed

[Construction of plant expression vectors with PMI gene as selection marker and their utilization in transformation of Salvia miltiorrhiza f. alba].

Science.gov (United States)

Tao, Ru; Zhang, You-Can; Fang, Qian; Shi, Ren-Jiu; Li, Yan-Ling; Huang, Lu-Qi; Hao, Gang-Ping

2014-04-01

To construct plant expression pCAMBIA1301-PMI by substituting PMI for hygromycin resistance gene in pCAMBIA1301 and obtain transgenic Salvia miltiorrhiza f. alba using PMI-mannose selection system. The 6-phosphomannose isomerase gene (PMI) of Escherichia coli was amplified by PCR. Sequence analysis showed that it shared 100% amino acids identities with the sequences of PMI genes isolates reported in the NCBI. Based on pCAMBIA1305, the plant expression pCAMBIA1305-PMI was constructed successfully by substituting PMI for hygromycin resistance gene in pCAMBIA1305. pCAMBIA1305-PMI was transformed into Agrobacterium tumefaciens LBA4404, and then the leaves of S. miltiorrhiza f. alba were inoculated in LBA4404 with pCAMBIA1305-PMI. Plant expression pCAMBIA1301-PMI was successfully constructed and the leaves of S. miltiorrhiza f. alba inoculated in LBA4404 with pCAMBIA1305-PMI were selected on medium supplemented with a combination of 20 g x L(-1) mannose and 10 g x L(-1) sucrose as a carbon source. The transformation efficiency rate was 23.7%. Genetic transformation was confirmed by PCR, indicating that a new method for obtaining transgenic S. miltiorrhiza f. alba plants was developed using PMI-mannose selection system.

Ion-selective electrodes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mikhelson, Konstantin N. [St. Petersburg State Univ. (Russian Federation). Ion-Selective Electrode Laboratory

2013-06-01

Ion-selective electrodes (ISEs) have a wide range of applications in clinical, environmental, food and pharmaceutical analysis as well as further uses in chemistry and life sciences. Based on his profound experience as a researcher in ISEs and a course instructor, the author summarizes current knowledge for advanced teaching and training purposes with a particular focus on ionophore-based ISEs. Coverage includes the basics of measuring with ISEs, essential membrane potential theory and a comprehensive overview of the various classes of ion-selective electrodes. The principles of constructing ISEs are outlined, and the transfer of methods into routine analysis is considered.

Decisive management in selecting locations for development of construction projects

Science.gov (United States)

Szafranko, E.; Pawłowicz, J. A.

2017-08-01

The location of an investment project is one of the most important decisions in the construction and land development business. The shape of a new building and aspects of its future use depend on making a good choice of a land plot where it will be constructed. There are many characteristics involved descriptions of land available for development. On the one hand, different buildings (with different envisaged use) fit differently to a given location. Residential homes, for example, require a location which will ensure a peaceful lifestyle, with places for walks and recreation, situated in a relatively quite setting. On the other hand, close proximity to schools, shops or a health clinic is another important consideration. Industrial buildings should be localized so as not to be a nuisance to others, and their location should facilitate efficient transport of raw materials and ready products. Yet other requirements are defined for public buildings. It is therefore evident that the characteristics included in an evaluation of the location of a planned building can be highly diverse and their diversity makes the evaluation difficult. Selection of a location can be supported by a variety of methods. For instance, an evaluation can rely on assigning points which indicate the fulfillment of certain criteria. This approach generates a complex evaluation in the form of tables and maps of usefulness. Another possibility is to make an assessment of the criteria that a given land parcels should satisfy in order to develop a specific type of a building. Having combined these two sets of information, we can create a system or a model for the management of land resources, which will easily help to support decision making processes pertaining to the choice of a location. This article shows a model approach for a specific building.

Practical Tips for Construction of Custom Peptide Libraries and Affinity Selection by Using Commercially Available Phage Display Cloning Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Keisuke Fukunaga

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Phage display technology is undoubtedly a powerful tool for affinity selection of target-specific peptide. Commercially available premade phage libraries allow us to take screening in the easiest way. On the other hand, construction of a custom phage library seems to be inaccessible, because several practical tips are absent in instructions. This paper focuses on what should be born in mind for beginners using commercially available cloning kits (Ph.D. with type 3 vector and T7Select systems for M13 and T7 phage, respectively. In the M13 system, Pro or a basic amino acid (especially, Arg should be avoided at the N-terminus of peptide fused to gp3. In both systems, peptides containing odd number(s of Cys should be designed with caution. Also, DNA sequencing of a constructed library before biopanning is highly recommended for finding unexpected bias.

Expanding the disaster risk management framework: Measuring the constructed level of national identity as a factor of political risk

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Barend Prinsloo

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Political risk is identified as a dominant risk category of disaster risk management (DRM which could negatively affect the success of those measures implemented to reduce disaster risk. Key to political risk is the construct of national identity which, if poorly constructed, could greatly contribute to political risk. This article proposed a tool to measure the construct of national identity and to provide recommendations to strengthen the construct in order to mitigate the exacerbating influence it may have on political risk and ultimately on DRM. The design of the measurement tool consisted of a mixed methodological approach employing both quantitative and qualitative data. The data collection instruments included a literature review (which is shortly provided in the previous sections and an empirical study that utilised data obtained through structured questionnaires. Although the results of the proposed measuring instrument did not include a representative sample of all the cultures in SouthAfrica, the results alluded to different levels for the construction of national identity among black and white respondents, possibly because of different ideological expectations among these groups. The results of the study should be considered as a validation of the measuring tool and not necessarily of the construct of national identity in South Africa. The measuring tool is thus promising for future studies to reduce political risk and ultimately disaster risk.

Sustainable construction : towards a strategic approach to construction material management for waste reduction

OpenAIRE

Abarca Guerrero, L.; Scheublin, F.J.M.; Egmond - de Wilde De Ligny, van, E.L.C.; Lambert, A.J.D.

2008-01-01

The construction sector plays a key role in shaping and developing the built environment. It also has an undisputed and significant impact on it due to the amounts of materials extracted and produced as waste. The construction industry has emphasized to recycling construction waste (CW), however, relatively less emphasis has been paid on construction waste minimization. CW reduction can be achieved through changes in design concepts, material and construction methods selection and material ma...

Modelling verb selection within argument structure constructions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Matusevych, Yevgen; Alishahi, Afra; Backus, Albert

2017-01-01

This article looks into the nature of cognitive associations between verbs and argument structure constructions (ASCs). Existing research has shown that distributional and semantic factors affect speakers' choice of verbs in ASCs. A formal account of this theory has been proposed by Ellis,

Construct validation of an instrument to measure patient satisfaction with pharmacy services in Nigerian hospitals.

Science.gov (United States)

Afolabi, M O; Afolabi, E R I; Faleye, B A

2012-12-01

Patient satisfaction is a multidimensional construct that reflects the type and quality of service provided by healthcare providers, how well it is delivered, and the extent to which the expectations and needs of patients are met. As a performance measure, patient satisfaction has been defined as the personal evaluation of health care services and providers. To develop a patient satisfaction scale, that could be used to assess the quality of pharmacy services provided in Nigerian hospitals and to determine the construct validity of the scale with a view to identifying the factors that may be considered relevant to the target users. The questionnaire was a 35-item inventory titled "Patient Satisfaction Survey (PSS)". This study was carried out in three university teaching hospitals located in Southwestern Nigeria. The patient satisfaction survey instrument (PSS) was administered on 506 clinic outpatients who patronised the hospital pharmacies. Participation in the study was voluntary with appropriate informed consent. Ethical approval was obtained for this study from the Medical and Ethics Committee of Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex (OAUTHC). Patients with post secondary education were in the majority with a frequency of 224 (44.3%) subjects. This was followed by a frequency of 116 (22.9%) for those with secondary education. Eighty-seven (17.2%) of those included in the main study had primary education 64 (12.7%) did not receive any formal education. Fifteen (3%) out of the 506 sampled did not indicate their level of education. This study developed a scale to measure patient satisfaction with pharmaceutical services in selected Nigerian university teaching hospitals. The final 25 item scale presents significant and stable coefficients of correlation and yielded six derived dimensions of patient satisfaction.

Use of formwork systems in high-rise construction

Science.gov (United States)

Kurakova, Oksana

2018-03-01

Erection of high quality buildings and structures within a reasonable time frame is the crucial factor for the competitiveness of any construction organization. The main material used in high-rise construction is insitu reinforced concrete. The technology of its use is directly related to the use of formwork systems. Formwork systems and formwork technologies basically determine the speed of construction and labor intensity of concreting operations. Therefore, it is also possible to achieve the goal of reducing the construction time and labor intensity of works performed by improving the technology of formwork systems use. Currently there are unresolved issues in the area of implementation of monolithic technology projects, and problems related to the selection of a formwork technology, high labor intensity of works, poor quality of materials and structures, etc. are the main ones. The article presents organizational and technological measures, by means of which introduction it is possible to shorten the duration of construction. A comparison of operations performed during formwork installation according to the conventional technology and taking into account the implemented organizational and technological measures is presented. The results of a comparative analysis of economic efficiency assessments are also presented on the example of a specific construction project before and after the implementation of the above mentioned measures. The study showed that introduction of the proposed organizational and technological model taking into account optimization of reinforcing and concreting works significantly improves the efficiency of a high-rise construction project. And further improvement of technologies for the use of insitu reinforced concrete is a promising direction in the construction of high-rise buildings.

Use of formwork systems in high-rise construction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kurakova Oksana

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Erection of high quality buildings and structures within a reasonable time frame is the crucial factor for the competitiveness of any construction organization. The main material used in high-rise construction is insitu reinforced concrete. The technology of its use is directly related to the use of formwork systems. Formwork systems and formwork technologies basically determine the speed of construction and labor intensity of concreting operations. Therefore, it is also possible to achieve the goal of reducing the construction time and labor intensity of works performed by improving the technology of formwork systems use. Currently there are unresolved issues in the area of implementation of monolithic technology projects, and problems related to the selection of a formwork technology, high labor intensity of works, poor quality of materials and structures, etc. are the main ones. The article presents organizational and technological measures, by means of which introduction it is possible to shorten the duration of construction. A comparison of operations performed during formwork installation according to the conventional technology and taking into account the implemented organizational and technological measures is presented. The results of a comparative analysis of economic efficiency assessments are also presented on the example of a specific construction project before and after the implementation of the above mentioned measures. The study showed that introduction of the proposed organizational and technological model taking into account optimization of reinforcing and concreting works significantly improves the efficiency of a high-rise construction project. And further improvement of technologies for the use of insitu reinforced concrete is a promising direction in the construction of high-rise buildings.

Construction labor productivity during nuclear power plant construction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murray, W.B.

1980-01-01

There is no single satisfactory way to measure productivity in the construction industry. The industry is too varied, too specialized and too dependent upon vast numbers of interrelations between trades, contractors, designers and owners. Hence, no universally reliable indices for measuring construction productivity has been developed. There are problems that are generic to all large union-built nuclear power plants. The actions of any one owner cannot rectify the shortcomings of the construction industry. The generic problems are being identified, and many national organizations are attempting to make the construction industry more productive by recommending various changes

An Index to Measure Sustainability of a Business Project in the Construction Industry: Lithuanian Case

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Nomeda Dobrovolskienė

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The continuous growth of the world population, resource scarcity and the threat of climate change pose numerous environmental and social problems to the world. Therefore, much hope is put in the concept of sustainability. Companies are increasingly coming under strong global pressure to incorporate sustainability considerations into their project decision-making process. Business projects in the construction industry are among the most important, as this sector is one of the largest sectors and of major importance for the national economy and therefore has a huge impact on the environment and society. Thus, we have to explore ways to integrate sustainability into the management of those projects. This paper presents a composite sustainability index of a project (CSIP which has been created following a review of existing literature and a pilot research study. A pilot research study was conducted in the Lithuanian construction industry between January 2015 and June 2015. Sustainability criteria were chosen and grouped on the basis of the analysis of the literature and different standards relating to sustainability applicable in the construction industry. A survey was used to select and rank the most important sustainability criteria. The index was constructed using multi-criteria decision-making methods. The results of the pilot study revealed that practitioners in the Lithuanian construction sector attach most importance to 15 sustainability criteria. A composite sustainability index of a project combining all these criteria may be useful in assessing the sustainability of a business project and making decisions regarding project portfolio selection and financial resource allocation. When addressing the issue of financial resource allocation in a project portfolio, the decision-maker could take into account not only the project’s return and risk, but also its sustainability. The understanding of this study should enable companies to execute

Novel Integrated Multi-Criteria Model for Supplier Selection: Case Study Construction Company

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Željko Stević

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Supply chain presents a very complex field involving a large number of participants. The aim of the complete supply chain is finding an optimum from the aspect of all participants, which is a rather complex task. In order to ensure optimum satisfaction for all participants, it is necessary that the beginning phase consists of correct evaluations and supplier selection. In this study, the supplier selection was performed in the construction company, on the basis of a new approach in the field of multi-criteria model. Weight coefficients were obtained by DEMATEL (Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory method, based on the rough numbers. Evaluation and the supplier selection were made on the basis of a new Rough EDAS (Evaluation based on Distance from Average Solution method, which presents one of the latest methods in this field. In order to determine the stability of the model and the applicability of the proposed Rough EDAS method, an extension of the COPRAS and MULTIMOORA method by rough numbers was also performed in this study, and the findings of the comparative analysis were presented. Besides the new approaches based on the extension by rough numbers, the results are also compared with the Rough MABAC (MultiAttributive Border Approximation area Comparison and Rough MAIRCA (MultiAttributive Ideal-Real Comparative Analysis. In addition, in the sensitivity analysis, 18 different scenarios were formed, the ones in which criteria change their original values. At the end of the sensitivity analysis, SCC (Spearman Correlation Coefficient of the obtained ranges was carried out, confirming the applicability of the proposed approaches.

The selection of construction sub-contractors using the fuzzy sets theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krzemiński, Michał

2015-01-01

The paper presents the algorithm for the selection of sub-contractors. Main area of author’s interest is scheduling flow models. The ranking task aims at execution time as short as possible Brigades downtime should also be as small as possible. These targets are exposed to significant obsolescence. The criteria for selection of subcontractors will not be therefore time and cost, it is assumed that all those criteria be meet by sub-contractors. The decision should be made in regard to factors difficult to measure, to assess which is the perfect application of fuzzy sets theory. The paper will present a set of evaluation criteria, the part of the knowledge base and a description of the output variable

The construction of distant total distributed measuring and controlling system based on RS-232 communication

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shi Chengying; Li Tiantuo; Zhu Wenkai; Zhang Quanhu

1999-01-01

The author discusses the construction of distant total distributed measuring and controlling system based on RS-232 communication. The merits of this system are simple construction, reliable performance, big communication distance, and wide covering range. The system fits in with application in radiation environment. The author also discusses the system's hardware equipment and communication protocol

Individual 3D measurements of end users to personalize work wear clothing

Science.gov (United States)

Mielicka, E.; Napieralska, L.; Jasińska, I.; Jarzyna, V.

2017-10-01

Body silhouette 3D measurements need to be performed separately in each country due to significant ethnic differences in body silhouette which preclude the transfer of European data to particular countries. Systematic research allows to update information on the population body silhouette and body proportions as well as select the size changes possible to implement in clothing construction modifications. The diversity in body silhouettes and sizes as well as the issue of clothing fitting encourage clothing producers to provide work wear clothing based on individual measurements of the end users’ bodies. In the framework of the carried research, the group of construction workers was selected as the target group of the analysed work wear clothing users. 42 construction workers, men only, were measured. The body silhouette measurement process was non-contact and was carried out with the use of 3D body scanner. The collected data on the body silhouette allowed to select sizes used to construct the work wear clothing and identify the clothing size. The selected measurement points of the body silhouette underwent statistical analysis to determine the distribution of random variables, here body sizes. The variables distribution characteristics were calculated. On that basis, the fitting appraisal of work wear clothing with respect to the size of the finished product corresponding to the adequate size of individually measured worker/end user was performed. The size overview of the work wear clothing used by the specific professional group and the appraisal of the size fitting to the body silhouette took into consideration the work wear clothing ergonomic functionality with respect to the body posture when performing the tasks, design and clothing construction. The analysis based on the currently gathered end users’ remarks and objections concerning the clothing fitting and performed body silhouette measurements allows to modify the existing work wear clothing for the

Methods for conceptualising ‘visual ability’ as a measurable construct in children with cerebral palsy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Belinda Deramore Denver

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Vision influences functioning and disability of children with cerebral palsy, so there is a growing need for psychometrically robust tools to advance assessment of children’s vision abilities in clinical practice and research. Vision is a complex construct, and in the absence of clarity about this construct it is challenging to know whether valid, reliable measures exist. This study reports a method for conceptualising ‘visual ability’ as a measurable construct. Methods Using the items from 19 assessment tools previously identified in a systematic review, this study used a two-phase process: first, deductive content analysis linked items to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health - Child and Youth version (ICF-CY, and second, vision-specific ‘Activity’-level items were explored using inductive thematic analysis. Results The linking and content analysis identified that existing assessment tools are measuring vision across the ICF-CY domains of Body Functions, Activities and Participation, and Environmental and Personal Factors. Items specifically coded to vision at the Activity level were defined as measuring ‘how vision is used’, and these items form the basis of the conceptualisation that ‘visual ability’ is measurable as a single construct. The thematic analysis led to the identification of 3 categories containing 13 themes that reflect a child’s observable visual behaviours. Seven abilities reflect how a child uses vision: responds or reacts, initiates, maintains or sustains looking, changes or shifts looking, searches, locates or finds, and follows. Four interactions reflect the contexts in which a child uses their vision to purposefully interact: watches and visually interacts with people and faces, objects, over distance, and with hands. Finally, two themes reflect a child’s overall use of vision in daily activities: frequency of use, and efficiency of use

Constructing a Measure of Private-pay Nursing Home Days.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Kali S; Silver, Benjamin; Gozalo, Pedro L; Dosa, David; Grabowski, David C; Makineni, Rajesh; Mor, Vincent

2018-05-01

Nursing home (NH) care is financed through multiple sources. Although Medicaid is the predominant payer for NH care, over 20% of residents pay out-of-pocket for their care. Despite this large percentage, an accepted measure of private-pay NH occupancy has not been established and little is known about the types of facilities and the long-term care markets that cater to this population. To describe 2 novel measures of private-pay utilization in the NH setting, including the proportion of privately financed residents and resident days, and examine their construct validity. Retrospective descriptive analysis of US NHs in 2007-2009. We used Medicare claims, Medicare Enrollment records, and the Minimum Data Set to create measures of private-pay resident prevalence and proportion of privately financed NH days. We compared our estimates of private-pay utilization to payer data collected in the NH annual certification survey and evaluated the relationships of our measures with facility characteristics. Our measures of private-pay resident prevalence and private-pay days are highly correlated (r=0.83, Ppay residents and days in higher quality facilities. This new methodology provides estimates of private-pay resident prevalence and resident days. These measures were correlated with estimates using other data sources and validated against measures of facility quality. These data set the stage for additional work to examine questions related to NH payment, quality of care, and responses to changes in the long-term care market.

The quality control for biological-shield heavy concrete construction of nuclear power project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun Hongjun; Ma Xinchao

2012-01-01

The paper introduces the function and characteristics of biological protective heavy-concrete, and its main application scope and role in Fangjiashan nuclear power project. From the aspects of raw material selection, mixing ratio test, heavy concrete production, the paper discusses the main control points of heavy concrete construction process, points out the basic characteristics of heavy concrete construction, and put forward measures to prevent density non-uniformity during heavy concrete construction and to control slump during transportation. Results prove that reasonable construction process control can assure the engineering quality. (authors)

Development of apparatus and procedures for evaluating radon-resistant construction materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pugh, T.D.; Greenfield, M.B.; MacKenzie, J.; Meijer, R.J. de

1992-01-01

Laboratory facilities and apparatus have been constructed to measure radon exhalation from, and radon permeability through, various construction materials. This phase of the project has focused on development of test apparatus and evaluation of instrumentation. Results indicate significant spatial variability in the radon permeability of polyethylene, even when all test samples were selected from the same roll of material, and when no visible differentiation could be made regarding sample quality. Implications for code enforcement are described, and recommendations are offered for refinement of equipment and the measurement process, prioritization of future materials testing, and specific building code provisions, based on our results

Gas Reactor International Cooperative Program. Interim report. Construction and operating experience of selected European Gas-Cooled Reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1978-09-01

The construction and operating experience of selected European Gas-Cooled Reactors is summarized along with technical descriptions of the plants. Included in the report are the AVR Experimental Pebble Bed Reactor, the Dragon Reactor, AGR Reactors, and the Thorium High Temperature Reactor (THTR). The study demonstrates that the European experience has been favorable and forms a good foundation for the development of Advanced High Temperature Reactors

Construct validity and reliability of automated body reaction test ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Automated Body Reaction Test (ABRT) is a new device for skills and physical assessment instrument to measure ability on react, move quickly and accurately in accordance with stimulus. A total of 474 subjects aged 7-17 years old were randomly selected for the construct validity (n=330) and reliability (n=144). The ABRT ...

Construction of an adaptable European transnational ecological deprivation index: the French version.

Science.gov (United States)

Pornet, Carole; Delpierre, Cyrille; Dejardin, Olivier; Grosclaude, Pascale; Launay, Ludivine; Guittet, Lydia; Lang, Thierry; Launoy, Guy

2012-11-01

Studying social disparities in health implies the ability to measure them accurately, to compare them between different areas or countries and to follow trends over time. This study proposes a method for constructing a French European deprivation index, which will be replicable in several European countries and is related to an individual deprivation indicator constructed from a European survey specifically designed to study deprivation. Using individual data from the European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions survey, goods/services indicated by individuals as being fundamental needs, the lack of which reflect deprivation, were selected. From this definition, which is specific to a cultural context, an individual deprivation indicator was constructed by selecting fundamental needs associated both with objective and subjective poverty. Next, the authors selected among variables available both in the European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions survey and French national census those best reflecting individual experience of deprivation using multivariate logistic regression. An ecological measure of deprivation was provided for all the smallest French geographical units. Preliminary validation showed a higher association between the French European Deprivation Index (EDI) score and both income and education than the Townsend index, partly ensuring its ability to measure individual socioeconomic status. This index, which is specific to a particular cultural and social policy context, could be replicated in 25 other European countries, thereby allowing European comparisons. EDI could also be reproducible over time. EDI could prove to be a relevant tool in evidence-based policy-making for measuring and reducing social disparities in health issues and even outside the medical domain.

A Conceptual Framework for Procurement Decision Making Model to Optimize Supplier Selection: The Case of Malaysian Construction Industry

Science.gov (United States)

Chuan, Ngam Min; Thiruchelvam, Sivadass; Nasharuddin Mustapha, Kamal; Che Muda, Zakaria; Mat Husin, Norhayati; Yong, Lee Choon; Ghazali, Azrul; Ezanee Rusli, Mohd; Itam, Zarina Binti; Beddu, Salmia; Liyana Mohd Kamal, Nur

2016-03-01

This paper intends to fathom the current state of procurement system in Malaysia specifically in the construction industry in the aspect of supplier selection. This paper propose a comprehensive study on the supplier selection metrics for infrastructure building, weight the importance of each metrics assigned and to find the relationship between the metrics among initiators, decision makers, buyers and users. With the metrics hierarchy of criteria importance, a supplier selection process can be defined, repeated and audited with lesser complications or difficulties. This will help the field of procurement to improve as this research is able to develop and redefine policies and procedures that have been set in supplier selection. Developing this systematic process will enable optimization of supplier selection and thus increasing the value for every stakeholders as the process of selection is greatly simplified. With a new redefined policy and procedure, it does not only increase the company’s effectiveness and profit, but also make it available for the company to reach greater heights in the advancement of procurement in Malaysia.

Raw material selection for object construction

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Perlow, J

2017-11-01

Full Text Available on their visual appearance. In particular, we present a method for an agent to recognise the required unseen raw material images and link them to corresponding novel object images. This capability provides an agent with an increased degree of resourcefulness... construction from component parts, and in doing so we provide a benchmark for future work to compare against within Minecraft and ShapeNet domains. II. BACKGROUND Our model is inspired by Siamese neural networks, a class of neural network that includes multiple...

The Interpersonal Measure of Psychopathy: Construct and Incremental Validity in Male Prisoners

Science.gov (United States)

Zolondek, Stacey; Lilienfeld, Scott O.; Patrick, Christopher J.; Fowler, Katherine A.

2006-01-01

The authors examined the construct and incremental validity of the Interpersonal Measure of Psychopathy (IM-P), a relatively new instrument designed to detect interpersonal behaviors associated with psychopathy. Observers of videotaped Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) interviews rated male prisoners (N = 93) on the IM-P. The IM-P correlated…

Validating MEDIQUAL Constructs

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Sang-Gun; Min, Jae H.

In this paper, we validate MEDIQUAL constructs through the different media users in help desk service. In previous research, only two end-users' constructs were used: assurance and responsiveness. In this paper, we extend MEDIQUAL constructs to include reliability, empathy, assurance, tangibles, and responsiveness, which are based on the SERVQUAL theory. The results suggest that: 1) five MEDIQUAL constructs are validated through the factor analysis. That is, importance of the constructs have relatively high correlations between measures of the same construct using different methods and low correlations between measures of the constructs that are expected to differ; and 2) five MEDIQUAL constructs are statistically significant on media users' satisfaction in help desk service by regression analysis.

Construct validity of the Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test in older adults with memory complaints.

Science.gov (United States)

Clerici, Francesca; Ghiretti, Roberta; Di Pucchio, Alessandra; Pomati, Simone; Cucumo, Valentina; Marcone, Alessandra; Vanacore, Nicola; Mariani, Claudio; Cappa, Stefano Francesco

2017-06-01

The Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test (FCSRT) is the memory test recommended by the International Working Group on Alzheimer's disease (AD) for the detection of amnestic syndrome of the medial temporal type in prodromal AD. Assessing the construct validity and internal consistency of the Italian version of the FCSRT is thus crucial. The FCSRT was administered to 338 community-dwelling participants with memory complaints (57% females, age 74.5 ± 7.7 years), including 34 with AD, 203 with Mild Cognitive Impairment, and 101 with Subjective Memory Impairment. Internal Consistency was estimated using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. To assess convergent validity, five FCSRT scores (Immediate Free Recall, Immediate Total Recall, Delayed Free Recall, Delayed Total Recall, and Index of Sensitivity of Cueing) were correlated with three well-validated memory tests: Story Recall, Rey Auditory Verbal Learning test, and Rey Complex Figure (RCF) recall (partial correlation analysis). To assess divergent validity, a principal component analysis (an exploratory factor analysis) was performed including, in addition to the above-mentioned memory tasks, the following tests: Word Fluencies, RCF copy, Clock Drawing Test, Trail Making Test, Frontal Assessment Battery, Raven Coloured Progressive Matrices, and Stroop Colour-Word Test. Cronbach's alpha coefficients for immediate recalls (IFR and ITR) and delayed recalls (DFR and DTR) were, respectively, .84 and .81. All FCSRT scores were highly correlated with those of the three well-validated memory tests. The factor analysis showed that the FCSRT does not load on the factors saturated by non-memory tests. These findings indicate that the FCSRT has a good internal consistency and has an excellent construct validity as an episodic memory measure. © 2015 The British Psychological Society.

An Interaction Measure for Control Configuration Selection for Multivariable Bilinear Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Shaker, Hamid Reza; Stoustrup, Jakob

2013-01-01

are needed to be controlled, are nonlinear and linear models are insufficient to describe the behavior of the processes. The focus of this paper is on the problem of control configuration selection for a class of nonlinear systems which is known as bilinear systems. A gramian-based interaction measure...... for control configuration selection of MIMO bilinear processes is described. In general, most of the results on the control configuration selection, which have been proposed so far, can only support linear systems. The proposed gramian-based interaction measure not only supports bilinear processes but also...

Constructing Better Classifier Ensemble Based on Weighted Accuracy and Diversity Measure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaodong Zeng

2014-01-01

Full Text Available A weighted accuracy and diversity (WAD method is presented, a novel measure used to evaluate the quality of the classifier ensemble, assisting in the ensemble selection task. The proposed measure is motivated by a commonly accepted hypothesis; that is, a robust classifier ensemble should not only be accurate but also different from every other member. In fact, accuracy and diversity are mutual restraint factors; that is, an ensemble with high accuracy may have low diversity, and an overly diverse ensemble may negatively affect accuracy. This study proposes a method to find the balance between accuracy and diversity that enhances the predictive ability of an ensemble for unknown data. The quality assessment for an ensemble is performed such that the final score is achieved by computing the harmonic mean of accuracy and diversity, where two weight parameters are used to balance them. The measure is compared to two representative measures, Kappa-Error and GenDiv, and two threshold measures that consider only accuracy or diversity, with two heuristic search algorithms, genetic algorithm, and forward hill-climbing algorithm, in ensemble selection tasks performed on 15 UCI benchmark datasets. The empirical results demonstrate that the WAD measure is superior to others in most cases.

Material selection for a constructed wetroof receiving pre-treated high strength domestic wastewater.

Science.gov (United States)

Zapater-Pereyra, M; van Dien, F; van Bruggen, J J A; Lens, P N L

2013-01-01

A constructed wetroof (CWR) is defined in this study as the combination of a green roof and a constructed wetland: a shallow wastewater treatment system placed on the roof of a building. The foremost challenge of such CWRs, and the main aim of this investigation, is the selection of an appropriate matrix capable of assuring the required hydraulic retention time, the long-term stability and the roof load-bearing capacity. Six substrata were subjected to water dynamics and destructive tests in two testing-tables. Among all the materials tested, the substratum configuration composed of sand, light expanded clay aggregates, biodegradable polylactic acid beads together with stabilization plates and a turf mat is capable of retaining the water for approximately 3.8 days and of providing stability (stabilization plates) and an immediate protection (turf mat) to the system. Based on those results, a full-scale CWR was built, which did not show any physical deterioration after 1 year of operation. Preliminary wastewater treatment results on the full-scale CWR suggest that it can highly remove main wastewater pollutants (e.g. chemical oxygen demand, PO4(3-)-P and NH4(+)-N). The results of these tests and practical design considerations of the CWR are discussed in this paper.

STRATEGIC APPROACH TO PROMOTION OF CONSTRUCTION PRODUCTS IN THE MARKET

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fatima M. Ramazanova

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract. Objectives The aim of the study is to develop a system of practical measures to ensure the most effective promotion of construction products to the market. Method During the process of research, methods of logical, statistical and comparative analysis as well as expert evaluations were used. Results Analysis and assessment of the construction market situation enabled a group of factors that affect the sales of construction products – in particular, building materials – to be identified, which constituted an empirical basis for developing a strategy for their promotion, aimed at maximum satisfaction of solvent demand and profit. It is determined that as an instrument of the communication policy of a construction enterprise, the promotion of construction products is a system of incentive measures and techniques designed to stimulate sales. A characterisation of the promotional system of construction products as an instrument of marketing communications is presented, revealing the target dependence of measures to stimulate sales from stages of the life cycle. The criteria for selecting the promotion channels have been systematised, serving as the basis for the strategic approach to the organisation of the distribution logistic system in construction and the steady positioning of construction products on the market. Conclusion A strategic approach to the promotion of construction products in the market ensures the creation of a system of effectively integrated marketing communications, implemented in the form of a strategic bridging partnership. Realisation of the strategy of construction product promotion comprises a reliable basis for strengthening the market positions of construction companies under the harsh conditions of a competitive environment. 

Toward a Common Language for Measuring Patient Mobility in the Hospital: Reliability and Construct Validity of Interprofessional Mobility Measures.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoyer, Erik H; Young, Daniel L; Klein, Lisa M; Kreif, Julie; Shumock, Kara; Hiser, Stephanie; Friedman, Michael; Lavezza, Annette; Jette, Alan; Chan, Kitty S; Needham, Dale M

2018-02-01

The lack of common language among interprofessional inpatient clinical teams is an important barrier to achieving inpatient mobilization. In The Johns Hopkins Hospital, the Activity Measure for Post-Acute Care (AM-PAC) Inpatient Mobility Short Form (IMSF), also called "6-Clicks," and the Johns Hopkins Highest Level of Mobility (JH-HLM) are part of routine clinical practice. The measurement characteristics of these tools when used by both nurses and physical therapists for interprofessional communication or assessment are unknown. The purposes of this study were to evaluate the reliability and minimal detectable change of AM-PAC IMSF and JH-HLM when completed by nurses and physical therapists and to evaluate the construct validity of both measures when used by nurses. A prospective evaluation of a convenience sample was used. The test-retest reliability and the interrater reliability of AM-PAC IMSF and JH-HLM for inpatients in the neuroscience department (n = 118) of an academic medical center were evaluated. Each participant was independently scored twice by a team of 2 nurses and 1 physical therapist; a total of 4 physical therapists and 8 nurses participated in reliability testing. In a separate inpatient study protocol (n = 69), construct validity was evaluated via an assessment of convergent validity with other measures of function (grip strength, Katz Activities of Daily Living Scale, 2-minute walk test, 5-times sit-to-stand test) used by 5 nurses. The test-retest reliability values (intraclass correlation coefficients) for physical therapists and nurses were 0.91 and 0.97, respectively, for AM-PAC IMSF and 0.94 and 0.95, respectively, for JH-HLM. The interrater reliability values (intraclass correlation coefficients) between physical therapists and nurses were 0.96 for AM-PAC IMSF and 0.99 for JH-HLM. Construct validity (Spearman correlations) ranged from 0.25 between JH-HLM and right-hand grip strength to 0.80 between AM-PAC IMSF and the Katz Activities of

Effects of ionization chamber construction on dose measurements in a heterogeneity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mauceri, T.; Kase, K.

1987-01-01

Traditionally, measurements have been made in heterogeneous phantoms to determine the factors which should be applied to dose calculations, when calculating a dose to a heterogeneous medium. Almost all measurements have relied on relatively thin-walled ion chambers, with no attempt to match ion chamber wall material to the measuring medium. The recent AAPM dosimetry protocol has established that a mismatch between ion chamber wall and phantom material can have an effect on dose measurement. To investigate the affect of this mismatch of ion chamber wall material to phantom material, two parallel-plate ion chambers were constructed. One ion chamber from solid water, for measurements in a solid water phantom and the other from plastic lung material, for measurements in a plastic lung material phantom. Correction factors measured by matching ion chamber to media were compared to correction factors measured by using a thin-walled cavity ion chamber with no regard for matching wall and media for cobalt-60, 6-, 10- and 20-MV photon beams. The results demonstrated that the matching of ion chamber to measuring media can be ignored, provided that a small, approximately tissue-equivalent, thin-walled ion chamber is used for measuring the correction factors

Construction of scales to measure leadership behavior at nuclear power plants. 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Misumi, Jyuji; Yamada, Akira; Shinohara, Shinobu

1994-01-01

In order to construct scales to measure leadership behavior of managers and supervisors at nuclear power plants, we prepared questionnaire covering all the leadership behaviors of leaders and then had their subordinates fill out the questionnaire. We selected questionnaire items for use in measuring leadership behaviors, analyzing the responses by means of factor analysis, etc. For the section chiefs, five factors were named, i.e., 'consideration' and 'self-righteousness' that belong to group maintenance behavior and 'thorough dissemination of information', 'specialty, planning' and 'pressure' that belong to goal achievement behavior. For the maintenance subsection chiefs were found seven factors, i.e., 'example setting', 'appropriate handling of work', 'planning', 'rigidity', 'educational guidance' that belong to goal achievement behavior and 'consideration for work' and 'personal consideration' that belong to group maintenance behavior. For maintenance and repair foremen were named six factors, i.e., 'consideration' that belongs to group maintenance behavior and 'specialty, planning', 'reporting, liaison', 'adjustment, rigidity', 'paper work confirmation', and 'example setting' that belong to goal achievement behavior. For subcontractors' field leaders were named seven factors, i.e., 'example setting, specialty and planning', 'careful guidance', 'rigidity', 'observance of rules' and 'paper work handling' that belong to goal achievement behavior and, 'consideration', 'frank communication'. In order to examine the validity of these items, we analyzed relationship between the 'morale'-(satisfaction, etc.) variables of the company's regular employees and subcontractors' employees and their leadership. It was found that the three leadership behavior scales for the section chiefs, maintenance and repair subsection chiefs and subcontractor leaders were very much the same as those found in private sector. (J.P.N.)

Construction of scales to measure leadership behavior at nuclear power plants. 1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Misumi, Jyuji; Yamada, Akira [Institute of Nuclear Safety System Inc., Kyoto (Japan); Shinohara, Shinobu [and others

1994-05-01

In order to construct scales to measure leadership behavior of managers and supervisors at nuclear power plants, we prepared questionnaire covering all the leadership behaviors of leaders and then had their subordinates fill out the questionnaire. We selected questionnaire items for use in measuring leadership behaviors, analyzing the responses by means of factor analysis, etc. For the section chiefs, five factors were named, i.e., `consideration` and `self-righteousness` that belong to group maintenance behavior and `thorough dissemination of information`, `specialty, planning` and `pressure` that belong to goal achievement behavior. For the maintenance subsection chiefs were found seven factors, i.e., `example setting`, `appropriate handling of work`, `planning`, `rigidity`, `educational guidance` that belong to goal achievement behavior and `consideration for work` and `personal consideration` that belong to group maintenance behavior. For maintenance and repair foremen were named six factors, i.e., `consideration` that belongs to group maintenance behavior and `specialty, planning`, `reporting, liaison`, `adjustment, rigidity`, `paper work confirmation`, and `example setting` that belong to goal achievement behavior. For subcontractors` field leaders were named seven factors, i.e., `example setting, specialty and planning`, `careful guidance`, `rigidity`, `observance of rules` and `paper work handling` that belong to goal achievement behavior and, `consideration`, `frank communication`. In order to examine the validity of these items, we analyzed relationship between the `morale`-(satisfaction, etc.) variables of the company`s regular employees and subcontractors` employees and their leadership. It was found that the three leadership behavior scales for the section chiefs, maintenance and repair subsection chiefs and subcontractor leaders were very much the same as those found in private sector. (J.P.N.)

Technical Assessment Of Selection Of A Waste Disposal Site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Bong Hun

1992-04-01

This book gives overall descriptions of technical assessment of selection of a waste disposal site, which deals with standard of selection on incinerator of city waste, the method over assessment of selection of incinerator in city waste, prerequisite of technical assessment for selection of incinerator, waste incinerator and related equipment such as form, structure, quality of material, ventilation device, plumbing system and electrical installation, and total plan like plan of construction and a measure taken against environmental pollution.

Design and Construction of a Thermal Contact Resistance and Thermal Conductivity Measurement System

Science.gov (United States)

2015-09-01

thank my Mom, Dad , Allison, Jessica, and father-in-law, Tom, for always being there to listen and encourage me. xxiv THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY...thermal conductivity is temperature measurement inaccuracies. A probe constructed of a poor thermally conductive material when inserted into a hot...interface- resistance-measurement-using-a-transient-method/ [26] H. Fukushima, L. T. Drzal, B. P. Rook and M. J. Rich , “Thermal conductivity of exfoliated

Hydrogen sulfide flux measurements from construction and demolition debris (C&D) landfills.

Science.gov (United States)

Eun, Sangho; Reinhart, Debra R; Cooper, C David; Townsend, Timothy G; Faour, Ayman

2007-01-01

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has been identified as a principal odorous component of gaseous emissions from construction and demolition debris (C&D) landfills. Although several studies have reported the ambient concentrations of H2S near C&D landfills, few studies have quantified emission rates of H2S. One of the most widely used techniques for measuring surface gas emission rates from landfills is the flux chamber method. Flux measurements using the flux chamber were performed at five different C&D landfills from April to August, 2003. The flux rates of H2S measured in this research were between 0.192 and 1.76 mg/(m2-d).

Strain Measurement of Steel Roof Truss Using FBG Sensor during Construction of Reverse Shell Shaped Reinforced Concrete Structure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Kun Woo [Kyungpook National University, Daegu (Korea, Republic of); Rhim, Hong Chul; Seo, Tae Seok [Yonsei University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2011-08-15

Application of FBG (Fiber Bragg Grating) sensors to measure strain of steel roof trusses has been performed. This is to check and confirm the structural integrity of an unusually shaped, reverse shell structure made of reinforced concrete. The issue was to place sensors at proper location and compare the measured values to the results from structural analysis. It has been learned that a deliberate measurement scheme is needed in order to monitor a complex structure during construction. In this study, the measured values were within allowable range of strain, thus confirming the safety of the structure during measurement and construction.

Construction Management for Conventional Facilities of Proton Accelerator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jun Yeon; Cho, Jin Sam; Lee, Jae Sang

2008-05-01

Proton Engineering Frontier Project, puts its aim to building 100MeV 20mA linear proton accelerator which is national facility for NT, BT, IT, and future technologies, expected to boost up the national industry competitiveness. This R and D, Construction Management is in charge of the supportive works as site selection, architecture and engineering of conventional facilities, and overall construction management. The major goals of this work are as follows: At first, architecture and engineering of conventional facilities. Second, construction management, audit and inspection on construction of conventional facilities. Lastly, cooperation with the project host organization for adjusting technical issues of overall construction. In this research, We reviewed the basic design and made a detail design of conventional facilities. Preparation for construction license, site improvement and access road construction is fulfilled. Also, we made the technical support for project host as follows : selection of project host organization and host site selection, construction technical work for project host organization and procedure management

Reliability and validity of selected measures associated with increased fall risk in females over the age of 45 years with distal radius fracture - A pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Mehta, Saurabh P; MacDermid, Joy C; Richardson, Julie; MacIntyre, Norma J; Grewal, Ruby

2015-01-01

Clinical measurement. This study examined test-retest reliability and convergent/divergent construct validity of selected tests and measures that assess balance impairment, fear of falling (FOF), impaired physical activity (PA), and lower extremity muscle strength (LEMS) in females >45 years of age after the distal radius fracture (DRF) population. Twenty one female participants with DRF were assessed on two occasions. Timed Up and Go, Functional Reach, and One Leg Standing tests assessed balance impairment. Shortened Falls Efficacy Scale, Activity-specific Balance Confidence scale, and Fall Risk Perception Questionnaire assessed FOF. International Physical Activity Questionnaire and Rapid Assessment of Physical Activity were administered to assess PA level. Chair stand test and isometric muscle strength testing for hip and knee assessed LEMS. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) examined the test-retest reliability of the measures. Pearson correlation coefficients (r) examined concurrent relationships between the measures. The results demonstrated fair to excellent test-retest reliability (ICC between 0.50 and 0.96) and low to moderate concordance between the measures (low if r ≤ 0.4; moderate if r = 0.4-0.7). The results provide preliminary estimates of test-retest reliability and convergent/divergent construct validity of selected measures associated with increased risk for falling in the females >45 years of age after DRF. Further research directions to advance knowledge regarding fall risk assessment in DRF population have been identified. Copyright © 2015 Hanley & Belfus. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Construct ability Improvement for Nuclear Power Plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Dae Soo; Lee, Jong Rim; Kim, Jong Ku [Korea Electric Power Research Institute, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

1997-12-31

The purpose of this study was to identify methods for improving the construct ability of nuclear power plants. This study reviewed several references of current construction practices of domestic and overseas nuclear plants in order to identify potential methods for improving construct ability. The identified methods for improving construct ability were then evaluated based on the applicability to domestic nuclear plant construction. The selected methods are expected to reduce the construction period, improve the quality of construction, cost, safety, and productivity. Selection of which methods should be implemented will require further evaluation of construction modifications, design changes, contract revisions. Among construction methods studied, platform construction methods can be applied through construction sequence modification without significant design changes, and Over the Top construction method of the NSSS, automatic welding of RCL pipes, CLP modularization, etc., are considered to be applied after design modification and adjustment of material lead time. (author). 49 refs., figs., tabs.

Initial constructs for patient-centered outcome measures to evaluate brain-computer interfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Andresen, Elena M; Fried-Oken, Melanie; Peters, Betts; Patrick, Donald L

2016-10-01

The authors describe preliminary work toward the creation of patient-centered outcome (PCO) measures to evaluate brain-computer interface (BCI) as an assistive technology (AT) for individuals with severe speech and physical impairments (SSPI). In Phase 1, 591 items from 15 existing measures were mapped to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). In Phase 2, qualitative interviews were conducted with eight people with SSPI and seven caregivers. Resulting text data were coded in an iterative analysis. Most items (79%) were mapped to the ICF environmental domain; over half (53%) were mapped to more than one domain. The ICF framework was well suited for mapping items related to body functions and structures, but less so for items in other areas, including personal factors. Two constructs emerged from qualitative data: quality of life (QOL) and AT. Component domains and themes were identified for each. Preliminary constructs, domains and themes were generated for future PCO measures relevant to BCI. Existing instruments are sufficient for initial items but do not adequately match the values of people with SSPI and their caregivers. Field methods for interviewing people with SSPI were successful, and support the inclusion of these individuals in PCO research. Implications for Rehabilitation Adapted interview methods allow people with severe speech and physical impairments to participate in patient-centered outcomes research. Patient-centered outcome measures are needed to evaluate the clinical implementation of brain-computer interface as an assistive technology.

Measuring Carbon Footprint of Flexible Pavement Construction Project in Indonesia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Utomo Dwi Hatmoko Jati

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Road infrastructure in Indonesia is mainly dominated by flexible pavement type. Its construction process, however, has raised concerns in terms of its environment impacts. This study aims to track and measure the carbon footprint of flexible pavement. The objectives are to map the construction process in relation to greenhouse gas (GHG emissions, to quantify them in terms of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e as generated by the process of production and transportation of raw materials, and the operation of plant off-site and on-site project. Data collection was done by having site observations and interviews with project stakeholders. The results show a total emissions of 70.888 tonnes CO2e, consisting of 34.248 tonnes CO2e (48.31% off-site activities and 36.640 tonnes CO2e (51.687% on-site activities. The two highest CO2e emissions were generated by the use of plant for asphalt concrete laying activities accounted 34.827 tonnes CO2e (49.130%, and material transportation accounted 24.921 (35.155%. These findings provide a new perspective of the carbon footprint in flexible pavement and suggest the urgent need for the use of more efficient and environmentally friendly plant in construction process as it shows the most significant contribution on the CO2e. This study provides valuable understanding on the environmental impact of typical flexible pavement projects in Indonesia, and further can be used for developing green road framework.

Measuring Carbon Footprint of Flexible Pavement Construction Project in Indonesia

Science.gov (United States)

Hatmoko, Jati Utomo Dwi; Hidayat, Arif; Setiawati, Apsari; Prasetyo, Stefanus Catur Adi

2018-02-01

Road infrastructure in Indonesia is mainly dominated by flexible pavement type. Its construction process, however, has raised concerns in terms of its environment impacts. This study aims to track and measure the carbon footprint of flexible pavement. The objectives are to map the construction process in relation to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, to quantify them in terms of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e) as generated by the process of production and transportation of raw materials, and the operation of plant off-site and on-site project. Data collection was done by having site observations and interviews with project stakeholders. The results show a total emissions of 70.888 tonnes CO2e, consisting of 34.248 tonnes CO2e (48.31%) off-site activities and 36.640 tonnes CO2e (51.687%) on-site activities. The two highest CO2e emissions were generated by the use of plant for asphalt concrete laying activities accounted 34.827 tonnes CO2e (49.130%), and material transportation accounted 24.921 (35.155%). These findings provide a new perspective of the carbon footprint in flexible pavement and suggest the urgent need for the use of more efficient and environmentally friendly plant in construction process as it shows the most significant contribution on the CO2e. This study provides valuable understanding on the environmental impact of typical flexible pavement projects in Indonesia, and further can be used for developing green road framework.

The Construct Validity of an Instrument for Measuring Type 2 ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Abstract. Purpose: To develop an instrument (DSCKQ-30) for measuring type 2 diabetic patients' knowledge of self-care practices. Methods: A 30-item questionnaire (DSCKQ-30) consisting of close ended questions was developed for this study. DSCKQ-30 was self administered to a cross-section of randomly selected 400 ...

Design, construction, and validation of a scale to measure cyberbullying in a work environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luz N. Fernández-López

2018-04-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to design, construct, and validate a scale to measure cyberbullying in a work environment. The design used was quantitative, not experimental, and transversal. The research method was based on the Reactive Response Theory. This research produced a validated scale with a sample of the work environment in Puerto Rico. Three analyses were performed: content validity, reliability analysis of the Cronbach alpha coefficient, and the divergent type construct validity. Based on the analysis of the results, the scale was deemed to be useful for the purpose it was designed. Building a scale that measures cyberbullying contributes to the design of new instruments and the revision of existing ones; furthermore, it may serve as the basis for future re- search related to the topic of cyberbullying.

Research on the selection of innovation compound using Possibility Construction Space Theory and fuzzy pattern recognition

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Songhua; Li, Dehua; Nie, Hui

2009-10-01

There are a large number of fuzzy concepts and fuzzy phenomena in traditional Chinese medicine, which have led to great difficulties for study of traditional Chinese medicine. In this paper, the mathematical methods are used to quantify fuzzy concepts of drugs and prescription. We put forward the process of innovation formulations and selection method in Chinese medicine based on the Possibility Construction Space Theory (PCST) and fuzzy pattern recognition. Experimental results show that the method of selecting medicines from a number of characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine is consistent with the basic theory of traditional Chinese medicine. The results also reflect the integrated effects of the innovation compound. Through the use of the innovation formulations system, we expect to provide software tools for developing new traditional Chinese medicine and to inspire traditional Chinese medicine researchers to develop novel drugs.

Mini-columns for Conducting Breakthrough Experiments. Design and Construction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dittrich, Timothy M. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Reimus, Paul William [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Ware, Stuart Douglas [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2015-06-11

Experiments with moderately and strongly sorbing radionuclides (i.e., U, Cs, Am) have shown that sorption between experimental solutions and traditional column materials must be accounted for to accurately determine stationary phase or porous media sorption properties (i.e., sorption site density, sorption site reaction rate coefficients, and partition coefficients or K_d values). This report details the materials and construction of mini-columns for use in breakthrough columns to allow for accurate measurement and modeling of sorption parameters. Material selection, construction techniques, wet packing of columns, tubing connections, and lessons learned are addressed.

Prospective safety performance evaluation on construction sites.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Xianguo; Liu, Qian; Zhang, Limao; Skibniewski, Miroslaw J; Wang, Yanhong

2015-05-01

This paper presents a systematic Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) based approach for Prospective Safety Performance Evaluation (PSPE) on construction sites, with causal relationships and interactions between enablers and the goals of PSPE taken into account. According to a sample of 450 valid questionnaire surveys from 30 Chinese construction enterprises, a SEM model with 26 items included for PSPE in the context of Chinese construction industry is established and then verified through the goodness-of-fit test. Three typical types of construction enterprises, namely the state-owned enterprise, private enterprise and Sino-foreign joint venture, are selected as samples to measure the level of safety performance given the enterprise scale, ownership and business strategy are different. Results provide a full understanding of safety performance practice in the construction industry, and indicate that the level of overall safety performance situation on working sites is rated at least a level of III (Fair) or above. This phenomenon can be explained that the construction industry has gradually matured with the norms, and construction enterprises should improve the level of safety performance as not to be eliminated from the government-led construction industry. The differences existing in the safety performance practice regarding different construction enterprise categories are compared and analyzed according to evaluation results. This research provides insights into cause-effect relationships among safety performance factors and goals, which, in turn, can facilitate the improvement of high safety performance in the construction industry. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reuse of conditionally released steel; proposals and evaluation of processes for manufacturing of steel elements and processes for construction of selected scenarios - 59130

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bezak, Peter; Ondra, Frantisek; Hajkova, Eva; Necas, Vladimir

2012-01-01

The project include systematic scenarios analysis of conditionally released materials from the decommissioning of nuclear installations and the creation of new knowledge in this field, which will be used for implementing projects for reuse of these materials. New knowledge includes data about materials from the decommissioning (types of materials and radiological data on the basis of analysis of various scenarios). Scenarios contain information about conditionally released materials, data of the external exposure of personnel who will assemble those structures and who will be use the constructions up to the target scenario. Scenarios assume guarantee that the final products will be placed on the current position for a very long period from 50 to 100 years. The paper presents the review of activities for manufacturing of various steel construction elements made of conditionally released steels and activities for realisation of selected scenarios for reuse of construction elements. The ingots after melting of decommissioned radioactive steel materials are as the starting material for manufacturing of steel components. Ingots from the controlled area will be melted into induction furnace and the mixture of liquid steel will be alloyed for achieve of required chemical parameters. Typical steel products suitable for established scenarios are steel rebar of concrete, steel profiles of various forms, railway rails and rolled steel sheets. Target scenarios include an analysis of staff exposure during installation of steel constructions as well as exposure of individual from critical groups of population during their exploitation. The various scenarios, provided within the scope of the CONRELMAT project are focused at the systematic analysis of the use of conditionally released steel from decommissioning of nuclear facilities. Scenarios are focused on research and development of model situations in constructions in the areas of transport, civil constructions, industry and

Foreign Market Selection Factors in the Australian Construction Services Sector

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Faiza El-Higzi

2012-11-01

Full Text Available A survey of Australian construction companies is described, aimed at identifying the mainfactors considered when choosing foreign markets for their international activities. Thishighlights the importance of the host country’s economic, political and structural factors,the interplay of company motivations for expansion and the availability of a relevant constructionproject. Other factors influence a company’s approach to overseas operations,but do not significantly affect the choice of country. Also identified is a need to improvegovernment approaches to construction service expansion to other countries, with a focuson specific projects and policy regulations to assist the industry, and to build closer relationsbetween construction companies and financial institutions.

On the dimensionality of organizational justice: a construct validation of a measure.

Science.gov (United States)

Colquitt, J A

2001-06-01

This study explores the dimensionality of organizational justice and provides evidence of construct validity for a new justice measure. Items for this measure were generated by strictly following the seminal works in the justice literature. The measure was then validated in 2 separate studies. Study 1 occurred in a university setting, and Study 2 occurred in a field setting using employees in an automobile parts manufacturing company. Confirmatory factor analyses supported a 4-factor structure to the measure, with distributive, procedural, interpersonal, and informational justice as distinct dimensions. This solution fit the data significantly better than a 2- or 3-factor solution using larger interactional or procedural dimensions. Structural equation modeling also demonstrated predictive validity for the justice dimensions on important outcomes, including leader evaluation, rule compliance, commitment, and helping behavior.

Constructing abortion as a social problem: "Sex selection" and the British abortion debate.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Ellie

2017-02-01

Between February 2012 and March 2015, the claim that sex selection abortion was taking place in Britain and that action needed to be taken to stop it dominated debate in Britain about abortion. Situating an analysis in sociological and social psychological approaches to the construction of social problems, particularly those considering "feminised" re-framings of anti-abortion arguments, this paper presents an account of this debate. Based on analysis of media coverage, Parliamentary debate and official documents, we focus on claims about grounds (evidence) made to sustain the case that sex selection abortion is a British social problem and highlight how abortion was problematised in new ways. Perhaps most notable, we argue, was the level of largely unchallenged vilification of abortion doctors and providers, on the grounds that they are both law violators and participants in acts of discrimination and violence against women, especially those of Asian heritage. We draw attention to the role of claims made by feminists in the media and in Parliament about "gendercide" as part of this process and argue that those supportive of access to abortion need to critically assess both this aspect of the events and also consider arguments about the problems of "medical power" in the light of what took place.

Design, construction, characterization, and use of a detector to measure time of flight of cosmic rays

Science.gov (United States)

Araujo, A. C.; Felix, J.

2017-01-01

In the study of cosmic rays, measurements of time of flight and momentum have been used to identify incident particles from its physical properties, like mass. In this document we present the design, construction, characterization, and operation of a detector to measure time of flight of cosmic rays. The device is comprised of three small plates of plastic scintillator arranged in vertical straight line, coupled to one photomultiplier tube. The analogical output has been connected to a data acquisition system to obtain the number of digital pulses per millisecond. We present details of design, construction, operation, and preliminary results.

Construction history and construction management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Agh, S.

1999-01-01

The process of pre-design and design preparation of the Mochovce NPP as well as the construction history of the plant is highlighted, including the financing aspect and problems arising from changes in the technological and other conditions of start-up of the reactor units. The results of international audits performed to improve the level of nuclear safety and implementation of the measures suggested are also described. The milestones of the whole construction process and start-up process, the control and quality system, and the methods of control and management of the complex construction project are outlined. (author)

Probabilistic pathway construction.

Science.gov (United States)

Yousofshahi, Mona; Lee, Kyongbum; Hassoun, Soha

2011-07-01

Expression of novel synthesis pathways in host organisms amenable to genetic manipulations has emerged as an attractive metabolic engineering strategy to overproduce natural products, biofuels, biopolymers and other commercially useful metabolites. We present a pathway construction algorithm for identifying viable synthesis pathways compatible with balanced cell growth. Rather than exhaustive exploration, we investigate probabilistic selection of reactions to construct the pathways. Three different selection schemes are investigated for the selection of reactions: high metabolite connectivity, low connectivity and uniformly random. For all case studies, which involved a diverse set of target metabolites, the uniformly random selection scheme resulted in the highest average maximum yield. When compared to an exhaustive search enumerating all possible reaction routes, our probabilistic algorithm returned nearly identical distributions of yields, while requiring far less computing time (minutes vs. years). The pathways identified by our algorithm have previously been confirmed in the literature as viable, high-yield synthesis routes. Prospectively, our algorithm could facilitate the design of novel, non-native synthesis routes by efficiently exploring the diversity of biochemical transformations in nature. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

THE NICHE CONSTRUCTION PERSPECTIVE: A CRITICAL APPRAISAL*

Science.gov (United States)

Scott-Phillips, Thomas C; Laland, Kevin N; Shuker, David M; Dickins, Thomas E; West, Stuart A

2014-01-01

Niche construction refers to the activities of organisms that bring about changes in their environments, many of which are evolutionarily and ecologically consequential. Advocates of niche construction theory (NCT) believe that standard evolutionary theory fails to recognize the full importance of niche construction, and consequently propose a novel view of evolution, in which niche construction and its legacy over time (ecological inheritance) are described as evolutionary processes, equivalent in importance to natural selection. Here, we subject NCT to critical evaluation, in the form of a collaboration between one prominent advocate of NCT, and a team of skeptics. We discuss whether niche construction is an evolutionary process, whether NCT obscures or clarifies how natural selection leads to organismal adaptation, and whether niche construction and natural selection are of equivalent explanatory importance. We also consider whether the literature that promotes NCT overstates the significance of niche construction, whether it is internally coherent, and whether it accurately portrays standard evolutionary theory. Our disagreements reflect a wider dispute within evolutionary theory over whether the neo-Darwinian synthesis is in need of reformulation, as well as different usages of some key terms (e.g., evolutionary process). PMID:24325256

Measurement of assertive behavior: construct and predictive validity of self-report, role-playing, and in-vivo measures.

Science.gov (United States)

Burkhart, B R; Green, S B; Harrison, W H

1979-04-01

Examined the predictive validity and construct equivalence of the three major procedures used to measure assertive behavior: Self-report, behavioral role-playing, and in-vivo assessment. Seventy-five Ss, who spanned the range of assertiveness, completed two self-report measures of assertiveness, the Rathus Assertiveness Scale (RAS) and the College Self-Expression Scale (CSES); two scales from the Endler S-R Inventory of General Trait Anxiousness, the interpersonal and general anxiety scales; eight role-playing situations that involved the expression of positive and negative assertiveness; and a telephone in-vivo task. In general, the study revealed the following: (1) assertiveness measures are task-dependent in that there was more overlap within task than between tasks; (2) there is a moderate degree of correspondence between self-report and role-playing measures, although this was true only for negative assertion; (3) positive and negative assertion do not appear to have the same topography of responding; and (4) there appears to be no consistent relationship between the in-vivo measure and any other type of assertiveness measure.

MEASURING THE PERFORMANCE OF GUYANA’S CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY USING A SET OF PROJECT PERFORMANCE BENCHMARKING METRICS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christopher J. Willis

2011-10-01

Full Text Available A study measuring the performance of Guyana’s construction industry using a set of project performance benchmarking metrics was recently completed. The underlying premise of the study was that the aggregated performance of construction projects provides a realistic assessment of the performance of the construction industry, on the basis that construction projects are the mechanism through which the construction industry creates its tangible products. The fact that an influential government agency acted as owner of the study was critical to the data collection phase. The best approach for collecting project performance data in Guyana involves the utilisation of a researcher or team of researchers mining electronic and hard copy project documents. This study analysed approximately 270 construction projects to obtain an indication of the performance of guyana’s construction industry. It was found that sea defence projects performed the worst, whereas health facility projects performed the best. The main implication of this is that sea defence projects are likely to be the least efficient and, given their critical nature, there is an argument for urgent performance improvement interventions.

Constructing Student Problems in Phylogenetic Tree Construction.

Science.gov (United States)

Brewer, Steven D.

Evolution is often equated with natural selection and is taught from a primarily functional perspective while comparative and historical approaches, which are critical for developing an appreciation of the power of evolutionary theory, are often neglected. This report describes a study of expert problem-solving in phylogenetic tree construction.…

Optimization planning for the construction of the U.S. EPR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Phillips, M. K.

2008-01-01

As utilities and project developers in the United States embark on a new nuclear plant construction endeavor, the industry must have the confidence and support of all stakeholders. To gain this confidence and support, cost and schedule certainty must be established. Therein lies the challenge. The owner will insist that constructors and suppliers deliver new plants on time and within project budgets. This will be a significant effort given the limited number of qualified equipment and commodity suppliers, and a shortage of experienced craft and supervision. In an effort to manage construction risk and ensure cost and schedule certainty, the AREVA Construction Management Team has lead the development of a construction strategy that includes advanced construction methods and technologies such as 3-D modeling, detailed planning and scheduling, open-top construction, state-of-the-art fabrication practices, specialty transportation and lifting methods, and pre-assembly and modularization, otherwise referred to as construction optimization. Unlike off-shore platforms, industrial process plants, and ships where piping and components can be integrated into the steel building structure, optimized construction of nuclear plants must consider reinforced concrete walls and slabs that serve as the building structure, and provide radiation shielding and containment of nuclear systems. These differences in design and construction require a significantly different analysis approach that is focused on rooms of a building rather than the whole building or plant. This paper will focus on the process developed and currently being implemented by the U.S. EPR (Evolutionary Power Reactor) Construction Team to identify opportunities for optimization and then to evaluate and select the rooms or areas of the plant where pre-assembly or modularization will provide the greatest benefit to construction cost and schedule certainty. Key measures for comparison and selection are critical path

Measuring process performance within healthcare logistics - a decision tool for selecting measuring technologies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Feibert, Diana Cordes; Jacobsen, Peter

2015-01-01

Performance measurement can support the organization in improving the efficiency and effectiveness of logistical healthcare processes. Selecting the most suitable technologies is important to ensure data validity. A case study of the hospital cleaning process at a public Danish hospital...... was conducted. Monitoring tasks and ascertaining quality of work is difficult in such a process. Based on principal-agent theory, a set of decision indicator has been developed, and a decision framework for assessing technologies to enable performance measurement has been proposed....

Evaluation of the varying Naturally Occurring Asbestos mitigation measures at School and Commercial construction projects in California

Science.gov (United States)

Kalika, S.

2012-12-01

In commercial development or K-12 school construction, project sites are often purchased and much of the planning process completed prior to an assessment of the soils proposed for excavation or potential offhaul. Geologic maps, while initially helpful for identifying potential hazards such as landslides and earthquake faults, are less helpful in the identification of naturally occurring hazardous minerals, such as the seven regulated minerals currently classified as asbestos. Geologic maps identify mafic and ultramafic bedrock zones; however, a skilled geologist with knowledge of asbestos hazards will further visualize the earth-shaping processes that may have resulted in the deposition of naturally occurring asbestos in locations outside mapped ultramafic zones including the base of an alluvial fan or within streambed channels. When sampled as an afterthought prior to disposal, property owners are surprised by the budget-crippling costs of waste handling and disposal of NOA, as well as mitigations required to protect the health of construction workers, the public, and future site occupants. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) continues to lead the way in evaluation and regulation of NOA, through development of the CARB 435 preparation and laboratory analytical method, local enforcement of the Asbestos Airborne Toxic Control Measure for Construction, Grading, Quarrying, and Surface Mining Operations (ATCM), and implementation of dust control measures to protect public health. A thorough site evaluation and construction design includes utilization of the sampling methods developed by the California Geological Survey, laboratory analytical methods within CARB 435, and mitigation measures required by CARB, DTSC, and OSHA for the protection of worker and public health after NOA is discovered. The site evaluation should additionally include an assessment of the future site usage, as regulations differ based on potential health affects to future occupants

Use of Ergonomic Measures Related to Musculoskeletal Complaints among Construction Workers: A 2-year Follow-up Study

Science.gov (United States)

Boschman, Julitta S.; Frings-Dresen, Monique H.W.; van der Molen, Henk F.

2015-01-01

Background The physical work demands of construction work can be reduced using ergonomic measures. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of ergonomic measures related to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among construction workers. Methods A questionnaire was sent at baseline and 2 years later to 1,130 construction workers. We established (1) the proportion of workers reporting an increase in their use of ergonomic measures, (2) the proportion of workers reporting a decrease in MSDs, (3) the relative risk for an increase in the use of ergonomic measures and a decrease in MSDs, and (4) workers' knowledge and opinions about the use of ergonomic measures. Results At follow-up, response rate was 63% (713/1,130). The proportion of workers using ergonomic measures for vertical transport increased (34%, 144/419, p < 0.01); for measures regarding horizontal transport and the positioning of materials, no change was reported. The proportion of workers reporting shoulder complaints decreased (28%, 176/638, p = 0.02). A relationship between the use of ergonomic measures and MSDs was not found; 83% (581/704) of the workers indicated having sufficient knowledge about ergonomic measures. Lightening the physical load was reported to be the main reason for using them. Conclusion Only the use of ergonomic measures for vertical transport increased over a 2-year period. No relationship between the use of ergonomic measures and MSDs was found. Strategies aimed at improving the availability of ergonomic equipment complemented with individualized advice and training in using them might be the required next steps to increase the use of ergonomic measures. PMID:26106507

Construction of calibration curve for accountancy tank

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kato, Takayuki; Goto, Yoshiki; Nidaira, Kazuo

2009-01-01

Tanks are equipped in a reprocessing plant for accounting solution of nuclear material. The careful measurement of volume in tanks is very important to implement rigorous accounting of nuclear material. The calibration curve relating the volume and level of solution needs to be constructed, where the level is determined by differential pressure of dip tubes. Several calibration curves are usually employed, but it's not explicitly decided how many segment are used, where to select segment, or what should be the degree of polynomial curve. These parameters, i.e., segment and degree of polynomial curve are mutually interrelated to give the better performance of calibration curve. Here we present the construction technique of giving optimum calibration curves and their characteristics. (author)

Hyperspectral band selection based on consistency-measure of neighborhood rough set theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Yao; Xie, Hong; Wang, Liguo; Tan, Kezhu; Chen, Yuehua; Xu, Zhen

2016-01-01

Band selection is a well-known approach for reducing dimensionality in hyperspectral imaging. In this paper, a band selection method based on consistency-measure of neighborhood rough set theory (CMNRS) was proposed to select informative bands from hyperspectral images. A decision-making information system was established by the reflection spectrum of soybeans’ hyperspectral data between 400 nm and 1000 nm wavelengths. The neighborhood consistency-measure, which reflects not only the size of the decision positive region, but also the sample distribution in the boundary region, was used as the evaluation function of band significance. The optimal band subset was selected by a forward greedy search algorithm. A post-pruning strategy was employed to overcome the over-fitting problem and find the minimum subset. To assess the effectiveness of the proposed band selection technique, two classification models (extreme learning machine (ELM) and random forests (RF)) were built. The experimental results showed that the proposed algorithm can effectively select key bands and obtain satisfactory classification accuracy. (paper)

A variational approach to niche construction.

Science.gov (United States)

Constant, Axel; Ramstead, Maxwell J D; Veissière, Samuel P L; Campbell, John O; Friston, Karl J

2018-04-01

In evolutionary biology, niche construction is sometimes described as a genuine evolutionary process whereby organisms, through their activities and regulatory mechanisms, modify their environment such as to steer their own evolutionary trajectory, and that of other species. There is ongoing debate, however, on the extent to which niche construction ought to be considered a bona fide evolutionary force, on a par with natural selection. Recent formulations of the variational free-energy principle as applied to the life sciences describe the properties of living systems, and their selection in evolution, in terms of variational inference. We argue that niche construction can be described using a variational approach. We propose new arguments to support the niche construction perspective, and to extend the variational approach to niche construction to current perspectives in various scientific fields. © 2018 The Authors.

Construction labor productivity during nuclear power plant construction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murray, W.B.

1980-01-01

This paper discusses the three different types of productivity programs used at the Wm. H. Zimmer Nuclear Power Station construction site. The Standard Cost Estimate as Productivity Measurement compares actual units installed to estimated units. The Manpower and Equipment Utilization Study measures the present utilization level of the construction work force, identifies opportunities for productivity improvement, and establishes a data base against which future improvements could be made. The special productivity program is a specialized and detailed study of first line supervision. Productivity is defined as the degree of efficiency attained in the use of labor, professional and management skills and knowledge, materials and equipment, and time and money to produce an end result. It is concluded that a more consistent system of productivity measurements needs to be developed and promoted for general use in the construction industry

Spatial distributions of niche-constructing populations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaozhuo Han

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Niche construction theory regards organisms not only as the object of natural selection but also an active subject that can change their own selective pressure through eco-evolutionary feedbacks. Through reviewing the existing works on the theoretical models of niche construction, here we present the progress made on how niche construction influences genetic structure of spatially structured populations and the spatial-temporal dynamics of metapopulations, with special focuses on mathematical models and simulation methods. The majority of results confirmed that niche construction can significantly alter the evolutionary trajectories of structured populations. Organism-environmental interactions induced by niche construction can have profound influence on the dynamics, competition and diversity of metapopulations. It can affect fine-scale spatially distribution of species and spatial heterogeneity of the environment. We further propose a few research directions with potentials, such as applying adaptive dynamics or spatial game theory to explore the effect of niche construction on phenotypic evolution and diversification.

Measurement of thermal properties of white radish (R. raphanistrum using easily constructed probes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mfrekemfon Samuel Obot

Full Text Available Thermal properties are necessary for the design and control of processes and storage facilities of food materials. This study proposes the measurement of thermal properties using easily constructed probes with specific heat capacity calculated, as opposed to the use of Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC or other. These probes were constructed and used to measure thermal properties of white radish in the temperature range of 80-20°C and moisture content of 91-6.1% wb. Results showed thermal properties were within the range of 0.71-0.111 Wm-1 C-1 for thermal conductivity, 1.869×10-7-0.72×10-8 m2s-1 for thermal diffusivity and 4.316-1.977 kJ kg-1C-1for specific heat capacity. These results agree with reports for similar products studied using DSC and commercially available line heat source probes. Empirical models were developed for each property through linear multiple regressions. The data generated would be useful in modeling and control of its processing and equipment design.

Measurement of thermal properties of white radish (R. raphanistrum) using easily constructed probes.

Science.gov (United States)

Obot, Mfrekemfon Samuel; Li, Changcheng; Fang, Ting; Chen, Jinquan

2017-01-01

Thermal properties are necessary for the design and control of processes and storage facilities of food materials. This study proposes the measurement of thermal properties using easily constructed probes with specific heat capacity calculated, as opposed to the use of Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC) or other. These probes were constructed and used to measure thermal properties of white radish in the temperature range of 80-20°C and moisture content of 91-6.1% wb. Results showed thermal properties were within the range of 0.71-0.111 Wm-1 C-1 for thermal conductivity, 1.869×10-7-0.72×10-8 m2s-1 for thermal diffusivity and 4.316-1.977 kJ kg-1C-1for specific heat capacity. These results agree with reports for similar products studied using DSC and commercially available line heat source probes. Empirical models were developed for each property through linear multiple regressions. The data generated would be useful in modeling and control of its processing and equipment design.

Discriminant content validity: a quantitative methodology for assessing content of theory-based measures, with illustrative applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnston, Marie; Dixon, Diane; Hart, Jo; Glidewell, Liz; Schröder, Carin; Pollard, Beth

2014-05-01

In studies involving theoretical constructs, it is important that measures have good content validity and that there is not contamination of measures by content from other constructs. While reliability and construct validity are routinely reported, to date, there has not been a satisfactory, transparent, and systematic method of assessing and reporting content validity. In this paper, we describe a methodology of discriminant content validity (DCV) and illustrate its application in three studies. Discriminant content validity involves six steps: construct definition, item selection, judge identification, judgement format, single-sample test of content validity, and assessment of discriminant items. In three studies, these steps were applied to a measure of illness perceptions (IPQ-R) and control cognitions. The IPQ-R performed well with most items being purely related to their target construct, although timeline and consequences had small problems. By contrast, the study of control cognitions identified problems in measuring constructs independently. In the final study, direct estimation response formats for theory of planned behaviour constructs were found to have as good DCV as Likert format. The DCV method allowed quantitative assessment of each item and can therefore inform the content validity of the measures assessed. The methods can be applied to assess content validity before or after collecting data to select the appropriate items to measure theoretical constructs. Further, the data reported for each item in Appendix S1 can be used in item or measure selection. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? There are agreed methods of assessing and reporting construct validity of measures of theoretical constructs, but not their content validity. Content validity is rarely reported in a systematic and transparent manner. What does this study add? The paper proposes discriminant content validity (DCV), a systematic and transparent method

The niche construction perspective: a critical appraisal.

Science.gov (United States)

Scott-Phillips, Thomas C; Laland, Kevin N; Shuker, David M; Dickins, Thomas E; West, Stuart A

2014-05-01

Niche construction refers to the activities of organisms that bring about changes in their environments, many of which are evolutionarily and ecologically consequential. Advocates of niche construction theory (NCT) believe that standard evolutionary theory fails to recognize the full importance of niche construction, and consequently propose a novel view of evolution, in which niche construction and its legacy over time (ecological inheritance) are described as evolutionary processes, equivalent in importance to natural selection. Here, we subject NCT to critical evaluation, in the form of a collaboration between one prominent advocate of NCT, and a team of skeptics. We discuss whether niche construction is an evolutionary process, whether NCT obscures or clarifies how natural selection leads to organismal adaptation, and whether niche construction and natural selection are of equivalent explanatory importance. We also consider whether the literature that promotes NCT overstates the significance of niche construction, whether it is internally coherent, and whether it accurately portrays standard evolutionary theory. Our disagreements reflect a wider dispute within evolutionary theory over whether the neo-Darwinian synthesis is in need of reformulation, as well as different usages of some key terms (e.g., evolutionary process). © 2013 The Author(s). Evolution published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Pre- and post construction radon measurements in a new housing development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rydock, J.P.; Naess-Rolstad, A.; Brunsell, J.T.

2001-01-01

Results from pre- and post construction radon measurements in a new housing development are presented. The houses were built in an area that had not been previously associated with elevated indoor radon concentrations. Exhalation measurements of gravel and stone from the site and soil gas measurements under several houses did not indicate an elevated radon potential. However, 4 of 21 finished houses (or 19%) exhibited annual average indoor radon concentrations over 200 Bq.m -3 (5.4 pCi/l). The highest concentrations were observed in the first house built in 1 of the 6 houses built differently than the original designs, with the elements of a sub floor ventilation system included for possible radon control if necessary. These results suggest that site investigations can be of limited value in determining where not to include radon protection measures in new housing. Also, that care must be taken to adequately inform everyone involved in the building process of the importance of maintaining a tight seal against the ground to prevent possible radon gas entry into a house. (author)

Interference Reduction Selected Measurement Signals of Ships

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jan Monieta

2014-08-01

Full Text Available The paper presents problems encountered at the signal processing of mechanical values with electric methods. Depending on the measured quantity, the location of the sensors and the analysis frequency band, they are differently interferences. The article presents the results of applying the analysis of parameters of working and accompanying process marine medium speed reciprocating engines in the time, amplitude, frequency domain and wavelet analysis to select a reasonable method. The applied signal acquisition program allows you to perform some analysis of signals in different areas and the transformation of the data to other programs. The ways of interference reducing at various stages of their occurrence and analysis are presented. [b]Keywords[/b]: electrical signals, domain analysis, measurement interference

Density and moisture measurements by nuclear method and its application to compaction control in road construction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohd Azmi Ismail

1994-01-01

The application of nuclear technique in civil engineering sector which emphasises on the in-situ density and moisture measurements of soil in road construction is discussed. The nuclear density-moisture gauge utilises both gamma-rays and neutrons for the determination of the density and moisture content, respectively. The knowledge on the density and moisture content will be used to evaluate the degree of compaction of the compacted layers. The technique offers not only a fast and non-destructive measurement but it is also accurate, economical and repeatable. A calibration equation which is stored in the built-in microprocessor is applicable for any type of soil. Corrections for the interferences from needless gamma-rays produced as a result of thermal neutrons interaction with certain nuclei for the density measurement and effects of hydrogen other than absorbed water for the moisture measurement are considered in the equation. This paper describes briefly the theory and the characteristics of the nuclear gauge and its application in road construction work

THE CONSTRUCTION OF A QUESTIONNAIRE TO MEASURE SELF-INDUCED CONCATENATED DEMOTIVATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Josko Sindik

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The concept of self-induced concatenated demotivation describes the “chain“ of demotivational processes and interactions of employees, in the contexts of postsocialism, job characteristics, dominant forms of motivation and group cohesion in work organizations. The aim of the preliminary research was to construct a questionnaire to measure the concept of self-induced concatenated demotivation and the relations between its latent dimensions. The study included a “snowball“ sample of 196 participants aged 20 to 65, of both genders, with heterogeneous professions and degrees in education. Based on the results of factor analysis three latent dimensions have been obtained, that account for only 36% of the total variance of the manifest area of self-induced concatenated demotivation, which we have named: pessimism/rationalization, social orientation, the ability to evaluate other people. The questionnaire to measure self-induced concatenated demotivation of employees has proved to be a low but satisfactory reliable measuring instrument for all three dimensions of the concept.

Construction of scales to measure leadership behavior at nuclear power plants. 2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Misumi, Jyuji; Yamada, Akira [Institute of Nuclear Safety System Inc., Kyoto (Japan); Shinohara, Shinobu [and others

1994-05-01

We tried to construct the PM leadership behavior measuring scales at nuclear power plants. In our factor analysis of leadership types of shift supervisors, maintenance and repair subsection chiefs and sub contractors` field leaders, three factors respectively were found. In the leadership scales for shift supervisors, the first factor was named the factor of group maintenance, the second factor was named the factor of directive-order for goal achievement and the third factor was named the factor of specialty for goal achievement. For maintenance and repair subsection chiefs, the first factor was named the factor of directive-order for goal achievement, and second factor was named the factor of group maintenance and the third factor was named the factor of rigidity-pressure for goal achievement. For subcontractors` leaders, the first factor was named the factor of directive-specialty for goal achievement, the second factor named the factor of group maintenance and the third factor was named the factor of rigidity-pressure for achievement. We constructed PM leadership measuring scales for each advisory position and verified its validity by using workplace `morale`-(satisfaction, etc.) as a subordinate variable. Also, in regard to the distribution of scales, we verified the validity of distance scales by examining it by Quantification III. (author)

Construction of scales to measure leadership behavior at nuclear power plants. 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Misumi, Jyuji; Yamada, Akira; Shinohara, Shinobu

1994-01-01

We tried to construct the PM leadership behavior measuring scales at nuclear power plants. In our factor analysis of leadership types of shift supervisors, maintenance and repair subsection chiefs and sub contractors' field leaders, three factors respectively were found. In the leadership scales for shift supervisors, the first factor was named the factor of group maintenance, the second factor was named the factor of directive-order for goal achievement and the third factor was named the factor of specialty for goal achievement. For maintenance and repair subsection chiefs, the first factor was named the factor of directive-order for goal achievement, and second factor was named the factor of group maintenance and the third factor was named the factor of rigidity-pressure for goal achievement. For subcontractors' leaders, the first factor was named the factor of directive-specialty for goal achievement, the second factor named the factor of group maintenance and the third factor was named the factor of rigidity-pressure for achievement. We constructed PM leadership measuring scales for each advisory position and verified its validity by using workplace 'morale'-(satisfaction, etc.) as a subordinate variable. Also, in regard to the distribution of scales, we verified the validity of distance scales by examining it by Quantification III. (author)

Academic Digital Library Construction Evaluation: Measures and Approaches

OpenAIRE

Wang , Qiyun

2008-01-01

Through review norms, standards and practice related to academic digital library construction evaluation at home and abroad, on the basis of investigation and study on the digital library evaluation at home and abroad, for status quo of the academic digital library construction, using qualitative analysis and quantitative analysis method, with methods and indicators for the traditional library evaluation system as a reference coordinates, put forward a comprehensive evaluation index system of...

Constructing robust and highly-selective hydrogel membranes by bioadhesion-inspired method for CO 2 separation

KAUST Repository

Wu, Yingzhen

2018-06-01

Water-swollen hydrogel membranes are good candidates for CO2 separations due to the favorable solubility of CO2 in water. However, the excessive amount of water often causes the poor mechanical property and low selectivity. Herein, we propose a bioadhesion-inspired method to construct robust and high-performance CO2 separation membranes via in situ generation of polydopamine (PDA) nanoaggregates within poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) matrix. PDA nanoaggregates entangled with PVA chains and formed hydrogen bonding with hydroxyl groups from PVA chains. Physical cross-linking occurred between PVA chains and PDA nanoaggregates. Compared with the PVA membrane, the PVA-PDA hybrid membrane with the dopamine content of 0.5mol% exhibited a 1.7-fold increase in tensile strength and a 2.2-fold increase in the tensile modulus. The membranes were used for CO2/CH4 separation. The physical cross-linking resulted in a PVA chain rigidification region around PDA nanoaggregates, which hindered the penetration of larger-size gas molecules and thus enhancing the CO2/CH4 selectivity. Moreover, the abundant amine groups from PDA nanoaggregates could facilitate CO2 transport. The optimized hybrid hydrogel membrane exhibited CO2/CH4 selectivity of 43.2, which was 43.85% higher than that of the PVA membrane. The bioadhesion-inspired method opens up new opportunities to exploit the potential application of hydrogel membranes.

The Fermilab main injector dipole construction techniques and prototype magnet measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bleadon, M.; Brown, B.; Chester, N.; Desavouret, E.; Garvey, J.; Glass, H.; Harding, D.; Harfoush, F.; Holmes, S.; Humbert, J.; Kerby, J.; Knauf, A.; Kobliska, G.; Lipski, A.; Martin, P.; Mazur, P.; Orris, D.; Ostiguy, J.; Peggs, S.; Pachnik, J.; Pewitt, E.; Satti, J.; Schmidt, E.; Sim, J.; Snowdon, S.; Walbridge, D.

1991-09-01

The Fermilab Main Injector Project will provide 120--150 GeV Proton and Antiproton Beams for Fermilab Fixed Target Physics and Colliding Beams Physics use. A dipole magnet has been designed and prototypes constructed for the principal bending magnets of this new accelerator. The design considerations and fabrication techniques are described. Measurement results on prototypes are reported, emphasizing the field uniformity achieved in both body field and end field at excitation levels from injection at 0.1 T to full field of 1.7 T. 6 refs., 5 figs., 3 tabs

Construction of Time-Stamped Mobility Map for Path Tracking via Smith-Waterman Measurement Matching

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mu Zhou

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Path tracking in wireless and mobile environments is a fundamental technology for ubiquitous location-based services (LBSs. In particular, it is very challenging to develop highly accurate and cost-efficient tracking systems applied to the anonymous areas where the floor plans are not available for security and privacy reasons. This paper proposes a novel path tracking approach for large Wi-Fi areas based on the time-stamped unlabeled mobility map which is constructed from Smith-Waterman received signal strength (RSS measurement matching. Instead of conventional location fingerprinting, we construct mobility map with the technique of dimension reduction from the raw measurement space into a low-dimensional embedded manifold. The feasibility of our proposed approach is verified by the real-world experiments in the HKUST campus Wi-Fi networks, sMobileNet. The experimental results prove that our approach is adaptive and capable of achieving an adequate precision level in path tracking.

A Critical Review of Construct Indicators and Measurement Model Misspecification in Marketing and Consumer Research.

OpenAIRE

Jarvis, Cheryl Burke; MacKenzie, Scott B; Podsakoff, Philip M

2003-01-01

A review of the literature suggests that few studies use formative indicator measurement models, even though they should. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to (a) discuss the distinction between formative and reflective measurement models, (b) develop a set of conceptual criteria that can be used to determine whether a construct should be modeled as having formative or reflective indicators, (c) review the marketing literature to obtain an estimate of the extent of measurement model ...

Application and Mechanics Analysis of Multi-Function Construction Platforms in Prefabricated-Concrete Construction

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Meihua; Li, Rongshuai; Zhang, Wenze

2017-11-01

Multi-function construction platforms (MCPs) as an “old construction technology, new application” of the building facade construction equipment, its efforts to reduce labour intensity, improve labour productivity, ensure construction safety, shorten the duration of construction and other aspects of the effect are significant. In this study, the functional analysis of the multi-function construction platforms is carried out in the construction of the assembly building. Based on the general finite element software ANSYS, the static calculation and dynamic characteristics analysis of the MCPs structure are analysed, the simplified finite element model is constructed, and the selection of the unit, the processing and solution of boundary are under discussion and research. The maximum deformation value, the maximum stress value and the structural dynamic characteristic model are obtained. The dangerous parts of the platform structure are analysed, too. Multiple types of MCPs under engineering construction conditions are calculated, so as to put forward the rationalization suggestions for engineering application of the MCPs.

Construct-driven development of a video-based situational judgment test for integrity : A study in a multi-ethnic police setting

NARCIS (Netherlands)

L.A.L. de Meijer (Lonneke); M.Ph. Born (Marise); J. van Zielst (Jaap); H.T. van der Molen (Henk)

2010-01-01

textabstractIn a field study conducted in a multi-ethnic selection setting at the Dutch police, we examined the construct validity of a video-based situational judgment test (SJT) aimed to measure the construct of integrity. Integrity is of central importance to productive work performance of police

Effective automated feature construction and selection for classification of biological sequences.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Uday Kamath

Full Text Available Many open problems in bioinformatics involve elucidating underlying functional signals in biological sequences. DNA sequences, in particular, are characterized by rich architectures in which functional signals are increasingly found to combine local and distal interactions at the nucleotide level. Problems of interest include detection of regulatory regions, splice sites, exons, hypersensitive sites, and more. These problems naturally lend themselves to formulation as classification problems in machine learning. When classification is based on features extracted from the sequences under investigation, success is critically dependent on the chosen set of features.We present an algorithmic framework (EFFECT for automated detection of functional signals in biological sequences. We focus here on classification problems involving DNA sequences which state-of-the-art work in machine learning shows to be challenging and involve complex combinations of local and distal features. EFFECT uses a two-stage process to first construct a set of candidate sequence-based features and then select a most effective subset for the classification task at hand. Both stages make heavy use of evolutionary algorithms to efficiently guide the search towards informative features capable of discriminating between sequences that contain a particular functional signal and those that do not.To demonstrate its generality, EFFECT is applied to three separate problems of importance in DNA research: the recognition of hypersensitive sites, splice sites, and ALU sites. Comparisons with state-of-the-art algorithms show that the framework is both general and powerful. In addition, a detailed analysis of the constructed features shows that they contain valuable biological information about DNA architecture, allowing biologists and other researchers to directly inspect the features and potentially use the insights obtained to assist wet-laboratory studies on retainment or modification

The Karen instruments for measuring quality of nursing care: construct validity and internal consistency.

Science.gov (United States)

Lindgren, Margareta; Andersson, Inger S

2011-06-01

Valid and reliable instruments for measuring the quality of care are needed for evaluation and improvement of nursing care. Previously developed and evaluated instruments, the Karen-patient and the Karen-personnel based on Donabedian's Structure-Process-Outcome triad (S-P-O triad) had promising content validity, discriminative power and internal consistency. The objective of this study was to further develop the instruments with regard to construct validity and internal consistency. This prospective study was carried out in medical and surgical wards at a hospital in Sweden. A total of 95 patients and 120 personnel were included. The instruments were tested for construct validity by performing factor analyses in two steps and for internal consistency using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. The first confirmatory factor analyses, with a pre-determined three-factor solution did not load well according to the S-P-O triad, but the second exploratory factor analysis with a six-factor solution appeared to be more coherent and the distribution of variables seemed to be logical. The reliability, i.e. internal consistency, was good in both factor analyses. The Karen-patient and the Karen-personnel instruments have achieved acceptable levels of construct validity. The internal consistency of the instruments is good. This indicates that the instruments may be suitable to use in clinical practice for measuring the quality of nursing care.

Construction experience at the Canonsburg UMTRA site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thiers, G.R.; Farnes, L.L.; Wathen, T.R.

1985-01-01

Construction of on-site stabilization for over 225,000 cubic yards of abandoned uranium mill tailings in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, began in October 1983, and is scheduled to be completed in December 1985. This paper describes selected construction experience through October 1984. The following selected events and construction items are discussed in this paper: 1. Construction and operation of a 36,000-square foot, fabric-lined sedimentation basin, including difficulties associated with installation of the liner; 2. Assembly and start-up of the contaminated water treatment plant; 3. Construction of the encapsulation cell test fills, to confirm the performance specification governing the compaction; 4. Excavation, relocation, and placement of contaminated materials, including moisture control and density testing of the radioactive materials; 5. Construction difficulties, including disposition of local leachate from the abandoned industrial complex and an increase in the volume of contaminated material to be encapsulated

A construction of Japanese consensus-formation model for the selection of last disposal site of high-level radioactive wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oki, Naotaka; Saigusa, Shin; Yonehara, Hidenori

2010-01-01

A group with Shizuoka University as the center one is promoting the investigation of the subject 'A construction of Japanese consensus - formation model for the selection of last disposal site of high-level radioactive wastes' adopted in 'Atomic Energy Fundamental Strategic Initiative' at the 20th fiscal year of Heisei, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. The result of this investigation is described here. (M.H.)

Role of institutional controls in selection of remedial measures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bakr, A.A.; Agoston, E.N.; McLeod, R.V.; Hicks, H.T.

1992-01-01

This paper explores the regulatory intent of CERCLA's definition and applicability of institutional controls at hazardous substance release sites undergoing remedial action and institutional controls that have been defined and implemented at selected CERCLA (Superfund) sites in the United States. Under provisions of CERCLA, institutional controls can be components of, or supplements to, interim or final remedial measures for hazardous substance [as defined under CERCLA 101(14)] releases. The use of institutional controls has been proposed in a number of RODs for large Superfund sites (e.g., Times Beach, Missouri; the Clothier Disposal Site in Oswego County, New York; and the Wildcat Landfill in Kent County, Delaware). In these cases, the selected remedial actions combine active response measures with institutional controls to protect human health and the environment. These RODs provide insight to how widely the concept of institutional controls is used and under what conditions. The use of institutional controls at large federal facilities is also discussed

A proof theory for constructive default logic

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Y-H. Tan (Yao-Hua)

1993-01-01

textabstractWe present what we call Constructive Default Logic (CDL) - a default logic in which the fixed-point definition of extensions is replaced by a constructive definition which yield so-called constructive extensions. Selection functions are used to represent explicitly the control of the

Neutron diffraction measurements of residual stresses in NPP construction materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hinca, R.; Bokuchava, G.

2001-01-01

Neutron diffraction is one of the most powerful methods for condensed matter studies. This method is used for non-destructive determination of residual stresses in material. The fundamental aspects of neutron diffraction are discussed, together with a brief description of the experimental facility. The principal advantage of using neutrons rather than the more conventional X-rays is the fact that neutron can penetrate deeply (2-4 cm for steel and more than 10 cm for aluminium) into metals to determine internal parameters within the bulk of materials. We present results of measurements residual stresses in NPP construction material - austenitic stainless steel (Cr-18%, Ni-10%, Ti-1%) coated with high-nickel alloy. (authors)

HITACHI construction CAE system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshida, M.

1994-01-01

Construction and maintenance of nuclear power plants have important problems such as shortening the construction period and reducing the construction cost. Recently, the problem of insufficient construction labor has arisen, and as drastic strategic development has become a necessary counter-measure. The following four principles are included in the measures to be taken for efficient execution of the construction work within the short construction period: (1) reduction of on-site work and expansion of module block making, (2)improvement of the accuracy of the on-site work process, adjustment and expansion of the work in parallel with the construction process, (3)improvement of efficiency of the on-site work and mechanization and automation of the work, (4)improvement of the accuracy of the management of the construction. A three dimensional simulation system plant construction plan CAE, comprising five modules has been developed. A project management system was also developed to improve the accuracy and efficiency of management work in the field

A Bistable View of Single Constructs Measured Using Balanced Questionnaires: Application to Trait Anxiety

Science.gov (United States)

Vautier, Stephane; Callahan, Stacey; Moncany, Delphine; Sztulman, Henri

2004-01-01

Single constructs measured using positively and negatively worded items are often incompatible with a congeneric model, but require 2 correlated factors. Imperfect correlation entails that 2 independent dimensions are required for representing the true variance. If 2 dimensions are sought, how can they be interpreted? This study shows how to…

A selective study of Information technologies to improve operations efficiency in construction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Konikov Alexandr

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Today, information technologies (IT are used in almost every production industry. While the aspects of IT are well studied and discussed in relevant monographs, articles, web sources, etc., this paper reviews the performance improvement options in the construction industry by leveraging IT. From a wide range of information technologies the author has picked the most relevant solutions, from his point of view, based on several considerations, the most important one being the lack of adequate attention to these technologies specifically in the construction industry. The paper covers the following technologies: Big Data (a smart technology for high-speed processing of huge and diverse data arrays; situation centers (SC for construction and operations projects (SCs are successfully used in other industries for operating control of sophisticated facilities; data warehouses (DW for the construction industry (DWs are viewed as a standalone project rather than a supplement to Data Mining or Big Data; operational and dispatch radio communication service (radio communication can ensure instant connectivity between several subscribers; VSAT (a satellite technology for prompt connection of a distant construction site with the 'outer world' when no alternatives are available. The paper briefly presents the essence of each technology, describes the pre-requisites for its use in construction, outlines the key advantages, limits and shortcomings, and lists construction projects where it shall be worthwhile to use a specific technology projects.

Assess the feasibility of the high-speed railway construction in China by measuring the traffic demand elastic

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Nan; Cao, Yu

2017-05-01

The traffic demand elastic is proposed as a new indicator in this study to measure the feasibility of the high-speed railway construction in a more intuitive way. The Matrix Completion (MC) and Semi-Supervised Support Vector Machine (S3VM) are used to realize the measurement and prediction of this index on the basis of the satisfaction investigation on the 326 inter-city railways in china. It is demonstrated that instead of calculating the economic benefits brought by the construction of high-speed railway, this indicator can find the most urgent railways to be improved by directly evaluate the existing railway facilities from the perspective of transportation service improvement requirements.

Cylinder renormalization for Siegel disks and a constructive Measurable Riemann Mapping Theorem

CERN Document Server

Gaydashev, D G

2006-01-01

The boundary of the Siegel disk of a quadratic polynomial with an irrationally indifferent fixed point with the golden mean rotation number has been observed to be self-similar. The geometry of this self-similarity is universal for a large class of holomorphic maps. A renormalization explanation of this universality has been proposed in the literature. However, one of the ingredients of this explanation, the hyperbolicity of renormalization, has not been proved yet. The present work considers a cylinder renormalization - a novel type of renormalization for holomorphic maps with a Siegel disk which is better suited for a hyperbolicity proof. A key element of a cylinder renormalization of a holomorphic map is a conformal isomorphism of a dynamical quotient of a subset of $\\field{C}$ to a bi-infinite cylinder $\\field{C} / \\field{Z}$. A construction of this conformal isomorphism is an implicit procedure which can be performed using the Measurable Riemann Mapping Theorem. We present a constructive proof of the Mea...

Examining the measurement and dimensionality of the construct of consumer awareness in a developing and transition economy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Charles Makanyeza

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Orientation: Literature suggests that major political and socio-economic transformations may influence the measurement and dimensionality of consumer awareness. Research purpose: The study examined the measurement and dimensionality of the construct of consumer awareness after transformation in the political and socio-economic environments in Zimbabwe. Motivation for the study: There is a dearth of research to validate whether or not the measurement and dimensionality of the construct of consumer awareness changes as the environment changes. Research design, approach and method: Data were collected from a cross-section of 305 consumers using interviewer-administered questionnaires. Consumers were intercepted at shopping malls. Structural equation modelling was used to analyse data. Main findings: The study confirmed that consumer awareness comprises five dimensions, namely product knowledge, bargain hunting, general consumer knowledge, price consciousness and information search. However, the study found that only 16 items, instead of the proposed 25, were relevant in measuring consumer awareness. Product knowledge, bargain hunting and information search were each measured by four items, whilst general consumer knowledge and price consciousness were each measured by two items. The other nine items were shown to be of no value. Practical/managerial implications: The study recommends that marketers and policymakers in developing and transition economies, such as Zimbabwe, consider these five dimensions when conducting consumer awareness research or when planning consumer awareness programmes. Contribution/value-add: The study provided evidence that the dimensionality of the construct of consumer awareness does not change as the socio-economic and political environments change. However, items used to measure the dimensions need to be updated from time to time.

Farmer's Friend Biodigester Model Construction Manual

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2005-11-15

The success or failure of any biodigester depends mainly upon the suitability of the design, site for construction and quality of construction works, as well as quality of construction materials and workmanship involved during construction. This booklet provides the extensive information on various methods for selecting the appropriate size and site for construction, as well as construction work steps related to the Farmer's Friend model (2005) of biodigester. First, mason's responsibilities are explained. Second, the report continues with the sizes of available biodigesters and the quantity of feeding required. Then, the components of the biogas plant and instructions as to how to select the appropriate size are described. It continues with construction materials and appliances, and the selection of the construction site. Finally, the plant construction is explained from lay-out work to the construction of compost pits, finishing work and instructions to users. If the concerned mason/plumber strictly follows the instruction as described in this construction manual, the biodigester will function properly with the anticipated efficiency and the owner will get the return of his/her investment. This will encourage his/her relatives and neighbours to install biodigesters. However, if the biodigester functions poorly, nobody will be motivated to install it. Poor quality plants will harm the reputation of biogas technology and will have serious negative effects on promotion and extension activities. The masons should, therefore, be well aware that good quality plants will certainly increase the rate of installation with the demonstration effect that ultimately benefits itself, the farmer, and the country as a whole.

Entanglement entropy after selective measurements in quantum chains

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Najafi, Khadijeh [Department of Physics, Georgetown University,37th and O Sts. NW, Washington, DC 20057 (United States); Rajabpour, M.A. [Instituto de Física, Universidade Federal Fluminense,Av. Gal. Milton Tavares de Souza s/n, Gragoatá, 24210-346, Niterói, RJ (Brazil)

2016-12-22

We study bipartite post measurement entanglement entropy after selective measurements in quantum chains. We first study the quantity for the critical systems that can be described by conformal field theories. We find a connection between post measurement entanglement entropy and the Casimir energy of floating objects. Then we provide formulas for the post measurement entanglement entropy for open and finite temperature systems. We also comment on the Affleck-Ludwig boundary entropy in the context of the post measurement entanglement entropy. Finally, we also provide some formulas regarding modular hamiltonians and entanglement spectrum in the after measurement systems. After through discussion regarding CFT systems we also provide some predictions regarding massive field theories. We then discuss a generic method to calculate the post measurement entanglement entropy in the free fermion systems. Using the method we study the post measurement entanglement entropy in the XY spin chain. We check numerically the CFT and the massive field theory results in the transverse field Ising chain and the XX model. In particular, we study the post meaurement entanglement entropy in the infinite, periodic and open critical transverse field Ising chain and the critical XX model. The effect of the temperature and the gap is also discussed in these models.

Entanglement entropy after selective measurements in quantum chains

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Najafi, Khadijeh; Rajabpour, M.A.

2016-01-01

We study bipartite post measurement entanglement entropy after selective measurements in quantum chains. We first study the quantity for the critical systems that can be described by conformal field theories. We find a connection between post measurement entanglement entropy and the Casimir energy of floating objects. Then we provide formulas for the post measurement entanglement entropy for open and finite temperature systems. We also comment on the Affleck-Ludwig boundary entropy in the context of the post measurement entanglement entropy. Finally, we also provide some formulas regarding modular hamiltonians and entanglement spectrum in the after measurement systems. After through discussion regarding CFT systems we also provide some predictions regarding massive field theories. We then discuss a generic method to calculate the post measurement entanglement entropy in the free fermion systems. Using the method we study the post measurement entanglement entropy in the XY spin chain. We check numerically the CFT and the massive field theory results in the transverse field Ising chain and the XX model. In particular, we study the post meaurement entanglement entropy in the infinite, periodic and open critical transverse field Ising chain and the critical XX model. The effect of the temperature and the gap is also discussed in these models.

The Chronic and Acute Effects of Exercise Upon Selected Blood Measures.

Science.gov (United States)

Roitman, J. L.; Brewer, J. P.

This study investigated the effects of chronic and acute exercise upon selected blood measures and indices. Nine male cross-country runners were studied. Red blood count, hemoglobin, and hematocrit were measured using standard laboratory techniques; mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin…

An investigation and analysis of safety issues in Polish small construction plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Dąbrowski, Andrzej

2015-01-01

The construction industry is a booming sector of the Polish economy; however, it is stigmatised by a lower classification due to high occupational risks and an unsatisfactory state of occupational safety. Safety on construction sites is compromised by small construction firms which dominate the market and have high accident rates. This article presents the results of studies (using a checklist) conducted in small Polish construction companies in terms of selected aspects of safety, such as co-operation with the general contractor, occupational health and safety documents, occupational risk assessment, organization of work, protective gear and general work equipment. The mentioned studies and analyses provided the grounds to establish the main directions of preventive measures decreasing occupational risk in small construction companies, e.g., an increase in engagement of investors and general contractors, improvement of occupational health and safety (OSH) documents, an increase in efficiency of construction site managers, better stability of employment and removal of opposing objectives between economic strategy and work safety.

LOGISTICS RISK RESEARCH OF PREFABRICATED HOUSE CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING BASED ON CREDIBILITY METHOD

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaoping Bai

2017-07-01

Full Text Available In recent years, the prefabricated house industry has rapid development,.Because of fewer suppliers, higher demand transport scheme and complex quality test, the risks of construction engineering logistics links are relatively high. Studying how to effectively evaluate the risks of construction engineering logistics links is significant. According to the characteristics of the prefabricated house construction engineering, we analyse the construction engineering logistics risks and use the combined weights method to determine the weight of indexes which contains both subjective and objective factors, to improve the scientific value and the validity of the assessment. Based on credibility measure method, a new logistics risk evaluation model in prefabricated housing is established to estimate the risk during making prefabricated house construction engineering. The presented model can avoid the subjectivity of selecting the membership function and solve the problem of how to comprehensively assess the construction engineering logistics risk in a certain extent.

Construction and performance of the scanning and measuring machine HOLMES used for bubble chamber holograms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Drevermann, H.; Geissler, K.K.; Johansson, K.E.

1985-01-01

The construction and performance of the scanning and measuring machine HOLMES are described. It has been used to analyse in-line holograms taken with the small bubble chamber HOBC. A total of 8000 holograms has up to now been analysed on HOLMES. (orig.)

Instruments Measuring Integrated Care: A Systematic Review of Measurement Properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Bautista, Mary Ann C; Nurjono, Milawaty; Lim, Yee Wei; Dessers, Ezra; Vrijhoef, Hubertus Jm

2016-12-01

Policy Points: Investigations on systematic methodologies for measuring integrated care should coincide with the growing interest in this field of research. A systematic review of instruments provides insights into integrated care measurement, including setting the research agenda for validating available instruments and informing the decision to develop new ones. This study is the first systematic review of instruments measuring integrated care with an evidence synthesis of the measurement properties. We found 209 index instruments measuring different constructs related to integrated care; the strength of evidence on the adequacy of the majority of their measurement properties remained largely unassessed. Integrated care is an important strategy for increasing health system performance. Despite its growing significance, detailed evidence on the measurement properties of integrated care instruments remains vague and limited. Our systematic review aims to provide evidence on the state of the art in measuring integrated care. Our comprehensive systematic review framework builds on the Rainbow Model for Integrated Care (RMIC). We searched MEDLINE/PubMed for published articles on the measurement properties of instruments measuring integrated care and identified eligible articles using a standard set of selection criteria. We assessed the methodological quality of every validation study reported using the COSMIN checklist and extracted data on study and instrument characteristics. We also evaluated the measurement properties of each examined instrument per validation study and provided a best evidence synthesis on the adequacy of measurement properties of the index instruments. From the 300 eligible articles, we assessed the methodological quality of 379 validation studies from which we identified 209 index instruments measuring integrated care constructs. The majority of studies reported on instruments measuring constructs related to care integration (33%) and patient

Instruments Measuring Integrated Care: A Systematic Review of Measurement Properties

Science.gov (United States)

BAUTISTA, MARY ANN C.; NURJONO, MILAWATY; DESSERS, EZRA; VRIJHOEF, HUBERTUS JM

2016-01-01

Policy Points: Investigations on systematic methodologies for measuring integrated care should coincide with the growing interest in this field of research.A systematic review of instruments provides insights into integrated care measurement, including setting the research agenda for validating available instruments and informing the decision to develop new ones.This study is the first systematic review of instruments measuring integrated care with an evidence synthesis of the measurement properties.We found 209 index instruments measuring different constructs related to integrated care; the strength of evidence on the adequacy of the majority of their measurement properties remained largely unassessed. Context Integrated care is an important strategy for increasing health system performance. Despite its growing significance, detailed evidence on the measurement properties of integrated care instruments remains vague and limited. Our systematic review aims to provide evidence on the state of the art in measuring integrated care. Methods Our comprehensive systematic review framework builds on the Rainbow Model for Integrated Care (RMIC). We searched MEDLINE/PubMed for published articles on the measurement properties of instruments measuring integrated care and identified eligible articles using a standard set of selection criteria. We assessed the methodological quality of every validation study reported using the COSMIN checklist and extracted data on study and instrument characteristics. We also evaluated the measurement properties of each examined instrument per validation study and provided a best evidence synthesis on the adequacy of measurement properties of the index instruments. Findings From the 300 eligible articles, we assessed the methodological quality of 379 validation studies from which we identified 209 index instruments measuring integrated care constructs. The majority of studies reported on instruments measuring constructs related to care

Contractor Selection in Saudi Arabia

OpenAIRE

M. A. Bajaber; M. A. Taha

2012-01-01

Contractor selection in Saudi Arabia is very important due to the large construction boom and the contractor role to get over construction risks. The need for investigating contractor selection is due to the following reasons; large number of defaulted or failed projects (18%), large number of disputes attributed to contractor during the project execution stage (almost twofold), the extension of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) into construction industry, and finally the few ...

Designing Non-Cognitive Construct Measures That Improve Mathematics Achievement in Grade 5-6 Learners. A User-Centered Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Chatterji, Madhabi; Lin, Meiko

2018-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to design and iteratively improve the quality of survey-based measures of three non-cognitive constructs for Grade 5-6 students, keeping in mind information needs of users in education reform contexts. The constructs are: Mathematics-related Self-Efficacy, Self-Concept, and Anxiety (M-SE, M-SC, and M-ANX).…

CO2 DIAL system: construction, measurements, and future development

Science.gov (United States)

Vicenik, Jiri

1999-07-01

A miniature CO2 DIAL system has been constructed. Dimension of the system are 500 X 450 X 240 mm, its mass is only 28 kg. The system consists of two tunable TEA CO2 lasers, receiving optics, IR detector, signal processing electronics and single chip microcomputer with display. The lasers are tuned manually by means of micrometric screw and are capable to generate pulses on more than 50 CO2 laser lines. The output energy is 50 mJ. The system was tested using various toxic gases and simulants, mostly at range 300 m, most of the measurements were done using pyrodetector in the receiver. The system shows good sensitivity, but it exhibits substantial instability of zero concentration. In the next stage the work will be concentrated on use of high-sensitivity MCT detector in the receiver and implementation of automatic tuning of lasers to the system.

Measuring cognition in teams: a cross-domain review.

Science.gov (United States)

Wildman, Jessica L; Salas, Eduardo; Scott, Charles P R

2014-08-01

The purpose of this article is twofold: to provide a critical cross-domain evaluation of team cognition measurement options and to provide novice researchers with practical guidance when selecting a measurement method. A vast selection of measurement approaches exist for measuring team cognition constructs including team mental models, transactive memory systems, team situation awareness, strategic consensus, and cognitive processes. Empirical studies and theoretical articles were reviewed to identify all of the existing approaches for measuring team cognition. These approaches were evaluated based on theoretical perspective assumed, constructs studied, resources required, level of obtrusiveness, internal consistency reliability, and predictive validity. The evaluations suggest that all existing methods are viable options from the point of view of reliability and validity, and that there are potential opportunities for cross-domain use. For example, methods traditionally used only to measure mental models may be useful for examining transactive memory and situation awareness. The selection of team cognition measures requires researchers to answer several key questions regarding the theoretical nature of team cognition and the practical feasibility of each method. We provide novice researchers with guidance regarding how to begin the search for a team cognition measure and suggest several new ideas regarding future measurement research. We provide (1) a broad overview and evaluation of existing team cognition measurement methods, (2) suggestions for new uses of those methods across research domains, and (3) critical guidance for novice researchers looking to measure team cognition.

Research on construction quality and improvement of assembly construction

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Fei

2017-11-01

Based on the acceleration of the urbanization process and the improvement of the quality of life of our residents, the demand for building construction has been increasing. In this context, the construction industry in order to promote the construction efficiency, quality improvement, to meet the needs of the development of the times to strengthen the new technology, the use of new technologies. At present, China’s engineering construction units in the process of carrying out the project to strengthen the use of assembly-type construction technology, which thus achieved for the traditional construction work low-level, high time-consuming issues, and promote the steady improvement of production efficiency. Based on this, this paper focuses on the analysis of the connotation of the assembly structure and analyzes the quality problems in the construction process of the construction projects and puts forward the improvement measures to promote the improvement of the building quality and the construction of the building Construction speed. Based on this, this paper analyzes the structural system and design of prefabricated building.

A Scale to Measure Attitude Toward Smoking Marihuana

Science.gov (United States)

Vincent, Raymond J.

1970-01-01

Describes the construction and validity of a scale to measure student attitudes toward marihuana. The scale could be used as a means to select the best presentation for drug education in schools. (KH)

Research on Mechanical Properties of Concrete Constructs Based on Terrestrial Laser Scanning Measurement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hao Yang

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Terrestrial laser scanning (TLS technology is broadly accepted as a structural health monitoring device for reinforced concrete (RC composite structures. Both experiments and numerical analysis are considered. In this submit, measurements were conducted for the composite concrete beams. The emphasis in numerical simulation is given on finite element methods (FEM which is corrected by the response surface methodology (RSM. Aspects considered are effects of material parameters and variation in geometry. This paper describes our recent progress on FEM modeling of damages in concrete composite structures based on the TLS measurement. We also focus on the research about mechanical properties of concrete constructs here.

Rater reliability and construct validity of a mobile application for posture analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Szucs, Kimberly A; Brown, Elena V Donoso

2018-01-01

[Purpose] Measurement of posture is important for those with a clinical diagnosis as well as researchers aiming to understand the impact of faulty postures on the development of musculoskeletal disorders. A reliable, cost-effective and low tech posture measure may be beneficial for research and clinical applications. The purpose of this study was to determine rater reliability and construct validity of a posture screening mobile application in healthy young adults. [Subjects and Methods] Pictures of subjects were taken in three standing positions. Two raters independently digitized the static standing posture image twice. The app calculated posture variables, including sagittal and coronal plane translations and angulations. Intra- and inter-rater reliability were calculated using the appropriate ICC models for complete agreement. Construct validity was determined through comparison of known groups using repeated measures ANOVA. [Results] Intra-rater reliability ranged from 0.71 to 0.99. Inter-rater reliability was good to excellent for all translations. ICCs were stronger for translations versus angulations. The construct validity analysis found that the app was able to detect the change in the four variables selected. [Conclusion] The posture mobile application has demonstrated strong rater reliability and preliminary evidence of construct validity. This application may have utility in clinical and research settings.

Construction safety

CERN Document Server

Li, Rita Yi Man

2013-01-01

A close-to-ideal blend of suburb and city, speedy construction of towers of Babylon, the sparkling proportion of glass and steel buildings’ facade at night showcase the wisdom of humans. They also witness the footsteps, sweats and tears of architects and engineers. Unfortunately, these signatures of human civilizations are swathed in towering figures of construction accidents. Fretting about these on sites, different countries adopt different measures on sites. This book firstly sketches the construction accidents on sites, followed by a review on safety measures in some of the developing countries such as Bermuda, Egypt, Kuwait and China; as well as developed countries, for example, the United States, France and Singapore. It also highlights the enormous compensation costs with the courts’ experiences in the United Kingdom and Hong Kong.

Development of a reliable and construct valid measure of nutritional literacy in adults

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Diamond James J

2007-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Research into the relation of literacy to health status has not included measures of nutritional literacy. This may be a critical area in the study of chronic conditions such as hypertension and diabetes, which can both relate to obesity and nutrition. This paper details the development and psychometric characteristics of the Nutritional Literacy Scale (NLS, offered as a measure of adults' ability to comprehend nutritional information. Methods In order to assess the internal consistency and construct validity of the NLS, demographic data, readability statistics, NLS scores and scores on the Reading Comprehension Section of the Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (S-TOFHLA were collected in a cross-sectional study of 341 patients from two primary care practices. Results The NLS score showed acceptable internal consistency of 0.84 by Cronbach's alpha coefficient. The Pearson correlation between the NLS and the S-TOFHLA was 0.61, supporting evidence for construct validity. Conclusion Given the importance of proper weight and nutrition in the health of the public, as well as the absence of research on literacy skills as related to nutritional concepts, the NLS has the potential to add to the national research agenda in these areas.

Methodology for reducing energy and resource costs in construction of trenchless crossover of pipelines

Science.gov (United States)

Toropov, V. S.

2018-05-01

The paper suggests a set of measures to select the equipment and its components in order to reduce energy costs in the process of pulling the pipeline into the well in the constructing the trenchless pipeline crossings of various materials using horizontal directional drilling technology. A methodology for reducing energy costs has been developed by regulating the operation modes of equipment during the process of pulling the working pipeline into a drilled and pre-expanded well. Since the power of the drilling rig is the most important criterion in the selection of equipment for the construction of a trenchless crossover, an algorithm is proposed for calculating the required capacity of the rig when operating in different modes in the process of pulling the pipeline into the well.

Musculoskeletal Disorders study in damming construction workers by Fox equation and measurement heart rate at work

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L. Gheibi

2008-04-01

Full Text Available Background and aims   Musculoskeletal Disorders are prevalent in construction workers in comparison to other working groups. These workers in damming construction worked at awkward  postures for long times, so ergonomic assessment of jobs was important.   Methods   This is a descriptive-analytical cross sectional study that conducted in 2008 on a random sample of workers of damming construction in Takab city (110 men who were assessed by Nordic Musculoskeletal questionnaire and digital indicator for heart measurement. To estimate  Vo2max consumption Fox equation was used and data were analyzed by SPSS software.   Results   The average of total time of worked was 36.6 86.8 months. Results showed that the  most prevalent (%55.5 MSDs was low back pain which was positively related with type of job,  the number of standing and sitting posotions at work, total time of work, age, smoking, level of   education, weight,Vo2max that estimated by Fox Equation, and heart rate at working (P<0.05.   Conclusion   The results of this study reveal that prevalence rate of musculoskeletal disorders are high among damming construction workers, and heart rate and Vo2max consumption increases with increase in work load. Therefore, optimal physiological conditions should be considered  and physical capacity be measured. Prior to employment of workers approperiate corrections are  warranted      

Determinants of procurement strategy for construction works: quantity surveyors’ perspectives

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Olanrewaju AbdulLateef

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The selection of the ‘appropriate’ procurement strategy is a prerequisite to the success or failure of a construction project. This paper investigates the factors determining the selection of appropriate procurement strategy for construction works in Nigeria. Data for the study was collected through an online survey questionnaire. The survey administration involves only quantity surveyors. Quantity surveyors were targeted because they advise clients and other stakeholders on procurement and contractual issues on construction works. A total of 33 usable responses were received and analysed for this study. On the basis of the results, it is concluded that the selection of procurement strategies for construction depend on complex interrelated factors. The study could not detect a particular factor or few factors responsible for a procurement strategy selection. The findings of this study is useful because it argues that the construction sector needs to broaden its considerations on the procurement strategy’s determinants rather than focusing solely on the client’s type and nature of projects as is often cited. Future research could segment these factors in terms of class of construction works or increase the sample size, which might lead to different findings.

Scale construction utilising the Rasch unidimensional measurement model: A measurement of adolescent attitudes towards abortion.

Science.gov (United States)

Hendriks, Jacqueline; Fyfe, Sue; Styles, Irene; Skinner, S Rachel; Merriman, Gareth

2012-01-01

Measurement scales seeking to quantify latent traits like attitudes, are often developed using traditional psychometric approaches. Application of the Rasch unidimensional measurement model may complement or replace these techniques, as the model can be used to construct scales and check their psychometric properties. If data fit the model, then a scale with invariant measurement properties, including interval-level scores, will have been developed. This paper highlights the unique properties of the Rasch model. Items developed to measure adolescent attitudes towards abortion are used to exemplify the process. Ten attitude and intention items relating to abortion were answered by 406 adolescents aged 12 to 19 years, as part of the "Teen Relationships Study". The sampling framework captured a range of sexual and pregnancy experiences. Items were assessed for fit to the Rasch model including checks for Differential Item Functioning (DIF) by gender, sexual experience or pregnancy experience. Rasch analysis of the original dataset initially demonstrated that some items did not fit the model. Rescoring of one item (B5) and removal of another (L31) resulted in fit, as shown by a non-significant item-trait interaction total chi-square and a mean log residual fit statistic for items of -0.05 (SD=1.43). No DIF existed for the revised scale. However, items did not distinguish as well amongst persons with the most intense attitudes as they did for other persons. A person separation index of 0.82 indicated good reliability. Application of the Rasch model produced a valid and reliable scale measuring adolescent attitudes towards abortion, with stable measurement properties. The Rasch process provided an extensive range of diagnostic information concerning item and person fit, enabling changes to be made to scale items. This example shows the value of the Rasch model in developing scales for both social science and health disciplines.

Selection and construction of nuclear and radiation emergency medical center in a region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Guojun; He Xu; Liao Li; Gao Dong

2014-01-01

Three level of first-class comprehensive hospital is an important force of nuclear and radiation accident rescue, has a very rich experience in response to nuclear and radiation accidents and deal with large quantities of the sick and wounded. With the foundation and the ability of the construction and operation of medical emergency rescue center. This paper according to the median model location theory of emergency center, combined with the specific situation of the nuclear and radiation accident in Hunan Province, reference location, rescue experience, emergency allocation of resources, teaching and research capacity, establish regional medical emergency center of nuclear and radiation accidents based on three level of first-class comprehensive hospital, break the traditional concept that the center must be provincial capital,form a multi-level, three-dimensional, network of emergency hospital rescue system. The main duties of the center are accident emergency response, on-site treatment and technical guidance of accident, psychological grooming. The author propose building measures according to the duties of the center: increase national and provincial financial investment, carry out training, drills and first aid knowledge missionaries regularly, innovative materials management, speed up the construction of information platform, establish and improve the hospital rescue system, improve organization institution and system of plans, reengineering rescue process. (authors)

Cross-domain variation in the X itself as a grammatical construction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Kim Ebensgaard

2016-01-01

The X itself is a nominal construction that has not received much attention within cognitive linguistics despite it having a quite interesting function, as it serves to select a core part in a partonomy and thus specify lexical relations within a text. Apart from being mentioned in passing in Croft...... are divided into. Applying quantitative techniques, including lexical diversity measures and multidimensional scaling, this article explores aspects of the discursive behavior of the X itself across these domains and addresses the extent to which the construction interacts with the registers associated...

Career Construction with a Gay Client: A Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Maree, Jacobus Gideon

2014-01-01

This article reports on the value of career construction counselling (CCC) with a gay person. The participant was selected purposively, with the selection criteria calling for a mid-career woman who had sought career counselling. The intervention involved administration of the "Career Construction Interview" (CCI) and the creation of a…

Constructs and methods for genome editing and genetic engineering of fungi and protists

Science.gov (United States)

Hittinger, Christopher Todd; Alexander, William Gerald

2018-01-30

Provided herein are constructs for genome editing or genetic engineering in fungi or protists, methods of using the constructs and media for use in selecting cells. The construct include a polynucleotide encoding a thymidine kinase operably connected to a promoter, suitably a constitutive promoter; a polynucleotide encoding an endonuclease operably connected to an inducible promoter; and a recognition site for the endonuclease. The constructs may also include selectable markers for use in selecting recombinations.

Labor construction trends

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McCall, H.W.

1976-01-01

The increasing costs and schedule delays being experienced in construction projects have led companies to look for alternatives to their present methods of expansion. One of the facets being evaluated is the construction labor posture. As a result, more companies are employing open shop contractors. Certain benefits can be realized by open shop construction. Productivity, in terms of the time required and overall costs, is definitely improved at no sacrifice in quality. Before an owner decides to build a project open shop, however, he must be fully aware of the pro's and con's of both types of labor posture. He must know to select a capable open shop contractor and he must realize his obligations for a successful open shop program

Construction of a novel selection system for endoglucanases exhibiting carbohydrate-binding modules optimized for biomass using yeast cell-surface engineering.

Science.gov (United States)

Nakanishi, Akihito; Bae, Jungu; Kuroda, Kouichi; Ueda, Mitsuyoshi

2012-10-23

To permit direct cellulose degradation and ethanol fermentation, Saccharomyces cerevisiae BY4741 (Δsed1) codisplaying 3 cellulases (Trichoderma reesei endoglucanase II [EG], T. reesei cellobiohydrolase II [CBH], and Aspergillus aculeatus β-glucosidase I [BG]) was constructed by yeast cell-surface engineering. The EG used in this study consists of a family 1 carbohydrate-binding module (CBM) and a catalytic module. A comparison with family 1 CBMs revealed conserved amino acid residues and flexible amino acid residues. The flexible amino acid residues were at positions 18, 23, 26, and 27, through which the degrading activity for various cellulose structures in each biomass may have been optimized. To select the optimal combination of CBMs of EGs, a yeast mixture with comprehensively mutated CBM was constructed. The mixture consisted of yeasts codisplaying EG with mutated CBMs, in which 4 flexible residues were comprehensively mutated, CBH, and BG. The yeast mixture was inoculated in selection medium with newspaper as the sole carbon source. The surviving yeast consisted of RTSH yeast (the mutant sequence of CBM: N18R, S23T, S26S, and T27H) and wild-type yeast (CBM was the original) in a ratio of 1:46. The mixture (1 RTSH yeast and 46 wild-type yeasts) had a fermentation activity that was 1.5-fold higher than that of wild-type yeast alone in the early phase of saccharification and fermentation, which indicates that the yeast mixture with comprehensively mutated CBM could be used to select the optimal combination of CBMs suitable for the cellulose of each biomass.

One of the criteria for selecting a contractor for high-rise construction

Science.gov (United States)

Tuskaeva, Zalina; Tagirov, Timur

2018-03-01

The mechanisms for management of the building complex used and proposed to date do not always provide the required result in the assessment of the construction organization facilities. Therefore, the development of new effective methods for such an assessment is an urgent task especially in questions related to high-rise construction. The article formally sets the task of assessing the technical facilities of a construction organization. Due to the use of expert methods, the weighted values of the coefficients of local indicators for technical facilities are identified

Measuring production loss due to health and work environment problems: construct validity and implications.

Science.gov (United States)

Karlsson, Malin Lohela; Bergström, Gunnar; Björklund, Christina; Hagberg, Jan; Jensen, Irene

2013-12-01

The aim was to validate two measures of production loss, health-related and work environment-related production loss, concerning their associations with health status and work environment factors. Validity was assessed by evaluating the construct validity. Health problems related and work environment-related problems (or factors) were included in separate analyses and evaluated regarding the significant difference in proportion of explained variation (R) of production loss. health problems production loss was not found to fulfill the criteria for convergent validity in this study; however, the measure of work environment-related production loss did fulfill the criteria that were set up. The measure of work environment-related production loss can be used to screen for production loss due to work environment problems as well as an outcome measure when evaluating the effect of organizational interventions.

Measurements of nuclear data and possibility to construct the nuclear data production facility based on electron linac

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Namkung, Won; Ko, In Soo; Cho, Moo Hyun; Kim, Gui Nyun; Lee, Young Seok; Kang, Heung Sik [Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang(Korea)

2001-04-01

In order to construct an infrastructure to produce nuclear data, we studied three main items; (1) Study on the possibility to construct a facility for nuclear data production, (2) Production of nuclear data for nuclear power plant, and (3) Pulsed neutron source based on a 100-MeV electron linac at Pohang Accelerator Laboratory (PAL). We confirmed the possibility to build a nuclear data production facility utilizing a 100-MeV electron linac at PAL and manpower who wanted to participate the nuclear data production experiments. In order to measure the nuclear data for nuclear power plant, we used several nuclear data production facilities in abroad. We measured total cross sections and neutron caprure cross sections for {sup nat}Dy and {sup nat}Hf using the pulsed neutron facility in the Research Reactor Institute, Kyoto University (KURRI). The neutron capture cross sections for {sup 161,162,163,164}Dy were measured at KURRI in the neutron energy region between 0.001 eV and several tens keV, and at the fast neutron facility in Tokyo Institute of Technology in the neutron energy region between 10 keV and 100 keV. We also measured the neutron capture cross sections and gamma multiplicity of {sup 232}Th at the IBR30 in Dubna, Russia. We have construct a pulsed neutron source using a 100-MeV electron linac at PAL. We measured neutron time-of-flight (TOF) spectra in order to check the characteristics of the pulsed neutron source. We also measured a neutron total cross sections of W and Cu. The pulsed neutron facility can be utilized in the education facility for nuclear data production and the test facility for the R and D purpose of the nuclear data production facility. 29 refs., 57 figs., 22 tabs. (Author)

Exploring the role of motivational and coping resources in a Special Forces selection process

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Marié de Beer

2014-07-01

Research purpose: The purpose was to compare selected and not-selected candidates in terms of their sense of coherence, hardiness, locus of control and self-efficacy and to explore what they considered important for success in the selection process. Motivation for the study: Because of high attrition rates in Special Forces selection, the evaluation of the role of motivation and coping resources in terms of possible predictive utility could benefit the organisation from a logistical, financial and efficiency point of view. Research design, approach and method: A mixed-method cross-sectional survey design was used to assess an all-male candidate group (N = 73. The selected and not-selected groups were compared with regard to their sense of coherence, hardiness, locus of control and self-efficacy mean scores. Main findings: No statistically significant differences were found between the mean scores of the two groups concerning the quantitative measures used. Practical/managerial implications: The quantitative measures generally showed acceptable coefficient alpha reliabilities. Although no statistically significant mean differences were found between the groups, candidates showed high levels of sense of coherence, high levels of self-efficacy and average levels of hardiness and internal locus of control. The qualitative data confirmed the relevance of the quantitative constructs and pointed to additional aspects already considered in preparation for and during the selection process. Contribution/value-add: The results provide information regarding the constructs and measures used in a military context.

A differential spectral responsivity measurement system constructed for determining of the spectral responsivity of a single- and triple-junction photovoltaic cells

Science.gov (United States)

Sametoglu, Ferhat; Celikel, Oguz; Witt, Florian

2017-10-01

A differential spectral responsivity (DSR) measurement system has been designed and constructed at National Metrology Institute of Turkey (TUBITAK UME) to determine the spectral responsivity (SR) of a single- or a multi-junction photovoltaic device (solar cell). The DSR setup contains a broad band light bias source composed of a constructed Solar Simulator based on a 1000 W Xe-arc lamp owning a AM-1.5 filter and 250 W quartz-tungsten-halogen lamp, a designed and constructed LED-based Bias Light Sources, a DC voltage bias circuit, and a probe beam optical power tracking and correction circuit controlled with an ADuC847 microcontroller card together with an embedded C based software, designed and constructed in TUBITAK UME under this project. By using the constructed DSR measurement system, the SR calibration of solar cells, the monolitic triple-junction solar cell GaInP/GaInAs/Ge and its corresponding component cells have been performed within the EURAMET Joint Research Project SolCell.

An introduction to niche construction theory.

Science.gov (United States)

Laland, Kevin; Matthews, Blake; Feldman, Marcus W

Niche construction refers to the modification of selective environments by organisms. Theoretical and empirical studies of niche construction are increasing in importance as foci in evolutionary ecology. This special edition presents theoretical and empirical research that illustrates the significance of niche construction to the field. Here we set the scene for the following papers by (1) discussing the history of niche construction research, (2) providing clear definitions that distinguish niche construction from related concepts such as ecosystem engineering and the extended phenotype, (3) providing a brief summary of the findings of niche construction research, (4) discussing the contribution of niche construction and ecological inheritance to (a) expanded notions of inheritance, and (b) the extended evolutionary synthesis, and (5) briefly touching on some of the issues that underlie the controversies over niche construction.

Gendered language attitudes: exploring language as a gendered construct using Rasch measurement theory.

Science.gov (United States)

Knisely, Kris A; Wind, Stefanie A

2015-01-01

Gendered language attitudes (GLAs) are gender-based perceptions of language varieties based on connections between gender-related and linguistic characteristics of individuals, including the perception of language varieties as possessing degrees of masculinity and femininity. This study combines substantive theory about language learning and gender with a model based on Rasch measurement theory to explore the psychometric properties of a new measure of GLAs. Findings suggest that GLAs is a unidimensional construct and that the items used can be used to describe differences among students in terms of the strength of their GLAs. Implications for research, theory, and practice are discussed. Special emphasis is given to the teaching and learning of languages.

Concurrent Validation of Experimental Army Enlisted Personnel Selection and Classification Measures

Science.gov (United States)

2007-08-01

Megan Shay, Mary Warthen, Gordon Waugh, and Shelly West. 3 The samples sizes in Table 2.1 represent the number of participants who completed Soldier...scores. This finding casts serious doubt on a fundamental assumption underlying the construction and validation of interest-based P-E fit measures... cast on dominant arm, using other arm to respond). The final sample size was 755. Psychometric Properties Table 12.1 reports the means, standard

Construction of a preclinical multimodality phantom using tissue-mimicking materials for quality assurance in tumor size measurement.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Yongsook C; Fullerton, Gary D; Goins, Beth A

2013-07-29

World Health Organization (WHO) and the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) working groups advocated standardized criteria for radiologic assessment of solid tumors in response to anti-tumor drug therapy in the 1980s and 1990s, respectively. WHO criteria measure solid tumors in two-dimensions, whereas RECIST measurements use only one-dimension which is considered to be more reproducible (1, 2, 3,4,5). These criteria have been widely used as the only imaging biomarker approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (6). In order to measure tumor response to anti-tumor drugs on images with accuracy, therefore, a robust quality assurance (QA) procedures and corresponding QA phantom are needed. To address this need, the authors constructed a preclinical multimodality (for ultrasound (US), computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)) phantom using tissue-mimicking (TM) materials based on the limited number of target lesions required by RECIST by revising a Gammex US commercial phantom (7). The Appendix in Lee et al. demonstrates the procedures of phantom fabrication (7). In this article, all protocols are introduced in a step-by-step fashion beginning with procedures for preparing the silicone molds for casting tumor-simulating test objects in the phantom, followed by preparation of TM materials for multimodality imaging, and finally construction of the preclinical multimodality QA phantom. The primary purpose of this paper is to provide the protocols to allow anyone interested in independently constructing a phantom for their own projects. QA procedures for tumor size measurement, and RECIST, WHO and volume measurement results of test objects made at multiple institutions using this QA phantom are shown in detail in Lee et al. (8).

Selection/extraction of spectral regions for autofluorescence spectra measured in the oral cavity

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Skurichina, M; Paclik, P; Duin, RPW; de Veld, D; Sterenborg, HJCM; Witjes, MJH; Roodenburg, JLN; Fred, A; Caelli, T; Duin, RPW; Campilho, A; DeRidder, D

2004-01-01

Recently a number of successful algorithms to select/extract discriminative spectral regions was introduced. These methods may be more beneficial than the standard feature selection/extraction methods for spectral classification. In this paper, on the example of autofluorescence spectra measured in

Operations management for construction

CERN Document Server

March, Chris

2009-01-01

Students studying construction management and related subjects need to have a broad understanding of the major aspects of controlling the building processes. Operations Management for Construction is one of three textbooks (Business Organisation, Operations Management and Finance Control) written to systematically cover the field. Focusing on construction sites and operations which are challenging to run, Chris March explores issues such as the setting up of the site, the deciding of the methodology of construction, and the sequence of work and resourcing. As changing and increasing regulations affect the way sites are managed, he also considers the issues and methods of successful administering, safety, quality and environment. Finally, the contractor's responsibility to the environment, including relationships with third parties, selection of materials, waste management and sustainability is discussed. Chris March has a wealth of practical experience in the construction industry, as well as considerable exp...

Construction and in vitro test of a new electrode for dentin resistance measurement.

Science.gov (United States)

Stein, Steffen; Gente, Michael

2013-10-01

It is necessary to reduce the tooth substance before treating a tooth with a dental crown. The preparation often requires reduction of the dentin. This results in a dentin wound and a thinner substance over the pulp, increases the risk of inflammation, and could result in necrosis of the pulp. To give the dentist information about the amount of dentin over the pulp during preparation, the Prepometer was developed. The function of this device is based on the measurement of the electric resistance of the tooth substance. The measuring behavior of the first-generation Prepometer is characterized by smaller values of electric resistance before reaching full contact of the measuring head to the dentin surface and the actual value RT. This measuring behavior can mislead inexperienced therapists with inaccurate values that suggest thinner dentin than the reality. In this study, a new electrode based on the technology of active guard drive was constructed to overcome this issue. The results show that improvement in the measuring behavior of the new electrode could be achieved, eliminating the earlier disadvantage of the Prepometer.

The Selected Method and Tools for Performance Measurement in the Green Supply Chain—Survey Analysis in Poland

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Blanka Tundys

2018-02-01

Full Text Available The methods and tools for the performance measurement and evaluation of the green supply chain management are very important elements for the construction and function of this type of supply chain. The result is a presentation of the considerations underlying a very general model, which presents some selected tools, but no breakdown of individual industries. The considerations undertaken are important and have scientific added value as usually in practice, a very large number of tools are used to assess the supply chain, which are not always correlated or adapted to the specificity of the chain. It is worth pointing out which of the already used or completely new tools and methods will be most useful for assessing the green supply chain. The structure of the paper covers the theoretical and empirical. It includes an introduction, our goals and hypotheses, state of the art, methodology, empirical findings, and discussion. We present the definitional differences between green and sustainable supply chains and focus on the selection and identification of methods for the framework model for evaluating the green supply chain. In the next step, the theoretical and selected method and tools were compared to a survey of Poland. On the basis of the survey, we present the findings and discussions found in this area. The main methodology used includes a literature review, a survey analysis using a questionnaire and statistical tools. The survey was carried out in 2015 in sample organizations in Poland. The research results showed that organizations were aware of the environmental elements of measuring and assessing the supply chain from an environmental point of view, but their use depended on many factors: the area, size of the organization, or the industry. If certain boundary conditions are met and the organizations are aware of the essence of environmental aspects in the chain, then they are applying green measures to the supply chain. These findings

Knowledge based expert system to minimise environmental pollution in Malaysian construction sites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Al-Hadu, Ibrahiem Abdul Razak; Sidek, Lariyah Mohd; Desa, Mohamad Nor Mohamad [Civil Engineering, Universiti Tenaga Nasional, Kajang, Selangor (Malaysia); Basri, Noor Ezlin Ahmad [Civil Engineering, Universiti Tenaga Nasional, Kajang, Selangor (Malaysia)

2011-07-01

Construction activities generate enormous amount of erosion and sediments sediments that is the result of soil disturbance during construction activities, thus, will pollute the adjacent water bodies and make it unfeasible for different uses. This paper aimed to develop and create the main features of an expert system prototype (ESCES) for minimising erosion and sedimentation due to stormwater generated from the construction activities by recommending a feasible BMPs. Multi criteria Analysis (MCA) technique has been integrated so as to select the best control measure among many stormwater control alternatives. A questionnaire has been distributed to the relevant experts so as to rank the stormwater control measures to be used in the MCA technique. Using Visual Basic 6, Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) were developed. The knowledge and experience were acquired from various textural sources (i.e. guidelines, manuals, literature, and human expert). Results from this study showed that the Best Management Practices (BMPs) reommended have good suited the site characteristics. As a conclusion from this study, the ESCES can be considered as part of the 'Green Technology Tool' since it helps in protecting the environment and preserve good quality of water adjacent to the construction sites in Malaysia.

Constructing a multiple choice test to measure elementary school teachers' Pedagogical Content Knowledge of technology education.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rohaan, E.J.; Taconis, R.; Jochems, W.M.G.

2009-01-01

This paper describes the construction and validation of a multiple choice test to measure elementary school teachers' Pedagogical Content Knowledge of technology education. Pedagogical Content Knowledge is generally accepted to be a crucial domain of teacher knowledge and is, therefore, an important

Protocol of the COSMIN study: COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patrick DL

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Choosing an adequate measurement instrument depends on the proposed use of the instrument, the concept to be measured, the measurement properties (e.g. internal consistency, reproducibility, content and construct validity, responsiveness, and interpretability, the requirements, the burden for subjects, and costs of the available instruments. As far as measurement properties are concerned, there are no sufficiently specific standards for the evaluation of measurement properties of instruments to measure health status, and also no explicit criteria for what constitutes good measurement properties. In this paper we describe the protocol for the COSMIN study, the objective of which is to develop a checklist that contains COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments, including explicit criteria for satisfying these standards. We will focus on evaluative health related patient-reported outcomes (HR-PROs, i.e. patient-reported health measurement instruments used in a longitudinal design as an outcome measure, excluding health care related PROs, such as satisfaction with care or adherence. The COSMIN standards will be made available in the form of an easily applicable checklist. Method An international Delphi study will be performed to reach consensus on which and how measurement properties should be assessed, and on criteria for good measurement properties. Two sources of input will be used for the Delphi study: (1 a systematic review of properties, standards and criteria of measurement properties found in systematic reviews of measurement instruments, and (2 an additional literature search of methodological articles presenting a comprehensive checklist of standards and criteria. The Delphi study will consist of four (written Delphi rounds, with approximately 30 expert panel members with different backgrounds in clinical medicine, biostatistics, psychology, and epidemiology. The final checklist will

Efficient sensor selection for active information fusion.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yongmian; Ji, Qiang

2010-06-01

In our previous paper, we formalized an active information fusion framework based on dynamic Bayesian networks to provide active information fusion. This paper focuses on a central issue of active information fusion, i.e., the efficient identification of a subset of sensors that are most decision relevant and cost effective. Determining the most informative and cost-effective sensors requires an evaluation of all the possible subsets of sensors, which is computationally intractable, particularly when information-theoretic criterion such as mutual information is used. To overcome this challenge, we propose a new quantitative measure for sensor synergy based on which a sensor synergy graph is constructed. Using the sensor synergy graph, we first introduce an alternative measure to multisensor mutual information for characterizing the sensor information gain. We then propose an approximated nonmyopic sensor selection method that can efficiently and near-optimally select a subset of sensors for active fusion. The simulation study demonstrates both the performance and the efficiency of the proposed sensor selection method.

Comparison of subjective symptoms and cold prevention measures in winter between traffic control workers and construction workers in Japan.

Science.gov (United States)

Inaba, Ryoichi; Kurokawa, Junichi; Mirbod, Seyed Mohammad

2009-07-01

To help making comfortable workplaces and to prevent health disorders induced by the exposure to moderate cold in two different groups of out-door workers, we conducted a survey to compare subjective symptoms and cold prevention measures in winter between traffic control workers and construction workers. The subjects of this study were 98 male traffic control workers and 149 male workers engaged in building construction. Work loads of traffic control workers and construction workers were estimated at RMR1-2 and RMR2-4, respectively. All subjects were asked to complete a self-administered questionnaire covering age, occupational career, working figure, present illness, past history of diseases, individual preventive measures to the cold, subjective symptoms in the winter (43 items) and subjective symptoms occurred during daytime working in the winter (6 items). In two parts of the construction workplaces (the place where a morning assembly was held and on the 7th floor of the construction site) dry bulb, wet bulb and globe temperatures were measured in January. Windchill Index (kcal/cm,(2) x h) was calculated by the measured dry bulb temperature and wind velocity. Mean values of dry bulb temperature between 9:00 and 16:30 in the place where a morning assembly was held for three days were between 4.8 +/- 1.2 degrees C at 9:00 am and 9.3 +/- 1.1 degrees C at noon. Mean values of Windchill Index in the place where a morning assembly was held were between 490.8+/-23.9 kcal/cm(2) x h at 9:30 am and 608.2+/-47.3 kcal/cm(2) x h at 2:30 pm. Occupational career, monthly working days, daily working hours, one way commuting hours, and daily smoking numbers of the traffic control workers were significantly shorter than the construction workers (pconstruction workers (0.7%). Prevalence of wearing a warm underwear, body warmer, warm trousers, underpants, warm socks, shoe warmer and muffler in the traffic control workers were significantly higher than the construction workers. The

Reliable Portfolio Selection Problem in Fuzzy Environment: An mλ Measure Based Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuan Feng

2017-04-01

Full Text Available This paper investigates a fuzzy portfolio selection problem with guaranteed reliability, in which the fuzzy variables are used to capture the uncertain returns of different securities. To effectively handle the fuzziness in a mathematical way, a new expected value operator and variance of fuzzy variables are defined based on the m λ measure that is a linear combination of the possibility measure and necessity measure to balance the pessimism and optimism in the decision-making process. To formulate the reliable portfolio selection problem, we particularly adopt the expected total return and standard variance of the total return to evaluate the reliability of the investment strategies, producing three risk-guaranteed reliable portfolio selection models. To solve the proposed models, an effective genetic algorithm is designed to generate the approximate optimal solution to the considered problem. Finally, the numerical examples are given to show the performance of the proposed models and algorithm.

From demand driven contractor selection towards value driven contractor selection

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Walraven, A.R.; Vries, de B.

2009-01-01

The procurement of a construction contractor should consider more aspects than only cost or price. Taking value and price into account to select the ‘best value for money’ bid results in adopting a structured multicriteria approach. An alternative contractor selection method is presented, which

Citizen science applied to building healthier community environments: advancing the field through shared construct and measurement development.

Science.gov (United States)

Hinckson, Erica; Schneider, Margaret; Winter, Sandra J; Stone, Emily; Puhan, Milo; Stathi, Afroditi; Porter, Michelle M; Gardiner, Paul A; Dos Santos, Daniela Lopes; Wolff, Andrea; King, Abby C

2017-09-29

Physical inactivity across the lifespan remains a public health issue for many developed countries. Inactivity has contributed considerably to the pervasiveness of lifestyle diseases. Government, national and local agencies and organizations have been unable to systematically, and in a coordinated way, translate behavioral research into practice that makes a difference at a population level. One approach for mobilizing multi-level efforts to improve the environment for physical activity is to engage in a process of citizen science. Citizen Science here is defined as a participatory research approach involving members of the public working closely with research investigators to initiate and advance scientific research projects. However, there are no common measures or protocols to guide citizen science research at the local community setting. We describe overarching categories of constructs that can be considered when designing citizen science projects expected to yield multi-level interventions, and provide an example of the citizen science approach to promoting PA. We also recommend potential measures across different levels of impact. Encouraging some consistency in measurement across studies will potentially accelerate the efficiency with which citizen science participatory research provides new insights into and solutions to the behaviorally-based public health issues that drive most of morbidity and mortality. The measures described in this paper abide by four fundamental principles specifically selected for inclusion in citizen science projects: feasibility, accuracy, propriety, and utility. The choice of measures will take into account the potential resources available for outcome and process evaluation. Our intent is to emphasize the importance for all citizen science participatory projects to follow an evidence-based approach and ensure that they incorporate an appropriate assessment protocol. We provided the rationale for and a list of contextual factors

Color associations to emotion and emotion-laden words: A collection of norms for stimulus construction and selection.

Science.gov (United States)

Sutton, Tina M; Altarriba, Jeanette

2016-06-01

Color has the ability to influence a variety of human behaviors, such as object recognition, the identification of facial expressions, and the ability to categorize stimuli as positive or negative. Researchers have started to examine the relationship between emotional words and colors, and the findings have revealed that brightness is often associated with positive emotional words and darkness with negative emotional words (e.g., Meier, Robinson, & Clore, Psychological Science, 15, 82-87, 2004). In addition, words such as anger and failure seem to be inherently associated with the color red (e.g., Kuhbandner & Pekrun). The purpose of the present study was to construct norms for positive and negative emotion and emotion-laden words and their color associations. Participants were asked to provide the first color that came to mind for a set of 160 emotional items. The results revealed that the color RED was most commonly associated with negative emotion and emotion-laden words, whereas YELLOW and WHITE were associated with positive emotion and emotion-laden words, respectively. The present work provides researchers with a large database to aid in stimulus construction and selection.

Design, building and use of a selective pyranometer for the definition and measurement of the lighting index

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guicherd, Roger.

1976-03-01

The design, building, testing, calibration and operation of a selective pyranometer intended for the definition and measurement of the lighting index are described; with this original apparatus the energetic lighting at ground level is measured selectively and continuously. The measurement head has three transducers equipped with hollow hemispherical filters measuring energy in the ultraviolet, visible and infrared range respectively. In conclusion, a definition of the lighting index obtained with this thermally compensated, selective pyranometer P.S. is proposed [fr

Measures to reduce construction time of high-rise buildings

Science.gov (United States)

Kolchedantsev, Leonid; Adamtsevich, Aleksey; Stupakova, Olga; Drozdov, Alexander

2018-03-01

The organizational and technological solutions for high-rise buildings construction efficiency increase are considered, primarily - decrease of typical floor construction time and improvement of bearing structures concrete quality. The essence of offered technology is: a concrete mixing station and a polygon mainly for load-bearing wall panels with starter bars casting are located on the building site; for reinforced concrete components manufacturing and butt joints grouting the warmed-up concrete mixtures are used. The results of researches and elaborations carried out by the SPSUACE in area of a preliminary warming-up of concrete mixtures are presented. The possibility and feasibility of their usage in high-rise buildings and of excess height buildings construction including cast-in-place and precast execution are shown. The essence of heat-vibro treating of concrete mixture is revealed as a kind of prior electroresistive curing, and the achieved results are: accelerated concrete strength gain, power inputs decrease, concrete quality improvement. It is shown that the location of a concrete mixing station on the building site enables to broaden possibilities of the "thermos" method use and to avoid concrete mixtures warming up in medium-mass structures erection (columns, girders) during the high-rise buildings construction. It is experimentally proved that the splice between precast elements encased with warmed-up concrete mixture is equal with conjugated elements in strength.

Construction Management for Conventional Facilities of Proton Accelerator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jun Yeon; Cho, Jang Hyung; Cho, Sung Won

2013-01-01

Proton Engineering Frontier Project, puts its aim to building 100MeV 20mA linear proton accelerator which is national facility for NT, BT, IT, and future technologies, expected to boost up the national industry competitiveness. This R and D, Construction Management is in charge of the supportive works such as site selection, architecture and engineering of conventional facilities, and overall construction management. The major goals of this work are as follows: At first, architecture and engineering of conventional facilities. Second, construction management, supervision and inspection on construction of conventional facilities. Lastly, cooperation with the project host organization, Gyeongju city, for adjusting technically interrelated work during construction. In this research, We completed the basic, detail, and field changed design of conventional facilities. Acquisition of necessary construction and atomic license, radiation safety analysis, site improvement, access road construction were successfully done as well. Also, we participated in the project host related work as follows: Project host organization and site selection, construction technical work for project host organization and procedure management, etc. Consequently, we so fulfilled all of the own goals which were set up in the beginning of this construction project that we could made contribution for installing and running PEFP's developed 100MeV 20mA linear accelerator

Identification and Characterization of Particulate Matter Concentrations at Construction Jobsites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ingrid P. S. Araújo

2014-11-01

Full Text Available The identification and characterization of particulate matter (PM concentrations from construction site activities pose major challenges due to the diverse characteristics related to different aspects, such as concentration, particle size and particle composition. Moreover, the characterization of particulate matter is influenced by meteorological conditions, including temperature, humidity, rainfall and wind speed. This paper is part of a broader investigation that aims to develop a methodology for assessing the environmental impacts caused by the PM emissions that arise from construction activities. The objective of this paper is to identify and characterize the PM emissions on a construction site with different aerodynamic diameters (PM2.5, PM10, total suspended particulates (TSP, based on an exploratory study. Initially, a protocol was developed to standardize the construction site selection criteria, laboratory procedures, field sample collection and laboratory analysis. This protocol was applied on a multifamily residential building construction site during three different construction phases (earthworks, superstructure and finishings aimed at measuring and monitoring PM concentrations arising from construction activities. The particulate matter was characterized in different particle sizes. Results showed that the higher TSP emissions arising from construction activities provoked environmental impacts. Some limitations to the results were identified, especially with regards the need for a detailed investigation about the influence of different construction phases on PM emissions. The findings provided significant knowledge about various situations, serving as a basis for improving the existing methodology for particulate material collection on construction sites and the development of future studies on the specific construction site phases.

Selection criteria for oxidation method in total organic carbon measurement.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoon, GeunSeok; Park, Sang-Min; Yang, Heuiwon; Tsang, Daniel C W; Alessi, Daniel S; Baek, Kitae

2018-05-01

During the measurement of total organic carbon (TOC), dissolved organic carbon is converted into CO 2 by using high temperature combustion (HTC) or wet chemical oxidation (WCO). However, the criteria for selecting the oxidation methods are not clear. In this study, the chemical structures of organic material were considered as a key factor to select the oxidation method used. Most non-degradable organic compounds showed a similar oxidation efficiency in both methods, including natural organic compounds, dyes, and pharmaceuticals, and thus both methods are appropriate to measure TOC in waters containing these compounds. However, only a fraction of the carbon in the halogenated compounds (perfluorooctanoic acid and trifluoroacetic acid) were oxidized using WCO, resulting in measured TOC values that are considerably lower than those determined by HTC. This result is likely due to the electronegativity of halogen elements which inhibits the approach of electron-rich sulfate radicals in the WCO, and the higher bond strength of carbon-halogen pairs as compared to carbon-hydrogen bonds, which results in a lower degree of oxidation of the compounds. Our results indicate that WCO could be used to oxidize most organic compounds, but may not be appropriate to quantify TOC in organic carbon pools that contain certain halogenated compounds. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Measuring potential predictors of burnout and engagement among young veterinary professionals; construction of a customised questionnaire (the Vet-DRQ).

Science.gov (United States)

Mastenbroek, N J J M; Demerouti, E; van Beukelen, P; Muijtjens, A M M; Scherpbier, A J J A; Jaarsma, A D C

2014-02-15

The Job Demands-Resources model (JD-R model) was used as the theoretical basis of a tailormade questionnaire to measure the psychosocial work environment and personal resources of recently graduated veterinary professionals. According to the JD-R model, two broad categories of work characteristics that determine employee wellbeing can be distinguished: job demands and job resources. Recently, the JD-R model has been expanded by integrating personal resource measures into the model. Three semistructured group interviews with veterinarians active in different work domains were conducted to identify relevant job demands, job resources and personal resources. These demands and resources were organised in themes (constructs). For measurement purposes, a set of questions ('a priori scale') was selected from the literature for each theme. The full set of a priori scales was included in a questionnaire that was administered to 1760 veterinary professionals. Exploratory factor analysis and reliability analysis were conducted to arrive at the final set of validated scales (final scales). 860 veterinarians (73 per cent females) participated. The final set of scales consisted of seven job demands scales (32 items), nine job resources scales (41 items), and six personal resources scales (26 items) which were considered to represent the most relevant potential predictors of work-related wellbeing in this occupational group. The procedure resulted in a tailormade questionnaire: the Veterinary Job Demands and Resources Questionnaire (Vet-DRQ). The use of valid theory and validated scales enhances opportunities for comparative national and international research.

Predictive, Construct, and Convergent Validity of General and Domain-Specific Measures of Hope for College Student Academic Achievement

Science.gov (United States)

Robinson, Cecil; Rose, Sage

2010-01-01

One leading version of hope theory posits hope to be a general disposition for goal-directed agency and pathways thinking. Domain-specific hope theory suggests that hope operates within context and measures of hope should reflect that context. This study examined three measures of hope to test the predictive, construct, and convergent validity…

Anthropometric protocols for the construction of new international fetal and newborn growth standards: the INTERGROWTH-21st Project.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheikh Ismail, L; Knight, H E; Bhutta, Z; Chumlea, W C

2013-09-01

The primary aim of the INTERGROWTH-21(st) Project is to construct new, prescriptive standards describing optimal fetal and preterm postnatal growth. The anthropometric measurements include the head circumference, recumbent length and weight of the infants, and the stature and weight of the parents. In such a large, international, multicentre project, it is critical that all study sites follow standardised protocols to ensure maximal validity of the growth and nutrition indicators used. This paper describes, in detail, the selection of anthropometric personnel, equipment, and measurement and calibration protocols used to construct the new standards. Implementing these protocols at each study site ensures that the anthropometric data are of the highest quality to construct the international standards. © 2013 Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

Validation of an ambulatory capacity measure in Parkinson disease: a construct derived from the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale.

Science.gov (United States)

Parashos, Sotirios A; Elm, Jordan; Boyd, James T; Chou, Kelvin L; Dai, Lin; Mari, Zoltan; Morgan, John C; Sudarsky, Lewis; Wielinski, Catherine L

2015-01-01

A construct calculated as the sum of items 13-15, 29, 30 of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) has been used as an "Ambulatory Capacity Measure" (ACM) in Parkinson disease (PD). Its construct validity has never been examined. A similar construct, consisting of the mean value of the same UPDRS items has been used under the acronym PIGD as a measure of postural instability and gait disorder in PD. To examine the construct validity of the ACM and PIGD in PD. We analyzed data in an existing database of 340 PD patients, Hoehn and Yahr stages (HYS) 1-5 who participated in a study of falls. Number of falls (NOF) was recorded over 4 weeks, and UPDRS (mental, ADL, and motor subscales), HYS, Activities Based Confidence Scale (ABC), Freezing of Gait Questionnaire (FOG), Five Times Sit-to-Stand (FTSS), Timed Up-and Go (TUG), Gait Velocity (GV), and Berg Balance Scale (BBS) evaluations were performed. Internal consistency was assessed by Cronbach's alpha. Construct validity was assessed through correlations of the ACM and PIGD to these measures and to their summed-ranks. A coefficient of determination was calculated through linear regression. Mean age was 71.4, mean age at diagnosis 61.4 years; 46% were women; mean UPDRS subscale scores were: Mental 3.7; ADL 15.7; motor: 27.1; mean ACM was 6.51, and mean PIGD 1.30. Cronbach's alpha was 0.78 for both ACM and PIGD. Spearman correlation coefficients between the ACM/PIGD and ABC, FOG, TUG, GV and BBS were 0.69, 0.72, 0.67, 0.58, and 0.70 respectively. Correlation between the ACM/PIGD and summed-ranks of HYS, NOF, ABC, FOG, FTSS, TUG, GV and BBS was high (Spearman r = 0.823, p < 0.0001); 68% of the variability in the summed-ranks was explained by ACM/PIGD. The ACM and the PIGD are valid global measures and accurately reflect the combined effects of the various components of ambulatory capacity in PD patients with HY stages 1-4.

Construct Validity: Advances in Theory and Methodology

OpenAIRE

Strauss, Milton E.; Smith, Gregory T.

2009-01-01

Measures of psychological constructs are validated by testing whether they relate to measures of other constructs as specified by theory. Each test of relations between measures reflects on the validity of both the measures and the theory driving the test. Construct validation concerns the simultaneous process of measure and theory validation. In this chapter, we review the recent history of validation efforts in clinical psychological science that has led to this perspective, and we review f...

The Measurement, Nomological Net, and Theory of Perceived Self-Esteem Instability: Applying the Conservation of Resources Theory to Understand the Construct.

Science.gov (United States)

Howard, Matt C

2018-01-01

The current article performs the first focused investigation into the construct of perceived self-esteem instability (P-SEI). Four studies investigate the construct's measurement, nomological net, and theoretical dynamics. Study 1 confirms the factor structure of a P-SEI Measure, supporting that P-SEI can be adequately measured. Study 2 identifies an initial nomological net surrounding P-SEI, showing that the construct is strongly related to stable aspects of the self (i.e., neuroticism and core self-evaluations). In Studies 3 and 4, the Conservation of Resources Theory is applied to develop and test five hypotheses. These studies show that P-SEI is predicted by self-esteem level and stressors, and the relationship of certain stressors is moderated by self-esteem contingencies. P-SEI also predicts stress, depression, anxiety, and certain defensive postures. From these studies and the integration of Conservation of Resources Theory, we suggest that P-SEI emerges through an interaction between environmental influences and personal resources, and we provide a theoretical model to better understand the construct of P-SEI. We suggest that this theory-driven model can prompt the initial field of study on P-SEI.

Construction and fitting of NUCEF

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takeshita, Isao; Itahashi, Takayuki; Izawa, Naoki; Okazaki, Shuji

1994-01-01

NUCEF consists of two criticality experiment devices, three alpha-gamma cells, the experimental equipments contained in about 90 glove boxes and many others. The background and the course of the construction and fitting of NUCEF are described on the selection of important research, the rationalization of facilities, the integration of the criticality safety experiments facility(CSEF) and the TRU safety test facility(TRUST), the safety examination, and the construction and fitting. The whole NUCEF, the static criticality facility(STACY), the transient criticality facility(TRACY), the mock-up test of the machinery and equipment for both criticality facilities, the solution fuel preparation facility, cells and glove boxes and the equipment contained in them, the analysis facility consists of four analysis rooms, and the radioactive waste facility for gas, liquid and solid wastes are described. The classification of these facilities based on the relevant laws is shown. The way of thinking in the basic design and the detailed design is explained. The permission of nuclear reactor installation and the use of nuclear fuel substances was obtained. The design and the method of works were approved. The inspection is reported. The measures for the security are explained. (K.I.)

The FACIT-Sp spiritual well-being scale: an investigation of the dimensionality, reliability and construct validity in a cognitively intact nursing home population.

Science.gov (United States)

Haugan, Gørill

2015-03-01

Spiritual well-being has been found to be a strong individual predictor of overall nursing home satisfaction and a fundamental dimension of global as well as health-related quality-in-life among nursing home patients. Therefore, access to a valid and reliable measure of spiritual well-being among nursing home patients is highly warranted. The aim of this study was to investigate the dimensionality, reliability and construct validity of the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy Spiritual Wellbeing scale in a cognitively intact nursing home population. A cross-sectional design was applied, selecting two counties in central Norway from which 20 municipalities representing 44 different nursing homes took part in this study. Long-term care was defined as 24-hour care with duration of 6 months or longer. Participants were 202 cognitively intact long-term nursing home patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria. Approval by all regulatory institutions dealing with research issues in Norway and the Management Unit at the 44 nursing homes was obtained. Explorative and confirmative factor analyses as well as correlation with selected construct were used. Though three items loaded very low (λ = 0.22, 0.26, 0.32) indicating low reliability, the three-factor model for the FACIT-Sp spiritual well-being scale provided an acceptable fit (χ(2) = 101.15 (df = 50), p-value <0.001, RMSEA = 0.075 p = 0.030, NFI = 0.90, GFI = 0.91, AGFI = 0.85) for older nursing home patients, demonstrating acceptable measurement reliability. Construct validity was supported by significant correlations in the hypothesised direction with the selected constructs. The three-factor model is an improvement over the original two-factor construct, based on these nursing home data. The measure yielded significantly factor loadings, good composite reliability and construct validity. © 2014 Nordic College of Caring Science.

Radon measurements in underground and ground constructions in Tashkent city

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akimov, V.A.; Yafasov, A.Y.; Vasidov, A.; En, Z.; Tillaev, T.; Tsipin, V.Z.

2002-01-01

magnitude 8.5 earthquake in 1966. Taken as a whole, not high concentration level of radon in the subway stations and related underground offices suggest that rocks and ores along which the railway and stations are located, and also construction materials used, are of low radioactivity. The radon concentration level in dwellings was evaluated by long term passive measurements using a cup detector sampler with a filtered end. After putting the detector, the open end was closed by a paper filter in order to prevent the detector from dust and other solid particulates and also from the radon progeny plate-out effect on the detector surface. Thus, the device detects only alphas from a radon gas and those daughters, which are produced inside the cup. The detector samplers were suspended on a ceiling on the distance of ∼200 cm from the floor. The detectors were exposed for 15-30 days. After exposition, the plastics were chemically etched in the 6N NaOH solution at 70 degrees centigrade, for 6 hours. We have measured concentration of radon in air of apartments and offices of reinforced concrete multi story buildings, two- and three-story buildings built with combined slag and burnt bricks and also in detached one-story houses built with unburnt bricks and clay. In multi story buildings the radon level was in the range of 16-97 Bq/m 3 , and average radon accumulation was practically independent of floor level, except for first floor, were radon level was higher due to its permeation from basement. In multi story buildings, radon comes mostly from construction materials. Emanation of radon from the ground depends on many factors, among them presence of uranium and radium in rock and ore constituents, soil porosity, availability of cracks and cavities in subsoil, tectonic activity of the region and others. To study season effect on radon level in air of dwellings and offices, the radon measurements were made in winter and summer periods in the same apartments and detached houses

Application of linear scheduling method (LSM) for nuclear power plant (NPP) construction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Woojoong; Ryu, Dongsoo; Jung, Youngsoo

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Mixed use of linear scheduling method with traditional CPM is suggested for NPP. • A methodology for selecting promising areas for LSM application is proposed. • A case-study is conducted to validate the proposed LSM selection methodology. • A case-study of reducing NPP construction duration by using LSM is introduced. - Abstract: According to a forecast, global energy demand is expected to increase by 56% from 2010 to 2040 (EIA, 2013). The nuclear power plant construction market is also growing with sharper competition. In nuclear power plant construction, scheduling is one of the most important functions due to its large size and complexity. Therefore, it is crucial to incorporate the ‘distinct characteristics of construction commodities and the complex characteristics of scheduling techniques’ (Jung and Woo, 2004) when selecting appropriate schedule control methods for nuclear power plant construction. However, among various types of construction scheduling techniques, the traditional critical path method (CPM) has been used most frequently in real-world practice. In this context, the purpose of this paper is to examine the viability and effectiveness of linear scheduling method (LSM) applications for specific areas in nuclear power plant construction. In order to identify the criteria for selecting scheduling techniques, the characteristics of CPM and LSM were compared and analyzed first through a literature review. Distinct characteristics of nuclear power plant construction were then explored by using a case project in order to develop a methodology to select effective areas of LSM application to nuclear power plant construction. Finally, promising areas for actual LSM application are suggested based on the proposed evaluation criteria and the case project. Findings and practical implications are discussed for further implementation

Application of linear scheduling method (LSM) for nuclear power plant (NPP) construction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Woojoong, E-mail: minidung@nate.com [Central Research Institute, Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co., Ltd, Daejeon 305-343 (Korea, Republic of); Ryu, Dongsoo, E-mail: energyboy@khnp.co.kr [Central Research Institute, Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co., Ltd, Daejeon 305-343 (Korea, Republic of); Jung, Youngsoo, E-mail: yjung97@mju.ac.kr [College of Architecture, Myongji University, Yongin 449-728 (Korea, Republic of)

2014-04-01

Highlights: • Mixed use of linear scheduling method with traditional CPM is suggested for NPP. • A methodology for selecting promising areas for LSM application is proposed. • A case-study is conducted to validate the proposed LSM selection methodology. • A case-study of reducing NPP construction duration by using LSM is introduced. - Abstract: According to a forecast, global energy demand is expected to increase by 56% from 2010 to 2040 (EIA, 2013). The nuclear power plant construction market is also growing with sharper competition. In nuclear power plant construction, scheduling is one of the most important functions due to its large size and complexity. Therefore, it is crucial to incorporate the ‘distinct characteristics of construction commodities and the complex characteristics of scheduling techniques’ (Jung and Woo, 2004) when selecting appropriate schedule control methods for nuclear power plant construction. However, among various types of construction scheduling techniques, the traditional critical path method (CPM) has been used most frequently in real-world practice. In this context, the purpose of this paper is to examine the viability and effectiveness of linear scheduling method (LSM) applications for specific areas in nuclear power plant construction. In order to identify the criteria for selecting scheduling techniques, the characteristics of CPM and LSM were compared and analyzed first through a literature review. Distinct characteristics of nuclear power plant construction were then explored by using a case project in order to develop a methodology to select effective areas of LSM application to nuclear power plant construction. Finally, promising areas for actual LSM application are suggested based on the proposed evaluation criteria and the case project. Findings and practical implications are discussed for further implementation.

Construction and psychometric testing of the EMPATHIC questionnaire measuring parent satisfaction in the pediatric intensive care unit

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Latour, Jos M.; van Goudoever, Johannes B.; Duivenvoorden, Hugo J.; Albers, Marcel J. I. J.; van Dam, Nicolette A. M.; Dullaart, Eugenie; van Heerde, Marc; de Neef, Marjorie; Verlaat, Carin W. M.; van Vught, Elise M.; Hazelzet, Jan A.

To construct and test the reliability and validity of the EMpowerment of PArents in THe Intensive Care (EMPATHIC) questionnaire measuring parent satisfaction in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). Structured development and psychometric testing of a parent satisfaction-with-care instrument

Construction and psychometric testing of the EMPATHIC questionnaire measuring parent satisfaction in the pediatric intensive care unit

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Latour, J.M.; van Goudoever, J.B.; Duivenvoorden, H.J.; Albers, M.J.I.J.; van Dam, N.A.M.; Dullaart, E.; van Heerde, M.; de Neef, M.; Verlaat, C.W.M.; van Vught, E.M.; Hazelzet, J.A.

2011-01-01

To construct and test the reliability and validity of the EMpowerment of PArents in THe Intensive Care (EMPATHIC) questionnaire measuring parent satisfaction in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). Structured development and psychometric testing of a parent satisfaction-with-care instrument

Can Neuroscience Construct a Literate Gendered Culture?

Science.gov (United States)

Whitehead, David

2011-01-01

The construction of boys as a gendered culture is not usually associated with neuroscience. Exceptions are publications and presentations by consultants on boys' education who adopt a "brain-based" perspective. From a neuroscience perspective, my analysis indicates the selective use of primary neuroscience research to construct and perpetuate…

Radioactive materials in construction projects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Herrmann, Ralf; Ohlendorf, Frank; Kaltz, Andrea Christine

2014-01-01

Till 1990 residues often of the former uranium mining were partly used as building material for road construction, terrain compensation and house construction in Saxony. These recommendations for action are addressed to applicants, planners and building constructors in the engineering and construction sector. It provides information for planning, preliminary investigations, applications, construction supervision related to radiation protection measures and documentation of construction projects where radioactive materials are expected.

Measurement of activity limitations and participation restrictions: examination of ICF-linked content and scale properties of the FIM and PC-PART instruments.

Science.gov (United States)

Darzins, Susan W; Imms, Christine; Di Stefano, Marilyn

2017-05-01

To explore the operationalization of activity and participation-related measurement constructs through comparison of item phrasing, item response categories and scoring (scale properties) for two separate instruments targeting activities of daily living. Personal Care Participation Assessment and Resource Tool (PC-PART) item content was linked to ICF categories using established linking rules. Previously reported ICF-linked FIM content categories and ICF-linked PC-PART content categories were compared to identify common ICF categories between the instruments. Scale properties of both instruments were compared using a patient scenario to explore the instruments' separate measurement constructs. The PC-PART and FIM shared 15 of the 53 level two ICF-linked categories identified across both instruments. Examination of the instruments' scale properties for items with overlapping ICF content, and exploration through a patient scenario, provided supportive evidence that the instruments measure different constructs. While the PC-PART and FIM share common ICF-linked content, they measure separate constructs. Measurement construct was influenced by the instruments' scale properties. The FIM was observed to measure activity limitations and the PC-PART measured participation restrictions. Scrutiny of instruments' scale properties in addition to item content is critical in the operationalization of activity and participation-related measurement constructs. Implications for Rehabilitation When selecting outcome measures for use in rehabilitation it is necessary to examine both the content of the instruments' items and item phrasing, response categories and scoring, to clarify the construct being measured. Measurement of activity limitations as well as participation restrictions in activities of daily living required for community life provides a more comprehensive measurement of rehabilitation outcomes than measurement of either construct alone. To measure the effects of

Antecedent Selection for Sluicing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Anand, Pranav; Hardt, Daniel

2016-01-01

Sluicing is an elliptical process where the majority of a question can go unpronounced as long as there is a salient antecedent in previous discourse. This paper considers the task of antecedent selection: finding the correct antecedent for a given case of sluicing. We argue that both syntactic...... and discourse relationships are important in antecedent selection, and we construct linguistically sophisticated features that describe the relevant relationships. We also define features that describe the relation of the content of the antecedent and the sluice type. We develop a linear model which achieves...... accuracy of 72.4%, a substantial improvement over a strong manually constructed baseline. Feature analysis confirms that both syntactic and discourse features are important in antecedent selection....

Maximum relevance, minimum redundancy band selection based on neighborhood rough set for hyperspectral data classification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Yao; Chen, Yuehua; Tan, Kezhu; Xie, Hong; Wang, Liguo; Xie, Wu; Yan, Xiaozhen; Xu, Zhen

2016-01-01

Band selection is considered to be an important processing step in handling hyperspectral data. In this work, we selected informative bands according to the maximal relevance minimal redundancy (MRMR) criterion based on neighborhood mutual information. Two measures MRMR difference and MRMR quotient were defined and a forward greedy search for band selection was constructed. The performance of the proposed algorithm, along with a comparison with other methods (neighborhood dependency measure based algorithm, genetic algorithm and uninformative variable elimination algorithm), was studied using the classification accuracy of extreme learning machine (ELM) and random forests (RF) classifiers on soybeans’ hyperspectral datasets. The results show that the proposed MRMR algorithm leads to promising improvement in band selection and classification accuracy. (paper)

Construction Site Workers’ Awareness on Using Safety Equipment: Case Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ulang N. Md

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Construction sector is an important sector and contributed significantly to national development. However, this sector poses higher risk to accident. This is due to fact that construction site can be considered as a dangerous zone to workers and to the public. Due to the variety of cases occurs on site, the contractor will usually have to pay the cost related to accidents in the form of higher insurance premium. Despite various measures, accidents still occur at construction sites. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE is one of the important means to protect the wearer from hazards in the workplace. Since this equipment is the last frontier of the wearer from worksite hazards, it is important to select it based on the job scope and the intended protection. Therefore, this study was formulated to find out the level of knowledge and awareness of construction workers on PPE usage. It was also important to know what make the workers would want or do not want to use the PPE. It was found in this study that the level of awareness and knowledge among workers on the proper use of PPE is moderate. Construction sites accident can be further be reduced with proper implementation of PPE voluntarily by all workers.

Construction patterns of birds' nests provide insight into nest-building behaviours

OpenAIRE

Biddle, Lucia; Goodman, Adrian; Deeming, Charles

2017-01-01

Previous studies have suggested that birds and mammals select materials needed for nest building based on their thermal or structural properties, although the amounts or properties of the materials used have been recorded for only a very small number of species. Some of the behaviours underlying the construction of nests can be indirectly determined by careful deconstruction of the structure and measurement of the biomechanical properties of the materials used. Here we examined this idea in a...

Do Smokers Know What We're Talking about? The Construct Validity of Nicotine Dependence Questionnaire Measures

Science.gov (United States)

Japuntich, Sandra J.; Piper, Megan E.; Schlam, Tanya R.; Bolt, Daniel M.; Baker, Timothy B.

2009-01-01

Few studies have examined whether nicotine dependence self-report questionnaires can predict specific behaviors and symptoms at specific points in time. The present study used data from a randomized clinical trial (N = 608; M. E. Piper et al., 2007) to assess the construct validity of scales and items from 3 nicotine dependence measures: the…

Broadening the examination of sociocultural constructs relevant to African-American colorectal cancer screening.

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, V L Sanders; Harris, J; Clark, E M; Purnell, J; Deshpande, A D

2015-01-01

The importance of sociocultural constructs as influences on cancer attitudes and screening has been established in the literature. This paper reports on the efforts to explore alternatives to sociocultural constructs previously associated with African-American cancer screening, but with low acceptance among community members or incomplete measurement (empowerment and collectivism) and develop a measure for a recently identified construct of interest (privacy). We report preliminary psychometric data on these sociocultural scales and their associations with cancer attitudes. African-Americans (N = 1021), 50-75 years of age participated in this study. Participants were identified via a listed sample and completed a telephone survey administered via call center. Sociocultural attitudes were assessed using items identified through computerized database searches, reviewed by advisory panels, edited and tested using cognitive response strategies. Cancer screening pros and cons, cancer worry, perceived cancer risk, colorectal cancer (CRC) screening subjective norms, and perceived self-efficacy for colorectal cancer screening (CRCS) were also assessed. Confirmatory factor analyses and multivariate analyses were conducted to provide support for the validity of the constructs and to understand the associations among the selected sociocultural constructs (empowerment, collectivism, and privacy) and cancer beliefs and attitudes (CRC perceived benefits and barriers, perceived risks, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control/self-efficacy). Consistent with the literature, the factor analytic model (RMSEA for the model was .062; 90% CI: .060-.065) provided support for the empowerment, collectivism, and privacy constructs. The modified collectivism and privacy scales had acceptable reliability. The privacy scale demonstrated the strongest associations with measures of cancer beliefs and attitudes. The implication of the findings and need for further scale

Tracking Emotional and Behavioral Changes in Childhood: Does the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire Measure the Same Constructs across Time?

Science.gov (United States)

Sosu, Edward M.; Schmidt, Peter

2017-01-01

R. Goodman's Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is widely used to measure emotional and behavioral difficulties in childhood and adolescence. In the present study, we examined whether the SDQ measures the same construct across time, when used for longitudinal research. A nationally representative sample of parents (N = 3,375) provided…

Positive Psychological Functioning: evidence for a new construct and its measurement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mª Dolores Merino

2015-01-01

Full Text Available In 2007, the Institute of Happiness conducted one of the most ambitious studies ever done on this subject in Spain. Many different variables were measured: socio-demographics and psychological, (the latter through new instruments and all were applied to a representative sample of 3000 participants of the Spanish population. Study 1 of this research used that database. The objective of this Study was to understand how key psychological resources are organized (Autonomy, Resilience, Self-Esteem, Purpose in life, Enjoyment, Optimism, Curiosity, Creativity, Humor, Environmental mastery and Vitality. The purpose of Study 2 was to replicate the results of Study 1 and to test the psychometrical properties of the new scales used in Study 1, but using a sample of 130 college students. This research proves that key psychological resources are interconnected, forming a second order construct we call Positive Psychological Functioning (PPF, and, it develops a new Spanish scale to assess it. This measure is formed with 11 subscales each containing three items. This scale structure allows a general and a specific assessment of PPF and, in consequence, of human psychological well-being.

23 CFR 650.209 - Construction.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 23 Highways 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Construction. 650.209 Section 650.209 Highways FEDERAL..., STRUCTURES, AND HYDRAULICS Erosion and Sediment Control on Highway Construction Projects § 650.209 Construction. (a) Permanent erosion and sediment control measures and practices shall be established and...

Constructing exact symmetric informationally complete measurements from numerical solutions

Science.gov (United States)

Appleby, Marcus; Chien, Tuan-Yow; Flammia, Steven; Waldron, Shayne

2018-04-01

Recently, several intriguing conjectures have been proposed connecting symmetric informationally complete quantum measurements (SIC POVMs, or SICs) and algebraic number theory. These conjectures relate the SICs to their minimal defining algebraic number field. Testing or sharpening these conjectures requires that the SICs are expressed exactly, rather than as numerical approximations. While many exact solutions of SICs have been constructed previously using Gröbner bases, this method has probably been taken as far as is possible with current computer technology (except in special cases where there are additional symmetries). Here, we describe a method for converting high-precision numerical solutions into exact ones using an integer relation algorithm in conjunction with the Galois symmetries of an SIC. Using this method, we have calculated 69 new exact solutions, including nine new dimensions, where previously only numerical solutions were known—which more than triples the number of known exact solutions. In some cases, the solutions require number fields with degrees as high as 12 288. We use these solutions to confirm that they obey the number-theoretic conjectures, and address two questions suggested by the previous work.

Microfluidic sensor for ultra high redox cycling amplification for highly selective electrochemical measurements

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Odijk, Mathieu; Straver, Martin; Olthuis, Wouter; van den Berg, Albert

2011-01-01

In this contribution a SU8/glass-based microfluidic sensor is described with two closely spaced parallel electrodes for highly selective measurements using the redox cycling (RC) effect. Using this sensor, a RC amplification of ~2000x is measured using the ferrocyanide redox couple, which is much

Phenomenological aspects of the cognitive rumination construct.

Science.gov (United States)

Meyer, Leonardo Fernandez; Taborda, José Geraldo Vernet; da Costa, Fábio Antônio; Soares, Ana Luiza Alfaya Galego; Mecler, Kátia; Valença, Alexandre Martins

2015-01-01

To evaluate the importance of phenomenological aspects of the cognitive rumination (CR) construct in current empirical psychiatric research. We searched SciELO, Scopus, ScienceDirect, MEDLINE, OneFile (GALE), SpringerLink, Cambridge Journals and Web of Science between February and March of 2014 for studies whose title and topic included the following keywords: cognitive rumination; rumination response scale; and self-reflection. The inclusion criteria were: empirical clinical study; CR as the main object of investigation; and study that included a conceptual definition of CR. The studies selected were published in English in biomedical journals in the last 10 years. Our phenomenological analysis was based on Karl Jaspers' General Psychopathology. Most current empirical studies adopt phenomenological cognitive elements in conceptual definitions. However, these elements do not seem to be carefully examined and are indistinctly understood as objective empirical factors that may be measured, which may contribute to misunderstandings about CR, erroneous interpretations of results and problematic theoretical models. Empirical studies fail when evaluating phenomenological aspects of the cognitive elements of the CR construct. Psychopathology and phenomenology may help define the characteristics of CR elements and may contribute to their understanding and hierarchical organization as a construct. A review of the psychopathology principles established by Jasper may clarify some of these issues.

APPLICATION OF SIMPLIFIED TAXATION SYSTEM IN CONSTRUCTION

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O. S. Golubova

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Specificity concerning cost formation of construction work executed by  entities of small business enterprises that use a simplified taxation system has a direct impact on the effectiveness of organization activity. Dozens of business entities applying various taxation systems are involved in the execution of the construction process. For this reason an inclusion of taxes in work cost may have a decisive influence on the selection of a contractor for an object construction.  

Modality-specificity of Selective Attention Networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart, Hannah J; Amitay, Sygal

2015-01-01

To establish the modality specificity and generality of selective attention networks. Forty-eight young adults completed a battery of four auditory and visual selective attention tests based upon the Attention Network framework: the visual and auditory Attention Network Tests (vANT, aANT), the Test of Everyday Attention (TEA), and the Test of Attention in Listening (TAiL). These provided independent measures for auditory and visual alerting, orienting, and conflict resolution networks. The measures were subjected to an exploratory factor analysis to assess underlying attention constructs. The analysis yielded a four-component solution. The first component comprised of a range of measures from the TEA and was labeled "general attention." The third component was labeled "auditory attention," as it only contained measures from the TAiL using pitch as the attended stimulus feature. The second and fourth components were labeled as "spatial orienting" and "spatial conflict," respectively-they were comprised of orienting and conflict resolution measures from the vANT, aANT, and TAiL attend-location task-all tasks based upon spatial judgments (e.g., the direction of a target arrow or sound location). These results do not support our a-priori hypothesis that attention networks are either modality specific or supramodal. Auditory attention separated into selectively attending to spatial and non-spatial features, with the auditory spatial attention loading onto the same factor as visual spatial attention, suggesting spatial attention is supramodal. However, since our study did not include a non-spatial measure of visual attention, further research will be required to ascertain whether non-spatial attention is modality-specific.

Sustainable construction: construction and demolition waste reconsidered.

Science.gov (United States)

del Río Merino, Mercedes; Izquierdo Gracia, Pilar; Weis Azevedo, Isabel Salto

2010-02-01

Construction activity in Europe has increased substantially in the past decade. Likewise, there has also been a commensurate rise in the generation of construction and demolition waste (C&DW). This, together with the fact that in many European countries the rate of recycling and reuse of C&DW is still quite low has engendered a serious environmental problem and a motivation to develop strategies and management plans to solve it. Due to its composition, there is a significant potential to reuse and/or recycle C&DW, and thereby, contribute to improving the sustainability of construction and development, but practical procedures are not yet widely known or practiced in the construction industry. This article (a) summarizes the different applications that are presently practiced to optimize the recovery and/or application of C&DW for reuse, and (b) proposes various measures and strategies to improve the processing of this waste. The authors suggest that to enhance environmental effectiveness, a conscious and comprehensive C&DW management plan should be implemented in each jurisdiction. More precisely, this study presents a holistic approach towards C&DW management, through which environmental benefits can be achieved through the application of new construction methods that can contribute to sustainable growth.

Study on construction technology for repository

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanai, Kenji; Iwasa, Kengo; Hasegawa, Hiroshi; Miura, Kazuhiko; Okutsu, Kazuo; Kobayashi, Masaaki

1999-11-01

established and integrated through the construction of an underground research laboratory and of engineering technologies that are currently in the planning stages. Once a site is selected, an optimized integrated construction system suitable to the detailed geological environment conditions and the specification of each tunnel (shape, dimensions) will be selected. (author)

CONTRACTUAL RISKS IN THE NEW ZEALAND CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY: ANALYSIS AND MITIGATION MEASURES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jasper Mbachu

2014-12-01

Full Text Available While tendering for jobs, a contractor is expected to analyse the various risks in each prospective project and price them appropriately. Contingencies are included in the tender price to cater for the various risks based on their impacts on the project targets and profit margin. Currently in New Zealand (NZ, there is little or no information on the various contractual risks and their mitigation measures. This has led to contractors over compensating or under compensating for risks with costly consequences. This study aimed to establish priority contractual risks in the NZ construction industry, and their mitigation measures. The research was based on a questionnaire survey of consultants and contractors. Descriptive statistics and multi-attribute techniques were used in the data analysis. Results showed 21 risk factors which were segregated into 6 broad categories in diminishing levels of significance as follows: Site conditions, main contractor, pricing, subcontractor, external and client- related risks. Putting tags and conditions to risky price items in the tender bids, and transferring the risks onto other parties were analysed as the 2 most effective out of the 5 key risk mitigation measures identified. Being cautious of the priority risks and application of the identified effective risk mitigation measures could guide contractors and the project team to more appropriately budget for and respond to risks, thereby ensuring more satisfactory project outcomes.

Azimuth selection for sea level measurements using geodetic GPS receivers

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xiaolei; Zhang, Qin; Zhang, Shuangcheng

2018-03-01

Based on analysis of Global Positioning System (GPS) multipath signals recorded by a geodetic GPS receiver, GPS Reflectometry (GPS-R) has demonstrated unique advantages in relation to sea level monitoring. Founded on multipath reflectometry theory, sea level changes can be measured by GPS-R through spectral analysis of recorded signal-to-noise ratio data. However, prior to estimating multipath parameters, it is necessary to define azimuth and elevation angle mask to ensure the reflecting zones are on water. Here, a method is presented to address azimuth selection, a topic currently under active development in the field of GPS-R. Data from three test sites: the Kachemak Bay GPS site PBAY in Alaska (USA), Friday Harbor GPS site SC02 in the San Juan Islands (USA), and Brest Harbor GPS site BRST in Brest (France) are analyzed. These sites are located in different multipath environments, from a rural coastal area to a busy harbor, and they experience different tidal ranges. Estimates by the GPS tide gauges at azimuths selected by the presented method are compared with measurements from physical tide gauges and acceptable correspondence found for all three sites.

SOFTWARE MODULE FOR CONSTRUCTING THE INTERSECTION OF TRIANGULATED SURFACES

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Vladimir V. Kurgansky

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The effective algorithm is proposed for implementing Boolean operations over triangulated surfaces, namely, disjunction, conjunction and Boolean difference, and its software implementation. The idea consists in as follow. The first step is to determine pairs of intersecting triangles: localizing the intersection of the two surfaces using the bounding volume of the parallelepipeds and the future of their intersection. The second step is constructing an intersection line for each pair of triangles: a pair of intersecting triangles is selected, and the segment along which they intersect is constructed. Further, thanks to the entered data structure, "adjacent" triangles are selected, among which are selected those that form the intersecting pair. The process described above continues as long as such triangles can be detected. After that the triangles involved in the intersection are retriangulated. For each triangle, all the edges are known on which it intersects with triangles from another surface. These edges are structural edges in the triangulation problem with constraints for a given triangle. The third step is to combine all surfaces into one surface. Further, subsurfaces are constructed along the loops of intersection limited by the found loops. Since the intersection line of the surfaces was constructed in sequence, it is possible to specify the direction of each edge. Any edge from the intersection line is selected. The triangle is added to the subsurface under construction, which includes this edge and its orientation is the same as the direction of the edge. The edge which was selected previously is deleted from intersection line, but two new edges are added is the remaining edges of added triangle. The third step is to combine all surfaces into one surface. Further, subsurfaces are constructed along the cycles of intersection limited by the found cycles. Since the intersection line of the surfaces was constructed in sequence, it is

Negative Measures Are Not Enough, A Constructive Approach Is Needed

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Broda, E.

1983-01-01

This text is Broda’s contribution to the Pugwash Symposium 1983 in Bucharest. In this document Broda analyses the paramount problem of his time: peace and especially the avoidance of atomic war. He explains further that ‘negative measures’ like the demands for an atomic freeze and disarmament are not sufficient, but a constructive approach is needed. For this constructive approach Broda assigns an important role to international organizations like IAEA a.o. (nowak)

The Syntactic Derivations of Split Antecedent Relative Clause Constructions

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Niina Ning Zhang

2007-06-01

Full Text Available In this paper, I propose a syntactic derivation for Split Antecedent Relative Clause Constructions such as Mary met a man and John met a woman who knew each other well. I claim that the two antecedents of such a construction are originally two conjuncts of a coordinate nominal. Then each has undergone a sideward movement, landed in a new working site, and been selected by a verb. After that, a coordinate clausal complex is constructed. In the old working site, a complex nominal is also constructed, in which the relative clause takes the remnant coordinate nominal as its antecedent. Finally, the complex nominal adjoins to the coordinate clausal complex. This analysis shows how the freedom in the selection of the landing site gained from sideward movement makes the syntactic derivations of this special type of relative clause construction possible, while at the same time avoiding the problems of the alternative three-dimensional analysis.

Construction of a questionnaire measuring outpatients' opinion of quality of hospital consultation departments

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Durieux Pierre

2004-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Few questionnaires on outpatients' satisfaction with hospital exist. All have been constructed without giving enough room for the patient's point of view in the validation procedure. The main objective was to develop, according to psychometric standards, a self-administered generic outpatient questionnaire exploring opinion on quality of hospital care. Method First, a qualitative phase was conducted to generate items and identify domains using critical analysis incident technique and literature review. A list of easily comprehensible non-redundant items was defined using Delphi technique and a pilot study on outpatients. This phase involved outpatients, patient association representatives and experts. The second step was a quantitative validation phase comprised a multicenter study in 3 hospitals, 10 departments and 1007 outpatients. It was designed to select items, identify dimensions, measure reliability, internal and concurrent validity. Patients were randomized according to the place of questionnaire completion (hospital v. home (participation rate = 65%. Third, a mail-back study on 2 departments and 248 outpatients was conducted to replicate the validation (participation rate = 57%. Results A 27-item questionnaire comprising 4 subscales (appointment making, reception facilities, waiting time and consultation with the doctor. The factorial structure was satisfactory (loading >0.50 on each subscale for all items, except one item. Interscale correlations ranged from 0.42 to 0.59, Cronbach α coefficients ranged from 0.79 to 0.94. All Item-scale correlations were higher than 0.40. Test-retest intraclass coefficients ranged from 0.69 to 0.85. A unidimensional 9-item version was produced by selection of one third of the items within each subscale with the strongest loading on the principal component and the best item-scale correlation corrected for overlap. Factors related to satisfaction level independent from departments

How to measure wisdom: content, reliability, and validity of five measures

Science.gov (United States)

Glück, Judith; König, Susanne; Naschenweng, Katja; Redzanowski, Uwe; Dorner, Lara; Straßer, Irene; Wiedermann, Wolfgang

2013-01-01

Wisdom is a field of growing interest both inside and outside academic psychology, and researchers are increasingly interested in using measures of wisdom in their work. However, wisdom is a highly complex construct, and its various operationalizations are based on quite different definitions. Which measure a researcher chooses for a particular research project may have a strong influence on the results. This study compares four well-established measures of wisdom—the Self-Assessed Wisdom Scale (Webster, 2003, 2007), the Three-Dimensional Wisdom Scale (Ardelt, 2003), the Adult Self-Transcendence Inventory (Levenson et al., 2005), and the Berlin Wisdom Paradigm (Baltes and Smith, 1990; Baltes and Staudinger, 2000)—with respect to content, reliability, factorial structure, and construct validity (relationships to wisdom nomination, interview-based wisdom ratings, and correlates of wisdom). The sample consisted of 47 wisdom nominees and 123 control participants. While none of the measures performed “better” than the others by absolute standards, recommendations are given for researchers to select the most suitable measure for their substantive interests. In addition, a “Brief Wisdom Screening Scale” is introduced that contains those 20 items from the three self-report scales that were most highly correlated with the common factor across the scales. PMID:23874310

Towards improving construction labor productivity and projects’ performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mostafa E. Shehata

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Proper management of resources in construction projects can yield substantial savings in time and cost. As construction is a labor-intensive industry, this paper focuses on labor productivity in the construction industry. This study considers the current state-of-the-art issues relevant to this subject. It covers the construction labor productivity definitions, aspects, measurements, factors affecting it, different techniques used for measuring it and modeling techniques. The main outcome from the literature is that there is no standard definition of productivity. This study provides a guide for necessary steps required to improve construction labor productivity and consequently, the project performance. It can help improve the overall performance of construction projects through the implementation of the concept of benchmarks. Also, it gives an up to date concept of loss of productivity measurement for construction productivity claims. Two major case studies, from the literature, are presented to show construction labor productivity rates, factors affecting construction labor productivity and how to improve it.

Input variable selection for data-driven models of Coriolis flowmeters for two-phase flow measurement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Lijuan; Yan, Yong; Wang, Xue; Wang, Tao

2017-01-01

Input variable selection is an essential step in the development of data-driven models for environmental, biological and industrial applications. Through input variable selection to eliminate the irrelevant or redundant variables, a suitable subset of variables is identified as the input of a model. Meanwhile, through input variable selection the complexity of the model structure is simplified and the computational efficiency is improved. This paper describes the procedures of the input variable selection for the data-driven models for the measurement of liquid mass flowrate and gas volume fraction under two-phase flow conditions using Coriolis flowmeters. Three advanced input variable selection methods, including partial mutual information (PMI), genetic algorithm-artificial neural network (GA-ANN) and tree-based iterative input selection (IIS) are applied in this study. Typical data-driven models incorporating support vector machine (SVM) are established individually based on the input candidates resulting from the selection methods. The validity of the selection outcomes is assessed through an output performance comparison of the SVM based data-driven models and sensitivity analysis. The validation and analysis results suggest that the input variables selected from the PMI algorithm provide more effective information for the models to measure liquid mass flowrate while the IIS algorithm provides a fewer but more effective variables for the models to predict gas volume fraction. (paper)

Determination of development factors of the construction market

Science.gov (United States)

Kozlova, Olga

2017-10-01

Field of housing construction constantly needs measures of business climate improvement. Provision of housing for citizens remains relatively low. Recently, state has been developing a new set of measures for shared-equity construction improvement. This area has a particular significance and scales for our country. Number of defrauded shareholders in the past allows estimate scales of losses both in the form of unfinished objects in the past and reputation losses of this direction of construction. This article proposes measures which are designed to form an informational base for forecasts of the development of construction and provide a positive result from the applied measures.

The construction design of ball bearings used in the control rod driving mechanisms of PWRs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leng Chengmu; Huang Chongming; Chen Jianting.

1986-01-01

According to the operation conditions of ball bearings used in the control rod driving mechanisms of PWRs, this paper has analysed and discussed the problems that must be taken into account in the construction design of this ball bearing. It includes: a discussion about the reasonable selection of construction parameters of the bearing, deduction of the relationship between bearing clearance and contact angle, and the emphasis on the significance of assembling accuracy and torque measurement in the assurance of operational performance of the bearings. These experiences may be somewhat valuable for the design and application of this kind of ball bearing

Delays in nuclear power plant construction. Volume II. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mason, G.E.; Larew, R.E.; Borcherding, J.D.; Okes, S.R. Jr.; Rad, P.F.

1977-01-01

The report identifies barriers to shortening nuclear power plant construction schedules and recommends research efforts which should minimize or eliminate the identified barriers. The identified barriers include (1) Design and Construction Interfacing Problems; (2) Problems Relating to the Selection and Use of Permanent Materials and Construction Methods; (3) Construction Coordination and Communication Problems; and (4) Problems Associated with Manpower Availability and Productivity

Delays in nuclear power plant construction. Volume I. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1977-01-01

The report identifies barriers to shortening nuclear power plant construction schedules and recommends research efforts which should minimize or eliminate the identified barriers. The identified barriers include: (1) Design and Construction Interfacing Problems; (2) Problems Relating to the Selection and Use of Permanent Materials and Construction Methods; (3) Construction Coordination and Communication Problems; and (4) Problems Associated with Manpower Availability and Productivity

Construction of Chinese adult male phantom library and its application in the virtual calibration of in vivo measurement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Yizheng; Qiu, Rui; Li, Chunyan; Wu, Zhen; Li, Junli

2016-01-01

In vivo measurement is a main method of internal contamination evaluation, particularly for large numbers of people after a nuclear accident. Before the practical application, it is necessary to obtain the counting efficiency of the detector by calibration. The virtual calibration based on Monte Carlo simulation usually uses the reference human computational phantom, and the morphological difference between the monitored personnel with the calibrated phantom may lead to the deviation of the counting efficiency. Therefore, a phantom library containing a wide range of heights and total body masses is needed. In this study, a Chinese reference adult male polygon surface (CRAM-S) phantom was constructed based on the CRAM voxel phantom, with the organ models adjusted to match the Chinese reference data. CRAM-S phantom was then transformed to sitting posture for convenience in practical monitoring. Referring to the mass and height distribution of the Chinese adult male, a phantom library containing 84 phantoms was constructed by deforming the reference surface phantom. Phantoms in the library have 7 different heights ranging from 155 cm to 185 cm, and there are 12 phantoms with different total body masses in each height. As an example of application, organ specific and total counting efficiencies of Ba-133 were calculated using the MCNPX code, with two series of phantoms selected from the library. The influence of morphological variation on the counting efficiency was analyzed. The results show only using the reference phantom in virtual calibration may lead to an error of 68.9% for total counting efficiency. Thus the influence of morphological difference on virtual calibration can be greatly reduced using the phantom library with a wide range of masses and heights instead of a single reference phantom. (paper)

Construction of Chinese adult male phantom library and its application in the virtual calibration of in vivo measurement

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Yizheng; Qiu, Rui; Li, Chunyan; Wu, Zhen; Li, Junli

2016-03-01

In vivo measurement is a main method of internal contamination evaluation, particularly for large numbers of people after a nuclear accident. Before the practical application, it is necessary to obtain the counting efficiency of the detector by calibration. The virtual calibration based on Monte Carlo simulation usually uses the reference human computational phantom, and the morphological difference between the monitored personnel with the calibrated phantom may lead to the deviation of the counting efficiency. Therefore, a phantom library containing a wide range of heights and total body masses is needed. In this study, a Chinese reference adult male polygon surface (CRAM_S) phantom was constructed based on the CRAM voxel phantom, with the organ models adjusted to match the Chinese reference data. CRAMS phantom was then transformed to sitting posture for convenience in practical monitoring. Referring to the mass and height distribution of the Chinese adult male, a phantom library containing 84 phantoms was constructed by deforming the reference surface phantom. Phantoms in the library have 7 different heights ranging from 155 cm to 185 cm, and there are 12 phantoms with different total body masses in each height. As an example of application, organ specific and total counting efficiencies of Ba-133 were calculated using the MCNPX code, with two series of phantoms selected from the library. The influence of morphological variation on the counting efficiency was analyzed. The results show only using the reference phantom in virtual calibration may lead to an error of 68.9% for total counting efficiency. Thus the influence of morphological difference on virtual calibration can be greatly reduced using the phantom library with a wide range of masses and heights instead of a single reference phantom.

ITER towards the construction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimomura, Y.

2005-01-01

The ITER Project has been significantly developed in the last few years in preparation for its construction. The ITER Participant's Negotiators have developed the Joint Implementation Agreement (JIA), ready for finalisation following selection of the construction site and nomination of the project's Director General. The ITER International Team and Participant Teams have continued technical and organisational preparations. Construction will be able to start immediately after the international ITER organisation is established, following signature of the JIA. The Project is strongly supported by the governments of the Participants as well as by the scientific community. The real negotiations, including siting and the final details of cost sharing, started in December 2003. The EU, with Cadarache, and Japan, with Rokkasho, have both promised large contributions to the project to strongly support their construction site proposals. Their wish to host ITER construction is too strong to allow convergence to a single site considering the ITER device in isolation. A broader collaboration among the Parties is therefore being contemplated, covering complementary activities to help accelerate fusion development towards a viable power source, and allow the Participants to reach a conclusion on ITER siting. This report reviews these preparations, and the status of negotiations

PLIGHT OF FEMALE CONSTRUCTION WORKERS OF SURAT CITY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B L Chawada

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Background: With the rapid increase in construction sector, the number of female construction workers is increased. The problems of women worker is still not addressed adequately by health sector. Aims and objective: The present study is aimed to explore problems of female workers at construction sites in working environment and to document issues like gender bias, living conditions, vulnerability and slackness of health among female working in construction field. Methodology: This was a Cross sectional study conducted in May 2011in which all females working at the randomly selected construction site were enrolled. The pre-designed semi-structured questionnaire was prepared to study the participant’s response. In-depth interview technique was also used to strengthen the findings. Results: Total of 118 female construction workers participated in the study with mean age found to be 22 years with SD of 6 years. Mean daily wages of female was 120 Rs while for male it was 245 Rs which is double than what female getting. Major health complaints were fatigue/weakness (61 %, backache (30 %, cough (17.5 %, fever (17 %, skin itching (10.5 % and diarrhoea (7 %. They were not even using the government medical facility due to lack of awareness and knowledge about this. No safety measures provided to female as compare to male except at 2 sites where female were provided ‘gloves’. Some (6% of the working females has abuse of chewing tobacco daily or smoking ‘bidi’. The living condition was merely enough to provide any privacy for female. Conclusion: As migratory and floating population, female working in construction field needs attention. Lack of social security and family support make them a vulnerable group for addiction and violence. Alternate way for providing healthcare for these women should be sort out early.

The Analysis Of Accuracy Of Selected Methods Of Measuring The Thermal Resistance Of IGBTs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Górecki Krzysztof

2015-09-01

Full Text Available In the paper selected methods of measuring the thermal resistance of an IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor are presented and the accuracy of these methods is analysed. The analysis of the measurement error is performed and operating conditions of the considered device, at which each measurement method assures the least measuring error, are pointed out. Theoretical considerations are illustrated with some results of measurements and calculations.

Analysis of Cost of Rework on Time and Cost Performance of Building Construction Projects in Abuja, Nigeria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emmanuel Chidiebere Eze

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Rework is a menace that leads to undesired and unnecessary loss of efforts, it degrades project cost and schedule performance of construction projects, both at design and construction phases. This study therefore, analyzed the impact of cost of rework on time and cost performance of building construction projects in Nigerian, using selected commercial building project within the country’s capital. A pro forma was adopted for gathering data on rework cost, project cost and time of selected building projects, while structured questionnaire was used to collect information on the likely measures for reducing rework incidences from construction professionals that were involved in the delivery of the identified projects. Regression analysis, relative importance index and Kruskal-Walis test were employed for data analysis. The study revealed a significant relationship between the cost of rework and initial and final project cost of delivering commercial buildings, as an average of 3.53% impact on the initial project cost, 46.60% contribution to cost overrun, and p-value of 0.000 was observed on all assessed projects. For the project delivery time, a significant relationship between the cost of rework and initial and final project duration, as an average of 7.35% impact on the initial delivery time, extra 19 days and p-value of 0.000 was observed on all assessed projects. Team building and education, management commitment, employee involvement, were some of the best possible measures to minimized rework problems.

Construction of lentiviral shRNA expression vector targeting ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

DNA oligo was cloned into lentiviral expression vector, and then polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing analyses were conducted to verify the constructs. The verified vectors were co-transfected into 293FT cells that could produce lentiviral. shRNA lentiviruses from the selected constructs were propagated and ...

Potential of Progressive Construction Systems in Slovakia

Science.gov (United States)

Kozlovska, Maria; Spisakova, Marcela; Mackova, Daniela

2017-10-01

Construction industry is a sector with rapid development. Progressive technologies of construction and new construction materials also called modern methods of construction (MMC) are developed constantly. MMC represent the adoption of construction industrialisation and the use of prefabrication of components in building construction. One of these modern methods is also system Varianthaus, which is based on, insulated concrete forms principle and provides complete production plant for wall, ceiling and roof elements for a high thermal insulation house construction. Another progressive construction system is EcoB, which represents an insulated precast concrete panel based on combination of two layers, insulation and concrete, produced in a factory as a whole. Both modern methods of construction are not yet known and wide-spread in the Slovak construction market. The aim of this paper is focused on demonstration of MMC using potential in Slovakia. MMC potential is proved based on comparison of the selected parameters of construction process - construction costs and construction time. The subject of this study is family house modelled in three material variants - masonry construction (as a representative of traditional methods of construction), Varianthaus and EcoB (as the representatives of modern methods of construction). The results of this study provide the useful information in decision-making process for potential investors of construction.

Construct validity of adolescents' self-reported big five personality traits: importance of conceptual breadth and initial validation of a short measure.

Science.gov (United States)

Morizot, Julien

2014-10-01

While there are a number of short personality trait measures that have been validated for use with adults, few are specifically validated for use with adolescents. To trust such measures, it must be demonstrated that they have adequate construct validity. According to the view of construct validity as a unifying form of validity requiring the integration of different complementary sources of information, this article reports the evaluation of content, factor, convergent, and criterion validities as well as reliability of adolescents' self-reported personality traits. Moreover, this study sought to address an inherent potential limitation of short personality trait measures, namely their limited conceptual breadth. In this study, starting with items from a known measure, after the language-level was adjusted for use with adolescents, items tapping fundamental primary traits were added to determine the impact of added conceptual breadth on the psychometric properties of the scales. The resulting new measure was named the Big Five Personality Trait Short Questionnaire (BFPTSQ). A group of expert judges considered the items to have adequate content validity. Using data from a community sample of early adolescents, the results confirmed the factor validity of the Big Five structure in adolescence as well as its measurement invariance across genders. More important, the added items did improve the convergent and criterion validities of the scales, but did not negatively affect their reliability. This study supports the construct validity of adolescents' self-reported personality traits and points to the importance of conceptual breadth in short personality measures. © The Author(s) 2014.

Analysis of Criteria Influencing Contractor Selection Using TOPSIS Method

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Alptekin, Orkun; Alptekin, Nesrin

2017-10-01

Selection of the most suitable contractor is an important process in public construction projects. This process is a major decision which may influence the progress and success of a construction project. Improper selection of contractors may lead to problems such as bad quality of work and delay in project duration. Especially in the construction projects of public buildings, the proper choice of contractor is beneficial to the public institution. Public procurement processes have different characteristics in respect to dissimilarities in political, social and economic features of every country. In Turkey, Turkish Public Procurement Law PPL 4734 is the main regulatory law for the procurement of the public buildings. According to the PPL 4734, public construction administrators have to contract with the lowest bidder who has the minimum requirements according to the criteria in prequalification process. Public administrators are not sufficient for selection of the proper contractor because of the restrictive provisions of the PPL 4734. The lowest bid method does not enable public construction administrators to select the most qualified contractor and they have realised the fact that the selection of a contractor based on lowest bid alone is inadequate and may lead to the failure of the project in terms of time delay Eand poor quality standards. In order to evaluate the overall efficiency of a project, it is necessary to identify selection criteria. This study aims to focus on identify importance of other criteria besides lowest bid criterion in contractor selection process of PPL 4734. In this study, a survey was conducted to staff of Department of Construction Works of Eskisehir Osmangazi University. According to TOPSIS (Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to the Ideal Solution) for analysis results, termination of construction work in previous tenders is the most important criterion of 12 determined criteria. The lowest bid criterion is ranked in rank 5.

A Semidefinite Programming Based Search Strategy for Feature Selection with Mutual Information Measure.

Science.gov (United States)

Naghibi, Tofigh; Hoffmann, Sarah; Pfister, Beat

2015-08-01

Feature subset selection, as a special case of the general subset selection problem, has been the topic of a considerable number of studies due to the growing importance of data-mining applications. In the feature subset selection problem there are two main issues that need to be addressed: (i) Finding an appropriate measure function than can be fairly fast and robustly computed for high-dimensional data. (ii) A search strategy to optimize the measure over the subset space in a reasonable amount of time. In this article mutual information between features and class labels is considered to be the measure function. Two series expansions for mutual information are proposed, and it is shown that most heuristic criteria suggested in the literature are truncated approximations of these expansions. It is well-known that searching the whole subset space is an NP-hard problem. Here, instead of the conventional sequential search algorithms, we suggest a parallel search strategy based on semidefinite programming (SDP) that can search through the subset space in polynomial time. By exploiting the similarities between the proposed algorithm and an instance of the maximum-cut problem in graph theory, the approximation ratio of this algorithm is derived and is compared with the approximation ratio of the backward elimination method. The experiments show that it can be misleading to judge the quality of a measure solely based on the classification accuracy, without taking the effect of the non-optimum search strategy into account.

Indoor radon in selected homes in Aburi Municipality: measurement uncertainty, decision analysis and remediation strategy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yeboah, M. S.

2014-07-01

The main source of natural internal irradiation of man is radon and its decay products. In this study, the radon concentration levels in selected homes in Aburi of the Akuapim North Municipal Assembly in Eastern Region, Ghana were estimated using time-intergrated passive radon detector; LR-115 Type II solid state nuclear track detector (SSNTD) technique. The primary objective of the study was to measure radon levels in 30 selected homes in the Aburi municipality and determine the uncertainties associated with the measured radon concentrations in order to take a decision on remedial actions to be adopted in case of any abnormality using simple qualitative decision analysis method. Measurements were carried out from December, 2013 to March, 2014. After each month of exposure for a period of three months, the detectors were subjected to chemical etching in a 2.5M analytical grade of sodium hydroxide solution at (60 ± I )OC, for 90mins in a constant temperature water bath to enlarge the latent tracks produced by alpha particles from the decay of radon. The etched tracks were magnified using the microfiche reader and counted with a tally counter. The results obtained from the study revealed that concentration of radon in most of the selected homes in the Aburi municipality is low and it is within the internationally accepted action level of 100Bqm-3 set by WHO (2009). The analysis of the results established that the average radon concentrations vary in the range 23.72- 92.24Bqm -3 , 19.07-124.36 Bqm -3 and 31.63-123.87 Bqm -3 for month I, month 2 and month 3 respectively. The corresponding mean values are 46.77, 45.92 and 56.66 Bqm -3 respectively with standard deviations of ±2.18. ±2.38 and ±2.76. These gave a mean of 49.78 ± 12.50 for the three months. Two (2) of the rooms investigated had values above 20 % of the remedial action level of 100Bqm -3 in two of the months but with their average values slightly lower than the remedial action level. From the

Broadening the examination of socio-cultural constructs relevant to African American colorectal cancer screening

Science.gov (United States)

Sanders Thompson, V. L.; Harris, J.; Clark, E.M.; Purnell, J.; Deshpande, A.D.

2014-01-01

The importance of socio-cultural constructs as influences on cancer attitudes and screening has been established in the literature. This paper reports on efforts to explore alternatives to constructs previously associated with African American cancer screening, but with low acceptance among community members or incomplete measurement (empowerment and collectivism) and develop a measure for a recently identified construct of interest (privacy). We report preliminary psychometric data on these socio-cultural scales and their associations with cancer attitudes. African Americans (N=1021), 50 to 75 years of age participated in this study. Participants were identified via a listed sample and completed a telephone survey administered via call center. Socio-cultural attitudes were assessed using items identified through computerized database searches, reviewed by advisory panels, edited and tested using cognitive response strategies. Cancer screening pros and cons, cancer worry, perceived cancer risk, colorectal cancer screening subjective norms, and perceived self-efficacy for colorectal cancer screening were also assessed. Confirmatory factor analyses and multivariate analyses were conducted to provide support for the validity of the constructs and to understand the associations among the selected socio-cultural constructs (empowerment, collectivism and empowerment) and cancer beliefs and attitudes (CRC perceived benefits and barriers, perceived risks, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control/self-efficacy). Consistent with the literature, the factor analytic model (RMSEA for the model was 0.062; 90% CI: 0.060-0.065) provided support for the empowerment, collectivism and privacy constructs. The modified collectivism and privacy scales had acceptable reliability. The privacy scale demonstrated the strongest associations with measures of cancer beliefs and attitudes. The implication of the findings and need for further scale development activities is discussed

The methodic of calculation for the need of basic construction machines on construction site when developing organizational and technological documentation

Science.gov (United States)

Zhadanovsky, Boris; Sinenko, Sergey

2018-03-01

Economic indicators of construction work, particularly in high-rise construction, are directly related to the choice of optimal number of machines. The shortage of machinery makes it impossible to complete the construction & installation work on scheduled time. Rates of performance of construction & installation works and labor productivity during high-rise construction largely depend on the degree of provision of construction project with machines (level of work mechanization). During calculation of the need for machines in construction projects, it is necessary to ensure that work is completed on scheduled time, increased level of complex mechanization, increased productivity and reduction of manual work, and improved usage and maintenance of machine fleet. The selection of machines and determination of their numbers should be carried out by using formulas presented in this work.

Rapid construction of concrete pressure vessels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Limbert, D.; Weatherseed, D.C.

1989-01-01

This paper opens with a general description of the concrete pressure vessel followed by a more detailed examination of the critical elements of the construction, including choice of methods and plant which were selected to ensure its rapid construction. The pressure vessel construction cannot be treated in isolation, because it is very closely linked with its surrounding structures - namely the reactor hall which surrounds it and the charge hall which tops it, as will be seen in the context of this paper. Rate of progress of construction is not entirely in the civil contractor's hands because so many of the operations affecting the civil works are of a mechanical nature, hence a very close liaison and understanding amongst all contractors concerned was of the utmost importance. (author)

Validation of the Dyadic Coping Inventory with Chinese couples: Factorial structure, measurement invariance, and construct validity.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Feng; Hilpert, Peter; Randall, Ashley K; Li, Qiuping; Bodenmann, Guy

2016-08-01

The Dyadic Coping Inventory (DCI, Bodenmann, 2008) assesses how couples support each other when facing individual (e.g., workload) and common (e.g., parenting) stressors. Specifically, the DCI measures partners' perceptions of their own (Self) and their partners' behaviors (Partner) when facing individual stressors, and partners' common coping behaviors when facing common stressors (Common). To date, the DCI has been validated in 6 different languages from individualistic Western cultures; however, because culture can affect interpersonal interactions, it is unknown whether the DCI is a reliable measure of coping behaviors for couples living in collectivistic Eastern cultures. Based on data from 474 Chinese couples (N = 948 individuals), the current study examined the Chinese version of the DCI's factorial structure, measurement invariance (MI), and construct validity of test scores. Using 3 cultural groups (China, Switzerland, and the United States [U.S.]), confirmatory factor analysis revealed a 5-factor structure regarding Self and Partner and a 2-factor structure regarding Common dyadic coping (DC). Results from analyses of MI indicated that the DCI subscales met the criteria for configural, metric, and full/partial scalar invariance across cultures (Chinese-Swiss and Chinese-U.S.) and genders (Chinese men and women). Results further revealed good construct validity of the DCI test scores. In all, the Chinese version of the DCI can be used for measuring Chinese couples' coping behaviors, and is available for cross-cultural studies examining DC behaviors between Western and Eastern cultures. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Spatial Fleming-Viot models with selection and mutation

CERN Document Server

Dawson, Donald A

2014-01-01

This book constructs a rigorous framework for analysing selected phenomena in evolutionary theory of populations arising due to the combined effects of migration, selection and mutation in a spatial stochastic population model, namely the evolution towards fitter and fitter types through punctuated equilibria. The discussion is based on a number of new methods, in particular multiple scale analysis, nonlinear Markov processes and their entrance laws, atomic measure-valued evolutions and new forms of duality (for state-dependent mutation and multitype selection) which are used to prove ergodic theorems in this context and are applicable for many other questions and renormalization analysis for a variety of phenomena (stasis, punctuated equilibrium, failure of naive branching approximations, biodiversity) which occur due to the combination of rare mutation, mutation, resampling, migration and selection and make it necessary to mathematically bridge the gap (in the limit) between time and space scales.

Measuring Social Relationships in Different Social Systems: The Construction and Validation of the Evaluation of Social Systems (EVOS) Scale

Science.gov (United States)

Aguilar-Raab, Corina; Grevenstein, Dennis; Schweitzer, Jochen

2015-01-01

Social interactions have gained increasing importance, both as an outcome and as a possible mediator in psychotherapy research. Still, there is a lack of adequate measures capturing relational aspects in multi-person settings. We present a new measure to assess relevant dimensions of quality of relationships and collective efficacy regarding interpersonal interactions in diverse personal and professional social systems including couple partnerships, families, and working teams: the EVOS. Theoretical dimensions were derived from theories of systemic family therapy and organizational psychology. The study was divided in three parts: In Study 1 (N = 537), a short 9-item scale with two interrelated factors was constructed on the basis of exploratory factor analysis. Quality of relationship and collective efficacy emerged as the most relevant dimensions for the quality of social systems. Study 2 (N = 558) confirmed the measurement model using confirmatory factor analysis and established validity with measures of family functioning, life satisfaction, and working team efficacy. Measurement invariance was assessed to ensure that EVOS captures the same latent construct in all social contexts. In Study 3 (N = 317), an English language adaptation was developed, which again confirmed the original measurement model. The EVOS is a theory-based, economic, reliable, and valid measure that covers important aspects of social relationships, applicable for different social systems. It is the first instrument of its kind and an important addition to existing measures of social relationships and related outcome measures in therapeutic and other counseling settings involving multiple persons. PMID:26200357

Measuring Social Relationships in Different Social Systems: The Construction and Validation of the Evaluation of Social Systems (EVOS Scale.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Corina Aguilar-Raab

Full Text Available Social interactions have gained increasing importance, both as an outcome and as a possible mediator in psychotherapy research. Still, there is a lack of adequate measures capturing relational aspects in multi-person settings. We present a new measure to assess relevant dimensions of quality of relationships and collective efficacy regarding interpersonal interactions in diverse personal and professional social systems including couple partnerships, families, and working teams: the EVOS. Theoretical dimensions were derived from theories of systemic family therapy and organizational psychology. The study was divided in three parts: In Study 1 (N = 537, a short 9-item scale with two interrelated factors was constructed on the basis of exploratory factor analysis. Quality of relationship and collective efficacy emerged as the most relevant dimensions for the quality of social systems. Study 2 (N = 558 confirmed the measurement model using confirmatory factor analysis and established validity with measures of family functioning, life satisfaction, and working team efficacy. Measurement invariance was assessed to ensure that EVOS captures the same latent construct in all social contexts. In Study 3 (N = 317, an English language adaptation was developed, which again confirmed the original measurement model. The EVOS is a theory-based, economic, reliable, and valid measure that covers important aspects of social relationships, applicable for different social systems. It is the first instrument of its kind and an important addition to existing measures of social relationships and related outcome measures in therapeutic and other counseling settings involving multiple persons.

Selecting the right collaborative components in a construction project

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bohnstedt, Kristian Ditlev; Wandahl, Søren

2018-01-01

Regardless of context and scope, collaboration is consistently attributed to be an essential determinant of success in construction projects. Researches have long been concerned with the issue of poor collaboration, but situational determination of collaborative components has been overlooked....... The questionnaire was distributed electronically to 440 respondents; after sorting a total of 288 valid responses were obtained. The result is a set of components in a model of structures of collaboration that facilitates a more efficient and effective situational collaboration (EESC), it is denoted as target areas...... structured in type of contract, party and component....

A phenome database (NEAUHLFPD) designed and constructed for broiler lines divergently selected for abdominal fat content.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Min; Dong, Xiang-yu; Liang, Hao; Leng, Li; Zhang, Hui; Wang, Shou-zhi; Li, Hui; Du, Zhi-Qiang

2017-05-20

Effective management and analysis of precisely recorded phenotypic traits are important components of the selection and breeding of superior livestocks. Over two decades, we divergently selected chicken lines for abdominal fat content at Northeast Agricultural University (Northeast Agricultural University High and Low Fat, NEAUHLF), and collected large volume of phenotypic data related to the investigation on molecular genetic basis of adipose tissue deposition in broilers. To effectively and systematically store, manage and analyze phenotypic data, we built the NEAUHLF Phenome Database (NEAUHLFPD). NEAUHLFPD included the following phenotypic records: pedigree (generations 1-19) and 29 phenotypes, such as body sizes and weights, carcass traits and their corresponding rates. The design and construction strategy of NEAUHLFPD were executed as follows: (1) Framework design. We used Apache as our web server, MySQL and Navicat as database management tools, and PHP as the HTML-embedded language to create dynamic interactive website. (2) Structural components. On the main interface, detailed introduction on the composition, function, and the index buttons of the basic structure of the database could be found. The functional modules of NEAUHLFPD had two main components: the first module referred to the physical storage space for phenotypic data, in which functional manipulation on data can be realized, such as data indexing, filtering, range-setting, searching, etc.; the second module related to the calculation of basic descriptive statistics, where data filtered from the database can be used for the computation of basic statistical parameters and the simultaneous conditional sorting. NEAUHLFPD could be used to effectively store and manage not only phenotypic, but also genotypic and genomics data, which can facilitate further investigation on the molecular genetic basis of chicken adipose tissue growth and development, and expedite the selection and breeding of broilers

PERCEPTION OF BUILDING CONSTRUCTION WORKERS TOWARDS SAFETY, HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C.R. CHE HASSAN

2007-12-01

Full Text Available The construction industry is known as one of the most hazardous activities. Therefore, safety on the job site is an important aspect with respect to the overall safety in construction. This paper assesses the safety level perception of the construction building workers towards safety, health and environment on a construction job site in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The above study was carried out by choosing 5 selected large building construction projects and 5 small building construction projects respectively in and around Kuala Lumpur area. In the present study, an exhaustive survey was carried out in these 10 project site areas using a standard checklist and a detailed developed questionnaire. The checklist comprised 17 divisions of safety measurements which are considered and perceived to be important from the safety point of view and was assessed based on the score obtained. The questionnaire comprised the general information with 36 safety attitude statements on a 1-5 Likert scale which was distributed to 100 construction workers. The results of the checklist show the difference of safety levels between the large and small projects. The study revealed that the large projects shown a high and consistent level in safety while the small projects shown a low and varied safety levels. The relationship between the factors can be obtained from the questionnaire. They are organizational commitment, factor influencing communication among workmates, worker related factors, personal role and supervisors’ role factors, obstacles to safety and safe behavior factors and management commitment at all levels in line with the management structure and risk taking behavioral factors. The findings of the present study revealed invaluable indications to the construction managers especially in improving the construction workers’ attitude towards safety, health and environment and hence good safety culture in the building construction industries.

Twelve tips for the construction of ethical dilemma case-based assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsai, Tsuen-Chiuan

2017-04-01

Ethical dilemma case-based examination (ethics Script Concordance Test, eSCT) is a written examination that can be delivered to a large group of examinees for the purpose of measuring high-level thinking. As it accommodates for diverse responses from experts, ethics SCT allows partial credits. The framework of ethics SCT includes a vignette with an ethical dilemma and a leading question, which asks the examinee to "agree" or "disagree", plus the shifts of prior decision by adding new information. In this article, the following tips for constructing this type of examination are provided: use "true" dilemmas, select an appropriate ethical issue, target high-level cognitive tasks, list key components, keep a single central theme, device quality scoring system, be important and plausible, be clear, select quality experts, validate, know the limitation, and be familiar with test materials. The use of eSCT to measure ethical reasoning ability appears to be both viable and desirable.

Construction and characterization of novel stress-responsive Deinococcal biosensors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Joe, Min Ho; Lim, Sang Youg

2012-01-01

In this research, we constructed a recombinant whole-cell biosensor to detect mutagens (H2O2, mitomycin C, MNNG, bleomycin) using Deinococcus radiodurans and evaluated its possibility for actual application. We performed DNA microarray analysis and selected 10 candidate genes for biosensor recombinant plasmid construction. The expression of ddrA, ddrB, DR 0 161, DR 0 589, and pprA was highly increased after treatment of the target mutagens. Putative promoter region of the genes were used for LacZ-based biosensor plasmid construction by replacing groESL promoter of pRADZ3. Pormoter activity and specificity of the five recombinant LacZ-based biosensor strains harboring the recombinant plasmids was measured. The result indicated that the promoter region of ddrA is the most suitable promoter for the biosensor development. Red pigment-based biosensor plasmid was constructed by displacing lacZ with crtI. The sensor strain was constructed by transforming the sensor plasmid into crtI deleted mutant D. radiodurans strain. Finally, macroscopic detection of the target mutagens by the biosensor strain was evaluated. The strength of red pigment biosynthesis by this recombinant strain in response to the target mutagens was weaker than our expectation. Continuous damage to the sensor strain by the mutagens in the medium might be the main reason for this low red-pigment biosynthesis. Therefore, we propose that the LacZ-based biosensor is more effective than the biosensor using red pigment as indicator for the mutagen detection

Modality-specificity of selective attention networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hannah Jamieson Stewart

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Objective: To establish the modality specificity and generality of selective attention networks. Method: Forty-eight young adults completed a battery of four auditory and visual selective attention tests based upon the Attention Network framework: the visual and auditory Attention Network Tests (vANT, aANT, the Test of Everyday Attention (TEA, and the Test of Attention in Listening (TAiL. These provided independent measures for auditory and visual alerting, orienting, and conflict resolution networks. The measures were subjected to an exploratory factor analysis to assess underlying attention constructs. Results: The analysis yielded a four-component solution. The first component comprised of a range of measures from the TEA and was labeled ‘general attention’. The third component was labeled ‘auditory attention’, as it only contained measures from the TAiL using pitch as the attended stimulus feature. The second and fourth components were labeled as ‘spatial orienting’ and ‘spatial conflict’, respectively – they were comprised of orienting and conflict resolution measures from the vANT, aANT and TAiL attend-location task – all tasks based upon spatial judgments (e.g., the direction of a target arrow or sound location. Conclusions: These results do not support our a-priori hypothesis that attention networks are either modality specific or supramodal. Auditory attention separated into selectively attending to spatial and non-spatial features, with the auditory spatial attention loading onto the same factor as visual spatial attention, suggesting spatial attention is supramodal. However, since our study did not include a non-spatial measure of visual attention, further research will be required to ascertain whether non-spatial attention is modality-specific.

Daily river flow prediction based on Two-Phase Constructive Fuzzy Systems Modeling: A case of hydrological - meteorological measurements asymmetry

Science.gov (United States)

Bou-Fakhreddine, Bassam; Mougharbel, Imad; Faye, Alain; Abou Chakra, Sara; Pollet, Yann

2018-03-01

Accurate daily river flow forecast is essential in many applications of water resources such as hydropower operation, agricultural planning and flood control. This paper presents a forecasting approach to deal with a newly addressed situation where hydrological data exist for a period longer than that of meteorological data (measurements asymmetry). In fact, one of the potential solutions to resolve measurements asymmetry issue is data re-sampling. It is a matter of either considering only the hydrological data or the balanced part of the hydro-meteorological data set during the forecasting process. However, the main disadvantage is that we may lose potentially relevant information from the left-out data. In this research, the key output is a Two-Phase Constructive Fuzzy inference hybrid model that is implemented over the non re-sampled data. The introduced modeling approach must be capable of exploiting the available data efficiently with higher prediction efficiency relative to Constructive Fuzzy model trained over re-sampled data set. The study was applied to Litani River in the Bekaa Valley - Lebanon by using 4 years of rainfall and 24 years of river flow daily measurements. A Constructive Fuzzy System Model (C-FSM) and a Two-Phase Constructive Fuzzy System Model (TPC-FSM) are trained. Upon validating, the second model has shown a primarily competitive performance and accuracy with the ability to preserve a higher day-to-day variability for 1, 3 and 6 days ahead. In fact, for the longest lead period, the C-FSM and TPC-FSM were able of explaining respectively 84.6% and 86.5% of the actual river flow variation. Overall, the results indicate that TPC-FSM model has provided a better tool to capture extreme flows in the process of streamflow prediction.

Chapter 15: Commercial New Construction Evaluation Protocol. The Uniform Methods Project: Methods for Determining Energy Efficiency Savings for Specific Measures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kurnik, Charles W. [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Keates, Steven [ADM Associates, Inc., Atlanta, GA (United States)

2017-10-09

This protocol is intended to describe the recommended method when evaluating the whole-building performance of new construction projects in the commercial sector. The protocol focuses on energy conservation measures (ECMs) or packages of measures where evaluators can analyze impacts using building simulation. These ECMs typically require the use of calibrated building simulations under Option D of the International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol (IPMVP).

Construction materials and Radon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paschuk, Sergei A.; Correa, Janine Nicolosi; Loriane, Fior; Schelin, Hugo R.; Pottker, Fabiana; Paula Melo, Vicente de

2008-01-01

Full text: Current studies have been performed with the aim to find the correlation of radon concentration in the air and used construction materials. At the first stage of the measurements different samples of materials used in civil construction were studied as a source of radon in the air and at the second step it was studied the radon infiltration insulation using different samples of finishing materials. For 222 Rn concentration measurements related to different construction materials as well as for the studies of radon emanation and its reduction, the sealed cell chambers, of approximately 60 x 60cm 2 , have been built using the ceramic and concrete blocks. This construction has been performed within protected and isolated laboratory environment to maintain the air humidity and temperature stable. These long term measurements have been performed using polycarbonate alpha track passive detectors. The exposure time was set about 15 days considering previous calibration performed at the Institute of Radiation Protection and Dosimetry (IRD/CNEN), where the efficiency of 70% was obtained for the density of alpha particle tracks about 13.8 cm -2 per exposure day and per kBq/m 3 of radon activity concentration. The chemical development of alpha tracks has been achieved by electrochemical etching. The track identification and counting have been done using a code based on the MATLAB Image Processing Toolbox. The cell chambers have been built following four principle steps: 1) Assembling the walls using the blocks and mortar; 2) Plaster installation; 3) Wall surface finishing using the lime; 4) Wall surface insulation by paint. Making the comparison between three layers installed at the masonry walls from concrete and ceramic blocks, it could be concluded that only wall painting with acrylic varnish attended the expectation and reduced the radon emanation flow by the factor of 2.5 approximately. Studied construction materials have been submitted the instant

Constructing sanctions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jaeger, Mark Daniel

2016-01-01

such an effect. This paper explores sanctions conflicts as social constructs. It purports that rally-around-the-flag is all but one part of the discursive dimension of sanctions conflicts. Sanctions are intricately connected with the conflict setting they occur in. The study suggests a dialectical relation...... between how opponents perceive conflicts and the meaning of sanctions therein. This nexus of different constructions of sanctions moreover extends to “targeted” sanctions as well: As restrictive measures against Zimbabwe demonstrate, they are not the kind of minimally-invasive operations with clinical...

A construct of the instrument for measuring junior high school mathematics teacher's self-efficacy

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Rachmadi Widdiharto

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to develop a construct of the instrument for junior high school mathematics teacher self-efficacy and its mapping in the Special Region of  Yogyakarta. The population was 816 junior high mathematics teacher and a sample of 274 teachers was selected through proportionate random sampling technique. The data were analyzed using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA, using software Lisrel 8.80 through the first order and the second order stages. The result of data analysis toward four dimensions obtained: 11 fit items for dimension of personal efficacy (PE, 12 fit items for dimension of general teaching efficacy  (GTE, 13 fit  items for dimension of subject matter teaching efficacy (STE, and 8 fit items for dimension of outcome efficacy (OE. Afterward, the result of selecting 54 items in the first order stage was examined for the second order CFA which obtained Chi-Square = 297.58; df = 271; p-value = 0.12824; RMSEA = 0.019, which showed the model was fit to the data and obtained 25 fit items.  The loading factors for each dimension PE, GTE, STE, and OE consecutively were: 0.46; 0.84; 0.89, and 0.92, and mapping of mathematics teacher self-efficacy level, which showed: 43.07% in low category, 55.47% in medium category (55.47% and 1.46% in the high category.

Selection of lamp reflector construction and fishing time of lift net

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Gondo Puspito

2017-06-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to determine lift net’s lamp reflector construction which is able to give highest weight on catch and determine the best fishing time. Three lamp reflector constructions were made of cylinder shape for one construction and cone shape with opening angle α = 62° and 90° for two others. The dimension (øR × HR for each reflector are 30 × 37 (cm, 40 × 18 (cm and 40 × 39.62 (cm. Each lamp reflector was being operated by 1 lift net for 15 nights. Total fishing operations were twice per night within interval 07.00–12.00 PM and 00.00–05.00 AM. Results of the catch gave 2 schools of fish which were plankton feeders and predators. Plankton feeders included anchovy Stolephorus spp. 477 kg, mackerel (Rastrelliger spp. 1934 kg, and malayan half (Decapterus sp. 15.5 kg. Predators consisted of hairtail (Trichiurus sp. 982 kg, yellowstrip scad (Selaroides spp. 29 kg, and giant trevally (Caranx sp. 26.3 kg. The lift net which operated lamp reflector of α = 90° has the highest catch of 2,307.8 kg, while the lamp reflector of α = 62° has 1895 kg of catch. The one with cylinder shape has 1261 kg of catch.

Towards improving construction labor productivity and projects’ performance

OpenAIRE

Mostafa E. Shehata; Khaled M. El-Gohary

2011-01-01

Proper management of resources in construction projects can yield substantial savings in time and cost. As construction is a labor-intensive industry, this paper focuses on labor productivity in the construction industry. This study considers the current state-of-the-art issues relevant to this subject. It covers the construction labor productivity definitions, aspects, measurements, factors affecting it, different techniques used for measuring it and modeling techniques. The main outcome fro...

Web-based Construction Information Management System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David Scott

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Centralised information systems that are accessible to all parties in a construction project are powerful tools in the quest to improve efficiency and to enhance the flow of information within the construction industry. This report points out the maturity of the necessary IT technology, the availability and the suitability of existing commercial products.Some of these products have been studied and analysed. An evaluation and selection process based on the functions offered in the products and their utility is presented. A survey of local construction personnel has been used to collect typical weighting data and performance criteria used in the evaluation process.

Phenomenological aspects of the cognitive rumination construct

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leonardo Fernandez Meyer

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Objective: To evaluate the importance of phenomenological aspects of the cognitive rumination (CR construct in current empirical psychiatric research.Method: We searched SciELO, Scopus, ScienceDirect, MEDLINE, OneFile (GALE, SpringerLink, Cambridge Journals and Web of Science between February and March of 2014 for studies whose title and topic included the following keywords: cognitive rumination; rumination response scale; and self-reflection. The inclusion criteria were: empirical clinical study; CR as the main object of investigation; and study that included a conceptual definition of CR. The studies selected were published in English in biomedical journals in the last 10 years. Our phenomenological analysis was based on Karl Jaspers' General Psychopathology.Results: Most current empirical studies adopt phenomenological cognitive elements in conceptual definitions. However, these elements do not seem to be carefully examined and are indistinctly understood as objective empirical factors that may be measured, which may contribute to misunderstandings about CR, erroneous interpretations of results and problematic theoretical models.Conclusion: Empirical studies fail when evaluating phenomenological aspects of the cognitive elements of the CR construct. Psychopathology and phenomenology may help define the characteristics of CR elements and may contribute to their understanding and hierarchical organization as a construct. A review of the psychopathology principles established by Jasper may clarify some of these issues.

Stroop Color-Word Test: A Screening Measure of Selective Attention to Differentiate LD From Non LD Children.

Science.gov (United States)

Lazarus, Philip J.; And Others

1984-01-01

Used the Stroop Color-Word Test to measure selective attention in learning disabled (N=45) and nonLD (N=50) children. Results indicated that LD children have a significant weakness in the process of selective attention compared to the nonLD children. Findings suggested that the Stroop is an effective screening measure. (JAC)

Protection of Workers and Third Parties during the Construction of Linear Structures

Science.gov (United States)

Vlčková, Jitka; Venkrbec, Václav; Henková, Svatava; Chromý, Adam

2017-12-01

The minimization of risk in the workplace through a focus on occupational health and safety (OHS) is one of the primary objectives for every construction project. The most serious accidents in the construction industry occur during work on earthworks and linear structures. The character of such structures places them among those posing the greatest threat to the public (referred to as “third parties”). They can be characterized as large structures whose construction may involve the building site extending in a narrow lane alongside previously constructed objects currently in use by the public. Linear structures are often directly connected to existing objects or buildings, making it impossible to guard the whole construction site. However, many OHS problems related to linear structures can be prevented during the design stage. The aim of this article is to introduce a new methodology which has been implemented into a computer program that deals with safety measures at construction sites where work is performed on linear structures. Based on existing experience with the design of such structures and their execution and supervision by safety coordinators, the basic types of linear structures, their location in the terrain, the conditions present during their execution and other marginal conditions and influences were modelled. Basic safety information has been assigned to this elementary information, which is strictly necessary for the construction process. The safety provisions can be grouped according to type, e.g. technical, organizational and other necessary documentation, or into sets of provisions concerning areas such as construction site safety, transport safety, earthworks safety, etc. The selection of the given provisions takes place using multiple criteria. The aim of creating this program is to provide a practical tool for designers, contractors and construction companies. The model can contribute to the sufficient awareness of these participants

Constructive Dimension and Turing Degrees

OpenAIRE

Bienvenu, Laurent; Doty, David; Stephan, Frank

2007-01-01

This paper examines the constructive Hausdorff and packing dimensions of Turing degrees. The main result is that every infinite sequence S with constructive Hausdorff dimension dim_H(S) and constructive packing dimension dim_P(S) is Turing equivalent to a sequence R with dim_H(R) 0. Furthermore, if dim_P(S) > 0, then dim_P(R) >= 1 - epsilon. The reduction thus serves as a *randomness extractor* that increases the algorithmic randomness of S, as measured by constructive dimension. A number of...

Causal Factors of Corruption in Construction Project Management: An Overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Owusu, Emmanuel Kingsford; Chan, Albert P C; Shan, Ming

2017-11-11

The development of efficient and strategic anti-corruption measures can be better achieved if a deeper understanding and identification of the causes of corruption are established. Over the past years, many studies have been devoted to the research of corruption in construction management (CM). This has resulted in a significant increase in the body of knowledge on the subject matter, including the causative factors triggering these corrupt practices. However, an apropos systematic assessment of both past and current studies on the subject matter which is needful for the future endeavor is lacking. Moreover, there is an absence of unified view of the causative factors of corruption identified in construction project management (CPM). This paper, therefore, presents a comprehensive review of the causes of corruption from selected articles in recognized construction management journals to address the mentioned gaps. A total number of 44 causes of corruption were identified from 37 publications and analyzed in terms of existing causal factors of corruption, annual trend of publications and the thematic categorization of the identified variables. The most identifiable causes were over close relationships, poor professional ethical standards, negative industrial and working conditions, negative role models and inadequate sanctions. A conceptual framework of causes of corruption was established, after categorizing the 44 variables into five unique categories. In descending order, the five constructs are Psychosocial-Specific Causes, Organizational-Specific Causes, Regulatory-Specific Causes, Project-Specific Causes and Statutory-Specific Causes. This study extends the current literature of corruption research in construction management and contributes to a deepened understanding of the causal instigators of corruption identified in CPM. The findings from this study provide valuable information and extended knowledge to industry practitioners and policymakers as well as

Modularization in construction processes New Nuclear Power Plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martinez, I.; Cobos, A.; Herrera Ropero, D.

2012-01-01

The aim of this work is that it has the capacity and expertise to analyze the suitability of modular technology design and construction compared to conventional nuclear plants. It will define the criteria for selecting the areas of modularity and the impact on design and its interfaces with engineering, supply, including logistics and construction.

Turbidity monitoring equipment and methodology evaluation at MDOT construction sites.

Science.gov (United States)

2014-12-01

State Study 261 is a continuation of State study 225, "Turbidity Monitoring at Select : MDOT Construction Sites", which was successful in establishing baseline stream data : at several active construction sites. State Study 261 focused on the equipme...

Selective functional activity measurement of a PEGylated protein with a modification-dependent activity assay.

Science.gov (United States)

Weber, Alfred; Engelmaier, Andrea; Mohr, Gabriele; Haindl, Sonja; Schwarz, Hans Peter; Turecek, Peter L

2017-01-05

BAX 855 (ADYNOVATE) is a PEGylated recombinant factor VIII (rFVIII) that showed prolonged circulatory half-life compared to unmodified rFVIII in hemophilic patients. Here, the development and validation of a novel assay is described that selectively measures the activity of BAX 855 as cofactor for the serine protease factor IX, which actives factor X. This method type, termed modification-dependent activity assay, is based on PEG-specific capture of BAX 855 by an anti-PEG IgG preparation, followed by a chromogenic FVIII activity assay. The assay principle enabled sensitive measurement of the FVIII cofactor activity of BAX 855 down to the pM-range without interference by non-PEGylated FVIII. The selectivity of the capture step, shown by competition studies to primarily target the terminal methoxy group of PEG, also allowed assessment of the intactness of the attached PEG chains. Altogether, the modification-dependent activity not only enriches, but complements the group of methods to selectively, accurately, and precisely measure a PEGylated drug in complex biological matrices. In contrast to all other methods described so far, it allows measurement of the biological activity of the PEGylated protein. Data obtained demonstrate that this new method principle can be extended to protein modifications other than PEGylation and to a variety of functional activity assays. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Construct validity-Current issues and recommendations for future hand hygiene research.

Science.gov (United States)

Neo, Jun Rong Jeffrey

2017-05-01

Health care-associated infection is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Hand hygiene is widely regarded as an effective prevention strategy. Often, hand hygiene research is designed and conducted by health care practitioners who may lack formal training in research methods, particularly in the area of social science. In a research context, a construct is a concept that can be measured or observed in some way. A construct can be directly or indirectly measured. For example, height can be directly measured by centimeters, whereas depression can be indirectly measured by a scale of 20 items. Every construct needs to be operationalized by measure(s) to make it a variable. Hence, construct validity refers to the degree of fit between the construct of interest and its operational measure. However, issues with construct validity often weaken the translation from construct to measure(s). This article will (1) describe the common threats to construct validity pertaining to hand hygiene research, (2) identify practical limitations in current research design, and (3) provide recommendations to improve construct validity in future hand hygiene research. By understanding how construct validity may affect hand hygiene research design, there is great potential to improve the validity of future hand hygiene research findings. Copyright © 2017 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Construction and selection of effective mouse Smad6 recombinant lenti-virus interference vectors].

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Jing; Qi, Mengchun; Deng, Jiupeng; Liu, Gang; Chen, Huaiqing

2010-10-01

This experiment was designed to construct mouse Smad6 recombinant RNA interference vectors and determine their interference effects on bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). Three recombinant Smad6 RNA interference vectors were constructed by molecular clone techniques with a lenti-virus vector expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP), and the correctness of recombinant vectors was verified by DNA sequencing. Mouse BMSCs were used for transfection experiments and BMP-2 was in use for osteogenic induction of MSCs. The transfection efficiency of recombinant vectors was examined by Laser confocal scanning microscope and the interference effect of recombinant vectors on Smad6 gene expression was determined by real-time RT-PCR and Western blot, respectively. Three Smad6 recombinant RNA interference vectors were successfully constructed and their correctness was proved by DNA sequencing. After transfection, GFPs were effectively expressed in MSCs and all of three recombinant vectors gained high transfection efficiency (> 95%). Both real-time PCR and Western blot examination indicated that among three recombinant vectors, No. 2 Svector had the best interference effect and the interference effect was nearly 91% at protein level. In conclusion, Mouse recombinant Smad6 RNA interference (RNAi) vector was successfully constructed and it provided an effective tool for further studies on BMP signal pathways.

Measuring Teaching Quality in Higher Education: Assessing Selection Bias in Course Evaluations

Science.gov (United States)

Goos, Maarten; Salomons, Anna

2017-01-01

Student evaluations of teaching (SETs) are widely used to measure teaching quality in higher education and compare it across different courses, teachers, departments and institutions. Indeed, SETs are of increasing importance for teacher promotion decisions, student course selection, as well as for auditing practices demonstrating institutional…

Using Project Performance to Measure Effectiveness of Quality Management System Maintenance and Practices in Construction Industry

OpenAIRE

Tiong Kung Leong; Norhayati Zakuan; Muhamad Zameri Mat Saman; Mohd. Shoki Md. Ariff; Choy Soon Tan

2014-01-01

This paper proposed seven existing and new performance indicators to measure the effectiveness of quality management system (QMS) maintenance and practices in construction industry. This research is carried out with a questionnaire based on QMS variables which are extracted from literature review and project performance indicators which are established from project management's theory. Data collected was analyzed using correlation and regression analysis. The findings indicate that client sat...

Mitigation measures for the La Grande 1 hydroelectric development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Faucher, O.; Gagnon, R.

1992-01-01

Measures to mitigate environmental impacts of the La Grande 1 hydroelectric development are described. An overview is presented of the La Grande 1 project, its surrounding environment, and the principle environmental repercussions of the reservoir, hydrological changes between the dam and river mouth, construction activities and permanent and temporary structures, and presence of workers. Mitigation measures including compensation, corrective measures (deforestation, selective cutting, fish populations, wildlife populations, land rehabilitation, access roads, fisheries, and erosion control), protective measures, enhancement measures, and contract and employment opportunities for the Cree population are described. 10 refs., 2 figs

Construction of large signaling pathways using an adaptive perturbation approach with phosphoproteomic data.

Science.gov (United States)

Melas, Ioannis N; Mitsos, Alexander; Messinis, Dimitris E; Weiss, Thomas S; Rodriguez, Julio-Saez; Alexopoulos, Leonidas G

2012-04-01

Construction of large and cell-specific signaling pathways is essential to understand information processing under normal and pathological conditions. On this front, gene-based approaches offer the advantage of large pathway exploration whereas phosphoproteomic approaches offer a more reliable view of pathway activities but are applicable to small pathway sizes. In this paper, we demonstrate an experimentally adaptive approach to construct large signaling pathways from phosphoproteomic data within a 3-day time frame. Our approach--taking advantage of the fast turnaround time of the xMAP technology--is carried out in four steps: (i) screen optimal pathway inducers, (ii) select the responsive ones, (iii) combine them in a combinatorial fashion to construct a phosphoproteomic dataset, and (iv) optimize a reduced generic pathway via an Integer Linear Programming formulation. As a case study, we uncover novel players and their corresponding pathways in primary human hepatocytes by interrogating the signal transduction downstream of 81 receptors of interest and constructing a detailed model for the responsive part of the network comprising 177 species (of which 14 are measured) and 365 interactions.

Experimental Setup for Evaluation of the Protective Technical Measures Against the Slopes Degradation Along Linear Construction Sites

Science.gov (United States)

Kavka, Petr; Zumr, David; Neumann, Martin; Lidmila, Martin; Dufka, Dušan

2017-04-01

Soil erosion of the slopes along the linear construction sites, such as railroads, roads, pipelines or watercourses, is usually underestimated by the construction companies and controlling authorities. But under certain circumstances, when the construction site is not maintained and protected properly, a large amounts of soil may be transported from the sites to the surrounding environment during the intensive rainfall. Transported sediment, often carrying adsorbed pollutants, may reach watercourses and cause water recipient siltation and pollution. Within the applied research project we investigate ways of low cost, quick and easy technical measures that would help to protect the slopes against the splash erosion, rills development and sliding. The methodology is based on testing of various permeable covers, sheets, anchoring and patchy vegetation on a plot and hillslope scales. In this contribution we will present the experimental plot setup, consisting of large soil blocks encapsulated in the monitored steel containers and nozzle rainfall simulator. The presentation is funded by the Technological Agency of the Czech Republic (research project TH02030428) and an internal student CTU grant.

Potential of Genomic Selection in Mass Selection Breeding of an Allogamous Crop: An Empirical Study to Increase Yield of Common Buckwheat.

Science.gov (United States)

Yabe, Shiori; Hara, Takashi; Ueno, Mariko; Enoki, Hiroyuki; Kimura, Tatsuro; Nishimura, Satoru; Yasui, Yasuo; Ohsawa, Ryo; Iwata, Hiroyoshi

2018-01-01

To evaluate the potential of genomic selection (GS), a selection experiment with GS and phenotypic selection (PS) was performed in an allogamous crop, common buckwheat ( Fagopyrum esculentum Moench). To indirectly select for seed yield per unit area, which cannot be measured on a single-plant basis, a selection index was constructed from seven agro-morphological traits measurable on a single plant basis. Over 3 years, we performed two GS and one PS cycles per year for improvement in the selection index. In GS, a prediction model was updated every year on the basis of genotypes of 14,598-50,000 markers and phenotypes. Plants grown from seeds derived from a series of generations of GS and PS populations were evaluated for the traits in the selection index and other yield-related traits. GS resulted in a 20.9% increase and PS in a 15.0% increase in the selection index in comparison with the initial population. Although the level of linkage disequilibrium in the breeding population was low, the target trait was improved with GS. Traits with higher weights in the selection index were improved more than those with lower weights, especially when prediction accuracy was high. No trait changed in an unintended direction in either GS or PS. The accuracy of genomic prediction models built in the first cycle decreased in the later cycles because the genetic bottleneck through the selection cycles changed linkage disequilibrium patterns in the breeding population. The present study emphasizes the importance of updating models in GS and demonstrates the potential of GS in mass selection of allogamous crop species, and provided a pilot example of successful application of GS to plant breeding.

Luminosity Measurement at ATLAS Development, Construction and Test of Scintillating Fibre Prototype Detectors

CERN Document Server

Ask, S; Braem, André; Cheiklali, C; Efthymiopoulos, I; Fournier, D; de La Taille, C; Di Girolamo, B; Grafström, P; Joram, C; Haguenauer, Maurice; Hedberg, V; Lavigne, B; Maio, A; Mapelli, A; Mjörnmark, U; Puzo, P; Rijssenbeek, M; Santos, J; Saraiva, J G; Stenzel, H; Thioye, M; Valladolid, E; Vorobel, V

2006-01-01

We are reporting about a scintillating fibre tracking detector which is proposed for the precise determination of the absolute luminosity of the CERN LHC at interaction point 1 where the ATLAS experiment is located. The detector needs to track protons elastically scattered under $\\mu$rad angles in direct vicinity to the LHC beam. It is based on square shaped scintillating plastic fibres read out by multi-anode photomultiplier tubes and is housed in Roman Pots. We describe the design and construction of prototype detectors and the results of a beam test experiment at DESY. The excellent detector performance established in this test validates the detector design and supports the feasibility of the proposed challenging method of luminosity measurement.

The use of modern measurement techniques for designing pro ecological constructions

Science.gov (United States)

Wieczorowski, Michał; Gapiński, Bartosz; Szymański, Maciej; Rękas, Artur

2017-10-01

In the paper some possibilities of application modern length and angle metrology techniques to design constructions that support ecology were presented. The paper is based on a project where a lighter bus and train car seat was developed. Different options were presented including static and dynamic photogrammetry, computed tomography and thermography. Research related with dynamic behaviour of designed structures gave input to determine deformation of a seat and passengers sitting on it during communication accidents. Works connected to strength of construction elements made it possible to optimize its dimensions maintaining proper durability. Metrological actions taken in relation to production machines and equipment enabled to better recognize phenomena that take place during manufacturing process and to correct its parameters, what in turns also contributed to slim down the construction.

Development and Validation of Measures for Selecting Soldiers for the Officer Candidate School

Science.gov (United States)

2011-08-01

SJT, there has been a debate about what SJTs actually measure and why they work (cf. Moss & Hunt, 1926; Thorndike , 1936), a debate that continues...meta-analytic review and integration. Psychological Bulletin, 129, 914-945. Thorndike , R. L. (1936). Factor analysis of social and abstract...intelligence. The Journal of Educational Psychology, XXVII, 231—233. Thorndike , R. L. (1949). Personnel selection: Test and measurement techniques. New York

Implied Volatility Surface: Construction Methodologies and Characteristics

OpenAIRE

Cristian Homescu

2011-01-01

The implied volatility surface (IVS) is a fundamental building block in computational finance. We provide a survey of methodologies for constructing such surfaces. We also discuss various topics which can influence the successful construction of IVS in practice: arbitrage-free conditions in both strike and time, how to perform extrapolation outside the core region, choice of calibrating functional and selection of numerical optimization algorithms, volatility surface dynamics and asymptotics.

IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF INVESTMENT DESIGN IN INDUSTRIAL CONSTRUCTION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. M. Meylanov

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Objectives. The development of a set of practical measures in order to improve the quality of investment design in industrial construction.Methods. The basis of research comprises a project management methodology as well as methods for logical and statistical analysis of decisionmaking in investment activities.Results. A mechanism of inclusion of industrial construction objects into the Federal targeted investment programme is revealed. The sequence of the state expert evaluation of investment projects is determined, which optimises the design solutions aimed at minimising their estimated cost if the investment is made with the involvement of the Federal budget. Qualitative and quantitative criteria are systematised for the integrated assessment of the effectiveness of investment fund usage sent to industrial construction objects.Conclusion. The consistent implementation of the state investment policy is aimed at developing the scientific-technological and scientific-industrial potential of industrial construction by providing favourable conditions for effective innovation activity, selecting rational investment strategies and priority projects aimed at solving urgent problems of improving the competitiveness of construction. Successful implementation of the state investment policy in industrial construction largely depends on the effectiveness of investment design, starting from the accuracy of the formulation of the investment plan (idea, in which the interests of all participants in investment activities are concentrated and taken into account, and to the development of an agreed set of actions to complete the project. A unified register covering the data on the cost and results of investment projects is proposed to be created with the purpose of facilitating decision-making in the process of allocation of the Federal budget funds, planning of state capital investments and approval of project documentation for new industrial construction